During one of the Expo Plus sessions, Martin Sitter of MacProVideo.com shared some tips on starting and promoting an Internet Business with your Mac (although nothing he had to say seemed particularly Mac-centric). Since most of my readers (I suspect!) are more interested in promoting their “business” (ie, your blog), the following may be of interest on how to drive traffic to your site. These tips might apply no matter what your on-line business.
Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Site: Read more…
An American Sentence, A Shoe Poem, & A Call to Artists
Yesterday was my birthday, the moon was full, so I took the day off.
Yes I did I took my birthday off from the blog for the mountains. Where we stayed I could pirate wifi but it was erratic at best and besides, I had slopes to ski and friends and family to enjoy!
After finding the following call to artists, I knew what to add to my American sentence (above in orange) for this post for the Poetry Train and Read Write Poem.
“trying” was published December 1996 for ARTLIFE’s Limited Editions 16 Anniversary Issue (sweet 16 never been kissed!) You may notice I made a few changes between that version and this one, the biggest being a move to 3 line stanzas except for the pair at the end and a new close.
today and possibly tomorrow
it feels like i’m trying on men
like i’d try on a pair of shoes
their names even match up
a pair of phils
both with x’s named christine
a pair of daves
a pair of bills
a pair of matts
a pair of tims
a pair of erics
now a pair of sams
they join a closetful of memories
with the odd ken, ron,
miguel, ze, robert
i don’t know what to do with them all
some look good but don’t feel good
some feel good but don’t look good
some cost too much to keep around
some are just too fashionable to pass up
even if they aren’t my style
i keep trying to find the perfect fit
they never work out
they begin to hurt
the memories still do
i love each of these men in some way
i love every pair of shoes i try on
my closet my bed stay empty
of my cinderella’s slipper and prince
i’m still trying them on
looking for the perfect fit
the one for happily ever after
Remember my post “Fun Game: Throw Your Shoe at President Bush”? Well, here comes a Juried Exhibition: Farewell SHOES for Mr. Bush!
In reference to the life that we, the world, have been breathing over the past eight years – thanks to our fine leaders in politics – we would like to salute them and wish them the “best” with a unique fun and participatory farewell gesture exhibition.
Farewell Shoes for Mr. Bush is a shoe art exhibition open to artists of all mediums and from around the globe, who will have an opportunity to express their feelings on a shoe or pair of shoes. Participating artists are encouraged to explore innovative, evocative and genuine creations and to transcend the outside layers of the shoes. Shoes of all sizes (size 10 not required!) materials and provenance will be transformed into expressions of political, visual art, or simply a “farewell”.
The selected entries by the jury will be exhibited at DECORAZON gallery in Dallas, Texas in an installation curated by Hugo Garcia Urrutia and MK Semos, DECORAZON gallery directors.
To participate in this exhibition, the artist’s application package must be received by DECORAZON gallery no later than 6 pm on Friday January 30, 2009. Read more…
First Fridays: Ventucky & LA’s Natural History Museum
Tour of the Ornithology Collections with Kimball Garrett
NHM Ornithology Collections Manager Kimball Garrett takes guests on a tour of intriguing, variable bird groups that Darwin would have observed, and talk about how the Museum’s collections – even those that are very old – are used in modern day research.
6:30pm, DISCUSSION (includes a Book Signing):
“Darwin’s Evolution” with Lyanda Lynn Haupt
Using little-known letters, diaries, and notebooks, writer Lyanda Lynn Haupt explores Darwin’s own evolution – from his beginning as a fumbling neophyte student of the natural world to his emergence as an original, creative naturalist who could draw complex scientific truths from the observation of life around him.
Lyanda Lynn Haupt
Each theme will be moderated by Michael W. Quick, Ph.D. (Department of Biological Sciences and Executive Vice Dean, University of Southern California College of Letters, Arts & Sciences)
document.getElementById(‘readMore2’).style.display=”none”;
7:00pm-10:00pm, MUSIC:
The Little Ones Plants and Animals
DJs in the African Mammal Hall:
The Phatal DJ and DJ Kutmah (dublab.com)
Darwin’s Origin of Species: From a Theory of Evolution to a Cultural Revolution
This year Charles Darwin turns 200 and his world-altering On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection turns 150. Often considered one of the two or three most important – and misunderstood – texts published in the sciences, The Origin of Species is also one of a handful of scientific works that has reverberated beyond science, shaking the foundations of art, literature, philosophy, religion and society. This season’s First Fridays celebrate “Darwin Year” through entertaining and fascinating conversations with six of the world’s foremost authors and experts on the life of Darwin, the science of evolution, and the revolutionary impact of the man and his work. Participants include author Lyanda Lynn Haupt (Pilgrim on the Great Bird Continent: The Importance of Everything and Other Lessons from Darwin’s Lost Notebooks), paleontologist Donald Prothero (Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why It Matters), biologist Neil Shubin (Your Inner Fish), zoologist Michael Ryan (The Túngara Frog, A Study in Sexual Selection and Communication), paleoanthropologist Donald C. Johanson (Lucy: The Beginnings of Humankind) and Skeptic Magazine editor Michael Shermer (Why Darwin Matters: The Case Against Intelligent Design).
DETAILS ON UPCOMING FIRST FRIDAY EVENTS:
/*document.getElementById(‘readMore’).style.display=”none”;*/
- Museum admission: Adult $9, students (w. ID) $6.50, Members FREE.
- Capacity of discussion, music, and tour is limited and awarded on a first come, first served basis. Please arrive early to ensure participation.
- Dinner and drinks for sale starting at 5:00pm. Organic and handmade food by Mission Bistro.
- Public parking available on Menlo Avenue across from the Museum.
- For more information e-mail performances@nhm.org.
Of course this Darwin exhibit ties in perfectly with preparations for this year’s Burning Man which takes off from Darwin as well!
Macworld WHOA! Final notes soon!
So I am on my way home and stopped at Peet’s in Santa Barbara for a wake-up coffee and respite from the road…all the way home swimming in images, ideas, and more from the last few days at Macworld…
Soon I will get up notes from sessions and details about new products and apps that I bought or learned about including a solar charging device, cool skins, books etc etc!
As well as some notes about an awesome place to stay (Marina Motel) and more notes about the city!
Inaugural Celebrations here or Host one!
Barack Obama’s inauguration is less than two weeks away. That night, hundreds of thousands people are going to be looking for a place to celebrate. That’s why we’re holding Inaugural Bashes in communities across the country. Can you organize one for folks in Ventura? Your bash doesn’t have to be anything fancy—hosting is really simple—but stepping up to host now will mean progressives in your neighborhood have a place to get together and party on January 20th!
Can you sign up to host an Inaugural Bash in an Inaugural Bash in Ventura?
Your Inaugural Bash could be really straightforward—It could be a potluck dinner at your house to celebrate. It could be a laid back get-together at a friendly, local bar. It could even be an elaborate Inaugural Ball at a local community center, with decorations and formal wear. January 20th is going to be a day for the history books.
P.S. These parties are being organized with MoveOn.org Civic Action—not MoveOn.org Political Action—so the rules are different and it’s fine to hold your party in a bar, a restaurant, or a local community center. That’ll allow more folks to attend (though of course, hosting in your home would be great, too).
Macworld Day 2: what are you missing?
In addition to continuing to exploring the Expo Hall more and to spending some time with the digital photography exhibit, here are some of the events I plan to attend today:
1/7 9-10am NY Times Columnist David Pogue
1/7 12-1245 Making Music with the Mac
1/7 1230-130 Peachpit #812 Scott McNulty, author signing, Building a WordPress Blog People Want to Read
1/7 1-2pm David Pogue again! Making iMovies
1/7 3-4 David Pogue on Leopard! O’Reilly Booth S2210
1/7 630-7 Birds of a Feather meetings
1/7 5-8 @griffintech San Francisco Twitter Tweet Up –hmmn maybe this event will convince me to tweet too? House of Shields, 39 New Montgomery St. – between Jessie St & Stevenson St
For me tonight I am going to visit with my long time Burner friend Toni who has been my generous host here in SF! Thanks, Toni!
Macworld Ho Day 1: in the write place
“I wanted to provide hardcore information to hardcore people who want to kick ass, and I wanted it in something you can hold onto–a book. Why? Because a book boots up faster than a blog and is not dependent on Internet connectivity, battery life, or the ineptness of HTML printing.” So says Guy Kawasaki.
Believe it or not (Paul Squires), the Art Predator scored a legit media pass to Macworld 2009–after all, I do average over 5,000 hits a month here on this blog and I write on a semi-regular basis about “industry” issues (along with, as you know, plenty of poetry and various types of ephemera).
And who better to reach the rambling random masses than the Art Predator? On this site where you never know what you might bump up against?
So one highlight from Day 1 at Macworld, beside the free food and wine from sponsor JAMF (they of the Casper Suite: Peerless Breadth and Depth in Mac Client Management in case you didn’t know) is meeting Guy Kawasaki, shaking his hand, and having him sign a copy of his book, Reality Check: The Irreverent Guide to Outsmarting, Outmanaging, and Outmarketing Your Competition. He asked who I was, and I explained I was a writer, a blogger, the Art Predator (for gosh sakes!) Which then meant I explained Coleridge’s idea of the aesthetic as engaging the whole soul and the eclectic nature of this blog.
“Have you heard of Alltop?” he asked.
“Of course,” I said with a smile as he slid an Alltop sticker in my free copy of his book (being one of the first 75 to come by the Microsoft booth). I handed him an Art Predator card and left him with his line of fans…
Macworld Ho: what’s next? where’s the party?
There’s really too much going on at Macworld to take it all in. It’s kinda like Burning Man for Mac users but out there on the playa people wear little and what they do wear is outrageous and wild. Here just about everyone is wearing a black jacket, jeans and tennis shoes (and testosterone). Really. It’s a Black Sea. It’s like the black suit coat is the new white labcoat for mad computer scientists! (The women, if they are working a booth, show cleavage and leg. The “Delicious” women wear white blouses unbuttoned almost to the navel with black bras with white lace, tight black short skirts, fishnets, and black high heels…librarians they are not!)
Just the people watching could keep me occupied–that is, the folks not in the uniform…for example, I just watched a 40 something man absentmindedly blow a bubble (using gum) while riding down the escalator…and I’ve seen literally hundreds of people ride UP the escalator wearing white satin and pink bunny ears (gotta get me some!!) Read more…
Macworld Ho: Keynote address
I have to admit that the Art Predator missed out on the big talk this morning at Macworld 2009 by Keynote, Phil Shiller, Apple Sr. VP, Worldwide Product Marketing–but I won’t miss out on much more I promise! (OK, it was a long drive and negotiating SF parking is not easy!)
There’s no shortage of coverage about it all over the web: if you’re interested, this is a blow by blow account by crunchgear. Highlights:
9:05 – This keynote is going to blow. I guarantee it!
9:07 – Entire new version of iLife ‘09. Two more things to talk about.
9:07 – Macs grew twice as fast as the PC market.
9:06 – Mac will be the focus. 9.7 million Macs were sold in FY 2008.
9:19-There’s a travel book photo album theme that includes maps of where your images are taken based on getoagging info.
You get the idea…I overheard someone say “Phil did a great job. He didn’t skip a beat.” Yep, don’t you wish you were here?
I saw the new iLife in action–it really is cool!! (But the travel book photo album theme will get overused I bet and become common place…just like certain WordPress themes!)
The new iLife with lots of cool bells and whistles is free w/new and $80 upgrade (guess who’s getting an upgrade for her birthday…yep!)
They announced a new MacBook Pro–fancy schmancy for just under $3,000. I bet prices on ones like mine will plummet–which explains why they were on sale around Christmas!
Next post: where will I go? what will I do? or will I just sit here and keep blogging?
Weds. December 31, 2008
Travelers spill out of Westfalias to scramble rocks for nature’s embrace.
J Tree’s Indian Cove Camp sports climber mohawks, smells of tri-tip, beer.
Mirrored ball spins, music, desert sky diamonds inspires groove on dancers.
Snores to the left, snores to the right, snores below, coyotes sing, I wake.
Thurs. January 1, 2009
Lit incense and aromatic candles alters pit toilets for good.
Mid-afternoon sun disappears behind J Tree’s ragged dark plutons.
Venus winks and moon smiles as hungry campers inhale hot ham, cold night.
When propane lantern goes out, climbers rise by headlamp, sticky toe trust.
Fri. January 2, 2009
Mom explains plate tectonics to curious boy over hot cocoa.
Pumpkin pancakes purple eyed with blueberries vanish into bellies.
Morning crescent eastern moon high fives Rattlesnake Canyon adventures.
Warm rock, cold wind, on belay, climbing, climb on, trust, try, take, lower, off.
Sat. January 3, 2009
J Tree’s Saturday farmers market brings honey, olives, greens, folks here.
No place like my bus for the best coffee with wifi thanks to linksys.
Children on belay scramble in monkey shoes up sparkly rough granites.
Charcoal grey sky spits, wind digs, spaghetti dinner warms puffy campers.
Sun. January 4, 2009
Eat oatmeal, drink tea, gather scattered belongings, time to pack, head home.
Note: American sentences are 17 syllables long, a Ginsbergian version of haiku.
Here’s a post about how I make various versions of pancakes. For the ones above, I used a whole 15 oz can of pumpkin, almost 3 cups of mix, 3 eggs, 3 T of melted butter, and about a cup of milk; once the batter was poured in the pan, I dotted them with blueberries. The blueberries really kick them up a notch!! We ate them plain and with jam and honey; this amount served four adults and two children.
For more poetry, ride the Poetry Train or head to Read Write Poem!
To keep up with what’s happening in Art Predator’s world, please subscribe! And if you already have subscribed, thank you!!
Sorry about the screwy orientation on some of the photos–am working on it!
art predator 