I feel that the people who still subscribe to this blog deserve an explanation of where I’ve been for the past couple of months. While I’ve been in forums and websites and especially on Twitter, I haven’t blogged anywhere.

Basically, that’s because I haven’t thought of anything good and the things I did think of were a pain to write about. I started blogging because I enjoyed it, and even when I started at MacApper.com the pay was a bonus, not the reason.

I stopped enjoying it, but now I’m back.

General updates:
- I own a Digital Rebel XTI (with kit lens) now, and I’m really happy with it. I also have a 50mm f/1.8 (Nifty Fifty), and a 75-300mm lens that I had with the film camera.

- On the subject of photography, I’m looking into getting started with off-camera flash, and am juggling between using a wired or less reliable wireless method. My inspiration was from the Strobist site. Even if you have no interest in going there, I recommend checking it out, because even if you don’t think you want to try it you probably will, and it is also a fascinating subject, at least to me.

- I got a space pen (!) and a fountain pen (!!) for Christmas, which are both really cool and fun. I want to learn calligraphy because my handwriting is horrible.

- I have a tumblr as well. I have one thing posted on it so far, but the link is http://connerdowney.tumblr.com so go check it out.

Other than those, I’m pretty boring.

One of my favorite bloggers is Fake Steve, who poses as Steve Jobs and offers a hilarious approach to things in the Apple and Tech world. Recently there has been many people who have been trying to uncover who he is, through probably completely legal but unethical means. Some people have gone so far to make a special website just for Fake Steve, with a link only he received, that was used to discover where is from (Boston). While Valleywag has taken some heat, from Fake Steve himself as well, they offer some points that say why Andy Ihnatko isn’t Fake Steve in this post, citing reasons that while Andy is funny, Fake Steve is funnier, Andy Inahtko uses Verizon while Fake Steve does not, and more.

Gizmodo also has some points at that Fake Steve won’t be able to stay Fake for long, if the hunt carries on. They are one of the many groups of people who want Fake Steve to remain fake, including TUAW, Buzz Out Loud, and many individuals on Twitter as well.

I am in the group that wants Fake Steve to remain fake. I admit I was curious, but once Fake Steve wrote the post about the invasions of privacy, I figured that it went too far, and that it would be better for everyone if it stopped. I doubt the people who have done the things to discover who he is will stop, but maybe if enough people show their disapproval they will. It’s a big maybe though.

I have recently bought a pocket Moleskine for use with GTD, meaning my large Moleskine I bought has no purpose. Luckily for me, I found one. I found this photoset on Flickr, that showed me fountain pens, good handwriting, moleskines, and a Powerbook. I realized that I had found a use, and that from that moment on, the Moleskine will be used for drafting. That means, essentially, that all important writing that I do will usually be drafted.

But, I want a fountain pen. I have never used one, so don’t know what I need or which one to get, but I know I want one. If you have a suggestion, you can leave a comment. I also want a Fisher Space Pen, but that’s for mobile purposes.

If you are really complelled to buy me a fountain pen, you can donate enough money into my paypal (if they are cheap of course), by sending it to conner (at) connerdowney (dot) com. If someone does, I will immediately edit the post, as I don’t want to scam anyone out of their money.

Recently, I’ve been trying to get into this lifestyle of GTD (or Getting Things Done), through reading websites such as lifehack.org and reading books related to GTD such as The 4-Hour Workweek. I have enjoyed reading the websites and books, but have come to the realization that I can’t really follow them completely.

There are a couple main reasons. The first reason that I see, is that I can’t do things like control my school schedule, or quit it all together (like it would be done in The 4-Hour Workweek). Also, I think that not Getting Things Done is perfectly okay.

I’ve come to that realization when I was writing down on sticky notes tips that I found from lifehack.org and The 4-Hour Workweek, and realized that they aren’t to useful to me. While it may be a good idea to check email not in the morning, and at 12:00 and 4:00, I don’t need to. It’s not impacting my life negatively, as currently I have the whole day free to do what I want (as it is summer).

There isn’t much more to say, other than that while there may be some tips that can be useful (I’ve learned how to take more efficient naps, and how to win a kickboxing match through technicalities, for example), but all of them can’t really be followed.

But, either way, I recommend you read The 4-Hour Workweek, lifehack.org, and I have yet to purchase Getting Things Done. Also, I’m excited for OmniFocus, as I have been trying to find a solution to get myself more organized, as opposed to my sticky note system I am using now.

If you have a suggestion for me to Get Things Done as a teen, then leave a comment.

Update: This is purely my opinion and my experiences. If you’ve found a way that works for you, I would like to hear it.

Today, I was tagged by Jordan to participate in this.

-Players start with 8 random facts about themselves.
-Those who are tagged should post these rules and their 8 random facts.
-Players should tag eight other people and notify them that they have been tagged.

1. I want to be a multi-talented freelancer, with web design, graphic design, blogging, and do some developing with Macs while going through high school and college.
2. My introduction to Internet communities was a Homestar Runner Fan Forum.
3. I have 1 Mac Mini, 1 Macbook, and many iPods of different generations.
4. I traded my nice blue iMac G3 for a horrible, old, slow Sony Vaio laptop to my sister. I am still regretting the decision today.
5. I got my Mac Mini emulating Mac OS X on a Dell desktop, and broke it that I couldn’t fix it (I didn’t know what drivers were, and couldn’t figure out why it was messed up) and was happy ever since.
6. I watch little TV, only a couple shows.
7. I have been blogging since late 2006, but only have been somewhat successful and hard-working for a month or two, after a long hiatus.
8. I love Macs, Mac Software, and basically everything about them.
—
Now, I tag:

Alec Feld
Michael Yurechko
Marvin Sum
Anthony Cole
Nick Danforth
Caitlyn Imburgo
Joseph Lochli
rockstr

As you may have read in an earlier post, I have been trying to learn Cocoa. Cocoa is what many developers for Mac OS X use to make their software, and can create great results. I have been putting it off though, even though I bought the book. The one thing I have learned so far, is how to correctly spell Cocoa.

But, instead of following the book exactly the way it says, I think it would be a good idea if I had something I wanted to do, and that is why I am writing this post. I have been wondering what types of apps my readers want, for Macs, so I can attempt to make one. You should make it easy, so I have a better chance, but put all your ideas if you want.

So, if you have an idea, or a mac app that you want, leave a comment.

PS: This doesn’t merit its own post, but I finally picked up The Four Hour Workweek, by Timothy Ferriss.

For me, summer has basically started. I have one more day off, 8th grade graduation, then graduation for the seniors. Once I’m done with those, I have the whole summer (and soccer camps and other trips) ahead of me. And, hopefully, this is where the learning begins.

Den ganzen Beitrag lesen…

I finished the theme. It’s a mod of October Special by Derek Punsulan (link in the footer), and I really like it. I changed around some things, and I hope you like it.

If you find any bugs (I’ve found some, but I have no idea what to do), email me. Or, you can email me a way to fix them.

Anyway, there will hopefully be regular content, even though I posted most of the things I wrote for the whole week yesterday, because I was too excited to wait.

If you have a laptop, chances are that you don’t like to shut it down and restart it every time you want to use it. I’m the same way, but I may do it a little less often than the rest. I generally leave my laptop on for as long as I can, without doing any updates or restarts, unless something doesn’t work and needs a restart badly. I’ve racked up times around 15-20 days, and once or twice even a month. I don’t know whether or not this is good for my Macbook, but it works better for me.

Even though I probably won’t change my ways, does anyone know whether or not this is bad/good for a laptop? And, if you do the same, leave a comment.

A few days ago, I found myself in an isolated state, but it has come with its benefits. For the weekend, to help me study for finals and hang out with my parents, I took the nine-hour drive up to my vacation/summer home. “Vacation” home is a bit of a lie, as every time I have come up here, I’ve worked on the house. Surprisingly, this wasn’t that bad, as I always had Internet.

But, unfortunately, I didn’t this time. During some renovations on the outside of the house, the DSL line either got cut or broke, we don’t know which yet. So, this leaves me with a Macbook that can’t connect to the Internet. But, I have found some things to do to occupy my time. I have had the chance to take a lot of pictures, which I haven’t had the time to do recently, along with study, get organized (I’m finally using my Moleskine!), and think of and write some posts for this blog.

Some hints of what is coming up: A post on Moleskine organization, tips, and the way I do it. Another post on my routine involving blue sticky notes, Dashboard sticky notes, and a large Moleskine. And, some other vague ideas I’m not sure of.

(PS: As some of you may know, I’ve been working on a design for a while, a mod of Derek Punsulan’s October Special WordPress theme. There’s some good and bad news. The Good: I’m almost done! The Bad: I can’t work on it here, as the page I was testing it I can’t connect to, even though I expected I could finish it. This means that it may take a while longer, and has to wait until after Wednesday.)

Note: By the time I found a way to post this, I was home. But, it still offers what I was doing, why I was gone, and what is going on with the site.