Monday 14 April 2008

What About Those Handles and Nicks?

DID YOU THINK I MEANT A SHAVING ACCIDENT? I’ve had a few of those, due to certain handles, nicks and other slips.

This evening the discussion is about our online nickname stories. We all have them! My very first online handle/nick was “guitargirl” on the “Q-Link (Quantum Link)” service, offered to Commodore 64 users (some Apples, too, and later Amigas).

I had an external 300 baud Hayes modem. It was the size of a large tissue box.

Over the years I’ve had a bunch of other “Handles and Nicks” - from BBS silliness on to whatever forms of “molly” I could grab.

So what about your handles, and your nicks? Good stories always welcome,

xoM

Filed under:   creativity, nmby, just fun
Posted by:   Molly | 5:22 pm | Comments (43)

Tuesday 8 April 2008

My Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

You know you have one. Or twenty.

Admit it.

Unless you live in a rural area, never travel, see few people, and even then . . . many humans have signs of OCD.

Some years ago at SXSW a fantastic group of friends had lunch at P.F. Chang’s and talked about our unique Obsessive Compulsive Disorders.

It was such a funny and enlightening conversation, I’d like to jump-start it here.

Mine? Pillowcase openings must point to the left; I can’t leave an empty cardboard toilet paper roll on whatever that thing is (the roll?) that we put it on. I have to either replace it or leave it empty.

Other than that I’ve only a few inconsistent quirks.

How about you?

Filed under:   humor, pop culture, society, creativity, molly asks you
Posted by:   Molly | 6:50 pm | Comments (56)

Monday 7 April 2008

Design Coding: Rap for The Rest of Us

The very awesome iJustine posted this like ten days ago, but I can’t stop watching it, it’s just that yummy.

Just(in)e case you haven’t seen it, I’m re-sharing it here and hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

BTW, who did this bit of brilliance? Where was it filmed?

Comments are open, I want to know.

Enjoy:

Design Coding

Your site design is the first thing people see
it should be reflective of you and the industry
easy to look at with a nice navigation
when you can’t find what you want it causes frustration

a clear Call to action to increase the temptation
use appealing graphics they create motivation
if you have animation
use with moderation
cause search engines can’t index the information

display the logos of all your associations
highlight your contact info that’s an obligation
create a clean design you can use some decoration
but to try to prevent any client hesitation

every page that they click should provide and explanation
should be easy to understand like having a conversation
when you design the style go ahead and use your imagination

but make sure you use correct color combinations
do some investigation, look at other organizations
but don’t duplicate or you might face a litigation
design done, congratulations but it’s time to start construction

follow these instructions when you move into production
your photoshop functions then slice that design
do your layout with divs make sure that it’s aligned
please don’t use tables even though they work fine
when it come to indexing they give searches a hard time

make it easy for the spiders to crawl what you provide
remove font type, font color and font size
no background colors, keep your coding real neat

tag your look and feel on a separate style sheet
better results with xml and css
now you making progress, a lil closer to success
describe your doctype so the browser can relate
make sure you do it great or it won’t validate

check in all browsers, I do it directly
gotta make sure that it renders correctly
some use IE, some others use Flock
some use AOL, I use Firefox

title everything including links and images
don’t use italics, use emphasis
don’t use bold, please use strong
if you use bold that’s old and wrong

when you use CSS, you page will load quicker
client satisfied like they eating on a snicker
they stuck on your page like you made it with a sticker
and then they convert now that’s the real kicker
make you a lil richer, your site a lil slicker

design and code right man I hope you get the picture
what I’m telling you is true man it should be a scripture
if it’s built right you’ll be the pick of the litter
everyone will want to follow you like twitter
competition will get bitter and you’ll shine like glitter

if you trying to grow your company will get bigger
design and code right man can you get with it

Filed under:   humor, standards, music, pop culture, software, web design and development, society, creativity, browsers, innovation
Posted by:   Molly | 7:27 pm | Comments (17)

Saturday 5 April 2008

Change In The Wind

There is a change in the wind.

Who feels it?

Here in the Sonoran Desert we’re in full spring. Citrus trees have blossomed and the scent is exquisite.

Sweet and intoxicating to breathe.

The wind is changing now, coming from the north. It still is cool, belying the desperate hot summer that surely will descend. Another spring soon turns to summer.

Feel it now, this, change in the wind.

Filed under:   poetry & fiction, creativity
Posted by:   Molly | 4:10 pm | Comments (9)

Saturday 15 March 2008

Your Best Pop, Your Worst

NEEDING TO GET AWAY FROM STANDARDS and browsers and conferences, I’m interested in a conversation about the best and worst pop culture right now.

Whether journalism, fiction, television, film, photography, illustration, diaries or mixes thereof, I really need your help expanding my horizons.

It can only help!

I’ve been watching “Ashes to Ashes” and waiting for a new episode of the “Big Bang Theory.”

What are you following? Reading? Watching? Doing?

Share your worst, your best!

Filed under:   faith(less), humor, blogging, pop culture, poetry & fiction, society, creativity, molly asks you, community, nmby
Posted by:   Molly | 7:23 pm | Comments (71)

Wednesday 27 February 2008

Interview: Roger & Molly: Webstock New Zealand

I like this interview! It runs a bit long but Roger made me feel so welcome it just came out as a spontaneous chat.

Anyone willing to do text transcript, holler. I’d like to make one available!

Thank you, Roger, for a great interview.

Enjoy, comment, bitch etc. below:

Filed under:   professional, humor, standards, software, web design and development, travel, food and drink, society, w3c, conferences, announcement, creativity, browsers, microsoft, ie7, innovation, whatwg, community
Posted by:   Molly | 8:12 am | Comments (39)

Friday 8 February 2008

Melbourne, Australia

If it isn’t on your “places to see before you die” list, put it on.

I might never leave.

Coolest most awesome, broad minded, multicultural city I’ve ever been in.

I love Melbourne. What an amazing, unique town.

Filed under:   blogging, travel, food and drink, creativity, community
Posted by:   Molly | 9:15 am | Comments (34)

Saturday 19 January 2008

I Used to Have a Guitar

Many years ago, sitting on the front step of my dead grandma’s house, I knew I should make myself play a song. The voice I had been given was a good one, and my ear good too. Nothing great, but I could sing and harmonize.

Things happen in life. You’re walking down the road and a person walks up to you - it changes you forever. Or maybe nothing happens in life. Maybe you’re destined to be huddled up in the back of the Starbucks in your grey and black coat. Coffee, brewed too hot, burns.

I used to have a guitar. I used to sing, write songs.

I used to sit on the front step of my grandma’s house. Playing a guitar, remembering how beautiful she was and that she, too

used to have a guitar.

Filed under:   poetry & fiction, creativity, family
Posted by:   Molly | 5:20 pm | Comments (32)

Sunday 30 December 2007

Strangest Dream: End to Browser Wars?

(original lyrics by Ed McCurdy and known to most because of Paul Simon, thx guys)

Strangest Dream (Web version)

Last night I had the strangest dream
I’ve ever dreamt before
I dreamed we had all agreed
To put an end to browser war

I dreamed I saw a mighty room
Filled with women (but mostly men)
And the papers they were signing said
They’d not do specs wrong again

And when the specs all were signed
And a million copies made
Some joined hands and thought they’d have a prayer
About the specifications, made

And the people on the Web below
Were running up and down
While markup and scripting and browser wars
Were scattered all around

Last night I had the strangest dream
I’ve ever dreamt before
I dreamed that we had all agreed
To put an end to browser wars.

Filed under:   professional, humor, music, pop culture, software, web design and development, creativity, browsers, community
Posted by:   Molly | 7:55 am | Comments (31)

Murder Tales

Have you taken the Death Test? I have. I am apparently meant to be murdered. Here’s how I see it:

I’m falling to sleep, so deep and sweet. I stretch and turn, pull the pillow over my head. I’m ready for serious rest.

Not more than ten minutes after I fall to sleep, I begin to dream. My dream colors are very noir, black, grey, lots of shadows.

Think of dramatic violins and long dark hallways.

Next step is the squeaky one. The one you step on and it squeaks and you hold your breath.

Your Mom or Dad or wife or whoever hears that squeak. They can count it. As you can. One, two, eleven.

What do you do now? Do you fall to sleep, so deep and sweet? Will you stretch and turn and pull the pillow over your head?

I am convinced I will die by murder.

Please don’t blame the poor guy.

I’d have killed me too.

Filed under:   humor, blog slut, society, creativity
Posted by:   Molly | 2:29 am | Comments (38)

Tuesday 20 November 2007

Your Best Practices for Creating Great PNGs

I’ve been futzing with PNGs for years and still find myself thinking there has to be some better way to get the best compression and still retain the quality of the image. I notice that while I can create great PNGs in a variety of software such as Photoshop and Fireworks, I still can only manage to get acceptable results, I’ve seen others do a lot better.

So, I’m askin’ for your wisdom regarding best practices for creating great PNGs, especially now with alpha transparency support in IE7. What are your tools? Processes? Any special techniques you care to share?

Filed under:   standards, software, web design and development, creativity, ie7, molly asks you
Posted by:   Molly | 12:24 pm | Comments (71)

Wednesday 31 October 2007

Self Portrait: Witchy Woman

How about yours?

Filed under:   pop culture, photos, blog slut, creativity, molly asks you, nmby, costume play
Posted by:   Molly | 1:11 am | Comments (12)

Photoshop and Designer Friends Please Lend Me Your Wisdom

When asked what I use to create web sites, I default to the three most important tools in my entire career: Photoshop, a good text/html editor with color coding, and an intuitive and secure FTP client.

As an educator focused on standards, and teaching technology to designers, I fear I’m not spending enough time in the visual world. I have all the tools, but over time, MY time with Photoshop has decreased while my attention to CSS and markup has increased.

Lend me your wisdom, oh designer friends. I need you!

Filed under:   professional, web design and development, society, creativity, molly asks you, community
Posted by:   Molly | 12:07 am | Comments (46)

Friday 26 October 2007

Train the Trainer Swag Prep

Ooh, yummy stuff for the Train the Trainer Swag bag courtesy Microsoft, Peachpit Press, O’Reilly Publishing, and Lynda.Com.

Juicy stuff includes:

• One copy CSS Cookbook by Christopher Schmitt
• One copy Transcending CSS by Andy Clarke, edited and with a foreword by me, and an introduction by Dave Shea
• One copy Expression Web software
• An IE7 water bottle (perfect for warm sunny Tucson weather)
• One copy of CSS for Designers from Lynda.Com

Swag is set, shopping’s been done, the refreshments for this evening’s opening mixer are chillin’ and short of some general cleaning, the first official Train the Trainer event is about to kick off!

Filed under:   professional, standards, software, web design and development, giveaways and fun, w3c, conferences, creativity, browsers, microsoft, ie7, accessibility
Posted by:   Molly | 3:55 pm | Comments (28)

Friday 19 October 2007

Double Dare: Your Last Meal on Earth

So I posted this to Twitter:

Twitter Poll: If you had to decide your final meal on earth, what would it be?

Which emerged from this post:

you know, if I ever get the death penalty for offing some bad ex boyfriend, my last meal will be exactly that. (Rib Eye bloody, plus taters and veg)

Then a lovely fellow emailed me from Ask500people:

Hey Molly, Just saw your tweet, would you like us to run your question on Ask500People.com? We could gather 100 votes for it.

And snarkily, after eating a really good steak and “hopped” up on Pike Pale and red meat, I responded:

So you’re saying if we ask 500 people we’ll only get 100 responses?

Double dare you to make more than 100 posts about what is your perfect last meal on earth.

GO!

Filed under:   humor, blogging, food and drink, creativity, community
Posted by:   Molly | 7:20 pm | Comments (76)