monday online productivity?

My current laptop is an old DELL PIII which just enough to manage my home media, mails and work on my projects and documents.
Due to its prehistoric specs, I need to constantly be aware of any processing and capacity waste, and this is how I started using Firefox more often. I took the oportunity to try FF3 Beta 4 and I have to amit it looks quite slick. It is blazing fast and most of all, does not seem to suffer from the memory leaks FF2 was painful with. I LOVE IE7 but it just sucks up all my memory and does not let it loose even if I close most tabs, this sucks and I need to fully close and open IE.
I have the feeling that on IE7, some feature/script on GoogleMail causes a serious memory leak, but I did not look into that.
FF is nothing without some Add-ins though, my favorites being NoScript and TabMixPlus (TMP).
The first, allows me to individually allow which server is allowed to run scripts on specific pages - which is NONE by default.
The second, permits me to configure Tab closing and opening behavior - new tabs originated from a main page are opened next to it's "mother tab", and not annoingly added to the end of the list.
Plus, with the AJAX web console on XBMC is only usable with FF (not IE).

I recently tried Live Writer to write some posts but for a reason that surpasses my comprehension, that supposedly little software is an elephant in disguise walking right into the little porcelain shop this laptop is. I will stick with the online Dashboard with IE (FF sucks here). It looks like Word2007 also supports Blogger posts and as W2007 opens 10x faster than Writer, I will give it a try... another day - connecting to blogger was fast but the formatting sucks...

Another good news, CopyHandler, the file operation queue freeware I use, version 1.30 has just been released with support for Vista and x64 systems. I just love this tool on my XPx32.

Another one I found laying around my NAS is PureText, the Clipboard format stripper - it allows to copy text from anywhere and paste it with all formatting stripped, just as if copying text from a web page, paste into Notepad, copy this one now and paste into Word - the notepad step is just bypassed. (not the first time I rant about this one)

Yesterday, my cellphone fell from the couch on the floor and I could not use it anymore, no key inputs were allowed. I figured out what was the issue after fiddling around for around 2 hours (or more). A while ago Joe told me something about troubleshooting, one needs to start looking at the first layer and then if nothing is found, move to the next one in the direction of the core of the problem.
I ended up flashing my device new, clearing it up from the software I had on it etc... which proved to be a totally unnecessary exercise and waste of my precious beauty sleep time. If only I had started with layer 2 (layer 1 being me, the user), the device's physical state. Instead, I jumped to layer 3 or 4 ending up searching online how to correct the startup bootloader lock.
At 3 in the morning, I then noticed that the Camera button was stuck, a problem solved with a low-tech solution by releasing it with the tip of a knife.
Explanation: with the button constantly pressed, I could not use the normal keys, so I restarted it. On boot, keeping the Camera button pressed forces the device to show the bootloader.

Lesson learned, mainly with the lack of sleep today.

A couple of my latest little projects are design related, I took on doing some layouts in Illustrator. My work queue has:
- a Perspective Central Munich Map, with a representation of all the places I'd recommend my guests to check out if I can't take them on a little tour
- a Simplified Central Munich Map, once printed out, I don't need to make the same drawings over and over...
- a layout of my simple but effective & lowcost home media setup as an Illustrator show-off demostration

Alright, I got more cats to skin. Peace the f*** out.

n.-

Couchsurfing 2008

The Couchsurfing (adventure) goes on and 2008 started in a great way. And to start this year's stats, let's see the first participants:

• Yong (Korea)
• Gil, Luis, Daniela & Tiago (Portugal)
• Elsa & Jan (Colombia & Germany)
• Jessica & Mayo (US/Colombia)
• Amy (London,US)
• Claire (Switzerland/Canada)
• Natalia & Anca (Berlin/Romania)
• Nick (US)
• Nina, Steph & Kate (USA)
• Pascal (France)
• Chris (USA)
• Kimberly & Monika (USA)
• Anna (Poland)
• Pavel & Daniel (Czech Republic/Russia)
• Irina (Ukraine)
• Rossella (Italy)
• Panos (Greece)
• Penny (Australia)
• Joanie & Liane (Quebec)
• Tim (USA)
• Carrie & Amy (USA/France)
  
• Agnieszka (Poland/Germany)
  
• Pierre & Pascal (Quebec)
  
• Franchesa & Bradley (USA)
• Sandra (England)
• Leover & Bernadette (Australia)
• Skye (Australia)
• Lani & Tricia (USA)
• Patricia (Portugal)
• Karie & Mateo (USA)
  
• Halley (USA)
• Danielle & Race (USA)
• Jeanne (USA)
• Emily (USA)
• Valera (Russia/USA)
  
• Patrice (Quebec)
• Karla (Canada, not CS yet)
• Emilie & Sasha (France/Canada)
• Valerie (Quebec)
  

UPDATE - 02 Jun 2008: between Feb.26 and May 31, 51 (fifty one, yes) people surfed my couches/floor.

Funny how I get less CS requests than I would expect - as a CS ambassador, I come up pretty high (first...) on the Munich search results list. I can only attribute this fact to the way my profile is setup, after I changed it since my return from Aus. It shows pretty clearly about how I do or want to do things around here (am I germanizing myself too much or was I just myself? Where's my shrink when I need someone to answer that doubt in my mind?). Actually, it should only attract people interested in what they can read and that apply an effort in making a request I will value. I have to clarify, I don't take requests in the kind of: "Hello, I'm John and need a couch from the 22nd to the 23rd. Are you available?", I am a strong believer of the bilateral effort, show me some and I will show some too, which is for me MORE than fair.

2008 has been filled with quite some good times, the continuation of a give & take experience where some of them become friends, people I would really want to see more often. If only I could decide (in a god kind of way) who would just move to my neighborhood and allow us to meet more often - Norb Almighty, in theaters, soon!

My admiration for artists never ceases, I just love to have them around. They have a glow that just inspires me to get back to my pencils, pens and markers. That is in fact one of the best thing I can be given, the motivation or push to get back to my modest-wannabe-artist side and create stuff. Well, the drawings I started with, were sketches of Batman. What can I say? I love comics and the Dark Knight's, my personal favorite, image was floating in my head at that moment.

Sidenote: only now did I notice that in Nolan's next cinema take on Batman "The Dark Knight", The Joker is played by Heath Ledger, seemingly even more demented and scary than Jack Nicholson's in 1989.

Besides the brilliant colombian cooking, the crazy drinking games, a couple of city tours, the ride to Neuschwanstein, one of the moments I most appreciated was to attend an exhibit at a gallery. We were looking for a piece of Jeff Cowel's work, the one Natalia was portrayed on (she's not in the link's gallery). Art, for me, works when the image stays in my head and that particular piece hasn't vanished since the moment I laid my eyes on it. Unfortunately I don't have 25.000EUR to spend on and keep that piece of work.

Couchsurfing, more people to come (and go) but some do stay in a special way.

Heat, I've got...

I open my eyes for a morning
I open my eyes for a when
I'm ticked off, I become in my veins
I pick the some so it don't blow so dead
I open my mouth for the singing
I open my notes for the sounds
I've tried to build those empty nests cause it's pulling this neighborhood down
I've been tripped on all around town
I've been nothing but a shadow of lonely streets
Pull the words and colors
Such a full lost song, lost lovers, lost heat
It's like our hearts are on fire
But the heat turns out the lights
And we go reaching for each other
To keep warm, to stay bright

Cold hands! Cold bodies!

Heat
I've got heat for you
Fire
I've gotten hot for you
Heat
We're making it for you
Fire
We'll keep it going for you (for you, for you, for you, for you) (x4)

Cold hands! Hot bodies!

Hugs, what is that?

[ just for starters, a cool LifeHacker article on XBMC 2. ]

This last Saturday, the 22nd of March was the international Free Hugs campaigns day. No need to go into further details if everything is under that link, suffice to know that it's about giving hugs to people on the street.

24 MILLION views of this video can't be wrong:

The local CSers set to meet last saturday at Marienplatz, the busiest square in town, at 13 o'clock, each one bringing his self made sign. Oddly enough, there was a peace-related demonstration on the same square, actually, it was a protest against the german army's presence in the middle-east countries.

I took on leaving the place as I did NOT want to be mistaken for them - not that I am against it, but giving hugs away had no political meaning, just a social one.

All kinds of looks are given when you hold a huge sign in the middle of a busy street crossing or while slowly walking down the street. Some people walked past with a smile and a shy look, others would take pictures from a safe distance - which means that I will be on so many people's photo gallery to be shown to their friends, family and pets...

The start is just like the on the video, I just stood there holding the sign, slowly turning myself to people and searching for an eye contact. It took a little while but eventually, after 5-10 minutes, the first signs of human acceptance were displayed. From that moment on, I was sure the afternoon was bound to be great.

I repeatedly heard people saying/whispering "free hugs...", "free hugs?" or "free hugs, hihihi...". Many would just see me look at them, turn their head forward and pass by me with a smile. Some germans would complain why I was using a german sign, to which I responded that as long as they asked, I would explain what it means, "Gratis Umarmung".

There was an explanation to the lack of a germanic translation on my sign, 8 letters took me 2-3 hours to draw, while its counterpart would take me some 3-4 and it was already 23h when I finished the first side. I will work on one for the next time.

It is quite a social experiment. I am not selling anything or publicizing a religion but I am walking down the streets with a huge sign. Some people knew about the campaign, other were very interested in knowing why I was doing it, many would just establish visual contact and come to me for a hug!

It can sound very silly... actually, it doesn't at all! Hugs are f'in great and I wish I gave/got more all the time and by that I mean DECENT and heartfelt hugs. I certainly felt very uplifted by the whole experience, in the end, it is a give and take action.

UPDATE #1 START
1 hour after posting this, I decided to remove a bad ranting about the experience in the shopping area (which isn't even that posh). I guess that a hug isn't anything anybody needs there. Shopping makes people happy... so they say... This was where mostly only tourists were open to hugs.
UPDATE #1 END

It feels so good

A living proof of the good a gesture as simple as a hug can make someone's day. Meet Annika, a very nice girl from not too far away who is about to end her time in Munich and move to Dresden.

After sharing a hug with me, she accepted to hang out and participate! She admitted to have had such a shitty day and that hug was just what she needed.

She would definitely take part in another Free Hugs day, I just don't know when that will happen but I will be sure to remind her to join!

The salvation
Again, a group of people offered me salvation through Jesus. It's the 4th time since I live here that I am approached, just as if I look as I need to be saved (which I actually do). It usually happens without me bearing any kind of sign though:P

Machismo
It was funny how some men would NOT hug me. They were either from Spain or Italy, very macho of them indeed. I am sure their masculinity is still intact by avoiding that very compromising front contact with another man:) Dedicated to them, there is a very helpful video - How to give the perfect man hug.

Age matters?
A statistical fact: if I separate the people in the streets into 3 age groups, young, grown and old, I would say that the young and old were MUCH more open to hugging then the grown.


Hugs are easy, free, warm, human and great.
I would ask you to give me a hug the next time you see me!

a hug

n.-

Resuming it up in pictures and words

After a couple of days, I managed to trim the trip pictures down to around 180.

The Australia Show

Here are my quick thoughts on Australia, build up with the cunning use of a list and bullets:)

Australia...

• has the most uncommon and straight-to-the-point road signs I ever saw;
• is HUGE and I mean, REALLY HUGE;
• has an immense desert in the middle with a big red rock in its center (Uluru aka Ayers Rock);
• has the cities as far apart of each other as capitals in Europe;
• 's Queensland is packed with German backpackers;
• has some decent beers, but the best one is still James Boag's from Tasmania;
• is going through an economic boom, people have money and everything's expensive;
• 's ware transport is via trucks, which makes food prices fluctuate directly with the petrol's;
• can be extremely hot;
• has fantastic sceneries;
• has the most amazing sunsets;
• has some VERY touristic spots;
• has some GREAT music going on and I would like dedicate a "The Panics" song, "Get Us Home" to australia (it's unfortunately only a short clip);
• has the best public radio service I can remember of, Triple-J;
  

Australians:

• are easy-going, talkative, like to take a piss at themselves and have no problems expressing themselves;
• avoid the sun as if it was the devil, the skin cancer warning ads are real shockers;
• are real binge drinkers, they just don't know when to stop (just like brits);
• love to party (just like everyone else);
• have a great girl fashion item, the hot pants! Remember Kylie Minogue's "Spinning around" clip?
• have a great coffee culture, some places (like Perth) even kicked Starbucks (who likes that stuff?) out;

The city of:

• Melbourne is my favorite, alternative, cultural, flat, green, clean, the buildings look old, very classy, has a cool graffiti scene;
• Sydney is busy, large, expensive and not so alternative, lots of buildings are very modern and has a great harbor area;
• Perth has a small population and everything is so far apart, hence a desperate car need, but there are cool places and it is becoming more and more expensive;
• Brisbane has a nice Southbank, is kind of a mix between Melbourne and Sydney, tiny though;
• Cairns is totally tourist oriented, not very interesting indeed

These are my opinions based on my experience. I am sure some people would for example prefer Sydney over Melbourne. The fun factor was so influenced (totally influenced in fact) by the people I met, being it friends made in Europe (Judd, Noel or Mike), local CSers or my favorite travelmate, Heydi.

I would recommend anyone (who likes to backpack) to travel through Aus, being it alone or not, for at least 2 months. I leave a word of notice though, take some cash with you because it is NOT a cheap country, prices are very close to the european ones and there are LOTS of things to do and see. Couchsurfing is a really valuable asset to make the interaction with people living there a lot better. If someone's there to just go out, party and shag all the girl/guys he/she meets at a pub crawl, he/she is better off staying at hostels and leave CSing the f*** out of it. On the long run, the most affordable way to travel is to buy a used car, but make sure you know what you're buying:P

Getting to know the aborigines must be interesting and I shamefully admit I only read stuff, attended exhibits at the state museums and heard what people had to say about them:( There are lots of places where people can have the aboriginal (good and touristic) cultural experience, throwing the boomerang, playing a didgeridoo, painting... but then again, it's only part of their culture, the part with "Crocodile Dundee" written all over it and where no serious issues are explained. So a choice can be made, to get to know the dark side or not.

I hope to make this my last post about Aus. One month has passed since I got back to Munich and during that time, I managed to change some little but meaningful things about my CS activity and the way I see people and travels. The ideas for my next travels having been adjusted, I am decided to not travel alone anymore. In fact, more than ever, I believe that traveling with one's girl/boyfriend is a really tough test for the relationship and I sure will "use" that in the future. It's like cutting the crap and removing all the vernish by putting two people together 24/7, sharing the same space, meeting the same people all the time, experiencing each other's initiatives and influence on the decisions to make - every day, the path to take has to be chosen, everyday, at least one decision has to be made, being it simple or not. I particularly like sharing the "leadership", I could never be with someone that would always leave decision making to me or would write the whole travel plan without any room for flexibility.

Cheers to Australia and the Australians!

Aussie, aussie, aussie...

Oi, oi, oi!

Cheers guys,

n.-

testing Windows Live Writer

The Live team has been releasing some tools (fighting Google eh?) and nothing like a quick test drive with their Blog composer.

Writing some text, adding a picture, formatting it with a picture frame border...

 

 

 

 

 

Now, I just hit the Publish button...

n.-

lazyness is not just a word

... and I should know, I've been affected by it for a couple of weeks now - the date of my last post is a good witness.

I felt that an update would be a good way to refresh my thoughts and put the stories up-to-date.

First, I resumed couchsurfing two weeks after my return and could not have had a better start. The week began with a super sweet little modern dancer corean girl, Yong, and was complemented with four portuguese Erasmus students (Gil, Luis, Daniela and Tiago) currently living in Dresden. As good nationals as we, Portuguese, can be, they share a little game they learned with Germans back at their foster home. It involves vodka and flavoured drinks powder.

The hosting continued the following week with an american couple (50% colombian... such a coffee blend would really suck but as people, they were F'IN GREAT) then another columbian/german one and then my friend Amy from London.

All of this culminated with my new CS status of "City Ambassador" for Munich:) I am at this moment the only local city ambassador. There is also a global one living here too, Brie. As an Amb, my responsibilities are increased, the main points are: I should represent the living CS spirit, organize events to bring people together, keep no-one out and help out members, mainly new ones.

It was quite a coincidence to finally get a reply to my Amb application just after my first organized CS trip. Amy, who's staying with me, chose to stay longer and I thought of heading down to the Neuschwanstein castle, the famous Disney/Cinderela castle. It was one of the multiple fantasy castles imagined by Ludwig II, the crazy Kaiser, and also one of whose construction was never concluded. After his accidental death (lead poisoning?), the castle was almost immediately made available for paid visits. The art lover and crazy Kaiser managed to bring down the bavarian finances and this was one way to get some cash back.
So, after a quick notification to local CSers, we got together and made a group of six travelers traveling down by train on a glorious sunny monday morning. If there is such thing as a blessed weather, we experienced it. We were back by 20h completely nackered from the 2hr train rides and the hiking in the little towns.

After two years of living in Munich, I had soooo many guests traveling to that castle because it is on every single frickin' Munich tourist guide. It took me so long to go there myself because I always try to avoid touristy spots but this time I tried to avoid staying ignorant. It's all-in-all a good trip if done with several people, with good weather conditions, good hiking gear and an early train. Having a car would allow to drive to other castles (good for castle freaks, hey!).

So thanks to Amy, Travis, Bron, Dave and Charli for a REALLY great day.

Note worth mentioning: out of six people, we were one portuguese, one american, one english and three Aussies:D

On our arrival in Munich, Travis told us a ridiculous story about the "platform ticket" at the train station. People would need one if they want to wait on the platform. My first thought: "Riiiight... sure..." ... but it is true (or I would not write about it) but applied to a specific situation.

20 cent/hour is the price to pay for this precious (my precious... my precious...) item. I will definitely include it in my own Munich Tour information. 20 cent for a piece of ridiculousness is just a bargain! In fact, this ticket is NOT for the train platform, but for the S- and U-Bahn platforms (suburban and subway). So waiting on the platform without a ticket is in theory NOT viable. Munich is not the only place where the Bahnsteigsperre is in vigor though.

More hosting to come and more trips/events to attend, organize or help with.
St. Patrick's day is close and it will be as always celebrated with a parade next Sunday, 16th of March. Now there's a good opportunity to take the dust out of my analog camera and shoot some B&W pics. Shout if you're around and let's have a nice Guinness (or Kilkenny if you prefer)!


live long and prosper

n.-

PS: on the lazy side of things... no, I did not yet write up about my aussie trip although I have some drafts in my head