Jerks

So, after a few days of the new site layout and colors, the general consensus seems to be that my taste tends toward the glaring, dull, and feminine.  Great.

I really like the new layout (3 columns, more widgets and such in sidebars, etc), which means that I have to keep this theme.  However, I’m not crazy about the color scheme either, so I might fiddle around with that some.  I’m going to have to learn some CSS and tweak it, but hey, that’s what computer nerds are for, right?  As a result there might be times when you visit and things might look weird and/or be unusable (like white text on a white background or something).  Consider yourself warned.

Also, thanks for all the great feedback.

Jerks.

Update on the Updated Update

So, I’ve tweaked things yet again.  Now, the main web address takes you to a “welcome” page, which has a big ole picture of me and the fam.  Hopefully some of you folks will find it more interesting that way.  I may work some more content into the welcome page as time goes by.  From there, you can link to the blog, which will work more like you’re used to.

Do you guys like the new look w/ the welcome page or is it too much hassle?  Would you rather I just stick with the “giant column of text” approach?

Site Overhaul

Hey Guys:

As you might have noticed, I’ve given the website a pretty serious overhaul.  There are two significant facets of the change:

1) A new color scheme

2) 2 sidebars (left and right) with some new widgets for you guys to use.

So, what do you think?  Do you like the new colors?  The widgets?  Is it too much? Does everything make sense?  I’ve asked two people about it so far and my feedback thus far is:

“I prefer dark sites, they make me squint less.”

and

“It is kinda boring.”

So, what do the rest of you yahoos think?  Lemme hear about it in the comments.

Man… I’m so domesticated

So, this weekend was a really busy weekend.  With what, you ask?

Laundry.

I am so domesticated.

This is my key issue

and it should be EVERYONE’S key issue.  News of what is going on in worldwide markets will hopefully wake some people up to this.  No issue is more important to the future of this country. 

I’m stricken

with unbridled gadget lust.  Several months back, I got a new phone.  It was just sort of a basic (get the job done) type phone.  Nothing really fancy.  The idea was there was a certain other phone I was really looking into getting.  That phone isn’t going to make it to the market anytime soon…  so now I find myself with a crappy phone and no replacement prospect on the horizon.

I have a new goal in life

To own one of these:

Oww! My aching back!!

Ok…  in pursuit of my “Simplify” goal, I cleaned out my garage today.  This was a significant undertaking.

Many people on our street have actually surrendered their garages to storage.  We have never done that, but that doesn’t mean that navigating around our garage w/ 1 sedan and 1 minivan didn’t require a certain amount of dexterity.  Carrying in groceries required the poise of a ballerina….   and the intestinal fortitude of a Marine Force Recon soldier.

So, while the boys napped today, I tackled this task.  My strategy was divide on conquer.  Divide into piles of 1) Recognizable as Junk 2) Unrecognizable, and therefore junk 3) Possibly of value.  It was stunning how much stuff fell into the first category.

Another thing that was amazing to me is how space inefficient a lot of product packaging is.  For instance, several years ago, I received as a gift one of those 5 piece battery powered tool kits from a family member.  It included a Saws-all, a drill, a rotary saw, a flashlight, and a cordless screwdriver.  It’s been a pretty handy thing to have.  However, it came in this giant plastic box thing designed to hold every tool in its special little holding bracket.  The problem was that the box was ridiculously huge.  I mean, these tools required the space of say.. 2 shoe boxes, but they were being stored in a bin the size of a 30″ television.  Very wasteful.  So, I took all the tools out, stored them on a shelf, and pitched the big bin.  There was a LOT of stuff like that.  Where I’d consolidate things down.

So, right now I’ve got this giant pile of stuff in my garage…  and yes, both of the cars are outside.  However, we have a bulk pickup coming on Monday and they will hopefully take it all.

A word about that…  if you live in a neighborhood where you can take whatever you want to the street on garbage day and they will haul it off, be thankful.  Our normal garbage collection will only take whatever I can fit in the can they provide me with.  In order to get anything more, or larger, or oddly shaped or whatnot, I have to schedule a “bulk pick up”.  Sounds like no big deal, right?  Except it has like a 2 week lead time, which is a long time to look at trash.  So.. anyway.. rant finished.

My garage is clean!  Yay!

Simplify!!

Funny story about my new motto…  I was talking to Mandy on the phone about it and said “Simplify!!”  I guess we had bad connection or something, cause she goes “Semper Fi?!?!?  You aren’t a marine, moron!”

It was pretty funny.

Ok, really.  I’m done now.

Looking Forward

So, on the heels of my “2007 in Review” blog, I suppose it is only appropriate to write a post looking forward into 2008.  What things do I anticipate, what things do I fear, what things am I going to try to achieve?

Read on for more of this exciting glimpse into the psyche of Caleb!!

It begins today

Today is the Iowa Caucus, the first time real people get to cast real votes for real presidential candidates.  In 24 hours, we should have a better indication of whether or not Ron Paul’s poll numbers are accurate or wrong.  Of course, I’ll stay on top of the situation to bring all of you the latest and greatest.  In the meantime, here’s a neat video that my friend Drew sent me: