tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007142009-05-17T02:08:28.552-05:00HipSmartBlog for the person who has everything except a blog. You are cool.erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comBlogger805125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-56006486610155112002009-05-17T02:07:00.000-05:002009-05-17T02:08:28.559-05:00Etsy shop!<script type='text/javascript' src='http://www.etsy.com/etsy_mini.js'></script><script type='text/javascript'>new EtsyNameSpace.Mini(5969757, 'shop','gallery',2,3).renderIframe();</script><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-5600648661015511200?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-64733839542062975942009-05-06T11:43:00.002-05:002009-05-06T11:47:18.102-05:00music: My Gold MaskHad a mind-blowing time at the Darkroom last night with My Gold Mask. The stripped-down side project of Bang! Bang! doesn't feel stripped-down at all; both MGM and B!B! present the fiercest rock in Chicago.<br /><br /><object width="400" height="300"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Ferikswedlund%2Fsets%2F72157617785226738%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Ferikswedlund%2Fsets%2F72157617785226738%2F&set_id=72157617785226738&jump_to="> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649"> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Ferikswedlund%2Fsets%2F72157617785226738%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Ferikswedlund%2Fsets%2F72157617785226738%2F&set_id=72157617785226738&jump_to=" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-6473383954206297594?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-82080972248489004782009-02-11T22:53:00.002-06:002009-02-11T23:01:12.938-06:00screenprinting: Michelle L'amour<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.hipsmart.com/uploaded_images/Michelle-L'amour-724209.gif"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 314px; height: 400px;" src="http://www.hipsmart.com/uploaded_images/Michelle-L'amour-724205.gif" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I've been taking some printmaking classes at Lillstreet Art Center recently, and my current one is called the Art of the Poster. I've planned out a series of posters featuring the burlesque dancers of Michelle L'amour's troupe of Starlets. I've just completed the first in the series. Pictured is the digital image I used to create the screens.<br />Obviously, the final physical product isn't as clean, but I'm fairly happy with the results.<div>There's lots more dancers to do! If the reaction is positive, maybe I'll open my own Etsy shop.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-8208097224848900478?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-77520924200910793842008-09-29T14:59:00.001-05:002008-09-29T14:59:19.833-05:00joined technorati<a href="http://technorati.com/claim/8xn7u5b82u" rel="me">Technorati Profile</a><div class="flockcredit" style="text-align: right; color: #CCC; font-size: x-small;">Blogged with the <a href="http://www.flock.com/blogged-with-flock" style="color: #999; font-weight: bold;" target="_new" title="Flock Browser">Flock Browser</a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-7752092420091079384?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-89744636017259955702008-03-25T15:37:00.001-05:002008-03-25T15:37:04.509-05:00Jonathan Richman at The Abbey Pub, 12 March 2008, Chicago<p>SidMuchRock was at the Jonathan Richman show with us, and took this video from right up front.<br /></p><embed wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Kpb6h3RqJ6Q" height="355" width="425"><p class="citation"><cite cite="http://toomuchrock.com/shows/richman5.html"><a href="http://toomuchrock.com/shows/richman5.html"><br /></a></cite></p><p class="citation"><cite cite="http://toomuchrock.com/shows/richman5.html"><a href="http://toomuchrock.com/shows/richman5.html">Embedded Video</a></cite></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-8974463601725995570?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-57754106929606622502008-02-29T13:25:00.001-06:002008-02-29T13:25:10.645-06:00The Dollyrots / Suffrajett / The Melismatics / Waste at The Note, 28 February 2008<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3108/2299846459_578bcb9529.jpg?v=0" alt="" onload="show_notes_initially();" class="reflect" height="500" width="360" /><br clear="all" /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2257/2300639450_957189e153.jpg?v=0" alt="" onload="show_notes_initially();" class="reflect" height="375" width="500" /><br clear="all" /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-5775410692960662250?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-85622489407929352842008-02-11T14:59:00.001-06:002008-02-11T14:59:05.955-06:00University of Illinois website takes a step backward<blockquote cite="http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t168/esswedl/?action=view&current=ui.gif"><a title="ui.gif" href="http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t168/esswedl/?action=view&current=ui.gif"><img src="http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t168/esswedl/th_ui.gif" border="0" /></a></blockquote><p class="citation"><a href="http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t168/esswedl/?action=view&current=ui.gif"><br /></a><a href="http://www.uiuc.edu/webteam/flash.html">http://www.uiuc.edu/webteam/flash.html</a><br />Blech, this <span style="font-style: italic;">flash-based</span> (sigh) website forces a horizontal scroll-bar even on my 1280x1024 monitor. They forget that "UI" also stands for "user interface."</p><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-8562248940792935284?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-60385514944520303282007-12-19T16:53:00.001-06:002007-12-19T16:53:24.362-06:00Bang! Bang! at darkroom, 6 December 2007<blockquote cite="http://www.flickr.com/photos/71594955@N00/2092824517/"><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/71594955@N00/2093601956/" title="Bang! Bang!"><br /> <img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right;" title="" alt="Bang! Bang!" src="http://static.flickr.com/2037/2093601956_63bd81f6fe_m.jpg" /><br /></a>I was sorry to hear that Chicago band Arks was playing their last show, but glad to see them again, opening for Bang! Bang! The sweet deal was the gift bag for the first 100 attendees--3 vinyl records, a CD, and some stickers and buttons. Rock on!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a title="Jack Flash" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/71594955@N00/2092824517/"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right;" alt="" title="" src="http://static.flickr.com/2234/2092824517_ace85a32a1_m.jpg" border="0" /></a></blockquote><p></p><p style="text-align: right; font-size: 8px">Blogged with <a href="http://www.flock.com/blogged-with-flock" title="Flock" target="_new">Flock</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-6038551494452030328?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-54752460993712056602007-08-22T11:46:00.001-05:002007-08-22T11:46:10.669-05:00tips: getting started with life-hacking<span style="font-style:italic;">Wired</span> article: <a href="http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/commentary/alttext/2007/08/alttext_0822">"Condense Your Day With the Life-Hacking FAQK"</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-5475246099371205660?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-8495636089317853332007-08-11T14:07:00.000-05:002007-08-11T16:22:30.329-05:00concert: The Methadones/The Dollyrots at Beat Kitchen 2007-08-10To say I was already enthralled with the Dollyrots before last night's show would be an understatement. Now, however, my heart is all aflutter to new levels. <a href="http://mike.wordpress.com/2007/05/07/the-dollyrots-at-the-note/trackback/">Others, it seems, feel the same way.</a><br /><br />Walking down to the Beat Kitchen, Lisa and I were just saying how much we enjoyed live music (this to the background of some gawdawful jazz being piped out of a sidewalk cafe's sound system) and how great it is to be going to lots of concerts recently. The Beat Kitchen is the perfect proof to our supposition, being one of Chicago's best venues and nicely situated for a drunken stumble home.<br /><br />Jonnie and Vincenzo met us there, and Vince mentioned to Jonnie that people seem to be drinking PBR at the sorts of bars she frequents; we took this as an opportunity to introduce him to the pleasures of a PBR tall can. During this, the opening band, The Brokedowns, played and we stayed up by the bar and missed them. We spotted Chris from Shot Baker, and as I was wearing a Shot Baker t-shirt, I texted Danny to remark (as he is an old friend of them).<br /><br />We made our way close to the stage for the start of The Dollyrots and wound up standing next to Chris. Then Kelly, singer for the The Dollyrots, pointed at my shirt from stage and said, "Hey, we just played a show with Shot Baker! Those shirts and stickers seem to be following us everywhere." Swoon!<br /><br /><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1172/1084867756_32c74f9dda_m_d.jpg" alt="Kelly of The Dollyrots" height="180" width="240" /><br /><br />Lisa's cellphone photos didn't turn out great, but perhaps you'll be able to find better shots at <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/thedollyrots/">flickr</a>.<br /><br />They opened their set with "My Best Friend's Hot" and "A Desperate S.O.S." I checked in with Vince and Jonnie, who had been unfamiliar with The Dollyrots, and they confirmed that this was some great, rockin' stuff. My friend Jack, of <a href="http://www.bangbangband.com/">Bang! Bang!</a>, was right at the stage, really bouncing to it and pumping his fist. He reported that The Dollyrots stayed at his house the night before. Jealous!<br /><br />Other highlights included "17," "Watch Me Go (Kissed Me, Killed Me)," "Out of L.A.," "Fight Like Jackie Chan," and the amusing story Kelly told before playing "Brand New Key," about her friend's father, who used to hide his pot in his gravity boots.<br /><br />The Methadones opened with "Say Goodbye to Your Generation," and didn't stop the assault for the rest of the set. Dan Vapid was clearly having fun, holding out the mic to the audience for the front row to sing the choruses. Jack and I were right up in there, bouncing and moshing along. For the last song, the band pulled up everyone onto the stage to sing along.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1065/1084015165_281f0b62d2_m_d.jpg" 180="" alt="The Methadones" width="240" /><br /><br />The evening was one of the best shows I've been to, and I commemorated by dropping a wad on some merch: Dollyrots shirt, pins, and sticker, and Methadones on vinyl.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-849563608931785333?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-1160588138202297422006-10-11T12:34:00.000-05:002006-10-11T12:35:38.210-05:00new tactic from the inscrutible spammersOkay, so now I'm getting spam with veiled Isaac Asimov references in the subject line, like "Custom is a religion life so while the Foundation versus Hober Mallow." That's strange. I guess it's catching my eye, so maybe it's effective.<br /><br />I'm still not going to open it.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-116058813820229742?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-1160057929729805022006-10-05T09:18:00.000-05:002006-10-05T09:18:50.460-05:00big idea: The Bitchun SocietyCory Doctorow's <span style="font-style:italic;">Down and Out in the Magic Kindom</span> come alive at <a href="http://bitchun.org/">The Bitchun Society</a><br />xposted to <a href="http://web2.0depot.net">web2.0depot.net</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-116005792972980502?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-1159471271654590542006-09-28T14:20:00.000-05:002006-09-28T14:21:11.666-05:00badge: squirl<a href="http://squirl.info/collection/show/458"><img src="http://squirl.info/images/but_coll_lg.gif" width="120" height="47" title="My Squirl Collection" style="padding:5px;border:0px" /></a><br />Non-interactive badge. Widgets coming soon?<br />Also, oh, man, I find myself not especially motivated to accept the data-entry position Squirl offers me to catalog my stuff.<br />x-posted on <a href="http://web2.0depot.net/">web2.0depot.net</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-115947127165459054?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-1158985461052882592006-09-22T23:24:00.000-05:002006-09-22T23:24:21.346-05:00web tool: GroupLoopWith its page title, <a href="http://grouploop.com/">"GroupLoop ™ - Centralize, organize. Keep your group in the loop!"</a> you can see GroupLoop is an online collaborative manager. It seems to me it falls somewhere between <a href="http://www.37signals.com/">37signals</a>' Backpack (more of a personal organizer) and Basecamp (project manager). I may give GroupLoop at try to see what it's like, though I've been planning on using Backpack for my next small group project. I'm already invested in Backpack and it will keep my group stuff right next to my personal stuff.<br />xposted on <a href="http://web2.0depot.net">web2.0depot.net</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-115898546105288259?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-1158941765058276702006-09-22T11:15:00.000-05:002006-09-22T11:22:18.416-05:00badge: Twitterflash version:<br /><div style="width:176px;text-align:center"><embed src="http://twitter.com/flash/twitter_badge.swf" flashvars="color1=52224&type=user&id=4490" quality="high" width="176" height="176" name="twitter_badge" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="always" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" /><br><a style="font-size: 10px; color: #00CC00; text-decoration: none" href="http://twitter.com">follow Erik at http://twitter.com</a></div><br /><br />JavaScript version:<br /><span id="my_twitter_status"></span> <span id="my_twitter_status_time"></span> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.twitter.com/t/status/user_timeline/4490?count=1&named_obj"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> document.getElementById('my_twitter_status').innerHTML = Twitter.posts[0].text; document.getElementById('my_twitter_status_time').innerHTML = Twitter.posts[0].relative_created_at; </script><br /><br />xposted at <a href="http://web2.0depot.net">web2.0depot.net</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-115894176505827670?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-1158938316006745732006-09-22T10:18:00.000-05:002006-09-22T10:18:36.563-05:00thoughts on the convenience of the new iPod shuffleThe super-small footprint, integrated clip, and anodized aluminum casing make the new <a href="http://www.apple.com/ipodshuffle/sync.html">iPod shuffle</a> hott (that's with two 't's). However, the new suffle dock leaves something to be desired.<br/>It's included, which is nice, but it's required, which is not. I'd like to get a MacBook in the near future, so my computing will become mobile. That means if I want to sync a new shuffle, I'll have to connect the USB dock before dropping the shuffle in the dock--with the older shuffle, you could just slap that sucker into a USB port. Of course, if you have a desktop, like I currently do, it's no big thing; a dock might even be nice; indeed, I spent $30 to buy the old shuffle dock so I could stop having to reach around the back of my Mac and find a USB port.<br/>A more glaring flaw is with the shuffle's ability to store files. If you want to use the new suffle as a USB drive, you'll now have to cart around the dock, too, to connect to other systems. That's a serious drop in usefullness. Of course, I don't use my current old shuffle as a USB drive because doing so causes a major loss of stability (I'd have to do a system restore almost weekly when it started locking up).<br/>One of the major selling points of iPods is their ease of use. Other mp3 players I've owned have been a real hassle to use. These little issues are only slightly nagging, but still, that's a step backwards for Apple.<br/>xposted on <a href="http://myipodblog.blogspot.com/">my iPod blog</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-115893831600674573?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-1158871115339674732006-09-21T15:38:00.000-05:002006-09-21T15:38:35.496-05:00mashup: Flickr + business cards = MOO<a href="http://www.moo.com/flickr/index.php">MOO</a> has launched to great fanfare, and without actually having used it yet, it's probably deserved. Glossy, half-business-card-sized cards with your flickr photos on one side and some contact info on the back--pretty neat! For a design professional, these should make for some distinctive business cards, and they'll be appealing in lots of other cases, too: bands, events, real estate.<br />Once I get my hands on some, I'll update with a review of the quality and the experience.<br />xposted on <a href="http://web2.0depot.net">web2.0depot.net</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-115887111533967473?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-1158854374673631252006-09-21T10:59:00.000-05:002006-09-21T10:59:34.726-05:00web tool: WeeblyYou'll need an invitation to join the beta of <a href="http://www.weebly.com/">Weebly - Website Creation Made Easy</a>, but that shouldn't be too hard--drop your email in the form on the front page, and the creator of Weebly will probably get back to you right away.<br />Weebly is a <span style="font-style:italic;">very</span> slick AJAX WYSIWYG editor. It's incredibly stylish and easy to use.<br />I've just started playing with it, and it's admittedly a beta; so, then, my hiccups: the text fields (really the main thing you will be adding to a site) won't render JavaScript, so you get a funky looking mess like <a href="http://esswedl495.weebly.com/">http://esswedl495.weebly.com/</a>. Also, you'll notice that publishing is to their own server, not via FTP--kinda like the Blogger Beta, which forces you to use BlogSpot servers. Speaking of Blogger, here's one more limitation of Weebly: we're talking static pages.<br />Still, looks promising.<br />xposted to <a href="http://web2.0depot.net">web2.0depot.net</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-115885437467363125?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-1158786914804182682006-09-20T16:14:00.000-05:002006-09-21T11:08:37.506-05:00mashup: BookMooch meets LibraryThingSo, I've been reading a lot lately (and I should be talking about that more here), all thanks to BookMooch, a very cool book swapping website. More on that later.<br />It's still hand-driven at this point, but I like the idea of using <a href="http://www.librarything.com/catalog.php?view=esswedl&tag=bookmooch">LibraryThing's bookshelf and tags</a> to display my <a href="http://www.bookmooch.com/m/inventory/esswedl">BookMooch inventory</a>.<br />LibraryThing has an awesome <a href="http://www.librarything.com/import.php">Universal Import</a> function that can grab all the ISBNs off my BookMooch inventory and add them to my bookshelf. Then, it's a simple matter of using their widget to output the covers of the books I've tagged bookmooch (automatically done on import, natch):<br /><script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="http://www.librarything.com/jswidget.php?reporton=esswedl&show=recent&header=&num=200&covers=small-fixed-width&text=none&onlycovers=1&tag=bookmooch&css=1&style=5&version=1"><br /></script><br />Unfortunately, the cover links lead to Amazon, not my BookMooch inventory, should someone want to mooch a book. Another annoyance: my LibraryThing shelf will have to be manually updated when I do give away a book.<br />I'll have to see what I can do about that.<br />xposted on <a href="http://web2.0depot.net/">web2.0depot.net</a>, <a href="http://www.wrybrarian.com/">Wrybrarian.com</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-115878691480418268?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-1158777456069394382006-09-20T13:37:00.000-05:002006-09-20T13:37:36.220-05:00shiny new toy: web2.0depot.netLots of activity over at <a href="http://web2.0depot.net/">web2.0depot.net</a>, a new blog where I'm testing out all the nifty badges and live content you can get nowadays.<br />xposted to <a href="http://www.erikswedlund.com">ErikSwedlund.com</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-115877745606939438?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-1158078541966840102006-09-12T11:29:00.000-05:002006-09-12T11:29:02.083-05:00badge overloadIf I ever get around to putting all these web 2.0 badges in my sidebar, it's gonna get busy (okay, busier) around here.<br/><br /><!-- ThisNext Badge Start --><br /><style type="text/css"><br />.ThisNext_main { color:#3F3F3F; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-size:12px; line-height:normal !important; font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif; width:140px; padding:10px; }<br />.ThisNext_main a { color:#909B39; text-decoration:none; border:none !important; }<br />.ThisNext_main a:hover { text-decoration:underline; }<br />.ThisNext_spacer_bottom_border { border-top:1px solid #E5E5E5; border-right:2px solid #E5E5E5; border-bottom:2px solid #E5E5E5; border-left:1px solid #E5E5E5; margin:0 0 5px 0; padding:0 0 3px 0; }<br />.ThisNext_headline, .ThisNext_headline a { font-size: 13px; font-weight:bold; padding:2px; }<br />.ThisNext_site_link a { color:#00A0C6; text-decoration:none; }<br />.ThisNext_shop_button a:hover { text-decoration:none; }<br />.ThisNext_text_light { color:#666666; }<br />.ThisNext_floater_left { float:left; margin:0 5px 0 0; padding:0; }<br />.ThisNext_spacer_bottom { margin:0 0 10px 0; padding:0; }<br />p.ThisNext_p { margin:0; padding:7px; }<br />img.ThisNext_img { border:0; margin:1px 0 0 0; padding:0; }<br />.ThisNext_header_title { width:95px; }<br />.ThisNext_logo_text { margin:6px 4px 0 4px; font-size: 10px; }<br />.ThisNext_logo_text_no_img { text-align:center; }<br /></style><br /><div class="ThisNext_main"><br /> <div class="ThisNext_spacer_bottom"><br /> <div class="ThisNext_floater_left"><br /> <a href="http://www.thisnext.com/by/esswedl/?u=esswedl&p=/by/esswedl/"><img src="http://www.thisnext.com/media/icon/6FD3788B.jpg" width="33" alt="" class="ThisNext_img" height="33" /></a><br /> </div><br /> <div class="ThisNext_header_title ThisNext_floater_left ThisNext_headline"><br /> <div class="ThisNext_text_light">See more of <a href="http://www.thisnext.com/by/esswedl/?u=esswedl&p=/by/esswedl/">esswedl's</a> picks at ThisNext.</div><br /> </div><br /> <div style="clear:both; margin-bottom: 7px;"></div><br /> </div><br /><div style="clear:both"></div><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.thisnext.com/badge/js/by/esswedl/?source_username=esswedl&count=2&description=0&shop=0&link_all_to_vendor=0&stickers=1&images=1&single=0"></script><br /> <div class="ThisNext_logo_text ThisNext_floater_left">Shopcast<br /> powered by</div><br /> <a title="ThisNext" href="http://www.thisnext.com/?u=esswedl&p=/by/esswedl/"><img src="http://www.thisnext.com/img/logo-small.gif" width="62" height="35" border="0" alt="ThisNext" /></a><br /></div><br /><!-- ThisNext Badge End --><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-115807854196684010?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-1158024741977045502006-09-11T20:32:00.000-05:002006-09-11T20:32:22.403-05:00fit newsMore web 2.0 fun at <a href="http://www.traineo.com/home">traineo</a>.<br/><a href="http://esswedl.traineo.com"><img src="http://esswedl.traineo.com/badge-change-smaller-light-esswedl.png" alt="traineo" border="0" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-115802474197704550?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-1157743359211728382006-09-08T14:22:00.000-05:002006-09-08T14:22:39.276-05:00tricksyThere are just too many web 2.0 tabs open in my firefox! I'm drowning in a sea of gradients.<br/>I remember seeing someone's <a href="http://www.digg.com/software/Google_IG_+_Firefox_Sidebar..a_match_made_in_heaven">suggestion on digg</a> that you could use Google's personalized homepage as a Google Desktop-like proxy with Firefox on a Mac, by loading the bookmark in your sidebar, and arranging all the modules on your IG into the left column. I tried that out for a day or two, but wasn't thrilled (though it certainly seemed like a great idea). The problems were that I had too many modules, and couldn't lower the font size in the sidebar; lots of scrolling.<br/>Now I've had a flash of my own: load <a href="http://www.meebo.com/">meebo</a> in the sidebar! That sucker can be skinnied right up, and I can have my buddy list always visible. Every once in a while I need to resize to grab a chat box that's popped up too wide, but the meebo virtual desktop is very flexible.<br/>I followed someone else's suggestion a few weeks ago to set meebo as my active desktop on my Windows machine at work, but that also failed to impress. It was always hidden behind my pile of maximized windows, and there's something flaky about the active desktop connection that caused meebo to log out on an annoying regular basis.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-115774335921172838?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-1155672428224313112006-08-15T15:07:00.000-05:002006-08-15T15:07:08.280-05:00hip news: BookMoochOkay, I'm liking <a href="http://www.bookmooch.com//">BookMooch: a community for exchanging used books</a> much better than <a href="http://www.bookcrossing.com/">BookCrossing</a> so far. The local community and "random acts of kindness" aspects of BookCrossing are pretty appealing, but it's hard to feel part of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whuffie">Whuffie</a> economy when you never find any books for yourself and no one finds the books you leave out (or at least they don't visit the website to update the tracking if they do find one).<br/>By contrast, I joined BookMooch last week, and today received my first book, with two more on the way--and I've already sent out two. I have emailed with a user in Austria, who doesn't mind the postage to send me a book. Interactivity abounds!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-115567242822431311?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500714.post-1155667877540133522006-08-15T13:51:00.000-05:002006-08-15T13:51:17.676-05:00loveable losers: Cubs Anti-Magic NumberTwo things: check out Cubs Anti-Magic Number, a site I just created to track how long it will be until the Cubs are eliminated from the playoffs; and, if you dig it, why not digg it?<br/><br/><a href="http://www.antimagicnumber.com">read more</a> | <a href="http://digg.com/baseball/loveable_losers_Cubs_Anti_Magic_Number">digg story</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='http://res1.blogblog.com/tracker/500714-115566787754013352?l=www.hipsmart.com%2Fsource.php'/></div>erikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962402995986655067noreply@blogger.com