the singularity of being and nothingness
General
A Fond Farewell to Sencha
Sep 22nd
A Not-So-Brief-History
It was about 7 years ago when I was first introduced to Ext JS. My introduction wasn’t anything overly fancy; it was just an Ext JS grid (version 2!) plopped down on a random webpage. However, from the moment I saw the code for the first time, and how easy it was to configure an awesome and totally Web 2.0-looking grid that could easily interact with the data coming from my ColdFusion (yikes!) application server, I was hooked.
I distinctly remember spending the first solid week of a brand new job racing through my orientation tasks for the day just so I could have some extra time to explore the documentation and experiment with the examples, and then staying up late at home to explore even further. As time went on, I advocated further usage of Ext JS for the company’s apps, wrote some (interesting…) ColdFusion custom tags that wrapped a bunch of Ext JS functionality, and even created a training session with a co-worker (who also went on to work at Sencha!) to describe how awesome and useful the Element APIs could be.
Work kept going, and I focused mostly on server-side development, completely missing out on Ext JS 3, 4 More >
2013 Year in Blogging
Dec 31st
Well, it’s that time of year. WordPress today gave me a nice little infographic about my year in blogging. Check it out!
On the whole, it was one of my more active years, but not nearly as active as I’d like. I often get caught up in doing “big” blog posts, but in 2014, I’m going to endeavor to do more in quantity as well. I’ve got a lot of exciting stuff coming in the new year, so there should be plenty of fodder for writing.
I do appreciate everyone who takes the time to check out what I blog about. I hope it’s interesting to you, and hope that the stuff I post in the next year will be even better.
Hope that your 2013 was a great year, and best wishes in 2014!
Share this:DragonVale 2.0 Wishlist
Jun 5th
With the recent updates to DragonVale v1.8, the app has seen some impressive evolution since its inception. The app now has a thriving community, and despite its ridiculous freemium business model, the updates keep coming…so money is being made off of it.
As we get closer to the 2.0 release (not suggesting it’s imminent), I thought I’d share some ideas about what should be done to really take this game to the next level. With dot releases, you don’t expect a revolution…nice touches here, a new feature there, but nothing off the chain. With the release of a whole version, though, it’s a chance to reinvent and make a play for a whole new set of players. So without further introduction, here are some things I’d like to see in the 2.0 release.
More Robust Management ToolsCurrently, the app only really allows you to manage your world on an item-by-item basis. There is literally no way to get a “high” view of what’s going on. Version 2.0 needs to fix this. So what does this look like? One idea is global interfaces for managing common “types”–dragons, buildings, farms, etc. It’s tremendously annoying to have to go to each habitat in order More >
Resolutions and Stuff
Jan 2nd
I’m not big on resolutions. When I’ve made them in the past, I typically last about 3 whole days before they’re broken and forgotten. Besides, there’s something a bit odd about resolutions anyway. After all, why would we wait until a New Year to do something (lose weight, exercise more, etc.), when it makes a lot more sense to do these things *before* the year begins so that we have the benefit of whatever change for the whole year?
Ah, but that’s the neurosis of the Western mind; what can be done about it? Nothing 🙂
But even though I’m reticent about making resolutions, I have been thinking about the year that lies ahead, particularly from a professional standpoint. Over the last year, I’ve been very productive in my professional development. Particularly in relation to ColdFusion, JavaScript and SQL, I have tremendously expanded my competency, and I feel quite comfortable with where I am as a developer.
However, as we all know, complacency can be a silent killer. While it may not immediately harm a person in relation to their employment prospects, it can be detrimental in the long-term, if nothing else than by souring them to the prospects of learning new skills, More >
Quick Updates
Nov 11th
Just a quick note to let everyone know that I’m still alive! 🙂
The last several weeks have been *crazy*, and I’m also in the process of switching hosting companies. Once things settle down a bit (hopefully next week), I’ll be back to blogging more regularly.
Share this:Why Does God Hate the East Coast So Much?
Aug 29th
Over the weekend, Presidential-hopeful Michele Bachmann joked that the recent string of natural disasters to hit the East Coast are clearly the sign that God is displeased with current levels of government spending.
It seems pretty obvious that her “joke” was a calculated rhetorical ploy to connect with her audience that day, so I think speculation about whether or not she actually “believes” that these disasters were somehow ordained by God are unnecessary. However, joking aside, there are many others–like the now predictable Mr. Robertson–who sincerely believe that this or that natural disaster are not only initiated by God, but are moreover intended to bring about some desired end. That is, the devastation is not just punitive; it’s also supposed to bring about a change in behavior.
But what change? The problem, of course, is how one is supposed to interpret a divinely ordained natural disaster. Earthquakes, tornadoes, and hurricanes are hardly *targeted* phenomenon. So if the presumed instigator of God’s holy wrath is particular sins by particular people (you know, the usual: homosexuality, supporting comprehensive health care reform, or voting for Obama), how does one discern against whom (or what) the natural disaster is directed when everyone in the path of the More >
If You Want a Good Zombie Movie, Follow the Rules
Jun 1st
Over the last month or so, I’ve watched a BUNCH of zombie movies. From absolute classics like Night of the Living Dead, to foreign offerings like The Horde, I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the terrible in the way of zombie movies. While this is to be expected of all movie genres (but perhaps especially those which tend to hover around the B-movie monicker), for me, it’s not the typical things that make zombie movies great or awful. Some movies live and die on acting, special effects, and plot. While these are certainly not un-important in a zombie flick, they don’t sit on the top of the list in my book. Rather, what makes a great zombie movie is one which follows the rules of zombie movies.
The RulesOk, first of all, I don’t think there are *really* any hard-and-fast zombie rules. Sure, some will argue about whether zombies should be able to run, or whether they should be intelligent enough to organize efforts on a minimal level, or whether they should have enough dexterity to turn a doorknob. But in my thinking, trying to pigeon-hole such an expansive field of horror-creature is just wrong.
So these are not the More >
An Anniversary Ode to My Wife
Aug 23rd
This August 23rd marks the 8-year anniversary of my marriage to my beautiful wife, Brooke. Eight years seems like a long time, but honestly it has flown by, and through the good and the bad, I’m grateful for and humbled by the blessing of the time that we’ve had together.
I could continue on in a sappy vein, but I thought I’d share a “Top Ten” (or so) of the very best reasons to be married to Brooke.
- She’s hot 🙂
- She wrangles will phone bills, car payments, and all the other fiscal responsibilities that would be left undone if I were left to myself
- She’s a great mother to our wonderful daughter
- She consistently takes care of the laundry 😉
- She is hilarious, and is patient with my feeble (read failed) attempts at the same
- She doesn’t let me mope, and calls me on it when I try to pretend that I’m not bothered about something!
- She has a very positive outlook on the future for our lives, and motivates me (or drags me, when needed!) to get the best out of it
- She’s extremely empathetic, and is able to comfort me and lift my spirits when I’m sad, sick, hurt, and everything in between
- She’s a constant inspiration for More >
Quick Update
Aug 2nd
I like the free, hosted wordpress.com site I have, but I need something a bit more customizable. Therefore, I’ll probably be pretty silent over the next couple of days while I upgrade my WordPress to a real install on my own hosting account. But don’t worry, I’ll be back 🙂
Share this: Quick Update
Jul 17th
It’s been a few days since my last post. It’s partly because I’ve been busy at work, but also because I’ve been working on a super-sweet demo for a new post, which I hope to publish tomorrow.
While you’re waiting, why not check out the season premier of Psych?
Share this:
