CalvinT.com

Here's something about me. I don't have time for bullshit.

I've endured more than enough of it in my life. I'm sure most of us have. But ever since I grew wise enough to know that I control my own destiny, I've aimed to suffer as little bullshit as possible.

When I see bullshit on the horizon I steer clear.

If I'm in the same room with bullshit, I make a hasty exit.

If I happen to accidentally step in bullshit... well... I guess it depends on how much I like the shoes. Cut and run? Or take the time to clean them up?

Bullshit + Friends

Generally, my real friends call bullshit if they see it. I appreciate that and try to return the favor.

Bullshit + Work

Unfortunately, in the course of serving the greater mission of my business, bullshit may be encountered. There are 2 types of bullshit here. Small stinkers and huge piles of steaming BS. So far it's just been extremes for me. I've yet to encounter what I'd classify as a medium variety.

Small stinkers are ok if they squeak by without much discomfort. But if they sit around for a while... they really get nauseating. Then just cut and run man... cut and run....

For big steaming piles... I don't care... I don't need your business that much.... I do a 180 and walk away.

Bullshit + Family

Well some family bs is pretty bad. I ignore some, I avoid some. Shit's not as bad as it was back in the day. Though I might only think that because I've become good at avoiding and ignoring it.

Bullshit in my own home.... THAT must be dealt with. Thankfully, there's not much, usually. But when there is... the only thing that matters is clearing it out. Everything else is expendable.

Bullshit + Life

I have a pretty simple behavior model. Imagine the future, take stock of the present, take steps to remove the disparity between the two images. Rinse, repeat, enjoy. Always remember to enjoy.

If something or someone doesn't fit the future image... phase out or avoid. Focus on what does fit and you'll find more of it.

If we're not growing, we're dying.

We're always changing anyway, why not make it a change for the better?

It doesn't seem like a bad way to live to me. It frustrates me to see people hurting, unhappy or unfulfilled and just sitting in it.

What do they get from it? Why is it better to them, to sit there and complain by word or by action, than to do something else?

http://www.masterpiecemysterys.com/Website/Toplevel/stars.shtml

I'm near the top of the list.

I googled myself and found a credit for one of my first gigs in Vancouver way way WAY back in the day. I don't remember what year it was... sometime in the 90's.

It was a pretty cheezy gig at the Capilano Suspension Bridge. A murder mystery where I played a reclusive woodsman who also counterfeited money... (coins?)... Not only that, I was a shifty fellow and master of slight-of-hand.

HAHAHAHahahaha. I was used to street performing and working the magic shop. I was somewhat out of my element following a loose script for a musical mystery and somehow trying to seem reclusive while approaching guests at the party to drop hints and do tricks with money... Kind of seemed the opposite of what a recluse would do.

No I did not sing... thank god! My character was too mysterious for that at least.

I thought the whole thing was a fiasco and never did another one. It wasn't the worst gig ever but it was probably a close second. It's interesting to see myself listed as a "Shining Star". I can't visit the bridge without remembering that day vividly.

I think I should contact them again after all these years and offer to rebuild their website. It needs work.

Meteor (or something) crash lands out side of Edmonton AB!

Has the invasion begun?

What secrets will this bring from far away Galaxies?

Is this just a publicity stunt for "The Day the Earth Stood Still"? :D

Check out the video.

What's better than Google Search? Ok, I can think of lots of things I like better than Google Search; my wife and daughter, my guitar, pumpkin pie ... But what could be better for searching for stuff online than Google Search?

Well, I happened to meet the President of Semanti Corp. at the Fast Track Business Super Conference a couple of weeks ago. He had an answer to that question and it's called SemantiFind.

So Google is worth how many billions? Their database is how huge???

63,272 Machines
126,544 Processors
253,088 GHz Proccessing ability
126,544 GB Memory
5,062 TB Hard Drive Space

I found these stats on a forum page. I don't know if they're accurate but someone on the forum "verifies" they are, for around the year 2006. I'm sure they've grown a LOT since then. These numbers are staggering. I find most people can't wrap their minds around how big a Gigabyte really is, never mind 5 Petabytes!!!

Ok, with this knowledge how does a little start-up like Semanti Corp. out do Google? By making Google better of course! My company is all about leveraging technology so Semanti Corp is cool to me, because they REALLY leverage technology. Not only that, they enhance technology WITH technology!

How's all this going to help you? Well, Google Search is a "Search" tool. SemantiFind is a "Find" tool. They explain it much better than I can so check out their website and download their browser plugin.

http://semantifind.com/index.jsp

Last I heard, this was a public beta and might only be available for the Firefox Browser. Not using Firefox? You should be. Get it here: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/?from=getfirefox

Try out Semanti Find see if it makes finding what you're looking for easier. Send them feedback so they can make it better.

A few weeks ago, my good old friend Dave (Emphasis on "old"), was bragging about how Textmate for the Mac was such an awesome editor that could do fancy things like write half your code for you, cutting your development time down drastically.

I thought nothing of it. So what if I get carpal tunnel syndrome. By the time that happens I'll be paying smarter, younger people to write code for me. :) Secretly though, I was jealous. Why do Mac users get to have all the cool stuff?

Anyway, I suppressed my feelings of inadequacy and continued with the repetitive stress, busily getting my company ready for launch this fall. As is usually the case, my chi lead me to a Linux alternative. In the process of researching something else, I stumbled upon instructions for turning my Gnome text editor "gedit" into a more powerful development tool. The "snippets" plug-in was there the whole time, waiting to save me keystrokes. All I had to do was turn it on.

Edit > Preferences > Plugins Tab

Check the snippets box and also the File Browser Pane for good measure. You'll have to have gedit and the plugins package installed of course.

Now you'll have fast access to common functions for a wide variety of programming languages. Plus you can add your own snippets for common functions and code you use in your work.

If anyone has a set of Drupal 5.x or 6.x snippets for gedit I'd love to hear from you. Of course, I'll be working on my own and when I have a decent set, I'll post it here.

My clients thought I was fast before! Wait till they get a load of me now. :D

Happy(er) coding.