*#$%today, i hate code. ...ok, hate is a strong word. <a href="http://www.gapingvoid.com/Moveable_Type/archives/001484.html"><img src="http://danielsjourney.com/blog/files/2005/03/zzzzzz7654210.jpg" /></a>30112501MinutiaDaniel2005-03-31T11:24:34stageOn Web Design<a href="http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=show&id=IAP0019" title="Typography for the Screen">There</a> <a href="http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=show&id=IAP0043" title="Accessibility Shoot-Out">was</a> <a href="http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=show&id=IAP0009" title="How to Bluff Your Way in CSS">quite</a> a <a href="http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=show&id=IAP0074" title="How to be Beautiful: More Hi-Fi Design With CSS">bit</a> <a href="http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=show&id=IAP0085" title="How to Incorporate Stunning Multimedia Into Your Accessible Site">to do</a> <a href="http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=show&id=IAP0040" title="Does Design Matter?">about</a> <a href="http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=show&id=IAP0048" title="How to Inform Design: How to Set Your Pants on Fire">web</a> <a href="http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=show&id=IAP0062" title="The Flash vs. HTML Game Show">design</a> at <a href="http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=show&id=IAP0052" title="Design Eye for the Idea Guy">this</a> <a href="http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=show&id=IAP0060" title="How to Trick-Out Your Blog">year</a>'<a href="http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=show&id=IAP0017" title="Web Design 2010: What Will the Web Look Like When It Turns 20?">s</a> SXSWi. <a href="http://mezzoblue.com/">There</a> <a href="http://www.cameronmoll.com/">were</a> <a href="http://www.designbyfire.com/">a</a> <a href="http://www.jasonsantamaria.com/">lot</a> <a href="http://www.justwatchthesky.com/">of</a> <a href="http://www.shauninman.com/">people</a> <a href="http://www.simplebits.com/">with</a> <a href="http://www.stopdesign.com/">beautiful</a> <a href="http://www.erisfree.com/">web</a> <a href="http://zeldman.com/">sites</a> at SXSWi. What's more interesting is some of the post posts since: Jeffrey Veen's <a href="http://www.veen.com/jeff/archives/000705.html">State-of-the-art interactivity?</a>, Zeldman's <a href="http://zeldman.com/daily/0305d.shtml">Userism</a>, and most notably Fried's <a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/archives/000600.php">Web design going in the wrong direction?</a>. What's more interesting are the designs/UI's of some of the most popular sites out there. Particularly in my mind, and for the sake of this commentary, <a href="http://www.myspace.com">myspace.com</a>. Myspace is <a href="http://socialsoftware.weblogsinc.com/search/?q=myspace">one of the most popular social software/networking tools</a>. Problem is, I feel ill when I go there. Literally. I don't know where to start: the gigantic screen real estate given to banner ads, circa 1998? The complete lack of respect for how an eye tracks a page? The design that breaks at any font size save the original? The help links that look like ads? The complete lack of any visual or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_architecture" title="Information Architecture (IA) is the art and science of structuring knowledge (technically data), and defining user interactions">IA</a> planning, direction, or hierarchy? Finding something on myspace feels like finding something in an unorganized, crammed-so-full-you-have-to-sneak-the-door-shut closet. Yet it's wildly popular. And what never ceases to amaze is what people will <a href="http://www.myspace.com/imthedevil">do</a> <a href="http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=2385000">to their</a> myspace pages. This isn't new. Back in the day, <a href="http://geocities.yahoo.com/" title="AH FOR THE SIMPLE DAYS OF **WEBSITES** AND **HOMEPAGES**">geocities</a>, mp3.com, etc. had the same problems. Even now, the default <a href="http://my.yahoo.com/">my.yahoo.com</a> design is a <a href="files/2005/03/myyahoo1.png">nightmare</a>, but <a href="files/2005/03/myyahoo2.png">what you can do with it</a> is really bizzare. [more later]29104609DesignDaniel2005-03-29T10:04:36stageEasterLate on Good Friday, after <a href="http://danielsjourney.com/blog/index.php?file=2005_03.xml&id=23160952">our meditation</a>, my most regular <a href="http://danielsjourney.com/blog/index.php?file=2005_01.xml&id=13191458">homeless friend</a> (he's not actually homeless anymore, he's in a halfway-house-type-of-thing) came over. We talked for a while about how he is doing, I asked him if he's stayed clean, he got high last week and got kicked out of his house for a while, but met with his social worker and the house manager and is back in now. Etc. I told him how the one time he came over, right before he went into rehab, he asked me for a good word, "Something from the Bible or something." I had thought to myself, "I've never mentioned the Bible or faith to this guy at all," and didn't come up with a verse for him, just encouraged him with my own words. After he left that night I thought of the verse I wish I had shared: "<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/index.php?search=romans%208:1&version=31">Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus</a>..." He asked me when I told him this, "How do you know when you're *out* of Christ Jesus." I said something to the effect of, "Wow...that's a good question...I didn't expect such a good question...[some probably incoherant attempt at a reply and then finally]...I *don't know*." Part of the incoherant bit was me saying that I didn't think he was "out" of Christ Jesus. But what interests me more than the potential theological underpinnings of our conversation is just the fact that this friend of mine was so able to cut to the heart of questions of *us*, of humanity. I had no propositional explanation for him, no perfect words that put his mind at rest and established myself as the intellectually and socially superior minister of souls. What I had was some more conversation, about other stuff, about his experience on the streets, about meeting great people, etc. And a hug and four bucks and a smile and a handshake and a "see you around." And I can only hope that some of that put his soul more at ease. As he left he spoke to Pavlov and myself in his native African tongue. Happy Easter. Have you survived your dark weekend locked in a room, waiting for what you don't even know? When it arrives will you require you put your fingers in the nail holes? You betcha.27152757MinutiaDaniel2005-03-27T03:27:39stageBusiness Porn<a href="http://www.gapingvoid.com/Moveable_Type/archives/001453.html">from Hugh</a>:<blockquote>I first heard the brilliant term "Real Estate Porn" when reading Gawker a few years ago. Basically, imagine a young, married Brooklyn couple reading through the property section of The New York Times, and you can just imagine, it would not be unlike college boys drooling over a copy of Penthouse. So me and another friend were talking earlier this week about how totally obsessed thirtysomething guys like us get with "Business Porn". Business Porn is just like Ordinary Porn or Real Estate Porn, except instead of it being about the women we wished we could sleep with, or the houses we wish we owned, it's about all those cool, lucrative, exciting jobs and businesses that we wish we had, instead of the normal, tedious, schleppy crap most of us end up doing to pay the bills. You know, those kind of gigs that allow us access to the hot women and the nice houses. All three are somewhat connected, if you're a guy.</blockquote>26150635ElsewhereDaniel2005-03-26T02:56:36stageyeahemail today:<blockquote><table summary=""> <tr valign="top"><td>Item#</td><td>Stock#</td><td>Description</td><td>Qty</td><td>Status</td></tr> <tr valign="top"><td colspan="5" style="background-color: #999999;" height="1px"></thead> <tr valign="top"><td>1</td><td>634479056369</td><td>Christopher Williams - When I Was Everything</td><td>1</td><td>Shipped</td></tr> <tr valign="top"><td>2</td><td>724386623324</td><td>Over the Rhine - Drunkard`s Prayer</td><td>1</td><td>Shipped</td></tr> <tr valign="top"><td>3</td><td>677516522724</td><td>Billy Cerveny - AM Radio</td><td>1</td><td>Shipped</td></tr> <tr valign="top"><td>4</td><td>8715511500070</td><td>Various - Het Dagelijks Brood Sampler</td><td>1</td><td>Shipped</td></tr> <tr valign="top"><td>5</td><td>010152</td><td>Over The Rhine - 4 Postcard set.</td><td>1</td><td>Shipped</td></tr></table></blockquote> <a href="http://www.american-buddha.com/abol-henrykgorecki.htm">Henryk Gorecki, Symphony No. 3</a> ...I wasn't going to blog this until after, but there are mp3's of the symphony here, assuming you'll "join" the site. Also <a href="index.php?file=2005_03.xml&id=23160952">tomorrow night</a>, if you were to come, you might want to bring something to sit or lay upon...I lack much comfortable seating. If you want some wine or to add any more ritual to the thing, then it's up to you. Also, <a href="http://www.kkg.ch/Portrait_neu.cfm?job=3481407&fsee=1">*Monuments of Switzerland* - der bekannte Lichtkünstler Gerry Hofstetter beleuchtet Kühlturm und Dampffahne</a> Also, check out <a href="files/2005/03/bullshit_blog.png">this complete bullshit spam blog that's completely plagiarized me (this is to a screenshot</a>...I don't want any more hits to the actual site...I've alerted Google).24194205MinutiaDaniel2005-03-24T07:39:50stagegood friday redux<a href="http://daniel.integrationresearch.org/art/installations/arts/partitioned_space.html">of 2001</a> I invite you to my home on Friday, March 25, 2005 at 11:00pm for a "midnight mass" consisting of one simple event: the listening to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000005J1C/qid=1111615349/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/102-3988949-7479309">Gorecki's 3rd Symphony</a>. Celebrate the death of Christ, the death of my 20's, or whatever else you might want to mourn and/or dwell in while being soothed by Henryk's "Sorrowful Songs." The event will take about an hour and will consist of nothing else, in fact my wish is for you to arrive empty handed and with few words and to leave similarly. I'm going it either way; hope to have your company. <a href="http://www.ransomfellowship.org/Music_Gorecki.html">some info about the music</a>23160952AnnouncementsDaniel2005-03-23T03:48:09stage<a href="http://metaatem.net/words">spell with flickr</a><style type='text/css'> #flickrWords .flickrImg { float: left; } </style> <div id='flickrWords'> <a id='a_4391899' href='http://flickr.com/photos/21905364@N00/4391899/' title='White D'><img border='0' class='flickrImg' title='White D' alt='White D' src='http://photos3.flickr.com/4391899_b3ba85d470_s.jpg' /></a><a id='a_3374348' href='http://flickr.com/photos/42737578@N00/3374348/' title='a'><img border='0' class='flickrImg' title='a' alt='a' src='http://photos2.flickr.com/3374348_4ae9e1a44a_s.jpg' /></a><a id='a_3494697' href='http://flickr.com/photos/11105112@N00/3494697/' title='Lit Shankli\'n\''><img border='0' class='flickrImg' title='Lit Shankli\'n\'' alt='Lit Shankli\'n\'' src='http://photos2.flickr.com/3494697_6d4cb4edb9_s.jpg' /></a><a id='a_6837567' href='http://flickr.com/photos/21905364@N00/6837567/'><img border='0' class='flickrImg' title='i is for information' src='http://photos7.flickr.com/6837567_07fdc3e7cf_s.jpg' /></a><a id='a_1183549' href='http://flickr.com/photos/49503037972@N01/1183549/' title='E Is For Torresdale'><img border='0' class='flickrImg' title='E Is For Torresdale' alt='E Is For Torresdale' src='http://photos1.flickr.com/1183549_a86400b910_s.jpg' /></a><a id='a_3569127' href='http://flickr.com/photos/34817627804@N01/3569127/' title='L'><img border='0' class='flickrImg' title='L' alt='L' src='http://photos3.flickr.com/3569127_8385fb74ba_s.jpg' /></a><a id='a_4392760' href='http://flickr.com/photos/21905364@N00/4392760/' title='Red S'><img border='0' class='flickrImg' title='Red S' alt='Red S' src='http://photos4.flickr.com/4392760_b6b68f049b_s.jpg' /></a><a id='a_3491173' href='http://flickr.com/photos/61563509@N00/3491173/' title='j'><img border='0' class='flickrImg' title='j' alt='j' src='http://photos3.flickr.com/3491173_ba3114f46c_s.jpg' /></a><a id='a_3569120' href='http://flickr.com/photos/34817627804@N01/3569120/' title='O_02'><img border='0' class='flickrImg' title='O_02' alt='O_02' src='http://photos2.flickr.com/3569120_4fa97108ae_s.jpg' /></a><a id='a_3621359' href='http://flickr.com/photos/11105112@N00/3621359/' title='\'U\'niversity'><img border='0' class='flickrImg' title='\'U\'niversity' alt='\'U\'niversity' src='http://photos2.flickr.com/3621359_2407493cf0_s.jpg' /></a><a id='a_3586121' href='http://flickr.com/photos/82213286@N00/3586121/' title='miniscule N / miniscule R'><img border='0' class='flickrImg' title='miniscule N / miniscule R' alt='miniscule N / miniscule R' src='http://photos2.flickr.com/3586121_aa1b8894f8_s.jpg' /></a><a id='a_3672722' href='http://flickr.com/photos/18619970@N00/3672722/' title='N'><img border='0' class='flickrImg' title='N' alt='N' src='http://photos3.flickr.com/3672722_f9f11c1ab8_s.jpg' /></a><a id='a_3621386' href='http://flickr.com/photos/11105112@N00/3621386/'><img border='0' class='flickrImg' title='Hal'e'' src='http://photos3.flickr.com/3621386_22dc1389bc_s.jpg' /></a><a id='a_4830319' href='http://flickr.com/photos/23356961@N00/4830319/'><img border='0' class='flickrImg' title='sideWalkY' src='http://photos4.flickr.com/4830319_826979733b_s.jpg' /></a><a id='a_5012103' href='http://flickr.com/photos/48600084713@N01/5012103/' title='p.e.r.i.o.d'><img border='0' class='flickrImg' title='p.e.r.i.o.d' alt='p.e.r.i.o.d' src='http://photos5.flickr.com/5012103_2d0ff6969f_s.jpg' /></a><a id='a_6543453' href='http://flickr.com/photos/37613229@N00/6543453/' title='The Letter C'><img border='0' class='flickrImg' title='The Letter C' alt='The Letter C' src='http://photos4.flickr.com/6543453_e0c625d398_s.jpg' /></a><a id='a_3569120' href='http://flickr.com/photos/34817627804@N01/3569120/' title='O_02'><img border='0' class='flickrImg' title='O_02' alt='O_02' src='http://photos2.flickr.com/3569120_4fa97108ae_s.jpg' /></a><a id='a_225779' href='http://flickr.com/photos/44124484001@N01/225779/' title='textures-01'><img border='0' class='flickrImg' title='textures-01' alt='textures-01' src='http://photos1.flickr.com/225779_9b52e0804c_s.jpg' /></a> </div> 22112432ElsewhereDaniel2005-03-22T11:24:06stage...First off, <a href="http://blog.flickr.com/flickrblog/2005/03/yahoo_actually_.html">holy shite</a>! At the <a href="index.php?file=2005_03.xml&id=13191538">The New New Economy</a> panel at Sx, <a href="http://radio.weblogs.com/0001011/2005/03/13.html#a9618">somebody</a> asked Caterina Fake<blockquote>...whether it was true that Flickr has been sold to Yahoo. She didn't deny or confirm, but she said in front of the crowd at SXSW "I'm gonna kick the ass of the next person who asks me that question."</blockquote> Tonight went to see <a href="http://www.kingsofconvenience.com/">Kings of Convenience</a> at the Gypsy Tea Room. I had high <a href="http://127.0.0.1/webdev/integration/daniel/blog/index.php?file=2005_02.xml&id=06163547">expectations brewin</a>g over the course of months, and they did NOT disappoint! Last night a friend called me immediately after seeing them in Austin (Sx) and told me to try and chat with the band before the show, because they pulled a drummer from the audience in Austin to play "Dance With You." We were sitting in the back during Feist (the opener/sings on KoC songs), and sure enough Erlend comes to the back and sits in the sound booth for a bit. I just walked over and thanked him blah blah blah told him about my friend calling me and telling me about the drummer thing...he said, "Ah...but we don't have a drumkit tonight," and scratched his head. I said well the Austin show went over really well blah blah blah...he said maybe 10 words to me total and I skidaddled back to my seat.21000912MinutiaDaniel2005-03-21T12:08:45stagerelated mp3's<a href="http://daniel.integrationresearch.org/media/Turin%20Brakes%20-%20Self%20Help.mp3">Turin Brakes - Self Help</a> <a href="http://daniel.integrationresearch.org/media/Over%20the%20Rhine-Poughkeepsie.mp3">Over the Rhine - Poughkeepsie</a>20115144MinutiaDaniel2005-03-20T11:50:51stage<a href="http://www.danielsjourney.com/blog/files/2005/03/P3100005i.jpg">blogging hair</a><a href="http://danielsjourney.com/blog/index.php?file=2005_03.xml&id=12210920">Jason Fried talked about sum* sunk cost last Saturday</a> (<a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/archives/000600.php" title="good words post sxsw">aside</a>) (aside2: I am somewhere in <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/32373689483@N01/6415195">this picture</a>..theoretically). Later in the weekend over drinks Dan described my anxiety as sunk cost. Lea just talked about <a href="http://www.livejournal.com/users/rue10/112620.html">zero sum</a>. When it comes down to it: <ul style="list-style-type: disc"> <li>I already ate too much dinner</li> <li>I already bought {fill in the blank}</li> <li>I already wasted that time</li> <li>I already made that decision</li> <li>My hair is already in the trash</li> </ul> I had <a href="http://www.sarahjanesemrad.com/blog/">Sarah Jane</a> chop my hair today. Still keeping a (recently trimmed) beard for now... Sunk cost is just our new vocab for <a href="http://biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=worry&version1=31&searchtype=any&wholewordsonly=yes&bookset=4">a very old concept</a>. Do try to make it tonight to <a href="http://www.integrationresearch.org/gallery/">the Gallery</a>. <a href="http://www.integrationresearch.org/gallery/archives/2005/03/patrick_rhodes_317413.html">Great show</a> by <a href="http://www.integrationresearch.org/gallery/archives/2005/03/patrick_rhodes_installation_pictures.html">Patrick</a> <a href="http://www.sarahjanesemrad.com/blog/000459.html">Rhodes</a>. Also: <a href="http://www.patrickrhodes.com">patrickrhodes.com</a> ...bit later: Just read his artist statement. Checkit:<blockquote>My drawings are investigations of the modern agora. The word agora means a physical place of meeting but also has connotations to the assembly of people as well. Through studies of formal structure and relationships I am ale to better understand the modern city as an agora and the effects that the objects it is composed of have on the inhabitants. The structures and organization of the city reveal conscious and unconscious, positive and negative ideals of social order. Building forms become personifications showing power, insecurity, protection, weakness, interacting amongst themselves and with the landscape as well. The agora moves beyond the physical and becomes the assembly itself. Structures of the city carve through, shadow, and structure natural surroundings. There is an absence of human presence, but always an element of control. The viewer is left alone to interact with the structures and in turn identify his place within the agora. As for now I have been focusing on the street. Since my move back to Dallas from Boston and the necessity of the car, the street has become more dominant in my work. Past the actual structure of the street cutting through the landscape, dividing areas within the agora and creating numerous pathways in which to choose a direction, the surface takes on a personality, revealing certain relationships with the surrounding elements and its role within the agora. The painted marks reveal systems, which provide life to the agora, shadows created by buildings and nature carve and cover the street showing dominance, cracks indicate weaknesses and age, and guidelines demand rules and restrictions. The stage is set.</blockquote> * Thanks to Dan for the correction. Somehow "sum" cost still makes sense to me as well...19182756MinutiaDaniel2005-03-19T06:27:35stageThere is a me you would not recognize, dear. Call it the shadow of myself. gonna have to add to this post later as well...but for now... <blockquote>Cloud9Mil: [something about reality sucking after sxsw] theyblinked: the sxsw gravity continues to have me in its sway Cloud9Mil: yeah</blockquote> Turn Brakes, <a href="http://www.songmeanings.net/lyric.php?lid=3530822107858499665">Self Help</a> (will post mp3 later) <blockquote>Breathe in good, breathe out bad, Remind yourself of the things you have, it's easy. Pull a smile onto your face, Understand that making friends is easy. So tell yourself it will be ok, Remind yourself that you're not just in it for the money. The end, the end, the end, the end, My friend, where's the end? You're up, you're down, You're in the ground in the end, my friend, Where's the end? I've found myself, deep down in the dirt, Got to get myself to my feet yeah. I tell myself it will be ok, Remind myself that I'm not just in it for the money. The end, the end, the end, the end My friend, where's the end? You're up, you're down, You're in the ground in the end, my friend, Where's the end?</blockquote> myself and most people around me are in various states of complete chaos. the only good thing is that when the hurricane is already upon you, you find those trees to grab hold of fast.17150911MinutiaDaniel2005-03-17T03:08:11stageleaving Austin (T_T)Missing the last day of SXSWi.05 today and heading back to Dallas. <a href="http://www.integrationresearch.org/gallery/archives/2005/03/stephen_lapthisophon_31505_one_night_only_installation.html">Big show at the gallery tonight</a> that I need to be there for...with a least a couple hours to spare... plus work obligations (I was actually working yesterday inbetween sessions)... Still going to update that last post...later...(03-17...finally updated...see below)15105203SXSWi.05Daniel2005-03-15T10:50:15stageSXSWi.05 MondayFirst was <a href="http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=show&id=IAP0039">A Whole New Mind</a> by <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=daniel+pink">Daniel H. Pink</a>. Excellent speaker...and while that's not a prereq to having a great seminar by any means, it was nice. He also gave away free copies of his book to everyone there...I had heard this rumor earlier but had forgotten which speaker it was giving away free books. I was pleased to see it was one I wanted to see anyway. Some notes: Abundance -> more cars than licensed drivers...self-storage a 17 billion industry...designer toilet brushes and fly swatters -> (now) concern for meaning and transcendence. Asia -> outsourcing ��short-term -> overhyped ��long-term -> underhyped <blockquote>English -> India's killer app.</blockquote> ��...largest English speaking population by 2010. ��L. brain work -> Asia Automation -><blockquote>Software is a forklift for the mind.(Tom Peters)</blockquote> ��...work being <a href="http://www.ibiblio.org/john_henry/">John Henried</a>. Androgenous traits -> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_callosum" title="The corpus callosum connects the left and right cerebral hemispheres">corpus callosum</a>. (Makes me think of <a href="http://www.gapingvoid.com/zzzzzz7654159.jpg">this</a>.) ...from High Tech -> High Concept + High Touch<blockquote> <table width="100%"> <tr><td width="50%">Design</td> <td>Story</td></tr> <tr><td>Symphony</td> <td>Empathy</td></tr> <tr><td>Play</td> <td>Meaning</td></tr> </table></blockquote> For basically the written overview of his talk, check out <a href="http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.02/brain.html">his Wired article</a>. Next up for me was <a href="http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=show&id=IAP0048">How to Inform Design: How to Set Your Pants on Fire</a>, featuring among others <a href="http://adaptivepath.com/team/veen.php">Jeffrey Veen</a>. One of the most interesting bits of this one was sitting right next to <a href="http://simplebits.com/">Dan Cederholm</a> (and <a href="http://photomatt.net/">Matt Mullenweg</a>). The conversation went somewhat like this:<blockquote>Me: Are you Dan? Dan: Yeah. Me: Like, Dan, Dan? Dan: Yeah! Me: Like, simplebits.com? Dan: Yeah! Me: Cool!</blockquote>I then told him that his <a href="http://www.coppermanland.com/band" title="Cathode...free mp3's on this site yo.">old band</a> was really good. Then the seminar started but after we talked music for a bit longer. He plays guitar. Matt plays saxophone and suggested we (actually I don't think I was included in this plan) form a band. I said Cathode + sax is like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphine_(band)">Morphine</a>. Most interesting bit of session: Veen's pointing to <a href="http://www.fsa.usda.gov/haynet/">Hay Net</a>: "Need Hay | Have Hay".<blockquote>He hypothesizes that this could be applied to several sites. Ebay: "Need Junk" and "Have Junk". Microsoft: "Need buggy bloated software" and "Have buggy bloated software."<a href="http://joshing.org/2005/03/14/how-to-set-your-pants-on-fire/">#</a></blockquote> Then on to <a href="http://2005.bloggies.com/">the bloggies</a>! The most interesting bit was when <a href="http://www.littleyellowdifferent.com/">Ernie</a> presented and mentioned that he had won bloggies a few times in the past, and the <a href="http://www.smartmobs.com/archive/2004/10/30/backchannels.html">backchannel</a> gets nastier the more you win...at which point the backchannel, which was being projected onto a screen in front of the stage, went wild with tongue-in-cheek putdowns...we (the assembled) were laughing so hard he could barely make his presentations, and he was dying to know what was being said up there. Pretty sure he did it on purpose to evoke exactly that, though... After the bloggies I ended up talking to <a href="http://www.mikeslone.com">Mike Slone</a> of <a href="http://inknoise.com">inknoise</a>. He was on <a href="index.php?file=2005_03.xml&id=13191538">the blogging panel</a> (second from left in that pic there). I just realized looking him up on the web I have been to his site before, via his firm <a href="http://www.alinteractive.com">Art + Logic Interactive</a>. It was a really good conversation...he's a great guy, and it was almost too much of a IRL experience to document here. Not much to say about the <a href="http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=show&id=IAP0051">Ana Maria Cox</a> keynote interview. I think it's sad a keynote "speaker" can't speak well enough to just get up there and talk, but hey.<blockquote>I want to sell out early and often.</blockquote>That quote required context, but I appreciated it, suffice it to say. I also commented to Dan afterward that the frequent use of the phrase "ass-fucking" would not have been such an awe-inspiring thing in any other context. Somehow the frequent mention of anal sex around geeks inspires reverence. At least if said mentions come from a not-unattractive female. Next was <a href="http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=show&id=IAP0056">Startupland: A How-to Guide to Starting Your Own Company</a>. Some impressive panelists, but I left that one early, just in time to get a phone call from a client and start working. One good soundbyte:<blockquote>Fear is one of the most binding...[missed the noun here]...that prevents ppl from starting their own company. (<a href="http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=bio&id=B84259">Price</a>)</blockquote> Last one I've already mentioned: <a href="http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=show&id=IAP0052">Design Eye for the Idea Guy</a>, featuring the star-studded panel of <a href="http://designbyfire.com">Andrei Herasimchuk</a>, <a href="http://cameronmoll.com">Cameron Moll</a>, <a href="http://www.7nights.com/asterisk/">Keith Robinson</a>, <a href="http://justwatchthesky.com">Ryan Sims</a> (<a href="http://www.thebignoob.com/">see also</a>), and <a href="http://nixlog.com/">Paul Nixon</a>. It was funny and insightful and I have a scoop on their results: <a href="http://knemeyer.com/">the victim</a> | <a href="http://designeye.org/ideaguy/">the process</a> | <a href="http://www.designeye.org/ideaguy/dk/">final result</a>! Sadly, Mr. Knemeyer decided not to use the teams' design...WTF? <s>img[s] will go here</s> ...didn't get them off my phone...will post seperately...14190210SXSWi.05Daniel2005-03-14T06:52:04stageSXSWi.05 SundayQuick summary; will have to post more notes later...and my blog seems mysteriously broken after last night's update...will try and fix now... <img src="files/2005/03/sxsw_blogpanel.jpg" /> Started with the <a href="http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=show&id=IAP0067">Blogging Showdown</a>, which was much less confrontational that the title might have suggested (not that I'm trolling for drama)...in fact I had low expectations for getting something out of this one, as I've followed the space closely for years, but felt I needed to be there because of that fact (and the imminent release of <a href="http://underde.com/swim">SWIM</a>, which, by the way, isn't a blogging tool...um, won't be forever). All panel members were smart and well spoken, as one would expect. Particularly though was <a href="http://photomatt.net/">Matt Mullenweg</a>, and his baby <a href="http://wordpress.org/">WordPress</a> has a number of cool features I hadn't yet learned about. Then to <a href="http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=show&id=IAP0071">The New New Economy: Is 2005 the Next 1997?</a>, which was mercifully brief on reliving 1997 and more on the realities of today. David Hornik, whose <a href="ventureblog.com">venture blog</a> I used to read, was particularly funny, down to earth, and in general not what I would have expected from a SV SC...I suspect I will be re-subscribing to his blog. However all the panelists in this one were luminaries of varying degrees, and all down to earth, both busting each other's balls and self depricating at the same time. The kind of people I want to have over for drinks. If ya'll are ever in Dallas... ;) ...These are some quotes I pulled, although I didn't write down who said what, so I apologize for that: <blockquote>Nothing makes you realize how unimportant money is until you have some and you realize what you cared about is this product...that is now getting its neck twisted and screws driven into its head.</blockquote> Actually I do remember who that was, that was Dick Costolo of <a href="http://feedburner.com">FeedBurner</a> (which I've been meaning to try out). I'd actually just last week watched <a href="http://tedblog.blogspot.com/2005/02/ted-talk-with-dick-c-co-founder.html">a videoblog featuring him</a>. (I've also heard that <s>all</s> most of these talks are going to be on <a href="http://itconversations.com/">itconversations.com</a>...will give a pointer if/when that happens.) <blockquote>One man's self-funded is another man's large venture round.</blockquote> That was Dick as well. <blockquote>Human nature says you don't put your hand on the stove twice, but maybe if you put your hand in the fire the first time and now you're walking up to a glowing stove...</blockquote> That was David, to which Dick added: <blockquote>Or if you burned your right hand the first time but now have a bunch of cash in your left...[I thought it was funny, but there was a distinct lack of laughter from the crowd]...That wasn't nearly as funny as I thought it was going to be...[lots of laughter from crowd]</blockquote> There you go, I did remember who said what. Next was <a href="http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=show&id=IAP0093">The Bad Sex with Neal Pollack Show</a>, which was hillarious as expected. As a writer I especially liked his occasional asides, such as, "I need to work on that sentence some more." Lastly, <a href="http://2005.sxsw.com/interactive/conference/panels/?action=show&id=IAP0086">How to Obtain Start-Up Funding: The Care and Feeding of Angel Investors</a>, which was also very good, informative, etc... Lots of stuff going around in the ol' brain ATM, part of me wishes I could get it down here, but the other part realizes it would probly be pretty disjointed. I'm hoping these notes will help me remember after the initial processing has occurred and I'm ready to put this info to use IRL.13191538SXSWi.05Daniel2005-03-13T07:15:12stagefinally content worth bloggingEarly night back to Round Rock tonight. We were too late to grab a spot at dinner with <a href="http://brilliantcorners.org/">Bill</a> (who I didn't know was here but ran into this afternoon), <a href="http://dashes.com/anil/">Anil</a>, <a href="http://www.kottke.org/">Jason</a> and <a href="http://erikbenson.com/">Erik</a>, and about 20 other ppl crammed around a table at the <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=boiling+pot+austin">Boiling Pot</a>... Had just met Erik after the last session...so excluding that we knew one person there, and I've been spent all day anyway (stressful, sleep-deprived week already). Randomness: Made the observation that whenever you know someone only through online channels and then meet them in person, they are always less badass in person. I know this goes for me too. Something to do with the lack of nonverbal cues (as it were) on the intarweb. An odd feeling having computer/online withdrawals being at a tech conference. I kept my machine off for the rest of the afternoon following that last blog entry...just wasn't worth it. But that's more time away from the machine than I've had in a long time. <a href="http://homepage.mac.com/benbrown666/iMovieTheater5.html">Video from the kickball game</a>, via Ben Brown and the <a href="http://www.austinist.com/">Austinist</a>. So after the relatively lackluster <a href="index.php?file=2005_03.xml&id=12144401">Zeldman</a> keynote and a first session not even worth mentioning, our second session of the day was worth the money...notes from Dan since <a href="http://theyblinked.com">theyblinked</a> is having technical difficulties atm. how to make big things happen with small teams jason fried, <a href="http://37signals.com/">37signals</a> the sound continues to suck. Four things: <ul> <li>Reducing mass</li> <li>Making things manageable</li> <li>Lowering cost of change</li> <li>Staying out of debt - money, code, design - bad decisions are debt that must be paid</li> </ul> Small has big advantages. 1. The customer is closer. Your collective customer is really an employee. * Less distortion * Less middle/muddle * Everyone on the front line * Change is easier 2. It is not about having fewer people it is having the right people. Everyone has skills. Skills are table stakes. You need multi-disciplinary people. * Passionate and happy * Well rounded * Quick learner * Good writer * Trustworthy Take the happy and average over the guru who is disgruntled. 3. Act your size. Don't try to be a big company. * Less formal (paperwork, processes, sign offs), less mass (rent, hardware, people, etc.), less fear (no speaking up, job fear, being seen as wrong) * More flexibility, change Remove the hoops and be organic. 4. Embrace constraints. Everyone has constraints. Don't try to lift them. Try to work within them. Constraints incent creativity. * Less people, give them more power * Less money, create more value from what you have make spending money very hard to do... create more money * Less resources, better use - be frugal -- optimize software, etc. * Less time, better time 5. Build half a product not a half-ass product. Build half of what you intend to build first. * Say not by default * Listen to the product * Ignore details early on * Improve what you have - refine before your add * Decisions are temporary - big companies have a lot of mass behind the decisions they make. this is an advantage of being small. things are open. decisions are provisional. Keep features down and optimize. Most things you do don't really matter. You can get to them later. Get big picture stuff working first and then hone in on details. 6. Build less software * Lower the cost of change * Less room for error - tours, related features, documentation, help, etc. * Less support required - tech support will kick your ass. quickly. * Encourage human solutions. Give people just enough to solve their own problems their own way. Then get out of their way. Focus on general outlines for people to fill in. 7. Get Real, start with the UI * There is nothing functional about a functional spec * Start designing, prototyping, experiencing, changing Rinse and repeat... You can't make these decisions ahead of time. Always be in front of the interface--what the customer will be in front of... Build page, work through it, what feels comfortable, what fits... Get real as soon as you possibly can. Functional spec's are political documents, a specification to assign blame from later, an illusions of agreement. Everyone needs to experience something together to truly agree. Fixed cost, fixed scope, fixed timeframe: bullshit. Pick two. The artifact that you record the shared experience in is less relevant than the experience. (a comment from the audience {an embedded programmer?}) Just enough is more. 8. Make most decisions JIT * Scalability -- mostly worry about scaling when you need to worry about scaling, if you are slow for a week or two weeks that is ok. don't spend the money up front. don't take on the mass. * Sunk cost: whenever you spend a dollar you should forget about it. it is spent. * Skip the admin interface -- build it in two days and you can improve it later -- you don't know your reporting needs, what requests you will have, etc. - Basecamp was free for 30 days. Did not need the billing interface for 30 days. ...embrace the constraints! Just do what you need to do when you need to do it. You can't do everything you want to do. Make decisions when you have the real information. 9. Think in terms of the next most important thing * Is this it? If not, what is? Are we doing it? If not, why not? 10. Celebrate small victories Iterate Celebrate -- blog post, email to customer, dinner, etc. Iterate Celebrate ... The cost of getting everything right is so incredibly high that it's not worth it. It is ok to be wrong. Change. 11. Feel the hurt * Builders support it * Chefs become waiters * Shared annoyance 12. Publicity amplifiers * Feature food - people want to use and highlight (mac sites on iCal in Basecamp, RSS subscribe to projects --blogs) * Promote through education (yellow fade technique idea) * 30-day major upgrade (always hold features back and launch them 30 days after the product is released) * Transparency = Trust (be public about problems ASAP, talk, talk, talk) * Bloggable - a lot about the product <ul> <li>Reducing mass</li> <li>Making things manageable</li> <li>Lowering cost of change</li> <li>Staying out of debt - fund through revenue, don't take on bad design, don't ship bad code</li> </ul> People love simple.12210920SXSWi.05Daniel2005-03-12T09:08:51stage14:42Best slide header from Zeldman's talk:<blockquote>WEB STANDARDS (GUILT)</blockquote>better notes over at <a href="http://theyblinked.com/blog/">theyblinked</a>. I think I'm going to shut the ol' machine down and just listen and stuff.12144401SXSWi.05Daniel2005-03-12T02:42:36stageSXSWi.05 Stats, 13:30:Beers: 1 Seen at <a href="http://www.dashes.com/kick/">kickball</a>: <a href="http://mezzoblue.com/">Dave Shea</a>, <a href="http://www.shauninman.com/">Shaun Inman</a>, <a href="http://www.cameronmoll.com/">Cameron Moll</a>, <a href="http://bluejake.com/">Jake</a>. Too bad <a href="http://rearviewwindow.com/blog/">Joshua</a> isn't here. Sitting in the room waiting for the <a href="http://zeldman.com/">Zeldman</a> keynote.12133954SXSWi.05Daniel2005-03-12T01:26:12stageAustin watch outI'm going to SXSW tomorrow with Dan. I would promise live session blogging, but I hate to assume they have outlets next to every seat. If they do it's possible--see, my computer and battery are very old, the battery lasts about 15 minutes these days--but still unlikely. Life has become too crazy to properly blog these days (perhaps you've noticed). I've had so many things I've wanted to document here and a few good ideas, a number of turns of phrases...but alas. <a href="http://underde.com/swim">SWIM</a> gets released next week, God himself very willing.10195935AnnouncementsDaniel2005-03-10T07:52:12stageBathroom at <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=lee+harvey%27s+dallas">Lee Harvey's</a><img src="files/2005/03/leeharveys_1.jpg" /> <img src="files/2005/03/leeharveys_2.jpg" /> <img src="files/2005/03/leeharveys_3.jpg" /> <img src="files/2005/03/leeharveys_4.jpg" /> <img src="files/2005/03/leeharveys_5.jpg" /> <img src="files/2005/03/leeharveys_dwm_1.jpg" /> <a href="http://mirrorproject.com/mirror/?id=28432"><img src="files/2005/03/leeharveys_dwm_2.jpg" /></a>07193534ImaginingDaniel2005-03-09T07:35:01stagedarn good linkage<a href="http://integrationresearch.org/files/art_prostitute--glen_mitchel.mp3">Art Prostitute on the Glen Mitchel show</a> (23.8M mp3, ~51min) <img src="files/2005/03/danielatap.jpg" align="left" title="me at AP HQ. photo by SJS" />This is a really excellent interview with the <a href="http://artprostitute.com/">Art Prostitute</a> guys. I recorded it today when it was re-broadcast. I actually met them after this interview was recorded. If you take the time to listen, you will hear a lot of symmetry b/w the AP stuff and <a href="http://integrationresearch.org">IR</a> stuff. I will cross post to the IR site once I get permish. CC, are you reading? Can you help with that? <a href="http://www.ted.com/ted2005/moments/index.cfm">Bono's TEDPrize acceptance speach</a>. "One attendee described it as 'the most powerful speech I've ever heard.'" The complete version is ~30min. "Love all. Trust a few. Do wrong to none." --William Shakespeare (<a href="http://www.livejournal.com/users/xgizzardx/160700.html">#</a>) I took that first picture <a href="http://www.sarahjanesemrad.com/blog/000454.html">there</a>. <a href="http://carissabyers.blogspot.com/2005/03/im-oscar-myer-wiener-man.html"><img src="files/2005/03/penn.jpg" align="right" title="'Come look at this thing! It's HUGE!' Photo by Carissa" />I'm featured in this post by Carissa</a>. If only everyone gave up their Blogger usernames and passwords so easily! (Besides the photo captions, I also titled the post.) <a href="http://candystations.com/">Candy Stations</a> did the visuals for the Wilco tour. <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4502847">Listen to an entire Wilco concert online</a>...I think...I don't have THAT much time. :P My guilty pleasures: <a href="http://dailysourcecode.com/">The Daily Source Code</a> and <a href="http://www.americanheartbreak.com/movabletype/">The Rock and Roll Geek Show</a>. Says the latter: "it's like Tivo for your iPod." Too bad I don't have an iPod and I'm normally doing something else at the same time. <a href="http://www.evhead.com/2005/02/how-odeo-happened.asp">Ev Ev Ev</a> etc. Scott if yer not doing the whole automatic-DL-into-yer-iPod-from-the-RSS-feed thing yet, fershame. One thing about podcasts, though: they need to be shorter. I don't commute anyway, but if I did I would want to do NPR one direction and a *few* podcasts the other.09022726ElsewhereDaniel2005-03-09T01:50:24stageWal-Mart == Heaven<img src="files/2005/03/walmart.jpg" /> "Maybe heaven will be like this," Mark thought out loud as he walked through the doors, grabbed a cart (habit), and bounced it across the cheap textured tile that floors the entrance to every Wal-Mart in existence. "The lights whitewashing everything. All the people in a happy haze of pleasure, but never of the sexual variety." His eyes shifted left to right, checking to see if anyone had heard him utter "sexual." Of course they hadn't; only God had. Mark's journey to heaven began ten years prior. Heart broken at the virgin age of 17. The girl was 18, a freshman in college. He coasted through the rest of his senior year the way he had spent the previous 11-immersed in his own world, a mishmash of stories from novels, role-playing games, and virtual online environments, woven together somewhere deep inside his mind. About a year and a half later, when he should have been going to college but mostly just hung out with students in his college home town, Mark got saved. He'd begun casually participating in a radically evangelistic college church--some would call it a cult--early on in his faux-college career. Then one day if finally just clicked. Eventually Mark drifted out of the group, but was always drawn back in one capacity or another. Things just made sense there. It was the only place where things made sense. The "drifting out"--some would call it backsliding--became more severe for the same reason it always did--a woman. Mark had continued to keep one foot in the online world of his youth, and through a 3D fantasy role-playing game met his soul mate, "littleevilblue," who, it turned out, wasn't even a little evil, or blue. Although they never met, they would spend hours in the game, on IM, and emailing. This went on for months. She ended up breaking his heart too. Being a completely virtual relationship, the breakup was virtual, and the aftermath was virtual. A few months later, Mark unsuccessfully tried to organize a mass online suicide on Valentine's day. A few months later, still in a haze of mourning, he returned to the church. The thing to understand about this church, and its very charismatic preacher, is that every sermon is the same: Here's an issue. Here's the black. Here's the white. Heaven and hell and your eternal soul is always involved. And afterwards, when you leave for Sunday brunch, you feel like a million bucks. That trip to church changed Mark's life forever. He instantly changed. Things didn't just click this time, they came together like two gears in the biggest clockworks in the world. He was never to log onto his computer again. His role-playing games sat lonely on the closet shelf. He spent the next week and half reading his Bible and whatever Christian books he had laying around the house. And then he decided to go to Wal-Mart. The thing to understand about Mark is he was a skeptic. A geek. A cynic. Yet his heart often steered the ship, as it were. Mark was sick of not knowing. And he was sick of having his heart broken. So he decided to go to Wal-Mart. He ditched the cart in toiletries and mumbled to himself as he passed the closet organizers. "Please Lord forgive me. Please Lord forgive me." A little bit louder as he passed the furniture. "I just have to know. I just have to know." No one was listening even though they all could hear. Too busy looking at digital cameras and cell phones. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Then mumbling again as he approached the sporting goods section. "Please. I love you. Amen." Once he had purchased the gun and the ammo, he hid his hands behind the open case as he keyed open the trigger lock. Then as quickly as he could he loaded two bullets into the magazine and the magazine into the pistol. All the Wal-Mart AssociateTM could manage was, "Um...?" "I'm sorry," and he raised a gun. No time for a scream. The entire store, 100 associates and 300 customers--there was no way to know where the sound of that gunshot came from. Then Mark turned the gun, the taste of cold metal. He had the thought: Now I'll finally know.05014205FictionDaniel2005-03-05T01:41:50stagecouple cool things I did this week<a href="http://kids-with-cameras.org/kidsgallery/"><img src="files/2005/03/gour_running.jpg" /></a> Earlier this week I saw <a href="http://kids-with-cameras.org">Born Into Brothels</a>. Really can't say enough about this film. Possibly seeing it again tomorrow. The irony of accidentally driving through <a href="http://www.dallassky.com/turtlecreek.htm" title="The area is best known for the city's most luxurious high-rise living and magnificent mansions of the rich and famous.">Turtle Creek</a> after... <img src="files/2005/03/bacharach.jpg" align="left" /> Tonight I went to see <a href="http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/bacharach_burt/bio.jhtml">Burt Bacharach</a> at the <a href="http://www.dallassymphony.com/">Meyerson</a>. Despite the older crowd an awe-inspiring performance by one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th century. Thanks to Josh of the <a href="http://www.happybullets.com/" title="Check out the new HB website!!">Happy Bullets</a> for the tix. If you have a chance to catch either of these, I highly recommend.04015626MinutiaDaniel2005-03-04T01:56:09stageumm...My old friend depression is paying a visit. Came over last Thursday night, stayed the weekend, went sight-seeing Monday (that was nice); I think he's running errands right now or something. I hope he gets hit by a bus. Fucker tracks me down no matter where I move. <a href="files/2005/03/inbox_wide.jpg"><img src="files/2005/03/inbox.jpg" align="left" /></a>I've had a number of proper blog posts in the works for a while but no time or interest to finish them. I have 1,000,000 tasks on the list, most of which I lack the motivation for. See paragraph 1. I also lack the motivation to find the motivation to do them. <a href="http://www.cameronmoll.com/archives/000208.html">This was fun tho</a> (<a href="files/2005/03/moll.jpg">what am I talking about?</a>). Even last night I had a few interesting things to say here, but I've forgotten them all by now. Oh yeah, I remember a couple of them. The trouble with <a href="index.php?file=2005_01.xml&id=16043030">smart</a> is not becoming an <a href="files/2005/02/zzzzzz7654168.jpg">asshole</a>. Add humility to the list. I guess that could go under <a href="index.php?file=2005_01.xml&id=15200430">ethical</a>. Or <a href="index.php?file=2005_01.xml&id=13191458">generous</a>. I've not <a href="index.php?file=2005_02.xml&id=03023119">simplified</a> enough. Looking for more ways to do that. Another key to success: Idea + Plan + Execution. I go from strong to not so strong to weak on those three. Everyone has ideas. Hardly anyone executes. And it takes a good plan to do that. It takes time to plan and execute. A good plan will create resources to delegate execution. This is why we're not simple enough yet. Need to make time by jettisoning. But what to jettison? And still allow some for recharging. Partners are good, but come with their own task lists and expectations and baggage. Being people, they're apt to <a href="index.php?file=2005_02.xml&id=03023119">disappoint</a>. <a href="http://overtherhine.com/music/recordings/cd11/cd11b.html"> Deep down I know this includes me too</a>. Synergy is rare. Maybe I need to read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0671708635/qid=1109788095/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-3245193-2426421">The 7 Habits of Highly Fucking Effective People</a> again. I used to be all up in that shit. Then I got some adult years behind me. <a href="http://43things.com/things/view/34">The tattoo</a> will read: <a href="http://www.pastemusic.com/radio/mp3/OverTheRhine-NobodyNumberOne.mp3">Pain is our mother. She makes us recognize each other</a>. Dear Absolute Being: If you wanted to come visit again for a while, I wouldn't complain. But could you make it more <a href="http://biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2010:13-14;&version=49;">Jesus</a> and less <a href="http://biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job%201:6-12;&version=49;">God and Satan</a>?02122550MinutiaDaniel2005-03-02T12:25:26stagewe got yer song lyrics right hereThis one is for <a href="http://www.rearviewwindow.com/blog/2005/02/000969.php">Kristen</a>. I'll probly take it down once I'm sure her goat has been gotten.<blockquote>The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead When the skies of November turn gloomy. With a load of iron ore - 26,000 tons more Than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty That good ship and true was a bone to be chewed When the gales of November came early The ship was the pride of the American side Coming back from some mill in Wisconson As the big freighters go it was bigger than most With a crew and the Captain well seasoned. Concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms When they left fully loaded for Cleveland And later that night when the ships bell rang Could it be the North Wind they'd been feeling. The wind in the wires made a tattletale sound And a wave broke over the railing And every man knew, as the Captain did, too, T'was the witch of November come stealing. The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait When the gales of November came slashing When afternoon came it was freezing rain In the face of a hurricane West Wind When supper time came the old cook came on deck Saying fellows it's too rough to feed ya At 7PM a main hatchway caved in He said fellas it's been good to know ya. The Captain wired in he had water coming in And the good ship and crew was in peril And later that night when his lights went out of sight Came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Does anyone know where the love of God goes When the words turn the minutes to hours The searchers all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay If they'd fifteen more miles behind her. They might have split up or they might have capsized They may have broke deep and took water And all that remains is the faces and the names Of the wives and the sons and the daughters. Lake Huron rolls, Superior sings In the ruins of her ice water mansion Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams, The islands and bays are for sportsmen. And farther below Lake Ontario Takes in what Lake Erie can send her And the iron boats go as the mariners all know With the gales of November remembered. In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed In the Maritime Sailors' Cathedral The church bell chimed, 'til it rang 29 times For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald. The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee Superior, they say, never gives up her dead When the gales of November come early.</blockquote>01214222MinutiaDaniel2005-03-01T09:41:49stage