What you see on I-95

I'm never traveling on 95 without my camera. Every time I'm on that interstate, I always see awesome stuff on the back of semi's that I want to take a picture of....except I usually lack a camera. This time, victory:

Yes, my friends, that is a huge life-size model of Thomas the Train Engine on the back of a flat-bed. I like how his face is covered to protect his identity...oh those celebrities.

Anyway, this weekend was busy but rock-awesome. I drove to Columbia after work on Friday to see the little lady. I can't believe that work starts again tomorrow, yikes. I also bought a mattress tonight, after weeks of deliberation and sleeping on the sofa. It gets here Saturday, I'm excited.

Dylan wrote every song, ever

You bitches want to know what makes me cry? This does.

http://www.cinefilevideo.com/2007/01/24/bob-dylan-wrote-every-song-ever-made/

except makes me cry from laughing so hard. Skeet skeet, skeet skeet skeet skeet skeet. You'll get the reference in a minute.

Today at work was pretty ok, I went to the chamber of commerce lunch with lamar, joe and some sales reps. I swear to god, nothing makes me more depressed that having a shitty lunch in a poorly-lit meeting room of a Hampton Inn that's being renovated and smells like mold, piss and hand lotion.

Other than that, the meeting was cool. I met a guy from the DOT who is going to feed us the highway traffic cams. Should be a cool draw to the site. My column today was a bit more impassioned (note, *obtuse) than any of my others have been. I could tell that Lamar really didnt like it, but he was kind enough not to laugh at me. We'll see tomorrow how much he cut.

Bed-time, homies. Keep it real

Why Digg Failed

Oh yeah. Half the reason I blogged tontie is because I wanted to include this article.

http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2007/2/14/131127/709

It's pretty sweet. Check it

If it keeps on rainin'

Hmm. So we're 5 days into this whole website thing and the momentum seems to be slowing down. The response was overwhelming at first, but I just went the whole day without seeing much activity (like 3 blogs and 1 photo gallery).

Now i'm thinking: What the fuck do I do? I don't suppose I should have expected the site to keep being awesome to people. They've had a few days, the novelty has worn off and now it's my job to go out there and keep the site known.

I just need a damn game-plan. Any ideas?

Jax Welcome

Me being awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_IVagIT_Zc

Except now, blogger doesnt allow merged google accounts the option to embed video in their posts, so you get a crappy link instead of the video.

Super sweet

Sweet mother

Sweet mother. Is it Friday already? On Monday I talked about how proud I was that my first full week at work had ended, and now it's Friday night.
Last week seemed to take a month- a month of this quasi sadness/hyperbusyness/maladjustedness and some of -nesses. This week, however, completely disappeared. It was definitely just as busy, but I guess settling into the routine helped time past. The best part of all this is that I enjoy my job.
Every morning I look forward to work (I still hate the waking up part though) and the days always fly by and when it's time to leave I kinda wish that I didn't have to. Hell, today I forced myself to leave at 6 because I couldn't think of another thing to do. I guess that's awesome, because all of my other jobs have been tedious and I hated them. Especially the Progress internship, that was really dull, I'm glad my first real job in journalism has been a million times better.
As far as the Web site is concerned, there isn't anything to worry about so far. We released to the public on Wednesday and people came in droves. The blogs are active and people are submitting to the Spotted photos. I'm not really overwhelmed with the response, but I am encouraged
At worst, my bosses at the TU are very happy with the job I have done and I appreciate that recognition.
I just made a video, and once I publish it to You Tube, I'll send the link here
I'm also bitchin tired, but no sleep yet.

One whole week now

Woot. Another long day trying to get the site ready for roll-out (which i'm now told will be Wednesday), 7:30-8:30, and no lunch.

Today was really frustrating, but mostly not because of work this time. My parents were in town yesterday to drop off my furniture and stuff (more on that later), and it was great to see them. Although its only been about 1.5 weeks, it seems like months since I've seen them.

Anyway, they were supposed to meet me for lunch today, but they got a bit turned around in downtown Jax, which I cant blame them for, and by the time they got re-oriented, it was too late, and I had to go to a 1pm staff meeting. It basically ruined my day and I'm still sad that they had to go home...and on dad's birthday, nonetheless.

I would write more, but I'm too damned tired, and have to be back at work in the manana.
The best part today was Diana's anniversary/valentines present. She sent me a box of little hearts cut out of paper with our favorite memories on them and other presents, most notably a picture of herself and a V-day Pez dispenser. Totally sweet. She's infinitely more considerate and loving than my pitful ass, I wonder why she puts up with me.

Oh, and I sneezed while brushing my teeth tonite. Toothpaste sprayed everywhere out of my nose and it was totally awesome and my nasal passages smell really good.

My weekend, or lack thereof

Word. I'm back now. The best place to start from is prob Friday. There is an incredible amount of work to do with this website, and practically no time to do it in. See, the problem is, I hear different deadlines from everybody I work with. My editor says one thing, Lamar says another, and the guys down at the TU ride my ass constantly.

So Friday, the first part of the day I spent with Steve again while he taught me the ins and outs of the admin part of the website. He left around 1, with a huge of things I had to do by Monday. I ran around like a crazy person making sure all of the staff had their accounts created and profiles updated before they left at 5. Of course, I also got a call from my bosses at the TU who wanted me down for some afternoon training. Fantastic. More training. So I head down to the TU from about 3-530, for training, and a lot of talking/apologizing with the online managing editor. Everything they offered me was very helpful, and all of them are great people, but I just with their was a way to have either done this training much earlier, or much later.

I came back home for about an hour, until I figured traffic had cleared back on 17. I was back at the Sun by 645, and hassled with posting the staffs avatars on the website for a solid four hours because I'm an idiot and wanted to make sure they looked perfect...not easy when its an 100x100 pixel avatar. I also talked a lot with one of the reporters, Joe, who seems like a real regular guy and easy to talk with. He was working late on a Fri night, and I guess that made us kindred spirits.

Anywayzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, I was there until 11 at which point I couldnt feel my eyes and went home. Then I went to sleep, woke up the next morning, and was at work again until 8pm. The good news is, I got everything done I could. The bad news is that my obsessing over the perfection of the site keeps me from getting decent sleep.

News aggregator

Man, I'm all bloggy tonite. Check it. Use it.
Probably the best news aggregator site i could have imagined.

www.netvibes.com

Sea Giants

This is ridiculous. Maybe it's because I'm a guy, but the bigger/faster something is, the more awesome it is.



Al Jazeera English - Middle East

Fogonazos: Sea Giants

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Yelving-town

That title means absolutely nothing, I just thought it was funny. Today was fine, I actually got a lot of work done and I feel less worried about this website starting off. We will definitely have content, and I am getting a decent amount of response...even before the official launch.

I have a lady call me today and bitch for 45 minutes about how she hated the Clay County Line and had heard about the website but wanted to let me know that she didnt care because she wasnt going to participate. Well, by the end of the 45 minutes, I had her convinced that it was in her best interest to say all of that on a blog at the website, and bingo, ive got a new blogger.

I also met Steve Yelvington today. He's a media theorist type, and really respected throughout newspapers for his experience and thoughts on where newspapers are going. As it turns out, he works for Morris, and came down to Florida today to help me start this website thing. I've kind of really respect this guy for several years now, and was blown away by the opportunity to meet him. He's actually a really nice guy, perhaps a little conceited, but perhaps anyone with that much exposure and prestige is.

More work, more work, less play.

Oh yeah. Anna Nicole Smith is dead. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17050167/
She must have fallen asleep on her back.

Third Day

So today was the third day of work, but the first real day of accomplishing anything. Today I got to speak with the people at the Times-Union, the new media dept...basically the guys who really know what they are doing and from whom I will be able to ask help as this thing progresses. Everyone was very helpful, especially the managing editor although with all of the advice heaped upon me in 4 hours was a bit overwhelming. On my way back to the Clay County office, I drove through traffic with my brain in complete sensory overload. Back at my office, I spoke with all of the reporters about what my job was and how I was going to help them and how they could help me. Everyone was wonderfully responsive and really re-excited me about the whole thing. By 4pm I was practically giddy, once I digested everything the TU told me and I had a kind of game plan.

Basically, I'm really tired and really excited now. This job is going to completely make or break my entrance into the industry, and I am ready to seize the opportunity. Tomorrow is another training day, and another long day...I'm looking forward to every moment.

And in unrelated news, http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=2854955
everything out of the Bush administration just keeps getting better. Seriously, $4 Billion dollars on pallets in the back of airplanes? And unaccounted for, awesome.

Le Awesome

Man, this is awesome. Shows that being creative in photography is the key



LeggNet's Digital Capture: Spontaneous Combustion

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First day in Jacksonville

It's my first night in Jacksonville. So far, so good. I think it's just hit me how serious this all is. When I left Columbia today, I was excited to get down here and start my life. But now I've realized that this really is the start of everything- my future, my success or failure in this career, and most importantly, the success of failure of my life. From here, the road really does seem infinite, with a dizzying array of choices and decisions.

And leaving Diana was no fun. I've always been obstinately independent, but not any more, and I've completely accepted that. Now no matter where I go or what I see, without Diana with me, it's not going to mean anything.

Weird, huh? I don't suppose any of you know me well enough to care about that, but it's true, and probably a strange confession for those who do know me.

Otherwise this seems like great fun. It might be the late night or the long drive today, but I'm especially sentimental and emotional.

My first day of work is tomorrow! Super excited, and nervous enough to throw up my entire insides.

Oh, and on a side note, the Colts won. Who gives a shit

-JB