Ray Fenwick interview

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Fuck You and Your Blog, originally uploaded by Ray Fenwick.

There’s a great Ray Fenwick interview on Subversive Cross Stich, who he has recently done some art work for. Fenwick is someone I recently stumbled across via Flickr. He’s kind of genius. And it turns out Julie (of Subversive) and I know some of the same people in Marfa (that Tom gets around.).

 

New colors at Wool & Hoop

Texas friend Katherine, at Wool & Hoop, now offers 421 colors to choose from. You can order your crewel kits and supplies online or maybe pick it up at your local store. Wow, they are everywhere.

New colors at Wool & Hoop

Texas friend Katherine, at Wool & Hoop, now offers 421 colors to choose from. You can order your crewel kits and supplies online or maybe pick it up at your local store. Wow, they are everywhere.

Sacred Games

Joanna sent me, via goodreads.com, a link to an online glossary with some pictures, for Vikram Chandra’s novel Sacred Games. Awesome. Thanks, bhidu!

Great World of Sound

Oh cool, looks like Pat’s movie got sold and will be out in September.

Trailer. He’s always funny and the director is one of the founders of Homestar Runner and produced the film George Washington. So you should go buy a ticket.

How to design a restaurant website (or things not to do rant)

I’ve recently noticed that a lot of restaurant websites are awful. The
main culprit seems to be that the people making the websites are using
the opportunity to show off the fact that they know how to use Flash,
while ignoring what a well designed site should be. So I’ll go to a
website and have to wait while the splash page (The page that shows off
some sort of animation, little movie, a moving graphic) loads, and I
get to see an animated logo. Sometimes there is music. Wow. Your logo
moves. Why? The most successful websites don’t have splash pages. You
shouldn’t either. Use the background and font colors, your logo, to
show off your restaurant’s style instead of forcing me to watch what is
basically your PowerPoint presentation. A no music on websites rule is
a pretty good one.

Think of each visitor to your website as a
customer showing up at your restaurant. Why are you forcing them to
wait in the lobby while they stare at a "Please Wait To Be Seated" sign? Have the basic important information that will help the customer find their way to your place on the first page. Most people go to a restaurant website to find information, not to be entertained. And I want it  quick! Chances are I’m bringing up your site just as I’m headed out the door for dinner. For entertainment on the web I’ll go to YouTube and watch the hamster eating the grape.

Here’s a few things I like to find right away on a site, preferably in a sidebar, on the upper left hand side:

1) Address, telephone, email address.
Make sure the info is not a graphic. If it’s a graphic element, you
can’t copy paste the information. Sometimes I like to do that so I can
copy past the information into an email or instant message. Also,
actual text helps Google and other search engines index your site
correctly.
2) Add a link that maps it to google maps. It’s easy and free.
3) Your hours. It’s surprising how many websites make you hunt for that simple information.
4) Menu. Add a link to a separate page.
5)
Link to photos of your food and interiors. I think a lot of people try
to do this first with the splash page. But really, it’s something you
can take care of by putting in the body of the website or on a separate
page after you have made sure the above 1, 2, 3, and 4 have been taken
care of. I’d recommend using a photo hosting site like Flickr.com.

everyday, everyday, everyday i sticker the book

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lunch record, originally uploaded by andrewc.

here’s my bit of crazy behavior. the place i’m contracting at has a vending machine the cafeteria fills every morning with $2 freshly made sandwiches. and each plastic carton has a sticker on it with a date and the name of the sandwich. how can i pass up a $2 sandwich? and so i get one almost everyday and peel the sticker off and stick it on this notebook. so far that’s all the notebook has been used for. that and mean drawings of you.

Special Topics in Clams

Dear, at least four people who have recommended it to me and the person who bought it for me for xmas but who never reads this site,

I’m enjoying the book Special Topics in Clams. That’s what I call it. Special Topics in Cala…you know. I can’t write out the whole title. Well, I could, if I really tried but the long titles tire me out. And this cup of tea won’t drink itself and is in danger of rapidly cooling. I never set out to say it shortened and wrong, but I get started and  I run of steam and just call that part "Clams". I think even in conversation I’ve never said the title of the book out loud in full.  Besides,
you know what book I mean so why are you giving me a hard time? Anyway, I am about a quarter through and the cleverness I feared is there but it’s not over powering what’s turning out so far to be a pleasant read.

Gong Show clip on youtube

TV use to be dirty.

British nerds

A bid to create a new world record and have the
biggest number of people dressed up as daleks in one location has taken
place in Manchester.

That is so nerdy. I wish I could of been there.