Give it to Me, Mickey

I bet you thought I was going to talk about the new Madonna record, didn't you? Well, I would except I've not yet finished listening to it and it isn't really fair to for me to pre-judge. First impression: heavy on dance. More later...

At my health club they have tv's connected to the machines controlled by the user. It's not insanely great or new technology, lots of clubs have it, but my club also has video channels unique to them split-up by genre: Urban Hits, Adult Alternative, 80's Hits, etc. So at the end of my workout (during Stairmaster time) I plug into (you guessed it) 80's Hits for a ride in the way-back machine. The quality of vids back then was shite, but it still is super awesome, ya-know? It's also somewhat humbling to realize how uncool I was when I liked pop music (early 80's). Yesterday was a fine example of this. For the first time I actually listened, I mean listened to the lyrics of Toni Basil's "Hey Mickey" probably for the first time. Sure, me and Sue F. and Melissa H. scribed them from Melissa's record in the family room in her basement and mocked Toni's cheerleader moves from the video while shouting along to the record. Be we never really listened to what the hey she was singing about. Newsflash Gizmo, the song is about S-E-X. Note the following:

"So come on and give it to me anyway you can
Anyway you want to do it, I'll take it like a man
Oh please baby, please don't leave me in this jam Mickey"

Um, er, okay.

No wonder I was a late-bloomer.

Where's the Rat in This Picture?

I know I have an unnatural fascination with the species known as the "Subway Rat" but I do. So be it. I took this on my Blackberry, which is normally great with photos but that little rat-bastard was moving so I was trying to move along with him. Why couldn't he just sit all nice purty while I was attempting to take his picture? Anyway, this is at my favorite rat-watching spot: 14th Street/Union Square Station. I know that the picture doesn't totally capture it, but he was quite snarky.

Okay, so it's "The Crow" outside again today. It's "Seven" minus creepy no-fingerprints Kevin Spacey (who I think is creepy, no matter what). I am chilled, I'm multiplyin'. I have a leisurely week this week, no plans, I'm just flyin' by the seat of my pants. Footloose and fancy-free. Like Kramer without undies, "I'm lovin' it."

The B-stards at the Crane finally rented my apartment. Yeah, you got it. My ties with Sioux Falls, SD are finally severed (minus that I have all my worldly possessions in storage there, so at least until next February I'm free of them). I fought with them all weekend about my carpeting. They (supposedly) brought in a service to blacklight my carpeting and were coming after me for replacing costs of the carpeting. Now, if I ruin something, I own up to it. Could there have been Lady urine on the carpeting? I suppose. Maybe she snuck into the bedroom and drained the main vein. I cannot be 100% certain, I don't have peepers in the back of my head. But, to black light my apartment only after I move out, not before I move in, and blame all the stains on me is wrong. Furthermore, to lie about it and say to me that "the results from the last tenant are in storage" and to let it slip to my mom that they never blacklit the last tenant because "he didn't have a pet" is wrong. To say that my apartment smelled like urine, is wrong (it didn't, by the by).

So, after much back-and-forth yesterday they split the costs with me. True, they did find a renter and I am off the hook for my lease and really, that's the most important thing. I just detest being lied-to and made to feel like a pig because my dog may or may not have had an accident (or two). But, I also had the carpets professionally cleaned four times since Lady passed-away and clearly, she couldn't have accidents now that she's dust in an urn on my mantle. Could she (she was thrifty though, that one). I shall defend her honor until the end.

Dang, I miss that little dog. No one captures your heart like your first dog.

Enough morbidity for the day. I am flying high on my drum of Starbucks coffee and gearing-up to work my very first reference desk shift here. Should be fantastic. I'm excited to see how these students differ from the SDSU kids. No more soil samples. No more angri-anything. Thankfully, I doubt I'll see anyone wearing hunting gear. Ugly doesn't even cover it.

Observation of the day: a doorman using a spray hose to get tiny leaves off of the sidewalk in the rain. Does this make sense?

Waste of Time Yesterday: Two hours of A&E's "Intervention." I dreamt about being addicted to (and I am NOT lyin') Fresca all night. I adore Fresca, it's diet, it's carbonated, it's grapefruit juice, it's tangy. Give me more....

(In answer to the question where is the rat, he's in just about the exact center of the photo, you can see his tail curling towards the platform if you squint hard enough.)

Another MM Photo I'd Never Seen

It's hard to believe that there are more Marilyn photos I've not seen. There are. You recognize the dress, right? Did you know she was sewn into this dress? She was trim. Makes me want to work out right this minute. I can't. Work. Shoot.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day in the neighborhood...

I'm out of my funk inspired by a walk in the old neighborhood on Saturday. Don't look back, isn't that what Dylan always said? Well I did, I scratched the itch and instantly regretted it. I wouldn't be the same person had I continued to check the married box on the form. I know this. But what led up to that caused me heartache that I didn't fully deserve. I was an old hat, new hats are more attractive. I don't like hats, don't look good in them, never have.

I'm looking forward to the next phase in my so-called life. Watch. Out.

Today's Links:Wireframe Palette: http://urlgreyhot.com/personal/resources/omnigraffle_wireframe_palette/

Sitemap Stencil and Template:http://www.garrettdimon.com/archives

Sitemap Stencil:http://www.nickfinck.com/stencils.html

Block Diagram Shapes Stencil:http://www.paperplane.net/omnigraffle/

Wireframe Stencil:
http://jason.similarselection.org/omnigraffle/webwireframe.html

Viso is to Microsoft what OmniGraffle is to Macintosh.

Questia (Online Library, Consumer Product):
http://www.questia.com/Index.jsp

HCI: Human-Computer Interaction:
http://www.hcibib.org/

Books to Check Out:
Dan Brown, Communicating Design: Developing Website Documentation for Design and Planning

Alan Cooper, About Face: The Essentials of User Interface Design (Wiley) ISBN-13: 9781568843223Pub. Date: November 1995

Joseph Dumas and Janice Redish, A Practical Guide to Usability Testing ISBN-13: 9781841500201 Pub. Date: December 1999

Alison Head, Design Wise ISBN-13: 9780910965316 ISBN: 0910965315, (1999)

James Hom, The Usability Methods Toolbox

Jakob Nielsen, Designing Web Usability and useit.com

Jakob Nielsen, Hoa Loranger, Web Usability ISBN-13: Pub. Date: April 2006

Jakon Nielsen and Robert Mack, Usability Inspection Methods, Publisher:(April 25, 1994)ISBN-10: 0471018775 ISBN-13: 978-0471018773

Jeffrey Rubin, Handbook of Usability Testing: How to Plan, Design and Conduct Effective Tests Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (April 15, 1994)ISBN-10: 0471594032
ISBN-13: 978-0471594031

Jared Spool, Web Site Usability ISBN-13: 9781558605695Sales Rank: 763,670Pub. Date: November 1998

Have fun folks!

"Don't try to confuse the issue with half truths and gorilla dust."

(To the left is a sculpture by Gavn Turk of Sid, not my cat, the dude.)
Links to check out if you're me:

Survey Software:
www.themindcanvas.com

Taxonomy Resource:
http://www.taxonomywarehouse.com

Search Engines:
http://www.searchenginewatch.com

Do You Know What Site is Hot?
http://webhotornot.com/

Technorati CEO/Founder Blog
http://www.sifry.com/alerts/

Usability Testing:
http://www.sensible.com
http://www.iainstitute.org

Here Mousy Mouse

(This image from http://www.lisapetrucci.com/)
They told me there were mice in the building and I didn't listen. Like my mom always said to me growing up "Ach, you're just being dramatic," catch-phrase whenever I voiced a complaint or if crying was involved. I thought that of the many mouse warnings I received, "don't leave food in your desk, even if it's sealed in a plastic bag, they WILL find it," and "don't leave food unattended on your desk, they're especially agressive during spring break and the summer." Sure, right.

So, you guessed it, the cute like "buggers" (as my dad says when referring to the many mice that have taken-up residence in his house) made my bag of Sun Chips their meal last night. My desk drawer was closed and yet, they somehow found a way in. "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in," (inappropriate quote, but what the hey). At least they didn't leave me little poo gifts on their way out the drawer.

Spring break is here and the 6 train is empty and I am loving it! The pope is long gone and things are gliding back into a fairly normal position and a slower pace. I likeee. I'm doing research on all things web, so I'll start posting interesting links here, to remind me, and possibly you, of all things web.

I'm living like I'm camping, my apt is fairly bare and non-descript which is fine by me, in the past, always so surrounded. Don't get me wrong, when my lease is up I'm going to get my stuff sent out to me, but for now, it aint no big thang.

Over and O-U-T~

Bee-ew-tee-full Day

This is an old-time photo of the bridge I take to get into the city every day. A great thing happened today: I discovered the joy of the Z express train. It got me into Union Square in ten minutes. Thus, making my commuter a little less than 30 mins. Yes, you heard me right, thirty minutes versus the hour it took me to get to mighty Brookings. Color me thrilled, fellow travelers, as I am a commuting machine.

Tis not eazy, breezy to be the new girlie on the block. They are putting me to work swiftly and for that I'm pleased as I hate being the sit-behind-your-desk new employee with nothing but a box of pens, a stack of post-it's and three empty manila folders. Give me somethin' to do or sweet misery.

My neigbhorhood is growing on me. Mainly because the place is affordable (well, as affordable as things can be here, if ya know what I mean), I have a back yard (insert image of me simply opening the door to let Maddie enjoy her morning excretions), and I am 10 mins (or so) from the city (Bowery another four to Union Sq). When I lived on the UES it took me a good half hr-45 mins to get to Pratt (14th St) which, as it happens, is where I tend to spend most of my time (my club is there, decent Whole Foods, many movies, comic book store, etc). I'm starting to settle in now.

Same old story with my old Apt in Sioux Falls. Don't ask me about it, I just cannot utter a single syllable on that topic.

Today's observations: a woman was cleaning out her bag on the Z train and placed all the items on the floor in front her as she sorted, not caring one ounce if anyone stomped on them (they didn't) as they exited the train. She was one angry scrubs-wearing woman. I have my nose buried in my book when I ride, but this was worthy of a watch.

iTunes ripped me off 100 clams and I am P-Oed. I guess that somehow I sent a gift certificate from myself to myself, but not to myself, to the email box for Briggs Library. And, someone opened said email and clicked on the "Redeem Now" button, thus activating said gift certificate (downloads into the account of the person who opened it). Now I am out 100 bucks with no recourse. I complained to Apple, but they no care. I've taken the case up with my credit card company, but who knows how many ions that'll take. Why I ougghta.

More later...