2005 January

And yes, they mean it:

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We've got more boot CD stuff here.

Read more on The Ultimate Boot CD…

Guess who's talkin'?

Contrary to our initial thoughts, this first Changing Media show that Brandon and I did turned out pretty darn good. While we're both still getting our bearings I think, you must remember that show is being done with two people using ivocalize.com as our method of audio capture. This can be a lot harder than you might think.

Matt and Brandon just launched. I listened. I subscribed. They conquered. From an earlier Lockergnome entry:

Read more on New Voices, Old Friends…

As many people know, I grew up in Iowa – and eventually outgrew it. By saying that, I'm certainly inviting a cavalcade of Iowan apologists… but you don't live my life, and you certainly didn't face the same frustrations I did when I was trying to help people and other businesses along when living there. Its population (generally) isn't a forward-thinking, risk-taking crowd. For a “regular” life, there's probably no better place to be on earth. But I really don't want to work for someone else – and I don't want to be in the business of agriculture or insurance.
Now California? It's certainly on the opposite end of the spectrum. I spent two years in San Francisco, and one year in Woodland Hills (the Valley). Great cities, great opportunities, great events, great options, great expense. Getting anywhere seemed to be an ordeal, especially if it involved a car. I started to feel the geek part of me slipping away – and that inner conflict culminated en route from LA to SF for the UFO conference early last autumn. Lucky for me, Ponzi is an understanding soul – and we were both faced with a few very tough decisions. “If not here, then where?” I didn't know. I really didn't know.
A few months later, when we stepped off a plane in Seattle, I got the feeling that this was… home. I'd only been to Seattle one other time, but it apparently wasn't “the time” (according to the universe or whichever light being guided me to this point). Seattle. Why was I feeling something inside of me – a pull that no other place on this tiny planet has put forth? Was it the buildings? The people? The weather? The traffic? Indigestion? Regardless, I was smitten. Months later, we're now Pacific Northwesterners – proudly. Ponzi was worried that she wouldn't like it as much as I did, but that changed after she started to meet new friends. Great friends. She also doesn't mind the view in the morning – the kind you'd pay millions of dollars for (but we're not – in fact, this house is cheaper than our apartment was in LA). Bellevue, Redmond, et al – I love them, too.
What am I saying? It's simple: I hope that one day you, too, discover YOUR “Seattle.”

Read more on Location, Location, Location…

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Read more on FeedDemon Exclusive…

In the final hour we get more talk about Creative Commons music, talk about Wesley Willis, and the Beavis and Butthead Experience.

Dan the Automator – Relaxation Spa Treatment
Thievery Corporation – DC 3000
Pheek – Un Peu Depoir
Jud Jud – Hammer-on Song

Read more on Weekly Show 27 January 2005 Hour 3…

Matt May talks more about his Staccato podcast and Creative Commons music.

Tracks played:

Le Zero – Bocca Mara
Nengyne – Polly P
Makkina – Subway Station
The Beastie Boys – Now Get Busy

Read more on Weekly Show 27 January 2005 Hour 2…

This first hour with Matt May of the W3C and Staccato Music got shortened due to an error with the encoder. The remainder is a walk down memory lane with Dot.bomb flashbacks, BBS backtracks and some killer music from Seattle locals Scream Club.

Read more on Weekly Show 27 January 2005 Hour 1…

Turns out, the venue we've identified for a Gnomedex weekend in Seattle is booked solid from May through September. At least, for the largest room. We might be able to do two smaller rooms, selling two types of tickets – one for the “live” room, and another for a simulcast room?
This year, however, I really need to put a focus on the event – not only for attendees, but for partners as well. “Publish!” And perhaps, therein, would lie a second track – just for novices?
I'm absoutely NOT going to work with another hotel for a conference as long as I live. They nickel and dime you to death – and the contract was designed to screw the event planner over. Our options are limited – I don't know how we're going to pull it off. We have to do something in the middle of the year only because by the time the end of the year rolls around, a lot of things will already be in motion in this industry.
Thinking aloud here. I don't know what to do.

Read more on Gnomedex Gnightmares Begin…