The Process

Goodbye

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:39:29 -0700

As part of the great CHARLIE CRAIG INTERNET USAGE REDUCTION ACT OT 2008, I am taking this blog down. It’s been a lot of fun, but it’s changed and in a way, and so have I.

For one thing, this blog was born as MY SECOND STRIKE, coming about during last year’s writers union action. As such, I was gratified at the attention it received. It actually became a source of information on the strike, and was quoted, literally, around the world. I was proud to have started something that was actually useful, and I enjoyed authoring it. It was a great learning experience, and, to the extent that it helped some people keep up on what was going on during a very stressful period in all of our lives, I feel I did a service.

Once the strike was over, however, I went back to work. I had less time to post - except during network notes calls - and, frankly, I had less to post about: the blog transformed into more of a tech-centric aggregator, which, although still fun, wasn’t really providing a service that anyone couldn’t get anywhere else. What had been - even if just slightly - important, was now more of a hobby.

Which brings me to the other reason I’m taking this down: the rest of my life. A lot has been written lately about how our 24 hour access to information is a double-edged sword. I’m not breaking new ground by saying that although it can be a great advantage to receive and write emails at midnight or on a Sunday afternoon, it’s also a curse. There seems to be no downtime anymore, and, honestly, I need to create some. Leaving THE PROCESS is a step towards that, as is my nascent effort to curtail my iPhone usage and Twittering and general staring at my computer when I don’t have to. Obviously I’m an early adopter and information junkie, but when I find myself feeling obligated to respond to - or even check for - work emails at 6AM before I’ve taken a shower or midnight on the way to bed, I think I can say: it’s time to make a decision about what I HAVE to do and what I don’t have to do. And then take the latter amount of time and spend it, for example, with my family.

So, that’s what I’m doing. Responding to a fewer emails, and leaving the MacBook Pro closed every once in a while. And stepping away from here.

Until, maybe, the next strike.

Thanks for the time you’ve spent coming here, and for your positive feedback. It’s been a great ride.

merlin: My Neighbor Totoro - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia I...

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 18:29:10 -0700

merlin:

My Neighbor Totoro - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I think I’d really like to have this as a ginormous, framed poster.

merlin: yourmonkeycalled: You once got busy in a Burger King...

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 18:28:46 -0700

merlin:

yourmonkeycalled:

You once got busy in a Burger King bathroom? Pretty cool. Twice? Not as much.

New Rules: the government can take your laptop at the airport any time they want!

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 18:28:09 -0700

New Rules: the government can take your laptop at the airport any time they want!:

This is fucked. No suspicion of anything is needed. I’ve heard people describe this happening to them: sorry, we’ll be taking that laptop. For TWO OR THREE WEEKS. This isn’t right, is is?

Maybe rising your bike in NYC is a bad idea

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:02:40 -0700

Maybe rising your bike in NYC is a bad idea:

It was for this guy…

merlin: yourmonkeycalled: Twitter Cookies

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 20:26:40 -0700

merlin:

yourmonkeycalled:

Twitter Cookies

Okay, maybe the iPhone isn’t the best phone out...

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 20:24:00 -0700

Okay, maybe the iPhone isn’t the best phone out there…

Apple's Cult of Secrecy

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 11:58:27 -0700

Apple's Cult of Secrecy:

Great article in the NYT, including details of a call Steve Jobs actually made to the author.

More "MacBook Touch" rumors

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:39:38 -0700

More "MacBook Touch" rumors:

I can see where something like this would be fun. Not sure I can see how it would be useful. But here I am talking about it.

Video

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:34:37 -0700

Video

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:26:40 -0700

37 Signals on iPhone griefs

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:57:15 -0700

37 Signals on iPhone griefs:

I’ve experienced many of these myself, not to mention the repeated doubling of all my contacts (which I fixed today but I expect to return by tonight). But I’m such an asshole: I still love the thing.

Enough with the iPhone! Here’s the latest rumor from the...

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:17:48 -0700

Enough with the iPhone! Here’s the latest rumor from the mills…

The lack of disclosure about Steve Jobs’ health on an...

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:40:05 -0700

The lack of disclosure about Steve Jobs’ health on an investor call yesterday sent shares tumbling, despite very good financial news. Stockholders are nervous about the concept of Steve leaving the company - look what happened last time he did. But does Apple owe the public the private details of Jobs’ life? An interesting debate, here on ValleyWag.

And now that you've been smart and waited a week to get your iPhone...

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:23:34 -0700

And now that you've been smart and waited a week to get your iPhone...:

… they’re sold out. EVERYWHERE.

merlin: Monkeys in space - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Thirty-two monkeys flew in the space...

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:22:16 -0700

merlin:

Monkeys in space - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thirty-two monkeys flew in the space program; each had only one mission. Numerous back-up monkeys also went through the programs but never flew. Monkeys from several species were used, including rhesus monkeys, cynomolgus monkeys, and squirrel monkeys, as well as pig-tailed macaques.

You really have to feel for all the “back-up monkeys” who trained but never got to go. I’ll bet they had dreams, too.

Oh yeah, SAG still doesn't have a deal

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:12:25 -0700

Oh yeah, SAG still doesn't have a deal:

Sticking point? All together now: “new media.”

Finally: free WiFi for ATT customers at Starbuck's. Supposedly.

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:15:41 -0700

Finally: free WiFi for ATT customers at Starbuck's. Supposedly.:

Still waiting for the nationwide rollout of what was active last year in Sonoma, of all places: the ability to identify and immediately download the song currently playing while you’re waiting for your coffee. As you can tell from the story, this feature has had a lot of false starts.

Rumors starting to build on new MacBooks

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:05:48 -0700

Rumors starting to build on new MacBooks:

This from - appropriately - MacRumors.

As the iPhones start to make it into people's hands...

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:46:00 -0700

As the iPhones start to make it into people's hands...:

… we’re starting to hear more about what new users think. My biggest complaint: battery life. I’ve taken a fully charged phone into editing for the last two days. I admit I’m leaving everything on - 3G, WiFi, GPRS - but with only two or three actual calls, and what I consider a moderate amount of dicking around on the web, I’ve run out of juice both days. Literally drained the battery. Five hours of talk time - the specs - seems a pipe dream unless you turned everything else off.