Here's a quick synopsis on how AppCamp has been going for me so far, then some photos of the action from my cellphone at the end.
Daren, Warren, and I arrived at SFO within twenty minutes of each other on Saturday, drove down to Monterey and made a mad dash to pick up supplies for the conference. This was followed by a lovely dinner and even lovelier company at the beachfront home of Bill and Marilyn Evans. Bill is the co-founder of Evan Moor Publishing . He's also a master martini maker, and showed Warren and I that he really can "impart ice crystals" into the gin.
That night we met up with Living Books creator, Mark Schlicting, and I was happy to find out that he had homesteading in an intentional community in Tennessee many years ago. Melody and I have often talked about buying some acreage in Kentucky and living the simple life - I'm sure I could learn a lot from Mark about this if I picked his brain some.
Sunday was a day of check-in, putting welcome packets together, setting up the PA and projectors, etc. Had some great presentations and the panel of legends telling their stories about the pioneer days of software development (including Oregon Trail!)
Looking forward tonight to a campfire with an attempt at an "iphone" symphony. Peeped some apps that could be very appropriate for this little experiment - video will surely go up on youtube.
Pics here!
Papermaking
Every week I diligently separat e commingled recyclables from paper and trash. In the back of my head I realize that this is a somewhat futile act because in New York, carting corporations are not required by law to recycle unless it is a profitable venture.
But, I do it anyway, perhaps just for practice for when it actually will be kept separate throughout its recycled lifecycle! At the end of the week most of the garbage ends up being paper, then commingled (recyclable plastic and aluminum), and finally organic material. With all of these paper products being discarded, I started to wonder if it would be possible to efficiently recycle waste paper as new paper. The results were interesting.
From a total hands-on, crafting viewpoint, papermaking by hand turns out to be extremely inexpensive, yet very time consuming. However, I can't imagine it being very time-consuming to automate the process a great deal, reducing the labor involved to something akin to an automatic bread maker.
But, I do it anyway, perhaps just for practice for when it actually will be kept separate throughout its recycled lifecycle! At the end of the week most of the garbage ends up being paper, then commingled (recyclable plastic and aluminum), and finally organic material. With all of these paper products being discarded, I started to wonder if it would be possible to efficiently recycle waste paper as new paper. The results were interesting.
From a total hands-on, crafting viewpoint, papermaking by hand turns out to be extremely inexpensive, yet very time consuming. However, I can't imagine it being very time-consuming to automate the process a great deal, reducing the labor involved to something akin to an automatic bread maker.
Recycled CD Mosaic Table
The Magic of the Mail
I love sending and receiving snail mail - I really do. We have X number of ways to connect with each other digitally now (skype, facebook, email, cell, gmail chat, text) that the most intimate form of written communication we have has been largely forgotten. I say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and it's time for snail mail to make a comeback. Here are some ways you can get back into the game:
1. Send away for free samples. This is a no-brainer- there are several sites online dedicated to this where links are posted for free samples. Try www.fatwallet.com - I just have a few free stuff gadgets on my IGoogle and click on the links that seem interesting. Set up a dummy email account and usually you just have to fill out an online form and answer a couple of questions. Usually they take 4-6 weeks and by the time they arrive you've forgotten them and are pleasantly surprised. I've gotten free granola bars, a hospital sharps container, tons of stickers (which I cut up and use for other projects), and I haven't bought soap or shampoo in months thanks to all the products I get in the mail.
2. Write to companies you think are awesome, and write to companies you think are lame. One time I bought an "easy to clean litterbox" that required no less than 9 steps to cleaning out the box! I wrote a letter to the company and they sent me a personalized letter of apology, free litterbox liners, and a Paul Bunyan sized litter scoop. Win! And when I proposed to my wife at Garcia's Kitchen in Albuquerque, we were so smitten with each other we forgot to get some souvenirs. I wrote to the restaurant with our story of true love and burritos and they sent us a care package with t-shirt, mug, pen, and fridge magnet!
3. Reconnect with old friends. We all have a few interesting people in our lives who we've just lost touch with. We think of reconnecting but feel awkward writing an email, don't want to get trapped into a phone conversation, or bristle at Facebook's "suggestion" for us to "reconnect" with them (damn robots telling us what to do!) Just scribble a quick hello down and mail that sucker out. As it goes into the ether the onus is suddenly on the other person now to get in touch.
4. Get a bunch of different denomination stamps, and a postage scale. Use the USPS' online postage calculator to send them on their way. I send slinkies and books and toys and presents of all sorts to my friends through the mail, and it's cheap! Parcel post is the biggest transportation thing going for inanimate objects, get on the gravy train!
1. Send away for free samples. This is a no-brainer- there are several sites online dedicated to this where links are posted for free samples. Try www.fatwallet.com - I just have a few free stuff gadgets on my IGoogle and click on the links that seem interesting. Set up a dummy email account and usually you just have to fill out an online form and answer a couple of questions. Usually they take 4-6 weeks and by the time they arrive you've forgotten them and are pleasantly surprised. I've gotten free granola bars, a hospital sharps container, tons of stickers (which I cut up and use for other projects), and I haven't bought soap or shampoo in months thanks to all the products I get in the mail.
2. Write to companies you think are awesome, and write to companies you think are lame. One time I bought an "easy to clean litterbox" that required no less than 9 steps to cleaning out the box! I wrote a letter to the company and they sent me a personalized letter of apology, free litterbox liners, and a Paul Bunyan sized litter scoop. Win! And when I proposed to my wife at Garcia's Kitchen in Albuquerque, we were so smitten with each other we forgot to get some souvenirs. I wrote to the restaurant with our story of true love and burritos and they sent us a care package with t-shirt, mug, pen, and fridge magnet!
3. Reconnect with old friends. We all have a few interesting people in our lives who we've just lost touch with. We think of reconnecting but feel awkward writing an email, don't want to get trapped into a phone conversation, or bristle at Facebook's "suggestion" for us to "reconnect" with them (damn robots telling us what to do!) Just scribble a quick hello down and mail that sucker out. As it goes into the ether the onus is suddenly on the other person now to get in touch.
4. Get a bunch of different denomination stamps, and a postage scale. Use the USPS' online postage calculator to send them on their way. I send slinkies and books and toys and presents of all sorts to my friends through the mail, and it's cheap! Parcel post is the biggest transportation thing going for inanimate objects, get on the gravy train!
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