Sunday Reading 03/02/2013

It’s another Sunday, and that means it’s another edition of Sunday Reading! Folks, I had a Saturday off yesterday and it was about the best thing ever. I forgot what that feels like. I may be working more and harder than I ever have in the past but you know what? I HAVE SATURDAYS BACK. That’s okay. Saturday, in this week’s case, meant spending time with family, hunting stuff with which to pamper the impending puppy, and generally resting up. How’s your weekend been? While you ponder your own downtime,…

Do All the Things

Special thanks to the Replica Prop Forums for making me feel constantly like I’m wasting my time in not making a million beautiful things. Happy February! Paddle your own canoe, folks. Trevor

That First Look

Empty classroom

…and I was right. I’m loving it. Paddle your own canoe, folks. Trevor

Thaw

Thaw

One of the cool things about living in a house is being able to do all this stuff. It’s pretty empowering. Even when I need to call Dad for advice. Paddle your own canoe, folks. Trevor PS: With the rise of crazy high-res displays (thanks, Apple), I’m going to start posting these images full-size. Thanks to the responsive design I’m using, I hope you get the version of this image that’s best for your device. Enjoy!

The Solution to Windows Phone’s Marketing Woes?

Windows Phone’s greatest detractor isn’t its lack of ecosystem. It’s that nobody knows why it’s worth using. Remember when Microsoft started advertising Windows Phone? The message was “You won’t obsessively love it, but don’t worry, you won’t hardly be using it anyway.” Compare that to the recent Internet Explorer videos, which directly take aim at the misconceptions surrounding the product and showcase its utility. There’s some savvy at work here, some style and personality. It’s inducing smiles in a way that none of the Windows Phone ads do, and it’s colourful and…

January 31st aiming to be official start of Windows Phone 7.8 update | Windows Phone Central

Well now, this is exciting news. Microsoft has been less than forthcoming with details about the Windows Phone 7.8 release. 7.8, the surface-level bump for Windows Phone 7 users, was touted as many as being an appeasement feature, little more than a gesture to WP7 adopters whose phones cannot be updated to the new Windows Phone 8 OS. My position has always been this: Windows Phone 7.x works. It works well. It’s good. And you’re getting what you paid for. Don’t order a pizza and expect it to become duck confit at…

Sunday Reading 20/01/2013

  Well, folks, the Starfleet Corps of Tiny Engineers are fed and watered and are raring to go, but I should probably give you something to read with your second cup of coffee (or third, or fifth, if you’re anything like me) before the three of us vanish into the workshop for a couple of hours. Here are some fantastic, optimistic reads from around the web this week. It’s Time We Put the Bald Space Marine Away. It’s Time to Make Games for More People. – Patricia Hernandez, Kotaku I…

Sunday Reading 13/01/2012

Well, folks, this week’s Monday morning Sunday Reading is brought to you by my having to work yesterday (with a totally awesome student, so no big deal there) and also the project that involved turning the entire basement upside down to make room for a new workspace. I came into possession of a shiny MasterCraft workbench on Friday night and couldn’t go another day without setting it up. Anyway, how about we gather some reading from some beautiful people and read it together over coffee? Diary of a Prop Maker,…

Sartorially Uncooperative

Those days. Sigh. Happy weekend, and, as always, paddle your own canoe. Trevor

Why I Loved That Dog

I miss that dog. But, know what? I love the new family dog. He’s my buddy. And Natalie Joy and I have a new friend to look forward to in March, as we’re looking to adopt a puppy.  Quite the step. When the family dog stops being the parents’ dog and starts being yours, that’s a powerful indicator of growing up. And yet I feel younger than I have in years. Paddle your own canoe, folks. Trevor

Re: Talent is Cheaper than Table Salt

Okay, I’ll admit it. I’ve been skeptical for a while about Kristin Lamb. I haven’t read her book, We Are Not Alone – The Writer’s Guide to Social Media. The growing obsession with social media “experts” turns my stomach, even when I recognize I could probably use some more of that expertise around the spillway. The #MyWANA community on Twitter, a sort of group-therapy session and navel-gazing exercise for writers, has both drawn me in and turned me off more than once with its promise of positive, passionate interactions and…

I Love Subways

I am so excited that Ottawa is finally getting a light rail system. Part of that is I live here now and part of it is that I just love trains in a totally child-like way. It also doesn’t hurt that the station designs are all beautiful. Paddle your own canoe, folks. Trevor