DIY Magazines
by | posted in: Markets, The Tools | 1

Yes, resources to actually layout and publish your own magazine, mostly for free.

My blushing bride pointed out recently that I mostly haven’t posted anything original in years.  Just links to other resources and some brief copy around it to explain what I’m posting and why.
This week isn’t going to be any different.

I love magazines.
They are, perhaps, my most annoying secret vice.  They’re hard to store and, since I have so little time to really read these days, I tend to hold on to them far too long.  I love them so much that I lose sight of the fact that they are “periodicals”, meant to inexpensively deliver timely information that has a relatively short shelf-life.  I love the written word and few things pull me like a well-designed magazine with articles that promise knowledge or “hip-ness” that I can get from no other source.
In fact, I have always, secretly, wanted to establish an underground magazine, but I’ve never had the time or resources.
I still don’t have the time, but, well, here are some resources.

First of all, these are a bit old, although I verified them all myself very recently.  Mostly, these resources center around the technical aspects of design, layout and production of magazines, and rely on an Adobe program called InDesign.  It’s a little dated, but it’s still a good layout program.  So, the first link I’m sharing with you is to the Alternative.to suggestions for an InDesign replacement, all of which are free.  (Incidentally, I’ve used Scribus, which is the first they list and it’s actually surprisingly easy to get used to using.)  The next three links are all tutorials on layout specifically for magazines; InDesignMag.com, DesignM.ag’s InDesign tutorials, and a “professional” magazine layout tutorial at TutsPlus.com.  If you’re willing to pay a little bit, you can pick up one of the hundreds of magazine templates available at Magazine Forest for relatively little money.  (And, no, I don’t get any money from them or anyone else I link to in this post.  In case you were wondering.)  If I ever get any of this fabled “free time” I keep hearing people talk about, and had any inspiration to write on a regular basis, I would probably take that short-cut myself.  It’s hard to beat if you have $60 you can spend on this kind of project.
Finally, if you want to distribute your work, I have two ways to do it.  First is the digital magazine publisher, Issuu.  You can upload your digital magazine for free and readers can get to it for free, too.  If you want more control over your publication and access to stats on how many people are reading your work, they have paid plans.  And, finally, if you want to physically print your magazine, you can try MagCloud, which has a rate calculator posted so you can figure out how much it would cost to print your work in quantity.  It’s not as expensive as you might thing, considering.

So, there you go.  A magazine link-dump with everything you need from start o finish, except the actual content.
Good luck with that part.

Anyway, have a great weekend and go produce something!

 

Starting Up
by | posted in: On Creativity, Red Herrings | 0

I love starting things! Beginning something new is such an adventure!

Seriously!  Of course, sometimes, I have a bit of a hard time actually launching some of these ideas I have, even when I’ve mostly built the website.  That’s why, for instance, I’ve given myself a deadline of the end of this month to actually launch FindMyPhotographer.com  If I don’t launch it soon, I may never!

That doesn’t mean I can’t have a sense of humor about start-ups, though.  Especially internet startups.  I mean, after having my career launch with the internet, basically, and keeping my nose to the corporate grindstone when I watched so many people try, with varying success, to launch every imaginable kind of startup known to human-kind, well, it does help to keep a sense of humor about these things.
That’s why when I saw the Random Startup Website Generator earlier this month, it seemed like old times.  It’s funny and clever and, well, a little close to home!
Of course, what it reminded me of was Wired on-line from that era and all the random Web 2.0 generators they had or had linked to from their site.  The fact that the links were brought together by the same guy who wrote the Wired app is probably no coincidence.  In fact, I even made my own contribution; the Web 2.0 Business Plan Generator!

For fun, compare that to “Cool Startup, Bro“, which are actual startups trying to get a little traction.  I’m not sure if it’s funny, or sad.  By the way, that link brings you to a page that auto-starts video with fairly loud audio, so be warned.

And, hey, start something new this weekend!

Things To Read
by | posted in: Red Herrings, The Infinite Library | 1

I’m a little suspicious of lists put out by booksellers of books I ought to read.

I’m especially suspicious when it’s a list of 100 “books to read in a lifetime” being suggested by Amazon.  But, when Matt Mullenweg, founder of Automattic and one of two founding developers of WordPress, I have to admit, I pay a little closer attention.  For one thing, I’ve heard spectacular things about him from at least one of his old high school buddies and for another, I respect what he’s managed to do with a basically abandoned open source project.  I figure he’s smart enough that he’s worth paying attention to when he suggests something.  Also, looking at the list, I’m surprised at how many I’ve read already, and how many more sound interesting.

That being said, if you want a shorter list of suggested books to read this year, you can try the 6 Books Bill Gates wants you to read presented by Inc., magazine.  Not surprisingly, no fiction listed here, but in six books he manages to cover some science and some history, as well as business and more general sociology.  Again, say what you will about Bill Gates, he is a genius and I am seriously considering reading these books this year.

So, now that I’ve given you a list of recommended reading to choose from this year, what will you choose?  Or do you have something else entirely you suggest we all read?

Tools to Escape the Rat-Race
by | posted in: Markets, The Tools | 1

Don’t we all dream of being wealthy and independent?

By the end of the week, haven’t we all gotten a little fed up with our jobs?  Don’t we dream of being our own boss, an independent contractor or consultant who charges big money for sounding off with our opinion about how things are done?  No?  Just me?
Well, if you’ve ever contemplated it and have thought about how much you need to charge an hour to make your same salary, or more, as an hourly contractor, I have the on-line tool for you! Calculate your Hourly Rate It’s an easy, simple, and free, tool to let you figure out how many hours you need to work and what your hourly rate needs to be to gross a certain annual salary.  Granted, it doesn’t calculate in things like health insurance and retirement savings and other expenses, but, it is a great place to start if you want to go independent.

And, if you want to get some capital to start your own consulting business, you absolutely need a plan.  Even family won’t loan you money these days if you don’t have a business plan.  At least, mine won’t, and yours won’t either if they’re smart.  So, what to do?  Simple, hop over to Enloop and let their web app help you bang out a fairly reasonable, and free, business plan.  Again, it may not be perfect, but at least it’s a start.

So, there you go, two tools to let you start planning your next business venture, and not just dream about it.
As for me, I’m going to go and work for “the Man” today, and dream some other day.
Have a great weekend, y’all!

Scientology Petition
by | posted in: About The Author, Red Herrings | 1

I don’t normally post inflammatory things, but I think this is really important.

Long-time readers and friends will know that I have strong, and negative, feelings about Scientology.  Whatever Scientology started out as when L. Ron Hubbard first envisioned his “plan for living”, it has become, in my opinion, a dangerous cult-like organization that hides behind it’s religious status while actually being focused almost entirely on making money.  Based on documentaries and books and news stories of various kinds, I believe that they are, at the very least, indirectly responsible for more than one death and countless ruined lives.  In short, I think Scientology is dangerous and should lose its tax-free status and its protection as a religion.
As it turns out, not only is this not an original idea, but someone has already created a petition on WhiteHouse.gov calling for the revocation of Scientology’s tax-exempt status.  I signed the petition, and you can, too, by following this link.

While I urge you to sign and share this, please note that my views on this subject are strictly my own and do not necessarily represent the views of any group or organization that I may be a part of and should not be construed as such.

Fast Workouts
by | posted in: About The Author, Personal Care, Red Herrings | 1

No, seriously, modern science has given us a workout that can be done in 7 minutes.

Loyal readers will know that my weight has gone up and down several times over the years.  The heaviest I ever remember being is 238, which was just before I lost my job in 2001 and ended up being out of work for a year.  I took the weight off pretty quickly then, which was made easier by stress and fear and the occasional lack of groceries!  (Just kidding, Mom!  We always had plenty to eat!)  Usually, how I’ve done it every time was to just restrict my calories and work out regularly.

But, what I’ve noticed is that every time I restart my workout routine, it gets a little harder.  Recently, I was back up to 235 and I decided that I was tired of being fat.  So, I started with the calorie counting and restriction, like always, but restarting the exercise has proven more difficult than ever before.  I’m so desperate that I’m thinking about turning to Lifehacker for help!
In fact, specifically, I’m considering using a workout they shared in 2013 that they claim is based on research and only takes 7 minutes to do.  It seems like a miracle.  But, since I’m working super long hours and I’m always pressed for time, it may be my only option.

It’s also the only thing I’ve got for you this week in the way of a “fun” link.
So, you know, enjoy.

Secret Phone Menu
by | posted in: Red Herrings | 1

No, I’m not talking about ordering take-out.

Have you ever wanted to get to the hidden parts of your phone?  You know, those secret commands that technicians use to get your phone to give up its deepest, darkest secrets?  Well, if you’re an iPhone user, you’re in luck!  Yahoo recently shared all those with the world, and, now, I’m sharing that same information with you, dear readers:  How to Access the Hidden Menus on your iPhone, at Yahoo Tech.
If you’re an Android user, the article is a little less helpful.  And, there are so many Android phones that it’s hard to cover all the possible hidden features.  But, they do link to an old Reddit thread that has collected a lot of Android hidden codes.

Y’all have a great weekend and a happy Easter!

Independent SciFi Movies
by | posted in: Red Herrings | 1

I have two for you this week.

Yes, that’s right, two independent sci-fi movies. One is a short that you can watch in it’s entirety on your coffee break. The other is really just a trailer for the longer movie. Both come to us via IO9.com

First, I’ll give you the shorter of the two, but with the greater potential.  The movie is called “Dust” and it’s about a very unpleasant evolutionary explosion and the ramifications of that in a science-fictional future.  IO9 shared the trailer in July of 2013.  You can find out more about the whole movie at their Facebook page.  It’s worth hitting the Facebook page for all the footage that’s not in the trailer on IO9.

Back in June of 2012, IO9 shared the complete short film titled “The Gate”, in celebration of an alleged deal for a longer feature.  While they might have gotten the deal, I’ve never heard anything about the longer movie.  At least we can enjoy the slightly disturbing short film thanks to the magic of the Internet.

So, there you go.  Two quick films on a Friday for you.
Enjoy!

Does Luck Exist?
by | posted in: About The Author, Red Herrings, Speculation | 1

Or do we make our own luck?

Opinions vary.  But, I don’t think that it’s complete coincidence that just after Friday the Thirteenth, when I shared with my few, loyal blog readers the origins of that unluckiest day, an email newsletter I subscribe to brings me an article about luck and people who have studied luck.
The article, titled “Does Lady Luck exist or do you make your own?“, brought to us by Aeon, speculates on that very thing.  Since luck is such an elusive thing, and our perception of it varies with our cultural background, it’s a pretty slippery fish to grab hold of long enough to study, but, according to the article, a lot of our “luck” may come down to our mental attitude and belief in our own abilities.

Personally, I’ve always believed that we make our own luck.  At least, I certainly have always made my own.  And, as a good, Mid-Westerner of German descent, I’ve always believed that hard work and making the most of every opportunity was more reliable than luck any way.
But why don’t you read the article and decide for yourself?

The Luckiest Thing
by | posted in: Red Herrings, Speculation | 1

That’s right, today is Friday the Thirteenth.

As I’ve said before, I’m not really a superstitious kind of guy. Not really. But, I’ve known a lot of people who are. When I worked in the hotel industry, I actually had sold room 666 to someone not from a Judeo-Christian background, until a co-worker saw it and made a face. Then, I had to explain to the nice gentleman that some people found 666 to be an “unlucky” number. But, man, if I had pulled that off, it would have been legendary.
I used to assume that Friday the Thirteenth was considered unlucky due to some Biblical association. You know, something like Judas being the Thirteenth Apostle or some such. But, I’ve since found out that nothing could be further from the truth. As it turns out, Friday the Thirteenth is considered unlucky because of its association with the plot to suppress the Knights Templar, according to this article on GlobalPsychics.com. No, seriously! And, I quote:

The modern basis for the Friday the 13th superstition stems from Friday October the 13th, 1307. On this date, the Pope of the church in Rome in Conjunction with the King of France, carried out a secret death warrant against “the Knights Templar”. The Templars were terminated as heretics, never again to hold the power that they had held for so long. There Grand Master, Jacques DeMolay, was arrested and before he was killed, was tortured and crucified. A Black Friday indeed!

So, there you have it, Friday the Thirteenth is a global conspiracy, though, for a nice twist, the Knights Templar or Freemasons aren’t behind it, but, rather, the victims of it! Which I appreciate, incidentally, because I am both a Freemason and, via another Masonic body, a Knight Templar, ironically.
Personally, I usually have better luck on Friday the Thirteenth, but, then, I always have been a little out of step with the world. Oh, and if you’re not buying that story, here’s a link to some alternate ideas why everyone else is afraid of Friday the Thirteenth.

And, yes, I know I missed posting last week Friday, for the first time in many years.  What can I tell you?  I’ve been crazy busy at work and I didn’t realize I had missed Friday until sometime Saturday morning.  We’re moving offices, or, at least, the business unit I’m with is moving to a new location.  Which means, I’ve been super busy trying to get everything set up at the new location.  I’m pretty sure I have everything we really need ready to go for Monday, but, then again, I won’t know for sure until we actually move and things start to go wrong.
I’ll keep you posted.

1 … 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 … 61