SansPoint

I’ll be honest. The theme that is on this site right now was just something I picked because it looked good and was simple. I really want my own custom theme, but I’m a bit overwhelmed and would rather have a blog that looks like I took it off the shelf with content than a blog with no content and no theme. I did have a theme in the works, though I had been a bit busy to work on it^[1]. Recently, I decided to go back to what I had done and tried to see if I can salvage it. I like where it’s gone so far.

The intent is for something fairly bright, open, and airy — but the lines seem to be boxing it in somewhat. I also plan to change the footer to something a bit taller with three lists, in columns, of recent posts, categories, and other things. I’ll play with it a bit more, but this is a pretty good status up

1. and had ran out of inspiration ↩

Apparently, the Contact Form ][ plugin I installed totally broke my Markdown plugin. I didn’t realize what the hell had been going wrong with my formatting and things until I looked at the site today. I spent nearly an hour trying to fix it, and ended up nuking the most recent post due to some glitch removing the second image, and reposting it. If you get some deja vu reading your RSS feed, then this is why.

I’m now using Dagon Design Form Mailer for my contact form. No bugs yet.

I’ve been trying to, slowly, implement the methodology of Getting Things Done, to help me with my academic life. It’s been an uphill climb, and I’m still not used to breaking down projects into granular components that can be simply “done” without multiple steps^[1]. The one big element of GTD that I have put to use is capturing every single thing that grabs my attention.

This is the antidote, I think, to an aspect of my procrastination and laziness that’s plagued me for years. I put an awful lot of trust in my brain to keep track of everything that must be done, whether it’s what I have to read for next class, what I need to buy at the grocery store, or when my appointment with someone is scheduled for. I still remember getting a planner-type thing for keeping track of homework assignments when I started sixth grade at J. R. Masterman school, and letting it get battered and beaten in my bookbag rather than open it.

I don’t use a planner, currently. I have a Moleskine Pocket Lined Reporter notebook that I write down every little thing into^[2]. I keep this notebook on my person at all times so I can write stuff down no matter where or when it comes to me. These scribblings are then processed each day or two, and I put assignments into Remember The Milk, and other hard landscape^[3] items into iCal.

All of this is then synced to my iPod for on-the-go reference, and kept available when I’m online and need to see what remains to be done. I try to keep about a week ahead for academic stuff, though I do fall behind a bit sometimes. Large assignments, such as papers, become GTD projects and are split into Next Actions, which I then perform based on context and order. There’s a bit more to the system than that, but it will have to get its own post. You can see an attempt to figure out actions for an English paper I have due on the 23rd in the picture.

I find that by writing stuff down and keeping it in an easily referenced system, I don’t have to worry about my brain suddenly neglecting to tell me about the ten page term paper due at 10 AM tomorrow, this is just an example.)). The tricky bit is to make sure I keep track of everything. My actions are a bit de-contextualized at the moment, but as I slowly put things into place, I’ll get a better feel as to what I can do, and when.

1. Basically, what canonical GTD says to do is figure out all the little steps of the “project”, make a list of them (separated by context), and do each step, rather than the whole big mess at once. It makes sense, really. ↩
2. I actually don’t like this notebook, as it’s hard to write on the top page, and has no bookmark ribbon. I still use it as it cost too much to simply throw away. ↩
3. Stuff that is either scheduled for, or has to be done by a certain day ↩

I discovered POLYSICS back in 2001, around the time their first US release, Hey, Bob! My Friend! came out. I’d read about them on the alt.fan.devo newsgroup, and after downloading a handful of tracks, I was hooked. I’ve been following the band ever since, even having the pleasure of seeing them live twice^[1]. They’re second only to DEVO when it comes to the intensity of a live show.

Recently, I got my hands on their newest single, Catch on Everywhere. I’d previously seen the video on YouTube, and heard a live B-side, Shizuka is a Machine Doctor performed on KEXP^[2]. Having heard the entire single, though, I have to say it’s very impressive, and along with the previous singles You-You-You, and Electric Surfin’ Go Go!, speaks well of what the new album Karate House may hold.

The song itself is a very fun, poppy piece that would almost fit on For Young Electric Pop. Though the bizarre chipmunks-esque vocals are a bit of a shock, you quickly get used to them. It’s very danceable, upbeat, and quirky - POLYSICS in a nutshell. Shizuka is a Machine Doctor is more typical POLYSICS, with harsh buzzing guitars, chirping synthesizers, and a supersonic tempo. I think I like it even more than the title track. The third track translates, apparently, to A Guitar Pick Murder Case, and is a quirky synth-heavy piece of fluff. Of course, fluff from POLYSICS is better than most bands’ best material. Finally Dance Dance Dance is a quick, fun, little instrumental.

If you have the scratch, track down an import copy of this single^[3]. It’s fun, quirky, and will stick in your brain for weeks on end.

1. The first time was at the Knitting Factory in New York, seeing them open for some shitty ska bands. Poor ska kids didn’t know what the hell they were seeing! The next time was in Philadelphia at the Trocadero Balcony Bar, where Hiroyuki Hayashi actually climbed on my shoulders! ↩
2. Albeit someone’s recording of the broadcast. ↩
3. Or download it like I did. ↩

I’d originally planned to restart SansPoint on January 1st. Then, I bumped it back to January 17th, to coincide with the start of my second semester at Temple University. Then, I kept putting it off, and putting it off. Finally, I decided to just get it done, and here we are. Rather than build my own custom theme, I’ve gone with an off-the-shelf one by Headsetoptions. It looks quite good, and besides, I got a bit tired of green.

The direction I plan to take the iteration of SansPoint is a bit up in the air, but I expect to be writing a lot on my own personal projects. I’ve been writing more, lately, and might be attempting a novel again soon. I also have been trying to overcome my own problems with procrastination and will have a lot to say about that. There’s a lot I can do with this site.

For now, though, I’m simply going to resolve to have something of substance posted every week, and I think I can count on myself for that. Join me, won’t you?