Jeffery Vaska
Public Service
18 May
In memory of my awesomely nice uncle Tauno:
How do you tell a Finnish extrovert?
He looks at other people's shoes.
Note: I'm of Finnish descent and consider myself very introverted. ;)
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It's pretty easy to have a 'big' idea. It's alot of work creating the 'right' idea.
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17 May
Sometimes I wish I could crawl into my cloud based computing device and take a nap.
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16 May
Are designers inherently full of lust?
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15 May
I am a chef making fine hamburgers for my patrons.
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13 May
The unsent emails are often the best ones.
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There is always a tiny group of optimistic crazies even in the worst of situations. Right or wrong, you want them on your team.
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11 May
Anonymity is the curse of the web. I'm not saying that governments need to enforce internet ID's or anything like that, but I am saying that there are alot of people who take aggressive advantage of being anonymous on the net. If you have something constructive to say, be honest and stand behind it.
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Now that you are all grown up, is the information you find better or is your ability to filter information better? Both?
There are alot of smart people in the world and finding them can be very difficult. I don't find that I'm any smarter than before (the financial crash in 2008) but now I have a variety of sources who are not on the major path and I do trust.
Of course, it still seems that nobody can quite understand what's really going on with economies and/or how decisions are being made. It's clear though that the endgame is the reduction of entitlements and allowing other economies some time to advance.
Which, did happen in Africa in the 60's and 70's and look how that turned out for the following thirty years afterwards (these days there is a boom again though). When will the bubble mentality of finance/economy stop and why aren't some governments doing more to stop it?
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09 May
When you live in a world of absolutes, you are forced to think differently.
Most of us (in the West), aren't in this position. Tonight, after two and a half years, I had this realization. The smallest things can seemingly take on a monumental approach.
I feel privileged and humbled that I have this understanding now. It could be life changing, but I doubt it (since I will return to the West at some point).
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08 May
If you have experience customizing Cpanel I have a little project I need some help with - get in touch.
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06 May
It kind of feels like everywhere in the world is being built/rebuilt at the same time. Better travel now before it's too late.
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04 May
One of my biggest accomplishments is that I made something that manipulates whitespace well.
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03 May
I like watching daily vlogs made by Canadian rednecks.
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Success is an strange word.
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I live in a space between languages.
Having lived abroad for almost ten years now in predominantly French speaking culture - a language I still do not get along with very well - I have to prepare myself mentally before I go into various situations. What language will they speak? Can I get by with English this time? Who is around the help me translate? The context will be such and such so I should look for these kinds of words/phrases - kind of things.
But, the funny part, when I'm in the US or UK and people start talking to me I often pause to figure out which language they are speaking. I know this one! - I think to myself. I end up stumbling into alot of conversations both relieved and surprised that I even know my own language.
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01 May
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A bunch of people have asked me how I'm doing these days - if you've read the first post on this site you'll get the idea.
I'm doing quite well. Yesterday was a really rough day, but not indicative of the average day. Even a year ago, if I was under alot of pressure (and who isn't with work at times) I probably would have broken out in a terrible flu as sarcoidosis breaks down the immune system.
Today, I got up and took a walk at the beach before getting to work. I'm looking forward to next week - it's time to get things moving again. And thanks to all those people who asked - that was nice.
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The funny thing is that you do all of this work just to get to the starting line. The real work is only beginning.
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Are you a worker or a manager? How do you know?
Are you in meetings or on the phone all day? This means, you don't really have time to 'work' much (code/design/etc). Personally, I prefer to be a worker. Lately, I've had too many meetings where I usually pull my hair out and doodle notes about doing the actual work.
Happy May 1st workers!
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30 April
Indexhibit. That, useful thing.
Today was the day we were going to release the next version but it didn't happen. I have spent alot of time working on it between projects and real life events. I am looking forward to seeing it out there again more than anybody else.
Today, we had a releasable thing and nothing at all to back it up. The website wasn't ready and the most basic tutorials and utilities were not ready. I'll take the blame for that - it falls squarely on me. I spent all the time I could up until release day doing as many things as possible - if you know code you know that it's never really done. There wasn't enough time. Do we release without the backup or not? I fretted all day and I think I had alot of wishful thinking.
Everybody told me to wait a few more days but I made a promise so I didn't listen until the day was basically over. So, for the next few days we'll get the house in order so the release party can be less random. I've already said this a few times, but I'm going to make myself available to anybody who needs some quick help once we release. I want everybody to be successful and I even think that this Indexhibit is not bad.
Although I was very tired today, it was really nice hearing from so many people - I didn't really think that people were looking forward to it so much. I like that it's special in it's own way - this is how Eatock and myself want it to be. Thanks!
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29 April
I can't believe I have new features springing to mind at this stage. There is this one feature, in a format specific situation, that we'll have to do. The hard thing about this work is that when it's released the real work is only beginning.
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What I like about Twitter is that it feels kind of personal messaging with people I don't know. What I don't like about Twitter, aside from the mass of nonsense, is that it does create a kind of a lack of privacy. I'm still getting used to it.
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27 April
Diced, crisp, cold iceberg lettuce on nearly any kind of pizza is incredible. This, of course, excludes any 'pizza' that has pineapple - that's not actually pizza.
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26 April
Is there something special about that link or button you are about to push? What makes it special?
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25 April
When is it a career? When are you a 'professional'?
Don't say it's 'money'. I don't know the answer. I like being an amateur - it keeps me actively trying and learning new things.
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What does it want to be?
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22 April
Is the internet, generally speaking, teaching us all to be hyper reactionary?
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After another week, my next big project will be not working on weekends.
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20 April
Being outright obvious is a great trait.
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18 April
What the world needs are more drum solos.
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17 April
Do you remember when The Matrix came out?
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15 April
The slow reverberation of an idea working through the mind is a beautiful thing.
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You will always have that dream so why not pursue it?
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14 April
Sometimes when I'm bored, and who isn't bored on the web from time to time, I search for online drama.
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29 March
Live a little. Hire somebody who has done something interesting for the world instead of that person who worked on that campaign for that Fortune 5000 whatever. Take a chance!
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28 March
The smiley face has become a new communication standard. ;)
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27 March
I'm in search of an idea that doesn't have any form.
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26 March
WANTED: Personal Assistant (online, because you don't live where I do) to help me keep track of important people, places and things and most importantly to keep me sane. Preferably, you speak some Spanish and French and that language they speak in the UK that I can't always understand. You must know how to operate an FTP.
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23 March
Things are slow around here right now. Trust me, that's a good thing.
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20 March
April 30th is National Honesty Day. It is also the day.
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18 March
Cursive handwriting is clearly being left behind in the schools. I challenge people to not only continue using cursive but to never actually take the pen/pencil off of the writing surface from word to word (or even not at all). It's not easy.
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06 March
If you want to make a mint on the web it's simple - just sensationalize anything. Myself, don't approve of that practice though.
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01 March
When I was a kid my internet was the phonebook and encyclopedia.
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26 February
It's important to know what you are doing, but oftentimes the most creative solutions arrives from those who don't know what they are doing. Of course, it usually takes a person with experience to smooth out the rough parts. I am often searching for things I don't quite know how to do these days...
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24 February
I can't think in bullet points. Can anybody think in bullet points? Is that a good thing?
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Did Apple win? It's seems that everybody, including Samsung and Mozilla, is creating both hardware and software. Seems like the model worked.
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Often, especially in social situations, I feel compelled to converse when I simply want to listen.
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23 February
Going backwards is often a more considered kind of forward progress. I like going backwards (but I'm sure there are some people here who want to kill me for that). ;)
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21 February
One has to consider that they don't have the best information or that they are simply wrong.
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16 February
What percentage of your job is implementation?
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15 February
Can you think of any foods that are blue? I mean really blue? I don't think it's meant to be a color for food. Even blueberry jam isn't really blue, it's purple.
The only blue foods I can think of are beverages - super sugary beverages.
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14 February
It can be difficult abstaining from a seductive design.
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I simply don't have a sales pitch.
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12 February
I think most rock stars don't live like 'rock stars' and the ones that do end up in very difficult situations.
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10 February
I have a hard time keeping in touch with all the people I've met over the years - it's impossible to keep people updated on what you are doing, etc. Most people will simply use Facebook or Twitter but the noise ratio is so great on social networks it's not very high quality in my opinion. I don't like newsletters and notes targeted to everybody on the "list".
Keeping a blog is another thing - I don't read many blogs and I believe that most people don't read rather personal blogs much anymore. Does Livejournal still exist?
I'd like to see a service where you input somebody's name, email address and why you were interested in them and then select an amount of time (6 months, 1 year, etc) when the tool would notify you to send a friendly note. One could easily image the additional options that might exist. Like anything else, the more people that used the service the more useful it could be come.
This way, one would be more likely to receive a personal "hello" note instead of "I'm living on the moon come by anytime" note that is out of context. I guess it's a form of CRM - maybe somebody has already made this app. I guess I should look around. ;)
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09 February
When in doubt use 50% black (grey).
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08 February
People think we make money from open source? I don't. And I still have to cover the bills.
A few times over the years people have suggested that we open up development so our donations will increase. Meaning, we allow other people to do the work for us so we can get paid for their work?
Am I the only one who feels that this is dishonest? At least in my experience, it absolutely does not work that way.
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07 February
What is it about the web that makes some people so endlessly, ceaselessly, tirelessly persistent about being more 'right' than others? As best as I can tell it's the lack of human contact we receive via voice, eye or bodily communication.
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Sometimes it can be really difficult being happy on the internet because there are really quite alot of people actively being negative on it. It can take you down but you have to keep on trying.
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06 February
I could easily turn this into a long essay or even a book but I'm going to say it as simply as possible:
Life should always be special.
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04 February
My spelling is getting really bad. And, sometimes I type so fast the ideas come out wrong. It's not uncommon that I will conjoin two words accidentally or subconsciously and only catch it if I proofread things. *If* I proofread things. Email is not such a good medium for communication in my opinion. I wish email apps were more like voice messaging systems...
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If you don't know how to cook start with chicken. Like, roasting a chicken or making a stock.
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02 February
Last night I slept in a country that doesn't exist.
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31 January
There is something endearing about the person who will chase you across the city on their moped just to ask to be your guide. And, when you say 'no merci', still proceeds to show you around.
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28 January
generic vs default
i love paul simon
castles
3347 to go
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26 January
Preparing to drive 4,100 kilometers. Will be eating alot of nuts and dried fruits along the way. Lifes Rich Pageant is the greatest driving album of all time. Feel free to make suggestions...
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25 January
Many years ago when I created publications I used Quark and did most things by hand. Specifically, I used the text flow feature and was mostly content with how it worked.
Today I suddenly realized that with the web we don't really deal with text flow and pagination very well at all. Which is too bad, but it's a kind of liberation from handling that particular problem.
* I believe there is a specification in CSS3 that does something in this regard but I'll believe it when I see it. I've also used Masonry in the past (and on this site) but I wish there was a less automatic way of doing things.
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24 January
"We spent the summer in Bushwick listening to Slim Whitman records slowed down..."
Holy crap, I'm sold!
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I'm not sure if this is working. A few people have asked me what the point is to this blog because alot of the content is really mundane.
I'm still trying to find that gap where I feel most of these thoughts belong. Sure, I could do this on Twitter but I don't want to use Twitter. For the most part, these thoughts are the ones that don't want to be filed under work. In fact, I think they want to defy categorization which is impossible. I don't want to write much about work or simply reblog other peoples work which is what most blogs are about.
I'm not trying to be profound and I don't worry too much about what I'm saying - I'm just trying to have a little fun with an unfinished idea. All I can really tell people is that we'll see what develops in the future - the approach is a work-in-progress itself.
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23 January
Breakfast knives!
Breakfast knives?
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22 January
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11 January
Social networks...bah!
Create your own. Get to know people. Be genuine and honest.
The "social network" will not save you. Take the opportunity to really know other people.
Sorry, I'm old skool. I want to know the people around me. There is nothing better than getting to know a voice or even seeing a persons facial expressions.
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Somedays you plan.
Somedays you design.
Somedays you build.
And, somedays you reduce.
Yesterday and today were days of reduction - my favorite part of the process.
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10 January
To comment or not to comment (Via Gruber). That is the question.
I doubt I'll ever use the commenting system around here - it simply seems less fun to me (and people have always felt free to tell me what they think via email).
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09 January
I find that staring intently at coding problems tends to help resolve them more quickly. Kind of like watching El Topo on a Monday morning. Oh wait. lol
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08 January
"This is a 250 dollar can (of clams) and we're eating it with toothpicks."
~ Anthony Bourdain
Damn, I love Spain too.
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At Christmas of 2007 I bought my wife a beautiful Brompton. During Christmas of 2009 the bicycle was lost during travel. We had built a special wooden carrying case for it and were quite unhappy about the loss. We tried to followup regarding the disappearance but it was with an African airline and it was an impossible task.
This year, just after Christmas, the bike was found?! She received notification that her bike was being sent home (it was listed at her parents residence in Belgium). Apparently, it had been sitting at the airport in Las Palmas for two years?! Yes.
Bike and biker will soon be very happily reunited.
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07 January
How to assemble your chair with Enzo Mari.
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I just woke up from a bad dream. One of those awful feeling dreams where when you wake up you are one hundred percent absolutely awake. I might have even been muttering things out loud during this one.
The dream was of a technological future where everything is invested in 'the cloud'. The work you do, every keystroke, time-tracking, the usual things. But, it went further with tracking of body and eye movement, attempts to read your mind, number of steps you take to get a water/coffee, the amount of time it takes you to get home, not only your use of your refrigerator but the amount of light outside of the refrigerator when you open it up (like, late at night). It went on and on...
The detail that went through my mind was a total overload.
Of course, the dream didn't specify what the data was for but we can all come up with ideas on that front. Paranoid? Perhaps. Is it really that scary? I don't think so, but it's something to think about until I fall back asleep.
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04 January
For a couple years now I wanted to start making things with wood. I know that many folks building websites feel the same. Websites are abstract - you can see and feel but you can't touch them. More and more, I wanted to touch things (I totally understand Steve Jobs obsession with 'texture' in that respect).
A few months ago, after a year of slowly acquiring a solid amount of tools (which is very difficult in this part of Africa), my wife and I set out building things before relatives arrived for the holidays.
It was not easy. In fact, it was heartbreaking. We knew we needed this or that tool to make the job more simple. We're an architect and a graphic designer, and we know we have talent, but we were unable to do what we wanted. However, with screws and very simple joinery we got the job done.
For Christmas, we had family bring us alot of things - our tool repetoire doubled (we had everything we bought sent to them on our behalf). It was probably the best Christmas I've ever experienced.
One of the first things you need is a decent workbench. We didn't have one so we simply placed a sheet of plywood on top of a much nicer table. It was not easy building things, working at an odd height and worrying alot about ruining the table. Not to mention, we have very little vise capabilities (and the only vices you can get here are the more terribly cheap Chinese vices - the one in the shop didn't even work properly).
So, after the holidays I set out to build a proper workbench. I did alot of thinking about what I wanted but in the end it wasn't possible - I can't get solid hardwoods here that are traditionally used in a classic workbench. With a heavy heart I kept researching until I found the Ultimate Workbench. We considered how we could adapt things and in the end I simply felt that we needed to just build one.
For myself, this felt like an Indexhibit. I knew it would do the job and I could adapt things according to my skill and needs. I jumped right in, bought the plans (for ten bucks) and got 'stuck in' on things (I'm not totally clear on the meaning of that phrase but Eatock has been using it alot and I get a giggle out of it). The past three days I've been working on this and it's been great. I'm a novice builder and everything I do is a learning experience and I'm loving it.
We are already nearly completed but we have to find some small parts for the sawhorses around the city and this could take a few days - the photo is of a nearly completed workbench. I told myself I wouldn't get back to work for Indexhibit until it was done but I have to stop for the moment. I'll post some completion pictures when I can.
Not really related but still related, speaking of Indexhibit, anybody feel like taking a look at the beta and giving us some feedback? ;)
Ps: Sorry it's not the best photo - low light, iPhone...
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03 January
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30 December
Here comes 2012.
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28 December
Have a happy new year.
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22 December
Robyn Hitchcock has alway been holiday music for me for some odd reason. Here's a funny song about Gene Hackman.
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A few people have already mentioned that my green color scheme is a bit much. Well, I'm just a little crazy that way. Looks fantastic on my Macbook Pro so I'm in love with it. Pink on red might be next.
Have a Merry Christmas. ;)
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20 December
Nara, Japan 2011
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"My favorite buildings and me..."
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19 December
I would make a terrible cake designer because it would have to be super minimal and not that sweet. I think I'd rather make empadas de galinha instead. Portuguese chicken pies for any and all occasions!
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18 December
Apparently, 'scrabble' is an actual verb - to scrabble. Its meaning and usage is nearly identical to scramble as best as I can tell.
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17 December
How do you build a successful business?
You, understate and over-deliver (and be good). It's that simple.
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16 December
People are now referring to traditional blog activity as 'slow blogging'? As opposed to something fast like Tumbr, I guess. Thing is, I love that! I am a slow blogger then.
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15 December
While playing Scrabble tonight I mentioned to a friend that every time I go to the beach to work I always have a great time - I can think very clearly and feel reinvigorated. He said it's the iodine. Apparently, there really is something to this - link.
Furthermore, he told me that in Italy they have a program for underprivileged children that takes them to the sea to experience the rejuvenating effects of the ocean/iodine.
Now, regarding that silly aside I made about every office/studio/agency space needing a beachfront workspace? Seems like a no-brainer to me...
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In response to John Maeda's tweet.
Do you remember the agony of learning how to insert an img with html?
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Last week I logged out of my Google+ and Youtube accounts. I don't like that with Google+ you are being closely tracked around the web. Facebook does a similar thing but I rarely visit that site even though I have an account. I deleted all the associated cookies, as well.
Yes, I realize they probably have other nefarious ways to track me but I'm making things a little more difficult now.
To put it simply, I "unlogged" from the social web. Except, I still use my Twitter account - I like Twitter and I'm comfortable with them even though I do not post very frequently.
I'm all for a good, free service but I don't find the tradeoff of a free email or free videos enough to warrant that kind of tracking. I'll be resistant, if that's what it takes and (try to) occupy the unlogged internet.
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Today I needed to be a little more focused than normal so I chose to avoid email and the general web and drove to the beach. There is a great cabana where I can have a coffee and work. During the day it's usually empty.
I think that every office/studio/agency should have a quiet beachfront working space.
On the way home, having a clear mind (being near the beach always does that for me), I decided to drive home slowly so I could prolong the feeling and continue thinking. When you have the opportunity, there is nothing like a slow walk or drive. The journey is often more interesting than the arrival when you have time to see what's happening around you.
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Yes, please. I'll take one of everything.
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12 December
Why is Indexhibit taking so long, Vaska?
Unfortunately, it's a fair question. I don't really have an excuse except to say that life has gotten in the way over the years.
Somewhere towards the end of 2007 I started feeling kind of strange. I would have shifting vision or break out in a terrible sweat during the day. It would quickly pass and I would get back on with the work at hand. I was terribly busy and was only beginning to have fun with the project I had been working on for about a year at that point.
More and more though, I started having days when I was tired and felt short of breath. Sometimes when I had people working in my studio with me I would sneak away to our house and work from bed checking on progress from the meeting I wasn't really attending. I didn't want people to know I was feeling this way.
Eventually, I believe it was early 2008, I developed a terrible, uncontrollable cough. I tried naturopathic remedies and teas and finally, after fainting in the street one day and a few days where I was in so much pain I couldn't stand up, I reluctantly agreed to see the doctor. I had to acknowledge that it wasn't simply going to pass.
The first rough diagnosis was cancer. I had to wait three weeks before they were sure, after a biopsy and a bunch of tests, that I had contracted sarcoidosis. This is one of those rare diseases you hear about on Dr. House. I never felt comfortable talking about it publicly (especially on the web).
The causes of sarcoidosis are mysterious but they suspect it's a combination of pollution and stress that wears down the immune system and then all kinds of crazy things happens. Once, a crack appeared in my field of vision and passed slowly from right to left over twenty minutes or so. It was hard being patient while that happened.
Ultimately, in my case, I was lucky that it wasn't fatal and I never had to take one ounce of medicine. Instead, I had to simply ride it out. For the next year I had to fight a kind of brain fatigue (I don't know what else to call it) that made me either melt away or get really ornary. It would occur at random times during the day. I wasn't at my best but I managed to keep working from bed.
Finally, I believe around the end of 2009 I could tell I was more or less normal again except for some minor loss of lung capacity. By this time, I was moving to a remote country and it was a good time to enjoy the warmth and the sun and relax - I needed that.
I have still been too busy between then and now and alot of things have changed but I'm grateful to still be here and doing things that I really do enjoy. There will be a new Indexhibit shortly - thanks for being patient. All I hope is that people find it useful.
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Questions, ideas, proposals - feel free. I am
available for freelance projects.
Contact: studio \at\ vaska \dot\ com
Twitter: Vaska