Derek P. Collins

This is a great talk from Ryan Singer of 37signals about UI and...

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:27:39 -0700

This is a great talk from Ryan Singer of 37signals about UI and programming. I especially like when he shows the narrative that they created while discussing the purpose of the application and how they pulled key words out of that narrative that then influenced the UI and programming.

What did you call your Lego pieces?

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:53:00 -0700

Giles Turnball over at The Morning News has put together a great piece about the naming conventions children have developed and use for their Lego pieces.

My family and I definitely had our own Lego nomenclature: If my brother and I were digging through one of our gigantic bins of Lego pieces you might hear one of us say, “I’m looking for a grey onesie,” and we both new exactly which piece the other was referring to.

I have fond memories of Legos—it was my toy of choice for any gift-receiving occasion (i.e. Christmas, birthdays). I would get a “big” set for Christmas and it was usually one of the new castles (they were my favorite), but I also recall getting a huge pirate ship, an airport and a train set that is still, believe it or not, brought out, assembled and placed around the Christmas tree if I’m at my parents’ house.

Whenever I received a new set I would immediately put it together using the included instructions, however I would always tear it apart within a few days and build something born out of my imagination. I eventually got to the point where I could put a set together based on the cover of the box without having to look at the instructions.

As I collected sets over the years, they would all find there way into one of the two large bins that were dedicated exclusively to our Lego collection (my Mother still has them to this day and is keeping them, “for her grandchildren”). If inspiration struck, I would dump the contents of each of the bins onto a sheet (this made for easy cleanup later) and have days-long building sessions that usually revolved around a specific theme: castles, pirates, spaceships.

I think that the years that I was playing with Legos were probably the most creative years of my life. I can recall how vivid my imagination was and how I could picture the completed set in my head before I started building. Sometimes, I would search through all the bricks and pick out each piece before I started assembling my grand vision.

I also created lists of sets that I wanted Lego to create, hoping that I could somehow send them to the Lego factory where they would be realized. I eventually discovered, when I was older, that some of my ideas had become a reality despite the fact that I never did submit my lists to Lego.

Sadly, I can also recall when my imagination started to fade and I started to realize that I was “too old” to play with Legos and that I had too many other responsibilities, namely homework. I sometimes think that if I (or someone) had continued to fuel my imagination and creativity at that point in my life I would have become a very different person than I am today (not that I’m unhappy with who I am). I can honestly say that school sucked the creativity and enthusiasm for life that I had as a child right out of me and replaced it with the boring monotony that was “education”.

I had dreams and aspirations of becoming a Lego engineer, but I can definitely see a parallel between my Lego days and my current career as a web developer: I still get to create sets (objects) from various building blocks (languages, frameworks). I can tear them apart and build new sets from these same building blocks, configuring them in different and unique ways. So, perhaps I haven’t strayed too far from my childhood dreams.

And yes, I do know that “Lego” is the correct plural form of the word, but I’ve always said “Legos” with an “s” and it just sounds right to me so I’m sticking with it!

hiten: blazamos: retropolitics: top secret (via...

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:32:17 -0700

hiten:

blazamos:

retropolitics:

top secret (via lunchbreath)

Double Amen.

"The act of creation is almost always self-affirming, and the act of consumption so rarely is."

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:09:13 -0700

“The act of creation is almost always self-affirming, and the act of consumption so rarely is.”

- Alex Payne — Fever and the Future of Feed Readers

I enjoyed this presentation by Jason Fried of...

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:13:00 -0700

I enjoyed this presentation by Jason Fried of 37signals—especially the Q&A at the end. I really liked what he said about productivity being variable.

Total Eclipse of The Heart (Literal Version). Hilarious! (via...

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:32:00 -0700

Total Eclipse of The Heart (Literal Version). Hilarious! (via Geekologie)

First Ever Phoenix Suns "Tweetup"

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 01:54:00 -0700

First Ever Phoenix Suns "Tweetup":

This is really interesting—the Phoenix Suns have made a special promotional offer to their Twitter followers consisting of pre-game access to the court, an exclusive Suns Twitter t-shirt, a reduced ticket price and a post-game meetup for Suns Twitter fans.

I purchased the reduced tickets for me and my wife and I’m very much looking forward to it.

Fluther

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 01:44:02 -0700

Fluther:

I’ve been loving Fluther lately. “Tap the collective.”

10 Easy Steps to Great Website Optimization

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 10:24:52 -0700

10 Easy Steps to Great Website Optimization

"Duct Tape is a business tool. It’s not one that anyone wants to use but it’s there for..."

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:36:03 -0700

““Duct Tape is a business tool. It’s not one that anyone wants to use but it’s there for when perfection has run it’s course and it’s time to move on to other pursuits. Purity has no duct tape—only devotion.””

- Greg Storey, Airbag Industries

My Design Signature

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 21:28:00 -0700

Mike Davidson recently wrote about how he has come to recognize some of his design and coding habits that result in what he calls a “design signature”.

This got me thinking about my own design and coding habits:

Margin & Padding Reset
I always start with a very basic margin and padding reset in my stylesheet using the universal selector: * {margin: 0; padding: 0;}. This allows me to start with a clean slate and reduces the number of cross-browser issues that I’ll have to face as I develop the site. I no longer use a separate reset stylesheet (I’ll discuss the details of why in a future post).
Base Font Size
I set the base font size on the body to 62.5% and then use ems for font sizes from there on out.
Order Styles Alphabetically
I order styles alphabetically except in cases like borders and margins, which I order clockwise.
Consistent ID and Class Names
I tend to use some consistent id and class names when laying out a site. If the main areas of the page are going to be full-width (the content is centered, but the background color on the header, for example, will fill the full-width of the browser window), I’ll use #top, #middle, #bottom and, if necessary, I may use #primary, #secondary, #tertiary, etc. if the main content area needs to be broken up even more. I’ll then use a center class to center the content within the above areas. If I’m not doing that, I generally use #header, #content, #footer all inside of a #wrapper div to center the content.
Comment Stylesheets with Flags
I also use comments to separate different parts of my stylesheet and I use flags in the form of =header, for example, which allows me to quickly search for and locate a specific section of a stylesheet. This is especially helpful in long stylesheets.
Use Margins Instead of Padding
When possible, I use margins as opposed to padding, which makes dealing with the box model a little easier in those pesky browsers.
Multi-column Floats
For multi-column layouts I float every column (usually to the left).
Clearing Floats
I used to use the clearfix class that Mike uses, however, I now use overflow: hidden; to clear parent elements that contain floated child elements.
Fixed, Centered Layout
I generally use a fixed-width, centered layout using a container div, auto margins, however, I no longer use a center text-align on the body as it was only used to get version 5.x browsers to center the layout and I’ve decided not to support those browsers any longer.
Comment Closing Divs
I use comments to specify what id or class a closing div belongs to. For example, if I have a div with an id of wrapper, then I’ll close that div in this way: .
Grid Design
I usually stick to a grid when designing a website, and while I may occasionally use a separate grid stylesheet (e.g. the 960 Grid System), I tend to write my own styles to create a custom grid.

This list doesn’t just cover my design signature, but also what I currently see as best practices when developing a website. However, I am constantly testing new methods and changing my strategy, so what I see as a best practice today, may be different tomorrow. Being flexible and open to change are essential in the constantly evolving world of web development.

I Took the 2008 Survey for People Who Make Websites

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 09:59:24 -0700

I Took the 2008 Survey for People Who Make Websites:

If you’re a web professional you should take this annual survey hosted by A List Apart.

Cart45

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:45:00 -0700

Cart45:

“Cart45 is a new web application that makes building and running an online shop easy.”

Looks very promising! I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on this one. You can get more information at is Everything.

Workout - Month 3

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:38:00 -0700

Here are the workouts that I am following with my trainer for the third month:

Workout A

A. Front Squat + Push Press: 3 sets of 8 reps
B₁. Reverse Lunge (barbell, alternating): 3 sets of 8 reps
B₂. Decline Bench Press: 3 sets of 8 reps
C₁. Split Squat (dumbbell): 3 sets of 8 reps
C₂. Cable One Arm Row: 3 sets of 8 reps
D₁. Swiss Ball Plank: 3 sets of 1 minute
D₂. Decline Iso Twist: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
D₃. Good Morning (seated): 3 sets of 8 reps
D₄. Supine Windshield Wiper: 3 sets of 8 reps

Workout B

A. Platform Deadlift: 3 sets of 8 reps
B₁. Reverse Lunge (barbell, alternating): 3 sets of 8 reps
B₂. Pull-up: 3 sets of 8 reps
C₁. Split Squat (dumbbell): 3 sets of 8 reps
C₂. Shoulder Press (dumbbell): 3 sets of 8 reps
D₁. Cable Crunch: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
D₂. Cable Lateral Flexion: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
D₃. Swiss Ball Pike (straight leg): 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Cardio

I am continuing 3 days of cardio, however I will be incorporating more light and body-weight resistance into my cardio routine. For this I will choose several different exercises and perform them in a circuit (performing each exercise until fatigue) for up to 15-30 minutes. The following is an example routine:

Jumping Jacks
Swiss Ball Push-ups
Front Squat (with light weight)
Military Press (with light weight)
Swiss Ball Crunches
Step-ups

I would perform each exercise until fatigue, moving on to the next exercise as quickly as possible for 15 minutes (eventually working up to 30 minutes).

I should choose a variety of exercises for each session.

Charting My Workout Progress

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:19:00 -0700

Charting My Workout Progress:

I’ve been working out with my trainer for just over 3 months now and I’ve been making pretty good progress. In an effort to chart my progression over time I’ve created a table titled Charting My Workout Progress that I will update as new measurements are taken.

So far I’ve lost 11 lbs. and reduced my body fat by 10.26%!

Gym Jones

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:56:00 -0700

Gym Jones:

I came across Gym Jones a while ago while researching various workouts and I was intrigued by their unique philosophy towards fitness. Don’t miss the articles under the Knowledge section of their website to get an idea of their unique take on physical and mental fitness.

When I first came across the Gym Jones website they had a series of videos highlighting the type of training that goes on at this private gym, but they have since moved the videos to Mark Twight’s website stating that, “We’ve pulled the videos off the Gym Jones site because they are not representative of what we currently do there anymore.” If you want to see some unique (and very intense) training, check out these videos.

Workout - Month 2

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 12:09:00 -0700

Here are the workouts that I am following with my trainer for the second month:

Workout A

A. One Arm Snatch: 3 sets of 6 reps
B₁. Reverse Lunge (alternating): 3 sets of 6 reps
B₂. Incline Bench Press: 3 sets of 6 reps
C₁. Stationary Lunge (barbell): 3 sets of 6 reps
C₂. Bent Over Row (barbell): 3 sets of 6 reps
D₁. 3-point Plank: 3 sets of 1 minute
D₂. Straight Leg Deadlift: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
D₃. Corner Bar Rotations: 3 sets of 6 reps

Workout B

A₁. Straight Leg Deadlift + Bent Over Row: 3 sets of 6 reps
A₂. Calf Raises: 3 sets of 10 reps
B₁. Stationary Lunge (barbell): 3 sets of 6 reps
B₂. Chin up: 3 sets of 6 reps
C₁. Straight Leg Deadlift: 3 sets of 6 reps
C₂. Military Press (barbell): 3 sets of 6 reps
D₁. Decline Situp: 3 sets of 6 reps
D₂. Hanging Leg Raises: 3 sets of 6 reps
D₃. Overhead Side Bends: 3 sets of 6 reps

This workout is focusing on more sets with less repetitions so heavier weight should be used.

Cardio

I am continuing 3 days of cardio, however my cardio sessions are structured a little differently:

Day 1: 25 minutes at descent pace
Day 2: 25 sprinting and jogging/walking at a 1:2 ratio
Day 3: 40 minutes at a normal pace

“Describe your doctype so the browser can relate, make...

Mon, 05 May 2008 16:46:00 -0700

“Describe your doctype so the browser can relate, make sure you do it great or it won’t validate.”

Workout Logs - Month 1

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:28:00 -0700

My first month of training is complete and I’m very happy with the results so far. I haven’t taken another set of measurements (I’ll share them as soon as I have them), but I can see a visible difference in my body.

I’m making my weight training logs available for download as well as a blank version of the logs if you’d like to start on a similar program yourself.

My Weight Training Log - Month 1 (pdf, 153 kb)
Blank Weight Training Log - Month 1 (pdf, 136 kb)

Ryan Hetrick, 1981-2008

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:49:00 -0700

Ryan Hetrick, 1981-2008:

You’ll be missed buddy.

Derek P. Collins

This is a great talk from Ryan Singer of 37signals about UI and...

What did you call your Lego pieces?

hiten: blazamos: retropolitics: top secret (via...

"The act of creation is almost always self-affirming, and the act of consumption so rarely is."

I enjoyed this presentation by Jason Fried of...

Total Eclipse of The Heart (Literal Version). Hilarious! (via...

First Ever Phoenix Suns "Tweetup"

Fluther

10 Easy Steps to Great Website Optimization

"Duct Tape is a business tool. It’s not one that anyone wants to use but it’s there for..."

My Design Signature

Margin & Padding Reset

Base Font Size

Order Styles Alphabetically

Consistent ID and Class Names

Comment Stylesheets with Flags

Use Margins Instead of Padding

Multi-column Floats

Clearing Floats

Fixed, Centered Layout

Comment Closing Divs

Grid Design

I Took the 2008 Survey for People Who Make Websites

Cart45

Workout - Month 3

Workout A

Workout B

Cardio

Charting My Workout Progress

Gym Jones

Workout - Month 2

Workout A

Workout B

Cardio

“Describe your doctype so the browser can relate, make...

Workout Logs - Month 1

Ryan Hetrick, 1981-2008