Blogging is a nice, efficient, quick and easy way to get some writing done — published, “out there,” available to the masses. It has its limitations, however… most annoying, needing a computer of some kind for efficient blogging. Yes, I can update from the iPhone/iTouch or other handhelds without too-badly straining thumbs, but the process is slow. Slower, anyway, slower than handwriting.

Being on the computer hasn’t been so easy for me recently; I haven’t been feeling well, I haven’t been able to sit up and use the computer very much. Long story short — nasty medication side-effects messed me up. Pretty bad.

I haven’t been able to write as much as I’d like; insofar as that effects my abilities I’m not sure, but my spurts feel rather cyclic.

Sometimes there’s so much on my mind, it seems incomprehensible that I’d ever have another moment staring at an empty page or empty lines without remedy. Hours pass as I struggle to maintain composure — my shoulder is agonizing and my body is shaking in pain and anguish. I want to stop writing… I need to stop writing… however, I can’t. I can’t put my pen down; there’s too much on my mind, and I think to myself, “what if I forget something later?” I feel like my day should contain more than twenty-four hours and I curse my pain problem and feel drowsy from the meds. Many hours pass, and eventually, my concentration breaks and I close my eyes for just a moment longer than a blink… I momentarily doze off mid-sentence, followed by a jolt — a startling sensation reminiscent of a myoclonic spasm. I am forced to quit, say to myself “I’m done,” and rest. Dozens of previously blank, untouched pages are now filled with fragments of me. Almost Bradtastic, indeed.

Continue reading ‘A Whole Lot of Ouchie.’

I haven’t been able to set-aside time to blog… in quite a while. I haven’t been able to keep up my usual microblogging pace, either. [I post to my Twitter, and others... I haven't Plurked much, however.]

I have posted a few things on my Tumblr, and will continue to do so, thanks to a neat, free application (for the iPhone) called Lifecast (links to application in iTunes). Using this app, I can very easily and very quickly update my “status” and post on-the-go without the complications of typing login information into a browser window.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been busy and I’ve been sick… and being ill has only made me more busy—backed-up with countless emails to respond to, correspondence, phone calls to make, appointments to reschedule, art, illustration and writing to complete.

I plan on getting back into the groove, my goal is to increase my overall content output. I don’t get a lot of commenting on my blogs (a bummer, because I write and create to stimulate conversation)… my traffic and pageview totals tell me that people are viewing my sites and content. I’m changing some stuff, too.

My plan is to start vlogging. I’m still figuring out the elements of the “show,” still plotting the “pilot,” and deciding whether to use Seesmic or something else.

One last note:

I’m not going to change my inkblog address (for now). It’s bradchin.com and fairly-easy to remember… and I can’t justify creating a new inkblog site to do the same thing. Perhaps when the content changes or if I modify my style. I’m going to post ink later today.

Apple has released iPhone 2.01 software to address the abysmal battery-life and keyboard lag. My use (thus far) tells me that it’s definitely an improvement (though not quite stable-enough to replace “business” phones). If you want to chat about iPhone stuff (games, applications, functionality, etc), please let me know. I’m planning to write an iPhone software review (what’s hot, what’s not), something simple for friends with less-time to aimlessly browse the net and the iTunes App Store.

I feel very lucky to have some good friends, willing to set-aside time to take care of me during my illness. Long-story short—my medications made me dizzy, nauseated and then sick; I couldn’t get out of bed for a few days, couldn’t drive for a bit, couldn’t leave my condo and couldn’t eat (and hold-down food). I’m pretty sure that I’d still be sick without their support.

Until next time…

“What’s up?!”

The inevitable question I used to answer in oh-so-many different ways. It’s not my favorite question; it’s occasionally more of a statement, and I don’t always want to share the answer.

• With close-friends: it’s a phone call or shared in-person.
• With other friends: SMS or instant message.
• To all others: a blog post.

ABOUT ONCE A WEEK, I’D HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUM-UP AND SHARE my life events, stories and work in the form of a blog post. If I had something particularly-important, I’d even cross-post. I enjoyed the recaps, the feedback, the small, semi-insignificant validation that my life has meaning…

this is all in the past.

Now, the web-elite has microblogging; this simple 140-characters-or-less pleasure is significant mental-masturbation, and the death of the “what’s up.”

The process is not only simple, it’s accessible and always-on. (Well, maybe not Twitter… but some microblog is going to be up!) These services can be updated via instant message and SMS; from a PC or a phone, friends, family and others can follow, get notified and update. Almost anything can warrant a change of status: going to the grocery store, standing in line for a movie or a club, meeting someone famous, having the rare opportunity to hang out with Bradtastic… and with a microblog, the whole world could know it.

Not that the whole world would (or should) care. Regardless, these services are so integrated and “status” is so heavily-prevalent, many people are likely still unaware that they’ve bought-into the trend. Myspace has it, Facebook has it… instant messengers have it.

 
Several times last month, I sat at my computer, staring at a blank page, wondering why I couldn’t blog about my life. I finally realized, and it was so simple: I already had.