I've got a feeling that this may turn into a rant, so bear with me.

I'm getting fed up with Web 2.0 sites wanting to own my content, rather than just publish it. I think that ANY site that offers what it calls a "Blog" should be able to publish an RSS feed of that blog AND subscribe to another RSS feed for it's content. Same thing with photos. Any site that carries photo albums should be able to subscribe to a Flickr or Picasa feed for those, and also offer a feed for you to subscribe to.

I'm being too ambiguous. How about some examples?

RattlerRoundup.com. This is a site hosted by Ning.com by and for the Glorious Rattler Nation of Florida A & M University. I have connected with people who I have not seen in over 10 years! I can have a Blog on Ning! I can post my photos! Great, right? No! Why? Because I already have a blog. I don't need another blog. Ning should ask if I already have a blog, and just jump on that feed. Instant RattlerRoundup blog. Same thing with photos. I have already gone through the trouble of posting my photos to Flickr. Do I want to download them from Flickr, and then upload them to Ning? That would be stupid. Flickr offers RSS feeds. Give the flexibility to tag my photos with something like "for:rattlerroundup", and then Ning should be able to subscribe to that tag, and hocus-pocus - my photos are on RRU.

Another example: Geni.com. Geni is a service that lets you create and maintain your family tree. It's really wonderful. I introduced Mrs. Mau to Geni back in 2006 after our Wedding, and now our tree has almost 1500 people. Geni lets me share photos with my family. Why should I have to download my photos from Flickr, or from RRU/Ning, and then again upload them to Geni? That's duplication of work. Duplication of work is bad. Duplication of work is a waste. Of. My. Time.

Time is a COMMODITY. Time is VALUABLE! I would LOVE to share my thoughts and my photos with you, but I don't have the TIME to manage 3 Blogs, and 4 Photo Albums.

Another site that lets you publish a Blog and Photos: Myspace. More duplication.

Between Tagging and Feeds, there is NO reason this should not be in place already.

Am I the ONLY one that gets this? Hello! Hello?!?! (taps the mic) Is this thing on?
Argh! (throws the mic down, and walks away.)

This post has semi baby-related content, so if you don't feel like reading that type of stuff, then leave now...

Anyway...

I've never been big on birthdays - mine, or anyone else's. I mean, when you get down to it, EVERYBODY has one, so what makes mine or yours so special? If you're friend of mine, then sure, I'm glad you were born, so your being here is a reason for celebration, but if we're such tight friends, how about we celebrate the day we met? A day we shared a unique or memorable experience? You know?

HOWEVER...I'll tell you one birthday I think I'll make it a habit to recognize EVERY year; That's right - my son's birthday!

Why? Well, that's going to be a special day in MY life. A day MY life will be changed. I'm not sure how I'll personally celebrate his birthday every year, though. Probably not with a huge party. Something a bit more private and introspective.

I'll keep you posted.

By the way...Mrs. Mau and I have chosen a name for the manchild. It's on the baby website, which is the same as the wedding website, if you had that web address.

If you don't have that address, and would like to keep tabs, then contact me at mau (at) imsayin.com, and I'll be glad to share that info with you. I'm not really a fan of putting my personal information out on the Interweb for all to see, but anyone who's friendly enough to ask for it, is probably friend enough to know it.

Know What I'm Sayin'??

Hope all is well with you and yours.

New addition to the page: a "Call Me" Button.

It's pretty simple. If you want to talk to me, click that button. The system will first ask you for your phone number. Then it will call you, and probably ask for your name. After that, the system will call me.

I may answer. I might now. Pretty cool, huh? It's a feature offered by GrandCentral.

So, call me.

Know What I'm Sayin'??

Things here are not bad. They could be better, of course, but they're not bad. Let's just say there is loads and loads of room for improvement. Gads. Acres. If you've got improvement to spare, then we'll take it over here.

But not bad.

It's easy to forget that it's not bad, though. Today's Pearls Before Swine:



For an instant, I was like "Geez. I know what you're talking about. Make room for me."

But

Then I said to my self "[Self] Hold up one damned minute. Don't you know who I am?" (I had a Juggernaut Moment. Let me know if you have no idea what the hell I'm talking about there.) I am he of the ever-present smile and good vibes. I am the bringer of cheer, and the banisher of frowns. I'm that guy. This is not the proper attitude of that guy. So, what am I gonna go do? I'm gonna do what I can, when I can, in good conscience. And sleep soundly when I'm done. We've got a kid on the way. SOON. And a son at that. I'm excited. No Crate O' Sadness for me. I'm straight."

I will NOT go quietly into the night.


Know What I'm Sayin'??