Have I mentioned lately how nice it is to have a proper task manager? I didn’t realize how much I’d value my history of completed items or how much time I’d save until now. It’s really transforming how I allocate my time and I’m able to do a much better job of figuring out how much actual time I use to complete things and how much time I have for new tasks since my brain is so bad at tracking these things realistically (I can’t actually work 8 hours at my full time job and spend 4+ hours on volunteer project work every day, my brain gets tired!).
A lot of free time last week was spent with MJ and I getting our engagement photos sorted and the mjandlyz.com site launched so we could send photos to friends and family. I got the basics up and found Highslide JS which we are using for the gallery, it worked out pretty well and MJ tossed in some javascript code of his own while configuring it. The process took a while (it felt like years, I was so excited to share all the pictures!) but it was fun working on a project together and I’m really happy with the final result.
Been doing a lot of Ubuntu stuff lately, as usual. For Ubuntu Classroom and Ubuntu Women I’ve been inundated with tasks as a bunch of stuff decided to happen at once. DarkMyst.org recently changed changed the IRCd and Services package over to one that’s much better security-wise and has active development, so I’ve also spent a bunch of time helping with updating documentation and responding to support requests (and there is still more to do!). MJ spent much of this past weekend working through some of our home network and television configuration things, including the task of planning how to integrate our new WebPass internet connection into our network given the spacing of the outlets and plans to get the TV wire and peripherals configuration completed. We also headed out to Berkeley for BerkeleyLUG on Sunday the 10th and I think we found the last bit of free-standing shelving that we want in the office. There is a lot of home stuff to do still, but we’re making progress and that feels good.
This past Saturday we met up with one of MJ’s friends he knew back in Pennsylvania who was in town for an event. We met up with her and her boyfriend at Pier 39, it was a nice lunch and gave me an awesome opportunity to add to my SF street and cable cars set on Flickr and visit the sea lions!
We also took the opportunity to finally visit the Aquarium of the Bay there at Pier 39. I was slightly worried that it would be a bit of a tourist trap (since so much down near Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf is!) but it actually ended up being quite a nice little aquarium and with my San Francisco Zoo Family membership we were able to get in for half the regular price.
The Aquarium focuses on species native to the San Francisco Bay and they’re involved with a number of conservation and rescue organizations in the bay area (including The Marine Mammal Center!). Downstairs is their main exhibit, two huge tanks that you walk through in a tube to see all kinds of local fish and sharks.
- Youtube: Sharks! (from Aquarium of the Bay)
- Youtube: Jellyfish (from Aquarium of the Bay)
- Youtube: Jellyfish at Aquarium of the Bay
More photos from Saturday: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pleia2/sets/72157627217058044/
It’s probably one of my favorite attractions down there now, I’ll be renewing my zoo membership this year so I’ll have to be sure to visit again.
This week… I’ve got some major work projects I’m pushing forward on and I’m preparing for my Fosscon keynote in Philadelphia on Saturday and sorting visiting friends plans for the rest of the weekend. Over the weekend we got a VGA cable hooked up to the TV so I can rehearse my talk on a big screen, woohoo! Making rehearsing fun makes all the difference.