Trying to edit the website

So I switched my Squarespace hosting to take advantage of the free Squarespace 6 site, and spent some time playing around with the template/site builder. It really isn’t that simple. Maybe I need to read through all of the support materials.

Didn’t really feel like doing that because I spent over an hour trying to remove Microsoft Silverlight from Stephanie’s MacBook. Uninstalling Silverlight on Mac should be easy; delete the silverlight.plugin in the Library > Internet Plugins folder. Except it’s not that simple at all. I had to use Terminal and find all of the hidden files Microsoft sneaks into the computer.

When it rains it pours?

I’m also having problems with my iMac. Time to get a new computer, definitely. This thing is just too old and slow now — it freezes up and hiccups every few minutes. Another reason why I prefer working from my new iPad.

Problem is, I can’t edit the style and theme of this Squarespace site from my iPad. It requires desktop Safari. I hope one day Squarespace will enhance their iOS app to support layout/code editing. So I’ve been sitting here, at my desktop (physically pretty painful!), trying to figure out what overrides what, just trying to get simple things like colors and fonts as I want them. I’ll have to pick this up another day.

It’s okay as is.

Also, I cancelled TypePad Pro (new link) and MediaTemple hosting. Now I’ll have more time and energy to focus on this and my portfolio site, a few designs and graphics, packing up the house to move, and my health — though not necessarily in that order.

Touch Tablets & Muji Notebook Inkblogging

The iPad 2 really is a marvelous thing. Even though I can't sit at my desk for more than a few minutes (without tremendous pain), I can write, draw and read on a computer that feels as fast as any notebook or desktop I've used. However, recently — not so much — crazy back-and-forth, sunny-cloudy weather has been giving me migraines, keeping me down, eyes-closed.

Note: (Though it isn't unique to Squarespace) I really love Squarespace's scheduled post feature. When I'm feeling okay, I can write a few blog entries and let Squarespace automatically post them at preset times. That's what I've been doing... I think it's a worthy tip to pass along. (I remember using a similar feature with WordPress; Tumblr has it as well, and I'm pretty sure post major blogging tools/engines have the ability.)

iPad & Tablet Thoughts

iPad capacitive multi-touch is stellar for just about everything except art and design; without a pressure-sensitive digitizer (something like Wacom Penabled or N-Trig), variable line weight (thickness) can only be determined by speed. For artists, dual-input slate tablets are ideal, (active digitizer and capacitive touch) such as Windows 7 devices: ASUS Eee Slate EP121 (or B121) and the Samsung Series 7 tablet. I really want one; even with Windows 8 and the iPad 3 on the horizon.

Art makes me happy. I like creating; designing, doodling, sketching, illustrating, composing. I love mixed media; ink and watercolor, charcoal and paint, handwriting and blogging! Drawing helps my mood and writing helps my memory, and the iPad 2 is like my (virtually) unending, lightweight note/sketchbook. If sharing is caring, why not share what I care about?

To be continued — second part in three hours!