Wonders Never Cease

Joelle said in the early morning on August 29, 2007

Despite the lack of response to my emails, the thieving schmuck actually took down our work.  I wonder whose work it is he’s lifted this time…

That use of “whose” doesn’t look right to me. Is that right? Who’s? Whose?

Damn. 

Steam Is Coming Out of My Ears

Joelle said around mid-morning on August 27, 2007

I am so sick of people stealing our work and trying to pass it off as their own. This has happened since the day we launched our first design and I discover or am informed about at least one new rip-off artist per week.  I appreciate that our work is admired. I really do.  But, and I mean this with as much grace as I can manage, go learn how to do it yourself and get your grubby goddamn paws off our work.

Cripes!  I just don’t get that audacity of some people.  This schmuck in… Asia, somewhere… every single design in his portfolio is ours.  All are mine, one is Kathy‘s.  Seriously, WHAT the hell?  He’s peddling his talents with OUR work?  What happens when the people go view those websites and see OUR credit at the bottom, huh?

For some reason, we have the highest amount of thieves from Malaysia and Brazil. I don’t know what that’s about. I suppose they just think they won’t get caught.  How could anyone claim to be a web designer and then NOT know that the internet is… well, a net?  I can see you, hi.  *waves* There are these things called referrals and guess what?  They’re world-wide.

I tried to contact him through his website, but I couldn’t. It didn’t allow an area for comments, but I left a comment on his blog (and also just sent an email to his Hotmail address).  Hopefully that will shake some sense into him.

Damn, what in the hell is wrong with people? What?  Why can’t people just be decent? I can’t believe anyone who would look at his website and the work he’s done and think it was done by the same person.  Nice use of Papyrus, asshole.  Welcome to 2007.

I am so irritated.  Most of the time, I just let it roll off.  I chalk it up to ignorance when someone takes a design and uses it on their own blog. But when someone is trying to run a business, representing themselves with work that I busted my tuchus over… I feel like Madeline Kahn in Clue.

“I hated her, so much… That… it… it… flame...flames. Flames, on the side of my face, heaving… breathless, heaving breaths. Heaving breaths… ”

I Can Has Huh?!

Joelle said around mid-morning on August 27, 2007

As much as that photo above does amuse me, I have to say I think I’m the only person on the planet who doesn’t “get” the whole I Can Has Cheezburger phenomenon.  I just don’t get it. I don’t get the misspellings, I don’t get the concept, I just don’t… get it.  Is there a particular department where I relinquish my geek membership card?

And Then My Poor Meatball, Rolled Right Out the Door

Joelle said around lunch time on August 26, 2007

Last night, a bunch of us met up with our good friend Bitca in Santa Monica for dinner and drinks.  We met up at the 3rd Street Promenade at 7pm and then our gang of ne’er-do-wells wandered down a few blocks to Buca di Beppo for family-style Italian food.  If you’ve not been there before, the small portion is enough to serve 2-3 people.  It’s enormous.  Keith‘s girlfriend got a side of spaghetti marinara that was like… at least a half-pound of pasta. Seriously.

Generally, everyone just gets different things and everyone shares, but I’m watching what I eat so I tell the waiter that I would just like to order a meatball. I was going to get a side salad, too, but I figured it would be the size of a Cadillac, so I stuck with something managable: one meatball.  I knew their meatballs were easily meal-sized and I am trying to avoid pastas.  Just a personal choice.  So, the waiter says, “Ok, one meatball” and writes it down, endorsing it enthusiastically… telling me I wouldn’t be disappointed. Great. Bring it on.

So, he’s getting the rest of the orders and he interrupts my conversation, pointing to the single-serving spaghetti and meatball dinner on the menu.  “Since you not so hungry, we get you this, okay?” he said.  I nodded, assuming he was bringing me a slightly smaller meatball, something more lady-like or whatever.  Fine, fine.

The food starts to arrive… giant bruscettas as big as a steering wheel, lasagna the size of a cinderblock, some baked ravioli, Bitca got some crazy pork thing with blueberries and hazelnuts, there was a pizza, but lo!  Where was my meatball?

The waiter comes zooming up to the table with this plate piled high with pasta and one big meatball at the top.  I said, “I didn’t order the pasta dinner.” and he says, “Yes, you did.” and I said, “No, I asked for a meatball and you told me that you were going to give me this other order. I thought you knew something I didn’t.”

He then takes my plate, rolls the meatball onto another empty plate right in front of me and says, “You can move it to a new plate if you want it separate!” and I said, “Look, I just want the meatball.” So he takes the pasta away and says, “OK, no problem. It’s the same price.”

I said, “No, I’m sorry. No. A meatball is $4.99.  A pasta dinner is $9.99. That is not the same price. I’m sorry, but I’m not paying for pasta I didn’t ask for.” He took it off the bill, but seriously, what is so hard about “I just want a meatball.” when there’s a table of ten more people ordering $200 worth of food?

Just give a girl her meatball.  Jeez.

SXSWi 2008 or Bust!

Joelle said around mid-morning on August 23, 2007

Some of you may recall that in 2006, I attended SXSW Interactive as a panelist on ”How to Make $$ with Your Blog Design Skills” (you can download the entire podcast here — please excuse the poor sound and my nervous laugh).  Kathy wasn’t able to attend with me that year because she’d just had Mr. Poop (her kidlet) and wasn’t in a position to hoof it to Austin, Texas.

Then, BlogHer happened and we were offered an opportunity to attend the 2007Conference in Chicago, but this time, I was unable to attend. So, Kathy went to “represent”.

So, we’re making SXSW Interactive in 2008 a priority.  We’d like to attend something together for once. We’re also going to try to work a book signing into the trip at the SXSW bookstore.

Luckily, Susie Gardner had the brilliant idea of reconvening the same panelists from our first successful panel (we made the SXSW Honor Roll of best panels) for a new topic: Blogging Tool Death Match! (For some reason, I thought it was going to be Blog Platform Death Match, but I don’t make the rules...) But, so many panel ideas are submitted that we need your votes to make sure our panel is selected.

Blogging Tool Death Match!

Every blog project starts with the same question: Which blog platform is the right one to use? Answering this question correctly can make or break the final product. Get the nitty-gritty on each platform from experts who will defend their software choice against all challengers. Will it come to blows?

This year, I’m trying to coerce Kathy into taking my spot on the panel since I did it once already.  I can hang in the audience and make lewd gestures at her like any supportive friend and business partner would do.

Each of the panelists is taking a blog platform to pimp: Lisa Sabin-Wilson (Wordpress — of course!), Peter Flaschner (Movable Type — Lucy, you have a lot of ‘splainin’ to do!), Paul Chaney (Typepad — I’d rather eat paste than work with Typepad, maybe he can change my mind) and one of us (Expression Engine — the tool of champions!).  If Kathy’s not into it, I’ll happily wax enthusiastic about Expression Engine.  Susie will be our moderator in case I have to throw down over Movable Type’s whole “rebuilding” thing and we need to take it outside. 

If you’re planning on attending SXSW Interactive 2008 (or if you aren’t and don’t mind logging into the site), PLEASE vote for our panel! C’mon, you know you want to see a bunch of blog designers slinging geek mud!  How is that not the pinnacle of excitement?