pancake theorem a tech/life blog

jQuery Conference Portland is next month and I’ll be there 05.15.2013

In fact, I’ll be speaking! My talk will be called Learn Code, Make Art: Using the Right-brain as a Code Education Tool.

Do you want to learn a language or library, but have hit a wall on what kind of project to start in the process? There are infinite ideas for projects that foster programming education, but creating art using code can be a breath of fresh air and inspiration for new programmers and seasoned developers alike!I’ll show you some art projects that involve code, and tell of my own experience with using art to learn and continue practicing jQuery. We’ll explore the different ways that you can use code to not only make art, but make existing creative works more stimulating and engaging for both you as the artist and those who are viewing your work.

I’ve never been to Portland, and I have never spoken at a conference like this, so I’m super excited. I’m also looking forward to meeting up with ol’ dev pals and meet new ones. There are lots of cool talks and training happening, too.

It’s June 13th and 14th (less than a month!) and you should get tickets and gooooooo!

leave a note

Development on Windows 05.08.2013

I started a new job this week (Senior Front-end Web Developer/Shark Keeper at the NBA!). The biggest challenge is working with a Windows machine, which I haven’t developed on in about six years. Whenever students would walk into my old office (naturally, I left MSU last week), many of them would see my iMac and say “can you even program with that?” and I would just laugh and laugh and laugh and…

Anyway, yes, you can program on a Mac. Lots of stuff just works out of the box. And I love using Coda and xScope – both Mac-only applications. Now on this work machine, I’m using Netbeans until I get a license for Sublime. It’s like getting on a bicycle after all those years – I was wobbly for a few seconds, but now it’s like I’ve never stopped riding. The only persisting issue is the mouse scrolling in the opposite direction than my MacBook.

Windows users – what tools on your machine do you use to program and test?

3 notes • leave another

Geokerd: geocoding mysql tables of addresses with ease 04.02.2013

While making the Cost of Radiology app for Hack Jersey, we scraped a lot of addresses from reporter-generated spreadsheets – and when I say “reporter,” I mean *actual people*. The addresses were not geocoded, and there were far to many to have anyone retrieve them manually during a 24-hour hackathon. I built this geocoding app so no one has that problem ever again.

What you need to start

* MySQL table that is populated with addresses
* Your table must have a column for latitude values and a column for longitude values, empty or full
* Credentials which allow you to update said table
* A Google Maps API key – see the Google API docs for info

How to install

* Download contents of the app from Github and put into desired directory
* Update ‘config.php’ with your database connection, table, and API info
* Go to your installed app directory on your browser, read the directions, and click the button (it looks like this!)
* Have fun!

I hope this is as useful to some of you out there as it has been for me. As with everything else I’ve made, let me know your ideas or what cool stuff you’ve done with it.

4 notes • leave another

buncha jerks 03.25.2013

My “Ask Me Anything” page, which was meant for readers to ask me tech questions, has instead become a tool for a buncha jerks to ask and say inappropriate things over the past week. I guess their moms and dads are letting them have more than a half hour of AOL time per day. Hey, good for AOL if they pay by the hour.

I’ve enjoyed all the email questions, as well as helping a bunch of you out with your front-end code problems and projects. You are totally free to continue contacting me, but it will have to be through regular email or twitter.

And for those of you who keep asking me “why are you such a slut?” my answer to you is “just in case.” Duh.

xoxo

leave a note

A pretty fantastic Wednesday, if I do say so myself 03.13.2013

Today I took the day off to run errands, as it’s spring break and very slow on campus. This was probably the worst idea I’ve ever made. First, I dropped and cracked my 5-month-old Galaxy S3 on the way to the post office:

broken phone

Just the first domino in a line of them to fall today.

Then I decided to defrost my freezer and, of course, released all the freon. Now I have a second fridge until the super, Henry, can get the other one out because it’s stuck:

broken fridge

Yes, I’m an idiot and now I must pay.

Oh, and did you hear? Google Reader is retiring:

google reader retiring

FUCK YOU

Oh well, at least I’m still cute:

gorgeous goddess

Thanks for this, Melissa.

What should I break next?

leave a note

What I’m Up To: Hexels 03.09.2013

A small amount of algebra was used in my 8-bit art webapp to calculate where the box “pixel” is drawn on the canvas, based on the location of the cursor. It’s all ceiling calculations – easy stuff. But now I’ve got hexagon pixels (hexels) on my mind…

hexel math

The math is a lot more involved, as the grid *not* being checkered means some top-position shifting is involved when at certain left-positions. Ever since I posted this photo on Tumblr, I’ve had a bunch of people reach out to me in excitement over the idea of a hexagon-based art app. I gotta give the people what they want, right?

I’ve also been developing a less-artsy 8-bit art app that is geared toward the actual production of art, instead of just the playful creation of small characters in a frame (don’t worry, the original is not going anywhere), and it’s only a matter of weeks before I think it is ready.

So besides contract work and department administrating, that’s what I’m up to. Hexels.

What are you up to?

leave a note

Make 8-bit Art at Game On 2.0! 03.07.2013

GUESS WHAT! My 8-bit art app is on display at Game On 2.0, starting this Saturday at Ontario Science Center!

From March 9th until September 2nd, you can head to OSC and play tons of games, learn about the history of video games, AND play around with my app at either of TWO touch screen stations they set up.

My excitement over this is uncontainable. I may have cried after I received these photos over email this morning. I’m definitely heading to Canada at the end of the school year so I can see this, and all the kidderoonies and cool dudes making awesome art, in person!

leave a note