Site Design / Structure / ZenFBSuite Changes... [news]
Site Design/Structure Changes
Hello boys and girls, your friendly neighborhood artist/geek here!
So many of you have noticed the change in design to the site, it's kind of hard to miss. And plenty of you have noticed the change in structure to the albums and directories for my media excursions.
There's more on the way! Thanks to my brother I've managed to get my hands on a nice little video camera. What does this mean? Well besides the photography, digital, and audio work, I'll be adding some video work to my repetoire. Why is it not here yet? Well, right now I'm working on the logistics of the content delivery.
I'd love to be able to host my videos here on my own site, but one of the logistical challenges is having to make sure I get "whitelisted" for Facebook. In all honesty that shouldn't be a problem as I'm doing nothing that breaks any of their terms etc. However, if for some reason my request to have my domain whitelisted is denied, then I'll have to rely upon something else such as YouTube.
The whole point in having my work on line is to be able to share it, and Facebook is the main key to social networking at this point so the ability to share the media properly hinges upon that.
So keep an eye on the horizon for an additional structure addition.
zenFBSuite
With a bit of free time recently I've been working on some code upgrades for the zenFBSuite of plugins. The initial update release I did earlier this month was rushed and I want to finish off the last few changes that I intended on.
One of them is email notification when someone posts a comment, but that portion is still buggy at the moment.
I've also centralized some of the options and required javascript/html info into a common option interface.
zenFBSuite 1.4.0-6454 released! zenTwitter also updated! [news]
zenFBSuite, zenTwitter & Zenphoto 1.4.0
With the official release of Zenphoto 1.4.0 I've dusted off the old coding fingers and put the final touches on the updated zenFBSuite of plugins and zenTwitter. Highlights of the changes include:
- Added requirement of zenFBcommon plug-in to be enabled. Plug-in functionality will be disabled unless you enable the zenFBcommon plug-in.
- zenFBSuite of plug-ins option interface updated to adhere to Zenphoto 1.4.0's new performance enhancements.
- zenFBComments can be disabled for all Album/Image/Page/News pages via admin options.
- zenFBComments now adheres to whether comments are enabled/disabled per article/page as designated via the admin interface by checking "Comments On".
- Moved OpenGraph keys from zenFBSuite plug-ins to zenFBcommon.
- Added option interface for specification of application ID & admin ID.
- Plug-in now distributed as pack with other zenFBSuite plug-ins.
zenTwitter option interface was updated to adhere to 1.4.0's new structure enhancing Zenphoto performance.
For more information and download please visit the following pages:
A new year, a new Zenphoto release & a new zenFBSuite! [news]
With 2011 now upon us I figured I'd take the day to do some finishing touches on the new versions of the zenFBSuite of plug-ins.
While I've got the plug-ins updated to the point they should work with Zenphoto 1.4.0, I'm holding of releasing them until the official Zenphoto release (which should be sometime later today as I understand it).
I want to test the plug-ins with the official release to make sure there weren't any last-minute changes that will break the plug-ins. Once the official release hits and I'm able to do some testing I'll release the new zenFBSuite version.
Upcoming changes... [news]
Alright boys and/or girls.
As you can see I've done pretty much a complete overhaul of the gallery layout and design. With these changes coming to a close, I'm going to be changing the structure of the gallery as I attempt to re-add some of the multimedia projects that I've been a part of, as well as adding some video etc.
Look for those changes coming soon. As usual if you have any ideas or suggestions feel free to comment and let me know!
-M
My Christmas Wish... [news]
My Christmas Wish...
It's been quite a while since I've made a Christmas wish.. years in fact. Many of them. Most years, the thought just never crossed my mind. Some might say that I've been too preoccupied, too stuck, too selfish, or any of the other thoughts that have crossed my mind about why I haven't.
As any of my friends or family know already, the holidays are hard for me usually. At some point I feel depression beacuse the ghosts of the past always rear their head and leave me spinning. This year, for some reason, has been extremely difficult. I usually am able to just motor right on through the depression and break out if it in no time at all, filled with holiday cheer.
A couple weeks ago I felt it, and haven't really been able to shake it since. I'm not sure what is different this year, but I've begun to grasp what I think could be the reason. This year, more than any, I've realized that I miss the innocence of the holidays.
I miss the holiday traditions, I miss the magic of the holidays. As a kid I used to dread getting dressed in our nice clothes and going to my Grandma & Grandpa Brown's on Christmas Eve, then doing the same thing Christmas day and going to Grandma & Grandpa Walton.
Family, holidays, big dinners, everyone laughing, and even the usual holiday dramatic arguments that would spring up... I miss it all.
This year, I started feeling like I was letting someone down, and to be honest, I'm not sure who or how. Part of me feels like it's just a facet of the holiday downers, but part of me thinks that I really am. I worry that one day I'll wake up and realize it in a bright flash of light and then it'll be too late to fix.
My wish, my Christmas wish, is to recapture the innocence of the holidays. For me it was never about the presents. It's about my family and friends, it's about restoring old traditions and creating new traditions. It's about making sure that the holiday spirit entrances the youth. I want my kids when or if I have any, to say Happy Thanksgiving and mean it being thankful for something. I want them to say Merry Christmas without worrying about offending anyone.
I want to start small and do a bunch of little things for other people, and then maybe in turn they will do small things for others, and maybe we can begin to restore some of the simple spirit of the holidays.
I want to go caroling with friends and family and spread a little cheer from door to door.
I want to ring in the New Year with family and friends, and have a nice hot bowl of black-eyed peas.
The silliest thing just popped into my head... when I was little we used to have this thing that we'd plug in with the tree lights. It would sit wrapped at the bottom of the tree, a little silver ball that looked like an ornament, but when plugged in it would let out the sounds of a small bird chirping.
I miss that for some reason...
To my family and friends, I hope that Christmas finds you well. I love you all.
-M
