The Good Life (a Vox.com remnant)

Crop Your Ex Out Of That Photo, Easy with FotoFlexer

I mentioned Seam Carving before, a "smart" way for software to resize a photo without compromising the composition of the original photo. Now comes FotoFlexer, an online tool that offers this functionality right now. Check out the demo on the link above - impressive stuff!

Also, <ahref="http://rsizr.com/about/about/">you will want to take a look at Rszr, which offers a similar cropping tool</a>. Man, I love the internet!

clipped from blog.fotoflexer.com Introducing the Smart Resize feature: Here’s an example of how Smart Resize works. Original photo of two girls who just enjoyed eating a nice picnic lunch at the beach: FotoFlexer Smart Resize is used to choose a photo element to preserve (in green) and another to eliminate (in red): And the magic of FotoFlexer Smart Resize creates the new, desired image while maintaining the scale and composition of the entire photo: There are many fun ways to apply this feature, imagine the possibilities. You can view a demo video discussing FotoFlexer Smart Resize here: http://fotoflexer.com/demos.php

Halloween, Harry Potter and the Heart

Five years ago, you would not have seen me make something like this.

 

Hogwarts Robe

Or this:

 

DIY Magic Wand 2

That is because I was on the road to being a "Super Christian" and Harry Potter and Halloween were bad. But something happened to my heart. Jesus reminded me that he preaches the "spirit" of the law, not the "letter."

I spent so much time making a show about what I "would not" do that I overlooked the things I should do. Like love others, not take self-glorifying positions, and stopping to look beyond the surface (to name a few).

This year, my little girl wants to be "Hermione" from the Harry Potter books and movies.  And, I am not only letting her, I am helping her!

That's right, I'm a Christian and I'm making a Magic Wand. (can get an Amen?)

I'm looking at this differently now. I remember a good friend told me her daughter wanted to be Hermione several years ago, and I bristled and was rather pious about it. She countered with how the character was strong, smart, and brave, all great qualities for little girls to model. I wasn't hearing any of it. I was one of "those" Christians.

I owe her an apology. 

I couldn't do anything but "act" how I thought "Christians" acted. Now I know better, now I really understand. Love your neighbor. Love. He is all about Love. I was all about Me.

Since my apology can't happen easily, I think of this costume as a form of making up for that moment.

 

DIY Gryffindor Crest for Halloween Costume

Who knows. Maybe my friend will get her elbows in front of a computer one day and see this post.

But for now, I look at Halloween, Harry and Hermione differently these days. I love God, love others, and don't sweat the small stuff (and it's all small stuff anyway). In a few days, a little girl will don this hand-made costume and be filled with joy, and the empowerment that a strong role model can bring. And I'm gonna smile, and let her have her fun. 

And you know, I might just have some fun too.

 

I made this

(hint)

HowTo: Build a Fully Functional "Operation" costume - (w/link to video)

Follow the link above to the site for a "How To" on building a fully functional "Operation" costume. The page has a video clip and all the tech info you will need to DIY.

<a href = "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zFjucOVSy0">Link to YouTube video</a>]

clipped from home.san.rr.com "Fully OPERATION-al"

QotD: Happy Voxiversary! (and a Mash-up, too)

Today is Vox's first anniversary since the official launch.  What's the best experience you've had on Vox in the past year?

Wellll, I think I'd have to rank the invite Kymberlie sent me to join the Vox Beta (called "Not Comet" back then). My first post was on March 10th, 2006. A bit before the official launch. My first post was a little less enthusiastic than I am now:

I believe this makes my fourth blog. No, fifth? ...OK, hey, seven is a lucky number. I can go with that.

Once I warmed to the idea that Vox was trying to be more than just another hosted blog site, I had a different take:

... blogging hasn't been fun for me for a long, long time. Maybe because the Blog world exploded. Maybe because folks I liked to read stopped blogging. ...Whatever the case, having had a blog for 6+ years you see a lot of change.

I think this is what is so interesting to me about (Vox). For the first time in I don't know how long, I am starting to have fun again. Not as much fun (yet) as "back in tha day" but I can sense it happening.

Right now, it makes me think of this community as the "Little Rascals" ... it is like being a member of "Our Gang" again. I am probably not communicating this very well. I am not sure if this even makes sense to anyone but me.

But for now, I am glad to be in the Clubhouse again. Right Spanky?

Well, since then, I've transformed my "other blog" and made Vox my home.

... my original blog has become my "Other Blog." ... it isn't really any fun there. Not anymore.

No, the fun is to be had here at Vox. Here there is community, and connection.

At my "Other Blog" all that faded away. Maybe I faded away. But I really dig it here at Vox, and I will be here for the long haul.

So, to Vox I say thank you for being born, and for bringing the "joy" back to blogging.

Happy Birthday, erm, Anniversary, uh, Voxiversary!

Without you, TheGoodLife with be just so-so!

And with that spirit, I post a totally unrelated Mash-up!

DJ John - Bootie 3 Year Party set opener

DJ John

ACDC vs Kelly vs Bloodhound Gang vs Madonna vs John Cougar vs Greenday

This fun mix is via DJ John. It says it is a "test" so I am not sure if he ever finished it, but I really like what he's done. Again, nothing to do with the Voxiversary, but fun nonetheless!

Make Traffic Lights Change With Magnets - Good for Motorcycles

Is your car or bike too light to trigger the traffic lights? Magnets can help! Anyone with a a Yugo will want to see this!

clipped from www.metacafe.com Trigger GREEN Traffic Lights! Watch Video How to get green traffic lights using science! Save Gas, time & frustration! Works great! See the Test Results!

Secret Code To Make Traffic Lights Change At The Crosswalk

Can't wait to try this (unless it's a joke).....

clipped from www.metacafe.com Make Traffic Lights Change!! Amazing! Watch Video

Make Your Own Bird/Angel Wings for Halloween

WOW!

clipped from www.instructables.com How to make a pair of Angel Wings

Call Me using GrandCentral

Have you heard of Google's phone service called "GrandCentral?" If you use your cell phone a lot, and voice mail, you really should look at trying (for free) GrandCentral. One phone number is assigned to you (for life) and you give that out, GrandCentral forwards any calls to that number anywhere you want - home, office, cell.

Also, if you were dating, you could give this number out and screen calls (or block forever). Or have Mom sent to voicemail, but your BFF rings right to your cell!!

A fun option is the "Web Call" button. Use it and your blog readers can call you (or be sent to voice mail) while still keeping your personal phone number private.

WebCall

GrandCentral offers a LOT more. Wanna try it? I have a few invites just for VOX members. Here's how:

• First, leave a comment here.
• Second, you gotta call me! Use the button, and leave a voicemail with your email address, and mention your Vox name so I know who's who. Feel free to be as goofy and fun as you want! Have fun with it!
  

I'll update when all the invites are gone.

Remix: Stayin' Alive (Tebby Bears remix)

Just something to get you to smile and make it through Hump Day. Great remix, don't miss it!

 

Bee Gees - Stayin Alive (Teddy Bears remix)

Twitter Widgets for Your Vox (and other blogs too)

Thanks to the "embed" button in Vox, I can add a Twitter widget right in a blog post to let you know what I'm up to (add me as DarrenTooCool):

follow DarrenTooCool at http://twitter.com

Twitter-Me

I can also add one that lists me, and everyone I am following:

Twitter-All

I thought these tools were kinda hard to find on the Twitter site. Twitter calls them "Badges" which makes no sense to me. Go here for the wizard that makes code you can use for ANY blog platform. But for VOX you need to select the "Other" option (it produces embeddable Flash code).

Seriously, if I'd know a "badge" was a web "widget" I'd have saved a lot of time.

To add this to your VOX sidebar, just follow these instructions.

And while this may be old news, I can testify that someone new is ALWAYS joining Twitter, and us newbies need all the help we can get!