Sunday, May 31, 2009

The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet


I'm curious if anyone has seen this book. A review showed up in today's newspaper, and it included this paragraph:

T.S. Spivet - his initials stand for "Tecumseh Sparrow," which is fully explained - is a rather peculiar 12-year-old boy, narrating in his inimitably charming voice. He lives with his family on a ranch in Montana, where he spends his da
ys immersed in cartography. No topic is too esoteric for his intricate maps and diagrams, displayed in the book's margins. (They were created by the author and Ben Gibson, who designed the book's quirky typography.)

There is also a very cool website.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

A Tip o' the Hat to Squarespace

I first set this blog up right after reading The World Is Flat. It seemed so easy that I then went after my own website, but that's been a little different story. Even software that I call "web tools for dummies" made updates a chore if not an event to be dreaded.

While prowling in Lifehacker I found Squarespace and gave it a try - it didn't take long to convince me. So far I've found it relatively easy to use, and I'm continuing to figure out just what I can do with it. The best part: I can update and experiment constantly.

Their customer service is really strong. They were quick and expansive when I asked questions before signing up. When I blacked out my whole site by putting the wrong code in the wrong place (nothing is completely idiot-proof, huh?) they fixed it and had me back up in an hour. Highly recommended!