Comments(1)Time to retire Areallygoodname.com
It’s come time - to retire areallygoodname.com
I’ll be shutting down two of my servers and focusing on just a few of my new projects 
2007 Honda VTX For Sale - Utah - 1300c Pearl Navy Blue
2007 Honda VTX 1300c, Perfect Condition. In Orem, Utah. Buyer is responsible for shipping arrangements.
$7800
This gorgeous Honda cruiser is in near perfect condition. I have never kept her out in the rain, never laid her down, and always winterized her very well.
She only has 6838 miles, and I’ve probably babied her way too much.
I have the oil changed twice a year, and always get her serviced up at the Honda dealership.
Comes with Vance & Hines Big Shot pipes - which you REALLY need to hear what she sounds like!
Thankfully I don’t have a wife who is forcing me to sell her, but I do have medical bills which are a higher priority.
Call or e-mail me if you have any questions. 801-471-9666 areallygoodname @ gmail.com
Here are some pictures: Click for the large version.
Photoshop Sunday: A Grunge, Desktop, and a T-shirt
So for my second week of Photoshop Sunday, I actually started on something that actually required me to learn a little more; improve my skills (as I should). What ended up happening is after 4 hours I decided I hated what I had created and scrapped it. Instead, I’ve got some of my older stuff to post. ( I actually do eventually plan to create something fresh and original to post each week).
The first was done strictly with brushes I found from a few different artists.. kinda mixed n matched them. The second was a design I was actually paid for (hope they don’t know about this blog… but I don’t remember signing anything so I should be good). The third was just a desktop background I made a few weeks ago messing around with an image our company has used a few times.
PhotoShop Sunday: Random Design
For the last month or so I’ve spent each Sunday morning goofing around on Photoshop. I plug in a movie, bust open the Macbook and just keep trying to learn more about graphic design. I figured since most of the designs are amateur quality and I haven’t had plans to put them anywhere I should share some. I also need some motivation to blog.. about something. Anything. At least for while.
Here are a few I’ve I did or edited in the last few weeks of sundays.
The first was actually originally a design Dan of www.todaywasawesome.com suggested I do (it had some other aspects I’ve removed). Last week, I removed the other pieces of it - and determined it looked better with a simple photoshop filter applied.
On the second: I first used a variety of brushes I found online, the majority from www.deviantart.com. - I started with a strong background. With the brushes I used mixed colors, mixed application modes (normal, lighten, color burn, etc). Then took the remaining and did some minor ‘liquify’ effects, then messed around with a few filters, curve modifications etc.
The Third: Couple more brushes on a plain background, this time messing with blending/layer options to get the bevel/3d and the shadowing. This one though simple, got me really thinking about some designs for next week.
See you then.
How to Kill A Blog
Step 1
Post Regularly, find a some niche posts that major search engines find relevant.
Get an average of 15,000 visitors a month.
Step 2
Divert your focus elsewhere in life. Stop Posting.
Step 3
Rinse, repeat.
New York City Vacation, Oct 2008
So it’s been a full year since my last vacation, and the sad thing is I’ve only made a few lame posts since then anyway. It was a great vacation, but what gave the trip to Italy last October was how much I needed it. I took some time off for Thanksgiving, some for Christmas - and since December, I’ve really only taken one day off work.
It’s time for vacation again, and it’s really needed. I am heading out to New York tomorrow morning for just under a week with a good friend from high school. Of course I am really really excited for the break, but more than anything I am excited to get a chance to actually have a lot of free time in Manhattan. I’ve been twice now in the past but haven’t had the chance to do much more than get to ground zero for a few minutes, and then walked down to the water so I could just see the Statue of Liberty way off in the distance. I was there for a few minutes and had to turn around and head back to the airport, leaving me very unsatisfied.
For the short time I had to walk around I snapped a few pictures. I figured I’d dig ‘em up and post em, then over the next week try to remember to post some of my new ones.
Why I Left Sprint | Upgrading Means Leaving
Sprint: I was with them for 4 years. 4 years and my biggest complaint was that I couldn’t use all the minutes in my plan. I had a good plan- and at 4 years old compared to the current prices I was indeed getting a sweet deal by staying with them and renewing that plan. A great benefit of Sprint- was their cheap data plans in a world filled with the rising costs for other carriers. $15 a month on my awesome plan and I could pick out a sweet PDA/Smart phone and still be a great price.
I never needed to call customer service. When my phone broke I went down to the local Sprint store in Orem and they replaced it - twice - for free. I recently had my contract run out and I thought I would take advantage of upgrading to a new phone and get $150 discount by renewing. They have 30 day trials there, which I am gracious for because I wanted to find a phone that fit my needs/likes: and it was nice to know I could try a few. Initially I tried the HTC mogul, LG Musiq, and messed around with a few others. I didn’t quite like any of them so I took them back- and each time I was always using my old plan and the added data plan to it.
Finally they pitch me this “Samsung Instinct, the iPhone killer”. . . the new hotness. . . I double check- make sure I can do the 30 day trial, that I don’t have to buy a different plan, and that if I cancel I will still retain my old plan. With an annoyed looks, my ignorance cost their patience and the rep said in a pissed off tone, “Yeah…. of course…You’ve tried it 4 or 5 times now already, just figure it out and realize that’s how it’ll always be”.
I go to buy the phone, and guess what: I HAVE to buy a new plan. The rep who made me feel stupid was probably laughing inside when he asked, “which plan do you want? $89.00 plan?”… What?! Double what I am paying? .. ..needless to say, I had a debate right then and there. If it is a lot like the iphone, I could love it and only have to pay $100 for the phone and the plan is the same price as the iPhones. Also- this is my last attempt with Sprints phone selection before I stick to my old plan and just get a one of their freebie flip phones….besides, it’s just a trial anyway and I was curious. They sales reps tell me he’s sure I am going to love it, and blah blah blah. I double check that I can cancel and go back to my old plan within 30 days- and pull the trigger and buy it.
So when I decide I don’t like it? The Sprint store in Orem tells me I CAN’T go back to my old plan. No way- no how- their system is programmed that no matter what I do- I can’t have my old plan back even if I return the phone and cancel. I have to pick a new plan? For the same price as my old plan I had to choose a plan that had half of the services I was getting before. But, I am not in contract- but have to pick a new plan? They say the plan is ‘best for the company, an enhancement for more streamlined services’.
I made my decisions based on getting the plan back. I took a cheap plan and tried calling into customer service to see if they could help. Of course they gave me the ‘we upgraded our system’ BS and that I can’t go back. I mention I’ll likely cancel and I get nothing back and the call just became frustrating. If I would have been given clear and truthful information in the beginning, I would have not done the purchase trial of the Instinct- i would have just spent a lot of time in the store testing it out- but my old plan and my desire to stay with it was much higher than risking it on a $100 P.O.S. poor attempt at giving an alternative to the iPhone. Not to mention……. there were 4 or 5 other people at the store at the same time as me, returning their Samsung Instincts too!.
The Iphone 3g comes out not too much later, and I’ve been a very happy camper with Cingular/AT&T/Apple and I really do think my current phone is what I was looking for. AT&T has even proactively called ME 3 times since I signed up to ensure everything is working and to remind me of some benefits.