Web Development:

HTML5 Boilerplate
Website: www.html5boilerplate.com
Notable: Besides incorporating everything you could possibly need for an HTML5 boilerplate, the custom feature is great at addressing your own development needs and trimming the fat for features you’re not interested in.

HTML5 Outliner – Chrome Extension
Website: Extension Download Link
Notable: Visualizes what the outline algorithm sees and how you’ve structured your content. Big help for keeping track of how you’ve ordered your content

Grid calculator and generator
Website: www.problem.se/labs/gridcalc
Notable: CSS Output to any grid configuration, whoa my. Great time saver.

Email Builds:

Current CSS Support for email clients
Website: www.campaignmonitor.com/css/
PDF copy | XLS copy

Pre-flight for HTML email.
Website: http://premailer.dialect.ca
Notable: Expands CSS styling to be inline for email campaigns.

Email Boilerplate
Website: http://htmlemailboilerplate.com/
Notable: Comments address the mysterious world of email clients and some fixes for the inconsistent support outlined above.

Creating Email Newsletter Margins With Tables
Website: http://www.ianhoar.com/2011/03/27/creating-email-newsletter-margins-with-tables/
Notable: Great reminder for table based layouts in email builds

Angry Birds is my guilty pleasure. Forget about enlightenment, my personal fulfillment comes from dropping a brick on those smug green faces! I’ll be muttering and going cross-eyed on my phone, ‘Must get three stars… 10 more minutes… just one last try…’

I recently found a great behind the scenes on Mail Chimp about Rovio and Angry Birds. It’s a great insight into Rovio and their approach toward creating simple and addictive games where the narrative is conveyed via social media and other marketing. I love how they let the imagination of the player fill in the gaps in the story. I often ask why are these birds so angry? Why can’t the pigs go vegan or explore other delicacies outside bird eggs? Why does the red bird have to suck so much?!

It’s a great watch and an awesome reminder that such a successful game was created by a staff that fell in love and believed in their own product.

It was however a magazine launch for CHROMIUM DIOXIDE that night. Metal heads were in full force, tight leather, torn up pantyhose, big hair, distorted guitars and alcohol dominated the scene. If Harold Camping was in the crowd, he would have been convinced his prophecy came true. It was a nice group of people.

I woke up the next morning with the sun shining through the window and birds chirping in the background. The second I stepped outside I had my arms wide open yelling, ‘Best Rapture Ever!’ I went to Toronto Island to celebrate the continuation of humanity. I figured what better way to celebrate it than to rent tandem bicycles and visit the petting zoo with a lady friend.

After reading this, apparently the real rapture will be on October 21st, 2011. I’m not one to poke fun at someone’s beliefs, but such a grave prediction followed by one of the best days Toronto has seen this year, casts a doubtful shadow. Hell, Harold Camping isn’t even going to give back the money he took from his followers to help them out. Entire life savings spent with others leaving their jobs in preparation for doomsday and this guy isn’t going to lend a hand after he screws them over.

I’ll be in the park on October 21st, 2011, watching the leaves fall and enjoying hoodie weather to it’s fullest, brimstone and pitchforks can wait until 2012. Britney knows what’s up.

The photo above is a found stencil on a post-rapture wander around Toronto.

At the beginning of this year, I made a promise to myself to play more music with more people at more venues. Long rehearsals, welcoming contacts, and a bit of luck have made this April and May one of the busiest for music.

April saw 4 shows throughout Toronto. Horseshoe Tavern, Detour Bar, Cherry Cola’s and an opening at Toronto Alternative Arts and Fashion Week. I know this isn’t something new for seasoned musicians, but this was definitely new to a web designer who plays guitar on the weekends.

If I sound like I’m complaining, it’s because I haven’t had a chance to catch up on my DVDs and books that are currently collecting dust in my room. On all other aspects, the running around, learning new songs, getting great reviews, getting bad reviews, posing for band photos, writing new music, recording an album in 2 days, mixing recordings from the previous month and coordinating a video shoot around crappy weather have made it extremely gratifying. Somewhere in between all of that is a full-time job and this site’s build.

I’m laughing at myself with that inventory because it is unreal. It just goes to show how much you can do when you work with motivated people with the same goal. GET’ER DONE! I’m crossing my fingers that I get some time to start the second phase of this site, an online store for prints and clothing. Maybe it’ll get started after the world tour.

If you want to check out the bands I play for, head over to the After Hours section.