Free, Helpful Computer Programs

Here a few computer programs that have made my cyber-life a lot easier. I use a Mac and some of these might not be available for Windows users. For those of you that can use these programs, perhaps some of them will appeal to you. Oh, and these are all free!

Adium is an instant messaging client I use to log in to different types of accounts simultaneously. Basically you use it to log into all your messaging services without running twelve freaking programs. I use it for AIM, MSN, Gtalk, and even Facebook chat. One of the best features is that it's customizable. You can customize the contact list, message boxes, emoticons, message styles and just about everything else too. The auto-hide feature lets me hide the contact list and message boxes when I'm not directly using the program. This helps  keep the screen clutter-free.

RSS:
Netnewswire is a fast and simple RSS client that makes keeping up with news a breeze. No need to go to each individual website to see new articles when they can all be delivered straight to your computer. You can even sync Netnewswire with your Google Reader account.

Twitter:
Frivolous as it may seem, Twitter does come in handy for finding and sharing information. I use  Twitterific so I don't have to log into Twitter online. Twitterific sits in your computer's tool bar and uses Growl notifications to let you know when someone has added a tweet. It keeps my screen clear of extra windows and helps me keep up-to-date.

Entertainment:
I'm not always around when a show I like is on TV. I use Hulu Desktop because it gives me 24/7 access to many of the TV shows I watch right on my computer. I can even use my Apple remote to control the program from across the room when I don't want to run over to hit pause or change the volume. You can subscribe to different shows and have them automatically put in a queue to watch later. I use it to watch Family Guy, The Colbert Report and old seasons of Lost.

I hope these programs help you as much as they have aided me in keeping up to date and entertained.


(I found Twitterific and Hulu Desktop in a Macworld article, I highly recommend the magazine for Mac users)

Matheson, Colorado

Today I dropped a friend off in Limon, Colorado because he wanted to 

try hitchhiking to his hometown in eastern Kansas. On the way out I
noticed a few sites I wanted to stop by on the way back to take some
pictures. One of them was an old abandoned church. I wasn't sure if I
was allowed to be on the property but the building was to cool to
pass up.

I ran into another photographer with the same idea I had. I was packing up my gear when someone pulled up in a van. I thought it was someone coming to tell me to leave until I saw the camera. She thought I owned the building and asked permission to take some pictures for her photography class. Those of you who know me well can imagine how tempting it was to play a joke on her, but in the end I admitted I was passing through and stopped to take some picture of my own.

Anyway, Enjoy :-)

Photography

Anyone that knows me knows that I love to take pictures. While I would not say I am professional by any means, I would say that I am an advanced hobbyist... or something like that.

There are several things that I love about photography, one of which is trying to tell a story without words. I don't know that I would say a picture is worth a thousand words, but I might say pictures can say a lot without words.

For example the point of view and composition of a picture does a lot to set the mood of a picture. If you want to make someone look domineering or powerful, you can take a picture looking up at them, and make them look like a towering colossus, ready to strike down their opposition. If you want to make someone look lonely, you can include more space around them, which helps make them look secluded.

With a photo essay, you get the chance to use lots of pictures to tell a story. You can focus on one aspect of the situation  with each picture. However, with photojournalism, sometimes you only get one picture to tell an entire story.

The most memorable photojournalism I have seen was a picture about border patrol with two agents arresting a man that had hopped over from mexico. They were in the middle of a field of sunflowers, with  police cars and a helicopter hovering in the background. Not only was the picture aesthetically pleasing, it captured the essence of the situation. The disappointment of the captured man, the way he was spotted, and who was nabbing him. You can almost pick up the entire story without a caption.

Now if I could only remember who the photographer was... oh well.

The picture I posted today is more of an artistic piece I took Memorial Day weekend, at my in-law's neighbor's house. They have a cookout every Memorial Day, and invite friends and family over to celebrate.