February 2008 - Chris Ullrich dot net
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February 2008

Cool. I want one.

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Even though its not practical at all, I really want one of these. Why? ‘Cause its cool. Anyone care to order one for me as a gift? I don’t mind, really. I like gifts.

On another note, I’ve been working quite a bit at ComicMix this week trying to help raise the page views by having more regular content. So, if you get a minute (or ten) be sure to click on over and browse as many of the articles as you can.

In fact, if you really want to help out, try reading and then commenting on a few. That would be nice. If you do that, you don’t have to get me a Han Solo desk.

Sounds fair, right?

So long HD-DVD, I hardly knew ‘ya

toshiba-hd-dvd-casa-2_small.jpgGuess it’s time to put away the HD-DVD player attached to my XBox 360. Why? HD-DVD is going bye-bye.

Well, it was fun while it lasted. At least I don’t have to worry about which player to use to watch movies. My PS3 will be so happy.In truth, I always thought Blu-Ray looked better anyway and the upsampling for standard-def DVD’s is also very good. So, not a huge loss.

I need to spend less time in front of the TV anyway.

Careful what you wish for

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For some reason the people in charge of the new venture I was talking about in a previous post have decided I’m worthy of inclusion into their burgeoning empire of publishing. So, as of this past weekend, I’m now officially working with the great team at ComicMix. Thanks Brian.

It’s a great opportunity for me to write more and move into other areas of publishing and I sincerely hope I don’t manage to screw it up somehow. I’ll try not to. For the moment, I’m doing the usual bit of posting I do, and have done for a while now, at other places like TUAW and Cinematical.

In the future I’ll also be taking on different kids of feature articles, interviews and such and at some point, and this is the very cool part, I may be moving into other types of roles and might end up working there a lot more. So, fingers crossed it all works out. Meanwhile, I’m just happy to have a job and another place to write for. Its a good thing and as I’ve said before, something I really enjoy.

In other news, I’m working on my comparison article that looks at the iPhone vs. the Blackberry for TUAW and that should be ready soon. Also, I’m working on a followup piece for TUAW about my first few weeks with the MacBook Air (hint: I love it). So, keep an eye out for those.

Plus, I’m actually going to start writing some stuff for Download Squad “real soon now” but just haven’t had the time to get going. Next week will be the week. Ok, enough of that, gotta get back to work. Well, maybe after a little detour into Guitar Hero III first. Damn rock and roll!

Too Much Work?

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I remember not too long ago when I was complaining (at least a tiny bit and mostly to myself) that I was doing something I really didn’t love rather than something I do love. The thing I love is, of course, writing. I wasn’t doing enough of it to make me very happy.

Of course, other events have transpired to interrupt the flow of words from my somewhat feeble brain, through my fingers, out to the keyboard and then up to WordPress and this blog. But even with all the interruptions, I wanted to write more — and, if possible, get paid for it in the process.

Cut to (as they say in “the biz”) today and I pretty much have the exact opposite problem I used to have. Now I have too much writing work. At the moment, there are several sites to which I currently contribute, used to contribute and they want me back or are about to contribute. There’s even one I can’t even talk about yet which looks to be even bigger than the rest.

Of course, this is also the time when I’m doing a lot more Mac consulting than I was before so that kinda gets in the way of writing too. Although, consulting pays way better (at least for the moment) then writing does. I’m trying to limit my consulting to mostly worthy causes like favorite non-profits or schools but still, that takes time and that’s time away from writing.

Really, I think something has got to give and at the moment I’m leaning towards the Mac stuff being the time consuming item that may get the “Spanish Archer” as my friend used to say. In other words, it might have to go. Or, at the very least, be far more limited. After all, I really think that in this life, given the pretty much unknown duration of it we have, you should try to do things you love rather than things you don’t.

Really, I feel like I shouldn’t complain too hard at this situation as it could be far worse and is for many people. I’m lucky that people have decided that I’m good at a couple new things. In the past, I’ve pretty much only been good at making movies, producing other shows and getting into trouble.

But now, I can add writing to the list of things I can do. I’m not saying I’m great at it but I think I can string a sentence together without too much trouble. Who knows, maybe this new writing gig (once it starts) will end up being the one that takes me to the next level — whatever that might be? I guess anything is possible but to have the possiblity is a great feeling and one I would like to have more often.

I’ll see what I can do about that.

David Lynch on product placement

Direct and to the point, just how it should be. Plus, I happen to agree with him

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4wh_mc8hRE&rel=1]