Adam Whitlock

With the popularity that was the Asaekkiga / Chu-ri-ning comics I had posted a while ago, I started thinking about Suehiro Maruo’s work.  My old downstairs neighbor George had originally shown me some of Maruo’s work over a couple of years ago.  He dug out a few books to show me some of the panels as examples and entertained me for hours with descriptions of different stories he had stumbled upon.  Typically mundane details from anyone else would bore me, but George had a way of telling tales.  It’s hard to describe, but listening to him explain how hard it was to order a particular English translation of a Suehiro Maruo book had a way of making you feel like it was your struggle too . » Read the rest of the entry..

My cell phone has been broken for the past few months.  In a fit of early morning rage due to the alarm not turning off, I hit the phone repeatedly against the wall.  I honestly didn’t think I was doing it hard enough to do any damage, but I was wrong.  The screen spider-webbed, with only some of the text obscured.  It was managable, since I could still find contacts and see what the time was.  Using Bluetooth, I can pull all of the names and calendar events off the phone without fearing that they are lost forever.

My “minor” damage after a while has increased to the point where the screen is barely visible.  Most of it is a giant black mark that occasionally vibrates.  I am lucky to tell if the phone is on loud or ringer off now.  Yesterday I dropped the phone and managed to step on it during the process of finding it.  Well I found it with a missing volume button and messed up the already bad screen even more.  I’m guessing that this cell phone was doomed to die.  I’m also guessing that I’ll have to go buy a new screen before the two-year phone replacement comes up with Verizon, ensuring that I get a new phone for fairly cheap.

» Read the rest of the entry..

The weather in the past couple weeks has been warm enough to keep all of the melting snow and rain from freezing overnight on the pavement. The wind doesn’t bite into the face as much when walking down the street. The joggers are out in their skin-tight clothing wearing their custom iPod ear buds. These are the signs that biking time is near.

The only way I could have biked earlier would have been if I had Warren Buffet’s insurance. Since I have a fixed gear bike, I can only bike during certain times of year. The wheels are narrow, there is only one brake (for legal purposes), and the tires themselves don’t have enough depth in the tread to take any snow. Trying to use my bike in the winter would be playing Russian roulette and instead of a bullet to the brain it would be whichever bone I break slamming into the ground. Just because I had the common sense not to bike does not mean others didn’t have a clue.

Well, I’m going to take this pre-biking season to do maintenance. If it’s still pre-biking season for you, I’d suggest doing the same. Fill up the tires with air, check the chain and lube it up, tighten down the bolts, make sure the brakes work, and check for rust. Doing the work now will mean you won’t need to spend a couple hours on the first nice day of spring doing bike work as opposed to riding. You’ll thank yourself.

Image credited to Jim G.

I don’t know why this hack wasn’t added to my hack list, but it’s an excellent one.  Jim decided that he was sick of sweaty back (we all are) by the time he arrived at work, so he made a few changes to his bag and bike frame.  By adding a few parts that can be picked up at any hardware store, he saved himself from getting another bag and only spent $18 in the process!

Good job Jim!  I’d suggest checking out his hack and, while your at it, to check all of the other bike hacks he has listed on his site.

http://yojimg.net/bike/equipment/timbuk2_hack.php

After writing what could be considered a lengthy e-mail, it just popped in my head that there really isn’t an agreement on how you should wear a messenger bag. Do you wear it so when you ride it sits on your back high? Do you wear it so when you walk it sits center of your waist? I tried the great Google, though I didn’t get any real responses. If you have a bag, leave a comment on where you think the bag should sit. Maybe there should be a site where this kind of information is located.

Update: I took a look at my site analytics and it seems that a lot of people have the same question, though are not leaving comments.  Just leave a comment either stating you are not sure, have an idea, or whatever.  I don’t really care about comments; just information.  It helps everyone out in the end.  Thanks!

The page will look different for the next few days as I am trying to re-write the Facebook plugin from scratch between writing multiple essays. The existing one is starting to be a bit weird, plus it didn’t fit the look of the old page entirely too well. Thankfully programming is enough of a destraction from my studies to warrant a break yet not be as time consumptive (a simple plugin doesn’t take that much time) as a video game.

UPDATE:  Well, I stripped out the existing plugin to the bare essentials.  It became nauseating trying to write a new script, since I noticed that the author of the script I hacked did a fairly decent job.  If I were a better PHP programmer, I’d know how to set the argument as one in the code  and probably be able to remove a few more lines along with calling the argument within my template.  The plugin is not broken anymore, so no need to fix it.  If anyone is interested in my slimmed-down code, let me know and I’ll post it.

Messenger Bags have become pretty popular lately.  In all honesty, I’m not sure why.  I purchased my bag because I was biking more and my existing bag just plain sucked when it came to carrying around my gear.  I found a bag that worked alright over time but I found I needed more out of my bag.  Below are some ideas you can try on your own if you are looking for that extra “something” out of your bag.

Step 1:  Attaching Your Hacks

Velcro is probably your best bet.  It is a fairly cheap material and very forgivable if you make a mistake the first time around.  If you are using Velcro, would highly suggest reinforcing the Velcro by sewing it in permanently on both the bag and whatever you are attaching.  The downside to sewing Velcro to your bag is if your interior of the bag is waterproof, you may affect it’s ability to keep water out.

If your sewing skills are pretty bad and don’t’ want to risk your bags waterproof-ness, try using a cyano-acrylate glue (such as Zap-A-Gap or Crazy Glue) to attach the Velcro (or the item itself).  It will reinforce the bond if you use Velcro, though it could still slip later on.   Other methods include using power staples and safety pins though, like sewing, could affect your bags ability to keep water out.

Step 2:  Choosing A Hack

Keep Your Camera Safe

I caught this hack over on the Timbuk2 web site, though their hack is a bit overboard for what a lot of messenger bag users need.  Most people only carry a single camera with lens, especially if they want to go biking. If you plan on carrying a messenger bag full of equipment, then I’d take a look at their hack otherwise check out a sized-down method.

A camera bag insert

First off you will need to pickup an insert.  You can pick one up at B&H or any photo shop that you trust.  Make sure the dimensions are large enough to hold your camera, lens, or whatever else you plan on storing in the compartment(s).  Once you have your insert, simply get your trusty Velcro tape and line the area of your bag where you want the insert to stay in.  Place Velcro where you need extra support on the insert as well.  Once they are together, then you should have a tight bond and will not have to worry about the equipment slipping around as much as if they were not attached.

Dealing With That Laptop

When I purchased my messenger bag a couple of years ago, I needed something that could also lug around a laptop.  I searched for a while and could only come up with the Manhattan Portage Laptop Messenger, which is actually a decent bag in its own right.  The upside to having an attached sleeve in my bag is that I don’t have to worry about it slipping around. The downside to the bag is that the sleeve is not removable, so if you need extra storage sometimes then you are out of luck.

In the future, if I purchase a bag again then I would only purchase a bag that met all of my needs THEN order a separate sleeve.  At that point, I would add Velcro to the bag and laptop sleeve so I would have a modular solution for my laptop needs.

Seat Belt Buckle Strap

Picture from Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories

If you like the functionality of a Chrome bags strap, but don’t want the look or need what they offer, then hacking an existing bag is a great trick.  By adding a seat belt buckle, you can easily take your bag on & off without having to constantly slip it over your head.  If you wear a hat all of the time, then this hack will be your best friend.  The people at the Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories did an excellent write-up on adding a seat belt to your bag, which I could do no justice to.

Pencils, Erasers, Watches, et cetera…

Messenger bags were not originally made to keep items organized like your school old school backpack.  They are meant to be functional and comfortable while riding bikes and performing deliveries.  If your bag doesn’t have enough pockets and you need something to keep your junk organized, pick up a small pencil bag or pencil case.  Makeup cases and tampon holders can be equally as effective if you have smaller things to keep around.  Just throw it into your open bag and there is your organizer.  If you want it fixed, just attach it with Velcro or one of the other methods.  I’d call this one a no-brainer, but a lot of people out there don’t think about it until they see it.

Step 3:  The Finale

Shoulder Pad

It’s not really a hack per se, but highly suggested.  After using a messenger bag religiously for a couple of years now, I can tell you that neck pain is an eventuality.  When someone wears one, they tend to either put it on their left shoulder or their right shoulder.  I tend to put it on my left shoulder, which has strained my neck and back muscles enough over time to make me wish I could take a drill to my back and relieve the pressure.  It is not good, plus it can cause future back and neck issues later on.  To try and keep some of the load off of your back, use a shoulder pad.  Almost all of the messenger bag manufacturers make them yet are don’t include them with your bag order.   If you have not purchased your bag yet, make sure you pickup a shoulder pad if it’s not already included.  Your body will thank you.