heathervescent

Aug Geek Dinner 2morrow

Whoo-hoo. It looks like another awesome geek dinner is gonna happen tomorrow night. 69 people have RSVPed. Check it out - geek dinner is one of the top events on upcoming in LA for tomorrow. geeks <3 LA!

I'm gonna bring a box or two of swag and we have an anonymous sponsor for the Tiramisu! See you there!

ps. Barcamp LA 4 is also rocking it. Go Barcamp LA!

Great Chase in LA

This looks super cool -

Ravenchase is pleased to announce its first event in L.A! Stop watching reality TV and get in the game! If you've been waiting to run your own amazing race, to find your own grail and to crack your own code, this is the chase for you! Our staff personally greets each group at the start of the race, explains the rules of the game and gives each team a hand made treasure map, clues on parchment scrolls and a bag of cool gadgets (like black lights to see clues written in invisible ink). Teams can travel in any direction they like around the city. Actors are also planted along the course, to interact with and help the teams. All the answers and puzzle pieces along the course will lead them to a secret end location, where prizes are awarded to the top three teams.

It's August 25th and if I was in town - I would totally do it. So, someone else, go do it for me and tell me how it it. ;)

Burning Man Costumes - Redux

It's always strange to have a weekend at home. I'm most productive with a task list and this is one of the last weekends before burning man, so my focus was on pre-playa prep. I initially had a costume freak out, thinking that I didn't have any costumes and would be stuck wearing some regular clothes. You see, the domestic life is very good to the heathervescent and she's put on some weight! My slinky BM clothes from 3 years ago will not fit. But then I remembered my banana costume. And then the zombie cheerleader costume. And then my nurse costume (that I got for the Art of Bleeding show last October) and then I opened my closet and costume drawers, and it was like a cornucopia of possibilities! Really, there was no reason I should have ever worried, but I like to freak out sometimes.

I found my old Aeon Flux costume (which needs a new zipper) several sets of playa boots, evening gowns bought for the desert (what can I say, I do love the excessiveness of glamor in unusual places), capes, cloaks, wigs, gloves, stockings, knee highs - everything you could possibly want for the playa. But then in a fit of anger, I went to Melrose to try to fix my cell phone (which is an unlocked european phone that cingular has no clue how to deal with and I get horrible cell service since the iphone launched (me hate you apple!) and I walked by Aardvarks. Why I went in there, when I was feeling good about my costumes is beyond me. I picked up a lab coat, a couple flight suits, an ice purple cloak and wig to match, and too many other things. I think I now have costumes for a month on the playa. But wait! Don't stop there Heather, you're too good at being excessive. So how do we continue the excessiveness? Go to Hollywood Blvd! I picked up a new pair of boots, a police costume and some other spandex loveliness before headed into to the Costume shop - where I put my excessiveness on hold. I mean, do I really need to own a mascot costume? Well, not this year, unless you happen to have one sitting in your closet that I can borrow...

Updated: A pickle, a camera crew, an orange wig and Bono

It might not seem that a pickle, a camera crew, an orange wig and Bono have much in common, but if you think that, then you weren't at Twiistup 2 in Venice last week. As host of the evening I swapped my purple locks with a bright orange bob straight off Hollywood Blvd!

I've always been a bit camera shy. Sure I'll mug for the lens, but I prefer to be behind the scenes, making things work. Well, that got twiisted up Twiistup night when I roamed around the club with a camera crew in tow. Then I was pulled off for my "interviews". I tried hard to keep a straight face when I heard "we're ready for your interview, heather" and sat down and did my thing.

All in all it was a great evening. I saw tons of friends, learned about awesome companies, even came up with a new tag line for Elephant Drive "back those assets up!" Because of my visibility I was able to pimp my vision of organizing the LA Tech community that plays on a local, industry, national and global level. We've got a long way to go, but we're making fast progress and we have some awesome organizers here in our city of Angels.

Later in the evening Bono 2.0 appeared with a drink for me. He then proceeded to teach me how to head butt the camera. I must admit, I was not a very good student. For one thing, I'm not used to using my head as a weapon. The photos are being uploaded to flickr and it's just a matter of time before the videos surface on YouTube.

If you missed out on the fun, I've got some insane ideas for Twiistup3 in LA - happening in blustery LA wintertime. ;) See you there, or at the geek dinner or at barcamp or at . . .

Updated: See NoodleScar's Video Review of Twiistup and learn about my new stealth start-up making pockets for towels! Sponsored by the awesome Ruby on Rails Development Company ELC Tech in Santa Barbara!

Twiistup 2 - Venice Beach

Twiistup 2 - Venice Beach
Originally uploaded by mikemacadaan.

Carmen and I throw Purple Tornado Gang Signs, because we kick ass!

Twiisting it up

IMG_2524
Originally uploaded by adamjh.

This is Lambe and I showing off the cool AOL Dev swag. Oh wait - you don't think that's me? Well, that was my special Twiistup orange wig! Lots and lots of fun was had by everyone! More pictures here.

LA Geek Dinner close to being sold out - 3 more spots

Wow - the geek dinner is almost sold out. RSVP on Upcoming if you haven't already.

Stunt Car Enlightenment

You think whipping a car around was all I learned this weekend? Oh no. I'm enlightened by clouds of burning rubber. First off, Bobby Orr is the bomb! If you have any desire to learn some serious driving skills (and I'm not talking speed racing - I'm talking moving your car around skills - then go to him.)

I actually got to work with the guy, his name was Bobby Orr, and he was a Nascar driver, he teaches a lot of stunt guys, he has like five world records for stunts," Scott said. "He also teaches the Department of Defense. He works for the Department of Defense teaching soldiers how to maneuver their cars before they go to Iraq. (Source)

We pulled into the Camarillo Airport at 7:30 Saturday morning. I'm bleary because I haven't had any coffee yet and hoping there is coffee there. We arrive to a classroom in a trailer. There is no coffee. I salvage some sparkling water from my car.

After about an hour discussion about tire pressure we're given directions to get out on the tarmac and start the hands on section. I'm the only woman in the class, other than an instructor's assistant. First things first, we each get in a car and proceed to drive the slalom course - to observe our bad habits to break! Bad habits like arms flying, palming the wheel and looking at the cones.

Over the next two days, Bobby took us 4 street drives and turned us into possible professional stunters. I say possible because you can't possible become a profession stunt driver after 2 days of learning, you must practice a lot more to be able to put a car in the box. But I learned more than the core skills of flipping a 180 or sliding into a parking space at 90 degrees or doing a reverse 180 (totally cool, squealing tires and all!). He taught/reminded me

• Look at where I want to go // lock on tractor beam eyes - don't look at the obstacles ("Don't look at the cones! Look at the horizon!" .. "Look at this cone right here. You can't put your shoulder right here at this cone if you are looking across the hood.") Something magical happened when I turned my head in the 180 - the weight transfered and the car switched directions in a cloud of burned rubber smoke and wheels screaming! Magic or Science - it worked when I turned my head!
• It's the Feeling. Relax, get the feeling. Breath. I love being behind the wheel. I am calm and relaxed, especially when pulling a 180. ;)
• Timing is everything. It's the difference between putting it in the box and not. It's the difference between pass and fail. It's the difference between a high five and a car crash. It's the difference between life and death.
• Pause before you pull the trigger (or pull the eBrake). I've written about this pause before. It's so true.
• Make the car do the work. It's got more leverage and weight than my puny arm. Don't think I can bully it around. But understand how what I put into the car, comes out and don't over manage/over steer it!
• I can take pain, I have determination. Sometimes, in my more insecure moments, I worry that when it comes to the wire, I pussy out. I was never one for finishing my homework. It's very hard for me to do things I have no desire to do (like 20 math problems). But for my dreams and passions, there is no end to the heathervescent energy and determination. This weekend reminded me of that.

Hardcore Enlightenment. I left the weekend exhausted, covered in sweat, dirt and rubber. I left knowing awesome skills. I left remembering lessons applicable to every facet of my life. I left with pain and burst blisters and a little more enlightened and the ability to kick ass in novel and exciting ways.

Thank you guru stunt driver Bobby Orr!

ps. Sorry about blowing the three tires. xo

Crazy w/ the 80s, the 80s

OMG! I can't believe I'm watching these. But they are so fun. I guess we know my guilty pleasure is cheesy 80s music videos.

and

ok, now I am really going to do some work.

ps. you heard it here first - rat-tails are gonna be back, I tell ya!

Twiistup pre-event hang out

photo.jpg
Originally uploaded by mikemacadaan.

Hanging with the show-offs at the Viceroy last night. Should be an AWESOME time @ Twiistup 2 (now SOLD OUT!), with an exciting special guest!!!

Inspiring Friends are like Magic

In the past few days, two of my good friends have played or sung Magic by Olivia Newton John. Of course I knew the song. It was popular in the 80s, the 80s, but I hadn't heard it recently. I finally listened to the words and wow! It's an awesome inspiration and has been stuck in my head for the past 3 days. The music is easy like a Sunday morning - so easy listening! A new music mantra.

And the two people who re-introduced me to it are equally awesome and inspiring. Thanks to you both, you know who you are!

Here are the lyrics. Click to listen to free (via Napster)

Come take my hand
You should know me
I've always been in your mind
You know that I'll be kind
I'll be guiding you

Building your dream
Has to start now
There's no other road to take
You won't make a mistake
I'll be guiding you

You have to believe we are magic
Nothin' can stand in our way
You have to believe we are magic
Don't let your aim ever stray
And if all your hopes survive
Your destiny will arrive
I'll bring all your dreams alive
For you

From where I stand
You are home free
The planets align so rare
There's promise in the air
And I'm guiding you

Through every turn I'll be near you
I'll come anytime you call
I'll catch you when you fall
I'll be guiding you

You have to believe we are magic
Nothin' can stand in our way
You have to believe we are magic
Don't let your aim ever stray
And if all your hopes survive
Your destiny will arrive
I'll bring all your dreams alive
For you

It's a whole new game with different stakes, when you dream on a global level. Personal ego has no place when you are a tool of the divine unknown.

Stunt School Videos

Here's my practice run: (See more videos here)

See you at Twiistup

It's time again for some craziness. Take technology peeps and mix them in LA and what do you get? Twiistup. Put a "tornado" in the special code box to knock off $5. See you there.

Delerious

This is a quick update from Frank Zappa's Camarillo (Brillo). Am I getting old or did I just spend all day driving, getting nowhere except covered in rubber. Really, black streams of rubber just washed down my body into the shower drain.

I.am.exhausted.

Like never before. Class was a.w.e.s.o.m.e. A true dream come true.

It feels so good to have dreams come true. They are not so far out of reach. And when you start tasting them - what they taste like - there is no going back. There is no more soul selling and putting off for tomorrow. There is only the present. Living.

Black pavement. Airplanes overhead. Sun blinding your eyes (because doh - you left your sunglasses back at the hotel). Blowing tires, burning rubber. I was the first to knock down a cone (I gave myself permission to knock down cones because I wanted to do the course faster and tighter. And I did. And then I didn't knock any cones down.) I blew a tire practicing ebraking (pre-180 slides or were they sliding 90s?). My eyes hurt like never before. I have blisters on my hands, thumbs from practicing the shuffle and pulling up on the ebrake.

It took me 20 tried to do my first slide. I practiced Zen Mind - even when berated and taunted. As I increased speed, my calmness stood, although my hands were flying. I kept hearing the voice of my yoga teacher who says "palmy hands up" saying "no palmy hands" as I kept them below the center line.

I am learning (remembering) more than skills, the importance of tires. I am remembering to look to the horizon, to pause before pulling the trigger. Timing. The feel of the cars, the road, the manuevars. I am remembering to live with a wide smile across my face.

Milk Drunk

Oh wait, oh wait, before I go. Here is a picture of me and phoenix. He is milk drunk in this photo and I am mimicking his body language. Wait - for some reason the word milk drunk reminds me of A Clockwork Orange and little Alex and how much I loved that movie (and messed up soundtrack)! Anyway, here's to milk drunk!

Stunt Driver Weekend!

Well, this week has been extremely busy, exciting, filled with lots of yumminess... so much so, that I have forgotten to mention (well this week at least) that tomorrow I AM GOING TO STUNT CAR SCHOOL!!!!!!!!

Can you tell how excited I am? I have been planning, dreaming of this weekend for 5 years. Five years! FIVE YEARS!!!

Will the weekend live up to my anticipation? I sure hope so. Maybe this is the beginning of a career in moovies. Or as a member of a secret subversive society. I'll be sure to share my feelings over the weekend. Squeeling tires and spinning wheels - here I come!

Wiijing! A Music+Game Mashup = Mashups!

This is totally HOT!!!! It's a Wii being used to live mash up a mashup! And it's at Bootie LA this Saturday night! Check out the video and if you are not impressed, well then, I don't know what to say.

and here a clip of them live in SF:

It's taking interactive music mixing to a whole new level. I might just have to come back from Stunt Car School  to shake mah bootie. More info on Wiijing here and Bootie LA here.

Creating a GTD Notebook

My friend Kathryn asked me how to create/organize a GTD notebook, so I created this little video for her. I realize that I didn't go into the explicit organizing of the notebook. I have my tabs in this order

1. Goals: My general big goals
2. Projects: More or less my active project list
3. Someday: Projects I want to do ... someday
4. Lists: My general catch-all tab for listy things. (Note: I used to have separate tabs for music, book recommendations, but I found it was easier for me to put it all on one list tab.)
5. @ASAP: My first @ (at) tab. Things I need to do RIGHT NOW
6. @wait: stuff I am waiting to hear back from people
7. @home: stuff I need to do at home
8. @brain: stuff I need to think about (half thoughts I want to flesh out more)
9. @laptop: stuff I do at my computer (which is a laptop)
10. @phone: people I have to call
11. @email: emails I have to send (or respond to) Note: I also manage my email in my email client. These are emails that I think of sending when I am not near my computer.
12. @car: stuff I have to do in my car, errands, etc
13. Agenda: My notes, fleshing out tasks, section of my notebook

Other tabs I have had in my notebooks
- Contacts: phone numbers, emails, etc
- Travel: travel schedule
- Inbox: I used to have a tab for inbox items, but I tend to process those on my desk and not in my notebook
- 2Blog: blog post ideas
- KickAss: Specific projects, ideas that kick ass

And then I have had project specific tabs for my clients, website or work.

The beauty of GTD is that you can completely customize it to work with your style - whatever that might be.

Now you can watch the video and learn how to create your own GTD notebook.

Night Inspiration

I woke up this morning with the story of the Pied Piper at the front of my consciousness. And a question for me to ponder about leaders and followers. I wish I could remember my favorite book of 14 and 15 - it was something about individuals in society and actions change in mass society or mass gatherings. Individuals and groups. Leaders and followers. Long ago, I knew which I was. How to harness the energy of the mass to a direction. Post-modern advertising will be viewed as crude work in retrospect.

CommunityBuildrs Recap

I missed this meeting (there are tech meetings happening ALL the time now!!!) but Kirk wrote up a great recap and they're meeting again soon.

First and foremost I want to thank everyone who attended for participating in the conversation and sharing your thoughts and perspectives on community building.  As this topic continues to grow in importance and transitions from "what the kids are up to" to "vital business channel" and "vital grass-roots channel" it is nice to know we can share the journey.

Go to the full details and get involved yourself!

Build a Startup in 3 days

Announcing another LA Tech event! Build a Startup in 3 days over labor day weekend.
(I would so be there but I will be burning unicorns at Burning Man... bummer)

Concept:

The concept is to create an internet startup in a long weekend. Gather a group of enthusiastic people who are all founders of the startup that will work to launch the startup prototype over the Labor day long weekend. You may ask why this is being done. It is to get a bunch of super enthusiastic people together and try to transform an idea into a product and eventually a business.

Who can participate?

Enthusiastic, no-nonsense people that think they have what it takes to last a long 72 hour drill. Hey - there will be no time for office politics for sure.

Anyone that meets the need described in the "Register Now" section above and lives and works around Los Angeles, California. Sorry, you need to be local to carry this forward.

More information and to register (it's free) go here.

Announcing August G33k Dinner

The next LA Geek Dinner is on August 14th at C & O Cucina in Marina del Rey.

Cost is $20 per person for food (not including drinks). Please bring cash. More details and rspvlist are on the geek dinner wiki. Please RSVP on upcoming for the final headcount - we are limited to 45 attendees.

• Date: August 14th, 8pm dinner, C & O Cucina
• C & O Cucina, 3016 Washington Boulevard, Marina del Rey, CA. One block West of Lincoln Boulevard at 3016 Washington Boulevard at Washington and Thatcher in Marina Del Rey.
• Reservation under "Heather"

Sponsorship for desert or drinks is still available for a very cheap $150!

* Photo by Adam of Travis getting applause for sponsoring the beer (we love our sponsors!)

Invocation

My first duty is to sacrifice to the gods and pray them to grant me the thoughts, words, and deeds likely to render my command most pleasing to the gods and to bring myself, my friends, and my city the fullest measure of affection and glory and advantage.

 - Heathervescent, adapted from Xenophon, The Cavalry Commander

Feeling Stymied

Everywhere I go, I watch, I see people doing things. How do people decide what they want to do? What they are interested in? In what to participate? Who to be? Which subculture to participate in? Who to be? What to be? Everywhere I go, I see myriad of worlds - options, choices. Which one to be. Where to go. Every choice makes a step in a direct that has long standing affects. Marriage. Children. Career. Art. Travel. Awareness. A step lower: Going out to dinner. A boy/girlfriend. Networking events. Creating a web site. Buying paint. Buying plane tickets.

Paralyzing Clarity. Like the waters of the Vanne Aqueduct. The water is crystalline. There are so many possibilities, choices. Possibilities realized, possibilities unrealized and in any permeation.

But it's not really paralyzing. It's so beautiful, I've gotten caught up in the view. I've forgotten I'm the watcher. I've forgotten I'm a visitor. I've gotten distracted.

Fractyl cloud

Fractyl cloud
Originally uploaded by heathervescent.

We were headed out to the desert on the 10. I watched this gorgeous cloud cover spiraling above us. I snapped this photo (on my cameraphone) of the fractyl view. It doesn't necessarily come out so well, but the little fluffy clouds were fractyliferic!

I don't have to like you

I've recently had a flash of enlightenment. I'm sure some of you will think - awww - I thought that way when I was 5. Well then, good for you. But recently I've realized I don't have to like everyone. I used to think there had to be a good reason to dislike people - but there doesn't. Some people are assholes. Some people don't like me. And that's totally fine.

I don't like everyone. I do like a lot of people. And I have a very long shelf filled with many observations (on hold) about many people. I don't like to judge people. (Partially because I don't like to be judged myself.) But why would I hang out with people I don't like, when I can hang out with people that I do really like? It's like the whole strength's weaknesses thing. I used to focus on being good at many things - now I just want to kick ass at what I kick ass.

I feel so liberated realizing this. Just because I don't like you, doesn't mean I hate you (that expends too much energy). But I have a lot more fun (and I'm sure you do too) when I'm around people headed the same direction I am.

So there, I give myself permission to dislike people, for any reason or none at all. And I'll completely understand if you don't like me - I'm not me for mass adoration.

a girl's first gun - ramblin thoughts

I never gave much thought to guns. I loved target practice when I was younger. I was generally a good shot, even without much practice at 7 and 9 and 12 at summer camp. I loved going to the outdoor range. The covered shooting area. The backstop with targets. I shot archery too. But I like the shotgun boom.

I always thought it's a good skill to know how to shoot a gun. I was never into shooting animals or hunting. (I do think that is an excellent skill. Stalking and hunting prey. Actively focusing on being a predator.) I was saying to the boyfriend that people should hunt more but not kill the animal at the end. He then told me about camera safaris. After I thought about it for a while, I decided it was a silly idea (silly in not matching my reason for hunting to begin with).

My main point in hunting is to gain knowledge - about myself, about hunting, about stalking, about what I am hunting and about what it is to be an active predator. Most people don't realize that they are predators. Hunting might make them more aware. It would sure make me more aware. So that's why I thought going through the motions of hunting w/ out the final kill would be beneficial, and not kill the animal, when it might be unnecessary. But then I realized there's a huge flaw in that idea. To get the most important lesson, the animal must die. The hunter must kill it. There is no other way. (We'll see how thrashed I get in the comments of this post...)

I'm not about to go out hunting animals. (I hunt many other things.) (Side note: something strange has been happening to my food intake. If I have a choice, I generally take the vegetarian route. )

So, yesterday I took Violet out. She's a hefty girl, but packs no kick and a breeze to shoot. It was her virgin trip and she worked beautifully. Got compliments all around.

Later we were sitting on the tail bed watching the lighting in the distance. The warm wind blew all around. I love dusk in the desert. The sound of the wind. Eyes adjusting to low light. Sometimes I'm ready to throw all my work in the city away and become a hermit - live in a crazy shack in the desert completely off the grid. But then I'd miss the city noise, the possibilities to do and make change. And what about high technology and my dreams and aspirations related to that topic? So I'll wait a bit longer and satisfy that craving with these trips.

Thewebisus

This video reminds me of a conversation I had using a mirror as a whiteboard in a loft in Portero Hill in 1999. It also reminds me of Hyperion. I also like the music.

Nice, Importance

Yesterday in conversation the boyfriend mentioned this quote

It's nice to be important, but it's important to be nice.

That got me thinking. I don't necessarily disagree with the sentiment, but I disagree with the things you might assume because of the sentiment. It's not mutually exclusive to be nice and important. Just because you are important, doesn't mean you can't also be nice. Being nice is not necessarily better or worse than being important. Being nice makes it easier to get along with people and have a better time. It's social lubrication. I also think it helps having a positive outlook - as long as you don't put yourself into the victim role.

Importance is a value judgment. So is being smart. (And so is being nice.) Different people value these characteristics differently. Some see intelligence/smarts as the top of the totem pole. Some people will do anything to be important. But can one say that being important is better/worse than being smart? (or being right?) Well... you could say that - but that's based on your personal judgment and don't be mad when someone has a different point of view.

These are variables. And from one point of view, one variable might seem better then another, but in the grand scheme, there is really no difference - except on the micro level.

Which reminds me of something I've been pondering recently - relativity. I've been thinking about Buckminister Fuller's quote: We are all astronauts aboard a little spaceship called Earth.

Everyday I wake up in the same bed. I live in the same house, I walk my dog on the same streets, I am the same person. It's the same bed, but it's not in the same position. Nothing is fixed - even on terra firma. Everything is changing, moving, I'm moving right now, sitting a my desk in weho wishing for a cup of coffee.

This has little impact on my life. A few days ago I was completely unaware of being on a moving planet through "outer space". But being aware of this constant movement can change the way I think about things and how I interact with people.

Irritations

Yoga class today was irritating. I look forward to these times blocked on my schedule. I love my teacher. She has an innovative and unique style. She pushes us and yells and has an awesome accent (she's brazilian). And my body has really done amazing things through her leadership. But one student in the class is a self-important whiny princess bitch. Even her name, Bridgette, makes me recoil.

She's often late to class. Always asking people to do things for her like turn on the lights or turn off the lights or complaining about the temperature. ALWAYS asking the teacher to check her alignment. Complaining that this or that pose hurts her. Then she fidgets around in her bag in the middle of class, talks to other students, interrupts the teacher, puts her mat at the front of class where the teacher's mat is. She takes other student's things (we use rope on a bar and today she totally took another person's place midway through class!) And she's like 40. Way too old to be acting like this. And those are just the irritations I can remember.

During class I try to take a zen or enlightened approach. I ignore the distraction. I think about how horrible her life must be for her to act like this. Well, I don't have to think too hard, she shows her life so clearly I can't help but see her ugly self. I use it as a reminder to work on myself. To not get caught up in her tendril bait. I can use her as a fabulous petty tyrant and work to be less self-important myself, but then I go back to why I go to yoga in the first place - the pleasure along with the physical activity.

Why hasn't the teacher said something to the distracting student? Does she not have guts? Is she not irritated as well. It's not just me who is distracted by ugly 40 year old x-14 year old model student. Other regulars in class have the same feeling.

I vacillate between saying something to irritating student myself and not. Should I say something? If so what would I say? What about stopping going to this class all together? The whole reason I was going for the exercise enjoyment. I can easily go to other yoga classes and get the same feeling. Should I stop going? I'm not sure what I want to do. (Please comment your enlightened, detached view.)

Update: WWDJD? Impeccably. What takes the least use of energy? To go to a different yoga class.

---
On another note, I just realized why something/one/situation that had been irritating me for several months - and it's still unresolved is so confusing/perplexing. Because the situation should have never happened in the first place! I didn't make the situation occur. Other people misbehaved, misunderstood and crap happened. Crap that is not my crap to deal with. It's their issue and it's up to them to resolve it.

I've got bigger fish to fry. And it's their loss they're not gonna be at my fish fry. Cause I'm a damn good metaphor cook and my parties always kick ass. ;)

2007 Goals - revisited

I had a YIKES moment this month. I thought, OMG, it's July, did I already achieve my goals for this year? And then I thought, what were my goals for this year anyway.

What's a goal-orientated girl to do if she can't even remember what she set out to do?

Well, a leisurely stroll through my blog reminded me that 2007 is the year of PIMPING AND PROMOTING. It's the JESUS YEAR (cause I'm 33).  It's about calling up all the best of heather past and reactivating her (like aikido heather - thanks Andrew for starting the dojo down here!). It's about the LA TECH COMMUNITY. It's about it all coming together. It's fractal ordering of chaos, respecting the beauty of chaos.

So yeah, I'm right on track. And now, I'm kicking it up a notch (well, everything's been kicked up a notch.)

Here are the fractal chaos I'm meditating on for the rest of 2007.

• Hedgehogs, Unicorns and the Sleeping Giant
• "Don't hold back" (link to mp3, my new theme song)
• The Sleeper Must Awaken
• Surprise and the Jewels in Time
• 40 days in the desert (maybe it's not 40 successive days)

World, the time has come to push the button! (sorry Steve Jobs- Read about Steve's anti-button crusade)

She's Geeky - No boys allowed

Announcing, Announcing, Announcing - She's Geeky - and girl geek unconference in Mountain View in October.

Shesgeeky invites a diverse range of women working in information technology (broadly defined,) those aspiring to work in the industry AND those who have retired from the industry.

This is an ‘agenda free’ conference about women in technology. This is a women’s only event. Why? Because there is a certain quality of conversational space that is created in a women only environment.

DATE: Monday and Tuesday October 22-23, 2007
LOCATION: Computer History Museum in Mountain View.

Who Should Attend?

Sheesgeeky is for women of all ages who self identify as geeks. You don’t have to code. You can like and use the tools…or maybe you just care about the issues facing women as they work in or around technology development….

Women who are passionate about building technology that’s useful for people and believe that passionate, geeky women’s presence in our industry leads to more opportunity, a more supportive and civilized environment and better technology goals for all.

Sheesgeeky will include women working in:

• Open Source
• Web 2.0
• Biotech
• Hardware companies
• Enterprise IT
• The Nonprofit Technology Sector
• Portals
• Search Engines
• Social Networking Sites
• Research for and about technology/people
• Startups generally
• Product building/management in large organizations
• Your definition of geekiness (if you don't see it here add it)

Sheesgeeky will explore a range of topics designed for our mutual learning.

Sorry, no boys. Register here! $25 bucks. I know a cheap hotel in MV too.  I think us LA Geek Girls should rent a limo and show up in style. hehe.

Oh and this will probably be an ass-kicking time - especially since Kaliya is a fan of openspace - and I think open space kicks ass.

Oh, in other girl geekiness - Blogher is going on right now. Unfortunately, I am not there, except in spirit. Although I might try to attend in Second Life!

g33k d1nn3r recap

I had dinner @ Galanga last night and was a little worried if they would let me back in. You see, Galanga is where we had the geek dinner last week! I knew the patio was going to be a little tight if all 30 people showed up. Well, that ended up being a moot point because we had over 40 people show up!

It was an awesome time. Over 40 geeks - lots of new faces and old ones. Travis from Verse brought plentiful beer and we took turns at table space. I actually enjoyed standing up and had great conversations with so many people: Michelle, Kirk, Devin, Jeff and Adam, DJ Drue, Nathan and more. And by the end of the night I convinced Sponge to create an algorithmic version of me. (That's what happens if you forget to pay your bill.)

So, when's the next one? And where? Well, it's west side August. Twiistup is happening on August 8th and Aug geek dinner is on the 14th.  I don't have a location yet, but it's going to be in Santa Monica area. And it needs to seat like 40 people. And project ppt karaoke too. And I'm looking for a kick ass sponsor! Ping me if you're game!

ps. Galanga did indeed let me back in, and they were thrilled that I had so many people show up. Whew.

pps. here are some photos.

Copying Queen

I'm totally doing this!

Brian May, the lead guitarist from rock band Queen, is close to earning his doctorate in astrophysics -- more than 35 years after quitting his studies to become a rock star.

I was originally going to go straight through college, eye on the Ph.d, but I decided in Brazil to experience the business world and get my ph.d later. I still dream of that ph.d (I really like the ring of Dr. Schlegel, don't you?). 10 years ago I had no idea what I would study. That's an easily answered question today, I know I'm going to study Cognitive Science. Because the world, is so much more than we see.

Saying goodbye feels good

You know how the heart's desire series says you gotta make room? Sometimes it's hard to say goodbye. But you gotta make room for all the new exciting stuff. So today, I say good bye to the blogger heather. It's my last month at Daily Mantra and Blogging.la. Admittedly I've not been posting much on b.la, but it's finally time to say goodbye. Daily Mantra is getting a new editor, Nicole and she's going to be great.

I'm excited to be pulling all my blogging back to heathervescent. And I've got a couple new websites I'll be telling you about soon (I hope), and then there's the whole LA Tech thing. It's not like I'm hanging out by the pool filing my nails. ;)

San Francisco, Carving a Groove

I'm north again. I came to have some meetings and attend wordcamp. I'm honestly not sure why I'm attending wordcamp. I think it was just an excuse to get me up here again, although it's been great seeing peeps and getting the wordcampy lowdown. The weather is gorgeous. It is windy and cool. I'm not used to this cool undertone. I've missed the wind.

The city seems so empty. Where are all the people. It seems so relaxed and laid back. Almost like a small town. Why do I see it like this? Was it like this before? Am I remembering differently? Or has it changed? Or have I changed? Am I uptight again? One-track focused speeding at the speed of light? (Oh yes, most definitely I am moving at the speed of light.)

I just returned from a midnight ride to the east bay (and back). The freeways are the way I remembered. Those grooves I carved so long ago, still there. I was able to slip back into them. And at the same time, the grooves were not the same.

I spent many hours on the bay bridge. Mostly when the toll was a mere buck (it's $4 now! yikes!). I realized as I was speeding back to SF tonight, that I'm carving a new groove. That that's the reason I'm back in SF. To carve this new groove. It's going to take some time - I will be back. But there's always a bushwhacker that paves the way for the trail, that eventually becomes a dirt road, a paved freeway, an information superhighway to infinity (and beyond).

San Francisco, I am soaking up your sweet wind, your little puffy clouds of fog, your live oak and hills of green. I am a sponge. The desert, we need these reminders, we need your shower of information rain.

Pink Goth Powerpoints and Brenda Laurel

I'm working on a pink goth powerpoint business plan. Who would have thought this was possible and that I would do it, but yeah, it kicks ass and sometimes I love my job. Part of this love is running across Brenda Laurel again. Man, she just totally rocks. I'm adding her to my list of inspiring kick ass women I want to be like.

ps. geek dinner recap is coming. It was a blast!

Weekend Recap

I felt like I didn't get a lot done this weekend. I hate feeling that way. But when I enumerate what actually happened, I apparently was very busy. Is it effortless living, an integrated life or lack of satisfaction? Or all three? I enjoy finishing things, but my real satisfaction is in planning them and then the moments of creation. Finishing leaves a hole, a gap, a vacuum.

• Awesome pow-wow helping crystallize where I want to go, and questions to ask myself to get there.
• I finished the unicorns.
• I thought a lot about Carmen and the pod.
• Puppets! and Uni!
• Unplanned midnight neighbor hang time. (Dog walking at midnight can improve neighborliness)
• Business meeting at Zuma Beach in Malibu, which included boogie boarding! (I have really missed swimming in the ocean.)
• Topped off with a visit to a magical Topanga hilltop compound. I'm still reeling from the reality of it. It was the location of dreams, but for real. I dared not take a photograph, but the memories are etched in my mind.

Today was a strange day. Too many things going on, started out with this 2 hour philosophical discussion about science and magic - both horrible words to describe what we were describing. Sometimes I just want to live with my worldview in peace - or blow my head off. But today, there is still work to be done and I continue to feel like I've accomplished nothing.

ps. save this post for the next LA Angst.

adobe is a strange loop

I bet he didn't know I was watching and I'm fast with my screenshot fingers... ha ha.

Reminder: g33k d1nner 2morrow

Just a quick reminder that the geek dinner is tomorrow night in West Hollywood. RSVP.

Phoenix is born

Baby Announcement, baby announcement!

Phoenix Orison De Jesus Kenefick 8 lbs 11 oz. Born 843pm 7 15 07 after 15.5 hours of labor.

More updates here. Congrats Carmen and Matt! You've been in my thoughts constantly this past weekend. Here's to rest and an epic beginning! xoxoxoxox.

Technology and Taxidermy

Insanity? or creativity? It's the text-o-possom!

It's official - Kasey kicks ass. But we all knew that already!

Unicorn Update

Unicorn Reality!

New Role Model + the challenges of big busted sword weilding

So the boyfriend told me about Ivy last night. Ivy from SoulCalibur. Described as my body type with purple hair - I was like WTF? For reals? Yeah, I can hack the Aeon look, but I'm not lanky enough. I'm handy enough with guns, but I really prefer to use my hands, a staff or a sword. (I've just gotten back into practicing Aikido + sword work). And wow, is her sword interesting. Yeah, yeah, I know it's a video game, and she's a character, but so is Madonna. As far as alchemy, which is basically a metaphor for personal transformation - come into my secret lab.

But yeah, the purple is very very cool. I love her huge claw hand/arm protector. You know what is funny. My brother and I were doing a thought-experiment a few years ago about cutting our arms off and I was not actually that concerned about losing my limb, as long as I could have a super awesome cyborg one to replace it with. We're almost there, technology (science, it works bitches). But no need to act before time.

Back to Ivy. There's another problem with wielding a sword and being busty. Form. Yes, my chest gets in the way of my arms holding standard form. I can't imagine the technique modifications if someone was seriously as busy as the new Ivy. It would be a challenge to hold the forms - especially if wearing a hard breastplate. I'm constantly squishing myself when I bring my sword strike down. Of course, I'm wearing a distraction and as much as any male warrior can practice, it's gonna be hard to not look a certain somewhere (unless he's not into women at all). So in a way, I can see a benefit for being a woman swordsman. And actually, as a woman swordsman, knowing the bustyness is so distracting, I can see the benefit of busting out more bustiness. A bigger breastplace. Women know the value of padded bras - it's not just to make us look bigger - it's protective of our magical mams. (Did I really just write that? Oh, it's so cheezy I know, but true!!!)

Anyway, so yeah, Ivy, you're on my radar babe! I'm gonna check out your sword technique now - especially with that crazy magical sword you've got. In the meantime, I'm gonna find me some purple thigh-highs up on Hollywood Blvd. I might even modify the claw arm to include this hip-top flame throwing I've been dreaming of...

Me Generation

I've been having conversations about the Me Generation. Over the past year, it's become pretty obvious to me that there's this entire generation that has a totally different outlook about technology. I, of course, want to understand this, the motivations, the attitude. Because every generation is a reiteration from the previous one. It's growth. But in what direction, and is it the growth that that trunk wants to go in, or the branches? I have no answer, but lots of questions.

Anyway, while checking out my stats, I found a link to Amy LeBlanc's blog, where she posted this great poster.

I've been seeing Marilyn pop up on Melrose for a while,but she's wearing sunglasses (typical Hollywood). But I like the sentiment in the poster. It's depressing - angsty you might say - and a reality check, against a reality that is increasingly changing. I don't necessarily disagree with the poster, but I don't actually agree with it either. It's perspective.

Why would you want to be a rock star? Is that really what you want to be? Or do you have some other passion that is aching to be expressed. That needs no adulation or showing of applause?

Building to Burn

I've built lots of fire. I love building fires. Whether they are tiny cholla cooking fires in the Mojave or a van full of pallets, I like coaxing the potential from the wood with a flame.

It has been a long time since I have made "art". This year, she's venturing out, I bound and put her on a pedestal long ago, she is dusty and covered with a tarp. But no more. That's what these unicorns are about. And since I am going to Burning Man, I might as well make them to burn.

It's an interesting experience. Spending time crafting, manifesting my vision, only to destroy it. It's been a while since I have built something physical. And as I build it, I envision it's destruction. Does this make me do cheap construction? Because I know it will be destroyed, do I make it easy to destroy? No, actually it is quite the opposite. I'm building these unicorns to survive (well, other than in a fire). So knowing they will be destroyed makes no difference in the quality of my construction.

Ok, so what about ego? Isn't art about ego? Aren't artists egotistical about their art? Well, in my case, I am trying to create a vision I have. I suppose it's my vision, since it's from my head, but I could also just as easily say I'm the vessel for the vision. I'm the one listening. I heard the vision and bought some tools.

Another interesting observation, since I'm building my unicorns to burn, is that I am detached from them. I have invested the time to build them the right way, but I have not invested so much of myself. In fact, I have invested very little of myself. I am the tool being used by the universe to build these unicorns to burn. Just as I am a tool being used to create and do the many things I do. I'm looking forward to the excellent fire, that will destroy my beautiful creations. In fact, I will probably build it up, to be a fire worthy of their destruction.

Pimping: Adobe Air Bus in LA

Adobe is bringing their AIR bus to LA. They are currently in the hot hot desert on their way to Vegas. I'd tell them to stop @ the Mad Greek, if I could figure out how to text them... Anyway, they will be in LA in a few days. Check it out.

The event is a free one day mini conference where you can learn how to leverage the Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR) to bring your web applications to the desktop.

On Upcoming. For more info.

Photo by Mike Chambers stolen from airbus Flickr site.

Pimping: Friends @ Felt Club

This weekend is Felt clubalicious. And showing her stuff is my pal Miriam!

Come check out New Limited Edition Hand Pulled Silk Screen Prints, a brand new line of Hand Silk Screened Tote bags and my awesome Tiny Buttons!!!

Owls, Sculls, Hearts, Birds, Skeleton's...all sorts of interesting vintage imagery!

More details (and pictures of cool stuff) here.

Angst List

2_angst2
Originally uploaded by leahpeah.

The line up! (And I might add, Tangier happy hour was mighty tasty!)

Angsty H!

2_heather
Originally uploaded by leahpeah.

Leah snapped a picture of me reading last night. What fun!