Web Redesign Step 2: Original Site Map

After 1 hour of work last night

Hi guys,

Step 2 of my web site redesign is to create a site map of the current Pixels & Widgets site (current as of yesterday). I had built it last night, but Visio2000 was giving me headaches so I finished it off at work this morning.

Why do we create a site map?

Well, the site map is used to show:

• The site's orgainizational hierarchy,
• The sites contents on a page by page level, and
• The site's implied (although this is not necessarily the case) navigation.

Here's a picture of my site map (click it to see a larger image):

There are more, but I don't have the time to write them down.

As you can see, my site is rather flat, it has 6 distinct content categories--too many if you ask me. Sad but true, I was never able to build it all. :-(

Next step: Current Site Content Inventory

Tai

Julie has a New Site

I should really read those MSN Messenger Handles

For the longest time, I've been puzzled as to why Julie has changed her MSN Messenger handle. Normally it's Jules, I believe (although I could be wrong)

For the past 2 weeks, this is what I've seen:

It's obvious that I've been too lazy to expand my MSN Messenger window to read the whole handle. It wasn't until about 30 minutes ago that Christine offered me some insight:

Jeez I'm dumb.

Her new site is at: http://www.bzargrl.com

Cheers,

Tai

Pixels and widgets version 2.0

It's time for a refresh

I've decided to spend one hour a day redesigning my site using the skills that i have picked up as an Information Architect at OnX.com.

Here is Phase 1- Macro Design:

Step 1: Solution Outline
Step 2: Current Site map
Step 3: Current Content Inventory
Step 4: Revised Site map
Step 5: Revised Content Inventory
Step 6: Wireframes
Step 7: Mock Ups
Step 8: Interactive Model

Step 1: Solution Outline

Scope: Rebrand Pixels and Widgets into a more personal site using standard W3C technologies. Eliminate or revise extranneous parts of the site that have proved elusive and hard to manage. Use a content management system for the serving of each page.

Salient changes:

• Remove DHTML Menu (it performs poorly on slower computers and it is not accessible)
• Generate a new Look and Feel
• Use Movable Type as the sole Content Management System using CGI/PERL and PHP4 as the main technologies for information management.
• Remove sections that no longer apply to the scope of Pixels and Widgets
• Create a site using W3C Validated technologies (XHTML 1.1, CSS 2.0) that supports multibrowser viewing and accessibility software.

Technologies: XHTML 1.1, CSS 2.0, Javascript 1.2, Movable Type 2.5x, PHP4 / MYSQL, PERL 5, CGI Script.

Time for bed.

Tai

Good Weekend.

Wow, busy, busy, busy

Authors note:

Just want to say that this blog contains very little intrinsic exposition. It's very light reading. I'll be working in the future to try harder an make my "musings" more interesting.

Hey all, it's been about two weeks since I last wrote in my blog. I really need to put more effort into generating interesting and insightful content--have to drive up those hit counts.

Things have been busy. I've been working hard at OnX, and it has eaten up most of my spare time.

Don't bother me....I'm a Director"

For all of you who don't know, Jen participates in a Chinese Dance Troupe. They performed on Saturday at the Mon Sheong Cathay Ball 2002. Over 1500 people watched Jen and her troupe perform two, 5-minute dance routines.

I got it all on tape.

Here's an interesting story:

Jen wanted to get me into the Ball under the guise of "videographer".

I'm like, "With what camera? Do you expect me to buy a video camera?"

I bought a Digital Video Camera Friday night.

Nothing extravagant...but still, it was quite an investment at $1000 CDN.

I ended up buying an entry-level camera (not something that I'm prone to do if you ask my friends). It's the Canon ZR40--Canon's cheapest miniDV camera. It's pretty sweet, but it feels cheap (not like Kev's DV Cam). It's a bare bones DV cam. I haven't decided if I want to return it yet. Hell, I may even exchange it for a better camera.

I just want to say the night at the Ball was long, I was bored and hungry, but it was all worth it just to record Jen dancing.

I'm amazed that after 3 1/2 years, I'm still crazy-in-love with Jen. A thousand dollars doesn't seem so much now that I think about it, at least not for her anyway.

So that's that.

Dave's new Girlfriend

After the ball, Jen and I went to Cristine's new place by the lakeshore. Sweet.

I love the furniture--especially those IKEA Bar stools that Dan, Rob and I assembled.

Good times, memorable conversations. Who could ask for more.

Dave Vu was there , visiting from Milwalkee. He even brought his girlfriend, Veronica with him.

Here is a picture of them:

Are they not a sweet couple?

Jen and I didn't get back to her place until 3:00AM that night. We crashed hard, but woke up and managed to make Dim Sum with Karen and Eric at Dinasty Palace Restaurant Sunday Morning.

My first Female Cousin

After Dim Sum, Jen and I went back to my place and slept until she had to leave. We're such a fun and exciting couple.

Later that night, my family, with about 40 other guests ate at a banquet hall to celebrate the birth of my newest cousin, Samantha.

Fun times...I even got to hold her.

She's so small!!!

Pictures Forthcoming.

Cheers,

Tai

My new cousin.

"Baby, on board--Oh how I adore..."

For those who read my log, you may remember that my uncle and aunt had a baby girl recently. She was 2 months premature and came in at a whopping 2 pounds and 3 ounces.

Well, it's 6 weeks later, and she was released from the hospital last week. I saw her on Saturday and took some pictures.

She's just over 6 pounds.

Here's a picture of her:

I've been working a lot recently. I'll post more when I can.

Cheers,

-T

Bizarre

I haven't been sleeping very well recently.

For the past 3 nights, I've been lying in bed awake passed 2:00 am.

I was just walking down the stairs from the 2nd floor to the 1st and it hit me.

Last night, I dreamt that I was breakdancing. Specifically I was dreaming that I was doing a windmill, flares, six-step and a really awful freeze. Then I remarked that I could taste the floor. It tasted like grapes.

-T

Mommy Dearest

My mom has sass!

My mom quit her job at the K-Bro Linens factory. I found out this morning when I saw her in the kitchen (she's usually out of the house at 6 am--well before I'm awake). She just walked off the floor. I'm unhappy with the circumstances (pretty dodgey if you ask me) of why she left K-Bro, but I'm glad she doesn't have to work there anymore. It's hard for a 63-year old mother of 3 to work in an industrial clothing launderer. The job was killing her in my opinion.

Then I had a troubling thought: Maybe it was the only thing that is keeping her alive.

Granted, my mom is in good physical health, but I know that she's really upset. It's almost as bad as January, when my grandmother [her mother] passed on.

Financially, things are fine. Both my father, my brother Kai, and I all have full-time jobs [Win works part-time]. We definitely don't need the money.

I think my mom is confronting the fact that she may never work again. It would scare me, that's for sure. I know she feels helpless. Right now it's in her union's hands.

Work is busy, almost frustrating at times. It's stimulating, but it doesn't make me happy. Not with this weighing me down. I can't stand it when my mom is sad.

Cheers,

Tai

Mmm, Beef

Mmm...corned beef!

I'm amazed how everyday, dull foods can taste so good...It's 1:45 pm right now, and I'm having my corned beef sandwich on rye with a slice of swiss cheese. Today, I had a bran muffin for breakfast. I'm starving. My sandwich tastes gourmet.

Mmm...

-T

Time to myself

Weekend Review

Hey all,

I find that the 5-10 minutes I spend waiting for my father to leave Seiko (We car pool together) is basically the only timee I have to write in my blog. Thank the lord for mobile computing.

Aside: A woman just pulled up beside me...she looked at me funny. What's so wrong about a guy suspiciously parked at the front door of Seiko Canada (Distributed through Oddysey time) typing away, alone with a laptop.

Perhaps she thinks I'm trying to hack into Seiko's secret files. Not likely. Definitely not on my mac.

I can imagine it now...five minutes from now, I hear a tap on the glass...a large Police Officer is tapping on my car winshield with his night stick. Rodney King Version 2....

I've noticed that my battery no longer has the 3 1/2 hour charge that it used to have when I first purchased the machine. Oh well, batteries are like that I guess.

This weekend was pretty ordinary. No adventures, nada, zip, zero. Dan, Rob, Flo, Amanda, Jen and I helped Cris assemble and place furniture within her new apartment. It's a nice place. I'm kind of worried about the water damage in her bedroom (the dry wall is peeling), but in the end, it's definitely a fantastic find.

tai