I Have a Blog Roll on My Website

2023-12-21 by Pablo Morales

This post was written in en

I've heard of blogrolls on and off. I didn't really think much of them until recently. I saw Tracy's post on Building community out of strangers. I really enjoyed this post and it got me really interested in exploring the idea of blog rolls. I really enjoy the focus on community and connections. I'm always trying to learn from others and see how I can make deeper connections with others even if they don't know it. It's a different way of connecting with other humans.

I like how Tracy writes what I think often when I read people's blogs

Yes, I want to see what you ate for lunch.

Yes, I want your snarky take on this week’s tech culture kerfuffle.

Yes, I want to hear the song you’ve had stuck in your head all week.

I really want to know what exciting things you are doing!

So I created a blog roll! This is how I did it!

I exported the OPML file downloaded from FreshRSS to convert it to a CSV file. I converted the file and removed unnecessary columns. These are the fields I kept in the CSV file:

  • Name of Feed
  • Site URL
  • Feed URL

Then I used the concatenate feature in Excel. I don't mind practicing the use of Excel formulas. It was actually fun to create and format the links in markdown in the way I wanted. If I decide to change the formatting later, I could always change up the concatenate formula I have setup. I used this formula to create markdown from various fields into this format:

=CONCATENATE("* ", "[", A3, "](", B3, ")", " ", "[(RSS)]", "(", C3, ")")

An example of this would be:

* [Alex Sirac](https://alexsirac.com/) [(RSS)](https://alexsirac.com/feed/)

Which gives me a list item:

My blog roll is available here. I will make it prettier later. I might try to implement a database version so it is easier to maintain. That's another thing to add to the to-list.

The Friend I Made on the Bus

2023-12-20 by Pablo Morales

This post was written in en

I was browsing the web and I happened to stumble upon this Instagram post. It was a screenshot of a tweet OP posted about two girls on a cruise who became best friends for the day. One of the girls was looking for her best friend that day.

Here is what the post said, if you don't want to open an Instagram link. The post also has the picture of two girls on the cruise sitting next to each other.

in Hawaii in 2006. We were basically best friends for that night so I need y'all to help me find my bestfriend because I miss her and I need to see how she's doing now. Please retweet this so we can be reunited.

This helped me unlock a memory of an experience I had as a young kid. I remember my family and I took the Greyhound bus back from Mexico all the way to Nebraska. This was in the early 2000s. Let me tell you. When you're six or seven on a bus from Southern Mexico to Nebraska, you feel like dying, died, and forgot you died on a 48+ hour (or however long) ride. Maybe I'm being dramatic. It wasn't a pleasant ride, at least most of it.

I remember when the bus made a stop somewhere in Texas possibly in Austin or Dallas. I remember I was already having a bad time since I've been on a bus for an extended amount of time. Then some kid around my age got on the bus with his family. I gave him the nod to acknowledge him. He happened to sit near us. An hour or so had passed and I was curious and was desperate to talk to someone who wasn't in my family. So I said hello to the kid. I don't regret doing so.

When I said hello, right off the bat we hit it off. We were talking about a bunch of nerd stuff that kids our age were interested in.. I remember bringing up our computers and we lost our minds. I was telling him about the iMac G3s I would use at school or how my friend built a small website on his computer. He would tell me about things he'd create on Kid Pix. We also talked about our favorite TV shows, our hobbies, and upbringings. We shared stories. This kid was super cool! I hope he thought I was cool too. We had a grand old time.

At some point, he and his family had to get off to their transfer point or it was their final destination. We said our goodbyes. Then I waved at him, he waved back when he was on the ground. It was a very warm and sad moment to say goodbye to my best friend of that day.

I unfortunately don't remember his name and I doubt he remembers mine. At that time, it wasn't common for young kids to have a cell phone. We didn't exchange numbers or email. I think about this often. I wish I could find out where he is and if he is doing well. Who knows what paths we've taken? Have we crossed paths and not known it? I hope we get to meet someday and this post comes across him and we could reconnect.

If you're out there man, say hello!

Do you have a story similar to this? I'd love to hear from you.

My Childhood Home

2023-12-20 by Pablo Morales

This post was written in en

snow

I flew back for the holidays to my hometown in Nebraska. When I'm on the plane ride home, various memories run through my head as I am excited to visit home. I think about the things I need to get done while I am home. I'm excited to see my friends and most importantly, my family.

My hometown is quiet. There's enough to do. There are stores, parks, movie theaters. Just enough. There are subtle things I do miss about my hometown. It's the place that saw me grow up. A place where I am familiar with.

Something happens as I enter my childhood home. I spent most of my childhood in this house. When I step into the home, so many many memories flood my mind. It's like I unzipped a .zip file and the entire folder just spills. Every step I take and every time I turn my head, flashbacks come to me as well.

There are so many moments that make me feel happy. I remember it was here I got my first computer. It's where I learned to ride a bike. I remember helping my mom study for the U.S Citizenship Test everyday afterschool. I remember numerous times packing and unpacking for/from Mexico. I remember the moment I learned I was accepted into university.

My bedroom was a place of safety. A place where I could be myself. The place where I learned. I took apart my first computer. A place I recorded my first audio note. A place to allow my emotions to run free.

We didn't live in the best house but it was our house. We had a roof over our heads.

I reflect back on all this and it brings a smile of joy. So much has happened. So many things happening in the background I didn't know were happening.

I'm here now rearranging my room. I feel happy that I can still make it my own and still have a place of safety.

Watching the Nebraska Volleyball Game

2023-12-17 by Pablo Morales

This post was written in en

I don't know anything about sports but its fun to be around people I love. Volleyball seems cool.

Reply to Artist Dates by Tracy Durnell

2023-12-16 by Pablo Morales

This post was written in en

In reply to Artist Dates by Tracy Durnell

I wrote a post on taking myself out on a date where I go do various activities by myself. This is something I don't do often and it seems important for self-care. I have a habit of staying at home and not venturing off as much as I used to. Not often do I get to enjoy myself out and about.

What is an Artist Date?

Tracy responded to my post and shared something really cool. She introduced to me the idea of Artist Dates. She provides some great insight on how she's done Artist Dates. First, I had no idea that Artist Dates were a thing. Secondly, have I been going on Artist Dates and not knowing it? I'm mind blown right now.

The idea is going somewhere inspiring or exciting on your own regularly once a week. This seems to be the general consensus based on what I read. I really enjoyed Tracy's approach on Artist Days as she "framed solo activities more as Adventure Days". Carpe that Diem! That is such a positive way of seeing them. I like adventure and it motivates me to just do them! Adventure Awaits!

I really love photography. It's a thrill! You know what isn't? Taking photos in my apartment. It isn't ideal and I have to go beyond the walls. I plan on continuing to improve my hobby. What better way than to walk around the streets of Sacramento or taking shots from a tall building in New York City to capture moments in time.

I like spontaneously getting tickets for events. Sometimes when a colleague at works offers tickets to a free game or show, I attempt to snag them to attend an event I normally wouldn't attend or forget that exists. Whether it's a soccer match or a broadway show, I know I'm happy. I'd probably not be doing anything anyways.

Not all Artist Dates need to be planned. Honestly some of the best ones I've done were unplanned. Simply get up and leave. I also need to find out what things are happening in my city. Planning ahead for one event would lead to me discovering more things about the city I live in.

I found this blog post from 2010 called, 101 Artist’s Date Ideas that has such a great list of Artist Dates that I could go on! I love how simple or complex the suggestions could be! The possibilities are endless.

A Few Stand Out to Me:

  • Spend some time outdoors with your journal, sketchbook, craft supplies, etc
  • Write a letter to your parents. Tell them what you are grateful to them for. Send it
  • Make a list of thirty things you’d like to do before your next birthday

2024 will be the year for Artist Dates and more time to appreciate myself and break out of my comfort cycle. I am looking to find more joy in my life. This will be the year to just do it!

For now, I'm back at my hometown in Nebraska, so I will see what Artist Date I can find. I will start in a familiar place. I have a bad habit of staying at home and not showing my face in public. On Monday, I will ride my longboard or go on a run, depending on the weather. Either way, Nebraska.

Tracy, a risograph printing class sounds so tight! Please share what you've created.