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A New Plugin for Tiny Theme: Adaptive Photo Layout
When I first created Tiny Theme, I knew I wanted to allow users to create posts with more than a handful of images. While technically possible from day one, the default layout was a simple vertical stack of images. While this is to be expected on mobile devices, it’s less than elegant on larger screens.
The solution comes in the form of the Adaptive Photo Layout plugin for Tiny Theme.
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Creating a Custom Branded File Sharing Service for Free
I had a first-world file sharing dilemma. I wanted to be able to simply share files with others that didn’t require a convoluted process. I wanted to be able to set expiration dates and passwords when necessary. I wanted it to be custom branded. And here’s the kicker, it needed to be affordable.
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Introducing Font Choices for Tiny Theme
When I started developing Tiny Theme, I set out with goals of (1) accomplishing everything without scripts, (2) make it as light as possible, and (3) use as few media queries as possible. To date, Tiny still has zero added scripts, is very light, and uses only 1 media query (to enable dark mode). However, shortly after releasing the theme, it became apparent that people wanted font choices. How could I enable that without adding any scripts or additional weight to the theme?
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My Favorite Mac Apps and Utilities
As someone who uses a Mac almost every day, there are a quite a few smaller utility-type apps that I frequently use. I decided to make a list, perhaps it’ll be useful to someone.
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How to Verify your Domain on Nostr and Bluesky (for Micro.blog users)
Adding domain specific verification to Nostr and changing your Bluesky username to your own domain can be accomplished by creating .well-known text files. If you’re using Micro.blog and would like to do this, it’s pretty easy.
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My Safari Extensions in 2023
Here’s a quick rundown of the Safari Extensions I keep enabled on my devices (iOS, iPadOS, and MacOS).
Wipr For ad blocking, many people go with 1Blocker, but I prefer Wipr. It’s a no nonsense, install it, and forget it app. 1Blocker is a fantastic app that allows almost limitless customizations and settings. Wipr is a fantastic app that has no customizations or settings. There’s a place for both, but Wipr wins for me.
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How to Change the Color Scheme in Tiny Theme
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the number of people who have chosen Tiny Theme for their micro.blog. It is built to be both simple and customizable. One of the most common changes to make to the theme is a change in color scheme.
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Where Have I Been
I decided to jump on the trend of listing places visited. For my list, I’m limiting it to locations where I spent meaningful time (ex. no airport only stops).
Countries United States of America 🇺🇸 Mexico 🇲🇽 El Salvador 🇸🇻 Honduras 🇭🇳 Jamaica 🇯🇲 Cayman Islands 🇰🇾 Lithuania 🇱🇹 Latvia 🇱🇻 Belarus 🇧🇾 States within the USA Louisiana Texas Mississippi Alabama Florida Missouri Arkansas Oklahoma Colorado Utah Arizona Nevada California Georgia Tennessee Kentucky South Carolina North Carolina Wisconsin New York Massachusetts Maryland Virginia Hawaii Illinois Kentucky Washington D.
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Introducing the Tiny Theme for Micro.blog
Recently, I’ve been working on a new theme for Micro.blog for my personal use. Others have expressed interest in using it on their site, so I decided to make it available for anyone. I hope you enjoy the Tiny Theme.
Overview My goal in making the theme was for it to be as functional as possible while also being lightweight and blazing fast. It doesn’t include any added scripts or custom fonts.
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Touchscreens in cars are dangerous? Oh.
Now, new evidence shows those touchscreens are far less safe and efficient than the old school alternative, according to the findings of Swedish car magazine Vi Bilägare. Frank Landymore https://futurism.com/the-byte/study-finds-that-buttons-in-cars-are-safer-and-quicker-to-use-than-touchscreens I’m amazed that manufacturers haven’t realized and acted on this. Anyone who has driven any vehicle that’s mostly touch screen knows it.
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A Few Thoughts on My Blogging and Social Media Setup
Even before the Elon-Runs-Twitter era, I was starting the process of creating a more seamless and less time consuming online strategy. I knew I wanted to keep my blog. I knew I wanted to limit my social media exposure without completely leaving it behind.
The first steps were easy:
Delete my Facebook profile along with the Facebook and Messenger apps Make my Instagram account read-only, private, and largely inactive But What About Blogging?
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Scientists Achieve Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough With Blast of 192 Lasers
That changed at 1:03 a.m. on Dec. 5 when 192 giant lasers at the laboratory’s National Ignition Facility blasted a small cylinder about the size of a pencil eraser that contained a frozen nubbin of hydrogen encased in diamond. NY Times https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/13/science/nuclear-fusion-energy-breakthrough.html This is over-my-head for the most part, but when a paragaph includes phrases like “192 giant lasers” and “frozen nubbin,” you have to share it.
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How physics and a video game trick forever changed the NASCAR Championships
Using physics, Ross Chastain floored it during the final turn, scraping the wall and passing 5 cars to advance to the NASCAR championship. Ethan Siegel https://medium.com/starts-with-a-bang/how-physics-and-a-video-game-trick-forever-changed-the-nascar-championships-33efad426f1b I’m not a Nascar fan, but I was drawn in by what happened here.
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How to Show Micro.blog Bookshelf on Any Page
If you’re using Micro.blog and the accompanying Bookshelves feature, you can show a book (or selection of books) on any page of your site. Use the code below and follow the directions to get started. See my home page for a live example.
Have questions? Let me know in the comments.
Copy and paste it into your theme Change currentlyreading to the name of your selected bookshelf Style using css to your heart’s content
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Notes About Taking Notes
Thanks to a short post (and a long thread of comments), I decided to re-think how I capture daily notes. I’m hardly a heavy note-taker, but I do have times when they’re needed.
Weekly Executive Staff Meeting Monthly All-Hands Staff Meeting Desktop Scratchpad Everyday Notes Digital Notes Bonus: Writing (Pens) Let’s take each one of those individually. But first a heads-up…you’ll notice one product line keeps popping up.
Weekly Executive Staff Meeting This is an informal touching base type of meeting.
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GoRuck GR2 26L
I’ve always been a believer in having a nice bag when possible. Often times, people put thousands of dollars of equipment (laptop, phone, iPad, Kindle, chargers, adapters, batteries, cameras, books, etc) in a $40 bargain basement bag. It just doesn’t make sense!
There are many solid options in a variety of price ranges. Today, I’m going to take a quick look at the GoRuck GR2 26L.
My Uses These bags are almost indestructible.
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How to Ship
Ben Brooks at Brooks Review (link is behind a paywall) recently posted some tips for shipping items. I do a lot of the same things he does but with a few slight differences.
My process is the best cheap/easy combination I’ve been able to find.
PayPal has a solid built-in integration with Shipstation, but you have to jump through a few hoops from time to time to make it work (particularly if you don't use Goods & Service or Purchase Protection).