Libraries, the original co-working space by John LeMasney via lemasney.com
“Codecademy for Adults: Learn How to Write Code for Free
English: Python logo Deutsch: Python Logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia
LOCATION: Technology Center Session 1: Wednesday, October 9, 7-8:30 Session 2: Wednesday, October 16, 7-8:30 Session 3: Wednesday, October 23, 7-8:30
Have you ever wanted to know how to write code, build websites, and develop applications, but did not know where to start? Codecademy is a free, hands-on, cloud based learning community focused squarely on helping people to learn languages like HTML, CSS, PHP, Javascript, and Python. Come learn how this fantastic free resource can help you to master coding. Skill Level: Intermediate” ~ Codecademy for Adults: Learn How to Write Code for Free (Session 1 of 3) | Princeton Public Library –
Healthy Berries are Good Food for Health (Photo credit: epSos.de)
“Sharing Food Virtually: an Introduction to Food Blogging
DATE/TIME: Oct 7 2013 – 7:00pm – 8:30pm
LOCATION: Technology Center
In this session, John LeMasney will show you how to use WordPress to share photos, video, recipes, reviews and other information about your passion for food. A delight in eating, talking about food, and sharing information about food are required, and some experience with websites is suggested, but not required. Come and learn how to start conversations online about food, nutrition, eating, and deliciousness.
Skill level: Intermediate” ~ Sharing Food Virtually: an Introduction to Food Blogging | Princeton Public Library –
There are a few phrases, rules, really, that I say to my boys more than once. I have thought about what they all mean, and wanted to share.
Stay to the right.
30 07 11 Road rules (Photo credit: Kikishua)
As you might imagine, my boys and I spend a lot of time walking. Sometimes on a sidewalk, often in the mall, from time to time in a store. I spend a great deal of time reminding the boys to step to the right, in this culture recognized as the key rule of the road. Recently, my oldest said that when you walk on the road, you walk against traffic, and I agreed. I reminded him that that the rest of the time, we walk to the right. It seems to relate to my belief that politeness is mostly nonverbal. When we walk to the right, we show a certain kind of respect for others.
Not a contest.
My boys want me to be impressed by, proud of, and delighted with them. They know very well that I am enthralled with their behavior. Their want to impress me is always present. Very often this comes in the form of being the first to open the door for others, which I love and reward. Sometimes, though, it comes in the form of the statement “I can drink milk the fastest.” I say “not a contest” to remind them that some things are not worth mastering.
No unnecessary arguments.
The Argument Sketch (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
My 5-year-old will often cite corrections to my 9-year-old because his beliefs, now, do not always align with reality. My 9 yo is a born teacher, and always moves to correct. Sometimes the back and forth goes on for some time. I find myself letting the conversation go until the point of simple correction, and try to shut down longer arguments of philosophy and ideology when they concern whether, for instance, trees or flowers are more alive than one another, or whether a clock says 4:15 or 4:16. I feel like this is one of my key lessons from my boys to me: Sometimes we are inexplicably dedicated to one idea or another, and sometimes they just don’t matter.
Please eat with your mouth closed.
My boys have the best table manners. I really adore the way they eat, sit, and thank servers, myself included. Every once in a while, a chewing sound emerges, and I squash it. I once worked in a cubicle where the guy next door would eat all day. Candy, noodles, coffee, or licorice, all of it came with a snap, crackle, gurgle, slurp. I wanted to quit. It was so rude, so overwhelmingly invasive, that I was ready to leave. I don’t want my boys to ever be the source of that kind of inconvenience.
Please sit in your seat.
Sit down, please. (Photo credit: Natalia Romay)
Sometimes, as we drive, the boys get kind of restless. As you might imagine, they start to move from their designated space in the car, straining the limits of their seat-belts. I think for a moment what might happen in the event of a sudden stop, and ask them to sit in their seats. There are certain rules, borne of the infinite impossible intrusion of fate, and I’ll do my best to prepare them for it.
Why are we screaming?/Can we have some quiet time?
I believe that there is a need for quiet in one’s life. I am addicted to a certain quiet. Sometimes, especially when my oldest is excited, he’ll raise his voice as he talks. I can always tell when he’s excited about something, because his voice increases in volume, and he begins to present, like he’s seen me do so many times. I love that he is adopting a skill of presentation, but I always they to remind him that there is a time for volume, and a time for quiet. He’s just as good as describing what he’s excited about in a normal voice.
I think that my fathering can be described as preparatory, safety-oriented, and kindness-heavy. I think that these rules give my boys the opportunity to be prepared, safe, polite and human. I don’t know that I can do any better than this.
Leaf illustration by John LeMasney via lemasney.com
Leaf illustration by John LeMasney via lemasney.com
I saw a beautiful illustration on Pinterest that made use of clipping, and decided to play with the idea for myself. In Inkscape, if you import an image, like the palette in the illustration above, and make or import a shape, such as the leaf here, you can place the leaf shape on top of the palette image and apply object/clipping/set clip which results in the clipped image above. I added a rectangle in white, set transparency to 50%, and added the word leaf in one of my favorite fonts, Bebas Neue, and applied a skew.
It’s an interesting way to visually share two ideas in a single image. Both the palette and the leaf have their own visual message, and together they send an interesting combination of the two. I could have used a photograph instead to possibly make a statement about love or business or nature, or all three. Open up Inkscape and try this technique for yourself.
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“Making Sense of the Google Chromebook” Free Computer Program September 3
Color study (Photo credit: lemasney)
Ewing, NJ: “Why would I want a laptop that only runs a browser?” This is the critical question New Jersey technology consultant and graphic designer John LeMasney will explore when he presents The Computer Learning Center’s newest, free Computer Tips and Tricks program on Tuesday, September 3. “Making Sense of the Google Chromebook” will begin at 2 p.m. in the Ewing Senior and Community Center at 999 Lower Ferry Road. It will be preceded at 1:30 p.m. by a question and answer session during which the audience can direct computer questions to the CLC’s all-volunteer faculty. Both programs are free and no prior registration is required. “Come learn why I stopped carrying around my MacBook Pro and exchanged it for a Chromebook, Google’s low-cost laptop that runs just one application,” says LeMasney. “Chrome begins to make a lot of sense when you look at several converging factors, namely, the increasing availability of high-speed connectivity, the emergence of applications and cloud-based services for real-world functionality, and the ability to stay connected in rather light ways. I plan to look at both why the Chromebook works for me and the incredible power of this platform, but also why keeping a MacBook around still makes sense for some things.” John LeMasney describes himself as an artist, designer, technologist, and consultant whose passion is to help people use technology in sensible ways to enhance their work and life. His career most recently included work as Manager of Technology Training at Rider University where he assisted faculty, staff and students in integrating technology into their work, classroom, and extracurricular activities. A Fine Arts graduate of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, he holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership with distinction from Rider University, as well as LPI Level One Certification in Linux Administration. The non-profit Computer Learning Center at Ewing, which sponsors the Computer Tips and Tricks programs as a public service, also offers a variety of PC and iPad computer skills courses for adults in central New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. For further information about the September 3 program, courses or directions, call 609-882-5086, 609-883-1776, Ext. 6205 or visit the CLC website at www.clcewing.org.
This afternoon, I taught some young, bright people how to get started with Scratch, MIT’s block programming application, at Princeton Public Library. Scratch training is a regular offering there. Block programming is a ‘lego-style’ approach to programming where you drag and drop functions from a predetermined set to develop a program. For example, you can have a character, called a sprite, dance back and forth on a canvas, jump when you hit a key on your keyboard, and flip when it touches another character.
Scratch Training (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Over a few weeks, I’m going to introduce the basics of Scratch, using their own great tutorial resources. My focus was their Scratch Cards, simple tutorials that allow beginners to quickly gain an understanding of things that you can do. http://info.scratch.mit.edu/Support/Scratch_Cards
Cover of Richard Stallma
I was particularly excited to share the easy way in which you can look at other Scratch projects that other scratchers have shared. You can visit those projects and play them as they were programmed, but you can also open them up in the editor, save a local copy to your own projects (called remixing) and begin making improvements of your own. I do this all the time in order to build upon the work of others, perhaps the key benefit of open source software, a key idea celebrated by Scratch. It makes sense that MIT manages this project, as Free Software and the idea of openness and transparency in software was born with MIT’s own Richard Stallman.
Next week, we’ll be coming back to share the projects that we came up with to explore how we can each use Scratch to scratch our own itch. Can’t wait!
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