Anyone want to chip in and buy a Private Island with me? Maybe if we all contributed we could do it. It could be the *real* Blogomania! Matter of fact, I visited Ile de Batz years ago - just across from Roscoff in France, and Ile Jacobin is only 3km away, with a castle on the island even! I am so there! [via Barbara Fletcher]

I had “skinned” my site while still using Greymatter. Then the time came when GM couldn’t handle my 500+ entries, and I moved over to MT. I could never quite figure out how to use some of the features that MT offers though along with the skins. Until minutes ago. All of the sudden - POP! Some of the techniques that Jennifer used when she helped to set up the Pixelog would work perfectly. Kristine had sent an e-mail explaining a similar process to me, but I just couldn’t get it. I couldn’t work through the steps and figure it out. Until now.

So to test it out, I opened up MT, made a new index template, named it mtcalendar.php and stuck in the code for the MT Calendar. Then I went into my Skin #1 (in case you are viewing this in a different skin and wondering what I am talking about) and added the PHP Include to retrieve mtcalendar.php - and there it is. Damn. 6 months that I have wanted to do that and just now I finally got it! The lightbulb is on!

I will be heading over to Austin in just over a week for SXSW. I’ve been wondering how I was going to get online as I can’t go that many days without posting here, accessing work, or any other number of things. Seems that if I bring the wireless card, there are several Nodes Around Austin. Worth checking out. I have to ask to make sure - from all that TechTV I have been watching, it’s my understanding that my 802.11b 3Com card can be used in the same manner that an iMac would use an Airport. Is that correct? I mean, I distinctly remember them saying “It’s the wireless standard so they are interchangeable.” Right? [via SXSWBaby!]

Who else is heading to Austin for SXSW? Speak up!

More mentions of Blogomania! by Q Daily News and dangerousmeta! It is late & I am tired, but I have to say it - it has been a good day.

A huge thank you to Jennifer for her latest coding endeavors for Blogomania. She never ceases to amaze me. Much going on behind the scenes in PHP, and I owe it all to her.

To add to my bubbly day, I discover the TechTV | Chris Pirillo’s Favorite Blogs page on the Call for Help section of the TechTV site. Just one side note - it says at the top of the list “blogs are updated often and may contain profanity”. Well, hmmmm. I update often, sometimes very often. Sometimes super often, but I didn’t bribe Davezilla enough to win the “Most Updated Blog” Anti-bloggie. But, it very rarely contains profanity. It may however contain some rants here & there - does that count?

If you don’t have TechTV call someone and get it. I don’t care if you have to move. It is that good. Now. TechTV. And be sure to watch Call for Help!

I know I have said it before, but I hate Duhhhbya. Unlike many of the people out there that hate him due to his time in office as president, my hate for him stems from a time long ago. From back in 1994 when he ran for Governor of Texas. You see, he was touting his wonderful Welfare reform plan back then too. (link via Michele)

Maybe some history is in order for this. 10 years ago when my son was born, he had a club foot. I was still married at the time, but my husband was in the Army and the Champus insurance would not cover the special orthotics he would need after his surgery to repair his foot. So the doctor suggested I apply for CIDC, Chronically Ill & Disabled Children, benefits. It was not an income-based program and Jason qualified, but there was one catch. They in turn required you to apply for Medicaid. I thought I would never qualify … and I was wrong. As a small family on an Army income, we still qualified. Just after Jason’s first birthday, we got divorced. So, I was a single mother without a college degree working at low paying job. I worked my way up in the world, but for well over 2 years we qualified for Medicaid.

Then, just after I started working for the huge law firm and finally made an income that no longer qualified for Medicaid, Duhhhbya ran for governor. Even at the highly Republican, corporate firm (I actually worked on the corporate, business & banking team) I was brash & brazen enough to post the comic from the now defunct Houston Post that depicted Duhhhbya in an operation room, saying “Well, I’ve never performed brain surgery, but I THINK I CAN!” Yeah, summed up my opinion of him. Especially when he started to say that single mothers (ME) should only be allowed 2 years of Medicaid for their children. I was fortunate. I don’t have a degree because I left college to get married - but I am intelligent. (Or I pretend to be on TV.) I was able to work to where I could get to a salary level equal to someone with a degree. I was fortunate to have a lot of good opportunities. But what about someone that never has those opportunities?

I agree, there is a level of work ethic that should be required. I have always felt that you should have to prove that you are attempting to work, that you are attempting move up, take the free education courses they offer, whatever. But to suggest that getting MARRIED is the solution, and single moms are entirely the problem, is just WRONG. On many, many levels.

I think there are many things that are “broken” in our country. I think the whole Education system could use a giant overhaul, but NOT with Duhhhbya’s plan of TAAS-like testing. The TAAS testing is not doing any good in Texas, so why on earth would it be a good idea to implement it nation-wide?

Reading that article today just brought forth many emotions for me. It made me recall how ostracized from society I felt when that was part of his campaign for governor. I know there are many people that love Duhhhbya, and this is a free country and that is your right. I respect him because he is our president, and I support him in that position. I guess I should add this … technically, I lean much more Republican then I do Democrat. I don’t vote straight party tickets though, I vote based on the candidate. My reasons for my hate of Duhhhbya have a basis, though. God knows, I did not vote for him, and in two years my chant will be “No More, 2004!”

While on a phone with a client I was poking through some links and stumbled into Mike’s Blog. Right off with “Fighting the War Against DOT.COMmunism” I was hooked. There is some good info there. Have I mentioned I like sites with good info? I do. Especially lately when all I have had time to think about seems to be techno related things. But that’s not all bad, is it? I mean, a girl can be a geek some days, right?

You’ve seen Odd Todd, right? Yes, everyone’s favorite unemployed Todd. Until now. In The Man’s attempt to bring him down, the State Department of Labor busted him. Yes, they did. (NYTimes, requires free registration) Seems they felt he was a bit too busy to be considered unemployed. Can you believe it? Mainly because he has had donations. Lots of donations. $9000 in donations. And the Man, he just doesn’t like that. Do we tax pan-handlers begging on a street corner? No. Do we penalize them for being successful at getting donations? No. But he did it in the virtual world, on the Internet, and this … they have an issue with. He used his talents for a good purpose. How is that different from the guy on the street corner with the sign & cup? Huh? Anyone? [via Lightning Field]

Could you hear me scream? Loud? I’m sure my neighbors did at 8am this morning when I opened up my Lockergnome Windows Daily newsletter. The 2.27.2002 GnomeREPORT. It caught my eye that Chris mentioned MovableType, so I read further. Only to discover that not only had he mentioned this blog, he also mentioned our hosting service, BlogOmania! Somewhere in there I screamed. Loud. And I have been floating in this cloud limbo ever since. So to those of you who ventured in from Lockergnome, welcome! Leave a note, say “Hi!” I would love to visit your sites and have a chance to meet you. And please, come back for more!

I’m so psyched! The Amazing Race 2 begins March 11th! Hey Meryl, we’ll still be at SXSW then - so we could watch it together! They changed the time to 9pm CST, at least for the season premiere. whoo hoo! The Amazing Race is back!

I’m finally finding a minute to slow down and unwind, as I check in on a few blogs & watch The Screen Savers. I’m still waiting for Ben & Mena to be on the show … 11 minutes until they talk about MovableType, which Leo said in the intro is what he uses for his blog. Leo was so funny when he was talking about them being on the show, I loved it… Speaking of loving it, Robyn posted screen shots from the show and Chris made some bobble-head Ben & Mena dolls and a clip of the “Blogger Trott”. Go check it out!

Later, my show notes: In the opening/introduction they showed off not only Mena’s gorgeous site but also AnnElizabeth’s site! If I had the power to do a screen capture I would. And it was great to see them mention The Red Kitchen! Kristine did such a great job on it - I am so glad to be a part of it! (Wait, on that note I should go post a few of the recipes I have here waiting for me to post!) I’m just so excited to see MovableType featured. It’s a program I can not say enough good things about. Simply awesome…

Then maybe you should check out The Stripper-FAQ to learn how to become an Exotic Dancer! Including helpful articles such as “Tools of the Trade”, “Audition/Dancing”, “Safety”, “Your Finances” and the ever important “Making Money”. I have so much still to learn!

Many thanks to Robyn for pointing it out - BlogSnob - The better, faster way to publicize your personal site has moved to a new server! So login and grab the new code! (I have changed my default template, will change the rest tonight.) Quick! Before it’s too late!

Just discovered, thanks to Chris Pirillo, that Ben & Mena will be on The Screen Savers today to talk about MovableType! That is *so* wonderful. I’m really excited because, as you have all heard me say many times, I love MovableType! Must set the Tivo to catch the rerun tonight!