Robert Scales and Will Pate initiated discussions today with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) on the use of Raincity Studios’ “Symposyum” platform.  Symposyum is a Drupal-powered social software-based curriculum delivery tool that should be under consideration by any institution intent on a Web 2.0 presence.  The presentation was well-received and further discussions are anticipated; notably, forays by NAIT’s Digital & Interactive Media Design program into socialized curriculum.  Stay tuned…

A great couple of days. The workshop is valuable, but it is drawing to a close for me. Others will stay on for the wrap party this evening. Hal and I are planning to head out around 3:00pm. He has a flight to catch, and I’ve got a long drive back up north (trying to minimize the number of after-dark hours on the road). Thanks Robert, Will and the rest of the faculty. Also, a big thanks to the Banff Centre for the facilitation and exemplary hospitality.

Well, the comments are coming in - albeit, some of them in person rather than the blogosphere. My good friend, Hal, notes that my postings sound very serious (read somber). The fact is, externalizing a normally internal dialogue takes time to find its appropriate voice. Those who know me as Hal does know that my natural tendency is more comic than bleak. Please bear with me as I unpack my inner clown.

From the blogosphere, my thanks to Darren who has welcomed me to the community. The cinnamon buns and jellied salad are greatly appreciated.

Still mulling over the options for gaining full control without losing the ease of templated functionality. May be a losing battle until I discuss with Richard. My belief is that this will enable us to accomplish our early-stage collaborative connections. The clock is ticking, and we need to ensure that action is taking place. I’m chomping at the bit.

I have a meeting set with Don K. to discuss the possibility of our resurrecting the remote musical collaboration. I think he will rise to the challenge. Better than that, however, is that the engineer’s rationale will kick in to keep me from doing something ill advised.

The conference information plows on in full furrow. The field has been seeded, and it will be interesting what sprouts come morning. While this has been going on, I’ve been fiddling with various display options. Can’t seem to figure out how to get into the source code to make base changes (like the background image). Looks like I may be downloading the self-administered version

Technorati Tags: design, blog code

Having made the trip to Banff numerous times over the course of the past year, this trip had a quality similar to a riderless horse ambling back to the stable. The purpose: a blogging workshop. The reality, however: a more convoluted metaphysical journey has led me here.

The past few weeks (since August) have precipitated a cloud of complications. I’ve been sick, work-conflicted, over-taxed, in Australia and New Zealand, liberated, inspired, beseiged, euphoric, and humbled. The journey has been a rollercoaster, as they say. Still many great possibilities are taking shape, and I firmly believe in the success possiblity for a number of them. This is shaping up to be a tremendous new year. Dare I say, remain posted.

Technorati Tags: blogsndogs, banff, bnmi, winter

Seated in a blogging conference with minor epiphanies occurring all around. The world used to be in colour, but now it is in blog & write.

This particular blog was started without any forethought; that is, I started it as a tool to participate in the conference. Previously, I blogged sporadically. I was using the medium concurrently as a means to sharpen my coding skills. While this was successful, it did place some obstacles to consistency. One day my commitment to extending my geek aura would sit me down; the next day, I’d just roll over and choose silence.

Welcoming myself to my alter ego. This is a curious space I inhabit. Now I know how everyone around me feels.