WritePad for the iPhone
So I thought I would try WritePad after my last post about Spell Helper. I had looked into WritePad before but it seemed too complex for my needs. A lot of iPhone apps include file systems, formatting options, various document types, etc — all the stuff I don’t really need when writing for the web.
I decided to take a second look at WritePad. It’s actually not as complicated as I initially thought.
Let’s start with the points that had failed me in Spell Helper; WritePad still only has presets for sending the finished product to mail but there are some additional sharing options. However, WritePad saves your progress and allows landscape mode.
But here is what WritePad does better; it auto-saves (as far as I can tell.. Er… Or maybe not), it has a far superior auto correction/suggestion to what iPhone offers by default, post-edit spell check, shorthand expansion, trainable dictionaries and much more. And one feature that I’ve been toying with is hand writing recognition. I’ve found it a slow way to write so far but as I get used to it (or it to me), it gets better. I can see its potential.
What it doesn’t have (for which I am thankful for) is any sort of formatting options. That’s a big plus for me since it will allow me to write faster with less clutter in the way.
So I will take back what I said earlier about Spell Helper, perhaps it is too basic. I think WritePad will be my text editor/spell checker of choice for now.
Maybe someday my dream of an iPhone or iPad version of TextMate will become a reality.
Spell Helper for the iPhone
The one thing that stops me from blogging from my iPhone more is that my spelling is atrocious. I usually need to write a bit in my wordpress app, save, exit, open my dictionary app, copy, close, open wordpress, paste… Or I just end up writing the whole post, save it as a draft, then do the final edit and proofing on my Mac later on — which somewhat defeats the convenience of blogging on the iPhone.
There are plenty of dictionary apps and spell checker apps, and plenty of text editor apps, but one app that is in short supply is a simple, low cost app that does both. Today I found Spell Helper by Takashi Wada, an app that let’s you write *or* paste an entire message inside the app and spell check the entire document.
By default it wants to send the corrected text to mail but you can also just go back to edit mode and select all and copy the message to any other app you choose. It would be nice if additional destinations could be predetermined similar to TextExpander — perhaps in later versions.
It would also be nice if there was a way to save a work in progress. At present, if someone were to call in while in the midst of writing this, then everything I’ve written up until this point would be lost.
And while I am nit-picking, it would be nice if compositions could be made in landscape mode. But aside from all this, this app is exactly what I have wanted; a quick and dirty place to write something and then have its spelling checked.
Are there better apps for this? Probably, and I will continue to test some out, but this was the first one I found that did what I needed without any other clutter.
Any other suggestions?
democamp Guelph a big hit… again!
[
](http://democampguelph.com/ “Demo Camp Guelph”)
{ pictured (left-right): [@jooliah](http://twitter.com/jooliah “”), [@CuteGecko](http://twitter.com/cutegecko “”), [@seyDoggy](http://twitter.com/seydoggy/ “”), [@cutergecko](http://twitter.com/cutergecko/ “”) · photo courtesy [@kevinleehansen](http://twitter.com/kevinleehansen “”) of [monsterfarm](http://www.monsterfarming.com/ “Kitchener-Waterloo Web Design, Branding & Design Agency | Monster Farm”) }
Last nights [democamp Guelph](http://democampguelph.com/ “Demo Camp Guelph”) held at [ebar](http://www.bookshelf.ca/ebar/index.html “Welcome to the ebar”) was just awesome! This was my second time out to democamp Guelph and it always amazes me that you can get a bar filled to capacity and yet the attendees are quiet and listening intently to what’s being presented. Yeah sure there is a dull roar between demos and the occasional moment of riotous laughter during some demos, but overall, this is the most well behaved, polite crowds I’ve seen.
What’s the end result when you have a room full of well behaved, fun and friendly people? It’s an environment that breeds passion, support and creativity… and isn’t that really the definition of innovation? That is what democamps/barcamps/meetups are all about, sharing innovative ideas.
The regularly scheduled event was followed up by the democamp “after-party”, if you will, at a quaint and rather historic pub around the corner from ebar, called [The Albion Hotel](http://www.thealbionhotel.ca “The Albion Hotel – The Albion Hotel”). A number of us developer/designer types went to just carry on where we left off at democamp. More talk about new ideas, politics, and just plain old laughter and libation consumption.
To all those who I got the chance to talk to last night, thanks for the stimulating conversation and laughs. Until next time!
For a detailed write-up and pics of the nights events, presenters and sponsors, head over to [monsterfarm's democamp Guelph Roundup](http://www.monsterfarming.com/democamp-guelph-roundup/ “DemoCamp Guelph Roundup | Monster Farm”).
Going to democamp Guelph Tonight
[](http://democampguelph.com/ “Demo Camp Guelph”)
Tonight I’m heading out to [democamp Guelph](http://democampguelph.com/ “Demo Camp Guelph”) for a little geek networking, beer and to hear about the latest and greatest in new tech ideas in and around the Guelph area.
The event happens every 3 months or so and consists of a couple hours of 3 minute demos followed by a brief Q & A period. The demos usually consist of new startup ideas, web apps in development, new concepts and overall tech geekness.
But more important are the people who show up. If you’re just getting started in the tech sector, or have just recently had a great idea for a startup, there is no better place to start your networking.
If you want to keep up with what’s going on tonight at democamp Guelph, just follow the [twitter hash tag: #dcg](http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23dcg “#dcg – Twitter Search”).
Time Passes
Time passes and few will notice.
Until it’s passing becomes a comfort,
A reminder, this life is not eternal,
Our trials and triumphs not forever.
Tears fall and few will miss them.
Until their falling from cheeks of others,
Heralds a time hardly remembered,
When emotions ran deep and daily,
And tears flowed with ease.
Friends will visit and few will cherish those moments.
Until mobility gives way to agony,
Faculty gives way to confusion,
Ease gives way to strain,
Chairs at kitchen tables give way to pews before caskets.
Emotions run raw and few will relish them.
Until loss becomes commonplace,
Demise becomes expected.
Until the end is anticipated,
Hoped for, welcomed.
Time passes and few should notice.
Until passing be our comfort.
In loving memory of [Marie Rellinger](http://www.lifenews.ca/waterloorecord/profile/72641–rellinger-marie “Marie RELLINGER | RELLINGER, Marie | LifeNews.ca”).
—
This was written after attending the funeral of my wife’s Great Aunt Marie. At the age of 88, she willingly embraced her diagnosis of cancer and fought it with passion and grace. But just as Marie accepted the battle such a diagnosis brought with it, so too did she accept it’s eventual and inevitable outcome at 89.
Neither path was right or wrong to her — to suffer in therapy was almost an honor, a badge for her 89 year of service to this world and her lord — to slip away at the end surrounded by family was Marie’s sweet reward. She was ready — even if we weren’t.
At the funeral I watched a whole generation of her friends share her views — proud men and proper ladies, born a decade or two into a new century past. They were not saddened by the loss, but comforted that Marie had been ‘received’. They were happy to be celebrating her life together, as friends, while there were still friends to share it with.
There were tears at Marie’s funeral, but not from her peers. The tears came from those of us too caught up in the moment to be able to reflect on what one can accomplish in 89 years. Too caught up in what it means to lose a loved one and unable to see what it means to rest after a long and fulfilling life.
I will cherish the tears while the thought of death still terrifies me. I will relish the heartache while loss still hurts. But I will bring away with me a new understanding of what it means to celebrate life and the passing of time.
—
*Pictured in the Rellinger family portrait, clockwise from top left: Gary Rellinger, Todd Rellinger, Audrey Merrifield, Tanya Merrifield, Mary Rellinger, Marie Rellinger, Grace Merrifield.*
Turkey Rotini in Cream Sauce
### Shared by Adam Merrifield ###
Category: DinnerCuisine: Italian
Serves: 4
This is a delicious pasta dish that the whole family will love.
## Ingredients ##
* 0.4 kg ground turkey
* 284 ml Cream of Mushroom/Broccoli soup
* 1/2 cup white wine
* 1/2 cup cream/milk
* 5 cups rotini (whole wheat)
* 1 red pepper chopped
* 2 tsp minced garlic
* 1 cup Parmesan cheese (fresh grated)
## Directions ##
1. In a non-stick or seasoned cast-iron skillet, brown turkey over medium heat (about 4 minutes).
1. Add minced garlic and continue cooking for another 2 minutes.
1. Add the soup, wine and cream and reduce for about 15 minutes, stirring constantly.
1. Stir in chopped red peppers and continue cooking another 5 minutes.
1. Remove from heat and mix in Parmesan cheese. Let stand for 4 minutes.
1. Mix with cooked rotini and serve.
Search, share, and cook your recipes on Mac OS X with [SousChef](http://acaciatreesoftware.com/souschef/ “SousChef for Mac: Your Cooking Assistant (Acacia Tree Software)”)!
Haiti Tweetup
Last night I got the chance to attend a local geek meetup — Haiti Tweetup — put on by StartupDrinks.ca. It was, as you’ve probably guessed, a fund raising event for the people of Haiti in their time of need. It was good to get out and and chat with familiar faces and meet some new ones as well. But the true benefit was doing what we could for disaster stricken Haitians.
All told, $430 dollars were raised for Red Cross, with every little bit counting to help with the relief efforts in Haiti.
The Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge and Guelph areas are rich with technology meetups, tweetups, demo camps and the like… if you happen to run such an event, or happen to know someone who does, please ask them to consider taking donations at the door, or pass the hat around to raise funds for the earthquake relief efforts.
seyDoggy.com Gets a New Look
[
](http://seydoggy.com/ “seyDoggy systems . theme . code . design”)It’s finally done… I think. After spending more then a year at it, I think I have finally consolidated all of the web properties and blogs that I’ve wanted to for quite some time.
Probably the most notable changes are to [seyDoggy.com](http://seydoggy.com/ “seyDoggy systems . theme . code . design”). It’s no longer a portfolio site for past work since we don’t actually do client work anymore. It’s now just a calling card, if you will, or a hub I guess.
Also, the seyDoggy blog has been moved over to this blog. All of the original posts have been maintained so all the posts on RapidWeaver tips, AppleScripting, browser hacking, etc, are still available.
And last but not least, I’ve brought the [Merrifield Photography](http://merrifield-photography.com/ “Merrifield Photography”) blog over here as well. There are some pretty old stuff in there that I didn’t want to let die.
So there we are… my web-life is a little tidier, a little cleaner, a lot simpler. Now I just need to give the layout here a little tender loving care.
[tags]seydoggy,web,design,blog[/tags]