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Adam Merrifield

a picture of me
I am a web designer, theme designer, professional photographer and internet personality. I make many pretty things and I write a lot of content for the internet.

I am one of those guys that, because of the industry I am in, need to be connected at all times. At any given moment you'll find me posting on a forum, updating with twitter, Digging things worthy of attention, uploading pictures, or tagging cool sites.

here i am

seyDoggy Systems:
This is home base, the corporate headquarters, the hub, if you will, seyDoggy.com.

seyDesign news:
these are the RapidWeaver related posts that originally appear in the seyDesign.com blog

Uploads from seyDoggy:
these are the pictures that I upload to flickr

Merrifield Photography:
as a professional photographer I my camera ready at Merrifield-Photography.com.

delicious.com/seydoggy:
these are the websites I want to share or revisit later on. I just tag them on delicious.com.

what i am

I am the owner and operator of seyDoggy Systems, a small theme, code and design outfit based in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. We primarily develop web based technologies but have begun to dabble in the desktop realm.

what i do

I code like a fool. I design like a fool. I am happiest when I can split my time between the two (though I tire of Photoshop faster then I do TextMate or Terminal), and somehow I have managed to etch out a living doing so.

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-02-28

  • OH: "Inky pinky ponkey, daddy bought a donkey, donkey died, daddy cried, inky pinky ponkey." #
  • Thought taking the family bowling might be fun… Thinking now that dropping them off at the orphanage might be better. #satanspawn #
  • Srsly, how can a choice of coat ruin a 3yo's day? #
  • We're at Williams for the after-bowling snack. Kids are in a better mood now. http://ow.ly/i/y4T #
  • @_RWT_ tnx in reply to _RWT_ #
  • @pilky's CodeCollector 1.4b1 looks nice! #
  • @joeworkman not sure. I think I have my Code Cutter preferences set to keep me on the bleeding edge. in reply to joeworkman #
  • RT @kbbrux: Yay – a sneak preview #RapidWeaver of what we are working on next http://bit.ly/8Yl6×6 (via @symfonip) #
  • you can tell when I am knee deep in beta testing a new theme. My twitter activity drops to nearly nil. It's going to be worth it though. ;) #
  • I am man enough to admitmy eyes were misty at the end of Joannie Rochette's skate. #
  • @jooliah was watching all night. mostly to see how Joannie would do, but also to see the little rocket, Yu-Na Kim. in reply to jooliah #
  • @jooliah talking the girls to Disney on Ice on Saturday, do I get figure skating cred for that? ;) in reply to jooliah #
  • @elixirgraphics the webs were full of that kind stuff back then. I don't miss that era. It was fun but hard to keep up with. in reply to elixirgraphics #
  • I must say, I'm not much of a fan of action animation, but the Halo Legends series is REALLY well done! I am enjoying it a lot! #
  • I am burnt out from the most intense beta session ever. Nearly done though. New RapidWeaver theme coming in March. #
  • Just ordered jQuery: Novice to Ninja http://sh.orti.ca/i/6o from my favorite book dealer, Wordsworth Books http://sh.orti.ca/i/6p #
  • @CuteGecko doesn't look as sold out as the site claimed. #tedxwaterloo in reply to CuteGecko #
  • @isaiah so that begs the question now… what's in your wallet? :) I couldn't resist. in reply to isaiah #
  • live stream is a bit of a dud #tedxwaterloo #
  • when I code I can sit at the computer and not move for days… #
  • but when I write copy I need to take a break every two minutes. #
  • @mikemurko mihgt be worth telling the people at home who are waiting for that 2pm start, lol. #tedxwaterloo in reply to mikemurko #
  • lol RT @Brydon: #tedxwaterloo better not be some scary social experiment to see how long we'll sit here. #
  • lol RT @daejin_v2: Hate to say it but it's starting to look like a lot of pew-pew here at #tedxwaterloo #
  • dear camera guy at #tedxwaterloo quite clearing your throat. #
  • well back to work for me, #tedxwaterloo feed crapped out on me. Let me know what I miss. #
  • Terry O'Reilly missed the obvious friction implementation… Buckley's… Tastes aweful and it works. #tedxwaterloo #
  • OH: "Where's the clicker?" #tedxwaterloo #
  • wow… $495+ for Canada 3.0 conference… I think I'll pass. #
  • @vmcosta I'm waiting for the final verdict before I invest any time in commenting system integration. in reply to vmcosta #
  • in a bit of a holding pattern while I wait for .rwstyles and some marketing copy. #rapidweaver #theme #
  • Just got a text message from my son. He loves me. They never get too old to tell you that. :) And I never get too old to appreciate it. #
  • made an icon to look just like the old slides I used to get from KODAK http://sh.orti.ca/i/6q it's for an upcoming RapidWeaver theme. :) #
  • Helping the 6yo play banjo-tooie on the xbox. It's nice that all the games I ever liked on the N64 are on xbox live now. #
  • Getting ready to go to London for Disney on Ice. The girls don't know yet. :) #
  • @gjhoodmo rofl in reply to gjhoodmo #
  • @ENBdavies yep I have 3 kids. in reply to ENBdavies #
  • Should I dress the girls warm for Disney on Ice or will the temp be moderate? #
  • Disney on Ice delivered Disney's usual message… Nearly naked women always get the guy. Great lesson for my girls. Thanks Disney. #

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-02-21

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XBOX Console and Controller Connection Issues

xbox 360 elite wireless controller connection issuesI am a recently new member in the league of XBOX owners having purchased one just over the holidays. It’s not been a tough uptake of the technology — they are, after all, made for kids — but one thing I have found frustrating is the lack of clear and concise direction on various issues I’ve had to troubleshoot.

There is a forum, but I’ve found most answers there are from 9 year old trolls who just learned how to spell their favorite curse words and are bent on calling everyone “Captain Asstastic” and suggesting that people stick various things in various places where the sun invariably does not shine. This culture is, to say the least, not my cup of tea.

Recently — in the last two weeks or so — my wireless controller has refused to stay connected to my XBOX 360 Elite and despite my best efforts I was unable to pinpoint either a cause or solution to this odd behavior. I was no longer able to start my console using the controller. If my controller powered off while away from the console I would struggle to get them to sync again. At times it take as many as 10 attempts, pushing both the sync button on the controller and on the console, before I could regain any control over the XBOX again.

Google searches found lots of people with the same struggle but yielded no advice to rectify the situation — at least not without wading through pages of bashing, insults and ill written diatribes against those who dare ask for help in a forum.

Today, at my wits end with the situation, I decided to just start pulling things out of their sockets to see if anything would trigger a happy ending. I removed and reinstalled the hard drive, I pulled of the wifi unit, I disconnected the av cables…

And then I disconnected the power cord from the wall… viola! After plugging the unit back in my wireless controller and console were friends again with full control restored.

Hopefully this helps anyone who is suffering from the same trouble I was.

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-02-14

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Building a Micro Server – Part 1

building a micro server part 1 title image

You might recall a number of months back I was working on repurposing an old iMac into a web server. I was doing this more because it could be done and not because I had to. Truth is I have two other servers which have more then enough head room to take on the additional, and somewhat minor load of web serving duties. But it was the challenge — or complete and utter geek indulgence — that drove me to waste spend my time making something of the old iMac G3.

However, the footprint of an iMac G3 (both physically and environmentally) is not ideal. You can’t rack mount an iMac G3, or stick it on a shelf or hide it under a desk… So I promptly ditched the idea and trumped it up as good bit of fun and some R&D.

But the bug for a smaller server had been planted… I was really liking the idea of a mini server that I could stow away under my desk (and not in a sound proof closet). Not just a web server, but a little everything server.

I had initially toyed with the idea of buying a Mac Mini for this but thought my wife would likely kill me for buying a new Mac as an experimental toy server while she continues to work from a PowerMac G4 (that happens to be dying a slow death). So I set about seeing what it would take to build my own micro server with all new parts that would approximate the Mac mini. Could it be done for less?

This is what I found (no affiliation):

The total, if you include the hard drive, is $397.95 ($345.96 without hard drive). That’s more then $250 – $300 less then the Mac Mini. I know it’s a bit like comparing apples to oranges; the chip is slower, the bus is slower, the footprint is bigger and the I/O doesn’t really compare. On the flip side, the Mac mini doesn’t have a server grade power supply, is limited to slower laptop HDD’s and can’t be rack mounted. There are tradeoff’s either way but when I look at what I am hoping to use it for — web/file/media server — the differences will be outweighed by the 40% – 45% savings of the home built micro server.

This was enough for me, I was sold on the idea. If for nothing else then the pure geeky joy of it… so I went ahead and ordered the parts.

In part two I will show you the assembly of the micro server once the parts arrived, and some of the hiccups I had.

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-02-07

  • A very nice use of our GiD3OUS theme: http://www.passwordcaddy.net/ (via @PassCaddy) #
  • a week of one unconference and two dinner dates… soo tired. #
  • I really need new carpet in the living area. why do I notice these things most on Sunday while drinking coffee? #
  • is there another iPhone Twitter client that allows you to read you Twitter lists separate from your main timeline? #
  • RT @sgwoods: Google Waterloo growing – looking for a couple of experienced creative Ux talents/leaders. Mobile and ChromeOS … #
  • @zeebe just ask in the seyDesign member group. I think someone has posted a solution before. in reply to zeebe #
  • @millca already using TD for iPhone. not a fan. in reply to millca #
  • @kbbrux I will check out hootsuite. tnx in reply to kbbrux #
  • @regischapman I need for iPhone. in reply to regischapman #
  • @saffyre9 Pink (the color) or P!nk (the recording artist)? It the latter then I agree. @jooliah knows that P!nk is my girlfriend. I <3 P!nk in reply to saffyre9 #
  • @jooliah lol, well maybe not licking — static and all — but forehead smudges are a sure bet. in reply to jooliah #
  • @modsuperstar @saffyre9 the AR with R&A is the only season of AR that I eer watched. my wife might have even watched their wedding show too. #
  • Dear lord, Ke$ha sounds like a whining, snivelling dirt bag in real life. That's what I'm Ta-ta-ta-talkin'bout. #
  • OH (my wife): "Who the f#@k is Zak Brown?" #
  • trying out Hootsuite… not sure about it yet. #
  • @saffyre9 add some lime and it gets a lot more interesting. in reply to saffyre9 #
  • Hootsuite has no contact lists or recent hash tags? WTF! it's 2010 last time I looked. #
  • Beyonce is my other girlfriend. I love <3 Beyonce. #
  • pretty awesome to see local Toronto rapper Drake make it this HUGE! #
  • @ENBdavies i'm in need of an iPhone Twitter app. in reply to ENBdavies #
  • feed kid breakfast, take said kid to school, blow the snow, week end accounting, month end accounting… not a lot of time for real work. #
  • not to mention I have to work out today too. #
  • seyDesign news:: Important Notice About Internet Explorer 6 http://bit.ly/9XzYau #
  • I make a damn fine meetloaf. http://ow.ly/i/pVd #
  • don't forget, this thursday is #kwdm (formerly known as #kwdesignmeetup http://webdesign.meetup.com/472/ #
  • snap! someone was trying to hack my gmail account! #
  • @barchard will you be able to tether the iPad to the iPhone? that would make things interesting. in reply to barchard #
  • wondering if I should add chat to my support regime? #
  • @dcrane2 yep, Google told me, lol. At least they were kind enough to stop them for me. in reply to dcrane2 #
  • I am loving how the next seyDoggy RapidWeaver theme is shaping up. #
  • @CuteGecko wacha doin there? #
  • just playing around with more AppleScript. #
  • @iscriptnetcast as far as I know the account wasn't compromised, but they were knocking on the door repeatedly. in reply to iscriptnetcast #
  • in need of sleep. #
  • RT @CuteGecko: Startup Drinks Waterloo is Tonight at McMullan's pop in for a pint and say hi, great crowd http://bit.ly/4Nttig #sdw #
  • @cdutson live is fun if you have the laptop to do so. in reply to cdutson #
  • heading out to meet @kevinleehanson for coffee. #
  • just leaving nougat after coffee with @monsterfarm / @kevinleehanson. have to go register my youngest for school now. #
  • @saffyre9 rofl, last owners must have been bearded men. in reply to saffyre9 #
  • Yesterdays IE 6 notice caused more alarm among seyDesign members then I thought it would. Still, needs to be done. http://bit.ly/9XzYau #
  • RT @honeytech: RapidWeaver – Excellent Tool To Design Beautiful Websites In Minutes http://bit.ly/bcAsh3 #
  • @AliratWebsites I think people were under the impression that I was going to deliberately remove all IE6 compatibility from aug 27th on, lol in reply to AliratWebsites #
  • lol RT @spellbunny: I'VE BECOME MAD WITH POWER! Where are my flying monkey minions! #
  • me and the kids are waiting for mommy at Boston Pizza. #
  • saving mommy's spot at Boston Pizza. http://ow.ly/i/qjT #
  • Are u a game dev in Waterloo Region? Tomasz Dysinski is trying to start a meetup http://sh.orti.ca/i/67 #
  • @saffyre9 happy 10k. I can't recall what my 10k was. in reply to saffyre9 #
  • just ordered some more moo cards. #
  • @iscriptnetcast re: moo cards, yep, been through a couple hundred of the mini's so far. Very heavy weight with a protective film. in reply to iscriptnetcast #
  • it's remarkable how much time is lost in a day due to school drop-off and pick-up. much respect to childcare workers. #
  • and mothers and fathers who do the drop-off and pick-ups. #
  • The tweeter formerly known as @kevinleehansen will be focusing his tweets on @monsterfarm from here on in, please follow him there. #
  • @jrodgers at my kids school all the parents dance a minivan ballet in the church parkinglot. I've clearl missed a rehersal or two. #honk in reply to jrodgers #
  • @cutergecko sunshine and ponies I hope. in reply to cutergecko #
  • ROFL RT @DEVi8: Apple’s engineers spent years figuring this really important formula for the iPad out. http://goo.gl/lqId #
  • debating whether I should make a beatles day. #
  • Listening to 'Julia' by Beatles. #Rock #
  • Listening to 'Martha My Dear' by Beatles. #Rock #
  • Listening to 'What Goes On' by The Beatles. #Pop #
  • Listening to 'Cutting It Up' by Wu Tang Vs The Beatles. # #
  • Listening to 'Got To Get You Into My Life' by The Beatles. #Pop #
  • Listening to 'Eleanor Rigby' by The Beatles. #Pop #
  • Tomorrow night is Waterloo Region Web Design & Tech Meetup #kwdm http://webdesign.meetup.com/472/ #
  • Listening to 'Forget Me Not' by Wu Tang Vs The Beatles. # #
  • Listening to 'Girl' by The Beatles. #Pop #
  • New book from @sundog 'Using FormLoom': http://sh.orti.ca/i/68 #
  • Listening to 'For No One' by The Beatles. #Pop #
  • OH: "Fact of Life: After Monday and Tuesday… even the Calendar says 'W T F'." #
  • I think the latest theme will have an option to enable/disable CSS 3 styles and be limited to only those browsers that support it. #
  • is it still cool in teh netz to say 'teh'… loling minds want to know. #
  • @isaiah ROFL, my thinking exactly! :) in reply to isaiah #
  • @_RWT_ that's why you let js write the CSS 3 styles, avoids the validation issue. in reply to _RWT_ #
  • @elixirgraphics @_RWT_ just not sure whether it's worth making an "option" or not. #mustpondermore #
  • @elixirgraphics @_RWT_ but maybe making it an options will help highlight that it's not for all browsers? hmm. #
  • @modsuperstar yeah that's what I am thinking for this release. in reply to modsuperstar #
  • RW dev poll: does your customer base value font options (size/family)? #
  • Listening to 'Revival Day' by Craig Cardiff. #Singer Songwriter #
  • Listening to 'Smallest Wingless' by Craig Cardiff. #Singer Songwriter #
  • @sundog that's a lot of http requests for font alone. that doesn't leave a lot of room for many other features. in reply to sundog #
  • Seems the Google car needed a coffee at this point as "Ottawa Street" shouldn't veer this far off. click through: http://sh.orti.ca/i/6a #
  • Well the seyDesign Members have spoken. It seems font size/family variations are VERY important. I guess I'll keep adding the options. #
  • A lot of these drag 'n drop apps coming out http://www.ambrosiasw.com/utilities/dragster/ #
  • got a call from a head hunter to have me fill a project manager position… in a bank? WTF! Where do u get my name from? #random #hat #
  • @dcrane2 ROFL, I don't think many banks use E-Junky csv's and Numbers.app so I proly don't qualify. :D hehe in reply to dcrane2 #
  • I <3 rgba(0, 0, 0, .35) #
  • dear CSI:New York, did you really have to get on the vampire bandwagon? #
  • Doubt it. RT @rmazar: …vaccines don't cause autism. Hope that shuts up the celebrity "experts". http://bit.ly/9oJsbJ (via @seanyo) #
  • Wow, a resounding YES. It seems font options are THE MOST important feature in RapidWeaver themes according to seyDesign Members. Who knew? #
  • really looking forward to #kwdm tonight. #
  • @elixirgraphics I never have ideas for apps but should be able to build them by the years end, lol. hopin that knowin how will inspire. in reply to elixirgraphics #
  • it is somewhat emasculating to gossip with the moms after drop-off. I feel like one of the girls *sigh*. I need to watch sports now. #
  • @modsuperstar @jrodgers it's not the size of beer that counts… it's how you drink it. #
  • @monsterfarm @jooliah gabbing with the ladies… baby sitting… I might as well start crossing my legs and sipping tea at play group. #
  • I don't have neighbors like that though. RT @DEVi8: seyDoggy Sounds like you've been Mr. Mom all week ;) lol http://sh.orti.ca/i/6b #
  • @monsterfarm what could possibly trump coming to #kwdm get your priorities straight! in reply to monsterfarm #
  • "I haffa go poopy!" is not something I should hear in my typical work day. #
  • @_RWT_ lol in reply to _RWT_ #
  • I remember Saturn 3 being awesome… but… uh… not so much now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuWPAYJrZkA #
  • I had the action figures to Disney's Black Hole, lol. just as bad as Saturn 3! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzUJJKDa558 #
  • @zeebe 1980 in reply to zeebe #
  • @zeebe deedle-leedle-eedle… right on Buck! in reply to zeebe #
  • lol, good old twiki http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oFX7IgLlDk&feature=related #
  • @zeebe wow I forgot about that one in reply to zeebe #
  • @zeebe @DEVi8 more importantly you can get Doctor Who on iTunes ;) that's what really matters. #
  • RT @sundog: Seems my "Using FormLoom" book is being well received… Thanks to @lillowen for doing a great job editing. #
  • the only redemption for my watching Princess Diaries 2 with the 3 yo is that Chris Pines — cpn. Kirk — is in it. #manfail #
  • @zeebe re: Anne Hathaway, too true my friend, toooooooo true. in reply to zeebe #
  • @mdenny nice!! We're all doing it then, even the public school board! Die IE 6, DIEEEEEE!! in reply to mdenny #
  • i can't wait to get out to #kwdm tonight. must interact with grownups again. #
  • @jrodgers awe, I hope Thing 2 recovers. in reply to jrodgers #
  • hanging with ImageWell developer at #kwdm #
  • learning about patents at #kwdm #
  • damn patents are intense #kwdm #
  • next slide please… #kwdm #
  • $1mil, $2mil, $3mil… patent sound expensive. #
  • just get it over with… #kwdm #
  • RT @modsuperstar: New rule for presenting 15 minute cap for presenters. #kwdm #
  • @modsuperstar throw paper balls at each other. in reply to modsuperstar #
  • at least this guy is burning through 3 or 4 slides a minute. #kwdm #
  • RT @cdutson: @modsuperstar @truebosko @seyDoggy @cdutson – we are those kids at the back of the class that teachers hate. #
  • OH: "Lastly…" oh dear God please be true. #
  • new rule for #kwdm you must attend at least 3 prior events before attempting a presentation… except this one… #
  • prediction for March #kwdm .. less attendees. #
  • #kwdm should adopt #dcg format from here on out. all in favour? #
  • I am two slides away from throwing spitballs. #kwdm #
  • RT @CuteGecko: Fancy language "Karl is leaving through said door into the pub and drinking beer theirin" #
  • the next person to ask a patent question gets a kick in the nuts. #kwdm #
  • @sundog you can say hi to Mr. Imagewell through @xtralean. showed him your tweet. in reply to sundog #
  • 3d art… that's more like #kwdm #
  • some of these blender examples are AWESOME!! #
  • if I had talent I would be all over blender #kwdm #
  • 3d modeling in blender takes me back to my Simitron/Catia days. #kwdm #
  • blender artists with mad skill! #kwdm #
  • blender has a look and feel of solidworks from years back. #kwdm #
  • checking out popoverwindiw.com at #kwdm #
  • jaxcore.com will be releasing a new js library called jaxscript. you heard it here at #kwdm #
  • @ChristineHamon it wasn't really me harshing on the patents talks… it was… uh…. well… @modsuperstar made me do it! #kwdm in reply to ChristineHamon #
  • you can't keep me away. RT @jooliah: We all [too much] about patents :) Hope that doesn't scare people off next #kwdm #
  • @cdutson :) in reply to cdutson #
  • "ticka-ticka-ticka-ticka-tee-tee-ta! I've got a rhythm gonna share it with ya!" Guess what my 3yo is watching. #
  • @ChristineHamon oh sure, I make one threat about a swift kick in the testicleezious maximus and suddenly _I'm_ the shiet disturber? :) in reply to ChristineHamon #
  • @JamieBeach crossfit looks awesome! tell me more. in reply to JamieBeach #
  • @CinDoc lol, I feel your pain. :) in reply to CinDoc #
  • here's my #ff for the day… Local peeps, http://xtralean.com/ makers of mac apps ImageWell, ShutterBug and DataLore. Follow them @xtralean #
  • AHHHH!!! MY EYES!! MY EYES!! RT @studawg: This website rules http://www.yvettesbridalformal.com/ #
  • click the twitter link and then share it… WTF! RT @cdutson: why graphic design is not respected: http://idek.net/10.z srsly Cdn Gvt? #
  • @mdenny @jrodgers markdown FTW #
  • @mdenny lmao, I'm on it! #awesomesauce in reply to mdenny #
  • RT @nickcates: Alright everyone, O MEGA for #RapidWeaver has been released! Check it out – http://bit.ly/bOgueK #
  • WTF! I've tweeted over 35,000 times? over 23,000 of those in the last 24 hours? I don't think so. #
  • The universe may implode :) RT @Magnet4Awesome: @seydoggy / @nickcates my fav theme designers in RW. If they ever collaborate on a theme… #
  • slowly but surely all twitter users are finding their tweet count grossly inflated by 20,000 or so. twitter hacked? #
  • @ChristineHamon no not here. would be pretty tough to catch me in a phishing scam… unless it was por… I mean… erm… uh…. nevermind. in reply to ChristineHamon #
  • @CuteGecko my gawd man! how much coffee can one man drink? i think it's time to move onto pints, no? in reply to CuteGecko #
  • RT @cutergecko @CuteGecko: Our Blog: February's KW Design/Dev (or patent) Meetup… http://www.cutegecko.ca/blog #
  • Listening to 'Shake Your Rump' by Beastie Boys. #Hip Hop #
  • @jooliah "Guess we're not cool enough in Cambridge" uhhh yeah! :) "looks like I might die in the process" I was thinking the same! in reply to jooliah #
  • @JamieBeach tnx in reply to JamieBeach #
  • I have no social events scheduled next week. Clearly something is wrong. What should I be attending? #
  • @millca a little closer to home :) in reply to millca #
  • @cutergecko hey that sounds interesting. link? in reply to cutergecko #
  • spent the whole day installing floors and toilets at my moms house. I am sooo beat. #

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