Archive for April, 2008

Yay! It launched!

Friday, April 25th, 2008

At the 11th hour we got the go-ahead to launch the new site for:
http://fllac.vassar.edu/

This is just the boost I needed to redeem the week. I can’t describe how huge this is, but it is. It’s down right fantastic.

I plan to ignore work all weekend. If I feel like doing anything work-related I’ll spend that energy on my thesis proposal (less intensive than it sounds.) But I think a better use of my time will be continuing to research the music on my iPod.

eduStyle - what to add to a Vassar gallery?

Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008

Time to come up with some sites to nominate.  Or, do we want to nominate any? I just need to set up an account and enter our sites.  After May 1 the public gets to nominate sites for awards.  I just want to add a bunch in there.
Here’s a starting point:

FLLAC redesign

Homepage redesign?

Art redesign?

Will ERBC be up by April 30?

Could we reduce College Relations to a launchable form by April 30? ie – omit the guide and just have press releases and contact info to start?  Redo WordPress theme to new design?

New site close to launch at work

Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008

I may actually FINISH SOMETHING today — we’ve been working on a redesign of a site that has been a thorn in my side for 6 years. It’s been “almost done” since November. I *just* sent off the link to the folks who need to give the OK before we can launch this puppy and I can’t contain my excitement (fingers crossed that they don’t come back with 1000 things that need adjustment before we can finish.)

http://fllac.vassar.edu/

I think every email about this site for the past two weeks has the subject “soooooooo close.”

Of course, this is the kind of project I’d *like* to pop champagne for, but the meetings I have from 12-4pm will sweep that away as we move on to other things.

This site had to be done. The office spent so much effort on publicity for the art center — from meeting with publicity folks in NY to develop new press kits, to building relationships with the press, etc. But nothing was done about the website — it was an afterthought. We keep getting articles in the NYTimes, but the site for the art center is old and cranky, and not what you expect. The new site reflects what we want folks to see when they go to the site after hearing about a show on the radio or reading about it in the NYTimes.

There’s this idea around here of publicizing Poughkeepsie, mentioning shows and performances as a day-trip from the city. Well, if I live in NY and want to visit something upstate, and the website looks like our art center’s did, I wouldn’t go out of my way to check it out. And if I saw the site after reading a glowing write-up in the NYTimes I’d be disappointed (and wonder what the NYTimes doing covering this place.) Now we can back up the work others have been doing to publicize this place.

I’m looking forward to…

Tuesday, April 15th, 2008

…surprising Garrett after work tomorrow
…launching work projects that are long overdue
…reunion dinner with MBA class Friday
…spending Saturday with Jen and Steve
…hopefully seeing my brother in May
…visiting Heather and Steve in June
…various events in between all that

Trying to pep-talk myself into getting shit done (and not guzzle more coffee) as I’m running out of day.

I needed a mad scientist moment

Monday, April 14th, 2008

Took an idea from the A List Apart article “Accessible Data Visualization with Web Standards” and put a CSS bar chart on the “Dorm Energy Challenge” page (chart on the right.)

Old chart was a graphic. Since this will be updated every week I can now easily create a list of data to update the chart. Forgive the placement of the styles (in the block) as I was short on time.

I’m just sayin’

Monday, April 7th, 2008

It’s really hard to come up with cake that isn’t cute. Cake is cute. Let the challenge begin….