Every time I start reading about accessibility, I feel like an asshole. I feel like I have built a hospital without a wheelchair ramp. I know that is a bit of an exaggeration (OK a BIG of an exaggeration). I know I haven’t actually done anything of the sort. But I have waited far too long to become accessible. I am a visual designer who has come to the realization that I need to be designing for people in the non-visual world.

So, I have decided to make the first thing I learn this year be accessibility. It is going to take some time and it will ultimately slow down the redesign if this site, but let’s face it. It is worth it. So be patient people.

Above is a picture of my new Samson C01U Microphone. It just came in the mail and I am very excited about it. “But why?” you might be asking. Well, the answer is simple. I have decided to delve into the world of screencasting and podcasting. I know this is a scary thought, but I am hoping that I will prove worthy of this new found medium.

And Your Reasoning Is?

With the new site relaunch (still some time off I am afraid) I wanted to have something more then just a blog and a portfolio. I wanted to have something that people could use. Since I’m not qualified to give financial, medical, philosophical, theological, or other such , I figured I would give advice on things I am qualified for, namely web design and everything that is centered around it. Doing Tutorials seemed like a good way for me to accomplish this. I figured I knew enough about Photoshop, Illustrator, CSS, and Design in general that I could produce some decent quality stuff. These tutorials wont be exhaustive mind you, but I am hoping to start with the basics and move my way into the more advanced stuff.

What to talk about

Aside from the tutorials, Have also decided to possibly try a strictly audio podcast. I’m still debating this as there are a few very good and informative podcast about web design and development already out there. The major one being Paul Boag’s boagworld.com. If you haven’t checked it out, it highly worth a look and I suggest you take some time to listen. I am listening to it right now in fact, as I write this post. As there are already several good podcasts out there on the subject, I am not sure that I feel that it would be worth my while. Also, I really feel that a podcast is much more captivating when it is set up with a co-hosted radio format. This means I would have to find someone willing to do the show with me. So I am still debating whether I am going to try the podcast or not. If I do manage to come up with a unique idea for once, then I will go ahead with it.

When exactly?

I hope to have a couple of tutorials up for the new site launch. One will probably be about Photoshop and the other will be on Illustrator. I am going to be using Viddler to accomplish this as well as screen recording software that I have yet to determine.

“What, he’s not dead?”

No I am not dead yet, despite popular beliefe. I am, in fact, very much alive. Anyway, here we go again. My last post was about how long it took me to put up a bloody post and how I was going to be up-dating more frequently. Well, that was back in November. I’ve gone most of the Winter without a single post, and let all of you (alright none of you) down. Well, I am sorry.

Moving On!

I have been busy, so I can at least pretend to have good reasons for being so silent and dead like. Work has had me running an e-mail campaign, maintaining a site, as well as designing another one. To say the least I have been quite active. On top of this I decided now was the perfect time to redo most of the flooring in my house. I never seem to have control over when I get the bug to do something. Go figure!

In other news!

I have begun working on the Kentriv redesign that I mentioned in that last post oh so long ago. I am not going to be giving any sort “Sneak Peaks” of the site during the process, but it is a bit of a homage to the original Kentriv. However, I can tell you that it will have some great new features including Twitter and Cork’d integration. I am also hoping to get a small podcast going (just ordered a simple condenser mic) as well as the occasional screencast tutorial. It should be a lot of fun and hopefully I can keep at it. The site will also be getting a bit of a scrubbing of sorts. I will be reworking my categories and probably dropping some of the older posts. The new site should launch (provided I stay on track and keep my self motivated) Some time during the begging of March. It should be some fun.

And Finally!

I am sad to mention that I will not be able to attend SXSW Interactive this year. Money is tight and the house renovations came first. I am however, going to try and make it to FOWA provided that Ryan Carson does host another one here in the states like he did last year.

That is all for me I am afraid.