I'm also continually planting little herbs and things out here, so it gives me something to check on throughout the day.

(file available here)

Detail of my commuting from the very first day I began working in Montgomery County to present (as of the date of upload). This shows transit in cooler colors and car travel in warmer colors.

By and large transit has been a longer trip (not least because I still need a car for part of it), but quite reliable and pleasant. Whereas driving the whole way has the capability of being faster (particularly in the morning) but can be maddening in the evenings.

A few specific events...

I was walking to/from Dupont North up until about Oct/Nov 2012, when the south escalators reopened & cut about 5 min off my walk. I later began using Metro Center in the AM, cutting an additional 5 min walk but at the cost of an extra couple minutes on Metro... I mostly switched just to vary my walk up a bit; I liked seeing all the construction each day.

There were two days in 2012 when I tried 100% to my job on the outskirts of Gaithersburg... as you can see from their status as clear outliers: that did not work well. The 56 bus was horrible... it meanders so much, and on that second day I missed it by a few seconds -- had to wait 30 minutes for the next one.

Over Summer 2013 I began testing out I-395 as a driving option... it's worked pretty well in both AM and PM, cutting my DC car time significantly but increasing my VA car time slightly. One perk is I don't have to deal with the K Street slalom, and I also get lovely skyline views along the Potomac.

In the last few days -- on the far-right of the chart -- I switched to a different office which I can travel to entirely by transit... this is why the last few data points which are 100% transit.

This is my desktop, Background is from nasa via gizmodo:

i.gizmodo.com/5140736/insane-ui-high-res-space-shuttle-co...

The stats are running in Samurize. Each graph represents one core. The left monitor is the processor temp. The right monitor is the % processor time. Each has a ring around them which is a bit difficult to see right now. On the right most monitor is my IP and on the left most monitor is free ram.

The bar at the top is rocket dock with the stacks widget and the tiles icons were downloaded from their website as well. I made a few of them.

Hope you enjoy this. I have the config file if you want it.

Something simple

Clearscreen sharp, all glass firefox, start killer

My Mid 2007 Mac Mini 2GHz Core 2 Duo is at the bottom of the food chain when it comes to minimum specs to run Lion. In order to run Lion I've upgraded the ram from 1Gb to 2Gb. Technically, you can install up to 4Gb but it will only address 3Gb. If DDR2 ram prices were cheaper I'd have gone for that. If only it was DDR3 - those prices have fallen through the floor. Oh well! :-)

I've also stuck in an SSD. It will be interesting to see the speed differences.

Final step is to install Lion. I made a copy when I upgraded my MacBook Pro. If you want to know how to do that Lifehacker has a good guide.

My back has been hurting me at work, and I figured out I've been slouching in my chair because my monitors are too low. So I built risers for my monitors out of shelves and doorstops. I based it on this article I read on lifehacker: lifehacker.com/#!5159703/diy-tv-or-monitor-stand-from-doo..., except that I didn't use an Ikea shelf because I wasn't willing to wait for it to come in the mail.

Browsing the internet on the Tablet PC.

Just doing my Project Rockstar69 thing. I think it looks pretty well.

---------------------------------------------------------Setup-----------------------------------------------------

-Rainmeter-

1. myHUD's( hacked version of 10 Foot HUD)

2. Xtremapplauncher

3. Enigma

4. Arcs

5.Generic's II

-Launchy-

1.YFlex.

-Visual Styles-

1.NiteXP.

-Software-

1. Rainmeter.

2.AeroShake AHK.

3. Autohotkey.

4.Launchy.

-wallpaper-

1. firefox.

Should get a Utility Model/Industrial Design registration for this!

MacBookPro3,1

Intel Core 2 Duo

Santa Rosa T7800 2.6GHz

6GB RAM (4GB G.Skill 2GB Crucial)

Mid 2007 65nm Merom processor

System Bus 800 MHz

RAM Type: PC2-5300 DDR2

200-pin SODIMM

MIN. RAM SPEED: 667 MHz

Sharp Aquos

LC-32D64U

DVI to HDMI

1080p - HDTV 1920*1080@50Hz.

Vertical total 1152 lines

horizontal scan rate 66.00 KHz

Application Doc (Left to Right)

Finder

Path Finder

Activity Monitor

Terminal

Firefox

Stickies

Batchfile Rename

Preview

Dictionary

BBEdit

Equation Editor

Nestopia

Limewire

iTunes

Quicktime Pro

Toast Titanium

iShowU

iMovie

iPhoto

iWeb

Appeture

Transmission

Parallels: Windows XP/Ubuntu

Adobe Acrobat Pro

Photoshop

Word

Excel

Powerpoint

Entourage

System Preferences

Stacks

Trash

Table with laptop

I bought this at Edward's Luggage: a pocket leather notepad and business card holder, with pen. It is more efficient and portable than any PDA. It costs less than $20 and Edward's Luggage even sells replacement notepads.

How to -> Lifehacker

---------------------------

restore-backup.com

---------------------------

Just 2 GB, but it does raise a lot of eyebrows.

( lifehacker.com/381529/diy-sawed+off-usb-thumb-drive )

Trying out this Lifehacker tip. I don't know if I'll use it, but was curious to see what it would look like. (I didn't use it to drive home from the office, I know the way.:)

Wallpaper from here: wallbase.net/wallpaper/2234

Rainmeter 8bar from here:

saadbaig.deviantart.com/art/8Bar-157272041

Rocketdock at the top

Ecqlipse Icons from here:

chrfb.deviantart.com/art/quot-ecqlipse-2-quot-PNG-59941546

It's really a beautiful and productive mix of the previous Lifehacker desktops

1. Samurize. It's just awesome, I'm still getting to know it. There's actually no wallpaper, It's all Samurize and a "blackground". I know, I should be on Seinfeld.

2. Google Desktop. I really like it, although I agree the notepads could be more appealing.

3. D-Color. Just to better organize my few icons.

4. Autohotkey. It adds the alpha channel to the taskbar, so that the graphic on Samurize can bee slightly seen underneath.

5. Windows' very own quick launch bar on top. I have yet to find a Win XP skin that makes secondary taskbars dark.

I'd love to get some feedback on it. You'll notice I'm from Brazil by the Portuguese all over it.

PS: I can't tell you how much I hate this red vase with the flowers. It's a Google gadget my mother added to the desktop. She's the one who paid for the PC, so I guess she can have some of its real-estate.

More Litestep:) I changed the theme to VPR though, to suit the i2 Rainmeter configs.

Wallpaper: Fifty Percent Grey by ~divineerror divineerror.deviantart.com/art/Fifty-Percent-Grey-9833213

Rainmeter: i2 Bar by ~ld-jing

Litestep: VPR L.S.by ~chiwou

EDIT: Wow, I was never expecting a Lifehacker feature! Thanks!!!

4 D Cell batteries connected in sequence with alligator clips. Worked pretty well actually. When you don't have electricity, you improvise…

Just previewing a hacked extended version of 10 Foot HUD.

---------------------------------------------------------Setup-----------------------------------------------------

-Rainmeter-

1. myHUD's( hacked version of 10 Foot HUD)

-Launchy-

1.YFlex.

-Visual Styles-

1.NiteXP.

-Software-

1. Rainmeter.

2.AeroShake AHK.

3. Autohotkey.

4. Process Manager

-Wallpaper-

1.Wood

See the blog post for more info: Yahoo! Hack Day

This photo is licensed under a Creative Commons license. If you use this photo, please list the photo credit as "Scott Beale / Laughing Squid" and link the credit to laughingsquid.com.

Gina Trapani Curated Set of 8 unframed archival prints on 20x200!

Look for Jen and Gina's conversation about the selection of these prints on the 20x200 blog.

Brooklyn Morning (17"x22") by Youngna Park

Globe (8"x10") by Rachel Hulin

Apple 1 (16"x20") by Mark Richards

Howon (11"x14") by Hosang Park

Houndstooth Pattern in Parking Lot, at Disney World, FL (16"x20") by Alex MacLean

Untitled (Bondi Baths, Sydney, Australia) (20"x24") by Carlo Van de Roer

iSketch104 (14"x11") by Jorge Colombo

The Office (17"x22") by Rebecca Loyche

A few members of the Jen Bekman Projects team have proposed talks for SXSW 2010 and now is the time to vote YES on their pitches on the PanelPicker! Register (it's free and easy), then give a thumbs up to:

Inbox Hero: Why Newsletters Matter More Than Ever with Jen

and

Supporting Artists with Social Media with Youngna and Sara

Just doing my Project Rockstar69 thing. I think it looks pretty well.

---------------------------------------------------------Setup-----------------------------------------------------

-Rainmeter-

1. myHUD's( hacked version of 10 Foot HUD)

2. Xtremapplauncher

3. Enigma

4. Arcs

5.Generic's II

-Launchy-

1.YFlex.

-Visual Styles-

1.NiteXP.

-Software-

1. Rainmeter.

2.AeroShake AHK.

3. Autohotkey.

4.Launchy.

-wallpaper-

1. Firefox Entangled.

Take icons scanned from dinosaur stickers, a background from a movie promotion, a hidden dock, mix well and you have a desktop that's also a colorforms set!

Used at www.lifehacker.com.au/2011/06/how-to-save-on-domestic-bag...

The lifehacker post inspired me to post up what I normally pack up for shoutcasts and podcasts. I'll see how well tagging works, but Important components are the Kodak Zi 8 with wide angle lens and Zoom H4n Audio recorder (above the iPad), Plastic bag full of cables and adaptors inside a plastic box to help with faster cleanup, Portable charger and mic flag (above the cable box

I bought this at Edward's Luggage: a pocket leather notepad and business card holder, with pen. It is more efficient and portable than any PDA. It costs less than $20 and Edward's Luggage even sells replacement notepads.

The logo is of course that of the Sea Shepherd Animal Conservation Society (no I am not a hippy... I get that a lot). Ignore the folder thats on the desktop, I accidentally started a torrent and I am half way through and don't want to lose my progress so I will just leave her there.

Its pretty straight forward, out of all the desktops I have done, I still like this one best... mainly because it is a normal desktop, no hidden anything no fancy bells or whistles ... just my desktop.

:)

Read how we did the $1,200 "Quilty As Charged" Garage Makeover on the Atwater Village Newbie blog.

My e-Piano is connected through an Audio and Midi Cable (All very discretely hidden thanks to Lifehacker's suggested Ikea Cable-Management) with my Laptop.

The extra Laptop-Table (Dave; 15 Euros @ Ikea) which can be adjusted to height and angle is my personal Tip for any Laptop / Netbook Owner, as it heightens the display, and angles the Keyboard just right.

I've chose Multimedia-Speakers over PC-Speakers, as they benefit of having 5 Input Options, so that I can connect my Ipod / ePiano, ... to the Sub-Woofer, while my Laptop still rests.

My to-date favorite p1i Smartphone is connected with Power Supply and USB, which makes Back-Up really simple. And with the Trust Bluetooth Laser Mouse, i don't mind not having a Mouse Pad :)

And since an original 600 Euros Swopper was a little bit pricey, i went for the 100 Euro alternative (Sitness, bought through Amazon)

College is my full time job so I set up my laptop to get the most out of school.

Since I didn't want to spend any money on virus protection, I picked up Comodo Firewall and Avast anti-virus.

I use Executor Instead of desktop shortcuts. It keeps everything tidy. I almost use keywords exclusively.

I use the Vista Sidebar to keep the time and date. I am keen on the weather as well. All the apps or folders I use the most I keep on the app launcher. I also use the Sidebar to keep up on my teams.

Stickies are great for little notes, but lately I've been using them to keep my schedule on my desktop. Along with my classes, I keep any important information like office locations and faculty websites. I can keep track of my work load by locking stickies under each class.

My laptop is on the underpowered side, so I use Stratup Optimizer to make startup easier on my machine as well as clean up junk or old programs.

CCleaner and Glary Utilities cleans up my computer and frees space.

I use System Explorer instead of Windows Task Manager. System Explorer can do everything Task Manager can as well as deeper performance information, action history, and more.

I don’t use foobar200, or CD Art Display, or any of that junk. I can get by with iTunes. It fulfills all my music needs.

You can’t see it, but I am using the NEXTLevel theme for Windows Vista. I have enough distractions on my desktop so I just keep my wallpaper solid black. It helps keep my productive.

Once I put everything together, I have a cheap laptop with free programs that accomplish everything a student needs.

source: lifehacker.com/5504465/how-to-transform-your-windows-desk...

wallpaper by: interfacelift.com/

I had been struggling with battery life in my camera when using it as a cardreader, due to the slow USB 1.1 transfer speed from the camera to my computer. The camera seems to be pretty power consumptive, and I was having to recharge much more frequently than if I were just taking pictures. My solution was to buy a LaCie USB 2.0 cardreader, which worked well but had a few problems. Since it did not come with an integrated mounting solution, it was forced to rest on my desk surface, where it was open to being scratched, spilled upon, having pens, pencils and other writing implements jammed into it and a variety of other maladies. This incredibly convenient and groundbreaking lifehack was inspired by seeing the effective performance of stickytack in holding pictures onto my wall! It was only a short (though genius) leap to extrapolate that additional sticktack could hold a modestly weighted cardreader onto my monitor, elevating it beyond the chaos of the proles below!

This image has been used in 2 articles...

• www.theater-experience-at-home.com/wireless-projector.html

• lifehacker.com/five-best-home-theater-projectors-682585940

The armoire was purchased off of Craigslist for $100 and I painted it from green to satin black to match the table.

Mostly just compiz tweaks in ubuntu 8.10. Desktop Cube with opacity set to 0% and a 360 panoramic (seamless) skydome from wikimedia commons.

BUG: I've disguised it in this screenshot, but whenever I open a dropdown menu or activate the dock it occurs on all workspaces. Not a huge deal, just a little distracting.

This quotation comes from "Is the Internet Really Making Me Stupid, Crazy, and Constantly Distracted?" lifehacker.com/5927763/is-the-internet-really-making-me-s...

Image Credit: helenadagmar, Flickr

This is Alexey, my photo buddy.