2008-09-03-everything-that-happened-today-or-the-busy-lives-we-lead.html

---
layout: post
title: Everything That Happened Today, or, The Busy Lives We Lead
date: 2008-09-03 00:04:24.000000000 -07:00
categories:
- technical-writing
tags:
- Technical Writing
status: publish

published: true
---

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<p>It seems like everything happened today. First, Google <a href="http://www.google.com/chrome">released Chrome</a>, their new browser. It's a bit faster, and I can see a good rationale for Google having a browser, with all their online applications. I've tried Chrome and like it, although it doesn't seem revolutionary -- yet.<br />
<br />
Not only did Google release Chrome, they also released a totally original <a href="http://blogoscoped.com/google-chrome/">comic book explaining Chrome</a>. I got through about 5 pages of it. Novel. Not necessarily riveting, but definitely interesting. (The format, I mean.)</p>
<p>Paul Pehrson wrote <a href="http://blog.paulpehrson.com/2008/09/02/madcap-flare-4-preview/">an excellent review of Flare 4</a>, which has been under NDA until now. As with Paul, I too have been beta testing Flare 4 for quite a while. Madcap hasn't announced an exact date for the release, but now that we can start talking about Flare 4, it feels very close.</p>
<p>Coinciding with the release of Flare 4, I'm giving away a free copy of Flare. <a href="https://idratherbewriting.com/2008/09/03/flare-4-giveway-enter-to-win-a-free-copy-by-commenting-on-this-post/">See this post</a> for details about the contest.</p>
<p>At work someone is <a href="http://www.northtemple.com/2007/09/21/the-fmx-prelims-got-moved-to-today-so-i-spent-my-lunch-takin">putting in a motocross raceway</a> in a parking lot right outside my window. Completely cool and mind-boggling to see them set it up out of nothing. They will bring in the dirt by the truckloads, I hear.</p>
<p>If all that wasn't enough, today was also my birthday. I'm 33. My dad reminds me that both Jesus and Alexander the Great died at age 33. I asked a few people how old I look. Most guessed 32, one guessed 34. Out of courtesy, most people round down.</p>
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<p>My second-grader is sick, and Shannon wrote her controversial <a href="http://www.whataboutmomblog.com/2008/09/02/can-a-stay-at-home-mom-be-pro-palin/">Palin post</a>. I also discovered an amazing new blender shake, involving strawberries, ice, a little sugar, water, and Sierra Mist.</p>
<p>I'm putting together a list of notes for an upcoming podcast with <a href="http://heidilhansen.blogspot.com">Heidi Hansen</a> and <a href="http://charlesjeter.com/">Charles Jeter</a>. I've been picking through the articles on <a href="http://writerriver.com/">Writer River</a> in my attempt to gather newsy, interesting content.</p>
<p>Later in the week I'm interviewing <a href="http://madcapsoftware.wordpress.com">Sharon Burton</a> about Flare 4 and all the new software <a href="http://madcapsoftware.com">Madcap</a> is releasing.</p>
<p>If that wasn't enough, Shannon also got a new laptop (a red Gateway), which she's using to read an ebook on the couch right now. And we also put an offer on a house in <a href="http://www.scherf.com/images/empic-11gc.jpg">Eagle Mountain</a>, which is about 30 min. south of downtown Salt Lake City.</p>
<p>That's about it. I didn't see my kids hardly at all today because of some other commitments in the evening, one involving boy scouts. Now time for bed.</p>