Archive of writings and musings.

Intercepting errors with Angular and NgRx

NgRx and reusable components tend to go hand in hand. I created a great solution for intercepting errors that may come back from the server utilizing a familiar pattern.

Guarding for data with NgRx & RxJS

Working with a data store, specifically using NgRx, sometimes you have to prime the pump. Luckily, Angular provides route guards to handle cases like this to get your data in time.

Taking a break

Downtime from the daily grind is key to rejuvenating oneself.

API Documentation Made Easy

Having a way to document an API, public or private, turns out to be very helpful when I have forgotten where I left off.

Moving to AWS

The old adage of as a developer, keeping your own projects up to date compared to your clients totally hits home.

Checking out the Vue

Sometimes I get the urge to learn a new framework, so I took some downtime to do so.

What is your "one thing"?

Multi-tasking is hard; instead focus on a simple achievable "thing" to feel a sense of accomplishment.

Compressing images with Guetzli

Image file size is very important when it comes to web design so that your audience does not get a lack luster experience.

Revamping the old with new tricks

Almost a teenager, this site needed a refreshing, modern look and a major overhaul of the underbelly. Plus, it had been almost three and a half years since last post.

Rails, AngularJS, and $http

I have recently been trying out AngularJS and ran into something I wanted to document for future reference.

Mongo and Sinatra on Heroku

More or less a quick reference for myself on how to set this up as it took me quite a few Google searches to figure out exactly the best method to get Mongoid cooperating with Heroku.

A Sinatra run Facebook app

It’s almost been a year since my last post (which is kind of depressing), but life has been busy. I figured I would share a similar post as last, but utilizing Sinatra!

Digital World Emersion

How much of your life is consumed by digital technology? I found out the other day that pretty much everything of mine is.

Amazon S3 and OGG Content Types

Recently, I developed a project for a Cee Lo Green and Absolut Facebook application that required HTML5 video to be served. S3 decided to make my life complicated...sort of.

A/B test like a boss

A good developer understands that in order to make the product useful, it is always a good practice to find out what works best.

Rails 3, jQuery & UJS

With the official new Rails 3 just released a couple of months ago, writing unobtrusive javascript with Rails actions has never been easier.

Withstanding time

A logo that stands for a company, project or idea can easily make or break based on whether the font face withstands the test of time.

Home is where the office is

Just recently, at the beginning of this month, I marked a semi-milestone. For the past four years I’ve been lucky enough to do what people in the business call telecommuting.

Git reflog to the rescue

After completely wiping out a branch prematurely before a merge, more so than ever I love using Git to manage my project repositories.

To HAML or not to HAML

There seems to be a split amongst Rails enthusiasts when it comes to using HAML in projects. Honestly, I am not sure what the big deal is about.

Note to self: Use git clean sparingly

I am pretty comfortable with using git for my project repositories, but sometimes I slip up when executing commands. Hey, we all can be lazy at points.

Semantic xHTML Forms

Forms are the bread and butter of a website. From collecting information for accounts or posting comments on your friend's Facebook profile. Too bad many web developers only worry about the pretty aspect and not the underlying semantics of forms.

Sanity saved by Google

I am a structured organization freak. Being a web designer and developer — both full time and freelance, can almost drive me nuts with the multiple email address and calendars that I have to manage. Luckily, Google has helped save my sanity.

Git remote branching made easy

When a branch of your code base needs to be shared to other team members, but currently resides only on your local repository, making it remote is a breeze.

A tried and true practice

Getting visual ideas for a layout across to a team can sometimes be a challenge. When presented with this challenge, I rely on black and white wireframes to get the ideas to a liquid, but also considered solid state.

Git tag it like it's hott

Well at least like it has been released. Tagging a released code base is easy as pie and pretty dang helpful when a bug arises.

Git your branching straight

Working as a team and sharing code can easily bring up conflicts. Luckily there is a cool tool out there that is gaining strength in the developer community to ease this issue.

Srsly? Pay for followers?

So Twitter has made it so big that you can pay for followers now? What is wrong with that picture...

A fresh look on travel

Who knew that I would set out on the adventure of trying to create the best looking and very easy to use travel information and planning website.

Trying on a hat for a while

Sometimes I am plagued by fits of moods that take me to the design world and others to the coding. Just last week, I was hit by the must develop in Ruby bug.

Sprites, not just a CSS fantasy

Even though bandwidth is not much of a problem these days of cable, DSL or T1 lines, web designers still need to think about page load time when it comes to use of graphics.

What is 'this?'

I am not completely sure what the deal is with Internet Explorer and Javascript. I am not sure if it's oblivious or just plain scared about using what would seem to be common programming methods.

The wonders of jQuery

About a month ago, Real Travel converted over to Rails from ASP.Net. Rails is packaged with the Prototype and Script.aculo.us javascript frameworks, but after in-depth research, they turn out to be very slow on the client side.

Featured on CSSelite

My site was finally pulled from the queue over at CSSElite and featured. I would never have known this until I checked my Google Analytic stats this morning.

An intentional lens flaw

To add a dramatic quality to some of the photos I take, I purposely add a technique which can also be considered a flaw if it wasn't digitally enhanced.

A facelift for travel. Part I.

This is a look into the process and decisions behind not only a redesign of a top rated travel website, but a complete code base switch. It's been a long time coming for Real Travel and it is definitely a change for the best.

Yes, that is my signature

As a huge usability freak, I find usability issues everywhere or where things can definitely be improved. Walmart or even their credit card key pad is definitely not immune to this.

Font love

As a designer, like most, we are always burdened with choosing what font to work with for a project, wether it is web or print related. I am proud to say, for myself, not anymore.

Quick, down and dirty layout

There are plenty solutions out there for quick grid layouts using CSS. Only one has stood out to me as a very easy to use layout tool. This is the story of Blueprint CSS.

Interaction with Facebook UI

Everyone has his or her own way of interacting with a web application. I know I have my own way of interacting with one of the largest online social networking sites found on the web. Watching my wife interact with the Facebook UI definitely solidifies this idea.

Recent design work