The second Blogging Archaeology session is in the bag. Well, it’s in the digital file that the SAA people have for reviewing and printing into the programs. For those of you that don’t know, the first Blogging Archaeology Session (page 19) took place in 2011 at the Annual Meeting in Sacramento. I attended the session and my online life was forever changed...
#194 ArchaeoTech: Liquipel 2.0
What is it?
Simply, it’s a nano-coating of particles on every surface of your phone. The coating makes your device impervious to rain, splashes, and “brief shallow submersion”, which sounds like a toilet to me. The coating is on your screen, the case, and on all the components inside the phone. It’s a coating on literally every surface inside and out.
#193 Sunday Crossword: Acronyms and Regulations
Happy Sunday! Relax and enjoy this little crossword I put together. Most of the answers to the clues are acronyms. Just to help you out, some of the answers are actually two words but there are no spaces.
These are not easy to set up. Sorry if the clues suck. If you'd like to see a particular theme, leave it in the comments!
Title and Theme: Acronyms and Regulations
If the puzzle doesn't load, click the link below:
Thanks for puzzling and I'll see you in the field!
#192 The Futility of Disease Bands
...for lack of a better term.
I’m talking about the silicone bands that everyone is wearing these days. They started, or at least became insanely popular, with the yellow Livestrong band sold by Lance Armstrong’s foundation. In case anyone is wondering, they were yellow because that is the color of the jersey that the leader of the Tour de France wears. It’s the color of a winner.
The Livestrong band was designed to raise money for Armstrong’s cancer foundation and it did a good job. For a short time you could spot celebrities and politicians wearing the band. It was a sign that you were doing something to stand up for cancer. Then, a rainbow of knock-off bands came out and it all went to hell.
I never wore the Livestrong band. I wanted to, but, never got around to buying one. By the time I tried to buy one they weren’t available on the website as just one band. You had to buy them in bulk for resale at your local event. I couldn’t find any in the town I was living in either.
Three Years Ago
This September will be three years since my sister-in-law was diagnosed with small-cell carcinoma ovarian cancer. I think that’s right. The prognosis wasn’t good right from the start. After her surgery my wife and I drove up to Washington to spend time with her, my brother, and their 9-month old boy. Everyone was being optimistic but the reality was that she didn’t have much time.
Shortly after walking in the door at my brother’s house my wife and I were given blue-green bands that say “Jessica We Love You” on one side and, “Faith - Hope - Strength - Courage” on the other side. Apparently the color was “for” ovarian cancer. Not sure who decided that. I put the band on and haven’t taken it off since.
I’ve tried to think about why I put the band on and never took it off. I think it’s because of the helplessness that comes with cancer. Whether you have it, or you know someone with it, there doesn’t seem like there is much that you can do. Wearing the band feels like doing something. It feels like support. It’s designed to increase awareness.
Did It Work?
So, how much awareness did I raise? None. After wearing the band for nearly three years only one person has ever asked me what it was for. These bands are so ubiquitous that they’ve become invisible. Some people don’t even know what they’re for or what they’re used to be for.
I was at the dentist a couple weeks ago and my dentist saw my band. He’s a weird guy and doesn’t give you much of an opportunity to speak. He just comes in during the cleaning, makes a bunch of jokes, and quickly leaves. Oh, he cashes his fat check for three minutes of work right after that. This time, he flicked my band and said I must like to workout outdoors because I’m wearing the Armstrong band. What? That doesn’t even make sense!
I’m Done
So, today, on the one-year anniversary of my sister-in-law’s death, I’m taking off the band. I’ve done all I can do with it. The time of the bands is over because there are too many on the market. My brother is moving on, in fact, he’s getting married in twenty days, so it’s time for me to move on.
I thought that wearing the band would help me remember Jessica. Now, I don’t think so. Since the dentist incident I’ve been thinking about the band and what it’s supposed to do. Part of what it’s supposed to do is help you remember. Well, not a day goes by that her last moments don’t go through my mind. My screen saver on my computer and my TV includes thousands of pictures I’ve taken. It only takes a minute or two before a picture of her comes up. So, I don’t think I’ll forget her any time soon.
Thanks for reading and I’ll see you in the field...if I ever get a project requiring me to hire people!
#191 ArchaeoTech: Chromecast
Check out Chromecast!
I haven’t bought one of these devices yet but they sound pretty great.
Here’s a review from CNET:
Here is a review from Geek Beat:
http://geekbeat.tv/google-chromecast-first-look-features-and-quirks-revealed/
What does it do?
If you have anything but a Windows Phone or a Blackberry then you’ll likely be able to use Chromecast.
Chromecast is a small device ($35) that plugs into the HDMI port on any TV. As long as you have a computer, tablet, or smartphone on the same WiFi network as the Chromecast device then you are set. When it’s connected you’ll be able to wirelessly send video and audio to the device and watch what ever you want on the TV.
How many people reading this have watched a movie on their laptop on a hotel room? Well, now you can watch it on the TV. I hear there are some issues with what you can display on the TV and which apps will actually work, but, I know Netflix works. Also, this device is in beta so it will only get better. Expect to be able to stream anything within the next few months, maybe early Spring.
Problems
The biggest problem I can see for traveling archaeologists is with the hotel WiFi. More and more hotels have a sign in page for wifi and some devices can’t see that page. Sometimes there is a weird pop-up window that causes problems too. I’m not sure how Chromecast will handle these issues.
Another problem, of course, is that not all hotels have TVs with HDMI connections. That is quickly becoming a thing of the past, though. More and more small hotels are installing new TVs that have HDMI connections.
Even if you can only watch Netflix on this device, it’s still better than using your computer. For $35 you can’t go wrong!
Has anyone ordered this? Has anyone tried it? What do you think? Let me know in the comments.
Thanks for reading and I’ll see you in the field!
#190 How Apple Killed Word
Well, maybe not “killed”, but, certainly gave us another option.
When I was in graduate school I switched over to the Apple suite of office software completely. I did it so all of my devices would sync properly. It seemed archaic that I couldn’t work on a document on my computer, pack that away, and work on the same document on my phone on the bus ride to campus. Also, the iPad was coming out in a few months and I wanted complete syncing ability.
I know you can now do that with Windows and the paid service called Office 365 that gives you all of your documents in the cloud similar to Google Docs. Which reminds me, I know Google Docs exists too.
So, before I receive any comments on this blog, or, since no one actually comments here even when I ask for information, comments on LinkedIn or Facebook, let me just say that this post is mostly for Apple enthusiasts. If you aren’t into Apple products and are offended by the mere mention of anything other than Linux or Google Docs then click away now! Here is something that should make you happy. Just kidding.
For the three of you that are left, let me tell you what Apple did.
Pages
I’ve been using Apple’s word processing software, Pages, for several years now. I love how easy it is to layout a document and how fluid things move when you drag them around. After years of having Word be glitchy and slow it was great moving to Pages.
The only problem with Pages is that everyone else uses Word. So, if you want to transmit documents back and forth between platforms you might run into some problems. Most things do transfer well, however. It’s just that some of the more complicated formatting can get messed up.
Pages in the Cloud
Well, now Pages is in the cloud. Anyone with a free iCloud account (if you have an iTunes account you have iCloud) can now create, share, and modify iWork documents including Pages, Numbers (spreadsheet), and Keynote (presentations). You can even drag Word documents onto the screen and it will convert and open them. If you need to export as a Word document it will do that too.
I like having Pages in the cloud because all of my documents are written in Pages. If I’m working at home and need to stop I can save what I’m working on and it will be available for me anywhere in the world as long as I have a computer and an internet connection.
Template Chooser
Limitations
There are some limitations to using Pages. First, Pages doesn’t do mail merge. It’s the only reason I still use Word for some things. Also, the cloud and iOS versions of the iWork apps have limited functionality when compared to their desktop counterparts. That is to be expected, though. I do know that they have the similar capabilities when compared to Google Docs, although I don’t have enough experience to speak intelligently about that.
Benefits
Aside from the previously mentioned benefits of speed and agility, there are other reasons to use Pages and the other iWork programs. First, if you’re familiar with Apple then you know that all of their apps are polished and have a great look and feel. I don’t know how to say it better other than they just work and they feel right. I’m always frustrated by Word, and Windows in general. It always seems clunky and unfinished.
Now, instead of converting your good looking document into a Word document just so someone can look at it and comment, you can send them the Pages file and they can open it in their browser. No more conversion.
Well, that’s it for this Apple commercial. If you made it this far then I congratulate you. Please, tell me what you think in the comments. Do you use Pages? Are you a Windows user but use Pages on your iPhone or iPad? Let me know.
Thanks for reading and I’ll see you in the field!
#189 DayofArch2013: Continuing Changes
This post is cross-posted on the Day of Archaeology website. Go check out the other great posts from the 2013 Day of Archaeology! On to my day…
Nevada, United States, July 26, 2013
0515
Woke up and checked emails while having breakfast. Normally I do a workout too but today is just too busy. We’re recording episode 13 of the CRM Archaeology Podcast on Saturday and the topic is the Day of Archaeology. So, I have a lot of blogs to read.
On top of that, I’m finishing a draft of my first book, writing two proposals, and doing research for another project that I can’t talk about just yet. It’s going to be a busy day.
Before I really get into the day, though, I’d like to talk about my past “Days of Archaeology”. The first year this event happened was 2011. I was working for a company in the Great Basin and they had me monitoring on a seismic operation. So, that’s what my post was about. My wife was out there with me.
For 2012 I was working for a different company and had been made a Project Manager. My wife was no longer in CRM Archaeology and was pursuing other interests.
This year, I own my own CRM firm, I’m writing a book that will be published by Left Coast Press, and I’m hosting a fun and informative podcast. It’s amazing how life changes so quickly. Unfortunately, I think my income has experience an inverse relationship with my career path. I’ve been moving up in archaeology, but, since starting a company is a long and stressful process my finances have taken a serious hit. Don’t think that writing a book will make you rich, either. If I see any money from this writing it won’t be for another two years because of the payment schedule. So, back to my day!
0545 to 0800 Catching up on Blogs and News
I often spend time in the morning reading blogs and news articles. I post those to my Random Acts of Science Facebook page and they autopost to Twitter. Gotta keep the word informed about CRM goings on…
Today, though, I’m reading all the Day of Archaeology posts coming from the other side of the world. The U.S. hasn't really started the day yet so there aren’t any posts. I’m reviewing posts that we’re going to talk about on the podcast.
0800 to 1145 Business Development and Proposal Writing
Most days I try to spend at least a few hours contacting potential clients and letting them know I exist. My business model is very different from most archaeology firms and I have to convince them that it’s a safe bet to go with me. That’s not an easy sell for some of these companies. I also run into the problem of not having any corporate experience. I have plenty of personal experience but my company is brand new. Some clients want to see past performance but I don’t know how to get past performance without performing. It’s all very circular.
1300 to 1630 Book Writing
As I mentioned above, I’m writing my first book. In case you ever thought about writing a book I’ll tell you how I came to this point. First, you have to have an idea. For me it was the idea that I wanted to tell people about things I wish I’d known when I started in archaeology. So, I started the Shovelbums Guide series of blog posts on my blog. It was well received over the two years I’ve been writing it so I decided that I’d compile all of the posts into an eBook.
When I was at the SAAs in Hawaii in April I showed the rough draft to the editors at Left Coast Press. I was really just wondering if there was anything like that out there. They said that there wasn’t and that I should send in a proposal. Their proposal guidelines are very straightforward and I did it easily. Within a few months I had a contract!
Now, I’m trying to finish up the draft of the book. It’s mostly done except for some little finishing touches. I also need to sort out the graphics. Since I’m doing this on my own dime I have to come up with everything on my own. I can’t really pay someone either since I won’t see any money from the book for two years. I think you have to write about two books a year to see consistent payments. Talk to Tom King. I think he does at least two books a year!
1900 to 2100
Finishing up my Day of Archaeology blog post and doing some reading. I haven’t read fiction in a long time. Archaeologists that want to stay at the top of their game are constantly reading. Sometimes it’s popular works on broad subjects and sometimes it’s papers and site reports. That part of the job is never done.
So, no fieldwork for my Day of Archaeology, but, a lot of CRM archaeology is done in the office. I’m trying to change that slightly with my business model but there will always be office time.
I hope I see a lot of CRM posts from the United States on the DayofArch this year. There was an increase between last year and the first year and I hope there are more this year. As far as I’m concerned, our job is only half done when the site report is turned in. They other half of our job is telling people about what we do. In many cases here in the west the projects are on public land. The public has a right to know what we found and what it means.
Happy Day of Archaeology and here’s to another great year of science!
Thanks for reading and I’ll see you in the field!