Welcome Back   2005-09-01

Welcome to the latest version of Adventures in Living. If you've been visiting the site over the past few years you'll know much we enjoy gardening with ones and zeros at Adventures in Living. Life isn't static and neither is this site.

It's been a very busy summer. There's a lot to catch you up on: lots of adventures, stories, and pictures. But those will have to wait until the next journal entry. For now - a few words about the new site design and functionality.

First, we've returned to tabbed pages. In the interest of fitting the site into a single non-scrolling browser window we've seperated the content into four parts: journal, photos, video + podcast, and contact. As convenient as the single, scrolling window was, we think you'll enjoy the tabbed experience as much or more.

Some things have been moved, others have been dusted off and brought back from earlier versions, still others have been left on the cutting room floor, and some are making their first appearance.

We're excited about the latest changes. The site now makes use of some of the technology that makes the Internet an occasionally interesting and sometimes useful place. We've made the changes not just for the sake of change but to enhance your Adventures in Living experience.

In the same way you forget about breathing, we want you to forget about having to visit Adventures in Living. You're busy. We're busy. Everyone is busy. It's easy to forget to do stuff – like visit Adventures in Living for a firsthand look at life in Tokyo – when you're busy. So, instead of you always having to go to Adventures in Living for an update, Adventures in Living is going to come to you.

If you're thinking SPAM!, unsolicited emails, d0dGy AdV3rt1sEmeNTs, mass distribution lists, or identity theft by balaclava clad technocrats — think again. Think "content syndication."

Content syndication means it's 1940 and you're the proud owner of the first TV set in your neighbourhood. It's a Friday night in the dead of winter. Winnipeg. Your date really wants to go to the movies but you forgot to plug in your car: you can't go anywhere. But, turn on your TV set and the movies can come to you. That's content syndication.

Of course, you have to do a couple of things before the good times start rolling in. First, you have to get yourself a good pair of rabbit ears. Then, you have to wrap them in tinfoil and point them at the moon. That's all.

Adventures in Living can help: we can recommend, wrap, and (re)position. There are a couple of     links on the site that provide some information about content syndication. If terms like ATOM, RSS, XML, aggregators, or feeds are new to you - you may find them useful.

We've had streaming video (requires Flash Player 7) on the site for a few months. Now we've upped the ante and made podcasts available as well. Same page. Twice the enjoyment.

Last, we've added an email function to the Contact page. You can now send us email directly from Adventures in Living. So, if you want to learn more about having Adventures in Living content delivered directly to your computer, or you're browsing the site from a public terminal in Chad and you don't have our email addresses handy, or you don't feel like writing a full-blown email using your mail client, take twenty seconds and contact us the easy way.

So go on and explore the site. Enjoy.

Marlene + Todd  |  Leave a Comment  |