My Personal Online/Offline Dichotomy

I've been spending a lot of time with computers again. In the past week I've worked on a PHP application, I've written a little calculator JavaScript thing for one of the clients we've been working with at my job, and I've been trying to fight for what I think are all the right things when it comes to web development. And I think people are maybe possibly starting to listen. Sure, people at the office still think I'm crazy. They still look at me as that guy with the moppy hair and the scuffed Doc Martens who thinks software not made by Microsoft actually matters. But still, I've tried to expostulate without coming off as a tecno-snob, I've tried to remain level-headed in spite of the emotional attachment have to my standpoint, and finally I maybe see things changing.

Man, it's been hard.

I'm feeling things change in both them and me, and I think I'm starting to care again. That's just awesome. (There used to be a "because" in that first sentence, but I deleted it because I'm not too sure if there's a direct cause/effect relationship between the changes I describe and my emotional upturn). Of course it's a fragile state to be in - I know how a single setback can really set off a tailspin into abject frustration - so I really want to have this post be a small note, a pause, a simple moment of appreciation of the fact that things are going well.

There.

So as for the offline stuff: I've been working on this mix tape for the past week or so, all the while making sure each song on the tape progresses nicely to the next, that it's more than just one of those personal compilations that show off all the stuff I've been rocking out to lately. I mean, I have been rocking out to the stuff on this tape lately, I won't lie, but still, I think, I hope, that as a whole, it means more than that.

So here's the deal. I want you to help decide. If you would like to hear this mix tape (which I've titled Twenty-One Songs for Movies and Commercials), I will send a copy to you, postage paid and everything. Totally cool. Just contact me with an address or whatever, and I'll do it. I swear.

Here's a track listing (the format is [song title] ([band]), in case you were curious/uncertain):

Side A: Learning Curve (Compound Red), Makeout Bench (Superchunk), TNT (Tortoise), Temptation (New Order), Cherry Chapstick (Yo La Tengo), Come in Alone (My Bloody Valentine), New Slang (Shins), Troubbble (Stephen Malkmus). Side B: Mandatory Rebirth/Prerequisite Afterlife (The Minders), Pink Moon (Walt Mink), Be My Head (Flaming Lips), Nude Beach, Pinhole Camera (Pele), Our Boys Will Shine Tonight (Chavez), I'm a Mindless Idiot (Meat Puppets), Speed of Light (Poster Children), Cold Cold Ground (Tom Waits), Carry the Zero (Built to Spill), I'm a Loner, Dottie, A Rebel (The Get Up Kids), Looking for Leonard Theme (Portastatic), The Same Boy You've Always Known (White Stripes).

Sound good? Cool. I'm totally serious about this offer. Also, if this entry happens to fall off the front page, I'll be posting it over at my everything page as well.