Desktop – Cityscape

Once I found this wallpaper I knew I had to make a desktop setup around it; I just love cityscapes, and this is one of the best I’ve seen.

(click for larger version)

(download the wallpaper here)

Before I start, for those of you unfamiliar with the drill, I’m running Rainmeter v1.1.

You’ll notice many of the same elements as last time. In the top left corner, you’ll see my tweaked version of Enigma’s Sidebar Systems skin. All the essential information in one box. Handy.

Below it is Enigma’s Arcs beautifully futuristic yet informative clock, and to the right, I’ve got Cal-Week and Clock. Small but visible, they’re the perfect compliment to Arcs.

To the right of them, I’ve got HUD.Vision’s White Network.upload and Network.download skins, for a quick check up on my connection.

In the top right corner, I’ve got HUD.Vision’s White CPU skin which gives me a quick look at the system information and usage as well as the most-demanding process, so I don’t need to open up Task Manager.

And in the bottom left corner, the iTunes White skin by R3ginald. While it’s style may not be of the highest calibre (there is both a pause and play button; the volume is not controlled by dragging but rather by repeatedly clicking the two speaker icons), it’s extremely handy and fits in well with the background and other skins. It should be noted I tried to install Multi-Plugin v2.1 for iTunes so that I could install a black skin and use the mini player, but my efforts resulted in my having to reinstall iTunes (due to compatibility issues) and both help and updated versions are difficult to find online. I will persist, though.

I also changed the window colour to “Graphite” for a slightly darker look, and changed my Firefox persona to “Dark Cityscape”. That’s all up to you, but I find it’s a nice addition.

Thanks for reading! If you’ve got any questions, please leave a comment. See you next time.

Review: The Schwa Was Here

The Schwa Was Here tells the story of a grade eight Italian, Antsy (Anthony) Bonano, who meets Calvin Schwa, the invisible kid. Well, not invisible. Just observationally challenged, as Antsy and his friends call him. If you don’t focus too hard, you’ll be able to see through him. His clothes always match his surroundings, and it’s pretty damn hard to keep him in your head.

It is not long after Antsy’s discovery of the phenomenon that he finds a way to profit from it. He and The Schwa set up a business, offering the services of an invisible kid. Sneak papers into teachers’ briefcases, spy on girls, The Schwa can do it all. However, when they agree to sneak into Mr. Crawley’s apartment and steal one of his fourteen dogs’ food bowls, they may have bargained for too much, and they’re going to lose more than the $54 they bet. Soon, they’re roped into dog walking for Mr. Crawley. Free of charge. Complain, and their parents will be fired. Coming from the man who started an egg shortage in all of Brooklyn, it’s not a threat to be taken lightly.

Antsy’s new job comes with many consequences, both good and bad, and he soon finds himself gaining a new perspective on his life and the people around him. Events surrounding his family and his friends let him take an uncomfortable outsider’s point of view and realize that he may in fact be the real invisible kid.

The Schwa Was Here is a heart-warming story about the perception of others and personal relationships in general. It begins as just another funky young adult story but soon becomes appealing as a thought-provoking and emotionally compelling story, while keeping a classy sense of humour. It’s a fantastic novel, and I highly recommend it.

The Coolest Boombox You’ll Ever See

As Gizmodo put it, the R2-DBoombox and C3Pheadphones.

[taken from Gizmodo]

Environmental Design: The Greenbox

The Greenbox (click for an explanatory video) is, like all things I love, a well-needed redesign. It’s environmentally friendly and makes great use of the features of the ordinary pizza box. I think “crotchfire”, one of the commenters on YouTube, put it best:

You don’t have to use paper plates, or waste water washing dishes. You also don’t have to use an extra box to store the pizza. Cardboard that is soiled by food can’t be recycled, thus they are making use of something you are going to have to throw away anyways. It is also made of 100% recycled material, so no trees are being chopped down to produce the box.

If you want more information you can check out their website, greenboxny.com. The Greenbox is what this blog is all about: intelligent design. So spread the word!