Tag: gallery

  • Wapuu + Labubu = Wabubu?

    Wapuu + Labubu = Wabubu?

    With WordCamp US just around the corner, one might about any new Wapuu designs on company swag in Portland. A couple weeks ago on vacation with my family, I was walking the beach boardwalk with our kids and saw several Labubus being swung around or otherwise attached to kids’ slingbacks. My brain immediately went to “what would a mashup of a Wapuu and a Labubu look like?” and just as quickly started prompting ChatGPT with image generation requests to get an answer.

    The 4o model did a pretty great job from my initial, simple boardwalk-based prompt of “Can you design a mashup of a Labubu and a Wapuu?” even nailing the mashup name of “Wabubu”:

    Absolutely — just to clarify first: are you imagining this mashup as a character illustration, a 3D model, or something else (e.g. plush, toy concept, sticker art)?

    Assuming you’re looking for a character design mashup between Labubu (the mischievous, spiky-toothed character from The Monsters series by POP MART) and Wapuu (the cuddly WordPress mascot), here’s an idea for the concept:

    Labubu × Wapuu Mashup Design Concept

    Name: Wabubu

    Core Traits Blended:

    • Wapuu body shape: round, simple, chibi proportions, friendly pose
    • Labubu face: mischievous wide smile, prominent buck teeth, large ears, and wild hair
    • Wapuu accessories: hugging the WordPress logo (or an alternate WP-related item like a laptop, Gutenberg block, or code bracket)
    • Labubu texture: subtle fur, pointy ears, wild eyebrows

    Visual Details:

    • Head:
      • Wapuu’s round face but with Labubu’s wide, toothy grin and pronounced front teeth
      • Big mischievous Labubu-style eyes (slightly tilted, giving a prankster vibe)
      • Fluffy tufts of Labubu’s wild hair, slightly unkempt, poking out behind ears
      • Long pointed ears, one flopped down playfully
    • Body:
      • Retain Wapuu’s soft, rounded body and paws holding the WordPress logo
      • Covered in soft fur with Labubu’s tiger-like stripes subtly hinted in the texture
      • Small tail – could be a hybrid of Wapuu’s squirrel-style and Labubu’s wilder brush tail
    • Color Palette:
      • Golden yellow fur base (like Wapuu), but with darker brown/orange accents from Labubu
      • Blue-and-white WordPress logo contrasts nicely for emphasis

    Pose Ideas:

    • Cheeky grin, clutching the WordPress logo sideways like it just stole it
    • One paw giving a “peace” sign or tiny devil horns
    • Sitting on a stack of code books or on top of a WordPress admin dashboard

    Would you like me to generate an image of this version of Wabubu for you? If you want it to look more cute or more punk/mischievous, I can adjust the balance accordingly. Just let me know!

    The first two generated images, however, missed the mark:

    A cartoon of a cat holding a blue sign
    A cartoon animal holding a sign

    Even asking ChatGPT to show me what it thought was a Wapuu and a Labubu in a basic “a plus b equals c” sort of image was a struggle to get the entire image within the output:

    At that point it was obvious that ChatGPT wasn’t super clear on what a Labubu looked like and needed a lot more coaching to create a landscape image of the mashup creation.  So I shared an image of the first Wapuu and Labubu image from a quick web search to better define the image generation request and that immediately yielded better results:

    A cartoon of a dog and a rabbit

    From there it was much better at hitting what I was looking for in the Wabubu mashup both in a friendlier Wapuu version and a mischievous Labubu version:

    A cartoon of a cat holding a blue ball
    A cartoon cat holding a blue ball

    At this point I felt it had nailed the general concept and started asking it to create different image style variants based on quick prompt variations:

    A stuffed animal holding a blue ball
    Wabubu 3D plush Labubu style
    A stuffed animal on a beach
    Wabubu 3D plush Wapupu style
    Wabubu full character sheet for animations or merch
    A cartoon of a raccoon holding a blue circle
    Wabubu Studio Gibli version
    Cartoon animal holding a blue ball
    Wabubu Japanese anime version
    A cartoon animal painting a picture
    Wabubu Bob Ross painting version
    A cartoon animal holding a circle
    Wabubu 80s hair band plus neon imagery style
    A cartoon of a hedgehog holding a blue ball
    Wabubu spider verse style animation
    A cartoon animal holding a blue and yellow circle
    Wabubu origami paper animal version
    A toy animal holding a blue and blue circle
    Wabubu studio laika claymation style
    A cartoon animal holding a circle
    Wabubu black and white coloring book style
    A drawing of a cartoon animal holding a logo
    Wabubu Tim Burton gothic style
    A collage of a cartoon animal
    Wabubu pixel art / 16-but sprite sheet
    A cartoon of a hedgehog holding a letter
    Wabubu kawaii bento box style
    A cartoon animal holding a blue circle
    Wabubu y2k vaporware aesthetic
    A cartoon of a hedgehog holding a blue circle
    Wabubu chibi style
    A cartoon animal holding a blue ball
    Wabubu low-poly 3D render
    Wabubu embroidery patch style

    Ironically with all the fun I had peppering ChatGPT with image generation variations I hit the cap of my monthly plan limit of image generations (yes, there are some variants and generations that I didn’t include here because they were just _bad_).

    So at this point, ahead of WCUS, I’m curious… which of these are your favorite Wabubu variant?  Which would you want physical merch of?  What other image variants would you create?  Do you prefer the more friendly Wapuu or the more mischievous Labubu variants?  Which style do you think would make an epic enamel pin, plush toy, or swag giveaway at WordCamp US?  Let me know your pick, or suggest a new mashup idea!

  • Photo Directory Update: October, November, & December

    Photo Directory Update: October, November, & December

    As my friendly competition with Jonathan Desrosiers and Jeff Golenski in contributing photos to the WordPress Photo Directory in 2024 came to a wrap, I’ll note that I didn’t manage to get a recap post out monthly and my photo submissions definitely ebbed and flowed but overall I’m pleased to see a grand total of 136 photos contributed!

    Following on from my August & September post, let’s take a look at my October, November, and December contributions to the Photo Directory. Before October, I had 113 photos accepted and as the month of September wrapped up that number has increased by 23 to 136 photos in the directory.

    Want to join in the fun, then submit your photos!

    The following images of my October, November, and December contributions have been synced to Openverse (and thus easier to embed via Jetpack’s extension of the Image block’s “Select Image” flow to embed images from Openverse).

    Stacked cut firewood from a Black Lotus tree
    Stacked cut firewood from a Black Lotus tree by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Empty jack-o-lantern basket sitting on top of a rug on a wood porch with a paver brick walkway in the background
    Empty jack-o-lantern basket sitting on top of a rug on a wood porch with a paver brick walkway in the background by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Melting ice from the Jökulsárlón Glacier scattered amongst other melting ice chunks on Diamond Beach, Iceland
    Melting ice from the Jökulsárlón Glacier scattered amongst other melting ice chunks on Diamond Beach, Iceland by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Tilikum Crossing Bridge lit up by bridge lights at nighttime (Portland, Oregon)
    Tilikum Crossing Bridge lit up by bridge lights at nighttime (Portland, Oregon) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Wooden fence in the foreground, bushes, ashpault road, and trees in the background with red, yellow, and brown leaves scattered around
    Wooden fence in the foreground, bushes, ashpault road, and trees in the background with red, yellow, and brown leaves scattered around by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    View of blue green pool with palm trees lining the left and right sides and a building in the background at Mareva1939 within National Hotel (Miami Beach, Florida)
    View of blue green pool with palm trees lining the left and right sides and a building in the background at Mareva1939 within National Hotel (Miami Beach, Florida) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    View of Vadnais Lake with rocks in the foreground lakeside, blue water with green algae scattered throughout, and a blue sky with wispy clouds in the background (Vadnais Heights, Minnesota)
    View of Vadnais Lake with rocks in the foreground lakeside, blue water with green algae scattered throughout, and a blue sky with wispy clouds in the background (Vadnais Heights, Minnesota) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Green grass and concrete sidewalk both shadowed by a tree and its limbs during a solar eclipse
    Green grass and concrete sidewalk both shadowed by a tree and its limbs during a solar eclipse by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    View from a wooden walking bridge with metal supports overlooking a lake with canoes on the water in the distance
    View from a wooden walking bridge with metal supports overlooking a lake with canoes on the water in the distance by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Three kids on bikes wearing helmets ride a dirt path through prairie grass through a forest preserve
    Three kids on bikes wearing helmets ride a dirt path through prairie grass through a forest preserve by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Sweet coneflower with yellow petals and brown center amongst other greenery and trees
    Sweet coneflower with yellow petals and brown center amongst other greenery and trees by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    View through the center of a hollowed out tree log sitting on a wood house porch
    View through the center of a hollowed out tree log sitting on a wood house porch by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Giant onion (Allium giganteum) in the foreground with purple globe-shaped flower with a green grass yard and red brick house in the background
    Giant onion (Allium giganteum) in the foreground with purple globe-shaped flower with a green grass yard and red brick house in the background by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Silhouettes of four people laid out on a sandy beach
    Silhouettes of four people laid out on a sandy beach by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    The smooth sumac plant with cones of red berries scattered amongst green leaves
    The smooth sumac plant with cones of red berries scattered amongst green leaves by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Two handmade wooden soapbox derby cards primed in white pain sitting on a yard of green grass lined with shrubs and a wooden fence
    Two handmade wooden soapbox derby cards primed in white pain sitting on a yard of green grass lined with shrubs and a wooden fence by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Toothpickweed with its white lace-shaped flowers in the foreground with other prairie plants, a body of water, and a setting sun in the background
    Toothpickweed with its white lace-shaped flowers in the foreground with other prairie plants, a body of water, and a setting sun in the background by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    A pink golf ball sits in a sand trap as a group of golfers crests a hill in the distance at twilight and a sunset in the distance
    A pink golf ball sits in a sand trap as a group of golfers crests a hill in the distance at twilight and a sunset in the distance by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Dark oval shaped rock with the text “YOU ARE AWESOME” in blue written on it with wood chips underneath the rock
    Dark oval shaped rock with the text “YOU ARE AWESOME” in blue written on it with wood chips underneath the rock by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Several brown paper yard waste bags sit standing up, mostly full on a patch of dried grass alongside a cement curb and black asphalt road
    Several brown paper yard waste bags sit standing up, mostly full on a patch of dried grass alongside a cement curb and black asphalt road by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Several decaying railroad ties sit on a patch of grass next to a single tree alongside a cement curb and black asphalt road
    Several decaying railroad ties sit on a patch of grass next to a single tree alongside a cement curb and black asphalt road by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    A pair of green and yellow parakeets (Brookfield Zoo, Illinois, USA)
    A pair of green and yellow parakeets (Brookfield Zoo, Illinois, USA) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Mysterious “O” Rest Stop (aka “Cerchio dello Staccioli”) outside Volterra, Italy
    Mysterious “O” Rest Stop (aka “Cerchio dello Staccioli”) outside Volterra, Italy by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

    P.S. – this post’s featured image comes from Openverse in searching for “October November December” and is “Banksia recurvistylis” by Jean and Fred is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

  • Photo Directory Update: August & September

    Photo Directory Update: August & September

    Following on from my May, June, & July post, let’s take a look at my August and September contributions to the WordPress Photo Directory. Before August, I had 105 photos accepted and as the month of September wrapped up that number has increased by 8 (sigh, a couple slow months) to 113 photos in the directory.

    Want to join in the fun, then submit your photos!

    The following images of my August and September contributions have been synced to Openverse (and thus easier to embed via Jetpack’s extension of the Image block’s “Select Image” flow to embed images from Openverse).

    Yellow plastic cup full of shaved ice in front of ten flavors of Kona Ice’s “flavorwave” (DE Turf, Frederica, Delaware)
    Yellow plastic cup full of shaved ice in front of ten flavors of Kona Ice’s “flavorwave” (DE Turf, Frederica, Delaware) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Single Sunfish sailboat sitting on a wheeled trailer in the sand with a blue life jacket on top and the Lewes Yacht Club in the background (Delaware, USA).
    Single Sunfish sailboat sitting on a wheeled trailer in the sand with a blue life jacket on top and the Lewes Yacht Club in the background (Delaware, USA). by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Beach grass seedlings planted evenly amongst bayside dunes with sand in the foreground and sunny, blue sky and white whispy clouds in the background (Lewes Yacht Club, Delaware)
    Beach grass seedlings planted evenly amongst bayside dunes with sand in the foreground and sunny, blue sky and white whispy clouds in the background (Lewes Yacht Club, Delaware) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Two catamarans sitting on the beach with small bayside waves in the background (Lewes Public Beach, Delaware).
    Two catamarans sitting on the beach with small bayside waves in the background (Lewes Public Beach, Delaware). by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Wooden birdhouse opened to expose a bird nest and baby birds
    Wooden birdhouse opened to expose a bird nest and baby birds by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Several catamarans and sailboats sitting on the bayside beach with sand in the foreground and whispy clouds in the background (Lewes Public Beach, Delaware)
    Several catamarans and sailboats sitting on the bayside beach with sand in the foreground and whispy clouds in the background (Lewes Public Beach, Delaware) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Sculpture of a polar bear using wire, white material, and colored christmas lights at brookfield zoo’s holiday magic
    Sculpture of a polar bear using wire, white material, and colored christmas lights at brookfield zoo’s holiday magic by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Varied decorative lights with rainbow colored lights illuminating them at night at illumination: tree lights (the morton arboretum, lisle, illinois)
    Varied decorative lights with rainbow colored lights illuminating them at night at illumination: tree lights (the morton arboretum, lisle, illinois) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

    P.S. – this post’s featured image comes from Openverse in searching for “August September” and is “June 12, 2018 sunset 19:31PM” by Katsujiro Maekawa is marked with CC0 1.0.

  • Photo Directory Update: May, June, & July

    Photo Directory Update: May, June, & July

    Yeah yeah yeah, I’m hella delayed on this post and instead of tacking on August I’m going with May-June following on from March & April’s joint post to get caught up on my contributions to the WordPress Photo Directory. Before May, I had 62 photos accepted and as the month of July wrapped up that number has increased by 43 to 105 photos in the directory.

    Part of my June contributions related to LGBTQ+Press’ Share Your Pride photo drive. You can see all the rainbow-themed submissions via the #ShareYourPride2024 tag and the winners and honorable mentions were all wonderful, check out and celebrate the best submissions!

    Want to join in the fun, then submit your photos!

    The following images of my May, June, and July contributions have been synced to Openverse (and thus easier to embed via Jetpack’s extension of the Image block’s “Select Image” flow to embed images from Openverse).

    Palm tree with other native trees and hotel rooftop in background (Costa Rica)
    Palm tree with other native trees and hotel rooftop in background (Costa Rica) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Two chandeliers hanging inside a vaulted two story brick building with wooden truss roof and arched windows (Isola delle Rose, Venice, Italy)
    Two chandeliers hanging inside a vaulted two story brick building with wooden truss roof and arched windows (Isola delle Rose, Venice, Italy) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    A lone, covered gondola docked on Rio dei Mendicanti between opposing two story brick buildings (Venice, Italy)
    A lone, covered gondola docked on Rio dei Mendicanti between opposing two story brick buildings (Venice, Italy) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Lakeside wooden sign with Check Out and Check In sections with each having a 20×16 grid with circular tags hanging in various squares (YMCA Camp Eberhart on Corey Lake, Three Rivers, Michigan)
    Lakeside wooden sign with Check Out and Check In sections with each having a 20×16 grid with circular tags hanging in various squares (YMCA Camp Eberhart on Corey Lake, Three Rivers, Michigan) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Evening skyline with lots of office lights aglow across buildings large and small (Midtown Manhattan, New York)
    Evening skyline with lots of office lights aglow across buildings large and small (Midtown Manhattan, New York) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Sidewalk chalk art on a brick pathway featuring a design with diagonal stripes in pink, blue, and white. The bricks also have some moss and grass growing between them.
    Sidewalk chalk art on a brick pathway featuring a design with diagonal stripes in pink, blue, and white. The bricks also have some moss and grass growing between them. by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    A view up indoor stonework stairs with ornate frescos on the ceiling with a backlit person at the top of the stairs (Venice, Italy)
    A view up indoor stonework stairs with ornate frescos on the ceiling with a backlit person at the top of the stairs (Venice, Italy) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    A building interior with a multi-level half-pipe skate ramp with a tunnel under the left side with railings and pillars around the interior space (City Museum, St. Louis, Missouri, USA)
    A building interior with a multi-level half-pipe skate ramp with a tunnel under the left side with railings and pillars around the interior space (City Museum, St. Louis, Missouri, USA) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    View of Isa Khan’s Mosque from the ground looking up at a sunny and cloud sky (New Delhi, India)
    View of Isa Khan’s Mosque from the ground looking up at a sunny and cloud sky (New Delhi, India) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Several disco balls hung within a grove of trees lit up with spotlights and lots of rainbow reflections across the ground and trees at The Morton Arboretum’s Illumination event (Lisle, Illinois, USA)
    Several disco balls hung within a grove of trees lit up with spotlights and lots of rainbow reflections across the ground and trees at The Morton Arboretum’s Illumination event (Lisle, Illinois, USA) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Long bed truck with metal gates containing strapped down straw bales (Ludwig’s Feed Store, Lemont, Illinois)
    Long bed truck with metal gates containing strapped down straw bales (Ludwig’s Feed Store, Lemont, Illinois) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Campfire burning inside a metal ring overlooking a lake through narrow trees (YMCA Camp MacLean, Burlington, Wisconsin)
    Campfire burning inside a metal ring overlooking a lake through narrow trees (YMCA Camp MacLean, Burlington, Wisconsin) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Dirt and gravel road winds between a wood and wire fence along Þjóðvegur leading up to Fossálar Waterfall (Iceland)
    Dirt and gravel road winds between a wood and wire fence along Þjóðvegur leading up to Fossálar Waterfall (Iceland) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Ponte della Paglia bridge spanning Rio del Palazzo (Venice, Italy)
    Ponte della Paglia bridge spanning Rio del Palazzo (Venice, Italy) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Brick archway with Green Market sign and within a circular badge above the arch (Chicago, Illinois)
    Brick archway with Green Market sign and within a circular badge above the arch (Chicago, Illinois) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Skeleton torso with Day of the Dead designs on its skull on the back of a Jeep with early morning frost, snow, and ice coating
    Skeleton torso with Day of the Dead designs on its skull on the back of a Jeep with early morning frost, snow, and ice coating by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Three pumpkins arranged on a bale of hay. The leftmost pumpkin is carved with a happy face and topped with a figurine of Snoopy and Woodstock from “Peanuts.” The middle pumpkin is uncarved.
    Three pumpkins arranged on a bale of hay. The leftmost pumpkin is carved with a happy face and topped with a figurine of Snoopy and Woodstock from “Peanuts.” The middle pumpkin is uncarved. by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Outdoor oversized Jenga set decorated in red, white, and blue with with star designs
    Outdoor oversized Jenga set decorated in red, white, and blue with with star designs by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Iceland flag flying above a hill of dried grasses and a rock fault line in the background (Thingvellir National Park, Bláskógabyggð, Iceland)
    Iceland flag flying above a hill of dried grasses and a rock fault line in the background (Thingvellir National Park, Bláskógabyggð, Iceland) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    American flag flying in front of a large brown barn with an eagle sculpture and mums in the foreground (Kuipers Family Farm, Maple Park, Illinois)
    American flag flying in front of a large brown barn with an eagle sculpture and mums in the foreground (Kuipers Family Farm, Maple Park, Illinois) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    View across a sand dune towards a beach with a wooden walkway on the right, grassy dune to the left, and a flagpole with a yellow caution beach warning flag flying (Gulf Shores, Alabama)
    View across a sand dune towards a beach with a wooden walkway on the right, grassy dune to the left, and a flagpole with a yellow caution beach warning flag flying (Gulf Shores, Alabama) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Several jetskis on a beach with a red and white stripped and white star on blue background flag on the left foreground (Miami Beach, Florida)
    Several jetskis on a beach with a red and white stripped and white star on blue background flag on the left foreground (Miami Beach, Florida) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Single white pier with motorboat under a blue tent and a jetski in the foreground with a sign saying “Don’t Blink” (Fontana-On-Geneva Lake, Wisconsin)
    Single white pier with motorboat under a blue tent and a jetski in the foreground with a sign saying “Don’t Blink” (Fontana-On-Geneva Lake, Wisconsin) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Black iron fence surrounding a round grassy park with large trees bordering a stone and metal memorial and an American flag flying on a flagpole within Patterson Park (General Casimir Pulaski Monument, Baltimore, Maryland)
    Black iron fence surrounding a round grassy park with large trees bordering a stone and metal memorial and an American flag flying on a flagpole within Patterson Park (General Casimir Pulaski Monument, Baltimore, Maryland) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Green wall with a blue letter board with white letters spelling out “WORDPRESS.ORG”
    Green wall with a blue letter board with white letters spelling out “WORDPRESS.ORG” by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Wood plank boards with a heart and “The Pauls” carved into it.
    Wood plank boards with a heart and “The Pauls” carved into it. by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Small ice remaining from melted iceberg broken off a glacier resting on a black pebble beach (Diamond Beach, Jökulsárlón, Iceland)
    Small ice remaining from melted iceberg broken off a glacier resting on a black pebble beach (Diamond Beach, Jökulsárlón, Iceland) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Book spines stacked like bricks with mortar between then (Literati Cafe, Los Angeles, California)
    Book spines stacked like bricks with mortar between then (Literati Cafe, Los Angeles, California) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Five panel window storefront painted with a colorful house, tree, and car neighborhood design with a large rainbow arching over it all
    Five panel window storefront painted with a colorful house, tree, and car neighborhood design with a large rainbow arching over it all by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Wood fence in the foreground and fall colored leaves on bushes and trees in the background
    Wood fence in the foreground and fall colored leaves on bushes and trees in the background by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Photo opportunity background showing a repeating WordPress logomark in black on a white background
    Photo opportunity background showing a repeating WordPress logomark in black on a white background by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    WordCamp US 2023 conference presentation set up with a projector screen on the left titled “The Enterprise Approach to WordPress Security” and an empty podium and table and chairs to the right
    WordCamp US 2023 conference presentation set up with a projector screen on the left titled “The Enterprise Approach to WordPress Security” and an empty podium and table and chairs to the right by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    A brown duck is perched on a rocky shore with a suspension bridge and floating icebergs in the background. The scene is calm with grey skies above.
    A brown duck is perched on a rocky shore with a suspension bridge and floating icebergs in the background. The scene is calm with grey skies above. by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    M&M decorated birthday cake in a rainbow arch with marshmallows surrounding them like clouds
    M&M decorated birthday cake in a rainbow arch with marshmallows surrounding them like clouds by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    LEGO pieces laid out in a rainbow of colors on a dark grey table
    LEGO pieces laid out in a rainbow of colors on a dark grey table by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Rainbow multicolored blown glass art done in the Chihuly style
    Rainbow multicolored blown glass art done in the Chihuly style by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Purple rope lights wrapped into a figure of a ballerina on a nightscape background
    Purple rope lights wrapped into a figure of a ballerina on a nightscape background by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Three children designing a rainbow design on an oversized multicolor light pegboard
    Three children designing a rainbow design on an oversized multicolor light pegboard by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Adult and infant geese feeding on a grassy area next to a stone-banked pond
    Adult and infant geese feeding on a grassy area next to a stone-banked pond by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Brass serving dish in the shape of a whale, mouth open with a bowl of ceviche, and dry ice vapor spilling out of the whale’s mouth
    Brass serving dish in the shape of a whale, mouth open with a bowl of ceviche, and dry ice vapor spilling out of the whale’s mouth by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Hot Honey Peach Margarita sitting on a mesh metal patio table with a garden in the background (The Station on Kings, Lewes, Delaware)
    Hot Honey Peach Margarita sitting on a mesh metal patio table with a garden in the background (The Station on Kings, Lewes, Delaware) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    One large neon orange and one small neon yellow traffic cone on a beach (Lewes Public Beach, Delaware)
    One large neon orange and one small neon yellow traffic cone on a beach (Lewes Public Beach, Delaware) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Wooden bushel basket full of blue crabs waiting to be steamed and seasoned (Crab Connect, Lewes, Delaware)
    Wooden bushel basket full of blue crabs waiting to be steamed and seasoned (Crab Connect, Lewes, Delaware) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

    P.S. – this post’s featured image comes from Openverse in searching for “May June” and is “Rainbow arch welcome to the finish line” by vijaymverma is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

  • Maryland flag lax stick

    Maryland flag lax stick

    A bit delayed on this post, but following up on last summer’s USA lacrosse stick stringing I spent free time this summer putting together a Maryland flag lacrosse stick. After learning from last summer’s stringing, I assembled component parts to make a solid Maryland Terrapins lax stick.

    Using a Relax Sports Gamechanger Pro black head, an Epoch PLL USA Dragonfly shaft, and ECD Lacrosse Hero 3.0 Mesh and a custom string kit with the classic red, white, black, and gold colors of the Maryland flag I was able to craft an admittedly biased perfect Maryland Terps lax stick.

  • Photo Directory Update: March & April

    Photo Directory Update: March & April

    Following on from February’s post, I’m sharing progress on my contributions to the WordPress Photo Directory over the past two months. Before March, I had 40 photos accepted and as April wrapped up that number has increased by 22 to 62 photos in the directory. Want to join in, then submit your photos!

    The following images of my March and April contributions have been synced to Openverse (and thus easier to embed via the Image block’s “Select Image” flow to embed images from Openverse).

    Tree trunk with ice and stacked up lake deck segments surrounding it with a wooden sign screwed to it with a lobster with a circle cross through it and the text “Don’t be a lobster, use sun screen now & later !!!” (Camp Anokijig, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin)
    Tree trunk with ice and stacked up lake deck segments surrounding it with a wooden sign screwed to it with a lobster with a circle cross through it and the text “Don’t be a lobster, use sun screen now & later !!!” (Camp Anokijig, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Waterfront view of La Jolla Bay with sea lions basking on rocks in the foreground and a sea gull soaring center frame (Point La Jolla, La Jolla, San Diego, California)
    Waterfront view of La Jolla Bay with sea lions basking on rocks in the foreground and a sea gull soaring center frame (Point La Jolla, La Jolla, San Diego, California) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    View of beachfront and cable with bouys anchored from shore and drifting out into low crashing waves (JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa, Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico)
    View of beachfront and cable with bouys anchored from shore and drifting out into low crashing waves (JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa, Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    A traditional vacant carousel with ornately decorated horses and a lit canopy with a sign indicating the entrance at the Please Touch Museum (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
    A traditional vacant carousel with ornately decorated horses and a lit canopy with a sign indicating the entrance at the Please Touch Museum (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    #KeepItAwesome neon sign (Steamboat Springs, Colorado)
    #KeepItAwesome neon sign (Steamboat Springs, Colorado) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Kona Ice mobile snow cone truck showing various flavor dispensers
    Kona Ice mobile snow cone truck showing various flavor dispensers by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Driver’s side rear corner view of Scooby Doo! Monster Jam monster truck, driven by Linsey Read (Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois)
    Driver’s side rear corner view of Scooby Doo! Monster Jam monster truck, driven by Linsey Read (Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    U.S National Kubb Championship champions, second, and third place podiums with USA Kubb flags flying in the background (Eau Claire, Wisconsin)
    U.S National Kubb Championship champions, second, and third place podiums with USA Kubb flags flying in the background (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    2021 U.S National Kubb Champions trophies designed onto king kubbs plus a field kubb with the “Bästa Inkastare” inscription (Eau Claire, Wisconsin)
    2021 U.S National Kubb Champions trophies designed onto king kubbs plus a field kubb with the “Bästa Inkastare” inscription (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Ceramic coffee cup with the text “Too much Monday, not enough coffee”
    Ceramic coffee cup with the text “Too much Monday, not enough coffee” by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Ceramic coffee cup with the text “I don’t rise and shine I caffeinate and hope for the best”
    Ceramic coffee cup with the text “I don’t rise and shine I caffeinate and hope for the best” by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Blue canvas baseball hat with the text “Drinks Well With Others”
    Blue canvas baseball hat with the text “Drinks Well With Others” by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Trees lit up by neon green light at dusk (Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois)
    Trees lit up by neon green light at dusk (Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Moss-covered lava fields under blue sky and wispy clouds (Eldhraun Lava Field, Kirkjubæjarklaustur, Iceland)
    Moss-covered lava fields under blue sky and wispy clouds (Eldhraun Lava Field, Kirkjubæjarklaustur, Iceland) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Wood and metal bench with birds painted onto the seat back, located at Patterson Park in Baltimore, Maryland.
    Wood and metal bench with birds painted onto the seat back, located at Patterson Park in Baltimore, Maryland. by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Box of steamed Chesapeake Bay blue crabs
    Box of steamed Chesapeake Bay blue crabs by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Geese wading through creeping charlie and grass with trees in the background near Barth Pond (Downers Grove, Illinois)
    Geese wading through creeping charlie and grass with trees in the background near Barth Pond (Downers Grove, Illinois) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Trickling stream with straw grass to the side and small rocks within the stream leading away from Svartifoss (Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland)
    Trickling stream with straw grass to the side and small rocks within the stream leading away from Svartifoss (Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Run down abandoned green wood cabin covered in graffiti in the woods (YMCA Camp Benson, Mt. Carroll, IL)
    Run down abandoned green wood cabin covered in graffiti in the woods (YMCA Camp Benson, Mt. Carroll, IL) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    A pond covered with green lily pads and a few white water lilies in bloom.
    A pond covered with green lily pads and a few white water lilies in bloom. by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Off-road bike trails passing through and looping around native grasses (Big Marsh Park, Chicago, Illinois)
    Off-road bike trails passing through and looping around native grasses (Big Marsh Park, Chicago, Illinois) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    A single Virginia Creeper dominates the center with ivy surrounding it in the background
    A single Virginia Creeper dominates the center with ivy surrounding it in the background by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

    P.S. – this post’s featured image comes from Openverse in searching for “March April” and is “Forgotten Blossoms” by halfrain and licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

  • Photo Directory Update: February

    Photo Directory Update: February

    Following on from January’s post, I’m sharing progress on my contributions to the WordPress Photo Directory over the past month.  Before February, I had 14 photos accepted and as this month wraps up that number has increased by 26 to 40 photos in the directory.  Want to join in, then submit your photos!

    February also included the new WordPress Photo Festival event, a global online photography competition organized by the WordPress Community of Kerala, India.  The event ran from February 3rd to February 9th, 6:00pm IST and captured photos from participants around the world who uploaded them to the official WordPress Photo Directory using the #WPKeralaPhotos hashtag.  1,544 photos from 163 contributors were submitted to the WordPress Photo Directory during the event.  The five best, unique entries each received a USD$100 prize, five additional folks received a consolation USD$50 prize, the three participants with the most number of photos received a USD$100 prize, and three additional participants also received a USD$50 prize (see all winners here).

    I definitely stepped up my photo contributions during the event, ensuring that as quickly as any of my submissions were accepted/rejected that I submitted another photo.  I’m pleased to have come in 26th place with 14 photos contributed to the event!

    I also recently interviewed with Topher DeRosia for a post on the WP Tavern: WordPress Photo Festival 2024, A Five Part Retrospective, Part 3, Attendees.  Check it out for a varied response on what it was like to be an attendee at the Photo Festival and while you’re at the Tavern check out the other four parts of Topher’s series!

    The following images of my February contributions have been synced to Openverse (and thus easier to embed via the Image block’s “Select Image” flow to embed images from Openverse).

    Ferris Wheel and city skyline at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Georgia
    Ferris Wheel and city skyline at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Georgia by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    “Tie One On” mural inside Monday Night Brewing in Atlanta, Georgia, consisting of a wall of neck ties with a neon sign that says “Tie One On”
    “Tie One On” mural inside Monday Night Brewing in Atlanta, Georgia, consisting of a wall of neck ties with a neon sign that says “Tie One On” by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Falcon statue constructed with sharp edge metal components, outside the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia
    Falcon statue constructed with sharp edge metal components, outside the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Tall Christmas Tree decorated with gold painted baubles, decorations, a large lit star on top. Surrounded by large ball shaped decorations and two glossy green trees. Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
    Tall Christmas Tree decorated with gold painted baubles, decorations, a large lit star on top. Surrounded by large ball shaped decorations and two glossy green trees. Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Lifeguard chair sitting on a beach dock at sunrise with a signing laying next to it describing “No Entry Without Lifeguard” (Fish Lake, YMCA Camp Duncan, Ingleside, Illinois)
    Lifeguard chair sitting on a beach dock at sunrise with a signing laying next to it describing “No Entry Without Lifeguard” (Fish Lake, YMCA Camp Duncan, Ingleside, Illinois) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Fire ring with newly lit chimney-stacked firewood surrounded by wooden benches (YMCA Camp MacLean, Burlington, Wisconsin)
    Fire ring with newly lit chimney-stacked firewood surrounded by wooden benches (YMCA Camp MacLean, Burlington, Wisconsin) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Canoes stacked side-by-side on a lake beach at sunrise (Fish Lake, YMCA Camp Duncan, Ingleside, Illinois)
    Canoes stacked side-by-side on a lake beach at sunrise (Fish Lake, YMCA Camp Duncan, Ingleside, Illinois) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Tree stump with a smiley face carved into it
    Tree stump with a smiley face carved into it by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    View from an infinity pool overlooking a lifeguard hut and the Caribbean Sea (JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa, Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico).
    View from an infinity pool overlooking a lifeguard hut and the Caribbean Sea (JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa, Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico). by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Handmade wood sign on the Fish Lake beachfront stating “Waterfront Rules, Have Fun!” (YMCA Camp Duncan, Ingleside, Illinois).
    Handmade wood sign on the Fish Lake beachfront stating “Waterfront Rules, Have Fun!” (YMCA Camp Duncan, Ingleside, Illinois). by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Clay tile rooftop with bell tower and weather vane overlooking the Borgo Pignano estate (Volterra, Province of Pisa, Italy).
    Clay tile rooftop with bell tower and weather vane overlooking the Borgo Pignano estate (Volterra, Province of Pisa, Italy). by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Seaplane flying over Agate Bay with snow-capped mountains in the background (Lake Tahoe, Tahoe Vista, California)
    Seaplane flying over Agate Bay with snow-capped mountains in the background (Lake Tahoe, Tahoe Vista, California) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Icelandic turf house (Kirkjubæjarklaustur, Iceland)
    Icelandic turf house (Kirkjubæjarklaustur, Iceland) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Sunset behind leaf-less trees, soccer goals, and a baseball field (Towson, Maryland)
    Sunset behind leaf-less trees, soccer goals, and a baseball field (Towson, Maryland) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    White paper bag luminaries lining sidewalks at dusk (Downers Grove, Illinois)
    White paper bag luminaries lining sidewalks at dusk (Downers Grove, Illinois) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    View from a plane of a sunrise above the clouds over Lake Michigan
    View from a plane of a sunrise above the clouds over Lake Michigan by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Sunset behind a hill with a black fence, blue track, and white soccer goal in the foreground (Woodridge, Illinois)
    Sunset behind a hill with a black fence, blue track, and white soccer goal in the foreground (Woodridge, Illinois) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Sunset in spring at Barth Pond (Patriots Park, Downers Grove, Illinois)
    Sunset in spring at Barth Pond (Patriots Park, Downers Grove, Illinois) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Early morning sunrise beginning over Steamboat Ski Resort in the background with snow covered Rollingstone Ranch Golf Course in the midground (Steamboat Springs, Colorado)
    Early morning sunrise beginning over Steamboat Ski Resort in the background with snow covered Rollingstone Ranch Golf Course in the midground (Steamboat Springs, Colorado) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Early morning sunrise beginning over Steamboat Ski Resort in the background with snow covered Rollingstone Ranch Golf Course in the midground (Steamboat Springs, Colorado)
    Early morning sunrise beginning over Steamboat Ski Resort in the background with snow covered Rollingstone Ranch Golf Course in the midground (Steamboat Springs, Colorado) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Early morning view of a metal slide on the frozen beachfront of Little Elkhart Lake at Camp Anokijig (Plymouth, Wisconsin)
    Early morning view of a metal slide on the frozen beachfront of Little Elkhart Lake at Camp Anokijig (Plymouth, Wisconsin) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Midday sunshine over snow covered hills near Saddleback Ranch (Steamboat Springs, Colorado)
    Midday sunshine over snow covered hills near Saddleback Ranch (Steamboat Springs, Colorado) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Early morning view of broomball and curling courts on the frozen beachfront of Little Elkhart Lake at Camp Anokijig (Plymouth, Wisconsin)
    Early morning view of broomball and curling courts on the frozen beachfront of Little Elkhart Lake at Camp Anokijig (Plymouth, Wisconsin) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Afternoon sun peeks through winter bare trees along the shore of Little Elkhart Lake at Camp Anokijig (Plymouth, Wisconsin)
    Afternoon sun peeks through winter bare trees along the shore of Little Elkhart Lake at Camp Anokijig (Plymouth, Wisconsin) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Afternoon sun peering through winter clouds and snow capped trees at Strawberry Park Natural Hot Springs (Steamboat Springs, Colorado)
    Afternoon sun peering through winter clouds and snow capped trees at Strawberry Park Natural Hot Springs (Steamboat Springs, Colorado) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    King Kubb ornamental status crown shaped at the top, below a dragon intertwined into a figure eight sits on grass, cars are parked in the near distance
    King Kubb ornamental status crown shaped at the top, below a dragon intertwined into a figure eight sits on grass, cars are parked in the near distance by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

    P.S. – this post’s featured image comes from Openverse in searching for “February” and is “North Window February 2022” by ArchesNPS and marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.

  • Photo Directory Update: January

    Photo Directory Update: January

    I started contributing to the WordPress Photo Directory back in August 2023 and alongside Jonathan Desrosiers and Jeff Golenski have a friendly challenge going in 2024 to competitively contribute to the Photo Directory. I will try and post monthly recaps to “keep myself honest” this year, so let’s get started with results from my January submissions!

    Jonathan is keeping record of photos of his that get accepted, rejected, or are still pending, but I’m going to take a simpler route and just track ones that are accepted. Before January, I had 2 photos accepted and as the month wraps up that number has increased by 12 to 14 photos in the directory.

    The following images have been synced to Openverse and thus easier to embed via the Image block’s “Select Image” flow to embed images from Openverse. As Jonathan noted there’s a delay from when images are approved and appear in the WordPress Photo Directory and when they sync over to Openverse; it used to be a monthly sync and has been updated to weekly, but would seem that a daily (or even hourly or real-time) sync would help. That way folks who contribute to the Photo Directory could most easily utilize those images right away in their own posts (and others would more quickly benefit from the additional photo content as well).

    “Church of San Giorgio Maggiore viewed through stained glassed windows and columns of the Doge’s Palace” by Jeffrey Paul/ CC0 1.0
    Emmy Statue at sunset in the courtyard of the Academy of Television
    Emmy Statue at sunset in the courtyard of the Academy of Television by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Grace Building in New York City viewed at an upward angle towards the top of the skyscraper
    Grace Building in New York City viewed at an upward angle towards the top of the skyscraper by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Strokkur geyser in along the golden circle in geysir, iceland
    Strokkur geyser in along the golden circle in geysir, iceland by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Chicago River and surrounding skyscrapers at sunset as viewed from the rooftop patio at The Royal Sonesta Chicago Downtown
    Chicago River and surrounding skyscrapers at sunset as viewed from the rooftop patio at The Royal Sonesta Chicago Downtown by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Beachside pool, cabanas, and palm trees at sunset at the JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa
    Beachside pool, cabanas, and palm trees at sunset at the JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

    The following photos are ones that are also accepted to the Photo Directory, but have not yet synced to Openverse so I’m attaching these by their Photo Directory image URLs and manually adding the attribution as the photo caption. Yes, its inconvenient. Also inconvenient that the Photo Directory oEmbed looks super wonky, which is better than the fact that respective Openverse images don’t have an oEmbed at all. ????

    a view of a city with a mountain in the background
    View of the Washington Monument during sunset from the rooftop patio at the Hotel Washington by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    a tree in front of a building
    The Abbey Resort & Avani Spa at sunset in Fontana-On-Geneva Lake, Wisconsin by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    a large ship in a body of water with Chicago River in the background
    Lila sightseeing tour boat on the Chicago River with The River Theater on the Riverwalk in the background by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    a sign on the side of the street
    Sidewalk sign with the text “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision to reality” by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    Bobby Cox statue outside Truist Park in Vinings, Georgia by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
    a sign on a sidewalk
    Olympic Rings statue located in Centennial Olympic Park (Atlanta, Georgia) by Jeffrey Paul is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

    There are some user experiences I don’t like about submitting to the Photo Directory, about searching for Openverse images (via the Image block and differently via the Block Inserter), about the lack of Openverse oEmbed support, and about how images are (or are not) ingested into the Media Library. I’ll work on a follow-up post about those in hopes I might be able to get some of those things a bit more polished for a nicer publishing experience next month. Until then, submit those photos folks!

    P.S. – that featured image came from Openverse in searching for “January” and is Harper’s January by Boston Public Library is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

    Fediverse Reactions
  • Summer Bucketlist Item: Stringing a Lacrosse Stick

    Summer Bucketlist Item: Stringing a Lacrosse Stick

    I grew up in the Mid-Atlantic area of the United States, a place that at the time was a hot-bed for lacrosse.  Most of my friends played, though I did not play competitively until after my junior year in high school.  Still, I had a stick growing up and played catch with my friends.  These days I find myself gravitating more toward the sport that has grown to be my favorite to play and watch: “the fastest game on two feet” and one that honors its Native American origins.

    But of all the sticks I had growing up and of my burgeoning collection, I’ve never strung my own stick.  So last summer (yes I’m a summer behind) I set a goal to string my own stick.  Now, mind you that when I was a kid stringing a stick was much more complex with all the leather and nylon strings whereas these days it’s mostly a piece of mesh and some nylons.  Still, it’s something I’ve not done before and managed to find myself with a couple days this summer with time to myself and dove right on in.

    In terms of raw materials, I used a Re-Lax Discovery Head, ECD Hero 3.0 Semi-Soft USA Mesh, ECD HeroStrings, and an Epoch Dragonfly USA Shaft.

    To start on how best to learn how to string a stick, I used ECD Lacrosse’s tutorial on a 9 diamond top string (note that I wanted to add on the triangle top string as it looks cool, but didn’t have enough space in the holes in the head).  I moved on to use Powell Lacrosse’s tutorial on stringing a full mesh pocket and wrapped up with ECD’s tutorial on barreled nylons.

    Fediverse Reactions
  • Epic haul from the PLL summer sale!

    Epic haul from the PLL summer sale!

    The Premier Lacrosse League just had their summer sale and we took advantage of the massive discounts to refresh the kids’ lax wardrobes!