Life in pixels.

I just came out to get a new Diet Pepsi, and Jason asked me how the new theme is going. I’ve been holed up in the office for about three hours, staring at endless lines of code and WordPress functions.

“How’s it going?” I repeated. “WELL. LISTEN. The new version of WordPress has these things called Formats, which are different than Categories, and you can basically tag things on the back end so they display differently– and you can’t make custom ones or anything, there’s just a few basic included– like link, quotes, image, audio, that kind of thing– but it’s good, because I wanted the new theme to kind of have a Tumblr feel but not really BE Tumblr, you know?– because I obviously like the customization abilities of WordPress, but I’m stingy with my stuff and don’t want it reblogged.”

Jason is just nodding.

“SO ANYWAY,” I continued, “I finally get the CSS set up for the grid style I want which took forever, and I’m like, I’ll just do CSS for the Formats, too, instead of hard coding, because I’m just burnt out from trying to dick around with the functions, you know. So I, like, get the CSS working in that it’s recognizing and rendering the individual Format styles correctly, but my image entry is displaying NO IMAGES on the index page. Why, right?”

J: “I don’t know.”

“I don’t know either. I checked to make sure it was actually calling the image, like I’m thinking maybe it’s trying to find a nonexistent thumbnail or something, but no. Source code? Not calling ANYTHING. It’s even showing the hidden div I have for the title– I hid the title because I just want it to be the image, right?– but there’s absolutely no line for the image.” Pause. “So in answer to your question,” I said, “it’s going okay.”

Heh.

And because my brain is so fried from staring at theme files, I’m going to give you a super brief summary of recent events.

This weekend:

Pedal boating with the kids at Bond Park.

Lots of fun, they were joyful and enthusiastic, and the weather was gorgeous. Followed it up with a five mile run. Next morning: could barely walk.

Legs are still sore.

The highlight of today was ‘Restrepo‘. I kind of intended to take the whole day off and do nothing, but– yeah. I can’t. Heh. I handled some business and housework for a few hours, then settled into bed with Netflix. Initially, I was just going to try out ‘Breaking Bad‘– mostly because Audrey and Tony are in disagreement about how good it is (Audrey: it’s fantastically amazing, Tony: it’s emphatically not). I got through an episode and a half, and am kind of indifferent. I don’t despise it. I don’t love it. It’s just okay. I’m going to try to stick it out for five episodes because I don’t enjoy most shows I end up loving at the beginning– although, to be fair, I don’t enjoy most shows I end up not enjoying, too.

ANYWAY. I saw ‘Restrepo’ while I was browsing the Netflix suggestions, and it’s this documentary about– okay, actually, here’s the beauty of the Internet. I’m just going to give you the trailer and let you appreciate:

HOW COULD I NOT, RIGHT? It’s– fantastic. Really. It’s rare to find a war film– or documentary– without preaching, political agenda, or slanted editing, but this was a very bare bones account of being a soldier in an area where you’re literally fighting, every day, every minute, for your life. Just raw and harrowing.

I’m always acutely aware how blessed I am. I know sometimes it may not come across– I’ve definitely had my share of accusations in the past that I worry about White People problems, or– you know. I’m stuck in this narrow suburban mindset and world view. It honestly isn’t true. I don’t talk much about things outside my life not because I’m sheltered or vain but because there are so many better, more informed, more articulate, more worthwhile sites on the Internet chronicling Serious Issues. All I can document and share faithfully is me. This. Our family. Our boring, safe, quiet, middle class life. Our at times petty middle class dramas.

But. God. Having said that. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t read the news and feel so incredibly thankful that we’re able to have this boring, safe, quiet middle class life. And there isn’t a day that goes by that I’m not grateful for every person who makes it possible.

Okay. So. That’s about it for me. I didn’t intend to write anything and I’ve already put down– all this. Heh. My sister called tonight– she’s coming this weekend, and we’re all headed out to N.C. State Fair. Neither she or Chris have ever been, and now we have Millie, so it’s going to be AWESOME. Oh, and by the way? My niece?

(I’m sorry for what that just did to your heart and/or ovaries.)

Sigh. October is turning out wonderful. This weekend with them and the fair, the next weekend pumpkin patching, and a few days after that I’m in New Orleans with my dad. Then HALLOWEEN. And then a few days later it’s November, and my birthday, and apparently Michelle and my mom have planned some SICK events; like so sick my mom had to double-check if one was legal. WHAT. So that’s– yeah. I’m anxious. Heading back up to Virginia with them after the festivities to see Audrey and Tony for a day, and probably do dinner and drinks. I was going to buy the one that was right about ‘Breaking Bad’ a drink, but, seeing as I side with No One, I’ll just use the money on more cake.