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A long journey
When I started making my first personal website, it had all the required elements, passion, excitement for the medium, a nearly obsessive curiosity about how things were created online, and lots and lots of animated gifs. Nearly a dozen years, and probably at least twice that many personal sites later, Alt Text is still made with my same passion, excitement, and curiosity, though there are certainly fewer animated gifs in use.
I actually didn't realize I was "blogging" back in early 1997 when I started to write a nearly daily commentary on the people and things with which I would come into contact. To be fair the term wasn't even around. But I did know that I wanted to write a sort of diary that was at the same time personal and public. The elements of expression, creativity, and my own brand of (dull) wit and humor have always been a part of Alt Text I hope that they it always will, but who knows where this crazy ride will end.
About the author
My name is Ben Edwards and I live just outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota with my wife, Jena and our dogs Sadie and Barkley. In 2006 I co-founded Refactr where I currently work as a designer helping to build web applications and products for our clients and ourselves. I am actively involved in the Twin Cities design and technology communities, and organize and produce a collaborative (un)conference called minnebar. I am highly entrepreneurial and am always looking for great ideas and interesting projects. Check out my LinkedIn profile.
| 1998 | APR | Changed my name. I was just tired of the old one. | |
| JUN | Married and bought townhouse in the same week. Not reccommended. | ||
| SEP | Starting to see this country we live in - 1st East Coast trip. | ||
| 1999 | DEC | We willing let an animal into our house that repeatedly bites us, urinates on our things, and eats our clothes. | |
| 2000 | MAR | Start work as Producer for Risdall Advertising. | |
| 2001 | APR | Bought a lot to build a house on. Decided rather that face that prospect we would take off for Hawaii. | |
| 2002 | JUL | Sold townhouse. Moved. Construction begins on a new house. | |
| OCT | Moved. House construction delayed by something or other. | ||
| 2002 | JUN | House is completed. Moved. | |
| 2003 | SEP | Became Uncle Ben. | |
| 2004 | JUL | See some of Europe. Love it. | |
| JUN | Start new job as Design Manager at Lominger Limited. | ||
| 2006 | JUL | Adopt Barkley from rescue organization | |
| 2006 | SEP | Founded Refactr LLC with friends Scott and Jesse | |
| 2007 | check back... |
| 1993 | SEP | Started classes at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis | |
| OCT | Joined a fraternity of all things. Yeah a fraternity, I can't believe it either. What I really can't believe is that it was cool, and not like you would think. | ||
| 1995 | NOV | Moved into a cooperative with a million dollar operating budget. Soon after, elected president. | |
| DEC | Traveled to the Dominican Republic, proposed to Jena. | ||
| 1996 | OCT | Decide to switch majors from MIS to Marketing/Advertising. Begin classes at the Carlson School of Management. | |
| DEC | Studying abroad in Cuernavaca, Mexico proves to be one of the best experiences of my life. Ever since, I long to go back. | ||
| 1997 | JUN | Took a summer job, making |
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| 1997 | AUG | Made one of the best decisions of my life, to forgo a career in marketing/advertising and get in on "this Internet thing". |
| 1988 | SEP | I get drunk for the first time. | |
| 1989 | SEP | Asked to homecoming dance by a sophomore! | |
| 1991 | MAY | What do you mean I failed? I need to get my drive on! | |
| AUG | I found my soulmate wandering around a fire station; Button your fly. | ||
| SEP | First job, helped open the first Target Greatland store. Found that I kinda liked working. | ||
| JLY | Moved out of my mom's house. | ||
| 1993 | JUN | Senior prom, many good times with Jena and friends. I'm "free!" | |
| 1993 | AUG | Moved into first place of my own. |
| 1975 | MAY | Bouncing baby boy born in Saint Paul | |
| DEC | While spending New Year's Eve with the grandparents, I acquire a taste for champagne and lobster. Really. | ||
| 1977 | APR | My sister, Aimee is born and thrust into my life, thus ruining the idea that I was the center of the universe. | |
| 1978 | AUG | Fell down the stairs at a neighborhood bowling alley, broke my leg and fractured my skull. Had an aversion to bowling ever since. | |
| DEC | I actually think I can remember this Christmas. | ||
| 1979 | DEC | What, another one? I am going to make this sister, Lynsey, do everything I say. | |
| 1980 | SEP | 5 years old. Kindergarten, Mr. White. The corner. | |
| 1982 | SEP | Took shirt off at because I was hot after recess. Refused to put it back on. | |
| NOV | 2nd grade teacher takes me into the hall and throws me against a wall by my throat. | ||
| JAN | Speed quizzes on times tables. I hate times tables. | ||
| 1984 | SEP | My parents realize what we kids had known for quite some time - that they couldn't live with each other. | |
| 1985 | JLY | First real kiss. | |
| SEP | I enroll in my 4th elementary school in the same district. I have now lived in twice that number of homes. | ||
| 1986 | NOV | I stand up in class and I call my favorite teacher's (Dr. Scott) class boring. She cries. I am "asked" to leave the classroom. |
Colophon
Most of this site was designed
in Adobe Photoshop, created using
XHTML and CSS in HomeSite 5,
and hosted as part of the red couch
hosting collective of great sites.
I make use of a couple of libraries
on AltText, including the prototype and
script.aculo.us JavaScript libraries
and the whole thing is powered by
Movable Type 3.2.
Acknowledgements
It takes a village and this latest version of Alt Text takes much inspiration, advice, code, help, etc from the following people: ...and countless others
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All content by Ben Edwards, except where noted. Licensed under this Creative Commons License.