WriteLarge.com

I'm really looking forward to Web414 tonight-- I don't think there are any plans to webcast it, so you should definitely come by.
At first I didn't think we'd need to have a meeting so close on the heels of a virtuous and successful BarCampMilwaukee, but in retrospect, now I'm glad for the chance to get together with the gang and breakdown the BarCampMK3 experience. I just hope we're far enough removed from it so that we can realistically assess what total failures we all are. Things like Freely exchanging ideas and inspirations and building on one another's passions are great and all, right, but will they feed a hungry orphan? Will the turn a frown upside down? Will they translate sarcasm across a textual experience? No. Of course they won't. I propose that BarCamps, in and off themselves, are for wankers. And that, when it comes right down to it, at the end of the day, we're all wankers.

The thing is, we're still int he Barcamp Honeymoon phase, right? After every Barcamp that I've been involved in, there is this period for a couple of weeks afterward that everybody is really high on the BarCamp experience and wants to do stuff and get thigns done and "hold a barcamp every three months," and stuff.

Here's a far-be-it-from-inclusive list of post BarCampMilwaukee Three Projects that have been launched in the not-quite-four-days since BarcampMK3 ended:

• WriteCamp (Reboot)
• Cook/FoodCamp
• A Sex With Ashe podcast
• Justin's iCal for next year that doesn't have anything on it.

Will these things grow and evolve into THE NEXT BIG THING?
Fortunately, and so far, we've been able to stave off any kind kind of wide-spread excitement or passion for these projects. I'm proud to think that by really hanging on to our bitter disappointment and selfishness, we can probably continue to stave off doing interesting, intelligent things together in favor of a bleak post-McCain election depressive episode. We wouldn't want to make the world a better place. Shit. Can't let that happen.

I, hereby promise that I will make it my life goal to prevent meaningful communication, effectively stamping out meeting, talking, sharing ideas, and inspiring change. And it is for this reason that I am looking forward to Web414 tonight. For the good of the nation, Web414, If it is my job to be the urine stream in your open-source wikiflakes, a urine stream I shall be.

I hope you guys can make it to Bucketworks this weekend. It's one of the last big wikification/cleanup weekends before BarCampMilwaukee.
October is the Bucket's big grand re-opening. Thanks to some flood damage, the bucket had a rough summer, but she's had her rehab, and she's bubbling over with creative energies once again. Come be part of the reemergence of one of Milwaukee's most awesome centers of probellious excellence. Bucketworks Needs You.

Here's what the delightful Bucketworks Co-Director Jenadenda has to say on the subject:

While we'll be doing a lot of work during the September 27 Physical Wiki Day (Register here) but if you can't make it on Saturday we'll be needing the help all throughout the next couple of weeks leading into BarCampMilwaukee on October 3rd.

I'm not sure if Gaia and I can make it, but we will try. We hope to see you there.

Some notes and links to support the conversation at the Co-working session today:

1. The Bountiful Tunic appears to have closed it's virtual doors. I suggest you squat on the domain right now. A cursory search for "Plus Size Renfaire Garb" finds many viable people to whom you could sell the domain.

2. The Draft of "I hate treehouses" the Screenplay is on Scribd.

3. It wasn't Firewire Disk Mode I used. It was a standalone USB drive. Firewire disk mode is what I use for making backups at work. I was both confused and full of shit earlier. I'm sorry for the confusion.

Congratulations to the Gang at Bucketworks for cobbling together a fantastic space for the Bucket's first event since it was closed by Mother Nature and the subsequent cleanup.

Born 2 Skill was a good artshow focused on the empowerment of women and urban expression, and the event did well in the converted playspace. There was street and sketch sytle arts, fine arts, a DJ, and even some jewelry and sculpture. Gaia really liked the giraffe sculpture.

I stopped by tonight to check it out and was happy to see art and community melding again at Bucketworks. Back on our feet, taking baby steps. I didn't walk through the flow space or the greenhouse, but what I could see through the windows of Quazi Cafe, it'll be a little while before the bucket is back at 100%. Great work, Patrick, Jen, and everybody who, I know, did whatever they could to get the space ready for Born 2 Skill tonight.

I brought Gaia with me; it was her first Art Show and she was very excited to be there. You could tell because she had her intense face on, studying what was going on. She liked the DJ, by the way. Jeni asked how she could know what a DJ even was, and I was all like, but she loves DJ Lance. Yo-Gabba! Gabba!

So on the way home, as we pull out of the Bucket's driveway and up Sixth Street, Gaia says, "Wow. That was cool. This was fun. Thanks, Dad."

She's such a cool kid. Totally spoiled, I am.

The "Put a drop in the Bucket" campaign has hit something of a snag over at Bucketworks. Too many drops, and the wrong kind.

With the weekend's storms, the Bucket's roof gave way and caused massive flooding in what is ironically referred to as "the Flowspace." (You might also know it as "the nice, finished area where Web414 usually meets.") Jenn has a short post up at Bucketworks.org, and Publisher Pete put some nice words down on screen, too.

Here's my take on it.
Bucketworks is a service and space unlike any other I've ever come across. We all laugh and throw around the term "physical wiki" when we talk about it, but really, Bucketworks is as close as you can get to the Utopian sigularlity described in Paul Di Filippo's Wikiworld. So, it makes sense then, that I would say that Bucketworks is ahead of its time. There will come a day when collaborative work, art, and playspace is just the standard setting for accomplishment. Until that day, pioneers like the gang at Web414, GLUE, Actor's Craft, Spreenkler, and all the rest will rely and depend on your donations to keep Bucketworks open.

That brings us to "Put a Drop in the Bucket." The gang at Bucketworks has been quietly asking for your financial support for a couple of weeks now. It costs Bucketworks about $350 a day to simply exist. Please support them. Although the details are still coming together as to how the flood damage will hit the Bucket's bottom line, its probably safe to say most of the repairs will be funded via insurance. (Bucketworks may be a hippiedippie physical wiki, but the folks running it aren't monkeys-- a business has disaster insurance. )

However, an organization as small as the bucket can't focus on too many crisis at a time. And recovering from the flood is going to be a priority in the short term. That's where you come in. Bucketworks certainly appreciates your willingness to pitch in and help clean up from the storm. And the best way you can do it: Drop some money in the bucket.

The storm and flooding damage may seem like a big deal-- and it is-- but the bigger deal is Bucketwork's financial future. In order to continue to exist as we know it, Bucketworks needs funding.

Full Disclosure: I proudly serve as a volunteer on the Bucketworks Board of Directors.