Another plug because I’m getting excited … I’m organizing an event called ExpressionEngine Roadshow on September 26 in Vancouver.

Are you interested?
http://www.eeroadshow.com/

ExpressionEngine is a CMS that I use for web design. I love it. SoMisguided runs on EE, as does BoxcarMarketing.com.

The event is for designers, developers, project managers and EE users who want to learn more about the tool, how to use it and design in it, what’s coming in the next release, how it performs with modules, extension and SEO capabilities, and there will be drinking and nibbling on tasty Havana treats.

Why Havana? Because it’s at Havana restaurant in the theatre there. $50 for the afternoon (1-5 pm) and then the party (5-7pm).

Registration is filling up so here’s a link if you’re keen.
http://eeroadshow.eventbrite.com/

Hope to see you there!

I’m looking for a copy of the poem The Idea of Beauty (Spoke Itself), published in Sledgehammer and Other Poems by John Mackenzie.

“… The Idea of Beauty (Spoke Itself) I have been waiting here for you since the stars first leapt into the …”

Anyone?

Bit of a lazy Friday round up of things on that caught my attention this week.

Print Liberation has a new book out: Print Liberation, the Screen Printing Primer. It has future publicists for the company shaking in their boots (kidding).

Penguin UK has launched a dating site, “where book lovers meet”.

Alan at the Penguin blog makes jokes about penguins dating. Definitely worth a read.

Plus:
* Needled: A community that loves tattoos has a cool navigation style that really works with what the site is about.

* I got nice presents from Campaign Monitor.

* Social Actions has a cool widget for promoting social action.

James Glave, author of Almost Green (now in stores), has some new trailers up for his book.

I like James and his enthusiasm.

http://glave.com/trailers/

ALMOST GREEN is a quirky look at one man’s quest to build an eco shed, a sustainably designed writing studio. This “green” house was one work of wonder in terms of battling opinions, neighbours, suppliers and the land itself.

The Weakerthans played with Feist at Deer Lake Park a couple of weeks ago. It was awesome.

The Weakerthans on MySpace.

… or at least more empathetic.

According to researchers at the University of Toronto, reading fiction elevates your “social intelligence.”

Quote:
“For the first time in history there is now scientific evidence that reading fiction has psychological benefits,” writes Keith Oatley in New Scientist. Oatley is a professor of psychology and the leader of the Toronto team. He is also an award-winning novelist (The Case of Emily V.). On the phone from the University of Toronto, he explains that reading fiction appears to stimulate parts of the brain that govern empathy. “What you’re doing when you’re reading fiction is you’re allowing yourself to become another person for a short period of time … It loosens up your personality, your rigidities.” –from TheStar.com