I check in my very first "official" Drupal module today!  I was really surprised that there was no existing functionality to send an actual node (not just a link to one).  Then I found out how tricky that can get.

I spent a long time tweaking Gerhard's existing mail.inc file, and I hope nobody ever has to write another one again.  Hopefully, a case can be made to include some version of mail.inc into core so that other modules can take advantage of html_to_text and mime mailing.

One cool enhancement I made is a themeable mail body function that generates an html message body based on the theme's css files.  This feature alone makes it worthwhile to consider the possibility of sending drupal's administrative messages in HTML form.

I'm reticent to post here, since my half-baked musings are no longer private.  But if I don't put my work-in-progress thoughts *somewhere*, I'll lose them forever.

I've been trying to beat Drupal's ecommerce module into submission for a few days now.  I would say it's a great start and adds a necessary level of functionality to Drupal, so it's a "good thing".  But I have recommended it many times to local developers, and they ran screaming.  I suspect there are many others who do their running-and-screaming without talking to the Drupal community.  The biggest argument has been an inability to show subproducts, variations, attributes, etc.  There is work being done in this area, but I'm afraid that the fundamental architecture of the ecommerce module will hamper its ability to reach a stable, graceful solution.

For the first time today, I am taking an in-depth look at CiviCRM's API and data model.  I must say I'm excited about its direction and the enthusiasm of its supporters, but I'm rather disappointed in some of its underlying principles.  I hope I look back on this someday and write myself off as nothing but a grouchy naysayer.

The data model appears to have been copied directly out of the pages of  The Data Model Resource Book.  I recognized this immediately because I spent hours poring over that book during my '03 Operon coding binge.

We decided to try Molly Quinn's last night. 

Our server was too preoccupied with lotto scratch games to look up and she asked us to seat ourselves.  After shuffling over to take our order, she took her smoke break near our table and never even stopped by our table to see if everything was OK.

It wasn't OK.  We were short on time, so we just ordered nachos.  They had cooked the nachos in a MICROWAVE!  Most latch key kids have already experienced the horror of chewy, soggy chips crusted-together with burnt cheese and glued to a paper backing.  Now you can get have the same experience at a pricy establishment touting its "good bar food".

As a gift for my recent birthday, my mom got me egg salad sandwiches!

This ranks as one of the most eccentric -- and thoughtful -- gifts I've ever received.  At some point I must have mentioned how much I enjoy a good egg salad sandwich, but I rarely get to enjoy them because they're a pain to make.  After the boiling and the cooling and the slicing and the mixing and the toasting; one measley sandwich is a bit of a let-down.

So, wrapped up in tissue and a fancy gift bag, I received:

• 6 hard-boiled eggs
• 1 loaf of bread
• 1 jar of "lemonaisse"

The lemonaisse is a nice touch.  The perfect mix of lemon, mayo, mustard and "special spices", it's way better than anything I would have made.  So now I just peel and mash the eggs with some of the tasty concoction and it's insta-sandwich!

Way to recognize my laziness and my love for a well-made egg salad.  Thanks Mum, it's been days of enjoyment!

So I rented "Lost in La Mancha" last night, but I'm too afraid to watch it. It's the documentary of Terry Gilliam's ill-fated attempt to fim The Man Who Killed Don Quixote. After perservering through weather, cast illnesses and a myriad of technical factors, the project was untimately abandoned. I can't help but draw parallels to my own gig.

As a Gilliam fan and someone who has worked on a production crew, I've wanted to see it for awhile. But I can't imagine anything more painful than watching someone perservere through a colossal, ironic failure without the payoff of success.

So I don't always have the best track record for getting back to people, and this has caused an array of problems in my life. The occasional "where the hell have you been?" message from my friends and family often does the trick, but usually causes stabbing guilt over letting it go so long in the first place, and the instinct to flee.

Today, even my Nigerian scam emails are guilting me out - accusing me of letting some poor widow languish in neglect with her untouchable $30M US. I am not genetically equipped to have the viceral reactions intended by the "she's laughing at your pathetic manhood with her friends" line of spam. But I've received too many legitimate emails titled "I AM WAITING FOR YOUR RESPONSE" to ignore this one.

"Howya doin'?" I asked my colleague, flashing a chipper smile.

"Fine," he responded cautiously. "And how are you?"

"Hey, I can't complain!" I said, whipping out my corny trademark thumbs-up.

"You never can complain!"

Of course I can't.

Turns out that people are finding this page by searching for "Veitnamese Porn".

A hell of a disappointment, I'm sure!