Article
Projects
Since I haven’t been writing on this site, what have I been doing? A lot, it turns out.
Building a bike
In a previous episode of johnzeratsky.com, I mentioned the IRO bike frame I bought on eBay. In the last few weeks I’ve added wheels, handlebars, pedal cranks, pedals and pretty much all of the other parts needed to make an actual working bike (like, the kind you can ride). Tonight I picked up tires, tubes and other miscellany to complete the job. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll put it all together, and you better believe I’ll post a picture here when that’s complete.
Running and generally being fit
Sunday morning was the Shamrock Shuffle here in Chicago, which I ran with Matt. (Joe and Rhonda ran as well, though we didn’t see them.) The weather was great, the race was well-organized, and my performance — a 39:33 for 8k — was respectable.
I’ve also been spending some time at Cheetah, lifting weights and trying to stay fit. It’s a great place to work out. The atmosphere is laid-back and the people (employees and members) are very helpful and kind. If you’re looking for a gym in Chicago’s Wicker Park, Andersonville or Edgewater neighborhoods, I recommend it.
FeedBurnering (of course)
We just launched a bunch of new stuff for publishers in the FeedBurner Ad Network (FAN). Since most of you reading are probably not FAN members, you’ll just have to take my word for it — it’s all very cool.
Sometimes a launch means “time to relax.” This one means “lots of stuff left to do.” We’re pouring a lot of resources into building an ad network that will allow publishers of all kinds to make money from their content. Keep your eyes peeled for a series of ad-related announcements (and plenty of other stuff, no doubt) throughout the Spring.
Also, we hired another designer. Hooray! The lucky duck is Rachelle Bowden, Chicagoist editor, photographer and experienced interaction designer (who knew?). We’re very excited to have her joining us at FeedBurner.