At The Flash in Kennett Square, 8:00.  Or just watch one of our delightful videos!

Oh it is ON.

I think I'm going to take some advantage of the low-key nature of OPW and talk a little more freely about myself than I might otherwise.

I'm a depression sufferer.  Hi.  I'm also treated by fibromyalgia, which my neurologist tells me is maybe not a separate issue.  I am not offended by this idea.  I'm also diabetic, which probably is a separate issue, but who knows?  Anyway, I take tramadol three times a day to keep both the pain and the dark clouds at bay... mostly, in both cases.  So there's that.

I only bring this up because this week has exceeded the capacity of my usual regimens to keep me from going nutty.  Robin Williams, and frankly a lot of nonsense about depression thereafter, check.  Ferguson, MO (and New York! And L.A.! And whoever's next!), check.  Massive stress because classes start Monday -- I'm not a student, I'm the sole UNIX admin for a computer science department at a state university, so this is crunch time, basically -- check.

And so here I am using up my daily post (my first one, at that) complaining that I feel lousy.  Well, so it goes.  This is pretty much where my head is this morning, and hopefully that will pass (which is not to say I intend to shrug off the goings-on in Ferguson and so forth, just quit needlessly curling up in the fetal position, I guess) and tomorrow I'll be able to think of something else to write about.  Or not!  It's not like we're required to post daily.

And now, obligatory meta-talk: I sent out some feelers to people I think might be interested in OPW, so maybe I'll do a little inviting in the near future.

There is a bike trail on both sides of the Schuylkill river. You can pedal from Spruce Street in Center City all the way to Falls Bridge, cross the bridge, and return on the West Philly side, terrorizing joggers and geese all the way. At no point are you terrorized by cars. It's a seven-mile trip.

And that's nothin'. You can keep going. The ride through Manayunk is a pain, but then there's the towpath trail. And a mile of gravel, after which you come to 20 miles of gorgeous paved trail to Norristown.

And on to Valley Forge.

And on to Reading. I haven't tried that bit.

Tonight I just needed to get my ya-ya's out. I've been in the house too much this week. So I did that seven-mile loop. And I did my best to notice how lovely it is.

I'd be all agog if I discovered it while visiting a city I don't live in. Human nature is funny that way.

I wasn't entirely successful in seeing it with new eyes, but I did remember to count the cormorants hanging out on the wire just behind the dam. (There were seven.)

"Yes, yes, but what's new on One Post Wonder today?"

The coolest thing is probably this post by Anne Galvin. (OK, that was yesterday.)

Oh, you meant new features? Got those too:

• When you click someone's name, and are taken to their personal blog, you'll always see a "plus" button you can click to follow them. Even if they haven't posted yet.
• When you visit the personal blog of a mutual friend, you'll see a new "Jane Doe's Friends" button. Click that to see a list of people that Jane is following. You can visit their blogs, or just follow them on the spot.

For you alpha testers, I'm probably the most profitable person to click on right now. For a lot of people this page won't have too many names on it... yet.

I do see that some of you are inviting a person or two. Feel free, and if you run out of invites, just give me a nudge.

Next up, I think, will be an easier way to discover new comments on your posts, and posts that you've commented on.

I'm seeing folks begin to invite friends and post interesting things. Yes! IT LIVES!

Then again, isn't everything? 

I am really tired. I was on my feet at work for most of the day. Thought about going to bed early, but I'm hungry, which means I have to cook, which means I have to clean the kitchen. I could order out, but I'm trying to keep an eye on my sodium levels and calorie intake BUT I BURNT 988 CALORIES TODAY SHELVING VIDEOS and that's worth at least one cheeseburger but I'm also thinking about how food affects one's mood. 

So, I'm going to go downstairs and listen to podcasts and clean the kitchen and try to make something to eat. 

Things I did today of which I'm proud:

Responded to an e-mail from an agency, sent a cv and bio, got rejected. so, I'm proud of myself for risking rejection.  

Shelved a lot. Walked a lot. 

I don't feel like that's enough so that's why I want to clean the kitchen. 

I think scrambled eggs are going to be dinner. 

Tom might as well put his answers to all our questions on the OPW page itself.

That's my book ranked one ABOVE Clive Davis's biography in the "Music Business" sales category on Amazon. I can't stop laughing.

I guess I can post again. A picture!

Today I spoke with a client at work. She's been with us for five years. In some businesses that's no big deal. In our industry, it's a sign of an unusually healthy relationship.

We built a website for her organization in 2009 and we've performed occasional updates ever since, slowly adapting it to be the site they really needed. Which is not quite the same thing as the site they initially wanted. Or the site we initially thought they needed. Or the site they needed last year.

This morning she called to invite us to propose a new design process and a rebuild of the site.

Given how complex their business logic is, it's entirely possible we'll wind up pursuing a "refresh" rather than a rebuild, to leverage the solid work we've already done. But it's gratifying to see customers coming back steadily, as they do in industries where reputation is everything. Because sooner or later, it always is.

In other news: One Post Wonder welcomed its first alpha testers last night. Thank you so much for the feedback. I'm looking forward to reading your posts. As opposed to your every-millisecond lunch status updates.

I tackled several One Post Wonder bugs tonight:

• Make visible whether a post is public or not so commenters know
• 24 hour rule simplified: you can post again at midnight (i.e. tomorrow)
• Lovely connecting lines to show comment threads. Seriously, these puppies are laser-guided
• Cleaned up the "add photo" feature in posts
• Ability to delete posts! Yeah that is kind of a biggie.

Looking forward to more feedback, and most of all, reading more wondrous, personal posts that have nothing to do with the plumbing of One Post Wonder. I'm striving to put that first in my own posts as well.

I shall leave you with an abundance of ducks.

Last month I bought a car for the first time- a car that I chose for myself. Having grown up in a "frugal" (crushingly cheap) household, and having been a broke graduate student well into my 30s, I have driven hand-me-down Toyotas since the day I qualified for my Learner's Permit.  I have a relatively anti-consumerist streak in me. If the car has wheels and a seat, it's good enough, right? Well...

Back when I was courting my husband he would often talk about his Porche 911. During the "sussing out" phase that kind of talk qualified as a red flag.  I thought he was trying to impress me with things- until I actually saw the car.  The 1980s 911 too was really just an engine with wheels and seats. That 911 is purely about the joy of driving for him. The state of the interior signals his lack of concern with prestige- the funky ripped up leather seats, the removed a/c unit that unloaded "extra" weight. You get the idea.

Two years ago yesterday I married the Porsche man. He didn't grow up in a "frugal" household.  His parents worked their asses off to move out of Bed-Stuy and into their own suburban raised ranch on Long Island.  They worked opposite shifts for years- his father as a court administrator and his mother as a nurse during nights so someone would always be home to care for my husband. Now retired, they enjoy what they have. The difference being that in my own "frugal" upbringing, the idea was you needed work for what you have (an adequate home, an adequate car, adequate clothing, and probably too much savings for a "rainy day") so you won't have to worry. But you still do worry- and, even in your rejection of materialism, a concern with squirreling away money for its own sake comes to dominate all aspects of life. 

By now I have been working as a college professor for quite a few years and have paid off some of the things that needed to be (still working on the student loans, unfortunately). Out of pure pride I announced to my husband a few months ago that I would drive my 1997 forest green Rav 4, which my father had passed on to me with 120,000 miles on it, until it rusted to bolts on the roadside- smell of long deceased dogs romping through saltwater be damned! He grinned and shook his head.

My husband was an only child.  His parents taught him to earn what he wanted in life, but they were also generous with him when it came to having things. Anyone remember the LaserDisk? He continues to be an expensive toy collector even as an adult (Hello vintage sail boat, BMW motorcycle, Airstream trailer, old friend 911, second hand M3 convertible, and beat up Land Rover). If it goes, has an engine, a sail, or wheels of any kind, he is likely on Craig's List looking for it. We are opposites.  He enjoys first and worries later.  I worry first and enjoy when it seems appropriate for whatever my present circumstances might be and only after significant and careful budget consideration.  He's an optimistic extrovert and I'm a realist/pessimist introvert- between the two of us we would be one relatively well-balanced human being. We have a good time together.

Last month, staring at some standard but hefty older car repairs, I was finally worn down. I picked out my own car for the first time at age 42 and I didn't choose it out of pure practicality. It took some psychological gymnastics to get over the guilt of that- Should I really have something that's more than just adequate?  Boy did I go way beyond adequate this time.  I bought a 2008 BMW 335XI coupe.  Is it a family car?  No. Can I haul compost in it? Not really.  My three dogs and husband can all fit inside though, so good enough.

I'm happy when I drive it! I have never had a car (and have rarely even driven a car) with such good design and spectacular engineering. When I drive it I'm comfortable and I feel in control!  When I commute I know I can pass safely (and with a PURR) on the manic Brooklyn Queens Expressway.  I have a cup holder that offers me a beverage at an appropriate height rather than the one that required rummaging through a front seat storage bin in order to rest my coffee cup. I have a navigation system that keeps me from fumbling with my phone to access a map.

I have come around to the idea that some things are expensive because they're well made. Driving is less full of mental clutter.  I am safer because I'm less distracted. I'm happy listening to music through excellent speakers and listening to the engine growl. I'm happy when my car sticks to a curve.  I love driving my new car- it's way beyond adequate.