Leah Culver

Good for you,

where you work can have a huge impact on how you feel, I hope that things go better in the new year. Hang in there for the geeks that are living vicariously through your adventures.

Pownce Looks great and is always responsive when I log on. I dare twitter to say the same. I think the major reason that I haven’t logged on as much this last few weeks is google readers’ share feature accomplishes so much of what I was using Pownce for.

Sounds like a good plan for ‘08. (I’m sure we’re looking forward to flirting back, too ;)..)

Good luck with your resolutions. Here’s to a great year!

I’m glad to see that you’re going this direction. So many people let the tech industry get to them - and the web can be one of the most cut-throat places around. Through your anguish, however, you have made great contributions to the open-source and social-networking communities as well as inspired me to start my own OS project — django-graphs. Hell, I even applied to work at Pownce — not because it seemed like I’d make a lot of money or because I needed a job — but because it seemed like it would be something I’d love since you seemed (at least initially) to be so in love with it, and because technology (as weird as it seems) is my passion. Even if you cannot say that you’ve been the bubbly person you once were, it is a testament to your inner strength that you’ve continued over every obstacle that’s been placed in your way to find yourself here — shifting yourself into a more tranquil state of mind.

I used to be exactly as you describe yourself — stressed, tense, moody, etc. One day, I told myself that enough was enough. I was done making excuses, and I was done being someone even I wouldn’t like. It’s so much easier just to be happy and take things in stride. Since then, I’ve started to see the beauty in everything — even the failure and strife that used to frustrate me so much.

I’ve discovered that music has become a really big part of my happiness. Since you want to discover new music, I’d recommend a song by Frou Frou called “Let Go” — and also some stuff by Irving (such as “The Gentle Preservation of Children’s Minds” or “Jen, Nothing Matters to Me”) as well as The Broken West (”Hale Sunrise” and “Down in the Valley”). I don’t know if you’re into that kind of stuff, but it’s pretty zen for me. Maybe Jimmy Eat World (”A Praise Chorus”)?

Ignore people that say bad things about you. Are they really worth your time anyway? I used to work really hard to please people that I didn’t even care about. Be proud of yourself — you’ve done things that some people only dream of! Good luck with your new attitude — it’ll serve you well!

Best of luck of being “easygoing” in 2008. I think you’ll be able to do this with no problems. However, if you feel yourself being overwhelmed - Just remember that you can always play Whack-A-Mole online.

Leah: things will get better when ya least expect it. seems like ya got the right attitude and that’s what counts! course, don’t try too hard to be easygoing…kinda defeats the purpose

I hope you keep this resolution, the world is too serious. So who broke your heart?

Hey Leah,

You got me with this blog , I feel the same this year, I even took a whole week off from my life, and went somewhere where no one knows me, I locked on myself and I started thinking about my life, what I’m doing, and what I really want to be.

My first advice is to take some time off every few months, put your life on hold for a day of 2, and see what you’re doing, that will help you keep up with your new year’s resolution. Otherwise you can easly forget what you’re running for

We geeks are addicted to work, tech staff, and many other things, that many times we forget how to enjoy life.

Pownce is great, but don’t make it the center of your life, go out with non-geek friends, don’t talk about tech and software 24/7

My girlfriend left me because I never talked about anything except software and my tech business, it sucks, but we don’t realize that till something will happen in our life.

Don’t try to be someone else, you’re great person (I heared you in London) :-), be yourself.

I wish you all the best in 2008, I’m sure you can do it.

John Morad,

Ahhhhh, so that’s why you grumped at me at OSCON when I went fishing for an invitation to check out your laser-etched laptop. Either that, or you had to run off somewhere.

Oh, and under Top 5 Female Hackers, you should have included Lex Murphy — http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0002041/ who emitted the classic hacker line “It’s a UNIX system! I know this!”

+1 on Ken’s Frou Frou recommendation. Good stuff.

Part of being on the ‘Net is being scrutinized. And, in turn, scrutinizing.

The other part is remembering that, in reality, we’re all writing from the safety of our comfy chairs, behind closed doors. In this environment, everything is amplified, for better or for worse. You just have the special privilege of being well-known, so your deeds go under the microscope.

We do it for attention; we do it for fun. Never let it get to you. Remind yourself that we likely haven’t written a platform used by people to send over 1,135,032 messages to their friends and associates (at the time of posting). If all else fails, feel free to reticently bask in the knowledge that you’re doing something cooler than 90% of the people who bash you.

Party hardy.

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19

Life should be fun… so starting 2008, enjoy it.

Interesting…my New Year’s resolution was to start taking myself more seriously, and in effect, hopefully others will take me more seriously as well. I have always been easygoing, and I love that, but unfortunately that quality has left me rather stagnant in the past year.
It wouldn’t hurt for me to become a little more tense, uptight and competitive…what do you think? I don’t think I would be the same old Annie Fanny Pantyhose though
Weird how we’re so different…
Well, good luck on the resy! When is a good time to come visit again?