#dave beck

[nanowrimo]

A Fond Farewell to NaNoWriMo Technical Director Dave Beck

We’ve got some truly bittersweet news: after almost 10 years as NaNoWriMo’s Technical Director, Dave Beck is moving on. Dave joined NaNoWriMo in 2014 and since then has overseen all things site and tech-related for NaNoWriMo and Young Writers Program. In addition to his considerable technical skills, Dave is a true Renaissance man with a remarkable range of skills, interests, and hobbies. Thanks to Dave and our other long-time Software Developer, Jezra Lickter, both our websites are currently in very stable places for this transition. 

Before we say goodbye, Dave shares some thoughts about his time at NaNo:

Q: What are some of your proudest achievements at NaNoWriMo?

I’d say it’s the redevelopment of the Young Writers Program website, which started in 2015. The first version of the website didn’t have many participants. I worked with Marya and Chris [Angotti] for the redesign. However, the biggest risk was creating a writing space for the kids. This feature did not exist before, so we built it from scratch. When we first launched it, 40% of the kids were writing on the site. The number is still going up. It’s 84% at the moment. I didn’t expect it to be this successful. Last time I looked, 20 billion words were written! The second achievement: we haven’t lost a single word ever since the writing space was created. It was very important to me that we did not lose any of the kids’ novels. 

In general, the YWP site was the most fun.

Q: What are some of your fondest NaNoWriMo memories?

The design is the best part. Not the coding itself, but deciding what things we should do and how to get there. When you figure out a design and then develop it, it’s very satisfying when it works well.

It’s also fun being able to creatively collaborate with people, especially with the YWP. I’ll miss Marya and Jezra a great deal, it was very productive.

Q: Tell us about one of your NaNoWriMo novels.

I’ve never won NaNoWriMo! Not even close to it. The closest I’ve gotten is 5k. It was a nonfiction book about ADHD. The funny thing is, when I was a kid, I wanted to be a writer. But I didn’t want to write books! I just wanted to be F. Scott Fitzgerald and go to cocktail parties. I do NaNo every year though. It helps me understand the website and see if everything is working as it should be. So instead of writing, I see the problems and go and fix them.

Q: Fun fact about you that people might not know?

I’m a veteran career changer. I’m leaving programming and coding to become a winemaker. Before this, I was an attorney. I’m still a member of the California Bar actually. I was also a reporter for the LA Press, a fancy sous chef in Boston, and an exhibit designer at the San Francisco science museum.

If you can’t tell, I have ADHD. I liked this job the most since it’s so complicated being a full stack developer. It works well with ADHD because I’m constantly switching what I’m doing.

Q: Are coding and noveling at all the same?? Inquiring minds want to know.

A little bit? There is an element to understanding narrative within a code. You want to understand the order and how the code does certain things. It’s kind of like plotting a novel.

Designing code is also a creative process. But the coding itself shouldn’t be, which is the biggest difference. Coding is standardized so it won’t cause problems, especially when multiple people are working on the code.

With novel writing, you can do whatever you want. You can even break rules to prove a point. You don’t want to do that with coding or you break the whole thing!

Q: What will you miss/not miss the most at NaNo?

I’ll miss the creative relationships I had with Marya and Jezra. It’s interesting and fun work. NaNoWriMo also had a lot of creative lunches before COVID. Once, we all created our own cocktails!

I won’t miss how sometimes, it feels like I’m reinventing the same wheel over and over. For example, we’re trying to refine the system that makes challenges for existing novels. It’s still not completely working right in the way we want it to be, so we end up spending a lot of time on it. It’s like Sisyphus. You think you’ve finally completed something and then we’re back at the bottom of the hill.

Q: Any advice for a developer working at NaNoWriMo, or any aspiring tech developers?

Learn all seven parts of full stack developing as fast as possible. You will need it. Rely heavily on Jezra too. He knows a lot.

For aspiring tech developers, you should only spend 10% of your time actually coding. The other 90% of your time should be spent planning, scoping, and user testing. One of my issues is jumping into a code without a plan, which leads into problems I could have avoided. You should plan for things ahead of time. It’s like scoping your whole novel before writing words down. I’m a pantser coder which isn’t necessarily the best thing.

Q: Since you’re so fond of the YWP site, how about advice for any young writers?

Think for yourselves and write what you want to write. If it’s what you’re interested in, you’ll have fun.

Interested in learning more about open positions at NaNoWriMo? Sign up here to be notified of job postings. Just as we celebrate the diversity of our creative community, we want our staff to reflect that same spirit of inclusion, and we will encourage candidates of all races, genders, cultures, class and educational backgrounds, abilities, and orientations to apply.

[pastdaily]

Kennedy Vs. The Teamsters - March 27, 1957

https://pastdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/labor-racketeering-hearings-march-27-1957.mp3 – NBC Radio – Labor Racketeering Hearings – March 27, 1957 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection – News for this March 27th in 1957 had much to do with the ongoing Labor Racketeering Hearings going on in Washington. One of the up-and-coming stars of the hearings was a young Chief Counsel for the McLellan…

[whovian223]

New to Me - May 2023

New to Me #boardgames - May 2023 @kolossalgames @paverson

[meegadeeth]

happy guitarist day 🎸‼️ (i think im a little late 😭)

[goodmotorfinger]

Dave Grohl being everywhere: a compilation

Fun drinking game idea: name a random celebrity. If there exists a photo of them with Dave, take a shot.

[stopandimagineloveforever]

Paul and Ringo at Stella Mcartney's roller skating party

February 2, 2023

[underthecitysky]

At Stella’s adidas party in LA, 2/2/23

2nd pic from Instagram (x)

[disneytva]

Disney+ Unveils Trailer & Key Art for “Star Wars: Tales of the Empire”

Today, Disney+ released the trailer, key art and trailer stills for Lucasfilm’s upcoming original animated series Star Wars: Tales of the Empire. The second installment of the Tales anthologies stylistically follows 2022’s critically acclaimed Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi.

Tales of the Empire launches exclusively on Disney+ on Star Wars Day, May 4, with all six episodes.

Synopsis: Star Wars: Tales of the Empire is a six-episode journey into the fearsome Galactic Empire through the eyes of two warriors on divergent paths, set during different eras. After losing everything, young Morgan Elsbeth navigates the expanding Imperial world toward a path of vengeance, while former Jedi Barriss Offee does what she must to survive a rapidly changing galaxy. The choices they make will define their destinies.

The voice cast includes Diana Lee Inosanto as Morgan Elsbeth, Meredith Salenger as Barriss Offee, Rya Kihlstedt as Lyn (a.k.a. Fourth Sister), Wing T. Chao as Wing, Lars Mikkelsen as Thrawn, Jason Isaacs as Grand Inquisitor and Matthew Wood as General Grievous.

Dave Filoni created the series and is the supervising director. He is also an executive producer along with Athena Yvette Portillo and Carrie Beck. Josh Rimes serves as co-executive producer and Alex Spotswood is the senior producer.

[oneykei]

Sorry for lack of posts I promise I’ll be back soon but while I’m gone…

[mayplantstarrwaters]

Pics of some musicians I love in rainbow color palette

[stuckasmain]

Me begging for all the cut footage like I don’t explode any time I find a picture I’ve never seen before.

Genuinely reached peek insanity. I don’t think I could handle it, I’d like - genuinely explode- bringing back spontaneous combustion✨ — I’ll dig for it myself MGM I’m in your fucking walls.

[swampgh0stt]

gift art of all 3 of my husbands from my friend, Twist!

[perfunctory-idols]

Beck at Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts on June 5, 1998

Photos by Sam Erickson

[browsethestacks]

Vintage Comic - Rip Off Comix #05

Pencils: Gilbert Shelton, Harry Driggs, Joel Beck, Dave Sheridan, Ted Richards And Bill Griffith

Inks: Gilbert Shelton, Harry Driggs, Joel Beck, Dave Sheridan, Ted Richards And Bill Griffith

Rip Off Press (Sept1979)

[booperesque]

at least the twitter lads have the stables video

[krispyweiss]

Jeff Beck Dead at 78

- “Jeff could channel music from the ethereal,” Jimmy Page says

Guitarist Jeff Beck is dead at 78.

The former Yardbird who went on to forge a career steeped in blues, fusion jazz and rock died Jan. 10 “after suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis,” his family said in a statement.

“His family asks for privacy while they process this tremendous loss,” they said.

Beck’s former Yardbirds bandmate Jimmy Page mourned the man he called the “six-stringed warrior.”

Beck’s playing cast a “spell he could weave around our mortal emotions,” Page said.

“Jeff could channel music from the ethereal,” Page added. “His technique (was) unique. His imaginations apparently limitless.”

From the Yardbirds to the Jeff Beck Group, solo and in various collaborations, Beck’s recorded legacy spans 1966-2022. His impact on fellow players is deeper.

Former JBG band members Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood credited Beck with starting their careers. Beck, Stewart said, “was on another planet.”

“He was one of the few guitarists that when playing live would actually listen to me sing and respond,” the singer said. “Jeff, you were the greatest, my man. Thank you for everything.”

Said Wood: “I want to thank him for all our early days together in Jeff Beck Group, conquering America.”

Beck’s death death reverberated through the music community, his fellow musicians giving testament to his influence.

“I feel sick,” Adrian Belew said.

David Gilmour called Beck “my hero;” Tony Iommi praised him as an “outstanding, iconic, genius guitar player;” and Dave Davies eulogized Beck as “a good friend and a great guitar player.”

“He made the electric guitar sing,” Steve Hackett said. “A powerful influence on myself and many others.”

Al Di Meola said he grew up on the Truth and Beck-Ola albums and recalled seeing Beck in concert in London.

“There was no one like Jeff,” Di Meola said. “He had the most unique style - in a very prestigious category.”

1/11/23