I’m on the endless search for the perfect desktop photo for my Macintosh PowerBook G4.

I came close recently when I discovered the gorgeous and awe-inspiring work of Mando @ mandolux.

Do yourself a favor and click through the Web site when you have time. Your eyes will thank you.

I’ve been growing increasingly nostalgic for my days as a full-time writer.

The ink on my hands.

The paper cuts.

The reworking of a lead over and over again.

I rediscovered the following article I wrote in October 2003 for the now-defunct Medium Magazine. The words make me yearn for a life enslaved to the printed word.

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

“The Space Within: Ruth Davidson Hahn” by Wendy Townley

Ruth Davidson Hahn at Nine Mile Prairie, near Lincoln, Nebraska.
Photo by Billy Espejel

Wouldn’t it be great if more people appreciated good design?

If you’re looking to spruce up your MySpace page, try the tricks of Mike Davidson.

I followed Mike’s suggestions and hacked a more tasteful MySpace page.

Tonight I dined on them. They were:

(1) Leftover fried chicken from Bag ‘N Save.
(2) Leftover mashed potatoes from Bag ‘N Save.
(3) Leftover chicken gravy from Bag ‘N Save.

Followed by:

(4) Several scoops of Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cookie ice cream.

Yum. I am so very full.

Few things can match a glorious, upscale and refined Saturday afternoon strolling through Lauritzen Gardens, Omaha’s Botanical Center than stuffing one’s face with rib tips, cole slaw and cornbread at Famous Dave’s immediately following one’s garden walk.

Here’s a favorite photo I took yesterday at the gardens. So much a favorite that, in fact, I made it my new desktop photo.

With the help of a few folks (thanks, inferno10!) and a little techno knowhow on my part, my webcam is alive and well at long last.

Here’s a screenshot I took moments ago. That smile is there because my webcam is actually working :-)

I’m discovering that regardless of how much I eat (both good foods and bad foods), drink (both healthy beverages and intoxicating alcohol) or sleep (lots of sleep and only a few hours of sleep), I’m still looking good at 27.

That’s not to make me sound vain. Only that I’m still fortunate enough to wash away any signs of malnourished fatigue or morning-after inebriation with a fast shower and a little mascara.

I know my time to live this way is short.

Thus, I shall savor it and enjoy it to its fullest.

Good night, dear readers. My beauty rest is calling.

StoryCorps, the NPR program that proves everyone has a story to tell, is coming to Ames, Iowa this month.

I have so many stories to tell.

Problem is, which one do I pick?

The following two images were taken at my house last Thursday, as we bid a fond farewell/good luck/we’ll miss you/write often to our dear friend, Holly.

Me and Molly, enjoying cocktails in the backyard. I made this photo black and white to give it a more sophisticated look, although the evening quickly became anything but. {See photo No. 2.}

Me, TJ, Molly and Jimmy attempting to create a pyramid and failing quite miserably.

A few weeks ago I purchased an iSight to chat with friends and family via iChat.

I’ve now decided to set up a Web cam at my Web site, shaggy-money.flywheelsites.com. I’m running into a few snags with my FTP server but hope to have my fabulous, bespectacled face staring back at you sometime soon.

Wish me luck, dear readers. And stay tuned.