City Creator is a fun little site that lets you easily create your own pixel-art cities like the recently-mentioned Lovepixel. The site is really simple and lets you get started making your own city right away — no account registration required. You choose a city theme (currently there are three — futuristic Blankton, snowy Snoland, and medieval Medieville) and begin creating your city by drag and drop. When you’re finished, you can save your city design or send it to a friend, but to do so, you have to register.

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This is a little customization I made to my site’s WordPress theme that I thought might be useful to others.

My Problem

I wanted my site’s homepage, kolossus.com, to be my blog’s homepage, so that my most recent posts would show up there. No problem… But I also wanted my site’s homepage to have an introductory blurb at the top listing my most recent projects. The blurb is kinda big (I am partial to my mascot), and it really doesn’t belong on any page other than the site root.

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Sheeit, that almost rhymes. Anywho, it’s Saturday, so I feel like sharing some fun & interesting links with all my non-readers:

• The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs »

  I’m absolutely addicted to this satirical blog. Anybody who’s into Apple or has watched Steve Jobs over the years should get a kick out of this frequently-updated site.

• Useless Account »

  Do you groan every time you want to try a new site out and you have to create a new user account. Do you hate the way sites nag you that your profile is “only 27% complete”? Then check out this funny parody site.

• Lovepixel »

  Have a fetish for pixel art? Then check out this page, which has to be the most ridiculously ginormous pixelated isometric-viewopoint metropolis on teh intarweb. Be patient — the goodness takes a while to load.

• 13 Things That Do Not Make Sense »

  This article is about just that — thriteen still-unsolved mysteries of science, from the placebo effect to the effectiveness of ultra-diluted homeopathic remedies.

• Big Brother Pwns You! »

  A study showing that images of “watching eyes” taped to walls will keep people more honest when nobody else is around. Big Brother is watching you masturbate!

• We Regret Virtue More Than Vice »

  This one is a bit ironic for me to point out, as I’ve always tended to stay more on the virtuous, overachiever side of things, and I currently spend most of my time working at my computer. But hey, do as I say, not as I do, right?

It’s my turn to add to the hundreds of horror stories people have posted about RegisterFly, possibly the world’s worst domain registrar.

Years ago, when I didn’t know any better, I registered a few dozen domains with RegisterFly that have remained mostly unused. Over the years they’ve provided shitty support, have overcharged my credit card, have had unexplainable DNS & webmail outages, and have been combative when dealing with support & billing issues. However, out of extreme laziness, I never transferred the domains I’d registered with them to another registrar… until now.

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Well, now I’ve gone and done it — I’ve built a blog and now I have to feed it content.

So, who the hell are you?

The short answer is that I’m part geek, part artist, and part jock. I’ve been a video game programmer, a UI designer, an HTML monkey, an art snob, and a burned-out 25-year-old.

I spent 2003-2005 pursuing an MFA in New York, after which I returned to the bay area for a stint at Apple. I now live in San Francisco and split my time between sculpting in my studio, working on my web projects, and trying to have a life. You can read more about me here and see some of my artwork at jonwolfe.com.

…and why are you blogging?

The truth is, I’ve thought about having a blog for the geeky side of my brain for years. I’m a voracious, compulsive reader about technology, science, startups, and design, and I’ve often felt I’ve had something to add to the conversations of the day… I’ve just never done it. Now it’s time to start.

I also want to share & comment on the sites, articles, and tools that I come across in my efforts to devour the entire internet… in a format that’s a bit more personal and organized than my del.icio.us bookmarks or my Diggs.

I’d also like to share what I learn in my work with other designers & developers. I’ve learned so much leeching from what others freely share, and I want to give back. So, in addition to news & updates about the projects I’m working on, expect technical tips, opinions on design & usability, and a frank journal of the experiences of a lone Web entrepreneur.

Thanks for reading… I’ll try to make it worth your while.