Fun and Games

This afternoon, I uploaded a new minor feature to Atlas Quest--notes. Not to get confused with tracker notes, though, which I'm actually thinking about getting rid of in the long run. AQ mail, message boards, box comments, tracker notes.... so many things to keep track of, eh? Well, now you can create what I call box notes. It's a little space where you can attach your own, personal note with a given box. It's for you to see, and only you. What you use it for is up to you. I image a lot of people will use it to record solutions for mystery boxes, or perhaps write directions to the park if they aren't included with the clue already, or maybe cut and paste a description of a tree or bush that's referred to in the clue that you aren't familiar with. Maybe you'll make notes on your own boxes, to remember what maintenance needs to be done with them. Doesn't really matter--it's essentially a private notebook attached to every letterbox listed on Atlas Quest.

When you view or print clues, any notes you've written for the box will be included. I figure if it was important enough to leave a note on a box, you probably want that note with you when it's time to find the box.

On a totally different matter, have you ever tried to Google your own name? I did, and not surprisingly, a page about me comes up. Not a shocking development, to be sure. On a lark, however, about a month ago, I set up a Google to notify me whenever my name is used in an article that shows up in Google News. I don't get much press with my name in it, but let's see what it turns up. And wow, am I one busy guy! =)

Keep in mind, I once did a directory search for "Ryan Carpenter" just to see how many listings show up. There are over 300 of us known to be running around this country--thus, the reason I have not been able to buy ryancarpenter.com as a domain name. Even at Intel, I shared a name with another Ryan Carpenter and we'd often get each other's e-mails when someone tried to contact one of us but didn't know which was the "right" Ryan Carpenter.

So while I don't get much press, some of my namesakes do. =) Apparently, I'm a baseball player--a pitcher, if I understand it correctly. And just today, I found out, I'm getting married to one Megan Smith on August 9th. (Sorry, Amanda--I had NO idea--trust me!) And wouldn't it be hilarious if she gets a Google Alert for anything that shows up with her name, and she ends up reading this blog post?

I kind of enjoy seeing what my name twins are up to, so I keep the Google Alerts coming. =)