the website of xero harrison

vim

2015-10-31T00:00:00-04:00

arch linux

2015-07-13T01:32:53-04:00

this is my arch linux install guide. it's not meant to replace the beginners guide or the install guide, but act as a quick overview of exactly what the install process entails. hopefully this will encourage those intimidated by the terminal only install process.

this setup is for my HP Envy 6t-1000 laptop. it has a 32gb ssd drive with two partitions for boot and / and the other 500gb hdd is my home. my laptop has plenty of ram so i do not use a swap. my laptop also has UEFI bios and will cover it's install procedure.

boot to the install medium and you will be greeted by the prompt:

root@archiso ~ #

managing your dotfiles

2015-04-20T20:53:06-04:00

in the *nix world programs are configured in two different ways, via arguments in the terminal or text based configuration files. programs which have many options like your shell, window managers, or even text editors are configured on a per-user basis with files in your home directory ~. in unix like operating systems any file or directory that starts with a period or full stop character is considered hidden, and in a default view will not be displayed. thus the name dotfiles. it's been said of every console user:

you are your dotfiles

i manage mine with gnu stow, a free, portable, lightweight symlink farm manager. it allows me to keep a versioned directory of all my config files that are virtually linked into place.

atom editor linux install

2014-05-08T15:33:06-04:00

atom is a "hackable text editor for the 21st century" created by the team at github. it's designed to be customizable, but also usable without needing to edit a config file.

this quote really sums it up perfectly:

because we spend most of our day in a text editor, the single most important feature we wanted in an editor was extensibility. atom is built with the same open source technologies used by modern web browsers. at the core of atom is chromium, the open source project behind google chrome. with that comes all the power and innovation being developed for the web. but more importantly, extending atom is as simple as writing javascript and css, two languages used by millions of developers each day.
atom.io

double cooked tofu

2011-07-28T18:26:00-04:00

one day i walked into an unfamiliar chinese restaurant and ordered szechuan tofu. the nice lady behind the counter asked me if i wanted it steamed, fried... or both. at that moment my mind was blown. and the idea of double cooked tofu was born. it’s a simple recipe for anyone new to cooking tofu. this article is meant to teach you how to cook tofu, not flavor it. tofu is known for taking on the tastes of whatever it’s cooked with. after cooking the tofu in this method you can coat or sauté it in a sauce of your choice, or eat it plain.

vegan chocolate chip cookies

2009-04-28T15:57:31-04:00

start with a small container of margarine
(like 7.5oz of promise or smart balance)

blend in some sugar.
i use about 1/3 brown sugar, 1/3 white sugar, and 1/2 a cup of confection [powdered] sugar.

*optional*
you can also use 1 table spoon of honey and/or agave nectar.

stir until creamy.

add 1 tea spoon vanilla and stir.
add flour.
(i like to mix 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour and 1+1/2 cup of white flour.)

*NOTE*
if you used honey / agave nectar you'll need and extra 1/2 cup of flour.

add 1 tea spoon of salt.
add 1 tea spoon of baking soda.
add 1 tea spoon of baking powder.

you want the dough to be stiff not sticky. if necessary, add more flour...

i hate winter driving

2001-12-30T16:35:00-05:00

one: it's so cold when you get in the car your hands stick to the icy wheel.
two: turning on the heater and it blowing cold air all over you
three: snow spinning in front of your window, hypnotizing you
four: slipping on black ice, sliding off the road, and getting stuck in a ditch
five: everyone else on the road suddenly forgets how to drive