Research, travel, procrastination-busting.

I’ve been AWOL from the blog because my MacBook was in the shop for almost three weeks, but I just got it back and things are looking good. They replaced the topcase (keyboard/palmrest), the wireless card, AND the screen, so it feels like a brand new machine. Now my pinkies just need to adjust to the shorter “shift” and “return” keys on this redesigned keyboard.

While I’m happy with the service and even happier that I didn’t have to pay anything because the computer was under warranty, I’d think twice about recommending the MacBook. This was the second time I had to have the topcase replaced and I’ve had a slew of other problems. I think my next will be a MacBook Pro.

Meanwhile, I wasn’t computerless these last few weeks. My 8-year-old Powerbook is still going strong and totally saved the day. It was top of the line when I bought it and while I initially cringed at spending so much money, it’s paid off in the long run.

The saying, “I’m not rich enough to buy cheap things,” is starting to make sense.

I am currently about to hurl because NVivo, the qualitative analysis software I’ve started using and one of the premiere apps on the market, is so cumbersome and ugly. Granted, it’s designed for the PC and I have to run it on Windows (that’s explains part of the pain) - but is this really the best there is? A program that costs $595 for a full license and $240 for the (one-year!) student license, but can’t scroll text fluidly or automatically update drop-down boxes?

The only Mac counterpart seems to be the free TAMS Analyzer, which I like and used for a recent paper, but it’s not nearly as powerful and the awkward interface keeps it from being user friendly.

The Omni Group to the rescue?

In my dreams I imagine The Omni Group producing a well-designed, robust qualitative analysis application that is made for the Mac and works as smoothly as OmniFocus or OmniOutliner.

I just asked them to do so on their user forum, but even if they did (uh, right), it’d be a long time before it’s available.

What am I missing about NVivo? I’ve already spent hours with it but it’s still like pulling teeth. Anyone have any tips or plugs for alternatives (e.g., ATLAS.ti)?

My wife, Pinar, has a knack for running into PBS travel program hosts in Istanbul. Last winter it was Rudy Maxa, aka the Savvy Traveler, and today it was Rick Steves, of “Europe Through the Back Door” fame.

Pinar saw Rick and his crew on Istiklal Street and went up to him and said, “You don’t know me, but I know you.” She then told him how his program had been one of our favorites when we were in the States and that, as an American familiar with Turkey, I would be happy to help him out if he needed it.

He thanked her, but when she asked if he wanted my number, he said, “No, I have people helping me.”

As Pinar walked away, Rick told her that our baby is cute.

Unfortunately Pinar couldn’t say the same about Rick. She has worked in TV/film and knows how tired and frustrated people can get while shooting, but she says Rick lost a viewer because he was so cold to her.

Chances are she’ll run into someone from Globetrekker soon and forget all about this.

I just listened to the decision of the Constitutional Court and the AK Party will not be closed down! I think most people in Turkey are going to be shocked…and greatly relieved.

Wow. Deep breaths all around.

I looked out our window this morning and smiled when I saw the milk truck pictured above. Above the row of cows, who were looking right at me, it says, “We are at your service.”

I was home alone with the baby at the time and holding her in the football position, walking her around to keep her asleep. I somehow managed to get batteries into the camera and take a bunch of shots all with one hand and without waking her. That was probably my biggest accomplishment of the day.

My wife and I had a baby girl on July 9th!

Leyla Rose Gibbon was born in Istanbul on Wednesday afternoon. She weighs 7 lb. 1 oz. and is 19.3 inches long. We came home from the hospital on Friday and everyone is doing great.

So far I’m absolutely loving being a father.

I’ve uploaded some pictures to Flickr and also posted a 3-minute, non-graphic video of the delivery on YouTube: (UPDATE: We decided to take down the video and just share that with close family and friends.)

A church in Oklahoma thought it was a good idea to lure teens to a youth conference by giving away an $800 semiautomatic assault rifle. Thankfully the event was cancelled when one of the pastors injured his foot — no doubt an act of providence I can only hope happened like this [YouTube].

I wonder how this story would play out if the neighborhood mosque tried to do the same thing?