Jul

30

Plague lifted (mostly) and caffeinated

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It’s been a pretty good day. I’m down to a slightly annoying level of congestion in my head but the (natural) energy level is good. I’ve been productive with my writing, popped into town for birthday present shopping, and managed to suck down a soy cappuccino at Costa for some (unnatural) additional energy. I’m home, have had some post-town catch up time and am about to sequester myself again in the little home office for some more writing work. I am feeling abnormally capable today and am taking full advantage of the energy — natural or otherwise — while it’s available.

Before I’m off, a quick update on my Grandma. She’s better(ish), but still in the care facility and requires all food puréed and all liquids thickened. She hates this, and I can’t blame her. I spoke to her for a few minutes yesterday and she sounds as positive as I can expect her to. I’ve asked one of my cousins to send me her address at the facility so I can send her a card and photos. Thank you so much to everyone who has emailed, IM’d, and commented about her. She means so much to me and so do your kind thoughts and wishes. Y’all are awesome! :)
Now, off to harness more freakish Monday productivity…

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Jul

29

Desert Island Geek: the site, the podcast

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Desert Island Geek podcastNeil came up with this idea: Desert Island Geek, a podcast where a guest geek is trying to get through a checkpoint on a deserted island with a limited number of permitted items: a website, a podcast, a podsafe music track, a book, and a gadget. The geek must justify each chosen item, have each accepted, or be left to the sharks. (I embellished that last detail.)

I don’t appear on the podcast [yet or maybe never - who knows], but I was the brand and site designer. It’s cute and happy and even though Neil is cramming in so much text that my lovely whitespace has nearly disappeared [ kisses sweetie ;) ], it still pleases me.

You can listen to — and perhaps even apply to appear on — Desert Island Geek through the following links:

Desert Island Geek homepage
Desert Island Geek BTPodshow page

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Jul

26

Still ill and it’s a dreary Thursday

Filed Under photos, regular, tout le fromage | 2 Comments

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I slept for about 8.5 solid hours last night, which is surprising since I’d also racked up lots of sleep time after coming home early from work yesterday. I think I’ve been in a reclined position for most of the last 24 hours. I’m feeling better today, though exhaustion sets in quickly whenever I attempt anything productive. I decided to ignore most housework and plant myself at my computer for a few hours. Now I’m ready for a nap.

It’s a rainy, grey, and generally miserable-looking Thursday and so I think the plan is to sleep, eat, and clean out my computer hard drives*. I’ll treat myself to the odd photo processing and flickr upload. I’ve done three this morning already. (above, here, and here)

Time to go back to bed for a bit.

*In preparation for a new Mac coming soon… :D

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Jul

24

snivel. splutter. cough.

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Joy. Another cold. It doesn’t seem like that long ago that I had one of these, but I’m bursting with germs again. This is what I get for working with the public a few days a week. Nasty, diseased public. Filthy humans…

I’ve just had the groceries delivered, turned on a history programme on the telly, and have dressed in my favourite thing ever: my Earlham College sweatshirt, circa 1989-90. It’s like wearing a hug. I don’t care that the cuffs are split and fraying. I don’t mind the logo fading. It’s shapeless and limp and huge, but this is one article of clothing I will never part with, no matter how many times I’ll need to mend it. We will grow old together…

I think I’m feverish. Probably explains this love letter post to my shirt.

Back to my sofa before I confess my love to my underpants too. (Which are, by the way, extremely comfortable yet attractive and… Oh, I’ll shut up now.)

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Jul

22

A few shots from London

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These shots and a few more are currently on my flickr page.

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Jul

20

because nothing sounds like more fun than a Medicine Use Review

Filed Under irregular, photos, tout le fromage | 4 Comments

We had flooding today in lovely Maidenhead, Berkshire. After contemplating and dismissing how quickly I could whip myself up an ark, I tugged on my Wellies (tall rubber boots) and armed with my camera, wandered around the town centre. As a favour for a friend, I popped into Waterstone’s to take some pictures of their flood damage and after that I nosed around the rest of the shopping complex for photo opportunities. The one below was snapped in a sloppy haste because people were walking in front of me every two seconds.

Transcript after the photo.
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“Pharmacy FunDay, Friday 27 July
-Minor Ailments
-Medicines Use Reviews
-Smoking Cessation
-Blood Pressure Monitoring
-Free Prescription Collection Service
-Weight Management Program
-Healthy Checks
-Cholesterol Checks”

I couldn’t read the little, tiny writing in the bottom left corner…

I’ll post some other shots from today’s floodiness later.

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Jul

19

Thursday has come and gone and I did not buy chairs

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How long can you shop online without buying a thing? With ADD, it can be a staggering length of time. For one item. Garden chairs. Sun loungers, specifically. I have no idea how long I spent staring and comparing metal framed, wooden framed, patterned fabric, padded seats, arm vs. no arms, reclining, stationary, fold-up, Tesco Direct, Woolworth’s, Argos, Homebase, and millions of other sites I’d never heard of and ALL FOR WHAT?

A couple of items saved in a couple of online shopping carts and not one thing purchased.
Seriously.

When I noticed the amount of time that had passed — read: I snapped out of it — I’m pretty sure I wasted under 3 but over 1.5 hours clicking around. For sun loungers. Cheap, but not too cheap. Considering all the above criteria.
And I don’t even want a tan.

I gave up and decided that I have, at the very least, done some valuable research and that when the time comes for Neil and I to pop into Slough or Reading for a look at some in person (and perform the all-important test drive by sitting in them), my research will make the whole experience easier and quicker. (Damn, I almost believed that last bit myself…)

On the up-side of this here Thursday — which is, in this flat anyway, traditionally a low-expectation day — I achieved some gardening, two loads of laundry, a healthy lunch, some housework, and reading. I’ve managed to do enough that I don’t feel as though I’ve wasted my day and I still have writing time left this evening. Hurray!

And no, if I don’t want a tan I don’t know why exactly I NEED the sun loungers. It just seems right to have the option since we have a garden now. A freshly weeded garden, I might add.

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Jul

18

Psst. Hey buddy, want 2 GB of Mozy online backup for free?

Filed Under me so g33ky, tout le fromage | 2 Comments

Neil found this awhile back and I installed it as well. I was initially slow to use it, but Mozy online backup is impressing me and the client software keeps improving with every release.

I wouldn’t trust any single method to be the only backup you ever have, but Mozy is getting good marks from The Wall Street Journal, Pogue in The New York Times, FT, and Yahoo!. They also have a paid version that’s very affordable.

I know I’m sounding like a commercial, but seriously, if you’re interested in having a play with 2 GB of FREE and secure backup space (Mac or Windows) try this here linky linky. Using that link also gets me a bunch more megs of storage for pointing you there, and that rocks.

That referral link again. :)
Backup is good. Data loss is so, so bad…

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