Random burblings since 1999
Reading time: 2 mins
Recently, Ben Minson stated that “Good Enough” Really Isn’t. It’s an interesting post, and I wanted to expand on the comment I left on his blog. Ben suggests that: If I find myself thinking “It’s good enough” on a regular basis, I—and my users—am probably not getting all that’s possible out of my work Before…
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I’m updating. I’m updating my budget spreadsheet and hating the colour red. I’m updating Twitter. I’m updating my About page, and wondering what else I can write. I’m updating the list of online accounts, usernames and passwords as I’m getting fed up having to hunt for them. I’m updating my list of backup files. I’m…
Reading time: 2 mins
It’s been a while since I mentioned my lovely iPhone and the applications I have installed on it, and as I’m sure there will be a fresh splurge of iPhone mania come June (there is a new version of the phone software coming out which addresses a lot of the shortcomings of the current version),…
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Spotted on the little red boat, head over there for the full details. There’s a lovely artist I know by the name of Steve Raws, who creates things with enormous letters and colossal words. They’re very beautiful. So. He’s doing this gigantic banner of a Burns poem, that will be displayed in Edinburgh. All the…
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I had a long post planned but, ultimately it was really just a way to some how gain approval that buying a new iPod was the right solution. I had planned to waffle on at some length about the size of my music library (stop, phhnarring at the back you!), and about how I listen…
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For lunch today, whilst the cars drone round the F1 circuit in Bahrain and millions of weary runners plod their way over the finishing line of the London Marathon, I will be having Raisin and Cinnamon bagels, lightly toasted. On said bagels I’ll put some salad cream and some thin slices of chicken. Apparently this…
Reading time: 5 mins
From a darkened doorway she peers through the drizzle to the steamy window of the cafe across the street, eyes flickering nervously from table to table, idle patrons chatting in their booths. A couple laughing at a shared joke, an old man staring out at the dull sky as steam spirals from the chipped mug…
Reading time: 2 mins
In their own words, the ISTC is: the largest UK body representing professional communicators and information designers I joined the ISTC a couple of years ago. They’ve been on my radar for a while now, but to be honest I’ve never been sure of what the benefits have been, nor have I found much need…
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How often do you ask for help? The reason I ask is that whilst I can be pretty bloody minded at times, I am always more than happy to ask people questions. I truly don’t understand the mindset of those that just presume they are smart enough to be able to get through something without…
Reading time: 2 mins
At work I’ve spent the last couple of weeks mired in planning spreadsheets, shuffling chunks of information around from here to there, from that to this. It’s the kind of work that needs to get done whilst in the full realisation that it’s a bit of a drag. But, as my Mother says “You can’t…
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Technical documentation, typically, requires screenshots and I, like many, have been through the gamut of software applications that can be used. Currently I’m quite happy with Gadwin Printscreen, but recently stumbled across something a bit different. Whilst I don’t use it at work, I have a MacBook at home and I use an application called…
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Apparently, and this MAY come as a shock to some of you… in fact, before I continue perhaps some of you should make sure you are sitting down, even if you already are. So, please could you (yes, you) double check that you can feel your body weight being supported by your arse on something…
Reading time: 3 mins
Like a lot of people, myself included, Louise is almost always on a diet. Last night, whilst I was watching the football, she was on the laptop surfing her way around some diet websites and blogs and stumbled across one called Sandras Diet Secret. The site was written by a local lady, from our home…
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No big revelation but life is all about balance and, currently, mine is a bit skewed. This is completely my own fault, having broken one of my own rules, one which I’ve written down and published. I only work on one site at a time And I’m not, I’m working on two, not to mention…
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To my American colleagues, who recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of their much used Strunk & White style guide, may I gently prod you in the direction of this article by Geoffrey Pullum of the Language Log. I’ve seen Professor Pullum speak, hilariously, about english grammar and whilst I’m certain that he could find many…