| Missing in action |
[Apr. 29th, 2008|08:13 pm] |
I'm off on Thursday morning for Berlin, back on Saturday night. Have decided not to lug the computer around, since it's just two nights and a rather busy schedule of shopping and two shows to catch. If anyone has anything urgent, speak now, or hold your peace for four whole days ;)
Incidentally, this will be the first time in three years or so that I'll be incommunicado from e-mail for over 24 hours - even when I was net-less, I monitored things via mobile phone. Wish me luck! |
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| Laptop shopping |
[Apr. 14th, 2008|05:23 pm] |
Out of curiosity, has anyone had any experience with a Lenovo ThinkPad R61?
Our office has the T60s, and while I'm on a Dell, the ThinkPad squad like theirs. Since my home computer is hitting the 6 year mark this June, it's time for something new. And June 30 will be the stop-mark for new computers with Windows XP - I can definitely do without Vista for the moment, though the R61 is Vista-ready.
The configuration I'm eyeing would be 2GB of RAM, 2GHz dual Intel, 160GB hard drive. I think this would last me a while - not necessarily another six years, but at least three - considering my main home tasks are done in Firefox, MS Office (2002) and the now elderly Paint Shop Pro 8, plus whatever forays I make into GIMP and Inkscape. I'd miss the smooth Dell curves, but somehow the ThinkPad seems to have more personality to it. I think it looks like a Bob, or possibly a Logan. |
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| LiveJournal support |
[Mar. 30th, 2008|10:18 pm] |
For the past week or so, I've been toying with volunteering on the LiveJournal support board. It's fun, it lets me practice formal business English, and I've already learned a lot about LiveJournal.
However, the fact that the Support v-gift of choice is PINK PONIES is driving me absolutely bonkers :P I've got two of them now!
Note to self: add a profile note along the lines of "Hate Pink Rar". (Appreciate the sentiment, but still.) |
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| The wonder of creativity |
[Mar. 21st, 2008|05:51 pm] |
Half the fun of visual design, for me, is getting sidetracked in all the little things. After a whole day devoted to layout (conclusion: width fixed in ems, single-column, sidebar widgets in a horizontal container between the banner and the main layout), now it's colour choices and colour theory. For the LJ redesign I'm considering, I've promised ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) fyrie that I'll have a Maki Ichiro layout to match her Saki Asaji one. To match the picture, I'll need colours a little more varied than my current black and white. Cue way too much fun with online Pantone swatches.
Below, a quick mockup of the current top-runners. Saturation may still get put down, and I think I might opt for a grey background with the deep purple used for flourishes on it.
( Read more... )
Now to come up with matching colours for visited, hovered-over and active links. Then I can actually open a graphics program ;)
This has been your Content Nonstrike post for the day. And boy, is my f-list rocking. |
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| CSS Nostalgia |
[Mar. 14th, 2008|02:11 pm] |
I've been reading A List Apart, because at some point, I do have to do something about my website. The fanfic portion is fine, but the code could use a cleanup. The Discworld site will stay up as-is, for non-link-breaking, but I should add a disclaimer that it's no longer updated. Main index, of course, needs updating. Additions
And while my Greymatter installation broke ages ago, maybe I could use another blog. This "Wordpress" thing sounds interesting, even if learning another structure and language to play with its layout will be daunting. Does anyone have a Wordpress blog and can tell me how difficult it is to design it properly as opposed to designing a non-dynamic HTML/CSS site?
And as I read about things that changed in the last four years, since I last seriously took an interest in webdesign (no 4.x browsers, hallelujah), I find myself thinking about my LJ. Style systems are a bitch and a half, but Expressive *is* CSS-compatible.
I designed my first site in 1997. I've never dabbled in anything but the simplest Javascript, but otherwise I've gone through all the phases, tables, rollovers, image maps, you name it. CSS, once the browsers are halfway compatible, has a logic and beauty to it.
My fingers itch to code something. |
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| Happy day-off-work, everyone |
[Dec. 21st, 2007|01:43 pm] |
Tomorrow morning, I'm on the train to the seaside; I'll be back on Thursday evening, and while I'll check my mail on my mobile, I won't have connectivity otherwise. I'm hoping some kind soul will mail me my Yuletide story.
Due to December health issues, I haven't completed my personal Yuletide yet, but it's definitely a project for my upcoming offline period. We'll do Russian-style New Year's gifts ;)
It's funny: due to work and health, it doesn't feel like Christmas yet. Still, happy holidays to everyone. Even if you don't celebrate, isn't it fun to have time off? Especially since my next day of work will be Wednesday after next. Long live Evil Corporate Empires. |
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| About LJ alternatives |
[Dec. 9th, 2007|10:25 am] |
GreatestJournal has just cut userpics down to 10.
InsaneJournal has been down for the past hour.
I think I'll be staying with our Russian overlords for the time being. |
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| STORY (and other comments) |
[Dec. 4th, 2007|07:25 am] |
Now that I've caught up on matters LJ, I have to say I'm not too offended by the flags - it is something present on just about any other site. And the Russian buyout might actually mean people who want to develop LJ, on top of less chances of running into the kind of over-compliance with US morals that led to Strikethrough and similar.
And lookit! ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif) imaginarybeasts has a new issue out. I broke and wrote a story for this one, an exercise in folktale.
Borrowed Skin |
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| The importance of backups |
[Sep. 23rd, 2007|11:05 pm] |
*facepalms* Evidently the Trend Micro antivirus programme is as crap as I thought, since it let through another Trojan that's proven stubbornly hard to remove. Fortunately I still have a fairly recent clone of my hard drive and backing up the new data was an hour's work; in a few days I should have everything back as it was before.
On the upside, this convinced the Powers That Be that yes, I'm not just being annoying when I mention that my computer really should have XP Service Pack 2, especially three bloody years after it came out. Apart from fixing the obvious security holes, this will also let me install my DVD burner on my home computer, which'll mean I can finally archive my stuff on DVD. Success.
I've no access to mail archives for a few days - if I owed anyone mail, give me a shout. |
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| Travel fever and friending issues |
[Aug. 21st, 2007|01:12 pm] |
Six days before getting on a plane to Budapest is probably a bad time for me to panic about not being able to speak a word of Hungarian, or even pronounce it without consulting a guide. Technically I know we can get by easily between English, German, French and Russian, but my brain is flailing in travel-induced panic.
Otherwise, I got friended by a crowd of people I don't know, again. It's not that I mind people viewing my public posts, but dropping me a note would be nice. As would telling me whether you want me to friend back - locked posts tend to be Real Life ramblings and file-sharing. |
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| Japanese advice |
[Aug. 14th, 2007|03:23 pm] |
I'm thinking of finally changing my Generator layout to one based on this one, but since it'd also involve finally getting an image-themed layout, a question for people knowledgeable with kanji:
Is ( this )an acceptable way to write "Pit of Hell" in kanji?
And no, I'm not descending to quite those lows of fangirl Japanese - it'll be overlaid with the English version of the title.
(And I hope that's the right kanji for "pit", because it's freaking adorable.) |
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| Musings upon Livejournal |
[Aug. 4th, 2007|04:33 pm] |
I was wondering what to write in my anniversarial, thousandth post on Livejournal. Good on Six Apart for dropping a topic into my lap.
I remember Time Before LJ. I had a blog, first on Pitas, then on my own domain. Interaction was via blog comments and shoutouts in your own entries, mailing lists and forums. Everyone else had a blog, but somewhere in early 2003 I noticed that everyone else was also, slowly, getting accounts on Livejournal.
I hated the service, for the clumsy way it looked, the lack of customisation and the way its one appealing feature - friendslock, the ability to get your post to the people you wanted to see it and yet not to the internet at large - required you to take the plunge and get an account yourself. I caved in in April 2003, and since then I haven't changed the title. I still call my LJ the way I used to call all of LJ: The Pit of Hell.
(Re-reading my blog, I realised I got my LJ invite from beckerbell. Should I be thankful, my dear, or kill you? ;))
The privacy and social networking features are why I'll probably stay here until it lacks the social momentum warranting them - until enough of my f-list moves elsewhere. Since I'm multi-fandom, that's unlikely to happen soon.
For those moving to GreatestJournal, I'm Extenuation over there. The account is used for RP, but if you're moving, please friend me and I'll friend back - because I don't want to lose track of people, and I want to keep reading my entire f-list, not just the people who stay here.
Dear Pit of Hell: happy 1000 posts. |
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| Here and gone again |
[Jul. 5th, 2007|07:20 pm] |
For those who noted, health is decidedly better, and even the persistent cough is going away :) But I've worked extra-hard this week in order to get Monday off.
Good things: I have my computer back, de-virused and all secured up. I am off for three days at the lakes, back on Monday night.
Bad things: I will be 25 on Saturday. Bleargh. |
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| Well, this is bloody brilliant |
[Jun. 25th, 2007|04:01 pm] |
As if the winter harddrive trouble weren't enough, on Saturday I managed to catch a virus on my home computer. Easy enough to get rid of - except for the fact that the bloody thing was so badly written, it managed to corrupt the partition table of all things. Looks like my only option is complete data backup, reformat and reinstall; I'm waiting to find out whether it'll be possible to accomplish free of charge or if I'll have to shell out for a commercial service.
So until further notice, no access to most of my graphics, software, or audio collection :/ I've got a backup of the fics etc, thankfully, but that's it.
I want better technical karma. And health-wise, because this would be easier to take if I were not tripping over my own feet. |
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| Working hardware. Be still, my heart. |
[Apr. 11th, 2007|09:47 pm] |
Those of you with really long memories may recall the time I posted about how my harddrive had refused to boot and was generally ready to be retired, so until I got a new one I'd be operating very gingerly and basically not have a usable home computer.
If you don't remember that, I don't blame you. It was December 20th, last year.
112 days is, admittedly, quite a while.
Still, new harddrive, 60 GB of free space on it when I had 10 on the old one, and all's well that ends well. Who knows, I might even *gasp* write fic, make icons, update my LJ layout and my website.
Stranger things have happened. |
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| *facepalm* |
[Sep. 24th, 2006|09:52 am] |
Mail's down for some reason - I think it's a hiccup that concerns my whole net provider, because I can't get to their support site either. Comments here or tevildoATgmail.com until further notice.
Fixed now, thankfully :D |
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| Heat, Vox and evil people |
[Jul. 24th, 2006|05:45 pm] |
The heat is disturbing my laptop's operation again. After some normal operation, the high-speed fan kicks in and the processor seems to enter some kind of overheat-protection mode that slows everything down something awful. As a result, I'm unable to watch videos or do graphics, which is a pain.
Especially since fyrie wandered off to Sweden and left me alone. (If wolfmoonie happens to read this, all the best on your wedding day :)) Which is a good point as any for me to pimp her recent work so that you people can leave feedback for her once she returns. I think that for once I'm caught up with pimping her Carpe Noctem series, because we got sidetracked there. She wrote an angsty prequel though: Und Alle Engel Müssen Fall'n. Then she temporarily ditched that continuity to write a lovely Herbert-turning fic and Herbert in a modern Goth club (a rather masterful work of bunnying on my part). And then we both got the Elisabeth bug, which on her part turned into a crossover series called Dance of Death (with vampires in it, Prelude, Nocturne and Elegy) - the latter has high slash content of the very attractive kind ;) And an Elisabeth genfic about Sophie's death: On Silent Wings.
And while I'm fyrie-less and bored, I also have more Vox invites than I can shake a stick at. I already gave out 6, have 2 in my account at this point, and each time I get rid of them, a few hours later I have more. So if anyone should want a Vox account like mine, drop me a line and I'll send you an invite as soon as I have it. |
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| Interesting things |
[Jul. 18th, 2006|07:30 pm] |
For some values of interesting, of course.
Inability to recognise faces as a disease (NYT Bugmenot ID) - not only interesting as a fictional idea, but bloody annoying. I think I might have a minor version of it - it's very hard for me to tell faces apart if they're the same type. Onscreen, fine, but on the street, I could walk past Johnny Depp and not notice.
Materazzi/Zidane slash. It had to happen. And it's amazingly well-written in a gritty and real way, saving some capital letters.
( Me as a Meez )
I also have a Vox account and two invitations. Anyone want to snare a username? I'm very impressed with the multimedia features, it's a great place for a photo/video log.
And I'm still looking for ficathons :( |
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| Offline notice |
[Jul. 4th, 2006|03:28 pm] |
About to turn off the computer and go to the train station. Back on Sunday the 16th of July, late evening, probably.
I'll be picking up my mail, but unable to answer LJ comments, so you need to e-mail me directly if there's anything you want so that I have your address to mail you back :) I'll also try and get to a net cafe a few times, definitely on my birthday. Keep safe, everyone! |
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| Hotlinking - technical note |
[Jul. 1st, 2006|07:02 am] |
Due to a gaggle of MySpacers and Xangers hotlinking to various files from my website, I had to turn on hotlinking protection. I'm still fiddling with it, so tell me if anything's broken - like my moodtheme on your friendslist. |
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| LJ is stoopid, take two |
[Jun. 29th, 2006|09:23 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | blather, technical | ] |
| [ | Mood |
| |  annoyed | ] |
| [ | Music |
| | Steve Barton - Born Aristocrat | ] |
Apparently for some reason new LJ code updates are now posted to lj_releases. Today's post indicates that if you don't have the LJ navigation strip on your journal and you haven't clicked "don't show me again" at the suggestion of it on various LJ pages, you'll have it turned on automatically unless you turn it off. So that's why it might appear on your journal now or soon :/
(Also, I didn't realise I knew so many LJ support volunteers. I recognise far too many names on that member list from fandom. If I don't, I recognise people on their friendslists. Small world.)
In other news, bwaytrade rocks. Anyone want more Steve Barton than I've already pimped, including a Schubert aria? :) |
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| All alone |
[Jun. 28th, 2006|09:58 am] |
I just saw everyone off to the train station. Until either Sunday or Monday, I have the house to myself - no parents, no cats. Still have the thesis to polish up, but that shouldn't take too long, especially since the bloody heat's about to ease off a bit, finally.
So this is a notice that anything you want from me, say it now or hold your peace for two weeks from Sunday :) I'll be checking mail every so often and getting back in the 16th, but apart from that from July 2nd colour me gone. This includes any plotbunnies anyone cares to drop in my lap ;)
Btw, LJ technical question - my extra userpics are about to expire, but if I don't pay up until I get back, will I have to reupload everything and/or lose my loyalty bonus pics? |
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| A note on friending and unfriending |
[Jun. 27th, 2006|02:38 pm] |
This journal is partially f-locked, but I don't mind people friending it, and if they ask, I'll gladly friend them back. My f-list is gigantic anyway, so one more person is nothing for my speed-reading skills, and while I might not comment or skim, I do notice every post.
But guys, if you unfriend me, let me know? Just so I don't post here and expect you to know what I've written. |
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| Has anyone got Quicktime Pro? |
[Jun. 23rd, 2006|08:04 pm] |
I have a 2.23MB Quicktime file that needs to be rotated clockwise by 90 degrees. As far as I've been able to tell, this requires a quick tweak of video properties in Quicktime Pro, which I don't have.
Anyone got Quicktime Pro and a spare five minutes? *bats eyelashes* I'll do a drabble for you, any fandom, any requirements, and actually write it before the weekend is out!
EDIT: No, I don't want to install it, I can't. I just want someone to tweak one little thing for me? Pretty please with sugar on it? |
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| LJ is stoopid; also, entertain me |
[May. 25th, 2006|07:00 am] |
Curious where all the technical settings from the Edit Profile page went? Things like setting your journal title, gender, and most of all default post editor (I've seen people grumbling about Rich Text becoming default once you used it) are here. (Link courtesy of deirdrecorwyn)
Also, the default status for new LJ accounts is "Sponsored+" (in other words, advertisments all the way). I am annoyed. On the other hand, darkgrail is a spiffy name.
Today is hard thesis-work, so meme:
Is there anything you ever wanted to ask me, about me, my life, livejournal, writing, fandom opinions? Now's your chance.
(Answers will be f-locked as and when appropriate.) |
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| Offline in 3... 2... 1... |
[May. 11th, 2006|04:00 am] |
Taxi'll be here in 15 minutes. I'll be checking e-mail. I also got less than two hours' sleep thanks to certain fanged creatures yesterday. Pah. Totally worth it.
Back on Sunday evening. Over and out. |
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| Notice: changed web hosts |
[Mar. 28th, 2006|11:45 pm] |
Just letting people know that I finally gave AffordableHOST a well-deserved kick and switched to AxisHOST. I'm hoping for all DNS changing to go seamlessly, but just in case, mail may get a wee bit lost - comments here will certainly be read :)
Also, GIP. Spike William and Herbert. Don't ask. |
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| Olympics: Men's figure skating |
[Feb. 16th, 2006|11:15 pm] |
Well, that was predictable. But still, gotta love a guy who goes out on ice and doesn't look like any of what he does takes real effort, and still manages to be perhaps the only guy who doesn't make any mistakes at all.
Apart from the Plushchenko love, highlights included Joubert's Riverdancing On Ice, Savoie's entire program (pretty!) and Buttle's lovely classic ballet - Buttle's second place in the free skate is certainly well-deserved. Also, there was this first moment in Takahashi's program, that little bow he did at the very beginning, that was very charming indeed. I'm just sorry for Lambiel - he's really good, but he overreached himself and when he finished, you could see he was just so angry about it all.
(In case you're interested: got an A in my exam, then came home and slept for 5 hours. One of these days, I'll get a healthy reaction to stress.)
Oooh. It looks like LJ added a draft post autosave. Nifty! |
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| Virtual housekeeping |
[Feb. 14th, 2006|06:47 pm] |
A very happy birthday to both artela and moustachios :)
In other news, my e-mail works again, and I am going to vivisect my hosting company on a medieval examining table if they pull off one more stunt like that.
I also have nearly 5,000 words of a Coldfire fic for some reason. Woe is me.
Meme from dyoklako:
List five (5) books that you have read and liked. List another five (5) that you plan/will to read. Then list five (5) more that you have read and didn't like and another five (5) you do not plan to read at all. cut and paste the instructions and your own list on your lj/blog.
( Literaryness yay ) |
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| Meh-day |
[Feb. 13th, 2006|06:44 pm] |
3K words before I left for the day, and still no sign of a plot. Conflicting information about when my exam is. And now, my domain and e-mail are both down, since AH managed to hang the entire server well enough that they're restoring everything from backups, so if you sent me e-mail in the last twelve hours or so, you might want to resend it tomorrow.
Since I'm in a whiny mood already, a meme ganked from sleepykelvina: Livejournal Pet Peeves:
( Just the top five ) |
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depressed
amused
pissed off
*facepalming*
aggravated
hot
apathetic
rushed
bitchy
happy
uncomfortable
frustrated
awake
sleepy
geeky