My Life on the Net

It’s been a long week of decision making, planning and all-round fiddling about on Call of Duty 4. It’s actually been really helpful, and I’m happy that some of my friends on twitter recognised what I’ve been going through. When the going gets though, we all need to take a break sometime.

I’m writing this on one of my more comfortable days, Saturday. The week is finally over and at 7.30am, after staying up all night aimlessly watching television and Resident Evil Acopalapse, I feel that I’ve come up with my decisions on how this blog will work from now on - and damn it, it will work.

With Spring seemingly showing it’s head to the world, I’m finding the idea of going on photowalks more and more attractive. It’s been a harsh winter, and I’ve become lazy since my move to Dundee. A little analytic bird also told me that photography is your favourite category. More of the good stuff is always better. So, photos will be finding it’s way to you each Sunday.

Now, I don’t want to give up the idea of making written posts. I’m even thinking of doing NaNOwRimO this year, so I want to get into writing more each day. I used to have a schedule of writing a post every three days - and I always found myself skipping days or delaying and always screwing myself up. More blog posts on a lot more interesting topics are coming to you on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I’m even thinking of trying to get a couple of people who’s work I enjoy to show a little insight into their work sometime - but I haven’t even began talking to people yet.

So there you have it. I’ll be posting from now on four days a week. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and an extra photo or two on Sunday. It’s going to be fun.

I hope you’ll stay and enjoy the ride with me.

In this dark bedroom, I try to write something that some people on the internet would call ‘interesting’. Sometimes it’s short, sometimes it’s long - but it’s mostly every three days. You know what I call blogging every three days?

Exhausting.

It’s taken me away from things I would normally do, things that most people come to my website for. According to my sources, many users like to visit my photography category and see new posts - yet for the past few months I’ve posted nothing.  All I’ve done is write little scraps of my life. Not exactly interesting.

Now, I could just blame it on winter blues - but I know better.  Things have been hectic for the past month - mainly due to mother being in hospital and since I haven’t had a spare weekend for ages, I’ve done nothing either productive nor interesting. I’ve been sitting on my butt playing games and watching movies.

I am going to take a week long holiday from blogging. I think i’ve deserved it, and I know when I come back I’ll be revitalised and full of new ideas.  Although I intentionally try not to include my life but rather my actions as a person through this blog, more recently I feel this has not been so.  But most of all, my writing is getting boring. Look at this paragraph! It’s too long!

So don’t think of this hiatus as a bad thing. Think of it as a paid vacation that makes you work better when you come back from it.

If you’ve forgotten. I said Phwoto (the photo location sharing web app) I was creating would be operational by the end of last month. Big mistake. I didn’t expect to hit the brick wall which was family problems that stopped me from developing it.

It’s slowly getting sorted but I’m not around during the weekends to work on it, which leaves me about 6 hours per week to work on the code.

It’s a little tricky, but since things are getting better I’m going to set a release date. Knowing me, a release date in my mind will sort out every little problem I’ve got right now… So, without further adieu…

Phwoto is going to release 1st April 2007. (And no, this aint no April Fools!) and the aim is to set to let some people into the beta a week before.

It took a little longer than expected, but the revamped look is up and running. Sure there are little problems, but I’ll get them squezed out when I’m less knackered.

Things you’ll like about it:

• It’s scalable - so if you increase text size it’ll go with it. (Something I’m normally to lazy to set up).
• A nice print stylesheet (for those who are interested in… printing)
• OpenID support (working but a little fiddily)
• A nice e-mail for the first time you comment.

Things coming very soon:

• Reply-to feature. I’m finding it hard to find a plugin (So if you know one… *hint* *hint*)
• Anything you want.
• Anything I can think of when I’ve had a good nights sleep.

I’ve not beeing looking after this place very well. Just look at it! When was the last time I cleaned the carpet?

Unfortunately, I’m not talking about real life - I’m talking about here, this site.  Today I’m bringing in the cleaners to make this place squeaky clean. I’m optimising code, rebuilding stylesheets (and finally putting a print style back in) and moving some furniture around. I might even put some curtains up to make this place look a little more roomy.

Same content, same feel… just… comfier and nicer to look at.

I’ve been hinting about a project I’ve been working on for a little while now, so it’s about time I spilled the beans just a little further and ask for a little help.

When I go on holiday people freak about how much equipment I take. A couple of SLRs, monopod, filters, beanbag and a whole load more.  What can I say, I like to be prepared - and I like to take photos.  This first came into mind when I was visiting Dublin.  It was a city I’d never been to before - wasn’t interested in the nightlife, the booze (although I did have a few too many), the shops and we definitely didn’t have the time to fully explore the city in 2 nights in the centre of the town.

Searching the net for some photographer’s favourite spots didn’t really help.  Not many hits, and the one’s that did turn up were the acclaimed tourist spots.  I wanted to find out the real Dublin, not the doors to the Guinness factory.

Photo.net has some great articles about where to shoot, and when to shoot in a select few cities around the world.  But that’s the problem. It’s TOO select.  I wanted to know from the people.  I wanted to know from the kids, the teens and the adults around the place and know where they liked to go - sneaking in early in the morning to a beach, a dock, a back alley.  Not only that, I want to SEE these places, know where they are and head out there myself.

So, I’m finding a solution to that problem.  The only thing is, I just can’t develop it without information.  I have some for Edinburgh, for Dundee - but hardly anywhere else around the globe.  I need your help.  When I go into beta at the end of the month - I already want some information to be there, otherwise the people who try to use it will find it small and not worth visiting again.

So help me!  I’m begging you! 

It’s not hard. Share a few spots you like, even if you’re not a photographer.  Comment here or send me some mail at help@phwoto.com and I’ll thank you for life!

I hope everyone who celebrate Christmas had a good one, I did.  It was fun filled ride of gift giving and recieving, of stuffing myself with turkey and sleeping a lot. But what did I get for you?

It’s my first true social web project, and although it’s specialisation is small - it should be pretty cool for photographer’s out there.  I’m keeping the details wrapped up till it’s complete, and hopefully i’ll get it done by the end of the week for a jan 1st launch - but I doubt it, perhaps february.

Keep your eyes peeled, as I’ll need your help to get it up and running!

You might have guessed it, but this site no longer holds the brown stains that it once did. That’s ‘cos I changed it.

I looked at it and it reminded me of the brown zune, nothing too spectacular to look at. I wanted to choose orange, due to the change of seasons - but since green’s my favourite colour… Might as well make it look appealing.

I’ll be making a few changes here and there over the next few days, so watch out. But something you may be happy about - Google Adsense is gone (I wasn’t making a penny) so let’s make this a better place, eh?

I’m thinking, and reading… So let’s get this party on the road shall we?

Everything is going to look ugly.

It’ll be back to usual, and more active operating procedures by the end of the day (Thursday)

My new theme for MyLifeontheNET.com has been delayed, basically due to the site which my theme would be based is down. Since time is running short, and my time is less than free at the moment - it would have saved me a lot of time. However, hopefully by tomorrow it will be back up and I’ll be able to integrate all the great features and usability with my new design. If I can’t get it, I’ll make the theme from scratch - ok?