Bits and Bobs
First off, a thank you to Aunty Chaz (kyoki_tenchi) for a lovely fuzzy holiday card!
I'm wavering between too sick to get anything done and uberproductive. Alas, the latter is mostly in areas that don't show, lots of organizing and planning and prepping. I registered for my classes which start in January. Mondays and Tuesdays at LSE 6:30-9 pm. Oh yeah, I am gonna be exhausted. And stupid me plans to be able to carry on all of my other projects in the meantime. I can see this all exploding badly, but for now I am ever the ADD-addled optimist about just how many irons I can keep in the fire.
I'm starting up several new blogs on my websites, book reviews (of which I plan to do a lot), medical news, ramblings on about podcasting and plone and other projects. Never fear, LJ still comes first in my priorities; the other blogs are not very personal about life and its events but instead are focused on things I don't generally post to LJ anyway. I haven't started writing in them but if you want to keep up with them once they get going I can give you the RSS feeds or if necessary get them syndicated into LJ.
I'm also working on lots of podcasting things, although I desperately need to record for my own show. I've had a scratchy throat all week. t thinks it's not a good idea to plan other podcast shows when I can't even keep up with this one. But I guess I am just the eternal optimist. I'm still working on putting together my personal show, which will again have info that I don't post in LJ but it will be about my everyday life and how I deal with health problems, etc. I'll let you know when that is live, I hope to have it up by the 1st. *fingers crossed*
As with any hobby, podcasting and plone both have their ways of tugging at the purse strings. So far I haven't spent anything on either, but there is a new Plone book calling my name and sooooo many things that would improve my podcasting. People spend thousands on their home studios and the upgrade mania is intense. However the only thing I *need* (as opposed to want savagely) is a way to record telephone conversations. I know how to do some of it with Skype and Gizmo but only if the person I am talking to is on those networks. There's a cheap call recorder most people get from Radio Shack in the US, I'll have to look at sources over here. I don't really have money to blow on it but if it really is only about $15 I can manage that out of the Christmas money from my grandma.
(I SO want to go to the Podcaster Con which is in my parents' town in January but A) finances say no chance in hell and B) the Tuesday after the con weekend I have those heart tests that I have been waiting on for 13 months, so that /has/ to take priority. But I still plan to pout mightily.)
It's also about time to register for the London Book Fair, which this year is even bigger and has tons of seminars about copyright, book reviews and ebooks. Instead of making up a librarian title for myself I'm going to make up a bookselling title (OK I may actually be involved at some point next year helping someone choose books for their online store -- so it's not /entirely/ a lie) so I can get the coveted RED BADGE. If you don't have the magic red badge you don't get much attention so....
Yeah it costs £10 to go but last year I got freebie books (after smarming for review copies) that well exceeded that value so I think it's worthwhile. Especially as I am really planning to make book reviewing a priority next year, and I will have websites and podcasts to show for my efforts by then so they will know that at least with reviews I am legit.
I'm going to rest again now. I really need to record for my podcast as I think I'm going to win the "most unreliable" award for the year, but this sore throat and painful chest thing are doing their best to prevent me from doing much talking. I just wish I wasn't letting people down, I feel so guilty for not doing my show regularly enough as so many people say it improves their days and I know how marvelous that is and want to pay it forward. Oh well, I can only do my best.
I must restrain my book lust, as there are sooooo many books calling my name and no Amazon vouchers left after we bought the new DSL modem. Must. Not. Drool. On. Monitor.
Oh, and I am growing my hair back out. It's at that awkward stage where the cow-lick just makes it stick out in all directions. I'm not planning on being seen without a hat for at least a month. So far I seem to be able to control the scalp diseases with some very powerful shampoo, meaning I no longer have to put ointment on the scalp which was the reason for shaving it. But if it gets bad again, off the hair will go. I value the lack of pain far more than I care about hair.
I think that means it's time for me to lay down again and this time NOT listen to podcasts about books I cannot live without.
Happy Festive Holiday Season (FHS), everyone.
I'm wavering between too sick to get anything done and uberproductive. Alas, the latter is mostly in areas that don't show, lots of organizing and planning and prepping. I registered for my classes which start in January. Mondays and Tuesdays at LSE 6:30-9 pm. Oh yeah, I am gonna be exhausted. And stupid me plans to be able to carry on all of my other projects in the meantime. I can see this all exploding badly, but for now I am ever the ADD-addled optimist about just how many irons I can keep in the fire.
I'm starting up several new blogs on my websites, book reviews (of which I plan to do a lot), medical news, ramblings on about podcasting and plone and other projects. Never fear, LJ still comes first in my priorities; the other blogs are not very personal about life and its events but instead are focused on things I don't generally post to LJ anyway. I haven't started writing in them but if you want to keep up with them once they get going I can give you the RSS feeds or if necessary get them syndicated into LJ.
I'm also working on lots of podcasting things, although I desperately need to record for my own show. I've had a scratchy throat all week. t thinks it's not a good idea to plan other podcast shows when I can't even keep up with this one. But I guess I am just the eternal optimist. I'm still working on putting together my personal show, which will again have info that I don't post in LJ but it will be about my everyday life and how I deal with health problems, etc. I'll let you know when that is live, I hope to have it up by the 1st. *fingers crossed*
As with any hobby, podcasting and plone both have their ways of tugging at the purse strings. So far I haven't spent anything on either, but there is a new Plone book calling my name and sooooo many things that would improve my podcasting. People spend thousands on their home studios and the upgrade mania is intense. However the only thing I *need* (as opposed to want savagely) is a way to record telephone conversations. I know how to do some of it with Skype and Gizmo but only if the person I am talking to is on those networks. There's a cheap call recorder most people get from Radio Shack in the US, I'll have to look at sources over here. I don't really have money to blow on it but if it really is only about $15 I can manage that out of the Christmas money from my grandma.
(I SO want to go to the Podcaster Con which is in my parents' town in January but A) finances say no chance in hell and B) the Tuesday after the con weekend I have those heart tests that I have been waiting on for 13 months, so that /has/ to take priority. But I still plan to pout mightily.)
It's also about time to register for the London Book Fair, which this year is even bigger and has tons of seminars about copyright, book reviews and ebooks. Instead of making up a librarian title for myself I'm going to make up a bookselling title (OK I may actually be involved at some point next year helping someone choose books for their online store -- so it's not /entirely/ a lie) so I can get the coveted RED BADGE. If you don't have the magic red badge you don't get much attention so....
Yeah it costs £10 to go but last year I got freebie books (after smarming for review copies) that well exceeded that value so I think it's worthwhile. Especially as I am really planning to make book reviewing a priority next year, and I will have websites and podcasts to show for my efforts by then so they will know that at least with reviews I am legit.
I'm going to rest again now. I really need to record for my podcast as I think I'm going to win the "most unreliable" award for the year, but this sore throat and painful chest thing are doing their best to prevent me from doing much talking. I just wish I wasn't letting people down, I feel so guilty for not doing my show regularly enough as so many people say it improves their days and I know how marvelous that is and want to pay it forward. Oh well, I can only do my best.
I must restrain my book lust, as there are sooooo many books calling my name and no Amazon vouchers left after we bought the new DSL modem. Must. Not. Drool. On. Monitor.
Oh, and I am growing my hair back out. It's at that awkward stage where the cow-lick just makes it stick out in all directions. I'm not planning on being seen without a hat for at least a month. So far I seem to be able to control the scalp diseases with some very powerful shampoo, meaning I no longer have to put ointment on the scalp which was the reason for shaving it. But if it gets bad again, off the hair will go. I value the lack of pain far more than I care about hair.
I think that means it's time for me to lay down again and this time NOT listen to podcasts about books I cannot live without.
Happy Festive Holiday Season (FHS), everyone.