Posi-Day 1–Caffine Overload

March 17, 2011March 17, 2011 ~ Sue ~ Leave a comment

So.
New thing, inspired by the wonderful people I spend my life talking to, and to my work who is ‘pushing the positive’ at the moment. I am giving it a solid attempt to wipe the negativity out of my life. I am aware it may sound a little lame, but it is proven that if you look on the positive side of life, then you will find more positive things will happen to you.

So, I am trying to see if that works.
Now, right now, due to a severe lack of sleep and too much coffee, it is very easy to be positive. In fact, I am bouncing of the walls with hyperness. Whilst I know I am not the best at achieving things, I am trying to set myself small tasks, which will ultimately lead up to a bigger goal. So that will also see more positives, as I am more likely to achieve these small tasks, and that makes me happier.

And also, I am trying to focus on what is in front of me, and not what I know is happening elsewhere. Whilst I know this seems selfish, but I have always spent way too much of my time worrying about things I can do nothing about. So by worrying about things I can change, I am hoping that I will be moved to change things.

An example about small change, is my weight. I usually get depressed, because I have always had the physique of a sack of potatoes. But, what I am trying to do, is rather than focus on that, do little things, such as walking to work everyday, and focus on how good that makes me feel, rather the fact that I can’t drop a few pounds. The hope is, that if I can get myself feeling positive about exercise, I will actually have an urge to go out for a run or something. Again, it’s going to take time to see if that works.

Best Performing Browsers on My PC

March 16, 2011 ~ Sue ~ Leave a comment

1) Firefox RC 4

2) Google Chrome

3) Opera 11

4) Apple Safari 5

5) Microsoft Internet Explorer 8

I am slightly biased when it comes to Firefox, as have been an avid user for years. This latest release, has the browser going into Chrome territory, with a very minimalist look. But where Mozilla has it right, is where within 30 seconds, a user can locate how to add that menu bar to the top of their page. Also, Firefox is known for the thousands of add-ons that can be used on the browser. Everything from news-tickers to colour-pickers. Also Firefox is still customisable, with the user being able to select a skin for their browser, again with thousands to choose from. This new version is taking Firefox back into the forefront of the browser-battles. It runs a lot smoother and faster than previous versions.

Chrome, like Firefox, is very fast. But it loses out when it struggles on sites which contain video, it becomes very glitchy, and this can happen when the browser deals with anything Flash. I feel that Chrome is over-simple, where there are no options to add a basic menu bar, which is handy when you have to appeal to people like my parents. Maybe there are options, but after half an hour of playing around, I can’t get the standard menu bar. It seems like Chrome is shunning the older web community, who may look for the familiarity of that File, Options, etc all at the top. Even IE has that. You can be as fast as you want, but usability should always be number 1 priority.

Opera, used to be on my Nokia mobile, which I think is where it is strongest, on mobile platforms. It brings everything up ok, but lags slightly behind Chrome and Firefox in regards of speed. The layout of Opera 11, is very similar to that of the new Firefox. It is clean, but not too basic, and you can easily add more options to the menu if needed.

Safari is different from the other browsers, in that the standard browser comes with a toolbar up and ready to go, with the user being able to easily further streamline the browser, or add basics, like the menu bar. The one thing I do want to mention about Safari is that when you open up a new tab in the browser, a selection of most popular sites visited pops up. It makes it easy to find certain websites, which I feel is a nice touch. It runs slightly slower than Opera, but people familiar with Apple software, will find comfort in the stylings of the browser.

And IE. Poor IE. I am running IE 8, because I don’t have the newest version of Vista or Windows 7, so I can’t download the RC for IE9. I don’t know if having the newer version would make any difference, but I hope it would. IE took several minutes to load, before it shut down. On second attempt it did start up ok, but was very slow compared to the other browsers. As basic as IE comes, it is very easy to add, or take away toolbars and menus as you require them.

But one thing to be said, is that all browsers are beginning to look the same. This is mostly due to the high success of Chrome and it’s simplistic layout. I know that I seem to have focused on finding the menu bar a lot, the reason is because I know older people (like my parents) who rely on that toolbar, because it is there in whatever software they are using. So when it is taken away (Chrome) they do get a little lost. And I know that is why they stick to IE, because they know their way around it.

What up?

March 15, 2011 ~ Sue ~ Leave a comment

This is a quick check in, as I do housework.
I have discovered that I have become the kind of person who likes to push the blame on other things, when I can’t get anything done.

It’s like when I don’t get something done, or I do it badly, I come up with a plethora of excuses about why I have not achieved. This is a habit that I think that most people fall into at some point. But, I need to start taking responsibility.
I can only change things, if I actually do something about it.

So, in a bid for that, in continuance for the job application spree from yesterday, I am tidying up. Yes, I am aware that sounds like nothing, but I need to organise things a little bit, so I can actually focus on work.
Yes, it WILL happen.

The Monotony of Self-Improvement

March 14, 2011 ~ Sue ~ Leave a comment

It’s official, searching for employment sucks.
(She says as if she is the only person in the world doing so.)

I have decided that working a meagre 25 hours a week is slowly turning me into the laziest person known to man. So, in a bid to kick me out of said rut, I have been applying for more work. I’ve decided that, even if it is another part-time job, but during the day, I’ll get more money. Ideally, I would be able to get a full time hours at my existing workplace, but that isn’t very likely at occurring. In fact, there is probably more chance of me getting a number 1 single, than getting more hours at work. -.-

And people say that finding a job is the hard bit. I have been working in the same call centre for about 4 and a half years, which now makes it my longest job. But other than attempting to get some overtime, nothing is happening. I decided that this year is the year for change, so because nothing is happening at my existing work, I am applying for other jobs. A full-time one would be nice, but I know there isn’t very many of those around at the moment. So, I have decided that I am OK with working two jobs, if that’s what is required.

See this whole making an effort to try and do things in life? It’s hard. :S

Abesence Makes Heart Grow Fonder

March 13, 2011March 13, 2011 ~ Sue ~ Leave a comment

I appologise for the lack of activity of late this week. I’d like to say it was because I have been so busy, but I hate lying, so I won’t.

The truth is that I have simply not a- felt the need to blog, and b- been near a computer long enough to type anything. So, this guilt-ridden post is coming from my phone, as I walk to a friends house, where I am going to watch Scotland beat England in the rugby. *cough* Sssshhh, I am a dreamer, let me dream.

But this is proof, that dispite what I am normally like, I can, in fact, multi-task. So bang goes that excuse for the future. :S Anyway, hope everyone is having a nice weekend that is more productive than mine.

I Can Fix Things

March 9, 2011 ~ Sue ~ Leave a comment

Except I can’t really fix things.
Am I the only person who tries to stupid little pointless actions, to try and ‘fix’ a problem?
It’s like if there is interference on the TV channel that I am watching, I will just channel surf to see that other channels have the problem, untill the problem disappears. And, although my actions did nothing to fix the problem, I act as if it did. And I get this idea in my head, that I am a bit like a superhero with all my problem-fixing skills.
Of course, I am not a hero of any sort, and it is just pure luck that the problem fixes itself. It has nothing to do with me, what-so-ever.

Vlog on the subject.

-.-

March 8, 2011 ~ Sue ~ Leave a comment

Today is the day where I apparently break everything I touch.

Okay, slight exaggeration, but it feels like I have broken a lot. Really, I have broken two things. But both were important to me and what I do daily. *sigh*

First, I stood on my stereo headphones, breaking them in two. I can hear you all now. ‘Well, clean up after yourself.’ That helps NOONE! Especially not me, who can’t seem to find any superglue *scratches head*

And then, I tried to set up my camera to film, and I got my good ol’ tripod out, and the top has snapped off it. It’s the bit that the camera attaches to. So I have a desktop tripod with ‘bendy legs’, so spent ages attaching the small one to the big one, so I could then attach my camera. Seriously, looked really stupid. But it worked. *thumbs up*

Yeah…the excitement of my life right now. *sigh*

Hey Monday

March 7, 2011 ~ Sue ~ Leave a comment

So this is a busy start to the week.
I have surrounded myself in projects to do, probably as some sort of distraction. But I am so busy.

But the one thing that I am genuinely excited about, is learning different effects for Windows Media Maker. Until I get a better video editor, I have decided to make the best of the situation, and try to learn some skills. Skills to make my videos a little bit better.

I can hear it now ‘why spend all your time doing something you don’t get paid for’. Yeah, thanks for the everlasting support, bro. *thumbs up* It is something called a hobby, and it is something that I actually enjoy doing. Sure, most people I know in real life, think I am a weirdo and don’t understand why I do it. It’s probably the same reason why I blog, it is something I view as a fun way of expressing myself. And the Youtube community is a tight band of friends, and I like that. I tend to loiter on websites where there is a real sense of friendship.

*Thinks* I have to go, the washing machines sounds like it wants to explode.
Enjoy your day. xx

Friday Feeling?

March 4, 2011March 4, 2011 ~ Sue ~ Leave a comment

My Friday feeling, right now, is sick.

Lovely. Just what I needed when I remember I booked an overtime shift starting at 8.30 am. -.- This is good, because it gives me more money. But it sucks, because I am no longer used to getting up early. This meant I woke up with about 20 minutes to wake up and be at the bus stop. This was not perfect by any means, and it took me till about 11am till I was properly awake.

Yes, talking about billing is bad enough when one’s brain is 100% in gear, without me making things worse. But hey, I seem to always be dedicated to making things suck and be irritating. But hey, what would I moan about if life was perfect?

Other than overworking, something which is about as welcome in my life as a weight watchers representative, I am glad to inform that life has been pretty boring. But when is it not? If life was all go-go-go, I’d probably die of a heart attack due to pure exhaustion.

I did this whole creative thing last night, and made a late-night vlog. Oi! Not that kind of vlog. What kind of person are you? Filth! I did a video which was to help friends with recommendations of sites for their uses. Unfortunately, it did not render well, or record well. In fact, the whole thing was a disaster. To the point that I am going to get home and delete it as soon as I can. Unless youtube did something to it overnight.

Sorry for the pointless moaning. But that’s why I have this. So I can say what’s on my mind. 🙂

Enjoy your Friday!