2007 September | one man blogs

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Previous posts: It’s not easy being green ~ Back from Tunisia ~ Not stopping… ~ Back on the bike ~

eames lounge chair

Saturday, September 22, 2007 ~ Comments Off

The introduction of the Eames Lounge Chair, a classic piece of design from 1956.

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State of the Union

Friday, September 21, 2007 ~ 16 comments so far

Some council workers got sacked because they spent too much time on the internet (eBay in particular). Apparently this isn’t really their fault, with Union officials blaming bosses for “putting temptation in their way” – by allowing access to the internet.

Now, I’ve never had access to, or worked within an organisation that has, a Union but I thought they were supposed to help protect the workers? If so, how does this help?

And, without wanting to come across all curmudgeony, what is it with people these days? Can’t they just fess up and admit they were in the wrong?

There seems to be a feeling that if you make a mistake you no longer have to say sorry, you can just feign embarassment, mumble something about understanding that you made a mistake and then point the finger at someone else.

To those council workers who got sacked. I’m sorry you don’t have a job anymore, but IT IS YOUR OWN FAULT.

I say this whilst sitting in work, typing up a blog post but then again I don’t work in a prescriptive environment, I don’t have “tea breaks” or “lunch hours” I just have a contract and it’s down to me to be professional and thorough and get my work done. I can stop and start when I like. I’ve always worked in this kind of environment, and find anything else utterly bewildering.

There is a further thread to this, about the fall in moral values, work ethic and so on, part of which is aimed at the education system (kiboshed as it is by the people who, ultimately, run it) and an understanding the Unions are there to protect those who can’t protect themselves. But I’m going to leave it alone as, from this ivory tower in which I’m installed, EVERYTHING looks worse than it probably is…

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making mac mine

Thursday, September 20, 2007 ~ 1 comment so far

Playing on Mac, making it mine – organising Desktop Pictures, getting some new icons (for the dock), applied with CandyBar. Toying with EarthDesk too.

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collect this

Thursday, September 20, 2007 ~ 1 comment so far

Where there’s an internet, there’s an obsessive collector displaying his wares on the web. This time round it’s Pencils.

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How many?

Thursday, September 20, 2007 ~ 5 comments so far

A sudden holiday is all well and good but the shift in time, and the fact that we don’t return until October, pushes timescales the wrong way. Admittedly said timescales are all of my own making but still, I don’t like rushing things.

Today is a typical example. I’m working at home as the car is in the garage to get an intermittent clunking noise investigated, and I’ve got the dental hygienist later on today. I’ve had to go to the post office to pick up my new oneman business cards, only to find they’d been ‘re-delivered’ (despite what the card through the door said!) and I got a letter in today reminding me that my household insurance runs out at the end of the month. You know, whilst we are in Spain.

The presentation I’m giving at the TICAD conference needs to be handed in by the 19th October, and a customer at work would like an early cut of the documentation I’m working on (that won’t be complete until December) next week. Typical.

I still have some CSS work to complete for someone, a new template for another, and thankfully the other two websites that are on the horizon are staying there, so at least I don’t need to worry about them whilst lying in the sun (yes, I would!).

In saying that, I wasted far too much time twittering like a pirate yesterday (with Lyle’s annoyance only spurring me on!) and flitted between sporadic bouts of work and the footie on TV last night.

Thankfully packing for the holiday isn’t a big deal, shouldn’t take me more than 15 mins. That’s the advantage of knowing where we’ll be eating and drinking when we get there, and knowing that I don’t even need to bother with a shirt. 9 days of shorts and t-shirts (maybe not at night though).

In other news I’ve just “discovered” Jeff Buckley’s album, Grace. I’ve no idea why it’s taken me so long.. actually I do, it’s the cover of the album, just used to put me off for some reason. What a voice that man has.

I’ve also installed, but have yet to play with, a little firmware update for my camera. Totally unsupported of course, but a friend with the same camera (Canon Powershot S3) reports it works well. Something to do whilst lying in the sun then! Which reminds me, I must get some new stuff on my iPod… ohh and books.. which books?! Eeeep, PANIC!!

See more like this: Diary, or link to this post