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January 26, 2012, 7:05 PM
A point that my parents made recently does seem to ring true. I’ve been a bit lazy with flat upkeep this week and that, coupled with a late night, has had a Seriously Negative Affect on my mood. Consequently I burst into tears at work over something that, now, seems trivial. Well it wasn’t trivial, but it wasn’t worth crying over the way that I did. I think it was the latest in a long line of things though. I keep kidding myself that I am over the big D, but in reality I should be excited because it is less than three days until my Birthday, but I am just…not. About anything. I am going out tomorrow and I am not excited. I just feel numb about EVERYTHING. Even things that I enjoy, like playing Sims or thinking about writing, feel like a chore.
Still I have been trying to concentrate on some fun things. I bought a new HTML/XHTML/CSS book from the “For Dummies” range. I love the Dummies range. It’s like a whole series of books written for me, and I have yet to find a skill (Crochet, HTML, even writing) that is not covered by them. Although I haven’t bought the writing book. I have had enough of people trying to tell me how to write. I know how to write thank you very much.
And what have I done with my new found XHTML skills. Why I’ve put a pig in the background. Go me! Oh, and I worked an hour extra today which means that I can leave work an hour early tomorrow.
Still no work on the script. It turns out that there was a break down in communication that prevented the script from getting to the beta reader. Dammit. Still, a bit of a writing break will probably do me good. I am not in the correct headspace for being creative, not beyond adding pictures of pigs to my websites at any rate.
It’s the little things that make me happy.
||Posted by: Jan Doncom on January 26, 2012, 7:05 PM||
January 20, 2012, 7:52 PM
Well today was a good day in the end. Bit depressed throughout (Zombie Jan, Arise). I’m not in a good head space right now for reasons best kept out of the public domain.
Still, I sent my script off to the beta reader (*bites nails*). Now the wait for feedback. My deadline (My birthday) is a week Sunday, so I am cutting is fine. Still I have Monday off of work. I can’t see it needing a full rewrite. I actually think it’s turned out okay, but it probably needs a lot of polishing and maybe the off scene rearrange. Problem is I’ve reached the point where I’ve read the same script so many times that I can’t see the wood for the trees anymore, okay wrong phrase, but I know that something is wrong but can’t see what it is.
In other good news, I finished installing a Captcha monitored contact form on the website I am building for “The Mysterious Client” (No it is not James Moriaty, I ran a background check). I am more proud of this than it deserves, considering that six hours ago I didn’t know how Captchas worked so it has been a learning experience and kinda cool. It was actually pretty simple in the end, simple enough even for me to spot an “issue” in the tutorial notes that I was given.
Now to sit back and wait for something to go wrong. Oh wait, I’m taking a journey via British Rail at stupid o clock tomorrow. Wait over.
||Posted by: Jan Doncom on January 20, 2012, 7:52 PM||
January 17, 2012, 9:52 PM
That’s it. I’m done. I declare this draft ready to be ripped apart by my beta team.
I definitely have second book syndrome here. The script, “The Library” is so different from “Requiem” that I am having trouble comparing it to “Requiem” to decide if it is better or not. On the other hand, I think it stands up next to shows like MI:High and Leonardo, so I am tentatively hopeful. Of course that could be me being arrogant when I watch an episode of MI:High and think “I could write like this, no problem”.
If I ever get a rabbit, I am totally calling it General Flopsy.
I am going to allow myself one more polish tomorrow for SPAG and cringe inducing lines of dialogue, and then I am emailing to far and wide. And then, time to face the music. I am sure that there are criticisms that can be made of “The Library” as it stands, but they are criticisms that I am ready to take on board for draft 3. I think that the main problems that were identified with “Requiem” have been addressed at least, although there is no clear protagonist with this one. It’s sort of an ensemble show (I seem to write these best).
Radio script, is still very much in pre draft 1 stages. But we’re getting there. I am finding Cabin Pressure very inspirational, but also quite scary because there is no way on God’s Earth that I will ever write like John Finnemore.
||Posted by: Jan Doncom on January 17, 2012, 9:52 PM||
January 16, 2012, 8:47 PM
I have set myself the challenge of having a draft of “The Library” that I am happy to show to my parents ready by Friday.
I predict my descent into madness to be complete by Wednesday, half past five.
||Posted by: Jan Doncom on January 16, 2012, 8:47 PM||
January 14, 2012, 9:15 PM
Twitter are, surprise surprise, in the press again. See here.
The problem is that Twitter does not have a single member of customer service staff who is Human. I used the email provided by this article, cp@twitter.com, to report an account that I was concerned about, and got this reply.
Hello,
We understand that everyone has different levels of sensitivity towards content, and that you may feel uncomfortable with the posted content. However, Twitter provides a communication platform, and users may use our service to discuss controversial subject matter.
If a specific user is posting content that you disagree with or otherwise find offensive, we have provided you with the ability to block the user. For more information on blocking users, see: https://support.twitter.com/entries/117063
Twitter believes strongly in the importance of free speech and works to ensure that such speech is maximized. Limiting speech on Twitter (and other social communication tools) could result in the highly undesirable outcome of speech that is allowed offline being restricted online. We are strongly opposed to this, as this could cause issues with the practical expression of information.
Thank you,
@YLee
Twitter Trust and Safety
A clearly template reply that has been written not by a human being, but by @YLee, a computer with a set of pre-written replies that are selected based on keywords in my email. Something tells me that a human will never see my email, or any email that is ever sent to the account above. Twitter don’t care what their site is used for as long as they get the advertising revenue.
||Posted by: Jan Doncom on January 14, 2012, 9:15 PM||
January 12, 2012, 5:27 PM
Oh my God the last 24 hours have SUCKED!
First, I found out yesterday that my building had a rat problem. Joy. Luckily, I have a cat, so probably don’t have to worry too much. Plus I tend to keep things clean.
Then, at 1AM I was woken up by neighbour A shouting at Neighbour B because B’s music was too loud. Irony overload!!! My name came up at one point (I am next door to neighbour B) because I wasn’t complaining about the noise. I was about to by this point, but decided to stay out of it. I honestly can’t hear any music coming from B’s place, so not sure where A is coming from.
And now the biggy. Got contacted today to be told that someone has tried, and may have succeeded, in stealing my identity and credit card details. WTF. Seriously, someone tried to steal MY identity. Why the HELL would they want to be me. I don’t want to be me. Heck, they are welcome to be me. Let’s swap. Good luck with the social anxiety stuff, MF. Although if I could have the credit card back please because I actually do like it, and kinda will need it next Saturday as am going to Caerdydd.
So I am now credit less. Sheeeeeeeeeit!
Oh, and the button has come off of my jeans.
So yes. I have to laugh because otherwise I will roll up into a small ball and cry myself to sleep (well, until A and B shout at each other again). The card thing I am not that worried about, and now that I know about the theft I can make precautions. It would happen on the eve (and I do mean eve, the application arrived today) of the next stage of Operation Torchwood though. Me thinks my identity being used in a crime might screw up the CRB check somehow.
||Posted by: Jan Doncom on January 12, 2012, 5:27 PM||
January 11, 2012, 8:27 PM
Been working on a web design project that I am doing for a client (Yay!) today. It’s relatively simple stuff, a photo CMS with a contact form. Only problem is they want a Captcha and do you know, all my years of web design (Which is a decade at least) I have NEVER made a proper Captcha.
How exciting. I get to learn something new.
I have permission from the client to add it to a portfolio when I am done, so expect links to this website that I shall be pimping ad infinitum. I might also link it to my linkedin profile.
It’s all part of the plan 
||Posted by: Jan Doncom on January 11, 2012, 8:27 PM||
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