digital.goth.geek

Now that I’ve got a moment, I’d like to thank all the lovely peeps that came out last night (totally unexpectedly, I might add!) to wish me well, buy me (occassionally dodgy) alcoholic beverages and give me caaaakes!

Especial thanks to the fantastically lovely and not-at-all-evil (allegedly…) Suzy for dragging my sorry ass to the Muh-Muh Muh-Muh Munkeh in the first place, and to Tales for using his organisational kung-fu (it is strong in this one!) to invite, persuade, cajole, demand and/or threaten the various people that showed up to do just that.

Thank you all again, you all made a great day that so much better!

Oh, and the PS2 EyeToy… it’s fucking brill! All I need is a spotlight, several bottles of intoxicants and the removal of all sharp furniture from the vicinity… :-D

Well, here it is, birthday number 31.

And what have I learned over the last year? I think I’ve learned quite a bit. I’ve learned

about me

…I am actually capable of being happy, contrary to my belief a year ago.
…I’m not afraid to experiment.
…I’m not really a bad person, even if some people try to tell me that I am.
…I can do things spontaneously.
…I can be romantic.
…I miss my family.

about people

…someone may say something that may seem insignificant at the time, but in reality they mean a whole lot more.
…there’s always going to be someone out there that wants to stick the knife in just that little bit deeper.
…some people can really surprise you in unexpected ways.

about happiness

…that money doesn’t guarantee happiness (or, more correctly, the corollary is truer - lack of money doesn’t guarantee unhappiness)
…you can find happiness in unexpected places, and sadness where and when you least expect it.

about work

…to love what I do for a living, again.
…that business isn’t as hard, and is much harder, than I anticipated and that business banking is a fucking con.
…that taxation is a bitch (no wonder accountants are reputed to have no life)
…that telephones don’t bite, regardless of how harsh the ringer is.
…I am actually good at my job.
…I really don’t know the first thing about design, but I know what I like.

about “stuff”

…that I don’t really give a flying fuck about possessions.
…that I have drunk far too much coffee and smoked far too many fags in my life so far.
…that Sharp make complete bollocks electronics, and that Dixons are the scourge of the consumer world.
…that a suit is not all evil, but neither is it a panacea for stupidity.
…that I know a lot more than I thought, and a lot less than I want to.
…that books mean more to me than I realised.
…I really want my blue hair back.

about love

…that thinking I was in love, and really being in love are two very different creatures.
…that there’s always going to be someone out there that wants me for who I am.
…to fall in love, really, truly, completely.

Perhaps, by this time next year, I’ll have learned more. Perhaps I’ll be even happier than I am as I write this.

The Ross Records site went live today after being given the nod by Mr Ross.

Not a particularly difficult web site, seeing as OSCommerce handled most of the jiggery pokery. However it does have a number of notable flaws, most of which stem from the appalling code structure and the fact that variable, functions and constants don’t necessary act or represent what they seem to.

In any case, after a good few hours of hard coding, I managed to get the essential discounting system in place, and I’m pleased with the results.

A pleasure to work with you, sir. I hope to do so again in future.

Note: the “design” is not mine, but the client liked the simplicity of the previous version supplied by another company and decided to keep it. It’s his web site, who am I to argue?

Update: This web site is no longer maintained my me.