I need a better gargoyle…

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18 August 2003
5 min read
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In World
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A word of advice to prospective car thieves — look INSIDE the car before breaking in otherwise you could find yourself wasting time and effort. I say this because my car got broken into while it was parked at Holsworthy station. I’m a 23 year old web designer, so it’s not like I keep valuables in the car, due to my inadequate salary and lack of stupidity, (my stupidity may or may not be questioned due to my chosen profession).

The contents of my car consisted of the following: copied audio cds (that you can’t even sell), street directory (I think you can get five bucks for it at a second hand book store), a second hand sherlock holmes novel, some hair elastics, screws (my dad had my car for a couple of days while my number plates got stolen from same station), 20 cents (which theives left behind), a black furry scarf, a lilacy-silvery scarf and a gargole dangling from the rear vision mirror. The only thing worth taking from my car is the cd player, which from this experience has proven to be quite immoveable. Not a scratch on it. I suppose I should be happy they didn’t/couldn’t take the whole car.

My car is an Astra, it’s a nice car, (mind you I say this as my previous car was a purple girly charade, which is a car with character), and it’s not even a year old yet, so I can see how a prospective theif (who from here on in will be refered to as fuckwit), would think woo hoo! Goodies mate!! Now I can get me some winnie bloose. winnie bloose = Winfield Blue (cigarette brand of choice of the discerning fuckwit yobbo from the west. Mullet optional). Well, they were very fucking wrong now weren’t they. One would think that my gargolye, black furry stuff and second hand book would’ve given them a clue as to the highly unlikely possibility of my car containing anything worth smashing windows for. Yes, yes I know, the CD player you dickhead, or the car, but fuck man! Even a fuckwit has to have standards and an effort to loot ratio to follow. How else are they going to be able to get as many cartons of winnie bloose as possible?

Two other people had their cars broken into this evening from the same station. Police have said something along the lines of surveillence cameras that are monitored, but I don’t think the fuckwit or wits in question will be caught or charged.

After having two badges and both number plates taken over the past few months, I have decided to end my affiliation with Holsworthy station. I highly recommend that others do the same.

Design

Look ma, no managers!

By
1 August 2003
3 min read
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In Design
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I’ve been doing alot of repetitive copying and pasting coding type shit today, and my wrists are pleading with me to stretch them out of their claw-like form. So I’m going write this new blog entry.

Our project managers at work have been away for the past two days and it’s been absolute bliss without them! Or about as blissful as work can get I think. It means that I can work uninterrupted and email the client directly with any questions, image requests, etc I need, instead of having to explain it to a project manager, making sure they understand it before they email another project manager who probably has to communicate this to someone else… and you get the idea.

Actually the above is only part of the reason. The particular project manager I’ve been attempting to work with on a large-ish rollercoaster ride of a project, (see the right blue that isn’t orange), is well… fucking annoying to work with. She’s moody and doesn’t communicate important info such as deadlines, and new parts/phases being added to me, the designer and html coder.

‘Nough said about her I think. I’m sure there people out there who have had to, or do deal with these types of managers. The only thing these people can manage is pissing off colleagues, causing stress and other unproductive behaviour.

Any how two days working in a quiet and relaxed environment has influenced the type of music I decided to iPod into of late. On high rotation over these past two days have been Bjork‘s gorgeously ecclectic blend of strings and ambient electronicy like sounds, Dirty Three‘s beautifully melancholic instrumental string sagas (also good for yoga), Something for Kate’s Beautiful Sharks album, and the delightfully poppy type 80s rock of The Cure (Standing on a Beach — the singles).

Enjoy the weekend, because Monday the project managers are back.

Appley sounds and iPods

By
29 July 2003
3 min read
2 Comments
In Entertainment, Technology
714 views

Apple has just added Soundtrack to their arsenal of digital/creative apps. Soundtrack allows users to produce high quality audio for video, DVD and web projects for a reasonably priced AU$499.

Initially it came as a (pleasant) surprise to me that Apple released an audio/music app – but I guess it was purely logical after releasing iMovie, DVD Studio Pro, Final Cut Pro etc, all apps where users will want to incorporate a soundtrack of some description. It makes perfect sense to create an app that’ll a) help compose audio to compliment your latest creation, and b) keep ’em using (damn fine) Apple products.

I’m very interested to see how readily this app is used/accepted and put through it’s paces. Go hard Apple!

On a slighlty unrelated note, you need an iPod. Your friends need an iPod, your family, lover, dog, cat and single cell amoebas need an iPod. I recently acquired a 30giger and totally adore it! This is some of the best product design you’ll ever see, and one of the most desirable objects you’ll ever posess/caress, from it’s slick shiny chrome to it’s sleek white polymer (or whatever the white parts are).

The iPod has replaced my clunky CD walkman and cds accompanying me on my daily train commuting adventures. It also means I don’t need to play CDs through my computer at work any more, and chance more blue screen of death situations than I have to. (Bloody Windows). I can also carry a hell of alot more music around with me.

The backlit screen is very clear and crisp, coupled with the very intuitive scroll wheel, gives me easy access to my growing collections of mp3s, calendars and notes. Having an extra external 30GB firewire hard drive is also very fucking handy!

Now go forth and iPod-ify!

The right blue that isn’t orange…

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15 July 2003
4 min read
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In Design
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Sigh! I’m currently working on a site redesign for company that shall remain nameless. A hand-full of people who are representing said company from the UK are over in our offices working with me / us on the redesign. We’d previously set up an area where the client could view mockups on the web, but the distance and time difference was proving to be a hassle. They find it far more convienient to sit with me / over my shoulder, watching me change colours in photoshop while they um and ah over differing shades of blue, aqua and orange. I pushed for purple but apparently purple has expensive connotations — or so I’m told.

I don’t think I need to explain how annoying and constrictive I find working in this way — I’ve done it before but only for say about ten minutes and with one other person, and once I’ve had to code html with the client and their programmers watching me. However these experiences failed to prepare me for about 4-5 hours straight of this without my morning coffee and in the presence of three other people, with another manager dropping in and out from time to time. The only coping strategy I could muster up was going into auto pilot mode, not caring about the stupid colour ideas being thrown around, you know like ones I know won’t work at all without going through the pain of mocking it up, or ones I had already come up with but were never shown to the client beacuse the project manager on my end decided that’s not what client-x wants.

This project seems to be developing into a series of battles, I know that as this coporate design there are going to be comprimises — but this one seems to be a series of battles. So far I’ve won the icon battle with very little comprimise. All I had to do was knock back some shading and draw a bed. Done all happy now. But everything else seems up for grabs, (see colour scheme saga in previous paragraphs).

Of course all of the subsequent changes being made this week are subject to opinions of other stake holders back in the UK. Fucking brilliant isn’t it.

The colour battle continues tomorrow, and if I’m not as jaded as I am now about my job / chosen profession of the moment, I’ll right a funny entry for you all as a treat.

Justin Timberlake and iPod shortage rage

By
8 July 2003
1 min read
3 Comments
In Technology, Weird
836 views

Some idiot at work has stuck a poster of Justin Timberlake half naked up on one of our toilet cubicle doors at work. This has now resulted in me never going in the third toilet cubicle and I’m sure many others feel the same. What’s really scary is that I’m one of the youngest females here and I find this guy repulsive, so that means that the older more mature women in content and customer service think he’s hot, mate. UUgghhh!

On another note I cannot locate an iPod. I’ve been told by various Apple stores that stores all over Australia are still waiting to fill back orders. GGRRRRR I want my iPod NOW damn it!

Hopefully my frustration will be replaced with one of these gorgeous objects of appley-loveliness within 2 – 3 weeks.

Mac fanatics, set your mouths to drool

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24 June 2003
1 min read
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In Technology
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The WWDC has delivered! Apple has officially released the new PowerMac G5’s. The G5’s are the result of Apple and IBM working together on the processors with the top model running dual 2Ghz processors. And because it’s designed by Apple, this baby has the looks to match! The G5’s sport a gorgeous sleek brushed metal finish while still keeping the handles and removable side door for easy access to the guts.

Apple also released iSight a web cam for their iChat AV application, and the gold master of Safari 1.0 is now available.

Panther was also previewed at the conference, with updates to Mail, the finder and Preview. Panther will also incorporate other features such as Exposé for managing your open windows and Font Book for managing your fonts. Panther is expected to ship later this year for US$130.

Mac fanatics suffering from premature e-maculation

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20 June 2003
5 min read
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The countdown is on for Apple’s WWDC 2003 (Worldwide Developer’s Conference) on 23-27 June, and the mac faithful are absolutely wetting themselves. Mac rumour sites are rampant with posts and photos on what new hardware and software delights awaits us. One thing we know for sure is that Panther, the code name for OSX.3 will be revealed. Yayyy! But at what price though? Some weren’t terribly impressed with having to fork out for OSX and then an additional 240-ish bucks for OSX.2. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see…

On to the rumours!

Safari 1.0 to be released. I don’t think this is that far fetched, or at least I’m sure it’s just around the corner. Apple certainly have more motivation now that Microsoft are no longer developing Explorer for Mac, and what better way to stick it to Microsoft than to whack it on new machines as the default browser with Panther? Ooohhh! I just realised the relation between the names Safari and Panther! Coincidence? More than likely.

PowerMac G5s. This has been popping up for quite some years. Someone has even posted a link to an allegdged apple store graphic for the new specs on Apple’s servers. I mean how easy is it for somone to mock up one of these as a joke though? And some kid did a rendition of the possibly existing G5 in his art class after taken nuggets of information overheard from his father’s phone conversations about the Power Mac G5.

PowerPC 970. There have been reports that mystery boxes have been arriving at Apple retail stores with security seals and marked don’t open until June 23 or something to that effect. Other posts are saying that the PowerPC 970s won’t be available on 23 June but will be previewed at WWDC 2003. I don’t know what to think of this. I guess we shall see.

Here is a general round up post for you to ponder. The PowerPC 970 notebooks rumour is intriguing, and ever since the release of the iPod, everyone’s been hanging out for either an Apple camera or phone. This post has some speculation on a communication device, but surely it’s only a matter of time before Apple try their hand at this. These sorts of devices would also fit into the whole iLife / digital hub strategy, so it makes sense.

All will be revealed next week, and for those sceptics who think it’ll be a dud, think again (different). The eMacs have already received a hardware upgrade, this is a sign of big things to come. Remember what happened at the last keynote? Apple released iCal and Safari public release 1 and something else, BEFORE the keynote/macworld and went for the jugular at the keynote / macworld releasing the new range of Powerbooks, iLife, iSync and airport extreme. I think there was more but I can’t remember. But you get the idea. Apple is up to big things mark my hazy words.

IE for mac no more. Go Safari!

By
16 June 2003
2 min read
1 Comment
In Technology
560 views

It’s official, microsoft will not be making any more versions of internet explorer for mac. But as an OSX user myself I couldn’t care less. Good riddance I say! Safari has taken IEs place as my default browser ever since it’s first public beta release, and I’ve never looked back! It’s faster, lighter, manages my bookmarks beautifully and of course offers tabbed browsing, all in a sleek brushed metal interface like iTunes and Quicktime. Mind you the overall interface design for IE was nice. It was all aquafied and you could change the colour of the icons to match your mac, (unless of course your mac’s beige).

The only reason for me to keep IE on my machine now is for testing!

This move by microsoft will however not be terribly welcome by OS9.2 and below users though I’m sure. For those on OS9.2 and below, I suggest checking out the fine free browsers on offer from mozilla as a way of quietly sticking it to Microsoft.

More thoughts on the subject can be read at Zeldman.com and What do I know.org.

Pain Tart Update!

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2 June 2003
42 second read
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Simone Pain will not be appearing tonight as mentioned in previous entry today.
Ms Pain will be doing her thing on 16 June at the Empire Hotel, 8:00pm.

So don’t turn up tonight if you want to see her. Because she won’t be there. But there will be other australian female artists to see.

Empire Hotel, Cnr Parramatta Rd and Johnston Street, Annandale.

Pain Tart

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2 June 2003
48 second read
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In Entertainment
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For those looking for some kick arse live entertainment tonight I recommend you get yourself to the Empire Hotel for it’s Pop Tarts show, showcasing australian female artists/musicians. More specifically 8-ish to 8:30-ish to see Simone Pain whose musical style is so very not pop — and she herself is not a tart.

So go see Simone Pain, 2 June 8:00pm ’til 8:30 at the Empire Hotel, corner Parramatta Road and Johnston Street, Annandale.

Clients vs Communication

By
30 May 2003
1 min read
3 Comments
In Design
699 views

Why can’t client’s say what they mean or want done? I spent the majority of wednesday coming up with a temporary design solution for a client, only to be emailed a crude jpeged mock up the next day of what they really meant by see what you can come up with for this. Where the fuck was this in the first place? Needless to say the project manager and myself were pretty pissed off as we spent so much time on this, and like I said, this is going to change in the coming months as their whole site is going to be redesigned.

What have we learnt from this: clients always have an idea of how they want something done. Do not take the see what you can come up with for this statement too literally, it really means see if you can guess what I’m thinking for this!.

Grrrr!!!

By
28 May 2003
2 min read
3 Comments
In World
773 views

This morning when getting into may car before heading off to the train station I noticed that both my number plates had been stolen. This obviously happened yesterday when I left my car at the station and I hadn’t noticed they had been gone when I got into my car last night. ( I mean who the fuck checks to see if their number plates are still there! I guess I’ll have to start doing this.)

What pisses me off even more is that they ripped the number plate holders off too. Before this I also had two badges swiped from my car ( while parked at said station). GRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

Don’t get me wrong I don’t love my car, I know that the occasional dent and scratch is inevitable, but I can’t stand intentional vandalism. I guess this is what I get for driving a reasonably new holden astra. This stuff never to my previous car, a purple charade (girly hatchback), which I loved and still do.

Well I think I’ll go rob a bank with my car now. I figure well hey no one can get my plate number, and if a witness sees the heist they’ll be describing the car as a dark blue Astra. Gee there aren’t a bazillion of those around the Holsworthy / Liverpool area.

For your info, train station which has indirectly caused me frustration: Holsworthy.

Grrrr!!!

I Want my PNG!

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23 May 2003
52 second read
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In Design, Technology
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Yes the days of the GIF are numbered, or at least they should be. The PNG (Portable Network Graphic), is a far superior format over gif for reasons such as: it produces smaller file sizes while retaining higher quality and alpha channel transparency support. For more info on PNG files visit the W3C. Then head on over here and sign the Proper PNG Support in Internet Explorer for Windows petition.

Go forth! Your web graphics needs you!

Success for $2.80

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21 May 2003
52 second read
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In Food
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I was perusing the goodies case while waiting for my daily morning coffee at my favourite café, and saw some cakey thing called success that they were selling for $2.80.

Oh the many puns I could write about this. I didn’t try it though, but it does look like a very sweet success.

Does anybody know of other cakey like treats called things like success? I might see if the dodgy café nextdoor sells a bitter failure treat.

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