Procrastination

Thinking of charging a flat-rate of £200 per website, unless it’s ungoing work.

Thoughts?

I haven’t updated for a while, so I thought I had better. Life is starting to achieve a balance, not least because I’ve swapped full-time Isotx work for part-time self-employment that pays more. I remain shocked by the tendency of people to want to pay me for designing and maintaining websites, but I’m certainly not complaining! I also feel good, as I managed to save someone from spending £45 to renew their domain.

I’ve been watching the Star Wars movies during the evening (see, it’s so nice to be able to stop working by 7pm!) since Phillip is a Star Wars fan, and he wants to go and see Clone Wars in the cinema. It struck me how simple they are, story wise.

The super-glossy redone versions of the original trilogy are really strange though. Added scenes, edited bits… and then comparing the aliens from those (who remind me of muppets) to the aliens of the prequel trilogy (slick CGI) is just funny. Yoda looks like a sock puppet, and then he looks like a bad-ass.

I was going to be a Published Author, but then the deal fell through. I’m a little sad about it, but I think the main thing is that professional publishers felt I was a good enough writer to cover the project. That they decided to axe the project has nothing to do with more, and more to do with the crazy world of publishing…

However, I have a bunch of website clients… so back to work!

So! I was going to do 7 hours of work, and go to the pubs in town to find job applications. But first P. was sick, and then I was sick - P. with heart problems, and then me with puking my guts up. YAY.

An asprin solved his problems, and a cup of peppermint tea solved mine, but even so. Ended up only doing 4 hours of work, PLUS I stood on my glasses

Luckily I didn’t break them, and we got them back into shape…

I think I’m going to bed.

Life is both crazy and good. Crazy because money is strange, good because I may have two more web clients and might be able to help contribute to a real (!) book. Blogs have never paid off for me in terms of advertising revenue, but they do seem to open opportunities.

Good also because P. now has a work permit, and we have more free time. Crazy because he now has to get a job, and we have to figure out how to deal with our lack of a television aerial (no telephone line, no TV aerial… this house was just a box with doors) and our slowly deteriorating bathroom.

Good because I went to Cambridge and saw two of my closest friends… crazy because the price of the bus has skyrocketed, and is now more than I can reasonably afford for a day out.

I changed my name on my bank account, finally. Now I have to get my passport amended (£60!) and a joint account opened. My bank accounts seem to be multiplying.

Trip to Birmingham yesterday to do the final (for now) visa application. Successful. P. now has residency for 2 years, and can legally work. This is a huge relief, since two people’s income and shared rent means things will be a lot easier.

It is rather sad, though, that you can pay for an expediated service. The people unable to afford that extra £200 on top of the £500 fee are the ones who need their spouse to be able to work. Money has always greased the wheels, and just because I was the beneficary does not mean that is okay.

However - overall, very happy. Two years without having to worry about visa fees, forms or frustrations makes me gleeful.

Yesterday we made white chocolate chip cookies. They are delicious, and almost all gone now. Cookies plus tea = win.

Right now, we are making lamb stew in the crock-pot. It’s making the whole house smell good.

This morning I made fresh juice and smoothies.

We bought a PS3 (Yeah, shut up. It was from ebay, so it wasn’t THAT expensive [no it was] and it’s P’s birthday present. No TV to play it on yet though)

Money-wise, things look good. Despite the uncontrolled spending. Met with first proper client yesterday, and got my deposit. Going to be successful after all! Why work for £6 an hour when you can work for £25?

Listening to the FF7 remix, and designing the first pass of the site. Feeling good. Who knew life would work out so well?

Been busy - lots of long weeks. More posting to come sometime soon. No, really.

Rob, at Loose Logic, posted this. So I did the same.

1. What were you doing 10 years ago?

Ten years ago, I was 13 years old. The chances were high that I was doing something incredibly geeky, such as playing Dungeons & Dragons. In fact, I was almost certainly playing D&D.

2. 5 things on your to-do list for tomorrow

1. Get a smear (round two)
2. Make juice!
3. Write some blog posts for work and Girls Don’t Game respectively.
4. Have a bath.
5. Write some thank you letters

3. What would you do if you were a billionaire?

Never work again. Spend all day reading, playing games, traveling, feeding the ducks, writing my masterpiece, eating awesome food, baking cookies, going for walks, visiting friends, and attending the theatre. It would be INCREDIBLE.

4. What are three of your bad habits?

1. I sleep ALL the time.
2. I ignore people when using electronics, such as computers, telephones, and nintendo ds’s.
3. I am a complete food snob.

5. What are some snacks you enjoy?

• Lindt chocolate
• Creme brulee
• Nectarines
• Plums
• Cookies
• Carrot and celery sticks with ranch dip.

6. What were the last five books you read?

1. Single & Single by le Carre
2. The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
3. Weekend Detox by some randomer
4. The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
5. Empowered by Adam Warren

7. What are five jobs you have had?

1. Web Designer
2. Waitress
3. Guitar Teacher
4. Maker of Dohickeys (Manual Laborer)
5. Customer Service Manager (Call centre)

8. What are five places where you have lived?

1. Towcester, England
2. Carmarthen, Wales
3. Rio Grande, Ohio, USA
4. Caerphilly, Wales
5. Cincinnati, Kentucky, USA

This is what I ate for lunch today.

As for the rest of my lie? Exciting adventures all around! I managed to buy a juicer, destroy a juicer, and get a replacement juicer all in one week - and today I drank the juice of two grapefruits and one and a half lemons. Yes, it was horrible. It was kind of an experiment to see just how sour juice could be. And now I know. It can be very sour.

I was sitting here working, and he brought me a BLT and some crisps. Love him!