I have decided that if neither adult in this household is employed when my current hosting runs out then this blog will be transferred to a local installation with all my other ‘web stuff’.

While it may come across as a little smug, I’ve written this for the next time I feel crappy because of the ME/CFS or when certain family members try to pull me down and denigrate my achievements; I can look back at this post and feel proud that not only did I finish my foundation degree [...]

Well, there’s continuing development on the wordpress site I created for my final year project, a site I’m setting up for another friend and of course this place needs a little TLC now I finally have the time.

Well, I have one more task before my degree is officially over and I can sit back and await the graduation ceremony notification email. Once my project demonstration is completed at 11:30 on the 16th June I’ll be an unemployed graduate, but I couldn’t have done any of it without the help of a few [...]

Stress is the bane of everyone’s existence – more so for those of us whose bodies will shut down at the slightest intimation of that nasty wee beastie rearing its ugly little head. I usually know when stress is kicking in even before it starts making its presence felt by stirring up the ME/CFS or [...]

..Revision that is. Since I feel I did so well on the WAD exam (web application development for those of you wondering) following my flashcard creation and use I’m doing the same for PAWS (principles and applications of web services).

I’ll start by pointing out that I’m not your average student; I’m a woman in a field statistically more favourable to men and it’s been said by more than a few of my tutors that I have drive and focus beyond the norm.

It’s a real pain in the arse when we have a problem with the flat, we have to go through the letting agents who then email/ leave a message for the property owner who will get back to them with an instruction that seems to be along the lines of ‘to fix whatever so long [...]

Did you know that wordpress utilises xml-rpc for posts like these that are sent via a weblog client? Neither did I until I read the codex.

That’s right, project deadline is close and exams are looming which is partially why this poor blog has seen little love from me of late despite the ton of things I have to share with you lucky, lucky people..

I’ve already tweeted about the party to end all parties aka biggest tweet-up in history – that’s right, with a £17.8 million jackpot I would SO be meeting all of my net buddies, and I figure if I pay for you all to drag partner and offspring along for the fun then it’ll help show [...]

As a student, attending one of these events may seem a little daft, but with the promise of sessions discussing topics such as content strategy,  SEO, website design and usability, and the use of analytics and social media metrics how could I afford to miss it?

Everyone’s done a few of those ‘Things to do before I die lists’ so this is my ‘things to do before the death of 2011′ list. I aim to have at least attempted everything on this list by December 31st 2011

While completing a music meme on facebook courtesy of Master Chris Hambly, I was caught in a meander down memory lane and I realised that I’ve had many opportunities to live a pretty amazing life.

While reminiscing about my 14yr old self and the paper round I endured, it suddenly occurred to me that my 2 year old daughter will likely never experience such a thing – not just because of the safety issues involved these days (seriously.. Just WHY is it so much more dangerous NOW for a 14 [...]

Trying to make myself look a good employment prospect is stressful; I’m resigned to never managing full time (unless someone out there manages to come up with a cure for ME/CFS – which would be nice..) but I WILL do my damnedest to find a part time job that pays better than the benefit system; hence the [...]

I have a slightly guilty pleasure; don’t tell the bride and a constantly changing selection of mills and boon. This combined with the not so guilty but just as pleasurable collection of rom-com chick flicks on my shelves would make an alien observer use the word ‘obsessed’ to describe my relationship with love and relationships [...]

Am I crying because its expected? or do I really feel this grief? How can they think they know how im feeling? when they dont know whats underneath.

Stef was nagging me about my salt and butter intake due to the fact being a CFS sufferer apparently has me in the ‘high risk’ category for heart problems, he then made a joke about how nobody would notice if I carked it so long as he continued to tweet and facebook in my place [...]

Having a blog or a twitter account or even an openly searchable facebook account leaves you at a social disadvantage offline.

Principles and applications of web Services (technology): A3 Digital Entertainment Systems: A1 Web Application development (design): A3 Professional Issues in computing: A3

I know that folks check out sites in an ‘F’ fashion, I know about SEO basics and understand some advertising strategy, I know my site is a little less than accessible (one of the main reasons it’s due an overhaul) but this is my PERSONAL site and most folks use the RSS feed to access [...]

This is for my last exam which is tomorrow – the blogging my revision trick seemed to work quite well for PAWS so lets see how I get on with PIC. A lot of this is cut and paste so most links will be to where ever the information has been taken – if anyone [...]

I’ve neglected to blog for a while and figure that since repetition is the best way to learn I should kill two birds with one stone and share a little of what I’ve been going through today.. So read on if you’re trying to sleep – it’ll help cure insomnia – trust me.

I didn’t choose to do an IT degree with a view to becoming any kind of hotshot programmer/ web designer, despite my love of html and most things web;  my first choice would have been any number of the jewellery/ crafting courses on offer even though most are not of a degree standard.

“She greets us as we enter the world; she is with us when we leave it. She is never more than a second away from us, as close as our own heartbeat; but when she does not stand directly before us, we cannot recall her face. When she calls, loud and clear, we drop whatever [...]

As the NEC is such a large place you can probably guess that this post will not be especially short so I apologies in advance for that.

..but only for three months a year – every year. I know, enforcing such a ban would be impossible – but if it were a possibility..

It’s bad enough having all this crap wrong with us, being knackered and in pain all the sodding time while still managing to look the picture of health, people don’t think there’s anything wrong with you and that you’re making a mountain out of a molehill.

In best meercat voice: SIMPLES! All you need to do is become a student and sign up to social networking site Studyvox.co.uk.

A conversation with @elmundio87 got me thinking earlier;

I should be writing a follow up about my experience at #mcl3, or completing any one of the numerous draft posts I have lined up in the blog back room..

I’m obviously at a loose end what with uni being so slow and my course load so light [/sarcasm] so I’ve agreed to take a session at the forthcoming MediaCamp London 3 (twitter tag #mcl3)

Perhaps this post should really have been entitled GTD vs the Real Time Web.. Most folks are aware of the GTD method created by David Allen and coming up fast behind in the awareness stakes is the Pomodoro technique created by Francesco Cirillo.

When I first started this blog I had no life; I was working every hour god sent and a few more to boot until I really had no life because the ME/CFS took it away. I had a great deal to say and a great deal of time in which to say it – even [...]

My run ins with the Manchester city council Revenues and Benefits Unit have sadly been many and incompetance is the most I have learned to expect from them over the years.

I’ve been culling posts left right and centre from this blog so that I can ‘streamline’ the content when I merge my other blogs to it during the (hopefully soon) site redesign and update I’ve been working on. Doing so I’ve discovered many things; not least the changes in my writing style and the tone [...]

My immediate family have always been amazed at my ability to live quite happily on very little income – in fact the most miserable I ever was was when I tried to keep 2 jobs going to garner more disposable income. I know this as recently I’ve been culling old posts from this blog and [...]

I’ve managed to complete my foundation degree with flying colours and yes I’m damned proud of myself.

I’ve spent today at the 4th international blended learning conference at the University of Hertfordshire.

Physically I am very lucky; despite my grumbles my natural body shape falls within the bounds of curvy as opposed to noticeably overweight – even post-pregnancy. I eat healthily and try to avoid stress as much as possible because stress exacerbates my condition. All of which lends itself to the physical appearance of a healthy [...]

This is a post about future developments in HCI from one of my studynet blogs. As my HCI exam approaches I figured – why not use it here as well? There are many of you twitterers and facebooky types interested in this too, no need just to share thoughts of this nature with the studious [...]

I try to be a good person, truly I do but maybe I’m going against human nature and that’s why I have to work so hard at it.

I really can’t wait for this next month or so to be over – on the one hand YEY I’ll have completed a foundation degree in IT for Multimedia and I’ll be hopping stright onto the third year of a Bsc (hons) IT (entertainment systems) degree in September because my grades are high enough that [...]

I promised my twitter followers a beading post a while back, and since getting the flip I’ve been promising a video blog so.. Ta-dah! 2 birds, one badly filmed stone *grin*

I was asked today to come back to the college in June (after exams etc) to give a presentation on twitter and other social media applications, this has made me go back to thinking about what is so great about twitter – why do I and others enthuse about it so much?

I’ve just recently added another plugin to this blog because I want to start adding video content (without uploading to youtube first) I know I’m a tad late coming to the v-log sphere but better late than never eh?!

I have the opportunity to progress onto the third year of a Bachelor of science honours degree next year. However, I’m not sure if I will get the funding to do so because of my wasted year on the BA(hons) popular music and recording degree at Salford university in 2001.

Back in 2005 I was getting to grips with ME/CFS and how it had changed my life, things were pretty bleak:

I’m currently in the process of sorting out a website for my ‘final’ year project, I’m using wordpress to create a site for a peripatetic music teacher based in Surrey (who just also happens to be my best friend..)

Whilst browsing a couple of jewellers forums I came across a link to a course in silver metalwork at college lane in the evenings (My uni campus which is luckily walking distance from the home) as well as a kiln fused glass course, for the fantastic sum of £175 each.. If only I had more [...]

It’s been soooo long since I’ve done something this bloggy (as in community of bloggers type bloggy) I saw this on the LittleBead blog (which I found following through from her twitter page) who got it from Swirly and despite not knowing the lass (though I’m now following on twitter, gotta love the fellow beaders [...]

I know, it’s taken me quite a while but to be fair I’ve been snowed under with work between now and then..

This is the song that has been running around in my head for DAYS! Kill me, just kill me now. No this is not going to be one of those bah humbug type posts – i’m not allowed to bah humbug anymore – I have a child, I’ve now got to embrace the joys of [...]

On top of my coursework I’ve joined the University Cable 3.0 project team, we’re trying to organise collaborative online learning between members of the 4 consortium colleges studying on the Foundation Degree Business and Computing Programme.

I’m now back at college full time and really playing catchup as far as my assignments go. As well as a research project to write, I have java program to create and 2 websites to build; one for my work based learning project (which is why a few twitters have been about gantt charts and [...]

I’ve been dipping in and out of the blog and social media ‘scenes’ for a while, I *know* all about how I should be optimising my website for search engines and keeping my posts organised, concise and FOCUSED – but I am not a brand, I am not a company, I am a jewellery making, [...]

A couple of weeks ago my technology hating brother called me to talk him through opening a work document his girlfriend had emailed to herself.

My T-mobile contract is up for renewal, I currently have an MDA Vario (aka HTC wizard) and It’s done me proud for the last 3 years or so – but a shiny new toy has caught my eye and I feel it’s time for a change..

In July I went along to an event organised by some folks I’ve come to know through using various online social media. As a direct result of that I have been offered work (paid) and participation in several interesting sounding projects (paid and unpaid) which, sadly, I’ve been unable to take up because of this [...]

The person who first described breastfeeding as a marvelous bonding experience has a strange mind to my way of thinking. Through the experience I’ve had over the last 5 weeks I’d say it’s more akin to shock treatment!

Well, we’re now home for the second night with our beautiful little girl. She’s like a cross between ET and the baby octopus thing from Men in Black that spews all over Will Smith.

RAH!!!!! Yup, talk talk finally came through yesterday evening so I’m back where I belong: in front of a computer screen.

It’s been pretty hectic since the social media conference, I’ve had furniture delivered, a plumber round to fix ‘stuff’ attended an antenatal class with Stef and been to a wedding; after which I had the biggest scare of my life..

I’m not able to speak for everyone else who attended but as far as my first social media event goes, what an absolute corker! The discussions were stimulating and the topics interesting, I’m just sorry that I couldn’t get into all of the sessions but the building was just too hot for me to risk [...]

I’m really looking forward to mediacamp london, I’ve already spread the word facebook style but as it gets closer I’m getting all a-jiggle about it. This will be my first social media event and I’m just really looking forward to soaking up the atmosphere, conversations and hopefully learning something in the process. I was going [...]

..Can’t stop smiling! Today has been a GOOD day! I finally won a nursing chair and stool set on eBay – I’ve been after one of these beauties for weeks but they keep going beyond my limit, today I not only won the auction I got it for half the price all those others had [...]

Stef and I have spent the last week or so trawling autotrader and the like for a decent family car to replace the fiat coupe monstrosity he currently cherishes, as part of this mammoth undertaking we also visited a car auction on Saturday. Armed with the parkers price guide we wandered the lot and argued [...]

Yesterday I paid up the admin charge/holding fee for a flat in Hatfield. In a weeks time the credit check and vetting process should be complete and I’ll be picking up the keys and signing a contract – assuming no problems of course..

In this age of instant information we’re all aware of how the media struggles to keep up and ‘beat the competition’ unfortunately this can become an irresponsible obsession.

Gloria Swanson is reputed to have said My mother and I could always look out the same window without ever seeing the same thing

The fellah and I have been invited to a gaming weekend in reading this week – featured will be the eagerly awaited Rock Band *happy dances*

It’s a.. Team yellow still

..I wish *sigh* Half the interesting ‘new media’ apps are USA based and every website I’ve looked at for things I’ve considered purchasing of late are ‘ship to US only’ sites *sniff* ah well, I’ve taken to collecting pretty pictures instead with which to console myself. Let’s face it, I’m unlikely to have the cash [...]

I’m a typical girl in only one respect; I like pretty sparkly things of the jewelled persuasion but no matter how much perusing of the net and local jewellers I may have done I’ve never really found a gem that makes me go ‘OMG I MUST HAVE THAT!’ at least not until today.

I was just ‘chatting’ to a few of the lasses on the birth forum I joined about dreams and how vivid and scary they are at the moment. I tried to explain that my dreams have always been like that and turned to this blog for an example – which is when I became sidetracked.

It was an interesting evening,  not the most auspicious of starts seeing as I was lying there thinking “ugh what a waste of time, I shouldn’t have bothered” but then I’ve never been able to ‘get’ relaxation exercises where you have to close your eyes and imagine a string pulling your head straight and the [...]

I’ve been tagged

I’m currently sat in the ‘career planning’ lesson (most pointless lesson on the currculum) and I’m supposed to be blogging on studynet about:

I’ve emailed and facebooked and sent texts but have just not found the energy to blog about it until now – can you believe even STEF beat me to the blogging?

Ok, to fill you all in on just why my posting has been pants for the last few months and why I’ve been so ill and why I’ve barely posted anything else. You see, when you have something big happening in your life it’s all you want to write about – especially on a personal [...]

We went to visit my folks during reading week, while we were there the subject of my writing talent came up again (as it usually does when they start discussing what I should be doing with my life – family eh?!)

The latest college assignments had me chuckling; first of all we have to keep a career planning blog, they’re trying to initiate some sort of micro social network within the group with these – at least that’s how it seems. They all have to be public, we are all supposed to keep up to date [...]

Seems I should check my paperwork more carefully, I’m still fully hosted right up until june YEY! *grin*

I said to Stef on new years eve that I’d not made any resolutions this year, but as I sat down to write this post I realised that I lied.

Hurrah! for internet shopping say I. Yup, aside from the beady goodness recently purchased from Hobbycraft (just a little hint there for my female relatives, that’s right it’s home made jewelery for you again this year *grin* learn to love it!) Christmas shopping online was practically finished by the end of November, that makes me [...]

Today I woke up smiling. I was warm and wrapped in loving arms and the tendrils of sleep still clung to me, carrying over the image of paradise from my dream.

I’ve been following the You & Yours spot about ME/CFS on BBC Radio 4 out of idle curiosity, I’m not expecting any great shakes from it but it’s certainly pulling a few cockroaches out of the woodwork..

For video or flash tutorials Tutorom really is the place to be. I found this while catching up on my feeds over at Cybernirvana it’s proof positive of why I keep Zia at the top of my info list *grin*

Been thinking a lot about life and religion lately – don’t ask me why, these thought percolate through my head on occasion (especially if I’ve spent a lot of time confined to bed)The conclusion I’ve come to is that I think I do believe in God. Not your God of course, because they way I [...]

I saw this posted in the comments of a blog post by Mediajoltz and it got me to thinking.

There are times when everybody just wants a hug, it doesn’t always matter where the hug comes from they just need to feel the close physical presence of another person and the comfort it brings – you don’t even need to be upset or worried about anything, there’s just something in the human make-up that [...]

It’s been a mad couple of weeks all told. There was the rush up to Manchester to make sure all the funding for my course was sorted, it would have been simple and stress free had it not been for the time stood at the side of the M6 in the pouring rain with a [...]

That’s right, yours truly is returning to college.

You and Yours:How has the internet changed your life? Broadcast on BBC Radio 4 – Tue 04 Sep – 12:00

I’m thinking there must be something in the air, bloggers are giving away a tonne of stuff for free! Well, not exactly for ‘free’ but there’s many a ‘blog about this and you could win..‘ type post knocking about at present. The first one I noticed was for a game – a very pretty game [...]

I had an almost argument with my Gran the other day, it’s one we’ve had before because it’s a subject on which we both have strong and opposing views.

A while back Sean Fisher asked to interview me as part of his journalism coursework, he wanted to ask me things about ME/CFS and how it affected my life. Sean was actually living with me when I first came down with the illness so he knew me before, during and after and has seen first [...]

(and yes I did try moving the ‘dot’ before you point that out HK *grin*) On 8/30/07, Matt Cotter < Matt@dimacc.om> wrote:

We got back to Manchester sometime around 3am Wednesday morning, I have to say, I missed my pc.. Not because it’s a great pc – far from it, but because it has all my files and bookmarks in situ, which is why today I sat and weeded out all the useless stuff and dead links [...]