I haven't posted anything on here for more than a year. This isn't because I've stopped blogging, but because I've moved.
I first moved over to WordPress and transferred all my old posts and then decided I might as well as go the whole hog and set up my own website. It is on my list of things to do after all.
I've been setting up my website since early this year. I have soooo much to learn. I made it live just before I disappeared off to the Arctic for the summer.
Now I'm back and working seriously on it. Come on over and tell me what you think.
You'll find me at www.invertedsheep.com
Showing posts with label web design. Show all posts
Showing posts with label web design. Show all posts
Thursday, 22 September 2016
Wednesday, 13 July 2011
Last night at Web Design
Last night was the last night of my web design course. I don't think I've done as well on the intermediate course as I did on the beginner's, but I do have the beginnings of a web site. I really need time to concentrate and play around with it, but time is something I have very little of. I won't do any more on it over the summer, but hopefully in the autumn I can start getting back into it and get a bit further on my way to having my own website.
Sunday, 10 July 2011
Thinking about reading
It's not long now until I head up to Scotland for my summer holiday. I'll spend the first week walking the Great Glen Way and then catch the ferry from Aberdeen to Shetland and spend the next 3 weeks there. I'm so busy at the moment trying to get everything at school organised for next year, plus completing my web design course and trying to work on the post grad course, and sorting out umpteen things that keep going wrong in my house and with my car, that I've barely had time to think about the summer and plan for my holiday. Luckily, I've been to Shetland before so I don't have to do too much planning for that, but I do still have some things to think about. One of which is deciding what books to take with me.
I'll be in my car, so for most of time I can carry a good selection. When I'm walking the Great Glen Way though, I want to keep my weight down as much as possible and get rid of things as I go, so I'll probably just take a selection of magazines and as I read them I can rip out the pages and throw them away.
But what books to take ...
Usually I like to read books either by authors from the place where I am or else set in or about the place. Last year I read a lot of books with a Shetland theme, so I don't have that many left to read. So I have to decide whether to read books -
Maybe I'll just take a few from each category and then I can decide what I feel like when I'm there.
I'll be in my car, so for most of time I can carry a good selection. When I'm walking the Great Glen Way though, I want to keep my weight down as much as possible and get rid of things as I go, so I'll probably just take a selection of magazines and as I read them I can rip out the pages and throw them away.
But what books to take ...
Usually I like to read books either by authors from the place where I am or else set in or about the place. Last year I read a lot of books with a Shetland theme, so I don't have that many left to read. So I have to decide whether to read books -
- about Scotland in general
- about wildlife
- that I've started in the past and never got round to finishing
- from the BBC Big Read list
- to do with my studies
- that I think I should have read but haven't yet.
Maybe I'll just take a few from each category and then I can decide what I feel like when I'm there.
Saturday, 11 June 2011
Other blogs and websites
There are a few websites and blogs that I monitor frequently. One is Alastair Humphreys' website. He pushes the whole motivation thing a bit heavily at times, but he is quite inspirational and I've picked up a few ideas from him. When I checked out his site today he had a link to a website belonging to a Swiss couple who spent eight years cycling round the world, more than a year of which was in Japan. This section of their website seemed quite interesting as cycling in Japan is an idea that's starting to ferment at the back of my mind. Unfortunately there wasn't a lot of detail, but they do have some amazing photos.
Another website I check regularly is that of the Walking Englishman. He really inspires me to create my own website though I know I'll never be in his league. At the moment he's a few weeks in to an 80 day, 1000 mile walk through Scotland and England. Most days he's updating a blog about it. The update I read today was about the small part of the Great Glen Way he's walking, including Neptune's Steps and the route into Fort William. If I walk the GGW in the summer I'll be doing it the other way round to this, but it's still more information for me that will help me to prepare.
I do like it when the blogs and websites I look at link in to what I'm doing at the moment.
http://www.alastairhumphreys.com/
http://veraluc.com/velo_le_voyage.php?lang=eng
http://www.walkingenglishman.com/
http://www.1000milewalk.co.uk/2011/06/09/accomplishment/
Another website I check regularly is that of the Walking Englishman. He really inspires me to create my own website though I know I'll never be in his league. At the moment he's a few weeks in to an 80 day, 1000 mile walk through Scotland and England. Most days he's updating a blog about it. The update I read today was about the small part of the Great Glen Way he's walking, including Neptune's Steps and the route into Fort William. If I walk the GGW in the summer I'll be doing it the other way round to this, but it's still more information for me that will help me to prepare.
I do like it when the blogs and websites I look at link in to what I'm doing at the moment.
http://www.alastairhumphreys.com/
http://veraluc.com/velo_le_voyage.php?lang=eng
http://www.walkingenglishman.com/
http://www.1000milewalk.co.uk/2011/06/09/accomplishment/
Sunday, 22 May 2011
Update
Web Design
As I didn't do the Duke of Edinburgh camping weekend, I've spent today sorting out plants, making up hanging baskets and planting vegetables. I've also got loads of laundry and ironing done. These are all things that needed doing, but I've run out of time to do the other things I was hoping to do, like my homework for the web design course. So I'll have to do that tomorrow evening instead. The teaching part of the course has almost finished and soon we'll be starting on creating our own websites for the assessment. I'm going to work on the actual website I want to have so at least I'll be well on the way with it when the course finishes in July.
Exmoor
I rang the campsite in Exmoor this afternoon to try to book for next week. As it's half term and the bank holiday I thought it might get busy. I spoke to owner who doesn't take bookings in advance, but advised me to try to get there before lunch as it is likely to be busy. He said they shouldn't have too much trouble fitting just me and my small tent in though. I've checked out a route online and it's about a 4hr drive. To allow for a stop on the way and any delays, I think I'll leave home at 6am next Saturday. That should give me plenty of time to explore the area once I've got my tent up, and then I can start my walks first thing on the Sunday morning.
I read a bit of the April edition of Country Walking magazine whilst I was having my lunch. It's got a special feature on the national parks and yes, there was an article on Exmoor. So I've cut it out and will take it with me. I've already got the OS map which I bought a few weeks ago and lots of printed out walks from the internet.
Ballooning
I spoke to a friend at work during the week about ballooning. If I can get a good price she is willing to do it with me. So now I just have to wait for the special offer to come up again on Groupon. When it does I'll buy a couple of vouchers and then we can sort out a day to do it.
Diving
The Groupon voucher that arrived today was for a PADI diving course. Although I have no time to do anything about this at the moment I had a quick look at what the requirements are for the course. I need to be able to swim 200m. I can swim 200m, but only with lots of breaks, and I somehow don't think they'll count this. At least I have an idea now of what I need to aim for when I start swimming again.
As I didn't do the Duke of Edinburgh camping weekend, I've spent today sorting out plants, making up hanging baskets and planting vegetables. I've also got loads of laundry and ironing done. These are all things that needed doing, but I've run out of time to do the other things I was hoping to do, like my homework for the web design course. So I'll have to do that tomorrow evening instead. The teaching part of the course has almost finished and soon we'll be starting on creating our own websites for the assessment. I'm going to work on the actual website I want to have so at least I'll be well on the way with it when the course finishes in July.
Exmoor
I rang the campsite in Exmoor this afternoon to try to book for next week. As it's half term and the bank holiday I thought it might get busy. I spoke to owner who doesn't take bookings in advance, but advised me to try to get there before lunch as it is likely to be busy. He said they shouldn't have too much trouble fitting just me and my small tent in though. I've checked out a route online and it's about a 4hr drive. To allow for a stop on the way and any delays, I think I'll leave home at 6am next Saturday. That should give me plenty of time to explore the area once I've got my tent up, and then I can start my walks first thing on the Sunday morning.
I read a bit of the April edition of Country Walking magazine whilst I was having my lunch. It's got a special feature on the national parks and yes, there was an article on Exmoor. So I've cut it out and will take it with me. I've already got the OS map which I bought a few weeks ago and lots of printed out walks from the internet.
Ballooning
I spoke to a friend at work during the week about ballooning. If I can get a good price she is willing to do it with me. So now I just have to wait for the special offer to come up again on Groupon. When it does I'll buy a couple of vouchers and then we can sort out a day to do it.
Diving
The Groupon voucher that arrived today was for a PADI diving course. Although I have no time to do anything about this at the moment I had a quick look at what the requirements are for the course. I need to be able to swim 200m. I can swim 200m, but only with lots of breaks, and I somehow don't think they'll count this. At least I have an idea now of what I need to aim for when I start swimming again.
Thursday, 5 May 2011
Motorbikes
I've always liked the idea of riding a motorbike - having all that power in my hand and being open to the elements instead of hidden away in the tin box that is a car. I've been on the back of few bikes and it's been ok but nothing special. I want to be in control. In the last couple of years I've had a go at driving (riding?) a skidoo and a quadbike and enjoyed both.
I'm not really sure how much I'll like the practicality of motor biking though. When it's bad weather I want to be tucked away in the warm dry environment of my car and when it's good weather I really won't want to be wearing all that hot sweaty protective gear. I'd still like to give it a go though.
Without having a bike I don't know how good I'd be able to get. I could have a few lessons at a place where they provide the bike, but it's only by riding regularly on my own bike that I'd get to be good and really know if I like it or not. If I had my own bike there's the problem of storage. Maybe I could store it in my future hostel?
On my web design course I've become friendly with a woman who has a bike and is a member of a group of women bikers. They often go out riding in the Peak District together. So she could be a good contact for my future biking life!
I'm not really sure how much I'll like the practicality of motor biking though. When it's bad weather I want to be tucked away in the warm dry environment of my car and when it's good weather I really won't want to be wearing all that hot sweaty protective gear. I'd still like to give it a go though.
Without having a bike I don't know how good I'd be able to get. I could have a few lessons at a place where they provide the bike, but it's only by riding regularly on my own bike that I'd get to be good and really know if I like it or not. If I had my own bike there's the problem of storage. Maybe I could store it in my future hostel?
On my web design course I've become friendly with a woman who has a bike and is a member of a group of women bikers. They often go out riding in the Peak District together. So she could be a good contact for my future biking life!
Wednesday, 4 May 2011
Web Design Course
Ever since I first started learning how to use a computer in the latter half of the 1990s I've enjoyed them, found them fascinating and wanted to learn more. As I've got more and more hooked on the internet I've wanted to understand more about how it works and how it is put together. So this is one reason for my enrolling in a web design course. The other reason is so I can put together my own website for the hostel I plan to own one day.
I started a beginner's web design course last September at the local college. On this course I learnt the basics of HTML and got quite a good understanding of how websites are created. I enjoyed it and finished in February with a distinction. This motivated me to sign up for the intermediate level course which began immediately after the first course and runs until July. On this course I am learning how to use Expression and Java, amongst other things. I've found it a lot more difficult than the first course but think this is mainly due to being so tired and exhausted all the time. I have no time to practice at home and by the time I get to college I'm half asleep. Yesterday evening I was quite alert as it was the first day back at school after the Easter holidays and I've had a good rest and feel really relaxed. What a difference! I understood everything and feel that I did quite well. So there's hope for me yet!
I started a beginner's web design course last September at the local college. On this course I learnt the basics of HTML and got quite a good understanding of how websites are created. I enjoyed it and finished in February with a distinction. This motivated me to sign up for the intermediate level course which began immediately after the first course and runs until July. On this course I am learning how to use Expression and Java, amongst other things. I've found it a lot more difficult than the first course but think this is mainly due to being so tired and exhausted all the time. I have no time to practice at home and by the time I get to college I'm half asleep. Yesterday evening I was quite alert as it was the first day back at school after the Easter holidays and I've had a good rest and feel really relaxed. What a difference! I understood everything and feel that I did quite well. So there's hope for me yet!
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