Human-heartedness
Posted by jamesk | Filed under Stuff
I’m listening again to a podcast recording of Alan Watts, courtesy of iStore, on my new iPod Touch (courtesy of Pa Brandon). I first listened in on the train home last night when, even though it was humid and I was very tired, I was fascinated by his talk.
“Human-heartedness was regarded by Confucius as the highest of all virtues (above righteousness, justice and propriety), although he refused to define it! Human nature is fundamentally good, not just our virtuous side, but also our passion, our appetites and our waywardness.”
Isn’t that wonderful?
Testing wordpress for itouch
Posted by jamesk | Filed under Stuff
A friend very kindly gave me an ipod touch that he’d won, as his work was just about to give him an iPhone.
I’ve been trawling through the free apps and found an online/ offline tool for blogging to wordpress, so here’s my first attempt.
Braeriach and the Lairig Ghru
Posted by jamesk | Filed under Stuff
My oldest friend Matt and I spent three days in the Cairngorms last May Day bank holiday weekend. I was expecting everything, and got more!
I used to spend my childhood holidays up there, but haven’t been back for over twenty years. Now that I have a growing family, I’m increasingly aware of the importance of giving them somewhere in their childhood that they will love and think of through their adulthood – a refuge from London and the busy, aggressive Southeast. So, back to Scotland for me, with a mind to bringing them all up to experience it over the next few years.
Off to The Cairngorms
Posted by jamesk | Filed under Stuff
Today is a day that I’ve promised myself for many years: I’m heading back to the Cairngorms.
I spent several happy summer holidays playing around the area bounded by the Cairngorms to the south, Grantown to the east, Kingussie to the west, and as far north as Nairn. The area was thick with relatives in those days.
I don’t feel much older now, but to my surprise 24 years has past since my last proper visit. How did that happen? It was a summer visit a couple of years after my grandfather died, who had made all our previous trips possible since we stayed in his house.
Tags: cairngorms
What causes your insomnia?
Posted by jamesk | Filed under Tilly
Tilly, 3 and a bit, gave a big yawn on the loo this morning, so I asked how she slept.
“Not very well.
Last night, a tortoise came into my room without a shell, so I let her come in my bed.
Her family don’t like her because she’s growing too big.”
Tags: Tilly
All change, all stay the same …
Posted by jamesk | Filed under Stuff
So, the new company’s been up for a few weeks, and there are still problems with my chosen bank which is a massive pain, as I can’t access my accounts without going into a branch. If I ever set up a new business, my first questions will be “how long will it take to set up the bank accounts, from start to finish?” and “what compensation do I get if you take longer?”
The company I’m working for has seen lots of change in the last couple of weeks – management consultant arrives, very senior permanent staff leave, more staff leave, etc., etc.
It’s all good, hopefully, if the consultant delivers. I’d like to get involved, as I have a lot of ideas about how to improve both the production process and (more importantly for a ROI point of view) the business model.
Tags: business, change, contracting
Flexible Diamond
Posted by jamesk | Filed under Stuff
Well, I was in a hurry, and I don’t like the word “Flash”, even though it’s a great technology. Flex gave me room to play around more. Don’t ask me where diamond came from.
So I’m setting up my own company, and trying to do a full-time job at the same time. There’s a lot of admin to completed before I’m in a place just to let the business run itself and get on with work proper.
Nonetheless, it’s giving me the boost in momentum needed when working in a fairly boring contract. The company I’m currently working is very mixed, for several reasons: it’s recently been bought out, so is going through a merge and cross-over of personnel; its project pipeline is stuffed way beyond what it can handle; its account handlers don’t know that it’s possible (and frequently advisable) to say no to the clients.
The project I’m working on is delayed by creative issues and re-workings (how does Agile deal with creatives?), whilst the technical side is either sown up or can’t move any further without assets.
Aha, creatives and process. I guess the reason that there’s so much written about process from a technical POV is that no-one has a clue how to deal with the bloody creatives. Surely solving that conundrum would make me a millionaire. And the answer’s not just putting one’s foot down and demanding greater adherence to process.
Tags: business, contracting
Axure RP
Posted by jamesk | Filed under Development, Technology
Axure RP is a wireframing/prototyping tool, which automatically creates click-throughs and functional specifications from the wireframes. I’ve downloaded the trial after seeing a review of the software at Boxes and Arrows.
It’s really impressed me – I’m trying to catch a small site before it spirals out of control. People have been working from assumptions, all of which are different, and none of which have been confirmed by the client. I need a quick way to tie everything down that brings the scamps to life enough that the team can see how the site will hang together, and how we’re going to ensure it’s accessible too.
Axure allows me to set up a sitemap, to drag objects and controls onto the pages, and then assign usecases to these pages/controls. Exporting a prototype (into HTML) will create a simulation of the proposed site with notes; exporting a specification (into MS Word) will tabulate all usecases, specifications, and interfaces.
It’s a thing of beauty at US$589 (currently £299.5), but can I get my company to pay for it, because I’m not unless I need it for freelancing.
Noodles and sake
Posted by jamesk | Filed under Stuff
We woke at 7am this morning, after getting to bed 6-something hours before. Mai had been out for food after her evening class, and had come back late full of noodles and sake.
Within minutes, she was in the loo throwing up, which was repeated sporadically through the morning, alternating with events of equal import from the south pole.
I stayed home
Safari
Posted by jamesk | Filed under management
Late last night I signed up to Oreilly’s Safari bookshelf, and so far today I’ve dipped into 4 books usefully, and about another 10 flippantly. And this is a normal working day.
So, this evening’s book is: Ten Minute Guide to Performance Appraisals
and my notes are:
Tags: business, management, research
