The year closes

[slowfox]

2009 has been a bit of an up and down year, all told, but I think I'm ending it better than I started, and I'm hoping that's what's important.

I read a lot of books - my target was 36, and I got past that. Next year's target will again be 36, but I'm going to try and read more non-fiction (new Sook notwithstanding). And I'm definitely going to try to read less Stephanie Meyer in the new year. Heck, if I could unread Breaking Dawn, I most definitely would.

We moved buildings at work in October (if memory serves): overall, I prefer the new place to the old, if only because we're squirrelled away somewhat, which means fewer walk-in distractions. Colleague H and I have been assigned a full-on project for the new year, which could well take some getting into, so I'm expecting January and onwards to be pretty busy.

DVD-wise, I've obviously discovered The Wire, which is seriously, seriously good. I've yet to finish either Battlestar Galactica or Prison Break, and I have the first five seasons of Lost waiting to go through too. As for Flash Forward, though, I think I'm going to give up on that one.

I don't really remember too many notable films. Coraline was OK, but nothing compared to the book. The Star Trek reboot was certainly watchable, but not ground-breaking. Avatar, ultimately, disappointed. Was there a stand-out film this year?

I've just received a 'Happy New Year!' text from a number I don't recognise... have at least returned the good wishes, but I hate it when that happens!

Anyway, have a good New Year, all you people! Hope 2010 brings you all things good! :D

Comments

[aome]

Happy New Year! (I hope you recognise this source. :D )

Any particular reason for choosing 36 as your book goal?

[slowfox]

36 is three books a month, which sounds reasonable, yet not overly ambitious.

Also, I'm pretty sure I can hit 36, but I'm less certain about 48 (4/month), so that's about as much science as went into determining the number.

And yes, I recognise that source! In the end, I got two texts I couldn't place - one was international. Huh?

[linaelyn]

Happy New Year! The text wasn't from me. :-)

Did you see Milk? How about Bolt, or possibly Up? Each of those are getting mention in my "films of note for 2009" post, though the first of those probably means much more to me than thee - I lived in the SF area in the era when Harvey Milk was in office, so the entire film had echoes of my own youth.

Well done on your reading goals. I think I'll make some reading goals of my own, this year - something unrelated to all the reading I do for the kids' homeschooling.

[slowfox]

Nope, didn't see Milk, or Up or Bolt :-( I didn't have a very good year for films :-/

I do want to try and concentrate on reading more non-fiction, though...

[carolanne5]

More nonfiction is also one of my aims. I averaged 1 in 3 nonfiction last year and I'd like to at least keep to this ration next year.

Yes, I've unintentionally stopped watching FastForward. Life got too busy and I didn't have enough love for it to keep catching up on the internet. It had loads of promise but it didn't keep the passion alive.

My standout film would be Slumdog Millionaire, closely followed by Moon.

PS I don't suppose you could tell me how to get photos to show up in a DW journal entry? I've seen it done but I can't seem to find it anywhere in the FAQs. I have Festival 1 photos I want to post!

[slowfox]

1 in 3 nonfiction is impressive! I doubt I managed a ratio of 1:5. I didn't see Slumdog either!

I know how to get link to photos that are already mounted somewhere on the web:

<img src="{paste the URL for the image here}">

But places like flickr give you code boxes you can swipe and paste to make life easier still.

If the photos aren't yet online, and you're looking at whether or not you can post them to DW, that I haven't yet tried (yvi''ll know, though, I'm sure).

But if the photos are mounted somewhere visible on the web, give me a link to one (slowfox@gmail.com) and I'll show you the code you need to create a web reference in your journal entry to make it all work. :-)

And can I just observe that you've clearly hit the ground running for your forty @ forty?!

[carolanne5]

I'm working on the 'start as you mean to go on' principle!

Many thanks for the information, I'll try and do a test post shortly.

[carolanne5]

Ok I'm doing something wrong, I tried using this in my journal



and it didn't bring up the image :-(

[slowfox]

The link you used was for the whole page with the photo on - what you need to do is either

a) right click on the photo itself. With Firefox, you'll have a 'Copy image location' option, with Internet Explorer there's a 'Properties' option, from which you can get the image location. In your specific case, the image location is http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2763/4235357572_d13ccb5129.jpg, which we insert into the img tag like this:

<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2763/4235357572_d13ccb5129.jpg">

which shows up as this:
.

The alternative is to click on the 'All Sizes' option displayed above the photo. Beneath the photo as displayed, you should have two options offered to you to swipe with the mouse and paste into your blog - you probably want option 1 :-)

[carolanne5]

Thank you, it's much appreciated! You would make a superb tutor.

*runs off to play with festival entry*

[uninvitedcat]

Ah, I think your domestic unknown text may have been me. Sorry - I never seem to manage to update everyone with my new number at the same time....

[slowfox]

Well, I've got you in the phone book now, so at least that's one mystery solved! :-)