Sunday Roast: it may have been a bigger potato

This week has been ever so slightly odd for me. Nothing in particular has reared it’s head it’s just been… odd. For some reason the silliest things have thrown me: case in point, getting into work on Friday to find out that Christmas Decoration Hell has taken over our section of the office. I’m not a scrooge, nor am I averse to a few decorations around the office (though their appropriateness is debatable), but I am averse to Ms. Stickybeak making a unilateral decision to decorate our area as well as hers without consulting our team. I’m not sure which annoys me more – her blithe assumption that we’re all Christian and celebrate Christmas (because we’re not), the fact that she decorated without asking (yes, I get territorial), or the fact that I had plans to make lots of 3D snowflakes this weekend and hang them on Monday. She foiled my cunning plan!

Oh, I’m still making the snowflakes and taking them in, but I’ll either have to leave her decorations up which will detract from the prettiness of mine, or take hers down and live with a horrendous atmosphere for the next millennia.

Who decided that open-plan offices were the way to go? *whimper* Anyway, that little incident completely derailed me for the entire of Friday. Other little things have also gained significance out of all proportion to what they deserve and… Just odd. Still, only two weeks till the holiday and if you don’t think I’m counting down the minutes you’re mad. I haven’t had a break since a week back in April and I’m running on the fumes right now. The only thing that’s keeping me going is the knowledge that I’ll have five days back at the Homestead where I can do nothing but sleep, maybe do some light DIY or defrost a freezer or something, and play with Gilbert the Rabbit. It’s the little things you understand.

Though the week has just made much nicer by the news that I’m going to get the first lot of payment for some work I did a few months back. PERFECT timing for Christmas!

So as I said, it’s been an odd week for me and consequently I’m viewing everything at kind of one remove with my irony level dialed to ‘high’. Bear that in mind as you enjoy this week’s Roast.

A little less conversation, a little more action? Are comments actually detracting from your site? Whilst comments and community are a big (and to me one of the most important) part of Bright Meadow, I can see Andy’s arguments that they aren’t suitable for all sites.

Christian Montoya, on the other hand, has pretty much the opposite view point (- which pretty much sums up my own feelings on comments).

Ever hit the ‘publish comment’ button then gone “DOH!!!”? I know I have. Well, for those of you who have always wanted to be able to edit their comments, I have some good news – part of a big Bright Meadow Refresh I have planned for the new year will include the addition of editable comments. Don’t say I never do anything for you πŸ˜›

Because I never can be certain who’s reading Bright Meadow and wanting to buy me a surprise gift, GeekGirl Jewelry.

William Gibson on writing.

97% of websites do not provide even minimum levels of accessibility. Ouch.

Long-time readers of Bright Meadow will be familiar with my deep respect for the work of danah boyd, so it should come as no surprise that I’m going to link to her latest paper all about online ‘friends’. Yes, it might be a little long and serious for a Sunday afternoon, but do bookmark it and return to it when you’re brain is in the right place. Well worth the read.

Mobile phones do NOT cause cancer. Well that’s one lot of bad karma the Crazy Canalman no longer has to deal with. Woot.

It’s not just me who has trouble with their office decorations: even the BBC can’t get it right it seems. Where along the way did Christmas get this bloody big?! When I was a kid it was fun, sure, but we never decorated till the week before Christmas (two weeks if my Mum was particularly persuasive that year) and if my Dad had had it totally his way it would have been Christmas Eve that the tree etc went up. So why are those of us who don’t want to go over board on the 1st of December now viewed as aberrations and crazy subversives?

It’s winter, the time for baking – chocolate chestnut fridge cake sounds just perfect and ridiculously easy to make.

9rules is starting to announce the Round 5 additions to the network and already there are a host of wonderful new sites. One that I’ve already fallen head-over-heels in love with is Creampuff Revolution

Some more eye-candy (and coincidentally another new 9ruler – welcome πŸ™‚ ) Midnight Snack

One film this week caught my eye – Breach. I don’t know what it is, but I just can’t get enough of these spy-thriller deals.

And that’s it for another week. Before you all go scooting off to your lives, I would like to remind you all that post deadlines are looming – if you want a Christmas/Seasons Greetings card then use the contact form and email me your address ASAP. And I’m off to go make lots of 3D snowflakes. Toodles πŸ™‚

7 thoughts on “Sunday Roast: it may have been a bigger potato

  1. yes, we definitely have to see Breach when it’s released here.

    As for Christmas decs, poor old BBC. I read through the comments and most people want them to leave it until 18th, I’m tempted to watch BBC Brekfast tomorrow to see if they did give in.
    Growing up, the decs went up the week before Christmas – this could be pushed out to 10 days if Christmas fell mid-week but that was the longest. And of course they always came down on 12th night. Personally I like the build up to Christmas more than anything else. Christmas Eve is the pinnacle of my Christmas, after that it’s just a bit tacky and boring, so I prefer to put the decs up early. Cas disagrees with me I know, so I’m trying to restrain myself. She has agreed to let me decorate Egor this week though. πŸ˜€

  2. In my current job we have to prepare for the different holidays well in advance. We were preparing Christmas adverts and products months ago. We are now hard at work in anticipation of Easter and Valentine’s day, and we have even made a few plans for Christmas 2007.

    (I know this doesn’t relate directly to decorations, but I thought it seemed vaguely relavent anyway. It’s odd thinking sping like thoughts whilst sitting in front of a tinsel draped computer)

    While I’m here, have you been watching QI?

  3. However articulate and considered Andy’s argument against blog comments is I kind of believe the old phrase “Can’t see the wood for the trees” springs to mind.

    This rather elitist tirade below also seems to mistake or confuse inclusivity for egalitarianism:

    “Anyone in the blogsphere, regardless of intelligence, experience, education, understanding or skill, may comment on anything in the world and Ò€œteachÒ€ or deride anything they care to. Online, anyone may put forth ant sort of drivel or shoot down any sort of real shared wisdom with complete anonymity and without consequence to themselves. And that is an unhealthy thing.”

    Perhaps, but its like that and thats the way it is. It also applies to him as much as the rest us. I’d trust most sensible and articulate people to know whats good or not in their mind with regards to their blogs, net activities and comments. Assuming most people/bloggers are derided idiots or the notion of inclusivity is bad is rather naive. Though if he wants his comments off all the power to him.

  4. OK, so who I read the editable comments paragraph…. and I read it as EDIBLE comments…. whoch gave me an entertaing few moments.

    think the dissertation is getting to me…

    Neko Out.

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