Enough about me, let's talk about me
Last week somebody posted a comment that included this line:
I don't check this site very much these days (mainly because it's turned from a technical help site to more of a personal blog).
In response I defended myself by disagreeing wholeheartedly and a few of you backed this up by saying the mix of technical/personal was just right. I like to think this is the case. In fact I've all but given up posting about my personal life and thoughts. That's the thing with blogging. When you start, and realise there's an audience for your views, it's all too tempting to talk about anything that's on your mind. After a while this gives way to getting down to the real business of giving your readers what they want.
That said, here's a little personal update:
My life is still full of the joys of moving house. With less than two months to go things are starting to get interesting. We've already had one couple who had put an offer in on this house pull out. There's so much going on that I've decided to attempt the ridiculous and create my fourth blog - passing on anything I think would be useful to others in the same boat.
I still try and get out on my bike at least once a week. Remember me joining a gym to lose weight? Well I am happy to report that I am down from just under 14 stone to 12.5 stone (79kg). More importantly I feel fit and healthy again. I really believe that a healthy body = a healthy mind. Not only that but old clothes really do start to fit again now that the bulge I gained in London has all but gone. This is down to the fact I don't drink as much beer as I did, as well as exercising on a regular basis.
Work has been a little slow of late. In fact I've not done any billable work for a few months now. Things were getting so worrying I was contemplating having to return to office-based work as soon as the house move was over. However, there are a couple of projects in the pipe-line which could hold that off for a while yet.
Still spending way too much time taking photos and learning the art of photography. Since I bought my Canon EOS 300D in March I've taken almost 7,000 shots. Having great fun though. Here's one I took last night in the living room:
It's a physiogram and involves hanging a pen-sized torch from a piece string on the light fitting. Put the camera on a table below it, swing the torch and open the camera in bulb mode. To create the coloured effect I placed filters over the lens occasionally. Obviously you need to turn out the lights and close all curtains. Karen drew the line there and wouldn't let me turn the TV off. Who knows what she makes of it all!? Boys and their toys! As Dave Barry said - "there's a thin line between hobby and mental illness".
They make good desktop wallpaper. Here's a similar style shot (1600x1200 JPG) and the same one inverted.
So, there you go, my life in a nutshell. I'm still more than busy, with never a moment to twiddle my thumbs. Still I'll continue to keep providing you guys with useful content. It may be slow at times but I will always return. After all, I still enjoy this site as much as I've ever done and can't imagine a life without it. Whilst my other blogs may come and go, codestore will remain...
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The good thing of a blog is that it contains a conglomeration of technical stuff mixed with personal opinions. For sole technical articles I can read redbooks or buy some books. I really like to detect the interference of the style one does his work AND the style one does his living.
What I'd like to know is how many attempts you had to make to get one with no wobble. Try the same thing, but with the torch on one arm of a "mobile" (nothing elaborate -- some wire clothes hangers, loose hardware for counterweights and some sticky tape to hold it together). The chaos factor can make some really interesting 'graphs. (Best done during the absence of significant others, for reasons that should be obvious to even the malest male.)
Hi Jake, don´t worrie with that kind of email. I´m here every mornig. Please, do not change anything in the way you are driving this site. Tech stuff + Personal stuff = a pretty good blog like yours. Keep going. Please, don´t give up!
Regards,
Valdecir
São Paulo/Brasil
Appreciate hearing about your life as well as the technical stuff. Many of your readers, me included, have been coming to your site for a couple of years now and we want to know how you're getting on!
Jake,
I love your blog the way it is and it's one of those on my "must read " list. If I just wanted technical help I'd go to the forums. I come here because along the way, in posting personal details about yourself I feel like I know you and you have become a "technical friend" :-)
Keep up the good work. Hope the house sale goes through. We are almost in the final stages of a home sale ourselves. God willing, we will close by the end of this month before I lose my rate lock.
Am currently taking in the sun at Las Vegas at the Advisor Devcon.
Cheers,
Dan
Hey Jake, cheers for the update - I wondered how the whole moving thing was going. House moving blog will be an interesting read as we are thinking of taking the plunge and jumping on the property ladder fairly soon (I'm sure house prices in the UK will drop soon though, I'd be gutted if we bought then they dropped by £££££'s).
My girlfriend just walked passed while I was looking at your 'physiogram' - she wants me to print it out and frame it! I was going to have a try but thought I'd ask you first - Knowing a few artists, I am very wary of 'knocking off' pictures etc...
Cheers,
J.
I still read everyday - so im either sad (no comments please) or nothing wrong with your site.
I nearly setup a blog too about moving house and then doing it up - the pitfalls etc - even registered a domain for it (thisoldhouse.somethingicantremember)- but time meant I never did it - would be a useful resource for people as there are a lot of things to consider!
Thanks for the nice words guys. This post wasn't me looking for support, but it's nice when I do get it.
Stan. Maybe I just got lucky, but they all turned out really well. No wobble at all. Surprisinlgy so for such a primitive setup. I literally did it on a shoe-string. Maybe it was my boy-scout knot that did it ;o) Also the light-fitting was chandelier style with a suitable place at the bottom to hang it perfectly vertical.
Jono - Sure print away. If you want the original JPG which is bigger at 3072px wide, drop me a line.
Jake, I still read your site on a regular basis, and although the technical content is less these days, still keep coming back. The articles you write are both informative and useful, and often give me idea's on how to do something, or get me thinking in alternative ways. So keep up the good work, and don't get too stressed with the move south!
Stuff em mate! I always say, you get what you pay for so expect to get nothing. And if I don't sell what you want go shop elsewhere. Ok, so that's a bit harsh but you could alternatively take the site down altogether. If you never posted another blog or article in your life having the codestore database there is still a valuable resource, some greedy and ungrateful people sadly forget that.
Hell, I have no reason to come here for Domino stuff and I'm still hanging around :)
Jake,
I visit your site nearly everyday, ever since you had the old lay-out (with the dots). I profesionally grew on the knowledge of your articles as a developer, coming close to a level where 80% of the time I make smarter use of the knowledge I have gathered, rather than learning totally new things. You have covered so many subjects and so many tips, that they get me going this 80%.
There is so much to say about HTML, CSS, Javascript, Lotus Notes, and you have written about or touched upon the larger part.
It feels like being on a journey together with you through the marvelous land of development. But the longer you travel, the less new experiences you get. So it is logical there is less to write about on techical tips. Therefore I feel like it is time to combine all the knowledge in articles like "Towards the Perfect ...", so when you start a new database, or functionality, you can just check such a page as a checklist. I challenge any criticasters to write such articles. (Towards the perfect database, towards the perfect search, towards the perfect form, etc.)
You have a great mix of personal and tech stuff. Keep it up!
To be honest I am not coming here for "storing code" that often anymore. Not because your content is not valuable but because I am not doing much (Domino) development nowadays. But still I come here on a regular basis (should say daily) and I am happy with what I read. Keep it up but you should write what you want and not what some users expect to see (this is a free ride anyway).
I do not think that you have to prove anything anymore.
Thank you Jake
As Julian Robichaux says in {Link} bloggers attract like-minded people to their blogs.
I work with Domino and I also have an interest in photography and mountainbiking. Perhaps he's right?
Bloggers are exhibitionists by nature, they put their life out there for all to see.
Some people get arrested for putting their's out to see and some people
N E E D the attention.
But this can also lead to creativity and sharing and some semblence of community (all around loving Jake's new improved sexy 12st body of course)
To say that you don't come back because there isn't much code anymore only implies that you have nothing to contribute and only something to take.
so take yourself and go play somewhere else no loss to anyone else is it?!
Hi Jake,
I have been experimenting with Physiograms as well. I put in a link where you can see a few. I have been having a bit of a hard time getting my shots centered on the fim. How do you make sure the shot is centered? I have some really geat shots that have been cut off.
Thanks,
Mike
Hi, you don't have to worry about what people say about your site.