Journal Entries
NaJoPoMo 2013 Lanzababy - We Will Exterminate!
Posted Nov 22, 2013
just a quick fly-by today darlinks. We're all polishing the 
and oiling the Daleks runners.
<BB< spotted a Dalek recently so snapped a paparazzi shot to aid identification and we'll post this into the Entry as soon as we can reassemble ourselves, near the data uploader.
Take care and remember to check out our Front Page very shortly.
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Latest reply: Nov 22, 2013
NaJoPoMo 2013 Lanzababy - Being 'It'
Posted Nov 21, 2013
Rushing to post something once again, I ran out of typing energy yesterday evening.
I'd been on site, editing, not modding, just editing all day yesterday. Apart from the odd cup of tea with visitors, cooking supper and tidying the kitchen the rest of the day was spent subbing Entries.
There's a bit of magic that happens to Entries after they've been subbed. They're polished. Which means that Galaxy Babe or I run our eyes over the subbed version for any missed typos and so forth, and we add the images. That doesn't sound much does it? But it does take a lot of time in actual fact. And GB is far better at it than I am. Truthfully, her eyes are better. Mine still see double.
Adding the images brings the Entry to life, but you've probably noticed I've started to make a few pictures myself, for fun. I've not had time to make any this week though. After the muumuu attempts you could well be relieved.
The approach is that we line up Entries that have matching images as soon as we can, but it depends on how fast a sub returns an entry. There is an outer time limit, but often life doesn't work like that so we never really know which Entries will come back each week. But when they do, we hope there's an illustration or photograph ready at the same time. Not only for the Entry itself, but a different sized image for the front page. Although I'm not an artist, officially, I sometimes help out by finding an image we can use, and sometimes even resizing or loading the image into the database.
Nothing seems to be matching up this week at all. While we've got Entries returned from the subs, they're only half of a pair, or one out of a series. The subs are working as hard as they can, but often have to wait for a final say so from the author, who may be wanting to alter something at the last minute. Or, we may be waiting for a special illustration. By now we should have all the entries data loaded onto a holding spreadsheet, but the sheet itself hasn't even been made ready. I am at least a day behind.
And then the realisation came that we should mark the 50th anniversary of Doctor, so there's a heap of stuff to do with getting this sorted out as well. We've got a great little team who work on promoting Entries via Facebook and Twitter. As well as putting them onto the Front pages of h2g2. But I've still got to locate these Entries and see if they need curating, or if they're not illustrated, see if we can get a picture found or made.
So, I'm doing all this, and making notes via the software we use to co-ordinate the work behind the scenes on 'Trello'. (If you need to keep track of stuff, I recommend it to you, it's free and easy to use.) We have to do this, because we don't work in an office where we can have a wall chart, paper notes and chat over the actual water cooler, we're totally virtual. We all work from home and sometimes I know we're all working longer hours than you can imagine.
And while I'm subbing/polishing/curating and generally getting in a faff about stuff, I'm using the test version to send Milla and Pastey any last minute observations about stuff.
This sounds like a moan! or a prequel to the fact that the Front page update may be a bit slow this weekend. I even started writing this journal at 7am and it's now 8.30, the intervening time has been filled with talking via Skype, reading some emails and more talking via Skype with other Core Team members. I might break for coffee now
Oh, but I found a photo of Niagara Falls we can use for the Front page in the meantime. That's lucky.
Discuss this Journal entry [25]
Latest reply: Nov 21, 2013
NaJoPoMo 2013 Lanzababy - Double Entry
Posted Nov 20, 2013
I'm out of synch with this journal challenge, I meant to write something early this morning, but events conspired against me. Good things 
I'm planning my escape back to my own home as soon as I can manage. I really don't do well health-wise here at all. But before I go I have to convince myself that the Elderly Relatives will survive well and happily without me. So, the over-stuffed freezers are examined and any shortfall of essentials is made good and belt/braced/whaleboned and otherwise hoarded.
Two sisters are dragooned into being Beck and Call; the lying snow outside is sufficient to prevent either of the ARs from leaving the house.
I hijacked a personal shopper, in the guise of my youngest sister and we made our way to the City Centre. (it's really not that exciting, but it has a Marks and Spencer). I raided a bank and made away with some nice folding dosh, and then blew some of it on a new bra. Oh, and a mascara. And this. And that.
Earlier this year I discovered my underwear was in cahoots with M&S, as was my collection of swimwear. Alternatively, they could all have been zapped by a ray from an alien, causing the elastic to disintegrate. Every single pair of pants, five bikinis and various bras were all suffering from latex fatigue - like metal fatigue but more dangerous as it causes knicker failure. Amusing if it's happening to somebody else I guess, but inconvenient and bloody annoying if its your own knicker drawer that's been hit.
Tip for the future: do not throw out all your boring lingerie, day to day stuff and backups and buy a whole new shooting match on the same day. Two or three years down the line, all your pants will decay on the same day as each other.
But now I have a nice new black bra. (where is 2legs 
when we're discussing new lingerie?) You'll be delighted to know that this is the limit on details, as I firmly believe you can put TMI onto the internet. You might be reassured to know that the actual underpant shortage was made good months back.
So, erm, what else happened in this rock chicks exciting life? I bet you're glued to your seat now, aren't you?
Erm, the lovely blue bowl arrived, it's even nicer than its photograph and I'm delighted.
No sign yet of the fingernail bandage/wraps, which I'm hoping will come tomorrow before all my fingernails are snapped off. The cold weather does not help - it makes them more brittle, but I bought some better nail hardener that will make a tiny difference. Superdrug is a great place, all their stock is far cheaper than Boots. It's the same stuff, why would anyone want to pay more?
I've lashed out on another mascara, as the last one I bought in a hurry was not waterproof. Which I discovered when I first wore it, on a hot day, and it melted down my face. So, I brought it back to the UK (guys, these things cost pounds!) only to discover the cold wintry blast makes my eyes water, and the mascara was down my cheeks again. This new one is waterproof. I just hope I've got some eye makeup remover. Hmmmm.
And...that's about it really. Did I mention the snow? Oh yes, I did.
Discuss this Journal entry [20]
Latest reply: Nov 20, 2013
NaJoPoMo 2013 Lanzababy - Wish Lists and Impulse Buys
Posted Nov 17, 2013
Reading via kindle has slowed down significantly since being back in the UK. Time seems to swallow itself up here, collapsing and folding inwards. Telescoping, with no trace of the spaces where reading used to occur. Possibly the northern climate has a great deal to answer for in this situation, with darkness seeping into the early afternoon. The feeling of night arrives shortly after lunch, just when there'd be lolling and reading in a bit of sun, if there was any choice in the matter.
My tagline could well be: 'hungry, with a desire for tea and cake'. Boredom hunger, hunger for the warmth of the vanished sun.
But still, the daily deals are compulsively checked, in case I miss a book I'd like to store up for the return to my own home. Dune has been bought, which I've not read in god knows how long, and some crime thriller I got swayed into clicking the 'one click button'. Grief, it is just so damned easy to buy stuff. [Insert manic grin here]
And it's not just kindle books anymore. Being in the UK means a UK postal address and the temptation to buy actual 'things' that will come to the door in brown cardboard boxes. On order now are impossible dreams. A bowl made of alabaster, in the sweetest pale blue. Some emergency nail wraps, to bandage my damaged fingernails in silk and fibreglass resin.
Maybe I will turn into a hermit, here in the dark north, and only go outside to fetch in the milk, and sign for parcels. I'll sleep, hibernate and eat cake and honeyed milk and sleep, and sleep and sleep.
Discuss this Journal entry [26]
Latest reply: Nov 17, 2013
NaJoPoMo 2013 Lanzababy - Strictly Falling Asleep
Posted Nov 16, 2013
I don't watch much TV, because when I do I fall asleep. I should have a TV in the bedroom, as a sleep aid. (I don't.)
Tonight, I watched Strictly, which was fun and then fell immediately asleep on the sofa until a few minutes ago. I've tidied the kitchen, drunk a glass of milk and now really need to go straight back to sleep again.
Goodnight world. 
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Latest reply: Nov 16, 2013
Lanzababy - Guide Editor
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