Am I worth it?

As it turns out I'm not, or more correctly my sites aren't. I stumbled upon a website calculator which works out how much your site is worth for advertising etc.

Living the Dream is worth a whopping $167. So if you want to empty out your change jar, make me an offer. I probably won't refuse.

I checked out a few other sites I run and nothing major, in fact mostly less than my blog, but then I decided to check out 6th's Blog. He is worth a whopping $77,832,073! Isn't that astounding. I checked and I doublechecked.

And to think, I paid for lunch today! (Does it matter that it was my turn?)

Web design - The truth

As you all know I have my web design & development business. I host about 40 sites currently so there is always work to be done. There is always more coming in.

I just came across the top 10 "Nos!" for freelancers and it applies to my business too.

It's strange how people some how thing their website is the least important part of their business and that their nephew who knows a bit about computers can whip something up. I know we don't like shelling out money but it's false economy. What you put in you will get out.

I've had one customer who we've been developing a site for over 2 years for!!!

6th is Artistic

My bro in law 6th is quite the artist. How cool are those sculptures! The only way it could possible be better is if it would "ribbit" when you walked past!

If only he would help me build that shed I started building with lollipop sticks back when i was 6!

If you own a restaurant buy this

That is of course you run a canteen or a place that currently uses plastic knives and forks. Check this ingenius item out.

So go on save the planet!!!

Wrong Turn

Today I had lots to do. I had to go collect some documents, drop them off get an insurance disc and then head over to the opposite side of town to the bank to collect a statement.

So I left work at 12:15, I thought I might be able to get it done within my lunch hour... How wrong was I?

Magellan here took a slight wrong turn. I was heading for Gardiner St. I missed the turn and headed up Amien St. A simple mistake I thought. A couple of lefts and I will be back on track. 50 minutes later I finally got where I was going.

So to the planners of Dublin, put some more road signs up, for the directionally special people like me.

Facebook, WTF?

Do you get it? I'm not sure I do? Am I getting old? Yes but come on, that surely can't be the reason?

If you have been living under a rock I'm talking about Facebook. It's a grown up Bebo.

It's the weird phenomena of social networking, which seems to be posting pictures of yourself and then doing some really annoying games (i like some of the quizes) and emailing each other. It is an overloaded email site.

Who loves you baby!

I just checked who is linking into my blog and have come up with some funny results. I have Alot of Blogs linking to me. Not litreally a lot of blogs, just one called a lot of blogs (I can see you drifting off).

I'm also over at Simply. I think that's down to the dilligence of the people who run Hittail (which is still cool).

But the best is the link to the Sex directory. I'm not going to link to it, because this is a family show!

From the Buy and Sell

Wardrobe. Also chest of drawers, going cheap, owner has no storage space.

Genius!!!

My Ranking

I was just checking on Technorati and my ranking has fallen to a horrible 2,124,856. I used to be in the top 800,000.

I must devise a plan, perhaps a strategy to claw my way back up to the dizzy heights of the top million.

Bye Bye Ads!

I've had ads on my site from the get go and to be honest they suck. I used Google Ads until I got a ban because of illegal clicks (we have 1 IP in work!!!). I then tried using Bidvertiser, but to no avail. You can choose your own ads out of a selection but because they are not related to the posts they look out of place.

So after $9.24 worth of clicks and about 3 months waiting for someone to push me over the $10 mark (so I'd get paid) I've decided to remove the ads.

I'm advertising free at the moment but I might put a link in to your blog or site, just get in touch!

Come on! My google Page Rank is 2. I'm not a nobody.

.ie Domains

Who is the cheapest to register .ie domains I hear you say? Say it! Say it! Anyway, there is a good blog article on this over here. I charge around €60 over at my web design and hosting company Red Tomato.

I can bring the price down if I'm hosting or designing aswell.

The problem for me is that I am not a reseller, I am a reseller of a reseller. Check out how you become a reseller. They make you jump through a lot of hoops but I think it is the way to go so watch this space.

What do you think?

What do you think to people including qualifications in their email signature. I cannot be clearer it is pointless and a waste of good pixel energy. So down with that sort of thing.

Traffic WTF?

I had an appointment in the gym in Westmanstown tonight at 6.20. I left work at 5 in the city centre and considering I'm on a motorbike I thought I would be able to get there. Alas this was not the case.

Traffic in town was pretty light and I hit the N4 without much fuss. With Buslanes and filtering I was at the slip road to lucan in about 35 minutes.

This is where it all went wrong. I went into Lucan, well I say lucan, I got about 200 metres past woodies towards lucan and had to turn back as it was backed up and there was no room for safe filtering. I made my way back onto the N4 and crawled up to the lucan turn off so i could get through the village. Alas and alack, I couldn't evern get towards Laraghcon (it's on the way). So at about 6.15 I turned for home.

I don't have to make that trip often and I feel sorry for anyone who does, but I'm not completely sympathetic.

Not everybody needs to use a car, there are some people that the bus routes are convenient for and tonight the weather wasn't even bad, it was crisp and clear.

Until we get some decent public represenation (canvas your local green TD Paul Gogarty although he might not reply) and start making the effort ourselves it is only going to get worse.

I got it,

I picked up my new bike in Bray and rode it all the way home. It is a long straight ride on the M50 and at 9 at night it is empty of traffic, well the bit before Tallaght anyway.

The new bike runs really well. I'll have pictures up soon!

New bike

I am collecting my new bike in Bray tonight and making my way back to Lucan. It will be a long trip on the M50, so hopefully my fingers will survice the cold!

Tay Ninh and Chu Chi

I've just uploaded our pictures from Tay Ninh and Chu Chi. This was our first tour in Vietnam and it gave us an idea of what was in store.

The tour was really cheap, you're talking $7 each (you could get it cheaper). We set off early Around 7.30 and we drove to a place called Handicap Handicrafts (I'm not making it up!), where disabled people make ceramics and lacquer products.

Then we went to the Cao Dai Holy See in Tay Ninh. This is basically the Vatican for this religion and it is a huge place which itself is quite impressive. The temple is magnificent but very gaudy. Then we looked around and say the service which was not as exciting as you might think. We had maybe 2 hours in this place when all you need is about 20 minutes. I'm not joking 20 minutes would have done.

After this we went on to the Chu Chi Tunnels where the North Vietnamese had a stronghold in South Vietnam. It is a strange place in the jungle but it was a very enjoyable tour. I found out I'm a bit claustrophobic as I couldn't bear to go into the tunnel. Sarah had no bother though.

I got to shoot an M16 there which was not as cool as I thought, It wasn't like Rambo.

More Honeymoon Photos

I'm on a roll. I've put up the pictures from Saigon which was the first few days in Vietnam. Don't worry there are not many pictures.

Bertie is not a man of the people

Bertie can normally say anything and we'll all say "Ah, poor Bertie!". But when you say that you are in a state of poverty when you are earning over 300k a year is just plain stupid. I don't care what comparisons he was making, he wouldn't know poverty if he had to step over it.

It makes me so mad!!!

Lets pay more for less

The licence fee is going up €2 to €160 a year. That will add up for a new ivory back scratcher for Pat Kenny or maybe an even more tailored suit for Ryan Tubridy.

RTE advertise the enemy

We all know RTE.ie is crap but I never really thought they were stupid. It turns out they are. Todayt in their entertainment section they are talking "I'm a Celebrity, get me out of here". This is a show on TV3 and UTV their 2 biggest rivals.

I know you can't ignore what is happening in the world but you don't have to promote other channels.

I just paid my licence fee last night so I've every excuse not to be happy.

Honeymoon Photos

I finally got around to putting some sense to the photos. I have sorted through the photos from Paris. So check them out and I will have the ones from Vietnam together soon.

Bear with me!

Technology

Tonight I've been working on a messageboard and I'm having trouble with a mysql database. I think my host company put it in a strange place (not on the server they said it was) but I suppose i will find out tomorrow.

Tomorrow I will be driven mad by Microsoft and their WCF. If you don't know, don't ask!

Let's take it up a notch

It's not all knob and fart jokes here at Living the Dream, ok well maybe it is, but not tonight. Check out the blog over here.

This is the blog of the Caird Library over in London Town (apples and pairs guv'nor) where my good friend Gary happens to work.

Keep on blogging (it's a word!).

Buying a bike

I'm on the lookout for a decent 250 cruiser at the moment and so far there is nothing out there. There are a couple of marauders out there but I'm a bit wary after my last experience.

So if you know anyone selling a decent 250 Cruiser, GET IN TOUCH! Please!

Driving Lessons

I was out again tonight terrorising road users in County Dublin. I was much better than the weekend but still a bit panicy when i was first at lights and at bit roundabouts when speed is of the essence.

All in all I just need time behind the wheel. Less than a month to the test now, so wish me luck!

A new low

I happened to switch on RTE as I pottered about the house, tidying some stuff away (not much, but every little helps). I heard what was on TV and stopped to watch. I thought at first it was perhaps an ad, or maybe some sort of mistake, but no it was possibly the worst comedy RTE have ever produced.

It was the english class and I beg you to watch a few minutes just so you can understand and empathise with my pain. It was cliched, which isn't always a bad thing, but the timing and delivery was so poor, I actually died a little inside (only kidding, it's not fair city).

I wonder was there a pilot even made or do they just put this tripe directly onto TV?

Running again

I actually went out for a cycle and a run this morning. The cycle was a necessity as I had to get something in for breakfast but the running was by choice.

I went out and did 2k in 10:20 which is quite respectable for the first real run in a long long time. I had a small twinge in my knee for maybe 30 seconds but it soon passed and I've had no reaction since.

I think I will try 3k on Monday or more likely Tuesday.

Confusing Racism Story

Some stories make little or no sense, and this one is very strange. How about you both shut up!