Yawn

Second cup of coffee nearly consumed. About time to get up and make morning Ranch Rounds. Yes, an exciting life.

Did get in time yesterday in Studio 318, working 'sketchbook'. I suppose photographic sketchbook is different from the type done by an artist using pen/pencil/charcoal and such. Often those latter sketches could be pulled out and considered a finished piece. Perhaps some of the ones I did yesterday will contribute something to a finished piece. Overall, though, what I mean by 'sketchbook photos' is one of two things:

- I'm working on a concept which will require either or both a stage setting and particular lighting, and want to get some background with such before making the photos themselves, or

- I'm working a location I know I'll be coming back to, and want reference shots for specifics at that location. On the return trip I'll plan time of day into the shots as well, for particular light. But on the 'reconnaissance' trip, I'm primarily interested in what's there to be used.

Yesterday's work is more of the first point than the second.

Well, That's a First

I've complained before here (because hey, if one can't complain in one's own blog, where can one?) about the occasional connection difficulties I've encountered in the past year. Now, there are two factors involved. Possibly more, as one friend has pointed out. OK, so three factors.

One: Laptop crashed around this time last year, hard, requiring a hard-disk reformat and total re-installation of drivers and software. Hasn't quite been the same since.

Two: Started with Sky Interwebz about two months after Laptop Crash. Sky Interwebz involves two pieces of hardware, the satellite modem and the wireless router. Need the wireless router because Laptop no longer believes it has a network card for a hard-wired connection, despite the fact that the driver for same says it installed properly. (I attribute that last problem to Microshaft Winders, personally...)

Three: Friend who uses same ISP via satellite tells me that weather at the ISP Uplink Station can affect connectivity. Since I'm not sure what the weather is there just now, but am remembering not so good from reports earlier... could be.

Anyway.

The sites most often presenting difficulty are: Flickr/Yahoo, Facebook, occasionally LiveJournal, and now (curiously enough) Google. Curious because I've been using Google Chrome for browsing for several months now. The problem with Google is this - if I put in the URL www dot google dot com I will be directed to a site which says 'The Wiki Does Not Exist.' If, however, I simply but in www and hit enter, Google Search returns a goodly number of hits, and my link to sign into iGoogle or G-Mail is right there at the top of the screen.

The problem with LJ is usually that the journal won't display in the manner I'm used to seeing. Friends pages will, but not mine.

The problems with Flickr (owned by Yahoo) and Facebook are that I'll get a message that the site is unavailable, or there are too many redirect loops, or some other such. Connection simply won't happen, however. And often, problems connecting to one or the other before attempting connection to the alternate result in neither one connecting.

Which leads to today's first. After connecting successfully to Flickr, I am kicked into one of those 'redirect' message sites following the attempt to upload the JPGs for the photos I'm planning to take to Necronomicon Art Show next week. No further connection to either Flickr or Yahoo, except one time a login screen came up clear. I logged out. That worked.

Then I figured check in over on Facebook. And away we go to...

MySpace. WTF?

I don't do MySpace. Never visited the site.

::sighs::

So. No pics to show you of this year's Necro offerings. No other pics to show you either, though ... no, you'd need to be a member over on DeviantArt the way I post my nudes there and three of the pieces have nudity. And no checking in on Facebook either, apparently, for the duration.

One of the (occasional) fixes is to clear my temp files but I need to be logged out for that. Or at least I want to be logged out.

Ah well.

Haven't tried Google for Gmail just yet...

ETA: Clearing the temp files, cache, cookies etc. helped with the FB link. Dinner is now served, so y'all are out of luck on my trying the Flickr link. Ta