Internet Presence

I'm tired. There's no two ways about it, I'm just tired. I've been trying to work out why. It's not that I've been to the gym too much, it's not daily 15 mile runs, nor heat exhaustion or anything like that. I don't even think it's the current long hours or hard work. The main problem, I think, is a genuine struggle to get my internet presence right and to give enough time to this presence! I've got this blog, the Facebook page that will automatically be updated when I press send, I have Twitter, there's work learning resources, there's various forums, Flickr, MSN, Friends Reunited, Ebay profile, etc, etc. The list is endless. Now I flirt with lots of different ways of updating these. Twitter's good - there's an easy app on iPhone to do updates directly and the expectation is limited. I have however discovered a furtherproblem. This blog, which doesn't get the attention it deserves has reminded me of a good way of tracking it's use. The adverts! I get money for each ad that's clicked on. Now I'm certain this wont make me a millionaire, but just on the off chance, every now and then I've taken to checking. Just in case!

What if 3 million people suddenly checked out my blog and clicked an advert... Revenues would be massive... It's nto that unlikely... I'll just check! And so starts a new problem. AdSense was supposed to make a few pence from a few clicks when people came to read my inane ramblings. Now the very process of checking that is going to get in the way of my inane ramblings!

How will the world survive??? Perhaps we should start by clicking a few ads!

Adverts

I've just managed to open up my Google AdSense account. That means money for clicks on adverts! Think that would be a good incentive to start blogging again! So come on guys take a look at some of those ads!

Excellent PDF Tool

I;ve just found an excellent PDF tool. The guys at http://www.a-pdf.com have a few products to manipulate PDFs in various ways. Best for me is the PDF Content Splitter. This lets you choose a portion of the screen and split the contents based on the value of that area. So if you've got invoices for example you could split the file into one file per invoice number! Excellent work guys!

Download the program here

There's lots more tools too. Excellent work guys.

Twitter

So I've started Twitting. It was prompted by Di, who had already started. I couldn't have her geeking ahead of me. It has me a little worried though - will my blog and facebook get jealous if I update Twitter and not them? Am I now obliged to tell 3 online services my innermost thoughts? It won't be long before the only thing I can fb/Twitter/blog will be the fact that I'm updating my Twitter/blog/fb!

The Big Weigh-In

So having had a good game of squash tonight I thought it was time to jump back on the WII Fit (although you should never jump on the fit board - he gets very cross!) and check my weight - I wasn't confident. I have had a bad weekend and not been too good with watching what I eat over the last couple of weeks. Bravely I stood on the board, resisting the urge to increase the usual clothing compensation, and breathed deeply when he told me it had been 31 days since my last visit. He measured, told me I was leaning slightly to the right and eventually presented me with the BMI chart. Anxiously I watched the bar rise toward my previous BMI. If it stops around the same place I'll be chuffed, I'm not even sure that I'd resent a small increase. Mercifully the bar slowed and stopped short of the previous value. A quick click revealed avVery satisfactory, 6lb weight loss! Get in!

My new target is 7lb in 4 weeks. I wonder how I'd have done without the bad weekend? Have to put it to practise this time!

An Under-Used Resource

Fresh air! Great isn't it? Freely available, good for your health, non damaging to the environment. The thing is though - we just don't use it. I'm out walking the dog at moment soaking the free fresh air. I'm a keen walker, I've got me boots on, a powerful stride going and only a slightly runny nose! Having said all this I haven't used the provaleage for months and I've even got a four legged friend that demands it! I think the world should wake up and start using it more. The birds are singing, the scenery's brilliant and even on an overcast day like today the world looks great!

This got me thinking more. The worlds use of the fresh air and country side is a bit like it's of God. There's plenty about that prophess to use it, loads that say they think they'd like it, but don't get time and the general image of someone that really does like it is of a spotty rambler with a stick. The rambler wears the sensible clothes and hiking boots because it makes the job better, not because the clothes male them who they are.

God is good for you, He's freely available and truth be told, you don't even have to wear the sandles! Give it a go - if you walk with God, I'm sure you'll be back for more soon!

SoulNet Retreat - The End

It's Sunday evening and to all intents and purposes the retreat is over. We've still got tonight and tomorrow, so we'll probably use the pool again, but the teaching and worship events have finished.

I've had a blast! This was my first First-hand Soul Survivor experience and I've loved it! I thought I would - my early Christian life has been full of their worship, so it's to be expected. I feel refreshed, a new love for Jesus and a fresh sense of calling. I do feel a little down, but I think it's tiredness and the knowledge that there's no session tonight.

I am very excited about getting home though - go Jesus!

SoulNet Retreat - The Beginning

We've ventured up the motorway, through snow, sleet and rain to refresh ourselves at Soul Survivors SoulNet Retreat 2009. We've just fiished the first session and it was brilliant! It was really good to enjoy some worship together and spend some time with God. Mike was very entertaining and I'm really looking forward to tomorrows session.

There were of course the inevitable questions -what is the purpose of the weekend, what does God want for each of us and, most importantly, what is the fascination with stupid hats? Seriously I mean what are they for? It certainly wasn't to keep us all warm!

I also noticed something else - youth worky types love the iPhone. There must be the highest density of iPhones in that room... Several of which I saw Facebooking this very evening!

Roll on tomorrows sessions.

Snow Baby!

Today's a snow day, yay! We've been to the duck pond to make snow men and throw snow at Beckie. Zach got a snowball full in the face and following a short, very nervous, wait he laughed heartily! Good times! I suppose I should do some work really.

The First Weigh In

So last night was the first weigh in. I was feeling confident as I feel thinner. Not significantly I just feel a different shape. WII Fit was generous but doesn't tell you the actual weight. It did however announce that I've lost a whole 2lb! Not significant I hear you cry, until you realise that I lady used it before Christmas. Not bad to be through the Christmas podge, lost it and lost 2lb to boot! Good times!

Good Day Bad Day

Wednesday was part good day and part bad day. On the good side I started the day with a session in the gym. Bit of a run and a bit of cross training set me up well for the day. On the bad side it was Chinese day a school so lunch was heavier than it should have been. I think I may delay the weigh in for a bit!

Tomorrow looks to start well with a 7:30 gym session with Steve the Pirate. We shall see!

Ok Kebab Man

Diet day two. No run this morning, but I've had a nice healthy bowl of cereal. Whilst I'm eating ice been listening to the news. Aparently some bids at the food standards agency have done some research into kebabs. They've discovered that in many cases donor kebabs are very high on fat, contain a mix of meat and aren't correctly labelled... Lucky I know now! I wonder how you get a job with them. It definitely sounds like they've been out for a beer and decided to do research on the way home!

Bye Bye Fatty

It's time for a change. I've been trying to lose weight for a while now, without much luck. Di's bought me a book by Bruce Byron (That guy from The Bill) which is all about his struggle to lose weight. For him the biggest motivator was a column he wrote for The Daily Mail health section. This meant his every move was scrutinised by the whole country, which in turn meant he couldn't fail because it would be so public. I don't have a column in the Mail. Nor do I expect to get one soon. So this is the best I can do. Anyone that reads this will be my motivation. Chances are that that's only my wife and my mum, but I'll give it a shot!

So it's 6:50am. I've just been for my first pre work run. I don't feel too bad, but then I'm not sure I want run any further for a while. I'll try and update this a few times a week to keep a running commentary!

Wish me luck!