Well it's another New Year, and another attempt to kick start my life onto a settled direction rather than going round and round in circles asking for advice along the way (not unlike the way women drive, in fact)...

Christmas and New Year was very quiet as I had lots of thinking to do and couldn't be arsed dealing with people (especially my family). I cooked my own xmas dinner, got up when I wanted to, watched whatever rubbish film was on when I wanted to and generally chilled out. Bit hungover from U's christmas eve bash though.... :)

I wasn't working between Christmas and New Year (hence no updates) but got roped into helping out with the corporate website for a company that U owns/runs. I'd offered to 'advise' and 'help out where practical' because I had lots and lots of decorating to do in the 4-5 days off. Due to the other people working on the project not really understanding how websites should be built I've only managed to paint the ceiling in the hallway. Great. So, in honour of those that wasted my time this holiday, here's the Reluctant Contractor's list of Good Website Design Do's and Don'ts:

Do - thoroughly plan the overall structure and content of the website before starting.

Don't - surf the web for a site that looks funky and say 'want that one'.

Do - ensure that all information is accessible within three clicks from the homepage.

Don't - no, look, seriously, I'm not going to rip off the Samsung website for you just because you like that picture.

Do - agree the overall structure and content before starting to build the website and limit scope creep during the design phase.

Don't - I don't care how many times you beg, I'm not going to re-write the whole thing in Flash halfway through just so the homepage mouse-over images go 'whoosh'.

Do - correctly source any images used and try your best to be relevant and limit file size.

Don't - that's the image from the Samsung website again isn't it?

Do - make sure the website conforms to the latest w3c accessibility guidelines.

Don't - I am not putting porn header tags in so that it comes up in more google searches ok?


Anyway, I'm back on the wagon again to see how long I can stay off the beers (can I beat last year's six months?). GGTW1 has decided to join me - how's that going mate? I've not made any resolutions per se apart from a vague desire to lose a bit of weight (hence the drinking thing), though I did eat a salad for lunch today thus completing my vitamin intake for the month of January.

Other things I'd like to do this year include; getting a job in Bristol fairly sharpish, finally going on my 4-week holiday I've had planned for nearly 2 years, completing one of my ideas enough to make it marketable in the future and, maybe, possibly consider a relationship (even for a couple of days or something)...

Back to boring work - only 19 days (including today) to go.......