The only relavance between the title of this post and the actual post is that the song the lyrics’ from is called ‘Starfuckers, Inc’ and this post is about Starbucks Coffee. Yeah, go figure.

You see, I’m rather excited. I’ve just come across a website selling Starbucks coffee a lot cheaper than it is to buy in their stores. I could drink Starbucks each and every day of my life (and end up loosing the plot like Britney probably since my favourite drink is also her poison - and a quick look on the Starbucks website informs me that a Venti Java Chip Frappe with Whip Cream has 520 calories in it!) and never, ever get sick of it.

I make my own versions of Starbucks Frappes at home, but it never quite tastes the same when it’s made with good ol’ Nescafe so I can’t wait to order some Starbucks coffee to make the real deal, hopefully with less calories than the real-deal.

Hello blog, I seem to remember promising to visit you more often. And to remember and bring you flowers each visit. You know, the pretty white roses that you love so much. To remind you of how much I really do care, even though my visits are few and far between.

But I’m here now, that’s all that matters. To tell you some wonderful news (and yes, I’m aware that it’s always about me with our relationship. That’s just the way it works). I’m happy! My job is going well when they’re not trying to move me to different shops, my boyfriend hasn’t upset me in at least 3 months, I’ve stopped arguing with my family about the little things and my freelance work is on the up. All I need now is to win the lottery and I’ll be sorted.

So that’s why I’ve not been around recently. I’ve had other websites to look after. Not just for me, but other people who actually pay me money. Which I’ll spend on you, extending your life by an other year or two - isn’t that just awesome? I’m not sick of your name yet.

I just wanted to say hello, I’m still here. And that me and you are going to be a lot closer after next week - I promise!

Much love,
Mel
xxx

Finally I’ve settled on a theme for the site, which is exactly what I was aiming for but couldn’t get it right myself. All hail Tarski.

I really am a lazy designer. I’ve realised that I not longer try to code anything, I just search for the appropriate WordPress plugin and away I go.

I’ve also shunned everything that I believe in for this theme - clean lines, web 2.0 feel. I’ve gone back to my routes of funky, grungy layouts and I rather like it. Just the left hand side bar is annoying the life out of me. I’ll get around to fixing that later on though since I’m on my way out at the moment.

To tidy the boyfriend’s bedroom. Oh lucky me. He called me earlier to say that he’d bought a new chest of drawers from Argos for his room and that he was going home to start tidying it up to fit the drawers in and finally get rid of all the stuff in his room he doesn’t need any more… holey jeans, videos, random books that have never been opened. I’m leaving it as long as possible before heading down to his house because I hate tidying up, especially when it’s not my stuff to tidy.

Oh wait, he’s called me again. A lot of it is mine, oops. I generally leave clothes at his house all the time. Maybe I’ll be able to find my work shoes that I lost about 6 weeks ago? Or the new tshirts that I’ve yet to wear, I think they are in a bag in his room somewhere. And I wonder why I’m always broke?

I got my free ring from the Silver Jewerly Club in the post. And it’s gorgeous, it’s very Celtic looking without being the typical Claddagh style, with a cobalt blue stone. Stunning, and it matches my necklace that the boyfriend bought me in Dublin perfectly. Such a shame my battery is dead in my camera or I’d post a picture of it.

How cute is Abbi? I was going to the bathroom last night and walked past my mum’s bedroom only to see that the dog was sleeping in her bed, under the covers and using a pillow. I just had to run back to my bedroom and grab my camera and take a picture. Seriously, she’s so cute. Why waste money on pet beds when she looks so cute in my mums bed?

A complete overhaul of the way in which people navigate the internet has been given the go-ahead in Paris.

The net’s regulator, Icann, voted unanimously to relax the strict rules on so-called “top-level” domain names, such as .com or .uk.

The decision means that companies could turn brands into web addresses, while individuals could use their names.

A second proposal, to introduce domain names written in Asian, Arabic or other scripts, was also approved.

“We are opening up a new world and I think this cannot be underestimated,” said Roberto Gaetano, a member of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann)

The organisation said it had already been contacted about setting up domains in the Cyrillic script - used in many Eastern European countries.

“This is a huge step forward in the development of the internet - it will unblock something that has prevented a lot of people getting online,” said Emily Taylor, director of legal and policy at Nominet, the national registry for .uk domain names.

“At the moment, there are one-and-a-half billion people online and four-and-a-half billion people for whom the Roman script just means nothing.”

Dr Paul Twomey, chief executive of Icann, described passing the resolution as a “historic moment”.

Continue reading at BBC News website…

So, finally the internet will be filled with witty .xxx and .blog domains, as well as ‘funky’ domains such as firstname.surname/ Something which I’m not looking forward to. As far as I’m aware TLD’s such as .biz and .me.uk never really took off. I personally wouldn’t want one, rather sticking to .com and .co.uk - and the latter only because of the uk part.

The only thing that I can see myself doing would be having a .scot just because I’m so proud of my nationality - but it doesn’t make for a sexy looking domain name - ashesfromstars.scot, anyone? google.rocks? msn.sucks? Novelty, that’s all. It (hopefully) will get old quickly.

But out of interest, what would you want to register and why?

I’m so geeky, I really am. When I heard about WordPress 2.6 beta being released I actually said ‘Yes’ outloud rather loudly.

I’ve updated both my blogs to WordPress 2.6 Beta and have run into no problems whatsoever. The function for previewing past versions of entries and posts is great as sometimes I do edit them a bit too much and have to remember what I’ve taken out when I didn’t mean to.

The word count function on the Write page is excellent too, because some of my paid-to-post entries require a minimum word count, so I’ve been able to delete the plugin that I usually used for this function.

If you aren’t too keen on upgrading your WordPress installation until the release is out of beta testing stage, never fear. WordPress 2.6 should be out around July.

Guess who forgot to take her site of maintenance mode?

I was all in a tizzy yesterday, my MTP coursework is due in tomorrow and I was still no where finished it yesterday even although I’ve had three months to complete it. So obviously, uploading a new theme was a better priority.

Anyways, course work is now finished (all 10,000 words of it) and I know there’s a few loose ends needing tied up but I don’t want to see that folder until at least…tomorrow when I’m up at head office.

I’d ordered Avon stuff through their website on Friday night / Saturday morning and I thought it would have arrived by now. I got loads of stuff in their special offers section, mostly moisturisers and night creams, along with some bath creme. I can’t wait to try the Avon Invisible Light Illuminating Make Up Base, because I’d like my skin to look all perfect without having to wear foundation. We’ll see if it lives up to my expectations for glowing, soft focus, English rose skin.

I was originally looking for some sort of spot cream as well but couldn’t find anything that fitted the bill. For some unknown reason for the past month or so my skin’s been acting up and going all gross - dry and oilly! It’s a nightmare, especially as I don’t feel comfortable in makeup. I constantly think I’ve got it all wrong, or have a line running the length of my chin where I’ve not rubbed it in properly even if I know I have. Anyway, the boy’s in work take the piss out of me when I where makeup since they’re not used to seeing me in it! I’ll just have to keep a look out for natural acne treatment ideas, since I’m not a fan of chemicals on my face (uh, yes..I know I’ve contradicted myself here but moisturiser is badly required when you live in Scotland, the lack of sunshine and constant horrid weather makes my skin really dry).

If you have any recommendation, please let me know. I’m feed up looking like a teenager again.

I have the theme tune from Bad Boys stuck in my head thanks to the ringtone on my boss’ phone. No matter what I do, it keeps popping on back in there.

For the life of me I couldn’t remember who sang it and when I was searching for it (yeah, couldn’t remember what it was called either. I’m having one of those days) I came across the LA Police Gear website, where you can buy all sorts of Police gear.

Read more »

How good was Top Gear tonight? First in the new series and their ‘Top Gear Top Fuel Consumption Tips’ were excellent, pretty much if you want a good mpg in a supercar, get an Audi R8. Which I actually had the pleasure of sitting in about two weeks ago. Granted it was in the Audi garage but oh my goodness the urge to hot wire it, drive through the huge glass windows and some how escape onto the M8 motorway without being caught just to say that I’d driven one, was massive. It’s the sexiest car I’ve ever, ever seen.

Anyway, aside from proving that yet again Audi cars are the best; Jeremy, James and Richard (oh wow how cute did he look tonight?) actually had a good few tips and they can all be found on the Top Gear website.

1. If you see the lights ahead are red, take your foot off the throttle immediately. If you wait and then use your brakes you are simply wasting the fuel you used to achieve a speed you didn’€™t need. Remember, a modern engine uses no fuel at all when it’€™s coasting in gear.
2. Next. Speed. Wind it down. You don’t need to do 25 mph, but instead of doing 80 on the motorway, try 75. Or if you normally do 120, try 110.
3. 56 mph, by the way, really is the optimum speed for good fuel consumption in most cars. Don’€™t try this in villages though or you will have to spend some time in a prison.
4. When leaving the lights, accelerate smartly. Not like a bat out of hell. But don’€™t dawdle. Get the car into top gear as quickly as is reasonable. Fifth gear, remember, is no good at all.
5. Don’t buy a Toyota Prius.

Fair enough, I find most of them useful because of the injection of humour that possibly only British readers will get, or indeed just Top Gear fans. Whatever, I thought I’d share anyway.