Recently in Opinionated Category

Due to technical issues I was having when uploading images - it wouldn’t bring up the menu to tell it to make a thumbnail, what size to make it, where I wanted it aligned or if I wanted a popup as well anymore. When installing MT5, you have to do a completely new install (this is a warning to all of you out there) and that means you cannot use the database you used with MT4. I did and that messed things up. So I uninstalled everything, started a new database and deleted the old one, then reinstalled MT4 because it’s the preferred method of posting for this girlie.

MT5 is more for those who are starting out fresh and new and don’t want to have to go through the weeks it would take to establish a website and blog integrated into one. Although, I have a bit of a bone to pick about this. The way MT5 seems to be setup is on a new install you have to start a website before you can start a blog. And then it messes up the urls from there, especially when you work with subdomains.

I think MT4 is amazing for creating an entire website with though. You can create Pages that have the same exact layout as the rest of the website. Those pages get linked in a widget, or if you want them elsewhere you can put them anywhere on the site. So I didn’t see a need for the way MT5 was set up or why it even replaced MT4. Or maybe I’m just not savvy enough to see the use for it yet.

I like MT4, it works for my needs. And soon I’ll have everything here back in order, including the other three sites that are also currently down and out. I am reuploading photos one by one so that they are listed in the database and with work taking up a lot of time and the Little Lady taking up a lot of time (she had food poisoning saturday and is still feeling effects from it) this has been on the low priority list. Let me tell you though, it is driving me batty. So as always, be patient and things will come together very soon. Laters.

I’m always excited when there is some kind of upgrade to MovableType, especially if it’s a quick and easy one. Before you do upgrade to 5.1 make sure you back up everything, literally. I thought I had and thought I had made a huge mistake (which luckily was easily fixed). I thought I had downloaded a complete site backup. What it turned out to actually be though was a System backup. I’m not entirely sure what that means but I do know it was not what I thought. When you think you’ve made a huge mistake and didn’t download the proper backup, you may go through what I did. So, first and foremost, make sure you download the correct backup from your host, then backup (and hey maybe even export entries) from each blog hosted with your MT setup. After you’ve done that, read the instructions.

Unlike previous upgrades of MovableType you do not want to overwrite the files of the previous version. You want to put them in their own file folder in the cgi-bin and make a new mt-static folder to go with version 5 as well. After doing that, changing the file permissions (etc) you’re ready to do the check and login for upgrading. Remember to change the config file to recognize the new paths to the new folders! This is one thing that I forgot to do.

After everything upgrades, login. Everything is completely different. The setup is more like WordPres with the menu down the side instead of being along the top. One thing that isn’t working for me inside the system are avatar photos. I’m not sure why yet but once I figure it out I will let you know. I tried finding out where the photos are supposed to go but I can’t find that in the file folders on the server - the one they are talking about doesn’t seem to exist. I uploaded new photos to try and use as an avatar in the system but they were no listed as a possible photo to use. I need to look through the manual and see if this is addressed.

I haven’t tried everything in the new system yet. I have removed spam trackbacks, looked through the settings regarding the blog info and registration setup to make sure everything was still the same and so forth. Things seem to be larger in the new system. The window in which you type your post out is larger and does not need to be resized (nor can it be). The menu being at the left is much more nicer than the one in 4.3 because I won’t accidentally run my mouse over it to do something else and end up having the menu floating over the post box. With the new menu you actually have to click in order to open and close the menu.

The theme is the same with the gray, blue and green throughout. It may take some time to get used to the new format and layout but it shouldn’t take long at all. Everything is there, everything works and hopefully there will be some new themes to go with the new version before long. Enjoy the new system, mt users.

No, this isn’t insight into my personal life. Well, not really anyway. Being as I rarely listen to the radio, since I have my own personal radio station online and I never sit in front of an actual tv anymore (unless I’m playing a game that requires a console) I’ve noticed something. In books, too.

Everything lately seems to be filled with Sex. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t have anything at all against sex. I enjoy sex; having, watching, reading, etc. It’s when it gets to be in every song you hear, every book you read, every tv show you decide to check out, that it gets to be overdone, old, worn out. I’m sure I could use a lot of other words to describe just how much society seems to require sex involved in the storyline in order to be marketable. Explosions, too, for movies, but hey, I like seeing things blown up, so go for it.

Honey I recently watched the Torchwood season 3 episodes. Don’t ask and I won’t spoil it too much. If you watch Torchwood you’ll know that the only good looking guys seem to be those involved directly with the group. There are a lot of pretty women involved but there aren’t all that many good looking guys. To be really honest I did not need to see an overweight guy naked in bed. I’m sure when it airs here that it’ll be clipped or covered or something, but it was just bad. Give me a good looking guy naked on the bed anyday and I’ll be happy to look, but it was just way too much and way to jiggly for me to get with it.

Books with sex tend to be over rated as well. You all know I love Laurell K. Hamilton’s writing and that I do let you know that a lot of the books contain a lot of sex. Yes, it’s a lot of sex, in fact it’s too much sex even for me who enjoys writing erotica when I feel the urge to do so. I know it wasn’t a marketing scheme for her to do that. I know it had to do with the storyline of explaining Anita’s metaphysical ties and needs and whatnot. So I skimmed. Unless the sex was interesting to me I skimmed past it to get back to the main storyline.

Music. I have my own station over at Slacker, which I’ve mentioned and even linked to. Because of that I rarely have to listen to the radio, so it’s extremely shocking to me when I hear four or five songs in a row that have to do with some dirty girl doing the nasty with some guy. Then you get the female singers basically flaunting all the salacious things they are going to do to guys. It’s another reason I don’t listen to the radio. It’s overdone, overrated and sometimes it’s even sickening. I tend to tune it out until I hear the chorus, which usually ends up being some girl riding a guy or giving him oral sex. Yay for them. I doubt these guys truly get laid all that often and if they do I doubt they find it all that thrilling. Or maybe they are writing their music based on real experiences? Those poor girls should be getting royalties if that’s the case.

The anime I watch doesn’t have any sex in it. I know, shocking, right? But it’s meant for a slightly younger crowd, although there seem to be a lot of people my age and even older who watch it. I watch Bleach, Naruto and now 07-Ghost regularly. None of them contain sex but they do fulfill on my needs of fighting and violence. Hey, a girl’s gotta be diverse nowadays, right?

So I’m always on the lookout of new things to read or watch that don’t contain a ton of sex. We all know movies have to have some form of sex scene or two in order to sell, but that’s not entirely true. I’ve watched plenty of good movies without sex involved. And plenty of bad ones with sex involved.

Lately I’ve been reading a lot of Kim Harrison and Richelle Mead. Their books are amazing, they aren’t centered around sex, but there is some involved. The characters in their books come to life and slap you in the face with their adventures and mishaps. They make you cry when someone dies and they make you laugh when something hilarious happens. I know, I tend to reread books and it doesn’t matter how many times. I still laugh out loud at the funny parts and I cry when someone I love dies. I’d stop reading them to avoid the crying, but then I’d never find out what happens at the end. These are the kinds of books I’d love to be writing and who knows, maybe someday I’ll figure it out.

So try something new. Something that isn’t full of sex-filled nymphos running around trying to bang everyone they can get their hands on. Laters.

So I finally uninstalled TweetDeck this morning. I felt that since I have anywhere from 3 to 10 internet tabs or windows open at a time, I have no use for it. Plus, since I have those windows open using TweetDeck simply uses enough system resources that it slows everything down even more so than usual.

So goodbye, TweetDeck. It was nice before I realized what a resource hog you are. It’s easier to have all the windows I need open instead. I usually have one internet window with tabs for Myspace, Facebook, Twitter and Gmail. Then I open another window for Disillusioned and my MovableType (you know, in case I see something to write about). Then sometimes I’ll have another window open to surf the internet, blogs I read, etc.

That much altogether uses enough resources that sometimes things tend to slow down. So no more TweetDeck, I’ll just Tweet from the Twitter page. And this way I can see all the crazy quizzes and other apps that friends are using on Facebook. I also tend to get my messages on there a lot quicker, plus it has a handy little chat thingie. Later.

There are many reasons why I hate celebs on a regular basis. Unfortunately it rarely leads me to boycotting their shows, movies, etc. Nowadays I rarely know who is who and I prefer it that way because of the simple fact that they don’t dictate how I live, eat, sleep or what I wear, say or do. Which is what their main job is.

Check this out: The Completely True Brad Paisley Story and Other Things I’ve Meant To Post - A story about how celebs treat regular every day people like you and me.

For whatever reason regular every day people seem to except the fact that celebs can act like high and mighty assholes on a regular and every day basis and still be accepted as great and wonderful beings of humanity. Give me a break.

If you haven’t noticed there’s a new Star Trek movie out. I’m sure you’ve noticed. You should go see it. The guy who plays Sylar in Heroes plays Spock and other than this constant 5 o’clock shadow he seems to pull it off pretty well. The best actor, shocking to both my Honey and I was the guy who played Scotty. He, who everyone will know as Shaun of the Dead, did an amazing job. He truly pulled it off and even got to use one the best lines “I’ve giv’n ‘er all she’s got, Cap’n” which made us all laugh. I mean, even a non-trekkie like me knows that particular line.

This movie also will suit any fans who love constant action and fight scenes. A car goes off a cliff, there’s a bar brawl, there’s the possibility of throwing up on someone, there’s a green-skinned girl clad in nothing but her panties and bra, there’s an interesting and mind-numbing look at Spock with a certain situation. Go see the movie to find out. Leonard, the guy who played the real Spock in the series and old movies, does more than a cameo. It was a definite plus to the movie.

If you’re a diehard Trekkie… or an old school Trekkie who’s not only watched the show but read the novels, this is not your Star Trek. This is for the new generation of fans. If you know anything concrete about Star Trek this movie will most likely just piss you off. I’ve warned you.

For those who like hot guys, fights, space battles, crazy ass aliens and so forth, you’ll enjoy this movie. And oh yeah, Harold from Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle is Sulu.

Want to do a salute to Star Trek? Are you 21 or over? Get a shaker, toss in some ice, add one shot of vodka, one shot of bailey’s, one shot of kaluha, one shot of peach schnapps, shake and pour (makes 7 to 8 shots). My sister calls them “Beat me up, Scotty’s”. They are delicious. Later.