NHS, CSS, and other letters as well

Hello everybody!

Right, quick question: do you generally read this blog by:

a) Going to the website,

b) Checking your RSS feed (e.g. Google Reader), or

c) other means?

This matters for two reasons. ONE: If you've all been coming to the website directly all this time, then it's high time I switched to a regular schedule, and TWO: if you HAVEN'T been coming directly, now is the time to do so because I've revamped the CSS and would appreciate feedback.

Look at it shine so prettily.

In other news, a friend of mine asked that I blog about my experiences with the NHS. It can't have escaped your attention that The Powers That Be in America are contemplating reforming their health system. Instead of rebuilding from the ground up, Obama et al have decided to make (necessary and overdue) changes to their existing system. This has spurred hundreds of Twitterers to contribute to the hashtag: "We love the NHS."

There are doubtless hundreds of people better qualified to talk about the NHS than I. However, I suppose if I'm not an average person, who is? So these are my experiences:

When I had hearing problems at age 6, I got grommits, and we didn't have to pay.

When I developed asthma at age 9, they gave me inhalers, and we didn't have to pay.

When I needed stitches - when my periods went haywire - when I had a brush with depression - medical care was always available to me, and I never had to worry about cost. (Not everyone qualifies for free prescriptions, but I always have done.) I take it for granted. It's not until I talk to one of my friends in America and they mention some health trouble - back pain, or a stomach bug, or anything small - that I remember how lucky we have it. Because in most cases my friends are students or young workers, and they can't afford the hundreds of dollars it sometimes costs to get healthcare without insurance.

In the past few weeks I've learned more about how expensive it can be to get insurance in the US, particularly if you've got a preexisting condition. I've learned about the caps they put on their policies (so if your special needs child hits the upper limit, they cancel your insurance).

As luck would have it, I'm talking to someone in the UK right this minute who has bad ear pain. So what's he going to do? Go see the doctor, of course, it's a no-brainer. And he won't be left any poorer for it, whatever the diagnosis is. So, yes. The NHS is far from perfect, but I consider us blessed to have this system.

Healthcare is a right, not a privilege.

Sparkles and unicorns

Oh no, they be stealin my idea!

Well, not technically my idea. Although how close it is to my website design is once again making me desperately rethink this look.

See, the problem is, I learned enough CSS and HTML to get this layout in place, and then I forgot most of it. QUANDARY. Maybe when my boyfriend's less busy I'll get him to lend a hand...


CLICK THE BUTTON

DO IT

CLICK IT AGAIN

My God, it's full of stars!

I'm really only trying this layout on for size. Let's call it a seasonal thing. I know it's not great, and suggestions would be welcomed, but I just needed to play around with it for a bit to see what else I could do...

My coding skills are (clearly!) still very limited.

The problem is, the old rainbow design was pretty much perfect from a design and simplicity point of view, but it sent out a very clear first impression that I wasn't entirely happy with.

So... I don't know how long it will stay like this... but yes, feedback is always much appreciated!

Thanks as always for stopping by - I promise to try to be interesting soon x x

Oh PS interesting thing of the day, courtesy of Tiff: TeeFury t-shirts. Each design is only available to order for one day, so they're very very limited edition! Very cheap, even when you factor in overseas shipping and economic disaster.

Quick note

As you know, I'm tweaking the layout a bit. Being a bit of a noob, I'll probably foul it up at some point - please let me know if things aren't displaying properly for you!

Does this website make my butt look big?

I KNOW EXCITING ISN'T IT

Welcome to the all-new (i.e. slightly different) Almost Daily Exploits! MARVEL as I make slight adjustments over the coming weeks! (You did marvel, I distinctly saw you marvelling.) By the way, if anyone knows where I could get a 5-star rating widget for each post (á la YouTube) please let me know in the comments. You may be interested to know (although I can't think why you would) that I've also added a wishlist to my profile.

Heartfelt thanks to my Beloved for showing me how to do basic CSS adjustments. I am now a technology wizzard. Although I would like to point out to anyone else who says "That's the gay rainbow, you know" that rainbows meant different things before Gay Pride and they'll mean different things after. Symbols are like that. Flighty little scamps.

So where to start! Since moving to Cardiff I have finished and sent off a Very Important Essay, been kicked out of a pub, had multiple creative splurges, and been voted honorary mayoress of Wales. Three of the above are true.

It's amazing how conducive my new room is to creativity. It has a skylight, which allows inspiration falling from the sky to seep into my brain as I sleep. That's the current theory anyway.
In the space of two days, I modified a white waistcoat, decorated a strappy top with flowers, fixed my black trousers (the ones I've been holding together with a badge for about three years), started a scrapbook, made two (very professional-looking) cards, and decorated my nails in pointless but wonderful ways! Photos are, of course, forthcoming - I'll let you know when they're up.

I heard on the radio today, in a text-in segment about what Zippy is, that he is in fact a Zippy; part of an entirely separate species from the planet Tickle. (So he is a RAMBUNCTION?!) Zippy still terrifies me. By 'still' I don't mean 'since childhood', you understand. I mean 'since a year and a bit ago, when I was introduced to the concept of Scary Zippy who cuts peoples toes off with pliers. One... by... one.'

I'm currently penniless and destitute due to accidentally paying my rent twice - bravo, me! - and it's taking weeks to sort out. I'm living off the scraps people throw to pigeons. It's not as fun as it sounds; there's something about the sight of a grown woman diving after soggy chip-ends in the street that makes people clutch their children and hurry past.

My recommended track right now is Wheels by Cake. After discovering this song on YouTube I found a few more by Cake, and ended up buying two of their albums from HMV. (This was before the aforementioned Rent Crisis and therefore is mild fritterage rather than extreme.)


And with that, I think I'll leave you. Please let me know what you think of the new look - do you love it? Hate it? Does it threaten your masculinity? - and, as ever, thank you for reading.