A Little Update

Apologies again for missing 'Monster High Monday' this week (and y'days TSGD), although this time the fault lies completely with Photobucket (the editor/picture storage site I use to edit and upload blog pics). I mentioned a few weeks ago that it completely changed to a new 'improved' version, but thankfully the tool to revert back to the old one was still there (I didn't have time to adjust to the new one because soooo much had changed). Change like that pisses me off right from the out-set. I pay for a Pro account there, purely for blogging purposes, even although my blog is unpaid and I'm unable to work (in 'real life'). It's not a lot of money, but the principle of me paying for something with money I don't have, then getting a version I didn't pay for, is obviously going to annoy me.

Monday night I almost finished the MHM images, figured I had nothing better to do than log in on Tuesday morning before the dentist and edit the remaining ones. Photobucket decided to remove the 'revert back' option and so I was forced into using the new site. It took me ages just to locate the images I wanted (it really is a nightmare to navigate) and after a quick look at the editing options, I realised they didn't have half the things I'd used on the previous pictures. I was faced with re-doing the entire lot in the new format or posting a blog with muddled images. Neither a particularly inviting option. After an email of complaint to PB (another age trying to find how to do that), I didn't have time left to get anything done. So when I get back home yesterday evening, I realise they are no longer providing support on the old PB (so I don't expect an email back, although they must be overwhelmed with hate mail because I haven't heard one person say they like the changes) and that they can no longer revert back to the old editor. I had no choice but to learn how to work the new one. I made a few small edits to one image (resizing, cropping), then clicked the effects tool....nothing. The frame tool? Nothing. I waited half an hour while the timer went round, trying to contain my anger and tears of frustration as time ticked on! I don't think I've wanted to cry so much, in a looong time, it was just sooo frustrating!  I didn't know whether to jump ship and move to another editor (although I'd assume I'd have to get used to that too and how do I know what editing tools they have before signing up?) or whether to persevere with PB.

In the end I've started using Pixlr, which was the same editing version PB had, so it's completely familiar to me. Unfortunately it means a lot of hullabaloo of uploading and saving images numerous times when it was one easy job before, but so long as I can edit in something that actually works, I'm prepared for it to take longer. I still have to use PB as a storage space and for linking the images to my blog, but I am still absolutely furious for these changes which haven't been of benefit to anyone. Now I have three days of work to do in one day (anyone from PB can volunteer to help me out with that!) and I really don't appreciate the stress and wasted hours I've spent trying to figure out how the damn thing works. I don't feel it's one of these 'changes' that you'll eventually get used to, because not only does it not actually work, there's so many tools missing that I used to use. In no way is it 'improved' and someone's head should roll for this as they are going to lose a lot of custom!

I just hope I can continue to use my PB/Pixlr method, so I can keep blogging. The rest of my day didn't get much better yesterday; potentially bad news at the dental hospital along with two injections and being poked and 'howked' at, a splitting headache that I've woken up with for the past 4 days, had my Nikon (cashback) prepaid Visa refused instore because the b**tards have taken off £4 'maintenance' fees in the past 2 months which I didn't know about, so there wasn't as much on the card as I thought, my TePe toothbrush snapped in between my teeth and got stuck, oh and I swallowed a pill which got lodged in my throat sideways, then the second one (a smaller round one thankfully) got stuck beside it! Seems I was determined to choke myself yesterday. I am feeling quite chipper considering all that and am determined not to let it get me down. So here's a few images I actually managed to edit today!  They have Valentine's themes on Pixlr...boak but pretty!  Last pic is a clue to this weeks MHM, but did I wear the turquoise lips? All will be revealed soon! Now I'm off to get caught up on a million and one things!