I just can't pull myself away from the computer. There is just so much to do and I have finally taught myself enough about HTML and updating my blog, that it is exciting, rather consuming, me.
Right now, I still have a long way before I am finished with the backlog of photos, travelogues and poetry I am working on making live. So far, my website and the content I am trying to tie together has been a full time job.
Yesterday, I spent 9 hours in front of the computer and it felt like it slipped by completely unnoticed. I did have to cancel my dinner plans because I couldn't get away from the computer and today I didn't go to the gym to workout, as I had planned. But no, I would say it isn't effecting my social activities at all.
I have been good about studying Chinese, my other main reason for staying in Kunming. I go to class bright and early everyday at 8am and I stay 1.5 hours after class to review and complete my homework. So I haven't completely disregarded all priorities for my website, but eating and working out, those definitely can wait.
Right now, I have already published about 3000 photos on my flickr site, which is my Pro account limit for the month of September. So, since I cannot upload anymore until October, I have begun working on my old travelogues that used to be emails I would send out to close friends. That project involves cutting and pasting the original email into Word so I can edit and reformate the spacing. Then I take that blog, find a relevant photo (with a flickr folder full of other goodies), backdate the blog to the original date and "whaaaa-laaaaa" a new yet old blog is born. How exciting, it is exciting just seeing those words.
The new yet old blog project still has about 20 travelogues to edit and upload, but I am aiming to finish that project by the end of the month. There is still plenty left to do, though.
Once October rolls around (and after October National Holiday, which I will spend in Guizhou for 9 days...away from my computer!), I will try to upload the next 3000 photos. That should take at least 100 hours and again come close to my Pro account limit. Then I will repeat the process for the month of November, which by them, should about cover uploading most of my photos.
In October, I will still have to write captions for at least half of my photos, but I can't imagine I will have enough creative juices to find 4000+ insightful sentences to describe pictures. So, if you don't mind contributing to my flickr site, it would be great if you saw a few photos and just comment on them.
I also hope to figure out if I want to upgrade to Movable Type because I have begun to out grow the TypePad menus and limited (but helpful) templates. I am slowly teaching myself necessary HTML in order to produce some specific features on my blog. My proudest moment was the addition of the World Map of my Photos. Thanks in great part to flickrmap, I am able to use a world map and display thumbnails. Again...I am gushing with uncontrolled grinning.
This map is so cool and already I have exhausted the 200 photo limit on the free account, so I have upgraded to the Pro account, allowing me to display more photos and more locations. So far, I have 49 locations and countless locations that I would need to find out the latitude and longitude coordinates, in order to properly pin point on the map. Unfortunately, in the many things TO DO list, I don't feel like looking up the coordinates for Langmusi, China; Pyay, Myanmar...you get the picture.
Well, for now, enjoy. I hope it inspires you to do more with your blog/website/photo albums. Let me know what you think because I am in the crux of the madness.
SALMONELLA UPDATE: Almost forgot, thank you for all of you who have sent me get well wishes. I am feeling much better and even when I was bedridden, I was still trying to get on line and blog. I am three days away from finishing my Cipro and my stomach has been getting better everyday. Today, I am about 95% out of the woods.

Everyone loves your photos! Keep posting them!
I WILL, BUT UNFORTUNATELY I AM AT MY SEPTEMBER FLICKR UPLOAD LIMIT, SO I HOPE YOU ALL CAN WAIT UNTIL NEXT MONTH. PLUS, I AM GOING AWAY FOR OCTOBER HOLIDAY TO GUIZHOU, SO I HOPE TO HAVE SOME MORE TO SHOW.
Posted by: Elizabeth J. | September 22, 2006 at 03:34 AM