work, work, work, & CSS

Well, I’ve never been one to do much programming, for I reckoned that it’d be bad for me health. Spending all that time in front of a computer monitor, trying to figure out what you’re doing and troubleshooting all those little bugs. Eck! bugs! Ack, ack!

Anyways, for the past month I’ve been doing plenty of translations along with learning a bit about CSS. I really haven’t done much web stuff for a few years, and it’s amazing how quickly things change out there in the computer realm. With graphics, I’m still happy playing with Adobe Photoshop 6.0… developed way back in 2000. To be honset, I think that my problem is with my attitude, personality with things. My job is to act as the “Coordinator for International Relations”, but to be honest I don’t coordinate anything. I have to do it myself. Sure, there are plenty of foreigners in Japan on the JET Programme whom have quite a bit of time to do what they please. I guess that I get to do what I please as in I constantly start up new projects for me to do. If I see something that that’s not there that I think would benefit others, I get it started and finished. But, as I’m the only one actually working on any given project, that’s a lot of work. Before, I never had to take my work home, but now I’m constantly working 3-4 hours at home. Especially because my computer at work is SO bloody slow.

Anyways, I digress. It stucks that to have ambition, work ethics, drive, a slight workaholic tendency, and willingness to get things done, even if it’s on your own. I find myself sacrificing my own personal time, (I miss doing my hobbies!) for really random things. Though, I must admit that I’m learning a lot because of my drive… sucks at the same time too.

Anyways, at the moment I’m translating, and redesigning the cityhalls “Tourism page“. I find the current page slightly lacking in navigation, and design. A bit too simple, with not much balance. Anyways, I shouldn’t complain too much since it’s work. Anyways, my need to make a slight better English version is leading me much pain and time. Well, mostly time. Never say that you’ll get a whole website translated and redesigned in about a months time… While learning a new computer language. It may be possible if you had at least 3 people working on it. A designer, programmer and translator. At the moment I’m all three.

By the way, here’s a comparison of what both sites looks like. I’m especially proud of the CSS rollover menu bar which I was able to program. Compared to the image rollover system which the Japanese link uses. With the Japanese page, once you’re reading a page, you need to constantly hit the “back” button to get anywhere. Not really a naviational friendly site. But hey, what do you expect? It’s a small city website…