sarajw

sarajw, 9 months ago to random

So the few times I've been to the US - once to California (which admittedly is different, on vacation rather than work), once to Corpus Christi, once to Arkansas (near Memphis) - I found myself boggling at how much open asphalt there was between stores.

I wondered if it was just because they had the space to expand, so they just did. It didn't occur to me that there were minimum parking rules. It was always very easy to park. Everywhere looked sort of empty/unpopular.

https://youtu.be/OUNXFHpUhu8

sarajw, 5 months ago to random

Hoo boy I've just written a huge somewhat personal blog post and now I'm worried it's too much

sarajw, 8 months ago to random

First adventures in seitan making.

Letting it rest before tearing/cutting to pieces and steaming. Then will fry it up for lunch tomorrow.

I used mostly plain wheat gluten powder, added a little wholewheat flour, a bit of baking powder, and water with vegetable bouillon powder and soy sauce in it.

Interestingly I had little power to control how wet the dough was, it went SLURP and took up the liquid it needed to do the thing, and then that's it apparently, couldn't add more to loosen it up.

sarajw, 6 months ago to random

Oh good. His Majesty's Passport Office now won't let me have a renewed passport in the name I have been using since I was 7 or 8, because it has one letter difference with the name I still have on the system in my birth country.

sarajw, 4 months ago to random

Husband suggested he could stay home from a work trip because our youngest is ill.

But it's time to put my big girl pants on, I can do this!

Sounds silly really - but having my second shortly before pandemic lockdowns began was really hard, and the shell-shock from that time left me without any confidence that I could deal with looking after both kids on my own.

I know I can. I have done it. It's getting (marginally) easier as they get older.

I still need to gird my loins, though. Let's go!

sarajw, 6 months ago to random

If there was a name for a Frontend Developer who sits ideally in front-of-the-front-end while also advising Design with regards Accessibility concerns, maybe UX here and there, and the feasibility of actually implementing the design ideas in code...

What would that role be called?

I get that Design Systems and the people who build them sit in this space. But still, what is that role called? And what if I'm not actively the one in charge of the design system?

sarajw, 1 year ago to random

GRAAAARGGLEFLARBLEGRAAGGHAAARGGG

sarajw, 1 month ago to random

Do I want to try and install Word 97 just to prove to myself there really was an HTML editor built into it?

I swear that's how I learned HTML. I think for my personal history I need to know. And take some decent screenshots...

sarajw, 4 months ago (edited 4 months ago) to random

Anyone know of good online tools that take in an RSS/Atom URL and spit out simple HTML?

I've found https://rss.bloople.net but it doesn't seem to like every feed I give it. Ditto https://nerdiedad.com/tools/rss-to-html. https://www.rssdog.com is a bit too opinionated and styles the output.

(I don't [yet...] have a server where I can host my own.)

sarajw, 1 month ago to random

I'm doing an accessibility ticket at work! Hooray! Couldn't be happier!

sarajw, 3 months ago to random

Would you like to discover some new dev & dev-adjacent blogs?

Do have a look: https://rs.sjoy.lol

I'm adding relevant blogs randomly as I come across them. I shuffle the order every few hours.

If I add so many blogs that the build time ratchets up too far for my liking, I may start the blog shuffle before the RSS fetching, and limit how many blogs are shown... I don't know.

I want it to be a discovery tool, not a "keep up with your RSS feeds" tool, that's what RSS readers are for :)

sarajw, 7 months ago (edited 7 months ago) to random

So whose web-based slide deck setup should I use?

Turns out Powerpoint is an accessibility nightmare - quelle surprise, I know.

(Background, see this and ensuing conversation with @yatil: https://front-end.social/@sarajw/111147546630159639)

Edit: Just to be clear, what I'm after is something I can just stick online once I've used it to present, and it's sensibly readable in a screen reader.

I'm happy coding up all the elements within in html/CSS etc. Not sure how I'd set up things to appear on click yet...

sarajw, 6 months ago to random

I use a Pixel 4a (not the bigger 5G one) which has terrible battery life.

I have my old 4a with a cracked screen that I've managed to - not fix, but make much more usable - which I have as a backup once I've had enough of this one's terrible battery life (yes, I carry a backup powerbank around too).

But I've just learned that the 4a is already out of the end of support - it won't get any more Android updates.

Sigh. All other androids are so big. I don't want an iPhone. My hands are small.

sarajw, 8 months ago to webdev

My #webDev dudes, dudx and dudettes we really need to figure out smartphone font sizes.

I'm only a little bit old and I've only popped my android phone system font up by one level, but it messes up so many links and buttons all over the web.

What is happening? Why is this so broken?

#fonts #typography #accessibility

sarajw, 7 months ago to random

PSA for other people who may have killed a keyboard with coffee, IKEA make this:

https://www.ikea.com/de/de/p/lanespelare-becherhalter-schwarz-90507844/

This is the German website, but the pictures tell the story - and for those not seeing pictures: it's a mug/cup holder with a G clamp on the side that you can attach to the edge of a table or desk.

I can probably still knock my drink, but better it goes on the floor than over a keyboard or laptop!

One minus point - the slot in the side doesn't go quite low enough for all mug handles.

sarajw, 5 months ago (edited 5 months ago) to random

Ugh. I caught COVID again. It's entirely unsurprising to be honest. My 2nd time, 1st was in January this year.

I am very understanding of everyone who is avoiding socialising because of it, and the valid frustrations they have with governments and people who just consider it gone.

I mask on public transport etc., but I still wanted to take part in stuff like the work Christmas party, which is high risk even when we ask everyone to test.

I find myself pulled in two directions on it all.

1/2

sarajw, 8 months ago to random

Does anyone else feel like they had a sort of musical awakening all at once?

I was fiercely loyal to Take That for years - even though my classmates called them 'gay' (so what if they were?) and preferred the likes of East 17 and Boyzone (who were certainly gayer than TT anyway)!

Once they disbanded I was "free" just as Britpop exploded. For some reason I resisted buying the big popular albums. I remember looking at Nevermind, also Blur and Oasis CDs, but felt like I'd missed the boat on them.

sarajw, 7 months ago to random

Ahh, the trickly sounds of the attic radiator shortly after turning heating back on.

Now, where's the radiator key...

sarajw, 1 year ago to random

Feels naughty drinking beer at work even when it's non-alcoholic.

Happy weekend everyone!

sarajw, 11 months ago (edited 10 months ago) to random

Anyone interested in how I built up https://sarajoy.dev ?

Particularly the visual effect of the scrolling/sliding tabs.

I want to #WriteInPublic and open it up to questions. It will take me a while, and I feel happier having something out there sooner rather than later - but who knows if it'll help me get it done :)

I'm nervous, because I'm not sure the site as a whole is as accessible as it should be!

Here is the work in progress:
https://sarajoy.dev/blog/scrolling-tabs/

#WebDev #BuildInPublic #CSS

sarajw, 7 months ago to random

Reading about @scott's frustration regarding what browser to use, and I realised 1 thing I miss from the early web:

Browser innovation.

I know the browser wars sucked and developing for all of them sucked and yet - while the whole interop thing is wonderful for harmonising browser behaviour - there's not been anything new and truly disruptive.

Many new browsers build on chromium. Why not? Building from scratch would be a BIG challenge!

So are there any new independent browsers worth trying?

sarajw, 4 months ago to random

Ooooh. Another idea for a new project I'll never finish - inspired by a post from @chriscoyier about new.css - a no-class CSS "framework"!

I've seen a few of them around and I like them. It'd be fun to build my own. I could build color-scheme into it, and have it respond to prefers-contrast as well as prefers-color-scheme.

🤔💡✨❣️

sarajw, 7 months ago to random

I keep trying to move my new trackball mouse around the table and wondering my my cursor is stuck

sarajw, 7 months ago to random

I am so TIRED.

For all the various reasons. All of them.

So so so tired, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually too I guess. Oof.

sarajw, 9 months ago to random

Laptop sticker update! Now also including some from @stephaniewalter 🥰

I might not be done yet, there may be some removing and replacing to do...