Photo Contest thoughts

The forum is not cooperating with the intentions for the photo contest. One thing (that is not actually a forum issue) is that we intended to post the top 5 from each event in the gallery. That seems to not make much sense because the pictures are right there in the Poll thread for each event anyway.

I would like to insert a shockwave flash file of the top 5 for each event in the gallery or even where the UAD Mission Statement is but the forum will not allow that type of file there.

Since we do have a "photo contest" page on the main UAD site, do you think the winning photo should just go on that page? How about the shockwave flash of the top for each event? That same page? I need to talk with MaraLee to make sure that file is accepted there of course.

Like I said on GR poll thread, we should have a "non jumping" photo contest as well at the end of the indoor season and maybe two more throughout the year. Do you all like that idea?

I like the non-jumping photo idea.

You answered my question on the Computer thread. Didn't see this thread.

Jim

Hi Everyone,

I think that putting the winners on the Gallery page, or making a Gallery of the Winners, titled by each event would be perfect for the web-site. I know that I can do that. I am not certain yet, if I will need the winners to send me bigger copies of their original pics, or if the ones posted on here will be large enough when I download them into my computer. I will have to play with it to see what I can do with it.

I don't know if I can insert a flashing shockwave thing-a-ma-jiggy into the web-site. I have never tried it. In fact, I've never made a flashing shockwave thing-a-ma-jiggy.

At one time, I had a built in pre-designed shock wave intro on the web-site, but people complained about it taking too long to upload on their computers, so I removed it. Also, I was not able to insert our pictures into it, so it didn't really fit our site. I think that if it consisted of pictures from our events, people wouldn't mind waiting for it.

Just like this forum, I am limited in what I can do within the Web-site Tonight program. However, I LOVE using it! It is what I have taught myself to use. I think that for being "just a mom" with relatively no computer knowledge, (I don't count the Computer minor from 1987!) I've built us a respectable web-site. It does the job.

It's funny, but I don't think that people realize that I've had to teach myself how to do everything that we have, from the Excel file we use for events to the Forums, to the Web-sites.

Unfortunately, for all of you, you end up having to wait for me to learn how to do stuff. But once I figure it out, we are good to go. I think that finding the perfect way to properly display the Photo Contest winner's beautiful photos is going to be another one of those situations.

Well, I am supposed to be writing an article on the "History of Dock Diving" right now. That's another funny thing. I've found that I procrastinate on articles just like I did on writing term papers in college! Well, not exactly this same way, in that I'm not out partying until 8 AM the night before, or pulling all nighters to get it done. Now a days, I am thinking about what I want to write for weeks beforehand, then I put it all to paper a couple of days before. I suppose that that is Middle-aged Procrastination!

And now, I am going to go play with the web-site to see what I can do with these wonderful photos, rather than writing that article.

( Don't tell Lynnie.)

MaraLee

I just downloaded the Top 5 from Long Island, Novi and Grand Rapids. Were those the only events that we had enough to do a contest for?

Thanks,
Mare

I am turning on the old flash intro that I made, in case anyone wants to see it.

m.

We didn't have a poll for the NJ event but I listed Rock as the winner. Grand Rapids won't be final until tomorrow night or Monday morning.

I can create the flash file for each event and you can see if you can just drop in the site somewhere. I can post in a topic but I can't put it anywhere else in the forum. I can try to do something a little creative with it but, like you, I am just learning that tool as well.

So, I just spent two hours making a Photo Album of all 15 pictures. Then, I realized that I should have made a new page to put it on and it was automatically inserted on the Home Page, removing everything else on the Home Page. Ugh!

Right now, I am restoring the Web-site to where it was before I spent two hours annihilating it. Thus, I am losing the entire last two hours of work.

Second try.....

I hate it when I do that. I remade Rocky's website and it totally screwed up the formatting. Good thing I ALWAYS save a backup from before I made any changes... I've been trying different templates for his website and they screw with the other formatting I have for the site.

Yep, that's kind of what I did.

I'm about ready to publish it. Now the site is running slowly again.

I'm having one of those nights where my blood pressure is rising. I can feel the vein in my throat pulsing. I'm so frustrated! (Does Matt have a smiley for that? I think it'd be a "frowny.")

Okay, it just woke up enough for me to hit "publish." Now, the next step....

it has "processed" for over 45 minutes before, before I gave up and shut it down.

Still processing... 2 minutes and counting.

I need to walk away from the computer.

Man, I hope that you all like this. I think that I will cry if anyone hates it, after all of this frustration.

Oops, it just got done. Now, I hit "publish updates" and start the "processing" process all over again...

m.

I've been on the computer working since 6 O'clock. I just popped on to check my e-mail really quick.

I need to get a life. What is everyone else doing on a Saturday night? Bill's at work. Lynnie's at a sleep over. The dogs are in bed.

Hey, it just clicked. I think it might be done. (Think happy thoughts, please.)

It's up. I don't like it. I put the winning photo in the top, to kind of feature it. Then, I made a photo album of the next four, smaller and beneath it.

Now, I'm thinking that I should have put all five in a photo album together. I forgot that people can click on the photos to start a slideshow.

The way that I did it, the winner isn't included in the slideshow.

Also, they don't fit on the page all of the way, so we have those annoying scroll bars. I loathe scroll bars!

Okay, I'm out of here. I need to take a break. Waffles wants to go outside.

I will check to see what you all think of it, maybe tomorrow. It's Bill's day off, so I might not have time to get on-line. We have plans. I'll try.

Have a nice night, everyone.
MaraLee

I am on the couch watching the NCAA tournament, listening to Sirius satellite and doing whatever I am doing on here. Jake is behind my legs on the couch and Gunther is asleep in the recliner.

I just got done watching the Tivo'd Indy Car race from Florida only to realize that I didn't extend the recording time enough to get the end of the race! I hate it when that happens. We've had a sick Rocky tonight too, so we are on high alert for him to throw up again. Luckily he has seemed to stop for now. He gives a pretty good warning before he gets sick but we have had a couple messes in the house. Before that I was putting brakes on my Jeep and cursing because I wasn't going to have enough time to do Kristy's Mustang too. Now I have to do that tomorrow if it doesn't rain.

Jason, I hate it when the DVR runs out at the end of one of my programs. Poor Rocky! Hope he's better today.

Matt, your evening sounds like a relaxing one. Good for you, Gunther and Jake!

So, this lovely sunny morning, I am fueling up on coffee, while Bill and the girls sleep in. I should be starting that article. Instead I am going to download a free Free Flash creator and play with the web-site. Maybe I'll do a little research? I might make some phone calls to some old friends who have been around FOR-ever. (I couldn't find an old man smiley. :elephant: )

I love these smileys. Here's how I felt last night... here's how I feel this morning...

We are going to go on one of our power nature hikes with the dogs when Bill gets up. He says that they are about 2 and a half miles; I think it's about 3 and a half. All nature trails following the Flint River. It's so much fun. I am amazed that I feel better and have more energy After the walks than before! Isn't that weird? I can feel exhausted, like I just don't want to do it. Then, I make myself.... I'm dragging my hind quarters for about the first third of the walk. Then, energy kicks in and I feel better and better. It's kind of cool.

Well, back to work.... have a nice day everyone!
MaraLee