The Scrolls » Rants

Let’s Use QR Codes Right

Cole — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 03:44:56 +0000

I am a fan of QR codes — partly because I have a smartphone that can scan them, woo. Also, I am lazy and anything that saves me effort is awesome. So the fact that everyone who seems to use them does it wrong is super frustrating.

The way I see it, QR codes make it extremely easy to import data to a phone so putting a QR code on any source that people would want to see on their phone is a smart idea. Using the QR code to access data that is not phone friendly is a pretty big fail. People have commented before how it’s bad marketing to use a QR code that directs the user to a website that’s non-mobile friendly. I cannot understand why anyone wouldn’t have the forethought to avoid such a useless effort. In fact, I once scanned a code that was part of a sweepstakes or other contest that led me to a Flash-based form that wanted me to register for the content. Um, hello? Why not just code your website so that each code links to a unique, dynamic URL that notifies winners of their status before making them register?

But it also bothers me that the only thing people seem to use QR codes for is URLs. Do people not realize that QR codes work with several types of data? I mean, you can use the code for an entire contact card. This is why using the QR code as part of a business card a great idea. Allow your associates to scan your information directly into their phone rather than having to remember it or keep another card in their wallet. Brilliant.

Other uses of QR codes include

Phone Numbers
SMS (text) Messages
YouTube videos
Google Map locations
Social media links
iTunes links
Events (vcalendar format)
WiFi logins
PayPal buy now links

What a convenient way to invite people to your event or let them know where you live without giving directions than including a QR code on your poster or even as a part of your company or family calendar? Plus, anyone who creates and sells anything that they debut in person can include QR tags on products to facilitate sales directly from PayPal. Awesome, am I right?

But, no, what I see is the use of QR codes leading to websites that won’t work on my phone or catalogs that lead to the same same ad on a store’s site. Why?!?

And, unless you’re being facetious, there’s pretty much no use to use QR codes on a website that someone is only accessing from a computer. It makes no sense for me to have to break out my phone to read something on my computer.

Whatever. Stop pissing me off.

Shave Your Fucking Face

Cole — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 09:16:47 +0000

Everyone understands that October is breast cancer awareness month and, aside from the fact that awareness is no longer what we need, it’s all well and good. And toward the end of October, you start hearing about No Shave November or Movember as some folks like to do it. This even is also intended to raise awareness and money for worthy causes but, this time around, those causes center around men’s health. Usually prostate cancer is the focus but, if you’re like me, you don’t know much about it. And if you’re like most people, you have no idea that No Shave November is an awareness movement.

It seems like the guys just use it as an excuse to be lazy bastards and skip shaving. Or maybe they consider it a source of entertainment and hope some liquor company will award them money for having a funny mustache, it’s hard to say. There’s an entire Facebook group that has no idea why they’re doing it. It certainly doesn’t seem to be prompting any discussion on the streets and I know if I asked most guys why they’re doing it we’d be right back at the beginning of this paragraph.

For a yearly event that’s been going on longer than I’ve been an adult, Movember hasn’t raised a lot of awareness; although, last year they raised $7.5 million for Livestrong, the Prostate Cancer Foundation and other related charities. That’s not too bad when you consider that Susan G Komen raised a total of $35 million during the entire year of 2010. But the awareness just isn’t there. It’s almost the opposite of Pink For October, really. And this makes me sad because it’s a good cause and I don’t like how it’s become corrupt.

So what should the folks behind Movember do? Viral videos? Street teams? Shirts and merch? Television commercials? All of those things have certainly helped to spread the word about pink. Maybe CBS needs to get up in this and have Mark Harmon do one of those CBS Cares clips? All in favor say “Aye.”

But, in all seriousness, I just can’t help but feel irritated when my Internet is full of such ignorance. I may not be polite about it but consider this my way of raising awareness.

Go get a prostate exam. Yes, even you, Peter Griffin.

Ranty Thursday (Working on a new name)

Cole — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:37:32 +0000

Yesterday I posted a picture of a pony. It was facetious in several ways.

First, when I asked for suggestions of what sort of pictures I should put on this blog, Damita suggested ponies. I actually ignored her suggestion for some cat pictures. Sorry! Forgive me?

Second, I was irritated at a trend I’ve noticed lately regarding Wordless Wednesday posts. Here’s a hint: they aren’t wordless. This meme is simple. If you participate, you post one or more photos and nothing else, save for maybe a link to your Flickr or what-have-you. It’s about expressing yourself or simply showing something beautiful without words. I’m a wordy bitchy but I appreciate the sentiment, you know?

So how dense must a person be to post a “Wordless Wednesday” post and fill it with words. If the pictures don’t do all the explaining, then save them for another post and skip the meme. Someone I follow on Twitter keeps posting for this meme but doing it completely wrong and, in my opinion, cheapening it.

I usually don’t participate because I’m not a photographer. I don’t have a great camera or take amazing pictures, even if you all love Phantom. But that’s kind of the point. My photos are almost all of cats and I know people don’t want to see that all the time. I also don’t want to use others’ photos, even though I think that’s permissible. I’m not sure who started Wordless Wednesday so I can’t say.

But even if I only participated in it and used others’ photos, I’d still be participating in a way that is in line with the purpose. If your Wordless Wednesday has a word count, you’re doing it wrong.

Protected: Revelations

Cole — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 23:52:32 +0000

I don’t get it.

Cole — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 07:17:14 +0000

I do not like the word “get.” But it’s so versatile, you might say, and that is true. In fact, Google’s dictionary lists something like 32 different definitions of this verb. That’s a lot of definitions. But wait! Doesn’t that mean that we have replaced 32 different, possibly more interesting words with the word “get?” Oh right, it does. So this word has become so versatile because us English speakers are lazy fuckers. And you can’t be offended because I included me in it when I said “us.” Because I said so.

“Get” is like the linguistic version of the remote control or perhaps the iPad is a better example. It does everything and so we’ll continue to be lazy until, one day, the thing is so engrained in our society that we can’t even remember what it was like before we relied on it to do everything. Did that point in time ever exist?

Even if I didn’t prefer to use words like understand, receive, become, have, fetch or come in place of “get,” because it sounds more eloquent, the word itself just sounds trashy. Get. It’s a word that sounds rude and disrespectful even when you try to be respectful. Plus, on paper or screen, it just doesn’t look aesthetically pleasing (yes I am the type of person who looks for that sort of thing).

But you know what really gets me? That I know, as much as I despise the word, I use it more than I have a right to. Argh!

The Bane of My Existance

Cole — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 05:05:36 +0000

Business hours. Seriously. Screw you “9 to 5.”

I mean, I don’t want to run on those hours anyway but, even if I did, my insomnia would stop me but for the rest of the world, those who do work business hours, when are they supposed to get their shit done when they’re working? It just.. doesn’t make sense. But for me, the only time I’m awake during those hours, I’m dead tired because my body and mind won’t let me have a normal schedule. It’s not safe to drive nor am I thinking clearly. Bleh.

I am definitely missing living in a larger city where things were open a little later.

This post is brought to you by the letter “I” for “I need to go to the post office and bank.”

Things I Like and Others I Don’t

Cole — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 21:40:30 +0000

I am enjoying the new WordPress dashboard. It’s sleeker, prettier. It seems to load faster and the updated admin bar is much more useful.

I am not enjoying the heat. It’s not even that hot here but my room is the warmest in the house. I wake up sweating and, if I want to do anything more than sit on the couch (and even just to do that, really) I have to turn on the air conditioning. We have a single “window” unit built into the wall. Unfortunately, the roommate doesn’t ever get hot so she’s always turning it off, not understanding the concept is not just to cool you off when you’re in a room but to reduce the overall temperature over time.

I enjoyed a very busy Thursday through Saturday with friends and family and now I’m enjoying having time to myself. As I’ve caught up with most of the television shows that I watch and there aren’t any new movies for me to procure, I have more time for putzing online, entering giveaways, reading and playing games on my devices. It’s much more relaxed.

I seriously dislike stupid article rewrite requests. Lately, I feel as though people who have never used the Internet or a computer before are editing my tech beta articles. If we have to assume that the reader has a basic grasp of the subject, I would think we can assume the same of the editors but, nope. I am constantly explaining things that they should know before they even accept an article to review. It seems like they expect it to be easy but they’re wasting my time and theirs.

I am super excited over my recent giveaways at Reviews by Cole. My giveaway for the Medium Next Door was moderately successful, compared to previous giveaways but my Bath and Body Works giveaway hasn’t even been up a day and I have almost three dozen entries. It’s fantastic. I recently won a giveaway myself so that’s also exciting.

I’m frustrated at Goliath for constantly scratching at carpet next to my bedroom door. I don’t know why he does it but I do know that sprays don’t help. I have covered the area with paper and duct tape — duct tape — but he still tries to get at it. It’s stupidly frustrating and I hate being angry with him. Perhaps it’s time to try Soft Paws again..

And to end this on a positive note, I’ve had very good luck shopping for new clothes and finding clothes that fit. I feel pretty confident in that area and with my weight loss, even though I haven’t been pursuing it that actively. It’s reassuring either way.

I’m Not Crying

Cole — Mon, 23 May 2011 05:46:47 +0000

I’m just sniffling because I think I’m developing allergies and that is something to cry about.

It’s Okay

Cole — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 06:51:53 +0000

Things are okay now. They were quite trying for this past week or so. First, there’s that monthly visit that I never know when to expect thanks to my IUD. Then, my computer began acting up at an alarming rate and my attempts to fix it (updating the BIOS, first, then reinstalling Windows) either were no help at all, proved more difficult than intended or actually made things worse. Computer problems really make me worry because a) I spent so much on it and b) I need my computer in order to make money so that I can pay rent and feed the cats and, you know, live. Although my computer is currently performing at a less than ideal state, it’s workable so there’s that. I’ll be enlisting the help of one of my geeky friends to completely reformat and re-do the partitions on Thursday so, hopefully, that’ll cover everything.

Then there’s taxes.. which I really put off because I was afraid of how much I was going to have to pay. Such is the life of a freelance writer. Self employment kind of sucks in that way. So I stressed over making the appointment, which they then had to change, so I stressed for a few more days. Luckily, it’s all over with (except for the envelope that I have to mail to the state) and the total was less than anticipated. But, wow! The fees I paid to H&R block were just ridiculous. Sure, they’ll file your federal return for free but I paid over $235 because of my self employment. Eesh. =/ It definitely helped me to pay less for taxes so it’s worth it but it’s an outstanding amount nonetheless.

Besides those really big things that have had me on edge, I’ve had some unexpected issues arise. Last night I went to grab my earbuds to listen to my music and–lo and behold!–I grabbed pieces of them. Literally. One of the cats chewed them them completely in multiple spots. Now, if you’ve been following my review blog, you’ll see I’ve purchased quite a few sets already this year due to cats as well as shorting out. Today, I had the opportunity to purchase my seventh pair in three months.

To add to my frustration, the chain to my favorite necklace is missing. It as last on the bathroom counter and I suspect that some furry one knocked it down the drain. This isn’t an end of the world situation but I find myself frequently having to replace necklace chains. It’s hard for me to find one that I like because the ones I like are just the basic chains that come with pendants. They’re not really meant to be sold. The chain from this necklace, specifically, was an antique and a bit heavier than you tend to find these days as well.

And so, I’ve spent the last few days being grumpy physically uncomfortable, anxiety-ridden and probably not much fun to be around. I really wanted to blog about it but I guess I didn’t want to ruin my “winning” streak. You see, it’s become important to me that others see me as happy, that I see myself as happy and sometimes I feel like setbacks such as this past week mean I have completely and utterly failed and to speak of them would make that failure real and I would have to accept that I just can’t do this (“this” meaning being happy and well adjusted) and I should just resign myself to a life of misery. Spelled out like that, I know it’s pretty silly. I also know that resisting the fact that I’m feeling unhappy also makes me feel worse. Sometimes I just need someone to tell me that I can feel like that, sometimes, and it doesn’t equate to unequivocal failure. But sometimes I need people to be able to read my mind to tell me that because, obviously, if talking about the negative is what’s bothering me, I can’t do that.

The good news is that, while some days every happy thing seems to come with a bad thing, the worst has blown over. I listened to some music. I feel better. I am confident everything will work out and less stressed about everything. Some of my issues are already resolved and I’m not in such a dire position that I cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel. I just hope I reach it sooner rather than later.

On Valentine’s Day

Cole — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 07:26:36 +0000

It’s my first Valentine’s Day as a single girl. I guess last year sort of counts but this year it counts completely. I remember, when I was a teenager, how it hurt to be single on this one day a year. It may have been difficult on other days but, on this day, it was the worst and it was almost unbearable to watch when it seems like everyone but me was in a happy and healthy relationship. All the candy and flower selling at school only added insult to injury as I failed to receive things from my friends. Not only was I single but I wasn’t winning the popularity contest, either.

This year is different, however. I may not have someone to be my valentine (or do I?) but I have hope and I have happiness, regardless of my relationship status. Therefore, when people complain about how stupid Valentine’s Day is, I cannot help but roll my eyes. It is commercialized? Absolutely. Is it ridiculous to think that everyone wants or needs or wants to buy a piece of jewelry or a box of chocolates? Of course. Is the very nature of this commercialism what makes this holiday classist? You bet. And these are all legitimate reasons to dislike this or any holiday..

It’s not like some good doesn’t come from Valentine’s Day. Like any special day, it helps those who are not extraordinarily romantic to express their emotions. It makes time for those who are otherwise busy and who doesn’t enjoy having something to look forward to?

..but the whole “I hate it and I’m going to pretend it’s not because I’m single” thing? Is getting old. I’d rather you cry and whine about being single than have to put up with that bullshit. Can we just call a spade a spade? Yea, an overly publicized day that focuses on romance and relationships sucks when you don’t have the above-mentioned but do you really have to rain on someone else’s parade because of that? Or worse yet, do you have to make the day even more difficult for other singles with your bitching and moaning?

And this is exactly why I am wishing you all a happy Valentine’s Day.. because I wouldn’t want anyone to be thinking “God, I wish she’s just shut the fuck up and quit bitching about February 14th” like I will surely do today.