a great run is coming up at lunchtime. I was indeed too busy yesterday to run so today is going to be my last before the race. It's all drizzly outside, my favorite running conditions. It looks like it's going to continue like this through the weekend, so I am actually anticipating a good solid race time. I do remember the last time I ran this race -- I think it was 3 years ago, but maybe only two, I had a dreadful time. It was freezing cold, the track was clogged with people with dogs and strollers, and I just didn't do well. If I could just come in under 35 minutes, that would be nice. Under 34 would be even better. I think my best time for a 5K was just over 34 minutes, and it was on that track. Well, it'll be fun no matter what my time.
My day yesterday was nose to the screen. I am working on a new virtual microscope viewer because the program we have been using has clumsy annotating tools. The new product has very advanced annotating tools, plus a viewer for the operating systems of tablets, which can't run Flash. And actually I already use the viewer portion of this program, Zoomify, which is Flash based and why our current virtual microscope doesn't work on iPads. So my collaborator, who is the teaching/science side, is all excited and ready to get going on this new project and I would love to oblige him. However, this is the goofiest software "product". That is to say, it's not really so much a product as two engines -- a viewer and an image converter -- and tons and tons and tons of examples and README.txt files showing you, the purchaser, how to change the million and one parameters called by the .XML and .swf files. Yeah -- I've lost you, haven't it? Here's a simple example. I convert an image to a zoomable image and load it into the annotator and give my professor the URL of that image and he goes in and annotates, adds points of interest, notes, etc. There is a 'save' button on that annotation page and he hits it do save all of the XML parameters he has set by annotating this image. BUT ... it doesn't work. Even the 'save' button has to be configured and there are any number of ways to do it -- PHP, ASP, etc. etc. etc. I tell you, I'm going to feel like a freaking genius when I finally get this thing going, but in the meantime it is quite frustrating. I'm going to cut it down to little chunks so each time I successfully complete a bit I will feel energized to get on with something else. I can't decide what should be first -- the 'save' function or converting an image? I'd like to do both today. Wish me luck.
With that intense day behind me, after walking Tink and having a nice shower I wasn't up for much at all. I didn't even knit. I had dinner and took Tink for a couple more walks and read quietly. At least I'm refreshed and can tackle my day with plenty of energy. And I'm really looking forward to this weekend!!
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