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Please, do not be offended! I am the one who is FAT! Okay? Please understand that I am not suggesting to anyone, anything that may be a personal weight issue. But I am a sucker for software updates, referring specifically to new versions of any software program that I own and like (or may have liked, or may not have used in a long time) that requires an update, or “new release” payment. A case in point is a program called “Inspiration 8,” which is principally used for graphical mind mapping. So, as it was, I got this email notice from the company that created “Inspiration 8” announcing that I can save 60% if I pre-order the new and improved “Inspiration 9” upgrade. But I haven’t used “Inspiration *anything*” in a long, long time let alone “8” or “7” (I think I missed using that version) or “6” which is the version that I used the last time when I was an elementary school teacher. However, the easy mark that I am, I went ahead and purchased the upgrade anyway (although I won’t receive it until the new year when it is expected to be released).
Okay, I did save 60% by ordering before it is released, but what does that matter if I don’t end up ever using the program? So, to justify the purchase I revived my interest in it by opening up the current version that I have and created a rather vapid and inane experimental slide show story by accessing the program’s vast library of graphics (which, if I recall correctly, accesses the company’s server containing hundreds of thousands of images). I did a search for the subjects “fat man,” “fat lady,” and “fat woman,” so what you will see are the images that the program presented me with as a result of that search. Hence, I was constrained to use these and only these to create the story. But why “fat man,” “fat lady” and “fat woman” you might ask? Remember it’s not about you, it’s about me (and a little about my wife). I know it seems to be an insensitive topic and probably not very socially correct to write about it, but since my wife and I have being putting on more weight than we want to have clinging to our bones (me way more that her; in fact she’s doing VERY well loosing weight now), I decided to do this experimental slide show story based upon our current efforts in finding ways to deal with this never-ending battle of the bulge (life can be too good, but eventually you have to pay the piper). So, let me be clear that this story is NOT about you no matter how overweight you may be or think you are, but rather it’s principally about me. I’m letting you know how fat I am, not you or anyone else.
The technical aspects (if you are interested) are that after completing the story in “Inspiration 8,” I transferred it into “Keynote,” which is Apple’s own “PowerPoint” program for its Macintosh operating system. I like using “Keynote” more than Microsoft’s “PowerPoint” and did several format exports (PowerPoint, QuickTime movie, HTML, and PDF) and they all worked. “Nevertheless, how do I upload the slide show onto my web site?” I wondered. The simplest and more fail-safe way was to import each slide individually into this program (“NoteBook” by Circus Ponies) that I use to build my web site. Then you, the viewer, would just need to scroll down to view each slide progression. I may attempt to do this some other way in the future, but for now at least this works. I should add that “NoteBook” is not really intended to be a full-featured web site builder, but I am pleased with what it does do.
The language and pulse of the slide show story has been written to appeal more to a grade-school audience. I suppose I chose to do this because the “Inspiration 8” program is principally for in-school use for teachers and students (and as I previously stated, I did use the program when I taught school). Also, please note that the editing was minimal. I did this very quickly as a “test” or an attempt to revive my interest in the “Inspiration” software program and also to see how it up-loads onto my web site. So, hopefully you will be able to endure this rather pedestrian creation. There may be some redeeming aspects, though. You decide and let me know. Comments, favorable or otherwise are always welcome.
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