I have just got into Skype for free calls with freelancers and clients, but shouting at my iMac didn’t seem that intuitive. I was looking at portable handsets for Skype, but that would mean having three phones – landline, Skype phone and mobile. Too many phones.

So after a bit of rummaging, I discovered that there are a couple of apps for the Nokia 5800 Symbian OS that will log in to Skype and use my local wireless network instead of the data network on my mobile. Sorted!

The two apps are called Fring and Nimbuzz – they both do pretty much the same thing, so take your pick. I have not tried the video calls yet, but my internet connection is so crap they probably won’t be realtime anyway.

Another new site launch from FCS web design, Nottingham – Yates Engineering. This site replaced a previous design and Joomla installation and now uses the Textpattern CMS with some customised plugins. Graphic design by Gareth Roberts, welding photography and site development by FCS Websites.

See more at Yates Engineering, Nottingham.

Inspired by a few friends doing a roundup of the year and plans for the future, here is mine.

Past

• Got made redundant from Jigsaw
• Got a new job at a spangly design agency
• Came out of a long term relationship
• Saw a life coach
• Went in search of my biological father in Belfast
• Realised I am not cut out to work for other people
• Went to some awesome raves
• Quit the spangly job to develop my own web design business

Present

• Up to my eyes in building websites
• On a mission to lose some weight
• Enjoying spending time with my daughter
• Networking with other web/tech folk in Nottingham

Future

• Spend more time with friends that I have neglected while building my business (Sorry guys!)
• Be more decisive and do the things I want to do
• Care less about what ‘people’ think
• Develop the website business and open an online shop
• Learn to use my dSLR!
• Live on my own again (Not cut out for house-mates…)
• Plan and finance a windmill meditation retreat centre
• Maybe build another custom retro car

Launched today is a new site for Distant Horizons, promoting their Lake District self catering accommodation. Lots of lovely PNG transparency going on with this site, and an overlapped, textured design to break up the straight lines…

See more at FCS Websites, Nottingham web designers.

This cartoon seems more appropriate than ever at this point.