Cracked it!!!!

Distance trained so far...............(113.1 miles)

Confession time here, I have reached a concrete ceiling when it comes to technology. Once those gadgets were introduced which could be used as a phone, a computer, a camera, as an mp3 player and a toaster all in one, that was that. The tricky bit is that this barrier to technological evolution has now come up against the modern world of blogdom. CLASHHHHHH!
When it comes to tweaking a basic blog template, even I can manage it; just. The major effort so far has been to write, and that is a much more old-fashioned practice! But then of course I have to start wanting to add things like slideshows and video footage don't I? and that has been - to say the least - something of a challenge.
Up until about a month ago I thought that html was one of those annoying abbreviations used in lonely hearts columns to limit the number of words in an advertisement (wltm, gsoh, ns). Wasn't totally convinced what it stood for but was fairly sure that it ended with 'to make love'; dependant on the context I would have gone with 'How' or possibly 'Hankering'. It came as something of a shock to discover that not only was it a computer language to create websites, it was the very language that was used to create this very blog (live and learn)!

My early attempts in writing html resulted in limited success....

'could you please put a slideshow on the side of my blog site, many thanks Mr. Computer'

even trying to get a bit more technical didn't work....

'video no worky = ady thoroughly pissed off = bad'

Fortunately the rise of the blog phenomenon (blogomenon?), has also meant a rise in the number of help sites available when more sophisticated tweaks are desired. Thus followed four weeks plus, of the following......

1. Googling to find a solution to the tweak

2. Following the solution's instructions, usually involving copying and pasting a piece of html

3. Checking the effect it has had on the blog

4. Nothing happens/Blog doesn't work

5. Cry

6. Resist temptation to investigate the aerodynamic ability of my laptop

7. Undo the changes made and return to number one above.......

Having said all this, I am now happy to report that at the moment, everything that I want to be in, is in! On the right we have the original slideshows - which for some reason suddenly decided not to work - a third slideshow of other photos which do tie in with some earlier posts (badminton, family, run); and at the bottom is video footage taken from the finish line of the Great Manchester 10k. Treat the latter as a live-action game of 'Where's (the) Wally'!!

By the way, if any of you think I am now an HTML expert; think again. I may have done it, but have not got a baldy clue of HOW I have done it!!