End of Decade

So today is the final day of the 'noughties', or whatever they're going to be dubbed. Today I was already baffled by receiving a text message from Rachel at around 1pm wishing me and Dad a happy new year. It took me a few seconds to twig that as she was in Australia, it was actually 2010 for her already.

This evening I will be heading to the Tisdalls' at some point. Yesterday evening was good, as I spent some time catching up with people. Highlight of the evening goes to Sid, for when asking if I wanted a drink and I self-mockingly asked for an exciting diet coke, asked the barmaid for an exciting diet coke. I got a bonus shot of diet coke in a shot glass, with a stirrer.

Top effort.

Back to Work

So today was incredibly odd being back at work. This was obviously a surprise to others too - including Mark, who despite having asked me when I was around yesterday, decided to call me at work to see if I was free. No, no I wasn't.

Anyway, it was odd. Yesterday it felt like a holiday still, and that it would keep on being one. Today it was back into the routine. An admittedly relaxed routine still, with few people around and a large amount of chatting and catching up, but still a work routine all the same.

Only one and two-third days left this week!

Present Delivery

So, as I have alluded to previously - both this year and years past - I can't stand the bustle and hassle of Christmas shopping in the shops. This year I resolved to do my shopping online. Considerably easier, you might think.

Well, yes and no. The problem is then comes with the delivery. This worked fine - it was due to arrive on Tuesday. Snow probably interfered slightly with the schedules, but it was promised to arrive on Tuesday all the same. They attempted to deliver on Tuesday. Noone was home.

This is where it gets good.

Dad was off on Wednesday, so kindly went to pick it up from the parcel depot as instructed. When he got there, he found it had been put on a van. Strangely enough, noone was home when they tried to deliver it. Infuriating.

A second collection attempt was made today, and I found that not only was the package itself so badly packed and small that it could've been put through the letterbox anyway, but also that it was missing a large amount of the present material I had purchased.

Bugger.

Who Is This For, Anyway?

I was going to spend this evening making some passing comments about snow and cold, but instead my blogging attention was distracted by a truly entertaining article in the Evening Standard I read on the delayed train home.

Essentially, it was a lover's guide for Christmas. I have no idea who these theoretical lovers are, but it seemed like a thoroughly bizarre chest of advice. Here are some of my favourite titbits as to how it doesn't work for me:

- Don't guess her size! Look at some discarded garments discreetly while she showers, etc! Okay ... if I kept Chrissi's spare clothes, let alone underwear around, that would be extremely odd. Not the thoughtful gesture it suggests. Count that as a no ...
- (In reference to, say, lingerie shopping) Ask her best friends what she may like that she's gone shopping with! I'm wondering what Carisa's reaction would be if I were to ask her that. It'd be somewhere between baffled bemusement and moral outrage, I'm sure. It's almost tempting to ask just to see the reaction ...
- What's saucy not sleazy? £200 knickers! I'm sorry, how much? For underwear that there practically isn't anything of anyway? I'll pass, thanks, and spend my money on something with greater value-for-money, like a chocolate teapot.
- Don't be a cheapskate, gifts money can't buy are pointless! Wait a minute, aren't those the ones we're always taught are more romantic? Except at Christmas, where commercialism rules? What's that logic again?
- What about sleeping together at her parents' house? Be wary in case she is extra loud to prove she's her own woman! Erm ... okay ... I have absolutely no idea what that is about, to be brutally honest.

As said, an odd compendium of advice. I think I'll follow my instinct rather than this misguided 'how to' tips collection.

Christmas Countdown

You all have the rare pleasure of a weekend blog; this time I am discussing the charts.

By now you will all now that Rage Against The Machine is rightfully and hilariously number one. It's the first time I've listened to the charts in around ten years, and it was thoroughly worth it. Clearly, we need far more rocking songs in the charts. This also proves one thing above all - don't underestimate the internet.

Talking of countdowns, it appears my blog counts have been off for ages. Seemingly there were a lot of old drafts that I subsequently posted hidden in my posts - so I was about twelve under what it promised. Failing that, this would be my 350th post - but instead it's only the 338th! Not quite as significant.

Snow Day

So that was the much feted snow - supposedly laying waste to transport networks, roads and generally causing chaos. It was a small fall which was perhaps an inch or so. It stuck around, but barely to the level forecast.

And definitely not enough to build any sort of snow-objects out of.

Questions? Comments?

We interrupt my scheduled topic for today with this marvellous extract from, of all places, the side of a cling film box.

"Questions? Comments?"

I'm sorry, if you have questions or comments on cling film then you are not allowed to use it. Just who has questions or comments on cling film? It's cling film, you use it, what's the complication?

[For American readers, you may refer to this by the brandname of Saran wrap.]

I Won't Do What You Tell Me

So last night I read and was thoroughly amused at the fantastic Facebook campaign to replace the manufactured nonsense of X-Factor for Christmas No. 1 in the charts with the excellent Rage Against The Machine's most excellent Killing in the Name song.

Last night over 750,000 people were in support of this according to the ever-unreliable barometer that is Facebook.

I've done my bit tonight and purchased my copy for great justice.

To join in the democratic overthrow of the X-Factor/Cowell chart hijack, download the single (available here), and also contribute to the excellent associated cause of homeless charity Shelter here - which has already raised an immense £40,000 from the generosity of this campaign.

Rage Against The X-Factor!

Decorations!

Oddest thing of the week happened on Thursday, but I recall now I never posted about it.

At work we were doing our typical kill-a-couple-of-hours thing by putting up some decorations. We have a load of them from previous years, so a simple matter of just attaching them up (a paperclip holding them under the ceiling tiles works quite well). The flaw was that we lacked any invisible string. Or any other form of string for that matter.

So ever resourceful, Lorrayne decided to donate some of her hair to the cause. Two or three hairs worked quite well to hold a baubel up. It's surprisingly strong. So yes, our Christmas decorations are held up at work with human hair.

This sounds far weirder retelling it, actually.

Poker Final

Tonight was the poker final at work; the grand conclusion of the year's tournament.

There are twelve monthly rounds, where placings get you points for the leaderboard. The best ten results combine to form your final score; the top eight ranks get onto the final table. Your chips are determined proportional to your scores from the regular monthly rounds.

I went into the final as a narrow chip leader. After many back-and-forth hours of intense pokering, I eventually emerged victorious.

Hurrah.

MinusBus

A couple of weeks ago I got myself organised enough when doing my season ticket to look into how on earth you get the deal to get the bus ticket. It turns out it's quite simple - you ask at the station for a 'PlusBus' ticket, which can extend for one week, one month or three months. Simple, obviously.

Annoyingly so. A three month 'PlusBus' costs a grand total of £99. Now, consider that that three months will have probably thirteen weeks within it. Thirteen weeks where you would pay £18 per week. This is a total of £234 for that same period. This is what I have been paying. Essentially, over the past two and a quarter years, I've paid an additional £1,200-ish for bus fares than I needed to.

Bugger. I could've put that towards something useful.

Making Good Use Of Those Free Minutes ...

While trying to occupy myself on boring train journeys, I found myself tidying my phone contact list. As I can now have multiple numbers under the same contact (revolutionary idea, I know!) this occupied some time and made some sense.

I also decided to cull anyone I haven't spoken to for a large number of years. This represented actually a large number of people. Clearly, I need to lose my phone more to refresh my contact list easier and help auto-purge it of people I never talk to (or in some cases, never have talked to!).

Today I was in Reading and Slough. Both are not highlights of Middle England. I survived.

Two Mornings After ...

So today at work was unsurprisingly dominated by talk of Friday night's exploits at the Christmas party. There were many stars, but for me the following were the winners:

3. Neil deciding that the best way to take a photograph was by lying down on his back. It wasn't. Someone tripped over him; he lost his hold on the camera, which now won't turn on as a result. Genius.

2. Nimesh - having already been sick after starting off drinking way too fast - spent the past hour going around the dance area insistently telling me people were drunk and that they needed help. Yes, they were. But that's what happens when people drink. When asked what he was doing, he was "looking out for IT Projects". Fantastic.

1. Apparantly Neil thought the best way home after the party - and consequently stopping by Mark Stevenson's for a few nightcap - would be to walk (note this is now 6am or so). He got to Kingston and fell asleep on a park bench. Unparalleled.

This is all more reason for vindicating the decision to remain sober. One, this doesn't happen to me. Two, I can remember this all to impressive detail which noone else can. This gives me fabulous comedy probably until the end of the year now!

Party On

So Friday marked the office Christmas party (I keep wanting to capitalise the P, I'm not sure why). While according to stereotypethis should be a tedious and dull affair, I usually don't mind them. Yes, I know this is out of character with my Scrooge-like persona.

It involves typically a night out with people I get along with, paid for at someone else's expense, and with the added bonus that being the only non-drinker that I know of at work, that I have prime comedy material for the rest of the year. This played pretty much to type.

The venue this year was a considerable improvement over last year - a comedy club in Clapham Junction area. Of course, the inspired move of being at a comedy club on a work do when your work is an employment agency is potential - employment agencies being ranked just above estate agents in this category, really. The acts were funny enough - three different ones plus one guy providing links between them all.

Comedy was also provided by many of my colleagues. More on that later, though, after tomorrow's bound-to-be-entertaining review.

Winter Nights

Tonight was poker, in the first of a busy couple of nights. It was good, and went on for a long time, and I eventually finished third, meaning I was top of the table for the regular season.

Tomorrow night is the work Christmas party. It seems far too early for this to have come around, but nevertheless, here it is. I don't feel at all Christmassy yet, and it still just feels damp and autumnal, not wintery! However, I'm sure it will be an enjoyable occasion.

Today I have mostly made the same calls again and again as per Tuesday's comment. I've spent the entire week talking, it's too much. Time for some silence!

New Month!

We are one day into December and so far I'm already done with Christmas music. It's too much.

Today involved mostly repeating the same phonecall to lots of people's voicemail. I had gotten a very good spiel of it down by the end, to the point I was baffled when someone answered their phone. If people interrupted me I also lost my point. Only another 30-40 calls to go tomorrow on this one!

Foul Weather & Football

This weekend was marked by repeated rain. Sunday was non-stop rain, and the only time I ventured out on Saturday it was raining. This morning started off with rain, and delayed trains, and cancelled trains, and waiting on cold, wet platforms.

In other words, I wasn't too optimistic about the condition of tonight's football. However, it brightened up! The weather cleared up, having run out of rain, and the five-a-side pitch wasn't too bad. End result was a successful game, and getting into the swing of playing every week is helping - I'm starting to get slightly better and equally be in slightly better condition too!

Also, I've stopped getting injured. This is a major plus. Although I did take a ball square to the chest before we started. I wasn't looking in that direction. It was a little surprising!

Odd Link ...

So, being naked in dreams is a representation of inner vulnerabilities. This is one that's fairly commonly known. I mention this because I had a dream last night / this morning where I was naked or not wearing much at work. It doesn't take a genius to join the dots there!

However, in typical vein, this took me on to the odd thinking. If you dreamt you were naked and at work, what would that mean if your job was a porn star?

... I did say it was odd.

Another Week Down

This week I feel once more like I have successfully done absolutely nothing. It's becoming a tedious pattern that I intend to break next week.

Surprise Pub Trip!

So this evening I made a surprise detour to the pub! Exciting! This was unexpected, but hastily arranged this evening and an excellent time was had by all. Was especially good to catch up with Paul as haven't heard much from him and his various job hunt exploits (now successfully resolved) for a while.

This was an event only marred by the regrettable news that Mike has still not taken advantage of my generousity of lending him the immense Transformers (cartoon version of the movie) DVD by yet watching it.

Persistence

To keep the run going, I'm blogging both on Monday and Tuesday. I aim to not fail for the rest of the week.

I had a good topic earlier that I was going to rant about in my blog today, but I have now entirely forgotten what it was. Clearly, it wasn't that annoying. Now it's annoying me that I can't remember what the annoying thing was.

Today was the post-football day and I wasn't suffering notably from any particular aches, pains and bruises. This is an achievement! I will dwell on this instead.

This Weekend ...

... I have been mostly blowing my nose. Unexciting, yes. Being sick is annoying.

Also, anyone else of my few readers noticed how my commitment wanes about ... Tuesday through the week? It's around this point I stop having anything to say and wait until next week when I feel seemingly compelled to start again. Odd, anyway, as it's not as if one day is more particularly noteworthy than the next.

Lyrical Interlude

As a random aside, the Green Day lyric from Homecoming - as I was listening to it on the way home - is one of my favourite lyrics. 'Jesus filling out paperwork' (at the facility on East 12th Street, he's not listening to a word, he's in his own world and he's off dreaming'). Fabulous, the entire concept amuses me.

In other news, the grand tour is coming together. We have one or two confirmed places to visit in January. Exciting stuff! The Molloys in Leeds, and at least catching up with people in Durham.

I love it when a plan comes together.

Rainy Weekend

So it seems that this weekend was another of the typical weekends where I look outside at the rain pouring down on Saturday, and feel bitter and jealous about my sister in sunny Australia and my Dad in must-be-better-weather-than-this in Madrid this weekend. Typical! Not that I begrudge them their holidays in the sun, but still, that rain thing is very tedious.

However, the deluge didn't prevent me from finally playing football this evening. I'd not played for probably two months and I'll just leave it at the fact that it showed.

Busy Week!

Well, I said it was going to be a busy-ish week. It wasn't too quiet. Poker on Thursday was awesome, as I didn't play last month. It gave me a much needed points boost on the leadership table as I finished second and closed to within a point of the overall leader.

Wednesday had been a quasi-successful meeting event. Not that it wasn't successful, but that Chris and Paul both had to drop out so were unable to make it fully successful. But arranged at a first try, people turning up, and a damn good meal makes it a success in my books!

Talking about turning up, Chrissi and I have been talking about going visiting when she is here in January. Thought it would be nice to go drop by some of our friends that live a little further away. If they'll have us, that is. Interested in us coming by you? Fill in the easy and simple request form ... ha ha. Just tell me, we're flexible.

Ignore That, Then

So my comment on Tuesday as to how I had a busy week planned suddenly became less relevant when football disappeared from the agenda, predominantly due to not enough people being able to turn up. Everyone seems to be injured.

Annoying! I'm going to be severely out of condition and practice by the time I do get around to playing again!

Making it Past Tuesday

Last week or so - well, just last week - I've gotten until Tuesday and then stopped blogging. This week, with it being Wednesday, I'm determined to say something even though I've not got much to update.

However, I do have the news that I'm back. Not that I've been away in a physical sense. This will make no sense, but it's true.

Social Activity

Bizarrely I seem to have lots of plans at the moment. Friday I'm going out for a meal after work with folk from work.

I have also this evening successfully completed the arrangement of a general gathering for folk at home. Those of you baffled at my delight do not understand the logistical nightmare of finding a common date and time that works for a majority. This happens next Wednesday! I also have poker next Thursday at work, and football on Monday.

Any volunteers to fill up Tuesday? Space for limited time only!

Leave of Absence

Well, after the exciting start to last week, I felt compelled to keep it up. When I couldn't manage it, I clearly stopped blogging. Not much actually did happen the rest of the week.

Today is always a poignant and thoughtful day for me, as it marks the anniversary of my mother's death. It's hard to believe it has been eight years now, but it has. Nothing more to say on that, really.

Shocking

Day two of the week has been as bizarre as day one, although in different ways.

I came home to find that although the lights worked, no electrical appliance in the house was turned on. I looked at the trip switches to see if one had gone, and couldn't see it (turns out there was another one I wasn't aware of later). Good thing I wasn't, because had I spent all evening hunting around the house for the problem, I'd have hunted in vain.

After Dad returned from an evening out, we did get a hunt going and we did eventually find the issue - the wire to the fountain in the fishpond outside had frayed and therefore got in the water, and tripped the whole circuit. This has all the hallmarks of a cat.

Net result was this evening I spent sleeping, which was probably necessary anyway.

Card Woes

So by virtue of my unbridled generousity, I had a tiresome morning. Essentially, Chrissi and I were looking at new laptops, and one seemed to have a good deal, so I attempted to purchase it. Due to the site only allowing purchases from the US, this wasn't too successful for me.

However, an unintended consequence! It registered the attempt and my card was blocked. So when I got to the station this morning with a grand total of 16p in my pocket, it wouldn't let me buy a train ticket with my card. Or allow me to withdraw cash.

So I had a bit of a difficulty getting into work due to 'no money' to purchase a ticket with! I talked to the bank once they opened, had a call from the fraud prevention office later in the day, and my card is now working again fine. All it meant was that I had to work from home today. But an unnecessary hassle, all things considered!

Weekend Blogging

I rarely end up commenting much on weekends. This is typically due to two things - one I forget, the other is that as I often have the computer left on overnight I won't see my blog on my homepage when I come on the next day.

I've had two days back at work since my return from holiday and it's not been too bad so far. Taken a while to get back into my stride, but this is partially because there wasn't too much for me to take on immediately. There's also been some changes in the team - new folk in, other new starters expected (one on Monday, no idea about the other). All in all, should be interesting. I'm now one of the senior members of the team - which is, as always, mildly hysterical considering my years of experience.

Chrissi baked and the cookies went down a storm. This means I know what has to be done in January when Chrissi next comes over!

Redesign!

As you may have noticed, I played with the blog formatting. Out with the old parchment scroll, in with the new ... vague blue thing. It's new, it's shiny.

You may also now notice the random 'rebranding' that I've done. I decided that Musings from Slumberland was inaccurate now, especially considerating my recent insomniac tendencies. So in true unoriginal Hollywood style, we continue onto Episode II of the same. Essentially, no change, just new merchandise.

Highlights

So I'm back to 'normality' now, if you can call it such a thing. I've not been away for that long - only a week and a half - but because I've been to so many places (well, two) it feels a lot longer.

Highlights of my trip:

Seeing everyone in Canada. Was great to catch up with people again and I'm delighted that I made the trip this way, as it was long overdue. A very convivial long weekend.

The E190 for my flight from Halifax-Montreal and Los Angeles-Vancouver. They're gorgeous little planes; only two seats either side of the aisle, but they are very comfortable and considering I'm usually not a fan of flying, extremely enjoyable.



Spending time with Chrissi, obviously. Always great to see her and spend time with her. Also nice to catch up with other people while I was there, and I enjoy that as well! We didn't do particularly much this trip - Chrissi's work schedule saw to that - but the Aquarium of the Pacific was a nice day out.

However, tragically the chief highlight of my trip I think was when landing at LAX from Montreal. This is solely because I was watching a TV program (the excellent Spaced) on the entertainment system, and at the very moment we touched down, the theme tune from the A-Team was playing. It is impossible to describe just how cool this was.

In Transit

I'm writing this from the lovely Vancouver International Airport - and that's not a joke, it's a nice airport. Fortunate for me, as I've been here for three hours already and have another forty-five minutes to wait before my plane departs.

So far my trip has been fairly uneventful - airports are not the most fun places to kill time, let me tell you! Besides that, all is good and following a 9-10 hour flight I'll be back in England tomorrow morning!

More later, we appear to be starting boarding.

Timing is Everything

So one of the things I was excited about for being in America at this time of year was that I'd catch the baseball post-season. As the Angels made the playoffs this year, this would be a fabulous opportunity to experience that.

So what happens? Well, the Angels sweep the Red Sox, meaning that I miss a potential game five. Then they end up facing the Yankees, who by virtue of their superior regular season record, host four of seven in New York. The games in Anaheim? Um, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. The flaw? I fly out again Monday morning!

I managed to be here for an entire week in the middle of post-season, yet it has conspired to keep me from seeing a game live. Bah!

Home Away From Home

So here I am once again, sitting in Chrissi's room and composing a blog entry. As previously mentioned, this trip I've first called in to relatives in Canada - which was very enjoyable. It also had the successful achievement of breaking down my trip into two chunks, which is a bit of a change from the eleven hour marathon flights out here!

As usual, despite doing many things, I don't have much in the way of things to post. One thing does come to mind though.

On the Air Canada entertainment system, they play a multitude of adverts before any program you select - mostly adverts for Air Canada, bizarrely! One of these was along the lines of 'where would you rather be?', showcasing all interesting destinations that Air Canada fly to. I suppose this is relevant to mention because to me, the overwhelming thought was that where I'd really rather be is here with Chrissi.

Looking Back, Looking Forward

I've not updated for a little while, which has been in part laziness and part deliberate. Since my last blog, things have come to a head - I realised the route I was going down wasn't very good. I've since visited a doctor, been signed off from work for two weeks with the terribly generic 'stress'. This takes me up until my holiday, so I have four weeks off work - an appropriate break to get my mind in order, and also I hope kickstart me into being more sensible about a great many things.

I don't want to do a 'woe is me' blog, however - part of the reason I've not been posting this past fortnight! So I'm going to finish on the latter half of this by looking forward to the next couple of weeks and my coming holiday.

I go to Canada for a long weekend, spending time with family there, before flying on to LA to visit Chrissi, staying there for a week as well. This involves lots of hopping back and forth and some odd flight combinations compared to my usual. However, the advantage is that I also mostly have significantly shorter flights than my usual ten or eleven hour marathons!

Should be good, I'm looking forward to it.

The Last Few Weeks

So, let me get right to it.

These past few weeks I have been, to put it mildly, struggling. Those of you who know me well will know that my personality has a slight tendancy towards depressive behaviour. This was definitely manifesting itself these past few weeks.

I was getting into a vicious circle at work which was getting rather worrying. Irritatingly, as an intelligent man, I knew this, and was still unable to stop it. I was overwhelmed and increasingly stressed over work, which resulted in mild insomnia. This meant I was performing worse due to tiredness; the answer to which was coffee. Caffeine is not only a great stimulant, but it also causes stress. It also means you have difficulties sleeping. As you can see, here was my circle.

Another of my irritating tendencies is my slight obsessiveness. This can be a great help in reaching a goal, and has undoubtedly helped push me in many ways. It's why I do well at problem solving. However, when I had things at work that I really needed to switch off from to give myself a break, I couldn't. I was still obsessing over them, and as of such I never really 'left' work. This also did not help.

Last week was particularly bad. Mainly because I was starting to realise all of the above and was unable to stop it. Force of sheer will can overcome many things, but that wasn't helping! As I was struggling, I knew my performance at work was getting worse; as a result, I felt the need to work longer hours, take less breaks, in an effort to get things done. It doesn't take a genius to work out this didn't do much to change things.

However, this past weekend has helped. A great deal. It's given me a chance to unwind. To catch up with people and spend time with friends and not with my head in work. The distance was a great mental break. I felt better, and I felt refreshed when I came back. Thanks to all for your help and support, even those who didn't know it - it was of immense value to me.

I've also switched to decaf.

Musical Reminders

It is not rare for people to associate pieces of music to events, or that act of reminders of people. For example, 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' always reminds me of Iccyh; when I hear 'Starlight' by Muse, I am driving down Sequoia with Chrissi. The reason for this aside? That another song association is 'Mr Brightside' by The Killers, which I will forever associate with my final year at Durham.

This weekend, for those that don't know, I was up in Harrogate for the wedding of Tim and Kat - two friends from my final year. It was great not only for this, but that it gave me an opportunity to see all my friends from Durham. It was wonderful to catch up with them all - it's hard to believe it's well over three years since I left there!

In summary - I need to work harder at keeping in touch with folk, because I really do enjoy catching up with people when I do get around to it!

Six of the Best

I've had several things on my mind today, but they can wait until tomorrow. I've been lacking writing material.

Today marks six years since Chrissi and I started dating. I know from over the years of mild disbelief to good natured mockery that not all would consider some part of that a 'full' relationship, but I do, and Chrissi does, and that's the main thing. It's six years I am very grateful for and appreciative of, and can only hope for many more to follow.

To Clarify ...

As this has caused massive confusion, I will clear this up.

Next weekend - the 19th/20th - I am going to Harrogate for Tim and Kat's wedding. Tim, in this case, is Tim from my final year at Durham, surname of Marjoribanks, a.k.a. 'the man who talks about pigeons'. Not any other Tim or any other person not called Tim. Kat is his fiancee, who also went to Durham, at a different college.

Hope this helps.

Insomnia

It always worries me when I start to get insomnia, as it's usually the first sign I'm starting to get over-stressed. It's also usually a way that my occasional depression manifests itself, so that's also not a good sign.

Summary: I need this manic spell at work to die down soon.

Bit of a Lull

You may've noticed I've not really been blogging recently, and I have obviously noticed this too. I've been scratching around trying to work out precisely why that is.

At the moment, I've not really gotten much going on. I'm overwhelmed at work, and that's feeding through to everything else with both a lack of time to do other things and a bit of a lack of interest or motivation to do that as well. All this makes for very little to talk about. Last week at the bank holiday, I did kick myself into gear for some of the weekend to try and get something happening. It didn't last for as long as I wanted to, however.

To be honest, I think I'm searching for something to give me that bit of a push. It's not going to just appear for me, so I should just get on and do it.

Jog On

So, this morning I actually managed to get up early enough and motivated enough to go for a run once more. Again, the thought of me running on a daily basis is both somewhat impressive and somewhat comical. However, today was worthy of an achievement because I actually managed to run around my entire 'course' I set for myself without stopping. I'm not necessarily sure I was topping walking pace at some points, obviously, but I was still technically running, so that's the main thing.

I celebrated this by punching the air as I reached back to the house, something again both simultaneously comic and tragic.

Also today, I noticed a bizarre notice at the station that amused me. This was a standard 'no skating, no rollerblading, no whatever else' on the platform. However, it also added 'no loitering'. Um? Isn't that what waiting for a train IS by definition? Peculiar.

Badly Formatted

Nothing seems quite as frustratingly pointless as the newly rebranded 'Europa League'. First you have the fact that it takes seventeen games to win it, half a season. Then it's the fact that all the Champions' League teams go into it for free halfway through.

But besides that, it just seems so bizarrely misformatted. To summarise, it works like this:

76 teams play off over two legs so that 38 teams qualify for the group stage, in addition to ten losers from the Champions' League qualifying (do you know why losers from another tournament take precedence over teams that already qualified for this tournament? No, neither do I). These then play in twelve groups of four, with the top two going through in each. This does not make a round number for a tournament draw - this is because the eight third-place teams from the Champions' League drop in at this stage, to make up to thirty-two teams. From then on it is a straight knock-out to the final.

This is absurd, frankly. So many flaws and pandering to the Champions' League clubs. This is my version, put together in five minutes, and most of that doing the maths to put the numbers together correctly. I'd wager it works out to be a better tournament.

Expand the draw by ten teams. This way you start with 86 teams. Add to this the ten losers from the final Champions' League qualifiers, to avoid favouring them, to make 96. These 96 then play off in two legged ties to leave 48 teams for the main draw. Split these 48 teams into sixteen groups of three teams, each playing each other home and away, with the top team in each group going through to the round-of-sixteen (which is called the eigth-finals in some parts of the world).

From there, you have sixteen teams competing to reach the final in standard fashion. Third place in the Champions' League groups gets you a seat at home for the rest of the season, and not a shot at the Europa League as compensation. This format gives 13 games to reach the final - the exact same as the Champions' League, enabling a mirror tournament - and it removes the imbalance between Champions' League teams and genuine qualifiers.

Even within this I don't like the odd group stage, but considering the number of teams involved, it works better than a bigger group, and fits neatly enough to the current numbers.

Perhaps I should propose this to UEFA, see what the view is.

Regret

I always have a policy of 'no regrets'. What happens, happens, you take it as part of your learning experience and move on. However, I am seriously regretting fixing Dad's computer and upgrading some of the applications to ones that work well - I now need to help every day to explain what to do when a popup explaining what to do comes up.

In other news, I'm getting frustrated with work, but as I just had a bit of a letting-off-steam rant on IRC, I'll pass that over for now.

Oh, That Was The Other Thing ...

The other thing I was being lax on was blogging. Now I remember. I've not posted much of late - partially because I haven't had much to say, partially because what I do have to say is somewhat either downing and not exactly motivating to positive blog posting, as I try to do!

To give a brief synopsis, I'm a bit discouraged about my weight, I seem to be gaining more rapidly than I thought, or perhaps I'm just going insane. Or, the more likely option, is that I expect a week's worth of slight exercise to have a lasting effect. If only!

This week I have played football, which makes a dramatic change to usual; somehow I got back on the invite list due to noone else turning up. It was tiring and I was significantly worse than I used to be. Decent exercise, but probably not enough. Desperately need to motivate myself, but to do that I need to get to bed on time so I'm not too tired in the morning. So that's the first step.

Failure on Multiple Fronts

So, this week, how have I been doing?

Well, I've managed to fail to do running in the morning. I keep intending to and keep failing, mainly because I'm so tired. Why's that? That would be because I'm failing to get to bed on time like I should be doing.

That's actually about it on the failure side, to be honest, I think it's more irritating that I've not had the motivating push I've wanted here. There is still one weekday left this week to put that right, which means a decent time to bed tonight.

That Didn't Happen

I'm not living in denial, but the Premier League season now starts next weekend.

A Little Research

For a bit of a change I'm going to revisit a topic I covered earlier in the week. Usually I don't stop by the same topic that often, but this angers me so much I need to write on it. The topic is, predictably, American healthcare.

The thing that I don't understand is that when I've been to America, I've not met anyone who I've talked with who felt that the current system was a good one. I've not seen any evidence that there is a groundswell of support for the status quo. This is all down to rhetoric and scary words such as 'socialised'. There's no discussion on whether the healthcare system should be improved. So why is the debat enot about that?

Touching again on the statistics I posted up on Wednesday, the US spends more money, per head, on the healthcare system than anywhere else in the world. Yet it ranks only 37th for the quality of healthcare, and what's more astounding is if you showed Americans the list of countries above them. Oman. United Arab Emirates. Cyprus. Colombia. Costa Rica. Dominica. Morroco. Greece. Iceland. Singapore. Andorra. And yes, even the much-maligned 'socialised' United Kingdom. Topping the list are those ultimate favourites of the right, France.

This study was carried out in 2000, so is bound to be changed a little since then. However, it doesn't do anything but emphasise that the American system is not performing as it should. But why? Ironically, one of the suggested reasons is because of too much bureaucracy. As this is a charge levied at the NHS at the moment as part of this debate, it's not but a little ironic that the American levels of bureaucracy in healthcare are 50% above average. For more background, have a look at the WHO report, which goes into this in more detail.

Now, let's change tack and talk about people who oppose this. Besides those with a vested interest, those convinced by the rhetoric, and discounting the bigger government argument for a minute here, there is a number who are very much on the side of the 'why me? I'm healthy' line. I've done a little research today and found out the following; dates for statistics vary but the point is fairly illustrative.

414,295 residential fires occured in 2007 in the United States of America. Latest figures (2006) indicate approximately 125 million houses in the US; translating to a 0.3% chance of a residential fire - which is naturally going to be biased as well. There are no direct statistics for the residential damage cost of fires, but a proportional $35,300 will suffice to demonstrate the point.

Now, back to healthcare. Of a population of 303 million (2008), 25.1 million have a heart condition (2007); making this about 8%. The statistics consider that 11%, based on only adults, but I am happy with 8%. Statistics on the cost of out-of-pocket expenses and medical premiums for a year alone run to $21,900 (2007 - taken from the American Heart Association). Note that won't account for the run-on cost on future years, as you would expect would be a cost liability. Estimations including loss of earnings on one site I saw topped $1 million.

So this is the point of this exercise in figures. My bet is that those people who are convinced they are healthy, they won't be the ones affected by any healthcare scare - they will have fire insurance. At a chance of 0.3%, you will take out insurance on the basis of a risk of a $35,000 cost. So all these people, those that aren't the ones who'll get ill, wouldn't think anything giving them better access to healthcare (8-10% risk, costs running into the hundreds of thousands - and that's heart disease alone) should probably think again.

Of course, you can reduce the chance of suffering from those diseases by keeping yourself in good fitness. But you can reduce the chance of a residential fire. And you'll still have fire insurance. Just in case.

Food for thought.

I'm fairly confident I'll be revisiting this topic.

Triple Century

Believe it or not, this is my 300th blog post.

As an interesting contrast, it's taken me a little under a year (335 days) to go from blog #201 to blog #300. It took me far longer to go from blog #1 to blog #100 (496 days), although not as long as from blog #101 to blog #200 (a lengthy 528 days). All these pointless statistics are just to entertain myself, really. Perhaps I simply have more to talk about now, or make more to talk about. Or don't care about having anything to talk about or not and post regardless!

As commented on Monday, I was trying to do a bit more exercise (read: some exercise). This has so far resulted in me going for a run in the morning on Monday through Wednesday, with gradually improving results. A brief play with a finger as a measuring device and googlemaps estimate my circular route to be around 2.5km which isn't terrible - especially considering by Wednesday I was managing to slowly jog round the first 1.8km without a break, a drastic improvement on my run-then-walk-and-wheeze approach from Monday! A more realistic pace admittedly helped with this.

No running this morning because my back was slept on odd so twinging. Hopefully more again next week, we'll see how it goes!

Lies and Damn Lies

This morning I was reading an article on how right wing pressure groups in the US, opposed to healthcare reform, are using statistics on the NHS as proof of the 'great evil' that is socialised medicine. Some of these statistics are true, some are grounded in truth, and others are just plain manufactured. But statistics can be used to make any point when used like this.

To me, the only statistic that matters is this: in the UK, 100% of people have access to healthcare - regardless of wealth, employment status, employer, length of employment or previous medical conditions. Oh, and not to bring rankings into this, but American healthcare is ranked only 37th in the world. Those are the statistics this debate should be about.

Exercise: Worth the Pain?

So, this morning I was awake at 5:30, and after being paranoid I was late, dozed for a few minutes. Then I peered at the clock and after much umming and ahhing, finally got up around 6ish.

And then I did something bizarre (for me) and went for a run for 20-25 minutes. I've been meaning to get more exercise, and eventually I pushed myself enough to do it. Note that when I say run, I mean jog for a few minutes, then walk and wheeze to get my breath back. I'm more out of shape than I realised. I'm putting this up here mainly in the hope of shaming myself into doing it again tomorrow and getting into the habit of it!

Also, to completely change the subject - congratulations Russell on getting engaged.

Haircut Organisation

So, you know how I always bemoan the fact that I'm overdue for a haircut because I forgot to book one? Well, today, I actually booked ahead and booked my next haircut as well as the current one.

I can learn from this. This means when I attend Tim and Kat's wedding in September, I will look slighly more presentable than I did for Mark and Sophie's wedding!

No Offence, But ...

This week I've been thinking a fair bit about tolerance and respect. This has mainly been specifically about religion and religious views. This all came out of a conversation I was having with Chrissi at the tail of the weekend.

I thought a decent amount about the politics - the irony of the contrast between separation of church and state and the opposite in the UK (with the Queen being the head of state and the head of the church, there are bishops sitting in the House of Lords, CoE schools are standard and we still have 'D.F.' on our coins as a fair indication of the relative difference). Yet here people are a lot more accepting or non-caring about the belief of others. It's considerably less judgemental.

The main thing that came out of it, however, was a gratitude to my friends for despite being mostly church-orientated (this great phrase courtesy of my Dad - 'religious', 'devout' and similar all have oddly sinister undertones!) - despite being church-orientated, none have really questioned, challenged or judged my own very different beliefs. This, I get the feeling, is rare, so I'm appreciative of that.

Wedding Titbits

Following in the style of a news wrap-up, I'm going to do a brief summary from the weekend without going into excess words.

Mark and Sophie being married isn't weird; Mr and Mrs Molloy is ... the bathrooms in the Jury's Inn having a full-length mirror over the toilet was plain bizarre ... Ceilidh is harder to do than spell, and that's saying something ... Chris' speech was superb, got to love the singing, but why was nobody filming it to put it on YouTube ... taxi drivers racing round corners through deep puddles are not on my happy list right now ... Mark had far too much paranoia about his honeymoon secrecy (it's in Tunis, folks, in case you were wondering, think it's safe to say now) ... lego men truly amuse men of all ages.

Back tomorrow.

Mobile Blogging

I'm writing this blog, excitingly, from my phone. This now means I can blog from anywhere - it may even mean more frequent updates - although I doubt I'll be writing anything of significant length! I can easily see why the brevity of twitter has caught on. However, I prefer my updates to be slightly longer!

I'm writing this from my hotel room, before I go to meet Tim for brunch. Then, after that, it's Mark's wedding! With typical summer timing it is, naturally, raining. Welcome to the north! Ending now before I am running late, more later or tomorrow.

Slow Progress Against Goals

I've ordered a new phone. I can't remember what it does, precisely, but it's considerably more up-to-date than my existing one. This is winging it's way to me over the next 24 hours, so I'll pick it up from the Royal Mail depot on Friday after noone is in to sign for it.

What with this being a contract phone, and therefore boundless amounts of free minutes, you can expect to hear considerably more from me (than you would like to) in the immediate future.

Minor Peeve

What really annoys me is when I come to write a blog, knowing full well I had thought of a decent topic earlier in the day - yet when I come to write, it's gone. Nothing.

Currently I'm kicking on from my plan of yesterday by looking at phone plans. I'm trying to find one that actually fits my needs. It would help if I knew what my needs were, but this is at least helping to provide some form of comparison as a helpful introduction.

Ding

So, as the more astute among my readers noticed, yesterday was my birthday. This has increasingly become 'just another day' a lot of the time, as to go with my general laissez-faire attitude towards birthdays as a whole, there's also the lack of real motivation to do anything! In the end we went out for a meal as a family, which was pleasant.

This week I have a surprisingly amount I would like to get done, chiefly because this upcoming weekend I'm off to Leeds for Mark's wedding. I have a longer list than I'd have liked at this point! I need to get this sorted, in other words.

How's the progress going on my 'list of things I wanted to get done'? Well, not too overwhelmingly. I've still not got a new phone, nor have I sorted out learning to drive. I'm doing a bit more exercise but not a drastic amount - although I think it's going in the right direction. There's a lot I still want to get sorted out, and it strikes me as an irony that I'm sitting here a short while ago asking Chrissi as to what to do. Perhaps working on this list would be a good starting point!

Only in England ...

It strikes me as bizarre that the rules and regulations for uploading a passport-style picture to get a Young Person's Railcard are stricter than those to get an actual passport. Well, so it seems from the rules anyway.

Today was another tremendously successful orange shirt day. Because at the moment the prospect of ironing is fighting a losing battle, it will almost certainly be followed by a red shirt day tomorrow. Sadly, I can't continue the colour spectrum into Thursday.

So, it's my birthday on Saturday! Who knew? As it strikes the 'inbetween' weekend, bookended by Mark's stag do and wedding, I'd looked upon it as a week off. Now I need to somewhat plan something or at least think of a list of presents or other things I may like. Refer back to last year and the phenomenally failed effort to get myself organised on this front, and you'll get an idea of the sort of lax attitude I have to things that I want.

Surprising Discomfort

I am shocked by how much I am aching from sleeping on the ground camping this weekend. It does not bode well for my general state of health if this is the case.

Tonight my internet is working reliably, which is a distinct improvement over yesterday - cutting out at irritating five-ten minute intervals for a few seconds. This was especially entertaining while I was watching the baseball live via the internet, as I would have a good few seconds of watching no actions, but the commentators talking - before we switched to connection dying, something happening in the game, and just getting reconnected in time for the next break in play.

Because of this, and the fact that it was a classic pitchers' duel, I missed the only run of the game. On the plus side, Angels still won in extras; I just didn't get to see it properly!

Brief Lessons Learned Review

As we do at work, theoretically, after a project has been completed, a brief lessons learned review from this weekend's festivities:

1. Fields covered with horse muck, divots, ditches, and horses make interesting sports venues. If your eye is on the frisbee or the ball, it is not on where you are going, and that's a fatal error.

2. In a weekend of rain and cloud, I still managed to get sunburnt. I am not sure how this happened, but I need to wear more sunscreen.

3. Bring a sleeping bag if you're going to be camping. Sid didn't. It was ... cold, I understand.

4. Buy less food for barbeques. It's always eaten, but too much is eaten - just to avoid it going to waste. A little more control and rationing of the meat is warranted.

5. Mark looks ... worryingly natural in a dress:



Was a good weekend!

Metereologically Sound Timing

Well, I promised an update today so I must be true to that. Due to this devotion to my handful of readers, I'm quickly scribbling down a blog in the five minutes before I'm supposed to be leaving.

This weekend is Mark's stag do, so several of us are decamping - quite literally - to the New Forest. With great predictability, the English summer is doing what the English summer does, and providing great amounts of rain. I'm sure we'll cope. Last night, with thunder and lightening putting on an impressive show, I suspected this weekend may be interesting.

Looking at the weather map today - the part where the heaviest rain is seems to be concentrated on where we're going. This seems typical, really. However, it's supposed to brighten up tomorrow! I've got myself, a sleeping bag, several changes of clothes and a camera. I think that's all I need.

Back Sunday.

If You're All Alone

... pick up the phone, and call - Ghostbusters. This title came from a surreal moment while vaguely pondering for a blog title at work today, and the general concept went straight into the wonderfully terrible Ghostbusters Rap.

The reason for this is that Dad is enjoying his birthday present and away for a few days; enjoying driving a classic car around Yorkshire and the general North. The birthday present was from his generous and in all other ways fantastic children, as it was his sixtieth birthday this year. However, because this is clearly in high demand, it took from early May until now for the car Dad wanted to be available!

This means that I am fending for myself - well, quite adequately really. But it is a little empty around here in the house to myself. Tomorrow I have the day off work, which means I experience the excitement of a four day week. My working week is over as of this evening, in fact, which is always fun. More on tomorrow tomorrow, though. I don't want to overreach!

Lights! Camera! Wasps!

The only thing I can remember from work today was that I had to save a colleague, Hannah, from a wasp. Having pointed out a couple of weeks ago that I wasn't too bad with dealing with wasps and am not too bothered by them, I then got called with an appeal for help as a wasp was apparantly besieging the HR office.

However, with the help of a sturdy booklet, I gently escorted it out of the window, and its reign of terror was over.

Hidden Costs

So weddings are expensive. Not necessarily the hosting, although I'm sure that's the case too. But attending them. Train tickets, hotel costs, etc, etc. Fortunately I'm not female, or I'd have to buy a new dress for each wedding I attended too. I do have a new suit, admittedly, but that was a present to me as much as anything else!

The thing about Mark's wedding is that it's making me forget it's my birthday coming up - sandwiched as my birthday is in the weekend between Mark's stag do and Mark's wedding. I need to start making a list of things I'd like. Or think of anything, really, as I usually do!

Any suggestions?

Week of Activity

So for a change, my lack of updating this week has not been through boredom or nothing to say, but actually lots of things meaning I've not even been here.

Firstly, during the week I've been busy at work, and then in the evenings too - Thursday was poker night, which ended in a triumph for me which puts me top of the leaderboard. Friday was intended to be a team social, but a gradual thinning of numbers just resulted in a few of us going out for a drink instead. Still very pleasant.

Saturday was busy too. First up was lunch with Tim, Paul and Mike, Tim being back in Woking for a while. This was very enjoyable and it was good to see Tim again, as I've not caught up with him for far too long. This sort of thing admittedly does happen when people move away, but I still always feel slightly remiss for it.

I went straight up from this to London to meet Dad and my cousins, Armaan and Alyia. They are in London for the week as a graduation present for Armaan (high school graduation. Not university. I don't get it either!). I've not seen them for probably nine years, so it was a little bit of a shock for me! The last time I remember them, Armaan was 8 and wanting to play with lego, and Alyia would have been six and demanding Rachel play with barbies with her. They are now both distinctly not six and eight.

It was a really enjoyable afternoon/evening, all considered, and it was nice to catch up with them. It gives me another motivation to do the 'promised' trip to see Chrissi via meeting family in Canada, which I've been talking about for a while but never actually done. Perhaps I'll try that for October!

Those Promised Vegas Pictures

I said I'd upload these pictures, and those of you who have me as a friend on Facebook will have undoubtedly seen these already. However, I will repost them here just for the absurdity that was my hotel room in the MGM Grand.


A phone in the toilet. Just why is there a phone in the toilet?


Not to mention, why is there a television screen in the middle of the bathroom mirror?

Plain bizarre.

Inaccuracies: A Contemplatory Interjection

So, twice today I read in the newspaper incorrect facts that made me angry. Mainly because people simply should be more intelligent than they are.

Firstly, this morning I saw an article in the Metro as to how Fabio Capello wants England to be only the second team after Brazil to win the World Cup out of their hemisphere. As tenuous an opportunity as it is, the point remains it's rather difficult. This is mainly because in addition to Brazil (winning in Sweden in 1958, Mexico in 1970, USA in 1994 and South Korea in 2002), the second team to win the World Cup out of their hemisphere was Argentina, who won the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

Do people not think or bother to check these facts?

Well, clearly not. Because in the evening paper, I was treated with the delights of several people writing in talking about a 300-year association between Scotland and England. This is very nice. Except that for most historians, the union of Scotland and England occurs not with the official and neatly named 'Act of Union' in 1707, but one hundred and two years earlier, with the ascension to the throne of James I (James V of Scotland), who was the first King of 'Great Brittaine' as he termed himself.

Not two particularly interesting facts, but the fact that I knew both facts were wrong off the top of my head proves either that I retain useless trivia, or that people need to not talk about things without making sure they're correct first. Or perhaps both!

Blatant Plug

Today's post is dedicated to entirely plugging Mike's picture page. Mainly because it is awesome, but also because I said I would - and it has pictures of me too. This may or may not be a selling point, time will decide. As I have no idea who actually reads this thing any more, if anyone, Mike has been doing a photography degree (and has just completed said degree), so has pretty much been an on-hand papparazzo for any social or vaguely social event.

Anyway, do take a look, it can be found at the imaginatively titled www.mikebutcher.com.

A couple of samples of the pictures including me are included for your general entertainment and amusement.


At Virgina Water on Easter Monday


New Year's Eve 2008, post-midnight (so technically at this point, New Year's Day 2009)

Followers! Readers! Minions!

I debate on how many of the above are true. A discussion this evening at the pub (the fabled Badger Rib of old, properly termed the Bridge Barn) mentioned my blog. Apparantly people read it, which is still a shock to me. I'm delighted though, it's nice to know that people actually care enough to bother to read. It makes me think I should put more care into what I write here to reciprocate!

While mentioning this evening, it would be appropriate to mention that it was a most enjoyable time. It's always good to catch up with people, and I am remiss in not making the effort as much as I should. This is something that I keep intending to do and then always feel guilty about afterwards. However, with two social engagements over the upcoming month - first Mark's stag do, and then his wedding - that takes care of two weekends for me. But I must make the effort more. Learning to drive would also b a good start, eventually, if only to win the battle with Mike on this front - but would also open up more potentialities.

I'm sitting here next to my open window enjoying the cool breeze. The warm spell has broken a little today - last night it was somewhat spectacular to watch through my open window as I saw the sky lit up with distant lightening like some ethereal imagery.

Thus ends a tiring week - both at work (covering for my line manager who was off along with general busy activities), and in addition to that the sweltering heat. As has been my pattern recently, I'm trying to do more at weekends. I'll see what I get done tomorrow!

What

Internet is fixed. So much for my early night.

The Other Breakdown

So my bus broke down on the way home through overheating. This heatwave lark is tiring. It's at this point of the year that I'm jealous of women for their ability to wear skirts - not that I like to wear skirts, to clarify, or ever have, but because it's a little less stifling than trousers, and men don't have an alternative option.

Now where can I find a kilt to wear to work ...

Also, in other news, my new suit came. It's awesome. In less awesome news, the trousers don't fit. This either involves a mass exercise regime or sending them back for a pair that fits, so I went with the latter. I should start on the former though soon.

Breakdown Breakdown

So today I purchased, among other things, the new Green Day album - 21st Century Breakdown. As most of my readers will know, I've long been an ardent Green Day fan, and even like their more recent stuff, so was intrigued as to the new album. I've seen excellent reviews of it, and it's been well received.

It's interesting. I've listened to it once through, and it has to be said it really needs to be listened to as an album as opposed to as a collection of songs. It's more of a complete piece, and the phrase I recall reading calling it a 'punk-rock opera' is rather accurate in terms of the construction.

For me, though, the weird part of the album was the borrowing from previous albums. The structure of American Eulogy: Mass Hysteria is borrowed from Deadbeat Holiday on the Warning album, except it suddenly veers off towards the end of the lines. This is very surreal the first time you listen to it. The song ¿Viva la Gloria? (Little Girl) is also very reminiscent of Misery, again from Warning. This is more stylistic as opposed to a direct copy though.

I've not listened to it enough to really get a feel for it, but on a first listen there's only one 'home run' song, that really stands out, and that's saved for last. It's an interesting album, and I think it probably warrants a second listen before I commit to a full opinion on it!

Brief Interlude: Wedding Rant

Okay. This has cropped up in general discussion a couple of times of late, and due to my generally unusual opinions I wanted to at least clarify what I mean when I have the opportunity to correct my mis-statements.

Excellent.

To start with, this is not something I have a great personal fear of, nor that I'm generally opposed to. In fact, overall marriage isn't a bad thing, except the spelling, which always trips you up. In the conceptual version - two people joining together - it's a great thing, something that should be thought of positively. (Of course, it's never about that, it's about the dress or the cake or the venue or the reception or the flowers or the cars or the myriad of other things that go into planning a wedding, but that's a different story.)

What I typically take issue with is the way it is given a great significance beyond that which it actually bestows. Taken literally, a marriage is the legal confirmation of a couple's commitment. Now, you may take a more religious line, which I know some of my readers do, in which case there are other factors which I won't fully go into because it's an entirely different subject matter. What I personally take issue with is how marriage is held as a holy grail, as a final goal and an idealised future. The comparisons with everything else are that they are markedly inferior.

Now, I'm in a relationship of closing in on six years, one which I'm seriously committed to. Relationships such as mine - long-term, seriously committed ones - are not common. But when they are, it is greeted with bafflement. A long-term relationship seemingly has less validity in people's eyes than a short term relationship where people end up married (as this seems as good a point as any to clarify, this isn't aimed at any of my readers, so Sophie, Kat, you can put the weapons down, I'm not trying to dissuade Mark or Tim).

Pop culture and everyday 'norms' confirm all of this - when was the last time you saw a couple for a long time together in any TV program without a 'happy ending', but just a happy couple? The problem is that because of this idealised vision painted of marriage, everything else takes on a naturally gloomier look by comparison.

The long and short of it? When I think about it in depth, I think positively towards the concept. What irritates me is when people somehow assign a lesser significance or seriousness to a relationship without a marriage (lack of commitment? I think years alone indicate commitment), or without this quote wedded bliss quote you won't know true happiness. What rubbish.

Not sure where this came from, really. But essentially: people can be happy in lots of ways.

Odd Linkage

It amuses me that when thinking of buying a new suit, the first thought in my mind is that scene from Anchorman (not Dodgeball, I clearly wasn't thinking there!) pursuing a similar theme. That, of course, ended up not with a new suit being purchased, but with an all out inter-newsroom battle royale.

No danger of that, then.

Heartily Sick

Having been meaning to post something all week but suffering from a lack of inspiration, it's vaguely amusing that the first thing that I have to blog about is being ill.

I'm currently at home by virtue of feeling horribly sick this morning. Having ummed and ahhed for a couple of hours as to whether I was well enough to go into work, I decided I wasn't. A good call, as I was sick right about the same time I would usually get on my train!

The main observation here is that - while it makes perfect sense logically for being sick to make you feel better (removing the problem, etc) - conceptually it doesn't make much sense. "I've just been sick - I feel terrific!"

Short Outage

So for a few days I was remiss in failing to blog; no updates to speak of from yours truly. This was down to both tiredness and an absolute lack of anything whatsoever happening.

My sleeping routine is slowly returning to normal, by virtue of the fact that it was horribly muggy at the weekend not as fast as it should do. Averaging three-four hours of sleep last week I stumbled through it, although the afternoons were not noted for my productivity at work. I managed to grab ten-twelve hours kip on Friday night, and a decent few hours on Saturday night, but Sunday night saw me back to the small numbers again as despite going to bed at 9:30pm feeling shattered, I only made it to 2:30am before waking up!

It looks as if there's a thunderstorm looming, so this means at least the muggy weather will break and should hopefully get a good night's sleep tonight!

I'm yammering on about sleep because little else has happened since I've returned. I did find out today though that apparantly Andrew is the least dateable name. What do you know.

Day Two

So the second day into my return home, and my sleeping patterns are as crazy as you might expect. Today was marginally better - I felt that instead of not having really been to sleep, I'd just gotten up stupidly early. I suppose 4am is better than 3:30am, but I'm not being especially blessed with sleep right now.

I'm also getting a long list of things to do this weekend - besides such delightful chores as ironing, as you might expect following a long trip, I have to do other things such as get a new wallet (it's falling apart), get the overdue haircut I discussed pre-trip, and many other things too which I have now forgotten what they are. This is why I need to make a list, to remember this sort of thing!

What colour?

So today was tiring. Jetlagged, awake from 3:30am, work was the delight that I expected it to be - too much coffee, staring at the screen without much hope of reading things on it, the standard first-day-back scenario.

This was slightly compensated by the debut one of my new shirts, the colour of which is up for debate. I've termed it 'sea-green', but settled on teal by midway through the day. I'm a man who's not embarrassed to know what teal is. Suggestions it was turquoise were dealt with with the appropriate level of ridicule. The solution was only realised at lunchtime, when I realised that tragically the only colour it can be termed is mint. In hindsight, it is glaringly obvious that the shirt is just an excuse to eat mint ice-cream and drip it down you without anyone noticing.

Anyway, enough about the shirt.

Odd Yet Comforting

So Friday evening, Chrissi and I actually signed a card as a couple. This isn't oddly exciting to notice, but it felt weird yet comforting and familiar. I suppose seeing us as a couple more in writing like that is odd. Anyway, that was a nice reminder of the future and a glimpse forward. Yesterday was Chrissi's birthday, allegedly her last one until I catch up to her. No issues here, folks. It was an enjoyable day and we had a good time.

Also, as an aside to work folks - I have been shopping and red shirt day will no longer be a standalone day of awesomeness. There are going to be multiple days of awesomeness.

Today is my last day here, so we are going with the usual ritual of going to BJ's for lunch; I will order the supreme pizza, and we will both be too fill to sample the sublime pizookie for desert! That's how it usually works anyway!

Life in Technicalities

Okay, I'm clearly months behind the news with this comment, but hearing it on the radio this week, the Coldplay song 'Life in Technicolor II' is just plain weird. Firstly, for those of you who don't know, it comes from the first track of Viva la Vida: Death and All His Friends. Which in itself is decent. But this track is a superb instrumental introduction. Now they've gone and messed about with it and added unnecessary lyrics, and it just sounds wrong compared to the simplicity of the original.

It annoys me, anyway.

As an amusing tangent, while looking for a bit more detail on this I did come across a top class rant for the Killers' absurd lyrics in Spaceman; this is not a shock to everyone, considering they have the stupidest lyrics I've ever heard from a band. But it was a geographers' rant about how if they'd wanted to find a river for their song that used to flow from east to west but now doesn't, why not pick that fairly well known river the Amazon, that actually did? Cracking stuff, anyway.

And The Proof ...

It'll have to wait. While Chrissi has an excellent collection of USB leads with various associated ports, none fit my camera, which in my wisdom I didn't bring the USB lead for. The pictures will therefore not be seen until Monday evening, or admittedly Tuesday is more likely.

So Vegas was fun. I lost money, as you might expect, but also won some here and there. Overall a loss, but as I wrote it off as 'spending money', it doesn't bother me! We also took in a show, as you do, which was called 'Defending the Caveman' and was both excellent and hilarious in equal parts. I'd go into more detail, but the humour won't be translated very well so I'll pass on that.

This week Chrissi is working during the day (last week she was working the second job in the evening), so I'm entertaining myself during the day chiefly by sleeping, but also reading and generally wasting time online. Surprisingly, this doesn't entertain me as much as it used to.

That's about it for now, I think! As said, those pictures will be there when I am able to upload them.

Viva Etc

I write this blog from sunny Sin City, as Chrissi and I are here in Las Vegas for the weekend. So far I have not lost or won any money on gambling, although this has mainly been due to the not having done any of yet. It's easier to keep even when you don't take your wallet out. I have been playing the role of supportively cheering on Chrissi over her shoulder. This has little success, I find.

I'll have to upload and post some photos at a later point; suffice to say the room is great but weird simultaneously - however, need photos to do it justice. There's a TV in the bathroom part and a phone in the toilet though, as a sneak preview.

More later.

Hectic Relaxation

Well, as you can tell from the near-week of inactivity here, I've been both busy and lazy. Somewhat paradoxical that these are the reasons for non-posting, but amusing nonetheless! I was busy getting organised for my trip away last week; and this week I've been enjoying myself!

Getting organised included the bag purchase, getting the appropriate currency, travel insurance as noted below was sorted, packing was sorted, as was RSVPing to Tim & Kat's wedding invite. It also involved attending a night of PES-focused gaming on Friday, which wasn't really part of the organising but was fun. Those of you with good memories of my blog may recall a previous occasion I played PES without much success. This time I was victorious. It was a fun evening.

So I've now been here for, surprisingly, nearly an entire week. I've gone for walks, seen a film (Night at the Museum 2, most amusing and a good time), attended a baseball game (less said about that the better - White Sox 17 LA Angels 3), done the odd bit of shopping, and generally relaxed. It's been fun so far. This weekend we're heading to Vegas for a weekend away just to ourselves, which promises to be fun!

I'll try and be a bit more frequent in my postings, I'm really only borrowing the computer now because Chrissi is working this evening, alas, and I never feel I have the time to write little posts during the day otherwise! It also feels a little pointless as I still suspect she's the main audience for them, and she knows what I've been doing here - she's been doing it with me!

Triumph of Inactivity

So, you know those letters I talked about yesterday from insurance companies? Essentially, the ones that reminded me I need to sort my insurance out? What I did today, being the smart person I am, I opened them. (As a clue to how long they've been lying there, the first was dated 20th February).

The first one informed me about how to renew. It was simple, it said. Do nothing and we'll take your lack of cancellation as a desire to renew. Sounds good, I thought. I opened the second letter. Please find enclosed ... my insurance policy.

Well that was easy. One down, five to go!

To Do List: Please Bug Me About These

I've suddenly realised that in four days I have a lot to do. These things include:

1. Getting money. US dollars are the currency of choice in the States, I hear, those pound coins don't tend to go down too well.
2. Organise insurance. I was fortunately reminded today - and I'm unsure exactly how this came into my mind - that all those reminders to renew insurance that I've been bombarded with may be worth taking heed of. After all, travel insurance is most useful when travelling.
3. Mundanities - packing, bag, etc. De-creasing clothes via ironing so they're at least somewhat tidy before packing. Buying other things to make up a dwindling supply of whatever it is. This is a key requirement but can be postponed to, oh, Saturday morning. If needs must.
4. Making sure everyone involved has my flight details a little in advance of last time (See: "oh, you know I'm flying in on the earlier flight not the later one, right?" from last November).
5. Entirely random things that just should be sorted out this week. This includes replying to the invitation to Tim and Kat's wedding (cannot believe it's only four months away you guys), general organising.
6. Potentially a haircut if I find the time. So no haircut.

In cryptic news, it's all over bar the shouting.

Quick Note

I meant to write this yesterday, but then forgot, so am going to do so today before today becomes tomorrow.

Essentially, yesterday someone (who knows me fairly well) being astounded that I don't drink amused me. It also made me realise that it's been now probably a little over three years since I had a drink.

That's a fair amount of time, and it's not at all inaccurate to say that it doesn't make a whit of difference to me either.

Impulse Buy!

I'm very unlikely to make a random impulse purchase. Usually I'm prudent with my money. However, the other night I decided to make a random purchase - I bought the MLB.TV package. What this means is that I can watch the baseball online, live. This is extremely awesome - it wasn't that much for an entire season's viewing.

On the flip side, because the games start usually close to midnight for me, I've stayed up to 2am and 3am watching the games the last two days. Fun, but may not be the best call to keep this up!

Sum, Ergo ...

I was going to right some meaningless crap about my day, but in the end decided to go off on a last minute tangent. Reading Claire's blog today, I couldn't help but be inspired to follow on with a thought it left with me, so felt I'd share it on. Claire was essentially asking what she believed, and a lot of sentiments or values as a result.

It made me pose the question to myself. To be honest, there are lots of things I value, but what do I truly believe in? The one I came up with was being yourself. And being happy with that.

Everything else falls under that, as far as I'm concerned. Everything else you value, hold dear, deem significant - it's all important to you because of who you are. Being who you are is part of that.

And the Answer is ...

... not sure.

Curse these imprecise outcomes!

Decision Time!

Tomorrow is when the meeting happens which will decide whether I get offered a full time contract in the current role.

No pressure, then. Fortunately I don't have to be at it, just have to hear the outcome. We'll see!

Green Forms vs E-Forms

You know, I thought it was impossible to beat the I-94 Visa Waiver Program forms - more commonly known as 'that green form you can't fill out correctly no matter how you fill it out - for overall complexity. For those of you who haven't travelled to the USA or through the USA, you have to fill out these hellish green forms, ensuring that you were not a member of the Nazi Government of Germany and to declare that you are not a terrorist. You can't fill it out correctly, no matter how you try.

However, this has now been replaced with an electronic form. This is easy. Or it would be if you can find it. Disappointingly, BA, who my ticket is with, have absolutely no information on their site about it reminding you to do this and how you do it.

Instead, you have to rely on your memory to know that you have to apply for 'Travel Authorization' as it's called. And buried somewhere on the Department for Homeland Security website is the form. Again, you have to know you're looking for it to find it, and when you do, you're taken through a labyrinth of pages to get to the right place.

When you actually get there, it's the same green form faithfully replicated in electronic format, and on a green background to retain the authenticity. At least you can't mis something. Overall, it's about level for complexity - electronic labyrinth versus hellish form designed so you miss something.

However, there's the counterbalance of this hassle with the sudden realisation that in two weeks' time I'll be on a plane to see Chrissi, so that's good news!

Rome or Bust

So, that football last night. Pretty good, huh? While Chelsea may have been 'robbed' as each paper put it this morning, it's hard not to cast the mind back to the last time Barcelona visited Chelsea and got knocked out by a goal only scored via a foul on the goalkeeper. Truly, payback is a bitch.

A wonderfully comical game, though. My own top three moments:

3. Michael Ballack in the last minute. It's still unclear whether he was trying to argue with the referee or mount the referee. Youtube is filled with amusing videos of this set to the Benny Hill tune, a natural classic: click here to see.

2. The goals. The drama overshadowed it, but Essien's was arguably the goal of the season. A stunning strike. Iniesta's was a fantastic effort too, placed right in the top corner with a sweet strike. Easy to forget those, which is a pity, they were both outstanding.

1. But the favourite moment has to be Didier Drogba. Not the last minute ranting, as amusing as it was. The classic Drog moment came midway through the second half. Running on goal until tackled, he falls over as only he can and rolls into the penalty area, appealling in vain even by the standards of Chelsea's appeals. Unsatisfied with the lack of award of a penalty, he gets to his knees, spreads his arms, and dives like a plane to the ground again. I have no idea why, but it was wonderful.

Let's only hope Barcelona go on to win the trophy.

Return By Post

Today I received an interesting plain-ish unstamped envelope (A4) - which made me intrigued. I rarely get post, let alone something that actually might be for me as opposed to a bank statement or simple junk (ah, the joys of being the 'A'name and first on the electoral roll for the house). However, what it was was the newsletter for the Van Mildert Association. I flicked through it idly and uncaringly, and noticed a couple of people I vaguely recognised and didn't care overly much about. Not too much of a bother - and committee minutes about some of the things involved never really attract the interest.

What this really made me realise, however, was that I've been rather remiss at keeping in touch with those who I did make good friendships with. Those who I should've made more of an effort to keep in touch with.

Then I remember I'm an idiot, and I still can. So watch this space.

Geniuses on Trains!

To forewarn complaints, yes, I missed yesterday. Didn't really have anything to write - no shame in that.

Today I wanted to share the work of a person lacking somewhat in the intellect department. On the train this evening, I found a discarded section of the Times, which had the crossword. I idly glanced at it, and found that the previous owner of the page had been not overly blessed in the brain department.

While there was some humour to be derived from the ludicrously hopeful answers of 'Acme' - skin condition, 'Cartel' - book of tickets, 'Debate' - defeated (what?!), and 'Betjamam' - poet laureate Sir John __, the winner for complete lack of effort, brains and comprehension was the answer to the clue 'Small room (6)'.

Our budding braniac suggested 'attics'. Oh dear.

Blocking!

I enjoy playing football; it's the only real activity I get all week, and it's good fun too. Except when you get hit square in your privates with the ball in an impromptu block. Not good.

However, I managed to do the oddest thing in collapsing in both pain and laughter simultaneously. Everyone else was puzzled.

Relaxing Afternoon

When I get around to it, I am always surprised by just how much I enjoy cooking. A nice sunny evening, relaxing music playing (Sigur Ros' Takk, which is now firmly my favourite of their albums), and cooking is really quite enjoyable. Tonight was pizzas - not terribly original, but it doesn't have to be.

Also, yesterday's second post was seemingly the 250th I've made. A quarter of the way to a thousand, who'd have thought.

Shiny!

You may have noticed a few slight design changes to the blog. In essence, I finally got motivated to deal with those annoying blank spaces on all sides. If it gives you any major problems, let me know, I'm not confident how my tweaking will work on smaller resolutions.

E-Rage

Internet friends are made of fail. More so when they have my phone number.

I still have no clue why they decided that 3:15 in the pissing morning was a good time to ring me to tell me to look at something online. It could have waited until morning, guys. I think it's also the only time in my life I've used the word 'cockfaces'.

Job Idol

After about three weeks of a little uncertainty, I finally have gotten some information on the likelihood of me going permanent in my current role.

Essentially, it's difficult. I'm good at what I do, my boss would like me to stay, my boss' boss would like me to stay. The problem is that we need to find an authority to recruit from somewhere to get me to stay. The fact that the team faces the prospect of dropping to a mere three heads is neither here nor there, we can't even think of keeping people on without approval.

What does this mean? That I have to prove my worth. Not in a 'do your job and do it better', but in an 'explain what you do and why it's so vital to the company that we have to keep you' way. Like an interview, but worse. In essence, it's an audition. I feel like I've morphed into a reality TV program at this point.

So here we have it: Job Idol! Like pop idol, but more depressing. I didn't even think that was possible.

Just for the Routine

I really have nothing much to say today. Mind is fairly blank, I'll be honest. However, I'm keeping the run going.

Following on from yesterday's accidental beard considerations, I'm thinking I need new glasses. This is a thought I've had for a while, because - well, let's be honest, the current ones are rather scratched, and slightly out of focus. A good few years old.

I'm pondering contacts instead. I have no idea how this would look. Something to consider, however.

Even Keel

Yesterday's comment about how I run out of things to say and how my life is clearly so uninteresting actually got me thinking.

Essentially, I have two blog templates. One where I update on everything that's gone past in a period of a month or so and apologise profusely for not blogging more; the other ranting about something that's annoyed me. There's also the third type, where I whine about how I have nothing to post - but that's about as contentless as rice paper, so we'll ignore that.

Essentially, I should take the glass-half-full approach; I may not have masses to write about all the time - but let's face it, who does? In a life of work, a brief evening, sleep, and back to work again - where's the time for the exciting whirl of a life? However, it also means that I'm not ranting and angry all the time at things.

In fact, I was in a good mood on Monday. This was obviously so unnerving to people they kept asking me if I was okay. Thanks a lot, guys!

P.S. I have put an end to the accidental beard experiment.

Standard Pattern

This is usually the point where I fail - a run of a few blogs in a few days, followed by a lack of imagination or perhaps the revelatoin that my life is nowhere near interesting enough to warrant anywhere close to a blog per day.

Then I forget to post for months until something random sparks my interest, and I go off again!

In other less interesting news, I think I'm badly in need of a shave. Reason? Someone yesterday actually asked me if I was trying to grow a beard. Considering it'd take me a good few years of facial hair growth to get something approaching a beard, unlikely, but the thought itself is giving me chills!

Satisfying Conclusion

This week I'm actually glad that I don't have Monday off - I like Mondays, mainly because I get to play football at the end of it. On a lovely sunny evening, albeit a little warmer than ideal tonight, it's fairly lovely; played for two hours and it flew by. Absolutely knackered as a result, though!

As those of you reading obviously know, after yesterday's tension it did go pretty much as predicted - although it was an Everton victory on penalties instead of by the odd goal. Still, no complaints though.

To add a barrage of statistics, these are ones I found interesting. This was Manchester United's third competitive game at the new Wembley; they have gone to extra time in all of them, and have yet to score a single goal. Besides yesterday, they won the Carling Cup earlier in the year against Tottenham after a 0-0 draw; they also lost 1-0 after extra time to Chelsea in the FA Cup Final in 2007.

Just Wembley? Perhaps. But take into account their last four major finals; all have gone to extra time, one goal for Manchester United between the four of them. In addition to the two finals above, you can add the Champions' League final in Moscow last year, and the FA Cup Final which they lost on penalties to Arsenal in 2004-5. Two wins on penalties, one loss on penalties and one loss in extra time. Truly, the world's greatest entertainers.

I only post these stats to note that perhaps they aren't quite as great as people make them out to be.

The Indescribeable?

Last week I got some Sigur Ros CDs. I really like Sigur Ros, everything I've listened to of theirs so far has been brilliant - although before this I only had the Hvarf Heim compilation CD.

I've listened to all now, bar the most recent, and I'm tremendously impressed. I love all their albums, they are wonderful to listen to. But just impossible to actually explain what they are. Ethereal Icelandic gibberish is the closest I've come, but it doesn't do the grandeur of it justice.

I'm writing this blog at the halftime between Everton and Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final. It is, so far, boring and uneventful. Despite causing frustration to purists everywhere, I'd quite like this to be a pattern followed in the second half, with the addition of an Everton goal. Not too much to ask, is it?

Pressure's On

The knowledge that people are reading my comments is now somewhat pressurising. I feel the urge to either be witty or, failing that, at least interesting.

If both of those are hopeless, frequent is the best I can hope for!

This weekend will be marked by the meeting of the mysterious Gill, Dad's partner for the past few months. I doubt she is as mysterious as this implied, but I've never met her due to geographical conveniences (considering I was with Chrissi for two and a quarter years, or close enough, before anyone in the family met her - I have no high ground here!).

Should be a good weekend, hopefully. Other main event will be catching up on some overdue sleep.

New Pet Peeve

For years the most irritating mis-spelling has always been people writing 'rouge' instead of 'rogue'. There's nothing like people wary of rouge agents to make you laugh.

However, today I'm realising that this has been usurped by a new champion - loggin. I think they mean login, but they may also mean loggin', as a chav lumberjack may describe what he does.

I can't be sure. Either way, it is quite annoying.

Readers!

So apparantly a conversation yesterday made me realised that I have readers! I thought it was just Chrissi following this, but I'm delighted to report that other friends actually read what rubbish I post up here.

Apparantly I don't update often enough, so this is for you guys.

Discovery of the day: Sigur Ros have very odd CD cases. Crazy!

Easter Weekend

I have to say, as the first Easter weekend that I've been working for and not on holiday (last year I was in America at the time), it feels quite odd.

Not that I don't like the days off, but I woke up this morning feeling that I was late for work, and I spent most of yesterday unsure if it was either Saturday or Sunday. To be brief, I'm slightly bemused overall!

But enjoying the extra couple of days of relaxation and peace!

Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

This post title should tell you two things. The first is that recently I've been spending a fair amount of time listening to The Clash.

The second is that I'm starting to have thoughts about my position at work - not negative ones. Essentially, as I am on the graduate trainee scheme, I should move around to another placement in the next six months. However, equally the option may be there for me to become permanent in the role I have now.

It's a bit of an uncertainty for me - I enjoy what I do and feel that I am good at it. There's a decent team I work with, and things are okay at work, I am happy at work. However, there's always the curiousity and temptation of the unknown, as to whether there is anything better out there.

This is obviously enhanced by the fact that my second grad placement was very much of a similar ilk to the first, including being on the same team. There's also the thought in the back of my head at the moment as to whether I can really ignore the prospect of a permanent position in this economic climate; or whether I can realistically hope to get a position I enjoy as much in another role, and then I would be unlikely to have the opportunity to get back to this one.

Decisions, decisions! At least I have time to think about it.

Two Quick Rants

Two quick things that annoyed me today.

(1) Reading in the paper this morning that Prince Philip is calling Simon Cowell a 'sponger'. Couldn't care less about Simon Cowell, really I couldn't - but the Duke of Edinburgh going to that level of blind hypocrisy makes me furious. That's practically his job title, after all.

(2) Article in paper about the baseball world championships making ignorant comments about the World Series. Yes, it's not exactly a world-wide championships, but unlike the article stated, it's not only US teams - unless Toronto is suddenly in the US? What about Montreal Expos, who were also in the MLB? Don't write such ignorant tripe.

Minor Niggles

Sometimes I wonder if playing football is good for me or not! Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy running around for two hours, even if my average performance is not anything to set the pulse racing.

However, for the second week in a row I've picked up a bit of a niggle - although really it's a hangover from last week's niggle. This is getting a little tiresome, last week I had to work from home just to deal with the fact that I couldn't really walk because of it! It's not that bad this week - but we'll see how well I'm stumbling in the morning for the verdict!

In Praise of Alan Wiley

Having just watched the Manchester United-Liverpool game, it has to be said that Wiley did a fantastic job of refereeing the game. Considering the tensions, the profile, and the importance of the game, it was never going to be easy.

And true to form, it wasn't. There were tough decisions to be made. There were difficult calls, dubious penalties, potential sendings off, the simmering backstory of the 'Rafa Rant' which could hardly have not played on a referee's mind in this fixture.

Yet for me, he was man of the match. Usually that is cast as a negative, that the referee was man of the match; because it means usually that he gave all his decisions one way. This time, it wasn't. Every decision that mattered was correct. It is delighting that in a game packed with incident, the man in the middle barely got noticed, because he did excellently.

Now let's hope this isn't just a one-off!

Extremists: Overstatement

I'm not going to discuss the recent protest at a parade by a British regiment returning from Iraq. As far as I'm concerned, it's tasteless, but it's allowed. We need to stop championing the tabloid line that our military personnel are sacrosant and immune from criticism, that anyone arguing whether 'our boys' are doing the right thing is guilty of near treason and should move somewhere else.

However, I was particularly amused by a placard at the protest bearing the message "Illegal War on Islam's Muslims". Does that count as a double negative?

So I don't broach the forbidden subject ...

This blog is a distraction so that I don't talk about poker tonight. We all know how angry that makes people!

I have new shoes, gotten this week while I was off for a couple of days for a bit of a breather. My new shoes are nice and shiny, and awesome - it's about time I got a proper pair of shoes for work.

Very girly subject, I know. But better than in-depth poker discussion, hmmm?

Again? Yes, Again

So, for those of you who may remember I used to have an occasional attempt at organising social gatherings on a very limited scale for those friends based locally still.

These were often resounding failures, due to me typically picking dates that people were busy on. So having decided to plan in advance and ask as to when is the best days for people and attempt to marry them up, that I pick dates that people still can't make even taking this into account!

Following the admittedly pitiful attempt to meet Emma when she was passing through Woking, which didn't work, I'm continuing to have an excellent record here.

However, I will not be cowed by mere diary mismatches!

Avoiding Seasonal Puns

It is typically at the beginning of this month that on an annual basis I declare that I am marching into March, or something equally similar. This month I am avoiding that trap.

Today was a hectic yet enjoyable day. I've never actually minded being busy - it gives me something to do, and the challenge is typically something I enjoy - but a purposeful business is always far more valuable than just being busy without having a sense of what you're actually doing!

I have also endeavoured to arrange social events. This is something that I said I would, and am finally acting upon it.

In other news, I had a haircut last weekend. That's about the peak of interesting!

Sudden Spree

So yesterday for some reason I got a second wind of activity when I came home, and made some progress on some odd tasks around my room to tidy it up.

One of these was to install the software for my camera - since I got it as a generous Christmas present from Chrissi, the box has sat on my desk mostly untouched (although, in my defence, I have used the camera). I went to install the software, upload some photos, etc.

After installing it, trying to upload it, found that it was a nightmare. It added massive complexity, saved no time, hogged all the resource and quite frankly was an irritation.

In a gesture of frustration I just uninstalled the entire damn thing and just uploaded the photos using the basic windows functionality. I don't need to have tools to turn my photos into pictures of stars, or to upload them to a cumbersome web-album, I just want to put them from the camera onto the computer.

For this, it seems I'm better off without the software titled, ironically, Easyshare.

Tragic We Don't Learn This, Really

As you will all know, being a history graduate one of the odd things I like is actually reading historical books (well, I enjoy it now I'm not forced to at least!).

I picked up one in America back in November, which I've been browsing on and off - Great Documents of American History. I know, the title is hardly a grabber, but it's a superb book. A really good read, against all expectation, even if you need to take it in small chunks.

But what I'm so amazed about is the sheer power of some of what is contained. Considering the, ah, colonial relation with America, we strangely don't learn much about the War of Independence.

But we should, if for no other reason than the Declaration of Independence stands as one of the greatest documents ever written. Even now, it has the oratory power to sear across the page. Are there many passages written throughout history with the same power as that text, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal"?

It's a shame we don't learn about it, for we should. Clinging to past triumphs is all very well, but the sheer breadth of history we miss out on through it is saddening.