One way street

This is a comment I've made before and a comment I almost certainly will make again, considering how this is by no means the first time it has happened.

However, I'm starting to get pissed off with one-sided friendships and the equivalent, where I wonder just why I bother even putting in effort. It makes me wonder at some points how much people are just trying to be polite.

I'd frankly find it a lot simpler and easier, as well as far more honest, if people had the decency to at least tell me to my face not to waste my time. Because right now, I'd rather not do so, as I've had enough.

Perhaps playing the role as second-tier backup is my natural personality, but I'm going to be damned if I at least don't know it.

And yet they keep doing it ...

We all know that, according to cliche, playing badly and winning is the hallmark of champions.

So considering that, knowing how incredibly poorly they've been playing and yet still somehow picking up three points, just why are Aston Villa not favourites for the title?

The One Thing ...

Typical, today I went into work without having done my hair. No idea why - I simply forgot, and didn't notice until I looked in the window of the bus and realised that I'd forgotten.

And four people ask me, separately, if I've done something different with my hair!

Arrgh! No! Just forgotten!

Odd, anyway.

The Week of One Man

The dust is still settling on the Obama presidency as it starts to take hold, but there is still the sense of momentous change because of it.

What is most striking is the change in attitudes, in societal norms. It was touched on in the inaugaral address, but the sixty years ago that his father may not be allowed in some restaurants is not the entire story. Only 44 years before this election, for the election of Lyndon B. Johnson, black Americans were still denied the vote. And now there is a black president. It is hard to envisage a more fundamental underlining of the change that has transpired in the intervening years.

I wonder how long it will take here - a nation equally thought of at the forefront of such matters. I suspect it is not just around the corner that we will have a black prime minister, or an asian prime minister.

Musical Update

So, I often chat on here about music I like, so time for another typical update, as Christmas saw me get a few CDs.

First, Coldplay - Viva La Vida. A surprise pick as Coldplay are about as unlike my cup of tea as you could be, they tend to drone and whine. So I'm surprised I like this album. The final song is especially superb.

Secondly, Feeder - Silent Cry. Again, a shock pick as I went off their more recent stuff. However, a little different, a little rawer in places, and it sounds a bit more like something I'd listen to. Or perhaps, considering the last two CDs here, I've mellowed a bit!

I also got some Cold War Kids, which I liked but haven't listened to enough to get a clear opinion on in more depth. The final CD is Maximo Park - Our Earthly Pleasures, a band I recommended on here many moons ago. The album is very good, and I would like to finish with a special mention for the song 'Your Urge', for managing to rhyme tessalate and abate, a sheer work of art.

The Flaw In The Plan

I've just realised my grand plan to help me blog more doesn't actually work too well if I leave the computer on overnight and also keep Firefox open; means that I never actually re-open it to see the blog!

End of Week

Bit busy at work today, which is a somewhat pleasant and unpleasant surprise. Pleasant, because I always like to be working on things and not just sitting around doing nothing, which is tedious.

However, unpleasant because it may involve a considerable amount of high-pressured work for something which is in all essence doomed, that we can't magically resurrect. All we can do for this is essentially pull out all the stops and do all we can to say no, us in IT, it's not our fault.

Constant Reminder

So maybe this is how you succeed at resolutions and goals and so forth. If you don't have motivation or forget, ensure that you always have a constant reminder.

For me, just the presence of my blog as a second homepage is already enough to get me into blogging as a matter of habit. And once things are habit, then it's easy.

This evening I went out for a meal after work with some colleagues. It was a very enjoyable occasion. Tomorrow seems to be the set date for the interviews affecting most of those in consultation in my team following redundancies announced mid-December. After that some of the limbo will be suspended, I hope, and we'll be able to get on moving.

Good Incentive

So, what do you know - having my blog as my homepage actually works quite well for incentivising me to blog. When I open the browser, I think hey, I have something exciting to tell the world.

Today, it's just that it's bloody cold. I don't mind cold or cool - I never can stand excessive heat - but -10 is pushing it a little in my mind. I'm not looking forward to either tomorrow or Thursday - both days I'm coming home later - standing in the cold, waiting for buses and/or trains if the temperature keeps this low!

Infrequent Commentary

Let's be honest, I never post as much as I intend to. That could be a New Year's Resolution - except that I don't do them, setting yourself up for a fall and all that - to blog more.

In fact, I think I'll do that anyway.

Chrissi was here for Christmas, which was naturally fantastic. She departed back home yesterday, which was naturally annoying and depressing. Today I have soldiered on, and also debuted a new suit. I looked smart, the impressive look of the sharp new pinstripes spoilt slightly by the urgent need for a haircut.

This week I have the first poker match of the year on Thursday, and some of the team are socialising for a meal on Wednesday, I being one of them.

That's this week's updates, folks. Will give more commentary then. As an incentive, I'm setting my blog to a new homepage tab ... now, so that I am reminded to post more. We'll see how it goes!