Disappearing Persons?! Contact Scooby-Doo!

Firstly, I'm not posting a detailed breakdown of my a-waking and a-sleeping times for the last week. I've figured noone cares that much to be in need of an accurate breakdown like that. That and I honestly can't remember.

For those of you wondering just where I have been this past week, which amounts to about three people, I have been spending the week with my girlfriend, who avid readers and people who actually know me will know is called Chrissi. Or to be more accurate, she's been spending this week with me. Which has been enjoyable, very nice and similar. And as of such I have been much too busy (insert your own innuendo here. Come to think of it, that in itself was an innuendo) to be updating my blog regularly, or indeed at all. It's not that you're not interesting, it's just that I pretend I am. Although I'm not. That or I'm afraid my girlfriend may be slightly disturbed to watch me type this random babble. It's bad enough to have to hear it. Honestly.

So yes, an interesting week was had by all. And I'd like to point out that despite Tim's triumphant talk, his Pigeons XI capitulated horribly against the mighty Thid Floor Ponderers, who won by a dominating 127 runs, making 354-2 in their 50 overs, and bowling out the feeble Pigeons batting line up for a meagre 227 all out in only 43.4 overs. Tim should be disgraced.

In other interesting news, I've been told I obssess too much about Scooby Doo. I seem to quote from it more than I should. Or say something random, wonder where it's from, then realise. Or hum the music from the chases. Overall, it's all fairly worrying. I was quite excited, however, to discover one of the comic strips of Questionable Content does actually discuss Scooby Doo in passing. I think I linked to it before, but I'll do so again for good measure, so go here to see it. If you don't read QC, it is a good read. Passes two minutes of your day. AND on top of that, there are the archives to read through if you've not read it recently.

I've also recently been reading Nothing Nice To Say, another webcomic which is focused more on the punk-rock scene than it is on the indie scene that QC looks at. Talking about that makes me want to discuss the Less Than Jake gig I was at with Chrissi on Friday, at the Astoria, which was excellent. They played a good set, featuring some real older tracks from Losing Streak - Johnny Quest Thinks We're Sellouts, Dopeman, Automatic, Sugar In Your Gas Tank, as well as the absolutely superb live How's My Driving Doug Hastings? Along with this, they played some of their best material from the more recent albums, including their supreme track All My Best Friends Are Metalheads. If you've not heard it, go listen to it. Now. That's an order.

Disappearing Days, Dastardly Deeds, Debut Disappointments and Driest Deserts

Time Asleep Wednesday Night: 23:34
Time Awoken Wednesday Night: 04:14
Time Went Properly to Sleep Wednesday Night: 04:16
Time Awoken Thursday Morning: 08:54
Thursday's DAR: 9PP
Time Asleep Last Night: 04:44
Time Awake This Morning: 09:20
Today's DAR: 11PP

Hrm. We lost another day. This is getting quite serious. This time it was Thursday, which is not such a tragic loss due to my hectic work schedule during termtimes on a Thursday; however, it was still a worrying loss and I'm eager to ensure that it's not repeated. By my calculation we're now down to a four day week here in Slumberland, and while two of those are weekends which means it's tolerable, we'll take much more care with our days of the week in the future. If any more disappear, we'll contact Scooby and the gang.

Speaking of which ... it's only March 31st and my package dispatched on March 29th (see Wednesday's entry) has already got here! Two new Scooby Doo DVDs featuring dastardly deeds, evil villains, hilarious chases and lots more characters who would've gotten away with it too if it hadn't been for those meddling kids. So good news all round, there's a solid three hours watching there. These two look pretty good, actually, so I'm glad I picked them up.

I'd like to add my commiserations to Tim's Pigeons XI for their defeat in their first Battrick game, despite a solid performance they eventually lost by nine wickets. A poor showing compared to the mighty Thid Floor Ponderers, who crushed some crappy side by ten wickets to stay in first place in their series. A friendly challenge means these two Battrick Behemoths will meet on Sunday, stay tuned for more details.

The final item in my 'double D' parade (which makes me sound like a pornographic magazine featuring large chested women) is a question to our resident geographers. During a brief discussion last night, for some reason Vicky and I discussed deserts. And I presented the fact that the Atacama Desert is the driest desert in the world. I know it's not glaciers, but if you can confirm that fact for me it'd be great. I'm fairly certain it is, but then again it may not be. However, Vicky was still rather impressed with the speed with which I plucked that random fact out of midair.

In other news the kitchen is now finished but I couldn't think of an alliterative comment for that so I can't talk about it ...

This Is Still Wednesday, Honest

Time Asleep Last Night: 03:45
Time Awake This Morning: 08:43
Daily Activity Rating: 9PP

This is still Wednesday. Whatever anyone tells you, it is Wednesday. Mainly because I forgot to update this last night, despite the best of intentions to. Mainly because my monitor was being stupid; I shut the computer down and went off to do some ironing instead for a while, giving it some time to settle itself down and stop messing about. Put on a DVD while my ironing was done, got bored of ironing (or maybe I finished it. I forget), so just lay down on my bed to finish watching the DVD. And predictably fell asleep.

So, thus explains the missing entry. However, I think that we've already crossed Wednesdays off from our days of the week, so it's not a major problem. Anyway, good news to you direct from my Amazon account:

Items dispatched on 29 Mar 2006:
Delivery estimate: 4 April 2006 - 6 April 2006
1 package via Royal Mail
* 1 of: Scooby Doo - What's New Scooby Doo - Space Ape At The Cape [2003]
* 1 of: Scooby Doo - What's New Scooby Doo - Mummy Scares Best

You can't beat that. I refuse to believe it.

Oh, Now I Remember

Having just made my update for the day, I remembered something I had been planning to mention - and then obviously, by it's evident omission, forgot to actually mention. So here we go.

Has anyone else noticed how much easier it is to talk about things online; whether via instant message, or leaving a message for people to read? I'm sure there's something psychological about it; it feels less like you are exposing yourself to others, more like you are writing down something for your own reference. The act of writing down something in itself helps you connect better with it; however, when it's purpose is for sharing, it seems also strange. It is a useful medium to get something off your chest, even to yourself, with others listening.

I notice this because after my post on Sunday, and the notes in both Vicky's and Tim's blog recently which were more getting rid of frustrations than actually something for others to read (although both did include disclaimers not to read it). And mine was definately a note to myself that I just wanted to write down somewhere.

The same is true on MSN (and similar). I suppose it's easier because you don't have the same face-to-face awkwardness; you can take your time and write what you want in the way you want to say it. You don't have to look at the person or hear them, you can just communicate, without any problems.

Another random point for discussion. This in fact probably fits my definition of a post just to myself, and if anyone else happens to read it, hey, bonus points.

Mondays Now Don't Exist Either

Time Asleep Sunday Night: 02:25
Time Awake Monday Morning: 08:34
Monday's DAR: 6PP
Time Asleep Last Night: 23:46
Time Awake This Morning: 08:48
Today's DAR: 9PP

Good news folks! We're now down to only 5 days of the week, as Monday has also been removed from the week courtesy of yesterday's omission. This was entirely my fault, and was due to my early bedtime; I had planned to do it before I went to bed, then went to bed earlier than planned. Hence the lack of an update on my activities.

Also good news! I have got to the bottom of Pile of Ironing A [The dirty clothes I brought back that have now been washed] and am working my way now through Pile of Ironing B [Clean clothes that I brought back needing ironing]. This is perhaps even being somewhat helpful to me, as I can, when at the bottom of the pile, put away my suitcases and clear a bit more space in my room. Further hurrahing will then ensue.

More good news! I have had a haircut. This must surely come as a great relief to all. I'd say I looked like a shaggy dog before, but this would be commented on as an unhealthy Scooby Doo obsession. Probably correctly.

However, on the flip side, bad news. The Scooby Doo DVDs I ordered on the last day of term, I selected the wrong debit card (I got a new one issued in January or December) so it has not been delivered. Which means a week delay in seeing those villains unmasked and those monsters revealed and those mysteries solved. Which saddens me.

Mothering Sunday

Well, this is a rarety, two posts for me in one day, but I wanted to talk about this briefly. As those of you who know me, and those of you who don't, will know, this isn't generally a nice day for me, and hasn't been the past five years this day has fallen since my mother died. All the adverts and point-of-sale slogans such as "Remember Mother's Day" and similar, "Don't forget your Mother this Mother's Day!" they hardly fill me full of joy. I suppose for me it's more of a quietly saddening reminder that things aren't like I'd like them to be. Equally, it makes me wonder on another note, am I doing that? Am I remembering her, not on this day alone, but on most days? I honestly don't have an answer to that.

Anyway, a very poignant post for me and quite a reflective one. I realise by talking out loud I'm not really doing anything but talking to myself with others listening, but it's nice at least to do that sometimes.

The Kitchen: A Life In Pictures

Time Asleep Last Night: 04:35
Time Awake This Morning: 12:41
Today's DAR: 6PP

So I was bored, and took my camera, and so constructed some pictures of the kitchen and house for you to demonstrate the true sense of madness they have bestowed upon our fair domain.











Hopefully these visions of the madness in which I live my everyday life now will help you appreciate my pain and inner frustrations. And yes, that really is a bowl of grapes on the ironing board in the last picture.

Saturday Malaise?

Time Asleep Last Night: 02:56
Time Awake This Morning: 12:29
Yesterday's DAR: 8PP
Today's DAR: 6PP

I'm going to strike out in a new direction from the general theme of our collective blogging today, and say that I don't actually feel Saturdays are much different from the rest of them. Then again, it should be pointed out that with my average activity, Saturdays aren't that different from the rest of the week for me anyway, so that could explain it.

I also promised an update on the kitchen progress. Well, Kevin the Kitchen Fitter arrived yesterday, and is actually a guy probably in his mid-40s as opposed to a lazy sulking teenager. The surprises are endless. So Kevin removed all of the old units, which are now awaiting me to smash them up (sounds fun) in the back garden, and started to put new units in instead. Annoying thing is lack of work surfaces which means now the living room table and the floor becomes a work surface, trays abound aplenty and there is general chaos in residence. Apart from that, things progress smoothly.

Oh, entertaining event to relate to you about now. For no apparant reason, today my Dad decided that he wanted to upload his pictures from his trip to Cuba (in November) to the computer. And spent several minutes in puzzled bemusement as to why precisely there was a picture of a caramel slice at the end of his holiday pictures.

Only real news from the last day or so is that I have obtained tickets (that someone else purchased and then couldn't use) for myself and Chrissi to see Less Than Jake at the London Astoria in a fortnight's time. Pretty snazzy, as I never get around to organising myself enough to book tickets for gigs, and I've not been to one since I saw LTJ at Camden back in the June before University; so coming up on three years ago. Should be good stuff, I'd be hoping, they're a great live band so should be good fun to go see - and at £28 for the two combined it's bargainacious as well.

Apparantly the clocks go forward tonight, which is always fun. At least something is moving forward. This reminds me of the old adage 'spring forward, fall back' which is how you are supposed to remember which way the clocks go.

In other news, I don't think I have yet linked to Acts of Gord, an absolutely superb and amusing site where you can waste a good hour or so at least. It's an account of an independently owned game store in Canada, all the idiots this owner [Gord] has to deal with, and how he ignores all the standard principles of customer care while doing so. Such as in this snippet which I found to demonstrate.

"I'll take my business elsewhere."
Would you mind? I would appreciate that

Definately worth a read and a bookmark.