Saturday, April 29, 2006

Mouth Ulcers Are Bad

No times today. I've not updated all week, and I think now I have enough of a dedicated reader base [all 3-4 people] that I don't need to encourage new readers with gimmicks like what time I got up and went to bed. Beyond that, it wasn't interesting, enlightening, and I don't even know if the times are accurate.

Anyway, that's about it really apart from to provide some semblance of an update. Today has been a very irritating week, and while that is completely contradictory it makes sense to me. Going on this past week, it would do.

Only another three/four weeks until everything is finished. Then I just need to adapt to the wider world, pick a masters program, or get a job, think about qualifications, where to live, what to do, blah blah blah.

Saturday, April 22, 2006

Ready to Rumba, Ready to Go

Time Asleep Last Night: 04:32
Time Awake This Morning: 09:06
Today's DAR so far: 50PP

This post has nothing to do with Cotton Eyed Joe. Sorry for any false illusions presented.

Right, I'm all packed. Amazingly managed to fit everything in, after some inspired packing courtesy of yours truly. Just making sandwiches and then I'm off. Bought caramel slices this morning, never fear, they are coming with me, just hope I'm not too peckish on the journey ...

Being Busy! Oh Noes!

Time Asleep Last Night: 04:53
Time Awake This Morning: 09:33
Time Arisen This Morning: 13:56
Today's DAR: 18PP

Moderatively productive day today [Oh noes! I hear you cry!] as a consequence of being forced upon me by time. I have done some ironing, some packing, some general tidying and some cleaning today. Be amazed by the product of my business!

Just got the computer and clothes to pack in the morning. Everything else is packed .... BUT ... there is a spanner in the works, a cat among the pigeons. My Dad's car is having issues. Not sure what issues specifically, but general issues. As of such, instead of having copious amounts of room in the car, instead we will have to take my sister's car for the journey up to Durham. Which is a Ford Ka. A great car, but not one for great carrying capacity. Which means I'll most likely be leaving stuff at home, such as the TV [Oh noes! I hear you cry again!] and I may also be packing everything in tiny bags so it can be fitted under seats, around me, and so on. It should be quite an entertaining morning packing the car, for sure.

That's about it, hectic day tomorrow somewhat awaits. May try and update this in the morning after I get the caramel slices. Up early tomorrow, rise and shine, see you all Sunday.

Friday, April 21, 2006

Theory And Reality

Time Asleep Last Night: 05:03
Time Theoretically Awake This Morning: 09:34
Time Actually Awake This Morning: 14:03
Today's DAR: 9PP

Today has two versions. The theoretical one went like this: I got up at a decent time, then did the cleaning in the house, sorted out a few bits and pieces, did some paperwork, copied a couple of CDs and generally was productive with my day. I also went into the loft, got down the boxes and started to do my packing.

The actual day, however, went rather differently. I woke up late, did minimal work, then in the afternoon went to help a friend with his history dissertation at another university, just reading over it. I ended up playing poker and PES on the PS2 for three hours, getting back home at 7pm. After a family meal this evening, I discover that there's a problem with the car so there may be a minor issue with going up to Durham - the issue being that I'll be unable to fit much of my stuff in the car. Unless the mechanic can fix it tomorrow.

That's really it, tomorrow I will be up earlier and doing active work, I expect my DAR to hit 20 if things go to plan. I hope this is short enough to keep Emma happy.

Thursday, April 20, 2006

Me & Technology - Bad Combination

Time Asleep Last Night: 05:36
Time Awake This Morning: 11:34
Today's DAR: 5PP

Today's DAR is deceptive. Because I had planned on it being higher, but it wasn't. Rather obvious point, but here goes with my stupid tale of today. My plan had been to possibly get some way towards demolishing my ironing pile. However, I met with a small snag while upon my quest.

The ironing board, with the iron on it, was up against a wall in our front room. Sensibly, I decided to move it towards the middle of the room so I'd actually have space to iron in. So I pulled on one end of the ironing board. And it collapses. Now, normally our ironing board takes a combination of the strength of a superhero and the problem-solving ability of Stephen Hawkins to actually fold up when you're trying to. So by pulling on one end, this met with a surprising result. So the ironing board collapses. The iron falls off the end, logically, and then the cover falls off. So I'm left with just the water holder in the middle, thinking this may not be very safe to iron with.

So on the plus side, I didn't have to iron today. On the negative side, I wasn't able to iron today, means a fun-filled Friday of course. Not long now until we're back at uni guys, and please remind me to go to the bakery on Saturday morning to get the supply of caramel slices. Otherwise I'll have to go home in the middle of the term just to fulfill my promise.

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Shorter ... I think

Time Asleep Last Night: 03:30
Time Awake This Morning: 12:37
Today's DAR: 6PP

Today's is supposed to be a shorter because apparantly Emma gets offended if I actually attempt to fill you in in any detail on what has gone on in my day. Personally, I'm quite impressed with how I manage to write so much despite doing so little.

I didn't have much to write about my day, but there was something I read in the newspaper today that irritated me somewhat. It was an article on the situation regarding abortion in America, and how anti-abortion campaigners are having increasing impact and success. It has gotten to the state, according to this article, where while you can have one legally, it is still a constitutional right, you simply can't have one practically.

To me, this is absolute nonsense. I'm a guy here, so I have very little in terms of say in this - and I don't see why other guys should become all preaching with women should do this and shouldn't do that. Which is effectively what it is. The vocal majority of the anti-abortion community is male, which is illogical. It's about a woman's right to an abortion, not a man's right to force a woman to bear his child whatever he thinks. And that's pretty much what it is.

The other thing to me is that if someone is so convinced that it is wrong and an abomination, then the simple option would be not to have an abortion if you believe that. So why do people who think that abortion should be controlled simply not have abortions - and allow the others to have theirs if they think it is allowed? People who think there should be more gun control don't go around attempting to close gun shops and say that yes, while the constitution says you can bear arms, you can't actually purchase them at all.

One person's beliefs shouldn't override another - it is what makes a democracy, that while you disagree on things, noone should bend another to their viewpoint and force them to act against their wills. Okay, some things, such as murder, rape, arson, theft, there is a common sense of rules or we would have anarchy. But abortion is completely illogical to include on a similar level. Meh, just my whine at the silliness of that, don't take offense anyone with contrary beliefs to me on this.

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Red Hot Poker

Time Asleep Last Night: 03:53
Time Awake This Morning: 13:56
Today's DAR: 10PP

Today was another day where very little happened during the day, very little in fact happened at all. My ironing pile made a further step towards being featured on relief maps of the area. On the plus side, if I don't get around to doing my ironing at any point, I can always sell it off as an abseiling platform and climbing wall for an activities centre or something.

My ironing-challenged week ahead aside, what I did do today was mainly watch TV. Not much, admittedly, but I watched the second half of Tottenham vs Manchester United, which wasn't exactly an entertaining spectacle but I really didn't care. I also saw part of the Castleford-Warrington rugby game, which was hardly a spectacle either - some good rugby by Warrington, but it was too one-sided to really be entertaining. Sad that Sky in their wisdom chose that match, and not the Catalan-Saints game instead. While obviously as a Saints fan I would've prefered to see my team (although watching rugby league as a neutral really is very enjoyable), their game was close and hard-fought, and a cracking game from what I could hear of it on BBC Merseyside.

In the evening I went to a mate's house, which is one of the last times I'll be doing that before I go back to university, mainly because everyone else is doing the same thing [going back to uni that is, to clarify]. We played on the PS2 for a while [PES, of course. Is there any other game?] but eventually settled down for a marathon poker game. By the end I was considerably up, although not chip leader.

Today I was feeling inspired, and managed some excellent hands, at one point doing a bluff on a flush draw with absolutely nothing, winning about 400 worth of chips [Starting amount of 1400 chips each]. Later on, I managed to have the situation reversed; someone attempted to bluff me in the same situation. However, at that point I did have a flush, and called him out, again to win about 200 chips. During the meantime I was squandering my hard-won chips, and irritatingly two hands in a row folding on what would become a full house after seeing my starting cards, although betting more sensibly. I managed at one point to get a A K Q high flush, one of my best ever hands, without even noticing it - I had pocket kings and so was betting on that, without realising I had a flush at the same time.

Most entertaining hand was the last one before we left. I was holding a Q 2 in my hand, unsuited. First person to bet put in 200 on the starting cards, before the flop. I was the only one to call rather riskily, but he is a known random better, so I thought I might as well go for it. The flop was 8 8 2, leaving me with a two pair but an awkward one - especially as he could well have high pocket pair, hence his high starting bet. However, as it was the last hand, I matched his 200 bet. The turn was a 6, rather irrelevant to my hand. However, again I matched his raise, which put him all in for about 675 chips each. At this time, as we were all in, we both revealed our hands - and his hand was also a Q 2, the exact same as mine! Ironically, the irrelevant river was a 2 again, leaving us both with a full house, but with identical cards we were bound to split the pot of 1385, each recouping for all our betting only a share of the blinds, worth 17 chips gain for each of us.

An entertaining hand, and somewhat amusing too. Anyway, more on that story later. Or another time. Right now, I'm off to bed, having updated you all on that. So more from Slumberland tomorrow.

Monday, April 17, 2006

Easter Egg Day!

Time Asleep Last Night: 03:45
Time Awake This Morning: 12:52
Today's DAR: 5PP

Today I managed to do even less than yesterday, which was amazingly impressive due to my fairly feeble achievements yesterday. But, on the plus side, today was easter egg day. Some apparant religion or other has more important reasons for today, but I leave that for them to talk about, not me.

However, the annoyance is that when you tell people you're not going to do the Easter Egg thing and instead they ignore this and buy you an Easter Egg. And you are informed on the Sunday morning. Thus starts the Easter Egg Marathon! Where you walk around to all the shops within a half hour radius only to find out that they are either (a) shut, (b) sold out or (c) shut and sold out. End result - mass frustration but on the other side, a lot of exercise. Every cloud has a silver lining.

Only a week left until back at uni, I suppose now would really be a good time to start doing some reading and some detailed work on my Gobbets prepration. However, my general thought on this is 'meh'. Gah, this post is so lacking in content and wit and actually anything that it's untrue.

In more irritating news, however, I have had the Alvin and the Chipmonks song stuck in my head for 24 hours. It's quite annoying. I find myself singing it at random. And more annoyingly, that site I linked to either yesterday or the day before had the words for it too; so I can actually sing along as I know the words. Extremely frustrating.