I Predict There Will Be Weather!

I was planning another foray into the hills this weekend. Nothing major, but even so, it looks like the weather could intervene and spoil my plans, tonight and tomorrow we're set for heavy snowfalls. I'm tempted to go even if it does snow, just because I know I'll get some great photos if that proves to be the case. We'll just have to wait and see. It's very difficult to predict the weather in these parts, and on the coast where I live can have nothing, when inland a mile or so is knee-deep in snow.

Did I mention that I've set myself the goal of walking up Ben Nevis in the summer. It's about 3 and a half hours drive from here, but if I set off early some fine Summer's day, it should be most enjoyable. Apparently it takes 4 hours to go up and 3 to get back down, if you make good progress, but I think it should be quite do-able, even though it will be swarming with tourists at that time of year.

Tomorrow is my last day of teaching practice, at least for 3 weeks, until I get stuck into it again at a different school. So I'll be able to ditch the shirt and tie for a while, and shave when I feel like it again, which will be infrequently I reckon. That assessment I've been moaning about for ages, because I still haven't had my results back... well, I still haven't had my results back, and yes it's becoming tiresome! On a brighter note, my teaching practice has gone extremely well, and as far as my teaching mentor is concerned, I could start work on Monday. I would do it too if I could, but the system won;t allow it. "The Man" won't permit any deviation from the norm. Damn "the Man"!

Time For Mortals!

Yes, we all have our weak moments when we consider the fragility of our mortality. "No we don't!" you cry, and I say "Shut up kid!" If you don't ever consider your mortality, then chances are you're still a fairly young pup, probably a teenager, at which age we all believed ourselves immortal. Yes, even (in fact, especially) those boy-racers who killed themselves in head-on smashes. A common occurence here in the NE of Scotland. The young lads at sea and working offshore always had more money than sense.

But no, as you get older (I'm not that old... yet), your thoughts do turn to the possibility of shuffling off from this mortal coil. You may well consider what could contribute to this event. Anyone who has watched a relative or friend die the long, slow and painful death from cancer, would presumably hope that they will either drop dead in the street, or simply just not wake up some morning. Indeed, that would be most fortunate if that were the case, but let's not make it too soon though, eh?

I'm only 36, but I've noticed a rapid decrease in the number of weddings I get to attend, over recent years, and a most unfortunate but dramatic increase in the number of funerals I've been too. Time stands still for no man, they say, and I'll be damned if it doesn't actually speed up. I think Einstein would back me up here, assuming that gravity has less of an effect on you, the older you get. You may well disagree with this hypothesis, but yes, it's true, even Einstein agreed that his space/time theories were not universally applicable. It's my own opinion, but I suspect that binary stars would be a good place to start looking for answers!

Secret Cat Seminar Caught On Camera!

Cute and cuddly by day, intergalactic rulers of unstoppable evil by night. Dogs are dumb animals, but not cats, no... they're with you out of mutual convenience. The cat can leave you anytime, because it's a survivor, it doesn't need you, you need it. A dog on the other hand is the favoured pet of those of lower intelligence. They were only ever intended as working animals, but somehow wound up in the home. It's at that point that the dog owner begins to believe that their dog understands them, not only what they say, but emotionally as well. That the dog is somehow empathetic to what's going on in it's owner's life. Wrong, the dog knows nothing, it's just a dumb animal, and if your dog is your best friend, then perhaps you and the dog aren't that different after all.

You may get the impression that I'm not a big fan of animals. You would be right. Unless it can work, is edible, or somehow supports the food-chain, I can't see the point of them. Some people think it's a good idea for kids to have pets, but they haven't thought it through. Pets don't live very long, however, just long enough for kids to form a tremendous attachment to them. Then they're emotionally scarred for life when the animal dies (usually under the tyres of a car, in a door or a lawnmower). That aside, I have no problem with animals!

Cats are the only anomaly in the whole thing. All other types of pet just do pointlessly inane things all day long. Not the cat, it has purpose, it has intent. It's one step ahead of the owner. Clearly, the cat has been on this planet longer than the human, and is therefore only biding it's time until the human race is in a weakened condition. Then it will strike and take control of the planet. They're organised (I hear them communicating at night), and their plans are afoot. See the photo above for a prime example of a cat seminar being busted wide open. The only reason that the photgrapher in question here was allowed to live, was because the cats know that their secret language hasn't been cracked yet! I could go on, but I'm getting bored of this now!

Round and Around!

You live the urban life, and never think about what goes on in the countryside. The truth is, you have no idea what goes on there. Crop circles, where do those come from? Nobody knows! Maybe if you lived in the country, you would. They'll never tell you city folk. And what about these sheep (see picture) forming a circle, and chanting? Have you heard about that? I don't think so, what happens in the countryside stays in the countryside!

Nah, I'm talking about the Middle Ages, when people used to convene in some secluded woodland loaction, to try and communicate with wing'd creatures through the medium of horniness. Of course nothing happens in the countryside anymore. What can't you do from the comfort of your own home these days? Who'd have thought 20 years ago, that in 2008, you could be a virtual warrior, having virtual relations with a virtual sorceress, who was actually a real person on the other side of the globe? Technology eh? Constantly enhancing our daily lives!

But, do you really believe that technology has made your life better than it would have been without it? Is being able to never leave the house a blessing? Is being easily contactable at anytime, really what you want? Does sending 200 texts a day help you in anyway? I doubt it! So, let's get back to those halcyon Middle age times, and I'll see you in the woods.... No wait, I just remembered about the plague, serfdom and the Witch-hunter General. Ok, meeting online it is!

Tough At the Top!

When I got up this morning, although the ground was damp, there wasn't any wind, and so I decided it was time for another hill-walk. Just like last week, but potentially much more difficult. I had decided that the Knock Hill near Grange would be a good option. About a half-hours drive to the base and the rest would be straight-forward. No bewildering forest tracks around the base of this hill. You just go straight up!

Well, that was the plan. The reality on the ground was slightly different. First off we had to drive a half-mile up a track from the main road. We parked and made our way in. To say that the ground was wet would be an understatement. The path up the hill was more like a stream, and the ground all around it was sodden. My feet were immediately soaked, so much for those boots. Not until we were almost half-way up did it get a bit drier, although it was still fairly muddy right to the top. Surprisingly, it was really mild on the way up, but the wind on top was unbelieveable, it was difficult to stand still.

So, the picture you see above is the view South-Westwards towards the Cairngorms (excuse the compression, I had to, otherwise the page would take forever to load). You can see some snow on the peak right in the centre and also to the far left. Those are just the foothills to the Cairngorms though. The real thing lies just beyond that, obscured by the clouds. I'm sure on a nice Summers day, you would see them clearly enough. Anyhow, we're just trying to get a little bit fitter by tackling a hill each weekend. Next week we plan to try Ben Aigen, weather, footwear and circumstances permitting of course.

Bring Out Your Books!

Today I managed to acquire some books that I've wanted for a while. I would have had them yesterday had the parcel fitted through the letter-box, but it didn't and so it winded up back at the delivery office. There was a good reason why it didn't fit in the letter-box, and that was because it was a box-set. The "Alexander" trilogy by Valerio Massimo Manfredi. Translated from the original Italian into English of course. Supposedly second-hand, but clearly they've never been read. You can tell that sort of thing!

I hadn't intended to buy them yet, but having purchased a CD from Amazon recently, I realised that by adding a couple more cheap items, that I could save paying postage (they have some sort of deal on). I read "The Tower" by Manfredi, last Summer when we were in Italy, and it was a decent read. I have decided, from the reviews that I've read, that these "Alexander" books will be even better. I also notice that Matthew Reilly has a new book out too, "The Six Sacred Stones", the first part of a double header, continuing the adventures of Jack West. Now, that's a man who knows how to write action adventure stories.

You might be wondering what the photo above is of? Well, this is where all good books go to die, an abandoned book depositry. Perhaps not, they go to live in cardboard boxes in attics, cellars and garages. There must be billions of books rotting away unwanted and unloved. Why don't you go and look through your old books... do you still recognise them? Perhaps some of them are worth reading again. Otherwise take them to a second-hand bookshop, so that someone else might get the benefit of them.

Ships of the Desert!

This is how I feel quite often! I can't say that I have tremendous patience, because that would be a lie. When things are happening, life is grand, but the times in between can be so infuriating, especially when you're waiting for something to happen. Right now I'm waiting for to hear news concerning some assessment results, and it's frustrating because I'd expected to hear long before now. Not only that, but I feel like I can't really get on with other things until I know how I've done with this. I know I'm not the only one, but that doesn't make me feel any better about it.

I had a conversation with someone last week, which ran along similar lines. The individual in question told me that he wasn't getting any job satisfaction from work, and so was driven to seek achievement elsewhere. Not achievement as in recognition, but achievement in the sense of, having to do things in leisure time which would deliver self-satisfaction. In this instance, out-door pursuits were the order of the day, but I guess you could just as easily go hang-gliding or parachuting. It strikes me that I may have to find myself some rewarding pastime to help me fill the gaps in my existence.

It wouldn't be true to say that I never received any job satisfaction this week, all the same. I had my moments, but I'm constrained to a fair degree by the position I'm in. I'm not my own boss yet. I don't have the autonomy which would allow me to really try out the things I'd like to do. But my time will come, and when it does, I'll be making the best of it, you can be sure of that!

The Mighty Robot Army On the March!

Not much happening as of right now, but hey, since I'm having to knock out some stuff about Robots, for the benefit of adolescents, I thought I'd let you see this clip, which raises many of the issues posed by Asimov, and which are as unresolved now as they were back then. I might even use this clip in my class, it says it all really! "That's why we have to crush mankind!"

Money To Burn!

I stumbled across some priviliged information today, or at least I should say, some priviliged information was revealed to me. In the course of my everday duties, it was revealed, that by simply taking upon myself the marking of exam papers, there was good money to be had. Of course, I need to qualify as a teacher first, but I'm already well down that road. Clearly, marking exam papers is no fun, but, if desperate for cash (that's me alright), the return is pretty decent. And here was me thinking that the teacher had to do it anyway. Not so!

It's not like the teaching profession is all that well paid anyhow. It is if you can acquire a senior post, but there's also the vastly increased risk of a nervous breakdown. There is also the omnipresent necessity of paying back all those student loans, which probably adds up to a several year wait before there's enough coming in to live reasonably comfortably off of.

I don't really care about the money too much anyhow. I've never had any, so it's never been a problem. Anyway, money creates it's own problems. Only when you have enough income to take out a mortgage, can you get a mortgage, then become weighed down by that very same mortgage. I haven't had that. Then the kids will probably want to go to Uni. Don't look at me for payment of fees, I'll still be paying back my own bloody fees! Yes, money is the root of all evil, and the more you have the more of a curse it becomes (I've been told!)!

Power Hungry Vacuum!

Yes, at last I have space! Space to store images from my digital camera. You may recall the problems I've had with Memory cards, particularly the MMC+ variety. The upshot was, that I went and ordered 2 SD cards of the 2 GB capacity type (I was going to put 2 2GB SD cards, but that might have confused the weak-minded). Did it work this time? Yes it did! As soon as I stuck the card in and switched it on, it was working straight away. So, that gives me enough space for about 1500 photos, which will be quite sufficient for the time being, I would say.

The only remaining problem is in terms of batteries. It seems to chew through batteries at a hell of a rate. So, I'll need to get a charger and some long-lasting types of battery, which probably still won't last very long with this camera. I can't say for definite, but I'm guessing that it's the LCD which is consuming all the power. Anyway, I'm close to being fully operational on the photo-taking front, and once I am look out photo opportunities.

Today went much better than I forecasted yesterday. In regard to my health, I do feel slightly better, but my throat is more sore than it was. Nothing however, so as to put me out of action, so on that score I should be grateful I suppose. I have plans to hit another hill this weekend, weather and health permitting of course. Part of my build-up to tackling something slightly bigger. I actually have 2 large hills I want to try first, followed by a Corbett, then we'll consider a Munro, all going well.

Tunnel of Germs!

I'm under the weather again! Don't know what it is, not a cold or the flu. Probably a "virus" like before. That's the new catchall term the Doctors use for any illness which you might succumb to at this time of the year, the identity of which is not immediately apparent to them. What are my symptoms? General aching all over, but particularly around the neck and throat. I have a very sore throat. I thought about taking the day off, but then quickly decided against it. I knew I had a light enough load today, to be able to get through it reasonably intact. Anyway, ill at home, ill at work, not much difference. Only difference is, you get to feel more sorry for yourself at home.

Hopefully I'll be a bit better by tomorrow. I have a few challenges set for me then, to get through which, I may have to be on top form. I can't go into details. Simply put, getting a group of individuals to engage in tasks, the manner of which will be most unappealing to them. Mainly because they don't like doing anything, asked to think a bit and that's stepping over the line. Nevermind, I have some devious ploys ready to persuade them that my way is the best way.

I finally got around to watching "Alexander - The Directors Cut" on Saturday, and I was very disappointed. I know it got bad reviews when it was released, but quite frankly, I expected more. 300 wipes the floor with it, no doubt at all. Still waiting for Cloverfield. It'll be my first trip to the cinema since I took the kids to see the last Harry Potter film, which will be the last Harry Potter film any of us want to see. Is it just me or is Harry Potter a steaming pile of shit? Anyway, I'm sure Cloverfield will restore my faith in the big screen!

Climbing Up A Bloody Great Hill!

Behold an image taken with my digital camera, hugely compressed, although since I'm in it, clearly I wasn't operating the camera at this particular point in time. This is me just this afternoon, at the summit of the Bin of Cullen (320m). It's not a difficult ascent. From the South road, we went up, and back to the car in an hour. The village I'm pointing towards is Cullen, although if my wife had been a more astute photographer, she would have ensured that the old railway viaduct was in the frame. You could see it as clear as day!

It wasn't cold on the walk up, but it was definitely "fresh" at the top, as it always is, even on a glorious Summer day. Bizarrely, everyone we met on the way up, and on the way back down, had Black Labradors. There must be a sale on somewhere. And, while the dogs couldn't care less about us, it seems that they didn't much care for each other, because every 10 minutes we heard ferocious barking from afar, as the mutts encountered each other in the passing.

Anyhow, this camera will be put to better use I promise. Pictures of me, up a hill looking like a demented Jimmy Tarbuck, aren't everyone's cup of tea. Besides, I did promise to get some exercise, and here's the proof. I have bigger ideas though, I want to get myself up some Munros. The only drawback being my lack of suitable attire and equipment, coupled with my lack of cash, as a result of having spent the last four years at College and University. This year I will start making some money, but unfortunately must also start paying back some of those student loans!

The Major Memory Card Debacle!

I forgot to tell you about my unfortunate Memory Card debacle! What's that you say... a debacle concerning Memory cards, how come? Exactly, it should never have happened, and I'm still a bit pissed off about it! You may recall how I purchased myself a 10.1 Megapixel digital camera, just after Christmas. I took some photos. The onboard memory can store about 20 images. So far, so good. I looked at the manual and it said "This camera takes SD cards or MMC cards!" I thought, "That's great, I'll get something with decent capacity, so I'll only ever need one card. 4 GB should do it!"

I ordered a card online, MMC+, apparently backwards compatible with MMC. I put the card in the camera and it said "Memory Full". I used the "Copy Images to Card" facility, and it said "Memory Full". I took the card out, and of course the memory was still full, so I deleted all the images, then re-inserted the card. The memory was still full, so I deleted all the images from the card and the memory was still full. I took the card out again and I was back where I started.

So, I found a mate with an older camera, 7 Megapixel I believe, and tried his 2 GB SD card in my camera. It worked straight away. Just to see what would happen, I asked him to try my MMC+ card in his camera, and that bloody well worked too. I asked him if he'd like to buy my MMC+ card... and he wasn't interested. So now I'll have to get myself a 2 GB SD card just so I can use my camera, and I'm stuck with a 4 GB MMC+ card that won't operate in a brand new camera, but will in an old one. I have no idea why, but I just want to take some photos. Is that too flaming much to ask?

A Rampaging Monster!

Ah well, there weren't any new Radiohead tracks last night, and so, Ed in fact did lie to me! How could you Ed? Radiohead are also set to make an appearance on the 200th Later with Jools Holland this Friday coming (a week today in fact), but there's very little chance of them playing unheard tracks on that occasion. I make this Radiohead's 5th appearance on the show, including their 2001 special when they played a full set to a very lucky audience.

What other good stuff do we have to look forward too? Well, both myself and my son have got quite excited about this:

Cloverfield will go on general release tonight, although it doesn't come to the UK until February 1st, which is OK with me. I'll have more time then anyhow. I haven't really got in on all the hype. I saw the first trailer and that was enough for me. I don't want to know anything else about the plot until I see it. I do know there's a monster, but that's all I do know!

I quite fancy getting to a concert this year, I'd especially like to go and see Sigur Ros, but I don't think they're touring. I should go and see Radiohead at Glasgow Green, but I'll be working that day. Can't really get out of it either. Ah well, hopefully a chance to see a half-decent band will materialise in due course!

And Now... The Radiohead Takeover!

Well, last night's Radiohead in-store gig didn't come off exactly as it was intended, but at least they did play eventually after having to move to a bigger venue next door (93 Feet East), on the recommendation of the Police, as there was a huge crowd hoping to be admitted. Only 150 very lucky sods actually got in, so the rest had to freeze as I suggested they might, yesterday.

That's not the end of it though. I'm typing this hurriedly, because Radiohead are about to "takeover" the Zane Lowe show on Radio 1, and I want to hear it on the off chance they might play a new song. I had hoped they would play one last night, but they didn't. Anyhow, Ed suggested last week, that there'd be a new song played this week, so I'm thinking that it would have to be tonight. or else Ed has lied to me.

I thought I was going to be ill yesterday. My guts were churning all day, but it never came to anything thank goodness. Being in school with all those kids, you'd think illness was inevitable, but I try to stay welll back from the ones that are obviously ill. Which is OK until they ask for asssistance, in which case I have to put myself right in the line of fire. It wouldn't be so bad if I was getting paid!

Radiohead In-Store Webcast Tonight!

Yay, good times to be a Radiohead fan. First it was the unexpected album download, followed by a boxset with an additional CD. Then they did the Thumbs Down webcast, playing Smiths, New Order and Bjork covers. For New Year they did the Scotch Mist webcast, playing all the tracks from the new album. At 8 pm tonight (GMT), they're going to be playing a free in-store gig at Rough Trade East in London, which will be simultaneously webcast. Delightful!

What to expect? Well, we know they've been rehearsing a Siouxie and the Banshees cover, and last week Ed let the cat out of the bag when he said that they'd been rehearsing new tracks as well, including one which was particularly brilliant, that they wanted to play the following week. Play it tonight!!!

By the time I publish this post there will only be an hour until it starts. Some people have been queuing all day long to get in, and to be honest who can blame them. It's a very rare opportunity to see a band of Radiohead's calibre in such an intimate setting. Those who can't get in however, will have the opportunity to stand outside in the freezing cold and watch it on screens there. Good luck if that happens to be you, it's not warm tonight!

Inward Looking Outlaw!

One of these days I'm going to write a book, and it will be a proper book with a start, middle and end. A proper ending, one where all the sub-plots are resolved, you know like in Martin Chuzzlewit. Clearly the finest piece of writing Dickens ever committed to paper!

Do I have any ideas? You bet I have. I've had a bunch of notes written more than 10 years ago, lying gathering dust, all set to be brought to life in the tale of a Highland outlaw that makes Rob Roy look tame. What's more, it's a true story with lots of dramatic twists and turns and a rather surprising ending. I don't want to give too much away, you might steal my idea.

I could have other ideas for a story I suppose. I have toyed with writing a work of complete fiction, but the areas of fiction which I like are fairly well trodden already I'm afraid. I quite like the idea of a Sci-Fi story, there's so much freedom to take it where you want to go, but it would have to be something really wild to amuse my brain. Modern Science Fiction doesn't have the same punch as the tales Sci-Fi authors of the 60's were mass producing. I suppose, that since Space Exploration was taking place then, authors were inspired by that. Now there's very little truly inspiring in the World, worth writing about. It's a shame, we've become so inwards looking, that we've sort of abandoned the idea that anything exciting could exist out there!

The Icing On the Cake!

Better buy yourself a pair of wellies fast, judging by what I'm reading on the ice melting news front. Not only are the Greenland glaciers calving icebergs faster than ever, but apparently scientists have just realised, that the Antarctic ice-shelves which they thought weren't seeing much action, have melted away by 60 billion tonnes last year. So, they thought it wasn't too bad, but actually it is! That invariably means that sea-levels are bound to rise, soon, and by a lot. For the majority of the World's population, who just happen to live in low-lying coastal areas, that could spell wet feet I'm afraid.

Not that I'm too far above sea-level myself, but far enough to get my ass the hell out of here on time. If it waves I'l say goodbye. I know that "The Day After Tomorrow" sort of covered it, but I suspect that we're due a few more films of that sort, just to remind us how the planet intends to get back at us for using cars and sometimes leaving a light on when we go out!

I don't believe that shit for a minute. It's heavy industry that's mainly responsible for pollution, but they contribute more to the economy than you do, so why should they take the blame. They're flushing the World down the pan, while Governments feably protest on their behalf that it's the public that should hold themselves accountable. Who's to say that it's not just a natural phenomena anyhow? Maybe the ice was due to melt around now, and it was going to happen come what may. I've got no problem with it. Shit happens, you learn from it and you move on!

Satellites Come Crashing Down!

Today I have mainly been trying to install a new satellite dish. It was in a box when I received it, so first I had to assemble the component parts. That was reasonably easy. Next, I had to take my old dish down, that was relatively difficult as it's 12 feet up, so I sent for a man with a ladder (dad) and proceeded to remove it. He decided that the cable was worse for wear, so we ripped that out too.

Now to put up the new dish... wait the holes in the wall for the old dish don't line up with the plate fixings for the new dish. So my father drilled a few new holes. But he used too large a drill-bit and the bolts wouldn't take hold. So now the whole operation has been put back till tomorrow, when I won't be here. So he'll be doing it all on his own. I dread to think what I'll come home too.

On the insomnia side of things, my sleep patterns seem to have returned to a reasonably regular type. I've definitely been sleeping a lot better the last 2 or 3 nights. I probably need to take up hill walking or something so I can get some good fresh air. I'm sure the exercise would help too, if it doesn't kill me first. Yes, I definitely need to take up an outdoor pursuit, especially once I find myself indoors all week long. That day isn't that far off I suppose (already happening intermittently), and I do like a spot of fresh air, as opposed to air-con!

Drop the Camera and Run!

Hey, I don't know if this is real, but even if it isn't, then well done to whoever faked it! It would be natural to assume that it's faked, because let's face it, if you saw something like this happening, you'd literally shit yourself, drop the camera and run for your life. But, the intrinsic idea, I like very much, that someone just might find themselves where they're in a position to capture something unbelieveable on film, and that no-one would believe it was real.

We all know that U.S airforce bases are probably communicating with aliens anyhow, testing out alien technology recovered from crash sites and especially seeing if they can get a leading edge on military technology design using technology probably designed for the most peaceful of purposes. That's why we as a human race would be deeply supicious of alien contact. We'd wonder seriously if they planned to attack us, because, more than likely, we' do it to them given half a chance.

Empty Head Section!

Yes it is quite comical if you're a Web developer, but I'm not sure I'd go this far, and I wonder if he has "/body" on the back of his heel. Or even if he has "head" in the middle of his scalp, because that in particular would require some pain, I'm certain (blogger won't let me show HTML tags... bah). Still, some people are proud of their geekdom, like this graffiti artist for instance:

I would like to think that this is from the wall of a public toilet, but probably not. The plain fact is that everyone is a nerd of some sort, whether your thing is computers, films, books, music, sport, television, there is going to be something you're nerdy about. Make no mistake, it's written in your DNA.

Tonight I have what we in Scotland call a "Do". That is to say, I'm going to a "Do". What the hell am I talking about? Simply put, a special event of any description. Preferably one where drink flows freely. Not that I'll be drinking, no no, not I, I have a leading role in this event, so am required to have my wits about me. Why don't I just tell you what it is? Well, where's the mystery in that?

This Is A Sterile Area! Please Wash Your Hands!

I managed to get some sleep last night, not as much as I'd have liked, but I got some. I know I did because I woke up remembering something I'd dreamt. I had a really busy day yesterday, so if I hadn't slept, it would have made today difficult, that's for sure. Still waiting to hear back from the University regarding how I did in my assessment. I'd have liked to spend more time on it, but there simply wasn't any time. One week was all we had really. I'm sure Ill do alright mind you. I'd be very unpleasantly surprised if I haven't.

Network problems still abound at the school. It has made things harder than they should be, but we're getting through it reasonably well. Today we were building pc's, so they enjoyed that, and there are more to be made tomorrow. It makes a nice change. It's been a while since I put a pc together, but let's face it, it's not that difficult is it?

One of my major concerns is just how exactly I'm going to get through these four weeks without catching something. Contagion is rampant among the pupils, with many of them spluttering and coughing. A quarantined area needs to be set up for those afflicted (joke). Even worse is the Winter sickness bug. Scary stuff! I know why they're in school though. Both parents working, no where else to go. A parent will take a day off for their child, but they can't spare more than that, so the sickly child must return to school posthaste. That's just a fact of modern living isn't it? In fact, more than likely, the parent is "the parent" as opposed to one of the parents! C'est la vie!

I'm not Dead, but sometimes Apathetic!

I've hardly had time to do this today, I've been so busy. I still couldn't sleep last night, but I must have slept a bit, otherwise I'd be dead by now. I am however extremely tired. This will have to be short and sweet, simply because I don't have the time and I have many other tasks to attend to. But you know I'll make it up to you!

Extreme Sleep Deprivation!

I have no idea what's wrong with me. I swear I never slept at all last night, and the most peculiar thing is, that I just didn't feel tired. That's like 4 nights in a row with very little sleep whatsoever. I don't feel stressed, although I have a lot on. I wasn't thinking about anything. I cleared my mind and felt relaxed, but I just couldn't fall asleep. I've had times before when I haven't slept much, but I usually get "some" sleep. This was different, I'm convinced I never slept at all. Maybe I should count sheep, I haven't tried that, but desperate times call for desperate measures!

I'm going to be building some computers this week, hurrah, or not, we'll see it how it goes. I will probably be there more in a supervisory role really. It couldn't come at a better time, because the old network gremlins have chosen this occasion to reduce the network to a nervous wreck, and I got caught out with no Plan B. So I had to wing it for 2 hours and 40 minutes, and it was pretty horrendous. I pleaded with the network guy to restore normal service, but it couldn't be done in time. I seriously hope it's back to normal tomorrow.

I read today that some First World War soldier's letters are being published on a blog 90 years to the day he wrote them. That's pretty neat, I should check that out. I hope he wrote quite freqently though, otherwise it might be disappointing... 2 letters about rain and mud, then it's all over!

The Winds Of Change!

Just a quick post tonight. As I said yesterday or the day before, I have so much on this week, it's unbelievable. In fact I couldn't sleep last night. Not that you'd particularly care anyhow, but the result is I'm very tired right now. Wait and see, when I go to bed, I'll get a second wind, and I'll feel as fresh as a daisy again. Today went OK. It was a bit odd though, almost like starting all over again. But I'm sure I'll fall back into it quickly enough.

I'm toying with the idea of downloading the new BBC iPlayer. Apparently you can watch any show from the last 7 days on it, but if you install it, it goes up to 30 days. Actually, I wasn't sure if that was true, but I've just been on their website and verified it. So, there you go then, sometimes people do tell true stories. Just how well it'll operate when the kids are stealing all my bandwidth, who can say. But at least I'll be able to watch programmes on their laptops once they've gone to bed, and that's exactly my intention.

Yesterday I was washing and hoovering the car, and as I was bending down to wash along the sills I felt a little breathless for a second. I guess that means I'm more out of shape than ever and ought to embark on some sort of exercise regime. That could prove difficult given the pressing matters at hand, which will consume every waking hour. I will do something exercise-worthy though, you have my assurances, because I have too!

Season's End?

Well that's the holiday season over once again, and I'm getting ready to get back to work tomorrow. I only wish I had more idea what I'm going to be doing, the details are sketchy as usual. That doesn't suit my personality, I like things planned and organised well in advance, but for the moment it's not my call, so I have to just play along. I'm sure things will go fine though, and if, as hoped, my assessment results, when they come back, are positive, then I'll be a happy bunny once again!

Speaking about making me happy... both Primeval and Lost are due back on our screens shortly. Primeval ended on a pretty decent cliffhanger, so let's hope that the storylines are even better this time around. As for Lost, I was a tad disappointed by the end of the last series, so they better make up for it in the start of this new series. The end of series one and start of series two, were both epic. We really need more of that. Also, saw a trailer for an American comedy show coming on here shortly; "Reaper". It got my attention, could be good. Certainly better than anything coming out of the UK at the moment. British T.V. is on a major slide right now, practically free-falling!

My father just got home from Offshore not long ago, four days later than expected. There were 100 mph winds and 100 ft waves hitting the rig, he was telling me. One wave actually moved the rig about 10 ft, but it sprang back again. That's pretty rough weather. If anything did happen to the rig in those conditions, launching the life-boats would be suicidal. Still, there are worse places to be. The number of guys I know working out in West Africa, where they risk kidnapping and so on. I've heard loads of stories which I can't repeat here, but let's just say, I wouldn't do the job for any sort of money. The risks some of them take daily are just ridiculous. No amount of money's worth risking your life for, is it?

The Man Who Did Too Little!

I'm a bit stressed out at the moment, I've got such a busy week coming up and I know there are things I should be doing, but then I procrastinate, because technically I'm still on holiday right? Maybe I need the pressure of having to do things before doing them, rather than doing things in advance and creating breathing space for myself. It's hard to explain, I know I should, but I'm having difficulty prioritising tasks right now, because I'm waiting to see which is going to be the most urgent and demanding as they happen.

It's just a sort of lull I've got myself into over the holidays. As I said before, it's easy to get used to do nothing, and another week of the same wouldn't hurt. My memory card for my digital camera arrived today and by the time I'd formatted it and copied across the photos I'd taken, from temporary memory, the battery died on me. How sad is that? Flies live much longer!

One more day of freedom then it's back with the nose to the grindstone. I'll have to pull myself up by the bootstrings and throw myself back into it with great gusto, because it's expected of me. I'm still pretty much under scrutiny, no more observations to endure, but I have to get some momentum going, in order to impress. And yet, I can't allow myself to perform too well, because that might upset my mentor, whose approval I require in order to continue. Are you beginning to see what's involved here? Who'd become a teacher? It requires total dedication and an natural ability to please everyone!

Snow Doesn't Lie!

Those wonderful snowy vista pictures I was going to photograph for you this morning? Well, there was snow lying last night, but the rain melted it all before I got up, and I was up at 7:30 to put the rubbish out. Then I went back to bed again. May as well get the long lies while I still can. However, the weather seems to be on the downhill, so anything is still possible. Perhaps tomorrow there will be several inches of snow. As for tonight, my father is meant to be coming home from offshore, having worked through Christmas and New Year, but he's practically in the Arctic Circle, so he might not get off after all. I ususally go and pick him up from the train station if he's late, as the buses from the station stop after about 7 pm.

That's why every one around here is so eager to ditch their cars and use public transport (implied sarcasm). Are you listening politicians? The trains and buses are not only ridiculously expensive, but they are always late, the trains in particular. When you want to be somewhere by a certain time, spending an extra hour on the train as it crawls along at about 5mph, is absolutely infuriating. But that's how it is here. Think yourself lucky to be somewhere else. Or, perhaps not. Clearly there are worse places to be. But they probably still have better public transport.

The latest hobby that the wife and I have fell into, is surfing through Bebo to see if people we know have accounts and then laughing at their photos of themselves posing ridiculously. Have they no shame? Clearly there are a lot of people around here with a very high opinion of themselves.

Places Where Things Are Kept!

I ordered a 4 Gb Memory Card "online", for my new digital camera yesterday. That should allow me to snap away merrily for many an hour, given half a chance. As I reported to you yesterday, the weather looks set to take a serious turn for the worse here, tonight. We're on the coast so we don't really get too much snow, but hey, if we do, I'm on it, OK? I'll make sure you get the pics. Fingers crosssed, there'll be some fresh white powder in the morning!

I haven't really been up to much. I turned down the opportunity to go hard drinking again last night, I don't have the constitution I once possessed, to be able to bounce back from a previous day's drinking session, ready to go again the next day. Let's face it, anyone who has (consistently) is probably an alcoholic! But you need money to be an alcoholic, and I've never really had any!

Everybody is back to their respective mill-grindings come Monday anyway, and that'll be it, the holidays gone in a flash again. I've quite enjoyed doing very little. The calm before the storm no doubt. Only a major lottery win could dislodge me from the heading I'm sailing on right now. Maybe even then I would still persist with my impious designs, pausing only to replace my clapped-out motor and to ensure a roof over our heads. Sounds like some sort of New Year's resolution! Well it isn't!

Eat the Yellow Snow!

I'm sorry I never posted yesterday, but I went out after lunch and ended up very drunk, at which point all prospects of a post being posted were seriously dented. I don't make a habit of drinking to excess, or drinking very often, so I'm sure you can forgive me for this one transgression. I was almost sick in the middle of the night, but I managed to overcome it by sheer force of will. I'm still quite impressed by that. Once you get the cold sweat and start salivating heavily, that's usually when you know you've reached the point of no return. But not this time, yay!

I stayed up on New Years Eve to watch the Radiohead webcast, at midnight. Very enjoyable it was too. It was my first opportunity to put my new wireless network to the test. We watched it on one of the kids' laptops in the living room, and there were no problems with buffering or anything, in fact the wireless connections seem just as good as my hard-wired connection. That's something I definitely didn't expect, but well there you go. Isn't technology marvellous.

I've been invited around to a relatives tonight for even more drinking, but I think I might decline. I still feel pretty rough from last night. It was bitterly cold yesterday as well, and it's not set to get better any time soon, quite the opposite in fact, with snowstorms predicted over the weekend and into next week. However, if that proves to be the case, rest assured I will put my new digital camera to work on your behalf, so as to bring you crisp images of fresh powder. How does that sound? Do we have a deal?