Friday, December 15, 2006

Huzzah for Me

So I got my university results. Two credits means a graduation ceremony in Febuary next year. Ten years, one marriage, three kids, four cars, five jobs and a brain-fuse or two later and I finally made it. And I made it just in time for my ten year high-school reunion tomorrow.

On another note, your favorite internet deity (and mine), Richard Giles is up to something. It is a... well I have no idea what it is but he is trying to generate some buzz. The theory from my perspective is that I mention Scouta here on my blog, and anyone who reads it mentions Scouta on their blog and anyone who reads their blog... well you get the idea.

We want technorati humming the word Scouta in the wind. We want google to feature the Scouta colors for just one day. We want Microsoft execs sitting in boardrooms huddled in fear. Well probably not. But it's fun to dream right.

And also, sign up if you are interested. I did. I am intrigued, as I am sure is at least partly the intent of the conspirators. There is a wonderful feel of suspense about the whole thing which keeps me reading the blog waiting for some morsel of information.

Monday, December 11, 2006

The Grim Sounds of Ely

Okay, so I'm still alive, but it was a near thing. It seems that the pressures of a busy work life and hectic home life and culmination of ten years of tertiary eductaion were more than enough to make me "flip my lid". There was a moment there where I thought that if I didn't actually slow down I would have a stroke and die.

As it turns out it wasn't that bad, I got a serious chest infection instead. And when I got back to work, I was a week behind. That's always good for stress levels right. Once I got through my anti-biotics I of course did another couple of 2am'ers and ended up sick again. You'd think I would learn my lesson huh?

Well, even though that was all bad I have started listening to a podcast which is essentially about all of the challenges I would face in any given work-day. It's called dotnetrocks and it's been around for ages. I can't believe that I'm so much of a nerd that I download and listen to a radio show about programming.

As a total aside to this I discovered the podcast series by Rory Blythe called The Smartest Man in the World. I dare anybody to not find the Neopoleon County Blue Laws informative and useful. The world would be a better place if government started enforcing them instead of "making" me enjoy an extra hour of daylight.

Oh yeah, we have daylight saving now. Let me just say, "I HATE DAYLIGHT SAVING". It brings out a steady stream of annoying fascists who demand that it is a better way simply because they can go to beach after work. Do they have kids who refuse to sleep because the sun is still up? Why can't they get up before work and go to the beach?

And then someone says something really intelligent like "It's just so they can have another hour of trade with the Eastern States". Like they are the be all and end all of trade. People also do business with America but we don't wind our clocks back 16 hours to deal with them do we? Anywho, this is starting to turn into a rant so back on topic.

I want to make a special mention of a dear friend who has passed away today. Katz came with our house. She refused to leave so we started feeding her and she seemed fairly content. She put up with a steady stream of kids poking her in all sorts of innapriate places and even the annoying dog who like to lick her face. She was named by my daughter who kept calling her Katz until it stuck. She was also discovered to be a he after a couple of years but she never seemed to mind. Katz developed cancer in her ears a little while back. She went through several operations but never really healed properly and was today buried at my mother in laws house. Katz we will miss you.

Well now I find I'm crying again so I'll sign off. For those of you who have no idea what the title of the post is going on about I suggest you look into The Meaning of Liff. It is crammed full useful little terms which everyone should adopt. Well until next time, this is Mike, treading water and juggling fire.