Month: February 2003

One of my preferred ways to start the weekend off is with a lot of sleep. So that is this one off to a good start. Woke up a little on the early side but seen as I was in bed early last night it kinda worked out.

A couple of us were talking last night about some upcoming music stuff down the pub and there is a new metal festival starting off this year in Donington Park. It’s headlined by Iron Maiden alongside Limp Bizkit and special guest Marilyn Manson. So for £90 for the weekend we get full tickets and access to the ‘luxury’ camping area and three of us are on for it.

Glastonbury looks like it might be shaping up to be The Rolling Stones, R.E.M. and Radiohead headlining. Now that’s a fucking festival, I suspect I shall have to go along to that one.

Ray Feist is finishing Jimmy The Hand this weekend and I for one cannot wait. It is easily at the top of the list of books I’m waiting for. Other news this week was that he will be completing a Preferred Edition of Prince of The Blood. Apparently he has not been happy with it and has talked with his editors about redoing it for years. And the other good news is that the next Conclave book should be out in September.

I have no plans for the weekend at all. I’ve got a bunch of Stargate eps on DVD which I have not seen that I think I’ll start off with. I watched Buffy 7 15 this morning and quite enjoyed it. I like the origin of the Slayer story quite a bit and the Wood – Spike build-up is being done really well. I am looking forward to seeing that one resolved. I think I would like to see Spike dusted by him. But on the other side of the Buffyverse, next Angel sees the very welcome return of an old friend.

I have no idea if I’m going to be able to explain this but I’m gonna give it a shot anyway. Last couple of nights I’ve been dreaming more than I have been in a while. Last night was different. I wasn’t dreaming I was actually thinking and debating with myself, while I was asleep. It was very strange, I knew I was asleep but at the same time I was actually actively thinking about something and not only thinking but coming to conclusions too. It was a strange feeling.

There is quite a big V Drink Up on today which I had given some serious thought to attending. But even with all other considerations aside, I don’t feel up to going out and sitting in a pub today, nevermind dealing with lots of people who I don’t really know. Saying that, there are a lot of people there who it would be nice to put names to faces and say ‘hello’ to. Still should try and make an effort to make some DUs and maybe some pool again. There is always Bristol to come.

I was just called a “son of a bitch” twice! It made my laugh quite a bit. Admittedly my preceding comment was pretty much looking for a reaction, but that just made it funnier.

Lots of thoughts quickly compiled as I more than likely won’t get to them otherwise
– got to catch up with a friend in the pub tonight which was good.
– cold is steady but not great.
– moved desk in work today, should take about an hour on Monday to get it all sorted. I really don’t like people using/touching my computers. Not sure on the new desk, it will take a few days to get use to…and perhaps longer.
– some stuff has come to light and been confirmed, I wonder…
– very glad it is the weekend
– very glad it is almost pay-day
– I love the fact that Boing Boing refered to this story as social engineering.
– a good nights sleep tonight would be welcome.
– I had some very very strange dreams last night. I was quite perturbed when I woke up.
– oh I can upgrade my phone to a newer nokia for free…might see about spending money on something or maybe waiting a while.
– gah, it is so very easy to say ‘just do it’ but it is so very much harder to actually do it.
– disjointed, I know. I’ll work on that, the strangeness you just have to live with.
– Public Service Announcement . Awesome!
– Buffy and 24 await weekend watching
– The last Angel was not bad and had an excellent ending, I thought of it about half way through but I had dismissed it as unlikely.
– I am aware that I at times (and perhaps even often) contradict myself.

– how many roads must a man walk down?

There are a lot of arguments going on these days, at times it seems like there is little else. It’s not fun. It’s even less fun when I’m on the right side in a lot of the arguments and even when the others involved know that, I still lose. Not exactly a good way to be working but there doesn’t seem to be a way to change it.

I’m annoyed at some information which I believe is being kept from me deliberately. I have no idea what to do about it other than not like it. Time will tell as to whether I’m being paranoid or not as the case may be.

Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls is one of my favourite songs of all time and gets to me everytime I hear it.

I like this quote from Sterling Hughes;
“Google is not a horrible monster, but it is also not an entity to be worshipped. It is a for-profit company that develops a quality product, and it isn’t yet evil. That’s a big accomplishment”.

I found something else which disturbed me quite a bit. There is a website whose intent is “a list of known blogs authored by known (or suspected) Microsoft employees”. By the simple inclusion of the ‘suspected’ in there, it does not inspire me to believe that everyone being linked to minds being outed on the web as being a Microsoft employee and a blogger. What happens if someone is listed there and something they have said comes back to bite them when MS find out they blog? I know its the internet and nothing is private etc etc. but still.

This kinda leads into a thought I was having about Google/Blogger earlier today and gives me a nice example. Lets say that on one of these MS blogs there is a comment about a deadline or an issue which has arisen , etc. and now add in the fact that this person might be blogging away not thinking that anyone knows who he works for or what he works on. Enter the list of MS blogs. Now we know he works for MS and possibly even where abouts he works. There is a news story there, or at the very least enough to add some more info to and run with a speculation piece. Now bring Google’s search into that and the possibility of real time searchable info and I wonder what the chances are for advance info leaking onto the web. What if something is delayed that could affect stock price or a big launch date. It has already been noted elsewhere that some reporters read MS blogs just in case a story comes up.

The interwebnet seems very fickle tonight, a lot of sites I know are available are timing out. I wonder if there is something going on.

I feel a cold coming on. I’ve been snuffling around all day. I suspect this one is due to being run down after the last few days and not anything else. It’s making that day off look even more appealing but will bring a depression on the next couple of nights.

Oh yes I was tricked into going to pub tonight. A guilty party who shall remain nameless mentioned there was pubbing and led me to certain conclusions which were then denied once we reached the pub. Not only were they denied, there was then an insistence they were never even suggested. *sigh* There shall be some more words over this tomorrow, oh yes.

Link stuff which caught my somewhat fleeting interest:

Bono named for Nobel Peace Prize
I have no words. I think this is kinda cool but its Bono for fuck sake. Nobel Peace Prize Award Winner Bono, it just sounds fucked up…but in a kinda cool way.

BBC News | Fame or misfortune beckons for weblogs?

New Scientist | Word ‘bursts’ may reveal online trends.

Why Nerds are Unpopular.

Microsoft Tests the Blogging-Tool Waters

This review of last weeks Sigur Ros gig is just awesome and says anything and everything that can be said. I really love the last line. A standing ovation was the least the audience could do. They duly oblige. As soon as it was over I was out of my seat, no waiting for anyone, no nothing, just up clapping. Man it was so awesome. I really hope they are available on the ftp soon. I’m listening to the best ranked gigs of the past three years and they are so very awesome.

What if the story about finding your one true love could bring grown men to tears? And what if you found a way to put that all into an Eisner-nominated comic book, touching the lives of thousands of people along the way?

Then you’d be Tom Beland.

CBR has this excellent interview with Tom, the creator of True Story: Swear to God.

Fuck it, I just lost a posting by closing the wrong fucking window. So here is the short version.
– No movies tonight. I just didn’t feel up to it. I slept really badly last night and am pretty much asleep on my feet. I do feel like I missed out on something special tho.
– It is very strange to hear someone vocalise a thought you have had for a couple of weeks but just didn’t want to admit.
– AOL Anywhere. Buddy List on my phone this evening came in dead handy. I must remember this feature.
– I have 265 people on my buddy list.
– I would love a tool to show me who has me on their buddy list. I remember jokingly complaining (well not so much jokingly) that I was not on someone’s buddy list. It would be interesting to know whose I am on.
– Sigur Ros make a large number of their entire concerts available to download in mp3. This has kept me going in work very well.
– Music can change my mood in a second.
– I don’t think I’ve ever talked about my ‘Amy’ before last night.
– I am quite jealous of a friend who is getting to read Feist for the first time.
– I played some real bad chess yesterday and for the first game today but took the next two games quite comfortably.
– I am considering a private blog again. There is a lot going on I would like to get on paper (you know what I mean).
– Fear and Loathing ’72 isn’t really doing it for me….
– At some stage I need to talk about True Story: Swear to God as I read it last week and loved it. I even considered getting a second copy for someone.
– Music this week has been Sigur Ros, Smashing Pumpkins and the Manics
– I have a post moved into drafts which I doubt shall see the light of day. I don’t know how I define myself anymore.
– Sending emails after you have had some beers and some whiskeys is never a good idea. I am so glad I did not.
– I might take a day off work early next week. I have to take 5 before the end of March. Have two booked for St. Paddys day but no longer sure on plans for then.
– My sister uses some of my ftp space. She wanted to be able to show our parents photos easily and I have a half a gig free. So she has full access. I was wondering if she had snooped around and found this. Then it struck me that it wouldn’t bother me and perhaps if I cleared out the archives and did run a separate blog anyone could read this….
– Photos; I need to take more and I need to upload them. I keep saying some weekend I will and I never do, perhaps with that day off…
– I finally got a new bank card, over 3 weeks after mine expired leaving me unable to use any ATMs. Aside from being a nice new card, it has been upgraded to Switch and is a cheque guarantee card.
– ‘beard’…hmm still quite unsure about this.
– Feedback is, in general a good thing.
– Intense is a good word.
– Unsettled is a good word.
– Insecure is a good word.
– Intimidated is a good word.
– I miss my bike. I really need to get one over here. Not really too keen on cycling on the roads, but I think I could do allright alongside the river.

There is more, there is a hell of a lot more but I need to go and sleep so I shall leave you with some words of wisdom:

“But, by the time I figured this all out, it was too late; she moved on. And all I had to show for it was some foolish pride which then gave way to regret. She was the girl. I know that now. But, I pushed her away. So I’ve spent everyday since then chasing Amy. So to speak.”
Silent Bob Chasing Amy

Right some stuff in a little more detail.
Went to see Vanessa Carlton in the Shepherds Bush Empire last night. I didn’t really want to go and thought about just poping down and selling off a ticket but went anyway. Something to do eh? The set was only an hour long and it was the last night of a years tour. I wasn’t bad. Nothing great but some decent versions of her album, notably Paint it Black, A Thousand Miles and a really good version of Twilight. Further proof that adding drums can improve anything. So I had fun and it was worth the tenner or so the tickets cost me. Then I went back to the Albion to meet up with Nick for a beer to talk about some stuff. Patrick was there too and they had been hitting it pretty heavily. So stayed there for a while chatting and then Pat headed off home after having enough.

We kept going for a while and talked and drank till late. Lots of fallout going on from events at the start of the weekend and these are gonna reverberate for a while I guess. Donnie Darko is showing tonight in the PCC and I really want to go and see it. I don’t feel all that great (it’s been a rough few days) and somehow I can’t see myself doing something stupid before then (other than blogging that is) and therefore go along to it with complete disregard for how I’m feeling. I suspect I will go anyway, it’s too good a movie to pass up and I really want to see it again. That reminds me, I wanted to dig out Gary Jule’s Mad World cover to listen to. I shall do that now. Fuck it, I am going to the movie tonight. I cannot miss this, it’s just I have no idea what it is, but it just is. (Fucker will be sold out now, you watch.)

I have to admit, I love helpful friends. Especially when one of them helps after being told not to help and when the other one is Patrick. *sigh* Cause ya know that worked out really well last time.

Londo says it all.

‘Dear lady, I would love to walk with you on a beach, somewhere, for just five minutes. How strange to come so far and want so little.’

Updates later today.

bah

As we all know, the Taliban considers it a sin for a man to see a naked
woman who is not his wife.

So, next Saturday at 2:00 PM GMT all Irish women are asked to walk out of
their house completely naked to help weed out any neighbourhood terrorists.
Circling your block for one hour is recommended for this anti-terrorist
effort.

All men are to position themselves in lawn chairs in front of their house
to prove they are not Taliban, demonstrate that they think it’s okay to see
nude women other than their wife and to show support for all Irish women.
And since the Taliban also does not approve of alcohol, a cold six-pack at
your side is further proof of your anti-Taliban sentiment. The Irish
Government appreciates your efforts to root out terrorists and applauds
your participation in this anti-terrorist activity.

God bless Ireland!

IT IS YOUR PATRIOTIC DUTY TO PASS THIS ON!

WOMEN FROM LEITRIM AND LAOIS ARE ASKED NOT TO PARTICIPATE!!!