The quietest New Year of all

My wife and I will be enjoying a quiet New Year on our own this year. A nice meal, a good film, and, if we're lucky, bed by midnight.

Festive salutations to you all.

Snowdon Climbers

BBC NEWS | Wales | Snowdon warning after 17 rescues: "we've had to rescue people from high up who are wearing just trainers, jeans and fleeces.'"

Are these people morons, or just complete idiots?

Twitter

Trying to be active on twitter. See the links in the sidebar.

I'd find this easier if I knew more people to follow. (Other people posting remind me to do so!)

G1 App list

As there don't seem to be enough lists at this time of year, I thought I'd create one. Here is a list of all the apps I have / use on my G1. They are listed in the order they were installed / updated, with the newest at the top.

Trap!
Power Manager
Telegraph.co.uk
Tricorder
ChompSMS
Twidroid
Hullomail Mobile
SMS Popup
BioLines
Toddler Lock
Missed Call
Mem
aCurrency
Pkt Auctions eBay
Locale
AK Notepad
Picasa Uploader
Brain Genius Deluxe
The Weather Channel
NichtClock
Opera Mini
Simon Tatham's Puzzles
fBook
TuneWiki
iTubeStatus
Any Cut
Lights Out
Ringdroid
Translate
Bonsai Blast
ConnectBot
PAC-MAN
Coloroid
Shazam

As I haven't seen it posted anywhere else, a cunning tip for updating all your G1 apps is to head to the market, hit the "My Downloads" app, and scan for any app that says 'Free'. This will indicate you don't have it on your phone. Just hit the link to install the new version. The only downside to this is that apps you have uninstalled stay in this list, and are also marked as 'Free', so if you try a lot of apps out, and then remove them, the list could get a bit over-populated.

And so, the year draws to a close.

An easy 4 day week with a day off Thursday. A better way to ease into work again after 5 days off. A lot of the office have taken the time off too, so the distractions should be less.

Xmas was good. A busy 5 days of family, food, and festivities. My daughter had a great time (even if she did keep waking us in the early hours), although she doesn't 'get' Xmas yet. She likes the presents, but once one has been opened, that's enough. Time to play. It's a good attitude to have, but it means it took 3 days to finally open all her presents (yes, she's spoilt, but there weren't *that* many to open).

I cooked a good dinner if I say so myself. Turkey, obviously, and all the trimmings. No one ate much of anything else for the rest of the day, so that's always a good sign. That and the clean plates.

The weekend was spent at the in-laws, and was a welcome chance to relax. They prepared another great meal, and another good time was had by all.

Now it's back to work. A chance to take stock and work out what's outstanding, prioritise it, and get some done. All setup for next year. That's the plan anyway.

Live from the Next sale

Aaargh. Aaargh. Aaaaaaargh. Sob. Sniffle. Hyperventilate.

A direct quote from my wife.

On the door for 5am, childrens wear hit, then menswear, finally womens. Now in the queue. Only the British could do this at this time of the morning. I must be certifiable by now.

We have 2 bags of 'bargains', and enough clothes for my daughter to see her through at least 2 weeks!

As soon as we're done here, it's home and bed.

It must be Xmas...

...I've got a seat on every train I've been on today. Which reminds me, best check the works register for next week. I bet something's shut.

Xmas eve eve

My last working day before Xmas, and my last working day for 5 whole days.

Sleep hasn't been that great lately. Friday night had a couple of wake up calls, but Saturday was terrible. Little one seemed to believe that it was nap time, and was up throughout the night. My poor wife got about 4 hours sleep, and, because I had gone to sleep at the start of the night instead of reading, I got about 6. Sunday was a bit of a write off. Although, somehow, my amazing wife managed to make 2 casseroles!

We got a tree moved, and another one planted on Saturday. I'm informed that that is the last large plant our garden needs. We'll see. I also got the turkey, pigs in blankets, potataoes, parsnips, carrots, and sprouts (yuck) for Thursday. I have another long list for this evening, but that will be it.

I'm really looking forward to Xmas this year. More so than usual. I can't quite put my finger on it; maybe I just need a break more than usual.

On something completely different. We were watching a bit of the snooker final on Sunday night (yes, we were that tired), well, I was watching it, and my wife was ignoring it in favour of the internet, and I was surprised at just how bad the players were. Now I'm not a great player, and count myself lucky when I get a pot, but I've watched snooker on the TV for many years; by the time you get to the final, the tricky shots should be executed every time. Perfect position, accurate cannons. Both of the guys playing on Sunday were mis-queuing, failing on position, missing pots. In the days of Jimmy White, and Stephen Hendry, to name but 2, the final was always a spectacular display of snooker. The 2 on Sunday looked like a couple of semi-pros down the community pool hall. I haven't watched snooker for about 4 years, so maybe this is what it's become, but what happened to the greats?

Anyway, work is a few minutes away. It's team lunch day, and I don't have many meetings either. A show and tell at 15:00, but that's about it. Then home, shopping, and Xmas. Yay.

Merry Xmas, and happy yule tidings to both my readers.

Something interesting

Well, maybe. If I can think of something. So much going on in the world, so little of it joyful. Hey, it's Friday. A fact my brain disputed this morning. I was putting out the bins when I decided I was being daft. It was Thursday. Silly me. So I put the bags back. As I shut the garage door I caught sight of a bag next door, then another. Hmm, maybe it wasn't Thursday. So I put the bins out again. By this point, I had missed my train. So I went and made my wife a nice hot drink, and faffed with the computer for a bit.

We were up in the night with little one, and this has compounded the lack of recent sleep to leave both me and my wife knackered and a 'bit spaced'. Just what I need when I've got some important meetings today. TFI Friday.

No idea what we'll do this weekend. Sleep for the whole thing would be good. I doubt there will be another trip up to London, but we will fid something to do. My poor wife is going stir crazy. She's stuck in waiting for friends who cancel at the last minute. It's just been one of those weeks. Time of year I guess.

At least the tube is fairly empty at this time of day.

And there we go. Writers block. Have a good weekend, and I'll try to do something worth writing about between now and Monday.

Depressing

If you want to arrive at work in the *wrong* frame of mind listen to Jeff Buckley singing Hallelujah on repeat whilst travelling through the dark underground!

The Thursday morning of the soul

I feel a bit weird today. I assume it's the insistent coughing during the night, and the resulting lack of sleep, but the day just feels slightly off centre.

I got all the bills paid last night, and some other paperwork caught up with, but didn't do anything of interest.

Today promises to be fairly productive (I have some chunks blocked out in the diary to allow me to get some work done), but it could always break that promise.

It strikes me that my life is not that interesting!

Alive and kicking...

...but too distracted to post. Came in a different way, and it's thrown everything into disarray. Normal service will resume tomorrow.

Tired? Me? No! Really?

The downside to the german market and London trip on Sunday was the lack of appetite when we got home. Burgers, stew, pancakes and waffles will do that to you. (No, I didn't eat all that!) The upshot of that was our planned chicken dinner didn't get eaten.

Last night we had chicken dinner (you couldn't see that one coming, could you?!) My darling wife had prepared the veg ready, so I got home and just sorted the meat and the timings out. Unfortunately, chicken takes a while to cook, and we didn't get sat down until about 21:30. This led to a late night, and a tired Steve this morning.

Now on my way in to sort out a report, and manage the impossible by 09:30. All in a days work!

Life, but not as we know it.

Much going on, only 7 more working days until xmas (for me at least; I have the 24th off.) Of couse this doesn't mean things ease off. I have a number of big meetings this week as we outline the strategy for next year.

However, the weekend. Saturday saw a miserable day weather wise with a trip to the supermarket as a high light. My wife was out in the evening, so after putting little one down, I did a quick tidy up, and settled down to watch 'Iron Man'. The film wasn't bad, a little less silly than expected, but the finale lacked something. I'm sure they're saving plot lines for the inevitable sequels, but it did seem to just want to establish the characters with little thought to action.

Sunday we went to London. Our first train journey as a family, and it went well. Little one enjoyed the experience of being on a train, and was very well behaved. Once in London we used the underground, another experience that brought a couple of wry smiles,to head to Hyde Park and the Winter Wonderland. We wandered around the German market, enjoying the wares, and browsing the stalls. The only downside to the event was the extortionate pricing of the rides. Little one couldn't go on much, but a simple toddlers ride was £2 a go, and a giant slide, which both Mummy and Daddy wanted to go on with her, was £3 a ride!

The journey back was uneventful, and the whole day can be called a success. A spur of the moment decision, executed with the skill of experienced parents. It's only taken us almost 2 years!

Back to work now. Normal week with extra mince pies (I can hope).

Apt

Iron Maiden, Fear of the Dark, 8:15, crammed into the underground.

Followed by Run to the Hills as the doors open at work.

Positive(ly knackered)

Feeling better today, not happy by any stretch, but more positive. I was working until 21:15 yesterday, giving me a 13 hour workday, or 14.5 hours if you include the morning travel. I spent the last 2 talking. Talking a lot. A number of things cleared and crystalised. A direction was discussed. Things may actually work.

As a result of all that means I didn't get anything else done yesterday. I finished work, spoke to my wife, spoke to my Mum, had some soup (a *lot* of soup), and went to bed. Back up again at 06:20, and meeting my wife for lunch.

Tired, and hoping that glimmer of light in the tunnel isn't the first sign of an approaching train!

Things are getting bad. Please send chocolate.

Up early (on time) this morning, and it hurts. 06:20 was not designed to be seen be mortal man.

I was out last night with my wife. We had a lovely meal, really enjoyed the food; however, I think I could have been better company. Things at work weren't great yesterday. The factor in my days seems to be inversely proportional to the number of meetings I have. Yesterday, I had too many. I also got told off because something I've been telling people since March will be available end Q1 2009 won't be available until, shock horror, end Q1 2009. Roadmaps be damned, someones having a tantrum beause they want their software now damnit!

Not that anyones just looking for excuses to justify their political motives. No, surely not.

Anyway, moving on. I'll be spending the evening wrapping presents for my darliing wife, and watching some movie she wouldn't approve of. Just need to get through today. Thankfully, I haven't got any meetings until this afternoon, so I might get some work done, and have a shot at a good day.

Finally

Whenever I go away, or work from home, my time for blog reading is seriously deminished. Going away for 3 days the other week for the wedding left me with a huge defecit. Finally, today, I've fully caught up. My reader is empty. Many thanks to all those who write the blogs I read, but do you think you could take account of my holidays in future, and tailor your output accordingly? Thanks in advance.

I've been messing around with google alerts recently. Asking it to e-mail any references to me, or to my daughter's first name. The ones about me haven't brought up anything of interest yet; which isn't that surprising, I tend to keep a low profile on the net, and I'm unlikely to be published, nor referenced anywhere. The ones for my daughter, however, have been worth further investigation. I'm only looking for her first name as it's a little different, and shouldn't come up that often. So far, 2 people have been posting under the sudonym (I wish this thing had a spell checker), and one person used it as a mis-spelling of something else. The interesting bit is the sites that tend to come up. So far, a 22 year olds blog full of angst and lols, a site dedicated to the evils of childhood, and a bulletin board for transexuals. Really backs up our decision to give her that name!

Out tonight for an Xmas meal with my wife. Looking forward to some 'us' time. Tomorrow night I'll be alone as my wife and daughter will be at her Mum and Dads for the night. Looking forward to some 'me' time. On Thursday, my wife will join me at work for lunch. Looking forward to a 'lunchtime'. All in all, a good week. Shame to spoil it with work.

Oh dear

So it's Monday morning, and I'm already counting down to the weekend. What's it called when you're forced to go somewhere you don't want to for most of your waking life? Oh yes, work.

The weekend was good. We got a load of jobs done without it feeling like we spent the whole weekend doing jobs. Saturday saw us actually getting out of the house for fun. We drove up to a National Trust property where there was an xmas food market. The food market wasn't great, but the grounds were lovely, and it'll definitely be worth another visit next year. The day was only slightly marred by vindictive old grannies stopping my little one getting a go on the train. Although that may have been down to bumbling and faffing rather than vindictivness. Who knows when it comes to grannies?

Sunday involved a quick shopping trip, and a sunday roast with my wife's parents.

Somehow, we also got all our remaining wrapping finished, our bathroom cleaned, and some vacuuming. All in all, a productive weekend.

And now it's back to work. More stress, more requirements, not enough time, not enough staff. Oh well, it pays the bills.

I started writing this blog properly in March, the year has ticked by rapidly since then. It'll be interesting to sit back and look over the changes in my life at some point. I wonder if the turning point between enjoyment and frustration can be spotted. Hopefully, another few months and a reverse will also be spotable.

That Friday feeling

Why can't my phone capitalise letters when I hold them down? That's one of the main things I miss from the blackberry. Having to press shift first just seems daft. I can see they had to make a decision, and chose to offer foreign varients of letters, but given localisation I would choose capitalisation over ferign characters. Hòw øftêñ dö ï ñèéd thë§ë thîñgß? Must letters don't have foreign options, so just repeat. Surely using the 'sym' option to reach those characters, and offering capitals on a long press would have been a better option.

Moving on. There are posters (and TV adverts) around at the minute for Windows. They state "I'm a PC" offer some picture of a 'normal' individual, and follow it up with some comment on the users job. E.g. "I'm a PC and a merciless gamer" accompanied by a picture of Fatality (an overgrown kid who makes a living out of playing games (not that I'm jealous or anything)). You are also encouraged to record you own video message, using the phrase, and send it in (although not on you tube I guess :) ). I'm seriously considering recording one saying, "I'm a PC and I use Linux". Do you think that would make the website?

Time to move on. Late today, but the boss is out. No real meetings to speak of, so I might get some work done! The weekend is only a matter of hours away, and it promises quiet (and a few jobs). Joy.

Thursday blues

Short one today.

I had two late meetings in the end yesterday. The first of those got me annoyed and frustrated, the second was interesting for 5 minutes. I finished working at 18:40. Thankfully, I'd come home early, taking the first meeting on the train, so I was able to see my daughter.

I was also able to go swimming. 40 lengths, or 1km. Not bad.

Now I have a morning or trying to sort the issues that so annoyed me yesterday. Fun.

Tired and...what day is it?

Ok, not *that* tired, mentally distant maybe. Took me 2 minutes to work out what day it is. Wednesday right?

Utterly rammed today, I keep wobbling whilst I type as I can't get to a decent hand hold.

Life is fine. No changes from yesterday with the job. Just a busy day with plenty to do. We got all our xmas decorations up yesterday, so our house is now a festive centre. Great to come home to.

Hopefully I'll get some swimming in tonight, but I think I've got a late meeting (flipping americans refuse to have meetings at sensible times.) Hopefully I won't be home too late.

For some reason, at this time of the morning, I'm craving pizza. Weird.

Cold Tuesday

When little one woke us at 05:25 this morning it was 5 minutes before the heating came on. And it was cold. That feeling has stayed with me so far, and, as I'm stood by the door in a Jubilee line carriage with a cold draft hitting my back, looks set to continue for some time.

I'm hearing rumours that the American I was asked to "interview" may be given my job leaving me in charge of data only. So I'm following up a few leads to get another job lined up just in case. I am not going to have a chain of command through 2 people in another country, neither of which know me, and one who has shown no interest in getting to know me. I know a stupid political game when I see one. My new senior manager wants a power base in the US. It's not personal against me, I'm just not important to the big picture. Well fine, good luck running all of the systems and reports without my knowledge.

I have a couple of internal leads within the company, so I'll follow them up and see what's out there. I'm not even bothering to look external at the moment. The market is not at its best.

So, on that cheery note, another day begins.

On being a best man

I have had the honour and priviledge of being co-best man to a friend I've had since our school days. I shared the honour with another friend from that time. Being best man is one of those things I believe every man should do once.

The duties of a best man come down to 3 things.

Support; both during the preparations, and on the day itself. Helpful words of advice, willingness to take on any task to help things procede smoothly. This is an on-going duty, although not an onerous one. Our groom had the benefit of a best man who had got married himself, and a best man who had done the job before, so there was support for anything. Not that we were called on much. Tasks alloted were sorting out some music before, between, and after the band sets; and creating a hundred favour boxes from a lot of empty boxes, some tissue paper, and thousands of iced jems. Other than that, helpful, and un-helpful advice as and when required. That, and having to sleep in a room with no curtains the night before the wedding!

The stag do; there can be little doubt that this ritual is a major part of the best man's duties. For this stag do we went to the Lakes, got the groom extremely drunk, put him in a dress and walked him up and down a hill, put him in another dress and took him to the pub, and generally provided camraderie, banter, and, from those already married, a whole host of useful tips.

The speech; if you mention that you're going to be a best man, invariably the first question asked is, "Have you got the speech ready?" The best man speech is a time honoured way of sending the groom up on his wedding day, of entertaining the guests, and a chance to praise the happy couple. So no pressure then. Ours went well, and was received in the spirit intended. We were pretty easy on him, but raised a few laughs. For the record, the groom did thump a sheep, sang guest vocals on the ace of spades (not with Motorhead), but gave up half way as he couldn't hear himself, and did relieve himself in a drawer at a friends house after arriving uninvited during the early hours of the morning.

So that's it. The happy couple are married, the weekend is over, and I'm on my way back to work. Would I do it again? Yes, if I cared about the groom as much as I cared about this one. Congratulations to the two of you, and thanks for involving me in your big day.