/* Well, that was fun. No sleep, lots of computers (the PowerBook does speak TCP/IP! Woohoo!), and discussing theology, relationships, and Apple Computer until silly times of the morning. I've been asleep most of today, so sod all happened ;) */

/* Well, Ben and I have now finished, and kinda officially "released" Tempest Track 01 - it can be got from cheeseyfantasies.com, here.

Not content with this achievement, I'm actually going outside the house tonight... */

/* That was fun.

I had my first driving lesson today. Not quite as terrifying as it might have been, but quite bad enough, I suppose... still can't believe I was in control of all that metal (or nearly in control) and didn't do anything terminally expensive - I mean, wow!

Must try harder.

Mnarra.

Why is MSN Messenger (which I hate - this is Dad's computer not mine) trying to sell me a dating service? */

/* "That's the difference between Coffee and Alcohol - about six feet. Vertically. Alcohol, you end up horizontal on the floor; coffee, you end up horizontal and twitching on the ceiling." -- Toby */

/* Oh dear. I'm getting hits from n0rp searches again.

Not that I find this particularly disturbing, irritating, offensive, or whatever (insert appropriate pejorative adjective here) - but what does worry me is that people then, having searched for pornography, decide that this site might be interesting.... I mean, is it the title, or what?

Mornington Crescent.

I've been playing with RedHat Linux 7.3. It's quite cool, to be honest, a lot more friendly than the last time I tried Linux (which was a while ago) - and so I'm going to switch as soon as I can get wine or vmware or something working - cos Linux won't talk to my winmodem (I don't think).

Also need to play with Creative's Linux drivers at some point - but not this point. *sighs*.

Of course, this is partly diversionary activity... because I am currently lacking "gyroscopic" mental stability, and every time I regain it, something comes along to knock it just off edge, and send me precessing wildly away into a corner.

Must... go... use... PartitionMagic... Must... reclaim... disc.... ;) */

/* I've been learning to lay Laminate Flooring. I have, according to Alison, become scarily efficient at it. We laid underlay and wood-effect flooring at great speed, and finished the area of room in front of my door in an afternoon. What with that and the therapeutic effects of grouting, I'm so relaxed I'm practically horizontal.

Which can only be a good thing.

We have my godfather and his family here at the moment - so I have a small child sleeping on the top bunk in this room. Had to be very quiet online - now have to go to bed.

Night all. */

/* "The arm'd rhinoceros, or the Consumer Guarantees Act in New Zealand..."

Well... that was interesting.

I have new glasses - which aren't particularly interesting, except in that I've got thin lenses in them, which give, um, interesting chromatic effects around the edge, kinda like seeing auras - but I've also got new sunglasses, which are small, brown, have thickish lenses, and in general make me look like one of the more eccentric members of the mafia. Suggestions for how to look suitably terrifying would be very well received indeed. I shall have to get a leather jacket or something next time I can afford it, and look windswept and interesting in very dark glasses and a bizarrely bad copy of a rancher's hat or something.....

Gah.

I also must christen the espresso machine, at some point - I use the term advisedly - although I'd rather wait until I'm in a state to drink a quad espresso before so doing.

Anyone got any bright ideas as to how to sort this relationship thing out? Other than applying Object-oriented programming techniques, which is at best a quickfix...
*/

/* "It is a clockwork model of Hell, with a small brass handle that you wind to operate it. All seven circles are clearly visible in miniature, as if from a long way off ... The demons are etched out of black coal; the twisted faces of the tortured carefully carved in many stones and woods. Individual tears sometimes seem to stand out on their faces."

Oh well. I've just fucked up my A levels - and, do you know, I really don't care. I'm resitting maths in a friendly college up here (all arranged apparently). I did tell everyone earlier this year that I was going to do badly due to my state of mind and - tadaa! - I did. And in case you hadn't guessed from my last post, I'm on the mainland now. Probably for good. You can breathe now.

Actually went out on Thursday night, with Toby and Linda, for a sleepover at a friend of theirs'' house (yes, that is meant to be a double apostrophe - two possessives, one for Toby and Linda, one for the friend - why doesn't the English language have precedence brackets?). Suffice to say that I and Jimmy wound up going for a walk at about 2 am around North Baddesly, talking vaguely politics, theology, relationships or lack thereof, and generally solving the world's problems. I walked into a hedgehog, believe it or not. Then we got back, and found that the front door didn't have a handle on the outside, only a keyhole. As a result of which, various plans were put forward to deal with the situation, including prodding someone through the letterbox with a long stick. Eventually we found that the patio doors were open. So he removed his trousers, which seemed wont to rustle, and I took them around the front, then he let me in with his trousers... Oh, the farce.

I really ought to spend less time thinking about relationships and stuff and what to do as displacement activity, and do something helpful, like trying to write a LISP interpreter.

Gah. It sux.

I want a gravestone with </life> on it. */

/* I have long dream'd of such a kind of man,
So surfeit-swell'd, so old and so profane;
But, being awaked, I do despise my dream.
-- Shakespeare, Henry IV Part 2

OK, that's a little unfair. The last few years, however, have been uncannily dreamlike in places, and now I feel like I'm just starting to wake up a little. But "despise" as a word is a little strong. There have been some good bits, although admittedly there have been a lot of bad bits too. But now, in effect, I've gone. I've got my computer and stuff all here, and got my oscilloscope wired up so that any music I play out of the speakers gets transformed into cool-looking green waves on a red grid... really geeky, but wotthehell. I do, however, need to adjust it relative to volume :). A large chunk of this evening was set aside for this purpose alone. I now have an "unidentified electronic device", a small silver disc, which has two wires coming out of it - one goes to the PC, the other to the 'scope. Required hacking the broken probe to bits though, which was a bit of a pity.

But I digress.

I need a job now. It looks like I'm going to have a social life whether I like it or not ;) and I have a hat.

I'll put some pics up of this new room when I get time so to do, and have asked nicely to borrow Toby's digital camera :P.

Tonight was depressing, but I'm not going to go into the reasons why now. But I do need to learn proper levels of self-control (and for me, proper is what most people would associate with excessive). I do not wish to be put in the position of some of my friends, or put in the position I was in again. If that's "love", you can keep it.

I am now firmly convinced that I will never have what might be termed as a "normal" relationship.

Night night.
*/

/* "Dragon sleeps on stolen gold
With one eye open, one wing furled,
Dragon in a suit, no less,
Executive in fancy dress."

I'm leaving the island tomorrow... this is more than a little scary.

Went to do some musicality stuff with Paul and did some of the best performances we ever have - we've nearly got four or five original songs now (today we started work on Copy This Song - lyric fragment above) and we've got some good covers going too (Let It Be, Sultans Of Swing, Simon The Sorceror Theme - YAY). I do love playing electronic organ in inappropriate songs ;)

Also been doing some odd writing for Ben's oddness project...

Wish me luck, all. Life is about to change. */

/* How, in heaven's name, did I manage thirty-four hits today? (or yesterday, actually, cos it's kinda early morning now, but wotthehell archy)

Just.... why? */

/* These our actors, as I foretold you, are but spirits, and are melted into air, into thin air...

Today I have been mostly watching.... Prospero's Books.

I have done nothing else. I have no compilers on this computer :P */

/* I have been weighed in the balance and found... INTP, apparently. Apparently the online test for this is here - but it only gives you half the sorting thing - I wasn't "done" online :P. Or you could try this one.

Also known widely as the Fire Bird, the phoenix is a profound symbol of the circle of life. It has a life cycle of 500 to 600 ears and after that amount of time, it sets itself on fire and dies in the flames. Then after three days, it rises again from the ashes. It is a completely benign creature who lives in dew. It is said that the phoenix has a beautiful melidous song which grows ever more mournful as its life comes to an end. It is a symbol of the sun and immortality. The phoenix is a very worthwhile beast.

What mythical beast best represents you?Take the quiz!

*/

/* I'm thinking of starting up some forums to talk about nasty things like the metaconcept, logic, fishfingers, random chat etc... if anyone thinks they might actually sign up for them, let me know below. If it's more than just me, I may do so :P */

/* Right. I'm back on the island for the next week and a bit, if anyone, for some odd reason, wants me...

I'm also trying to learn Ada. It's lovely. It's absolutely bloody lovely. I will dispute that statement with the aid of a large hammer if anyone disagrees ;). */