Month: October 2000

Future now

Reading time: < 1 min

I ache. As usual I did too much in the gym on Wednesday, so my shoulders and arms are stiff and sore. The pain in my legs is nothing new and I’m used to it. We play football every Thursday (should I say soccer? Hell no!) and every Friday I’m stiff – is regular exercise not supposed to improve this? Mind you the game of netball on Tuesday should prove fun…

Looks like I’ll soon have SurfTime (Evenings and Weekends) setup – for those outside the UK, it is an unmetered service offered by BT and chosen ISPs. Unfortunately everytime an ISP launches an affordable 24/7 unmetered package the end up pulling it, or poorly implementing it because “some people abuse it, staying online for 16 hours at a time…”. I kinda thought that was the whole point… so I could have my PC online all the time and harness the power of the Internet. Have news delivered instantly, have my fridge order milk when I run out, etc etc. Or at the very least allow me to melt my retinas playing Half-Life! 😉

October 20, 2000

Startup

Reading time: < 1 min

I’ve always been able to make the separation between a business decision and a personal decision. I’m pretty good at stepping back and seeing the bigger picture. It’s one thing being passionate and ‘caring’ about your work, it’s another to close your mind and concentrate your focus wholly on it.

I’ve found myself more and more inclined to fall into a kind of loafish, lazy attitude recently. Topped off with manic bursts of productivity. I think now would be a good time to re-take the Belbin tests – see how I’ve changed. I much more prefer the ideas and implementation stage of projects, but then I don’t think that’s a new thing.

I need to start writing stuff down more, I’ve been toying with a section or site dedicated to my ‘professional’ head – there must be SomeTHiNG in there that would be of use to others… right? Right!!??

Ohhh, Happy Birthday Alan M. – and anyone else who shares a birthday with him… there must be somebody…

October 16, 2000

Theroux

Reading time: < 1 min

Louis Theroux, Monday nights, BBC2. Watch this man. This is the second series I have watched.

Last night the programme was looking at the Boers, there desire for their own state, and what the underlying thoughts were. Very interesting, and ultimately very depressing. There are still a lot of closed minds, and isolated figures in that country. If you ever catch any repeats of his last series make sure you catch the interview with the leader of the Klu Klux Klan.

As I am currently paying for the entire phone call when I use the Internet, I am using it as sparingly as possible. The adjustment (from the 24/7 unmetered access I had) has been brutal. I find myself starting up my PC at night. Doing some admin, mucking about with stuff I’ve been meaning to look at…. then shutting it down. I didn’t realise how much of my PC time was spent online – be it surfing, chatting, or Napstering!

Still I have been racing through the re-design, so once I get some form of affordable connection back (at end of October) I’ll put it up.

I’ve also been working on a site for the various bits and bobs I have collected that may be useful to people in a similar profession. Still to get a name I like, and at the moment it’s very early. I’m going to make an effort not to mention it again until it is done! Learning my lesson from the re-design of this site.

October 10, 2000

Screwed

Reading time: < 1 min

My ISP (LineOne) recently ended the payment scheme I was using. I had 24/7 access for £5 a month. They are now offering LineOne SurfTime (run of the back of the BT SurfTime package) for £9.99 a month for off-peak access only. Unfortunately my local exchange is not yet equipped to handle SurfTime so it isn’t available to me. Which means I am left to pay for any Internet calls as I make them – an expensive business. We rent our accomodation so can’t get cable in. In short I’m screwed.

BT have promised my exchange will be SurfTime compatible by the end of October. Until that time these will be the only updates you see on this site. Once I regain my Internet access, I will post the new design (which is 95% done), and upload a lot of stuff that has been waiting for a while…

So Great Britain is at the forefront of technology? I don’t flaming well think so!! BAH!!

October 2, 2000