Month: May 2004

My best mate is handing in his notice today and is off to startup his own company. I’d tell you what it is but I’m not 100% sure and it’s very specialised so I doubt you’d need his services anyway. He works in the Lighting industry (as in concert/stadium/T in the Park) and does clever things with computerised lighting design.

Ohh look, I did manage to tell you.

I’ll be giving him a hand with some web stuff soon, so more on that later.

As it’s Friday, it’s time to look ahead to the weekend. The slightly longer than normally weekend for me as I’ve taken Monday off (we don’t get Bank Holidays as standard).

First up, cakes this morning. Then the pub tonight, soft drinks only for me though as I’ve got to pick the car up at the station.

Saturday morning we head into Glasgow to buy birthday pressies, probably meet my Mum for lunch, and then head out to the west end for an afternoon/night of drinking. We are starting in Jinty McGinty’s. If you see me, say hi!

Of course this means that Sunday is a complete write off for me (I’ll no doubt be shouting at Uncle Huey), but my darling wife doesn’t get hangovers, so I’ll spend the day in bed and get her to cut the grass 😉

And Monday, lovely wonderful Monday. We have plans to drive through to Loch Lomond and check the in-laws caravan is OK, maybe give it a quick clean and airing in preparation for their ‘holiday’ next month, and then take the long route home. Wherever that may take us. Must try and remember my camera this time.

And you dear reader, what plans have you?

Still can’t really muster up much enthusiasm or spare brain power at the moment. I did survive a game of 5-a-side (well 4-a-side actually) tonight, but now it’s 9.30pm and I’m completely drained. Mentally and physically.

The only thought in my head is from a comment I made the other day, to a work colleague. I was asking him questions, deliberately playing devil’s advocate – I’m an argumentative bugger at the best of times but I was genuinely trying to help – and it got to a point where I had to point out that I was, indeed, playing devil’s advocate.

Should I have to do that? What does it say about my work persona that I have to point that out? By nature I’m pessimistic, and I question everything. I’m not one to say “Yes” easily, finding the instant answer of “NO” allows me to get more information about the task at hand as people will usually try and convince me that I should do what they are asking (this IS different from being TOLD what to do, even if I tend to deliberately blur those lines, told you I was argumentative…). I’m wondering if I need to go on a charm offensive.

On the other hand, bugger that. That’s there problem, I’ve learnt how to deal with them, they can damn well learn to deal with, working with, me.

Heh. Funny that. Didn’t think I had anything to say.

This blogging lark is quite cathartic, ain’t it.

Just remembered another thing too… I’ll keep that for another time though. Ohh as I will something else I’ve mentioned here several times, all will be revealed though.

So congratulations to Porto for winning the Champions League. The new Chelsea manager seems like a bit of an odd bloke, so he’ll fit in at Stamford Bridge quite well.

Anyhoo, we were visiting a friend tonight who is recuperating after an operation on her back, there was some talk of the details but thankfully my squeam-o-meter kicked in and disengaged my brain before any of them made it too far. Ick.

Mind you, after four swift bottles of Corona I’m feeling a tad light-headed (christ, what a light-weight I’m becoming) so it’ll be off to bed for me soon.

But not before I mention that I’ll be buying Jordan’s “autobiography” at the weekend. No, not for me, it’s been requested as a birthday present for someone, and no I won’t be borrowing it as I’m not the slightest bit bothered about that “celebrity”. The birthday in question is my brother-in-laws girlfriend’s and will involve a 3pm start in a pub in the West End of Glasgow (somewhere in Ashton Lane). I’ve already written off Sunday.

So, it’s live. Ish. Almost. Well it IS live. Taking submissions and all that. There are a few minor tweaks to be sorted, but overall I’m happy with it.

The main problem has been figuring a way to handle both the webring AND a “directory” site. In the end I decided to leave them as separate entities as getting the two systems talking was just proving too darn hard (especially as one of the systems is outwith my control).

It’s been fun really, learning all this new PHP stuff, and that process will continue as I tweak the site, fix known bugs, add new features, but for the meantime I’m just happy to say that THE NEW SCOTTISH BLOGS SITE IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS.

Thanks to those of you who helped out by answering all my stupid questions, it was very much appreciated, as ever, and I know this site has little bearing on a lot of you, but I REALLY would appreciate some feedback – ohh and I’ll be hand checking all the new sites for the first wee while, so no funny business!

It’s Monday morning. Ain’t that great! The birds are singing, the sun is shining, a light breeze ruffles the leaves in the trees. Ain’t life grand.

If you want to achieve a similar outlook on a Monday morning simply follow these instructions – they worked for me:
1. Ensure your personal listening device (iPod) is playing something loud and uptempo – Foo Fighters, All My Life was on mine.
2. Start thinking about what your day holds as you finish the short walk from the station to your office.
3. Glance round as you start to cross the road.
4. Spin round suddenly as you realise you’ve just stepped out in front of a large lorry, which is moving quite fast.
5. Revel in the adrenalin rush as your heart reaches 250 b.p.m.

Simple.

Feel free to alter the specifics of the instructions, you could be walking to the shop, it could be a road sweeper rather than a lorry (although that wouldn’t really be that scary now would it…), just remember that the main aim is to get that adrenalin flowing, raise your heartbeat, leave a tight, sicky feeling in your stomach and a slight tremor in your hands.

Then all you need to do is wobble into work, plonk yourself down and enjoy the rest of your day life.

Not only is the title of this post a rather good album by the Pet Shop Boys (one of my favs), but it also sums up the last few weeks of both my life, the real bit, and my life, the blog bit.

Got a lot going on ya see, and I tend to be bad at focussing on the things that are important (my current project at work) with a tendency to focus on the easy stuff (switching hosts for this ‘hobby’ site of mine).

I’ve talked before at being bad at keeping in touch, and I’m already resigned to that fate I guess, but every now and again I catch myself and mentally scold myself for falling back into that “do what’s easy” trap. I know it is because of a lack of confidence, and knowing that does actually help me deal with that habit of mine but it still annoys.

Anyway…

How is everyone else?