bookmark_borderShiny and New

Despite suggesting that I had, I didn’t actually purchase a 1TB drive the other day. I was perilously close and it was only the realisation that we were getting the bathroom done (and the car needs an MOT) that stopped me.

The same basic maths (money in – money out) is what will stop me getting the new iPhone 3GS when it is available. The one thing that excites me the most is the improved camera as it is safe to say that I’ve started using it far more than I imagined, largely thanks to the application Flickit which makes uploading images from my iPhone to Flickr achingly simple. Add in CameraBag for some post-processing fun and I’ve actually quite enjoyed using my iPhone as a camera.

Still needs must and if I’m honest a new iPhone isn’t a need. Neither is a 1TB drive, nor a second monitor or a second LCD TV for the bedroom, nor any manner of media gadget for the living room, indeed there is not really any need for any other shiny new things.

Yet the desire to get something shiny and new remains and, no matter how many I purchase, just isn’t sated by recent Threadless purchases.

Note to self: whatever happened to that t-shirt project you were gonna do? huh?? Lazy sod.

The iPhone remains the best gadget I’ve bought for a while, largely because the “ohh new and shiny” appeal is constantly being polished by the discovery of a new application that I didn’t know I needed. Apparently there’s an App for That too…

I don’t think I’ll ever be cured of the need for something new. It’s almost, but not quite, a grass is greener type desire balanced only by the fact that I can’t really afford to ‘experiment’ with new shiny things so said purchases are always well considered and match my exacting and specific needs. Part of me wonders if I enjoy the planning/researching stage more than I let on.

And part of me wonders just how much I have left on the credit card…

bookmark_borderNota Bene

Just a quick note to say that there is nothing of note to note here because, like everyone, I’m pretty busy at the moment.

I’m heading into a period of 6 day work weeks, from now until the end of June.
I’m close to finishing off a website for a client despite a fairly snag ridden build. Something I’ll need to invest some time in to investigate a better way of working.
I’ve started going to the gym. Aiming for 3 times a week.
I’m also off to Spain for the first week in June.
We are getting quotes to get a new bathroom fitted.
I really must get the car booked in for a service soon, MOT is due soon as well.
I’ve got a presentation to write for a conference in September (about blogging!).

So, obviously, this evening I’m off out to the cinema. Angels & Demons apparently.

Anyway, if you are really bored feel free to scour my archives, they really are quite good.

bookmark_borderWrinkles

As a very old and very wise man once said: “Problems will only occur if someone else fucks up”.

Well I’m not sure if he was particularly wise but he was very VERY old.

Anyway, it turns out you can’t rename your Car Tax online if you don’t have an electronic MOT. You also can’t do it by phone. This is doubly frustrating as our car DOESN’T NEED A MOT!!!!!!

So having been through their online system once more last night, where it states that “where applicable” you may be asked for electronic MOT details, and through their phone system which states the same, and both times the application process just stops with no explanation, I now find myself typing up a blog entry whilst waiting to speak to a human being.

I’m currently pondering if the system is screwed up deliberately to make it impossible for people to get the Car Tax and so incurring a fine. I’m also pondering that I should have done this last week. I’m also pondering that we are currently without a valid car insurance certificate (it’s in the post) as I’ve only just renewed it. Maybe I’d better organise that first…

Ahhh yes, but a fax cover letter won’t be accepted, will it? Arse.

Yup, DVLA have confirmed that it needs to be an original cover letter. Which we don’t have as “it was a bank holiday on Monday” which means the letter wasn’t sent out until yesterday. Clever online system that, knows when it’s a bank holiday…

So, no Car Tax, no proof of Car Insurance, and the advice from the DVLA is “to keep the car off the road”. That’ll be the car that Louise has at work, that she needs to use to get to work as there aren’t any buses.

So now is where I hold up my hands and say I should have organised all this last week.

Won’t stop me emailing the DVLA to tell them their online Car Tax system is crap though (that bit most certainly ISN’T my fault).

God, I hope today gets better. Thoroughly fucked off now.