Friends

If RATM do get the Christmas number 1 slot I very much doubt it will have it the week after, with the X Factor dross taking its place. If that does happen I think Simon Cowell will get on his high horse and start dismissing the RATM win as nothing but a prank*, and claim that the 4 days of sales after the official Christmas chart but before Christmas itself means that The Climb was the 'real number 1'. If (hopefully when) it happens I'll have even more of a wish to see the smug little git roasted on a pike.


*I'm not saying it isn't a prank, just that it is more than a 'nothing but a prank'

This was just one of those days where everything was an effort. I managed a few things but didn't really want to, fortunately it all came good in the end. I remembered I still had to get a present so nipped into town with Jen and had a wander, met up with Devalmont before leaving to drive 1.5 hours to a friend's Swedish baking day party with lots of my old friends. These are people I have known for over 10 years, 16 in some cases, and even though I only see then 3 or 4 times a year (or a lot less in the case of the one living in Japan), when we meet up we natter and joke like we saw each other yesterday. Even my ex-GF (Bindy) is a pleasure to be around. Only stayed for 3 hours as I had to drive back in the blizzard conditions (leveling up snow driving) before briefly meeting up with Tony and Jen and going home to sleep at 2.30! All this on 1 cup and a 30 min nap :)

Today I had plans, but they have fallen by the way. I am now in my house waiting for potentially nothing, but I still have to wait. I managed dropping of presents, cards and a sainsburies shop but other than that, I need to find a few jobs to do (of which I have plenty, but the motivation is lacking again).

On the plus side, just watched playr on Sky at the 10 best games of next year. God of War and Final Fantasy 13 look awesome, nearly enough to make me buy an HDTV and a PS3, but I know, like the wii, it will just gather dust. On that note, I was looking around my house and realised just how much stuff I don't use, need or want. I think I may start selling stuff (ebay) just to get rid of it. I would like a nice uncluttered house with nothing looking at me, reminding me of my inability to finish projects or feeling guilty/like an idiot for buying that "thing" that you used once and cost quite a bit (we all have some of those).
I feel a new years resolution coming on :)
Take care.

All the tasty new uniform goodness can be found here, and imo it's looking quite tasty. Not as sci-fi as the digi-cam of the US forces but still effective and (nice thinking) multi-terrain. One bit that is likely to get the goat up of some people is the guy in the video referring to the uniform as part of the army's 'brand image'. I actually get what he means though, especially with our current counter-insurgency being focused on winning hearts and minds.

Curious to get a set for possible airsoft usage, so if anyone knows anywhere selling the sets please let me know.

Some random thoughts

• And after the night of epic party we have a day of epic chill. And paint. And more sodding gravel #
• Laura's playing Mario Kart online and I'm doing a pork roast, a rather excellent Saturday night in imo ^_^ #

Clean cut, wide smiled, and banal media gimp Joe McElderry has finally got around to listening to "Killing in the Name of", his competitor for the Christmas number 1 slot, and it sounds like he he isn't a fan

"They can't be serious!" he said. "I had no idea what it sounded like. It's dreadful and I hate it. How could anyone enjoy this? I wouldn't buy it. It's a nought out of ten from me. Simon Cowell wouldn't like it. They wouldn't get through to boot camp on The X Factor - they're just shouting."

Maybe Joe, but they are also remembered 9 years after they last released an album and the track in question is still a floor-filing cultural classic which is still influencing the musical landscape 15 years after it first landed like an atom bomb on the musical landscape, whilst you are unlikely to be remembered 9 months down the line. So excuse me whilst I don't consider Mr Cowell as the defining authority in what makes good music and say a little pray for him not getting the final say on who does and doesn't get to release their songs.

Some random thoughts

• I want one! I want one sooooo much!! 2010 purchase, perhaps... www.airsoftworld.net/ares-imi-tavor-tar-21-black-in-stock.html #
• Bad Smeagol, stop talking so much. You get much better help from the hobbitses when you listen to the tech advice you asked them for #
• We had Rufus at our christmas party #
• Myself and @pinkapplejam had a most excellent xmadl #

Yes it looks pretty, but it takes me 2 hours to get to work and was being overtaken by pr!cks on the A1307, on the uncleared iced section of duel carriage way. The first was an 80 year old woman, then a typical male yoof, then 2 30-40yo women, all not getting anywhere faster, but possibly killing people on the way. I mean, 35mph on a iced 60mph road when you know there are queues ahead is not that bad! Hope they die upside down on fire in a ditch.

Work until 3, then quickly to the shops before the weekend. Got lots of things to do, but the places to go are all weather dependent. Should be home by 6 depending on idiots.

Bored now.
Take care.

Some random thoughts

• Berlusconi - the truth is revealed pics.blameitonthevoices.com/122009/what_really_happened-.jpg #
• Cthulhus, facehuggers, sloths, catbusses, and Totoros are now all in boxes & are ready to go. #
• #Note-to-self: killing co-workers would look bad on my CV, no matter how much of a condescending power-crazed gimp they may happen to be #
• Snow! Looks great, makes things christmasy, fucks over the UK. Commence the snow fueled chaos and everyone: dive like a muppet! #

I knew it was going to snow, you knew it was going to snow, we all knew it was going to snow. Why did you not grit the A1307 again, like you don't do every year meaning everyone has to go at 30 on icy roads because if the don't, the massive lorries will ram you into a ditch?
Popped to a friends house to make cake, then drove home, very slowly. Managed to skid at 15 MPH and then park, get out the car and get run over my my own car not gripping the drive. This happened last year.
Might get to work tomorrow, have to see how the roads are. Only takes 1 lorry to fail to get up the hill and the A1307 will close. Joys.

Weekend, If the roads are ok, seeing friends from Japan on saturday night, hopefully getting back up here and off to a planned event on sunday. All weather dependent. I hate living in the sticks. I think if I get a good enough job I will move closer.
Take care.

It's snowing

Yesterday, called British Gas from work at 8:30 and was told I could have an engineer by 1 the same day! I had to take half a days unpaid leave, but needed to be done. I got about 2 hours of painting finished and the guy eventually turned up at 5.40! Fixed all the problems, including the buzzing box (that turned out to be the problem). Only real event was that during the painting I jarred my back badly putting me on the floor for about about 2 hours with an electric heater aimed at the lower part of my shoulder blade. Breathing caused it to hurt. It still aches today but not so much, I think I will do the same therapy tonight in front of the TV :)
After than, nipped over to a friends to buy stuff for a Christmas cake, then played boardgames before home.
Snowing now (well, off and on)...bitter sweet for me due to a possible day off due to a closed A1307...but that also means no pay! We shall have to see how it settles.
Take care all, going to be icy out there and getting worse for the weekend!

Some random thoughts

• Its going to snow today, so I'm off to a garden centre to buy some packs of mud. #
• Back from epic day of DIY, filling in holes, and spending lots of money on bits of mud and gravel. Tired now - sleep #
• Sigourney Weaver is 60, and quite frankly you would. #

Some random thoughts

• Decorating - the fine art of spending lots of money on not very much whilst trying to justify the use of white spirit on everything #
• If this works then I will be somewhat impressed with the power of facebook: news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8413557.stm #
• Red Dwarf Series 10 is go! yey gods, didn't we suffer enough with Back To Earth? Let it die with some shred of grace #

Right: the whole 'RATM for Xmas #1' thing in as few words as possible, cause I'm tired and angry and amused and want to go to bed.

Simon Cowell thinks the campaign is "aimed directly" at him: Yes, it is. Because we can't aim bricks directly at you for your efforts to degenerate music back to the mid 70's. You are the public face and one of the masterminds behind the god-awful show, you made it personal in the first place.

'The campaign is stupid': I personally think it's kinda cool and a solid anti media-hype message. The UK public literally saying 'Fuck you I wont do what you tell me' to the mainstream media manipulation of our mind? 'Ave It! Will it change the world? Nope, but it'll push it a little bit in the right direction and media jamming is always fun.

'Its a conspiracy by Sony!': Oh sod off. Noone in the mega music corporations is that brave, that bold, that intelligent, or that willing to put their dick in a noose. The damage that could be done when it got out (and these things always do get out) would be far higher then a flash in the pan christmas number 1, simple as that. Plus it would piss off RATM and their singer hangs out with terrorists. IMO it's a grass roots movement, nothing else, and the majority of people saying otherwise are doing it to look cool and edgy.

Wow, got loads of things done in the house today, still much more to do but that will be done after Xmas. Kind of crashed at around 4, slept then watched supernatural for a bit...can't get back into doing things but done enough so happy. Just realised as I sit here shivering, I forgot to call British Gas. Job for tomorrow then along with a bit of design, creative writing and Yule cards to be sent out.
Found 3 or 4 jobs to apply for, not much hope but better than nothing I guess.
Not a bad day today, work tomorrow though, only this week and next before the end.
Take care.

Got two phones that I no longer need and that are looking for some loving: a Sony Ericsson W810i and a Sony Ericsson P1i. Both are in a 'well used' cosmetic condition, work 100% perfectly, come with an assortment of cables & chargers & software, and are SIM and memory card free.

Free to a good cause, after that its cold hard cash that will win the day.

Some random thoughts

• The whole of Italy is in uproar at Massimo Tartaglia's attack as they all wanted to be the one that thumped Berlusconi #
• Yo, #Cambridge People SYK :the A14 westbound has been closed between Junction 13 of the M11 & the A1096 (St. Ives) due to an accident. #
• Finished watching 'Generation Kill' - fantastic stuff, especially the ending sequence. If you liked Jarhead then you must watch this! #
• Conclusion from the day: some people in life are determined to be cocks. Its not my job to stop them being a cock, just minimise the damage #
• twitpic.com/tiol4 - This year I got to decorate the tree :-) #

Sunday: Airsoft was good. A restricted ammo day with only 1 cheating git out of 25 (which is awesome) and a good time had by most. 12-a-side was a pain in the arse and whilst my grenades where awesome, my shooting was not. Got back at 4ish, showered and off to Jens for chilling, chatting about her long weekend and watching TV.

Monday: Finished buying all my Yule presents today, just have to wrap them now. Didn't do a great deal, popped over to Kai's for a chat, then onto another friends to FAIL UTTERLY AT PUTTING ADVICE INTO PRACTICE, "A hero dies one death but a coward dies many" rings true again. Put up a tree, relaxed and WON a board game, rare in itself but this involved dice rolling! Home now with too much tea inside me and aching legs from airsoft.

Tuesday: Painting until loads done, cleaning the house and generally staying at home.
Also just got a message from a girl on OKcupid, bit scared to open it as I am convinced that it is run by cyberdine systems to wipe out humanity. Very very slowly.

Brian Annoyance of the day (what, you thought you would escape?) My heating. It has an on and an off. Neither works so I get "21 degrees" or "What is it outside?". Call British Gas tomorrow, see if I can get a guy out within a month...doubt it but hey, it should be free. Maybe get them to change the little white box whose only job is to rattle and keep me awake at night whilst reminding me of what a pressurised steel container filled with boiling water can do if it fails.

Take care.

In the continued study into just what the fuck the Panda's problem is scientists have found out that "pandas’ genetic makeup changes less from generation to generation than that of humans and other mammals", which is fancy talk for 'they can't be arsed to evolve'. Science has also found "mutations in two copies of a taste gene called T1R1, which encodes a protein that senses the savory taste of meats, cheeses, broths and other high-protein foods", which goes some way to explaining why they went for a vegetarian diet but not why they choose bamboo, of which they have "none of the genes required for digesting bamboo". Whilst blatant stupidity would be some peoples explanation as to why the species went down this path of idiocy the scientists are putting their money on the Panda relying "entirely on communities of gut microbes for extracting nutrients from bamboo".

Yup, that's right. Not only can they not be bothered to put in the same effort as the cheese mould found in your fridge into their evolution they are also so unbelievably lacklustre that they expect an entire fecking other species to do the digestion of their food for them.

Ahh this week is gonna be a busy one.

Tonight the final prep for Mage and downtime responses
Then thursday its Zombie time and have booked friday off as well as otherwise i will never make it to work.

Sat is the start of the games and i am looking forward to it.
Unfortunately i am working in the morning again so will be a little late for ling but not too late.
Sunday its a very magey christmas part 3 the call of the turducken, then lastly Requiem where i will be playing my new Character. Mr Lancaster has already been wandering so if you would like to meet him in advance he is on the forums and regularly wandering around.

Oh what a week.

Some random thoughts

• twitpic.com/te5dm - #

carolbegg made us a Christmas Cake!


My two grand achievements of the day have been finishing off watching Bubblegum Crisis with pinkapplejam and confirming that Marmitt works as a topping on pizza.