18 Mar 2010
Posted in Fillums, Juggling, Life, Reviews at 6:31 pm by alby
Hi all. I am around and about but v busy.
Stuff wot’s happened:
- Bunch of fillums seen, rented via Lovefilm.com which seems to be pretty good but there have been a couple of issues of discs not quite working properly. Nothing that stopped the things working completely but sticking on occasion and being a pain.
- Best was probably “Eastern Promises” by David Cronenberg. It’s about Russian mafia in London and is quite gruesome and unpleasant. Same director and star of “A History of Violence” (which is better, it did at least seem to have a complete story arc). If I didn’t expect there’ll never be an “Eastern Promises 2″ I’d say that the scene was set for that to happen.
- Currently have “In Bruges” to see.
- Spending a lot of time in Derby (for obvious reasons).
- Chocfest been to. Lovely to see so many friends again. Sorry no full review as I missed the show again. Hopefully I’ll get to stay for Lestival’s show.
- Worrying stories about Chocfest maybe not being carried on as most if the orgs won’t be around. Fingers crossed that younger Yorkies will take over. Hopefully things aren’t so negative and I just caught people tattling.
- Bad news re a friendly chap in York having had a heart attack. Good luck and best wishes to him. Get well soon Yo-Yo Monster.
- Work being a pain.
- Getting better after Labyrinthitis.
There’s prolly more to mention but that’ll do for now.
Have fun.
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01 Mar 2010
Posted in Life, Self-indulgence at 5:20 pm by alby
If it is then it’s a bloomin good one.
I went to work this morning feeling good and happy despite the early hour.
First patient was dutifully waiting for me as I arrived at 5 to 8. I need those 5 minutes to get changed from the cycle ride there and set up the clinic and get the computer on etc.
Called him in and started work. Halfway through the session I started to feel very dizzy. I carried on and just got more and more dizzy.
Colleagues came to my rescue just after I ushered this guy out. I ended up lying on a treatment couch with my legs up and a BP monitor on me. My BP was fine but my heart rate was up in the 90’s.
One of the benefits of working at a GP place is that there are doctors around so I went to see one.
Verdict: viral labyrinthitis.
She sent me home for a week but cautioned that it might take longer. The web sites I’ve briefly looked at say anything from 1-6 weeks. And I don’t want to look into the longer term possibilities that some of them mention.
I’ve been having a bit of dull hearing on my left side for a few days and I wonder if that was the initial notice I had of this. I thought it was just a bit of wax which I couldn’t shift.
So now I’m in bed. Movement makes me nauseous, standing isn’t the nicest way to be and I’ve been told I shouldn’t drive. My bike’s at work (boss gave me a lift home) so that leaves me walking everywhere for a while.
Luckily I actually have some food in at the mo (gasps from many).
Bleurgh.
Oh and the mild blessing in disguise is that I am actually going to be at home now so this useless delivery company can finally get my radio to me with a fair chance that I’ll be in.
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27 Feb 2010
Posted in Life, Music at 5:56 pm by alby
I’ve been cleaning my house this afternoon. Whilst I’ve been doing that I’ve been starting to digitise my LP collection. This is entailing listening to them whilst the computer gets busy recording.
My word there’s some excellent music locked in them grooves.
I may be an old hippy but I’m absolutely loving listening to Echoes by Pink Floyd. Storming track.
And I’m only just scratching the surface (literally as well as metaphorically) of stuff that will delight. I have a fun few weeks (possibly months) of rediscovery ahead.
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26 Feb 2010
Posted in Life, News, Rants at 5:23 pm by alby
I’ve just sent off for my first DAB radio.
This is the one wot I ordered: here. To replace the ancient midi system I have had in my middle room for years which only seems to work with AM radio now.
Nice features, great reviews, swanky bit of kit. Thank you very much.
But then the problems start:
First of all I get a delivery card through my door (from “Home Delivery Network”). Not too surprising seeing as I “work” n’all. The delivery co say go their website and pick a different day for delivery. OK no problem.
Oh but they only do Mon-Fri delivery. So that’s useful then what with me, you know, “working”.
No matter I am at home for at least an afternoon a week. Ah that’s not helpful their delivery slots are “7am -7pm”. In other words if I want them to do their job (IE deliver me something they’ve been paid to deliver to me) I must take a day off work.
I wouldn’t trust any of the neighbours round here and there’s no “safe place” for the driver to leave it.
I have another option which is to pick it up from their depot. In Nottingham. Thanks very much. I may as well have just bloody driven down to Amazon’s warehouse in Milton Keynes and not bothered with the delivery.
Doesn’t all of this screw around with the whole bloody point of mail order service? You know, the whole “not having to go and pick it up” thing?
I wrote a very grumpy email to Amazon who, to be fair, did respond quickly but then used the line
“Currently, we do not have the ability to assign certain carriers to a specific customer or address”
What? I find this astonishing if true. They’re the ones who pay the carrying company. But they can’t specify which carrier takes which order? I’m nearly speechless.
I’ve ordered plenty of things from them before and have had to pick orders up which have been unable to be delivered but these items end up in the central post office in the centre of town. So why the hell does this one have to be a: given to a company that is unable to do the job they’ve been employed to do, b: unable to be given to a carrier that actually IS able to do the job or at least will get it to within a couple of miles of my house and c: this snazzy wotsit I’m actually really looking forward to playing with and getting use out of?
Bloody hell!
And just to cap this annoying little episode one of the main reasons I bought a DAB radio was to listen to 6music which looks like it may well be being got rid of in the next round of BBC cuts. Yes that’s right one of few stations on the BBC that actually looks after their public service remit is being cut whilst BBC3 isn’t, BBC1 remains appalling, BBC2 is a pale shadow of what it once was and only BBC4 is showing much of what they should be producing and showing us (and isn’t safe from the chop either).
Bad mood day today.
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05 Feb 2010
Posted in Life, Self-indulgence at 4:28 pm by alby
Two things occurred today.
Firstly I did an on-line “Are You Autistic?” quiz. Apparently scoring 32 or higher is very common in those we see as autistic. I scored a worryingly close 28.
And secondly, after lots of hassle with crap internet support from my ISP I changed it today. The lady on the phone was very nice and had a lovely Welsh accent and things went smoothly and I’ve now switched providers for both phone and broadband. Got my confirmation email and it was addressed to a “Mr Williams”. I thought this was a little odd. For 2 reasons – 1 I hadn’t used that name at any point in the conversation and nor had she, and 2 the dDebit details were for my account and with the correct name and my email address has my correct name before the @.
Weird.
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13 Jan 2010
Posted in Life at 11:36 am by alby
I’d assume most people who read this would already know this but I thought I’d make it known again.
I’m on the NHS Organ Donor registry and should the occasion occur that my organs can be used for someone else’s benefit (AND when I can’t benefit from them) then I would be most annoyed if they were simply thrown away. Seems such a waste. Get ‘em used!
If you’ve always thought about joining the donor register then you can do it online here.
I recommend it to all and sundry (except those with manky organs obviously).
Have fun.
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01 Jan 2010
Posted in Life at 12:40 pm by alby
How odd!
PowerDVD Ultra from the manufacturer via download = £77 with their special discount for new year.
PowerDVD Ultra from Amazon on CD ROM including postage = £48.
Thought I’d try to be green by buying it as a download but stuff that. Amazon wins.
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30 Dec 2009
Posted in Life, People at 4:04 pm by alby
For the first time in years Christmas was not spent at home with mates coming round in the evening. Rather I was invited with R to her sister’s place for food and company.
A fine time was had. Met one of the remaining 2 sisters I’d not met before who turned out to be perfectly pleasent and chatty.
Photos were taken too and can be found here.
The last few were of a walk in Belper where we found the most disturbing nativity scene I’ve ever clapped eyes on.
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21 Dec 2009
Posted in Life at 9:06 pm by alby
Not been away. Just busy. The Tas post has been mostly written for ages but I just never got time to sit and finish it. Done now. Slightly less descriptive than I’d have liked but it’ll do. Normal service may well be resumed as of now.
Stuff done:
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18 Oct 2009
Posted in Life at 8:44 pm by alby
Ooh hello there.
I’ve been away for some time hence the lack of postage on here. I’ve been lucky enough to be travelling for the last month but I’m now back and trawling through the photos of the trip and spending time catching up with R.
A grand time was had but there’s lots of different bits including Singapore, the Melbourne Juggling convention and then travelling through southern Oz.
I’ll get through stuff soon and photos will be up shortly after each bit.
Cheers.
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