Late night blogging on the 'puter and I've just remembered that I've got to put out the recycling bin tonight.
We only got this a couple of weeks ago. It takes card, cans, plastic bottles, glass jars and bottles.
It's surprising how much "throwaway" stuff we generate that can be recycled - we easily fill a wheelie bin full every fortnight.
Monday 30 April 2007
Friday 27 April 2007
Fighting off Ninjas in the Workplace
Every week I recieve a couple of "professional" magazines Computing and Computer Weekly
This weeks editions both have an advert for a Microsoft Anti-Virus product, that contains advice for fighting off a Ninja attack in the workplace.
1. Avoid Ninjas in the first place
Ask yourself - why have Ninjas chosen your company? Did you do something to offend a powerful warlord? Answer this question and you'll be ready for next time.
2. Use your phone (to call for help)
Ninjas are tough, and no one will judge if you call for help. Reinforcements from branch offices, even the warehouse crew, can make the difference when Ninjas attack.
3. Use office plants as weapons
Those dusty-looking palms around your office may look harmless, but they can make formidable weapons. Use the fronds as pokers; aim for the Ninja's sensitive spots. Cacti are useful for the Ninja-beseiged enterprise. Throw them, pot and all, like grenades.
4. Use your whiteboard as a shield.
Ninjas love throwing stars, known as shuriken. They are sharp, and pointy, and when thrown they stick in deep and hurt a lot. Grab the nearest whiteboard and use it as a shield. Yes, it'll ruin the whiteboard, but you can explain later.
5. Find a weapon, any weapon
Ninjas are deadly. In an office setting, however, their Ninja skills are at a disadvantage. Use what's at hand to take them by surprise. Hot coffee flung at a Ninja will get his attention. Or simply dump your wastebasket on his head - both disabling and humiliating.
I guess that it's funnier with the pictures (which I don't have the ability to reproduce at the moment).
Of course this is teaching your grandmother-to-suck-eggs for those of you office workers who regularly have to fend-off the Crimson Permanent Assurance :)
Could come in handy. I'm doing my first major system release all on my own tomorrow evening, which means stopping, patching and (hopefully) restarting the system. Naturally I'm feeling a litte nervous about this, but at least I don't need to worry too much about an unexpected Ninja attack!
This weeks editions both have an advert for a Microsoft Anti-Virus product, that contains advice for fighting off a Ninja attack in the workplace.
1. Avoid Ninjas in the first place
Ask yourself - why have Ninjas chosen your company? Did you do something to offend a powerful warlord? Answer this question and you'll be ready for next time.
2. Use your phone (to call for help)
Ninjas are tough, and no one will judge if you call for help. Reinforcements from branch offices, even the warehouse crew, can make the difference when Ninjas attack.
3. Use office plants as weapons
Those dusty-looking palms around your office may look harmless, but they can make formidable weapons. Use the fronds as pokers; aim for the Ninja's sensitive spots. Cacti are useful for the Ninja-beseiged enterprise. Throw them, pot and all, like grenades.
4. Use your whiteboard as a shield.
Ninjas love throwing stars, known as shuriken. They are sharp, and pointy, and when thrown they stick in deep and hurt a lot. Grab the nearest whiteboard and use it as a shield. Yes, it'll ruin the whiteboard, but you can explain later.
5. Find a weapon, any weapon
Ninjas are deadly. In an office setting, however, their Ninja skills are at a disadvantage. Use what's at hand to take them by surprise. Hot coffee flung at a Ninja will get his attention. Or simply dump your wastebasket on his head - both disabling and humiliating.
I guess that it's funnier with the pictures (which I don't have the ability to reproduce at the moment).
Of course this is teaching your grandmother-to-suck-eggs for those of you office workers who regularly have to fend-off the Crimson Permanent Assurance :)
Could come in handy. I'm doing my first major system release all on my own tomorrow evening, which means stopping, patching and (hopefully) restarting the system. Naturally I'm feeling a litte nervous about this, but at least I don't need to worry too much about an unexpected Ninja attack!
Thursday 26 April 2007
I wonder how much of my life is spent...
Watching counters creep up to a certain value, and little bars increase in size from left to right until they've filled 100% of the available space.
Currently carrying out a data fix validation run, and checking the progress of the records being processed yawn...
Currently carrying out a data fix validation run, and checking the progress of the records being processed yawn...
Wednesday 25 April 2007
Logic of a Three Year Old.
"Don't play with that pen Samwise, you might spill the Ink".
"Ink Daddy?" "That's the same as Monsters Inc, isn't it?"
"Ink Daddy?" "That's the same as Monsters Inc, isn't it?"
Tuesday 24 April 2007
Annual Appraisal and Pay Rise
It's that appraisal / pay-rise time of year again.
Had the appraisal meeting with my boss first thing this morning, where he went through my contribution to the team, progress against objectives, strength's and weaknesses, communications yada yada yada yada...
On the whole the appraisal was good, with mostly positive feedback. I was only partially listening towards the end.
This was mainly because he was reading from an appraisal form. Written in biro on the back sheet, facing me, was my current salary plus an additional figure.
This of course was the info that I really wanted to know i.e. my pay rise for this year.
As usual the appraisal itself has little to do with how they carve up the cash. I'm convinced they set this during budgeting at the start of the year and stick with it. So much for perfomance related pay and meritocracy!
Got a better rise than most that I know of, but not the greatest increase I've ever had.
Had the appraisal meeting with my boss first thing this morning, where he went through my contribution to the team, progress against objectives, strength's and weaknesses, communications yada yada yada yada...
On the whole the appraisal was good, with mostly positive feedback. I was only partially listening towards the end.
This was mainly because he was reading from an appraisal form. Written in biro on the back sheet, facing me, was my current salary plus an additional figure.
This of course was the info that I really wanted to know i.e. my pay rise for this year.
As usual the appraisal itself has little to do with how they carve up the cash. I'm convinced they set this during budgeting at the start of the year and stick with it. So much for perfomance related pay and meritocracy!
Got a better rise than most that I know of, but not the greatest increase I've ever had.
Monday 23 April 2007
St George's Day
It was pretty noisy on and around the Mersey earlier today. Between 13:00 and 15:00 all the ships and ferries going passed were sounding their hooters like crazy - plus the nearby churchbells were ringing away.
This was all in aid of St George's Day - at least somebody is celebrating the event. Now why aren't we allowed a day off work for this?
Mind you, looking up St George on Wikipedia shows that he's a bit of a patron Saint ho - being the patron Saint of everywhere-else too.
Apparently Moscow has more statues of him than any other city.
Perhaps we should go back to St Edmund?
This was all in aid of St George's Day - at least somebody is celebrating the event. Now why aren't we allowed a day off work for this?
Mind you, looking up St George on Wikipedia shows that he's a bit of a patron Saint ho - being the patron Saint of everywhere-else too.
Apparently Moscow has more statues of him than any other city.
Perhaps we should go back to St Edmund?
Sunday 22 April 2007
Let them eat Cake!
Food and Drink with some pals in the Everyman Bistro on Friday.
Couldn't resist following the main course with a slice of Burgundy Chocolate Cake, which meant that I was so full I could barely walk to the taxi afterwards.
Sister came over on Saturday - so manic cleaning and tidying of the house (it only gets cleaned when we have visitors) followed by food, wine and falling asleep on the living room furniture on Saturday night.
Samwise's cousins came over early Sunday morning, so that we could take them all for a post-Birthday treat at the Aztec temple themed play area.
Then a walk in the park, followed by more cake. Birthday cake number 3 for Samwise - who demonstrated the principle of the flip-top head when trying to devour a piece of chocolate cake larger than his face.
Couldn't resist following the main course with a slice of Burgundy Chocolate Cake, which meant that I was so full I could barely walk to the taxi afterwards.
Sister came over on Saturday - so manic cleaning and tidying of the house (it only gets cleaned when we have visitors) followed by food, wine and falling asleep on the living room furniture on Saturday night.
Samwise's cousins came over early Sunday morning, so that we could take them all for a post-Birthday treat at the Aztec temple themed play area.
Then a walk in the park, followed by more cake. Birthday cake number 3 for Samwise - who demonstrated the principle of the flip-top head when trying to devour a piece of chocolate cake larger than his face.
Thursday 19 April 2007
Tooth Fairy
Frodo lost his first baby tooth yesterday.
He left it under his pillow - in an envelope - and found that the Tooth Fairy had replaced it in the morning for a pound coin and a playmobil footballer figure.
He says that he saw the Tooth Fairy, and that it had wings.
Strange? - I don't remember dressing up in a costume last night.
Perhaps he had a visit from the real Tooth Fairy after I left?
He left it under his pillow - in an envelope - and found that the Tooth Fairy had replaced it in the morning for a pound coin and a playmobil footballer figure.
He says that he saw the Tooth Fairy, and that it had wings.
Strange? - I don't remember dressing up in a costume last night.
Perhaps he had a visit from the real Tooth Fairy after I left?
Tuesday 17 April 2007
Samwise Birthday.
Samwise had a good third Birthday yesterday.
He had a cake and sweets at his nursery school and the kids sang "Happy Birthday" to him.
He then came home for a Birthday feast with us. His Thomas the Tank Engine cake was adorned with "Happy Birthday" in the form of candles, so we almost incinerated the cake before he blew them out.
His main presents were two Playmobil vehicles plus figures, - a
Fire Engine and a Caterpillar Track Digger.
Guess what his favourite present was?
Two pencil erasers from a Dr Who pencil case that came free with a 2 quid Dr Who magazine!
I suppose it's a step up from the cardboard box that the presents came in (which also got a good bit of attention later in the day).
He had a cake and sweets at his nursery school and the kids sang "Happy Birthday" to him.
He then came home for a Birthday feast with us. His Thomas the Tank Engine cake was adorned with "Happy Birthday" in the form of candles, so we almost incinerated the cake before he blew them out.
His main presents were two Playmobil vehicles plus figures, - a
Fire Engine and a Caterpillar Track Digger.
Guess what his favourite present was?
Two pencil erasers from a Dr Who pencil case that came free with a 2 quid Dr Who magazine!
I suppose it's a step up from the cardboard box that the presents came in (which also got a good bit of attention later in the day).
Sunday 15 April 2007
Growing up Fast
It's Samwise' third Birthday tomorrow.
He's celebrating with cake and sweets at his nursery in the morning, so I'm taking tomorrow afternoon off work to light the candles on his Thomas the Tank Engine cake*, sing Happy Birthday and see him open his presents.
* Had fun buying this. Samwise was with me, sitting in the shopping trolley - so I had to grab the cake when he wasn't looking and slip it into the trolley under cover of a pack of kitchen rolls. Going through the checkout I lifted him out of the trolley, and allowed him to sit and wait on the seats by the store window, whilst a helpful Tesco's checkout lady helped me smuggle the cake past him, hidden in a double layer of carrier bags.
He's celebrating with cake and sweets at his nursery in the morning, so I'm taking tomorrow afternoon off work to light the candles on his Thomas the Tank Engine cake*, sing Happy Birthday and see him open his presents.
* Had fun buying this. Samwise was with me, sitting in the shopping trolley - so I had to grab the cake when he wasn't looking and slip it into the trolley under cover of a pack of kitchen rolls. Going through the checkout I lifted him out of the trolley, and allowed him to sit and wait on the seats by the store window, whilst a helpful Tesco's checkout lady helped me smuggle the cake past him, hidden in a double layer of carrier bags.
Saturday 14 April 2007
And here's one I prepared earlier...
Frodo has been harping on about wanting some " 'noculars when I'm older" after seeing binoculars in use on several TV programmes.
Having been brought up watching Blue Peter we've made him some by taping two toilet roll tubes together.
He's been carrying them around all day. We went out to B&Q in the car; he spent the journey peering through them out of the car window "spotting things", and wandered around the store holding them to his eyes.
We've just him to bed after the weekly family fix of Dr Who. He's holding couple of bricks of lego - which he says is a flying car from tonight's episode, being caught by a giant crab - and is still clutching the cardboard binoculars.
Having been brought up watching Blue Peter we've made him some by taping two toilet roll tubes together.
He's been carrying them around all day. We went out to B&Q in the car; he spent the journey peering through them out of the car window "spotting things", and wandered around the store holding them to his eyes.
We've just him to bed after the weekly family fix of Dr Who. He's holding couple of bricks of lego - which he says is a flying car from tonight's episode, being caught by a giant crab - and is still clutching the cardboard binoculars.
Thursday 12 April 2007
Wednesday 11 April 2007
Car Park Nazi
Swiping my car park pass into the machine this morning I got a "Ticket Blocked" message. Pressed the button to speak to the Car Park attendant who told me that my company hadn't paid the bill, and could I please leave the car park.
Spotted the boss on my way out, who told me to park in a nearby NCP for the day, and claim the fee back on expenses.
It turned out that the fault lay with the jobsworth who had decided to bar us from the car park until the bill was paid. He'd sent the invoice to a different part of our company - somewhere in Blackburn, rather than the office building opposite the car park, thus delaying the processing of the payment. He's been doing this every 3 months - despite repeated requests for him not to do so.
Looks like today he finally snapped.
So did our area head, who also found himself locked out of the car park. He's sending a stern letter or two to the directors of the car park company.
I've just had a text to say that we should be OK tomorrow. Maybe I should go green and get the bus.
Spotted the boss on my way out, who told me to park in a nearby NCP for the day, and claim the fee back on expenses.
It turned out that the fault lay with the jobsworth who had decided to bar us from the car park until the bill was paid. He'd sent the invoice to a different part of our company - somewhere in Blackburn, rather than the office building opposite the car park, thus delaying the processing of the payment. He's been doing this every 3 months - despite repeated requests for him not to do so.
Looks like today he finally snapped.
So did our area head, who also found himself locked out of the car park. He's sending a stern letter or two to the directors of the car park company.
I've just had a text to say that we should be OK tomorrow. Maybe I should go green and get the bus.
Tuesday 10 April 2007
Demolition Man
Spent Easter Sunday/Monday knocking down the walls of the old garage/shed in our back yard in order to turn it into a garden / playspace.
Managed to get the whole thing down armed only with a lump hammer and a bolster chisel. Quite enjoyable smashing out brick after brick.
Of course I got carried away and created a huge mess of brickwork which I then had to clear out of the way and pile up neatly brick by brick at the back of the garden - in order to leave a safe space for the hobbits to play in. "Aaaargh! - Me backs knacking!".
Worst part was the huge, heavy concrete lintel that sat above what was once a set of double garage doors, but had been bricked up. Had a tricky time removing the brick work one row at a time beneath this monolith, without it crashing onto my head. I tried using my 1100W drill at this point, but it barely dented the concrete, so I used it to drill out the cement beneath the lintel instead. It came down with a thump, taking a small upper part of the garden wall with it - but nothing that can't be repaired.
Now all the bricks and rubble need to be removed - and somehow I've got to break up that lintel. Novelist Supermum has suggested an ancient method which involves vinegar. Hannibal did this when crossing the Alps - I reckon he probably heated and rapidly cooled the rocks as well.
Managed to get the whole thing down armed only with a lump hammer and a bolster chisel. Quite enjoyable smashing out brick after brick.
Of course I got carried away and created a huge mess of brickwork which I then had to clear out of the way and pile up neatly brick by brick at the back of the garden - in order to leave a safe space for the hobbits to play in. "Aaaargh! - Me backs knacking!".
Worst part was the huge, heavy concrete lintel that sat above what was once a set of double garage doors, but had been bricked up. Had a tricky time removing the brick work one row at a time beneath this monolith, without it crashing onto my head. I tried using my 1100W drill at this point, but it barely dented the concrete, so I used it to drill out the cement beneath the lintel instead. It came down with a thump, taking a small upper part of the garden wall with it - but nothing that can't be repaired.
Now all the bricks and rubble need to be removed - and somehow I've got to break up that lintel. Novelist Supermum has suggested an ancient method which involves vinegar. Hannibal did this when crossing the Alps - I reckon he probably heated and rapidly cooled the rocks as well.
Sunday 8 April 2007
Week in Wales
Got back yesterday from a thoroughly enjoyable weeks holiday in Snowdonia in Wales.
We stayed in a 17th century holiday cottage, in the village of "Ysbyty Ifans" (literal translation "Evans Hospital" - there used to be a hospital there, run by the Knights Templars).
This is a tiny village, about 7 miles outside of Betws-y-Coed, with very little in the way of amenities, i.e. a telephone box, and a post office that only opens on Wednesday afternoons. There's a children's playground and a rugby pitch at the back of the cottage which meant that the boys had somewhere relatively safe to play in the evenings.
I say relatively safe. Frodo befriended a local lad, who was staying next door. Welsh was his first language, so this meant that their level of conversation in English was just about the same. Frodo learnt how to ride a go-kart down a very steep hill, balance on a high wall, jump off the wall avoiding the rocks and sneak into a cemetery to run around the gravestones. I heard screams and crying one evening and had to rescue Frodo's friend, who had managed to topple a gravestone onto his legs, and got them trapped underneath it. He was fine afterwards, so I guess that he won't be playing in the cemetery for a bit.
We arrived on Saturday evening. Sunday was spent shopping in the nearest supermarket - 11 miles away in Llanrwst, and then bumming around the cottage, playground and playing field.
On Monday we crossed the Menai Straits to the Isle of Anglesey and visited the town of Beaumaris and it's Castle.
The castle is considered to be the most perfect example of a concentric castle (castle, within a castle). It's defences certainly looked excellent. It has a water filled moat, and you can get walk around the walls, both on top and internally. The castle doesn't stand out much, since it isn't built on raised ground, and it was never completely finished - not enough money to put the top level on it, so the turrets and battlements do look a little "short".
I discovered afterwards that we'd entered Anglesey via the Britannia Bridge - originally built by Robert Stephenson (wor Geordie's lad). We'd spotted the better known Thomas Telford's Menai Suspension Bridge on our way to Beamaris, so decided to go back across this bridge.
We snapped a shot of the bridge as we crossed it. Also the chimneys of a rather gothic looking house on the way to the bridge.
On Tuesday we visited Criccieth Castle, and the nearby beach.
This castle is a bit of a ruin, but it does stand out impressively on a high hill at the end of the beach.
Wednesday was a trip to Carnaerfon Castle, and then Llandudno West Beach. Caernarfon is a walled town, and the castle is in really good condition - which is probably why they use it for investing the Prince of Wales.
Thursday we went shopping in Conwy. Parked by Conwy Castle. We were specifically visiting a toyshop that sells Edix Modular Mediaeval Village components. We bought a keep to add to the castle that the boys already have, plus some more figures - a jousting knight, a king and a saracen mounted on a dromedary.
We also visited a sword shop, but decided to leave it until our next visit in August to buy a sword. Prices looked good, and much cheaper in the shop than on the website e.g. you could get a "Braveheart" sword for 75 quid, whereas it's 175 quid on the website.
The last castle of the week was Harlech Castle on Friday. This year we drove into Harlech up the gentle incline of the top road, rather than approaching from the bottom road and having to negotiate the impossibly steep 1 in 4 hill that we had to get up last year.
We had to visit the Cemlyn Tea Rooms, since Novelist Supermum had included them in a novel, and wanted to know what they looked like. We had some delicious toasted hot cross buns there. We drank latte's, and the boys had milk. I was tut tutted at as I helped Frodo draw a face and write his name in the condensation on the window, which overlooked the castle.
Afterwards we went to Harlech Beach, which is the best beach in the area, and launched our dragon kite for the first time. Not enough wind to start with, since it was a bright, sunny, still day. However it picked up enough to get the kite aloft and give both Frodo, and Samwise a turn at controlling the kite in the air - although they preferred to chase it and try to catch it's tail.
One feature of the cottage is that you have to watch out for mice, which come in from the field outside. One night I heard a gnawing noise and opened the hall door to find two mice sitting there looking at me, as if they wanted to come in and watch the telly. Had a mouse that got into the bedroom run across my pillow on another night, and we spent an hour on the last night trying to chase a baby mouse out of the living room.
The boys didn't want to come home - no tears this time. We promised them that we would be back in August. I want to take the Snowdon Mountain Railway to the top next time, but since it will be peak season I'd better make sure of it and book the tickets in advance.
We stayed in a 17th century holiday cottage, in the village of "Ysbyty Ifans" (literal translation "Evans Hospital" - there used to be a hospital there, run by the Knights Templars).
This is a tiny village, about 7 miles outside of Betws-y-Coed, with very little in the way of amenities, i.e. a telephone box, and a post office that only opens on Wednesday afternoons. There's a children's playground and a rugby pitch at the back of the cottage which meant that the boys had somewhere relatively safe to play in the evenings.
I say relatively safe. Frodo befriended a local lad, who was staying next door. Welsh was his first language, so this meant that their level of conversation in English was just about the same. Frodo learnt how to ride a go-kart down a very steep hill, balance on a high wall, jump off the wall avoiding the rocks and sneak into a cemetery to run around the gravestones. I heard screams and crying one evening and had to rescue Frodo's friend, who had managed to topple a gravestone onto his legs, and got them trapped underneath it. He was fine afterwards, so I guess that he won't be playing in the cemetery for a bit.
We arrived on Saturday evening. Sunday was spent shopping in the nearest supermarket - 11 miles away in Llanrwst, and then bumming around the cottage, playground and playing field.
On Monday we crossed the Menai Straits to the Isle of Anglesey and visited the town of Beaumaris and it's Castle.
The castle is considered to be the most perfect example of a concentric castle (castle, within a castle). It's defences certainly looked excellent. It has a water filled moat, and you can get walk around the walls, both on top and internally. The castle doesn't stand out much, since it isn't built on raised ground, and it was never completely finished - not enough money to put the top level on it, so the turrets and battlements do look a little "short".
I discovered afterwards that we'd entered Anglesey via the Britannia Bridge - originally built by Robert Stephenson (wor Geordie's lad). We'd spotted the better known Thomas Telford's Menai Suspension Bridge on our way to Beamaris, so decided to go back across this bridge.
We snapped a shot of the bridge as we crossed it. Also the chimneys of a rather gothic looking house on the way to the bridge.
On Tuesday we visited Criccieth Castle, and the nearby beach.
This castle is a bit of a ruin, but it does stand out impressively on a high hill at the end of the beach.
Wednesday was a trip to Carnaerfon Castle, and then Llandudno West Beach. Caernarfon is a walled town, and the castle is in really good condition - which is probably why they use it for investing the Prince of Wales.
Thursday we went shopping in Conwy. Parked by Conwy Castle. We were specifically visiting a toyshop that sells Edix Modular Mediaeval Village components. We bought a keep to add to the castle that the boys already have, plus some more figures - a jousting knight, a king and a saracen mounted on a dromedary.
We also visited a sword shop, but decided to leave it until our next visit in August to buy a sword. Prices looked good, and much cheaper in the shop than on the website e.g. you could get a "Braveheart" sword for 75 quid, whereas it's 175 quid on the website.
The last castle of the week was Harlech Castle on Friday. This year we drove into Harlech up the gentle incline of the top road, rather than approaching from the bottom road and having to negotiate the impossibly steep 1 in 4 hill that we had to get up last year.
We had to visit the Cemlyn Tea Rooms, since Novelist Supermum had included them in a novel, and wanted to know what they looked like. We had some delicious toasted hot cross buns there. We drank latte's, and the boys had milk. I was tut tutted at as I helped Frodo draw a face and write his name in the condensation on the window, which overlooked the castle.
Afterwards we went to Harlech Beach, which is the best beach in the area, and launched our dragon kite for the first time. Not enough wind to start with, since it was a bright, sunny, still day. However it picked up enough to get the kite aloft and give both Frodo, and Samwise a turn at controlling the kite in the air - although they preferred to chase it and try to catch it's tail.
One feature of the cottage is that you have to watch out for mice, which come in from the field outside. One night I heard a gnawing noise and opened the hall door to find two mice sitting there looking at me, as if they wanted to come in and watch the telly. Had a mouse that got into the bedroom run across my pillow on another night, and we spent an hour on the last night trying to chase a baby mouse out of the living room.
The boys didn't want to come home - no tears this time. We promised them that we would be back in August. I want to take the Snowdon Mountain Railway to the top next time, but since it will be peak season I'd better make sure of it and book the tickets in advance.
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