Michael's Meanderings

First weekend I was still visiting family. Saturday am sis pulled me out of bed to go for a walk with the dogs and BiL. More fun than I thought it would be though the mud, and tree devastation was unpleasant.
First Monday was the SF Book Reading meeting at the Earth and Stars in Brighton. This month's book was Ubik by Philip K Dick (didn't finish this one)
Been ballroom dancing with C & J every Tuesday this month.
Last Saturday of the month was the social dance and danced all the dances with J even the recently (still learning) Tango.
I've been to the chiropractors (on Saturday) and I'm fairly certain that the results are due to the Placebo Effect, but still it works.
Got a MyWaitrose card which gives me a free coffee every day, and discounts on some purchases.
Continued to update GoodReads, though my main book database is still LibraryThing. I've been uploading local photos there.
Got the code for a streamed version of the Veronica Mars Movie, but the original HD version wouldn't play on my PC and none of my other devices would either. Eventually a SD release appeared and this would play (but I haven't finished it yet!)
I started taking e-learning courses at work (these are apparently mandatory if you work in NHS) but it's a good thing to be able to do during down time between phone calls (especially on Fridays)
Got confirmation that my contract had been extended to the end of April.
Went to London on the last Wednesday of the month. Mostly so I could go to the Science Museum Lates, and visit the CERN/Collider exhibition (half price). I went first to the British Library and also popped in to Forbidden Planet and got 3 books!
Finally took a short walk around Bedelands (first time in over a year), must get back into the habit when the weather improves.
Manage to break one of my two cereal bowls, fist such breakage in years so not a major issue.
Saw Captain America: The Winter Soldier (didn't have much of the winter soldier in it).
Finally got around to sending in my Hugo Nomination on the last day. I really need to be more organised a) about remembering what to nominate during the year and b) actually nominating well in advance.

The Sunday after my last post I helped The Friends Green Circle Network to trim a hedge in Bedelands Farm. Spent two hours cutting withies, (there was also a bonfire), then completed an hour's walk around the site.

I've recently rediscovered PortableApps.com where applications have been modified so they will run from a USB drive without installation. Quite like the 1980 when that was how DOS worked!

It does mean I can use programs at work which I can't install on my supplied laptop (mostly graphic tools and OCR).

On the work front, when we started we had to generate nearly six thousand template reports, there are less than a thousand to complete now (I did nearly two hundred). We have just started to peer review each other's work. This may take a while!

Last week I went to the cinema to see Hugo, based on a book (not really a novel though) it concerns the film pioneer Georges Méliès in his later life. I enjoyed the story even if the fact and fiction have been blended, possible Hugo material?

Last Friday I took the but into Crawley, as I'd just discovered some of my library books were overdue and one couldn't be renewed online. I got that sorted out and bought another pair of earphones.

My EDI Technical Certificate in Principles of Business & Administration Level 2 arrived on Friday exactly 2 months after passing the last module in the course. So I now have the paperwork proving my qualification.

Peacock (clothes shop) has gone into receivership, but is still open for business, I I bought another black shirt at 20% off, and also got some woolly socks at half price from the shop opposite!

I've been watching a number of new programs on TV including: Dancing on Ice, )as usual I don't recognise most of the contestants but....), Hawaii 5-0, NCIS: Los Angeles, Sherlock, Earthflight, Body of Proof, Lost Girl, NCIS, The Story of Musicals, Stargazing (a once a year series on BB/C2), Gadget Geeks, Suits, Unforgettable,

Just got back from the cinema. I saw The Artist at Cineworld in Crawley, first time I've visited this 15 screen cinema.

At the beginning of the month I saw X-Men: First Class which was actually pretty good
The following day I walked around Bedelands, I haven't been doing as much walking as I should, but better some than none. Later that week I saw Kung Fu Panda 2 in 3D. Why is it that the only movies that really look better in 3D are animated ones?

As part of the Reach Program I was eligible to join a Business Administration course run at Central Sussex College in Crawley, at no cost to me. So I was attending class every Monday morning during term time. This got me out of the house and using my brain again.

I also got a replacement "New Deal" ticket (the previous one expired) which let me travel on the trains at half price - one of the better things about unemployment (this is no longer being run, as a cost saving measure|).

On the 13th, after going to college I went up to London for what had to be my last book club meeting, where we discussed Slaughterhouse 5. It's a shame I didn't discover this group earlier (though it started only month before I became unemployed).

The following Wednesday I saw Green Lantern at the local cinema.
Discovered LearnDirect.co.uk had an affiliate in Haywards Heath and I started an ITQ in IT User Skills, which provided training Office 2007 - which looks different to Office 2003 which was what I had used before.

On the last Tuesday of June I had an interview at Sussex Oakleaf regarding volunteering. Due to start on Friday!

I had an appointment on Monday afternoon to help in my jobsearch, and despite delays did get there in time, and received some helpful comment.

Signed on the following morning, then got a lift from my Mum to my first job interview in 25 years! It seemed to go fairly well, but as I learned a week later i didn't get the job. Probably for the best as it was in the middle of nowhere and difficult to get to without personal transport.

On Wednesday I had a Time to Talk phone session, to help with mild depression (not unexpected in the circumstances) not sure if it will help but any port in a storm.

On St Valentine's Day I took a walk around Bedelands, very gluey mud in parts. Repeated this last Thursday, took camera but unable to take any photos as the battery hadn't charged!

Last Saturday was Picocon 28 at Imperial College London. I counted up and it was the 11th Picocon I'd been to in 22 years, though it was raining I had a good time. The Guests of Honour each gave different but fascinating talks. First thing Kari Sperring gave a lecture on how Tolkein delayed her writing career, as she believed a writer had to go the academic route as JRR did.

Paul McAuley followed this with an illustrated talk on how he wrote some of his books backwards. How he found some cool science then wondered how it could be added into a story. In particularly the moons of Jupiter and Saturn.

After Lunch the final GoH Juliet McKenna, talked about the hard science in fantasy. Good fantasy should be rooted in reality and any made up stuff should work consistently.

There then followed the traditional panel, where the GoHs plus discussed Steam Punk, more an aesthetic then a genre.

The last item I stayed for was the Turkey reading, which raised money for charity by getting bid to either stop the current reading, or to continue. There was the obligatory section from a Gor book, and they included 2 video turkeys.

And feeling tired I went home.

So on Tuesday I was up early so I could pack and get to breakfast at 7:00 (I was the first in) and had the standard English Breakfast with tomatoes rather than beans or mushrooms. After eating I finished packing and left (auto checkout is your friend) and left by 7:30am caught the bus to Heathrow and then the tube to work, arriving 15 minutes later than if I'd come from home!

My season ticket started to fail when going through the gates at the tube so I had to to get it replaced. Since it was a fault with the card there was no charge.

On Saturday it was a nice sunny day so I walked around Bedelands, after going shopping. Not much growing yet but brambles and a while star like flower. Home in time for new episode of Dr Who!

Sunday was my birthday and I got a lift to my parents /sister and family. My niece and her boyfriend prepared a fondue lunch which was great. We played cards and then I was back home.

Discovered that Opera Mini had finally been approved for the ipod/iphone. Nice to be able to save pages, and sync bookmarks with my desktop.

Now nearly up to day (except my first order of books from amazon after Easter arrived this week!).

Last few day's D has had his brother and family pop over to visit (they came over for a family Christmas from the US). They were around to see the New Year in.

New Year was Doctor Who day, re watched first episode, then the final one with ten, and the appearance of eleven! Followed by the Confidential, and the Best of.

On Saturday I lazed around mostly, though I did go shopping. Listened to desert Island Disks with David Tennant on iplayer.

Sunday morning I intended to go for a walk around Bedeland, if the weather was Ok, it was find but cold, but I didn't make it out until 12:45! anyway I did have a nice wander say a bird or two includin 2 swans on the lake and some ducks on the ice! pictures were taken...

After my constitutional I went to the the local cinema to see Sherlock Homes. The time spun by though I found the mystical storyline a bit suprising until the end.

This morning I was up early as I had a chiropractic appointment at 10:00. I discovered that Gold card discounts don't start until 10:00! Fortunately I had a refund voucher for £4.00 which paid most of the ticket price of £5.00. Since it was a nice day I walked from Hove to Brighton and got to the Odeon just after 12:00 to discover doors didn't open until 12:40 (the film has a start time of 12:45 with 20min of trailers). The reason for this visit was I wanted to see Avatar 3D. It was an Ok movie, the story was fairly straight forward, the effects were amazing and the 3-D didn't seem to be apparent half the time. If you can get to see it on an IMAX screen it would be breathtaking, but I wouldn't pay to se it again.

Then home, the weather has been very cold around 0 degrees C +/- a few. Finished packing, charged ezreader and ipod, minor update to the Bujold Nexus and so to bed. up at the crack of dawn due to the new security procedures.

So after my exciting day Out, the following Saturday I saw my chiropractor then went to the cinema, where I say the South African SF movie District 9. It was well made but in a totally un hollywood style. It's filmed in a documentary style and the main protagonist is a very unlikely leading man. It does raise some interesting issues, possible Hugo contender?

The following weekend I spent watching / clearing my Sky of TV shows, on Saturday 9 episodes of "Legend of the Seeker" not to mention watching Merlin and Strictly Come Dancing live. Then on Sunday 8 epidodes of Dexter (most all of series 3). I finished off the last 3 episodes by Tuesday! I really have to reduce my reading and increase my TV watching to keep up.

Last Wednesday I was back at the Science Museum, for a behind the scenes tour of two new exhibitions, for Plus (and corporate members) only. These were shown off by two members of staff who had worked on creating the exhibits. There were 30 guides to "Cosmos and Culture" and "Measuring Time" and then we had a further 30 minutes to explore ourselves. Unexpectedly free drinks and finger food were also provided, another perk of Plus membership!

On Saturday I saw my chiropractor again, and once more went to the cinema in Brighton, this time I saw Up in 3D. It was pretty effective, though I'm not sure if it really used all the 3Dness it could. Good story and it was different having an old protagonist (ie older them me!)

Yesterday I went for a walk around Beadlands and despite the dropping temperatures most of the trees still had green leaves, though some also had a few brown ones. Saw a few birds and a pair of model airplane flyers!

The last two weeks manages to include 3 juggling classes. And things have been getting good!

The first class of the term we got 2 new people and one not so new person joining, which kept the numbers up and meant the class could continue.

The day was nice and sunny so I walked to the school (new location meant that I can actually get there, if a lift isn't available. Managed some work on club passing with P. Self Pass pattern is now getting solid.

Week 2 weather was less nice so got on the train for the short hop to town. Did some more jugging with P and worked on the 3,3,10 pattern (this follows the pattern, self, self, pass x 3 then self, pass x 3 then pass, pass, pass x3+1 (ie pass 3 times in one pattern, 3 times in the second pattern and 10 times in the third pattern) The best we managed was 3,3,8 ;-( We did however manage to throw 10 passes on their own (so I knew I could do it) We also tried triangle passing with three of us, catching from one person and passing to the other, not too successfully (but that we tried....) We did manage self, pass, with 16 passes though.

The previous week end I decided to try my hand at fire club juggling again (ie I tried but got nowhere last year, I wasn't really a good enough club juggler then). Unfortunately the flames were rather excessive when I started, and by the time the flames had died a bit when I did juggle most of the flame died out. I'll have to try again later (possibly with better clubs!)

Week three P and I managed 10 passes and stop a number of times, though we kept failing on the elusive 3,3,10 until finally success was achieved! I did the happy dance I was so pleased.

This was one of my goals from the start of term, the first to improve my club passing had already been achieved. Getting past twenty passes with self, pass is another (that's in my grasp). Passing in groups of three or more, while not lasting very long is improving and then there is success at the 3,3,10 pattern. Now I have to be able to do it with other partners!

K and I did some self, pass passing. We aren't as well synced as P and I but D joined us as we managed some fairly consistant four person + passing.

On to other topics, this last 3 weeks I've been on the backup rotation at work, which isn't the most interesting, logging success or failure of backup jobs and changing tapes is fine one week in four or six but palls after two plus weeks!

I'm in the process of upgrading my kitchen, and I've also ordered a new 32" flat screen TV (my current one I got second hand nearly 20 years ago!) Sky+HD have just updated their program interface, and you can now see you currently selected channel while looking through the program guide (I believe TiVo has had this for years). It also stacks series so material you record doesn't take as much screen space. You can choose to record a single program or the whole series. But you still can't select anything that is more than 7 days in advance.

Last Saturday I saw Coraline in 3D in Brighton (after visiting my chiropractor). After my Imax experience in Bradford it was a bit of a disappointment, the glasses didn't work as well over my glasses and there was less use of 3D WOW! factor. Later in the Bank Holiday week end I watched The Hunt for Gollum which shows what amateurs can achieve when they sets their minds to it.

I've finally caught up with Dexter series 2. It's been resident on my Sky+HD box for months and since they started showing series 3 last mont... It's one of those show that once you start watching you wonder why you didn't catch it when it was broadcast. Ive got the fist few of S3 to look forward too!

I almost forgot, with the good weather, I've managed to get in a walk around the Bedelands farm area both week ends. Last Sunday I saw half a dozen rabbits, a magpie and a number of black birds though if they were crows, ravens or blackbirds I couldn't tell. I took some photos which may appear at some future time. The change from leafless winter to current spring time leafy greenness has been wonderful to see.

The last two weeks manages to include 3 juggling classes. And things have been getting good!

The first class of the term we got 2 new people and one not so new person joining, which kept the numbers up and meant the class could continue.

The day was nice and sunny so I walked to the school (new location meant that I can actually get there, if a lift isn't available. Managed some work on club passing with P. Self Pass pattern is now getting solid.

Week 2 weather was less nice so got on the train for the short hop to town. Did some more jugging with P and worked on the 3,3,10 pattern (this follows the pattern, self, self, pass x 3 then self, pass x 3 then pass, pass, pass x3+1 (ie pass 3 times in one pattern, 3 times in the second pattern and 10 times in the third pattern) The best we managed was 3,3,8 ;-( We did however manage to throw 10 passes on their own (so I knew I could do it) We also tried triangle passing with three of us, catching from one person and passing to the other, not too successfully (but that we tried....) We did manage self, pass, with 16 passes though.

The previous week end I decided to try my hand at fire club juggling again (ie I tried but got nowhere last year, I wasn't really a good enough club juggler then). Unfortunately the flames were rather excessive when I started, and by the time the flames had died a bit when I did juggle most of the flame died out. I'll have to try again later (possibly with better clubs!)

Week three P and I managed 10 passes and stop a number of times, though we kept failing on the elusive 3,3,10 until finally success was achieved! I did the happy dance I was so pleased.

This was one of my goals from the start of term, the first to improve my club passing had already been achieved. Getting past twenty passes with self, pass is another (that's in my grasp). Passing in groups of three or more, while not lasting very long is improving and then there is success at the 3,3,10 pattern. Now I have to be able to do it with other partners!

K and I did some self, pass passing. We aren't as well synced as P and I but D joined us as we managed some fairly consistant four person + passing.

On to other topics, this last 3 weeks I've been on the backup rotation at work, which isn't the most interesting, logging success or failure of backup jobs and changing tapes is fine one week in four or six but palls after two plus weeks!

I'm in the process of upgrading my kitchen, and I've also ordered a new 32" flat screen TV (my current one I got second hand nearly 20 years ago!) Sky+HD have just updated their program interface, and you can now see you currently selected channel while looking through the program guide (I believe TiVo has had this for years). It also stacks series so material you record doesn't take as much screen space. You can choose to record a single program or the whole series. But you still can't select anything that is more than 7 days in advance.

Last Saturday I saw Coraline in 3D in Brighton (after visiting my chiropractor). After my Imax experience in Bradford it was a bit of a disappointment, the glasses didn't work as well over my glasses and there was less use of 3D WOW! factor. Later in the Bank Holiday week end I watched The Hunt for Gollum which shows what amateurs can achieve when they sets their minds to it.

I've finally caught up with Dexter series 2. It's been resident on my Sky+HD box for months and since they started showing series 3 last mont... It's one of those show that once you start watching you wonder why you didn't catch it when it was broadcast. Ive got the fist few of S3 to look forward too!

I almost forgot, with the good weather, I've managed to get in a walk around the Bedelands farm area both week ends. Last Sunday I saw half a dozen rabbits, a magpie and a number of black birds though if they were crows, ravens or blackbirds I couldn't tell. I took some photos which may appear at some future time. The change from leafless winter to current spring time leafy greenness has been wonderful to see.

Last Saturday I got to my chiropractor early so I spent most of the morning reading! On Sunday I went for another walk around Bedelands Farm and finally got all the way north to Valebridge Pond, which has fish and birds and belongs to the Haywards Heath and District Angling Society. I also a few butterflies and bluebells.

I was also sent details of the Hugo nominees that are available to Worldcon members as an electronic download. hopefully as we get closer to the day a few more examples become available.