April 2014

May. 5th, 2014 08:52 pm
mbernardi: (WeeMee)
As usual I went ballroom dancing every Tuesday, in Crawley. First week however C was ill, and I danced with a different C (whose partner was working late). Continued learning Tango with J and at the end of the moth started a simple tango in the early class with C.
First Monday of the month was the Brighton SF Book read (this month was "Cat's Cradle")
Given that MS was stopping security updates from 8th April I switched on my XP machine to get a final update.
We got infested with ants, and D had to spray sections of the kitchen. No sign since the last spraying.
Took the day off for my birthday, booked doctors appointments (re foot/leg pain and asthma review) then to TB where I was collected by my dance partner J.
We first went to Tulleys Farm, which until recently was a working farm, but has now had to become a theme farm!
Then to West Hoathly to The Cat Inn, arrived 12:00. Had green salad, steak and ale pie with chips and veg, apple and rhubarb nut crumble with custard and half of cider. Jane paid £50.10 for us both. Left 2:10.
Wandered around village, then to Stone Farm and back to Crawley by 3:10
Went to Rewards and finally got my Level 3 Word Processing Software (ECDL Advanced Word 2007)
Certificate at a general presentation starting at 3:30, (my certificate had a typo so it had to be replaced!) After just had a cup of tea, as I was full from lunch.
Caught the train to H and then a bus to S to surprise my sister, who had just got back from holiday herself.
We celebrated our birthdays by having a fish and chip supper and by seeing the ISS twice, once in daylight and once later in the night!
Started "Coursera - Programming for Everyone" another python programming class, and also started mowing the lawns again.
My contract at NHS Sussex IT has been extended again to the end of May, (so that's 2 months more than expected).
Ordered a new 1TB external drive, and a DVD R/RW both using a single USB connection. unfortunately the DVD was out of stock and the replacement used 2 USB wires ;-(
I've been taking more location photos for LibraryThing, including Goring Library, now I have to get around to uploading them.
Easter was this month too, and due to wanting to go to Worldcon in London in August (and Eastercon being in Glasgow) I couldn't afford to go. I did watch the announcement of the Hugo Nominees live though.
I finally got a refund from EDF on my electric bill, 3 years after moving to British Gas!
Over the Easter weekend I also made a bread an butter pudding, one of the few things I can actually cook.
I also finally managed to transfer all the data from some floppy disks my Mum had asked me to recover. Some of the files were over 20 years old (and still readable)
On 23rd World Book Night I went to Brighton Jubilee Library, Author Q&A + reading by Lisa Cutts, got free World Book Night book
Ordered and received a new Barcode laser scanner, for use with LibraryThing
I finished off sanding the bone sharing knife, that I had just started working on and then wrapped a leather handle and roughed out a sheath.
Got a new Photo ID for train travel and my previous one had faded to unreadable, than got a new monthly ticket.
Saw Rio 2 (U) at the local cinema. Sky have upgraded the Operating System in their HD+ box
Tags:

Its really Winter

Dec. 10th, 2012 11:12 am
mbernardi: (dancing)

I've been going to Rewards Training in Haywards Heath when ever I had to go there (or further north) and been working on my ECDL Advanced (spreadsheeet) module. ie when I have to sign on, or when I go dancing.

In the morning two Tuesdays back, my new dancing shoes arrived. They have a slightly narrower and higher heel than I'm used to, but fit well and are comfortable. Once I got used to them they were great to dancein. It was also my sign on day in the afternoon, (you no longer get a set time, its arranged in the previous meet, the day is the same though.) I then went to Rewards and spent time on learning about spreadsheets. I am actually learning new stuff in this module, unlike the standard ECDL where it was mostly refresher material. The following day was dance night so I stopped for more training early in the day. Neither partner turned up so I was danincing with the teacher duting my one lesson.

Friday I had a review with CDG in Crawley (got my train fair refunded), discussed job searching and made next appointment for the new year. I discovered the Crawley ASDA and bought some new clothes.

Fictionwise.com is closing this month, I've been buying stiff from them since Nov 2000 (though my last purchase was April last year). I tried to download ALL my ebook titles (all 576) and I managed to get most of them. I also hope to transfer them to the Barnes & Nobel Nook Books store but...

Last Monday I went to see "Rise of the Guardians" at the cinema. I originally went to see the early showing, but when I got there I realised I'd left my wallet at home and the change in my pocket was not enough to pay for a ticket ;( So home I went, but decided that I still wanted to see the movie so left again, with wallet, and hour and a half later. It was fun, though I do wonder if the Easter Bunny is a major character down under.

I also bought a Kobo mini ebook reader from WHSmiths. It was on special offer and I bought the last one in the store (it was just closing and the price was going up in the morning). It can read epub and PDF format and uses the kobo books store. However there is a simple web browser which allows purchased from elsewhere on the net. It wieghs about the same as my iPod but is twice the screen size. Uses eInk so a charge lasts a while.

Last Tuesday I visited the chiropractor, I must reduce my ipod use (especially in my left hand). It should be zero but... My thumbs do hurt, also my back has started to pain me intensely again.

Last Wednesday was busy. In the morning it was snowing as I went to training at Rewards in Haywards Heath. It was a light dusting and had all gone by lunch time. Then it was off to the Library for the monthly Book Club discussion. Two other people turned up so we decided to keep going. Then it was off to Crawley, I bought a new sheet at ASDA, there is nowhere locally to get bedding (without needing a car). Then dance lesson, K was there P was not so I didn't dance in the early lesson. It was all revision of the material we had been learning over the last year. including the new steps of the jive, and most of the sequence dances.

Friday I was back at Sussex Oakleaf, while J was there first (she was not feeling too good) I did use my keys to open the other office! I finished off the address database and generated labels in a mail merge, and showed J how to do it herself (it's not that hard once you know how). I also fixed the wireless printer (both office printers had the SAME IP address, so would only work when the other one was off) and it now prints fine.

Just discovered Sir Patrick Moore died yesterday. Space just got smaller.

Posted via LiveJournal app for iPhone.

  • Current Location: At Home
Tags:

Just off to Dance

Nov. 14th, 2012 05:41 pm
mbernardi: (Default)

Continued working on the Python course. I've completed all 7 exercises and 3 assignments (the last one went poorly) I've only got the exam to complete (which I intend to do tomorrow).

Clocks went back so evenings are even darker.

Strictly Come Dancing has become very exciting at the halfway point, any one could win.

I got an emergency call from my Mum, their Internet had died. I had to provide a spare router and setup (and documented) the replacement systems. Stayed over then back home.

Had an interview with a local company, haven't heard one way or another as yet.

Last Wednesday went to library book club only 3 of us there. May close due to lack of interest. Then collected ECDL certificate from Rewards (and the new ECDL Advanced training manual). Then to Crawley ate at Jubilee Oak then 2 hours dancing (no K as she was exhausted by an interview earlier) But J returned.

Signed on at Job Centre and started ECDL Advanced ( Excel) at Rewards training centre.

Today saw chiropractor, got hair cut then to Crawley for fish & chips at the Jubilee Oak and then off to dancing.

Posted via LiveJournal app for iPhone.

  • Current Location: United Kingdom, England,West Sussex,Crawley District, Crawley
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Happy New Year

Jan. 2nd, 2009 01:21 pm
mbernardi: (Stack_O'Books)
I don't normally make New Year resolutions, but I feel that I really ought to be able to post at least once a month!

I finally realised I hadn't posted in over two months and if I don't do so today, I won't have my diary to refer to!

So back at the end of October....

I took some training in Powerpoint, which allowed me to take the final module of the ECDL, which I passed! It's not too technical a qualification, but it's the only the second IT related one I've got (3rd if you count an "OA" level taken in 1978!)

In mid November I went to the Hawth theatre twice. First to see Cirque du Glace - circus on ice. The whole stage was iced over, and most of the performers were on skates. There was ice dancing as well as the usual circus performances. The second was to see Shades of Brown, a one woman show, high lighting issues of skin colour. A tour du force, the writer / performer (Rani Moorthy) was on stage all the time (even when costume changing).

I started watching "Sanctuary" on ITV4 using ITVPlayer as my sky+ box had finally died! Last in the series is going to be on TV this Monday (sky+ box replaced over Christmas). Also have been watching "Merlin" and "Strictly Come Dancing" on BBC1, both now finished and "Fringe" on Sky1 also on my PC with SkyPlayer, but when I tried to view the last episode (ep10) it wouldn't work, so I'll have to find it elsewhere.

Finally booked my flight to Atlanta and hotel for Gafilk, though with the exchange rates and petrol prices it was a bit higher than in previous years. I look forward to seeing friends again, and hearing good music.

I've bought a new camera, as the old one fell apart when I was in Denver last year. It uses an SD card and can record video (but the sound isn't so good). It's smaller and made of metal, rather than plastic, so I hope it lasts better.

Jugging class finished a few weeks back, for this term. It will restart in the New Year, but due to Gafilk I'll miss the first 2 weeks. (previously it was on Monday so with the plane schedules I only missed one week, now it's later so I miss two!) We have been doing quite a lot of passing, with both balls and clubs. I used the new camera to take some video I may post them some time.

December 12th was our staff Christmas party / dinner. It was in the evening and I though the meal was quite good, some how I managed to have two christmas pudding, though I decided not to drink, so that may have balanced out.

I've finally managed to get Ubuntu to run on my eeepc from an SD card, as if it were a writable Live CD and with the wireless function working! I'm using the Eeebuntu Netbook Remix which works like a charm. But it still takes twice as long to boot as Puppy Linux which is also now working from SD Card.

And so I'm nearly up to date. Two weeks ago I saw a double bill of "The Tale of Despereaux" and "The Day the Earth Stood Still" at the local cinema. Then we get to Christmas which I spent with my parents, and sister and her family. Oh yes my niece has just past her driving test, only three month after her 17th birthday, when she first started driving.

On Christmas day we watched the traditional "Doctor Who Christmas Special", followed by "the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special", back home on Sunday afternoon, when I had to go out in the freezing cold to buy my Annual Season Ticket (so I can travel in 2009 at 2008 prices) then back to work on Monday. We did get New Years day off work, and I spent it, as expected reading.

The book list meme has been going around at this time, so I extracted the data from LibraryThing and determined that I read 343 books during 2008. I'm not going to post them all due to space considerations, but it would be really cool if there were a widget which could be set to show the books you'd read over a certain period. A week, a month or even a year.
  • Current Mood: bored
  • Current Location: At Work
Tags:

Happy New Year

Jan. 2nd, 2009 01:21 pm
mbernardi: (Stack_O'Books)
I don't normally make New Year resolutions, but I feel that I really ought to be able to post at least once a month!

I finally realised I hadn't posted in over two months and if I don't do so today, I won't have my diary to refer to!

So back at the end of October....

I took some training in Powerpoint, which allowed me to take the final module of the ECDL, which I passed! It's not too technical a qualification, but it's the only the second IT related one I've got (3rd if you count an "OA" level taken in 1978!)

In mid November I went to the Hawth theatre twice. First to see Cirque du Glace - circus on ice. The whole stage was iced over, and most of the performers were on skates. There was ice dancing as well as the usual circus performances. The second was to see Shades of Brown, a one woman show, high lighting issues of skin colour. A tour du force, the writer / performer (Rani Moorthy) was on stage all the time (even when costume changing).

I started watching "Sanctuary" on ITV4 using ITVPlayer as my sky+ box had finally died! Last in the series is going to be on TV this Monday (sky+ box replaced over Christmas). Also have been watching "Merlin" and "Strictly Come Dancing" on BBC1, both now finished and "Fringe" on Sky1 also on my PC with SkyPlayer, but when I tried to view the last episode (ep10) it wouldn't work, so I'll have to find it elsewhere.

Finally booked my flight to Atlanta and hotel for Gafilk, though with the exchange rates and petrol prices it was a bit higher than in previous years. I look forward to seeing friends again, and hearing good music.

I've bought a new camera, as the old one fell apart when I was in Denver last year. It uses an SD card and can record video (but the sound isn't so good). It's smaller and made of metal, rather than plastic, so I hope it lasts better.

Jugging class finished a few weeks back, for this term. It will restart in the New Year, but due to Gafilk I'll miss the first 2 weeks. (previously it was on Monday so with the plane schedules I only missed one week, now it's later so I miss two!) We have been doing quite a lot of passing, with both balls and clubs. I used the new camera to take some video I may post them some time.

December 12th was our staff Christmas party / dinner. It was in the evening and I though the meal was quite good, some how I managed to have two christmas pudding, though I decided not to drink, so that may have balanced out.

I've finally managed to get Ubuntu to run on my eeepc from an SD card, as if it were a writable Live CD and with the wireless function working! I'm using the Eeebuntu Netbook Remix which works like a charm. But it still takes twice as long to boot as Puppy Linux which is also now working from SD Card.

And so I'm nearly up to date. Two weeks ago I saw a double bill of "The Tale of Despereaux" and "The Day the Earth Stood Still" at the local cinema. Then we get to Christmas which I spent with my parents, and sister and her family. Oh yes my niece has just past her driving test, only three month after her 17th birthday, when she first started driving.

On Christmas day we watched the traditional "Doctor Who Christmas Special", followed by "the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special", back home on Sunday afternoon, when I had to go out in the freezing cold to buy my Annual Season Ticket (so I can travel in 2009 at 2008 prices) then back to work on Monday. We did get New Years day off work, and I spent it, as expected reading.

The book list meme has been going around at this time, so I extracted the data from LibraryThing and determined that I read 343 books during 2008. I'm not going to post them all due to space considerations, but it would be really cool if there were a widget which could be set to show the books you'd read over a certain period. A week, a month or even a year.
  • Current Mood: bored
  • Current Location: At Work
Tags:

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