Its been a somewhat tough week in several ways. Snatched a few moments of sanity along the way, had a much needed haircut, and enjoyed the spectacle of Billy Bragg playing "Take Down The Union Jack" to a bemused Top of the Pops audience tonight. I'm a little concerned how I'll occupy myself this long weekend, since all I had planned was some aimless wandering, and I managed to accomplish that tonight. Somewhere during the last week, this site achieved 150,000 hits in just over a year!
Work plods on, with occasional moments of merriment to break things up. I feel like my old sarcastic self is coming back, after a couple of months of feeling a little stifled by the pressure of being 'the new boy'. There are some fine people here - of course I always find decent folks where I work - but even so, I can ramble pretty much to my hearts content with little cause for worry. Otherwise, have spent much time getting GNOME 2.0 up to date, and very happy I am too. It's really beginning to feel quick, slick and bugless. Congratulations to all concerned! Finally signed up for next year's OU course - its going to be an English Language course, which best reflects my current interests - and importantly has the mileage to last for awhile. Frustrated it can't start now!
Strange forces at work - managed to paint myself into a corner defending GNOME 2.0 on IRC. Still feel myself justified - there is much bandwagon-jumping and Slashdot-style groundless complaining going on. Since I've used it daily, and watched bugs get squashed by the bucketload, I suppose I've become protective. Otherwise, pleased to see the weekend arriving but very much unclear what to do with it. Completely out of cash, so enviously browsed bookshop shelves. Brief but inspiring phonecall earlier.
Much celebration last evening - which was a lot of fun. Way too much to drink, and some very odd words in the Scrabble game. Sleepy all day due to excesses. Managed to struggle through work and had a reasonably relaxing time once I got home. Huge financial pressure descends again. So routine its barely even a major worry anymore. Message from The Count indicates he has removed to a cottage near the coast - a fine idea I think. Feeling a lot more secure today, which is always a good thing. For a welcome change, my life is relatively normal and peaceful compared to others.
I've had a home on the web for more years than I care to remember, and a few kind souls persuade me it's worth persisting with keeping it updated. This current incarnation of the site is centred around the blog posts which began back in 1999 as 'the daylog' and continued through my travels and tribulations during the following years.
I don't get out and about nearly as much these days, but I do try to record significant events and trips for posterity. You may also have arrived here by following the trail to my former music blog Songs Heard On Fast Trains. That content is preserved here too.