Early start in bright and cold weather. Trains run perfectly. Met jf at Waterloo and caught the Eurostar, which was a trainspotter's ambition fulfilled. Just prior to departure, received SMS message that the laptop had been delivered. Much relief. Met Hallski and was introduced to Uriel. Later met Geert who was an excellent host and an all-round nice guy. Excellent food, late night. Drifted to the pre-arranged FOSDEM mailing list meet, where a few familiar faces from Dublin and Copenhagen were lurking.
Well, my lowered expectations were surpassed. The parcel was delivered to my office, rejected by the receptionist, delivered and signed for at the Town Hall, and has now totally disappeared, leaving me unable to claim from Parcelforce or the sender ("We delivered it") or from my employer ("At your own risk"). So what happens when Council stuff goes the same way? Ah! of course - the taxpayer absorbs such costs. I am cursed where laptops are concerned it seems. So, a very frustrating day. Debated long and hard whether to go to FOSDEM, or to spend time looking for the laptop/shouting randomly at passers by. Eventually decided that losing even *more* money was probably a bad idea. This Feb 14th lacked a lot of the tension, and all of the romance of last year's.
Notebook doesn't arrive - which initially worries me, but remembering others comments about Parcelforce lowers my expectations. Paid a brief visit to my old office this morning, which was probably not a good idea in retrospect. Began preparations for the weekend. Foolishly spent money on a small hub for the expanding network here.
First day of what will likely be my last assignment for North Somerset. This involves working about six feet from where I started back in 1995. The office has changed a great deal, no walls, new furniture, a forest of huge black Dell monitors, and even watercoolers. This alone reminds me how much Local Government is changing. Much GNOME2 building today, though its refreshingly fast on the Duron. Looks like notebook might not be back from Compaq in time for trip. Finally purchased Euros today. Strange, crispy and tiny!
Lost::MikeGTN
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.
