I've finally gotten round to registering for some proper web space and got a nifty free domain name with it, so, www.davidhing.com is now my very own internet realm.
I am in the process of setting up a new blog called "Chaotic Tortoise", partly because I'm fed up of telling people the name of my blog and then having to say "no, it's nothing to do with the film". Admittedly, I'll probably have different problems and furrowed brows when declaring the name "Chaotic Tortoise" but regardless, they'll be DIFFERENT problems. It keeps things fresh and interesting.
I'm also doing this partly due to the relatively tentative steps I've made to making up my mind about what I want to do with my life and so the indecisive "find use for degree", although still perfectly valid and not totally abandoned, is less of a pressing issue at the moment, thus a brief reinvention feels welcome.
Additional Notes:
I am now going to be using Wordpress for my blogging needs as it feels very customizable and should be a decent learning experience. In case anyone else is thinking of starting a blog, Blogger is a fine and reliable service and I would still highly recommend them to anybody.
Showing posts with label Quick Comment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Quick Comment. Show all posts
Saturday, 26 September 2009
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Quick Comment: Did I Write That?
When you write things, you sometimes catch yourself writing them and thinking "when I read that in a month's time, I'm going to be confused."
The following has made it's way into a brief scene summary in my script: "The Sheriff discusses his motives for being near the docks at this time of night."
The following has made it's way into a brief scene summary in my script: "The Sheriff discusses his motives for being near the docks at this time of night."
Wednesday, 12 August 2009
This Might Destroy You
Some may ask "so, David, where have you been and what have you been doing lately?"
Admittedly it's not exactly an FAQ, but inbetween panicking an essay out (it's not a piece of writing, it is a piece of panic) I have been having my soul slowly drained by this site. The TV tropes wiki.
Now, I was introduced to this a good few months ago and didn't see what the fuss was about. Then randomly I looked up a phrase I'd heard about "fridge logic" which then inevitably lead to one long "wiki walk" that is yet to end.
Try it for yourself and see where you end up.
Additional Notes:
My personal favourites: Jumping the Shark and the Batman Gambit. So many funny semi-serious names and so little time....
On the plus side, the whole thing is oddly inspirational. If I can coin a popular trope through my writing, I will actually feel acomplished...
Admittedly it's not exactly an FAQ, but inbetween panicking an essay out (it's not a piece of writing, it is a piece of panic) I have been having my soul slowly drained by this site. The TV tropes wiki.
Now, I was introduced to this a good few months ago and didn't see what the fuss was about. Then randomly I looked up a phrase I'd heard about "fridge logic" which then inevitably lead to one long "wiki walk" that is yet to end.
Try it for yourself and see where you end up.
Additional Notes:
My personal favourites: Jumping the Shark and the Batman Gambit. So many funny semi-serious names and so little time....
On the plus side, the whole thing is oddly inspirational. If I can coin a popular trope through my writing, I will actually feel acomplished...
Friday, 31 July 2009
Quick Comment: Hell
In the lobby of my office, there is rather inexplicably five large letters hanging up that spell "HELLO". I don't know whether this is meant as some rather vacant company motto, or if it's meant to warmly greet you as you trudge past their cold metallic gleam into the fluorescently lit despair of the office, but it appeared a few months ago and I've gotten used to it now.
I did say when it first went up that it was only a matter of time before somebody stole the "O".
UPDATE:
Apparently the "O" being torn from its fixing on the wall was, in conjunction with somebody spitting in the instant coffee jar, a protest at being made redundant. That's nothing surprising. The inexplicable thing is that they took voluntary redundancy.
I don't think I'll ever understand people.
I did say when it first went up that it was only a matter of time before somebody stole the "O".
UPDATE:
Apparently the "O" being torn from its fixing on the wall was, in conjunction with somebody spitting in the instant coffee jar, a protest at being made redundant. That's nothing surprising. The inexplicable thing is that they took voluntary redundancy.
I don't think I'll ever understand people.
Monday, 20 July 2009
An Online Bugbear
I've found myself happier lately by playing a lot less Warcraft. I still probably play a little too much, but it's a fun amount as opposed to a second job.
I've been scanning over this during my lunch hour (some strong language and humour that might not make much sense unless you also play Warcraft or some other MMO) and the following is probably what frustrates me about my evenings that I've spent raiding in the past:
"When you tell 25 people to go to The Caverns of Time, seven of them don’t know what that is, two of them aren’t playing anymore, one fell asleep in his pizza, two have to drive their kids to therapy, one tells you to shut the **** up, four are rebooting their computers, one is getting kicked off by his parents, two are lost foreigners who thought this was the train station, one is pressing enter on the same Chuck Norris joke over and over, two of them tell everyone to go to three different places and one is your girlfriend bitching at you about how much this sucks.
Ninety minutes later, when you finally get everyone there, someone will explain that no one should stand in front of the demon lord Kaz’rogal. This simple concept will take 40 minutes to convey, and repeat twice. "
That is depressingly similar to some of the experiences I've had before.
Additional Notes:
My regular group isn't anywhere near that bad of course. They're a great bunch. It's still a massive waste of time for the most part, but I suppose that's computer games in general.
Incidentally, my favourite part of the article was the little snippet that read "You can only sit in one place for so long before your DNA starts to think you’re a walrus."
I've been scanning over this during my lunch hour (some strong language and humour that might not make much sense unless you also play Warcraft or some other MMO) and the following is probably what frustrates me about my evenings that I've spent raiding in the past:
"When you tell 25 people to go to The Caverns of Time, seven of them don’t know what that is, two of them aren’t playing anymore, one fell asleep in his pizza, two have to drive their kids to therapy, one tells you to shut the **** up, four are rebooting their computers, one is getting kicked off by his parents, two are lost foreigners who thought this was the train station, one is pressing enter on the same Chuck Norris joke over and over, two of them tell everyone to go to three different places and one is your girlfriend bitching at you about how much this sucks.
Ninety minutes later, when you finally get everyone there, someone will explain that no one should stand in front of the demon lord Kaz’rogal. This simple concept will take 40 minutes to convey, and repeat twice. "
That is depressingly similar to some of the experiences I've had before.
Additional Notes:
My regular group isn't anywhere near that bad of course. They're a great bunch. It's still a massive waste of time for the most part, but I suppose that's computer games in general.
Incidentally, my favourite part of the article was the little snippet that read "You can only sit in one place for so long before your DNA starts to think you’re a walrus."
Friday, 17 July 2009
Contingency Plan
You should always have an escape route. I don't think I have one.
There has been much talk about redundancies at work at the moment. The long and the short of it is that we're probably cutting work flow by about 50% with about 50% of the workforce possibly having to disappear.
The long and the short of it in terms of me is that I'm a little grumpy, irritable, prone to swearing a lot and sitting sullenly instead of trying to do something about it, because I don't really want to have to go and get a new job. I'm sure that there's nobody that thinks differently on this matter, but the whole interview process is very tiresome. I find it very difficult to go half an hour without saying something that might be construed as a little odd. When you've known me for a while and tuned into my particular sense of humour and my habit of coherently muttering nonsense as asides to myself, I think you can tune it out, but when its an interview situation, that probably doesn't go so well.
The last interview for a prospective job that I had was ok, but I was caught out by a question that was probably designed to catch me out. I was asked "if you could chose four people, living, dead, or fictional, who would you invite over for a dinner party and why?" My actual answer was bordering on the pathetic. I mumbled something about a few judges that I wasn't really interested in because I wanted them to think I really was interested in legal issues all of the time, and some other generic figures from history or public affairs. However, the first answer that leapt into my head that I didn't have the guts to say was "Mahatma Gandhi, J.K Rowling, Scooby Doo and Adolf Hitler, because I really like a challenge."
It's odd where your brain goes in a crisis.
Additional Notes:
On second thoughts, all that stuff about redundancies might be confidential. Best burn this blog after reading.
The challenge of course would be cooking a decent vegetarian meal.
There has been much talk about redundancies at work at the moment. The long and the short of it is that we're probably cutting work flow by about 50% with about 50% of the workforce possibly having to disappear.
The long and the short of it in terms of me is that I'm a little grumpy, irritable, prone to swearing a lot and sitting sullenly instead of trying to do something about it, because I don't really want to have to go and get a new job. I'm sure that there's nobody that thinks differently on this matter, but the whole interview process is very tiresome. I find it very difficult to go half an hour without saying something that might be construed as a little odd. When you've known me for a while and tuned into my particular sense of humour and my habit of coherently muttering nonsense as asides to myself, I think you can tune it out, but when its an interview situation, that probably doesn't go so well.
The last interview for a prospective job that I had was ok, but I was caught out by a question that was probably designed to catch me out. I was asked "if you could chose four people, living, dead, or fictional, who would you invite over for a dinner party and why?" My actual answer was bordering on the pathetic. I mumbled something about a few judges that I wasn't really interested in because I wanted them to think I really was interested in legal issues all of the time, and some other generic figures from history or public affairs. However, the first answer that leapt into my head that I didn't have the guts to say was "Mahatma Gandhi, J.K Rowling, Scooby Doo and Adolf Hitler, because I really like a challenge."
It's odd where your brain goes in a crisis.
Additional Notes:
On second thoughts, all that stuff about redundancies might be confidential. Best burn this blog after reading.
The challenge of course would be cooking a decent vegetarian meal.
Wednesday, 8 July 2009
Project
A while ago I mentioned I was working on an unusual project with a friend.
Well, here it is:
http://www.redtowergames.com/play/spaceman-prelude
It has come out quite nicely, and although I feel my graphics are a little rough around the edges (the bigger the ships get, the more rubbish they get), they're already being smoothed out in the work I'm doing for the sequel.
This has been a learning experience for both myself and the poor happless friend that comissioned my snail-pace-"artistic"-services that has come out a lot better than I expected.
Additional Notes:
My friend, the ever-talented programmer Mr. Sneeze, has his website over at http://www.cathelius.co.uk and also a flash games portal over at http://www.redtowergames.com which I must warn you, can become a bit of a time sink. I actually find myself playing a lot of these flash games during down time in my Warcraft sessions, which is perverse in its own way: Playing games to pass the boredem in a bigger game...
Well, here it is:
http://www.redtowergames.com/play/spaceman-prelude
It has come out quite nicely, and although I feel my graphics are a little rough around the edges (the bigger the ships get, the more rubbish they get), they're already being smoothed out in the work I'm doing for the sequel.
This has been a learning experience for both myself and the poor happless friend that comissioned my snail-pace-"artistic"-services that has come out a lot better than I expected.
Additional Notes:
My friend, the ever-talented programmer Mr. Sneeze, has his website over at http://www.cathelius.co.uk and also a flash games portal over at http://www.redtowergames.com which I must warn you, can become a bit of a time sink. I actually find myself playing a lot of these flash games during down time in my Warcraft sessions, which is perverse in its own way: Playing games to pass the boredem in a bigger game...
Thursday, 25 June 2009
Friday, 19 June 2009
20/20...Hearing
For the last two months, I have been deaf in my left ear. This was due to my body's rather strange stress response to fill the ear canal with wax, almost like nature's way of putting ones fingers in your ears and going "LA LA LA LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU".
Far from alleviating stress, it does in fact do the opposite, because you can't hear anything.
I finally got around to getting it sorted out yesterday afternoon and a poor nurse ended up blasting it out of my ear with an ear-irrigation device (basically a very small high pressured water jet). Not a pleasant job, but she assured me that it's not the worst thing they have to do. Having processed medical applications for an insurrance company for the last two years, I have a few vague ideas about what could be worse.
As a result of this little procedure, everything is now incredibly loud, to the point that I can now hear my hellium-filled upstairs neighbours squawking at three-in-the-morning, the air conditioning unit in my office is a deafening roar and typing makes me jump. The world has become a very noisy place.
Part of me wants to go back to the doctors this evening and ask if I can have the wax put back in...
Additional Notes:
I also have this horrible feeling that I've been shouting at everyone for the last two months. If you have been shouted at by me, I promise I just thought that was a reasonable volume and I am very sorry.
Far from alleviating stress, it does in fact do the opposite, because you can't hear anything.
I finally got around to getting it sorted out yesterday afternoon and a poor nurse ended up blasting it out of my ear with an ear-irrigation device (basically a very small high pressured water jet). Not a pleasant job, but she assured me that it's not the worst thing they have to do. Having processed medical applications for an insurrance company for the last two years, I have a few vague ideas about what could be worse.
As a result of this little procedure, everything is now incredibly loud, to the point that I can now hear my hellium-filled upstairs neighbours squawking at three-in-the-morning, the air conditioning unit in my office is a deafening roar and typing makes me jump. The world has become a very noisy place.
Part of me wants to go back to the doctors this evening and ask if I can have the wax put back in...
Additional Notes:
I also have this horrible feeling that I've been shouting at everyone for the last two months. If you have been shouted at by me, I promise I just thought that was a reasonable volume and I am very sorry.
Friday, 15 May 2009
Online Verification
You know those little picture things that come up when you want to post something on the internet, or register for something, or sign in somewhere for the fourth time having forgotten your password the first three times? The ones that ask you "in order to filter out spam and to check you're a human being, please type in the letters and numbers you see in the picture below" and then you enter in the number to prove you're a human?
I don't seem to be very good at them.
I admit that my eyesight isn't great; I nearly had the shortest driving test in the world following the question "can you please read the number plate of the silver car over there" and couldn't tell if the second letter was a V, W or an N, but it is (thankfully) good enough to read a monitor a foot away from my face. I can't however always work out what the thing is meant to say and so often fail.
Thinking about this, what you have is a computer generating a test to see if you are a human and this test can be failed by a human. Computer. Generates. Test. To tell if I'm Human or not. I don't know, that seems backwards to me.
Additional Notes:
Having now watched most of the first series of Battlestar Gallactica, I'm actually catching myself questioning my classification of human. Probably for the best not to think about that too hard.
I don't seem to be very good at them.
I admit that my eyesight isn't great; I nearly had the shortest driving test in the world following the question "can you please read the number plate of the silver car over there" and couldn't tell if the second letter was a V, W or an N, but it is (thankfully) good enough to read a monitor a foot away from my face. I can't however always work out what the thing is meant to say and so often fail.
Thinking about this, what you have is a computer generating a test to see if you are a human and this test can be failed by a human. Computer. Generates. Test. To tell if I'm Human or not. I don't know, that seems backwards to me.
Additional Notes:
Having now watched most of the first series of Battlestar Gallactica, I'm actually catching myself questioning my classification of human. Probably for the best not to think about that too hard.
Monday, 27 April 2009
A Long List of Things to Do
There has been a large gap between posts here. It seems any website I run seems to get one of these posts every now and then, due to my prophesized failure on the attention span front, but I do have a few excuses that I would like to invoke and abuse.
Well, I have one excuse: Exams.
For some reason, the period of time before exams, I turn into a hugely unpleasant person that is not capable of running their life properly or productively. Whereas I can not say that "due to revision, I don't have time for this", I can say that "due to revision, I don't want to do this."
Bizarrely enough, any motivation I may have built up, or any routine I may have developed, evaporates with a looming deadline.
This is not the only project that has languished as a result of academic loomings and for all others affected by this bout of pathetic apathy, I shall apologise to you individually and where possible in person, but probably not until after my exams.
If you're expecting any blog like postings here, it might be best to check back in June, where normal service may be resumed.
Additional Notes:
You see, I can't even be bothered to write anything here. Normally when composing a post, I can think of a couple of quick little witticisms, or at the very least quirky comments or afterthoughts, but today, nothing.
Well, I have one excuse: Exams.
For some reason, the period of time before exams, I turn into a hugely unpleasant person that is not capable of running their life properly or productively. Whereas I can not say that "due to revision, I don't have time for this", I can say that "due to revision, I don't want to do this."
Bizarrely enough, any motivation I may have built up, or any routine I may have developed, evaporates with a looming deadline.
This is not the only project that has languished as a result of academic loomings and for all others affected by this bout of pathetic apathy, I shall apologise to you individually and where possible in person, but probably not until after my exams.
If you're expecting any blog like postings here, it might be best to check back in June, where normal service may be resumed.
Additional Notes:
You see, I can't even be bothered to write anything here. Normally when composing a post, I can think of a couple of quick little witticisms, or at the very least quirky comments or afterthoughts, but today, nothing.
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
The Web and Mini Comix Thing 2009
I have been known to draw comics. I have even published one. I’m not saying they are good comics, but they are undeniably examples of sequential art with dialogue balloons that can not be mistaken for comics.
Just to get the excuses out of the way now, I’ve been working on an overhaul for my comic site for a long time and it’s getting there. I also want to go in to a bit more detail with regards to the things I have learnt through my fiddling with graphics software and to make a mention of all the mistakes I’ve made with format, writing, characterization or the lack thereof and general assistance to anyone who wants to have a go at doing something better. This is all under the ominous heading of “coming soon”, which apparently according to my recent update schedule on my comics, can be anywhere up to eleven months.
I have veered somewhat away from my very short point that I’m trying to make. This weekend sees the return of “The Web and Mini Comix Thing” in east London. If you’re in the area and enjoy comics, the tickets are cheap and the exhibition is at least interesting. I always find the day to be highly inspirational and I frequently come away thinking “I’m going to do it this year! I’m going to churn out high quality comics and nobody can stop me!” before getting home and making the crucial mistake of switching on the television.
Additional Notes:
Maybe this year will be the year I get my act together. The immortal words of Delboy Trotter spring to mind: “This time next year, we could be millionaires” and of course, that way of thinking worked for him, so who knows?
The convention really is a good day. It’s not your traditional convention full of the great unwashed masses rummaging around for that missing copy of Spiderman to complete their collection. At one point I did actually exhibit there and everyone was really friendly. There was of course the one person who was perhaps a little bit too friendly and hung around a little bit too long breathing heavily through his mouth and not saying much. I know that sounds like a clichéd stereotype of my fellow members of geek-dom, and I feel ashamed for repeating it here, but unfortunately, that one actually happened.
Just to get the excuses out of the way now, I’ve been working on an overhaul for my comic site for a long time and it’s getting there. I also want to go in to a bit more detail with regards to the things I have learnt through my fiddling with graphics software and to make a mention of all the mistakes I’ve made with format, writing, characterization or the lack thereof and general assistance to anyone who wants to have a go at doing something better. This is all under the ominous heading of “coming soon”, which apparently according to my recent update schedule on my comics, can be anywhere up to eleven months.
I have veered somewhat away from my very short point that I’m trying to make. This weekend sees the return of “The Web and Mini Comix Thing” in east London. If you’re in the area and enjoy comics, the tickets are cheap and the exhibition is at least interesting. I always find the day to be highly inspirational and I frequently come away thinking “I’m going to do it this year! I’m going to churn out high quality comics and nobody can stop me!” before getting home and making the crucial mistake of switching on the television.
Additional Notes:
Maybe this year will be the year I get my act together. The immortal words of Delboy Trotter spring to mind: “This time next year, we could be millionaires” and of course, that way of thinking worked for him, so who knows?
The convention really is a good day. It’s not your traditional convention full of the great unwashed masses rummaging around for that missing copy of Spiderman to complete their collection. At one point I did actually exhibit there and everyone was really friendly. There was of course the one person who was perhaps a little bit too friendly and hung around a little bit too long breathing heavily through his mouth and not saying much. I know that sounds like a clichéd stereotype of my fellow members of geek-dom, and I feel ashamed for repeating it here, but unfortunately, that one actually happened.
Monday, 16 March 2009
Writing for a format
Over the last few days, I’ve been trying to get my act together to write a script for a TV series that I’d like to submit to the BBC. To anyone that knows me quite well, this is a brilliant sign that I have an essay deadline hanging over me, but regardless, it’s something I’ve been meaning to do for a while, so I thought I’d just try and get on with it.
So far, I’ve struggled. It’s always an effort to just sit down and write, but this time it’s particularly difficult because I’m fighting against a format that I’m less familiar with. Whereas with straight prose one can just type away whatever falls out of your brain, with a script, you have to write it down in short bursts between making sure the format is correct, ensuring that dialogue is where dialogue should be and that scene settings are laid out properly.
The way that a script is laid out is awkward to construct. I’ve tried using the special template called Script Smart that the BBC use, but it’s fussy, and seems to want to put everything in capital letters, which I don’t like. I’m not sure what the best way to approach this is. Maybe it’s better to get everything down on paper first and then format it when reading it through. Regardless, it’s difficult to adapt, although I’m sure it’s just one of those things that you have to get used to. Maybe I’m just putting too much emphasis on the importance of format and I need to just make sure it’s consistent with itself as opposed to strictly adhering to an industry standard.
If I make any significant progress or if I stick with this project, maybe I’ll post some extracts or at least let you know how it goes. I’m actually quite happy with the idea and so long as I don’t kill it with some horrible clichés it could go somewhere.
Additional Notes:
Essay deadline season always makes me laugh. We used to get it when there were seven of us living together; when essay deadlines started getting closer, the house was spotless. We’d all clean things to avoid writing essays, because when faced with ten thousand words about the early reign of Augustus, suddenly the mouldy shower becomes an attractive alternative.
So far, I’ve struggled. It’s always an effort to just sit down and write, but this time it’s particularly difficult because I’m fighting against a format that I’m less familiar with. Whereas with straight prose one can just type away whatever falls out of your brain, with a script, you have to write it down in short bursts between making sure the format is correct, ensuring that dialogue is where dialogue should be and that scene settings are laid out properly.
The way that a script is laid out is awkward to construct. I’ve tried using the special template called Script Smart that the BBC use, but it’s fussy, and seems to want to put everything in capital letters, which I don’t like. I’m not sure what the best way to approach this is. Maybe it’s better to get everything down on paper first and then format it when reading it through. Regardless, it’s difficult to adapt, although I’m sure it’s just one of those things that you have to get used to. Maybe I’m just putting too much emphasis on the importance of format and I need to just make sure it’s consistent with itself as opposed to strictly adhering to an industry standard.
If I make any significant progress or if I stick with this project, maybe I’ll post some extracts or at least let you know how it goes. I’m actually quite happy with the idea and so long as I don’t kill it with some horrible clichés it could go somewhere.
Additional Notes:
Essay deadline season always makes me laugh. We used to get it when there were seven of us living together; when essay deadlines started getting closer, the house was spotless. We’d all clean things to avoid writing essays, because when faced with ten thousand words about the early reign of Augustus, suddenly the mouldy shower becomes an attractive alternative.
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
Money Vs. Imagination
I've been reading an interview with Alan Moore, writer of Watchmen, the soon to be released film adaptation of one of my favourite comics, and at some point he says the following:
"If you haven't got any money, you're going to need lots and lots of imagination. Which is why you'll get brilliant movies by people working upon a shoestring, like the early John Waters movies. People are pushed into innovation by the restrictions of their budget. The opposite is true if they have $100 million, say, pulling a figure out of the air, to spend upon their film, then they somehow don't see the need for giving it a decent story or decent storytelling. It seems like those values just go completely out the window. There's an inverse relationship there"
I've been saying that for years. It's always nice to have an opinion or trend you've spotted reaffirmed by someone you try to take creative inspiration from.
If you think about it, it's true of almost anything. Any film franchise for example that is an original IP in the first instance and has to struggle with funding but later gets a massive budget produces what I call "the Matrix affect". The first film will be very good; the following films will be missing something, despite the huge budget.
Additional Notes:
I'm fairly certain this applies to anything. You don't try as hard if you have more money because there's no point. Contractors working on government projects for example have a tendency to go over budget and over deadlines because they see their funding as being unlimited and it inevitably leads to sloppy results.
Maybe I should apply this logic to my own life and ask for my pay to be cut.
"If you haven't got any money, you're going to need lots and lots of imagination. Which is why you'll get brilliant movies by people working upon a shoestring, like the early John Waters movies. People are pushed into innovation by the restrictions of their budget. The opposite is true if they have $100 million, say, pulling a figure out of the air, to spend upon their film, then they somehow don't see the need for giving it a decent story or decent storytelling. It seems like those values just go completely out the window. There's an inverse relationship there"
I've been saying that for years. It's always nice to have an opinion or trend you've spotted reaffirmed by someone you try to take creative inspiration from.
If you think about it, it's true of almost anything. Any film franchise for example that is an original IP in the first instance and has to struggle with funding but later gets a massive budget produces what I call "the Matrix affect". The first film will be very good; the following films will be missing something, despite the huge budget.
Additional Notes:
I'm fairly certain this applies to anything. You don't try as hard if you have more money because there's no point. Contractors working on government projects for example have a tendency to go over budget and over deadlines because they see their funding as being unlimited and it inevitably leads to sloppy results.
Maybe I should apply this logic to my own life and ask for my pay to be cut.
Monday, 2 March 2009
More Excuses
Life is one long opportunity for new and interesting excuses. Due to a busy streak at work, I may not be updating with quite the regularity of recent weeks, but I am still here.
It’s a nice reversal as well, making an excuse to not write a blog so that I can focus on work as opposed to making an excuse to not work so that I can focus on writing a blog.
Additional Notes:
I’m essentially honing my craft at excuses. My comics have been languishing in a “I’ll finish it some other time” state for about six months now. I know I’m bloody minded too, so by saying this, I might actually start working on them again, just to prove myself wrong.
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
Language
For anyone that is curious, I've been quiet for the last few days due to the fact that I've been in Belgium. I shall be returning soon and normal service shall resume presently.
In the mean time, I appear to be struggling with the Dutch language, the language of Fien's half of Belgium, to varying degrees of success. There are some interesting quirks that I've picked up on in my experience, namely that Fien occasionally forgets that I don't understand what everyone is saying and stares at me blankly when I'm desperately silently pleading for some kind of translation.
As it happens, I have picked up a fair amount. I can't really string a sentance together yet, but I can understand a lot more than I used to and I can usually pick up on the subject of a conversation, even if the content still evades me. This however doesn't make it any less un-nerving to hear my name crop up in a wall of foreign verbosity.
The more I stay in Belgium, the more I learn. If anyone is desperate to learn a language, this has to be the way to do it: Try and live in the language. Maybe this time I'll actually convince Fien to talk Dutch at home occassionally.
Additional Notes:
Incidentally, an on the fly translation for cuttlery by a couple of friends we were out with on Saturday came out as "eating gear", which I think is a much better description, even if it did conjour up images of some archaic looking diving equipment.
The project I mentioned is in its final stages. More on that later this week.
In the mean time, I appear to be struggling with the Dutch language, the language of Fien's half of Belgium, to varying degrees of success. There are some interesting quirks that I've picked up on in my experience, namely that Fien occasionally forgets that I don't understand what everyone is saying and stares at me blankly when I'm desperately silently pleading for some kind of translation.
As it happens, I have picked up a fair amount. I can't really string a sentance together yet, but I can understand a lot more than I used to and I can usually pick up on the subject of a conversation, even if the content still evades me. This however doesn't make it any less un-nerving to hear my name crop up in a wall of foreign verbosity.
The more I stay in Belgium, the more I learn. If anyone is desperate to learn a language, this has to be the way to do it: Try and live in the language. Maybe this time I'll actually convince Fien to talk Dutch at home occassionally.
Additional Notes:
Incidentally, an on the fly translation for cuttlery by a couple of friends we were out with on Saturday came out as "eating gear", which I think is a much better description, even if it did conjour up images of some archaic looking diving equipment.
The project I mentioned is in its final stages. More on that later this week.
Tuesday, 17 February 2009
Slim Pickings
You may have noticed a slight eerie silence that descended on the blog last week. This is because I fell victim to a rapid acting cold that knocked me out for a couple of days and temporarily melted my brain. Hopefully, you won’t be able to catch it from reading the site, so don’t worry. I did actually meet someone once who thought that she could catch a computer virus herself, but I'm assuming she was one of a kind and that I don't really need to make these reassurances to anyone else.
Being ill has been highly destructive to my quest for productivity, but apart from the occasional bout of coughing, I am now much better and have no real excuse for not continuing my daily updating.
I just thought I'd throw that out there to tempt fate.
Being ill has been highly destructive to my quest for productivity, but apart from the occasional bout of coughing, I am now much better and have no real excuse for not continuing my daily updating.
I just thought I'd throw that out there to tempt fate.
Thursday, 5 February 2009
Pointless Prattle: 25 Things
I generally don’t fill in these things, but the specifications for this one were vague enough that I didn’t resent the idea of it. The rules are that you’re supposed to write down 25 random facts about yourself. There’s something else about tagging 25 people that you want to know 25 things about, sending it around the internet and receiving £1,000,000 if you cross your fingers and chant “I do believe in Facebook, I do, I do” But I’m not playing those games, largely because I don’t think there are another 25 people that I will be interested enough in to actually read through the drivel they will inevitably write.
And on that note, here is my drivel.
----
I am directionally dyslexic frequently muddling my lefts, rights, easts and wests.
The exam that I stressed about the most and was the most frightened of failing was my driving test.
Driving is the one thing that makes me swear profusely.
It took me 10 years to read Lord of the Rings from between the ages of 8 and 18. The only reason I got around to finishing it was because I was desperate to stay at least one book ahead of the films.
I modified the rules of Dungeons and Dragons and used to play it with my friends in the playground when I was about 10 using 3 spherical dice.
I won the Optimist Regatta Fleet National Championship at the age of 10. That was probably the peak of my success in sailing. I am now a fully qualified sailing instructor.
I have self published 3 issues of a comic called Matt3 that I created after trying to fix Matt’s computer and being bowled over by the layers of complexity to his system.
I can’t stand loud noises because they compete with my brain when it’s trying to think.
I can’t stand high temperatures because it makes my brain melt.
I ceased to experience any kind of enthusiasm for my history degree after about a year and a half of starting it. I still wish I’d done something in Computer Sciences.
I frequently wave at security cameras.
I secretly quite enjoy my job. When I don’t enjoy it, I secretly enjoy hating it.
I keep a list of all the stupid things that people write down on the insurance applications that I have to process at work.
Telephones still terrify me, despite having worked in a call centre for 3 months.
Whenever someone is upset, angry or stressed, my first reaction is that it’s my fault.
I have a full blown addiction to starting new things. I always find myself starting new games, books, articles and projects, rarely seeing them through to the end.
I’ve had my watch since I was 8 and I only ever really take it off to sleep.
I’ve had my computer since I was about 10, but I concede it probably isn’t quite the same computer anymore, seeing as the motherboard, the processor, the CD Drive, the hard drive, the keyboard, the monitor and even the case have now been replaced. It is however still the same mouse and I think there’s still the original 56K modem in the back too.
I’ve always wanted to make animated cartoons.
I’m very patient with other people but never with myself. This makes it very risky whenever I want to cook and I’m on my own.
I’ve never wanted to learn how to play the drums, but I’ve always wanted to be instinctively good at it.
I frequently panic and think I’ve got somebody’s name wrong, even if I’ve known them for a really long time.
I started playing computer games at the age of 3, starting on the original Donkey Kong on the Dragon 32.
I nearly applied to do a masters degree in criminal psychology after I finished my degree.
I consider sleep to be a massive waste of time and I really wish I didn’t have to do it.
Additional Notes:
Weirdly enough, whenever I read these things answered by other people, they often also start by saying “I don’t normally do these things, but….”.
Wednesday, 4 February 2009
Link: Generation Crunch
I have been referred to quite a good article about the "Generation Crunch" over at the telegraph. The author makes some good and valid points, such as the problems with doing a masters degree. I particularly like the idea of avoiding paying off a student life altogether:
"Another friend, who was educated by Benedictine monks, receives regular letters from one of the brothers, advising him to join the monastery. "Dear James," the letters start, "the monastery is currently recruiting novices… have you considered giving up the material life and answering God's call to monastic orders?" He replies in the negative, he tells me, but with increasing reluctance. I understand his dilemma. OK, there are a few drawbacks, but since you don't start repaying your student loan until you earn more than £15,000, a life of saintly poverty could be the way forward. "
The full article can be read here. (Telegraph)
"Another friend, who was educated by Benedictine monks, receives regular letters from one of the brothers, advising him to join the monastery. "Dear James," the letters start, "the monastery is currently recruiting novices… have you considered giving up the material life and answering God's call to monastic orders?" He replies in the negative, he tells me, but with increasing reluctance. I understand his dilemma. OK, there are a few drawbacks, but since you don't start repaying your student loan until you earn more than £15,000, a life of saintly poverty could be the way forward. "
The full article can be read here. (Telegraph)
Friday, 30 January 2009
Did not think that through
I came into work an hour and a half early this morning to let some engineers in so that they could do some work on our network that required it to be taken offline. This was going to be done before anyone else turned up so as not to interupt anybody's work. I decided that whilst they were working, I could start doing my work and browse the internet a little.
Who else can spot the subtle flaw in my plan?
It's moments like this that I realise I could probably use a little more sleep.
Who else can spot the subtle flaw in my plan?
It's moments like this that I realise I could probably use a little more sleep.
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