xbox...

Chris and especially Phil, please stop telling me about your modified xboxes. I covet not, I'm quite happy with my gamecube for games, sky plus for tv and laptop for watching downloaded movies. Really and truly.

in fact, Fifa 2004, bought for a mere £4 on ebay this week, is really brilliant, true to life - Sheffield Wednesday lose every time they play!

Americans apologise...

50% of them, anyway.

comments

OK, they don't work after all and I don't know why. Can any of you blogger users help?

ipod question...

I've finally got round to enabling comments, so I'm going to open a question:

My ipod is full, I've got a 5GB folder of MP3s which don't fit, loads of CDs which I'd love to rip, and I'm constantly having to juggle whenever I add anything new that I download (disclaimer - legally).

Now, my brother wants an ipod. He is willing to swap my 2nd Gen ipod for his fantastic suunto stinger dive computer, which he bought in Cape Town in 2002 but hasn't had the chance to use. (Rach and I baptised it in March this year).

Then of course I could upgrade to a new 40Gb ipod. And before you think I'm trying to keep up with Chris, Christian, Jim and Jane Evans, I'm not. It's a completely separate and unconnected issue.

So, do I:

- stick with what I've got? (bearing in mind video ipod is mooted for 2005/6)
- go for the swap, get a dive computer and buy a new ipod with more capacity?
- spend more time outside away from geeky gadgetry altogether?

Working from home: human contact...

I'm obviously beginning to get starved of human contact during the day - the other day I talked with the TNT delivery man for 10 minutes about issues they are having in the run up to Christmas.

Fortunately, Rach is off sick today, so I can talk to her instead of strangers.

Great weekend lined up: Phil and Jane coming to visit, deus gig tonight (a band I've wanted to see live for years), rehearals and concert with the Scottish Sinfonia and live international rugby union, Scotland v Australia at Hampden Park, Glasgow. Hurrah!

Working from home: weekly formation

Until last week I had my day in the office on Wednesdays - I was getting very tired, felt I wasn't achieving much, and felt like I had little free time during the week. Last week I went down on Thursday instead, and it felt totally different for some reason. Maybe the 3-1-1 week formation is better than 2-1-2: I get 3 days working from home to crack the main tasks for the week. Long and exhausting day in the office on Thursday with back to back meetings and catching up, then I can recover from the long day on friday which is usually a less productive day anyway. Maybe it was just the change of routine, but I will report back on this before Christmas.

Holts Radweld

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

- Number 1 radiator repair
- Undisputed market leader
- Permanently seals radiator leaks
- Unaffected by anti-freeze
- Contains rust inhibitors
- Safe for use with rubber hoses.



I can confirm that this is, in fact, magic. Our radiator leaks no more. (touch wood)

New clubs...

Very excited, bought my golf clubs last night, after trying three different sets on the range over 50 balls. Thanks to the extremely helpful staff at Braids Hill. The winning clubs were the John Letters of Scotland Trilogy T3 Plus box.



Of course now I am guaranteed to hit the ball straight, long, in the air and on target every time, so beware!

Scotland aiming for Australia win...

Glad to hear it. I mean they could have been aiming to lose...

Tickets booked for Phil and me to mix with the Weegies at Hampden Park.

Star Wars...

It just struck me that Sith, as in Revenge of the Sith, as in the evil dark side of the force... is an anagram.

Emu gag...

Are Scots miserable?

This article in today's times thinks so, containing some great dour phrases:

“Mind now. What’s comin for ye will no go past ye.”
"A flickerin’ licht ayewiz gaes oot.”
“First braith beginnin o yer daith.”

Nice.

New Architects...

Congratulations to Jane and Karen for passing their part 3s.

Here's a little guide to get started - written by Prince Charles I think.

Rugby...

Jason Robinson is the new England captain against Canada on Saturday, in Jonny's continuing injury absence.

Mum, Rach and I had a fab time at Murrayfield on Saturday watching Australia beat Scotland.

Was it only 4 years ago...?

US election 2004

Bush is probably going to worm his way in again, but at least the whole farce gives the BBC's web dept chance to shine, with this nice little interactive map which tells you about political leanings around the USA present and past.

Dragging the slider in the 'past elections' section is very interesting, particularly the nationwide swing of electoral college votes between 64 (Johnson) and 72 (Nixon), and of course the popular vote count in 2000. Al Gore did win after all!