When was the last time you heard Gary Numan on a pub stereo? In my case, it was around ten o’clock tonight - the track We Are Glass. Time to get out my old Best Of… cassettes I think.

Beer tonight with DA, Kearn, Paul C, Aris, Dave, Gary, Terry, Paul F, Caroline and Peter. Mobile on, but no calls.

I really must control my mood more. Last night I was dribbling in a thoroughly monotonous and boring way at Paul F, Caroline and Peter (sorry!) and then even more online dribbling to my poor online chum Lizzie when I got home (sorry hun).
Anyway, I’m hoping I’ll be cheered up a bit today. In spite of the fact it’s another irritatingly glum, dreary, grey, damp morning. My desk calendar tells me that today is the first day of summer in the southern hemisphere. Oh envy, envy, envy!
Another thing I did last night: went to the bar to purchase drinks for myself and Paul F, put my wallet on the bar, and cheerfully carried my drinks back to the table. And there my wallet sat, unattended, on the bar in a packed pub, filled with credit and debit cards and a crisp £20 note.
Just as we were thinking of leaving, a full twenty or thirty minutes later, I suddenly realised that my wallet was not in my pocket. I walked over to the bar (trying my best to conceal my anxiety), and there it was, exactly where I had left it, contents untouched. Luck? A testament to the honesty of the punters in the Nags? Maybe it was watched over by the bar staff? Or just another example of why I love my home city?

Brilliant! Events are conspiring to cheer me up:

• my new CD by Cinematic Orchestra has arrived, and is brilliant
• the sun has come out
• Heather has just phoned me with a bunch of marketing questions, all of which I was able to answer
• I’ve got myself a bunch of lilies for the dining table

Lots of revision today, followed by a long phone conversation with the lovely Penn, then on to enjoy beer with Brenda, Greg, DA, DAGS, Kev, Andrea, Kearn, Sacha, Ian and Paul F, with sightings of Dave, Claire, Mich and Malcolm.
Chichester seemed very full of unhappy people tonight. Strangely, I didn’t feel that I belonged in that category, a fact in no small part due to Bren and Greg.

I stayed up far too late last night. I also promised to meet Greg, Brenda and Paul F in the Nags this evening, when really I should be revising or resting ready for my exams. But, you know - live life on the edge, and all that!
As part of my edge-dwelling policy, today I went on a bus! woo-hoo! I had to nip over to the nursery and drop the company car back, but no trains were running, so I had to take a bus. Which was remarkably clean, on time and with a friendly driver.
What an exciting life I lead!

Beer tonight with Paul F (forgot to mention how good the band were last night (kof)), Teresa, Bren, Greg, Heidi and Michael. A very relaxing evening - exactly what the doctor ordered.

Today is my big brother’s birthday. And it is a big birthday too, ending with a "0" (and starting with a "4"). I could write some sentimental guff here, but I’ll spare you (and him) that - he knows anyway (at least I hope he does).

Suffice to say, happy birthday Tim.

Updates will be sporadic here for the next few days, to say the least. I have an exam for my course tomorrow at 2pm, and another at the same time on Wednesday. So instead of wasting any more time here, I’m going back to my books.

Just when you think life is crap, someone close has something happen to them that is far worse than anything you are dealing with. I wish there was something I could do to help in a practical way, but in this instance all I can offer is company, a sympathetic ear and warm hugs - even if only from a distance at the moment. Biggup hun - you’ll be ok, I promise.

The updated GBlogs tool is up-and-running again, which is a good thing.

I thought it was dead, but Dumb Things I Gotta Do Today seems to have risen from the grave, pheonix stylee. Which is another good thing.

AFF: 8 points this week. Dismal.
Off now for some last minute cramming.

Today’s exam was supposed to be the easier of the two. Now I am really worried about tomorrow. I completely screwed part A (worth 40%) but think I did moderately well on part B (worth 60%). I’m hoping that somewhere out of that I managed to get the 51% overall that is required to pass. I’m not desperately optimistic about it, it has to be said. Still, not much can be done about it now. I’ll just have to wait until I get the result at the end of February, and, if I’ve failed, retake it in June.
In the meantime, having just had a nap to recharge, it is back into the revision notes so that I’m slightly less unprepared for tomorrow than I am at the moment.

Forgot to say I went to the pub on Sunday night with Bren, Greg, Paul F, Heidi and Michael. Very relaxing. I could do with some relaxation now.

Well, I have to say that today’s exam (Wednesday’s) went much better than yesterday’s. Not that I’m exactly pleased with what I wrote down, but I feel that I did enough to pass, even if only just. Now I am absolutely shattered, so relieved that it is over and done. There’s nothing I can do about it now - just wait for my results. I know I tried hard. I’m not sure I did as well as I know I can, but I tried hard. Top marks to poor Frances, streaming with flu, who dragged herself through the exam. Respect due (just hope I didn’t get her germs, being sat next to her).
After the exam, I went for beer with Andrew, Chris, Leigh, Charlotte, Helen, Patrick, David, Heather, Ollie, Libby and Geoff, and later met up with Malcolm, Gary, Tim, Claire and Paul F, with a sighting of Julie and also Andy M. I feel as though a great weight has been lifted from me.
Now I’m at home, chilling, and listening to Gilles Peterson who is playing some very cool tunes. Right now I could easily collapse into a gibbering sobbing heap. I sooooooo need a hug. But then I am a bit feeble like that.

ooo blimey! it’s nearly Christmas! how did that happen?

Blogger seems to be dysfunctional again. guh.

TFF: a splendid 42 points, my highest weekly score of the season so far, taking my total to 367.

Suffering for art. Actually, I’d have to say that I’d struggle to find enthusuasm to attend the Vagina Monologues. And it seems that I’m not alone.

A brief expedition in to the city centre for late night shopping this evening featured a sighting of Paul S, a quick chat with Camilla, and purchases of one present, some wrapping paper and some cards - which is pretty much what I set out to do. Dismayed that Waterstones was closed by 7pm though - they must be losing an awful lot of business.

Wah! I’ve just realised that since I went over to an external modem, the power point I have used previously for my Christmas lights is now occupied! Damn! And it already has a four-way adaptor on it, so no plugging-in of another adaptor to get round that. Hmmm. Looks like I might have to impress upon a tame electrician (a.k.a. dad) to extend the cable on my lights set so that it reaches around behind the sofa bed to the next socket. This flat needs more sockets.

how do you eat pizza? crust first? middle first? do you not eat the crust at all? just curious.

Beer tonight with Sarah, Andy (first time I’ve seen him in ages), Kev, Andrea, Aris, Arron, Kearn, Gary, Tim, Teresa, Alison, Claire, Patrick, Malcolm and Helen. I feel that the whole post-exam winding down is progressing well.

Badabing!

I’m really very cheerful today. Not sure why. Post-exam relief?

Yet another reason why being an atheist seems a good bet. via Teresa.

Good customer service: my local Oddbins keeping the last case of Sagres beer from a promotion because they know I like to drink it. Top marks guys!

Beer tonight with Dave, Teresa, Claire, Alison, Tim, Phil, Ian, Paul F, Julie and Caroline (the last two definitely in the lovely category), followed by coffee with Jenny, Viv and the gorgeous Sally. Bloody hell! It’s 2am!

Boy, what a day!
Anyhoo, went shopping in Brighton (fairly successful though bloody tiring).
Have the day off again tomorrow, and looking forward to it muchly.

Beer last night with Bren and Greg, with sightings of Paul C, Tim and Liv. Good fun.

I hope that this year’s entries will generally be more cheerful than last year’s.

Bollocks. Why does nothing go right?

My search logs record the last 100 searches. For the first time since September 11th, nobody in the last hundred searches has looked for Osama bin Laden. However, much worse than that, someone got here by looking for Chas and Dave pictures.
I’m off to the pub. I have sorrows that need drowning.

AFF: 3 points. Gah.

Well, that *was* a stressful weekend. I wonder how the hell this week is going to pan out. I’m hoping some damage can be repaired, some equilibrium restored, and some sense of normality established. It isn’t going to be easy, but if it can be achieved, it will be worth it. I have hope.
I also have a meeting to attend, for which I am thoroughly unprepared. And I should be on my way there now.

I reserve the right to ignore everyone’s advice and be pig-headed.

Saw a man in the supermarket, wandering up and down the frozen food aisle, muttering “pudding, pudding, pudding, pudding…”

I keep thinking of things that I want to write on here, but I’m never near a PC when I think of them. Hmmm. Might be time to add a PDA to my Christmas list.

I’m feeling positive at the moment. Not least because someone special has got some excellent news. See, I did promise hun.

For those following the KPMG story (which I’ve not written about here, but several other UK personal sites feature it), Mike has some useful stuff on it.

This looks interesting, but what about ekranoplans? Have a look at the KM ("Caspian Sea Monster") and also the MPE-400, which, with a displacement of 470 tonnes, is capable of carrying 460 passengers (about the same as the latest Boeing 747s) at 500 km/h (around 300 miles per hour) in a sea swell of up to 3 metres (nearly 10 feet) at an altitude of around 5 metres (15 feet or so) for up to 6000 kilometres (and very fuel efficient with it). And if the engine conks out? no worry! just float like a boat! I want one!

TFF: a respectable 36 points this week, taking my total to 403.

envious?

My Christmas decorations are up (five pieces of silver tinsel and a set of white lights - minimalist is my middle name!), and today I purchased a dinky little tree to sit in the corner. All I need now is a big bunch of mistletoe, and then to put up the strings for all the cards I’m bound to get.

Stood next to a woman in a shop earlier. She was complaining about the tomatoes: "They are all watery and forced!"
I asked her what she expected - fresh outdoor-grown tomatoes in December?? She looked at me strangely as if I were speaking Serbo-Croat.
Have consumers really become so divorced from the food production process that they don’t understand that tomatoes in December must either be forced under glasshouses or shipped in from far milder climes? Discuss.

This is worth a look.

Finally made a start on my Christmas cards last night. I seem to have an incredibly long list of cards to write, and so far I’ve managed three. Not a great start, but a step along the card-writing path.
Yesterday evening was spent arranging my new Christmas tree (complete with silver bead chain and white and silver baubles), going to the Waitrose account-holders’ evening with my brother to purchase a few presents, some provisions and a treat or two, as well as sampling all the free tastings that were on offer. This was followed by wrapping a couple of presents, as well as long online chats with Sarah and Penn, an awesome beef and vegetable stir-fry and a couple of beers whilst listening to John Peel and Gilles Peterson on Radio 1. I even managed to get some laundry done.

Approved.

This site currently rates 563rd in the all-time links list at Blogdex, with 47 sites linking to here. Which is less than Meg, Luke, Tom, Dave (formerly known as Davo), Robyn, Katy and Marcia, but more than Cal, Ian, Vaughan and Rodney. Not that I set too much store by this, as it also suggests I am ranked higher than Ananova, USAToday, BlogYou, AmIHotOrNot, NakedNews and Dilbert.com.

OK, so the world and its wife linked to this ages ago, but some of my regular readers (like my sis-not-in-law) may not have seen it. And it’s Friday. Tomorrow.

The flat is clean, the decorations are finished, the fridge is full of beer and wine. I’ve even checked the supplies of coffee. Yep, I’m all set for tonight’s post-pub, pre-Christmas drinks party at Chez Graybo. For those not in the know, be in the Nags from 8-ish.

Rodney on place names.

Beer last night with Sarah, Polly, Fi, Julie, Aris, Paul F, Arron, Dave, Tim and the lovely Penn - the best new friend I have made in years and years and years. Love you hun!
In other news, I have received my Secret Santa present and put it under the tree, and have also heard from Amazon that the gift I have ordered has been despatched and sent to its recipient. Good things.

I am now a contributor at Eurotrash.

Dinner tonight with dad, mum (by far the most chirpy that I have seen her since she broke her ankle), Tim, Jane, and Jane’s parents, Bill and Sandra, at the Spur at Slindon. Splendid.

Today, my dad has been round to help with a few DIY projects. I now have a great new shelf in the living room above the sofabed (but still need more shelf space), a new towel rail and light in the bathroom (not bright enough - may need more lighting in there) and we also fixed the bathroom mirror up properly, as well as fixing my blocked kitchen sink. We were also going to fix up a new shower curtain rail too, but decided that the one I have is not sturdy enough, so I need to procure something new. So no showers for a while, which gives me the perfect excuse to spend ages in the bath with a good book.
Well, I say dad came to help - he did most of the work whilst I made some great coffee. Stick to what you know best is my motto.

*Finally* doing my Christmas cards. Another opportunity to wonder about the people that I should make more effort to keep in touch with.

My horoscope for today:

Suggestions welcome.

Beer last night with Malcolm, Cath, Helen and Dave, with sightings of umpteen other Nags regulars.

Finished my cards last night, and even wrapped Sarah’s presents. I need to carry out a gift audit, to see what exactly I have purchased for each person. I’m pretty sure that I still have one or two gifts to get.

Bright future for the humble LED. Remember LED wrist watches? And those home electronics kits that had them in? In fact, I’m not sure that LEDs were doing too badly anyway - there are literally dozens on the computer equipment sitting on my desk here.

Monkey Radio has just played the Fila Brazilia remix of Radiohead’s Climbing Up The Walls, which has long been one of my favourite Radiohead tracks. It is AWESOME. Go buy it now. For me.

Read this.

Aaaaaaaah! Just had a quick drink and exchanged gifts with Sarah, accompanied by the splendid Abi, who gave me an amazing massage across my shoulders - a superb sensation, even through a thick shirt and sweater (all very proper you know - she is engaged after all!). My shoulders are now like jelly - a good thing.

AFF: just don’t ask. Minus 2 points?? Gah.

Been busy all day today, so apologies for lack of updates. And it hasn’t even been the exciting type of busy, so I won’t bother telling you about it.
What about you? What did you do today?

Love is knowing that when someone you care for is having a bad day, it’s you that they call for support.

I hadn’t realised that David of Eurotrash fame also had a very very cool site of his own. Go see.

TFF: in a week when the top scoring team got 103 points, it should come as no surprise to find that I only scored 20. guh. Total now 423.
Transfers: OUT: Alpay, McAllister and Saha.
IN: Terry, Malbranque and Henry.
Hopefully a reinvigorated midfield and front line should improve things.

Do you use Microsoft IE5.5 or IE6? If so, read this.

DS1 switched off. An amazing piece of engineering, probably the most successful spacecraft for many years. NASA’s DS1 site.

[post deleted - I was just being confused. I need to stand by my own convictions, take people as *I* find them, and be less swayed by what other people think or say. Or maybe that is just running away from that which I find unpalatable.]

[post deleted - I was pissed and having a maudlin moment]

Beer tonight with Viv, her mate Sarah and Paul F.

I need cheering up. Or a swift kick up the backside. One or the other.
Or both.

[forward-looking positive post]
ok - there are just 11 days of this year left, so it is almost time to make your new year resolutions. I’ve never been very good at making or keeping resolutions, but perhaps it is time to change that. I need a new and positive mental outlook, and the new year affords an opportunity to put that into practice.
So I’ve added a new section in the navbar - resolutions for 2002. Over the next ten days, I’ll add (and edit!) my resolutions as I formulate them, and then you, my readers, can watch as I break each and every one within the first month.
And if you have your own site, perhaps you’d like to do the same? I could use the moral support of someone else failing to keep to their resolutions!

Following on from Angie: being tall - the disadvantages:

• low door frames
• constantly being collared by less tall people asking you to reach things on high shelves in supermarkets
• small cars and aircraft seats
• not being able to hide in a crowd
• beds are never long enough
• having to stoop to kiss girlfriends

John Peel’s annual carol concert is always a laugh. But you know that already, because you’re listening. Aren’t you?

This is good, highly recommended, and now installed here at Grayblog.

I’ve just got a pressie in the post. It’s from top Graypie, Lizzie - I’ll wrap it and put it under the tree. Thanks hun!

It would be shame if funding was cut for the ISS (news report), but I can see why people might question the reasons for building it. Maybe NASA needs to embark on a marketing campaign to persuade politicians and the public alike that the ISS is a worthwhile investment with clearly defined goals.

Some parts of nature manage to conjure feelings of amazement and that “eeeewwwww!” sensation all at once. Thank goodness that these things are in the deep sea and not on land. Especially not on land near me.

Beer (and vodka and tonic) last night with Bren (new job! yay!), Greg, Julie, Caroline, Sally and Viv, with sightings of Helen, Jo, Alison C, as well as (inevitably) Dave, Gary, Tim and Malcolm. After the pub, headed back with Sally to Viv’s place to munch on Chinese food and play with Viv’s cats, Kev and Kitty. I still bear the scars.

A street artist in Paris is marking piles of dog mess with little flags, and signing and dating them. Do you think it’ll catch on?

It’s very cool when you get an instant message from a friend - who is in a town in the middle of nowhere in Bolivia! Ah, the wonders of technology!

Not a good result in more ways than one.