I’m home after a very useful but tiring trip. Full report will follow. I’ve been here about 30 minutes, so I think that is enough time elapsed that I can now head to the Nags (actually going for a pre-arranged lunch with Jane G).

Not good. I wonder what this will mean for the space program?

Beer, champagne and red wine aplenty last night in the company of Lady Bren, Lord Percy, Fi and Julie A. I feel a little delicate this morning. This morning? Blimey, it’s 2.20 already! oops

Some recent pictures….

Pulteney Bridge, Bath, Somerset.
The Courthouse, Santa Barbara, CA.
The Pier, Pismo Beach, CA.
Priory Park, Chichester, in the snow.

As promised, a report on my trip to Germany:
Not much to tell really. I travelled with Mike, one of the guys who is supporting The Project. We travelled separately to Gatwick by train, which were thankfully running normally in spite of the snow - it was probably not the "wrong type". Our flight was delayed though, and the journey in the Aérospatiale ATR-72 was pretty rough in the snow and strong wind, to say the least. I think I can get quite used to bumpy flights, although it was noticable that quite a few passengers were pretty tense, including my travelling companion. Most odd was the guy in t-shirt and shorts, totally the wrong dress for Gatwick or Dusseldorf (both only just above freezing).
From Dusseldorf, we took the train to Essen, and then the U-bahn to our hotel, which we located pretty quickly. As we walked to the hotel, we passed a friendly looking bar, and returned there after checking-in in order to sample the local beverages and food, which were extremely good. Mike is a fluent German-speaker, having gone to university in Bonn, so communication wasn’t a problem, which is just as well as I hadn’t spoken German since my third-year lessons with Mr Cockburn, some sixteen or seventeen years ago. By the end of our stay, it was slowly coming back to me, and I was able to confidently order two coffees and two slices of apple cake in a café.
Day two saw us walk through the snow-covered streets of Essen to the Messe Essen exhibition centre for the Internationale Pflanzenmesse 2003, better known as IPM, Europe’s biggest horticultural trade show. IPM is a three day event featuring literally hundreds of exhibits by companies and organisations from all over Europe and beyond, filling all twelve of the Messe Essen’s halls. We attempted to see the entire event in a day, which, we quickly realised, was an impossible task. However, we had come prepared, with copies of the event catalogue marked with a "hit-list" of must-see stands, and even a route map to show our best route through the halls to see what we wanted to see. Inevitably, along the way we saw other things that interested us, and I’m sure that if we had had more time, we would have found other things too.
I plan to go again next year, but will allow two days to go around the halls more thoroughly, so that I can spend more time discussing things at each stand that I visit. Thankfully, the majority of exhibitors spoke good English - for those that didn’t, Mike had to translate for my benefit. Many also had literature in English, and we both left the event heavily laden with brochures, catalogues and handouts - so much so that we decided not to walk, but to take the U-bahn back to our hotel.
We only stopped briefly at the hotel, before heading out for dinner at the Oase Italian restaurant with Mike’s German friend Jakob and his wife Maria. We had an excellent conversation (they both speak English fluently) covering all sorts of work and non-work topics, aided by a very good merlot, some splendid grappa and one of the best Italian meals I have ever had, with the finest calamari I’ve tasted in my life. If you are in Essen and need a good meal, Oase would be highly recommended by me. Before we parted, Jakob and Maria invited me to visit and stay with them at their home in southern Germany, and offered to take me on a tour of business-related sites in the region - a very generous offer that I will be sure to take up.
The next morning saw us surface early to take a taxi back to Dusseldorf for our flight back to blighty, this time on a 737 in clearer weather, affording good views across the snowy German landscape. A tiring and time-pressured trip, but extremely useful for me.

I’m piling on the pounds again at the moment. America was not good for my waistline. Nor was Germany. And I’ve just cooked and eaten a huge but delicious roast dinner (first one I’ve done in a while here). Might be time to start the walking-after-work routine again soon, or maybe actually get round to getting my bicycle repaired.

GRAYBLOG - I DONT KNOW U PAOPL3 Y R U H3R3??!!???! WTF LOL
via Marcia.

Should I be disturbed by the fact that this site comes in the top ten search results for masonic ringtones? What exactly is a masonic ringtone anyway?

These B3tans, they are the craziest peoples.

This seems like a good working solution to a long-running problem. However, I feel that it is important that rules such as those proposed are confined to food crops only, and not extended to ornamentals (which are currently covered by the same patent and plant variety rights legislation). Additionally, who defines what is or is not an "exempt" farm?
Having said that, I’ve always felt that it is bad practice (i.e. unethical) to take plant patents/PVR on naturally occuring plant varieties where no development work has taken place. Where there has been a selection or breeding process undertaken by a plant breeder/developer, then that is a different matter, as there has been cost and effort incurred which needs to be recouped and profit sought. This is not the case with plant materials that occur naturally in the wild (although defining that state will always be open to conjecture).

I should be doing and acting.
Instead, I’m prevaricating, dwelling on "stuff", undoubtedly thinking too much, and generally needing motivation, probably in the form of a swift kick up the backside.
Even a hug would be good right now.

Consider the thinking well and truly over.
Consider a conclusion reached.
Consider that I’m walking away whilst the walking is good, and that there are better options to be followed.
Consider that I feel much better now that I know what I’m doing.

Once again, radio grayblog is full of tunes that so perfectly reflect my mood. I notice that my listeners are steadily increasing in number too. I’ll try and add a few new tunes over the next few days, if I find time.

A bright and sunny morning, with very very clear air, affording perfect views of a buzzard (or similar sized bird) that flew overhead earlier in great looping circles, trying to find a thermal that would lift it higher, whilst attempting to dodge the attentions of a less-than-happy rook.
Actually, my disposition is reasonably bright and sunny as well. It’ll never last.

Is it me, or is today really dragging?
Regular comment writers have been quiet lately - so, come on, make some noise!

Read the comments to this post. Fraser has some straaaange readers.
Joy of joys, I’m off to let beautiful women run their fingers through my hair. Marvellous!

Busy busy, revising The Document. Again. gah.

About page revised.
Just had a phone call. That was easier than I’d expected, and highly amicable.

According to the latest figures from the Halifax, I "earned" more last month by being a property owner than I did through turning up for work each day. This is good news, as I spent more last month than I earned through turning up for work each day, roughly by the same amount that my property increased in value. urf.

Lots and lots to do this morning. What to do first? And it’s nearly afternoon already. Pants.

I’ve been struggling with recalcitrant Blogger all morning. If anyone says "why don’t you use MT?", I’ll hit them. Hard.

Slaving over a hot Document again this evening. However, a few minor steps forward today: forms obtained from the NatWest; first credit account set up; domain names registered.
I wanted to register four domain names. The most important one was available in both .com and .co.uk versions, no problem, but the secondary one that I wanted was available only in .co.uk form. I checked and found that the .com variant is being sat on by a domain name company, who, when approached, attached a price tag of US$3880.00, more than £2500, which is about one hundred times my budget for this. Is this utterly unreasonable, or what? Advice appreciated from anyone that has more experience of these things.
Incidentally, I wouldn’t be too concerned if I didn’t get this domain name. The one that counts is safely mine.

Live365 are changing their terms, so that to listen to radio grayblog, listeners must first log in. I’ve been considering upgrading from the lowest level of service, and possibly going ad-free, as these two things would help me get some sort of money back (in an referral fee style). But it is one of those spend money with no guarantee of return situations. Dunno - still thinking about it.

Beer tonight with Arron. Sightings of Alex, Nikki, Clive and Hamish.
I hear that Bora is leaving Chichester. But I’ve heard that before.

No news this morning.
Had to run for my train due to lingering too long over breakfast, but having stepped on the scales as I stepped out of the shower, a little exercise may be no bad thing. Thank goodness that the evenings will soon be getting light - I’ll be able to restart my walking regimen.

"From the outset, I tried to be different…"
And succeeded. Scaryduck’s first birthday.

It comes to something when the most exciting thing going on around work at the moment is speculation on the reason for workmen digging a series of holes in the road through the middle of the village.
I reckon it’s the sewers.

Boothby Graffoe - utterly brilliant.

Yay! My new business is being born! It will take around eight working days. I’m really REALLY excited!

What I’m less excited about is tidying this flat. It’s a tip, and I have two lovely laydeez coming around for dinner tomorrow. It would be good if it was less of a tip by then.

Is Getting On the new Scaryduck?

Very busy, therefore quiet.
You ok?

Top marks to Barclays for using Rae and Christian for their hold music - had me bopping around the office. Further top marks for keeping me on hold for no more than a minute too.

Ridiculously tired this morning, compounded by the fact that the ultra-strong Javan I made at 2.30 this morning for me and Julie kicked in at around 6am, precluding much more in the way of profitable sleep. So I got up a little after 8, floated in the bath for a while, then went to the bank. Now I’m sitting here, looking at my monitor, and thinking “I really should do some work on The Project”, when all I really want to do is sleep. And then there is the small matter of the washing up mountain, looking at me beadily from the table and kitchen.
Anyway, as you will no doubt realise if you’ve read the comments two posts down, last night’s dinner with Fi and Julie was a roaring success, not least because the three of us got roaringly drunk. Again. Apologies to neighbours for any late night loudness that may have occured (memory a bit patchy). On the plus side, we plan to make these little threesome dinners a regular event, which, I must say, is an utterly splendid thing.

I’m trying to figure out what I did yesterday or last night that has made my thighs ache this morning. Whatever it was, I hope I enjoyed it.

I know what didn’t happen last night - the Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou 1997 is still sitting here in my wine rack, gently gathering dust, so we obviously didn’t drink that. That’ll have to wait until next time.

It’s things like this that make me proud to be British: man smashes record for least distance covered in a boat in the greatest time.

The BBC article includes this picture:

If you look closely in the bottom left corner, I think you’ll see the problem - he’s still tied up!

EDIT: live footage of the rower from his boatcam:

I spent far too long on this. Not exactly B3ta quality, but quite fun for a first attempt at animation.

This is a joke, right?
Brighton 4 - Wolves 1. Who’d have predicted that?

….must….get……motivated….
Beer last night with Paul F and Tim W, with sightings of Malcolm, Sally and the rest of the Nags suspects.
Really should make better use of today than I made of yesterday. So I’m going to do some laundry, some work on The Project and take a stroll through the city to Waitrose.
And the tulips I bought the other day have all opened, which is nice.

Not doing very well. 3.15, and I’ve done one lot of laundry, the washing up and have been shopping, but really have no desire to do anything on The Project. I really should do, as it can not progress until I do the things that need to be done, but, to be honest, all I want to do at the moment is curl up on the sofa and have a kip. Maybe I’ll do that for a while and then work later whilst my dinner is roasting.

Formula 1: my tip for car and driver to watch this season can be found here. I may be proven wrong, by I reckon that Renault and Jaguar will have a tough time keeping up with the Saubers, and, as has been shown in some races in 2001 and 2002, Sauber can threaten the podium on a good day.

I’m sick of Valentine’s Day already. I think last year I wrote some nauseating guff about how lovely and peachy it all is, and how single people should be jolly happy and all the rest, because I was all loved up with Marianne. Well, don’t expect that this year unless a minor miracle occurs between now and Friday. Instead, expect me to be miserable and curmudgeonly, and probably rambling on about the fact that I haven’t had a VD card since 1997. grump.
I’m fed up with the whole anti-valentine’s thing too. If people want to be happy and gooey and give each other cards, flowers, dinner and genital herpes, well that’s up to them. We’ve all done it at some time or another, even in a small way, so really have no room to make any sort of statement about it. But don’t try to get me to make some statement about it in the form of an e-card or something. I’ll just be miserable and grumpy here, all by myself, without any help from anyone else, thank you.

Next time you’re having problems with BT, call up your local neighbourhood eunuch.

The wonder that is Lizzie is seeking either a zimmer frame or (preferably) an electric wheelchair for a life of laughter, sex and goodness knows what else on stage in comedy clubs and so forth. Can you help? The budget for this is nil, so she’s relying on the generosity of some kind soul or souls. If you can help her (useful if you’re in the London area), let me know.

Monday. Mooooooonday. Mooooooooooooondaaaaaay.
yup. Bored already.
Anyone got any exciting gossip?

Been busy all day.
Just so you know.

Sorreeee. No updates due to busyness.
Beer tonight with Paul F, discussing The Project. Always useful to get another perspective.

Anyone in the Chichester area interested in sharing an office? I looked at two yesterday - one was lovely, but much too big for me to use (or afford) on my own - sharing with another person would make it perfect, and would mean that I don’t go insane through working on my own. The other was okaaaay, but had no window, only a skylight. I think I could go slightly mad if I could see nothing more than a square of sky.
The trouble is, I can afford the second one, but they need me to give a response as soon as possible. I don’t really wanyt to be bounced into choosing an office, and, somehow, this one just didn’t seem right for me.
Sigh.

I woke up with a sore throat this morning and a decided lack of lustre. Joy of joys, I have to travel to Tunbridge Wells this evening to give a presentation, and then I’ve got to visit a trade show near Bournemouth tomorrow. So lots of driving (never good when lacking lustre) and even more talking. gah.

via various sources comes a blog from Baghdad. Worth a look.

Wish it was warmer.
Yesterday, I spent a bit of time in the bank re-arranging my finances (with The Project in mind). I now owe frightening sums of moolah, but should be able to clear my credit cards, thereby reducing my monthly repayment costs considerably (smaller repayments, much longer period). This leaves a massive temptation to wander into a (virtual) travel agent and nip off to sunnier climes for a bit, particularly as I haven’t had a holiday (excluding the weekend in Bath) since the first week of 2001. I’ve said this before, though, haven’t I?

I’m sure that Nato used to be called NATO.

Out for most of today at a trade show in Bournemouth. Expect quiet.

Trade show very useful. Met with Jane G and enjoyed a coffee, and came away with a shedload of brochures, leaflets and contacts.
Snuffly cold. Knackered. Pooped. Expect more quietitude.

For those who were aware that he was going into hospital, I can report that Arron is remarkably good condition - largely because his operation was postponed. Apparently, they won’t operate on a sinus condition when the patient has a cold. NO! Don’t think about it! EEEeeeeeeww!!

urf. My cold is even worse this morning. I’m more bunged up than ever, which is impacting on my enthusiasm/ability to do much that is constructive. However, being the martyr that I am, I’ve dragged myself to the office for another day of hard work. Get the violins out.

New Weebl, definitely with "ah bless!" quality.

Anyone here read Horticulture Week? No, didn’t think that any of you would. It is not exactly a thrilling read that will keep you on the edge of your seat. However, this week’s issue is very useful to me indeed.

via Marcia: weapons of mass destruction error page.

This site is going through one of those unexciting periods again, isn’t it? (Oi, you at the back, stop muttering "no change there" before I come over and bop you).
Well, all I can is apologise and suggest that I’ve run out of oomph, special sauce, beans, drive, inspiration or whatever you like to call it. I’ll try and write with more enthusiasm shortly.
And I’ll try and update radio grayblog too (yet more apologies to those people that I’ve promised to add music for).

In the meantime, today’s question for debate is: should Graybo join a dating agency (again)? Bung your comments into the ..um.. comments under this post, and I’ll cogitate, procrastinate, prevaricate, obfuscate, levitate, dehydrate, masticate (steady!), ruminate, ungulate and then go and watch an Ingmar Bergman film rather than make a decision.

For the first time since 1997, I got a Valentine’s Day card. So thanks and big love going to Berkshire’s finest.
All I need now is one from someone who actually wants to get in my pants!

Was late for work this morning, as I had to stay late at home for the arrival of a surveyor to view my flat. All related to The Project, of course.

As I walked home, a man was playing a clarinet under the arches at the Council House in North Street. All rather mournful for Valentine’s Day.
I’m in something of a volatile mood, swinging between irritation at the whole VD thing, feeling sorry for myself for being on my own on VD and generally good feeling for actually liking myself and being inwardly happy on VD. The last of these three is probably winning at the moment, although whether that will still be the case after a few beers, who can tell.
It’s been pointed out that being single on VD has two advantages: firstly, all the women that I see on their own or with other girls are certain to be single (or lesbian!), and secondly, I’ve saved myself at least £80 on flowers, cards, chocs and posh dinner, which amounts to rather a lot of beer.

Beer and vodka last night with Paul F, Nikki, Sasha, Tim and Arron.
The last of the three mood options definitely won through, particularly towards the end of the evening, and continues into today.

Thoughts this morning are with the people (including a number of friends) going on the Stop The War rally in London. I was going to go, but have too many other things to do for The Project and myself that I need to do (and yes, I know that those reasons pale somewhat against the threat of war) - and I must confess that I feel more than a little guilty that I’m not going. No protest has ever made me feel that way before.
I’m not opposed to war under any circumstances, but I feel that there must be a true justification for it, as there was when liberating Kuwait. I’m also particularly uncomfortable that Mr Bush and Mr Blair see fit to send troops into another country with the purpose of "regime change", even if they do dress it up as disarmament (little evidence of those arms yet, it seems) or even "liberating the people".
Politically, I hope that today’s protest shakes the Government (and the opposition) a little with regard to this issue. It seems to me, at the moment, that Charles Kennedy and the LibDems, as the only mainstream party to be actively questioning the policy of the Government in a reasoned and reasonable way, are most likely to gain from the current situation. Whether that will change if/when military action actually kicks off is another matter, as the British populace is known for supporting the British forces in pretty much whatever they do. I’m not sure if that largesse extends to governments and political parties though.
So, I’m sorry that I’m not marching today. But whilst I may not be marching in body, I shall be there in spirit. Good luck to those who go today, and let’s see what unfolds.

Music by Kush is really rather good. Etric Lyons has kindly sent me a CD all the way from Canada, and I’m greatly impressed. No need for me to go into great description, as you can judge for yourself by listening at the mp3.com page. I’ll be adding at least one track to radio grayblog very soon indeed.
On the subject of radio grayblog, listeners will now have to log in to live365 in order to listen. It’s free and secure. However, it’s worth trying to listen without logging in, in order to hear the ever-so-camp "Operator 8014" make his announcement about registration and logging in.

ooo blimey. 181 Orchard Street has got a man outside erecting a "For Sale" sign. It’s directly opposite me, so any stalkers would be well advised to snap it up. Details available from this estate agent.

I have every sympathy for Nasser Hussain. The whole issue has been handled terribly, right from governmental level downwards. Cricket should not be mixed with politics, in my view - sport is a great opportunity to see past the things that divide people and to build bridges between people and nations. In fact, I think that a cricket match in Zimbabwe, with its attendant media circus, would have drawn attention to that country. But to hold it there clearly became impossible, and the players have been left to pick up the tab in sporting terms for trying to protect their own safety. All wrong.

hmm. Is today a "good day to bury" news stories such as this one? Seems to be an increasing trend recently - consistent bad news at home is buried under major international stories. I’ll look out for other examples and highlight them when I spot them.

Bradford 0 - Brighton 1. Thank goodness for Bobby Zamora. At last, Brighton move up two places.

Sounds like the Stop The War march exceeded all expectations. Brilliant!

Beerage with Bren and Greg. A good evening, in splendid company. Sightings of Kearn and Stein, as well as of Matt and his fiancee, even if only in tacky photographic form (what were you thinking??).

Happiness, after three hours of trains, buses and walking, is an excellent take away of egg fried rice and sweet and sour chicken in batter.

Too tired to write now. More tomorrow.

I see Blogger has been bought out by Google. I’ll make some ill-informed comment on that tomorrow.

Frighteningly busy this morning. The phone keeps ringing, I’ve got a pile of email, some documents in the post and last week’s leftover paperwork as well. Agh! I’m drowning!

My accountant has come up with a couple of stumbling blocks for The Project. Not insurmountable, but slightly irritating. But then, I guess that’s what he is paid to do - spot those things now, and not later when they are a problem.

Sorry. Tired still. Just want to go to bed and sleep, but have dull paperwork and laundry to do. Guh.
Normal service will be resumed shortly.

It’s always "nice" when a porn site shows up in your referrer stats. Clearly, one of you dirty little reprobates has been jacking off over your keyboard whilst looking at pictures of laydeez. But why you visited here afterwards is anybody’s guess!
(link not safe for work)

Seamus is decidedly unwell today. But trying to persuade an ill cat to stay here in my warm office rather than go out and play in the sun is next to impossible. I think he just has a bit of a cold, as his eyes are a bit watery, he is definitely lacking energy and vim and he is decidedly grumpy.
UPDATE: I’ve put him in a sunny spot in the house, where he seems to have settled down. I’ll check on him later. If he doesn’t improve, I might take him to the vet.

By some fluke, my team has wiped the floor in my group in the AFF Fantasy Football FA Cup, and is now 2/1 joint favourite to win the whole thing. How did that happen? Have a tough draw for the next round though, so will have to use all my "skill and judgement" to make a few judicious transfers.

OK. Everyone else is talking about it, so I shall too, but in the truly uninformed manner you have come to expect from grayblog.
Yes, I’m talking about the purchase of Pyra, the company behind Blogger, by none other than Google. Darren has put together a list of relevant links here and here and Giles Turnbill writes about it for the Beeb here. SiliconValley.com broke the story (among others) here.
My view on it? Well, Blogger isn’t the only weblog making tool around, and MT and GreyMatter, amongst others, have substantial numbers of users. So is Google going to get a total handle on weblogging du jour by tapping into that traffic? If they really wanted to do that, wouldn’t they buy into a blog aggregator or even set up their own? No, I think Google must have something else up their sleeve, but I’m at a loss to think what it is. Certainly there could be advantages in incorporating data skimmed from weblogs into the Google system, but I’m at a loss as to how this could be done effectively, or even if such data is desirable, when it is so very unfiltered.
Perhaps they see blogging as a money making opportunity, and buying the most established service provider (which neatly comes with blogspot.com included) is a fast track way to get into that market. Blogging continues to grow at an awesome rate, and contrary to doom-laden talk from certain quarters that crops up from time to time, shows no sign of being replaced by anything or running out of steam. Rather, it tends to gradually develop new forms (not mutate, as the old forms persist) that run along and become developed further.
It should be a help to Blogger users, at least it will be if Google invest in server capacity and free the Pyra team from keeping the system afloat to allow them to develop new, better and more robust systems and features. What impact it will have on the charging structure for BloggerPro is anyone’s guess. I’m not so sure that Blogger, in its current forms, is likely to be adopted as a mainstream product for professional and business content management. I think that will most likely be catered for by bespoke systems and the likes of Atomz Publish.
The last question must be - does it really matter? Probably not, is the honest answer. In a period of days which have seen some of the biggest anti-war rallies in history, the death of over 100 people on the Korean subway and Brighton and Hove Albion win away from home, it really isn’t likely to change much. But it does give bloggers something to talk about.

So far today, I’ve written about a sick cat, porn, blogging and fantasy football, and not a single comment is forthcoming from any of the usual suspects. Maybe I need to write about cheese instead?

Interesting. Type "grayblog" into this search engine, and this page doesn’t show up in the results at all. But radio grayblog does. How odd.

You’re all itching to learn what I did on Sunday, aren’t you? I can tell these things - you’re so transparent.
Well, I hauled my arse out of bed far to early in the day for what should have been a leisurely Sunday, and took the train via Littlehampton, Clapham and Richmond to Kew Gardens, where I met up with long-time e-chum Rachel. After coffee and peoplewatching in the Kew Greenhouse cafe by the station, we ambled down to the gardens themselves. As you might expect, I’m a hardened Kew veteran, but it was Rachel’s first visit, so we started out by heading around the front of Museum Number 1 and the lake to the Princess of Wales House, where a fantastic display of orchids, both plants and cut flowers, were on display as part of the Ninth Annual Kew Orchid Festival. Even horticultural luddites should find something there of interest, and it’s on until 16 March, so try to get there if you have the opportunity.
The Princess of Wales House is an impressive structure with advanced climate control systems that result in each "room" mimicking different climatic conditions, allowing a massive variety of plants to be grown under one roof. But, for me, it doesn’t have the great romance that the other houses at Kew have. So, after walking through the Rock Garden (too early to see much here) and the Order Beds (the area for hortigeeks™) we ambled up to the Palm House. It’s an utterly fantastic building, full of lush sweaty greenness. We walked around the floor level, the marine display in the old boiler rooms in the basement and enjoyed the unique views that can be had on the upper walkway.
After a break for lunch, we took in the Temperate House. Again, a detailed exploration was called for, at both ground and upper levels. Rachel produced her camera and got this particularly gruesome picture of me with Rhododendron veitchianum.

I got some pics too, but they are on film, so will have to wait for processing and scanning.
The thing with Kew is that there is just soooo much. We headed on to the Evolution House (which I remember as the Australian House in my youth), the Holly Collection, the Japanese Garden, the Pagoda, Syon Vista, the Orangery, the Ice House and finally back to the bookshop (which was little disappointing). We rewarded our efforts as we left the gardens at sunset by heading to a nearby pub for refreshment, before saying goodbye and heading back home.
An excellent day - getting some good horticultural therapy in at a great gardening mecca, plus some good exercise walking all around the extensive gardens and arboretum - all in the company of a good friend. Can’t ask for more than that, I reckon.

BBC News has a new look. I don’t think it is as good as the old version - I preferred being able to see story summaries on the front page, rather than having to click through to a new page to get an idea of the news content. Whilst the new version downloads more quickly and there is less scrolling, I think the advantages are outweighed by the disadvantages.

qB has asked in the comments if my pimping jacket was made from the hides of orangutans. I can report that it is made only from the finest fur of lesbian Japanese macaques.
That’ll stir up a few strange referrals. The link is work-safe, btw.

Should we support Namibia for the rest of the cricket World Cup?

At times, the generosity of people astounds me. Ages and ages ago, I heard some music on John Peel’s show. It was entitled Heidika_1, and John said that if you sent an email to an address he gave, you could get a copy of the CD for free. Well, I liked the music, so I duly sent my mail, and got a prompt reply to say that a CD would be despatched, but maybe not straight away, as they were still being produced by the artist himself.
When I got home today, a small Jiffy bag was waiting for me. Inside I found a little note to the effect of “sorry it took so long, hope you like it”. Along with that was a small polythene bag (the type with the press-seal top) containing a 8cm CD and “art book” - with numbered and personalised artwork (90/100 - for Graham Spencer) - all clearly and lovingly hand-made by someone who takes great pride in what they do. The music itself is very good, and I shall endeavour to add a track to radio grayblog.
An email of gratitude has been despatched.

Stalkers planning to buy 181 Orchard Street will need £225,000, or thereabouts. The specification is:

"Next to the city walls"?? You have to cross the main road, walk past my home, Frannie’s home and Elaine’s home to get to the walls. A bit of estate agent spin, I think. Still, it’s a nice house, great location, and offers a fine view of my bedroom, kitchen and living room windows.

Off to the accountant this morning to discuss The Project. It’s too early in the day to get my head around numbers.

I was a Dalek. Brilliant.

The Beeb is full of good stuff today - perhaps trying to make up for the lack of enthusiasm for their redesign? For example, serious news items like this one.

Seamus update: he’s better today, but has hurt his foot somehow. Whether his lacklustre disposition is the result of that is a moot point, but I took him to the vet anyway. For £53, he has had an abcess on his right front paw treated, his temperature taken, his pulse and teeth checked over, his weight recorded, and has been given a jab and a course of tablets. The verdict: apart from his paw, he’s in great shape. Good.

Pub vs staying in. Hmm. There’s beer in the fridge and it’s cold out. I think I’ll be antisocial. I may even do something useful here.

Should have linked this when it was first posted: Brian the Telephone Engineer and the Tale of the Piranha.

Curious. Today’s Telegraph contains a two-page spread by Norman Mailer, with a banner across the top of the front page to promote it, denouncing the Bush approach to international affairs, and particularly the perceived threat from Iraq and Al-Qaeda. The article has a strong anti-war message. Yet it does not appear, even in cut down form, on the Telegraph website. Instead, the website leads with the editorial "War, a necessary evil".
Draw your own conclusions.
Incidentally, if the Telegraph post the Mailer article later in the day, I’ll link it here. I don’t agree with it entirely, but it is worth reading.

VILA:
“Any very talented person could have done it.” –

Sure, you’re a slacker. Sure, you’re unreliable. Sure, you’ll take anything that’s not nailed down. And, yeah, you’re physically unimpressive. But you bring the mad skillz — even if you have to be threatened and bullied into risking danger to use them. You’d think people would appreciate you more! Where are the virgins in red fur?!

Which Season One Blakes 7 Character Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Lovely! via Servalan.

The Project has its first customer. Woo! Yay! and, indeed, Hoopla!

I think Michael Portillo is right. It certainly looks as though IDS has pressed the self destruct button on the Conservatives once again. You have to ask why he continues to pursue a confrontational stance with the substantial moderate section of the party, and persist in developing policy, making statements and forging attitudes that are so clearly at odds with the middle classes and middle ground - the areas where elections are won and lost.
This sort of thing just plays further into the hands of Charles Kennedy and the LibDems, who increasingly appear to be the only party that offer a sensible alternative to the incumbents.

Lifted from the B3ta newsletter:

Beer with Bren, Greg, Arron, Kearn, Paul F, Tanya, Jeremy, Dave, Tim, Malcolm, Sally - well, just about everyone really.
Got chatted up on the way home, which was nice for the ego. And had a discussion with a policeman who had parked his panda car right outside my flat with his blue lights shining right in the window, in a most irritating fashion.

Off to Brighton for the day (and night) for shopping, eating, drinking and possibly even dancing (but don’t tell anyone). So expect quietitude.
Life generally is pretty extraordinarily good at the moment, in just about every respect. I don’t think I’ve walked around smiling quite so much in years.

The BBC says that blogging is about to go mobile. Um…hello? I’ve been updating this site from my mobile phone for absolutely ages, at least a year, using WapBlogger.

A splendid day in Brighton yesterday in the always-fab company of Kate, resulting in the purchase of a couple of CDs, a beer on the beach between the two dysfunctional piers, and then a visit to a pub followed by much crazed bopping, with Kate’s friend Jac, to the sounds of a DJ set by Quantic, who played a fantastic new unreleased track that he is working on, and about which I had a brief chat with the man himself.

Yesterday’s other news: Brighton 1 - Millwall 0. Brighton are slowly inching to safety.

According to the 2001 census, there are 866 Jedi living in Chichester, representing 0.8% of the population. This is above the national average of 0.7% Jedi, but less than Brighton where 2.6% of respondents described their religion as Jedi. Hmm.
I, of course, described myself as atheist.

On the one hand, this post makes me want to go "Woo! Yay!" whilst, on the other, it makes me want to hurl.

I was supposed to have a date last night, but it was cancelled due to illness. Allegedly. Who can tell?
So, feeling a little miffed and disappointed, I went to bed at the ludicrously early hour of 9.45pm, slept like a log, but still felt utterly exhausted when I woke up at 7.58am, having slept through 58 minutes of Sara Cox as well as the sound of the dustmen, who always park their lorry right outside my bedroom window.

IDS should cut out the hyena impressions and generally do nothing if he wants to keep the leadership, according to Nick Assinder of the BBC. I’m also interested that the Chief Whip, David Maclean, has intervened to support IDS in an article in today’s Telegraph, and not the leopard-skin-booted Theresa May. Hmmm.
In a rare moment of lucidity, the Chingford Skinhead himself, Lord Tebbit, stated in a BBC News interview that the problem with opposition leaders is that they are always on trial until they win the election. That is true, but the volume and consistency of the criticisms of IDS must lead him to question whether he has the true support of anyone outside his cabinet (or even all of those within it). And, as is currently being shown by the PM, without that united support, you can seem weak, even if you are strong in your own convictions.

This morning’s challenge is to alter the nursery’s "Calling Circle" (the business equivalent of Friends and Family) using BT’s website, as advertised on the bill we’ve just received. However, the website helpfully suggests that I dial 152 and get an operator to do it. Grrrr.

Just had a chat with Man From NatWest, and it was good. Very good indeed. Not certain. But encouraging.

Anyone ever been to Mango in Arundel - the wine bar and restaurant? If so, what did you think?

Been working hard all day. Am now hungry. Typing builds a healthy appetite.

I’m surprised that Nico hasn’t picked up on this one. According to tonight’s PM programme on Radio 4, if the result of the current competition goes the way it seems it is going to go, land-locked Switzerland will be the host of the next America’s Cup.
(Actually, it won’t, because the rules say that the host port must open onto the sea, but let’s not let that get in the way of a good story).

It is sad to remark that if a man had achieved this, it would have been front page news, and not consigned to a tiny postage stamp sized comment in most media.

I’m drowning in work. Is life under The Project always going to be like this? At least it is quite enjoyable. The problem is that I’m holding down The Project and the nursery as well at the moment.
Could really use a holiday. Or a massage. Or someone to come round and do my laundry and cook me a lovely dinner. Or all of those things. Anyone?

I really should continue working when I get home tonight, but the urge to just flop onto the sofa and sleep will be hard to resist. Gah.

It almost brings a tear to the eye - Pioneer 10 sends her final signal.

Happiness is finding that a mistake in your financial forecasts means that your Project is actually much more viable than you previously thought. Currently celebrating with a large vodka and cranberry (and treble-checking my calculations, of course). May draft in the sister-not-in-law to look over my figures this weekend (she being of the accounting persuasion).
UPDATE: hmm. It’s a good job I’m treble checking these figures. Still, nice drink.

I’m intrigued. What are people’s thoughts on me, exactly?
Anyway, must confess that I’ve never heard of Hope of the States, and certainly have never seen them play in the city or elsewhere. Of course, only a band from Chichester would be sufficiently pretentious to include a violinist. Top marks.
Perhaps resident muso Don Eduardo could enlighten us in the comments, and use it as another opportunity to plug his own upcoming gig in The Fountain this Saturday. Either way, I shall endeavour to use my extensive Cicestrian networks to find out more.

Busy busy busy over here. Again.
However, those waiting for news on The Project will be interested to know that I can now reveal it’s name, as the domain name has been registered and I have today received the Limited Company certificate.

Yep - I have the certificate. It exists! The Project is now an entity, no longer just a concept! Woo! Yay!
So, from now on, when I talk about PFE, you’ll know what I mean. And, tomorrow morning, I’m going to go and look at a very promising-sounding office. Things are good.

Well, I can’t finish fiddling the figures on my financial forecast tonight, because I need a few facts that I have yet to find out. So I think I might take a night off and head to the bar.
I took a little detour on my way home and had a look around the outside of the building where the office is that I’m going to look at tomorrow. It isn’t going to win awards for offering a fabulous view - behind are industrial units, and in front is a car park with the new MacDonalds and cinema beyond. At the end of the building, two large chiller units are stood, each with a diesel engine driving the compressor that keeps it cool. So an office at that end of the building is a definite no-no as the droning hum could drive me mad. On the plus side, there is parking right in front, it is only a short walk from the city centre (five minutes at most) and a peek through the windows suggests that the offices are pretty well appointed, perhaps even recently refurbished. Not sure about the baguette vending machine though.

For your viewing pleasure - a gallery of old grayblog header graphics.

Well, I’ve been and looked at the office. It’s kind of ok. But not great. It’s newly converted (in fact, the conversion is still in progress), but the lack of a decent view from the windows and the hidden extras in the rental costs make it less than 100% attractive.
So the idea of having an office at the nursery is rearing its head again. I find it thoroughly disheartening - one of my minor aims has been to escape this place and have a new start in new surroundings, completely separate. I’ve been here for 15 years now, and whilst it has lots of good points, I’m just a little fed up with the place.
The trouble is, if I have an office here, it would save my fledgling business a goodly sum of money, as I’d be able to use the space rent-free, and would only have to pay the cost of materials for refurbishing the office.
Gah. I dunno.

Be warned. A grey rainy Friday afternoon combined with a large lunch may make you sleepy. If I survive awake until 5.15, it’ll be a minor miracle.

Bed sheets changed. Floor hoovered. Magazines tidied. Dinner cooking. Shortly to take a quick shower. Then BEEEEER! Yay!
I love Friday.

A quiet Friday. Beer with Kearn and later Cat. Sightings of many of the regular Nags posse.