Two important things to announce.

One, I'm still alive.

Two, I went on a date yesterday. I had a really good time and will be seeing her again.

Current Location: Home
Current Mood: happy

This afternoon my computer suddenly decided that it wasn't going to recognise my second hard disk. I admit I had opened my case with a view to putting more memory into it, but hadn't touched the disks or either the power cables or the data cables.

Still booting up it the BIOS doesn't find the second disk. (And it's a new disk too! Less than a month old, no problems, no bad sectors, no grinding noises, nothing wrong with it)

It's set as a slave on the primary IDE channel, but even when set it to master on either the primary or the secondary channels it isn't found.

Not that happy at all since the drive had all my recent TV downloads on as well as my training videos for my MCSA/MCSE studies. Plus my system back-ups.

I bet that it'll work in any other computer but right now it's just being stubborn and not working in mine!

I so need to get a new computer, the motherboard and processor are at least 6 years old and even with updating the sound & graphic cards and adding memory it's more than a little slow at times.

Who only knows when I'll have the money with which to get one though, between bills, debts, saving for New Zealand and the possibility of a Peru trip next year; I think that I might have cash to spend sometime in 2011!

Until then I'm trying to stop myself from resorting to violence on this thing and hitting it with hammers until it starts to work again!

Edited to add; solved ok now. Embarrassed that it took me more than 30 seconds to fix it too. But extra memory in place and hard disk working again. :)

Tags: computer
Current Location: Home
Current Mood: pissed off

I've got my flight information for October now

Going out

Mon 29th Sep 2008
Depart Heathrow, Terminal 3 at 2235
Arrive Hong Kong at 1750 1 day later (Hong Kong 8 hours ahead of UK)

Tue 30th Sep 2008
Depart Hong Kong at 2105
Arrive Auckland at 1255 1 day later (New Zealand 12 hours ahead of UK)

And coming back

Wed 15th Oct 2008
Depart Christchurch at 1100
Arrive Auckland at 1220
Depart Auckland at 1415
Arrive Hong Kong at 2050

Thu 16th Oct 2008
Depart Hong Kong at 0055
Arrive Heathrow, Terminal 3 at 0620

Long flights but it'll be worth it to get to go to New Zealand. All I have to do now is plan what I want to do out there and persuade my Dad to drive the motor-home to the places I want, when I want :)

Tags: holidays
Current Location: Home
Current Mood: pleased
Current Music: Tenacious D - Tribute

Last night a friend (Amy) told me that Bruce Campbell is making a rare UK appearance this year. He's appearing at the Collectormania Midlands event at the Ricoh arena in Coventry on the 1st/2nd March.

Now Amy's boyfriend Rob has his birthday on the Saturday so I'm going to assume that they will be making a flying visit on the Sunday going straight to the arena and not making a weekend/overnight visit.

I'm not sure on how many things you can get Bruce to sign but I've got at least 4 things I'd love for him to sign; my Army of Darkness DVD, my Bubba Ho-Tep DVD, If Chins could Kill book and Make Love the Bruce Campbell Way book.

Is anyone else going to this? Or thinking about going?

For my info:

Train to Cov ~£4 (return). Taxi from Cov station to Ricoh arena ~£10 (each way). Entrance to Collectormania £10 from 9am or £5 from 11am. Then cost of Autograph/photo ~£10-£25 (No confirmed price yet). Day total ~=£50 if not at max price for Autograph).

Depending on prices/times etc might get a photo/autograph from Morena Baccarin too.

Hmm Decisions, Decisions.

Tags: bruce campbell
Current Location: Home
Current Mood: planning
Current Music: Elastica - Connection

This week I've been on a computer course that I wanted to go on in order to take what will be the start of the next set in my Microsoft exams. This one was a little different than those I took in 2003 as work paid for these! Yes since I'm now working in the IT dept I get my courses and exams paid for!

For anyone who cares I took the 70-290 Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment exam. And yes I passed it too.

Not sure when work will send me on the next one, being that they're paying for it and there's a few of us in the dept I don't think I'll be sent on the next one quickly, although I'm going to try to push for it within the next 6 months at least.

Tags: exams
Current Location: Home
Current Mood: happy
Current Music: Tomoyasu Hotei - Battle Without Honor or Humanity

Thanks to everyone who gave me a card or a text. I had a really good time on Saturday so thanks especially to Amy, Sam, Darron, Tony, Wendi, Leo and Lin who all came out to play.

It's been an interesting year with it's ups and downs since this time next year, hopefully the next 12 months will be as much fun. Plus |'ve got the feeling that some friends from up here are already planning on how to embarrass me for my 30th. Yeah, like that should be fun.

Still it's always a pleasure to see those that came up and sorry to have missed those that couldn't come along. I'll have to make more of an effort next year to visit and catch up.

Tags: birthday

*Cough* Ah Yes. Only my second post of the year. Whoops.

In a quick recap. Stuff has happened. The End.

In other news, I've decided on my big holiday next year, October 08 I will be visiting New Zealand. :) I'm going with my parents and brother to celebrate my Dad's 60th and since I'm going with them, they are going to pay for the accommodation and travel; I'd only need flight and spending monies. So that's the big thing for next year.

For closer though, I'm still looking forward to seeing some of you again this year (20th Oct), if I've not managed to see you yet then I really need to get around to seeing you.

This post was brought to you by the letters F & G and the number IV.

Current Mood: happy
Current Music: Green Day - Basketcase

Just a note that I went for an internal job on the Helpdesk and I got news this afternoon that I got it.
So a grade increase and a pay rise.

A good day.

And have just watched Kagemusha by Akira Kurosawa with Tony. With wine.

This too is good.

I had a really great time this weekend, I'd like to thank Sam, Amy, Tony, Wendi, Lin, Leo, Steph, Elayna, Dan and Alieen for being able to make it.

Eventually Sam and Amy were able to make it from Cambridge due to starting out late so joined us in the pub for some food and drink. Lin, Leo and Steph had to leave just as Elayna was arriving so at least they had a chance to say hi.

Bowling was then the evening entertainment and it was a good couple of games that everyone seemed to enjoy.

After a brief stop over at Tony's the few people that were staying at mine headed to bed, although that took longer than expected due to my housemates not being completely reasonable, even though I'd told them several times that people would be sleeping over on the sofa bed.

Sunday was much more chilled and relaxed with us making it into town for about 1 o'clock meeting up with Wendi again. While Sam and Amy looked around the fair held in Nightingales club, Tony and I (along with Alison from my work) went for coffee. Sam and Amy soon joined us as did Wendi as well as (yet another) Karen and her husband Mark.

Soon everyone went their separate ways and after a curry with Tony later that evening I soon finished my celebration of my 28th.

I'd like to thank anyone who sent cards or texts as well as those who were able to come and see me.

Tags: birthday
Current Location: Home
Current Mood: happy
Current Music: Sin City Soundtrack

I love my parents. :)

They have too many timeshare points to use next year and have said that I can use them.

So I, together with a few friends, will hopefully be off to Rome in April and to Prague in July(ish) for a long weekend city break.

So that means that only have to pay flights as hotels would be paid for by the points

AND

They are planning on either going to New Zealand or Canada in 2008 and if I want to, I can go with them and again hotels will be paid for.

Not been away since 2004 so it's nice that 2007 and 2008 are looking good for me.

Tags: holidays
Current Mood: happy
Current Music: Rolling Stones - Sympathy for the Devil