I’m not at work today, or tommorow, or Friday. That’s because I’m at the Institutional Web Management Workshop 2005 , a conference for academic web developers. Its being held at Manchester University, which is a bit sad since I was fancying going somewhere else, but I’m staying overnight to network. I promise not to drink to much beer.

No really.

Bumped into the lovely Linda on the train home from Manchester last night. Had a good natter about life and her upcoming nuptials to keefybabe. Then when we got into Leeds met up with keefybabe and went to Work. which is a strange name for a pub near the trainstation. It was cool to catch up and I’m looking forward to the wedding this weekend 🙂

Well the old Pentinum 3 Rach uses to do her work is playing up. Win 98, never the most stable of beasts is playing up, so my monster machine has moved out of the attic so she can use it to do her dissertation on it.

My inner 15 year old did much stropping about this and it does see the end of the attic as my ivory tower, a retreat from the world and my problems were I could isolate myself from my problems and game. I’m calm almost serene about it now. I see it as a posistive move, becoming more socialble, less dependant on my PC for entertainment. It will allow me to sort out the attic, since I won’t be distracted by my uber gaming machine. This is a job which is long over due. Saying all this I’m moving Rach’s machine upstairs, and reinstalling. What I’m not sure? The technogeek in me thinks Linux, since I’m going to use the machine to write my Roleplaying stuff and do some web design, things that are infinately more creative than playing online shooters. Also I have the little matter of a scenario book I said I would write still outstanding. With Rach concentrating on her dissertation I should use this as an opportunity to put in the hours writting this beast.

Saying this I’ve still got my partition on Monstro (my pc) and blast things up with the best of them when Rach is at work, out or having a lay in. All in the comfort of the lounge 🙂

You might think this another sad and geeky post about computers, but actually it is about a fundamental shift in my attitude. Away from ‘this is mine do not touch” to a more reasonable “hey lets pool resources and make the most of it”.

Well I’ve got it done my job application. Its gone off in the post, both snail and electronic. I forgot how much work doing one of these bad boys was. What on the surface looks like a straight forward fill in the box type job, turns into an emotional roller coaster which brings into harsh perspective your sucessess and failures in jobs present and past. I especially love that wonderful moment of doubt, usually when you get half way though the Additional Supporting Information section, were your whole sense of worthiness to apply for the job just falters and collapses.

Well its done and sent. Forget it.

Now onto the next task.

I’ve never bought a car before. There’s a very simple reason for this. I can’t drive. However now as part of a married couple I get to make decisions on this sort of thing. So while the rest of the chaps were whooping it up on keefybabe’s stag do in Edinburgh, I was off looking at cars with Rach and her parents.

Adventures in buying a car

I am hot sweaty mass.

All currently I know is that

• Zoe the content goddess will kill ME If I Use Capitials In Titles.
• i love class=”darkgreytext”
• I’m applying for a new job soon which makes me happy (more money, more of a developer role) and sad (like my current job and colleagues) at the same time.

Today I am two people.

One who is cracking on with work. Efficiently prioritising tasks and communicating well with colleagues.

One who is too warm, easily distracted and just wants to stare out the window.

Guess which one is typing this entry?

UPDATE: Fortunatly the Decisive focused mindset won the battle of the psyche after lunch, so today has been a very productive day!

I’m avoiding doing any work.

Must stop now before someone notices.

Started nice and slow with a quiet night in on Friday. Which I really needed.

Saturday Woke up reasonably early and wasted the rest of the day playing Guildwars. In the evening me and Rach went to Linda’s Hag night at bar Pacific. Lots of alcohol was downed and caught up with a shed load of people which was really nice. The best night out this year so far.

Me and Rachel ,photo by grannyannie

Sunday. Both me and Rach were hideously hung over all day. Resolutions were made to never drink so much ever again. More playing of Guildwars (my character reached 9th Level!) and general tea drinking.