Friday, December 10, 2004

YES, IT'S THE STATUTORY "SORRY, I HAVEN'T BLOGGED IN A WHILE" POST

1. First on the list of excuses, is the technical difficulties at Donut Towers. My 4 year old laptop is playing up like only a 4 year old laptop can. I suspect an imminent hard drive failure as I'm experiencing lock-up or should that be lock-down. There's also probably an issue with my recently downloaded firewall probably conflicting with a rather unstable copy of Norton Anti-Virus. Uninstaller won't uninstall NAV.

2. What's left of my brain is in a holding pattern somewhere over Western Flanders. Yesterday's Brussels trip was a good argument for not travelling to Brussels by plane. It's a 40 minute flight, but the block time (that's the time the plane leaves the terminal to the time it reaches the terminal at the other end) is an hour and 10 minutes. Freezing fog and general Belgian-ness meant we "pushed back" then spent more than an hour parked on the tarmac at Heathrow. Take off - hurrah! Only, we got stuck 15 minutes out from Zaventum (why do airports always have horrid names). The fog hadn't cleared and Captain Over told us that we'd have to circle for 1 hour and 10 minutes. And, we had only enough fuel for an hour of circling. Groans in the cabin: but, I thought I might get a day off back in London! I didn't. We landed just over an hour later - 3 hours and 35 minutes after leaving the terminal at Heathrow.

3. Life sucks. My dad is still in hospital. We're hoping he will get out soon so that he can be back with mum. My mum is already in care. Looks like we're going to have to find a permanent care home for both of them raising financial and other issues. I'm travelling to see both of them every Saturday. So, I don't get much free time anymore. (Which is why I'm blogging when I should be working.)

4. Merry Christmas, War is Over. I don't celebrate the former and the latter isn't true. It's not an excuse, but hey I thought I'd get in the seasonal, "bah humbug" spirit.

5. This blog lives on your visits. But, this blog needs daily posts. That's my New Year resolution, only I don't go in for that stuff either.

6. Work goes on to compile one of those "101 things" things. Look forward to all you need to know about this blogger. As a taster:

Number 34, Most embarrassing moment? Probably: Dhaka, large gin & tonics after Tiger Beers, false tooth, month or so following speaking with a lisp.

8. There are a couple more letters in the musical alphabet project. It's been good to listen some stuff I haven't heard in ages such as today's helping of the Finn with coke bottle glasses, Edward Vesala. He even qualifies as a crazy Finn.

7. Last I heard, the National Hockey league lockout continues. Meanwhile, lots of NHL players are earning money in leagues around Europe. I hear that the North American Minor Leagues are playing. So, does anyone care that the NHL is absent? And, I read the other day that somebody is trying to resurrect the World Hockey Association. Do you think Gordie Howe will make a comeback?

Okay, that's enough lame excuses. Back to work...

:: Posted by pete @ 14:16