I really ought to update this site. But I don't seem to have the time. So, here are a few tidbits for fun:

1. Check out Mal's blog: always worth a read.


2. Become agape when I mention that Linux lived up to its reputation today as a fun but scarily stable operating system. Apart from giving the obligatory groaning fit when I tried to change the hardware underneath it, Linux quite quickly came back to a working state... even though most of the code that is now being run on a new box is about 6 years old!


3. Be thankful that DaveB was around to make me feel like I was useful while he fixed my mail server


4. Be afraid, be very afraid... not sure what of, though

Ludwig Van Beethoven, 1827: "I shall hear in heaven."

Shooting Stars is back! Woohoo!

Suffering slightly
But complaining to noone
A will to endure

A new haiku - read this one a few times over:

A depressed person
In their cycle of self hate
Perpetually

Finally, they got rid of Rosie (F***ing) Ribbons from Pop Idol. The girl had to go. This evening's performance, where Ms Ribbons sang in nearly every key but the right one, showed how weak the girl is. The fact that 16 year old Zoe can turn in a mature and confident performance shows up the tired old hasbeen that is Ms I-Wanna-Be-Mariah-Carey Ribbons.

Abba songs are hard to reproduce. This evening's performances showed that, but certain performers rose to the challenge. I never thought I'd have much good to say about Gareth Gates, but well done lad! Zoe, you're a star. Darius... I'm keen for you to do better.

I think I have problems with people called Laura. We have:

• Laura from Pop Idol - shite
• Laura at work (now gone) - poisonous bitch
• Laura a business colleague (ex) - thieving backstabber...

Parents - think of better names, Laura just doesn't do it for me.

Ironically, ten years after orthodontists tried to make my lower teeth fit behind my uppers, I visited an orthodontist to get an appliance which makes my lower jaw sit forward - for sleeping... maybe I should have just left well alone - I may have had a happier childhood!

Well blow me... I won the lottery this evening. I'll not let it change my life, though.

Has anyone else noticed that Windows 2000's CD Player is incapable of finding any track information for any CD from the internet?

Laura has finally been thrown out of Pop Idol - it's about 3 weeks too late, but it had to happen.

I really didn't need yesterday's hassles. A freezing cold office made me very jumpy. The trip to the doctor's surgery made things worse. Sitting for nearly an hour (despite having an appointment) was bad enough, but there were two things in the surgery which really did my head in:

• An early teenager playing with the annoying kiddies' toy
• The ambient music, which was a session group singing hits from the sixties

Never before have such apparently cheerful things depressed me so much!

Tip of the day: Keep copies of everything - I have!

I started the day badly. I gave directions to the law courts to someone - I even included the phrase "Oh, I wouldn't go this way" - it was later that I realised that she was probably headed for the courts that can be found in her original direction - I sent her to some completely different ones. Whoops!

I hear that imitation is the greatest form of compliment. Plagiarism might be something else, though.

I'm utterly freezing...

The Aaron Bayley debate hits The Star newspaper...

Check out the alternative PopIdol site.