Been learning Unity5, I've dabbled with Unity on an off over the years, but never full on taken the plunge and "got into it".
Its a very nice package for a lot of great ideas, but as a coder it just does not make me feel very satisfied... I can do some nice things via the scripts but the overall lack of feeling I'm in control of the whole process makes me feel a little underwhelmed
I suppose I should learn how to write plugins for it, that will make it lot easier to actually feel that I'm doing something meaty with it.
Its not that its a bad package, far from it, its an absolute miracle of modern engine development....but I can't help thinking that I want it to do more, than what it does..I feel limited...even though I wholeheartedly agree I'm no where near imaginative enough to even test Unity's limits
And maybe that's it....Its really a package for people who want to write a game...something they've thought up, can explore their world in, and make it happen, really easy...
As a coder I get my satisfaction from taking a problem and getting it working....Unity does that for me...so where are my problems to solve....I'm not and never have been a game designer, so for me I feel I have little to do.
oh well....I have to become much more proficient in it, to aid students who are going to be spending the next block at least using it...the last thing I want is for students to ask, how do I do this...and me not know.....
only 6 hours will wine o'clock and I'll feel a bit happier about it then.
Ahthankyew
Tuesday, 24 November 2015
Thursday, 19 November 2015
Sad state of the planet
The Paris attacks are still dominating the news, the media being what they are, are not saying a lot about attacks happening elsewhere in the world, but the fact is the world is a sick and twisted place, people are living in fear and dread of what the lunatics will do next.
Its too easy to blame Muslims,Christians, Jews,Hindus, or even bizarrely Buddhists who are now deciding its a good idea to harm other people.....its nothing to do with religion!
For the most part this is a socioeconomic issue. The poor are hungry and need food they see others wasting, the ignorant are uneducated and grasp for knowledge they feel is the truth, and the powerful, exploit all they can for their own gain, keeping people diverted while they rob and steal and consolidate their power
Religion is often used as a means to exploit the poor and ignorant, given the extent of the harm people do in religons name its hard to see those who manipulate the masses from the pulpits as men of god, they are just exploiters, themselves often exploited, every bit as bad as the political Tsars and dictators in their offices.
Religion isn't the cause of this madness, it certainly fuels it, and feeds the madness, and we'd be so much better off without the delusion of sky fairies approving of the brutal acts we commit in their names. But its not the cause
But the cause is, as I said, the fact we have poor and ignorant people. On a planet where we're more than capable of feeding and educating everyone, with the means to do so via global communication and infrastructure that allows mass mobility.. We can educate and feed everyone. We can raise everyone's standard of living, we can demonstrate and in time convince everyone of the oneness of humanity and the simple beauty of knowledge. We can do all that...in a matter of a few years if there is a will.
But instead we focus on our differences, our homelands, our language, our skin colour anything that makes us different.
Our tribalism is deeply ingrained in our dna, that we trust no-one who looks or sounds a bit different, or worst has different delusional views on what happens when we die...
And this is just one more self important opinion on an internet full of self important opinions, none of which are listened to, and soon there will be another atrocity, in the name of a non existent god, planned by a deluded nutter, who will be doing the will of someone who's agenda is for themselves.......
We're seriously a fucked up species...our end must be near..
Ahthankyew
Its too easy to blame Muslims,Christians, Jews,Hindus, or even bizarrely Buddhists who are now deciding its a good idea to harm other people.....its nothing to do with religion!
For the most part this is a socioeconomic issue. The poor are hungry and need food they see others wasting, the ignorant are uneducated and grasp for knowledge they feel is the truth, and the powerful, exploit all they can for their own gain, keeping people diverted while they rob and steal and consolidate their power
Religion is often used as a means to exploit the poor and ignorant, given the extent of the harm people do in religons name its hard to see those who manipulate the masses from the pulpits as men of god, they are just exploiters, themselves often exploited, every bit as bad as the political Tsars and dictators in their offices.
Religion isn't the cause of this madness, it certainly fuels it, and feeds the madness, and we'd be so much better off without the delusion of sky fairies approving of the brutal acts we commit in their names. But its not the cause
But the cause is, as I said, the fact we have poor and ignorant people. On a planet where we're more than capable of feeding and educating everyone, with the means to do so via global communication and infrastructure that allows mass mobility.. We can educate and feed everyone. We can raise everyone's standard of living, we can demonstrate and in time convince everyone of the oneness of humanity and the simple beauty of knowledge. We can do all that...in a matter of a few years if there is a will.
But instead we focus on our differences, our homelands, our language, our skin colour anything that makes us different.
Our tribalism is deeply ingrained in our dna, that we trust no-one who looks or sounds a bit different, or worst has different delusional views on what happens when we die...
And this is just one more self important opinion on an internet full of self important opinions, none of which are listened to, and soon there will be another atrocity, in the name of a non existent god, planned by a deluded nutter, who will be doing the will of someone who's agenda is for themselves.......
We're seriously a fucked up species...our end must be near..
Ahthankyew
Sunday, 8 November 2015
Nice weekend...sorta
Been cooking.
I've filled the freezer again with a months worth of food, Curry, Mince and Tatties,, Mac & Cheese. There's still pasta and stew in there, I suppose I should make sure older meals rise to the top so they don't end up getting missed out when I play freezer lottery.
I've also started to take a meal with me to work, I really do enjoy having a nice hot (microwaves are great) meal at lunch, instead of the never ending and rather expensive sandwiches.
It also saves me an absolute fortune on food. One thing I discovered last year was that I waste a freaking fortune on food. Not all of which gets eaten, or it often ends up in the freezer for a year.
If not I was eating far too much takeaway, 2 even 3 times a week, at 15 euro's a pop....nearly 50 quid a week..
But doing this freezer lottery idea has been brilliant, meals work out as only a few euro's each and its all home cooked stuff, ready to nuke as soon as I get home. The only limit is it needs to be a 1 pot style meal, hence curries and stews...but since I like that kind of food, its not a problen
Means I have a lot more money to spend on booze!!!
Ahthankyew
I've filled the freezer again with a months worth of food, Curry, Mince and Tatties,, Mac & Cheese. There's still pasta and stew in there, I suppose I should make sure older meals rise to the top so they don't end up getting missed out when I play freezer lottery.
I've also started to take a meal with me to work, I really do enjoy having a nice hot (microwaves are great) meal at lunch, instead of the never ending and rather expensive sandwiches.
It also saves me an absolute fortune on food. One thing I discovered last year was that I waste a freaking fortune on food. Not all of which gets eaten, or it often ends up in the freezer for a year.
If not I was eating far too much takeaway, 2 even 3 times a week, at 15 euro's a pop....nearly 50 quid a week..
But doing this freezer lottery idea has been brilliant, meals work out as only a few euro's each and its all home cooked stuff, ready to nuke as soon as I get home. The only limit is it needs to be a 1 pot style meal, hence curries and stews...but since I like that kind of food, its not a problen
Means I have a lot more money to spend on booze!!!
Ahthankyew
Friday, 6 November 2015
TFI Friday
What a week, busy as fuck, so much time spent with students, several cock ups and getting home exhausted, but at least no actual school work to do when I get home. V2 is proving to be very intense 9-5 but so much easier during my own time.
Am just heading off to work now, hopefully a quieter sort of day, followed by several beverages of an alcoholic nature after work...
Ahthankyew
Am just heading off to work now, hopefully a quieter sort of day, followed by several beverages of an alcoholic nature after work...
Ahthankyew
Saturday, 31 October 2015
Still seeking ....something
I had a strange evening last night, I met up with Brenda to give her some things of hers I'd found, though I stupidly forgot to take the bag of LED lights she'd asked me specifically for. I did get the photos I found on an SD card transferred to more usable USB and CD
Such a strange evening, we went for a meal, and of course it was awkward, I can't deny my feelings for her have not diminished at all in the last 11 months, She looked amazing as always, and her smile still made my heart flutter, though she didn't smile as much as I remember, as much as I've tried to move on this women still occupies all my waking thoughts.....sad innit
As always the problem is that she simply doesn't feel the same way, she's not really moved on per-se but she's also not interested in going back...strange sort of limbo we both seem to be in. I was left feeling incredibly sad at the loss of this relationship that shaped my life and offered so much promise, and that some of the consequences of my bad handling of what was a minor argument could cause so much pain, to both of us.
I'd give anything to try to fix it, but its not up to me, thats also more reasons to be sad.
I don't know why I'm posting this, its not as if she's ever going to read it, or understand, I just felt I should...after all the whole point of this is to document how I feel about things, good bad or plain sad
Maybe I just need more time, 5 or 6 years might do it.
Ahthankyew
Such a strange evening, we went for a meal, and of course it was awkward, I can't deny my feelings for her have not diminished at all in the last 11 months, She looked amazing as always, and her smile still made my heart flutter, though she didn't smile as much as I remember, as much as I've tried to move on this women still occupies all my waking thoughts.....sad innit
As always the problem is that she simply doesn't feel the same way, she's not really moved on per-se but she's also not interested in going back...strange sort of limbo we both seem to be in. I was left feeling incredibly sad at the loss of this relationship that shaped my life and offered so much promise, and that some of the consequences of my bad handling of what was a minor argument could cause so much pain, to both of us.
I'd give anything to try to fix it, but its not up to me, thats also more reasons to be sad.
I don't know why I'm posting this, its not as if she's ever going to read it, or understand, I just felt I should...after all the whole point of this is to document how I feel about things, good bad or plain sad
Maybe I just need more time, 5 or 6 years might do it.
Ahthankyew
Thursday, 29 October 2015
Work+Drink = .....
Surprising results
Been doing a lot of very nice coding work, some to help students and some for me
Hope I didn't put any drunk comments in the students work..
I've shown you this a fuckign thousand times and you're still my Bessie mate
or something!
Ahthankyew
Been doing a lot of very nice coding work, some to help students and some for me
Hope I didn't put any drunk comments in the students work..
I've shown you this a fuckign thousand times and you're still my Bessie mate
or something!
Ahthankyew
Monday, 26 October 2015
bollloxxx
can't sleep, chronic insomnia has made me nocturnal....
very fed up
probably need to stop doing this to myself
Ahthankyew
very fed up
probably need to stop doing this to myself
Ahthankyew
Sunday, 18 October 2015
Earworms...and the danger of insufficient skills
I've got 2 songs rattling around in my head. I can't get rid of them 1 old one new.
Time in a Bottle, and V. Bozemans What is love.
Time I can play pretty well though the guitar is a bit tricky, lots of arpeggios and up and down the neck, but its do-able, but can't really sing it well enough, and every attempt to record it has failed..miserably, either the singing is crap which has been the case since the mega cold (or since birth), or I mess up the guitar.. Many attempts, but nothing I want to publish on YouTube yet.
The other has an odd timing that throws me on the simple chords, I would be mad to even attempt to sing....but its soooo cool I really want to..but can't sing like an R&B queen...I wonder if a folk version would work ;) maybe a ska version...oh oh, a heavy death metal version?
I will keep trying, if I get one of them sounding decent I'll be happy, then maybe they will get out of my head and get forgotten.
Ahthankyew
Time in a Bottle, and V. Bozemans What is love.
Time I can play pretty well though the guitar is a bit tricky, lots of arpeggios and up and down the neck, but its do-able, but can't really sing it well enough, and every attempt to record it has failed..miserably, either the singing is crap which has been the case since the mega cold (or since birth), or I mess up the guitar.. Many attempts, but nothing I want to publish on YouTube yet.
The other has an odd timing that throws me on the simple chords, I would be mad to even attempt to sing....but its soooo cool I really want to..but can't sing like an R&B queen...I wonder if a folk version would work ;) maybe a ska version...oh oh, a heavy death metal version?
I will keep trying, if I get one of them sounding decent I'll be happy, then maybe they will get out of my head and get forgotten.
Ahthankyew
Friday, 9 October 2015
Must avoid ranting!
I have a tendency to be a bit too passionate about things I care for... that makes me a little vocal when people say things I don't agree with, no, I need to rephrase that...people say lots of things I don't agree with, and I don't bat an eyelid, so its not that.
Its when people extoll an at odds with me, moral view of something, or a blatantly false view...and then make some claim about it being an opinion or a fact when it clearly isnt'..
Something's will always be subjective... Like, music, sports, even religion, the great unmentionables at a party...But ones view on politics, is interesting, it is subjective but also very telling, the morality that takes you towards a particular political view can be quite disturbing.
I've got into a bit of a political rant on Facebook, with some rather well to do, affluent business types, (I mixed with a lot of affluent business types back in the day when I was, for a short time at least, also an affluent business type). Who are banging on and on about the new Labour leader, (Jeremy Corbyn for those of you reading 3 years from now, when he may we have been replaced) being a ...well you name it, the bullshit that comes some people (including Cameron) makes me roll my eyes in wonder at the manipulative nonsense politics has become
These are mainly very intelligent savvy people, who got to be rich and affluent by being intelligent and savvy, but have lost all connection with reality and are jumping on the bandwagon to undermine and bray at Labour and their perceived enemies, "the left" like donkeys..
I tried at one point to highlight the extraordinary hypocrisy and duplicity of their own poster boys, the Conservative party, and of course, just like religion they don't listen, taking more time to continue to bray and run down any who don't agree with them.
They extoll the virtues of the free market, and trickle down economy as the only way to make the world a better place, and find it odd when I suggest business above all has not made the world a better place (materially maybe but socially...no) something that's been in place in UK and US for some 30 years now, and clearly does not work...for the majority. Those at the top, they clearly do fine, and even laugh at my suggestion that the world we live in now is considerably worse that it was in the early 80's, because ..well, we have a better standard of living now...Do we?
Pointing out that; the UK has no industry any more, no natural resource harvesting (aside from oil which benefits only the oil companies, I see no cheap petrol in the stations), no steel, no coal, no meaningful lumber, no fishing, no national car/truck industry..no manufacturing industry of any note.
NHS in crisis, social services at breaking point, crime of all levels at record levels, job security is non existent. High streets are full of pound shops and windows are boarded. Prisons are full, long term unemployment is endemic. That children leave school illiterate and those that aren't can't afford to pay for university education, so end up in debt.
That there are no meaningful council house building programs, whose tenants now must rely on the mercy of landlords who inflate the cost to screw the government/taxpayers.
That the levels of extreme and moderate poverty are higher than ever, causing even more crime, making the population more and more insular and afraid.
That council cutbacks mean streets are no longer clean or well maintained, roads are slow to be repaired.
That personal debt has never been higher, and peoples debts are traded!!
That national infrastructure is crumbling with motorways constantly under repair and only investment funded (and therefore a return required) options remain, years after the privatising of rail, we've seen no benefit to the traveller..
We see a culture no longer based on the rewards of hard work, but on an ever avaricious desire to take money from people, chasing profit above all other concerns and blaming others when we don't get to buy the latest replacement for our 200" wall mounted OLED screens. Consumer hunger being fed constantly with a wave of media hype and lifestyle expectations.
We live in constant fear of terror, due to successive right and right leaning governments determination to distract the population with wars and threats to stability, mismanagement of foreign policy on extraordinary scales and distortions of fact that would make Herr Goebbels proud.
And the worst thing of all....reality TV....well maybe not the worse but its pretty bad.
There's a 100+ more things I could add here but I have work get on with.
Pointing all this out.....do we really really live in a better world than we did in the 80's?
Some do, and they've never had it so good....Sadly...the majority don't... Its time we put an end to the madness....
The rise of the right wing nutjobs all over Europe has made 1 phrase popular for all the wrong reasons. Its time we took our country back....a phrase that has an ugly and hate filled meaning when Britain First and other sicko groups use it.
But it is time we took our countries back...from the greed and selfishness that is grinding them down and turning us into fodder to keep them well fed.
By the way, one of the main causes of my ire was due to Cameron and his spin machine quite deliberately twisting something Corbyn said during a discussion....here's an image to explain
What Cameron, or rather his speech writers with his blessing did was highlight a small part of that intelligent well thought out statement out of context...to paint Corbyn as something he clearly isn't'.
Context......removing it really is a tragedy!
Ahthankyew
Its when people extoll an at odds with me, moral view of something, or a blatantly false view...and then make some claim about it being an opinion or a fact when it clearly isnt'..
Something's will always be subjective... Like, music, sports, even religion, the great unmentionables at a party...But ones view on politics, is interesting, it is subjective but also very telling, the morality that takes you towards a particular political view can be quite disturbing.
I've got into a bit of a political rant on Facebook, with some rather well to do, affluent business types, (I mixed with a lot of affluent business types back in the day when I was, for a short time at least, also an affluent business type). Who are banging on and on about the new Labour leader, (Jeremy Corbyn for those of you reading 3 years from now, when he may we have been replaced) being a ...well you name it, the bullshit that comes some people (including Cameron) makes me roll my eyes in wonder at the manipulative nonsense politics has become
These are mainly very intelligent savvy people, who got to be rich and affluent by being intelligent and savvy, but have lost all connection with reality and are jumping on the bandwagon to undermine and bray at Labour and their perceived enemies, "the left" like donkeys..
I tried at one point to highlight the extraordinary hypocrisy and duplicity of their own poster boys, the Conservative party, and of course, just like religion they don't listen, taking more time to continue to bray and run down any who don't agree with them.
They extoll the virtues of the free market, and trickle down economy as the only way to make the world a better place, and find it odd when I suggest business above all has not made the world a better place (materially maybe but socially...no) something that's been in place in UK and US for some 30 years now, and clearly does not work...for the majority. Those at the top, they clearly do fine, and even laugh at my suggestion that the world we live in now is considerably worse that it was in the early 80's, because ..well, we have a better standard of living now...Do we?
Pointing out that; the UK has no industry any more, no natural resource harvesting (aside from oil which benefits only the oil companies, I see no cheap petrol in the stations), no steel, no coal, no meaningful lumber, no fishing, no national car/truck industry..no manufacturing industry of any note.
NHS in crisis, social services at breaking point, crime of all levels at record levels, job security is non existent. High streets are full of pound shops and windows are boarded. Prisons are full, long term unemployment is endemic. That children leave school illiterate and those that aren't can't afford to pay for university education, so end up in debt.
That there are no meaningful council house building programs, whose tenants now must rely on the mercy of landlords who inflate the cost to screw the government/taxpayers.
That the levels of extreme and moderate poverty are higher than ever, causing even more crime, making the population more and more insular and afraid.
That council cutbacks mean streets are no longer clean or well maintained, roads are slow to be repaired.
That personal debt has never been higher, and peoples debts are traded!!
That national infrastructure is crumbling with motorways constantly under repair and only investment funded (and therefore a return required) options remain, years after the privatising of rail, we've seen no benefit to the traveller..
We see a culture no longer based on the rewards of hard work, but on an ever avaricious desire to take money from people, chasing profit above all other concerns and blaming others when we don't get to buy the latest replacement for our 200" wall mounted OLED screens. Consumer hunger being fed constantly with a wave of media hype and lifestyle expectations.
We live in constant fear of terror, due to successive right and right leaning governments determination to distract the population with wars and threats to stability, mismanagement of foreign policy on extraordinary scales and distortions of fact that would make Herr Goebbels proud.
And the worst thing of all....reality TV....well maybe not the worse but its pretty bad.
There's a 100+ more things I could add here but I have work get on with.
Pointing all this out.....do we really really live in a better world than we did in the 80's?
Some do, and they've never had it so good....Sadly...the majority don't... Its time we put an end to the madness....
The rise of the right wing nutjobs all over Europe has made 1 phrase popular for all the wrong reasons. Its time we took our country back....a phrase that has an ugly and hate filled meaning when Britain First and other sicko groups use it.
But it is time we took our countries back...from the greed and selfishness that is grinding them down and turning us into fodder to keep them well fed.
By the way, one of the main causes of my ire was due to Cameron and his spin machine quite deliberately twisting something Corbyn said during a discussion....here's an image to explain
Now what Corbyn said made perfect sense and was a comment on the tragedy of the situation in the middle east, idiotic wars, creating tensions and terror as well as the abandonment of the rule of law...quite right that is a tragedy...its a tragedy that a modern democratic country is behaving this way. A trial and verdict demonstrates the right way to do it, but instead we simply behave like the people we are condemning. Soon we can happily let governments kill people so long as we all know they are bad...hmmmm
Well context is a bitch...the internet has decided it will explain that to Mr Cameron.
Context......removing it really is a tragedy!
Ahthankyew
Saturday, 3 October 2015
Back to some music, and hating my mac...
No more health updates...I'm sick of reporting that I'm sick...I am..but who cares...I am slowly getting better
Which has brought me back upstairs to the music room, which has fallen into a bit of disrepair after 2 months almost no use...Time to make some new videos, after I clean up..
I also decided to use a bit of surprising spare cash following a drop in my mortgage to invest in a full copy of Abelton live..I get a 40% discount as a teacher so its not too bad.
I have seen lots of people using this, and after buying a Novation launchpad a few months ago its time to make some proper use of the puppy...assuming of course I can get the flaming mac to run fast enough.
Ever since the last OS X upgrade, the thing has been running like treacle, which is upsetting as it was a perfectly fine little machine for music before. I am hoping the music packages themselves are not suffering from slow down..We'll soon find out
I also have logic pro 9 on this mac which is fantastic in partnership with my m_Audo Project Mix interface...I now have a pair of Novation midi controllers, a fantastic 8 channel interface, two top of the line pieces of recording software used by the best artists in the business to create wonderful music...............I have no idea how to use them...damn they are complex!
and I'm supposed to be a tech person?
Anyway Ableton is basically a live performance piece of software, and Logic is for studio quality work (yeah like thats gonna happen), I want to see if I can make something decent with them.
once I work though the tutorials which are leaving me befuddled on the 1st pages.
I'm screwed....But I'll muddle along and see if I can do anything with them...if at first you don't succeed, try again, then give up, you're just being an arse.... :D
Videos hopefully soon, at least test versions if nothing else
Ahthankyew
Which has brought me back upstairs to the music room, which has fallen into a bit of disrepair after 2 months almost no use...Time to make some new videos, after I clean up..
I also decided to use a bit of surprising spare cash following a drop in my mortgage to invest in a full copy of Abelton live..I get a 40% discount as a teacher so its not too bad.
I have seen lots of people using this, and after buying a Novation launchpad a few months ago its time to make some proper use of the puppy...assuming of course I can get the flaming mac to run fast enough.
Ever since the last OS X upgrade, the thing has been running like treacle, which is upsetting as it was a perfectly fine little machine for music before. I am hoping the music packages themselves are not suffering from slow down..We'll soon find out
I also have logic pro 9 on this mac which is fantastic in partnership with my m_Audo Project Mix interface...I now have a pair of Novation midi controllers, a fantastic 8 channel interface, two top of the line pieces of recording software used by the best artists in the business to create wonderful music...............I have no idea how to use them...damn they are complex!
and I'm supposed to be a tech person?
Anyway Ableton is basically a live performance piece of software, and Logic is for studio quality work (yeah like thats gonna happen), I want to see if I can make something decent with them.
once I work though the tutorials which are leaving me befuddled on the 1st pages.
I'm screwed....But I'll muddle along and see if I can do anything with them...if at first you don't succeed, try again, then give up, you're just being an arse.... :D
Videos hopefully soon, at least test versions if nothing else
Ahthankyew
Friday, 25 September 2015
kill me now
I am so damn tired, and looking in the mirror I look it.
The cough has died off quite a bit thankfully, though strangely at night around bedtime it decides to pop back for a visit, keeping me away for a while but I am no longer getting the hacking till 3am stuff again..
Right now main problem is sinus pain...every day I seem to get a mega headache behind my right eyebrow...and its pretty intense. Paracetamol seems to be ok though if I can take it before the pain really kicks in.
oh god look at me...sat here moaning about how sick I am....me!!!! Someone who hates being sick, hates the concept of being sick and refuses to go see docs.
I need to stop posting health updates.. I'm starting to sound like a hypochondriac, the thing I despise more than anything in the world.
In other news.....I'm too sick to care about :D
nah...other things in life are equally depressing right now, still painfully single, still bored shitless at home, still drinking too much, and not able to make any new music vids till my voice comes back without a cough every time I try to sing.
Made a big batch of chicken curry though...so will have plenty to eat for this month.. Need to blance it up with some Mince and tatties and Spag bol so the freezer lottery can be a bit more interesting.
Bad news though, my boiler needs to be replaced, the annual service reports it is leaking CO and not safe to use...that's a nice new expense to make up for the nice mortgage rate reduction I got the other month..so much of excess disposable income. :(
Life really is pretty shit at the moment isn't it....no money, no woman, no pleasure, no...oh wait..booze... its not that bad.
Work is starting to settle in to a routine, though the new V2 system still needs to settle in. I'm currently working with some new framework software and getting my head around it. Its very good though, and some small improvements from my colleagues and me have produced a really nice piece of code that the students can make full use off for their projects.
Next week they get to start their main block A project, having done all the prep work for it..they now have to do a bit more learning to learn, and learning by doing...with some gentle pushes from us.
I'm going to make an effort to create a few videos for students on how to use the framework, soon as I don't look like I've just woke up from a 3 week bender... I do not want vids of me looking like crap hovering on any site for years to come.
Oh well coffee break over, back to work...how do I get the new sprite batching system to work with animation.....hmmm
Ahthankyew
The cough has died off quite a bit thankfully, though strangely at night around bedtime it decides to pop back for a visit, keeping me away for a while but I am no longer getting the hacking till 3am stuff again..
Right now main problem is sinus pain...every day I seem to get a mega headache behind my right eyebrow...and its pretty intense. Paracetamol seems to be ok though if I can take it before the pain really kicks in.
oh god look at me...sat here moaning about how sick I am....me!!!! Someone who hates being sick, hates the concept of being sick and refuses to go see docs.
I need to stop posting health updates.. I'm starting to sound like a hypochondriac, the thing I despise more than anything in the world.
In other news.....I'm too sick to care about :D
nah...other things in life are equally depressing right now, still painfully single, still bored shitless at home, still drinking too much, and not able to make any new music vids till my voice comes back without a cough every time I try to sing.
Made a big batch of chicken curry though...so will have plenty to eat for this month.. Need to blance it up with some Mince and tatties and Spag bol so the freezer lottery can be a bit more interesting.
Bad news though, my boiler needs to be replaced, the annual service reports it is leaking CO and not safe to use...that's a nice new expense to make up for the nice mortgage rate reduction I got the other month..so much of excess disposable income. :(
Life really is pretty shit at the moment isn't it....no money, no woman, no pleasure, no...oh wait..booze... its not that bad.
Work is starting to settle in to a routine, though the new V2 system still needs to settle in. I'm currently working with some new framework software and getting my head around it. Its very good though, and some small improvements from my colleagues and me have produced a really nice piece of code that the students can make full use off for their projects.
Next week they get to start their main block A project, having done all the prep work for it..they now have to do a bit more learning to learn, and learning by doing...with some gentle pushes from us.
I'm going to make an effort to create a few videos for students on how to use the framework, soon as I don't look like I've just woke up from a 3 week bender... I do not want vids of me looking like crap hovering on any site for years to come.
Oh well coffee break over, back to work...how do I get the new sprite batching system to work with animation.....hmmm
Ahthankyew
Sunday, 20 September 2015
ugghhhh
I am in soooo much pain I can't tell you, 2 ocycontins, 2 Solpadine and an antihistime, are not helping...and what is this pain....my sinus's.....yup, finally the cough sorta stops, and now I have about 100pounds of pressure in my sinus cavity, refusing to be released and my head feels like its about to explode. only now with the drugs starting to do something am I actually able to look at a screen, with one eye closed and constantly wiping my eyes, which are weeping without any emotional issues... its just the most astonishing intense pain.
All this from 1 fucking cold nearly 2 months ago....wtf I mean really wtf... I used to shake off colds with ease... I need to start looking for a nice warm country to live in, I can't deal with this shit anymore.
Argghhh just arghhh I am so fucking tired, physically and mentally from silly illnesses..
Ahthankyew
All this from 1 fucking cold nearly 2 months ago....wtf I mean really wtf... I used to shake off colds with ease... I need to start looking for a nice warm country to live in, I can't deal with this shit anymore.
Argghhh just arghhh I am so fucking tired, physically and mentally from silly illnesses..
Ahthankyew
Friday, 18 September 2015
Sleep does not heal all
After a week or more of getting by on less than 3 hours sleep per night , I took the chance to use my work at home day to maximise my sleep..went to bed last night at 8, yes 8...but the minute I dozed off I woke up coughing...so down stairs to have a mug of chocolate and do some student emails, before getting dozed up on cough meds, anti-histamines and pain meds for all my torn muscles(the cough has been so bad, I've torn muscles all over my stomach, and they bloody hurt..)...and boom got to sleep
till 3-30....more meds...back to bed...but this time I managed to get a decent sleep in, with no alarm set I woke up at 10, feeling chesty and congested but not as bone dead tired as I have the last several days.
So am happily now sat here dealing with student questions, finishing up some code on the main framework, and getting on with things...still coughing though....another few nights this weekend though....here's hoping.
In other news...Margaret is poorly, her intonation has gone massively off, almost a semi tone on the E an B stings at 12th fret...that's a massive amount, so she's off to the nice guitar doc at Dijkmans for a service and set up, hope its not a sign of a twisted neck or anything serious.
Ahthankyew
till 3-30....more meds...back to bed...but this time I managed to get a decent sleep in, with no alarm set I woke up at 10, feeling chesty and congested but not as bone dead tired as I have the last several days.
So am happily now sat here dealing with student questions, finishing up some code on the main framework, and getting on with things...still coughing though....another few nights this weekend though....here's hoping.
In other news...Margaret is poorly, her intonation has gone massively off, almost a semi tone on the E an B stings at 12th fret...that's a massive amount, so she's off to the nice guitar doc at Dijkmans for a service and set up, hope its not a sign of a twisted neck or anything serious.
Ahthankyew
Saturday, 12 September 2015
Its called Postnasal drip
After having a horrible cold, then another which gave me a chesty cough, then a chest infection which maintained the chesty cough, had a bit of a respite in the French air, due in part to some great French cough meds. I finally started to feel better a few days ago as my chest was much clearer...only to then get the worst choking cough ever...its caused by mucus dripping into the back on my throat. The chest has past the baton to my sinus's
Something I am more than a little susceptible to because the back of my throat on the right side is numb from my surgery.....result...rather than an irritation...that I swallow, I end up choking as mucus gets down into my windpipe where the not so numb part of my neck, goes...wtf are you doing here and sends me into a mega coughing fit.
Arrghh...fortunately I have a few antihistamine pills in the house, I need to go get more...but they dry up the drip, giving a bit of a relief.. But I now find myself, listless from lack of sleep, sore in the throat, and starting an ear infection....woop do bloody doo.
its nearly 2months since I caught the 1st cold that started all this off, I really am tired of it, some people think its funny that I post the fact I get a cold, but it tends to lead to 2-3 months of being very unwell and it is tiring in the extreme.
I'm not a hypochondriac, in fact I'm whatever the opposite of that is, I detest being sick, but I am at a loss to understand why this keeps hitting me like this 1 or 2 times a year now...is it age?
I'm hoping this final phase will see me back to full health, though having been exposed to 300 germ ridden new students this last week...I'm not taking too many bets on that.
Ahthankyew
Something I am more than a little susceptible to because the back of my throat on the right side is numb from my surgery.....result...rather than an irritation...that I swallow, I end up choking as mucus gets down into my windpipe where the not so numb part of my neck, goes...wtf are you doing here and sends me into a mega coughing fit.
Arrghh...fortunately I have a few antihistamine pills in the house, I need to go get more...but they dry up the drip, giving a bit of a relief.. But I now find myself, listless from lack of sleep, sore in the throat, and starting an ear infection....woop do bloody doo.
its nearly 2months since I caught the 1st cold that started all this off, I really am tired of it, some people think its funny that I post the fact I get a cold, but it tends to lead to 2-3 months of being very unwell and it is tiring in the extreme.
I'm not a hypochondriac, in fact I'm whatever the opposite of that is, I detest being sick, but I am at a loss to understand why this keeps hitting me like this 1 or 2 times a year now...is it age?
I'm hoping this final phase will see me back to full health, though having been exposed to 300 germ ridden new students this last week...I'm not taking too many bets on that.
Ahthankyew
Sunday, 6 September 2015
Refreshed and ready
Must be the nice French air, but I'm feeling so much more relaxed and ready to start the working year than I was at the end of our normal summer hols.
A wonderful week in the middle of nowhere in the company of the masterful Mr Trotter at Creative Vacances, and many friends mostly old, and some new, getting ready for what was probably the worst gig I've ever played, but such fun and pleasure in doing so..
We had 4 days of rehearsal in small groups, 3.5days of which were spent doing 1 particular persons song...giving us precious little time to get the 2 songs I was performing just right...but despite forgotten chords and no idea how to end..we muddled though with smiles of our faces. The audience didn't seem to mind...or were stunned. Not sure which.
There's something deeply calming about being around people whose sole aim is to share your own obsession and to get better at it.
The week of course was a workshop/rehearsal under the tutelage of Mr Eddie Martin, an extremely accomplished blues performer who showed us a lot of useful tips and tricks, which I might be able to get into a performance one day. I'm not really into slide..but I really liked the sound he was making and might put some 16's on my tele one day to see how it sounds.
I look forward to watching his video, which he was hawking with unashamed glee after the event.
Always one to support good music I coughed up my sole 20euros spending cash for the DVD...which I had planned to buy a few drinks with in the pub...which turned out to sell only its own beer, not even coke...leaving me drinkless... a state very kindly resolved by Tony, the only newbie on the course, who shared a few G&T's with me in far more civilised fashion. Thanks Tony, I needed that.
It was lovely though to see Chris again and the old faces from past courses gathered for this performance event, and memories of past holidays with them with Chris and the lovely Jenny were never far away.
Its a shame these things don't always fall into my normal summer holiday window, I am really grateful my bosses allowed me to get away before the actual student teaching weeks. I think it has prepared me much better for the change in our work processes,.
So as I say, feeling calm, relaxed and ready....it was a wonderful week, aside from the absolute hell of the mosquitoes who found an inexhaustible buffet in me , and of course the tail end of the cold which became a cough (fortunately they have decent cough meds in France). The drive back was also mad....my sat nav decided it wanted to go on a tour of Paris and Waterloo....for no reason I can imagine....it made the trip back far longer nearly 11hours. And I HATE driving anywhere near Paris.
Probably won't be able to make it for another couple of years, but I will be back.... oh yes...I will...and I'm still fat...as the photo shows....and thats after losing 10kg....back on the diet...70kg by Xmas or no turkey for you.
Ahthankyew
A wonderful week in the middle of nowhere in the company of the masterful Mr Trotter at Creative Vacances, and many friends mostly old, and some new, getting ready for what was probably the worst gig I've ever played, but such fun and pleasure in doing so..
We had 4 days of rehearsal in small groups, 3.5days of which were spent doing 1 particular persons song...giving us precious little time to get the 2 songs I was performing just right...but despite forgotten chords and no idea how to end..we muddled though with smiles of our faces. The audience didn't seem to mind...or were stunned. Not sure which.
There's something deeply calming about being around people whose sole aim is to share your own obsession and to get better at it.
The week of course was a workshop/rehearsal under the tutelage of Mr Eddie Martin, an extremely accomplished blues performer who showed us a lot of useful tips and tricks, which I might be able to get into a performance one day. I'm not really into slide..but I really liked the sound he was making and might put some 16's on my tele one day to see how it sounds.
I look forward to watching his video, which he was hawking with unashamed glee after the event.
Always one to support good music I coughed up my sole 20euros spending cash for the DVD...which I had planned to buy a few drinks with in the pub...which turned out to sell only its own beer, not even coke...leaving me drinkless... a state very kindly resolved by Tony, the only newbie on the course, who shared a few G&T's with me in far more civilised fashion. Thanks Tony, I needed that.
It was lovely though to see Chris again and the old faces from past courses gathered for this performance event, and memories of past holidays with them with Chris and the lovely Jenny were never far away.
Its a shame these things don't always fall into my normal summer holiday window, I am really grateful my bosses allowed me to get away before the actual student teaching weeks. I think it has prepared me much better for the change in our work processes,.
So as I say, feeling calm, relaxed and ready....it was a wonderful week, aside from the absolute hell of the mosquitoes who found an inexhaustible buffet in me , and of course the tail end of the cold which became a cough (fortunately they have decent cough meds in France). The drive back was also mad....my sat nav decided it wanted to go on a tour of Paris and Waterloo....for no reason I can imagine....it made the trip back far longer nearly 11hours. And I HATE driving anywhere near Paris.
Probably won't be able to make it for another couple of years, but I will be back.... oh yes...I will...and I'm still fat...as the photo shows....and thats after losing 10kg....back on the diet...70kg by Xmas or no turkey for you.
Ahthankyew
Thursday, 27 August 2015
And neither is this.
Another COLD!!!! aawww c'mon
sneezing and nose running like a water tap on full.....
only 3 weeks after flu and just as I get over the resulting chest infection.
BALLLSSSSSSSS
Ahthankyew
sneezing and nose running like a water tap on full.....
only 3 weeks after flu and just as I get over the resulting chest infection.
BALLLSSSSSSSS
Ahthankyew
Monday, 24 August 2015
Oh thats not fair
It was quite windy today, lots of branches getting blown off trees and it made me remember that I had planned to weigh down the solar panels with sand bags...They're not light, but there is a large surface area so if a strong enough gust gets under it, it could in theory at least, blow them off the roof... You may mock but I found my old satellite dish in the neighbours garden one day when I neglected to take it off the roof...
Anyway...went to the garden centre for some bags of sand, wasn't able to find any canvas sacks, but I decided the 20kg plastic bags on their own were ok.
I got 3, for 5 euros, no problems loading them into the car from the shopping trolley, got home, took one 3 flights of stairs, put it down, set up the ladder, and climbed the ladder, a little shakily but successfully. And put the back on the edge of the roof.
Climb up...lift the bag to place it under the panels frame..and
TWWWWWEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKARRGHHHHHHHHHH
The sound you are hearing in your head, is one most middle aged men are familiar with....I didn't bend my knees and result, I pulled a muscle in my back....
Pain
more pain
followed by even more pain as I tried to stand up.
But I bravely, soldiered on ( soo sooo brave) dragged the bag to the frame and placed it
But I needed to get at least 1 more in place...
So..still in agony...I got down off the roof...made my way the bedroom where I had a tube of advil ipubrofen gel, and applied a healthy dose to my back...
Still in screaming agony (you'll notice its getting worse)
I made my way downstairs, grabbed another bag, and with courage in the face of excruciating pain, carried the 20kg bag on my shoulder up the 3 flights...took a small breather at the foot of the ladders and made my way up.
Then as the pain almost forced me to black out...I manfully put the bag in place over the other side of the Aframe ensure the panels were now securely locked down with 40Kgs of sandbag.
My job done I got down of the roof, swallowed a couple of paracetamol and rode (manfully) my bike into town for drinks with colleagues....where still in, unimaginable pain, I had several drinks which helped no end to block out the agony.
And now...several hours later when I should be fast asleep in preparation for my 1st early morning in 6 weeks as we return to work, I'm sat here trying to keep my back straight writing this absolute pish....
Good job I have some oxycontin in the med drawer....soon as it kicks in I'm going back to bed.
Ahthankyew
Anyway...went to the garden centre for some bags of sand, wasn't able to find any canvas sacks, but I decided the 20kg plastic bags on their own were ok.
I got 3, for 5 euros, no problems loading them into the car from the shopping trolley, got home, took one 3 flights of stairs, put it down, set up the ladder, and climbed the ladder, a little shakily but successfully. And put the back on the edge of the roof.
Climb up...lift the bag to place it under the panels frame..and
TWWWWWEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKARRGHHHHHHHHHH
The sound you are hearing in your head, is one most middle aged men are familiar with....I didn't bend my knees and result, I pulled a muscle in my back....
Pain
more pain
followed by even more pain as I tried to stand up.
But I bravely, soldiered on ( soo sooo brave) dragged the bag to the frame and placed it
But I needed to get at least 1 more in place...
So..still in agony...I got down off the roof...made my way the bedroom where I had a tube of advil ipubrofen gel, and applied a healthy dose to my back...
Still in screaming agony (you'll notice its getting worse)
I made my way downstairs, grabbed another bag, and with courage in the face of excruciating pain, carried the 20kg bag on my shoulder up the 3 flights...took a small breather at the foot of the ladders and made my way up.
Then as the pain almost forced me to black out...I manfully put the bag in place over the other side of the Aframe ensure the panels were now securely locked down with 40Kgs of sandbag.
My job done I got down of the roof, swallowed a couple of paracetamol and rode (manfully) my bike into town for drinks with colleagues....where still in, unimaginable pain, I had several drinks which helped no end to block out the agony.
And now...several hours later when I should be fast asleep in preparation for my 1st early morning in 6 weeks as we return to work, I'm sat here trying to keep my back straight writing this absolute pish....
Good job I have some oxycontin in the med drawer....soon as it kicks in I'm going back to bed.
Ahthankyew
Monday, 17 August 2015
Sad day..but it had to happen
Last night I made a fairly on the spot decision that has been a long time coming, but today I have felt that it was totally the right one and a huge weight has been lifted. I'm no longer a member of the Gadgeteers. The band I helped form some 5 or more years ago...
I guess its basically the old musical differences reasons. As a band we never really quite knew what we were trying to be, and personality issues with a couple of the band members, myself included meant we never had any way to stamp any kind of authority on that... so we couldn't ever seem to get our own sound/style or consistency in what we did, our set list had over a dozen different styles and genres, with each of us being represented to large or small degrees in our personal rather than group taste...the group just never found its own identity.
When our lead singer proposed this song. I just knew we were done.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXeRB-3nDR8
Despite the fact we have no keyboards, seldom use acoustic guitars, and its a talk song in a cockney accent...when our lead singer has a German accent.....I had enough...the stupidity of this suggestion just should not need to be pointed out..Clearly we are lost.
So...its over...I will miss it, and hope that we will find some way to play again, whole or in part, but I don't want to do this any more. I'm going to focus on Starrcase for my band work, at least we have focus and direction there and don't get stopped during our gigs... :(
Ahthankyew
I guess its basically the old musical differences reasons. As a band we never really quite knew what we were trying to be, and personality issues with a couple of the band members, myself included meant we never had any way to stamp any kind of authority on that... so we couldn't ever seem to get our own sound/style or consistency in what we did, our set list had over a dozen different styles and genres, with each of us being represented to large or small degrees in our personal rather than group taste...the group just never found its own identity.
When our lead singer proposed this song. I just knew we were done.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXeRB-3nDR8
Despite the fact we have no keyboards, seldom use acoustic guitars, and its a talk song in a cockney accent...when our lead singer has a German accent.....I had enough...the stupidity of this suggestion just should not need to be pointed out..Clearly we are lost.
So...its over...I will miss it, and hope that we will find some way to play again, whole or in part, but I don't want to do this any more. I'm going to focus on Starrcase for my band work, at least we have focus and direction there and don't get stopped during our gigs... :(
Ahthankyew
More sad songs.....
Yeah I know I'm singing a lot of sad songs....its true I'm still very down over my break up, but not sure its the reason I'm doing sad songs... I just find them much easier to sing....and given that I have 0.0001% or less talent for singing, picking easy to sing songs is more of a factor than my broken and bleeding heart that just won't heal no mat.......oh best not get into that.
This is still a test recording though, I'm getting much closer to the perfect recording situation, mic is set right, levels are good, just some issues with the mastering settings on the audio..its compressing the vocals too much and putting a dull chorus on the guitar....But its still getting close. a few more test recordings and I'll start making some proper ones maybe with some happier songs.
Anyway this is the Tony Rich Projects song from 96, which I always loved, shame he didn't do more.(edit, apparently he did several albums, but none were as successful as his 1st with this song) It's played a little faster, cos slow solo acoustic guitar gets boring really quick..
I was going to do some VoiceLive harmonies on it as well, but somehow it sounded ikky so its just a solo voice, auto-tuned to fuck of course... And done in 1 take, no joins, but I might do a small acoustic guitar solo when I do a proper take over it....
This was the 5th take, I am still a bit croaky from the cold/flu and it does crack up at one point but I managed to clear my throat and carry on without coughing up a lung.. Also I nearly lost my plectrum and had to do a dummy stroke to re-grip...think I covered that up well too.
Overall, even though as I say its still just a test, I think this is good, and when I look back at some of my very 1st recordings, I think my playing/singing is getting better. I am still not a natural play while singing kinda person though, I really don't multitask well without a lot of practice, but here it seems to fit well....excuse me while I bask in a bit of self praise...don't worry though I know I'm still shit, just slightly less shit than a few years ago.. I'm chuffed with that.
Ahthankyew
Thursday, 13 August 2015
Cant get no...satisifaction..
or videos done....my vocal work just isn't up to it since the flu/cold/cough I've been crackling and croaking... Doing some lovely guitar work for sure but no way to finish a vid till my already bad voice comes back to the normal shit level it tends to have..
Holidays are slowly coming to an end too, which is pissing me of, its been such a nice quiet time, but very unproductive on many fronts. The illness sent me nocturnal for about a week, which I've only just managed to fix...
The z80 project should now be done..a couple of minor bugs to fix, and a visit to the client on Saturday and we should be able to sign it off, then start looking for something commercial.
I did have a couple of projects lined up but both fell through..very upsetting.
In other news..I'm pretty fed up generally, life is dragging on a bit, not much happening in my personal life at all, I can only clean and polish the house so many times...I really want to get those videos made and do some fun coding.
Had an hour to kill in town yesterday when I took my watch in to get a new battery. So I went to the music store to try some outrageously expensive guitars
The high end PRS was wonderful, but had a distinctive electrical snap every time I changed the pickup with the selector, not nice... and for 3500, I expect more.
But the killer was a Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst.
Customs are supposed to represent the pinnacle of Gibson guitars, and yet this..felt a bit naff, it sounded ok, but it didn't exude the quality my Lucille, herself a Custom model has. Worse, fretting the F on the high E, the note was totally choked hitting on a fret somewhere down the neck....ffs..that's shocking. 4600 for that guitar and Gibson, despite their much touted Plek setup system can't even spot a massive flaw on the 1st fret.. Several other frets produced dead sounding tones, but an actual choke is unforgivable...4600Euros,...wtf Gibson???
I do not for a second doubt that the shop will fix that now I pointed it out, and that it will leave there perfectly set up by them..but Gibson really need to get their quality control under..ahem control.
anyway...better use my newfound getting up in the morning skills to get started on some work...Z80 ahoy!!!
Ahthankyew
Holidays are slowly coming to an end too, which is pissing me of, its been such a nice quiet time, but very unproductive on many fronts. The illness sent me nocturnal for about a week, which I've only just managed to fix...
The z80 project should now be done..a couple of minor bugs to fix, and a visit to the client on Saturday and we should be able to sign it off, then start looking for something commercial.
I did have a couple of projects lined up but both fell through..very upsetting.
In other news..I'm pretty fed up generally, life is dragging on a bit, not much happening in my personal life at all, I can only clean and polish the house so many times...I really want to get those videos made and do some fun coding.
Had an hour to kill in town yesterday when I took my watch in to get a new battery. So I went to the music store to try some outrageously expensive guitars
The high end PRS was wonderful, but had a distinctive electrical snap every time I changed the pickup with the selector, not nice... and for 3500, I expect more.
But the killer was a Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst.
Customs are supposed to represent the pinnacle of Gibson guitars, and yet this..felt a bit naff, it sounded ok, but it didn't exude the quality my Lucille, herself a Custom model has. Worse, fretting the F on the high E, the note was totally choked hitting on a fret somewhere down the neck....ffs..that's shocking. 4600 for that guitar and Gibson, despite their much touted Plek setup system can't even spot a massive flaw on the 1st fret.. Several other frets produced dead sounding tones, but an actual choke is unforgivable...4600Euros,...wtf Gibson???
I do not for a second doubt that the shop will fix that now I pointed it out, and that it will leave there perfectly set up by them..but Gibson really need to get their quality control under..ahem control.
anyway...better use my newfound getting up in the morning skills to get started on some work...Z80 ahoy!!!
Ahthankyew
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