The transition to old age

The last few weeks now, I've had the worst time staying asleep, which some of you might know is my 2nd favoute passtime.

I'm moving into old age at an alarming rate, aches and pains of course but now this sleeping nonesesne, Im only sleeping for 6-7 hours max, even at weekends. Considering I used to love spending 12 hours in bed at the weekends to catch up on nightly shortages over the previous week thats not ideal.

I dunno, maybe its a good thing, I do get snoozy at the end of the evening but if I do actually snooze it means I can't get to sleep when I go up to bed, and when I finally do, I am awake at 6-30....not great

Strange.

The book is almost done now, there were a few small issues with some code not working correctly on test systems, and I had to re-write a couple of sections to account for the fix, but the publisher was happy to give me a few more weeks to tidy things up. I am quite happy with the new book.

I have not however got my website forum back up and running yet though which is a problem. Ive upgraded the site to allow for more space for the new content, but can't seem to get access to it on my current machine, I may have to scrap the old site completly and lose the forum. I really would rather not though... I'll turn my attention to it when the book goes off to the publisher.

Ahthankyew

Happy New Year

It's here, 2025 has arrived, which is good cos there was really not much to celebrate in 2024.

We are however really looking forward to this year, Jirawan and I have a lot of things planned, a trip To Thailand of course and maybe a short break in summer,  and some major life changes that, maybe you know about. But we'll make more public once we've got more things in place over the year.

We have big big plans. And sadly big big changes. A major rework of our life, clearing out a LOT of clutter and getting ready for new challenges.

I just hope I can actually lose some bloody weight this year... its crept back up to 100kg... and all I can hear is mum commenting on my weight.. gotta do something.

So lets get it started, Happy New Year. Lets make this the best one yet.

Ahthankyew

Missing mum,

I miss mum every day, no doubt about it, but this Christmas particularly her presence was missed. 

She was never mad about Christmas, often saying she hated it (lol) it wasn't a big deal for us really but we always shared a message, even when we'd fallen out over something. Followed of course by her posting about how terrible the Christmas editions of the soaps were over Christmas. (she still watched them religiously)

Those little posts, those messages, those wishes for a happy new year... and of course my birthday which is close to Christmas.. It felt emptier this year.

I suspect it will always feel a little emptier, but in time you get used to it, I'm told.

Oh well, new year is coming, this will be a big one for Jirawan and I. Lets hope it has less downsides to it than 2024 did.

take care.

Ahthankyew

Bring it back?

Recently I had to do an update to my www.scratchpadgames.net site to stop them charging me 10euros a month to continue to support what they call an outdated PHP version.

So I did as requested, logged on to the providers site, selected update and it was done.. no more 10euros a month charges... but also, no more forums..which seemed to need that outdated PHP. which is a bit of a pain as the forums are how my book readers contact me with any issues they have. I can probably update the forums from the site content on the old PC.. but its not my main skill. I may have to junk it all and start again.

Now granted its been a while since anyone has had an issue, the book is a bit out of date now, so only a few die hards or people who left it on the shelf a couple of years, have tried to do anything with it. Also as I am working on an updated 2nd edition, the site itself is in dire need of an update.

But... the site was designed and maintained on my old warhorse PC which now lives a quiet sedentry life upstairs, seldom if ever being used.

But now I need it, and of course it really is old, and refuses to do some of its basics, like start... it does get there in about 30 mins, but its very slow..theres clearly some online update happening which upstairs has almost no internet speed.

So it needs to be refurbished while still somehow maintaining most of its software..

Though honestly since its not been actively used for 3 or 4 years, whatever software is on there is not needed or used any more on that system,  but there's some source code  and pics and so on I want to transfer

So I've bought a new GTX710 graphcis card, not exactly cutting edge, but more than it has currently and I have an unused 512GB ssd, to get windows 10 onto.. so once I rescue the website.. I will transplant some new life into the old girl and get her working again. The current drives can be used as long as it boots from teh SSD now.

If nothing else I'd like to use it for making videos and writing content... since there's room up there to keep reference books and I can go back to using my big, but, normal ratio screen that will make videos more useful. My Samsung widescreen is useless for making videos on as they stretch too much on YouTube.(Its great for coding though)

On the subject of YouTube, I've had an ok from our Creative media dept to help me make some nicely edited and shot videos to support the new book, and set up a moderatly technical teaching channel I want to continue with even when the book is been and gone. I can cover some of the topics, that students seem to find very hard in a bit more detail on a video, than I can in a class where they are falling asleep or busy watching music videso...yes Joeren, I'm talking about you...
I've made a few simple test videos myself, but meh, Im shit at this kind of content, so I'm going to get some of tomorow's pros, to help me. 

So this weekend, 1st weekend of the Xmas holidays I am working bloody hard to get upstairs into some level of organisation and ressurect an almost dead PC... wish me luck.

Ahthankyew

Feeling my age

61 on Tuesday, and no matter how many people tell me I don't look it, I feel it, I mean I really feel it. Things hurt, getting out of a chair too fast carries a risk, sitting down in a chair carries a risk...running to catch a train....no, just wait for the next one. Trips longer than an hour need to have toilet routes planned. I alternate between narcolepsy and insomnia. Its pretty horrible..

But Im still fairly sharp and bright, though I do worry a bit about forgetting things and names, I can no longer remember all my students names, which was always somehting of a party trick for me. 

I am stuck with this 16yo brain in a 61 year old body, and it sucks... 

And its fucking cold........I really want to be somewhere warm... soon... soon..

Ahthankyew

Heavy shit man

Well I hope its shit... cos that I can get rid off... back up to 98kg....damn

nope nope nope nope nope.... starve yourself Brian you fat fucker.. thats insane..

So, no booze, no lunch and a tiny evening meal. 

There's no way in hell Im creeping back over 100kg.. no chance.

Ahthankyew

Yo Yo Yo Yo

Can't quite get myself back in the fasting mindset again, so the weight is going up and down even though I am most certainly keeping way below the reccomended 2000-2600 calories a day, I find my weight isn't getting below 95ish...its bouncing between 95 and 97... yes still a lot less than earlier this year but the goal isn't reached.

grr.. I need to develop more resolve.. its upsetting that after losing 15kg I gain back 2 then 3 then 4 kg.. I really want to get down below 80 for all sorts of good reasons, mainly my health.

The reduction in weight, or more likely the reduction in food to process has a really good impact on my diverticulosis, and the issues it creates.. less food means less unexpected and unwanted emergency dashes to the loo. And a lot less painful discomfort. also... dude I'm, 61 next month, I need to shed a lot of this chubby good looking fat for my heart..

but.. hunger and rum... hard to overcome.. 

Ahthankyew