We're at code milky green.

oh man...I am sick, but still functioning...have been having mad cold sweats all night that stopped me sleeping till 5am, and now still have the sweats, I've showered and changed twice already today..and may need to do so again soon.

I got some cheap office furniture from one of my students yesterday who had been sick all week, so I couldn't collect it till he said he was better, but I am guessing I've picked up whatever horrible pathogen he's had and its just starting to get going.

Aside from a mild headache and the sweats though, I'm still functioning so have been working at home today and doing a bit of clearing up in the house.. Brenda now has a little work space with a desk in the spare room. I'll put a small PC in there for her soon.

Since I need to use the office a bit more for freelance and possible educational work I've cleared it up and added some of the aforementioned furniture to better store books and things and use the space better.

Return to work has been fun, aside from the usual meetings...the new office space is taking shape, my new dev lab for PS3/PS4/Vita dev is going to be epic when I've got it all kitted out it will make IGAD look the business.

I've also found a masters I am willing to do...note that...willing, generally I am 10000% against being made to do a masters in order to prove some notion of academic qualification for teaching but as this one only involved me doing what I normally do..ie write a game...I am going to see if they will let me do it. I'm waiting to hear back.  I still don't want to do it, but if it means I can prove what I do is enough to get me their silly bit of paper I will try it.




Ahthankyew

Admin woes

I was supposed to be going to Cologne, next week for a conference but it seems no one bothered to tell the admin people at work so no travel plans or hotels have been booked, much less tickets for the conference...I am very annoyed about that, as its an important conference where much networking will be done and I can try out industry on an idea have to commercialize some of our Gamelab products and make more use of our Sony dev kits...grrr

Work starts again on Monday, hopefully the admin people will recover this, but frankly I doubt it, which is not the most pleasant way to start a new school year...

oh well

I have some prep work to get done I suppose so I can do that rather than make important deals....I really despair sometimes at the lack of recognition for my industry links and abilities.


Never mind...its been a nice holiday, I feel refreshed and recharged and ready to take this year on with a bit less work (I am dropping 1 class) and a bit more coding work that suits me....

onward and upward.



Ahthankyew

I am a car driving man

And I drive most night and day.

My new car
can't seem to upload pic in explorer on this laptop for some silly reason so the link will have to do for now. It does the same with YouTube, probably a dll screwed up

Its only a Kia Picanto, basic eco model, an A to B runabout, though it does have a cool Pioneer AV system on it. but apparently no rear speakers...I must check, since the back doors have holes/grills for them but fading to the rear shows nothing is attached.

I can connect my Ipad, my phone and even surprisingly watch videos on DVD or on the Ipod...though not while driving. all this and a sat nav which was a bit of a pain to get into English but I managed. :D

I'm a movin' yeah baby.




Ahthankyew

Home and time to prep

ah that was a fun weekend, I've never really done the tourist thing in London before, though I just stopped short of the tourist bus cos they were all bloody expensive, I went around looking at things...pity I didn't take may photos' it was so sunny and bright most of the time I could not see what my camera phone was pointing at so gave up at the Natural History Museum.

 I must say the 30 minute queue was annoying there, especially as I could see some people were being allowed to walk straight past the coiled lines into the main gate with no real explanation of how you achieve that status.

I ended up in Denmark Street a few times of course, I seem to gravitate there, was thrilled to be allowed to play a couple of mega expensive vintage guitars and even a 63 Strat. the year I was bon...it was remarkable...and at 9K ....expensive but not as much as I thought. I won't be buying one though...not till the 1st Album sells 200,000

Saw the new Alan Partridge film when there, very very funny, but 15 quid for a cinema ticket...mehhh

Better start prepping for work next week, even though we have a couple of weeks before the students arrive, our move to the new office will mean a lot of disruption, so best to get it done. I am determined to be better prepped this year so I am not caught out with mountains of work...well that's the plan.

I am off in a bit to go get the new car, last weeks annoyances have all been resolved and I have the RWD papers here so can collect everything

Last nights bus trip was interesting since we went on the ferry this time, 1st time 'I've done that. I didn't realise the late busses used the ferry. Our driver though, was an American straight out of boot camp, quite rude and abrupt who seemed to prefer barking orders to politely asking people to do something. I almost blew when after asking him a polite and helpful question while at customs he barked at me to "get back to your seat".....hmmmmmmm he seemed to miss out "could you", "please" and used "get" rather than "go"....I tend to think the "sir" part is optional but nice.

His "listen up people, I'm not here to babysit you" speech on the ferry was also extremely annoying....Fortunately for him he didn't have much more to say after that so no need to blow my lid.


But I got home around 5 which was pretty good timing.

Mind you I am currently bikeless. I think I left the keys in the bike by mistake when I left but did put a big lock on it too, I suspect the change in routine stopped me from removing the keys....Anyway when I went to the bike, no keys...gaahhh I'll have to take it to the repair shop to have the lock removed, I also need to repair a slow puncture on the font and replace the rear wheel...hmm expense...but I'm not going to replace the bike with the car totally so it needs to be done.


Off for a shower, to wake up and get ready for the day.
Ahthankyew

I'm gonna leave ol London town

Have had a great time in London for the TCE 10th birthday, made loads of new/old contacts and will be following some up when I get home. I'm sure this will pay dividends later.

I have a night and a day left here and need to work out what to do but will probably do a bit of work in my tiny hotel room.

Had a couple of wonderful times in Denmark St, as always, this time came away with a haircut, very mod.not sure I'll keep it quite as it was cut manly since she put wax in which I washed out 1st chance I got...ugg hate products!!

Was privileged to be allowed to play a couple of mega priced guitars, including a 63 strat which I could afford if I can sell a kidney. Ahh I wish I could play well enough to justify such wonderful instruments. Picked up a nice Danelectro '56 Baritone guitar, very cheap..honest guv, it just felt right.

Took Jack with me today where he fell in love with an Ibanez bass, luckily he resisted :D

Going to have a snooze and do a bit of work tonight, been a busy alcohol fuelled weekend and I need to let my liver have a rest.

Long bus trip tomorrow...so will try to enjoy my last hours a little more peacefully.





Ahthankyew

Summertime

Yes it is hot, yes I was sweating, yes the aircon was on...and I messed up the ending.






Ahthankyew

Busy few weeks, heavy, broke and now got wheels

The Guurls had a great time here in The Netherlands, Steph and Danni got on like wildfire which was really nice considering they really have had little contact with each other since they were kids.
We had a brilliant time...some photo's to prove it.

trust me, if she ate one I'd be amazed...nibbled at a couple though

my gurls..and some old woman

Eat eat quick!!

A trip to the museum in Tilburg

Steph not wanting her photo taken

ahh the gurls!!

pretty...just like her dad...who's the geezer in the back though?

some old woman..she hung around a lot

some old woman

Making sure they go at Schipol

The weather was and has stayed pretty much hot and sunny

Of course much eating was done an the diet went out the window..am back up to 88.9kg
But as luck would have it I was sick last night for some inexplicable reason and spent a good hour on the big white phone to Hugh...which lost me a Kilo...I think there must be something in this Bulimia after all.

Aside from feeling crap due to lack of sleep, and hot and sweaty due to the incredible weather.  I have had to run around at the town hall today to get my driving license changed to a Dutch one and get proof of my residency in Breda..

Yes I have finally bought a car, subject to any issues with the finance which I am not expecting I pick it up on the 7th :D And then head off to London on the 8th for some networking, biz meetings and meeting with old friends at the TCE gathering/

Its only a tiny car, a Kia Picanto. A1 ltr 3 cylinder beast!!

Just big enough to go shopping, do the occasional trip somewhere and get to band practice without bothering others for a lift. I still plan to do most of my travels on my bike but it will be a little bit easier to get to gigs now, which was the only thing the bike was not so good on, with bits of kit hanging off panniers and backpacks.
Oh and it has a 7 year warranty, which for someone like me who has no mechanical skills at all is useful.

Brenda's off to Belgium for an intensive Dutch language course....so am on me own for 3 weeks or so....suppose I will have to do some work....or maybe not ;)

Ahthankyew