Today is my birthday. I’m off to Leeds to celebrate.
Randomness
Things I like about Belgium
This post is prompted by remarks by Nigel Farage, an MEP for the UK Independence Party, in which he described Belgium as a “non-country“. I think the criticism levelled at Belgium by Mr Farage is unfair and reeks of a ‘my country is better than your country, so nyah’ attitude, which I feel is unacceptable for a supposedly respectable politician.
As a Brit, I feel it is therefore my duty to do my bit to show Belgium that we don’t all think that your country is insignificant. I personally think that the country has several things that are great about it, and once I have some more cash I plan to make another visit to the small but interesting nation.
1. Brussels
Brussels is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of European Union. I visited in 2002 (back when this blog was barely a month old) and found it to be a great city. It’s well worth a visit and is (usually) less than 2 hours by train from the centre of London.
2. Belgian beer
We Brits are quite good at making beer, and the explosion of micro-breweries over the years has been very welcome. But the Belgians are also worthy contenders and I particularly appreciate their fruit beers such as those by Früli, Timmermans and Liefmans. Leffe is also particularly good, as is the amusingly-named Kwak which comes in an interestingly-shaped glass. Budweiser is also now owned by a Belgian company, but unfortunately that doesn’t stop it tasting a bit like a urine sample.
3. Bruges
I really want to visit Bruges again, as it’s been almost 2 decades since I was there last. It’s a gorgeous city, full of canals and old buildings.
4. Belgian chocolate
While I will always have a soft spot for Cadbury’s Dairy Milk, the Belgians have chocolate making down to an art.
5. Belgian waffles
Belgium is the country that introduced the concept of a sweet waffle, perhaps with a Belgian chocolate sauce or some ice cream. I’m genuinely pleased that Wetherspoon’s have started serving these again.
6. French Fries
They’re actually Belgian, not French.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Hope you all are having a great Christmas day and Santa has given you all that you wanted.
Merry Christmas!
Just want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.
Presents? I got a 4th generation iPod Nano (in blue), a Canon EOS 350D digital camera (passed down from my father), a digital photo keyring, Denon in-ear headphones, socks and a veritable feast of edible treats.
Posts 0 – 4 Comments
Weirdly, there’s been a small increase in the number of comments on here over the past few days, despite the fact I’ve only managed one post so far this month.
Main reason for the lack of posts has been partly because I’ve been very busy, partly because I’ve had nothing interesting to write about, and partly because my life isn’t that great right now. Those of you who know me better will know the details but I don’t want to say much publicly until the situation calms down. Which it should do soon, I hope.
Me and Hari are fine, by the way.
Been away, going away…
I’ve been away from this blog for some time – 2 weeks almost – which is mostly due to being busy at work and having very little free time at home. I’ve been playing World of Warcraft a bit more than usual lately, but now have a second level 70 character as a result.
So what’s happened over the past 2 weeks? Well, based on my recent Twitters, here’s what I’ve been up to:
- Been testing out Firefox 3 RC1 and Thunderbird 3 Alpha 1. Firefox 3 is looking really good now, especially on Macs where the improved performance and native theme make it even more of a joy to use. Thunderbird is obviously an early alpha build but it too is much faster, as it inherits many of the optimisations that were undertaken for Firefox. Unfortunately, it’s not yet very stable, but it is at least usable.
- Now that I have more than a smidgen of free space on my MacBook, I installed Ubuntu Hardy Heron in Parallels. Unfortunately, despite updating to the latest Parallels release, the Parallels Tools for Linux package doesn’t work with this release of Ubuntu so there’s no adaptive window sizes, cursor integration and clock synchronising. It’s a shame as apparently VMWare Fusion does support the latest Ubuntu release. I haven’t played around with Ubuntu much but it looks good, and including Firefox 3 is a bold but welcome move.
- Speaking of Twitter, I would recommend the TwitterFox extension if you use Twitter and Firefox, as it’s quite a handy little extension which lets you read and interact with your Twitter friends. It doesn’t have masses of features, but it’s intuitive and it works with Firefox 3 already.
- Google Reader’s ‘Trends’ feature has an unexpected use as a way of digging out feeds which haven’t updated in a long time. I found one that had gone dead in October 2005 that I was still subscribing to. I also found a few sites which had changed their feed URLs without redirects so I wasn’t receiving updates any more.
This, unfortunately, isn’t the return to regularly scheduled blogging, as on Saturday I’m going away for five nights in camping barn in the Lake District with some friends. It’s really in the back-end of nowhere – it doesn’t even have a connection to the electricity grid so all power comes from a hydro-electric generator, and it’s highly unlikely that there will be any mobile phone reception there either. So until I return on Thursday, you may not hear a peep from me, either on here or on Twitter.
Mildly interesting things that I have learned about recently
- There is a phobia of bridges, known as Gephyrophobia – and there’s a New York Times article about it, via Kottke.
- The platforms at St Pancras International Thameslink railway station are labelled ‘A’ and ‘B’, to avoid confusion with the main national and international platforms. This was also used at the recently-closed King’s Cross Thameslink station (which St. Pancras replaced) and at Waterloo East station.
- Though all Mac Pros now come with two quad-core Intel processors as standard, you can opt to have just the one processor, saving around £320 (to a total of £1442.99). You can also spend over £17 000 if you want every build option, unlimited server license and all the professional software packages bundled with it.
- In the past year, thieves have stolen at least two bridges in Russia for scrap metal.
- ‘Akbar’ is Arabic for ‘great’ or ‘greatest’. I’d be tempted to post a picture of Admiral Ackbar from Star Wars and say it is a trap, but I’ll refrain.
- Frederick Lorz, an American athlete, cheated in the marathon in the 1904 Summer Olympics by travelling by car for 11 miles. He was first across the finishing line but another athlete, Thomas J Hicks was declared the winner, despite him too cheating as he had run the race under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
- In China, ‘Dan’ is a girl’s name.
- VLC can use many Winamp skins – see this guide.
- ‘Blighty’, a slang word for ‘Great Britain’, derives from the Hindustani Urdu word ‘vilāyatī’, which variously means ‘foreign’ or ‘homeland’. It originates from the days of the British Empire when Britain controlled India.
- Inner Mongolia is a region in northern China, ‘Outer Mongolia’ roughly corresponds with the independent nation of Mongolia.
End of Year Quiz 2007
It’s time once again to do the end of year quiz – you can also read answers from 2006, 2005, 2004 and 2003.
1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?
The one that sticks out in my mind is that I DJ’d in a nightclub for the first time this year. There’s other things, such as take my driving test (which happened twice and I failed both times, go me…) but DJ’ing was a happier memory.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Last year’s resolutions were:
- Eat more healthily. Though I had a bad start to the year in this regard, my food consumption has improved over the past six months, with Hari mostly to thank for that.
- Do more work. I did do some more work, could have probably done more, but I’ve finished the course anyway now so it doesn’t matter.
- Do more exercise. Managed to go walking more often this year so that’s something, but as per usual there’s room for improvement.
- Keep my room tidy. Erm, yeah… less said about this the better really. I blame all the decorating.
One of the resolutions I took off for 2007 was ‘don’t binge drink’ and you’ll be pleased to know I didn’t binge at all last year. That might sound boring but neither Hari nor my friends go out to get blathered anymore.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nobody close to me, although a work colleague did.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully no, not this year.
5. What countries did you visit?
I managed almost a week in Wales in May, but other than that I’ve once again been rooted in England. Hopefully next year we’ll have the money for a weekend in Paris or somewhere.
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
A permanent job and a car. I managed the ‘proper job’ bit that I wanted last year, albeit on a temporary basis, and Hari and I are now living together as just the two of us.
7. What date(s) from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Our great weekend in London in February.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting to our second anniversary of being together (Hari and I). After that, blogging for 5 years straight.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Failing my driving test. Twice.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No physical injuries, just one hell of an asthma attack. Thankfully I’m now on new medication that works like a dream.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I didn’t buy any new Apple products this year, other than Leopard, and though it’s nice it’s not the best thing. Technically we’re renting it, but having our own house has been the best thing we’ve ‘bought’ this year.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Again Hari for sticking with me, and my friends for being there. I know it’s basically the same as last year, but meh.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, annoyed me yet again, as did Robert Mugabe (surprised I haven’t mentioned him before actually…)
14. Where did most of your money go?
Mostly on driving lessons and rent. It’s a nice house but it’s not as cheap as where I was living last year, unfortunately.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going to see Avenue Q in London.
16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
“Through the Fire and the Flames” by Dragonforce (aka the really hard song from Guitar Hero). It’s one of my most-played songs of the past few months.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- happier or sadder? Almost certainly happier.
- thinner or fatter? About the same.
- richer or poorer? About the same, still.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Work on my dissertation…
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Arguing over nothing of any particular importance.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
At home with my parents. Will also be spending some time with Hari’s parents and my friends at New Year.
21. Who deleted question 21?
The Mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe
22. Did you fall in love in 2007?
I’m already in love with Hari and intend for it to stay that way.
23. How many one-night stands?
None.
24. What was your favourite TV programme?
Again, another good series of Doctor Who, but I’ve also enjoyed Top Gear this year too.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Not really. There’s a few people that I don’t really get on with but hate is too strong an emotion.
26. What was the best book you read?
The Guardian Book of April Fool’s Day. But other than that I didn’t read much, other than Wikipedia.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Dragonforce and Paramore are both bands that I want to hear a lot more of.
28. What did you want and get?
A better-paid, proper job.
29. What did you want and not get?
I’m still waiting for that pony…
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
The Simpsons Movie was very good, as was Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Haven’t seen The Golden Compass yet.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 23 – “nobody likes you when you’re 23…” – and we sat out in the sunshine and had a barbecue.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Money.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
Same as usual, but a little bit smarter for work.
34. What kept you sane?
Hari and my friends. They also kept me sufficiently insane too.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Had a bit of a thing for Sophia Myles, David Tennant’s ex, and Kate Winslet.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Probably the state of emergency in Pakistan. When the head of the organisation you work for is incarcerated purely for political reasons, it does stir you a bit.
37. Who did you miss?
Some of my friends who have moved away after finishing university.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Some of the new members of the university Hiking club are good, though I wouldn’t really count any of them as close friends unfortunately.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.
Never take a driving test in the late afternoon.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
“Through the Fire and the Flames we carry on”, I suppose. No matter what life has thrown at me I’ve carried on.
End of Year Quiz 2006
In what is now an annual event, it’s about time I did the ‘End Of Year Quiz’. Read my answers from 2005, 2004 and 2003, or read on for this year’s answers.
1.What did you do in 2006 that you’d never done before?
Drive a car. Under instruction of course, I’m still learning.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Last year’s resolutions were:
- Don’t binge drink. Yep, managed it. My overall alcohol consumption this year has been down overall, or at least much more spread out (so a glass of wine a few times a week rather than waiting until Friday to get totally sloshed off my face).
- Eat more healthily. A step back… I think my diet was worse this year than last year. Definitely going to do something about it this year.
- Do more work. Yep, still need to do that.
- Do more exercise. Some improvement again, but I’m not exactly in tip-top shape fitness-wise so more work to be done.
For 2007, I think I’ll carry on with 2,3 and 4 since binge drinking really doesn’t appeal to me anymore, and add ‘Keep my room tidy’ since that’s something I’ve really fallen back on this year.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My cousin’s wife gave birth earlier this year – here’s a picture of the little bundle of joy from last week.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Not exactly, but I ended up consoling someone who lost a close relative.
5. What countries did you visit?
Stayed firmly in England right the way through the year. I’ve neither had the time or the money, and Hari hasn’t had the money or passport.
6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
A car, a proper job, and a house with just me and Hari in it. We’re looking at renting together this summer, hopefully.
7. What date(s) from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Introducing Hari to almost everyone in my extended family, the beach party (again), visiting Haworth and getting stuck in the Lake District because of the snow.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Staying with Hari for a whole year.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Having to resit a lot of my exams.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Again, lots of colds. No physical injuries thankfully.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My MacBook. This is the third year in a row that something made by Apple has featured here.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Hari, for sticking with me, and my friends for being cool.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
I’ll let Mr Bush off this year because he hasn’t done anything much to make me hate him more, but Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, stays there, as does the Israeli government for invading Lebanon.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Once again, Apple Computer took a sizeable chunk of my cash, as did BSM for my driving lessons and the university for my tuition fees. I didn’t spend so much at the pub though.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Hari, the beach party and going to Cadbury World, thus revealing my inner 5 year old again.
16. What song will always remind you of 2006?
“Monster” by The Automatic.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- happier or sadder? Probably happier.
- thinner or fatter? About the same.
- richer or poorer? Quite a bit poorer 🙁
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Work on my dissertation…
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Playing World of Warcraft. Though I’ve only played it a bit these past two weeks.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Um, I spent it at home with my parents, and went to see the rest of my family.
21. Who deleted question 21?
The Penguin of Death.
22. Did you fall in love in 2006?
Was already in love. Thankfully I didn’t fall out if it.
23. How many one-night stands?
None.
24. What was your favourite TV programme?
Doctor Who wins again, as does Family Guy. I haven’t been watching much TV this year, to be honest.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No, not really.
26. What was the best book you read?
Me? Read a book? Nevah!
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Yellowcard. Okay so most people probably discovered them about 3-4 years ago, but never mind.
28. What did you want and get?
My MacBook.
29. What did you want and not get?
I’m still waiting for that pony…
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I actually enjoyed The Holiday even though some gave it lousy reviews. I also got to see Narnia which was thoroughly enjoyable.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 22 – we went out for dinner and had a few drinks.
32.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not having to study so much.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
Same as usual.
34. What kept you sane?
Hari and my friends.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Kirsten Dunst still.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
I really haven’t been all that involved in politics this year, or at least not anything on a national scale.
37. Who did you miss?
A friend of mine from university who moved away to a new job when she finished her course.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Didn’t really meet that many new people this year so no-one sticks out.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006.
Playing Solitaire does not boost your academic performance.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
That’s quite hard because to be honest this year hasn’t been hugely interesting – no big events or major crises. Unless anyone knows a song about life being normal, not particularly eventful and neither really great nor really bad.
Things
Thanks for all of the birthday wishes over the past couple of days – I had quite a good birthday but most of my presents aren’t coming until tomorrow. Not entirely sure what I’m getting but I think they will mostly be vouchers for driving lessons.
I’m having a brief experiment with Trackback. A while ago I removed the block of code that allows other weblogs to discover the trackback URL and post to it, in an effort to reduce trackback spam. This turned out to be very successful, making the trackback problem almost non-existent, however since then I’ve been getting almost no trackbacks at all which makes the feature almost useless. So I’ve re-added it, but now I’ll only be opening trackback on a handful of entries (with it off by default). I’ll see if I start getting more pings this way, or if the spam problem becomes intolerable again.
I’m looking at alternatives to trackback, such as getting data from Technorati and displaying a list of blogs that link to that entry, but I’d like to give trackback another chance before I give up on it.