Entropicon

I really need a break

2007-07-05T10:56:12Z

Having a couple of really busy weeks, and while the work has been welcome, I now feel the need to take a break. Stuff n things won't allow that in the very short term, I have a few more busy weeks until I can really take a break.

Having said all the above I am having fun and things, although hectic, have been going well. I feel focused and fine, if a little tired.

It is unusual to be loved by anyone (rated 3 stars)

2007-06-29T10:08:52Z

The Fifth Child (Paladin Books)

by Doris Lessing

This was a weird little book. An interesting idea and one that would install terror into any parent. But it was a twist on the typical horror genre. This wasn’t a gorfest, it was more psychological. The sort of horror that would make you stop and think at some point in the future, with a chill running down your spine.

See more about The Fifth Child (Paladin Books)

busy, busy, busy

2007-06-27T08:19:11Z

need a holiday

A nice evening was hide by none

2007-06-19T12:33:02Z

As I realised I had irrevocably ruined the OS on the home PC and realised I had to reinstall XP.

At least it is now giving me some breathing space to decide what actually goes onto ther PC, I used to hoard far too much on the machine, this time I'll be a lot more selective and make sure I only add software we intend to use!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On Vox: Friday night with a little drink

2007-06-08T21:13:48Z

Well I haven't been here for a while, and as I've said I do like vox, anyhoo it is Friday evening and I'm having a little drink and listening to some music and I thought why not share the joy...

» Read more on Vox

iPaq battery cover arrived

2007-06-06T08:16:50Z

in double quick time considering the paypal payment hasn't even gone through yet, still they will definitely get further orders from me. When I put the new cover on though it didn't work. Well the cover did but the ipaq wouldn't turn on. Thought that it was finally dead when I noticed a little hole with a tiny switch in (at this point I wish I had taken a pic to show you - perhaps I may and then cross this bit out in tru journal stylee). The new cover wasn't pushing this swithc down. So I ben the cover very slightly and voila, I can speak french.

NOw I can relaod all the rubbish that was on there before... NO DARREN DON'T.. Ok, what I will do is find a specific use for the iPAQ and not load it with rubbish I will never use. I may alos buy some more memory for it... you can never have too much memory.

Stupid Pocket PC battery cover

2007-06-02T16:34:35Z

Has broken and therefore, or some related reason, my battery died, or the battery came out the pc which meant i lost all data entered in the main memory. Fortunately most data is on my SD card but it is a pain to reload the few apps on it. I suppose it will help me only use it for what I need to.. a portable diary, notebook, but it is a pain.

However, I manage to find somewhere online who sold replacement bits and have ordered one. Hopefully that should sort things out.

...

2007-05-10T07:54:26Z

must organise self... must organise *takes up classic Shatner pose as he fights unknown mind control alien*

Wondered why

2007-05-02T07:54:59Z

I have been feeling a little under the weather recently and I am beginning to think it may be due to Hay Fever. I get it every year and when it comes on I normally end up feeling a little grotty for a week or so. However, that neomgally happens mid to late May. This year has been so wram and ry so far though that i am beginning to think it may have come early.

That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

We have a car

2007-04-27T08:14:32Z

little, white, fiesta

much loved and long awaited

Very, very busy

2007-04-20T07:38:03Z

Actually I say I am very, very busy, but I suppose it is more to dow ith actually being organised and getting involved in a few more things. I even went out the house last night.

Still struggling to finish project 2, but I have got a little extension, which means I can spend some time sorting out the problems with it over the weekend - why aren't CD-Roms as easy as the previous one you did?

It is possible that we will get hold of a car in the next week or so. Only and old one and a small one, but it will mean we are mobile again. With the summer coming up that will be good, even if it only allows us to pop around the local area.

Looking forward to the weekend, a little bit of CD-Rom work, but today and Monday are all-day meeting days... what joy

A busy weekend, need to do some planning

2007-04-13T07:38:11Z

Yet again I am left with the feeling that I need to do some planning.

It has been a good week, not too much pressure at work, but I can feel it building up. We are launching a mjor project and i am heading it up - cool but aargh.

I have several things to do this weekend though so I need to make sure I balance my time well:

1 Finish a writing commission
2 Finish, or almost finish, a CD-ROM interface
3 Watch Man Utd in the FA Cup semi-final
4 Watch Dr Who and find out what the Face of Boe's four words are - unless the football goes into extra time and then Dr Who is put back one week
5 Make sure I give time to everything else, and enjoy my time off

Busy balancing time eh?

Still going well

2007-04-11T07:52:31Z

Yeah, still moving on and sorting stuff out.

A little tired this morning but a little drink the night before is the reason for that. I think I need to look after my body a little more :-)

I think I could do with a week (or more?) long trip to a new sort of health spa. It would have the normal massage, health food and light exercise regime but would also have the solitude and reflective, creative nature of a monastary. Anyone want to bankroll me in setting this up? I am sure it'd be a winner :-)

Ok, so where is the negative?

2007-04-10T08:00:06Z

I have a four day week
I have no long meetings planned
The sun is out
Time to plan and list everything accurately
Made my own lunch so no additives or other nasties to eat

... perhaps I should have taken time off work

Why am I so tired?

2007-04-04T08:07:13Z

OK, I know, I am a little stressed which doesn't help and I'm not eating particularly well. So, this morning I made sure I made some lunch instead of going down the bakers and getting a couple of fat laden rolls, I have a chick pea and tuna salad.

At least it is Easter weekend so only one more day in the office this week and then a four day weekend... woohoo. I should really do some DIY during that time but I am not going to do anything excessive I need to get the balance back in my life first.

A good start

2007-04-02T07:55:52Z

The sun is out and the week is getting off to a good start. There was no rush this morning to get out and when I got into work, within five minutes, the email inbox was empty. Ok, there is a pile of paperwork I need to sort out and get some next actions from but that won't take too long either. For the first time in a long time I am almost at the Mind Like Water state that GTDers strive to achieve - almost there at home too.

One thing that is still bugging me though is what system to use... PDA, online, notebook, index cards... they all seem to work for me but at the same time I can't simply ditch one, even though I know I should.

Finally getting on top of things

2007-03-30T08:13:09Z

Sorted out a big issue with the project I am working on, and also got to grips with the new major major project I am coordinating. Will try and spend today sorting out exactly what projects I have to do and what are the next actions related to them, I have been slacking in my GTD workflow recently... shame.

Mmmm, what else... not sure... I may return

New week, new isues, new decisions

2007-03-26T07:53:07Z

It never rains but pours.

Finsihed stage one, but I wasn't happy with it. Thought this might be my perfectionism rearing its head again. However when I showed the project to some others they had some concerns. This is fina as it confirmed my thoughts. This leads to a dilemma though. Do I proceed with a 'not great' product, or strive for something better. There are implications and so today's pririty, apart from taking a look at what I have, is to do a SWOT analysis on putting back the project - I can't really fix it within the timescale I have. And for the uninitiated a SWOT analysis is a Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis on putting the project back six or more months.

Other news, i am tired as we lost an hours sleep this weekend due to British Summer Time arriving, but at least Dr WHo starts on Saturday.

Woohoo

2007-03-22T09:43:11Z

Got stage one of a major project out of the way, now have stage two, which is bigger but will now be easier becasue I have stage one complete - hey it's a process :-)

Other news, I'm not feeling too well, but nothing new there, probably the pressure of stage one so hopefully I'll pick up a bit.

blah blah blah

Kathy Bates ate my book (rated 4 stars)

2007-03-19T13:21:03Z

Dolores Claiborne

by Stephen King

I have had this book sitting on my shelf for years, about fifteen in fact. Since it has been sitting there, the story has been made into a film and has done the rounds. I haven’t seen the film but I know Kathy Bates played the main character and I know hoe she spoke in Misery (another King novel where she played a part).

Dolores Claiborne is the story of a woman who tells the story of her life, or the juicy parts of it, during a police interview. The novel is written in the style of that interview narration. As such it doesn’t have any chapter breaks and pours forth in one long flow.

Knowing how Kathy Bates spoke in Misery and knowing that she plays Dolores in the film, I read the whole book with that voice in my head. It could have been worse, the part could have been played by Brigitte Nielson.

But I enjoyed the book, not classic King but good King, worth reading and with some nice touches and turns.

See more about Dolores Claiborne

I feel the need

2007-03-19T12:14:02Z

I started writing this novel for NaNoWriMo 2006 and for various reasons I didn’t get anywhere near finishing it. However, I really loved the story and also the characters. I am determined to finish it and so, I have added it to my 43ts.

See more progress on: finish my novel

New week, same old same old

2007-03-19T08:45:38Z

Very busy but at least things are a little clearer this week, all I have to do is the actual work. I'll spend a big chunk of monday writing this and tying the ends up.

as long as nothing else comes along, already I have had two things that are 'urgent' and need to be done before anything else and I haven't officially started work yet.

I need to crack on

2007-03-15T08:36:17Z

Posting this so I can review how I did when I log in next. Today is the only 'free' day of the week, eg no meetings, training or anything else. I have a major project I need to majorly crack today and so... off I go and I'll see how I do.

Not much other news (as he procrastinates) apart from I have done another major project that i was working on, so all in all a good week so far, let's hope the rest of the week, today and tomorrow, continue.

Where has all my energy gone 2?

2007-03-12T08:36:51Z

Not gone to, but the second post in this series - now I sound like a professional blogger, but this is only my personal blog so need to watch out on that.

I did the first structured exercise for I don't know how many years yesterday and two things happened (or didn't as you'll see)

1 My heart didn't give out
2 I felt good abot it

This morning though I do have a few aches and pians, muscles were worked that hadn't been used for a while. I think today is a day of recovery, exercise ie every other day I think, or at least aerobic exercise is. That means I should be out running again tomorrow, but I think the idea is to do Monday, Wednesday and Friday... we'll see how it goes.

But... I do seem to have a bit more enrgy this morning. This is either due to the exercise or the fact that the sun is out and today's work consists of going on a nice car journey and doing a presentation to a group of people I know. Could have done without that, but when the weather is nice it doesn't really matter.

Where has all my energy gone?

2007-03-09T08:37:23Z

I am soo tired it is unbelievable, not just tired, shattered. I am sure there is nothing seriously wrong with me but I wonder why I am tired. I will be endeavouring to cleanse and renew myself over the next couple of weeks. I am very good at setting goals for aspects of my life other than health so I will be setting some for that area too

Morercise
less saturated fat (I am not bad at this but I can binge on junk)
more water
less alcohol

There some simple goals. Let's see if that can boost my energy levels.