I knew the internet before it was called that ...

I knew the internet before it was called that. That is what i say to the kids. I think i feel like my nanna use to when i would talk to her about microwave ovens (both what they are for and how they work). Except i am not that old. Well time is relative. Just i can’t help feeling that i have gotten use to things being “part of everyday life” that i never even imagined would even exist.

When i first went to Uni we had this thing called Usenet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usenet) and Email. It was awesome. I Still talk to some people i met (on the other side of the world) from all they way back then. Infact Usenet and Email were all i ever needed. I loved downloading stuff from monty python and talking to geeks like me on the other side of the world. Sure the conversations probably weren’t that interesting but they were with PEOPLE ON THE OTHERSIDE OF THE WORLD. I do live on a small island at the arse end of the world so it meant a lot.

In fact when i was a third year student i helped build my own multi-talk. Text based. That’s right. You called have a window open and chat “instantly” with people from anywhere. It use to randomly crash the university computer system. But that wasn’t the only time i did that. No sir. Many a time that happened. Well, it was all so new.

The biggest problem i think i caused was when i forgot to log out one day and the “boys” posted a personals Add for me. Imagine back then that there were not many actual girls online. And people didn’t lie yet about being a hot, young chick when they were in fact a fat, old guy living in his mother’s basement. I did actually meet some nice people that way. I sooooo wouldn’t do that now.

Needless to say i became know to the SysAdmin. Nice bloke. Got my first job when i did a little hacking to get me some email access. No joke. Probably get chucked out of Uni now!!
What bought all this nostalgia on? Well it was an article that was drawn to my attention via twitter. About the fact that they are going to stop making disks ( http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2363108,00.asp )

It just bought home how much has changed and how quickly.

I found this cool site for nostalgic computer nerds. Museum of old computers: http://www.old-computers.com/MUSEUM It cheered me up. My first computer was an Acorn BBC’s (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Micro).

Go i am going to have to stop.

lack of sleep

back to having little sleep again. Those who know me before i got sick will know that i only use to have 4 hours of sleep a night. Then all the illness and drugs made me sleep. lately I have started to sit up working again. Not this week. It is all the bloomin' thunderstorms!! I love them just not right over my house. No matter how tired you are you have to wake up.

A little confused because i am not working this morning (but going to a PL this arvo instead) so i decided to watch a breakfast tv show. They are all dressed in an "80's" style. I have no idea why. The sports guy is dressed like a cop from chips. He looks excellent. Just a little bit odd. Oh it is Spandau Ballet "in the studio" day. They are not in period costume. I did not look good in the eighties. Really bad perm if i remember correctly. Turns out they have a new album. Sounds very 80's but nice. The thing is that don't we already have enough 80's music? I loved Wet Wet Wet.

*sigh*

Glad i tuned in though cause they are about to have an interview with Alex O'Loughlin (actor). The one from Moonlight. Yes i know it didn't go well. In fact it has terrible production values and stories and got cancelled but he is still hot as. I feel like a thirteen year old again lately. thank god i haven't felt like putting posters on my wall. again. When i did have posters on my wall they were of things like Lord of he Rings NOT boys. Says a lot about me *grin*

Volcano. Yes i have something to say about that too. Seriously it is just something that happens on this planet. Just not really where a lot of western people live. Lots of other people live in the shadow of a volcano. They don't get suddenly inconvenienced with no air travel cause they are running for their lives! No. Not really. But still it was a bit of an over reaction. I thin people these days have gotten use to doing what they want, when they want. Poor impulse control on a large scale.

I find it quite lovely that the unexpected can still happen.

Better go finish reading my twitter stuff. Oh WOW a saxophone solo! Haven't heard on of those since....the 80's.....I think i did have a Spandau Ballet poster....mayeb...i think claire did too...

a blog about what i didn't do.

I have no idea about a blog this week. I really, really don’t have the energy. The weather is turning, I have been back at work (so tired) and i have not being doing any writing or research. It is a bit shameful. Alright. A lot shameful. I would in fact be ashamed if I wasn’t so tired. And could be arsed.

I am feeling a lot better thanks to Kath and Brenda ringing me up and inviting me to have lunch. Sure, i ended up not getting anything to eat or drink but i loved the company. I miss you both. What was a bit weird was that they think i look different. I don’t think that i do. Even if i did look different i am the same person on the inside. If it is one thing that being ill has taught me is that people treat you differently depending on what you look like. Real friends don’t.
They did get me talking about my heady days at sea. I do miss the physical aspect of research. A lot. Probably in direct proportion to how much i dislike writing. If only i could do the former and not the latter. Life is so unfair.

*grin*

I know it is all relative. I have an easy life. Wanting anything more is most likely selfish. I am sure it is now that i come to think about it. I am a selfish person. That is why i bought myself some jewellery this arvo. I feel bad about wasting money. Good about owning something pretty.
I have two other things to say. Firstly, I am annoyed that i am going to have longer to wait to get and iPad (which feel really guilty about wanting but i still want one passionately). I might end up buying a kindle or something in a fit of pique.

Secondly. I love that a volcano in Iceland is causing trouble globally. Not for the individuals involved. Not at all. I am not a big meany. I am just glad that people who think they live separate from nature are getting a sample of what a global environmental disaster would do. Just a small, inconvenient disaster. And how quickly it can happen. How i am right to worry all the time!!

As i have said before i don’t see earthquakes etc. as an act of God. Rather the planet behaving as it is want. I don’t think it even knows that we are here. If it did, i am not sure that its actions wouldn’t be warranted.

Don’t mind me. I am just in a mood. I put it down to not enough people to argue with. When i say argue i mean healthy debate. Not whose turn it is to do the dishes. I have plenty of those.

Oh yeah i also have another thing annoying me today: Why do people insist on putting bananas in a plastic bag...they already have a sealed cover against germs.

That’s it. Have a lovely week. Hope you achieve something.

a lot to say for someone with nothing to say...

I have no idea what to write for a blog this week. I have been on “holiday” for the week and like other people i have holidays it does not leave me rested and refreshed. Just more worried. Than usual. My mind doesn’t like to switch off. I don’t think it can actually. So with all this rest time i have been relatively inactive. This just leaves me with flesh that is unwilling but a mind that is up for anything. Annoying is what it is.

I have been reading and writing. Occasionally doing some housework things. Spying on the neighbours. *pause*. When i say spying i mean gazing out the window to try and figure out what the hell they are doing now to impact on my “calm”. They are the noisiest people i know. Always doing something to their houses, yards, each other etc.

Yesterday was cool though. My sister made me go with her (and her kids) to the weather office (bom). She is having this “disagreement” with the insurance agency over what constitutes a “storm”. We were there an hour or more. The Meteorologist even turned on the tornado machine for the kids. I don’t think they get many 2 year olds visiting. It was more fun than it should have been. Once again proving that i am a nerd.

Sorry...got distracted by a call from mark (*wave* high mark) to tell me all about the new DrWho (ep and character) that he just watched. I am a little jealous. I have to wait a little longer. At least i don’t have duty rosters to create. I can safely say that they are something my future does not hold. Honestly. Can you imagine me in charge? Of anything at all??

*laugh*

Now i am properly cheered up.

Even the sound of the dog next door howling is no longer shitting me off. The dog howls when every they leave the house. A security issue i would have thought yet they seem ok with it. Of course they are never home when the dog howls. For hours on end.

I better get back to reading, writing, plotting and avoiding. Such a busy girl i am. For a certain definition of busy of course. All things are relative.

Mark rang back (*wave* again) and said that the new Dr is alright. And we had a lovely discuss about our favourite companions (Sarah Jane and Martha for me). My niece (maree, 12) did ask me the other day why the Dr had so many female clothes...and were all his companions female....awkward.

Now that all is right with the world i can have some dinner and maybe write something that i don’t have to automatically trash upon re-reading it later. You never know. It just might happen. This time.

easter wishes blog

I know. I know. A bit late for this week’s blog. In my defence i have been really tired. And i have a hand pain thingy. Seriously. I am not at all sure that i should even be writing this because i may be a little bit cross. I know what i am going to write about today. It is just that i happen to think that even if you aren’t religious or anything it is only polite to respect other people who might be. I think this particularly applies to Good Friday. A day of rest and quiet contemplation (OK so the kids don’t think the latter applies to them...but it is the general idea i am going for). What it doesn't need to add to all its glory is a neighbour who decides that it is the perfect morning to building and F-ing fence. This is the same one who has spent WEEKS doing up his front yard. It looks very nice. I watch the tellie and those home reno shows do yards in like a weekend. There is no way that it should have taken so long. I am only bitter ‘cause they seemed to wait until i got home from work to start up all the heavy machinery. The thing is he is a nice man. Just an utter, utter bastard.

*deep breath*

I know i have a blog to write. Today sometime would be nice i guess. It was going to be about suits. How much i hate them, feel threatened by them and don’t own one. But that man keeps cutting timber. And there should be a rule about blogging when cross. i KNOW there is one about not doing it when your drunk.

*thinking of clear blue skies*

Really. I don’t like suits. I usually can’t get beyond the suit and see the person inside. My bad. This comes about because as i was leaving the house last night my neighbour (yes the same one) had a visitor in a suit. A very snazzy suit. The young man had one of those messy, very trendy haircuts as well. A stupid car though so it proves all the money in the world can’t buy taste. In this neighbourhood it is students, blue collar, families etc. Not trendy people. So that means he must be “real estate”. Just deductive reasoning. Now i am NOT letting the neighbour back into this story. I am going to be firm about that.

So the only people i actually see in suits (unless i go into the city) are people that i have no interaction with. This is the way i like it. It is one of the reasons i went into scientific programming (which has very little money or even prestige) instead of doing the proper thing (which would have involved lots of money and possibly more sex) and went into business. Seriously suit people freak me out.

I don’t mean the type of suit someone might wear to a funeral, wedding etc. That is fine. I mean i cant live in the type of world of people who have to wear suit and look professional every day. I think his helps explain a lot about my life choices.

Me? What do i like to wear? I wear clothes from hiking shops or jeans most days. I have some nice designer clothes but NOTHING that looks even remotely trendy or business like. It was a life plan (that and never being in debt). I am glad i stuck to it. I Never could figure out how to stay un-wrinkled all day. It must be some kind of gift that those people who wear suits every day know.

Have a nice Easter break people. Get some rest. Eat chocolate. Be happy.