A look back...

Well, 2005 has been a hell of a year in several unexpected ways.

The year started pretty low, with the hyperthyroidism being diagnosed among other things.

However, over the course of the year that was fixed (even if I did end up glowing in the dark for a couple of weeks)! Well, I say fixed…I’m still not in the clear yet, but I am feeling a whole lot better.

Work-wise things have been as busy as ever. The promotion and (more importantly!) a pay rise at my last review was a welcome step up in the right direction. Work remains hectic, and I was pleased to finally get a couple of pieces of work off my desk by the end of it. I will wince at the mention of honeycomb for some time to come! The travelling for work was a little less hectic this year, for which I was relieved. The novelty was beginning to wear off and I value my sleep more than ever.

Meeting the Hobblings in London, Devon and Paris was great fun as always. Being able to put faces to names is great. I hope we can do the same again soon.

Having these friends meant a great deal to me at that point when I was feeling pretty low. Thanks guys, I love you all.

I know some of you have had a tough time of it this year. I’m glad that things have, on the whole, worked out for them at the end, despite what has happened.

The house move happened finally (having been on the market since September 2004). I settled in at the new house very quickly, which boded very well. Living ten minutes from work has really helped to de-stress me! Having been here for four months I am now settled in. I didn’t have anything much to fix up here, so it has been very easy for me. The garden is still a bit of a mess, but that is top of the list for New Year.

So, to 2005 I say so long, and can greet 2006 with a smile.

Reading list 2005

A list of the books I read this year. As you can see, not many new ones, but a lot of old favourites!

* indicates books previously read

1 * Firefox, Craig Thomas

2 The Time Traveller’s Wife, Audrey Niffenegger

3 * Going Postal, Terry Pratchett

4 Grunts, Mary Gently

5 * The Amulet of Sarakand, Jonathan Stroud

6 Tommy, Richard Holmes

7 * The Riddle of the Titanic

8 Alien Earth, Megan Lindholm

9 * The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown

10 * Fool's Errand, Robin Hobb

11 * Golden Fool, Robin Hobb

12 * Fool's Fate, Robin Hobb

13 * Nightwatch, Terry Pratchett

14 * Jingo, Terry Pratchett

15 * Red Rabbit, Tom Clancy

16 The Golem's Eye, Jonathan Stroud

17 Artemis Fowl The Opal Deception, Eoin Colfer

18 The Rule of Four, Ian Caldwell and Duston Thomason

19 Aberystwyth Mon Amour, Malcom Pryce

20 * The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown

21 A Galaxy Not So Far Away

22 * The Bear and the Dragon, Tom Clancy

23 Shaman's Crossing, Robin Hobb

24 The Big Over Easy, Jasper Fforde

25 Forest of Stars, Kevin J Anderson

26 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J K Rowling

27 Fallen Dragon, Peter K Hamilton

28 * Skunk Works, Ben Rich

29 The Earth Sea Quartet, Ursula Le Guin

30 * Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett

31 * Pyramids, Terry Pratchett

32 Sharpe's Triumph, Bernard Cornwell

33 * Men At Arms, Terry Pratchett

34 The Complete Wine Course, Tom Forrest

35 * 10lb Penalty, Dick Francis

36 * Come to Grief, Dick Francis

37 * Field of 13, Dick Francis

38 Thud!, Terry Pratchett

39 Atlanta Nights, Travis Tes

40 Labyrinth, Kate Mosse

41 * Rat Race, Dick Francis

42 * Maskerade, Terry Pratchett

43 * The Eyre Affair, Jasper Fforde

44 The Princess Bride

45 Rosencrantz and Guildernstern are Dead, Tom Stoppard

46 * In the Frame, Dick Francis

47 * Shattered, Dick Francis

48 * Soul Music, Terry Pratchett

49 * Bolt, Dick Francis

Song of the Day

The Bricklayer's Song
The Bricklayer's Lament was told by Gerard Hoffnung at the Oxford Union, December 4th, 1958. More recently it was converted into a song, which The Corries sang. The song is attributed to "Cooksey/Hoffnung/Murphy-Cop Con".

Dear sir I write this note to you to tell you of my plight,
For at the time of writing it, I'm not a pretty sight,
My body is all black & blue, my face a deathly grey,
And I write this note to say why I am not at work today.


While working on the 14th floor some bricks I had to clear,
But tossing them down from such a height, was not a good idea,
The foreman wasn't very pleased, he is an awkward sod,
and he said I had to cart them down the ladders in me hod.


Well clearing all these bricks by hand, it was so very slow,
So I hoisted up a barrel and secured a rope below.
But in me haste to do the job, I was too blind to see,
That a barrel full of building bricks was heavier than me.


And so when I untied the rope, the barrel fell like lead,
And clinging tightly to the rope, I started up instead.
I shot up like a rocket, and to my dismay I found
That halfway up I met the bloody barrel coming down.


Well, the barrel broke me shoulder as to the ground it sped,
And when I reached the top, I banged the pulley with me head.
But I clung on tightly, numb with shock, from this almighty blow,
While the barrel spilled out half its bricks some fourteen floors below.


Now when these bricks had fallen from the barrel to the floor,
I then outweighed the barrel & so started down once more.
But I clung on tightly to the rope, me body wracked with pain,
And halfway down I met the bloody barrel once again.


The force of this collision halfway down the office block,
Caused multiple abrasions and a nasty case of shock,
But I clung on tightly to the rope as I fell towards the ground,
And I landed on the broken bricks the barrel had scattered round.


Well as I lay there on the floor I thought I'd passed the worst,
But the barrel hit the pulley wheel & then the bottom burst.
A shower of bricks rained down on me; I didn't have a hope.
As I lay there bleeding on the ground I let go the bloody rope.


The barrel now being heavier, it started down once more.
It landed right across me as I lay there on the floor.
It broke three ribs and my left arm, and I can only say,
"I hope you'll understand why I am not at work today."

It's Chhriiiiiiiiistmaaaaaaasssssss!!!!!

Phew. Another Christmas over. Well, not.

Christmas Day was spent playing Scrabble, trying to play Trivial Pursuit (wine seems to kill the brain cells…) and opening presents of course. Oh, and trying to dismantle anything in reach with my new electric screwdriver. (thanks Dad!)

The Christmas dinner was as good as usual (thanks Mum!) apart from the brussel sprouts (I told you they had to on the boil in April to be ready in time!) For once we had decent toys in the crackers. A little catapult game which was soon converted into brussel sprout (well, they aren’t good enough for anything else) launcher, or failing that a MLPS (Multiple Launch Pea System) before it was confiscated.

I hope all my friends out there had a good time too.

Best wishes,

Indy.

Aero-News Quote of the Day

<a href="www.aero-news.net">]Aero-News Quote of the Day</a>

"Santa can now focus on making his list and checking it twice, without the hassle of government paperwork. Thanks to this agreement, the only time he needs to worry about Red Tape is if he wants to use it to wrap presents."

Source:

US Department of Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, on the "official" decision to open up national airspace for a certain jolly visitor on December 25. The move signifies new hope for pilots struggling to gain improved access in the face of ever-tightening security restrictions -- because let's face it, if some clown in a red suit pulled along by flying reindeer can fly through the Washington DC ADIZ, anything's possible. (If you believe we're serious... get help, now.)

Unanswered questions

1) Where is Jess's blog?

2) Why can I not add a live book mark to Myo's blog?

3) How can I arrange additional coupon testing of honeycomb?

4) Do I need to get a life?

5) Where the hell is Newcastle (AUS) anyway?

Song of the Day

Stars (from Les Miserables)

There, out in the darkness
A fugitive running
Fallen from grace
Fallen from grace
God be my witness
I never shall yield
Till we come face to face
Till we come face to face

He knows his way in the dark
Mine is the way of the Lord
And those who follow the path of the righteous
Shall have their reward
And if they fall
As Lucifer fell
The flame
The sword!

Stars
In your multitudes
Scarce to be counted
Filling the darkness
With order and light
You are the sentinels
Silent and sure
Keeping watch in the night
Keeping watch in the night

You know your place in the sky
You hold your course and your aim
And each in your season
Returns and returns
And is always the same
And if you fall as Lucifer fell
You fall in flame!

And so it has been and so it is written
On the doorway to paradise
That those who falter and those who fall
Must pay the price!

Lord let me find him
That I may see him
Safe behind bars
I will never rest
Till then
This I swear
This I swear by the stars!

NORAD Santa 50th Anniversary

2005 marks the 50th year that the NORAD defence system will be used to track Santa on his journey on December 24th.

Promotional video

Anyone with kids might find it an amusing diversion...

Christmas Shopping

Hee, I love Christmas shopping.

 

*watches everyone recoil in horror*

 

I'll admit I did do a fair amount of it online this year (Amazon does have it's uses) but there isn't anything quite like shopping in the cold December air to get you in the mood.

 

Bath has the Christmas Market again this year; about a hundred stalls from local shops and craft places interspersed with sellers of hot chocolate, roasted nuts and other warm snacks.  The people running the stalls have the right mentality for it - cheerful and talkative - and since frequently are the craftsmen themselves.

 

Sure, it isn't on the same scale as those in Germany or elsewhere in Europe, but it's easier to get too, and I can keep going back.

 

The only thing missing this year was the snow!

Curses

The ol' laptop needs a new hard disk, it would seem. A couple of
uber-Geeks at work and PC World's resident geeky techie person
couldn't get it working quickly, so the whole thing is in the shop for
a few days.

Phooey.

Which means limited email, no board and no blog. Well, I can post to
my blog via email and can read comments but can't read anyone elses.

Double phooey.

Message from Indy

I'm having a minor computer crisis with the laptop at the moment,
hence my absence from the board and important things like that.

See you all soon, my friends.

*wanders back to laptop holding hammer and wearing a calculating
expression on his face*

Indy's new place...

...or perhaps not. 

Stourhead Lake

View across the lake and bridge toward the Pantheon.

Despite Bristol being fogbound, and thick fog for most of the 30 minute journey, Stourhead was bright sunshine.

Stourhead Garden

 

Fowled-up landing

That's a frozen lake (okay, thin ice admittedly) at Stourhead.

And that's a duck.

He now knows that although you can land on sheet ice, you don't slow down all that quickly and you end up looking a right ducks arse to any one wandering past.

And I didn't even have any bread for him.

Wasted Beauty

Wasted Beauty must be one of the most creative website I have ever seen. The artwork and animations are beautiful and the background music is very subtle.

Take a look, you'll see what I mean.

Frustration

I hate having an idea for a picture in my mind, yet be unable to put pencil to paper and make it real.

There is a fear of it not turning out as I imagine, that I will just be disappointed with it.

Grah.

Boy's toys...

I have a confession to make. My parents (technophobes both) have just bought a Digi-box before I did. Normally, any new technology takes at least five years to filter into their lounge, but apparently this time they beat me to it.

Not to be outdone, and because I found out that 4-More is on FreeView, I bought one too...

I just hope there is something worth watching, because there was damn-all on the five terrestrial channels...

Rain, rain, go away

I think we have just been hit by the remnants of on eof the hurricanes that caused so much havoc on the other side of the Atlantic.

The airport run this morning encountered three floods on the roads. And Velux windows are a great thing until you have to sleep under one when it is raining...

Since there is now no chance of getting back to sleep, I have plenty of time now to catch up with the board and blogs...

Surprises...

My aunt and cousin came over from the US last weekend. Although I wasn't doing the airport run, I couldn't resist heading down to the airport to join my parents in meeting them.

It kinda backfired, though, as I was talked into going home with them for a couple of days. :)

It did give me an hour in the car catching up with my little cuz (not so little now at 24, however...)

Comments

Thanks to Transparency's suggestion, I've switched the comment thingy on to avoid any more spam.

If that is a pain in the proverbial for anyone commenting, let me know and I'll consider turning it off.

Cheers.

Song of the Day...

Magic Dance

You remind me of the babe
What baby? The babe with the power
What power? Power of voodoo
Who do? You do
Do what? Remind me of the babe

I saw my baby, crying hard as babe could cry
What could I do?
My baby's love had gone
And left my baby blue
Nobody knew:

What kind of magic spell to use?
Slime and snails
Or puppy dogs' tails
Thunder or lightning
Then baby said
Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance)
Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance)
Put that baby spell on me
Jump magic, jump (jump magic, jump)
Jump magic, jump (jump magic, jump)
Put that magic jump on me
Slap that baby, make him free

I saw my baby, trying hard as babe could try
What could I do?
My baby's fun had gone
And left my baby blue
Nobody knew

What kind of magic spell to use?
Slime and snails
Or puppy dogs' tails
Thunder or lightning
Then baby said
Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance)
Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance)
Put that baby spell on me
Jump magic, jump (jump magic, jump)
Jump magic, jump (jump magic, jump)
Put that magic jump on me
Slap that baby, make him free

Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance)
Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance)
Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance)
Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance)
Jump magic, jump (jump magic, jump)
Jump magic, jump (jump magic, jump)
Put that baby spell on me (ooh)

You remind me of the babe
What baby? The babe with the power
What power? Power of voodoo
Who do? You do
Do what? Remind me of the babe

Dance magic, dance, ooh ooh ooh
Dance magic,
Dance magic, ooh ooh ooh
Dance magic

What kind of magic spell to use?
Slime and snails
Or puppy dogs' tails
Thunder or lightning
Something frightening

Dance magic, dance
Dance magic, dance
Put that baby spell on me
Jump magic, jump
Jump magic, jump
Put that magic jump on me
Slap that baby, make him free
Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance)
Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance)
Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance)
Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance)
Jump magic, jump (jump magic, jump)
Jump magic, jump
Put that magic jump on me
Slap that baby

Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance)
Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance)
Dance magic, dance
Slap that slap that baby make him free
Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance) (repeat to fade)

E's raffle

If any readers haven't bought tickets for E4E's raffle yet, shame on you!

Archie and I have done our bit, and as soon as I can find some other people to cajole into buying tickets I will do so.

Go on, you know you want to!

It's a Mini Adventure!

Another shot. Last one, I promise.

It's a Mini Adventure!

Inside the driver's side...

It's a Mini Adventure!

2005 Mini Cooper "Fedora" Special Edition. This is a unique model boasting the following features: Custom paint job, custom leather interior and CD player. The "Fedora" Special Edition Mini is produced by FedoraMiniAdventures, a tiny little division of indylead.

Happiness is...

...well-ordered book shelves.

My library has been....disorganised...since I moved house. The bookshelves were put in position, and the books put on the shelves. No order. No thought.

I added a smaller bookshelf in the week, as many shelves were double-stacked. Alas, this would not fit in its new home, as the shelves needed to be moved 3 inches. Yes, that was all.

So, to do that I had to take all the books off those shelves...move them down...place the new one correctly...

Then the fun began.

An hour later...all the books, CDs, DVDs and board games are back on the shelves...few ornaments in the gaps...and I am done.

The library is now home.

Hee. 

Heading into the setting sun, a single contrail bisects the sky. 

Quote of the Day

Mal: "Do you want to run this ship?"
Jayne: "Yes"
Mal: "Well, you can't."

From the Serenity trailers.

Hammocks

I have been given a hammock as a housewarming gift. It's something that I would never have bought for myself, and having seen them around, they do look rather comfy for chilling out in and settling down with a good book and a glass of plonk.All I need to do now is work out where to put it...

Quote of the Day

"Interesting if true - and interesting anyway."
- Mark Twain

Harry-Air Bear

RAF Station Wittering

Wine not?

A long, hard week is finally over.

The department inter-cultural seminar in Albi (southern France) was great.  Since we were in the middle of a wine making region, we naturally ended up at a vineyard in Gaillac and were given two bottles of wine in addition to the three I bought after tasting a variety of their wines.  This was followed by a wine-tasting session with dinner, marking and scoring wines as the courses were served.  Things degenerated nicely thanks to cries from (me and the) Brits of "what do you mean what colour?  it's red!" and "what do you mean when should it be drunk?  now sounds good!".

Funny thing is, I seem to be getting no sympathy over my lack of sleep these last few nights.  Shucks.    

View of the harbour

Buck (or something) from the castle. The larger yacht down there is mine. Oh yes. One day it will be mine.

Harbour

The harbour of a little Italian town that I can't remember the name of. I'll update the name later. This town was a little like I imagine Buck to be - a harbour town under a castle. Except that the town isn't medieval. And the castle doesn't look right, and is too small. Look, you had to be there, right!

A street in Eze.

Eze is a little town on the top of a mountain, near to Nice. Lots of little alleys and footpaths, with hidden art galleries and shops selling anything, everything and nothing.

Monte Carlo Place

The palace on the hill top at Monte Carlo.

Monte Carlo

Monte Carlo, taken from the path down from the palace.

Cfer Cat

Cfer, the neighbourhood cat, finally followed me indoors today. Instead of going to explore, as I was expecting, he sat halfway up the stairs and refused to go any further!

Bedroom

My bedroom. Eeyore seems happier here than in the old place. As do I.

Kitchen

The kitchen. Well, the half of it.

Lounge 2

The'study' area of the lounge. Yes, those are all my books.

Lounge 1

The lounge, taken from the top of the stairs. The 'study' area is behind me; the kitchen and rest of the house off to the right.

'Erb garden

The 'erb garden.

Garden, before

The garden before I moved in. The bench belonged to the original owner, alas.

Back Garden

View of the back garden from the gate. Unfortunately, the neighbour's triffid has destryoed my fence. The lavender was all the way along the border on the right.

A bit on the side

The front

My front door is hidden behind the bush. None of the garages are mine - my car is on the drive to right.

Reasons why I moved...

£150 per year saved on car insurance.

This is War, Peacock!

Operation Regain Garden began today with considerable success.

My Dad conducted hedge trimming ops around the bushes in the front garden, whilst my Mum established a beach head in the new herb garden.

I conducted a take-no-prisoners war on the lavender in the back garden that was smoothering almost everything else in sight.

Cfer took up position in an observation point in a sunny spot to ensure nothing snuck up on us. I suspect he was asleep at one point, however.

Reasons why I moved...

The last two days I have gone home for lunch. So instead of a sandwich et al from the shop, I can knock up something a little more healthy, and cheaper.

Reasons why I moved...

The alarm goes off at 7am instead of 6am.

Quote of the Day

If we lose now, it's because we deserve to have our asses kicked

Poor engineering

"When we started in 1909 the Chief Engineer was almost always the Chief Test Pilot as well. That had the fortunate result of eliminating poor engineering early in aviation."

-- Igor Sikorsky

I laughed so much when I saw this quote. Igor Sikorsky was the father of the helicopter, back in the pioneering days of flight where the approach to design was "try it and see".

Alas, the excitement and adventure is not as high, but at least we have safer aircraft for it. Thanks, mostly, to the work of those early men and their flying machines.

Engineer's Corner

We make more fuss of ballads than of blueprints
That's why so many poets end up rich
While engineers scrape by in cheerless garrets
Who needs a bridge or dam? Who needs a ditch?
Whereas the person who can write a sonnet
Has got it made. It's always been the way.
For everybody knows that we need poems
And everybody reads them every day.

-- Wendy Cope

As Good As I Once Was

Currently at the top of the US Country chart, I've caught this on the radio a couple of times lately. I find the lyrics amusing, but with a melancholy edge.


As Good As I Once Was
Keith Toby

She said, "I've seen you in here before"
I said, "I've been here a time or two"
She said, "Hello, my name is Bobby Jo
Meet my twin sister Betty Lou
And we're both feeling kinda wild tonight
And you're the only cowboy in this place
And if you're up for a rodeo
We'll put a big Texas smile on your face"
I said, "Girls

I ain't as good as I once was
I got a few years on me now
But there was a time, back in my prime
When I could really lay it down
And if you need some love tonight
Then I might have just enough
I ain't as good as I once was
But I'm as good once as I ever was"

I still hang out with my best friend Dave
I've known him since we were kids at school
Last night he had a shot, got in a tight spot
Hustlin' a game of pool with a couple of redneck boys
One great big bad biker man
I heard David yell across the room
"Hey buddy, how about a helping hand"
I said, "Dave

I ain't as good as I once was
My how the years have flown
But there was a time, back in my prime
When I could really hold my own
But if you wanna fight tonight
Guess those boys don't look all that tough
I ain't as good as I once was
But I'm as good once as I ever was"

I used to be hell on wheels
Back when I was a younger man
Now my body says, "You can't do this boy"
But my pride says, "Oh yes you can"

I ain't as good as I once was
That's just the cold hard truth
I still throw a few back, talk a little smack
When I'm feelin' bulletproof
So don't double dog dare me now
'Cause I'd have to call your bluff