Whooooooooa it's been a long time

So, as you might have noticed I haven't blogged in a while. I decided to give up on that whole blogging once a day thing because I realised that I had nothing interesting to say anymore. I was always tired when I was writing the post and it just wasn't working. Unfortunately *now* I managed to forget to blog *ever* Sooooooo here goes a MAHUSIVE catch up!

Testing week went well, version 24 of the company project was released. Yar for them.

MY PROJECT WAS RELEASED!!!! Seriously this time. It is actually actually actually out there. In the big wide world. I'm *so* proud. And it's nice to think that, given that I have firmly decided to leave this business behind, I have left something out there in this field that people are really using. And not just that, this technology is, I'm told, really quite desirable so the company having it available might well just have been the deciding factor in people using it. It's not the same as some interns projects that never see the light of day or aren't used widely but mine...Is really out there. Yay for me.

I have been lazy on the book-writing front too, so! I decided to write some stories from some sub-ops Paperback Writer mentioned. They're very *very* different from my story but I figured they might get me back in the writing frame of mind, plus then I can write some stuff and get some feedback on it, even if it's just "No thanks that's not what we're looking for" I haven't got my heart completely set on being in their (e-)book though I'd be immensely proud of myself if they did print it. But it's good practice and thinking in other genres is quite fun.

Oh, and the lovely Marilyn actually commented on a post to ask how thing were going *sends Marilyn a hug* specifically to do with my website. So here it is: http://faeryforest.co.uk/ Slightly different from before lol I'm working to work on the "theme" as Drupal calls it. You can use a whole bunch of set themes or there are configurable ones. So I decided to get one of those so I can fiddle with it, make it my own. I'd encourage any readers I might have to sign up so you can join in the forums or something but a) nothing much is going on and b) I'm not sure how much you'd have to discuss with 18 yr old computer science students in Wales! But hey, it'd be nice if you wanted to :)

I guess those are the big things, people are coming to visit me soon though, my mother is coming today and my boyfriend and some friends are coming over easter!

The weather's turned lovely over here which is nice, I've made some fun cakes, I made brownies last week - yum!

I should go - work time and all that jazz!

Love love love.

Maybe I'll write more often again. *sigh*

P.S. Happy Equinox every one

Catch up

Oh dear. It happened again. Mass distraction. Mmmkay.

So, Saturday. Fragalot came over \o/ I overslept, was almost late and then his train was delayed. For an hour ¬_¬ But meh. It's all good. I finally went in a little restaurant that had often looked tempting but I don't eat by myself so I'd never gone in - amazing pancakes! They were so yummy. Then we mooched around and finally got to the square where we were supposed to be meeting the others. And there were skateboarders <3 But then my camera died out of the blue. I hope it's just the battery or I'm so screwed and so gutted. I love my camera, it can't be broke :S But Fragalot took some cool pics so it's all good in the end. We also went to see Yes Man. Such a good film. Jim Carey is an excellent actor methinks. I mean, I think he goes over-board on the weird faces/noises things that he does. But without them he wouldn't be Jim Carey so...

Sunday... Electricity went out, a fuse blew or something. I can turn back on all the fuses except for the wired lights. Meh... cooking by candle light is fun ¬_¬

Work still blows. Talked to Dad today though he has fun skiing! And is going again next week... Ugh, I want SNOW!

Have been encouraged to take up writing again. I shouldn't have abandoned it really. So yeah, maybe I'll get some done... I hope so. I like my story!

Night night.

Too good to be true

Well it would have been wouldn't it? I knew it and it was. *sigh* I almost blogged yesterday but I forgot to hit the right button. Anyway I was having testing issues which Sietse fixed, followed swiftly by authentication issues. Not yet fixed. And then! Coding changes. Bye bye 20th February release. Probably... That or a late night >_< *sigh* fun fun fun. And all that jazz.

I was chatting to my new Italian housemate again today. She's so lovely ^_^ The only down side is that she's so chatty and I wanted to come back and talk to welp and people. She distracted me a bit from that needless to say. But it's ok really hehehe.

Ummmm. I've been playing with adding stuff to my website. I actually have a proper home page and stuff now! www.faeryforest.co.uk heeheehee.

Bed time...

Meh

Bad day at work today. Just... people being arses. 115 days left \o/ Gods I hate it. I have that deadline tomorrow. Though I do think I'll be able to make it I just don't much want to go in. I'm starting think it's not really worth making cake for them either. I mean. Some of them appreciate it but on the whole... I dunno. Yeah. Just a bad day. Yeuch.

On the upside there's another photo meet up on Saturday *and* my belgian friends is probably coming so that should make it more interesting ^_^ I'm going to use colour film this time. Twenty euros a film (developing) is a bit much and as I get to pay for three more on thursday... I'll be feeling a tad poor!

Bleugh...

FOSDEM and photos

So, um, yes. Last weekend I went to FOSDEM, it was lots of fun. We had great weather on the Friday (no lectures) so we walked around Brussels taking photos. Brussels is a beautiful city I thought. Sure it's got some down points, what city doesn't? But I thought on the whole it was very very pretty. When I get my films back (next week) I'll show you...

Speaking of which!! I've done it! I have scanned and uploaded some piccies ^_^

http://www.flickr.com/photos/amethystwillow

So the black and white ones are from the UPC and there will be more to come. The other ones are older and stuff, bleh. But yay! I have some up! Only... 9 more films to go... that were developed in Rotterdam >_< It's an undertaking lol.

But yes, FOSDEM was great, it was nice seeing some people from Aber and meeting some new people. I learnt some stuff too... I also drank beer! Proper Belgian beer. It was lush! I got really rather drunk, much fun was had!

I had a meeting with Peter K today which was less bad than I thought it was going to be but I've still come out of it with two deadlines ¬_¬ but I thought I was going to get majorly told off and I wasn't so it's all good.

People might be coming to visit me over Easter! Fun fun fun. Things are pretty good anyways :) Except that people at work suck and/or are leaving. *sigh* some things never change though that's just the way life is I guess.

Night night x

I don't have a good title for today really. I just tried to get my vista license 'cos the boys at work said I wouldn't have to download it I could just get the license. But, unsurprisingly perhaps, they were wrong. This is what happens when people who have bugger all knowledge of what you have to do try and help you. ¬_¬

Ah well, seems I do have to download it and now it's late and I haven't - whoops! Bah! It's my computer, I've already gotten it weeks ahead of schedule so it can wait I guess.

I'm on the verge of an actual breakthrough at work. I may have managed to solve the problem I've been working on for a long long time. And it's not just because I've been spending too much time on IRC. The problem with code you haven't written and only half understand is that it takes a looooooooong time to unravel. But I think I might have done it!

I'm still not done with my sewing either :S Gonna have to speed up a bit!

Hmmm Welp ^^

Do Nothing Sunday

I had planned on setting up my computer today. I really had! But then the place where I download it from - legally! - was down for maintenance. So I still haven't got a fully functioning computer *sigh*

On the upside Welp and I confirmed the fact that we liked each other - woo!! Unfortunately now we're even more down about the fact that we can't see each other at FOSDEM. *gutted*

I'm going to try and restart meditating and that kind of thing again. I don't remember why I stopped, forgot probably. So there, another compulsory objective!

Nothing much else to report.

Night night xx

P.S. Woo!

Buggrit!

I forgot *again* This is not going well...

So yesterday was JB's last day at work. I'm really going to miss him, he was one of the few always-lovely guys at work. But he's getting paid more and I think he'll be happier so that's all good.

Not much else happened. Welp started walking! He's on crutches now and very mobile it seems! He may even not have to go back to another hospital, just straight home or back to Aber as he so wishes.

The IRC channel #fresher was "usurped" by #42. Basically we encouraged everyone to move over to the new one due to the fact that not everyone on the channel was a fresher *and* all the freshers on it wouldn't be next year!

This time next week I'll be at FOSDEM! I wish Welp was going to be there :( I *might* have a small crush on him >_>

My black and white photos from last week aren't done yet, they should be ready on Tuesday. On the up(?) side. I now own a scanner. A non-cheap one, eeks! But still, it means I can scan all my pictures in - woo!

Tomorrow is D-Day... Download-Day. Tomorrow I *will* sort out my computer, I *will* do it. This is getting ridiculous. And now I don't have an excuse because I have an extension cable. A black one. Yes, I did specifically buy a black one, even if it possibly cost more. Yes... I have issues! But otherwise it wouldn't match!

I finished Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs. I think I'm getting soppier, I got a little teary at the end lol. It was very good though a little too much "OMG he's dead! Oh... no... wait, he's still alive!" going on but that's not really a big problem lol. I think I might start on one of the nice hard backs tonight.

My website is closer to being set up. I still have to create a fireFTP account (I think) and then I can upload proper HTML files. Then my website will be truly my own! I also found some people to do an online "book club" type thing with so I'm going to work out how to fix up that forum thing. For the other online book club we might be reading Fight Club, Catcher in the Rye or Brave New World. I loved Brave New World but I haven't read either of the others, I'm quite looking forward to this months. Perhaps if I've gotten the forum up in time I'll set it for our book club too. Or maybe just review it ^^

Night night xx

P.S. *big* crush...

The way of the pin

So yeah, I called up my step-mother this morning, she's nurse you see. And she said I needed to go to the hospital, which scared me not a little! So I went to work to find someone to go to hospital with me and they said that I should call up my GP first so that then I wouldn't have to sit in A&E forever! I started calling the GP and couldn't get through for more than an hour and my stomach is getting pretty painful by this point so I go tell my boss who then rings them up and gets through immediately. Of course. Anyway doc says don't go to the hospital, come see me... in two and a half hours... So in the meantime I am told to eat some Ontbijtkoek which should wrap round the pin and stop it spiking me and help me pass it etc. I go to the doctor and he said "Yeeeeeeah, it'll be fine, you'll just have to wait". So at the end of the day I was completely right to just let it get on with it! Lol, but this way I didn't have to do much work so that was cool!

Not much else is happening. Still talking to people on IRC and one of the guys that I'm going to meet at FOSDEM is being fairly flirty with me so my inner flirt is responding. And my friend told me he was a little jealous bless him lol. But I explained that I couldn't help it and I think he was a bit mollified lol.

Night night

Oh noes!

I almost posted last night but I was distracted before I clicked the Publish button then closed Firefox without clicking it - d'oh!

So, yesterday: I got my screen! (It's so shiny) I also got fabric to turn into goodie bags for FOSDEM. It's going to be lots of fun.

I cleared all my desk and wiped it down and plugged my computer together (the externals) then I realised I'd left my power-cable at work... Ah well, I haven't actually turned it on today either, just never did lol. I'll turn it on tomorrow hehehehe.

I finished my prototype drawstring gift bag, it's pretty darn cool actually! I'm now making my friend's one then I'll get on with making my other friend's then mine :D They're easier to make than stockings ^^ You don't need to bother with a pattern for one thing.

Nothing much else is happening, work is being crappy again but I'm making lots of new aber friends so it's all good.

Oh! My friend had his skin graft yesterday and it all went well apparently, hopefully he'll be back in aber by the end of the week :D

Night night

Confusion

Yeah, I'm confused right now. You know how, when you're on your dashboard, there's a little counter that says how many posts you've... posted? Mine says 79 but I only have 64 "year in posts" tagged posts and five posts prior to that. I think I may have mis-tagged a couple since I started because I have more posts since I started the daily posting than are tagged as such. But only two. so that gets me to 71. Eight posts seems a pretty big discrepancy... Do comments count as posts? This is my theory but I'm not sure!

Anyway yeah, so that's confusing. Also I think the whole internet is on the blink, either I or various of my friends are signing in and out of msn. Now if we were all in the same place it'd be different. Obviously it's not possible but it's a scarily amusing theory.

Oh! I promised reviews! Bother, I have a few stacked up now. In reverse order then:

The Andromeda Strain
I thought this was great, very tense, I swear only read it half properly because I wanted to find out what happened. Very "scary" in the it-could-happen kind of scary way. If you're in to sci-fi I do recommend it! Having said that the ending was a bit of a let down. Given all the tension and the unknowns that people had to deal with and the bizarre and crazy deaths and stuff I thought something at least "vaguely" catastrophic was gonna happen. There were often times when it was mentioned that "It was 48 hours before he realised his mistake" as if this mistake was somehow crucial. Which it was... sort of. At least you thought so. Hopefully I haven't given away too much to make it not worth the read lol!

The Great Gatsby
This was an... odd story. It was, frustrating mostly, it didn't really seem to have much of a point to it I must admit. Some of the scenes were very interestingly described but yeah, not overly interesting. There were many occasions when dramatic stuff could happen, but something else half as dramatic happened instead. There were a couple of really big things but they weren't given due attention. I kinda ended up disliking the narrator for being so... non-committal about certain situations. And he has a vague love interest that fizzles out, most of the book just fizzled. That's how I felt it went anyways.

Argh! There was a third one I was supposed to give you but I've forgotten it!

I was slightly annoyed over something to do with Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. I was the first one to finish it in my online book club but that's fine 'cos I can just make a thread for the book and start talking. So I wrote a great big long post about the things I felt were interesting, what was important. All that jazz. And the next person to finish - and possibly the only person who will read the story - said "My friends say I'm a robot".

Now, OK, this forum is a bit of a weird one. It's pretty eclectic and that comment isn't particularly out of place. But *she's* the person who set up the book club so we could discuss books and that's *all* she has to say about this one? OK, so I wrote a *lot* about that book but fine, ignore what I wrote! Write your own stuff, talk about the book at least. But no, that was her *only* comment. ARGH! People are frustrating! *looks miffed*

Just a quick one - in theory

So just this should be just a quick blog 'cos it's late and I'm tired and I swear I've messed up in this sentence so many times that I really need to go to bed! But! In the spirit of trying to blog every day but having failed miserably recently I came online solely to blog - yay for remembering.

Nothing much has happened today, Sietse reckons my computer parts might be here by the end of the week which means going to buy a screen/keyboard/mouse tomorrow. Fun fun fun!

I got an e-mail about another Rotterdam Photography Collective group outing - Vintage Black and White. And I've found somewhere that might sell black and white film and develop it - I'm so happy ^^ Should be lots of fun.

I went to Jeremy's (Ewout's friend) house today to play xbox games - we played Halo and I didn't suck! OK, comparatively speaking, I did. But I actually killed some people and I've gotten the hang of running around and moving my head/view at the same time. Pretty useful skills I must say. I might actually be vaguely good by the end of my time here - woo, accomplishment.

I had some musings that I thought of earlier which would, in my normal way, probably have become a full-blown essay but that I will instead summarise due to afore-mentioned sleepiness.

I was thinking about language and about how there are so many acronym words going around these days: omg, lol, wtf, ftw being just a few examples. I thought about how the written word was actually created based on speech. And now what we say often becomes written, "doing a delia" "chav" and "asbo" being new words/phrases entered into the English dictionary in the last few years. So speech becomes written words, and I was wondering how long it would be before written words became speech. "Asbo" is a fairly good example. Technically and A.S.B.O. is an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (or something) but it became an acronym and now just a word just in everyday speech. But will people start actually saying "wtf" as in w.t.f.? Or o.m.g. I wonder... A lot of these acronym-phrases have come from the gaming community and some of their words *have* leaked into everyday speech, if only amongst, well, the gaming/nerdy community - n00b being an example. N00b means a newbie but has now become a regular word, though it hasn't yet been dictionarified - which *should* be a word ;) But will these acronyms become proper words too?

It was an interesting thought and occupied me for much of the journey to Ewout's house. I don't really have an answer. Maybe it will happen, maybe it won't. But if it does, remember, you heard the theory here first ;)

Night night xx

You get what you wish for...

So I've been begging for some work to do... mentally, not out loud. And today I got it! It's not nearly as fun as the stuff Ewout is doing but it's should be interesting. It's pretty simple but then might lead to a whole restructure - yes, another one! But it's stuff to do.

I've finally decided on my computer screen and I think I will just get a keyboard and mouse here in the Netherlands then if I want a better keyboard I can get one when I go home. That or I'll get a real nice one but just reassign the keys so it works like an english one :D I'd have to get some little stickers or something but that's all for the future!

I've been in a bad mood all day but it's finally been shifted just by conversation with good friends which is nice. I talked to a couple of dutch guys and they're lovely but it just doesn't work as well as with friends you have a connection with you know?

Thank goodness for well-known friends.

And for ones that don't say "Have you bought a screen yet? Don't get that one, that brand are crap, well fine then! Get that screen. Have you bought it yet? Have you bought WoW yet? I want my zebra!"

*Willow bangs her head on the table* arrrrrrrrrgh ::brain malfunction::

But now I am feeling more chipper and I'm going to play xbox games again tomorrow woop woop! I'm so awful but hopefully after six months I will be fairly decent then I can play against my housemates! I won't win but I might actually do OK, that'll be good enough for me :)

Oh oh! I'm reading The Andromeda Strain so expect a review soon and I also just finished The Great Gatsby at the weekend so I'll review that soon too :)

Night night xx

Almost the weekend

I know, I've been back less than one week and I already want to be off work again... Surely there are people in the world who love their jobs, if you are one of those people please tell me! If no-one responds I won't take it as confirmation that there aren't people who like their jobs, don't worry.

We had another testing day at work today. I've come to realise I quite like doing software testing, it's mostly easy and lots of people join in so it means there's a lot of conversation going on. There are a couple of tables posted on an internal wiki page so you can tick the ones you've done that passed or put crosses next to the ones that failed. It was a good day for the most part.

This evening I went to hang out with Ewout and his friends. They're pretty nice people. Quite a mixed bunch actually. One of the guys, Frank, is one of those sweet "I'm not emo!" kids and a huuuuuuuuuge prude. Which is fun because the other guys aren't, to varying degrees. It was good fun. I played Halo... And sucked ass, major amounts of ass. But I knew I would so at least I didn't let myself down!

Tomorrow I go to kookpunt! *Finally* I get to go play in the big cookery shop :D I hope I don't buy too much stuff... Fun fun fun though. Tomorrow I also have to make a cake again. I don't know what it will be, probably something from my sexy new recipe book ^^ When I get my site up and running I will have a separate recipes section and promise for months on end that I'll update it, honest I will, and just as you give up hope I'll write up billions of recipes hehehe. Which reminds me! I found my own, hand-written recipe book, with my recipe for super awesome unbaked chocolate cheesecake. I'm so happy!

Beeeeed time! x

Almost home!

That's right, less than 24 hours and I will be in my own bed. Y'all are probably sick of hearing me talk about it but it's my blog and I don't care I'm afraid!

We had the work party today. It was OK, I spent quite a while hanging out in the kitchen with people I knew rather than mingling. I also horrified a colleague when I told him I didn't go out much because I didn't want to go out alone. He's going to take me to the Irish Pub and I think this will make things better... I'm not sure though! But anyways, seems like I have friends now, which is weird. But good! It's nice to know :) I also made friends with the girlfriend of another colleague. She's humourously (sp?) bitchy to the other guy, quite good fun really hehehe.

After that I hung out with Casper (not the friendly ghost) and discussed books and movies for at least an hour. I'm fairly sure he's my hero. He's the one who lent me Ender's Game for which I shall forever be in his debt! So overall it was a good time but not particularly because it was a party! There was drunken singing and guitar hero going on which was less fun! I left early so I could do some packing which is *blatantly* not happening now, *sigh* Well, not much of it at least. Probably do a whirlwind scourge of stuff but it's definitely bedtime!

6 sleeps till Christmas!