Sharks

That's it, my PC is definitely not good for playing games. Half-Life 2 keeps crashing everytime I try to play it. It's also done it when I was playing Trackmania and Outrun 2. But it never crashes if I'm playing MMO games. Strange.

Anyway, someone I know at work has had laser eye surgery. When I first heard of laser eye surgery I thought it meant that actual lasers were put into your eyes, bionic man style. The laser would then be used to focus the eyes.

Unfortunately it's even worse than that. They scrape your eyes back and fiddle the corneas (or something) with the laser until they work. This is why, when my eyes finally play up*, I will be sticking with glasses. It's because I'm extremly squeamish about touching my eyes. Contact lenses are right out too. So when I finally become boss-eyed for life what kind of glasses should I get?

Type 1
The Lennon












I don't think these are going to work for me. They give the air of someone who thinks they're intelligent, but in reality are not. Unless of course you're this guy:









Who is stupid and gives the air of being stupid.

Type 2
The thick style












I quite like this look & think I could pull it off. The only problem with this is that everyone at work who wears glasses wears a style similar to this. So either I leave my current job or choose a different pair. Or just get over myself (or under) and get that kind.

Type 3
The secretary style










As worn by Janine of The Real Ghostbusters. This is the half-moon style that is usually used by Secretaries as reading glasses. I doubt this will be my style as it's mostly worn by women. And I don't think red frames would suit me.

Type 4
The eyepatch











Seeing how I'm only going to go blind, or at least blurry in one eye I think the eyepatch is a viable alternative. Plus I would have a decent fancy dress costume to fall back on.

It would get boring after the first few parties though.

* +0.25 in my right eye currently. Whatever that means.

Squash update

I drew another match this Wednesday. This time there was no 9-0 thrashing so I'm getting better. In fact I went two games in the lead before my lack of fitness started to tell.

I'm more surprised by the fact that my legs don't hurt for five days afterwards like they did when I first started this whole thing. Wow, doing exercise gets you fit, who'd have thought it?

In work news I'm having to use Microsoft Access, which is not user friendly, but I'm managing to get it to do what I want. Although it's taken me the best part this week to get that far. Imagine if I had to do something slightly more difficult than multiplying some numbers? My mind boggles. Or falls asleep, I forget which.

Device management

My PC is having a phantom device problem. Everytime I load up the PC it decides that I've plugged in a new piece of hardware which needs installing. Except I haven't.

And even though EVERY TIME I tell it to 'not tell me about this again' it tells me about it again. Grrr. PC's eh?

I might do a windows update and see if that will help. It might even make Half-Life 2 work, although I've given up on that myself.

Clerks the first

Freya & I watched Clerks the other day. I liked it, but was very surprised to see my work colleague Tom in there as Oleg. I might ask Tom if he's ever tried making Truck Bezerker.


Tom, with me

Oleg making ("cluck" - ed) BEZERKER!

I move in usual ways

As you'd expect for a couple who are getting married, Freya & I are looking at how much houses are to buy. And then deciding we'll have to save for about another 3 years before we can get a reasonably nice house.

In our search for house prices in the york area we found this:
http://212.50.188.108/cgi-win/vebra.cgi?details1?src=vebra&PropertyCode=1461001/REDHO/17903/1
I'm guessing it's a joke page put on there by the developers, but still five grand is still too much for us to pay.

How to get fit

The best way to get fit is to do some exercise. The only problem with this is that you have to do some exercise. If you've spent the past four to seven years sitting on your arse then you'll find your legs fail to work for about five days after trying to get fit.

But I've given it a go. And I feel even more tired than I did before. This is my exercise diary.

Saturday 2nd June
Ran around the Cricket pitch. Took about 10 minutes to do so, although I did have to stop jogging about three times due to exhaustion. Decide to blame it on the sunshine, but absolved moonlight and goodtimes of any guilt. It was exceptionally hot.

Checked my pedometer at the end to see how far I had ran. Apparently my ten minute jog took only 50 steps to do and resulted in me running 20 metres. Looks as though I might have to increase the sensitivity for the next time I run.

Wednesday 6th June
Legs still not working, but foolishly decide to challenge fellow Persistency colleague Natalie to a squash match. I have never played squash before, but being largely rubbish at any racquet sport I expect a defeat.

I lose, but actually manage to win the first game, which surprised me considering Natalie plays Squash/Badminton about twice a week and I'm crap. However I did lose the second game 9-0, partly due to knackering myself in the first game. Managed to get through the men's shower challenge as well.

Friday 15th June
Squash rematch. This time it was a 2-2 draw. Once again I win the first game and then lose the second 9-0. Obviously stamina is a problem for me. Did some rather decent shots, but didn't have a clue how I actually managed to do them. This is similar to the 'power serves' on Wii Tennis, how do they happen?

Yet to do another run, because I hate doing them. Might try once the weather clears up. But squash is rather fun though. Although I might change my mind if I play someone half-decent as Natalie admits she's rather crap as well.

Oh and I've played a load of Wii Sports and Wario Ware as well. Does that count as exercise? The Dr. Crygor bit involves doing loads of squats so I'm counting them whether you like it or not.

In other news Freya has bought her wedding dress off ebay*. I had to do the auction sniping for it, but wasn't allowed to view the dress, which caused some logistical problems. But it has now arrived and is pretty according to Freya. And the ring arrived last Sunday as well. I have seen this and it is very pretty.

* Link added from an e-mail I have without images, so I still haven't seen it. But you can. Let me know what you think of it.

Serious and Seriouser

"We need to talk"

Four words men never want to hear from their Schatz.

I turned the television off. As I knew I would drift off and start watching it no matter how serious the conversation got.

"If we're going to get married next year we need to start saving money."

This I knew. We'd just spent a lot of money on going to Japan. And since coming back I spent a lot on an engagement ring (which still hasn't arrived). Then I spent two hundred and fifty quid on a Wii (which is great) and seventy quid on some trainers to get fit (one ten minute run, one loss at squash and two aching legs). So my bank account was rather low.

And Freya was aware of this.

"I know you managed to put some money away that was left over at the end of the month, but I think you should start up a direct debit and save some money for the wedding. And also save some for yourself as I know you spent all of your savings on Japan."

This made sense. I needed to save money and I'm the kind of person who if they have some money in the bank will usually spend it. I spoke of my agreement to this plan.

Unfortunately Freya didn't see to cotton on to that fact that I thought she was right & got into a bit of a panic about me not saving money. Luckily I think she finally believes me. And I have now set up the direct debits.

"I love you Ben"

Anyway, what about this for the top of the wedding cake?

Fridays Feast no. 9

Appetizer
Name something you think is “the best.”
I’d say Pulp’s This Is Hardcore is “the best” album ever. For some reason, if I hear any song from it at random on my mp3 player I have to flip back and listen to all of it. It is an unskippable album, even the dodgy track near the end where Jarvis comes on all Fat Harry White. No other album holds my attention like it.

Having said that I haven’t listened to it for a while…

Soup
On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 highest), how stressed are you today?
Started off at 4. Then it went up to 10 when a big Director rang me up asking for some figures within an hour. Then it went back to 4 when I realised the figures wouldn’t have been the best things to use in a meeting with the Chief Exec.

Salad
What kind of cleanser do you use to wash your face?
Nothing. Which might explain why my face is always very dry. I might give Clarins for Men a go soon as my Mum bought me a pack for Christmas.

Main Course
Tonight is a blue moon! What is something that you believe only happens “once in a blue moon.”
I wake up without immediately wanting to go straight back to sleep.

Dessert
When was the last time it rained where you live?
Yesterday. While I was walking home. My suit trousers were drenched before I reached the first corner & it takes twenty minutes to walk home. I had to have a bath when I got home I was so cold and wet. The suit’s going straight to the dry cleaners today!

Fridays feast is a meme that comes out every Friday at this website. I use it to give me something to write about.