Jon Curnow's Digital Home
Trick or Treat?
Well, I bought some sweets from the local shops and waited for the trick-or-treaters. Despite the abundance of small children running around the neighbourhood in fright masks and cloaks (and an alarmingly high number of mothers with push-chairs wearing big pointy witch hats), nobody knocked. I am not sure if I am annoyed or relieved. We had a guest tonight, so I didn’t really want to be disturbed, but not one knock. Perhaps I frighten the locals!
I never knew I didn’t know this.
Recently, I may have professed that I knew the difference between affect and effect, and it was confirmed for me today online at Common Errors in English. I did not think that Xmas was a way of removing Christ from Christmas, but rather a lazy person’s way of avoiding writing letters. Turns out, I was wrong, and the X is an abbreviation of the Greek word for Christ [Source]. Just goes to show that I know nothing.
I have spent the last few days trying to decide if I should update my ‘phone with Orange and today I have decided against.
I have spent the last few days trying to decide whether to update my phone with Orange, and today I decided against it. I have been considering upgrading to one of those phones that is both a PDA and a phone. I am hoping this would stop me from carrying multiple devices around with me and also ensure that I am in sync across all the things I use to try to organise my life. Sadly, I have decided there isn’t a device for me.
The Orange SPV seems to get me a lot of the way, but the phone hasn’t had the greatest reviews and, to be honest, if I were going to pay that much money, I think I would like either Bluetooth or a built-in camera (apparently, the next version will have both of these things). It also features an MP3 player that will, of course, play WMA format. I won’t get started on music formats – I am sure there is a whole post there.
Now the Treo 600 also interests me. It is a combined PDA and phone and will be able to utilise most of the Palm-related software that I have already installed and used on my trusty Palm Vx. The Real One Mobile that you could use on the Treo doesn’t play WMA files, which means that I would have to re-encode most of my music and, as I am not that much of an audiophile, I’d rather have the disc space.
Now, neither of these devices does all I need or want, and I am not going to spend that much money yet. My Nokia 7650 tries to sync contacts and a diary but doesn’t do it very well. I looked at the Sony Ericsson T610, but it doesn’t seem to be much of a leap from the Nokia I have.
So, what’s my wish list? A Palm-powered device which is also a phone and a decent MP3 player. If I had the money, it would also be Bluetooth- and Wi-Fi-enabled. One day, somebody will make it, I’ll have the money, and we’ll meet in a shop on Oxford Street.
Oh, and if you have tips for getting the Nokia 7650 to sync well (not just sync, but sync well) with the Outlook I use at the office, please let me know.
Blue’s Lee Ryan has been charged with drink-driving. I should file this under silly popstars, shouldn’t I?
Who’s a silly boy then? With all that fame and money, you think Blue’s Lee Ryan would be more careful and pay for a driver, wouldn’t you? If you didn’t know, he’s been charged with drink driving. Let’s hope the adulation isn’t going to his head and that he doesn’t think he’s better than everyone and above the law. Still, another shameless excuse to post a picture (I took this one at Pride In The Park last month).
I should file this under silly popstars, shouldn’t I?
There is often a story to be found in New Scientist that makes me smile – often for no obvious reason.
Today’sNew Scientistnews service reports that people with red hair are more sensitive to pain and consequently need more anaesthetic during operations than other patients.
There is often a story to be found in New Scientist that makes me smile – often for no obvious reason. I don’t think this one is very funny, but researchers have discovered that people with red hair are more sensitive to pain. What about people with limited amounts of hair?
An interesting and somewhat heartfelt piece in The Guardian today
“Before last weekend, liberal Australia felt the US had brought September 11 upon itself. But, says Clive James, the bombing in Bali has smashed that argument – and thrown his country into the war against terror.”
An interesting and somewhat heartfelt piece in The Guardian today: Guardian Unlimited | Clive James: Don’t blame the west
Every time I meet an American co-worker, I go through the same process. I try to stress that the UK is different and set the expectation that, although we speak (more or less) the same language, it’s not downtown NYC.
For several years, I have worked for American companies. Working for a satellite office of a US company is difficult for all concerned (including the US parent). An ex-colleague (and now good friend) of mine used to say the worst thing about being an American working in London was that, as a native English speaker, you put less effort into understanding UK culture. You felt it was, somehow, the same as New York, Boston or whichever US city was applicable. The problem is, the UK is not the same. We have different sensibilities, a different outlook, a different way of expressing ourselves and a whole different way of working. This, of course, leads to a whole range of new problems beyond the more obvious (why can’t this software work in Sterling?) procedural, production, or product issues. I vowed I would never work for a US company again, as even the most menial day-to-day tasks felt unnecessarily hard (when will they get my tax code correct?). Still, I did it, and this week we’re hosting a colleague from our New York office.
Today has been her first day in the London office, and it’s strange, because every time I meet an American co-worker, I go through the same process. I must try to stress that the UK is different and instil an expectation that, although speaking (more-or-less) the same language, it’s not downtown NYC. Except this time, she (I am refraining from naming her for no real reason except, dear readers, you will have noticed I do not name many people in this blog) is a real Anglophile. She loves England. Tudor England, maybe, but loves it. She understands that things are not the same. Warm beer is not a crime against civilisation; it has a whole heritage and history of its own. It is truly refreshing and, in a bizarre way, made me quite happy.
This evening, therefore, we went to dinner together at Joe Allen’s restaurant because I like the theatrical nature of the place and I know it serves great food. We had a fantastic evening just talking (and, of course, we discussed office politics, but not too much). I thoroughly enjoyed spending the evening with somebody who was wide-eyed about London (in fact, who seemed to be falling in love with the city that I fell in love with) and not jaded (as many of us who live here are). I even vowed to take more buses so I could see the city and not live my commuting life in an underground hell. A new perspective on my city has done wonders for me.
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Originally posted at musak.org | Wayback – original | Wayback
Posted September 16, 2002
September is great because it signals autumn, and that’s my favourite season.
Without stating the obvious, and as a direct follow-on to yesterday’s insightful comment, today is September. September is great because it signals Autumn, and that’s my favourite season. I am not good in heat and sun and tend to dislike the dampness of winter. Autumn is cool and crisp without being damp and soggy.
Autumn has the wonderful rustic, golden colours that work so well with a cloudless blue sky. The light will be perfect for the next two months. September, however, was always the month back to school after the long summer holiday. September is also my birthday which makes me the centre of attention for at least one day – and I hate that. I liked my birthday being in September when I was a child because it got overlooked at the start of a new term. If your birthday was in May, people started planning for it. In September, people conveniently missed it because they were talking about their holidays in the sunshine. So, I guess, September must be my favourite month – which means I was born in the right month. Twisted logic but, somehow, just right.
