I spent
yesterday afternoon in the electronics labs working my way through the latest project, and was pleased to find that
I am on track. This new found ability to work has inspired me and, once again, I'm motivated to get on with stuff.
I finally posted my Creative Class application (for some extortionate price
due to Special Delivery rates) and that is a weight off my mind and a item ticked off my list of things to do.
However this doesn't solve the problems I'm having getting my business finances in order. I want it all squared up
by the end of next week.
Naturally being a Friday I headed down to the Union last night. It was Jim's 21st birthday (even though his
birthday had been last week) and we had a pre-party/course social in Cognito bar before FND. Jim was given a dirty pint, which took it's toll very quickly, and
he was home by 9pm, with the promise of a return later on in the night. I wrote him off at this stage, but in fact I
was completely surprised to see him back in the piazza a couple of hours later. Good effort.
I got boozed
(that's what a 7 hour stint in the bar does to you) but had a good night all round. Lucy was wondering around
dressed as a cow, collecting for her India trip, and the lads turned up later in the night after the usual drinksies around at Broomys.
The worst thing
is that tonight is Leon's pub golf, which naturally is going to be messy. It's always hilarious and a good night,
so in that respect I'm looking forward to it, but with the number of birthdays/nights out in the next two or three
weeks I'm going to be dead.
Fiona's sixth form party at the Medicine Bar, Tuesday. Sean's birthday
celebrations, Wednesday.Emma text me yesterday - her party next Saturday. An I know there are more. There is
definitely going to be burnout before my birthday in three weeks time, which nicely coincides with exams again. I
see the declaration of another Birthweek as a viable solution.
My printer has been
throwing out copies of my portfolio pieces for the Ideasfactory Creative Class competition all day, but still I
haven't got a full set of decent prints. Damn paper feed. I really need to pack it all off tomorrow in order for it
to arrive by the deadline on Monday. Tony gave me the all clear so at least that's one less thing to follow up
before it can all go off.
Apart from this minor hiccough with hardware - everything else concerning things
electrical is much better. The new kit turned up last night and I can now confirm exactly what I got (it was a bit
of a mystery until I opened the box). Neil has sorted me out with a Radeon 9800
XT 256MB which is awesome with a capital AWESOME. The thing makes Photoshop fly and I have been able to replace
my two old cards with this one new one. Well chuffed.
The second item was a 200GB external
Seagate hard drive. I have been so sloppy with backups in the past, but this gives me no excuse now as it's as
simple as the press of a button. I still haven't quite got the hang of the settings yet, but it looks cool
anyway.
Tim won The Apprentice as I
had hoped, and the final episode made for compulsive viewing. The talk show after was also good, and I got the
impression that Sir Alan was genuinely pleased to have hired him. Also good news with the revelation of a second
series already on the cards - and 'Shugsy' is doing it.
Voted today. I got nabbed by the Lib Dem candidate as I was going into
lunch (I didn't realise it was him until I picked up one of the leaflets he had been handing out which were
abandoned all over the tables in the dining hall). It's funny, I would not honestly be surprised if their claim (on
the leaflet) that 44% of all students will be voting for them is true or is exceeded. General consensus has been
very pro-them, not only from Lufbra, but from mates elsewhere. I for one would be pleased if they got this
seat.
I spent over 20 minutes on the phone today trying to sort out the Echos domain name, only to be told to
phone another number. I was absolutely over-the-moon about this of course. My expenses really are adding up
considerably doing this; it is taking far longer than I had hoped and/or expected.
This is why I'm looking
forward to tomorrow, I haven't had a decent night out since the Monday before last. Wow. That really is a
ridiculously long time.
Yahoo! have given me a whole Gig of e-mail space, and finally
the chance to search through all the crap that has accumulated in my inbox over the years, so woo yay for my e-mail
and virals.
Today is the final of The
Apprentice and so Broomy has invited us all down for the highlight of my week so far. It will hopefully make up
for the three hours I sat down in my department this afternoon, waiting for a bit of copper to drop off a sheet of
plastic. Sounds boring? It was. And what's more, I'm still waiting. It will also compensate for the rapid
prototype which we sent in to be made and which came back a few tessellations short of a widget, plus the poor
progress that has been made in getting my money for the Echos domain purchase. This is why I need an enjoyable
evening.
Before the night is out I hope to have sorted some more web-stuff out for Mike and met up with Nick
regarding StudentXtra, which means my new harddrive and graphics card will be showing up with any luck. It looks
promising so far.
Swan is back. I found out that he has double booked Rufio's birthday celebrations with his
and Zoe's 18 month anniversary, which also is the day before she goes to NYC for week. Good timing.
Finally,
I have laid off Justin. I feel sorry for him. Well, not really. Dizzy Jo broke into my room, changed my MSN name and
I haven't changed it back. He got off lightly I feel.
I love Ribena, which makes our latest DT project all the more bearable. We are making
an injection moulded 'widget' (promotional giveaway) that replaces the current Ribena bottle caps with a more
exciting item. The next few weeks look like they are going to be busy. I've added up today that I've got the
Ribena project, CAD surfacing/logo assignment, electronics PCB
construction, circuit completion and materials major project all to do in the space of four weeks. Then
exams.
Plus today I spoke to Flash who is keen for me to help out with his Team Tan(zania) t-shirt designs for
this summer and Mike needs a website for his art, so it's time management central here.
That's why I spent
two hours designing a poster for Jim's party.
To be fair on myself I have
done some 'proper' work too, so I can't be too hard on myself. I'm still wanting to get this Creative Class
entry in the post. If Tony doesn't get back to me tomorrow, I think I will send it regardless. Mike came up earlier
and helped me with my selection of submissions, which is really useful. I've come to realise out of all my
hall-mates, only Mike has any vague hint of being art-savvy. It's good to have a second opinion.
Justin
isn't too pleased with me. Last night I went to Echos I found out that he had offered to pay Sammi to look like his
girlfriend to fend off another girl. Of course, this isn't the exact truth, but who cares. It's really funny
watching him react to my MSN name - earlier his was "Higgs, You'll pay for this", but now it's
even better, with "If there is one thing I can't stand.... it's Andy Higgs".
There is so
much love in Lufbra. I'm sure he'll figure out some way of getting back at me, but until then, the taunting
continues.
So today was Freefest, which is a giant music
festival organised by the union each year. Tongy was playing on the balcony at Bocca so Sean and I headed over for
his set. It was really good, with the sun out and large number of mates out, it was a good way to spend the Bank
Holiday afternoon.
Devito and Swan were both away today, the former is on a road trip down to Cornwall with
some of the Spanish lads (that boy, he couldn't want to be more wannabe-Iberian if he tried) and the latter is back
home for the weekend, so it's all quiet here. Rufio and Bromley (Devito's mate) accompanied me to Mugie's for a curry (sooo good) and then we headed back to
the Tower.
I caught half an hours sleep then went out with Chris and Rob. Echos wasn't great. Although there
were a load of people out both from the course and some from Towers I wasn't really picking up the vibe. I had a
couple of drinks then headed back home via 35 York Road where I was entertained by DDS, Rich and Psycho for half an hour. I'd never seen naked female wrestling before, but it turns
out it's quite good. Not particularly the most educational piece of TV I've ever seen, but it somehow made the
night worthwhile.
I can't believe the weekend is out already. Tommorow (today) it's back to the grind stone.
Lovely.
I've just landed back in Lufbra after a very usual family Sunday. Late to rise, tea with Grandma and
then the evening meal with the folks. It's been good going back for a couple of days, but I decided to get back
tonight as tomorrow is a good opportunity for university-style-frolics, as long as the weather remains as superb as
it has been the past couple of days.
Saying that, last night when I went up to bed at about 2am, I couldn't
get to sleep for the flashes of light outside my window. I was curious to what was going on, as there was no sound
at first, but the parents informed me this was an electrical storm, which apparently it just that - lightening
without thunder and rain. It was spectacular and I filmed it for half an hour trying to catch a fork lightening shot
(there was no way I could do it using a standard still). I've stuck a couple of the more successful frame captures
here. I'm actually really pleased with the results, even if the resolution isn't great. Hopefully one day before
the summer is out I can get some decent lightning shots from up here on floor 20 - it's got to be the best view in
Leicestershire for it.
Before all that, I had spent the evening stuffing myself with steak and grilled
delicacies at the Beefeater in Dudley. Just me and the old guys. It was nice as we don't do it often, in fact, I
can't recall ever doing it before. I'll make sure it's not the last. Especially if they are picking up the tab
again!
I've no idea how tomorrow will pan out. Will it be a lazy day? Will I arise early? Who knows. Who
cares?
I'm back in the 'Bridge on my one-shop-laundry-stop. It
also has the purpose of getting a haircut (which I got done earlier today) and the real reason for my visit back;
the Elvis concert.
The performance was good, although I'm not as sure that I enjoyed it as much as last time.
They won't have very many years of these tours left, as most people there were getting on a bit. Originally these
concerts to see the living version of 'The King' were packed with standing, dancing youngsters, now everybody
sits. Soon they'll need rows of beds and free colostomy bags.
Last night I slept from 12 until 12, which was
great. I now realise I do sleep better when at I'm at home than at uni, but it's taken over a year and a half to
figure it out. Not that this is a bad thing, as when I get home I can now look forward to ridiculously long lie-ins
(similar to the ones Swan enjoys on weekdays. Lazy bastard.)
After waking late, I went to J&R's to get my
hair cut. The place is friendly and the talk always forthcoming and usually colourful. It's one of my favourite
places to just go and listen when I'm at home, so getting a haircut can actually be quite enjoyable. Plus their
cuts are good and priced reasonably.
Further things I've done today include buying some (more) new clothes,
re-bleaching my hair and getting my laundry back from Jon's house (he took it back as I couldn't carry it around
with me at the NEC after he dropped me off). I don't know where he was off to as I arrived, and I didn't ask, but
he was dressed up like a 1920's golfer and driving one of his Jeeps. I don't think that's what he usually wears
on the weekend. If it is, you learn something new everyday.
