Saturday, November 02, 2002

Lots has happened but because I don't update frequently I don't remember what. However, I do sign a new lease on Monday, to take effect on 4 December. Woo! Although I'll be forking out a small fortune in start up costs etc, I'll finally be able to fulfil my dream of living the "professional couple/inner city/yuppie lifestyle". Woo! x2

Wednesday, October 23, 2002

Time for a Super-Happy-Mega Update!

I'm back from week long visit of irrigation areas and the irrigation industry. It was a lot of fun, very interesting and very informative, but by God I was glad it was over by the end. I was prepared to bludgeon to death with a blunt instrument almost every other person on the trip. Once again, my hatred of people in general has been reinforced. Let's face it, people suck.

Anyway, for this trip we made our way down to Shepparton to examine water use efficiency in the Goulburn-Broken catchment area. We spoke to a wide range of people including state government statutory authorities, local landholders, land care groups and local industry. Half of us also spent a day over the border in Finley, NSW to see how they do things there (Hint: very differently). All in all, I learnt a lot about water use, and how much this drought really is making people suffer, and how much it costs financially.

Still waiting for the third unexpected emailer. Come on you slack bastard...

I spent last Saturday checking out 2-bdrm units for me and the girl to live in next year when she moves down. Unlike last time I looked, I saw quite a few nice places. Unfortunately, they're now all gone or are available now, which doesn't suit me at all. I need places available soon, not now. I can't afford all the extra rent otherwise. The real estate agent I spoke to today (who works for the nice people at Independent Real Estate) was very helpful and helped tee up a viewing of a place that doesn't come on the market until the end of November. This place is nice, and I hope after I see it from the inside it'll prove to be even nicer. Fingers crossed, I may have next year's accommodation sorted very soon.

The Underworld CD is definitely most fantastically awesome. It's even better the second and third times around. Buy it. Trust me. Of course, if you are familiar with my taste in music, you may want to have a test listen first :)

Got a third "piece" (copped a bit of flak for calling an instrumental a song - apparently a song must have words - whatever) up for anyone's listening pleasure. It's a 60sec work in progress. Sweet Helena

It's not much right now, but I plan to gradually work on it and make it an entire piece.

Sunday, October 13, 2002

Another busy but unremarkable week. I've had to finish up a lot of things at work because I'll be away for the next week, visiting various irrigation industries and related government bodies on a work-related research trip. It promises to be a lot of fun and I'm definitely looking forward to it.

It's been a week for unexpected emails. Both were pleasant surprises and were from people I wasn't expecting to hear from. Since these things usually happen in threes, I'm curious as to who will be the third emailer.

Bought the new Underworld CD today. Haven't listened to all of it yet, but what I have heard is most fantastically awesome. Highly recommended.

Wednesday, October 09, 2002

Man, what a weekend. You can forget about Friday night or all Saturday as I didn't do much. My Saturday night was spent watching two hours of The X-Files. Woo. I've got to slow down before I give myself a heart attack.

Anyway, very very early Sunday morning I boarded a bus full of my soccer team mates and we cruised up to Wollongong to play the Warilla Wanderers in something of a regional derby (Warilla Wanderers are associated with the Spanish club in Wollongong).

The bus trip was fun. The game not so much. It was hot (hot for a Canberran anyway), I got very little match time and we lost 4-2 after leading 2-1 and outplaying the opposition for most of the much.

After the match, we had dinner at the Spanish club. However, the food was crap and I didn't eat much of it. On the other hand, the alcohol was very cheap ($2.70 for a bourbon and coke) and I drank my share. In fact, I drank a lot of people's share. Having said that, I did very well and didn't pull up too badly the next day, which is more than I can say about some others. Some people were extraordinarily smashed to pieces. Made me look like an angel in comparison.

Might not sound like much, but it was still stacks of fun. Unfortunately, we didn't reach Canberra until about 7pm on Monday so I'm still recovering from it all.

Was worth it though.

Monday, September 30, 2002

Wow. Shit. Been quite a while since I last wrote.

The girl came down to visit me for a week and just flew back home today. The week seemed far too short, but it was a fantastic time while she was here. It was just so nice to see her, hold her, hug her, brush her hair, kiss her etc etc etc (and no, I'm not being sleazy here...I'll save that for another time ;> )

I've still got the cold, although it has morphed into something more evil. I've got a wet cough, a dry cough, really sore neck joints and glands that go up and down faster than a two bit whore on a Saturday night. I don't feel well, but I'm struggling on for the time being. I've got an appointment to see the doctor this Wednesday so maybe I'm going to be better soon.

Sadly, my old dog was given the "green dream" late last week and is now my late dog. Although the dog and I haven't disagreed with each other's very existence for quite a few years now, I was still a bit sad when my sister emailed me to tell me the bad news. In a bad weekend for dogs, H's mum rang her to tell her that her old dog had died as well. Both dogs were definitely on their last legs, but it is still the end of an era.

The girl and I had an engagement party of sorts on Saturday night. It was really just an excuse to have a little party so that she could meet all my new friends down here, but still it was a lot of fun. We made chocolate fondue, which I nearly killed but it was rescued in the end. Apparently, chocolate doesn't just magically melt into liquid but tends to melt than burn and make a mess (and smell bad). As I now know, it needs things like cream or milk and marge to make a fondue. The things you learn.

I've got a nice trip to Woollongong this weekend to play soccer. I have no idea what it will be like (especially as I'm still sick) but I've never had an end of season trip so it should be fun. If nothing else, it's an excuse to have a few drinks over a long weekend.

Wednesday, September 18, 2002

Well, home sick again. I kept waking myself up during the night with my coughing, and I couldn't stop coughing this morning either. My throat was raw and my voice all scratchy from the abuse my cold has been dishing out.

I tried to get ready for work and go this morning. I got up at the normal time, I ate my breakfast, I had a shave and a shower. I just couldn't stop coughing and I was starting to get all achy in my joints. After I rang work to say I wouldn't be coming in (again), I went back to bed and slept for like another three or four hours. I felt so good after that. There's no way around it though, I need to be at work tomorrow, cold or no cold. I've got too much to do to take another day off work.

I roughly finished a new track Monday and yesterday. It can temporarily be found here [home.connexus.net.au/~smperris]. Just follow the link (there is only one on the page).

My girl comes down to visit me in just under a week. Yay! I can't wait. I may have mentioned this before but it has been far too long.

Monday, September 16, 2002

Cold's suck. In fact, they blow as well. They suck, and they blow, all at the same time. Of course, instead of lying in bed, recovering after being sent home from work ("There's nothing that can't wait - go home and get better...and don't rush back either! You'll only make yourself sicker!" - I work with some really nice, cool, people), I'm logged on, checking email, updating my blog. I need help, I really do.

The very temporary link for my first ever song is here [www.autodafe.net]. Autodafe, one of the denizens of KVR, kindly offered me some space on his server for the purposes of this month's competition. When my registration with mp3.com comes through, I'll have a more permanent home.

I'm currently putting the finishing touches on my second ever track. Hopefully, I'll have a link for that soon too.

Weird thought for the day: have you ever sat there and felt the bones on your face? I mean, felt around, worked out what was bone, what was cartilage, where the cavities would be, what your skull would look like petrified and on a shelf somewhere? It's weird, but kinda cool. I was doing this because I was trying to relieve the pressure in my sinuses (once again, suck and blow) and it struck me - our faces are freaky.

Oh, and btw...
*wave EBE*
Hope you had a good party man. Sorry I couldn't be there...

Friday, September 13, 2002

Not a huge amount has happened this week. I finished writing my first ever song earlier in the week. It's only 60 seconds long, but that's long enough to enter into the monthly competition over at KVR. I'll provide a link as soon as I have a permanent place to host it.

Work has been steady. I'm really enjoying it at the moment. I've got a sneaking suspicion that improving water quality in Australia might turn out to be something I can actually believe in and feel passionate about. That's a bit of a weird feeling because there is very little that I do care passionately about (apart from one or two very special people). Only time will tell.

Saturday, September 07, 2002

I just changed the resolution on my 19" monitor to 1280x960. Gotta say, not bad. It'll take a little getting used to (and my make working in Rebirth a bit trickly (I think it likes a native resolution of 800x600 althought it did work fine in 1024x768) but I don't use it that often at the moment anyway. Fruityloops looks fine in it and since that is my primary host at the moment, that's all that counts. If I need to use Rebirth on a more regular basis, I can always alter the res. again.
I've really been missing H. in the last couple of weeks. It's been almost like a physical pain. I'm so glad that she's coming down to see me in a couple of weeks. It's been too long...

Once again we got thumped . We lost 7-0 to the team that is top of the table (we're in State 3). Since our goal difference already sucked, it looks like we're going to finish with the wooden spoon. At least we gave it everything today. As I thought, my infected blister gave me hell (you should have seen the pus I squeezed out of it last night!). I just couldn't run anymore and volunteered to come off early into the second half. If I stayed on, I felt like I would have let down the team.

Friday, September 06, 2002

A blister on the ball of my left big toe burst yesterday morning. Now it is infected. It's gonna hurt like hell to play soccer tomorrow.

Thursday, September 05, 2002

Ooh, it's been a few days since I updated this. I know, I've been slack. However, there's really not been all that much to say. I moved into a new section at work on Monday and will spend the next three months immersing myself in issues relating water quality, salinity, environmental flows and all things Murray-Darling. Promises to be a lot of fun, but also a hell of a lot of work. Still, it will definitely be worth it.

I tasted the bitter taste of eBay defeat - slammed down within the last 5 minutes. It's a good thing to because I got caught up in the bidding a little and was prepared to pay a bit more than I can probably justify. Even the price I finally settled on was still only 25% of RRP. Oh well B4, even though I never knew you, I'll miss you so. Someone even offered to sell me a copy of the software for $30 plus P+P. I've got a suspicion that this was in fact warez ($30 for something that retails between $400 and $500? I think I'm right to be a little suspicious) so I reluctantly turned it down. Call me strange, but to me it's theft. If other people can do it and sleep at night, that's there problem. It's just not for me. A lot of time and effort goes into developing these products and everyone still has the right to earn a living. That's the problem with the internet - it's raised a whole generation of people who seem to believe that they should get everything for nothing. I guess I'll just have to settle for free imitations (like the B5 sound module offered by SampleTank).

Have had a bit of trouble getting motivated lately. Even though I'm finally getting enough sleep, I'm still having trouble staying awake and keeping energised. Sometimes it sucks to be so far away from all your loved ones.

The wedding plans are moving along nicely (no thanks to me of course...there's not much you can do when you live 1300kms away from the organisation of it). The venue and reception have been booked and a large chunk of the "little things" have been squared away. I wish I could help more, I really do, but my options are somewhat limited.

Sunday, September 01, 2002

I forgot to mention that once again, I have managed to injure one of my ankles this year playing soccer (this makes the third time...). This time I did it in a particularly spectacularly stupid way by standing on the ball. I was chasing it down the side line, desperately trying to keep it in when I mistimed a left foot kick (I'm right footed). What makes it worse was that the ball had already gone out of play.



I'm glad there's only two or three games left this year. I'm not sure my body could take much more. I'm far too young to feel this old...

*sigh*
Once again my soccer team has been on the receiving end of a less than flattering score line (6-3 - in fact, we beat these guys 6-3 in the previous round too). For various reasons it just seems hard for the team to put together 90 minutes of good football. Often, we'll be all over the opposition for the first 30-45 minutes but we usually fail to make use of our dominance by scoring. Eventually the tide starts to turn against us and it's all over. Hopefully things will be better next year as everyone gets more used to playing as a team.

Thursday, August 29, 2002

Hi, qci.
*wave*
The graduate program at work has seen its first person leave for greener pastures and we're only just over 6 months into the program. It's quite interesting, and she wasn't someone that I thought would leave early. It's always the quiet ones, isn't it. I think this will be the beginning of the breaking of the seal. I reckon at least one other person will leave before the program finishes in December and I expect four or five people to leave early next year after the program is finished. It's a shame really, because I work with a great bunch of people and I would hate to see any of them go. However, that's life and I know that I will get used to it eventually.

Tuesday, August 27, 2002

It would appear that the only reason I have broadband is for porn. I resent the implication that I'm so selfish and narrowminded. I also got it because it doesn't tie up the phone line ;) It's no wonder broadband take up is so slow in this country with this kind of high level support.

Another slowish day at work. I'm finishing up work in my section before I move on to another section next week. A report I've been working on for a couple of months was well received though. With a few additions, my draft should soon be a final version and ready for submission. It certainly made it feel like the work I've been doing was actually worthwhile and achieved something. I might be way down the food chain at work, but at least some people liked what I did and will remember my name for little while yet.

I got a killer headache atm. I stand by my decision to pike out of soccer training tonight. With migraine shimmers like I'm getting right now, I'd say I'll be in bed before 9. That's tragically early for me! Urgh.

Monday, August 26, 2002

And now it's all working properly again. I really have to fix this Win2k weirdness. If anyone is reading this (hah!), the problem is....

My user accounts (a poweruser and a user) get these weird happenings. Text disappears in the title bar on active windows; it's almost impossible to use dialog boxes because the text disappears (eg. File -> Open and then enjoy the fun as you can't see anything but the dialog box and empty windows); javascript disappears in IE 6.0. This happens system wide within these accounts. None of this happens in my admin account.

I've repaired the installation with my repair disk but no dice. I guess I'll try reinstalling and maybe that will work. Who knows? Not I at any right...
Woo. It's live. Of course, I have nothing to say right now (well duh). This will change. Soon. Trust me.

And now nothing seems to be publishing. Hmm.