Tuesday, January 05, 2016
Comments:
Steve: No and Hunstanton is not all that (I've been there). It does have odd striped cliffs though.
It is a nature reserve Blakeney Point - about a 90 minute shingle walk to get this far from the car park. Saw seals :)
nick: not all that - remember my standards are lower than yours Steve, probably I would find it impressive! And can't you watch the sun set over the sea there?
John likes it at Hunstanton - I have at least two Hunstanton postcards from him!
Steve: OK so you know the cliffs already and yes the sun does set over the sea (very unusual for the east coast) but it does in quite a few places in the UK :) Wales was nice with the dolphins in the foreground I remember :) Weston-super-Mare not bad.
Tim: Well done on the KC front, I have tickets for Banco.
Re 22 Jan I have home fixtures on these dates:
23 Jan, 6, 13, 27 Feb.
It's not crucial to avoid them but if there are other options...
How's your calendar looking Steve?
Steve: Jan is looking tricky to be honest.
Good weekends would be Feb 12th and 19th so do the 19th?
Is it likely we would meet mid-day so I can use just a 1/2 day holiday?
Running out until April.
nick: Either Feb 12th/19th fine with me. 1/2 day holiday is OK.
Resolution this year is to get serious writing done for my novel. If I can get a bestseller finished by the end of the year then I may not have to worry about needing to come to work any more, or whether I've saved enough pension!
Steve: Yeah that and the lottery - guaranteed to work.
I will try to buy 5 days again BUT D is going to Mexico Guides Center Feb 2017 so she will be short of holiday compared to me. So I should be more available for "stuff". Although Nick you are probably using 2 weeks for cycling in the summer I guess.
Having said that I'll hopefully be working somewhere else and back to 25 days standard again. Not that I'm being very proactive, I want the golden ticket first...
Tim: Hmmm, just had a peep at the Science Museum and they mention that 19th Feb is half-term and "During school holidays we welcome a lot of visitors to the Museum so queuing times may be longer than usual."
Steve: Yes she panics every time she sees a sombrero or nacho in an advert. So I could be VERY available next Feb.
Steve: OK I have booked the 12th PM off. For me booking holiday is easy now I'm on my own work-wise.
nick: ok, also booked 12th. Not sure if I'll work in the AM and come in from Hampton or take the whole day
Tim: 12th booked. I'll be training up, ETA 5 minutes past 12 or whatever later hour fits in with you.
Steve: Good work, we are sorted then.
Saw this on out local Freecycle, is the joke intended?
"Offered are an assortment of screwdrivers, used but will do someone a good turn"
Steve: I also thought this a good thing to put on the wall in a Dev department:
"A user interface is like a joke, if you have to explain it, it's crap!"
Steve: The KC ticket possible is very much a possible as he might book a holiday. So I guess if you have anyone Nick... although it is a long way off. I'll pay for mine in the meantime.
nick: Steve - thanks. I won't hold it in case: I'll see if I can find another taker. I'm sure we'll manage somehow.
Doing two interviews today for students wanting a year-in-industry placement. They're younger than Ella!
Steve: BTW Tim I played FFWD last night. I'll try a clean as it is noisy (I fear the pressing) but it sounds pretty amazing otherwise. And worth a fair bit on vinyl and CD.
I tried some Rush Archives but it's lacklustre. Glassworks pretty good though.
And I see that HMV online is back with a dreadful user interface. Oh well somewhere else to search for stuff :)
Tim: Have you chaps heard about this Lumiere thing in London this weekend? Might be worth a look after work tomorrow since you happen to be in the area...
nick: I'd heard of it, and guardian has some pictures. Just another thing that lucky Steve gets for free on his journey to/from work...
Steve: I saw the Oxford Circus one on the TV but it didn't look very impressive. I might well check some out later by bike then. Although my access fob did not work the other day, maybe my card expired. And my MTB here does not have lights.
Steve: Not the best part of the world to try it - climate-wise.
Brian Pern back on BBC - hilarious in parts.
Raspberry Pi currently streaming my FLACs as I WFH. Linked to my Musical Fidelity USB interface. Thinking about "hiding" the CDs to de-clutter. Quickly bunging one in the CD-player does still have its low-power/faff attractions.
Currently using a mirrored NAS drive but might copy to a USB disk to save electricity.
nick: What OS/software is the Pi running? Mine failed several months ago (stopped being able to read the SD card that it was booting from) and I've not got round to rebuilding it.
I think if you are thinking of powering a USB drive off the raspberry pi then it may need some kind of extra power - when I was doing this I had a USB hub (less power than a NAS drive but not none at all).
Steve: That is funny, I had to buy a new Pi as my old one is also dead! Wasn't going to mention it. The SSD was readable on a PC and since it doesn't even drive the HDMI with anything I assumed it was hardware.
Volumio is what I'm using.
And yes I have a small hub as I tried an external drive before. I see that USB SSD are still stupidly expensive.
Steve: Yes was wondering about this, do we need to book tickets?
I aim to finish for 12 which fits in with your previous 12:05 train comment. 5-10 min walk for me from here.
nick: (I just realised that the pic at the top of this page "After a shower in Norfolk" is talking about a rain shower, I'd been assuming it was some kind of beach post-bathing-rinsing facility that you'd just taken)
Yes, on for Friday. I think I'll take the day off and come up on the train from BSK, so maybe can co-ordinate with Tim
Tim: OK, I'll get the 10:40 from Hedge End, which will arr BSK 11:15 and WAT 12:08
I had a quick look at the museum booking page the other day, it looked like the only slots that get booked up are in the evening.
Steve: Right we have a plan then, excellent. I was looking for evening gig stuff as well in The Guardian magazine but nothing is hugely standing out.
Yes rain shower!
nick: Our company just announced increase in leave allowance, I now get 30 days (up from 25). But no sunglasses/cocktail drinks on the desk when we came in this morning!
Steve: That's 3 more than me and I have 15yrs service. Nothing on our desks when we got it increased at GH, it was just a nice idea.
nick: I think one reason for the change was to become more in line with the rest of the industry. So we're doing our bit to make you out of step, so that you have a bit of extra justification for asking for an increase!
I bet neither of us has anything like what Tim gets though
nick: I looked to see if I could to book a place on the roof of the walkie talkie building, but no availability this week. I think if I'd have remembered earlier we might have been in with a chance...
Tim: I've got a spare Pi, anybody want it? I'm going to get a Pi2 and see if I can get anywhere with Win10.
Incidentally, I only recently realised there's an RS Components unit along the road from Pizza Hut, so I can actually go in and buy it.
nick: Windows 10 on a Pi? I had to google to check that such a thing can be done. I wonder how fast it'd be?
Steve: Crikey and I ordered my one from RS as well.
I do need to get a reliable LP recorder. Finding that I get glitches of data loss with mine and D's laptop. Not sure a Pi will make it easy though. Reckon I need an old laptop with Linux on it with minimal processes. I could try the Pi though...
Tim: OK I'll bring it on Friday.
Hot news on the EMPortal: Peter Baumann has left Tangerine Dream and is releasing a solo album.
What decade is this??
Steve: I saw this a while back and think he rejoined very recently, like 2015 then left again. See this sort of thing: http://www.tangerinedream-music.com/forum2/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4526
Steve: If anyone has time to kill at Waterloo there is an excellent landscape photography exhibition on the balcony. Just seen it.
nick: it's not inconceivable that I have some of your CDs at my house tim. I can have a look tonight but it might help if you could give me some clues on possible artist/album names?
Steve: Possibly I did leave a couple, did Nick then express an interest - the reason they stayed there?
Have I got any of yours Tim?
Is it news that a TDSoTM box set is being released?
Tim: Was one of them the Yes orchestral thing? Or was that another time? Anyway, I don't particularly need that one back, just the other one(s). Whatever they were.
TDSoTM probably got a mention with all the other upcoming Schulze rereleases iirc?
Steve: Yes def Nick was going to try the orchestral thing. Not sure of others he kept but I also brought back Plaid - Heaven's Door. Thinking about it I have Liverdelphia, better bring that back. Pretty good apart from his KS-style soloing.
nick: OK I have Symphonic Music of Yes, Lux by Brian Eno, Heaven's Door soundtrack by Plaid and Patashnik by Biosphere. I'll bring all these tomorrow
Steve: I bagged up the CD... and left it in the kitchen.
And yes that list sounds right, but Tim does not want the symphonic Yes back so that's now your Nick.
Steve: Yesterday was excellent thanks. I finally bought the ELO album I was after. On the Third Day. Very good remaster as well. Also got the new Amused to Death version for a tenner.
Steve: I admit it, I have lost the plot. Is something supposed to be happening this weekend or is the next one 11th March? Banco and Bicycling?
nick: So far as I know, the next thing in our calendar is 11-March, Banco at the Brook.
Tim said on Friday that he planned to start his cycling year in March, which made 11-March sound like it might be a suitable time to do a bike ride.
Steve: Yes I heard the verbal grimace. OK I will do some more training then.
BTW The Roger Waters is amazing, quite different in places, and now he is allowed to include the 2001 sample he wanted. I paid £2 more for the Blu-ray audio (only) so will give that a go at some point.
nick: what was the 2001 sample he wanted?
Not sure if this is good news or not: Wiggle and Chain Reaction to merge
Steve: It's HAL going down as his brain is being unplugged. Some of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbqra7kRXbk
Probably not good news competition-wise but more brands in one go.
Tim: OK, I can take the 11th off if that's what we're doing. Doing stuff that day might have the advantage that I can get to the match Saturday afternoon, not crucial though.
Nick, how about you?
Tim: Steve, which Ian Boddy album were you recommending again? His new one is out, so I'll get that, and maybe the other one (if it's available and I haven't already got it - better check).
Steve: Aurora - pretty early one.
BTW I called Plusnet to reduce my bill. I don't need 75MB download, 38 is fine. I was expecting £15 down from £20 but he gave it me for £10 for 24 months sign-up. Excellent. And a guaranteed revenue stream for Nick...
nick: Steve I hope that doesn't mean my commission drops! And tim, you need to sign up for a hyper-expensive package please, I'm banking on plusnet kickbacks as the foundation of my pension
Tim: Nick, I'm already paying 7.99 a month.
Cheers Steve, Aurora is still available so I'll try and make sure I haven't already got it (don't think so) and add it to my order.
Bought a new monitor for my "main" PC, because it wasn't getting used much while connected to the old tv, which worked a bit craply. Got a touchscreen one, which is fun, I'm using it as a sort of heavy (23") tablet. See how I get on.
Also as part of the reorganisation the PS3 is properly set up with the old tv (works fine), so it might get more use now.
Steve: Seems cheapish on eBay but gone on DiN?
Just hoping it's not Chiasmata... they look a bit similar.
And on the broadband front we could never get >2MB due to exchange distance so had to go with fibre. Else I would be paying that as well!
Tim: I've got Chiasmata.
You're right, the DiN page says Aurora sold out. But the Bandcamp page where you actually order it doesn't. Erm.
Steve: Good work.
BTW your LP of Time is the Key is excellent Tim. Better than CD of course and very clean sounding. In Search of Space not so impressive, they seem to be faffing about.
Check this out: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/02/29/ibm_uk_labs_redundancies/
We await the result of this, being in the 900. Statutory minimum this time.
Tim: Somewhat contrasting albums there, all in all.
Do you think you've successfully manoeuvred yourself into being dispensable?
BTW I ordered Aurora off Bandcamp and it arrived. No problem if it turns out to be shite, it's supporting the label directly. (Haven't played his new album either yet.)
Steve: Well it's legal minimum payoff capped at £475 per year of service so I'm not sure I want it. If it happens so be it, I will have to do something at long last.
Yes I try to buy stuff from sources closer to labels these days. Cherry Red or Burning Shed.
nick: We await the result of this, being in the 900. Statutory minimum this time.
Lucky for them they kept that list of all the people who put their hands up last time but weren't lucky enough to be included. :-}
Hope things work out ok!
Tim: What's happening next Friday then, anybody got a plan?
Feel free to avail yourselves of any facilities this end.
Steve: I think I will drive down Fri AM after the rush hour but apart from that not really thought about it.
Steve: Yeah over to Nick for the rest of it.
I would travel home Saturday night as there is something here Sunday, can't remember what though.
Tim: I rode the bike around the block a few times yesterday, just in case. Seemed fine.
Had to adjust the saddle, and the gears/pedals/no chicken wossnames all seemed a bit weird, but otherwise OK. Except it was too cold.
nick: Sorry, I have been a bit busy lately - away over the weekend, and next weekend my sister is visiting so have been sorting out restaurant for us to see her, plus Ella's bath needs replacing so have been organising plumbers
But I will come up with a proposed itinerary shortly. It's meant to be warming up towards the end of the week I believe
Steve: Yeah maybe it is from Friday morning to Saturday lunchtime then?
I guess we need to be at Tim's Saturday night. If we ride from Nick's station we need to take clothes which is fine. Easy to stay the night and faff Sat AM, we two ride back when you are busy Tim.
Weather looks like 13 degrees and fine so far.
An idea...
nick: I assume you mean "we need to be at Tim's Friday night" Steve (the concert is on Friday night)
I was assuming that we could cycle either HE->MD or back if Tim and Steve are in the mood on either Friday
afternoon or Saturday.
The restaurant I booked for my sister called to say they'd forgotten that they're shut on Sunday so I have to find somewhere else! grrr
Tim: Any of that sort of stuff sounds fine.
Nick, do you have any contraints/preferences/anything to bear in mind?
nick: OK well it seems like you're doing pretty well arranging stuff..
I don't have any constraints/preferences. Suggestion (assuming people want to cycle):
Friday PM
- NH/SB cycle/train to Tim's
- faff with Tim's Pi in the PM before..
- concert at the Brook
- back to Tim's
Sat AM
- breakfast/faff
- cycle to MD
- Tim trains back
Steve: All good with me, panniers it is then.
Oh no I can feel the PTSD coming back...
One thought, are we wasting Tim's day off a bit there?
I can try to get an early start maybe so we can set off in the late AM? M25 is the only issue.
nick: Well I did think about maybe suggesting the cycle on Friday instead of Saturday (looks a bit sunnier on Friday fwiw), leaving Saturday to do a cultural visit of some type - I guess this depends on when Steve can get to Hampshire/what Tim's preferences are
Tim: Probably I'd rather ride on the Friday, I guess I'd just need to know what o'clock to see you at MIC.
That makes Saturday morning a bit more relaxing and I can be sure to be home and dry lunchtimish.
nick: Friday afternoon ride would be fine with me, I don't think Steve has to be fantastically early e.g. if we got to Micheldever about 2pm we'd have time to cycle to Tim's and change and be out for the concert
nick: I can do something for Steve to eat when he gets to Bstoke
Steve, let me know your rough ETA and we can compute what time train Tim can use
Steve: OK a jacket left at Tim's?
Overnight bag at Nick's? Phone charger who knows. None of it urgent to get back.
Excellent weekend otherwise!
nick: Steve - I have your overnight bag and charger, in a reusable green carrier bag thing. And there was me grumbling about Lesley leaving bags of stuff on the floor...
Steve: Oh and the free version of our software, looks like you can get it without involving Sales:
Getting Started with Rational Integration Tester Starter Edition
I can't believe people are still using the "Rational" brand name. Anyway you can do HTTP testing and recording of messages (and TCP but more tricky), might come in handy for something.
Tim: Berghaus jacket yes, nothing in pockets. Charger, can't spot it, OK Nick's got it duh.
Obstacle on the route back.
Got any cycling options at Easter Nick (mainly)?
Post a Comment
<< Home
Steve: No and Hunstanton is not all that (I've been there). It does have odd striped cliffs though.It is a nature reserve Blakeney Point - about a 90 minute shingle walk to get this far from the car park. Saw seals :)
nick: not all that - remember my standards are lower than yours Steve, probably I would find it impressive! And can't you watch the sun set over the sea there?John likes it at Hunstanton - I have at least two Hunstanton postcards from him!
Steve: OK so you know the cliffs already and yes the sun does set over the sea (very unusual for the east coast) but it does in quite a few places in the UK :) Wales was nice with the dolphins in the foreground I remember :) Weston-super-Mare not bad. Tim: Well done on the KC front, I have tickets for Banco.Re 22 Jan I have home fixtures on these dates:
23 Jan, 6, 13, 27 Feb.
It's not crucial to avoid them but if there are other options...
How's your calendar looking Steve?
Steve: Jan is looking tricky to be honest.Good weekends would be Feb 12th and 19th so do the 19th?
Is it likely we would meet mid-day so I can use just a 1/2 day holiday?
Running out until April.
nick: Either Feb 12th/19th fine with me. 1/2 day holiday is OK.Resolution this year is to get serious writing done for my novel. If I can get a bestseller finished by the end of the year then I may not have to worry about needing to come to work any more, or whether I've saved enough pension!
Steve: Yeah that and the lottery - guaranteed to work.I will try to buy 5 days again BUT D is going to Mexico Guides Center Feb 2017 so she will be short of holiday compared to me. So I should be more available for "stuff". Although Nick you are probably using 2 weeks for cycling in the summer I guess.
Having said that I'll hopefully be working somewhere else and back to 25 days standard again. Not that I'm being very proactive, I want the golden ticket first...
Tim: Hmmm, just had a peep at the Science Museum and they mention that 19th Feb is half-term and "During school holidays we welcome a lot of visitors to the Museum so queuing times may be longer than usual." Steve: Yes she panics every time she sees a sombrero or nacho in an advert. So I could be VERY available next Feb. Steve: OK I have booked the 12th PM off. For me booking holiday is easy now I'm on my own work-wise. nick: ok, also booked 12th. Not sure if I'll work in the AM and come in from Hampton or take the whole day Tim: 12th booked. I'll be training up, ETA 5 minutes past 12 or whatever later hour fits in with you. Steve: Good work, we are sorted then.Saw this on out local Freecycle, is the joke intended?
"Offered are an assortment of screwdrivers, used but will do someone a good turn"
Steve: I also thought this a good thing to put on the wall in a Dev department:"A user interface is like a joke, if you have to explain it, it's crap!"
Steve: The KC ticket possible is very much a possible as he might book a holiday. So I guess if you have anyone Nick... although it is a long way off. I'll pay for mine in the meantime. nick: Steve - thanks. I won't hold it in case: I'll see if I can find another taker. I'm sure we'll manage somehow.Doing two interviews today for students wanting a year-in-industry placement. They're younger than Ella!
Steve: BTW Tim I played FFWD last night. I'll try a clean as it is noisy (I fear the pressing) but it sounds pretty amazing otherwise. And worth a fair bit on vinyl and CD.I tried some Rush Archives but it's lacklustre. Glassworks pretty good though.
And I see that HMV online is back with a dreadful user interface. Oh well somewhere else to search for stuff :)
Tim: Have you chaps heard about this Lumiere thing in London this weekend? Might be worth a look after work tomorrow since you happen to be in the area... nick: I'd heard of it, and guardian has some pictures. Just another thing that lucky Steve gets for free on his journey to/from work... Steve: I saw the Oxford Circus one on the TV but it didn't look very impressive. I might well check some out later by bike then. Although my access fob did not work the other day, maybe my card expired. And my MTB here does not have lights. Steve: Not the best part of the world to try it - climate-wise.Brian Pern back on BBC - hilarious in parts.
Raspberry Pi currently streaming my FLACs as I WFH. Linked to my Musical Fidelity USB interface. Thinking about "hiding" the CDs to de-clutter. Quickly bunging one in the CD-player does still have its low-power/faff attractions.
Currently using a mirrored NAS drive but might copy to a USB disk to save electricity.
nick: What OS/software is the Pi running? Mine failed several months ago (stopped being able to read the SD card that it was booting from) and I've not got round to rebuilding it.I think if you are thinking of powering a USB drive off the raspberry pi then it may need some kind of extra power - when I was doing this I had a USB hub (less power than a NAS drive but not none at all).
Steve: That is funny, I had to buy a new Pi as my old one is also dead! Wasn't going to mention it. The SSD was readable on a PC and since it doesn't even drive the HDMI with anything I assumed it was hardware.Volumio is what I'm using.
And yes I have a small hub as I tried an external drive before. I see that USB SSD are still stupidly expensive.
Steve: Yes was wondering about this, do we need to book tickets?I aim to finish for 12 which fits in with your previous 12:05 train comment. 5-10 min walk for me from here.
nick: (I just realised that the pic at the top of this page "After a shower in Norfolk" is talking about a rain shower, I'd been assuming it was some kind of beach post-bathing-rinsing facility that you'd just taken)Yes, on for Friday. I think I'll take the day off and come up on the train from BSK, so maybe can co-ordinate with Tim
Tim: OK, I'll get the 10:40 from Hedge End, which will arr BSK 11:15 and WAT 12:08I had a quick look at the museum booking page the other day, it looked like the only slots that get booked up are in the evening.
Steve: Right we have a plan then, excellent. I was looking for evening gig stuff as well in The Guardian magazine but nothing is hugely standing out.Yes rain shower!
nick: Our company just announced increase in leave allowance, I now get 30 days (up from 25). But no sunglasses/cocktail drinks on the desk when we came in this morning! Steve: That's 3 more than me and I have 15yrs service. Nothing on our desks when we got it increased at GH, it was just a nice idea. nick: I think one reason for the change was to become more in line with the rest of the industry. So we're doing our bit to make you out of step, so that you have a bit of extra justification for asking for an increase!I bet neither of us has anything like what Tim gets though
nick: I looked to see if I could to book a place on the roof of the walkie talkie building, but no availability this week. I think if I'd have remembered earlier we might have been in with a chance... Tim: I've got a spare Pi, anybody want it? I'm going to get a Pi2 and see if I can get anywhere with Win10.Incidentally, I only recently realised there's an RS Components unit along the road from Pizza Hut, so I can actually go in and buy it.
nick: Windows 10 on a Pi? I had to google to check that such a thing can be done. I wonder how fast it'd be? Steve: Crikey and I ordered my one from RS as well.I do need to get a reliable LP recorder. Finding that I get glitches of data loss with mine and D's laptop. Not sure a Pi will make it easy though. Reckon I need an old laptop with Linux on it with minimal processes. I could try the Pi though...
Tim: OK I'll bring it on Friday.Hot news on the EMPortal: Peter Baumann has left Tangerine Dream and is releasing a solo album.
What decade is this??
Steve: I saw this a while back and think he rejoined very recently, like 2015 then left again. See this sort of thing: http://www.tangerinedream-music.com/forum2/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4526 Steve: If anyone has time to kill at Waterloo there is an excellent landscape photography exhibition on the balcony. Just seen it. nick: it's not inconceivable that I have some of your CDs at my house tim. I can have a look tonight but it might help if you could give me some clues on possible artist/album names? Steve: Possibly I did leave a couple, did Nick then express an interest - the reason they stayed there?Have I got any of yours Tim?
Is it news that a TDSoTM box set is being released?
Tim: Was one of them the Yes orchestral thing? Or was that another time? Anyway, I don't particularly need that one back, just the other one(s). Whatever they were.TDSoTM probably got a mention with all the other upcoming Schulze rereleases iirc?
Steve: Yes def Nick was going to try the orchestral thing. Not sure of others he kept but I also brought back Plaid - Heaven's Door. Thinking about it I have Liverdelphia, better bring that back. Pretty good apart from his KS-style soloing. nick: OK I have Symphonic Music of Yes, Lux by Brian Eno, Heaven's Door soundtrack by Plaid and Patashnik by Biosphere. I'll bring all these tomorrow Steve: I bagged up the CD... and left it in the kitchen.And yes that list sounds right, but Tim does not want the symphonic Yes back so that's now your Nick.
Steve: Yesterday was excellent thanks. I finally bought the ELO album I was after. On the Third Day. Very good remaster as well. Also got the new Amused to Death version for a tenner. Steve: I admit it, I have lost the plot. Is something supposed to be happening this weekend or is the next one 11th March? Banco and Bicycling? nick: So far as I know, the next thing in our calendar is 11-March, Banco at the Brook. Tim said on Friday that he planned to start his cycling year in March, which made 11-March sound like it might be a suitable time to do a bike ride.
Steve: Yes I heard the verbal grimace. OK I will do some more training then.BTW The Roger Waters is amazing, quite different in places, and now he is allowed to include the 2001 sample he wanted. I paid £2 more for the Blu-ray audio (only) so will give that a go at some point.
nick: what was the 2001 sample he wanted?Not sure if this is good news or not: Wiggle and Chain Reaction to merge
Steve: It's HAL going down as his brain is being unplugged. Some of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbqra7kRXbkProbably not good news competition-wise but more brands in one go.
Tim: OK, I can take the 11th off if that's what we're doing. Doing stuff that day might have the advantage that I can get to the match Saturday afternoon, not crucial though.Nick, how about you?
Tim: Steve, which Ian Boddy album were you recommending again? His new one is out, so I'll get that, and maybe the other one (if it's available and I haven't already got it - better check). Steve: Aurora - pretty early one.BTW I called Plusnet to reduce my bill. I don't need 75MB download, 38 is fine. I was expecting £15 down from £20 but he gave it me for £10 for 24 months sign-up. Excellent. And a guaranteed revenue stream for Nick...
nick: Steve I hope that doesn't mean my commission drops! And tim, you need to sign up for a hyper-expensive package please, I'm banking on plusnet kickbacks as the foundation of my pension Tim: Nick, I'm already paying 7.99 a month.Cheers Steve, Aurora is still available so I'll try and make sure I haven't already got it (don't think so) and add it to my order.
Bought a new monitor for my "main" PC, because it wasn't getting used much while connected to the old tv, which worked a bit craply. Got a touchscreen one, which is fun, I'm using it as a sort of heavy (23") tablet. See how I get on.
Also as part of the reorganisation the PS3 is properly set up with the old tv (works fine), so it might get more use now.
Steve: Seems cheapish on eBay but gone on DiN?Just hoping it's not Chiasmata... they look a bit similar.
And on the broadband front we could never get >2MB due to exchange distance so had to go with fibre. Else I would be paying that as well!
Tim: I've got Chiasmata.You're right, the DiN page says Aurora sold out. But the Bandcamp page where you actually order it doesn't. Erm.
Steve: Good work.BTW your LP of Time is the Key is excellent Tim. Better than CD of course and very clean sounding. In Search of Space not so impressive, they seem to be faffing about.
Check this out: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/02/29/ibm_uk_labs_redundancies/
We await the result of this, being in the 900. Statutory minimum this time.
Tim: Somewhat contrasting albums there, all in all.Do you think you've successfully manoeuvred yourself into being dispensable?
BTW I ordered Aurora off Bandcamp and it arrived. No problem if it turns out to be shite, it's supporting the label directly. (Haven't played his new album either yet.)
Steve: Well it's legal minimum payoff capped at £475 per year of service so I'm not sure I want it. If it happens so be it, I will have to do something at long last.Yes I try to buy stuff from sources closer to labels these days. Cherry Red or Burning Shed.
nick: We await the result of this, being in the 900. Statutory minimum this time.Lucky for them they kept that list of all the people who put their hands up last time but weren't lucky enough to be included. :-}
Hope things work out ok!
Tim: What's happening next Friday then, anybody got a plan?Feel free to avail yourselves of any facilities this end.
Steve: I think I will drive down Fri AM after the rush hour but apart from that not really thought about it. Steve: Yeah over to Nick for the rest of it.I would travel home Saturday night as there is something here Sunday, can't remember what though.
Tim: I rode the bike around the block a few times yesterday, just in case. Seemed fine.Had to adjust the saddle, and the gears/pedals/no chicken wossnames all seemed a bit weird, but otherwise OK. Except it was too cold.
nick: Sorry, I have been a bit busy lately - away over the weekend, and next weekend my sister is visiting so have been sorting out restaurant for us to see her, plus Ella's bath needs replacing so have been organising plumbersBut I will come up with a proposed itinerary shortly. It's meant to be warming up towards the end of the week I believe
Steve: Yeah maybe it is from Friday morning to Saturday lunchtime then?I guess we need to be at Tim's Saturday night. If we ride from Nick's station we need to take clothes which is fine. Easy to stay the night and faff Sat AM, we two ride back when you are busy Tim.
Weather looks like 13 degrees and fine so far.
An idea...
nick: I assume you mean "we need to be at Tim's Friday night" Steve (the concert is on Friday night)I was assuming that we could cycle either HE->MD or back if Tim and Steve are in the mood on either Friday
afternoon or Saturday.
The restaurant I booked for my sister called to say they'd forgotten that they're shut on Sunday so I have to find somewhere else! grrr
Tim: Any of that sort of stuff sounds fine.Nick, do you have any contraints/preferences/anything to bear in mind?
nick: OK well it seems like you're doing pretty well arranging stuff..I don't have any constraints/preferences. Suggestion (assuming people want to cycle):
Friday PM
- NH/SB cycle/train to Tim's
- faff with Tim's Pi in the PM before..
- concert at the Brook
- back to Tim's
Sat AM
- breakfast/faff
- cycle to MD
- Tim trains back
Steve: All good with me, panniers it is then.Oh no I can feel the PTSD coming back...
One thought, are we wasting Tim's day off a bit there?
I can try to get an early start maybe so we can set off in the late AM? M25 is the only issue.
nick: Well I did think about maybe suggesting the cycle on Friday instead of Saturday (looks a bit sunnier on Friday fwiw), leaving Saturday to do a cultural visit of some type - I guess this depends on when Steve can get to Hampshire/what Tim's preferences are Tim: Probably I'd rather ride on the Friday, I guess I'd just need to know what o'clock to see you at MIC.That makes Saturday morning a bit more relaxing and I can be sure to be home and dry lunchtimish.
nick: Friday afternoon ride would be fine with me, I don't think Steve has to be fantastically early e.g. if we got to Micheldever about 2pm we'd have time to cycle to Tim's and change and be out for the concert nick: I can do something for Steve to eat when he gets to BstokeSteve, let me know your rough ETA and we can compute what time train Tim can use
Steve: OK a jacket left at Tim's?Overnight bag at Nick's? Phone charger who knows. None of it urgent to get back.
Excellent weekend otherwise!
nick: Steve - I have your overnight bag and charger, in a reusable green carrier bag thing. And there was me grumbling about Lesley leaving bags of stuff on the floor... Steve: Oh and the free version of our software, looks like you can get it without involving Sales:Getting Started with Rational Integration Tester Starter Edition
I can't believe people are still using the "Rational" brand name. Anyway you can do HTTP testing and recording of messages (and TCP but more tricky), might come in handy for something.
Tim: Berghaus jacket yes, nothing in pockets. Charger, can't spot it, OK Nick's got it duh.Obstacle on the route back.
Got any cycling options at Easter Nick (mainly)?
<< Home
