PM Pointless Blog Postcard Thing
Here are the first of the picture postcards we've received.
The first is an aerial view of Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel, sent in by Tony Wheeler.
Then we have James Wheen's Quarr Abbey on the Isle of Wight.
And Elizabeth sent us a card which says "The Prince of Wales is shown bored with Mrs Fitzherbert, and plays with a bandelure - a symbol of indulgence."
Keep them coming. We're most grateful to the unknown blogger who sent a blank piece of cardboard (first class) correctly addressed to PM, Pointless Blog Postcard Thing, Room G601, 大象传媒 News Centre, London W12 7RJ. Feel free to join in.
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Nice, but, you're right - pointless.
I'm overblogged, can't cope.
Nice pics.
Now, here's another challenge - make the pics into links of larger ones so we can see the detail?
As a fine example of this in action, see www.andycragg.com :)
I've just noticed that if you right-click on each Postcard then select "View image" then a slightly larger version appears (er, in Firefox, at least!).
(bold is back?)
How long did Lissa take to scan in 3 postcards? Did Ed Stourton object? Have the PM team donated their beer money to buy their own scanner? - Behind these images lie so many unanswered questions!
Due to lack of scanner, we can see a rare view of Lissa's kitchen table behind the first one ...
A pointless idea - but a damn fine one at that!
I think we should see a photo of the blank piece of card. That is genius...
btw, Appy, thanks for the Fry's Chocolate Cream. It's ages since I had one of those:o)
SB2
... second one.
I'm very grateful for these colourful images ..... but can we now get some new photos of the team?
Ah, the newsletter's just popped through the mailbox ..... My cup runneth over
Lovely Lissa - well done. Don't care if you borrowed a scanner, or hand-tinted them all yourself, they are much appreciated anyway. May even send one myself (if I ever go anywhere that is).
SB9
You're welcome Fearless (5).
How's your duvet for rotation these days?
My Post Card from Miami has just been sent to your address. I am answering from the US Post Office in Miami.
this has nothing to do with postcards I'm afraid, it's just posted here because this is the most recent blog entry.
Can we work out some sort of system between us regarding a cut off time for old entries? I've just wandered back to one of yesterdays entries and we've been posting to that right up until about now. This makes at least 4 if not 5 or 6 'live' columns. I know in some ways this makes sense because we are carrying on threads, but equally we can't keep going back and checking all of them forever because we all have lives.
It's all Sequin's fault because she started the multiple blog entries per day - I think, apologies oh twinkling one if it wasn't you .
Someone did once suggest that new blog entires by the PM presenter should just go onto the current blog/comments and perhaps be highlighted in some way. I do think that would be much much easier for all of us - except perhaps EM and surely he could do this one small thing for a devoted listenership.
Typical, just as I was getting excited that I'd finally got to read the blog before the show, I've realised I can't listen tonight because I've got to be in a museum, meeting people.
I don't even like people that much.
sb14
The duvet's behaving itself at the moment... I think it's scared of being reported here again!
re 12. I know what you mean, Anne. May I suggest that once a thread disappears from the main link page, we should let it go inactive. It would still mean 4 or 5 live threads, but at least we can then work out what threads to look at. As for the multi-threading on each day, I'm sorry to say it was Mr Ed who started that habit. Now I think he's trying to break a personal best for how many threads he can start in a day. I do seem to remember Mr Ed posting a comment into a thread while hosting the show once....
Fearless Fred @sb5
I agree with you, we need to see the cardboard on this 'ere blog. The cardboard we must see.
I鈥檝e seen cardboard - it鈥檚 rubbish!
Bring it on....
anne,
i know what you mean...
I've spent a bored few minutes a coupla time now (while waiting for something) trawling back and reading (hell, even replying!) to comments. and no, it didn't exactly cure my boredom...
however - I really do like the multiple blogs per day from presenters - it starts us off in odd directions... not that we need much encouragement!
Amy (13) if you don't like people, why are you going to a museum to see them then? Go to the Science & Industry one in Manchester - it's full of trains & aeroplanes & engines & stuff. You'd probably enjoy it more. Anyway they must be really old people to be ina museum - they're not wrapped in bandages are they?
I think the problem with the thread thing is that this is a blog and not a message board or forum.
Generally, I think, perhaps, blogs like this (and www.blogger.com et al) usually have a blog entry by the author and lots of people say how nice the entry is etc.
Chatting amongs ourselves is not part of the way it works, so really there should be a PM Forum, with real threads that show up in bold when a new response is available.
Around the rest of the 大象传媒 websites there are "messageboards" - we should have our own PM one I think.
How boring was that? Sorry.
Eddie,
My picture postcard is on its way. I too would like to see the cardbaord on this blog. Is it made from wood pulp? Or is it corrugated with a ruffed layer between? What colour is it? We should be told.
My husband took the photos on his desk with our camera. It's Blue Peter style-y here. Double sided sticky tape all round.
Just going on air. Do listen.
sb22
Andy(19): I think that a blog is what you make of it. Yes, there are general ways in which the majority of blogs tend to operate. That doesn't make them hard and fast rules, however, just traditions (if you can have a tradition in a medium that's only 150 years old).It's more a case that the blogger and posters are what make the blog and what makes the blog evole into something unique. Here, I think it's becoming a community of fairly like-minded, whimsical (or should that be nutty?) people who can sometimes be serious, but can also find the fun in the world as well
Wow! That came out a bit serious! I think I need to find a bottle of falling down juice to compensate...
"Other blogs are available"
andyc, you give good counsel - 19 - I rather suspect that's why we have "frightened"/p**sed" a few people off, as we don't carry in on in true blogstyle. But hey - perhaps we have initiated our own Thing? We could call it the Eddiemair AppreciationandImitation Society Whatsit (other more sensible titles are obviously available).
Sorry Lissa - 21 - just got in and doing a quick turn around (like FF's duvet) before I go out again, but promise to look up the Listen Again, or should that be listen up?
Anne, I'm behind you on the how far do we go back thing, and would welcome a consensus in the fullness of time?
Annasee, did you know Corrina? what size shoes etc?
SB22
O Fearless One [22] : Yes you are quite right (I learned this approach from a diplomat...), but what I had in mind was more techy.
I think that Message board / forum style software would make it easier to communicate that's all.
I'm lucky to have multi-tabbed Firefox with an RSS reader (Sage) to my left so it's that much easier to read all current goings on, but not everyone has this (or can be bovvered with such things).
150 years? More like 15!
Lissa : ah, your hubbies desk, I feel humbled by the work you do for us bloggers.
Dear Lissa,
All this talk of parallel blogging makes me wonder if we could have the navigation at the bottom of the comments as well as at the top?
Pretty please.
Joe, no thanks.
FF (22), I agree - it's what we make it with the clay Dr Muir supplies. I think you're all splendid potters.
VP (Busty\24) - passports come more quickly than they used to but look at
Now, where did I put my other life...
FF (22) - haven't seen any 150 year-old blogs on the Antiques Roadshow :=p
Anne (12),
Sequin mostly did one blog a day, it's Eddie who tends to do multiple entries, often only one line. Sequin did respond within the blog some days, (and, to be fair, so has Eddie on occasion).
Yes, it gets terribly confusing, you end up posting in the wrong thread (see Annasee's wail at a lost transcript of Eddie on floor 5), or did it actually appear in a different thread?
'twas my suggestion that later entries are highlighted within the blog, perhaps by a blue rather than a grey background to the text.
Lissa, well done on the pics, keep up the pressure with the audio, well done on the editing tonight
Andycra??, thanks for the comment, but to answer your question, just continue (well, why not another shameless plug for the thing).
Oh will you all give over trying to make rules and just let this little environment be what it is?
Cheers.
Although, Fearless, I never look further back than the front page anyway, so I suppose I can cope with that suggestion. :)
Val (23) I fear my acquaintance with Corrina is the same as the D G's with Eddie - ie , I know the name, but I've never actually heard her.
Re the multiple threads I too get a bit confused. After posting last night's effort I forgot where I'd sent it, having had to catch up with the whole day's action so late anyway. But wherever I sent it, it's disappeared. I'm b*ugg*rd if I'm writing it again though. Specially since my husband had told me to write it in Word then copy & paste into the box, & I'd ignored him. So sadly it's a tape the world will never hear now. Actually I prefer to think that Eddie pulled it from the blog, so scandalous was it. Mrs Blair was there too.
Did anyone hear John Reid tonight on PM? I felt he was speaking to all of us who entered the competition for the book. His incredibly wise words? "Just because one person wins, doesn't mean everyone else has lost " (I paraphrase) So, I reckon thats about 70 copies of the book the 大象传媒 needs to send out now. Expect to see Lissa shopping in a Waterstones near you!
EssexBound - thank you for your concern, I've perused the link and shall follow up possibilities in t'morn.
Annasee, if I were a techy, I could give you a link, but no. Karine Polwart who was one of the wummin playing with her at the gig (see very much earlier blog which you probably haven't seen) has a MySpace, and you can listen to a couple of their offerings. If you so desire.
O andyc, 19, and your multitabbed Firefox with additional RSS reader, i so want one of those!
FF,22,as usual, you talk much sense too - whimsies r us. Long may we continue. I can recommend the Chilean Syrah we have enjoyed tonight whilst watching my team crash out of the UEFA cup - sob.
John W, I have, I have.
See I've just gone back and have now found all the stuff David M said before he took himself off. I find this all rather strange because, is it my imagination or did he not make quite a lot of contributions himself? Also I am rather miffed that he should dismiss us as Luvvies and the EM fan club. More lilke the Lissa with an a fan club considering how she puts herlelf out for us.
And he could just have faded out rather than making such a performance of his departure.
Anyone volunteered for chocolate duty tomorrow? I am at work - my one day a week voluntary effort, so I can't go to the shop, but mine's a Twirl please.
Who suggested we just add to the entries that are shown as 'recent entries' on the top right of the page. I think that's a good idea, we'll still have a few to look at but a manageable number.
I appreciate this is more like a forum than a blog, have we just created the world's first Internet frog? or possibly a blum?
SB33
I missed this performance of which you speak, Anne (32). For balance, where can I find this, or can you paraphrase?
Secondly, isn鈥檛 there a trick being missed here, in the whole PM Pointless Blog Postcard Thing? I鈥檇 be interested to read some of these postcards, as much as in seeing the pretty pictures.
There was a pretty good rumble on Question Time earlier - one woman in the audience who would make a good new leader for the government.
valery - sorry about the hammers. don't know what happened yet but presumably the two argentinians didn't make good??
as for David M - whu? darn - I'll have to look for that and i was about to go to bed!!!!!
I have now gone back over the last few (10??????) blogs to find stuff. and yes I said stuff (but its late and I'm merry and I can't rememeber what i said) but someone has dissapeared
and I don't mean David (though come back and raise or lower the tone)
where is Frances O????
c'mon - who's nabbed 'er??
Doc (33), a few blogs back - at the end of "Five". (I know I'm not Anne but I thought I could be helpful).
In response to one or two of the postings!
I may not contribute, but I do enjoy the blog. I turn to it first before looking to see if Guido or Harry have had earth shattering breaking news (would that they did). Not sure why I am reading political blogs, there must be better blogs to which to get addicted. This is much more fun. And I feel I belong and am not excluded, although how one could be excluded is beyond me.
I wish Eddie was still doing Sunday mornings though, (although it must have meant unnatural early hours), he had many more opportunities for his sense of humour to show itself.
SB 39?
Morning everybody. OK, just to get this out of my system - what was David McDime on about last night? Did somebody tread on his ego yesterday, or what? I was quite enthused for a moment thinking that it might spark off a bit of a ding-dong, but I think everybody responded much as I did - which can perhaps best be represented as 'Eh?'
Before I forget - pleased the post card arrived - even if the world has now moved on from its unsophisticated state of international internet access, blogs and comments to a brave new world of physically sending pieces of paper around. As I said the other day, vive la revolution!
I do love it when discussions pop up about the "nature" of the PM blog. Partly, I think this is because it always indicates a real sense of ownership amongst the commenters. But it's also because I just love the way people develop their own ways of doing things and then naturally develop "wish lists". I tend to subscribe to the "let it be" attitude myself - in the belief that it's pretty organic. However, my own wish list would have one item on it - that the "Recent Comments" list at the top of the page be longer and accurate! That would make much of the discussion about how to keep up to date redundant. Can't imagine why it doesn't work. My second wish would be for faster submission/publish times - I also can't understand why that takes so long.
Sorry if this sounds like Computing and Petty Software Politics 101, but for those who are unaware, Firefox is a free web browser (available at www.mozilla.com/firefox). I assume that most people using PCs are using Internet Explorer. I'm not familiar with the latest release of IE, but some people prefer Firefox simply because it's the "underdog" - in the same way that people use the Linux operating system (John W, I think you're also part of that club?). However, Firefox allows you to open multiple "tabs" where each tab is a different web page (much like having multiple documents open in a WP or other application). This is why it's useful for tracking multiple blog entries - you can achieve a similar effect by having multiple windows in IE, but it gets difficult to navigate. Remember, other web browsers are available.
btw, am I right in guessing that you more upset about Hearts, Val P?
John H,
Yep, I'm using linux (Slackware). Those who think old fogies shouldn't be doing such revolutionary stuff, should recall that linux was originally a port of Unix to the PC, so all my old computing skills, based on unix, are still in use, and saves me from having to learn the mysteries of Windows.
Valery, I've forgotten whatever it was you answered to, and there are so many threads to look back to (and I've an artic. lorry turning up so better get the pallet packed).
We use Firefox too. I know nothing about computing but I just love the name - sort of "cosy" (fire) & "Cute & fluffy" (foxes). So much more friendly than Internet Explorer, which sounds very macho & a bit Star Trekky to me. Am I on the right wave length here, & will the boys take me seriously?
Also, I reckon I know who sent the blank cardboard postcard. The clue is in the title "POINTLESS postcard thing" & the person who said a while ago "I have nothing to say, & this will be a waste of everyone's time" What could me MORE pointless that sending YOURSELF a blank postcard, hmmm? I rest my case.
John H...
Unfortunately I'm stuck with IE here at work :( Typical corporate decision of "software compatibility across the globe"... Home's is a Firefox environment, though, and Thunderbird instead of Outlook. So much nicer! Tabbed browsing does hold so many advantages, I find....
Still, enough techtalk. I was surprised Daviod McN decided to disappear as well. I thought he fitted right into the evolving community here on Eddie's blog ( or as anne so memorably said, frog:o) ).. And you're right, whist, where's Frances O????
sb41
Gah! I saw my mispelling of Davids' name just as I hit the Submit button. I must learn to preview before I post...
Oh by the way, thanks for not extracting the michael too much about the 15/150 years thing, folks! :p
What a techy set we are.
Annasee, that sounds as good a reason for using it as any! Sorry if this bores the rest, but I have the noia 2.0 theme installed and that just so adds to the cute and cuddly feel. So much so that when you see the unthemed version (or IE), it looks really cold and angular. It's worth having a look if you haven't already ("Themes" under "Tools").
Haven't braved Thunderbird yet, but keep intending to.
Thank you anne for adding to my sense of self - from now on, I shall consider myself a PM frogger. (Which, coincidentally, does away with the need I've had to continually add "commenter" to PM blog...)
F'Fs at 43 - oh dear, oh dear, oh dear...
I'm still trying to understand the profundity of Val P's comment a while back about how exposure to this frog was undermining (my word) her P-status - thus becoming Val Not-such-a-P? I know she followed it up with a comment that called it into question, but I'm sure that it "means" something - I'm just not quite sure what, yet.
Thanks to those who pointed out the 鈥榚xchange鈥 at the end of 鈥淔ive鈥, as I had missed it completely. And before anyone else is clever enough to point it out, 鈥榚鈥 is at the end of Five.
Now, who can tell me how to change the settings in Thunderbird so that my reply to a mail is automatically above, and not below, the original message? Thank you Who.
John H,
Just because you're not posting (frogging) on an earlier thread anymore doesn't mean you don't have to answer the question (see Filth).
Or do you want me to have dark suspicions about you from now on?
I could have sworn there was a new entry above this one when I first arrived, but it seems to have gone.
Dr Hack,
tools/account settings/composition and addressing.
xx ed
P.S.
and
White House, Congress, Compromise on Torture
We'll torture fewer suspects, less often, and use only professional torturers.
Drinks, 47, what can you mean? Gosh, doesn't that look like your typical 大象传媒 news web article where everybody has to be defined by their age (and occupation)?
Actually, whilst that sounds as if I'm being coy, what do you mean? On Filth you seemed to be amusing yourself in all sorts of ways that were lost on me. I heard the sound of a couple of aspersions flying past but didn't quite understand them. Sorry. I'm amazingly unworthy of dark suspicions. Worst luck.
On a completely different subject, I've just been Google Earthing and upon viewing a former home, was truly surprised to realise that I had completely forgotten the name of the street/road or whatever. How old is that?
Fellow Froggers,
To save the cost of first class postage, I've posted my card at
Wish y'all were here!
ed
Ed : thanks for that, just changed my Thunderbird settings. Ta. Except on the Linux vesion its Edit/Account settings/Compo...
John H (50),
Without checking back, something about why, as a guy with a wife who melts at his mere glance, you would need a little book of chat up lines?
I accept your assertion that you are "unworthy of dark suspicions" but only because I have no way of discovering otherwise. Good, well done, etc.
Re the former home, I dunno - how old is it? You can usually get a clue from the build-style, materials used, layout of the street, that kind of thing...
I've sent a card. Can't see it posted on the blog yet though!
It was a rather nice one with a Halloween theme.
JKH
Oh, *that* aspersion! If you think back, it was a book that existed in quotes and thus entirely fictional. I just think that artistry should be valued wherever it is encountered.
The house thing is still alarming me slightly. I lived there for 2-3 years and I couldn't remember its name. Who am I?
Ribbet.
re 55
Artistry. Yeah, it sure was.
Thanks, Ed (49).
Actually, if it was in the North East or Sheffield, and if John is actually your middle name, John H., I know exactly who you are. And it's not because I have a set of cameras in your house (as I do in Fearless'). Scared?
Where else are you cameras located, A?
Because I don't know how to represent them textually, I'm making spooky, twilight zone noises out loud as I write this.
However, no, not NE/Sheffield and no, not John as a middle name. Come on Drinks, please explain because otherwise that's really odd. Ace about the cameras in FF's house, though!
I seem to be caught in a "paralysis of rubbishness" today. The mail I've been waiting for all day hasn't arrived - but it is from a group in the US, and so I probably should take the time difference into account - and I need to go and collect Mrs H from her after-work drinks later, but I can't decide if I should go to the gym beforehand, or just not bother today. As I said, rubbish.
As an aside, I think my favourite aperitif is kir royale. Or possibly a plain glass of fizz. Or a nice glass of crisp sauvignon blanc. Or a beer. Or a G&T.
Come on, poppet, please explain 58.
Doc (59),
I had one on you supping Duck Soup a couple of weeks ago. But, other than that, I'm not telling. Knowledge is power, after all.
John H (60),
Am I not your favourite Aperitif then? Not even in your top five? I'm disappointed. And there I was lining you up to be at least my second favourite John H.
"Poppet"? How sweet, but I'm not sure how you think it's going to help. As for explaining - maybe if you give me a vague idea where this unmemorable house is, but I can't promise.
Good grief, did I really use the word "poppet"? I don't even call the dog poppet. Apologies to all concerned. Actually, thinking about it, I do occasionally call the dog poppet.
Drinks, I did say my favourite aperitif. Clearly, there's only one Aperitif. (Look at me - it's almost half five on a Friday and I'm creeping for England!) Oh, unless I was using the former at the beginning of a sentence - e.g. "Aperitifs which I enjoy include..." - but that just be confusing.
The house - easy to remember in some ways - was situated in the former Lancashire mill town of Ramsbottom. The name of the road popped up on screen when I'd located the house and I barely even recognised it at first. Now, what's that sound I can hear? Ah, yes, the gentle 'pop' of brain cells dying.
Still no flipping mail.
Appy, do you mind if I move the camera in the kitchen? I keep tripping over the cable...
Fearless (64) that'll be the wine. If you really think you know where the camera is, go on, look right into it and give me a wave....
John H, perhaps the mail isn't going to come. Tell you what, take the chocolate labrador out, get some fresh air, have a quick drink, then have one more look. No mail? Give up and enjoy your weekend - melt the Mrs or something.
Hi Appy! (waves into suspicious looking hole in wall)
Fearless (66), not even close. Nice shirt this evening btw. Mind you don't knock that wine off the edge of the worktop.
Re (61) I fear you may have targeted the disreputable Dr Quackenbush - for that was not I.
Doc (68),
He looked a lot like you - perhaps he was standing in for you while you were having a day at the races?
Anyway, my cameras and their locations are entirely my concern.
hmmm If it isn't the suspicious hole in the wall, I think it must be the knowhole in the doorframe....
Er, what's a "knowhole"?
It's a knothole I know wasn't there before, therefore: knowhole:p
Oo, er, missus - I think I know what a "knowhole" is.
Oh, how disappointing. That's knot what I had in mind at all.
Smoothly done. But no, camera's not there either. But would I tell you if it was?
Really, John H (73)?
I ask, because, according to Fearless' definition, I think the "oo, er, missus" was somewhat misplaced. Of what were you thinking?
Has your mail arrived yet JH?
Get your tootsie-frootsie ice cream!
Oh heck, Drinks, why aren't you out there sweating like a fat girl, or whatever - you know, horse, bloke or something.
I think you adopted an overly "time sensitive" tone there - afterall, whenever did a comment arrive within a few minutes of posting (ok, I admit it, test here - time likely to be around 23:55..)?
"Knowhole" - well, "know" must surely refer to knowing something, therefore knowing referring to hearing or expressing something, so given the "hole" element (other than polos - ref story on Jersey) ears and mouth.
What were you thinking of?
And where has VP gone? Am I neglecting other entries?
John H (79)
Eh?
In particular - I think you adopted an overly "time sensitive" tone there - afterall, whenever did a comment arrive within a few minutes of posting (ok, I admit it, test here - time likely to be around 23:55..)? - eh?
I can only think you may have mistaken my polite enquiry as to the arrival/otherwise of the mail you were expecting from America for some sort of jibe in respect of posting-to-appearing time-scale, but quite what that jibe could have been, or how this could be directed at you rather than the blog-meister, I have no idea. So I repeat: eh?
As for the "knowhole" - why does reference to a mouth/ears require an "oo-er missus" then?
I can't go out and dance/sweat/anything this weekend: I will be glued to my lapdog day and night (hence the excessive frogging). Normal life ought to be restored Monday lunchtime, but I have no special prescient powers, so shan't switch on any fans without checking first.
Hiya Drinks. Hope that work is going well and that you've got it done by the time that Monday deadline comes winging by.
Where to begin in explaining. First of all, I think I got skootered last night. In reply to your question about the mail, I checked my inbox and replied that I had one called "How to *** ***" (censored in attempt to get it through this time - suffice to say, typical spam) and that it wasn't from you (reference to the identity thing earlier) but that the other one hadn't arrived.
The "time sensitive" thing was because I had, of course, commented prior to FF's explanation appearing. The "oo, er, missus" is a bit of a stupid application of the principle that is you suggest to people that something might be a double entendre, then they can usually work out how. Sometimes, somebody actively refuses to. No naming of names, or anything.
Anyway, in my skootered comment, I also added that I realised last night that I might not even be on the mail list for the notification because I hadn't actually, physically, handled the submissions (of papers for a conference) - hence the rejection might not even be sent to me. I was so annoyed.
However, rejoice! My colleague forwarded notifications this morning - 2 papers, 2 acceptances for a conference next year. Hooray!
Oh touche, John H. There is indeed an obvious double-entrendre to be found in 'knowhole', and there are some people who just tease by refusing to see it in order to try to get other people to go too far. Not very daring of you to refuse to name names though.
Congratulations on the acceptance of your papers. What're they on? (Be vague if you really don't want to share - but go on - a hint?), Hope you and Mrs H and the chocolate dog get to celebrate. I am rejoicing inwardly for you - outwardly I'm still type-type-typing (I wish I'd learned to use more than three fingers when I was younger...)
I am very much enjoying your use of the word "skootered". If I do actually have a conversation with a human being today I'll attempt to drop it in. Highly unlikely though - I'm sitting in my dining room (change of four walls from the study), ignoring both phones and the doorbell. Oh well, on with it.
btw, how do you know that the "How to...." email wasn't from me?
Drinks, "..how do you know that the "How to...." email wasn't from me?.." Der! It didn't say "Aperitif" in the "From" column. That work is really taking it's toll, isn't it? I should prolly add that given that the title of the mail was sufficient to get it skootered (didn't you use that?), it implied a level of explicitness that would suggest you using your own name. (Believe me, there is logic in there, somewhere. But I am happy to believe that you don't currently have the time to extract it.)
Many and sincere thanks for the congratulations. I'm very pleased and not only because the conference is in Canada. If I tell you that the subject of both papers is aspects of software engineering using components, I hope that will suffice - it will be tedious, otherwise (believe me!).
[Deleted bit here - to be reinstated at some point in the future - probably when I get round to linking in my web pages - which will probably happen when I feel the need to share something and have to use them to do it...]
Hope you're making progress with your three fingered typing. Is that on both hands together, or each?
Wooo - Canada! For my next two conferences I get to go to (wait for it) Leeds and London. :(
Looking forward to the appearance of the link.
Q. Do I have time to sneak off for a couple of hours to see New Zealand rellies at sister-in-law's house?
A. No.
Q. How does that make me feel?
A. Utterly fed up. Contemplating doing it anyway.
Three fingers - and one thumb - in total. Pathetic eh?
Er, yes, that is fairly pathetic. Mind you, when I "say" that, I should probably add that I am using three and half fingers and one thumb to do so. The "half" comes in because most of the time I only really use one finger on my left hand - tho' this alternates between index and the next one whose name I do not know, *unless* the letter combination is such that I can reasonably use both of them - such as 'e' and 'r'. In such cases, I attempt to use both and quite often transpose the letters. And have to go back and correct.
Every now and then, I suprise myself by typing quite fast and accurately whilst looking at the screen - but then I realise I'm doing it, and the introduction of a conscious thought process screws it up and I'm back to looking at the letters.
Re your dilemma. Hmm, it's always a difficult one. You've obviously set yourself a timetable which is already fairly tight. But you have to weight that against the motivating element of seeing your NZ rellies. Of course, if there's likely to be the temptation to open a bottle or two of rather nice NZ sauvignon blanc, then it might best be avoided. Deadline jockies are just so the worst.
As reciprocal interest, what will you be conferencing about in Leeds and London? Both very much "metropolis" to us folks out in the sticks. You did mention something about the piece of work you're doing, but it didn't click for me.
Your typing standard sounds very similar to mine. Either we're both pathetic or we'er both pathteic, if you see what I mean...
Decided I'd better not go out - the rellies are here for a while anyway, and you're quite right about the likelihood of corks popping. Seem to have got engrossed in Bremner, Bird and Fortune though (have decamped to the sitting room for yet another change of walls). Well, it'll soon be over.
Conferences are on 'media and perspectives on social research' and 'research and teaching in Europe' respectively. Europe stuff is probably the thing I mentioned before as it's what I'm working on now. Really, really could do with a few more days though...
Think I'll have a biscuit... highlight of the evening - "sigh".
Tell me something exciting/raucous to amuse me while I work?
Wow - WHAT a lot to catch up with. I've explained elsewhere about pc problems (and invited comments), also, post-holiday stress etc, etc. I've missed you all. Normal service will resume as soon as possible.....
John H - well done, Hearts indeed, have I mentioned them before? Also, I think I remember the comment whereof you speak (de-pedanting), I didn't mean anything untoward or critical and hope it wasn't taken so. I just meant it was good for my soul to recognise less than perfection and let it go without wanting to jump on it from a great height (I suspect the wish to jump stems from a sort of inferiority complex but let's not go there...). If I can be comfortable with the notion that it's ok to make mistakes, then, hey, that makes it a whole lot easier to try new things (not my Best Subject). I suspect I'm rambling now, and no, I'm not skootered, it's 11 in the morning for goodness' sake, what are you saying!
Back later. Btw - get back to work Ap!!
No, No, NO, I meant pre-holiday stress.
See what I mean?
Froggers, I like that.
I also meant to say John H - I have a really good friend who just moved back up here to Mairland from Ramsbottom! She was with us here on Friday - how spooky is that!!!!? I bet she would know what house you lived in, as she lived there for yonks.
Valery (87) I've looked back (I know, I know, get on with the work) but don't recall to what "No, No, NO, I meant pre-holiday stress, refers.
Enlightenment por favor?
R
Ah, your 88 had appeared before your 87, Valery - now I understand. Sorry about the missing quotation marks and the inexplicable "R" in my last post. I expect it makes no less sense than usual though...
That 'R' was a funny addition! Hope the work is going well, Drinks (or not-Drinks as the case may be - gets in the way of work, and all that...). I have to admit that despite some background in social sciences, I'm still a bit at a loss!
Val P - what a small world it is, hey? Although the house on the street whose name I couldn't remember was home for 2-3 years, Ramsbottom was home for a lot longer - born and brought up there. Was your friend sort of medium height, wear jeans some of the time...?? Hahaha!
I guessed Hearts from your apparent proximity to E-city. Somebody (jokingly?) suggested West Ham, I seem to recall. I didn't comment then because of the charitable act they performed for Man City last weekend.
Obviously, I was less than explicit (reign yourself in Drinks) over my comment about your conversion from the way of the P. My previously mentioned experience in social sciences was in linguistics, which influenced hugely my attitude towards language and its use. We all have a "bee in our bonnet" about some things and I thought that it was intriguing that somebody who was a self-confessed pedant should find exposure to the varied styles and usages encountered on this frog at least partially liberating. To be fair, most of the contributors on here seem to be "educated" and extremely careful in much of the language use - if not their typing skills (e.g. "ugle" anybody?) and so perhaps it's less challenging than it could be. When I converse by SMS text with my neice, it's a bit like being shown a world that I never knew existed!
I have to admit that whilst I struggle with it at times, I genuinely delight in contemplating the organic nature of natural language - especially when so many clever people manipulate usage to such enjoyable effect.
BTW, Drinks, didn't only not reply last night because I couldn't think of anything "exciting/raucous" to say but today, after taking an unhealthy interest in the topics you listed, I came across somebody. Is Paul Statham in your field? I'm pretty sure I went to school with him.
Now what were we saying about a small world?
going way back to appy's 84 we lived in Leeds until 14 months ago at which point we upped sticks and came somewhere MUCH more rural and remote.
I suspect that it is quite a nice city to visit nowadays but I wouldn't go back there to live if you paid me, although we were thrilled when we first moved there. MInd you that was 20 years ago and in the days when Opera North was worth going to.
Oh I agree, John H, 91, of Ramsbottom*, experiencing the delightful and entertaining use of language is why visit this blog. That and the crush on Eric, the chocolate club and the distraction from this bl**dy paper. It's never going to be finished by tomorrow - might as well give up and watch the new Cracker. Still, pathetic hopefulness encourages me to press on. (That reminds me of another one that really annoys me - inappropriate use of the word "hopefully" when the writer/speaker actually means "I hope", but I digress).
Linguistics eh? I imagine that's very interesting. Strayed into a bit of it a while back when I was doing something on semiotics and went 'off on a tandem' (as the lovely Joan used to say), and thought 'this is really something I ought to learn more about one day'. Unfortunately that day has not yet come.
Depsite being instructed to reign myself in I have to express disappointment at not being party to any exciting/raucous thoughts. I've been all alone all weekend and I'm really not used to it. Nothing? Sheesh - you could make something up: I'd never know.
Paul Statham - it does sound vaguley familiar, but that could be the 'Green Wing' Dr Statham thing, but, no, no- he's Roger (and fictional, of course). Hmm - he's an academic is he? What's his subject area? Where's he based? Actually that is probably going to really bug me now. No time to look on t'internet though - that chapter draft has finsihed printing. I'm off to look at paper for a while for a change from a screen. I keep thinking, "If I die tomorrow I'll be really hacked off that I spent my last weekend doing this..."
*yeah, that does look fairly tabloid.
btw, "neice"? Really?
Anne, I didn't mean to imply that I live anywhere near Leeds - I don't. Best friend lives in Harrogate and works in Leeds so I do get to go and visit sometimes, and it seems a fairly pleasant city to me. Lots of homeless people I've noticed though. Nearest City to me doesn't seem to have quite such a big problem.
On reflection, we seem a relatively rural bunch on this 'ere blog, don't we?
no no I relaised you didn't leave anywhere near, but were going to a conference there. harrogate is quite nice and does at least have Betty's. For Sachertorte and other things. At a price. You really have been working very hard though, I am impressed.
Yes we do all seems a bit rural, but hands up all of you who are city dwellers - we'll be knocked over in the rush.
John H 91, well she's my age but taller than me, and I've never seen her wearing jeans - she was in FE at local colleges, and heavily involved in the world of football (where she now works). Ring any bells?
Linguistics, yup I have several books on t'subject. Ref unpedanting, that's why I first posted on the frog, because there was a typo. My particular beef is with errors made by, how best can I describe it, by those who are using words to convey information (naw, that's silly why else would one use words), I guess I mean written word which has an intention to be permanent ie not the kind of stream of consciousness stuff which we are doing here, when typos or idiosyncratic spellings become part of the charm. Ach, this sounds a tad patronising, I think I'll join Ap in watching the rest of Cracker. I'll give it some thought though.
anne (94)
lundern. innit.
[ahem]
originally from 'outside' the big smoke but.... 11years here and counting...
I have to go to bed. Well, now we've got that over with, I can't help but say a few things. First off, Cracker - enjoyed that, but first watched the film "Conspiracy" about the meeting which resulted in the "final solution" and that kinda took the available "drama" for the evening.
VP - think I know what you're saying - but language is as language, er, "is" - it's what people do with it and claiming that "this" or "that" is right - on the basis of what has gone before - doesn't work. I don't say this from a position of being happy that "anything goes" - remember my comment about "bees in bonnets" - I have plenty - but I do recognise that I can become just as much of a dinosaur as the next person.
Teeny story - I mentioned a while back that I previously had a Belgian girlfriend - her English was excellent and when I met her she pronounced the word "pronunication" as she "should". After a year in the UK she pronounced it "pro-noun-ciation" - I will prolly scream until I'm in my grave about that but I'm not sure it will stop the change happening.
VP - your Ramsbottom friend - does her interest extend into cricket? If so, I'll suggest a name - in my day, I believe there was some sharing of facilities - but I may be wrong. Tho' having said that, "local" football always tended to mean Bury, Bolton, Man Utd, Man City (as in my case) and Blackburn. Oh, heck, I've just remembered that she's only 3...
Luckily, I've gone on at some length about typos so only mildly blush at Drinks pulling me up on "neice" (...is why visit this blog...) - my neighbours say "moo" and "baa" respectively.
Just to finish off - well done Drinks at getting to a hard copy stage. The process of getting rid of errors is a funny one. I was tasked earlier with eliminating damson stones from a pan and presented a fine old pile. Mrs H still found another half dozen... Hope the extra half day helps with your chapter! Oh, before I forget - Paul Statham - don't know his field - I was searching on the terms you gave and followed a Google link - I was surprised to see a name that was familiar and a face that probably was.
Feel I could say something about a really interesting conversation I had today, but I'm not sure I could articulate it properly. Hope there are no anarchists (sp?) out there.
Happy October every body.
Morning, all!
Anne, re your 94, I'm not sure I'm either! I'm an edge of small town person (but I have lived in a small city, and grew up in London suburbia)....
Appy, I hope you're not reading this 'til after your deadline!
Oh please let me be number 100 today?!! Please!
No, meeee...... (I bet not.)
I can't believe this thread is still going on! I don't usually look back more than a day or 2 at most. Anyway -
Aperitif- your attitude to your work reminds me of a (professional) violinist I heard a while ago - the orchestra were discussing what they'd done the previous day, which was a (rare) day off. This girl's run down of the day began "Well I got up about 9, did a resentful hour's practice..." I just loved that word - said it all!
Andy - if you're reading this - your cd has gone first class this afternoon - now we'll see what Royal Mail are made of.
Ooh only been missing for a day and lots to catch up on.
Thanks for the work enquiries. There is good news and bad news but I'll probably whinge about it on a more up to date thread (maximum potential sumpathy, I admit it). Despite current appearances I do actually love what I do - which is lots of different things - it's just that there's been a lot going on all at once lately. Some people thrive on stress. Some people carp endlessly...
John H, yes, I missed an "I". The shame.
Annasee, yep, I understand.
Ap, well you know I'm rural, I've bleated on about it often enough! City-born though.
John H, talking about being born - that is outrageous flattery, but wasn't it you who cracked the code of me being the same age as the year in which I was born, so it can't be 3.....
can it?
Valery, I thought this meant that your were born in '03. And might I just say again how impressed I am with your computer and communication skills.
I wonder if you will ever realise that I answered, given that this entry is from last year some time.
Hardly surprising that I can't do html styley things when I'm only 3.
Yes I do, flipping backwards in a quiet moment or seven.
Don't think Ramsbottom friend was into cricket btw, don't know if I answered that already, or even elsewhere. She still goes back to visit friends there quite a bit.
Window on your world. Fantastic experiment Particularly liked the Harry Poteresque photo 35 of 92 in Windows of your world 7. This is barlborough hall school barlborough.