Oh, Arse

I’d been planning to start a course with the Open University, but I’ve missed the dealine. Fucking arse. I’m annoyed at myself for not getting my finger out in time, although I did actually receive the paperwork on the day before the deadline, as it turns out – so the chances of getting in were pretty low anyway. But all the same, yes, I’m still pissed off with myself for missing it. I’ll get in for the next course start though…

And in the meantime, I’m going to take the time to make sure that I set myself up for it, make sure I can do it properly. And in the meantime? I think I might wedge in an extra course on something geeky – learning to use Photoshop properly appeals bigtime.

Customer Dis-service

If there’s one thing that’s guaranteed to drive me barmy, then it’s customer services. This time it was my old favourite – BT. I’m going to try and be good for once, and not swear – but it’ll be a struggle. In another of their fits of *cough* professionalism, I got a snotty red letter yesterday telling me to pay my bill within seven days. OK, fair enough – but it would’ve been nice to receive a bill in the first place, particularly as apparently I’m spending £50 per month on calls at the moment, which is definitely wrong.

I was out all day yesterday, so I didn’t get the chance to call them. Fair enough, call them on Sunday. So I go through the four levels of their AVR (Automated Voice Response) system for billing, and finally get put through to the right department.

“This department is closed. Please call back between 8am and 8pm Monday to Saturday. Thank you for your call.

Now, I’ve installed AVR systems, and I know that they can be set up with a timing system – so why doesn’t BT’s own system have the ability to tell you at some time before you’ve gone through the entire set of menus? Grrrr.

Still the same

I watched ET tonight, and even now, 22 years after it first came out, it still makes me cry. I should know better than to watch the bloody film, but still it comes on and I watch it.

But what a stunning piece of work, to still have that same emotional impact despite repeated viewings, despite everyone knowing how it happens, and how it ends.

Kilroy woz there

Oh, it’s true what they say – every cloud does have a silver lining. Robert Kilroy-Silk has pulled suspended the Kilroy programme while he’s busy being accused of the truth – i.e. that he’s a bigoted racist elitist bastard. Oh no, that’s libellous – I’ve no proof that his parents weren’t married at the time of conception.

Any rumour that the only reason there’s no “father’s name” on his birth certificate is because no-one wanted to accept responsibility would be a cruel and vicious lie, with no basis whatsoever in truth.

Logfiles

Back on October 6th, d4d™ hit the 100,000th page impression. Yesterday, three months down the line, we went past the 130,000th page impression. 10,000 per month, on average. Yes, I can live with that. I still find it amazing that so many people do look at d4d™ – of course the busiest time was during the entire Wileys furore, but still, there must be something that makes people come back.

Maybe they’re just hoping it’ll get better in time… *Grin*

Snail Mail

I commented on this back in June, but the last mail trains run tonight. I still think it’s a great shame that it’s happened, and that the profit-conscious cocksuckers have decided that the trains should be phased out. Mail trains have been running since 1838 (although the 23:17 always ran a bit late) Supposedly the trains were “a Victorian solution to a Victorian problem of moving post around the country before the era of motorways and air travel” which explains why they’re still in use today, when we recently celebrated 100 years since the first flight by the Wright brothers.

Relaxation

I was out last night with a friend who’d come up for the night – and thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s been far too long since I’d just been out with friends for a few drinks and talking, no pressures of time or whatever. We ended up in Prague 5 (I’d add a weblink, but the site isn’t set up yet – Guess who I’m writing to over the weekend? *grin*), putting the world to rights, with some decent bass-heavy music as background, and luscious leather seats.

It’s definitely something I plan to do more often in 2004.