magic_bryan

Nearly 14 years ago since true 2 party politics died in the UK

2008-04-28T18:45:12Z

Controversial not posting while drunk in December moment.

Posting while drunk in April for a change. Pushing 14 years since john Smith died. I got rather maudlin on a thread on YakYak. One of those modern life sucks moments.

When I saw the last episode of Life on Mars first time round, I blubbed like a good 'un. I've always loved the song, so in the style of recent posts, lyrics time.

It's a God awful small affair
To the girl with the mousey hair
But her mummy is yelling no
And her daddy has told her to go
But her friend is no where to be seen
Now she walks through her sunken dream
To the seats with the clearest view
And she's hooked to the silver screen
But the film is sadd'ning bore
For she's lived it ten times or more
She could spit in the eyes of fools
As they ask her to focus on

Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Oh man, look at those cavemen go
It's the freakiest show
Take a look at the lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man, wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show
Is there life on Mars?

It's on America's tortured brow
That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow
Now the workers have struck for fame
Cause Lennon's on sale again
See the mice in their million hordes
From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
To my mother my dog and clowns
But the film is a sadd'ning bore
Cause I wrote it ten times or more
It's about to be writ again
As I ask you to focus on

Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Oh man look at those cavemen go
It's the freakiest show
Take a look at the lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man, wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show
Is there life on Mars?

Seems this is the day of the year I post now

2007-12-14T18:25:52Z

All that you touch
All that you see
All that you taste
All you feel.
All that you love
All that you hate
All you distrust
All you save.
All that you give
All that you deal
All that you buy,
beg, borrow or steal.
All you create
All you destroy
All that you do
All that you say.
All that you eat
And everyone you meet
All that you slight
And everyone you fight.
All that is now
All that is gone
All that's to come
and everything under the sun is in tune
but the sun is eclipsed by the moon.

There is no dark side of the moon really. Matter of fact it's all dark.

magic_bryan @ 2006-12-14T20:57:00

2006-12-14T20:57:40Z

O Superman. O judge. O Mom and Dad. Mom and Dad
O Superman. O judge. O Mom and Dad. Mom and Dad

Hi. I'm not home right now
But if you want to leave a message
Just start talking at the sound of the tone

Hello? This is your Mother
Are you there? Are you coming home?
Hello? Is anybody home?

Well, you don't know me, but I know you.
And I've got a message to give to you.
Here come the planes.
So you better get ready.
Ready to go.
You can come as you are, but pay as you go
Pay as you go

And I said:
OK. Who is this really?
And the voice said:
This is the hand, the hand that takes
This is the hand, the hand that takes
This is the hand, the hand that takes

Here come the planes
They're American planes
Made in America
Smoking or non-smoking?

And the voice said:
Neither snow nor rain nor gloom of night shall
stay these couriers from the swift completion
of their appointed rounds
'Cause when love is gone, there's always justice
And when justice is gone, there's always force
And when force is gone, there's always Mom

Hi Mom!
So hold me, Mom, in your long arms
So hold me, Mom, in your long arms
In your automatic arms
Your electronic arms
In your arms
So hold me, Mom, in your long arms
Your petrochemical arms
Your military arms
In your electronic arms

No you can't have a Wii

2006-12-10T16:56:42Z

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i23/magic_bryan/No_Wii.jpg

Please tell me this isn't true

2006-07-25T15:57:28Z

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5212732.stm

Noes!

We're all doomed

2006-07-20T19:48:51Z

Consumerism has gone too far...

http://www.bananaguard.com/

One thing sorted

2006-05-11T11:48:07Z

Seems my immediate boss was "having communication issues" and the extended sick pay is still on after all. This was sorted after a word with the divisional boss wo we are thankfully on excelent terms with. Now I can relax and get my back sorted...

One pissed off Audi salesman

2006-04-30T17:48:13Z

What a nice sunny day it was today. An ideal time to say, test drive an Audi TT.

I nipped to town to buy a spice mill today (for masala grinding) and saw so many cars on trade plates, presumably on test drives. I'd left my car on the road, and it was baking when I got back in, so I popped the windows down (still not used to AC!) Heading back home I pulled up at lights besides a TT on trade plates with a mid life crisis style guy in the driving seat (ie, a bit older and more balding than me) and a guy in a cheap suit in the passender seat. This particular set of lights is on a straight which is part of a dual carriageway, which oddly has another set of lights a bit further down the road, after which you get the usual roundabouts etc instead.

As it happens, my CD had just changed tracks, and the next track had a very quiet intro, allowing me to hear the conversation. The salesman is giving it large, and I thought he was quoting directly from True Lies or the Swiss Tony handbook:

(sic) "Of course, it's not just about the image and luxury, this car has huge amounts of power too. When the lights change, why don't you show this chavved up Clio what a real car can do."

I take mild exception to this, as my Clio is entirely original. It is also a limited edition lightened sports model with a 2 litre 182 bhp engine in a car weighing only very slightly over a metric tonne. A TT by contrast is very heavy, and even the V6 will struggle to keep up when two up and cold. Little Ruby at this point is warmed up, with a nicely run in engine and only me, 1/8 tank of petrol, a coffee mill and a phone in it.

I go not pay any attention, but give it the beans when the lights change, up to the limiter in first, limiter second, casually change up to fifth and cruise along at 70. Of course, the TT is a dot, but does try hard to catch up. Possibly because it's Sunday, and the timing has changed, the lights ahead change to red. I stop quite easily, but the TT driver seems to have second thoughts, brakes late, have ABS kick in and end up a couple of feet over the white line.

At this point, I nudge up level and call over:

"Yeah, the ABS kicks in too soon, and it suffers from brake fade, especially on the track. I'd buy an S2000 if I were you. Of course, if you don't want a rag top, you could get one of these, it cost me twelve and a half new. Enjoy the test drive anyway."

Mysteriously, they decided to turn off when the lights changed.

Do you think the salesman managed to close him?

Out of office error

2006-04-19T19:10:40Z

Just a quick one which I found sadly amusing.

Mel told me that her boss had a slight trauma when she set her out of office this morning. Her normal out of office reads:

"I am currently out of the office [optional insert venue for meeting etc]. Please contact me on 07*** *******.

For most of the day, this high powered director level business woman had her usual out of office on, except she unfortunately forgot to include the word "contact".

When Mel left the office this afternoon, her boss had had 74 mails concerning her unfortunate phrasing. :)

eBay and stuff

2006-04-19T09:34:53Z

Well, back's still sore (obv) but I'm trying to sit more and keep mobile.

eBaying seems to be going OK, I actually sold my first batches of cards, and have posted some more. I have taken a bit of a risk and bought a bulk load of Rav block dual lands to sell on. Got them quite cheap, but if I'm left with them, it does me no good :( Hopefully I can get takers for them either in person at Donny etc, or by eBaying the little buggers. If so, should make a few quid, and I'll surely have a set for my own use!

Wish I knew whan the nationals was this year, I'll need lots of notice to get hols booked. May actually have to look into building some decks and seeing what actually works these days.

Quality link and more mobility

2006-04-13T11:39:09Z

Well, I still can't sit very long, but I've been OKd for short car journeys and made it to Donny. Good to see people again.

Getting to do a few walks up the road which keeps me from going insane, and am going to start Zelda soon. Saw a fantastic link on YakYak today:

http://www.pistolwimp.com/media/44210/

Quality stuff

More pain, boredom and iPods

2006-04-05T09:50:59Z

Well, still rather sore, but I'm trying to spend more time sitting and medicate through the pain.

Ironically, the comfiest place to sit is in my car, so I may make a cameo appearance at the Donny tournament this weekend (although won't be able to play) This is as long as my consultant OK's me to drive on Friday, hopefully also get the go ahead for next stage of physio too.

I've been playing FE2 to death, and have finished the campaign, but am just going round battering monsters for a bit before I start the next game boy offering. Much reading as well, and was going to start listening to the pod again, but...

I foolishly let my iPod stay discharged for too long and I think it did it some harm. When I got back from hospital, I left it in an extremely unaccessible place and could only bend to reach it last Friday). I took it into the Apple store at the weekend and asked them to have a look. It was still in (extended) warranty, so they just said: "Have a new one" and gave me a new replacement 6gig mini. Seems they're not allowed to sell minis or 4th gen anymore, but keep a stock in for warranty replacements. It's much easier for them to swap them than fill out the forms for a repair, so on a busy weekend, that's the preferred option!

This is where the trouble started. I have too many CD's and have not ripped them all to my PC, as they won't fit on the 6 gigger. I looked at the new full sized pods at the weekend and was then tempted with an upgrade. I have thus eBayed a cheap new full sized pod and will be flogging my "new" 6 gig mini on eBay. Ironically, they seem to go for more than the nanos, as despite being bigger, they have better battery life, half as much again storage space and are much tougher. I can now restore all the tracks I trimmed in anticipation of my new baby being delivered.

This is the trouble. Get bored, spend money. At least Ribbo will be happy that I can listen to the missing tracks from the division bell now!

As I'm trying to spend more time sat on my arse now, I'm going to try to update a bit more regularly now (He says yet again)

Next time, the terrible tale of the beery boot.

Pain and DS lite

2006-03-24T10:23:16Z

Took my dressing off last night (an Opsite, sort of sticky waterproof clingfilm) and it's been a sore old time. Hey ho, I can always sleep at the weekend.

You may have seen this, it's a spoof set of subtitles to a Japanese news piece about the DS Lite:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GUG21OyNNk

Much comedy.

Post Op

2006-03-23T09:57:34Z

Yay, I can perch on the edge of the bed for long enough to type a quick update now.

Op took a little longer than expected, and I wasn't able to get the cages put into the lowest space, as to do so would have been too dangerous. Stay in hospital wasn't too painful, thanks to the wonderful array of drugs plus a morphine pump. I ended up catheterised for a while after the op, and the morphine meant sh1tting was not an option, so I only had to get out of bed when the physios threatened to take my iPod away. I had some loss of sensation to the nether regions for a while, but that is pretty much gone now, so it's just pain and boredom to contend with now.

I spend a few minutes a day sitting to eat (gradually building up) a bit of time standing and walking and the rest lay in bed being uncomfortable and bored. My latest weapons against tedium are a variety of GBA rpg/strategy games, and the entire Babylon 5 on DVD. Currently playing Fire Emblem2 Sacred stones, very nice indeed, give it a go. I have so far resisted getting a DS, but the DS lite looks very tempting. The better back light and battery life are bigger factors than the looks for me, but it does look the dogs danglies.

Well done to the England team, you have been keeping me entertained from 5am till noon quite handily of late. Oddly, Michael Vaughan was in the room a few doors down getting his knee fixed while I was in. Private medical through work brings odd fringe benefits sometimes. For obvious reasons, I didn't harass him while he was in. A hooj well done to South Africa for beating the Aussies in the last of the ODI's too.

Gotta go now, as the back is knacking, and I don't get any more dihydrocodeine for hours...

The Op

2006-02-28T19:47:39Z

Looks like I've left it a bit late for the build up to the back operation. As you can imagine, I've been rather busy with stuff.

Quick and dirty: Slice back open, pull out what remains of 3 diseased and knackered discs, keep me from flopping about but installing misc' Meccano into the spine. 3 months off work and you're off to the races.

Full version, 3 level lumbar fusion with cages, Zimmer kit being used if you're a medic, (Google it if you want the gore).

As I'm going to be off work a good chunk of time, hopefully I can update more often and bleat about the pain.

Hopefully updating again in a couple of weeks, there is a small but relevant chance of death/paralysis, but the risks are worth a chance at sorting the back out for good. You could get hit by a bus tomorrow, so why worry?

Oh yes, have fun in the new car Boomer, hope to see people again soon.

It's been a while

2006-01-07T14:44:11Z

So I thought I'd better put some sort of update on.

No joy on the kitten front, as the 2 breedings we were looking at only produced one kitten each, and both were accounted for already. We're looking at getting one of the next litter from Pico and Banjo, which would give excellent bloodline, prolly ready to come home June/July time.

Car was picked up and is running very nicely thank you, off for a quick mini valet to get the salt off her. Christmas and new year were very pleasant, with no traumas for a change.

Back situation is getting nasty, it looks like it will have to be the surgery this year 8 (

Dead snake and new car

2005-11-23T06:12:02Z

Yup, dead snakes and new car.

For those who don’t know me, myself and Mel keep a variety of snakes, one of whom is (was) a very poor feeding young royal python. We bought him in the full knowledge that he was a poor feeder, and we have been doing everything possible to get him eating and build him up. I won’t go into details for the squeamish, but getting snakes with an eating disorder to take nutrition can be a disheartening business. Sadly Clyde died last week, which was a little upsetting, but that’s the way things go sometimes. All our other beasties are (touch wood) healthy, and we gave him all the possible care we could. Sh*t ‘appen.

For those who do know me, you’ll be familiar with my recent umm’ing and ahh’ing over a new car. For those who don’t here’s the summary. As there’s only Mel and myself for a car to accommodate (plus shopping and the odd cat carrier) we’ve never gone for big cars. Between us we’ve owned a variety of small – medium hatchbacks (by European standards) or in North American terms, subcompacts. Mel’s still running her Mk II Golf 16v GTI, one of the original, and still best, hot hatches and up till April last year, I was running a 16v Metro which I’d bought for next to nothing. It was getting to the point that it was going to start needing significant work doing to keep her going, so it was time to start car shopping. At that point I went for a Citroen C2 GT, a lovely little car which is quite nippy and dirt cheap to boot. I nearly bought a similar car at the time, a Renault Clio 182, but found the driving position too uncomfortable for long use.

As Renault are changing the body shape of the Clio, they produced a special edition of the 182 with even lower suspension, Recaro seats and even more weight stripped off. I test drove this to discover it is a little faster, much more comfortable and even more agile, not to mention cheap. For our colonial cousins, I won’t mention actual prices because cars are so frighteningly cheap in the states, but will put it in relative terms. The 182 Trophy costs almost exactly half what a Lotus Elise 111R does, has twice as many seats (plus a roof) and was 3 seconds quicker than the Lotus round a test track used by the most popular driving show/magazine over here (Top Gear).

Needless to say, I had to buy one 8 )

After a little bit of blagging the dealership into giving me heavy discounts (but then suffering a bit of a delivery delay as a result) I should hopefully be picking her up on Friday. I was rather chuffed to find that although cars tend to depreciate quite quickly in their first 2 years, my current car is so cheap to insure and run, that it has retained a very strong resale value, mainly because teenage chavs can get insurance for them.

Mel has bought me a personal plate (vanity plate for those across the water) which will make no sense to anyone who does not play Magic the Gathering, but may raise a smile for those who do. The car only comes in red (she is likely to be named Ruby) is pretty fast, and will be tagged P9 MOX.

I am beyond sad and have entered a whole new dimension of fanboy-dom.

Wow, looks like the mild Autumn is over. More info on my back issues a some point soon...

I will get used to this system....

2005-11-07T17:13:31Z

Lesson one, make sure that I add new entires rather than comment on previous ones.

Well, made it to the cat show, got licked half to death by baby Pico and had a fine old time. Didn't get round to doing the cellar though. Maybe next weekend... So tired today for some reason. Time to cook and drink wine I feel.

A blog, why not?

2005-11-05T09:38:16Z

Just setting bare bones account up. I'll actually set it up properly and start using it when I get a little time.