Author: Kristian Golding

I was setting up my new computer on the weekend, and I nearly lost all my pictures that I’ve taken so far. Yeah, most of them are on the web but they’re not the full resolution pics. Not all of them are backed up yet either. I couldn’t find the pics after I did a re-install and I swear to God I was nearly in tears once I realised what I had done. So tonight, the first thing I’m doing is uploading all of the pictures I have to the web and doing massive amounts of backing up *and* creating an automatic backup plan. Geez, I don’t want to ever feel like that again.

For the nerds, the computer is ok. AMD Athlon 64 socket 939 3200+ and appropriate motherboard, 1 GB PC3200 RAM (at the moment, more on the way), 160 GB seagate SATA drive, logitech wireless mouse and keyboard, antec sonata quiet case. All that for just over US $600. Not bad I thought. I didn’t upgrade the video card – yet. I’ll do that once I get an LCD monitor… which won’t be for a while yet. Also might upgrade the sound card. We’ll see how my current one goes for a little bit.

I was playing Van Halen’s “Jump” again last night and the computer is sooooo much more responsive. Hehe.

I was in my third project meeting on Monday, having been on my new project for two weeks. Things weren’t going so well. My computer was set up completely wrong for the sort of work I was required to do so I was working with the systems support group to get those problems resolved. Plus, as with any new project, there is a thing call ramp up time. Or, time taken trying to understand what the hell you’re supposed to be doing. That takes a while. So, combine computer not working properly with ramp up and you’ve got a bad start.

Anyway, the reason I got put on the project was because someone said I was supposed to be a fast learner, that I was supposed to be what they call “smart”. I can be a smart arse sometimes but that’s about it I reckon. I gave my new project manager the low down on why I was a couple of days behind some of the other guys in the group. She just looked at me and said “I thought you were supposed to be smart?” My response? Nothing really. What the hell am I supposed to say to that??? I had a good laugh at it later on and it’s the joke of the week with my friends and former technical lead (who I believe is the one who stated that I was “smart”).

Needless to say, I’m not behind in my work anymore and if anything I’m even a little ahead – but it took a little unpaid overtime to get there. Now I’m thinking I’m actually not that smart and my manager was right. I think I walked right into this little trap that she set for me. And get that dangling carrot out of my face.

Well, here is the first one. The northern gate of my apartment block got taken out last night by someone trying to get out of the complex. This happened between midnight last night and 8 am this morning. Likelihood that it was someone from the party on the floor below me last night? Pretty high!

But this is even worse than what happened above. I’ve run out of milo.

Ok, yes, there is some still caught in the top and if I scrape hard enough I can get what’s left in the bottom, but, hell…

Right, it’s nearly 2:15 am and I’m pissed off. There is something in the exhaust duct of my clothes dryer that keeps on making a tap-thud sound. I heard this sound a few weeks ago but then it stopped. I thought it was the wind at the time and there was some sort of valve that was loose or something but it can’t be that tonight because it’s as calm as a Hindu cow… and don’t get me started on Indians! There are a bunch of them having a party on the floor below me and they’ve got their freaking balcony door open. I think they work at my company, I’m not sure. It’s bloody 2 am in the morning. Shouldn’t they be programming or something!?! Bloody hell, I’m trying to get some sleep so I can do good work so I don’t become a victim of outsourcing. Jesus!

Sorry, but they’ve been pissing me off just about as much as tap-thud sound. I’ve been trying to think of what it is. I’m wondering what stopped the sound last time. Perhaps it just died. It sounds awfully like a frog. But how the hell would a frog get up there? I’m on the top floor, 4 floors up. It could be a super frog or something like that, bred by Frenchies to have really good leg muscles. Maybe it somehow jumped in the exhaust vent for my dryer after having double dare/physical challenges with its Frenchie frog mates to see who could jump over my apartment building.

I can’t check to see WTF is going on because there is no way I can look outside.

Maybe the people below sent it on a mission to piss me off.

I was thinking it could be a bird… but it’s not chirping.

Oh shit it’s really pissing me off now.

That’s it. I’m going to wash some towels and dry them on high heat. I’ll cook the f&*ker… and then I’m going to get a flamethrower and fry the people downstairs. Check the papers tomorrow.