Is it Time to Ditch Windows?

I've been thinking about getting a new computer for almost 2 years now and due to my indecisiveness, I've missed the boat for one that comes with Windows 7 as standard.
Of course, I could simply install my current HDD into the new computer and keep using the version I've got (although I'm not sure about the legality of that, no one would be any the wiser) but one of the benefits of a new PC is starting afresh without any of the clutter that you had on your previous system.

Lost and Found

PANIC!!! That's how my day began today. I'm flying out to Spain tomorrow for a holiday and to see my Mum and as I went to complete my online check-in this morning (something I probably should have done a long time ago) it asked me for my passport details. I reached into the 'safe place' where said passport is kept and it wasn't there. A moment of confusion passed and some scrabbling around in the vicinity of where it should be and still nothing. How could this be happening? Usually with this sort of thing, I'm so fearful of something like this happening that I over-prepare, writing check-lists of things to bring, making piles of cables etc for fear of forgetting something. The first time I went out to my Mum's house for Christmas in 2011, I forgot my laptop charger of all things. Thankfully in that instance, my step-dad had one for his work laptop that fitted, a saving grace for my sanity. This time however, there could be no such get out of jail free card. You don't have a spare passport just in case, and you can't borrow someone else's either. Cue emptying of drawers, boxes and cupboards, checking in places that are so ridiculous, they would only ever be checked in times of mild insanity (or a spring clean). I looked under the bed, under and down the back of the sofa, behind the fridge and the microwave (of all places). Nothing.

I Hate ITunes

I hate iTunes. I quite intensely dislike most apple products but ITunes especially. I find myself writing this because of the enormous lengths I had to go to this evening to try and download a podcast. I'd heard advertised on the radio the latest XFM breakfast show podcast with Danny Wallace starring some of my favourite comedians. I found the link and ended up at a holding page on the iTunes website informing me that I should download it before I could listen. Surely not I thought... a podcast at the end of the day is usually just and MP3 and there must be and RSS/Atom feed somewhere that I can just download it from. Apparently not.

Lidl or Moon

Well, I've just got back from what has to be the most interesting concert I've ever been to. I went to see Kate Rusby at the Lowry and it was magnificent. I somewhat knew what to expect because I'd listened to the gig she did for Radio 2 the a couple of weeks ago by this was even more special. It was unlike any gig is been to before but it's also a very different genre to the sort of music I usually see played live so I suppose it would be!

One of the most endearing things about Kate is the way she intereacts with the audience. Between each song, she'll tell a little anecdote and explain ether something about the song or a little story about herself. The title of this post is inspired by one such story she told about seeing the most beautiful full moon when she was coming back from a gig only for it to turn out to be a sign for Lidl!

Because it's not really the sort of concert you go to sing along with - although we were encouraged to join in for a couple of them - mainly because you've paid to hear one of this country's, ney the world's, most beautiful voices, it's lovely to have that conversational intersection and it makes the whole thing feel very special.

Another of the stories we were told was about a man who had asked for a set list with the key for each song. Slightly confused but wishing to find out more, they obliged and low and behold it was because he had bought a trumpet along with him and wanted to 'play' along and did so too! Apparently he wasn't very good but who the he'll would do that? Unless you were really amazing and were hoping to be invited on stage, the only thing you've achieved is ruining it for everyone else.

So, yes a fantastic night which also included an instrumental piece comprising of the Muppets theme tune and a bit of Rainbow! What more could you ask for?

One Year On

Oh how time flies! On Wednesday I will be celebrating my first year's anniversary working at Heywood. It's hard to believe that the time has passed so quickly but looking back, a lot has happened really. We've had new starters, some leavers and I've learned more about software development than I did in 4 years at university.

I've recently started looking at some Java quizzes and books in preparation for taking my OJCP exam which I have to do before the end of the year and despite having learned a lot, there is still a lot more out there to learn. I'm lucky to have been put on a couple of good projects recently. A couple of nice product enhancements that have had a small enough team for me to contribute to a large section of it. I've also been able to specialise in a couple of areas which is always nice because it finally means that I'm not always asking for work or asking people how to do things and instead work from those areas comes my way and people ask me questions about it instead.

The Olympics

There is now just one more day to go until arguably the biggest sporting event in the world draws to a close. For me, it is probably one of the most productive two weeks of the year (or years) because I have little or no interest in watching it. The other broadcasters know that 99% of the population will be watching the BBC coverage in some form or another and so they hardly bother competing and the schedules fill up with repeats and rubbish.

Walkman

Perhaps I bit later than I originally intended this post to be (as always) but now that I've finished my PMI exam, I have found spare time cropping up here and there that I'd forgotten I had. Regardless of how important or not an exam is, I always have a sense of guilt if I think I should be revising and in fact I'm sat in front of the computer / TV or just generally procrastinating. The last couple of weeks, I've had things spring out of no-where to keep me occupied. Last week I was invited on a spontaneous day trip to Sheffield for a friends birthday celebrations (a trip that ended up costing me far more than I had imagined but was enjoyable nevertheless) a this week saw an organised work social to see the first Die Hard at the cinema as part of the Odeon in Manchester's season of re-showing old films.