It's funny, for sometime now I've been a bit bored with the tech scene. I guess it's partly due to the economic situation that companies have been holding back releasing products. Then, like a bus a load of them come along at the same time and the wallet takes a hit. Working in the tech sector I know what potential is out there and I have to keep pinching myself that technology and products take time to get to the market.I got chatting to one of the people I work with in the US who was asking what I did out of work. My initial...
I'm drained, that's the only way of describing it. I've been away from home for nearly 2 weeks and not had a break (even at the weekends). Just feels like a constant grind with zero enjoyment. The good news is that I've managed to clear a lot of stuff, but feeling really really tired. I'm so looking forward to getting on the flight Wednesday at 4:30PM and relaxing (well sort of).I then get back to a house move. Yes, finally after nearly 3 years it's happening. Actually, it's happening really soon- 8 October so it'll be a panic...
As I walked up to street level from the San Francisco metro and crossed the road I saw this:It made me smile. I took a photo and gave the guy a dollar for the privilege to do so. Contrast this to your British beggar (don't mean the Big Issue people) who will just sit there and beg. At least this guy has made the effort...
When I travel I always take a number of DVDs with me to watch. Of course this is slowly being replaced by iTunes. Having an iTunes US account works a treat as 2 of my favourite shows are just about to premiere (always amazes me how I pick up US terminology even after a few days) - Grey's Anatomy and Californication.In terms of DVDs, "In The Loop" was somewhat disappointing - of course there were funny moments but I can't help feeling the TV series was better than the film. However, I have found a treat "Pulling" - a TV series...
I rarely have dreams, or as someone pointed out, rarely bring them into focus so I'm aware of them. Regardless, they are always nightmares, tend to be when I have too much sleep (rare) and usually are influenced by something in the past/next day. What I always find interesting is the (high) level of detail that I remember.In the case of this morning, woke up at 3:30AM with a load of ideas/thoughts about work (jumped up and grabbed post-it to capture, that's common) did a few things then went back to bed. At 5AM woke up with...
I don't often really get stressed but today has been a real pain trying to close out a lot of things before i head out tomorrow on a 2 week US trip. Particularly painful since I should (fingers crossed) be moving relatively shortly after I return at the end of the month.I feel as if I'm starting to get sick as a result which isn't good- hotels are the worst places in the world to be ill. Lots of OJ and healthy eating over the next 24hrs I gue...
I've come to the conclusion that buying a house is (relative to selling) easy, whilst selling a house is a complete pain. I spent 2hrs yesterday with the people buying the current house going through everything and explaining to them the procedure. Then several hours on the 'phone this morning chasing up things and pulling it all together. It frustrates me as it feels like there isn't a boundary between work and personal life right now.I've set 8 October as the completion date and will be pushing hard for that, so far it looks...
I had to grab a form for re-direction of mail yesterday, so I logged onto the Post Office website and then typed 'moving house' into the search field. Behold- a whole load of random crap comes up about mortgages etc. Why can't people stick to what they are good at ? Why must everything be inter-twined and mixed up (Jack of all trades, Master of none). I really don't want a credit card at the queue in M&S, I'm there to buy food, not financial services.Yesterday broadband was down. I called Virgin early in the morning (approx...
A new term I thought of this morning to define things that I see and need to blog about, specifically things that are irritating/funny. Well, today's trip involves going to Cambridge rail station, then sitting on a train into London, so I'm absolutely sure there will be ample fodder...Upper Crust, Cambridge StationA particular 'favourite' for criticism. The service is always so slow in this place and it seems to attract very indecisive people. I usually get frustrated in the queue. In this case, a couple of Cambridgeoids that...
Just 2 days back in the UK and I'm back to the grind of 13hr days in the office as there feels so much to do. I've been tired as have gone to be too early and waking up at 3AM the past few mornings. I'm not sure if it's worth getting back on a UK timezone as I will be in the US next Wednesday for 2 weeks so unsure if it makes sense at all to get back to UK time...
I just logged into Facebook and noticed a posting for 2009 Freshers Week at my old University. After some mental maths (I love working with numbers in my head) I realised that I attended that 18 years ago. Then the real heart synching moment set in - most of the people attending this years event weren't even born when I attended it :(....
My favourite Chinese food - slices of thin beef cooked in chilli oil with extra chilli's added to ensure maximum flavour. I could eat bowls and bowls of this - though the next day I always have a sore stomach ! In HK ended up eating masses of food like this, as well as some really yummy desserts...
Grabbed this picture at the airport in Shanghai. Sadly lighting was rather poor, but I think this sums up the service you get perfectly "The desk of advising" with nobody at the desk...
A couple of pictures taken in Hong Kong (sorry for the poor quality pics from the iPhone)...
Writing this sitting at the bar on the flight back to London. I like the collection of magazines they have on Virgin flights. GQ (I'd already read that), Sunday Times Traveler (good magazine), Newsweek. Sadly they don't have any of the political magazines anymore like New Statesman (my favourites), but there is 'Hello!'.I was reading in The Economist an article titled 'Pissed and Posh' where (like any higher end British publication) they have to have the monthly discussion about class and how badly people live. I do find the...
.. or is that annihilation ? Writing this on the Virgin flight back to London. A great weekend in Hong Kong, although of course spending far too much money. I don't know what it is about HK, but you just feel compelled to burn cash on things. I guess it is in part due to the availability of things. Highlights of this trip include:* Stocking up on Cantonese 1980's films. I love watching 1980's Cantonese films as they are very funny in terms of the actions/storyline and also of course the subtitles. I think I've pretty much got...
Does an environment of 'happy' people make you happy ?On the flight to Hong Kong last night I was in a really good mood. Yes, it might have in part been down to the couple of glasses of wine I had. However, I realised that I had been with some really great people over the course of the week (from Taiwan and Singapore), had a good laugh, and generally was very happy. Nothing to do with drinking (I only had a couple of beers), just being with people who spotted the funny side of things, had funny stories to tell etc.I always come...
Blogging from hotel room in Hsinchu Taiwan, just presented to a group of people at a technical seminar. Yesterday I commuted to Taipei on the high speed rail and used the metro system. It made me realise just how I miss living in Asia. Today talking to people I felt really relaxed and happy - with none of the usual nonsense you have in the UK.Tomorrow Shanghai bound. Thankfully a direct flight (not having to connect through HK). Friday presenting, then onto Hong Kong for the weekend...
