Partly cloudy; chance of job.

For all of you familiar with British radio announcements and/or Mike Harding,

"This is a warning for all shipping in the Oklahoma area: Bugger off, there's no water."

But seriously. I've been quiet of late, lot of stuff on my plate. Got some responses on my job hunt - only one seems likely to pan out. But still, thats good. Nice job, some travel, (well mostly travel,) but home on weekends. No idea what the pay is yet, but it should, nay must, be good.

Now that I'm fairly sure that my future employment will have a 50-70 mile commute I've decided that, (if and when necessary,) I shall buy a commuting vehicle. That is to say a vehicle that fits only one niche - commuting 100-140 miles a day. If you know me, (and you probably do if you're here,) you know that that means I'm getting a new bike. But what fits like a glove? I'm looking at the Honda Silverwing, Suzuki Bergman, and Yamaha Majesty. All "maxi-scooter's" all with good mileage, and all with great element protection. Of course they're all scooters too, so I don't have to worry about scaring old biddies at stop lights - really, even I won't look dangerous on a scooter. I'm leaning towards the Bergman at the moment, but that could change quickly - I need to find the one that fits the commute role, and not the cool role. I'll figure it out in the end.

I actually can't wait to get back to honest-to-god bike commuting, I really miss it. I have several bikes in the stable that I could use, but none that would deliver the comfort and mileage of a maxi-scooter. I can't imagine commuting for long on the Triumph (at 34mpg/120mph) or the Ural (at 40mpg/55mph) The BSA is right out because I have to be able to trust it and it's, well, a BSA. A new scoot with good MPG and a dependable name that can pay itself off in gas savings, or at least reduce the cost, is what I'm after.

I suppose I could buy a cage..........

I'll let you know what I think after I get a couple of test rides in.



Cheers

An understanding of Digital watches

I haven't posted in a little while, not because I've been lazy, but because of computer troubles. I lost the adapter for the power supply on my windows box the other day and haven't had time to replace it. I thought that this would be the ideal time to get the Linux box functioning again. And so it was, I suppose. Had the usual teething problems, everything except the wireless worked fine. But what's the point of a laptop if you have to plug it into something? After a couple of v.frustrating sessions loading and unloading stuff and generally messing around with the programs I found this. Worked as advertised, trouble free and quick to install. I feel as if I have an understanding of computers...............

So I'm back online, and here's the full quote from Time Bandits for those that didn't get the reference.

"Evil Genius (David Warner) When I have the map, I will be free, and the world will be different, because I have understanding.

Robert (Derek Deadman) Understanding of what, master?

Evil Genius Digital watches. And soon I will have understanding of videocassette recorders and car telephones. And when I have understanding of them, I shall have understanding of computers. And when I have understanding of computers, I shall be the Supreme Being! God isn't interested in technology. He knows nothing of the potential of the microchip or the silicon revolution. Look how he spends his time: forty-three species of parrots! Nipples for men!

Robert Slugs.

Evil Genius Slugs! He created slugs! They can't hear, they can't speak, they can't operate machinery. If I were creating the world, I wouldn't mess about with butterflies and daffodils. I would've started with lasers, eight o'clock, day one."

Time off for good behavior

Today we're off to the lake for some relaxation and possibly to engage in some exotic red-neck courtship rituals, e.g. falling from a high-speed jet ski into a semi-submerged tree inhabited by poisonous reptiles of the family Ancistrodon piscivorus.

It should be a good time.


And I'll be unreachable until the swelling dies down and the bandages come off.




POST SCRIPT

Well, we made it back from the lake without encountering an Ancistrodon piscivorus, or a semi-submerged tree. Please notice that I did not mention the falling from a high speed jet ski. I didn't fall, I was ejected at about 35mph, sideways. I'm not in too much pain, just a bad rib that only hurts when I do something silly - like stand, or sit, bend, or breath. Dawn has only a headache, but she earned that and it was from the late night with Pabst Blue Ribbon.

So it's a slow Sunday for both of us, but that's what Sundays are for.

Goodbye Mr. Froggy

Sad news today, the crippled frog has passed. I found him in the middle of the living room this morning. Apparently one of the dogs didn't want me to miss the fact. I don't really have the words to describe how I feel, so I'll use this edited excerpt from Monty Python's Dead Parrot sketch.

"E's passed on! This frog is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace! 'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig! 'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!! THIS IS AN EX-FROG!"

Strange things are afoot.

Afoot. No one says that anymore. I wonder why. I guess it must be that we drive everywhere nowadays. I think I'll start using it more myself.

On that note, busy has been afoot in my life. What with the ongoing resume massage, job search, and working on my foetal consultancy business, (If I advise people about dancing, would I be a Consultant of Swing?) I haven't had time to.. do.... things... that.. take.. time. So I'm taking the time now, (away from very important projects - don't you feel special,) to say that I don't have time to say anything.

Any Questions?

Good.

Old news

For those that missed it, I took a motorcycle sidecar trip a while ago from Anchorage, Alaska to Oklahoma City (via a little town north east of Kansas City, Missouri.) Documented here with pic goodness and snappy writing courtesy of neon-buddha.

Check it out

Good food

If you're in the mood for some good recipes and don't have any dead animal flesh in the larder, check this blog out. They all look pretty tasty.