Have decided to take a break from blogging for a wee bit. Just not really getting the time or inclination to document everything. The season is starting to build up in pace and there's less time available for unimportant extras, also Tinks is farther away than before so going to try and use the available time with her.
See ya soon!
Friday 14 December 2007
Monday 3 December 2007
Bringing it all up to date
I've been away in the UK for the past 5 days with Tinks meeting and greeting and getting in a general pre-season family reunion. It was really good - tiring but lots of fun with every night an event and every day filled with something to do. I was really, really pleased to see my Mum and Dad and Tink's family and have such a great time before jumping into the winter.
Before we left I managed to squeeze in a quick day up the mountain with Rosco and Emile, part of the riding fraternity who will be performing synchronized falling this season in our corner of the Alps. Again as before, the snow was good for this time of year. Most of the available powder had been tracked out but there was still only one lift open. Besides we're still finding our feet and it's not surprising that we'd probably butcher it anyway.
The good news is that it's dumping it down here. Like seriously dumping. I had to ease off Merv's snowy covering this morning before whacking his de-misters on full blast. Chris is back in the valley looking fit and well and ready for the rigours of the season. Everyone's beaming and frantically getting ready for the arrival of the tourists and generally stocking up and preparing for the already-arriving winter.
I moved Tinks and Katy this morning from their place in Houches to Servoz a little down the valley. It's an amazing, beautiful place they've got there - part of an old wooden converted barn in picturesque Old Servoz. They've leased it for a year and as it's full of mod cons and they're the first people in since it was done, I know it's going to be an awesome home.
So I'm in a meeting this afternoon, I'm moving house shortly as well and need to get ready for that. I'll stay over with Tinks for a night or two while I get prepared then it's time to call on Merv's carrying skills again.
I've picked up my season ski pass from the Montenvers station today as well and my winter boots are now a permanent fixture on my feet. The heady atmosphere of snow and excitement permeates the air and the mountains grow heavy with the ever-present precipitation. What we've all been waiting for is now arriving.
Before we left I managed to squeeze in a quick day up the mountain with Rosco and Emile, part of the riding fraternity who will be performing synchronized falling this season in our corner of the Alps. Again as before, the snow was good for this time of year. Most of the available powder had been tracked out but there was still only one lift open. Besides we're still finding our feet and it's not surprising that we'd probably butcher it anyway.
The good news is that it's dumping it down here. Like seriously dumping. I had to ease off Merv's snowy covering this morning before whacking his de-misters on full blast. Chris is back in the valley looking fit and well and ready for the rigours of the season. Everyone's beaming and frantically getting ready for the arrival of the tourists and generally stocking up and preparing for the already-arriving winter.
I moved Tinks and Katy this morning from their place in Houches to Servoz a little down the valley. It's an amazing, beautiful place they've got there - part of an old wooden converted barn in picturesque Old Servoz. They've leased it for a year and as it's full of mod cons and they're the first people in since it was done, I know it's going to be an awesome home.
So I'm in a meeting this afternoon, I'm moving house shortly as well and need to get ready for that. I'll stay over with Tinks for a night or two while I get prepared then it's time to call on Merv's carrying skills again.
I've picked up my season ski pass from the Montenvers station today as well and my winter boots are now a permanent fixture on my feet. The heady atmosphere of snow and excitement permeates the air and the mountains grow heavy with the ever-present precipitation. What we've all been waiting for is now arriving.
Saturday 24 November 2007
The Love
After Friday Frenzy - the traditional end of week gathering of the various boys and girls - of last night, I woke up this morning with a peacefully dozing Tinks. I got up and popped the kettle on for the first fruit tea of the day and sat myself in front of the computer to check up on breaking world events, the latest project developments, if someone had overtaken my iSketch and most importantly, the weather and snow conditions of the mountains in the valley.
The resulting information was good, very good - no natural disasters around the world, no panic emails reporting broken code, sitting atop the iSketch hi-score table and a solid half metre of snow topped with a beautiful layer of fresh on the Grands Montets. Things were shaping up well.
A few texts and phone calls around to the boys resulted in being picked up by Mark from the center of Chamonix and meeting up with various boys and girls up the mountain. We duly set off with Mark a little worse for wear as a result of the exertions the previous night and arrived at Argentiere as hyped up as if we'd consumed a heady cocktail of Red Bull and sugar cubes the entire journey.
No queues at the bottom cable car and small pockets of friends meant that an impromptu meet & greet session followed and with everyone beaming from ear to ear we jumped on the lift and headed up to Lognan. The only open higher lift from there was the Martmottons chairlift so up we went struck dumb by the incredible snow and shifting cloud dominating the passage upwards. There was pretty much full coverage of the mountain - thin off-piste but some really good windblown sections.
We ripped the thicker off-piste to the left-hand side of the piste initially from the top of the Marmottons lift before rejoining the route and riding on some really good soft snow back to the mid-station and then joined a late-arriving Crampons for another few blasts down the same route. It was really good - we all skied like shit, but hey - first full day back, what do you expect? The beauty was that for every bad turn, bad trick, bad jump, there were two great ones. And some of the powder to the side of the piste was really, really good. The summer drought of fresh snow was seized and broken in two and everyone helped themselves again and again.
It's a great feeling to ride on a really quiet mountain where you keep bumping into friends and laughing and smiling and seeing everyone beaming ear-to-ear, all enjoying the situation regardless of any external factors - very pure riding. It's great to be there with your friends who just love to be there. Conversations on chairlifts always conducted with a smile tugging at the corners of the mouth, laughing commiserations for those falling over underneath the lift, cheers ringing out for people on the piste really ripping it up or landing a slick trick. Just awesome.
Crampons and I joined up with another group of friends after a quick coffee at Longnan then had a few more runs before a final run down the Pierre a Ric home run right down to the mountain and onwards for an apres-ski beer in the Elevation bar. Just a perfect day. I'll admit the really low visibility that drifted in and out was like being in a horror film sometimes, some pistes were as lumpy as the mid-Atlantic and there were patches of seriously icy snow ready to catch the edge of the unwary skier. But I had an absolute blast. And all the guys we rode with had a blast too.
We're all going back out tomorrow with snowshoes to get some untracked powder. I can't wait.
The resulting information was good, very good - no natural disasters around the world, no panic emails reporting broken code, sitting atop the iSketch hi-score table and a solid half metre of snow topped with a beautiful layer of fresh on the Grands Montets. Things were shaping up well.
A few texts and phone calls around to the boys resulted in being picked up by Mark from the center of Chamonix and meeting up with various boys and girls up the mountain. We duly set off with Mark a little worse for wear as a result of the exertions the previous night and arrived at Argentiere as hyped up as if we'd consumed a heady cocktail of Red Bull and sugar cubes the entire journey.
No queues at the bottom cable car and small pockets of friends meant that an impromptu meet & greet session followed and with everyone beaming from ear to ear we jumped on the lift and headed up to Lognan. The only open higher lift from there was the Martmottons chairlift so up we went struck dumb by the incredible snow and shifting cloud dominating the passage upwards. There was pretty much full coverage of the mountain - thin off-piste but some really good windblown sections.
We ripped the thicker off-piste to the left-hand side of the piste initially from the top of the Marmottons lift before rejoining the route and riding on some really good soft snow back to the mid-station and then joined a late-arriving Crampons for another few blasts down the same route. It was really good - we all skied like shit, but hey - first full day back, what do you expect? The beauty was that for every bad turn, bad trick, bad jump, there were two great ones. And some of the powder to the side of the piste was really, really good. The summer drought of fresh snow was seized and broken in two and everyone helped themselves again and again.
It's a great feeling to ride on a really quiet mountain where you keep bumping into friends and laughing and smiling and seeing everyone beaming ear-to-ear, all enjoying the situation regardless of any external factors - very pure riding. It's great to be there with your friends who just love to be there. Conversations on chairlifts always conducted with a smile tugging at the corners of the mouth, laughing commiserations for those falling over underneath the lift, cheers ringing out for people on the piste really ripping it up or landing a slick trick. Just awesome.
Crampons and I joined up with another group of friends after a quick coffee at Longnan then had a few more runs before a final run down the Pierre a Ric home run right down to the mountain and onwards for an apres-ski beer in the Elevation bar. Just a perfect day. I'll admit the really low visibility that drifted in and out was like being in a horror film sometimes, some pistes were as lumpy as the mid-Atlantic and there were patches of seriously icy snow ready to catch the edge of the unwary skier. But I had an absolute blast. And all the guys we rode with had a blast too.
We're all going back out tomorrow with snowshoes to get some untracked powder. I can't wait.
Enough! It's time!
Got up, quick blog post before whacking on the snowboarding gear then head up to the Grands Montets with Mark to meet up with the MountainGoat, Sarah, Crampons, and many more of the local dignitaries and idiots for some communal sliding fun.
Made sure not to get too pissed last night, cup of tea this morning and a check of the interweb this morning (find out what's going on in the world in order to have conversational topics on chairlifts and checking the latest weather reports for the mountains) and we're just about ready to go.
Bring it baby, I'm revved up like a kid with attention deficit disorder. Shame about the unreal low visibility. Time to polish the yellow lenses.
Made sure not to get too pissed last night, cup of tea this morning and a check of the interweb this morning (find out what's going on in the world in order to have conversational topics on chairlifts and checking the latest weather reports for the mountains) and we're just about ready to go.
Bring it baby, I'm revved up like a kid with attention deficit disorder. Shame about the unreal low visibility. Time to polish the yellow lenses.
Thursday 22 November 2007
4am revisited
*bleep* *bleep* *bleep*
Up again at 4am to take the muppet Fred to Geneva airport after the previous fiasco of him ignoring his alarm and missing the flight. He managed to get to the airport bang on time, with enough to spare to pick up a few bits and bobs through duty-free as well. Funky.
Things of note from the journey:
1) Today's trip was sponsored by "Dark Dog" energy drink. Any drink with the words "dark" and "dog" in the name must be seen as dangerous and not to be taken lightly. We didn't take them lightly either - 3 cans apiece to help the journey along. We went from being half-asleep to acting like a pair of ADHD teenagers in just under 0.03 seconds. Conversation flowed thereafter.
2) Fred's first name isn't Fred (I knew this already). In fact his first name is Ahmad. His second name isn't Fred either - it's Ferad. His surname is unpronouncable. This is why he is called Fred.
3) French drivers will drive at exactly the same speed and ferocity despite any one of low visibility, darkness, rain, fog, sleet and wind. They will drive at the same velocity even if all of these factors are present.
4) The Swiss are encouraged to take note of registration numbers of excessively speeding vehicles and report them to the authorities. There's some sort of bonus for doing this apparently. Yes, that was my first thought too - bastards.
5) French motorway toll booth clerks are just as chirpy at 5am as they are at 5pm. For a race of people who sit in cafes sipping their pastis a l'eau whilst muttering "you eenglish peoples make my ass tweetch" they are surprisingly chirpy when it comes to jobs like that.
6) Dark Dog lasts for a long time.
Up again at 4am to take the muppet Fred to Geneva airport after the previous fiasco of him ignoring his alarm and missing the flight. He managed to get to the airport bang on time, with enough to spare to pick up a few bits and bobs through duty-free as well. Funky.
Things of note from the journey:
1) Today's trip was sponsored by "Dark Dog" energy drink. Any drink with the words "dark" and "dog" in the name must be seen as dangerous and not to be taken lightly. We didn't take them lightly either - 3 cans apiece to help the journey along. We went from being half-asleep to acting like a pair of ADHD teenagers in just under 0.03 seconds. Conversation flowed thereafter.
2) Fred's first name isn't Fred (I knew this already). In fact his first name is Ahmad. His second name isn't Fred either - it's Ferad. His surname is unpronouncable. This is why he is called Fred.
3) French drivers will drive at exactly the same speed and ferocity despite any one of low visibility, darkness, rain, fog, sleet and wind. They will drive at the same velocity even if all of these factors are present.
4) The Swiss are encouraged to take note of registration numbers of excessively speeding vehicles and report them to the authorities. There's some sort of bonus for doing this apparently. Yes, that was my first thought too - bastards.
5) French motorway toll booth clerks are just as chirpy at 5am as they are at 5pm. For a race of people who sit in cafes sipping their pastis a l'eau whilst muttering "you eenglish peoples make my ass tweetch" they are surprisingly chirpy when it comes to jobs like that.
6) Dark Dog lasts for a long time.
Tuesday 20 November 2007
4am and waiting
I said I'd take Fred to Geneva airport this morning at 5am for his flight to Morocco and his pre-season holiday. I got up at 4am and had a bath and something to eat, struggled into various random items of clothing then set off to pick him up from a centrally agreed point in Les Houches.
I was kicking myself actually, feeling really tired even though I'd gone to bed really early the night before. Anyway I sat in our designated meeting place at 4.50am rubbing the sleep from my eyes. At 5.15am I made my first call to his mobile but no luck. It just rang out. I tried every 10 minutes for the next hour but each time it just went to voicemail. Dangit. By 6am I was starting to get really worried. I'd driven around Houches in the hope of spotting him if his car had broken down on the way in or something. Still no luck.
I ended up driving the long way round to Vaudagne, the small mountain village where he lives - 20 minutes of narrow, winding, snowy mountain road. All the time keeping an eye out for signs of an accident - in case he'd slipped off the road or something. The easy route to his place was roadworked and so had to detour around. I've got to say I was pretty nervous - being tired and with scarily difficult driving conditions all the while worried in case Fred had had an accident. I pitched up to his place but there were no lights on and his car was in the driveway, but there was still no response on his phone and the front door was locked.
By this stage I was shattered. I'd been driving and waiting around for over an hour and a half and I figured that I'd done all I really could have short of breaking into his house. Besides, I'd tried ringing everyone up (his housemates, etc) with no success either. It was at the stage where he'd have missed his flight if we left together and maybe he'd grabbed a lift with someone else or something and put his phone in his hold luggage?
Well I eventually slid back under the sheets at 7am and woke up at 9 with a sleepy, annoyed Fred saying that his phone alarm hadn't woken him up and neither had all the missed calls! At least he was safe and well though! He managed to book another flight for Thursday so I guess we'll go through it all again then!
The boy owes me now though. Big time!
I was kicking myself actually, feeling really tired even though I'd gone to bed really early the night before. Anyway I sat in our designated meeting place at 4.50am rubbing the sleep from my eyes. At 5.15am I made my first call to his mobile but no luck. It just rang out. I tried every 10 minutes for the next hour but each time it just went to voicemail. Dangit. By 6am I was starting to get really worried. I'd driven around Houches in the hope of spotting him if his car had broken down on the way in or something. Still no luck.
I ended up driving the long way round to Vaudagne, the small mountain village where he lives - 20 minutes of narrow, winding, snowy mountain road. All the time keeping an eye out for signs of an accident - in case he'd slipped off the road or something. The easy route to his place was roadworked and so had to detour around. I've got to say I was pretty nervous - being tired and with scarily difficult driving conditions all the while worried in case Fred had had an accident. I pitched up to his place but there were no lights on and his car was in the driveway, but there was still no response on his phone and the front door was locked.
By this stage I was shattered. I'd been driving and waiting around for over an hour and a half and I figured that I'd done all I really could have short of breaking into his house. Besides, I'd tried ringing everyone up (his housemates, etc) with no success either. It was at the stage where he'd have missed his flight if we left together and maybe he'd grabbed a lift with someone else or something and put his phone in his hold luggage?
Well I eventually slid back under the sheets at 7am and woke up at 9 with a sleepy, annoyed Fred saying that his phone alarm hadn't woken him up and neither had all the missed calls! At least he was safe and well though! He managed to book another flight for Thursday so I guess we'll go through it all again then!
The boy owes me now though. Big time!
Friday 16 November 2007
Freezing Cold
For the past 5 days the temperature in Chamonix hasn't risen above -4°C. In fact it's dropped down to -15°C in the night sometimes. That's pretty nippy by any stretch!
I had to do some chores yesterday and needed to dig Merv out of the snow in the morning. 2 feet of snow all over the lad requiring moving. Unfortunately I misplaced my gloves the other day and was in a bit of a hurry so rather than getting some snowboarding gloves, figured just to dig him out with the tools at hand. Bad mojo. I think I got a bit of frostnip in my right hand - after 4 tries of digging away the snow with a broken ice-hockey stick and a scraper the size of a fingernail he was free. A couple of weeks ago he would have been stuck solid but his new snow tires gripped as they should and he was released onto the freedom of the road.
After doing my bits and bobs, I decided to get a new pair of gloves from town and spent a few minutes checking out the vast array of winter handwear in the various shops. I love France and the French have a differing style but there's some seriously hideous fashionistas that obviously choose the clothes for some of the shops here. I actually found a pair of woolen leopard-print gloves, some black leather gloves of the type frequently appearing as part of serial-killer garb on CSI, rubberised (WTF?!) winter gloves for the more deviant man/woman about town. Of course there were some nicer options too. I went for a pair of black woolen fingerless gloves that are convertible to mittens with a fleece inner. Very warm and very funky.
I've got to dig Merv out again tonight to go down to Tinks'. Time to test them out.
I had to do some chores yesterday and needed to dig Merv out of the snow in the morning. 2 feet of snow all over the lad requiring moving. Unfortunately I misplaced my gloves the other day and was in a bit of a hurry so rather than getting some snowboarding gloves, figured just to dig him out with the tools at hand. Bad mojo. I think I got a bit of frostnip in my right hand - after 4 tries of digging away the snow with a broken ice-hockey stick and a scraper the size of a fingernail he was free. A couple of weeks ago he would have been stuck solid but his new snow tires gripped as they should and he was released onto the freedom of the road.
After doing my bits and bobs, I decided to get a new pair of gloves from town and spent a few minutes checking out the vast array of winter handwear in the various shops. I love France and the French have a differing style but there's some seriously hideous fashionistas that obviously choose the clothes for some of the shops here. I actually found a pair of woolen leopard-print gloves, some black leather gloves of the type frequently appearing as part of serial-killer garb on CSI, rubberised (WTF?!) winter gloves for the more deviant man/woman about town. Of course there were some nicer options too. I went for a pair of black woolen fingerless gloves that are convertible to mittens with a fleece inner. Very warm and very funky.
I've got to dig Merv out again tonight to go down to Tinks'. Time to test them out.
Wednesday 14 November 2007
Seriously snowing
It's booting it down with snow at the moment. 15cm forecast today and 15 tommorow. The forecasters have got it wrong though, there's way more than that.
Crampons, Mark and I went for a beer at Chambre Neuf this evening chewing the fat about the snow, winter adventures past and enjoying being in a bar of people smiling infused with the most natural high in the world. Sitting there talking with Mark and watching the snow fall will rest in my mind for a long time. A really long time.
I snapped a quick photo of the snow falling in my garden.
Crampons, Mark and I went for a beer at Chambre Neuf this evening chewing the fat about the snow, winter adventures past and enjoying being in a bar of people smiling infused with the most natural high in the world. Sitting there talking with Mark and watching the snow fall will rest in my mind for a long time. A really long time.
I snapped a quick photo of the snow falling in my garden.
Le Petit Balcon Sud
On Sunday Tinks and I decided to have a wander through the forest and up to the Petit Balcon Sud (the small southern balcony). It's an area that sits on the southern side of the Aiguilles Rouges - the chain of peaks that rises up as the northern wall of the Chamonix valley but higher up the valley than Chamonix itself.
It was beautiful - snow in the forest and clouds hanging in the valley. It was a spectacular walk meandering through the trees and looking around at the trails of wildlife in the new snow and looking down at the valley. Luckily the clouds cleared as we approached the highest point of the walk and we saw all the way up to the highest peaks of the Mont Blanc Massif on the southern side of the valley.
The most incredible views shifted in and out of view of the clouds and happily I had my camera to snap a couple of photos. One of the most incredible things was to stand there with Tinks and point at and name the various peaks that stood proud and majestic out of the clouds. We were both speechless at points though and just stood there together in the snow looking at the mountains with the awe-inspiring, amazing views sink in. To top it all off, there was high wind at altitude creating spiralling vortices of cloud on the lee side of the peaks.
The Aiguille Vert (left) and Les Drus (right)
The Aiguille d'Argentiere
It was beautiful - snow in the forest and clouds hanging in the valley. It was a spectacular walk meandering through the trees and looking around at the trails of wildlife in the new snow and looking down at the valley. Luckily the clouds cleared as we approached the highest point of the walk and we saw all the way up to the highest peaks of the Mont Blanc Massif on the southern side of the valley.
The most incredible views shifted in and out of view of the clouds and happily I had my camera to snap a couple of photos. One of the most incredible things was to stand there with Tinks and point at and name the various peaks that stood proud and majestic out of the clouds. We were both speechless at points though and just stood there together in the snow looking at the mountains with the awe-inspiring, amazing views sink in. To top it all off, there was high wind at altitude creating spiralling vortices of cloud on the lee side of the peaks.
The Aiguille Vert (left) and Les Drus (right)
The Aiguille d'Argentiere
Sunday 11 November 2007
The First Dump
It came yesterday and the night before - big soft flakes falling endlessly from the sky. The valley got blanketed in a soft layer of snow plastering everything from the valley floor up to the highest peaks. Walking around at night with snow creaking underfoot for the first time really kicked home that we're moving powerfully and smoothly into winter.
Tinks and I went down to Sallanches to do some jobs yesterday. Unfortunately the garage was closed to get snow tyres for Ka, but we managed to go shopping to the big supermarket there, Carrefour. Loading the bags into the car with the air full of snow was really amazing. We managed to grab a quick hot chocolate in town as well after a really nice walk around, wandering about in a beautiful old French town in the mountains - very romantic.
I managed to grab some thermals and a pair of snow boots from Quetcha - ready for the next big snow. That looks like it's going to happen tomorrow or so. I'll grab Ka and get the snow tyres fitted so at least Tinks will be safe and sound. I'm just pleased we got Merv sorted out beforehand!
Anyways, the love is in the valley in a big way. As Tinks pointed out, everyone's in a great mood and there are big beaming smiles everywhere.
Tinks and I went down to Sallanches to do some jobs yesterday. Unfortunately the garage was closed to get snow tyres for Ka, but we managed to go shopping to the big supermarket there, Carrefour. Loading the bags into the car with the air full of snow was really amazing. We managed to grab a quick hot chocolate in town as well after a really nice walk around, wandering about in a beautiful old French town in the mountains - very romantic.
I managed to grab some thermals and a pair of snow boots from Quetcha - ready for the next big snow. That looks like it's going to happen tomorrow or so. I'll grab Ka and get the snow tyres fitted so at least Tinks will be safe and sound. I'm just pleased we got Merv sorted out beforehand!
Anyways, the love is in the valley in a big way. As Tinks pointed out, everyone's in a great mood and there are big beaming smiles everywhere.
Friday 9 November 2007
Snow!
It's snowing! Wahey! Not heavily but there's flakes in the air and the snow line has dropped down to around 1600m. The boys and girls are getting increasingly animated and there's big love in the air due to the falling white goodness.
Mark from All Mountain Performance has just managed to get a new equipment deal from Völkl with skis, poles, bindings, boots, jackets, fleeces, trousers - for all his instructors too. It's a great deal with lots of goodies and so he's now got loads of unusable gear his previous sponsors. I'm going to take a pair of skis off his hands to use this season methinks.
Mark from All Mountain Performance has just managed to get a new equipment deal from Völkl with skis, poles, bindings, boots, jackets, fleeces, trousers - for all his instructors too. It's a great deal with lots of goodies and so he's now got loads of unusable gear his previous sponsors. I'm going to take a pair of skis off his hands to use this season methinks.
Tignes Roadtrip
Mark from All Mountain Performance and I shipped off to Tignes on Wednesday to go rip up the high glacier they've got there. It was awesome, damn cold but awesome.
We set off from the center of a very cold Chamonix (registering -4°C on Mark's car's thermometre) at just past 7am. We were loaded up with cold pizza for breakfast and had orange juice and danish pastries to put some energy into our bodies during the 2 1/2 hour drive down. A few detours, getting stuck behind trucks, some extremely hyperactive conversations and a pit stop at a pharmacy to load up on cold medication later we pitched up at the base of the funicular railway at Tignes. One of the good things about Tignes is that you can drive up pretty high. We drove up to somewhere around 8,000 feet before needing to switch transports. It was cold though, damn cold and all manner of fleeces, glove inners, warm socks and thermal undies were employed to stave off the poking bony fingers of chill.
Of course Mark and I looked totally pro falling out of his people carrier (fully badged up with AMP logos, etc) with pizza crusts and cigarettes in our hand. We looked especially pro because the rest of the car park was full with national ski racing team transports from around Europe. They use Tignes as their base for pre-season ski training.
Off we trotted up the the glacier via the awesome funicular railway that runs inside the mountain. Popped out at the top around 12,000 feet and immediately felt the effects of altitude. I've got to admit I was kind of shitting it feeling a touch breathless just walking around to get to our next lift. I hoped I'd acclimatize quickly and be able to get on with the skiing. It was really cold up high, I'd guess around -10°C with high winds and lenticular clouds around the tops of the peaks near and far.
It obviously hadn't snowed for a while, massive sections of the glacier were just plate glass ice with no snow at all. The dark, forbidding depths of the glacier contrasting with the white, groomed runs they sat inside. With more than just a minor concern for proper riding technique hanging over our shoulders we made our way up the T-bar lift to the top of the first run. Small crevasses were to be avoided being dragged up the ski lift, and if you're a snowboarder then being dragged for 800m up a slope by the inside of your thigh by the lift is not a great deal of fun. "Things" can get pinched and that's a killer. Imagine being led around by your gonads - it's a similar feeling.
We clipped and strapped in at the top of the rain and set off, shaking like a shitting dog with being nervous from it being the first run for many months. The high winds were blasting ice chips around the place like freezing daggers and I was pleased to be wearing my snood to cover my face. Slow and easy for the first run - a few slash turns in the cumulated snow on teh piste corner blown their by the wind and we were both feeling a lot better.
We had a roam about the available ski area for a few runs after - keeping the board as flat as possible when going over the sheet ice sections, more slash turns in the soft snow, a few ollies and flatland tricks. Things were really starting to come together. The nervousness had faded away and we were really starting to get into things. All the time of being on the lifts or stopping on the pistes we could watch the most incredible skiers training and they were FAST. Fast like you'd never believe. Because we could ride next to their courses it was pretty special being able to watch these fluid bullets hurtle past at speeds easily over 60mph+
A quick hot chocolate break to warm up and the temperature started to dip as the day wore on. We blasted a few more runs, starting to throw down some backside and frontside 180's and really picking up speed. God it felt good.
Several hours after we arrived, we were done in - tired, happy and with the warm feeling of apres ski. We chipped back down to the transport, peeled off the gear and made our way home. Unfortunately we'd rather underestimated our energy levels and were like zombies initially in the car. 3 cans of Dark Dog energy drink later we were bouncing off the walls, laughing and joking and chatting the whole way back to the Elevation bar in Cham for a traditional apres-ski beer.
All in all a fantastic day. My gear kept me warm, happy and content. Theere was enough snow to keep a smile on our faces the whole day and for ages after and I'm still chuckling and feeling the love as I type.
Both Mark and I are hyper now to get the season underway in just a handful of weeks. He's back to Tignes to do some pre-season race training courses next week and I might just see if I can slip off over there for a day's riding. The body's a little bit weary from the exertions but it feels great to finally be back on a board.
Sunday 4 November 2007
The Godfather in one minute
Thought this was really clever - very cool. It's a The Godfather Part 1 condensed into a funny play.
Damn damn damn damn damn
Woke up this morning with my throat red raw coughing and hacking away, nose running and constant sniffing. A couple of hours later and I feel even worse. Attacked by a bloody head cold. I decided to not go to Tignes for a variety of reasons, uppermost was that I don't want to get any worse. So here's the steps taken to cure the cold:
1) Put on thermal underwear, 2 t-shirts, hoodie, winter jacket, hat, gloves, scarf after warming on heater before venturing outside to obtain €50 from the bank
2) Wander down to supermarket and find fresh orange juice
3) Purchase low-preparation healthy foods from supermarket (dried apricots, sultanas, couscous, humous, bread, cucumber)
4) Co-ordinate trip to supermarket with trip to pharmacy to get vitamin C and zinc tablets as well as any other interesting-looking things to kill cold
5) Create comfy video watching environment with excessive duvets and pillows
6) Download Point Break and sit back and watch the cheese
I'll let you know how the treament goes.
1) Put on thermal underwear, 2 t-shirts, hoodie, winter jacket, hat, gloves, scarf after warming on heater before venturing outside to obtain €50 from the bank
2) Wander down to supermarket and find fresh orange juice
3) Purchase low-preparation healthy foods from supermarket (dried apricots, sultanas, couscous, humous, bread, cucumber)
4) Co-ordinate trip to supermarket with trip to pharmacy to get vitamin C and zinc tablets as well as any other interesting-looking things to kill cold
5) Create comfy video watching environment with excessive duvets and pillows
6) Download Point Break and sit back and watch the cheese
I'll let you know how the treament goes.
Saturday 3 November 2007
Thursday 1 November 2007
Merv's new shoes
Took Merv down with Tinks to get him sorted out for the winter - getting all his aches and pains fixed as well as getting a new set of snow tyres for him and Ka (Tink's Ford Ka). We went down to Sallanches to a small out-of-the-way garage that was recommended (and cheap!) to get everything.
Phillippe the guy who owns the garage was brilliant. He gave Merv a new set of shoes for a very, very reasonable price and we ordered a new window and whatnot for him. We've also sorted out new shoes for Ka and will get a new exhaust for her too.
What a difference it's made after having a bit of love at the garage! Lots of the small problems Merv had are gone - no crunching gears, good grip in corners, no rolling about, braking is better as is acceleration and fuel economy. It's really made him a new man. I'm really pleased and has reinvigorated my belief in him. A small amount of love goes a long way. I checked his oil and the rest of the stuff I could do and it's all tip-top. Once his new window is in on Monday, he's going to be primed and ready for the winter. Wahey!
I also purchased my ski insurance and heli-rescue insurance the other day as well. Nice to be safe. Tinks keeps reminding me to be safe, as do my folks at home. I will do but it's good to have the insurance anyway.
Monday 29 October 2007
Peace!
Blue sky ...... check
Lunch ......... check
Music ......... check
Mountains ..... check
No builders ... check
They've gone. Finally gone. It feels so calm, so peaceful, so relaxing, so mountainy. No builders outside. Total heaven. By the distant sounds, someone else is dealing with the 7am power drill wake-up alarm. I feel bad for them, but not that bad.
Lunch ......... check
Music ......... check
Mountains ..... check
No builders ... check
They've gone. Finally gone. It feels so calm, so peaceful, so relaxing, so mountainy. No builders outside. Total heaven. By the distant sounds, someone else is dealing with the 7am power drill wake-up alarm. I feel bad for them, but not that bad.
Sunday 28 October 2007
Monkey/arse/firework warning
Really not sure what this sign is supposed to mean. It's from a zoo (fairly obvious) but apparently it's warning of the dangers of setting off fireworks igniting the arses of the housed monkeys (not so obvious).
Click for full-size photo.
The monkey really doesn't look happy either.
Click for full-size photo.
The monkey really doesn't look happy either.
Thursday 25 October 2007
The best way to watch F1 with no tv
Had a bit of a problem this weekend. I wanted to watch the Formula 1 final race of the season - Lewis Hamilton perhaps being the first rookie to win the driver's championship. With British pride at stake, the culmination of millions of pounds and hours of work, a three-way battle for the title between Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikonnen - it was the pinnacle of a years battle on the track.
The problem came about with no-where showing the race and me not owning a tv. Of course option 2 came along with the BBC motorsport website giving updates but it was a bit bland. All right, but not very interactive reading a few sentences every couple of laps on what was happening. I dug around on the internet and found a website that had the contract for the real-time data going to the commentators that was streamed over the web. Seriously cool! So duly signed up for a free account and then had the power of the internet bring the action to my very home. All the split times, fastest laps, positions, pit stops. The lot in super-geeky stats dynamically updating format.
Sweet.
The problem came about with no-where showing the race and me not owning a tv. Of course option 2 came along with the BBC motorsport website giving updates but it was a bit bland. All right, but not very interactive reading a few sentences every couple of laps on what was happening. I dug around on the internet and found a website that had the contract for the real-time data going to the commentators that was streamed over the web. Seriously cool! So duly signed up for a free account and then had the power of the internet bring the action to my very home. All the split times, fastest laps, positions, pit stops. The lot in super-geeky stats dynamically updating format.
Sweet.
How regular are you?
I've been looking through my posting history on the blog and found out that there are less postings the less I'm doing. So when I'm really busy I post more. Weird inverse proportionality there.
It's still cold here in Chamonix, interseason continues to march on with us all stretching out fingers at the wintery light at the end of the tunnel. There's nothing even remotely interesting to report at the moment. I've decided to give up drinking for a while (or until the pubs open again), I'm about to share a bath with Pluck the yellow duck, I've been watching 8 out of 10 cats and Have I Got News For You on youtube of an evening after work. These are not interesting facts, but true ones.
The good news is that I'm walking around constantly grinning at everything. Awesome. I'm hoping this is down to being excited about the imminent arrival of the wonderous powdery snow. Metres of the white stuff to ride. I hope it's not interseason madness clouding the mind.
It's still cold here in Chamonix, interseason continues to march on with us all stretching out fingers at the wintery light at the end of the tunnel. There's nothing even remotely interesting to report at the moment. I've decided to give up drinking for a while (or until the pubs open again), I'm about to share a bath with Pluck the yellow duck, I've been watching 8 out of 10 cats and Have I Got News For You on youtube of an evening after work. These are not interesting facts, but true ones.
The good news is that I'm walking around constantly grinning at everything. Awesome. I'm hoping this is down to being excited about the imminent arrival of the wonderous powdery snow. Metres of the white stuff to ride. I hope it's not interseason madness clouding the mind.
Tuesday 23 October 2007
Seasonal Affective Disorder
We're knee-deep in interseason now. The madness has arrived to all in the valley and Chamonix's in a catatonic, zombie state. Guys are walking around with no less than 4 days growth on their chins, girls are not colour co-ordinated. People wear dirty clothes and there's a kind of air of Nirvana (the Seattle-based grunge/rock band, not the Buddhist state of enlightenment) about the place. Simply put no-one gives a fuck.
The seasonal affective disorder that keeps getting mentioned in the UK press is magnified. The British media should come out here and really see just how deep the rabbit hole goes. The other day I felt it was appropriate to nip to the bakers in the morning in my dressing gown and trainers. Bearing in mind that I live in the middle of Chamonix this was probably not exactly what people were expecting to see. The good news was that the only other people around were zombies and there was another chap in a dressing gown too so we positively looked like the norm. I'll be honest though, I totally felt like "The Dude" out of The Big Lebowski.
The best good news is that we're currently coming out of the madness as the recession of autumn marches on into the sparkling, sprinkling, twinkling winter with all the snow and adventures it brings.
Well I'm off to go and join the other like-minded monkeys who live in the valley to celebrate a birthday. Unlike them however I will be shaved, fresh haircut and wearing clean clothes. This is because I'm english By Jove! And we dress for dinner, no matter the circumstance.
The seasonal affective disorder that keeps getting mentioned in the UK press is magnified. The British media should come out here and really see just how deep the rabbit hole goes. The other day I felt it was appropriate to nip to the bakers in the morning in my dressing gown and trainers. Bearing in mind that I live in the middle of Chamonix this was probably not exactly what people were expecting to see. The good news was that the only other people around were zombies and there was another chap in a dressing gown too so we positively looked like the norm. I'll be honest though, I totally felt like "The Dude" out of The Big Lebowski.
The best good news is that we're currently coming out of the madness as the recession of autumn marches on into the sparkling, sprinkling, twinkling winter with all the snow and adventures it brings.
Well I'm off to go and join the other like-minded monkeys who live in the valley to celebrate a birthday. Unlike them however I will be shaved, fresh haircut and wearing clean clothes. This is because I'm english By Jove! And we dress for dinner, no matter the circumstance.
Sunday 21 October 2007
Tis Cold!
It's cold, like really cold. England lost the World Cup last night and walking back from the game there was a very very crisp feel to the air feeling like the anhydrous clean smell of an imminent snowfall. I had to scrape ice off the car on Friday night as well - apparently it was -3°C. We've not had any precipitation for a few weeks now, it's almost like the mountains and clouds are saving it all up for one massive dump pre-season. Get the base layer really deep and thick before the lifts open.
Right now I just want the pre-season to end and we can all get involved in the winter. There's loads to do and loads to look forward to. Chamonix town center is dead with the town taking a collective deep breath before the tourists come back with skis and poles in tow. The boys are getting fidgety and there's a sort of nervous tension amongst the locals waiting for the fun to kick off again.
I've even started looking at all my gear, wiping it down and getting it sorted out and fixing small things. I've spoken to Shaun about when we're opening up the transfer business full-time and put together some riding playlists to listen to on the mountain.
I can't believe how nervous I am, at least we're all in the same boat out here!
Right now I just want the pre-season to end and we can all get involved in the winter. There's loads to do and loads to look forward to. Chamonix town center is dead with the town taking a collective deep breath before the tourists come back with skis and poles in tow. The boys are getting fidgety and there's a sort of nervous tension amongst the locals waiting for the fun to kick off again.
I've even started looking at all my gear, wiping it down and getting it sorted out and fixing small things. I've spoken to Shaun about when we're opening up the transfer business full-time and put together some riding playlists to listen to on the mountain.
I can't believe how nervous I am, at least we're all in the same boat out here!
Thursday 18 October 2007
Beautiful day
The mountains just look amazing today - clear blue skies and some high turbulent cloud around the peaks like an unruly mop of hair in the wind. It's days like this where I'm working away and feeling content that I really, really love my life.
I'm really looking to give one of my old boards its first wax ready for the season and I'm even thinking to bring out an old board, the silver dart (Burton Special 57 tricks board) and give it a bit of a slide at Tignes. Awesome.
I'm really looking to give one of my old boards its first wax ready for the season and I'm even thinking to bring out an old board, the silver dart (Burton Special 57 tricks board) and give it a bit of a slide at Tignes. Awesome.
Wednesday 17 October 2007
Monday 15 October 2007
Pre-pre-season training at Tignes
Aaah Tignes. That godawful resort. It's a shocker, architecturally and skiing-wise. I guess it fulfils a purpose but it's not what I'd like. There's not much soul there but there is fresh snow, and it's all-year round high altitude skiing accessible from lifts.
I went out for a beer with Mark from All Mountain Performance yesterday and he asked me to do a two-man roadtrip for the day to Tignes to get in a bit of pre-pre-season riding in. He's running some pre-season advanced skiing courses there in a couple of weeks and wanted to get a quick slide in before we hit the time when we're all supposed to look a bit more professional on the mountain. Actually I don't have to look pro, he does, but any chance to go snowboarding right?
Mark ripping it up.
I've purchased a pair of MacDaddy Bling Bling goggles as well. They're on discount discount (last years model and discounted further). A pair of Von Zipper Feenom's with a spare lens. I love them. They will make me a better snowboarder and they're so beautiful probably a better man too.
Feel the Bling.
The Southern Alps
Just come back from a wicked break in the Southern Alps. Nipped down to near Gap (apparently NOT where they make the clothes) with Abi and Katy for a few days. It was awesome - we stayed at Katy's aunt's place which is an old place high up in the middle of nowhere that's recently been refurbished.
We tootled off down there going the scenic route going around Grenoble, slowly winding our way through the various valleys and passes before reaching our destination, some 4 hours away.
We all got rather heavily involved with the Sky TV and gin and tonics on offer (none of us have TV at home) and slept a lot and splashed about where appropriate. Abi put her skills as a masseuse to good use, we had a mini-adventure to a big hypermarket in Gap (my sort of fun!) and generally relaxed getting ready for the season.
Here's some photos.
The view from in front of the house looking at the mountains.
The garden and HOT TUB, woohoo!
The living room with accompanying very cool arched ceiling.
The girls very excitedly (and drunkly) dancing around the kitchen.
The right-hand side of the house (kitchen).
The left-hand side of the house (living room).
All in all a really good mini break. And a much-needed one as well. I was starting to go a little crazy from work and it was brilliant to get away and chill. The temperature has dropped considerably in the Chamonix valley now. The same snow has sat up higher for a few weeks and the leaves on the trees are dropping and littering the pathways around town and in the woods. Everywhere has taken on a golden hue with reds and oranges and yellows bursting from the different variety of trees. We're deep in the grip of Autumn with its kaleidescope of colours pushing their way into the visual senses.
The air is starting to smell like snow now as well. Everyone's got a slightly manic, disturbed grin tugging at the corner of their mouths in gleeful anticipation of the winter. People are starting to put skiing videos on and the winter hat collections are making an appearance around town. How cool? Very cool.
We tootled off down there going the scenic route going around Grenoble, slowly winding our way through the various valleys and passes before reaching our destination, some 4 hours away.
We all got rather heavily involved with the Sky TV and gin and tonics on offer (none of us have TV at home) and slept a lot and splashed about where appropriate. Abi put her skills as a masseuse to good use, we had a mini-adventure to a big hypermarket in Gap (my sort of fun!) and generally relaxed getting ready for the season.
Here's some photos.
The view from in front of the house looking at the mountains.
The garden and HOT TUB, woohoo!
The living room with accompanying very cool arched ceiling.
The girls very excitedly (and drunkly) dancing around the kitchen.
The right-hand side of the house (kitchen).
The left-hand side of the house (living room).
All in all a really good mini break. And a much-needed one as well. I was starting to go a little crazy from work and it was brilliant to get away and chill. The temperature has dropped considerably in the Chamonix valley now. The same snow has sat up higher for a few weeks and the leaves on the trees are dropping and littering the pathways around town and in the woods. Everywhere has taken on a golden hue with reds and oranges and yellows bursting from the different variety of trees. We're deep in the grip of Autumn with its kaleidescope of colours pushing their way into the visual senses.
The air is starting to smell like snow now as well. Everyone's got a slightly manic, disturbed grin tugging at the corner of their mouths in gleeful anticipation of the winter. People are starting to put skiing videos on and the winter hat collections are making an appearance around town. How cool? Very cool.
Sunday 7 October 2007
The Godfather
Over the past few days during free time I've watched the Godfather trilogy and read up all about the films on Wikipedia. The first of the trilogy still makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck, it's that good. The second is brilliant, and the third kind of rounds everything off nicely.
Admittedly The Godfather Part III isn't as good as the preceding two, it was filmed some 16 years after the Part II in 1990. After reading about the films individually and collectively I found out that Francis Ford Coppola actually didn't want to make Part III, it was just that he was in a financial crisis after a big-budget movie flopped. Paramount had a long-standing offer to make a third film and he eventually relented.
Insofar as favourite films, this does rank highly - very highly. I think I've got the next series of films lined up to watch over the coming days and weeks of an evening too: The Big Lebowski, Get Shorty, The Three Amigos, The Usual Suspects. Quality shining through the whole lot.
Bloody nose
Got clocked by a cyclist in Les Houches this morning walking across the road. Luckily she wasn't going at Mach 9 and didn't fall off. Unfortunately came off the collision worse with a bit of a bloody nose. Was thinking tho, it's been ages since I got a bloody nose.
Of course I was terribly manly about the whole thing and staunched the flow of blood and just got on with things. I'm so hard.
Of course I was terribly manly about the whole thing and staunched the flow of blood and just got on with things. I'm so hard.
Friday 5 October 2007
reCAPTCHA
A CAPTCHA image:
I read about this amazing bit of technology today. It's to do with CAPTCHA, the challenge-response test used in computing to determine whether the user is human. Classically the CAPTCHA image text is entered into a form when signing up for a website (to prevent spammers, etc, using computers to sign up millions of accounts automatically).
A CAPTCHA image being used signing up for Google:
Essentially there's a problem in the academic world with converting current physical texts (books, papers, scrolls, etc) into digital media. The most advanced text-scanning software is called Optical Character Recognition (OCR) but still can only accurately read about 90% of the words. Around one word in ten is mis-read by OCR. As there are around 100 million books waiting to be digitized and the only way to accurately decipher these words is with human intervention, this is a big problem.
OCR mis-reading words:
The ingenious solution the guys at OCR have come up with is called reCAPTCHA. It puts the undecipherable words into CAPTCHA images for website sign-ups. To double-check the authenticity of the response to the CAPTCHA check they put the image out to two different people and if both the responses match - bingo.
A reCAPTCHA image:
With this solution the guys using OCR are able to decipher around one million words per day - saving around three thousand man hours per day. And that's awesome.
Original article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7023627.stm
CAPTCHA on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captcha
I read about this amazing bit of technology today. It's to do with CAPTCHA, the challenge-response test used in computing to determine whether the user is human. Classically the CAPTCHA image text is entered into a form when signing up for a website (to prevent spammers, etc, using computers to sign up millions of accounts automatically).
A CAPTCHA image being used signing up for Google:
Essentially there's a problem in the academic world with converting current physical texts (books, papers, scrolls, etc) into digital media. The most advanced text-scanning software is called Optical Character Recognition (OCR) but still can only accurately read about 90% of the words. Around one word in ten is mis-read by OCR. As there are around 100 million books waiting to be digitized and the only way to accurately decipher these words is with human intervention, this is a big problem.
OCR mis-reading words:
The ingenious solution the guys at OCR have come up with is called reCAPTCHA. It puts the undecipherable words into CAPTCHA images for website sign-ups. To double-check the authenticity of the response to the CAPTCHA check they put the image out to two different people and if both the responses match - bingo.
A reCAPTCHA image:
With this solution the guys using OCR are able to decipher around one million words per day - saving around three thousand man hours per day. And that's awesome.
Original article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7023627.stm
CAPTCHA on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captcha
Thursday 4 October 2007
Nose to the grindstone
Got so much work on it's untrue. It's great to be a busy little squirrel hoarding nuts for the winter, this is exactly the position I want and need to be in. I've written a list of things that I need for this winter season and am ticking items off as I earn the money to buy them.
Essentials
Year's lift pass
The big one - just under €700 this time round. Expensive isn't even the word. Still unless I suddenly turn into a combination of Spiderman and Superman we're going to need one.
Avalanche transceiver
A fairly necessary bit of kit, my one's not looking very healthy at all and it's nice to have one to stay alive. I have a feeling it blips when it should blap and vice-versa. This isn't good.
Avalanche shovel/probe
Important for keeping mates alive. My shovel is cracked and I don't really want to be finding out it's not up to the task whilst digging out one of the lads. Better get one in advance. My probe is wonky (it bends to the left by about 8", vicar) and so this requires attention as all the riding buddies are stick thin and this would miss 'em.
Goggles
After having gone through 4 pairs last year (well technically 3 but the last pair have a cracked lens) these need replacing. Also I remember swearing a lot when they fogged up. We'll be trying to avoid hitting trees, dogs, other skiiers, chairlift supports this year with a pair of crystal-clear goggles.
Gimme gimme gimme
iPod nano
After an unfortunate incident slamming into a quarterpipe at the end of last season, my long-loved iPod screen got cracked. It still works but only plays tracks in artist alphabet order. I listen to A LOT of AC/DC and Aerosmith and The Animals these days. It's not essential to have a new one, but I'm going to miss listening to music whilst riding. I've got a backup plan for this tho which involves going to Carrefour and buying a cheapy mp3 player.
Riding trousers
It's generally acknowledged that I have a pair of the coolest snowboarding trousers in the whole of the Alps but unfortunately they're starting to be built of more gaffer tape than material these days. I do have a spare pair, but they're old. Hmmm, I can get another half-season out of the pair of them I reckon. Just wear an extra pair of long johns and deal with the frostbite on my giblets by soaking in a nice warm bath at the end of the day.
Snow booties
Need some footwear for the winter. Last year I missed out on purchasing a pair of insulated wellington boot type snow booties. This year we're gonna have 'em to keep the feet dry and the toes toastie. They don't look stylish but then neither do I, mind you I don't particularly care!
Snowboarding boots
Yeah mine are missing some essential bits. I'm going to try to fix them but to be honest they need replacing at some stage soon. Going to see if I can find a pair of last years model on sale. Something bling baby.
Snowboard
Rodney the Rocket (my main board) and I had a wee bit of an accident last year and we cracked his tail rail. This isn't good but I did ride him for a while after without any serious repercussions. He needs to man up and take the punishment for the first part of the season until I switch to my other board (which I've a feeling I'll snap as it's very spinney) or purchase a new one. I predict I'll be blogging about purchasing a new board 6 weeks into the new season!
That's pretty much it for the gear. Merv needs a service and some snow tires and whatnot but that's going to get done shortly.
Essentials
Year's lift pass
The big one - just under €700 this time round. Expensive isn't even the word. Still unless I suddenly turn into a combination of Spiderman and Superman we're going to need one.
Avalanche transceiver
A fairly necessary bit of kit, my one's not looking very healthy at all and it's nice to have one to stay alive. I have a feeling it blips when it should blap and vice-versa. This isn't good.
Avalanche shovel/probe
Important for keeping mates alive. My shovel is cracked and I don't really want to be finding out it's not up to the task whilst digging out one of the lads. Better get one in advance. My probe is wonky (it bends to the left by about 8", vicar) and so this requires attention as all the riding buddies are stick thin and this would miss 'em.
Goggles
After having gone through 4 pairs last year (well technically 3 but the last pair have a cracked lens) these need replacing. Also I remember swearing a lot when they fogged up. We'll be trying to avoid hitting trees, dogs, other skiiers, chairlift supports this year with a pair of crystal-clear goggles.
Gimme gimme gimme
iPod nano
After an unfortunate incident slamming into a quarterpipe at the end of last season, my long-loved iPod screen got cracked. It still works but only plays tracks in artist alphabet order. I listen to A LOT of AC/DC and Aerosmith and The Animals these days. It's not essential to have a new one, but I'm going to miss listening to music whilst riding. I've got a backup plan for this tho which involves going to Carrefour and buying a cheapy mp3 player.
Riding trousers
It's generally acknowledged that I have a pair of the coolest snowboarding trousers in the whole of the Alps but unfortunately they're starting to be built of more gaffer tape than material these days. I do have a spare pair, but they're old. Hmmm, I can get another half-season out of the pair of them I reckon. Just wear an extra pair of long johns and deal with the frostbite on my giblets by soaking in a nice warm bath at the end of the day.
Snow booties
Need some footwear for the winter. Last year I missed out on purchasing a pair of insulated wellington boot type snow booties. This year we're gonna have 'em to keep the feet dry and the toes toastie. They don't look stylish but then neither do I, mind you I don't particularly care!
Snowboarding boots
Yeah mine are missing some essential bits. I'm going to try to fix them but to be honest they need replacing at some stage soon. Going to see if I can find a pair of last years model on sale. Something bling baby.
Snowboard
Rodney the Rocket (my main board) and I had a wee bit of an accident last year and we cracked his tail rail. This isn't good but I did ride him for a while after without any serious repercussions. He needs to man up and take the punishment for the first part of the season until I switch to my other board (which I've a feeling I'll snap as it's very spinney) or purchase a new one. I predict I'll be blogging about purchasing a new board 6 weeks into the new season!
That's pretty much it for the gear. Merv needs a service and some snow tires and whatnot but that's going to get done shortly.
Sunday 30 September 2007
Who's looking for what.
Was looking through my web statistics for the blog and came across a few highly amusing search engine phrases that people have arrived at the blog through:
"chris's friction burn"
- I do have a friend called Chris, but I've not given him a friction burn. He's not that sort of friend.
"dogs crampons"
- Is that animal cruelty? Or is it making sure you're dog's acclimatizing to altitude properly. Whichever way it's very very weird.
"snowboards as shelves"
- A nice idea, albeit expensive. I can't see Ikea introducing this for the 07/08 range.
"people looking at dead whale"
- I've got to say, I do prefer hobbies with more exercise.
"1970's tennis headbands"
- A beautiful look, now and then.
"rum punch made in london"
- It might be best just to refer you to someone based in London with extended culinary experience to be honest.
"once more again with feeling"
- Well quite.
"chris's friction burn"
- I do have a friend called Chris, but I've not given him a friction burn. He's not that sort of friend.
"dogs crampons"
- Is that animal cruelty? Or is it making sure you're dog's acclimatizing to altitude properly. Whichever way it's very very weird.
"snowboards as shelves"
- A nice idea, albeit expensive. I can't see Ikea introducing this for the 07/08 range.
"people looking at dead whale"
- I've got to say, I do prefer hobbies with more exercise.
"1970's tennis headbands"
- A beautiful look, now and then.
"rum punch made in london"
- It might be best just to refer you to someone based in London with extended culinary experience to be honest.
"once more again with feeling"
- Well quite.
Friday 28 September 2007
Sixty-beer binge leads to four-week hangover
This came into my blog feed this morning:
IT may be the longest hangover in the history of binge beer drinking.
When a 37-year old man walked into a hospital emergency room in Glasgow, Scotland last October complaining of "wavy" vision and a non-stop headache that had lasted four weeks, doctors were at first stumped, the British journal The Lancet reported today.
The unnamed patient "had no history of head injury or loss of consciousness; his past medical record was unremarkable, and he was taking no medications," Zia Carrim and two other physicians from Southern General Hospital said in a case report.
Body temperature and blood pressure were both normal, and a neurological exam scanned negative.
But when an eye specialist was called in, the fog began to clear, at least for the doctors.
The patient, said the ophthalmologist, had swollen optical discs, greatly enlarged blind spots and what eye doctors call "flame haemorrhages," or bleeding nerve fibres.
"We sought a more detailed history" from the patient, noted one named Zia.
This is when the man revealed he had consumed 60 pints - roughly 35 litres - of beer over a four day period, following a domestic crisis.
Doctors believe severe dehydration, caused by the alcohol, led to a rare condition called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). A scan of the brain's blood vessels confirmed the diagnosis.
CVST - which can cause seizures, impaired consciousness, loss of vision and neurological damage - strikes three or four people per million, mainly children, every year in Britain. The cause is generally unknown.
It took more than six months of long-term blood-thinning treatment to restore the man's normal vision - and to get rid of the headache, the doctors reported.
IT may be the longest hangover in the history of binge beer drinking.
When a 37-year old man walked into a hospital emergency room in Glasgow, Scotland last October complaining of "wavy" vision and a non-stop headache that had lasted four weeks, doctors were at first stumped, the British journal The Lancet reported today.
The unnamed patient "had no history of head injury or loss of consciousness; his past medical record was unremarkable, and he was taking no medications," Zia Carrim and two other physicians from Southern General Hospital said in a case report.
Body temperature and blood pressure were both normal, and a neurological exam scanned negative.
But when an eye specialist was called in, the fog began to clear, at least for the doctors.
The patient, said the ophthalmologist, had swollen optical discs, greatly enlarged blind spots and what eye doctors call "flame haemorrhages," or bleeding nerve fibres.
"We sought a more detailed history" from the patient, noted one named Zia.
This is when the man revealed he had consumed 60 pints - roughly 35 litres - of beer over a four day period, following a domestic crisis.
Doctors believe severe dehydration, caused by the alcohol, led to a rare condition called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). A scan of the brain's blood vessels confirmed the diagnosis.
CVST - which can cause seizures, impaired consciousness, loss of vision and neurological damage - strikes three or four people per million, mainly children, every year in Britain. The cause is generally unknown.
It took more than six months of long-term blood-thinning treatment to restore the man's normal vision - and to get rid of the headache, the doctors reported.
Tuesday 25 September 2007
OSS vs MS
I know what the problem is - connecting to my databases is unbelievably slow and then hangs when performing any tasks. The problem is that everything is proprietary Microsoft software.
The PC is running a version of Windows that I now know is not legit (it will be soon, but isn't right now). I'm in the process of getting it all sorted but I inherited this computer and it came with a dodgy install that I wasn't initially aware of.
This means that I can't run the latest version of the Microsoft database software (SQL Server 2005) and the previous version is buggy and causing this problem. This is really annoying. I've patched and updated the computer as best I can (in fact the latest update I can make is being installed now) but I'm not sure this will solve the problem. It's really getting on my tits and slowing down my work spending a day getting everything sorted.
I'm building a workaround on another computer but this is all woefully convoluted and a real pain in the arse. To have the separate pieces of software reliant on each other in this way is really annoying and frankly not good on behalf of the software builders.
What's more frustrating is that I've been playing with my new Ubuntu Linux computer and none of this is an issue. Everything's so open and easily updated as well as being free from any costs. Plus I'm not trying to get tied down into any sort of agreements on how (or how not) I'm supposed to use my own computer. There's definitely change afoot in the world of computers in a big way and it's manifesting itself in only 1/4 of the screens in our office now showing Microsoft products (and I'm a MS developer!). The majority are Macs but to be honest I've been looking at them and thinking about installing Ubuntu on one of those as well.
Yesterday I set Windows file sharing on the Macs so now I can switch files between OS X, Windows XP and Ubuntu Linux machines at the click of a button. Happily all the computers are fully integrated now and getting all this sorted has been in the most part really easy. Ubuntu was the easiest, then the Macs a close second but a way distant third was the PC. (Ubuntu uses Samba to share which comes pre-installed and pre-configured, Mac OS X uses its Windows File Sharing utility that you just switch on, with Windows you have to go crawling around network connections and user accounts to get it working as you want). I'm a happy geek.
So now it's time to put the plan to get my Microsoft workaround in place, it's not massively elegant but I've gone past caring - it just needs to work frankly. Hopefully soon the OSS (Open Source Software) guys will build a module that translates proprieatary MS SQL databases into MySQL (OSS) and also a query analyzer that translates MS SQL queries into MySQL queries. This should mean that I can run an ASP emulator like ChiliSoft as well as the proposed module and move all the code and projects onto a non-Microsoft platform. That'll save everyone an immense amount of money frankly.
I hope it gets rid of this rising tension too.
The PC is running a version of Windows that I now know is not legit (it will be soon, but isn't right now). I'm in the process of getting it all sorted but I inherited this computer and it came with a dodgy install that I wasn't initially aware of.
This means that I can't run the latest version of the Microsoft database software (SQL Server 2005) and the previous version is buggy and causing this problem. This is really annoying. I've patched and updated the computer as best I can (in fact the latest update I can make is being installed now) but I'm not sure this will solve the problem. It's really getting on my tits and slowing down my work spending a day getting everything sorted.
I'm building a workaround on another computer but this is all woefully convoluted and a real pain in the arse. To have the separate pieces of software reliant on each other in this way is really annoying and frankly not good on behalf of the software builders.
What's more frustrating is that I've been playing with my new Ubuntu Linux computer and none of this is an issue. Everything's so open and easily updated as well as being free from any costs. Plus I'm not trying to get tied down into any sort of agreements on how (or how not) I'm supposed to use my own computer. There's definitely change afoot in the world of computers in a big way and it's manifesting itself in only 1/4 of the screens in our office now showing Microsoft products (and I'm a MS developer!). The majority are Macs but to be honest I've been looking at them and thinking about installing Ubuntu on one of those as well.
Yesterday I set Windows file sharing on the Macs so now I can switch files between OS X, Windows XP and Ubuntu Linux machines at the click of a button. Happily all the computers are fully integrated now and getting all this sorted has been in the most part really easy. Ubuntu was the easiest, then the Macs a close second but a way distant third was the PC. (Ubuntu uses Samba to share which comes pre-installed and pre-configured, Mac OS X uses its Windows File Sharing utility that you just switch on, with Windows you have to go crawling around network connections and user accounts to get it working as you want). I'm a happy geek.
So now it's time to put the plan to get my Microsoft workaround in place, it's not massively elegant but I've gone past caring - it just needs to work frankly. Hopefully soon the OSS (Open Source Software) guys will build a module that translates proprieatary MS SQL databases into MySQL (OSS) and also a query analyzer that translates MS SQL queries into MySQL queries. This should mean that I can run an ASP emulator like ChiliSoft as well as the proposed module and move all the code and projects onto a non-Microsoft platform. That'll save everyone an immense amount of money frankly.
I hope it gets rid of this rising tension too.
Sunday 23 September 2007
YEAH! (kinda)
Awesome, the money from the last contract has just eased gently into the business account and is sitting there glowing like the little pile of gold it is. My beady eyes glisten with moisture as I apportion it to the various bills that need paying, a nice big food shopping spree and a load for saving for the winter. Life is peachy surely?
Well sort of. The contract was for a US company paying in dollars. I live in France and I live in Euros. The recent history of the exchange rate between dollars and euros looks like this:
I just re-read my GCSE Maths text book to confirm this next statement and therefore feel it has been independently verified: graphs that point down are not good.
This graph points down. This is not good. In fact it's really shit news. Not only can I hear the impending thunderclap of doom, but somewhere within the din I can make out the delicate pop of a tube of lube being opened.
It may be time for a think on how to do this without getting pumped by every currency dealer between Chamonix and New York. Maybe holding onto it for a few weeks to catch a spike when the dollar gets stronger for a day or two. More likely is that it may be time to bite the bullet and wonder if maybe Northern Rock had more customers like me, they might not be broke.
P.S. I really feel sorry for any of the customers caught in the crossfire of this Northern Rock fiasco. I only hope one of the big city banks steps up to the mark and takes an initial hit to get the company back on track.
Well sort of. The contract was for a US company paying in dollars. I live in France and I live in Euros. The recent history of the exchange rate between dollars and euros looks like this:
I just re-read my GCSE Maths text book to confirm this next statement and therefore feel it has been independently verified: graphs that point down are not good.
This graph points down. This is not good. In fact it's really shit news. Not only can I hear the impending thunderclap of doom, but somewhere within the din I can make out the delicate pop of a tube of lube being opened.
It may be time for a think on how to do this without getting pumped by every currency dealer between Chamonix and New York. Maybe holding onto it for a few weeks to catch a spike when the dollar gets stronger for a day or two. More likely is that it may be time to bite the bullet and wonder if maybe Northern Rock had more customers like me, they might not be broke.
P.S. I really feel sorry for any of the customers caught in the crossfire of this Northern Rock fiasco. I only hope one of the big city banks steps up to the mark and takes an initial hit to get the company back on track.
Saturday 22 September 2007
Chirpy Days
It's amazing what a bit of willpower can do.
Sister came over for a great couple of days and we managed to get in a meal at Katy's restaurant Le Delice in Les Houches which was fantastic as always. Then a trip into Chamonix with a few friends for some cheeky beers at Chambre Neuf followed by a few later drinks rounding the evening off in the Monkey Bar.
We had a stroll up the Gorges des Diosaz the following morning from Servoz then up to Vaudagne for a brief mooch around and back to Cham for Jen to have an afternoon nap while I boshed out some work. Italian dinner compliments of Casa Valerio and then a movie and a snooze.
Really ideal couple of days to spend together and have a natter and a bit of a wander around the valley - I was really stoked to be able to sort out the free transfers from and to Geneva for her as well as introducing her to my friends out here. All in all it was a great couple of days. My brain was resetting itself quickly - much quicker than normal and really think I might have beaten this thing, at least for the time being.
After an early-morning transfer I managed to get some nice time with Abi too and we loafed around the house eating and having a giggle and watching CSI before crashing out early. We set off from Abi's place this morning to go hike up the Tete de Balme at Le Tour but it was blazing hot and conditions weren't ideal to get to the very top so we stopped midway and admired the valley before coming back down. The view from up there is fantastic and although I mention it a lot - still never tire of it.
The brilliant thing about walking around ski areas in the summer is you get to see all the different hidden gullies and tucked-away routes and interesting features of the mountain. Many of these little beauties were duly filed away in the memory banks, including a rocking alternative option to the Le Tour home run consisting of a really steep, wooded section with a great narrow path. With blue skies and only the sound of crickets chirping us along the walk home it was a beautiful way to spend Saturday.
Well I've made a load of progress with my next contract over the past day or two as well now and am feeling so much better about it all. I hope that I can polish off the old contract this weekend - draw a line underneath it, put in the final invoice and move on. There's a load of work to be cracking on with that's piqued my curiosity and got me back into wanting to program and create and develop and build the project. Awesome.
Sister came over for a great couple of days and we managed to get in a meal at Katy's restaurant Le Delice in Les Houches which was fantastic as always. Then a trip into Chamonix with a few friends for some cheeky beers at Chambre Neuf followed by a few later drinks rounding the evening off in the Monkey Bar.
We had a stroll up the Gorges des Diosaz the following morning from Servoz then up to Vaudagne for a brief mooch around and back to Cham for Jen to have an afternoon nap while I boshed out some work. Italian dinner compliments of Casa Valerio and then a movie and a snooze.
Really ideal couple of days to spend together and have a natter and a bit of a wander around the valley - I was really stoked to be able to sort out the free transfers from and to Geneva for her as well as introducing her to my friends out here. All in all it was a great couple of days. My brain was resetting itself quickly - much quicker than normal and really think I might have beaten this thing, at least for the time being.
After an early-morning transfer I managed to get some nice time with Abi too and we loafed around the house eating and having a giggle and watching CSI before crashing out early. We set off from Abi's place this morning to go hike up the Tete de Balme at Le Tour but it was blazing hot and conditions weren't ideal to get to the very top so we stopped midway and admired the valley before coming back down. The view from up there is fantastic and although I mention it a lot - still never tire of it.
The brilliant thing about walking around ski areas in the summer is you get to see all the different hidden gullies and tucked-away routes and interesting features of the mountain. Many of these little beauties were duly filed away in the memory banks, including a rocking alternative option to the Le Tour home run consisting of a really steep, wooded section with a great narrow path. With blue skies and only the sound of crickets chirping us along the walk home it was a beautiful way to spend Saturday.
Well I've made a load of progress with my next contract over the past day or two as well now and am feeling so much better about it all. I hope that I can polish off the old contract this weekend - draw a line underneath it, put in the final invoice and move on. There's a load of work to be cracking on with that's piqued my curiosity and got me back into wanting to program and create and develop and build the project. Awesome.
Wednesday 19 September 2007
Amusing little story
Feeling better this morning. Been out and had a run and just about to have a bath at home and crack on with work again. It's pretty cold here and last night's rain prompting a fresh snowy offering on the tops of the mountains.
Was just catching up with my RSS feeds and came across this light-hearted little anecdote in an interview with Josh Lewsey, an England rugby player who played in the last World Cup and collected a winner's medal.
What is the funniest thing you have heard while playing for England? (Tom Pick, 15, Banbury)
It was probably during the 2003 World Cup final. The referee, Andre Watson, said: "I won't give a penalty at a scrum unless I can put my mortgage on it." After the fifth penalty against us, our hooker Steve Thompson turned round to Watson and said: "You must have a s*** house!"
Was just catching up with my RSS feeds and came across this light-hearted little anecdote in an interview with Josh Lewsey, an England rugby player who played in the last World Cup and collected a winner's medal.
What is the funniest thing you have heard while playing for England? (Tom Pick, 15, Banbury)
It was probably during the 2003 World Cup final. The referee, Andre Watson, said: "I won't give a penalty at a scrum unless I can put my mortgage on it." After the fifth penalty against us, our hooker Steve Thompson turned round to Watson and said: "You must have a s*** house!"
Tuesday 18 September 2007
Darken Days
Damnit, it's going to happen again. I can feel it. In about a day or two my brain's going to close down and spend a day kicking my soul and heart around before coming back to life. Fucking hate it. Just make it stop. It's like knowing the train is going to crash into a huge burning pile of twisted metal and watching the terrible drama unfold but still not having the will to pull the brake lever.
Nothing anyone can say will make it better. Sleep will be something to dream of - a way out for just a few blessed hours. But it will be like trying to catch mist in your fingers - clawing away with bony hands frantically with futile results. When it does finally arrive as the sun starts to come up they will be fitful, harsh dreams, a cloying and vicious surreal kaleidoscope of colour and images. When you wake from the frozen state you'll regret the time you spent there, just wishing you could just get your body back to a regular cycle. Guilty of the time you should have spent elsewhere.
It's been a while since I've slipped down and had a really dark patch. It was a few months ago now and when it happened it was only for 2 days. 2 days of having a voice in your head telling you over and over every bad thing you've ever done. Telling you that everything you cherish and value is worth nothing and worst of all taking away your hope.
I know medically why this happens - imbalances of serotonin levels in the brain. There's a reason for it that isn't just that you're "feeling a bit down" or that it's "just how life is". But it has got easier since I've been here. The dark days space themselves more and more, with hard exercise and bright sunlight being the keys to unlocking the mental turbulence. The lows aren't as low but the highs remain lifting and ethereal. I'm getting better - 31 years of this crap and I'm getting better. But it's still there in fits and starts, clawing away at your neck threatening to press your self-destruct button.
But this time it's different. I'm not going down easily. I'm going to fight this with everything I've got starting with getting up early tomorrow and go out for a run, then work for a few hours and finally go to meet my sister. The voices can get stuffed frankly - I don't need them and they don't need me. Go pester someone else, make someone else doubt themselves. I'm going to release the voices high up into the mountains where they can stay for an eternity as a dark cloud looming over a forbidden peak. I'm going to keep the skies clear above my head. It's medical, and I can heal my body of anything with enough effort. I can push myself further than others, I can force myself to the absolute limit. This is no different at all. I can force myself rid of this minor problem, this small glitch in my body, this bug. Just like any computer bug I can code a fix for it, rework it, push logic at it and it will go away, dissipate into nothingness.
Nothing anyone can say will make it better. Sleep will be something to dream of - a way out for just a few blessed hours. But it will be like trying to catch mist in your fingers - clawing away with bony hands frantically with futile results. When it does finally arrive as the sun starts to come up they will be fitful, harsh dreams, a cloying and vicious surreal kaleidoscope of colour and images. When you wake from the frozen state you'll regret the time you spent there, just wishing you could just get your body back to a regular cycle. Guilty of the time you should have spent elsewhere.
It's been a while since I've slipped down and had a really dark patch. It was a few months ago now and when it happened it was only for 2 days. 2 days of having a voice in your head telling you over and over every bad thing you've ever done. Telling you that everything you cherish and value is worth nothing and worst of all taking away your hope.
I know medically why this happens - imbalances of serotonin levels in the brain. There's a reason for it that isn't just that you're "feeling a bit down" or that it's "just how life is". But it has got easier since I've been here. The dark days space themselves more and more, with hard exercise and bright sunlight being the keys to unlocking the mental turbulence. The lows aren't as low but the highs remain lifting and ethereal. I'm getting better - 31 years of this crap and I'm getting better. But it's still there in fits and starts, clawing away at your neck threatening to press your self-destruct button.
But this time it's different. I'm not going down easily. I'm going to fight this with everything I've got starting with getting up early tomorrow and go out for a run, then work for a few hours and finally go to meet my sister. The voices can get stuffed frankly - I don't need them and they don't need me. Go pester someone else, make someone else doubt themselves. I'm going to release the voices high up into the mountains where they can stay for an eternity as a dark cloud looming over a forbidden peak. I'm going to keep the skies clear above my head. It's medical, and I can heal my body of anything with enough effort. I can push myself further than others, I can force myself to the absolute limit. This is no different at all. I can force myself rid of this minor problem, this small glitch in my body, this bug. Just like any computer bug I can code a fix for it, rework it, push logic at it and it will go away, dissipate into nothingness.
Ubuntu Update
I've dragged everything off the Windows bit of the hard drive - Ubuntu let me browse to it automatically. Genius. I can even automatically connect to both the Macs and the PC's in the office. I've got everything I need off the Windows bit so wanted to free up the space. After a brief thought I figure just to install Ubuntu again and use the whole hard drive. No worries there.
I have come across a problem though. The sound isn't currently working and I need to look at that. Still, insofar as what could have potentially gone wrong it's pretty minimal so far.
Edit: It's because I didn't plug in the speakers. Dickhead.
Enjoying fiddling around with it to be honest.
I have come across a problem though. The sound isn't currently working and I need to look at that. Still, insofar as what could have potentially gone wrong it's pretty minimal so far.
Edit: It's because I didn't plug in the speakers. Dickhead.
Enjoying fiddling around with it to be honest.
Monday 17 September 2007
Installing Ubuntu instead of Windows
I need a server on the network - one that can run Apache and MySQL and just sit there as a development box. Also it would be handy to have a spare computer for people to use who drop by looking for internet access. I've got an old(ish) computer (Dell P4) that ran Windows ME until it decided enough was enough and started to hang on boot. It needs a rebuild from the ground up and certainly needs an entire fresh install of an operating system for starters.
Options
1) Mac OS X. Since Apple started using Intel processors it's meant that you can run Mac OS's on PC's and Windows on Apple Macs. Hmm, interesting and I love the two Macs I use. Still either got to pay for it or *ahem* "acquire" a copy to install. It's not overly expensive (I found a few offers on Amazon from around $74.99). Possibly worth a purchase I reckon.
2) Windows. A search on dabs.com shows that I can buy the Pro version of Windows XP I'd need for £239.67 and am suggested to buy Microsoft Office 2007 for £358.98. You are fucking kidding aren't you. Not a chance I'm buying Office (I'll come to that later) but £239.67 for a copy of XP? That's 6 1/2 times the price of OS X! I need another option.
3) Ubuntu Linux. An Open Source (code is non proprietary) operating system. Cost is free, or more accurately the cost of any old blank CD I've got laying around the place. Sounding good already. Found one stuffed between a load of old paper and downloaded it in around 15 minutes from the Ubuntu website then spent a couple of minutes burning it to CD on my iMac.
The Choice
OK. It's got to be option 3. The OS X option takes too long to buy the copy off the net and get delivered. Windows is just too expensive to consider. Plus there are security issues there that can be overcome by using another operating system. But what about having someone else using the computer? What about the random people that drop in to quickly check mail and the net? What if they need to open up Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc) files they get sent through email?
Well Open Office is the answer. It's basically an Open Source, free version of Microsoft Office. I've used it before and it reads and writes MS Office files and works pretty damn well on any of the operating systems mentioned so far.
Internet is accessed through the Firefox web browser, included in the standard Ubuntu install. I find out Open Office is included with Ubuntu too as standard. Nice.
The Install
So I've just chucked in the CD I burned and it's led me through a very easy interface asking me where I live and what username and password I'd like to log onto the computer with. This already looks more secure than Windows - asking me for a password to start the install. Plus the graphics are fluffy and look very cool. I've left it to do its thing and install. Its saved the hard drive holding the install of Windows ME that I couldn't even log into before (I'm hoping to get the films that are buried somewhere on the hard drive from years gone by).
A Hitch
So it's all installed now and booting up for the first time. It's found a load of errors on the hard drive. Damn, that'll be why Windows wasn't booting up. Ubuntu takes one look and fixes the errors before telling me what it's done and that if I just wait a few seconds please, it'll reboot itself.
I wait with baited breath but everything's gone through without a hitch. The machine reboots and loads up to the Ubuntu login screen. I duly enter my username and password and I'm presented with the Ubuntu desktop. Very slick. I plug in a network cable to the computer hooking it to my internal network ready to configure internet access.
Updates
As soon as the machine (surprisingly quickly) is ready it tells me there's 180MB of updates ready to install. It's automatically detected my network card and connected to the internet. Sweet, but 180MB, that's going to take forever. Actually less than 2 minutes apparently judging by the high speed download - these boys have put some serious thought into upgrades. Windows Update sits in the background and hogs huge resources and time slowing my XP box down to a crawl sometimes when I'm updating that. These 29 updates whistle down and install with 2 clicks (after asking me for my admin password to make sure I'm not anyone naughty). I really liking this more and more. I even like the soft colours and flowing graphics of the desktop. Relaxing and peaceful.
It's taken quite a while to install these updates, and I'm a bit apprehensive that my DVD drive and CD writer won't be working. I'm very nervous in fact. Might have to test it out once the updates have done installing.
Looking through the list of updates, it appears Open Office and Firefox have been updated automatically. Awesome. Saves me a job. Now that all that's finished, it's asked me to reboot and I'm starting to get a bit excited about my new toy. There's always something cool about bringing and old computer back to life.
Finishing Up
A brief reboot and we're ready to go. Everything looks fine. I can access the files in the Windows partition directly from Ubuntu, the CD burner works without needing any other software, internet access works straight away. Basically there's no need for fiddling around!
Impressions
I'm loving it, what a bit of kit. Beautiful, fast, easy to install, easy to use. Free (woohoo!) and clean. Tinks even dropped into the office and just started using it to check her email. Tinks isn't massively technologically literate and just opened up Firefox and logged into Hotmail without any probs at all. Class.
I've actually installed Ubuntu once before on another computer but that was a long time ago. They've done a load of work on this bit of software in the mean time and done it well. After my experience today I'd recommend it to anyone as a genuine alternative for standard home users.
Options
1) Mac OS X. Since Apple started using Intel processors it's meant that you can run Mac OS's on PC's and Windows on Apple Macs. Hmm, interesting and I love the two Macs I use. Still either got to pay for it or *ahem* "acquire" a copy to install. It's not overly expensive (I found a few offers on Amazon from around $74.99). Possibly worth a purchase I reckon.
2) Windows. A search on dabs.com shows that I can buy the Pro version of Windows XP I'd need for £239.67 and am suggested to buy Microsoft Office 2007 for £358.98. You are fucking kidding aren't you. Not a chance I'm buying Office (I'll come to that later) but £239.67 for a copy of XP? That's 6 1/2 times the price of OS X! I need another option.
3) Ubuntu Linux. An Open Source (code is non proprietary) operating system. Cost is free, or more accurately the cost of any old blank CD I've got laying around the place. Sounding good already. Found one stuffed between a load of old paper and downloaded it in around 15 minutes from the Ubuntu website then spent a couple of minutes burning it to CD on my iMac.
The Choice
OK. It's got to be option 3. The OS X option takes too long to buy the copy off the net and get delivered. Windows is just too expensive to consider. Plus there are security issues there that can be overcome by using another operating system. But what about having someone else using the computer? What about the random people that drop in to quickly check mail and the net? What if they need to open up Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc) files they get sent through email?
Well Open Office is the answer. It's basically an Open Source, free version of Microsoft Office. I've used it before and it reads and writes MS Office files and works pretty damn well on any of the operating systems mentioned so far.
Internet is accessed through the Firefox web browser, included in the standard Ubuntu install. I find out Open Office is included with Ubuntu too as standard. Nice.
The Install
So I've just chucked in the CD I burned and it's led me through a very easy interface asking me where I live and what username and password I'd like to log onto the computer with. This already looks more secure than Windows - asking me for a password to start the install. Plus the graphics are fluffy and look very cool. I've left it to do its thing and install. Its saved the hard drive holding the install of Windows ME that I couldn't even log into before (I'm hoping to get the films that are buried somewhere on the hard drive from years gone by).
A Hitch
So it's all installed now and booting up for the first time. It's found a load of errors on the hard drive. Damn, that'll be why Windows wasn't booting up. Ubuntu takes one look and fixes the errors before telling me what it's done and that if I just wait a few seconds please, it'll reboot itself.
I wait with baited breath but everything's gone through without a hitch. The machine reboots and loads up to the Ubuntu login screen. I duly enter my username and password and I'm presented with the Ubuntu desktop. Very slick. I plug in a network cable to the computer hooking it to my internal network ready to configure internet access.
Updates
As soon as the machine (surprisingly quickly) is ready it tells me there's 180MB of updates ready to install. It's automatically detected my network card and connected to the internet. Sweet, but 180MB, that's going to take forever. Actually less than 2 minutes apparently judging by the high speed download - these boys have put some serious thought into upgrades. Windows Update sits in the background and hogs huge resources and time slowing my XP box down to a crawl sometimes when I'm updating that. These 29 updates whistle down and install with 2 clicks (after asking me for my admin password to make sure I'm not anyone naughty). I really liking this more and more. I even like the soft colours and flowing graphics of the desktop. Relaxing and peaceful.
It's taken quite a while to install these updates, and I'm a bit apprehensive that my DVD drive and CD writer won't be working. I'm very nervous in fact. Might have to test it out once the updates have done installing.
Looking through the list of updates, it appears Open Office and Firefox have been updated automatically. Awesome. Saves me a job. Now that all that's finished, it's asked me to reboot and I'm starting to get a bit excited about my new toy. There's always something cool about bringing and old computer back to life.
Finishing Up
A brief reboot and we're ready to go. Everything looks fine. I can access the files in the Windows partition directly from Ubuntu, the CD burner works without needing any other software, internet access works straight away. Basically there's no need for fiddling around!
Impressions
I'm loving it, what a bit of kit. Beautiful, fast, easy to install, easy to use. Free (woohoo!) and clean. Tinks even dropped into the office and just started using it to check her email. Tinks isn't massively technologically literate and just opened up Firefox and logged into Hotmail without any probs at all. Class.
I've actually installed Ubuntu once before on another computer but that was a long time ago. They've done a load of work on this bit of software in the mean time and done it well. After my experience today I'd recommend it to anyone as a genuine alternative for standard home users.
Saturday 15 September 2007
Friday 14 September 2007
Come on!
Waiting, just waiting... Come on, let's be having you. Snowy adventures are coming.
But beforehand...
Tinks and I have decided to go on a road trip over the interseason for a short while. Really looking forward to going away together and seeing a bit more of the country we live in. We're thinking about going through the Dordogne and then down to the Basque Country and then back in a round trip to Chamonix possibly via the Mediterranean coast. Funky stuff!
I intend on using my French to it's full use by being able to talk to people who live by the sea about how regularly they wax their skis, which mountain they climbed yesterday and how come humous is so bloody expensive in the local supermarket. Vital stuff. We're going to be haut de la gorge de la merde sans palette (up shit creek with no paddle) if anything goes wrong with the car because I know virtually no French vocabularly that is pertinent to motor vehicles.
Spain might have differing language problems. I only know very basic Spanish really. I can say "I have fleas" (tengo pulgas), "some ice please" (hielo por favor), and "don't shoot me, shoot the hairy one" (no me tire, tiran el melenudo). This last one is damn useless as I am, in fact, the hairy one. Not good. Might have to take my laptop and hook it up permanently to Altavista's online translation tool Babelfish.
To be honest, I'm actually really pleased how my French is coming along and am learning more every day. It feels good to be able to crack the odd joke with someone in a foreign language and feel pretty comfortable day-to-day. I've never been fluent in another language and it's something I'm really looking forward to at some stage in the future.
But beforehand...
Tinks and I have decided to go on a road trip over the interseason for a short while. Really looking forward to going away together and seeing a bit more of the country we live in. We're thinking about going through the Dordogne and then down to the Basque Country and then back in a round trip to Chamonix possibly via the Mediterranean coast. Funky stuff!
I intend on using my French to it's full use by being able to talk to people who live by the sea about how regularly they wax their skis, which mountain they climbed yesterday and how come humous is so bloody expensive in the local supermarket. Vital stuff. We're going to be haut de la gorge de la merde sans palette (up shit creek with no paddle) if anything goes wrong with the car because I know virtually no French vocabularly that is pertinent to motor vehicles.
Spain might have differing language problems. I only know very basic Spanish really. I can say "I have fleas" (tengo pulgas), "some ice please" (hielo por favor), and "don't shoot me, shoot the hairy one" (no me tire, tiran el melenudo). This last one is damn useless as I am, in fact, the hairy one. Not good. Might have to take my laptop and hook it up permanently to Altavista's online translation tool Babelfish.
To be honest, I'm actually really pleased how my French is coming along and am learning more every day. It feels good to be able to crack the odd joke with someone in a foreign language and feel pretty comfortable day-to-day. I've never been fluent in another language and it's something I'm really looking forward to at some stage in the future.
Wednesday 12 September 2007
Speeding Ticket: €45
Got pinged on the 1st September doing a transfer from Chamonix to Geneva. Allegedly doing 108kph through a 90kph zone between Chamonix and St Gervais. It's a static €45.00 fine if payed within 15 days going up to something like €180 after that - I'll be elbowing grannies out of the way at the Post Office to pay it tomorrow then. No points on the license though which is the only good thing. Bastards. If only they'd accept mitigating circumstances...
1) I'd just picked up 7 girls who managed to be 45 minutes late. (Yes, 45 minutes). They'd managed to make me late for picking up clients on the way back from Geneva.
2) I'd not been driving the transfer bus very much beforehand so wasn't as experienced as now.
3) These girls were really getting on my tits. They'd been out downing Lambrini the night before and kept asking for me to stop so they could throw up. This really wasn't improving my chirpy demeanour.
4) It was downhill and with all 8 of us in the van gravity was having considerable effect.
Of course any one of these arguments would hold up in a court of law as the judge would have seen my plight and made a judgment in my favour. There may have even been some form of compensation heading my way for the untold misery suffered during that trip. Unluckily I chose just to swallow it down and take it on the chin when I spoke to Shaun (the transfers boss) about it. He was really good to be fair and appreciated that I wasn't coming up with any bullshit excuses (note: reasons for speeding given in this posting are blatantly NOT bullshit excuses, I just chose not to raise them with him).
Anyways, got me thinking. If the clients are late for the transfer then that's their problem - not mine. The transfer takes 1 1/4 hours and we stick to the speed limits. I know it sounds daft, but it was a good lesson to learn early on.
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