Plaxo

A few months ago I started using a service called Plaxo. It's a great way to synchronize my address book and calendar between Outlook and a secure website which I can then access anywhere. It's not one of these 'friends network' things that lets friends of your friends access your details, though, I really don't like the idea of that!

Anyway, I also use gmail which means I have to export my list of e-mail addresses from Outlook and into gmail every-so-often to make sure I have everyone's addresses there. This is rather annoying. However, Plaxo have just announced that they've set up a deal with AOL which will enable Outlook to synchronize with the AOL address book and the AIM instant messenger. Although this doesn't affect me (I don't use AOL), I'm pleased about it because it means Plaxo are going out and getting deals with other companies. This would be really good for me if they ever get round to working with gmail. Pretty please?

Terrorists Won't Win!

The cowardly attacks on London yesterday were terrible, but they cannot be allowed to change the way we live. Security will of course be stepped up for the next few days/weeks/months and this will occasionally inconvenience people, but this has to be accepted. What can't be accepted, and I'm sure it won't happen, is people and Government doing things different because of it. Our troops must not be removed from Iraq any sooner than they would have been, we must not back down in 'The War On Terror'. People must try and go about their lives the same as they always have done.

After all, this country, and London in particular, is not new to terrorism. We have faced the threat of bombs and shootings from Irish militants through some very bad times, but people carried on doing what they do. We're a very resilient lot us British, and now's the time to show them just how determined we can be!

Blowing away the cobwebs

Since finishing uni a few weeks ago, I've gradually gone downhill into a state of feeling sorry for myself. I can't decide what kind of job I want to do (being a computer programmer, what I'm now qualified for, sounds boring I decided!) and my part-time job can't give me any extra hours above one day a week. I've been spending a lot of time just around the house, watching television, playing on the computer, vaguely reading about different types of job, etc etc, just generally wasting time.

Today I had an argument with my Mum. It was over a silly thing (like it often is), but it got blown out of proportion (by both of us). I ended up feeling really mad and upset so, despite the weather (it was drizzling), I decided to go out for a walk. It was the best thing I've done for ages.

Not far from where I live is a disused railway line that's been converted into a public footpath. Leading off this are lots of little paths and tracks that mostly lead down to a river. Its lovely and peaceful. There are very few people and if you didn't know, you could hardly tell that you were so close to a town. Anyway, I'd walked part of the way when it started to rain heavier. I decided to run - I knew once I got down by the river there would be plenty of trees to shelter under. It actually felt good to have a decent leg stretch. The last time I did any 'proper' running outside was about two months ago when I did a 10 km fun(?) run (because I was so busy with uni work then, I did very little training, and it hurt!!), but since then I've been going to the gym two or three times a week and I definitely felt the difference!

I spent over an hour down there. I enjoyed it - it gave me the chance to do some thinking where it was quiet and peaceful with no distractions. By the time I got back home, I was feeling re-invigorated and enthusiastic about life again - something I haven't felt for a number of months. It's a good feeling and I plan to keep it!

Catch up

I can't believe that it's been over a month since I last posted anything!

So what have I been doing in the last month? Well, I finally finished uni and I've got my results back. I got a 2:2 which isn't bad to say that I wasn't really expecting to even pass! I thought I would have to do some resits at the very least! Now all I have to do is find a job. This could be tricky. I don't even know what I want to do! My degree is in Software Engineering, but I don't think I really want to be a programmer any more. Don't get me wrong, I quite enjoy it, but I can't help but think that doing it 9 - 5 everyday would soon get boring. I really need to find something soon though, even if its only temporary, as I can't get any extra hours at my part-time job.

Film Review - "Monster-In-Law"

Monster-In-Law was a film in three parts - bad, better, bad. In the first third, everything was very predictable. The only good character was Ruby (Wanda Sykes), she got all the good lines and was the only one who wasn't boringly predictable. The next third starts when Charlie (Jennifer Lopez) discovers what her soon to be mother-in-law, Viola (Jane Fonda), is up to. This bit was rather entertaining for a brief period, but it was all too quickly over and the film degenerated back into the old predictable jokes. There was another brief interlude of entertainment when Viola's mother-in-law, Gertrude (Elaine Stritch), turned up, but again this was all too brief and the film disintegrated completely after this.

My rating: 3/10

Banning Baseball Caps

I saw in the news that the Bluewater shopping centre (in Kent) have decided to crack down on anti-social behaviour. Good. There new rules include:

• No smoking


• No leafleting


• No canvassing


• No swearing


• No clothing which deliberately obscures the face such as hooded tops and baseball caps

No baseball caps? That's crazy! I can understand the other points. They can be annoying and unpleasant. But what is wrong with baseball caps and hooded tops? The Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, says they are "part of an intimidating uniform". Surely there is nothing intimidating about a baseball cap. People wearing them can be intimidating, but so can people who wear trainers, jeans, even suits! Where does this stop?

Film Review - "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"

All day at work, people had been telling me how good it was and I'd read the book a few years ago and loved it, so I had very high hopes for this film. Unfortunately, I have to say I was slightly disappointed. Maybe I was just expecting too much. From the very beginning it was clear that they were cutting some of the best bits out of the book. I suppose they've got to cut a lot out just to fit it in for time.

As for the characters, I was pleased with Marvin and Arthur in particular. Zaphod's character was good, but in the book I recall his two heads as being side-by-side, but in the film, one is kinda burried in his neck! I suppose it saved a lot of money in special effects, but it did spoil it a bit for me.

I wonder if they'll make the other parts of the book into films? My book has four parts in it, but one of my friends book's has five! This film was only the first part. They've certainly left it open so they can do a sequel, but I suppose it'll depend on how successful this film turns out.

My rating: 6/10

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Election 2005 - Labour win!

It's a 'historic third term' for Labour (that's how the media keep referring to it). I don't think anyone can be too surprised. They've lost around 47 seats (there's still a couple left to declare last time I checked) but still have a majority of 66. Everyone's talking about it as if that's too small to work very well, but someone said that Margaret Thatcher had a majority of about 44 once and she managed ok! I suppose it just means that the 'rebels' will be a bit more influential.

I wonder what will happen before the next General Election. We will have a new Conservative leader (Michael Howard has announced he is stepping down). Tony Blair has said he would like to do another full term, though I suspect that Gordon Brown may take over after two or three years. As for Charles Kennedy, who can say? I think they might have a change in two or three years as well - give the new person time to get settled in before the next General Election. So, if I'm right, it'll be 'all change!' for next time and the political scene could be somewhat different!