This is what I've been doing all Summer:

And I've finally completed the sodding level!

Apologies for the quality of the video - couldn't find apprpriate software* to create a decent video.

The videos's so big it's getting in the way of other things on the page! I'll soon blog again and move this one down the page a little, for viewing ease.

* couldn't really be arsed to spend any more time on it to be honest, especially considering how many hours of my life I have wasted already on this ridiculous game.

communication error

I would appreciate advice: I have a large file that I need to get from my imac to my laptop. I am struggling knowing how to do so. It's a compressed copy of Office 2007. The file is large and therefore problematic. This is what I've done so far:

As the file is large it cannot be sent via the internet, such as through yousendit.com, sendbigfiles or dropsend (the latter of which I usually use). I tried installing new dropsend desktop software. It said the file had sent (even though it just exceeds the 1 GB limit). It hadn't.

My external hard drive 1 is not recognised by the imac.
My external hard drive 2 is, but is in a read only format (i.e. I can't add things to it). I have tried changing the permissions, both on the mac and on Windows.

I have cleared a 2 GB memory stick in order to put the file on there. The files have disappeared, but the capacity remains as it was when the files were there. I have tried wiping the stick on Windows, also. Same thing.

My other big memory stick is not being wiped - it's pretty and full of stuff too important to be lost (said stuff needs to be on a stick at all times!) Incidentally this wondrous stick would work, I know, but I just can't wipe it and be sans stick...

I have activated bluetooth on the imac. Can I find a bluetooth feature on the laptop? Can I buggery. It's a swish new vaio, but I can't locate it. Strange. I'm sure it's without the function.

I tried plugging in a USB-USB cable for direct transfer. Ever hopeful. I know it has to be a special transfer cable, with software, but macs are clever things. Not in this case however. Ditto with firewire.

I read up about gmail's immense storage capacity. Not for big files though. Just endless mini ones.

I enabled my internet connection so the laptop could use it. Why? I don't know.

There are surely other ways of getting this file transferred! What can I do? It's too big for a CD, incidentally, weighing in at 1.2 GB when compressed. The main file of importance is 1.1 GB, otherwise I would have thanked google and used the gmail option.

My final thought was this: ftp. Supposedly the ideal solution! Didn't work though... I downloaded a client, but couldn't state that the laptop was the remote PC. All quite confusing. Am at a loss! I think setting up an ftp server was a bit ambitious for little me.

Just thought: could download bittorrent or something and re-download the file directly onto the laptop I suppose. But that doesn't solve this problem directly! I must find a way to overcome...

Any ideas? Incidentally, I would rather not spend money in the process of resolving the issue. Otherwise I would have upgraded my dropsend account, bought a new large memory stick or purchased bloody Office in the first place!

Having a few work troubles...

...in that work is pretty boring. I don't really like it. Do I struggle on, feeling stressed? Or do I pack it all in and become a musician or something (as opposed to singing merely into my wok, of an evening)? My family keep suggesting to just plod on, but without making myself so stressed. The problem with that is that I'll then be resigned to working in a crap Uni for the rest of my days, as there's no time to work on the research profile (to improve chances of ever getting out of the place) without getting truly stressed.

Any advice? Am I just going through the typical post-PhD blues? Maybe it's SAD kicking in already - it suddenly seems like Winter.


Just so I haven't been totally negative in a post: I had a lovely evening with Alex Cornish on Sunday evening! Apologies for the repetition, but I highly recommend that you check out his work. Beautiful singer-songwriting.

signs

I have a new hobby: finding amusement in graffiti and signs strewn across this world in which we live.

I have a few examples to exhibit:

Firstly, a couple from Athens:


("Watch your step, the guy is dead")


(In case you can't read it, it's grammatically perfect and states:
"Katerina loves Joseph always tell the end of the world and he gives her also loves back". Whoever said that romance is dead?)

This one amused me especially, as we had spent the entire Greek trip speaking in Euro-accent, and was taken in a B+B in Southampton at the weekend where a few fellow guests (with amazing Euro accents) were staying:



Finally, I had to photograph this as I found it (in yet another room I was staying in in Southampton) shortly after regaling a friend with a tale about how two of my students had been drawing penis-art all over their lecture notes.



What is that on the notice board, exactly?



Ah. And another one.



It's nice to find a new hobby.

Mouth

I enjoyed my first beach holiday ever this Summer. I went away with four friends that I grew up with and relaxed wonderfully. I also seemed to absorb the sun and returned home looking like I'd worked in a coalmine, instead of beach-dwelling.

Paros is a beautiful island and Antiparos, even more so. Each day we'd find a new beach, which we would usually have to ourselves, where we could lounge and swim for most of the day. Bliss. Most fortunately, I didn't see a single crustacean. Woo!

As you'll know if you've been to Greece, cats run the place.


And I bloody love it. There were a few good friends at the villa, including Winey (who wouldn't shut up), Twenty-Twenty (who was blind) and, of especial note, Mouth. Mouth had no mouth. She was a delight. She was incredibly friendly and did that thing that cats do where they sort of headbutt things affectionately. Unfortunately, Mouth would leave a dribble-string everywhere she went. The cat lovers amongst us felt awful that she was so grim, found beauty in her and loved her all the more. Those not so fond of felines found her the mankiest cat that ever lived. They were wrong, of course.

Having said that, watching her catch a gecko and eat it wasn't an especially pleasing sight.

In honour of Mouth and all the pleasure she brought, I felt it necessary to write this and keep her alive in my memory.

What a cat.

Please put your glasses together for... Mouth!





(Thanks to Anoula for supplying the video and commentary, including the favourable line, "ugh she's doing that thing with her mouth".)