You hear that, Mr Andersen?

We bought it to help with your homework

Just in case anyone hasn't seen it, Hey, Hey, 16k is kind of catchy. Weird how there was a time there when you could get magazines with big source code listings, and writing your own game that looked similar to commercial ones was within the reach of the average bedroom coder... I guess that the whole thing of writing modpacks for first-person shooters and the like is tapping into the same motivation.

Moving into a flat without a cable modem made me realise - I use my computer very differently now than I did five years ago. I mean, I connected the machine to everything, and made sure it powered up, put on some music... and then realised I couldn't look at Homestar Runner, or check my mail, or... well, any of the stuff that I'm used to doing. And I found myself thinking, "Well, what use is a computer that's not connected?"

Of course, I had partially answered my own question - I was playing music at the time. And there's a printer and scanner, and a text editor, and some games. But not being able to look at IMDB or google at whim while the computer's on is a weird feeling, like... you know how there's often someone at work who you can ask random questions, and they can either answer you, or point you in the direction of an answer? Well, it feels like when that person's on holiday. :)

(I remember some of Ellen's friends being amazed and amused by our family, since there always seemed to be someone who could make an educated guess about the meaning of any word or phrase. I suspect that the fact there are so many people in our family helps our chances a bit.)

Along those lines - the first thing I was asked at work today was what herpetology was. This was a somewhat surreal way to start the day, though it did remind me of Bruce Norris, who some readers may remember as 'beerman' from the VUW BBS - he did genetics and biochemistry with me, and did his doctorate on the genetics of the tuatara. I run into him in Kilburnie every now and then.

***

Up until 2am on Friday and Saturday moving. I was going to be in at work on Sunday, but ended up popping back to the flat to pick the last dregs from the house, vaccuming the hall, and dealing with the bond. (And popping in to visit the family with yummy french-style bread from Le Moulin bakery, and visiting my former flatmate to drop off a bunch of her stuff.)

And unpacking. Much, much unpacking.

I'm so very, very glad that I arranged for movers. Moving a single bookshelf isn't too bad; moving five big bookshelves, three small bookshelves, a glass-fronted cabinet, a washing machine, a fridge, a lounge suite, a computer desk and a queen-size bed would have been a nightmare - especially since a number of these things wouldn't have fitted up the stairs, and had to come in via the balcony. (It reminded me of manuvering the matresses out of window in Todman St flat - except there wasn't the tension of "will we hit the power cables and electrocute ourselves" or "will Alistair's crazy knots actually support the weight" to add spice to the proceedings.)

There are still boxes and boxes of stuff sitting around - I'm a bit aprehensive about Giffy's reaction when she sees what I've done to her lovely flat - but the end is in sight. There's not quite as much storage space as I'd like, either; if I had the time, I'd pop a rack of shelves in the garage. And I've got to get a box of sticky labels to distinguish my Tupperware from other people's - an overabundance of Tupperware isn't a problem that I've had to deal with before. :) But on the whole, I think that the way downstairs is set up now is actually more cozy and comfortable than it was.

Oh, and I was given a box of chocolates by the next-door neighbors! I think that's a most auspicious beginning to my occupancy. :) One of our neighbors came to the door, asking whether anyone had jumper leads. I didn't, and she went on to the next flat; but Margie remembered that her father had given her a spare set, just in case. (Yes, Margie has no car, and does not, in fact, have a license - but her father is something of a car enthusiast, so it all makes some kind of sense.) I'd never used jumper cables as the jumpstartee, but the people I was helping were even more clueless than I was, and I seem to have picked something up from those times Mum or Dad has rescued me from the roadside when I'd left the van lights on - there was a bit of sparkage, but otherwise it was remarkably straight-forward. They were able to go to the supermarket, and they were able to get back as well - hence the box of chocolates.

Hmm. Thinking back, I don't know whether I'd brushed my hair, so I probably looked a bit mad-professor-ish. Oh well.

***

Only four more days until I start my holiday!! That means I should probably stay late tonight, so if I break things, I have three days to fix them. :)

My sister has helpfully told me what times of the week she's free, and I now know when Morgue & Cal are in Edinburg; I'm starting to get an idea of the general shape of my holiday, if not the details. One idea I'm toying with is to fly to Denmark from London near the beginning, and fly from Denmark to Edinburg. I guess it'll depend on how well Helen is feeling around that time.

Posted by svend at July 12, 2004 3:02 AM