Apr
1
New Ideas!
Filed Under Daily
After a disturbing night with dreams involving HD, reinstallation, booting system, windows copy, etc…Here I am with fresh ideas for the day. So all I need now is a cheap IDE HD for my Asus and the problem should be fixed. I can use my Compaq to do whatever I need to do and not feeling completely helpless like yesterday. My new rule for next time when something like this happens is: SIT TIGHT and THINK for at least 3 hours!
VJ, my old flatmate from the US messaged me on Monday on MSN. He finally passed his PhD defense. A very old friend from IRC also messaged me. Usually when so many people from the past message me there is something big coming. I thought it was something good but it was only my Asus that is dieing :). Irony of life!
It is funny though. I still behave like a kid when it comes to computers. With all my experience and my knowledge in computers, I am still a kid!
Mar
31
What a day!
Filed Under Daily
Yesterday was one of these days where I seem to lose all control and behaved like a newbie. At 11 am, after a nice powernap, I woke up and I started my Asus laptop. I noticed several minor problems and I decided to reinstall. The Hard Drive died! There goes the long list of painful events that followed:
1. I used the old Compaq’s HD to confirm that it was the Hard Drive by swapping them. I hurt my right hand using the tiny screw drivers TWICE!
2. I remember that the Asus’ DVD can only read manufacturer copies of windows XP, so I went everywhere to ask for a windows copy. The Univeristy, some shops: cheapest solution was 30 GBP for a reinstallation!
3. I went to town to check for a spare IDE HD for laptops and maybe the price of a new copy of windows XP.
4. It was a big waste of my time and I truly lost my logic! I could have come up with the same results by sitting at home and doing nothing. But I needed to move to think. I gave up and came back home to think. Then came the solution! My old Compaq couldn’t restart when I moved from Dublin to Manchester so I thought it died. I put the HD back and started the old dinosaur! Miracles do happen and it rebooted nicely.
5. Malinda called and she gave me her copy of Windows XP home ed.
Mar
30
Great Weekend!
Filed Under Daily
Very relaxing and excellent food as usual! We went to check all the stores around the area and even in Paris. I could see my Lolita again. She cannot move much but the memory from the old time came back. When I took her out for a little walk, she grabbed a small piece of wood and gave it to me. It is her way to let me know she wants to play. Sadly for her, she cannot even walk normally. Time…time! My brother fancies this electric belt that is supposed to make your abs muscles work while your sitting at your desk. I tried it out and I loved it. It gives me tickling feelings at low level that resemble a massage. He gave it to me. Very very cool toy to have if you cannot afford a real massage. I booked another flight for next month, it will be my birthday…
Only me and the fat British chick in the flat. She put the trash in her room again in the common bin, I went and asked her about it and she denied but she offered to bring the trash down herself. I just wanted her not to forget next time. I do not mind taking the trash in the common room down regularly but I do not want people to add their own personal trash in there. Very fast swim and as predicted lazy and slow pokes weren’t here today. It was a bit early even for me and I had a few beers last night so it was a bit unpleasant this morning. Now let’s find the courage to brush up on my Law Exams. I will start tomorrow :).
Mar
27
Weekend near Paris!
Filed Under Daily
I am going home this weekend. Lots of good vietnamese dishes and my little dog, Lolita! After that I will have 20 days break to brush up on my exams. They will happen sometimes in the last week of May if my information is correct. 4 modules of 15 credit each! Annoying!
The change to summer time will happen also this weekend and I welcome it. It is getting way too shiny in the morning and many old and slow pokes joined the pool. This morning I had an old specimen. I do not like swimming with old people. They just do not care. He was slow, he swam right in the middle and worse of all, his swimsuit revealed more than I would like to see of his crack…very disturbing!
Something funny happened yesterday. After ordering my take-away lunch at the canteen, I walked out without paying. I only realized that long after. And I found 1 GBP in one of the locker today. Lucky week isn’t ending yet!
Mar
26
My body is cramps and injuries free now. My wrist was a bit twisted yesterday and I thought I might not be able to swim fast today but I recovered overnight which is nice. I tried my new trendy swimwear this morning and it was OKAY. I do not think they look as nice in water. They do look very trendy on the photos.
In the elevator yesterday, there was a dude who poured a whole bottle of deodorant on him. I wonder how he could not notice. It was so strong it gave me a headache. It reminds me of my time in Australia where I had to use tons of deodorants to overcome the smell of my Chinese labmate.
Boring lectures this morning! I am hesitating about the seminar this afternoon. I guess it will not hurt to attend. The chap from Senegal failed again to start the projector. It was only an hour so I did not bother helping him. One student was getting angry. Funny thing is she was 30 min late, she misunderstood completely the schedule and talked nonsense but she felt like giving the dude a hardtime and was looking for support.
Mar
25
Quick Delivery!
Filed Under Daily
I picked up my new blue swimsuit this morning. It fits me perfectly. This is not the first time I buy from Speedo’s website so I know exactly what my size is. I’ll be able to show off tomorrow :). I also bought new hand paddles just so that I can use their rubber tube to replace my old ones. I like my old paddles very much. They could also arrive today even though Ebay’s items tend to be delivered a bit late usually.
My computer crashed again this morning. I bet it’s the heat. It is getting really warm the last few days. I lost all Amy’s FRIENDS episodes which were on the C drive. But I downloaded new ones and I realized the quality of her files weren’t great. I’ve easily found DVD rip of FRIENDS on internet. I think Amy found hers on some torrent sites. The flat is so quiet without Amy. I like her but I really do not miss her phone conversations.
I talked to Aurore yesterday. Life is still very stressful on her side but I think she is used to it now. She does not like her job at Lapeyre but she cannot quit it because of her mortgage. She wants to work for 2 years and get a full sabbatical year off to travel.
I’ll fly to Paris this weekend. Good cuisine in perspective :)! Quiet beginning of the week with not much worries.
Mar
24
It’s been a year and I’ve decided to change my boring and serious black Speedo swimwear for a trendy blue racer with some special design features on it. I also bought a stylish blue/white silicon cap with special drawings. I ordered them yesterday, and with a bit of luck, they will be here on Thursday.
All fast swimmers joined me this morning nicely in Lane 5. It is now a secured lane for very fast swimmers. We were 6 to take over that lane this morning and none of us would move to other lanes with slow pokes in them. It helped us to maintain a constant fast pace and nobody is blocking anyone else. I also stopped and talked a bit with them. Fast swimmers always try to check others’ speed and I have been tested twice this morning…! Fun game but very tiresome. My shoulders are dead and I welcome a nice break tomorrow.
My lucky week is over it seems. I told Chebet about it and she laughed at me. Life is funny though, I told her I went indoor skiing at the Trafford Shopping Center and that I loved it. Once she got home, she received a call from the Trafford shopping center and they offered her a maintenance job. She was so happy she sent me a SMS telling me my luck has rubbed off on her too. Funny coincidence! Maybe it is not over yet??? I also applied for 6 positions, three in France and three in London. Let’s keep fingers crossed. Only 3 months and a week left.
Mar
23
Short Night!
Filed Under Daily
4 hours of sleep or less! The swim was excellent though. Only good and fast swimmers in my lane. Monday are usually quiet, less crowded than any other day of the week. I talked to Jod, a fellow who swims regularly. He’s very impressed with my 6 kms a day. That was his first question when he had a chance to talk to me. He might want to do the same thing. He used to be a bit faster than me because he only came in the second half of my work out. Nowadays, he is slower no matter when he comes.
It is very windy today. I can hear very strong wind outside of my window. I have everything I need in the fridge so won’t go out today. I applied to 4 jobs in the UK yesterday and I have found a lot of ads in France. I will do my best to apply to all of them today.
Mar
21
Good Weather!
Filed Under Daily
Quite unusual for rainy Manchester, the last few days were really good! I cannot wait for summer time next Sunday, the pool is completely over saturated. There are excellent swimmers joining though.
The wind of change has come. Last week was perfect, this week seems less positive. The movie, Body of Lies was excellent but we were only 5 watching it. Many regulars went to Edinburgh (to be pronounced “EdinBRA”) this weekend.
I finished quickly Amy’s food last evening. I ate the goat cheese and few grapes. Quiet weekend for me, I need to sleep and recover from last week minor injuries and cramps anyways. My body won’t complain.
Mar
20
Very Ordered!
Filed Under Daily
Nice swim with fast and ordered swimmers. A real pleasure! Some of them are now using me to improve their own speed. They align themselves behind or switch lanes simultaneously. I don’t like dumb idiots who just clog up the fast lane. No class today and the weather is fantastic! I might walk around and check for new pants. I found Megaupload links to download a very old Chinese movie I liked when I was young. Excellent quality also!
Movie night: Body of Lies. Looks like a very good movie! There seems to be some free food again tonight.
Amy went back to Greece yesterday. She stopped by to say goodbye but when I asked why she left that early, she just shrugged her shoulders and smiled. I did not insist. I also asked when she would be back and she said she doesn’t know yet…Very strange indeed!
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