Tuesday 29 October 2013

I'm sure I deserve it!

Hi there, reader.

I'm writing this on a computer that I've had for a number of years now. When I first got it, it was a pretty good system. It's still a pretty good system even now.

But it's been giving me a bit of jip.

I got an SSD drive for it. I'd intended to use the SSD for my OS and program files, and use a larger capacity IDE HDD for data. And that's where the problems started. Whenever I tried to boot up from the SSD, the computer would run for a few minutes, and then freeze. This made it impossible to put an operating system on it as the install would never complete. I tried putting a linux OS on it instead but got the same issue.

Finally, I spent quite a lot of money on a genuine windows 8 disk, and was sure that this time, it would work.

Nope. Same problem. Get so far then crash. It seemed that the problem lay in the SATA controller, so I bought a SATA/RAID control card. And that didn't fix it either.

My PC is ok when it's got itself up and running, but I want my SSD to work.

So, having tried everything I could think of, to no avail, I had a look on ebay for a fast computer. I found one that has some fantastic stats, and after some hesitation, I've shelled out about five hundred quid for it. It's got an 8 core 4ghz CPU, and a 2Gb graphics card. It comes with 4Gb of DDR3 RAM, which I could upgrade to upto 32Gb, and a 320Gb Hard Drive.

It's a bit of a beast to say the least, at least on paper. I can't actually go get it just yet as the seller is on holiday for a few days, but on Thursday 7th November (which just happens to be my next day off), I will be driving up to Leeds to pick it up.

Something to look forward to. Tomorrow I will be working 9.5 hours paid time. I don't need to feel guilty about reaping the benefits of all this work.

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Monday 14 October 2013

slowdive

I have put a post on my website suggesting to other instructors that they might want to work with me.

As a method of getting an instructor, this isn't actually very assertive. Still, the message is out there, and if by chance another instructor, (or someone who knows an instructor) who is struggling to make ends meet, stumbles across it, then perhaps they will actually get in touch.

I suspect I might do better asking around at my local test centre.

Edit: A day after posting this, I had a driving test, during which I was speaking to another instructor, and without comitting ourselves, a common interest was expressed.

I was sort of cool, because of duplication. The guy seemed like a nice guy, and we got along fine, but we come from the same area, and teach in identical vehicles, even down to the paintwork.

As a corporate branding exercise, two instructors with identical liveries might be a useful thing, but I think I'm looking for diversity. A Woman. Someone who teaches in an Automatic. Someone from South Wirral. That kind of stuff.

The guy in question though is a bit of a high flyer at another local school. It might be good to have him on board.

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Saturday 5 October 2013

criminals

Folks,

Before grew into the fine, upstanding degenerate you know and love, I spent some time in a bit of a mess.

Those that know me know the specifics, and will appreciate why I don't go into too much detail here, but suffice to say, the calamitous events of one mad evening were probably only a matter of time.

I was hauled up before the beak. Picked up by the fuzz. I came quietly, and submitted meekly to due process.

I got 80 hours of community service. My penance included washing dishes at an old people's home, removing graffiti, and trimming the hedge of an old lady, who lacked the mobilty or motivation to do so for herself.

I could of course have breached the arrangement, and would eventually have spent time in the clink. As things worked out, I was too messed up to keep my job, despite it being a lenient nationalised institution, and at that point I was on the dole. Either way, I'd have been dependent upon the state for my sustenence.

It took a few years, but eventually, the slide became a climb, and at some point, I went from being a burden on society to a useful contributor.

The reason I turned from a negative to a positive was because of the support of the State. They offered free mental health care, with the help and support of dedicated staff. They provided me with a place to live, and paid my rent, so that while I was vulnerable, I wasn't actually destitute. They provided a ladder for me to climb, when I was ready to climb it.


Thursday 3 October 2013

It's over!

There's a part of Bristol, close to Filton airport, called Over.


This could make for some interesting conversations with air traffic control.

"What is your location, over"...

"Yes."

or,

"I'm over Over, over"

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