| What? What? A post? |
[Aug. 5th, 2008|08:27 pm] |
Yeah, thought I'd use this for a change...a couple of things I want to put to all of you who still read this.
Firstly, if you've got a spare 40 minutes and haven't yet seen your quota of supervillian musicals for the year (and face it, how could you have done? Everyone's quota should be set somewhere around 1000) then watch Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. If you've seen it already, I shouldn't be needing to encourage you to go and see it again.
Second, latest plan on my long list of vaguely profitable ways to spend my free time is to set up a review site - one where I review the vast majority of things I encounter which I think other people might. So, games, films, TV shows, books, that sort of thing; possibly also the occasional blog style thing or essays. In other words, what leonardquirm2 was supposed to be, but more focussed on the reviews and actually surviving more than five entries. Anyway, if I'm going to do that, I need to start sorting out a website in the first place. Anyone got any good suggestions for a free host/server and a place to get a free address from? I'm not confident enough this'll survive any longer than my usual plans to actually pay anything for it... Oh, and also if you have any sort of suggestion as for a name, that'd be good as well!
In other news, my project progresses steadily - not doing the most exciting stuff in the world at the moment (mostly writing up stuff my supervisor and I have already done into neat formats) but it's keeping me off the streets. I've got the rest of this week and two more weeks to go on it; then I'll probably be here for most of the week after and back for the last few days of August and some of September.
Finally, to keep you going before my review site does get launched, here's ( a review of The Dark Knight to be going along with )
If you have any comments about the idea, or the review, don't hesitate to challenge me! Not that you normally do... |
|
|
| Home and Torchwood |
[Dec. 15th, 2006|12:20 am] |
Well, first term over. Already. Aaargh!
First week back I have an exam on the Monday, on the Tuesday and on the Thursday. All Maths. Then to cap it all off, a three hour Physics exam...starting at 9:00 AM on the Saturday. Aaargh!
Still, a nice holiday before then, with chance to do lots of lovely work. Except that for Christmas a couple of friends bought me this, so I'm not actually going to be doing anything else. Aaargh!
Right, now for Torchwood. SPOILERS! Except only for the first episode, 'cos I haven't seen them at Uni, I just watched the first tonight. Has anyone else noticed (assuming anyone else has even seen it) that Captain Jack Harkness is actually Captain Scarlett? On his recovery from being shot in the head I immediately commented on it, and then he explained "I was killed and then I was brought back to life, and since then I can't actually die"...which is exactly the same as Captain Scarlett! (Well, apart from the lack of Mysterons, but that's only a matter of time). They're even both captains...it's a conspiracy, I tell you!
Anyway, home now. Meet-up at some point. If anyone's up for getting cold somewhere, I have bought an official Ultimate disk (commonly known as a frisbee, but that's a brand name and mine isn't actually that brand...and hence the sport is technically called "Ultimate", not "Ultimate Frisbee") - since I'm on the Van Mildert team - so we could go to a park somewhere and chuck it about a bit. And lose it in a tree, most likely, but I suppose I'll have to accept that. Any takers? |
|
|
| Durham! |
[Oct. 3rd, 2006|04:38 pm] |
Van Mildert is great. Why? They're all mad. We have a lake, and walking past ducks on the lawn on the way back to my room from breakfast is strangely pleasing. Our first bop (fancy dress party) was yesterday evening - Hollywood Heroes - and that was great fun, with my brilliant performance as Dr Strangelove (a few people got it, but many had never heard of him) along with varying degrees of brilliance of other costumes - a fair few Bonds/Men in Black/Blues Brothers/Audrey Hepburns, but some far more inventive ones as well, such as a very well done Groucho Marx, a Judge Dredd and a couple of Arthur Dents (I'm not sure whether I'm pleased that we've got Hitchhiker fans around, or annoyed at the labelling of Arthur Dent as Hollywood. Even if many of the others weren't Hollywood per se). We had a surfboard/bucking bronco as well, which I went on a few times, and did abysmally on all except the last - which still wasn't that impressive. If you're lucky, you might get a video of me on one of the bad occasions.
We also have two more bops this week - Western (I'm intending to go as a Wanted Poster) and "Made in the '80s". For that, I want to try and get a straw hat and some sort of blue sheet or robe...more geeky costumes abound.
'Til another time! |
|
|
| Flashy computer |
[Sep. 25th, 2006|01:48 pm] |
Well, my laptop's arrived - and, indeed is what I'm writing this on. Only taken me a few million restarts and all morning to get all the updates and stuff installed and working.
And now it's taking hours to transfer all my photos over the network. Joys!
Still, as this one's mine I can have a few extra bits on that I couldn't on the other. Like Flash. And MSN proper, not just Windows Messenger. Actually, there's an option in menu for "MSN" but when I tried going through that it required me to pay either $60 or $70 a year (depending on the package I chose) - is that talking about actual MSN chatting to other people online? Or is it some other package thingy?
See you all tomorrow afternoon. |
|
|
| Not long left |
[Sep. 21st, 2006|02:17 pm] |
Woohoo! Tubular Bells is now on my music player.
Dunno why I bothered with Part Two, actually, I'm not that struck on it. Part One is the definitive track.
In other news, I hate passwords. Regularly used ones are fine, but when I think of new ones then don't use them for months - I don't stand a chance.
Anyone want to meet up again before disappearing? |
|
|
| "The range of opportunities...is simply breathtaking." |
[Sep. 14th, 2006|01:43 pm] |
So said the OFSTED report on the boys' school this year. It's been quoted in the Prospectus as well, not too far away from a picture of the violin section of Concert Orchestra at the last Christmas Concert. The one where I wore a tinsel bandana. The slight irony amused me and so I produced a commemorative picture.
Oh, and I would have had a picture of Alex in his Sugar Fairy costume in the collage, but I don't have a photo of it in the first place. |
|
|
| Actually driving |
[Sep. 2nd, 2006|12:36 pm] |
Well, in typical "going against everything I expected" style, I am now insured as a driver on my mum's car for the next month. So I can drive places. Except I've now got a fresh bout of nervousness, because it's a different car - and even more so as it's petrol, whereas I learnt in diesel. I'm only down as a subsidary driver, so technically I'm not supposed to be using the car for more than about 25% of the time. However they'll measure that should I have an accident.
Oh, and Mike...no. I'm not racing you. Or anyone else, for that matter. |
|
|
| Driving |
[Aug. 24th, 2006|11:08 am] |
Woohoo, I passed!
Only got 4 minors as well. Admittedly one was very very close to a serious fault, but...hey, I kept control of the car and apparently didn't quite obstruct anyone else, so I passed! That's about all I've got to say really. |
|
|
| Durham |
[Aug. 20th, 2006|11:04 am] |
Well, results were quite comfortable. So, Durham, here I come.
I got a whole load of stuff from them on Friday; loads of notes and information and forms. This stuff includes official details about the college (I'm particularly pleased to find we apparently have a couple of music practice rooms and pianos about) and also a "Freshers' Handbook", written by the head of the Freshers' Reps (I think), which includes a silly sense of humour gently insulting all the Reps. I knew this place suited me.
I've got a few forms to fill out - I hate forms, but at least these aren't too bad mostly. And I've got to send off eight passport photos of me. EIGHT. Even assuming I have different cards for just about everything and they want one or two as back-up if they lose a couple, I can't think of how they can use eight unless they're eating a couple. Still.
The details also mention the first Bop (themed costume parties at the college) - Hollywood Heroes. So, who to go as...especially as I don't want to spend much (any?) money on it, unless I'll use the stuff otherwise. I'm tempted to look again at getting a trenchcoat and fedora to go as Philip Marlowe, but my previous searches haven't been too successful. Any suggestions for fall-back plans?
Oh, and apparently the water in my road is going to be off tomorrow (the water company's been doing work on the street for about the last two months; it's getting completely ridiculous). Hence I want to be out the house. Anyone fancy going to see a film some point? |
|
|
| Pirate News Flash |
[Aug. 14th, 2006|03:34 pm] |
Recent studies have found that we urgently require more pirates in the world, to help control global warming. As can be seen from the graph below, the increase in world temperatures can be directly linked to the decrease in this once popular profession:
|
|
|
| Oh **** |
[Aug. 10th, 2006|10:15 am] |
Terror alert on all flights in Britain - especially in London and Birmingham - due to the belief that terrorists had planned to blow up a large number of planes mid-flight. No hand-luggage is allowed on flights: passports and wallets are IT, and they must be in see-through plastic bags.
I had been thinking it was a shame the forum hadn't been a day later, as there's a film festival in London starting today with a screening of North By Northwest - which I love - in Somerset House. Now I'm ever so glad that we finished yesterday, as that means that most people are likely to have got home OK. I know a few people - I think the group from Barbados may have been included - flying home today, so it's probable that the forum hasn't been unaffected. But thank God it didn't finish today... |
|
|
| London awaits |
[Jul. 24th, 2006|09:27 pm] |
This post is dedicated to those of you who haven't disappeared off somewhere already.
Nearly time for my departure - I go to London this Wednesday. It appears my mum and sister are coming on the train with me because Teresa wants to go to the Imperial War Museum (she's an historian with the two obsessions of World War I and the Middle Ages. I don't get it either.) This looks like it might mean I'm going first class, paid by parents, although I've no real idea why. I'd prefer the money for the trips over the fortnight, but they want to go first class, and it would be a little stupid for me to go seperately to them.
Anyway, tomorrow I make final preparations (i.e. start to pack). I have no idea what sort of internet connectivity I will have while I'm there - wouldn't be surprised if there is a computer available for general use in our halls of residence, but there may well not be, and even if there is I might not have time to use it anyway. Because I'm going to be PARTYING. Well, that and attending Science Lectures. Which is almost the same thing.
I'm back on the 9th. See y'all! |
|
|
| Cauterization |
[Jul. 8th, 2006|11:57 am] |
I had my nose cauterized yesterday. Well, not actually the whole nose - just the blood vessels on the inside. I've been suffering from a number of nosebleeds in the last week so went to the doctors', and the response was to burn the vessels to stop them bursting any more. Felt a bit weird (and really makes you sneeze), and the doctor managed to burn a bit of skin just at the bottom of my nose, so that looks a little weird now, but at least I haven't had a nosebleed since - I just really hope that's all sorted now...
The whole thing was made completely worthwhile by my sister afterwards though. When talking to my family about what had been done, so looked confused and asked "Wouldn't that make it worse? I mean, cutting up your blood vessels will make them bleed more, right?" I was confused for a second and then realised: "Cauterizaion, not Quarterisation." It wasn't even a pun or a 'humourous misunderstanding' in my style (well, I think they're funny) - she genuinely thought we were talking about chopping things into four pieces.
An extra irony is that before I went to the doctors', I was considering what they might do to deal with nosebleeds, and came up with (not overly seriously, you might be surprised to hear) cauterizing the nose, and replacing it with a fake one. Turns out I was about a third of the way there... |
|
|
| Puns! |
[Jul. 2nd, 2006|10:40 am] |
As any of you who've seen me walking outside in the summer months probably know, I have a tendency to be attacked by insects. I'm not sure why, and it seems to happen to me a fair bit more than most people. In fact, so much so I'm starting to feel like Rob McKenna from "So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish" - the guy who it rains on all the time. I need a title like his now...let's say I'm a "Quanta-causal para-chaos entrop-insectophile". Or, in colloquial terms, I'm Bug-God.
=================
If you thought that was bad, you haven't played Final Fantasy IV (i.e. you're not enough of a geek). The one dungeon, The Sealed Cavern, has sequences that go like this:
*Cecil tries to open a door*
Cecil: "The door has turned into a monster!"
*Enter battle*
*Enemy: Trap Door*.
=================
See you all tonight. If you're going to kill me for either of the above (and don't get me for the second one, I didn't programme the game - much as I may have liked to) then leave it until the end of the evening, as I'm hoping to enjoy it. And do something which won't ruin the dinner suit... |
|
|
| Idiots. |
[Jul. 1st, 2006|01:57 pm] |
Coming back from getting my hair cut today along a stretch of one-way road with two lanes. We're travelling at about 40 on the outside lane when the car in front of us pulls over to the right (into a short turning lane into a car showroom) to reveal another car travelling at about 40 - towards us. Fortunately we'd just reached the start of the turning lane so we could pull over quickly. The cars behind us had to stop; I think the car going the wrong way stopped as well. All a little odd.
I got a few e-mails today saying my PayPal account has been suspended:
"Dear PayPal member,
We regret to inform you that your PayPal account has been suspended due to concerns we have for the safety and integrity of the PayPal community.
Per the User Agreement, Section 9, we may immediately issue a warning, temporarily suspend, indefinitely suspend or terminate your membership and refuse to provide our services to you if we believe that your actions may cause financial loss or legal liability for you, our users or us. We may also take these actions if we are unable to verify or authenticate any information you provide to us.
Due to the suspension of this account, please be advised you are prohibited from using PayPal in any way. This includes the registering of a new account.
The fastest and the most efficient way of becoming unsuspended is by clicking on the link below, login into your account and provide us additional information.
[Link removed from here]
Please note that any seller fees due to PayPal will immediately become due and payable. PayPal will charge any amounts you have not previously disputed to the billing method currently on file."
I'm suspicious that these are probably scam e-mails for three reasons. Firstly, they sent me three of them - is PayPal really likely to do that if my account were suspended for whatever reason? Secondly, they were filed by Hotmail as Junk Mail, and that's often fairly accurate. And thirdly, and probably conclusively, I don't have a PayPal account.
It'd be funny if it wasn't for the fact there are probably people out there who don't have the above hints and fall for it. |
|
|
| Finally. Finally! |
[Jun. 30th, 2006|04:26 pm] |
Now it's over. About time too.
STEP 3 was cruel and a bit harder than I expected from looking at practice papers, but I think I did reasonably well on it. An S (highest grade) is almost certainly out of my reach, but I think I've got a fair chance of a 1 (second highest grade, and the grade I was asked for by Cambridge).
STEP 2, this morning, which is supposed to be easier. It was sadistic, or at least I found it that way. Possibly I just tried to answer the wrong questions (I decided to be a little more varied and give the mechanics and stats sections a go instead of just Pure, and payed the penalty) but I completed less questions, and I'm less satisfied with the answers, than the STEP 3. 1 if I'm very lucky, 2 is more likely. 3's about conceivable as well, but I really hope the few good answers are enough to keep me away from there. I'm glad I'm not depending on them though.
Of course, if I get the 2,1 I reckon I've got it raises a question...namely, would I have got into Cambridge anyway? Assuming I'd received the same results anyway, it's possible that they'd accept me anyway (having asked for a 1,1), especially as the STEP 3 grade is the one that's on target. But then again, they'd be under no compulsion to as I hadn't actually fulfilled the terms of the offer.
And regardless, there's the question of if I'd have got the same results had I accepted the offer - there's always a vague chance I might have done some actual work towards it before this week and done better anyway...
Ah, no matter. Academic. |
|
|
| STEP 3 |
[Jun. 27th, 2006|10:11 pm] |
Woo! Just solved a vicious STEP 3 question involving sums to infinity of arctan identities proved by induction. Nothing like the satisfaction you get from doing something like that. Absolutely nothing.
It's only slightly ruined by the fact I couldn't actually solve the very first part of the question and had to use the given result instead. It was a stupid bit anyway, and I don't think I'd get marked down too much for missing it out.
Oh, and for reference James (as I'm guessing you'd ask otherwise), it was June '02, Q2. |
|
|
| navigation |
| [ |
viewing |
| |
most recent entries |
] |
| [ |
go |
| |
earlier |
] |
| |
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
leonardquirm's journal