Imaginary bypass?

According to the AA traffic news website:

"A52 - Roadworks between Grantham Bypass and Sedgebrook in Westbound direction."

I wasn't aware that Grantham was bypassed on the A52. Unless they mean the A1 bypass at Barrowby. Although according to most maps, Barrowby (the second largest village in south lincs) doesn't exist... which rather annoys me, having grown up there!

Window shopping

Blimey... where has the last week gone? I can't believe it's been 6 days since I last wrote anything. Ok, let's play catch-up.

Last Wednesday was the Sound Broadcast Equipment Show at the NEC in Birmingham. A chance for Andy, Duncan, Paul Walker, Shelagh, and I to have a day on expenses, and look at some nice new kit with which to rebuild the studio.

Initially, we had a look at the dream system that Duncan has been going on about for the last few weeks, Clyde's Synergy digital mixer. Ok, it looked kind of pretty, but it has a price tag to suit, and as we discovered throughout the day, there are other bit of kit that can do the same job. For example, take Brian Barr's BCX3, coupled with D&R's Lyra mixer. For a third of the cost, you have a roughly comparible system.

Other than the kit, we also bumped into loads of people that we knew from the world of broadcasting. All in all, it was a grand day out. Spent the evening editing together some production work that was on the work list, and it ended up being a very long day indeed.

I had told Shelagh that I'd take her furnature shopping on Thursday, but my current financial situation is getting rather dire. My end of month balance is usually quite low, but this month it's even lower than usual, and it's ringing alarm bells, especially with Christmas coming up, and I haven't started shopping yet! We spent the day shuffling money around accounts, paying a few bills, stopping a few direct debits, and then spending more money in Big W - ended up buying the new Harry Potter DVD, which resulted in us spending the afternoon watching it, rather than trying to suspend our gym membership. We haven't been to the gym for several weeks now - at least not since we've been on holiday, which probably means we haven't been at all during November. I might make an effort to go tonight if I'm not really needed at the studio.

Friday was just a blur of work, which is why I didn't write anything here. I had things from last Tuesday to fix, which I think I managed, but I really need to get my current project finished in the next day or two, so I can move on to something else, otherwise it'll drag on for ever more.

I spent all Saturday at the studio, training, and getting a start on the RS latch that I was supposed to be building for the guest headphone routing. Also had a look at the record library, and sorted another 200 tracks out.

Sunday morning was spent playing the organ at St Giles - and oddly enough, the service was rushed along somewhat, not that it bothers me much. Another trip to Big W for birthday cards, and the weekly shopping over lunch time, before I went on a trip to Lincoln with Andy to buy some TFT monitors for the studio.

...which brings us to this morning. An early start this morning to take Shelagh to work before my long expected visit to the dentist. I hate dentists at the best of times. These are not the best of times. I'm going to have to have several more visits over the coming months to sort out the broken tooth, and other problems that are developing. All of this is going to cost me some more money that I don't have. It also meant that I started work 90 minutes laters today, which means I'm not going to have a lunch hour for the next couple of days.

Weekend grunge

It's been a while since I've written anything, but I've been busy... honest.

Last Thursday evening saw the first snow of the winter, which took me a little by surprise, as it started snowing some time after I got home from work, and just before I set off for Lincoln. It had been raining all day, and Dave had tipped me off that it was snowing in Mansfield at about 17:15. It didn't settle too much, but it was enough to make my journey a little slower than usual.

Friday was just sunny and cold, and I don't really remember much else about it. Choir practise was cancelled, so I spent the evening at the radio station trying to get the Linux box working.

Saturday morning was yet another training session at the radio station. Stuart's third session. I left him to have a play, while I listened from the rack, and continued to battle with the Linux box. No, I can't get it to work the way I want it to. Might have to get some help with that.

In the afternoon, Shelagh and I went down to Loughborough for a mini IRC meet to see Mit and UKGamer. Seems that Mit might be able to help me with the Linux problem if I can catch him online at the right sort of time. Spent the afternoon in the union bar, and eating pizza, and slightly geeking out.

Sunday was fairly relaxing. After the usual organ playing in the morning, I spent the afternoon and evening with my parents. Spent the late evening scanning a book for Lucy, and working on the Boundary Sound library during scans.

Monday went all wrong from the word go. I got up a little later than I intended, as I had some ironing to do. I felt all listless, and rather off colour, but putting it down to Monday grunge, battled on to work, as that sort of thing normally wears off. Sadly, it didn't. By lunch time I had a banging headache, and really was off colour, so I went home sick. Spent the afternoon laying on my bed listening to the radio (Chris Hubbard reading the news on Saga FM - now that's weird). After a snooze and some pain killers, I managed to regain some sort of form, and spent another evening at the radio station, training Howard this time. I've had a few sessions with Howard on the technical front, but this was his first presenter session, so I went through voice coaching with him. I'm really no good at that, so I'm going to have to try to get someone in to talk to everyone. I contacted Chris to see if he'd come and do a talk - but the problem is finding a date when we're both free.

Getting weird... or wired?

Yesterday was just very very odd. It started out normal enough, although I'd admit to running a little late in the morning, but things got weird when a programming meeting was called shortly after midday. This finished at about 14:10, so I took a late 50 minute lunch, and started drinking regular tea, rather than fruit tea. And that just set the pattern for the afternoon. By the time I went home, I could feel another anxiety attack coming on. Whether it's work that worrying me or the caffeine, I'm not sure.

We declared the gents' toilet "dead". It's been difficult to flush for a while now, and the smell from the leak is getting worse. Called in a plumber for today to do something about it - even replace the toilet.

Last night I had a couple of training sessions booked for the Boundary Sound studio. Gave Stuart his second session... his next will be his first demo I think. Paul Walker then did a couple of hours, while Andy, Duncan, and I sat in the pub to sort out how many adverts we need to sell.

Priory FM stared RSL 14 at midnight last night. Once again, I'm not broadcasting with them, which doesn't really bother me that much - I've got enough other things on at the moment anyway.

Coping... I think

I can't remember why I didn't post anything on Friday. Must have been busy with work, or something like that. Actually, there is a mounting pile of things for me to be doing at work, and I do remember drinking a large amount of fruit tea on Friday morning.

I've also completely failed to go to the gym in the last week, so I'm going to have to get a few visits in this week, and try to get my length count back up, because I guess that 28 will probably kill me. I'll just see how I manage, I guess.

I spent Friday evening back at the radio studio, cleaning a couple more faders, fixed a couple of CD caddies, and installing the new presenter microphone. This was further enhanced on Saturday afternoon, when Andy finally laid the carpet in the studio anti-room. This forced me to unplug lots of kit from the rack, and re-wire it all. At least all the cabling out there is now nice and tidy. We had a curry on Saturday evening to celebrate.

Saturday morning was spent ringing a peal. I think the link says all that needs saying.

Sunday morning was all taken up playing the organ for 2 services. I'd forgotten it was rememberance Sunday. I took on a little housework during the afternoon, and lay on my bed in a little pool of sunlight for a while, before going to the studio to tain Stuart Graham... his first session in the studio, uneventful, but useful. I also managed to put a new network card in the linux machine I'm building, but didn't get as far as setting it up. Then at the end of the evening, I forgot to shut it down before I turned off the power in the studio - I'd forgotten I'd not powered it from the rack supplies. Oh well. It'll survive.

...and all this while Shelagh has been working abroad. Somehow managed not to starve to death either!

Shock in the post?

Bearing in mind how many radio stations I'm involved with, etc, you can imagine how I felt when I found an Ofcom envelope with "Radio Licence Information" printed on it, and my address hand written. Eek! Turns out to be a renewal notice for my ham licence, which expires next month. Not that I've been doing anything wrong on the old wireless front, but the last week's logs of the Boundary Sound RSL are still "current", and although I'm not the licensee, my name (and address) was still on the validation document, as a person authorised to shut down the station.

Shelagh left this lunch time for her German expedition, so 5 days of looking after myself, and wild parties. Well maybe not the wild parties.

I intended to go swimming again this morning, but I was late getting home last night, having spent a couple of hours talking to Anne Bland, which was nice (a mug of coffee goes a long way with me). I probably won't feel like it tomorrow morning either - Friday mornings are always a bit "morning after" for me, but we'll see... I haven't been swimming since last Thursday when I was on holiday.

Talking of holiday, I've got a couple of days off later in the month for the SBES in Birmingham, and after that Christmas eve is on my holiday list. That leaves me one day yet to book. I'm thinking of some time around the 8th December...

Application Software

No, I refuse to believe that here in the office, we're having a conversation about toilet paper, calling it "application software". I do however feel that use of a debugging tool or two might help a bit, as there appears to be a puddle of output error building behind the central processing unit (and it's getting wiffy in there), and the function key is sometimes a little reluctant to work.

Now that I've started at the "bog standard" level, things can't get much worse...

I've been battling with the Boundary Sound computer network (or notwerk, as I've started calling it) for a few days to try to make the network browsing work. In a last ditch attempt, I've started to install NetBEUI on all the machines. Seems to be working too. I upgraded the WEP to 128bit last night, and set up a whole bunch of new keys, and changed a whole load of passwords to tie things down a bit.

Made up a new remote control line for the TBU with Howard last night, but had trouble making the TBU work. Turns out that the cable between the phone point and the TBU is on the blink. I'll have to make up a new RJ11 terminated cable for that. Still no news on the plugs for the CD remotes. Still need to finish servicing the faders, and get the domain server sorted (need a network card for that machine). The studio is turning in to engineering central :-/

...all this, and things are getting very busy at work - a case of fighting fires - as soon as I write a section of code, I discover several more that need to be written. We all eat shit sandwiches, just some of us take bigger bites than others.

Holiday

Yes, I know it's been 12 days since I last wrote anything but when you're as busy as I've been, there really isn't time.

Around Thursday 28th October, work as getting quite busy with a few problems that had emerged with the server software I was writing... all to do with supporting UNCs as well as DOS paths. Such a pain. Still haven't been able to fix it - can make the foundation classes work for some reason.

Friday was the start of a crazy three days of hospital radio conference in Stoke-on-Trent. Managed to get some worthwhile visits to BBC Radio Stoke, and Hospital Radio Stafford. Then I got drunk, ate lots, and talked about rubbish until stupid o'clock. Normal conference really.

Got home on Sunday, having bought a load of stuff for studio building. Remind me never to carry reels of cable on the train.

Monday was the start of my annual Center Parcs holiday. So much to do and enjoy, midweek fireworks, Italian food, swimming, etc. The highlight for me was a Shiatsu back massage on Thursday to sort out the various Ki imbalances that have developed over the last year. Actually, I've felt better over the last year than I did last year. I topped Thursday off with an Indian with Shelagh. It was a shame that Friday had to come really.

Saturday was just as busy, as Shelagh's parents came to visit as we were taking part in the WRG bonfire bash on the Grantham canal. Spent the day pulling up trees, and clearing the canal, before spending the evening talking and eating real navvie food. Ended up buying a WRG calander, and a red t-shirt.

Finally, I spent yesterday doing some more engineering work at Boundary Sound. Lots of bits that need building, and I still need some plugs to get the remotes working. Took one of the newly acquired machines to become a domain controller, but found that I couldn't get Suse to install on it, so I had to settle for Redhat 9.1. Looks like the date of the next broadcast is to be put back by a couple of weeks... give us a chance to sort a few things out!