Musical Monday #94 - Club Can't Handle Me

It's not often that yours truly posts a recent song, let alone a song that has only just come out.  However, where Kellie has been down in Devon this week, I've been flitting and farting all over the place, and ended up in the 0dd Sisters lounge on a couple of occasions.

If the girls aren't watching TV, then usually one music channel or another is on.  When I was on the phone to her one morning, she asked me to wait while she and the girls danced to a song.  Fair enough.  Then when I got there, it came on again, and it was quite catchy - Tam enjoyed it too.

Now, it's sort of following me.  Whenever I get in Gemma or Petes car, it comes on the radio.  And now I'm addicted to it.  Love the beat, love the song in general!

Flo Rida - Club Can't Handle Me


And yes, it IS now Monday and I am posting a song on the correct day. Go me :D

Musical Monday #93 - I Want To Be A Hippy

OK, more often than not when I get a Musical Monday "Ooooh You Should Do THIS Song" I tend to ignore them.  Mostly, I've A) Never heard of what they are suggestion, or B) It's such an awful song I can't bare to do it.

However, last week, The Sween suggested I do a song following the theme from Awful Music from the 90s, and his suggestion is a doozy.

The funny thing is, Technohead - I Want To Be A Hippy was one of those songs that I honestly cannot remember if I liked or hated.  NOW I think it's... well, actually I don't know.  When it started I thought "Oh my crap it was THIS bad?!" and then a short time later, I found myself tapping my foot and remembering that yes it WAS this bad, but it was one of those songs you couldn't help listen to.

I'm pretty certain that most of you will hate it, but while I umm'd and arr'd I decided it did in fact need posting!

Google Chrome: Is It Just Me?

Being that I am a techy-geeky-sort, I often play with new technology, either to see what it can do, because I'm interested, because it's hyped or because something about it caught my eye.

I am a devout user of Mozilla Firefox.  Have been for several years, and usually when I install a new system, the first thing I do is download and install it so I don't have to use Internet Explorer.  However, being that I use several Google products (Earth, Reader, Gmail, Blogger) I often see these sites or programs suggesting I try Chrome.

Now, when it first came out, I downloaded it and had a play.  Being that it was new software, it didn't really do all the things I wanted it to do.  No, correction.  It wasn't Firefox with all it's fancy extensions/add-ons, and I didn't like it.  Mainly, I didn't like having to see Ads, and I didn't like not having Mouse Gestures.

Never mind, I thought, they'll come with time.

A while later, I heard there was an adblocker for Chrome, downloaded, installed and hunted down the adblocker.  Turns out it was a third party program, and being that I hate clutter and like things neat and tidy, it annoyed me too much.  And the Mouse Gesture addon wasn't customisable, and used different gestures.  So I again removed it.

A couple of weeks ago, I read that Adblock - the extension I use on Firefox - was now on Chrome.  Excellent stuff.  And, even better, there was a customisable mouse gesture addon.  So, I downloaded, installed the browser and the addons, and off I went.

I spend a LOT of time on the internet.  If I am on my laptop, invariably, I am on the net.  Even if I am watching a movie or something, I've got my email open.  Even if I am playing a game, I am flicking to my mail or whatever.  I switched my default browser to Chrome so I didn't cheat while playing around online.

It IS quite good.  I don't believe it's faster - or, at least, noticeably faster - than Firefox, regardless of bench tests done by proper tech people.  A few microseconds here, or half a second there is just not noticeable to normal people.  The options windows are limited, and while I often like to go into Option Menus and fiddle till I break something, there just isn't that much to fiddle with.  OK, so minimal is good for some, but I like to customise as much as I can.  I hate the download bar across the entire width of the window, and hate even more that it sits there until you shoot it in the face.

The Adblock extension is quite handy, but for some reason, I find myself seeing ads that I just don't see on Firefox.  I don't know if Chrome processes them differently, or if it's just not exactly the same as the Firefox version, but it's irritating.

Those of you on Blogger, I don't know if you've seen these, but when you publish a post, on the right of the screen you'll get some reference to Chrome... Blog Faster, Blog Side by Side, do this, do that.  Well, I've tried these, and honestly, I can't tell a difference.

I can't tell you exactly what it is that is annoying me so much with Chrome, only that it IS annoying me.  For some reason, I also couldn't copy & paste from one tab to another. NO idea if that was a bug, or something I had somehow triggered with changing options, but I don't get it.  And the spell checker also seemed very hit-and-miss for me.  I'd see a word underlined in red, right click it, select the word I wanted and... The whole word vanished.  Very strange.

It got to the point where I had to open Firefox in order to do what I wanted to do.  When I went from Opera to Firefox, I switched and never went back.  When I went from Internet Explorer to Opera, again, I switched and never went back.  This is my third attempt at using Chrome, and it just seems like we're destined to not get on.  Even when I got Chrome to pretty much how I wanted it, I still had to resort to opening Firefox...

Who knows, in the coming days/weeks/months/years, it might get to a point where it IS better than Firefox, works better and does more things, but until then, Firefox is my favourite , and will remain installed and used and a regular basis.

Migraines...

I am a migraine suffer.  Most people know this, some have even seen me when I am suffering.  For the last couple of years, I've noticed they've been somewhat less and less, but in recent months, they are definitely making a come-back.

Usually I know when they are coming on - sometimes I can have a couple of days notice.  I can feel them building, and the sure-fire way to tell, is the stench that my brain tells me I am smelling.  Excrement, no less.  The aroma of shite.  THAT'S how I know they are coming.

Yesterday afternoon, I kept catching the smell, and despite knowing what it was, I still tried looking for the source.  Both kids confirmed there was no gross smell in the room - nor in every room I walked into.  I drank a load of water just in case it was a touch of being dehydrated, and went to bed hoping that it's pass over night.

It didn't.

I woke up this morning with the left side of my brain feeling like it was trying to push out the side of my skull.  Great, I thought.  I was hoping to take the kids up to Langdon Hills for the day, but that plan soon evaporated.  Luckily, I'd not told the kids we were going out - I told them today was a lazy day.

I tried to focus on other things, listening to music, watching a DVD with Tam, but it built and built until the sweats and the shakes started.  I resorted to my Sumatriptain, my anti-migraine medication, but it didn't even remove the nausea.  I felt like hell.

I took a couple of Paracetamol & Codeine, and flopped on the sofa, where I promptly passed out.  The kids have seen me like this before, I told Jaysen what was going on, and he put on his "I'm In Charge" mantle.

An hour later, I was in the loo being sick as a dog.  It was all I could do to walk back into the lounge, collapse on the sofa and pass out again.

Next thing I know, it's nearly four in the afternoon, the kids are sat eating Ham Sandwiches and watching a DVD.  The headache is still there, but now it's just a headache and nothing else.  My stomach feels all hollow from being sick, and I feel quite woozy from having not eaten today, but the thought of food is not that appealing at the moment.  Both kids are so good for me when I'm poorly.  They're quite, they don't run around shouting, they don't do noisy things, they literally sit near me and entertain themselves.

Though, I HAVE noticed a pile of glitter on the back door step... Wonder where else it might be!

So, that's my fun-packed day so far.  If anyone knows of any decent meds to fight migraines, I am open to suggestions.  I've been on Sumatriptain which should stop them building, and if not, they should reduce the effects.  No joy with them any more.  I've been on Atenolol which is a blood pressure medicine, which is to try stop them happening altogether, but still no joy.  Paracetamol & Codeine (Cocodamol) don't really do a lot either, but then, they're for my back and legs.

Suggestions please!

Gravity. It Works

This picture captures a very rare moment in the world. This is the moment that yours truely confirmed the existence of gravity.

See, today, Gemma, me and the girls went to North Weald Nature Reserve. We walked through forests, over hills, around lakes, through meadows...

Of course, the Forest area contained lots of very large trees. Trees that my 12 year old self love to climb, and being that I am still actually 12 I decided I'd climb one. It was a very large old oak, with lots of hand-and-foot holds.

Easy Peasy.

So, up I jumped, ready to scale it. Not sure if I was going UP or if I was just going to go around it. At about thirty feet off the ground (or, maybe three) Gemma shouted up, carefuly you don't fall backwards.

I may have Pfft'd her words, but at that very moment there was an ominous CRACK from my hand hold. Gravity tried to do it's thing, and I tried to find another hand-hold.

There wasn't one.

With my feet FIRMLY planted on the tree, I toppled backwards. Somehow - being that I am the most dexterous man alive - I managed to flip around in mid-air, and landed in the THANKFULLY soft undergrowth. On my knee.

However, such was my momentum, that I physically bounced off the ground, flipped again, and ended my stunt facing the sky through the canopy.

Me and Gemma were absolutly wetting ourselves with laughter. How she didn't piss her pants I don't know. It was all I could do to get up while laughing so hard. Gemma had mascara running down her face, I had tears streaming... The girls thought we were crying!

Anyway, despite everything, I was ok... Bust a gut laughing mind, and my knee is a bit sore but I'll survive.

Thank f$ck she wasn't filming it...

Nothing To See...

There was no post here for a few moments... Nothing appeared...

You saw nothing...

Nothing...

If you DID see something, oops, my bad.  Did you know CTRL+P is Publish on Blogger.  No, I didn't either.  I tried to hit CTRL+I for italic but clearly slipped.  Doh!

If you DID NOT see something here... *ahem* I win ;)

What To Do...

So I have an issue.  No, not that one.  Nor that.  No.. Look, shuddup.

I have my name as a domain - www.DanEnglish.co.uk - and have done for a while now, but I am stuck slightly.  Stuck, in that I don't know what to do with it.  I was considering setting it to divert to the blog as well, but that...  I don't know, 0ddness is 0ddness, and diverting to domain names to it (assuming you even can!) just seems greedy!

Of course, the next issue I have is what to do with it... No point in starting another blog - 0ddness has that covered - but then, I'm not sure what else to do.  I don't take enough pictures to create a Tumblr or Flickr stream, I don't know enough to do something useful - while I can offer general help to people, I don't think I can make a site out of it.  There's only so much antivirus/antimalware/Windows Advice I can offer... So other than that, I'm not sure what to do with it...

Hopefully one day, I'll use it for something like a business or similar.  NO idea what I'd do with it or how I'd use it, but none the less, I'm glad I own it.  Just wish I knew what to do with it ;)

Stealth Ninja Attack

So there I was, minding my own business when she struck. Little blonde ninja hiding in the trees. Not sure who I had offended, what feet I'd stepped on, or which criminal syndicate I had annoyed, but they sent their best...

I could tell she was a professional, after leaping from her spot in the tree, she went straight for the throat. Her hands might have been tiny, but damn was she strong, clutching me by the windpipe and trying to choke the life from me. The battle was very rough. Small children were screaming, women were crying, dogs were howling. Sad to say, the little blonde ninja assassin killed me in the park.

Of course, being a professional hired ninja assassin has its drawbacks. After murdering me, she went back to her hideout, had some lunch and promptly flaked out. So alert are the ninja, that they sleep sitting upright leaning against a footrest.

I could have taken her. Were she a bit shorter.

And weaker.

Musical Mon-Tuesday #92 - Saturday Night

Ahh the heading days of the early nineties.  When you could "write a song" if you could press a button to a certain rhythm, save it then just repeat it over and over.  Hell, I could have done it...

OK, maybe not.  I have the rhythm of a epileptic possum on a power line.  But none the less, this music was the bane of  the nineties.

However.  I have to admit that I did like this music.  I was a techno-head.  OK, granted, I was also a metal-head and a rocker, but I liked this too.  Dance, Trance, Rave...  All good stuff.

Everyone dance!

Mortified

mor·ti·fy   
–verb (used with object)
1. to humiliate or shame, as by injury to one's pride or self-respect.
Also, Mortified

Today in Asda, I experienced being Mortified.  As a rule, I don't like attention, I don't like doing silly things in front of people, and especially, I don't like attention because of silly things I do in front of people I don't know.

Today, however, was THAT day.

Jaysen is at Summer School, so me and Tam toddled into town and did some shopping.  Everything was going fine and dandy, right up to THAT POINT.  That Point was, in case you're interested, the moment I put a large bottle of blue bubble bath into the shopping trolley.

Being as how I forgot my shopping list again, I was aimlessly wandering up and down the aisles, looking for things I needed.  Smellies Section, Deodrant.  Hair Section, Shampoo.  Veg section, Salad bits. Fruit Section, apples and bananas...

"DADDY!" exclaimed Tamsyn, pointing at the front of the trolley while I was deciding on my apples.  Gala vs. Pink Lady... Choices choices...

I look to see what Peanut is pointing at, and see the pretty blue drool hanging from the trolley.  Down the front of it, over the wheels, into a nice pool where I've sat parked.  Oops.  "Asda Aces (Cleaners) To Aisle 10..." comes over the PA system.  I look up, and see I am in number seven.  I look behind me and see the trail of blue blobs, a testament to the route I have taken.

Oh please no...

A member of staff sees my trolley bleeding blue blood, and grabs some wads of tissues and helps me clean my pool.  "Asda Aces to Aisle 9.." echoes around me.  "I think that's you!" says the lady helping me.  A few minutes pass, people are passing me muttering about not being able to get to where they need to get.  Asda Aces to Aisle 8..."

Oh please please no no no....

The woman finishes up stemming the bleeding from the trolley, I am apologising profusely, and head away from the scene.  Into what can only be described as a scene of carnage.  Aisles 8, 9 and 10 are closed.  There are people in high vis jackets rushing around with mops, tissues, on their knees wiping and swirling.  "Attention all Asda Aces, please report to Aisle 9.  Machine Cleaner required..."  I look down the aisles, which are all now closed....  Boxes and yellow signs "Cleaning in Progress" blocking both ends, people moaning they need to get this or that...

Oh god please no no bloody no....

THEN someone I know bumps into me.  "Alright Dan, what's happening?"

I shrug and run.  I'm out of that shop SO fast Tam didn't know what was happening.

Then, as we stepped off the bus at my stop, three of my bags ruptured and cascaded my shopping all over the pavement...

I am now not leaving the house for fear of Lynch Mobs.