I've been mulling over the absence of news, which still seems to upset the adrenaline junkies amongst you, and wondering what I could write about. In the end I decided to ask you if any of the ideas that have occurred to me would be of interest.
Today, for example, I've spent researching various technical things which interest me. I may have mentioned to some of you that it appalls me that computers which are thousands of times more powerful than when I started in the profession should run so slowly because of the sheer inefficiency of modern software. A lot of this is down to $icrosfoft and Windoze. I have been looking for a suitable alternative, preferably free, and have settled on something called Ubuntu. The software it is descended from was invented by a Finn called Linus Torvalds in the 60's. He has since been named as one of the top 100 Finns ever - can anyone (apart from George Marshall) name any of the remaining 99? :-)
Along the way I've had to look into various technical details, such as how to create 'virtual' CD/DVD drives, which run hundreds of times faster than real ones; and how to store the large number of passwords and account details which I've stored on your behalf when rebuilding your systems - let's face it, most of you don't know them!
Now I can accept that such stuff is way too geeky for normal folk, so I wonder if instead you might be interested in something like using an alternative browser to Internet Explorer. I use Firefox for the most part, because it's quick, reasonably secure, and can be customised in all sorts of ways to suit my way of working. For example, I can block all pop-ups and unwanted adverts, automatically delete my browser trail at the end of a session, and add features that I find useful. One that I'm experimenting with at the moment is Stumbleupon, which lets me set my areas of interest, and then compare the sites I've found useful (or not) with those of others who share the same interests. It looks like a great way of harnessing the help of lots of people to help me with my research!
If neither of these are interesting, I may have to fall back on telling you how I am. To be honest, I'm a bit down at the moment. I think this is because we seem to have run out of treatment options. Up to now life has been one long round of appointments, treatments, and waiting to see whether or not the cancer responds. We now know that nothing out there has any effect, which is both a relief - chemotherapy and radiotherapy are not in the least enjoyable - but also rather dispiriting. Having said that, today we have decided to ask for a referral to the Exeter Pain Clinic, which is easier to get to than Bristol; and to have a few of the more irritating scalp lesions removed for the sake of comfort.
On one level, I'm not unhappy about the situation; I'm confident my immortal soul is in Good Hands. On a human level however, I worry about my nearest and dearest, and the group of friends that we have come to value during our time in Dalwood.
So there you have it - a choice between the absurdly irrelevant stuff with which I choose to distract myself, or the very un-British practice of being open about one's thoughts and feelings. If neither of these appeal, other ideas are welcome!
Today, for example, I've spent researching various technical things which interest me. I may have mentioned to some of you that it appalls me that computers which are thousands of times more powerful than when I started in the profession should run so slowly because of the sheer inefficiency of modern software. A lot of this is down to $icrosfoft and Windoze. I have been looking for a suitable alternative, preferably free, and have settled on something called Ubuntu. The software it is descended from was invented by a Finn called Linus Torvalds in the 60's. He has since been named as one of the top 100 Finns ever - can anyone (apart from George Marshall) name any of the remaining 99? :-)
Along the way I've had to look into various technical details, such as how to create 'virtual' CD/DVD drives, which run hundreds of times faster than real ones; and how to store the large number of passwords and account details which I've stored on your behalf when rebuilding your systems - let's face it, most of you don't know them!
Now I can accept that such stuff is way too geeky for normal folk, so I wonder if instead you might be interested in something like using an alternative browser to Internet Explorer. I use Firefox for the most part, because it's quick, reasonably secure, and can be customised in all sorts of ways to suit my way of working. For example, I can block all pop-ups and unwanted adverts, automatically delete my browser trail at the end of a session, and add features that I find useful. One that I'm experimenting with at the moment is Stumbleupon, which lets me set my areas of interest, and then compare the sites I've found useful (or not) with those of others who share the same interests. It looks like a great way of harnessing the help of lots of people to help me with my research!
If neither of these are interesting, I may have to fall back on telling you how I am. To be honest, I'm a bit down at the moment. I think this is because we seem to have run out of treatment options. Up to now life has been one long round of appointments, treatments, and waiting to see whether or not the cancer responds. We now know that nothing out there has any effect, which is both a relief - chemotherapy and radiotherapy are not in the least enjoyable - but also rather dispiriting. Having said that, today we have decided to ask for a referral to the Exeter Pain Clinic, which is easier to get to than Bristol; and to have a few of the more irritating scalp lesions removed for the sake of comfort.
On one level, I'm not unhappy about the situation; I'm confident my immortal soul is in Good Hands. On a human level however, I worry about my nearest and dearest, and the group of friends that we have come to value during our time in Dalwood.
So there you have it - a choice between the absurdly irrelevant stuff with which I choose to distract myself, or the very un-British practice of being open about one's thoughts and feelings. If neither of these appeal, other ideas are welcome!
FINNS ?? what am i supposed to know about FINNS, for goodness sake?...FILMS..maybe...but FINNS ??
ReplyDelete(oh - wait - i do recall runners called nurmi and viren...oh and then there's the footballers hyypia, forsell....oh and those motoring blokes hakkinen and gronholm..and of course the movie director renee harlin............oh dear, how sad is this ?)
as for the tech stuff, i already have firefox but cant seem to find the time to get going with it...but be very handy to cover my browsing tracks every time then no-one will discover my obsession with SCCC. i will have another look at it.
using the african tribe with the finnish connections (btw id never heard of torvalds, so some comfort there) sounds like a good plan and id be happy to give it a go on the laptop.
i have always felt that being “british” about emotional matters is a bit over-rated and i reckon your blog manages a most admirable (and affecting) confluence of the truly tough “real-life” road you are travelling and the “absurdly irrelevant” which, lets face it, we all allow to distract us most of the time!
every possible best wish
gm.m.
There's always one - in this case I knew which one it would be before I posted!
ReplyDeleteFor Firefox, see Tools, Clear Private Data for a one-off Clear, or go to Tools, Options, Privacy and set the appropriate options for each session.
Sibelius?
ReplyDeleteSimon (Book group)