Ah, just in work after a rather lovely weekend with Kate – didn’t actually get up to very much though, got very drunk on Friday night with Germans, recovered Saturday morning, drove to mine, went to dinner, watched films, played games, read books and just generally enjoyed each others company in a quiet way.

So yes, happy and relaxed this morning. I hope you’re all feeling the same…

Ok, I’m still in work, but everyone else has gone home, and I’m alone in the office with Green Day’s American Idiot blasting out of my computer speakers (Harman/Kardon too, so it soudns ace!). Yeah, party on Wayne! (someone must comment “Party on Garth”)

Well, I suppose it’s a good thing they’re not blaming video games or movies for exposing kids to violence, apparently the real culprit is…

Nursery Rhymes

Sometimes, you really do have to worry about the mental states of some people…

Traditionally, I have an orange juice and crisps during my morning break, and latte and flapjack in the afternoon. I decided to stop this in an effort to be a bit more healthy, so now I have mince pie and latte for both. This seems much better.

Photos and write up of Edinburgh to come shortly! I know you’re excited kiddies…

The problem with todays world is that nobody can see anyone anymore. Sure, you’ve got various websites where lots of young men can watch a lady in various states of undress, but in day to day correspondence it’s not quite the same.

Hence the invention of the smilie (or emoticon if you prefer) to show the intent of the words you read on the screen. Can over use of these deaden their meaning though? I tend to put a happy smilie – all over everything I write in IMs or e-mails. Does this bring the image of me smiling to mind every time? Or does it just alter how it sounds in your head? What if you don’t know what I look like, or what I sound like? Does it depend on whether you are a visual or a aural person?

The thing that you can do really well with emoticons/smilies is show that you want a hug. To me, means I am horribly depressed. I don’t know why. You can’t do drooping shoulders online, the quivering lip. The thing that just says “everything is a bit much for me”. It’s a sad thing really, that as people become more and more isolated through every easier ways of communicating, we’re losing a certain closeness that you can share with your fellowing human being. Ho hum…

Back before the US was a country, before the declaration of independence, some people, dressed as native americans, threw boxes of tea into Boston harbour. They believed in no taxation without representation, i.e. they wanted representation in the Houses of Parliament. They didn’t get it, and we all know what happened next.

Now, over 200 years later, the USA is the most powerful country in the world. They can invade other countries on their own and there isn’t much we can do about it. They have a massive effect on every other person on the planet. Do we have a say in who runs this country? No. So I say this, if you are an American and you are reading this (admittedly, unlikely) please, vote for John Kerry.