Joe asks 'Is it me or what?'

Some Things Getting Better

Just to counteract the notion that I'm always moaning about stuff in this blog, two instances of interactions with government departments where they have performed well.

Firstly I needed to renew my two children's passports. Although it was quite expensive we sent off the forms and photographs and received the new ones in about a week, much quicker than has happened previously.

Secondly I needed to change my driving licence from the old paper one to the newer plastic version. Again this took only about a week.

Just to keep with tradition though, one complaint; why is it necessary to carry the paper form along with the plastic licence? Surely nowadays the information regarding endorsements could be stored on the licence and anyone needing this information would be able to access it via a standard card reader?

Plugged By Wrox

I have worked with Jim Minatel at Wiley/Wrox for a number of years. He wrote recently about his fifth anniversary with them. I was pleased to get a mention, my chief regret is that we've never met, if you don't count his point about the weak dollar that is.

I'm in discussions with him at the moment about a new book on a topic I've been interested in for some time. More anon if it comes to fruition.

Power to the People

Obviously someone does read the World's Least-Read Blog.

I wrote about the shortsightedness regarding withdrawal from the Gemini Project in a post recently. Lo and behold those in power have changed their mind and are continuing to pay their subs.

Second Skin Diver Starts Blogging

Competing for the dubious honour of least-read is my friend Ian Payn's new blog.

He was one of original Three Skin Divers quiz team which made no impression in the pub quiz world of London about ten years ago, now occasionally seen on Wandsworth Bridge Road as I wrote about here.

His blog specialises in reviews of less well-known detective fiction, amongst other worthy topics, but his first post contains a reference to someone whose posts concentrate on whingeing, surely he can't mean me?

They got me

I'd seen other people get caught in the five things tagging meme. Now bloggers are getting desperate so I've been hit. For those of you unfamiliar with it you need to write five facts about yourself and ask five others to do the same on their sites.

I got tagged by Nicholas C. Zakas so I'm not going to break the chain.

My five facts are:

• I have played Bridge for England.
• I was born in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, now South Humberside.
• I enjoy eating alone in restaurants.
• I enjoy going to the ballet.
• My brother Stephen is a parish priest.

I'm now going to target the following, four of whom I know have sites or blogs:

• Lorna Williamson, my Microsoft MVP lead
• Eric van der Vlist, a co-author on a couple of books
• Danny Ayers, another author
• Richard York, amongst other things a Wrox author and forum moderator
• David Moysen, an old boss of mine. The only one I've ever had who was more techy than me

Of course like all pyramid schemes the tagging meme will dry up eventually but for once it's fun and there's no underhand motivation.

Oh no, not another blog!

You may well be asking that question and why should I read this one?

I've no idea, I just fancied a place where I could get it all off my chest, perhaps if I write it all down then I won't get so worked up about it and I'll live longer.

Anyway this blog is going to have two main categories of posts, anecdotes and comments on current affairs that strike me as funny, mad, odd etc. and technical posts based on my work and experiences in software development.

If you want to read I'll be delighted, if not I'll never know...