Driver's Guide To The Universe

I wanted to post more about the wonderful Crete where I have taken half of my vacation, alas, I got hit with too much work. Just to catch up on LJ to the current day is somewhat difficult, even though I do not think my flist is very big.

So, to relax one of my very wonderful colleagues has organised us tickets to a Fantastic Four extravaganza. The first movie and the preview of the second film coming out tomorrow today. I have to say, it was far better then I thought, having being slightly disappointed  by the first instalment, the second was a more fluent story. Short aside: I never found him hot before, but Chris Evans is hot in this movie, I mean 2 years a difference in a man's face makes.

In other news, I am now in a market to buy a media laptop, and before the movie, one of my gaming guru colleagues came with me to advise on the Graphics card. First stop - Electric City where half our guys bought their gaming laptops and what a disappointment! They primarily had Packard Bells, mainly low to medium office stuff, including their so-called media range.When we asked  about the Acer Aspire (the laptop I was hoping to get) he made a face and assured us that Acers are nothing but trouble, and Packard Bell are the best of the lot. Excuse me!!! Who the frell are you trying to fool? I did Packard Bell support, they take the most cheapest badly manufactured hardware from those little factories in Taiwan, assemble it all together and sell it under the brand. Within a few months, everything goes wrong. And you are trying to pull wool over people who have over 20 years of IT hardware experience between them. Sheesh!

No such luck at another shop, a computer chain store - Merlin. Fortunately, the biggest chain store, Fona had one Acer (higher end Aspire range) and they said that they are getting more at the end of the week.  I am dreadfully impressed with the Toshiba Satellite range and those Fujitsu-Siemens Amilios pack quite a punch. I do think that Acer Aspire is till my best bet due to my colleagues having such good luck with it. I might even look at the HP Pavillions, but HP is more expensive just because of the established brand.

So the search continues, since the price for the Aspire 9810 is a bit high (14000DKK) and it is a bit bulky to carry around to friend's LANs or just fit into the allocated space at home. Any suggestions?

I have to admit I have been spoiling myself rather shamelessly these last couple of weeks. Buying things because I like them and can afford them (reasonably with a 6-months interest-free accounts) the only drain on my resources being the replacement of front and rear brake pads, but after 30 000 km driving in bad traffic it is to be expected.

 

Today, was my mother's birthday. Since I've been feeling very girlish lately and the fact I love baking, helped make a lot of things and like the Italian cook from the commercial left for the day. Why? One of the couples that my Mom had invited for her birthday are not my favourites since the husband was very insulting to me on my birthday a while back, therefore everytime I know they are coming, I try to get out of the house for my parents' sakes.

 

So more spoiling of myself with things that I know I can wait for but got them anyway. So I started off by buying the "Collapse" by Jared Diamond, in the book he is trying to explain why some civilizations have collapsed while others survived. This was followed by a handmade wooden bookmark made out of Iron-wood with a small lion outline carved in the bookmark itself.

All right, I enjoyed the "Mission Impossible 3", mainly because I lowered my expectations. I mean I watch it for the purv factor of Tom Cruise, Billy Crudup and don't forget Mr Rhys-Meyer. I love the action, the sleekness of the special effects and the improbable but well-worked "missions". One of those movies where your mind switches off and your eyes feast. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that the "Memoirs of a Geisha" is out. Anyone keen to watch the screen version of the book? Please let me know if you want to come this weekend.

Had to drop by "Look and Listen" to buy my favourite band's new album, "Songs from Black Mountain" by Live, it is a very mature album and though I prefer the music from the previous album, "Birds of Pray" the lyrics on the new album are far more insightful and spiritual without being condescending. Especially tracks 4 (Short) and 6 (Sophia) which make you share the experience with the singer.

Finishing off with a nice tall cuppa Java in the Seattle coffeeshop I went back home to discover that all the guests have left and there was little cleaning to be done. Although I have missed watching this week's episode of "Charlie Jade" I'll catch up tomorrow, the series is very unusual but interesting.

I should also mention yesterday's spoiling by picking up my call order at the "Outer Limits". After having a long profound, yet to a comic novice, cryptic conversation I also indulged myself in new dice. Here I have to confess to a comic crush of mine, one Mr Ian Nottingham - assassin extraordionaire and a man  whom I want to be reincarnated in real life for a weekend to be my erm...willing assistant. The only man I do not mind sharing with detective Sara Pezzini. See the cover here and you'll know what I mean.

All in all, I feel this kind of spoiling is essential once in a while, to be able to stop worrying about this and that and just enjoy good ol'e retail therapy. Especially when typing about it later on on a new keyboard:)

P.S. When reading through "Figments of reality" by Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen stumbled across the philosophy of "solipsism" . The writers were fairly dismissive of the concept and I tend to agree with them, although from a purely "novelty" POV it does look intriguing. Anyone else come across it before?