The Book of Ashes

Dead 3:32AM

A small part of me died this week. It shall never be recovered. Our server has been down since Tuesday and we have only just got it back up. Damian was trying to set up a standard backup system and managed to somehow stuff the boot partition of the drive. Ghost images didn't want to work on other drives but Damian eventually got it working. I was not worried at all (huge sigh of relief)... Damian has advanced a skill level or two in life this past week, he is now guru NT and network guy. We shall all burn incense and errect shall statues to pray to his excellence tonight and for the following days. I have lost a weeks memories from my diary entries though.

Too much has happened to remember it all so I'll just put in the odd facts that I can recall. I brought three books on Thursday, there being a 50% off sale and all at Whitcouls. They were the Lord of the Rings (gotta have that one, even though I've read it), Dune Messiah (a legendary series of books which I wish to collect all of them) and Jack the Bodiless by Julian May (another legendary series depicting a future where mind powers rule). These were all good. I also went and played roller hockey on Thursday with my new stick. This was pretty cool. Gerry has gone skiing for the weekend, lucky her. It is one of my (easier) goals to go skiing and tramping this year. Will have to see what I can do.

Went out last night to the Malthouse. Damian was there with a whole lot of other sales people. They were all smoking and drinking and talking sales and I couldn't do any of those things. I didn't hang around too long. Went out to see Moulin Rouge later on, it is a story of love, enduring forever... of a peniless setah player (don't ask what that is) falling for the beautiful cortasan (spelling?) and their love enduring all. I have decided I am the writer (although the only thing I share in common is the ability to write, I can't sing or express myself like that). It has always been the plan that I would make enough money to be able to live off the interest and then survive as a writer, I have a lot of ideas for books, but not enough time. Anyway I must practise my singing so as to woo the females.

Let me also tell you of a summary page that makes finding us savants much easier. I promised it a while back and now here it is

other 3:44AM

The training continues. I have not drunken any alcohol since my 25th birthday (now 13 days later). Although I had three of those alcohol chocolates on Friday, they are soooo yummy but I don't think they count and am not so worried about actually having a drink, rather on keeping it down to a minimum. But for me once I start something I finish it so starting a nights drinking is not a good idea. I met up with Martin last night to go to the movies and he was pissed as, he was trying to convince me to have just a sip of a shaker shot. I was not to be turned to the dark side so easily. We went movies and he probably doesn't remember this but when the KFC ad for popcorn chicken popped up he yelled out YAY! and raised his arms. Luckily there was only about 6 other people in the theatre, it was pretty funny tho. I have run up the hill probably twice this week. Been slacking off a little but am still noticing improvements.

I am thinking of doing some house work this afternoon and maybe some baking (time for more chocolate chippie biscuits) and I've got a meal to go out to tonight with Damian, Kate and Kate's friends at Satay Malasia. Would be a good oportunity to celebrate but I still don't want to drink.

Ok so I had a few withdrawal sysmptoms this week and had to write down a few ideas in a text file. I'll just paste them here and you can see what you think...

As an image consultant for Ashes Corporation Limited I have learnt a few useful tips in my time. Let me share one or two with you. First timing is everything when aiming for appearance of control in a situtation. Some things that you can do to achieve this are, always time it so that you walk towards a lift door so that it opens as you move towards it, as if in anticipation of your presence. Never start too early or else you will have to pause or wait for the doors to fully open and never leave too late or you will appear slow and not alert. Aim for perfection - your stride towards the doors as they open should never be broken. On this note if you come across other forms of automatic doors you can try some of the following anticipatory actions, click your fingers just before the door begins to open so it looks like the doors open at your command. If you have a small folder or briefcase, lift if from your side and twirl it towards the doors inserting as if a swipe card so that they open allowing you entrance as you push it forwards. This looks pretty cool if you get it sussed right.

One thing that bugs me, and it happens all the time, is the way shop keepers hand me change. They almost always place the notes in your hand then the coins over that. You're then left with a note, stuck under the coins and a wallet in the other hand. You can try sliding the coins off the note and into the coin part of your wallet but this is hazardous and can end up with coins on the floor. Usually I am forced to stuff the lot into the note area and then remove the coins at a later time. Why do they not place the coins first then the notes. Then you can place the notes in the note area while holding the coins and then easily deposit the coins afterwards. Am I the only person who has this problem or is almost every shop vendor useless?

Thirdly I have added survey capability to the site (see the main page) and the missions page has been upgraded a little, it now has a word of the day at the bottom of it. Hope you guys enjoy this stuff, remember the site is always growing so come back often...