Feature Radiators!

I hate writing music. Just like I hate writing. I have the same problem with both, actually – in fact, it’s a problem which, now I think about it, has actually been the thing which has been picked up on in another form in performance reviews at work. Basically, I’m crap at followthrough. I’m can come up with an idea, a technique, a riff, a basis for an article, whatever. And I’ll code it or lay it down or write it up into a paragraph, and be really happy with it.

And then I’ll sit and stare at the screen for a couple of hours, wondering where to go next. Eventually, I’ll give up and go and play Mr Driller 2 or something.

In my last performance evaluation at work, my boss said that I’m technically very competent, and I’m great at coming up with solutions to problems, and coding those solutions; I am, however, utterly terrible at then incorporating those solutions into the main project in such a way that other people can use them or build on them. I get distracted, and whilst the basic implementation of the solution might only take me a day, all the support work needed to make that solution useful can take me five to ten times as long.

I think, basically, I like novelty; once I’ve solved a problem then, well, it’s solved, and I get bored very quickly if I have to continue to work with it once it’s finished. I think this is probably why the idea of doing research still appeals to me – I’ve got this vague notion that if some research council wants to fund me to come up with cool ideas, but not necessarily anything to actually do with those ideas, that would be fantastic. Of course, that’s not exactly how it works, but it’s a nice idea.

Anyway. I digress; I’m actually here to ask your help, dear reader (or listener as, in fact, you are about to become), in overcoming this to some small degree. I’ve produced a small loop of music, which you can download here (MP3, 300KB). I think it sounds nice. I just have no idea what to do with it: does it need vocals? Does it need a guitar? How should it progress? Give me ideas! And, if I get to number 1 with your idea, I’ll let you come on CD:UK with me – can’t say fairer than that, eh?

(Cat Deeley is mine, though, okay?)

My friend Custard is in a band. They did some recording over the summer. You can listen to their songs here. He’s a noisy boy; I wonder if he wants some throat sweets or something, he doesn’t sound at all right on this one.

R.I.P. John Peel.

Other people have written more eloquently about this than I can.

Topper‘s server, where www.parm.net (which includes my gallery, amongst other things) is hosted has kind of gone pop, taking a number of websites (including Lori’s blog and Lomomanchester, as well as a few of my other sites) down with it. Unfortunately, it’s in London and he’s not, so it’s rather tricky to get at and it’s not likely to be working again any time soon (unless its hard disc magically repairs itself without human intervention, that is).

I *heart* computers. No, really.

I’m getting suspicious about WinAmp’s shuffle feature. Today, it’s played Smoke and Ashes by Tracy Chapman no less than three times. I mean, fair enough, it’s a seriously great song, but then so is Hotel Columbia by Jesse Malin, and I can’t remember the last time it picked that. It’s also got a curious affinity for Emerson, Lake and Palmer and mr scruff, but I don’t think I can ever recall it picking anything by Amos Lee, Keane or Joss Stone. That’s not to say it’s completely without taste (it’s just picked Delta Lady by Joe Cocker, followed by Rifle Eyes by cLOUDDEAD) but it just seems to have definite preferences. Which doesn’t really match up with ‘random’ in my book…

(anyone suggesting I use iTunes instead will be shot, okay?)

Dear Mr Whitworth,

Thank you very much for your e-mail.

We have received a reply from the buyers of this product who advise that a mis-print has occurred on the labeling. It should certainly read made in Canada and packed in the UK.

The whole Taste the Difference range has recently been re-designed which is when the error occurred, thank you very much for bringing this to our attention, steps are being taken to immediately rectify the position at the packing depot.

As a gesture of our appreciation I have credited 4000 points (£20 value) to your Nectar card. Please note that these can take up to three days to appear on your balance. Thank you once again for your kind assistance.

Kind regards,

Sainsbury’s Customer Services

I got a FED-4 off eBay a couple of weeks ago. I’ve just got round to scanning the first roll of pictures through it; the best of them are here. It’s an interesting camera – almost absurdly complicated (it took me half an hour just to get the film loaded), but with an incredibly robust and chunky feel to it. It looks fabulous, and the lens is actually very, very good – precise focusing and very sharp. I have a feeling the lightmeter may be a bit off, though – it performs poorly in low light, and at the other end of the spectrum, tends to under-read in bright light leading to slightly over-exposed pictures. That said, it works most of the time, and for £20 (including P+P) I reckon it’s a bargain and a worthy addition to the ever-growing collection.

It is very dark. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.

Well, that about sums things up, I reckon.

It appears that I broke comments for a couple of days there. Should be fixed again now, though.