Arcoarena

The Irony of Blogging

September 23, 2004 on 10:17 pm | In Life | No Comments

Now I have to admit that this does largely depend upon why one blogs (Blognito Ergo Sum - Descartes). In my case (I think) I blog so that I can keep in touch with people. That sort of seems the wrong way round but in many cases if people know how you’re doing they are more likely to tell you about them. It might not work, but it’s worth a go, it must be better than a long but infrequent letter in any case.

Based upon the ‘Blog to keep upto date’ principle you land upon a problem, namely that when anything that’s actually interesting happens you don’t have the time to actually blog it so my blog probably consists entirely of random nonsense that I wrote when I didn’t have anything better to do.

Anyway the reason I was thinking of that is that I haven’t written very much since China but quite a lot has happened in those few weeks. So, in summary

I’ve found a flat - and very nice it is too. It’s in the centre of Portsmouth (so a little bit noisy on Friday nights but oh well). I took a Transit van with all Andrea’s stuff and mine down a few weeks back and since then we’ve been rushing round trying to accumulate the things we didn’t bring down. We now have a sofa and the washing machine’s arriving today (hopefully). It’s all quite nice at the moment. Portsmouth is quite a cool place - not too big to be a pain getting round but large enough to have enough going on in it, it’s also quite close to London for those trips to see friends (and to do Dramsoc stuff when I get withdrawal symptoms.

I’ve started my first job - it’s quite cool at the moment, things are still a bit slow at the moment but there will be some more development soon so I’m sure I’ll learn stuff quickly. The novelty of having my own phone and a shiny new(ish) computer hasn’t worn off yet (TFT screen).

I’ve been to Goodwood - It was a ‘company sponsored day’ so it was payed for and it didn’t even come out of my holiday allowance. We got to look round the house but the highlight of the day was definitely on the track. Three people at a time get taken out in an Alfa 156 (quite a quick car as it turns out) with an instructor, the instructor drives first and tells you where to brake and stuff then you get to go round one at a time with the instructor for a couple of laps. When I went out the bloke in the back seat said he say the speedo hit 130 mph, and that wasn’t even at the fastest point! The next bit was the best though. You got to go out in a ‘classic’ car and drive round (with an instructor there to make sure you don’t crash). Classic meant you got a choice of one of: A Ferrari 308, a Lamborghini Diablo and old Aston Martin, a few others and the one I chose - a Jaguar E-Type. It’s a very cool little car, it’s older and so has a bit more character. You don’t go anywhere near as fast but it’s a lot more fun, I want one.

Anyway, that’s probably everything so I guess the only thing left is to tell you what I’m planning in the next few months.

I’m going to start to give blood after my short break of not doing so.
Going to see Marcus Brigstocke in one of the comedy clubs Portsmouth
Going to see Cake in London in November
My Graduation at the end of October.

I think that’s it for now. ’till later

NPower: the frustration continues

September 23, 2004 on 9:13 am | In Life | No Comments

Well, another two letters from NPower both threatening legal action, or in the case of the latest, sending round debt collectors to my home. Yet again another phone call to someone.

The final reading I gave them is around 2000kWh lower than the starting reading for the final bill they are trying to collect for. I have been trying to correct the readings since May (5th) and I gave them the final meter reading in June (25th). It will be sorted out by the 18th October (or so they say) but in the mean time they are sending me threatening letters.

I’ve written to both Energywatch (the people you complain to when power companies are being idiots) and NPower themselves and we shall have to see what they say but for now there isn’t a lot I can do except make another few phone calls (one of many so far) and complain about how crap NPower are.