Rants 2.0

My Dad has been admitted to hospital. He has been really poorly for some time and has been through a great deal including 2 triple heart bypass surgeries and cancer. He has had some pretty bad treatment of late and everyone (including the consultant he is under now) feels that he should have been admitted several months ago. Anyway, the prognosis is generally pretty grim-it seems that his kidneys are beginning to shutdown and this is causing a lot of dangerous side effects.

I hate hospitals at the best of times, but going to the ward where the “emergency evaluations” are carried out really is bad. Is this wrong? I’m certainly of the opinion that if someone is ill they are in the very best place in hospital, but I’m not a big hospital visitor, especially the vigil type (which my sister is)-so I always come away feeling drained and selfish.

My big dilemma now is our forthcoming break - do we carry on as normal (we all need a break) and if I’m required to be back I can come, or do I hang around on the off chance? Is this heartless? I’m not sure, but either way I won’t be sitting at bedsides, the thought of that depresses me even more.

Filed by phillip at 8:17 pm under family, home
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Last night the team went out for Tapas in Liverpool to say farewell to Robert who is leaving at the today. The food and company was great - I sure that he will be missed for many reasons. It was good that all of the current team went out so it was quite a good group of us. Robert has seen quite a few people come and go on the project.

Filed by phillip at 7:52 am under work
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A quick flip to YouTube to blog test of the start of my journey on Monday

Filed by phillip at 6:22 pm under flip, video
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So today is a HUGE technology day with the release of the iPhone3G. Unfortunately, even though I managed to secure my iPhone via the web upgrade service, due to “a higher than expected demand” I will not get my iPhone3G until next Friday! OKI thought I can still look around the apps store, so I dutifully upgraded iTunes to v7.7 and hey presto apps galore. I filled my boots with OmniFocus, Super Monkey Ball and Evernote (for starters). However at the time of trying the new firmware to allow the downloading of these apps to my old iPhone wasn’t available.

Still my eeePC arrived yesterday-so I’ve got something to play with! Its already roving to be pretty useful. The size is the important thing, along with the no moving parts thing. I can get all the documents I need for reference in the field and take them (almost) in my pocket. Its also great for writing notes up (as well as blog posts). The keyboard is not as difficult to use I I first thought, and why should it be as its much bigger than the iPhone keyboard! I think it has a place for me between the MBP sitting on my desk and the iPhone in my pocket, which is never going to be great for writing longer pieces on.

Its the first time I’m using Linux & Open office, but it doesn’t seem to have any problem opening my excel sheets (which contain quite a bit of formatting). I’ve just noticed that there is also an export directly to PDF feature within the open office sheets program.

Just reading the 43Folder post on the Evernote app, man that looks good. Loving the 2 button tip to do iPhone screen capture.

Filed by phillip at 10:20 am under mac, productivity, review, software, tech, iPhone
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Found this great Jackson Pollock toy this morning, I think I could get lost in this!

Filed by phillip at 9:14 am under Uncategorized
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After speaking with Mark yesterday about his new shed I stumbled across this, which is something that we’ve covetted for a while. What an office to have in your garden!

Hanse Colani Rotor House via MoCo Loco

Filed by phillip at 6:22 pm under design
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San Francisco Museum of Modern Art want to use this image in a forthcoming exhibition

Filed by phillip at 7:57 am under photography
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So tonight saw me starting my new regime at the gym. I’ve been trying to go as often as I can while I’m up here in Liverpool, and after a long chat with Tasha decided it was also time to change my workout. Its the best thing to keep getting results to “shock” the body every 6 weeks or so. Tasha is pulling way ahead in the fitness race, so I need as much help as I can get! The temptation of cooked breakfast everyday doesn’t help my plight (even if I do resist most days). Also read that it helps to record your progess-I’ve tried (and failed) this before but I suppose it worth a try (again)

Week 28 starting weight 71.5kg I’m not too fussed about loosing weight and I expect that it will go up if I continue lifting weights as opposed to CV work

Filed by iphone at 11:21 pm under Uncategorized
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Filed by at 2:59 pm under mac, tech, iPhone
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I’m finding it frustratingly slow to get through on the iPhone3G upgrade site. At first I just got a page that said it wasn’t open (even though I’d had an SMS at 8am announcing the store was open now). I guess its sheer volume of traffic - which worries me. The full tariff has been released now too, so I can get a 16GB upgrade top 3G for £59 on the £45/month tariff (which is 1200 minutes and 500 texts).

Fingers crossed for this afternoon!

Filed by phillip at 12:18 pm under mac, tech, iPhone
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