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Passed this time ... [04 Feb 2010|01:08pm] [ mood | bouncy ] I wrote* my Apple Servers Essentials exam again: Passing Score: 71% Your Score: Pass - 90.11% (82 earned out of 91 possible) W00t! Much better this time. Even better is that I'm going to see Rammstein in concert tonight! And when I went to the site today, it said that Combichrist are also at the event, almost as if someone said "We'd like to squeeze in an extra Christmas this year, on your birthday ..." * online exam, so ... clicked the exam? browsed the exam? surfed**? Ok, maybe "sat" is best. ** insert retching noises here 9 comments|post comment

Testy test [15 Jan 2010|01:57pm] [ mood | epic fail ] Passing Score: 71% Your Score: Fail - 70.69% (64.33 earned out of 91 possible) Bollocks! I have to re-sit the exam to get my Apple certification for Snow Leopard server. 4 comments|post comment

Training and tests and drunkenness [03 Dec 2009|01:08pm] [ mood | busy ] Last week I did my Army ETL* course, which means I'm now trained and qualified to instruct and lead soldiers in steady-state runs and marches. The course finished in a test, which I passed handily, so no problem there. While on long marches outside the camp, we were cheered by several people passing in cars and on foot, including one girl who shouted "I love you!". I was at the front of the squad at the time, so I'm sure it was directed at me ... >_< Last night was the finish of my Korean class for this semester, and it also finished with a test. My Russian classes never had any tests! Anyway, although I was rather nervous, it turned out ok and I'm pretty sure the only questions I got wrong were the noun of dance and the present tense verb of "to ski". I don't think I'll need those terms that much normally, let alone when speaking Korean, so no worries there. After the test we had the course dinner, where I was seated with people from Mongolia, Slovakia and Taiwan. Between us we spoke about eight languages other than English and Korean; it was really interesting to talk about linguistics with concrete examples of other languages**. The conversation grew more animated as the evening progressed and the soju bottles piled up. Next week I have a training course at JA.NET, the UK education/research network body. Conveniently enough, the course is across the road from work. This isn't a coincidence - the heart of the UK internet is here in Bloomsbury, coming from the University of London academic network. So, in short, life continues busy. * Endurance Training Leader ** Everyone was amazed by my description of Xhosa clicks. 2 comments|post comment

Hey look! [16 Nov 2009|03:07pm] [ mood | amused ] Go to this video. Go to 0:46 - 0:47, and look for the person in green with a red armband. The person with the camera then moved forward to exclude me from the shot :P 8 comments|post comment

Also Big in Korea [22 Oct 2009|02:16am] [ mood | cheerful ] I seem to be winning hearts and minds in Korea - people have been really nice. Also, the consensus is that I'm handsome, which I think goes to show how few Westerners there are in Korea. I'm incredibly busy all the time, so I haven't been blogging as much as I'd like. A broad note about Korea: it's incredibly mountainous. We went through 23 mountain tunnels on a 2 hour drive! The majority of the country is rolling mountain covered by forest, so the remaining land is cultivated to within an inch of its life - the greenhouses start long before the tower blocks finish. Also, most people live in tower blocks - even in small towns well away from Seoul, there are still dozens of ten-storey tower blocks. The space saved on urban sprawl is devoted to agriculture and vast eight-lane motorways. Anyway, to stop this turning into a geography report, here's a picture of a stray cat (고양이) that we spotted on the 1700m secondary peak of Halla Mountain, Korea's highest mountain. I fed him half a packet of dry fish (Y said "That's your portion!" and I said "The cat wants this a lot more than I do!"). I don't know how the cat got up there, but he seems healthy enough. He seems to live at the rest stop there. Incidentally, Mount Halla is on Jeju Island, which is like Okinawa is to Japan ... ok, it's a tourist/agriculture island with a distinct culture and climate, and I've spent the last three days travelling to/around/from Jeju by plane, ferry, bus, taxi, and golf cart (more on that later). 8 comments|post comment

Big in Japan [10 Oct 2009|01:00am] [ mood | cheerful ] So, I'm posting from the aforementioned hotel room in Akihabara while I eat breakfast (purchased from the tiny Family Mart across the road). The hotel is next to Starbucks, which is next to Akihabara station, so it's all very convenient. We almost made a navigational error last night, but managed to find our way. The hotel room is tiny - not big enough to swing a cat*. The whole thing has everything (including the bathroom) integrated into one seamless whole. It's more like an appliance that can be described as a hotel room, rather than an actual hotel room. The aforementioned bathroom has one of those Japanese electronic toilets that has all sorts of "features" added in, like a heated seat and automatic flushing. If you deviate from the normal sequence, however, then you have to work with an electronic control panel with about ten buttons, at least three of which have pictures of body parts. Thankfully I found the flush button without any major incidents. Opposite the window is a giant picture of an anime girl. Photo to follow. * I tried. With a simulated cat. 2 comments|post comment

Posting early! [09 Oct 2009|08:23am] [ mood | awake ] Ok, this post is not actually from Tokyo, but from Seoul Incheon Airport while we wait for the transfer to Narita. There's free wireless provided by Naver at the airport. So far I've seen three instances of Engrish, but I haven't taken any photos yet because I'm worried about the response of security in the airport (the signs were actually in the security hall, so I'm not taking any chances). Airports are all the same, really, although each one has a different character. Incheon is quite spacious and luxurious, especially compared to Heathrow T1 from which we left. The flight was over Russia, but it was night and we were over the wing so I saw nothing. The time change hasn't really hit me yet - it's 16h30 here, but 08h30 according to my watch and phone. I achieved some sleep on the plane, which is more than I usually manage. It helped that there was no-one behind me and I could put the seat right back. When we got here Y phoned around family to say hello. The only person she got hold of is older brother B, who isn't actually in Seoul but is in Tokyo on business. Haha. It will be good to have someone who knows (1) Japanese and (2) Tokyo if we get hopelessly lost. Update: Y's sister Y phoned back to the public phone and said hello. I said "Annyeonghaseyo!" and she said lots of stuff and I didn't understand a word. :( 1 comment|post comment

And they're off! [08 Oct 2009|02:19pm] [ mood | excited ] Next post should be from the hotel in Akihabara, Tokyo. If it's not, something has gone wrong ;) 1 comment|post comment

Uh-oh [08 Oct 2009|11:23am] [ mood | amused ] Y, to her parents: Does bumpycat need to bring a suit to Korea? Parents: You mean he doesn't normally wear a suit? Me: Uh-oh. 1 comment|post comment

Dammit [06 Oct 2009|05:44pm] [ mood | bemused ] When processing a data file, and setting up an automated process to handle a field which shows "yes", "no" or "maybe" (and "Y", "y", "N", "n", etc), it really screws up the algorithm to find someone entered "viking". 6 comments|post comment

Technology win [28 Sep 2009|01:20pm] [ mood | cheerful ] My new phone (actually, Y's new phone, which she gave to me) is quite exciting. It can connect via wifi and has internet, so I can update Facebook* or read Gmail** on the go! However! I can also synchronise my phone calendar with Google Calendar, and that's a real winner. For someone who has missed a dinner for the Regimental officers' mess through forgetfulness this is a lifesaver (possibly literally). Now I can enter stuff on Google calendar (eg, RAMMSTEIN CONCERT 4TH FEBRUARY 2010***) and my phone quietly updates itself so it can remind me****. Having come back from a 2-week exercise, I ended up working this weekend (making sure the machine room didn't catch fire during student registration) so I have only one free weekend before I go to Koreaaaaaa ... I let my drivers license expire last year, which was rather careless of me. I finally got around to asking for proof of license from the RTMC in SA, and by this weekend had all my docs lined up. Then I realised I have to send in my passport in to the DVLA along with everything else, so that will have to wait until after I come back. * But I don't, because Facebook is just a friend-surveillance tool for me ;) ** But I don't, because my daily message load is too much for the little screen *** Mwahahahaa yeesssss, I'm going to see Rammstein! **** "Hey, you spent 90 quid on Rammstein tickets, don't fucking forget!" 2 comments|post comment

What what [22 Sep 2009|12:15pm] [ mood | bouncy ] So I recently returned from the Regimental two week ADE (Annual Deployment Exercise). It was good for me personally, but overall it wasn't so good. The bad: problems arose right from the start. The MoD is having a serious funding crisis - they started the year with a massive budget deficit, and have been cutting stuff throughout the year. This affected us when we arrived for the ADE to be told that it had been cut by two days. This meant the program was completely thrown, and remained an issue for the entire ADE. We frequently had to complete some tasks at top speed (including having to drop everything to fulfill legal rest requirements before a long drive*) and at other times were almost idle. The program also felt a bit fragmented, and we didn't have ideal training areas to work on, so a lot of the training we did didn't feel as good as a Squadron weekend earlier this year. More resources (regiment vs squadron) and more time should have led to better training. The good: I came out looking good, had a lot of fun, and only got in trouble once**. My job was to tear about in a landrover, directing other people tearing about in landrovers, and shoot blank ammo and flares at the bad guys***. I was roped in to present a lesson on convoy drills, which went quite well, even when various high-ranking visitors wandered over to watch. We had a visit from several people with many crowns and pips on their rank badges - above a certain number and you just start saluting. After about a week, my driver and I started racing each other back to the landrover after each briefing/meal/group hug. I lost 2kg over the exercise. Note to self: make sure my driver next year is NOT (1) ten years younger than me (2) a PTI (Physical Training Instructor) (3) training for his third marathon this year. * "Right, it's 4pm, rest until midnight and then we move out!" ** "No, sir, we're doing it my way. We're not? Your way? Yes sir!" *** Technically, for safety reasons, you're supposed to shoot flares over the bad guys, but sometimes I get carried away. 2 comments|post comment

Yet more! [01 Sep 2009|03:14pm] [ mood | still blah ] I have a formal dinner this week, with an association that works with and sponsors the Regiment. Dress is lounge suit and Corps tie. This presented me with a task. My suit acquisition has been a rather haphazard process, with vaguely matching jackets, trousers and shirts bought at different times. Since the dinner is being held at a private club in Belgrave Square, I thought I should look the part. This weekend I went to M&S (on Sunday afternoon! On a Bank Holiday weekend!) and spent a rather large amount on a good suit. At last. The Corps tie should have been easier and less troublesome than the suit. I ordered one from the Corps museum in Pirbright, along with a few other odds and ends with the Corps colours/badges. In due course, a parcel arrived at the end of last week ... with the odds and ends, but not the tie. There was a note, saying "tie to follow", but that doesn't help me with the dinner this week. I frantically phoned around to various tailors, and found one in Piccadilly which had the tie in stock. During lunch today I tore down there (unshaven, in cargo pants and faded black t-shirt with a Russian Mig logo) and purchased the tie. I was treated perfectly well, of course, because true quality doesn't depend on appearance ;) So! Now I'm all kitted out. 1 comment|post comment

Gah [01 Sep 2009|11:02am] [ mood | blah ] I'm feeling a little bit unwell, which has persisted for over a week now. I hope this doesn't persist for much longer, because I've got a two week exercise starting soon and I'm going to be very busy. I don't have time to be sick! I've been playing Fallout 3 obsessively. I've managed to acquire a house in the game, and spent a couple of hours late last night picking equipment from stashes all over the game world and dropping it off at home. Then I realised that I was moving house in a computer game, and that my dog* was trashing the house anyway, and thought that computer games are getting too realistic. :) Also, I can't clean up after the dog, because while you can pick something up from a table or shelf in the game, you can't put it down where you want it. Instead, it's ejected from you in a random direction with a random velocity and lands wherever. I spent about five minutes trying to put a teddy bear on the bed before giving up and throwing it down wherever (it landed sitting upright in the dog's bowl). * Yes, I have a pet dog too. 2 comments|post comment

Quote the raven, 404 [28 Aug 2009|04:08pm] [ mood | busy ] Woe! I was all geared up to go parachuting this weekend, with the Corps Parachute Display Team. Unfortunately, the weather report, tis gloomy - too much wind to safely jump, especially since there are several newbies. I was all set to risk life and limb jumping out of a perfectly good plane, too. Better luck next time - although, since there's a two-week exercise in September, and I'm away for 2.5 weeks in October, it will be a while before "next time" happens. This does leave me more time to play Fallout 3 this weekend, though. I have it courtesy of rumint  and kadekraan , who have a keen talent for sifting the wheat from the chaff on Amazon wishlists. The day after I installed it, my desktop PC died. I replaced a couple of bits but it still refused to work, so this week I bought a very good very mighty (and very cheap) desktop PC to replace it. It's a gleaming white case with various blue and white glowy bits, and a matching keyboard and mouse. It's ... really nice, to have a completely new computer. The case on my old one dates back to about 1999. In October I'm going to Korea and Japan. Well, Korea then Japan then Korea. Then the UK. >.< When Y booked the flights, we were offered a stopover in Japan for no extra cost. So, we fly to Korea, change to another plane to hop across to Japan for a weekend, then fly back to Korea, where I will be spending two weeks and learning Korean with great urgency. I have signed up for the language course at the Korean Cultural Centre. This only starts the week before I leave for Korea, though, so I'll have to apply myself beforehand. The course is practically free - £40 for the textbooks and that's it, compared to £900 for an equivalent course at SOAS. The cost is borne by the Korean government. This efficiency and low cost is also shown by the Japanese consulate - my visa is only £17, and will take five days. Astoundingly enough, I don't need a visa to visit Korea. For my fellow South Africans who are reading this, let me repeat that - you don't need a visa to go to Korea. What a magnificent country! 7 comments|post comment

Very apt [07 Aug 2009|09:07am] [ mood | annoyed ] I saw this article about the Edinburgh Fringe Festival yesterday. Having just been subjected to 30 minutes of rubbish on the breakfast show on TV, I think it's extraordinarily accurate. 1 comment|post comment

asdf [05 Aug 2009|08:58am] [ mood | cranky ] I should refrain from posting when falling asleep and on drugs. The last-but-one post may have been boring, but at least it made some sense. 3 comments|post comment

Gah! [04 Aug 2009|10:41pm] [ mood | delirious ] Ok, that last post was particularly dull! Let's move on to something more ... in-depth! The insect bites have really come up now, and I'm covered in red welts. I'm not sleeping much as a result, so I'm feeling a bit dazed. The constant itching over both calves is almost, but not quite, painful. I'm also feeling a little dizzy from either the anti-histamines, or the histamines, or something. Combine that with reading The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Murakami and I feel slightly delirious, as if I'm drifting in some sort of dream world.* It's always funny to overhear someone talking about you - especially in the Army, where there are all sorts of hierarchy/experience issues. It's a little awkward when you're drifting off to sleep in the next room, though. On this occasion I was being used as an example to illustrate a point** - whether it was as a good example or not depends on facial expressions at the time, which of course I will never know. On a previous occasion it wasn't good - as I recall, the person in question*** said "And, and, fucking bumpycat - what's he doing here?". I'm not good at working out what people think about me****, so it's quite interesting to hear someone talking about me in some sort of earnest conversation. * This isn't helping in getting any work done. ** I can't go into detail here *** It's ok, he's renowned for being a cock **** Ask any ex 1 comment|post comment

Itchy! [03 Aug 2009|06:10pm] [ mood | itchy ] This last weekend was a regimental event - adventure training in Wales. We were up in Snowdonia, which is lovely and hilly. There were a variety of activities to choose from; I took part in mountain-biking on Saturday and rock-climbing on Sunday. Mountain-biking was excellent fun - tearing up and down muddy trails on a rented bike is good, especially when you fail to jump a stream and mangle the bike. It's rented! Just take it back and exchange it! :D According to my GPS, we covered about 35km over the day, and I reached a top speed of 57.1km/h on one downhill slope. It would hurt rather a lot to come off that onto the slate gravel tracks that characterise the area. Rock-climbing on Sunday was my first introduction to proper climbing. I've gone up a couple of climbing walls before, but this was the first time I'd climbed with proper kit and on real rock. It's quite technical, and also good fun. Although I'm not scared of heights, I do have a certain wary regard for them; this didn't even occur to me this time around, however, and I hung on high up, looking down for the benefit of photographers on the ground. Unfortunately, while mountain-biking I was eaten alive by about a million mosquitos and midges, and I now have many painful welts on calves, hands and head. I've spent the day twitching and reapplying various soothing lotions. post comment

Another birthday present, from the UK Border Agency ... [29 Jul 2009|09:20pm] [ mood | pleased ] My passport came back today from the UKBA with my new visa - indefinite leave to remain! Hooray! :D post comment

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