Dylan!

Four n a bit years ago, I was lucky enough to become the father to a somewhat temperamental but all round awesome little girl that goes by the name of Gracie, increasing the family unit from 2 members to 3.

Well today the final increase took place and my son, Dylan TBC Driscoll (if I remember I'll edit in the correct middle name when decided) was born at 4:03 yesterday afternoon.

There they are, the Driscoll kids! Nice pose Gracie!

So far Gracie has been brilliant, despite a half arsed effort at holding him! They should be home at some point today and then the sleepless nights can start!

Job done on the kids side of things then...

I've had quite a strong reaction on Facebook/texts/etc, and would like to take this opportunity to thank whoever passed on their congratulations, I can't reply to all I've received, there's lots and lots of it and I get confused easy.

100th Blog Post!

So, according to my dashboard thingy, this piece of text constitutes my 100th blog post. I think it's quite safe to assume everyone guessed that from the title. It's pretty certain I've written a few more than that, including some I've discarded as being rubbish (oh yes, even worse than some of the tripe I've clicked publish on, imagine how bad they were!), I distinctly remember one I wrote in borderline anger and then deleted before I accidentally clicked said publish button, but this is number 100 that is publicly viewable and at least, and possibly at most, 4 people will read.

I'll be honest, I expected nobody on this planet to read the crap that I decided to type in, typically on dodgy public transport (bus has only hit 1 curb this morning and slammed on breaks once, good day, but then again we're only half way there) or when I couldn't sleep at some god forsaken hour in the morning. (Just hit 2nd curb, a roundabout approach too!). But it hasn't been the view free zone I expected, I'm not going to pretend I get thousands of hits, as obviously I don't, it's a personal blog and a shoddily written one at that. But I've had a couple of thousand and I'm quite happy with that! (No, that doesn't include me looking at my own, it doesn't count that).

I've used it to air a couple of short stories I've written, I have more but lack the nuts to make them public, I also have a longer one I haven't finished, but let's be real, chances are it's crap and I'm pretty damn sure it'll never see the light of day. Actually thinking about it I doubt I'll ever actually finish it, probably for the best! If anyone wants to see a story so far version... tough.

I've used it to vent opinions, I've used it to rant (usually fair enough I'm sure most people will agree, I do enjoy a good 'go-off-on-one' but someone has to wind me up first), I've used it to try n be funny. For the next 100 posts, if I get that far, chances are I'll do exactly the same.

I will publish the script, along with a link to the video of a recent presentation myself and a colleague wrote in the style of star trek, it was highly classy. It's on youtube now (Star Trek - Revenge of the Tribbles) but It'll be better all in one place I feel. I'll get a copy later.

I'll leave you with a proper blast from the past, here be a link to the first thing I ever posted. I steal from Red Dwarf, Anchorman and have a dig at facebook (setting the pattern early then). Not exactly inspiring and the 2nd post was better and I've been much funnier since... on a relative scale (3rd curb and a sharp brake). But it brought a cheesy grin back to me face for a second:

http://andrewdrisc.blogspot.com/2010/09/end.html

You stay classy Internet.

My beloved netbook and me...

...we go everywhere together. But on times we don't half get some strange reactions.

We live in a very technological world, I'm pretty sure the non Amish readers I have would agree with that. Amish readers... you appear to be cheating, you better go...

However, despite this the sight of me slipping out my black sleeve and getting my little red one out incurs at best some funny looks, at worst some disdain! The people them selves can be put into one of a few categories:

• The over the shoulder reader - as if I'm up to something so interesting that they just have to see it. I have absolutely no idea what they're hoping to find on my screen, but as a general rule I'm assuming they leave disappointed. In a mild variation of this an OTSR has once been reading something I was producing, and was never intended to actually see the light of day (he seemed quite interested so maybe it's not all that rubbish) and decided to give me a grammar tip on the last bit I typed. Which I took and said thanks, as he was right.

• The WTF is that?? - I'm sure laptops, netbooks, tablets, kindles etc have been around for quite a time now, but still on occasion you'd swear we were in a cave and I just pulled a lighter out of my pocket and produced fire. These people tend to be older, as you'd expect, but to them the idea I can look on twitter (not that they'd probably know what twitter was) on my lap on the bus boggles their mind. I mean honestly, where's the wires!! If it was their day, and let's face it, their day was quite some time ago now I'd be trying to type this while tied to a stake on the village green, about to get a wicked tan.

• The mine is bigger than yours - On occasion the sight of my little friend sends some people flying into backpacks, holdalls etc and has them dragging out whatever device they are also carrying. For some people I've served as some kind of reminder, like an alarm clock for 3G, that they have something with them. For others it almost seems like I've laid down a challenge, as if I've gone, "Hello stranger on the bus, my nob is so big, let's see if you can top that bad boy." I've seen kindles, ipads, various android devices, fellow netbooks, laptops, even all of a sudden a spike in those HP pieces of crap that were sold off cheap and once, and I remember this, a brand new in box xbox 360 elite. The guy then proceeded to open the box and.. stroke it, that's the only way I can describe it... he stroked it. Once again, sometimes people simply use them, others they are almost like a geek off weapon, screens are tilted towards me to give me the chance to show my respect at the geek altar. Please just leave me alone!

• The conversation starter - These are the worst, particularly if they are sat next to you. I always dread hearing, "Oh what's that?" or, "Excuse me is that a Packard Bell Dot netbook." Now before I go any further, I'm an introvert, and a pretty severe one, I struggle in large groups or when weirdos some straight on to me, but I'm not (usually) rude, so I feel some need to respond, at least at first. But I really don't want to have a conversation about what version iTunes I'm running, if I know I can update the firmware on the graphics chipset, if I suffer from overheating after prolonged use (a little, but nothing drastic, there now never ask me again), battery performance through the years, or the relative speed of my 3G dongle compared to the 3G capabilities of an iPhone or iPad. (all of which have been real conversation I've experienced in the years of commuting with a computer). Headphones, usually the barrier between me and various people I don't want to speak too (works lovely on charity collectors in the street) are no boundary, to the point where hand gestures are used to gain attention, and once some dick puled out one of the headphones and said, "Ahh I didn't think you could hear me...".

• The suspicious mind - Some people think the Internet is for 2 things only, facebook and porn. Due to this some OTSR people check what I'm doing as opposed to being interested in reading it, they think they should make an assumption based on it. When my first reaction of the day isn't to open Facebook, they make the logical step too... porn, and assume that's where I'm headed. I've had people look at me in disgust and then look quite apologetic when the ATP site turns out to be the 'Association of Tennis Professionals' not 'Ass Tits and Poontang'. I've even one respectable looking gent get up and sit somewhere else before I've had chance to put my password in... on two separate occasions. Maybe he was allergic to red start up screens and championship manager?

There are normal people who realistically don't give a crap what I'm doing as long as it doesn't bother them, and kudos to these people. I like to think when netbook-less either by choice, battery or forgetfulness, I'm one of those people. I hope anyway, I'm weird enough as it is...

Oh and apologies to the eels for the title.

Facebook 'friends'

I actually had a look at my Facebook profile for the first time in god knows how long today. First up it decided to spend about an hour telling me about all the security changes, but I powered through and caught a glimpse at my friends list:

Friends (203)

it said.

I'm not even sure I know 203 people, let alone consider that many to be 'friends'. In fact I'd imagine people I actually consider to be good friends, so I should be sharing masses of personal information with would struggle to number 30. Add family to that and it doesn't add up to 200+.

Looking round though, my one is quite low (sob sob) there are people with 500, 600, even more than 1,000, and looking at some of these people.. really?? I doubt it.

Just having a nose through as I type and, yes I do know most of these people, can't remember the last time I spoke to many of them. Can't remember the last time I wanted to speak to quite a few, but it's some kind of twisted manners that I continue to tell them when I'm on holiday, when I'm in Tesco, when I've got a headache etc (actually that makes me sound like I update my status every 10 mins, believe me I don't) it's a fact that each of these people would have had the opportunity to gander at photos of me in a dress, a couple of times.

Saying that it's a miracle they haven't removed me. Bt equally I also have to wade through their shite on a daily basis, stuff I'm not really interested in, even question the integrity of much of the time.

So far I've removed a massive one, but come lunchtime there'll be a cull, if I can be arsed. Or I may pop to HMV and see how much Rocky Horror is on Blu-ray. I'm disgusted with myself I don't own it.

This is why I prefer Twitter (@andrewdrisc don't be shy!) yes I still make stuff public, I can easily control who reads it if I wanted too, but I only read what I want too (well there's still some there that need to go, but anything like the same kind of scale.

Maybe Facebook should give us some google+ (still not really used that, am signed up) style options, so I vcan have friends, family, and... other...

Social Networking!

As I've mentioned previously I'm a member of a few Social Networking sites, namely Facebook and Twitter (I'm sure my MySpace account still exists, still with 1400 shite garage bands begging to be added or linked or whatever it was called back then, tough!) I enjoy using Twitter, not so much Facebook, as a wise man/woman once said, "Facebook is the people you went to high school with. Twitter is the people you wish you went to high school with." For the record, it wasn't me (as if) and I have no idea who it was but I see where they're coming from!

I'm not planning on joining anymore, and I don't like the features that many of them employ. When I write posts on either, or even on here, obviously I don't mind people knowing what I think, but I'm not overly fussed about giving out where I'm thinking it from. Step up foursquare, which essentially is geotagging yourself at all times. Magic if you need an alibi, potentially a disaster if it announces you're out, even miles away and burglars take the opportunity. Also as Facebook, which is mildly popular nowadays I hear, does this as 1 feature among many, what's the point?

Moreso, when I read Facebook entries, I honestly don't give a rats ass where these people are. There's a fair chance the more mundane status updates already give up a considerable amount of info. "In Bed, nite xx" yep know where you are etc. Same for twitter, plus if I've just tweeted something rude about someone nearby (as I did today) I don't want someone doing a proximity search (very easy to do) to then point this out so I get some extra attention. I suppose I could be nice, but no damn it, that's not what my 6 followers want!

It's SXSW at the mo, traditionally the birthplace of many interesting stuff such as this, including Twitter and foresquare (if I vary the spelling its bound to be right at least once). That many geeks in a concentrated area is the perfect for several things, mainly Felicia Day doing panels, and launching new apps. So, no doubt by tomorrow there'll be something new again, maybe this time it'll take a photo of you as you post and really give away what you're doing and where you're doing it!

P.S. To the person who decided that a badly timed backspace should work the same as the browser back button... Fuck you. To the person who decided this blogs editor autosaves every time you so much as look at the keyboard, thank you.

Japan - help not take advantage

I would think by now everyone is familiar with the happenings in Japan. If not... how, but pick a news service any news service and et voila. Honestly I can't see how anyone could think of the situation as anything but tragic, loss of human life, lives scarred etc. But there are people.

Anyone who could use a situation like this to their advantage is someone how needs a punch to the throat. But some of the things flying round the internet make me sick. So far I've heard:

• It's vengeance from God for the people of Japan living immoral lives, some kind of Noah's ark 2 maybe. No doubt adding that if everyone follows the religion they're backing they will be saved, or potentially they're next.
• It's karma for previous events, with Pearl Harbour being mentioned more than once

All I can ask is, what's wrong with people.

What kind of person would use a situation like this to their advantage? What kind of person falls for it? First up any religion or cult that would try and use it to recruit is the lowest, they'd make the BNP look like well reasoned individuals.

But equally who'd respond to them? Who thinks 'by gosh they're right, clearly as Japan haboured homosexuals they deserved to get wiped, I better sign up!'? Maybe some scared people initially, but they'd wise up sooner rather than later. Leaving who? I honestly think we've advanced as a species to the point where we'd know better. I am sure I don't know anyone that stupid, but people must exist.

Don't get me wrong, most, probably all, major religions have acted appropriatley. But these stupid fucking extremists...

As for the karma people, what goes through these sick peoples head? Places like facebook (where I've seen such material) and twitter give everyone a voice that can be heard, unfortunatley some knuckledragging morons are far ignorant to deserve this kind of voice. To think people were celebrating this event essentially being pleased it happened makes my blood boil to all new all kinds of new degrees.

There are dozens of ways we can help by donating. Whether it be via the British Red Cross site by text (Over in North America at least), I encourage everyone that if they can help do so. I'd hope for help if the roles were reversed.

Txt Spk

Before I start, I'm quite a lazy person. I'm sure anyone I know will happily back me up on that fact. However, I still do fine the energy to type 1 maybe 2 extra characters into words to make them from gibberish to some kind of legible language everyone can understand. (OK occasionally on twitter I'll shorten, but that's due to the 140 limit. Sue me) However, increasingly my Twitter feed, Facebook news feed is taken up but streams and streams of borderline illegible shite.

I ask myself, why do they do it? Does dropping a vowel from a word save some amazing amount of energy? Does it cover up such poor English language skills that they wouldn't be fully capable of spelling the word correctly?

Regarding the energy, I'm fairly sure the amount of time/effort/energy saved by these... 'interesting' spellings is so low it would take 10000s of words to even get near the amount of energy I use out of pure frustration every time I see one. So straight away they're hurting the energy balance of the entire world.

I've made a decision anyway, from now on, if I get a post on any social media network that can't be bothered typing things out in proper English. I can't be bothered reading it, or any future posts by that person. Acronyms are fine, twitter shortening I can live with if it's to bring it in under limit. But I'm 'neva' going '2' 'rply' '2' 'ne'shite I 'c' '4rm' shortened word using people.

Just learn to spell for Gods sake, I know you didn't pay attention in 'skool' 'cos' you were to 'kool' but really, I don't give a fuck, yes I said fuck not 'fuk' or 'fk'.

I'm not saying I everyone needs to write by my standards, people can write what they like how they like. I'm saying I can't be arsed getting my English>Chav dictionary out to read someone it turns out I wasn't interested in anyway. I don't want perfect English, there must be people out there who find my grammar offensive (how many 'that's are in this piece alone??)

To be honest for all the intelligent well thought out stuff that comes across it, I'm tempted to bin my Facebook completely. Honestly, I can live without it, it wasn't for the photos on there I'd do it now. I'm fairly sure I have enough backups anyway. Actually yeah, I'm going to do it now!! Maybe.

Being more positive, Newsthump have used a few of my things of late woo-hoo must be getting better (remember look for the stuff 'by Andrew Driscoll' including the current headline). Also, I'm working on a plan to try my hand at my own site, it's been a while since I did HTML, but it's all good fun.

Blogging

Wow a blog about blogging, that's never been done before...

It has struck me the whole blogging process is an unusual one, a blog is essentially an area where anyone an express any (well nearly any) opinion some anyone else to read. But the question is, who reads mine? I know some people who know me read this (Hi guys!!) but what about the rest of the peeps out there? Do they stumble in, find it boring and leave, do they find it interesting and come back? Of the couple of hundred or so reads I've had, are they all unique? Do I have regulars?

All questions I'll never really know the answer too, and I kind of like it that way. If I knew certain people read I may become paranoid about what I write. Could you risk expressing dissatisfaction about work if you thought your boss would read it? Would you slag your neighbours if they might stumble across your rant while searching for Alan Titchmarsh hints on bing?

To look at this I thought about the way I read others blogs, and to be honest my first thought was I rarely do. Usually I'll randomly come across one and read while searching for a topic on google, but I've never subscribed/followed. So why would I expect anyone to do any more for me?

Truth is I don't, I find writing these blogs quite relaxing and would carry on if I never had another hit again (blog hit, I've never had a hit single). If I wanted to rapidly increase the volume of readers I'd put the link on Facebook, but no I can't see that happening, I doubt all my 'friends' would get what I write, some would don't get me wrong but Facebook friends and real friends regularly don't add up. Well maybe once just to see what would happen, I'll wait til I write something more interesting first though. Maybe do something different, like.. a sing-along blog... all together now, "A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do... don't plan the plan if..." no? OK for the best.

But I do wonder, how many people out there write blogs for fun, enjoyment etc and how many do it for attention? Obviously both types exist, that's human nature as Jacko once sang. Do people use this type of stuff to try and get chances in media? Could that ever happen?

Primarily I think the world of blogging is a wild and varies one and something that will always be enjoyable to me. Far more enjoyable than the shambles of a football (soccer) side my country turns out. Beat 4-1 by Switzerland, that's an awfully attacking display for such a neutral country!!

Anyway, until the moro peeps.