Hamster update

The wheel works! It spins silently, the hamsters are training for their marathon, and I can't hear a thing. So now I don't have to feel bad that they can't exercise because the noise of their other wheel was keeping me awake.

Boldly going

Oh, Star Trek. How I love you. I've been a fan for a fairly long time, but my loyalty lies to Voyager. It was the first series I really got into. A friend lent me some videos and then it was a long, long wait for it to come back onto South African TV. No such things as catching up online, so I sent some blank videos to my aunt in the UK and she taped the episodes and sent them back. I watched them until they pretty much fell apart.

My favourite character was always Chakotay. I know, I know, solid hair, staid exterior. But I'm a sucker for a wilderness tattoo and an unrequited love for the captain. I didn't like Captain Janeway at all as a teenager. I found her so hard, and single-minded, and often unsympathetic.

But I'm now coming back to watching Voyager after a long Star Trek sabbatical, and I suddenly find myself just loving her. Admiring her character, enjoying her prickliness, appreciating her dilemmas.

I guess it's because I'm older. My views aren't as black and white, and Janeway's character always inhabited the greys. I don't feel as extremely opposed to her positions anymore, because I don't feel as extreme anymore.

Or maybe I just feel sorry for her character, because the bastards killed her off in a post-series book.

Latest order from Amazon

1 x Silent Hamster Wheel

1 x Star Trek Voyager: The Complete Season 2

So the hamsters can run as far as they bloody want, and won't disturb my TV watching. That wheel was driving me nutty.

Friends, friends, everywhere, but not a single one online

Is there anything sadder than having only the Echo/Sound Test Service for company on Skype?

Well, yes, starving children. War. Charlie Sheen's breakdown.

Oh what, so now I'm selfish? Fine. I'll just talk to the hamsters instead. Oh wait, they're not here either. I guess I'll just have to talk to the TV.

I'm so glad I don't have to do THAT anymore

Just watched a Dispatches episode on the general crapness of train travel in England - the delays, the expense, the inpenetrable ticketing system.

Richard Wilson joined the commuter throngs at Reading station, for the early morning slog into London. I did that, for about 6 months. Leaving at 6:30 to catch the 7:00 train, waiting around for half an hour because train after train was crowded or delayed. Half an hour into Paddington, frequently standing all the way. The half an hour became 45 minutes, then the race across the platform to try and get the tube. More standing, from Paddington to Baker's Street, from Baker's Street to Canary Wharf. Standing all the way, with your nose in someone's armpit, trying to read or, more often, snooze on your feet.

And then working late, and reversing the process. But at least if I worked late I got to sit on the train home. It made arriving home at 22:00 much easier.

All for the low, low price of £300 a month. Never again.

Small things

Finally managed to hook my blogger account up with the right Google account. I haven't achieved anything else today so I guess that's something.

Things my nephew has asked me so far this week

- When he will die and go to heaven

- Who the devil is

- Why we can't see God

- Whether boys can marry boys and girls can marry girls

- Why people who "have English skin" have children who look the same

- If Siska is his friend.

Things I should do

- Wash the dishes

- Bring in the washing

- Learn how to make bulleted lists on Blogger

- Tidy away the few clothes left on my floor

- Continue on my quest to tame the hamsters

- Watch The Big Lebowski

- Finish reading Brighton Rock and Love in the Time of Cholera

- Domestos the loo

- Make tea

- Read National Geographic, Time and Empire

- Update my blog with reviews of the movies I've seen recently. And the books I've read.

- Write down the rules to Shivvy so The Sister won't cheat

- Plan the fun yet educational things I will do with The Nephew next week

- Watch The Happening and Afterwards

- Take out the rubbish

Things that are a problem

- I have so much I could be writing about, I just don't seem to have the energy to translate my thoughts into words.

- My car's suspension is making a clunky sound.

- I haven't been to see a movie in three weeks.

- I can't see the floor of my room for all the clothes and rubbish strewn about.

- I have no clean clothes because they're all over my floor, so I'm wearing odd bits that don't quite go together.

- My hamsters think I'm the devil and shriek when they see me.

- The digital switchover is coming and I am not prepared.

- My Weightwatchers leader is emailing me and I'm going to disappoint her tomorrow with my lack of weightloss.

- I haven't sent my Canadian penfriend a letter since December and she probably won't like me anymore.

- The price of petrol makes me want to cry.

- It's two weeks till pay day.