Aphorism
Life is short, art long, opportunity fleeting, experience deceptive, judgment difficult
Hippocrates
Life is short, art long, opportunity fleeting, experience deceptive, judgment difficult
Hippocrates
Watched Bourne legacy
The movie was ok. All the right parts of a Bourne movie except it didn't feel as hard as the others.
Holiday Achivements
I'm going to record all of my achievements tasks completed throughout the holidays.
The Ghost Writer
The movie starts slowly, but builds into a movie that you will recommend to other people. Its one of those movies that doesn't tell you everything, you have to work it out yourself. At least that the impression I got. Its a political thriller with a cool ending, the type with the warning.
Its Roman Polanski, he sounds like he should be making good movies, so go watch it.
Its Roman Polanski, he sounds like he should be making good movies, so go watch it.
Resolutions
I haven't made any resolutions as yet, but the usual suspects have reappeared. I am not going to worry about my previous failures which should help, but also making some kind of plan and some way to track and be accountable. If I fail, then I need to know when and by how much, maybe I didn't give my self enough time etc...
Time, is an interesting concept which baffles me to this day. But I still wear a watch and carry on...
What I mean by giving my self enough time, not just a date when I would like said resolution to be achieved, but the actual progressed time. For example, I want to build a new shed, I would like it completed by August, this is an ok resolution, but I would like to add a few layers of complexity. Firstly progressed time, this is a made up concept and the name may change in the future... But, if a resolution required 7 days of work, and your target is to complete by the end of the week, you need to allocate and do work on all the days. But you can't do that as you have other shit to do, you can't devote yourself full time to a project its not practical. You could do one day of work every weekend. Which means its going to take 7 weeks. But life isnt perfect and you may need to add an extra weekend for the off week which is inevitably going to happen.
I am going to need to spend some time working out how much real time I am going to have to invest and the time frame in which said activities should be completed in. Also having some milestones to aim for during the project, especially if its long term would be nice.
Time, is an interesting concept which baffles me to this day. But I still wear a watch and carry on...
What I mean by giving my self enough time, not just a date when I would like said resolution to be achieved, but the actual progressed time. For example, I want to build a new shed, I would like it completed by August, this is an ok resolution, but I would like to add a few layers of complexity. Firstly progressed time, this is a made up concept and the name may change in the future... But, if a resolution required 7 days of work, and your target is to complete by the end of the week, you need to allocate and do work on all the days. But you can't do that as you have other shit to do, you can't devote yourself full time to a project its not practical. You could do one day of work every weekend. Which means its going to take 7 weeks. But life isnt perfect and you may need to add an extra weekend for the off week which is inevitably going to happen.
I am going to need to spend some time working out how much real time I am going to have to invest and the time frame in which said activities should be completed in. Also having some milestones to aim for during the project, especially if its long term would be nice.
What to Track
For a while now I have been tracking my net worth as a simple way to track what I'm doing with my money, rather then the much more involved method of accounting for every transaction. As an accountant this is the last thing I want to be doing when I get home. So I have focused on tracking net worth on a monthly basis.
Some simple maths can reveal how much I have saved in the past month, but the number I find more interesting is the increase (or decrease...) from a rolling year, what have I done since this time last year. My savings habits are quite good, however I don't always try to maximise the yield as I'm lazy and trusting of non high street banks.
I've worked out I've 'lost' a few dollars by not paying attention to the interest rates, more specifically, thinking the honeymoon rate was what I was getting. My laziness meant I couldn't be bothered to delve deeper and find out the difference, I mean how much different could it be?
Bank in 2000 I opened an ING Direct Account with the few dollars I had, and all was good and has been for many years. It was one the other first high interest online only bank accounts. The new kid on the block is ubank (which seems to be some kind of marketing exercise by nab) and they have good rates. Currently ING advertised rate is 5.85% and the rate your customer of 10 years gets is 4.5% thats a difference of 1.35% or put into dollar terms $135 per year on $10,000 invested or say 3 months of free mobile. In the grand scheme of things $135 isn't much and its my fault for not keeping tabs on this.
I will now be adding this statistic to my net worth spreadsheet. But not tracking monthly, just what the prevailing rate is currently, which means I can easily look at my accounts, see the interest rates they are getting and easily make a decision as to where to put the money.
I am also thinking of tracking how much money I earn from each source. Which would be interesting, but for now the total is working quite well, and requires very little effort.
Some simple maths can reveal how much I have saved in the past month, but the number I find more interesting is the increase (or decrease...) from a rolling year, what have I done since this time last year. My savings habits are quite good, however I don't always try to maximise the yield as I'm lazy and trusting of non high street banks.
I've worked out I've 'lost' a few dollars by not paying attention to the interest rates, more specifically, thinking the honeymoon rate was what I was getting. My laziness meant I couldn't be bothered to delve deeper and find out the difference, I mean how much different could it be?
Bank in 2000 I opened an ING Direct Account with the few dollars I had, and all was good and has been for many years. It was one the other first high interest online only bank accounts. The new kid on the block is ubank (which seems to be some kind of marketing exercise by nab) and they have good rates. Currently ING advertised rate is 5.85% and the rate your customer of 10 years gets is 4.5% thats a difference of 1.35% or put into dollar terms $135 per year on $10,000 invested or say 3 months of free mobile. In the grand scheme of things $135 isn't much and its my fault for not keeping tabs on this.
I will now be adding this statistic to my net worth spreadsheet. But not tracking monthly, just what the prevailing rate is currently, which means I can easily look at my accounts, see the interest rates they are getting and easily make a decision as to where to put the money.
I am also thinking of tracking how much money I earn from each source. Which would be interesting, but for now the total is working quite well, and requires very little effort.
2011: The Year In Review
So How Was it?
Don't remember, don't care.
What was your most memorable moment?
The fine folks at the Australian Passport Office, second place goes to
the continuous stream of shit piled on me the whole year.
What have you learned this year?
Self interest. Money only exists until you spend it. You don't have to drink all the time, but it helps.
What was your favourite colour?
Black
Did you stick to your resolutions/goals?
I don't even remember what they where.
What most impressed you?
My liver
Do you have any goals/resolutions for 2012?
To be continued...
Don't remember, don't care.
What was your most memorable moment?
The fine folks at the Australian Passport Office, second place goes to
the continuous stream of shit piled on me the whole year.
What have you learned this year?
Self interest. Money only exists until you spend it. You don't have to drink all the time, but it helps.
What was your favourite colour?
Black
Did you stick to your resolutions/goals?
I don't even remember what they where.
What most impressed you?
My liver
Do you have any goals/resolutions for 2012?
To be continued...
Christmas 2011
So begins the 2 weeks of 'holiday' which will most likely include hard labour, working in the office, taking my mum to some tourist attraction, self loathing and copious amounts of drinking.
Pick a Platform
I have realised I need to focus one platform and not try and duplicate my efforts across different outlets. Its both tiring and confusing for me. Sure if there is a way to automate then great, but I need to work out what works best for me and optimise for that. I would like to move to wordpress, but whats the point... tumblr is nice for catching up with what the hipsters are looking at, but nothing for me to really post there, its just not that type of crowd.
Wallet
For about 7 years I used a orange wallet made of elephant leather. That probably sounds mean and wrong, but its also awesome. And you know it. It was awesome until it started to fall apart. Probably had another 2 years as it fell apart, most-likely make it to 10 years, but my paranoia and OCD to protect and horde my belongings caused me to retire that wallet and pick up a wallet from the box of wallets I have collected over the years. These being those I have purchased or gained from birthday/christmas/diwali presents. The elephant leather wallet was a thin single fold wallet it was an extension of my left thigh. It just fit nicely into any trousers I was wearing. I changed to a double fold (triple flap) wallet. More slots for my cards, divider for big and small notes, dual ID holders, everything you could ever want from a wallet. But its just too fat.
If we delve deeper I also had a coin purse. It was good as during that time I never had enough money to actually hold notes, it had a flap for notes.... but mainly I only had coins during my senior high school years. Prior to that (yr 8 to 10) I had various Velcro wallets or just nothing at all.
Whilst at work I noticed how thin my ipod nano 2g was next to the bulk of my wallet and realised I needed something thinner. My wallet always annoyed me in terms of its girth, but its a wallet, holds money and cards, what do I care?
The problem with paper wallets is its hydrophobia and durability is limited to the quality/thickness of paper. Do I care. Fuck no! The fact that its unique and awesome like the elephant wallet. But made of a different type of finite resource. I am surrounded by boxes of paper that we just throw away, what if I use this resource for the first step in the recycle triangle and reuse in a productive way?
If we delve deeper I also had a coin purse. It was good as during that time I never had enough money to actually hold notes, it had a flap for notes.... but mainly I only had coins during my senior high school years. Prior to that (yr 8 to 10) I had various Velcro wallets or just nothing at all.
Whilst at work I noticed how thin my ipod nano 2g was next to the bulk of my wallet and realised I needed something thinner. My wallet always annoyed me in terms of its girth, but its a wallet, holds money and cards, what do I care?
- Comfort
- Bulge
- Weight
- Durability
- Looks
The problem with paper wallets is its hydrophobia and durability is limited to the quality/thickness of paper. Do I care. Fuck no! The fact that its unique and awesome like the elephant wallet. But made of a different type of finite resource. I am surrounded by boxes of paper that we just throw away, what if I use this resource for the first step in the recycle triangle and reuse in a productive way?
I require a bookshelf as evidenced by the piles of bound paper on my floor. I was going to get something from ikea but my love of floor to ceiling bookshelves is strong. I still may go to Ikea, but I am also going to price up a home made version.
The design of the billy bookcase is not that hard to imagine, Whilst doing the design I also thought about how I would actually put it together. They normally use dowel bits and some screws. Again pretty easy. However, I have discovered it might be difficult to drill the holes in the shelves whilst also keeping it straight. I could use angle thingys but that would be crap. Going to check out bunnings tomorrow for actual wood prices.
The design of the billy bookcase is not that hard to imagine, Whilst doing the design I also thought about how I would actually put it together. They normally use dowel bits and some screws. Again pretty easy. However, I have discovered it might be difficult to drill the holes in the shelves whilst also keeping it straight. I could use angle thingys but that would be crap. Going to check out bunnings tomorrow for actual wood prices.
No Money for a week
After a debate with my work colleagues about how I spend too much money on lunch, I decided to create a little experiment/challenge for myself. I will not spend any money from my bank account for one week. Basically I cannot access my bank account for one week.
I lasted to Thursday, when I needed to buy more beer, being lazy I just bought a carton, instead of maximizing what cash I had left and just buy a 6 pack or similar. I failed.
But I think given another go I could actually do it. It has also come to my attention I have a lot of automatic transfer from my account, mostly to other high interest savings accounts. I am going to try and not be lazy with my money and try and save more frequently. The change experiment should have highlighted that, but I never really went through with it at the completion of the experiment.
I lasted to Thursday, when I needed to buy more beer, being lazy I just bought a carton, instead of maximizing what cash I had left and just buy a 6 pack or similar. I failed.
But I think given another go I could actually do it. It has also come to my attention I have a lot of automatic transfer from my account, mostly to other high interest savings accounts. I am going to try and not be lazy with my money and try and save more frequently. The change experiment should have highlighted that, but I never really went through with it at the completion of the experiment.
Speech recognition
Hello world.
This is rather cool, but also it sounds dorky to do this.
I wonder how fast I can talk, before he gets frustrated. Well it is actually quite good.
I could get used to this.
I am thinking of buying new shoes.nt
Is this the end of the page. Yes!Is it wasn’t I think I do not know. I do not have the force at work. But this could be interesting if you can work that are clearly should not stop the reaction stop talking ledger report yes. One that does not make any sense. Originality there must leave them on.
I am going to bed. Good night.
Soup for one
I have the flu, so I drink soup, only packet soup is crap. So i made my own.
Its a simple recipe I made up using common sense.
Ingredients
1 carrot
2 small potato
1 chilli
half celery stick
sweet corn (left overs)
shallots (left overs)
half onion
garlic
Stock pot - the new ones :-p
Directions
1. Dice
2. Saute onion, garlic and chilli
3. Water (1 kettle (1.5L))
4. Ingredients
5. Stock pot
6. ???????
7. Profit
Things I would do differently
No chilli, the chilli floats to the top and is dangerous, use paprika instead
More potato, the potato goes MIA but that could be the type of potato
More celery just use the whole stick
Don't get the stock pot, just get oxo cubes or similar like I was supposed to.
Some fresh herbs would not go astray.
It tastes nice, clean, clear and simple no unnecessary sugars, should keep until I recover.
Cost
All ingrediants except the celery ($1.50) and stock pots ($3.50) were already in the fridge so basically free.
Computer upgrades
So I'm sitting here doing a bit of window shopping as is my normal routine when sick. First I started out by looking at a complete overhaul, i5 to i7 and a a new GPU etc. Thankfully I realised that is a stupid idea and I could spend some money else where, eg SSD or UPS which are two things I really want (apart from an iPad). The problem with the SSD is the small capacity and the fact it gives me a headache thinking about how to install all the programs and games etc on two separate hdd, which is the suck.
So now I am onto UPS, which is making more sense as I read into it. Basically everyone needs one.
Calculate how much power you need
PC 750
Monitor 100
Modem 10
Router 10
External HDD 20
Total 890
+20% = 1068
These figures are quite rough as I guessed. So for my computer I am going to need something quite powerful. For the HTPC I have worked out it is drawing about 230w, but I'm pretty sure I put a 650w PSU in it. In any case I just need it to last maybe 5 mins while I switch the power back on in the box.
So now I am onto UPS, which is making more sense as I read into it. Basically everyone needs one.
Calculate how much power you need
PC 750
Monitor 100
Modem 10
Router 10
External HDD 20
Total 890
+20% = 1068
These figures are quite rough as I guessed. So for my computer I am going to need something quite powerful. For the HTPC I have worked out it is drawing about 230w, but I'm pretty sure I put a 650w PSU in it. In any case I just need it to last maybe 5 mins while I switch the power back on in the box.
i have teh flu
I'm sick and bored. This is my third day off work which should be cause for a spontaneous celebration. Currently drinking weak ribena with warm water.
Boredom is not always good, as it can lead to various forms of fire or stop start lego annimations.
Boredom is not always good, as it can lead to various forms of fire or stop start lego annimations.
Describe a recent A'ah! moment
This morning I discovered that it may in fact be beneficial to wake up earlier in the day. This is not a new idea/thought. Just something that has required a significant amount of convincing, a few/most of the people I work with get up early. But not normal early, but when its still dark early. For me, its the opposite, if I get to bed before the sunrises, I consider that an early night.
Alarm Clock Postmortem
The alarm clock has been off for a week or so. Has my world of order and timeliness crumbled. Yes. But also no.
Despite the fact I have no external alarm clock other than my sleepy self, I have managed to get to work on time. I just don't mean on time I mean early to work. Proof of this was found on Sunday morning, I stayed up till 4am watching India complete its victory, then proceeded to catch the ferry to straddie at 7:55am.
This is more the cold turkey approach, rather than going to bed early, I go to bed when I am tied. Which is around 11:00. Then I reach conciousness around 5:30 but don't actually get out of bed till 6:30 on account of my laziness.
Which brings me to a conclusion which does not fit any of the hypotheses. If you want to get up early you have to get out of bed. The body/mind is capable of getting you to the point where you should be out of bed (the same is true of an alarm clock), but you still have to actually get out of bed. For me this has/is the hardest part of the exercise. I will happily lye in my bed for a good hour, being frustrated, then get up and do something productive, potentially easing those frustrations.
Despite the fact I have no external alarm clock other than my sleepy self, I have managed to get to work on time. I just don't mean on time I mean early to work. Proof of this was found on Sunday morning, I stayed up till 4am watching India complete its victory, then proceeded to catch the ferry to straddie at 7:55am.
This is more the cold turkey approach, rather than going to bed early, I go to bed when I am tied. Which is around 11:00. Then I reach conciousness around 5:30 but don't actually get out of bed till 6:30 on account of my laziness.
Which brings me to a conclusion which does not fit any of the hypotheses. If you want to get up early you have to get out of bed. The body/mind is capable of getting you to the point where you should be out of bed (the same is true of an alarm clock), but you still have to actually get out of bed. For me this has/is the hardest part of the exercise. I will happily lye in my bed for a good hour, being frustrated, then get up and do something productive, potentially easing those frustrations.
I recently signed up for LinkedIn, which is a type of professional facebook. One interesting thing is that it is a subscription based model. There is advertising, and there are probably people trying to sell their wares on the forums or direct to people. But the cost of the subscription is not small. $20 per month.... I can get hardcore pornography for less than that. Extra things you get if you pay are things like being able to save profiles, view extended information. Which should realistically be included if they don't want a similar site to start up and taking all their users (say even facebook itself).
I have signed up to a few CPA/accounting forums and I even scored a contact which makes me feel less of a loner.
I have signed up to a few CPA/accounting forums and I even scored a contact which makes me feel less of a loner.
The Final...
Thank fully India made it through to the final. I stayed up till 3am listening to the radio, so would have been a significant loss if, they, lost...
I did try to goto sleep and figure I can get the result in the morning, but that wasn't going to happen as I need to know what was going on.
(tenth post of the year)
I did try to goto sleep and figure I can get the result in the morning, but that wasn't going to happen as I need to know what was going on.
(tenth post of the year)
Alarm Clock
We had a power failure about a week ago and consequently my alarm clock needed to be set to the correct time. The clock it self does have a 9v battery as a backup, but never seems to provide any sort of backup to the clock in the event of such a power failure. The power failure we are talking about is about 1-2 minutes. The time it takes me to reset the safety switch after overloading the circuit with my dodgy electrical work.
Since that time, my clock has been flashing away at the incorrect time, however I have still managed to get up on time and since I have a wrist watch, its not my primary time keeper. The proposed idea is if I can go without my alarm clock.
The Bad
Since that time, my clock has been flashing away at the incorrect time, however I have still managed to get up on time and since I have a wrist watch, its not my primary time keeper. The proposed idea is if I can go without my alarm clock.
The Bad
- Get up late
- Late for work
- not knowing what time it is in the middle of the night
- no morning music/news
- Personal responsibility to get up/have enough rest
- training my self to getup at a certain time
- freedom from the constraint of arbitrary time measurement
- less light interference
- less electromagnetic interference
- less electricity expense
- less clutter on my desk
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