I do it every year, and I get the same trigger urge every year. I guess we're creatures of habit in more senses than one.
Today, Alexander wanted to go to a fairly large toy store (BR-Toys) "just to have a look". Since he'd been fairly patient (for a 4.5-year old) the first half of the day, his wish was granted.
I've heard rumours to the effect that the toy industry is having a hard time attracting the same amount of business as it did just a few years back; well, I know the Chinese "toy" manufacturers can't be included in that statement.
I'd like to conduct a social experiment.. drop five kids, in a completely empty toy store, without their parents or other adults present; see what they play with, and you get a real feel for how to market your cr*p ..
Not everything is better today.
Alexander got a new computer today; well, a new used computer that is :-) It's a Compaq D510 2.x-something GHz desktop, with 512MB of RAM, and a brand spanking new HP 17" TFT monitor (needless to say, TCO '03). Can you say -overkill- !? Oh well, better to keep it than to sell it I suppose.
The paradox with a machine as "new" as this is that while most games, and other types of software written for 4-6 year olds, work best on old operating systems like Windows 9x and Windows ME; those operating systems utilize and handle "newer" equipment very poorly.
Windows XP can handle "emulating" these other sorry excuses for an "operating system" rather well, most of the time, but unfortunately it's always that one favorite game or program that doesn't work.
A shame there's isn't more friendly software (friendly as in "educational and entertainment for young children") available for Linux!
Yesterday turned out to be a hectic day at work and at home, ending with a 250 km/h speed thrill in the Globe arena, presented by the German industrial rocker ensemble going under the name of Rammstein. Myself, Järven, Fisken, BoKo, Mats and Johan went for a few beers before having our hair styles drastically changed by a fire breathing and watt pumping stage set.
It has been said that due to Rammstein's almost-only-German-language performance, there's a communications glitch between the group and the audience. In a way, I can agree. On the other hand, I don't go to concerts to listen to the lead singer of a group debate the weather in Stockholm, or to make political statements, or talk about his personal sexual preferences. I go to concerts to enjoy an experience, preferably a musical one :-)
Only wimps use tape backup: real men just upload their important stuff on ftp, and let the rest of the world mirror it ;)
(Linus Torvalds)
Yaaay! Today, I finally got my very first Hakama Pants
I should have gotten them around May of 2003, but my ehr.. supplier (Jens).. has been backlogged.. or something :-)
Thanks to Stefan at our Dojo for helping me out.
Hakama? Originally, the Hakama was worn as an outer garment to protect a Samurai horseman's legs from brush, weeds, etc. (similar to a cowboys leather chaps). In Japan, since leather was so very hard to come by, heavy cloth was used in its place.
After the Samurai made the transition from mounted soldiers to foot soldiers, they continued to wear the hakama largely due to the fact that it set them apart and made them easily identifiable. [source: www.loyola.edu web.archive.org]
You can read more about it here:
- en.wikipedia.org
- www.loyola.edu (web.archive.org)
- www.japanesekimono.com (web.archive.org)
Will I be wearing my newly acquired equipment to work.. ? Unlikely :-)
A good place to be is Stockholm Aikido Club Iwama Ryu
All that is gold does not glitter; not all those that wander are lost.
(J. R. R. Tolkien)
Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do.
(Bruce Lee)