Just like Gibbs...

On Friday I stopped at the coffee shop (I don't know why I'm being unspecific, I went to Costa, other coffee providers are available but Costa is the closest one to work, and they're open when I go to work, so I went there) and got a drink.  Mainly because I fancied one, but also being it meant that I felt a little bit like Gibbs of NCIS, being able to march into working, clutching a hot drink, ready to do business.

Although the look was probably thrown off a little bit by the drink being a hot chocolate, and by me also clutching a bag with a piece of Tiffin in.

While I'm talking about Gibbs, what's the deal with Norfolk?  You know how an episode of NCIS starts (well if you're addicted to the show like I am you will), basically Tony looks all smug and makes some kind of wisecrack about McGee being a geek, Ziva/Kate shoots Tony being with an epic remark, then Gibbs marches in, and says "Grab your gear - dead marine in Norfolk"

Why Norfolk?  Why is Norfolk, the fairly quiet rural county to the east of England, so popular for marines getting murdered?  Are they choking on insufficiently cooked asparagus?

(Note for American readers - I know Norfolk in the USA is home to the world's largest Naval Base, but in the UK it's a rural county with a penchant for growing asparagus)

Finally, many thanks to all that have watched my World of Warcraft video.  It's become one of my most viewed videos which makes the effort worthwhile.  And thanks again to Andy for helping make it.

No news is... more and more common these days

You know, in the olden days, there wasn't any Internet?

You had to wait for news.  You watched the news programme on TV (BBC in our household, we didn't mix with those heathens on ITV.  And don't even think about mentioning Channel 4.  Although I do like Krishnan Guru-Murthy)

Personal news came by the telephone, people coming round to the house, or in the post.  You waited for the post to see if you had anything.  Nowadays all the post ever has in it is bills, junk mail, or parcels from Amazon.  It is true that in the old days it was generally mostly bills and junk mail, but there was the hope of an actual letter from someone in the mix.

But as technology had advanced, we wait less and less.  We can log onto the Internet and find out the latest news.  Our phones beep and vibrate to warn you that you've got a new email, with the sideline of the message being READ IT NOW even if you're busy, perhaps in a meeting or having dinner or attending a christening or something.

So we don't get to be surprised by news any more.  That's a shame.

Speaking of news, however, are you aware that the Perseid Meteor Showers will be coming along in under a month?

The Space Striders blog says that after midnight on August 11th and 12th should be good opportunities to see the meteor showing.  I've always had an interest in Astronomy - even toyed with it as a hobby for a while - and I've always wanted to see a decent meteor shower but never actually done it.  Perhaps this might be the year!

Also, tomorrow is the closing date for the Costa Short Story competition.  I've just submitted my story - a sort of psychological science fiction... I really want to use the word thriller but I really don't think it is. Anyway it's been fun to write a story and I was surprised how quickly I could pull it together, bearing in mind I only started it on Monday!  For more info about the competition head to http://www.costabookawards.com/short-stories