Dan’s Online Diary 

# 10.1.06 by Dan

It's not that this new year is not happy, it's just that I didn't want 'Happy New Year' to be the title of this post, but I couldn't think of anything great, or at least worthy.

Some other people have (I can't be bothered linking to them; besides, you've probably read them already) posted 'best of' lists for last year. I can't be bothered thinking too hard, so instead of an actual list, you'll just get a rant.

Music. I didn't listen to much. Singing along with Chris Martin to Rush of Blood to the Head on the way to work improved my upper register. It also drowned out the nasty clanking/clattering from the engine of my Alfa, which is in disgrace and is most definately not car-of-the-year. I hope it isn't reading this - I still love you (and need you to get me to work so I can afford to get you to work properly). I got Day of Fire's CD for Christmas - they're pretty good too.

I liked The World According to Clarkson, Jeremy Clarkson's book of his columns from the Sunday Times. He's not just about cars. But best book this year would still probably go to The Bible

I can't remember what movies I watched but I saw Peter Jackson's King Kong the other day and it was grouse. Other people didn't necessarily think so. Without spoiling it for those of you who haven't seen it yet, apparently the bit with the people at the place doing the thing with the stuff was the scariest bit, but I myself didn't really think it was that scary. I get scared by movies that portray things that could actually be true and/or real. Or movies with big spiders or Ben Stiller.
That last Star Wars one was okay too, but we all knew how it was going to end, which meant that it could have been the best movie evor, and it still would have lacked something.

Holiday of the year was going to Switzerland, followed closely by going to Gisborne. Switzerland is cool and is better than New Zealand. In Switzerland you can have a beer with a meal; or even two beers. But no-one there really cares for drinking twelve beers with (or without) a meal. No, our Kiwi drinking culture is just plain foolish/stupid/munted.
Plus their mountains are bigger.
Gisborne has sun and beaches. Auckland has enough humidity over summer that despite the sun, it might as well be raining, and to get to a decent ocean beach from Auckland means sitting in traffic for longer than you'll actually spend at the beach anyway. Which is why people settle for the manky mudflats of Maraetai. Gisborne has cool people too. Macphersons, Radomskes, and also-visiting Morrisons.

Best blog of the year is not mine, because I've pretty much stopped writing in it lately. It's not because I don't want to; I've just been really busy. I got a new job/computer/mouse a few months ago as many of you may know, and the stippled plastic case of the mouse has worn smooth where I hold it. In just 3 months.

My computer (Dell Inspiron 9300) won best laptop of the year according to some magazine/website. I think it's pretty good too, which is largely the reason I bought it. It's disappointing features (or lack thereof) are that it has no internal microphone, and no InfraRed port.

I gotta go to bed, because I'm tired, and you're probably bored now anyway.

Speaking of bored, I'm bored with the look of this blog, which isn't exactly inspiring me to write in it. I need to change it.
Tell me what would look cool.