Fuzzygoth's Den Of Cognitive Wonder

Encryption - The low-tech way.

2015-01-16T01:04:37Z

A very well made point about this whole banning of encryption tools and software.

So long and thanks for all the fish and chips

2012-11-07T18:06:45Z

Well, Whitby has come and gone once more leaving a trail of finicial
and this time physical destruction in its wake, That aside is was
awesome. I packed up the motorbike started the 231 miles trip down
in Scotlands traditional climate, Rain!. Regardless the trip down
was fun and kept me amused. Soon the entire wegian (both Glas and
Nor being fully represented for the first time in ages) were assembled
and the madness could begin.

As usual there was a lot of drinking and carousing and the like,
much Whiskey and Ale (Turbo and Tanya* brought a fridge full and
several bottles of Whiskey). There were lots of people in attendance
for a change making it very fun but several new faces too (or possibly
old faces that I haven't been able to recall yet). Being a goth weekend
there was drama, intrigue and of course drinking. It was great to see
Fury and Wes making it again with the families and a suprise appearance
from Marquis. I only managed the gym one day which is an improvment
over last time in April (come this coming april I am going to aim for
twice). I am not going to go through everything and everyone that
happened though I will say the weegians big night out where all 9 of
us (with brief appearance from Mr CJ) ended up in the front room of
the Angel getting wreaked on Scrumpy and Ale should definately figure
again. The small whiskey related gathering was nice and amusing. I
missed most of the Glamnight due to the swath of weegian beer/scrumpy
destruction. Danced for pretty much the whole 80's night after a full
curry (not a good plan). Staying up drinking with a couple of folk until
the wee small hours talking about all sorts of things all very interesting
and much fun and finishing Thursday with a couple of drink chatting to
Preacher. The beach party was also awesome though my ability to fall over
logs wreaking my back and re-pull my leg muscle wasn't fun.

Next year we are back in Glasgow Towers *yay* and I'll get my cave back!
Really hoping the weather is better next year than it has been this year
so the ride down will be better.

* Commander Long Suffering as she is now known.

Five years already?

2012-10-30T13:23:56Z

I was looking through Livejournal to get some old address information
and started reading through some of my old entries (dear god what a
miserable young fucker I was). However apparently I've been riding
motorbikes for 5 years now and amusingly my youngest bike was the
first one my Kymco Hipster (The Princess) with an 05 plate. The thing
I like about Livejournal is as a diary you can look back and see how
far you have come forward. More nostalga today huh ;)

Soon my precious

2012-07-23T14:24:20Z

The excitement is starting to build once more as I come ever closer to attempt number 2 in changing my Career path. I now have six weeks in Aberdeen left which is around 2 months before I enroll at the University of West Scotland for a second time. I have no work on getting my fee's paid and have heard nothing about my Disclosure Scotland security check.

It's been a long time since I've been in Further Education, the advantage being that as a Postgraduate Degree and within the Field of Careers It should attract more mature and adult students (You'd hope). Changing Career is an important step in the plan for the rest of my life, rather than continuing to try and wear IT like a badly fitting shoe. By moving into a Career more suited to my strengths (something web development never did; I was a arty designer type originally) I can hopefully find sustained employment and then settle down and if I am lucky gain a Career that I can not only succeed in but excel at.

Day Four: Seven (semi)interesting things you've pondered or thought about recently.

2012-06-22T12:43:57Z

1) How I could have been so bloody absent minded as to leave
the house without my Bike Keys, House Keys or indeed my Mobile Phone.
All in all its annoying but not the end of the world and I don't miss
not having my mobile with me, it's like [Star Wars] I've taken my
first step into a bigger world [/Star Wars]

2) The state of the country; I have never been big on politics
because I genuinely don't believe anyone in politics at a level where
they can make change is uncorrupted by politics. But I had feelings of
dread when we got the ConDem's (basically a tory goverment with hangers
on) headed by a man who has himself proclaimed he wants to be more
Thatcher than Thatcher (so I am told). So the run of policys and bullshit
abounds and amazes me everyday.

3) The Future; The future is a very fluid concept for me right now
I am a creature of routine and habit. Soon I'll be changing career which
is good, but I spend a lot of time wondering if there will be much of an
industry for me to move into once the ConDem's are finished with it. The
fact I can't make any life decisions on where I want to live or work for
the next 12 months is very frustrating because I can't make any plans beyond
save enough money for a deposit on a house.

4) The Past; I don't dwell in it, but I often look to it for insight
into my future, where I've gone wrong, how I've overcome obstacles and what
I've yet to overcome. I am a great believer in if you don't learn from your
past you are doomed to repeat it. I do occassionally loose sight and dwell
but I have plenty of people to slap some sense into me.

5) My Fitness; I've been on about this forever and for the first time
since Leicester I feel I am making some real headway. Its only been 3 months
but I am constantly looking at my diet and what I eat and how I eat, my
lifestyle and trying to be hard on myself with regards to doing the work. As
a result I spend a lot of time planning how to proceed with this and even
though I can't see the difference people assure me there is a one. Hard as it
is for me to believe people are being honest and not just nice to make me feel
better about the lack of progress for the work I am doing (I am not saying they
are but its how I feel) I just need to take them at their word that its the
case ... which is what I am doing.

6) Location; It's very much the forepoint on my mind atm, 90% of the
stuff I like doing is in northern England, Whitby, Bike rallies etc even though
Aberdeen is a limited time only thing I swore blind years ago I wouldn't come
here yet here I am ... just thinking of the money for my house!

7) Navel Gazing; I contemplate myself a lot, which might seem terribly
self-indulgent. I have a tendency to look at my behaviour, how I react to things
and analyse and sometimes over-analyse which in certian situations I react with
hostility or frustration or disapointment etc. Egocentric as it may sound it does
allow me a certian amount of self-awareness and for the bits I can see or decypher
I have some very blunt, plain speaking, brutally honest friends.

(Meme - Day 3) 8 Qualities I value in Others

2012-06-21T10:14:05Z

1) Honesty, I may not like what you have to say but I'll trust and respect you for saying it.

2) Kindness, The world is an ugly enough place as it is at times and a little care and compassion for people goes a long way.

3) Perspective, I always try to see things from all sides and I don't always succeed. Over the years I've met people who are able to take a real step back and approch things in this fashion and it's this clarity that always suprises me. I find this are very rarely black and white these days.

4) Loyalty, This one is in the position it is due to the fact it goes without saying and I didn't even think about it until halfway down the list. Loyalty isn't blind though, it's tempered by other traits. I believe in being loyal but if you cheat on your partner don't expect me to lie for you or tell you its not your faultor pander to your need to justify bad actions. This is part of being a friend (a real friend not a fair weather friend) its combination of Loyalty, Honesty, perspective and compassion. Its true of most traits its not about one or two but how they all combine together to make a whole person.

5) Justice, As we've seen in films, books and comics and Justice and the law are two different things. Again justice isn't a simple concept, there are a wide range of situations that have to be judged aqainst and the range is vast for Eg: Murder against forrgetting to return a library book and a sense of justice tempered by wisdom is a good trait.

6) Forgivness, I do struggle with this one, some say its experience others say if the nature of Glaswegians that once you earn their ire your forever listed in the book with a black mark. I think these days I am just so short on paitence for people I used to have so much forgiveness. As such people who have this trait still I find I respect even more because somehow they have managed to get through life and still be able to have this trait is impressive.

7) Listening, In my experience Listening isn't as easy as it seems. I have always seemed to have 'That face' that says tell me your problems. Listening is just that letting people talk because most people resolve their own issues if they can't talk them through for long enough. Occassionally you have to throw in something to keep them talking if the stumble or start to struggle but essentially you're there to listen, offer encoragement and most of all keep them talking. Its not easy to listen and not have a conversation, I find myself occassionlly wandering into conversation and usually catch myself and bring it back. But its a valuable skill that can help people find a reasonable degree of clarity and peace with things and is frustrating when you can't find someone who will listen.

8) Humour: A sense of humour has to be amoung the best traits there are many great things in human nature but the ability to laugh together creates a bond like no other.

Day Two: Nine things about yourself.

2012-06-20T16:54:02Z

1. I don't so much wander from place to place as much as run!
2. I think too much, way way way too much.
3. I'm shy, no, really ... It's not really something you ever shake completely.
4. I suffer from memory dyslexia and have trouble committing information from short term to long term info.
5. I damaged my right knee in the drunk goth skittles incident
6. I and not as rock n roll as my quiet friends think or as quiet as my rock n roll friends think.
7. I make plans and only starting to get better at achieving them
8. I don't drink as much as you think I do.
9. I am terrible at talking about myself.

meme nicked from mandy ... i might even finish it

2012-06-17T23:48:24Z

Day One: Ten things you want to do some day.
Day Two: Nine things about yourself.
Day Three: Eight qualities you think are awesome in other people.
Day Four: Seven (semi)interesting things you've pondered or thought about recently.
Day Five: Six things you are glad you did.
Day Six: Five books/movies/tv series/etc that you'd recommend.
Day Seven: Four silly quirks
Day Eight: Three pet peeves
Day Nine: Two things for which you're proud of yourself.
Day Ten: One secret plan.

1) Own a house of my own (with a garage/workshop)
2) Settle down somewhere and feel I belong there
3) Look in the mirror and not see a tubby weegie *
4) Ride from Oz to the Uk (Damn you Sutherland!)
5) Visit Hawaii (and Venice for that matter)
6) Dress up as Flash Gordon for the 80's night one Whitby
7) Go to Wheelie School
8) Do a track day on the Fazer 1000
9) everything else
10) Burn out rather than Fade away! Because its better to burn out than fade away ;)

Leeds Ahoy

2012-02-20T09:36:03Z

This weekend was franks birthday and wendyhouse. I set off from Aberdeen about 12:30pm for around 6 hours I had a 10 minute fuel stop in Leith, in Edinburgh., by which point I was rounding where the A68 turns into the A69. Running out day light on small twist back roads I decided to head for Newcastle and major road networks. Stopped at Baylys new house and very nice it is too, we talked rubbish, went out for beers and pizza and seen the local "wildlife" and then watched Batman year one.

Leeds the next day, was good to be back in yorkshire and seeing orange, al and their housemates (lovely people). Frank appeared later there was pub and silliness followed by Wendy and silliness. Was great to catch up to so many folk I hadn't seen in ages. There may have been inadvertent hangover.

The next day was full breakie and then booting up the A65, It was a beautiful, cold, crisp day. I was feeling rather Zen and a touch sad at leaving west yorkshire. For some reason I always equate the A65 with the road home, so progressed along in no real rush enjoying some the amazing views. Had a brief stop at Devils Bridge then booted up the M6 stopping at Hamilton services to assess my energy levels and decided another 3 hours would be too much and went my bed in barrhead. I am getting into work late today but its been a nice weekend that's been exhausting but enjoyable.

Motorcycling at 3am

2012-01-09T13:07:04Z

Вс, 13:54: There is something very relaxing about riding your motorcycle home at 3 am when there is nothing on the road, makes you feel a bit Zen!

Day Nine: Two images that describe your life right now, and why.

2011-12-04T01:19:19Z

There we are.

In Memory of Commander 'Iron Balls' Squeaky

2011-01-23T00:34:30Z

Flipping through my LJ Memorys I found this peice of London History
with the Rodent Invasion of Fluffy, Pog, Nick and Emmies house in
Stratford ... ahh the good old days :)

http://www.livejournal.com/talkread.bml?itemid=18343232

New Years Resolution

2011-01-20T22:47:19Z

I usually have a list here of *all* the things I should do this year
I am going to have an achieveable resolution. It is my intention this
year to drive a tank, and to do one of the ones where you get to crush
a car! In you face resolutions of the Gym and everything else ... this
is one New Years Resolution I can do :)

To Life ...

2011-01-10T19:27:26Z

You know life I bet you think you are fucking funny, lets see just
how funny you feel with my foot jammed up you're ass!

10 day meme

2010-12-21T01:35:18Z

there should be 10 things i like but not up to talking about
myself right now, maybe later today.

Application Support in Banking Advice (for a mate)

2010-11-21T13:49:46Z

A friend who does application support is looking for some advice on the
differences in standard application support and banking application support
if you have experince or know someone who has experince of this and wouldn't
mind him doing some brain picking it would be appreciated, get in touch and
I'll pas them on.

Cheers :)

is wondering if anyone on here has worked within the IT sphere of a banking/finance setup? Basically interested in the perceived differences within support as opposed to other businesses. Such as security, methodology and such. Just so I have a way of talking round things if I apply for such a role without a banking background.

Need your phone numbers again

2010-11-16T09:45:33Z

I have my HTC Desire back again, unfortunately something went
wrong with the memory card and I've lost all my settings and
numbers. So if i should have your number leaving it in a comment
on Livejournal (post is open and comments screened) or drop me
a text with your name so I know who you are, or send me an
email mail@davidphillips.info really need a new PC so i can
back my numbers up.

Today is the first day of the rest of my life ... until tomorrow

2010-10-28T11:16:15Z

Well, I've been saying for several years now that I want a change
and today I went to see a Adult Careers Advisor. She was happy
because I made her job rather easier by have a set amount of idea's
in place about what I'd like to do. The important thing is that I
want to eventually be on a decent wage, not neccissarily a fortune
but enough to live comfortably. My Idea's where Careers Advisor,
this was actually what my mother went into doing several years back
and at the time I thought actually didn't sound like too bad a job.

The Careers service in Scotland is apparently much better than
England although I was hoping once I had enough experince to move
into a University Position. I have to work out how to fund my
Postgraduate Degree QCG (Qualification in Careers Guidance) if i
decide to go down that route. I have the choice of Full Time (One
Year) or Part Time (two years) at either Huddersfield University or
Nottingham Trent University. It opens up a few fields not just
Careers Guidance but am very tempted. If I was to work for the
Careers Service apparently I'd be better doing it in scotland.

I also asked about councilling, and apparently there really isn't
much work avaliable in it, it would be a 3 years course of full
time study to get qualified and would be working eventually with
the Nhs, Charity funded orginisation or private conmpanies. Also
mentioned was Occupational Health which was interesting. I think
i've made my decision just have to work out how I am going to make
it work now.

Update in My Standard Fashion (Headed List)

2010-10-15T10:06:04Z

I've been feeling a bit down the last few week's the day job is causing
me stress due my worry I can't deliver what they need at the pace they
require due the the monumental ineptitude of the people who orgininally
wrote the code, that makes it a long, slow and laborious process to do
anything the fact I've been living out of bags for the last 2 months has
done nothing to improve my mood. Although; the house is ready to move
into and now i actually have time to think about a few things.

House
Has it worth it for me decorating the new house how I want it? I could
have moved into a pre-fab 2 bedroom flat with integral garage with its
magnolia walls and not been allowed to do anything to it. I've lived in
more of these than I'd care to count. It has been said though "you make
a home, by making it your own", and that's what I can do here. And there
are lots of wee tweaks that have been done to the house that make it
even more suitable and desirable. So i think it will be worth it even
though right now its hard to see due to being so worn down by it all. On
the upside, i've learned new skills and have an idea of how hard it can
be decorating a whole house (handy knowleadge for when i finally buy
somewhere).

Work
Well, i am stuggling through the code and the database and each day the
coder in me die's a little bit more. I have weekly supervision where they
ask me why we aren't making the sort of progress they expect, if G the
guy who built it was working on it he'd be rattling changes out left right
and centre *yadda* *yadda* and I explain that between constant distractions,
the excessive support requests because they guy who's built it has given
them what they want rather than what they need no one can do anything except
in the hacky round about fashion of impersonating a user. So this kills my
motivation a little more every week. I am a bit anal retentive when it comes
to certian things my desk has to be clean and everything sits at right angles
I find it hard to concentrate in a messy workspace, and i am so sick of
dealing with code left by fucking full on fuckwit monkey boys who are to
sodding lazy to build things properly or clearly. I should have taken the
Norton job, it might not have been a better job and the people might have
been more annoying but at least the single central most important part of
my job would have been built to my standards not someone elses. Unless things
change dramatically I can't see me staying here. I'll struggle on as long
as I can but I think some alternitive plans might be in order. I might look
into the concept of homeworking if i decide kids isn't for me, there is my
ex-bosses mate who does .Net and some work from php companies that might be
worth a look. Also have some other idea's to move away from programming but
it means actually applying myself to learn new skills.

Finance
Well, hopefully by next month I will be debt free again, Except for student
loans and the little bit I owe for decorating the house. I think the run up
to the new year is going to have to be rather quiet to allow me to build up
some reserves and quickly get what little I still owe paid off and cancel
some of the un-needed expenses. Ah the problems of live a hectic social life.

Health, Diet and all that nonsense
Well, my diet has been uttely shafted by moving, not that I am on a specific
diet i just mean in general. working 9am-5pm and then heading to the house
to decorate 5pm-10pm each night hasn't left much room for cooking. I've mostly
been subsisting on takeaways (not good) though the last 4 nights have been
rissotto, fajitta's and Morrocan Chicken with cous cous so thats a good start
and I have left overs for lunch with a student mega-salad :) the gym has also
suffered, and that will be one of the first things that will have to change.
I am considering changing my working hours from 9-5 to 10-6 so I can have
daylight in the morning moving forward or maybe go to the gym in the morning
and have less traffic to and from work. I have my gym weights and exersise
routines so just have to get wired in. I am hoping that the current miasma of
meh and lack of motivation as well as the lack of energy is just down to bad
diet, lack of exersise and too much stress.

Social Life
My social life has been cut back to the bare minimum recently due to lack of
time, I've barely been out in sheffield at all due to lack of time, the rest
of this month (and possibly next month) i'll not be going anywhere due to lack
of money. Hopefully though, soon I'll be able to start having a social life
again. Still single and I think that it will probabaly stay that way for the
forseeable future, life is too crazy at the moment and I am spread too far over
the country at the moment for it to be practical or desirable, besides which I
need to get back to being Fuzzy rather than this ball of frustration, rage and
stress that I seem to be at the moment.

fuzzygoth @ 2010-09-08T13:45:00

2010-09-08T12:42:33Z

Well as I was starting work on my future house in Sheffield I got a call
Email from Norton Motorcycles. Basically what it said was:

We have a vacancy for a Web/IT Developer, to basically run the IT Department.
If you are still Interested would you be kind enough to give me a call.

Norton P.A. Lady

So basically they have upped the Salary from 25k which was on offer last time
to 28k, but I mentioned that I am now on 33k she has said she'd try to get
30k going up to 33k in 6 months once we are happy everything is working. It's
only 20 days holiday as opposed to the 25 days I have with Kids but the working
hours are flex-able. Barstewards, i was all settled into what i was going to
be doing for the next xx years and now this comes along. I am seriously conflicted.

Kids
Advantages
33k (which will probabaly go up)
25 Days paid Holiday
Fairly Flexiable working ours
Seems fairly Stable.

Disadvantages
All the Code is a steaming pile of pooh with no documentation!

Norton Motorcycles
Advantages
Clean Slate for coding, complete new start.
It's Norton (working around motorbikes)

Disadvantages
Like be a paydrop (3k)
only 20 days Holiday
Flexiable Working hours
Longer Commute that Kids

I have the last few weeks been a little unhappy with the code I am inheriting
from the company that built it, and i'd feel bad letting them down by leaving
to go to Norton. Argh, but Norton has more scope for advancement as i said before
I'd be ground level for running the IT Department but its a risk.

I guess the question is if i don't try it would I regret it?

Help!

Away for Two Weeks

2010-07-21T14:40:31Z

I'll likely have little mobile phone reception so if you need to
contact me urgently (as if you would) then leave a message here
and I'll check in every x days. Trez orginised No? well it wasn't
my idea but its a good one.

Post is open and comments screened

Farmyard Party - Final call & Arrangements

2010-06-16T09:46:17Z

Okay, Apparently we need some sort of plan. I don't know when
everyone is heading up but I have made a list below and will
fill it in as I know. I think it would be better if we can get
people to ride up together and stake a claim to our land :p
but trying to find out what peoples plans are at the moment and
some of us have to work as we'll need the money.

Tent's and Sleeping Bags
I am not going to assume everyone has these wonderous devices
and see if anyone will be requiring tent space or a Sleeping
bag, if you do speak now or end sleeping outside :p

Contact Details
Fuzzy: 07912030455 (any problems I'll be avaliable on my mobile)
Rob: 07825739249 (Rob will be On-Site Early so call him he'll guide you in)

1) Fuzzy Friday Evening From Leeds
2) Bayly Friday Evening From an embaressing location in the North.
3) Rob Friday Morning From Leeds
4) Punchy Friday Morning (morning being a relative term for punchy) from Leeds
5) TwoKan ???
6) Ginge Friday Evening From Sheffield (I beleive)
7) Jen Friday Morning From Leeds (Pillion as her barge has sprung a leak)
8) Gary ???

Me and Ebb

2010-04-05T23:31:53Z

I am not really feeling very chatty at the moment, so I'm just going to
say that me and Ebb have split up. I wasn't an easily reached decision
and neither of us are exactly happy about it, it was a amicable and mutual
decision that we both disscussed and came to. As usual Emma is far more
eloquent than I and expresses how we both feel much better than i am able
to here.

I don't really particularly want to talk to much about it apart from
with some of my very close friends (who know who they are). There's more
i want to say but i just don't have enough words. We had a fabulous year
together (or thereabouts) and i thankful for that and the positive effect
she's had in my life.

MOT Time again!

2010-03-19T15:25:05Z

Well it almost that time again, the First MOT for the big boy, yes my bike
the Fazer "Big Daddy" 1000 is going in for its first MOT under my name, I
am not expecting much in the way of problems to be honnest. I've owned it
for 4 months as of tomorrow (picked it up on the 20th of Nov 2009) and I've
already put 3,200 Miles on it (which i think is very respectable considering
its been over christmas and heavy snow weeks where the bike didn't move for
about a month or so more like 3 months actually running). There is work that
will need done probabaly a new chain, carbs balanced and possible new tyre.
The bike was pretty much in immaculate condition when I picked it up but had
never been run through the winter before and was always kept in a heated
garage, so I don't think it like the whole running through the winter and
being kept under a heavy bike cover. So end of this month its off to Padgetts
who have done sterling (but expensive work on my Fazer 600 Veera) and while
I am confident it won't need anything serious other than what I've listed
I am getting the nerves about what it'll cost.

Scanner?

2009-11-24T12:22:32Z

Do any of you winderful Leeds People have a Scanner that
I could use please? I need to scan two documents to send
off, it would be appreciated.