Random News is No News

The last two weeks has seen me in bed for most of my spare time as I try to deal with the latest side effects of this medication, hence the lack of any posts. Sorry. In fact, this one might be a bit short.

I started reading War and Peace recently. I'm not entirely sure how long it will take me to finish but I am determined t get through it so that I can continue making it through the Big Read top 100. I thought that if I could get it out of the way early, it will lift a huge weight off my shoulders. Thankfully, I've already read Lord of the Rings. The next couple after that will be short ones I think so that I can get my numbers up. Perhaps a couple of Roald Dhal that I can polish off in an afternoon.

I had my biggest find at the charity store last week: 15 CDs. Someone had obviously dropped them in that day. Stones Roses, Brand New Heavies, The Shins, Massive Attack, Joni Mitchell, The Beach Boys and David Grey to name but half of them. I also picked up 3 of the new Beatles remastered albums in Costco for $13 each: Sgt Pepper, Let It Be and Rubber Soul. The new packaging is horrible being as it is, shiny cardboard, but you get a wee film with each that you can play on the computer and a booklet giving some of the background to each record. The recordings have been remastered which means if you play them on systems that cost thousands you can pick up nuances that were undetectable on the originals. And you can buy the set in Mono if you really prefer it. Frankly, I'm not into the Beatles enough, nor do I own a hugely expensive system to play them on but I am collecting their albums so thought the $13 price was too good to let go.

I've been busy loading our CDs here into iTunes. It was much quicker on our new iMac but iTunes itself is a little limiting. And when you go for the album artwork, they miss half of the records I have and on the few that they do have the artwork for, they get it wrong.

I downloaded a couple of Podcasts form the BBC this week too. Jonathon Ross was one. What you end up with is his radio show without the music. There must be a reason for this. Licensing on the music perhaps, but it rendered the experience a little boring. I like Ross and his antics on the radio but it's the music that I used to listen to him for so. I also downloaded a football show from BBC Radio Scotland which was better because I didn't have the expectation of music.

Talking of football, I see Scotland didn't make it to the World Cup...again. Came down to the last game against Holland and despite an apparent great performance, a defensive error in the last few minutes cost us the game and the chance to play in the play-offs. I suppose I'll have to support England then. I'm quite hopeful of their chances.

Ok, I have a basketball game t go to; Josh, not me. Better go.