11-06-03

That’s it, exams over, a weekend, two days off and we’re back at school starting study for our A2s. We’ve not even been eased back in, full on work all day.

Actually I say two days off, but one of the days was spent in school playing with computers and 8 hours tidying up back stage. Can not BELIEVE what year 9 stage crew get up to when we’re not there. They took the initiate to paint the back wall white and cover up the Wizard of Oz painting… and at the same time covering the £3000 stage flooring with white paint and getting it all over the black curtains. Some interesting wiring dangling all over the place, I didn’t dare go near the amp with power turned on. Me and Wez tidied everywhere but the paint is there to stay, for now at least.

Got a quote tonight for the cabling for the school hall, I’m concerned that the head’s not going to be keen on me spending another two grand of the school’s constantly shrinking funds, but we’ll see. Which reminds me, Mr C has ordered two new dual processor (P4s) Dell Servers that are going to be oh so nice! Oh and the head of maths has asked me to do a web site, again.

Once me and Wez left our first day back at school we went down the local park to meet up with the sound engineer for Bourne’s beer festival this year where the marquees had just been put up (I walked, he went by car, I beat him there). We ended up spending four and a half hours unloading a lorry and setting up sound equipment.

It was a lot of fun, partly due to the free beer on tap that had just been connected! I also now have a stewards T-shirt which entitles me to lots of free food over the weekend! It’s going to be a LONG weekend doing the sound for the festival with continuous music for two and a half days, then Nottingham University Open Day the following Monday. I’m beginning to think Wez is following me around…

Being back at school is a bit surreal to be honest and Maths is already driving me mad! Wez things I’m crazy carrying on Maths next year, but I’m trying to convince myself that it’s a good idea. Sis has started her exams and is plotting methods of suicide using stationary, which is more than verging on worrying. Gunna miss her so much when she goes off to Uni.

My brother has a cute little optical mouse he got from dabs for about £7 and I’ve ordered an 80Gb hard disk for my mp3 collection to overflow onto and to set up dual boot between Linux and Windows. Also, as if we haven’t been spending enough money we don’t have in our house, getting a new bathroom and decorating the lounge for the first time in about 30 years, we’ve ordered ADSL. The chosen ISP after much debate is Plusnet, although Virgin Net came in close second due to no connection fee and a 1 month only contract. So very soon the hippygeek will be enjoying broadband and no 2 hourly disconnections! Yey!

Operation BGSTux is coming on, if a little slowly, and we’ll soon have a whole lab of Linux boxes at school running mainly Knoppix, mmm. My interest in “free” software and the GNU Public License has grown greatly over the past few weeks because of discussions with members of two local Linux Users’ Groups but my choice of University course is getting harder and harder. I’m also seriously considering taking a year out and getting some work experience, which is something else to think about. I’ve talked to the (acting) Head Teacher and Head of Maths about carrying on maths next year, and even if I get a U, which seems quite likely, they think I should definitely try and do it next year. I know I’m capable of getting a decent grade if I just get another chance next year but, it’s just… hmph.

I finished Life, the Universe and Everything for the second time last night and am being driven slightly mad by not understanding why Arthur Dent’s bag keeps changing all the way through the book! Also, I keep getting the feeling I’m missing something really deep in the story, but it’s probably the late Douglas Adams having a laugh at my expense.

Anyway, must go to bed, have to get back into the rhythm of this whole school thing and I need a good nights sleep.

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