Microsoft Spaces

For those of you who haven't heard of this new venture, and I hadn't myself until very recently, Microsoft have brought out a Beta version of their new blogging system, called Spaces, so I thought I would have a look at it, mostly because I liked some of the templates they are offering and the 3 column layout, although I would prefer it to be full screen. As it is, it doesn't really look very eye catching. However, it proved reasonably easy to set up and it is quite straighforward to move the modules around to suit your taste and even to rename them, delete some and add others. Glancing through some of the other sites, the overwhelming majority of blog owners seem to be in their teens. (Memories of Xanga, although these do seem to be British rather than American.) However, I did come across a lovely blog of art and writing called Paws for thought which I will definitely return to. There is a constantly updating list of other Spaces sites as one of the modules, so you can check out other people's offerings very easily. Photos are very easy to upload and are automatically presented as a slide show when you access the site which I liked very much. You can also have a music list which runs through Windows Media Player, but it has to be version 10. I haven't looked at this yet so I can't say how easy or otherwise it is to set up.
I have tried to link to my blog from this site but I can only get to the sign-in page, so I think there are a few gremlins to be sorted out yet. Overall impression is that it's all-right - not wonderful and not for someone who likes playing about with html and customising their template. It doesn't feel very homely, but of course, that's a very subjective viewpoint! Put it this way; I won't be rushing over there!

This car!

Well, this Camaro car is coming between Keith and his sleep. Since it arrived in the back garden, he discovered that it was quite damp inside as the roof leaks slightly so the solution was to put an oil filled radiator inside and run the cable through the French windows into the mains socket in the dining room. When he did this, of course, the windows didn't lock or even shut properly, so I'm afraid I had to put my foot down with a firm hand and insist that this arrangement could not stay in place overnight, as he wanted. (There were dark mutterings and even an outrageous suggestion that the French windows had been left unlocked on previous nights after I had let Lucy out for her evening stroll round the garden!) As if!!!
That was duly negotiated and agreed on but then he had to go out and make sure it was all-right before going to bed. There was even a brief musing on whether it was going to feel neglected during the night and whether it would appreciate being sung to.
No, I didn't call for an ambulance and straitjacket, but I am keeping a close eye on him - Keith, that is, not the car! :)

Christmas carols

Christmas is approaching at the rate of knots, households are competing with each other in displaying ever more complex and vibrant decorations and everywhere you go, the sound of Christmas music and carols can be heard, including, maybe, Good King Wenceslas. This one's been around for many years and everyone knows the story...don't they? If you want to know what the modern take on events might have been, check out this alternative version!

Christmas decorations

The more eagle eyed among you may have noticed that I have been template-fiddling again. Difficult to spot, I know! And yes, it has turned out more yer actual Spring colour scheme than Christmassy. Well, you can't win 'em all. I'm just very happy that I haven't wrecked the template and you can't say I don't plan ahead!

Burning calories while you sleep

I was interested to read here that people who sleep less tend to be fatter because disturbed sleep patterns affect their appetite. That's the gist of it anyway but then my eye strayed to another heading - "10 ways to burn off 100 calories." Two of those were:
walking briskly for 35 minutes
shopping for 35 minutes.

Well, no contest there! But the last one was the best of all:
Watch TV for one hour and 10 minutes!!!

Hands up who's for a brisk walk then!

Camaro anyone?

Keith's new car is a Camaro, which is American and does about 2 miles to the gallon apparently! At the moment it is minus a carburettor, filthy inside and needs a lot of TLC but I am reliably informed that when it gets going, it will take the roofs off the nearby houses (which should endear us to the neighbours) and everyone will stop and stare in unbounded admiration!
But for the moment, it's in the back garden. No comment! :)

Giving up?

Another little gem from T.K. Enjoy!

A man walking down the street was accosted by a particularly dirty and shabby-looking homeless man who asked him for a couple of dollars for dinner. The man took out his wallet, extracted ten dollars and asked, "If I give you this money, will you buy some beer with it instead?" "No, I had to stop drinking years ago," the homeless man replied."Will you use it to gamble instead of buying food?" the man asked. "No, I don't gamble," the homeless man said. "I need everything I can get just to stay alive.""Will you spend the on greens fees at a golf course instead of food?" the man asked. "Are you NUTS!" replied the homeless man. "I haven't played golf in 20 years!""Will you spend the money on a woman in the red light district instead of food?" the man asked.
"I’ve given up sex – too dangerous these days." exclaimed the homeless man."Well," said the man, "I'm not going to give you the money. Instead, I'm going to take you home for a terrific dinner cooked by my wife."The homeless man was astounded. "Won't your wife be furious with you for doing that? I know I'm dirty, and I probably smell pretty disgusting."
The man replied, "That's okay, I just want her to see what a man looks like who's given up beer, gambling, golf, and sex.