How marvellous. I've finally seen another human being sporting the same MBP as me, and guess what? They happened to have the glossy screen.
Take THAT, Engadget and all of your goddamn whining about the anti-glare screen. The rest of us actually like how gorgeous things appear behind a glass screen, you smarmy idiots.
I've always loved Engadget, seriously, they're great. But come ON. The amount of whining and complaining that they did when Apple redid the screens on the MB and MBP line was just unbelievable.
A failed freight train! Apparently a failed freight train blocked the line between Warrington and Crewe, but they said it was a signal failure when we were at the station, which just goes to show something I've long suspected, and that is that the 'signal failure' is just a coverall story they spin as people know what it means and can't do anything about it.
Well, I think that Network Rail should invest in some new fucking signals because I have had it with them failing. The fucking bastards.
Wednesday 18 March 2009
Network Rail!
I just got on a train from Morecambe to go (eventually) to West Drayton, which goes Morecambe, Lancaster, London Euston, tube to London Paddington, West Drayton. It's a four hour journey, sigh. But not the end of the world. The service from Morecambe to Lancaster is a little local service that goes from Morecambe to Lancaster, stopping at Bare Lane on the way. It's £1.80 for a single. The train station is very bizarre in that it only opens at seemingly random times across the day, and the ticket price from Morecambe is the same as from Lancaster (no idea why!), but here's the kicker - there's no Fastticket machine in Morecambe. Which is utterly and completely backwards as far as I'm concerned, really. Normally it's not a problem - I get my ticket online, print off my confirmation email to show them I've purchased a ticket from Morecambe, and they let me off with that. Which is fine, works ok for me. Once, a man did warn that my confirmation email wasn't technically valid, but they normally let me off!
This morning was different though. This morning I got on the train having forgotten to print off my confirmation email, which was stupid. Prepared to buy a ticket, I explained my case to the ticket inspector, who told me that my email confirmation wouldn't have been valid anyway. She cited that people do the same from Grange Over Sands, which is a £9 fare (!!), and that loses them revenue when they purchase their ticket online and pick up their ticket in Lancaster. Her next line should go down in history.
"We're losing revenue."
Well, that just did it for me, really. I managed to control myself, thankfully, but that just really made me feel like I was living in lalaland, because it means one of two things: either a) Northern Rail really aren't part of the central train booking network, which is just stupid, or b) this woman had the worst grasp of how the train revenue and booking systems work in the UK, and she WORKS for it, or c) both a) and b), which is also scary, and implies that Northern Rail are money-grabbing bastards and want to sting you when you've already bought a ticket online because they don't make enough from the online central booking system. As it happens, she told me she'd let me off, but 'in future' I should buy my ticket from Lancaster instead of from Morecambe, and pay extra for the ticket from Morecambe. Which is just daft, really.
THEN I got to Lancaster, and went to pick up my ticket from the Fastticket machine. Despite having done this journey lots, just once before I've purchased my ticket online and when I got to picking it up, what came out was a ticket that said Not London on it. Which is just annoying. This time I checked it REALLY carefully, and made sure that it displayed the tube journey. So I was most irritated when what came out had the dreaded words on it - Not London. Well, I marched up to the ticket office and got an excess (which I was charged 2.20 for, seemingly random!!)
Drives me mad! I am travel cursed. I've been afflicted with delays, cancellations... everything. It doesn't matter what it is, I'll get afflicted by it. Which is funny because I have massive faith in the train system in the UK, despite being continually damaged by it! In this case I am cursed with what I like to call the Lynch curse. I have an aunt (who is a Lynch) who, despite working for an airline and being the person I know in the world that travels the most, she still manages to get something happen to her every time. They've broken her guitars. They've lost her luggage. They've delayed her. They've cancelled on her. They've stranded her.
And yet she still goes somewhere fancy and foreign at least once a month (or maybe less - but it seems like that much! Which is cool). So maybe part of the curse is still having faith in the system. Hmmm. At least she's never cross with the booking system, but then, she did work on the booking system design team!!
This morning was different though. This morning I got on the train having forgotten to print off my confirmation email, which was stupid. Prepared to buy a ticket, I explained my case to the ticket inspector, who told me that my email confirmation wouldn't have been valid anyway. She cited that people do the same from Grange Over Sands, which is a £9 fare (!!), and that loses them revenue when they purchase their ticket online and pick up their ticket in Lancaster. Her next line should go down in history.
"We're losing revenue."
Well, that just did it for me, really. I managed to control myself, thankfully, but that just really made me feel like I was living in lalaland, because it means one of two things: either a) Northern Rail really aren't part of the central train booking network, which is just stupid, or b) this woman had the worst grasp of how the train revenue and booking systems work in the UK, and she WORKS for it, or c) both a) and b), which is also scary, and implies that Northern Rail are money-grabbing bastards and want to sting you when you've already bought a ticket online because they don't make enough from the online central booking system. As it happens, she told me she'd let me off, but 'in future' I should buy my ticket from Lancaster instead of from Morecambe, and pay extra for the ticket from Morecambe. Which is just daft, really.
THEN I got to Lancaster, and went to pick up my ticket from the Fastticket machine. Despite having done this journey lots, just once before I've purchased my ticket online and when I got to picking it up, what came out was a ticket that said Not London on it. Which is just annoying. This time I checked it REALLY carefully, and made sure that it displayed the tube journey. So I was most irritated when what came out had the dreaded words on it - Not London. Well, I marched up to the ticket office and got an excess (which I was charged 2.20 for, seemingly random!!)
Drives me mad! I am travel cursed. I've been afflicted with delays, cancellations... everything. It doesn't matter what it is, I'll get afflicted by it. Which is funny because I have massive faith in the train system in the UK, despite being continually damaged by it! In this case I am cursed with what I like to call the Lynch curse. I have an aunt (who is a Lynch) who, despite working for an airline and being the person I know in the world that travels the most, she still manages to get something happen to her every time. They've broken her guitars. They've lost her luggage. They've delayed her. They've cancelled on her. They've stranded her.
And yet she still goes somewhere fancy and foreign at least once a month (or maybe less - but it seems like that much! Which is cool). So maybe part of the curse is still having faith in the system. Hmmm. At least she's never cross with the booking system, but then, she did work on the booking system design team!!
This is late
She works hard for the money, so hard for it honey...
It's been an entertaining day so far. It's now 1pm and I've had a chicken kebab which was mega. Watched some vids. Worked out Mail Merge in Pages (it is SO easy once you work out the first two steps - which is Inspector>Info). I still love my Macbook Pro. It is wonderful. Been printing off envelopes that I've mail merged (which is far more fun that printing labels, and looks neater). About to fold up 100 envelopes and send them out. Then have to spend the next two weeks calling up stores. Sigh. Not happy - am rubbish on outgoings, but we'll see.
FINALLY got the PES store orders done, AND I got a prize sent out that's been bugging me for a while. Life is good. I am going to be poor this month though - expenses taking ages to pay!
Right, so, after a long day's work, I'm back on the train gang, and of course, I'm playing battery game. It was reading at 6:22, but then I turned the brightness to nothing and dimmed the keyboard and it climbed to 8:44, and now it's saying 9:29, which is so blindingly amazing it doesn't actually bear thinking about, really. It's not so dim I can't read it. I'll give it a minute and see if I can screenshot it again, but I've got to be quick. Thing is, I'm using absolutely nothing to get that kind of usage - WI-Fi is off, drive not being used... oh, 9:22. Going down. Best use screenshot now. Be fast!!!
Wasn't fast enough. Went to 8:20 too quickly. Daft thing. It's like rare birdspotting. The Lesser-Shotted Battery Life. Lol.
DAMN 9:29 again. Ok, let's go again. GAH. Missed it again. This is so funny! Ok, I give up. I've seen it at tiny use. It does mean that the trackpad must use a mental amount of power 'cos it spikes the usage whenever I try to do it. Just sitting on the keyboard typing into Evernote uses so little power it's unbelievable.
Engadget got their 17" Pro today to unbox and review. Theirs was the absolute max version - kitted out with the massive 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM and of course the anti-glare screen. I am glad I didn't get the anti-glare screen - it's just the same screen as the previous iterations. Don't like it. Don't really care that I can kinda see my fingers in the screen while I'm typing, love it anyway. Will wait to see what they say about the screen. Hope they'll be pleased by the battery life - I am so far. Although less happy that I've used up 2 cycles so far out of the guaranteed 1,000, and I haven't even let it get below 50% yet. Also that it came with only 98% health. Although some people who got theirs that I read already had 3 cycles out of it. Thanks, iStat Pro :D
I made a tactical seating error - I'm in the same kind of place I was this morning, being crushed by the stupid overly-large coffeecup thing. Why did First Great Western think a triangular table was a good idea? Silly FGW. I could have sat in a corner seat but I thought then I couldn't make observations on the rest of the people in the carriage. Boooourns! Although if my Macbook was a littler one, it would be a LOT easier. Lol.
Just pulled out of Slough, train very crowded now. Well, I'd be squeezing in to get out Slough if I worked there too. Lol.
Mailbox! Open Mailbox!
Not a fan of the sweatmarks that pool under where my palms rest. Grrr.
The two people opposite me are reading the Lovely Bones (read by the girl with the fantastic eyeliner) and a book whose spine I can't see 'cos he's to my right and has only just start the book, but the back has an American flag and proclaims loudly that it's a Pulitzer prize-winning booke (read by the slightly good-looking bloke). Oh, Pulitzer has been put away. Wonder if he caught me looking at him. Meh, so waht.
Can't get into comfy position. Will remember NEVER to sit in this position when want to type again!!!! Hopefully train will emptty towards Oxford and will be able to sptead out.
Wonder if could write Bridget JOnes-style book involving man sat in corner of train blogging on his commute to work. Might consider it. Obv would have some girl comment on it and have their romance grow. That would be such a good idea! OMFG! What a good idea. Might do that! Might start it now. Will start idea and write for fifteen mins. Must not mention Macbook.
***
Well, didn't quite mention it. Is now forty minutes later. Enjoyed it so much couldn't stop. Got to write morning and evening story every day, but for first few weeks will put both up as one post every evening. Will also register several false accounts to make comments with, as part of storyline. Very proud of self.
There was a bloke with a black Macbook looking like me - comfy and groovy, not a ThinkPadMan. Was happy about that. Felt less left out of scary ThinkPad group. Integrated into story. Very proud. Caught Macbook man looking at my Macbook with face of jealousy. Muahahahaha. YAY! FIRST!
She works hard for the money... too hard for it honey! Just about to get home so will turn off Macbook now. On way back to Morecambe tonight so probably won't post this until get home and have time. Until next time!
It's been an entertaining day so far. It's now 1pm and I've had a chicken kebab which was mega. Watched some vids. Worked out Mail Merge in Pages (it is SO easy once you work out the first two steps - which is Inspector>Info). I still love my Macbook Pro. It is wonderful. Been printing off envelopes that I've mail merged (which is far more fun that printing labels, and looks neater). About to fold up 100 envelopes and send them out. Then have to spend the next two weeks calling up stores. Sigh. Not happy - am rubbish on outgoings, but we'll see.
FINALLY got the PES store orders done, AND I got a prize sent out that's been bugging me for a while. Life is good. I am going to be poor this month though - expenses taking ages to pay!
Right, so, after a long day's work, I'm back on the train gang, and of course, I'm playing battery game. It was reading at 6:22, but then I turned the brightness to nothing and dimmed the keyboard and it climbed to 8:44, and now it's saying 9:29, which is so blindingly amazing it doesn't actually bear thinking about, really. It's not so dim I can't read it. I'll give it a minute and see if I can screenshot it again, but I've got to be quick. Thing is, I'm using absolutely nothing to get that kind of usage - WI-Fi is off, drive not being used... oh, 9:22. Going down. Best use screenshot now. Be fast!!!
Wasn't fast enough. Went to 8:20 too quickly. Daft thing. It's like rare birdspotting. The Lesser-Shotted Battery Life. Lol.
DAMN 9:29 again. Ok, let's go again. GAH. Missed it again. This is so funny! Ok, I give up. I've seen it at tiny use. It does mean that the trackpad must use a mental amount of power 'cos it spikes the usage whenever I try to do it. Just sitting on the keyboard typing into Evernote uses so little power it's unbelievable.
Engadget got their 17" Pro today to unbox and review. Theirs was the absolute max version - kitted out with the massive 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM and of course the anti-glare screen. I am glad I didn't get the anti-glare screen - it's just the same screen as the previous iterations. Don't like it. Don't really care that I can kinda see my fingers in the screen while I'm typing, love it anyway. Will wait to see what they say about the screen. Hope they'll be pleased by the battery life - I am so far. Although less happy that I've used up 2 cycles so far out of the guaranteed 1,000, and I haven't even let it get below 50% yet. Also that it came with only 98% health. Although some people who got theirs that I read already had 3 cycles out of it. Thanks, iStat Pro :D
I made a tactical seating error - I'm in the same kind of place I was this morning, being crushed by the stupid overly-large coffeecup thing. Why did First Great Western think a triangular table was a good idea? Silly FGW. I could have sat in a corner seat but I thought then I couldn't make observations on the rest of the people in the carriage. Boooourns! Although if my Macbook was a littler one, it would be a LOT easier. Lol.
Just pulled out of Slough, train very crowded now. Well, I'd be squeezing in to get out Slough if I worked there too. Lol.
Mailbox! Open Mailbox!
Not a fan of the sweatmarks that pool under where my palms rest. Grrr.
The two people opposite me are reading the Lovely Bones (read by the girl with the fantastic eyeliner) and a book whose spine I can't see 'cos he's to my right and has only just start the book, but the back has an American flag and proclaims loudly that it's a Pulitzer prize-winning booke (read by the slightly good-looking bloke). Oh, Pulitzer has been put away. Wonder if he caught me looking at him. Meh, so waht.
Can't get into comfy position. Will remember NEVER to sit in this position when want to type again!!!! Hopefully train will emptty towards Oxford and will be able to sptead out.
Wonder if could write Bridget JOnes-style book involving man sat in corner of train blogging on his commute to work. Might consider it. Obv would have some girl comment on it and have their romance grow. That would be such a good idea! OMFG! What a good idea. Might do that! Might start it now. Will start idea and write for fifteen mins. Must not mention Macbook.
***
Well, didn't quite mention it. Is now forty minutes later. Enjoyed it so much couldn't stop. Got to write morning and evening story every day, but for first few weeks will put both up as one post every evening. Will also register several false accounts to make comments with, as part of storyline. Very proud of self.
There was a bloke with a black Macbook looking like me - comfy and groovy, not a ThinkPadMan. Was happy about that. Felt less left out of scary ThinkPad group. Integrated into story. Very proud. Caught Macbook man looking at my Macbook with face of jealousy. Muahahahaha. YAY! FIRST!
She works hard for the money... too hard for it honey! Just about to get home so will turn off Macbook now. On way back to Morecambe tonight so probably won't post this until get home and have time. Until next time!
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