Even earlier than we expected. As previously mentioned, we and her parents are already going to Britain just prior to Christmas. However Ira’s work have now decided to send her to a meeting in London, which means she will be on 8 different flights within 10 days. I hope her journey goes well, and that the meeting is not too draining. I have offered my services as her personal luggage handler, but she does not seem to think her company will pay for my ticket, as it is an ‘un-necessary expense’ or something 🙁 LMAO
Dec 10 2007
If It Worked In The 80s…
I would have put this post in the ‘Aware Or Conspiracy Nut?’ category as well, but it is pretty obvious what Dubbya’s motivation was for the memory loss…
Anyway, head on over to the BBC’s article on President Bush’s revelation that he has ‘no memory of the CIA videos of their torturing interrogating suspected terrorists’. I really hope that the American public will have had their fill of ‘no clear recollection of those events’ type answers/excuses after the Iran/Contra scandal in the 80s. I doubt it will raise much attention though. Funny how an act of consensual oral sex can end up with a Democrat being impeached, and how blatant lies, bloodshed, bullshit and abuse of power and influence end up in no action being taken. Bunch of frigging wuck fits…
Dec 05 2007
Happy Birthday Mum
Yep, it is a popular week for birthdays. Today is Mum’s birthday, and she’ll be… … 31 again (?) LOL.
I’ve just spoken to her, as here in Kazakhstan, it is already the 5th December, so I wanted to get a quick congratulations in.
I hope she has a great day, with nothing too stressful going on. This will certainly be a packed month for her, with her birthday, her two sons, a daughter-in-law and Ira’s parents coming for Xmas, her wedding to John a few days later, and then Ira and I will be around for New Year as well. Really looking forward to catching up, and seeing everyone again.
Snomrazh Denya – or something that sounds like that anyway.
Dec 01 2007
Happy Birthday Con
Although you are many miles away, Ira and I are still thinking of you today. Hope your birthday celebrations go well, but not so well that you don’t actually remember them 😉
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Nov 29 2007
France Gets Innovative
Whilst I am against the punishing of Peer To Peer users in general, it is interesting to see that France has tried a (slightly) different route in persuading people to stay legal when it comes to music, movies, games and applications. Check out the BBC’s article on it here. Monsieur Sarkozy has announced a scheme where ‘casual’ pirates will receive warnings, and eventually have their internet access removed if they continue to download copyrighted materials. The manner in which they catch these people is a little worrying though, making the ISP’s role a lot more pro-active, rather than simply serving them with requests to trace IP address and date/time combinations to customers, the companies will be expected to actively monitor what people are doing, and report the customers.
No financial or prison sentences is a move in the right direction, but the method of getting there is what worries me greatly. If ISPs accept this new policing role, who knows where it will end. Although different companies definitely have differing policies on this sort of matter, I can’t help wondering if it is the beginning of a slippery slope into an oppressive future.
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Nov 26 2007
7 Months 17 Days!
Blog income this year – once I have earned another $1.40, this blog will have paid for the following items this year
-
Return plane tickets to Amsterdam and Britain, back in September
3 way split on the rent for an apartment in Amsterdam
Spending money for the three week holiday in Amsterdam and Britain
Irina’s new phone (well most of it 🙂 )
A few meals out during the last 7 months
Most of the cost for the plane tickets Ira and I bought for our trip to Britain this Xmas
Irina’s Xmas pressie (a lovely little laptop. Am I stupid, or just assuming she doesn’t read this blog? Neither, I know she reads the blog, but she helped me to narrow down the selection. This will be a laptop for her to browse the internet whilst I’m hogging the current PC, and to do some office-type work on. Therefore, my normal criteria of how well it plays games and whether it has enough LEDs/transparent casing should not apply to her laptop 🙂 (I’m also hereby giving Ira written consent to whack me around the head (with something soft) should I start treating it as anything other than her PC…))
Anyway, despite Google’s decision to penalize myself and many other bloggers by wiping out their PageRank (I was expecting a rise to 5, from 4, instead of dropping to 0 with 3 drops in a month), I hope that this blog will help assist this household for the next few years, though I am obviously hoping to diversify the income sources as well.
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Nov 21 2007
UK Trip Details
THIS POST IS TEMPORARILY ‘STUCK’ TO THE FRONT PAGE.
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO SEE MORE RECENT POSTS, THANKS…
Once again, this post is primarily for family and friends back in Britain. A few have asked when and where we will be this Christmas time, and rather than repeating ourselves umpteen times, I thought I would post it up here, and refer people to the blog instead. More visitors never hurt the Alexa rank either 😉
Leave Astana 22nd December : 07:25
Arrive Moscow : 08:00
Leave Moscow : 10:05
Arrive Heathrow : 11:15
At this point John is hopefully picking us up in the motor-home, and driving us back to Clydach
23rd December : Flying visit to, and tour of, Cheltenham, as Ira’s parents will be returning to Kazakhstan before New Year
25th December : Something major happened this day in history, anyone recall?
27th December : Mum and John get married. 🙂 🙂 🙂 (note to myself, remember to update Outlook Contacts to Carol Kavanagh!)
29th December : The in-laws return to Kazakhstan, so following flight times are just for them…
Leave Heathrow : TBC
Arrive Moscow : TBC
Leave Moscow : TBC
Arrive Astana : TBC
New Years : At Mum & John’s place
Post-New Year : Spend some time in Clydach, Cheltenham (catching up with friends sober enough to move), Evesham (to see Dad), and hopefully London (to finally catch a glimpse of EmmaF’s new home, as well as other friends living there)
12th January : We leave Britain to return to Kazakhstan, with the following flight times
Leave Heathrow 12th January : 12:25
Arrive Moscow : 19:30
Leave Moscow 13th January : 00:10
Arrive Astana : 06:25
All flights are quoted with local times
Oh, and once again, a random two word phrase to make searching for this post, once it has slipped off the front page, a little easier. Hmm we had pink badger last time I think, so today’s phrase will be red dove.
[edit] Well, turns out there is a film called Red Dove. Involving amnesia, communism and water polo. I’m half tempted to try and source a torrent for that, it seems like an interesting mix of plot devices!
Nov 19 2007
Not Long Until Return To The UK…
Just under 5 weeks now until Ira, myself, and both in-laws will be travelling to Britain for Christmas and Mum & John’s wedding. This will be the first time Ira’s mum has been there, and now they have their visas sorted, it is just the matter of Xmas pressies to sort that is left out standing. Although the in-laws are returning to Kazakhstan for the New Year, Ira and I are spending that with Mum, and then 10 or so days more in Britain, so we can see my Dad, and our friends in Cheltenham etc. So for the few (‘real’ world) friends that do bother to read these posts, let me know when you’ll be around via e-mail or IM, or pretend you will be away if you want to avoid us 😛
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Nov 17 2007
Happy Birthday Dad & Babushka…
Today is the birthday of my Dad, Babushka (Ira’s Dad’s Mum) and also Stargazer (if you don’t recognise the name, I’ll assume you have not been reading this blog for a long time, he is the Austrian author of my favourite plug in, and the man who toured Austria on a moped!).
Anyway, assuming the present and card arrive in time, I’m hoping Dad will enjoy them, though I won’t post what it was until I know for sure he has it, I don’t want to go spoiling the surprise 🙂
Once Irina has finished at work, we should be heading to the in-laws for a meal to celebrate Babushka’s birthday.
Anyway, congratulations to all three people, and I hope your day goes well, with family and friends around you to help share in the joy.
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Nov 15 2007
Up Late
My lessons for the rest of this week were cancelled on Wednesday, as the student is busy organizing his relocation to Moscow. This means less money coming in, so I have tried to catch up with a few more sponsored posts. Karra and Muska are a little confused, as since I started giving conversational English classes, my bed times had been closer to midnight than 6am. They have wandered in and out of the living room a few times, demanding strokes, and eventually giving up, to return to the bedroom. Hopefully they’ve not woken Irina up.
Anyway, the following animation was posted to my Facebook funwall, it portrays one cat’s not so subtle attempts to wake its owner.
I think I will check for any blunt objects near the bed before sleeping tonight 😉
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