Balki

I must be getting old: today I got another round of same shit different day by Microsoft. Once again they claim to have bypassed the universal law of constant misery (for the Dutch Speaking Community: De Wet van Behoud van Miserie). This is just a scientists' way of saying: no pain no gain, or better and logically equivalent: gain implies pain. Past a certain critical point, when you find a 'better' solution for a problem, this only means you've failed to notice the downsides of your new plan. Now this may sound pessimistic, but it really is not: to paraphrase Morrissey, some burdens are bigger than others! If you have a very broad solution for a wide set of problems, you may be able to please some burden-bearers by focussing temporarily on their subdomain, and if you time your focus right, this may give you commercial momentum at the least.
However, undoubtedly, focussing on, say, half your 'customers' will without a single doubt just cause negative effects on the rest. Damned: I believe I am in the wrong half of MS' customers right now =)

But let's look on the bright side: the drive to and from Brussels enabled to enjoy both Arctic Monkeys (you know the bloke on the CD-booklet? Well, he's not in the band at all - haha) and (I'm in a Nina Simone-reincarnation-period) of course, Jeff Buckley. My voice was even good enough to leave the impression on me that I wasn't far off on most of it, though trying to sing along with Him makes only your awe bigger - as does trying to play his guitar parts.

Then shortly after getting home I got in to a 'funny little fight' with my wife: I had no idea that a slight misunderstanding regarding potatoes (there was also some spinach involved) could cause so many waves. But we got hold of it before we started throwing plates (ridden of potatoes), because I managed to see how silly al of it was. Medal of honor for me, then eh?

What else happened? I was a bit worried to hear that Anne has some problems with 'the love of her life' (bear with me): of course he's just a boy who wants to play with the boys, and as she is VERY persistant (pigheaded like both her parents is more the term), she ends up getting hit in the head. Sigh. Disturbing to hear how complicated life already is at nearly 4. Well at least they haven't got any kids yet...

Then I got to clean up the house, but afterwards I got rewarded with episode 2 of season 2 of Lost (I got the DVD from my mother in law for helping them out with some wallpaper. These people are starkraving mad: if I'd given them a DVD for every time they'd helped us, I'd be giving them Rambo III now out of lack of inspiration). I'm starting to fear that my prediction will be all too true: everything is going the Twin Peaks direction. Weirdness is great, but it would be nice if they found a way to explain some things instead of just adding surrealism. Still entertaining though.

And now my evening can end in beauty: sipping some Sangria (leftover from the recent barbecue), I got some comments on my blog. Somebody has nicked my trick of complimenting freely. For a cynic like me, it's quite unbelievable what an intense power-up something like that can give you. I feel somewhat like Super Mario after he has eaten a mushroom (though I will have to keep my head clear from brick walls above it). Thanks to my favorite Christian Democratic Spy, I'm now in the top 10 of my own favorite people.

At least 1 man will know that I'm not very original when I wish the whole world a bluebear-hug with all my heart.

Cousin Larry, let's do the dance of joy!!!