Just a couple of Smudger type stories for you ...

For your delectation I have two stories today:

  What is Happening here at Chez Smudger

and

 Have you ever searched the Internet for Yourself?

 

---

   What is happening here at Chez Smudger?

 

Here I am , still with some "issues" with my arm/elbow (as have been discussed before), and now we have another problem.

 Unlike his Dad, Liam is a very active sports player.

As most of you already know, Liam plays Football for a local Team (Goalie extraordinaire). But he also plays Tennis, Badminton, Rugby. He takes part in Archery. All the things that you would like a young man to do to keep him self fit. Build Team Work.

It makes a Dad proud to see his Son succeed at these things.       

  And particularly, last Wednesday night, when , returning from a School Tournament, he announced that his Rugby Team had won all of the matches that they had taken part in.

  However, he hadn't come out of this competition un-scathed. He complained that he had bent his thumb back, and that it was a little sore. Nothing out of the ordinary in that. Our Liam is a brave and committed player. Never one to hang back, he will charge "into the fight" so to speak, so the odd bump and bruise is not unusual. And that is what we thought we had here, yet another non-descript injury. But it was to prove somewhat different.

  After a couple of hours sat in the local A&E department, waiting our turn for this and that, Liam walks out of the door with his lower forearm in a cast as a way of protecting his broken thumb.

In the previous hours he had asked his mum to look again at his thumb, "as it didn't feel right". But, as he went to school, there was nothing really to suggest anything other than another bruise. But, as the school day went on, so Liam tells us (and seeing the colour of his thumb later on in the day - I can accept all he foretold), the pain must have become so obvious, as he went to the School Nurse/First Aider.

They kindly strapped up his hand, but the pain was so excessive that, when I came home he was Playing some game on his PlayStation, laid, rather comfortably across his bed.

Anyway, to cut the story to the quick, we all decided to that I would sit with Liam at the Hospital, whilst Cathy took Laura to her Brownie Camp.

What worse for Liam is that all his sports have pretty much been "suspended" for at least three or four weeks (if not longer).He'll miss the last two games of the season in the Football league (and the Tigers are hoping to win these two, and that will give them the best league position that they have had EVER). He will miss his Schools last few Rugby matches. He will miss the build up to the School Sports Day (like he'll miss that - NOT -  )

---

Have you ever tried to search for your self on the Internet?

This is one of those "bored out of my skull moments"

I was sat there , in front of a dis-used keyboard, wondering what to do next. So, as Google.co.uk was already up there on the page, I typed in the search word "Smudgersworld". It returned 27 hits - which, to be honest, surprised me. It also asked if I had meant to search for Smokersworld (Urrrggh -  )

Then I though, what would happen if I searched some other search engines, and the following results came back ( this is baring in mind that all I looked for was Smudgersworld)

• Altavista – 48
• Dogpile – 21
• Excite – 25
• Google (co.uk) – 27
• Google.com – 27
• Lycos – 20
• Lycos UK – 9
• MSN Search (co.uk) – 12
• Yahoo.co.uk – 48
• Yahoo.com – 48

Admittedly, not all the returns were actually anything to do with me (big surprise), but what was a big surprise was that Altavista gave me the most accurate (and the largest accurate) return, and not the Famous (or is it infamous) Google. On top of that Yahoo search came up with the biggest result of all. Most of the returns were “rubbish” as such, but is Google not the biggest database as we have been lead to believe.

Mind you, who would want to search for “Smudgersworld” anyway (and there are several locations under that name).

Please note: Every link for Smudgersworld in this item takes you to one of the various websites that I have ownership (if that is the right description), or control of. If you find any others, they may not be the ones that I lord over……

Am I losing my intrest in Technology?

Can Technology become BORING?

Odd title I suppose in many ways, especially considering that a lot of people who use the Internet, Blog and the like use, and like , Technology all the time.

And what brought about this little "question"?

---

Quite simple actually:

yesterday saw the arrival of our latest acquisition.

Doom3 on the Xbox arrived, via Postman Pat (or in our case it should more accurately be Post-lady Patricia), on our door mat.

As the software publishers, id Software, had delayed the release of the X-Box version since Christmas, it has become something of an "exciting wait" scenario. You know the feeling, like waiting to see what you get for Christmas, or for a Birthday. You have some idea in the main of what each event will  entail, but you still look forward to ripping through the paper to see if you were right.

Well, this is what it felt like , initially, with Doom. We even changed our order with Amazon from the Standard Edition to the Special Collectors Edition.

But, over the last couple of weeks, technology has become commonplace and boring - and I never thought that i would hear my self say that to ME, let alone anyone else. But over the last couple of weeks - I have to admit it certainly seems to be the case. My Laptop at work (and not only mine) have suffered various technical breakdowns, lockups and general “pain - in - the - @''!!” errors. It is also fair to say that I have been slowly "shuffled" off the main computer by the whole of the family, and you know what, it just doesn't bother me.

Am I loosing my love for the Computer and technology in general?

Is it just a little "downer" because of the discomfort I still suffer whilst the medics treat my shoulder and elbow, typing this was "uncomfortable".

Is it just one of those "time of year "things - you know the end of the cold of winter, waiting for some of the warmth that foretells the coming of summer.

---

And Doom?

I haven't had chance to have a go yet. Will let you know what goes.

---

Isn't it funny how the little things make you smile? Here am I chuntering on about feeling a little fed-up and bored.

As is my want, my norm for typing a blog or two is to wander back and forth from the Computer to the Kitchen for a Cup Of Tea, Breakfast or a nibble depending on the time of day, most of you will probably be the same.

However, this morning, I have just wandered through to the kitchen for a quick drink.

There, running up and down his house was our little Hamster. Turning, I guess he saw me and then went and sat next to his food bowl; waiting.

I know this may well be a conditioned response, or even just plain coincidence, but our little girls only concern was her stomach.

No other worries. No boredom. Nothing. Just feed me.

And it made me smile.

And what will happen with regards to the Doom Game?

Two things I suppose. The first is the possible issue of getting on the X Box in the first place. Even though our Liam has a PlayStation 2 in his own room, he tends to end up playing Gotham Racing on the XBox in my room. Luckily my “Baby”, Laura, is not really a Games Console person, but that said, with Cathy at work today, I have to go with the Kids to Archery (Sad or what! – I think not). But then I have the ordinary household chores to attend to (which will include at least ten minutes being ignored by a Teenager when you ask for a few minute help).

The second issue – can I really be bothered at the minute anyway?

Will let you know what goes.