I poked myself in the eye

Today was lots of playing about trying to work out what goes where. Mainly playing with shaders. Trying to trace input attributes and constant params. Still trying to compile stuff in GL to rip the CgFX info from it. I may look into the DX11FX parser, which is now handily given as source. It would be nice to get rid of the GL stage and use something more customisable instead.

Took the dog to day care. Cleaners arrived early, they actually did a fairly good job. Picked the dog up from day care.

Summer is over and it’s raining again. It eventually stopped mid evening, so I ventured out with my GPS. Managed to find one which has been annoying me for a while. Then found another odd one over towards Parkway then went back to another one which I still couldn’t find on the third attempt, I think it may have been muggled…And yes, while looking I did indeed manage to poke myself in the eye with a tree branch.

Then we were visited by ‘The Dog Listener’

Today work wise was very much like yesterday. Got stuck in. All about shaders, all about getting bits of data compiling from all over the place. Good fun.

Walked the dog although it wasn’t even my day, aren’t I nice. I’m sure the dog hates me, she ignores me all day and spends all night with Jamie.

Anyway, this evening we were visited by a lady dog trainer. She specialises in ‘Dog Listening’, which apparently was made famous by some woman I’ve never heard of. It was all very interesting, and made a lot of sense. She managed to stop the dog jumping up fairly quickly by ignoring her. Then when she had settled down she called her over and made a fuss, as soon as she started jumping up again it was back to ignoring. Very quickly she got the hang of it. She also gave us various other tips on a few other problems, so we’ll put those in to action and see how we get on. I’ve ordered the book, so will give that a good read. Even Jamie seemed to be fairly impressed.

I had two letters turn up today offering me health screenings, I must be getting old

Today was all about compiling shaders. Lots of fun there. It’s quite a complex project so loads of work still to do. Really it was all about building 64 bit tools today.

Walked the dog. Went to combat. Did a bit more work. Now trying to catch up with the Canadian grand prix. Lots of work to get on with tomorrow.

Two letters turned up today from different companies (although I’m sure they are related). Offering me various screenings. Apparently my arteries are furring up and I’m about to have a stroke. But for two hundred quid this could be prevented. I think I’ll take the risk and live dangerously.

You have a figure like the rocky mountains

So yesterday started off with getting up vaguely on time. I decided to take the dog on a bit of an adventure, so off we set to go to Almondsbury by the garden centre. She really enjoyed it, except for the bit going under the motorway where the echoing sound put her out somewhat.

Came game and then did the shopping. On the way I stopped off at the Bradley Stoke community festival which seems to get smaller every year. After ten minutes I resumed the shopping. Also did a home check for a cat, all fine.

Had lunch then disappeared off into town, failed to do anything useful. Came back and did the accounts. Then we were picked up by Andy and Lisa to go to their place. We sat outside and drank then ate a Chinese. Then sat outside and drank some more until it got cold. Came in, where promptly our hosts fell asleep. When asked to describe Jamie’s body, Andy described it as ‘a bit like the rocky mountain range’, I was highly amused. We got picked up by a taxi that never did any less than 60mph anywhere.

This morning we woke up and then motioned to Ikea, where Jamie bought some expensive lights. We then went to B&Q and bought a posh chimera thing. Then went to Tesco and bought some garden furniture. We came back, I picked up the dog shit and had some lunch. I then vanished off to do a bit more geocaching. Searched for six, found five, pretty happy with that. Came back and Jamie had attempted to assemble everything. So that all required re-assembling. Go the BBQ going. Andy and Lisa arrived. We ate much meat. And some very spicy chicken. A good evening. The heater thing worked well. And that’s another weekend over with. And another one I failed to do any DIY on.

I quite like the look of geometry shaders

I was hoping to start actually doing some proper coding today but ended up having to do a bit more research before I could start. Still, all mostly done now so I can get a good crack on it on Monday. Did have a play around with some unrelated geometry shaders though, very interesting stuff.

Walked the dog. Went to pump. Not much else to say about today really, all a little bit dull. Oh I did get a package arrive from Zen, a mug, pen, lanyard and oddly a yo-yo. Together with a compliment slip that read, “Many thanks for the free switch, with REIN feature :)”. I like these people, as I’ve said before ‘reassuringly expensive’. The line is still holding find at 7.5mbps.

Bath and wine time I think.

I’m not dogging, I’m looking for a Geocache

Finally come to the end of conference material and now actually on to the practical stuff. Only come across one major problem so far, well it’s not really a problem, more of a stern challenge. It’s going to take me quite a while to get to grips with it, but it will be fun.

Didn’t venture out lunchtime as I wanted to crack on. Finished up early evening.

Then went out looking for a geocache. This one was a bit special as you needed to solve a clue first to work out it’s location. I solved the clue last night. I walked up through Almondsbury and found the correct field. I then spent the best part of an hour scrambling through bushes trying to find this bloody cache. No success. Still, nice walk.

Came back, ate salad. Torture porn night, and I actually have some torture porn for once. Jamie has just made his dinner and disappeared. I complimented him earlier on dressing like ‘One direction’, except none of them are fat.

Gran was right, eating cheese before bed will give you bad dreams

I whispered to the guy at the table, that all was going ahead as planned, then I was called over to the reception desk in the large dinning hall. They said I had a delivery, it was a tall glass like dome containing something. I walked back but then turned around again to the reception desk. I said, “Is it okay if I store this in the cellar due to the earthquakes?”. They said it was fine. I walked passed the table and whispered, “It’s okay I’ll follow the girls out somehow.” I made it to the stairway and started descending the numerous staircases. I made it to the ground floor where there was a small but busy haberdashery shop, the final staircase led down to the cellar. It was obstructed by various boxes of bottles, I managed to climb over them all and found myself in a tunnel in the cellar. I walked further on and there in front of me was a wall full of electronics, I could faintly hear the sound of a tape recorder playing the same brain washing message that had gotten to all of us. I picked up a tea trolley and with one mighty swoop I snapped off all the circuit boards hanging out of the wall. I then pulled a load of wiring looms away from it. In the background I could hear people coming down to the cellar. I quickly moved to the center of the room and found an air-conditioning unit above me. I removed the cover and started pulling out the foam inside. I then dived up into the foam and found myself in the floor above.

I woke up and took the dog to daycare. I went back to sleep.

We’d just come back from holiday and Jamie was saying that he fancied a trip to New York and that he wasn’t going to take me. I said if he did that I’d divorce him. Andy and Lisa turned up, they sat on the couch while Jamie fannies about. He then said that, “we are going out now, sorry you could come as well but there isn’t enough room in the car.” I asked where they were going, he replies, “We are going to see my old friend Dave Vitty do a show at Rage”. I start to seeth, Andy and Lisa look uncomfortable. They leave the house. We are all in a restaurant together, Jamie starts moaning about money, I say that I want nine pounds for Sasha’s doggy daycare and a fiver for the petrol. He hands me a load of change. He also says he wants to move to London, I say no, unless he starts earning more than me. We are back at the house, he then complains that tickets to New York are more expensive than he thought as the payment bounced.

I woke up. Time for work.

Oddly a letter arrived for Jamie from the bank, he’d probably gone over his overdraft limit again. I said he shouldn’t have tried to buy that ticket to New York, he looked confused.

Today was the last day of conference material. Got through it all, tomorrow I start on the practical stuff.

Finished up and then went geocaching again. Found another four. Still stuck on the one by the Hilton hotel. Think I’ve got good clues for another two. Also just managed to solve a picture puzzle, I thought it was an anagram, but it was actually coordinates. Now programmed into the GPS, so ready to go tomorrow. Yes, over bloody Almondsbury way again.

Three more caches found

Got up and did yet more research work. Made quite a few decisions on how I’m going to tackle the job, some will no doubt be wrong, but I have to start somewhere.

Went for a run as it’s Jamie’s dog day. Jamie finished work early, so oddly we had a shag at about five thirty, it was quite fun a vigorous, then I went back to work and watched a presentation on anti-alaising techniques.

Finished off and then trotted out with my little GPS. Ended up in Almondsbury again (they all seem to be that way) and finally found one called ‘green fingers’ which was hidden in a bush, this is my second attempt at this one. It was actually hidden on the ground in a model of a hand, very clever. I then walked further over towards the quarry and found two more there, there’s a third one of the other side of the railway line but light was fading. Came back, ate salad and watched telly. Early kick off tomorrow with Sasha going to daycare.

New GPS and a new job title

Carried on working on what I was working on last week, which wasn’t really working on anything but going through a lot of documentation and conference notes.

Walked the dog, nice weather again today.

My new GPS arrived. Went to the gym and did combat, great fun, nice to be back into it, was a very hot studio though.

Came back and got my GPS out, signed up to a premium account on geocaching.com. Downloaded a free map and found an old SD card to put it on. Also set it up for paperless caching, so I can send geocaches straight to the device. Went for a little jaunt and failed to find two caches, so many well spent, but I haven’t really worked out how to use it all properly yet. Need to play around with it a lot more.

Ate salad. Watched an episode of ‘Endeavour’ which to be honest I think is the best one out of Morse and Lewis.

Spoke to the boss earlier, had a short discussion. I’m now a certain console platform lead. Which is good as I’ve spent the last week learning about it. I’m still spending a day a week working on mobile stuff to keep my hand in. Now due to fun NDA’s that’s the first time and probably the last time I’ll ever mention anything about it.

Left a bit, keep your head down ‘Today’s special value is coming on’

So today started how I like to start a Sunday, late. No action was had, we have the sex drive of a fridge. I got up, let the dog out for a pee then made breakfast, which consisted of very strong coffee and Bran Flakes. Then got out of bed eventually, picked up the dog shit then had lunch. Now since I’ve had this bit of a cough I thought that sanding plaster probably wasn’t the greatest idea so decided to do a bit more geocaching instead. Off I trotted to Almondsbury, searched for three, found two. Ended up looking up under a bridge for ages and couldn’t find that one, but did find another one cleverly hidden inside a log. Good fun.

Walked back rather briskly as we were going to a BBQ at Sarah’s. Usual drinking and hilarity took place. Her boys are getting very vulgar, I like this. There was much talk of vagina’s and how certain people may be getting theirs serviced. Anyway, nice end to the week, think I’ll finish it off now with a nice bath then bed.