What it felt like

I've just found on my iPod the complete discography from Lacuna Coil. It brought back memories.

A few yers ago, I found an internship in Dassault Aviation, the famed (?) business aircraft manufacturer. I had the task of testing a new software to calculate the reliability of a critical system (understand if it fails, you die). Well, the system was provided by a canadian company and we already knew it was safe. So I could test the soft knowing that the consequences wouldn't be too high.
So that was my first real task, everything before that had been child play. Suddenly, I had to stop looking like a student and start looking like a proud employee of an elite firm. So I tried to snuggly fit myself in the mould of the perfect employee. Obviously, it was quite challenging. More than testing the software, that was almost a breeze.
Around that time also, my virtual little sister told me about that group she loved that was called Lacuna Coil. Imagine Evanescence, if they sounded good and not repetitive. What would be my introduction into goth music the same way that Nirvana and AC/DC got me into heavy metal.

After a few weeks of public transport in Paris (RER, metro, tram on the way to work, tram, metro, RER on the way back), I was going insane. 45 minutes of underground smelliness, stickiness and dishumanisation, I couldn't stand it. So, I bought a little MP3 player that could hold 128MB. Enough for 2 CDs and a half in acceptable quality, that I went to look for where all tech-savvy people go to.
So I got hold of the Lacuna Coil disco and downloaded their latest album on my player.

Comalies

my earphones were tied to a necklace, so I could carry the player in the breast pocket of my shirt, with no long wire hanging. I started listening to it in the transports. And I loved it, it really brought that barrier between me and the sheeps. I felt I was not like them anymore, I was back as I. Easy to see that I was actually turning even more like them, shutting myself from the external world. But hey, I was at least feeling better.

And I listened to good music, not too commercial and certainly not yet mainstream. I listened loud, for 3 purposes:

• Public transport=super loud. Blast loudness with even more loudness
• I simply loved the music and it just begs to be listened to loud
• You people, you can hear I listen to that music, this is one space you won't get from me, this is my freedom, and I'm not like you

After another few weeks, I got stuck against a wall while modeling my system. Fundamentally, the two could not work together. It was as if the software could handle only 1s and 0s, while my system produced 1s, 0s, and everything in between. At this point, I just concentrate harder and find the hole in the wall or blast it.
Only, I worked in a fairly crowded space, with 15 workstations buzzing and 3 to 5 other trainees solving their own mind-boggling problems, and muttering all together. No way to concentrate. I took a small risk and forgot to unplug my mp3 one morning.
Noise isolation good enough to concentrate, but I could still hear if someone wanted to talk to me. No objection from the trainees, and no objection from the boss. Safe

For most of 10 weeks, I listened to Lacuna Coil 8 to 10 hours a day.

I received my iPod to replace my somewhat limited player just at the end of the internship.

I stopped almost immediately after the end of the internship, on my way to "Bristol, UK". Each time I tried to listen to it again, it just would bring me to tears, so I didn't push in that direction. Oh, I also discovered new groups while I was over there, Symphony X, Nightwish, Rhapsody.... All of these being a bit (or a hole lot) more extreme than Lacuna Coil. Well, that was the end of the Lacuna Coil period.

Back in France, I bought earplugs that cut outside noise almost completely (military heavy helicopters are reaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaally noisy).

Now, 2 1/2 years after I started listening to Lacuna Coil, it just sounds as good as it did. Only it's on the soft side, not on the hard side like it used to be.


Two sidenotes:

• I found the hole in the wall, took me 3 weeks, but I was congratulated by a professional on the tool for finding it. She was truely impressed by the neat way I managed it. And I still consider it one of my best achievements, LOL.
  
• I also had long hair at the time, to show my difference, just in case my player broke down
  

After the high tide, comes the...

Did I tell you December was my worst month?
Programme:
Tomorrow, December 5th: Sinterklaas, kinda family day for us. Intimate and non commercial version of Christmas. Truly a day to enjoy.
Dec, 20th: Birthday, I'll finally pass through my 25th anniversary
Dec, 23rd: Start of my holidays!!! After more than 8 months of continuous work
Dec24-25:Well, Christmas alright, you know the deal. We'll do that in little comitee again, parents, kids 5 people, not more.
Dec 28th: Lil Bro 1's birthday
Dec 29th or 30th: Dad's half century party in the family, not an event I truly look forward to, but an occasion and an event to celebrate
Dec31st-Jan 1st: new year celebration

9 days out of 30 will be "special".

And I'll feel as lonely as I will ever be. I just hate the whole partying... Hoy, Hoy, rejoice it's another special day to celebrate!!!
First, I don't want to celebrate, sorry, it's just not the mood.
Second, does that mean the other 300 days a year where nothing happen have no meaning? GFY they last at least as long, and am not gonna forget those.
Third, even with my family and my friends, on these so special days, you're lonely. Actually, I feel even more lonely, hovering above the room, looking at everyone else like they're enjoying it or faking it, and looking at me, faking it.

I sometimes think that I'd be better off not having such occasions to celebrate, forced happiness and the whole like. I'd gove me more freedom to celebrate the ordinary days. I used to open a bottle of champagne at the smallest occasion, when I was a student, for any party and for any reason. If I felt like it, I did.

I didn't need a real reason, accepted by the society as worthwile. I still don't, but I don't want to be forced to be happy cuz on a day it's christmas, and it's written that you must celebrate on christmas.

Oh, yeah, I usually am bitter during the whole month. Bear with it, I'll return to my usual self soon enough.

the latest in a long line...

These are just simply awesome...
I actually bought my first box, for lil' bro 1. Geomag 96 pieces (cuz I want the same, only bigger)
Then I went through the site, looking at stuff to do with it.
Look it:
The Hourglass If you look down the post, you'll notice there's actually a gap between the spheres
The floating castle (floating cuz 2 towers don't touch the ground)
This one is just insane
Additionally, the chromed spheres make for some impressive pictures of reflexions...

How can I not lust on that? They're doing 1450 pieces sets in "collector" wooden cases, glow-in-the-dark sets, pastel coloured rods, metallic rods, and plates of all shapes.

I give up, I will NOT buy an XBOX 360, I will NOT pay take the bus anymore, I WILL sell my parents car without telling them, and I WILL rob the bank down the street. And then I'll just buy the whole Geomag SA company and have them enslaved into building sets exclusively for my own selfish enjoyment.

December wish list

Ma maman ayant confessé etre a court d'idée pour les cadeaux de fin d'année, il m'a été demandé de faire une petite "wish list"

Celle ci est celle que j'ai envoyé...
beau livre sur l'architecture/transports non modernes
CD Rhapsody - Rain of a thousand flames
DVD Initial D saison 1
Gran Turismo 4
lumiere bleue
Mangas Paradise Kiss
thés
tetran (pas jaune)
senteurs

En fait, il y a pas mal d'autres idées, mais tout le reste n'est pas vraiment transportable, et surtout ne pourrait pas etre stocké dans mon appartement ridicule.
En rédigeant cette liste, et en allant a la recherche de mes desirs matériels, je me suis a nouveau rendu compte que mon sens de l'esthetique etait plutot dirige vers le minimaliste, et les materiaux bruts, plastique blanc, ciment, bois, verre. Pas de motifs, couleurs unies sur les surfaces, formes elementaires. En soit, le design est fonction de la fonction.
Mon lieu de vie ideal: un espace peu segmente, que je puisse arranger en fonction en deplaceant des elements mobiliers. D'ailleurs, j'ai ainsi vu une bibliotheque a placer en milieu de piece, avec des rangements des 2 cotes, et un "passage" au milieu, matellasse, dans lequel on pourrait s'assoir pour dévorer un bouquin pioché sans regarder. Un meuble genial!!!

J'imagine deja les discussions si ma copine préfere les intérieurs cosy avec poutres apparentes et buffets normands...

One Laptop Per Child initiative

I had heard of it many months ago. One wacky (assuredly) guy with brains (assuredly) and reputation (also) had conceived the idea of biulding a computer so cheap that it could potentially be offered to EVERY child on earth. That is, a computer that would cost less than 100$.

There are two aspects that I find deeply interesting, first the technical aspect, how can you design a computer that costs around 100% and make it work in the most remote places in therms of technology? The solutions to reduce the cost are sometimes well known (small screen for small budget) to downright crazy: no hard drive but a 1Gig flash memory, no battery but a wind-up for an autonomy of 40 minutes.
But the most positive aspect of all this is the possibilities that this project brings. It will bring to these children the access to knowledge and the education they should have. Of course, it may also bring them the negative aspects of our "modern society", in the same way that evangelists brought christianism for the better or for the worse.
It's a mixed feeling, but I really shows that when a group of people really try, they can move moutains...
Makes me cheery. And that 100$ computer looks way better than my 2000$ laptop...

More information on the 100$ Laptop site

Black is today's mood

Back to the black template. It's still too coloured for me though, but I won't touch it for some time probably.

Major redesign

I've used another template provided by Blogger.
I don't like it (green is yuck, blue is yummy) but its structure is a lot closer to the one I may want in the end. Or it has some elements at least that I want (don't know the CSS tags yet)

So, over the coming days (or weeks) you may find a number of designs being applied at random, just to look for the tag or the structure that interests me.

Ed note: the prompter tells me to tell you that following a discussion with Florence (Le blog de Florence) it appears she is in love with a certain man who she married around 2 months ago after so many years together I don't want to remember. It also appears it's mainly down his appearance on a certain day around 2 months ago. I knew I should have dressed better, I could have been married by now :-p better luck next time LOL.

Comment verification removed

The word verification that had to be entered to comment is now removed.
I had checked the wrong option (took it for something else) and I've corrected that.

You can now feel free to comment as much as you want without my blog requiring a proof you're a human. Enjoy your new found freedom :-p

Slight update: I've received 2 spam comments within the first 5 minutes of the change. If the trend continues, I'll have to re enable it...

3-day week-end

Friday, 10 PM
I didn't open my curtains all day long. Though, maybe I should have. And I didn't leave my flat all day long either. Cuz it's friday the 11th of novembre, and it's public holidays!!!
In the context of this gloomy celebration, I'd like to see Joyeux Noel, directed by Christian Carion.
It tells the story of soldiers of WWI from both sides who fraternised during the Christmas period of 1914. The movie seems to be very close to reality, with no side depicted as better or worse than the others. There seems to be a current in france at least that looks back at the 1914-1918 war less as a military conflict, as written in the history books and more as a human event, detailing the life from ordinary people more than the position of the front or the political decisions that were taken.
It may be a symptom of the actual situation in france, where political figures are not trusted much and where the destiny of the country is out of their hands. (Ok, it's particularly true at the moment with the unrest, but this distrust from the political system is way older than that)
I personally find it way more interesting and it's no limited to this specific war, I've always been more interested in the life of the people than in the life of the kings and rich.
--However, I do prefer above both the history of science and technology, in the sense that innovation has mostly been driven by necessity and design is driven by function.--
So I read a couple of articles on these fraternisation events and I may read a book that was recommended. Unfortunately, I'm also not keen on going to see such a movie alone. These movies cannot be appreciated in the same way if there's no sharing of the emotions and feelings afterwards, and by going alone, it's just not possible. And it doesn't feel the same if you speak about it after some time has passed. You've already coloured your memories and play mind games on it. You're talking about what you want to remember, not about your emotions... Betraying and useless

On the other hand, I've seen Les Chevaliers du Ciel, a french version of the almighty Top Gun.

Scenario:1/10
First, I found the representation of women (and also of men as a consequence) in the movie offensive. That's only cuz it provided scenes for the flights, so it cannot receive a 0. Nuf said
Music:6/10
Action scene music almost well chosen. Nothing like heavy metal or techno to listen to during dogfighting in Mirage 2000. And one track by Placebo sure helped. But commercial metal and techno just isn't worth more than 5 (+1 for Placebo track)
Acting:3/10
Sorry guys, you lose. No acting to talk about.
Flight scenes:12/10
and I'm being tough here. When the french put their minds on something, they can actually do it right. What I missed was the sound. It just seemed so muffled and distant. When a Mirage 2000 ignites afterburner, it's physical, even if you're that far, and it just didn't feel right. That's a -3 for being reminded you're watching a movie. It would have been a 15/10 otherwise.

Overall, don't watch it, super crappy. Unless you know before you enter the theater that the real actors are the Mirage fighters. If you do know that, GET YOUR BUTT OUT!!! F-14s are for losers.

Last news of the day: I made a serious bicycle fall yesterday night while leaving work. I've got pretty much nothing (light scrapes on both hands and an ankle) but my bicycle is really pissing me off. I've had to buy latex gloves to repair it each time the chain derails, it just happens to often. And the gear shifting tends to destabilise the whole poor thing with me on it. That's actually the way I fell, alone, in a straight line on a perfect road. I need to get the handle bar replaced, it's twisted beyond safety levels, and the front light and the electric cables need to be replaced/repaired. Overall, it does not look dutch, it does not handle too well and the gear shift sucks... I WANT AN IN-HUB GEAR BOX BACK!!!!!

Anyway, I'm good, and that's what counts lol.

Short update

It's gonna be a short update cuz I've got clothes to hang in 15 minutes and then I'm having dinner with my dad in a toulousian restaurant he knows. He's having a meeting tomorrow with potential suppliers for his current project.
Other good news from his side (and my mom's), they've registered their company!!! More details in a future update, probably.
Work is getting funny, the boss is leqving at the end of the month and he (nor us) doesn't do any efforts to maintain civilised communication in the group. Pretty much everyone takes turn to clash with him. One coworker had a telephone conversation with him today (the boss office is facing our open space, there's less than 15 meters between their desks). The boss actually cut the conversation short by hanging up in the middle of a sentence the colleague was saying.
It was almost funny (and really tragic), cuz although there are two glass walls between me and the boss, I could hear when he talked. And suddenly, I heard him hang up, loudly. The colleague kept talking for 5 seconds and then just hang up also. I'd been him, I would have smashed the phone and then gone to the boss' office.
Oh, the discussion started when the boss complained the communication between him and the group is rickety...
I later learned that one other colleague had a similar argument on monday, I had an "explanation" with him yesterday that we'll finish tomorrow in a meeting and later today, yet another coworker exchanged words with him.
The atmosphere is really electric, even between coworkers, communication is pretty difficult.

We had a service meeting yesterday where he exposed part of the Airbus policy, and, well, it's just another massive corporation. It's all bling bling.

I'm getting tired of it all :-) but I'm also shielding myself from it and usually watch it with the voyeur fascination of a bystander on an accident scene.

ma premiere photo!!!

ouaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis, ca y est, c'est fait, j'ai fait ma premiere photo reussie avec mon telephone-ki-dit-papa-maman-et-ki-fait-le-cafe.

Prise ce matin en velo en allant travailler. Il faisait un bon froid, j'avais pas de gants et je roulais assez vite, donc elle est un peu floue dans les coins, et super mal cadree et surexposee.
Si il fait beau demain, promis, j'ai une autre photo nettement mieux ki vous attend....
En attendant:

Sur ce, je vais rever d'une semaine a velo...

Official Opening

With some delay, I'm proud to announce the official unveiling of the Tommpouce 2.0

Oh, you probably noticed, it should actually be a tompouce 2.0 or a tommpouce 1.0, but the marketing guys in my back are telling me the users won't notice. And the captain is the sole commander of the ship, so here goes!!!


Btw, I've bought earlier today my new phone-cum-camera, and I'm trying to figure out how it works. I don't want to do something that would mess it up straight away. The first pictures taken with it should arrive sometime soon, maybe even tonight. I'll need to teach them how to hop from the phone to the laptop before I can do anything acceptable.

Welcome aboard!!!

tommpouce 2.0

'Evening 'all

After the long term experiment on blog-city, I decided to move to a relatively more powerful tool, where I could finally add pics and tweak a bit more the look and feel of my footprint on the world wide web.

So, good bye tompouce.blog-city.com and
hello tommpouce.blogspot.com

The big adventure should start tomorrow though, now that that's running, I can safely return to the comfort of my bed.

See you in my dreams or my nightmares