snapshot

I'm looping two CDs on my sound system at the moment.
The first one's the latest Enya album, Amarantine. I've known her for many years now, since The Celts and Shepherd Moons. Later on I discovered Memory of Trees and Watermark, although I haven't listened to these as much as to the two first.
A couple of months ago, I saw a poster for Amarantine. It was a bit of a shock to seen the new design, way more colourful, way more dramatic, and way more commercial. I didn't hurry to pick it up, afraid her music had also turned commercial. Then my iPod and my computer broke and my only way to listen to music was to listen to actual CDs on my PS2 coupled to my sound system. So I finally decided to buy it, and yes some tracks are slightly more mainstream than the albums I already knew. However I also believe that it's a welcome evolution to her style. It remains very limited and doesn't feel like a betrayal from my previous experiences.
I especially like track 8 -Someone said goodbye- at the moment, but it's so easy to listen to this album that I haven't picked up the individual other tracks yet. Gotta keep listening.

The other CD is one I "asked for" for Christmas. Remember I asked for a good saxophone CD? Well turns out my parents gave me Bossa Antigua from Paul Desmond. That's not what I expected at all, I was looking at something very jazzy. And well Bossa Nova isn't that bursting, is it? So well I was a bit disappointed again and left the CD on the pile while returning to goth and heavy metal. And then my iPod.. well you get the deal. So I put it in my trusty PS2 and listens to it a few times as I idle out on the couch.
My mom confessed dad chose it (that wasn't much news I guess) and he confessed he was in the kind of mood where soothing music is what's best for one's mind. That's just it, it's not a cd that will invade your living room or your mind or anything. Instead it will build a deep comfortable cushion under and around you. It shields me from the exterior world in a soft bubble of calm. If I close my eyes, I can hear the sound of the wind rustling in the sugarcanes and I can feel the heat from the sun shielded by palm trees. Hamoc included.

If your in that kind of mood I highly recommend those two albums.

Other news:
13 mistakes out of 40 questions on my first ever code lesson. Good start, now I need to consistenly reach 2 to 3 mistakes per lesson to have the exam. I'm giving myself one month and a half.
I've seen Lost Season 2 up to the current episode. I feel a bit uncomfortable with the way it's turning, but I remain hooked.
Anyone have a bottle of milk? I've run out, and I'm having withdrawal syndroms.

4:13 am

it's 4:13 AM, am going to bed when I finish this post.
I've already paid the driving school this afternoon, and am going to my first "lecon de code" tomorrow at 1PM. If I can I'll do all the lessons from 1PM to 8PM. Do the same on friday, work the book saturday and sunday and head back to the school on monday. 2 months of that treatment might be enough to get my "code" exam. Or it might not and I need more than 2 months. Sheeesh, that's harder to get than the freaking baccalaureat or even an engineering degree. I've never worked so much for a freaking exam in my entire life. And once I've got my code, I will be qualified to learn how to drive a car. So I'll take lessons to drive a car, just like I took lessons to learn english and conceive a mathematical simulation. And then I'll "passer mon permis" and hopefully pass it, and they'll let me run wild. And then (finally) I'll learn how to drive a car, for real. Not the academic way of driving a car, just like the english I was taught isn't spoken by anyone else than the english teachers and their students. Is it useful? Of course, but it doesn't prepare you much for the real world, does it?

Oh and yeah, it's a probatory paper, I can lose it for the smallest mistake. Right, and I must remain 20 kph below the speed limits on all open roads. For 2 years, or is that 3? Can't remember if they upgraded that as well.
I'll need to own a car for something like 5 more years to get my insurance bonus at the lowest rate.
By then, we'll be teleporting to work through the internet connection.

And that second-rate employement contract they're ramming down our throat, don't even get me started on that. I might write something about that one day.

Let's get old fast, it's less trouble and you don't feel like the useless, costly and plagued black sheep of society. France should kill every person who reach the age of 12, that's when troubles begin. Damn right.

driving license!!

It's decided, I'm trying to get my driving license, subrscription at the school tomorrow when I have shaved and when I have correct ID pictures.
If things happen in the correct timeframe, I should get the theory exam within 2 months (optimistic timeframe, ok) and start practicing right after that. 4 months should do from tomorrow to the final pink paper.

Now, for the important part, Lost...
Watched episode 19 a few minutes ago (that with the discovery of the Lockheed) and the history of Locke.
Sure is an interesting fellow, kinda creepy mystical "The Island tells us what to do" kinda fellow. ALthough right now he's in a tight situation that could be reversed since the window suddenly lightened up. He seems to have a deep connection with the island and has a freaking knowledge of the jungle. He really is the only one who found his place living there. Everyone knows it's gonna be a long time until they're saved (3rd season anyone?) and they adapted, but he's on a different scale. His story has more depth than that of anyone else, probably because of his relation ship with the jungle.
There isn't any character I don't like, even Sawyer is turning into a not-so-bad-guy. Oh well, Shannon has been a bitch since the beginning and remains the worse of the lot. Ethan notwithstanding. But it feels like he's not Alex in the end.
I like how the series is built around the personal history of each and how teams arose from the survivors to form efficient entities that work to a common goal.

Well, my favourite is still Claire no matter what :p too cute, pregnant, with an adorable accent (when she's not furious) and a bit lost in the middle of all that. Nah, the character "designers" did a great job :p

Ok, back to ep. 20

reborn laptop

Yes, the laptop is back, since thrusday afternoon actually.
Nice fright when I started it, as the screen didn't work. And when I rebooted and it worked, the CD drive wasn't recognised and the right speaker picked some electronic noise. I thought I had to send it back for repairs...
Fortunately it was just an unscrewed screw below the CD drive.

So I'm back wasting my time on the internet and watching animes, and NCIS, and Numb3rs, and Lost Season 1.

Feels good :D

dead laptop - update 2

UPS picks up the laptop at my place tomorrow morning, They bring the packaging. I just put the laptop in with all removable part removed, check the paperwork, sign at the bottom.
4 to 5 days later, they call me and we arrange a time to hand it back to me. So I'll be unavailable until at least wednesday next week.

Screen will be replaced, motherboard will be replaced, I'd hope they trade it for a new one but I wasn't provided the option. The only other component that may fail is the hard drive, which I can remove and replace fairly easily myself. Actually, I'm supposed to remove it before I give it UPS.

And my soundcard and my Firewire port will work again!!!! So cool :D

See you in a week :D