Billy Young's Blog

The nightmare of computers, it drives us mad. It isn't like they can tell you what is wrong. Often you think it is one thing and then find it is something else. And then there is the times it seems to fix itself. Those are the worst as you know they will be back. That sounds like a bad line from a good movie, hehehe. Sorry couldn't help that.
I had that computer meltdown scenario yesterday. In the end unplugging my back up hard-drive and back in seemed to solve the troubles I was having. That was after reinstalling Windows 7. My son said it was the hard-drive that was failing which was causing problems for Windows as the computer booted up. Yet the drive seems to be fine and hasn't caused me any problems. Though to be sure I will need to look out my some analyzing software to check the SMART data. I can't quite remember if its Seagate or WD that does a free package for doing that. It has after all been a good few years since I did anything like that before and that was just because I read about in a magazine. It was a computer one though so they must know what their talking about even if I don't, right. Hehehe. My main drive is an SSD so my hope is that it isn't that which is failing. I know they are a lot cheaper to replace now but even so I couldn't afford to do that. Maybe it was a loose cable which could also cause the problems. It would also explain why everything is now running as it should. And the reinstall of Windows was over-due. After all the longer you run a Windows installation the more error begin to creep into the registry and such like. Let me hope that I have another two or three years of fairly good computing before I need to do another install.

Scotland is playing Italy at rugby today. I have it on the telly but I'm not really watching the game with one eye. Ever since we got knocked out of the World Cup last year with the really bad referee's decision I have lost much of my interest in the game. If it had just been the one off bad call I wouldn't have lost my love for the game. Sadly over the past ten or twenty years I have seen too many bad calls from the refs against Scotland. Most of which have cost us wins. What is worse is that rugby has the advantage of the TV ref in the box so that the one in charge of the game can check that what he thought has occurred is correct. Still the bad calls keep happening though. So though the game is on I am only keeping one eye on it.
So far from what the one eye tells me we are doing well. How long though, I ask myself, before another bad call from the ref turns things against us? Yes it could just be that my nationalistic eyes see thing off of centre. That doesn't change the fact that since last year I felt as if there is no point in watching a game which is so fixed. After all that isn't what we want to see when watching our favourite side playing. We want to feel we have a fair chance of winning. That those in charge of officiating over the game will be unbiased. Be fair in his decision making. If we don't see that then why bother with sport of any kind. As in the end the men with the money are deciding the winners before the game is even played.

You may have heard there is a new version of Windows out. Yes Windows 10 is here and it is free. In truth its been around for a bit now but not everyone wants it. What puts me off upgrading from 7 is the constant nagging Microsoft is doing to get me to move up. When I first heard they were giving it away for nothing I was excited. Then when it came out I thought I'll wait till they get through the teething issues. New products normally have them right. So I thought that it was best to wait for a little. As time has passed and Microsoft has ramped up the badgering those of us who haven't installed the new operating system I have been driven further for wanting to do so. It isn't that I love 7, though it does what its supposed too. Or that I'm afraid of change and a bit of a Luddite. Change is inevitable. We can't stop it. Well not for ever though we might slow it. Microsoft's tactic to get everyone to move up to 10 is wrong in my opinion. If it had been another company they may have faced legal action for spamming everyone's computers that hasn't upgraded. After all that is exactly what they are doing in their attempts to get as many people to us their new all sing operating system. And like other forms of spam it only drives me further from wishing to do so.
It would have been so different if they had sent a reminder maybe once a month of their great offer. I would have probably have taken their offer up by now. Sadly though they over did their campaigning for me by sending adverts on almost a daily basis. But I don't suppose they'll lose much sleep over that over at Microsoft. Nor will I though.

Gaming. It can be a joy. At least some times while not always. Some games are can be like watching paint dry. This how most people will see resource management games such as I have been playing recently. In some cases this is very true they can be. Yet not all of them. My son bought me a game called "Banished" which I began playing this week. There is no soldiers or warring other than to increase the little colony you are in charge of. Easy right. Well you can make it harder with adding natural disasters to the mix. I kept that switched of for now as I learn how best to play. What happened to that other game I was playing? Well I grew bored of the long waiting times of online play to get things done. If I want to upgrade building to level 5 it will take a week to happen and in that time the building stops producing goods. That means having another building of the same type to cover the upgrade. Plus you need to use a food buff to double production every day for a week so you don't slow your other industries linked to this building. Complicated but once you've done that there is little for you to do each day while you wait. Other than sort the usual of rebuilding the mine that have run dry. After a while you do wonder if it is worth the effort or time. I suppose you can say that about all games though some hold your attention better, so are more entertaining. At least for a time.

Thursday felt so like Friday. We have all had those days so you know how it feels. Sometimes it only last an hour or two after you wake but I had a full day. All the way to bedtime. It was only as I planned out my Saturday and watching the Calcutta Cup that I was forced to see the truth. I had another days wait before I saw the rugby. Magz thought it funny as I stood confused that it wasn't the day I thought. It can be quite disconcerting to find that it isn't the day you thought all day. I was so looking forward to watching my nation face the auld enemy on the field of green. It was disappointing that I would have to wait an extra day as it felt at the time. In a way I should have been jubilant that I had another day. After all it is a day I thought I had spent and would never see again. A day lost but returned for me to have afresh. But we never feel like that, why? Or is that just me? Maybe that surreal feeling that clings to us on those days could be a warning if only we listened.

I signed on Monday as I mentioned last week. As you may remember a few years ago I had a advisor called Rowan. I had a bit of a hard time with her trying to ban me from signing on. Well that was who signed me on this week. When I heard that she was processing me I went into protective mode. What I mean is I put my phone onto record. After the last time I wanted to be sure I had proof if things went into a sticky mire. I wasn't expecting how pleasant she seemed to be. Still I remained on guard just in case she found reason to cause me difficulty. She didn't which was a relief. I really felt a panic when I was told she was signing me on. I know it has been well over five years since she caused me so much trouble last time. I really felt at that time that she was out to get me even though I was trying to find work, as I am now. So with the fear in the back of my head the best thing I thought was to have my phone on. As I did for months last time I had to deal with her. In the end it seemed like she had forgotten me and even seemed pleasant. I suppose when you deal with as many people as she does then it is easy to forget those you affect in your daily work. Easier for me to remember though which is a good thing as it gave me the chance to be prepared.

I'm glad to say that the wintry spell that hit us left as quickly as it came. As the week spun towards its end so the snow was washed away by the rain. I was glad to see it go.
I got an email from my advisor at the jobcentre this week telling me she wouldn't be in the office for the next few weeks. I should have emailed her back to ask who would be signing me on come Monday as the email didn't tell me. Of course I didn't, I meant to but like lots of things we're meant to do. Well you know how we put them to the side. Or is that just me? I always mean to come back to it. The I forget about in most cases. I suppose its the old out of sight rule. Which isn't an excuse. Plus I never seem to learn. Either that or there is a little bit of me inside that is happy to let things slide. In my defence I don't always do it. Not with everything. If I did then life would be a real mess wouldn't it. And It isn't really a biggie as I will ask on Monday when I get to the brew. I'll just head down a little earlier just to be sure.

The cold snow falls outside. Our heating is off to save it for later. Extra layers help a little but I still hate the chill. It holds on to your bones for hours after the heating does come on. Being chased off just as the radiators begin to cool again. So as winter finally snaps at the northern hemisphere I am reminded, as if I needed it, of why I hate the darker, colder season. We have been lucky as the week did warm after last weeks bite. Unfortunately it has snapped back to being colder than it was last week. I'm just glad to know that the radiators will come on soon and I'll rest my self against one for a few minutes to warm.
My job search continues fruitlessly. More applications have been sent though no replies received. I was informed that I will be getting sent back on work placement soon. At least it will give me something to do other than just sitting around. Though I will still be expected. as before, to do a full job search every day. It is one of those conditions that the jobcentre expects from me so I get money. Well it is a small price though so is the amount we have to live off of. Mind I shouldn't moan as it is better than in some parts of the world where there is no safety net. And you never know maybe I shall turn that corner to find a job before I am placed on the work placement programme again. I can hope.

Winter has finally hit my part of the world. After all the recent rain the snow began to fall yesterday. I didn't expect it to lie but I was wrong. Just in case it did I gritted the path which was a good thing. Really I only gritted it because Calum nagged me over it. He didn't want to have to clear it after the frost hardened the slush. That is a harder job after all than throwing down some salted grit. Mind last year we didn't have the grit until the snow gave way to spring melt or should I correctly call it pre-spring melt. After all Ayrshire's salty air usually means that the snow never lasts long, unlike winter which is always seems too protracted. At least for me. Maybe that is because I was a summer baby.
My job search has continued. In the past week I have lost count of how many applications I have filled out. That doesn't count the number of times I have sent out my CV to employers. I had a renewed effort this week after the quiet start to the year. Though I do feel a little despondent after not hearing anything back from the interviews before Christmas. Though when I think of it I shouldn't as it was just before the festive break so that would have a delaying effect on hiring new staff members. If right then with luck and a prayer I might hear something soon.

Did you all have a good New Years? Mine was quiet. Magz has been ill this week and went to bed early as a result of that. Calum was out at friends celebrating as you do at his age. Tammy saw the bells in with me so I had someone to toast the years beginning. So you see it wasn't loud or exciting. Just a quiet start to another year.
I'm still applying for every job posting I see. Apart from the two interviews there has been no news. Maybe now the festive season is over I might get an offer of work, I can hope. If I don't then it will be back to the government work placement programme in the coming month. Last time it cost me the possibility of an interview. Lets hope it doesn't repeat that. Of course this time I will probably be on the course for longer this time round.
Only the second day of another year and I got a reminder from the phone company. Bills the never ending pain of adulthood. Yeah I'm not too excited about this New Year so far. Let's hope thing change for the better soon.