See what I did there?

Anyway, inspired by McGazz, a few random doodahs.

Over the weekend, I finished the last of the dvds and books I got at Christmas. This is less an indicator of the largesse of my family and friends than my life-long habit of eking out pleasure, milking any given thing for as long as possible. Similarly, I haven't finished the chocolate I was given at Easter yet. I'd be bloody useless at an orgy.

The on-going saga of incompetence and broken promises at that was the 2007 BT switch-over has resulted in a cash settlement that has to be spent immediately as the cooker's packed in.

Is it just me, or was Saturday's Doctor Who the worst since the "scribbly" Olympics episode? Came across as pure kiddie-pandering. The Ood were weak creatures of the week to begin without giving them a hook so weird that even the writers couldn't get it straight in their vestigial fore-brains. It's established that as a species the Ood were compliant pre-lobotomy and also that they're still psychic post-lobotomy; in other words, the same characters. So what's the point of the "second brain" plot device other than as a gross-out gag? And the third "giant" brain, clearly a model, was just embarrassing. Things better get darker and smarter pdq, otherwise the promised hiatus, scaling back to occasional specials rather than full series, might be prove to be the best move... Even if it is an invitation to a latter-day equivalent of the Colin Baker years.

Since 1) Virgin Media apparently cannot transmit television pictures at the correct aspect ratio but offer a raft of add-on services and features that don't work, such is the fundamental uselessness of their hamsters-&-marbles-driven set-top box, 2) I will not pollute this world with another satellite dish, much less feed the Murdoch beast and 3) there is but the weakest freeview signal in my area and no indication from my ever-indifferent, perennially-ignorant property managers (Grant & Wilson: wankers) whether they intend to commit to their legal obligations re: digital switchover, as of next month this household will be forgoing broadcast television. What little tv we want to see will be viewed online or, in some cases, procured on dvd. The only thing I'll miss, I think, is the strange allure of streaming news, but then again it's maybe no bad thing to put a filter on my facts. Any recommendations for news sites?

After some eight months of both being fragrant cheek by sandpapery jowl every day, Y's going back to a job in the city centre at the end of the month. It's going to feel strange being alone again. The cat's probably going to be well pissed off, having only me to look at.

I have yet another finance article to illustrate for the paper. Nice to have the work, of course, but Jesus it's a near-exhausted seam. This one's about the IHT benefits of a "Spousal By-Pass". Lovely.

There's significant upheaval going on at Anderson towers lately, tremors preceding an earthquake that I can't write about just yet. But if all goes according to plan the outer limits of the comfort zone are about to be well and truly shattered.