It's Not All Work Work Work

It isn't. I don't spend all my life sat at this desk though it feels like it on some days. Like today. I actually feel mildly hungover and I just want to go home.
Work takes about 40 hours of week away and there are far better things I could be doing to piss away this crazy little thing called life.
Here are several things which are quite clearly better uses of time than designing aircraft fuel computer systems.

1. The Warriors.

After a slow start where I just sat there mashing the controller buttons as I couldn't remember what did what when under pressure, things have taken a turn for the better. The controlling mechanism is now second nature and I've spent some quality time 'wrecking' some 'boppers'. I don't know what the neighbours made of my squeals of delight the other night as I performed various moves, such as smashing faces into walls, elbow drops onto heads and kicking coppers in the balls. Jesus, maybe computer games have gone too far now. Maybe I've been warped by the random violence. I'd better mix up the playing of violent computer games with staring at pictures of bunny rabbits wearing little bows on their heads. Though, thinking about it, that could backfire and I may end up getting violent thoughts at the sight of a rabbit wearing a bow. Before you know it, I could be wandering around pet shops wearing a leather waistcoat looking to punch rabbits in the head. Speaking of violent computer games…

2. Grand Theft Auto.

The new GTA (give me some skin, slightly sociopathic teenagers!) game comes out on the PSP on Friday. Hmm, how am I going to give that enough attention and play The Warriors at the same time? There are not enough hours in a day! Plus, CIV 4 is coming out. Fucking hell, what is a guy to do? I'm going to have to sacrifice sleeping and eating.

3. Telly.

We're currently playing ketchup on Lost and BSG (live long and prosper kids!). We've almost reached series 2 of Lost and we have most of the new BSG waiting for us. Combining this with the fact that we've recently watched series 3 and series 4 of 24, shows that a lot of time has been spent sat on the sofa staring at the tellybox. That would be enough, but I've been kind of giddy lately in my pursuit of TV programs from the golden age of comedy (the nineties). TMWRNJ (only series 2 at the moment), Fist Of Fun (series 1 and 2), The Mary Whitehouse Experience and Adam & Joe have all been acquired and generally watched within hours. I think watching hour upon hour of benign stupidness has sent me slightly weird. Still, bring it on. I want more!
Oh yeah, can I just note that series 3 of 24 may have been one of the worst things I've ever seen. 24 is fairly ridiculous most of the time but serious 3 was so preposterous, implausible and morally bankrupt that it managed to mildly offend me. I hope that whoever was responsible for the script was given the same fate as Chapelle. That may be a spoiler, but I don't care. If you haven't seen it then hear me…never ever ever watch the third series of 24. It is shitting wank.

4. Poker.

I've progressed from playing hand-based poker to tournament play. I've only played in two tournaments to date (due to time issues) but my current record is good. My cautious way of playing fits in with tournament play.
At the start of a tournament (10 players) you'll always get some people who either want to make a mark and try and intimidate the table, or you'll get a few incompetents. During both tournaments I let this go on without getting involved and after an initial flurry you generally find yourself at roughly the same chip level but playing against 6 or 7 opponents rather than 9. Let the loons take each other out.
The money comes for finishing in the top 3 and my cautious play, based on probability and not on bluffing or risky gambles took me into the last 3 in both games. You can't completely avoid playing the game as the blinds rise throughout so it's important to claw some chips back to keep afloat.
In tournament 1, I wasn't the chip leader by a long way, but as the blinds rose people started to panic and went all-in with some ridiculous hands. I bided my time and then made my move with KK in the pocket. Well, that paid off and I found myself chip leader going into the last two. The blinds were ludicrously high now and the guy left went all-in against me with a hand I couldn't lose. Kerching, 60 nicker! Ahh, the warm feeling of gambling victory. I did a little dance.
I got into the last 3 of tournament 2 as well, and should have finished higher. The blind was high and the guy lagging in third was about to be taken out, and instead of consolidating second place I decided to manoeuvre myself for the win. I had a good hand and took on the third place guy, but alas he had better and I ended up going out a few hands later. Bah. I dunno, I could have played defensively and gone for second but I decided to go for the win. Still, third place guaranteed me my stake money back.
I've been looking at the poker million qualifiers, heeheehee.

5. Gigs

Rocktober and Indievember are always the key gig months and we have more lined up, including The National (twice), The Crimea, Clap Your Hands…, Ben Folds and some others that I've forgotten about.
We saw Richie Herring in Manchester last night. He was great, and it would have been nice if I could have reached a game milestone to coincide with seeing him. It was cool to see how his stand-up confidence has risen since we last saw him, and how the scope of his act has increased. Still, I could do without constantly sitting at the front of comedy gigs. It makes me uncomfortable.

6. Decorating

With the largest of the spare bedrooms now finished, attention has turned to the box room. All I need is the energy, enthusiasm and time to do this room up. It shouldn't take long at all.

Bah, that’s just 6 ways to spend time, I've not even covered the web design, house maintenance, gym visits, Pro Evo tournaments, general procrastination, writing and reading that needs doing.

Damn you work for making me this way!