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Megan Forbes wrote:
You might need to start up personal training for the rest of us deskbound geeks
I don't know about that.
However, since it was my birthday last week I pigged out. My parents took me out on Thursday to a really good Spanish Tapas restaurant*, on Friday I went to an oriental restaurant with a couple of people from work and then on Saturday night I went to the Hard Rock Café with friends. Lots and lots of most excellent food and that feeling of almost being able to comfortably use the next notch along my belt has gone. So, double sessions at the gym for me this week!
But on a slightly different topic - I got quite a few Jessops vouchers for my Birthday last week. I'm thinkning of waiting until after Christmas so that I can get more vouchers and take advantage of the January sales. That also gives me time to review some cameras.
Now, all I need is a good course on composing shots. I get the Edinburgh City Adult Education course catalog sent to my parents house (living in Fife, I'm not strictly eligable, but I give my parents address if I sign up for anything.) and they have a course on Digital Photography. At first I thought it was excellent and then I managed to get details of the course. No cameras involved - it is all how to use Adobe Photoshop.
* Its called Rincón de España (translation: Corner of Spain) and if you are in Edinburgh again you must go there. It is fabulous.
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell
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Colin Angus Mackay wrote:
I'm thinkning of waiting until after Christmas so that I can get more vouchers and take advantage of the January sales.
Sounds like a good idea if you don't mind waiting! In the next couple of weeks Photokina happens, which is one of the two largest camera shows held each year. A lot of new camera's will be released at this time, and prices of older models will lower - well worth waiting until after that at least!
As for the course, that does suck. Unfortunately I can't recommend any, but I'd be more than happy to spend some time with you once you get your camera (we could work out London or Edinburgh closer to the time).
Is the next Euro-CPian meet still on? We're off to Sweden for a week tomorrow, man time is draggin!!!
Look at the world about you and trust to your own convictions. - Ansel Adams
Meg's World - Blog
Photography
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Megan Forbes wrote:
prices of older models will lower - well worth waiting until after that at least!
Indeed.
Megan Forbes wrote:
I'd be more than happy to spend some time with you once you get your camera (we could work out London or Edinburgh closer to the time).
That would be excellent. Unless I get a fit of impatience I'll probably be getting the camera in January, so we can arrange something for late January/early February.
Megan Forbes wrote:
Is the next Euro-CPian meet still on?
As far as I know, it isn't. I sent a message round the EuroCPian Yahoo group about 2 months ago explaining that I wouldn't be able to attend as I am a bit low on funds at the moment and asked if anyone else wanted to take over the arrangements. No one came forward.
I'm quite happy to arrange a new meeting if I can go myself. (It would be a bit depressing if I arranged for everyone else to have fun, but I couldn't join in.) Anyway, that kind of limits the range of locations. (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Perth or Stirling)
Megan Forbes wrote:
We're off to Sweden for a week tomorrow, man time is draggin!!!
Excellent. My sister went to Sweden earlier this year. She really enjoyed it. Have fun - and remember to send Bob a postcard!
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell
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A while ago I wrote about The Perils of Loyalty Card Data[^]. Well, today I got my quarterly Tesco Club Card statement and it seems that I am obviously not spending enough. Last quarter I hadn't spent enough even for some vouchers. This quarter, I managed to spend enough for £2.00 of vouchers! It actually works out to be £40 per month, because I had some points carried over from the precious quarter.
Their analysis engine must be desperate to get me to shop there and build up points. Normally I get extra vouchers in the form of money off coupons, however this month all the extra vouchers were in the form of get extra points. This way I still get the money off, but I have to wait until the next quarterly statement to get the vouchers. And also, to keep me away from the competition, one of the vouchers is for a free "Back for Life". The extra strong reusable bags with a large Tesco logo emblazoned on the size. Obviously they think that if I use it, I will be embarrassed to go to ASDA with it. Personally, it won't make a difference, I've got a "bag for life" from IKEA and it does me fine.
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell
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Well.... I'm a little disappointed this week. Only 200g for the whole week. I went to the gym 5 days but I probably eat too much to reduce my weight by as much as normal.
Here's the stats:
Week Nº: 9
Today I weigh: 90.300kg
Difference since start: - 5.400kg
Difference since last Week: - 0.200kg
Average change (per day): - 0.085kg
Average change (per week): - 0.600kg
Average change (per month): - 2.635kg
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell
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A little extra celebration after a kilo coming off last week has slowed me this week. But that's alright because I'm still going in the right direction.
If I keep this rate up I will meet (or get very close to) one of my targets which is to be the same weight that I was at my last appointment with my cardiologist in time for my next appointment with my cardiologist.
Week Nº: 8
Today I weigh: 90.500kg
Difference since start: - 5.200kg
Difference since last Week: - 0.500kg
Average change (per day): - 0.093kg
Average change (per week): - 0.650kg
Average change (per month): - 2.878kg
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell
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Responding to a message[^] in the Lounge[^] I googled myself. What I found was very curious.
First the expected results were there - articles I've written.
And some unexpected results - messages to newsgroups, email lists and the like. Well, I supposed I did expect this, but not the quantity of it - some of what is there goes back to 1997. And possibly further back I didn't do a comprehensive search.
And more unexpected results - Articles I've written that have been illegally mirrored elsewhere. If you are curious I've only written development articles for Code Project[^] and soon I will add Scottish Developers[^] to that list.
However, I also noticed people mentioning me in their blogs or where I've posted in someone else's blog. Now that is interesting. I can't say how interesting at the moment, but it is always interesting to see what people say about you. Isn't it? Well, I would be deeply depressed if it was negative - luckily it isn't.
At the point the phrase "Oh what a tangled web we weave" pops into my head, but the practical side of my brain has just countered with "that's what Google is for".
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell
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I actually managed a whole kilo this week. Now where did it all go?! I don't feel that I did anything extra special this week. Well, I started swimming again - but since I haven't been swimming in so many years I only managed to get upto 8 laps of a 16m pool.
Week Nº: 7
Today I weigh: 91.000kg
Difference since start: - 4.700kg
Difference since last Week: - 1.000kg
Average change (per day): - 0.095kg
Average change (per week): - 0.671kg
Average change (per month): - 2.945kg
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell
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Looking good, Colin. At least in the numbers
It is difficult without tracking all food intake and exercise to pinpoint why we lose more or less on a given week. While those stats helped me to stay interested in exercising at first, they lost appeal as time went by. I still wear a heart-rate monitor, but don't track the data anymore.
I'm back into exercising starting this week, after a large lapse due in part to moving into a new home. I was not walking or biking, but moving furniture, and packing/unpacking boxes can be quite a workout on its own. I still managed to lose 3lbs. this past month.
Keep up the great progress!
BW
The Biggest Loser
"Farm Donkey makes us laugh. Farm Donkey hauls some ass." -The Stoves
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brianwelsch wrote:
At least in the numbers
There is something I'm supposed to read between the lines here and I can't see it.
brianwelsch wrote:
It is difficult without tracking all food intake
I kind of quit tracking food intake. I just don't eat unless I feel hungry rather than eat because I feel like it. I've found by this approach that I have reduced the amount I eat.
brianwelsch wrote:
they lost appeal as time went by
The stats are what keep me going. Each time I go to the gym I look up what my previous session was and then I try and beat it by a few Kcalories.
BTW, here's a trick I using to help me not get too bored - Audio books! It is great. Also you can down load MP3s of the dotNetRocks series which help keep me updated also.
brianwelsch wrote:
Keep up the great progress!
You too! 3lbs (1.5 kg) is quite a good amount for one month. Reducing weight too quickly can lead to gaining weight quickly again.
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell
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Colin Angus Mackay wrote:
I'm supposed to read between the lines here
Having written "Looking good", I realized I couldn't actually see you, but the numbers looked promising. I suppose there could be other less civil interpretations, but this is the one I'm going with.
Colin Angus Mackay wrote:
I try and beat it by a few Kcalories.
I do try and improve the distance I ride, walk, or jog. I just don't write anything down. I had a map of my old neighborhood in my head that had rough mileage for each stretch, I need to do the same now for the new area.
BW
The Biggest Loser
"Farm Donkey makes us laugh. Farm Donkey hauls some ass." -The Stoves
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Well, this week my weight has started to reduce again. I managed three gym sessions this week and am maintaining about 400-500 Kcalories at each session and on Friday evening I came home buzzing after a particularly excellent session.
Here's the stats:
Week Nº: 6
Today I weigh: 92.000kg
Difference since start: - 3.700kg
Difference since last Week: - 0.700kg
Average change (per day): - 0.088kg
Average change (per week): - 0.617kg
Average change (per month): - 2.728kg
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell
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Thanks.
You know between looking at the city-scapes you've been taking and a desire to find more interesting and fun ways to get some exercise I've been thinking about getting a digital camera. However those that are in my price range at the moment don't seem to be designed to do much more than holiday snaps. Any advice on what too look for in the sub-£250 price range?
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell
Can't manage to P/Invoke that Win32 API in .NET? Why not do interop the wiki way!
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Colin,
What do you want to be able to do with the camera? I'll have a look around the web, and at Jessops, and try to find a couple. It will help though if you tell me what you want (eg, do you want a zoom, etc?)
Look at the world about you and trust to your own convictions. - Ansel Adams
Meg's World - Blog
Photography
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I like landscapes and cityscapes mostly. I am particularly impressed with the kind of pictures that are taken with long exposures, but I notice also they you mention smaller aperture sizes and polarised lenses and then it starts to go over my head.
Anyway, back to the exercise portion, I like to have an aim when exercising. At the gym it is easy because the machines are telling me all the time to maintain this and that and keep going for so long and look at how many calories are being burt etc. But I want to go and climb a hill and have something to show for it (other than a slimmer waist line).
Also, last weekend when I was at my uncles croft in the Highlands the scenery was amazing (and that was just from his living room window).
Does this help?
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell
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I was thinking of suggesting the Fuji S5000[^] until I realised you want to do long exposures - the S5000 only takes up to 2 seconds I think.
The step up, the S7000 is about £370 or so, so way over budget. Anyway, I'll have another look around. If there are any HP 850's still around they may be the answer, but I think they're discontinued. I'll get back to you later this afternoon - you've given me an excuse to visit my favourite shop (Jessops) at lunch
[edit]I've since seen that the HP 850[^] is still available. It's really pretty good for the money - you could experiment up to 15 seconds with it, and get an adapter for filters. Remember Marius? He uses the HP850. Unfortunately he's currently in Europe, but will be back in 6 days and I'm sure he'd be more than happy to give you a demonstration of the camera so you could see if you like it or not, friendly chap that he is [/edit]
Look at the world about you and trust to your own convictions. - Ansel Adams
Meg's World - Blog
Photography
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Megan Forbes wrote:
you've given me an excuse to visit my favourite shop (Jessops) at lunch
Thanks for the info so far. I think I'm going to see if my parents will give me Jessops (I pass one walking from the train station everyday) gift vouchers for my Birthday and I might be able to stretch things a little further.
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell
Can't manage to P/Invoke that Win32 API in .NET? Why not do interop the wiki way!
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Colin Angus Mackay wrote:
I think I'm going to see if my parents will give me Jessops (I pass one walking from the train station everyday) gift vouchers for my Birthday and I might be able to stretch things a little further.
That would make a difference - to be honest I don't think you'll get better than the two I mentioned for £250, but if you can stretch to another £100 on top of that (are your parents generous? ) there will be quite a difference in what you can get.
Look at the world about you and trust to your own convictions. - Ansel Adams
Meg's World - Blog
Photography
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Megan Forbes wrote:
I don't think you'll get better than the two I mentioned for £250, but if you can stretch to another £100 on top of that (are your parents generous? ) there will be quite a difference in what you can get.
I'll just have to wait and see....
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell
Can't manage to P/Invoke that Win32 API in .NET? Why not do interop the wiki way!
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Well done, man! Keep the Faith!
Собой остаться дольше...
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KaЯl wrote:
Well done, man!
Thanks, I'm keeping a good course at the moment - not too slow, not to quick and definitely not backwards.
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell
Can't manage to P/Invoke that Win32 API in .NET? Why not do interop the wiki way!
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Last night's eXtreme Wednesday session was quite interesting again. We didn't get to a power plug for quite a while so it was looking as if the evening was going to be cut short by laptop batteries dying, but finally someone moved from a near by table allowing us to "borrow" the bar's electricity for the rest of the evening.
The main thing I managed to pick up this week was the idea that you always make the smallest change necessary to make something work and then continually refactor it until it fits better with the story that you are working on.
The Mind Mapping application that we are using as a goal for the learning experience is something that I would have normally sat down and started working out what objects I'm going to need. My though processes would have been along the lines of: Right, a Mind Map is made up of ideas, one central idea and lots of other ideas coming off it. So, I need a Mind Map object to contain all the ideas and then I need some kind of Idea object. Do I create an abstract Idea class then derive a CentralIdea class and a BranchIdea off that, or do I just create one Idea class that has a parent property and for the central idea the parent is just null....
With XP I saw that the Mind Map was initially made up of a circle and some text, then that was refactored into Glyphs, then a CompositeGlyph was created that contained a circle and the text, and that was refactored into an Idea. So the design is evolving at the same time as the coding takes place. By the end of the evening the first story card was almost complete.
There was also a book recommendation for the evening and that is User Stories Applied: For Agile Software Development[^] by Mike Cohn. I had a flick through the book and it certainly give some good examples of how to apply senarios in eXtreme Programming. It has now been added to my Amazon wish list (should anyone want to buy me it) as I've already spent nearly £150 on books this month already.
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell
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Okay... No progress at all this week. I managed 4 sessions in the gym, then went for a long weekend away to visit relatives and now that I am back I discover that at least I have not put on extra weight after re-discovering oat-cakes and cheese.
Well, if the weather holds up I am planning a nice 5 mile walk and some more sessions in the gym. That at least should put me back on track.
Today I weigh: 92.700kg
Difference since start: - 3.000kg
Difference since last Week: - 0.000kg
Average change (per day): - 0.085kg
Average change (per week): - 0.600kg
Average change (per month): - 2.635kg
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell
The Second EuroCPian Event will be in Brussels on the 4th of September
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Its an eXtreme Programming group that meets in the Filmhouse Café in Edinburgh. I was there last night and for the first time I actually got a good explanation and demonstration about what XP actually is.
In the past I've heard a lot of fluff about XP what it is what it isn't from various people. People have claimed they are using it but in fact have been deliberately misinterpreting parts of XP to explain away not doing it the right way for any paradigm.
I first read the White Book* by Kent Beck around late 2000 early 2001, but at the time it didn't really click. Sure, the words made sense but without practical examples to firm up in my mind what he was actually on about the information got filed away in the back of my mind. Over the course of the next few years I heard a lot about XP, everyone saying something different, everone appearing to just miss the mark - but I couldn't really place where the mark was myself. This time I actually saw for the first time what Kent Beck has been explaining.
The morning before going for the train I got the White Book* off my bookshelf and I started to re-read it. Now it begins to make sense. I am beginning to really understand the concepts.
* The "White Book" is Extreme Programming Explained - Embrace Change by Kent Beck
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell
The Second EuroCPian Event will be in Brussels on the 4th of September
Can't manage to P/Invoke that Win32 API in .NET? Why not do interop the wiki way!
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