unlurk
5 Weeks Ago
I am not a social person.
I popped in for a quick lurk a month or two ago. Realised how much I missed you folk. Realised how fundamental that was. Then scurried off.
You see, I've got to admit I never originally came to Hootoo for the people. Never imagined I'd ever go to one of those 'meet' things, never was that fussed about reading other people's journals, or commenting on other people's stuff. Never was that fussed about anyone else reading my stuff either. Which, I guess, was missing most of the point of Hootoo. But that's who I am. At least, who I thought I was.
I've had around 20 different jobs in around 20 years, and have not really socialised with any of the people I've worked with. I don't speak to my parents much, unless they call me. I drifted away from my college mates without even noticing I'd done it. The missus and the nippers - now that's a different thing. We can't bear to be without each other.
So to discover that I missed being on Hootoo was a bit of a shock.
Just over a year ago I packed it in online - stopped reading emails, stopped any kind of computerised time-wasting kinda stuff. I guess I was e-frazzled.
But I don't think I'm finished with h2g2 yet. I'm not sure where I go from here. Although the following advice springs to mind... something my ACE said when I first arrived here: "Just keep turning left and you'll eventually get back to the beginning."
*turns left*
*turns left again*
 Paff
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- Latest reply: 4 Weeks Ago
Bye
Sep 18, 2008
I woke up this morning and knew what I wanted to say here.
The missus thinks I might be having a mid-life crisis. I wouldn't know.
I've forgotten how to write. Or can't find the time. Or can't be bothered. Or something.
The thing is, I was coming here to write, and (it turns out) to chat with you folks. But I'm not doing the writing/chatting any more, which is getting me down (I've got this terrible pain in the diodes in my left side), which is translating into guilt, mainly. So rather than feeling bad about the list of entries that I intended to start/finish/update/etc that I haven't started/finished/updated/etc, I figure I should just get on with saying ta-ta.
That way, I've either (a) done the polite thing and said farewell, or (b) will actually realise what I miss now that it's gone and will get on with coming back and doing more writing/chatting.
Let me sign off by pointing you to this U1522321.
Paff
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- Latest reply: Sep 19, 2008
Vinyl
May 9, 2008
Since 1994, my collection of (mostly 80s) vinyl albums and singles has lived in boxes. A variety of lofts, attics and garages have been home to them. A variety of removals companies have whinged about how heavy they are to lug about. A variety of shelving had even been used on the rare occasions that there has been space to get them out.
However, since 1994 I haven't had any kind of record player to play them on  .
That is, until last year, when the missus bought me a turntable for my birthday. I didn't have time to use it though, what with only being in the country for 2 days a week .
That is, until last month, when I finally found the time to plug it into the computer (with a clever USB adaptor thingy) and grab a selection of records and start ripping them into mp3 format.
I plan to rip the whole lot, but that's a bit of a daunting task. Do I just start with Lee Aarron and work my way through to ZZ Top? Do I pull out my favourite artists first? Or start with those rare things that I haven't heard in years?
For now, I've just ripped some things that just randomly took my fancy. There might turn out to be some bizarre meaning in what I've chosen first, but in - apparently - no particular order, so far I've ripped these:
Gary Numan - Cars (7" single)
Guns 'n' Roses - Appetite for Distruction (just the a-side)
Ellis Beggs and Howard - Homelands (2nd and 3rd tracks off the a-side)
Mr Mister - Go On (all of it)
What I'm ripping next:
The Alarm - Declaration
Paff
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- Latest reply: May 20, 2008
Bags
May 9, 2008
I don't know about the rest of the world, but on Jersey, the States have recently introduced a 5p levy on plastic bags, the practical upshot being that some shops charge you for a carrier bag, others don't give them out unless you ask for them, and others will sell you a longer lasting bag at the checkout as an alternative. I'm all for this, and applaud the island's government for bringing this in, because without it the retailers would've continued down their usual line of "giving the consumers what they want", whilst we all assume that we want what they give us.
When the 'plastic bag tax' was first announced I did wonder whether there would be uproar. On the contrary, islanders are just getting on with it and bringing their own bags to the shops.
As for the Paff family, this is something we've been attempting to do in various ways, on-and-off, since 1992. Now, rather than feeling like the odd ones out at the checkout with our cardboard boxes, or fold-up plastic boxes, or whatever, we are part of a growing movement who are proud to pack our shopping into jute bags inscribed with the words "My bag is not rubbish!" 
Paff
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- Latest reply: May 15, 2008
A new routine
Mar 17, 2008
Dispose of all unnecessary belongings: check.
Pack everything into a big van: check.
Find nice house in a 'foreign' land: check.
Get the stuff from a to b: check.
Put the nippers into new school: check.
Work out how Jersey traffic lights and give-way signs work: check.
Organise the contents of the house: check.
Notify the Inland Revenue of 'elvis' status: check.
Get new social security number: check.
Spend lots of time on beach: check.
... and, err, ...
Work out what to do with all this extra time: hmmmm. Difficult.
Finding a new routine has been the hardest thing to do. Even as I sit here typing this, I wonder if it would be best to go and do something else. Not sure what, but, something else.
It's not that I've forgotten about hootoo. Or that I'm taking it for granted. But being 'stranded' on an island with the missus and nippers is the best:
Check my email? Read some posts? Write a journal? I'd much rather sit and have another cuppa with the missus and just, well, talk about stuff. Or help youngest nipper clean out the gerbils. Or talk to eldest nipper about electric guitars. Or have another cuppa with the missus. Or walk the dog on the beach. Or play scalextric. Or have another cuppa. Or colour-code the recycle bins and bags. Or search out the best seaside easting establishment. Or find all the odd socks. Or - have I mentioned - have another cuppa.
As I said two weeks ago: Normal service will be resumed shortly. "Just as soon as we are sure what is normal anyway. Thank you."
I haven't forgotten about you all. I'm writing some entries in my head and just need to type them up. Just as soon as I've had another cuppa with the missus.
Paff
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- Latest reply: May 18, 2008
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