You know how it is, you see something on ebay that strikes your interest and bid. Then you research the item elsewhere or even on ebay and find it quite a bit cheaper and hold your breath while until the end of your auction waiting and hoping to be outbid. Checking your new email hoping you get an outbid notice, checking the auction page every once in a while.

The cause of the accident has been determined. Apparently the driver's phone was ringing, he dropped it and reached down to the floor of the vehicle to pick it up, pulling the steering wheel with him.

Spoke with my mother and sister a night or so ago. Mum has moved back home, during the daytime hours. Spends the nights at her sister's place is what they told me. Apparently there was some fighting between my sister and her husband about money and other issues that mum couldn't listen to any more. I'm not sure if this is good or bad. We'll see.

Apparently the brain test she had needs to be reinforced with another one, the results will be coming in the next few weeks.

I have been using my debit card for almost every transaction for a few years now and have realised several problems with them. They use the familiar credit card model. Unfortunately, credit cards weren't designed to be used every day for almost every transaction.

After receiving my latest replacement card last May(2005), the signature had worn off by August. Over time I have used different pens and inks to sign my card, from ballpoint ink pens to permanent markers. They all wear off in only a matter of months.

My sister took mum on a small holiday to the beach. It seems to have done some good. There are still plenty of issues to be looked after of course, but mum seems to be in a little better spirits.

What do you say to someone who has lost the love of their life decades before they should have?
What do you say to them when you are half a world away? What do you tell her when she feels like she isn't getting over the event even though it's only been a few months?

What does cold taste like? Does more flavour mean something tastes better?

Lately, some of the bigger American Beer brewers have been advertising their beer is the coldest tasting or has more flavour than another brand. Obviously they annoy me to some extent or else I wouldn't be writing this up.

Now, let's analyse that for a second. What does cold taste like? Really? Most beers taste better when they are extremely cold. Some are even palatable when otherwise they wouldn't be.

I was just on the phone with one of those free technical magazine
subscription renewal services. The caller asked me to verify some
information about myself, what they needed it for I have no clue. The
question of what state I was born in came up. Here is the transcript of
this portion of the conversation:

There's good news and then there's bad news. Since I was recently offered a new job that I couldn't really refuse accepting as the pay is good and the opportunity is more in line with my skillset and career goals. The bad news is that I won't be able to take any time off until March at the earliest as there's the whole 90 day waiting period.

Now I must let the family know that it's not a possibility. Fortunately phone calls are fairly inexpensive.