Archive for the 'Scratchpad' Category

20 things to do in ‘10

More than half of January has already gone by, but Writer’s Log still lags in last year. It hasn’t been for want of trying, but that is a lame excuse. Anyway, here’s a to-do list for 2010 (in no special order):

  1. Don’t make lame excuses about not updaing my blog
  2. Redesign my site (eeeep!)
  3. Put the entire site on a single CMS (double eeeep!)
  4. Redo the Halvard Castle site (yes, it’s so hopeless that I’m not even linking it!)
  5. Do a site for the Vakker book
  6. Upgrade Web development skills (yes, Niklas, that means return to my JS books)
  7. Learn something new this year (a language, a skill, whatever; JS doesn’t count)
  8. Write more.
  9. Finish the Shadow in Eternity IV novella (there, it’s in writing now!)
  10. Go out more
  11. Don’t pretend to be happy about things I’m not
  12. Buy a vehicle, even if it’s a bicycle
  13. Start on (and preferably finish) a new book
  14. Be happier and complain less
  15. Do my tax returns
  16. Visit Europe
  17. Stop being scared of pregnant women
  18. Stop being scared of babies
  19. Play more games
  20. Start following football again

That’s all folks.
:)

~PD

Posted on Saturday, 16 January 2010 | in Gaming, Scratchpad, Tech, WRITEside, Web design, Writing | 3 Comments »

A walk around Sankey Tank

Sankey Tank
Went to visit a well-known Bangalore landmark on Monday, 21 December — Sankey Tank. This is an artificial lake constructed in the 1880s to supply water to the city of Bangalore. It has seen many ups and downs, but has lately been revamped to make it a really nice place to be in.

The water and the place around have been cleaned up, “beautifying” the walkway, adding landscaping and benches (regrettably garish), building toilets, and so on. There is a separate tank for Ganesh Chaturthi immersions so the main body of water does not get polluted. The park only opens for a specific period of time during the day, which is a little sad, but also ensures it’s kept clean. No food and drinks are allowed inside either.

If you’re visiting Bangalore, this is worth checking out. You can no long walk completely around it since some parts have been blocked off since the Tank overflowed its bounds some years back.

~PD

Posted on Wednesday, 23 December 2009 | in Scratchpad | 2 Comments »

My first meme

This is my first meme. I didn’t really know what it meant or even how to pronounce it, so I had to look it up:

Meme [meem] n.A unit of cultural information, such as a cultural practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another.

Um… okay. Anyway, read on if this interests you:

Favourite song right now?
Don’t have one because I reformatted my iPod, but I was listening to the Sound of Music today.

What did you last eat?
A Subway 6-inch sandwich, double choco-chip cookie, tea.

What kind of books do you read?
Oh wow, I can’t answer that! I read anything that catches my fancy, but like crime, anything in the young adult genre, some fantasy. I also like to read books that have a positive characterisation of girls and women, and have strong characters, female.

What are you reading right now?
Marked (PC and Kristin Cast) and about to start Beast with the Nine Billion Feet (Anil Menon).

Favourite Television show right now.
Don’t have one. Am watching Brothers and Sisters and Grey’s Anatomy out of habit rather than any compelling desire to follow the lives of the Walker family or of Seattle Grace/Mercy West’s doctors.

What are you wearing right now?
Track pants, T-shirt and shirt.

What’s your current fandom / obsession / addiction?
Fandom: None (how sad is my life?); Obsession: Gender-related stuff; Addiction: Reading :)

What did you really want to do today that you didn’t?
Some writing and … *cough* … you know!

What are you most excited for?
Getting feedback on my forthcoming book!

If you could be a mythical creature, what would you be?
A Time Lady. I’d like a Tardis and go into the future to find out if it’s really worth it or if I should just find a tall building to jump off tomorrow.

What was the last thing you bought?
Subway sandwich and cookie.

If you could have any pet, what would it be?
I have a pet — my plant Billy, whom I basically ignore because he looks after himself (and since I killed his sister Chilly and their other sister Silly committed suicide because of that…). But seriously, I’d like a dog or cat.

What do you want right this minute, off the top of your head?
I want to be happy with myself. (Whatever that means!)

Where is the place you like to return to in order to calm down / relax / etc.?
If I can drag myself there, to the gym to work out, but I usually don’t make it. I can generally also find things to calm me down online, and I’ve been fairly lucky since mostly when I’m upset, I come online and find a friend or two around to talk to. When I really can’t do either, I get into bed with a book. I have to add, though, that there is one place I always imagine myself at when I want to think of being calm — it’s sitting on a certain rock on the shores of Crummock Water, Lake District.

Who was the last person you visited?
My friend Swapna, last Sunday.

Are there any bits of childhood that you miss?
Nope. I’m just glad I survived it. I can’t think of any moment I want to relive.

Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter?
Bah, I live in Bangalore — we don’t have seasons! But all right, winter.

Say something to the person who tagged you:
Katherine, I’m gonna get you. Just you wait… *dark look*. And for the sake of perpetuating the torture ;-) I tag Proteeti and Swapna.

~PD

Posted on Thursday, 10 December 2009 | in Scratchpad | 6 Comments »