Updates:

Heh, so, I seem to get wrapped up in work and never update. So, starting with trivia; today, I bought a Vax vacuum cleaner because the Electrolux one we had nearly caught fire due to the bearings in the brush failing (under a year old, but they were absolute twats about it and their official advice was "buy a Dyson"; something I do actually regret not doing in the first place as the one in Hawick has lasted 7 years of abuse) - my original plan was to buy another Electrolux since they were the cheapest, but the Vax was cheaper in store. Cheaper than a new beater brush and belt.

It's crap, but it works well enough to clean a carpet.

The old one I'm keeping as a sort of inefficiently-sized and very annoying cylinder vacuum.

We may go to Judder, not sure; we'd wanted to go to the Norwood and meet people but I saw on IRC that it's possibly going to be full. Either way, siani_hedgehog and jezebel_z are visiting this weekend. Next weekend we've got the BPPA Awards dinner up in... um... actually, I forget. Somewhere Northern. If we're not too wiped out from the week, we might head up a day early (can't leave the cat alone too long) and go see ailska's new place.

I'm going to be spending (American) Thanksgiving with kest in the states; hopefully kest is coming to the UK for Thanksgiving 2009 so Jen can cook lots of appropriate food.

I'm doing more with music stuff again; learning how to use the Numerology Sequencer on the Mac for idea/loop mucking about, considering changing to Cubase (I still have a functional NFR key for Logic, but I'd need to get hold of a Logic Studio 8 DVD to make it useful, and more people use Cubase and therefore I can get more advice on it). With half an eye on house sale, I'm also pondering what kit changes I can make; I've currently got three regular electric guitars, a fretless bass (I have a five string which was Siani's, but that's staying) and a couple of guitar-related devices I don't use - for example, I don't need my V-Amp 2 at all. I'd quite like one nice electric guitar of good quality and neck design that isn't beat up like my Kramer, a pain to tune like my Floyd-equipped Kramer... I always really liked the hollowbody electric Harmony my dad had, which was a true electric but I believe a clone of a Gretsch or somesuch. He sold it, and most of that style I don't like.

Synth-wise, I'm also considering that I don't use my Wavestation A/D (and really, haven't ever used it, it lacks the immediacy of the keyboard model), I don't really use my Roland D-550 and the programmer for it has a noisy backlight. It seems that Access Virus doohickeys are all the rage, and superior to my Supernova II (plus the new ones can be controlled directly by Cubase) - and selling all of the above would probably get enough to get a Virus Polar 37-key job (thus saving space, encouraging me to use a master keyboard for must bits, etc). I'd probably get £250 each for the Wavestation and D550 with programmer and cards, and £500ish for the Supernova II. I also don't want or need my Sequential Drumtraks anymore; I'm happy using a matrix sequencer and the drum sounds in my XV3080.

Yes, this is all kit talk - I have also been trying new bass techniques, new sounds and new structures. Listening to how a lot of "advert" music is constructed, especially that track on the iPod Nano adverts. No, I haven't recorded anything; I'm thinking about lyrics, but the new house makes me a little shy about singing (as does being so tired recently).

Hmmm. What else... photography is progressing. I have pictures of deathboy's gig in Bexhill to process, and I'm learning how to use the terrifying Metz hammerhead flash I've got (I cannot bring myself to buy a Speedlite, even though I should have an SB900, because my Elinchrom kit cost about the same - and that's two stands, two heads, softboxes, etc). I need to do more of the stock/commercial work I planned to do in Birmingham, but haven't really had the time to get out and do it; likewise doing some wildlife stuff, car snooping at MIRA, etc.

Cars: Same as usual, love my C6, MX5 is being Japanese about the lack of maintenance, A-class sort of works most of the time but needs some money spending on the front suspension/brakes. It's as if my soul has gone.

HAH. Like hell. I am considering that the way to fill the gaps with "cars I've always wanted" is to rent one or two of them for a weekend when it's appropriate. I don't REALLY want to own a Citroën SM; but I'd really like to have driven one, for example.

So, yeah, there's a quick update. Sorry if I've failed to do memes or comment on stuff lately - it's all been a bit busy...

Also, why is Rock Band so expensive :( Really want it.