Goafer

In a previous job, the owner of the company accidentally sent some nasty fetish porn to the head teachers of 3 different schools. One of our websites ended in .co.uk, with the .com version belonging to a hardcore fetish forum. To set the scene: one section of the forum had the subtitle "The highest smells in the lowest places". We warned them that this mixup could happen, but he didn't listen. A year or two later, it did happen and it was him that did it. It really didn't surprise me when I heard that they went out of business less than a year after I left.

When renewing my driver's licence a few years back, they were already doing this. On the form, it said I would be opted in by default. I checked that my family were ok with it first, which they were, so I didn't opt out. That said, I don't like that by default, someone (presumably the NHS?) can just help themselves to your body when you die. It just seems wrong that it's now the default. Ultimately, your body is your property (and arguably the most important thing you own) and to me, consent should be given to use it. Having to tell someone not to, otherwise they'll help themselves isn't how consent works for me. I think the best way is to just send out letters to everyone asking if they want to be an organ donor, whilst still keeping the dafault as yes. Combine it with a campaign on TV etc to make people aware that if they don't return the letters, they'll be opted in. Maybe that's what is happening. I dunno. All I know is that it doesn't affect me as I'm already opted in.

Fair play. She's seen better days, but I still would.

Mildly painful? Oh boy, you're not going to like the next few days...

It really isn't. It feels forced in some places and downright ludicrous in others (Chris O'Dowd's arm, for example). It's a shame, as it started off pretty good, with Jensen's reveal being particularly good. But there were just too many elements that were just awful, especially towards the end.

Day one of my new job. They gave me a rape alarm. They clearly don't know me very well. On a serious note, it was mainly in case I need it whilst traveling for the job. Apparently it's glass shatteringly loud, which has made me both terrified and insanely curious to use it. The office is on a rather awesome business park. I've gone from a scruffy industrial estate with a sandwich van to a full on business park with on-site shops, cafes, post office, beauty salon etc. It's rad as shit. I'm off to London tomorrow for more training/induction with my manager. Seeing as we both work from home, it'll be in a coffee shop. I get to be one of "those" people who spend all day in a coffee shop on my laptop. Macbook Pro too, so even more pretentious. "What's a computer?" indeed. Hopefully the job works out as good as it seems. The more I see of the place, the more I like it, but I do feel like I'm waiting for the bubble to burst. Maybe I'm just being pessimistic.

I do love how we're essentially discussing the difference between racism and xenophobia, as if one is somehow better than the other. The leader of the most powerful country in the world is a total cunt. But first, lets debate exactly what sort of specific cunt he is.

Heard this on Jools Holland and can't get enough of it: And from the NFS Payback soundtrack:

I bloody love it. I've had it all of about 4 days and I'm already disappointed every time I'm in the car and I can't control the stereo with my voice.

Only just seen this, so here's mine: Sega Master System Mega Drive Mega Drive 2 Saturn x2 (1st and 2nd gen) Dreamcast Game Gear Nintendo NES SNES N64 GameCube x2 (Black and Pearl White) Game Boy x2 Game Boy Pocket Game Boy Colour x2 (Green and Cyan, possibly a third somewhere) GBA GBASP x3 (Normal, Tribal and NES versions) DS 3DS 3DSXL Sony PS1 x2 PS1 Slim PS2 x2 PS3 PS3 Slim Microsoft Xbox Xbox 360 Misc ZX Spectrum NeoGeo Pocket Colour Some photos: Nintendo handhelds: Consoles:

Coincidentally, I found out a few days ago that not only was the grass greener on my side, but the old grass no longer exists. My old work place filed for insolvency just before Christmas. Everyone who still worked there were told the Wednesday before Christmas that they no longer had jobs and that they would not be receiving their December pay (they were scheduled to be paid on the Friday). It's weird to be right about the situation. One of the reasons I left was due to the place looking financially insure, but I'm no business expert and just figured I was being pessimistic. I did say to someone who still worked there that if the head of finance ever quit, to look for a new job ASAP, as it was a sure sign that the company was going under. Lo and behold, the head of finance quit a few months ago. It's a weird feeling being right about a field I know little about. I wish it was a good feeling, but people, some of them friends, got thoroughly fucked just before Christmas.

Jesus Christ, you must have got her one hell of a present. Glad everything is ok, obviously.

Always. You bloody city folk, with your horseless carriages and yer fancy words. I don't actually mind the commute too much. 40 minutes is a good amount to be able to listen to a podcast, but it's a bugger in petrol and wear and tear on the car (just had a £450 bill for brakes). Out of curiosity, how much does commuting in London cost? I was never entirely sure about the job, but I had just had enough of the previous one and figured it couldn't be any worse. I was wrong. Very wrong. On the upside, the new place seems pretty good. Mainly good reviews on Glassdoor, plus the perks make it seem like they actually care about employees. From memory, the perks include: a day off for your birthday, Perkbox, petrol paid for when I need to travel, £500 referral bonus if I refer someone to a job advertisement and they're successful and a few other things I forget about. Plus, I can submit training course requests on anything relevant to my role. None of the perks are groundbreaking, but it's way more than I've ever had before. Also, the biggest perk for me is working from home. It's not something I'm taking lightly, as I know it won't all be sitting around in my underwear, eating Doritos and slacking off. I'm actually a bit nervous about the idea, but the thought of no daily commute, being in to sign for parcels/let people in to fix stuff and having complete control over my "office" is a pretty big winner for me. I've already got my first referral lined up:

I feel my work based news requires some background. I used to work as a graphic designer for a school photography/design company. The environment was fairly chilled, but the owners placed very little value in design, so the pay was shit and we were regularly patronised (being told we weren't worth a pay rise, as there were loads loads of people out there who could do our job was a choice quote). The place was also looking a bit shaky financially and people I liked were gradually leaving, leaving few people I actually got on with. So I found a other job at a print place. Initially, it was ok. The boss believed in paying someone what they were worth and was quite generous. I was a bit unsure of the type of work, as there were a lot of walk-in customers, which I'm not great with, having been very shy as a kid. But I figured it couldn't be worse than my previous job and I'd maybe stick it out for a year or so, as it would give me experience working with Macs. However, I now (9 months later) hate the place. I'm stressed to the point that I almost fear going in. I've been making mistakes, which has only made things worse and also resulted in texts from the boss out of work hours, meaning I can't even get away when I'm not in the office. Plus, it's a 40 minute commute, which sucks. So that's the background, now for the news: I just got offered a potentially great job. It's for an adult/workplace learning company, working mainly from home. It pays the same, but with a few perks in top, the main one being they pay for any travel (the job requires some travelling to various places when not working from home). So now I have to convert the games room/mancave to my new office. I had been considering going freelance, but this seems a more secure alternative. I'm so amazingly releived to have been offered the job. I had to take time off for interviews and a few other house things, so if I didn't get this job, I was super worried about making excuses for time off for more interviews, but I couldn't stay here either. I wouldn't say the job was giving me anxiety, as I'm sure it's far worse for people who genuinely suffer from it, but it was certainly bringing me down and making me stressed.

Mine alternates between "Which git is parked in my space?", "Which git let their dog shit on my lawn?" "Has the postman been?" and "My cat's gone missing again".

This has been popping up on my Facebook memories thing and It's made me really want to do it again. It was just awesome to be part of. Alas, not enough time nor money at the moment. Stupid life getting in the way of things.

Found this Master System light gun for £5 in CEX, so figured why not?

Went to MCM London and did my first cosplay: Also distracted Smith from Hat Films:

Some more from my Instagram:

As Ashley said, we've been discussing things in the group, but I've not had time or money to organise anything. I assume the others have been the same. It's a shame not to do something, but I don't think we would be able to top last year. The previous Extra Life events we did were getting less and less interest and I'd hate to see the MadDog Marathon do the same. Even at the time, we thought it might be one last event to end on a high. That said, what an amazing high to end on (if it is indeed the last one I take part in). The support was phenomenal, the venue was perfect and I honestly couldn't imagine how it could have gone better. It would have been nice to have a few more familiar faces show up, but the support we received online more than made up for it. The Extra Life events started with just @flameboy, @Mike1988uk and I just having a laugh in Flameboy's house, never did I think it would end up a full blown charity event in the best gaming venue in the UK.

Went to the Cotswold Wildlife Park today:

I believe the phrase is "Tits or GTFO", but close enough. That is all.

Oh for fuck's sake. I was watching the trailer thinking "I quite like this song. I hope it's not that wanker Kanye West". Turns out it was Jayden Smith. I can't fucking win. Also, the game has a Goddamned Volvo Amazon in it. Good stuff.

Indy is getting old: The day we got him, about 10 years ago: