Rampant ant

Ants in the garden before breakfast.....I only took a couple of pics today, I was using the 'old' camera, I think I like it better for macro shots somehow.....

Busy old day.....the boy-in-the-attic and I filled a full-sized skip before lunch, the house is now 3 sofas lighter (chopped and diced to take up less space) and there's an almost empty shed in the back yard, not to mention all the other crap we filled all the spaces with. It's still just scratching the surface though.....that skip will be the first of many I'm thinking!

ANT-RELATED TIMEWASTER

"The world of an ant is a scary, dangerous place. All you want to do is get home to the safety of the anthill, but there are a multitude of dangers out there; ravenous predators, impossible chasms, careless humans, and a whole host of other dangers for a single member of the family formicidae who only wants to go home."

Play Hormiga (online point and click)


NOT ANT-RELATED
The National Archives goes to the movies podcast (on the sidebar, just click on the title to play) is an entertaining listen!

Mama's gotta brand new bag

.....well she's had it a week but she doesn't get to use it for shopping!

Papa's gotta brand new bag, James Brown


A random flower shot......

And 3 from the bread run this morning.....it's muggy and hazy out there.....

(these are all smaller versions, I've posted the bigger ones on Flickr, still haven't worked out why posting direct from there doesn't work anymore!)

COMPLETELY UNRELATED

Not really a game, more a sound toy timewaster......

Link to 'Le Ciel est Bleu'

The Gnome Service

The cats are molting (hairballs regurgitated regularly in the small hours, one small one takes about 10 minutes worth of enthusiastic heaving and retching.....believe me, I've timed it) and I've got hayfever (runny eyes and a snotty nose).....so all's well with the world then, that means it must be summer! It's a bit hazy down at the coast, but still t-shirt weather, so I'm not complaining. Still waiting to hear about the early retirement deal I applied for (the final date for 'them upstairs' informing applicants is next Wednesday, and it's looking increasingly like they'll leave it until the very last minute) so I'm feeling like real life's on hold at the moment....don't want to make any definite plans/book holidays/empty office drawers/live until I hear one way or the other. It's one of those limbo situations.

OTHER STUFF

.....but there's always time for pointless pointandclickery to take your mind off things.....

it's a ten-minute timewaster.....10 gnomes in Bologna, a surprise follow-up to the Find 10 Gnomes series (link to the original 12-parter, year-long project here)

.....and a possible background soundtrack would have to be.......
(but what on earth was David Bowie thinking of?)

It looks like how I feel....

sanctuary, originally uploaded by moclaydon.

....a bit green and tarnished, definitely battered and feeling it's age......had a stormer of a headache this morning but I'm on the mend, just feeling a bit 'vacant' with the aftermath of the megadeath pain-killers. This is another one from yesterday, it's the Sanctuary Knocker on the front door of Durham Cathedral (there's a few more on Flickr)

OTHER STUFF

A historical timewaster a la bayeux tapestry, create a multiframe story using a library of drag-and-drop embroidered 'bits' (no needlework skills required!) and amaze your friends with your errudition......it kept me occupied for a good 10 minutes!
Link to the Historic Tale Construction Kit

Tunnel vision

highlevelwalkway2, originally uploaded by moclaydon.

What's the world coming to, I ask you......this picture is 10 days old! (I really must get my act together, blame it on the bloody weather......or something!)......it's the High Level Bridge and that guy on the left was singing to himself......I moved out of the way sharpish.

OTHER STUFF

This one's for my Ma, sis and bro-in-law who actually 'lived the dream'

 

"Moscow-Vladivostok: virtual journey on Google Maps

The great Trans Siberian Railway, the pride of Russia, goes across two continents, 12 regions and 87 cities. The joint project of Google and the Russian Railways lets you take a trip along the famous route and see Baikal, Khekhtsirsky range, Barguzin mountains, Yenisei river and many other picturesque places of Russia without leaving your house. During the trip, you can enjoy Russian classic literature, brilliant images and fascinating stories about the most attractive sites on the route."

It's in real time......apparently 9 days worth, though I can't swear to it.....I recommend the Russian radio station or the 'rumble of wheels' as your traveling soundtrack.....
(you can join the train anywhere on the map, you don't have to do the full trip!)

Climb aboard here, don't forget your sandwiches!

And talking of timewasting.......

 

There's a nice point-and-click game here

Mostly from yesterday

I had a computer-free evening last night.....very novel! (no particular reason except I felt as if I'd been staring at a flickering screen all day and needed a bit of a break) The above piccy was taken while on a quick trip to the local public library at lunchtime.....you need a good head for heights when you're browsing the vintage books like these ones.....

"Charles Booth's Inquiry into the Life and Labour of the People in London, undertaken between 1886 and 1903 was one of several surveys of working class life carried out in the 19th century. It is the only survey for which the original notes and data have survived and therefore provides a unique insight into the development of the philosophy and methodology of social investigation in the United Kingdom." There's an online archive (including maps) here if you fancy dipping in.

OTHER STUFF

A couple of photography links....

Liu Bolin 
Hiding in the City No.17 (No.2 of People's Policeman), 2006

Amazing stuff, unfortunately the images are quite small, must have a look for some bigger ones later.

Then I came across this site today that looks promising


Pictory


they say....
"Pictory is a showcase for people around the world to document their lives and cultures. Anyone can submit one large, captioned image to each of Pictory’s editorial themes. I’m editor, designer, and founder Laura Brunow Miner, and I will select a few dozen of the best items from each theme to appear in each showcase."

There's a "taster" to view and some categories open for new submissions.

Lastly the frivolous xmas link Elf Yourself. Upload up to 5 pictures of your friends (or enemies, it's even better with your enemies!) and watch them cavort. The granddaughter will probably kill me for this......

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Confronting double demons

monochrome xmas lights, originally uploaded by moclaydon.

As in 'night shot' and 'b&w', both of which scare me. Given my complete lack of camera knowledge and a definitely shaky hand, it's always going to be a case of making a synthetic silk purse out of a sow's ear.....but seeing as the dark nights are drawing in I'll give it an occasional go. Actually took this one last night.....but it was better than tonight's attempts!

OTHER STUFF

Crappy Cat.....one of those interactive/not quite a game/but definitely a timewaster thingies (hint: Crappy Cat likes booze!)

Only click here if you think you might take an infantile delight in adorning that smug face with a silly moustache....Tuesday's are sometimes like that I find

Hooray it's Friday!!

At last.....it's the end of a long, busy week.....y'know I'm absolutely knackered (and that would be the polite, technical term).....I'm planning on a long, deep, steamy bath, a couple of glasses of port and an earlyish night tonight.....oh yes, I know how to live! Above is a tiny bit of a snatched shot on the way home.....that small person was absolutely engrossed by the window display, with nose and hands pressed up against the glass, kids still love Xmas....fact!

OTHER STUFF......

I'm not sure what you'd describe this as....game, artwork, poetry, social commentary?....

Evidence of Everything Exploding is probably all of these and more. And there's more of the same here if you feel the urge to explore.

Are We Alone says.....

"Could there be life-forms on worlds far beyond the bounds of Earth?

The search for life as we don’t know it begins with understanding life as we do.

From amoebas to androids to antimatter, Are We Alone? weaves together humor and compelling interviews into themed programs about the biggest ideas in evolutionary biology, genetics, paleontology, technology, and physics – as well as cosmology and astronomy.

Are you a doubting Thomas? You’ll have plenty of company as we separate science from pseudoscience and the facts from the phony in Skeptic Check, our monthly look at critical thinking."

You can find their podcast archive (and there's lots of them!) here

Have a great weekend folks.....I'm off to run that bath!

Here be architects

There's yet another accreditation exercise in progress at the moment..... it's a never-ending process. This time it's a couple of the Architectural courses under scrutiny, one of them is a revisit after one of those marginal 'must do better in minor respects' (that puncture so many fragile egos) reports a few months ago. Let's just say that tensions are running high, architects as a species aren't known for taking the low blood pressure option.....But me, I'm keeping my head well below the parapet except to take the odd random shot of the action while the troops are otherwise engaged!

OTHER STUFF

Myoats is one of those online drawing tools where you can literally waste hours.....sophisticated controls, nice downloadable results....above is a 'here's one I made earlier to try it out', but other folks have done so much better!

REVISIT.....Little Nemo in Slumberland

Surreal comic strip by Winsor McCay from the early years of the 20th Century. The above image is just the half-sized scan.....there's a link to the full-sized version when, and if, you click on that link up there. Currently no less than 420 of them online, and the number keeps rising!

Think it's nearly time for bed..........

Fag break friends

Now I don't usually do straight-on, 'say-cheese-for-the-camera', portrait shots.....but I like this one for their lovely, smiley eyes! On the left we have N (one of the grounds staff who keep all the the green bits on campus in order and looking good), and on the right is P (an Ozzie project manager from the Estates Dept with a penchant for small cigars)

OTHER STUFF

You can read the stories behind iconic images at Iconic Photos, it's only been going a few months but there's some gems. Worth a click.

The Beatles Never Broke Up......apparently!
(listen online or zip download available)

And finally some 'point-and-clicky' action.....

You can play the free demo levels of Machinarium here ( from the makers of Samarost 1 and 2) Wonderful graphics as ever!

Fashion victim

Looks like the trilby is the new back-turned baseball cap....remember, you saw it here first!

The cold/chest infection/whatever drags on.....I can walk, I can talk....just not at the same time. Early bed for me tonight! I bumped into one of our mature students on the way into work this morning, a lovely Irish guy called Ken....he was asking me how long I'd worked at the uni, '20 years' I gasped/wheezed while leaning against a convenient wall, 'Jaysuss woman....you'd get less for murder!'......he's got a point!

But there's always time for a few arty-farty timewasters before I dive under the duvet....

Create your own Jackson Pollock masterpiece here

Maybe be your own Picasso here

or just make pretty patterns by fiddling with the sliders here

Nintendo gurl

This one's been passed by the official censor.....apparently it's blurry enough to hide her freckles and she likes the minimal selective colour on the DS screen, but she'd like me to point out in no uncertain terms that the teddy bear in the background is absolutely nothing to do with her, it's the kittens 'cuddly bed'.

Haven't played this one since Episode 1, but now there's 3....
Deep Chalk
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
It's one of those point-and-clicky affairs
Maybe later.....if I don't fall asleep ......

Balancing act.......

....as in 'Life is a...', at least that how it feels at the moment. I've spent the day pecking away at the 6 or so current jobs on my desk trying to keep just that one step ahead of the next person to come through the door and ask for the finished article, it's life on the edge, I may have to throw a tantrum or three tomorrow! The screengrab above is from a VectorPark game I MUST have posted before....but, y'know, it's worth a revisit!

Tonight's job, if I can be arsed, is starting to sort out the mountain of cds/dvds stacked on spindles (2000 plus at a vague count) scattered around the house, a miscellany of radio plays/music/films/stuff that I've accumulated over the years....but maybe I'll just open a bottle of wine instead.....

It's the weekend!

....you read that right, I've got the day off tomorrow! But yes, it's coat-wearing weather, can't win 'em all I suppose.....

Found this today while looking for something completely different.....it raised a smile!



Seeing as I'm now officially in 'not-at-work' mode maybe a game later might be in order....

Found at Jayisgames
They say "It is difficult to describe the gameplay of The Glean of Glob. This is a surrealist dream, or perhaps a nightmare. There are no instructions, the player must figure out what to do while interacting with the characters on the screen. Everything can be accomplished by a click of the mouse, but after that, well, perhaps you'd better see for yourself. If you are looking for a linear experience, starting at A and progressing neatly to Z, this is not the place for you. But if you are up to the challenge, and would like to experience thought-provoking artwork, then dive into the world of The Glean of Glob"
Link straight to the game

Saturday.....the dark side

For which read 'SHOPPING', not that I did any...took this one last week in broad daylight then processed it until it squeeked, as is only right for a despised activity, it deserves nothing more nor less (especially when it's nearly a week until payday and the overtime claim won't be paid until the end of October) EDIT...I didn't notice the scary guy in the shop window until I clicked the publish button.....says it all really!

Possibly on the cards tonight.....

Watching a few episodes of 'The Avengers' (the Tara King ones....watched one last night, talk about surreal) No link, I got it from a pirate friend on his beam ends, best not to ask questions....

Listening to a bit of Flanders and Swann (we all have a cross to bear)

Or maybe a dip into a bit of online point-and-clickery, Alchemia....not tried it yet but I love the graphics (found at jayisgames)

 

Then again....I might just give it all a miss and go to bed early with a nice mug of Horlicks and an Agatha Christie audiobook......

Keeping the kids amused....

Just in case the weather isn't totally springlike.....

"Cool cartoons that will have you experimenting with food, light, sound, clothes, and a whole lot more!! Hundreds of cartoon experiments from cartoonist, broadcaster and engineer Tim Hunkin."

Link to Hunkin's Experiments

Friday playtime

"rotate a set of blocks in the foreground to match the "hole" in the wall in the distance. Tap the [spacebar] to see if it fits through" via JayisGames

Play Through the Walls

Teetering......

Another one of those "physics games", balance the given bits on the pole....it only went to prove that I've got not one iota!

Play Perfect Balance

Play time....

Easy on the eye point-and-clickery
Play Treasure Box

Online Etch-a-Sketch

I never was much good at it, maybe you can do better!

Online Etch-a-Sketch