July 31, 2003
bambino junior
hola amor,
no puedo usar el scaner porque me dice el computador que no está instalado...no sé qué onda.
pero el bambino junior está grande y se mueve mucho, tiene piernesitas, bracitos, su cerebro es como una nuez, tiene guatita, ojitos, deditos, todo todo. me emocioné tanto cuando lo vi tan grande y moviéndose como saludando a la cámara.
según el examen está normal y mide 49 mm y tiene 12 semanas de vida.
te amo
castora con baby
July 30, 2003
Colonel Potter and Tom
Colonel Potter from M*A*S*H does so remind me of my old boss from my graduate job.
- They looked simular
- They had a simular age
- They had simular humor
- They had simular ideals
- They had simular outlook on life
Tom, the old boss, was four years away from retirement when I arrived. He was in charge of Studio Systems at Littlewoods Home Shopping Group. It always tickled me pink that he was in the position he was. He knew nothing of computers, but ran a computer department, and in my opinion did it amazingly well. He was all about getting along with his users, and of course getting along really well with his Super-Users, which were the management of the departments we supported. He really had the gift of the gab.
Coming out of Uni fresh faced and feeling lucky to have snagged a job in the city I wanted to stay in - Liverpool, Tom was always trying to teach us young upstarts about life and how to survive our working lives. A lot of it went in one ear and out the other as so often does with good advice. But its now some five years later in a different job, oh and continent that I so often fondly remember him and his ways around the office.
Sometime he emails, I hope its computer problems that stop him emailing more often. One of my daily functions was assisting him reading emails and stuff, and generally coming to terms with having his own computer at work. For a long time he did not have one!
July 29, 2003
Left in right handed world
Right thumb is hurt -
I am left handed -
Why do I keep using my right thumb -
The world is run by right handed people of course -
Blogging nightmare day
Today was not a good day in my little blogosphere. I tried to add an entry this morning to my bl0g but got error message. Problems with my templates was the first part of the message, then worse there was actual error messages coming from perl itself. I posted on moveable types forum and a snooty bith called girlie told me it was a db corruption problem.
This evening was just spent getting the blog just how I had it before. I am tired, my back hurts and I have had enought of blogging.... just for now.
July 27, 2003
New Look
If you have been here before then you may notice the site has changed its look. Gone is the red and blue look and feel and in is the washed out grey and pale blue feel. Its part of a greater site look and feel.
walkersmith.net has four major sections,
Which will be navigable eventually through the four major sections, I still have to get around to this. If anybody has any critism about this new look then please comment. I have yet to see the site on a CRT screen. I think it more or less works across browsers, but I am not so sure about older IE versions, or netscape 4 and below.
M*A*S*H
Season 4 DVD disc 2, episode "The Gun".
Radar shouts "I'll be in my thirties, thats almost dead!"
Interesting Shoot
Tonight I was integral along with three other chaps (Stefan G., Chris M., and Pablo G.) in filming in the Paranal swimming pool. We have some great footage, some underwater and a few races, which I lost, both times :-( .
Watch this space for a little video sometime soon.
July 25, 2003
book: The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown
Just yesterday I finished the Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (ISBN 0-385-50420-9) and to sum up the book the ending was not worthy of the start. Its started with great revelations, action and intrigue, but at the end, it just did not supply the bottom line. However I did enjoy the book, amused to see that Jesus was just really human, and a vote by the pope and his doods decided to make Jesus a divine being.
The book does make you think about Christianity, I am not sure how much of the book is true or just heresy, maybe I will look up some reference material.
On another note, I am now reading Foundations Triumph by David Brin,, got to page 38 last night and was already hooked. This is the last in a new trilogy written in the Foundation Universe created by Isaac Asimov. I have so enjoyed the other two books in the series written by Benford and Bear, I highly recommend them, of course after you have completed Asimovs original series.
July 24, 2003
Yoga in the work place
It would seem from this article that some large companies are using relaxation, meditation and yoga in the work place. What a great idea. If I had some part of the day set aside to this, within the work day, I am sure it would increase my productivity and I am sure it would in others to.
July 23, 2003
just another thing, and then another
Yesterday I had a run in with DHL. I do feel they are ripping me off terribly here in Chile, and have felt that from day one, since I got here. I buy stuff at Amazon.com, I need English books out here in Chile, sometimes I get them delivered by DHL, fast. DHL charges me "impuestos", which are taxes, and then I find out yesterday they also charge me something else, a charge for them paying the taxes in advance, a service I never asked for. So, I had some urgent books delivered for my upcoming vacations, three books in total, costing less than forty dollars , DHL wanted me to pay fifty-five thousand Chilean pesos, which equates to about fifty five pounds and of course about eighty-seven dollars. Luckily I got this reduced somewhat. I have also used UPS in the past, never had this problem.
Came up to work today in one of ESO's trucks, always a nice start to the working week being able to drive yourself up, your own music and of course on the desert roads your own driving, I hate relying on other peoples driving, except for a select few.
Just when you think Antofagasta is becoming a proper city, you find a McDonalds restaurant without a Big Mac ;) . Can that happen?
July 21, 2003
1 hour or more at Lan Chile office
Andrea and I spent one hour or more in the offices of Chile's national airline today, trying to pay for our holidays to Cuba, boy was it difficult, it was like trying to get blood from stone. To start with the guy who is dealing with us was a complete wet, I am not sure what he was doing there. And then eventually the system was not working properly, this took him thirty or so minutes to sort out. My credit card was charged and annulled no less than three times. Don't worry tonight I shall be checking my account.
Sometimes its a little like this in Chile, its not a service centric country, and especially so in Antofagasta. I have seen this both at work and at home, sometimes it can make your blood boil.
July 20, 2003
Sunday painting...
Started with the painting of the babies room today. Its the only thing I can really do now that Andrea is pregnant, my official duty is now over; look after Andrea and paint the babies room. We are going to paint some sort of picture on the wall, today I was laying the first coat of what will be the background to the countryside scene.
We don't want the baby to think the desert we live in is the only place on earth, he or she will need a little green in its life.
July 19, 2003
That was a Saturday
My wife sleeps calmly next door in the living room, the sun is setting before my eyes at my desk over the calm pacific. My tummy is full from eating a great lunch with Andrea's family and Pamala's new boyfriend. I am tired, slightly, from swimming and getting the final bits of wallpaper from the wall in the "babies" bedroom. And tonight we have Andrea's friend La Gigi party to go to.
And that was Saturday...
July 17, 2003
How did Christianity make it
If Jesus was a real person who existed then how come he managed to spawn a new religion? I don't believe Jesus was anything but a human. What was so special about him, what was so special that has never been repeated since?
In this day of technology we can all be heard. In his day, it must have been word of mouth. How did this all work?
Anybody got any answers to these questions?
Film: Terminator 3
Yes, this run of films are showing their age, but only against the likes of Matrix and its brethren. However go to the film knowing its going to be action and surprisingly to a large extent humor then I am sure you will enjoy it, its not intelligent, it does not mean to be, so don't think it will attempt to be.
Action good.
Women content good.
Chase scenes good.
Arnie being cool good.
Arnie quips v. good.
Not taking itself too seriously good.
Go see it, perhaps there will be a fourth one.
July 16, 2003
book: Blue Horizon, by Wilber Smith
Finshed reading Wilber Smiths latest book called "Blue Horizon", ISBN 0312278241. Another great book by Smith, I have been reading Smith since childhood and well when you buy one of his books you know you are not wasting your money, they are a jolly good read. I would say Smith manages to write those lost books of childhood, but for adults, he writes Famous Five books which are readable by Adults. They are not literature or high brown (please define), but rather done to earth entertaining books. They fill the role of holiday books quite well, and as presents, I am sure my Sister may get a copy sooner or later, she got me onto Smith.
July 15, 2003
Wallpaper gone
In anticipation we have started to get the bigger of the two small bedrooms ready for the impending number 1 child. This morning I ripped off the nice peach coloured pastel paper. In the coming weeks we hope to paint the room with rolling hills of England and big puffy clouds, and a nice big sun in one corner, and large puffy white clouds, he wont even know he lives in the desert!
Swim
500m WU
5x100m free on 2.15s
5x100m backstroke 30s rest
6x50 free on 1.15
300m legs
Total 2100m
50m pool
Getting slightly more used to using the legs now. Still exhausting.
July 11, 2003
Swim
500m Wu
5x100 Breast/back 30s rest
10x50m free on 1.15
300m legs only
Total 1800m
50m pool
Still kicking legs like no tomorrow.
Swim
300m WU
10x50
2x100 backstroke
200 legs
200m breast stroke
Total 1400m
50m pool
Note: Kicking my legs like they were outboard motors. This exhausted me a lot.
July 10, 2003
Film: Frida
Its a beautiful film, so full of colors and passion. Andrea and I both enjoyed it. I was glad I waited till it came out in Video, its not a big screen blockbuster more a comfortable evening watching a video in your living room type of film. Salma Hyak was amazing in the film. You really believed that she was Frida, not Hyak playing just the part, surely the mark of great acting.
The film chronicles the life of Frida Kahlo who was married to this other famous artist called Diego Rivera (We have a copy on our walls). She copes with constant enduring pain that was from a traffic accident from her youth and then her husbands continuous infidelity. Of the two she says her husband caused her more pain.
This is a must watch film. Even if you know nothing about art or the artists portrayed in this film, like me.
July 09, 2003
Idiots, who?
Some people just don't get computers! This outburst stems from an article I read today on the BBC News website. I work in IT support and well I just came from a support call and it baffles me how much people do not, I repeat do not understand about their computers and how they use them. Even intelligent people don't understand them.
What does this mean? That we the geeks, the people who work with their computers day in and day out, have we created our own little sphere, were few people dare enter? I think so, which is a shame, as I know if my Dad understood mp3's and the use of an iPod he would like such an item for is car or at home. But he doesn't and when I try and make him understand I might as well be talking Esperanto.
Is there anything we can do to remedy this situation? Will the next generations be more savvy than I or on average. Will they get all things tech. I am not so sure. We must be going wrong somewhere. Technology has to be approachable by everybody.
July 07, 2003
Swimming - please review
My poor wife the other day had to come down to the pool with tripod and DV camera to film me swimming. The reason I asked her is so that I could look at my stroke and then try and improve.
If anybody has any comments on the strokes then please comment. You will need quicktime to view this video.
For those of you who cannot see the video or photo click here.
I feel that due to my age that the only advantage I have over youth is the ability and want to improve my stroke. After nearly all my life being told to kick my legs more I can now see this is so true.
July 05, 2003
Red cheeks
A trip today to Juan Lopez beach left us both red cheeks . A dog came to visit whilst we were eating our picnic, then another, then another and then a few more came by. These dogs were not in good shape, one to remember hardly had any fur. I must go on record and tell you that Chile does not look after its dogs, its terrible sometimes.
Music: Think Tank, Blur
When Andrea starts complaining that I am playing a CD far too much then you must realize I like it. It was true about Radioheads "Hail to the Thief" and is now true about Blurs "Think Tank". I am enjoying this CD so much, and I new I would all along. One reason why I bought this CD was because you could listen to most of it on Blur's website, at one of their recent lives concerts. So free digital content led me to buy this CD. Who's to say this free music thing could not work? You just have to get it right.
Swim
500m Warm up
6x200m on 3min
300m legs
5x100 IM
Total 2500m
25m pool - training in 25m is so much easier
July 04, 2003
My first pictures
Today me mummy and daddy went to visit the doctors. They went to check up on me. Mummy had to go on a bed while the doctor listened to my heart and took pictures. This is my heart beat aged 8 weeks old.
As you can see my heart beat quite fast. My daddy was having trouble with having too much water in his eyes at this point. The doctor then took a picture of me, he said I was fourteen millimeters long. I think I am quite big for my age.
This is a picture of me, I am between the red arrows, in my mummies tummy, its so nice, warm and cosy here, what more could I ask for. Anyway bye bye for now.
Film: Hulk
Advice: Don't waste your hard earned money. Not worth it. No more need be said.
July 02, 2003
Swim
500m Warm up (8.02min 1.36min ave)
5x200m 1min rest
400m legs
6x50m on 1min
Total 2200m
50m pool
Yoga: Good morning
Today Andrea and I were down at the local Hare Krsna here in Antofagasta for our three time weekly yoga work out. Both of us felt today was a good work out, I definitely felt good afterwards. Relaxed and raring to go.
If you don't do you yoga, then try it...
Swim
Yesterday, it was a day after coming down from Paranal
500m warm up
3 x 100m breast/back
100m legs
100m warm down
Only 1000m total
50m pool
July 01, 2003
The Walker-Smith reunite
A big day was had yesterday in Walker-Smith history. An off shoot of the Walker-Smiths who emigrated (not on a prison ship I presume) all the way over to the down under world of Australia were visited by my Sister and family. Their names I got from my sisters email are Kieth and Anthea Walker-Smith.
Two things to be pointed out from the email. Firstly when Keiths wife answered the door she new Julia my sister was a Walker-Smith! Genetic recognition. Secondly Keith referred to my Dad as "Little Brian". I am sure I am going to get miles and miles out of this, I must email my Dads friends. I can just imagine my Dad as Little Brian, I bet he was a right nout when he was a kid.
I never knew my Dad to have a nickname: See you laters "Little Brian"