Friday at work is always a breeze. Don’t ask me why, but the thought of the weekend perhaps, keeps the level of calls at bay. The hot weather did not help my concentration levels, it felt as humid as it was last night in Reading. My MSN contact list did stand the test of getting me through the day. I was chatting to Pav, but true MSN is blocked at his workplace, he has to revert to the Java based, E-Messenger. The only problem with this is that sometimes, we do not get the full conversation, so over the cause of the day, a simple conversation is broken up. He gave me a link and I had to go and have a quick read. Then I had to take it one step further and post my fifty pence. Should I go into Maidenhead tonight? I thought about the offer for the rest of the afternoon, considering it in detail. There was a reason to stay at home, a big reason. Yet, I decided to venture out for a quick drink. Not sure really why but there was something about meeting up with my friend again. Leaving at 9pm, I went out and was shocked by what I saw. So many young people out drinking, some looked as young as 15. I felt odd and out of place. The music did not help. Does he play any proper music, I asked Pav, whose friend Paul was the DJ. No, just funky house most of the night. I know as much about dance music as I know about the Commonwealth of Independent States. In short nothing and I could not distinguish one genre of dance music from another, it just noise to me. (That does make me sound old fashioned!) I discovered that perhaps there is no need to join the hoards of people out on a Friday and Saturday night. I would much rather be on the computer, as sad as it does sound.

For six years I had waited and planned this moment. Yet, even for me, the seasoned control freak, you can never take into account something failing. I ordered my PC via Overclockers UK on late Wednesday night. The plan was to have all the components delivered by Friday for a weekend build. The plan, came together and everything worked out, thanks to some neighbours holding onto my goods for a few hours. Nothing was touched until Saturday morning, that was the price I paid to go out and meet my friends. Looking back with hindsight, I made the right decision. I woke up at 6.30am, sharp and then set about my task. I unpacked all the boxes and then made sure everything was present and correct. Then a quick breakfast, followed by a shower and then the major task began. It was 8am, the sun was shining, but the cool morning breeze filled my room, as I opened the window.

Overcome with confidence, not just in my ability, but in how quickly I was getting the job done, by 10am, I was about to begin testing. Everything had been followed by the book and I had done my best to follow all the instructions by the book. Then, after discussing with Pav, I felt originally that it was a display adapter problem, so headed out into the afternoon heat to find a PCI graphics card. In the end, I was hit by daylight robbery by a corner shop PC building centre. You know, the small independent retailer that sales everything on a minimum 60 percent markup. I had no choice, I had to pay. It was the only way I was going to get my PC working. Or so I thought. It did not work and after several hours messing around, just before 5pm I gave up. It was a faulty motherboard but I needed to prove it. I had been running on the buzz of the new PC since the early hours of the morning and had not eaten until now, early evening. It was not until I sat down on the sofa, that I realised how hungry I was. The day had passed me by, because I was focused on my goal. (Yes, I am a workaholic, but you knew that already!) A few more phone calls and late into the night, it was 11.30pm, when I finally decided to call it a day. It also meant eating some humble pie and going back to my Mesh.

While beating myself up about it most of the day, it is only now I realise there is no need to get so worked up about it. It is just a pile of plastic, transistors and silicon and I am better than this. I hope when I get my replacement board, I will have a better cycle of luck.