It was rather ironic, that I got my welcome pack for Tiscali on the first day I was without broadband internet access from my flat. I could, however see the funny side, many others would not. So it is now just a waiting game. ISPs have become a bit more switched on, rather than send you your broadband router weeks before you are switched on, they hold onto the crown jewels until just before (or perhaps) even after you are connected. I suppose this stops all the calls from those impatient people wondering why they have not been switched on yet. Much like my housemates and I, back in October 2003. (Another strange coincidence, but I blogged about those events, the day after I moved into this flat, albeit, five years previously) I think I actually posted a blog entry the moment our house in Leicester went life with Griffin broadband. I recall Paul called up their technical support team to find out when we would be ‘switched on’ and put the phone on loudspeaker. The technical support guy was quite irritated. Basically we would be switched on some time today and he could give us no further information. It was not until later that evening we got connected. I had a extra long network cable running from the spare room and down into my room at the front of the house. Cannot remember the logic of it being there but it was a ZOOM ADSL router and we had it connected up to a NetGear switch. Enough about yesteryear, let me focus on the present and the here and now. Right, where do I begin?

My counter has just hit 1 day, 21 hours, 44 minutes and 59 seconds as I begin this blog post, on Friday evening. Being without the internet is a strange experience but I know I am just a few days away from being connected. Just need to wait for those wonderful people at Tiscali to flip the switch. I have not received my wireless router yet but hope it will arrive sometime in the next few days. My first weekend in Newbury will be with no internet access. I am really bothered? It is a minor inconvenience, after all I can check my e-mail at work and anything important, someone can always ring me. I think perhaps by Sunday evening I will be climbing the walls. Yesterday, I read an article on BBC News web site that most people did not know their broadband service was limited and some faced disconnection due to regularly exceeding their bandwidth allowances. The quote (which I did forward to Pav) was along the lines of, “for some people it has the exact same effect of having your electricity cut off. Broadband internet access has become an essential utility, just like water and gas”. Then late last night I was listening to Five Live on my portable DAB radio and Richard Bacon interviewed a student who has given up all technology built post 1978 to see if he is able to survive a month without modern technology. It had got to twenty three days (albeit, a slight relapse and checking his Facebook status). He still keeps a blog (although now has to handwrite up his posts and post them (old snail mail style) to MSN and then they are uploaded to the blog. I would put a link, if I had internet access but of course I do, so will have to update this when I can. I salute the boy for doing this, he deserves a wedding. I could not last forty eight hours without some form of access to the outside world electronically.

I do not drink coffee (perhaps the only thing I have in common with Welsh classical singer Katherine Jenkins). I do not drink any fluids during the day really apart from an orange juice (very occasionally Oasis Summer Fruits) with lunch, however I am trying to right this wrong. Before a big important meeting with my managers last Thursday (16th) I went to the drinks machine in our canteen and rather dazed and confused by this unfamiliar machine, I selected Kenco coffee instead of tea. Oh no, first cup of coffee I have drunk in at least 16 years (if not more). I know I could have thrown it away and got tea but I had to take the plunge. I can remember my last cup (and only other cup from memory, it too was from a machine. In the Rank Xerox office at Globe Park, Marlow, Buckinghamshire. circa 1990. It reminded me exactly why I do not drink coffee. I have slowly being getting into the habit of getting a cup of tea from the machine every morning a few minutes after I arrive. The next stage is the “pick me up” in the afternoon to stop me dosing off, although I have been buying hot chocolate from the coffee counter downstairs. I have yet to taste the mixture the machine creates.

My telephone arrived on Tuesday from Amazon. An extremely swift service, considering I requested standard delivery and only placed the order on last Thursday (16th) afternoon. So I now have a active land line at home. Thankfully my number is quite easy to remember. Dave was the first person to call, on Tuesday evening and we made final arrangements for our weekend, (next weekend). My train leaves at 10:17am from Marylebone direct to Wrexham General, pulling in at 2:28pm. Remind me to print off my e-ticket at work in the next few days. Not sure if Rory Cellan-Jones used the same service but he was heavily delayed on his way back from Wrexham a few weekends ago, I hope I have better luck. I am really looking forward to the weekend and seeing my old school friend. The last time I saw him was back in early November last year, during “The Dave Jones Weekender” which included a mini-reunion with our friends from middle school and also go-karting on Sunday in Aylesbury. In a strange twist, I could have been in Wrexham tonight and it would have worked out well because with no internet in Newbury there would be few reasons to stay in the flat over the weekend. However, I could not book the date off work, so had to switch to the following weekend, which makes sense as it is closer to Dave’s Birthday (Remember Remember the 5th November!).

The care package volume four has not arrived, although I was expecting it in the post this morning. Never mind, I still have plenty of television shows to keep me entertained (well for this evening at least). I watched Knight Rider episode four a few hours ago, before having some dinner and watching Eastenders. On the agenda tonight is the The Big Bang Theory episode four and then perhaps a few episodes of Fringe, after watching the pilot episode last weekend. However let me tell you about some of the other shows I have watched for the past few days. Heroes is slowly getting back on track after a slow start. I am back on track and a week ahead of UK BBC2 viewers and on the same pace as BBC3 viewers (if that makes sense!). However, I prefer Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles for action and GREEK for sheer craziness. Knight Rider is good fun but I am convinced that the producers / directors are just in competition to see how much flesh they can get away with showing. The first three episodes you see all the main characters in some sort level of undress, with beach parties, overheating cars (yes KITT) and surfing. It is no match for the original series, it has just gone too high tech and too serious (in terms of missions). At least Hasslehoff had an air of the maverick about him! GREEK has been very good, with some mushy storylines, which I can get through but my favourite character is Dale and he does not have enough air time. Whenever he is on screen though, he gets some classic lines which always have me in fits of laughter.