I'm 100000!

There are times when you don't know what to say. And now is one of those times. So for now, let us say nothing. All will become clear when, well, all becomes clear. Suffice it to say that it seems I was naive and presumptuous to think of myself as net-savvy.

So instead, we shall move on, and talk about less confusing (or intriguing, to those not in the know) things. Such as holidays and birthdays and stuff. I dunno how exactly I'm gonna present this holiday, so I think I'll just pick things out of the air and write about them in the order they come to me.

Chronologically speaking, the first big thing of the holiday was the massive bout of 24 viewing we did on the night after we arrived, and the following night. By a massive bout I mean covering 7 episodes over two nights (there was also 2 eps the night we arrived, but well). I realise for hardened watchathoners this may seem a little tame, but 3 episodes of 24 of a night has tended to be my absolute limit. After that I'm all out of adrenaline. However, we well before we even sat down to watch that the last DVD was going to have to be done all in one sitting (ie, 4 eps). However, this was done in the knowledge that our viewing was finally not going to end on a cliffhanger. Even so, they still had a level of tension going until the very last scene. All I can say is "ARGH!" I really want to see season two now, but I'm also not entirely looking forward to the ongoing adrenaline overdoses that will be involved. Well, I am a bit, but I recognise that I don't altogether cope entirely well with such things. But hot damn, it's good stuff.

We took the XBox with us, and this time it didn't entirely dominate my 'me time' while away. I did write also. In fact, the XBox surpassed itself (if such a thing is possible of a box of electronics) in providing its services as not only 'That green thing that keeps Gareth out of Alison's hair and gives her peace and quite to read' (ie, games console), but also DVD player and CD player. This may all seem pretty obvious roles for it to perform, and to some is probably 'so passe', but when you're on holiday in the middle of nowhere and want some back-up activities in case the weather is shit, or for the evenings when you're somewhere that participating in any kind of nightlife involves traversing a dark landscape that is reminiscent of all the really scary X-Files episodes, it means a lot. Hmmm, I'm going to get out of this paragraph now before the grammar in that previous sentence collapses.

I finished Chaos Bleeds last night by the way, in glorious simulated 5.1 sound. But then I'm getting ahead of myself.

We did three major walks during the week. First, from Ambleside to Jenkins Crag and back (on Windemere), then up Cat Bells (on Derwent Water), and lastly Howtown to Pooley Bridge via 'The Cockpit' (on Ullswater). Obviously, when I say major walks, I mean major walks for unfit lardies such as myself. Cat Bells doesn't even rate being called a mountain (it was the 'highest' walk of the week), and Howtown to Pooley Bridge (the longest walk) was probably all of 6 miles at the very most.

On the Friday night there was a reminder of just how nasty the Lakeland scenery (and, indeed, all scenery which sits there begging to be climbed) can be. We were just finishing packing things away before bed when there was a lot of noise going on outside. To begin with it just sounded like passing traffic, but then we realised it was a helicopter. The years of being a scout and doing a fair bit of mountain-walking myself have instilled in me a (hopefully) healthy respect of the mountains and the inherent dangers involved, and an awareness of some things related. In a region like the Lake District you know if you hear a helicopter the chances are it will be Mountain Rescue. When you're aware of that sort of thing, hearing a helicopter several hours after dark is chilling. A quick perusal of BBC News Online got us the story of what had gone on. The time we heard the helicopter more or less coincides with when he was found. I've been on Striding Edge, it's fucking scary. Eek. A grim business. And spooky.

I haven't mentioned my birthday yet, have I? Well, okay then, if you want me to go on about it, if you really insist, I will. I was 32, or, in binary, 100000. We headed over to Kendal for the day, where I decided to take a chance on the new version of Battlestar Galactica on DVD, as well as hunting around for all sorts of other things I could buy myself. The new version of BG is pretty damn good. And apparently the Sci-Fi Channel in the US have given the green light to a follow on series in the Autumn.

Then when we got home, I bought my main birthday present, which many kind people contributed towards. A Yahama DX-V440RDS Home Cinema Receiver, and a lovely set of Panasonic speakers to wire up to it. 5.1 sound baby, yeah!

Thus far tested*:

• All of Die Another Day
• The obvious scene from The Matrix
• The Battle of Geonosis from Attack of the Clones
• The Sentry Guns in Aliens: Special Edition
• The Attack in Independence Day
• The Freeway Chase from Matrix Reloaded

More Sound Gloats as they happen...

* by 'tested', obviously I really mean 'jizzed over'.