Jonathan Hitchcock - Vhata Vas Hyah

I'm supposed to be writing up the work I did on Jason's software PBX, and it's going very very slowly.

Apparently this paper is supposed to be a work-in-progress paper, which would mean that it is two pages long.  I'm on the sixth page, and nowhere near finished yet.  I had troubles with phrasing things at first - I couldn't get into the flow.  Now I'm in the flow, I don't know how much to write.  I could just keep writing for as long as you want, really - I could go in depth about Python/Twisted, and why event-based architectures are good for what I'm using them for, I could justify Perl and PHP for the uses I put them to, I could write thirty pages on this.

How much am I supposed to write?

Alfredo is getting antsy about this paper - he wants it in, understandably.  He has informed me that he is not going to give me my money until I hand it in.  Well, I want to hand it in as much as the next person.  I'm just so tired the whole time.  I'm exhausted now, I could really just collapse into bed.  What would make me feel even better is a nice cold beer and then a collapse-into-bed - the stress of tutoring RUMEP students who don't know how to use a mouse, combined with trying to remember everything else that has been going on is not doing me any good.

I'm basically going to just write as much as I think is sufficient for all the headings I've got, and hand it to him.  If he wants me to flesh it out, or summarise it, then I will.  For now, let me just get it done.

Festival week is now over, and I am absolutely exhausted. Everybody who was here has left now - Jaco and Adeline and Claire, Bridget and Claire, Ross and Claire, the Squash people (one of whom was probably called Claire), etc. I still haven't finished my paper, but I'm getting closer and closer to it. Maybe I'll be able to get some sleep soon?


Another festival has come and gone. I didn't do much festival-wise - I basically went to things that other people invited me to. Giselle, the ballet, with Ingrid, was good, although not as good as Swan Lake last year, I thought. I did see some truly excellent Jazz, Carlo Mombelli on the bass, Marcus Wyatt on the trumpet. I also watched Prime Circle live, which was entertaining. I almost watched the Springbok Nude Girls - arguably South Africa's best band, whom I've been keen to see ever since I stupidly didn't watch them in my first year - but at the last moment, Bridget told me that she was tired after the trip, and wouldn't be going out, so I sold my ticket to Claire-from-Capetown, and went to spend some time with Bridget.

Jaco and Adeline were down for the week. It was great to meet Jaco after knowing of him, and then knowing him, online - he really is an awesome guy, and incredibly bright. It's nice to have connections with various IT people around South Africa, but he's good to have as a friend too. Adeline is a friend of his from Cape Town, who occasionally appears on Lagnet, and she came down with him. It was fantastic to meet her, too: she's incredibly fun, and bright, and all-round good company. Claire is her over-exuberant friend, also from Cape Town, and, while a little scary, also fun.

Bridget left early this morning, having gone to bed at about half-past six yesterday evening. I was a little surprised, and rather disappointed, that she should just disappear so early - she phoned me to say "tired, sick, going to bed, see you next term". She wouldn't even let me go round to say goodbye. Puellae hostes sunt. Ah, well, I know what she's like when she's sick/tired, I don't blame her for throwing in the towel early.

My various digsmates are doing the shift-change, too - some leaving, some arriving back. Jess's brother Ross, and his girlfriend (also Claire), have left, too.

So, all is quietening down - schoolsfest is happening, but that's it. Ingrid has gone to Pretoria, Dave has gone to Knysna, Tim has gone back to Ladybrand (via Zimbabwe?) - it's just cliff, Russell and I left.

I am still tutoring the RUMEP people - it's exhausting, but quite rewarding when they understand something. It finishes on Thursday, praise the Lawd. By then, I will have finished this gawdamn paper, too, and I can relax a little.