Well today I thought dammit, I spent a fortune on this thing and this is 2010, if I want to use new technology I bloody well will! I haven’t had too many comments from staff or students which is good. I actually felt a little uncomfortable when people asked me to ‘justify’ the device.

Bering the geek that I am, I’ve used the database app Bento to create forms for briefing and a checklist for form time. I am forgetful and having a list like that will help me. The fact that it’s not on paper means I won’t lose it either!

So I shall not care what others think, this thing is making me more efficient so all you luddites can think what you want!

Next year I may have an opportunity at work. One that if I don’t grab by the balls and go for, that I may have to wait a long time to get again. I have until recently thought it would be a shoe-in, but recent events with someone else at work have led me to believe it will not be so easy. (Yeah, I’m being deliberately cryptic).

So I figure I have about a year to ‘gear up’. I need to learn as much as I can about the job. I need to start observing others. I need to learn the OCR course and the National Curriculum like the back of my hand. I need to prepare masses of spectacular resources. I need to make sure the right people know my intentions. I need to make sure that if the opportunity arises I’m ready to say “I want it and here’s what I’ve been doing for a year to prepare.” I may not be a qualified teacher yet, but that is just a matter of time. 2 more years doing degree then 1 year training so I’d only be teaching a year unqualified, something many others have done.

The scary thing is this can’t be one of my grand plans that I don’t follow through on. Sure I would still get qualified but the difference would be there may not be a job for me at the end of it.

iPad

I need one. Obviously I don’t need one, but I want one so much that it may as well be need. It is impossible for me not to buy it. I would sell my every possession (well, bar clothes and my gaming PC) for it. I am actually weighing up whether to sell my Macbook or slap it on a credit card.

When it was first announced, like most people I was underwhelmed. However after reading all the reviews I’m convinced it’s the perfect device for me. I consume a lot of information on the internet. I spend almost all my spare time on it. Not just information, but media. Music, podcasts and audiobooks alone could take up more hours that I actually have to get through. A few months ago I came very close to buying a Kindle, and I’m glad I didn’t because now the iPad ticks that box. Added to that the various comic apps and I’m sold. Although the selection is slim pickings at the moment, I think eventually more recent and regular comics will appear on the device (and others). I know lots of comics shops are worried about such devices, and I understand why. But from my point of view, the nearest comic store takes me over an hour to get to. If I order online, the postage is nearly as much as the comic itself! I do feel sorry for traditional media stores. Music, film, games, news, all of them are shifting more and more online. It’s just the way of things, when new technology comes along old methods have to go. Instead of dragging their heels I really wish that a company like Marvel would leap forwards. With no cost of production other than to pay the writers/artists you could commission so much more work with minimal risk. Give Mockingbird a 4 issue mini series to a talented team and see if it takes off. If you want to preserve physical comics, have retailers give out special unlock codes on a scratch-card that allow you to get the digital version as a bonus to the physical. That way everyone’s happy!

Anyway, as I say it’s inevitable that I’ll get one. Out at the end of April here in the UK, though I’m not sure if the 3G version will be released at the same time. If the price plans are reasonable I would probably opt for the 3G version, that may depend on how much of a delay there was. 3G would only really benefit me in 2 ways. One, I can access whatever the hell I like at work. I’m quite capable of not letting things like Twitter affect my job, thanks. The other would be whenever I travel to Nottingham to see Rob. However this happens every other month at best, and there’s a strong possibility he may not be staying there much longer. His eyes are set on Edinburgh. Which is quite a distance!

In other news, Kick Ass was great and I’m not sure which I’m looking forward to the most, getting an iPad or seeing Iron Man 2.

Eek.

Well I’m back at work after two weeks off for the easter break. Did bugger all really, but Kat has been ill and we are saving up at the moment, so didn’t go anywhere. Well, I actually went to Nottingham for Robs birthday, which was fun for two reasons.

The first is that for the first time since I’ve become a comics fan, I went to a comic shop. Two, to be precice: Forbidden Planet and Page45. It was like walking into heaven! Where I live, there is only Waterstones that sells comics, just trades/graphic novels. A very limited selection. In these comics shops they had everything I could want. I spent…a considerably large sum of money. Mainly because it was a rare opportunity, but also because I had by mistake paid off one of my credit cards and then another £90+ on top the month before.

My main scoop was Captain America Omnibus. 25 issues, one huge beast, and thoroughly entertaining. Captain America has easily become one of my favourite characters. The modern version is not the cheesy, I love America type of guy you’d expect. 

I also picked up Kick Ass #1-2, Marvel: Secret Invasion #1, Ultimate X-Men vols 5, 6 and 7, Ultimate Iron Man, Preacher Vol 3, and back in Boston I got X-Men: Deadly Genesis, Fallen Son: Death of Captain America and 52 vol 2. All in all, a good month of buying, though a blip really as there’s no chance I can afford to buy them at this rate. And, other than making use of Waterstones 3 for 2 offers, I really should buy them online, I would save on average 30%. 

It’s also been a bit pants that I’ve had 3 assignments to do. One was a computer marked one, did that last week, handed in another yesterday, and I have until Thursday to finish the third. As per usually I am dragging my feet and completing them last minute. But that’s just part of who I am really, and I actually enjoy the thrill of doing it by the skin of my teeth. Which is silly really, I’m doing this voluntarily in order to get a better job!

Still, can’t wait until that is out of the way. I have the new Alastair Reynolds book, House of Suns (signed!). Started it last night, not got very far. I often hate the start of books, it takes me a while to get used to character names and I’m often flipping back a few pages in order to get it round my head who is talking to who etc. Especially this book, as so far it seems like the first person perspective is changing with each chapter, something I’m not used to. I suspect it’s something tied to the plot of these shatterlings (clones). Or that I was just so tired last night after the first day back at work that I wasn’t making any sense of it. 

On the horizon, next weekend Rob and Ben are coming over and we’re going to see Iron Man (which I am very, very much looking forward to), and then off for food and perhaps even the pub. All in aid of my birthday, which won’t actually be until the 6th. But it’ll be nice to see them again, we had a lot of fun on Robs birthday the other week. I especially enjoy the old traditions of staying up until 3am talking about bollocks, both low brow (which 5 celebrities would you have sex with) to the high brow (is there a God?). 

Anyway that’s enough waffle for now. I’m actually doing my usual work avoidance. Meh. I’ll aim to complete question 2 tonight, perhaps a little of Question 3, then do Question 4 (the final one) tomorrow. I know I have until midnight thursday, but I am at least trying to get assignments handed in the day before they are due with these courses.

Damn, on second thought’s I may not reach Question 3, it’s new Battlestar Galactica tonight.