Present Perfect

Almost a week spent in Old Country. Arrived and got picked up by Wiebe and Peter at the airport - great to have friends. Went out for some drinks and gave Peter his birthday present. Went to meet my new godson, Arthur.

Babies are cute

Went to a reunion of our university radio, was good to see a bunch of people again, though some were dearly missed. Also enjoyed a concert from Belgium's most underachieving band -
Grrr Tfff, the punk folkers from Gent.

Spent part of Saturday in Leuven to make newly born Finn's acquaintance. Went out for dinner on a boat with Tamara - pretty good food. Sunday was spent watching Atame again (which is starting to show its age) and dinner at my godson's house with the family - excellent steaks.

Chunks of monday disappeared into my dad's computer - upgrading, putting in a decent DVD writer that allows the machine to boot, upgrade packages (his laptop was still on Red Hat 8). The evening was spent with Ellen at an Art Brut concert in the AB. Excellent stuff. Apparently they've been talking to the kids since 2003. A short Tuesday later I was back at home in Barcelona.

My dad's take on computer security

Almost a week spent in Old Country. Arrived and got picked up by Wiebe and Peter at the airport - great to have friends. Went out for some drinks and...

Festival

Went to one day of Werchter with the boys band. Sadly arrived late for AYWKUBTTOD. Rilo Kiley was good. Bloc Party was great, but we didn't go forward soon enough so we had to follow from the side and didn't get enough of the sound. Nine Inch Nails was ok, Interpol was great but short. We got home fairly early because Interpol was moved forward for some reason. Anyway, I realized that I miss going to festivals and having some loud live music play - if the music's good. Maybe I should catch another this year - Pukkelpop or Benecassim.

Music

... And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead still takes the prize for coolest band name ever. I didn't really "get" their latest album on the first few listens, but I've been listening to it all day today and "Will You Smile Again" is all over the place, excellent song.

Tom McRae made a new album, has some good tunes on it as usual. Every album he made has at least one song with that McRae Moment - this album has it in Vampire Heart, in the tiny pause between "so I curse you with a vampire heart" (where the backing vocal goes up and decelerates to a standstill right before a drop) and "for letting me love you". That, and the way the woman sighs "love you" after that. Go Tom.

Lift to Experience - how I miss thee. Those sonic scapes of desert rock with a biblical twist and a self-evident grace. There might not ever be another album. Some time ago I found this painful article about the lead singer and the daemons of music. Sad to read, I wish there was redemption at the end.

My brain is wired for music. I walk into an airport hall and hear some woman sing "Too many people" and in that split second the words tranvision, vamp, and perfect shoot through my brain. I guessed a song once where I had heard only the first second - where that second isn't actually part of the song, but just the musicians tuning instruments. When I am old and in a home I will be a reverse jukebox: a song will be played, I will write or type out the artist and song title, and people will take money from me.

I need more music. If anyone has suggestions, shoot.

Festival Went to one day of Werchter with the boys band. Sadly arrived late for AYWKUBTTOD. Rilo Kiley was good. Bloc Party was great, but we didn't go forward soon...

Kristien found a nice old lady that has three litters and they will all die if they don't find a home. So we're getting at least one cat. After much bickering we decided we will name her Alunya.

Kristien found a nice old lady that has three litters and they will all die if they don't find a home. So we're getting at least one cat. After much...

In unrelated news, we finally found the right Quake map to play against Wim. In the last round of today's Quaking, he finished fourth and last.

In unrelated news, we finally found the right Quake map to play against Wim. In the last round of today's Quaking, he finished fourth and last.

Back from a week of snowboarding with Kristien, Christian, Wim, Andy, Sven and Anja. Pictures are online for those that didn't join. It was nice to be the best in the group for once. Next year I need to practice some more in the halfpipe and the rest of the snowpark. Oh, and I need to make sure there is a next year of snowboarding, and many more after that. I noticed some "older" people on the slopes on the snowboards, so there yet is hope.

Back from a week of snowboarding with Kristien, Christian, Wim, Andy, Sven and Anja. Pictures are online for those that didn't join. It was nice to be the best in...