The fine folks at Computer Clinic were able to repair my busted laptop, so I am a happy computer geek once again.

As it turns out, they had to take the machine completely apart, re-solder some pins on the mother board, re-connect the voltage outlet, put everything back together again, and reset the power supply.

Nice folks there, and it only cost me 65 euros, which is much much cheaper than having to buy a new laptop (even if the one I have is almost four years old it works just fine for now, although subconsciously I'm hoping for some excuse to purchase another one).

I have to admit that when Garmin first came back and out bid us, I was starting to get a little nervous about the future.

Now that TomTom has beaten Garmin in battle for Tele Atlas, I feel relieved.

The future is looking pretty good.

Discover TomTom's secret services for yourself.

I hate to admit it but I think it is finally time to replace my summer coat with my much warmer winter coat in order to survive this sudden extreme drop in temperature.

Needing a coat for summer might seem to be strange for those folks like myself coming from warmer climates like California.

Back home they would ask: a summer coat, what's that?

Many people wondered when exactly it was that he had lost touch with reality. Not that such a syndrome had occurred gradually, nor was it possible to define an exact moment in time. When he had traversed the boundary between what is and what isn't. Wherever that is. Some people take such a transition seriously (like some kind of religious experience) while others prefer a more down to Earth approach (could have happened anywhere any time). The truth of the matter is that all in all it doesn't really matter. At least not yet.

Is that guy sitting next to me on the train watching porn on his portable DVD-player? How disgusting.

Although secretly I gaze from the corner of my eye to see what is happening (and see half-naked folks frolicking this way and that).

When caught looking that way I turn my head to look out of the window as if nothing unusual is happening.

Waiting here within this enclosed and protected environment consisting of long metal beams above and thick glass walls down the sides insulating my senses slightly, I never would have expected it to be raining outside. So tell me how did I end up knowing for sure?

Enter left: some young woman walking her bike, drenched head to toe with her hair moist and tangled and her pants soaking wet, a trail of drops following her zigzag path in front of me.

So when it comes to understanding the reality of true surroundings it means a slightly larger dimension beyond just thinking about yourself and simply waiting here.

My trusty Dell Inspiron 8200 laptop is busted. If I press the power switch, nothing happens.

I took it to Computer Clinic and sure hope that they can fix it.

Here are some pictures of our fun and relaxing four day weekend in Barcelona, almost a month ago.

Photo album.

Better late than never.

Every time now for several month that nice set of irons in the pro shop has been staring me in the eye tempting me to take them home.

I'd already tried out the nine, six and four irons, and they felt true and the ball flew nice and straight. Why not?

So today I succumbed to all temptations and bought the wonderful set of Titleist Forged 690.CB irons.

Since they are last years product line, I received a nice discount (€770).

My complete golf set is nearly complete, now I only need a good sand wedge.

This week I was pleasantly surprised by the arrival from Amazon of the latest Spring in Action book.

First two chapters alright, the chapters after that getting a bit too heavy duty for me.

Since it's been awhile since I did any really serious Java programming, I'm a bit rusty in this area and need to refresh some more in order to appreciate this book much better.

So if Mick Jagger can still remain a Rock hero after he turns sixty, I guess there is still several years left for me to become a software developer hero.

Most people might consider standing alone on the platform late in the evening waiting who knows how long for the next train to arrive a somewhat boring experience, to say the least.

However, for someone like myself, I consider it a unique opportunity to look around and enjoy how interesting things might have turned out to be otherwise.

Not that I believe that certain events might have been different or that I might have decided to conduct a number of actions separately rather than grouped into the same temporal unit.

That is not the point.

The point is that one chooses according to how events proceed well before one really knows how these events will proceed.

Ideally it should be a balanced mixture of grouped and separated actions, if of course such a compromise were ever possible.