katie writes stuff

The scene is London Hackspace. It is 2:30am and samthetechie enters the space to a fanfare of music. Several people look up and see him carrying a large white container which he hadn't been carrying when he left.

katieastrophe: what is that?
samthetechie: (in a tone that indicates the answer should be obvious) a plant pot?
katieastrophe: but... why?
samthetechie: just... because?

Well, of course. Every Hackspace needs a plantpot...

I went out to the Royal Mail sorting office about 40 minutes ago to collect some parcels which the postman couldn't be bothered to deliver on Friday and after doing my usual check of things I needed with me - wallet, keys, missed delivery card, bag to carry stuff home - I headed out the door and got about halfway down the street before some young lads hanging around on the grass between the house and the railway fencing started laughing at me, and one of them called out "I think you've forgotten something!"

They laughed even harder at the confused expression on my face, and then one of them helpfully pointed out that I was wearing my helmet.

It was at this point I realised I'd forgotten to pick up my bike.

Foursquare is my latest fun timewaster: it's a game which purports to be about finding new ways to explore your city but is really just a pointless exercise in wasting your iPhone battery checking into the places you visit and collecting badges for things like going to three places with photobooths or spending a lot of time at the gym. If you check into a place more than anybody else, you become the mayor and get a little crown next to your name when you visit.

On the web interface, you can add tags to different places which help you get badges, and to "let people know what they can expect to find". Some choice tags from the page for London Bridge train station: delays, despair, insanity, pain, stare into the abyss and suffering.

You can also add "things to do" at various places; a few of the more hilarious ones include:

• "Resist the urge to madly punch other passengers during the morning commute."
• "Abandon hope all ye who enter here."
• During peak hours, wear a pair of Heelys or a jet pack to enhance & hasten your commute.

Whoever said Londoners don't have a sense of humour? :-)

This weekend, marnanel told me about the World 9 app for the iPhone, which uses the accelerometer to work out when you're bouncing and makes the noise Nintendo games make when Mario jumps into the air - bdoing!

I spent a fun couple of hours baffling my sister today, running up and down the stairs with my iPhone in my pocket, before she cottoned on that it had something to do with me.

BDOING!

Childish, me? Never ;-)