I’ve discovered a new use for computer games, specifically mouse driven first person shooters. They’re great practice when you’re switching from a mouse to a trackball.

I know this because I have just switched from a mouse to a trackball (hence the picture on the right). And I’m in the process of getting used to it

Actually using it for most general purpose tasks takes surprisingly little adjustment. But it’s the finer motions that need practice. For example, the volume slide on a youtube video is still tricky for me. Especially when it’s one of those really loud videos where I seem to be sliding the volume between “extremely low”, “more extremely low” and “oops, the sound’s gone”.

The same problem also applies to trying to edit sound in audacity when I just want to cut a single little click. It’s still far too easy for me to end up instantly selecting ten seconds instead of a tenth of a second.

So I figured why not play some Startrek Voyager: Elite Force. Targeting Borg, Klingons, Hirogen etc. is much more fun than targeting youtube volume levels when all’s said and done.

I was registering a gmail account a few hours back when I had my most interesting experience so far with a CAPTCHA system. And on the theory that a picture is worth a thousand words, or in this case at least one, I decided to take a screenshot of it before completing the form.

The voicemail show for the Starfuries vs. X-Wings Smackdown is now online. I won’t spoil the outcome for you, but I will say it was as much fun to record as the regular show.

I seem to be learning to sleep in when I can. Now is this something you need to learn? Well it is in my case. In the past, certainly for the last few years, I generally haven’t been able to sleep late. Except for those periods when I was sleeping 10 to 12 hours every single night.

It’s not like I don’t have cause to sleep more than usual these days. I’ve been averaging less that 5 hours a night for the last week. Or at least it was until I slept in until half past nine this morning.  Now that was only an 8 hour night, but it’s rare for me to sleep past 08:00, regardless of what time I go to bed.

That’s made me think. Is how I’ve been feeling for much of the last week how people who often sleep in usually feel? If so, I feel for them. This week has certainly made my commitment to trying to get the solid 6 to 7 hours I need each night a lot firmer.