Come Back To What You Know

Not a great deal to report, just the few odds & sods.

Firstly, money. I needn’t have saved up £2000 while I was still at the ILF. I thought I’d need it in the months ahead, but the dole I’m receiving sees the £2000 total topped up every two weeks. I’m scared of unnecessary spending, but I really shouldn’t be. Obviously I’d much prefer work, but I never thought I’d be unemployed and financially stable. Hurrah!

It’s this extra bit of money which is leading me to rediscover my inner Forest fan. I’ve let all things Forest take a massive back seat in the past few years. Whether it’s the forum, or actually going to games, I’d let my interest slide. It never helped that for a long period over these past four years I’d been working on a Saturday, but it was a situation that needed rectifying.

I’ve bought a ticket to the Forest v Swansea game at the end of the month. It’s my first game in what I believe is about two seasons! I’ve also managed to buy a Forest top – my first in a good few years. In my time away from the City Ground, the members of Forest Forum Extraordinaire – LTLF – have made the Globe pub on London Road a designated area for members of the forum. This has meant that the few times I’ve been there already this season, I’ve met plenty of people off the forum, as well as a few old faces. It certainly enhances the matchday experience.

I’ve also bought a ticket for the “Audience With…” they periodically have at the Approach in Nottingham. Last month it was Billy Davies, this month it’s former Forest players Gary Birtles, John Robertson and Tony Woodcock. Entry into this gets you a free copy of Gary Birtles new book – exciting! – I’m expecting plenty of Brian Clough inspired anecdotes, as the rest of the crowd is.

So I’m ramping up the Forest fan side of things, making up for lost time! The last LTLF get together I attended was in 2005. Lot of catching up to do…

Lastly, the 4.1 update for the iPhone fixed the speed issue that hampered the 3G when I last updated it. Now it runs at a decent speed, with the added cosmetic adjustments that the iOS4 update brought. I may jailbreak it – once it becomes available – to give the 3G one last hurrah before I no doubt buy an iPhone 4 next year, but I’d have to check on any jailbreaking slowdown issues first.

Go directly to jail

No such London hilarity this weekend, more of a return to the mundane. Although I’ve not long at work before the luxury of a week off – and a birthday to boot!

Decided to see how my iPhone likes being un-jailbroken. It’s not that there is anything wrong with the iPhone since I jailbroke it, far from it, I just wanted to make sure restoring it didnt create some ill effects. I’ve heard some horror stories from people who’ve had their iPhone bricked when they’ve tried to un-jailbreak!

Plus the latest firmware Apple have released seems to have sorted out one major problem. The iPod always forgot where it was when I was in the middle of a shuffle. I’d listen to music on the way to work, go on the Internet on the phone, actually do some work, then listen to music on the way home only to find I’d have to start from the beginning!

I’ve got the option of re-jaiIbreaking it, of course. I’ll see how it goes before I do anything rash.

Breakout!

Less than one week until I’m laying back on a sun lounger! I’m almost ready, I’ve just one or two things to buy before I leave, but mentally I’m probably already there in Malta. I’m looking forward to a week of not caring.

Other than my impending break, I’ve taken plunge into the illegal, I have jailbroken my iPhone. I knew the risks involved, but I was also aware of the restore function on iTunes. I had nothing to lose!

I’m glad I did it, it has opened up my iPhone in a way that Apple wouldn’t dream of. Apps such as a video recorder, a NES emulator, the ability to change the themes of the phone… I could go on and on. I think the benefits far outweigh the risks personally, but I won’t go endorsing the jailbreak for fear of causing someones iPhone to break!

Next for me though, is to get the Genesis (Megadrive) emulator to work!

As well as hacking my iPhone, I’ve also discovered that the newsagents I often go to on Carrington Street near the Broadmarsh is owned by the parents of Notts and England cricketer Samit Patel, and more often than not it’s been Samit himself who’s been serving me! I should’ve guessed really, the guy is always dressed in a Notts or England cricket tracksuit. Not making it too obvious then!

Of course, I’m no stranger to meeting famous sportsmen in newsagents, having met the slightly more famous Brian Clough years ago in a newsagents owned by his son (not Nigel!). In fact, Brian could quite often be found serving customers himself! I’m just glad I met him before he passed away.