84 - I graduated today! Yeah me!

So today I collected my award from NUIG. It was basically a piece of paper with alot of Latin saying something like "The award of Higher Diploma has been awarded to Donal from National University of Ireland Galway".

My day started with a half day from work. I was quite happy with how things turned out I have to say. The ceremony was something like an hour and a bit long and when it was over I went with Mart, Marielle and of course Linda to have pizza. Afterwards myself and Linda looked at the new Hunger Games film.. Catching Fire. It was brilliant too.

83 - Motherboard problem....

Damn...

Got a computer, diagnosed the problem, believed it to be a motherboard, sourced a new motherboard, picked it up from Galway... took new motherboard home, began switching it with faulty motherboard... disconnected cables, cleaned heatsink... but wait... the plate that the heat sink beneath the motherboard does not come off...

"A CPU retention plate can throw a curveball at your install." Yep

I like point 24 on this page... http://www.computershopper.com/feature/75-pc-building-tips-cpu-heat-sink-installation where it says "Brace yourself: A CPU retention plate mounts underneath the motherboard.
24. A CPU retention plate can throw a curveball at your install."

Doesn't come off! Ahhhh.... So much progress so quickly only to be shot in the foot by this.... you win today plate beneath the motherboard... but tomorrow your ass is mine!

82 - Karate grading delayed

After being relatively psyched about karate grading next Saturday we found out that the grading is delayed for a week. So it will not be happening next Saturday, but the week after that. I was looking forward to being a brown belt within a week but it will have to wait. I never really thought that the day would come when I am actually a brown belt and when I think about it, it makes the possibility of a Black Belt even more realistic... But as we say in the club... one belt at a time, Brown first. A week this Saturday.

81 - Sunday Science and Seatbelts!

Today we went into NUI Galway - the University that is in Galway city - because there was a science fair on. The fair was actually really good. There was alot of science in it. There were experiments with baking soda (is it - or bread soda) and vinegar. There were a few variant of that actually because it is safe and makes lots of bubbling and kids, and adults, like to see the slow volcano like reaction that happens.

Another cool thing at the science fair was from RAC - basically the car people. I sat into a car with these other 2 men. We were all strapped in safely and very securely and then the car was pivoted around on the axes as if there were a needle through the middle of the front bumper all the way through the car to the middle of the rear bumper. I was turned around 360 degrees like this but it was strange feeling the moaning and groaning of the car turning with us in it. I think I have finally realized - wear a seatbelt all the time and make sure that there is no slack in it!

It was nice walking with the girls through college that I was attending this time last year. On the way home though, I was circling a roundabout getting ready to go to the Christmas Market and we heard a massive crack! I hit a pot hole that smashed our suspension. I'm sending the council the bill, lets see what happens.

80 - Saturday

Didn't do much today. Tidied up the house, looked at some telly, had a karate lesson in anticipation of next Saturdays grading. Then Kayden came over, a friend of people that visited Mali and Trevor a few months ago. We played Settlers!

79 - Friday

Poor Sophie was sick so I kept her home and I called in to work and actually just worked from home myself.

78 - Thursday...

Damn, what did I do today?