*bzzzt* sector clear *crackle*

getting up was again difficult this morning. i slept like a baby. i met up with the kid on the way to the base. the arrival only became interesting when the bus driver started screwing with us, eventually letting us off between two stops. fool.

i spent about an hour milling around, then bussed to petach-tikva. was helped out with directions by one of the guys in charge of the army mainframes, who's known my SC since my SC was a private. i had to suffer his halitosis for about 20 minutes. that was aweful. nice guy, though.

i had very little trouble finding the office. the security guard was giving me grief, when the guy i spoke to came out and pushed me through. we sat down immediately to discuss the details of the job. he opened up an email in english and started translating for me... i stopped him and took over. not only am i going to be taking the project (assuming, of course, that he and my boss can reach an agreement on price / time), but i've already taken over communications with their head-office in the uk.

and people think i'm kidding when i say that israelis cut corners.

so that was fun. i got back to base 10 minutes before an impromptu team meeting (in spite of spot being on sick-leave). our TL doesn't even know i left ^_^

the meeting was most positive. it was all about how little work we actually have to do, and organizing a "team-building" day. which will probably include watching a movie and going out for a few drinks.

spraypainting session: made a cute sign, then scratched a nasty message into the paint of one of the letters. later i felt bad about it, and tried to cover it up with a marker. i don't want to spray over because i know i'm not accurate enough. bother.

lunch was extremely unimpressive. the kid and i went for a walk afterwards, ending up at the city council building of ramat gan. they have a tiny park area with benches, and a statue of some old guy sitting over a pan of sorts, wearing a huge coat. i put my sunglasses over his life-sized head, and his look went from miserable to slick. on our way back to base, we bought a small plastic personal uzzi (which we'll have to file down a bit to fit the statue's hand), and we absolutely have to go back for a picture.

while there, i called a number i had on my phone for a kung-fu teacher. one of these days i'm going to a trial lesson. the guy certainly seems serious, but it's hard to tell without seeing him in action. actually, it'll probably be hard to tell for a month or two. either way, it's better than nothing.

back on base, i sorted out some work-permit stuff... the welfare officers seem to have forgiven me for last week's bad behaviour. i milled around some more, got trapped by our SC. he started going on about something that has absolutely nothing to do with me, and as soon as i got a chance (about 5 minutes later), i backed off while explaining that i didn't hear anything, i don't know anything, and that i don't want to know anything. i was out the door before he could call me back.

i slept for an hour - i slept really well, and then went home. i stopped off at the mall, and the security guard wasn't satisfied with seeing my soldier's id. he made me open my bag, too. i didn't complain, i just passed it along and let him. then he told me to remove anything metal and to walk through the detector.

not only is that bloody rude, and seriously offensive, but it's fuck-off stupid as well. what, does he want me to go through naked? anybody who's been in the army knows that friggin' EVERYTHING in the uniform sounds the alarm. my boots have dog-tags in 'em, my belt buckle, my pins, and a fucking soldier doesn't have to pass along his phone, wallet, mp3 player, and lighter when he's already laden down with a bag and a huge dubon. this is not an international flight, you fuckwit.

he really pissed me off :@

and there was a long queue forming behind me. i took my shit, told him to fuck off, and walked through. nobody in the queue disagreed with me.

i bought diggers, then left, still angry. once back in my flat (after being accosted by an overly-friendly neighbour asking weird questions), i ran laundry, showered, and watched a bit of lock, stock and two smoking barrels. i don't remember a damn thing from that movie, but now i have that poker scene stuck in my head. what a great film.

bussed to work. been playing n the game (from stickpage.com), and sleeping. the calls have been alright. i've been listening to psy and goa trance from shoutcast.

of interest:

• Vista looking good :S


• human beings really ARE a virus


• i can see this going badly. the new ISS self-destruct. paid for by canadians.

and this (maternal death prevention) just pushes strange buttons in my head.