It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java that thoughts acquire speed. The hands acquire shaking, the shaking becomes a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmN5ueKucMg Thanks to David Butt for pointing me at this fantastic video which highlights all that we love and remember from a traditional British Christmas.

[ ](/u/2009/12/06/20090730_173211.jpg) * When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. * When it's in your best interest, practice obedience. * Let others know when they've invaded your territory. * Take naps. * Stretch before rising. * Run, romp, and play daily. * Avoid biting when a simple growl will do. * On hot days, drink lots of water, and lie under a shady tree. * When you're happy, dance around, and wag your entire body.

[ ](/u/2009/12/03/rockcreek.jpg) It has been a crazy couple of months at work, but we finally got to launch the Single-chip Cloud Computer (SCC) and the press reaction ([BBC](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8392392.stm), [CNet News](http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-10407818-264.html), [The Register](http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/12/02/intel_scc/)) has made it all worth while. Now that the launch is out of the way, I can get to do some research on this beast and hopefully get back to a more normal life :-)

[ ](/u/2009/10/31/roadtrip.jpg) The time is rapidly approaching when I will need to pack up my cube at Intel and head off into the wild for two whole months - yes, it is finally time for my sabbatical. What is sabbatical you ask? Well, if you are a US Intel employee, for every seven years you work, you get 8 weeks paid time off in the form of a sabbatical.

[ ](/u/2009/09/19/bodie.jpg) It has been two weeks since we lost our Special, and the house has never felt so empty. So we made the trip down to the [Oregon Humane Society](http://www.oregonhumane.org/) and came back with Bodie & Doyle - two of the most adorable three month old kittens you have ever seen. Whilst these boys look alot alike, they are very different in character. Bodie is the personification of kittenhood - loving, a fearless explorer with no sense of danger, he is chaos in motion.

 Today be the official [Talk Like A Pirate Day](http://www.talklikeapirate.com/about.html ) matey, so you'd better hoist the jolly roger and batten down the hatches or the'll be a mutiny fer sure. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCdNRPmCv9s **Dedicated ta Cap'n Slappy an' Ol' Chumbucket, fer creatin' National Talk Like A Pirate Day (September 19th)** Most days are like all of the others, Go to work, come back home, watch TV, But, brother, if I had me druthers, I'd chuck it and head out to sea, For I dream of the skull and the crossbones, I dream of the great day to come, When I dump the mundane for the Old Spanish Main And trade my computer for rum!

[ ](/graphics/special.jpg) Today, after 17 wonderful years of unconditional love, joy and affection we lost our beloved Special. She will always live on in our hearts and will never be forgotten. Wait for us at Rainbow Bridge, our beloved baby. **She is Gone** You can shed tears that she is gone, Or you can smile because she lived. You can close your eyes and pray that she will come back, Or you can open your eyes and see all that she has left.

[ ](/u/2009/08/31/tech_support_cheat_sheet.png) For all those people who have to ask someone else to fix their computer, the answer is finally [here](http://xkcd.org/627/). This is the secret to being a computer guru - a real tech support geek. Of course, the only problem with this is that you have to be able to read a flow chart in order to understand it.

[ ](/u/2009/08/30/luau.jpg) Congratulation to Barbara & Brian for a fantastic Luau yesterday - you guys really excelled. The food was amazing, the decorations and Tiki bar really created a beautiful ambiance and the company was excellent :-). _Thanks to Maria White for the great photos_