Runce Writes

SSP, Boston

2008-06-02T18:54:00.004+01:00

I've just returned from SSP, where I enjoyed some great presentations, a drink or two, and catching up with some friends in the industry - especially since the move to the States.

The circuit sure can be tiring but kudos goes out to the organising committee on this one. I attended a couple of really excellent sessions & presentations. Pride of place really needs to go to the pre-conference session on Web 2.0. Sure, I appreciate that you can't attend a conference without there being a session on this topic, but this was genuinely interesting and illuminating. I don't want to name names (grin) but I tip my hat to Leigh Watson-Healey (Outsell), Andrea Powell (CABI), Toby Green (OECD), Leigh Dodds (Ingenta) & Geoff Bilder (CrossRef): all excellent presentations and all expertly marshalled by Louise Tutton (Ingenta).

Later during the event I saw a great presentation on accessibility with an outstanding presentation from John Gardner (President, ViewPlus) who demonstrated the latest version of his innovative software. As always, I was amused to see peoples' reaction to the text-to-speech reader that John was using; especially given that he seemed to be using it at super-high speed, which made it appear that a chipmunk was reading his text for him :)

During the conference I was also invited to attend a meeting of the STM FutureWatch Committee - some smart people them! However, it wasn't that so impressed me, but rather the willingness that people have to share ideas, innovation and 'thinking'. Something, by the way, that I love about the whole industry: it never ceases to amaze me that given the temptation to be all secretive and refer to how competitive we must all be I find pretty much everyone open to having a talk with me. It was David Marques who impressed me here. I'd never met him previously but, wow, what an enthusiast. My head was pretty much ready to burst after a rapid (and way too short) 60 mins or so.

You can tell by the piccie that I had some delicious comestibles while I was in Boston too :-) Rather splendid curry at Kashmir and the AIP Dinner at Sasso (where I managed only half of the rather excellent lobster & spaghetti - shame on me).

Wisdom teeth sure are ugly!!

2008-05-21T00:37:00.005+01:00

Today I took a trip to the 'oral surgeon'. My dentist had suggested (strongly) that I have a couple of my wisdom teeth removed. One of them was in a real mess and was badly chipped, with the dentine exposed, which was causing me some considerable pain.

Anyway, I went along, had a little novocaine and had them yanked out via local anaesthetic. Mainly 'cos having a 'general' would have cost me an extra $300!! As it was I had the extra pain of paying $330. And although I'm sure there is some fancy name for the implement he used, he still pretty much used a pair of pliers for this kind of thing!

Took a couple of pictures for those of you interested in these sorts of things. And by the state of them I'm grateful to Dr Schwartz for pulling them out. That cavity was causing some discomfort and now I have a close-up view I'm not surprised. And the cyst he found and removed, plus the extra bony growth on the root of the upper, looked pretty revolting too. Ew!

By the way, it was extraordinarily painful once the novocaine wore off. Fortunately I had some extra drugs to take: they cost me $40 too.

Ground Zero, NYC

2008-05-21T00:18:00.003+01:00

On May 10th we went into the city with some friends who were visiting - Sarah, Nigel & their baby, Grace. Had a great time walking around Central Park and going to the Central Park Zoos. We also took the time to head downtown to Ground Zero. And, frankly, it was all a little disappointing.

There were clearly a lot of people headed that way, judging by the metro and how busy that stop was. However, once we got above ground there's really nothing to see. I know it's a long while after the event. And I know that there are plans for a permanent memorial to go with the new building. Anyway, I took a few pictures of what is essentially a building site. But there's no temporary memorial of any kind, or if there is then it's not immediately obvious. And it sure is clear that a lot of people (particularly tourists) were wanting to stop by to pay their respects; I know I did.

It's just that there is nothing there at all. I don't want it to become some kind of morbid shrine, but there were almost as many casualties at 9/11 as there have been US casualties in Iraq since 2003. It really would have been nice to have something, however temporary, at which to make some acknowledgment for those who died.

What was more annoying was that although there wasn't some memorial, there were plenty of conspiracy theorist nutters handing out pamphlets about the evils of "the machine" and how there was some huge conspiracy. Most galling given that I'd tripped down there with Steph, Joe & Hannah, and Sarah, Nigel & Grace to add our thoughts. Some geezer even had the temerity, once he realised we were British, to suggest that we take a look into 7/7 as well. Don't these people have something better to be worrying about?!

So, who's paying for this?

2008-04-28T14:12:00.003+01:00

I caught up with a few British friends at the recent STM Spring Conference in Boston and regaled some of them with my stories of moving to America: lots of good things but a number of frustrating things too. One of these is the healthcare system (actually to be more accurate it's a healthcare business). My colleague Tim pointed out that he was hacked off with hearing the same story, so to help him I thought I'd write it on the blog and in that way just point people here when they want to know my experiences of the US healthcare 'system' when compared to the UK's glorious National Health Service. If you're British and think that the NHS is rubbish, let me just say now that you don't know how lucky or privileged you are - it's one of the UK's crown jewels, a remarkable achievement and a shining beacon to all. Be thankful for it and bow down to Nye Bevan's most glorious creation every day.

Here's one story to highlight my frustration.

Having had my first epileptic fit in 17 years last September I visited my GP. Of course, no one really knew why this was and we all just shrugged our shoulders, with a view to taking a look ONLY if it suddenly transpired that I was having monthly fits or something.

Of course, the moment I mentioned this to my new US doctor he referred me to a neurologist (bear in mind I pay $25.00 each time I go to the doctor). And he, in turn, decided that I needed to have an EEG and an MRI. I really didn't need these, although I don't want to be ungrateful. What was more interesting was the fact that I was originally 'denied' the MRI by my insurance company, and I'm convinced that's because they deny all initial claims and then sit back and rely on apathy and inertia. Of course, when I appealed all was OK (sigh). Then I had to go about setting up the appointment with a third party to do the whole thing; certainly not just waiting for my GP to arrange everything for me. The whole event was very, very tiresome.

But someone is having to pick up the tab for this. Neither test is really needed (so long as I keep taking my medicine) and I guess that's money that could stay in the 'system' for someone, somewhere who must really need the money. It's all very odd and very puzzling, but unfortunately there's a financial incentive for all this to happen...and continue to happen.

This isn't really too irritating, although it's extraordinarily puzzling and wasteful. What irks more is the whole co-payment thing. Every time one of us goes to the doctor we've got our hands in our pockets. The whole thing just seems wrong, but then maybe that's the (socialist) libertarian in me. Plus there are some treatments (e.g. the kids' orthodontic treatment) where we have to pay too. I'm going to be shelling out ~$2,000 per child for that !!

And, with that in mind, here are a few quotes from an excellent book I've just finished reading - "Free Lunch" by David Cay Johnston:

"In the US it's government policy to make health care a business and as we know business exists to make a profit. 'That is the appropriate standard for taking care of capital, but not people's health'"

"If health care as a business worked, it would be a success story to embrace. If it resulted in lower costs, more and better care, and longer lives, it would be just what the doctor ordered. The American system provides superb acute care, trauma care, and access to the highest technology. But by every other objective measure - cost per capita, health status, longevity, costs of paperwork, and economic pollution - the uniquely American approach to health care is a complete failure. We pay more, enjoy shorter lives, and are drowning in infuriating makework, filing claims and making appeals, while distorting the whole economy because one giant component is a commercial activity"

"No other modern country regards health care as an insurance business. While some nations refer to their plans as health insurance, they mean that in the political sense, just as we call our basic old-age pension system of Social Security a 'social insurance' program. No other country uses the word insurance in the business sense, which means to spread risk. The business sense of insurance includes the concept of examining claims to see if they fall within the contractual boundaries for payment,... This is how we ration health in America, through contracts that limit care and exclude coverage - and by having tens of millions of people go without insurance at all."

"In Europe, Japan, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, people benefit from a system of health service, not health insurance. In many of these countries doctors still make house calls. The overwhelming majority of people who seek immediate care are treated that day or the next, which is also true in America. But the other countries do not spend vast sums on reviewing claims for payment and billing, a deadweight drain on the American economy that costs every man, woman and child more than a dollar a day"

"The business of health has created a massive makework program, run by health insurance companies, whose purpose is to justify denying care. That in turn has forced physicians, hospitals, laboratories, and others to employ their own armies of paper pushers to fight for payment,..."

Let me just finish this rant by saying that this is all, obviously, just the Brit in me. And the fact that I've been spoilt by the NHS. In all other ways, being in the States is fantastic and me, Steph, Joe & Hannah love it :-) We all love school, the job, shopping, visiting NYC, Saturday & Sunday breakfast at the diner, etc.

H&M, I thank you

2008-04-13T14:09:00.002+01:00

Yesterday saw us trip into NYC for the first time. An hour on the train, that started with Steph - somehow - ripping a huge hole in her cargo trousers (is that 'pants' in this country?). And that would be in a place that meant that her denim jacket needed to be strategically tied around her waist :-)

This meant a trip to a shop the moment we got to Penn Stn. A womens shop, for buying womens clothes - ugh. Poor Joe and me had to hang around in a huge H&M while Steph got herself a new pair, whilst pretending we were OK with doing that.

Now normally I hate the booming music in these places - it's like walking into a night club, and you end up having to shout across the shopfloor at each other. But, this time there was a great record playing. So, here it is for you too

Love it, have downloaded it via iTunes and hammered it on my iPod.

New Orleans

2008-04-10T23:44:00.005+01:00

Went to New Orleans for the Journal of Chemical Physics Dinner. What a great place. I hadn't been there since my honeymoon (14 years ago), but it's still a really cool place - great architecture, great history, great food, great atmosphere...

Ate out at a couple of outstanding restaurants. So, if you're ever there then try these: Herbsaint and Brennan's, the latter of which is famous for Bananas Foster See the picture for an idea of how it's prepared :-) A couple of other pics too...

More on credit....

2008-04-10T23:30:00.002+01:00

(heaves big sigh) Well, this sure ain't easy. Having been told by Bethpage that I'd be able to have a credit card, now seems it wasn't so easy. I'd been assured that they'd be able to use my UK credit history: this has been the sticking point 'cos I don't have one in the US, which means I can't get a card and then start creating a history (see what they did there?)

I posted earlier to say how great they were - wrong. It's been torture. They've since decided they can't give me an auto-loan, the business development manager just seems to be ignoring my calls and doesn't have the courtesy to call me back, and in the end I needed to give them a security (a five figure sum of money) just to get the credit card - which, by the way, has so far taken >12 business days and still hasn't arrived.

Rubbish. Change of opinion: Bethpage (as things stand) suck !

Can I have one of those?

2008-04-10T23:02:00.003+01:00

The car saga...yes, it just seems to be never ending. Steph and me were pretty clear about what car we wanted. We needed a 7-seater mini-van because we'll have plenty of visitors for our first 12-18 months...we hope. And since Steph's been driving a Chrysler Town & Country rental we thought we'd go with one of those.

Of course the US is an easy country to buy a car in. What with it's love affair with the automobile and the fact that it's built to drive across and all that. So, armed with everything we thought we needed we set off to lease one. Got a good deal and were told there'd be no problem. As if...

The car couldn't be registered in Steph's name (who was going to be driving it...until I can drive again later in the year) because she doesn't have a social security number. She's not allowed one, but that's a whole other story. And it can't be registered in my name 'cos I don't have a NY state driving license (of course, I don't have a UK one at the moment). So, even though we'd gone through the incredible pain of sorting out a NY state driving license for Steph - which involved dealing with the DMV (aaarrrggghhhhh !!) we weren't able to lease the car.

No problem, I thought, I'll get an auto loan from my bank (Bethpage Federal) and there'll be no problem. Er, wrong. Can't have a loan because although they're happy with my earnings, etc. an auto-loan will mean that they have to put something called a 'lean' on the car - basically something that states that they have an interest in the asset (which then means you get a lower interest rate than, say, a personal loan). And they can't do this 'cos, guess what? Steph doesn't have a social security number...'cos she doesn't qualify for one and won't get one until I get a green card. In about 4 or 5 years. Aaaarrrggghhh !!

Happy to let me work here; happy to let me pay taxes, etc. just can't get this important number for my wife. Or my children. Not right; not fair.

Leaving on a jet plane

2008-03-16T19:58:00.002Z

Sorry, I've been guilty of not keeping this up to date but me & Steph have been ridiculously busy with trying to sort out things with the DMV and the Social Security people.

However, I thought I'd just write a note about our last day in Yate. Steph had a final coffee morning arranged with all her girlfriends to say goodbye. So we all (me, Steph and the kids) went 'round to Tracey's to say 'bye', have a coffee, have few scrummy cakes, etc.

It is fair to say that there were a lot of tears and ultimately I did feel like the only guy caught in the middle of a few scenes from 'Steel Magnolias'. Lots of tears and the whole thing only lightened by Jo's observation, "I think I may have put my pants on inside-out" !!

A pretty traumatic final day in Yate, which was followed by two weeks of hellish frustration and stress when we got over here. Things are settling down now and I'm back to work. This weekend saw us have a meal out on Friday with a colleague from work, followed by me cooking at the weekend when another colleague came 'round for the Saturday night.

So, things getting better. And I should have a chance to write a few more posts to the blog now. Hurrah!

Brrrrrrrrr !

2008-02-24T17:47:00.002Z

Wow, this snow sure does linger. It's now 2 days after the snow on Friday and there's still plenty of it about - not on my path or drive though :-) It's a beautiful sunny day, but I guess the temperature is still pretty low.

Anyway, I thought you'd like to see what the view's like from our patio doors. Pretty damn cool, I'd say. And I know it's gonna be even better during the Long Island summer.

And while posting this I'm just gonna say how I'm listening to Pandora radio through the laptop. What a great site; what a great idea. Download it now and/or hook it up with your Facebook account - you'll thank me.

Snow...lots of it

2008-02-24T17:29:00.004Z

Ever since I'd started at AIP I'd been hearing about snow: how terrible it was, the storms, how it wasn't possible to get to work, how you could get 6" in one fall, how 'when I was a little boy it used to snow for 412 days of the year!'

I had seen pretty much nothing since I arrived on Dec 30th. I'll admit that it was cold - very cold - at times, but the snow was conspicuous by its absence. However, on Friday 22nd it duly arrived and I'd say that about 10" fell overnight and throughout the morning. The AIP office, which was originally to be closed for the morning, was ultimately closed for the day. How very exciting.

And there were a couple of other things to note: (a) the country/area didn't grind to a halt. Unlike the UK they're geared up for this. And (b) in the complex where our house is they have people to clear & salt the roads, driveways and footpaths. How cool is that, I didn't have to go out there with my imaginary spade to clear all the snow from my drive, path, etc. What a great place! Although I guess it'll spoil us for when we move in a year's time and have to do all this ourselves :-(

A new home...temporarily

2008-02-24T17:01:00.003Z

At last, I'm finally out of the hotel and have moved into what will be our home for the next year. All neat and tidy waiting for me, but very, very white. I can think of a few other colours that might be a little more practical in a rented property.

After a couple of hours of staring at white walls and unpacking my suitcases I was rescued by Wendy, who came round to take me for breakfast and to do a little shopping. So, 2 minutes after finishing my scrambled egg & bacon roll I was in WalMart picking out some loo-roll, air-freshener, toiletries, etc. I also got myself some fruit juice, Honey-Nut Cheerios & milk. With a couple of items of crockery I was good to go :-)

The week-end was frantic and not helped by the fact that the house doesn't appear on any SatNavs (they're called GPS's here) or maps (and definitely not on MapQuest or similar). This meant that on Saturday, Sunday & Monday I was fielding calls from lost delivery drivers who were expecting me to guide them in on the phone.

However, I got there in the end and the deliveries, etc. all panned out as planned:

Sat am - delivery of all the electronics (one laptop missing)
Sat pm - cable guy to hook up cable box (DVR), telephone & broadband
Sat pm - beds delivered and installed
Sat pm - missing laptop delivered

Sunday am - home theatre set-up
Sunday pm - wireless network set-up

Monday am - container delivered, assembly of furniture, etc.

All that's left is to unpack the 80 boxes of 'stuff' from the UK; job for Steph methinks. Especially since wherever I put things, she'll want to move them...

It was great to see the house slowly take shape. First with a few boxes of electronics, TV, etc. Then the beds, followed by getting all the TVs working. On Sunday everything - finally - was hooked up and I could play and watch DVDs, TV, etc. through the AV receiver (the room's too small so I have it set up as a 5.1 rather than a 7.1). And finally Monday, when I was able to unpack and have our furniture in situ, as well as a few possessions - Hannah's ornaments and cuddly toys, some of Steph's clothes...

A few small teething problems were sorted over the week: rear-left speaker didn't work, needed to buy and load Quicken and Microsoft Office. And most important need a crash course in Windows Vista - but have to say that it looks really good.

I now have something that's approaching a home and all that's required is my wife and two children :-)

Sven is Lord of Manchester

2008-02-10T15:34:00.001Z

Today has started very well. For those who appreciate the homage:

"Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Bobby Charlton, Sir Matt Busby, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, girly Portuguese player....your boys took a hell of a beating" :-)

I truly don't care what happens for the rest of the season. Our first double over Manufacturers United since I was 9 years old and our first win at The Swamp since Denis Law's (in)famous back heel and that crowd invasion - I was 13. That's how long ago it was and that's how much it means. Joe has never known us win there, so a great day for him too. Especially since he's generally surrounded by United, Arsenal, Chelski & Liverpool fans at school. Oh, joy unbridled.

Every season I hear the same smug comments from United fans, so, in the words of the great Jim Royle, "6 points, my arse!"

Now, time to grab a coffee and do some conference work follow ups.

Paul Potts saves my day

2008-02-10T04:25:00.000Z

Today has been difficult. I thought I'd got used to this, but being on my own in this hotel room has really got me down. Perhaps it's because I'm so close to the finish line.

Anyway I was feeling really low (don't know why, but not being able to drive ain't helping) and then stumbled across this on YouTube; Paul Potts' first appearance on 'Britain's Got Talent'. Talk about uplifting. I remember watching it the first time and it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand-up...

The whole clip just makes me feel a whole lot better about the world. A quiet, shy and unassuming guy from S.Wales waiting to show people he had quite a good voice.

Great to see the reaction of Piers Morgan & Simon Cowell when he first came on stage and said he was going to sing opera. They could not have been more horrified having no doubt suffered a whole day of tedious and mind-numbing auditions. Piers Morgan glances over to Simon Cowell and you just know what he's thinking. I know that I was thinking the same when I was watching the program when it first aired: "this guy is going to be some karaoke-singing wannabe who's going to murder my one favourite opera aria". I had visions of someone thinking they could sing. Just like those horror auditions on Pop/American Idol.

But then, oh boy, he starts to sing and you see them sit up and take notice. The crowd are won over and Amanda Holden is reduced to tears. I'm not a big opera fan, but obviously 'Nessun Dorma' reminds me of Italia '90, Gazza, and all that.

The clip is just uplifting and I now feel great. Still want my family here though.

And for those who might want to post comments: yes, I know, I'm a big softie. You seen my favourite movies on Facebook? 'Field of Dreams', 'The Shawshank Redemption', 'The Green Mile'. You see a trend here?

I am not a number...

2008-01-27T14:33:00.000Z

Indeed, a quote from the The Prisoner - a truly rubbish, existential (in the mind of the writers maybe), 60s trippy tosh that seems somehow to have gained a cult reputation as brilliant, Erm...why? Now, if it were The Saint, or The Persuaders, or Department S, or The Champions...that'd be completely different.

Of course, in the US I am a number. In fact, I'm a social security number (SSN), which I assume is the equivalent of my UK National Insurance Number. Overlooking my previous posting and the hideous circular argument that is not being able to get credit cards in the US because I don't have any credit history in the US, I do at least have an SSN. Hurrah...

Our problem. Steph and the kids, but most importantly Steph. When we go to apply for SSNs for Steph, Joe & Hannah we'll be declined and we'll have to get a big piece of paper saying that they don't qualify. This is because we're actually in the US as a consequence of my work visa i.e. it applies only to me. Steph and the kids are in the country on derivative visas, and in Steph's case she cannot work. Steph's real cut up about that :-)

There is something you can get instead of an SSN. It's a Tax Identification Number (TIN). Unfortunately, Steph won't be able to get one of these until I file my first US tax returns; that's about March 2009.

This may not be a problem per se, except that banks, where I'll want to add Steph as a joint name probably won't do so without an SSN or number of some kind.

And don't even get me thinking about the hideousness we're going to endure when we try to buy & license a car: I don't have a license and won't have until the year is up on my being seizure free, but I do have an SSN, etc.; Steph has a license and can switch to a US State license, but I think she'll struggle because of no SSN, insufficient identification and so on.

It's not that I like being a number, but in this instance I'd love us to be numbers that exist somewhere in the colossal machine that is the US. Trouble is I have a horrible suspicion that it's just not going to be that easy.

Ho hum...

Buying cell phones

2008-01-27T00:32:00.000Z

Today I had the pleasure of trying to buy cell phones for the family and the surreal experience of being Johnny Foreigner abroad. Thank goodness for Joseph Heller who's already described the nightmare experience I suffered: Catch-22.

Although it ended up being 2 hours of my life that I'll never get back, it started with me feeling all calm and collected. I even went so far as to let the Verizon salesperson serve a couple of other people first even though I was next in the queue. I did this 'cos I'm English and civilised and my parents brought me up with very good manners. Plus I suspected that my purchase might take a while.

I was well prepared: I knew precisely which Treo model I wanted, I knew which free phones to get for Steph & Joe, and I knew exactly which family tariff I was after. And I was armed with my American Express Gold Card - issued in the US and ready for me to use. Surely no problem. I'd even remembered to bring along my passport as ID and my social security number.

IT WAS A HELLISH EXPERIENCE !!! They wanted to take my money and I wanted to spend my money. Unfortunately their credit department consider me a risk because...wait for it...I have no credit history in the US. Aaaarrgghhh........ You will not be surprised to learn that I was declined for an HSBC credit card because...I have no US credit history. Bear in mind that I bank with First Direct (part of HSBC) in the UK and have done for 15 years or so. This made their second reason for declining me even more infuriating: no established history with HSBC bank! Boo! Hiss! HSBC - you suck.

Amex have seen fit to give me a card based on my 30 years of credit history in the UK. Even the small credit union I'm using for my banking are able and sensible enough to refer to my UK credit history via Experian (a global credit agency, used in the US too, no less) to arrange for loans and a US credit card for me. Kudos and respect go to both organisations, but especially Bethpage Federal Credit Union (take a bow) given their respective size when compared to Amex. Clearly both sensible, flexible and sane organisations.

Was there any budging by Verizon? No, there wasn't. They suck. Not their sales staff who could not have been more apologetic, but certainly the brainless, rulebook following robots in whatever department who aren't prepared to let me have these phones without paying an additional security.

I hear you say, "Security payment? Surely that's OK then?". Well, yes indeed if it had been sensible. Only they wanted me to pay $400 per phone. That's $1200 of my own money, which they would then keep and return to me in a year ?!!? It's OK, they'd give me the interest too. Yeah right, I'll give you $1200 of my money (overlooking the $350 I was paying for the Treo too) so you can sit on it. Like I'm not going to need that some time in the coming months while we try and sort ourselves out in a new country. No matter. Surely they'd compromise and make it, say $200 per phone. I'd pay that if they were willing to meet me half way. No chance.

So, I walked away. The irony was that in the same Circuit City store I then proceeded to lavish thousands of dollars on all the new, replacement electronics we're going to need.

End of rant: and, of course, I'll go back tomorrow, tail between leg, and do exactly what they want 'cos I have no choice :-)

Exercise - pah!

2008-01-23T00:25:00.000Z

I'm not saying that I'm going stir-crazy in the hotel...but things have gotten so bad that I went out on Saturday and bought some trainers (read: sneakers), shorts and T-shirts. Cost me a pretty penny too (sorry, Steph). Yes indeedy, I am starting to use the hotel gym. Perhaps it's a mid-life crisis ;-)

Anyway since there's one at the hotel it seemed rude not to use it, especially as there's a gym at Fairfield Gables in Setauket too (i.e. where we'll be renting for the first year or so). And you, my reader(s), will be thrilled to hear that I spent 40 mins there this evening - some sit ups, curls, bench presses, cycling. It will be no surprise to those who know me to hear that I thought I was going to faint at the end !! I hear things can only get better; I sure hope so.

I have to admit that I did feel better, and also all righteous when I stopped at the hotel shop to buy some orange juice and some cranberry juice. Let's see how long this lasts.

In the meantime back to some good ol' country on my Facebook account.

US TV (sigh)

2008-01-22T23:44:00.000Z

I really have tried to like US telly, but I'm beginning to think that the deadly combination of the writers' strike, lazy broadcasting (i.e. endless re-runs and (worse still) 'marathons') and the lack of cable TV in my room is conspiring against me. Of course, there are also the endless channels trying to sell me (ironic grin) exercise equipment or some evangelical channel wanting me to send money.

Don't get me wrong, I love US TV drama - check out my favourite TV shows on my Facebook page. There are few I dislike and I love Six Feet Under, Rescue Me, Dexter, Numb3rs, Without A Trace - the list goes on. But, please, ad breaks every 7 mins - aaarrrggghhh.

However, this brings me to the main point: US ads rock! Sure, mixed in with the really good stuff is some truly bad stuff. But when they're good, they're really good. And sure I appreciate that sometimes they're inane or cheesy but that just makes them all the more appealing to me. Top 3 favourites at the moment are as follows (enjoy):

3rd - Bud Light 'talking to animals'

2nd - Subway 'receipt for burgers'

1st - but pride of place goes to the Jeep ad (sure, I'm a sucker for the 70s-tastic song, but it is, as my US colleagues would say, "totally freakin' awesome").

Enjoy...

Toys for the boys

2008-01-20T16:55:00.000Z

Yesterday was a truly exciting day as I spent most of the morning browsing all the new electronics that I'm going to need to buy this side of the Pond. The fact that the voltage is different over here provided me with the ideal excuse to leave everything behind in the UK and buy everything again from scratch - mmmmm!

So, before going to a colleagues for dinner we stopped off at Circuit City so I could idle a few hours of my life away staring lovingly at consumer electronics in a way that Steph would never let me do :-) But this time I'm listing everything I'm actually, truly going to buy:

Samsung 40" HDTV LCD 120Hz 1080p - oh, yes!!

Couple of TV/DVD combos for Joe & Hannah

Furniture to sit the TV on

2 new top-spec laptops, with built-in Webcams, BluRay DVD players

WiFi printer

Onkyo 7.1 receiver to hook up the TV and cable boxes to

XBox360

Pioneer multi-region DVD - online from http://www.dvdcity.com/

Did I have a great time? You bet I did. And I topped it all off by lavishing a couple of boxed DVD sets (Shark: Season 1 and Planet Earth) on myself (TV in the room sucks) - all in the interests of experimenting with the use of my new Amex card, of course ;-)

And, frankly, I needed to spoil myself after the hell and frustration of trying to sort out bank accounts, buying a car, etc. But I'll tell you more about the joy of those on another post.

Laundry day

2008-01-19T14:00:00.000Z

Well, I can't put it off any longer; I've run out of pants !!!! Which of course means something entirely different in the States.

Sure does take me back to my youth and when I first left home and my many years of bachelorhood. Ah, those Sunday evenings at the launderette, reading a good book, pretending to be all independent and liberated. But that was long ago and I'm more used to throwing my laundry in a basket and have it magically reappear in drawers, wardrobes, or wherever! At least I manage to hit the laundry basket. Joe & Hannah are more inclined to hurl laundry around their respective bedrooms in the vague hope that "Mum" picks it up and sorts it....which of course she does. That still doesn't mean that we don't occasionally find some article of clothing festering in some dark corner of the room. Ugh!!

I calculate that I'll have two more laundry days - if I'm lucky (and stinky) - so March can't come quick enough so I can see a little more of that whole 'laundry magic' thing. Plus, those machines sure are complicated for a simple, uneducated man like me.

Time to kick start this thing

2008-01-18T23:51:00.000Z

Well, I have my laptop - courtesy of my new employers, the American Institute of Physics - so it's about time I started writing this blog thingy. I thought it'd be useful (read: therapeutic) to record my thoughts on the 'fun' of this transatlantic move for me and all the family. As I record more of how things are progressing and get used to this, I guess I'll start to add work-related thoughts and ideas as well.

To start: to say that I've underestimated the move and all the logistics and the stress is a little like saying Tom Brady is an OK Quarterback (go Patriots!). However, I guess it's character forming and one of those instances where I'm going to look back on it in 6 months - in the glorious sunshine of a Long Island summer - and wonder what all the fuss was. We shall see...

At the moment I'm enjoying the hospitality of the Residence Inn, Plainview, Long Island. It fits the bill, for the moment, but no substitute for sharing a home with Steph, Joe & Hannah - but one thing at a time. Counting down the days until March 2nd.