Wii Multimedia Station

I spent some time over lunch time working out how to stream video and audio over the network onto my Wii. Although I bought a HDD recorder over the festive period, it doesnt have a network link, which is a bit pants, but thats technology. Speaking to Rich, we knew there were ways of doing it, just needed a chance to think about it.

Anyhoo, after checking a couple of forums, the easiest way I could find was to use Orb, download the software, create an account and set the location on your PC where your music and video sits, let Orb go off and do its searching. By default, Orb sets up the Windows usual locations for these media types, including the default iTunes library location.

From the Wii side of things, you need to then go to the Internet Channel, use the Wii Browser, point it to mycast.orb.com - login with your user ID / Password, and select the file(s) from the different subsections.

The only annoying thing is the Wii Browser bar at the bottom of the screen - of which, I dont know if you can get rid of it, or at least hide it.

Wii're sorted

Saturday's training session got cancelled, so I used the morning to catch up with some well deserved sleep. Meanwhile, Rich decided to use his time more effectively and decided to take a trip to Birmingham on a Wii search. Annoyingly, he got lucky, and tried to contact me to see if I could get up there as the sales assistant said she could put one behind the counter, but couldnt sell a second one to Rich - incase he flogged it on ebay.

Since then, I've had a full weekend of him going on about how fantastic this Wii is, how great the games are, and how his Wii fitness is 83 years old. I admit, I was jealous, and a little miffed, but kept the mission in mind. I phoned up Game in Leamington yesterday, rather than walking up and wasting time, and they said they had nothing come in. Sadly then, I had to go into the office - the first time for 2 months, which is pretty good going.

I had a walk into town today, after rescheduling a meeting, and got to Game. I spoke to the sales assistant, which now had a restraining order on me for hassling him for Wii's, but rather than the traditional "no, and get out" I had "Yes, only got one in today, want to buy it?". So, 3 nanoseconds later, I was leaving the shop, protecting my carrier bag with my life, lightly jogging home to get it setup.

Have to say, its fantastic, and I've only played Wii Sports today, consisting of Wii Bowling, Wii Tennis and Wii Baseball - and currently a little knackered. Oh the fun!

CSI #2

Just by chance, I checked my bank statement this morning, and yes, I know I should do it a little more regularly, but I dont. Turns out my out goings over the Christmas period are larger than my incomings, so I've now declared a CSI (cost saving initiative) for the next couple of months.

As most people do, they join a gym, use the gym for about 3 days and then bomb it off, and fair play, so I took the decision to cancel my membership today. I wandered up, and expected that scene from Friends, where they bring out the pretty assistant and presses cleavage together, making you upgrade to gold level, however, disappointed tho I was, they pushed a form in my face, told me to sign it and oh, I can still use the gym til the end of the month, even tho they'll cancel the direct debit for the 15th - ace!

No more impulse buys from my current account will happen, I've decided, shopping, football and the odd Happy Friday will happen. Luckily, I now have enough TV and movies to watch for the next month or so, and with Heroes and Lost starting up against shortly, I'll have enough on my hands. On top of that, I intend on still eating more healthy and stepping up my "canal fitness" sessions.

The one thing that could be taken as none CSI, but in a way, will help, is this Wii sham that appears to be happening. I was going to add it to my credit card anyhow, but thought, bit of fitness, bit of fun, not really harming anyone, is it - just got to get my damn hands on one first. The tip off I was given kinda ended in a dark tunnel, and after two days, they've not had anymore in, which in my situation, is probably a good thing.

Wii're on a mission

Rather jealous of the new Wii, I have to say. I wasnt too impressed when the reports came out in mags and technical forums etc, so I'm the first to admit, I was wrong, and I should have put my name on the waiting list. Needless to say, Captain Headworth done exactly the same, thinking that come 2nd / 3rd week into January, they should be more available and maybe pick one up for even cheaper - ha! fools that we are.

Having had a sneak play at Wii Sports on New Years Eve, it gets better, and with Rich getting back from Tunisia, we're on the look out for a couple of consoles. We both refuse to pay inflated ebay prices of 350 quid for the console alone and we've spent the majority of the weekend researching areas where we can obtain.

Tomorrow is looking hopeful, and with a bit of luck, the wind blowing in the right direction, we might be able to pick a couple up, being in the right place, right time, and using our mason handshakes.

Of course, the only reason I'm after one is to increase my health ... guv

New Year, New Rules

We have MC joining a gym, John going off jogging & Debbie being generally healthy, so I thought I'd get on this bandwagon and sort myself out. Slowly at first of course, after all, I did get back from Newcastle full of cold thanks to my mum's storage heaters, that appear to have sucked every ounce of water out of me. First of all, I started shopping at Sainsbury's, to reduce my weekly shopping (see, bit of CIS too), and also get a wider range of healthier stuff. Yes, I bought some Haribo too, but you have to treat yourself once in a while. I dont know what it is, but of late, I've really got myself into peppers, so appear to be having them with anything that doesn't move. The Haribo thing is Philippa's fault - after the last visit, she had this massive tub of starmix, of which I had to eat the majority, still not making a dint in the mass pile - magic you see. Luckily, I cant find the tubs down here, but prefer SuperMix, less problems with my fillings - anyhow I digress, once again.

So yes, I've been eating a little more healthier, with salad, fruit and veg, and less ready meals and deep fried mars bars (that bit isnt true, snickers maybe). On top of that, having forked out for a nice fancy dan running jacket, I decided to take it for an airing on Monday. It was a little damp, a little rainy and windy, and was worried incase I fell into the canal, but you know, if you dont go out, you wont do it - so I did. The jacket is fantastic, and houses my nice nano pretty well, and to top that, I managed to do from our bridge to the goose bridge without stopping. Being full of cold that I am, I was gasping for air at the other end, with bits coming out of my mouth, which wasnt very nice (sorry if you're eating and reading this).

I'd already signed up to 5aside football on Thursday (which has now been cancelled) and the usual slot on Wednesday night and came back with a tight hamstring - so going to take it easy til Friday and hope I can stretch it out. I havent played football for around a month or so now, so was nice getting a couple of goals, even though I could have easily had a hatrick, if I wasnt looking at the ground while running at the same time - oh well.

Oh me too my monkey chum

Fantastic - Al and Monkey are back - funniest set of adverts from the now dead ITV digital, brought back to you by a different company. Even better, advert for Tea.

"What on Earth!"

Leo Sayer ...

.... in a room full of freaks, oddballs and a scary bird. No, not big brother.

New Year Party 2006/2007

Once again, a massive thanks to John and Debbie for a fantastic New Years Party, with loads of entertainment. This year's party was based around the theme of 2006, basic, but also hard to think of things, and I decided to go as a Cyberman from Doctor Who. Debbie went as the scary student nurse I had a fling with, so had to tell everyone the full story of being acused of many things. John went as Steve Irwin, Troy turned up as the Christmas Tree from the Doctor Who special (which linked in pretty well with mine), then there was Laura, MC and Super Gary who turned up as Come Dancing contenstants.

Some of the usual suspects werent there for different reasons, so was a little more calm than normal. After music, snacks and socialising, John got his Wii out and I was introduced to Wii Sports, which I laughed at, but after playing 6 rounds of Wii Boxing with Tom, I woke up on the 3rd with my arms completely strained.

Singstar came out, and I was talked into singing with one of the guests. I really do hate that SingStar game, not because its a crap game - its actually pretty good, its because I just cant sing, that being the object of the game, kinda ruins it for me.

As I was pretty lazy, and didnt take my camera, here is a link to John's Photos.

Nada Nada Nada Sleep

I thought I'd caught up with my sleep over the Xmas / New Year period and felt pretty healthy and after what was a fantastic new years party at John and Debbies - what could go wrong. Well, on the 2nd, around 10:30pm, I was about to head to bed, catch up on some sleep from the night before when the buzzer went, I decided to ignore it, thinking if it was important enough, and its someone I know, they'd call me - right ?

I went to go brush my teeth, get ready for bed etc etc, when I noticed someones feet on my side pavement. Knowing I'd been to Sainsbury's to do some shopping earlier and knowing I closed the door correctly, I paniced, opened the window as the fella was about to walk backout the door, and asked what he was up too. To be fair, I'm no policeman, but I dont think he was really dressed for breaking and entry - wearing a long scarf, with them tassles at the end, and he came up with an excuse he was trying to get into the Lock and Dock. I told him I was calling the police, he said there was no reason to and disappeared.

I did in fact call the police, which gave me fantastic advice such as, "make sure you're door is locked" and "if anything happens, call us back, use the 999 number". Meanwhile my heart was pumping so loudly and any noise was waking me up straight away, thus vr little sleep, putting me back to square one - dammit.

Historical Football

No real reason to this post, just found it and laughed. Even tho we gave the title to Man U, it certainly spelt out an interesting season for me.