Go Opera

Last weekend I installed a new web browser.

Opera

It's brilliant.  Really.

Forget Internet Explorer.  Forget Mozilla Firefox.  Forget Safari (duh). Forget about ANY web browser you know.

You want speed?  It loads faster than any other browser.
You want security?  It's safer, and the developers actually SOLVE all security related problems disoverd in Opera. (pun intended, Microsoft!)
You want scalability?  It lets you customise and modify almost ANYTHING  you see.
You want mail?  It's got a built-in mailclient.  (A million times faster than outlook (express) or Mozilla Thunderbird)
You want more?  It's got it.

Plus, it looks great.  There's skins you can install (very very easy to do), I'd personally recommend the 'Tango' skin. 

Seriously, try it yourself; it's not a big download, it's free, and you'll notice the difference immediately:

You'll love it.

Public Transport...

...and why I hate it.

Since last week I'm working half-time, as a Voxtron-software-consultant, for Fortis Bank in Brussels.
Since Fortis doesn't provide parking spaces for 'externals', the only way to reach that office in the centre of Brussels, is by taking the train to Brussel Centraal, and then a short walk.
(Unless you want to queue the E40 for two hours, and then park your car in a dodgy car-park as near to the office as possible...)
Oh joy.

So public transport it is...

I don't know why, I don't really recall since when exactly, I haven't really thought about how it's come to this point... but PUBLIC TRANSPORT TOTALLY DISGUSTS ME.

Have a become so egoistic? So asocial? Such a happy-car-driver?

You won't hear me complain about the quality of the train itself though, no sir, they're good; they're comfortable. During this time of year you even get to find a spot to sit down.

To not nag the crap out of you, I'll just give ONE example.
One example that annoys me endlessly is what SOME PEOPLE DO ON THE TRAIN. I mean, seriously, sleeping is for in your bed. And certainly SNORING on the seat behind me, is a big fat NO GO. Come on; go to bed earlier, or stay in bed in the morning, but don't go snoring on the train! (I've had my deal of that at home already, I don't need it AGAIN on my way to work!)

Anyway, the iPod is a nice invention, so that's taken care of for now...

It's only one example of the so-many things that I hate about public transport, and you'll probably say 'come on you twat, get over it' but... but...
Well. It's hard for me...

I guess I realise now what freedom I have in that stinking, diesel consuming, polluting, lovely car of mine.

Along came Pollen

Last weekend we all came together at grandad's house in Ostend, not just for your common get-together though... no.. it was a 'let's work'-get-together to clear our that jungle of a garden there!

All Vercayies from Bruges were already hard at work when we arrived around 11 AM, except for Björn, Myriam's boyfriend, who made it a sport to 'look' very hard at work, simply by wearing gardening-gloves and checking up on everyone.
Nono, I'm kidding; he worked hard as well, like we all did. :-)

In the afternoon after all the grass was cut, the hedges trimmed, the pond cleared out (I tell you, a huge root-mud-monster was skillfully removed from that once so sparkly water-garden), it was time for a barbeque. Uncle Paul did most of the work there, but I was in charge of the fire, until it bored me silly and uncle Jan took over from me :-)

The close of the day was perfectly finished by España, who beat ze Germans with 1 to 0 on the finals of the European Championship. Thank you Spain, we all know it's a good thing the Germans didn't win the war, eh, Euro Championship.

Not so perfect is the aftermath for me... I guess all that grass, hedges and other greenery contained a bit too much pollen, which blocked my nose completely on monday morning. It's still blocked ad dis momend, so read dis blog wid shud nose for full experience :-)

I'll post some pictures of the sunday@Ostend event on my picture experience page later.
UPDATE:
My Dad's pictures here
Uncle Pieter's pictures here