(no subject)

I used to be able to tell my computer that dialing *99# on whatever modem was on the other end of the Bluetooth port was a really great idea because there would be a PPP link waiting for it. My computer would try to do so, and the phone would know that what it really should do was switch on the GPRS radio, get on that network and hook up to a special datastream I had told it would be at wap.voicestream.com. Then the datastream should be passed back to the computer just as if it was a standard data-call. The stream would produce a PPP sequence, the computer would follow it, and find itself with an IP pipe with DHCP and all, which was actually running over the GPRS network at 56k.

Well, my phone is now on the KPN mobile network, and this still works. For about 2000 bytes. Then somehow no packets come through to the computer anymore. That is it. Since T-Mobile (the former VoiceStream) has been locking down its data access points, I can't help thinking they are responsible for us losing that facility. I asked my father for his settings and am now using my mobile phone as a straight modem over Bluetooth. Except that you can't do good data over GSM. Incredibly slow rate. Feels like 9k6. I don't even want to think about the connection charges. But I have to check my work e-mail.

(no subject)

So, arrive in Paris, have sis-in-law meet me at CDG and drive us to a small town near Versailles, spend day with her and four kids, have bro come home in evening, stay night, take Thalys train to Brussels (1.5 hrs or so), change trains to small town in Belgium, spend afternoon and evening with sis, three kids, and husband who worked late, get driven to Maastricht, take train, arrive in Amsterdam at 1.35 AM or so, walk to empty weekend appartment of other sis, sleep at two, lie awake, wake up at ten, try to go to gym, find both gyms gone, come home to find sis, husband, and two daughters, go to IKEA with them just to hang out while bro-in-law has an interview around there, come home, take cab to see old fraternity friend, with her husband, and 9 month old daughter, back home now at midnight or so.

Geeez, why am I exhausted?

But I am in Amserdam. I should go out.

(Ok, about the gyms, I am sure there was one on a third floor on the Korte Leidsedwarsstraat, it was big and did a reasonable 3-day card. Couldn't find it, might be a victim of a stadsvernieuwing (city renovation) job, a rampant ongoing scheme in the Netherlands. Allright, will try Mandate on one of the canals close to Leidsestraat, damn old equipment and damn cruisy since it is a gay gym, but I can get my stuff done. Gone too. I walk home in frustration. My sister then tells me I should have tried Sqaush City since it is very close to the appartment. Hmm. Maybe tomorrow, but I am not motivated anymore. Damn.

I've been gone way too long.)