brianhartgen's blog

Hi

A new version of the StationPlaylist Studio scripts will be released within the next week I would expect. These will be for JAWS and SPL V4.33.

While it is true to say that there are more features in a separate set of scripts to support SPL V5, I cannot tell you about those yet. But for those who are interested, these are the new features compatible with 4.33. Note that in addition to these features, there are considerable revisions to ensure JAWS speaks data more accurately.

• The Script Internet Update facility is back, so you can always obtain the latest updates containing new features and fixes.
• The User Guide for the scripts is now available through a link within Hotkey Help, activated by pressing Insert+H. It has been considerably updated and is in HTML format.
• Changed the keystroke for Cart Learn Mode from Control and the StationPlaylist Key to StationPlaylist Key then C.
• Added a function, controlled with StationPlaylist Key then X, to read the status of Check Boxes appearing in a Playlist first instead of last.
• Added a keystroke, Control and the StationPlaylist Key, to provide a new function entitled Enhanced Arrow Keys. When activated, you can move through columns in a Playlist with the Left/Right Arrow Keys, such as artist, title etc. When the desired column is reached, simply arrow down to hear only the information in the column. Home equals move to first column, End equaals move to last column, Control+Home equals move to top of list and speak desired column, Control+End equals move to bottom of list and speak desired column.
• When setting a bookmark in a Playlist, it is retained when the computer is restarted.
• Changed a keystroke from StationPlaylist Key then Y to ALT+Windows+8, to announce the playing status of StationPlaylist Studio, whether the playback has stopped, is in Live Assist, Automation or Paused.
• Added a keystroke, StationPlaylist Key then Control+Shift+R, to toggle the Request Notification Status through each of its three modes. This was previously only available through the Adjust JAWS Options Dialog Box.
• A new feature allows you to be notified of the progress of scanning a music library, either when the scan has concluded or periodically. You do not need to be focused within StationPlaylist Studio to hear the progress indicator, nor does the Insert Tracks Dialog need to be opened.

Hi everyone!

We hope you'll be able to join us for 2 crazy hours as we once again go Down for Double!

Great music, friendly chat and more than a giggle or two we'll be sure to have on the Global Voice, later today at 1800 UTC, 7 PM UK, 2 PM Eastern. Do come along and be with us if you would like!

To join in the fun, you can email YourVoice@TheGlobalVoice.Info or tweet @lulu_bear. Any song requests are of course welcome!

The website to listen is at
www.theglobalvoice.info

We look forward to being with you later on!

Brian and Lulu

Hi everyone!

There are only so many unique song titles that can be invented before groups and artists recycle them. There's nothing wrong with that, it is quite OK to write a song with the same title as something which has already been composed, and in this edition of the Music Machine, if you care to tune in you will hear some of the best!

The Music Machine of course airs later today, Sunday, 16:00 UTC, that's 5 PM UK, 12 PM Eastern. In order that you can suggest song titles for this feature, let me give you an example. "The Power of Love" title was used for at least three different songs in the 1980's, recorded by Jennifer Rush, Huey Lewis and the News and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. The artists did not record three versions of the same songs, but they were completely different pieces of music in style.

Your suggestions for this theme are of course very welcome, and please tune into the show to hear them together with the tracks I've chosen.

You can e-mail during the show YourVoice@TheGlobalVoice.Info or tweet @brianhartgen

I look forward to being with you later today, only on the Global Voice,
www.theglobalvoice.info

Brian Hartgen

Hi, Everyone.

What do you do when you get together with friends? Do you like to have a chat, a few laughs, maybe talk over the events of the week, and, of course, hear
some great music? If so, please do join us both today at 18:00 UTC, 2 PM Eastern, or 7 PM in the
UK for our show Down for Double on The Global voice!

We will have all the things we've just mentioned, plus our own particular brand of fun, and maybe a little bit of mayhem, who knows! Correction, definitely a lot of mayhem! After last week, anything could happen, we'll recap that for you at the start of the show if you missed it!

This week celebrates the eurovision song contest, so in the first hour, we'll talk about our Eurovision memories and we do have a lot of them to share! We hope you'll join in with yours too!

We have a huge music library, so the music is sure to be great, and there is always plenty of room for your requests. To contact the show, please feel free to Email
yourvoice@theglobalvoice.info
or send a tweet to @lulu_bear.

We hope to see you later today as we go Down for Double, only on The Global Voice.

Brian and Lulu

Hi everyone

Tomorrow, at 1600 UTC, 5 PM UK, 12 PM Eastern, please join me for the Music Machine as we celebrate artists and groups from the late 50's and 60's in a special documentary!

I'll be telling you about how a number of the groups and artists began their careers in the music business during this period. This documentary, which has taken many hours of production, is in two parts. Part 1 focuses upon British groups and artists, and then in part 2 we cross over the pond to the United States and hear in particular about teenage singers, teen idols and girl groups from the time.

Among others, you will hear about the careers of Cliff Richard, Billy Fury, Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Hollies, Billy J Kramer, the Four Pennies, Brenda Lee, Dion and the Belmonts, Ricky Nelson, Little eva, Bobby Vee, The Shangri-Las, and many more.

If you would like to contact me during the show, please do so, you can email YourVoice@TheGlobalVoice.Info or tweet @BrianHartgen on Twitter.

While much of the show is documentary-based, there's plenty of room for your interaction, and if you would like to comment on the songs I am playing or to say hello, it would be wonderful of you to be there. But please, no requests for this show, thank you very much.

If you enjoy this kind of programme, do let me know as I can very easily produce more of them.

That's the Music Machine, tomorrow, at 1600 UTC.

Brian Hartgen

Hi, Everyone!

Saturday is a great day in our house, we relax, listen to music, have a chat and a laugh, and now we even get to hang out with our friends, and we'd love you to join us, Brian Hartgen and Lulu Wells, today at 20:00 UTC, 4 PM Eastern, 3 PM Central, 1 PM Pacific or 9 PM UK, when we go Down for Double.

We'll be playing a great variety of feel good music, talking about what's been happening this week, we also have lots of room for your requests. You can get in touch with the show by Emailing yourvoice@theglobalvoice.info or by sending a tweet to @lulu_bear.

We look forward to seeing you later today, when we once more go Down for Double, only on The Global Voice.

Brian and Lulu.

Hi everyone!

This is going to be a very lighthearted blog entry but with quite a serious conclusion!

When I first met L, it really wasn't in the best of circumstances. She was in very poor health and I needed to "look after" her for a while. She survived, so that's OK!

During the time I was with her, I wrote a blog entry, (although I didn't have a blog at the time)! Let's not even go into how that works.

Anyway, I wrote a blog entry about my initial impressions of L's home. I thought it might be good to review that and perhaps enlarge on it a little and to see what has changed, if anything.

Original Text Begins.
I get the impression that L's flat is situated in a very modern block of apartments. There is a lot of security around, including entry phones, alarms, and so on.

In the flat there is a fair size bathroom with shower, a bedroom which can easily accommodate two people without any difficulty, but the most impressive space is the living area. It is much much bigger than I was expecting, although through Skype I had gained an impression acoustically as to what it may be like as I've heard L moving around it. But it is a very spacious living area which has a kitchen at one end of it. Yes, the big squashy sofa exists, but there is also room for desks, chairs, any equipment she may need, and so on. Despite accommodating quite a number of items, this does not obstruct most of the floor space. I can easily walk across the floor without fear of treading on something or tripping over an object.

One thing you cannot fail to notice is the large collection of Lee Middleton dolls, (L's babies), which she has here. They live in both rooms. The latest arrival, Miranda Taylor, lives in "the den", the living area.

Now that I've broadly described the flat itself, apart from being with her what are the things I have enjoyed most about being in L's home and my time here.
1. The peace and tranquility. I love the fact that there is very little noise going on unless we specifically want music to be heard, more of that later. Usually however, I just hear clicks from the two wireless keyboards, the occasional nature sounds, harp music, wind chimes, that's about all. Its all very gentle. Heaven!
New Text.
That still is very true, but wait, peace and tranquility does occasionally get interrupted? To repeat, L often uses a headset which has this "noise cancelling" ability, not from a microphone perspective but very little outside sound intrudes into L's hearing. There are two problems from my point of view about this headset. First, she can't hear a word I am saying!

Now some people may think that is an advantage, but I can be quite happily carrying on a conversation, and is she listening, no, not a chance. If anyone has ever heard that Down for Double promo where I say that I am not listening to what L is saying. Believe me dear reader, the reverse is true. Quite often, I just talk to myself.

The other thing that often happens is that L will recite snatches of songs or just sing out loud! Actually, L does have a lovely singing voice so that's fine. But take today as an example. I was sitting on the sofa, just relaxing, playing around with StationPlaylist Creator. The room was nice and peaceful and I was concentrating hard. Suddenly, I hear a squeaky voice saying, "If you throw that thing at me, I'll jumpp right on your head." I mean, I ask you! Where did that come from? It came from L, that's where. It was so incongruous. That odd phrase being spoken against the lovely calm atmosphere. Obviously I got the reference immediately and knew what she was listening to. Why I let her have access to my music library, I'll never know! (smile).

Oh yes, there's something else. She's got herself into these iPhone games like the Accessible Fruit Machine. So she's playing this game, I am trying to do something, and suddenly, there is this humungous scream! You have never heard anything like it! "I'VE GOT 960 POINTS, WO'O'O'O'O'O'O'O'O''O!" Gosh!

Original Text.
2. No television. The fact that the TV is not switched on for most of each day is just awesome! If I have to sit through another quiz or reality TV show where celebrities are featured I will scream! There is no TV here so it cannot be switched on.
New Text.
I cannot say I have missed the television at all. There used to be TV shows I would listen to just because they were on at the time. I read tweets and Facebook posts from people who talk about shows I used to watch, such as Britain's Got Talent or The X-Factor, and I have thought to myself, "Do I miss that at all? Do I want to be part of that again? Do I want to watch it?" Just because there is no TV available when I do come to see L, that doesn't mean I couldn't watch it if I wanted to. There are ways I could do so if I really wanted to. But no, I haven't missed that.

Original Text.
3. Listening to music on good quality speakers. When we do hear music or a movie, we hear them on speakers which just make everything so lovely and gorgeous to listen to.
New Text.
Actually that is still just brilliant. Whether it is in the evening, or first thing in the morning while we are having breakfast etc, to hear music which sounds good is wonderful. Actually we both like similar music, but where our musical tastes differ, we are quite tolerant of each other. For example, L is now very tolerant of my penchant for slushy romantic songs, aren't you L?

Original Text.
4. Watching movies with AD. Watching films with audio description is just the best thing ever. Without AD, often you lose the concept of the plot and you miss out on important information. L has plenty of these. I have come to enjoy them.
New Text.
Yes, we've watched quite a lot of movies together and it's wonderful to sit down for an evening to watch a film or two. L does have this great collection of movies we can watch.

Original Text.
5. Having time to read a book and to do all the things I otherwise couldn't do, like finding out new things about my iPhone.
New Text.
OK, I want to comment on this issue of reading books.

Yes, we both do like reading, it's just that the way we tend to do this is quite different. When I come to see L, I know I cannot possibly listen to a book and become engrossed in the story. I cannot get through a whole book when I am here. Why not? Because L will keep the book on for hours. If she falls asleep, it doesn't seem to matter. When she awakens, she'll not go back and re-read a section, and she won't let me go back either, no no no. Worse still, the book is on "looped play mode". So when it completes, it starts again at the beginning. Just ugh.

So, to enlarge on my earlier statement, I do get to hear the whole of a book, but it's just that I hear chapters in the wrong order. It's a bit like a jigsaw puzzle as I have to sort out the whole book in my head having heard it all in the wrong sequence. If I want to hear a book from start to finish, I get it from Audible myself and hear it on my phone when I go away.

Original Text.
6. Doing housework for L. There are times when L really isn't well enough to do some things, so I like being able to make food, drink, tidy up, that kind of thing. I can do it at my own pace without being rushed. Consequently, things get done which should be done.
New Text.
You'll have to ask L about whether that standard of mine has been maintained, I hope so in the most part. But please see point 8, below.

Original text.
7. Acktimel and real coffee. They are to die for. L has both of these each and every day and I don't blame her.
New Text.
And so do I when I can! I still enjoy them! L has introduced me to lots of new things I never thought possible. Rosé instead of cold red wine, having a really good time, appreciation of the good things in life, staying up into the early hours of the morning, her lovely family , to name but a few things.

Original text.
8. Neatness. L's flat is just so incredibly neat and tidy. As the saying goes, there is a place for everything and everything is in its place. I think that's important. When someone is blind, its even more essential that everything is kept exactly in its correct place and I have to say L is quite fanatical about that which I love. She doesn't need to be in the kitchen for example to know exactly where everything is and can describe it down to the minutest of detail. Hopefully, I have followed this tradition. It has certainly helped me.
New Text.
Quite fanatical? It is obsession! Absolutely every single item has a place in the flat, and sometimes, I do admit to getting it wrong. Every individual cup has a place for example, oh, and a name as well. It's OK, this is Planet L we are on, where every object, (almost), has a name. If I put something in the wrong place, panick stations! There's a real problem! Believe me, you can hear her squealing all the way from here to Australia!

Seriously, I know why she does it and it is all perfectly logical, but to say L is a "neat freak" would be an understatement.

Please, please, you mustn't run away with the idea that I am complaining in any way about L, I am not. She knows I am posting this. I wouldn't change any of her characteristics in the slightest. It's just an outsider's look at Planet L!

Anyway, that's L for you. There is a serious side to this entry though, and two things which I left out of the original 8 items I posted.

I am so so glad that L cannot see. There is nothing better than having a partner who knows about how blind people adapt to life's challenges, who understands that we need things to talk or there are particular ways of doing things, who likes the same things as I do, who has memories related to visual impairment which are similar to my own, and much more besides.

The other thing I love (apart from L's loving and caring nature), is the fact that she is so so feminine. That has always appealed to me. I love the fact that she likes to dress up and makes herself look good when she goes out, that she loves perfume, make-up, jewellery, to keep her hair nice, all the things that many ladies like to do. I like that a lot.

I cannot end this blog post without telling you of the beautiful ring L has just bought for me. It's not been a great week. I've not been too well of late, and also there was that fiasco with the website I wrote about in a previous blog entry. Now as well as being loving and supportive over that, L bought for me a ring which is wonderful. It is a titanium ring inlaid with enamel, set with 2 small diamonds. It was so good of her to get that for me and I will have it with me always.

So despite "neat friekery", the strange way she hears books and her tendency to chunter away (or squeal) about whatever she is hearing in her head, she will always be my L.

Hi to everyone who reads my blog!

This is going to be a technology-related post as quite a lot has happened recently in that regard. I'll follow it up with a more personal blog post as soon as I can.

I've been doing quite a lot of work on the website and intend to do some more soon. I added the ability to vary the font size of the text being displayed together with changing the foreground and background colours. This is something I had wanted to implement for a while.

An ongoing project has been to get a desktop computer which would replace my much older desktop. For at least five years, I used a desktop computer with a very noisy fan. Particularly in hot weather, this machine used to scream the place down! Not good if you are doing audio production work or internet broadcasting.

Anyway, the machine eventually stopped working a couple of months ago and I wondered what I was going to replace it with.

I now have replaced it with a nice quiet Del computer. I had to search around a while to find a machine with Windows XP installed, but I now have one, and it is far far better than the old desktop ever was.

To say again, the best thing about the machine is that it is quiet with very little fan noise. But it is very fast, especially for audio editing!

The one bad thing about getting a different computer is that you have to spend time getting all your applications installed and configured the way you want them. But it is now done, and it really is a great machine.

Because of the large capacity of the hard drive (although I do have an external USB drive as a backup), I am now able to share out the music library here on the network. This means that, when I am at L's, we both have access to all the music for broadcasting which is really cool.

One of the things I have been investigating is to give people the ability to search our music library for a track they would like to hear when we are broadcasting, and then send a request to Lulu or myself when we are on air. I do now have a very very good solution for this which I would like to implement soon, however at the moment there are a few changes I want to make to our library before that can be done. So it definitely will happen as soon as I can invest the time to do what I need to do.

The last thing I have been working on is using StationPlaylist Creator. This is software which allows you to effectively structure shows (or anything you are broadcasting). It is important if possible to divide your music into categories, tell it where your promos and jingles are, together with any sequences you might use. That is putting it in its simplest terms.

This has taken some configuration but it is now all in place. There are some shows we produce for the Global Voice where Creator would be absolutely ideal. If the forward planning and organisation is done well, Creator can be a really excellent tool and I can see how useful it is going to be.

That's all for my technology news at the moment. I am looking forward to broadcasting on the Global Voice over the weekend!

Catch you all later!

One of the things I have always enjoyed doing is giving something back to the visually impaired community. I am blind, I always have been, and while I have to have a professional life as I need to put food on the table, I have always tried to give something back. I count myself very lucky to have a job which I enjoy doing, but I accept that a lot of blind people do not, either due to having little opportunities for self-improvement, because of prejudice on the part of employers or just simply because there are no jobs about. So because I am more fortunate than most in our community, where I can do something to help, I always will. Through various projects, I donate hundreds of hours a year to our community and generally enjoy doing it.

So when things happen to me of the kind which I am about to describe, I have very mixed feelings. Certainly there is initial anger, but mostly disappointment that some people really have very little regard for the work I put in, and it does make me think, is it really worthwhile?

Some months ago, I was going through quite a busy and emotional period of my life. But someone approached me who I knew well, and said that she really did want a website creating. She had a tremendous amount of talent and I very much wanted to help as she had helped me in the past. She knew absolutely nothing about website development and I agree to help the best I could.

So, I advised her as to a suitable web hosting package to purchase from an excellent provider, and I then began to work on the site. I don't mind saying, I spent many many hours developing it. She wanted me to develop the initial site for her, and if possible show her how to maintain it herself so she could add content and features.

I built the initial site using Drupal. This involved installing Drupal onto the domain and setting up a database. I configured a number of pages, two blogs, the ability to add pictures, and a number of other features.

Ideas then developed, and she wanted to enhance it further. She would not research what was necessary on Google, she preferred me to find out what was necessary. I provided her with full thorough written instructions on how to accomplish what she wanted, and with credit to her, she followed them and gained what she wished from them.

The site went live, and I helped promote it on Twitter and through what resources I had available to me.

I remember one day, she wrote to me, saying that she wanted to include a page with comments from e-mail messages she had received. She wanted each new comment to be denoted with a new heading and wondered how this could be done. I had some time available, so I produced most of the page for her. As she had the syntax available, she could then learn by my example and add to it.

Following this, she posted a blog entry, referring to the fact that she had struggled to learn how to implement this particular page, but that she had "got there in the end". Not a reference to me helping her at short notice, but I let that one go. Perhaps that was a sign of things to come.

I did place a site design copyright notice at the bottom of each page, naturally stating that the entire text content belonged to her (which is only right), but that the site design was credited to me.

Inadvertently two days ago, I discovered on Twitter that the site had changed to some extent. I was locked out of it administratively and my name had been removed from it completely. There was no reference to me at all. It was as though I didn't exist and had not been a part of it.

I don't mind in the least that someone else has taken over the site development as this always had been the original intention. But when I had invested so much time at a critical period in my life in this project, not to receive any thanks or credit on the site for its initial design is, I think, not very good.

When something like this happens, you really do feel like not investing considerable time in anything like this ever again. I know I will, that is how I am, but I am not sure I would ever do anything like this without ensuring I didn't get something back from it. This is the third voluntary project I have been involved with over the past year or so where I have invested so much time, and for no result.

I have to say, L (as usual) has been an absolute rock to me over this as she always is about everything. I think, (well I know), she was angry and upset on my behalf too, and I thank her for that.

So, if you are blind, and sometimes you wonder why you don't always get the help you need, it is because of experiences like this that some of us will now hold back and may not be as keen to assist as we once were. Some people like to give in this community, others like to take. There are some people I must say who are willing to pay for services, either financially or by crediting an individual with the help they have received. But there are others who just do not care at all and I have found that out rather late. I certainly will think very carefully before doing anything like this again.

Hi everyone!

L has presented to me another survey of over 100 questions which I am answering. If you read this, you are mad! Grin.

130 questions… promise you won't lie?
I asked L to find another survey, for the fun of completing it, but I won't provide any false answers. Having looked through these questions, I will be evasive with some of the answers but the content of them will be true.

Please note that the term "friends" is used in the below questions to represent people I meet, together with those I talk with using Twitter or Facebook.

Do you get jealous easily?
No, I don't get jealous easily. If I thought I had cause to be jealous, I would confront the issue. It can only turn out in one of two ways. Either there would be nothing to fear, or if it had foundation, I would leave as quickly as possible.

What are you currently waiting for?
To get to Crew station. I am travelling by train and I need to get to Stoke-On-Trent for work purposes. Crew is currently 2 hours and 30 minutes away!

Do you think more about the past, present, or future?
When I think about the past, I try and remember the good things about it, and fortunately, I have lots of good memories. Other than that, I just live very much in the present.

Is there anybody you wish you could be spending time with right now?
Yes, L. She is getting further and further away as I travel!

Honestly, did you really love the last person you said I love you too?
Absolutely!

Is anything wrong with your eyes?
I don't have any eyes at all. Now that wasn't the answer you were expecting was it?

Do you have nice eyes?
Now listen, I've told you already, I physically don't have any, so move on.

Have you ever received a love letter more than a page long?
Are we talking e-mails here too? If so, the answer is yes, definitely.

Who's thinking about you right now?
Hopefully it is L, although she may well be asleep. She hasn't been too well the last day or so.

Is this year the best year of your life?
Despite some of the things that have happened, it is certainly the best year I have had in a very long time. There's still some way to go, but I am positive and think it will end up being good. I am very very much looking forward to Christmas.

Which of your friends lives closest to you?
That's a difficult one to answer. At the moment, I don't have a permanent home as such. I have a house in St. Helens that I want to sell so I can move somewhere sensible, but at the moment I cannot, and believe me, that is a complete and utter nuisance!

How do you feel about Diet Dr Pepper?
Its OK, I could drink it.

Have you ever thought someone died, when they really didn't?
No.

Does your bedroom need cleaning?
No I don't think it does, it is quite tidy, certainly I left it that way this morning.

Would you rather take a relationship really slow or really fast?
I would rather take it at the speed it naturally goes. I am not in a particular rush though.

Do you ever hang out with someone of the opposite sex?
Yes. As I've said, the people I mainly talk to are women. Sorry about that. That is just who I am.

Are you comfortable with your height?
Very, I am quite tall and that's fine.

Do you act differently around the person you like?
Well obviously I do! I don't go around calling everyone "Darling" or similar as I do with L, so yes, of course I do. But other than that I do try to treat most people the same. There are a few people however in this world that I definitely do not like because of situations they have forced me into. But that's life, you can't like everyone. You just have to make the best of it.

Do you think anyone has feelings for you?
I am sure they do!

Is there one person in your life that can always make you smile?
Yes, there is. No matter how bad things get, she always can.

Do you like thunderstorms?
I am not bothered either way.

Do you think teenagers can be in love?
Of course they can. I was, and most of them will be!

How fast does your mood change?
Usually I am optemistic and upbeat by nature, Outwardly at the very least I do try to act positively. When something bad happens, I have to say I am very good at shrugging it off and getting on with life incredibly quickly, and I am talking a matter of hours here. I think I am quite mild mannered and that doesn't often change, certainly not rapidly. If someone really annoys me though, be warned, I am vicious, smile.

Are there things that can't be joked about with you?
I really hate coarseness, smutty jokes and sexual innuendo, and I find it really upsetting when I am imitated. I definitely never do that. It has happened to me at a couple of places I have carried out voluntary work for. Interestingly, those people who do imitate usually have a greater number of quirks of speech (oar other more personal facets of their character) which would afford mimickry, and I definitely would not reciprocate. Certainly if they imitated my ladyfriend and I found out about it, I am likely to strongly react.

What do you always take with you?
Always my keys, cigarettes and my phone.

When is your birthday?
19 September. Note the way I have written the date, day first, month second. I said in the last survey I was British through and through. I meant it.

Where is the weirdest place you have slept?
I really cannot think of a good answer to that one.

Anything on your walls?
A couple of pictures.

What do you bite more, your tongue, lip, or cheek?
My tongue, I think, I sometimes bite it when I am eating. ouch!

Has a boy/girl called you babe/baby lately?
Yes, quite often!

Is there something that you want to tell someone but can't?
Oh definitely. One day I will let the world know about something which happened to me during 2011, I can say that. There was a series of incidents which occurred during the year which cost me what I thought was a very good friendship which I will never get back. It is very very disappointing. It is best not to think about it.

Do you think you can last in a relationship for 6 months or more?
Yes, I know I can.

This time last year, can you remember who you liked?
Well, this question is aimed at teenagers, as is most of this survey, but I will answer it. I liked a lot of people who I have since found not to be terribly likeable, which makes me very sad. I also liked someone who I have since come to love, which makes me incredibly happy!

Would you ever want to swim with the sharks?
No, I cannot say I would. Maybe Dolphins though.

Does anyone know your passwords besides you?
One person a password to a few services but no, not all.

What is the last non-alcoholic beverage you had?
A cup of coffee at about 5 this morning.

I bet you miss somebody right now...
Yes, L, incredibly.

Do you have a box where you keep all your important things?
No, I don't.

Can you count past 100?
Yes, in both English and French, (smile).

Would you ever date anyone your parents disapproved of?
I have done on every occasion as far as I can tell.

If you were abandoned in the wilderness, would you survive?
Absolutley not! I am ashamed to admit I would be completely useless! Put me in an unknown house, and I could get to know it, and get used to it in no time, but put me in the wilderness and ask me to find food and fire, and I'd be a goner in hours!

Is there someone you can tell anything to?
Now I have L in my life, yes, there is.

At this moment in time if you HAD to have someone's name tattooed on you, whose would it be?
I thought I made it clear in the last survey what I thought about those. No, and no again.

Most memorable thing that's happened to you over the summer?
My growing closeness with a certain special someone, and learning more about setting up an internet radio station. Technically I appear to be very good at that kind of thing and at the moment I haven't seen a similar station that accomplished everything that Team-FM did, certainly not relating to web development and an online web presence. One day, believe me I will get back to doing that and taking it much much further. I have thoughts in my head where I want that to go, a lot of really good ideas I want to work on.

Has anyone called you perfect before?
No I don't think they have, and that is OK. I am not sure I would want them to, I am not.

Do your best friends' parents tend to like you?
I don't know who they are so it's not likely.

Are any of your friends taller than you?
I wouldn't know about the height of all of them.

Do you prefer the ocean or pool?
Oh, the pool every time. My dream would be to have a big house with an indoor pool all of my very own.

Ever liked someone whose name started with a B?
No I haven't.

Does the last person you shared a bed with, mean anything to you?
Everything in the whole wide world and more besides.

What's your favorite part of the song that you're listening to?
I am not listening to music right now although I often do. I will when I have finished writing this. I am listening to the jaws screen-reader when I review the text I have written, the sound of the train and particularly listening out for the refreshment trolley as I want more coffee.

Ever really cried your heart out?
Yes, I admit that and it's OK to do that.

Are you the same person as you were at the beginning of 2012?
No, I don't think so. I am now much much more relaxed and that is not surprising as the environment I am currently living in is far more tranquil. I used to be very reserved about what I wrote on Twitter and Facebook. Now, I don't care as much. I know people follow my accounts even though I have blocked them, and that's OK. If I don't want people to know something then I am not going to publicly publish it! I will send direct messages or email to people I want to talk to privately. Anything which I do publish on my Twitter account is linked to Facebook. Absolutely anyone can read those comments. There's nothing on here I wouldn't want the world to know. Carry on, please have a good read! (smile).

Do you get good grades?
I got excellent grades at College. On the course I studied for, my results exceeded all seeing candidates for the same course in the UK during that year, so I thought that was OK.

Is there a difference between love and IN love?
Oh there surely is.

Have you ever been on a motorcycle?
No I haven't, but I would quite like to.

Does it bother you when someone says they will call you and they don't?
Yes, it is infuriating!

Was 2011 a good year for you?
It was a very mixed year, but in the end, things worked out for the best. That is the most positive thing I can say.

Do you think you were raised well?
Yes, I do.

What's worse: liars or cheaters?
I'd say there is not much to choose between them.

Have you ever broken someone's heart?
Yes, unfortunately, more than once.

Does it matter if your boyfriend/girlfriend smokes?
At the moment my ladyfriend and I both smoke, we use what are commonly called electronic cigarettes, whereby we can inhale flavoured nicotine, without polluting anyone else's air or inhaling the harmful cancer causing chemicals normal smokers inhale, they suit us well.

Give me a random lyric from the song you're listening to.
I've already said, I am not listening to one! But ah, wait, here comes the man with the trolley, and it's the strange one who is always on the train. He is saying, "don't give me any notes, I cannot be doing with notes at this time of the morning!" OK, whatever.

Do you like competition?
Well that depends on what level. If it's work or related to a hobby, actually yes, I thrive on it! I do much much better if I think someone is competing! I tend to really throw myself into whatever it is even harder than I would have done originally!

Do you think two people can last forever?
Yes, I do. It has not worked for me yet, but I know it can work, and maybe for me it will.

Do you consider yourself lucky?
On balance, yes, I think I am.

Is there someone that cares about you more than themselves?
Oh, absolutely, and it is very much reciprocated.

Who was the ugliest person you saw today?
I cannot see, so I don't know.

Freedom or safety?
I like to have the independence to choose what I want to do, and on the whole I can do that. I have very very good mobility skills, and since last October, I have found that I ccan do things I never thought I was able to. But obviously I try to be as safe as possible. I try not to put myself in vulnerable situations.

Has a song ever made you cry?
I don't think it has, no.

Has a book ever made you cry?
Oh not one of these crying questions again. No.

Is the world crumbling to pieces?
I am glad we are getting near the end of this survey now. I don't think so. I think you are running out of good questions to ask me!

Will you be in a relationship next month?
I really do hope so!

Your phone rings, what do you say?
That depends which phone I am answering. If its my work phone, and I don't know the caller, "hello Brian Hartgen". If it's my personal phone, "Hi".

Has anyone ever said they wanted to marry you?
Yes they have most certainly.

Is your birthday on a holiday?
Nope.

Do you always answer your phone?
No, not always. Sometimes I will let it go to voicemail.

Has someone of the opposite sex ever told you they loved you?
Yes, they certainly have, more than once! Giggling.

Who was the last person you had a sleepover with?
Do you know, I have never had a sleepover, and that is a shame, because they do sound like fun!

Is there someone you wish you were still close with?
Yes. But it is no good looking back. Be positive and look forward! There are always, always new people to meet and to like.