How I Spent My Weekend

I wanted to write about Formula 1 today, but thought again about it and decided to instead write about a few things I was working on over the weekend. The reason why I decided against talking about Formula one and how to watch live formula one is that my team lost today - that is understandable given how terrible the pit-lane crew were. See Formula 1 live streaming


In fact, they were so bad today that for two pit stops they basically took ages to change Lewis's tyres. Talking about tyres, please make sure you check out my other post about Tyre Inflator - it's for those who have bikes.

So, because of the terrible result today I will be talking about my little DIY I did this weekend.
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If you have been spending a lot of money on heating your house during the winter and even in the spring, it would make a great deal of sense to spend a little more money on insulating your house. The difference a small insulation makes is massive. I know for a fact about this difference because I recently insulated my house and already seeing the massive difference. But if you don't have the money to insulate, one other thing you can do is to get any sort of sealant and try to seal off any draught around your home.

With that in mind, this weekend, I spent some time sealing off the gaps within the back door and the kitchen - which was allowing in cold air.These gaps have been widening over the years despite all the plans to plug them, I never managed to get around to fixing them. But thankfully, I with a nice weather this weekend, I finally did it. Immediately things are already warming up. What this means is that over the winter season, we should at least safe some money on heating the whole house.

Beside fixing the gaps and watching formula 1, I also spent time shopping - picked up a few things in my to-do list like Swiss Gear Laptop Backpack and one more Heated Blanket.

Ok, I know my weekend was boring, but at least I got a few things done. Don't worry my next blog post should be more interest - hopefully.

What I've Been Up To Recently

Wow, it's been a while since I posted something on this blog. Somehow it feels like it's been too long that I can't even remember what the focus was about when I started the blog way back in 2010. Back then, I think I wanted to keep a regular diary of how I was using the phone I bought - just because no one else was kind enough to post a review. But somehow, the company behind the phone went under which meant that the handset was taken of the market.

There was no need to keep posting about the phone as no one was using it as as far as I knew, which meant that I had to post less often on this blog.

But I've decided to resurrect it and start posting again.So, to kick things off I have come up with a simple and gentle way to start things rolling. And what better way to do that than to show you what has been keeping me busy - during my free time of course.

One of the things I've been working on is this new project of mine that focuses on helping people - especially holiday makers to save money when visiting London. If you have ever visited this beautiful city, you will have seen how expensive things are here. Most people really do not know how expensive it can get until they're already here. And it's always shocking for them to see that they spending money will not last them the whole time they will be here.

One of the best ways to save is to look for hotels that are looking to fill their rooms. You will be surprised to know that just a quick call to a hotel could cut your standard room bill by up to 50% of the original price. But how do you go about seeing which hotels offer this discounts? Well that is what my new blog is about.

I've been compiling a list of these Leicester Square Hotels with their contact details and their daily deals.
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Beside the Leicester Square Hotels and Leicester Square Cinema, I have also been working on ways that people can watch Live Formula 1 online now that the new season is currently under way and all major broadcasters are charging for subscription to watch it. Those in the UK know exactly what I'm talking about. So if you are looking for ways to see your favourite team on the F1 team live on tv, them check out the link.

Something else that I touched briefly is the Tyre Inflator - cool for those why have bicycles and can't be bothered to carry those bulky bumps with them when on their daily ride. This Tyre Inflator is small yet effective for when you're caught short and have a flat tyre. It's easy to use and small enough to fit into one of those Avenir Bigmouth Velcro Seat Bags.

Eureka 313A Enviro Hard-Surface Floor Steamer

i was a loyal swiffer user until i discovered the Eureka 313A Enviro Hard-Surface Floor Steamer. (i never loved the chemical smell of the swiffer, but found it to be quicker and less of a hassle than a traditional mop). i read many reviews on Amazon and finally decided on the eureka based on the lengthy review of an environmentally conscious home owner in Austin who had religiously tested out many models of steam mops.

I ordered the mop in December and have used it, at most, once a week, but more realistically, about once every two weeks. I have found that the cord is short and that I would have to unplug and re-plug about 4 times while using in my ranch-style home. also, I think that the design on the handle could have been better in order to house the cord without it getting in the way as you mop.

the handle also could have used another design tweak: something like a loop at the top (like my vacuum has) so that you don't lose your grip on the mop as you are pushing and pulling on it would have been a much better idea than the stick that is attached to the body of the mop which leaves my hand feeling cramped as i use it. (and, I am not a wimp!) it heats up relatively quickly (2-3 minutes) and leaves my floors steamed clean without leaving behind any sort of detectable scent, which I like. what I do not like at all is the fact that after only FOUR MONTHS, the steam mop has lost its ability to heat up, rendering it totally useless.

I called eureka with the serial number today and they immediately offered to replace it. this has me thinking that this must be somewhat of a common problem as they did not recommend fixing it, but completely replacing it. the worst part is that i have to send in a sticker to them from my mop and that it will take them TWO TO FOUR WEEKS to replace it. this is bureaucracy at its worst and i guarantee that this will be the last product i purchase from eureka.

my hope for you is that if you do decide to purchase this mop, you do not encounter the same problem with the heating element as me, nor do i wish upon anyone to have to deal with eureka's customer service, or lack thereof.

Changing My Work Pattern

For the last couple of weeks my time has been divided between working at home and commuting to client offices around the country. I love the outdoors kind of work - that's the reason I accepted this job, but as the family begins to expend, it has become apparent that my job would have to be something I need to look at properly.

My little boy is now 5 and needs to have me around after school and most nights to read bed time stories. With me flying around the country, that's not possible.

I will not sacrifice my family's happiness for my own financial gains...as such, last week, I put in a request to be working from the office; and someone else to take my place of going to clients. It is a tough decision, but it's something I need to do. There's no need spending all that time away making some other people happy - and leaving my son to learn to read on his own.

So, yesterday, I got the go ahead I was hoping for and will now be working from the office. It was a great feeling to know that I can come home after 5pm and go play ball with him at the park. Listen to him talk about what happened in school and his adventures. This for me is what I makes me happy. Money is a secondary thing.

To kick things off, we will be going to town to get a few books and have dinner  - all of us..
Then I will use the opportunity to buy a copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard Collector's Edition. I have always wanted to buy it, but didn't think I could. I'm a huge fan of Potter books - seen the movies, read quite a lot of the books, but didn't manage to have enough change lying about to put into The Tales of Beedle the Bard Collector's Edition. 


But I hear they are going on special offer, so I will take the opportunity to grab one. I will post here later to let you know how it went.

Things to do this weekend

In the last couple of days, things have been very busy both at work and at home. We recently moved home which was not an easy thing to do when you have a few days to pack up and relocate 100s of miles away. We had not expected to move that quickly, but as our previous house was already on the market, that meant that once sold, we would have to move out fast.

So, that was exactly what happened. Luckily for us, the kids have now changed school and everything seems to well settled down.

But I wouldn't say the same about myself - all the books I bought are still waiting to be read. For example, I picked up Head First Python but still haven't even opened the first page. It is still in the original Amazon packaging. This weekend, I plan on changing all that with my attempt on Twitter development with Python.

If you missed my other post on Python, I suggest you check my other post on using Python imp module. It has a number of modules that I understand helps to quickly knock up a Twitter client fairly quickly. You might also want to check out Quick Python Book as well.

It does not end there, I also spent some money on The Tales of Beedle the Bard - you should also get a copy of this book if you're a potter fan. That said,

Another Rant and Random Post

Here's another of my random posts that I hope no one reads. But is there any content published online that is never read by the public? Well, I have been posting here for the last year and half, and the stats shows that not a lot of people visit this blog much. The highest visit that it got the last time I checked the log was 32 visits in over a year. So, that is like having a phone and no one calls because they don't have your number.


In this case, Google at least knows that this blog exists. One of the reasons it does not get enough traffic is because of lack of promotion. I don't promote it either on related forums or blogs. If I was interested in promotion, I would have done just that. Now you know why the traffic inward is very little compared to the what I see at MWF Water Filter website.

You can't really compare them because alot goes into making that page worth visiting. If you haven't seen it yet, be sure to check it out. One other thing that makes blogging here a little difficult for me is that my attention has shifted to more challenging and rewarding ventures. See my latest Sennheiser Headphones and driving test websites.

These are what have been keeping me very busy lately. Every minute I get is spent working on them to bring them to where I expect them to be in the next couple of years. One thing in life is that if you want something, always work hard to get it. It does not matter what it is and how long it takes to get there. What matters is if you eventually get there. For me, it does not matter how long it takes to get there, what is certain is that I will eventually hit my target sooner or later.

So, friends, visitors and searchers, keep your dreams alive and don't let anything sway your determination and self belief.

Don't forget to check out Leicester Square Cinema for their latest free movie tickets if you're in the UK.

Practical Driving Test

Following gradually from my last post on driving test, I will be looking at ways to prepare and book your practical driving test. It is important that you know what to expect before booking your test. Most instructors may think you are ready and will push you to book your practical driving test.

It is only you who knows if you are ready or not. Taking your practical driving test when you are not totally ready means your confidence will be knocked and set you back a few months before you try again. You may ask why your instructor would push you to take your test when you are not ready.

The answer to that question is two folds:

1. It gives them the opportunity to make more money - it is a business, so it their interest that you keep learning and keep paying them. Once you've taken your first practical driving test and fail it, you are more likely to extend your lesson before reattempting the second time. Because of fear of loosing your money and failing again, you are likely to take more than necessary period of time to learn.
2. The second reason is that more than half of learner drivers get it first time round. If you are luck, you may pass your driving test. But if you have fear and very nervous, it is important that you inform your instructor who will advice you on the next step. Booking you test when you are not totally sure of taking the test is a big mistake and you are likely to fail. As the number of new learner drivers grow, rebooking your test could  be another 3 months from the day you failed your test. The reason for this is that others are booking as well - so it is important that you do all you can to pass your driving test.

Again, remember you are paying by the hour for your driving test - so whatever your instructor says, it is entirely up to you to know if you are ready to take your practical driving test. Make sure your practice on your own with a friend's car if you can. There's nothing better than practice - the more you practice, the better you become with your driving skill. Your instructor should provide you with a detailed programme of what you need to know to take your practical driving test.

Make sure you cover emergency stop, parallel parking and bay parking if you can. Use as many online resources as you can. There are people sharing their experience - use that as a guide to help you work out what you should expect. Another thing you should also keep an eye out for is the DSA website. Any last minute changes to the practical driving test may affect you and all your lessons and preparations could become irrelevant in an instance.