Mike Jennings.co.uk

Drinking tea in bed and on the computer at the same time. Suddenly, I've become a fan of the laptop almost as much as I'm a fan of the desktop, with portability and comfort replacing the ability to tinker around inside your PC and upgrade it.

And, most likely, break things.

Finally got my computer working again. Tried a re-install with Windows XP Professional edition, which made my computer hideously slow. Then attempted to use the Mesh Recovery CD, which was equipped with XP Home Edition, and my computer was back to normal again. Then I tried to plug the graphics card back in, and the whole machine wouldn't turn on. That seemed to fix itself ten minutes later, and then everything seemed like it was ready to behave itself.

I also think I got all my files, which is good - all except the database to my epic Maidenhead United Football Manager 07 game that's got around 250 hours on it. I've yet to get around investigating what I rescued and what I didn't, but I really hope I haven't lost that game altogether. Saying that, I'm playing the beta of Football Manager Live at the moment and it really is addictive: it's much more fun beating the French when you know there's a garlic-toating surrender-monkey on the other end of the internet feeling the pain of every shot.

Talking of Maidenhead, we've just got back from there. They drew 0-0 with Weston-super-Mare, and it was a pretty good game despite the lack of goals: quick, end to end football with a few flashpoints surrounding bad tackles and horrificing officiating, with one of the linesmen particularly bad. Several times the ball went out for a throw, for both sides, and he just didn't give the throw.

They even had bacon for the Magpie Burgers this time around, so it was a definite result. Except for the score, anwyay.