I've just upgraded Coofer Cat from Fedora 4 to FC5. It's a job that's been well over due for quite a while. It was characteristically easy to do over the network (without CDs) - I just followed someone's instructions. T'internet's great, isn't it?

Update: I've also upgraded my laptop from FC5 to FC6 - equally simple to do. Try doing that with Vista! Could this be the easiest OS upgrade ever?

I've been using Eco Balls for about a month now. If you don't know, they're plastic balls that you use in place of detergent in your washing machine. They're good for about 1000 washes, so save you money as well as the planet.

Given I've done a fair bit of sweaty exercise, been to numerous smokey pubs and had the odd (ahem) unexplained stain, my laundry looks to be in remarkably good shape. The lady-cats in my life don't seem to recoiling in terror (any more than usual), so I think they're working pretty well.

There's no way I'd have ever bought these things off t'internet, except I got a recommendation from a bloke at work, who'd been using them for nearly a year. A look around the various places that talk about these things, the general consensus seems to be that they're good for most 'normal' washing, but keep some detergent handy for those special occasions.

Happy new year! I guess most people are mopping up hangovers and the like today. We Brits have the joys of The Life of Brian tonight. Even though I have it on DVD, I'm still rather looking forward to it...!

A lot of people I know are giving things up for January. Once upon a time I gave up alcohol for January - it made going to the pub very boring, so I ended up with loads of spare time and extra cash. I'm never doing it again.

Anyway, for all those people giving up smoking - good luck!
(I of course only smoke after sex, but that's another story)