So, the day before undertake my first trip on the Tube for nearly a year, this happens.

Celebrity Brain Swap
The Newsagent
Very Bob Wilson
When Binmen Attack
Before They Were Born
Britain's Funniest Non-Fatal Accidents

Quite lame - but some of your own suggestions would be welcome...

From the Beeb, an interactive lonely hearts ad to analyse you and tell you things about yourself you didn't know you didn't know. Here's how I fared according to a script held on a webserver somewhere...

Describing Yourself
Younger men are keen to advertise their earning potential to prospective partners. Words like educated and professional give the impression that you can provide for a partner, even if they don't yet have the money in the bank.

You picked "Sensitive, Caring, Honest".
Category: Commitment

You're very keen to show that you can settle down and commit to a long-term relationship. And despite the stereotype of men sowing wild oats whenever they can, you are in good company. Both men and women rate willingness to commit as very important in a partner. But in evolutionary terms, your preference for a woman who can show commitment is likely to result from a desire to ensure the paternity of your children.

Describing Your Partner
This shouldn't come as a surprise, but twenty-something men have low standards. Once they reach 30, their standards rise because they're raking in the cash, pushing up their value in the Lonely Hearts market place. However, age and attractiveness rate highly with all men, regardless of their age.

You picked "Friendly, Cultured".
Category: Social Skills

Your partner needs to be the light of any social occasion. Beware, her chatterbox qualities could drive you to distraction. Social skills are high on most men's list of preferred qualities, but attractiveness and youth are the big winners. Women tend to value social skills much more highly than men do.

You picked "Trustworthy".
Category: Commitment

In practice, men don't value commitment as much as attractiveness or youth, but they do take it seriously when they advertise in the personals. A woman who takes commitment seriously reassures men of the paternity of their children.

(With thanks to Fembat)

Tonight is a special night, or at least it seems it. Tonight I get to spend a night in my own flat and do my own thing without rushing about. After spending six weeks working in Reading, tonight I will spend only my sixth night in my own bed. I've still yet to spend a continuous 24 hour period in Leeds since I started in Reading.

Good things
* I actually think Reading is okay.
* I really like and enjoy what I'm doing down there, and the people I'm working with.
* The experience is very beneficial, from personal and career perspectives.
* I don't have to worry about cooking or going to the supermarket.
* I'm never stuck for anything to do.

Bad things
* Travelling (I've whinged about that enough already).
* Everyone who I see mentions the words 'Alan Partridge'.
* The fear of it not delivering the goods (but then that's just me).

People have already started to ask me whether I'm going to up-sticks from Leeds and move down to Reading. At the moment, the answer is no. Leeds is perfect for me.

* Leeds puts me in close proximity of Liverpool, St. Helens and Manchester where I've got good friends and family.
* I'm living in a nice flat with a really good rent, within short distance of the centre.
* Leeds is a big city, but not too big.

Maybe after another eight months working in Reading my opinion might change, but right now I'm happy to stay put. Work is important to me, but at least one person has reminded me recently that you work to live, not live to work. There's no substitute for being settled and having your friends near you. At the moment, I'm as settled as I have been since I left home - a nice thing to be able to say.

Spent last night in Liveprool munching on nibbles, having a few drinks and watching some people kick a ball about on some grass in Turkey. The photos are here.

Copy-protection of compact discs (and the whole are of digital rights management) seems to be a topic occupying many a mind these days. A story about circumenting one company's attempt at copy protection is by far the most amusing on the topic that I can remember.

For a little while now I have been suffering from a cold, a headache, a temperature and a painful hacked-up sore throat. Despite the fact that I should really be tucked up in my comfortable bed in Leeds, I'm actually in suit-and-tie and sat in an office in Reading. Fortunately the worst seems to be over - I feel more comfortable today as my throat seems to be a lot better although my head feels cloudier than ever.

The body and mind are conspiring together at the moment to prevent me from making any interesting entries of late - bear with me, I'll be back!