Cool Thing Of The Day

Cool And Interesting Thing Of The Day To Do At The University Of Wales, Aberystwyth, #3:

Ask a complete stranger out on a date. And have her say ‘No’. Bugger.

The ‘cool and interesting things’ were originally published to a location at which my “friends back home” could read them, during the first few months of my time at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, which I started in September 1999. It proved to be particularly popular, and so now it is immortalised through the medium of my weblog.

Cool Thing Of The Day

Cool And Interesting Thing Of The Day To Do At The University Of Wales, Aberystwyth, #2:

Go the The Cambrian, buy a “Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster”, and down it, then see how long you can remain vertical.

The ‘cool and interesting things’ were originally published to a location at which my “friends back home” could read them, during the first few months of my time at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, which I started in September 1999. It proved to be particularly popular, and so now it is immortalised through the medium of my weblog.

Cool Thing Of The Day

Cool And Interesting Thing Of The Day To Do At The University Of Wales, Aberystwyth, #1:

Stand on the sea wall at high tide during a storm and watch the waves crash over your head, then walk home wet.

The ‘cool and interesting things’ were originally published to a location at which my “friends back home” could read them, during the first few months of my time at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, which I started in September 1999. It proved to be particularly popular, and so now it is immortalised through the medium of my weblog.

Aberystwyth Admission

This photo was originally published to a closed group and republished to this blog on 25 May 2019.

Dan shows off his certificate of admission to the University of Wales, Aberystwyth

Avatar Diary – Tiberian Sun

A post on my blog, now lost, was published in August or September 1999, and mentioned that I’d been playing a lot of Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun. This image, taken on the day I purchased the game (although never used in the blog post) was shared here in hindsight, on 25 May 2019.

Dan opens a copy of Tiberian Sun.

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Avatar Diary – Solar Eclipse

A blog post, now lost, was published in August or September 1999, and discussed (among other things) the 11 August 1999 solar eclipse which I’d been lucky enough to witness from one of the few places on the path of totality that wasn’t plagued by heavy cloud on the day: Paris. This image, taken on that day (although never used in the blog post) was shared here in hindsight, on 25 May 2019.

Dan with his sister and his mother in a Paris cafe, in advance of the August 1999 solar eclipse.
Dan with his sister and his mother in a Paris cafe, in advance of the August 1999 solar eclipse.
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Head Sizes

Is there a correlation between head circumference and intelligence, as measured by GCSE scores? Our research says no.

Graph showing no correlation between head circumference and GCSE points; the axes are definitely wrong as the smallest head is only around 1cm.

Raw data:

MALE Head Size (cm) GCSE Score TOPLINE BOTTOMLEFT BOTTOMRIGHT
60.4 45 12.87 115.025625 21.855625
57.2 48 31.605 56.625625 2.805625
57.5 44 1.565 61.230625 32.205625
56.4 41 -18.83 45.225625 75.255625
57.1 44 1.485 55.130625 32.205625
56.6 42 -12.465 47.955625 58.905625
54.9 42 -9.405 27.300625 58.905625
55.3 38 -32.625 31.640625 136.305625
55.6 49 30.81 35.105625 0.455625
57.5 42 -14.085 61.230625 58.905625
56.9 43 -5.78 52.200625 44.555625
54.3 41 -12.95 21.390625 75.255625
57.4 42 -13.905 59.675625 58.905625
56.9 42 -13.005 52.200625 58.905625
53.5 44 0.765 14.630625 32.205625
56.7 40 -26.695 49.350625 93.605625
58.3 39 -41.4 74.390625 113.955625
57.7 43 -6.42 64.400625 44.555625
53.5 40 -14.535 14.630625 93.605625
60.3 40 -40.375 112.890625 93.605625
57.2 45 9.03 56.625625 21.855625
53.6 47 12.56 15.405625 7.155625
58.6 51 64.26 79.655625 1.755625
52.3 53 24.15 6.890625 11.055625
55.1 40 -20.615 29.430625 93.605625
54.0 36 -33.735 18.705625 187.005625
54.1 43 -3.54 19.580625 44.555625
57.1 49 38.61 55.130625 0.455625
53.6 45 4.71 15.405625 21.855625
54.4 46 10.395 22.325625 13.505625
FEMALE 56 38 -36.685 40.005625 136.305625
60.0 47 33.04 106.605625 7.155625
58.8 40 -34.675 83.265625 93.605625
56.1 53 59.11 41.280625 11.055625
52.1 37 -16.49 5.880625 160.655625
53.0 37 -22.61 11.055625 160.655625
56.5 49 35.49 46.580625 0.455625
55.9 45 7.47 38.750625 21.855625
56.2 36 -50.895 42.575625 187.005625
55.0 37 -36.21 28.355625 160.655625
52.5 51 20.34 7.980625 1.755625
55.0 40 -20.235 28.355625 93.605625
58.8 37 -62.05 83.265625 160.655625
56.1 44 1.285 41.280625 32.205625
55.9 48 26.145 38.750625 2.805625
56.0 50 39.215 40.005625 0.105625
52.7 48 12.705 9.150625 2.805625
57.2 45 9.03 56.625625 21.855625
56.7 39 -33.72 49.350625 113.955625
60.2 41 -29.47 110.775625 75.255625
53.4 40 -14.155 13.875625 93.605625
57.9 41 -23.03 67.650625 75.255625
53.9 50 26.195 17.850625 0.105625
57.5 51 56.34 61.230625 1.755625
59.1 40 -35.815 88.830625 93.605625
57.7 44 1.605 64.400625 32.205625
52.3 53 24.15 6.890625 11.055625
58.5 50 54.715 77.880625 0.105625
58.5 46 19.415 77.880625 13.505625
60.0 47 33.04 106.605625 7.155625
2980.5 2628 -34.3 2864.3825 3362.5375
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Swimathon 1999

This image was shared here in hindsight, on 25 May 2019.

Dan tries on his swim cap in advance of the BT Swimathon 1999.

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Avatar Diary

Went to church with Alecia and Richard. There’s a weird experience for me. Tasted the new flavour of Juicefuls from Brewsters while I was in town – Strawberry flavour. They’re just as addictive as all the other flavours. Though I had intended to use the remainder of the day to finish tidying my room (the end of a mammoth task) and doing homework which is due later this week, I was instead distracted and played on Civilization II, watched TV, and other such mind-expanding activities. Went to bed in the wee small hours, after updating the Castle with my latest Åvatar Diary accounts.

Avatar Diary

Got up late, and had lunch with my mum before returning to my dad’s house. Made a chicken stir-fry for tea (one of my few culinary skills) while my dad repaired his bike… I wasn’t actually being considerate of others needs: I was just hungry. Watched “Gattaca” on video in the evening, followed by Channel 5’s late film, “The Demolitionist”. Neither was particually good.

Avatar Diary

Went into college for Pure Maths, and for the first time in 1999, arrived on time (as opposed to one or more hours early)! Went out for tea to McDonalds with my dad and sisters in the evening. Went to my mum’s house, and spent five hours (almost breaking my personal record of 5 hours 27 minutes) on the phone to Fay, and, after failing to go to sleep afterwards, sat up and watched the sunrise before dropping off. If anyone asks about why I was on the phone to her at that time of night, I’ll tell them that I’m running a phone sex line as a way of making extra income. No – that won’t work… It was my call… Hmm… Let me think of an explanation, then…

Andy Heywood attempts to explain Pure Maths

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Avatar Diary

Maths in the morning. How is it that the first lesson in a new module always makes so much more sense than any other one? Went home for lunch in my three-hour break, returning for Psychology. Watched a video on “Eyewitness Testimony”. We’ve seen the same one three times now. Alecia took the second half of the lesson to preach to us – usally the kind of activity for Monday’s Psychology lessons – and persuaded Richard and me to come with her to church on Sunday. Promised I’d go, and I think I’ve persuaded Rik too, as well (even though he let her down on the Carol Service). “You can’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it,” I told him, with my usual democratic tact.

Couldn’t sleep again tonight – same as last night – watched TV until about 4:30am…

Avatar Diary

Psychology in the morning was low-tone, and everybody seems to be under excess stress. Bunked off General Studies, because the recently-done exam paper hasn’t been marked anyway, and it’ll be cancelled as usual… Everything seems to be this week. Instead, took off into town with Fay, browsed the shops, put in my application for a Switch card at the bank, and ate hot potatoes for lunch. Returned to college at 2:00pm for my Mechanics exam, arriving just on time by taking a short cut through the building site. The exam wasn’t too bad.

Hanging out at Preston College

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Avatar Diary

Didn’t go in to college. Virtually all my lessons have been cancelled anyway. Instead – spend the morning catching up on sleep lost over the last few weeks, and took the afternoon as a chance to deal with my backlog of e-mail in my InBox…

Avatar Diary – Birthday Aftermath

These photos, originally published in the Avatar Diary during January 1999, were recovered and republished here on 25 May 2019 on a post dated the day they were taken, 9 January 1999 – the day after my 18th birthday party. They were originally accompanied by a blog post mocking everybody who’d participated in (drunken) silliness the night before. In particular, I laid-into Gary and Faye, who ended up sharing a bed on the night, but in actuality I was hiding the fact that I was heartbroken: at the time, I had an intense infatuation with Faye which wouldn’t completely abate until a year or so later.