By the early hours of yesterday morning I'd had enough. The files on my computer that I was working on had reached the point where they were arguing with me. Error messages came up and I brushed them aside with a click of the mouse. Eventually the the project sent me to coventry in a fit of digital picque.

After a few minutes of effing and blinding I decided it was time to log off, close down, and retire for the evening. Tomorrow I would start again.

Eventually I shut everything down and as I left the room I switched off the lights. Then I noticed something wasn't right. There weren't any mystical manifestations or walls that run away from you, but a sense that something was somehow a bit different.

The light! After nearly a decade of inhabiting my little brick cave I've gotten used to the appearance of the night from inside. The familiar amber glow of the street lights was well known to me.

Instead, the light was a lemon yellow. More like daylight in fact, and the effect was quite confusing. Surely it can't be dawn already? Not at this time of year?

Nope. The street lights have been replaced. Gone are the orange lights of yesteryear and here are the lights of today. It does have a more natural feel, and I have to say, it's an order of magnitude brighter out there in Swindonland, but what an odd sensation.

Sarcasm of the Week

Once again I head down to the programme centre for another session of jobseeking. By lunchtime the foyer is empty of idle claimants sitting about idly waiting for something to happen, so I strolled for the signing-in book and greeted the lady on the desk with a hearty good afternoon.

"Hi" She smiled. "How are you? What a lovely day, isn't it?"

She's absolutely spot on. The sky is a brilliant clear blue, and quite warm too. Yes, I agreed, it is a lovely day. Very warm though, I'm almost starting to sweat. Can't have that you know. Dole seekers don't sweat.

"Oh!" She said with a guffaw, "You're being sarcastic!"

Yes. Yes I am. Glad you enjoyed the humour and I'm here until Friday.