My name is Hamish and here is a picture of my cat

The author of this journal intended to be anonymous, but there seems little point. It wouldn't take a genius to tie together the clues. Worse, the pictures on this site link to my flickr account that shows my name. Three clicks from anonymous takes you to "catsfather / Hamish Williams". My name is Hamish and here is a picture of my cat.

Work

There is little to differentiate me from your average middle-class, middle-aged, white male living in a first world country at the beginning of 21C. I grew up, I went to school, and I went to college. My career in IT has little to distinguish it from most others in IT.

My current employer is GBU. I arrived in their office as a contract Delphi programmer. A good few years later I find myself an employee of the firm. Nominally titled "IT Developer", I now spend most of the day working on their helpdesk, cleaning mice, and photocopying.

Rest

Like too many in this country, I have lived a life of fast food, booze, and television. In the early hours of 2 February 2004 that caught up with me. I'm told I had a paramedic in bed with me that night, but I remember very little. I remember going to bed, dwelling on the fee earner's "I don't trust anything you people say" diatribe. Then I remember waking the next morning feeling like the victim of a physical beating. The cause was obvious even to the doctor who saw me on the first morning. I'd self-destructed.

This wasn't the fast burning self-destruction of a rock-star, or the angst driven destruction of a genius. This was the common, or garden self-destruction of which we are becoming capable. Death by self-apathy.

The doctors made it clear what I had to do and what would happen if I didn't. Fear is a good motivator. I took control of what I could control and I tried to improve what I could improve. I now eat better, drink less, and I take exercise. I've lost weight and almost 4-inches of waist.

Play

I am the catsfather. Chota is, without a doubt, the best cat in the world. Yes, I know that everyone with a cat will say that, but I'm right.

The catsmother left in September. There are two sides to every story, but I think we'd both agree that things had changed since we married in 2001 and neither of us was happy in the relationship. I don't think she liked that fact that I am always right.

When I'm not playing with Chota, I spend a large amount of time on the computer. Put a computer in front of me and I can't help, but prod it. It doesn't matter if I have no use for the technology - I want to play with it and see what it does. Even if I can't find a use for it. What do I want with google maps?

When I get the opportunity, I enjoy driving. I used to own a mark 1 Elise 111S. The fact that I drone on and on about how I used to own one should tell you something.

Chota, computers, and cars - they are like drugs and I am an addict.