Imperator! Robert conquers the Ancient World... but not his computer!

Hello, you small handful of people and one follower (Sara! ^_^)

4 days into 2009 and I'm broken one of my reso... two of my resolutions. I've had rubbish food and I've not exercised. I've not had any alcohol though :( Just one pit of Erdinger, oh please, just one! 2 pints a week is allowed but seeing as I've missed this weeks can I have 4 next week? Maybe if I forget again I can have 6 the week after! or 8 after that!

<.<

Anyway, enough rubbish about that bollocks. The last 4 days have been frustrating and if you are smart you'll know why. That's right, computer trouble. On the advice of a friendly computer boffin I downloaded a nice version of Windows XP Home SP2, burned it to a CD and booted it up. It was working all so well before I tried to install the drivers for my modem (almost always the main point of frustration). For some reason the software CD didn't like this new windows. What did I do then? you ask. Well, I installed ROME: Total War and spent 2 days conquering Celtiberia, Gaul, Germania, Britannia and Macedon. I also got part of North Africa and Corsica/Sardinia.

After my frustrations were conquered away, like I did to Carthagian Rebels after I raised their taxes to stupid high levels (Hey, I needed the money. Wars don't pay for themselves! ¬.¬), I reinstalled the Old rubbish Windows XP PRO. At least the Internet works on this one. I'm going to buy a new computer all for myself and leave this wreck to my parents and sister *evil laughter*

Currently I'm reading a book called Ancient Warfare: A very short introduction. At 150 pages its light and compact but its surprising how much detail the author can go into. Its a lovely little romp through the Psyche of the Ancient Greeks, Romans and "Barbarians", their attitudes to wars, how they thought wars and how war was probably the most important part of any ancients life. Take this idea -

In Republican Rome, in times of war there was a defined enemy of Rome who needed to be conquered in order for peace and prosperity. These times were common and offered relative stability to the Republic and the provinces because everyone was rallied together to do their bit against the foe. When there wasn't a war, or the wars were far, far away, then the populace became casual and greedy. The greatness of Rome was replaced with the greatness of the individual and thus the breakdown of morals and society/Civil War. War brought peace at home.

Interesting stuff indeed. After this I'm going to read the one about the Crusades. Lovely, brutal wars those ^_^

Just 8 sleeps til University!