Sleeping by the Phone

My mobile phone provider has decided that it's Pay-as-you-Go system put customers off by being too complicated. It is therefore changing to a top-up system, making it indestinguishable from it's competitors.

Precisely why recieving a direct debit notification at the end of each month for minutes used is more complicated than buying minutes in advance is unclear. And precisely why it's easier to walk to the post office to swipe a card every few weeks than have an automatic debit system is also unclear. Considering the PAYG system is exactly why I'm with this provider in the first place.

All this is according to the assistant in the phone shop. The website just talks about PAYG phones that need to be topped up. An interesting way to square the circle - sell circles but call them squares.
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I have sometimes wondered how Paypal finance themselves. Now that someone has bought an ebay item from me using a credit card, I know.

It works like this: Basic paypal accounts can handle transactions to and from other paypal accounts instantly, and transactions to and from the user's bank account with a delay of 10 days, all with no charge. Premier and Business paypal accounts can handle credit and debit card transactions instantly, with a charge of 3.4% plus UKP0.20.
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I have managed to spend 13.5 out of the last 17 hours asleep, which doesn't sound terribly healthy to me. 0400-1400 fast asleep, 1400-1700 awake stuff, 1700-2030 fast asleep again.

I might easily spend the next 24 hours wide awake and doing stuff, which is 'balanced' in a way. But I don't know anyone else with sleeping patterns like that - some who manage on 2 or 3 hours sleep a night, but it's not quite the same.
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Annual Socialist Worker District Aggregate Meeting in Southampton next week. Which is just as interesting as it sounds, only slightly less so. However, as John M is going to need all the support he can get, I'll be along to be my usual cynical-but-loyal self.
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UPDATE: Nearly 0100, and I'm sleepy eyed again. I'll probably be joined soon by a small affectionate ball of white hair, who will want to sleep on the exact centre of the bed. So, from Spock and me, it's goodnight.