So we're flying towards Christmas and I have officially started to feel festive. I am the sort of person who enjoys Christmas. I don't like the fact that it seems to start in October, but I am more than happy to fully give in to the Christmas feeling from the second week in December.
This year we had our traditional early Christmas Dinner and gift giving with Fra and Jennie. We do this every year before we all head home for Christmas. I cooked turkey and we ate, drank and felt full rather than merry. It's a bloody great tradition and I love it.
In addition to this probably the most festive thing we have done in the run up to Christmas has been going to see an Adults Only screening of The Muppets Christmas Carol. It was awesome! Mulled wine, drinking games and The Muppets - very festive.
The Bear visited Rina and I last night. He brought me a Christmas/birthday present - Batman: Noel. It is a Batman retelling of A Christmas Carol and is beautifully drawn. It was also very kind and unexpected. He's a good bloke The Bear.
It is Wednesday today and the staff Christmas do is tonight. That will be fun. I will partake in the free beer and have my dinner and then head home before it become rowdy. It always does - the way good Christmas dos should!
Friday sees Rina and I head home. I can't wait. It has been ages since I was last at home and it is brilliant to spend time with my family (that and the fact I have two nieces means I get to enjoy having kids around - which MAKES Christmas).
So Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and see you in 2012!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
November
It seems the weather has finally realised that we are approaching winter as the days have become cold and crisp and my breath visible.
November has been relatively busy - we have finally had the wardrobe installed in our bedroom (although the bed has yet to be delivered) and i had my 36th birthday.
No Fat Disciples in the month due to lack of finances, a bassist in Thailand and a drummer in Poland.
I went to see Nosferatu in the Prince Charles Cinema with live music by Minima. It was really, really awesome (and the cinema was packed). The same cinema is hosting an Adults Only screening of Muppets Christmas Carol in a couple of weeks. That I am really looking forward to.
Celtic seem to have turned a bit of a corner. Two wins in a row, one of them spectacularly convincing whilst the Huns have dropped points two games in a row. This season may just have some legs in it after all....
I've been getting round to the last bits of Christmas shopping. My parents are sorted, as are my brothers and my nieces. Just my sisters to go. Rina and I will be paying for a coffee table that extends into a dining table as a gift to each other.... I've always wanted one of those... Saying that, I am now the proud owner of an ipad - my birthday present from Rina!
Just 5 short weeks until 2012. 2011 has been a full-on year. I am looking forward to Christmas with my family, because after that it is just a quick 6 months to my wedding.
Holy fuck.
November has been relatively busy - we have finally had the wardrobe installed in our bedroom (although the bed has yet to be delivered) and i had my 36th birthday.
No Fat Disciples in the month due to lack of finances, a bassist in Thailand and a drummer in Poland.
I went to see Nosferatu in the Prince Charles Cinema with live music by Minima. It was really, really awesome (and the cinema was packed). The same cinema is hosting an Adults Only screening of Muppets Christmas Carol in a couple of weeks. That I am really looking forward to.
Celtic seem to have turned a bit of a corner. Two wins in a row, one of them spectacularly convincing whilst the Huns have dropped points two games in a row. This season may just have some legs in it after all....
I've been getting round to the last bits of Christmas shopping. My parents are sorted, as are my brothers and my nieces. Just my sisters to go. Rina and I will be paying for a coffee table that extends into a dining table as a gift to each other.... I've always wanted one of those... Saying that, I am now the proud owner of an ipad - my birthday present from Rina!
Just 5 short weeks until 2012. 2011 has been a full-on year. I am looking forward to Christmas with my family, because after that it is just a quick 6 months to my wedding.
Holy fuck.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Ella, Ella, Ella
A couple of times during the summer I got caught in torrential rain. This summer was like that - really sunny one minute, the sky open the next. One evening when I got home after being soaked to the skin I decided action needed to be taken.
I decided to buy an umbrella.
We have a couple of umbrellas in the house. Rina has a nice black one and a small red one that fits in her handbag. I have one of those £2 ones you buy at Sports Direct. My umbrella is awkward to carry, but also, after a couple of rainfalls it had started to come apart (what happens when you make an umbrella out of tissue I guess).
I decided to buy a nice umbrella. A strong umbrella.
I did a little research online and found that there was a make of umbrella called Fulton that were strong and well regarded. They also did umbrellas small enough to fit in my back pack. I bought one of those. (It cost £10, which seems a lot, but hopefully will negate the need to buy multiple £2 tissue umbrellas).
Well, that was about 2 months ago, and has it rained? Has it fuck. there has been flooding all over the UK, including at home, but not a drop in London. That was until this morning.
I was starting to hope it would rain to be able to break out the umbrella, watching the weather forecast each morning. But now that it has rained, well... the umbrella did its job admirably. Thank you. That's enough rain thanks.
I guess there is no pleasing some people.
I decided to buy an umbrella.
We have a couple of umbrellas in the house. Rina has a nice black one and a small red one that fits in her handbag. I have one of those £2 ones you buy at Sports Direct. My umbrella is awkward to carry, but also, after a couple of rainfalls it had started to come apart (what happens when you make an umbrella out of tissue I guess).
I decided to buy a nice umbrella. A strong umbrella.
I did a little research online and found that there was a make of umbrella called Fulton that were strong and well regarded. They also did umbrellas small enough to fit in my back pack. I bought one of those. (It cost £10, which seems a lot, but hopefully will negate the need to buy multiple £2 tissue umbrellas).
Well, that was about 2 months ago, and has it rained? Has it fuck. there has been flooding all over the UK, including at home, but not a drop in London. That was until this morning.
I was starting to hope it would rain to be able to break out the umbrella, watching the weather forecast each morning. But now that it has rained, well... the umbrella did its job admirably. Thank you. That's enough rain thanks.
I guess there is no pleasing some people.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Life Drawing
Last night I went to a Life Drawing class for the first time. I have really started to feel the love for drawing again and have decided to attend this class to make the most of this.
It was good to get to work at an easel again.
_______________________________________
We haven't had Disciples for a couple of weeks. We are due to rehearse tonight and I suspect we are going to have to cancel. The Bear is ill, Al and Holly aren't replying to texts and Dal doesn't want to sleep beside The Bear if he's ill or The Bear's ex-missus who is currently on The Bear's couch. We'll see what happens in the next hour.
It was good to get to work at an easel again.
_______________________________________
We haven't had Disciples for a couple of weeks. We are due to rehearse tonight and I suspect we are going to have to cancel. The Bear is ill, Al and Holly aren't replying to texts and Dal doesn't want to sleep beside The Bear if he's ill or The Bear's ex-missus who is currently on The Bear's couch. We'll see what happens in the next hour.
Ginger Globetrotting - Egypt
I like the idea of this blog recording my travels, but last night, as I sat on the bus heading home from work, I realised that there was a weakness to this plan. Recording trips I have gone on after starting the blog is well and good, but what about the awesome trips I’ve already had? Therefore I have decided to start a new series – Trips Wot I Have Had in the Past Wot Were Ace, or Ginger Globetrotting.
Rina has a talent for picking exceptional birthday gifts. Recent efforts have included a trip to New York and an ipad. A few years ago she decided to act on a conversation we had about things we have always wanted to do. For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to see the Pyramids. I had heard the stories – that the photo we have all seen of the Sphinx and pyramids is taken from MacDonalds’ car park (untrue, it’s KFC), and that it is crowded and polluted – but it remained a major ambition of mine.
We travelled through Egypt in late November. My birthday is on the 25th. We landed in Cairo and went to our hotel on the 24th. The hotel was nice – clean, modern and large. It was on a busy road (although from what I seen, all the roads were busy). Rina had arranged for a couple of tours for our stay. The first was a day trip that included the pyramids and the Egyptian museum. The other would see us take a sleeper train to Aswan to catch a Nile cruise to Luxor. All in all an awesome trip.
Cairo
What can I say about Cairo that hasn’t been said a million times before…? It’s massive, and FULL of people. I have never seen as many people anywhere, ever. The traffic is insane. There are traffic lights, but they are totally pointless and ignored. Crossing the street is like running an insane gauntlet and requires a “Last Crusade” type leap of faith. The Khan el Khalili souk is a shopper’s paradise, but the worst place on earth if you are that shopper’s reluctant other half, but….
Forget what you have heard, know or think about the Pyramids. They are bigger, more awesome (literally) and breathtaking than you can imagine. It doesn’t matter how many Discovery Channel shows you have watched or National Geographic article you have read – NOTHING will prepare you for seeing them in the flesh. I am getting goosebumps just thinking about this experience and it was 3 years ago.
The Windsor Hotel (where Michael Palin stayed on his attempt at 80 day circumnavigation, and more recently Pilkington slimmed in An Idiot Abroad) is really fun. We didn’t stay here, but should I return I definitely will. We were here pretty much daily for the bar. It is an old colonial officers’ club and walking into the bar you could be forgiven for thinking you might bump into Carter and Carnarvon or even Quatermain himself. I have very fond memories of this place.
The Egyptian Museum was an interesting place. It felt a bit like we were on a conveyor belt being shuffled past the artifacts the British Museum didn’t want. The Egyptians are touchy about that, I can tell you. It was OK. There was some cool stuff there, but Tutankhamen himself is on display in the Valley of the Kings.
Nile Cruise
The Nile Cruise was amazing. Like the Pyramids, nothing prepares you for the scale of the temples dotted along the river. Luxor was a particular highlight. The cruise itself was little more than a means of getting between the sites. Clean and comfortable, but the stars of the trip were the outings.
So that’s the Egypt trip. Would I go back…? If you asked me on the day I returned to London I would almost certainly have said no. Today…..
Monday, October 17, 2011
Aspirations
A couple of things of note happened this week. The first - I finally completed the first draft of the final episode of the sitcom I have been writing. It has taken quite a long time (and some help from a mate) and it is just a draft.
There are set steps to follow when trying to get a sitcom to screen. I have ignored all of those. Every piece of advice begins with "Do not write the whole thing". I have been writing this for fun. I have been writing it to prove that I could. If anything else were to be achieved it would be a bonus. Now, at least I know I can write a full 6 episode series if I want to.
The second thing is that a really interesting job has come up at work. I have been waiting for a project management job for ages, thinking that one would never come up. But it has and I'm going to go for it.
I think this week has been a week for aspirations.
There are set steps to follow when trying to get a sitcom to screen. I have ignored all of those. Every piece of advice begins with "Do not write the whole thing". I have been writing this for fun. I have been writing it to prove that I could. If anything else were to be achieved it would be a bonus. Now, at least I know I can write a full 6 episode series if I want to.
The second thing is that a really interesting job has come up at work. I have been waiting for a project management job for ages, thinking that one would never come up. But it has and I'm going to go for it.
I think this week has been a week for aspirations.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
It's All Getting a Bit Real
This weekend saw Rina and I, along with Fra and Jennie, head to Heatherton Hall at Pinewood Studios to attend a wedding fair. Rina has been to a few such fairs (normally with my sisters or mum) but this was the first time I accompanied her. the reason I went to this one is that Heatherton hall will be the venue in which we get married.
It was a useful trip. Rina found a couple of suppliers who can sort all the flowers and table settings for the reception and I found a good wedding suit hire place. Fra (who is my best man) and I will be going to get fitted at the start of November.
Tell you what though, what with having a venue, sorting out suits and table settings, it's all getting a bit real....
It was a useful trip. Rina found a couple of suppliers who can sort all the flowers and table settings for the reception and I found a good wedding suit hire place. Fra (who is my best man) and I will be going to get fitted at the start of November.
Tell you what though, what with having a venue, sorting out suits and table settings, it's all getting a bit real....
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Ink on Bristol
The weekend is approaching. For all the cool kids the weekend starts on Thursday. It's a bit disappointing, but there is no Fat Disciples practice tonight. A friend of mine and Rina's from work is leaving to go back to Oz, so we are going for Korean food in Dotori tonight. It's a really cool restaurant in Finsbury Park that serves awesome sushi. If you go, go for the sharing platter as your option - its like a degustation menu. For £25. Awesome.
Not too sure what this weekend will hold. I have recently been doing a bit of drawing (as an RSVP to a friend's wedding). I get the love of drawing in waves. I am in the middle of a big drawing-love patch. I thik that this weekend I will try to draw a comic strip that shows what i did this week. It may be cool or it may be dreadful, but whatever it is it means I will be hearing the scrape of pen and ink on bristol this weekend.
Not too sure what this weekend will hold. I have recently been doing a bit of drawing (as an RSVP to a friend's wedding). I get the love of drawing in waves. I am in the middle of a big drawing-love patch. I thik that this weekend I will try to draw a comic strip that shows what i did this week. It may be cool or it may be dreadful, but whatever it is it means I will be hearing the scrape of pen and ink on bristol this weekend.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Dry Washing Machine: Pointless
I've watched the first couple of episodes of Fresh Meat, the sitcom by the guys who wrote Peep Show. It was funny and certainly has the potential to develop into something great.
When one character was showing the rest around the house and it's amenities (chest freezer: standard. Washing machine: standard.) he pointed to a tumble drier and said "Dry washing machine: pointless". Made me piss.
Looking forward to the rest of the series.
When one character was showing the rest around the house and it's amenities (chest freezer: standard. Washing machine: standard.) he pointed to a tumble drier and said "Dry washing machine: pointless". Made me piss.
Looking forward to the rest of the series.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Ligne Claire and Record Breaking
I subscribe to Empire Magazine. It is one of a number of magazines I subscribe to (along with Official Xbox magazine and Olive Magazine). Empire is the one I most thoroughly read. Cover to cover, every month. I've read it for years. It is a good magazine, but not faultless. It often scores hyped movies with more stars than they deserve and it has its nose firmly shoved up the arse of Steven Spielberg. This month's issue illustrates this affectation with the first of a 2-part feature on the great auteur. Saying that, I am a fan of the man and did enjoy the piece. The reason I even mention it is that there was a significant portion of this feature dedicated to Spielberg's upcoming movie - Tintin.
I like Tintin and always have. And by that I mean the comic books. For some reason I could never gel with the cartoon (despite its complete faithfulness to the original texts). I love the adventure, the humour and the mystery in the books, but most of all I love that he travels. Tintin sees the world and through following him we get exposure to areas of the world we otherwise wouldn't. Now, there are points at which the stories delve into outdated stereotypes and casual racism. This is not good, and can be uncomfortable to read, but the sheer joy of seeing Petra, or Delhi or Chicago forgives a lot of the ills.
The style of art that Herge uses in his Tintin adventures is called Ligne Claire (or Clear Line). The panels are detailed and busy, and leave no room for the sort of "filling-in-the-blanks" imagination that makes the best of Frank Miller's work so appealing. There are limited artistic flourishes, rather simple lines, and blocks of shade or colour. Ligne Claire can also be seen in the Blake and Mortimer books, or Moebius' run as artist on Silver Surfer.
I decided over the weekend to look into the style and see what else was available and came across Garan Ewing's Rainbow Orchid (http://www.garenewing.co.uk/rainboworchid/). It seems to be following in the style of Tintin and is getting rather good reviews. I have picked up the first volume on Amazon for less than £5 and will see what it has to offer at the end of the week.
Looking forward to that.
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This weekend, the first in October, was ridiculously hot. 29.9oC on Saturday made it the hottest October day in history. People were sunbathing at the end of the Crescent and it felt like a summer's day (or at least like the sort of day you would hope for in summer). Rina and I decided to have a BBQ for dinner. What we neglected to realise was that just because it was as hot as a good July didn't mean the days were as long. Not long after I started the coals we were in darkness - but a bit of ingenuity from Rina involving a torch and some candles meant we had a fantastic evening.
______________________________________________________
Celtic lost to the Edinburgh Rangers. I think Neil Lennon needs to look at his performance in role. Not good.
I like Tintin and always have. And by that I mean the comic books. For some reason I could never gel with the cartoon (despite its complete faithfulness to the original texts). I love the adventure, the humour and the mystery in the books, but most of all I love that he travels. Tintin sees the world and through following him we get exposure to areas of the world we otherwise wouldn't. Now, there are points at which the stories delve into outdated stereotypes and casual racism. This is not good, and can be uncomfortable to read, but the sheer joy of seeing Petra, or Delhi or Chicago forgives a lot of the ills.
The style of art that Herge uses in his Tintin adventures is called Ligne Claire (or Clear Line). The panels are detailed and busy, and leave no room for the sort of "filling-in-the-blanks" imagination that makes the best of Frank Miller's work so appealing. There are limited artistic flourishes, rather simple lines, and blocks of shade or colour. Ligne Claire can also be seen in the Blake and Mortimer books, or Moebius' run as artist on Silver Surfer.
I decided over the weekend to look into the style and see what else was available and came across Garan Ewing's Rainbow Orchid (http://www.garenewing.co.uk/rainboworchid/). It seems to be following in the style of Tintin and is getting rather good reviews. I have picked up the first volume on Amazon for less than £5 and will see what it has to offer at the end of the week.
Looking forward to that.
_______________________________________________________________
This weekend, the first in October, was ridiculously hot. 29.9oC on Saturday made it the hottest October day in history. People were sunbathing at the end of the Crescent and it felt like a summer's day (or at least like the sort of day you would hope for in summer). Rina and I decided to have a BBQ for dinner. What we neglected to realise was that just because it was as hot as a good July didn't mean the days were as long. Not long after I started the coals we were in darkness - but a bit of ingenuity from Rina involving a torch and some candles meant we had a fantastic evening.
______________________________________________________
Celtic lost to the Edinburgh Rangers. I think Neil Lennon needs to look at his performance in role. Not good.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Fish and Chips in Wembley
I work all over West London. Currently I have 5 offices I am in charge of. There is an office in Uxbridge, one in Wandsworth, another in Hammersmith, and Ealing Broadway office and one in Wembly Park, in the shadow of the stadium itself.
Whenever I take over a new office I make it a personal quest to locate the best fish and chips withing easy reach. This can prove challenging (Hammersmith has one where the chips are amazing but the fish is breaded - I mean, seriously!?). The best Fish and Chips I have had near an office I ran was in Stratford. Hardly surprising, I think that a bad chippy in the East End would get burnt out!
Today is the first Friday after payday and that makes it "Fish and Chip Friday". I am in Wembley and am delighted to report that the lunchtime offering was superb. There is a Chinese takeaway (stay with me) opposite Wembley Park station called Wok and Roe. And it does brilliant Fish and Chips. They use a very crispy batter and keep drizzling it over the chips (much like tempura) which results in a magnificent crunch. And the chips are ace too.
I am now at my desk and my hunger is sated and I will likely doze my way through this afternoon.
________________________________
It was Fat Disciples rehearsal time last night. No Holly (she got stuck at work), but a full turn out otherwise. The knowledge that we will be moving towards a gig has really focused me. Last night I played some songs that we have rehearsed hundreds of times the best I have ever done. My announcement of that seemed to make The Bear bemused. It was then off to the pub to see the end of Spurs humping Shamrock Rovers. Celtic drew with Udinese, which was a good result, but did need the ref to give Udinese a soft penalty to get the draw.
The Bear and I will be visiting The Worlds End near Finsbury Park on Sunday to see about hiring their room for the FD's first gig....
Whenever I take over a new office I make it a personal quest to locate the best fish and chips withing easy reach. This can prove challenging (Hammersmith has one where the chips are amazing but the fish is breaded - I mean, seriously!?). The best Fish and Chips I have had near an office I ran was in Stratford. Hardly surprising, I think that a bad chippy in the East End would get burnt out!
Today is the first Friday after payday and that makes it "Fish and Chip Friday". I am in Wembley and am delighted to report that the lunchtime offering was superb. There is a Chinese takeaway (stay with me) opposite Wembley Park station called Wok and Roe. And it does brilliant Fish and Chips. They use a very crispy batter and keep drizzling it over the chips (much like tempura) which results in a magnificent crunch. And the chips are ace too.
I am now at my desk and my hunger is sated and I will likely doze my way through this afternoon.
________________________________
It was Fat Disciples rehearsal time last night. No Holly (she got stuck at work), but a full turn out otherwise. The knowledge that we will be moving towards a gig has really focused me. Last night I played some songs that we have rehearsed hundreds of times the best I have ever done. My announcement of that seemed to make The Bear bemused. It was then off to the pub to see the end of Spurs humping Shamrock Rovers. Celtic drew with Udinese, which was a good result, but did need the ref to give Udinese a soft penalty to get the draw.
The Bear and I will be visiting The Worlds End near Finsbury Park on Sunday to see about hiring their room for the FD's first gig....
Monday, September 26, 2011
Quincy, Chickens and Antiques
I had a great weekend. I love weekends, and they are all, to some extent, good. But this weekend was great.
It started on Friday night with a mad rush from work to the flat to grab Rina and a bag with some clothes. Then it was a dash on the tube to Marylebone and onto the train to Warwick. We were off to visit Ads and Sara.
Ads was the first person I met in England when I moved here from Norn Iron. He was a skinny Jim Morrison-a-like in my halls of residence. Sara was on my course at uni. She was all stripy tights and metal. They were clearly made for each other. I introduced them and the rest is, well, it's ongoing - but they are married and have been for years and they are amongst my closest friends.
Our train to Warwick was delayed. I didn't really notice because I was watching Indiana Jones (Crystal Skull - the shame). Friday night was a chilled affair - pizza and chat. It's really great to catch up with old friends. I love that you feel instantly comfortable in each other's company - and regardless of the time apart, you could have been chatting like this yesterday. Except, of course, that you haven't been, and that is why you talk for so long.
Saturday made me feel a little middle-aged. We all bundled into Ads' car and headed to Stow-On-the-Wold, a little town in the Cotswolds. It's a pretty little place, a town that seems to be from a different age. Slower and rustic. Like being in an episode of Last of the Summer Wine. Interestingly, I am pretty sure we were the youngest people in the town. We had a nice (but bloody expensive) lunch in a pub that claims to be the oldest inn in Britain. That'll be another of those then. If you ask me, it didn't look that old. After lunch Sara and Rina went off to browse the antiques shops and Ads and I went to the pub. After a couple of drinks Ads and I went into a charity shop where I bough a tambourine for the Disciples. Let's see how that goes down on Thursday!
Saturday night was dinner in and a DVD. Sara and Ads cooked a wicked roast chicken and we watched The Girl Who Played With Fire. Good movie, but very long. I think it suffered from the film-makers' need to be very faithful to the book. I reckon you could have comfortably shaved off 30 minutes.
On Sunday the girls went off to an Antiques Fair at the Warwick Exhibition Centre. Ads and I sat in the lounge pondering what to do. Should we walk the 5 miles to the pub we were planning to meet them for lunch, or do something else. Well, suffice to say as soon as Quincy started on the telly the decision was made. I used to watch Quincy LOADS at uni. Watching this episode I remember why. It is absolutely Awesome!
Lunch was in The Stag in Offchurch. This is a pub that has built a reputation for its food - which was very good. I had smoked sea trout. The girls had roast pork. All the food was ace....but there is something a little soulless about a gastro-pub. Or is that just me?
All that was left was the train home and a Tesco Chicken Pie for dinner. Rina and I watched Aussie Masterchef and Rizzoli and Isles and then it was to bed - knowing that in a few short hours work beckoned.
Top weekend though!
Friday, September 23, 2011
Changing Seasons and the Perils of Facebook
Much has been said on the internet recently (and on BBC News this morning) about the changes Facebook has introduced. I haven't really noticed much of a difference, but that is probably down to the fact that I rarely access Facebook from anywhere other than a mobile device. Suffice to say - people don't like change!
What has occurred to me recently though is one of the major drawbacks of Facebook - namely its ability to magnify S.A.D.
I don't put much stall in Seasonally Affected Disorder. Nobody likes it getting cold! Everyone gets a bit down in the rain. Some people (not me mind) actually love the snow!
Where does Facebook come into this, I hear you ask. Well, I am very luck to be able to say I have a lot of friends in Australia. Some of my best friends moved there and I made friends with a lot of Australians who travelled round Europe. As the days get colder and the nights draw in here, I get to read, every day, and from a variety of sources, that the days are getting longer and hotter in Oz. Surfboards are being waxed, thongs are being donned and the rituals that welcome summer are well under way. It doesn't help that their winter is as warm as our summer either.
So if I believed in S.A.D, I would be absolutely sure that Facebook would make it worse.
I'm off to buy a new scarf.
What has occurred to me recently though is one of the major drawbacks of Facebook - namely its ability to magnify S.A.D.
I don't put much stall in Seasonally Affected Disorder. Nobody likes it getting cold! Everyone gets a bit down in the rain. Some people (not me mind) actually love the snow!
Where does Facebook come into this, I hear you ask. Well, I am very luck to be able to say I have a lot of friends in Australia. Some of my best friends moved there and I made friends with a lot of Australians who travelled round Europe. As the days get colder and the nights draw in here, I get to read, every day, and from a variety of sources, that the days are getting longer and hotter in Oz. Surfboards are being waxed, thongs are being donned and the rituals that welcome summer are well under way. It doesn't help that their winter is as warm as our summer either.
So if I believed in S.A.D, I would be absolutely sure that Facebook would make it worse.
I'm off to buy a new scarf.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
First and Last
Sunday saw the first Glasgow Derby of the season (there is no "Old Firm", there is only Celtic and a bunch of animals) and the last BBQ of the season.
Having the last 9 months pretty much consisting of doing up our flat has had some significant bonuses. Very near the top of this list is turning a scruffy yard into a garden. Rina and I gambled and invited some people over on Sunday (The Bear, Fra, Jenny, Alistair and Jade). We were mostly lucky with the weather - what little rain there was ended up being kept off us by the tree at the end of the garden (a small benefit in comparison to the amount of conkers and leaves it drops in to be cleaned up!). I made BBQ sauce - from scratch. It was awesome. I also got a wee bit drunk - but that's all fun.
As for the football game. It was shit. 2-1 up at half-time followed by a second half of complete capitulation by Celtic. That's all I'll say about that right now.
So the BBQ has been put away, the outdoor furniture washed and stowed and the garden has said its farewell to summer. And a great summer it was.
Having the last 9 months pretty much consisting of doing up our flat has had some significant bonuses. Very near the top of this list is turning a scruffy yard into a garden. Rina and I gambled and invited some people over on Sunday (The Bear, Fra, Jenny, Alistair and Jade). We were mostly lucky with the weather - what little rain there was ended up being kept off us by the tree at the end of the garden (a small benefit in comparison to the amount of conkers and leaves it drops in to be cleaned up!). I made BBQ sauce - from scratch. It was awesome. I also got a wee bit drunk - but that's all fun.
As for the football game. It was shit. 2-1 up at half-time followed by a second half of complete capitulation by Celtic. That's all I'll say about that right now.
So the BBQ has been put away, the outdoor furniture washed and stowed and the garden has said its farewell to summer. And a great summer it was.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Review Spot
Last night Rina and I watched Sex and the City 2. Christ, it was dire.
Now, I actually appreciate that SATC was a quality TV show. Some of my closest female friends LOVE that show. It defined the early naughties for them, and rightly so. Empowered female characters who were sexually free and all had powerful jobs. Good stuff that. So why, when it comes to the big screen, does it become a painful to watch exercise in dire one-liners. "Lawrence of My Labia"? Really? That's the best you could do?
So, final verdict. Pish poor.
Now, I actually appreciate that SATC was a quality TV show. Some of my closest female friends LOVE that show. It defined the early naughties for them, and rightly so. Empowered female characters who were sexually free and all had powerful jobs. Good stuff that. So why, when it comes to the big screen, does it become a painful to watch exercise in dire one-liners. "Lawrence of My Labia"? Really? That's the best you could do?
So, final verdict. Pish poor.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Change....
It was another three-man session in the Bush Studios last night for the latest Fat Disciples rehearsal. No Al and no Holly (who were both on holiday).
It was a fairly straight forward affair - a run through of most of the set list (no ballad-rap) and then onto jamming around some new ideas. We came up with a workable basic structure of a song that definitely has potential. What was particularly funny about this song is that it required relatively little guitar work, but a ridiculously fast rhythm. I love when The Bear has to get up out of the drum stool to stretch after a frantic song. This one I think is a keeper.
We came up with the basic bones of the song by playing round with the voices on my Boss GT-8 effects pedal. The thing is amazing - hundreds of sounds, each of which can be edited and changed to you preferences leading to tens of thousands of potential sounds a guitar can make. I use 3 of those voices. Clean, slightly distorted and very distorted. Very rarely will I play with the others - but I did last night and look what happened.
Change......good.
It was a fairly straight forward affair - a run through of most of the set list (no ballad-rap) and then onto jamming around some new ideas. We came up with a workable basic structure of a song that definitely has potential. What was particularly funny about this song is that it required relatively little guitar work, but a ridiculously fast rhythm. I love when The Bear has to get up out of the drum stool to stretch after a frantic song. This one I think is a keeper.
We came up with the basic bones of the song by playing round with the voices on my Boss GT-8 effects pedal. The thing is amazing - hundreds of sounds, each of which can be edited and changed to you preferences leading to tens of thousands of potential sounds a guitar can make. I use 3 of those voices. Clean, slightly distorted and very distorted. Very rarely will I play with the others - but I did last night and look what happened.
Change......good.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Hints and Tips for Storing Comics
I love comics. There was a time where I would get irate and demand people call my comics 'graphic novels'. But they're comics. I am at ease with that now.
It was Spider-Man that first peaked my interest in the medium. And, yes, that was the correct hyphenation of Spider-Man. Although a pedant might tell me that it was a dash rather than a hyphen, but I digress. I fucking LOVE Spider-Man. And Daredevil. And Batman.
I don't collect individual comic book issues. I like trade paperbacks - the graphic novels as it were. I have amassed a decent collection including The Dark Knight Returns, Hellboy, Watchmen, From Hell, Sin City and lots more. The collection has, however, recently reduced in size somewhat.
As I posted earlier, we have been having work done on our flat. This meant we had severe storage issues. I had to work out what to do with my CDs, DVDs and books. It was summer, so I decided to pack them in boxes, wrap the boxes in bin liners and store everything in the garden.
God I wish I owned a shed.
I supposes you could say that the recent rain has been unseasonal, but we live in London, and it pisses with rain here all the time!
I have managed to save a fair proportion of my collection, but I suspect Forbidden Planet will be looking forward to seeing me.
Kapow!
It was Spider-Man that first peaked my interest in the medium. And, yes, that was the correct hyphenation of Spider-Man. Although a pedant might tell me that it was a dash rather than a hyphen, but I digress. I fucking LOVE Spider-Man. And Daredevil. And Batman.
I don't collect individual comic book issues. I like trade paperbacks - the graphic novels as it were. I have amassed a decent collection including The Dark Knight Returns, Hellboy, Watchmen, From Hell, Sin City and lots more. The collection has, however, recently reduced in size somewhat.
As I posted earlier, we have been having work done on our flat. This meant we had severe storage issues. I had to work out what to do with my CDs, DVDs and books. It was summer, so I decided to pack them in boxes, wrap the boxes in bin liners and store everything in the garden.
God I wish I owned a shed.
I supposes you could say that the recent rain has been unseasonal, but we live in London, and it pisses with rain here all the time!
I have managed to save a fair proportion of my collection, but I suspect Forbidden Planet will be looking forward to seeing me.
Kapow!
The Perils of Paint
I don't know if I am cut out for the role of property developer. We are currently nearly complete in phase one of 'doing up' our flat. We moved in in December last year. We have achieved quite a lot in the months since then.
Today saw the end of the painting. We had the whole place done, but the painter came back to do the final touches to the place. So now that's done.
That means we have put in new floors, bookshelves, a new fireplace, a garden and had the place painted. A fitted wardrobe, shutters and the purchase of a bed will see us done.
Thank fuck.
I'm high on paint fumes.
Today saw the end of the painting. We had the whole place done, but the painter came back to do the final touches to the place. So now that's done.
That means we have put in new floors, bookshelves, a new fireplace, a garden and had the place painted. A fitted wardrobe, shutters and the purchase of a bed will see us done.
Thank fuck.
I'm high on paint fumes.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Clash of the Titans
Celtic play Athletico Madrid in the first leg of their (in by the backdoor) UEFA Cup tie on Thursday night.
The Fat Disciples have a practice on Thursday night.
Clash of the Titans.
The Fat Disciples have a practice on Thursday night.
Clash of the Titans.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Someone's Lucky Day
I was at a wedding at the weekend. It was a top wedding (and if I'm being honest, I'm not a big fan of weddings) more like an awesome party with free beer and a silent disco. But the wedding was not the main event of the weekend.
The other half and I had hired a car for the weekend. We left London on Friday night and travelled to Swindon (our hotel was about 20 miles from the wedding venue). The wedding itself was on Saturday and we drove home on Sunday. Shortly after getting on the M4 at Swindon I was daydreaming and Rina was driving when she slammed on the breaks and said "Oh my God, they've gone right over. Phone the emergency services". Suffice to say that snapped me out of my reverie. I looked up and all I could see was a lonely tyre rolling away ahead of us. We pulled onto the hard-shoulder and Rina pointed up onto the verge beside us. There was a car and it was on its side. The car had suffered a blown-out tyre, had flipped in the air and rolled up a 6 foot verge before coming to rest on its side against a fence.
I jumped out of the car and up the verge. Other cars had pulled over by now, but I was the first person at the car. The front was crumpled and the side windows had blown out. The way the car sat, my view was of the car from above. I could see the roof and the bonnet, but not into the car. Looking at the distance the car had travelled and the damage it had sustained on the way I ran up to it expecting to find some very seriously injured people.
As I got to the car a head popped up out of the driver's door window. It was the girl who had been driving. She was able to climb out through the window, so me and another guy who had arrived by now helped her down. I looked in through the windscreen to see a shocked, but in one piece, passenger. The girl's partner. We asked if he could move, he could and climbed out of the window. We all walked down to the hard-shoulder where they sat down and started to come to terms with what had happened.
The police arrived and we left, heading back home.
On refection those guys should be feeling very grateful this morning. The fact that they both walked away from that crash is little short of a miracle. I was fairly sure, approaching the car, I was going to see some very hurt people. It seemed like they suffered little more that some bruises (and considerable shock).
What I try not to think about is that if a different tyre had blown that car would have flipped in a different direction - towards the middle of the motorway and towards us.
Yesterday was definitely someone's lucky day.
The other half and I had hired a car for the weekend. We left London on Friday night and travelled to Swindon (our hotel was about 20 miles from the wedding venue). The wedding itself was on Saturday and we drove home on Sunday. Shortly after getting on the M4 at Swindon I was daydreaming and Rina was driving when she slammed on the breaks and said "Oh my God, they've gone right over. Phone the emergency services". Suffice to say that snapped me out of my reverie. I looked up and all I could see was a lonely tyre rolling away ahead of us. We pulled onto the hard-shoulder and Rina pointed up onto the verge beside us. There was a car and it was on its side. The car had suffered a blown-out tyre, had flipped in the air and rolled up a 6 foot verge before coming to rest on its side against a fence.
I jumped out of the car and up the verge. Other cars had pulled over by now, but I was the first person at the car. The front was crumpled and the side windows had blown out. The way the car sat, my view was of the car from above. I could see the roof and the bonnet, but not into the car. Looking at the distance the car had travelled and the damage it had sustained on the way I ran up to it expecting to find some very seriously injured people.
As I got to the car a head popped up out of the driver's door window. It was the girl who had been driving. She was able to climb out through the window, so me and another guy who had arrived by now helped her down. I looked in through the windscreen to see a shocked, but in one piece, passenger. The girl's partner. We asked if he could move, he could and climbed out of the window. We all walked down to the hard-shoulder where they sat down and started to come to terms with what had happened.
The police arrived and we left, heading back home.
On refection those guys should be feeling very grateful this morning. The fact that they both walked away from that crash is little short of a miracle. I was fairly sure, approaching the car, I was going to see some very hurt people. It seemed like they suffered little more that some bruises (and considerable shock).
What I try not to think about is that if a different tyre had blown that car would have flipped in a different direction - towards the middle of the motorway and towards us.
Yesterday was definitely someone's lucky day.
Friday, September 9, 2011
A Tale of Beers, Bears, Basslines and U.G.C
Lat night the Fat Disciples had a rehearsal. It was not a full band effort - Holly was at her granddad's funeral and Chris is holidaying with the future in-laws, but Dal, the Bear and I were there.
I get a bit of grief from the band about my insistence that we drill our songs. I refer to this practice as "UGC" or Under Gig Conditions. Yeah, it's a bit geeky, but we need to practice the songs we will actually play if we are going to do anything approaching a decent gig.
The Bear doesn't like UGC. The Bear is a creative soul who flourishes when we come up with new ideas.
The UGC run-through was OK. The songs definitely need Holly singing. My flat efforts were dreadful. To think that at one point we thought I would have to sing if we gigged. That would not have been good.
After running through the set The Bear got his way and we started to play around with a couple of bits-of-songs that we have messed with in the past. No real progress made, but fun to make a loud noise.
The most creative moments were when Dal and I swapped instruments. Dal played lead in Shamoogatron - the band he, The Bear and Chris used to be in. He took the Les Paul Studio, whacked on the Wah and started rocking. The Bear wanted a repitive bassline that we could work around, I provided that. We jammed a bit and recorded the efforts.
I then started playing a simple but catchy Bass Riff - around D and F#. Dal and I swapped back - he carried on the bassline and very quickly we had the makings of a good bluesy song. It came from nowhere, but made sense - with The Bear's frantic beat and Dal's bouncy bass and me playing a fuzzy 2-chord riff. We recorded this as well and I'll try to work it up into a full song before our next rehearsal.
I am still a firm believer of UGC, but sometimes The Bear's insistence on trying new stuff pays off.
I get a bit of grief from the band about my insistence that we drill our songs. I refer to this practice as "UGC" or Under Gig Conditions. Yeah, it's a bit geeky, but we need to practice the songs we will actually play if we are going to do anything approaching a decent gig.
The Bear doesn't like UGC. The Bear is a creative soul who flourishes when we come up with new ideas.
The UGC run-through was OK. The songs definitely need Holly singing. My flat efforts were dreadful. To think that at one point we thought I would have to sing if we gigged. That would not have been good.
After running through the set The Bear got his way and we started to play around with a couple of bits-of-songs that we have messed with in the past. No real progress made, but fun to make a loud noise.
The most creative moments were when Dal and I swapped instruments. Dal played lead in Shamoogatron - the band he, The Bear and Chris used to be in. He took the Les Paul Studio, whacked on the Wah and started rocking. The Bear wanted a repitive bassline that we could work around, I provided that. We jammed a bit and recorded the efforts.
I then started playing a simple but catchy Bass Riff - around D and F#. Dal and I swapped back - he carried on the bassline and very quickly we had the makings of a good bluesy song. It came from nowhere, but made sense - with The Bear's frantic beat and Dal's bouncy bass and me playing a fuzzy 2-chord riff. We recorded this as well and I'll try to work it up into a full song before our next rehearsal.
I am still a firm believer of UGC, but sometimes The Bear's insistence on trying new stuff pays off.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Uncle Fail
Today I posted a birthday card to my beautiful niece.
Her birthday was last Sunday.
Uncle Fail.
Her birthday was last Sunday.
Uncle Fail.
Autumn Falling
It was hot in New York. Really hot. Hide in the shade, drink loads of water hot. Suffice to say then, that it was a surprise to return to London to find that autumn is truly underway!
I was sitting in my lounge last night and realised that it was dark at 8pm. Proper dark. And the breeze coming through the open window carried a real chill. The first fall of leaves had happened in our absence and there were reds and golds and browns fluttering round the pavements.
I will miss summer. I don't have the complexion for the sun, but I certainly like the heat. This has developed in me as I have grown older, but the turning of the season means my favourite type of day will be with us soon.
As Autumn moves towards winter and the days shorten, we will have days (normally in late October/early November) where the sky is clear and blue and the air is very cold. These crisp, clear days with their clouds of breath and sore-red ears are the days that let me know I am alive. I love those days.
There are other benefits to the turning of the seasons. For all the beer garden fun we lose, we now have pints in cosy pubs by the fire. I defy anyone to not find joy in that. And there is something wonderful in eating out in London as the winter world passes by the window.
Yeah, I'm sad Summer is ending, but I will look forward to a wonderful London winter.
I was sitting in my lounge last night and realised that it was dark at 8pm. Proper dark. And the breeze coming through the open window carried a real chill. The first fall of leaves had happened in our absence and there were reds and golds and browns fluttering round the pavements.
I will miss summer. I don't have the complexion for the sun, but I certainly like the heat. This has developed in me as I have grown older, but the turning of the season means my favourite type of day will be with us soon.
As Autumn moves towards winter and the days shorten, we will have days (normally in late October/early November) where the sky is clear and blue and the air is very cold. These crisp, clear days with their clouds of breath and sore-red ears are the days that let me know I am alive. I love those days.
There are other benefits to the turning of the seasons. For all the beer garden fun we lose, we now have pints in cosy pubs by the fire. I defy anyone to not find joy in that. And there is something wonderful in eating out in London as the winter world passes by the window.
Yeah, I'm sad Summer is ending, but I will look forward to a wonderful London winter.
Monday, September 5, 2011
The Fat Disciples
I am in a band.
To be more precise, I'm in my mid-30s and am in a band that have never gigged. We are The Fat Disciples.
I've played the guitar for over 15 years. In that time I have got reasonably OK at it (that is not false modesty, rather sad reality). I LOVE playing the guitar. I have an awesome Gibson Les Paul Studio that plays like a dream. It's chunky, heavy (in weight) and makes me look cool.. For a pudgy ginger man.
The Fat Disciples are me on lead guitar, Chris on keys, Dal on bass, Holly singing and the Bear on drums. We play fuzzy bouncy songs and are working our way towards our first gig. There are no delusions of grandeur within the Fatty Ds. We have no hope of being signed or touring, but we are definitely good enough to play in front of people - or at least are willing to hire a room so we can.
In fact that is exactly what we decided to do. So, after a couple of years practice the FDs will (hopefully) be playing to a group of our friends as part of my birthday celebrations in November.
We rehearse on Thursday nights in Shepherds Bush and now we have booked this in the practices should become more interesting.
We'll see if The Bear can focus....
More on him later.
To be more precise, I'm in my mid-30s and am in a band that have never gigged. We are The Fat Disciples.
I've played the guitar for over 15 years. In that time I have got reasonably OK at it (that is not false modesty, rather sad reality). I LOVE playing the guitar. I have an awesome Gibson Les Paul Studio that plays like a dream. It's chunky, heavy (in weight) and makes me look cool.. For a pudgy ginger man.
The Fat Disciples are me on lead guitar, Chris on keys, Dal on bass, Holly singing and the Bear on drums. We play fuzzy bouncy songs and are working our way towards our first gig. There are no delusions of grandeur within the Fatty Ds. We have no hope of being signed or touring, but we are definitely good enough to play in front of people - or at least are willing to hire a room so we can.
In fact that is exactly what we decided to do. So, after a couple of years practice the FDs will (hopefully) be playing to a group of our friends as part of my birthday celebrations in November.
We rehearse on Thursday nights in Shepherds Bush and now we have booked this in the practices should become more interesting.
We'll see if The Bear can focus....
More on him later.
The No-Fly List
I like to travel. I count myself very lucky that I can travel a lot. I have a decent job that lets me pay for trips abroad, a travel-mad fiancee and living in London means the most interesting locations in Europe are a short hop away.
Over the last few years, as the frequency of my trips abroad has increased, I have found it necessary to put together a No-Fly list. This is basically the list of air carriers that I have decided I will never fly with again. Each has earned its place on the list, but all for different reasons. This is my list, and these are my reasons, so they don't have to make sense to anyone else...
The first name on the list is Ryanair. This needs no explanation. My Ryanair experiences have all been, to some extent, horrific. The flights never cost what they claim. The carry-on allocation allows you to take on board little more than a lunchbox. The staff are jaded. Just unpleasant.
The second is Air France. They bumped me. Once. It was enough to earn a place on the list.
Thai Airways. A long Haul flight with no entertainment? Really?? Welcome to the list.
Finally - Continental Airways (and by association United Airways and probably all other American carriers). The reason for this is fourfold.
Firstly, I was recently in NYC when Hurricaine Irene hit. My flight was cancelled (understandably), but from the moment it looked even remotely likely that this would be the case Continental Airways put an automated message on their phoneline saying that they wouldn't be answering any calls. The message directed you to their website. Not. Good. Enough.
Secondly, their website is rubbish. No information and no way to contact them other than their dreadful "Ask Alex" automated service.
Thirdly, when the hurricane had passed and the phonelines remained closed we made our way to Penn Station to queue at the Continental ticket desk to get new flights. Unsurprisingly there were quite a few people there (we arrived at 9am when the desk opened). It appeared that Continental hadn't considered this though and had 2 people manning the 5 available desks (and to be fair, doing an admirable job under what was undoubtedly emmense pressure). I queued for three and a half hours to be offered a seat on a flight almost a week later. Poor.
Finally, and if you live in Europe one worth noting - US airlines are not as thoroughly regulated as those in Europe. What this meant is that if we had been flying with a European carrier such as BA or Virgin Atlantic, out extended stay in the US would have been paid for by them. Because we flew Continental it was not. This is not a mistake I will make again.
.....
It was great to get home yesterday and awesome to sleep in our own bed. I now have to look forward to a very full-on week at work...
Over the last few years, as the frequency of my trips abroad has increased, I have found it necessary to put together a No-Fly list. This is basically the list of air carriers that I have decided I will never fly with again. Each has earned its place on the list, but all for different reasons. This is my list, and these are my reasons, so they don't have to make sense to anyone else...
The first name on the list is Ryanair. This needs no explanation. My Ryanair experiences have all been, to some extent, horrific. The flights never cost what they claim. The carry-on allocation allows you to take on board little more than a lunchbox. The staff are jaded. Just unpleasant.
The second is Air France. They bumped me. Once. It was enough to earn a place on the list.
Thai Airways. A long Haul flight with no entertainment? Really?? Welcome to the list.
Finally - Continental Airways (and by association United Airways and probably all other American carriers). The reason for this is fourfold.
Firstly, I was recently in NYC when Hurricaine Irene hit. My flight was cancelled (understandably), but from the moment it looked even remotely likely that this would be the case Continental Airways put an automated message on their phoneline saying that they wouldn't be answering any calls. The message directed you to their website. Not. Good. Enough.
Secondly, their website is rubbish. No information and no way to contact them other than their dreadful "Ask Alex" automated service.
Thirdly, when the hurricane had passed and the phonelines remained closed we made our way to Penn Station to queue at the Continental ticket desk to get new flights. Unsurprisingly there were quite a few people there (we arrived at 9am when the desk opened). It appeared that Continental hadn't considered this though and had 2 people manning the 5 available desks (and to be fair, doing an admirable job under what was undoubtedly emmense pressure). I queued for three and a half hours to be offered a seat on a flight almost a week later. Poor.
Finally, and if you live in Europe one worth noting - US airlines are not as thoroughly regulated as those in Europe. What this meant is that if we had been flying with a European carrier such as BA or Virgin Atlantic, out extended stay in the US would have been paid for by them. Because we flew Continental it was not. This is not a mistake I will make again.
.....
It was great to get home yesterday and awesome to sleep in our own bed. I now have to look forward to a very full-on week at work...
Friday, September 2, 2011
Things to do in New York when you're stuck
This first blog post finds me sitting on a bed in a hotel room in New York a full five days after we were due to fly out. New York is ace, but there comes a point where you just want to be on your way home. That makes me sound like an old git, but once you have done all the standard tourist things killing time in New York, much like killing time in London, is either dull or very expensive.
That aside, this trip has been a lot of fun. It started with an 8am trip up the Empire State Building, included soul food at Sylvia's in Harlem and Double Dipped sandwiches in Brennan and Carr's in Brooklyn.
On a side note - should you find yourself coming to NYC definitely get your hands on a copy of NFT (Not For Tourists) for NYC. It is definitely the best guidebook I have ever used. It is small and straight to the point. We have followed its advice in regards to places to eat and it has been 100% on the ball with its suggestions.
We have been staying in the Wingate by Wyndham on W 35th St. This is the second time I have visited NYC, and in terms of hotel this one has been really good. The room is huge and we got it cheap through booking.com. This is a massive bonus, considering we've been stuck here for the extra week. Anyway - there is no way to complain about staying for a few extra days in New York without sounding like a prick.
So, this blog, should it continue, will cover the trips I make with my other half, the progress the Fat Disciples make towards their first gig and any drawings I do. Let's see if that happens....
RS
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