I've been busy. And by busy I don't mean unable to surf the Internet or check my emails, but busy enough so that I don't get the chance to sit down and write anything of a reasonable length. (more than 140 characters)
As you can see, it's been a while since my last post, and I'm afraid to say that the reason is mainly 'Crown Green Bowling'. Now, I could bore you with the facts of the sport, and the rules, but to cut a very long story short, you throw 2 'bowls' at a 'jack', and try and make them stop closer than your opponent's bowls. Then, after the game you have a couple of beers, and have a laugh. It's fun, trust me.
Anyway, tomorrow, or rather today as it's after midnight, will be the first Saturday that I can remember that I do not have anything planned. No bowls. No motorbike riding (this is something else I've started doing this summer). Just the whole Saturday to myself (unless Claire takes me shopping). And I'm a little scared!
Usually, by one o'clock I'll be out and have something to do which will last me till after 5pm, by which time I can get home, relax for a little while and then open a beer or two (or 8). But tomorrow is different. Nothing planed to start at one o'clock. Nothing to pass the time, which make me scared that the day will feel like it lasts the full day.
Is this winter just going to be boring? Are the ever darkening nights going to be a prison of unmanageable days that are everlasting?
I was complaining when I was busy, but now I'm not busy, and I'm worried I'll have nothing to do. Perhaps a winter hobby? But what?
Anyway, time will tell! Watch this space!
Saturday 26 September 2009
Sunday 19 April 2009
Is it Monday Already???
When you're a child days last forever. Weeks seems to pass by infrequently, and months like Blue Moons.
I'm almost 30 now, and it's not like that any more! So frequently do I think to myself, “Is it Friday already?”, or “Back to work in the morning!”
The truth is, it seems that the longer we exist on this planet, the faster things seem to appear. But does one day for a 15 year old, seem to last twice as long as for a 30 year old?
I'm not sure, and this is one reason why I'm keeping this post short, because if time is moving faster, the older I become, I'm not wasting any more of it!!.
Yes, it is Monday tomorrow, and I am back to work, but it'll be Friday soon and (following a short stint at the Hut) I'll have another weekend to ponder life, and drink beer.
So, peace out, and take care, cos Life's short, and speeding up by the day.
I'm almost 30 now, and it's not like that any more! So frequently do I think to myself, “Is it Friday already?”, or “Back to work in the morning!”
The truth is, it seems that the longer we exist on this planet, the faster things seem to appear. But does one day for a 15 year old, seem to last twice as long as for a 30 year old?
I'm not sure, and this is one reason why I'm keeping this post short, because if time is moving faster, the older I become, I'm not wasting any more of it!!.
Yes, it is Monday tomorrow, and I am back to work, but it'll be Friday soon and (following a short stint at the Hut) I'll have another weekend to ponder life, and drink beer.
So, peace out, and take care, cos Life's short, and speeding up by the day.
Monday 13 April 2009
Apparently I'm a Website Dude!
It seems that in the last week I have become a website builder! I'm not sure how it happened, but let me give you some back-story!
When I was 17, I'd been learning guitar for about a year, and a friend at school, Danny Bemrose, was also learning to play. We wrote some songs together, and then he went on to play in the junior side (Under 18) for Huddersfield Town (that's Football if you're reading this in the UK, and soccer if you aren't). Nothing much happened, for me (music wise), in the time between then and now!
Twelve years later, well, eleven because I started hearing about this band last summer. They'd got a booking for the Isle of Wight festival, and it was the first year in 3 that I wouldn't be going. The band was called 'Scars on 45', and their lead singer was Danny Bemrose!
This guy who I played junior cricket with, went to school with. Sat next to in Year 7 French was in a band, and playing at the Isle of Wight Festival. That was awesome!!!
Ok, so I hadn't seen him in like 9 nine years. Think the last time was in some club in Wakefield and he was drunk, and I was drunk, and the conversation wasn't exactly coherent.
So anyway all of a sudden, in March 2009, I hear that a band called Scars on 45 have made this song which was going to be played on the soundtrack of an episode of CSI: New York. This unsigned band that has the lead singer that I sat next to in French has managed to get one of their songs featured in an episode of a drama series that I watch every week.
Their mailing list is at scarson45@hotmail.co.uk and so I joined the list. I received some songs and that was cool.
One morning I was randomly searching through some domain names to see if they were available or not. I found one richthemexican.co.uk, which I picked up for £8.00, for 2 years. Having recently been browsing http://myspace.com/scarson45 I wondered whether they had sorted a site out yet. So I checked it, and scarson45.com was available. I dropped the band a line on email, telling them that the domain was available and that they should get it before they hit the big time and someone else gets the idea, and exploits it!
Fast forward to about a week ago. I notice that scarson45.com has been registered, and has a very simple website that mentions a little bit about the band, so I email the band's address (scarson45@hotmail.co.uk), asking if they took my advice, and registered the site that I'd seen. It turned out that the domain had been registered by someone else, who was now looking to sell the domain back to them at an elevated price.
To cut a long story short, since last Wednesday (7th April 2009) it seems that I have become the unofficial tech/web guy for Scars on 45, following numerous emails to Stu. My first actions seem to have been persuading Stuart (bass player) to purchase scarson45.co.uk, and scarson45.net, and then convincing him that I can build websites. Ok, so I bought this software online, and what I have produced so far looks ok, and includs some embedded video and audio media. And I'm doing all this because I once went to school with this guy who is now in an unsigned band, who I want to help make a success. For free!
Anyway, that's about all I have time for. Just thought I'd share with you. Check out the myspace page. I think the music is really good. Listen for yourself!
Sunday 5 April 2009
Lost: Update...
So, at the end of last weeks episode Sayid shot the Young Ben Linus! Does this mean that everything is going to change? Will Ben cease to exist from that point on and everything that has happened so far be changed, in a kind of temperal distortion??!!?!?
My money is on the fact that Ben (young) doesn't actually die from the shooting, because that would just cause all sorts of plot changes. Plus, other things have happened which haven't caused the future to change, so I guess they always went back in time, and always shot Ben. Which means Ben will not be dead.
Only 40 minutes to wait, to find out.
**Geek update over**
My money is on the fact that Ben (young) doesn't actually die from the shooting, because that would just cause all sorts of plot changes. Plus, other things have happened which haven't caused the future to change, so I guess they always went back in time, and always shot Ben. Which means Ben will not be dead.
Only 40 minutes to wait, to find out.
**Geek update over**
Saturday 4 April 2009
I'm nearly 30 and I'm working in the Kitchen at Pizza Hut
At the tender age of 29, I find myself working 5 hours on a Friday night at the Pizza Hut in Huddersfield, by the football stadium. It's not due to the credit crunch, I do earn enough money with my regular nine to five, and it's not really because I'm trying to save up for anything in particular.
About 6 weeks ago I decided that my Friday nights were being wasted with unsatisfactory television, and over indulgence in sparkling beverages (mainly Lager), and so thought that a regular evening of diverse conversation crossed with £5.73 (rising to £6.09 after 3 months) per hour would be a good substitute, for this weekly wasted evening.
My working history is quite simply. I started working at Pizza Hut 12 years ago, when I was 17, became a Junior Manager after graduating University, left Pizza Hut in 2005 to join Chiquito (a Mexican Themed Restaurant), and then left restaurants in 2007 to join the real world. One where people have lives outside of their jobs, and didn't work 70 hours per week.
During my 8 years at Pizza Hut I had made many friends, and remembered, that when not running the restaurant, it used to be quite a lot of fun, in between serving food, and dealing with customers (BLOODY CUSTOMERS!). So, I sent a text to an old friend who now runs the Pizza Hut next to the Galpharm Stadium in Huddersfield. He called me back, and I confirmed that I was not taking the piss, and did actually want to give up my Friday evenings to work in the kitchen, for him, making pizzas.
6 weeks on and I'm enjoying it. It's nice not to be in charge. It's nice being in the kitchen and away from bloody customers. I finish my day job at 5pm, drive to Huddersfield, and start making pizzas 6 till 11. Simple!
I started because I wanted to meet different people, and talk to new people, because quite frankly I think my Girlfriend has heard everything I have to say, and generally switches off! Topics of conversation vary, and include: films, music, women, drinking, science, andpizzas (of course).
So there you have it. After working 40 hours per week as Technical Manager, you'll find me Friday nights, in the kitchen, at Pizza Hut in Huddersfield. No Joke!
I recommend it.
About 6 weeks ago I decided that my Friday nights were being wasted with unsatisfactory television, and over indulgence in sparkling beverages (mainly Lager), and so thought that a regular evening of diverse conversation crossed with £5.73 (rising to £6.09 after 3 months) per hour would be a good substitute, for this weekly wasted evening.
My working history is quite simply. I started working at Pizza Hut 12 years ago, when I was 17, became a Junior Manager after graduating University, left Pizza Hut in 2005 to join Chiquito (a Mexican Themed Restaurant), and then left restaurants in 2007 to join the real world. One where people have lives outside of their jobs, and didn't work 70 hours per week.
During my 8 years at Pizza Hut I had made many friends, and remembered, that when not running the restaurant, it used to be quite a lot of fun, in between serving food, and dealing with customers (BLOODY CUSTOMERS!). So, I sent a text to an old friend who now runs the Pizza Hut next to the Galpharm Stadium in Huddersfield. He called me back, and I confirmed that I was not taking the piss, and did actually want to give up my Friday evenings to work in the kitchen, for him, making pizzas.
6 weeks on and I'm enjoying it. It's nice not to be in charge. It's nice being in the kitchen and away from bloody customers. I finish my day job at 5pm, drive to Huddersfield, and start making pizzas 6 till 11. Simple!
I started because I wanted to meet different people, and talk to new people, because quite frankly I think my Girlfriend has heard everything I have to say, and generally switches off! Topics of conversation vary, and include: films, music, women, drinking, science, andpizzas (of course).
So there you have it. After working 40 hours per week as Technical Manager, you'll find me Friday nights, in the kitchen, at Pizza Hut in Huddersfield. No Joke!
I recommend it.
Saturday 28 March 2009
Earth Hour
I've just been reading about earth hour. It's basically where you turn all your electric lights off, to prove to the world that you are serious about saving the planet.
I like the idea. And there seems to be a lot of people joining in. The first example being the Sydney Harbour bridge going dark at 20:30 (Australia time).
I am worried though. I saw a documentary on television not so long ago, detailing the precision required to keep a constant power supply to any given area, taking into account when people wake up, go to sleep, turn their kettles on during Coronation street, mowing the lawn etc. And they have to match the output to the demand, otherwise the result, on both extremes could be 'Blackout', if the demand exceeds the supply, or electricity being wasted, for the opposite reason. And if electricity is being wasted, then this means that the planet is being abused, with no benefit to it's inhabitants (us).
In other words, I hope that us turning of our lights doesn't trigger the most inefficient day in the history of electricity production!!!
Problems aside, I have been practising for my big switch off, at 2030 (GMT). I am currently in my spare room, at my computer. The only light on in the house is my desk light. Please see the pictures (above), to show how I will be working during my Earth Hour.
(Please note: I have been unable to switch off my camera's flash, and therefore the red haze which can be seen on the wall, is the light from the flash passing through my finger, which is covering the flash)
I'm an uncle now!!!
As posted earlier, my thoughts were a little unclear about how I felt about becoming an uncle.
The results are to the right:
Sunday 15 March 2009
Am I an Old Dog?
Following my recent surge into extreme Internet use, I have become very interested in building a website, writing code, and other such things that would be common place in the land of Geek!
As explained earlier, I am comfortable now with becoming a geek, and feel like I should embrace it, but in the background of my mind all I can think is, 'You can't teach an old dog new tricks'. Am I an old dog?
I am 29 years old, 30 in October. I graduated with a third class degree in chemistry 7 years ago, and since then have been restaurant manager for 5 years, and Technical Manager (Quality control etc) for the last 2. Am I too late to be jumping on the information technology 'Band Wagon'? Should I spend my evenings learning how to build websites and how to write code in C++?
On one hand I figure that even if it turns out that any new computing skills will never be used productively, then at least I could say that I'm learning. Growing!!
I foolishly bought a domain on Friday, richthemexican.co.uk, and now I have no idea what the hell I'm going to put on it. It seems that I jumped in, with my eyes closed, as now it seems that although I have the domain name, and simple email for that domain, I will have to pay to host it somewhere.
And this is my point! If I don't know these things already, am I too old to learn? Will I keep making decisions that will then back fire on me? I see the likes of Robert Scoble, (a man who I knew nothing about before I started tweeting) and his new job starting 'Building 43', and I just think, 'Why can't I do something like that?' There's such a great variety of ways of making money, on the Internet, but of course you need the right product. Can I supply the right product for the masses, and market it from richthemexican.co.uk?
I'm not sure! I guess I'll find out though, cos I find myself playing on the Internet now when my other half has gone to bed, and it seems to be website building that I'm searching, and not porn!
I guess all I can do is give it a go. Who knows? I might just get it right and make some money.
As explained earlier, I am comfortable now with becoming a geek, and feel like I should embrace it, but in the background of my mind all I can think is, 'You can't teach an old dog new tricks'. Am I an old dog?
I am 29 years old, 30 in October. I graduated with a third class degree in chemistry 7 years ago, and since then have been restaurant manager for 5 years, and Technical Manager (Quality control etc) for the last 2. Am I too late to be jumping on the information technology 'Band Wagon'? Should I spend my evenings learning how to build websites and how to write code in C++?
On one hand I figure that even if it turns out that any new computing skills will never be used productively, then at least I could say that I'm learning. Growing!!
I foolishly bought a domain on Friday, richthemexican.co.uk, and now I have no idea what the hell I'm going to put on it. It seems that I jumped in, with my eyes closed, as now it seems that although I have the domain name, and simple email for that domain, I will have to pay to host it somewhere.
And this is my point! If I don't know these things already, am I too old to learn? Will I keep making decisions that will then back fire on me? I see the likes of Robert Scoble, (a man who I knew nothing about before I started tweeting) and his new job starting 'Building 43', and I just think, 'Why can't I do something like that?' There's such a great variety of ways of making money, on the Internet, but of course you need the right product. Can I supply the right product for the masses, and market it from richthemexican.co.uk?
I'm not sure! I guess I'll find out though, cos I find myself playing on the Internet now when my other half has gone to bed, and it seems to be website building that I'm searching, and not porn!
I guess all I can do is give it a go. Who knows? I might just get it right and make some money.
Wednesday 11 February 2009
Becoming a Geek.
My GCSEs were all the Sciences, Maths, and IT. At A-level I opted for Chemistry, Biology and Maths. I then went on to study Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (and drinking) at Loughborough University. I know it shouldn’t come as a shock, and to many of you it’s pretty obvious, but I have just realised in that last 7 days , and at the age of 29…I am a Geek.
The realisation started early last Wednesday morning. I woke around 06:30 to the radio alarm clock. Claire had gone to tend to her horse 30 minutes earlier, and I was left listening to the Radio 1 breakfast show with Chris Moyles. The show started with the usual opening ‘Cheesy Song’, followed by the same usual 30 minutes of chat, before they break for the news and play a song. Listening to this first 30 minutes of broadcasting was, I think, my biggest mistake.
The subject of the conversation was ‘Twitter’, and here is from where I entered the downward spiral to ‘Geek-dom’.
Growing up I have enjoyed some of the latest technological revelations. Personal stereo cassettes players, Sony Discman, iPod photo, laptop computer, high speed broadband, but I thought that this was just interest in technology. Clearly I was wrong, or at least oblivious to the truth, and my first step to Geek-dom was signing up to ‘Twitter’.
It seemed pretty harmless. I can’t quite remember my first ‘mini-blog’, it was probably something along the lines of, “Just signed up to Twitter”, or some other equally boring drivel. Can’t actually admit to entering anything more interesting since then, but hey, I’m a Geek!!
So, I start to follow Chris Moyles, and get regular updates of what he’s up to. I realise he’s following Jonathan Ross, so I think, why not follow him too. I proceed to start following BBC News, Time online, some BBC Technology reporter, Lance Armstrong, Ewan McGregor, Stephen Fry, and suddenly I can’t seem to stop checking my Twitter account. What are the latest News stories? What has Lance Armstrong had for breakfast? Why is Stephen Fry going to Los Angeles?
Then I hear about Twhirl, and Tweetdeck, two of the many purpose built software packages designed to run independently of a web browser. I can upload my boring photos, taken on my camera phone with ease, using these programs. Oh my god, it’s taking over my life!
After only 2 day on Twitter, I was addicted. Now, I find myself looking what phone upgrades I can get, that support a mobile base Twitter supporting software, so I can 'Tweet' when out and about. Whilst doing this I find a phone on my network that supports Skype, last.fm, Facebook and can be used as a mobile broadband modem, for only an extra £5 per month. At this (and baring in mind that I have only been looking at this phone, and I am not aloud a free upgrade until August) makes it ‘essential’ for me to register for, and download, Skype.
Last night I was checking my Tweetdeck, as you do, and see a post from Rory Cellan-Jones (BBC Technology Reporter) saying that ‘Spotify’ is now available in the UK, to rival last.fm. Spotify? What’s Spotify? I have to find out!!!
3 hours later I had managed to download the Spotify software, register for free, create playlists of songs, spanning decades, streamed straight from the interweb. Listened to the new Lily Allen album, and Fleet Foxes EP. The catch, I found was that every so often, you have to listen to an advert, but who cares? It’s better than local radio, better songs, less adverts, and you can chose what you listen to. In fact, I may even go as far to say that it is better than iTunes! Maybe not, but at least all the new music is free!
And there you go. The realisation hit at about 19:00 on 10th February 2009. After 29 years and 4 months on this planet, I’ve realised I’m a Geek, and I think I can handle it. Realising you are a Geek before the age of 18 would be bad, but then you’d probably go on to be the founder of Microsoft or something similar, and be worth a fortune.
At least I’ve had a good crack at been a regular person. Seems I’ll have to cut all ties with real friends now, and only communicate electronically. If you’re reading this and think, “I never see Richard around anymore”, it’s probably because I’m speaking to someone on Skype, or listening to the new Franz Ferdinand album on Spotify, or just catching up with some other Geeks on Twitter.
So, come on! You know you want to! Ev’ryone else is doing it! Just try it! What’s the worst that could happen???
The realisation started early last Wednesday morning. I woke around 06:30 to the radio alarm clock. Claire had gone to tend to her horse 30 minutes earlier, and I was left listening to the Radio 1 breakfast show with Chris Moyles. The show started with the usual opening ‘Cheesy Song’, followed by the same usual 30 minutes of chat, before they break for the news and play a song. Listening to this first 30 minutes of broadcasting was, I think, my biggest mistake.
The subject of the conversation was ‘Twitter’, and here is from where I entered the downward spiral to ‘Geek-dom’.
Growing up I have enjoyed some of the latest technological revelations. Personal stereo cassettes players, Sony Discman, iPod photo, laptop computer, high speed broadband, but I thought that this was just interest in technology. Clearly I was wrong, or at least oblivious to the truth, and my first step to Geek-dom was signing up to ‘Twitter’.
It seemed pretty harmless. I can’t quite remember my first ‘mini-blog’, it was probably something along the lines of, “Just signed up to Twitter”, or some other equally boring drivel. Can’t actually admit to entering anything more interesting since then, but hey, I’m a Geek!!
So, I start to follow Chris Moyles, and get regular updates of what he’s up to. I realise he’s following Jonathan Ross, so I think, why not follow him too. I proceed to start following BBC News, Time online, some BBC Technology reporter, Lance Armstrong, Ewan McGregor, Stephen Fry, and suddenly I can’t seem to stop checking my Twitter account. What are the latest News stories? What has Lance Armstrong had for breakfast? Why is Stephen Fry going to Los Angeles?
Then I hear about Twhirl, and Tweetdeck, two of the many purpose built software packages designed to run independently of a web browser. I can upload my boring photos, taken on my camera phone with ease, using these programs. Oh my god, it’s taking over my life!
After only 2 day on Twitter, I was addicted. Now, I find myself looking what phone upgrades I can get, that support a mobile base Twitter supporting software, so I can 'Tweet' when out and about. Whilst doing this I find a phone on my network that supports Skype, last.fm, Facebook and can be used as a mobile broadband modem, for only an extra £5 per month. At this (and baring in mind that I have only been looking at this phone, and I am not aloud a free upgrade until August) makes it ‘essential’ for me to register for, and download, Skype.
Last night I was checking my Tweetdeck, as you do, and see a post from Rory Cellan-Jones (BBC Technology Reporter) saying that ‘Spotify’ is now available in the UK, to rival last.fm. Spotify? What’s Spotify? I have to find out!!!
3 hours later I had managed to download the Spotify software, register for free, create playlists of songs, spanning decades, streamed straight from the interweb. Listened to the new Lily Allen album, and Fleet Foxes EP. The catch, I found was that every so often, you have to listen to an advert, but who cares? It’s better than local radio, better songs, less adverts, and you can chose what you listen to. In fact, I may even go as far to say that it is better than iTunes! Maybe not, but at least all the new music is free!
And there you go. The realisation hit at about 19:00 on 10th February 2009. After 29 years and 4 months on this planet, I’ve realised I’m a Geek, and I think I can handle it. Realising you are a Geek before the age of 18 would be bad, but then you’d probably go on to be the founder of Microsoft or something similar, and be worth a fortune.
At least I’ve had a good crack at been a regular person. Seems I’ll have to cut all ties with real friends now, and only communicate electronically. If you’re reading this and think, “I never see Richard around anymore”, it’s probably because I’m speaking to someone on Skype, or listening to the new Franz Ferdinand album on Spotify, or just catching up with some other Geeks on Twitter.
So, come on! You know you want to! Ev’ryone else is doing it! Just try it! What’s the worst that could happen???
Monday 9 February 2009
Becoming an Uncle.
As I arrived a Low Moor bowling club, on 21st May 2008, I opened my car boot, and began to polish my 'Woods' with Grippo. My phone rang and it was Helen, my Sister, in a very excited mood. She informed me that she had taken a test, and that she was expecting a baby. I knew that this would come as a great relief to her, as they had been trying for over a year, and after settling down for a career as a High School Science Teacher, this was her next big goal.
My instructions were clear, although I was to be very excited about the whole thing, she had only shared this information with Me, being her Brother, Susan, soon to be Grandma, and Rodney, soon to be Dad. Any further spreading of the information was to be done solely by Herself, or Rodney. Which I suppose is fair enough.
In time friends got to know the fantastic news, who also became very excited. Talk of Babies was common place, and a rather overexcited Susan would be around Helen at every opportunity.
Christmas approached and the 'Bump' grew proportionately. Bigger and bigger. It's quite bizarre, actually, how the skin stretches (oh and Ladies? Bio Oil is apparently the way to stop getting stretch marks, so i hear).
And now it's February! The baby is 'Due' in 10 days. I'm NOW getting a little excited, because finally we're going to get to see 'It' (until the birth we don't know what sex the baby is, Helen wants it to be a surprise).
It's like opening a present you've been waiting for for Nine months. And one that will last you the rest of your life. You don't get bored of it!!!
Now, the whole problem with opening this present is the birth! I've seen 'Knocked Up', and quite frankly I could have done without seeing a shot of the Baby's head crowning. It just looks so painful. And not stretchy at all!
I don't have any children, and because of that I feel quite proud that I haven't inflicted such pain on anyone. I know it's meant to be a 'Beautiful Thing', but quite frankly, I'm gonna have to prepare myself for it! At least 5 or 10 years of prep may be required. But perhaps by then, I'll feel comfortable enough to say, "I don't want to be there for the birth!"
So... on or after (or before) the 19th February 2009 I will be come 'Uncle Richard', to a beautiful baby Niece or Nephew (as long as it gets it's looks from Helen). I can't wait and it can't come quickly enough. I can see me spoiling him/her rotten. It's the least I can do, 'cause I won't be changing any nappies!!!
My instructions were clear, although I was to be very excited about the whole thing, she had only shared this information with Me, being her Brother, Susan, soon to be Grandma, and Rodney, soon to be Dad. Any further spreading of the information was to be done solely by Herself, or Rodney. Which I suppose is fair enough.
In time friends got to know the fantastic news, who also became very excited. Talk of Babies was common place, and a rather overexcited Susan would be around Helen at every opportunity.
Christmas approached and the 'Bump' grew proportionately. Bigger and bigger. It's quite bizarre, actually, how the skin stretches (oh and Ladies? Bio Oil is apparently the way to stop getting stretch marks, so i hear).
And now it's February! The baby is 'Due' in 10 days. I'm NOW getting a little excited, because finally we're going to get to see 'It' (until the birth we don't know what sex the baby is, Helen wants it to be a surprise).
It's like opening a present you've been waiting for for Nine months. And one that will last you the rest of your life. You don't get bored of it!!!
Now, the whole problem with opening this present is the birth! I've seen 'Knocked Up', and quite frankly I could have done without seeing a shot of the Baby's head crowning. It just looks so painful. And not stretchy at all!
I don't have any children, and because of that I feel quite proud that I haven't inflicted such pain on anyone. I know it's meant to be a 'Beautiful Thing', but quite frankly, I'm gonna have to prepare myself for it! At least 5 or 10 years of prep may be required. But perhaps by then, I'll feel comfortable enough to say, "I don't want to be there for the birth!"
So... on or after (or before) the 19th February 2009 I will be come 'Uncle Richard', to a beautiful baby Niece or Nephew (as long as it gets it's looks from Helen). I can't wait and it can't come quickly enough. I can see me spoiling him/her rotten. It's the least I can do, 'cause I won't be changing any nappies!!!
Sunday 8 February 2009
I'm Lost...
So, whilst flying over the Pacific Ocean, Oceanic flight 815 crashed on what seemed to be a deserted
Island. 40+ passengers survived the crash and having been on a course from Sydney to LA decided that as they didn't really know where they were, they were Lost.
Well, it's Season 5 of the ever so confusing television show and quite frankly I'm Lost. Season 2 introduced the survivors of the tail of the plane, and also a man named Ben, who was pretending to be someone else. Many of these new people died.
Season 3 tried to introduce 'The Others', who look just like normal people, apart from Ben, who has creepy eyes. More of the original crash survivors were introduced, only to be (in one case) buried alive, whilst under the influence of spider venom which paralysed them, gutted!
Season 4 came round and gave every viewer the hope that they would one day get rescued, as there were helicopters and boats out at sea, which had people claiming to be there to help. They weren't. Well, not totally. They actually wanted the creepy eyed Ben. It concluded with 5 survivors, plus a baby (the Oceanic Six) getting off the Island in a Helicopter, the boat that was supposed to take them home blowing up, and the Island, after Ben turned what looked like a horizontal pirate ship steering wheel, seemed to disappear, leaving the helicopter no where to land, other than the ocean. Miraculously they were rescued, and the 'Cliff Hanger' at the end of the season, set 3 years after the escape, was that they had to get back to the Island.
Is everyone keeping up?
Season 5 began with a little hint that 'Exotic Matter' was responsible for the Island's power, and also the ability to be able to time travel. So now, 4 episodes in, the Island, along with all the survivors who were not luck enough to be part of the Oceanic Six, are now jumping from time to time, within what so far looks like the past 50 years, and maybe into the future. Ben wants to kill some guys daughter (Penny), because his (Ben's) daughter was killed by a mercenary, working for the other guy (Penny's Dad). Sun wants to kill Ben (creepy eyes), because he was responsible for Jin being blown up on the boat, however it now appears that Jin survived the blast, and is also jumping around in time.
Season 6??? I only hope that we find out the answers to all the questions asked by the program. The black smoke? How old is Richard? Why did Charles Widmore leave the Island? Why is John Locke so important? Do all the survivors have some connection? How did the original 'Others' get on the Island? What the hell is exotic matter? I'm sure there are more, and I'm excited to find out.
I love the show, and I can't wait for the next episode. I have a desire to finish what I started watching back in 2004, not only because J. J. Abrams has some amazing ideas for very interesting stories, but also because it's a show my Dad really enjoyed, but will now never get to see the conclusion of, so I'm watching it for him too.
So, I'll be tuning in next week. Same time (21:00), same channel (Sky 1), to see if they can baffle me further with smoke, and time travel, and Polar Bears, and The Others, and exotic matter, and the Dhama Initiative.
Bloody Hell, I'm Lost!!!
Island. 40+ passengers survived the crash and having been on a course from Sydney to LA decided that as they didn't really know where they were, they were Lost.
Well, it's Season 5 of the ever so confusing television show and quite frankly I'm Lost. Season 2 introduced the survivors of the tail of the plane, and also a man named Ben, who was pretending to be someone else. Many of these new people died.
Season 3 tried to introduce 'The Others', who look just like normal people, apart from Ben, who has creepy eyes. More of the original crash survivors were introduced, only to be (in one case) buried alive, whilst under the influence of spider venom which paralysed them, gutted!
Season 4 came round and gave every viewer the hope that they would one day get rescued, as there were helicopters and boats out at sea, which had people claiming to be there to help. They weren't. Well, not totally. They actually wanted the creepy eyed Ben. It concluded with 5 survivors, plus a baby (the Oceanic Six) getting off the Island in a Helicopter, the boat that was supposed to take them home blowing up, and the Island, after Ben turned what looked like a horizontal pirate ship steering wheel, seemed to disappear, leaving the helicopter no where to land, other than the ocean. Miraculously they were rescued, and the 'Cliff Hanger' at the end of the season, set 3 years after the escape, was that they had to get back to the Island.
Is everyone keeping up?
Season 5 began with a little hint that 'Exotic Matter' was responsible for the Island's power, and also the ability to be able to time travel. So now, 4 episodes in, the Island, along with all the survivors who were not luck enough to be part of the Oceanic Six, are now jumping from time to time, within what so far looks like the past 50 years, and maybe into the future. Ben wants to kill some guys daughter (Penny), because his (Ben's) daughter was killed by a mercenary, working for the other guy (Penny's Dad). Sun wants to kill Ben (creepy eyes), because he was responsible for Jin being blown up on the boat, however it now appears that Jin survived the blast, and is also jumping around in time.
Season 6??? I only hope that we find out the answers to all the questions asked by the program. The black smoke? How old is Richard? Why did Charles Widmore leave the Island? Why is John Locke so important? Do all the survivors have some connection? How did the original 'Others' get on the Island? What the hell is exotic matter? I'm sure there are more, and I'm excited to find out.
I love the show, and I can't wait for the next episode. I have a desire to finish what I started watching back in 2004, not only because J. J. Abrams has some amazing ideas for very interesting stories, but also because it's a show my Dad really enjoyed, but will now never get to see the conclusion of, so I'm watching it for him too.
So, I'll be tuning in next week. Same time (21:00), same channel (Sky 1), to see if they can baffle me further with smoke, and time travel, and Polar Bears, and The Others, and exotic matter, and the Dhama Initiative.
Bloody Hell, I'm Lost!!!
Saturday 7 February 2009
My First Blog
This will just be a short post, because it's Saturday night, my dinner is nearly cooked, and my brain has only really begun to work since filling it with alcohol last night at a friends 30th birthday.
This blogging thing is quite exciting, and very geeky. A collection of individuals, probably many thousands, more likely millions, who believe that their personal outlook on the world would be interesting enough to publish on the interweb for all to view, read and comment on. I don't believe for a second that my blog will be more or less interesting than the next person's, but simply something for me to look back on in years to come, and remember what I was doing at six o'clock on Saturday 7th February 2009.
I'd like to think that my life, thoughts and everything inbetween will be interesting, but I suppose everybody hopes that about their own work. Nobody wants to waste their time pretending to be able to type, so that no one will ever read it, and subsequently define it as a waste of time. I hope that my posts will be amusing, and get a few people tuning in to what comes out of my head, and dribbles out onto the keyboard. Stephen Fry can do it. Maybe I can go on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, and tell everyone that I Twitter? Which will hopefully bring up my followers from 7 (one of which is my Mum, one is a news feed, and two others aren't real people) to a number considerably more.
So, here goes. To the future of blogging, twittering and all the other ways of letting people, probably nobody, know what you were thinking on this day at this time. I can't wait.
This blogging thing is quite exciting, and very geeky. A collection of individuals, probably many thousands, more likely millions, who believe that their personal outlook on the world would be interesting enough to publish on the interweb for all to view, read and comment on. I don't believe for a second that my blog will be more or less interesting than the next person's, but simply something for me to look back on in years to come, and remember what I was doing at six o'clock on Saturday 7th February 2009.
I'd like to think that my life, thoughts and everything inbetween will be interesting, but I suppose everybody hopes that about their own work. Nobody wants to waste their time pretending to be able to type, so that no one will ever read it, and subsequently define it as a waste of time. I hope that my posts will be amusing, and get a few people tuning in to what comes out of my head, and dribbles out onto the keyboard. Stephen Fry can do it. Maybe I can go on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, and tell everyone that I Twitter? Which will hopefully bring up my followers from 7 (one of which is my Mum, one is a news feed, and two others aren't real people) to a number considerably more.
So, here goes. To the future of blogging, twittering and all the other ways of letting people, probably nobody, know what you were thinking on this day at this time. I can't wait.
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