NaNoWriMo? No!

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 ~ 7 comments so far

I’d love to.

I really would.

Every year that rolls around finds me considering it.

Every year I start to jot down notes (where do you think one man tales came from?).

Every year I visit the website, and get excited at the thought.

Every year I think, yeah I COULD do that.

Every year I think, maybe I SHOULD do that.

Every year I think, maybe that’s just what I need.

Every year I think, yes, this is the year. I will do it!

But I won’t.

Not this year.

I just don’t have the time (such a lame excuse, really).

Even if I was to promise myself to MAKE the time.

I wouldn’t.

I SHOULD.

If it really meant that much to me I would.

But I won’t.

Maybe next year.

Maybe.

Will you?

It never rains…

Sunday, October 25, 2009 ~ 7 comments so far

Some time around 1am this morning there was a loud bang from downstairs when the kitchen ceiling got fed up trying to hold up a big pool of water, choosing to dump it, and several bits of the ceiling all over the kitchen below.

It seems that, after all the hassle and faffing with the cistern, there has been a leak in the bathroom. We did hear a couple of drips yesterday, but they had stopped (replaced, I presume, with a steady leak).

We mopped up, turned the water off and phoned the insurance company, they took our details and said they’d get someone to phone between 8am and 9am. Which, of course, didn’t happen. So I phoned them and was told someone would phone me soon, which they did (funny how that works) only to tell us that the guy in our area had phoned in sick, so it’ll be tomorrow before he can come out.

So we’ve got the heater on in the kitchen to dry it out as much as we can (it’s doing the job well) and just when I’d started to relax I heard a dripping noise. Yup, it looks like the flashing around the porch is leaking again, despite being replaced last year.

Frankly I’m of a mind to get all this fixed then sell this bloody place as it’s been nothing but hassle (I’d burn it down but it’s too damp). We did get this house very cheap because it needed work but this constant worrying about money is getting really really old.

Right now, at this moment

Friday, October 23, 2009 ~ 2 comments so far

I’m trying to catch up on a few bands I’ve heard mention of over the past month.

I’m pondering switching from dark maroon to blue.

I’m still faffing with Yahoo Pipes (which power this).

I’m writing up a proposal for a “community website” for a professional organisation I’m a member of (the ISTC).

I’m drafting blog posts sparked by conversations with some fellow professionals last night, one of which is “How I use Twitter”.

I’m slowly getting my gym mojo back, and quiet pleased that I’ve not put on any weight in the past two weeks (not lost any either but that’s a different story).

I’m planning ahead for the next couple of months, and wondering how to tackle some stuff in the New Year.

I’m laughing at the cat who is sleeping in a cardboard box next to me and who is snoring.

I’m remembering we are going out tonight and need to order some pizza to take with us (that was the deal, we’ll bring pizza, they provide beer).

I’m mostly daydreaming and wasting time when I should be having a quick shower and getting changed for tonight.

I’m wondering if I should even post this at all, as it’s a feeble excuse for a blog post and I had promised myself I’d do better.

Fuck it.

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble

Tuesday, October 20, 2009 ~ 1 comment so far

I’m always wary when I attend a gig by chance, having not heard any music from the artist in question. So when 10 guys bounced on stage, brass instruments reflecting the stage lights, and announced they were here to “make some motherfucking noise”… well I was even more confused.

Then they started to play and it all clicked into place.

Underpinned by heavy hiphop influenced beats (delivered from an American Euphonium), the trombones and trumpets soon picked out some … yeah.. hypnotic melodies. As the band members sway and spin in time to the music, it’s hard not to match their movements.

But the real key to their live act was the interaction with the audience, whipping us up between tracks, call outs and yells, reminding us that these guys know how to party, and when they started dropping lyrics with some slick rapping leading into and out of some of the track, the place went nuts.

Having such a hugely enthusiastic band, producing a booming, throbbing groove in such a small place is always a recipe for success, the energy was tangible and I was booging and swaying along without even realising. All too soon they were finishing up.

I picked up their CD on the way out and unfortunately the production isn’t great, losing all that booming bass, but this is a band that you DEFINITELY want to catch live, and the magic of the internets allows me to provide this video from Glastonbury this year to give you a flavour:

Yearly Ritual

Saturday, October 17, 2009 ~ 7 comments so far

I have a ritual on mornings like this. I wake up with a level of excitement, take a deep breath to steady myself, get up and walk calmly to the window.

I throw open the curtains, don’t worry I don’t ALWAYS sleep naked so the chances of my dangling bits being on show are minimal, and as my my pupils dilate as they adjust to the sudden change of light, I peer out into the street below.

Typically there isn’t much going on. I might see our cat heading off for another adventure, or the local squirrel foraging for the last nuts of the year (remember I’m usually clothed, and anyway he isn’t allowed into the house), or perhaps one of the neighbours is out walking their dog. Basically take your own suburban scenario, the run of the mill morning activities of fetching in the milk, or going to buy a paper, that is what is playing outside of my window. Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing different, nothing new.

This ritual of mine only occurs on two days of the year, and I’ve long past the point where I’m surprised by what I see.

The simple fact is that I enjoy this silly little ritual, for most rituals are silly, aren’t they, when you step back from them they are a series of utterly pointless actions but, as a whole they recognise that the entire point of the ritual is important to you (which also allows for the rituals to be based around silly and pointless things themselves). This applies to the ‘superstitious’ sportswomen who must always put on her left sock before her right, or the businessman pausing to inhale his coffee before taking that first sip of the morning. Both are ritualistic and in their own way rather silly, but to the person who has initiated the ritual they are important and have far deeper a meaning than is obvious to the observer.

I mention all of this as a way to deflect from the true nature of what I was going to say, in short, I digress.

This very morning I followed the same pattern as I always do on this day of the year. I woke up and, upon realising the day, I smiled to myself and levered myself into a sitting position. I took a deep breath and got up. I walked slowly and calmly to the window, reached up and took hold of the curtains. Another deep breath was taken and as my lungs reached maximum capacity (this is an important detail of this ritual), I flung the curtains open, and looked down and out into the street.

And, once more, for the 36th year running, THERE WAS NO FUCKING FERRARI SITTING IN THE DRIVE!!!

I exhaled noisily and go back bed.

Happy fuckin birthday to me.

The Drugs Work

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 ~ 2 comments so far

On Monday evening we got home to a slightly limping cat. He had a sore paw which we really didn’t want us to touch, and was generally moping about feeling sorry for himself. He seemed a bit better yesterday morning so we left him to it and went to work.

However when we got home last night he was limping heavily and his paw and leg were starting to look swollen so it was off to the emergency vet where he got a couple of injections, an anti-biotic to fight any infection and an anti-inflammatory to help with the pain and keep the swelling down.

He was a bit groggy when we got home so we pulled his bed into the living room, and put his food within easy reach. He had a wee nibble at some of his food and then fell asleep.

We were told to try and keep him calm and not let him go out for the night, which wasn’t a big issue as he ended up sleeping through until morning. He will be back at the vet later today, but he was up and about without much of a limp this morning.

Instructions and ethics

Tuesday, October 13, 2009 ~ Comments Off

Two things are currently making me GRRRRRRRR quite a bit. One is a minor annoyance that crops up frequently, the other a fairly fundamental gripe with a certain profession.

In reverse order then, my main gripe is with the current batch of moaning politicians who are saying that it isn’t fair that they are having to pay back monies claimed because the rules have been changed and … well it’s just not fair. Cue stomping of feet and many huffing noises (no, not that kind of huffing), like the spoilt children they are.

Now, don’t get me wrong, it is slightly unfair to change the rules NOW and apply them retrospectively. I get that. The thing is, regardless of any rules, if we are all honest we’ve all broken a few rules in our time and WE KNOW WE ARE DOING IT.

So whilst they may have been able to claim for redecorating their kitchen in this seasons fashion, or getting that custom bookcase built to store their precious historical parchments, deep down they must’ve known they were taking the piss.

If they didn’t then it’s worse still, they are completely immoral.

So, yes changing the rules isn’t fair, and whilst I might try and claim a few extra pounds for a taxi ride here and there (on my yearly trip outside of the office), I wouldn’t think “you know what, it’d be much quicker to hire a helicopter, so I’ll do that” and presume that that was ok.

My company, like most, will pay for your dinner if you are away on business. I COULD order caviar, lobster, the finest champagne and finish off with half a bottle of exclusive brandy. I don’t though because that’s just taking the piss. Yes there are other reasons, ones I would like to see reflected back on to the way politicians expense claims work, such as having the knowledge that ultimately I’m spending my own money (the company pays me after all), but ultimately I am presumed to be professional about these things.

Shame we can’t say the same for our politicians.

Ohh and that other thing? Well it’s about places listing ADDRESSES on their website but forgetting that I don’t know what the building is like, nor the fact it’s one door with unclear signage above it. A photo of the premises would help LOADS!

Phew. That feels better.