So I am another year older. Wiser, probably not. So yes, I am now 38 years old. That has to be classed as middle aged right? But the thing for me is that I haven't really grown up. Well, that has to stop, at some stage we all have to grow up. We all have to face the fact that if we are climbing the hill, we are at the top or on the other side and the long slow climb down.
So today is the day after my birthday. A quiet birthday. Mostly due to my own actions, in not actually telling people about it. I spent the evening with my parents and my best friend. A sign I am getting older...sure. But also a sign that ever so slowly I am growing up. Accepting that there is more to life than how I have been living.
But the beauty of each day, each week and each year is that we can draw a line under the past and start again, focus on what we need to do going forward. And this is what we are going to do. I have to focus more on my work, have to focus more on my health and focus more on my lifestyle. And that is where this starts.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Friday, August 29, 2014
A new member of the family
I don't understand people sometimes. I came home the other day to find my neighbours had cleared out. Not unusual, as they were council tennants and had a little drinking problem. They had dumped their "crap" (for want of a better phrase) outside in the rain. I wouldn't have taken much interest, but they had thrown out a battered hamster cage. I was looking to see if there was anything that I could salvage for my own Hamster. That was when I heard a screeching. If anyone has ever had a scared hamster, the screech is a horrid sound, you know that it is terrified.
Me being me I had to investigate, surely they hadn't just thrown out their hamster, but they had :( In a box I found the tiniest dwarf hamster I had ever seen. She (for it is a she) couldn't have been more than a few weeks old.
To give you a sense of scale, that is my little finger. She is tiny and was shaking so much. I had a spare cage so I filled it with lots of sawdust and bedding and set up a small hiding house for her and let her out into it. She just sat there, shaking, terrified. One of the hardest things was to not reach out and stroke her. She was scared enough without this huge finger pointing at her.
So I left her, covered the cage after making sure she had plenty of food and water. The following day, nothing. I heard some scratchings, but didn't see her at all. I asked on Facebook for a name...and Hope came back. She has hope, so it is a fitting name :)
Today, well she still shakes, but she is getting more and more adventurous. She has been out running around her wheel and exploring her cage a little bit more.
She found some celery that I had left at the bottom of the ramp to the upper levels.
Me being me I had to investigate, surely they hadn't just thrown out their hamster, but they had :( In a box I found the tiniest dwarf hamster I had ever seen. She (for it is a she) couldn't have been more than a few weeks old.
To give you a sense of scale, that is my little finger. She is tiny and was shaking so much. I had a spare cage so I filled it with lots of sawdust and bedding and set up a small hiding house for her and let her out into it. She just sat there, shaking, terrified. One of the hardest things was to not reach out and stroke her. She was scared enough without this huge finger pointing at her.
So I left her, covered the cage after making sure she had plenty of food and water. The following day, nothing. I heard some scratchings, but didn't see her at all. I asked on Facebook for a name...and Hope came back. She has hope, so it is a fitting name :)
Today, well she still shakes, but she is getting more and more adventurous. She has been out running around her wheel and exploring her cage a little bit more.
She found some celery that I had left at the bottom of the ramp to the upper levels.
Now if only I could eat this way. She actually fell asleep in her food bowl for a few minutes.
And she certainly enjoys a drink
So hope is still very shy, and still a little bit scared, but seems to be getting used to her new home.
Monday, July 28, 2014
Some people are just idiots
Yes folks, the Darwin awards are well and truly alive. And if by this morning's journey to work is anything to go by, they will have a few new entries this year.
Picture the scene...early morning...a Monday...a motorway, the busiest in the UK network. And rain, not just a gentle misty rain, but torrential, non-stop rain. The road was awash with the rainfall and visibility was almost non-existent.
And then along he came. His silver Porsche, side-lights on in the low visibility and yes, you guessed it...no more Porsche. He was going too fast.
And so, Darwin awards winner...quite possibly
Picture the scene...early morning...a Monday...a motorway, the busiest in the UK network. And rain, not just a gentle misty rain, but torrential, non-stop rain. The road was awash with the rainfall and visibility was almost non-existent.
And then along he came. His silver Porsche, side-lights on in the low visibility and yes, you guessed it...no more Porsche. He was going too fast.
And so, Darwin awards winner...quite possibly
Sunday, July 27, 2014
The Un (Social) Network
Firstly let me lay my cards on the table. I love the idea of social media. I am probably one of those people who thought that the original internet talkers were the first versions of the Social Media that we see before us today. If only we had kept on plugging away on the ew-too talker code, maybe we could have created the first Facebook :)
In many ways, social media is great. It allows friends and family to keep in touch over great distances. It allows groups of like minded people to share content and ideas. It allows campaign groups to quickly gather followers, visibility and momentum. It can be a great force for good. But as with everything there is a negative side to it.
If anyone has used Facebook there are some common themes that emerge during status updates:
1. I'm having a clear-out of my friends list. Now before I start on this one, there are genuine reasons for cleaning up friends lists. But there is also the other side of this which is the person screaming out for attention in the form of "please don't delete me. I know I have been crap at keeping in touch, but I will work hard on it" responses. For me the great temptation is to say "ok delete me...I will cope some how"
2. "I am fed up with..." Not actually giving any details. The classic passive aggressive post. The post that demands attention. That wants and craves it and more often than not the response from the original poster is an even more cryptic response.
3. "I'm deleting my account.." Again another classic post to illicit a response. Please stay. I woul dmiss you if you were gone. The number of people that say they are deleting their accounts and yet are back within a few weeks is awfully high.
4. The Dual Account. They have two accounts. The reason, to keep things secret from some people. If you don't want people knowing...don't add them as friends. Facebook and other social media sites are not popularity contests.
So my suggesting, use it as you would see fit. If people upset you, they do that. They have been doing that for years before today and will continue to do it for years in the future.
In many ways, social media is great. It allows friends and family to keep in touch over great distances. It allows groups of like minded people to share content and ideas. It allows campaign groups to quickly gather followers, visibility and momentum. It can be a great force for good. But as with everything there is a negative side to it.
If anyone has used Facebook there are some common themes that emerge during status updates:
1. I'm having a clear-out of my friends list. Now before I start on this one, there are genuine reasons for cleaning up friends lists. But there is also the other side of this which is the person screaming out for attention in the form of "please don't delete me. I know I have been crap at keeping in touch, but I will work hard on it" responses. For me the great temptation is to say "ok delete me...I will cope some how"
2. "I am fed up with..." Not actually giving any details. The classic passive aggressive post. The post that demands attention. That wants and craves it and more often than not the response from the original poster is an even more cryptic response.
3. "I'm deleting my account.." Again another classic post to illicit a response. Please stay. I woul dmiss you if you were gone. The number of people that say they are deleting their accounts and yet are back within a few weeks is awfully high.
4. The Dual Account. They have two accounts. The reason, to keep things secret from some people. If you don't want people knowing...don't add them as friends. Facebook and other social media sites are not popularity contests.
So my suggesting, use it as you would see fit. If people upset you, they do that. They have been doing that for years before today and will continue to do it for years in the future.
Monday, July 7, 2014
Hearthstone - An Introduction
I have to admit I have never been a massive fan of card collection games. The only card games I have played have been poker, blackjack, bridge and the like. But watching one of my favourite YouTube channels, TotalBiscuit, I discovered the wonder that is Hearthstone.
Yes it is based on World of Warcraft, and I am an Everquest 2 player. But as a card trading game, it has something that keeps me interested.
So how does it work? Well it is a simple premise, collect cards, build decks and battle on a simple platform against real opposition. Sounds simple right?
Sign up and challenge away
Yes it is based on World of Warcraft, and I am an Everquest 2 player. But as a card trading game, it has something that keeps me interested.
So how does it work? Well it is a simple premise, collect cards, build decks and battle on a simple platform against real opposition. Sounds simple right?
So what makes this game a challenge? Well, first and foremost it is strategic. You need to understand your own cards, how they can be played together, and also the potential cards that each playing class could have in their hands.
The game can be made as easy as you like. Spend the money, buy the cards and you can easily beat any opponent. However for a real challenge you need to build your deck from scratch.
The Basics
There are 9 character classes. Each class has their own hero ability
- Warrior
- Shaman
- Rogue
- Paladin
- Hunter
- Druid
- Warlock
- Mage
- Priest
Over the next few weeks I will go through each of these character classes as we delve deeper into the game that is Hearthstone
Getting the Game
The game is free to play and can be downloaded from the following location
Sign up and challenge away
Sometimes it just hurts
Fighting.
You make one stupid mistake in the heat of the moment and it feels like your entire world comes crashing down. I know he is going through a lot, but sometimes making me feel like crap isn't going to help.
And yes I feel like crap. And I know it won't go away.
You make one stupid mistake in the heat of the moment and it feels like your entire world comes crashing down. I know he is going through a lot, but sometimes making me feel like crap isn't going to help.
And yes I feel like crap. And I know it won't go away.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Bowls: South Ockendon (Home)
So another season has started. And I can tell you, a few hours after the game ended I am starting to ache a little bit. It is the first game, but my core is hurting. I know I am out of shape, not prepared enough but that is the same every season. But then again I am playing against people in their 60s and 70s and even older. So I shouldn't really be complaining.
The rinks are looking good (and so they should). The team who look after them have worked hard over the winter, taking the grass back, re-seeding and treating the grass to produce this beautiful green surface. As the season goes on patches will appear (and even our local friendly fox will leave his mark on the greens).
And before anyone makes a comment, yes Bowls in this country is played mostly by retired people, but in places such as Australia it is a young person's sport. It is a game of skill, of hand/eye co-ordination and luck.
We had 4 rinks today, each with 4 players from each side. 2 bowls each. The game is simple, get your bowls as close to the white jack as possible. The more bowls your team gets closer to the jack, the more points you score. So in a single end, the maximum you could score is 8 points.
Today we were playing South Ockendon. Last season we went to them on the opening day of the season and it was bitterly cold. We had rain, hail and icy wind. Today the sun shone. It wasn't as warm as it will be later in the season, but for a first weekend it was warm enough.
21 ends later and our rink had secured a victory 17 to 13, however overall the club lost 59-75. Not so close, but still the first game of the season so not a bad result.
And on a positive note. For the first time in 2 seasons I played, and both of my parents played in the same match. That for me was the most special part of the day.
And next weekend, I am playing Saturday and Sunday. Bring it one :)
The rinks are looking good (and so they should). The team who look after them have worked hard over the winter, taking the grass back, re-seeding and treating the grass to produce this beautiful green surface. As the season goes on patches will appear (and even our local friendly fox will leave his mark on the greens).
And before anyone makes a comment, yes Bowls in this country is played mostly by retired people, but in places such as Australia it is a young person's sport. It is a game of skill, of hand/eye co-ordination and luck.
We had 4 rinks today, each with 4 players from each side. 2 bowls each. The game is simple, get your bowls as close to the white jack as possible. The more bowls your team gets closer to the jack, the more points you score. So in a single end, the maximum you could score is 8 points.
Today we were playing South Ockendon. Last season we went to them on the opening day of the season and it was bitterly cold. We had rain, hail and icy wind. Today the sun shone. It wasn't as warm as it will be later in the season, but for a first weekend it was warm enough.
21 ends later and our rink had secured a victory 17 to 13, however overall the club lost 59-75. Not so close, but still the first game of the season so not a bad result.
And on a positive note. For the first time in 2 seasons I played, and both of my parents played in the same match. That for me was the most special part of the day.
And next weekend, I am playing Saturday and Sunday. Bring it one :)
Saturday, January 18, 2014
And So it begins
Well they say the first step is always the hardest. So I made the first step and posted a recipe on food blog. Makes a change and feels quite good, to actually post something and not just have the idea in my head. I know there is a long way to go, but for every journey begins with that first step. So I made the first step.
My first post is over here
With another one scheduled to go up in an hour or so. I know the layout is not brilliant, but that is the next thing that I am working on. But as they say, it is always a first step and we have to make these to ensure that we can keep moving forward.
So we make the step...where each step leads us we are not always going to know, but we have to make those first steps to begin our journeys.
My first post is over here
With another one scheduled to go up in an hour or so. I know the layout is not brilliant, but that is the next thing that I am working on. But as they say, it is always a first step and we have to make these to ensure that we can keep moving forward.
So we make the step...where each step leads us we are not always going to know, but we have to make those first steps to begin our journeys.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Another week over
12th January 2014
Another week has passed and a new week is about to start. But on the plus side I want for a walk this morning. Nothing to major, just over 2 miles and definitely not at any great pace. But enough to get me out of the house and doing some form of exercise.
I think that is one of my problems. If I don't do anything I get depressed and angry at myself for not doing anything. But I also seem to have to psych myself up to actually get round to doing anything. So this morning, despite the fact it was cold, I went for a walk. And I felt better for it, I know I have a lot to- do to turn my life around, but the fact that I have made a start feels good.
So some things to point out. My current situation didn't happen over night, it happened over the course of many years. So it won't be fixed over night. It will take time, patience and a lot of work, but if that is what it will take then that is what I will have to do.
Music choice is the same as last week, mostly because it is raining and I haven't chosen anything for this week.
On other good news my Dad is getting better and better each day. He is still not eating fully but is having some soup and this is a massive step forward.
Another week has passed and a new week is about to start. But on the plus side I want for a walk this morning. Nothing to major, just over 2 miles and definitely not at any great pace. But enough to get me out of the house and doing some form of exercise.
I think that is one of my problems. If I don't do anything I get depressed and angry at myself for not doing anything. But I also seem to have to psych myself up to actually get round to doing anything. So this morning, despite the fact it was cold, I went for a walk. And I felt better for it, I know I have a lot to- do to turn my life around, but the fact that I have made a start feels good.
So some things to point out. My current situation didn't happen over night, it happened over the course of many years. So it won't be fixed over night. It will take time, patience and a lot of work, but if that is what it will take then that is what I will have to do.
Music choice is the same as last week, mostly because it is raining and I haven't chosen anything for this week.
On other good news my Dad is getting better and better each day. He is still not eating fully but is having some soup and this is a massive step forward.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Music Choices for the Week
So we are into the first full week of the new year, time to change the CDs over in my car. In many ways I am lucky, I have a large collection of CDs (although I will admit that some of them are spread through my flat in boxes. One of my projects for the year is to both finally sort my collection out, correctly catalogue it and rip everything to MP3 so that I can listen to it all on my iPod.
So each week, as part of this I will be sorting through my collection and choosing 6 CDs to put into my multi-disk player in the car. And here are my choices for the first week of the year
Very Best of the 90's
Worryingly I can only find one of the CDs for this. The other one will be somewhere I am sure of it. For me the 90s was about school, college and University. The music got me through the late night studying. So listening to this album brings back the memories of those times.
Megadeth - Countdown to Extinction
This was the first ever Metal album I listened to. And holds some great memories for me. I was at secondary school at the time and it did feel a little bit rebellious to be in the school choir and love metal. Highlight for me is the Symphony of Destruction, the pounding guitar anthems and heavy beat.
Michael Jackson - Thriller
Yes a classic album. Personally I don't think anyone will ever match him at his height in terms of popularity. He was a little strange, but there is no doubting his absolute skill at music and performing. The reason for choosing this album, I have been playing GTA Vice City this weekend and his music kept playing on the in game radio. So it became an obvious choice.
Transcendental Euphoria - Various Artists
I love the Euphoria series of albums, and have them all. The mix of music often throws up unexpected favourites. This album and its counterpart 2nd CD are more relaxed than some are. For me the perfect chill out albums, perfect for the drive home each evening.
The Very Best of Euphoric Dance Breakdown Ibiza
More upbeat and uplifting music. Again from times at university where I was either studying or spending time in Middlesborough. Double album so this completes the selection of CDs for this week.
And so off to work tomorrow. For a lot of people it will be their first day back after the Christmas/New Year break (seems like ages ago). It will be a day where very little work will get done by some people. They will spend the day catching up, explaining how wonderful their Christmas/New Year was, how much they ate/drank/spent and how many wonderful presents they got. For me..back to work with a to-do list as long as my arm.
So each week, as part of this I will be sorting through my collection and choosing 6 CDs to put into my multi-disk player in the car. And here are my choices for the first week of the year
Very Best of the 90's
Worryingly I can only find one of the CDs for this. The other one will be somewhere I am sure of it. For me the 90s was about school, college and University. The music got me through the late night studying. So listening to this album brings back the memories of those times.
Megadeth - Countdown to Extinction
This was the first ever Metal album I listened to. And holds some great memories for me. I was at secondary school at the time and it did feel a little bit rebellious to be in the school choir and love metal. Highlight for me is the Symphony of Destruction, the pounding guitar anthems and heavy beat.
Michael Jackson - Thriller
Yes a classic album. Personally I don't think anyone will ever match him at his height in terms of popularity. He was a little strange, but there is no doubting his absolute skill at music and performing. The reason for choosing this album, I have been playing GTA Vice City this weekend and his music kept playing on the in game radio. So it became an obvious choice.
Transcendental Euphoria - Various Artists
I love the Euphoria series of albums, and have them all. The mix of music often throws up unexpected favourites. This album and its counterpart 2nd CD are more relaxed than some are. For me the perfect chill out albums, perfect for the drive home each evening.
The Very Best of Euphoric Dance Breakdown Ibiza
More upbeat and uplifting music. Again from times at university where I was either studying or spending time in Middlesborough. Double album so this completes the selection of CDs for this week.
And so off to work tomorrow. For a lot of people it will be their first day back after the Christmas/New Year break (seems like ages ago). It will be a day where very little work will get done by some people. They will spend the day catching up, explaining how wonderful their Christmas/New Year was, how much they ate/drank/spent and how many wonderful presents they got. For me..back to work with a to-do list as long as my arm.
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Wasted Saturdays?
Is there such a thing as a wasted Saturday?
I had big plans for today, but the reality is that I have sat here at the desk for most of it, making notes, playing games and generally doing very little. But that is what weekends are for isn't it, relaxing and unwinding?
The weather is pretty awful outside, so I don't fancy going for a walk. So I am just sat here working on ideas. The basic form of my food website is coming together. I have the layout and ideas for the logo and headings. Also a plan for the content and have even started to write some of the content.
For me this is about doing something for me. I could be pig-headed and say that I am going to create the greatest food website on the planet, but that would be wrong. The site is for me.
I have also started to put together some other ideas. Ideas for things to do, changes to make. Just me starting to put things together...and it is only the fourth day of the year.
I had big plans for today, but the reality is that I have sat here at the desk for most of it, making notes, playing games and generally doing very little. But that is what weekends are for isn't it, relaxing and unwinding?
The weather is pretty awful outside, so I don't fancy going for a walk. So I am just sat here working on ideas. The basic form of my food website is coming together. I have the layout and ideas for the logo and headings. Also a plan for the content and have even started to write some of the content.
For me this is about doing something for me. I could be pig-headed and say that I am going to create the greatest food website on the planet, but that would be wrong. The site is for me.
I have also started to put together some other ideas. Ideas for things to do, changes to make. Just me starting to put things together...and it is only the fourth day of the year.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
And so it begins
So here we are again, the start of another year and frankly, looking out of the window, the weather has not improved much since last year. It has been raining pretty much all day, and the grass outside of my flat is starting to represent a swampland. I wouldn't be surprised if, in a few minutes, an alligator swims past my window.
And as the darkness falls I find myself sitting here, writing a blog post, similar to one that I have written on many occasions in the past. Someone posted an image on my Facebook wall yesterday, the quote read something like the following
And I think that is what I am going to do. I don't make resolutions as I find they are too easy to either break, or modify for your own purposes. Instead I am working on a plan, for the first time in a while. A plan to make those changes that we all need to make to ensure we live a happier and fuller lives.
Sometimes I look around at the people around me and think that they all have more in their life than I do. Rather than do something about this, I just kept getting more and more down about it, and the reality is, lives always look better from the other side.
So we start afresh, with this plan. And staying focused is the key thing. Remembering what is important and why it is important is what should drive us forward. So a couple of guiding principles to start with
And as the darkness falls I find myself sitting here, writing a blog post, similar to one that I have written on many occasions in the past. Someone posted an image on my Facebook wall yesterday, the quote read something like the following
"Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one"
And I think that is what I am going to do. I don't make resolutions as I find they are too easy to either break, or modify for your own purposes. Instead I am working on a plan, for the first time in a while. A plan to make those changes that we all need to make to ensure we live a happier and fuller lives.
Sometimes I look around at the people around me and think that they all have more in their life than I do. Rather than do something about this, I just kept getting more and more down about it, and the reality is, lives always look better from the other side.
So we start afresh, with this plan. And staying focused is the key thing. Remembering what is important and why it is important is what should drive us forward. So a couple of guiding principles to start with
- Save money (i.e. stop wasting it on things that are not important
- Don't worry about what others are doing, focus on those who are important to me and what is important to me.
- Start work towards my plan :)
2013 was a bit of a crap year, not just for myself and my family, but for others around me as well. I see some of my closest friends struggling, mostly through no fault of their own. And I just want to help them, but am in no real position to do so at the moment.
As I said, things have to change
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