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Happy Smiley People

2011-12-18T21:47:00.006Z

".... Shiny happy people having fun...." REM

Oh thank the Lord for happy people! Where would we be without these unbelievably cheery people to help us on our way? They have unlocked the secret code to lifelong inner smiliness, contentness and happiness.

I decided to join the merry crusade earlier this year. Yes me, the non conformist! After a year of being surrounded by problem seeking, issue stating, concerned about bloody everything in the world manic tribes, enough was enough!

I now see a world full of hope, full of wonder, full of mountains ready to be climbed again :)

Yay! to the happy people!!

National Me Day

2011-03-05T23:53:00.009Z

Today is the day when all us people out there, say enough is enough, and have a have a National Day dedicated to our selves. Yes lets celebrate National Me Day. We deserve it. Lets get to know ourselves again today. Lets do it for us.

Forget the 100 and 10 things that have been piling up, burn the To Do list, say "whatever" to the system. Today of all days, just listen to the Me voice that says " You deserve a Me day"

Well, I thought about this, I thought about that; deep into contemplation considering the relative merits of life, the universe and my top priority of whether to go for another cup of tea with a custard cream, when a package noisly landed on the mat. It was a package containing a book. Some kind soul had passed a book to us as part of National Book Night. " All quiet on the Western Front" I have never read this book, but I shall read it. I hear its quite a famous book and quite a deep book too. Needs a long train journey to do it proper justice, methinks.

Its strange but when I look back now on my Me day, I acheived more of the jobs I had put off for ages. I finally replaced a broken floorboard in the living room, I finally put rubber feet on that "dangerous" stool in the kitchen, I finally got the right driver for the printer loaded and on the list went.
Strange thing is I really enjoyed myself getting all these tasks done. An unfamilar feeling of acheivement came over me.

Lets all dunk an custard creme and celebrate National Me Day!

Lifes but a Stage!

2011-02-05T22:02:00.011Z

"All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages"
- William Shakespeare

Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, Linkedin have now become our new, modern international stages. The mega arenas where we unashamedly, without faulter, launch ourselves upon a suspecting world wide audience. Every day of the week, 24 x 7, you can find us. Would Shakespeare be agassed?
I have friends on Facebook that I never speak to now. But their lives are played out for us all to see.... news on their new girlfriends, the new wives, the new children, the broken boiler, the car they desire, the TV ad they watched yesterday..... and on and on and on it goes.
All that chatter, all that NOISE!!

How very apt that I should go and see The King's Speech last week.
A great film. A time when as my mom tells me "life was slow" and everyone had a very private life. A life where you had time to think, reflect and recharge.
Yes thinking, reflecting and recharging. I like that. I will make a mental note to myself right now. Oh perhaps I will add it to my status on Facebook? I'm sure everyone is dying to know what I'm doing.

Status #adding to the noise

"Lifes but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more; it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing"

William Shakespeare

"Because I have a Voice" George IV (Colin Firth, The Kings Speech)

Fairwell Comrade George

2010-04-30T20:43:00.005+01:00

I attended the funeral of a great neighbour of mine, 91 year old George Barnsby yesterday. George was our resident Communist. El Comandate. It was a humanist funeral and a wonderful celebration of George's life and rightly so. For George was lifetime anti-racist, anti-fascist activist and dedicated his whole life to the rights of man. Many a person paid a moving tribute to the life and dedication of Comrade George to the cause, but I shall remember George best as a neighbour who I would run out to see as he passed my moms house on his way to deliver the Daily Blog to those without a computer. "Hello George" I would call to him, "Hello my dear" he would reply. We would chat about the state of the Labour party, the wonderful regime change in America and the how the world could be a better place. I'll miss Comrade George, but he leaves a great legacy and inspires generations and generations to never give up on hope and freedom.

"without struggle, there is no progress" Frederick Douglass

Yes We Can and Yes We Will

2008-11-09T21:08:00.005Z

"It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America". Barack Obama

What an historical week its been. Barak Obama's Democratic party win the US 2008 elections and he becomes the first African American US President elect.

I, like a few for some years now I guess felt the nagging feelings of anti war, anti capitalist and anti america since the start of the Iraq war.

So how do you change a countries image? How do you reinvent the feel good factor again? How do you reunite the country and give the people Hope once more?

Tough questions, but the answer most definately would lie with the election of Obama this week. In an election campaign Hope and Change were instrumental powerful words.

His victory speech was nothing short of perfection. Where once Martin Luther King had 40 years prior told the people "We shall overcome" and "I've been to the promised land" Obama told the people "Yes we can" and " We as a people will get there"

I hope they do. America needs change and Obamas the best man for the job.

Shame we dont have any charismatic leaders in Britain. We just have boring Mr Gordon. Is it any wonder no one bothers to vote in general elections here?

Hello Mom! - from space

2008-08-19T20:20:00.004+01:00

I decided to download the new 3D Google Earth application and give it a try out. This comes after I spotted this odd shaped camera on a tripod strapped to the roof of a small car in Birmingham last week. Mr K reckoned it was the new 3D Google Camera on the clickerty click circuit de monde. Invasion of Privacy I thought!
So I did the usual, put in my postcode ( annoyed to know we have the smallest garden in the street) put in my sisters postcode, put in my moms postcode.....
And wots this I see my Mom on the drive!
Oh my God my Mom can be seen from space.
Now wot were the chances of my mom being on the drive the moment the Google satellite went click?

"Mom, you wont belive it, but you can be seen from space! You're on Google Earth"

"the what?"

After a half hour conversation explaining wot it is, Mom finally says

" well I'm glad you cant see my face then, I might not have been looking my best "

Invasion of privacy ;)

Lettuce Pray for a Happy Ending

2008-07-23T16:05:00.011+01:00

Times are bad. In fact very bad, according to Mervyn King the Governor of the Bank of England. He tells us gloom and more gloom faces the British Economy amid the rising fear of the global credit crunch. Everyday prices have gone up; bread, milk, bananas etc not to mention the petrol.

So dear Comrades, the time has come to take action. The time has come oh yes, the time has come to fight back. The time as come for me to do my bit. The time has come for me to grow my own lettuce!

I grew them from seeds in April ( after the snow week) and I havent stopped worrying about them since. ( I'm sure thats not right)

Are they well watered?

Are they getting enough sunlight ?

Are they OK?

Will they live?

.....on and on the questions go.

Any odd fool would think lettuce look after themselves. I thought that till I discovered I have to go out on "snail and slug patrol" every evening. I have 10 pots of lettuce and discovered to my horror 7 snails had made their homes in my lettuce pots!! the spongers!

My next worry is having to endure lettuce sandwiches, lettuce pie, lettuce caserole, lettuce a l'orange for the next 2 months. Of course thats if my lettuce survive the present economic climate.

Yes indeed Lettuce all Pray for a Happy Ending!

" Anyway, like I was sayin', shrimp is the fruit of the sea. There's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That- that's about it." Bubba. Forrest Gump

Some Things are just so Magical

2008-05-06T18:51:00.006+01:00

Some things just cannot be explained. They just happen.

When they do, its magical. Pure Magic. I cant explain why. It just is.

Every year sure to the day the Lily flower in Moms house always flowers brightest on 22nd April. Not a day before, not a day after. Always brightest on the 22nd April. Dads Birthday. Sadly Dad is no longer with us. Never forgotten of course. But the Lily knows somehow to shine brightest on his birthday. Happy birthday Dad!

Today I came across a great blog site http://reasonstobehopeful.blogspot.com/ and it does exactly wot is says on the can. News stories full of hope and inspiration. Hurrah to Hope, Boo to misery.

" Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." Shawshank Redemption

Happy St Patricks Day Feet

2008-03-17T20:00:00.006Z

Green socks - Doing my bit for St Patricks Day

Yes its March 17th today. St Patricks Day. A day when the Irish away from the Homeland celebrate more than the people stuck on the Homeland. A day when those who are not Irish become Irish and celebrate St Patricks Day in the hope that a few drinks will be bought for them too.

Everyones Irish on St Paddys Day - Sláinte!

When good pancakes go bad

2008-02-05T20:01:00.000Z

Today is pancake day. Which means only one thing, lets make pancakes. The last time I made pancakes I was probably @ college. It was the only thing you ever ate when you went round to the infamous "Irish Embassy" house in Sunderland Poly. Eggs, flour, sugar and 12 crates of guinness was all they ever had there. Essentials for making a perfect pancake evening.

So roll forward some umteen pancake years later and pancake practice is definately lacking. My pancake was a bit of a disaster as you can see. But it still tossed and fell back into the fying pan no problem. I havent lost the ol toss technique there.

Added caster sugar, honey and lemon juice. Verdict - more!

Stressed out. Burned out. Bored out?

2008-01-26T22:19:00.000Z

I think I've reached that point in my life now. I hope I havent. I really hope I havent.

I can remember Dad coming home once, well fed up with everything. Work had done it to him. I recall thinking God I hope that never happens to me. I hope I never reach that low a point.

Friday felt like I had. Day long audio conference after audio conference. Micro management to the nth degree. Grumpy people after grumpy people.

"God I hate everything!" I sighed ( non too quietly)

" Here, have this" said Baard (pronounced Bored) our resident Viking Iron Man who sits behind me

It was a lovely framed photograph of his two doggies. Happy doggies they were! How free and happy they looked on the photo. Every ounce of happiness was etched onto their faces.

For the rest of the day I was happy again.

and here are the Happy Doggies, Arent they just so photogenic ?

Happy Light Years

2008-01-15T23:13:00.000Z

And here we are 2008 already. Where oh where are these years going? Wasnt it only like last year we were celebrating the beginning of the new millenium?

Well heres a belated Happy New Year :)

Last years new years resolution of wanting to be a millionairess didnt quite work out, so this year I think I will go for wanting to be half a millionairess. Not too much to ask.

2008 hasnt started too brilliantly. I caught that flu thing, well some mutated version of it I think. Over the worst of it now. Sadly it wasnt bad enough to get me 3 weeks off work :(

But last weekend really brought me round. I went to the Sepentine Gallery in London. Never been before and Man was I astounded by what I saw.

I'll try and explain.

Imagine a beam off white light in a large darkened room. Imagine the beam of light moving, slowly. Ever so slowly. Imagine yourself drawn towards the light. Drawn so much that you touch and enter into the beam, into the very vortex of beam of the light, so it engulfs you. You are now controlling the light and the artform around you.

The exhibihition is by Anthony McCall and well worth a visit.

"simple projections that strikingly emphasise the sculptural qualities of a beam of light. In darkened, haze-filled rooms, the projections create an illusion of three-dimensional shapes, ellipses, waves and flat planes that gradually expand, contract or sweep through space. In these works, the artist sought to deconstruct cinema by reducing film to its principle components of time and light and removing the screen entirely as the prescribed surface for projection. The works also shift the relationship of the audience to film, as viewers become participants, their bodies intersecting and modifying the transitory forms"

Heres some pictures from the Sepentine Gallery

A Very Merry Mince Pie Xmas

2007-12-20T22:33:00.000Z

" Oh I wish it could be xmas every daaay, bom, bom bom bom booooommmm bom"

Heres to all you beautiful brilliant boombastic bloggers, young and old across the world. Go on have a mince pie, take one! I baked them especially for us to enjoy

Wishing you all a very merry mince pie xmas! May the second one taste just as good as the first one, and the third and the fourth.

See you all in 2008!

You and your Bloody Carrots!

2007-11-14T20:40:00.000Z

Yes me and my bloody carrots got me into a right spot of bother this weekend.

We were up in the Fens this weekend. At Redgrave and Lopham Fen http://www.suffolkwildlife.co.uk/nr/sites/redg.htm A naturally preserved wetland area of outstanding beauty!

Mr K had been everso kind to me, birthday just gone, as he had given me one of those "sponsor a wild animal" things. My wild animal was a Konic Pony. The proceeds go to the upkeep of the wild animal and the habitat of the fen area, I guess.

Now given that I currently have more fruit and veg in the house due to the "Power Drinks" I never make, I thought why not feed these carrots to the dear wild ponies I'm helping to keep alive on the Fen ?

So off we went to the Fen on Sunday. For the first 2 hours of walking the fen we see no sign of any ponies. They are very elusive. But then in the distance we spot a herd of about 15 of them grazing under a tree.

Dont scare them, Im told. Lets approach with caution. They are wild animals.

I waive a carrot at them, but its no good only one looks up uninterested. We try and get a little closer, but a small streams stops us from getting anywhere close. Damn!

We rejoin our path and cross a small bridge and then all of a sudden there is a stampede of wild ponies coming towards us!

Wild Ponies galloping towards us!!! They were watching us. They knew we had carrots.

Oh god it was scary! Im hiding behind Mr K , he seems unconcerned of their wildness and goes over and offers them a carrot or two. Soon hes surrounded by 6 or 8 of them and disapearrs from my view.

Go on give them a carrot he says. I still have the one carrot I had waived at them earlier. I offer it to one that nearly takes my fingers off. He looks at me as if to say "more!" But i have no more! Seconds later Im nearly knocked to the floor by another 2 big ponies. Im surrounded. there must be 6 of them now jostling me for carrots. They are all looking at me with an evil carrot eye as they pin me against the fence. I have no carrots left!!

Help! I screamed

Mr K looks up and cant believe I'm shaking and screaming for help.

" You and your bloody carrots!" was all he could say as he laughed all the way home.

Im off carrots now.

Heres a picture of one of the ponies of evil . Do not say Ahhh. These are wild dangerous carrot eaters.

Things that make you go Hmmm...

2007-11-05T21:20:00.000Z

" Oh yes I'm 89 years old and I still drive"

" You're 89!" I said in shock.

The 89 year lady nodded back. She was pleased that she had shocked me.

Jeepers she was was very spritely for an 89 year old. We had struck up conversation at the bus stop on saturday morning. I had run full pelt to make it to the bus stop. Convinced the bus would be there, waiting to leave as I turned the corner, but it wasnt thankgod. There was just a nice old lady waiting there.

"Phew I havent missed it!" i signed.

" No dear, i always think ive missed the bus too and have to run for it also"

Yes our dear old 89 year old had used the word "run"

We boarded the bus and through the entire journey to town I could only think:

Would I be able to run when I got to 89?

Would i ever make it to 89? Hmmm.

This weekend I bought a book on Power Drinks - Natutal Energy in a glass! ( so it says) I think the secret will lie somewhere here.

Funnily enough theres a drink called Ruby Red on page 89. A drink that is guarenteed to get you looking on the bright side of life it says.

3 tomatoes

100g of radishes

half a clove of garlic

25g of parsley

50g of sunflower seeds

sage leaves

20 drops of damiana ?

Yuk! sounds pretty bad but i'll give it a go

Picture Diary 1

2007-10-23T21:41:00.000+01:00

Today I decided to capture some wierd stuff from the office and surrounding area with my camera phone.

Business skills

Now doesnt this look like an effective meeting ? How to brush up on your strategic business skills. Sit in meeting room and talk to yourself or a telephone. Actually the notice says that this is Ian Fleming. The Ian Fleming?.

Strategic Business Skill No1 - "No Mr Bond I expect you to die, if you do not place my order in 5 minutes"

Strategic Business Skill No2 - "Make sure there are lots of beautiful dancing girls around you when you place any order"

Sticky Numbers

Everything must have a number in this office. It wont work unless its got a number, and that includes the loos and the taps.

Help! Im stuck on ref 40120. I have no loo paper. I quote ref 40120. Hurray!

Pathetic knobs

Isnt this pathetic? A piddly little door release button. What happened to the big Man size green door knob? The one you can smack so hard and open sesame!

Banged up Abroad

2007-10-11T20:51:00.000+01:00

Time for a prayer....

Dear God,

If ever i have the misfortune to fall into the wrong company and stupidly agree to smuggle a large package into the country. Please, please dont let me get caught.

Even bigger please, DON'T ever ever ever ever ever let me get thrown into a Venezuelan prison.

I promise to be good from now on.

Amen

This comes after I watched the TV program " Banged up abroad" last nite http://www.thelondonpaper.com/cs/Satellite/london/tv/article/1157149255089?packedargs=suffix%3DArticleController

Scary!

I woke up last nite in a hot sweat thinking i was in a Venezualen Prison. Nightmare. All I saw were lots and lots of scary people around me with flickknives and guns.

I tossed and turned. Count sheep, count sheep. 1, 2, 3, But why do the sheep all have bullet proof vests?

Disturbing.

The Serial Mouse Trapper

2007-09-21T22:31:00.000+01:00

Today, I couldnt help but laugh away to myself when I saw what had happened to this poor mouse beside the entrance door to the office. The mouse had be there for two whole days enjoying its freedom until it got caught. Last I heard Health and Saftey were coming in to fumigate the place and close down half the site until the Serial Mouse Trapper was caught.

Stolen.

2007-09-16T20:27:00.000+01:00

This weeked has had a fabulous start.

Why? because just feast your eyes on what I stole from an empty meeting room as I was on my way out of the office on friday night.

Cakes. Tempting Mr Kipling French Fancies laid on a plate staring at me as I walked past the meeting room. Take me, take me they called after me.

How could the occupants of the meeting be so heartless to leave them. All alone in that dark meeting room, waiting for the cleaner to murder them in an industrial bin ?

Is there no justice in the world I ask.

Its times like this when Stealing is a perfectly natural function (and is allowed). I did it for the good of human kind, believe me. This is stealing with no guilt trips or recriminations. Oh no for let me tell you I feel good about it.

They now sit in a sandwich box in the safe confort of top shelf in the kitchen. Im waiting for that wonderful moment when I will devour them one by one with a nice cup of tea. Ahhhh!

Excuse me, but is this seat taken?

2007-09-10T21:17:00.000+01:00

For all commuters on public transport its one of those questions you dread to hear.

" Excuse me, is this seat taken?"

Give the wrong answer and it will mean you have to give up a big portion of the arm rest or give up vital leg room and develop deep cramp in foot, leg, thigh or bum area.

You may also have to suffer snoring, scratching (?), bad breath and sudden wafts of BO

But there is true physics here. Theres an equal dilemma for the asker for they have to weigh up their chances on who best to pose the iternal question at.

A couple of weeks back I found myself in such a predicament.

It was 16.57.55 precisely on a warm July day. I had run full pelt across the London Liverpool St train station concourse, oblivious to anyone or anything that came in my way ( which happened to be 100+ other commuters hell bent on doing the same thing but in the opposite direction) All had one goal - get the bloody train!

Platform 13. The station attendant has whistle in mouth ready to blow. He sees only a blur as i jump on to the train. Phew made it! The train is not usually full, so I should find a seat. I walk briskly though carriages G to C as they are are full. Carriage B is partially full. Where to sit ? there are choices here: next to an overly large man who is already overspilling into an unoccupied seat? or next to a young city type with mobile strapped to his head? or heavily panting largish old man with walking stick??

" Excuse me, but is this seat taken ? " I ask the old man with the walking stick.

He looks up " No dear, do sit here" he says. What a nice man I think to myself. He almost seems pleased to have some company. Most unusual. I tell him I'm glad I made the train as I really had to put my skates on from the office in the Strand. He laughs and we happily talk bout what travel was like in his day going to London. We discuss everything, politics, football, blogs and the iphone. What a nice old man. Im so glad I made the right choice to sit in this seat for it will be a while before I ask the "Is this seat taken ?" question again......

Yes my commuting days to London after 7 years are now at an end. (temporarily I hope) I am now working at a company 10 minutes from my house! My new collegues are very quick to tell me that I must be really happy to not have to commute to London now. I sigh and say yeah i guess I dont miss the 6.00am starts. But I tell them I certainly enjoyed meeting and sitting next to People/characters, be they eccentrics, axe murderers or complete loonies on the train and tube. For they gave a 5 minute glimpse through a window of their lives. 5 special minutes where they told me something i didnt know. Something that made me think. On my journeys Ive seen faces and faces. A sea of faces. Faces full of wonder and excitement, faces full of fustration and woe. Faces that could tell a thousand stories....

Ah well. I have a new question now . What to do with my evenings ? I have them back after 7 long years.

Free at Last! ThankGod Almighty Alan Johnstone is Free at Last

2007-07-05T00:14:00.000+01:00

ALAN JOHNSTONE FREED 04/07/07

The world watched and the world waited. The BBC Gaza correspondent was freed today after 114 days in captivity. A truly wonderful day.

Welcome back Alan. The world has missed you.

These Boots were made for Walking

2007-06-15T17:46:00.000+01:00

And walking is just wot they did! Yes all 26 miles. Glory Be. Blessed are my Boots. They shall inherit the land of the Yorkshire Dales.

These Boots got me round the killer 26 miler Yorkshire 3 peaks challenge again for the 6th time. Well it was 28 miles given that we have gone the wrong way up one of the first mountains.

The challenge is an age old one now where semi fit, enthusiastic no bodies set themselves the target to climb 5,000ft 3 peak mountains on a round trip walk and all to be completed under 12 hours. http://www.walkingenglishman.com/dales1.htm Only fools enter this race, only bigger fools come back year after year to conquor the peaks and their demons.

I came back to conquor the beast of the bog. The infamous stinking bog in which i fell in waist height last year.

This year our team consisted of Captain Mark, Angela and Clive. Mark only knows one speed. Fast. Even faster when it involves the pub and a free drink. He is also Ex Army, so very fit. Angela and Clive on the other hand were newbies, they had no idea what to expect and i wasnt about to tell them. My inspiration and motivation for the day was to get it all over and done with as soon as possible so I could be one of the first of the 100 teams back to use the hotwater showers at the campsite before the hot water ran out. As ususal my months of training leading up to the fateful day had consisted of no training wot so ever. The only only training was, turn up on the day, climb the mountains, then die in my tent. However there was a slight modification this year. I downed 2 gallon of lucozade and tucked into 4 high energy bars en stomp and recited the mind mantra of "Pain is good, Pain is good"

So me and Captain Mark stomped ahead. Keeping up with his blistering army pace was near to impossible. But I was determined not to get overtaken least of all by some fat bastard eating a porkpie spluttering " morning, nice day for it "

So we got round. Not in record time. Its a team event so everyone waits for everyone to catch up. The event organisers had kindly put on pie and chips for us all at the local village pub. So down to The Crown we descended. The place always resembles a War Hospital for the war wounded the evening of the 3 peaks. Bandaged legs here, bandaged ankles there. Hobbling grown men in agony complaining of severe chafing as they take their empties back for a refil to the bar. Stories of heroics, valour and sheer determination as they braved mental and physical exhaustion to fling themselves over the finishing line.

"Will you be back again next year?"

" No f*ckin chance"

They will. The call of the 3 peaks challenge will bring them back. Back for more. Back to face their demons

A big day out at the Races

2007-06-03T15:52:00.000+01:00

Ive never been to a horse racing event. Never wanted to. It always seemed like an event more for the upper crust of society. The sport of Kings and Queens. Not for me. But when i learned a couple of weeks back I had won tickets at work to go to The Derby!! Then there was no stopping me. Yes, I would be a Dutchess for a Day. I would go all dressed up to the nines, determined to be either spotted by the Queen herself who would give me the entire Buckinghamshire estate or get myself on TV for BBC sport.

Its quite amazing to see how the other set live. Me and my sister agreed we could quite easily get used to this life, whilst we sipped our complimentary champagne, looking down on the rabble in the cheap frocks and cheap seats below us ;)

They certainly keep you entertained in hospitality. If you are not feasting on the finest culiary delights the michelin chefs have whipped up for you, you will be doing the samba with the carnival dancers or toe tapping to a marching band!

Of course a day at the races could not go by without a flutter. This is where the whole charade of being a dutchess and living the highlife of the rich and famous comes tumbling down. oh yes... a £2 bet on the horses was all we were willing to pay.

We were trackside with our big parosol for the big Derby race final. Theres a great excited feeling in the crowd. Mainly because every one is now totally sloshed having been drinking since 10:30 in the sweltering sun. Anxious, expectation, exhileration as we wait for the horses to come into sight. I immediately went into my oh my god, oh my god im getting far too excited modes as could hear the thunder of hooves and the horses were now nearly in sight. I paused momentarily to think of the Suffragettes who had thrown themselves in the path of a horse at this very same point for the vote!

" Come on Frankie" I yelled

"Come on! .... Come on!" I screamed

We all turn to see him romp home and then jump up and down, hugging each other in sheer elation. Yeah, we had won! we had won. £4.60. We were winners!!

The Global Green Revolution

2007-05-23T12:30:00.000+01:00

" Red is the colour of the new Republic. Blue is the colour of the sea. White is the colour of my innocence. No surrender to your mercy" The Men they couldnt Hang

So we are all urged to go Greener now. Recycle this, recycle that. Biodegradable this, biodegradable that. Carbon neutral, yes. Carbon emission, no. But why does it take a global campaign to state the obvious?

This weekend I travelled North, back to my rightful birth place, the heartland of Britains one time Industrial Revolution, the Black Country http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Country. I love going back home. Get fattened on Mother Rubi Reds fantastic home cooking, the sights, the smells, the accents, the people around me. Its good to be back on familiar home turf. Its a place to recooperate, recharge, and reinvigorate. Ready to face lifes challenges once more with renewed gusto.

No more do the great industrial satanic mills dominate the Black Country skyline. For now the young saplings of the Urban Forest regeneration programme is taking hold, turning the great bygone industrial areas green. You dont have to venture far to find this happening. We went out for an evening stroll across the Staffordshire canalway and came upon a wonderful grass meadow. Such a sight to see as the long grass heads tossed and swayed in the sunshine breeze. Happiness and Hayfever. A toxic combination.

Im forever astounded at my Moms boundless energy. One evenings small walk is never good enough. So come Sunday morning, I'm persuaded to drive to the Wyre Forest in Worcestershire for a "longer" walk. http://www.wyreforest.net/forest.html

I'm glad i did. Back to Nature. Back to Green :)

my green fotos in the wyre forest:

Germany calling, Germany calling

2007-05-17T20:59:00.000+01:00

"...Floating in the summer sky. 99 red balloons go by..." Nene

Another business trip to Dusseldorf again this week. Another chance to wait and wait around Stansted Airport for nothing much to happen. Why must airports be so tiresome? Of course, as I travel cattle class I dont have the luxury of sitting around plush BA departure lounges reading the FT, trying to look important like my other IT collegues. No I travel with the great unruly, unwashed public. I am with the people. Here I can observe the evolution of the trolley bag, which has got smaller and smaller and their only function in life is a) to be as small as possible and b) to trip up as many people as possible. I dont do trolley bags. I do rucsacs. I carry it all. I rough it. What is it with everyone ? Are they too frightened to carry just 1 kilo of weight on their back these days? Wimps!

When you work in IT, everything is grey; the offices, the projects, even the people. IT in Germany takes grey to another dimension. For example this was the view out of my hotel window.

Thank heavens for the Red car is all I can say. At least someone has a bit of colour in their lives.

Meetings, Meetings and more meetings. Meetings full of serious people. Meetings where everyone comes to disagree. "How long have you worked on this (boring) project?" I enquire of one IT consultant afer the long meeting. "For 4 years" he replies. "4 years? Oh you really need a change. Get yourself transfered to a new project. Go find the Playboy Project" I tell him.

He finally smiles and laughs.

Tanks alot for the Russians

2007-05-12T20:37:00.000+01:00

Oh my what a day I've had !

I now know that there is nothing more satisfying than watching a 40 ton amoured tank as it crushs an average size family car to pieces. Even better when your driver is a Russian named Vladimer, with big strong hands.

On a pleasant English farm in middle England there is a company called Tanks-a-lot http://www.tanks-alot.co.uk/main.htm Here you will find a compound full of tanks, tanks and tanks. Every size, every shape, every colour. The place is owned and operated by ex British Army and SAS men who have seen active service in every modern day war you could care to mention. I guess they didnt want to miss the "big toys" so they started off a company where the general public can now be let loose on these military "toys" for a day.

Its a fantastic day out, even to the most peace loving gentle folk amongst us.

I was so pleased when the SAS man singled me out and gave me the AK47 to try for size. Oh my the power of this killing machine! I didnt want to give it back. Shame he had no live ammo for me to try ;)

But Hero of the day had to be our Russian friend Vladimer. Not only was he the most skilled tank driver of the day, but he also helped in translating the Russian tank dashboard controls. Pretty useful was our Vlad.

Tanks alot to the Russians!

In the Company of Zappers

2007-05-01T17:14:00.000+01:00

I didnt think it was possible, but now I know it is. I have been Zapped.
Sunday evening we had a "friend" round for dinner. Unknown to me at the time, but this person is a fully qualified Zapper. A Zapper is a person that manages to skilfully suck the happiness and high energy from people around them, but channels this positive energy into total negative energy.

Picture the situation.

" Hey, how are you ?"
"Oh alright, I suppose"

" What you been upto then"
" Nothing really"

" Hows work?"
" Same ol shite"

For 1 hour it continued like this. Small talk, one word answers back. I then sat back and thought, why bother? They are just so Dull. Dull. DULL! Leave them to their world of dullness. Let dullness prevail. But that was the problem it had prevailed and now I felt drained, deflated and depressed. I had been zapped! A zapper had zapped my happy energy. Energy that cannot be created or destroyed. The zapper had done his deadly deed for the day. Mission accomplished.

I think Zappers should wear big Zap badges. That way the public at large will know how to recognise a Zapper and take the necessary precautions.

Anyway on a more serious note, its 50 days since the BBC Gaza Correspondent, Alan Johnston was taken hostage and held captive in Palestine. His elderly parents made a dignified appeal to his captors on TV which included a resonanting plea : "This is no way to treat a friend of the Palestinian People"

Since then there have been many vigils and demonstrations to keep up the pressure and demand for the immediate release of Alan Johnstone in the public eye.

The BBC website is currently holding a petition against the captivity of Alan.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6518185.stm

The petition states:

"We, the undersigned, demand the immediate release of BBC Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston. We ask that everyone with influence on this situation increase their efforts to ensure that Alan is freed quickly and unharmed."

Free Alan Johnstone!

C'est la Vie

2007-03-21T20:38:00.000Z

" And the first one now will later be last. For the times they are a-changin' " Bob Dylan

Oh why do things have to change? Why oh why ?

Ive just come back from a lovely 2 day break in Paris accompanied by Mother Rubi Red. Now it must be at least 20 years that i last set foot on French soil. Yes twas as a pigtailed schoolgirl that I last went to Paris on a school trip, but i distinctly remember our teachers making us climb the stairs all the way up the Eiffel Tower. How could i forget? Most of us nearly passed out in the soaring 30+ heat, gagging for water and for breath, whilst the teachers whistled past us in the elevator to the top.

So roll forward some 20 years later. Now as i approached the gigantic manmade monstrosity of the Eiffel Tower, walking shoes and bottle of water at the ready ( but no breathing appatatus)

"un billet pour les escaliers á la summit, s'il vous plait monsieur" I politely asked.

"No, sorry madam. The stairs only take you to the 2nd floor. You have to use the lift to the top"

What no stairs to the top??? After all these years, had they finally decided it was too dangerous a climb to the top?? If my memory serves me correct there were a few places a pint sized pigtailed schoolgirl could go amiss and tumble to planet earth! Not that any of this bothered school teachers of St Chads RC school. The school intake that year was abnomally large we were always told.

Stairs or no stairs á la summit I grudgingly paid up. Felt conned as i took the elevator to the top. But believe me the view more than anything made up. And sorry to say but I forgot my camera at that point, so no pictures. sorry!

Now Mother Rubi Red had openly admitted on many occasions that she hated museums.

Oh dear isnt Paris just full of museums and art galleries ?

This is Paris. This is land of the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, Liberty guiding the People, the raft of Medusa. Need i go on???

A visit to the Louvre was a must. And what a fantastic time we had there. www.louvre.fr/louvrea.htm Every Man, Woman and dog must visit the Louvre in their lifetime and witness the amazing works of art there. Even Mother Rubi Red showed some jaw dropping signs.

We hunted for the famous Mona Lisa. Through rooms and rooms we followed the Mona Lisa this way signs that snaked and snaked around great treasures of David, Rafael and Delacroix . Then there she was :

La Gioconda!

The minute you will enter the room where she hangs her eyes will be on you. She will see you before you see her. Her smile is mocking. A knowing smile. Perhaps she laughs at us for paying the extortionate entrance fee? perhaps she mocks us for being fools that come to gaze upon here?

maybe so but Je ne Regrette Rein.

Whats in a name?

2007-02-17T20:05:00.000Z

Ive lost count of the number of people who have asked me if Ive heard the Kaiser Chiefs latest song, Ruby. Yes, yes I reply again and again. Its not bad i tell them. Quite catchy. Then its a case of fingers in ears as they proceed sing their version. Arrraggh!!!

But what gets me is the name Ruby is getting disasterously too popular or should i say common now :( Its even made it into the top 10 most popular girls names lists.

Thats a far cry from my days at school when teachers would look suprised to find such a wierd name on the class register and ask me to pronounce my name 3 or 4 times before they finally got it.

Once a precious rare gemstone, now as common as muck!

Perhaps my parents should have called me Saphire or Emerald? But come to think of it, I dont think I would have survived my inner city comprehensive with such a ponsy name.

Anyway I dont know why Im grumbling, Im a Rubi as opposed to a Ruby. The I is for individuality, independance and impulse and not for intellect, indecision or impossibility.
According to Kalbalarian Philosophy (?) http://www.kabalarians.com a Rubi name analysis reveals:
" There is hardly anything you cannot do if you put your mind to it, but a driving urge leads you to one experience after another, seldom finishing what you start. As soon as a challenge is met, boredom sets in, and you yearn for another experience. This restlessness makes it difficult for you to assume responsibility and to establish stable, progressive conditions in your life"

Hmm so true, so I am impossible ? Impossible by name, impossible by nature. Isn't the world is full of impossiblities?
Nope all is not impossible. Not when you are shopping in tescos and stumble upon your own beer label!

So Bottoms Up! to all you Rubys and Rubis out there We should campaign for a national Ruby/i public holiday :)

An Honorary Bloke

2007-02-06T15:46:00.000Z

Well I dont know where to begin on this one. Far be it for me to be shy on any occasion. But Im truly choked with emotion. I have received an award. A big award. I have been bestowed with the "Honorary Bloke 2007 " award. Not bad for a girl eh?

How did I get this award? Even I had to ask that

Answer - I survived a weekend of winter camping again with 4 blokes and more to the point for not crying my eyes out like a girl when the 100 mph gust came to blow me off Bow Fell. Now aptly named as Blow Fell.

It had been potentially a weekend packed with ice climbing, mountaineering, hiking, drinking and more drinking. So i was told....

I arrived at the rendezvous point to have Dave empty my rucsac and fill it with sleeping bags, his clothes and climbing harnesses. We had a 5 mile uphill hike carrying our gear and every extra ounce would feel like an extra ton weight. Lucky he never spotted my makeup bag and chucked that out.

It was a very mild, sunny saturday afternoon when we finally began our uphill quest to pitch tents, so we musta looked right daft each of us lugging our 40 stone ice climbing gear, campons, ice axes etc to Angle Tarn in the Lake District. I bet theres no snow up on top i kept telling them. But would they listen?

The expedition team had no natural leader, but it consisted of Spaced-out Boot Boy, 80s Disco Music King, Hero Boy and Dave oh and yours truly ( a mere amateur who just happend to make up the numbers)

Theres lots of testosterone in the sport of mountaineering, ice climbing and camping. If you dont know your four season boots well or even know what a clog cam is and where to stick it then you might as well go home now. I had not a clue on either, but then again i am a girl.

En route to the top of Angle Tarn there would be a competition. Who would win the coveted Tiara Award? Given to the biggest girl of the group. Of course I was determined it would not naturally fall on me.

The first 2 miles uphill werent so bad as they were on the flat, but the last 3 were bad. Perhaps the makupbag was a bad idea? Every so often I kept hearing "Now this is the bad bit" Bad bit! i thought we have done 15 miles of bad bits so far. 80s Disco King had gone purple and put himself into the recovery positon at one pit stop. But then he recovered enough to be first to pitch his tent.

And guess wot happened when we reached the top of the mountain?

No snow, no ice ! Bow fell butress had barely a smidgen of ice on it. Enough to make a couple of snowballs and thats all

So much for ice climbing. Plan B would now be in operation. Drinking! Our tent was the disco inferno tent. Hero boy had a MP3 player rigged up to some small speakers. So headbanging on red wine was the order of the day.

And did i get any kip ? None whats so ever. Dave and Spaced out Boot boy did a snoring duet. All bloody night!

Morning comes and its time to pack up and go. Problem was the wind had picked up, big time. We begin the downhill. But cos we were camped on an sadle there was a slight uphill onto the exposed ridge again. I found it so difficult just putting one foot infront of the other, the wind had really picked up and my rucsac instead of adding weight was acting as a sail and pulling me towards the big drop off the ridge. Arrrragggh!!! I cowered down near a tiny stone step waiting for the wind to abate. But it didnt. And it wasnt going to. " Are you coming?" asks Hero boy who was struggling with the rest of them to pass over the ridge to safety. He had come back for me as being a lightweight I was bound to be blown off. "Er yeah i think so" i musta said as he took my rucsac off me and carried it over the ridge. Actually Hero Boy carried my rucsac all the way down the dicey downhill. Thats how he earned his name. I couldnt bring myself to tell him that he had also carried my makeup bag :) I felt a bit of a fraud actually, Im sure I coulda carried it.

2 hours later and we are all back in the Dungeon Gill pub with a plate full of chips and Beer. Heaven!

And my Honorary Bloke prize? A small man size Yorkie bar which as the instructions say "isnt for girls!"

A 15 minute Breather Break

2007-01-30T20:04:00.000Z

Hello I'm in recovery presently from lugging a 40 stone rucsac up Bow Fell in the Lake District over the weekend and then nearly being blown off the mountain top during the 100mph gusts. That story can wait.....

In the meantime heres a few snaps I took yesterday afternoon of the office and when I went out for a 15 minute breather break in Embankment Gardens. Enjoy ! (oh and apologies for the quality, I had only a cameraphone handy)

Who was Mr RocknRoll Man ?

2007-01-16T19:34:00.000Z

Its funny, but somedays I can look down the train carriage of the 07:23 London bound train and take a guess at peoples professions. It usually goes like this:

Stockbroker, IT consultant, Accountant, Stockbroker, web developer, Stockbroker, Twat with loud voice on phone, Accountant, Stockbroker, Professional Loser, Civil servant, Accountant etc etc

But on board yesterdays carriage we had the mysterious "Music Industry" man.

Yes just who was this Mr RocknRoll Man ? He was altogether somebody totally different. Resembled a contemporary of George Martin. Receded shoulder length white mane. In his late 50s or 60s perhaps ? Smartly dressed. Not in the usual grey, navy or black. No, Mr RocknRoll wore purple, and stripey purple at that.

A Record Producer. He has to be.

Spoke to no one. Politely smiled as he took his seat. Had a look of total contentment about him. Hes old style RocknRoll. Hes been there, hes done it all. T-shirts ? dont even ask.

"Apologies Ladies and Gentlemen, but we are going to experience delays on this journey today owing to a broken down freight train ahead of us" annouces the Train conductor.

We sigh, we gasp, we swear, we throw our hands up in despair.

Not Mr RocknRoll. He barely looked up from his laptop or removed his earphones on the announcement. He was in the karma zone.

Hes been seen once before on the train. Oh Yes Mr RocknRoll doesn't do routine, normal or predictabilty. He does spontaneity, coolness. Thats the territory that comes with being in the music industry.

I once sat across the isle, 3 or 4 rows back from Mr rock and Roll. A good vantage point to see his laptop. Music videos. No ordinary music videos. Was it Hawkwind, Mothers of Invention? Was it a recording of The Old Grey Whistle Test? Not only was he watching them, Mr RocknRoll was sampling and editing sound files!

All the evidence points to him being a Record Producer

Hes seen it all has Mr RocknRoll. Probably the first tent pitched at Woodstock, probably personally knows Bob Dylan. Probably wrote half the peace songs known to man.

One of these days Im gonna sidle up to Mr RocknRoll, slip into the seat next to him.

" Im a child of The Revolution" i'll say "The Revolution. What a fantastic time for the world"

"I dont think so" he may say back. " I work for the Inland Revenue and let me tell you young lady, It was not a good year!"

"Oh..." i'll whimper, disappointment tatooed on my head.

I'll turn away. Gutted. How could I have got it so wrong?

Girl with rather Large Chest

2007-01-11T17:15:00.000Z

My fellow commuters had warned me that something like this could happen. And happen it almost did.

" Whatever you do, dont make eye contact with anyone" They had once told me,
"To get across London Liverpool Street Station concourse from Train end to London Underground end in mad morning rush hour, look at no one. Keep your eyes down and walk. Keep your eyes on the prize"

But that advice went all to pot yesterday morning.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a large object (objects?) making a bee line towards me. I turned to look. Fatal mistake. It was a big girl with a very large chest. Not that i make habit of noticing womens chests, but the enormous chest (thankfully covered up with large overcoat) seemed to be going on ahead of her, clearing her path.

She was heading straight for me and I was heading straight for her. We were on a collision course!

In the space of a split second a few more fellow commuters had joined my walk of certain calamity. What tiny room for side stepping each other that existed before had totally disappeared now. Certain carnage was about to take place.

Big Chested girl quickened her pace. No way, I mouthed, shes not gonna win. A big chest doesn't automatically give you the right of way!

We were milliseconds from total disaster when commuterman on my left steps oh so slightly to his left and in that split second Big Chested girl squeezes through. Not without half brushing/knocking me and commuterman with her assets it must be said!

Hmm im not too sure if I was victorious here. Commuterman let me down. He failed me. Although im sure he had half planned for a brush past.

"What would you have done? " I asked Mr K, when i retold the story

" I would have tripped up on my briefcase and landed accidently straight on to her big chest" came the reply

Well i guess thats one way of keeping your eyes on the prize.

A Momentary Lapse in Reason

2007-01-07T15:18:00.000Z

"..On the turning away from the pale and downtrodden and the words they say which we wont understand. Dont accept that whats happening is just a case of others suffering or you'll find that you're joining in the turning away" Pink Floyd.

Like many, lastweek signalled back to work week for me. Did you struggle to get out of bed? Was the sky just too too black when you left the house? I could have easily done with turning the car around, heading for home, running back upstairs into my nice warm bed. Ahhhh just 20 minutes more, pleaseeeeeeee........
But alas I struggled into work and struggled even more to remember wot on earth I had been working on before the xmas break. Hmmm they say amnesia can begin early in some cases. Severe lack of brain power - Malfunction. Abort. Retry.

"Is there any body in there ?"

12:00pm Brain activity -"Need to buy new hat" Aha we are alive! I head out to Covent Garden in search of a hat. Oh dear, I return back with 3 hats!! My momentary lapse of reason. I only needed 1 hat. One slip and its a case of Emelda Marcos 500,000 hats. How could i have been so daft? I didnt need 3 hats.

On my way back to the office I pass Jubilee market and some zany socks catch my eye! These were a must have. These would cheer me up!

The muticoloured ones remind me of the Pink Floyd Dark side of the Moon album cover somewhat.

Respect to The Floyd! they truely were and still are a sensational band. How well I remember being initiated into their music at school, where me, Philip Cooke and Glen Turner formed the St Chads Sixth Form Pink Floyd Freedom Fighters. Our demands consisted of piped Pink Floyd music 9am to 4pm throughout the school and the storming of the school staffroom singing "We dont need no education" Needless to mention but none of our demands were fulfilled and somehow A'level exams got in the way :(

Catch the Live 8 Floyd reunion here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11UUVzlI6hI Class!

"So, so you think you can tell, Heaven from hell? Blue skies from pain? Can you tell a green field, from a cold steel rail? A smile from a veil? Do you think you can tell?" Wish you were here.

Happy New Year 2007 World!

2007-01-01T21:23:00.000Z

Weeeeeee..... Yippey!! Its another New Year and another year of being none the wiser :)

Happy New Year dear World @ Blog! may 2007 be totally fantastic!

As usual I stayed at home to welcome in the New Year and tuned into the Jools Holland Hootananny Show. Watched Seasick Steve perform bluegrass on his 3 stringed guitar http://www.seasicksteve.com/ Hes something else that guy. Even my mom whose tone deaf started toe tapping to his riffs. Must try and see him play live someday.

Then the bongs of old Big Ben began and we get treated to a spectacular firework show. Shame I wasnt there in person to see it over the Thames from where I work.

So the Xmas holidays are over now, and boy do I feel as though I need a holiday to recover. Too much of everything, too many good things.

Most of the xmas holiday was spent with our Rosie ( remember the older sister from the cinema?) or with members of her family, especially her 3 yearold son Kiran. He runs rings round me and everytime he approaches I can hear the Omen music. Some disaster is gonna befall me I know it and hes always there cheekily grinning away...

Do you wanna go camping in the the Lake District with us? asks David ( Rosies husband). Sure I replied, knowing that my treasured boots, tent, sleeping bag, stove and used once only pots and pans are back in Ipswich. No worries we have spares, he reassures me. What was i thinking, Camping in winter! So the plans change 6 or 7 times of who is and who is not going. Then me and Dave set off early friday evening for a session of tent erecting before the main party, Rosie, Kiran and professional Mountain Men ( oh yeah) arrive. So tent erecting is tricky the best of times, but we tent erected in darkness, in a continous torrential downpour, and a force 8 gale. The camp site was covered with Storm Warning posters every where, not that we heeded them. Me and Dave barely put up one tent without continually running back to the car for cover.
Soaked to the skin, sod this we both said and headed to the nearby pub!

Ah a warm open log fire greeted us, we dried off , then dined on Fish and Chips washed down with a few beers, a few vodkas and the wet tent erecting saga was long forgotten (well it was by me anyway) The rest of the party arrive, more beers, more vodkas :) this winter camping lark can be quite fun you know.

So in the confusion of tent erecting and sleeping arrangements I end up in the Mountain Men tent. Poor them, for I was in no mood for sleeping. I was in the mood for chatting (a glorious pastime of mine) and high energy clubbin! Poor Mountain Men, they hardly knew me, but they knew they had some mad woman in their tent stopping them from getting any sleep!

Next day, with no sleep the previous night (needless to mention) I greet the day feeling like Death! oh yes Death it was

So after a hearty breakfast by one and all (except me) in another local pub we begin the mountain climb to Stickle Tarn in the Langdale Pikes. The hike was very beautiful as it runs parallel to the waterfall. There's something so therapeutic about hearing gushing water crashing against boulders. Perhaps its awakening powers could have an affect on a zombie.? I think not, I still felt pretty shit.

On the approach to the tarn itself Rosie, Dave and Kiran head back leaving me and the Mountain Men to go it alone. We reach the top and Pavey Ark is seen across from the tarn for the first time. Did I wanna climb Jacks Rake up to Pavey Ark I was asked ? Look its just ahead, bit of a scramble but worth it. Hungover I musta mumbled something like a "yeah, whatever", as a squinted at wotever the big rock was ahead not realising the perilous danger i was gonna put my life into.

Its only since i googled Jacks Rake when i got back that i see the term "fool" "exposed areas" "certain death" and "dont look down" in the same sentence from other climbers accounts that I now see the full horror of what I went and said yes to.

But hey I love Danger. No better fix or high in my book. Its so primal wanting to live, wanting to survive. So helped and egged on by the Mountain Men I scambled up Jacks Rake. Quite a scramble with a few dicey arraaaaagh bits on exposed rockfaces. But when the adrenalin pumps, the fool is queen (or king) and the danger subsides. I hardly batted an eyelid to the roped climbers that were ascending Jacks Rake. Surely I should have registered, ah they have ropes, and we have none?

The views along the ascent were pretty awesome, the clouds were not too low so it was possible to see far away windermere. Sometimes i wish i could sit and admire a mountian top view for hours, soaking it all in, be lost in it all, but alas im either holding everyone up or in a timed challenge event or fretting about the descent. One day I will have my mountain time :)

So we summit Jacks Rake in spectacular fashion, head for home, via pub along perilously slippy downward path. How kind it was that the path led straight to the front door of the pub for beer or vodka in my case. Some things in life were meant to be.

Big thankyou to the Mountain Men. I will supply a fully stocked beer tent next time :))

Happy New Year !

Murder murder most foul

2006-12-13T21:04:00.000Z

Ah I wish I could blog about happy things all the time, but at the moment I cant. Reason being I live in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. So if youve read the newspapers or heard the news lately you will know that we have a serial killer in the town.

Scary!

Even more scary when i tell you that the 4th and 5th bodies were found less than 2 miles from my house.

Its strange but I keep somehow denying these raw facts that murder is happening on my doorstep and bodies are being found in places/fields/areas that I know so well. Wonder Why....

The news reports say there is fear in the town of who will be his next victim. Is the murderer amongst us ? Who will he come after next to feed his killing addiction? The fear in the town is so palpable. You can feel it, even touch it.

Yesterday I came back late from London and you could see a heavy police car presence across the town. Did it make me feel safe? for a second yes, then the dread begins again "whos next ?" we silently ask.

This aint no horror novel i read on the train everyday, this is for real now. This is scary.

I hate it when I hear of talk that the victims were just prostitutes. Yes, but they were people, complicated people, but still human beings. They were daughters, sisters, mothers. They didnt deserve to die. No one does.

C'mon police, catch the killer !

Call me Bond - Ms Bond

2006-12-03T21:54:00.000Z

I finally got to see the new James Bond Film Casino Royal a couple of weeks ago now . A great film, but It left me pondering two questions...

1. When will there ever be a female Bond ?
2. Was this the first James Bond film I had ever seen from start to finish ?

Lets hold on question 1 for the moment and deal with question 2 instead. So I had gone to see Casino Royale in Liverpool with my sister Rosie ( we were born in the flower power generation days you see? ) and her husband. Lets set the scene. Our Rosie has just had a baby in the last few months and is severely deprived of sleep. Her Husband David, not able to breastfeed of course, so no getting up in the night, compensated for his sleep deprivation by going on an 80mile cycle trip that afternoon (Fool!) So needless to say they were both on tender hooks. Things didnt help when we had purchased a 4 ton bag of sweets before taking our seats. oh yes sugar high here we come! Much to my amazement no one shushed us or turned round when ever our Rosie would say at the top of her voice at a non opportune moment " Oh whats he gone and done that for?" We were everyones cinema nitemare. Ah put it down to audience participation I say. There certainly was lots of that when Mr Bond did his "Ursula come out of the water" routine "Cor! get em off - yelled some scally girl!" " Get em off, Get em off! " we all chanted in unison !

Its odd but the last time I had to endure Rosie at a cinema was when we were school kids and went to see "Clash of the Titans" Now that was a long long long time ago. And that got me thinking was this the first Bond film i had ever seen? Fraid so. Sure Bond came on the TV during Xmas but sure enough Dad would always turn it over or send us away claiming it be an improper film to watch for young girls. Then as a teenager I was never rich enough to have a portable in my room. So come college days when I now had the choice to watch or not I chose not to and detested any kind of James Bond films. Of course those were my militant years, discovery of womens rights and the feminist movement. Ha and now some umteen years later I have to laugh at myself joining in the chant of "get em off!" :)

Anyway enough rubbish from me. Let me leave you with a few snaps I took today from a walk along the seaside. I was hoping to spend my £2.50 spare change in the amusement arcades, but alas did not as I got carried away by the beautiful seaviews this afternoon.

Its Autumn time

2006-11-26T20:30:00.000Z

autumn
Originally uploaded by wapqueen.

Its been a long time coming, but its finally here. Yes my favourite season of them all is here. On saturday, the heavens opened and it rained for an hour then out came the sun. The view out the back window - Wow the trees were a sight to behold. Colour colour colour !

2006-11-23T16:25:00.000Z

At last.. Internet Killed The Video Star

Wasnt it about time this old classic "video killed the radio star" got a remake?
Found this version on you tube.

made me smile :)

Purple Haze

2006-11-10T19:51:00.000Z

The sunset was really spectacular last sunday. Purples and pinks filled the night sky.

I see a Rainbox over Dusseldorf

2006-11-07T11:30:00.000Z

Back on business in Dusseldorf again last week. Or as my friends stationed out there call it - Drizzledorf :)

I work in a huge tower in Dusseldorf overlooking the River Rhine. You get a fantastic view from the 15th floor. But last Thursday the view was something spectaular. A rainbow!!! No ordinary rainbow in my book, because I had to run from one end on the 15th foor to see one half and across to the other side to see the other half.

Pity i didnt have a half decent camera with me. The photo was taken via a camera phone.

A wonderful rainbow

Rubi Red Mullethead?

2006-10-28T23:01:00.000+01:00

I have a dilemma. Do I take the scissors to my hair or leave well alone?

hmm.. Im kinda annoyed cos I went for my once a year haircut on Friday. I gave the girl my usual " I dont care wot you do as long as its still very long and very straight and looks exactly the same as it does now - OK? "

Scared trainee hairdresser just made a few clip clip noises and spun me round fast in the chair.
" there we go. That will the £40, thankyou"

Fourty pounds !!!

A day later and my fringe is still too long. I can barely see out now. The scissors in the bathroom have been looking at me everyday since. Use me, use me ! Go on, Create a mullet... . http://www.ilovemullets.com/

Im suddenly getting flashbacks to 1992 and Bill Ray Cyrus Achy Breaky Heart. Did i actually even look into Line Dancing Classes then ? No! surely that wasnt me ??? (Liar!)

Oh No ! horror! Billy Ray Cyrus has been demulleted... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achy_Breaky_Heart

my best friend - my shadow

2006-10-27T20:07:00.000+01:00

my best friend - my shadow
Originally uploaded by wapqueen.

Well we have our moments. But in general we get along.
This "odd" photo was taken to capture the last of the Summer Sun. (And im far too shy to take a self portrait)

But the seasons have really gone mad this year, thanx to a big long summer.

Shouldnt the leaves be turning a wonderful yellow by now.

Autumn is my favourite time of year. But where is it ? Its late.

What did the picture do for you?

2006-10-26T10:21:00.000+01:00

"They would not listen, they're not listening still. Perhaps they never will" Don McLean

Dont some mornings just drag and drag? Yesterday morning was no exception. I must have stared blankly at my computer screen for over 5 minutes. Ah this is no good. No good at all. I need inspiration, I told myself. I wasnt going to get that sitting here, in this half filled, half empty ( half term) office.

Come lunch time and I head out down to the road to Trafalgar Square. I have the National Gallery in my sights. The banners outside advertise the Velazquez exhibition. I convince myself to go in or risk being soaked with (and by) the pigeons outside. What! I have to pay for the Velazquez exhibition? No way. This commie wont pay. Besides I only have £3 in my pocket and £12 (ripoff!) is needed.

Ah all is not lost, an advertising hoarding for a "free" exhibition of Manet to Picasso catches my eye. Head down to the National Gallery basement for that.

Enter Room 1 - Renoirs and Degas' adorn the room. I gasp in awe. Often Ive seen these paintings as prints, but never the real things.

Enter Room 2 - Van Gogh. Immediately on turning to enter the room my eyes are drawn to The Sunflowers. There's something so magnetic about this painting. My jaw just drops on seeing it. I step closer to it. Close enough for my eyes to follow the swirls of thick, happy, luscious yellow paint around the shining flower heads. Then to slowly follow the path of the dark green painted stems down to the sad dying flowers. One dying flower even looks to be turning its head back up to the light. One last gasp?

I dont how long I had stood staring at The Sunflowers. I was hypnotised. It was as though the whole of Room 2 had emptied, then and there, and it was just me and The Sunflowers in that room. Alone. I desired to step even closer, touch the painting! Touch The Sunflowers! Run my finger tips over the shiny paint swirls! Feel the textured elation of the happy shining flower heads.... Feel the melancholy, despair of the wilting flowers......Empathise with the one last gasp sunflower!!!!

Lucky for Me, the National Gallery security, the Van Gogh museum and The Sunflower worshipers cross the world I snapped out of my trance and did not touch the painting. No sirens went off.

So with my £3 i bought a fridge magnet of Van Goghs - The Sunflowers. Voila!

May I always find hope and inspiration now whenever I reach into the fridge for a pint of milk :)

Stoned in the Shower

2006-09-18T20:45:00.000+01:00

"....I wanna be adored.." Stone Roses

The CD of choice in this mornings shower frenzy was the adorable Stone Roses. Havent listened to this CD in ages. The minute the bass picked up the minute the bop in the shower began. Oh how i was transported to my youth, was I late teens when these boys were biggin it up in Manc land. And the whole nation was mad for it ? ( or was that just me? )

could my day get any better?

yes it did. Lunch hour I took a trip down the World Cafe Bar in Covent Garden http://www.londontown.com/LondonInformation/Restaurant/World_Food_Caf/9cbc/ and went for a Quinoa Salad. A what? Yes me too. But apparently its like a super grain. Best you can get. Packed with protein and good things.

Then i top it all off with an Acerola drink from the Brazilian Food Bar. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acerola

Stoned and High as they come... I ended my day with a cartwheel :))

Me and the Plastic (bag) Population

2006-08-20T19:45:00.000+01:00

"The only way is UP....Yeah!"

Last week was so odd. I had to fly over to Dusseldorf on business. Not that this bothers me usually cos I love flying. Theres something so serene and beautiful about flying into clouds.
But the problem is Britain is on high terror alert currently. So flying isnt that simple nowadays. Heres my story....
Arrive at London Stansted (no where near London) airport 4 hours before flight.
Queue for 1 hour to check in where I'm issued with my plastic bag handluggage.
Queue for 1 more hour to get to departure lounge
Queue for 1 more hour to go through security. Here my secureid card is picked up by the xray scanners. Feeble looking security girl approaches me. Gives me the "is she or isnt she?" look and decided "she isnt" then waves me on. Pity really, sometimes I wish I did have the Femme Fatale, International Woman of Mystery look about me. Perhaps a big wig and big sunglasses next time?
In departure lounge head for Cafe Nero. A peppermint tea is in order to calm the nerves. I have a good view of the "runners" from my seat. It some how reminded me of Logans Run. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logans_run

Capricorn 15's. Born 2244. Enter the Carousel. This is the time of renewal.

But where was Sanctuary for the plastic bag population ?

A Passing Cloud

2006-08-10T21:29:00.000+01:00

07:38 train to London. Girl sits across the isle to me. Munching on a danish pasterie. Chomp Chomp. Finished. Throws danish pasterie paper bag onto the floor under the seat. I look across at her horrified. No manners

2:00 Work. Gather round a collegues desk to present gifts on the news of his new baby. With gratitude and humility he accepts the small token. It was a small informal service; very beautiful, very moving, but tinged with sadness, as collegues child is thousands of miles away from him in India. With dignity he accepts the gift and spoke of his longing to go out to India to see his wife and child. I wanted to cry buckets.

5:00 train to Norwich.

Man in front seat of me continually picks at spots on neck for one hour. No Manners

The woman behind leans too close to me. She has bad breath. No Manners

5:10

I stare up at a passing cloud. Escapism. All is calm.

Room with a View

2006-08-09T21:29:00.000+01:00

You know I often read blogs and I always wonder where the blogger is whilst composing their masterpiece. I think of the room, the surroundings. I always imagine them to be in some upstairs bedroom, but hey we have wireless, we have pocket pcs, we have 3G. So they could be anywhere. They could be @ base camp. I know for sure they have internet there. Is there anywhere that doesn't? Oh I know. The most northerly internet stop and loo stop in the world before you lose communication and fingers to type is Ny Alesund. I went there last summer.
http://www.svalbard-images.com/photos/webcam-svalbard-003-2-e.php
Well why dont I share my room with a view with you? Yes I look out onto trees. Lovely trees. I watch the seasons closely from the blogger window and see the trees change from black haunting silhouettes to majestic green glowing giants. Lord! I think Im getting old - First sign: love nature. second sign : get poetical. Third sign: get philosophical. Guilty! as charged.

We have become an Aunty

2006-08-07T20:08:00.000+01:00

Oh my. I have become Aunty for the 2nd time now. Mr Arran Dobson Esq was born 2am this morning. I have to spoil him rotten with free tickets to Megadeath and Meatloaf gigs now . Hes gorra know about his hip, cool and happening Aunty Rubi Red. Hes gonna be so cool. I know it. Its in the genes see.

Dear DNA, Who am I?

2006-08-04T20:15:00.000+01:00

I'm getting really fascinated with all this DNA stuff lately. Reason being, I've come to the conclusion that I only barely look like some members of my family. Although admittedly we are all mad, rash, hotheaded outspoken and rarely agree with one another. So will DNA unlock our secrets? I hope so.

Its like this... I'm dying to know what other ethnic groups have made up my DNA. Could I be related to Gengis Khan, Kubla Khan or even Imran Khan? Could I be a direct decendant of some Nobleman or Maharaja that has bequeathed me a fortune (which I would readily give to the poor) or am I the decendant of Savages that robbed, ravaged and ransacked their way through poverty. Questions questions (sigh)

I did a bit of research on DNA companies on the net and most charge upto 200Euro just to tell you have 2 chromosomes and are therefore normal. Hmm I'm gonna ponder this one carefully. I have to know my DNA story. I wanna unlock the truth. The scary truth. Who am I ? I need to know

"But where are all the Cool People?"

2006-08-03T20:08:00.000+01:00

Oh yes. Where are they?

This question really struck a chord with me when I heard Steve Wright (off Radio 2 and Steve Wright in the afternoon) say it the other day on the TV.

He was explaining how when he joined the Top of the Pops show back in the early 80s everyone had a frightfully posh BBC accent. All he could say was " Hey but this is a Music show. Where are all the cool people?"

Yes where are they Steve? I certainly dont get to be around them most of the time. I always get to meet the uncool and unhip set. The set that could bore the pants of me. Sentences that ramble on about something so uninteresting. Sucking the lifeblood from me. I have usually stopped listening halfway through anyway. I politely smile and laugh in sympathy. Whatever. Hey I hope that these uncool people dont think i am their friend now ? Yikes! Ive been hanging round them too long. Correction theyve been hanging round me too long. Have I been indoctrinated into the Uncool set?

Oh lord I may need a personality transplant. This is serious! No cool people dont do serious.

Mission - I gotta find the cool people. Where are you cool people ?

and the Winner is .......

2006-08-02T21:36:00.000+01:00

ME!!!!!

oh yes oh yes oh yes :) - I am the 2p slot Machine Queen!

Lucky for me, I live 5 miles from the sea. So last friday we head off to the Amusement Arcade. Oh the joy of putting your 2ps into the slot. One, then another, then another, then another x20 and then it drops...... kerching ching ching ching.

Oh the exhilaration, oh the money. Was it 26 2ps? I know not. But God was I happy.

2 minutes before the end I go for the big one. Yes the Keyring placed perilously close to the drop. It has my name on it. Its looking at me. Win me, win me. Only 2p more, that will do it.

First 2p...slot, drop, nothing. Second 2p.. slot, drop, nothing. Third 2p.. slot, drop, nothing. Fourteenth 2p, slot, drop........YEAY!!!!

I'm a Winner!!!

I have been attacked! ........ by a chicken

2006-05-30T21:24:00.000+01:00

Horror! Horror most fowl!! I have been attacked. Attacked by a He Chicken. A cockerel. A nasty piece of work. Public enemy Number 1
One fresh blowy Sunday afternoon I visited a nearby Organic farm shop/working farm. I have always prided myself in being an eco -friendly human, bordering on could-be Eco Warrior but havent the time nor conviction. But I feel good in these places. Eco friendly, Organic, enviromentally friendly and all round good. What could be better? I feel I am doing my bit for Mankind. No idea what that is. So I wander round the organic shop, with only a pot of honey in my basket. Pay up then head for the farm yard. Lets see the friendly animals. Will it be like Animal Farm? Will the pigs take over? Imagine how it was, a Towny, excited by the mere sight of animals that are almost free. The yard was full. There were pigs, big and smelly... oink oink. There were goats...... baahhh bahhhh. There were ducks.... quack quack. There were cockerels.... cockadoodledoo cookadoodledoARRRRAAAAGHHHH!!!!!...... It came for me, claws at the ready, jumped up to my neck and dug its claws into me! I Screamed!!!!! and batted the bastard off me. Then I ran as fast as I could back to the safety of the car as it chased after me. All I could hear was the loud shrill cries of a Cockadoodledoo! Like a victory call. Bastard! Death to all cockerels and their cousins I say. I will be returning to that farm in the near future - with a shotgun! If I was him I would start running now.

2006-01-07T14:31:00.000Z

HELLO WORLD !

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!

Weee.... Yeahhhhhhhhh!!!!!

Transmission Interlude

2005-12-02T12:39:00.000Z

Rubi Red would like to apologise for the slight disruption to normal service. Our Alchemists and Technical teams are currently working on the problem.
Normal service will be restored as soon as possible.

Virus x 2

2005-12-01T20:42:00.000Z

Me and my computer are both ill. We both have Viruses. Computer caught it bad last week. He was really ill that Dr Norton had to come round with a potion to put him right. Hes in recovery @ the moment, taking life easy nothing to strenuous.

I caught my virus this week.

sneeze... cough... splutter ... ARRRAAAGHHH!!!

Repeat after me ... "There's no such thing as Bad Karma."

2005-11-11T20:22:00.000Z

Yeah I wish I believed it. Really I did.
This week has been so odd. Last week was brill!! It started with seeing the "Demons of Rock" Motorhead play live. Awesome stuff. Rock never Dies.!! I headbanged like I was 18 again :) Happy Happy me. Althou my neck was sore the next few days.

Then this week has been so weird. Two things have happened to me.

1. I got to be around grumpy people
2. I went to yoga classes in my dinner hour.

So lets do 1 first.
I consider myself a happy go lucky girl. Always looking on the bright sidea life. Always ready to be friendly to any person I meet. So when I have the misfortune to meet with grumpy grumpy and im talking real grumpy people, I just wanna kill them!! I just dont get it. Whats their problem? Why cant they just go home and be grumpy there instead of inflicting it on the general public. I sometimes give them about 2 sec of my life. I say "Loser" to myself and that's it. But some how they are still annoying me just by being in my vision. Go Away grumpy person. We did nothing to you. Go away!!!

.....Theres no such thing a bad Karma..... theres no such thing as bad Karma....

Ok and now 2 - Yoga
Heres the lowdown. Im not new to yoga. Ive done it for 10 years plus now. I'm not brilliant @ it but I'm ususally top of the class when i'm in a group full of geriatrics.
Ive been looking for a new class for some weeks now, to do during my dinner hour ( do you get the impression I have fun packed dinner hours?) So I found one on Monday. I went along saying to myself "I'll take this easy.." enroute.
Did it happen ?
No
Reason - I was the only one in the class!
The yoga teacher made me work hard - real hard to the point of exhaustion !! Wasnt Yoga meant to make you go away feeling inner calm , peaceful and relaxed?

I was not in this frame of mood @ all. And worse I would have to deal with the Mr and Mrs Grumpys of this world.

Perhaps they need a yoga lesson or two instead of me ?

Theres no such thing as bad karma .... theres no such thing as bad karma

yeah right !

Ah... Autumn autumn autumn

2005-10-31T11:50:00.000Z

Yes I love this time of year. Its so beautiful. The reds, the yellows and the orange hues all around me.... Its such a wonderful time.

I took a walk down a local park this weekend and it was fantastic. Here are a few happy snaps i took.

" I cut off my right arm to live .."

2005-10-30T13:54:00.000Z

Yep thats exactly wot Rock Climber Aron Ralston did to suvive after he got his right arm trapped by a big chockstone in Blue Canyon Utah. Im reading his book Between a rock and Hard Place.

Using a pocketknife, Ralston cut off his right arm below the elbow and applied a tourniquet and administered first aid. He then rigged anchors, fixed a rope and rappelled 60 feet to the canyon floor.

I am really amazed that amputation of his arm was one of the first options he thought of when he became trapped. I really really dont think I could have amputated my own arm and besides I would have fainted @ the first sight of blood. Had i been trapped my first and last option would have been to SCREAM!!!!! and fat lot of good that would have done.... but im sure i woulda felt alot better.

So Aron you are one hell of a brave dude!

His Book is very graphic and not to be read first thing afer breakfast as i have found out.

ICE ICE Baby !!

2005-10-22T20:44:00.000+01:00

ok, so i got a brand new adreno junkie fix now ... i wanna be an Ice climber!! Yep this new pastime is another in the bag like skydiving!, 3 peaks challenges! peak bagging! 10K running and tapestry making (Not )

It all began a month ago. I decided my new job was pretty boring. Hey who was i kidding ? like i actually thought work could be interesting huh? So come one dinner hour Andy Megadeath says "hey lets go ice climbing" Theres a place in Covent Garden it has an indoor 40foot ice wall. http://www.vertical-chill.com/ . We went. We loved it. We were belayed. We were hooked!!! Me and Megadeath made a pact from then on. We would climb the great Rongbuk Glacier one day. http://www.caingram.info/Nepalpeaks/everest3.htm. No seriously we decided it many months before. This was all just part of the prep. But one night after watching Touching the Void. ( A true story) We agreed to take more rope than was humanly possible and more sherpas than were necessary. So let the Adventure begin ! The icequeen cometh !!!

Let there be Light.....

2005-10-17T21:23:00.000+01:00

Today as I was on the 7:10am London bound train to work. Bored to death. So I started thinking about Light. Pure and Simple Light.

Im so facinated with how Light can transform a landscape and how drops of light can tanalisingly touch any object or surface and create a whole new world and feeling.

Ive always been facinated how a master cameraman can capture the effect of light on their subjects. When the photograph is viewed its not the subject the jumps out and grabs your attention, but the beauty of the Dancing Light. It captivates and draws the observer deeper and deeper into the image. Often im lost in these gems of a photograph.

Once I climbed Helvellyn http://www.walkingbritain.co.uk/walks/walks1/w156.shtml the 2nd largest mountain in England, one icy January. Not an easy climb through mist, fog and ice. But when I got to the top it was not the view (lack of ) that amazed me. Instead it was the small hole in the clouds where the suns rays broke through. A Heavenly Spotlight dancing over the beautiful mountain top. It lasted only for 2 minutes. But I saw it. I saw the Light.

10 Years a Telephone

2005-10-02T15:09:00.000+01:00

This year is a very historical year for me. It marks 10 years of working in the telecoms/mobile internet industry. Yes 10 years. Can i believe it? No i cant. So to mark this monentuous landmark occasion i have turned into a Techno Ludite and brought myself a non push button, non memory store addressbook, non sms, non wap, non 3G, non music, non videostreaming fixed line manual dialling antique bakerlite telephone. Voila !

Very proud of this 1930s replica telephone set i am.
So far i have dialled 5 wrong numbers and on average taken approximately 10-15 sec to dial any non local number. International numbers ?? heaven forbid. It really makes me think how we never grumbled, never tutted, never cursed in the "old" days or did we?

On saturday i visited Mr Taylor. Mr Taylor is a 90 year old man who lives on his own and i pay him a social friendly visit evey now and again. My job is to just sit and have a chat with the very spritely 90 year old. Sometimes I talk too much, im sure i do. I am supposed to be listening, but Mr Taylor is well up on current affairs. We discuss space shuttles, the internet and motorbikes. Such a delight to visit Mr Taylor i learn so much.

Last night i watched The Shawshank Redemption - such a beautiful film . How it never got norminated for any oscars is beyond me.

"Remember, Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies"

oh if you are reading this on the 3rd Oct. Then its my birthday. Happy birthday me. Im still @ a Dangerous Age...

The knives were out ....literally

2005-09-10T04:40:00.000+01:00

so... im out in town in Debenhams department stall http://www.debenhams.com/, doing a bit off non productive shopping.... (as always) when the announcement happens:

"Ladies and Gentlemen, in our stall today we are giving away a free sharp kitchen knife to our shoppers. Go immediately now to the 2nd floor, behind the esculator to collect your free, no obligation kitchen knife"

ah yeah me thinks... free my a*se !

Then 2 secs later im swept up in the mad frenzy of bewildered shoppers making their way to the 2nd Floor. We the people we demand our free knives!

A small gathering rabble of townsfolk now meets me on the 2nd floor . Young and old and many bald men ( for some reason) Nervous laughter. Wots he gonna try and sell us before we get the free knife ? How long will i have to endure the pain ? all in the quest to get a free knife

"Are you here for your free knives ?" asks a very highly polished bald man to us

" Yeah!" we sing

But he then explains we will get our knives, eventually, but first we gotta listen up ... we gorra learn about "The Sharpest Knife in the World... Which i will now demonstrate"

It was funny the demo... he made me laugh .. he was a kinda Northern Delboy.

I was laughing too much actually that i then became part of the act....

" madam kindly inspect this steel hammer" he passes me a hammer

"yes its a hammer" i tell him

"and have we ever met before?"

" i dont think so"

" and you are not part of the act? "

"err.. i dont think so"

He then proceeds to saw with the "Sharpest Knife in the World " thru the Steel hammer

Pretty neat trick . But when would you ever wanna saw through a hammer ?? hmmm

Then the demo was over. I got my free knife ! well happy.

The knife in question - that i risked life and limb to obtain.

Track of the week : Foo Fighters - No way back

Reason - cos its AWESOME!!!

hello world @ blog

2005-09-08T21:58:00.000+01:00

hello world @ blog

The Arctic ....ashes to ashes

2005-09-08T19:40:00.000+01:00

Travel log - Last month i went on an Arctic Expedition. An Expedition around the Archipeligo island of Svalbard. (Spitsbergen to me and you) http://www.ocnwide.com/ocn.htm
Why go there ? i was asked many times over. Many thought i was a lunatic and very very few thought it was fantastic. In fact those few (strangers) thought i had made their day by mentioning this fact. Were they wanting shot of me?? they had only just met me... hmmm i wonder now.... The truth of it was i wanted to find inner peace, a calmness, a happiness from within. I wanted to go there and feel one with the landscape. I would go alone.

so did i find it ? did i find my Utopia ?

The answer - NO!

and i have only myself to blame for this - for I did far too much talking, far too much laughing, far too much merry making....

But its gotta be said .. it was one of the most enjoyable times of mylife. The landscape was absolutely jaw dropping. The majestic glaciers were unbelievable. So unashamedly and unbelievably BEAUTIFUL!! .

So as i surveyed the landscape my mind was made up ...I know not why but this was it, this was the place my ashes would rest. It was so beautiful i wanted to die there....

http://photobucket.com/albums/b351/rubikaur/arctic/

morbid ? hmm i dont think so. My mind was made up. Im dead cert of that

.. although this got me thinking of all the times i have nearly nearly died

1. a very very fast flat spin while skydiving @ 13,500 feet in 2004
2. riding on the bitch peg of a fireblade while we do 120mph on the M4 and Jesus im losing grip

3. falling of my bike onto the path off double decker in Oxford in 1993
4. walking along the ledge of a high rise roof when i was 5

perhaps i'll be paying the arctic a visit quicker than i think ? i hope not ...

its good to like danger .. a healthy dose that is .. whod wanna lead a boring life

anyway talking off ashes .. Come on England !

track of the week : Foo fighers No way Back

First there was blogging...

2005-09-08T19:29:00.000+01:00

so... its begun

the Age of the Blog.

never thought id get swept up by this. Resistance was futile ?

ok .. so i gotta blog now

i gotta learn to blog good - no half measures now

Here we go .. Enjoy the ride