Hi!! :-)

Hello Sarah...

Sleeping

Say that again

parrot or kitten....?

I wonder where I'll be in..... :-)

Well. It's a little over two weeks now until the enrollment process begins for the final time (for me anyway)
This will be my final year, and by the end of the second semester I'll be weighed down a little more with some added pride, self satisfaction, cockiness (but not too much), job prospects...
But then again , if all goes the way in which I think it might, I may well be taking another route. I have a yearning to get into teaching. Never really thought I'd be able to realise such an opportunity, but seeing as how far I have come these past two years or so, it's made me see that we are quite literally our own fate makers whichever way we choose to look at it.
So, perhaps at some point I will end up teaching. Who knows.

Goodnight world

Todays 'thought for the day' (was).....

Sometimes a little effort in the right direction goes a long long way.


(thanks for the pic Beatrice hope you didn't mind me copying it)

One step closer....

At long last...I managed to sucessfully create an autorun projector file using Macromedia Director MX. I dare not shout about the amount of wasted discs I went through, before I found out that the speed of my USB2 CDR burner drive which I was using for playback, was unable to cache the temp files quickly enough. (Crazy but true) It wasn't until I eventually tried one of the finalised CD-Rs in the desktop CD drive that I realised the problem...and hey presto.Good old HP's website. There was a forum post which had nothing whatsoever to do with this problem but for some reason triggered the idea of cache speed etc.
Alas....we live and learn. I AM 1 STEP CLOSER TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN....YIPPEE :-)

Ramblings of a would be garden....

Well, it's taken me a few days hard work, but the new garden is well and trully underway. I planted the second set of borderline bushes this afternoon, and I am whacked out. One bottle of Pepsi Max and a few good tunes pumping through my earphones saw me through an otherwise difficult time digging.

Never thought I would get to see the first part done (bordered off) but what with the new mini fence etc I am pretty chuffed with myself.
My daughter loves playing in the garden too which makes it all the more worthwhile.


Anyway....(changing the subject for a moment).
... I've always loved Aerosmiths music such as thier 1980's Love In An Elevator, and the collaboration with RUN DMC with WALK THIS WAY, and especially DREAM ON (from the film staring Bruce Willis and Aerosmiths lead singer Steves Tylers own daughter Liv Tyler **Armageddon 1998) but I happened on a track the other day by accident called DREAM ON, and after hearing it I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It's the original music track that EMINEM sampled for his SING FOR THE MOMENT released in 2003. Credit where credit is due...BOTH rock big time.

Final Year

One more year to go and I'll have my degree. It seems like yesterday when I started my college course.
I've been thinking long and hard about exactly what I want to do when I'm qualified. Its going to be freelance for certain.
I had planned (and hope ) to work for a local or national newspaper and who knows perhaps aim for my own column. But now I've had another offer of work next year from someone who happened upon my website and somehow (must be fate) remembered me from when I was a great deal younger. The offer is for my working from home still, but along different lines. I won't go into it as I don't want to screw up fate.
Who knows.....
Anyway. The point being, there is always something good out there for those who try and do the best they can, no matter what crops up along the way.
I also intend to take up another offer of my writing my memoirs next year as two different people with clout have asked me if I would be willing to write about my experiences from the past three years. So that will no doubt be something I will be looking forward to.
I digress.
My thoughts at the moment are constantly on the subject of the latest taped interview thatAljezeera has released. It was on the news this morning dubbed into English. It shows an interview between one of the Hezbollah fighters who was captured recently by Israel troops.
In the interview he explains about various points he's asks in particular on the fact that he admits to being trained by Iran in one of their camps along with others.
I don't want to get political but I am not happy with the way U.S aircraft carrying ammunition for the Israeli forces are landing half in England to refuel. It is wrong.
How can the the US government along with certain other countries scream how wrong it is that Iran may (MAY) be helping Hezbollah when the States themselves are helping Isreal..something doesn't add up here DOES IT !!!!

ONE BIG BRIGHT FLUFFY & HAPPY DAY

What a fantastic day.....

I big wet passionate kiss goes out to the lady at Orange who worked so hard and dealt with my problem so fast.
I would be so lost without my PDA phone as I live with it side by side for mail, web, study, detailed journal..you name it. Heck, even
my little one would have been none too pleased either if I would have had to go down the ladder and buy some default normal camera phone. You see She loves playing a specific game called Mr.Boo which is a re-hash of the old arcade classic "MR.DOO"

Anyway...I phoned Orange, explained what had happened (dropped the phone whilst getting out of the car) and as promiced I recieved a call this morning telling me a replacement is on its way.

THANKS YOU ORANGE YOU HAVE ONCE AGAIN BEEN WONDERFUL.

Changing the subject for a mo....I have to admit that I am starting to miss those ugly faces (mine included of course tee hee LOL) from my class of 2006.

So hello to one and all....even the ones who think I am from another planet...

Bought a wisked t-shirt yesterday online which I have been after for eons and eons. It's a black dyed cotton with a wonderful and bright pacman logo on it running across the front. My daughter loves it and thought it was for her so I now have to track down a company who'll print up one in her size.....(what a lovely parent I AM.. :-)



She may only be 3 and a little bit, but every day she astounds me with her interlectual abilities. It's not just me either, so many of my friends and family are amazed at how much she can pick up and at the speed in which she learns. She knows most of the garden birds by breed. She can follow a pattern on the piano up to about 6 notes a time which is pretty damn good considering her age.
Oh, and she can type her name on her pre school laptop too. Wonderful. It's only when you have a child or children of your own that you really begin to understand what life is really about..."THEM!!!"

Oh, well. That's my lot for today. Got to be up early as lots happening tomorrow.

Goodnite blog

BLISS STATION (america is blind to real talent)

7:04am Tuesday 6th June 2006

(just putting a specific album on that I have gotto into recently)



Got an email back yesterday from Gary at Bliss Station. Tells me he's moved from the usa to Israel. I hope Isreal appreciates his fantastic talent.

IMO the Bliss Station should have been signed up whilst in America. All tracks from their album are completely and in full available to hear at http://www.bliss-station.com/mp3s.htm
Just make sure you select and listen to "FLOWERS" a couple of times as the middle 8th is brilliant and very VERY Depeche Mode oriented.

Changing the subject somewhat....I went to bed last night really bugged about one or two aspects of the website. Something tells me I need some flash involvement or interaction in my menu on the right hand side. The sketch and quick designs I did before I redit the site the other week look only 50% the same. Point is that I didnt manage to accomplish all the updates and extras that were on the images. I guess I will have to look at my flash again and work something out. If I can get right what I intend to then the site will rock.

Subject change again...

Woke up and at 6am..And got right too it. I was rebuilding my xda (PDA-PHONE updated) with a new PCB and keypad layout which I bought from ebay some time ago. I accidently broke the internal sprung volume switch last night as I was in too much of a hurry.
I'd been talking on the phone to a "friend" :-) about how hooking up the pc interface box I lent her so she could make music with Sony AP directly.Anyway..I broke the phones volume whilst not giving 100% to the project so it was my own fault. Lucky for me that when patience and a moderate amount or solder are needed...I can usually get myself out of an electronics tight spot/jam.
So now I have once again a rebuilt and pwo XDA once again but better as I have at last got the phone to except the new rom upgrade I was sent last week which boasts a much better audio pickup when recording either video or audio direct to SD card.
I tested it out a few days ago. I managed to enhance via PC software (obviously) a 2mb wav file of a conversation I had with some friends. It is crystal clear even though we were at least 4 or more feet away from the unit. Incidently, my pals on the whole swear by their nasty yucky 02 or TMob phones which happened to be Sony audio mp3 versions. And I hate them as they look like something that was designed way back when....you get the point.

Well I'm off as I have a three items waiting to be shipped out today and its important they go otherwhise no ones going to hear the music i've finished are they.

bye bye for now

Time goes by so quickly when you are having fun.

Good luck Pete....!!! :-)
[ the only one in the Big Brother House that's worth watching]


Flipping heck...I hadn't realised how long it's been since I last wrote something down on here...
"OOPS"

I'm going to try and start keeping up to date from now on or else I'll forget when it comes time to reflect just how wonderful and exciting my super duper life really is...(yeah..whatever..LOL)

Ok...here's a good place to start. Question????...."which absolute plonker but DIESEL in someones PETROL tank at the garage today and had to call out the troops to come get the car and drain it"
I'll leave that one hanging in the air as it's better left that way. And no! I havent said it was me...

What else have I been up to...(mmm thinks)
Well, I have been working on some bits for college earlier and actually managed to find the time to redisign and upload the new template for my portfolio website for college. I hope it looks as good as I feel it does in comparison to how it DID before.
I've changed the graphics and logo and changed the colour template. I really enjoy using Dreamweaver. I certainly wouldn't be lost if I had to write the site with HTML but it wouldnt be as straight forward or as well designed.

Been fidling around with the video camera today too. I sent off for the correct lens hood (square version) as the new Sony one was really naff and didnt work well at all. This one really makes for a better captured image especially when its outside and shooting direct stills. I didnt thing I would notice much difference in light capture but you really can see a difference between the old round rubber cheapy and this new one.
So many people have said how good it is. The write up I read went on about how the clearence between lens and hood kept the odd small shower of rain off of the lens too. Should be interesting if it does.

Excuse pleeeez the photie quality...took them on an XDA....say no more.





Changing the subject matter somewhat for a mo.....
Nice to see that spculation is hotting up in the press and on tv regarding Mr.Wayne Roony.
My sympathies are with him big time. I have no interest in football usually, but seeing his face on the news at the time he had the "incident" one couldnt help but feel sorry for him having his prospect of playing in the world cup instantly shattered. He's been working so hard apparently that it just isn't fair. I hope by some miracle he is able to play at some point during the WCup even if he which is likely misses the Vers Germany game.



I'm off as I've had my fill of Tuesday 30th May 2006.

HAPPINESS, CHOCOLATE (TOO MUCH), MOUNTAIN BIKE...SUMMMERTIME

Ok...
Woke up this morning with the same thought as I crashed out with...."I need to loose some weight"
In all honesty, I've been thinking about it alot lately...although I've never actually stopped by the roadside of introspection and pondered to the point of actually doing something about it. Change (wanting too anyway) has got to be the keyword now, and not just wishing.
I like my food tooooo much and although I have more or less cut out smoking...(I have a secret cigarette some nights when I'm watching the box) theres a great deal of other things I will have to start concentrating on. I bought rather a neat mountain bike that cost (no comment).£*** early this year and since I last used it its been gathering cobwebs and the odd bit of rust ever since. So todays mission (not) impossible is to WALK to ones mothers and go get me my bike.
Got a million and one mtv vids and tracks on PDA file so I can listen and start peddling...LOL and start the health ball rolling.
Right now I am sitting infront of the keyboard having been jamming some melody I heard on internet radio last last. Look out side....WOWZERS... THE sky is blue this morning and bright sun light is hitting every corner of my room. It can only mean one thing..........aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh
ITS SUMMER TIME....YIPPEEEEEE.
:-)

cu

DAY 7

DAY 7 (WEEK ONE)

I never thought that quiting smoking and actually being consciously SERIOUS about giving up for good, would be so damn hard.

Ok so its only been one week. But I still crave a cigarette like you wouldnt believe. Not all the time I grant you, but when the boredom bug kicks in that's when it gets difficult to switch off.

I have given up smoking so I can restart my like and loose the cought, go back to kick boxing (and stay there this time...LOL), carry my daughter who loves daddy to chauffer her around like a human taxi, start running, go fo long cycle rides on the expensive mountain bike thats been in limbo for a long time now.

Most importantly...I want to live as long as possible so I can meet my grandchildren should my daughter grow up and have kids of her own.

At the moment, the mornings are noticably easier, I do however get the odd headache first thing before I have the first nescafe goldblend of the day, but the cough has gone and I can breath freely without any wheezing that most get after a while from smoking.

I know I wont go back to it, but its just finding something to occupy the moments of bordom when that craving kicks in like a long lost friend knocking on the door.

I digress.

bye bye

DAY 6

DAY 6

Left headphones on last night as I woke up from a really vivid dream. Space ships in the shape of blue crystalline stars with tiny revolving windows came down in multitudes and picked up everyone living in the street I lived in in the dream and took us all on a journey.

We were all ported to a destination of a simple cinema in some far off small town. We all sat unable to move watching in shock as the film began to roll. On the screen came up a title which I remember was far too tiny to read. When the film started, several silver non human like robots were seen zooming around, some flying, some walking and some upside down just staring at the camera. What happened next was weird. As one by one each row of us were released from whatever force was holding us from moving, a large group of terrorist like robots dressed strangely in USA military special forces garb came running down the ails.

We were forced to defend ourselves as they fired a lazier like weapon at us. No one was hurt by it but we attacked them with serious force and deemed them motionless and unable to compute like a bunch of spent batteries.

Soon after that, the main exit doors opened up at the front of the cinema and we all ran out to the what we thought was the bright light of the sunshine. As soon as the last few of us steps out, the doors slammed shut and the light was instantly switched off to reveal another space craft...Doors wide open...Two large human beings in appearance beckoning us all to enter the ship.

We saw on walking into the ship as we passed the two that they had no faces, just a tiny plastic mesh that lit up when they spoke. One kept calling the other mr.president, which seemed odd to us. Several of our group were growing increasingly angry at what was happening and wanted to go back home.

shortly after this we all found ourselves materialized in a car park somewhere in America. But unlike the America of reality, this america was full of arabian dressed people, all covered up from head to toe in black material. No one was distinguishable from the other. As several of us watched this bizzare vision from the overhang of the carpark wall, we heard a rush of air growing louder and louder accompanied by a flash of fire that went up and up into the air. The space craft had left us here and was gone as quick as it had first turned up in out street.

We waited chatting about, and I remember one lady who came over to me and sharing a pack of Marks and Spencer prawn cocktail sandwhitches with brown bread and asked me where I wished I was right now.

I looked at her and was captivated by her calmness and truthful glint eminating from her deep blue eyes. I answered home. She asked me if I was sure. So I said I wasnt sure.

At that moment another space craft appeared out of nowhere and planted inself literally inches away from the two of us.

The rest is lost as I woke up/

Anyway.....its day six of my non smoking new life. Its hard as hell even with patches to help but I am pretty confident that I will be able to move to the next stage in a week or two. Diet and nutrition complete change BIG TIME CHANGE and the kickboxing again where I left off, together with mountain biking once again. Or at least an early morning and early evening lost distance ride to both build up my out of sync body and build my fitness level again.

I digress' although the thought for the day is....I hope that smoking appearing in films and television programs will soon be a thing of the past. The reason being that watching a dvd yesterday brought strong feeling back of wanting a cigarette just from seeing a ficticious charactor smoking on screen

I digress.

cu

DAY 5

Day five

Well, its now the start of day five. I woke up for the first time today not even feeling remotely like I need a cigarette which is a relief. Yesterday was a whole different ball games. I took my daughter for a day out and we both had a great time.

I cant remember a moment when she wasn't smiling or haoiily pointing things out like children do. It was only on the crazy golf course at a local seaside resort that I began to want a cigarette.

Luckily I managed to scoff down some sweets that we BOTH finished off....LOL and the craving had gone.

Night times seem to be the worst time of all and that I guess is down to boredom and getting accustomed to no longer having a little stick of tobacco rolled up in a piece of paper that I now have to deal with at times.

This is the first time I have done this without a sense of realizing that I might go back to smoking.

Health is the highest on the list to why this is now a committed decision for me to see it through.

I realize that there IS no turning back now and that is that.

I'm getting my mountain bike from out of storage later today. I intend to start phase two of my "5 point Personal health project". The next stage is diet, exercise and mentail wellbeing.

Oh well, I'm now being summoned by ones beautiful and wonderful daughter whose just awoken up so its off from the laptop and in to the kitchen for breakfast time.

Wish me luck. (don't actually need it as I have willpower enough to reach where I need to get too)

cue

DAY 1 to 4

Days one through four

....have just recieved my first metaphorical post card from my body having sent it on a first class non stop one a way tick to that place I've been wanting to send it to for so long

"EndOfsmokin City"

I've got to say that on this side of the fence the sun seems to shine a whole lot more, the air smells sweeert, mornings are brighter, AND WAKING UP WITH A YEARNING FOR NICOTINE is now fast becoming a distant tasteless memory.

I've got to say, the feeling of being able to run and not walk places with a cigarette hanging out my mouth is simply wonderful. I still want one now and again and I guess I will for a few more days. But...I actually suprised myself today beyond words. I had a problem that really annoyed me, I wont go into the details but rest assured I sorted it out with a little relaxed reading of "The Flash MX Bibile"and took care of it before I allowed that little craving feeling which still echoes in my mind to become something harder to handle.
I am pretty happy right now. Several people lately have begun to take notice of what I have been through and achieved this past few year and have even called me to say so which pushes my self esteem well over the 10 out of 10 barrier that only usually hits when one gets a nice smile from a beautiful lady, or on a day when the scales are being kind...he he he

I'm off now to steal (borrow!!) one of my little ones easter egg stay that has been hidden away for easter.

cu

THESE ARE CRAZY CRAZY CRAZY...."CRAZY NIGHTS"

Having got home yesterday and fallen asleep for quite a while I awoke to get on with the task in hand that I had sticky noted in BIG LETTERS by my bed.
I have not even finished the task and it is now 9:37am the next day.

The task in question without wishing to go into to much detail involves my (legally) reincoding an episode of the comedy South Park.
It is for use with Adobe Premier at college and because of which and the silly way in which Premier (maybe not silly) exepts only avi raw. Now this is fine until you find that you video tape is no good and you have to reincode direct with out any encoders. This too is fine until you find that the finished file (by which time it is 1:34am in the morning) is over 3gb in total.
Now I gave this some thought and being tired I decided a quick burn to cd would do the trick. Well.....WRONG...as I dropped the external DVD/CD writer on the kitchen floor. Long story short and after much tired deliberation....I decided I needed to fix it AT GONE 1AM IN THE MORNING.
I did fix it having replaced a tiny transit motor from my old internal one from way back (thanks be to god for giving me the foresight to save it in the bottom draw.)

Now heres the even crazier part. I managed to sort it to disc in five disc or so I had thought. But 3 hours later and much coffee later at 3am or there abouts.....two of the discs had not worked. So running out of discs I decided to burn what I had and take it from there.

Next....computer crashes and had to do a restart into safe mode as something which I still dont know what stopped the whole thing from working.
In the end....I got four of the five discs recorded (just for one episode of South Park that would have otherwise been under 40mb!!!! AHHHHHHH)

And placed the last 600mb to a SD media card.

So right now I am about to get ready to go to the early editing session with my other two chums in our group....my bestest friend has lost her phone so I can not find anyway to let her know that I may be late burning this other emergency fall back DVD disc of the said episode.
The other never bothered to give me her number. Just an email address.

I just hope and pray that god has been watching me and the gates of heaven with be accompanied with lots of hugs and cuddles and my favorite chocolate bar when I go there at the end of this sometimes hard life as I feel undoubtably that I am a HELL OF A GOOD CHAP AND DO MORE THAN MY FAIR SHARE OF GOOD TURNS FOR PEOPLE EVEN THOUGH I ASK NOTHING IN RETURN.

Later on today I will re edit this blog with the photos I had the brains to record onto my phone as I kept thinking this morning in the early hours that NO ONE WILL EVER BELIEVE THE HASTLE AND BRAINACHE THIS MISSION HAS CAUSED ME AND HOW I HAVE STOOD BY AND DONE THE BEST I COULD WITH THE BEST OPTIONS AVAILBLE.....I DIGRESS.

Poor old Mr.Grass Head

Crikey. It's been a few days since I last blogged. Not like me. I guess being busy Is a real reason for once and not an excuse. Theres certainly a lot going on these days. My life is most definately NOT dull.
I've just got up a bit later than usual. My pda alarm wakes me with the most annoying alarm wav I could find. And at six oclock every morning I'm up and about. Today I missed it but only god knows how. I woke at 8am. I've got to do some work before classes this afternoon on Semiotics. (the study of signs)
I got a few books out yesterday having spent the better part of an 30 minutes searching for the book numbers. One of the books has a price tag of 48 pounds...I nearly fell off the chair.

Had the best lesson ever yesterday that is definately on par with last weeks V.Prod lesson where myself and my main chum sat and used Adobe Premier. Now that WAS good fun.
Yesterdays animation lesson was really good too. I even wanted to stay and learn more. Now that IS a first. Am looking forward to creating a mirror site encoded purely in flash. So many ideas poured through my mind yesterday and we worked through chapter 20 of the Flash MX Bible. So many design ideas to enhance my website. Well...heck...maybe there is a future for me in graphics.
Thats enough rambling.

Just notices this morning that my daughter Mr.Grass Head doesn't need a hair cut and hasnt for some time. This was a mystery to us until this morning I found out why. Her cat "Blue" was hiding in the bathroom sitting in the sink chewing the grass off of the poor defenseless critter.
So I am going to be finding a better place for Mr.GH to sit and grow.
Watched Quincy this morning too. Well the last few minutes. Got to say its still a great program. Then Chicargo Hope popped up. Never really watched that before. But I recognised the face of one of the lead characters and watched a bit of it. Pretty good although a wee bit dated in its theme.

Have now more or less got most of my website working bar the music uploads. This is really and truthfully simply a matter of finding the time to finish off what I started before this 2nd semester started. I wrote about ten new songs but am still learning the ropes of the keyboard as its onboard sequencer is a nasty nasty learning curve that at times I find myself almost giving up on. I had the keyboard to bits last year whilst my little one watched me and helped me take out near on 30 screws from the underneith where the screen needed replacing.
It works perfectly now albeit with two slight missing pixels.

I will shut up now as my heart is not in this right now as there are those who are relying on me to do my bit today for the assignment. And I DON'T LET PEOPLE DOWN.

goodbye for now

THE FUTURE LOOKS VERY BRIGHT

Just finished microwave bangers and mash as no time to cook something right now. Got to catch a bus to college shortly as its back to studying as from 2pm today. I am looking forward to it to be honest as I can see the light at the end of my own personal tunnel and boy is it bright. I have no doubts in my mind as to where I will be once I leave college and finish my digital media degree course.
I have two articles to write now. One as I mentioned on my previous post and another more personal one that I have to get in by Friday. I am looking forward to both immensely.
I intend to fill up my C.V. etc with as much work as possible in and around the assignments that will need to be done for my coursework.

I can almost feel the journalism awards around me and the status I will achieve through my work in the future.

All I want out of life as has always been the case, is to be able to give my little one a good life, one where she won't have to struggle through so much as I have done these past few years.
I was called a success story the other day by someone whom I hold in quite high esteem. I don't think I showed it at the time, but rest assured, I was touched by her sentiment.

I am about to go in a mo, as my bus awaits, but I just wanted to add a few lines to the blog so I have something to look back on in the future. Isn't THAT what lifes about after all.



bye bye

My thoughts are with.....

This morning my heart goes out to the friends, families and loved ones of those that are still missing from the Egyptian ferry that sank in the Red Sea yesterday.

BIG SMILES

I had a great day yesterday.(thanks Yv. :-)
I went to a meeting at ip1 magazine based in Ipswich and have come away with a deadline on my first article that I am going to be writing for them.I don't have time right now to write much as I am in the middle of making breakfast for my daughter. But rest assured I intend to write a seriously "kicking piece"
Nicest group of people I've met. So thanks guys. Roll on submission date.

POST OFFICE ROBBERY

Today my thoughts go very much out to the staff and owners of our very own local post office near where we live.They're the nicest bunch of people I've met since I moved here just a few months ago.

But last night having popped my head out of the window having heard a helicopter circling very close by with its search lights on and seeing the many police officers walking around outside, it turned out that the post office had just been robbed and the perpetrators were on the run.
I have to say that the police do a great job in times like this and I hope their hard work pays off.
There isn't much else to say as the details are not altogether very detailed but I hope all are ok at the Post Office and knowing them it'll be work as usual today.

LUCKY ESCAPE FROM HOUSE FIRE

I didn't realise the extent to what I was witnessing as we drove past several fire trucks on 28th this month. I took a couple of pics for my little one who actually pointed the fire engines out in the first place.



But a phone call the other day from a friend who explained how some neighbours living across the road saw their neighbours house on fire and phoned 999.
The story I have since read states that eight children and two adults were saved from the house on fire owing to the aforementioned neighbours Mark and Anne Street who noticed the curtains were alight in the downstairs sitting room in the house in High Road Trimley.
Luckily no one was hurt.

POLLUTION

WELCOME TO FELIXSTOWE........

What a mad few days it's been. It's hard to know where to begin.

So, in not exactly a chronological order but done as best I can, here is the latest to my life....

Right now it is a Saturday morning 11.27am. Mums just stopped by as we're all going out to feed the ducks. It's one of those things that are free to do in life, bar the price of a loaf of bread and is just plain ole good fun.

My daughter certainly loves throwing bread to them. Last time we did it we ended up forgetting the shopping in the back of the car which consisted mainly of my everyones favorite ice creams "mini feast". So I ended up scoffing the remainders..

Anyway....once we all ready thats where we are going.

I spend a few hours on the beach on Friday afternoon whilst little one was at playgroup. I was simply enjoying the fresh air walking alone past Felixstowe Pier. One point I couldnt help noticing however is the amount of waste lurking both on the seashore and on the top of the water


I couldn't help but pick the litter up and put it in a bin. So below is the new updated shot of how the beach SHOULD look.

A lot of the rubbish perhaps comes from the dumped items from cargo and passenger ships, but then again I would imagine that the same goes for people around here who just throw their unwanted bits and pieces and then walk away.

i digress.....

Changing the subject somewhat....

I remember as a child going to the cinema with my parents regularly. On a Saturday as I got older it progressed to going with my two brothers to the Saturday morning matinee where they would put on those great London made primarily for us kids.
Those were great days and some wonderful memories.

I recently introduced my little one to the Walt Disney film Bambi as it was one film in particular I remember seeing at the cinema all those years ago as a child and have wanted her to see it too. At first she sat there with a million and one question about who what why....you get the point...Like young children do I guess.

But after the scene in which Bambi is born and the "new prince" is introduced to all the wild animals....she went nuts and loved it. I am glad the editors edited out the shot in which the hunters catch up with Bambis mother. Luckily all we saw and heard was a gun shot and a change of scene .

It's lost none of its original appeal that much is true. Its still a wonderful children and adults alike film. I am pleased to say she ended up watching it twice again over and over.

I JUST WISH WALT DISNEY WOULD NOT PUT TEN MINUTES OR SO OF THEIR OWN ADVERTS ON THE DVD BEFORE THE ACTUAL FILM STARTS AS IT IS WRONG. EXPECIALLY WHEN YOU CONCIDER THAT IT COMES AS A TWO DISC SET. SO WHY ON EARTH DONT THEY PUT THE ADVERTS ON THE OTHER DISC OR AT THE END OF THE FILM.

I digree....

More news.....I had to take my little ones cat "blue" to the vets as she was going through the motions if you know where I am coming from. I admit it would have been nice for my daughter to have experienced her cat having her own kittens as a good learning and life experience. But obviously money.....time and effort and room all came into play so I believe I did the right thing. I have had her sorted out now and had her claws clipped as she tends not to go out much. She was making so much noice prior to the op..every day and night in fact to the point that perhaps any uneducated neighbours near where we live might have thought she was in pain. Those in the know would have realised that she just wanted to go out and hang out with the other puddy cats. Saying that though, every time I tried to get her to go out she refused and ran back in.

Anyway,she is happier than ever now and seems so loving and fussier that ever before.

As you may be able to see in the picture that didnt come out to well as I copied it from a video I took when she got home, the only signs that shes been to the vets are the shaven side of her lover half. Shes been wonderful too though as the stitches that come out next week have caused her no problems whatso ever and shes not even chewed at them as I thought she would.

The only problem if you can call it that is that the cat is now learning not to expect to rip holes in objects like my legs as she stablizes herself to climb up. God that hurts when she used to do that.

Apart from all this theres not alot to say apart from a bit of important new that I am unable to write about on here about my little one which I hope is going to turn out being on the positive side

Bye bye for now....

Nick

DREAM

Woke up at the 6am alarm call this morning from a strange but vivid dream.
I lived through a nuclear war. The dream started with me sitting infront of the computer reading my daily news feed from AlJazeera (have gotten hooked on its reporting of world events without the normal default attitude of negativity toward one direction that has become the norm in the UK press be it in print, TV etc)...And a the phone rang. At the other end was an unfamiliar voice. All I remember was hearing the person tell me to turn the TV on turn the TV on......
I go into the other room. Switch it on...news24 is showing live images from on top of a domed building and from the viewpoint in the distance a massive blinding light begins to erupt into almost sun power. People are running in the distance calling out in a language I have never heard and don't understand. Within a moment as the flash comes closer and closer to the camera the static of non transmission kicks in and the feed is lost. I pick up the phone....But the phone is now silent. I try ringing out but after a moment the phone line is also dead, there is not even a dial tone.
I hear whispering and dogs barking from outside the window....I go to see whats going on...on opening the window I see that the sky is in total darkness. The clock on the wall says 8am. Somethings wrong. I get up to try the house phone....The door bell rings.....I answer the door to a woman in a white robe with a red bandana...she tries to tell me something...but is too quiet for me to hear the words. As I look at her the words seem to turn into images of different buildings I recognize from around the world. I look her in the eyes. She taking me by my arm and motions for me to go with her.....As I leave and close the door...there is a large car waiting outside. As we approach I am told from a man who I remember looked like the US president that the woman is his robot version of Condoleezza Rice and that the real one was kidnapped in the Far East.

As I get into the car I am told that the world needs my help....we travel along the road and talk for a while. I am trying to stay calm and not ask too many question although I remember feeling like being part of a matrix film. All of a sudden the car sprouts props and we begin to accent into the clouds at faster than light speed....It was here that I woke up.........

NEW TATTOO

This is a quick snap I took of the shop I had my new tattoo done at recently.
It's called H.B.A and is in Tacket Street, Ipswich not far from Cash convertors and is by far the best place I have found for tattoos. They also do many other body treatments too and are well worth a visit. They are certainly well managed and everything is noticably lovely and clean unlike some of the places I have seen. If I get the chance I want to book my mother in there for one of there PAMPER DAY treatments. She deserves it and I think she'd love it. Better start saving my pennies.

Anyway....I had been promicing myself a tattoo for quite some time. I originally wanted a small black panther but found an image of a black cat with claws out streched that I chose instead.

Thanks to the tattooist by the way, as I'm very happy with the end result.

Here's a pic of the finished article. It's not too clear but you get some idea of what it looks like. Not a bad photo though considering my nearly 3 year old daughter took it for daddy. She's getting good at framing the images she sees through the view finder prior to snapping the photo and shes learnt to keep the PDA camera steady too.

Photo by Sophie Endean

I digress.....

Todays thought is simply "how wonderful and privelleged I feel to be part of my daughters life"
I understand totally now what is meant when people say that children are a gift from god and are the future of the planet we will one day leave behind.
I've been thinking too about how much my life has changed since becoming a parent.
I know I am good dad....no...scrub that....I AM A WONDERFUL DAD.
I think the best thing of all is watching children pick up and learn new things on a daily basis.

I have taught my daughter so much in her short life and am amazed on a daily basis as to how in the heck she remembers everything. More times than I care to remember she interjects the odd words that I forget when I am talking about something and can't remember a name or a place. Especially when it comes to characters in books or CBB's. We watch and make lots of things together and have gotten into using sparkling pipe cleaners to make pictures in 3d. She loves it and I have to admit that I love it to...watching her face light up when daddy smiles with agreement at each of her graphical and colourful masterpieces.
She loves the feeling of acomplishment as we all do but I love pushing her mentally to do things for herself.
She feels so good about herself which is so great to see and makes that proud as punch happy feeling almost jump out of my heart.

On daily outings in the car to different places, shes been watching me take photos and videos on my pda phone. Last week she took her own set of pictures after asking if she could take a photo. I showed her that the lens which I told her was the phones eye, needed to NOT have her hand on it else it wont see what she sees. She fully understands it now and has taken video and photos of birds....the park....the beach.....xmas trees...loads of things.

Who knows maybe she'll grow up and be a professional photographer or a video or film producer or director.

Bye bye for now

CAR CRASH

Friday 13th January 2006

On the way back from posting an assignment at college on Friday, We were in the car driving home and saw what was obviously an accident that had happened moments earlier. On the A1156 near the Nacton Heath turn off a grey van or people carrier had flames coming from the engine and seemed to have been hit with some serious force. A young lady was lying on the ground a distance from the vehicle whom was being comforted by what looked like a passerby just as a marked police car pulled up. I couldn't see any other vehicle or vehicles that may have been involved. We had to return to Ipswich later that day, by which time the whole area had been cordoned off by the police. I can only imagine as I said at the time that the crash forensics people needed to examine the scene for evidence. At the end of the day at least we along with other drivers were fortunate enough to be able to get home. I can only pray that the people involved in the accident will be okay. I have since heard that three people were hurt in the crash and taken to hospital one with life threatening injuries, so our thoughts are most certainly with them right now.

Vision Express,I love you

So much has been happening in my life lately. It's been hard to keep track of all the positive changes that have been taking place.
To begin with I have just got some new glasses with money I was given for christmas. Took ages to decide on which to get. Everyone likes a change and as it's a fresh new year and my other glasses had a small piece of the lens broken I had to sort it out.
I only go to Vision Express because the staff are the best around, service is the best and speed of service remains unchallenged from any of its rivals. I would never go to Specsavers again owing to a problem the last time I got a pair of glasses from them. I am not alone with having problems with them, but I am not here to talk about them so I wont.

Anyway....I got a nice pair of black rimed glasses which were literally completed and on my face within 35 minutes. The lady who dealt with me called sheila was wonderful and even got some of the other staff to put my ever untrusting mind at rest and assure me of my choice. I made up my own mind having tried several out prior to asking for help but it's really nice to have your own decisions backed up as correct.

I was that happy when I got home that I typed up a letter to the manager which I hope should have got there by now.

bummer..

This is a quick blog as am trying to juggle several things at once.
Am whilst my little one is busy on her singalonga mike I am free for a second.
I quit smoking for just over four days. I have to start again tomorrow as I screwed up a got stressed a wee bit after dying my hair for a new year change and HATED IT.....got so moapy over it that I regretfully lit up a cigarette.

Thats all I have got to say on the subject as it depresses the hell out of me. But I've done it before for two weeks so I will be starting again tomorrow....Sunday 8th...

At least I still have faith.

difficult day...the worst yet

DAY 4

I am late writing this as its gone twelve oclock midnight already. I had wanted to add to my quite smoking blog all day but have not been had the time.
I am lying in bed about to crash out to a dvd very soon so will keep this brief.
The truth about today is that the cravings for real nicitine got to the point that I forced myself to go to bed for a few hours at about 3pm or so else it would have been much harder finghting it.
But it worked and I did it. I suddently realized earlier on waking up that my patch was not on properly so it didn't help matteres either. I tried a minute amount of low powered nici gum but that was useless.....so I guess the best advice I will remember in the fitire is just to crash out and relax in bed for a bit.

Happy new year to everyone whom knows me and I hope that all you wish for out of life for now and the future is both reaschable and meets with your expectations 10 fold.


Cu.