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.

There is good in the world

DAY 3#

I woke up today relieved to hear on the news......that aid worker Kate Burton and her mum and dad, Hugh and Win have been released during the night/early hours by their captors. Separately and via individual cars at different locations they were each set free.
I am really really pleased.
I was genuinely disturbed, worried and very concerned as to who had taken them and what motives were behind their being taken in the first place. Let alone what fate may have been awaiting them. Owing to the fragilty this once safe (ish) area and the miriad of terrible injustices that certain other governments have put upon both this and other parts of the middle east with their interfering I imagine I was not alone with my concernes.

Kate along with other United Nations employees working from the UN in Gaza had no option but to leave having been told by those in charge that Western hostage had become a very serous concern.
So having left the UN, she stayed in the same area but began working for the "al-Mezan Centrein"(Centre for Human Rights)
Kate who had invited her parents over to stay had been showing them around the town of Rafah which is near the Egyptian border. And it was here that their nightmare ordeal began. However Kate has made it very clear that not only was she treated well, but that her captors made a point of regularly asking her if she needed anything.
It is also aparent from the video that The Mujahadeen Brigades released yesterday showing Kate and a masked gunman, that she was not made to wear a mask or Quantanmo Bay type orange jump suite that has become symbolic and reminiscent of those shown in videos released by the Iraq insurgent groups who kidnapped and killed westerners as a last line of defence to fight the illegal US led occupaton of Iraq.
Kate is also seen to be in my own opinion quite together athough obviously frightened.
I wonder too that being able to speak French,Spanish AND Arabic, whether this would have been a blessing or simply added to the fear she must have already been feeling. I mention this because on the video we can see Kate standing beside the gunman who is reading a statement out in what I would imagine to be Arabic or similar. And if Kate could understand some or all of what was being read it would either have been a blessing to know what was going on or simply added to an already worsening nightmare for her.

I admire her courage and faith without question. Well done Kate. Especially since she's already said that she wants to carry on her work over the in Gaza.

It's very sad that this previously unheard of group "The Mujahadeen Brigades" has said it will go further in the future by kidnapping international monitors if it has too. From what I have read and heard, (thanks Sky news and BBC WS) the group have denounced the UK for it's involvement and the part it's played throughout history in what has been happening to Palestinians since 1918. This goes far beyond my understanding as I am not educated enough or up to speed on middle eastern history but I have a rough understanding. I will be researching it though as I think it is important to know what's going on especially in this world climate.



The second news story that needs mentioning is that from the Russian gas compnay Gazprom is threatening to cut off supplies to the Ukraine by a January 1st threatened deadline,unless it begins paying for it's gas supplies life everyone else.
The problem is not an easy one to understand and certainly won't fade away.

The basics of the situation are that the Ukraine has been used by Gazprom for many years as an outlet and throughport by which Gazprom has been using it to shift it supplies via the Ukraine straight through to parts of Europe, and in return, the Ukraine has enjoyed more or less free gas.
But the company is now saying it needs to increase it's overall fuel prices and by what is percieved to be a considerable amount. Hense forth the Ukraine too is now being told it must also start paying.
It's a sad state of affairs as the Ukraine is a middle man for a quarter of the Wests gas input too!!!!!
To top that off the Russian government has offered to bail out the Ukraine by way of a government loan to help pay for the fuel costs. This has no doubt enraged the state who say they don't want handouts and want to be independant. Who can blame them.

And looking a the situation further....even though we are on the other side of the water from them, we here in the United Kingdom may suffer too. the point is...We may see problems over her before long is this Jauary 1st threat of "switching off supplies" actually happens.

What's more worrying is that we are now under a really cold spell and yesterdays electricity problems have drawn home the bigger picture should the gas be interrupted in any way.
It was about 5pm or so late yesterday afternoon when the telly went off as did all the power.
We had no electricity for a good two hours. Thank heavens I bought my daughter a ton of batteries for christmas that are in the cupboard. May need them all at this rate should the powercut last the night.

From what I can understand, one of the main sub stations suffered from bad weather blues and caused a black out both in Trimley and (thanks mum) around the felixstowe area.


------------------------------------
Have just found out:
(Homes last night without power)
East Anglia: 44,000
East Midlands: 17,000
North Wales: 18,000
------------------------------------


I imagine some of the smaller shops and perhaps some of the supermarkets suffered quite badly too. I am talking about food products kept in the freezers and fridges although perhaps they were ok.

Luckily for us, daddy has been taught well (thanks again mum...LOL) and learnt over the years to always have standby lights ect.


I may not have had candles but my daughter who slept through most of the outage, woke up with fully charged batteries in her portable player and one of the battery lights beside her bed.
My old but reliable computer came in handy too what with it's battery supply. It's only good for an hour JUST!!! But it allowed me to whack across several of my daughter favorite cartoons from her drive to my phone. I wanted to have something for her to watch as my good old phone has four spare batteries and she would have been fine with it if everything else ran out.
What's funny is that she didn't seem bothered at all by the outage when she woke up and all I got was "I want my dinner" and "Can you put Thomas on"(Calling all Engines....Thomas the tank engine film)
She never ceases to amaze me. The best thing of all though was having dinner cooked just as the power went off. Luckily the meal was nearly cooked anyway..And the hot oven stayed hot enough to cook everything. I imagine others weren't so lucky so my thoughts went out to them whilst I savoured every mouthful of hot chips..Gravy...Beans...Sweet potatoes and pie...(like heck it did.....Am I sarcastic or what....He he he he he)


I digress....

Onto today....

Well..I have been up since waking at dead on (kid you not) 4am. I didn't even want a cigarette either which made me feel wonderful. I got up tucked my little one in....Made her a fresh water bottle and fresh milk bottle....Refilled her pooh bear water bottle.... made a coffee...changed my patch,made a quick phone call (not to a person as I am not in the habit of winding and waking people up at such as time LOL)... And then sat down to write this.

It's day three now of my stopping smoking and I am already seriously noticing the complete lack of being knackered first thing in the morning. I HAVE however felt a new 24hour urge to eat everything I can get my hands in relation to sweets and chocolates oh...And prawn cocktail crips too.....
And I don't mind telling you Mr.Blog that my daughters goodies that I always put on one side each week as treats may be next to go if I show the same lack of self discipline as I have shown my own treats/goodies...He he he he. She may be just coming up to her 3rd birthday but she is one amazing child. She knows how to throw a guilt trip and has become expert at letting the world know when she's annoyed. I'm sure she'll go far in life anyway...But with this talent at making daddy feel bad she will grow up to be just like a real female of the species....HE HE HE (only kidding....)

Anyway....(yes I KNOW I use the word "anyway" far too much but it'd one of those gorgeous words that one throws about at the beginning of a sentence when one is thinking and a little stuck at how to write the next paragraph....Something like that)

Like I was saying...I feel tired right now, but I don't feel miserable at the coughing I was suffering from only 3 days or so prior to stopping smoking. I also don't ache when I get up to do something....I am not out of breath so much when I move around quickly...
The perfect scenario for this would be like yesterday.....Sophie asked me to get her something from the other room like her garage and cars...And no sooner was I out of the door...She went and called me back in to get her a DVD she wanted to watch.....Then she will expect me to get the cat for her.....Seriously....She WILL literally ask me to "can you bring cat over her daddy" she always says please as myself and family have made a point of always teaching her manners whenever possible. I realize how crazy that may sound, as with manners should come the point where she should do things for herself...don't get me wrong as she's just like most children in that respect but when she can't be bothered and is comfortable on the settee that's when she'll expect ME to get things for her. She IS getting better though as yesterday she actually peeled her own banana.....honestly.....no word of a lie.

Anyway...I love her to bits and wouldn't be doing half of the things I am nearing to completing in life if it wasn't for the fact of knowing shes in my life. Even smoking...when I had my last cigerette on Wednesday night I was saying a little prayer asking for help and guidance throughout the coming year and though I was being quiet enough. But no....little miss heard some of it and came over, asked me for a cuddle and simply said "daddy are you not going to be going out the kitched window anymore" She hates it when I put my head out of the window to smoke and has told me everytime I would say where I was going, that she wanted me to stop. I have told her how bad smoking is now and that when daddy tried before to quite that daddy wasn't ready. Now she has been checking asking me if I have got a patch on. It may not be a lot but I know she understands enough to realise that her saying that and telling me not to smoke helps me so much. I pray that she never smokes and ever has to go through having to get to the point I did before realising it's time to make a concerted effort.

I am wafling on a little I think....sorry about that if I am Mr.Blog.

I will go get another coffee and do some of my assignment now.

Cu

DAY 2

DAY 2#

I have been up for about an hour or so now and have just put on a fresh nicotine patch having stopped smoking on Wednesday evening.

I decided to try again having thought long and hard about my current lifestyle and state of health which I feel is not at all what it should be. I know that I am not far off forty and that some things in life are in the lap of the gods, but on the other hand I am not doing myself any favours.
I mean...Every morning I wake up, moan to myself about how fat I am getting, (whilst shoveling the remains of yesterdays left over chocolate bar into my ever sweetening tooth) make a coffee, roll a cigarette, open the window, stick my head out and smoke it.

I never used to care about any of this, but I guess the fact that I am now enjoying having my daughter living with me for most of each week, and that I have started to feel tired a lot more when I want to feel alive and energetic has begun to play on my mind. There is so much I have done in life, but a hell of a lot more that I want to do. My daughter needs me and I want to be around long enough to watch her grow up.

It's begun to sink in that not only am I unhappy with my weight gain owing to age, food and lack of exercise, but I have begun to get out of breath a lot quicker and feel lethargic.
At the end of the day, not only do I want to be healthy, to feel good about myself and to live long enough to do all the things that I want, but I want to watch my daughter grow up, get married and meet my grandchildren someday.

As far as smoking is concerned....I haven't beaten the craving yet which is obvious as I have only just stopped and I know it'll take a while to loose the craving. I am also not dumn enough to assume a winning goal on the basis of a two day nicotine battle. But what I am sure of, is the straight forward fact that I have more than enough reasons to stop and NONE to carry on lighting up.


I can but try and try I will.

Cu

wait a mo....this is a really good film

Got up at 548am this morning. God knows why but I actually woke up and fed the cat straight away before anything else. Usually owing to not liking mornings (at least not until Mr.Cafeine addict here has had a fix) I mope about for at least an hour until fully awake.

But this morning I woke up with a smile. I can't say why because I don't know. Must be the christmas spirit. Anyway... I was woken up by my daughters cat jumping all over the bed in one of it's morning induced spasms. reminds me of a hyperactive gerbal in one of those running wheels.



This cat is crazy and more fuzzy than I don't know what. I not only put four cleans bowls out on her tray...milk....Bernard Mathews chicken slices....Kitecat poach and a spoonfull of fresh double cream, and guess what...she didnt EVEN WANT ANY OF IT.
Instead, as I sat on the floor reading my email, she clawed my arm until I turned around to pay her some attention. And there before me was her little toy mouse type thing. Shes a clever cat to say the least.
Anyway...I wound the mouse up and got clawed big time on the hand and not just once or twice but in constant attacking animal instinct asault mode.
If I dont throw the mouse in .0072 of a second then she attacks me INSTEAD....grrrr

Still love her to bits though. The weired thing is. Is that my nealry 3yr old daughter can wind that cat up...pick her up whenever she wants.....carry her around the apartment like a new designer bag assessory and the cat never AND I MEAN never ever scratches her. It must be a thing the cat has against me.

I digress........

I bought a film yesterday from the local Spar shop. (poor staff having to work xmas day...but hey...they must get a fair wage right...???)
The film is called "THE GIRL NEXT DOOR" and stars "24" actress
Elisha Cuthbert as Danielle the girl next door.... and

Emile Hirsch

as high school student Mathew Kidmen.







I didn't have time to watch it last night so I put it on with a coffee and bit of toast this morning and sat back expecting to be mildly entertained for a few minutes until my usual bordom light came on.....
But WRONG...!!! because this film ROCKS and I mean ROCKS....
It's got a great storyline....great script.....fast pace......comedy moments which I might add "came" at the right time. Oh and the sound track rocked too. Especially through my sony pans and with dolby pro logic on the dvd player. I recomend full bass on this one.

The film starts off telling the story of a soon to graduate American high school senior who doesn't seem to do anything but get straight "A's" and wish on a daily basis that his life had more meaning and fun.
Together with two misfit friends he hangs out with the film gets going on the laugh stakes from the get go.

Out of the two friends who we are introduced to early on as part of the storyline setup. We learn the fact that one hates the way he looks and feels he'll never find a girlfriend unless she excepts americal express,(you get the point ha ha ha ha ha) and the other who lives life on the edge (of a playboy centrefold centre pages whilst sitting alone in his room with his right hand)
There a reference to the term/word "tripod" which you'll nead to watch the film for this to mean anything but it's real feel good moment towards the end.
All three including himself are boring and lead a little bit on the odd side lifes.
.......our story gets going soon after a new neighbour moves into the house next door to Mathews house and who has rather an"interesting secret".....and so the madness begins
He falls for her in a big way....the story pans out from here in within around 13minutes and the viewer is certainly entertained. So I recomend this film to anyone who both wants a laugh and wants to switch brain activity off for a while.

The film wants desperately to fit snuggly into the comedy romance /feel good genre but IMO it's more all of them plus edge of your seet stuff too when certain scenes get going.

***** 5 STARS/10

By for now....

Early Christmas...But just this once (#1)

Good morning world.....
Well, amazingly it's warm out today and the sunshine has kicked both the rain and any possibility of snow right out the window.

Christmas this year has come early for us and for a few good reasons. I won't go into them as I don't want to, but rest assured it was a good idea.

--------------i am being hailed on daddy frequency number 5 so have to finish this off in a bit--

Every door that closes.....

I have been to college this morning expecting a lesson but found out that there wasn't one.
So having taken little one into playgroup and had some time to hand I went for a coffee at my fav cafe just up from the second hand record shop in Ipswich. I even had one of there YUMMY cheese omelets...

Read a really funny article in the sun newspaper which was lying about regarding Jeremy Clarksons German outburst/joke on his car show the other week (Top Gear..???). Seems the bbc have recieved a complaint....ooppps. Strange to read though that it wasnt from the german government but elsewhere.
He did a salute sign as in the 3rd rich/Hitler salute which in all intense and purposes could've been taken either way.

Being British born and bread, I feel it's true to say that we takes jokes about ourselves on the chin and either laugh it off or if a member of the government sue those responsible...(just kidding).
The Sun although a fun newspaper which I never take too seriously (editorially speaking) spoke out in his defense with an oposite page piece that reached in the apparent past and recalled the jokes that were supposed to have been common during and just after the second world war.Jokes which at the time were to keep the british moral up and keep the glue holding our stiff upper lip.

The funny thing here though was that some of the jokes were NOT that old and if they were, then they'd, most certainly been edited to update them.
Even so, when it comes to sitting on the fence "The Sun" does.. when it feels like it. If the newpaper itself was a person it would be that person we all know who will agree with both you and your enemies point of view and swear elegiance to the three of you (am being ironic here)

I digress.............

Anyway....back to what matters....I've just heard that my father is now in a ward at the hospital having been told yesterday that he'd have to phone this morning to see if there would be a bed available.
The ward he's in is a sort of half way stop off point until a permenant bed is found. (I have had to explain this as it wasnt told to him....not exactly anyway..)
Its difficult to rationalise situations like this at the best of times. But poor old dad has had another specific problem to deal with and for a while now but he's always made a point of keeing a smile on his face and been brave.
I would find it difficult to smile under these circumstances let alone to have something else thrown into the life pot on top of it.

I will catch a bus this evening and take some grapes with me and maybe some Lucazade etc. He needs cheering up even though he's as tough as they come. Must be where i get my resiliance from. Just wish I had a magic wand.
But I have somethings far stronger......"FAITH" :-)





Cu

SEALAND.......

A few years ago I spent time on Roughs Tower AKA: Sealand. It's about 7 miles due east from Harwich if I remember correctly. The reason I was there....well... I was under a music management contract with Jim (surname not important) who put together some recording time at Limelite studio in Battersea London and worked as part of a security detail on the fort.



Anyway...because he worked two weeks on and two weeks off on the platform I got to go with him along with some recording equipment and synth, dig piano and write new material in the most peaceful surroundings you can imagine. I remember someone at the time telling me that musicians and artists would spend good money to get that kind of peace and setting.
Memory.....ahh yes...sitting on the H.D with a portable keyboard trying to write an ode to Sealand waving like a snob to all the yaughts going past the once happy bouys. (don't ask)
It was a cool time in my life as I got to meet some moderately important people and got to have lunch dinner AND tea with some B list people who were behind the scenes at the time in the music industry....(and...yes this is true,)

For the record and for anyone reading this who might remember these artists, Jim was the one who found Paul Hardcastle and started him on the road to pre"19" n n n n nineteen (Vietnam anti USA war song) fame and also found Bronski Beat (Jimmy Summerville) playing to an audience in Covernt gardens in London. So I felt pretty sure I must have something special if he was helping me.

Anyway,I got to meet Sir Roy Bates, his charming wife Joan and son Micheal, who owned the platform. I found out at the time that Roy had been a guest on Terry Wogans show many years ago which was a suprise.

The point to this blog is basically that I was given a set of Sealand stamps which were produced along with curency and passports to allow for it to stand as a principality in the eyes of the law as well as it (controvercial fact alert) standing in international waters and hense was believed to be untouchable from the hands British Government.
I've heard many people say that if it was ever deemed a threat to the government then they would probably board it and take it.
Well, I say this "even back then...they would have hand a problem if they tried to and thats years ago...so I can only imagine the increase in security and logistics, especially with the new ventures"
Although even back then when I was putting whats known as a "silver rod" CB antena in the middle of the helicopter desk in the middle of one hell of an evil storm, I knew that it would never be a pushover if anyone wanted to try and come aboard.

Looking back,the only freaky time I still squirm at was the only way available to get on board. It's known as a bosans chair.I hated it at the time as Jim got smacked on the head by our boarding ships mast, whilst part way up.

......going back on topic...I have found out that a set of new stamps are now available to anyone who wants to buy them. I am hoping though that along with some extensive and VERY proovable memories, I still have something to pass on to my daughter when she is older when I can tell her about daddys exploits and mad life/past.

Here's hoping...

I digress. If this blog is a little in need of a spell check and is all over the place, it's because I am feeling god awful and have another damn cold. AND I WANT SYMPATHY..... :-(

The stamps I have are in a safe place literally. But I will take some snaps and upload the pics.

not again

Sunday 452am.

Just woken up. Sore throat, shivers and headache. Can't believe it....NOT AGAIN.
Only just got over this first time around..

gallery

Sometimes....
I have had about four and a bit hours sleep last night which is a godsend under the circumstances.
My little one is poorly once again. She came home yesterday so sick and straight away cried telling me she'd been asking for daddy. It guts me to see her like this. By 6pm though she was in such high spirits that even with an awful cough and a voice that croaked with every struggled word, she seemed to come alive. What a transformation. I must be doing something right to be needed so much that her spirit is so transformed simply by coming back home. All she wanted to do was paint, glue and glitter... oh yes, and chase after "Blue" (That cat loves her to bits.)

Come evening I got her to sleep around nine thirty last night and although she was obviously restless as anyone ill is, she did manage to sleep for a while.

Its now 5.34 and she woke me up to ask for cuddles about half an hour ago. I've been sitting beside her with the laptop typing up the remainder of a presentation that I must give Monday morning first thing.

------stop (am needed)-------------

(6.27am)
....well. We've moved on my little ones request to the front room. Insistant on watching Noddy-Adventues in Toyland (bumpy dog in "Bumpy Dogs Day" is my favorite) she's half asleep and I hope will soon sleep some more.
I had better leave it there for now as I need to warm some milk up and refill someones Winnie the Pooh water bottle.

....bye for now

Can't really think of a title....

It's monday morning on the 5th November 2005....
Been up for about 45 minutes. Got a million and one things to get sorted out to today. Just chucking some media files onto my pda before catching yet another boring and dull bus ride to college. I stayed up last night trying my hardest to get an assignment completed for today. I have more or less done it bar some of the detail. I am so tired. I guess it's this damn cold which some have called a flue type virus that kept me stuck in too ill to do much that I blame for still feeling so rotten. Although I am glad to say I feel a lot better than I have done over the past two weeks or so.

I have exported all the graphics using the batch function within Fireworks to transform all the png file on my site to gif images. The site is looking great although I have another idea that I will be working on once time allows. I intend to create a new index page graphic that will house smaller buttons all in one complete image. Then I will use that as a themed template and use it through the sites pages. Each page in turn will reflect its title by an enhanced button change that will depend on state.
It should look pretty good.

Anyway. Better run as the bus will be here soon. If I miss that I will end up having to go straight to my class instead of having time on my arrival for a cup of coffee.

Bye for now.
------------------------------------------------------
FOR MY PERSONAL DIARY
Yesterday evening the music was that loud that 5 people including 2 on the phone who called me at different times have said that it is not on and something should be done about it. Besides that the door that has been fixed on the entrance to my apartment has turned out NOT to be the cause of the door slamming. So I will need to think long and hard on this.

It's really nice when.....

.....when the odd day come along when everything goes really well....
apart from one small thing that didn't arrive as expected


Thats all I want to say.
Subject closed/