Snowy71's Xanga

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 09:43:00 GMT

I'm bringing Xanga back - drop a comment if you're with me!

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Thu, 24 Aug 2006 06:56:21 GMT

I haven’t updated since June, jeez I’m crap!

Nipped out to post an anniversary card for Pete. and Tracey. It’s tomorrow so I hope the card gets there on time. I have faith in Royal Mail though god alone knows why. On the way back into the flat, I saw Hugh in his bedroom who made “would you like a coffee?” gestures to me from his window.

Went and had a catch up chat with him which was lovely. Just what I needed. We talked theatre, as we invariably do, seeing as he’s an actor, which is something I could do until the cows come home. I haven’t seen him for some time which considering he lives in the same building isn’t good. From the day Paul and I moved in here, been 2.5-3yrs now, Hugh has been welcoming, warm and friendly and never anything but. I really must make more of an effort to see him more often. He’s just come back from the States, 4-6wk trip I believe with his friends who works with the Royal Opera Company. He toured all over, including San Diego and Maine. I have particularly fond memories of Maine after I was lucky enough to visit there some years ago. Beautiful part of the country and quite unspoiled. It was idyllic, and if I can find a pic I’ll put up on here.

Another year gone, another year older. 35 now. Sounds old. I don’t think I feel it, though admittedly right at this moment, I do, and a lot more. Older, yes? Wiser? Debatable….less hair on my head, that’s for sure and a lot more on my face. Seem to be going through a beard phase at the moment. I kinda like it though.

Work is hell at the moment. I wont bore myself by writing details as to why. Suffice to say I aint happy. Something I’m starting to address in earnest now. Left the office at 3am this morning. Survived the night on a diet of Red Bull, coffee, and fizzy cola bottles which Stewy very kindly provided. Must admit after midnight I was kinda running on empty, the sugar rushes helped.

My birthday was a bit of a wash out again this year. It’s just not at the best time of year. There’s a lot of people on holidays, events to go to etc, which basically means no one is around. Frustrating, by wtf. Barb, bless her heart, forgot again, though, in her defence she got me some great jazz CD’s which I absoloutely love. Talking of music, I’ve discovered some new stuff that I’m playing constantly at the moment. Whether its alternative or emo (emotional hardcore) is up for question, but whatever it is I like it. Discovered in the weirdest way too. Kinda stumbled across the music by playing Burnout on my 360. Whilst I’m playing the game, there’s a thumping soundtrack to really get you, no pun intended, revved up. Anyway…long story short, I’m now into and loving, Yellowcard, Quietdrive, Panic At the Disco, and my fave is Guster. Very acoustic, almost folky, but really really good. The other stuff is mostly high adrenaline bordering on grunge but with a really pop edge to it. Well they all have pride of place on my ipod now. its the sort of stuff that would be perfect if I had an open topped car and some decent weather, some kewl scenery, preferably involving the ocean and probably a different country….cos lets face it, scenery in London….a bit shit, and besides if you drove around in an open top here you’d probably get mugged!

My delivery from Tesco just arrived. Right on time, I’m impressed, AND they got the whole shopping list right too. Bloody miracle really. Sainsburys is history as far as I’m concerned!

Think I’m coming down with something. Not feeling that great at the moment. An 11hr shift last night hasn’t helped. Yada, yada. The extra cash will help pay for my new laptop….which…I haven’t bought yet, but am on the verge of doing. After yrs of being a PC guy, I’m gonna get a Mac. Never thought I’d see the day. It’s all in the interests of expanding my horizons and experience. Been doing lots of research on the Macbook I want and I think I got all the bases covered. Need to go into the Apple store on Regent Street and asked one of the experts about a couple of things though.

Haven’t started back at the gym yet since my shoulder injury and the paunch is getting bigger by the day. Not good. Maybe next week. Really annoyed with myself for not going, but I didn’t exactly ask to fuck up my shoulder now did I.

Not been to the theatre much lately, though I have tickets for Spamalot and Wicked which are both coming to the West End very soon. Cabaret’s starting soon too which I think would make a great stage show, but Chris informs me it isn’t. He’d know. Apart from anything else I can’t imagine James Dreyfuss as Emcee….I mean how do you top an iconic performance like Joel Greys?

On recommendation I got hold of Sordid Lives recently. God it was funny. It’s about a dysfunctional white trash family coming together for a funeral. I highly recommend, though if you’re from Texas, there’s a good chance you’ll be offended. Watched Sideways the other night too which I thought was good but extremely overrated.

As its Bank Holiday most if not all of my friends are partying hard. I don’t think I’ll be joining them, though I may feel differently on the day. My liver is still recovering from the last time I went out with Stewy. Very fun night, but boy did I suffer for it. That guy is a machine!! I don’t know how he does it!!!

Almost, almost, went to the Edinburgh Film Festival last week. Principally to see a live interview with Sigourney Weaver, and also to see her latest movie Snowcake which isn’t out here for a few weeks. The film was sold out though so I didn’t end up going.

Oh and a special shout out to Tomms. If you read this. Thank you so much. You made my day when I got your email.

All in all, it has to be said, August has been a pretty crap month. Roll on September. Onwards on upwards….thats the theory. Nam Myho Renge Kuo as B would say. Try saying that when you’re pissed!

I'm here , I'm......oh whatever.....

Thu, 29 Jun 2006 14:48:52 GMT

Get this. I go to see my Physio who refers me to a sports injury specialist. She reckons a steroid injection n my shoulder will help. So I call them up and they want to charge me £176 for the privelege of sticking me with a needle the size of a spear.

It would give me around 6 wks worth of relief from the pain, BUT my GP doesn't think it's necessary. Can't really decide what to do about it right now.

As if the footy isn't enough to contend with...(ok so secretly I've watched the odd game down the pub), its Europride this weekend in London. That's like Pride x10. Now call me a miserable bugger if you like, but I'm so dis-interested in it all.

The thing is, when you live in London, every weekend is Pride. Do I really want to cram myself in amongst the crowds of 10 times the normal amount of people who wedge themselves into Soho every week. No I don't. Do I want to pay exorbatant prices for drinks and admission to clubs. See if you can guess.

I hope everyone has a great Pride and waves their little flag in the air. I've never had the need or desire to so I won't be, does that make me a bad person?

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Thu, 22 Jun 2006 06:57:24 GMT

Getting frustrated with the whole arm/shoulder thing. Missing the gym. Can't believe I just said that but hey. I guess when you don't go you really notice it. Seeing my physio again tomorrow anyway, so hopefully she'll work out a revised programme for me. Would hate to see all that hard work go to waste.

Been watching a new series that Matt leant me. The Closer. It rocks. Kyra Sedgewick (Mrs Kevin Bacon to you and me) absoloutely nails the role. Basically murder investigations with a twist in each story, and there's some really good episodes. 2nd series on its way in the good ol US of A, and as usual we have to wait god knows how long before it reaches our shores.

Went to Alton Towers the other day with Matt. Perhaps not the best idea for my shoulder but actually it was fine. Had a great day though, was a lot of fun. I really really really wanna go to Six Flags though!!! our coasters our pretty tame in comparison, though Rita was fun...0 to 100km/h in 2.5 seconds, sounds good right? well not so impressive when it only equates to 0-61mp/h in 2.5 secs, still pretty fast though!

I posted this pic when I first started my Xanga, but I love it so much. This is Rita, Queen of Speed at the opening launch. Inspired idea.

Monday, June 19, 2006

Mon, 19 Jun 2006 11:54:50 GMT

"Japan gains key whaling victory"

What sort of emotions does that headline provoke?

The International Whaling Commission meeting yesterday backed a resolution from Japan calling for the eventual return to commercial whaling. A 'historic' outcome apparently, according to Japan.

This doesn't mean an overturning of the 1986 ban but it definitely a step closer to commerical whaling. Apparently conservation is only a temporary necessity. Of course this result has been challenged, by, well just about everyone really although Denmark backed the Japanese resolution. Nice one Denmark. Incidentally, Norway openly conduct commercial whaling. This particular resolution was one of five and luckily the only one that was backed. Another resolution called for the end of conservation work on dolphins and porpoises. Defies belief. The only driving force behind this barbaric practice is greed and vanity. Its Although there is an overwhelming amount of support for conservation, it all comes down to consumerism. If people really want to save the whale they should vote with their spending habits. I can't see that happening anytime soon. Can you imagine the economic repercussions of a trade embargo and boycott of Japanese goods?? Think about the consumer electronics industry for one thing. As for Japan justifying existing culls as scientific research, well that's just insulting our intelligence, I'm curious what scientific value a dead whale has? and the cultural argument, well is that sufficient justification for the slaughter? Pro-whaling supporters accuse the opposition of emotion pandering rhetoric, and maybe there is some truth in that argument but you have to ask yourself why. Although scientific opinion differs on the subject it is widely believed that these gentle mammals are highly intelligent with complex social systems and a sophisticated language, so it's not surprising that there is almost universal support for their conservation.

An article in the Guardian said that Japan's allies in Sunday's vote included several smaller nations that have received aid packages from Tokyo. Antigua, Dominica, Grenada and 3 other countries which last year received at least $300m (£162m) in Japanese aid, voted against the ban. The Pacific islands of Tuvalu, Nauru and Kiribati, the recipients of generous aid pledges, also sided with the pro-whaling lobby.

Just out of interest I wanted to see how CNN covered the story. They had an online poll with the question “Should the international ban on whaling be lifted?” 93% voted no.

Very emotive subject. Rant over.

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Sun, 18 Jun 2006 12:43:38 GMT

I've been in the wars a bit. Allergies hit big time recently...and on top of that I've injured my shoulder.

It happened when I was returning from my hols and carrying some luggage. Even though I've got one of those shooshy pull along cases, for some inexplicable reason I lifted the bags with one arm. Felt a bit of a twinge at the time and thought nothing of it. Once we got back to London on my first day off I went to the gym. As I hadn't been for 10 days or so, it was a bit of a struggle. So I decide to push myself a little bit, you know lift a few more kilos, do a few more reps. Was quite proud of myself after the work out and was more than ready for my swim. Big mistake. Lifting the bags was one thing, gym something else but the real clincher was swimming. I didn't feel anything at the time but woke up the next morning with a dull ache in my shoulder, and also inexplicably my inside elbow. I didn't sleep much cos it was uncomfortable and by the end of the week it was so painful I had to go and see the Dr at work. Never been to the Clinic at work and was really impressed I have to say. Not so impressed that I had to pay for the privelege of seeing the doc, but then I'm a lowly contract worker not permanent member of staff. So this doc, poked and prodded, and prescribed a strong anti-inflammatory/painkiller and a trip to the physio. Once I started the course of pills it helped considerably, though took a while to kick in. Until it did I was using ice packs, well ok not an ice pack, actually a cool gel eye mask which doubled up nicely as an ice pack, and heat patches which helped a bit.

Couldn't wait to see the physio and finally get to the root of the problem. She was great. Poked and prodded, in all the right places, "does this hurt?", she kept asking. My yelps probably led her in the right direction. Wasn't easy holding my stomach in whilst she carried out her exam either! I've damaged a ligament in the shoulder rotator cuff or something, she knew exactly what I'd done anyway and gave it a name. Supraspinatus tendonitus, and apparently the pain in my lower arm is referred pain and something called a trigger point, which I looked up on the net and am still none the wiser. Something about mixed up neurological wiring from what can gather. Why I should be feeling pain in my lower arm when the damage is in the shoulder is completely beyond me..... Anyhow, she put a brace on my shoulder to help with the healing process and sent me on my way. Seeing her again next Friday.

Chris came over on Tues night with the piccs and video of the Partnership Ceremony. His friend Annie did an amazing job. There's some stunning shots. Watching the video was a little disconcerting though. It's bad enough having your picture taken! It all looked great anyway. Must admit, after a couple of bottles of vino mixed with the painkillers, I was somewhat worse for wear by the time my flatmate got home. Fun evening though.

The rest of the week was restful. Had to be really, Dr's orders and all that. Spent an inordinate amount of time playing on the 360. Had some great gaming sessions with some American guys I got chatting to on Xbox Live who I now hook up with quite regularly online. They crack me up cos they're sooooooo competitive. Nice bunch of guys actually. Completely mad, but fun to play against. Kept me entertained anyway. Well that and The 4400 second series which Matt leant me. Awesome show. I watched the entire series in the space of 24 hours I think. It's one of those shows that just gets better and better. I did feel a bit guilty for not doing much of anything on my days off, but my shoulder really limited me. I mean, the gym is out of the question until I've had a whole new programme devised by the physio. Swimming is a big no no too apparently. So it really was, and still is, a case of being really careful not to compound the existing problem. Knowing and getting used to certain limitations I guess....for the time being at least.

It was Robbies 30th last night. Matt and I got him a subscription to National Geographic magazine which he was absoloutely stoked about. I Photoshopped a cover of the magazine, putting a pic of Robbie on it, a pic of the Calgary Tower amongst other things, with the headline "Was Darwin Wrong?". Luckily he saw the funny side when I gave it to him last night. We all met up at a Gastro Pub in Islington for his bash. It was great to get everyone together. Even Pup & Matt made it, along with Chris & Alan who drove us there, bless em, so we could drink. Miles was looking considerably more tanned than everyone else, not surprising as he'd spent the afternoon on a sunbed, though I'm convinced it was spray job!, and even Robbie had a nice glow to him. It was a really nice evening actually, good to catch up with everyone, and I had a great chat with Alan. Robbie looked like he was having a great time which was the most important thing obviously, as was everyone else. By 11:30, Chris was decidedly whoozy, Alan very tired (way past his bedtime), Matt was feeling the effects, though considering he'd only got back from Hong Kong that day did remarkably well, and I, well seeing as I'm a lush apparently, I was fine. I think over the years I've built up an immunity to alcohol! Either that or the Northern gene precludes me from getting hammered too quickly, unless its pints of lager, but that gives you a hell of a beer belly...which just aint good, especially in the Summer when more is on show!! I was more than ready to go anyway as my arm was giving me a lot of grief. Hard to describe the pain really, its kinda like the feeling you have after having had an injection or blood taken. We all said our goodbyes, agreed to numerous dinner dates, few of which will actually come to fruition, more's the pity and made our way to the car. Bit of mystery tour back home, basically cos I'm hopeless at giving directions, but eventually we got there and it was time to hit the hay.

Really rough night. My arm ached like a mother, and sleep evaded me for some time. Woke up at various times during the night, trying to find a comfortable sleeping position, to no avail. Was awoke by birdsong at some unholy hour of the morning, then went back to sleep. Alarm went off...hit snooze....alarm went off again...hit snooze, alarm went off, changed alarm time. Alarm went off, eventually got up. I'm sooooooo not a morning person. These people that get up at the crack of dawn, shower, watch tv, have breakfast then go to work....it's just not right....and as for those who go the gym before work?!!!!!!!

Had breakfast, which consisted of Benadryl for allergies and Diclofenac for shoulder, and a glass of cranberry juice to wash it down. Yum. Slapped a heat patch on my aching arm, and set off for work. Drove through the park and saw the normal Sunday morning crowd. Joggers, cyclists, power walkers....what the hell is power walking anyway? Either walk or run, don't walk quickly flailing your arms around like a demented chicken. Funny to watch though, so it has some value. We pulled up outside the office and I had the bizarre notion of having McD's for breakfast. Note to self. NEVER have McD's again....The packaging of my bagel tasted better than the contents, but that's probably cos some of the melted plastic cheese was welded to it.

When we saw Matt and Pup on Sat night we kinda arranged to meet up this Tues, whether permitting, for a picnic. Matt called me earlier today and suggested we go to a Theme Park instead. Now when it comes to Theme Parks in the UK, there's only one really that's worth mentioning. Our parks pale in comparison to the States though, especially if you're an adrenaline junky. Having said that Thorpe Park which isn't a million miles from London has a new accelerator coaster, Stealth which looks like a, pardon the pun, blast. Anyhow, not sure which day yet, who's going or whether my shoulder will be up to it!

Sunday, June 11, 2006

Sun, 11 Jun 2006 11:29:14 GMT

Stunning summer day here in London. Of course everyone is World Cup mad what with the first match this afternoon. The St Georges flags are absoloutely everywhere. I for one will not be watching. I know, I know its terribly unpatriotic of me but quite honestly, football bores me rigid. Never understood the fascination, but hey so long as the fans are happy and behave themselves, well.....I'm very happy for them.

Earlier this week, Mike my eldest brother rang me to ask if I had any plans for my mums 65th birthday which is next week. I'd had a few ideas but nothing concrete. He suggested that we may want to do something together. That was the original plan. Well from small acorns etc etc...and so it was I found myself on the train on the way back home earlier this week. The plan was to surprise my parents at a restaurant. It took some planning and more than a few phonecalls to get everything sorted but eventually we managed. The whole family would be there at the restaurant waiting for her. Now getting us all together is no mean feet. With Mike & Kates living and working in the Lake District, Pete with his family, and myself living a few hundred miles away in London, getting us all together is not only rare, it just doesn't happen. As this was a special occasion however, we all pulled the stops out.

The evening was a great success. The look on my folks faces when they saw us all waiting for them in the restaurant was priceless. Mum had a tear in her eye but held it together. I sat there watching everyone, all of us together and thought about how great it would be if we could see more of each other. Family is so important. At the end of the meal we made a presentation to the folks. We'd all clubbed together and bought them a holiday in Prague. They're going next week so they'll be there for mums birthday. It went down very well. Mum was speechless.

After dinner, we all went back to Pete's for more drinks. I decided to invite Carl around seeing as he lived around the corner. We've known each other for 20yrs or more and I can honestly say he's like a brother to me. We've been through so much together and in all the years we've known each other we've never had a cross word. Pissed each other off from time to time but never fallen out. It was so great to see him. He hadn't changed a bit. Never will. Some people are like that. As we all sat around chatting as if we'd never been apart I couldn't help but imagine what he was thinking seeing my family and I all together. He lost his mum very suddenly a couple of years ago, which was an enormous shock to all of us. I was very fond of her, we all were.

Eventually Pete & Trace kicked us out and we headed home. I invited Carl back and we all headed to mums place. It's testament to how little time I spend there nowadays as I hardly recognised the place. There's been a lot of re-decorating, we have a new porch and the garden has been transformed. All good though, I guess I get my good taste from mum ;o) We spent more time reminiscing, catching up on all that was new I our lives and drinking whatever we could find. Luckily for me, there was a bottle of Bombay Saphire, kept for special occasions apparently. It had been an amazing evening and was over far too quickly.

Only stayed for the one night and was back in London by 6 the following evening. Always get a twinge of homesickness when I get back to London, but it doesn't tend to last. Guess that's inevitable.

* * * * * * * *

When I got back from work the other night I saw Hugh in his garden downstairs. I shouted down to him and asked if he fancied a glass or two of vino. I knew the answer before he gave it, so I grabbed a bottle of Chardonnay I'd brought back from the Gran Canaria and headed down. Hugh is such a character. An actor of the old school, both on stage and screen. He delights me with his anecdotes and observations on life. He's off to the States soon for a month and asked me if I'd like to use his garden. In this weather? are you kidding?! Of course I jumped at the chance. Just hope the weather holds out.

Saw a really intersting article on IGN today. A survey about gaming. Some of the questions made me chuckle. Never have been fond of stereotypes and when it comes to playing video games there are a fair few. Be really interested to see the results and wrote to the author to say so.

Matt's coming over tonight and he's brought me back Transamerica from his latest trip Stateside. Been waiting to see it for ages. Felicity Huffman was robbed. Talking of Oscars, I saw Crash the other night. Amazing film. Highly recommended. Still think Brokeback deserved Best Picture but hey its not as though the Oscars are political is it.

I swear, one more person mentions football today and I'll......ok, so A LOT of people have mentioned it, infact its all everyone is talking about. We had a running commentary pretty much and apparently now the match is over the consensus is that England only just scraped through and that's only because of a home goal. What the hell do these people get paid obscene amounts of money for?!!

Friday, June 09, 2006

Fri, 09 Jun 2006 14:24:52 GMT

Ok, so it’s been a VERY long time since I’ve updated my website. I couldn’t honestly say why I’ve been so neglectful especially given how much I’ve enjoyed writing. Whatever the reason, I’m back. Though…..for how long is anyone’s guess….lol. Bit of a mammoth post this......

So whats new? Well quite a lot actually. Pup moved out, I have a new flatmate (something I devoted a lot of energies to), I've been hitting the gym for a couple of months now, 3 times a week, which is pretty damn good for someone with my will power! Seen some great theatre. Lots of changes at work, but I won't bore you or myself with documenting the details....and of course the big event....oh and I have less hair thanks to a bald spot which is growing by the day.

After a build up, akin to that of a Royal Wedding, Chris & Alan tied the knot in a commitment ceremony. 21 years of Partnership celebrated in a theatrical extravaganza. The build up to the big event has been increasing incrementally, as have my duties as Best Man. All the design work, inivites, menus, placeholders, has been painstakingly produced for a very demanding client, aka Chris, BUT it all looked great on the day, and I was very proud.

The day itself was perfect. The venue couldn't have been more picturesque. The Hotel is the former residence of W S Gilbert of Gilbert & Sullivan fame, so you can imagine the opulence. Its set in about 40 acres of woodland and gardens and is absoloutely stunning. Matt and I were staying in the Mikado suite complete with four poster bed. The suite was lovely but boy the bed was soooooo uncomfortable! I'm not sure I like the idea of being surrounded by curtains on all sides, it's like being in a coffin! I worked on my speech (which I was dreading) before hitting the hay and watched some of Meet the Fokkers (crap sequel, has its moments) before going to sleep. So after a not so good nights rest, I awoke to birdsong, but it was only 5am so I promptly went back to sleep!! Great way to start the day, well actually the full english breakfast was THE way to start the day. It was then time to get trussed up in my tux, complete with tails, and proceed downstairs for the start of what was to be a very long day.

Everything went according to a plan, even the sun made an appearance for the photographs then promptly disappeared behind some ominous grey clouds. I can't wait to see the pics because I've seen some candid shots that the photographer took and even they were amazing. I'll put some up on here shortly, after I've vetted them of course. We had a string quartet and some operatic singing during the course of the ceremony itself which I have to say was very tasteful and I'd even say moving. Jen and I were dressed to the nines and had to read out some quotes as well as the whole ring bearing thing and signing of the Partnership register. It was quite strange hearing the vows that I'd help write being read out in such a officious manner. Once that was over and the legal stuff was dealt with we went outside for some much needed drinks. The sun was still shining at this point, so the quartet moved outside and continued playing. It was idyllic. A few champagne cocktails later and we were well and truly ready for dinner.

Once again accompanied by the quartet, we sat down to dinner. Smoked salmon to start off, not my choice, nice though it was. I thought the pate was the safer option especially as it was Foie Gras, but what do I know. Main course was roast beef...I mean how English can you get?! It was delicious though and cooked to perfection. By this point the cocktails and wine with dinner were having the desired effect and I was feeling distinctly woozy. Alan was the first to give his speech and very eloquent it was to, then it was my turn. Oh joy. I hate public speaking, not really sure why, I even attended a course once with a previous employer, which was, it has to be said, utterly useless. The 'Presenters,' for want of a better word, were so self-obsessed and patronising, hardly any of us could take them seriously...still that's Billy Lea for you! So anyway, I digress. I stood up and saw all the eyes in the room focusing on me. Various people had given me tips about giving speeches, everything from imagining people naked, (not a pleasant thought), to focusing on peoples foreheads. I decided to focus on Paul because I knew he wouldn't put me off. As it happens the speech went really well, I even got a few laughs, but it has to be said, I was relieved when I handed over to Jen. Her speech was really good, not that I'd expect anything different, she's a great orator. Finally, and very aptly, Chris had the last word. We all breathed a collective sigh of relief at this point and could really start to enjoy ourselves. I wandered through the grounds and found the spot where W S Gilbert drowned. Supposedly a lake though it was more like a small pond now. Apparently he died trying to save a young woman who had fallen in. Rumour has it they were having an affair. How's that for poetic justice?

By this point I was pretty knackered and decided to freshen up and have a cat nap before the evenings proceedings began. I was awoke by the sound of disco music emminating from the function room, so I figured the evening reception had begun. I'd had a discreet word with the DJ to ensure that he didn't play the usually crap that you hear at weddings. Those hateful tunes that usually get the oldies up out of their seats and doing all the moves to. By 7pm the guests were queuing to get in. Chris, Alan and I were greeting them all as they arrived, and unfortunately Chris was spending far too long with each guest and a bottle-neck had resulted. I suggested that perhaps Chris limited his greetings and caught up with the guests later during the course of the evening. The message eventually got through and I was soon standing at the front of the queue shouting "next!" to the awaiting hoardes. The evening was a blast and we even cut some rug, though I'm not sure how our ball room dancing went down judging by the quizzical looks we were getting from some of the guests. Good time was had by all anyway, and it was a great way to end what had been a perfect day.

Not surprisingly, there were one or two hung-over guests the following morning, myself included, though the cooked breakfast did help somewhat. Once our bags were packed it was time to leave the hotel and head for the airport. We stopped off at Matts sister for a coffee and then got a cab to Gatwick. I always get exicted when I go to an airport. My fascination in all things aviation probably stemmed from being brought up opposite a military aircraft base, that and the fact that most of the family have worked in the industry in one form or another. Check-in was painless seeing as we had an e-ticket, and we were airside in close to 10mins which is something of a miracle compared to normal check-in times. There's something about shopping in an airport which is so addictive. For some reason, going on holiday gives us licence to buy more things we don't need or really want, and the fact its duty free is even more appealing cos everyone likes a bargain. I have enough aftershaves in my bathroom to start a shop but it doesn't stop me from getting even more when I go away, and this time was no exception. Still at 40% off it was a bargain and I'd run out of D & G so it was an easy decision. The other staple item that people tend to go for is sunglasses. Irrespective of the number you have already, there's always room for more. Never ceases to amaze me how bloody awful some of them look. Apparently looking like a fly with lenses so big they cover half your face, is THE look. The flight was delayed so we had a lot of time to kill and resorted to shopping, a bite to eat, some vino, more shopping, beer, coffee and some last minute shopping. (You see a pattern here?)

We boarded and luckily had extra leg room which is a godsend. I guess when you're only on a 4 hour charter flight the service isn't exactly going to be exemplary. I can honestly say that of all the flights I've been on, this was the worst. The service was appalling. The food, if you can call it that, I wouldn't feed to my cat, and the attitude of the staff was nonchalant to say the least. One of the crew couldn't make any announcements without cracking up which was funny at first, especially during the safety demonstration, but quickly became annoying. The First Officer was on his first flight and had no idea how to speak to the passengers. His sentences were punctuated with um, and ah, pregnant pauses and useless facts that no one was interested in. The movie was beyond awful. The Pink Panther. Jeez what a crock.

After what seemed like an eternity we eventually arrived at Las Palmas and headed for the resort we were staying at. The holiday was great fun, as it always is when we all go away together. The weather was crap for the first couple of days but then it was blue skies and sunburn time! Matt just stayed in the sun the whole time and cooked slowly. By the end of the holiday he looked like he'd changed race! We decided to basically laze by the pool most days and hit the bars in the evening with a siesta in between. The second night we were there, we got completely trashed and the evening culminated in a drunken skinny dip, which had become a kind of a tradition in the previous years on the island. Most of the holiday was a drunken blur to be quite honest, I don't really remember much of it....which I guess is how it should be, but it goes without saying that we all had a great time, and Matt had the opportunity to really relax which is something of a rarity.

Had a bit of a filmfest lately since I got back from my holidays. Saw Crash the other night, which was awesome. The new X-Men film is pants and only worth watching for Ian McKellen. Jarhead was good, and made me want to read the book. Closer was also really good…..a real adult love story.

The other night I watched Finding Neverland, which I've had in my film collection for longer than I can remember. It really enjoyed it and the story fascinated me. So much so I did some research of my own into the story. Takes a lot to inspire me these days, but occasionally it happens. Actually in all honesty, after the events of the last week or so, how could I not document my experiences. I’d want to look back and remember this stuff, that’s my rationale anyway. ...well that and the fact that I'm sooo crap at keeping in touch with my friends overseas, which reminds me..Johnny if you're reading this, love to you and Michael. One final thing, big shout out to those of you in Xangaland, and especially Toms, hope you and yours are well hon.

Here's a couple of pics from my trip back home this week. Will write more about that tomorrow. I love this pic cos it's so playful.

Note the growing number of empty beer cans behind my head!!!

Saturday, February 04, 2006

Sat, 04 Feb 2006 11:16:16 GMT

Spent most of the week with Matt which has been great.

Took B out for shopping on Tuesday and made a day of it. Started off with brunch in Soho and went on something of a shopping spree afterwards. Matt had a meeting so B and I mooched around the shops and I went with her to buy an ipod. Bless her, she was so excited. Met back up with Matt and hit Oxford Street. Ended up getting some new outfits for B as well as a make-over which she absoloutely loved. Took her out for dinner in the evening to give her a chance to show off the new gear. A very enjoyable day all in all.

Here's a pic from Tues night, just before we went out for dinner. Doesn't she look great!!

Early start on Weds morning as we were going to spend the day with Matts sister and then on Thurs we went to have coffee with his mum. Was really nice to meet the family.

Been listening to some new artists, well new to me anyway. Jose Gonzalez who reminds me of Art Garfunkel and Kings of Convenience. Both acoustic artists and both really mellow. Great for tube journeys or drifting off to sleep, though it didn't seem to work last night!

The Oscars are looming ever closer. I really hope Brokeback gets the recognition it so richly deserves, though I doubt Heath Ledger will get Best Actor. Here's my predictions anyway...

Best Picture: Brokeback Mountain
Best Actor: Phillip-Seymour Hoffman
Best Supporting Actor: George Clooney
Best Actress: Felecity Huffman
Best Supporting Actress: Catherine Keener
Best Director: Ang Lee

See how I do, come March 5th.

Downloaded some new Scrubs last night which included a great episode paying tribute to the Wizard of Oz which was just genius. Bit of a writers block at the moment…not really sure why. Matt's coming over tonight and I'm really looking forward to seeing him.

Monday, January 30, 2006

Mon, 30 Jan 2006 05:17:00 GMT

Well I'm glad the weekend is over. One more day then I've got some days off to rest and relax.

I've been to Excel once before so I kinda knew how to get there and what the venue was like. Its based in Docklands and is basically a huge international exhibition and conference centre. The journey there takes you right past Canary Wharf which is the nearest thing London has to a skyline. Over the years more towers have gone up and now the area is a microcosm with its own shops, bars and restaurants. I worked there a while ago when it was just the main tower and always thought that the area was very clinical with little or no atmosphere. The same can't be said now. It still strikes me as very utopian though, I guess because its so different and detached from the rest of London.

So I got to the venue and made my way into the main entrance. I'd forgotten how big this place actually was. I walked the length of the main concourse passing various exhibitions on the way. There was a toy fair, and motivational conference amongst others both woefully devoid of people then I eventually got to Hall N6 where the wedding show was going to be held. Matts stand was right at the entrance and he and Oya were there setting everything up. They run an events management company which includes organising weddings amongst other things which is why they were there in the first place. They'd had gone for a garden party theme and had just finished laying down turf, and around the stand they had placed white picket fences. May sound a little weird but believe me the finished result looked fantastic. So over the course of the next 3-4 hrs we set up the rest of the stand. By the time it was time to leave the stand didn't really like much of anything despite our hard work but there were still some vital components to be added before the exhibition started the following morning. I must admit, I really enjoyed helping set everything up cos it gave me the opportunity to stretch my creative wings.

We get home pretty late and were both pretty knackered but it was my turn to cook for the girls the following day. I basically threw all the vegetables I had in the fridge into a big casserole dish, with some chopped tomatoes and red wine and made a kind of coq au vin. I say kind of cos it had just about everything in it. I really wasn’t sure how it would turn out. The next morning was a very early start for Matt and when I say early I mean 5.30. Don't how he does it. Anyway, I overslept and ended up getting into work at 9. Doh! I'd planned on leaving work early to go the exhibition. I made my way to Excel and the first thing I noticed as I got off the DLR was how many people were standing on the platform laiden down with bags. The place was really busy and everyone seemed to be coming from the Wedding Show judging by the bags they were all carrying. As I got the hall I could see the stand I'd helped set up the previous night. It was transformed. A key component of the stand was floral arrangements which Matt had done himself. They looked amazing. I had no idea he was so talented. The table had three giant champage glasses each with their own arrangement inside. The table looked great, complete with flowers and table settings.

On the far side Oya was stood next to the chocolate fountain, which sounds like something from the imagination of Roald Dahl, handing out tasty treats to greedy passers by. Imagine a fountain of warm flowing belgian chocolate and you get the idea. Matt looked amazing, stood there in his grey pinstrip Armani, and was busy talking to some people so I didn't distract him. I stood there looking at the stand not quite believing how good it looked and eventually went over to Matt. The day it seemed had been a success with lots of interest in the company and particularly the floral arrangements. I had a wander around the exhibition which comprised the usual things you would expect to see. Florists, Bridal Gowns, Photographers, Caterers and Limousine hire amongst others. In the centre of the hall was a catwalk and next to it a couple of Ferraris for some inexplicable reason..though they did look good. By 5pm the exhibition was closed and it was time to pack everything away for the night. We dropped off Oya and went in for a coffee. Got the opportunity to meet her family who were lovely. We didn't get home til around 9pm by which time we were both knackered and ordered take out.

Finished work early again on Sunday so I could go help dismantle everything. When I got to the exhibition there was still a lot of people and I could see Matt was really busy. A group of people were standing near the chocolate fountain making a mess. Funny how when something is free people behave like pigs. They were dipping the marshmallows etc in the fountain and dripping chocolate everywhere with no regard for the mess they were making. It was like feeding time at the zoo. I went over gave them a look as if to say "wtf do you people think you are doing?!" and proceeded to take charge handing out the chocolate covered goodies to them individually. 'Fat kid' who I'd noticed the day before was hovering close waiting to pounce. Basically this kid had been guzzling marshmallows by the dozen the day before and kept coming back for more. In the space of an hour I'd seen him dipping his fat grubby hands into the chocolate at least 4 times if not more. I swear if I'd not been there he would have dived head first into the fountain! My presence seemed to ward him off however and after hovering around for a few mins he walked away dejectedly. I talked to a few couples before the exhibition eventually closed then it was time to pack everything up. Between about 6 of us we managed to get everything dismantled and packed away in a little over an hour and that included rolling up all the turf. As we were packing everything away, an army of workmen and electricians were dismantling the stands leaving the cavernous hall empty ready for the next occupants.

For the third night running we drove from Docklands back home and stopped off at KFC on the way as the prospect of cooking after all that manual labour was not exactly appealing. (Note to self) must do a few more laps at the pool to swim it off! (Another note to self) must join gym…..lol. Got until the end of May to get rid of the festive bump….its not nice when you're having a shave and your belly is hanging over the sink!!! There's no way I'm gonna wobble around the pool in Gran Canaria….gotta look good in the speedos!!

The apartment looks like a florists at the moment as I've inherited most of the flowers from his stand. There's flowers in drinking glasses cos I don't have enough vases!...not that I'm complaining or anything.

Downloaded a great album called Night Train when I got home. B had recommended it. I call myself a Jazz fan and I'd never even heard of Oscar Peterson. Listened to it on the way into work this morning which put me in a great mood. Not long before some serious r and r. All in all a really enjoyable, albeit exhausting, weekend which I wouldn’t have missed for the world, especially cos I got to spend all that time with Matt. I hope the exhibition was a worthwhile venture for his company and it generates the business which is so deserved.