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Say hello to my little friend...

o/~ There's a voice, that keeps on callin' me o/~

"... down the road, is where I'll always be.  Every stop I make, I'll make a new friend.  Can't stay for long, just turn around and I'm gone again."  Littlest Hobo Theme.

Yes, again I'm in the airport.

Whoops, been a while.  ARCTIC (rev christmas event) in Coventry was fun.  Christmas was, well, Christmas, meh.  Spent New Year in Scarbough with friends.  Been looking around for another car.  Been busying doing stuff, work, seeing friends.  Got selected for Technical Co-ordinator for WiM 2006.  Been to pre-wim weekend in Newmarket.  Sure I've been doing more but I can't think of it right now.  Started playing Battlefield 2.  Not sure I like it yet.  The guns don't seem to half as effective, feels like you're shooting blanks half the time.  Flying the helicopters is fun though.  Made me look at the cost of helicopter training, it's not too bad for a 5 week course, and the commercial training isn't too bad ontop of that considering what aeroplane training costs.  Looking forward to WiM, it's going to be a totally crazy week!

Ding dong, time to board the flight.

Airport log

I'm starting to think that should be the titile of this weblog.  Yes I'm in the aiport again.

Well it's been a long time since my last update, mainly because the last time I was here the wireless wouldn't work.  Though homeless man-with laptop was there, merrily playing his game.  He's not here this time.  Maybe he's been ejected...

Aberdeen was fun (Northern Weekend Away), as was Southern (Bristol) & Central (Leeds); got several tracks recorded for the christmas CD on my whizzy new recorder do-dah.  The wizzy new microphones didn't turn up in time, but I've still got plenty planned for them.  Aberdeen was one heck of a trek, even though I flew into Glasgow, and thus avoiding the 8 hour train journey from Liverpool, or the 7 hour drive.  Of course the only flight of the day I could get was the evening one, which arrived 40 mins before the last train to Aberdeen left Glasgow station.  And of course the flight ended up being delayed.  The "two minute" taxi journey from Glasgow airport to the station turned out to be more like 20 minutes, even at 70mph.  Arriving at the station with only 2 mins to spare I ran for my train, only to be stopped by two prattish officious platform staff (I'm being polite here now I've had a few weeks to calm down).  "Can't let you through this barrier without a ticket" they say.  "But my train is leaving in 1 minute!" I cry, "I'll buy one on the train when they check the tickets, which they always do at the start of a train's journey, and tickets must be available for all those people getting on at unmanned stops!".  This is however simply not good enough.  I resist the huge to hurl abuse at them as it rarly improves a situation, even if I would feel alot better.  I dash to the ticket man, and of course I have no money, so a relatively lengthy card transaction is required.  I get my ticket, hurray!  The idiotic platform morons make a big show of examining my ticket, as though I've somehow had the time to forge one in the 30 seconds I've been gone.  Released from my tormentors I pelt it up the platform as the train guard is putting his whistle to his mouth and dive sideways into the closing train door.(*)

Having made it onto the last train out of Dodge, I settled down.  Upon arriving at Aberdeen, I and several fellow passengers, were faced with a nearly desserted station, empty taxi rank and weather so cold it makes your face go numb.  After waiting what seemed like forever at the siberian gulag (okay maybe I'm going over the top at this point) that is Aberdeen train station, a taxi shows up and I greatfully get an offer to share a taxi with another frozen person going in roughly the same direction.  Turns out she used to live on the Isle of Man.  Small world.  Hurray, at 10 to 1am I make it there.

Was it worth it?  Yeah, of course it was.

Southern was a little easier, 200 miles from Liverpool to Bristol via road.  Stopped off to see some friends on the way down.  Had a lovely time.  Tried out my old airbed, I think it's the first time it's seen use since I was 8 years old.  It's a proper canvas and rubber job, none of this plastic nonesense.  Got a most excellent recording of the Bristol choir for the CD.

Central Weekend in Leeds was by far the easiest trip.  Having been to the venue before for Forum made it nice and simple; and at a meer 90 miles, a short journey.  Got a couple of good recordings for the Christmas CD too.  Plus free pizza hut food!  I never knew they donated to charity, but they do!  Once again indulged in the amazing chocolate fountain.  Good time had by all.  Leeds rocks.

I've been booked up every weekend through November to the end of December, sometimes I wonder if I'm mad, but it's nice to feel busy.

Ding dong, time to board the flight.

* Maybe a slight exaggeration, the last time I dived anywhere was at a swimming pool

Going places

Well Bangor was fun, even if I just turned up with no idea what was going on; much to the amusment of those that organised it.  We were infact putting on an informal concert, which was a bit of a push... I had to mime a couple of the songs.  Recordings are available.  Work has been busy, though things will be coming to a close at the end of the year, so I'm considering taking a month off and then look for the next contract; unless I get offered another one before then like last time.  A couple of weeks after Bangor I was off to Leeds for the weekend, National Rev Forum & social.  I had an amazing time, Leeds is quite a nice looking city, and the university campus struck me as being very Keele-like despite being in the middle of a city.  Many of the buildings looked so similar, made me pine for my hilltop home.

As it happens, I am writing this at the airport again, so much to do, work, doing recording stuff for rev, taken up playing badminton again as the season has now started on the IoM.  There is some scruffy old guy that looks almost homeless sat not very far away.  I say almost because he's got quite a large laptop with him and it playing some strategy game on it, with the volume right up, I can hear the "yes sir's", "changing location" and all the screaming battle noise.  Grrr I want to stand up and shout, "YOU KNOW THERE'S THIS MAGIC INVENTION CALLED HEADPHONES THAT PREVENT YOU FROM BEING AN INCONSIDERATE PRAT!", however I can't bring myself to be so impolite.

I'm on tour this time, got myself a very nice and rather pricey new audio recorder to record songs at the rev regional weekends away for a christmas CD.  Well there's the departure call, time to go.  Aberdeen here I come!

Travelling

Well I never though I'd be making an entry while sat in an Airport, but there you go, isn't free WiFi wonderful   I have an hour to kill and I thought it was about time I updated this with all the recent events.

I've not got around to an update as I've not been at home at the weekend for over a month now.  I've been going from one event to another the part few weeks, most of which with the choir.  Started on 20th August with the week long RESITS (Revelation in Edinburgh Singing In The Sun) event.  (Making the 6th time I've been to Scotland this year having never been before in my life!)  It was a fantastic event, rather more personal than WiM (Week In March) as there was a smaller group.  I got to catch up with people I saw at WiM and make a couple of new friends.  Stayed in a B&B rather than sleeping on the floor, as it's probably the only week off I'm having this year I wanted to relax.  The cooked breakfast was something needed as most days were rehearsals in the morning followed by performance in the afternoon.  The city was really buzzing as it was also Edinburgh fringe, we had some huge crowds and some tiny ones, but as ever the performing & the people is the fun part.  Evenings were nights out to plays that choir members were involved with, pubs and tea parties and jamming.  Borrowed a bass guitar and joined in, which was great, not done that in a very long time.  Need to practice more often!  As is often the case, the first day I just wanted to go home, the last day, I just didn't want to have to leave.  I simply wish I'd started going to these events sooner.  Resits pictures & recordings.

The Wedding.
At resits, a friend asked if anyone to come sing at their brother's wedding, of course I stuck my hand up, not realising what I was in for.  What I thought would be a relaxed sing song and a wedding party turned into something else.  We were to practice in Suffolk and then travel to the performance in Sommerset, two not so easy places to get to on public transport (not that there is an easy place to get to on british public transport).  So I hired a 7 seater MPV, which had turned into a 9 seater by the time I collected it.  Damn was that fun to drive!  So we spent a rather intensive 14 hours rehearsing at a wonderful house in Suffolk on the Saturday, on the Sunday we did more and then made the drive to Sommerset.  During the 5 hour trip we learned two more songs!  The wedding venue was stunning, as was the reception.  I'd never been to a traditional white wedding before, it was very moving.  Especially as we were in the choir area in the church, behind the vicar and could see the bride trying not to cry.  Got to sing Jerusalem, which is always a plus.  Singing at the reception wasn't as easy as I expected, we were outside and the choir wasn't huge, so it was difficult to hear how we sounded, but we appear to have been well received   Met more great people and made a couple of new friends.  Had to drive back to Liverpool that night, though rather wanting to stay.  Had to get up at 5am the following day to fly back, felt rather shell shocked back in work.

Hull.
People said to me, "Hull?  Why on earth are you going to Hull?  It's one letter short of Hell, that should tell you something!".  Other than driving into Hull, a couple of pubs and the venue, I didn't really see much, but it just seemed like any other random northern town to me.  I am rambling however, the Hull branch of rev was celebrating their 5th birthday and national was invited to the party.  The bouncy castle was good, even if it did make me feel sick, the cake was excellent too.  Got to see some peeps I've not seen since barbados/WiM which was good.  I took my bass this time, and boy was I glad I did; I actually got to use it in a performance, and it sounded good.  Managed to borrow a sweet Marshall amp from a crazy man that is waaay too generous with his expensive kit.  (he lent us a drum kit too, a nice drum kit)  I took my minidisc with me, gaffered the mic to the back wall and got a not half bad recording.  Phil had some time off from work the week after and so decided to come visit me, we travelled back together and he stayed until Thursday.  He took a huge number of pictures with his amazing camera, which I will sort into a gallery.  Was good to have a guest, shame I had to work though, would have been nice to show him around the island, though he seems to have found most of the interesting spots himself.

I will take this opportunity to save this entry & get moving as my flight is boarding!

Keele.
Well, unsurprisingly I found a reason to go to Keele.  Fresher's Fair!  This time to help rev at keele with their signup process.  Got to meet up with friends, went for meals, enthused to a bunch of people, worn a hat of honor (sic), taught some parts to songs, gave away free Haribo and generally had a good time and didn't do much rushing about.  I'm getting a bit fed up with Airport security.  They are an utter waste of space and are convinced of their own self importance.  Just once I'd like to tell them what I think, but I don't fancy being strip searched.  What a wonderful place we live in.

Bangor.
Well I'm not there yet.  Infact I've not even booked the tickets because I've just not got around to it, and now all the flights are full.  Boo hoo.  I suppose I'll have to get on the early morning ferry, bleh.

I think next weekend is currently free.  Staying at home is going to feel weird.  As is having nothing in particular to do.  More late work this week too.  Woo Overtime!  Anyways, time for bed.  Note to self: Update weblog more often.

Keele Reunion & Shakespeare

Had a little reunion with some of my political friends from my early years at Keele Uni last weekend.  Had an enjoyable meeting & meal.  Before that I ferried my friend Juan to Barton Aerodrome for his flight in a bi-plane.  Shame I didn't get to go up myself, it looked like he had an excellent time.  Had a jolly good time at the meal, a merry night was had by all.  Of course people are starting to do grown-up things, like getting married.  Congratulations to Seb & Sophie!  Driving back to the ferry on Sunday was a lovely, despite the roadworks on the M6, as the weather was lovely and I had the roof down on the car.  Though I did get a bit burned The sky was such an incredible gradient of blue at the dock I tried taking a couple of photos with my phone, but they don't really do it justice.  The ferry got delayed a little when leaving, as the luggage cart-train-thing jack-knifed on the ramp down to the boat.  Whoops!

The weekend before I went to see the open air Shakespeare at Peel Castle, everyone came plenty wrapped up, except me, I was fine though It was every bugger else that complained about the cold.  Pah!  Cold? COLD?  I used to walk to schoo' through 30-foot snow drifts!  Wi' no shoes! *ahem*.

In other news... I have realised a long held ambition and well, pic1, pic2 & pic3.

Updates updates updates

Okay, so I've not got around to doing this for longer than I thought.  Where to begin?

Birthdays were good, had a party on the island with friends, one with people from work and one in the UK with friends there.  Sorry I didn't get to see everyone.  Was a little annoyed on the flight over to the UK; on the day of my birthday no less, we were all waiting in the airport for 5 flamin' hours as the airport was fogged out, but we got there in the end.  No they wouldn't let us leave the airport as we had checked bags in.  Bah!  Anyways...

Went offroading with Matt, one of the guys from work; he has a specially modified monster land-rover, and I got to drive it too!  Woo!
The contract I've been working on for the last 10 months came to a close with a big, paid for, work's party!  We went go-karting, slap-up chinese meal and then onto the town 'till late.  Job matters are continuing on an upward trend, being impressed with my previous work I was made an attractive offer to work on another project within the same organisation and I am now working for them directly, through my own consultancy company.  Say hello to BPS Limited (I've not decided on a hostname yet, so no website).

Acquired more Stuff: Got the new fridge in June, which was officially opened, with brass plaque and much fanfare. (Video upon request   I got myself a new graphics card, the Gigabyte 6600GT VIVO for use with BF2, and GTA:SA.  Though I've not installed the card or the games yet, the new job is keeping me busy at the moment.  I was going to do it last weekend but...

I went camping with some friends and friends of friends down north of the island (north is "down" on the IoM).  Though I cheated and didn't actually stay in a tent, since I've not got one.  Was nice to sit around the campfire and relax.  We all brought way too much food, though we managed to eat most of it.  Got myself stuck into cooking everything on the BBQ; it wouldn't be the same without a few burned sausages.  Met some very nice new people, who took a great deal more care tidying up than in the UK.  People really care about their environment here.

It sounds like alot, but I don't really feel like I've been doing much other than work recently.  Really looking forward to a reunion with some old uni friends in august, and the trip to Edinburgh a few weeks later.  Oh and lastly, I setup the new icecast web forum a few weeks ago

Black day for Liberty

Today something like seven bombs were detonated on the tube and bus network in the city of London, UK.  I’m sure it is no coincidence that George Wanker Bush is in our country.  Over thirty people are said to be dead, a count that will surely rise.  Their families have my sympathies; I know what it’s like to lose someone close to you.

This said... I am not looking forward to the UK government’s reaction to this.  I’m sure this will be trotted out for the case for ID cards.  Not that it would have stopped it: Proof of ID is no proof of intentions.  The point of these attacks is to cause fear & disruption.  No security measure is going to stop a terrorist intent on harming others.  The French still managed to run a resistance movement in WWII occupied France, what makes people think curtailing peoples’ civil freedoms and rights is going to do to prevent terrorism in the modern world?  There is certainly more chance of winning the lottery than being the victim of a terrorist attack, and being free is a far bigger win than any lottery jackpot.

Rather than sticking our head in the sand and allowing our government to take more of our freedoms away as is happening in America; I hope we can realise that there is a reason we are being attacked.  War.  Bloody, horrible war.  The UK has the blood of innocent lives on its hands from what was the shameless, illegal political grab for oil that was the Iraq war.  Have any bombs gone off in say… Belgium?  Nope.  They didn’t stand “shoulder to shoulder” with America, a country that quite happily and openly violates international human rights principles and the Geneva Convention; a country that incidentally has little interest in any "quid pro quo", we were just there to make them look better.  We have completely lost any moral high ground we might have had in the first place.

By allowing terrorism to restrict what we do, and where we go and what we are allowed to say, is allowing them to win.  I've had enough of this anti-terrorism bullshit.

You’re probably thinking I’m insensitive and heartless at this point.  Well I think bombing innocent people is horrific.  We’ve just been given a taste of our own medicine.

"The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil constitution are worth defending at all hazards; and it is our duty to defend them against all attacks.  We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors: they purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood, and transmitted them to us with care and diligence.  It will bring an everlasting mark of infamy on the present generation, enlightened as it is, if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle, or be cheated out of them by the artifices of false and designing men." - Samuel Adams, 1771.