Well I’ve got a bit of time while my tea is cooking so here goes a waffle.
The Christmas preparations are well and truly underway – I’ve bought the Christmas pudding (a particular favourite of mine) and have got various snacking materials. Got a big list too, of stuff to get for Christmas dinner. Yummy!!
Rather excited about spending a Christmas at home. Much as I love seeing my family the thought of not travelling around and sleeping in a different bed is rather appealing. And besides I’ll see them all in the New Year.
Bought a tree the other day, my first! Bit of a shocker for anyone who knows my attitude to Christmas decorations, I did only spend 74p on it however!! It was reduced for a quick sale in the Coop when I went in to get my electricity. According to the box it stands at 40cm tall - haven’t measured it so I can’t confirm this. It is covered with a fine selection of silver bells, baubles and bows and is laced through with fibre optics.
When turned on (batteries not included), it flashes manically in red and yellow – it’s a bit tacky really, but given the size of my flat and my opposition to wasting the life of a tree I’m rather amused and pleased by it. And it does perch rather nicely out of the way on a speaker. Anywhere else could take up precious record space!!
Might invest in a bit of tinsel next….
16 December 2006
15 December 2006
Number 27
Prompted by the fact that young (or not quite so young anymore) John has made it well past the 100 Blog entry mark, I thought I'd count how many entries I had made.
Before this one a mere 26.
Perhaps I will make a New Years Resolution to Blog more often.
If I remember that is.
Before this one a mere 26.
Perhaps I will make a New Years Resolution to Blog more often.
If I remember that is.
14 December 2006
Cruelty At Work
Ah another fun-filled evening at good old JS is over. Had the usual collection of freaks in and for the umpteenth time have had the classic argument with some cocky teenager as to why just because only he has I.D. and not his mate, I am refusing to sell him alcohol. I used to try and explain the heady intricacies of the licensing law to them, but as they are just know-it-alls who don't bother to listen anyway I no longer bother. These days my standard response is "I'm not going to argue with you mate, I'm not prepared to sell you the alcohol" at which point I march off clutching the teens booze.
Today was a bit different as after the kid had had his daft argument he announced that his mate had I.D. anyway and so they could buy their booze! The whole of this argument went on as I was bent over with two bits of cardboard scooping up a broken bottle of wine dropped by a previous customer. And who said men can't multitask.
Well to be quite honest most of the time I can't - but sometimes I can, so there!!!
It is quite a change, when I was a teenager I was sure I would never grow up to be a 'Hitler' like this. I'd be this easygoing type who never forgot what it was like to be a teenager. You grow older and realise that in fact teenagers are generally stupid!! They think they know it all but have yet to grow up and realise that in fact none of us no that much at all - we've all got rather good at making it up as we go along. I'm no longer paranoid about being stupid and am at one with my foolishness.
To my amusement I do on occasions take great delight in winding up the angst-ridden teens I work with. A favourite is wearing a cardboard CD sleeve on my nose whilst working with one particular girl who is perhaps just a bit too image conscious and finds me serving customers wearing said sleeve highly embarrassing. I wouldn't do it if she didn't get embarrassed. Am I cruel...? Probably!! But it is fun!!
Today was a bit different as after the kid had had his daft argument he announced that his mate had I.D. anyway and so they could buy their booze! The whole of this argument went on as I was bent over with two bits of cardboard scooping up a broken bottle of wine dropped by a previous customer. And who said men can't multitask.
Well to be quite honest most of the time I can't - but sometimes I can, so there!!!
It is quite a change, when I was a teenager I was sure I would never grow up to be a 'Hitler' like this. I'd be this easygoing type who never forgot what it was like to be a teenager. You grow older and realise that in fact teenagers are generally stupid!! They think they know it all but have yet to grow up and realise that in fact none of us no that much at all - we've all got rather good at making it up as we go along. I'm no longer paranoid about being stupid and am at one with my foolishness.
To my amusement I do on occasions take great delight in winding up the angst-ridden teens I work with. A favourite is wearing a cardboard CD sleeve on my nose whilst working with one particular girl who is perhaps just a bit too image conscious and finds me serving customers wearing said sleeve highly embarrassing. I wouldn't do it if she didn't get embarrassed. Am I cruel...? Probably!! But it is fun!!
12 December 2006
Time Flies...
Well I can't believe it's been a month since I last made an entry here. Not entirely sure what I've been up to apart from the heady delights of work of course. Err... That's about it really. Apart from the weekend that was originally going to be going to see Boo Williams weekend. Unfortunately that didn't work out after the good venue it was originally going to be at fell through to be replaced with one miles away. I dunno, part of me would still have liked to have gone to it, but I didn't really want to go on my own and quite understandably no-one else was that keen on hiking out to the middle of nowhere to see someone they had never heard of before. Nor was I really.
Anyway it all worked out OK when instead H&J and I went to Roots Garden at the Concorde and spent a Red Stripe fuelled night dancing to Reggae.
Was initially a bit dubious as to whether I could manage to dance all night to reggae, not helped by the late night at work the previous night followed by the early start and another full days work. My solution was to have a kip before going out!!
It amuses me this getting slightly older malarkey. When I was young and slightly more foolish I seemed to be able to push it to the limit for days. These days I have to prepare for hedonism with sensible diet and early nights leading up to the event!!
The delights of Christmas are nearly upon us. I'm actually rather looking forward to it this year, no more Mr Bah Humbug. Did make the mistake of attempting to go Christmas shopping in town on Saturday. Not sure how my tiny little brain didn't realise it would be hell on earth. After nipping into quite a few shops and assessing the queue length I aborted that plan and went home and played records instead.
Had another go today, its much better on a Tuesday, quite bearable in fact. Did manage to break my 'I'm not buying a record till I’ve done my Christmas shopping' rule. Ok I’m weak but it was second hand and I have had half an eye out for it for a long time. And for anyone interested - Galliano - In Pursuit Of The 13th Note is what I got for the princely sum of £2.99.
Quite a dull entry this one!! Will have to think of something more exciting to talk about next time.
Actually, I have just thought of a few exciting things that have happened. Did some sound engineering with Dave last week for the night that Georgie puts on. Had a great time and was quite pleased that I hadn't forgotten how after not doing anything like that since leaving Gloucester. It was a really good night and the music was ace.
Other jolly exciting thing of course is the Jazzanova are playing on New Years Eve news. Jolly excited about that. I'm sure I will gush further about that in the future!!
Anyway it all worked out OK when instead H&J and I went to Roots Garden at the Concorde and spent a Red Stripe fuelled night dancing to Reggae.
Was initially a bit dubious as to whether I could manage to dance all night to reggae, not helped by the late night at work the previous night followed by the early start and another full days work. My solution was to have a kip before going out!!
It amuses me this getting slightly older malarkey. When I was young and slightly more foolish I seemed to be able to push it to the limit for days. These days I have to prepare for hedonism with sensible diet and early nights leading up to the event!!
The delights of Christmas are nearly upon us. I'm actually rather looking forward to it this year, no more Mr Bah Humbug. Did make the mistake of attempting to go Christmas shopping in town on Saturday. Not sure how my tiny little brain didn't realise it would be hell on earth. After nipping into quite a few shops and assessing the queue length I aborted that plan and went home and played records instead.
Had another go today, its much better on a Tuesday, quite bearable in fact. Did manage to break my 'I'm not buying a record till I’ve done my Christmas shopping' rule. Ok I’m weak but it was second hand and I have had half an eye out for it for a long time. And for anyone interested - Galliano - In Pursuit Of The 13th Note is what I got for the princely sum of £2.99.
Quite a dull entry this one!! Will have to think of something more exciting to talk about next time.
Actually, I have just thought of a few exciting things that have happened. Did some sound engineering with Dave last week for the night that Georgie puts on. Had a great time and was quite pleased that I hadn't forgotten how after not doing anything like that since leaving Gloucester. It was a really good night and the music was ace.
Other jolly exciting thing of course is the Jazzanova are playing on New Years Eve news. Jolly excited about that. I'm sure I will gush further about that in the future!!
07 November 2006
My First Remix
Well I’m quite chuffed with myself. I've nearly finished my first ever remix and have really enjoyed doing it. I say remix - it's more of a remake really, isn't really that true to the original, rather it's samples used in the original reinterpreted by me in a new track. But I’m still rather chuffed.
This is the first bit of music I’ve made for a long time and certainly the first piece I’ve made in years that I’ve nearly finished. Still a bit of polishing to do just to get all the levels right and I’m not sure about the ending, but anyway.
It’s a remix of a track that Dave entered into a remix competition on Discogs, which won and got remixed by all the others. I did think of entering at the time but knew I’d never have time to get it in on time. So I just plodded away in my own time.
I say plodded, it took me about 10 hours over two days to do including cutting up samples and loading them into samplers (a rather dull process creatively). It was the month and a half between the two days I spent working on it, not the fastest rate of production. And I’m still not finished.
Anyway, enough waffling, here’s a link to the track so far. I’m not gonna leave this here forever as it takes up a lot of space. Let me know what you think of it.
This is the first bit of music I’ve made for a long time and certainly the first piece I’ve made in years that I’ve nearly finished. Still a bit of polishing to do just to get all the levels right and I’m not sure about the ending, but anyway.
It’s a remix of a track that Dave entered into a remix competition on Discogs, which won and got remixed by all the others. I did think of entering at the time but knew I’d never have time to get it in on time. So I just plodded away in my own time.
I say plodded, it took me about 10 hours over two days to do including cutting up samples and loading them into samplers (a rather dull process creatively). It was the month and a half between the two days I spent working on it, not the fastest rate of production. And I’m still not finished.
Anyway, enough waffling, here’s a link to the track so far. I’m not gonna leave this here forever as it takes up a lot of space. Let me know what you think of it.
04 November 2006
Fireworks
I have just discovered one of the really cool things about living up on this hill. It is always good to see the view out of my kitchen window which looks out over a large part of Brighton. Just to make things even better I have just been watching 13 different firework displays out of the window. Rather cool really seeing fireworks shooting up all across the horizon, and all without leaving the house!! Might go back to the window now....
02 November 2006
Sunny Thursday Morning
It’s another sunny morning and I’m sat here listening to music and have just finished applying for another job. Maybe this time I might get a reply!! Have become rather good at knocking out cover letters now and my CV is probably the most concise CV I have ever had. Anyway, not gonna get my hopes up, the normal outcome of my applications is a resounding nothing at all. I get excited when I get a ‘sorry not this time’ letter!!
Anyway the sun is shining and the house across the street is getting much closer to being finished. Since the whole place burnt down in a spectacular fire last year it has been a source of interest to me as I sit here at my desk and work. The fire itself was pretty impressive, I was lucky enough to see it all from the point the builders hastily evacuated having set fire to the roofing felt they where fitting. From there it became a spectacular with fire engines from half the county including the huge engine with the platform on the end of a long ladder. You don’t get that kind of entertainment everyday.
Of course I felt really bad for the people whose homes and lives were destroyed in the process. It has also made me very careful and quite hot on fire protection around the flat. I’m one of those fussy people who turn everything off at the wall, which also has the advantage of saving electricity to, so I’m quite happy with that little obsession!!
Been having an album listening morning mainly although did start with a few choice singles. Bit of a disco theme at the start and now we’re getting jazzy.
Here’s the track list so far:
That brings us up to now, just having a bit of a waffle before getting ready for work. Not to fussed about going today so hopefully it will be a good evening.
Bit off action on the scaffold across the street. There’s a man who has been doing a bit of filling round the eves of the house and he’s just accidentally knocked his trowel off the scaffold while lighting his fag. Bet he’s a bit miffed – he’s off down the ladders to pick it up from the pile of rubble round the bottom of the house. Shouldn’t really be amused, I’d be rather miffed to if I’d done it, but it does seem to be part of our nature to get some kind of enjoyment from these minor mishaps of others. In fact a lot of old silent movies derive their comedy from the mishaps of others.
Well the album is finished now so I suppose I ought to start getting ready for work…
Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It’s off to work I go…
Anyway the sun is shining and the house across the street is getting much closer to being finished. Since the whole place burnt down in a spectacular fire last year it has been a source of interest to me as I sit here at my desk and work. The fire itself was pretty impressive, I was lucky enough to see it all from the point the builders hastily evacuated having set fire to the roofing felt they where fitting. From there it became a spectacular with fire engines from half the county including the huge engine with the platform on the end of a long ladder. You don’t get that kind of entertainment everyday.
Of course I felt really bad for the people whose homes and lives were destroyed in the process. It has also made me very careful and quite hot on fire protection around the flat. I’m one of those fussy people who turn everything off at the wall, which also has the advantage of saving electricity to, so I’m quite happy with that little obsession!!
Been having an album listening morning mainly although did start with a few choice singles. Bit of a disco theme at the start and now we’re getting jazzy.
Here’s the track list so far:
- Alice Smith – Love Endeavor : This record is simply superb, I just love it to bits and play it nearly every day. Love the musical arrangement of the Maurice Fulton mixes but it has to be the Freeform Five full vocal version. When the vocals take off…
- Peter Brown – Do Ya Wanna Get Funky With Me : Discovered this just after we moved down here when some friends came to visit and Leon bought a CD of old original disco. This is great old proper disco. Was having a mini mix moment and this fits nicely onto the end of Love Endeavor.
- Clara Hill & King Britt – Did I Do Wrong : Another great song that gets regular playing. A melancholy song analyzing a break-up but it just lifts beautifully and has really got soul.
- Metro Area – Metro Area : This is just a great modern disco album fusing electronics with strings and woodwinds.
- Mitchell & Dewbury – Rapping With The Gods : This album is just great. Its got Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin, Afrobeat… well basically a bit of everything that goes into Russ Dewbury’s night at the Jazz Rooms
- Kahil El'Zabar – He's Got The Whole World In His Hands (Henrik Schwarz Remix) : Had a mini-mix moment during track 1 of Rapping With The Gods when I thought this would fit very nicely into the end of the track. I was right, it did!! Went back and listened to the rest of the album after my mini-mix moment...
That brings us up to now, just having a bit of a waffle before getting ready for work. Not to fussed about going today so hopefully it will be a good evening.
Bit off action on the scaffold across the street. There’s a man who has been doing a bit of filling round the eves of the house and he’s just accidentally knocked his trowel off the scaffold while lighting his fag. Bet he’s a bit miffed – he’s off down the ladders to pick it up from the pile of rubble round the bottom of the house. Shouldn’t really be amused, I’d be rather miffed to if I’d done it, but it does seem to be part of our nature to get some kind of enjoyment from these minor mishaps of others. In fact a lot of old silent movies derive their comedy from the mishaps of others.
Well the album is finished now so I suppose I ought to start getting ready for work…
Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It’s off to work I go…
31 October 2006
Cool!?
Saw this in a magazine that fell out of a paper while I was working on Sunday. It's from one of theose magazines selling you all thise usefull gadgets you never knew you needed! It made me chuckle. The thought of going round someones house and seeing it bolted to the front of the TV with the owner proudly proclaiming "it's just like seeing it in the cinema".....
26 October 2006
Thank Blog It's Friday
Ok Blogger’s back.
I was just abou to go to bed but thought i'd post this first.
Goodnight again!!
Just keep reading and all will become clear…
Theoretically!!
------------------------------------------
23:20 26/10/06
Bugger!!
Blogger’s down for maintenance.
Fancied having a waffle, am even sober, and Blogger’s down.
Bugger.
Oh well here we go in Word…
I like the word Bugger. It’s one of those satisfying words that just roll off the tongue. A highly expressive word you can get away with using in public. I do of course refer to the use of bugger with the meaning of ‘an annoyingly awkward thing’. We'll have no vulgarity here thank you.
Pete is another. Possibly not all that fair to anyone called Pete, but as a stand in for F*** I find it does rather well in phrases such as “Oh for Pete’s sake”.
Anyway that’s not what was I gonna talk about.
This is.
It’s definitely feeling autumnal this week. Actually it’s been feeling pretty crap this week; the weathers been wet, windy and generally horrid and I’ve had a cold.
Even though it was dark on my walk home tonight I could definitely see more leaves had turned and more had fallen to the ground than yesterday. I did have every intention of having a waffle about conkers the other week but haven’t really had time. I still love seeing conkers when each year. Have to fight the urge to collect them. They are like shiny marbled jewels when they first fall. Bit of a disappointment the next day mind you, when they’ve gone dull old brown. Perhaps it’s that fleeting moment that makes them so appealing and exciting, the fact that you’ll have to wait another year to see it again.
Have always been rather partial to a game of conkers, haven’t played for a couple of years, and it’s a bit late now.
I was going to relate what I had read in the local press at the time, and godamnit i'm gonna do it now. Not really that interesting but it did get my goat a bit at the time.
According to the article the local council was employing guys to strip all the conkers from trees, at the cost of £100 per tree. There reasoning was so that they wouldn’t have to pay out any insurance claims after kids had thrown sticks through peoples windows whilst trying to knock conkers out of the tree. Surely removing most of the conkers (as well as being a bit of a spoil-sport idea) would just mean that the kids (and there dads) would have to throw more sticks to hit the few remaining conkers the conker pickers had missed. (Are you still following me, I know my grammar gets a little haywire at times, I often confuse myself!!)
Surely they could have spent our taxpayer’s money better. Umm I’m sounding like a sad little man living in a suburban cul-de-sac bungalow here…Err anyway all the conkers have gone now so lets move on.
Autumn.
I think it’s finally time to admit summer is officially over. It hasn’t done bad, British Summer Time finishes on Sunday. I may have to finally admit defeat on going out in a t-shirt and a pair of flip-flops (my official way of deciding whether it is summer or not). For anyone concerned I do tend to wear trousers with the flip-flops and t-shirt. I have been carrying an umbrella for a while but maybe it’s reached that point where I will definitely have to take an extra layer, even a coat for the miserable rain.
I may be rambling off a bit tonight. Nothing new there. Has just reminded me of seeing Robin Williamson (used to be in the Incredible String Band in the 60’s if that helps clarify who he is!!) at the storytelling festival. His storytelling style was a bit like that. He sat there with a harp and rambled through bits of folk tales, some of which never got finished, for about 2 hours. It was enchanting. He was such a good storyteller, so good at capturing your imagination and drawing you with him you didn’t care that only a few of the stories got completed. And the completed ones only got finished because he remembered he had meandered off and had gone back to them. I am in now way comparing my waffle to his storytelling; he held your attention with his stories whereas I could possibly bring about a catatonic state with mine. Talking of catatonic states, I think I might go and experience one myself now.
Goodnight
I was just abou to go to bed but thought i'd post this first.
Goodnight again!!
Just keep reading and all will become clear…
Theoretically!!
------------------------------------------
23:20 26/10/06
Bugger!!
Blogger’s down for maintenance.
Fancied having a waffle, am even sober, and Blogger’s down.
Bugger.
Oh well here we go in Word…
I like the word Bugger. It’s one of those satisfying words that just roll off the tongue. A highly expressive word you can get away with using in public. I do of course refer to the use of bugger with the meaning of ‘an annoyingly awkward thing’. We'll have no vulgarity here thank you.
Pete is another. Possibly not all that fair to anyone called Pete, but as a stand in for F*** I find it does rather well in phrases such as “Oh for Pete’s sake”.
Anyway that’s not what was I gonna talk about.
This is.
It’s definitely feeling autumnal this week. Actually it’s been feeling pretty crap this week; the weathers been wet, windy and generally horrid and I’ve had a cold.
Even though it was dark on my walk home tonight I could definitely see more leaves had turned and more had fallen to the ground than yesterday. I did have every intention of having a waffle about conkers the other week but haven’t really had time. I still love seeing conkers when each year. Have to fight the urge to collect them. They are like shiny marbled jewels when they first fall. Bit of a disappointment the next day mind you, when they’ve gone dull old brown. Perhaps it’s that fleeting moment that makes them so appealing and exciting, the fact that you’ll have to wait another year to see it again.
Have always been rather partial to a game of conkers, haven’t played for a couple of years, and it’s a bit late now.
I was going to relate what I had read in the local press at the time, and godamnit i'm gonna do it now. Not really that interesting but it did get my goat a bit at the time.
According to the article the local council was employing guys to strip all the conkers from trees, at the cost of £100 per tree. There reasoning was so that they wouldn’t have to pay out any insurance claims after kids had thrown sticks through peoples windows whilst trying to knock conkers out of the tree. Surely removing most of the conkers (as well as being a bit of a spoil-sport idea) would just mean that the kids (and there dads) would have to throw more sticks to hit the few remaining conkers the conker pickers had missed. (Are you still following me, I know my grammar gets a little haywire at times, I often confuse myself!!)
Surely they could have spent our taxpayer’s money better. Umm I’m sounding like a sad little man living in a suburban cul-de-sac bungalow here…Err anyway all the conkers have gone now so lets move on.
Autumn.
I think it’s finally time to admit summer is officially over. It hasn’t done bad, British Summer Time finishes on Sunday. I may have to finally admit defeat on going out in a t-shirt and a pair of flip-flops (my official way of deciding whether it is summer or not). For anyone concerned I do tend to wear trousers with the flip-flops and t-shirt. I have been carrying an umbrella for a while but maybe it’s reached that point where I will definitely have to take an extra layer, even a coat for the miserable rain.
I may be rambling off a bit tonight. Nothing new there. Has just reminded me of seeing Robin Williamson (used to be in the Incredible String Band in the 60’s if that helps clarify who he is!!) at the storytelling festival. His storytelling style was a bit like that. He sat there with a harp and rambled through bits of folk tales, some of which never got finished, for about 2 hours. It was enchanting. He was such a good storyteller, so good at capturing your imagination and drawing you with him you didn’t care that only a few of the stories got completed. And the completed ones only got finished because he remembered he had meandered off and had gone back to them. I am in now way comparing my waffle to his storytelling; he held your attention with his stories whereas I could possibly bring about a catatonic state with mine. Talking of catatonic states, I think I might go and experience one myself now.
Goodnight
16 October 2006
arthouse
It’s funny that many of the times that I’m inspired to have a waffle here is normally after going to the pub. Not that I’m ever drunk when writing – perhaps a little tipsy on occasion but never drunk. I like to think that the flowing of creative juices in the writing department is actually down to the stimulating conversation in the pub rather than the alcohol, and I’m sticking with that!
Have been out tonight with Hamed tonight, to a bar called the ‘arthouse’. Rather nice too. Never new it existed till Hamed suggested we go there tonight. It’s rather a nice bar. A bit shabby round the edges, they play mostly jazz there and so as you should in such a place we sat and put the word to rights!! Have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. Haven’t had a good ‘setting the world to rights’ for far to long!! A nice end to another delightful weekend at Sainsbury’s!!!
I do wonder about the human race when sat on the customer service desk. Spent about 10 minutes on the phone yesterday with a lady who was adamant I passed on her feeling on the current problems with the packaging of our jelly and how she felt it could be improved. It’s hard work trying to sound concerned and interested for that amount of time I tell you. Anyway I have dutifully written down all her comments and sent it up for management to peruse!!! I’m sure they’ll be utterly delighted!!!!
Ah the delights of the customer service desk. It’s hard not to laugh when a man threatens to shop at Asda if you don’t change his euro for a pound coin. I think he went to Asda.
Anyway back to the real world. If anyone fancies a beer and I’m not at work, I’ll meet you in the ‘arthouse’ on western road!!
Have been out tonight with Hamed tonight, to a bar called the ‘arthouse’. Rather nice too. Never new it existed till Hamed suggested we go there tonight. It’s rather a nice bar. A bit shabby round the edges, they play mostly jazz there and so as you should in such a place we sat and put the word to rights!! Have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. Haven’t had a good ‘setting the world to rights’ for far to long!! A nice end to another delightful weekend at Sainsbury’s!!!
I do wonder about the human race when sat on the customer service desk. Spent about 10 minutes on the phone yesterday with a lady who was adamant I passed on her feeling on the current problems with the packaging of our jelly and how she felt it could be improved. It’s hard work trying to sound concerned and interested for that amount of time I tell you. Anyway I have dutifully written down all her comments and sent it up for management to peruse!!! I’m sure they’ll be utterly delighted!!!!
Ah the delights of the customer service desk. It’s hard not to laugh when a man threatens to shop at Asda if you don’t change his euro for a pound coin. I think he went to Asda.
Anyway back to the real world. If anyone fancies a beer and I’m not at work, I’ll meet you in the ‘arthouse’ on western road!!
27 September 2006
Return To Discogs
Aha yes. Having been out buying records last week for the first time in ages I have been once more submitting records to the site. During the quiet period where I have been spending my pennies on such exciting things as going to Bestival and Younger Bro The Seniors Wedding, I have been slowly adding some of the olde records in my collection to the site. (And when I say old I mean old - they are all older than me!)
I have been fulfilling my civil nerdy duties and adding the recorded works of the great Graham Bond Organisation to the site. I highly recommend everyone experiencing them as they are simply one of the best bands of the sixties in my opinion, and if you’ve never heard of them I am happy to have you round for a cup of tea and a loud listen. They work better loud.
I have my father to thank for both the records and the love of the band and must admit to being rather envious of the fact he actually used to go and see them play. Unfortunately even back then I think they where quite strict on letting minus seven year olds in to venues and my dad would have probably been a little freaked out.
Anyway where was I, ah yes recent record purchases. Uncannily a lot of them have been quite funk based which fits in nicely with the R&B of The Graham Bond Organisation. (Careful – lets not go down that waffle again!!)
So anyway it’s been quite nice getting back to the excitement of going out and hunting down new and exciting sounds. And imagine my added joy when I discovered most of my purchases where not on Discogs yet and I will have to add them. Oh the heady excitement of hours spent putting the correct information into the submission forms, the bliss of scanning the releases to provide additional pictorial info. Then the anticipation of the submission actually being accepted.
Err actually the anticipation bit isn’t that great, some of my more obscure additions have taken nearly three months to go through so sitting waiting in anticipation would probably lead to piles. So I don’t sit and wait. I get pleasantly surprised when the ping of my email inbox informs me of a new email and I discover it’s from Discogs telling me some kind of action has occurred on my submission.
Anyone still reading this has no idea what you’re missing. And you’re probably a bit of a nerd to!!
So am I.
Goodnight!!
I have been fulfilling my civil nerdy duties and adding the recorded works of the great Graham Bond Organisation to the site. I highly recommend everyone experiencing them as they are simply one of the best bands of the sixties in my opinion, and if you’ve never heard of them I am happy to have you round for a cup of tea and a loud listen. They work better loud.
I have my father to thank for both the records and the love of the band and must admit to being rather envious of the fact he actually used to go and see them play. Unfortunately even back then I think they where quite strict on letting minus seven year olds in to venues and my dad would have probably been a little freaked out.
Anyway where was I, ah yes recent record purchases. Uncannily a lot of them have been quite funk based which fits in nicely with the R&B of The Graham Bond Organisation. (Careful – lets not go down that waffle again!!)
So anyway it’s been quite nice getting back to the excitement of going out and hunting down new and exciting sounds. And imagine my added joy when I discovered most of my purchases where not on Discogs yet and I will have to add them. Oh the heady excitement of hours spent putting the correct information into the submission forms, the bliss of scanning the releases to provide additional pictorial info. Then the anticipation of the submission actually being accepted.
Err actually the anticipation bit isn’t that great, some of my more obscure additions have taken nearly three months to go through so sitting waiting in anticipation would probably lead to piles. So I don’t sit and wait. I get pleasantly surprised when the ping of my email inbox informs me of a new email and I discover it’s from Discogs telling me some kind of action has occurred on my submission.
Anyone still reading this has no idea what you’re missing. And you’re probably a bit of a nerd to!!
So am I.
Goodnight!!
TM Juke Buys Vegetables
Another exciting installment of life at Sainsbury's here!!!!
I was working on the customer service desk yesterday when a ginger haired chap and his girlfriend approached. He held out his £5 note and asked, "Can I have change for the basket-machine?"
"You mean for a trolley" I replied in the annoying way I have of correcting people sometimes (Yes I even annoy myself with it).
Anyway as I opened the till and started to get the change it dawned on me that I recognised my cutomer from somewhere.
"Are you TM Juke?" I asked.
"Yes" he replied.
From here I explained I had recognised him from his performance with Alice Russel at Bestival when she had eventually turned up. He made a joke about how slack she was then went on to say he had had a great time and it had been much better than the Big Chill before heading off to do his weekly shopping.
It's a hard life working in Sainsbury's dealing with these megastars on a daily basis!!!
I was working on the customer service desk yesterday when a ginger haired chap and his girlfriend approached. He held out his £5 note and asked, "Can I have change for the basket-machine?"
"You mean for a trolley" I replied in the annoying way I have of correcting people sometimes (Yes I even annoy myself with it).
Anyway as I opened the till and started to get the change it dawned on me that I recognised my cutomer from somewhere.
"Are you TM Juke?" I asked.
"Yes" he replied.
From here I explained I had recognised him from his performance with Alice Russel at Bestival when she had eventually turned up. He made a joke about how slack she was then went on to say he had had a great time and it had been much better than the Big Chill before heading off to do his weekly shopping.
It's a hard life working in Sainsbury's dealing with these megastars on a daily basis!!!
19 September 2006
The Return of the Soap
Ok it's come back!!!
Am I going mad.
I just went to use the washing up liquid to wash my hands and there it was just sitting there as if it had never gone away.
I only opened my window again last night while cooking a big dinner and left it open over night.
I'm pleased to see my dish again, but will admit to being just a little perplexed.
I will be keeping the window shut when i'm not in now...
Am I going mad.
I just went to use the washing up liquid to wash my hands and there it was just sitting there as if it had never gone away.
I only opened my window again last night while cooking a big dinner and left it open over night.
I'm pleased to see my dish again, but will admit to being just a little perplexed.
I will be keeping the window shut when i'm not in now...
15 September 2006
I've been Burgled
I seem to have been burgled, and i'm a bit niffed off about it. Nothing of value has gone and I suspect the culprit only got a hand into my flat, but all the same i'm niffed.
I don't know when the crime occured, but when I went to wash my hands today I noticed the soap and the hand made pottery spoon dish I keep it in had dissapeared from my windowsil. I was quite fond of the pottery dish, it was only a second I got from a little pottery in Cornwall but all the same I liked it.
At first I thought the wind could have blown it out of the window, but lots of much lighter things are still there. I have checked outside and below my window - no sign of soap or dish. The only thing I can think is that someone has been on the next door neighbours fire escape, leant over and pinched the soap and dish out of my window.
I have now closed and locked the window. It's been open all summer to let in fresh air but know it's closed.
Who knows if someone was testing to see if they could get in and burgle me. Perhaps it was a silly prank. If anyone did break in they would have to leave through the window again so I haven't been worried about it up until now.
Now i'm just rather niffed with a shut window...
I don't know when the crime occured, but when I went to wash my hands today I noticed the soap and the hand made pottery spoon dish I keep it in had dissapeared from my windowsil. I was quite fond of the pottery dish, it was only a second I got from a little pottery in Cornwall but all the same I liked it.
At first I thought the wind could have blown it out of the window, but lots of much lighter things are still there. I have checked outside and below my window - no sign of soap or dish. The only thing I can think is that someone has been on the next door neighbours fire escape, leant over and pinched the soap and dish out of my window.
I have now closed and locked the window. It's been open all summer to let in fresh air but know it's closed.
Who knows if someone was testing to see if they could get in and burgle me. Perhaps it was a silly prank. If anyone did break in they would have to leave through the window again so I haven't been worried about it up until now.
Now i'm just rather niffed with a shut window...
21 August 2006
Only 16 and Carrier Bags!!
I’m back!
Did you miss me?!
I know its been a while since my last post, been busy galumphing round the country going to weddings and generally working to much (more about my adventures at a later date). For now as I have a few minutes I’m gonna have a waffle…
Yesterday as usual I was spending my Sunday working in the cigarette kiosk and as happens from time to time a particularly young looking girl came to the counter and asked to buy some cigarettes. Performing my duties in the selling of age-restricted products (mainly in the wishing to avoid paying any big fines department) I asked for ID to verify she was indeed old enough to buy cigarettes. Out came her passport complete with amusing photo of her aged 12 and I checked her date of birth: November 1989.
“So that makes you sixteen,” I said, handing her back the passport and getting her cigarettes.
“I’m seventeen in two months” she replied indignantly.
“Yes, but still only sixteen” I added, highly amused by the incensed look she gave me.
Anyway I finished the transaction and I won’t bore you with any more of the fun times at Sainsbury’s. It did get me thinking though, about being a young adult and yearning to be accepted as a ‘grown up’. She was a classic case over dressed and with makeup applied in industrial quantities.
I certainly wouldn’t want to be a teenager again. All that angst!! All that worrying about being accepted as an adult and no longer being seen as ‘young’!!
I was talking with H the other day about how good it was to be in our thirties, and how nice it was to be past all that worrying and insecurity. These days I’m pretty happy with who I am and I don’t really care what other people think of me. True I’m not perfect, but nor is anyone else. And besides it gives us something to work on.
On a complete change of subject, I have to have a bit of a vent of my current source of annoyance. Unsurprisingly it is connected with Sainsbury’s, but as I spend too much of my life there that’s hardly surprising. Anyway my current source of annoyance is the carrier bag. I will admit upfront to being a total fascist on this subject. And I don’t care.
I think that there ought to be total ban on the giving away of free bags in shops. They are completely unnecessary and a waste of plastic. Years ago when people went shopping they took there own bags. And its only in this modern consumer driven world where people think they have a perfect right to everything they want right now, that they have reached a point where they are to bloody lazy to take a bag with them shopping and feel they have a divine right to be supplied with bags to take their shopping home in. once the bags have made it home they end up in the bin to much of the time, and then of course adding to our ludicrous landfill problems.
I will admit with having a problem with the modern worlds consuming in general, and the bag issue is just a part of this. It annoys me when people lamely stand there on the checkouts saying, “I should really reuse my bags but I keep forgetting them,” whilst double bagging their shopping because they don’t think the bags are strong enough (which they are, trust me, I know far to much about the strength of carrier bags!!). They seem to have no problem forgetting to come shopping so why can’t they remember to bring bags with them. And if they are worried about the strength of the bag why don’t they shell out the miniscule sum of 10p for a stronger reusable bag. Oh it makes my blood boil.
Anyway that’s enough for now, I’ve had a bit of mango stuck between my teeth for a while now and I’m off into the bathroom with an assortment of tools to get it out!!
Did you miss me?!
I know its been a while since my last post, been busy galumphing round the country going to weddings and generally working to much (more about my adventures at a later date). For now as I have a few minutes I’m gonna have a waffle…
Yesterday as usual I was spending my Sunday working in the cigarette kiosk and as happens from time to time a particularly young looking girl came to the counter and asked to buy some cigarettes. Performing my duties in the selling of age-restricted products (mainly in the wishing to avoid paying any big fines department) I asked for ID to verify she was indeed old enough to buy cigarettes. Out came her passport complete with amusing photo of her aged 12 and I checked her date of birth: November 1989.
“So that makes you sixteen,” I said, handing her back the passport and getting her cigarettes.
“I’m seventeen in two months” she replied indignantly.
“Yes, but still only sixteen” I added, highly amused by the incensed look she gave me.
Anyway I finished the transaction and I won’t bore you with any more of the fun times at Sainsbury’s. It did get me thinking though, about being a young adult and yearning to be accepted as a ‘grown up’. She was a classic case over dressed and with makeup applied in industrial quantities.
I certainly wouldn’t want to be a teenager again. All that angst!! All that worrying about being accepted as an adult and no longer being seen as ‘young’!!
I was talking with H the other day about how good it was to be in our thirties, and how nice it was to be past all that worrying and insecurity. These days I’m pretty happy with who I am and I don’t really care what other people think of me. True I’m not perfect, but nor is anyone else. And besides it gives us something to work on.
On a complete change of subject, I have to have a bit of a vent of my current source of annoyance. Unsurprisingly it is connected with Sainsbury’s, but as I spend too much of my life there that’s hardly surprising. Anyway my current source of annoyance is the carrier bag. I will admit upfront to being a total fascist on this subject. And I don’t care.
I think that there ought to be total ban on the giving away of free bags in shops. They are completely unnecessary and a waste of plastic. Years ago when people went shopping they took there own bags. And its only in this modern consumer driven world where people think they have a perfect right to everything they want right now, that they have reached a point where they are to bloody lazy to take a bag with them shopping and feel they have a divine right to be supplied with bags to take their shopping home in. once the bags have made it home they end up in the bin to much of the time, and then of course adding to our ludicrous landfill problems.
I will admit with having a problem with the modern worlds consuming in general, and the bag issue is just a part of this. It annoys me when people lamely stand there on the checkouts saying, “I should really reuse my bags but I keep forgetting them,” whilst double bagging their shopping because they don’t think the bags are strong enough (which they are, trust me, I know far to much about the strength of carrier bags!!). They seem to have no problem forgetting to come shopping so why can’t they remember to bring bags with them. And if they are worried about the strength of the bag why don’t they shell out the miniscule sum of 10p for a stronger reusable bag. Oh it makes my blood boil.
Anyway that’s enough for now, I’ve had a bit of mango stuck between my teeth for a while now and I’m off into the bathroom with an assortment of tools to get it out!!
07 July 2006
There aren’t many days in my life when I can remember clearly what I was doing the year before. Today is the only one I can think of at present.
Last year for some reason I had overslept and was eating my breakfast watching News 24 when they announced there had been major electrical problems on the underground. This got my attention, as I was about to head for the station for my first full day at the New Designers show.
It was this way that I watched the whole hideous story of the bombings in London unfold. My first thoughts were for Monika, John, Yugen and Rich my fellow students and our lecturer who were all staying in London and would be making their way in to the show. It took a while to ascertain they were all ok due to the phone networks being saturated but luckily none of them were affected.
Initially I sat there watching the news as the story was told and retold with a morbid fascination, not quite believing what was happening.
The day before I had been on the train just coming up to the river as the news of London winning the Olympics bid came in. Everybody on the train was in high spirits and enjoying sharing the moment together and as we crossed the river towards Blackfriars, flares of red white and blue smoke decorated the grey sky. From here I had gone on to my opening night at the New Designers show happy and excited about the future.
Now I was sat on the sofa until I could bear the reruns of the wounded being brought up no longer and found other things around the house to occupy my mind.
The next day as I travelled in across London the tube was utterly deserted. I may never see it that empty again. On the rare occasions that I did see anyone we would eye each other with suspicion, hurrying on our way, such a contrast from two days before.
Not sure what the point of me writing this down is, more than the wish to not forget it. It is a tribute to the human race that when such things befall us we get back up and get on with it. I’m not getting into politics here but it is the sad case that it is normally the civilian populations who suffer in the arguments of their leaders.
Well I think that’s enough about that for now, I may come back to it some other day but for now on a lighter not – what else have I been up to since my last good waffle…
Well I had a good Birthday, spent the actual day pottering round with mother and got down to proper celebrating at the end of the week. It was great catching up with friends and I had a wicked long weekend cooking dinner, attending barbecues, and playing records.
Sadly I have to admit that my dream way of spending my birthday would be to simultaneously be on the dance floor dancing to myself DJ’ing. Physically impossible I know but I can dream…
Happily my mate Dave asked me to play some records with him in a bar and although it was bloody boiling and we were invaded by a party (complete with DJ’s playing such classics as Russ Bloody Abbot), I still had a wicked time. I’ve still got ‘oh what an atmosphere’ stuck in my brain though – thought I had lost that one to brain damage in the smoking years (wishful thinking).
I do miss playing for hour on end. I wish I could go back to playing those 8 hour all night set at house parties with the confidence and the record collection I have these days. Possibly I need to get into some serious study in the fields of time travel and cloning….
Apart from that what else have I been up to?
Records
As usual I have spent a lot of time with my records. Not sure if it’s a mistake, cos I do enjoy it, but I have signed up for various email alerts about latest releases and now seem to spend a fair amount of time sifting through them to see what is being released. Did go a bit over board at first and got a little swamped, but I have it under control now (I think).
Still haven’t managed to get my records in any manageable order after my marathon cataloguing session. It was all so much simpler when they all fitted in one box. But unfortunately that’s the way this addiction goes, you always know there is something wonderful out there that you haven’t heard yet. And hunting down these gems fulfils the hunter-gatherer instincts of my primeval soul.
Looking after Meg
After my entries about walking the dog in the park last time I looked after Meg, I was rather looking forward to the chance to get out in the park. To be quit honest the park is actually a bit out of my way in every day life, and I only go through it to visit people who live the other side.
I’m sure after a while walking the dog every day can get to be a bit of a bind, but that is part of what you take on when you get a dog. But for a week I can just enjoy being a dog owner with the knowledge that I get to give her back at the end!! The park has of course been lovely even if half the transient population of it have been trying to recreate their own little world cup.
I have to say, the world cup hasn’t bothered me at all so far. I have caught a little of some of the games during breaks at work and I do appreciate the skill the players have. Still not dedicated enough to deliberately sit down and watch it though, let alone actually support anyone. But each to there own. I’m sure a lot of people wouldn’t get my music and vinyl addiction. Which is probably a good job because that would be more competition in the record shop!!
I’m currently visualising a short film about cave men going forth with flint tipped arrows and bows, chasing down that rare Carl Craig remix of Russ Abbot…..
Er, anyway back to the park…and the ball theft incident. A couple sat beneath a tree, meg wanders up as if she has every right in the world, picks up the ball and keeps on trotting. I do the apologies of an embarrassed dog owner (temp!) luckily they find it funny and have found the ball at the top of the park earlier. I probably must take some of the blame for forgetting to take a ball with us to the park on this occasion and I got the impression from meg that she was taking matters in her own paws, rectifying the situation, and obtaining a ball so that I could perform my feeble ball throwing duties (I never have been the greatest athlete).
Well I think I have waffled enough for one night.
Just remember kids, ‘Oh what an atmosphere, I love a party with a happy atmosphere...'
Last year for some reason I had overslept and was eating my breakfast watching News 24 when they announced there had been major electrical problems on the underground. This got my attention, as I was about to head for the station for my first full day at the New Designers show.
It was this way that I watched the whole hideous story of the bombings in London unfold. My first thoughts were for Monika, John, Yugen and Rich my fellow students and our lecturer who were all staying in London and would be making their way in to the show. It took a while to ascertain they were all ok due to the phone networks being saturated but luckily none of them were affected.
Initially I sat there watching the news as the story was told and retold with a morbid fascination, not quite believing what was happening.
The day before I had been on the train just coming up to the river as the news of London winning the Olympics bid came in. Everybody on the train was in high spirits and enjoying sharing the moment together and as we crossed the river towards Blackfriars, flares of red white and blue smoke decorated the grey sky. From here I had gone on to my opening night at the New Designers show happy and excited about the future.
Now I was sat on the sofa until I could bear the reruns of the wounded being brought up no longer and found other things around the house to occupy my mind.
The next day as I travelled in across London the tube was utterly deserted. I may never see it that empty again. On the rare occasions that I did see anyone we would eye each other with suspicion, hurrying on our way, such a contrast from two days before.
Not sure what the point of me writing this down is, more than the wish to not forget it. It is a tribute to the human race that when such things befall us we get back up and get on with it. I’m not getting into politics here but it is the sad case that it is normally the civilian populations who suffer in the arguments of their leaders.
Well I think that’s enough about that for now, I may come back to it some other day but for now on a lighter not – what else have I been up to since my last good waffle…
Well I had a good Birthday, spent the actual day pottering round with mother and got down to proper celebrating at the end of the week. It was great catching up with friends and I had a wicked long weekend cooking dinner, attending barbecues, and playing records.
Sadly I have to admit that my dream way of spending my birthday would be to simultaneously be on the dance floor dancing to myself DJ’ing. Physically impossible I know but I can dream…
Happily my mate Dave asked me to play some records with him in a bar and although it was bloody boiling and we were invaded by a party (complete with DJ’s playing such classics as Russ Bloody Abbot), I still had a wicked time. I’ve still got ‘oh what an atmosphere’ stuck in my brain though – thought I had lost that one to brain damage in the smoking years (wishful thinking).
I do miss playing for hour on end. I wish I could go back to playing those 8 hour all night set at house parties with the confidence and the record collection I have these days. Possibly I need to get into some serious study in the fields of time travel and cloning….
Apart from that what else have I been up to?
Records
As usual I have spent a lot of time with my records. Not sure if it’s a mistake, cos I do enjoy it, but I have signed up for various email alerts about latest releases and now seem to spend a fair amount of time sifting through them to see what is being released. Did go a bit over board at first and got a little swamped, but I have it under control now (I think).
Still haven’t managed to get my records in any manageable order after my marathon cataloguing session. It was all so much simpler when they all fitted in one box. But unfortunately that’s the way this addiction goes, you always know there is something wonderful out there that you haven’t heard yet. And hunting down these gems fulfils the hunter-gatherer instincts of my primeval soul.
Looking after Meg
After my entries about walking the dog in the park last time I looked after Meg, I was rather looking forward to the chance to get out in the park. To be quit honest the park is actually a bit out of my way in every day life, and I only go through it to visit people who live the other side.
I’m sure after a while walking the dog every day can get to be a bit of a bind, but that is part of what you take on when you get a dog. But for a week I can just enjoy being a dog owner with the knowledge that I get to give her back at the end!! The park has of course been lovely even if half the transient population of it have been trying to recreate their own little world cup.
I have to say, the world cup hasn’t bothered me at all so far. I have caught a little of some of the games during breaks at work and I do appreciate the skill the players have. Still not dedicated enough to deliberately sit down and watch it though, let alone actually support anyone. But each to there own. I’m sure a lot of people wouldn’t get my music and vinyl addiction. Which is probably a good job because that would be more competition in the record shop!!
I’m currently visualising a short film about cave men going forth with flint tipped arrows and bows, chasing down that rare Carl Craig remix of Russ Abbot…..
Er, anyway back to the park…and the ball theft incident. A couple sat beneath a tree, meg wanders up as if she has every right in the world, picks up the ball and keeps on trotting. I do the apologies of an embarrassed dog owner (temp!) luckily they find it funny and have found the ball at the top of the park earlier. I probably must take some of the blame for forgetting to take a ball with us to the park on this occasion and I got the impression from meg that she was taking matters in her own paws, rectifying the situation, and obtaining a ball so that I could perform my feeble ball throwing duties (I never have been the greatest athlete).
Well I think I have waffled enough for one night.
Just remember kids, ‘Oh what an atmosphere, I love a party with a happy atmosphere...'
16 June 2006
The History of the Hairdo!!
Just a quickie.
Found this earlier and just had to add it as it shows not only me but H with hair to.
Enjoy!!
Found this earlier and just had to add it as it shows not only me but H with hair to.
Enjoy!!
31 May 2006
20 Years On
I served a girl yesterday and she had the punk look down to a tee. If it wasn’t for the lip piercing’s she could have stepped out of the eighties. It was an interesting thought - not that I was ever a punk - but 20 years on, here was I looking fairly normal, serving someone recreating a look that was around when I was their age.
All this may make me sound old, but although I may joke about being old I am in fact rather bemused by my age.
Next week I will be 35. It’s kind of crept up on me.
I certainly don’t feel 35 and I’m not sure that I act 35.
Don’t get me wrong I have no problem with being this age; in fact I’m rather enjoying it. It’s just that I’m not sure I believe it!!!
I may look back fondly at being a teenage Goth, proudly wearing a backcombed Robert Smith birds nest on my head but I certainly wouldn’t want to do it again. It was high maintenance. It took a whole week of abuse with hairspray, crimpers and a comb to get my hair into a spiky tangled mess for the weekend. None of us used to get to the pub that much before nine on a Friday night because we were all at home slaving over a hot hairdo!!
As for the tight stretch black jeans, I’m not sure I would ever want to put my testicles through that again.
But it was a good time and I would never change it for the world. It is amusing to see teenagers going through the same pains in hair and tight jeans!!
My other addition is my amusing sight for the day, which occurred on my way home from the pub. It was a strange sight. A drunk man trying to quietly get a large (2ft by 3ft by 2ft) cage of birds in through his front door at around midnight.
I don’t think I need to add any more.
In fact by not adding any more I give any one reading the chance to ponder for themselves – what happened next?
All this may make me sound old, but although I may joke about being old I am in fact rather bemused by my age.
Next week I will be 35. It’s kind of crept up on me.
I certainly don’t feel 35 and I’m not sure that I act 35.
Don’t get me wrong I have no problem with being this age; in fact I’m rather enjoying it. It’s just that I’m not sure I believe it!!!
I may look back fondly at being a teenage Goth, proudly wearing a backcombed Robert Smith birds nest on my head but I certainly wouldn’t want to do it again. It was high maintenance. It took a whole week of abuse with hairspray, crimpers and a comb to get my hair into a spiky tangled mess for the weekend. None of us used to get to the pub that much before nine on a Friday night because we were all at home slaving over a hot hairdo!!As for the tight stretch black jeans, I’m not sure I would ever want to put my testicles through that again.
But it was a good time and I would never change it for the world. It is amusing to see teenagers going through the same pains in hair and tight jeans!!
My other addition is my amusing sight for the day, which occurred on my way home from the pub. It was a strange sight. A drunk man trying to quietly get a large (2ft by 3ft by 2ft) cage of birds in through his front door at around midnight.
I don’t think I need to add any more.
In fact by not adding any more I give any one reading the chance to ponder for themselves – what happened next?
29 May 2006
Calculate your carbon footprint
Do it know, there's no time to loose....
Calculate Your Carbon Footprint
Personally I'm not sure about this idea of offsetting your carbon footprint. I think the answer is to reduce your footprint, not ease your conscience and say "well I'm offsetting so therefore I can"....
Good as planting a few tree's may be, surely those with celebrity status would do more good if they promoted a lifestyle of not using resources needlessly. For pop stars like the singer in Coldplay, a keen advocate of planting trees to offset his jet-setting, wouldn't a better approach be to work on a more ecologically friendly way of touring.
I think a carbon neutral lifestyle is a good start, but it is just that, a good start.
Calculate Your Carbon Footprint
Personally I'm not sure about this idea of offsetting your carbon footprint. I think the answer is to reduce your footprint, not ease your conscience and say "well I'm offsetting so therefore I can"....
Good as planting a few tree's may be, surely those with celebrity status would do more good if they promoted a lifestyle of not using resources needlessly. For pop stars like the singer in Coldplay, a keen advocate of planting trees to offset his jet-setting, wouldn't a better approach be to work on a more ecologically friendly way of touring.
I think a carbon neutral lifestyle is a good start, but it is just that, a good start.
23 May 2006
Stimulating Conversation
Well here I am again, post pub, not particularly intoxicated, but stimulated by a good discussion and exchange of views. I have to say that going to the pub after work is my favourite bit about going to work!! Tonight both of the H’s were present, partners in setting the world to rights over a beer.
It is one of the things I like about the social drink. For too much of my life I indulged in the social smoke, which doesn’t have quite the same effect. With smoking I found that the more I smoked over the years the more introverted I became, reaching a pint where I was spending time with people mainly because we shared a drug in common. I don’t really regret it, although I do wonder what I would have done with my life if I hadn’t been quite so detached and sedated. But that’s another story.
I rather enjoy sitting around in the pub having deep and meaningful conversations. I have never been very good at small talk. Quite honestly I don’t give a toss which celebrity is sleeping with which, or what happened last night on some TV soap opera.
I don’t do small talk like that. Call me a nerd but I like to talk about real stuff. I may not always be right about what I spout about, but I like to get it out there just to hear others opinions on it and hopefully learn something along the way. And that’s why I like going for a beer with either one H or two! Because we sit around and exchange opinions, ideas and views - and it stimulates my mind.
And after many years of sedation I like stimulating my mind!!
I have to admit I stated writing this intending to waffle about something completely different, but I’ve completely forgotten that particular thread…
But hey, its my blog!!
It is one of the things I like about the social drink. For too much of my life I indulged in the social smoke, which doesn’t have quite the same effect. With smoking I found that the more I smoked over the years the more introverted I became, reaching a pint where I was spending time with people mainly because we shared a drug in common. I don’t really regret it, although I do wonder what I would have done with my life if I hadn’t been quite so detached and sedated. But that’s another story.
I rather enjoy sitting around in the pub having deep and meaningful conversations. I have never been very good at small talk. Quite honestly I don’t give a toss which celebrity is sleeping with which, or what happened last night on some TV soap opera.
I don’t do small talk like that. Call me a nerd but I like to talk about real stuff. I may not always be right about what I spout about, but I like to get it out there just to hear others opinions on it and hopefully learn something along the way. And that’s why I like going for a beer with either one H or two! Because we sit around and exchange opinions, ideas and views - and it stimulates my mind.
And after many years of sedation I like stimulating my mind!!
I have to admit I stated writing this intending to waffle about something completely different, but I’ve completely forgotten that particular thread…
But hey, its my blog!!
18 May 2006
Keeping fit with Sainsbury's!!
Whilst sitting on a checkout the other day, dutifully fulfilling my customer service duties and generally being nice to OAP's a cry went up behind me of "hey she's nicking...(something or other, I wasn't really listening)". This was followed by one of my supervisors shouting for me to run out into the car park after something or other.
So up I leapt and ran out the door where two of my colleagues who had made it out before me shouted out "no, go around the other way" - so off I headed. By the time I made it out the front door a few things were dawning on me.
Having met up with one of the other guys outside who was looking up and down the road outside for any sign of our fleeing criminal I decided that I had probably performed enough duties for one hour and went back in to my nice dry checkout.
It transpired that our thief had made off with two whole bottles of cider! Not the most enterprising thief ever I feel, but I did quite enjoy that quick run round the car park. And for anyone who knows me the concept of me chasing down and tackling hardened criminals is probably rather amusing.
So up I leapt and ran out the door where two of my colleagues who had made it out before me shouted out "no, go around the other way" - so off I headed. By the time I made it out the front door a few things were dawning on me.
- I had no idea who I was chasing or why.
- I had no idea what I would do if I did work out who I was chasing.
- It was raining!!
Having met up with one of the other guys outside who was looking up and down the road outside for any sign of our fleeing criminal I decided that I had probably performed enough duties for one hour and went back in to my nice dry checkout.
It transpired that our thief had made off with two whole bottles of cider! Not the most enterprising thief ever I feel, but I did quite enjoy that quick run round the car park. And for anyone who knows me the concept of me chasing down and tackling hardened criminals is probably rather amusing.
10 May 2006
Life, the universe and everything, on the walk home from work!!
I love walking; it’s my favourite form of transport. Apart from my desire to leave the smallest imprint on our fragile earth, it is also the best way to build a relationship with the place you live in. You actually pass through life as part of it rather than riding through as a mere spectator (if you even bother to look).
My current joy in the wonder of walking has a lot to do with the time of year. In the last few weeks all the trees have exploded with leaves, and walking to and fro from work, noting their progress has been a soul lifting experience. Who can be down when the world around you is bursting with life? The though has just struck me that perhaps the fresh acid green of new leaves is the happiest colour I know! It makes me so happy to be alive.
My favoured route to and from work at the moment was introduced to me by a friend from work, and comes down the tree-lined edge of the level and round the front of the church before heading up the hill for home. I’ve got quite into walking down that tree-lined stretch. The spring sunshine and warm evenings have been great and every day the trees have been that little bit further on. And I just love the smell of life in the spring; it takes me back to tramping round the bluebell woods as a kid.
I have always found walking to be conducive to having a good think. Many a problem has been worked out while thinking and walking. I also find it a great way of experiencing the environment I live in. in walking to work and travelling the same route every day you get to watch and keep tabs on certain things as they change with time. Also, each time you make the journey there always seems to be some thing new to see, something you hadn’t noticed before or something which has changed. I don’t even mind that much when it’s pouring with rain. True some days can be down right miserable but other times it can be quite enjoyable.
I have to say this is my main reason for preferring to walk everywhere rather than use public transport. You get out and see life, and it makes you feel alive.
My current joy in the wonder of walking has a lot to do with the time of year. In the last few weeks all the trees have exploded with leaves, and walking to and fro from work, noting their progress has been a soul lifting experience. Who can be down when the world around you is bursting with life? The though has just struck me that perhaps the fresh acid green of new leaves is the happiest colour I know! It makes me so happy to be alive.
My favoured route to and from work at the moment was introduced to me by a friend from work, and comes down the tree-lined edge of the level and round the front of the church before heading up the hill for home. I’ve got quite into walking down that tree-lined stretch. The spring sunshine and warm evenings have been great and every day the trees have been that little bit further on. And I just love the smell of life in the spring; it takes me back to tramping round the bluebell woods as a kid.
I have always found walking to be conducive to having a good think. Many a problem has been worked out while thinking and walking. I also find it a great way of experiencing the environment I live in. in walking to work and travelling the same route every day you get to watch and keep tabs on certain things as they change with time. Also, each time you make the journey there always seems to be some thing new to see, something you hadn’t noticed before or something which has changed. I don’t even mind that much when it’s pouring with rain. True some days can be down right miserable but other times it can be quite enjoyable.
I have to say this is my main reason for preferring to walk everywhere rather than use public transport. You get out and see life, and it makes you feel alive.
07 May 2006
Post Jazzanova DJ'ing Rant
Well its taken quite a long time to upload this one, I started last week with a draft and have only just got back to it. It’s been quite a hectic week.
Music with no boundaries. (After Jazzanova – Sunday 30th April 2006 @ Audio Brighton)
Monday 1st May.
Well the suns shining as I sit here basking in the aftermath of a full fried breakfast with J&H and a truly superb night out.
I left the club for once last night with no real desire to go away and play records, as I sometimes do when not totally satisfied with what has been offered. I know it sounds snobby but along with being a geek, I am a bit of a music snob. Last night I left totally satisfied, the bloke from Jazzanova having played a superb selection of stuff and I danced my arse off. It was a wrench to leave the dance floor on those necessary trips to get a drink or go to the loo.
Added to that it was also the first time in ages that nearly the whole of our group of friends were out together, and it made it one of the best nights out I’ve had for a long time.
It always amazes me that so called music loving DJ’s allow themselves to get stuck in a musical cul-de-sac. There is so much superb music out there and often DJ’s end up playing similar tunes for hours on end.
Shame more of it doesn’t get played – Deep Detroit techno, deep house, broken beat, soul, funk, boogie, jazz…….whatever it’s called - It all needs to be played together. As Kerry puts it, ‘putting peaks and troughs’ - or creating dynamics within a set. The music should take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotion, dancing through an emotional journey with the joy of discovery in each new tune. No sub standard fillers just put in to get somewhere else. The DJ needs to work, taking you on a magical mystery ride.
Personally I don’t believe sets like these can ever be planned. True you may have small groups of records that you know fit together. But a set should be a fluid organic thing. Evolving with the dance floor. Leading it and responding to its needs.
And it has to be a balance. You can’t dictate to a dance floor and you can’t slavishly obey. In the former case if you turn up with the intention of playing some pre-prepared artistic masterpiece you may well find the atmosphere is wrong and you succeed only in boring the pants off of people.
You need to be adventurous. If you just cater for what every one wants to hear exactly, you may as well go home and give them a juke-box.
Unlike playing live, where you are presenting something of your own artistic creation. When DJ’ing you are playing other peoples music, and what you are trying to create is sound-scape which an audience can emotionally respond to and be entertained by.
Step outside genres, if its good music that will fit the atmosphere then play it.
Of course I'm just as guilty at times, letting my nerves get the better of me and playing it safe rather than pushing it..... but thats a different rant, and right now I'm hungry!!
Music with no boundaries. (After Jazzanova – Sunday 30th April 2006 @ Audio Brighton)
Monday 1st May.
Well the suns shining as I sit here basking in the aftermath of a full fried breakfast with J&H and a truly superb night out.
I left the club for once last night with no real desire to go away and play records, as I sometimes do when not totally satisfied with what has been offered. I know it sounds snobby but along with being a geek, I am a bit of a music snob. Last night I left totally satisfied, the bloke from Jazzanova having played a superb selection of stuff and I danced my arse off. It was a wrench to leave the dance floor on those necessary trips to get a drink or go to the loo.
Added to that it was also the first time in ages that nearly the whole of our group of friends were out together, and it made it one of the best nights out I’ve had for a long time.
It always amazes me that so called music loving DJ’s allow themselves to get stuck in a musical cul-de-sac. There is so much superb music out there and often DJ’s end up playing similar tunes for hours on end.
Shame more of it doesn’t get played – Deep Detroit techno, deep house, broken beat, soul, funk, boogie, jazz…….whatever it’s called - It all needs to be played together. As Kerry puts it, ‘putting peaks and troughs’ - or creating dynamics within a set. The music should take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotion, dancing through an emotional journey with the joy of discovery in each new tune. No sub standard fillers just put in to get somewhere else. The DJ needs to work, taking you on a magical mystery ride.
Personally I don’t believe sets like these can ever be planned. True you may have small groups of records that you know fit together. But a set should be a fluid organic thing. Evolving with the dance floor. Leading it and responding to its needs.
And it has to be a balance. You can’t dictate to a dance floor and you can’t slavishly obey. In the former case if you turn up with the intention of playing some pre-prepared artistic masterpiece you may well find the atmosphere is wrong and you succeed only in boring the pants off of people.
You need to be adventurous. If you just cater for what every one wants to hear exactly, you may as well go home and give them a juke-box.
Unlike playing live, where you are presenting something of your own artistic creation. When DJ’ing you are playing other peoples music, and what you are trying to create is sound-scape which an audience can emotionally respond to and be entertained by.
Step outside genres, if its good music that will fit the atmosphere then play it.
Of course I'm just as guilty at times, letting my nerves get the better of me and playing it safe rather than pushing it..... but thats a different rant, and right now I'm hungry!!
26 April 2006
Records Again!!
Well I think I've just got time for a quick blog before bedtime!
The continuing saga of cataloging my records!!
The cataloging, I have to report, is almost complete. And I'm feeling suitably chuffed. Still a few stragglers to be logged but I'm almost there.
The down side of my fervent cataloging is that my flat is now awash with piles of records, and I can't find anything. There are various piles: piles of records to be added to the database, piles which just need their photo adding, piles which have a different catalogue number to the one listed....I'm sure you get the picture.
All this is particularly annoying when you try to have a mix and the next record you fancy playing takes so long to find the last one has run out!! But ho hum, not really complaining, am still quite chuffed with my self.
All in all it has been great. I've rediscovered countless forgotten gems and made a few interesting discoveries about the value of a few of them. For example whilst cataloging the sell or send to a charity shop box today I was quite shocked to find the 'spiral tribe' LP I nearly sent to the charity shop last year is changing hands for between £60 and £100!!
Might actually put that one up for sale after all.
Am also quite chuffed as I had my first release submission accepted to discogs today as well. After a few rejections I have managed to get my head around the discogs cataloging system and am now the proud contributor of "Zero dB's Bongo's Bleeps and Basslines", which I have to say is a mighty fine record. In fact I would go as far as using a favored phrase of my littlest brother and describe the record as DIRTY. And by DIRTY I mean the kind of record that makes you want to get very sweaty shaking your ass.... So anyway its a small claim to fame, and really rather insignificant, but I am proud to have that little 'submitted by mcop' to look back at in years to come. - I'm easily pleased!!!
Now if you have managed to wade through my boring waffle to this point, you may have come to realize I have a bit of an obsession with records.
Its not going to get any better.
I have a problem and I don't care!!
So there!!!
(And I also quite like using exclamation marks)
Have just noticed the time and although I had other subjects to waffle about, I have to get up in the morning so had better go to bed. So good night all.
The continuing saga of cataloging my records!!
The cataloging, I have to report, is almost complete. And I'm feeling suitably chuffed. Still a few stragglers to be logged but I'm almost there.
The down side of my fervent cataloging is that my flat is now awash with piles of records, and I can't find anything. There are various piles: piles of records to be added to the database, piles which just need their photo adding, piles which have a different catalogue number to the one listed....I'm sure you get the picture.
All this is particularly annoying when you try to have a mix and the next record you fancy playing takes so long to find the last one has run out!! But ho hum, not really complaining, am still quite chuffed with my self.
All in all it has been great. I've rediscovered countless forgotten gems and made a few interesting discoveries about the value of a few of them. For example whilst cataloging the sell or send to a charity shop box today I was quite shocked to find the 'spiral tribe' LP I nearly sent to the charity shop last year is changing hands for between £60 and £100!!
Might actually put that one up for sale after all.
Am also quite chuffed as I had my first release submission accepted to discogs today as well. After a few rejections I have managed to get my head around the discogs cataloging system and am now the proud contributor of "Zero dB's Bongo's Bleeps and Basslines", which I have to say is a mighty fine record. In fact I would go as far as using a favored phrase of my littlest brother and describe the record as DIRTY. And by DIRTY I mean the kind of record that makes you want to get very sweaty shaking your ass.... So anyway its a small claim to fame, and really rather insignificant, but I am proud to have that little 'submitted by mcop' to look back at in years to come. - I'm easily pleased!!!
Now if you have managed to wade through my boring waffle to this point, you may have come to realize I have a bit of an obsession with records.
Its not going to get any better.
I have a problem and I don't care!!
So there!!!
(And I also quite like using exclamation marks)
Have just noticed the time and although I had other subjects to waffle about, I have to get up in the morning so had better go to bed. So good night all.
19 April 2006
18 April 2006
Cataloging Records
Well I'm back home again, and back to my current obsession - cataloging my record collection. It's something I've been intending to do for years and have attempted a few times but not succeeded before.
This time is different however. Rather than having to create databases as I have in the past, (which to be quite honest is tediously boring) this time I have found a much simpler way of doing it - Discogs.
Discogs is an online database which is being built with the aim to catalogue every record ever released. Release information is added by members and the whole thing seems to be being built in much the same way as wikipedia. I rather like the idea of this huge resource being available for nothing to anyone wanting to find something out about a release, I've certainly found it useful.
To most people, cataloging your records may seem rather dull, and to be fair it is rather nerdy (I'm not ashamed) and not the most exciting thing I have ever done. However it serves a purpose. I have rather a lot of records and a catalogue is a good way of keeping track of what I've got. Also I probably should get them all insured.
I've never been that fussed about the value of my records - I bought them for their musical content rather than their value - but if I lost them I would be really rather miffed. True I could survive without them in the grand scheme of things but I don't want to. My music collection is something I enjoy and I would hate to live without music.
The other good thing about this cataloging is that I have been rediscovering certain parts of my collection which have been forgotten as my record collection grew. I've also found a few I no longer want so its also encouraging me to have a bit of a sort out and streamline my collection - a bit of a spring clean you could say
This time is different however. Rather than having to create databases as I have in the past, (which to be quite honest is tediously boring) this time I have found a much simpler way of doing it - Discogs.
Discogs is an online database which is being built with the aim to catalogue every record ever released. Release information is added by members and the whole thing seems to be being built in much the same way as wikipedia. I rather like the idea of this huge resource being available for nothing to anyone wanting to find something out about a release, I've certainly found it useful.
To most people, cataloging your records may seem rather dull, and to be fair it is rather nerdy (I'm not ashamed) and not the most exciting thing I have ever done. However it serves a purpose. I have rather a lot of records and a catalogue is a good way of keeping track of what I've got. Also I probably should get them all insured.
I've never been that fussed about the value of my records - I bought them for their musical content rather than their value - but if I lost them I would be really rather miffed. True I could survive without them in the grand scheme of things but I don't want to. My music collection is something I enjoy and I would hate to live without music.
The other good thing about this cataloging is that I have been rediscovering certain parts of my collection which have been forgotten as my record collection grew. I've also found a few I no longer want so its also encouraging me to have a bit of a sort out and streamline my collection - a bit of a spring clean you could say
16 April 2006
Larch Blossom
Sat 15 April 20:30
Today for the first time in years I saw a larch tree whilst walking Meg, my sisters dog in the park. Now you may not find this quite as exciting as I do but it is a long time since I have seen a larch tree, and it is an even longer since I have seen a larch in flower. I had forgotten that the larch has both male and female flowers although I couldn't tell you which was which these days.
This got me thinking about all the stuff I used to know, which no doubt is still rattling round the dusty recesses of my brain, lost through lack of use.
When I was a boy I loved living in the country. Exploring the fields, hedgerows and woods with my pocket 'Collins Gem Guide to Wild Flowers'. I was a bit of an amateur botanist and could once have told you quite a lot about what was growing in the hedgerow.
As a family we used to spend a lot of time walking, us Copcutt's and the Davis family that lived the other end of the village. The Davis's dad Alec was an artist, although the only work of his I really remember was the intricate pictures of insects he used to produce for some book or other. Anyway all of us used to go out walking a lot throughout the year (although probably less in the winter), taking various routes through the countryside around our village. We also used to spend a fair amount of time out just us kids. Playing and having dens in the wood and all that kind of stuff.
As well as playing games exploring what was growing there in different seasons and harvesting wild fruit for jam, mushrooms and giant puffballs. Now the puffballs were a prized find, it was always extremely exciting when we found one. These things could get up to the size of a small football, and we would take them home, and either slice them into big mushroom steaks, or they'd get turned into soup.
Ok so I've wandered of from the larch tree a bit and got a little bit 'Walton's' but the whole seeing a flowering larch in the park took me back. It's been a while since I really got out and saw much nature in general.
You get so caught up in the whole work and living bit you forget there is a whole other world just getting on and growing around you. When I was younger I used to be much more aware of the changing seasons and what went on in the natural world. These days I just seem to watch nature programs on TV.
The only reason I was in the park today was because I am dog sitting for H&J as they are away for the weekend. And I have to say what with the flowering larch it's been great - in fact I'd go as far as to say it's made my day. And Meg seemed quite happy tagging along, although she seems less impressed now we're back home and I'm tapping away on this computer.
It is a shame in a way that it takes Meg sitting for me to remember what is growing in the world around me. I get so caught up in moving ever forwards with my life that I forget to sit back and watch things grow. I have no intention of beating myself up about this, it's just been apleasantt reminder to take things slow once in a while and get out in the park and just chill...
Today for the first time in years I saw a larch tree whilst walking Meg, my sisters dog in the park. Now you may not find this quite as exciting as I do but it is a long time since I have seen a larch tree, and it is an even longer since I have seen a larch in flower. I had forgotten that the larch has both male and female flowers although I couldn't tell you which was which these days.
This got me thinking about all the stuff I used to know, which no doubt is still rattling round the dusty recesses of my brain, lost through lack of use.
When I was a boy I loved living in the country. Exploring the fields, hedgerows and woods with my pocket 'Collins Gem Guide to Wild Flowers'. I was a bit of an amateur botanist and could once have told you quite a lot about what was growing in the hedgerow.
As a family we used to spend a lot of time walking, us Copcutt's and the Davis family that lived the other end of the village. The Davis's dad Alec was an artist, although the only work of his I really remember was the intricate pictures of insects he used to produce for some book or other. Anyway all of us used to go out walking a lot throughout the year (although probably less in the winter), taking various routes through the countryside around our village. We also used to spend a fair amount of time out just us kids. Playing and having dens in the wood and all that kind of stuff.
As well as playing games exploring what was growing there in different seasons and harvesting wild fruit for jam, mushrooms and giant puffballs. Now the puffballs were a prized find, it was always extremely exciting when we found one. These things could get up to the size of a small football, and we would take them home, and either slice them into big mushroom steaks, or they'd get turned into soup.
Ok so I've wandered of from the larch tree a bit and got a little bit 'Walton's' but the whole seeing a flowering larch in the park took me back. It's been a while since I really got out and saw much nature in general.
You get so caught up in the whole work and living bit you forget there is a whole other world just getting on and growing around you. When I was younger I used to be much more aware of the changing seasons and what went on in the natural world. These days I just seem to watch nature programs on TV.
The only reason I was in the park today was because I am dog sitting for H&J as they are away for the weekend. And I have to say what with the flowering larch it's been great - in fact I'd go as far as to say it's made my day. And Meg seemed quite happy tagging along, although she seems less impressed now we're back home and I'm tapping away on this computer.
It is a shame in a way that it takes Meg sitting for me to remember what is growing in the world around me. I get so caught up in moving ever forwards with my life that I forget to sit back and watch things grow. I have no intention of beating myself up about this, it's just been apleasantt reminder to take things slow once in a while and get out in the park and just chill...
14 April 2006
Me n' Ted
Possibly a bit of a naff way to start a blog, but to be honest not sure what a blog will be....!!!! So here's a pic of me and ted from quite a few years ago. Ted is still with me although he has lost some weight since those days. He is in desperate need of a stuffing transplant.
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