....and already I seem to have broken all of my resolutions!!!
I spent money yesterday (but to my wife's surprise put back a number of things that previously I would have bought), still haven't exercised and missed filling in my blog for a couple of days. On the positive side, because of my blog, I am in more regular contact with one of my friends. Also I'm got back into the joys of cooking and am just waiting for my shoulder of lamb to come out of the oven.
A slight issue with forgetting that my potatoes were on to parboil means we'll be having mash instead of roasties! I'll even be making some meringues for later!
One of my few pre-new Year no spending resolutions treats was to buy a food processor with my back pay. I'm still waiting for it to arrive but a space has been cleared on the work top to accomodate it! Apparently its what all the chef's use and I can't wait for it to arrive. My wife is also looking forward to the many culinary treats that it will produce.
Right better go and mash some things for lunch....
Sunday, January 09, 2005
Thursday, January 06, 2005
Hectic Days
Yesterday was so hectic that I completely forgot to fill in my blog!!!
Work was busy as usual, its like I've never been on holiday....
After work Kath & I went to give blood. We used the new appointment system which worked fine for me but not so great for Kath. I do always feel good for having given blood but when I'm lying there I do feel an almost uncontrollable urge to pull out the needle!!! Its not painful, I'm just incredibly aware that there is something sticking in my arm and I want to scratch it out. Fortunately I've resisted the urge so far! Everybody who is able should give blood, there really are no excuses!! An interesting (well maybe) fact about me is that I'm AB positive which I think makes me the universal receiver (ie any body's blood will do for me) Unfortunately for everyone else my blood can only go to people also AB positive...and thats only 2% of the UK population.
We were also due to go to the Theatre to Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood (a rock and roll panto). We did eventually make it after a hold up in McDonalds. We missed the first 5 minutes but were let in after that! It was great! And a full house! It always annoys me when we go to see a good show/play and the theatre is only half full. People are probably too busy watching ITV to give a damn about quality theatre. Hmm I'm not a snob really... :-)
We got home just in time to see Desparate Housewives (Channel 4, its OK!) which has had a massive promotional presence on the small screen recently. I actually really enjoyed it except for Nicolette Sheridan who looked as if she'd been under the surgeon's knife one too many times. I remember her from repeats of Knots Landing I used to watch on UK Gold after escaping college on Friday afternoons for my driving lessons...ahhh nostalgia!
Anyhow the MOST exciting thing yesterday was a parcel from my friends Krista and Brent in the US. It seems we have a number of small gifts and lengthy instructions on how to open them (all I'm saying is that it involves sheet music and making up a song!). We were too tired last night and tonight Kath has gone off to join a new orchestra...we'll have to wait until tomorrow...I'm quite excited!
Other notable news is that I made headway into one of my resolutions and set up a new savings account with ING. It looks to have a good rate of interest and seems pretty much hassle free...hooray!
Ok since my wife is out I'm going to make the most of this time and get some video gaming in! I'm currently playing Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and its distrcated me from the other games I was in the middle of playing...so little time so much to do!
Work was busy as usual, its like I've never been on holiday....
After work Kath & I went to give blood. We used the new appointment system which worked fine for me but not so great for Kath. I do always feel good for having given blood but when I'm lying there I do feel an almost uncontrollable urge to pull out the needle!!! Its not painful, I'm just incredibly aware that there is something sticking in my arm and I want to scratch it out. Fortunately I've resisted the urge so far! Everybody who is able should give blood, there really are no excuses!! An interesting (well maybe) fact about me is that I'm AB positive which I think makes me the universal receiver (ie any body's blood will do for me) Unfortunately for everyone else my blood can only go to people also AB positive...and thats only 2% of the UK population.
We were also due to go to the Theatre to Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood (a rock and roll panto). We did eventually make it after a hold up in McDonalds. We missed the first 5 minutes but were let in after that! It was great! And a full house! It always annoys me when we go to see a good show/play and the theatre is only half full. People are probably too busy watching ITV to give a damn about quality theatre. Hmm I'm not a snob really... :-)
We got home just in time to see Desparate Housewives (Channel 4, its OK!) which has had a massive promotional presence on the small screen recently. I actually really enjoyed it except for Nicolette Sheridan who looked as if she'd been under the surgeon's knife one too many times. I remember her from repeats of Knots Landing I used to watch on UK Gold after escaping college on Friday afternoons for my driving lessons...ahhh nostalgia!
Anyhow the MOST exciting thing yesterday was a parcel from my friends Krista and Brent in the US. It seems we have a number of small gifts and lengthy instructions on how to open them (all I'm saying is that it involves sheet music and making up a song!). We were too tired last night and tonight Kath has gone off to join a new orchestra...we'll have to wait until tomorrow...I'm quite excited!
Other notable news is that I made headway into one of my resolutions and set up a new savings account with ING. It looks to have a good rate of interest and seems pretty much hassle free...hooray!
Ok since my wife is out I'm going to make the most of this time and get some video gaming in! I'm currently playing Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and its distrcated me from the other games I was in the middle of playing...so little time so much to do!
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
Dancing Shoes
Ok so I've managed to spend money (bad) but it was on an hour of exercise (good). The exercise in question was the weekly trip to the dance class to learn how to whirl around the floor in a flurry of turns and spins!!!
Hmm so that makes it sound so much better than it actually is! We did finally get to grips with the slow foxtrot which is a blessed relief as we were really bad at it until tonight. Pat (the instructor) also showed us the 'check and weave' in the waltz which she always shows us thinking its the first time! Consequently we've learnt it about 8 times now ans its really starting to annoy me! Hopefully next week she'll remember we've already learnt it and show us something else. The school's website is here
Anyway I do need to spend some money now as I've been putting off getting some dancing shoes for months. I do have some spare cash and I do need the shoes. I'll be getting them from a shop cheerfully called Glamour Gear which makes it sound rather more like a sex shop than anything else.
Hmm so that makes it sound so much better than it actually is! We did finally get to grips with the slow foxtrot which is a blessed relief as we were really bad at it until tonight. Pat (the instructor) also showed us the 'check and weave' in the waltz which she always shows us thinking its the first time! Consequently we've learnt it about 8 times now ans its really starting to annoy me! Hopefully next week she'll remember we've already learnt it and show us something else. The school's website is here
Anyway I do need to spend some money now as I've been putting off getting some dancing shoes for months. I do have some spare cash and I do need the shoes. I'll be getting them from a shop cheerfully called Glamour Gear which makes it sound rather more like a sex shop than anything else.
Monday, January 03, 2005
Resolutions Update
Well I've so far succeeded with a couple of my resolutions.....
1. I'm updating my blog!
2. I didn't spend any money today at all!
The others will require some further work....a trip to Ikea has been planned so that I can get a replacement futon matress for the spare room. While this won't help at all with the spending money resolution it will allow me to use the spare room for exercise again!
Anyway after a day spent at Kath's mum's house I'm going to go and enjoy my last evening before its back to work!
1. I'm updating my blog!
2. I didn't spend any money today at all!
The others will require some further work....a trip to Ikea has been planned so that I can get a replacement futon matress for the spare room. While this won't help at all with the spending money resolution it will allow me to use the spare room for exercise again!
Anyway after a day spent at Kath's mum's house I'm going to go and enjoy my last evening before its back to work!
Sunday, January 02, 2005
Happy New Year!!!
I really can't believe it's 2005. It's true what they say, time flies by when you're older. I can clearly remember 2000...what I was doing and who I was doing it with.
This new year we celebrated with a Murder Party, something which is fast becoming a tradition (much to the chagrin of one of my friends and fellow bloggers). Once I work out how to post photos into my blog I'll do so, so you can see the spectacle of costumes!!
My new year's resolutions in no particluar order....
1. Do more exercise. I want to lose weight but I enjoy eating too much to diet...exercise is the only answer.
2. Spend less money on crap. I really do buy a lot of crap that I don't need. If I can do this then the next couple with be much easier.
3. Save more money. Having just had a sizeable increase in household income I need to do this now before I become accustomed to the extra cash which usually would have disappeared on number 2.
4. Give more to charity. If I'm too lazy to volunteer then my money should help those in need...especially in light of number 3.
5. Update my blog every day. Not only with this allow me to keep a track of my performance against my resolutions it will also make this a habit and routine which is the only way I can get these things done.
This new year we celebrated with a Murder Party, something which is fast becoming a tradition (much to the chagrin of one of my friends and fellow bloggers). Once I work out how to post photos into my blog I'll do so, so you can see the spectacle of costumes!!
My new year's resolutions in no particluar order....
1. Do more exercise. I want to lose weight but I enjoy eating too much to diet...exercise is the only answer.
2. Spend less money on crap. I really do buy a lot of crap that I don't need. If I can do this then the next couple with be much easier.
3. Save more money. Having just had a sizeable increase in household income I need to do this now before I become accustomed to the extra cash which usually would have disappeared on number 2.
4. Give more to charity. If I'm too lazy to volunteer then my money should help those in need...especially in light of number 3.
5. Update my blog every day. Not only with this allow me to keep a track of my performance against my resolutions it will also make this a habit and routine which is the only way I can get these things done.
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
So very tired....
Had a hellacious day at work involving lots and lots of spreadsheets and wanted to just fall onto the sofa and veg out tonight. Unfortunately tuesday night is dancing night! I would have happily missed it but we haven't been for 3 weeks for one reason or another and we tend to forget anything if we don't practise.
Anyway had our first taste of the Tango and it was great. Trying to keep your knees bent, thighs touching your partners and creeping along the floor in time to the music was really hard but quite fun as well! Also did some botafogos (not sure of that spelling!) in the Samba which are quite good. If I remember I will find some links to these dances and post them here.
Got another exciting spreadsheet filled day tomorrow and the prospect of writing christmas cards in the evening. I still don't feel very christmassy! I'm usually full of christmas cheer from November onwards but I'm finding it a struggle this year, perhaps its a consequence of getting old.
Right time for bed....hopefully that'll help with the tiredness.
Anyway had our first taste of the Tango and it was great. Trying to keep your knees bent, thighs touching your partners and creeping along the floor in time to the music was really hard but quite fun as well! Also did some botafogos (not sure of that spelling!) in the Samba which are quite good. If I remember I will find some links to these dances and post them here.
Got another exciting spreadsheet filled day tomorrow and the prospect of writing christmas cards in the evening. I still don't feel very christmassy! I'm usually full of christmas cheer from November onwards but I'm finding it a struggle this year, perhaps its a consequence of getting old.
Right time for bed....hopefully that'll help with the tiredness.
Sunday, December 05, 2004
Catch Up.....
Ok so I've now managed to change my settings so that I don't have to change the time each time I publish a blog. I'm getting there slowly!
I keep popping over to read my friend's blog Nile's Blog and it always amazes me that he has so much to write about! I think about what I'm writing and I find it dull most of the time but his seems to be interesting. I guess other people's lives do seem more fascinating.
Well its sunday night and I supposed to be engaged on my usual Sunday night activity which is my International internet game. As often happens we are having server difficulties so I'm waiting for it to be fixed. The game I'm playing is Neverwinter Nights. This is Dungeons & Dragons basically but over the net with flashy graphics and a programme to do all the calculating bits. I used to play D&D when I was a lad but it stopped after University. Anyway I'm supposed to be playing with 2 people from the states and one form Scotland. I find it quite amazing that this is actually possible at all...I think its very easy to take this kind of stuff for granted! There seems to be movement on the server front so I'll publish and maybe come back later.
I keep popping over to read my friend's blog Nile's Blog and it always amazes me that he has so much to write about! I think about what I'm writing and I find it dull most of the time but his seems to be interesting. I guess other people's lives do seem more fascinating.
Well its sunday night and I supposed to be engaged on my usual Sunday night activity which is my International internet game. As often happens we are having server difficulties so I'm waiting for it to be fixed. The game I'm playing is Neverwinter Nights. This is Dungeons & Dragons basically but over the net with flashy graphics and a programme to do all the calculating bits. I used to play D&D when I was a lad but it stopped after University. Anyway I'm supposed to be playing with 2 people from the states and one form Scotland. I find it quite amazing that this is actually possible at all...I think its very easy to take this kind of stuff for granted! There seems to be movement on the server front so I'll publish and maybe come back later.
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Hooray
Ok so I can now create links. Hands up it was my fault, I really was forgetting how to use the tags properly.
So now that I am able to do this I find that I have run out of time to start to put in the things I wanted to talk about. I've spent the day recovering from a conference that was many weeks in the coming and that I opened with the first 'presentation'. Nerve racking stuff in a broadcast quality auditorium with 5 cameras pointed at you and the diembodied face of the unit's business director peering at you from the control room!
Anyway I have guests arriving in 20 minutes and the house is a tip. We're going to see the Incredibles later so I shall be sure to record my thoughts later.
So now that I am able to do this I find that I have run out of time to start to put in the things I wanted to talk about. I've spent the day recovering from a conference that was many weeks in the coming and that I opened with the first 'presentation'. Nerve racking stuff in a broadcast quality auditorium with 5 cameras pointed at you and the diembodied face of the unit's business director peering at you from the control room!
Anyway I have guests arriving in 20 minutes and the house is a tip. We're going to see the Incredibles later so I shall be sure to record my thoughts later.
Still trying to get links to work
Ok...so my friend has given me some tips and I should be sorted now....
Alex's page . So you should be able to link to my friend's homepage from the link on the left.....
If this has worked I'll be able to share lots of things with you all.
Right I'm going to publish and test....
Alex's page . So you should be able to link to my friend's homepage from the link on the left.....
If this has worked I'll be able to share lots of things with you all.
Right I'm going to publish and test....
Monday, November 29, 2004
Hmm can't get links to work.
Ok so my link didn't work....hmmm!
Let me try again...I've just managed to change my template so it shouldn't be too hard to get HTML links in here....
I can do italics but for some reaso i can't do links...I wonder if its the browser I'm using?? I'm using Firefox 1.0....
No can't get them to show...I may have to ask my friend...
Let me try again...I've just managed to change my template so it shouldn't be too hard to get HTML links in here....
I can do italics but for some reaso i can't do links...I wonder if its the browser I'm using?? I'm using Firefox 1.0....
No can't get them to show...I may have to ask my friend...
How to enter links onto blogs?
Hmm....I guess I need to use the HTML function if I want to put working links into my blogs....sigh! Its been a while since I used HTML so I was hoping to avoid it....here's a small test
I wonder if it worked...its only when I publish this I'll know...ooh the excitement.
I find it quite frustrating how quickly my brain loses knowledge, and also how at work I cannot spell Brian (the name) without typing Brain (the organ) and in this blog I have just done it the other way around. I had thought it was a mental association with some very clever Brian's I know but it seems that maybe I'm just a little typing dyslexic....
Perhaps I'll look that up and post if I find anything.
I wonder if it worked...its only when I publish this I'll know...ooh the excitement.
I find it quite frustrating how quickly my brain loses knowledge, and also how at work I cannot spell Brian (the name) without typing Brain (the organ) and in this blog I have just done it the other way around. I had thought it was a mental association with some very clever Brian's I know but it seems that maybe I'm just a little typing dyslexic....
Perhaps I'll look that up and post if I find anything.
My first entry
So I've finally started a blog! I'm sat in front of my PC and waiting for something to happen on an online game I participate in. While I was waiting I thought'd I'd check out my friends blog (www.niles.org.uk/blog). That then prompted me to start my own, so here it is!
Not sure excatly what I'm going to put in it but it might be fun to try out for a while. My friend Alex seems to have many interesting things in his but I'll have to see how mine pans out.
I guess that's enough for now although a number of new links could be put in at this point to show what I've been upto. I think I'll wait for the time being and put them in later. Its nearly 11:30 and I have a busy day tomorrow.
Not sure excatly what I'm going to put in it but it might be fun to try out for a while. My friend Alex seems to have many interesting things in his but I'll have to see how mine pans out.
I guess that's enough for now although a number of new links could be put in at this point to show what I've been upto. I think I'll wait for the time being and put them in later. Its nearly 11:30 and I have a busy day tomorrow.
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