So I was at an exhibition yesterday, and saw a few people walking around with a Google logo on the sleeves of their shirts, and the following words.
“Qualified Adwords Consultant”
Month: May 2010
Further to my earlier comments about the various folk I’ve had quoting my kitchen, and how they don’t seem to be able to listen to what I say.
As I mentioned earlier, I had a visit yesterday from yet another chap to measure up and design my kitchen. This is after the company (who, for various reasons, I would like to use) had earlier quoted with some odd decisions on unit sizes. It was explained to me that this was a ball-park price, and they would send a designer.
In the Queen’s speech today, a new “great repeal bill” was announced, designed, amongst other things, to restore the right to protest.
Meanwhile, in today’s news, anti-war protester Brian Haw was one of two people arrested by police, as they cleared the area in preparation for the Queen’s speech.. The other protester was Barbara Tucker, who was arrested when she pointed out to the police that they didn’t have cause to arrest Brian.
Not a post about MP’s expenses, nor beach footwear. It’s about my plans for my kitchen.
Ever since my boiler got moved out of the kitchen, I have been planning a kitchen refit. My first decision was whether to do it myself, after some fashion, replacing doors and drawer fronts, or to have a new kitchen fitted. OK, that was a joke – the decision was whether to pay someone else to replace my doors and drawer fronts, or to have a new kitchen fitted. I’ve had 10 years here to do it myself, it ain’t going to happen.
I was a great fan of “Life on Mars”, but gave up on “Ashes to Ashes” very quickly. To my mind, whereas Philip Glenister’s Gene Hunt was an excellent supporting character and foil in LoM, promoting him to co-star altered the balance between drama and comedy for the worse (this is not a comment on Glenister or his acting, but the comic and caricaturic nature of his character).
However, now the final episode of AtA has aired – “which explains it all” – I was a little curious – not enought to watch the show, but sufficient to Google it.
Having done so, I have decided that I was right to pretend that the story ended with Series 2 of LoM, because if what I read is accurate, they just went and spoilt it.
Spoilers follow.
I’ve only just realised that the FlashForward character Gabriel McDow is played by James Callis, who was Gaius Baltar in Battlestar Galactica.
My radio comes on every morning with Radio 4’s Today programme. For me, it used to be essential breakfast time listening. Now, more often than not, if I hear John Humphrys’ voice, I have an urge to either turn the radio off, or throw it out the window.
I used to like John Humphrys. I believe that there was a time when he was an truly incisive penetrating journalist. However, I feel he has now simply become pure ego, drunk on his own reputation, and given to interupting and haranguing every other word.
When I bought my Kodak ZI8, the first thing I thought of was how I was going to mount it. As well as being a fun thing to take with me and film things like the Gadget Show, I am planning to do some home music videos (performance, not arty) and also do some filming in the kitchen; and although my camera tripod will do the former, it wouldn’t do the latter, where I would want a view down on a kitchen top.
So I needed a flexible mount that is compact but versatile. I was persuaded to buy a Gorillapod, which cost me upwards of 30 quid. I’ve had it a couple of months, and I am still nervous of trusting my camera to its tenuous rubbery grip. It seems to work quite well wrapped around a gnarled tree branch or fence post, but not so good on a melamine kitchen shelf.
When I bought my Kodak ZI8, the first thing I thought of was how I was going to mount it. As well as being a fun thing to take with me and film things like the Gadget Show, I am planning to do some home music videos (performance, not arty) and also do some filming in the kitchen; and although my camera tripod will do the former, it wouldn’t do the latter, where I would want a view down on a kitchen top.
So I needed a flexible mount that is compact but versatile. I was persuaded to buy a Gorillapod, which cost me upwards of 30 quid. I’ve had it a couple of months, and I am still nervous of trusting my camera to its tenuous rubbery grip. It seems to work quite well wrapped around a gnarled tree branch or fence post, but not so good on a melamine kitchen shelf.
Then when I was in Brighton, I saw one of these in Maplins. It is simply a camera screw-mount, on a flexible stalk attached to a whopping big (rubber-lined) sprung clip. When it is attached to anything – door frame, kitchen cupboard, spare mike stand – it stays attached. While not pocket sized, it is small enough to not be a problem to carry about.
So I needed a flexible mount that is compact but versatile. I was persuaded to buy a Gorillapod, which cost me upwards of 30 quid. I’ve had it a couple of months, and I am still nervous of trusting my camera to its tenuous rubbery grip. It seems to work quite well wrapped around a gnarled tree branch or fence post, but not so good on a melamine kitchen shelf.
Then when I was in Brighton, I saw one of these in Maplins. It is simply a camera screw-mount, on a flexible stalk attached to a whopping big (rubber-lined) sprung clip. When it is attached to anything – door frame, kitchen cupboard, spare mike stand – it stays attached. While not pocket sized, it is small enough to not be a problem to carry about.
When I bought my FetchTV box at the Gadget Show, it came bundled with 50 pounds credit against films downloaded via Fetch’s service (I actually bought it as a cheap twin channel Freeview hard disk recorder with integral BBC iPlayer, but I am not going to look a gift horse in the mouth).
Not suprisingly, most of the films made available each month are relatively old, which is how I came to watch “The Alamo” (2004, with Dennis Quaid and Billy Bob Thornton). The film was actually much better than I expected, in fact, it was bloomin’ good. But I had one minor problem with it.
I’ve actually been home since Saturday, but didn’t get near a computer over the weekend.
On Wednesday evening, I managed to catch up with an old friend, who I probably haven’t seen for 10 years or so. We went out for an excellent curry, followed by a coffee back at his place and a chat about old times and what each of us has done since. Really good to see him.
I’ve been having a good time in Brighton. Monday and Tuesday was spent just walking around town. Both days I did about 8 miles, which for urban walking is rather good for me – I would normally do only half of that on a day out.
This actually fits in with my memories of Brighton and Hove. When I lived here, I used to walk everywhere, and thought nothing of it. Since moving away, I tend to walk a lot less, which is a major contribution to my weight. The fact of the matter is, it is easy to walk in and around Brighton and Hove, because it is all connected up with interesting stuff – unless you go out of your way to go down back streets and residential, there are no boring walks in the town
Walking along the sea front yesterday, there is a bench every 50 yards or so. Strangely, this means I am less likely to stop and take a breather, as there is always another bench not far off. And – hey presto – before you know it, you are at your destination, and you realise you haven’t stopped after all.
However, I admit that I have felt it afterwards. Last night, I was planning to go to the Brighton board game group’s Tuesday session, but I got back to my room, and couldn’t summon the energy to go out again. Not wishing to completely do myself in, I took the car out this morning and went for a drive out to Rottingdean, where I had an excellent fish lunch (baked, not in batter!). I’m meeting an old friend for dinner tonight, so I am taking an hour or so in my room to chill out, and then I am going to go out and take the bus back into town for another walk around the North Laines before going out to Hove for a curry.
The following is about the practicalities of walking for someone of my size, and may be Too Much Information for some folk, so feel free to skip it.