Farewell 2008

Ah, that day of the year rolls around once again, a time for reflection, dreams and excessive alcohol consumption. 2008 seems like it's only just started, not drawing to a close. It's been largely uneventful (although am sure a look back at some earlier posts would remind me otherwise), but my first trip to Italy was a definite highpoint, as was moving into the flat (just in case, you know, that fact had escaped you).

I do this every year, but I honestly think 2009 might be the year where things start to come together. I start a new job on 19 January (as far as I know), so hopefully I should be able to ride out the financial storm. One advantage of a global recession is that if you're one of the fortunate ones to hang on to gainful employment, your standard of living should improve - an increase in unemployment suddenly puts me a few rungs better off comparatively to the rest of the population. Quite a self-serving viewpoint to take, but fingers crossed it doesn't come back to bite me on the arse. In the meantime, bring on the closing down sales.

We're heading back to Italy in July - I went a tad overboard in terms of Christmas pressies for J. Stunningly romantic or lacking the imagination to buy anything more meaningful (and cheaper) - I'll leave it up to you to judge. Of course, I couldn't let her go on her own, so I'm getting a "free" holiday out of it to! We only have flights at the mo, so have the next 6 months to plan (and get in shape so that I am not laughed off the beach by junior mafioso).

I've found myself wanting to know more "stuff" recently, so am determined that 09 will be the year I finally get off my arse and do it. Polish, photography, history, psychology - all that jazz. I have a Polish course courtesy of J to get through and once complete I'm gonna look at taught courses - apparently the University of Westminster does one for a reasonable price. My new camera is not just going to sit unused - I am actually going to read the manual and photography book I got for Christmas and learn how to operate the damn thing.

My long alluded to application to run the New York marathon is finally going to get submitted, and I am going to make serious enquiries about the other "Stupid Boy Project" (copyright Danny Wallace) I've always wanted to do - the London-Mongolia rally. Admittedly it may not happen for a while yet, but I can but investigate.

So - lots of stuff to hold me to. Let's make 2009 the year of excitement, memorable experiences and enjoying ourselves. Let's fiddle whilst Rome, London, New York, Tokyo and Frankfurt burn and crumble to dust.

But for tonight.... Let's get blootered!

Festive indulgence

Ah, the joys of the christmas eve drinks tradition. A bit more civilised than previous years...

Happy christmas

Standing, as i am, at the entrance to a building site, waiting for a lift that is currently marooned in a queue to get out of tesco on the other side of town, i thought i'd take the opportunity to wish everyone a very merry christmas. Not that i'm particularly feeling it at the moment, as i can barely feel my hands and am still suffering the effects of a 3am start to my festive trip home and 2 early morning pints at the airport. But i am but a mere 3 miles away from a huge sofa and free booze, and content in the knowledge that all my preparartions for the big day are complete. It didn't feel particularly festive until we watched Elf with a glass of mulled wine last night, but i'm now sufficiently glowing with seasonal love and affection that even the predictable carnage at stansted airport didn't rile me. Too much. Though i think having company and the aforementioned pints helped immensely. Happy christmas to one and all.

Hob nobbing

For the second time in 4 days, I'm off to the Royal Albert Hall again tomorrow night. It's safe to say that the run up to this Christmas has been a tad more civilised than festive seasons past. We can apply for free tickets to certain shows through work, and after 5 years of missing out, I finally won in two different ballots. So tomorrow, it'll just be me, J, my mate from work and his girlfriend, a couple of thousands other audience members, a 500-strong choir and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. They're performing Handel's Messiah. I certainly wouldn't claim to know about or even particularly like that sort of music, but am preparing myself to be absolutely blown away by it. Hallelujah!

Christmas meandering

Can it be called "Christmas shopping" if you don't actually buy anything? I tried - a whole week before the big day - to start buying some presents today, to no avail. Oxford Street is pish if you don't know what you're looking for - give me a regional shopping centre any day. At least in a small town you have every type of shop within 5 minutes walk of each other, and you can even find yourself in one that you hadn't even considered. On Oxford Street, you're swept along in a tide of disgruntled Londoners before grounding yourself against a massive group of tourists who have stopped, wheeled suitcases and all, right in front of the entrance to Oxford Circus tube to stare aimlessly in the general direction of Niketown. It sucked and I gave up and came home.

But!!!!

The erection (snigger) of some Christmas lights later and some expert net surfing, and I think I've nailed it - for one person at least. Obviously it would be remiss of me to mention who or what it is, but I think they'll be happy. Bloody hope so anyway. Amazing how one's lack imagination is directly proportional to the amount of money spunked on Christmas presents....

I'm reclining now, beer in hand, American Dad on the telly, Christmas lights sparkling and contented smile on my face.

I rock at this shit.

*PS - sorry for yet another gratuitous picture of my living room. Anyone would think I like it or something...

Spent the afternoon decorating my workmate's desk in his absence

I think he'll like it. I should probably do some work.

Rockin out

Carol singing at the Royal Albert Hall is the new Emo. Trust me.

Inspect da gadgets

I discovered the potentially wonderful world of Blogger Gadgets this evening, hence the fact there is now a mish mash of new things down the left hand side of the screen. I will do my best to find something interesting - potentially not easy given that there are over 50,000 of the blighters to look through. In the meantime, you've got a couple of photo thingymewotsits and an on this day in history feed. Who said I don't have imagination?

Decorations complete

I had nothing whatsoever to do with it, obviously, hence it looks so pretty. I did, however, provide the seasonal choice of rugby on the telly, much to my interior designer's chagrin.

Miracle on Brixton Hill

The festive season landed with a thump in the flat last night, with the appearance of a small yet surprisingly heavy Christmas tree. Well, I say tree - it's more of a shrub really.... But it's perfect for our little flat, even if it's somewhat dwarfed by the telly. We're on a mission to get decorations now, to make the last week and a bit in the run up to Christmas go with a ho ho ho.

I got a bit over excited as we sorted out a box strong enough to support our tree last night, blasting out Dean, Frank and, err, Shaky as J wrapped it in reindeer-related paper. I love Christmas.

I'm off for my annual piss up with a couple of mates today - starting at 4 which seems both sensible and irresponsible at the same time. It all hinges on whether or not we remember to eat dinner and whether or not we call it quits when the pub shuts really....

Then, tomorrow, I'll drag my hungover carcass to Peckham for our now-traditional Christmas dinner with my mates. Thankfully, the girls are cooking once again, leaving me and the rest of the boys to drink beer and listen to more cheese. Magic.

Festive cheer

I bought a new camera on Saturday, after lusting after it for about two months. My last one bit the dust a year and a half ago and since then I've been coping with my shonky mobile phone and borrowing J's whenever there's a special occasion.

Having tried it out in the flat and at my sister's house at the weekend, I thought I'd treat you to the view from our living room window (Look! Sky!! Oooooh!) and a festive cosy picture of J wrapping presents in my sister's house.... Awwww.

Siamese Maltesers

Am about to separate them in an intricate operation... Were maltesers invented by the maltese? Or is it a reference to malt and teasing? The things you ponder whilst still at work after everyone else has gone home....

Sleep deprivation combined with boredom

Such is the search phrase that led someone to the blog. Apt.

You may have noticed, I am finding it much easier to post stuff now the broadband is back. It's bloody quick too - I can stream video without having to pause it for 5 minutes to load. Expect a veritable smörgåsbord of delights over the coming weeks....

I'm ranked on Amazon

Not for having a book to buy or anything.

Nope, I am officially ranked number 304,469 in terms of reviews.

Get in there.

Soko

Possibly the cutest singer I have ever seen. She supported I'm From Barcelona the other night at Scala and the first song - I think I'm pregnant - caught everyone off guard, both with the funny lyrics and her persona. But then, she is from France, so I suppose the level of kookiness is to be expected. Her relocation to (and apparent love for) the US is somewhat less enchanting. Plus, she seems to have laughed and coughed at exactly the same points in this video as she did in London. Surely not part of the act?!

Whatever - for once I'm not going to be cynical and just believe she's really this lovely.





The second video is a song called "I wanna look like a Tiger". A sentiment very close to my warm potatoey heart.... She plays guitar! She plays the drums! She has a stuffed tiger on her head! Honestly - what more can you ask for?!



(ps sound quality is a bit pish - check out the myspace site for a better version)

Broadbanded up again

Thank God - back into the 21st century. Dial up really is pish. Took my ages to sort it out - I honestly believe I'm quite techie, and then I can't even get the bloody internet to work.

J got a bit of a shock this morning, sitting in her dressing gown in our living room, when the letter box flap flew up and two eyes peered through. It's the second time it's happened since we moved in (we don't have a door between the living room and the front door) and it's freaked us out a bit. I've complained to our landlord so hopefully something will happen - in the meantime J has stuck some stiff paper behind the letterbox with a very amusing pair of eyes peering out, should anyone else attempt to look through. Bloody freaks.