bookmark_borderAnd then… nothing

All quiet on the house front unfortunately.

But I have been able to crack on with some website work and as always it’s great when the client is accomodating, helpful and all round just a nice guy. Say hi to www.davidbelbin.com (then go buy one of his books!).

I’m also adding some functionality for a previous client, so I’ve got plenty to keep me busy AND I’ve found time to gently kick start my reading habit. Tackling the last of the Larsson trilogy which is a fun read in a Dan Brown kinda way. Mind you, I did read half of From Russia With Love before realising I’d already read it, oops.

The only other moment of excitement has been paying £4 for the privilege of receiving 4 rather shady looking photos of my fizzog. I need to renew my driving license and, amazingly, the photos actually look like me! (and no, I’m not showing you them).

Right, time to mark off another day in the “Hurry up I want an iPhone 4!” calendar.

Oh yeah, and football. World Cup and all that. If you need me, I’ll be in front of the TV.

bookmark_borderOne more blog

This blogging thing seems to be catching on, so much so that my company will soon have a blog looking at industry specific issues and thoughts.

And yes, I’m one of the bloggers. I’ll link to it once it’s up and running (we are testing it at the moment) and provide a bit more information as well.

Feels a bit like I’m coming out of the blogging closet!

bookmark_borderQuick, slow

I seem to have fallen into a stupor. The weekends are spent avidly doing nothing, whilst making sure the house doesn’t get into too much of a mess. Week days are all about Work during the day, and work in the evening.

But don’t worry, dearest reader, balance is being maintained and once we get the house sold and things start to move then I’ll be looking for a new gym, discovering the most delicious Tablet at Aldi (may only be available in Scotland) hasn’t really helped me and a certain pair of trousers has had to be returned to the drawer until I shift a few pounds (few stone.. whatever).

I’m also considering taking an evening class to keep me busy. Probably a starter course in photography, or maybe I’d be better doing something focussed on writing…

Other than that all I’m really focussed on is when I can get my hands on the new iPhone 4. I’m still using the 3G model (two years old now) and it’s noticeably slower and the battery life is dropping almost daily, or at least that’s what it feels like. Roll on the end of June!

bookmark_borderDecisions, decisions

One personal flaw (I have a few) is that I can make decisions a little too hastily.

Case in point, in our hunt for a team wide task tracking application, after some searching and experimentation we plumped for a bastardisation of Remember The Milk. It’s not as ideal as we’d hoped but it ‘would do’.

And, this very morning, up pops a product that has been updated since I last saw it and it appears that it meets our needs perfectly (Producteev). However the decision on whether we use it will be deferred to the team.

That said, sometimes there isn’t time to consult on a decision and, most times, making the decision is the most important thing, even if it’s not the right one.

After all, the best way to learn is by your mistakes.

bookmark_borderI am cool again!

It’s a revelation to me as well, so I’ll pause to let you digest that juicy title.

*pauses*

OK, so it’s stretching the truth a bit, well a lot, well it’s entirely possible that it’s downright lie but let us move on lest I lose all self-esteem and realise just how far I am from being cool.

Dammit. Too late. Well I guess it’s fair to say that I’m about as cool as a volcano spewing molten lava and ash into the air.

And yes, not only am I not cool but I’m also never ever topical.

So I should really work in some obscure World Cup reference I guess, comparing my innate lack of cool to the composure shown by most English football players when asked to kick the ball 12 yards.

Regardless, let us step back a few hours to the moment my revelation was unveiled to me by one of those printed things you can buy in shops these days. You know the ones, lots and lots of adverts printed on glossy pages, stapled or glued together but which lack any cover of merit. I am, in a most roundabout way, referring to a magazine. Specifically one that I used to buy quite often and which, as I found myself wandering past said magazines, caught my eye once more.

The magazine in question is that veritable tome of music knowledge, Q.

Why not, I thought, and ohh look, it has a free CD of “most exciting new acts” (15 of them, and they are “on the planet” too, which is lucky).

I didn’t really look at much else, as I was running a little late, so I paid for and left with said magazine safely tucked under my arm.

When I got home I had a quick look at the attached CD and it does indeed have 15 tracks from 15 bands that are on this planet but I’m not quite sure they are the most exciting new acts… not anymore at least.

It was at this point I (thought I) realised how cool I am.

Why?

Because of the 15 bands, I’ve got (and have had for several months in most cases) albums by 7 of them, and have seen 2 of them live.

I’m THAT FRICKIN’ COOL!!

The bubble was soon burst though, as the front cover of said magazine was questioning who would ‘win’ at Glastonbury, Muse or U2.

Oh. Right. Published last month then.

And, of course, Q magazine was never, and will never, be cool.

Do you know why?

Because everytime I buy a copy, there is always, ALWAYS, some interview of snippet or other random piece of information about JON BON FUCKING JOVI!!!

Which, and I’m sure you’ll all agree, is really not fucking cool at all.

bookmark_borderThe Long Weekend

I fear that my new abode will very quickly be filled with a mish-mash of antiques and general tat. Mostly the latter.

I’m basing this on a short wander around a vintage store at the weekend. Lots of big old pieces of furniture, as well as a lot of stuff I wouldn’t give house room but quite a few pieces that I would, one of which I’m still tempted to go back and get (a lamp base made from wooden letterpress blocks).

It may also be filled with books as not only did I wander around a book fair (where I succumbed and bought a compendium of Lewis Carroll works) I also made my first ever, and definitely not my last, visit to Voltaire & Rousseau. It’s a magical place, floor to ceiling books, shoogly piles of paperbacks waiting to topple over and a cat snoozing away in the corner.

Voltaire & Rousseau

I also wandered past a music store, mostly guitars, and started to ponder buying myself a piano, or at the very least a good quality keyboard. Nothing I can do with that for now until I know where I’m going to be and how much space I’ll have but it’s another thing to add to the ‘maybe’ list.

And yes, I admit, I saw this today and did stop to ponder… (not sure I’ll ever have room for a baby grand mind you).

I can see me spending more and more time hunting through vintage stores in the future. I’m beginning to find my ‘style’ is more eclectic than minimal, although I do fear I’m being influenced a little too much by blogs like Apartment Therapy (aka, furniture porn). What on EARTH have I become!

Sunday was spent largely doing nothing, much like today, as there is little that needs done around here. Having the house on the market means it is clean and tidy at all times. In fact I deliberately left all my dishes lying on Sunday just to give me something to do this morning (I’m a little OCD about that kind of thing). And now, well right now I’m going to put some music on and sit and read a book.

The rock and roll lifestyle continues.