bookmark_borderFinish This Sentence

Ignoring the fact I have been specifically tagged, and not completed, a few memes in the past couple of months, this one I think I can tackle. Thanks to Cliff for the open invite.

1. My uncle once: remembered my birthday (LOL!!).

2. Never in my life: have I chosen to eat a raw tomato, ick ick ick.

3. When I was five: I had the run of the house as my sister had yet to appear.

4. High school was: much the same as anyone else who was smarter than most and didn’t “fit in” with the cool kids.

5. I will never forget: finishing my first 10K and the emotions that went with that.

6. Once I met: a homeless person and bought him coffee and a doughnut.

7. There’s this girl I know: Who writes a blog that no-one reads, and she’s really good but hates getting compliments (and I’m not linking to it until I get permission).

8. Once, at a bar: I stole a bottle of champagne and no-one noticed.

9. By noon, I’m usually: ready for lunch and checking what the afternoon holds.

10. Last night: I did some work on a blog design, it’s coming along nicely (and the client is really nice, that helps).

11. If only I had: more discipline.

12. Next time I go to church: I’ll, again, wonder why I’m there.

13. What worries me most: is what the future may or may not hold.

14. When I turn my head left I see: a MacBook and the remnants of my lunch.

15. When I turn my head right I see: out of the window, across the cul-de-sac.

16. You know I’m lying when: I don’t tell the truth.

17. What I miss most about the Eighties is: ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!.

18. If I were a character in Shakespeare I’d be: an obscure snob, sitting on the sidelines whilst the main play unfolded, chipping in with witty asides.

19. By this time next year: I’ll be a year older.

20. A better name for me would be: Mr. Research.

21. I have a hard time understanding: people who are happy to accept the status quo, who accept prejudice as fact and remain inconsiderate of others.

22. If I ever go back to school, I’ll: only be there to gloat.

23. You know I like you if: I smile when we talk.

24. If I ever won an award, the first person I would thank would be: whoever nominated me.

25. Take my advice, never: that plate of melted cheese? Don’t eat it.

26. My ideal breakfast is: filter coffee and toast with lashings of butter and honey.

27. A song I love but do not have is: the live version of Hotel California that they use on MTV sometimes (OK OK, Q or VH2).

28. If you visit my hometown, I suggest you: Climb up to the castle, and enjoy the view down the Clyde.

29. Why won’t people: just get along?

30. If you spend a night at my house: red wine and takeaway curry, good music and laughter.

31. I’d stop my wedding for: no-one as I’m already married, thanks!

32. The world could do without: idiots.

33. I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: let ANYONE stick ANYTHING in my EYE EVER.

34. My favourite blonde(s) is/are: Marilyn Monroe.

35. Paper clips are more useful than: not having paper clips when you need one.

36. If I do anything well it’s: convincing people that I can do anything well.

37. I can’t help but: constantly need something to hold my attention.

38. I usually cry: at soppy movies, or soppy TV shows, or… basically any form of simple emotional manipulation and I tear up.

39. My advice to my child/nephew/niece: only you know what YOU really want, learn to listen to yourself.

40. And by the way: one day this blog will cease to exist.

And I’ll take the same route as Cliff and wimp out of nominating anyone in particular. Instead, if you haven’t blogged for a while or just fancy a change, grab the sentences and finish them yourself.

bookmark_borderThe weekend! It's the weekend!!

I’m sitting on the sofa with some weird MTV programme blaring at me, but my niece seems to be enjoy it, despite my protestations…

Yesterday was the first Xmas ‘event’ of the year, namely the Development Team’s away day. 50 of us, crammed into a nearby gastro-pub, crackers, crap toys, and turkey. All washed down by … Guinness. Still the food wasn’t all that bad, and it was good to unwind, the last two weeks have been manic as we headed towards a release deadline.

And so my attention turns to Christmas. We are heading through to my parents today to help put their tree up. Something I’ve not done for many years, and at some point I’ll need to start thinking about buying some presents.

It also means I now have time to get on with those other things I had hoped to get finished by Xmas. A website or two, another 100 CDs to rip and get into the loft, not to mention considering what I’m going to buy in the New Year sales.

Toying with a super-compact camera, for when my current camera is a little too big, Sky HD, or… umm.. a PlayStation3. The latter is expensive and scarce and I might hold off for another 6 months or so… which then brings the Wii into play, presuming I can get hold of one.

Decisions, decisions.

But first. Coffee. And some more painkillers…

bookmark_borderBloggers on the Radio

Listen to the show (requires Real Player).

Very interesting, especially the first half, trying to put faces (sites) to the voices. Well done to Margaret for pulling the whole thing together, and to everyone involved.

It is a little odd though, remembering reading some of the posts and my interpretation of them and then balancing that against the author reading what he/she wrote and giving it their own emphasis. The best example is Peter’s comments about the MTV invasion of Leith which becomes a lot more powerful a message with the author’s voice inserting the pauses and emphasis as he planned. Of course, he is a seasoned radio pro, so probably had an unfair advantage…

Here’s the list of participants (that I couldn’t find earlier).

bookmark_borderKazaa!!

My name is Gordon McLean, and I am a ‘net pirate’. OK, so I’m not the person that wrote the article. I’m lying. Sorry.

However, the main point of the article is true. Personally, despite having access to more tracks than I could ever hope to listen to in my life time, I STILL buy CDs. And there’s the rub.

If it’s a well known artist, and particularly if I own some of their previous work, I am more likely to part my some hard earned moolah than I would be on a CD of which I know little about and have only heard one or two tracks on MTV(2).

Now, give me the opportunity to buy those one or two tracks, at a reasonable price – 75p a track anyone? – and I’d probably happily spend the money. So the big artists aren’t getting hit, and the smaller artists stand a better chance of gaining higher exposure and earning more money.

Anyhoo, is this a good time to mention that Jann has prompted me into updating my Tune of Moment?

Why that track? It crops up on my random playlist quite a lot and always .. well… works. Ohh and it appears to be in the new Charlies Angels film as well…

bookmark_borderSoon to be announced

Details are coming to light about more government schemes to follow on from the recently announced course to help people learn how to send text messages. The courses are aimed at the same sector of people and cover a range of diverse topics. Exact details have yet to be confirmed but the following a rumoured to be include:

Remembering which side of the car the petrol cap is on.
Programming your video – You DON’T need to call your 5 year old niece to help!
Appreciating noise – Joining the MTV Generation.
Shortening your attention span – addon to previous course.

More details are expected soon.

PDF files
(Titled stolen shamelessly)

A valid point, well made over at insubstantial. I couldn’t believe it when I hear that Dick and J are trying to get that Tatu video banned. It’s been on MTV for at LEAST two months now, possibly three, so they are a bit late… reactionary control never works (obviously).