Blogging

If you look at this blog you'll notice that I write something, then leave it for ages, then write something again and so on and so on. However recently I've decided to make an effort and use it a lot more - therefore the potential for me to fill this full of drivel has increased and so I apologise now for some of the bilge I spout.  Most of what I put on here will be written without thinking it through and also without any kind of planning so it may not even make sense.

The key thing is that I'm going to try and give it a go! 

US Election

It's just after midnight and I'm sat here watching the UK coverage of the US Election and I have to admit I don't have a clue what they are talking about but it's still pretty interesting - I'm sure if I stayed up all night I'd begin to understand it, but that's really not going to happen.

From my point of view which is based on the very limited things I've read and watched I think I would have to put my preference with Obama. Then again some of the things I have heard suggest there are issues especially for young people with regards to jobs, houses etc in the USA but I suppose changing a country the size of the US in four years is a pretty tough thing to do. I really can't see that Romney is the best alternative vote - just don't go for a coalition - they're rubbish!!

Opportunity Missed

With it being bonfire night last night we'd decided to head up to Beamish Museum for the Bonfire and Fireworks extravaganza they were planning. Beamish is very local to us so it made sense instead of trotting through to Gateshead or further afield, plus at £4 each it wasn't breaking the bank!

Now I absolutely love Beamish Museum, I love the attractions, the atmosphere, everything and thought that this would be a great event as that is something Beamish are very good at! I was expecting food stalls, mulled wine, maybe a small beer tent, historic Guy Fawkes celebrations, apple bobbing, bonfire (treacle) toffee etc all of which Beamish have very good access to the means to do so! Unfortunately for what ever reason they didn't do any of it - which I think is a massive opportunity missed by them, as a charity they could have used this opportunity to bring in some extra money!
The evening started with a longish walk from the entrance to the exhibition field, the walk was absolutely fine however it would have been a great opportunity for them to sell sweets, drinks etc as people walked past - the small shack shop was open but as that's right as you get in I didn't even look as I thought there'd be more inside! At the exhibition ground there was an impressive bonfire up on the hill which I'm presuming was put there for Health & Safety reasons but on the field itself were only a display from the fire service, a really irritating police van who's siren kept being set off by children having a look round it and then the usual gallopers in the distance. Refreshments wise there appeared to be two small stalls selling what I think was tea and coffee but as the queue was enormous we didn't even contemplate having a look.

Once we worked out which direction the fireworks were coming from we were presented with a fantastic firework display which I'm pleased to say wasn't set to some rubbish dance, techno music or Jeam Michel Jarre!! Once it finished as there was nothing to keep people there everybody left en masse which is fine until you try and get so many thousand people through a small style with what can only be described as 'arseholes' bypassing the queue and cutting in! We must have been stuck there for easy 15 minutes! After that the stroll back to the car was fine!

Overall I can't help thinking that the event was arranged quite quickly as the usual Police display was cancelled - I'm really hoping it happens again next year but this time it has a Beamish feel about it! If I was marking it like teachers do I'd have to give the comment "must try harder".

Flu Jab

Well that's my flu jab done with for another year! As somebody who's absolutely loaded with asthma I've been having them for years as the combination of me and a good hard dose of influenza is not a great prospect. I've spoken to a few people who have said that they don't have the jab as they never get the flu.....well that means you never will then!!!! Arse!!!

Normally I venture down to my GP and get it done each year however this time they're giving them out to everybody where I work for nowt - irrespective of whether you're riddled with asthma, old age or other great ailments! Such a good idea - and I don't have to go anywhere near my doctors - which I like because they're pap!!!

Gaming

I'm pretty sure that now I've reached the age of 37 I should slowly be growing out of playing games on XBox and instead listening to Classic FM and worrying about really dull things - but it's quite the opposite. I've always played a lot of 'computer games', starting back with Zorgons Revenge on the Oric 1 through Manic Miner, Spy Hunter, Midwinter, Elite, Championship Manager, Football Manager, Grand Theft Auto and numerous others right up to the more current Call of Duty series. There's something I love about playing them which I suppose could be counted as a hobby - a not a very productive one thought!

With the rapid developments in technology over recent years it's become more that just the game itself, there's now all of the add ons which create a wider experience.With my current game of choice Modern Warfare 3 I played the campaign version, finished it and moved straight to the online multiplayer. Moving to the online version then introduces contact with complete strangers who although I very very rarely chat with I enjoy listening to. Then there's the social media element and primarily YouTube, it opens it up so that everybody can then share what they think are awesome game plays and why they are so great - a lot of it is just a big willy waving contest. I would love to know how many MOAB videos there are on there! Amongst the videos of 14 years old squeaking at each other there are a few people who produce not just game play videos but also vlogs, commentaries etc. People like TMartn, Hutch, WoodysGamerTag, Syndicate all compile and publish videos about not just the gaming industry but also their lives and the way they see things - all of which I have come across on the back of a computer game, there's then the professional players who although they use game play add voice overs of opinions etc, people like Nadeshot, Scumpii.

Overall the gaming industry is something which is growing massively with the advent of technology and the fact that people can make a good living at it really interests me - good luck to them though!

Caravan

Currently lying in bed in what we call our Sky Room (loft conversion) and all I can hear is the rain on the roof! It's reminding me of staying in a caravan when I was younger! I'm finding it very relaxing!!

Changes

Since I last blogged on here umpteen months ago a lot has happened! Me and Katie now are officially home owners! After months of graft and toil and general hard work we're almost in a position to say we're done! We've had to replace all the carpets, repaint every wall in every room, sand - stain - and varnish all the floors downstairs and finally transform the garden. The garden has been the bit I was looking forward to doing the most and so far the transformation has been very encouraging. I'm hoping to update this blog with the progress on how the garden is getting on - well we'll see if that happens in real life!

Not really news

While sitting on the Metro en route to work this morning I just read on Twitter that the breaking news is that William and Kate have now gone on their honeymoon! Sorry for the lack of excitement but whoop de doo, I really don't think it constitutes news - especially after they've asked for complete privacy! Although it was from Sky News so what do I expect!!

iPad

I've just read back through this blog and on 28th May last year I blogged about the newly released iPad - I was definitely a fan however wasn't sure i'd want one. I was pleased to read that I said I wouldn't bother with iPad 1 and instead would wait to see what iPad 2 would bring. Sure enough I'm sat here just under a year later and I'm typing this on a new iPad 2! I was lucky to get some money back from a bank after claiming back PPI which I was sold with a loan I took out a few years ago, and I decided that instead of being sensible with it all I would spend some of it on myself and Katie. The timing coincided nicely with the release of iPad 2 and after reading a lot of info about it I decided to take the plunge. Back in May I was unsure as to where the iPad would fit into my life in-between my iPhone, iMac and Sony laptop which are all knocking around the house. I can now say that I love it and I'm now not sure I could do without it. I'm finding that i'm not using the laptop and iMac as much and instead of sitting away from Katie while she tortures herself watching Glee, Greys Anatomy, X-Factor I can sit next to her on the sofa and do pretty much the same on the iPad! As ever the lack of Flash is a bit of a pain however there definitely seems to be a shift happening away from Flash towards other mediums! I'm definitely an iPad convert and would recommend it to anyone.

I'm becoming a grown up......

....ish! After getting married, becoming a father and more recently buying a new family car it's looking like I'm likely to complete the set and become a homeowner! It's easily stages yet but so far all the signs look good, the house will require lots of work in and out but strangely enough that excites me! I've been dying to find a hobby to get my teeth into - and this house could just be it! Fingers crossed!