I'm off out again tonight for the Peterlee office Xmas party. ITs in Chester-le-Street but I'm meeting up with a mate (Tony) in Durham first at 5. Then getting a taxi to C-L-S.
I better go coz I ahve to iron my jeans and have the 3 S's to do, actually 2 S's (Shower and shave). I'm getting picked up in 35 minutes... Bye....
Friday, December 08, 2006
Great North Run
I received my certificate in the post for the Great North Run along with details of membership where I would be guaranteed a place for the next 3 years. It was only open to people who completed the last race and the first 2000 to apply.
I quickly signed up and have paid the membership and the entry fee for 2007. So I am now entered again :-)
I also saw a 5K run in Edinburgh next month on the 13th which I really fancy doing. I think the route is what I've drawn out below.
I quickly signed up and have paid the membership and the entry fee for 2007. So I am now entered again :-)
I also saw a 5K run in Edinburgh next month on the 13th which I really fancy doing. I think the route is what I've drawn out below.
Dirty Pretty Things
I went to see Dirty Pretty Things last night at the Carling Academy. We had seating tickets, which is upstairs on a massive balcony. Sitting at that sort of concert isn't the best, lots of people were hammered and kept standing up and security would run along and tell them to sit down, then 30 seconds later they would be back up again. So I/we spent more time watching the security for the first half. Then DPT told everyone on the balcony to stand up, which we all did, so the security gave up. After that I thought it was loads better.I didn't know every song, to be honest I only recognised about 4 and one of those wasn't their own but it didn't matter.
The only thing I will make a note of is never to get seating tickets again at the Academy.
Basement Jaxx
I went to see Basement Jaxx on Wednesday with a friend. I had previously seen them at the Robbie Concert and they were excellent which is why I decided to go and see them again.We didn't see the support act, we stopped in the foyer (however you spell it) talking. The place wasn't sold out, the back was curtained off and so were some of the seats on the side.
The concert was very different from the Robbie one. It wasn't just their big hits and had less well known stuff. It made a change to have some slow almost ballads and some guitar songs. As well of course as the big dance tunes.
I really enjoyed it, the only problem was I wasn't drunk (driving) and of course had to dance. I was with someone who can dance and we were in a lot of open space nearer the back with lots of people who could dance. I danced anyway (well shuffled). Now when I drink I KNOW I am a fantastic dancer, lol ;-)
Monday, December 04, 2006
Canvas Print
I have finally got around to emailing off a picture I want putting onto a canvas. I was bought a canvas print as a present in June from the people I work with. for various reasons I have just never got around to ordering it from having problems deciding on the picture and what size.
I have emailed the picture below which I took from the top of the Crinkle Crags in August. This was taken at a difficult time, so not only is it one of my favourite pictures that I've taken it has other meanings and memories for me.

I'm not sure if it's suitable for a cavas and I decided I wanted it big (30" by 20"), according to Paint Shop Pro the image should be OK but just not sure if it will just be blurry on a canvas. I've asked the guys opinion and how much it will cost me. I cut some of the bottom of the picture off because there was even more grass, but I think its needs some. Maybe I should of cut some more?
I have emailed the picture below which I took from the top of the Crinkle Crags in August. This was taken at a difficult time, so not only is it one of my favourite pictures that I've taken it has other meanings and memories for me.

I'm not sure if it's suitable for a cavas and I decided I wanted it big (30" by 20"), according to Paint Shop Pro the image should be OK but just not sure if it will just be blurry on a canvas. I've asked the guys opinion and how much it will cost me. I cut some of the bottom of the picture off because there was even more grass, but I think its needs some. Maybe I should of cut some more?
busy day at mill
It's been a really busy day today at work. I spent the morning in Darlington then went to Middlesbrough in the afternoon. I suppose the good thing is the day flies by, just don't know where to start there is so much work to do.
I'm hoping to spend all day in the Middlesbrough office and get some of the outstanding stuff I have to do done. There are tons of stuff to do in the other offices but the day to day tasks are getting behind as well.
I have to do my appeal against my job matching as well, but god knows when I'm going to have time to do that. I haven't even had a chance to sit down and read everything properly let alone start to write anything. The stupid thing is you have to do it at work because it has to be completed on a spreadsheet and we aren't aloud to email stuff home. There are 2 weeks until the deadline but I can't see me having any time this week :-(
I'm hoping to spend all day in the Middlesbrough office and get some of the outstanding stuff I have to do done. There are tons of stuff to do in the other offices but the day to day tasks are getting behind as well.
I have to do my appeal against my job matching as well, but god knows when I'm going to have time to do that. I haven't even had a chance to sit down and read everything properly let alone start to write anything. The stupid thing is you have to do it at work because it has to be completed on a spreadsheet and we aren't aloud to email stuff home. There are 2 weeks until the deadline but I can't see me having any time this week :-(
Sunday, December 03, 2006
New Phone
Yesterday 3 rang me about interest I had expressed in X-Series from them. I said I was interested but had another month left of my Orange contract. So they said they would give me £50 credit which is more than it would cost for a month of my existing contract.I decided to make an order. My Nokia N73 is being delivered on Tuesday along with my slingbox which will enable me to stream tv to anywhere in the world including my new phone.
Out in Crook
I went out in Crook last night with Jay. He texted yesterday afternoon to see if I fancied going out, now he is living back at his parents (a few doors down the street).
It wasn't a bad night, saw a couple of other mates I hadn't seen in a year. They mentioned about going out to local. I used to go 3 times a week every week, haven't been in over a year. They said I hadn't missed much, its the same people talking about the same shit. I will have a look up sometime over the next few weeks.
Anyway Crook last night, nothing really exciting happened, other than not being able to get a taxi at about 2:30. It was tossing it down with rain and every doorway was full of people sheltering and trying to ring for lifts. Yet there was no taxis anywhere. I was just gonna walk home and get wet. Jay refused and after waiting about for ages, he said he was gonna ring his dad. I tried to stop him but said he didn't care he wasn't walking home. So he rang and woke his parents up and his dad came and picked us up. I felt really bad :-(
It wasn't a bad night, saw a couple of other mates I hadn't seen in a year. They mentioned about going out to local. I used to go 3 times a week every week, haven't been in over a year. They said I hadn't missed much, its the same people talking about the same shit. I will have a look up sometime over the next few weeks.
Anyway Crook last night, nothing really exciting happened, other than not being able to get a taxi at about 2:30. It was tossing it down with rain and every doorway was full of people sheltering and trying to ring for lifts. Yet there was no taxis anywhere. I was just gonna walk home and get wet. Jay refused and after waiting about for ages, he said he was gonna ring his dad. I tried to stop him but said he didn't care he wasn't walking home. So he rang and woke his parents up and his dad came and picked us up. I felt really bad :-(
Jeremy Clarkson - The Good The Bad The Ugly

Jeremy Clarkson - The Good The Bad The Ugly: I watched this earlier today. Its another of Clarksons car DVDs that always come out before Xmas. In this one he is trying to find a decent car in America comparing them to European cars.
Its good as his DVDs usually are but I think some of his previous ones have been better.
Weardale Railway
Yesterday I went on the Weardale Railway from Wolsingham to Stanhope on a steam train. I've always wanted to go on it from when I was a kid and I used to see the normal train go up in the summer from Bishop Auckland while I was fishing at Frosterley. So it was a bonus to now be going on a steam train.It cost £7 and was definetly worth it (for me anyway). I wouldn't say it was the best organised thing I've been to. With being told different return times from Stanhope and having not seen any advertising. If it weren't for a group of about 20 walkers there would of only been about 5 people on the way up, that's including me and my dad.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Regular Run
Distance: 3.15 milesTime: 36 minutes
Myself and Mandy went out for the regular dinner time run today, not that I've ran it regularly recently. The time is slower than normal but neither of us were at our fittest. I will be running it again on Friday. After another couple of times around we are supposed to be running it in reverse.
Work, thinking and life in general
It felt much better to be back in Durham today, after 3 working days in Teesside!
I've been frustrated over the whole merger our unit has been going through. This is the second of the 2 things I was waiting for to see how it was handled and if it was done right I would stay. So far it is a fucking shambles. Still waiting for someone to actually speak to me, what was even more frustrating was when I was in Teesside and they were called to see how everything was and told them they had spoke to me. The only conversation I have had was 20 seconds on the way to setup something and was told we would have a conversation later. It's hard when I'm in Teesside 2 days and often out and management is also out the office a lot. I have plenty of things I have concerns over and am becoming more and more frustrated with there being no one at a senior level to be able to ask or address my concerns to.
My walk along Redcar sea front on Monday has just thrown more things into my mind and from thinking things through now. There are far too many things in life to DO, SEE & EXPERIENCE to be wasting what short time we have sitting at a desk feeling FRUSTRATED, HASSLED, STRESSED and recently MISERABLE. Its just a fucking bastard that I need money to do them. I can't get out of my mind how much I would love to walk around the mountains and hills of Wales, Northern England and of course Scotland. If I won money that's exactly what I would want to do, nevermind the fast cars and exotic holidays (for now anyway).
For some reson whenever I hear Dire Straits - Fade to Black it really makes me think. For some strange reason it's one of my favourite and most played songs. Totally different to most Dire Straits songs (listening to it now).
The songs I have in the playlist are:
George Michael - You Have Been Loved
Bryan Adams - I'm Ready
Dire Straits - Fade To Black
Nina Simone - Feeling Good
All 4 songs are excellent quite calming and good thinking songs, Nina Simone is probably the odd one out.
I can see my mind is jumping about again (back to usual).
I started making a list on Monday night of things I would like to do (yes another list). It's getting very long, yet I want to do all of them. I couldn't do all of them over the next year due to money and time. I won't post the full list yet because I haven't finished and I guess there are sub lists of stuff like a list of walks I want to do.
That's a sample from it, but a lot more on the list already.
I wonder how much money I would need to walk from Wales to Scotland taking in Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis along the way and how much time. I need to do something that'll push me physically and mentally and is a bit different. Plenty of people walk all 3 in 24 hours but they don't actually walk between them. I'm sure some people must walk it but obviously over several weeks. An inspiration to me would be the "Two Fit Ladies" who walked 1521 miles around the coast of Scotland in 81 days to raise money for Save The Children. Just realised that one of their Surnames was Horner (no relation as far as I know).
I have a friend who has a seriously ill member of their family, this is making me think all the more about how we waste our lives. Yet what do I do about it, other than going to a few concerts and entering a run. It's nothing, we are all capable of so much more, nearly all of us go about our daily lives going to work and back home and doing the house work and watching TV. There must be more to life than this, I've said many times I want to look back and feel I've had a memorable life. Not someone who dies having done nothing and no ones misses them.
I think too much!!!
I've been frustrated over the whole merger our unit has been going through. This is the second of the 2 things I was waiting for to see how it was handled and if it was done right I would stay. So far it is a fucking shambles. Still waiting for someone to actually speak to me, what was even more frustrating was when I was in Teesside and they were called to see how everything was and told them they had spoke to me. The only conversation I have had was 20 seconds on the way to setup something and was told we would have a conversation later. It's hard when I'm in Teesside 2 days and often out and management is also out the office a lot. I have plenty of things I have concerns over and am becoming more and more frustrated with there being no one at a senior level to be able to ask or address my concerns to.
My walk along Redcar sea front on Monday has just thrown more things into my mind and from thinking things through now. There are far too many things in life to DO, SEE & EXPERIENCE to be wasting what short time we have sitting at a desk feeling FRUSTRATED, HASSLED, STRESSED and recently MISERABLE. Its just a fucking bastard that I need money to do them. I can't get out of my mind how much I would love to walk around the mountains and hills of Wales, Northern England and of course Scotland. If I won money that's exactly what I would want to do, nevermind the fast cars and exotic holidays (for now anyway).
For some reson whenever I hear Dire Straits - Fade to Black it really makes me think. For some strange reason it's one of my favourite and most played songs. Totally different to most Dire Straits songs (listening to it now).
The songs I have in the playlist are:
George Michael - You Have Been Loved
Bryan Adams - I'm Ready
Dire Straits - Fade To Black
Nina Simone - Feeling Good
All 4 songs are excellent quite calming and good thinking songs, Nina Simone is probably the odd one out.
I can see my mind is jumping about again (back to usual).
I started making a list on Monday night of things I would like to do (yes another list). It's getting very long, yet I want to do all of them. I couldn't do all of them over the next year due to money and time. I won't post the full list yet because I haven't finished and I guess there are sub lists of stuff like a list of walks I want to do.
- Climbing
- Swimming
- Ice Skating
- Horse Riding
- Kayaking
- Boxing
- Cycle Coast to Coast
- Skiing
- Snowboarding
- Coasteering
- Paint Balling
- Bungee Jump
That's a sample from it, but a lot more on the list already.
I wonder how much money I would need to walk from Wales to Scotland taking in Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis along the way and how much time. I need to do something that'll push me physically and mentally and is a bit different. Plenty of people walk all 3 in 24 hours but they don't actually walk between them. I'm sure some people must walk it but obviously over several weeks. An inspiration to me would be the "Two Fit Ladies" who walked 1521 miles around the coast of Scotland in 81 days to raise money for Save The Children. Just realised that one of their Surnames was Horner (no relation as far as I know).
I have a friend who has a seriously ill member of their family, this is making me think all the more about how we waste our lives. Yet what do I do about it, other than going to a few concerts and entering a run. It's nothing, we are all capable of so much more, nearly all of us go about our daily lives going to work and back home and doing the house work and watching TV. There must be more to life than this, I've said many times I want to look back and feel I've had a memorable life. Not someone who dies having done nothing and no ones misses them.
I think too much!!!
Relaxing To Music
Yesterday I had another day of hassle working in Teesside and decided that when I got home I
just wanted to relax and listen to music. I decided to listen to The Beatles - Love. I'd already listened to it in stops and starts but put my big DJ style headphones on and laid back and lost myself in the music. It's a fantastic album, some of the highlights were the songs I normally didn't like too much (Benefit of Mr Kite, Back in the USSR). Worth doing the same as me and just immerse yourself in the album.
I then went to bed just after 10 and slept straight through until the morning and managed to spend the night not thinking about everything or at least not things that were upsetting or glum.
just wanted to relax and listen to music. I decided to listen to The Beatles - Love. I'd already listened to it in stops and starts but put my big DJ style headphones on and laid back and lost myself in the music. It's a fantastic album, some of the highlights were the songs I normally didn't like too much (Benefit of Mr Kite, Back in the USSR). Worth doing the same as me and just immerse yourself in the album.I then went to bed just after 10 and slept straight through until the morning and managed to spend the night not thinking about everything or at least not things that were upsetting or glum.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Listening to..
Below are some of the albums I've been listening to since my last music post. I've listened to quite a few others as well. I normally post all the covers to go with them but feeling too lazy tonight, but have still rated the ones I can remember.
The Beatles - Love ****
Oasis - Stop The Clocks *****
U2 - U218 ***
Sugababes - Overloaded: The Singles Collection ***
George Michael - Twenty Five ****
Muse - Black Holes & Revelations ****
Muse - Absolution ***
Air - Moon Safari *****
The Long Blondes - Someone To Drive You Home ***
All Saints - Studio 1 **
Muse - Origin of Symmetry ****
Oasis - Definitely Maybe *****
Jamiroquai - High Times ****
Moby - Go - The Very Best Of Moby ****
The Beatles - 1 *****
The Beatles - Abbey Road ****
Iron Maiden - Best Of The Beast *****
There seems to be lots of compilation albums out at the moment because of Xmas probably. The best of the compilations I've listened to has to be Oasis - Stop The Clocks, there isn't a bad song on the album. The All Saints album I forced myself to listen to, but I was very bored with it. The new Beatles album "Love" is quite good, its a part mashup, part remix of many songs. They do sound a lot clearer. I intend to lay back and listen to it again and it may move up to 5 stars rather than just 4.
The Beatles - Love ****
Oasis - Stop The Clocks *****
U2 - U218 ***
Sugababes - Overloaded: The Singles Collection ***
George Michael - Twenty Five ****
Muse - Black Holes & Revelations ****
Muse - Absolution ***
Air - Moon Safari *****
The Long Blondes - Someone To Drive You Home ***
All Saints - Studio 1 **
Muse - Origin of Symmetry ****
Oasis - Definitely Maybe *****
Jamiroquai - High Times ****
Moby - Go - The Very Best Of Moby ****
The Beatles - 1 *****
The Beatles - Abbey Road ****
Iron Maiden - Best Of The Beast *****
There seems to be lots of compilation albums out at the moment because of Xmas probably. The best of the compilations I've listened to has to be Oasis - Stop The Clocks, there isn't a bad song on the album. The All Saints album I forced myself to listen to, but I was very bored with it. The new Beatles album "Love" is quite good, its a part mashup, part remix of many songs. They do sound a lot clearer. I intend to lay back and listen to it again and it may move up to 5 stars rather than just 4.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Mobile Phone
I have been looking at new phones. My contract expires in January, Orange have already been on the phone trying to get me to take a new contract but their offers were rubbish. My phone broke 2 days after they rang. I have an Orange SPV C600 and the main menu button stopped working. Which means I can't unlock it, nevermind do anything else. So I have gone back to my SPV C500 which is actually a better phone (the keys work anyway).
I have been looking at all the offers from the different companies and I have always avoided Three because their coverage was always rubbish but it now appears they are as good as the
others. I then noticed that from next month they are lauching X-Series which is like unlimited broadband for phones and comes with some useful programs like Orb, Slingbox, Yahoo & Google among others. At the moment there is no indication on price, it will be announced on the 1st December. Only 2 phones will be supported initially but I quite like the look of the Nokia N73 after a lot of research, takes good photos and can use my existing 500MB MiniSD card. It may become my new phone on Three if the price is OK and they will transfer my mobile number?
I have been looking at all the offers from the different companies and I have always avoided Three because their coverage was always rubbish but it now appears they are as good as the
others. I then noticed that from next month they are lauching X-Series which is like unlimited broadband for phones and comes with some useful programs like Orb, Slingbox, Yahoo & Google among others. At the moment there is no indication on price, it will be announced on the 1st December. Only 2 phones will be supported initially but I quite like the look of the Nokia N73 after a lot of research, takes good photos and can use my existing 500MB MiniSD card. It may become my new phone on Three if the price is OK and they will transfer my mobile number?
Redcar
I was at Redcar today to setup some computers for work in a new Police station but when I got there they had decided to move to another room and our comms line had been installed in the old room. Anyway I had to wait for the Police Comms person who took ages to arrive then to do anything. While he was doing some other stuff I went for my dinner in Redcar and walked along the front. The guy had said he was going to be 2 hours and I was gonna take a 2 hour lunch and not have full lunches for the next couple of days then I realised I was owed about 9 dinner hours while working in Teesside anyway. In the end I had just over an hour anyway, so didn't really matter because I got a call to say he had returned.
I had a really nice walk along the front in Redcar and along the beach. I ended up walking quite a long way, only about 3 mile but its what I had time for in an hour. The map below shows where I went, I only got to walk a short way along the beach because I was rushing back to the car to get back to the Police Station.
Distance: 3 miles
Time: 1 hour
Below are some pictures I took with my phone while walking, they are shite quality because its with my old phone :-(





I intended to take some pictures when on the front with the arcades and boats but as I said above I ended up rushing back which I hadn't expected to be doing.
When I was walking along the front the tractors that towed the boats in were lined up and there was one waiting for the boat to come in. There was another fisherman selling the fish from his boat as he gutted and cleaned the fish while they waited. I hadn't seen this for nearly 20 years, didn't even realise they still did it, was good to see. If I'd had more time I would of taken some pictures (although shit quality like above).
I really enjoyed the walk and again made me think what am I doing working in offices and dealing with other peoples shit. When I have had 2 really nice walks in the last 3 days. I want to be out enjoying the outdoors, maybe I'd of thought different if it was raining!
The afternoon in the Police Station wasn't quite so bad I managed to finally get the computers setup although still had to wait for the Comms guy to patch things in 1 at a time, he took ages. I could of re-patched everything he did in 5 minutes, it took him over an hour. I ended up helping the staff carry boxes and Police IT equipment while I was waiting.
I had a really nice walk along the front in Redcar and along the beach. I ended up walking quite a long way, only about 3 mile but its what I had time for in an hour. The map below shows where I went, I only got to walk a short way along the beach because I was rushing back to the car to get back to the Police Station.
Distance: 3 milesTime: 1 hour
Below are some pictures I took with my phone while walking, they are shite quality because its with my old phone :-(





I intended to take some pictures when on the front with the arcades and boats but as I said above I ended up rushing back which I hadn't expected to be doing.
When I was walking along the front the tractors that towed the boats in were lined up and there was one waiting for the boat to come in. There was another fisherman selling the fish from his boat as he gutted and cleaned the fish while they waited. I hadn't seen this for nearly 20 years, didn't even realise they still did it, was good to see. If I'd had more time I would of taken some pictures (although shit quality like above).
I really enjoyed the walk and again made me think what am I doing working in offices and dealing with other peoples shit. When I have had 2 really nice walks in the last 3 days. I want to be out enjoying the outdoors, maybe I'd of thought different if it was raining!
The afternoon in the Police Station wasn't quite so bad I managed to finally get the computers setup although still had to wait for the Comms guy to patch things in 1 at a time, he took ages. I could of re-patched everything he did in 5 minutes, it took him over an hour. I ended up helping the staff carry boxes and Police IT equipment while I was waiting.
Most Downloaded Videos
I was just reading an article on the BBC News site about the most downloaded videos. I had seen most of them before but thought I would post them below:
1. Star Wars Kid
2. Numa Numa
3. One Night In Paris
4. Kylie Minogue for Agent Provocateur
5. The Exploding Whale
6. John West Salmon Bear Fight
6. Trojan Games
8. Kolla2001
9. AfroNinja
10. The Shining Redux
I'm afraid that link to One Night In Paris isn't the real one, gotta keep this site kind of family friendly. The videos whould probably look better smaller but can't be bothered to mess about.
1. Star Wars Kid
2. Numa Numa
3. One Night In Paris
4. Kylie Minogue for Agent Provocateur
5. The Exploding Whale
6. John West Salmon Bear Fight
6. Trojan Games
8. Kolla2001
9. AfroNinja
10. The Shining Redux
I'm afraid that link to One Night In Paris isn't the real one, gotta keep this site kind of family friendly. The videos whould probably look better smaller but can't be bothered to mess about.
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Casino Royale
Casino Royale: I went to see this on Wednesday. I'm a Bond fan anyway, so unless it was really bad I was always going to enjoy it. Yet it was excellent, it's the best bond movie since Goldeneye and it's better than that. A lot of people slated Daniel Craig but he seems to fit in the role perfectly.This movie is a lot more grown up than the other Bond films and more violent but its not over the top it's probably what was was always missing in the past. People died too easily in past films or were dispensed with far too easy.
Anyway I gave it 9 out of 10 but was very tempted to give it 10.
Romaldkirk & Cotherstone Walk
Distance: 6 milesTime: 2 hours 10 minutes
Today I went for a walk with my parents using a route from a walking magazine. The route is shown on the map above from Romaldkirk to Cotherstone and back to Romaldkirk. It's a nice walk which I found easy and there isn't much gradient to climb or descend.
There are some gorgeous old houses along the route, a couple can be seen in the pictures below. I wish I had done this walk about 4-6 weeks ago before all the leaves had fell off the trees. It would look stunning with all the autumn leaves on the trees.
I must be getting fitter because I found this very easy while my mother was out of breath at times.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Muse
Me and Tony went to watch Muse at Newcastle Arena tonight, that was when Tony was eventually was ready. He had been locked out of the house and left his key, we eventually got there at about 7:20.Unfortunately we had seating tickets near the back, we listened to some of the support act (The Noisettes) but the womens voice began to get on our nerves so we went back into the foyer and got a drink.
We went back in at about 9 and sat in our seats, I had mentioned about jumping the barrier and going into the standing part. When Muse started a few people did exactly that. So me and Tony jumped the barrier but a woman security person shouted us and made us go back out. Yet when we walked back out the gate we were given a standing ticket each by one of the other security people. He hadn't realised we had jumped the barrier. So we just walked out and came in another door right near the front and handed over the ticket we had just been given. So we ended up quite close to the front.
It was good night, they sound exactly the same live as on the album, which is a good thing. I enjoyed it and pleased I saw them live but not sure I would be bothered about seeing them again. Unless part of a festival.
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