Stagnation and Waiting.
Well hello there people!

I have been rather withdrawn of late - not even venturing onto the internet all that often. I still keep up to date with things, just not responding; which, I must admit, is rather rude.

Well I had a lovely day yesterday. I got up bright and early, made breakfast, drank my cup of tea, played on the computer a bit, made some Youtube vids.

Then, I had a drive over to Holyhead to buy some shoes. I stopped at a friend's house along the way and indulged myself with a cup of tea. After I'd bought my shoes I had intended to park my car at one of the viewing area's for RAF Valley; but I took a wrong turn and ended up at some lovely bay. So I stopped there instead! I even had some nice chicken & cheese sandwiches and ate them whilst reading my book.

My current book is "Exit Strategy" by Kelly Armstrong. I had been reading book 2 of "The Saga of Seven Suns" which I'm really getting into. Prior to that it has been Ben Elton's "Chart Throb". All great books that I would recommend.

Anyway, I'd taken my air-band radio on this trip; not that I expected to be able to hear anything at a military airport, but they handled civilian traffic too, so I thought I'd give it a go. I had at least hoped to find Valley Information but all I could find was a list of codes due to something not being operational for the weekend. I would have to assume that there is a connection.

So as I drove home I got thinking how nice a day it is. So I drove up into the mountains and stopped at one of my favourite spots in North Wales (it overlooks Anglesey). I got my air-band radio out and I was not disappointed - I was in a good enough position to hear London Information. I just sat listening to the chatter on that for 45 minutes or so before finishing the drive back home.

I got back and I decided to pull all the weeds up in the garden. I didn't realise they were weeds at first and I didn't find out until it was too late. But I pulled them all up anyway - despite all the seeds floating around the back garden trying to choke me. Garden is looking far tidier now. Empty, but under control.

Then I just spent the evening relaxing, watching videos on Youtube and eating my tea.

And that brings me to this morning. I just got up, came downstair to make breakfast but couldn't find the bowl I had used yesterday for my porridge. I looked in the living room to see if I'd left it in there, and I looked in the kitchen to see if it was there. But no, it had disappeared. So I took out a clean bowl and made my porridge and went to put it in the microwave. But guess what i found in the microwave? - yes, yesterday's bowl of porridge. I'd forgotten to take it out and eat it! I'm going mad.

Like last week (Tuesday to be precise - how I wasn't late for choir I'll never know) I went to the shop to buy a bus ticket. I reached into my pocket and handed over my credit card, but I kept entering the pin and the terminal said "wrong pin". I couldn't understand it. Anyway, after some fuss we eventually managed to make the transaction. Later on I'd looked at the receipt and I noticed I had been trying to pay with my debit card - not the credit card. No wonder the pin wouldn't work! I was sure I had handed over the credit card though.

I'm losing it! Lol!

So tonight I think I have an extra choir rehersal. It's in a different place (and a different day) but someone said they'd wait outside for me. So all I have to do is get the time right. I think the extra rehersal is due to a concert next Saturday - my first concert hopefully. Not that I have tickets yet for my guests. I hope to sort that out during next week.

For the time being though, I am going to publish my recorded Youtube gubbins before playing a bit on Guildwars. then, when it's a decent hour, I'll put the washing on and cut my hair (no dramatic video for it this time though).

Laters dudes :-)

Evening All.
Hello! Really haven't been up to much. I've been to Blackpool, car broke down (I'll be fixing it at the weekend) and money ran out last week. Luckily I'm paid today.

The Blackpool video I'm editing for Youtube seems to be taking an eternity. It's really not going to be worth the effort. If only I had windows XP - then I'd be able to use loads of nifty free software. As it is, I'm stuck with software that'll only cut and paste video clips. And it doesn't do that all too reliably.

Take care all :-)

Where Have I Been?!.
Well, I've had a busy time just lately. So I must apologse for not being around. I know how you all hang on my every word and yearn for the next sentence to be typed by my delicate wee fingers ;-)

Well I am being a very good boy this weekend. I have got all of my paperwork sorted, cleaned out a lot of stuff I don't need anymore and have tidied up. There is only clothes washing (and, of course, eating) left to do now.

As some may know, I went to a Christening last week. It was the first time I had been to a Catholic church for a service (I have previously visited as part of a school trip to many of the different local places of worship). Though I didn't agree (idealogically speaking) with a lot of the theories behind the service, I did enjoy myself and found the day to be spiritually enriching aswell. My nerves were unfounded.

Though I have to say that meeting some of the folks from where I used to work was very nice. I spoke to most of them (I wanted to speak to all, but did not feel able) and caught up. There was also brief debate on the place that organised religion has in the world.

I stayed overnight at my friends house. It was her son being Christened and he is a cheeky little adorable thing. I felt really comfortable at the house and we all had a nice chat. I would say that they have the 2nd best sofa I've ever slept on. I won't be telling whose is the best!

So anyway, that was last week. It was a shame to go but all good things must come to an end. Even if they are only temporary ends (shouldn't they be called pauses rather than ends?).

This week, Tracy is with me. As I mentioned, we've tidied the house and are looking forward to going to our respective parents' houses. Hopefully, I'l be able to do some decorating. I do enjoy a good bit of decorating and if it involves helping then I'll have managed to coombine two of my favourite things.

I have a couple of things to be getting on with aswell. I have started writing a song but this time I think it has potential. I have lyrics and a melody already. I think you'll like. I also have a decision to make about whether to start saving up for a holiday in 2008 or not. It would be a trip with the choir. I am inclined to go.

So that's about it really. I have been contemplating on the New Horixon's mission to Pluto. I wondered whether the mission controllers are, in the back of their minds, thinking how best to preserve the craft to survive into interstellar space as it looks like, if predictions are true, that Voyager 1 won't make it before its battery power fails.

But that's it. I've written enough essays for one morning and I am yet to have breakfast. So, TTFN

How to Pass the Time Until Dr Who at 19:05 Today...
Step 1 - Decide what housework needs doing.
Step 2 - Charge camera batteries.
Step 3 - Find an innocent looking piece of "male grooming"equipment
Step 4 - Tie an airfix model to your hand
Step 5 - Put all of the above into a video and play it to the world with more enthusiasm than actual skill.
Step 6 - Advertise it so others can also pass the time.



I have been working on this video since about 13:00. That's 5 hours folks. I really did clean the whole house though. Gonna have a shower next. Then for tea I'm having roast pork I hope.

TTFN

Last Night.
Last night I watched the two previous episodes of Dr Who (and their respective Confidentials) before watching Jonathon Ross. A young lad was on the show - you may have heard of him, Pete Doherty. Anyway, he didn't look at all comfortable/well and it was this point that I had a thought.

The thought was of some people I was once quite close to. Their use of certain substances was increasing the last time I saw them. While I'm fairly sure that they haven't, I still fear that they are currently in a similar state to the young gentleman I was watching on TV. And that scares me. Because even though we haven't spoken in years, and they pretty much hate me, I still care for them. I only wish they knew that.

So there we go. I wanted to get that off my hcest. You never know, they might even read this one day.

Bye for now.

I Must Write a Blog.
But nowt is happening! Birthday were right good, as was Tracy's. The video will be on Youtube shortly.

So I suppose I should make an announcement. I have joined Youtube. I even have a grand total of three videos. All me talking rubbish.

Alas, I have driven 120 miles to be here tonight. I am tired and slightly deranged. Not as deranged, however, as The Master on Doctor Who last night. Fantastic! So much to say, but it is all waiting. Everything is waiting. I am sick of waiting.

I'm happy but hungry. Take care all x

Ooh Eck.
Do I really look like a deranged chipmunk with a squint to other people? I do hope not.

Anyway, I just wanted to let the world know that I'm okay. I'm happy. I had a lovely week off work and managed to get a lot done.

In family history work, we have got a little further (and, indeed, widened) the mystery surrounding my mother's ancestors. One of the people in our search left a will. This will be the first time I've been able to use wills in my research. So a little *yay* from the crowd wouldn't go amiss ;-)

You know when I joined (and continue to pay for) that fan forum for the Reverands' Mark and Lard? Well I'm feeling uneasy again. Exposed and vulnerable.

Oh well, can't do anything about it now so I may as well have some tea. Mince with, erm, stuff tonight. Maybe even a rough attempt at chilli con carne. With spaghetti. You would rightly ask "why don't you just have spag-bol?". To which my reply would be - that's a great idea, lets do it.

Byeeeeeeee

I am bored.

I am wound up.

I spent a significant portion of my time last night making weird noises and banging my head on the sofa.

Tonight I have wine.

Bye x

Language.
Why are we, the taxpayers of this nation, paying for documents to be translated into a veritable multitude of languages?

During a recent email conversation I found myself thinking how absurd the concept is. That is, when you delve deeply into the subject. I could have mentioned it in the email, but instead I wanted to explore the topic here. I will not go into great detail (alas, I have not the energy) but I will outline my case.

Now then, lets start with some praise. Helping new-comers to this country to know what is going on is a noble sentiment. Very friendly, very, well, probably very British too. But then where is the encouragement to learn the language of the realm (English)?

Surely by rendering it unnecessary to learn a language then you won't (unless you particularly want to, of course). Surely being able to converse with your adopted society is a prerequisite for becoming part of that society?

So, assuming (for the sake of brevity) that it is good to unite the realm under one language, why is the Welsh language given such attention? I don't mean to single out the Welsh, but it is they who appear to have put in the most effort to keep the language in use. The Scottish, for example do not, to the best of my knowledge, have bilingual signs (though they do have non English speaking areas like Wales).

I can understand wanting to save a dying language (another noble sentiment) but surely using a different language is accentuating the differences between the members of the realm? Shouldn't we be trying to unite these members since we are supposedly one great nation? Or do we want something like the Australian Commonwealth model?

But where do we stop? Where do we draw the line between keeping a language alive (which, from an academic point of view, can only enrich our appreciation of the world) and creating subdivisions within a united country?

In fact, where do we stop subdividing? England itself was not one united kingdom until late in the 9th century. Given that the Welsh language can be traced back to the original Celtic inhabitants of the land, and so can Scottish, then surely the English version of the Celtic tongue is the one the English should be learning?

But there is a problem with this. Nobody knows what the English Celtic languages were like (with slight exceptions that I would love to go into, but here is a link instead). It truly is dead. So we are forced to move forward in time. To the next language spoken. That of the Anglo-Saxons. After all, it was from these Germanic settlers that we get the name England in the first place.

So perhaps we should take on our local dialects of anglo-saxon (the sounds of which, by the way, are still evident today)? For me, it would be Mercian. Taking on sounds from the Viking north and the Germanic east. Read more here.

With all of the links I have had to include, I hope you can see why i can't go into that much detail. There is just so much and I do not have the energy or inclination to do it right now. However, any debate would be greatly appreciated.

Take care :-)

The Post That Was to be Called "The Right Thing to do is Rarely the Easiest".

Words seem to be flowing quite well today.

I have no huge rant about politics. I will, however, point you in the direction of WebCameron. Alas, I fear that this is yet another attempt to pretend that the people actually matter in politics. I'm not so naive as to think that I can be pleased all of the time. Difficult decisions have to be made and you're not going to please everybody all of the time.

In my shorter than average time on this earth I have witnessed things improve. I have also witnessed things get worse. I shan't bore you with the detail.

Well nobody seems to have mentioned the bank holiday weekend when I had guests. Yes, you read correctly, guests. They were well mannered, tidy and good company. I must admit to a feeling of sorrow when they left. Well, I say sorrow. I think they may have been quite glad after stopping up late to watch the complete Genesis of the Daleks episode.

The meal over in the "big city" was nice though. Talking of which, I have another one to go to tomorrow. Should be fun. I doubt I'll be stopping out late. I'm busy on Saturday too. I'm helping a friend move some things.

Talking of Saturdays (see how smooth my links are?!) I am contemplating joining a community project. It isn't my community (which kind of ruins the point) but at least I know that they will know me. Therefore they won't be quite as ready to think I'm some teenage hooligan. It's only a bit of gardening, but it'll get me out of the house.

Talking of gardening (see - you'd think this was planned!) I have to sort out the back garden. It's starting to look a bit wild. So I have bought a fork (the large gardening variety, not the eating variety) to dig up weeds and the like. Should be good!

Anyway, it's getting later and later as I email and write blogs, and email and email and email. So I'm wondering if I'll ever get to do the washing up! (Washing up being required prior to the commencement of cooking).

So goodbye people. Stay safe, stay happy, stay beautiful.