Andy

06:27 pm: My, it's cold
34 Centigrade to 34 Fahrenheit, brr.

Venezuela was interesting. Climbed Mt Roraima in the Lost World (2:1 climbs are not much fun). Swam in the pool at the bottom of Angel Falls. Looked at the Orinoco. Drank beer. Drank more beer. Went to Brazil for 30 minutes. Boggled at petrol prices of 60 litres/£.

Oh, and it's run by a grade-A whackjob - Col Maxim was right.

07:21 pm: Wasn't expecting that....
Apparently I qualify for free eye tests.

08:13 pm: stuff

Work has gone haywire for a week. Still, better than too quiet.

Went to Coventry, saw The Specials, which was good. Entertaining talk and curry with NickM.

Went to multiple family celebration in Solihull, which was good. Timing prevented organising dropping in on on <lj user="quondam"> (so I didn't - sorry!)

Saw Coraline. Wonderful. (<lj user="wildwinter">, was it you advocating it?). Reckon it would be terrifying to younglings.

I seem to be unusually busy this summer. Strange.

Hmm, can't work username links.

09:41 pm: Bah. Hamburg.
Says it all, really.

08:18 pm: Credit crunch = desperate thieves?
Finding myself down near Trafalgar Square yesterday, I thought I'd amble through St James' Park, and watch the birds at the lake. Other than pigeons, I found one goose, all the others obviously having been swiped by someone. However, even more amazingly, some enterprising so-and-so had also stolen all the water! Not a word on the news that I've heard, so clearly someone is being paid to keep quiet as well. If you hear of anyone selling used lakewater (may contain waterbirds), it's probably hookey.

Which threw into sharp relief a walk home along the canal earlier in the week. Usual ducks. geese, coots and the odd moorhen, but I was left thinking it a shame that the swans and herons weren't about (if you can block out the industriality, it can be quiet picturesque). Then suddenly, a russety flash from the grass made up for that with a rather pheasant surprise.

In other news, mostly, February was pretty awful, March so far hasn't been any better.

Oh, and after the Comic Relief thing, and "10 people a year dies climbing Kilimanjaro", hmm, maybe not this year then....

Oh yes, someone in Green Park was taking a ferret for a walk.

03:22 pm: Hamlet 6th Jan
Pending confirmation from Sarah, there is potentially a spare ticket available on Tuesday 6th. Cost was £37.

A couple of people may have first call, but it appears that Tennant may make it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/7810501.stm

I don't have access to this during the day tomorrow, so leaving some kind of contact (or contacting Sarah) may be a good idea.

Andy

09:09 pm:
WIth luck, this has worked!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/62921056@N00/sets/72157611401141808/

10:07 pm: Techy photo help
So, oh wise LJers,

how do I resize a photo, such that it might be loaded here or on Flickr? I have Paint, which seems to allow me to resize by %age, or Media Centre, which doesn't appear to want me to do anything much.

I'm sure last time I tried doing this I could do it picture by picture.

09:55 pm: Tennant eek
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7776191.stm

Um, how fast do you recover from as slipped disc?

08:45 pm: Bletch
Well the last few days has gone downhill. Trip to Now Show recording (much fun, thanks Max), Office Christmas drinking (not bad), football at Fulham on Saturday (not a great game, got very cold), and now a streaming cold/chill meaning no sleep for two days. Today involved getting up, calling work, and going back to bed until it was dark again.

Rather hoping it's a bit warmer next weekend.

07:20 pm: Chile
Sun, sea, sand, salt, snow-capped volcanoes, sunburn, statues, stunning scenery, sunrises, sunsets, blue icebergs, pisco sours. -9 deg to 34 deg.

Marvellous. But it isn't half cold here.

Oh, congrats to Cat and James.

09:45 pm: bletch
After two weekends in cold wet fields, I predict that this weekend will bring sniffing, sneezing and general rubbishness. Bah!

07:14 pm: things I have learnt this week
1. It is possible to completely carbonise something in a microwave, even when following timings. I wouldn't have got those wrong, of course.
2. Things cook better if the correct hob ring is turned on.
3. The great simplification of advance rail tickets should actually be pronounced expensivification. Or something.
4. That those who have known me for a while possibly ought to sit down before the next. With a stiff drink.

( Technology... )
I can still remember when people did without quite nicely.
( Read more... )

11:16 am: Well that was fun
By a complete fluke, tickets had been arranged for Midsummer's Night Dream at the Globe to coincide with my birthday. All very funny, and possibly as the last one of the run, Bottom-as-Pyramus was rather hammy, and Theseus was going a whole range of funny colours trying not to crease up. Bottom-as-Ass was merely hilarious. All excellent, and more so by not being in the rain.

On top of Wicked and Phantom in the last few weeks, all rather excellent. And now nothing planned until Hamlet in January. Much thanks to the cast of many involved in arranging all of them.

Work's still irritating though.

10:28 pm: RL Cup Final
Went to Wembley. Was hot, and very shiny. Was bemused by the electronic turnstiles and the idea of escalators in a stadium. Abide With Me is a stunning (and shiver-inducing) sound.

Very tense game due to neither side playing well, our club captain dislocating his shoulder in the first minute (now, I know how that feels). Only put to bed with 5 minutes left. As a Hull fan put it, when they scored it was a bit like prodding a rattlesnake.

Nice for it not to be on BH w/e for a change.

And even better that Sarah and Ryan will have had good weather.

09:07 pm: Stuff and Whomlet
Missed both Maelstrom and the clashing Harts event, due to Life. Bit annoyed about that, as they both sound to have gone down well.

This may amuse

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/25/tennant_hamlet/

10:46 am: a weekend
Good:
Not doing much
Free tickets to Quins 0 - Saints 54 (1/2 strength Quins though). Free beer too.
Congrats to Gareth+Caroline.
Have avoided details, hype and ranting about Dr Who since Pompeii, although all recorded.

Bad:
Have succesfully procrastinated about too much stuff.
Got (relatively) politely mugged last night. Unhurt, but temporarily bereft of cash/plastic. Humbug.
All current plans are therefore delayed. Sarah/Sally - will email re Hamlet.

05:05 pm: this makes me happy...
Russell T Davies is to step down as executive producer of Doctor Who, the BBC has announced.

...

Bafta-winning Writer Steven Moffat will succeed Davies as lead writer and executive producer of the fifth series of Doctor Who.

(from BBC news)

09:53 pm: Busy, without achieving much. So no change there.
( Aprilness )

So now, maybe a play or something if I have time. For any folkies, Kate Rusby is playing at Broxbourne on 30th. After hearing a couple of hers sung at the w/e, I might go. Don't know if it's sold out.
Think that's it, apart from hell at work for a month and some.

So now, maybe a play or something if I have time. For any folkies, Kate Rusby is playing at Broxbourne on 30th. After hearing a couple of hers sung at the w/e, I might go. Don't know if it's sold out.
Think that's it, apart from hell at work for a month and some.

08:35 pm: email
Work upgraded my pc. I have therefore lost most email addresses that auto completed.

If you think I might want yours, can you send me it, please.

Ta.