People are Strange

Another day of work, more changing tagets meeting plans and no actual achievements how depressing.

Another session at the gym listening to my ipod avoiding the gaze of the meat head blokes gazing longingly at the lovely looking ladies.

Another set of pcs to fix for friends and the sister of the same friend.

Is this it? Am I doomed to be only wanted for people that need things fixed, should I feel honored that Im important even if it is for only the briefest moment. Perhaps its me I have a tendancy to live more inside my own mind than in the real world, though im not sure if its a function of

One of the people I talked to was using the Russian Mp3 site allofmp3 ot that im recommending it, but I must say the interface it actually easier to use than sonys dreadful sonic stage software, and it dosnt add stupid drm crap. If only there were a legal site like that I would own thousands of downloads.

Smactastic

This evening Danny came round so I could fix up his ibook, once again people only calling on me to fix their computer issues. Dan wanted some software installing which of course only I am capable of doing, at least I got a pint out of it.

Macs are a lot more simple to maintain than pcs, they dont get as much spyware and viri whereas the average pcs is totally clogged up with the stuff.

Watched 3 Colours Red a French film and I enjoyed it quiet a bit the cinimatogrpahy was great the use of images to tell the story the dialog was a bti strained but I was reading the subtitles I guess it works a lot better if you can understand French.

BBQ and Football

Its been a long day I am feeling pretty tired and pretty full, so how did I get here?

The day started well I was a little hung over took the morning slow read my email found a very funny parody of creep. Then went for a swim and a sauna with Bruce so I was feeling pretty good.

Next stop was Jo Bergers house, to celebrate his 25th with a BBQ and too watch the football, now I don't normally watch football know very little about it and usually get very bored. However it was a good atmosphere a group of friends all rooting for England it was a hairy match a few times I though our guys would through it away. In the end though David Backham put us through so hurrah at least another game to go.

Next was the BBQ Bruce and Phil had gone to costco bought load s of meat and cake plus what Jo had in and his neighbours brought round some nice marinade chicken. So I ate and eat chatted laughed and drank all in a atmosphere of double celebration.

Phil had the biggest steak I have ever seen, which Joe ate practically raw if only I had my camera :p I finally met Liz Holly's friend she seemed nice enough but there wasn't any chemistry there so never mind, back to searching.

Next up watched the Portugal versus Netherlands match, the winner will go on to play England next round, and well what a spectacle not for the football but for the ref. Diving more card than ever handed out 20 i think, Men on both sides sent off diving time wasting fighting, to be honest I thought at one point there was going to be a mass brawl.

Strangly I don't know if it was the setting or because it was England (for all my faults I am still a patriot) or just the group histeria I was pulled into both of the games and really enjoyed them, still not as much as the Rugby but it was good to win.

Pizza Express and the watershed

Last night I took myparents for a curry at the La Quila, we had a really nice meal and a chat. I had promised to take them out last month after I got my pay rise, however one thing and another Phils brithday and a few other things came up so it got postponed until now.

After I dropped them home Phil and I went for a few drinks at the unicorn, and to ogle at the lovely barmaid Sophie I know I am bad. Martin met us there for a last orders and we decided to try and organise a meal out tonight.

I did some overtime during the day working on the website, to be honest it was a long frustrating day but thats a whole other story.

Martin organised for Phil, Bruce, Charlotte, Endo, Jo and ourselves to meet at Pizza express in Wilmslow, I hardly see Martin, Endo or Jo these days so it was nice to meet up and have a chat. Martin was his usual self loud and X rated, which Bruce found very funny as there was a family sat behind us (when I told Martin he just said "its after the watershed mate").
The food was nice but the drinks were way overpriced I baulked at paying £3 for a drink at the Foo Fighters but they at least were serving pints. Pizza Express were charging that for a 330ml bottle of Nastro Assuro, piss take! It was also very noisy and not just because of Martin the was a lot of noise even when the place started to empty I could bearly hear the conversation next to me.

After the meal we trouped off the the Coach and Four for a few more drinks I introduced Endo to magners, whilst Martin talked about pets, sex and the glands of the mouth. We were going to play poker but it never happened and I ended up at home playing a few more turns on Civ 4 before heading to bed.

Stacked Actors

Small success at work today I managed to get the Linux users to sync passwords between the servers. I set up ssh public private trust relationships then rsynced the files between the servers.

Did my longest run on the running machine only a pathetic 8.5km but it felt good, i think I have probably gone further outside but its hard to tell exactly at least it shows progresion.

Tonight I upgraded the coppermine galleries to the latest version and enabled statcounter rather than the bravenet one on johncooke.info and 1zanshin.com. Was a slight pain getting stat counter to work with coppermine until I found this post. Basically be editing the theme and inserting the following in the theme template it works.
[html]

all of the Statcounter code, no blank lines, no line feeds

[/html]

Best Of You

I didn't feel going out with Ian last night was such a hot idea this morning, that Star of Prague beer is quiet strong. Oh well I made it into Manchester Science park in time for our company meeting, it was actually a pretty valuble exercise. Whilst Roger is a brash American he is very business focused and helped us to develop our ideas a lot. I even managed to spend so qualit time with Mike and understand a bit more of what he is upto now. I have just typed up the meeting notes heopfully we can start to concentrate and hit the missing bits of the puzzell.

Just listened to a podcast with one of Pauls Songs whilst typing this pretty cool they guy dooing the podcast is really positive I hope his prediction comes true.

This is a Call

Finally caught up with Ian, he had also been at the Foo Fighters Gig with his girlfriend Faye. We hadn#39; met up due to their late arrival, and with so many people in the crowd is wasn't possible to meet. It was good to catch up and have a chat with him.
We went to the John Millington for a few beers. Bruce and Phil met us down their, it was also the first time I had seen him in over a week; he had been away at his cousins wedding. He bought me a cool Guinness Paper Weight from the Guinness Factory in Ireland :D

Everlong

This is the third time I have tried to compose this blog, first time was on the night I was very tired and managed to close the window down half way through, next time I got distracted and did the same so hopefully third time lucky hey!

On Sunday I went to see the Foo Fighters at the giant concert at Lancashire Cricket Club (Old Trafford), I got two tickets one was Phil's Birthday present so went went down about 2.30 in time to catch the supporting acts. First act were the Eagles of Death metal, they were alright the lead singer was fun got the crowd going a bit. Next were the Subways they were excellent really getting into the spirit of things. Angels and airwaves were dull dull Americana and made a long boring speech to boot YAWN.
The stroke's were good, but looked bored and though quiet a few people were in Strokes T-Shirts they knew who the crowd had come for, The Foo Fighters! However since hearing some of the songs like Juicebox and Ize of the World I have re-listened to First Impressions of Earth and i think I get it now, "Cold your so Cold Your SOOO COLD!".

Finally it was time for the Foo's, they played a video montage of all their hits before coming on just to remind everyone how damn good they are. They were amazing yesterday even in the rain Dave Grohl was supremely cool really getting the crowd going, there were sons off every album, Dave started talking about how it was 11 years since the first album before playing this is a call is it really that long? Some of it was just so rocky it made me want to jump around like a madman, Monkey Wrench I think the best of it was the encore though, Everlong was amazing then Taylor and Dave switch round for Cold Day in The Son, he proclaimed Taylor is the best drummer in the world and I should know! Then played an amazing drum set.

I am trying to find a full setlist because my memory isn't good enough to remember ill post it here if I find one.

Getting Home was fun Phil and I were buzzing but we had use that energy walking into Manchester (the metro was full) then catching the 192 into Stockport (surrounded by all the middle age women who had been to the take that reunion). Finally waiting for a taxi and watching one of the drunkest girls ever fall (or be push I am not sure) straight down with a real smack though we were going to have to do first aid but she just got up must have not felt it through the alcohol she will today. Taxi to Phil's then walk home it was 1.30 by then :S

Got the day off work today hurrah so I'm sorting out all the foul jobs which have been piling up, like my stupid pension sigh and reading my Shanghai travel guide.

Late Room

Yesterday I had a semi productive day, mowed the lawns cleaned my car did a few little bits of paperwork, then had a bbq yum.
In the evening I went into Manchester with a group of people to listen to paul. He was playing at the late room and quiet a few people came out to see him, most of Sandbox, Danny an Lynn, Berger and Holly even Nick and Becs made an appearence, remembered my camera for a change some photos here.
I enjoyed his set though my ears were ringing after listening to the first band (the loud and agressive alternative influence). They got told off by the engineer for throwing gear on the floor. Pauls sound wasnt the best I dont think the engineers were too hot, the place has the loudest system for such a small venue you can literally feel the music rather than here it. I am glad I went out it was good to see everyone, and dispite everything its always worth listening to Paul.
Nick Becs Danny went off for somethign to eat I was stuffed after the bbq so Phil and I went to bar thirty eight (we couldnt take the noise of late room anymore). I drank too much gin and started to go under a bit luckly Becs gave us a lift home after thier meal.

Full Circle

I was reading an artical on the register and it occurred to me there was another example of the cyclic nature of the IT industry. The introduction of Flash Ram to help power requirements harks back to the good old days when the OS lived on ROM on the computers mainboard (at that time the issue was speed not power).

Just a thought

Closer

Watched the match whilst working out on the cross trainer after work, I turned the other way for a moment and missed crouches goal but caught Gerrard's boomer :-D
In truth today was a difficult day work was not great, characterised by my company owner making a surprise visit and my laptop totally messing up so I couldn't show what I have been working on. I also managed to have an argument with my dad to boot, I think we are so far apart these days there is little to talk about no common ground, I've been looking to move out but its a choice of stay here and be miserable, rent and never own, or buy in some shit area and not enjoy life not really many options.
After the gym I ate dinner with my parent though in truth I was only their in body then I went round to Phil's, and we watched the excellent closer, so many good lines in that movie If only I could think so sharply so intelligently, such good dialogue it bears many repeat viewings. I want so much to be the Clive Owen character but in truth I know I am closer the the underachieving obsessive Jude Law it makes me sad but it dosn't make it less so.

Cymbol Rush

Managed to listen to the upcomming Thom York album its sounding very good, especially Black Swan, Atoms for Peace, the man is a musical genius I can't wait for the released version.

So what have I been upto, last night Phil and I went to the John Millington for a few beers we both had super hard days at work (though his was worse than mine) we talked about how crap work can be and did the usual setting of the world to rights. Nick and Becky came down for last orders, Nick looked tired and didnt really say too much, Becky was on good form though it seems at some point Phil and I passed a threshold with her and now we aren't outsiders anymore which is pretty cool. Its quiet a dichotomy really over time I have got closer to Becky someone whom at first I felt was a bit aloof, whereas with Ians brother I started off seemling on great terms with his girlfriend but now I dont see them anymore.

I am looking forward to weekend should be a good one Paul is playing on Saturday night and its the Foo Fighters on Sunday I cant wait :-)

I went to the gym tonight for the second time this week, I now weight 13st10lb which ironically is exactly the same as I weighed way back when I was in 4th year Bramhall High, four years ago at 21 I was at the peak of unfitness and I weighed 16st and wore size 40in waist trousers. Tonight my size 36 jeans are looking fairly baggy hopfully another few pounds shed and I can fit into 34 fingers crossed.

I finished book two of the Dark Tower so far so good it was an enjoyable and addictve read I have the 3-6 on order from Amazon, Ill update you when I get through them.

Sunny Days & Football Madness

Yesterday was Enlgands first game in the world cup, given I have never been much of a football fan so Phil and I took the opportunity to go shopping whilst everyone watching the football. I bought myself a new pair of shoes, and the book Kelly recommended (Stephen Kings Dark tower starting with volume two). At least Ill know what she is talking about the gunslinger now... I also bought a C# cookbook to try and get back on top of the apr calculations for work.
It was such a beautful day so sunny and the sky was blue walking aroun the deserted steets of Stockport feeling the breeze I felt like I was in Cairns again, it seems like a distant memory now, Id love to go travelling again.
Didnt go out last night spent enough money shopping, Instead stayed at home watched a couple of filmes the excellent garden state and the not so excellent oceans 12.
I seem to spend a lot of time worrying about money these days dispite improving my income from the dark days of unemployment on return from Australia I still seem to be struggling to keep m head above water, my dreams of my own place seem as far away as ever which is very troubling as getting along with my parents is getting more and more difficult.

Phil's Birthday do + one week

Bit late this post I've started to compose it on no les than three occasions but due to problems with internet, sleep, and work it never got written, until now!
Last Friday night I, Bruce + Nina, Nick & Bec's and Joe + Holly went to Casa Tapas to celebrate primarily Phil's 26th birthday (though we were also celebrating for Nick on the 31st and Bruce's coming up on the 4th).
Tapas is great especially with beer, lots of beer :) The mood was good we all eat drank and chatted whilst course after course of tapas (and jugs of beer) were delivered to our table.
After the meal we decamped to the Slug and Lettuce for more drinks (I went to Scotch Phil Bourbon) on closing time Phil and I went off into Manchester on the number 42 bus leaving the rest to get an early night. In a kind of blast from he past was drunkenly headed to Deansgate locks for further alcohol consumption we moved onto double vodka and oranges oh dear. The rest was a blur loud music downstairs and too crowded upstairs more and more drinks.
I felt terrible Saturday spent the entire day nursing my hangover, still felt pretty tired Sunday too, but it had been a good time, pity I forgot my camera would have been some ace photos.
Not much happened in the week, saw Nick and Bec's Tuesday had a few drinks watched Nick squirm while Becky talked about children's names (she really knows how to wind him up). Went to the Gym last night it was 29C according to the exercise bikes very hot felt like a sauna in the main room I think I should have complained, spoke to Martin (who has buggered off to the download festival) and he has suspended his membership until the autumn to work on his house and Charlotte ;)