Rambling and Ranting

Dust it down and start again

2010-02-17T22:25:00.002Z

A long time has passed since I last blogged, many many things have changed. Here are just a few of them.

I'm not a civil engineer anymore.
I am an Anglican Ordinand.
I am reading a Theology Degree at Durham University.
I am now engaged to Cat which is super exciting.
I have an awesome keyboard (Nord Stage 88 - it rulez)

I think the purpose of this blog may have changed to. I think I shall also use it to muse on theology and the church. I'm sure you're all psyched!

Today's pondering.

I sometimes get the feeling that the journey I am treading with God is wholly new and exciting, like I'm treading a path through snow for the first time. It's the excitement of a child discovering something for the first time. I feel like people must have historically never understood God because if they did, it would feel somehow different.

Then I read things written long, long ago (like Gregory of Nyssa or the thoughts of Thomas Aquinas) and I see a glimmer or perspective of God which stops me in my tracks - the writer has had the same experience as me.

I was thinking why this is. Am I naive or simply proud in thinking that I am the first person to feel like this? I don't think I am in either case. I think it has more to do with the character and nature of God. There is a vibrancy to the relationship which makes it seem fresh, which makes it seem new. God is eternal and to experience relationship with God roots us in His eternal nature. Inherently this brings with it feelings of freshness, of hope and of new beginnings.

To be rooted in the eternal is to be rooted in the forever new.

How dizzy?

2008-02-28T19:55:00.003Z

Back at work today and felt mighty, mighty dizzy. Its like having spent a good afternoon drinking and getting that constant whirry head spin without any of the other bits of being drunk. Not so much fun - especially since my medication means I cannot drink. I want a beer!

Newcastle United. They're a bit rubbish really, yet they are my team. It seems to me they've picked up a manager who is tactically naive in the extreme in what is actually a rapidly increasingly technical, tactical league. My target this year - to stay up! 6 point gap at the moment, more worrying than it should be. You'd think we've enough quality to stay up, but we are so poor on a performance level that I really, really worry! Is Super Kev super enough?

Poor abandoned blog

2008-02-28T00:30:00.003Z

I feel like I'm cutting the long grass with a strimmer this blog is so abandoned!

What's new pussycat?

I've been ill. For a month. Yes a month. Man I was bored. I am now somewhat recovered and back to work in the morning which will be great. So hopefully be back in the land of the living soon.

I'll try to get the blog going a little more. A slight Facebook fascination put nails in the blog coffin, but I think i prefer the blog format. So here I am.

Very edited highlights:

'flu
Still dating Cat
Still a Civil Engineer
Still Living in Heswall
Still doing lots of church stuff.

Anyway, welcome back!

July, the new November

2007-07-15T09:00:00.001Z

I've been on Holiday! Not just from this woefully out of date blog, but in real life. I spent last week in Cornwall, trying to climb. I managed to get up 2 routes in 5 days spending only 1 day climbing. It was a week of showers at low tide and sun battling behind the clouds at high tide. Except for Wednesday which was GLORIOUS sunshine whilst I was driving and then high tide when we got where we were trying to climb.
Still its always good to have time off and relax. I filled my time going to places with good sea cliffs, eating pasties, buying cider and reading. I read "The Year of Our War" by Steph Swainston. I got it in pack of prize winning books from the bookpeople (v. cheap books!). It was such a pleasure to actually spend some time reading, for some reason I never seem to get around to it very much despite how much I love doing it! Anywho, its a fantasy book which has a great start and then totally runs out of steam at the end, trying to cram too much plot in too little space.
I also went to see Rufus Wainwright at the Eden Sessions. Rufus was very good playing lots of his new album, which is not so good but does work live. Hot Chip provided an hour long support set, which was a little bit dull. They suffer very much from being four men, standing in a line, playing keyboards, producing music that should be made by one man and a computer in his bedroom. I'll try to get pictures of the awesome Eden centre up somewhere, so look out on farcebook or on flickr.
Back to work on Monday, whenever that is, talking at EP tonight on "God's authority" which should be interesting. Its about a 20 min talk in my head and needs to be less than 10 mins. Time for a severe edit!

Water Water Everywhere but not a drop to drink!

2007-06-11T22:36:00.000Z

Hey y'all,
Heswall has no water, well my house doesn't anyway! A big pipe has burst washing lots of sand into the road by Heswall Primary School and now I have no water. My folks do, so they're feeding me. Showering is the next challenge, have no idea if I'll have water or not. Guess we'll find out in the morning at work!
In other news, I've been ill again, same old viral rubbish which keeps taking me down. Very tired, felt rubbish, so missed two days at work, the whole weekend and ran a temperature for 5.5 days, which is a bad idea. Went back to work today, felt PAP all morning but starting picking up this afternoon thanks to the marvels of paracetamol. Whoop!
Imogen Heap's debut album has arrived, first listen to the first couple of tracks seems ok, definate whiff of Alanyis Morrissette involved, but need to hear more first.
Please take time to go listen to my song, would mostly enjoy your opinion of it, follow the link to the right labelled "My Oh Myspace" then go listen to "There is A Redeemer" at the bottom of the list.
Take much care,
Stino
xx

There Is A Redeemer...

2007-06-01T18:41:00.000Z

Had a FAB weekend over the bank holiday. Went to vist my big bro with my mum and Dad which was great. Had the chance to chill so I did things I love. I read "Sex God" by Rob "Nooma" Bell. Its very good on the relationships with people stuff and EXCELLENT on the relationship with God stuff.
I also had the chance to play with my toys, and have recorded a new demo for y'all. Its a rewritten version of "There is a Redeemer" by Melody Green. I rewrote the tune to use at church, where it works pretty well. So its in a more modern context. I've flung it on my myspace site.
This song was brought to you buy:
Boss Micro BR Digitial "4" Track (you layer things to get more depth!)
A Korg N5 for the Bass
A Takemine Electro-Acoustic Guitar
A De Armmond Electric Guitar (think that's right, its my bro...) through the Boss's effects
A Kemble Silent Piano (The BEST lazy way to record a Piano, just expensive...its my bro's too!)
My Voice - through the Boss's internal Mic...
Would be delighted to hear your comments!
Peace Out

Cup final, Quinta and generally feeling rubbish

2007-05-19T23:48:00.000Z

A stream of thoughts in no particular order...
Wembley looked a fantastic stadium, but one thing hasn't changed. With the odd exception (like last year) cup finals are often very poor games of football. TODAY WAS TERRIBLE!! As I said to my Man U supporting friend, it was a game neither team deserved to win. Eesh. I wrote the majority of tomorrow's sermon for EP during the game. RUBBISH. However at least its over. Can Liverpool produce a better Champions League Final? We can but hope.
Big Sam for Newcastle? Think that's probably a good thing, but I would expect some casualties amongst the players, we need a good clear out, and some heads banging together. If Big Sam wants to prove he is a managerial genius, he could turn Bramble into a defender and Luque into an striker! Think its gonna take some time!
Quinta. Was very, very very hard work but really amazing. Steve Beal (Heswall's youth worker) and I put together four services including lots of visuals (think spiritual music videos...to Snow Patrol, Prodigy and other such bands...) across the weekend. It was incredible, God really showed up and I hope and pray the 162 people shoe horned into the venue left having met God. I know I did - Brilliant.
The past week has been less good, I have been off work for three days and feeling generally under the weather. Some nasty viral thing which has really knocked me for 6. I have slept and sat. Most rubbish! I am a very poor invalid as I get hugely frustrated. Going from doing everything all the time, to nothing is too much for me to cope with. Its like a drug addict going cold turkey! However, I think I've turned the corner and should be back at work on Monday - Hoorah!
Anyway, sleep will probably help sort me out, so should really do that. Hope you're all well, and life is treating you nicely.
Love and blessings
Stino

Manager wanted

2007-05-07T00:14:00.000Z

Roeder has gone! Newcastle are once more a ship without a captain. We seem to change managers as often as some most teams change their shirts!
I think Roeder was a little unfortunate, he suffered an horrific injury crisis through the year and wasn't really able to field a side consistently. That said, they never played well and he didn't sign a defender. HINT: Defenders are as important as attackers in the general scheme of things. You need both to be successful.
I'll be happy if Big Sam takes the reins, would be nice to have a manager one can trust. So, let this season be forgotten and roll on 07/08.
A

Stop

2007-04-23T22:44:00.000Z

Please can I commend turning off the TV, turning off the music and stopping. It is very, very good.
Thank you
A

Why so quiet, how so busy!

2007-04-22T23:24:00.000Z

I am in the middle of an insanely busy period of my life at the moment, even by the hectic standards of the last few years, I am truly madly busy at the moment! What can I be doing? Well...

Building a wall in my garden
Organised the Fish Fooders to get to Spring Harvest
Done an EP special on the blessing
Had family over for dinner
Seen Cat
Written professional development reports
Seen some awful films (AVOID Pathfinder, unless you want 90 mins of mindless violence...)
Gone Climbing (Charity or Hope on Idwal, I forget which!)
Seen Faithless
Started preparing for Quinta (now in 3 weeks!)
Written a new worship song (There is a Redeemer, performed tonight, went down well!)
Oh and gone to work delivering all the projects I've needed to for that.

All completed in three weeks, well apart from the wall, that's still going. Expect me to spend "Free time" doing that for a while!
My blog got extra abandoned as I've tried to get FarceBook going, been good to find some long lost friends which is excellent! Though what would be really good would be to see these people!!
Spring Harvest was awesome, really amazing to see God moving in lots of people in lots of amazing ways. The challenge now is deal with all these things. I felt very personally challenged to become more involved with mission/outreach in Heswall. I have no idea how, what who or where and I am terrified. The vast majority of my work so far has been discipleship training with people. I'm not sure how I'll stand up in front of people I don't know and profess my faith. Still I'm open to anything and looking to see how God will challenge me, which he will, in ways I don't want to think about now. Its so much easier to look back and see how it happened than anticipate how it will happen.
For now, please know these two things.
God loves you. It sounds so cheesy, but it is so true. So while we're on a role, Jesus died to set you free. This is the most difficult thing to believe until you have tried to live it. I see so many people struggling in so many ways and if those things happened to me, my faith would carry me. It is tragic that people do not have the same gift that I do and its about time I shared.

Street and Countdown

2007-04-02T23:54:00.000Z

Two subjects, very much unrelated, both from musing at work about none work items.
Firstly, a rule on how to speak "Street" in the style of Westwood. Simple say adjectives louder than other words. This is far more accurate than you would think...
"We're gonna do big things"
"That is a red bus"
"I am the big dog"
"I am an idiotic man"

Secondly, check out this website, its a set of countdown games, which is ok. The thing that completes it is the animated clock WITH SOUND!!!

A-Maze-In.

Yes yes yes I'm crap

2007-03-20T01:24:00.000Z

This blog is crap.
Not only is it infrequently updated but the contents uninspiring. The readership infrequent, the comments and encouragement sparce. So why keep it going? Because it is useful to have an outlet from time to time and to let people know what the funk is going on in my life.
So why am I such an infrequent blogger?? Her name is Cat and she lives in Chester.
We've been going out for about 5 months or so; she's on the Christian youth work course at Chester Uni and she's fab. She makes me laugh, she make me smile and she makes me love God some more. Which is surely all good.
However, in my life, I have so much going on that the balance to allow blogging is precarious at best! She has tipped me over the edge to infrequency and subsequent relegation from Mikey's list. I do anticipate relegation at the current blogging rate and quite fairly. However dear reader, please stick with me; I REALLY don't have time for facebook (which I'm on) or myspace, so my pathetic blog is it.
I'm an engineer, the prose will never be good, but its a pale reflection of my life, which may prove interesting!
Anyway, time for bed! Work is MENTAL at the moment, far far far too much to do. I have two other people doing my work for me whilst I try to keep things under control, its a wee bit stressful, but I'm learning a lot about everything (people and engineering!)

Soundtrack??

Bloc Party's new one is good
Duke Special's album isn't as good as his EP collection, but its still got some nice songs on.

Gigs? have Police tickets for October (yes freakin October! bought for Deano) and Faithless on Friday.

Climbing? Haven't even got to the wall, so haven't climbed since about September which really really really sucks. I miss it- to the point where I'm looking at building a wall in my garage! Yes it is that bad. Might get out at the weekend, weather dependant.

Oh and I bought a new digital camera, it's great, so expect pictures sometime... don't hold your breath.

Love and respect to all!

Stino
xx

The Good The Bad and The Queen

2007-02-04T11:37:00.000Z

Mirk.
The only word I can pick to describe the weather as we drove to Warrington to see The Good The Bad and The Queen. Turns out that this is the most appropriate weather to listen to Damon Alburn's new project; the melancholic tunes drifting past with just a touch of menace from the melodic basslines.
Parr Hall is an odd venue, it's the size of a community theatre where you could imagine the local am dram group putting on a comic farce. Yet one of the biggest stars of BritPop was due to perform with the bass player from the Clash and the guitarist from the Verve. Support from a pair of jugglers, a ventriloquist and a bluegrass three piece added to the slightly surreal event, but the performance was excellent and really fitted the bill.
Paul Simonon struts arround the stage like a caged animal clutching his bass like an assault weapon, Albarn wearing a top hat singing tunes that embed themselves in your head, reluctantly letting go only so the next, lying in wait, can hook itself in. The sense of theatre from the setting and the eccentric support really seemed to match the enjoyment of the performers as they rattle through the 12 tracks.
The whole event seemed to have a real sense of conclusion - I'd be very suprised if there was a follow up in the near future - and I was very pleased to have caught it. However there is one thing that sticks in my mind.
In the Gorillaz, Damon sang vocals to an animated bass player, Murdoc, and a drummer Russel. Now, this could simply be juxtaposition, however, someone should look at how Paul Simonon moves around the stage and how Tony Allen (the drummer) looks. Now if you don't see that there aren't some striking similarities with their Gorillaz counterparts I'd mighty suprised!

Thing one

2007-01-25T01:14:00.000Z

I figured telling you I was tired just didn't cut it anymore. You know that. You know I'm busy. I kinda think the day-to-day is still important in part, but i think I have more to say. I hope so, cos this blog reads like a stuck record. So here's a little curve ball.

Does God Exist?
I mean really.
What do you think?
I think he does. But can I show YOU that? Can I argue with you till you conceed that my superior intelect and intelligence outways and nullifies every arguement you can throw against me?

You see I can look at reason and arguement and still get nowhere. The human race has plausible deniablility about the whole God issue. There is no website we can go to to see God. He does not blog (well, not directly...) so how do we know God is there at all? Maybe you can offer something along the lines of the platitude "you can't see the wind, but you can see its effects..." Well I can measure the wind. I can give you speed, direction, time, location; but I can't do that for God.

I can point at mountains, streams, rivers, waves and the whole natural environment and say look, God made this. I think God is there, so I attribute things to him but how does that help you?

The most convincing arguement I read for God's existance came in CS Lewis' book (yes, Narnia Lewis, he wrote lots of other stuff too...) "The Problem of Pain". He argues along these lines (this is the short form...):
People have an appreciation of the numinous. (warning, link contains things that may confuse...) This is something we have fear or awe of that we can't explain. Think of ghosts only bigger, more awesome. The supernatural. Things beyond our world.

Next point. Morals. Why do we have morals? Where do they come from? Why do we feel bad when we do something wrong?

Why the heck did anyone develop religion? Without God its totally illogical and pointless so did someone experience God to decide it was important. I mean once you've decided they are worthwhile, I totally understand variety and disagreement, but why in the first place?

I mean this stuff needs us to try to step back from the emotive stuff, step back from wind analagy and beauty of creation arguements. They're great, they help us to understand and contextualise God, but do they give us an explanation of His existance. I mean God could exist and do NOTHING today; there goes your wind analogy. Creation could be blind luck, and random chance. But the points above. Think about them in terms of cold, hard logic. Where do these things come from?

I really can't help develop all these arguements, I bottom out at trying to simply follow them - my head longs for the maths and science that prove it, but they're not coming. The proof isn't about to drop onto my doorstep. You see the thing I have to use most when I'm trying to deal with these concepts and ideas is the most valuable gift i have. Faith. We overlook it time and time again, instead seeing the tools and abilities we have to reach out, to help others, to produce things. We don't see the cornerstone of so much of what we do, without faith, my belief in God is equal to what this blog offers, a series of undeveloped arguements that someone more clever than me can destroy. My faith begins where my arguements fail, it takes me beyond my ability to reason and into a place where I can experience.

Yes I'm freakin useless

2007-01-16T23:38:00.000Z

Will blog more tomorrow, not today am far too tired today.
Sleepy time...
Stinozzzzzzzz

Past Present Future

2006-11-28T01:14:00.000Z

Somewhat hastily I blog, doing so partially from guilt by Mr Haydock...
I've been doing...
Youth Work Conference - was good as ever, learnt a fair bit. Very interesting talk on how kids these days interact with digital technology (such as my space, iPods etc.) doing lots of things very superficially and not getting a lot of depth with what they're looking at. Interesting, and has given me some ideas. Should I make a "My Space" for EP at COGS? I shudder at the thought due to my distaste for my space, but it could really impact those guys and ties into how they look at the world.
Muse - Gig was in the middle of Youth Work Conference. In short, this band are IMHO the best band kicking around at the moment. They rock very hard, there songs are stellar, they are musically very gifted and very tight and their stage show is spectacular. So why did it feel so hollow? It sat amid two and a half very intense days of God stuff at the youthwork conference and made me really think about what i value in my life. Muse were everything I'd want to see in a band and I really enjoyed them, but all the showmanship and expertese were lost when not grounded in the thing i live by. I have found more meaning in worship led by our worship band at COGS than i found on that stage. I am aware that this makes me sound like a smug, isolated Christian sitting in an ivory tower sneering at the world, but that is not my intention. I comment merely from a personnel point of view that I find lasting value in God rather than all the other amazing things i do. Does this devalue the world? No, actually I think it enriches it. I feel the scope has broadened rather than narrowed as I become aware that a greater depth of engagement is possible than I spend most of my time focused on.
My garden - Still digging to make it flat so i can lay a patio on it and drink beer on it next summer whilst reading a good book, listening to my iPod. Oh and in my dream its sunny too. I don't ask for much...
Working - Work is good but very busy, seem to be spending lots of time fixing computers rather than engineering, but such is life. Today we cleaned out blue toner after a cartridge blew up in the printer. Well at least it wasn't red...
I am currently...
Bloomin sleepy! All my own fault of course!
Listening to old CDs cos much that's coming out doesn't inspire me. I was very amused by the sight of a new Take That Album. Genius marketing: Get famous, tour lots make money, get lots of 14 girls as fans, split up. Scratch around earning something of a living based on the fact you were famous. Re-form 10 years later when your fans have grown up and now have a far larger disposable income, release best of album, go on sell out tour of uk arenas (make money), release new cd just before Christmas (make lots of money), tour new CD (make yet more money). But far play to them, they're doing alright for themselves!
I will be...
Playing another covers gig, this time for James SMH's birthday. More songs to learn, this time with much more demanding keyboard parts. James is singing for much of it though, so I should be ok... time will tell
Cheering on the toon as we acutally won a league game
Going to Christmas Presence at CoGS, its a play, it should be good!
Planning Christmas EP, with videos and such like. If you're near the Wirral on Christmas Eve, come to CoGS at 7, its a fantastic, fantastic service, and I'm really not just saying this!
Sleeping.
Now.
Goodnight!

Eeek, its November

2006-11-07T01:09:00.000Z

So, I still suck at keeping you up to date on my life. As ever, here are severely edited highlights:

Fantasy footie is going well, top of both leagues, and 21st best Newcastle Fan in the league. If Newcastle acutally had my team, they'd do much better. They are currently appalling.
Music: I inherited my Dad's old Piano- he now has a much nicer Yamaha U1, expect recordings of my piano songs on it at some point. It really is FANTASTIC. It just needs tuning...
Helped record on James Smethurst's Christmas album playing a sleezey jazz piano on Amazing Grace and the piano and flute on Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. It was recorded at Parr Street in Liverpool, where some of X&Y and muh of Rush of Blood to the Head was recorded, bringing the total number of instruments played by Chris Martin and I to two.
Work is good if very busy, doing a few different jobs which keeps me busy, issuing more reports than i considered possible. Still its good fun and good for the CV
Music: Saw We Are Scientists, they were very good. Supported by The Blood Arm who were ok too. First support slot was a terrible band featuring 3 keyboards and three bands. My best description would be the Magic Numbers being molested by a cyberman.
Fell City Girl might be worth watching, borrowed promo copies of their ep and new single. They're very good. Check links from Mike's blog to find out more no doubt.
Church: Most excellent! Numbers and passion up at Fish Food, have started a Manly Prayer meeting on monday. EP numbers still growing, been preaching, doing videos and leading worship, sometimes for the same service, which is clearly silly but did work...just!
House: I have levelled and dug out 26m2 of my patio. It WILL be ready for next summer, when I shall drink cold beer, read books and listen to music, oh and BBQ!

Will update on other stuff when its not so late and I can sleep!

Love, respect and a yearning to see so many of you who i haven't seen in far too long!

Stino
x

Hectic two minute update...

2006-09-26T18:47:00.000Z

Right here we go.

Climbing in Cornwall, really nice, going to get better at climbing and go back to do more routes. Particularly good was "terriers tooth" at chair ladder. Pictures of climbing are really hard to take, you're doing stuff all the time and cameras are extra weight. Rubbish.

Work - mental, work for two Stinos yet only one Stino. This does not bode well...
oh and I got promoted

Music - Lucy's wedding was ace, people enjoyed our set a lot
Mainaid was just as good, we raised money for Chris who is now at Nexus
Solo stuff- a few new songs, went down well at the aforementioned Mainaid.
Worship - managed to get loops of backwards guitar with harmonics over the top into a service with the advantage it actually worked quite well

Formating - probably not so good...

Fantasy Footie - Turns out I'm quite good at this. I am currently the 32nd best Newcastle fan in the game and I'm 349th overall. Sorry if this has spoiled it for anyone else.

Love you all lots,

Stino

...2 minute newsflash....

2006-09-04T00:17:00.000Z

Hey!

Really have to sleep as I'm driving tomorrow.

Greenbelt was very good, very busy, met some cool new people, saw Greenbelt friends, had a good laugh. Good time with the lads and v-dean (an inflatable version of Dean, who couldn't come) Courtney Pine was fantastic, had to miss the first hour of the shift, but what the hey, he was brilliant! Daniel Beddingfield also seemed good, he has a pretty fantastic voice and was most entertaining.

Lucy's (Greg's sister's) wedding yesterday (well, Sat...) we (Greg, Chris M and myself) played the reception, went very well we were a big fat hit. We are now toying with becoming a covers band for the odd wedding, its a good laugh and we might earn a few quid! So if you're interested...

Work: All good, bit busy, but hey!

Climbing, went to Helsby today, led a VS, scared myself whilst I was on the route, but got up safely. Now for a week climbing cliffs...

I'm on holiday this week (yey!!) camping and climbing in Cornwall I shall be eating Cornish pasties and drinking Cider to complete my "C" holiday.

Hope you're well,
Andy

No, really, stop EVERYTHING!!!

2006-08-20T23:43:00.000Z

Courtney Pine is playing Greenbelt
Courtney Pine is playing Greenbelt
Courtney Pine is playing Greenbelt
Courtney Pine is playing Greenbelt
Courtney Pine is playing Greenbelt
Courtney Pine is playing Greenbelt
Courtney Pine is playing Greenbelt
Courtney Pine is playing Greenbelt
Courtney Pine is playing Greenbelt
Courtney Pine is playing Greenbelt
Courtney Pine is playing Greenbelt
Courtney Pine is playing Greenbelt

The best thing I've seen live, almost ever. Jazz saxophonist. I will walk out of the Greenbelt shop if they try to make me work through this set. Actually.

STOP EVERYTHING!!!

2006-08-20T23:28:00.000Z

The fantasy football league MUST stop now! I have managed to pick a team who are not just rejects and miraculously sit top of the work league and second in Mike's league. This is the highest placing I will ever achieve, all beacuase Dean Ashton broke his ankle and I signed Bobby Zamora...

In other news, EP (church, i.e. evening praise) was fantastic tonight (at least from my perspective) worship was a pleasure, lead by Mr Matt Lacey, people seemed to respond to my talk on John 6, then we had communion. It was fantastic. I love God and it is awesome to see people going really going for it during a service. Brilliant! Suppose at some point i really should say more about my faith and share some of it. Still, it was fantastic!

My heel is now much better, it still aches, but at least I can walk on it a little bit, holiday now scheduled for September which will be boss. Please pray for a warm, sunny September! That said, I am off to Greenbelt on Thursday which i am excited about. Will be excellent to have some time off work and chill with the lads. We are working, but it never feels like work work, more a little bit of helping out at something fun! I think it's the lack of responsibility.

Anwyay, time for bed, love respect and God bless,
Andy

Its been a while, but it was an exciting pineapple

2006-08-12T23:56:00.000Z

Hey hey!

Sorry not to blog for ages, seem to have gotten caught up in the hum drum of everyday life, again.

So, what've I been up to. Work, which is good, if busy. Church which is good, if busy. Seeing the Wirral peeps, which is good too.

Rock climbing. Went to North Wales last week, good at first, but then I fell trying to lead a tricky route which was all a bit wet really. Smacked my heel into the rock and bruised it very badly (x-ray didn't show any breaks), then had to walk 4km back to the car. Next I spent three days with it elevated and iced (worked from home for a couple of days) which has made things a bit better, however, I had to postpone my holiday to Cornwall (climbing...) for a couple of weeks. I'm now going in September- having not booked anything, there was nothing to rearrange! Bit sore, but will be ok. I nicely mangled my number 1 Black Diamond Camelot which is suitably bent from the fall (that's the clever hunk of metal that stopped me falling further).

Music - Muse Album is a belter- very much looking forward to seeing them in the Autumn.

Saw Corinna Matthews at her sister's confirmation which was cool, very good to catch up, although sadly will probably now not see her for another 5 years which is a bit rubbish.

Kyle went back to America. Miss him, he was fun.

Anywho, very sleepy now, time for bed. Will blog soon.

Stino

Things to get excited about...

2006-07-03T19:21:00.000Z

1. I have the new Muse album (haven't listened to it yet...)
2. I have now got a myspace, link to the right as "My Oh Myspace" -check my demos out...
3. I'm going climbing on Saturday
4. Its sunny and warm and things
5. I'm going to see the Deftones and Mainey and She She
6. I've got a pineapple that's ripe for the eating!
7. I've found my coffee pot, it needs cleaning, but makes SWEET STRONG COFFEE!
8. Life in General!

Germans win on penalties!

2006-06-30T18:23:00.000Z

Argentina had never lost on penalties.
Germany had never lost on penalties.
So why aren't I suprised that the Germans won on penalties? Who will beat them??
Germany England Final? Reverse of '66??

Life goes on away from football. Work is manic! Have this massive list of stuff to do, and it keeps getting longer. Everyone is going away on holiday, leaving me with all the work! Should've got in there first, booked leave and left everyone with my work! D'oh!

Climbing - went to Wilton near Bolton - great crag, but it rained so we had to come home early, well go to the pub early. We shall be back there when the weather decides sun good, rain bad. Which it did today. YEY! Now all we need is for it to stay like this.

Demos - I've borrowed a 16 track offa the cash crisis guys, laid down some demos super fast, will try to set up a myspace site. Did try earlier in the week, but failed to get a music account, now to work out if I can turn it into a music account...

Film: Saw 'Brick' its proper good. Cinematic Underground did the soundtrack, add sooooo much tension to the film, go see if it comes on at the cinmea again. Saw 'Fearless' also good, but more in a fighty the soundy way.

Other stuff - want to visit a million people, have two million things to do at home, can't escape. Rubbish. I love you all and will escape when I can.

MUSE ALBUM OUT ON MONDAY.... Oh Yes!!

2006-06-18T23:14:00.000Z

There is a Brazilian footballer called Fred. Brilliant!

Bites & Football

2006-06-18T11:17:00.000Z

So the world cup continues, but lets be honest, rather than seeing at as a great chance to see Brazil and England maybe edge towards a second victory its really a chance to be blown away by Argentina! They were fantastic from what I saw of the 6-0 drubbing of Serbia and Montenegro, including a 24 pass wonder goal to rival the famous Holland goal against Germany. England on the other hand can't really string 3 passes together. I suppose I should salute their professional 2-0 victory, but you just can't get excited about a team that has so little threat. I'd like to exempt Aaron Lennon from that comment, he did look dangerous. He made the space for both England goals and had the beating of their left back. Can't see us winning it without seriously raising our game. Its a shame, because at club level, we have some fantastic players, they just don't seem to gel.
Got back out climbing this week, over near Buxton at a crag called Windgather (Rockfax Western Grit guidebook). Not the tallest face, but nice to play on and learn to lead (where you climb first setting up the route... I'll explain more at some point). However, the biggest problem of the night was the midges. Thousands of the little blighters! Got bitten to shreds and have spent the last few days trying desperately not to scratch. Rubbish! My foot (which I wrecked playing football a few months back) was ok, no adverse reaction to the climbing which is good news. We're out again on Monday night.
Music: Got my mites on Imogen Heap's album. After a couple of listens I'd say it was very good. Very similar to her album as Frou Frou, so quirky electro pop would be a good decision. I suspect she's musical marmite, as her frankly stunning voice could annoy, as with the very electronic backing. I'd say her grasp of tone is excellent, she uses percusive instruments to convey the rhythm, adding some steel to the programmed drums. I look forward to hearing more! Also got hold of Keane's new album, so it'll be interesting to have a listen to that. The single is pretty good, but who knows about a whole album...
Finally, massive massive congratulations to Pete and Ali who their first baby! A hearty welcome to the world to Bethany Ruth.

2006-06-13T22:07:00.000Z

Footieball and lists

2006-06-12T21:49:00.000Z

So, the World Cup, isn't it marvellous! Football on Telly all the time, some fairly good games and a few blinding goals already. What I can't comprehend is, for France 98, I watched nearly every single ball kicked. How?? There is so much football, you must just have to sit and watch TV all the time. Ah, those heady post A-level days...
Highlights so far:

The first and last German goals
Arsenal's Czech midfielder - he looks very, very good. Wenger is a genius.
Martin O'Neil disputing everything with everyone
Argentina's 2nd goal
Japan snatching defeat from the jaws of victory

Not, you will notice, the England game. No, that sucked. We were rubbish for most of the game. The ref really didn't help, stopped any flow to the game and blew up Crouch for everything. Yes England got worse and worse as they went on, but they got the result, so its all good really.

Things to look forward to:

Frou Frou singer Imogen Heap has another album - yey! Will find it tomorrow
I'm going climbing on Wednesday - my foot is better!
Brazil tomorrow night

Marvelous. Now I'm going to find a nice beer (may I recommend Cain's Lager, its really rather good!) and listen to some music.

Oh, and please post a comment if your blog isn't on my links section ("It looks familiar, is it dead")

Welcome One and All

2006-06-09T21:36:00.000Z

Goodbye 20Six, welcome to Blogger.
This site is here only because of the darn stupid people at 20Six. They destroyed mine and my friends blogs whilst upgrading their systems. As such I have decided to blog here instead.
Yes, the address is a little silly, but lets be honest, once its all linked up, nobody will even look at the address! So, welcome!