Tired tired tired

Birthday done and dusted a couple of days ago and I'm still tired dammit.  I don't feel like I've got ANY energy at the moment, which makes concentrating on anything a pain.

On a lighter note, earlier this week I went to see Inception, and damn, that an excellent movie.  Came out, and just wanted to head back in and see it again.  If you haven't seen it, think what The Sting would have been like if it had been written by Philip K Dick. Immense move.  Utterly brilliant.

Life begins at....

The saying goes "Life begins at forty".  I used to think that was a pile of crap, but I'm 44 this year, and on Friday I was out for a pint with a mate from uni, and this sort of came up during the course of the night.  We were talking about the fact we still liked the same things we did when we were in our 20's, but the key factor is this - you don't get hung up on all the BS you do when you're younger.  You just like what you like doing, and if anyone else has a problem with it tough.
There's no pressure to be cool, and ironically by not trying to be cool, people actually ARE cooler.  If you want to try something then you do, and you don't care if you look like an arse in the attempt.  In our younger days, it was all style over substance.  We knew then that was a crap attitude, but there was a pressure to fit in with whatever peer group you were part of.  Now it's not an issue.
I'm doing things now I'd never have thought of trying when I was younger.  Karate, rock climbing, scuba diving, and you know what, life is better than ever.

Weekend stuff

Well, the windfarm was pretty cool.  Got a lot of info at the visitor center.  It's the largest windfarm in Europe, and is going to be expanded again.

There's an iron age hill fort and a couple of trig pillars on the site, so I've got a good reason to go back and have a good mooch round.

Sunday morning was climbing time.  Six or possibly seven routes were bagged, including one that I'd fallen off last week.  I tried a different approach, and it worked a treat.  Afterwards I was knackered, but in a really good way.  It's a brilliant workout.

it's the weekend, yay!!!

That's it, work's over for another week.  Tomorrow we're off to pick up Tracy, and head out to Whitelees Windfarm for a wander round the visitor centre and the forest.  Hope it stays dry, but if today's anything to go by it should be fine.

Work is getting interesting.  There's a project I'm involved in, and it involves fieldwork to collect samples.  At the moment it's from to Glasgow sites, but soon, there'll be a couple of sites in Melrose that we'll be collecting from as well.  I say it's getting interesting, as there's been problems getting the samplers to work, and it's not the same problem each time.  Today at one site we got fantastic samples, but none at the other.  There appears to be a problem with the sampling unit, so we might have to get someone from the compay that installed them to come out and take a look.

In other non-work work related news, I'm organising a hillwalk up Ben Ledi, to raise money for SAMH, at the end of August.  Some of the girls in the office have gone *squeeeee* as they've found somewhere to buy pink walking boots.  Yes, that's right, PINK walking boots.  

On the music front, I'm currently loving the soundtrack to Into the Wild.  Awesome songs from an amazing movie.

Well that was the weekend that was

And it started out with a meal on Friday with K to celebrate out 12th wedding anniversary.  Really nice meal it was too.  We went to Oshi in Langs, sorry, the Park Inn.  (Park Inn took over Langs a couple of years ago.  People still call it Langs though).

On Saturday we went out to Decathalon at over at the Fort.  It was a good trip for me as I forgot to take my bank or credit cards out with me and couldn't buy anything, so that was good.

Sunday I headed over to the climbing wall, where 5 routes were claimed, and another 2 claimed me.  So that's 2 I've got to get tonight when I head over again.  Later, we went to the gig organised by Rock Radio and Apollo Memories, to commemorate the 25 years since the Apollo in Glasgow closed down.  Brilliant gig.  4 really good tribute acts - Backwater (Status Quo), Volts (AC/DC), Cash Back (Johnny Cash) and Limehouse Lizzy (Thin Lizzy).  I'm NOT a big Lizzy fan, but Limehouse Lizzy were superb, and I'd consider going to see them again.  The rest of the bands were spot on as well.

Finally holiday Monday.  A wee trip to Silverburn for some shopping, then vegging out and catching up with some tv shows we'd recorded.

Good weekend (apart from the rain).

What's wrong with people?

Raoul Moat was an ex nightclub bouncer, who went nuts, killed his ex-girlfriend's boyfriend, attacked her, and shot and blinded a policeman.
After "declaring war" on the police and then adding in the public for good measure, he went on the run for seven days, before shooting himself in the head during a stand-off with police.
In the aftermath, tourists are turning up at the site of the stand-off to leave flowers and get their photos taken, and Facebook has a fan page called "R.I.P> Raoul Moat - you legend" with 300k + members, who on the whole are saying HE'S the victim and it's his ex's fault he attacked her and killed her new b/f !  Britain is getting worse, the nutters are getting away with (literally) murder, and being made out to be heroes for "taking on the police".  What's worse, the pc/civil liberties crowd are worried about the perps rights, and not the victims.

I'm not a christian, but I'm begining to think I should read Revelations, and get a head's up, 'cos it looks like the counrty (if no the world) is on a one way ticket to self destruction.

Couple of days holiday

Just back from a couple of days off work.  One day and then off again for the weekend.  Result.
While I was off, I went bouldering at the climbing wall, then me and K went to the art galleries to see the Glasgow Boys exhibition.  It was good, but I've got issues with the way they've laid out the exhibits since they've renovated the galleries.  It's harder (to me anyway) to find what you want to see.  There's more interactive exhibits for kids, which is good, but of the ones I saw, there were a few that were out of action.

Yesterday, I went for a bit of a wander round the West End, where I picked up a book of Holbine's sketches of Heanry VIII's court, for K, in the Oxfam on Byres Road.  I also found a Charles Laughton movie about Henry VIII for £3 in FOPP, so I picked that up for her as well.
Then I met K outside the Ashoka in Ashton Lane, and grabbed lunch.

Walking back into town, I went to see When You're Strange, a documentary about The Doors, at the GFT (highly recommend it), before meeting Simon for a pint after work, then heading home.

Nice semi-slobbish couple of days off.  Now one day of grind before vegging at the weekend.

Why is this funny?

I've got a t-shirt on today with the symbol for Aum (Om), and one of the IT peeps (who's Indian) asked if I knew what it meant.  When I said I did and explained, she was quite impressed, and asked if I was Buddhist.
I was relating this to a girl I work beside, and she burst out laughing at the thought that I might be Buddhist.  I was a little miffed because (a) what's so funny about the fact I might be Buddhist, and (b) I do tend towards Buddhism in my personal beliefs.  Buddhism comes very close to matching my world view and spiritual beliefs.

Still don't know why it should be funny.  I should probably have asked her.

Forthcoming attractions

I picked up a brochure for the GFT the other day, and there's some good and some downright weird movies coming soon.  There's a documentary about The Doors, that I'd like to check out, and a complete weird-0-rama called Trash Humpers, that could be worth a watch.

They've also got a horror/cult movie discussion group on a Wednesday evening, that I might start going to.

I've got a couple of days holiday on Wednesday and Thursday.  K doesn't work on Wednesday, so if the weather is nice, I'd like the two of us to jump in the car and head off for the afternoon.  If it's dry on Thursday, I might head up the cycle path to Loch Lomond, and if not, I'll checkout a couple of movies.

Currently listening is

1. Muse (if the Glastonbury gig isn't released as a dvd, it's nothing short of criminal.  Totally awesome)
2. Radiohead - In Rainbows.  Just the right mix of chilled out-ness and fuzzed up-ness that I'm in the mood for right now.
3. Dan Reed - Coming Up For Air.  I've been living with this album since I got it on pre-order, and it's stunning. I can really connect with some of the songs.

Non musical goodness (may contain books) - this morning when I got off the train, I was handed a voucher for a half-price top 50 paperback in W H Smiths.  So I headed over the concourse for a nosey, not actually expecting to see anything.  Well, I was wrong.  Pick up To Kill a Mockingbird for £3.50.  Result.

When I was out at lunchtime, I went to pick up some catnip for Rosie (she goes apeshit for it, where Betty ignores it).  She shop also had catnip bubbles, so that could be interesting.  We'll see if she takes to it.

Now though, I'm just back from lunch, and clock watching till 4.45pm  I wanna go home.

New books

Picked up some new books recently.  In a charity shop in Troon I snagged a copy of Whit by Ian Banks (sans M), in Largs - again in a charity shop - I got a copy of Sahara by Michael Palin, and this morning, thanks to a promotion by SFX magazine and Waterstones, I got a free copy of House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds.

The last one is a result and a half, as I really like his books, and am currently reading Absolution Gap, the last book in his Revelation Space trilogy.

If you haven't read any of his books, the Revelation Space books are fantastic.  It's an epic space opera like no other I've read.  When you've got a physicist writing sf though, it should be pretty damn good.

Thinking of changing my user pic

To the pic below.  Dunno though.  Any thoughts? 

Packed weekend

Saturday we picked up Robster, and headed off to Largs.  On the way we stopped off at Newark Castle, before going bagging the trip pillar at Craigs Top, overlooking the Clyde and Greenock.

Moving on to Largs, we hit the charity shops, as I raked through the second hand books and cd's.  I came away with a copy of Michael Palin's Sahara, and a cd of hippy-folky stuff by Melenie.  A pint in a beer garden was followed up with a really nice curry, in an Indian's overlooking the promenade.
After eating, I bumped into one of my old physics lecturers on the seafront.

Leaving Largs, we headed to Portencross, to see the castle.  It was closed when we got there, but the place itself is really nice.  Sort of tiny little hamlet I'd love to live in (if only it had a pub!).

Sunday morning was reserved for climbing, and in the afternoon, we watched England get knocked out of the World Cup by Germany (snigger), then vegged out watching Zulu.

All in, a packed weekend.  Roll on the next one.

Labouring the point

Just off the phone to my mum.  It ended with me stressing again.  She asks you something and you answer.  She says "are you sure?" you give her the same answer and she asks AGAIN!!!!.  When I start to get ratty about it she comes back with the "you don't have to speak like that" line.

I tried explaining that I shouldn't have to keep repeating myself, and her need to ask the same thing half a dozen times is grating.  She's then got the nerve to come over as if you've insulted her.

FFS!!!  Parents!

Dammit

This feels like a Friday.  That means that (A) since I finish at 4.00pm on  Friday, the last hour today will drag in.  That's the law when you get the days confused, and (B) tomorrow, the REAL Friday, will seriously drag in.
At least I get to nip out to do some work on a water sampler tomorrow, so I won't be stuck in front of the pc all day.

Chuffed

Upped the ante at the local climbing wall last night on both the slabs, where I moved on to 6A's, and the bouldering wall where after completing the V0's and V1's at the weekend, I did a couple of V2's.

It might not be that impressive to hardcore climbers, but it's an improvement on where I was at, and Im pretty chuffed with myself.

On the downside, I'm knackered :o)

Latest celeb death....

Frank Sidebottom.  He of the paper mache head is dead.
Didn't see that one coming.

Into the Wild

Last night I watched the movie Into the Wild.  I'd come across it by accident, but once I'd read about it, I had to see it.  It's the true story of a guy who graduates, and his parents have his life mapped out  for him.  There's also family issues in the background and in his past, which make him unhappy, the only person understanding him is his sister.

Instead of going on to university, he clears his bank account, gives all his money to charity, and goes on the road as a hobo, with his ultimate aim of getting to Alaska.  He's searching for some kind if idealised existence, and thinks he's going to find it in the wilds of Alaska.

It's a very touching movie.  If you don't find his story moving, then you're probably already dead.  There's also a book, and the soundtrack contains songs by Eddie Vedder.  Well worth checking out.

Paddling and other weekend pursuits

Yesterday since it was scorchio again, we took advantage of the weather and headed to Troon again. I like Troon. It reminds me a wee bit of what Girvan was like when I was a kid, and we went there for holidays, although it seems a bit smaller, but that could just be my memory playing tricks.

Ice cream was eaten, pub lunch was eaten, and paddling, YES PADDLING on the beach done.

This morning was a bit more energetic, as I went bouldering at the climbing wall, for an hour, before heading out and picking up a couple of dvd's (The Bank Job and Into The Wild)

Coming up for Air

A few months ago, Dan Reed toured the UK for the first time since the Network tours in the 90's.  It was a sort-of-acousticy affair.  The new songs being more spiritual and the old Network songs taking on a new (for me) life, especially "I'm so Sorry".  Anyway, the new album is Coming up for Air, and I've never connected with the lyrics in an album the way I have with this one.  It's incredible.

Dan played again recently, and there was a fantastic sing-a-long of the song "Closer".  This is a deeply moving song, and the whole crowd singing along just added to it.  It was as if everyone connected in a very special, magical, moment.

Coming up for Air is a very special album.