Wednesday 31 December 2008

Daily Photo #389

Cats have an easy life.

Buffy loves to yawn.

Seriously.

No trip to the Doc's for me today as it was for emergency cases only. Looks like next Monday or Tuesday now.

Tuesday 30 December 2008

Daily Photo #388

I didn't make it to the doctor's today. The meds I am taking make me so drowsy so will book an appointment tomorrow. I'm feeling conflicted about this as I should have dragged my comatose ass out of bed and sorted this. Grrr.

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Today's photo was taken last year in the Hockley area of B'ham. Primarily, the area is a haven for jewellery production (it used to be firearms but we English never really went for that "right to bear arms" thing). This could have been quite a dark shot but I processed the colours to be bright and vibrant as this location is a cemetery. It's quite unusual to have a graveyard located in what is primarily an industrial landscape and walking through the area can lend an air of dislocation to its surroundings.

I want to return there again, possibly on an overcast day to see if the area feels different. It is the least sinister graveyard I have ever walked through being quite open and landscaped. It seems to lack the dark nooks and corners of many suburban cemeteries.

Monday 29 December 2008

Daily Photo #387

I couldn't resist posting this one from Cardiff.

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Processed on the laptop, not 100% happy with the contrast though. May just go back and remix it. Talking about remixes, I love my wife for snagging this as an xmas present for me.

On the stress/depressive illness front. Still up and down. Back to the doctor tomorrow. Moods still shifting. Opting for counselling but the panic attacks come at random times. Combined with anger/frustration spells, I am still not in a great place but a little better than November. Will I ever function at 100% I wonder?

Sunday 28 December 2008

Daily Photo #386

Back from Linda's birthday weekend in Cardiff.

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We finally found the Torchwood Hub. No daleks spotted though.

By the way, a quick tip. If anyone offers you the butternut squash and coconut milk soup at Las Iguanas, say yes!!!! Amazing!!

Still feeling a little "mood swinging" going on. Still trying to avoid stressful situations. Maybe I should embark upon that concept of living as a hermit one day?

Saturday 27 December 2008

Daily Photo #385

Happy Birthday Linda!

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This is how we spent my birthday in 2007 but I visualise something similar for later ;)


(Internet is back, Virgin Media still suck)

Friday 26 December 2008

Daily Photo #384

Xmas is all about the holy trilogy


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(yes, it's a year old but it's a good one)


(Virgin media are bloody crap, barely managing to get online. I think a new ISP will be the order of the day for 2009)

Thursday 25 December 2008

Daily Photo #383

I used my one Xmas type photo yesterday but...

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Yes, it's NYC. But in my defence it started to snow 30 seconds after this was taken. So...snow, NYC and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Am I off the hook?

And besides, today is when we start planning our activities during our next trip to the Apple (it's all booked!). An Xmas day tradition for us ;)

Wednesday 24 December 2008

Daily Photo #382

Merry Xmas!

Merry Xmas!

An old "recycled" pic with some added cheesy text.

Have a good one peeps!

Tuesday 23 December 2008

Daily Photo #381

Some colour for yet another dreary and overcast day.

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Great for preventing scurvy.

Monday 22 December 2008

Daily Photo #380

After a small bout of Noro (thankfully, no vomming!), all I've been able to do is read, drink water and sleep over the past 18 hours or so.

Anyway, in between sleeping and reading this, I managed to watch a DVD of one of my favourite movies, Ghost World. (which, funnily enough is based upon one of my all time favourite comic books!)

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So, today's post was like, so totally inspired by Enid.

Back to bed for me now.

Saturday 20 December 2008

Daily Photo #378

A rather strange chess set from a local museum.

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I just like the notion of the utilisation of animals as chess pieces as opposed to people. Appealed to my whimsical side.

Friday 19 December 2008

Daily Photo #377

Following on from my post yesterday (the place where I blog from), here is my food cupboard.

Canned goods.

Well, one of them. Pretty much a resource where meals can be conjoured up at the drop of a hat. One is never too far away from a tasty dish if you have some pasta, chick peas or a tin of tuna.

Thursday 18 December 2008

Daily Photo #376

As inspire by this post of Mr Paul Cornell who suggested here that us bloggers/collectors/readers/people should post pics of where we blog from

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Mine is mostly here, unless I am travelling around with my laptop. You can't see the other side of the room but here is another (smaller image) to give you an idea.

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Tuesday 16 December 2008

Daily Photo #374

A Doctor Who theme for today's image....

Linda and Dalek

There is a reason for this. In memory of writer Craig Hinton, some really talented people have gotten together and published this fitting tribute to him. I only met Craig half a dozen times as he frequented the book store I once worked but those times were most memorable. Craig was always warm, friendly and generous. He'll be missed by many people. Afterall, this was the man who invented the term "fanwank".

The publication can be purchased here.

Proceeds will be going to the British Heart Foundation which is a charity I myself support as my father was taken suddenly in 2005 due to heart failure.

This is the perfect Xmas gift for any Whovian in your life/family.

Monday 15 December 2008

Daily Photo #373

Linda always ensures I have a bottle of this as soon as I run out.

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I would like a change of aftershave at some point though!

Sunday 14 December 2008

Saturday 13 December 2008

Daily Photo #371

God, weather was horrid today.

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Linda dragged me outside but still managed to get soaked. Why can we not have snow instead of rain for once? What happened to the great British winter?

Thursday 11 December 2008

Daily Photo #369

A very blue looking London.

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Taken on my birthday. It was quite a bracing day with a mixture in weather types but looking back it was great fun.

Wednesday 10 December 2008

Daily Photo #368

After watching UFO on the telly tonight, how could I resist.

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God, someone should remake that show.

Monday 8 December 2008

Daily Photo #366

Not a great day.

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Still feeling poorly. At some point I will shoot something new. In the meantime, I am appeasing my inner hippy.

Sunday 7 December 2008

Daily Photo #365

Made it to 365!

December 07 to December 08

Today is not a photo per se, but a mosaic from images taken over the last 12 months.

So, I shall be into the second year of this blog as of tomorrow. Thanks for sticking around, more to come and let's see if I can see through a second year of this.

Saturday 6 December 2008

Daily Photo #364

Felt festive for almost 5 minutes today so I think this was the order of the day:

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Shot in 2005 but need to do a new set at some point. We were seriously thinking of using this as an xmas card at one point then had an moment of oh hell no.

Friday 5 December 2008

Tuesday 2 December 2008

Daily Photo #360

Number 360, didn't think I would make it this far.

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Again, needed some colour here today (trying to keep sane still, getting there I think!).

I guess the notion of 360 almost applies to these tulips as they are pretty circular in shape? Ok, that was a little tenuous.

Monday 1 December 2008

Daily Photo #359

Trying to put some colour back in the day.

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Yesterday was a challenge but some thought and meditation fixed that.

Sunday 30 November 2008

Daily Photo #358

Shot just over 11 years ago on film.

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I think this image works but not sure about the angle it was taken from.

Saturday 29 November 2008

Friday 28 November 2008

Daily Photo #356

Still feeling a little trapped in the house. Linda dragged me out for some fresh air to lift my spirits today.

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I need to get out of the city at some point though, the crowds of people are giving me the heebie jeebies.

Thursday 27 November 2008

Daily Photo #355

Today has been spent mostly in bed reading. This picture is more about my "library"of stuff. One of the side effects of late has been the lack of ability to sit still and do something that doesn't require gazing at a screen, reading supporting materials for applications or writing very dry factual reports and recommendations.

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Today I read over 200 pages of the new Jonathan Carroll book, The Ghost in Love which is utterly beautiful and compelling. Just thinking of some of the passages alone bring a lump to my throat. So, on the long road to getting better something positive came out of today. It also made me realise why I keep things or place them on shelves or save things for later. It's for days like this.

In an unconnected event I managed a quick stroll outdoors for a little fresh air, down to the village where I grew up and still live in. It was good just to watch people go about their business, sit on a bench and watch the world go by instead of thinking "I must go there, must do that" and continuously making mental notes to myself to catch up on things or deal with work.

This whole stress related illness is proving to be liberating but like Clacton, it's a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there.

Wednesday 26 November 2008

Daily Photo #354

So, trip to the doctor went smoothly but...been diagnosed with stress related illness(es). Feeling exhausted but kind of positive because I nipped this in the bud (unlike 9 years ago when it got out of control). No meds but rest and avoiding anything remotely triggering has been ordered.

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So, I am thinking good thoughts, hence the NYC pic. My creativity has been strangled of late due to this but I am looking at ways around it. In between sleeping.

Tuesday 25 November 2008

Daily Photo #353

Minimalism is where it's at right now.

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Awaiting a Doctor's appointment. Will probably blog about this more in the long run but right now things could go either way. Will still try and update this on a daily basis but my words just don't have the capability of capturing how I feel right now. It's not life threatening but more something within myself. Old demons rearing their heads and my attitude of trying to act like everything is normal has just dented me a little. Could be exhaustion or something more but I shall find out tomorrow.

Monday 24 November 2008

Daily Photo #352

From last year's Frankfurt market.

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One happy chappy trying to blend in with his stock.

Sunday 23 November 2008

Daily Photo #351

I like the reflections in this one.

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Birmingham has a lot of interesting edges and shapes to its buildings.

Saturday 22 November 2008

Daily Photo #350

Went to the NEC today and shot this of Linda.

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Also saw Bunny, Stu, Esther, Paul, Fleur and Dan. A good day for catching up. Starting to feel human once more :)

Thanks for the book Bunny!

Friday 21 November 2008

Daily Photo #349

All the trees are looking like this right now.

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Autumn is now entering winter.

Thursday 20 November 2008

Daily Photo #348

Happiness is...

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...an obscure DVD boxset featuring the mobile deceased in the form of the Knights Templar.

*sigh*

Wednesday 19 November 2008

Daily Photo #347

My brain is no longer like a bowl of mushy peas.

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2 more wakeups and it's Friday!

Tuesday 18 November 2008

Daily Photo #346

Been in training all day.

My brain is like a bowl of mushy peas. This puppet is evil.

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You won't get one spot of sense out of me this evening.


Is it Friday yet?

Monday 17 November 2008

Daily Photo #345

Mondays.

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Not always evil. But this one was. Here is a picture of an evil cat.

Sunday 16 November 2008

Daily Photo #344

I can't remember what she was about to say but I thought her expression was interesting.

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Linda in Vegas, 2008.

Saturday 15 November 2008

Daily Photo #343

After going into the city it was apparent that the Silly Season is on the horizon. I put on this song...but still don't feel festive.

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I'll give it another couple of weeks.

Thursday 13 November 2008

Send a Brummie to America


My good friend, Steve Green is standing for the TAFF elections. I think he deserves a trip to the USA and he has my vote. If anyone can educate the Americans (and the Canadians) in the movies of Jean Rollin and Jess Franco alongside the depravity of a Sardax comic, Steve is the man to do it.

Get voting and send a top bloke across to taste the joys of Hostess Fruit Pie or the smell of a real American comic book store.