It's Friday!

But more importantly, SciFi Friday



And yes, this week was busier than last week. (Thanks for asking, haha!).

Joking aside, I need hugs, massages, kittens and maybe a single malt to ease me into the weekend.

Form a line to the right ;)

A quiet end to a busy week.

Since I returned to work on Tuesday I had to hit the ground running as things have been rather busy. In fact, that's an understatement!



So, something calm and tranquil to start a very chilled out and hopefully relaxed weekend.

Spooky!

I no longer post a photo-a-day but I do like this one :)



It just seemed to come together really nicely with the colours and comp.

You look like an Edna!

Well, as promised we spent the day in the Peak District for my birthday! The weather was splendid and flawless, as was the company.

Linda promised me that we'd check out some locations for the movie, The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue which is one of my all time faves.



The weather was splendid but we shall return in early spring next year as flawless sunshine does not a spooky photo make. It was very quiet there though. The cemetery where they shot some of the external scenes was peaceful but I was sure I could hear the heavy breaths of Guthrie the Loony at one point ;)

More can be found here.

The weekend has landed!

And it is delicious! After rather a busy week with work and what not, I'm winding down for a short next week as it's a few days of leave and a birthday on the way for me.

As my depression over the last few years has gotten in the way of many an xmas (and birthday), I am determined to enjoy this one come what may.

Linda has booked the time off and I'm on a promise in regards to a photoshoot (weather permitting, of course) and lots of other fun stuff that may involve a trip to London or The Peak District to get some R&R time.

An outdoor photoshoot may be on the cards with either this:



Or this theme:



Or it could be even more different?



Still, a day away from Birmingham is always a bonus. Even if photos aren't involved :)

Scifi Friday!

Catwoman, how I love thee!



It's tradition that when we hit NYC, Linda dresses as a certain Ms Kyle. One year she did state that she would do this in Grand Central Station or Times Square....albeit travelling there under a long coat and it would be a winter trip but it still sounds cool all the same.

Still, a nice thought for a rather uninspiring Friday morning :)

Xmas is approaching!

Linda wants this for Xmas

If you want to contribute to the latex catsuit fund, drop me a msg for my paypal addie :)

Places...

I cannot believe it is over 10 and a half years since our first visit to NYC.



Sunday will be a very sombre occasion but to me, Manhattan embodies everything that is vibrant, exciting and fun about this world.

Could'a, should'a, would've....

Today I was going to blog about how shoddy Travel West Midlands is.

I haven't because:

They are a waste of space.

Their customer "services" never put things right.

It is a waste of my time.

They are totally shit and steal £600 of my hard earned cash every year.

They have endangered my life twice in the past two years yet I have received no proper apology.


So, there you go. A non blog which says everything I needed to say.

Travel West Midlands, you bunch of bungling, poor value for money, ineffective morons who need a good kick up the backside.

Shame on you.

Now, here is a photo of my cat. She is much more clever than the collective "intelligence" of your customer service people and boneheaded drivers.

Scifi Friday! It's not easy being green....

Green skin is a popular trope in the SF universe, this photo references the lovely but deadly Pam Isley AKA Poison Ivy.



I guess I've always had a liking for ladies with green skin since Star Trek....

I'm certainly not green but probably a bit puce around the gills due to a nasty throat and ear infection which culminated in a fever and loss of hearing but now I've bounced back to the land of the living.

So, the weekend is here and what am I up to....not much. Linda is working tomorrow then it's her gym induction day on Sunday so I will be stuck in with a few choice DVDs, the cats and hot lemon drinks. Aren't you just envious? No? ;)

Love letter to New York

NYC, be safe.



Best city in the world. Trufax

Memories to keep.

Circa 1988.

I remember walking along Suffolk Street in mid October, a Saturday afternoon.

Looking up, towards Paradise forum I saw many birds, flying across each other over a bruised ochre sky. There were tinges of red, orange, yellow, blue and green across the horizon.

The birds danced across each other. Blurring each other's path, making a new pattern in their wake like iron filings being pulled by a magnetic force.

Crossing. Diving. Climbing.

It was one of the most beautiful sights I had ever seen in my entire life. And it stopped me. It stopped me in my path.

And made me realise that the pull of the earth and its inhabitants are timeless. And eternal.

This was the closest thing to an awakening or a religious moment at that point in my life. I measured my breaths in moments. I measured my life experience in hours.

I haven't thought about that moment in 20 years.

Until tonight.

Saturdays!

I am partial to them but when Linda is at work (like today), they are never productive. A lie in, some lunch an a bit of Call of Duty: Black Ops on the PS3.

Very, very quiet. But pleasant.

Other than that I didn't get the chores I needed to complete (posting stuff), tidying up etc. It's almost home time for Linda and I'm sure she may give me this kind of look when she gets home.



Still, that may not be a bad thing ;)

Science Fiction Friday!

When I was doing my photo-a-day, Friday was always designated as a place where I would post something science fiction related.

Well, given the week's events I was going to post something dystopian but I thought why not put something up here that would at least brighten my day. Many different and more talented people have posted about the riots looting.



I wanted this to have a 60's vibe to it, akin to a publicity shot from a popular Irwin Allen TV series. Kudos to those who spot which show it is.

Places to escape to.

I adore the countryside. More than that I guess. I adore the "idea" of countryside and rural life. Due to circumstances beyond my control (thank you inconsiderate neighbours a few doors across) I had very little sleep. Approx 2 hours. Now, how does this connect to country living?

I'm a city mouse at heart. Love my shops, love the ease of it but I would trade it all for a life away from people, away from built up areas, shops and industry. I'm happy when I can see rolling hills, trees and deserted country lanes. We live in a suburb (15 minute drive from the countryside) but it is becoming ever full of people who are "buy to let wannabe landlords" which means.....noisy people living nearby who don't care about the needs of others (don't ask me about the people who lived 6 doors up who managed to fit 4 families into the same sized house as this and their pre-ocupation with traditional Eastern European musical instruments and authentic dance re-enactments).

Many of the things that interest me I can purchase on the internet or make the odd city trip here and there so logistically it isn't impossible. Work may be more difficult as I often deal with massive case files, field work or complex information that is not easily accessible so a change in employer would be on the cards. Linda is pretty much in the same boat but if we moved outside of Brum she wouldn't have any issues commuting (thank you BMW and Mini One!). Geographically, many of my close friends during the 90's have now moved on and I keep in touch with many of my US and European people via facebook, blogspot or live-journal, Again, not an issue.

So, yep. Country life for me.



One day we're going to sell up and get the hell away from Birmingham. Maybe 10 years. Maybe 15 but it will happen. I will rephrase that. It has to happen.

If I ruled the world...

I would eliminate Sunday nights.


And Tuesdays.


Along with fantasy football, the Euro and liver based foodstuffs.


Maybe some other stuff....but Sunday nights especially. *bleh*

Saturdays!

As a kid I used to love 'em. As an adult, less so as during my university years I had to work every weekend for a certain high street music chain (the one with the dog and gramophone). For the most part it was fun, other times it was less so. Think Christmas, it was like Apocalypse Now crossed with Dawn of the Dead. With less humour.

As I'm in my 40's and I have a much better job I don't work during the weekend now but I kind of miss the point of them. I can get ratted out of my head on Friday and Saturday nights and not worry about getting up for work. In fact, creatively this has been a bugger as I have no drive at present to produce or actually do anything. So it's like being a kid again. But with more money to blow on comic books.

Linda has to work the odd Saturday so that leaves me with the ultimate choice - books, video gaming or just napping to pass the time.



Today, I chose comics. And dreaming about 60' scifi movies ;)

Or maybe not....

After a bit of soul searching....I thought that it would be a shame to leave this behind and the number of posts I've posted here means that it has a bit of a readership and people (at least a few out there judging from stats) seem to like it.

But there are changes.

It's no longer a photo-a-day.

This will be a place where I will post when *I* feel like it.

So, I'm back. In a much more sustainable place.

I'm not sure what this will bring but I hope it will be fun....

Ave atque vale

Roughly translated, "Hail and Farewell".

It's been a good couple of years and thanks to everyone for supporting me.



I'm ending this blog on a positive note with a shot of Linda I had been saving for a special occasion and this blog would have been so less interesting without her. I'm keeping the site open but I will not be updating. There may different blogs (eventually) but this is it for Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Incidentally, this was named after a quote from Admiral Adama in the new incarnation of Battlestar Galactica. It's not particularly profound but it resonated with me. After living with depression for many years, I guess this became my mantra and still is to this day.

Anyhow, it's been a blast and thanks for viewing and all the support I've received. You all know who you are so give yourselves an extra pat on the back.

See you all in Valhalla.

Ave atque vale

Daily Photo #1233

Blerg! Some days you win, other days you....




Over to you Buffy. You can say it much better than me.