Its my birthday

Its my birthday today, I'm the grand old age of 31. Both my parents and
my brother have been staying with me, which has been very nice - good to
have company. A full update of activities to follow ....

Anyways, I'm the proud owner of a new microwave!

20 days

Well done me ... its now been 20 days since I've had a beer!!!!.
Think that deserves a pat on the back!

Magic Numbers

Yeah! the Magic Numbers CD arrived in the post today ... There kind of
Deacon Blue meets Beautiful South ......... which probably doesn't do
them justice. But back to the point, the cd is fantastic!

Also got the Strokes new album ... will report back when I've listen to it!

nearly two weeks

Its fast approaching two weeks since I've had a drink, and to be honest not really missing it at the moment. It was actually quite strange to wake up over the weekend without a hangover ... but all good!.

On another note, it my birthday soon... Yeah!. Not going to say how old I am, other than to say its another year older :). I've also been reviewing the remainder of my climbing gear, with a view to the next trip (probably to the Atlas Mountains). As a result figured out the only thing I don't have is a suitable insulation layer (the Berguas down jacket I've got won't cut the mustard) to compliment the wind proof my brother got me for xmas. Therefore , I want to get myself a Rab Photon Smock (black, size large!). Fingers crossed someone will give me some money for the old birthday by way of a contribution :)

ps I could also do with some Clinique M lotion if anyone is reading (or feeling generous)

weekend

The drink free life, well, it continues .... 9 days now without a drop.
On paper this would appear to be an ideal cost saving prospect, however
I went shopping in the sales in Saturday and spent the weekends beer
money. I bought a) a new suit from Ted Baker, b) some new shoes (sound
like such a girl) c) a new book (learning to breath - a story of a first
ascent in Nepal) and d) a shiny new juicer!

The juicer is great, I made some apple and carrot juice when I gone home
from the shops .... how much of an energy buzz?, was practically
climbing the walls afterwards :). Anyways, this I feel will contribute
significantly to the health drive. Hopefully this will help me finally
suppress what seems to be a never ending cold.

Sunday went out to lunch with a friend after I'd finished my MBA
homework. That was nice, then trotted off to Leeds ... so there you go,
my weekend, gone in a flash!.

ps Finally watched Layer Cake all the way through, great film!!!!

GoPod

A friend today sent on a link today to GoPod .... Which appears pretty cool. By all accounts IPods in the EU have a soft coded limit to the volume (something to do with health and safety). I didn't know this!. Anyways, GoPod once downloaded give you the ability to remove this limit!.

So crack on, have your Itunes, or Podcast's well, just about as loud as you like!

ps don't blame me if you go deaf!!!

Good News

Good news at work today, finally had my work place indicator changed to
be fully mobile. What does this mean, well nothing to anyone outside of
the company ... but quite a lot for me!. Realistically it means I'm now
officially mobile and based at home, with the option to work anywhere
(something I've be doing for a while already). This ultimately gives me
options to look at where I choose to live and work in the future, again
something that I've been thinking about for sometime now. Its really
good news for me, as I can now officially work from anywhere with broadband!

So it looks all change for me in the new year!. As I say, I've have been
thinking about some changes for a while. This may mean I move closer to
the family at some stage, but we'll see!.

Kilimanjaro

On the subject of climbing, I was reading the BBC new website today and seems tragedy has struck on Kilimanjaro. No one likes to hear of lost lives, but it appears 3 fellow climbers lost theirs on the mountain today. Apparently bad weather caused a rock slide, killing the climbers below.

As I was only there 3 months ago, my thoughts go out to the families of those lost ....

cutting the rope

I've been reading 'Touching the Void' over the last few weeks, so was
pleasantly surprised to see the film version on TV again last week. To
my surprise I really enjoyed it, as it was more of a documentary than
anything else (I was expecting Hollywood glitz and someone like
Sylvester Stallone trying to look all macho!). It was even better timing
in a way, as I went to see a talk presented by Simon Yates in Oxford a
little before Christmas. Simon is a very good speaker, funny and full of
vigor for climbing. Whats more amazing is the lite he makes of cutting
the rope. Anyways, that aside as a climber both the book and film raise
some interesting questions - namely would you, or would you not 'cut the
rope' to in a bid to stay alive?.

This is a question I've thought about a few times, and probably more
recently than I have done for a while. And well if I'm honest I don't
know the answer. Climbing (and all outdoor pursuits) are in many
respects very sociable, but are also inherently dangerous - perhaps the
reason why people participate?. But more importantly they promote
teamwork, and controlled determination. On the other hand mountaineering
is arguably far more selfish in nature, its less about the journey and
more about whats accomplished (reaching the top). So I guess given that
as a backdrop the answer becomes simple, in your pursuit to achieve you
will do whatever it takes - or will you?. Me, well I still don't know,
and fingers crossed I am never faced with the choice.

Sin City

My friend and I just watched the film Sin City. Maybe I'm missing
something terribly important, intellectual even.... but its s**te. It is
just plain rubbish!. Can someone explain what the hell its supposed to
be about... because, well I'm clueless!.

All over for another year

Its all over, at least for another year. Yep Christmas and new years has
once again come to an end. I spent Christmas at home with the folks in
Leeds trying to catch up with some rest was the plan. I slept loads, as
to if this was more related to the fact I partied too hard, or was just
because I had a cold, well not sure .... but boy did I sleep. Anyways,
it was a surreal occasion, more due to the absence of my older brother
(who's still in Iraq) than anything else. Does seem strange to have
Christmas without him ....

Anyways, pre Christmas eve was dinner with the folk (in lou of big bro's
birthday - happy birthday bro!). Christmas eve itself was spent in the
pub in Bramley, and crap nightclub in Leeds. It was a good night though,
good to catch up with my mates.

Christmas day itself was spent at my aunties, drinking far to much as it
turned out - which probably explained some rather random behavior on my
part. I did however spend quite a long time playing with my little
cousin and all his new toys.... Not sure he found the JCB stuff as fun
as I did, but nevermind. :)

Due to the aforementioned over indulgence in beer I missed the boxing
day clash at Headingly, stayed in bed. I then stayed off the ale, so the
first beer I had was new years. New year again was perhaps a party too
far I feel. Simon, Chris, Leander, Daina and Angie popped down from
Leeds, so had a full house. Midnight was spent in Mumbia Blue (which was
good) after a few in the fox and then Slug. It was then onto to John and
Debbie's annual Canal House party.... thanks to them for agreeing to let
myself and my friends gatecrash. Hopefully no one disgraced themselves
to much (myself specifically). The gang went home around 3ish on new
years day, and me, well surprise, surprise I went to sleep .... again!
(been doing a lot of that recently). So there we are bang up to date!

As its now January, its annual off the beer time!. So from now until at
least my birthday in 26 days time, its no beer for me!. I think my body
might like me again then :)