armcurl

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:08:59 -0700

Air Bear (Seen On The Streets Of New York)

Wir sind Berliner

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 23:37:02 -0800

Unsubscribe.

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 12:56:36 -0800

I've been receiving emails from rickygervais.com for some time now; ever since i signed up to the site to download free mp3's of his show. Once he started charging for those mp3's, I lost all interest - he's not that good (any more).
So I decided to unsubscribe. Scrolling down to the bottom of the email I searched for the information on how to unsubscribe - something I believe is my legal right.
So I was somewhat surprised when I read:

Cleon Peterson Arrives

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 18:30:54 -0800

Not too much to report today other than the long awaited arrival of my Cleon Peterson print, ordered on 9th January.
After stuggling for waaay too long on the copious amount of sellotape around the tube, I finally got the thing open. Very nice it is too - and number 69/100 - wahey!

I'm spending the rest of the evening online trying to upgrade my mobile phone, in anticipation of changing to a PAYG. The Orange webshite is being rather difficult and obstructive...

update: today (5th February 200 Shepard fairey is promoting and selling this very print on obeygiant.com. It goes on sale later today and, as with everything else on obeygiant, I expect it to sell out in seconds. Good to see I'm still ahead of the game

Heavy Trash & The Sadies

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 20:06:45 -0800

H. and I nipped out last night after work to catch Heavy Trash & The Sadies at The 100 Club in London's West End.
Surprisingly, The Sadies were also the support act, coming on sometime around 8.30pm.

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Now listening to: The Sadies - The Last Inquisition (Part V)

Of Creeps and Cars...

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:54:37 -0800

Here in the latest of slightly iffy videos that they play in my Gym is 'Freaks' by The Creeps; or 'The Creeps' by Freaks. I'm not sure which and I'm certain that where vampire cheerleaders are concerned it doesn't really matter...

Oh, and speaking of Creeps, my car got broken into again this week, they got away with my car stereo (minus fascia), the Lee Perry CD within the stereo, and the rubber sucker that attaches my SatNav to the windscreen. They left me with a hole punched through my driver's door and a hefty body work bill (again). Grrr...

London Roller Girls

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 21:06:05 -0800

Wow, it seems like ages since I last wrote on my blog and so much has happened between now and then - not least, xmas and new year!

Anyway, I'm gonna gloss over xmas - 'cause I spent (at least some of) it with those I know and hold dearest, meaning they know all about it anyway; and I'm sure random person out in the blogosphere couldn't give a toss what I did.

Fast forward to last night (Saturday) - being left in on my own cause none of my mates were out and the gf was in Goa, I took myself along to the 'New Years retribution' roller derby between the pink and black teams of The London Roller Girls.

Sunday (today), I met up with J and B for Sunday lunch at The Albion. J. was supposed to be going to work in Abu Dabi this Thursday, but now has a delay-of-execution for a couple more weeks. A bonus which means we get to spend Australia Day doing something fun.
Afterwards we took a walk down the street in Islington where Neve Campbell lives (peering through the windows to see how the 'other half' live) and bought some travel books and a Sunday paper in Borders.

Open Studios Closing Night.

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 15:22:38 -0800

Lindy Hop Week Two

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 12:00:18 -0800

Lindy Hop again last night at Swing Cats Corner. Week two was a rather less stressful affair, and I was able to keep up with what the instructor was saying and showing us, even if I couldn't remember all the turns when it came round to actually doing it! The 'intermediates' in the beginner's group were a little less uptight than last week's group too, and were more willing to help out with individual steps when they could see i was having trouble. H. went through many of the same emotions that I experienced last week, getting frustrated and struggling to keep up; but we stood to one side and practiced a little in private as the intermediate class was underway.
Apparently Channel Four Television are going to have a film crew present at the first class of the new year; I'm not yet decided if I want to attend and look like a dork in front of the nation...

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Now listening to: Pilchard - I Want A New Limb For Christmas

A Chemical Night Out

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 17:21:28 -0800

Last night H. and I went to see The Chemical Brothers at Brixton Academy, the venue was absolutely packed making dancing a little difficult, but we somehow managed.
I was a little disappointed that the set was played very like a band set, rather than a night of "avin' it large", that is: each track was seperated from the next by a break in the set and a round of clapping from the audience; the friendly crowd around us would regularly be dancing away, having a good time, only for the beats to break up, the track diminish and finish and be left standing around waiting for the next track to build. Quite a lot of people around us were just standing around, drinking, or chatting to their mates too - which surely isn't what a Chems. gig is about... ?
Still, we had a top time; the gig finished reasonably early, and we were back home in bed by 1am.

A Winter Wonderland (?)

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 17:21:27 -0800

A Wedding

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:38:27 -0800

This weekend, H. and I drove to a wedding in Highclere Castle.

I didn't realise it beforehand, but it appears that Highclere is the home of Carnarvon, and was the home of the 5th Earl of Carnavon: famous for discovering the tomb of Tutankahmun along with Howard Carter. Of particular interest was the basement museum - it transpired that some 64 years after his death in 1923, a large number of Egyptian artefacts were discovered stashed around the castle in a number of secret hiding places. In the walls, in the attic, that kind of thing, and they form the basis for the museum. There's lots of interesting relics and photographs of the famous Tutenkhamun tomb alongside things like Carnarvon's contracts with Howard Carter, his glasses and his razor. The razor being the reason for his untimely deatch, and subsequent 'Mummies Curse' rumours. The rest of the castle was also of interest, with a great number of beautiful paintings among family photos and includingThe Queen and Priness Diana...

The wedding itself was a great event, and, as might be expected, lots of food was eaten, lots of drink drunk, lots of invitations to homes in Shanghai given out and lots of silly dancing afterwards. H.'s mum was designated driver, and took us back to our hotel for the night, aided only my me and TomTom.

Lindy Hop

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:38:26 -0800

Last night H. and I went dancing.
Lindy Hop, at Swing Cats Corner to be precise. The beginner's class began at 7.15, and after a couple of pints to 'loosen up' we began with a basic 6-step; which was fine. Then a move was added, and we changed partners, and then a move was added and we changed partners, and then a move was added and we changed partners, and I was lost. The pace of the class was way too fast for me, and I struggled to keep up with what later transpired to be a class of 'Intermediates' waiting for their class to begin and two other 'beginners'. So, a bit fast then; but I'll keep practicing. Lord knows I need to.
Later, the Intermediate class took place followed by some 'social dancing' which was a pleasure to watch, some of the dancers were dressed appropriately in twenties gear, and I had a bit of a weird moment when I recognised one of them from an earlier post in my blog.
All in all a great night out though, and we'll be going again next week... Watch this space.

CSS

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:02:37 -0800

Went to see CSS at Brixton Academy last night with J., B. and H. and had a blast.
H. had gone home from work early with a bad headache, so it was hit and miss whether or not she'd make it - but with a little gentle persuasion...
For the first time ever, we were sat in the Circle (ie. seats) at the Academy - a bit of a weird experience, as we stood all night anyway, and although the views were exceptional when everyone was seated, they were crap throughout the gig with everyone standing. We did have somewhere to stash our winter coats though, so avoiding the cloakroom queue was a big bonus.
Regardless, CSS. were on great form, arriving onstage dressed as enormous Xmas presents, before unwrapping themselves. Lovefoxxx bounded around in a glittery gold leotard, H. and I bopped about and were silly, B. looked slightly bemused, and J. cradled his beer and looked tired...
The support act, I'm reliably informed, were known as 'Justice', and were absolutely awesome. I will be finding some tof their stuff soon.

Musical Friends

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 16:13:39 -0800

A quick check on the facebook status of some of my friends reveals that

Shiona is happy when it rains;

Niall is freaking out in a moonage daydream, and

Janine is tangled up in blue.

They've got good taste, my friends.

Three weeks 'til Xmas.

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 16:13:38 -0800

Sunday 2nd December:
A walk to Columbia Road, Brick Lane and Spitalfields markets, topped off by dinner in S&M Cafe all before driving P. back to Euston , arriving five minutes before his train left for Macclesfield. Oh, and I bought a loofah.

Saturday 1st December:
Broadway Market, A ride on the London Eye then off to Tuffnel Park to see White Rose Movement, supported by Ulterior at Tufnell Park Dome.

Friday 30th November:
A day off work. I got a nice Sony TV from Freecycle, then picked up P. from Euston station, we had tea and beer before heading off to the ORL for Curtis' birthday with moustaches.

Thursday 29th November:
The opening night of James Cauty's new exhibition involved a large pile of artworks in the middle of the room which everyone was entitled to help themselves to. The Aquarium organisers also said that if anyone wanted to take any pictures off the wall, then they would 'turn a blind eye'. The walls and floor were cleared within five minutes of the show opening. We then had a couple of free beers, thanked Jim & Steve and went on to
Stolen Space for free mulled wine and mince pies - but we left pretty soon afterwards, 'cause the place was full of Shoreditch tw*ts. Got a bag of bagels on the way back.

Helicopter Gunships over Hackney

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 09:12:21 -0800

Indian Java

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 09:12:20 -0800

When I was looking for a new job last year, it took me about four or five months to get a position, despite several interviews. Now, I find myself on the opposite side of the interview process as my current company looks for a new Java Developer. I've been tasked with sorting through the submitted CVs (all via agencies) as well as attending interviews (with a co-developer) asking questions and generally sussing out the hopefuls.
This week, we will be interviewing our eighth interviewee out of maybe fifteen CVs that have made it through the door. The first thing that is very clear from the CVs is that virtually all of them are from India (12/15), without current jobs, and on what is known as the HSMP (Highly Skilled Migrant Programme); and this not counting the CVs we rejected.
We did have two native english speakers (one an Australian), but they were both snapped up before we had a chance to get them to interview or second-interview respectively. The third non-HSMP interviewee was Italian. Not really a problem in itself, but the reason many of these people aren't getting invited back isn't that they don't have the knowledge, it's that we can't understand them when they're trying to convey that. There's only so many times we can ask them to repeat themselves or be a little clearer without sounding rude.
It's all a little frustrating. Is the UK really that short of native speaking Java programmers ?

Parisian Excerpts

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:15:21 -0800

Jesus Was White.

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:07:47 -0800