Sunday, September 30, 2007

Gained the lead...

Hello readers, and welcome back. Are you sitting comfortably? Good...

I must admit that I almost forgot to blog today, due to the purchase of a rather well advertised first-person-shooter for the Xbox... You may have heard of it: Halo 3! (But more of that later)

Firstly, lets begin with last Monday. I went to work as normal and did what it is I do. I came home, had some tea and then went over to Adams house... Which is now Adam, Marcus', and Carls house, although Carl is at uni' so for the moment it's Adam and Marcus' house...

... Anyway, thats not the point.

We ended up picking Jo up and going for a drink in the Sharmans. It was a bit quiet though, but it didn't matter. Afterwards we dropped Jo home, had a famous Hindmarsh cup of tea (heated to well beyond the normal capacity of standard water...!) in her lounge, and then we left! I had quite a nice evening!

Tuesday at work was strange... Do you ever get the feeling that, although you have been to work, and done what you are supposed to do, you feel like you haven't actually done much and then feel a bit guilty for it? Or is it just me? Anyway thats what happened.

n the evening Myself, Donna, and lank went for a drink in the Swan. I picked Miss Pickard up at about 7:30pm and we met Lank at the pub. We had a merry-old time and a proper good old fashioned chin-wag before leaving at about 10:00-ish. I dropped Donna off, but went in because she needed something doing to the computer. I backed up a load of files for her and then left because I was tired...

Ok, Wednesday... And that meant:

HALO 3


I went to work, frantically did what needed to be done, counted down the time until 4:30pm, then shot out of school, in to Solihull and grabbed my copy...

I raced back home, ripped Guitar Hero 2 out of the CD drive and whacked Halo on... Ah, finally, after what feels like a lifetime, I had my Halo fix. The story is excellent, the game play is well balanced, and the ending almost made me cry, (I stress the word "Almost" and it wasn't a close "almost" it was a distant "almost")

Anyway, I only had an hour-or-so to play it as I was going down to see Father. I went down as usual, watched a bit of telly, and at 10:45pm came back for a bit more Halo... I say "a bit" it was close to 2:00am whan tiredness drove me to turn it off.

Thursday at work I was awful... I was yawning, and my eyes hurt... But I still managed to do the usual chores...

I went to the Packhorse as usual that evening. Nicola phoned me to tell me she was there on her own, so I got a lift with Ma' (no Lank for this week... I'm sure if you check his blog he will have said why.)

Shortly after, Kate, Benji, Jason, Mark and Katie turned up. We had a good old time, so we did, and before to long, and too many drinks people left. Jason kindly dropped me off home, to save my little legs, and I went to bed.

Friday at work was a bit of a sad one: Kate who works in the office (I know a lot of "Kate's" don't I?) was leaving. We have always got on and had a laugh. In fact if you can't get on and have a laugh with Kate, then you have something wrong with you because she's always smiling, and usually has people in stiches.

At 3:30pm, Me, Sally, and Kate went up to the Packhorse to have a drink and say "ta-ta" we were joined by Julie a while later and had a natter before leaving.

After we all left, I shot home and...

... Yes, you've guessed it, put Halo back on. I was messing around with the video and screenshot capabilities and took a couple of pictures during a few online matches...

Yeah! Gravity Hammer... 1 shot, 2 kills, 3 medals (assasination, beat-down, double-kill)




And, with the Gravity Hammer, in a different match, getting 3 kills in one shot!


This next one was taken from a team game, which is why my colours are different. I'm the red one...

Ahem... Sorry Mr. Blue
I played until about 3:00am before going to bed. Me and Adam did a co-op over Xbox live and completed the game, though so it is all good...

I awoke on Saturday and just played on Halo... then went to bed... at 4:00am...
... Seriously! That was Saturday! I did have a good match with some of the kiddies from Woodrush... And thrashed them! That felt good!

Today I got up and um... Well... take a guess!

I'm off now readers... There is a Team Slayer match on that isn't going to win its self!

TTFN

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Give me a shot to remember

Hello readers and welcome once again to my little blog.

Now before we start I will warn you that, possibly due to having by brain stunned by a rogue staple, I'm having trouble remembering the start of the week! I will also have to keep it brief because I am doing a shift at the Legion in an hour!

So here goes...

On Monday I went to work as usual, along with that usual Monday feeling! I was glad to get out at 4:00pm. In the evening Jo was working, I think, so we ended up round Carls/Marcuses.

Tuesday was more of the same at work, and in the evening me and Ad' met up with Jo...
I think.

Wednesday was a bit different. I mean, work was the same but in the evening Father had a meeting on so I didn't go down to his house. I went up to to the Swan to see Donna... Oh yes, I promised her a special mention so here it is...


"Donna"


Thursday at work was spent getting ready for open evening. I was at school from 8:30am until 8:30pm... 12 hours at work... "lovely!"

Afterwards I went home, got changed and went up to the packhorse as usual. Father came for a swift beer, and we all sat talking about Thunderbirds, Stingray, and Captain Scarlet!

Friday was interesting... Me, Sal' Carly, and a couple of sixth-formers went down to Wythall library to hang up the exhibition of GCSE and A-level work. If you want a quick gander at it, just pop in. The work looks fantastic.

In the evening, the Packhorse gang went up Solihull for lanks Birthday. Me, Lank and dan got a lift with Lanks mum, maggie who dropped us at wetherspoons where we met up with Jenny, Marcus, Mark, and Katie. After a swift pint we went up to Reflex and met up with Nikki, Spike, Kate, Matthew and Naomi. We ended up in the 80's room (where else) having a good old bop on the floor. We left at around 2:00am-ish via taxi. I got in to the house and went immediately to bed.

I got up this morning to find that UKTV Gold has an all day Only Fools and Horses. I am watching it now, actually, as I'm blogging...

I will have to cut it short though readers as I'm working at the Legion in about 20 minutes.

TTFN readers

Sunday, September 16, 2007

I ain't afraid of no ghost...

Hello readers, and welcome to this weeks thrilling update!


Because it is currently late and I have work tomorrow (as do all of you, I imagine!) I will keep my words short, and my setences brief...


So lets begin!


Monday. Now Monday is a bit of an oddity... I am capable of doing daft things but I did something on Monday that takes stupidity to a whole new level...


Ready for the story?


Ok, I had seen a magic trick done using a post-it note and a staple gun.... The idea is you make it look like you have stapled the note to your forehead, without actually doing so... Basically the trick is you put a staple in the post-it note, but keep that hidden from the viewer. You then say "I bet I can staple this to my head and it wont hurt!" you then take an EMPTY staple gun, stick the post it note (with the staple already in it) to your head, pull the trigger on the EMPTY staple gun, and "voila!" it looks like you have stapled your forehead!


Now guess what I did wrong!


No... I know what you are thinking, but I definitley emptied the staple gun before the trick (I'm not THAT stupid!) No, the mistake I made was after emptying the staple gun, I left it out while I went to find the post-it note...


... During which time, someone re-filled it!


So, when I put the note on my head and pulled the trigger...


... I shot a 13/6mm staple in to my forehead! If you don't believe me check out the photo...

It isn't a very good quality picture, I know but if you look right up at the top, in the midle you will see a red cut on my forehead...


Ah well, It is a lesson learnt, I supppose...


In the evening Me, Adam, and Jo went round to Carls to watch a DVD we watched Tenacious D and the pick of destiny. Always a good choice, since it it so damned funny!


Afterwards I came home to beddie-byes.


On Tuesday work went as normal. I received the expected bout of jokes involving staples, as by now all the kiddies, and all the staff had heard the tale of the man who stapled his face...


I got through the day by not listening to anyone and just keeping my head down (literally!)


In the evening Mr Bennett popped round. We ended up watching a 9/11 conspiracy video on youtube


Anyway, that was that...


On Wednesday work continued in the usual trend, and in the evening I went down to fathers as usual. I resigned myself to watching the England game though, as anyone who knows me is fully aware, I absolutely cannot stand the blasted sport. We will never win anything important because our team is a bunch of pampered glamour-boys who would rather pose for the cameras, or indorse the latest fashion trend, than actually get on the pitch and play the game they are supposed to be good at...


Anyway. After we won (I can't even name the team we were playing... If you know, feel free to put it in my shoutbox) I went home ready to face the perils Thursday would bring...


Well... Thursday wasn't that perilous, actually... Sorry for the misleading omnious ending to that sentence... Thursday was quite a nice day!


In the evening I had a shindig to attend. It was Lorraine Lakes' (family friend, fellow skier, and surrogate mother whilst everyone is in Austria!) Birthday and there was a suprise party at the Barnt Green Inn. If you have never been, I would recommend it.


We arrived about half-an-hour before Lorraine, as did various other people who we know through skiing and a few people we didn't! When she arrived she was thoroughly shocked, but thrilled. I left at about 10:00pm to drop in on the Packhorse for a quick pint with the usual gang before coming home.


Friday... I love Fridays. I got up, went to work, didn't injure myself, and before I knew it, it was 3:30pm and home time! I got in, got changed had tea, and at about 6:00pm shot off to Adams ready for a bit of a night out! You see Gemma knows this band called The Chairmen who were playing at a gig over in Hinkley, and Adam, Jo, and myself were going to watch them, so we picked Jo up and set off. We got there well before any of the bands were on, but when it all kicked-off, we had a good old time. (Even though Jo questioned my dancing abilities, which, to be fair were quite good considering the music isn't exactly what you would slow-dance to, there was limited room, and we were both drunk!)


After the Chairmen and some other bands had played, The Rumble Strips finished off the night. We then high-tailed it back to the Red Lion where we had a good old fashioned lock in. (I love the Lion Lock in sessions!


At god-knows what time... 3:00am I think! we left because me and Adam had to be up early the next day! because we were off to warwick Race course.


Adam had got a spare ticket for a trip to the races organised by one of his old classmates from St Peters. I decided to go, but because I was going out to the NEC in the evening (more about that in a bit) I decided to drive, rather than go on the coach that was provided, so I could leave early. We got to Olton station, the pickup point, and we set off. Adam was on the coach, having a chat to friends he hadn't seen in ages, and I followed in my trusty Mondeo. We got there and got settled. The first race I picked the winner, but only put a "to place" bet on, so I didn't win much... £3.10 to be exact. The next race, half an hour later, my horse didn't do very well and came in about 6th. race number 3 I won a few pounds and race four, again, I picked the winner, but only had a "to place" bet on, so I won about £7.00 though I did get a good photo of the race...



Not to bad I suppose. Whilst we were there we got talking to one of Adams old classmates, Helen, and her Boyfriend Simon. They were very nice people and I hope Adam invites them out for a drink at some point, since they are both a good laugh.


At about 4:30 I left, and Adam decided he was leaving as well, since he was getting a bit bored, and he also had some stuff to shift in to Carls, ready for when he moves in.


We jumped in my car and set off. I dropped Adam home and shot back to my house to get changed because I was off out with my mum, Selena, Nan, and grandad to see James Last in concert at the NEC.


You see we bought the tickets as a present for my nan and grandad last christmas. James Last (who my nan and grandad are huge fans of) is currently doing his last ever UK tour. So it seemed like a logical christmas present. We set off at about 6:15pm (Grandad was driving) and, afterparking in carpark E1, the most difficult carpark to find...


...EVER!


We walked over to the coach that drops you at the NEC arena doors. Getting seated was no problem, and before long, the lights went down and the Orchestra came out, followed by the man himself.

Now there is a bit of a story here, because something happened that I didn't expect...


Naturally I took some photo's and have a couple of videos for you to enjoy, but it's the photo's i want you to see, and to give me your explanations for...


About 20 minutes in to the concert, I decided to take a couple of photo's so I took this first one...


Not a fantastic image, I agree, but other than that, completely normal...


Now about 30 seconds after I took that photo, I decided to take another one without quite so much zoom... The next photo is the result....




See it? That dark shadow at the front of the stage. I promise you that there was no-one stood there when I took the picture. It isn't one of the band as everyone who appears on the previous picture, appears on this one... And anyway, the people who are wearing black still show up on camera. That figure is just pure shadow! Spooky or what!?


Seriously, it freaked me out!


Anyway, I took some other photo's... the next one was during a version of "singing in the rain"




Note the audience nutters with the brollies!


This next one was taken during a performance of "Somewhere over the rainbow"



Ah... pretty. They did a lot of James Lasts own compositions including something called "Tapesty of civilisation" which blended music styles from all over the world in to one piece. They did an Abba medley, some Shakira, and Mariah Carey songs. There was a lot of "big band" stuff as well as a few songs that you may recognise readers... Here they are for you... (though I appologise the picture isn't too good, and the sound could be better...










Yep! a 78 year old, pedantic German composer/conductor likes U2 and Green Day... Now thats cool!


I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. I love live music.


After the show we made our way back home. I was pretty tired by this point so I went straight to bed.


Today i woke up and was invited by Selena to go over to her place because her and Kieron have bought Trivial Pursuit: Lord of the Rings Edition! We played 2 games, neither of which I won...


... I will have to get Carl involved as a team-mate if I want to win...


Anyway that about wraps it up readers...


... Oh except that I have completed another drawing (remember last time I said I would upload them as to keep a record, and so you lot could pass judgement?) Well, here it is...



It is a Californian Poppy. It's not too bad, though it looks like an ilustrative drawing, rather than an arty one. Still, it will do.

Right. I'm off to bed, readers.

TTFN

Sunday, September 09, 2007

The week that was.

Hello readers, and welcome to a brand new update. I didn't blog last week, unfortunately. So this will be a little longer than usual, to bring you all up to speed...



Right, well, I wil start with an account of the final week of the School holidays. I wont to a day-to-day rendition, mainly because I can't quite remember what I did on what days! I do, however remember that it was a particularly ordinary week with only one thing worth blogging about:



The Heritage Motor Museum in Gaydon...



Me and Father went simply because we were both bored and needed somewhere to go for the day. So off to the H.M.M we went...



Now rather than bore you with 57 paragraphs of jargon, I wil simply let you look at some pictures, instead...








Aston Martin Vanquish



Rolls Royce Phantom



I think I've spotted a slight design flaw...



Isn't this car Fab? (Fab... F.A.B... Thunderbirds... Get it?)



2004 Jaguar F1 Car



MG Speed Car. Built in 1938 and has a top speed of 260 MPH!



So anyway, that was that. We had a good time going round all the exhibits, and afterwards dad dropped me back home so I could go up the pub... Which I did.


Ok. I will now skip on to where this blog should have started, last Monday (3rd) and it was back to work! So, I got up, got dressed and went in to Woodrush... (all be it, free from any kiddies. We had two inset days this year!) After our 4 hour trial by powerpoint, and a cold lunch, we all went off to our departments for the last hour-or-so to do some pre-kiddie tidying and sorting out. This was done with military presicion...


... Unfortunately, I mean U.S forces type of military presicion...


I had boxes and folders all over the place trying to sort, lift, organise, and resolve every situation under the sun...


...Phew! Anyway, I was out by about 4:30pm and went home knowing it would be the same the next day.


In the evening Adam and Carl came over to mine for a spot of Halo 2. We recieved word, however, that Jo, Gemma and Woody were in the Plough over in Solihull, so we went to meet them. I wasn't feeling 100% though, so I'm glad I didn't have a late night. We were out before 12:00 midnight and I went home to bed...


Tuesday morning it was back in to School for more of the same. Sorting, organising, tidying etc etc... I was glad to get out at 4:30. In the evening the usual gang went out to the Masons in Solihull. Again, we didn't leave it too late, because of work the next day.


Wednesday: Day 1 of proper work. I put on my Jay-cloth shirt (seriously! It is blue and white, and actually feels like it is made form a Jay-cloth!) and went to Woodrush, knowing I was just minutes away from having to fight chatty mothers for a car parking space, in between all the fucking 4x4's that they use to drop their one fucking child off to school with, and then stand wittering-on about some god-awful fucking idiotic thing that happened to them in Tesco's that week....


... Sorry, I'm getting carried away!


Calm thoughts, Gareth, calm thoughts...


Ahhh... Ok, well the year 7's came in at 10:00am, and the rest of the years at 11:00am. Normal service began at 11:15 and so it began. And it was just like any other shcool day right up until 4:30pm when I managed to escape.


I came home and started work on my new portfolio...


Actually, I had better explain... I am applying, once again, for my GTP course at various Universities and, assuming I make it as far as an interview, they will need to see some of my art work. Now most of my stuff is old, and I don't like some of it, so I have decided to beef it up with some new pics'. I have started doing some nice drawings, and when I have filled my sketchbook, I will start some paintings. Just so that I have some new looking work that is relevant and pretty to look at. In fact, I have photo's of the first 2 drawings that I will let you look at so that you may praise/critisise me at you own conveniance...



Drawing 1: A Daffodil!

Drawing 2: Close up of centre of rose

As I complete more drawings (I am currently doing one of a Californian Poppy) I will post them as part of my blogs, so I have a digital copy of each of them.

Anywho... In the evening I went to fathers. We watched Mr. Beans Holiday on DVD (I went to the cinema to see it when it came out, but father had never seen it) which was a laugh. Afterwards I came home, messed around on Digg.com, and went to bed.

Thursday at school was fun: the new timetables were finalised, and I discovered that due to a few people leaving, I was now a T.A in a few science lessons, and a maths lesson once a week. My hours up in art weren't affected too badly, though, which was OK.

The evening was spent in the Packhorse. It was made even more nice than usual by having Jess and Paul turn up with their newest daughter. (Think of the name, Gareth, think of the name...)

... hang on, I will phone Lank...

... No answer, I'll text Kate...

Ok, while I'm waiting for a...

... blimey, she replied quick!

... Corrine!

Of course! Right well, yes, Jess and Paul, and Corrine were there, which was nice. And a good time was had by all! At 11:30 we all left and lank dropped me home as per usual, with his 80's CD blasting away!

Ah, Friday. Work seemed to fly by and it was 3:00pm before I knew it. At about 3:30pm we decided to go to the pub! (we haven't been in a while) So myself, Sally, Jackie, and Kate went up to the Packhorse and was quickly met by Ben, who we haven't seen for a good few months!

After an hour-or-so we left. I went home to get changed because I was going out up to Solihull. Jenny picked me up for about 7:00pm and we went over to Carls. Marcus wasn't with us, though, he was in Ireland. Sadly, his grandma passed away during the week and the family had gone over to Dublin.

We got a taxi from Carls to Solihull and met up with Adam, along with 2 Transconians: Becky (who he fancies!) and Morris (who he doesn't) We went for a drink in the Masons, and then went in to Reflex for a bop on the floor. Jenny had made friends in the toilets with 2 nice young ladies (how you make friends in toilets, I will never know!) who joined us for a drink and a dance. This process went on until about 1:30am when we decided to call it a night... Except Adam who stayed on to chat to becky. We got some chips, grabbed a taxi and went back to Carls, where I kipped on the trusty sofa.

Saturday morning was a mixture of pain and confusion... I awoke at 8:45am and couldn't get back to sleep. I put the telly on, and waited for everyone else to get up. carl got up around Mid-day, and Jenny (and Marcus, who got back in from Dublin at around 4:00am) got up at 2:00pm! We decided to go for a walk along the canal to wake us all up. Whilst out, we got a bit to eat at the Boat Inn in Catherine De Barnes. Afterwards, we started the walk back. I phoned mother for a lift back from Carls house and so she came and got me. I got in and dozed off on the couch for a bit before checking my Emails, and messing about on Digg.com for a few hours before getting an early night.

This morning I awoke to find myself with a bit of a stuffy head. I don't know where that has come from. Me and mother, who is feeling a bit Flu'ey... maybe I've caught it a bit... Went for a carvery at The Plume of Feathers in Shirley. It was nice, though I could have dome with a bit more gravy! After a quick meal we came home and I started blogging...

... Which I am about to finish!

TTFN readers.