http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/My place for me to express and share (?!) my observations and ramblings :-)en-UKMokoFeed10http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/http://data5.blog.de/design/preview/77/24c627b4651858ee6c131ab025ba71_160x200.jpghttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/12/14/all_cats_have_asperger_syndrome~1439436/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2006-12-14:/2006/12/14/all_cats_have_asperger_syndrome~1439436/Thu, 14 Dec 2006 23:24:07 +0100 <p>*S* and I were in <a href="http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/home.do">Waterstones</a> picking out books for the holiday, when she found a book called, well, you can see from the title! <img src="/img/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>It's an engaging look at some of the subtle and not-so-subtle characteristics of AS, demonstrated with a set of lovely cat pictures.</p> <p>This isn't a really in depth guide to coping with AS, but if you are vaguely familiar with it and would like to find out more (anything that helps us understand other people is a Good Thing, in my book), then this is a lovely book to read. You can find some reviews of it on <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/All-Cats-Have-Asperger-Syndrome/dp/1843104814">Amazon</a></p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/12/14/all_cats_have_asperger_syndrome~1439436/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>asperger-syndromewwwfinditnoworgukcatshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/12/14/all_cats_have_asperger_syndrome~1439436/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/12/14/i_m_so_excited~1435776/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2006-12-13:/2006/12/14/i_m_so_excited~1435776/Thu, 14 Dec 2006 00:59:27 +0100 <p>I'm back.</p> <p>Less than a week - and then I jet off to Tremblant for a week of riding horses through the snow, hanging on to a dog sled for dear life and becoming familiar with frostbite when I forget to take my extra warm jumpers....</p> <p>Hopefully I've recovered from my blog-block and so even if I don't manage to blog in real-time, I'll make up for it, on here, when I return.</p> <p>Very best seasons wishes to everyone - old friends, new friends and friends I've yet to meet. </p> <p>Ian</p> <p>P.S. Is Blog.co.uk any better on PDAs yet? That might still be the best way for me to keep in touch...</p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/12/14/i_m_so_excited~1435776/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>holidaytremblantpdaswwwfinditnoworgukhttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/12/14/i_m_so_excited~1435776/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/07/13/a_relationship_can_t_last_without_loyalt~956927/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2006-07-13:/2006/07/13/a_relationship_can_t_last_without_loyalt~956927/Thu, 13 Jul 2006 17:30:09 +0200 <p class="MsoNormal"><span>I was so fond of her. When we spent time together it was a perfect antidote to the hectic and increasingly stressful days at work.<span>  </span>Loyalty and commitment are important to relationships and without those two things it was always bound to end in tears.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>Now I feel used, taken advantage of and, to be honest, pretty stupid.<span>  </span>I should have realised what she was up to when I was out at work, and who else she was seeing.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>And to cap it all off, now I find out that she is actually a he.<span>  </span>Is there no end to the pain and humiliation that is being heaped on my already overburdened shoulders?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>What?<span>  </span>Pardon?<span>  </span>Oh, no.<span>  </span>No, no, no.<span>  </span>Sorry.<span>  </span>I didn't mean it to sound like that.<span>  </span>I'm talking about the cat, not my Girlfriend. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>You see, it was completely obvious (to me) that she didn't have a home, that she had been cruelly abandoned.<span>  </span>And this was always going to stir my empathy and sympathy genes.<span>  </span>We had a rain storm and when *S* opened the door, there stood the cat - shivering and looking forlorn (in a one eyed kind of way).<span>   </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>She shivered until we dried her lovingly with a towel.<span>  </span>She lay listlessly until we found the right nourishment to give her.<span>  </span>She looked bereft, alone and scared until we hugged and caressed her.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>Once I realised that she loved fish (she settled for fish flavoured cat food after realising that she couldn't get the lid off the aquarium), she began to eat in my kitchen every day.<span>  </span>I have pictures of her eating, sleeping, more eating and more sleeping.<span>  </span>She'd been abandoned and now she had a home.<span>  </span>She was mine. I was hers.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>I drove into my road at the weekend to see a new (less than 6 months, so obviously I haven't spoken to them yet) neighbour stroking my cat.<span>  </span>I was mildly irritated by this intrusion but I nevertheless struck up conversation and without prompting, she started talking about her cat.... </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>So she is a he.<span>  </span>He gets fed regularly and has a nice comfy place to sleep, thank you very much.<span>  </span>Eating my food at my house, getting love and attention and, of course, sleeping on my bed was just convenient.<span>  </span>I thought I was important to him, I thought he CARED.<span>  </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><br></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><sniff></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/07/13/a_relationship_can_t_last_without_loyalt~956927/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>relationshipswwwfinditnoworgukloyaltyhttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/07/13/a_relationship_can_t_last_without_loyalt~956927/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/07/02/i_ve_been_adopted~927071/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2006-07-02:/2006/07/02/i_ve_been_adopted~927071/Sun, 02 Jul 2006 16:15:11 +0200 <p>by a cat (picture to follow).</p> <p>She started coming round to my house a couple of months ago; just lazing arounding in my garden. She wasn't too pushy to begin with but got bolder and came into the house more (the back door is always open). I started to try and keep her downstairs - my youngest has always been alergic to almost all animal fur. However, I can't stop him wanting to play with the cat and, to my surprise, he didn't start scratching, sniffing or sneezing... Phew.</p> <p>Cat (yet to be named) is now allowed the free run of the house. The final part of our relationship was meal-times. She just wouldn't eat anything I put down in front of her. </p> <p>Mind you, have you ever sniffed cat-food? Foul (and fowl) stuff, to be sure. So it isn't really that surprising that she turned her nose up a the choiciest-chunkiest-rabbit-filled lumps from Wiskas.</p> <p>The other night she discovered the two gold fish. Oh heaven (for her). She spent 30 minutes scratching at the perspex before giving up. The fish seemed completely non-plussed by the whole episode. Whilst rather unsatisfactory for the cat, she did find some spilt fish-food (the small flakes variety). She licked the table completely clean; both saving me a job and making it clear that the food she wanted was fish based and dry, not rabbit based and wet (IYSWIM).</p> <p>Last night, *S* woke up to hear the screams of a cat in the garden of one my neighbours. She looked out of the window to see a fox throw a cat several feet into the air. The cat tried to escape but was pulled down the fence by the fox (I didn't even know that foxes could climb fences). Some more screams and then silence. I woke to find find *S* in tears. She couldn't tell if it was 'our' cat, but we don't see many cats around my house and so things looked very bleak. I was at work early today but got a text at 10:11 this morning. Just "Cat's back - having breakfast in the kitchen". What a relief - it wasn't 'my' cat killed last night. 'My' cat will be there when I get home (and it was hard to resist the temptation to go rushing home). It took a while for me to think that someone has lost their cat and perhaps they don't even know it yet. I am sorry for them, but I'm glad that my cat will be there when I get home.</p> <p>It's funny; before I had a cat (I used to have kittens, when I first left my ex), I couldn't understand how people could get attached to cats because they always seemed so snooty and aloof. But now... now I understand. Cats are incredibly loving; they just reserve that feeling for a small number of humans...</p> <p>Now - a name?????? She must have a name. I thought about 'lucky' - but she wouldn't understand, and I'm certainly not going to tell her what happened to the other cat last night....</p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/07/02/i_ve_been_adopted~927071/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>catswwwfinditnoworgukfoxescat-needs-a-namehttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/07/02/i_ve_been_adopted~927071/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/06/08/deceiving_your_brain~862296/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2006-06-08:/2006/06/08/deceiving_your_brain~862296/Thu, 08 Jun 2006 10:15:31 +0200 <p>This probably fits more into the category of my justjokes blog, but it's so good (IMO), I thought I'd share it with my friends here...</p> <p>Thanks to Kevin for this one...</p> <p>If your eyes follow the movement of the rotating pink dot, you will only see one colour, pink.</p> <p>However, if you stare at the black "+" in the centre, the moving dot turns to green.</p> <p>Now, concentrate on the black "+" in the centre of the picture. After a short period, all the pink dots will slowly disappear, and you will only see a green dot rotating.</p> <p>It's amazing how our brain works. There really is no green dot, and the pink ones really don't disappear.</p> <p><img src="http://www.lennington.co.uk/graphics/pink.gif" alt="Playing tricks on your mind..." title="Pink"></p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/06/08/deceiving_your_brain~862296/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>playing-tricks-on-your-mindbraindeceptionwwwfinditnoworgukeyehttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/06/08/deceiving_your_brain~862296/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/05/10/get_the_army_in~789908/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2006-05-10:/2006/05/10/get_the_army_in~789908/Wed, 10 May 2006 19:24:47 +0200 <p>(Serious - but I'll try not to do this too often)</p> <p>I work at Heathrow Airport and so see armed Police every day and have done for the last few years. It's never bothered me the way it does some people; perhaps because it's so familiar and partly because I've never had a problem with properly trained police being armed (my dad was one of the first of the new breed 'Marksmen' in the Met. Police).</p> <p>For those who haven't seen it, these men and women walk around in groups of 2 or 4, with flak-jackets, side-arms and HK machine guns. Why? Not sure really; either they are a deterrent or they are there to pop a cap in the bottom (I think that's today's street vernacular) of any terrorist (or possibly just Asian looking) person that is seen with a large backpack or suitcase (phew - not many of those at an airport).</p> <p>Walking outside T3 yesterday I saw 4 Police arresting someone; probably an illegal cabbie or pick-pocket or whatever. It suddenly struck me that this was what the Police should be doing; arresting people. </p> <p>What the hell are we doing with about 40 police offices (that's 140 front line police staff, spread over 3 shifts and allowing for down-time) wandering around a single airport <strong>not</strong> doing what they are trained to do - arresting people who break the law (terrorist activity may be 0.000000000000000000000001% of all crime over the last 5 years?)</p> <p>We have tens of thousands of army personnel who are trained to guard places and shoot bad boys and girls - they aren't trained in the law, community relations or any of the other things that todays police go through. </p> <p>Even better - the RAF have their own soldiers who do nothing but guard airports for gods sake - that's their entire point in life.</p> <p>If there really is a significant threat, <strong>and</strong> one that can be mitigated with the use of roaming armed patrols (I'm dubious of both those assumptions) then please, put the Police back doing what they are trained to do, and get the Army in.</p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/05/10/get_the_army_in~789908/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>heathrowwwwfinditnoworgukget-the-army-inarmed-policehttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/05/10/get_the_army_in~789908/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/05/02/what_kids_do_for_us~771559/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2006-05-02:/2006/05/02/what_kids_do_for_us~771559/Tue, 02 May 2006 20:30:15 +0200 <p>Quote from Sally, in Exeter (ripped from news.bbc.co.uk)</p> <p>"Children teach you something that no other life experience can."</p> <p>I know - a lot of people without kids will probably be groaning as they read that - but I think it's true. </p> <p>I'm not saying that people <strong>must</strong> have kids (IMO - the only 'musts' in life relate to breathing and some form of nutrional sustinence). </p> <p>However; as Sally said, they teach you more than you teach them - and that's something that is (for me?) easy to forget sometimes.</p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/05/02/what_kids_do_for_us~771559/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>wwwfinditnoworgukkids-teach-youhttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/05/02/what_kids_do_for_us~771559/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/04/27/tattoos~760446/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2006-04-27:/2006/04/27/tattoos~760446/Thu, 27 Apr 2006 17:19:29 +0200 <p>I want another tattoo. I have one (very small). It's the Chineese sign for friendship, which seemed appropriate at the time (just split from ex. - just one close friend keeping me from oblivion).</p> <p>I'm a bit fussy about tattoos. Really big spectacular ones on guys may be a bit "wow" for 2 seconds (on someone else) but they really aren't for me. I love nice (sweet and small - not tacky or chav) tattoos on ladies - they have so much more choice (style, location).</p> <p>I may just have my one tattoo darkened up a bit (was black, now seems a bit blue?). But I'd like something that made a reference to my kids. Their names are too long, actual pictures of them is clearly out of the question. Ok, so what about a bar code? With their D.o.B.s ?</p> <p>It would be different, personal (with their details), useful (in case I ever forget their birthdays) and, if I was accidentally sucked through a time vortex to the year 2874, then it could cause some amusement all round if the ID Scheme has developed into a, yes, you guessed it, bar-code tattoo system.... Ok, this last point is perhaps stretching things a little thin....</p> <p>Not sure. Maybe I'll just buy another goldfish?</p> <p>I.</p> <p>Oh - Oh - Oh - Just about to click 'Save' and I went off looking for Barcodes and Tattoos... Have a look <a href="http://www.barcodeart.com/art/tattoo/tattoo.html">here</a>. Damn, and I thought it was a really originaly idea :-(</p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/04/27/tattoos~760446/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tattooswwwfinditnoworgukdophinsbarcodeshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/04/27/tattoos~760446/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/04/27/title~760346/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2006-04-27:/2006/04/27/title~760346/Thu, 27 Apr 2006 16:36:43 +0200 <p>Interesting questions on <a href="http://fatalattraction.blog.co.uk/">fatal attraction's </a>blog, that <a href="http://thirtysomething.blog.co.uk/">HelenMc</a> then completed.</p> <p>Here's my contribution...</p> <p><strong>1.Would you like to genuinely know what other people think?</strong><br> Yes, but it would scare me.</p> <p><strong>2. Would you want to live for ever?</strong><br> For ever is too long - I just don't want a specific best-before date. In 500 years I might get bored or I may realise that I need 5000 years to appreciate the beauty of a single view, from a single window.</p> <p><strong>3. What would you do if it could be absolutely guaranteed that you would get away with it?</strong><br> Really don't know. My gut feeling is that it would involve Cameron Diaz though - I hope she feels the same way.</p> <p><strong>4. Do you ever want to smash precious things?</strong><br> No. I have always had urges to jump off tall things or in front of lorries (I'm sure there's a sound reason for this, but can't remember). </p> <p><strong>5. You hear a noise in the night. What would be the most thrilling thing that could have caused it?</strong><br> Cameron Diaz burgles my house (hey, shop lifing is just soo last year). I catch her, and we come to an arrangement that doesn't involve the police or Max Clifford.</p> <p><strong>6. What is the most exciting thing you have done with your fingernails?</strong><br> I scratch my face. It's an interesting feeling for someone who bit his nails all the way down for the first 36 years of his life. Now having nails feels funny, but nice. </p> <p><strong>8. If you could wish that one book had never been written. What would it be?</strong><br> The bible. Really. Alternatively, it could have a proper introduction page that correctly described it as a work of "Historical Conjecture" - ok - cat, pidgeons. etc.</p> <p><strong>9. Would you rather have a short intense life or a long contented one?</strong><br> Long and contented. Or even short and contented. I'm jealous of S's cat because he gets to be pampered, fed and spend most of his life alseep in front of the fire.</p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/04/27/title~760346/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>important-questionswwwfinditnoworgukthe-biblecameron-diazhttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/04/27/title~760346/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/04/14/dad_why~727816/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2006-04-14:/2006/04/14/dad_why~727816/Fri, 14 Apr 2006 18:13:56 +0200 <p>So, I'm trying to wean youngest son out of waking up in the night and insisting that I then sleep in his bed (buying him a double at least means it's almost comfortable).</p> <p>I know, I know... bad habits. Happened with all my kids. I just couldn't bear to leave them crying when they were babies. Rod, back, for my own. Rearrange into an appropriate and well known saying.</p> <p>So last night was pretty bad. S. and I have been having a lot of trouble adjusting to living apart, we're both unhappy about the situation and the stress usually comes out if a text late at night is misunderstood... And last night, there were lots of texts.</p> <p>So, there I was, 2am, upset, and C. wakes up. I go in, settle him down, wait until he's asleep and then return to my room to contemplate whether to ignore S., make friends with S. or be mean to S. C. comes in again, I put him back. In, back. In, back. In, back.</p> <p>I finally give up (on everything). Grabbing my duvet, I stomp into C.'s room, much to his delight, turn round several times, like a dog, and wrap myself in the bedding and go to sleep on the floor, as far away from devil-child as possible.</p> <p>C. wakes up in the morning, stretches, smiles and asks "Daddy, why are you sleeping on my floor? Why aren't you in your room?".</p> <p>Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr</p> <p>Love him to bits though.</p> <p>I was thinking earlier today - daughter S. is coming up for 15. I reckon I've got about 30 more visits from her before her life starts to get too busy to come and see me at weekends. I'm glad for her - as a parent, it's a wonderful thing to see your child grown toward adulthood, but so sad as well.</p> <p>I dreamt of girlfriend S. last night. That may not sound odd, but I can't recall ever dreaming of a current girlfriend. Past ones, non-girlfriends and obviously, <a href="http://www.blondie.net/index.shtml">Deborah Harry</a>. I hope this is a good sign.</p> <p>I woke up from the dream (still on the floor) and a flurry of tearful texts flow both ways (danger of electrocution there...) Both feeling much better now.</p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/04/14/dad_why~727816/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>children-sleepingwwwfinditnoworgukhttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/04/14/dad_why~727816/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/04/08/what_did_i_mean~712289/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2006-04-08:/2006/04/08/what_did_i_mean~712289/Sat, 08 Apr 2006 14:47:57 +0200 <p>My last post was a reminder - of 3 things I wanted to talk about. Rather messed up by the fact that I then left it over a week before saying anything!</p> <p>Aunty Jo died just over a week ago. We weren't very close, but close enough to be saddened and then, in almost equal measure, angered by the sense of vultures circling around the estate. Oh well. <img src="/img/smilies/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>Faces and Shapes? Where I work, I get to see hundreds of people every day from every (well most) parts of the world. I'm always fascinated by the different languages, accents and physical features. It reminds me how diverse and interesting we are. I could, without doubt, spend the rest of my life in a coffee bar, people watching.</p> <p>Narnia. Well - I've now found 2 people who, like me, haven't read the books, but we seem very much in the minority. Anyway, I bought the film and watched it the other night. Shawshank Redemption it isn't, but worth watching none the less. The young actress (Lucy?) was incredible. In terms of coming across as someone who was really 'in' the film and not acting, she blew the rest of the cast away. Her expressions and mannerisms were amazing - I think it's rare to see someone who looked convinced that the whole thing was real, and not just a reproduction on a film set.</p> <p>I'm sitting at work at the moment - waiting. Something may happen soon so I'll have to do something. But next time I feel a long period of inactivity coming along, I'll recount last nights lovely dinner at Belvoir castle, home of the Duke and Duchess of Rutland. More to the point, I'll try share the incredible experience of watching the Butler humiliate himself, alienate his audience and insult the people who, with their patronage, enable the Duke and Duchess to retain their family home. </p> <p>I sincerely hope that Victoria Beckham, David Furnish, "those irritating Americans" (his words) and Liz Hurley read my blog and consider whether they really want to go back...</p> <p>Pip Pip</p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/04/08/what_did_i_mean~712289/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>wwwfinditnoworgukwhat-the-butler-said-soonhttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/04/08/what_did_i_mean~712289/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/04/05/three_x_three~705875/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2006-04-05:/2006/04/05/three_x_three~705875/Wed, 05 Apr 2006 23:15:52 +0200 <p>Aunty Josie (Jo).</p> <p>Faces and Shapes.</p> <p>Narnia - What ever happened to young actresses?</p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/04/05/three_x_three~705875/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>aunty-jonarniawwwfinditnoworgukfaceshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/04/05/three_x_three~705875/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/03/31/ok_ok_so_they_aren_t_really_fluffy~690104/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2006-03-31:/2006/03/31/ok_ok_so_they_aren_t_really_fluffy~690104/Fri, 31 Mar 2006 19:46:24 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/srv/media/media_item.php?item_ID=452594"><img src="http://data1.blog.de/media/594/452594_7d2d8970a3_m.bmp" align="" alt="Buster" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>Buster is my 'sensible' dog. Sensible because he doesn't need walking, doesn't complain if I forget to feed him and always has the same floppy grin on his face.</p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/03/31/ok_ok_so_they_aren_t_really_fluffy~690104/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>wwwfinditnoworgukfloppy-grinsensible-doghandcuffshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/03/31/ok_ok_so_they_aren_t_really_fluffy~690104/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/03/29/living_alone~684509/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2006-03-29:/2006/03/29/living_alone~684509/Wed, 29 Mar 2006 23:47:44 +0200 <p>It's taken a month, but I'm getting back in the swing of living on my own. I was just moping around to start with; coming home later and later, to avoid being alone in the house. </p> <p>Last week I had it down to a fine art; come in, say hello to the fish and then off to bed.</p> <p>This week has been better; working late helps, but now I don't feel quite such a desparate need to talk to things (fish, my PC, the dish-washer), to pretend I have company.</p> <p>Will pop down to see S. tomorrow - will take myself, flowers and a smile.</p> <p>Night night.</p> <p>x</p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/03/29/living_alone~684509/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>fishliving-alonewwwfinditnoworgukflowershttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/03/29/living_alone~684509/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/03/28/dinner_for_two~681783/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2006-03-28:/2006/03/28/dinner_for_two~681783/Tue, 28 Mar 2006 22:58:00 +0200 <p>Year before last, just after I split with my ex., I went out with quite a few people. They were all lovely, but they weren't long-term relationships. Lovers for a while, friends, but not, well, just not.</p> <p>Co-incidentally, a friend from work (J.) was doing the same thing and it seemed that his relationships always lasted exactly the same length of time as mine. Twice (I kid you not) unknown to each other, we started seeing someone the same day. Both ended after almost exactly the same number of months, weeks, oh, ok, days.</p> <p>Anyway, this worked out well for us - we'd always be in the same emotional state (high as the proverbial kite, or down in the dumps). It made us both feel better when another relationship had hit the buffers, that the other person was also miserable (misery loves company :-). </p> <p>Anyway, it would typically be something like:</p> <p>Tuesday (8am) - both of us really excited and talking about the people we had just met the night before. We'd both be saying what a great time we'd had, how this person really understood us and how we made them laugh. Perfect.</p> <p>Tuesday (4pm) - both no longer going out with respective girl/boy friend, so we'd both commiserate with each other, cursing fate and people who just seem to change their damn mind overnight. </p> <p>Anyway... I hadn't seen him for months and months, but I had to pop over to his office for a meeting and so we had a good chat.</p> <p>Sadly, he's in the process of extracting himself from that relationship - it lasted a year, but things (or to be precise, the other guy) changed, and so he's had enough.</p> <p>Also sadly, S. has moved out. We're still together, but her personal circumstances changed and she had to move away (when it comes to important things, kids come first - always will do, always should).</p> <p>J. is sad; this was his longest relationship and he so wanted it to work. But he's pretty up beat about things - although it's not a clean break and dragging things out just makes it more difficult.</p> <p>Eyepeasea is also sad. He hasn't lost his relationship, but S. has gone from being a lover, to being a friend and lover and finally to being a part of me as well. She moved, for such good reasons and it was the <strong>right</strong> thing to do. That helps a bit, but I miss her. I miss coming home to her. I miss the things that I didn't even notice, until they weren't there (cuddling on the sofa, moaning about the state of British TV, the way it used to drive me nuts that she never pulled the duvet straight when she got up - that sort of thing).</p> <p>J. and I are going to have dinner next week. We'll commiserate with each other, eat pasta, drink wine and be sad. That's what we like doing. I know I'm the lucky one though; things have changed, and my relationship with S. may not work out, but things are ok right now and, well, can't think of an "and" to add. But I'm sure you know what I mean.</p> <p>Hope he can cook, I'm starving.</p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/03/28/dinner_for_two~681783/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>relationshipspastawwwfinditnoworgukhttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/03/28/dinner_for_two~681783/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/03/28/be_succinct_it_will_win_friends~681699/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2006-03-28:/2006/03/28/be_succinct_it_will_win_friends~681699/Tue, 28 Mar 2006 22:28:38 +0200 <p>My Daughter asked me (yes, honestly) to join this "friends network" type website - she said that she was <strong>only ever </strong> going to use that website to keep in touch with her friends and so if I refused, she'd just not talk to me. <i>Only ever</i> lasted about a week, but I never got round to deleting my account. This was a year ago.</p> <p>And then today, I had a lovely email, via the website. It was from KristY (photo attached to the message) who is 19. She said, and I quote:</p> <p>"What's up! I just checked out your profile and u seem pretty cool. My name is kristY and I'm 19 just looking 2 meet some kewl people... "</p> <p>Wow - someone who's only a few years older than my daughter, and she thinks I'm Cool? (or Kewl - but I'm sure that's still pretty good). And so what does my profile say, to attract 'friends' from eastern Europe?</p> <p>Sex/Age Male/39/<br> Birthday February 3<br> Location London, United Kingdom </p> <p>That's it. Imagine how many friends I'd have if I really made an effort and put something witty in there.</p> <p>Following the link (via a URL masker/redirector - not that diffcult to un-pick), I find that I need to enter my credit card details, before being able to chat. Her webpage (just one click away from chatting to her) reassures me that this is only to check my age (seriously, if I was going to lie about that, I'd say I was 29).</p> <p>Anyway...</p> <p>I followed the link using an <a href="http://www.vmware.com/vmtn/appliances/browserapp.html">isolated PC</a> (<strong>Warning:</strong> Don't follow that link unless you're a geek); it's like using a normal PC/Browser, but automatically does a 90 degree cotton wash on itself to ensure that Viruses/Trojans/hair nits and other nasties don't hang around.</p> <p>I was curious - was it trying to harvest email details? - by following the link on the website, I effectivlely confirm that the email address used is real. Or perhaps it was going to suggest I really need a bride who shares no language or culteral links with me? Oh no - nothing that innocent. They actually expected me to put my credit card details in. </p> <p>So - the point to this whole entry; </p> <p>I don't have to ask whether people are actually that dumb (that goes without saying) - but those people who do fall for this sort of thing - how do they manage to do complicated things like breathing at the same time as, say, walking? What the rip-off merchants are doing is wrong, but please... if people are that stupid?</p> <p><i>sigh</i>.</p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/03/28/be_succinct_it_will_win_friends~681699/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>wwwfinditnoworgukscamsvmwarekristyhttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/03/28/be_succinct_it_will_win_friends~681699/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/03/26/never_rains_but_it_pours_another_referen~676698/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2006-03-26:/2006/03/26/never_rains_but_it_pours_another_referen~676698/Sun, 26 Mar 2006 22:53:26 +0200 <p>Just after satisfying my pseudo narcissistic tendencies, I get brought down to earth (thud) by dearest Daughter.</p> <p>She sent an email through, apropo nothing at all. No subject, no text, just...</p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/srv/media/media_item.php?item_ID=443319"><img src="http://data1.blog.de/media/319/443319_31fa637e5e_s.gif" align="" alt="Wnx" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/03/26/never_rains_but_it_pours_another_referen~676698/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>wwwfinditnoworgukhttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/03/26/never_rains_but_it_pours_another_referen~676698/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/03/26/not_dead_not_deceased_not_even_just_slee~676685/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2006-03-26:/2006/03/26/not_dead_not_deceased_not_even_just_slee~676685/Sun, 26 Mar 2006 22:44:53 +0200 <p>I'm just waiting for something funny to come into my head.</p> <p>Love and hugs</p> <p>x</p> <p>P.S. Finally found a picture I'm not embarrassed about. My ex housemate (May a gallon of nearsighted senior citizens blow bubbles filled with elephant dung all over her skull) was a pro photographer and got me drunk one evening so I'd let her practice. Emmm....</p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/srv/media/media_item.php?item_ID=443313"><img src="http://data1.blog.de/media/313/443313_6b6e5ebae7_m.jpg" align="" alt="DSC_0140-300" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a><br> Appropriate comment for the pic? <i>Don't Whine, <strong>Wine!<strong></strong></strong></i></p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/03/26/not_dead_not_deceased_not_even_just_slee~676685/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>empty-headedwwwfinditnoworgukhttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2006/03/26/not_dead_not_deceased_not_even_just_slee~676685/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/10/15/i_came_i_saw_i_drank_coffee~236068/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2005-10-15:/2005/10/15/i_came_i_saw_i_drank_coffee~236068/Sat, 15 Oct 2005 12:39:31 +0200 <p>S. and I treated ourselves to a complete chill-out week in <a href="http://www.sorrentotourism.com/">Sorrento</a>. An absolute do-nothing week. I used <a href="http://www.expedia.co.uk/default.aspx">Expedia </a>(my first time) and that suited me down to the ground.</p> <p>If something that should be very <strong>simple </strong>can't be done in the space of <a href="http://www.angelfire.com/hi/funline/digitime.html">4 minutes</a> and with less agro than getting a pint of milk from Tescos, then I usually get too irritated to continue. However, to give it credit, Expedia just about satisfied those criteria.</p> <p>Typical me; rather than carefully choose a hotel (and thus break my 4 minute deadline), I just opted for the only 5 star on the list. Emmm... That'll teach me.</p> <p>That was 3 weeks ago. I then carefully ignored the entire holiday until the evening before. I thought it would be a nice surprise to think <em>"wow, we're going away in 6 hours"</em>. Pack the suitcase (mine, middle sized case, not quite full. S has two cases (huge and not quite so huge) and I could hear the seams complaining as the cases stood by the door. Cab is booked (03:45) and off to sleep we go.</p> <p>Arriving at the Airport with two hours to the flight, we're faced with a queue of about 250 people. "Will we have seats together?, I ask. Of course, says the fit young guy at the Aitalia desk. 'Together', it turns out, means 'In the same <a href="http://lppt.no.sapo.pt/Airbus%20A321%20Alitalia%20I-BIXA.jpg">plane</a>' - silly me. Anyway, the rest of the trip is pretty uneventful. We had a nice car booked to take us from Naples to the Hotel and the hour journey is passed with small talk and time spent soaking up the beautiful views; a lovely start to the holiday.</p> <p>Now - the Hotel. For those of you with <a href="http://earth.google.com/">GoogleEarth </a>, or some pretty impressive tourist maps, search for Sorrento, Italy and then move to:</p> <p>40^ 37 ' 28.02 " North<br> 14^ 24 ' 04.21 " East</p> <p>That's the hotel, with a nice swimming pool on the roof. More bizzarrely than the swimming pool, were the two huge trees planted in the roof (maybe 30' tall) - just where were the roots???</p> <p>Here's a picture, taken from just over 3,500':</p> <p><a href="http://data1.blog.de/blog/e/eyepeasea/img/La-Pace-Hotel.JPG" title="Hotel La Pace"><img src="http://data1.blog.de/blog/e/eyepeasea/img/La-Pace-Hotel_small.jpg" border="0" alt="Hotel La Pace"></a></p> <p>The <a href="http://www.ghlapace.com/html/en/sorrento-hotels.htm">hotel </a>had the feel of something from London in the 20's - almost over the top elegance, and only just avoiding being tacky. The reception staff were lovely; bright, cheerful, smiling and polite. The restaurant and bar staff were the complete opposite. It was almost surreal and very <a href="http://www.fawltysite.net/">Fawlty Towers'ish</a>. We, and the other guests were clearly an inconvenience that the staff could do without; they were dour, supercilious and, to two couples in the restaurant on the first day, downright rude.</p> <p>However, despite this and in keeping with all my previous ideas of Southern Italy, the holiday did turn into a perfect time for love, relaxation and good wine.</p> <p>The <a href="http://www.stthom.edu/news/events/webcast/radar.jpg">Radar </a>at Roma failed as we were flying out but that was the only slight hic-cup in an otherwise uneventful trip home.</p> <p>We both had a good rest, I read 6 books and kept my mind off the things that bother me at home (grrr, mumble, moan) and S got some gorgous pictures. </p> <p>The boys have nice designer watches (Connor's watch includes a bob-the-builder model, which was slightly odd for an Italian watch maker...). </p> <p>The girls had belts and accessories from the <a href="http://store.playboy.com/jump.jsp?itemType=CATEGORY&itemID=17&iSubSubCat=18">Playboy shop </a>in the town. I know, I know, why go to Italy and then buy things from a Playboy shop? Or in fact, why buy something from the Playboy shop at all?? In my defense, I have to say that this is what they wanted and isn't that the point of a present? </p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/10/15/i_came_i_saw_i_drank_coffee~236068/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>wwwfinditnoworgukhttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/10/15/i_came_i_saw_i_drank_coffee~236068/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/10/08/better_than_drugs~222648/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2005-10-08:/2005/10/08/better_than_drugs~222648/Sat, 08 Oct 2005 10:15:57 +0200 <p>I went to the hospital last week. Faced with one of those long waits, I went armed with my two favourite reads; not Michael Cricton and Stephen Donaldson, but <a href="http://weewummin.blog.co.uk/main/">Helen</a> and <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/10/08/better_than_drugs~222648/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>wwwfinditnoworguknot-really-about-drugssorrentohttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/10/08/better_than_drugs~222648/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/08/19/mo_mowlam_rest_in_peace/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2005-08-19:/2005/08/19/mo_mowlam_rest_in_peace/Fri, 19 Aug 2005 12:17:16 +0200 <p>I rarely get moved to outwardly, in a blog or in converation, contemplate the death of someone who isn't known to me.</p> <p>Today is, however, one of those rare events.</p> <p>There was something about <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4126986.stm">Mo Mowlam</a> that I liked, although I never met her and rarely saw her speak on the TV. Was it to do with her brave battle against Cancer? No, not just that. Many people, including 'personalities' face that nightmware with courage.</p> <p>Was it the work that she did to move forward the Northern Ireland peace process? Probably not just that either.</p> <p>I think it was that I truely and completely believed that she was an honest person. That's it, but for a politician it sets her apart.</p> <p>The irony isn't lost on me that her replacement as Northern Ireland secretary was Peter Mandelson - possibly the exact opposite of Mo Mowlem in the ways that are important.</p> <p>I'm sad for her Husband and her friends. I hope they somehow find the strength to remember the joy amid the sorrow.</p> <p>I'm too cynical a person and so find myself disgusted by the long list of policians, of all flavours, lining up to sing her praise. Many of them despised her refusal to kow tow (wonderful phrase, but not a clue how to speel it) to the establishment political agenda - I believe that she did what she thought was right. Good for her!</p> <p>This may be unfair of me though - perhaps they can dislike her at work but like her as a person? One of my personal flaws is that I struggle to separate personal life and work life. If someone betrays me or lets me down personally, I'll assume that they will do the same in a work context, and vice versa. So for me, people who worked tirelessly against Mo Mowlem in her work life should just shut the fuck up now - they don't have right to spout off and recount fond memories, now that the poor women is gone.</p> <p>I'd rather see comments from her real friends (a few will obviously be from the world of politics, but perhaps not many) - they are the only people that have any right to say anything in public (oh, apart from people in their blogs, obviously).</p> <p>When I die, who will mourn me? My children? Loved ones? Family and friends? I'm thankful that I'm a non-entity; no sycophants or self-searving egoists will use my death to get their name onto the BBC website. </p> <p>If people shed tears and lament my passing, they will do so because they cared and they miss me. The numbers will be small, but they will have true hearts.</p> <p>I appologise. I try not to rant but this has upset me. Perhaps it highlights my own feelings of mortality at the moment.</p> <p>--eyepeasea--</p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/08/19/mo_mowlam_rest_in_peace/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>wwwfinditnoworgukrest-in-peacemo-mowlamhttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/08/19/mo_mowlam_rest_in_peace/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/08/18/frequent_flyer/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2005-08-18:/2005/08/18/frequent_flyer/Thu, 18 Aug 2005 13:10:39 +0200 <p>I work at Heathrow Airport at the moment. I get a bus from a car park (actually closer to Gatwick than Heathrow) and that takes me to just outside T3 arrivals. I turn right to go to my box or left to go to the terminal to sit in comfort drinking smooth coffee and admiring the view.</p> <p>On Tuesday I exited the bus; a bendy bus, I used to call it as a child, double length and bendy in the middle, turned back on myself and popped to T1. Jumped onto a flight to Athens and had arrived by mid-morning.</p> <p>The poor BA cabin crew; if the 757 flies at about 25 Gallons per mile, the steward was making 25 appologies per hour. It wasn't their fault; no food and only water. We had some take-on snacks and that was enough. I wasn't there for the food, I was there because it was quicker than walking. Anyway, they did a fine job.</p> <p>Got to the airport and walked through immigration. Business or Pleasure was the question put to me. No, I said, quite truthfully. Obviously he had no real interest in me anyway because he cared not one jot about my answer.</p> <p>I then settled down to read my book and have a coffee in the little airport bar. I soon found myself yearning for a cigarette. Apart from a poker night and the evening of my friends wedding (best man speech nerves finally got to me), I haven't really smoked since christmas. </p> <p>But I so wanted one, and to be honest, I'm sick of denying myself small pleasures just because some of those pleasures aren't good for me and anyway, just one or two won't hurt. Whooppee. I managed self-pity, inane rationalisation and denial - all in a single sentance. Is that the Blog equivalent of a <a href="http://www.scrabble.com/">Triple Word</a> score?</p> <p>Luckily, this is Greece. A cosmopolitan country where smoking goes with food, conversation and sex. Preferably in reverse order though. Their only concession is to recently ban surgeons from smoking whilst they operate - and what a fuss that caused!</p> <p>So, being Greece, everyone smoked in the bar and all I had to do was sit there and inhale. Guilt free smoking. Phew.</p> <p>Met S. and her daughter A. at the taxi rank as they pulled up in what looked like a yellow <a href="http://home.wangjianshuo.com/archives/2005/01/12/newyork-yellow.taxi.jpg">NY taxi</a>. S. looked well. Despite having just travelled 183 miles from Sami, by ferry, coach and finally taxi. Despite nursing cuts and awful bruises from a moped accident. Despite cutting short her 'ideal' holiday - horse riding through wonderful Greek countryside and mountains. I'm fuming; angry for my own reasons and angry because S. was deprived of a holiday that she so deserved. Kids, who'd have them? On that subject, I'll say no more. </p> <p>The flight back was nice. A 767 and we got bumped up into not-quite-economy. An old lady had been separated from her two friends; only by about 6 seats, but enough to upset her. We moved (well, I offered to move us, she accepted and then only S. and A. actually had to move. But A. got a Window seat and S. could peer over her shoulder and look out the window, so that worked out well). </p> <p>I smiled at the old lady and helped her with the blanket. We chuckled and smiled some more when I helped her with the seat-belt. Eyes bright as diamonds, just her hands betraying her age. That made me happy. Thank you, little sweet old lady.</p> <p>I'm not sure I like Greece; I felt a little uncomfortable. My attempts to speak (bad) Spannish at the waitress didn't endeer us to each other. It's all foriegn isn't it, so why didn't she understand? </p> <p>Last night after work, sitting outside in the garden with S., I said that I wanted to go to Europe to live. Perhaps in 10 years time. 15 at the most. The kids will be grown up and by then, travelling from Europe to England will be as quick as travelling round the M25. I don't want to stay here. Spain. Maybe France. Perhaps even Italy. Just not here. I want to sit outside for 10 months of the year, although not for 10 months continuously. I want to see smiling faces. I don't want the downtrodden misery that pervades this particular corner of the world. I know I could have all that, bar the weather, by moving away from London, but I need the sun.</p> <p>--eyepeasea--</p> <p>--useful_reading--<br> <a href="http://www.airandspacemagazine.com/ASM/Mag/Index/1995/JJ/gwtf.html">http://www.airandspacemagazine.com/ASM/Mag/Index/1995/JJ/gwtf.html</a></p> <p>Sometimes, I wonder what scientists do. I don't believe that gaining understanding of something is always a good enough reason.</p> <p>Perhaps I'm not clever enough to see the tangible benefits of some research? Perhaps news of a new <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4156544.stm">squished mollusc</a> thingy from <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0140621180/qid=1124363255/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_10_1/026-4880040-4658025">20,000 leagues</a> beneath the sea and <a href="http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000068OVN.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg">1,000,000 years BC</a>, is important. But why does it seem pointless?</p> <p>Anyway, the first link above about laminar flow control is quite interesting and practical. Burn less fuel and decrease the fabrication costs (both finaicial and environmental) of aircraft. Surely a good thing? Anyway, I thought it was interesting. I think I probably need to stop working at an airport. And no, I had never heard of laminar flow control either. I found the link whilst looking for the fuel economy figures for a 757 (outbound flight - I made up the figure of 25 gallons per mile). I couldn't find the fuel economy, but it's about 8Kgs of fuel per mile. </p> <p>Maximum Range: 3,900 miles. Fuel Capacity: 34,000Kgs.</p> <p>STOP IT RIGHT NOW. </p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/08/18/frequent_flyer/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>wwwfinditnoworgukathenssimiba757http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/08/18/frequent_flyer/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/08/14/hello_world_any_programmers_out_there/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2005-08-14:/2005/08/14/hello_world_any_programmers_out_there/Sun, 14 Aug 2005 14:26:41 +0200 <p>I'd just like to re-introduce myself to the world.</p> <p>I bowed out of life for a few weeks - removed myself to an alternate reality where:</p> <p>:- guilt isn't all too often the biggest emotion I feel,</p> <p>:- I had the same faith in myself that others have,</p> <p>:- my kids aren't moving 60 miles away in just a few weeks,</p> <p>:- it doesn't rain on my friends wedding ("it's ok, we've booked it for the last weekend in July, the weather must be good...")</p> <p>:- the Inland Revenue (sorry, HM Revenue and Customs - LOL) work in a cohesive and joined up manner to efficiently handle my tax affairs,</p> <p>:- S. doesn't have to drive 150 miles each day to work for a company who appear to be too frequently unappreciative of the efforts of their staff,</p> <p>:- I'm actually a successful playwright, producing ironic, mildly sardonic and yet entertaining simple scripts that parody American TV series from the 60's to the 80's (plenty of material there).</p> <p>I've been and now I'm back. Back to the real world... I had to return - whilst writing this blog is therapeutic for me, I found that I missed Helen, Mark, John, Hugo and all those others, just too much.</p> <p>So - Hi again! You guys must have loads of news so I'll be catching up with you all soon...</p> <p>Hugs</p> <p>--eyepeasea--</p> <p>--pictureoftheday--<br> "Ok, I may look odd, but at least I have the sense to sit in the shade."<br> <a href="http://data1.blog.de/blog/e/eyepeasea/img/kangaroo-87.3.jpg" title="Just chilling."><img src="http://data1.blog.de/blog/e/eyepeasea/img/kangaroo-87.3_small.jpg" border="0" alt="Just chilling."></a></p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/08/14/hello_world_any_programmers_out_there/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>friendswwwfinditnoworgukrealitykangaroohttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/08/14/hello_world_any_programmers_out_there/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/07/15/you_must_check_this_out/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2005-07-15:/2005/07/15/you_must_check_this_out/Fri, 15 Jul 2005 15:56:33 +0200 <p><a href="http://earth.google.com">http://earth.google.com</a></p> <p>This is staggering. I can't do it justice by talking about it. So please, please go to the webpage and, if you have broadband, download it.</p> <p>--eyepeasa--</p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/07/15/you_must_check_this_out/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>googleearthwwwfinditnoworgukhttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/07/15/you_must_check_this_out/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/07/15/call_me_cynical_but/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2005-07-15:/2005/07/15/call_me_cynical_but/Fri, 15 Jul 2005 15:54:52 +0200 <p>I had a phone call yesterday. A chap offering me life insurance, in conjunction with Barclaycard. I get the feeling the guy wasn't actually from Barclaycard, but there was a tie in somewhere.</p> <p>Normal thing - would you like to have £250k of life insurance, if you say yes now then we'll give you the first 60 days free. Yada Yada Yada.</p> <p>Then he says "people underestimate the need for life insurance. If you were killed on a bus or a train, then you leave your partner (He'd already asked me whether I had a partner) with the financial worries".</p> <p>"Bus or a train". No mention of cars or planes. Or skewered by a packet of polos dropped from the crane 300' above your head. Just busses and trains.</p> <p>Am I being ridiculously cynical when I feel like this is a hideously tasteless marketing ploy?</p> <p>--eyepeasea-- (without life cover)</p> <p>Edited Later - for anyone visiting this page at a later date, this was topical at the time and won't make much sense 'now'!</p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/07/15/call_me_cynical_but/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>barclarycardlife-insurancehttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/07/15/call_me_cynical_but/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/07/10/leeds_testosterone_and_b52s/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2005-07-10:/2005/07/10/leeds_testosterone_and_b52s/Sun, 10 Jul 2005 16:54:07 +0200 <p>Yes, it had to be a stag weekend.</p> <p>Just back from Leeds where I've had a few drinks (seriously, just a few), gone slightly deaf, danced (sort of) and been shot at with paintballs.</p> <p>Leeds appears to be the Hen Weekend capital of the North; some information that may have really interested me 15 years ago, but less so now <img src="/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif" alt=":DD" class="middle" border="0">. </p> <p>The evenings were good; lots of people bouncing from one bar to another, laughing, talking and having a realy good time. </p> <p>Two things that I noticed; Leeds city centre has gone through an utter transformation since I was last there (loooong time ago) and it now looks like a shiny, thriving and very much alive city. Both the fish and nightlife have returned to the canals and canal banks, giving some of the old run down areas a positive and vibrant energy that stands in such contrast to the fear and pain caused by Thursdays atrocity. </p> <p>The other thing that was noticeable by its absence was trouble. You know, that mixture of alcohol and testosterone that is as volatile as Nitro & glycerine (poetic license employed to split that word :-) ) I didn't hear a cross word or confrontation until I got back home and two drivers were shouting over who was going to be ahead when two lanes came down to one. </p> <p>Everyone had a great time and now we're home (that sounds like the ending of a Tolkien book!)</p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/07/10/leeds_testosterone_and_b52s/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>hen-nightleedshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/07/10/leeds_testosterone_and_b52s/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/07/03/hey_diddle_diddle_the_cat_and_the_fiddle/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2005-07-03:/2005/07/03/hey_diddle_diddle_the_cat_and_the_fiddle/Sun, 03 Jul 2005 21:06:28 +0200 <p>The cow jumped over the moon. The little boy laughed, to see such fun, and the dish ran away with the spoon.</p> <p>Can anyone explain why I can remember a nursery rhyme from 30 years ago and yet fail to remember to post that cheque to the Tax Man or that I had a really important meeting with Alex, first thing on Friday morning?</p> <p>And what does that rhyme mean? Do nursery rhymes tell stories? Pass on history? Teach lessons? Or are they there for just no purpose whatsoever? I hope they have no purpose; it's nice to think that some things just are. </p> <p>S. and I went to see War of the Worlds yesterday. We treated ourselves to a nice meal in Reading (by the canal). It was S., myself and two big hen-night parties. I'm really not sure what some of the <em>games</em> were that they were playing, but I'm glad my children weren't there. </p> <p>My eldest, S., can get married in Scotland in two years time. It seems so preposterous that I can't even begin to seriously worry about losing my little girl. I'm sure that the first time she tells me she is in love with someone, I'll just laugh. The mirth will stop once I realise that even if it doesn't turn out to be True Love, she will have crossed the threshold between childhood and adulthood. As she grows into a young women, she learns step by step the importance of friends, the challenges and rewards of life and that she is, to a large degree, the master of her own destiny (I daren't say "Responsibility" to her). I'm so happy for her - with her life ahead of her; the laughter, the tears. I worry, but I'm allowed to. I'm her dad and I love her.</p> <p>This entry was going to be about the film, but I'm sitting here now, with tears in my eyes, thinking about my little girl and how much I love her and her brothers.</p> <p>Not all tears are bad.</p> <p>--eyepeasea--</p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/07/03/hey_diddle_diddle_the_cat_and_the_fiddle/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>adulthoodchildhoodhttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/07/03/hey_diddle_diddle_the_cat_and_the_fiddle/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/07/01/what_are_friends_for/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2005-07-01:/2005/07/01/what_are_friends_for/Fri, 01 Jul 2005 19:09:46 +0200 <p>I thought I'd introduce my big fat orange friend...</p> <p><img src="http://data1.blog.de/blog/e/eyepeasea/img/images_01.jpg" border="0" alt="He has a great personality"></p> <p>--eyepeasea--</p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/07/01/what_are_friends_for/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>space-hopperhttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/07/01/what_are_friends_for/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/07/01/normal_service_will_be_resumed_shortly/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2005-07-01:/2005/07/01/normal_service_will_be_resumed_shortly/Fri, 01 Jul 2005 17:18:14 +0200 <p>My last blog entry has stunned me into complete inaction. I haven't even been reading other (interesting blogs - see my favourite viewing Blog list).</p> <p>Can I take this opportunity to reassure you that the normal inane and shallow observations will return shortly.</p> <p>I really don't know what got into me.</p> <p>--eyepeasea--</p> <p>--pictureoftheday--<br> <img src="http://data1.blog.de/blog/e/eyepeasea/img/dna_and_skeleton.PNG" border="0" alt="Ouch..."></p> <p>Can you see the pained look on his face? You'd think that having a double-helix ripped out of each cell was painful. Pah! Wimp!</p> <p><br> <br> <a href="http://www.finditnow.org.uk">www.finditnow.org.uk</a> - The Free Business eDirectory.<br> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/07/01/normal_service_will_be_resumed_shortly/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>naked-blokeinanednahttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/07/01/normal_service_will_be_resumed_shortly/#commentshttp://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/06/27/my_own_personal_experience_of_depression/tag:eyepeasea.blog.co.uk,2005-06-27:/2005/06/27/my_own_personal_experience_of_depression/Mon, 27 Jun 2005 17:51:29 +0200 <p>I guess this can be articulated very simply.</p> <p>For me, depression was a complete inability to see the positive aspect of anything, anywhere, ever.</p> <p>To expland slightly; an inability to see the positive side to myself, to others around me (in terms of their actions toward me), to see the positive and good in things that had happened, were happening and would most likely happen in the future.</p> <p>That's about it. Something so simple and basic, but having such a fundemental effect on me.</p> <p>Not being able to see, remember, the 'good times' makes life to date seem wasted and tortuous. Being unable to see any potential for happiness now or in the immediate future, persuaded me that not only was it hopeless at the moment, but there was no hope of any improvement.</p> <p>Many other words could be used, <em>Bleak </em>being my favourite (seems to fit best).</p> <p>Depression is very odd - so similiar for so many people in so many ways (low self-esteem is a factor in so many instances?) and yet so incredibly personal and idiosyncratic.</p> <p>It's taken nearly two years to realise that my previous relationship (of 14 years) wasn't completely bad for the last 10 years or so. For a long time, I seriously could not remember a moment of happiness that related solely to my ex and I. Lots of fond memories of my kids, but not my ex. There still aren't that many good memories, but at least there are some. This realisation is a personal milestone for me, one of many I have had achieved over the last two years. This faulty memory and perception aren't casual issues; I'm sure that I could have taken a lie-detector and passed with flying colours by answering "No", to the question "Have you had a happy day in the last 12 months", but I can see now that it simply isn't true - it just <em>seemed </em>true.</p> <p>If I were at the Oscars, I would be thanking my Doctor (incredibly kind and understanding), my Counselor (every two weeks for two years) and Pfizer (who make the SSRI that I took, again for two years). Finally my kids - the others helped me see some light at the end of the tunnel, but my kids are the reason I wanted to get back into the light.</p> <p>This is what's been going round my head for a couple of days; I needed to articulate it. </p> <p>I'm not 100% - but then, who is? I now see life as a mixture of weather; sometimes rainy, sometimes bright. There are ups and downs, but this is what they are, just ups and downs. No more bottomless pits of despair waiting to swallow me whole. </p> <p>--eyepeasea--</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/06/27/my_own_personal_experience_of_depression/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://eyepeasea.blog.co.uk/2005/06/27/my_own_personal_experience_of_depression/#comments