www.GamesScoop.com - start following it!

If you're interested in having an impartial review about apps, games and technology as well as any relevant news, take a closer look at www.gamesscoop.com! It's a pretty new site but one that's honest and not quite your mainstream mouthpieces for conventional marketing ploys etc. It's definitely a site worth trusting and hopefully will start to grab the attention of the underground indie gamers and game makers as well as anyone else interested in the scene.
At the end of the day we pay too much on stuff we don't want - why cram your iphone, ipad or ipod or android phone or anything else for that matter with junk and pay for it?! Get an insight and fair review first!

Amy Winehouse RIP

I won't speak ill of the dead and my sympathy goes to Amy's family. I can't say it came as a shock that she passed away as we know of her well publicized issues with drink and drugs. It's a waste of a life and I hope that it will help prevent more wasted lives from being wasted in the same way.
Of course the monster that is media had covered everything she did and indeed didn't do. There will be much speculation over this but I hope that in the end she and everyone finds the peace they sought.

Sore foot and yet my boss still wants me to work!

I was unlucky enough to stamp my foot down onto a plug so one of the prongs gashed it. I can't believe how sore it is. I think what's worse is the skin flapping about and the bruise being rubbed by the shoe.
My boss wants me in to work as we're deadlining this week. On the one hand I am up for it as I like keeping active and I'm mentally fine, but on the other hand I can't barely walk to or from work let alone drive or go out on patch and visit clients. It's crazy!

Botox like crack!

I don't agree how a surgeons can offer free botox knowing that it's like a drug to addicts or a way to tempt people into this falsely beautiful world. It's so superficial and a dark art to practice. Once you try it, you'll have to keep doing it to maintain the effects. It's horrid!

Cosmetic Surgery

I attended a cosmetic surgery specialist the other day. The session was quite weird as they had champagne flowing, botox for free and loads of other non surgical things before the talk. The talk itself was freaky though. The surgeon made it clear he was going to promote surgery (after all it's his profession) but also wanted to promote the less invasive procedures.
His talk was interesting enough given that it was all about how he was ethical. Shame that these ethics weren't translating into caring for the patient mentally. Surely somewhere a governing body (which isn't owned by a select few surgeons for their own ends) should step in and say that the issue should be treating people with dignity and not trying to milk them for all these different operations.
I thought I was in another world when he said that all ugly people would be beautiful in 10 years time. Partially down to technical advances, partly down to people getting treatments done earlier on and it being more commonplace.
I wonder if people in the congo (not saying that anyone there's ugly), would agree with him at all? I doubt it! I just don't think that they live on the same planet these specialists. Obviously the botox has got into his brain!

Saturday night

Another week over with and a Saturday night on the horizon. I can't wait to have another night with my wife!

Promoted at work!

I am really pleased to announce that I finally have been promoted at work today. This long overdue promotion came in recognition for making significant sales and contributions in the office as well as launching new platforms in the magazines I work on which has seen fresh revenue come in and helped others generate money.
The increase in pay will certainly come in handy as we're planning to get away for a week soon.

Newsflash...Hell Freezes Over

News just in... we've received reports that hell has frozen over. A rather angry Mr. B. Alzebub is quoted in saying "What the hell?!" and "I didn't see that coming!"
We'll return to this exciting story with more details as soon as we have them. Be sure to stay tuned to hear the latest!

The best feelings in the world...

Feel free to add to this list but I think to get things started the best feelings in this world are -

Love (and being loved)
Finding money in your pocket/in the street
Having a soak in a hot bubble bath or jacuzzi
Sunbathing somewhere beautiful
A freshly made bed after a long day

Tired, cranky and looking forward to having a good soak and long night in bed!

After having such a hard day at work I really feel irritated and generally not up for socialising or let alone speaking or listening to anyone. I just really want to come home, put my feet up, have nothing on the telly and unwind properly or I'm likely to go into meltdown.
I hate feeling this way! At least it's over with and I have the nice evening and some food and drink and bed to look forward to after having a nice hot bath to soak in.

Tuesday.. Monday's hangover!

I've got a sneaking suspicion that Monday's get all the bad press and that perhaps Tuesday deserves to fall into the same category of Monday blues.

London Gay Pride 2011 - Let Down!

My wife got back from the London Gay Pride event today and it was a total blow-out. Having to wait for hours to get into the loos, crime (her brother had his bag pinched - including all his booze!), crowds everywhere and generally no atmosphere or sound systems to be found anywhere... sadly the worst bit of all was the attitudes of quite a few attending. I doubt 2012 is going to be worth it?! This seems to be something that keeps getting worse year on year.

Staying in and babysitting

My wife really loves going to gay pride and as her friend couldn't go as she couldn't find anyone to babysit her children I volunteered as I quite like her children and last year pride didn't seem as good as previously. It's a good deal really as I get to chill out this weekend and they get to go out and party. I wonder if I'm getting too old for this kind of thing? At least its good practice for when we may have kids!

Getting my first comment on blogspot

I am so happy to have had my first comment on Blogger. I had started to wonder if anyone had been reading the posts and more to the point what the thoughts were. True this is my personal bit of the web where it doesn't really matter who or what people think as it's not ably that, but I am delighted to hear that I have helped someone out, especially knowing they were interested in Train2Game (please see my blog about that). I really hope they can now find a better course and path to achieve their goals.

Wedding Day

Went to a friend's wedding yesterday and it was pretty nice. We attended a church and turned up just as the bride was about to walk down the aisle. It was pretty brief, just a couple of tunes played over the PA system and a short service and then it was outside for photos of the grand day.
After we had all been filmed we filtered our way to the reception. It wasn't quite what I think many had expected but what the place lacked in form seemed to make up for in warmth and love as the people all were genuinely very happy.
It's funny thinking that the last wedding I was at was my own!

Heatwave in the UK

It looks as though finally summer has started. Spring showed a taste of what hopefully should be to come and after a few wet days and nights and mud being on the menu at all the festivals (when isn't it?) if today's anything to go by, we are going to be all having a proper summer that will be just what we've wished for - who needs to go abroad when you've got days like these? I just wish I had air con in my car! Man I am roasted!

How do you uninvite someone who's invited themselves?

I was wondering how to uninvite someone who's invited themselves to a family holiday? Both my wife and I were planning to escape to the countryside later this year and our friend ended up inviting herself along with her two kids. Since then we've been wondering if it's such a good idea for a number of reasons but when it's been brought up in conversation she's managed to play on things and avoid getting told she can't come. So now we're left feeling a little cornered into taking them along when it was meant to be a romantic break away. How can you let someone down gently or should it be done quickly and sharply like a plaster?

Helping my neighbour pays!

I got home today to find out my neighbour had asked her carer to deliver a card with a thank you note inside as well as a £10 note to treat ourselves with a drink on her. I feel awful about accepting the money but I don't want to offend by handing it back. We pressed the intercom and said thank you to her and we had a brief conversation. I wonder if she'll start being more involved now? Probably not but I hope she doesn't feel so intimidated.

Good Deed for the Day

I had a shocking day at work and basically when I got home couldn't crawl into bed soon enough. I woke up hearing a gentle tapping on the door and discovered it was my neighbour upstairs. I've never seen or spoken with her in my life (despite being her neighbour for about 2 years - I think this is normal for London). She'd managed to blow the fuses and couldn't get the lights or sockets to work so after a few tentative flicks of the switches, I found it was the kettle fluking the switch as she'd managed to pour water over the base (and power supply).
I hope this means she won't think we're ogres!

Grab an opportunity with both hands...

It's not often you get given a golden opportunity. Sometimes it's not clear to see the potential that something has to offer but if you inspect it closely enough you could well find that it's a perfect step in the right direction. I'm starting to develop some creative ideas and also I keep getting headhunted which is always good. I think things will be changing on the horizon.

Getting Drunk and Partying on a Saturday Night

Staying at home in London is much more preferable than going out these days. You avoid the scrum at the bar, being deafened by loud music and being unable to hear your friends. Staying at home is such a better idea, you can set the mood, pick the entertainment and when the room starts to spin, no taxi rip-offs and you can plonk straight into bed. Also you have no queue waiting at the toilets either.

Cheating boyfriends... exposed!

My friend's got a cheating boyfriend who's just come clean that he's been seeing someone else on the side (we all thought he was anyway so it doesn't come as a total shock). The bad thing is, he has a son who's less than a year old and rather than try to do the right thing, he's still attempting to be a player. He was putting on crocodile tears trying to say he'll make it up to his girlfriend and then as soon as she's out of the door he runs over to his bit on the side.
I had hoped the girl he's with would kick him to the curb and initially she did but he's managed to still balance both of these women somehow. I don't see how this sort of thing can be tolerated or kept going for any length of time.

Bullying at the workplace - how not to motivate your staff!

I've had a really rough day at work. The bosses had taken it upon themselves to get everyone standing up in the office until they sold something. This sort of practice died out in the 80's or 90's but according to the director this is perfectly acceptable to expect.

Thankfully my boss saw through the rubbish and didn't tell myself or my colleague to join in with this barbaric practice and abuse of authority. It's probably just as well as we would have flipped.

We instead left the office to visit the areas around us but the whole time we had our thoughts for those left behind. I was fuming and we made certain to do everything we could to not go back until we absolutely had to.

When we got back we saw everyone completely demoralised and demotivated by the experience. The stupid bosses were all congratulating themselves for their efforts to appease the director. It was totally callous and unfair treatment. Even one girl sold something and sat down but as it was something that was agreed yesterday but the confirmation only came through today she couldn't claim that as a sale and was promptly told to stand back up again.

Maybe somewhere someone thinks that this sort of practice is normal or acceptable and even offers a bit of an edge. It doesn't work though when you have to use the computer to send emails and so on. Sure it may motivate people to push harder to stop the punishment and sit down, but seriously, when we're used to being on our feet (as we're all field sales) it doesn't do anything other than frustrate and hinder us from doing what we need to do when we are in the office.

Needless to say, some girls were crying and everyone resented this practice. And if you look at the fact of what was sold and if indeed it resulted in anything bigger or better than usual, chances are it did absolutely nothing positive and actually made people less enthusiastic and unhappy at the workplace.

I swear, if they try this on and try to make me comply, they will regret it far more than me! I really want to leave this place more than ever now. I'd really like to see these incompetent members of staff leave or be caught out and fired for their inadequacy.

DIY

Went to my sister-in-law's who gave my wife and I some left over paint. We then went to Homebase to pick up some more paint to spruce this place up a bit and make this house more homely by putting our stamp on it. My wife can't wait to be doing something with the place! I'm happy she's happy!

Mid-Week Blues

I know loads of people hate Mondays... others hate Sundays (when you realise it's work or school tomorrow). I am kind of hating Wednesdays, as it's like the deepest part of the ocean e.g. not the beginning and not the end of the week, so you've got no buzz left from the weekend and it's still a while until the next weekend.

Bullying - help, what can I do?

My friend's daughter has been picked on in school by her ex-best friend. She has a small birth mark on the tip of her nose (a large freckle) and of course school kids are being cruel calling her names because of it. I know that this girl who's bullying her is clearly messed up (there's evidence that shows she's been abused) but it's really upsetting to see this sweet kid be upset and afraid of going back to school.
Now I don't condone violence but I could really see some form of satisfaction come from seeing the bully get a dose of her own medicine but I don't know what to do. Has anyone got any advice?
Please bear in mind, there's not much point talking to the parent(s) as they're the ones we suspect doing the abusing behind closed doors and the teachers seem to take the side of the bully (as she keeps framing the other girl for doing stuff she's not doing).

Sri Lanka - Crime Against Humanity

I just saw a harrowing programme on Channel 4 about the recent war in Sri Lanka and how the UN basically ducked out in time to let genocide happen because they were told by the Sri Lankan government that it couldn't guarantee their safety.

Sometimes evil comes more through the lack of doing something rather than the act of letting it happen. When someone needs help I'm inclined to help, so when a nation cries out for help why should I be any different? HOW CAN I HELP?!

I guess it's crazy thinking that one person can make a difference but I pray that somehow this helps and that I can be of more help in the future.

We all know why this happened or more to the point was allowed to happen whilst the world's eyes were drawn away elsewhere. I guess the spotlight has returned to some degree and of course knowing how much of a tourist hotspot this area is but it takes the shine off it somewhat when you know the forces behind the scenes and action that has happened elsewhere.

Systematic extermination of people, whether they're a soldier, sympathiser, civilian, or just unlucky enough to be caught in the middle of it all at the wrong time is still murder, no matter how someone spins it. Having prisoners paraded, tortured and then killed or allowing women to be raped and killed, letting old and young people be blown limb from limb takes the glory out of war, especially when it's an unarmed person seeking refuge and forced from their home and told to go to safety zones which turn out to be concentration camps.

Sure, Tamil Tigers probably were doing their part to make the most of things and using everything they could to cling onto power as the noose was tightened, but seriously, this is just unacceptable and frightening that this happened during the past couple of years!

I hope that those behind these atrocities seek and find forgiveness for their crimes, and I pray that those wronged get everything they lost returned to them and peace is restored fairly.

So it's a stark contrast about the reaction of the various governments in implementing demands in bringing those to justice for crimes against humanity for other people in other countries, and yet those in power in Sri Lanka are not being dragged into a court and made to give account for their actions and pay the price for any wrongdoing.

It makes me sick, it really does and I really feel helpless but I want to do something and I honestly don't know where to begin. Can anyone help? I guess it only takes one to start a revolution!

There's no pleasing some people...

I went to work today and my mate turned up late as he had pulled a muscle in his neck and it was lucky we had him in at all as he seemed in agony. No sooner does he get in my manager calls us to the boardroom for a quick meeting where she basically picked on him for being late and that he's always late on Mondays (he's only had one other late Monday). I just found the whole thing really stupid honestly. What is the guy supposed to do? He comes in and is bullied and if he hadn't have come in, he probably would have only had a slap on the wrist - so he probably should've thought better of it than to make the effort!
Anyway, we managed to escape the office shortly afterwards as we thought the option of dragging our boss out with us would prove less than useful - so we bundled into the car and got away.
When out on patch we visited a few shops and one was handing out smoothies to taste and as we are involved with local magazines the worker suggested speaking with the owner about marketing the business. So we made our way in and was greeted with "What are you trying to sell?" To which we replied nothing, just wondering if he'd seen the magazine at all and if there could be some hope for reviewing and promoting the business. He rudely just interupted to say "Cut to the chase, what are you selling?" So I said "The magazine as we're interested in your business and would like to make it succeed" and again before I could even say anything really he bellowed "Not interested!". To anything we said, he kept repeating "Not interested!" and I just was agast really as he was so rude and I had to laugh really quite openly as there he was tucked away on his own table, piercing in his eyebrow, chav hoodie clothing and reading The Sun (as that's mostly pictures probably). I just turned around saying "it's a shame you won't let us help you make this place busy, cos you clearly need the business - just take a look around, this place is empty and everytime I've come by it's been the same! - Perhaps you can't afford to advertise this business as you have no buyers!" My colleague just turned around shortly after and was apologised to by the other member of staff.
I was really up for a proper fight and usually I'd stay cool but after the day like today and being greeted with such hostility, I thought we had nothing to lose! I really hope his business fails as he's such a nasty piece of work!

Discovering British Countryside and the main thing to say is Southampton sucks!

I went around the UK today for a short spin to see what I could find. My wife and I went to Salisbury and that was pretty nice looking with some lovely historical buildings. There were a few kids trying to act hard but coming from London, they wouldn't last a second.
We turned around to Southampton and discovered it really sucks! Talk about thoroughly lame! Driving around and getting held up by the hundreds of traffic lights and interlinking roads we ended up looking at the marina and it was almost like nearly every other one... utterly pointless expensive development surrounding a haven for boats. I couldn't possibly imagine anyone really looking at the shallow and heartless developments and thinking "I really want to live here!" it missed every part of what makes a house a home. I'm sure there's someone who'll love something that serves a purpose but the song "Little Boxes" lept to mind.
Eventually getting free of that awful location (via the rugby and cricket ground - which equally are located in bizarre locations), we ended up heading towards Midhurst but sadly there was a massive accident and we had to turn around and made our way to London instead. Devil's Punchbowl is a nice place and the forest surrounding it is so cool.
The heavens opened up as per usual with a British Summer. We got to see a variety of wild animals too today including a Fox, Badger, Eagle, around a hundred Magpies, a Rabbit and a Squirrel. Sadly all but the birds and rabbit were squished road-kill! Not a pheasant in sight though... blasted birds - they really are suicidal I swear!

Going out with my baby...

We're on the road again today and where we go no-body knows! I love random adventures and excursions... especially with my boo! :)

Going down to the pub to kick start the weekend!

I'm so shattered but I really am looking forward to having a quiet night out with the wife and friends for a couple of pints.

A busy but great day!

I have had a frantic week and it was capped off with a manic day. I got to work on time, avoiding the rain and the worst of the traffic. I got straight on with work, given a special project selling a summer guide special magazine for London. I made the first sale and then made another and virtually nothing else shifted during the day for anyone else.
I got a chocolate bar as a prize - it felt a bit like I was a dog performing a trick and getting a treat as a reward. I'd much rather get a fairer deal than the one everyone gets at work - but that's for another time.
What made my day was I got to speak with someone at FrightFest which hosts some great events. I found out that they could need some editorial contributions (not that I doubt for a second they struggle to get offers). I put this to one side for me to tackle outside of work hours.
I then got speaking with another client who I a reply from an earlier email from a listing on Gumtree who are looking for someone who can do some editorial for them. I'm keen to get any editorial work but I hope I can work something which means I get paid for my contributions.

Should I go to the doctors about a problem I think I have?

I've had a spot in a sensitive part of my body come and go for quite a while. It's not dangerous as far as I can tell, just gets sore and flares up from time to time. I'm not one for really wanting to go and hassle the GP for one reason or another, but it isn't going and I think I may have bite the bullet to get it checked out.

Losing your wallet really sucks!

After a tough day at the office all you really want to do is put your feet up and veg out to slowly thaw out and start to feel a bit more human. Well, when you have to throw into the mix your weekly shopping, it's fairly safe to say you're likely to feel a little frazzled and struggle to make it through the evening without incident. Take my poor wife for example, we went shopping and left the shops to start flipping out that the purse has gone! We quickly spin back around and check the car over again, looking in all the bags and running through the security tapes to see if the purse is able to be found.
We resign ourselves to the fact that we were going to have to cancel the cards and all that fun stuff but as luck would have it, the purse had managed to drop out between the seats of the car! So, heart attack over with and crisis averted. It's just funny how she was more concerned about wasting people's time hunting for the thing than anything else! But as the shop assistant said, these things happen!

Feeling Broody

I went to my friend's daughters birthday party today after work and it was really quite similar to the sorts of birthday parties I was used to when I grew up - loud screaming kids, balloons, cake and lots of sweets!
I was feeling a little old but I ended up chilling out minding over the baby once things were quieting down and I ended up having quite a decent chat to this gurgling little fellow. Interspersed with the squeals and drool, he and I seemed to build up a bit of a bond and as it was getting late I could tell he was starting to get a little tired so rather than leave him I decided to rock him and sure enough after a little bit he nodded off and I just had a really good vibe and I think it's fairly safe to say I'm feeling pretty paternal and broody right now... I guess it's different having your own kids and sure there's the whole benefit of being able to hand them back to the child's parents after you're done with them, but I really would like to have a little sprog sometime and watch them grow and turn out to be whatever they end up being and being amazed at how they develop from the little bundle of joy to who they turn out to be (still hopefully being a joy rather than pain!).

My PC is totally screwed!

After a day at work, don't you just hate it when you get home to find that somehow, someone's managed to hack your PC and put on some evil malware trojan virus thing which just corrupts the system and causes you to spend more hours than you care to believe trying to undo their evil work! So to all you hackers and evil people who make these damn things, you really should stop! Don't you realise you're only fuelling the needs of these anti-virus software companies which makes them richer! So much for anti-capitalism or whatever you believe in!

Spaghetti Bolognaise with a twist!

I just had an amazing spag bol - using minced lamb rather than beef and it's delicious! My wife blew my tastebuds away!

New Job Offers?

Is anyone able to offer me a new job? I'd be happy to consider any serious offer!

Contrived movies... Action Actors don't need to Act! Dance movies should go to hell and Sex and the City 2 have a lot to answer for!

Is it me or have we seen the movie industry lose its spark more and more over the years. Looking back at movies over the last few decades there's always been an itch that the films have scratched. Boys for example would get their fill of violence with a good old fashioned action film, low on script - high on thrills and of course a big named star to pull it all together. Then someone had to try and get the muscly "actors" to actually act... Arnold Schwarzenegger even took a stab at it with less and less convincing results.
Now we're left to pick between either a really messed up movie with little or no plot but just gore and freaky stuff like Saw or Hostel... (which of course try to outdo itself with every incarnation). Or alternatively art house films which try to pass themselves as mainstream movies like Antichrist which let’s face it made no sense at all and left you wondering just what the hell was that all about and why did I sit through it and not demand my money back? Also, just who the hell funds the making of it and then decides it's worth it? Seriously, it's crazy!
If that sort of thing is not your cup of tea, then there's always a lousy dance movie where poor kid gets a chance to shine but can't let go of roots, history catches up with them and causes problems, which only get made worse as they find love (despite themselves) with a privileged kid and somehow sparks fly because we all know that opposites attract... they get a chance to work together and despite the odds manage to win a competition (which of course a rival kid or gang is competing in) and yay, the good guys manage to win and the world seems right once more.... Stop making this stuff up! Sure, dancers are amazing but stop trying to make it something it isn't... Take porn for example, it's what it is, why bother with a script it's just padding it all out!? You can do better DIY movies than anything you can probably buy from these seedy shops but at least they don't tend to take themselves too seriously and when they do, well, it doesn't work. It just seems like everything's going more mainstream!
Talking of padding things out and going mainstream... Sex and the City 2... man, did I feel my nuts shrivel and die as I watched this long and painful slow movie. Ok, it had a nice turn e.g. It starts with a gay wedding (which lasts forever) Carrie's married to Mr Big and the spark seems a bit dead now... Samantha gets to take her and the other two to UAE and of course they have a couple of dilemmas... the ginger lawyer and Charlotte have a heart to heart about having kids, Carrie snogs an old flame and Samantha gets put in jail for kissing in public. They then try to flee the country as they don't want to pay the hotel bill and they get the unlikely help from the Arab women (who of course love fashion and America!) They get back to New York and Carrie and Mr Big smooth things over and find that spark again, Samantha gets her guy and the other two return to mothering again. Oh and for the guys there's a braless Irish lass who seems to get slow-mo close-ups.
What I guess I'm just trying to say is, please, if there's a director or producer out there who reads this, please quit making such tasteless rubbish/trash and treat your audience with more respect or else your new films are going to end up going straight to DVD and not even the pirates will bother copying these crappy flicks!
Oh and don't even get me started on Inglourious Bastards... Quentin Tarantino, you suck! That film was total boredom and the US army did not kill Hitler like your film depicts - so please learn your history and quit trying to teach kids false things.

Hangover from hell... and the TV you should probably not watch when suffering from it!

I've not had a hangover for ages and the last time I did it was due to drinking absynthe, sidekicks, lager, whiskey, gin and just about anything else that was handed to me... it ended up in me being pretty dead to the world in the bathtub and losing a chunk of memory which still is missing 'til this day.
I think I've become a bit of a lightweight though, I only ended up polishing off two large bottles of Leffe and I noticed the room spinning when I closed my eyes and then was a bit ill before going to bed. When I woke up after only four hours sleep, I couldn't get back to sleep and when I finally got out of bed two hours later and then I noticed the hangover start to kick in... what's happened to me? I think I must have grown older but not wiser over night!
I stuffed toast into my belly rather reluctantly and just vegged out in front of the TV to watch Top Gear and The Human Body which had some guy having his hands being replaced with a doners' because his had been virtually destroyed in a fire. Rather amazing what happens to the body and how it fights back and the stupid stuff people do (like jumping over bulls in Spain - haven't they heard of TV or sky diving? both probably are less likely to kill you and are possibly a lot more entertaining!) I was just glad that the bull has a chance of taking out someone stupid enough to get into the ring and try their luck. I hate the matadors who get to slaughter these animals for entertainment - I think the Romans have a lot to answer for, but look what happened to them!
Back to the body show though.. made me feel a bit guilty and ill watching it at the same time knowing that I'd managed to do this to myself. Oh well!

Leffe and honesty...

I just had a nice drink of Leffe whilst watching Sister Act 2 and my wife and I sparked up a really honest conversation. It felt wonderful talking things through and clearing some air.

2 Way Mirrors at Banks... Funny Day!

We've all seen people dress inappropriately but when they have no idea that you're looking and they even put on a show it just makes things really funny.
Take today at the bank for example. Sorting out shares are barely the most exciting thing to do (unless you know it's make you exceptionally rich). But when you are sitting there and in the midst of being told about graphs, stocks, bonds and things going red and black you can start to lose focus and try to find something to keep you awake. So when roaming around the room trying to find something a little less dull I start looking out of the window. I know these windows are tinted - allowing me to look out but for passers by to not look in. Knowing how vain women (and indeed men are), I spot one old lady probably in her 60s dressing at least 30 years or more younger than appropriate walk along and stop. Had she kept walking, I doubt for general decency anyone would have taken a second look but when she pauses to check herself out, fluff her hair like a model and then strike a pose as she paints her lips with some bold red and pout before puckering up and sucking on her finger to do two things - remove lipstick from getting on her teeth and to look seductive.
In some kind of morbid fascination I noticed her then adjust her top to show her off in what she believes to be her best light. I wish I had turned away but the show got more engrossing and freaky... she bends down revealing her extremely saggy breasts which resemble wrinkly nut-sacks more than what they should do.
The funniest thing is the bank clerk just commented 'well, would you look at that view!' I wish there's a way to erase that image but oh well!
Aparently the banker started telling me how they had seen plenty of other things, ranging from men adjusting themselves, women checking themselves out (and how he'd spooked one by jumping out at them so they saw him moving) and then only last week a woman had been bending over in her car and giving everyone a full view as she was going commando.
I guess working in a bank does have its perks afterall?! I guess there's more to watching figures than watching er... figures!

Hayfever - any cures?

Who out there suffers hayfever? Does anyone know any better cure than the piriton tablets? Is there a home remedy that works?

The Queen visits Ireland

It's really cool that the reigning British monarch (the Queen) has visited Ireland. Of course there's loads of stuff that has gone on in the past and I'm sure there's bound to be some bad blood but I hope everyone can bury the hatchett as it's all history. It's rather sad that the focus now is purely financial that seems to be motivating more unrest but I guess progress is progress and it just goes to show how much money plays a part in everyday life, even though the money wasn't ever there to begin with and it's all a false economy to start with... oh well! I guess that's the Irish for you... and before anyone starts, I'm Irish myself so I can say that!

Whoops!

It's rather scary how some big players in the world think they can get away with anything. Of course the head of the IMF must be presumed innocent until proven guilty but when various upstanding citizens of the world are caught with their pants down, it doesn't surprise me that yet another will fall from grace.
I guess being able to pay for anything and not worry about the consequences does put you in a bit of a bubble set apart from the rest of the world. There's seldom smoke without a fire and in either case I hope that it gets resolved.... it's rather funny how the super injunctions we've all seen lately weren't applied here. Makes you wonder if there was a bit of a conspiracy too? Let's face it, if you're wanting that power and position there's probably very little that would stand between you getting it or taking it - especially with all that money involved! No one had ever heard of Dominique Strauss-Kahn before now... probably will fizzle out into obscurity again... no doubt his personal life isn't in tatters from all this regardless of whether he's guilty or innocent!

The Worst Sin...

What is the worst sin? I believe it's greed as nothing satisfies it except more and more and more... any others?

So glad it's the weekend!

Friday's here again! Hallelujah! Work's over with for a few days and at last I can have a break and chill out... not that I ever really get to properly switch off. I'm hoping to spend a while to get a few ideas more worked out and possibly start to get things developed as I really am tired over working for others and would rather work for myself.

Band of Brothers...

I've been watching Band of Brothers and it's really quite a good series... I'm only about half way through the collection. It's frightening thinking that war is or was like that. True, as graphic and realistic as it appears on the screen I can't even begin to imagine the hell that the people had to go through during that time, I can't picture it at all and for one, I'm glad I wasn't born during those times, it must have been brutal.
Flashing forward to modern times, sure we use more technology and seem to be able to do things remotely or even make it appear more glamorous but there's nothing appealing about war, at all! So many people have lost their lives meaninglessly. I appreciate that there's always been a cause, but it seems such a waste to lose one life - but countless thousands in the space of a few years is harrowing.
I'm sure they as they do now, believe this war will end all wars, but it doesn't. It may postpone it for a bit but then it flares up somewhere else and then someone somewhere has to step in. I just hope that we are able to work out issues with more diplomacy.

Advertising - how it works! Insight into marketing your product or service and save money!

As a person who's involved with sales it's important to know what you're selling well. Of course you have the blaggers and bluffers who use their wits to get money out of you and really don't know much about what they're talking about (which is dangerous) or even worse, they know a tiny bit and manage to offer advice based on a tiny bit of information - I say this is worse as they manage to get one bit right, then promptly screw it up from there and usually go beyond a point of return before either a) being found out or b) damaging their reputation, the reputation of the company and probably costing you a lot more than you bargained for.

Advertising is a weird product to sell. You can't really taste, touch or sense it in the truest sense. Sure, once it's printed or posted online, it's there to be seen, but it's not anything other than a vague promise that by trusting an advertising salesperson, they'll put you somewhere (mag, TV, radio, online, outdoors, newspaper etc.) with the intention of this being seen and through some magical power get a direct response from those who see it.

Whenever someone asks me what they should do, it is really a broad answer as it isn't necessarily one size fits all. Sure, if you have no problem with budget like the Coca-Cola's of the world, you can blitz everyone and everything with the message and focus on pure branding. Then you have the more preferred route which is getting a response.

How do you get a response? Well again, there's lots of ways to do this but being original helps somewhat. Giving the reader something which urges people to use it or get in touch is best as this generates urgency - but only if the target audience is in the market to buy that product and it fits in with their ideals etc. At one end of the spectrum you have low cost and frequently bought items e.g. food, clothes etc. and at the other end of the scale you have high worth, seldom bought items like a car or house.

What you're trying to do is maximise your visibility, and get lodged in the minds of the right person for recalling at the right time.

As mentioned, it's not an exact science and indeed you need to be mindful over what you do to get the best response. Say for example, you're unlikely to buy something you've not heard or seen unless it's worthwhile e.g. free or very cheap. You've got to still get the product out there initially, so get it right, you'll get people trying it and seeing it and hopefully converting to a regular buyer or at least willing to refer you. If you get it wrong, you've lost a heap of cash and possibly going to be poor.

So what can I suggest you do?

Research, research, research!! Get to know the product you have, who does it suit, how can you get people to know about it, what's low risk and high return etc.
Now with this in mind, test the waters, ask people who are going to be brutally honest - not just your friends and mums and dads etc. Kids usually don't know how to say anything other than the truth and offer great insight but then again you need to be mindful of your target audience.
Take their feedback and refine your plan accordingly - you could always be wrong the first time and indeed more than once, what you're trying to do is perfect everything and increase its chances of being a success and work out any flaws and weed these out and focus on the key unique selling points (USP).
Sell the benefits! Take the humble pencil, it's better than a pen because it writes no matter what angle (even upside-down), reliable, can be sharpened, offers various degrees of tone, it's cheaper, more environmentally friendly, comfortable to use and should you make a mistake it has an eraser at the end.... now, which of those got you hooked or had you ever thought about? Do it right and probably others will agree that the pencil is better than the pen... apply the same sort of logic to what you're selling!
Monitor the competition (if there is any). Is there a market for it? If so, how big or niche is it? How do you appeal to the audience best?

There are loads more things to consider but this makes up a good place to start and if you need more advice or can offer any other, feel free to get in touch!

Feeling a little more human...

I worked like a dog today, not that I mind it in loads of ways but seriously, I didn't stop! As soon as one call finished another one began, either calling people or them calling me... typically when you're on the phone all the time you end up missing one another and have to hope you can get through at another time.
I made a great deal of sales and managed to get the title I work on to target. I won't take all the credit but no-one else really contributed anything and I managed to surpass my own expectations which is always a nice thing.
I had to feel for my colleague though as he's been diddled out of commission (my workplace seems a master at finding loopholes and ways to screw its workers out of what they're owed). I have a sneaking suspicion that if they keep that up for much longer they'll have more and more people leave.
At least now I've managed to get home I've been able to unwind a little and feel a little more like myself rather than a number-crunching machine.

The biggest fear...

Do you know what you're afraid of, once you're being totally honest about it all and scratch a bit beneath the surface. I just realise that something I really fear is that my time on earth will lack any impact or bearing. Some achieve greatness through their action, others achieve greatness through simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time and manage to do the right thing... whilst the rest seem to make a name for themselves after they go and even more seem to get famous for being terrible.
I'm afraid of being invisible. Here I am at 30 years of age and the older I get the more invisible I seem to become. My actions have no real bearing on anything at all, sure it appeases some of those I'm around, pacifies even, but if has no real impact, no real meaning, no real difference that you can see as a direct result. Perhaps I'll achieve great things, I can only hope!

Football Season Nearly Over With

The football season's nearly over with for another year. The overpaid and talented young lads will be able to spend their hard earned pennies on some quality time with their family (or bits on the side). Perhaps they should put the money away into a trust so that when they're wise enough to spend it all they can do so.
Football should be interesting with a return of QPR and Norwich into the Premiership next season. No doubt they'll prove to be little more than a whipping boy for most of the top of the table's regulars, but hopefully they'll trip enough up and manage to stay up for a few more seasons to get themselves better established and provide more watchable and passionate play than the lacklustre performances that some teams regularly display like the Middlesboro' team which was largely unwatchable. Who'll be with them from the Championship and who'll be relegated is yet to be seen, but I hope the FIFA lot manage to keep themselves to themselves rather than screw up the game yet again with more red tape and pointless things.

UK PLC

Did anyone know that the UK registers itself as a company each year? If this is the case, do we get to be shareholders of the country or is it more likely, we get to work like a sweatshop for very little benefit?

Chocolate Nose Bleed... What the...?!

Is it me or has anyone else had a nose bleed which ended up being chocolate? I was just having a sweet and the next thing I know my nose starts running and I start freaking not because it's blood but it's chocolate?! I don't know how I managed to pull it off but I ended up having the equivalent of a chocolate fountain from my nose! Kinda disgusting and a little freaky but also cool in its own weird way!

Getting things cleared up...

Spoke with my brother and managed to clear things up. I guess I was being a bit sensitive expecting a quick hello or thanks for the presents as he had decided to go out with his mates for a few drinks which usually ends up pretty messy. So it was good to catch up with him again and talk about music, films and his drunken tales.

Birthday Blues

I'm a little depressed, it's my brother's birthday today and I took the effort to send him a gift of chocolates and DVD along with a card and although I heard he got it today I never received a message from him to say thanks for the thought or presents. I'm not one for fishing for complements or whatever, but just having a bit of thanks would be nice and I doubt it's too much to ask.
After a few attempts trying to get hold of him to wish him a happy birthday I get a message via text to say he's already working on his hangover. Funny, he's in his late 30's and acts more like a kid than me, his younger brother. I'm sure it'll be a different story once he's recovered from all the alcohol but it's a shame.

Driving to work to avoid any problems

It's pretty dramatic seeing how much people's habits change without any real warning. Take for example after the whole issue with increased security from the recent developments half a world away, public transport here in the UK is seen as something possibly less appealing just in case we have a repeat incident of the troubles. I'm noticing far more people are driving or walking their way to work rather than using the tube or bus. Is anyone else noticing this?

How to make a successful blog

There are several ways of getting a blog to be successful.

Obviously writing something which gets people reading is probably your first port of call.

Be controversial, no-one gets involved with dull and bland topics, but spice it up with a good angle (rightly or wrongly) people will start to react and should hopefully start to follow you - either to support or share a different opinion... in either case - you get more followers, the effect should snowball and your blogs popularity will surely follow.

Do your homework, and link to others you share interests with - ask them to take a look at your blog and see if they'll link to you... the more links to and from your site the better.

Sure there's loads of things you can do above and beyond this, but it's not an exact science and if you get these basics right, you'll probably have more followers and should you wish to make some money from it, then who knows, you could become the next big name and brought in to give speeches and a celebrity in your own right... scary eh?!

Royal Wedding - Well Done Prince William and Kate!

I won't say I've been hugely keen on all the hype and hysteria surrounding the Royal Wedding but I'm really glad that they seem so happy and wish them every bit of happiness and best wishes for their future together. It's so nice to have a very British occasion which helps remind everyone around the world that Brits do it best! Not in a cheesy way or full on parade, they personify the class and decorum with a younger, refreshing appeal and verve.
I had been secretly dreading the 2012 Olympics but if we can call upon the Royals to ramp things up a bit, I actually will look forward to the spectacle.

Tonsillitis really sucks... especially when you're having a holiday!

I felt really lousy yesterday so went to the doctors to check it out. The doctor looked only around 20 years old and didn't really give me much confidence as they asked for two referrals after looking at my results... I got diagnosed with Tonsillitis with a few other complications but was told to take some pills to put it right. Now 24 hours on, I'm feeling much better although my tonsils have swollen more, but at least the aches have died down.
The one good thing is I had taken these days off as holiday and the doctor told me that I can get my holiday days back as I have been unwell as these can be put down as sick instead. This suits me quite nicely, could do with getting 3 days holiday to use at another time!
I hope I'm much better soon as I really don't want to be ill for the rest of this week. I was really looking forward to having an Orange Wednesday today but I still am unsure if I'm well enough to go to the cinema.

Back to school?

I've been thinking long and hard about my future... things like I only have a relatively short time on this planet to make a difference... a change for myself, a change for others around me... sometimes its big things that make people stand up and take notice, other times its the smaller bits and pieces that make it all worthwhile!
I am at work and I feel a little bit like others have more control over what I do, how I do it and all the rest when the last time I checked, I'm the one living this life... as I once said to my sister, there's a difference between living and existing, and she took these profound words and decided to join a university!
Perhaps I've gone down this road long enough and I've seen the signs and continued merrily along my way regardless. Sure I've turned left when I could turn right and sure, perhaps I could have turned around at any point, but now I feel almost like I'm running on empty doing the same thing over and over again and not really getting to enjoy it the same as I once did, I'm wondering if I should go back to school and try to find something that really matters to me and firmly get my head around what I want to do for the next chunk of my life.
It's quite scary, not in a bad way, but pressurised and crucial to make the right decisions. It's funny that quite recently I read somewhere how we spend the best part of 18 years in education and get 15 minutes with a careers advisor. The real learning comes outside of the classroom.
It's not like times running out, but I want to make sure each step I take is precise, measured and justified so that it comes back with the right results. Nothing's ever certain in life except failure if you don't even try... so I'm hoping to have a decent chat with a course advisor at college and try to figure out if there's something I can use the skills I've learned outside of the classroom. Maybe this is going backwards according to some, but I'd rather ask the questions and be the fool for five minutes than stay quiet and make no effort to address the situation and remain being the fool for the rest of my life!
I wonder if anyone else out there feels the same or has any tips on what I should do?

Nearly holiday time...

Had a good day today, only one day left of work before a big break for Easter and the Royal Wedding etc. I'm really looking forward to chilling out for a good spell, just hoping the weather stays good for as long as possible as it would be so perfect to have a warm sunny few days off... reminds me of what it used to be like when I used to have the big breaks off school.

Playstation 3 late at night... time flies when you're having fun but I feel guilty now...

Time flies, or Tempus Fugit as I once learned, when you're having fun. I feel guilty for playing my playstation 3 for as long as I did. I couldn't believe where the time went?! It's funny how a clock will change from 7pm to 11pm without much change and no real effort.
In the middle of playing though I did have a call from my sister which was a nice surprise. I can't believe she sent me a heap of money for Easter! Feel guilty as that's way too much for chocolates... and I didn't get her anything!

Politeness on public transport...

It's funny how people manage to lose any etiquette when using the London Underground. People barge onto the train when they should allow others to get off first and make way. Then there's the smelly folk who seem to lack any skills in knowing what deoderant is or make use of a bath or shower and for some reason they always seem to end up standing or leaning next to you.
If that's not enough you get constant updates over the tannoy about how good the service is, ironically it just so happens your train is the only one that doesn't seem to be where it should be when you want it to.
You then ask the helpful members of staff who tell you something other than what they or their colleagues have just mentioned over the tannoy system. (At least we're not the only ones kept in the dark - I guess it's after being surrounded by the tubes and black holes).
I can't wait for the air conditioning to be introduced into the trains as it seems long overdue particularly when its summer.
Today I got lumbered with the fun of someone who was coughing their lungs up but couldn't be bothered to cover their mouths to prevent any bugs from spreading.
After this I was then stuck next to someone who seemed to have a problem with someone on the phone, only to discover that the phone wasn't working and they were just talking to their imaginary friend and muttering over and over 'the problems of Africa' before laughing out loud and telling whoever cared to listen that they were cracking up. I guess the term 'no shit Sherlock' springs to mind, but I was just glad to get off the train and make my way to work... a rare instance there indeed! I guess it goes to show tolerance levels and thresholds.
The ironic thing is not only do you get subjected to most if not all of the above when on the Underground, you get to also pay for the pleasure. What adds even more insult to injury - the increase in the charges!
Also what's the deal with all the advertising on the underground? Not only do you get stuck on the train but the only distraction from those around you looking either excited (clearly new to using the system) or those blanking you and/or staring at you like an axe murderer (probably a well established tube user) are the adverts on the platform or on the train itself. Surely the advertising should make the tickets cheaper?
Also I forgot to mention, what about the funny folk all trying to avoid interaction with others by reading a book or working out how to read a newspaper without instigating a fight or worse, crumpling their paper.
The Underground... a necessary evil I agree but an evil none the less!

Constant updates... lasting the test of time!

There's someone I know who is glued to facebook, so much so you can tell where they are and what they're doing just if you care to look (and thanks to the phone being wired up to facebook) you get constant alerts to their every post! I understand that there's a need for this sort of thing a bit in today's culture but seriously when they've got a child and should be spending time socialising with them rather than living a cyber life and updating every second they can their whereabouts and so on, it really should be put into question. The question that really should be asked whenever blogging or putting a status up online should be 'who cares and is it any of their business?, if it's safe to write and it's good for others to know, that makes sense... if it fails on either point then please do yourself and everyone else a favour and don't bother - it's not that inspiring knowing that you've just turned onto a street or had a snack... not unless you have a serious lack of social skills and you crave knowing someone's movements or eating habits!
I guess if we flash forward 50 or 100 years from now, I wonder and rather pity the poor souls who are left digging through these electronic archives. Gone are any real remnance of an advanced society... we have all this technology and so on and the best we can do is prattle on about what Lady Gaga wore or didn't wear and so on. I just hope they find that some of the writing is amusing and stimulating and not as exciting as a shopping list (although perhaps that will be quite exciting when they're probably won't be some things in existance at that stage...)

Rhetoric...

What's the point of rhetorical questions?

After midnight and still not tired...

It's strange how your body clock doesn't seem to work as it should. I am sure it's down to diet and work and stress etc. which has a strong impact on this sort of thing? I remember the wost bout of insomnia though was when I was about 17, I couldn't ever get to sleep at a reasonable hour no matter how hard I tried. I think I drove myself to distraction in all the efforts I went to, from opening the window wide to ventilate the room and cool down a stuffy room, to exercising during the day to wear myself out, to not eating anything that may not agree with me.... you name it I probably did it and of course it was ironic laying there wide awake thinking of nothing more than how much I'd rather be asleep.
Now, several years on, I'm still no better - reflecting on anything and everything and not seeming to crack the code that is - just how the hell am I supposed to get some rest when my mind and body seem to have other ideas?! Does anyone have tips on how to beat insomnia?

Beer late at night...

Just had a Budvar Dark Lager... it wasn't that nice. I think it's quite a bit like Marmite either you like it or loathe it ironically it tastes much the same!

Reminding myself to keep blogging...

It's funny that I keep having to remind myself to keep blogging. I was never much of a diary keeper, I still struggle to put anything down to remind myself of what to do as I'm always too busy just doing it than worrying about planning and normally if I do set a reminder unless it's more important than the thing I'm doing, it gets ignored or rescheduled. I wonder if that's just me or if there's others out there who do the same?

Cotswolds - Blockley, Stow-on-the-Wold, Moreton-in-Marsh and Oxford - Ghosts!

I took my wife to the countryside yesterday making the most of the glorious sunshine and fine weather. We hit Oxford first and to be fair, it wasn't really much to write home about - it's funny how it's got such a great reputation but if you avoid all the main attractions, it's nothing special.
So as I was determined to have an injection of good ol' British countryside before returning back to London - I took a slightly less beaten path through the Cotswolds and visited a place I used to go to when I was young called Blockley. In all the time, it's not really changed all that much - still the peaceful sleepy village tucked away in the folding fields and just as spellbinding in its way as it ever was the very first time I went there.
I'm sad that the cottage my grandparents owned was sold but with none of their children looking to take it on, the legacy and history was flogged to the highest bidder and sadly it turned out to be a builder who knew a good thing when he saw it and changed the virtually unchanged property into what it is now. I'm sure it's making the new owners very happy and I hope they cherish it as much as we all did. I just hope the ghost hasn't been upsetting them too much! - but that's another story!

Anniversary and Birthday Bash

Had a cracking day on Saturday just gone with a big family and friends bash. It's funny how eating lots of treats still leaves you hungry for the right stuff.
The only thing that was a little upsetting was a contingent decided to turn up late then leave quickly, taking all their drink with them. But in fairness they didn't bring anything other than a weird mood with them and it was nice when things went back to how they were before they came!
Another thing, it's great how kids just bring such fun and energy to a party... so I don't see why a jelly and ice cream party gets such a bad wrap.

Funniest job interview ever - how not to do it.

I wouldn't normally stir things but sometimes the actions of others beggars belief... let me know what you think?

A colleague who had been promoted from telesales to field sales decided to not come to work for quite a while - effectively leaving my team in the lurch with everything to do. After giving him several weeks to come in and speak with the management and HR team to explain what was going on, there was still no progress (as he failed to turn up or even call in to say he was ill or anything) he was eventually given the sack.
I feel for him as he's obviously struggling but he didn't help himself in the way he was doing things and never went about it in the right way.
Anyway now you know the background, just when you thought he was history this happens...
A couple of weeks ago he boasted how he'd set himself up for a job with an old manager of his (and this was his reason for going AWOL). He then calls in last week saying he'd been to a second interview with a company for a job which I'd turned down and was hoping that I and two others at the office would give him a reference. In a bit of disbelief I was then told that he was needing a gleaming reference as the company he'd had an interview with were concerned over why he'd left so swiftly after being promoted and he had given the excuse that it was too tough - hardly what a future employer wants to hear from someone at an interview... so honest but stupid I think is the kindest thing to say.
Anyway, he calls up the day after and was put through to the Director who wanted to clear things up and from what I gather the call went roughly along these lines...
X - "Can I have a reference?"
D - "In light of the way you conducted yourself, I can only give you a factual one..."
X - "I am sorry for the way things went, I had several things going on at home and was wondering can I have my old job back?"
D - "To be honest, I think it's best all round if you moved on as the role's been advertised internally and externally."
X - "So can I have an application form then to re-apply for the job?"
D - "No."
X - "Can I have my old position in telesales back then?"
D - "With the greatest respect - I'm terminating this call..."

More job offers... should I stay or should I go?

It's amazing, you have nothing for a spell and then like most things, several come along in one go out of the blue. It's always flattering getting offers but it does bug me having such secrecy and so on to start with. Why on earth do you get agencies saying something like 'we've been shortlisting CV's of which you're one of the final candidates we'd like to put forward...' I'm sure you would but if you're not telling me who or what this role is and where it is and anything else in addition to failing to highlight their skills and abilities just puts them in a weaker position in my opinion.
There's so many jobs in sales it's crazy, you might as well have a revolving door at my office the staff turnover is so high and it's not necessary to be this way. Sadly if we were going to be brutally honest, it all boils down to the mismanagement of staff. If you have a confident team, a positive buzz and ethos and reward peoples efforts or at least recognise them, people will stay... if you don't have this air around you, it will get stagnant and all too easy to feel like you would be better off elsewhere. Sadly as I've proven it's almost always better the devil you know than the one you don't.

Current affairs...

Now I'm far from being a hippy but I'm really concerned about all the madness that's bubbled to the surface in the world. Now many people know the wars we see televised don't even cover half of the ones that don't make it to our screens at home.
So what's the fuss with all this stuff? Iraq, Iran, North Korea (oh yeah they're still trigger happy), Japan (it's like the oriental version of the New Orleans catastrophe) and now Libya... now if it's not just bad luck or an act of God, all of these terrible things boil down to one country either forcing its will on to the people who are tired of being told what to do/think/believe etc... or one or more countries ogling enviously over its neighbours resources.
Now we all know effectively the world as we know it would grind to a halt without oil - everything is based upon this resource. Ironically we can't live with it and can't live without it. Westernised civilisations are clinging onto its authority and power but the balance is swaying back east with India and China looking ready to blow the traditional cultures away economically.
We have to really take a long hard look at the events that are happening and try to look a little harder at everything to not just simply accept all the gubbins that is spoon fed to us through some less than impartial means with alterior motives. I'm definitely not sympathising with the oppressive dictatorships who are holding on for dear life now they've incured the wrath of NATO, but it just seems as though we are all itching for a fight... yet it's madness simply blowing everything up which is 'bad', as if we don't have the structures in place to enforce the new era and positive changes, there'll be a vacuum and of course as we all pat ourselves on the back for a good job well done and walk away, the poor souls left there to now rebuild their lives whilst we dip our hands in to the cookie jar to try and make more money and dig ourselves out of the debt our lovely banks have created for us by taking the occupied state's resources for our own gains (because let's face it, we wouldn't give too much care if it wasn't believed we could get something better out of it - and let's not delude ourselves with thinking it's to protect ourselves from 'them' as we no longer have a 'them', we fight everyone wherever they are - even on our own shores.)
In the 1950's US had a trouble with those believed to be communists or sympathisers, now it's terrorists in all its various forms, yet in this hysteria and hype in the media we lose focus on what terrorism is, in all its forms and don't know how to deal with those willing to inflict harm on anyone indiscriminately - let alone with preventing those or looking at the reasons why people would wish to choose this path rather than a normal, peaceful one. Just seems so funny when everyone's got so many options and freedom of choice, more people seem to pick routes which aren't good... but isn't that what happens when you give the world to people yet not educate them how to deal with it and the tools to make the right decisions. Sadly there'll always be those who'll prey on the vulnerable, weak and less fortunate.
The oddest thing about all this is how on the same pages in all the newspapers and news shows are lame stories which try to touch our hearts... I think it's fair to say we're so numbed from all the information and mixed messages, we don't know what to feel any more. And don't even get me started on the state of benefits and how we seem to be hurting ourselves with helping out people who have no intention to work, whether they are from here or elsewhere... who knows?! Just seems to be mad to me!

Real Ale...

I'm sure that in other parts of the world there are some great drinks but I have to admit the real ale we have in the UK is great. CAMRA (the campaign for real ale) is really firmly behind promoting the small and big real ale makers and it's great that local breweries make something which is found locally in the various freehouses around the country, it's just a shame that you sometimes have to travel quite a bit to get the drink you really like. However, having said that, it's what helps make the experience a little more special and refined.

Ip Man

Watched the movie Ip Man last night and it was really amazing, sad and graphic at points, but it did have the odd hole in it such as when he's facing the general in his cell and at all the other times he has to use an interpreter to speak with the Japanese officer. I guess it's all down to artistic interpretation but it was a shame to let the continuity down at such a scene.
In terms of kick ass action, it really doesn't disappoint although it's not quite as full on as some of the other titles on the martial arts circuit, there's some great sequences and scenes that will astonish you. The artistic angle did kick in at the final scene which again didn't really appear necessary at this stage but it was still good. It's a great deal better than Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon which was way too long and drawn out and boring too, as were many of the other aesthetically appealing films in this genre.

Breaking new boundaries...

It's funny how small victories sometimes takes the longest time to turn things around from start to finish. I won a contract from a motoring client today and for the first time ever we've managed to get a motoring client in. This is a turning of the tide in lots of ways and bucks the trend of purely getting as many regular 'safe' clients onboard and it's taken the blinkers off sourcing new forms of revenue from non-traditional clients.
Funny thing about all this is the office failed to realise that this is quite the coup that it actually is. In many ways this subtle change is amazing for me as no-one else picks up on it, meaning I can keep tapping into this while everyone else plays it safe.

Loyalty

It's funny what loyalty gets you... for some, respect, others, hate... for me, I've been approached by my old manager to try and tempt me away to work for another company but I'm not interested despite the efforts (which are quite commendable).
I don't see why I should just swap one situation for another and start all over again at the bottom of the ladder and have to prove myself again in a similar but different situation. Several years ago I think I would have been quite excited and lept at the chance but maybe being a little cynical and more worldly I'm less than enthusiastic as I know all he really wants is all my contacts, my relationships and probably most importantly, someone he can rely on to dig him out of a hole (people in the office environment always like to surround themselves with those who they know are useful). This is flattering on the one side but I'm not fussed on taking the leap if it's nothing new.
Funnily enough, it appears that a colleague of mine has ditched the job and left us in the lurch. The chap's been saying how much he wants to be promoted, so another mate at work vouched for him and within two weeks he throws in the towel claiming to be sick and not taking any calls or making any effort other than once to come in. Now we have to wait until the legal aspect of his contract are worked out before he goes (or stays) as we're none the wiser as to his situation as we're left in the dark. We'll have to wait and see what happens next... it's funny how things go in cycles as he clearly got tempted away by the promises my old manager made (as rumour has it). Thing is by telling us what they're trying to do (setting up a competitor business in my area) has let the cat out of the bag and I'm prepared to take them down - after all I'm established and they're still trying to get their foot in the door!
Loyalty... perhaps one day it'll be rewarded?!

Need a nap!

Man, it's been a long couple of days - travelling around the UK to see relatives far away and then doing all the other incidental stuff like getting my hair cut and doing a spot of shopping.
Stumbled upon an American food store and picked up a couple of things which I've not had for ages.
Now all I really want to do is get ready for bed as it's going to be probably another long day tomorrow with some training sessions to go to in another part of the country. I just hope that all this training is beneficial as I could really do with getting more sales in to make some decent money!

Behind every great man is a greater woman...

I think it's true... whenever I think about the concept of getting somewhere in life it's easy to see why people get distracted. There's probably loads of people who forget what they really enjoy doing, fall disenchanted with whatever they thought would be great and then stumble upon something else before someone else lands in with another fun thing.
In my case I have loads of ideas and it falls by the wayside as I allow life and my own silly distractions take my eye off the ball. Thankfully I've an amazing wife who gives me a stern talking to from time to time and reminds me I should knuckle down.

Meeting Steve Miller...

I met Steve Miller today and that was really cool. We had a bit of a chat about his shows, his career and what he's going to be doing next... he's looking to introduce a new service which will no doubt be very popular and I'm sure it will be a real money-maker!

Tired but relieved...

Been feeling really worn out, late nights, disturbed sleep, early starts and long days with few breaks have been all mounting up. I guess I'm feeling it more as I really care about what I do and it's showing, but I'm glad that it's all paying off personally and professionally.

Really Fantstic Weekend

After being told that the game reviews site is going under, I've taken a moment to step back and assess what I want to do and how to go about it. My other half wants me to consider going back into education which I'm happy to do again, despite the whole thing about funding issues and needing to support the family as the main breadwinner, she just really wants me to go for it as the end justifies the means. It's such a great thing having such a loving and supportive person in my world...
It made me think how I had always been put off education as a route as I'd really been more interested in just simply applying myself and working my way through the ranks but I realise that you don't necessarily get the credit where it's due just because you lack a few letters after your name... so if you can't beat them........
On another matter I had a great weekend. I went up to visit my grandfather in the care home which was lovely, although he was a little confused and tired, we shared a few laughs and we just were happy to spend some time in eachothers company and that's what really matters.
Before this happened, my wife and I met up with an old friend who I'd not been in contact with for a few years whilst I got my head and heart round what had happened (that's another story). It was as though no time had passed - from the moment we walked into the pub and were warmly greeted, to the chat about just about everything, no-one would have imagined there'd been no communication on my part for any time at all. Personally it was really lovely having an opportunity to meet and talk and maybe not straighten things out but get some closure, makes it all much better. Additionally, I look forward to the future and am glad that everything looks more hopeful.
Today proved to be great too as we travelled down to see my aunt and uncle on the southern coast of England and it was really nice seeing them in another light. They're always having to tow the line and push things through to make things happen and it has a knock on effect in making them more stressed and serious. Today we saw them much more happier and relaxed and we were able to talk about numerous things.. from the cheeky inclusion of service charges at 12.5% not 10% (which is either a clever trick or way to get the most out of the new VAT rise), through to family history. I really want to find out more about the family tree and everything else.

My wife's medical appointment...

My wife and I attended a medical appointment to see what could be done about having a baby. After several years of trying and doing everything that's been possible to aid this process, they've decided to give her injections so long as she loses some weight and gets in the optimum conditions.
To celebrate the breakthrough (after several setbacks we're glad to have anything positive) we met up with a friend and had a couple of drinks before having a meal together. It's amazing how a bit of news and a change of venue will completely lift the mood.
In the back of my mind I was thinking that going out as a family will be amazing. I guess taking a new born out will be daunting and awesome at the same time. In some ways I never would like a child to grow up and give up being a child, in other ways, I can't wait to be able to teach them and even learn things from them. I know it's a bit of a way to go still but having an addition to the family will be amazing.

Handling disappointment about being turned down for a new job

I recently heard through the grapevine that they were looking for an editorial person to join the team at my office. I took the chance to email the editor to see if I would stand a look in. I get the reply to say that I'd joined the game too late as they'd already hired the person... I think this is such a joke as jobs should be advertised and then people should have a chance to approach the people and state their case if interested.

So as soon as I heard this I just thought that as one door closed another will open and it'll lead to a better place.

Taking time to de-stress proves fruitful

It's fair to say with all the strain of working to unachievable targets and singled out for promotion that never seems to evolve into anything and resolving problems at work has taken an unhealthy toll on other aspects of my life. It's really important to have a moment to clear things up and take a step back to look at everything properly. At times like these you really can assess just how priorities can be topsy-turvy and I am glad I can get things cleared up in my own mind before I can work sensibly on moving in the right direction.
My wife and I are talking about setting up our own business now as we've seen too many good opportunities pass by and between us, our skills could really complement what we are interested in doing.
There's a difference between a job and a career, a role and a passion. Don't sell yourself short! - We don't intend to!

Train2Game / Train 2 Game / Train to Game - SCAM

As you may have read from an earlier blog, I had an 'interview' and I can now reveal who it's for - Train2Game.
This interview is such a farce. It starts with signing up, then you get a call from their call centre who try to 'vet' you as a suitable candidate. Pretty much whatever you say will be turned into a positive spin to convince you both that it's something you want. They then arrange for an interview to be held at your home with one of their course administrators.
The salesman - I mean, course administrator, comes round and as long as they see you're willing to sign your life away then you'll pass this 'thorough' process (confirming name, address, telephone number, current job, reason for applying and which role you wish to apply for/which role they wish you to apply for). Again, as long as you have a bit of personality, you will be put forward to their reviewing panel.
Aparently this reviewing panel is done with course directors who'll review your application and as long as the administrator puts in a good word for you, you'll be accepted.
The second phase then begins with high pressure tactics to ensure you sign up. I did get fairly upset by the approach the administrator took when visiting the first time - basically flashing snippets from The Sun newspaper as fact on the state of the gaming industry and then showing me a 6 minute DVD about becoming an animator and how great TIGA (the gaming authority in the UK - who also run the Train2Game programme) are. If alarm bells aren't ringing at this stage then surely you should try to get a second opinion.
Thankfully speaking with my brother and looking about online, we find that actually Train2Game are a dictatorship and scam of the highest order. Sure you may get the tools of the trade and foot in the competitive games industry, but all that really matters is for them to sign up as many people as possible on the promise of giving you a foot in the door once qualified (and you can repeat any exams you fail until you pass them). I was told at the interview how the software they offer are worth about £10k and you can buy them at the end of the course for about £1500.
The main thing that stinks about all this is you are trying to get yourself up the first rung of a ladder and make a career for yourself. Being promised so many things is such an easy thing but when you're not left any paperwork to mull over and all they really want to do is call up to say "you passed the initial phase, congratulateions! Now we have to source the funding for your course..." and hey presto, they can give you a loan which you pay off in weekly instalments (around £40 a week). If you do the maths that's £6240 over the 3 years.
As I know through sales you break things down to the ridiculous level so that people are like 'wow what a cracking offer!' e.g. it works out as a box of fags or couple of pints a day!
After doing some research I find that the parent company offers loans. They also have a highly aggressive stance in terms of snuffing out any negative articles about their company or courses (hence the dictatorship comment previously). I'm sure they'll either try to snuff this blog out or monitor it or try to put out some convincing article.
Anyway to draw a line under this blog, the salesman who never introduced himself properly (i.e. he never mentioned his name) has called me repeatedly to try and sign me up to the course. The pressure became crazy with having an initial interview on Thursday, a call on Friday to say congratulations, now we need to sign you up and get the funding tomorrow (Saturday), to a few calls today (Sunday) to state we need to sign up on Monday as he's going to have to work on another area and the course process goes all over again.
The amount of conflicting reasons as to why I should sign up to it by Saturday (and now Monday) are shameful. Everything from "Your course position will be given to someone else who really wants it" to "You must sign up now to secure funding" and "I need to see you tomorrow as I'm working on another area and you're very lucky to be accepted onto the course!" with a touch of "You can't do this specialist course anywhere else and it'll cost you much more doing it at university" was adopted by the salesman.
Another thing worth looking into is how really accepted is the paperwork you're offered at the successful completion of the course? From what I can see, it's not anything too special but they (TIGA) would like you to believe so and of course if you flood the market with people who have these skills, the industry will tend to tow the line by taking them onboard - therefore making it the industry standard.
In truth, you can gain the skills for free online and if you adopt a disciplined approach and are dedicated, you'll be able to keep up with (or surpass) the standards this course offers.
So don't sign your life away with these scammers, you will find much more useful information about this company and its set up by digging around. I imgaine the real reason why they want you to sign up within days is to prevent you from looking around and securing another deal.
The salesman needs to change their tactics as he slammed the phone down on me when all I said was "If the course is open all year round, I may wish to sign up in a couple of months or whatever". Now poor customer service and bad attitude is something that takes nothing to address.
I only hope you find this in good time prior to signing up.

Back to the drawing board...

I decided from a young age I'd keep education down to a minimum as there's no substitute for experience over academia. Whenever it's crucial to train and learn new skills it's good to get a mixture of learning through doing it rather than just burying your head in books. I know that what looks good on paper does help you avoid making the same mistakes, but too often you hear about people who've gone through university only to end up flipping burgers to pay off their debts and normally end up in something completely unrelated to what they studied.
It's funny how so many people have a dream in their heads and then never choose to follow it. My wife said to me yesterday that people walk away from a dream for a reason, which got me thinking - there are too many excuses (nearly all bad ones) for why you will sell yourself short.
Take my job for example, it's not where I wished to be by this stage. Perhaps it's a dream to be happy and doing something you love and indeed getting paid for it is the real treat! Reading a few books, looking about online and researching things through speaking with honest folk who will tell you how it is makes all the difference. Just today I had a visit from an educational set up which are looking to help me follow my artistic passions and potentially through a course with them and give me assistance in getting a job at the end of it. I'll keep you posted with if I get in or not... but let's hope so!

Game Review Request - apps suggestions needed!

I write iPod/iPhone apps reviews and I'm looking for some inspiration either to cover a game someone has or would like to get some advice on prior to getting.

Taking the bull by the horns

It's amazing what a difference a day makes. I woke up this morning reluctantly peeling back the sheets to be greeted by the cold air - get prepped for work, kiss the wife as normal and begrudgingly leave for a day in the office. As usual I'm greeted by the blank stares and emotionless faces of the commuters on the tube so I crank up the volume on my mobile and listen to some Prodigy and whatever else that happens to be on it to fire myself up for the next few hours.
Get to the office eventually and the thought occurs to me as I check my email on my mobile for the last time before 9am kicks off, "I sure hope I get something from some of the recent applications I sent off!"
The day drags on until around lunch time when I spy that I've got some emails - one asking me to go into an interview at no notice (why do they always assume I've got no commitments?) and another interested in what I can do for them. I make the time to quickly respond before calling my wife and catch up on the important stuff.
A person who I'd dealt with yesterday for losing her 20 year old cat called in to say that she'd found the cat! My reaction was utter joy as you could tell this pet was a real member of the family and I know from experience when a cat goes out and doesn't go back, you always fear the worst.
Funnily enough she asked me to change the Lost Cat advert she'd been looking to place to a huge thank you to the person who found her pet, the neighbours for putting up with her badgering them and the community for being so supportive! I was really amazed that someone would take the time to do something like this and it put what really matters suddenly come into focus.
After that of course the powers that be decide to implement more sanctions and put more effort in bringing down the spirits of the office and I did my best to keep my head down and make it through to the final whistle.
Checking my mail again I discover my wife's been beavering away finding me other jobs worth applying for and when I get home I am straight into applying to them as soon as I've finished my tea and taking a break to do our workout at the gym.
It's so scary how quickly the time flies by and before I know it, we're already tomorrow and I'm sure after an all too short sleep, another eventful day ensues. I'll keep you posted!

Changing the rules at work, yet again to suit the ones on top...

It's funny, you might imagine that after several years working in the media (but it's not just in this industry), it may dawn on you that what matters to yourself seldom really makes a jot of difference to the powers that be! However, we never really worry about it as indeed usually we're all too busy wrapped up in just keeping our heads above water as it is.
So when push comes to shove and your manager takes it upon themself to milk you for your time and kick you in the teeth for your efforts financially, do you decide to take it or try do something about it? It's easy to say which one we should do but it seems as though we are all inclined especially in hard times like these to just accept it and roll over.
Fortunately there are times that really push us to do extraordinary things and we often discover that what doesn't break us down, actually more often, makes us a renewed and improved person. It's always amusing to see how a boss handles someone who can really see right through their nonsense.
I know in some respects I'm always a lit fuse in terms of attitude - quietly bubbling away doing my own thing almost regardless of the manager's interferance (after all, who's really working on the coalface and knows which way is up?) After having meetings for the sake of meetings, targets moved higher and higher with the aim of ensuring the money that you should be entitled to stays firmly in the pockets of the business and not your own, then when all else fails, you get threatened with having your job reviewed if you fail to hit these targets, and yet somehow being reminded that they're looking after your best interests and it's a fair working relationship despite the fact they promote people in the workplace illegally (e.g. not advertising the position for people to apply for, and managing people out of the business if their face doesn't fit). It's fair to say that most who have their head screwed on will find this unacceptable and will decide to walk.
There's quite a few linchpin characters in the office I work who have all handed in their notice and I have to say it's only a matter of time until all they're left with is inexperienced school leavers who won't realise they can find anything better until a bit later. I suppose this is the benefit of a capitalist workforce though?
Hmm well, the words of Pink Floyd's The Wall spring to mind quite a bit in instances like this... but hey, this isn't going to get me down and indeed I'll find ways to explore and develop new avenues! Some positive thing to remind yourself - Every day in every way, I'm getting better and better!

Game Reviews

One of the things I do for a hobby and entertainment is writing reviews of mobile phone games. I really enjoy doing these and it's not such a bad 'job' getting to play games and then write about them. It's a bit of a balancing act though getting to play them and enjoy them but also try to maintain perspective and make sure to take the time out to write about them.
As games have developed it's been an interesting seeing how the now outdated Java games have given way to games which we've become more familiar with on iPods and iPhones etc. It's amazing seeing how games which were starting to lag and age badly have become as good as what we play on consoles and PC's at home. Let's just hope that the battery life for the iPod will improve as much as the appearance and content of the games!

Birthday's improve with age!

It's funny hitting a milestone such as your 30th birthday, you'd think that by now I'd have a better idea about what I want and so on but actually it seems less and less like the case as the years roll by. Take for example your 18th birthday, there's such a hype about it and expectations run so high that if it doesn't seem to end up with someone (or usually quite a few) being particularly ill for the next few days and perhaps someone ending up in A&E, it isn't classed a success.. then there's the 21st which seems to be largely in the same vain as the 18th (and no doubt the years in-between).
Maybe it's me getting a little older and possibly wiser, but the days of drinking and staying out until the small hours seem less appealing and having quality time with those I love and having good company is much more important - and besides, it's nice being able to remember the event afterwards!
As this is my second or third year here in London it's also a bit like being spoilt for choice but restricted by circumstances. Sure I could blow a hole in my wallet but I don't wish to be stuck with debt either - now I really do feel old! HAHA!

Seeking the light in something so harrowing... the loss of a child

It's tragic news to report that my cousin's baby died in its 18th week of pregnancy. I usually try to find something positive to say in any situation but it seems so senseless to lose someone who hadn't even had a chance to draw its first breath.
With a small sense of irony, I'd not been too decided one way or another about the recent story in Eastenders but having a child pass away closer to home makes you have a moment of clarity about it all and although circumstances are different, making entertainment out of something as traumatic as this is at best bad taste and at worst utterly undefendable to criticism.
Right now all our prayers and thoughts are with you little one and to my cousin and the family at such a solemn time.

What's all this blogging about?

I'm rather amused to say that despite being quite a web-savvy user, I've never posted a blog. With a sense of irony, being a journalist and having had quite a few articles published here there and everywhere, it struck me as a bit of an oversight that I have given a voice to all of those I've written about but somehow lost my own voice in the process - so I'm going to put that right starting here!
As with any learning curve, there's bound to be some errors made along the way and probably one or two things that will need to be ironed out but this is all part of the fun and I'm sure my followers (as and when I may be fortunate enough to have them) will be able to point out things and help this blog develop into something that proves very interesting and worthwhile following!

I intend to write about the experiences I've had, dilemmas encountered (either as a neutral journalist or in life), and just about anything else which I would like to write about and of course aim to reply to any questions posted!