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?!