While sorting out all of my photos in Flickr, I came accross this gem from 2005 which I have entitled "a lesson in how to take photos of bored Chinese soldiers without getting arrested!"
Someone sent me this link some time ago, but I've only just got round to writing this post. The link is to an article about a degree course that you can take in "Yorkshire"! Apparently it involves the study of brass bands, coal mining and other quirks of gods country.
But to me, being Yorkshire will always mean:
I could go on for ever! Unfortunately I am at a hotel somewhere in the North East of England and the counter is telling me I only have a couple of minutes left! So I leave you with this link. Though I think it was writtent by someone who has never been there as it goes into great detail about the fantastic A1(M) / M62 moterway junction for some reason! Arrgh 1 min left.
In an attempt to up the reading figures this week, Rabbit Confused with Raisins is attempting to go a little more interactive...
Here are mine (three of which will make it to my upcoming Indonesia / oz trip):
Most Pointless Gadget
My fork/spoon/knife. Its a fork, but its also a spoon, and a knife (and its also got a bottle opener on it as an added bonus)! For all of those expeditions where you you just cannot do without cutlery. Why not get a fork, a spoon, and a knife I hear you ask? No need - this is a fork, a spoon and a knife all in one! Though granted it is a little difficult when you try to use the knife and fork at the same time. It actually came in pretty useful for our recent trip to the high Tatras for cutting into our block of rancid cheese so not altogether useless.
Most Useful Gadget
My Travel towel. This thing is forged from the spirit of genius itself. Its a towel, but its tiny, and it dries even when you cram it back into its packaging. Cool. This thing was all that kept me from being outcast from my trekking party for attracting the wolves and bears with my pungent odours on our recent trip. Very useful if you need a space saving device and I have no doubt it will be invaluable when plodding through the jungle looking for Orang-utans!
Biggest Gadget Extravagance
A couple of years ago, during a rush of blood to the head, I decided to purchase a 3.5m traction kite (the kind that will lift you off the floor if there is enough wind). The kite is amazing fun (though probably not worth the £00's paid for it). However, this wasn't the big extravagance. The extravagance was the mountain board that I got to go with it. Powered by images of me speeding along some beach, kite in hand, going where the wind takes me as a free spirit, the board seemed like an excellent idea.
We took to the park, and I quickly realised that using the board on big stretches of downhill grass was much more fun than use with the kite. On one such downhill boarding trip, I convinced my housemate that going down this particularly steep slope would be a really good idea (I had done it before). Not one to be outdone, off he went down the slope, and over he went onto his face. In his usual relaxed tones he moaned, "It think I have broken my wrist" - Whoops. He was told by his Doctor he may not be able to climb again. He was a keen climber - double Whoops (luckily this turned out not to be the case).
Favourite Gadget
My Platypus. When I first saw people using these things, I thought "why not carry a bottle of water?" but since doing a bit of trekking, I have discovered that actually when you have a 10kg backpack on, you really cant be arsed to take the damn thing off every time that you want a drink. The platypus fits inside the back compartment of most backpacks and it has a straw from which you can drink when it takes your fancy. This thing is worth its weight in gold. Of course, you do look like a real plonker doing a lap around your local reservoir taking water from this enormous straw over your shoulder, but it is worth it. Ok Ok just use a water bottle! But where's the fun.
So the question is what gadget, any gadget (electronic, DIY etc) I am going to ask my bro at All That Comes With It what his are , and I am also going to try to break the mold and ask one of the few that have passed comment here LA Daddy as he seems like a very practical kind of a bloke. And also - anyone else who wants a go...
Though I cant say I am enjoying me (thats Yorkshire for my) new commute, it does afford some nice views! 
In black and white for added "arty farty" ness.
One seriously heavy weekend just past, I am just about recovering from my hangovers and beginning to feel at least slightly normal again.
It began with a Thursday night leaving do for one of my best friends, this is the guy that I lived with for four years at University and one of the few people who I have kept touch with (despite our raging arguments about the difference between "mess" and dirt" which tended to turn violent). We spent many an evening listening to Stevie Wonder or sitting in the student union (with "Under the Bridge" practically on a loop) with a 40p can of Coke (we couldn't afford much else) staring at the sloany Leed student girls (we couldn't afford these either)
Anyway, this particular friend is being posted to Afghanistan in a few months after training which came as a bit of a shock (particularly to his girlfriend). So I thought I would put on a message here to wish him all the best.
Then came the hour long drive from Leeds back home and a night out with the guys for my mate from school Robs birthday. We met up with one of my old chums who is back from living in Greece. It doesnt matter who is there or where we go, these nights always end heavily. It was around 1am when the barstaff got fed up with us shouting and generally being a nuicance (despite being the only customers). Remenicant of the time in Valencia we got thrown out of a metal bar - A METAL BAR, Playing Metal Music! for being too loud!!
Robs girlfriend said it was good that all my school chums were still good buddies despite all moving away. I explaind that it was because you cant export a sense of humour like ours.
The hangover was pretty difficult to deal with at work the next day...
Following straight on from this was the wedding marathon, two great friends of mine tied the not, which prompted much further (difficult) merrirment. Rather than write too much about the weddings, I thought I would post a few pictures up (see below). Although I will proudly boast that I won 20 quid in the sweepstake for how long the best mans speech would be at one of them. And despite a shameless sprint for the bouquet Lucy lost out to a 6 year old. Looks like you'll be waiting a while now Luce.
| www.flickr.com |
| www.flickr.com |
| www.flickr.com |
A renewable energy engineer and colleague of mine recommended a book to me today called The Weathermakers. It (allegedly) tackles climate change issues in a clear and concise manner running through all of the potential impacts from loss of species to changing rainfall patterns and examines all theories and arguments. It is also apparently written in a story type manner which makes for good, gripping reading (easier to digest than Al Gore's latest I am told).
He also told me a little story: coming back from a meeting in Edinburgh on the train, he was reading the book and was approached by a guy who recognised it and came to talk to him. Turns out that this guy was one of the people involved in the preparation on the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) reports of recent years. For those who haven't heard of IPCC, it is an international body of 000's of climate change scientists who come together to forge scientific consensus on climate change issues (often the basis for media coverage of the subject).
What this guy from the IPCC said what that the scientists have to tone down and conservatise all of their predictions for the purposes of writing the report (due to political and legal ramifications) and that most of the scientists involved believe the concequences are far more serious and rapid than the information their reports contain. Which is pretty concerning!
Hopefully I will have a look at the book over coming weeks, and will post my first review here.
I've decided I am going to try to post a few more photos up here (particularly when I cant think of anything to write). So here is one I took a week or so ago on my boating trip.
A small part of my job involves training employees (primarily at manufacturing sites) on energy awareness. As a part of that we tend to roll out the same old stuff about what people should be doing in the home to save energy and become more efficient, but it can become a little preachy and same / same.
What I have discovered after my recent move is that what I should be doing is bringing all of those people that I lecture out of the classroom and into my Mums house to have a look around! Perhaps we could charge some kind of fee! My mother does her bit for the environment in a way that other people just say they do or think they should. For example she has:
As well as these home improvements she:
Just yesterday I was told "dont do the washing up, I'll do it all tomorrow so that I only have to run the cold water through once". How could I say no to that?
So heres to my mother, an example to us all....
(She'll be embarassed now)
I went to the cinema this weekend, and just before the film, this commercial was played. Funnily enough, the cinema just happened to sell Ben and Jerry's ice cream!
Now, if you watch to the end you catch a glimpse of the bulk of the advert. I cannot decide in my own mind whether this is the most outrageously dodgy advertising, a marketing masterstroke, or an actually ethical company? I thought I should let readers decide for me.
I know that Ben and Jerrys have a reputation for good business ethics (I studied them as a case study at University). I also know that companies that have gone down the route of marketing themselves on ethical grounds have come incredibly unstuck in the past (such as the Body Shop whose decline has partially been put down to various ethical scandals, as well as sale to L'Oreal). Once you start raving about green credentials you have every Green campaigner on the planet bearing down on you extremely rapidly.
What I would really like to do, is have a quick look around a Ben and Jerrys factory to see what they are actually doing (I have yet to visit a company that can match its claims)...
Its been a while since I was last living with my mother - back in the undemployed days. Since then I have worked out that I have lived in a grand total of 7 houses. That, my friends is a lot of moving house!
The contract is up on my current abode and I am therefore going back to Holmfirth to stay with my Mum for a month or so until I ship off. Lucy packed her bags and sailed this morning to her new house in Manchester and am left behind to say a final farewell to the city of Leeds after 8 brilliant years of living here (some of the best of my life), and farewell to the best shared house I have evel lived in (I stayed for a full two years!!) . the chances are that I wont live here again as it seems that on my return a move to the wrong side of the pennines may be called for.Due to my departure, I have dedicated this post to some Ivy house memories (and I know there are some who read this blog who have some Ivy house memories, so I am urging them to comment). My favourites have to be:
Paartay! Some of the best parties ever. Taking serious toll on the living room carpet.
The Rammakin Challenge (and cups). I was going to do a dedicated post on the rammakin challenge, but as my parents read this, I am still unsure as to whether I can 
overcome the shame. We dont play rammekin challenge anymore as the last time we played, my mate's girlfriend succeeded in winning three times in a row, but then passed out down the side of the house. There was an ambulance involved which I am pretty ashamed of (though I am told it wasnt wholly alcohol related).
Lazy Sundays In the garden with a bottle of rum and the Howards.
The Howards I was never short of a magasine to read with the car obsessed Mr Howard. Seen here in his usual weekend getup.
Living with Lucy Though I have to say the worst thing about Ivy House is living with Lucy's mess (Lucy - I was tempted to put the one up of you dressed as a "spider").
Visits from Kerjinger and the boys No matter how many time I told him I didnt want to, we always ended up going out. Despite exposing himself to Lucy and hurling burger meat around the kitchen, we always let him come back.
Posts
All Comments
