Monday 29 January 2007

SC Movie Review 11

Smokin' Aces

A $1m hit has been ordered for a Mob informer. 7 assasins aim to kill him.

Hmmm. From a film that could have been half decent (good cast, decent production) I left the cinema dissapointed and with the annoying feeling that I could have made a better plot / storyline.

Only redeeming factor is that Ben Affleck gets shot and killed.

SC Rating: 2 Potatoes (1 vote)
Imdb Rating: 6.5 / 10 (1,194 votes)

Weekend review

Again, a pretty good weekend.

I took the Friday off from work to help April move from Wandsworth to Clapham. It went reasonably well although we did end up getting two parking tickets. I may save my rant about them for another time. I ended up helping her other two new flat mates too. It wasn't that bad I guess. Then we went on to another different music venue, again in Kings Cross.

This band (I forget their name) were a Norwegian 3 piece. Bass, guitar and keyboards. They looked as if they'd just got off a deep sea fishing boat. Not my cup of tea but not bad all the same. Quite transient. Cool venue though and I got to meet the rest of April's band.

Saturday I played rugby. We won 69-10 and I scored. Pretty good try actually, but I won't bore you with details. I was very tired after all that so went straight home for a bath, takeaway then 2nd half of the first Lord of the Rings with April.

Sunday was pretty good too. I took April to the Jolly Gardener in Putney for lunch and then we made sock monkeys. http://moblog.co.uk/view.php?id=223230

To finish the evening I went for a bite to eat in Wimbledon before going to see Smokin' Aces with Steve.

Thursday 25 January 2007

Glastonbury

Glastonbury 2007
22nd, 23rd and 24th June

http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/

I know this is probably over the beer festival weekend but I think it would be pretty cool to go. It's meant to be a totally different experience to Reading / Leeds.

Only problem is that we'll need to register early next month.

Yeah! I can afford to live in London

Just got my first pay check and i've been given £830 more than I was expecting! Get in!!!

I thought I was just going to get paid from the 2nd to the 26th.

I've actually been paid more than I thought i'd get even after my 3 month probation where I get an automatic pay rise.

SC restaurant review 1: S&M

I went to a pre-gig meal last night at Spittafields market. April knew a great place where could go and actually said it was the best restaurant in the world. The place was called S&M. 3 thoughts popped into my head.

1) The owner's a big Metallica fan
2) April has some unusual tastes that I am yet to find out about
3) The place serves Sausage & Mash

Luckily it was the later...

I wouldn't go as far as April by saying it was the best place to go to but it was good. Homemade sausages (which I had a selection of 3) and some special mash and gravy was just what I needed. I will be venturing back there in the near future.

SC Rating

Taste: 5 / 5 Can't fault it.

Atmosphere: 3 / 5 An interesting mix of locals and city types but a quiet quaint sort of place. Lovely to come into on a very cold winters night.

Selection: 3 / 5 Great selection of home made sausages. I chose an S&M special (?), leek / pork / chilli and a red pepper and chicken. Other than a couple of pies sausages and mash is all you get.

Quantity: 5 / 5 Very good. Filled me up a treat.

Price: 3 / 5 A little pricey for what it was, between us it cost about £23. 5 sausages, 2 lots of mash, two gravys and 2 scrumpy jacks.

Total: 19 / 25

Wednesday 24 January 2007

Tonight's events

Sausage and Mash (so good it needs capital letters) followed by

http://www.timeout.com/london/music/events/335155/hot_club_de_paris_dartz.html

Raw, rambunctious art pop from the cheeky, hardcore-infused Scousers, playing from their debut album, 'Drop It Till It Pops' in the headline slot. Jerky punk support, a little like Q And Not U, from Dartz.

Snow, snow, lovely snow, soon to be slush.

Yeah! It snowed loads last night, iI didn't know till the morning as I was wrapped up on the sofa watching TV. I like it when it's cold outside and you're safe and sound tucked up doing nothing.


http://moblog.co.uk/view.php?id=222258
http://moblog.co.uk/view.php?id=222259

Monday 22 January 2007

Plans for the week

Monday

Not much. I'm feeling really tired today which isn't good as i'd like to go for a run / swim when I get back. Perhaps i'll get my second wind. Cooking for April back at mine later anyway so perhaps there isn't enough time anyway. Oh well...

Tuesday

Definitely going for a run on Tuesday. I missed rugby this weekend so have no excuse.

Wednesday

Off to see a band with April. Somewhere 'up tut' North. I think it's on the Northern line somewhere so not too bad.

Thursday

Currently no plans. Probably go for a beer after work, but nothing too strenuous

TFI Friday. It's finally payday! Still don't know what i'm going to get this month but hopefully it'll be on par with my old Lloyd's pay. I've worked from the 2nd to the 26th so doubt it'll be a full pay packet.

I have the day off anyway. April's moving flats (going to Clapham) so have offered my services in return for a beer or two. I'm very cheap. Then off out somewhere as it's Australia Day.

Saturday

Game, not sure who yet but i'm sure we'll win... No plans other than that. Although Shaz said that he might be down in London again.

Sunday

Again no plans. I'd like to leave it free as i've been shattered recently. I think i'm finally getting old!

Friday 19 January 2007

R.I.P. Chalky

Bless his little cotton socks.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/6268025.stm?ls

The pesky scamp of a dog Chalky is no more, he died last week.

Beerage and a curry

Last night...

As with anything in this country, it doesn't take much to mess things up. The slightest bit of wind and the whole capitol falls to pieces...

London Bridge
Liverpool Street
Kings Cross

Were all closed yesterday rush hour.

Waterloo (my station) only had two platforms out of 18 running and was rammed. We ended up walking to Vauxhall, luckilly grabbed a cab and ended up in Putney to meet Kris and my brother after a 2 hour commute. Usually 1 hour.

Then things got better. That's something this country can't mess up. Pub and a curry. I had 3 pints and then had a lovely dansak and a naan.

Monday 15 January 2007

Another lovely weekend

Another great weekend really. 2007 has certainly been very good for me.

New job

Things are going well. Getting busier all the time, but so far I can handle it. Learning new things all the time and meeting lots of new people. Although this month has been pretty tight for money. Effectively 5+ weeks with 3 weeks old pay. I will soon start to feel the difference with my new salary. This month I think i'll only get paid for the 3.5 weeks worked but next month should be good. I can actually afford to live in London... Although I can imagine that i'll find something else to cause me to run out of money.

New girlfriend

:-) Third ever use of an emoticon! Things are going really well, we've shared some really good times this year and am looking forward to that continuing. We're evening planning a weekend away to New York in March.

Flat

I really like my flat, it's nice and new and everything works. My two flat mates Becky and Liz are great. I don't think we've had one argument since we moved in back in August. It's a bit of a treck to the train station but I really don't find that a problem, the spring will come soon enough and then we can start thinking about having a few bbqs on our balcony.

Family

It's good having Steve close, we probably go for a beer at least every other week which is good. Things are good with the rest of my family but i've never really had any problems on that front. I find being 100 miles away helps a great deal. Touch wood, everyone stays healthy and happy.

Friends

Things are good on that front too, my new rugby club Barnes have welcomed us (Steve, Iain and I) with open arms. They're a really good bunch of guys that are just out to have a bit of a laugh and a run around on a Saturday afternoon. Banter's good and so are the beers afterwards.

The new job is looking good too, there are a few guys here already that I can see getting to know quite well after the odd jar or two. Plus i'm still friendly with loads of people back at Lloyd's. I think 40+ people came to my leaving drinks!

Things are good with my friend's from school too. In regular contact with 10 of them which still surprises me as people and friendships do drift away if not enough effort is put in. I think I certainly do my share on that front so things are all good.

Uni friends are good too although it would have been nice to stay in touch with a few more. My best mate from Uni John has recently asked me to be his best man! Quite flattered really, i'll have to start my speech writing now. Quite nerve racking I can imagine but i've until summer 2008 to prepare. I met up with Robyn in between Christmas and New Year which was nice to catch up as we missed each other a couple of months ago. Will see her again at Annie’s home coming in Cambridge. She's currently teaching English in Korea of all things.

Conclusion

What was only supposed to be a quick update has turned into a mammoth post, but to summarise I am a very happy boy right now.

Thursday 11 January 2007

Wednesday 10 January 2007

3-6

Bloody rubbish!!!

Liverpool lost 3-6 at home to Arsenal in the Carling Cup Quarter Final last night. What an absolutely rubbish, rubbish result! Argh!!! And that was against Arsenal kids. With perhaps 2-3 regular starters. Liverpool fielded a very strong with only a few youngsters.

Rubbish, rubbish, rubbish.

Rafa Benitez: "The Spaniard added: "The problem was conceding four goals in the first half."

And that's after losing 1-3 to them at the weekend in the FA Cup! 4-9 on aggregate! Not bad if you're an Arsenal supporter.

And before you ask (Ben), this was real life, not Football Manager. I only wish it was.

Oh well, I guess we can concentrate on winning the league now...

Tuesday 9 January 2007

BBQ

I've just got back from lunch with April and now I smell as if i'm been manning a barbeque for the past 2 hours.

I tried to go to my favorite thai restaurant in the city Satu (Tim, i've been there with you) but it was shut, so the closest decent place was Haz. I've been there before and it certainly does good food but you do stink afterwards.

It's a Morocan style chain of restaurants throughout the city that do authentic grilled lamb, kabab's and other such nonsense. Very good and quite reasonable too.

I still stink back at the office though!

P.S.

We'll be having a BBQ round the flat once the summer starts, invites and confirmed dates to follow.

Monday 8 January 2007

Why don't you, come to Corby...?

...because you get paid bugger all!

http://www.corbytoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=661&ArticleID=1961475

"But the figures also reveal that in the past three years the average earnings in Corby have increased by just £2"

2002 2005 Change % Change
Mid Bedfordshire 473.00 526.40 53.40 11.3%
South Northants 442.00 500.00 58.00 13.1%
East Northants 401.80 489.30 87.50 21.8%
Aylesbury Vale 461.20 489.20 28.00 6.1%
South Bedfordshire 444.20 482.40 38.20 8.6%
Daventry 444.90 475.70 30.80 6.9%
Bedford 397.40 440.20 42.80 10.8%
Milton Keynes 411.30 431.60 20.30 4.9%
Luton 380.20 425.30 45.10 11.9%
Northampton 398.00 417.60 19.60 4.9%
Wellingborough 357.90 385.70 27.80 7.8%
Kettering 364.20 369.10 4.90 1.3%
Corby 361.40 363.40 2.00 0.6%
Inflation Over 3 years 9.0%

My weekend

I've just had a really good weekend.

Friday

I went out for a meal (burger) then a quick drink in a cool rock music bar in Clapham Junction called Project Orange.

Saturday

I played rugby and won 114 - 0! I scored one try but my brother scored 7!!! And he didn't even get touched once. I feel terrible however. Aching everywhere. Then went back to mine to watch a DVD with Becky and April. The breakup. It doesn't deserve a Stuart Clark Movie Review. It wasn't terrible but I think it adds to my evidence file that 99% of all movies made for women are rubbish.

Sunday

I went to the Weatherspoon's in Putney for breakfast. Still can't finish that farmhouse. Maybe that should be my new years resolution...

We then watched bits of Serenity back at mine whilst half asleep and then cooked a roast chicken. It was delicious. Butternut pumpkin (or squash if you're English) is a new ingredient to my diet.

I then watched Crank, which was again rubbish.

Friday 5 January 2007

We have to go and see this...

http://www.sroaudiences.com/

Scroll down to the 2nd show.


The April has landed

April finally arrived back in London at 9 this morning after a 33 hour mammoth trip from Perth via Dubai and Brunei. That was after a 3 hour delay to begin with, luckily it doesn't sound as if it caused too much of a problem for her connecting flights.

I imagine it'll be a bit of a shock for her.

Perth weather
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0092

London weather
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0008

Apparently it was just shy of 40 degrees just after Christmas.

Thursday 4 January 2007

Why would anyone take a bite out of this?

http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lincolnshire/6231723.stm

What a fcukwit!

New Job update

Just a quick message about the new job at Gallagher's. It's a bit odd not being at Lloyd's any more but I was there for almost four and a half years so it's hardly surprising.

Surprise, surprise, everything is going well. Tuesday, my first day was hard work. I didn't get my computer up and running till 12:30, then we went out for lunch. 3 bottles of wine later we staggered back to the office at 3. Ha, ha!

At the moment i'm mostly looking at a load of their old databases and seeing if I can improve them. They seem okay for what they do so apart from a few tweeks they'll be fine. I need to set up a number of meetings to look in more detail at a few of the datasets available then I can really get on with what i'm getting paid for.

Wednesday 3 January 2007

Mother and son become Del Boy and Rodney

A woman and her son love Only Fools and Horses so much they have changed their names to Del Boy and Rodney Trotter.

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2132969.html?menu=