...and relax...

Sleep patterns, now there's a thing. I am lucky in that I generally sleep quite well, even in my sad face periods. During the week (and especially in winter) I find it a real struggle to get out of bed in the morning. It's not because I don't want to get up, even though work might make it little less easy, rather I feel constantly knackered. When the weekend comes I always promise myself a lie-in, but wake up about 5am, think about stuff for a bit, try to wake C up, get a frosty response and so I get up. I love that time in the morning when no one else is up, dawn is coming up (hi dawn) and everything outside is coming to life. I usually make myself a nice cup of coffee, put the radio on and 'do stuff'. My internal clock has this setting at weekends...'you've worked hard all week, now get up and make the most of the weekend'. Ironically I am usually the first to go to bed...not because I am a lightweight (it has been mentioned in the past), but because the same internal clock just shuts the rest of my body down. There are more and more occasions where the second wind takes effect and I can carry on into the next afternoon, but these are random. My old mucker DD has the opposite - he can function on very little sleep (and keep his sense of humour as well - respect). Maybe that's what having kids does for you - you just learn to function on less. Something I wait to experience with interest. So that's sleep...

Our first 'free' weekend for about 2 months came around. Plans were chucked around...exhibitions...mammoth walks, but in the end what we settled for no plans and decided to just see what happens. A more lazy relaxing weekend I haven't had for a long time. Read the papers in near entirety, listened to the radio, ate comfort food, walked in the common and recharged. Saturday night was a break from the plan by going to see Maria and Rus in their new trendy pad in Old Street. Very nice it is too and even has cool triangular balcony. Had a top nosh dinner then went out to sample some of their new locals. Old Street has over the past 5 years become very 'cool'. There are some great pubs and venues, but to be honest it started feeling like a Nathan Barley convention sometimes, with everyone trying to out cool each other and wondering who's famous/popular so they can latch on to them. Maybe because I'm not very cool anymore (C says different)...no, actually some of the people were just a bit pretentious and fake. Sorry for the negativity there - just an observation - feel free to comment...oh, and I had the worst pint of Theakstons ever, ever, ever...that didn't help.

Spent today mostly horizontal on Wandsworth Common reading more papers, my book and soaking up the very hot sun. Very lazy and well deserved. Now watching Glastonbury the film and although I still hold the same values as I did when I first started going to festivals 1989, can't help feeling I've sold out a little bit. Unavoidable possibly, or I just grew to like home comforts a bit more than I did back then (well hot water is quite nice in winter isn't it). Hey ho - Latitude is not far away...can't wait. 

Not going to touch on work too much, but last week was without doubt the busiest I've ever had, and the one to come with be more so. Also, I'm branding a new company (and everything that goes with branding) on my own on top of my already packed project list. Good experience and dare I say fun...a bit more time wouldn't have gone a-miss though. Story of a designer's life.

Fair thee well.

Censorship, Security or short-sighted?

Over the past week a large amount of websites have been banned at work. First, IT in their wisdom banned all stock image and media websites. The reason being that all had imagery tagged with 'nude', 'flesh' or 'naked' suggesting pornography (you can still access The Sun, The Star, FHM and many other sites that could contain similar material...not that I do you see...just went on for research...)! As you can imagine this went down like a sack of cack with all the designers who use these websites to buy/share/sell imagery for work (and outside work for that matter). I managed to get them quickly unblocked and received an apology from those concerned in the IT crowd, but it highlighted an increased level of censorship/paranoia amongst the corporate world. I understand risk and security in the modern age, but moderation, investigation and individual merit of usage must be observed...otherwise we may as well be seen as sheep...baa!

Social networking sites have been banned for a while, mainly because people were spending too much time chatting to mates etc. I can sort of understand that, but YouTube's blocking was a bit puzzling. I even explained to the Firewall managers how it is an effective marketing, research and resource tool. The response was that so many people were looking at videos during their lunch hour, that the company's bandwidth limits were being breached...erm...a multi-national with a huge LAN config. can't cope with what can't be that many daily video downloads?! I suspect they just feared people were spending too much time on it and not enough working. As What really got my goat was loosing access to Flickr and Twitter. I wondered how long the later would last as it has little work relevance (and I can still post by phone), but Flickr (loves you)?! Promptly threw my rattle out of my proverbial pram and got access back sharpish. 

So, aside from that work has been pretty much all consuming and will continue to be for the next few weeks. I seem to have my fingers in so many pies in this job that I barely have time to take a nibble, let alone a bite. I have some major projects on the go at the moment, as well as juggling the daily design work and branding help desk type stuff. The bureaucracy and politics seems to make my job 10 times harder - on paper a project is simple if executed efficiently and communicated well, but inherent issues such as pricing wars, difficult personalities and lack of value for creative solutions create mountains out of mole hills. I'm sure it's the same in many other companies, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating. Shouldn't grumble though, it the current economic climate I am grateful to have the job I do.

The weekend was fun. We went to stay with Chris and Jen in Littleworth, Oxfordshire again on Saturday. Top night with BBQ, wine, banter and making a fuss of their cute dogs. We bought Chris an huge Cuban Cohiba cigar for his b'day which he loved (he's a member of the exclusive Cigar Club, so it's not quite such a weird pressie) and proceeded to share one from his personal collection. I really enjoyed it, though can't see myself becoming a cigar smoker since I'm barely a smoker of any kind anymore. After cruising back down the A4 we spent Sunday afternoon on Kings Road looking for some bargains (wrong street me thinks), then a chilled Sunday night in as it poured down outside...there had better not be hose-pipe ban this year! At least my window boxes are doing well - the Rocket is rocketing up!

Oh...and we finally got our wedding album after 6 months - we love it and it beings back lots of amazing memories. Not much else - got a new free upgrade K850i phone after threatening to leave my supplier if they didn't give me one (they wouldn't stretch to an N95 - bugger)! In the absence of a radio reception on the tube I have been mostly listening to The Mighty Boosh podcasts - very funny they are too. A great new (to me) book on the go - easy read, so review to come soon. Just got to get through the next few weeks - it's going to be painful, but challenging and hopefully worth a pat on the back at the end (that's the best bonus I can expect in the city at the moment)!

See you later then dear visitor...come back again soon. I'll have some chocolate digestives next time!

2k

2000 hits in about six months - thanks very much and keep reading. 

I even got 49 hits on one day last week...you must be bored!

Thank you please.

Live advertising

Apparently the first adverts on TV were usually live recordings during the schedule. Well, things have come full circle as the new Honda ads are also recorded live...and that just makes them so much more interesting and exciting. It's not on YouTube yet, but here is a teaser that precedes them. 

Watch out for the next live one on your telly (if you watch it - if not keep checking YouTube I guess).

Exposure

A website called NowPublic got in touch with me earlier this morning. They had seen my picture of St.Peter's Bascilica in the Vatican on Flickr and wanted to use it. Apparently they are working on coverage of the re-opening of a pagan tomb under the Basilica, and said my image would be a great addition...yay!

10 days off Part Two

Part two began with the usually sluggish drive up to that there Yorkshire on Thursday morning, but the A1 was kind to us and we made it to Harrogate by mid-late afternoon. Spent some quality time with my folks (poor Mum wasn't feeling too well - bless her), then popped round to see our muckers Chris and Marianne in there huuuge new pad - the never ending flat.

Friday was the wedding day of Bongo (Al) and Lauren. Bongo was the first person I met when we moved to Harrogate in 1982. He lived across the road and popped over to see who the new kid was. I had a few Star Wars figures, he had all the Rubik's puzzles - we became instant chums. Bar a few random months, we have stayed in touch and are still good friends. Anyone that knows him will confirm that he is a truly unique chap in every way - the eternal optimist and joker who never lets anything or anyone stress him out - qualities some would surely pay dearly for. He met Lauren (lovely, lovely girl) on the t'interweb a few years ago and today they made it all official and proper like. Venue was The Dower House in Knaresborough. My role for the day was Usher and general 'help out' type person. An amazing, happy and sparkly day. So many friends and family from past and present to catch up with. Bongo and Lauren looked so happy and we all partied hard in the early hours. Even the weather was amazing - purfick.

After a hangover crushing fry-up brekky we headed over to Pately Bridge to meet my folks, Stu and his missus Sarah. About 12 years ago my Dad (a total train buff) bought a knackered old train carriage for next to nothing. It had been converted into a sort of holiday home and placed next to a stream at the end of a windy country lane - he and mum have spent the time since restoring it to it's original state (to exact detail) in a labour of love, and it is now our family's little place to find some peace and quiet in the summer - we call it Coach House. It's a beautiful part of the world and has loads of amazing walks (through old lead mines), wild-life and top class country pubs (Theakstons - nice). It's the most peaceful night's sleep you will ever have with only the sound of a trickling stream to wake you up in the morning. After a good few hours chilling we set off on a mad rush round to get provisions for the evening and popped in to see my dear old Nan. The evening was spent round at DragonDrop HQ with it's enhabitants, PaintMonkey and Weseal.Jem. Top night of cheese, wine and laughs with a bit of Micheal Palin chucked in for good measure. 

Up early this morning, said our goodbyes and plowed down the A1 again back to Londinium. What a brilliant and varied 10 days we've had, spent with lots of lovely people. Head back in work mode - keep smiling and throw yourself into it. Summer's here (apparently) and that always makes things easier!

10 days off Part One

A great feeling it is indeed to activate an out-of-office and leave a voicemail announcing 10 days off. All loose-ends were tied up, my cover was briefed (cheers Dave) and all systems shut-down - so began the longest period we've had off work since our honeymoon. The first port of call was Bloomsbury Lanes for Maria's 30th birthday party. Great night and a wicked place - a sort of American stylee youth club, but for 20-30 somethings. Bowling lanes, bands, lardy food and cheap beer. Maria had hired a karaoke booth for the occasion which was a right laugh - not least because it had a library of over 10,000 songs...never thought I'd be dueting Depeche Mode or Stone Roses at a karaoke bar! Did my classic version of Ace of Spades as usual - helps when the 'audience' are as plastered as you are! Missed the last tube, waited ages for a bus, but top night and a very Happy Birthday da Maria.

Saturday I felt a bit wobbly, but not too bad. We drove to East Dulwich to see Sam and Lizzie who are very soon to become parents. Had a much needed hangover killing lunch, then headed off to the train station to travel to London Bridge. I was very fortunate to be bought a wine tasting course for my birthday. It was at Vinopolis which I can only describe as Disneyland for wine (and gin, whiskey and absinthe) lovers. The first part was a personal tasting course with Matt Skinner who happens to be Jamie Oliver's sommelier - fascinating and highly entertaining. Matt is a very laid back Aussie who knows all there is to know about wine, but has a very modern, forward thinking attitude to it. His 'core message' is that wine should be for everyone - I agree. We tasted 2 whites, 2 reds, a fortified and a champagne - all great and very different. I've long enjoyed wine, but now know what to look for and why I enjoy the different characteristics. Apparently I learn towards heavy, big finish, new world reds (already knew that) The second part was entry to the museum and 5 tastings - Great fun and hair of the dog as well. Malbec from Argentina is still my current favourite grape.

We got up very early the next day for the early train to Gatwick. Our Christmas present to each other this year was a city break somewhere we'd never been before. Rome was top of the list so off we went. We fell in love with this city from the moment we got off the coach from the airport. Such incredible architecture, art, food, wine, people, culture, attitudes to live - loved it. We were in a great spot as well, right near the Spanish Steps. We had a good balanced 3 days of tourist stuff and relaxing. Obvious highlights were The Colosseum and Vatican - the thought of such spectacular ancient structures being built so long ago is quite mind blowing (and I've been to Maccu Pichu so that's saying something), especially the former. The engineering and thought to detail/function reinforces why Rome lead such a powerful empire and advanced culture. Rome is one of those great 'walky' cities like Paris, Prague, London and Amsterdam where it isn't always necessary to take public transport, but much more rewarding to amble around and see what you find. Then there's the food and wine...we were in heaven. I could quite easily live there! The Coffee's not bad either and the Romans are great  - very passionate, humorous and colourfully expressive. Loved it, loved it, loved it.

Back at mothership now, catching up on chores, sweating over a poorly bank account and getting ready for Part 2. It's going to be a very happy and celebratory weekend. Watching Champion's League - don't really care who wins, as I don't like either team. Was meant to be going to see MGMT in town tonight with C and her girly mates, but the old noodle isn't feeling very well flavoured today - needed some me time to sort it out. Check back on Monday for more of my self-centred dribblings if you're interested or check out my Flickr from Rome pictures...or you could just surrender yet more precious seconds of your life to the latest Web 2.0 social networking phenomenon.

Ciao ciao.