Tuesday, November 25, 2008

temp

Pale white and walking like an old women. That was me the other day. I was in poor shape. This time, no alcohol was involved. Instead, their was the incessant throb in the left side of my head. No amount of moving or hold or caressing could ease it. Before the pain was the visuals. Or lack of more like it. The blurred vision and the 'flashing lights'. They give way to the pain. Usually the flashing lights continue for 20 minutes or so. You can't do anything because you can't see. The best thing is to 'sleep' and wait for them to go and be replaced with the pain.

1 cycle is 'normal' if you can call it that. 2 cycles is unlucky. 3 cycles is horrific and a cause for concern. I had 3 cycles in about 3 hours.

I had to go to the hospital because it was horrific.

An injection and some tablets later, I ease to bed and finally manage some sleep. 2 days later, the pain in still there however it is much diminished. Thankfully.

Diet is said to be a trigger for these headaches. I've been trying to pinpoint what went wrong. What did I have that was out of the ordinary? The only answer I can come up with was the fresh orange I had the same morning. 2 larges glasses of the stuff. And who says orange juice is good for you? It's not, clearly.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Palm

Damn it. November is nearly over. How the hell did that happen?

It should be cold and wet and windy and I should be complaining about it. And I'm not. Instead, I've got nothing to complain about. It's sunny, warm and lovely. Can it be like this everyday please?

It should also be the start of the Christmas rush. It quite clearly isn't. No Christmas trees or decorations. No Christmas parties on the horizon either. It's quite refreshing all things considered. We even have holidays coming up. 5 days off at the start of December and a couple of other National Holidays, all topped off by a weeks leave back home which has potential to be quite something.

Inbetween though is class. Good in parts, less so in others. A full investigation and retrospective to follow though that may stay in house.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Fell

An entire post must be given over to the Mitchellville. A man, who claims to be many things. He is however and Penicuiker and no amount of protesting, faking, and moving around can ever take that away from him no matter how hard he tries. You are what you are. Be proud of it.

And let's not get involved in a 'I'm Welsh' debate because we all know that their women are rank. They are so rank that they have to claim a diminutitive Aussie as one of their own - strangely, they don't claim her younger sister.

That's all besides the point. The real point is the Mitchellville is no longer a Mitchellville. I'm not quite sure what he is now. I can say for certain that he is no longer an island. He is now part of 2 islands. 2 islands that have become on big island which is a remarkable feat of engineering. And 1 big island is always better than having 2 smaller island because they're bigger and less prone to stuff bad happening to them like sea invasions from randoms, tsunami's and outbreaks of jellyfish which can and do happen.

And to be honest, I'm delighted. I'm more than delighted because top blokes should really come out on top. History shows that that is not always the case. Knobheads do. Stalin, Hitler, Thatcher, Bush to name a few at random. However, history has been shunned for the moment. It could and should be the start of many.

Not only is the joining of island a /no pun intended/ a landmark achievement but the small matter of essentially giving everything up to do it requires special mention. Uping sticks, not only for a new city but in real terms, a new life. I know something of moving and its not an easy thing. It takes a certain kind of mindset and attitude in order to make it a success. Many have failed to settle for one reason or another. I have no such fear. The big man will be just fine; so long as he remembers the ones that are left behind. The ones who would utter insults, pish and at times sensibilities over a rather dubious looking pint in some hot, sticky bar watching a bloody tv screen and more often than not, another famous Scotland defeat.

So, in absence of a toast / or should that be me, from the toast / , please be upstanding and will you kindly raise your glasses to.../a gap so that people can get to their feet/...

Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell.

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Trak

I've been having mini-panic attacks of late. Nothing seriously life threatening but definitely moments in which I get concerned. It's mostly to do with this English Course that I've had to design for a class that I'm due to teach. I shouldn't be worried because this is the kind of thing that I've done before and on a much larger scale with hundreds more students in a University of all places.

The thing that concerns me is its small scale and the fact there needs to be results. At University, they pass or fail. If they pass great, if not then they resit. Simple. However this course will decide if the individuals are good enough for a higher level job and all the monetary benefits that come with it.

It's all abit silly to be honest because I have the skills, I have the ability and I have the know how but there is just something nagging. Perhaps its the fact its the 1st batch I've had at the Company and perhaps its because this outcome of this course will be monitored by the likes of Vice Presidents. I guess all I can do is be prepared and organised. I feel I am. I have everything I need to get the job done. I'm worried about the students which is good and bad. Good in the sense that it shows you care but bad in the sense that despite all the time and effort that I've already put into it, they might not be able to step upto the mark for whatever reason. Perhaps it will be too hard. Perhaps they won't study or simply they just can't do it. All of which will come back to me in some form or another.

In a month I'll have a better idea. That's when the real work will begin along with the inquest.

Friday, November 07, 2008

Peanut

I guess a comment must be made regarding the U.S. election. Congratulations to the citizens of the U.S. for a job well done. Things might not change all that much in reality however, its nice to see someone who seems to have a brain and can think for himself in power. Let's hope he gets the chance to use his intellect for the greater good.

Thursday, November 06, 2008

Punch

So, all I seem to keep hearing is Roger Moore mouthing off about how good he was and how he choose to play Bond in the manner he did and that the new Bond movies are a bit too violent for his liking.

Is it just me or is his sudden reappearance got anything to do with the fact that he an autobiography to punt?

The fact is, he has a cheek. He was crap as Bond. So how can he honesty say he was any good at it? He wasn't. Pick your 5 worst ever Bond movies and I bet that at least 3 of them are his. The 'pinciple' surely being A View to a Kill. He was nearly 60 when he did that. And its crap. And that was despite Christopher Walken being in it. Moore presided over camp, witless and farcial Bonds. Take the 'fight' scene on the train in The Spy Who Loved Me with Jaws. He misses Jaws with a punch by miles. It's truly awful. Not only that, but could he actually act? It seemed that 'one size fitted all' his movies. Was he trying to be cheesy? Did he think the eyebrow thing was cool.

He was crap.

Go on, prove me wrong please.

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

prize

So I was listening to some album earlier when a little thing popped into my head. I was quite surprised about it actually. This little thing then grew into a bigger thing and it has now grown to the point that I had to write about it.

Endings.

That was the little thought. More specifically, endings of songs.

Most people, I would suspect are more interested in the start of songs. And why not? They are the bits that grab you and hold your attention long enough for you to listen more. Classic 'starts' include 'Back in Black', 'Song2', 'Voodoo Chile (slight return)'and my personal favourite 'Crash' which is 3 minutes long and involves someone intermittently pressing a door bell. The thing is, how do they end?

Well, badly. Mostly.

You couldn't tell me because they are not memorable in the slightest. Bohemian Rhapsody is memorable. The calm after the storm if you like. But off the top of my head, thats the only one I can think of.

The cop out is the 'fade out'. A nonsense. What's the point in that? And who decides when to start the 'fade out'? It's like 'well, we've spent all this time trying to perfect the first part of the song but now we're tired and we can't be arsed now - oh, let's just fade it out'.

It can't be that much of a stress to actually 'make' a decent ending. I seem to recall someone saying the Nirvana never used a fade out on any song. They always finished it somehow. It doesn't really matter how you finish it, so long as it's finished. 'Boom, boom, boom - the end'. It doesn't even need to be brillant, in fact, it can be clinical. Take some of the songs on Portisheads newest album. My goodness. 1 second we're in mid-thrust, the next that's it. Over. Finished. Like a body blow. You even have to check your i-pod or player to see if the songs actually were meant to finish like that or if there has been some kind of power cut that stopped the player in its tracks. Madness.

Would you read a book that lacked a final chapter? No.

Then why should we be subjected to essentially the same 'thing' with songs? We shouldn't. I should start of Facebook Group protesting (or advocating) endings of songs. Ones that do justice to the music that has just come before it.

Sunday, November 02, 2008

Peace

Sometimes, I rage at people and things.
The source of this weeks rage is Scotland and the numpties that claim to have its best interests at heart - namely the knobheads and diddies that run the place.

O.k., I'll come out with it - small minded cockhead arseholes.

Yes, that is you lot who decided to give the go ahead for some wig-tastic fake 'I love Scotland so much that I want to build there' Scottish billionaire Donald Trump to rip up a site of national importance for the sake of some houses, a hotel, a couple of golf courses and a f*cking street called 'Trump Boulevard'. Boulevard? We don't do Boulevards, we do streets. We do roads. We do Parks. We do Crescents'. Do definitely do not do 'Boulevards'.

Initially this money grabbing know wanted to build on a part of the coast that is essentially unique to Scotland. The area is protected and is of national scientific interest. This bully thought he could pay the locals off with charm and money and this heartfelt love for Scotland and the memory of his mother. You can bet your ass he would have sold his mother if he could have. Intially it didn't work. Even his own scientists said it was a bad idea. The council thus voted against it. They didn't fall for it.

In steps cockhead's in power 'oh hold on minute', we can't let these small time councillors do this, we'll over-rule them'. And so they set about making damn sure that this project would get the go ahead.

Low and behold it now has been given the go ahead.

A faff. A joke. 'oh yes, Mr. Trump, certainly Sir, 3 bags full Mr. Trump.'

Isn't it ironic that the people who want to rip up this part of our hertiage are the same ones that are trying to advocate the reintroduction of ancient species of animal and trees to that Scotland, for example, the reintroduction of beavers, lynx's etc. Yet they want to destroy this area for houses and a golf course and of course, money.

Shortsidedness in the extreme a shocking, but ultimately true state of the real Scotland. Looking at the smaller picture without seeing what the important things are. It's an embarrassment. A national disgrace. Can we have a public inquiry into these idiots?

I'm proud to be Scottish and proud of what it is and what it has achieved and what it has given me but this is a farce and just one of a few things that seem to be happening to the detriment of Scotland and being Scottish. For what purpose? Salmond will no doubt say something along the lines of 'because we deserve to be on out own and have an identity'. Yes, we're sending out a very strong message. Show us the cash and we'll bend over for you even if it means destroying the country and ignoring our own policies and statutes.

Keep going Scotland. I'll not be back if you do.