Mr. pf is going on holiday.
I must say, I'm excited. And somewhat nervous but that is another story.
I do need to get myself packed which is a hassle but I know what I'm taking and more importantly, I know where everything is. I just need to get it into one place. Tickets, passports and reservation 'stuff' are all in place as well. Must remember to pick up a couple of items at Duty Free in the morning as well.
As for San Fran. The 5 day weather forecast appears reasonable with sunny days predicted though a max. temperature of 18C is a concern, especially given the average night time temperature here is 21C! I'm sure I'll manage even if it means wearing 3 layers and gloves and a hat.
A couple of tours have also been organised. One to Alcatraz and one to the Napa Valley. I'm not sure how I feel about going to Alcatraz. It's a prison for goodness sake, not a Disneyfied island. I'll treat it with the respect that it and it's former inmates deserve. As for Napa, it's about time I knew my wines. I'm going to taste - not to get drunk. Honest.
Enough gassing, packing to be done.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Fried
Another 6 Nations and another anti-climax. Is it ever anything other than one though? - of course, that is from a Scottish point of view.
If we could score tries we might actually be a decent team. Fact. 4 tries in 5 matches is shockingly bad. There can be no excuse for that. It's crap and until we can start scoring we will remain crap. At least in football, you can play for a 0-0...
I guess it's time for Hadden the coach to go. I'm not saying he's bad per se but I think it's time for new ideas. A new way of doing things. Who that next coach could be is a tough one. I'd bring in the Welsh coaches - Gatland and Edwards. No nonsense guys who are tough as nails. They'd sort it out.
And how many Scots in the Lions? Hmm. Paterson might be in for the midweek team. Blair was on the plane pre-6 Nations but may not have done himself any favours. I'd say Murray in at prop, perhaps Ford at hooker and that's about it. Evans on the wing could be an outside bet. Disappointing though.
And so the 'real' Scottish team plays Holland on the weekend. What's the point? I mean, we're not going to the World Cup. Being crap against Moldova and Norway have put paid to that. Can be go to Amsterdam and pull off a surprise. No chance. A suprise would be losing 2-0. A draw would be brilliant and a win would be see me eat something I'd rather not eat. If Burley puts out the best team available, in their favoured positions then maybe a draw but unlikely. Thankfully I'll be flying over the North Pole when the game is being played so will miss it. Good to see the 'traditional' strip back though.
If we could score tries we might actually be a decent team. Fact. 4 tries in 5 matches is shockingly bad. There can be no excuse for that. It's crap and until we can start scoring we will remain crap. At least in football, you can play for a 0-0...
I guess it's time for Hadden the coach to go. I'm not saying he's bad per se but I think it's time for new ideas. A new way of doing things. Who that next coach could be is a tough one. I'd bring in the Welsh coaches - Gatland and Edwards. No nonsense guys who are tough as nails. They'd sort it out.
And how many Scots in the Lions? Hmm. Paterson might be in for the midweek team. Blair was on the plane pre-6 Nations but may not have done himself any favours. I'd say Murray in at prop, perhaps Ford at hooker and that's about it. Evans on the wing could be an outside bet. Disappointing though.
And so the 'real' Scottish team plays Holland on the weekend. What's the point? I mean, we're not going to the World Cup. Being crap against Moldova and Norway have put paid to that. Can be go to Amsterdam and pull off a surprise. No chance. A suprise would be losing 2-0. A draw would be brilliant and a win would be see me eat something I'd rather not eat. If Burley puts out the best team available, in their favoured positions then maybe a draw but unlikely. Thankfully I'll be flying over the North Pole when the game is being played so will miss it. Good to see the 'traditional' strip back though.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Hyp
I've not had a rant for - oh, at least a week...
All the St. Patrick's Day nonsense. That's all it is, a nonsense. It's got nothing to do with 'celebrating' a saint and all to do with drinking and getting inebriated whilst 'claiming' Irish heritage or failing that, claiming to have once drank in a Disney-esque Irish Bar whilst wearing something green or one of those stupid oversized Guinness hats. Whoooo-Hoooo.
How cool.
I think not.
Yet, suddenly everywhere you go - even here in the Middle East! - it's all about St. Patrick's Day. We even had Bob Geldof playing at the Irish Village at the weekend. Bob Geldof! Who's next? Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams on stage together taking it in turns to sing their 'respective' songs?! It is Disney. It's all make believe. Cliqued nonsense.
If you want to drink on 17th March then go ahead but don't try to justify the drinking in the name of 'St. Patrick'. It's a faff. And don't bother telling me that you are 124th generation Irish of a some bloke who saw Ireland from a passing ship because I just can't bear it. If you're Irish and are celebrating then please forgive me, you deserve to. The rest - spare me!
All the St. Patrick's Day nonsense. That's all it is, a nonsense. It's got nothing to do with 'celebrating' a saint and all to do with drinking and getting inebriated whilst 'claiming' Irish heritage or failing that, claiming to have once drank in a Disney-esque Irish Bar whilst wearing something green or one of those stupid oversized Guinness hats. Whoooo-Hoooo.
How cool.
I think not.
Yet, suddenly everywhere you go - even here in the Middle East! - it's all about St. Patrick's Day. We even had Bob Geldof playing at the Irish Village at the weekend. Bob Geldof! Who's next? Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams on stage together taking it in turns to sing their 'respective' songs?! It is Disney. It's all make believe. Cliqued nonsense.
If you want to drink on 17th March then go ahead but don't try to justify the drinking in the name of 'St. Patrick'. It's a faff. And don't bother telling me that you are 124th generation Irish of a some bloke who saw Ireland from a passing ship because I just can't bear it. If you're Irish and are celebrating then please forgive me, you deserve to. The rest - spare me!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
handle
So, Scotland. Officially a strange nation. I think we knew that already though. I mean, take the Rugby 7's World Cup the other week. We played Canada in the 1st game. Nice country I'm sure but hardly well known for their rugby skills. They kicked our ass. 5 tries scored in the first half. Ouch. We did however rally in the Tournament and ended up beating France and Australia to win the 'Plate' i.e. the UEFA Cup of the 7's world. Better than nothing...the 'big' team though play well is parts and crap in others usually within the space of a half. Needless to say, we'll be second bottom in the 6 Nations this year. A win a Twickenham? Whatever.
Meanwhile, Celtic won the League Cup. Yes, I'm dead excited by that. Hmm. I just don't seem to get all that excited about winning trophies. Instead, I'd rather see a decent game of football, with action and goals instead of these 'tactical battles' that seem to be en vogue. Why does it need to be 'safety' first? Dull, dull, dull. It's the same with the League. Both Rangers and Celtic are acting like neither of them wants to win it. It's not enjoyable to watch. I wonder who will limp over the finishing line this year. Again, I'm not all that excited about it. Perhaps I've lost that passion for it. Perhaps it'll come back.
Meanwhile, Celtic won the League Cup. Yes, I'm dead excited by that. Hmm. I just don't seem to get all that excited about winning trophies. Instead, I'd rather see a decent game of football, with action and goals instead of these 'tactical battles' that seem to be en vogue. Why does it need to be 'safety' first? Dull, dull, dull. It's the same with the League. Both Rangers and Celtic are acting like neither of them wants to win it. It's not enjoyable to watch. I wonder who will limp over the finishing line this year. Again, I'm not all that excited about it. Perhaps I've lost that passion for it. Perhaps it'll come back.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Numbers
Is it possible to prefer an artists remixed songs rather than their originals?
Take Feist for example. I'm sure she has made a perfectly delightful album, so much so that one of the songs was used in the i-pod ad /not that that counts for heaps, after all the Fratelli's were used in one such ad!/. Her song 1-2-3-4 is alright. It gets a bit annoying after hearing it 302 times however. But, the Van She Tech Mix of it is really rather tasty. The chorus remains but it is turned into altogether sexier and indeed breathless. Her voice is lush. If you could fall for a voice, this is it. It all revolves around a very dirty sounding bass but with the '1-2-3-4' vocal low in the mix, you are reminded of the original. It builds and builds to something of a crescendo as all good songs should.
My Man My Moon (Boyz Noize Classic Mix) again has this breathless vocal that simply oozes sexiness. The mechanistic vocoder gives it a robotic feel but this is interrupted by her vocals. It doesn't 'pump' quite as the remixed 1-2-3-4 but then does it need to? Not really. It's a late night song that is for the small hours.
I'm scared to listen to the originals. Scared that I might actually like them. And that would be something.
Take Feist for example. I'm sure she has made a perfectly delightful album, so much so that one of the songs was used in the i-pod ad /not that that counts for heaps, after all the Fratelli's were used in one such ad!/. Her song 1-2-3-4 is alright. It gets a bit annoying after hearing it 302 times however. But, the Van She Tech Mix of it is really rather tasty. The chorus remains but it is turned into altogether sexier and indeed breathless. Her voice is lush. If you could fall for a voice, this is it. It all revolves around a very dirty sounding bass but with the '1-2-3-4' vocal low in the mix, you are reminded of the original. It builds and builds to something of a crescendo as all good songs should.
My Man My Moon (Boyz Noize Classic Mix) again has this breathless vocal that simply oozes sexiness. The mechanistic vocoder gives it a robotic feel but this is interrupted by her vocals. It doesn't 'pump' quite as the remixed 1-2-3-4 but then does it need to? Not really. It's a late night song that is for the small hours.
I'm scared to listen to the originals. Scared that I might actually like them. And that would be something.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
seen
So, I'm going on holiday!
It could be argued that I'm on a permanent holiday given that I don't actually live at 'home', instead I live abroad.
This time though, I'm off to San Francisco which is quite a long way from Dubai. In fact, it's 15 hours away via the North Pole. Yes, the North Pole. It appears that the Emirates flight I'm taking actually does head straight up and over the North Pole and down the other side to San Fran. Non-stop.
Never been to San Fran. Been to California once before but that was a day and a half stopover in L.A. in which I went to Santa Monica to buy some warm clothes as I didn't have any for returning to a very cold mid-winter U.K. San Fran does seem like a decent little place to visit and I'm very much looking forward to it. That is assuming of course that I'm let in. I have completed the online Visa waiver and based on that, I'm 'allowed' to go but then it depends on those blokes at immigration. I wonder if the fact that I'm traveling on a Middle Eastern carrier may influence their decision!
Either way, it'll be good to get out of the 'desert' and indeed it will be great to go on 'holiday' and not go back to Scotland as that is all I seem to do.
Mind you, it ain't gonna be cheap...
It could be argued that I'm on a permanent holiday given that I don't actually live at 'home', instead I live abroad.
This time though, I'm off to San Francisco which is quite a long way from Dubai. In fact, it's 15 hours away via the North Pole. Yes, the North Pole. It appears that the Emirates flight I'm taking actually does head straight up and over the North Pole and down the other side to San Fran. Non-stop.
Never been to San Fran. Been to California once before but that was a day and a half stopover in L.A. in which I went to Santa Monica to buy some warm clothes as I didn't have any for returning to a very cold mid-winter U.K. San Fran does seem like a decent little place to visit and I'm very much looking forward to it. That is assuming of course that I'm let in. I have completed the online Visa waiver and based on that, I'm 'allowed' to go but then it depends on those blokes at immigration. I wonder if the fact that I'm traveling on a Middle Eastern carrier may influence their decision!
Either way, it'll be good to get out of the 'desert' and indeed it will be great to go on 'holiday' and not go back to Scotland as that is all I seem to do.
Mind you, it ain't gonna be cheap...
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