Well that's it over for another year!

Hmm well Im fine as along as all I need to live on is fresh air for the next week, my bank account feels like it's been robbed, but ah that's christmas...
Well had fun yesterday, actually had fun christmas eve as well *blush* but Im saying no more than "I now know what Melonie looks like :D"....
Now what did I get I hear you inquire, politely of course..
What did I get actually, kinda a blur and NO there was No alchol involved well none drunk anyway.. I have to my name now, 2 litre bottles of Baillies Irish Cream :D, 2 litres of Premix'd Bacardi Breezer - hmm I'll enjoy too, 1 litre each of orange n watermelon. I got a litre for simply putting some songs on an mp3 player for someone's christmas, the other litre is from work. The Bacardi + 2 bars of toblerone, I got from my friend susan (should hint at her that well my ex used to give me that every year ;) ). Every practical are my 2 sisters, the oldest one game me a 2 handed car polisher and Mission Impossible 3, the other one much nicer present :D - A Cappachino coffee set and a t-shirt, I also got a tall latte cup set from my dear nephew along with some after 8 mints :D..
From my boss n his wife I got a winter car car kit and from my other colleague at work (aka the boss's son), his girlfriend I got your standard sports shower kit.
From mom n dad I got well a new pair of trainers, a new dolphin n whale calander, some shampoo n conditioner (well I gotta keep the hair in shape) and the latest Sue Grafton book "S is for Silence" which I look forward to reading..
That's about it. I had a realitly quiet christmas day, punctuated by requests from newphew to go play some new game on his PS2, what I get for agreeing to have dinner there..
Oh work was quiet and peaceful :)..

Merry Christmas

Well Guys Merry Christmas to one and all, I've got a "christmas day" off, as well as this weekend so no major plans - well actually will be glad to get back to 8hrs of chaotic nothingness, the rest of the office day staff get till the 3rd off but not me, doesn't bother me I get christmas day off - does me..
Like I said I'll be glad to get back to work, why - well Saturday looking after the nephew in the morning so no nice long lie in bed which I could do with..
Late Sunday I have to sneak up and set up his new PC, and well monday I'll be there for good while as Im having christmas dinner there, no parents to drive me INSANE either! It's sometimes good to have sister not talking fully to parents...

Have a Good one :) I'll catch you after christmas

Darn It I've just been tagged!

I have just been tagged by Tina (Junebugg you got a lot to answer for :P)! It didn't hurt. The cold / flu / whatever I got is annoying but it don't hurt that much either
Ok this is how it works. The player (me) must list 3 things that I would love to get for Christmas. Then I must list 3 things that I definitely do not want to get for Christmas. Then I tag 5 friends and list their names. The one I tag needs to write on their blogs about their Christmas wishes then tag 5 more people. They must also clarify all the rules. When you tag someone you need to leave a comment that says "you've been Christmas tagged!" in their comments and tell them to read your blog.

My Christmas Wishes:

1. For my friends to be happy over christmas time
2. The the "Politically Correct" Idiots that are ruining things because "it might offend!" to get lost somewhere..
3. Size "0" to come with a HEALTH WARNING!

My Christmas Don't Wants

1. No more junky crap credit card forms, waste of a good tree
2. No More SPAM E-Mail! I get enough thanks 10,928 reported pieces of spam so far..
3. Something that is of absolutly no use to me - covers a lot that does..

Tagged:
Okay Melonie, Laura, Heather, Moogie & Jean-Luc your all up...

Blog Fodder - "What is the best practical joke you have ever participated in, or one that was done on you?"

Hmm this is a very interesting one for me as well you'd think funny type guy like me would have played many a jolly jap but not really..
There is only one and I only set it up, I wan't part of the execution..
Im sure Universities through out the world have a "charities" week where various people raise money for univerisity nominated charities.. This was a rather good one as it turned out but not obviously on the person played.
There was one group who you paid to go arond and give people a "Gorilla-o-gram", thing was we had a very boring, and I mean "yawn" boring lecturer that well hmm I think we all secretly wanted to "get", I paid the sum of money required and told them who I wanted to be politly told "No way, he'd had one done on him the previous year and didn't take too kindly to it", so into my head pops the name of my best mate "stu", who somehow is still my best mate even although he's now living it up in Norway.
The lecture cometh, Im sitting "nearby" and in comes Mr Gorilla-o-gram, looking for stu, who he promptly spots and then proceeds to feed bananas to, well what you expect. The look said it all, he weren't impressed and I was doing the best I could to keep a straight face as Im sure were many others..
It turned out that hmm it wasn't such a good idea that day as he wasn't feeling 100%.
Now your wondering was there a revenage-o-gram done, no just a nice thick Archlever to the head from a great height, given stu is like 6'4" and he was standing on a small brick wall, about a 5' drop, next to one of the lecture theaters as the doorway was like below the corridor level so there was a space for people to wait to get in, etc, and me being 5'2" you can imagine the impact, it'd didn't hurt either *thud!*
I think that's me done...

G

I'll be glad when it's all over....

I will be glad when dec 26th rolls around, it will mean it's all over for another year!
It's not that I don't like christmas I do, I love it up to a point, just the endless buying of presents and the wrapping of them and the wondering is this the right gift etc... Basically between work and thinking of / buying of presents, and other things I've not really had time to blog (apart from the Blog Fodder of course). I'm also hoping that the 7 people I sent christmas cards to got them okay, I know I sent them in enough time just wondering if Darkish Gold Envelopes and a thin(ish) black pen to write the address was a good idea! I saw that cards and went those are really nice, didn't think of the envelopes till after. Never mind there is always next year.
The time of this post is spot on, it is 1:30am, Sunday Morning, Im awake (well awake enough) so therefore I blog..
Things to do: Wrap presents TODAY!

Blog Fodder - "Do you have any memories of a childhood illness?"

Hmm I do, kinda have hazy memories of being ill as kid..
I had to be real ill to be able to stay off school..
I mean little cough or the cold, Off to school I had to go..
Only 2 times I can think of I was off school.
1 was when hmm I'd have to be 7-8 I got the chicken pox, Im sure those who have had that can remember it's not very nice. I felt crappy all the time, I did manage to get to snuggle up under a duvet on the couch, head on pillow next to nice warm fire most of the day, only moving when I had to..
The other time I'd be in high school and well I was an IDIOT, I got off the school bus, walked in front as I knew he wouldn't move, quickly checked both ways then ran, hmm poor guy had pulled out from behind the bus, real slowly (ain't the same school bus rules as you have in the US) he hit me, I went flying (which I don't remember) about oh 25 yrds.. basically from where the bus stop was on one side to where it was on the other.. I came round it hurt like freaking HELL!
I did get a nice trip in the Ambulence to the local hospital to check it out. It hurt too much - it wasn't broken just bruised - guess Im made of tough stuff.
I was off school for 2 weeks, hmm doing certain things for the 1st few days was interesting.. I was excused from PE (gym) class for a further month I think, one of the teachers was head of department and I had told him and he'd said no gym for a month (I think)other teacher gave me a punishment exercise for forgetting my kit - it was revoked quick enough and it didn't happen again..
Oh and I was more careful getting off the bus from then on..
Yeah I had a cruel mom that made me go to school even if I felt miserable - maybe a few days here and there when feeling sick but not many..

There all done now...

Blog Fodder - "Tell us about somebody who has changed your life, even if just a little bit."

Hmm well this is the Blog Fodder Topic this week.
After some careful thought, I'd have to say my two older sisters have changed my life for sure, I may not have always been nice to them but they knew it was just me being a typical little brother otherwise known as being a pain in the hiney. I suppose it's really the younger of the two that changed my life the most, she was the one I'd turned to for help and advice, not my parents for some reason which is buried deep in my psyche and in unlikely to become anymore forthcoming. Now I get asked for help, okay it's only help with the computer stuff but it's help.. I do have a few friends that have changed my life, there is a post I did recently about a time in my life I'd love to be able to forget, as for without the friends I had then, many of whom I staying semi-regular contact with I probably wouldn't be writting this entry. If I was to name one of them it would have to be Stu, who I got to know really well and we kinda saved each other, now he's moved to Norway with his wife of many years oh could I tell you a tale about those two but I won't. As I've gotten older I've gained new friends both through the internet itself and more recently this place i.e the blogsphere. I suppose even the creator of the "blog fodder" should be included in my list as well she did introduce me to so many other people on here.
I'll let someone read this and go red at the though ;)
I don't think I can really write anymore than that, I don't need to go into detail as well it's hard to pin-point most of the "change" stuff I suppose.

Blog Fodder - "What are some of your memorable experiences at school?"

Hmm well I thought on this and initially I couldn't think of any as well I was the quiet one, you know the type I mean. They sat in class go on with their work, had a few friends they hung about with but not much more at primary (junior) school. They didn't really take part in stuff and generally got picked semiantly last when their was a team picking event (they did generally give their all for the team though). On to high school (whatever the US equivlent is I don't know), much the same, maybe different friends, didn't go in for any of the school events etc, very quiet did the work required of them, just go on with it didn't mess about (often ending up a "teacher pet" or "class swot" tag :-S). You get the picture
Well there were a few now that I come to think of it although maybe not.
The First one, I do remember doing was the Royal Botanical Gardens in Glasgow and a victorian house museum the exact name escapes me given this was 20+ years ago are you surprised, got pictures and everything somewhere (of me and some classmates and the actually gardens). I won't say much more as well hmm as remember how your always told to go before ya leave, hey I couldn't I did try and well hmm I dont' think I need say any more Im erm erm never mind....
One of the few school trips I ever did, seriously there generally one arranged for 2 weeks away for like Primary 6-7 (10-11yr olds) but i never did go on it.
Another trip I do remember was one to another museum, this time down in the borders, absolutly lovely, I'd be oh 16 by this point, so say 6-7 years had passed since last trip and well I go up that day I did plan on wearing something that wasn't school uniform but I don't know I think I hit the auto pilot and well got stuck all day in the uniform, embarressing in another way but then we went to Fat Sam's Restruant in Edinburgh for a meal then back to the school that was fun for sure.. See 2 totally divergent one's
Hmm a third could be a letter that was written as part of a school project when I would have been 13, we each had to pick someone, or some organisation and write to them with a valid question. I know one person wrote to NASA about something and got a whole load of info back, so I hear you ask who did you write to and what was the question. I wrote to the Queen about her corgi's (for some reason - reason escapes me I think erm maybe It was slipped to me). i got a very nice letter back and given my mothers penchant for keeping some things I believe it's probably still around somewhere, it wasn't from the Queen personally but one of her Ladies in Waiting, quiet a nice letter about the fact it's not just corgi's but dorgi's (a daushound / corgi cross) she has as well (or had)..
Okay that's enough "experiences" I think.. Actually that's probably them all.

The names Bond, James Bond....

Oh my this film is funny, still got the action but funny. It's got that quirky british black humour in it in parts and just good old quirkyness else where, no Q, not gadgets as such but hmm it makes up for it.
Good night overall: Hit Pizza hut had a pepperioni Pizza with a twist on stuffed crust idea - very good, we were "stuffed" - lol. Got the cinema paid for tickets, got drinks n popcorn I may have been stuffed but there is always room for popcorn..
I can't say much more as well for a lot of the "humour" you need to have seen the film.

Time to get brain in gear....

Hmm it's that time of year again, it's close to that particular day well only X number of shopping days left till then, now I need to get started. I've got some figured out I don't do many thankfully but other I've got to figure out..
Im also going to see Casino Royale on friday with a friend okay I'm paying (given what happened last time when well I had a blonde moment and totally forgot - dang sometimes Im really freaking thick oh well)..
I really should e-mail some people, you know who you are and yes I am thinking of you guys even if I don't write / e-mail / phone ever other week.. I'd say day but that sounds way too "over the top".
So I'm here, just about work is keeping me occupied and well when not occupied by work I just wanna do nothing thus my lathargical approach to some things, feel free to browse my back catalogue of entries and maybe comment on them or even comment here about them (with references so it's easier for all ;) )

The Hierophant

I saw this on heathers and just had to try, I don't know why many of these I see and don't do something caused me to do this one.

You are The Hierophant Divine Wisdom. Manifestation. Explanation. Teaching.

All things relating to education, patience, help from superiors.The Hierophant is often considered to be a Guardian Angel. The Hierophant's purpose is to bring the spiritual down to Earth. Where the High Priestess between her two pillars deals with realms beyond this Earth, the Hierophant (or High Priest) deals with worldly problems. He is well suited to do this because he strives to create harmony and peace in the midst of a crisis. The Hierophant's only problem is that he can be stubborn and hidebound. At his best, he is wise and soothing, at his worst, he is an unbending traditionalist. What Tarot Card are You? Take the Test to Find Out.

Friendship

I recieved this in an e-mail from a friend, I've past it on to many of you but I thought I'd repost it here as well it got me thinking:
One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd". I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.
As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes. My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him and as h e crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks", they really should get lives. He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!", there was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid.
I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends, he said yes.
We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him. Monday morning came! , and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday! "He just laughed and handed me half the books. Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends.
When we were seniors, we began to think about college.
Kyle decided on Georgetown , and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship.
Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd.
He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak. Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him.
Boy, sometimes I was jealous. Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!" He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled, "Thanks," he said. As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly your friends... I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story."
I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. "Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable."
I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.
I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize it's depth. Never underestimate the power of your actions.
With one small gesture you can change a person's life.
For better or for worse. God puts us all in each others lives to impact one another in some way. Look for God in others.
----
Now your wondering how does that relate to me or who ever this story is about.
Well it's me and I had moments of weakness, when I had thought it all out, looked into the black abyss that is death and wanted to just fall head long into it, oh for the sweet blessed release of death. I didn't of course why I had my friends, oh I had thought it all out, I was gonna get a gun, stand on the railing by the duck pond at the university pull the trigger and fall backwards in, death would have been assured will that and sometimes I'd maybe aquire a few pills just to make sure..
However every time I thought about it I stopped, something kept me alive my friend although they don't know it or I don't think they do, or at least for the most part they don't I kept that much to myself. Also my dog saved me she needed someone to run to, fall asleep ON and I do mean ON. Now your wondering why not say family here but well let's just say they didn't really fit in, only 1 person would have suffered but then again I had enough people who'd miss me so I knew I couldn't do it..
So to my friends then and to my friends here and now thank you. Life may get complex, and get me down but I know with sometimes just a word or a phrase or something things start to look brighter.

G

Filed under: Friendship, Just give me the prozac.., darkness.

A pittance of time

I got this link sent to me today in my daily humor letter.
Watch, listen, understand and remember.

http://www.army.gc.ca/chief_land_staff/remembrance/English/Docs/TKeng6mb.wmv

Anyone for a Q & A?

I've got ideas for postings but well they aren't fully formed adn well don't always make sense often I read something and bang post idea in head busy working itself out by the time I get around to maybe posting it's gone so time maybe for a Q & A session or a meme. That means you can read this and please do post a comment.
On another note the 3rd link I have on my page which is the click for breast cancer thingy I've reached the summit I think I actually did this a while ago I've taken 1116 steps so far Im not sure how many steps a click I do i believe it's 12 steps a day which is not bad I've been doing it a while now the other links are doing well too :).
The floor so to speak is open.

I am a Hazelnut tree

You Are A Hazelnut Tree

You're a charmer with a killer sense of humor. You are very demanding, but you can also be very understanding. No matter what, you always make a lasting impression - you're quite popular. Passionate, you are an active fighter for social causes and politics. In general, you are moody, honest, a perfectionist, and very sexual.

What's Your Celtic Horoscope?

Hmm How true is that, thanks to Heather for the pointer :)
P.S. I love hazelnuts :)

It's someone's birthday Soon...

Hmm what can I say it's that time of year again almost, we Brits remember the attempt that was made in 1604 buy Guy Fawkes to blow up the House of Parlament with the current King and all the political types inside. It of course backfired they were caught and killed the charge Treason.. So we build fires and set of fireworks to celebrate the failed attempt.. However that is not what this post is about it's about the one person in my family that well I really do care about a lot, my dearest Sister.. It's her birthday Sunday, see I can never forget her birthday now can I.
Thank you to Sharon for the wonderous gift which I am now in the process of finishing wrapping.
Don't worry folks I have photos of the artwork in it's frame taken just before I wrapped I will post them soon. I doubt I'll be able to post the expression as well erm I'll probably forget my camera..

re: "emotionally fragile"

Hmm well i posted that the other day and I suppose I am,it's kinda hard to explain but I'll try to. I don't need anyone to beat me up I pretty well on my own. For example I've been beating myself about the head because I screwed up when I swapped hardware out a week past saturday and the Power Supply went or appeared to, having it checked over still. So i had to reinstall windows but i was cracking up at having to forced into reinstalled because the "smart" O/S that is XP can't handle massive hardware changes only little ones. Im not gonna fire up my Network Attached Storage(NAS) device im gonna get someone else to do that as it's doing my head in, it won't see the almost 500gb over the 2 Hard disks that are in it as drives...
I do sometimes wake up and wonder if it's worth it any more. I was all for quiting the net totally - I was gonna make one last parting post on here and then just leave..
I couldn't so I left it, someone said something that made me think and it then struck me today they were right. Who was that person well it was "shyandquiet" although she is neither.. I got the big hard assed mental slap I required. Thank you shy :)

Yours
Chemically imbalanced and other things

G

P.S. I wasn't gonna mention it but I got some artwork from this lady and it's great was going to be a birthday present but I don't know now, i don't know if I'll be able to find a frame to do it justice in time but I'll try if not it's 1 christmas gift for a sister in a million.. ** Hugs Sharon ** Thank you.

Hey y'all Im back

I've been quietly catching up on some peoples posts i still got catching up to do. Im doing okay.
Heather the last post i read of yours made me think real hard. What cna I say the best way to describe me is "Emotionally Fragile" Im serious, I may look dead tough and mean, I may look like I'm meaner than a junkyard dog to borrow a phrase a good friend of mine uses shy but that she isn't once she knows you :)..
I found out today that okay it's a big state but It's a small world I know 4 people in WV now, the 4th is my good friend Patrick aka Tmbr Wolf I've known him a good while and didn't know this till know and well I think I can safely say I've chatted with him for 5-6 yrs. Go visit and swing by shy's pages they'll both appreciate the visit. I won't say which county in WV he's in but it's in the south.
So dear friends who are few and far between I think I'll sign off now.
Take care and catch ya later.

G

I'm Alive......

I'm alive...
My Computer is back up and running, behaving now too.
I didn't have to replace much - just the Power Supply as it went dead on me. I've taken this opertunity to clear out all the old crap I had kicking about, in readyness for all the NEW crap that will no doubt be getting install via windows update..
I'm in the midst of re-install all my applications so It will be a while before Im fully back up to speed just thought I'd let you know..
I've too many apps to mention to reinstall which is why I was reluctant to have to do this.. 98 was so much easier to do this on, you lost nothing..

So I'll see you around..

G

Just not My day :(

Here I am it's like 2am Sunday morning and Im writing a blog post..
Now not the post I'd been musing about yesterday after I read something that may appear at a later date once I remember exact what it was, it's been a long week!
I am not however on my now PC, Im on my backup PC (god bless backups) Okay I have more than 1 PC but I have MY PC and 3 others, if you get my drift... Someone I know from Free-DC was kind enough while doing a "spring" clean to send me some of his older parts (IF only I'd know I'd never have gotten that new mobo / memory - but I can still use that :D). My car was due it's Annual Checkup (Read MOT for those in the UK) and well I figured a few minor points a bit of welding here and there but not quite just that, one of my front spring is going so it's booked in for next weekend to get sorted.. To go cheer myself up I go to a mates and see if he's in, and have a coffee or 4 :P I end up with a DVD writer, some blank DVD discs and a Virtually Silent PSU - which doth not fit in the case style I have :-S. I get back and proceed in an orderly fashion to shutdown my nice machine, take out the mainboard and replace it with one that had just been shipped to me complete with memory and CPU + HS/ Fan to match.. I boot it up windows XP goes "NO!" and reboots, I get the "safe mode options list" I choose one, it does the same and just sits at same place..
Time for XP Install CD... I get that out and try and get it up and running - alas nope I do manage to repair XP and try that no luck what so ever.. I think sod it replace it with old kit that I know worked with that Install of XP..
Well erm "no", "NO" and double "NO!", it boots up, coughs almost and reboots, I TRY to go back into windows CD at which point the machine switches OFF with out warning, no obvious reason why it shouldn't fire back up, no joy at all as you can probably imagine even although I know my stuff Im at the "mild PANIC" stage, thinking the worst - no life from system means either a) The CPU has expired (NO please don't let it be that not my faithful XP2600) or b) The Power Supply has gone , thankfully it was b) this is the point I discover that the new Silent PSU I got don't fit so I had to go borrow one from the same mate and I handed him the old one to see if he could repair it possibly. I get one it's a smaller capacity but it will do, I power up.. No Primary Hard Disc, the one with windows and all my applications and erm GAMES on.. I switch off, unplug a few things make sure it's bare minimum plugged in to get it running nope same thing.. The Drive hath died or ain't wanna play ball..
I've managed to get it "running" but well we'll see how long, copying as much as I can to other places, til i can get another drive to replace.
Wish me LUCK, I think I need some.