Christ, I’m on a drought! Four posts to this blog in the last fortnight and only two of them actually had any real writing in them. Not sure why exactly – the usual excuses are just excuses and not having anything to write about is no excuse for not blogging. It was suggested to me that the adjustment into actually having a routine in my life might have something to do with it, but whatever, it doesn’t matter.
What I do know is this anticyclone of meh will break sooner or later (this may even be the start of it, who knows?) but the silence was deafening even me.
So, what have you been up to? Feel free to use the comments to plug whatever you’re involved with. I’m genuinely interested and will post the ones that grab my eyeballs in the blog proper.
Same old, same old really. Doing the phd thing, looking at faces and trying to account for the vaguaries of human mating strategy using methodologies drawn from evolutionary biology. Like you do. Off to Philadelphia in a month or so. Off to Luton in a week and a half. Sucking up to corporate sponsors. Attempting to become a media slut the sort of which I normally abhore. Ah well.
Who? Me? Nothing much. But I did find out that Mark Steyn (who has apparently been banished by the Daily Telegraph’s new owners) has resurfaced at the Chicago Sun Times. He’s a sort of latter day P J O’Rourke with a great sense of humor. Here’s his take on global warming. If only more journalists could put together an op-ed piece as entertaining as this we might buy more newsprint.
Having started a new job I’m trying to decide if I prefer career + long hours + responsibility or job + short hours + dodging responsibility!
Sure, the money is better now but without flexi-time, no dress code and the comfort that comes from familiarity I’m wondering if this whole “ambition” thing is really for me.
Sitting on a motorway burning fuel and feeling my shoulders get stressed reminds me that the 9-5 is the biggest lie there is.
If you have to travel to work you normally get up in the morning – get ready and travel. I get up at 7 and leave at 7:35ish. I travel into work to dodge the *really bad* traffic and arrive at 8:45. I can’t do anything for myself in that time so already I’m working a 7-5. Then I normally finish about 5:15 after I finish off and travel back home to arrive at 18:15 if lucky. So now I’m actually working a 7-6:15 instead of 9-5. The time directly before work and after is not mine to control or use. Likewise I go to bed earlier than usual so I only have a few hours spare time in the evening (after washing, ironing, cleaning and cooking). I have already developed a “living for the weekend” mentality.
So why did I swap roles? Well I just didn’t agree with the morals and principles of my previous employer and moved to a company that actually helps a lot of people. Of course, the irony is that a large majority of the people they help don’t appreciate it – but that’s neither here nor there.
So now I’m wondering if I’m being punished for trying to better myself?
WELL YOU DID ASK!!!! ;)
Ive been designing the logo for a new organic cafe & garden centre thats opening in Kings Heath in the near future, Its on York Rd (same road as Hare & Hounds) sort of next door and behind Kings Balti. Its a converted old blacksmiths and was a sort of scrap metal cum hardware place for years – its very nicely done with a lot of original fittings and a great courtyard. Kings Heath is the new Moseley apparently.
Been away to cyprus, so I’m dealing with 200+ photos that need to go on Flickr. bah
Lots of run-of-the-mill music stuff: preparing for our gig at the Flapper on May 6th, recording a new demo with massive assistance from the kind folks in DACJ, and mentally preparing myself to watch GodsOwnPrototypes (.co.uk) tonight, and Distophia et al next week.
Thanks for asking.
Helped with a window display for a local bookshop to mark the start of TV Turnoff Week. Attended a picnic on the common. Had a birthday. Sorting out a divorce. You know, just the usual :)
Why does not doing anything fail to provide an excuse for not blogging, Pete? It strikes me as a perfectly good reason.
Maybe there’s a topic for you to write about somewhere in that (‘blogosophy’).
Why blog if you don’t feel like it? I’ve been fairly dry lately, and the items I did post were of much lower quality than, say, a year ago, but I’m perfectly happy with that.
I spend less time blogging and more time keeping my flat slightly cleaner than a pigsty, running, swimming and farting about with computer stuff that catches my interest. I may even pick up a book again in the near future.
maybe not blogging is the new blogging :)
Gareth – that’ll be Tracy’s place, yes? Any idea when they’re due to open?
And Gareth, do you mean the old York Supply building, or the new one? I’d heard that the new one was getfing a caf upstairs or some such.
I’m in Portland Oregon, it’s only ten passed 7 in the morning here.
“not having anything to write about is no excuse for not blogging”
Rubbish.
It’s the perfect reason to not blog. Nowt worse than a post made up of rubbish… er…. except the ones I write of course.. they’re all brilliant.
Funnily enough I’ve been running a tad ‘dry’ myself. Not stopped but stalled occasionally..
Gordon, I’d have to disagree. A good writer can take something mundane, identify the universal truths within it (or something) and turn out a very entertaining piece, or at least something that resonates with the readers. It’s not easy, but it can work really well.
On the other hand, a badly written post about something fascinating is worse than death.
Me? I’ve been baiting the Beeb (see my blog *plug*!), poking around inside my camper van and wondering if it will last the summer, and I went to see Primal Scream at the Wulfrun Hall. They were fabulous.
Here goes with the random.
I saw Jose Gonzalez last night and he was bloody brilliant. The support acts reminded me of David Lynch on acid, and as I searched for a way to describe them, I thought you should have been there, reviewed it, enjoyed it, and done a better job of putting into words than I did.
Indeed it is Tracey & Bretts place. Its looking swell but sadly unfinished. When I first got involved it was due to open this weekend but now hopefully it will be the second May Bank Holiday weekend.
Signing stuff for house buying and feeling bad whenever rebecca throws up seems to be my main interests lately.