And so that was Christmas

Well it’s New Year’s Eve and I’m at home in my flat in Clapham. I’m making a playlist to go on a friend’s iPod (yeah ok, at least I was until I started writing this). She’s moving out of the country so a few of us have pooled together to buy her one and fill it with our playlists.

My housemate Liam is still back in Stockport where I also spent a few days over Christmas. It was really nice to get out of London, brief as the break was. I got the train up late in the morning of the 22nd, and watched the film Run Lola Run on my laptop during the journey. Call me sad but “Maaaaan, I love my gadgets”. Good film too.

I came back down south on the 27th, and in between I generally enjoyed the relative slow pace of life of the man on holiday. Here’s a summary: Shopping in Manchester, Christmas dinner, chats with my Nana about stuff, not trying to explain to her what I do for a living, seeing people in the pub that I’ve not seen since I saw them there last year, and of course The Queen’s speech.

A much needed break, anyway – especially as, in the preceeding week, I worked about 80 hours on a massive new business pitch (that, incidentally, we won – hurrah!)

I also took my other new gadget – my Canon DSLR camera – with me up to Stockport and took a few snaps around town. I’ve made a set here on Flickr.

So all that remains of the festive season (before we plunge headlong into the highlight-free gloom of January) is tonight. And the plan is to go round to Dunc’s place for a NYE party. Should be a larf. And, in case I don’t get back to you in the morning, Happy New Year!

Excercise

My bike has been sitting, unused, under a tarpaulin round at my friend's house since about March. So I'm lending it to my brother who'll make much better use of it at his university in Wood Green, north London.

I decided to cycle up there on Sunday to hand it over to him. Unfortunately I set off much too late in the afternoon. I also underestimated the distance quite significantly. In short it was a right mission – it soon went dark and I found myself cycling in heavy Sunday traffic, not being entirely sure of the way once I was past Camden.

Anyway in short I made it eventually, gave him the bike, and we went for some food and a couple of pints before I got the tube home.

I also managed to snap this rather nice photo of Battersea Power Station on the way there, just after sunset, as I crossed Vauxhall Bridge. There was a strang smog-like atmosphere that evening...


Oh yeah, excercise – I joined a gym the other day. I've not been to one for too many months and am 5 kg heavier than when I last weighed myself! Scary. They've put me on a harsh get fit regime. Let's hope my will power stays up to it...

H.T. Harris

Inspired by this post from The Eyechild I thought I'd “big-up” another great sandwich shop: H.T. Harris on Great Titchfield Street, off Oxford Street. Just up the road from my office, it's fast become my favourite lunch destination. Sandwiches and salads made from ultra-fresh ingredients with lots of olive oil are the name of the game. Always busy, which is a good sign.

But there are hundreds of places to eat around here. It makes a change from my old job in Kensington where the options were somewhat limited to either Tesco or eating out (rather expensively) at a pub or restaurant. Not ideal on a Monday.

Damn, with so many places to eat I'll probably get really fat now...

night bus

Don't you just love travelling on the night bus home? For me it's usually a case of getting to Trafalgar Square from wherever the hell I've been, then cramming on the 88 to Clapham (pictured).

Last night it was particularly packed with particulalry drunk people. Unfortunately I wasn't adequately pissed to join in with the deeply philosophical discussions that were taking place. One woman kept asking me drunken questions: "Are we going saaaf of the river? ... Are you sure pal? ... I really don't give a toss so long as I'm gaaan saaf. Where are we now then?"

From upstairs came the sound of vomiting...

Cassette Jam ’05

Someone's put together this page with LOTS of images of old cassettes on it. There was until recently a Russian site (possibly with the same images on it) called Project C-90, but all the images on there seem to have been removed and the text doesn't make much sense.

Anyway, this one is worth a check, especially if you're old enough to have used lots of these tapes in the past (and you're not too busy): Cassette Jam '05

we are holding customers...

'We are holding customers in the ticket hall area because the platforms are congested'.

It took 40 minutes from arriving at the tube station this morning until I actually got on a train. Rubbish. I'm seriously thinking about buying a scooter.

One week off

Stonehenge

I left my job on Friday last week and start a new one Tomorrow. Quite excited about it!

Anyway, having cunningly arranged for a week off in between jobs, I took a trip down to Cornwall for a few days. And naturally, I took a load of photos along the way. I've not finished sorting them out yet but I'm adding them to this set on Flickr.

travelling companions

travelling companions
Originally uploaded by aderowbotham.

And this was a couple of hours later on the way home. I love having a couple of beers on the train to/from Manchester. The travelling feels like a good excuse.

:P

Weekend in Manchester

oxford road
Originally uploaded by aderowbotham.

I just spent the weekend up in Manchester. I took this just before getting on the train back to London.

I broke off my relationship with my girlfriend on Saturday afternoon. I feel bad because she was upset, but relieved because it was something I had to do at the back of my mind.

Oh, I never blogged the fact that I met her. Oh well - it lasted about 2 months and was long distance. And... it didn't really work out.

Anyway, onward!

Bad weather at Stanstead

Bad weather at Stanstead
Originally uploaded by aderowbotham.

Just testing the Flickr post to blog feature.

I took this shortly before bording the plane, to go to Corfu. We didn't take off for a further hour due to that weather...

Well, I'm back, on the day that some people carried out a bomb attack on central London in the morning Rush hour. My message to them: "Please fuck off you fucking losers". I don't care who they are or what their cause. My only gripe is with the people who did it, not with any community or group. But there's just no excuse for that.

Anyway, all friends alive and accounted for. I'm not going to go on about it. I'm sure there are thousands of blogs with more on the matter.

Anyway, the main reason why I wrote this is because I've been tinkering with Flickr.com recently, adding photos and creating sets. And they've got a post to blog feature that I wanted to check out.

See my photos here

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