In the past 7 days I have travelled around about 586 miles. That's an average of 3.42 mph since Thursday, even when I was asleep.
On Friday I went to Center Parcs with a gang from Nottingham William Booth Memorial Halls (just imagine the size of those epaulets)for a weekend of fun and games, and the customary relaxation. A fair amount of time was spent by all trying to decide what to do and then, unable to come to a decision, swimming.
Monday evening saw the return trip from Notts to London, a Burger King at London Gateway and sleeping
Tuesday was mainly spent on a train to Manchester, a brief visit to Dave's drum shop and a trip to see my Granddad.
Wednesday was the funeral of my mum's younger brother, Andrew, who died peacefully two weeks ago. It was a sad occasion that few people were expecting to be present at but a nice tribute to the life of a man who has experienced his fair sahre of difficulty in life.
I headed back to London after the service and dinner and arrived back in London for pizza at House 1.
Hopefully I can relax for a few more days before it's back to work on Monday.
Timmy "Tired Traveller" Magic
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
melburnian mates
Today my best buddy Becca flew of to Oz for the next (to be decided) weeks.
It will be odd to have my wingwoman (is that the word?) on the other side of the world and offset by 12 hours or so but she is keeping England updated on her travel blog.
Give it a quick read if you get the chance!
Timmy "Buddyless Bloke" Magic
It will be odd to have my wingwoman (is that the word?) on the other side of the world and offset by 12 hours or so but she is keeping England updated on her travel blog.
Give it a quick read if you get the chance!
Timmy "Buddyless Bloke" Magic
Sunday, January 25, 2009
the getaway
I refer not to the series of Playstation games involving driving around a very realistic London, or the 1982 Chris de Burgh album, but to the fact that I am sat at Center Parcs in Sherwood Forest.
I have had a reasonable hectic few weeks, with work stuff, house stuff and other bits going on. It has been great to escape the cold, wet, smoggy London for a couple of days and get away to cold, wet, fresh-aired Nottinghamshire.
I have indulged in a bit of swimming, badminton, Wii, Playstation, Starbucks, eating, drinking and general slobbing out.
It's been fab!
Timmy "Lazy daze" Magic
I have had a reasonable hectic few weeks, with work stuff, house stuff and other bits going on. It has been great to escape the cold, wet, smoggy London for a couple of days and get away to cold, wet, fresh-aired Nottinghamshire.
I have indulged in a bit of swimming, badminton, Wii, Playstation, Starbucks, eating, drinking and general slobbing out.
It's been fab!
Timmy "Lazy daze" Magic
Monday, January 19, 2009
president obama
In about 18 hours time we will have a new US president. A new leader of the free world.
CNN are documenting the historic moment when Barack Obama takes the oath of office via their website.
They are asking people there to take 3 photos of the moment and send them into the site. They will then use Microsoft's technology to stich them together into one huge photo so you can get a perspective from anywhere in the locale.
Timmy "Barackly Blogging" Magic
CNN are documenting the historic moment when Barack Obama takes the oath of office via their website.
They are asking people there to take 3 photos of the moment and send them into the site. They will then use Microsoft's technology to stich them together into one huge photo so you can get a perspective from anywhere in the locale.
Timmy "Barackly Blogging" Magic
Saturday, January 17, 2009
i am magic and only vaguely remember why
The BBC News Magazine had a feature this week on nicknames and how people had acquired theirs, all brought about by Prince Charles calling his friend Kolin Dhillon (presumably a post-imperial immigrant from India - his name is Colin Dillon after all) 'Sooty'. It has been said that this is a term of endearment and no offence is meant or taken by its use.
It made me wonder why I am Timmy Magic, exactly where it came from, and why it has lasted from my Chelmsford days until now (about 7 years), despite the fact I rarely see people from Chelmsford.
The fact remains, of course, that I like the name and not only use it frequently in the blogosphere and real life, but also encourage others to do so. The name has seen a number of variations but has stayed put until now. Hopefully it will last for another 7 years and even on past that!
After all, who wouldn't want a magic boyfriend, husband or father?
Timmy "Nice Nickname" Magic
It made me wonder why I am Timmy Magic, exactly where it came from, and why it has lasted from my Chelmsford days until now (about 7 years), despite the fact I rarely see people from Chelmsford.
The fact remains, of course, that I like the name and not only use it frequently in the blogosphere and real life, but also encourage others to do so. The name has seen a number of variations but has stayed put until now. Hopefully it will last for another 7 years and even on past that!
After all, who wouldn't want a magic boyfriend, husband or father?
Timmy "Nice Nickname" Magic
Friday, January 16, 2009
sundance film festival
Just a quick one! 9 of the best short films from the Sundance Film Festival are available to download via iTunes.
Timmy "Flm - now that's a short film" Magic
Timmy "Flm - now that's a short film" Magic
grumpy old git
Another blog I have been reading recently is called Grumpy Old Git. It is written by a guy called Andy Greig and whose blog I came across via a few other people.
The first few posts are a bit banal, the traditional "I have a blog post" and general observations on life. Then Andy got an osteosarcoma, a malignant bone tumour, and the tone of the blog changed a bit. The air turned a little blue, as may happen when you find out about your cancer, and the following posts document the ups and downs of his diagnosis and treatment.
This blog doesn't deserve to be in the blogroll on the right hand side, along with "photos of my cat at Christmas" and "what to do while bored in Basingstoke", it's far too touching, open, honest and real for that.
But it does deserve a read!
Timmy "Respecting Grumpy Gits" Magic
The first few posts are a bit banal, the traditional "I have a blog post" and general observations on life. Then Andy got an osteosarcoma, a malignant bone tumour, and the tone of the blog changed a bit. The air turned a little blue, as may happen when you find out about your cancer, and the following posts document the ups and downs of his diagnosis and treatment.
This blog doesn't deserve to be in the blogroll on the right hand side, along with "photos of my cat at Christmas" and "what to do while bored in Basingstoke", it's far too touching, open, honest and real for that.
But it does deserve a read!
Timmy "Respecting Grumpy Gits" Magic
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
super dvd shops
I am assuming, dear readers, that you are doing just that - reading
I also feel it is safe to assume, therefore, that you have realised I like films, be they in the cinema or on DVD.
Because of this, I have been following the news to see which shops, more specifically which entertainment shops, have been struggling.
Woolworths went under, taking Entertainment UK with it.
The collapse of EUK meant that Zavvi, the new name for Virgin Megastores since the management buy-out, had nowhere to buy their stock from.
Zavvi stopped honouring gift cards and vouchers, wouldn't sell any further vouchers, stopped selling phone top up and iTunes cards and knocked 10% off the price of almost everything.
Zavvi then knocked a further 10% off their stock.
Zavvi closed some stores, and then today announced that they were going to close some more.
HMV, in my opinion a better music/DVD store, bought 14 stores from Zavvi, saving jobs and expanding their network of shops.
So in the time that I have been in London (about 5 1/2 years) Piccadilly will have seen its 3 music shops (HMV, Virgin and Tower Records) reduced to just one, HMV, following mergers, collapses and buy-outs.
Both a sad day and a happy day for entertainment fans everywhere (but especially places with an HMV and without a Zavvi)
Timmy "DVD Discounts" Magic
I also feel it is safe to assume, therefore, that you have realised I like films, be they in the cinema or on DVD.
Because of this, I have been following the news to see which shops, more specifically which entertainment shops, have been struggling.
Woolworths went under, taking Entertainment UK with it.
The collapse of EUK meant that Zavvi, the new name for Virgin Megastores since the management buy-out, had nowhere to buy their stock from.
Zavvi stopped honouring gift cards and vouchers, wouldn't sell any further vouchers, stopped selling phone top up and iTunes cards and knocked 10% off the price of almost everything.
Zavvi then knocked a further 10% off their stock.
Zavvi closed some stores, and then today announced that they were going to close some more.
HMV, in my opinion a better music/DVD store, bought 14 stores from Zavvi, saving jobs and expanding their network of shops.
So in the time that I have been in London (about 5 1/2 years) Piccadilly will have seen its 3 music shops (HMV, Virgin and Tower Records) reduced to just one, HMV, following mergers, collapses and buy-outs.
Both a sad day and a happy day for entertainment fans everywhere (but especially places with an HMV and without a Zavvi)
Timmy "DVD Discounts" Magic
Sunday, January 11, 2009
new blogger
You may have noticed on the left hand side there is a list of blogger friends of mine.
The newest addition is Johnny Laird
I honestly have no idea how I know Johnny. We seem to know a lot of the same people, visit the same blogs, care about the same things and I imagine we would get on well if we spent time together. I am not sure if I have ever met him in real life, except possibly in passing at Roots sometime(?).
What is certain is that his blog makes for an insightful read into many things Army related, church related, Jesus related or generally living related.
Timmy "Virtually Friendly" Magic
The newest addition is Johnny Laird
I honestly have no idea how I know Johnny. We seem to know a lot of the same people, visit the same blogs, care about the same things and I imagine we would get on well if we spent time together. I am not sure if I have ever met him in real life, except possibly in passing at Roots sometime(?).
What is certain is that his blog makes for an insightful read into many things Army related, church related, Jesus related or generally living related.
Timmy "Virtually Friendly" Magic
Friday, January 09, 2009
a foggy day in london town
Today has been foggy in London, which reminded me of the Gershwin song, which is playing as I write this (Michael Bublé and Rufus Wainwright versions).
As I got the bus home from work, I thought I would take some photos of the view from Vauxhall Bridge. This view, as I often tell people, makes me fall in love with London a little bit more each time I see it. But it was foggy, so I ended up just taking pictures of the bus seat, stop button, windows, walls and grab rails.
Not very interesting at all - maybe next time the photos will be good!
Timmy "Mist Defied" Magic
As I got the bus home from work, I thought I would take some photos of the view from Vauxhall Bridge. This view, as I often tell people, makes me fall in love with London a little bit more each time I see it. But it was foggy, so I ended up just taking pictures of the bus seat, stop button, windows, walls and grab rails.
Not very interesting at all - maybe next time the photos will be good!
Timmy "Mist Defied" Magic
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
movies about reading and vergangenheitsbewältigung
Back in the good old days of A-level German in Chelmsford, I read a book, in German, called Der Vorleser. It was my set text for the second year of my studies, and incidentally, on the reading list for university.
Flash forward 6 years and find me, sitting in a West End cinema (Cineworld Haymarket in case you wondered) watching the film adaptation of this book, The Reader starring Ralph Fiennes*, Kate Winslet and the new talent, David Kross.
David Kross is a German actor who, to quote the New York Times, had to learn English aged 15 for the part, all the while with Kate Winslet writhing naked on top of him. He puts in a great performance as the young hero.
As has been alluded to, Kate Winslet is naked for a good chunk of the film (at least the first hour) but really shines as she portrays her character over the course of 30 years or so.
"Vergangenheitsbewältigung", for those who don't speak German or take an interest in post-war German history, is an odd concept. The word doesn't really have an English translation but means "coming to terms with the past" and conveys the feelings, emotions and actions taken by Germans born since the early 20th century. It is the process of dealing with the masses of homosexuals, Jews, gypsies and mentally ill people who were killed in concentration camps. The regret felt for the actions taken by an egocentric dictator during the 30s and 40s. I know of German people who were born up to 40 years after the end of the Second World War who are ashamed, embarrassed even, by what their country did during that war.
The film brings the concept, and a great story to the big screen and to the wider world. It is easy to look back on the atrocities and condemn them without giving a thought to how the people who did it, and the following generations of that nation, feel.
Incidentally Bernhard Schlink, the book's author, requested that the film be made in English, not German. This not only allows the film to go global a little easier - after all who watches German films - but also to allow these very German post-genocidal issues to strike a chord with other people. Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Iraq, Iraq, Somalia - all places where people have been uprooted and mistreated because of who they are, where they live and what they believe.
* Ralph Fiennes, spelled "Ralph" but pronounced "Rafe" - I never understood why!
Timmy "Still thinking about the past" Magic
Flash forward 6 years and find me, sitting in a West End cinema (Cineworld Haymarket in case you wondered) watching the film adaptation of this book, The Reader starring Ralph Fiennes*, Kate Winslet and the new talent, David Kross.
David Kross is a German actor who, to quote the New York Times, had to learn English aged 15 for the part, all the while with Kate Winslet writhing naked on top of him. He puts in a great performance as the young hero.
As has been alluded to, Kate Winslet is naked for a good chunk of the film (at least the first hour) but really shines as she portrays her character over the course of 30 years or so.
"Vergangenheitsbewältigung", for those who don't speak German or take an interest in post-war German history, is an odd concept. The word doesn't really have an English translation but means "coming to terms with the past" and conveys the feelings, emotions and actions taken by Germans born since the early 20th century. It is the process of dealing with the masses of homosexuals, Jews, gypsies and mentally ill people who were killed in concentration camps. The regret felt for the actions taken by an egocentric dictator during the 30s and 40s. I know of German people who were born up to 40 years after the end of the Second World War who are ashamed, embarrassed even, by what their country did during that war.
The film brings the concept, and a great story to the big screen and to the wider world. It is easy to look back on the atrocities and condemn them without giving a thought to how the people who did it, and the following generations of that nation, feel.
Incidentally Bernhard Schlink, the book's author, requested that the film be made in English, not German. This not only allows the film to go global a little easier - after all who watches German films - but also to allow these very German post-genocidal issues to strike a chord with other people. Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Iraq, Iraq, Somalia - all places where people have been uprooted and mistreated because of who they are, where they live and what they believe.
* Ralph Fiennes, spelled "Ralph" but pronounced "Rafe" - I never understood why!
Timmy "Still thinking about the past" Magic
Thursday, January 01, 2009
happy new year
There's not much more to say!
Hope all you readers out there in blogland have a great 2009
Timmy Magic
Hope all you readers out there in blogland have a great 2009
Timmy Magic
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