Must get out more...

So, hitting the New Forest, visiting a brewery shop, spending a day in a museum, seeing friends and family, seeing new places, drinking and eating in a different pub every night is just great, but since coming back home there's been this sort of strange feeling like I should be doing something else...

...yeah, apart from getting rid of the snot...

Like the dreams of the last few days...

In one I was seeing this business woman, who I've not seen for about 6 months... not my type, the suited female, so why her?

Then the next night I dreamt I was asked to sign up to a basketball team and then invited to play guitar in a band, and something else too, but I can't remember what it was. I'm not interested in basketball, my guitar style... needs work.

So, what's going on?

Getting out more is a good idea, maybe seeing Bloc Party on Friday will sort me out :D

Flash Snow

OK then, gratuitous snow shot. Note use of flash...

Hay for Rabbits

OK, I'll explain that in a minute...

Went down to my friend's wedding reception in the New Forest last week. Funny time to have a wedding (on a Thursday in February) but still, it was good fun and I managed to get the Friday off work. Stayed at a decent little New Forest B&B in the village of Burley and used it as a base for the next day's adventures.

Burley is reputed to have an affiliation with witchcraft, but didn't have time to check that out, even though there was a Witch's Shop and all that ;)

Beaulieu Motor Museum was Friday's cool trip. Saw Mr Bean's Mini, the BlueBird, James Bond's submersible Lotus Esprit, FAB1, cars, motorbikes... lovely :D

Also managed a quick dash into the Ringwood Brewery for a case of ale (and an obligatory t-shirt of course)

Ate a decent meal in the Burley Inn washed down with some Wadworth's 6X and Wadworth's Henry's IPA, then hit the Queen's Head for more pints of Abbot Ale and the local Ringwood Forty-Niner :D

Saturday, headed toward Devon to see my dad. Seafront, cold ears, new hat, pub, food, watch football, more pub, more food, good ale (Tanglefoot) and some Weston's "Old Rosie" lurking about.

Sunday was a lazy day with a trip to the farm shop to pick up some local produce and then dash back home through picturesque towns...

...where at the side of the road by a place in Chard was a sign saying

"Hay for Rabbits"

Yay, Rabbits... Go, Rabbits, go... :D

And then I caught my brother's cold.

Nice to be away for a computer screen for so long, BUT I have missed you all X

If I were the King of the Forest...

Big D just sparked this one off with a comment about ruling the world, and it made me think...

"What would you do if you ruled the world?"

So c'mon, put 'em up, put 'em uuup...

What would you do?

Free for all, GO...

Pull up a couch...

...Dr Lever's in the house.

OK, so there's a wide variety of random musings on this blog from GI Joe (with da kung fu grip) to catapaulting slugs into the blue yonder... but not so much of the philosophical, so for you philophiles out there, here goes... (I just made that word up; will check if it exists in a while...)

Positive thinkers.

In my everyday dealings, the last few years has seen an upsurge in the amount of daily contact made with positive thinkers. Now let's make this clear - I have nothing against positive thinkers or positive thinking, but a definite pattern has emerged in the PT phenomena...

Everyone's personality is different but these positive thinkers all seem to be so similar, like they've been tapped out of the same mould or read exactly the same book or something (is it the ad verbatim quotations that give it away?). They tend to have this "bubbly personality" which I equate with chocolate; It's OK for a little while but too much of it makes you feel sick.

So why pick on Positive thinkers?

I'm not. I'm just stating my observations. The vast majority of these PT'ers have been positive thinking for so long and where have they got? Absolutely nowhere. I've observed failing business strategies, marriages fall apart, financial situations nose-dive and general "me me me" procrastination amount to nothing. It appears that 99% of these Positive Thinkers are kidding themselves, which leads nicely on to my...

Positive Thinking Conspiracy.

If enough people in the world get around to positive thinking then it will allow many others to get away with murder. You see, a lot of positive thinking is to do with the "well, it could be worse" attitude which doesn't deal directly with matters, it's quite simply "making the best out of a bad situation". Most PT is more about dealing with the effect than the cause.

A lot of innocent people have died in wars abroad, but rest assured, at least they've got democracy; That's some comfort to the relatives of the dead and the orphaned children of murdered parents.

So, you see, it's OK, it could be a lot worse :D

The Survivor Theory.

Let me just unravel this web I have woven... Positive Thinking is good for people who are down or ill. Victims of terrible ailments can be saved from oblivion by positive thoughts.

And yet, for the general healthy populace there are so many positive thinkers that simply achieve neutrality from their positive thinking; those that get nowhere in their careers, that never learn anything new, those that have squandered millions of dollars only to keep the business alive rather than advance it... these are the survivors, the negative thinkers that would not otherwise survive without positive thinking...

Running to stand still, treading water...

(I've told myself a million times to stop using clichés)

Encore, encore

"It has been suggested in some quarters, that this is not enough"

Yeah, Joe, we need positive action not just positive thinking...

"Get up and Scream"

Your turn ;)

---

BTW The nearest word is Philophylla n : leaf miners E.g. of the genus Philophylla as in Philophylla heraclei or Celery Fly, don't ya know...!

I'm GI Joe...

...with da Kung Fu grip no less...

What you talking 'bout, Willis?

I'm talking I steal this idea off Vicious Summer...

"You're GI Joe with the Kung Fu Grip!! You're strong, tough, and know how to kick some ass. Don't forget though, no matter how manly you think you are, you're still just a doll. God Bless America Farnborough." ;)

I ain't complaining, just don't call me doll, OK?

What childhood toy from the 80s are you?

Sunny Spells

Great term that: "Sunny spells" - pertaining to moments when the clouds part and ultraviolet rays bathe the world in waves of welcome warmth and light. We had some sun this morning - not much, but maybe enough to "recharge" momentarily.

I stood in the garden, cold with the blast of the wind, yet not caring that I only had a vest and cargo pants on. And I gloried in the sight and feel of sunshine. Must have stood there facing el Sol for a good five minutes - brilliant feeling.

January 24th was supposedly the most depressing day of the year but there's a feeling that the malaise continues...

If anyone actually knows any Sunny Spells cast them over Hampshire would you please?

What is this... that stands before me?

Awesome. Thanks Rebekah ;)

Mention of playing Black Sabbath loud in the car sparked me into realising I didn't have much in the way of Sabbath music anymore - only a copy of 1983's Born Again, which Sabbath purists bemoan for having Ian Gillan at the mike.

But anyway, I realised that the tapes were probably in the attic but then maybe not - and anyhow, I wasn't going to to go rummage only to have to dig out the old JVC tapedeck and wire it all up again. So easy option - Amazon :)

And what is this... that plays before me?

Black Sabbath - the eponymously titled debut track - wicked !!

Anyone remember the parody on Neil's Heavy Concept Album? The intro to that mad old track "Lentil Nightmare" ? Oh nevermind. OH NOOOoooooo...

What is this that stands before me?
Figure in black which points at me
Turn ’round quick and start to run
Find out I’m the chosen one

OH, NOOOoooooo

Big black shape with eyes of fire
Telling people their desire
Satan sitting there, he’s smiling
Watch those flames get higher and higher

Oh, no, no, please god help me

Is it the end my friend?
Satan’s coming ’round the bend
People running ’cause they’re scared
You people better go and beware

No, no, please, no

Now I got to go listen to "Master of Reallity" and "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath". "Never Say Die" should be here tomorrow :D

Oh Yeah ;)

Blackline Ninja

"Don't know when the bullets gonna hit ya,
Flat lines are coming with the speed of a ninja"

Whilst tuning in to Altrok Radio the other day, amidst all the usual sound was one track that stood out a mile - "Blackline Ninja" by Weapons of Mass Belief.

This, the band's second single, produced by Damian Taylor (of Prodigy, Bjork, U.N.K.L.E. fame) is to be released through American Blood Recordings on 7th March 2005 and tells the tale of the shit that goes on in female prison, namely the use of heroin.

The Weapons have got all sorts of influences going on, but just listen and come to your own conclusions. Personally, this track is just fucking great, mixing all my favourite . Check out the Blackline Ninja mp3 excerpt or get the streams over at Peoplesound and then go give them a vote in the monthly poll over at Soundnation.

Blackline Ninja will be the one you know them by. Can't wait to see 'em live...

Black Line Ninja

Now the world rises satanic
Coked up, lipped up with panic
Blowing time jacking in the habit
Disaffected, shooting manic

Black lines up in the attic
Where my father never had it
Claustrophobic, messianic
Break the rage

Ready to die for my catharsis
Alone in the shuttle of grasses
Reel another hit for the hidden classes
On a code to control the masses

Licking up my limbs on the map Damascus
A test of less in order to grasp it
Flicking up a gun in my face to blast it
Paranoid me paranoid me

chorus

Don't know when the bullets gonna hit ya
Flat lines are coming with the speed of a ninja
Don't know when the bullets gonna bitch ya
Flat lines are coming at the speed of a ninja

Don't look back, All goes black
Fly too close to the sun and the heat will singe ya
Don't know when the dagger's gonna ditch ya
Don't want no black line ninja

-

Living dead on streets of plastic
Watching clocks perform the task it
Never ends - time's prismatic
Creating questions I didn't ask it

Underneath the skin's traumatic
Sleep the bruises from the past
It hits the shadow of the addict's
Generation now

Stakes high as the world flames faster
Anarchist in a staged disaster
Speed another wrap from the necromancer
On a roll to inject the answer

Locking up my lies on a sign to pass her
Shooting the crime in order to grasp her
Kicking up the dust in my face to blast her
Paralyse me paralyse me

chorus

Don't know when the bullets gonna hit ya
Flat lines are coming with the speed of a ninja
Don't know when the bullets gonna bitch ya
Flat lines are coming at the speed of a ninja

Don't look back, All goes black
Fly too close to the sun and the heat will singe ya
Don't know when the dagger's gonna ditch ya
Don't want no black line ninja

Lyrics copyright © Georgia G and JG Weapons Of Mass Belief

Thanks to the Weapons for the words ;)

I Spy with my little eye, something beginning with...

F

guess it and you can have it, them, whatever
HINT: Begins with the letter F

(Tax) Pilgrimage to Woking

OK, so that's the annual trip to Tax Mecca over with. I wouldn't normally visit Woking town by choice, but I do have to hand in my Tax returns (at the very last minute) otherwise Mr Tax man (Mr IRS to some of you) will fine me lots of money for having problems filling in his "need a degree to work them out" tax forms. Remind me to get a good tax Accountant in next year ;)

Anyway, enough about the boring old tax problems, did you know that the first cylinder to crash in H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds" (to be a big Spielberg film this year with Tom Cruise starring) was at Horsell Common? According to Jeff Wayne it was...

So, going from Tax forms to alien invaders I thought you'd like to see the stainless steel tripod sculpture in the town centre rather than a photostat of my self assessment forms ;)