It’s been a while
So, it’s been a while since I wrote anything, and quite frankly (dammit – I use that word too much at the moment), I feel bad for not having put finger to keyboard.
But, whilst I have a lot to say, I don’t actually have many readers to say anything to. But that isn’t the point. This is more akin to keeping a diary, keeping me sane, helping me emotionally, keeping me self critical.
I don’t really know what to write, but I want to tell you a little about what I am doing, and what things I enjoy. I don’t know where this will take us, but I do know that (a) you’ll probably be bored before having finished reading the page, and (b) I’ll probably not really fully understand why I have bothered writing what I have ultimately written!!
So, the kids are growing up – a 3 year old (almost) and an 18 month old. Both very determined, individualistic, head strong and challenging babies. My daughter is a joy and a horror in one package, I constantly don’t know whether I want to hug and kiss her and never let her go, or let her leave the house when she’s 16! That’s wrong, I don’t want her to leave when she’s 16 – I hope I am one of those fathers that still gets hugs from his little lady when she’s well into her 20s. My little boy is a handful too, and the pair of them fight a lot – short term pain, long term gain, in having two munchkins so close in age. Let’s hope it pays off. More on these later.
What do I do? I work in the City – investment banking. Am I hated? I hope not. I work in a non-trading function, so hopefully I’m not a targeted figure. I don’t think I contributed to the credit crunch – but maybe some feel just working in a bank is enough to apportion blame!! Again, I’m sure that I’ll opine more on this subject as I get more into my blogs, which I intend to do more of going forwards.
What am I into? Family, of course – they are my pride and joy, and I love them to pieces. I work hard but I love coming home and being Dad – there’s nothing I love more than to have them both run up to me and hug me when I walk in the door. Lots more on how the family life is going later, but for now, let’s just say – it’s challenging.
I also love my gadgets. I am typing this out on my new Dell XPS 1330, which is ultra smart and I think is the mutts nuts. I don’t think I’m a massive Vista fan, and I really want Media Centre to talk to my Xbox360, but they don’t seem to want to go bowling together – to use a Breakfast Club phrase. 80s film but a classic nonetheless. Yes, I have an Xbox 360, and am waiting for the day for BT Vision service to appear on it – which has been promised several times and then more recently denied. Having a busy working life and a busy family life, you wonder when I get the chance to play on my xbox – well, to be fair – I don’t. Ever. Well, that’s not strictly true, but it’s close to it.
What else in the gadgetry spectrum – my phone….is it a fashionable iPhone, or a funky Google Android phone. No, it’s an unheard Nokia make – but you know what? It’s the best damn phone I’ve ever owned – and I’ve owned a few! It’s a candy bar model with the inspirational moniker E51. Why is it so good? Interesting question – it just does everything I want it to do without fuss. It connects to 3G and HSDPA networks when they’re available, it was a synch to set up email on it, it’s got a nice web browser on it, although I think I might get a better Opera version at some point. The screen is crisp and clear, and it just works! It doesn’t have many glitches (I think all smartphones have a few) – ok, so the camera isn’t great – but I have a camera for taking pictures. The office package I bought allows me to write, edit documents, spreadsheets, etc, when I need to – so it comes in handy. I’m a big Excel user, so it doesn’t quite fulfill my needs in this department, but it still comes in handy. Apps work well when downloaded, it finds wireless networks well – I just can’t complain. I’ve been around a few other phone models lately, but this is a small, quick, excellent all round phone that I’ve recommended to people – and all those who’ve followed my advice have not regretted it.
What else? My Sonos system – what a revelation. What an excellent device to make me start listening to music around the house again, just awesome. Wireless music, connected to my collection of CDs ripped onto my PCs hard drive, and you can have 32 zones (no, my house is NOT that big) – all playing different music, or all playing the same music, or some playing the same, some playing different. The kit is easily up-scaleable – buy what you need and add to it when you want – and it’s awesome.
The only downfall is my wireless network ain’t all that – but I might try to fix that soon by using a different wireless USB thingy – I think my Belkin one is where the flaw is – ever since I got my laptop, which connects effortlessly to my BT Hub, I’ve stopped blaming BT and started thinking it might be the wireless USB thingy on the PC. Time will tell – ever since I bought the new wireless USB thingy (what ARE they called – hold on….) ok – wireless adaptor, the old one seems to be behaving, as if it has realised that it needs to buck it’s ideas up… strange, but true.
What other shit am I into? Cooking – I love it. I don’t get anywhere near enough time for it, but I do like to cook. And my next venture is to grow my own veg. Not because I like to garden, I don’t really. But the idea of fresh vegetables on the table, the idea of picking a cob of corn from the garden and cooking it up, and eating it within hours fills me with such a mouth-watering excitement, I don’t know what to say. So, I’m making a raised bed, I’m feeding it, I’m going to grow corn, beans, squash (the three sisters – they work well together), courgettes, chillies, carrots, leeks, beetroot, and parsnips! Quite a lot, but I’m hoping for more success than last year – but I hope I’ve learnt from my mistakes. I’ll keep you informed on my progress.
Well, that’s it for now, I hope SOMEONE reads this page…..there’ll be a lot more on vegetables, cooking, gadgets, banking, family, kids, relationships, and so on, as I get involved with writing more and saying more.
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