Month: February 2004

20 Minutes On A TreadMill

My aches tell me I went to the gym last night.

So, it began. Yesterday evening I (by which I mean we) went to the gym for the first time in six months. It wasn’t the awful experience I had been expecting but I have no idea what will happen next. I even managed to recall how to operate some of those awful treadmill machines. Although I went to the gym last year, I only went to the pool, and the machines have been updated since then; they look like space craft control consoles. I kept expecting to hear Kirk behind me shouting about warp factors. While walking/running/cycling in the air-conditioned luxury of a gym I watched one of the many television screens provided for my entertainment. Except, nothing was entertaining. Not even a slightly soaked Westlife in their new video (Obvious, released 23rd February) on Chart Show TV could keep me interested for longer than two minutes. I must have channel-hopped more than I do at home.

Naturally, I ache. I have taken this as a sign that I might have started doing something good to my body rather than believing I have damaged myself in some way. Now I must work on the intake of all those lovely foods which I like to consume – man (or should that be I?) was not born to live on salad leaves alone.

While on the subject of appearance, take the BBC’s smile test and see how you do. In my big-headed way I scored 18 out of 20 which I feel is quite good. And then add your thoughts to the British teeth question at BoiFromTroy!

UPDATE: You know how, when you were at school, there was always somebody bigger, smarter and generally better than you no matter how hard you tried? Well, if you read the comments, you’ll see Jase had 19 out of 20. I must try harder! The question is, did he fail on a fake or a genuine?

Every Little Helps You Spend

There is a new store and it’s right around the corner.

new tesco metro on lower regent streetIt was noted in January that Britain’s biggest grocer, Tesco, takes around one pound from every eight spent by UK shoppers. Well, today, they’re trying to take even more of mine as their new store on Lower Regent Street opened (including a barber shop quartet singing to welcome customers this lunchtime). The shelves were nicely stocked and where they were not, people were replenishing them. All the tills were staffed and they seemed to be doing quite a nice trade indeed. Will the friendly service last? I wonder how it will change my lunch habits? I am used to using a local sandwich shop where lunch is made to order and doesn’t come pre-packed. I would like to think I will continue to visit but the lure of the big store and the ability to purchase something to eat tonight could be quite strong.

I have to say that I am very impressed with the look of the store from the street; it really fits in well with the buildings around it. Certainly some thought has gone into that.

Better Than Buses In A Flower Market

Anybody reading this site will know that I seem to have lots of opinions on urban transportation.

Anybody reading this site will know that I seem to have lots of opinions on urban transportation. One of my favourite visits of recent weeks was to the London Transport Museum (see pictures) which is housed in an old flower market at Covent Garden. I thought the place was great but then I read about the New York Transit Museum which is actually housed in a historic 1936 subway station in Brooklyn Heights, New York. How cool is that?

This weekend I was visiting my parents in Shropshire and we went to Llangollen in North Wales for the day. I couldn’t get anybody to agree to ride the Llangollen Railway – which is part of the British rail network from Ruabon to Barmouth in North Wales which was closed on 1st April 1968. It would have been a good way to spend a Saturday so, perhaps, I will next time I visit.

My parents live in Shrewsbury which, this year, has been a little protected from the winter flooding by some new flood defences. There seems some dispute about the effectiveness of the defences. If you look at some of these pictures on BBC Shropshire’s site you would have thought that nothing had changed. I am not always glad to be living away from the river but at this time of year I certainly am.

Gym Buddy

You might not know it, but you are now my gum buddy and it is your responsibility to get me to exercise. I’ll blame you if we don’t go.

In a fit of self deprecation, I mentioned in my last entry that you don’t care what I say here. So you won’t care if I turn you into an invisible friend (but unlike the version I had as a five-year old who was the excuse for opening the car door while traveling at speed) you, my imaginary friend, have a purpose. You see, you are going to be my gym buddy.

Ha, I hear you cry, you can’t find the time to go to the gym. Your busy social life precludes you from even contemplating exercise. Well, my trusty invisible friend, that is but a weak excuse and I am going to take you with me. I will not tolerate that lazy and unhealthy attitude. You see you are gaining the pounds (don’t tell me you only deal in kilos) and I am going to be the one to make you go and exercise and lose the flab. I won’t listen when you say you’re going to the pub (you should have joined me in giving up drink) and I won’t tolerate you going to sit in the sauna rather than working out. I won’t stand for your nervousness when entering the gym and I won’t listen when you say ‘but everyone’s looking at me’.

No, my invisible friend, we are commencing a journey and it’s for your own good.

And we start next Monday.

UPDATE: The alternative to you becoming my gum buddy was posting a picture of my ever-growing stomach on the site as a motivation. But then I thought I might be visiting you in hospital as you recovered from the shock so you can’t get out of it that way.

Love Revolution

Pop is good so you will be buying the next Phixx single, won’t you?

I know you don’t care at all but I was incorrect (here and here). The new Phixx single is not out until March 8th according to the newly designed Phixx official web site (which, to be honest, needs some work to work with Mozilla). See, I am launching a campaign for the acceptance of pop as a musical form with people over 16. You must chant ‘pop is good, pop is cool’ every morning and before you go to bed.

While on the subject, Caroline Cooper of carolinephotos.com has some great pictures of the Phixx boys including our favourite Man of the Moment, Andrew.

If you also look at Caroline’s site you will see some photographs of Liberty X taken in November 2003. They are labeled ‘Coronet’ which means they must have been taken at the one-off exclusive gig for World AIDS Day at The Coronet, London SE1 on Sunday 30th November 2003. Which means Caroline must have been one of the people wielding a big lens on that day. How do I know? I was there!

UPDATE: 9 Feb 2004 – I see the Phixx web site now works in Mozilla. Great.

Janet’s Malfunction

Time to stop worrying about Janet’s boobs.

Is it just me or is most of the world laughing at America’s reaction to Janet Jackson’s ‘wardrobe malfunction’ at the Super Bowl? It really amazes me the way people can get so worked up about a little bit of flesh. Shouldn’t we be celebrating our bodies? It’s not as if Janet showed off a great deal. I would agree that people deserve better but not because I disagree with what what shown but because it’s such a cheap stunt.

One of my current favourite reads, The London News Review, has one of the best pieces written on the subject

By thunder, America is one fucked up country. With one eye it ogles the antics of Trousersnake and his bootilicious buddies, while the other eye is screwed shut in disgust. [Source]

Exactly. Calm down people and don’t buy the record. Of course, had it been the Trousersnake having a wardrobe malfunction it would all have been different.

Colourful Pages

I’ve slightly changed the design for my site.

You may notice that the colours on the site have changed. I’ve lost the duller beige/brown/gray colouring in favour of something a little more colourful. I am not sure it really works at the moment but I will play with the colour settings over the next few days. As you can probably tell, I do not have an eye for colour so I used quick colour to help me. It’s quite useful to find colours that are supposed to work well together but I wish it could find a greater range of colours. I’ll see if I can get used to it. I am pleased to have lost the harsh, bold red that was used for the links.

Alcohol Free

I gave up drink for Janaury.

consumption of alcohol is not permitted signI didn’t mention this before but I am rather pleased with myself for having given up alcohol for the whole of January. I don’t want you to think I’ve been craving drink or anything like that, but I decided it would be good for me after the all the alcohol you tend to consume over Christmas.

The interesting thing I learnt was that the most difficult thing was nothing at all to do with the actual drink. The hardest part of the exercise was dealing with other people. To start with people question your reasons. A test of will power became my default answer. Then there was their behaviour when I was around. It seems that having a wholly sober person in the room while you drink can be very difficult or un-nerving for some people. I had no idea people would react in that way – perhaps it made people face up to the amount they were drinking.

I also found some social situations very difficult because, deep down, I am quite shy. Drink is certainly a social lubricant and without it some situations where a little awkward. By the end of the month I was definitely feeling better about meeting people in pubs and at parties without drinking, but it wasn’t easy. It’s also not easy to be in those situations and find an alternative. London pubs do not have the greatest of choice. After a evening drinking colas and orange/lemonade drinks your stomach feels worse that it would have done on double the beers. My top tip is to drink Virgin Marys.

As to my health, I honestly don’t feel any better or any worse for the lack of drink. I guess it proves I never really over did it anyway but I expected something to change.

I imagine that I will have a beer tomorrow.

January Interest

A quick look at interest in this site in January 2004.

Traffic to this site in January 2004 seems to have taken a little bit of a leap. I see that Justin Timberlake was the most searched term. Unfortunately, dear Andrew Kinlochan hasn’t scored any comments. February is supposed to see the release of the new Phixx single so I’ll wait to see if traffic to the Man of the Moment section follows other trends where the visits raise with some outside public event concerning the individual. It’s not science but it is interesting to watch.