Category: My Life

Summer Listening

I invested in a Pure Evoke 1 earlier this year and it has shaped my radio listening this summer.

This has certainly been a long, hot summer. I have thoroughly enjoyed the ability to sit outside in my garden and enjoy pleasant summer evenings and baking weekend afternoons. Despite the fact that I have been unable to keep the garden in check (and it’s looking desperately in need of a makeover), it’s been wonderful.

At the start of the summer, I invested in a Pure Evoke 1 digital radio. The sheer range of stations is fantastic, and I, for one, welcome the introduction of Digital Radio to the UK. The irony of the purchase is that I’ve spent most of the evenings listening to the relaxed sounds of Jazz FM(which is perfectly clear across London on a regular radio set). At least my second favourite (and superb on summer Sunday afternoons) is The Groove, which is only available on DAB in London and on the web.

About Jon

There’s always an About Me page. This is one version of mine.

Hello!

It's probably about time that I introduced myself. I am Jon, and this is the latest incarnation of my home page, which has existed in various guises since about 1993. I used to have a blog here, but I've moved much of that content elsewhere, and when it's all finished, I'll post a link here.

I was born on September 12th 1970 in a place just outside Wigan in Lancashire, and I lived there until moving to Shrewsbury, Shropshire a little before my fourteenth birthday. I went to Meole Brace School and on to Shrewsbury VI Form College. In my spare time, I answered the phones, played with tape and made coffee for BBC Radio Shropshire.

I studied in Scotland at Stirling University and, following graduation with a degree in Film and Media Studies, I moved south to London. I have lived in Earlsfield ever since.

I have spent time working in satellite audio distribution for the radio industry, online publishing for offline magazines, and for software companies that worked in the online space. Right now I work for an American software company that produces software for the online advertising industry.

Awww

I was certainly right. I ached this morning. Almost every bone and several parts I didn’t really know that I had. It remains, however, a great feeling not to have spent the day indoors watching television on a wet Sunday afternoon. I tackled nature, and although nature probably won in the end (watch as all my careful pruning results in a whole pile of dead plants by spring) it was a rewarding task. I don’t get to spend much time outdoors and I don’t to do much physical work. I am a desk-jockey and it probably isn’t that good for me. I never really wanted to be a desk bound. For me, sitting in an office all day has strange overtones of turning into my father. I have nothing against my Dad, I just never thought of myself as being a desk-based person but I am. I sit in front of a screen and type for most of the day. I guess that’s why I enjoyed the rain yesterday and, luckily, I don’t seem to have the cold I thought that amount of soggy clothing would bring on.

Starmaker, Dream Breaker

So it’s all getting a bit spooky. There I was on Friday night, remembering the songs from the TV series ofFame(I preferred the TV series as it was much fluffier. Being so young, the grittiness of the film version didn’t hit me for several years) and remembering Danny as one of my childhood lust objects (download your Danny wallpaper here).

I spent yesterday doing all the boring things you occasionally have to do around the house. Cleaning. Paying bills, etc. At some point, I switched on VH1 to find it was their 100 Worst Videos day. And the song I switched on to? No 62 (I think), which was Starmaker, by the Kids from Fame (OK, it would have been a better story if it was Friday Night, but still).

So let’s see if I can tempt fate – I want to see more about the following: Play School, Rainbow, Harley Hare, The Clangers, Trumpton. How spooky would it be if this actually worked?

It will aid my aching bones. I’ve been in the garden all day cutting down bushes and pruning. I was outside for the grand total of seven hours, and it rained for most of them. Strangely, I feel invigorated after spending the day outdoors. No doubt I shall ache tomorrow.

Friday Night’s Gonna Be Alright

Friday night’s gonna be alright.

Well, in a few minutes I’ll hopefully be leaving the office. I have been here late most evenings and, to be honest, I am really looking forward to going home and sleeping. The air-conditioning in the office has been broken, so we have gradually baked our way through today. I would he happy without the nonsense air-conditioning anyway, but all the windows have been sealed shut so that you can’t get any really fresh (well, fresh for London standards) air into your lungs. I have a weekend of hard, manual labour planned. I have to tame some of the wild growth in my garden. I can’t wait. Friday Night, as Danny (one of the Kids from Fame) once sang, is “gonna be alright”. I’m sure I remember that because I used to have a huge crush on Carlo Imperato.

Start shaking your hips
Baby, pucker your lips
Cause I’m coming to see you soon

I must only have been about 10 years old!

Anyway, why, you may ask, do I spend ten minutes writing this? Well, our dumb systems are taking forever to do some processing, and I am not going to sit here all night watching the screen!

Mussels

I used to work with most of these guys six or seven (if not more) years ago, and we’ve all remained in contact ever since.

Last night I met up with some old work colleagues. I used to work with most of these guys six or seven (if not more) years ago, and we’ve all remained in contact ever since. This is fantastic, especially for me, as they were the first people (apart from some ex-University friends) whom I met when I moved to London. We have, however, fallen into the trap of thinking we are all six or seven (if not more) years younger than we actually are and spend the evenings getting very drunk in various London drinking holes. We then wander like (drunken) startled rabbits around the West End looking for a post-closing curry. A fun, if somewhat painful, experience.

Well, not last night. Firstly, we added some extra people – friends of ex-colleagues – which made the night more interesting. Secondly, we decided (this is all very grown up) to go out for a meal. We decided to go to Belgos in Covent Garden. I had very little to do with the decision (in fact, to be honest, I never replied to that email, so I have nothing to complain about), but the great thing is that I love Belgos. I’ve always enjoyed the whole pots-of-mussels thing and make a mess to show I enjoyed the food.

And to add to that, there was the cutest waiter serving the table next to ours – which was all the better, as he got to lean over and serve them. Ah, the joys of lust!

A Walk on the Wild Side

My two days off have been great. Yesterday we drove to the Outlet Mall in Swindon. It’s the first time we have put miles on this new Ka.

[Written on my Palm & posted Sunday 6th]

My two days off have been great. Yesterday we drove to the Outlet Mall (what’s the British equivalent of that?) in Swindon. It’s the first time we have put miles on this new Ka (which I haven’t mentioned yet). Still, we drove in the sunshine and shopped. One call from a client was swiftly dealt with.

In the evening, we made it to Bristol, where we are staying at a Travelodge in Bristol City Centre. After unloading, we took a quick taxi ride to visit some friends we hadn’t seen for a long time until last month. And now it’s been twice in five weeks which is a great feeling. Chinese meal and back to the hotel.

This morning we had a quick walk around Bristol City, as it’s been many years since I was last here and things seem to have changed. The most amusing thing was the ill-fitting suits on a bunch of young men walking towards the Magistrates Court. I know I shouldn’t leap to conclusions (perhaps they were newly qualified solicitors), but I could just imagine their legal representation reminding them to look respectable for the judge.

As this holiday was originally pencilled in for longer and as a trip to Cornwall to see the Eden Project, we decided to opt for Bristol’s local equivalent Wildwalk at the complex known as @Bristol. I suspect this isn’t anywhere near the scale of Eden, but it was an interesting walk through the development of life on Earth. It features a glasshouse full of tropical plants and – to my surprise – living, breathing birds (I thought it was just a tape of their calls). Recommended if you are in Bristol. Right now we are heading south via the lovely A roads, looking for a suitable tourist spot to stop at.

Nearly There

As I am not going to fake the blog, then you, dear reader, must put up with the dull bits as well as the not-so-dull.

Looking back at yesterday’s post, I see that everybody has a much more interesting life than I do, or at least it seems that way! As I am not going to fake the blog, you, dear reader, must put up with the dull bits as well as the not-so-dull bits.

Today is my last day at work this week. I am taking two days off to clear my head. There are a lot of things to think about when it comes to work and, more importantly, PY and I want to spend some time together. The downside of this break (originally meant to be a week and reduced to two days) is that I will be here (in the office) for another couple of hours. So, no more time to update. I am going to boil the kettle and get on. Posts beyond this point will be written on my Palm Pilot and updated when they can be.

South Bank. Friends from North.

On Wednesday night, we went on the London Eye, and then wandered down the South Bank. It is probably one of my favourite areas of London.

I could have spent much of this week writing about going out to eat and/or entertaining, but decided that would be too dull. On the other hand, on Wednesday night we (American and I) went on the London Eye (always a fantastic treat) and then wandered down the South Bank. It is probably one of my favourite areas of London.

  • Old County Hall. It’s a pleasure dome of treats, but the best bit is the aquarium. We didn’t go in this time, but I love the place and am writing this as a kind of note to myself: go back to the London Aquarium.
  • The London Eye. My thirtieth birthday was spent on The Eye in a hired capsule with a whole bunch of friends – all of whom had almost no notice but arrived for drinks, a ride and pizza. This time we were on The Eye as the light started to fade – which actually made it all the more magical. We even bought the tacky tourist snap that they take on the way down.
  • New Hungerford Bridges(s). I have spent years walking over the old, narrow bridge, avoiding the winter floods and the summer camera-wielding tourists. The new bridges look stunning. They are boulevard-wide and, in fact, very pleasant to walk across, and each bridge offers very different but fabulous views.
  • Royal Festival Hall and National Film Theatre. They may be concrete, and they are certainly not photogenic, but they are some of my favourite locations. Long may the concrete jungle live.
  • Oxo Tower. A great building with a great restaurant (even if I can never afford to eat there) and, if you don’t want to go on the wheel, the viewing gallery at the top (free and near the restaurant) provides a stunning view of St. Paul’s Cathedral.
  • Tate Modern and Millennium Bridge. After all the fuss at the turn of the century, these are two worthy additions to the London landscape. The interior of the Tate Modern is fantastic (the sheer size of the entrance is great). And the Millennium Bridge is in just the right place and looks gorgeous when lit (although the last few times I haven’t seen the lights on).

On the way back from these sights (we didn’t do New City Hall or Tower Bridge, Hayes Galleria or Butler’s Wharf), we stopped for a pseudo-traditional pub meal of chips and beer. Even though I suspect the pub was full of tourists, it felt like the kind of place I went to regularly, so I guess it had an air of authenticity.

After all this on Wednesday, I was looking forward to last night. Last night was meant to be an evening off from being a tour guide (not that I mind, but the break would be good). I was having dinner with some friends (and some old friends who were coming down from Scotland). My friends in Worcester Park were preparing dinner, and it was to be (in fact, it was indeed) an evening of memories and fun. However, things did try to put a damper on the evening.

  • I was late. I was attending presentations with a client, and they ran over.
  • My friend Jo, who was cooking, had been taken ill and had been in and out of the hospital for two nights (nothing too serious, thankfully). So, she didn’t feel like cooking – her husband decided to, and the food was excellent.
  • We were all so tired (me from working, them from the illness/hospital adventures) that we called a halt to proceedings at 10.30pm.

It’s a shame when things don’t quite go according to plan, especially when you’ve been looking forward to them. I’d hoped to have a long catch-up with the folks from Scotland, but we ended up with the briefest of chats. Ah well, maybe next time …

Old Friends

Today was a good day to get reacquainted with people who I haven’t seen for a while.

Bristol is only a two-hour ride from my house. I have an old friend who lives there, and I haven’t seen him for ages. Today was the day we met up again (after about 18 months without seeing each other), and it’s great when everything just slips back to how it was. You know how, with some people, it’s hard to talk to them sometimes. You get on really well, but there’s just nothing to say. Well, it usually gets worse over time, and if you haven’t seen somebody for a while, it can be very awkward (how many strained meetings must have happened thanks to Friends Reunited?). Anyway, today wasn’t like that. We slipped into our old conversations and habits. It’s nice to be reacquainted with people. Today was a good day.

I Keep Buying Books

How did I end up with a book from a seafood festival?

I went to a small Thames-side seafood festival on Saturday. I had no other reason to go except that I adore seafood in all forms. I could happily give up many other foods but not seafood (and probably no bacon, but I know I am not alone in that). That, however, is not the point. There was a bookshop, and I bought a book. I carried the book home and added it to the pile of books. I now have a large stack of unread books that are “to be read”. When will I find the time? The thing is, why do I do it? Why can’t I simply add them to my Amazon wish list and stop buying? It’s turning into an addiction!!

How do you say Happy Birthday in Russian?

And it’s my Dad’s birthday today. My mother is with him somewhere in the former Soviet Union for five weeks while he tries to do some work. Unfortunately, his mobile phone doesn’t seem to work, and he isn’t replying to emails, so Happy Birthday, Dad!

UPDATE: You may also want to check out next year’s entry for more information.

Try the M11

With apologies to all my neighbours who were woken by the noise.

I feel it was an interesting weekend. Some of it I don’t want to repeat, but mostly it was good fun and the kind of things you should do at weekends if you slave all week in an office. It started yesterday afternoon when my brother arrived, and we spent two hours in a car driving round south London roads to get across the river and on to the M11 motorway. It’s not the easiest thing from South West London and should really start another rant about the state of London’s roads, but I am too tired for that! (It’s also good to see somebody else wondered what the strange tower was)

Arriving in Takeley for a family christening, and all is well. It is nice to see some of the family members I do not see too often. We had planned to leave around 8pm and head back to SW17, but we were having a good time and partied until 11pm. It’s hard partying and drinking only water, but I still had a good time.

So, off we set. 10 minutes on the M11 and the radiator overheats; I lose all power on the car and just about manage to get it onto the hard shoulder before it grinds to a halt in the middle of the carriageway. Then, 50 minutes later, a bloke from the RAC arrives and, without really looking at the engine because he can tell it would do no use, loads the car onto the back of the truck and me & my brother into the cab for the ride south. Then we hit the Blackwall Tunnel. At 1am (Sunday) we are caught in a traffic queue for an hour as traffic tries to negotiate one lane in the tunnel (cue for another rant about London traffic). Eventually, the car is unloaded outside my house at 2.45am (with apologies to all my neighbours who would have been woken up by the noise).

In My Thoughts

My granddad was born on 1 July so it would have been his birthday yesterday. He died several years ago and I have to say that I miss him. I lit a candle at St Paul’s Cathedral on Sunday.

My grandad was born on 1 July, so it would have been his birthday yesterday. He died several years ago, and I have to say that I miss him. I lit a candle at St Paul’s Cathedral on Sunday. I just had the urge. I wonder why I did that? I am not the most spiritual person in the world, nor am I the greatest believer. St Paul’s was so peaceful and relaxing; I think I will go again. And it’s really beautiful inside – which is something I had never noticed before.

Shopping Madness

So, you would rather give me my money back than work with me to arrange delivery. Isn’t that rather short-sighted. Why would I ever shop with you again?

So, I try to buy a new power supply from a computer supplier (let’s say they are called Tell Computers).

Buy online and pay by credit card. They will only ship to the credit card billing address. No problem, I say, somebody will be there to pick it up and sign for it. Takes so long to arrive that nobody is there anymore. So, I think I’ll have the courier redeliver to work. They can’t change the delivery address without Tell’s permission. OK, I say, “Somebody will be in on Thursday; please deliver it then.” They try to deliver on Friday.

No problem, thinks I. I will have them deliver one evening. “We don’t do evening deliveries,” they say. So I say, “I’m in Saturday”. We don’t work weekends”. Huum.

“What about if I collect from your depot?”

“It is a delivery centre with no collection point. Try calling Tell to have the address changed.”

“Hello, Tell. Here’s my problem”

“Sorry, I’m in billing. Here’s customer service.”

“Hello, Customer Service. Here’s my problem.”

“We can change the address. Oh, you bought online. You’ll need to speak to our Internet team”.

“Hello Internet Team. I have a problem, and I’ve spoken to many people. I am assured you can help me.”

“No. We can’t change the address because you paid by credit card.”

“But here’s the problem. I am not at home during the day anymore. You don’t deliver evenings and weekends, and you don’t have a collection point.”

“Can’t help you. Sorry.”

So I say, “I will have to send it back and have a refund”.

“Certainly, Sir, no problem.”

“So, you would rather give me my money back than work with me to arrange delivery. Isn’t that rather short-sighted? Why would I ever shop with you again?”

“Sorry, that’s our policy. Somebody will call within the hour to confirm the refund”.

That was Thursday morning. Nobody has called.

Agggggggggghhhhh