A Grand Don't Come For Free

I'm not sure why I started this blog back in 2008, but it was definitely a good idea. I guess it's my creative output every now and again. It's also very cool to look back at some things I did and wrote about a few years ago.

Recently we hit 1000 visits by you lovely readers. Here is some of the crazy places they came from. Greetings from ben all over the world!

	United States	Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
	Australia	Gold Coast, Queensland
	Norway	Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag
	Finland	Kaarina, Western Finland
	South Africa	Pretoria, Gauteng
	Japan	Tokyo
	Canada	Richmond, British Columbia
	Russian Federation	Moscow, Moscow City
	Sweden	Stockholm, Stockholm
	New Zealand	Auckland
	United Kingdom	Belfast
	United States	Los Angeles, California
	Poland	Otwock, Warszawa
	Belgium	Berlaar, Antwerpen
	United States	Siloam Springs, Arkansas

Thanks for stopping by. Big love to the Siloam Springs crew!

Black is the colour

I don't really go to a lot of gigs anymore. I guess I just got older and realised I don't like paying to stand for 4 hours in crowded rooms.

Last night I went to see an Irish singer called Cara Dillon. I got my dad tickets for Christmas, so the boys went and had a night on the town. Unbelivable voice.

Swim Team

Last night I decided to go along to Triathlon club. Don't ask me why I decided this, considering I am not really into running/cycling/swimming in any way. I suppose I just thought it would be something cool to do for a young man of reasonable health.

I walked in enthusiastically to the pool session and went up and introduced myself to the coach. While talking to her I tried to think back to the last time I actually swam a length.... nothing really came to mind. I then became painfully aware of my baggy trunks and lack of swimming cap or goggles.

Fast forward ten minutes. It was then I realised I had no idea how to swim properly. After a couple of lengths keeping up with the pack I had swallowed half the pool and almost popped a lung. I didn't know when to breath, I didn't know you could bend your arms and I didn't know I had to point my toes. I was an absolute disaster.

An hour an a half later I left the pool, a well and truly broken man.

They haven't seen the last of me.

The Library

After spending the first 3 years of my university career not knowing where exactly the library was, my finals have now changed things slightly. Most of my waking days are spent in the place, trying to pack as much information into my head as possible.

I will admit that the library is a great spot for it. Other people working hard makes you feel guilty for doing nothing. It does have its distractions though; When you are supposed to be revising Concurrent Programming, an atlas of Canada or a book of art from the October Revolution is an unusually tempting prospect. The people watching is also fascinating, no form of entertainment like it!

Here is where people,

One frequently finds,

Lower their voices

And raise their minds.

Richard Armour, "Library"

Best of 2010

I was reading TIME the other day and decided to do my own best of 2010. When it actually came to write it up it turns out I didn't actually have much to say.

Film - The Other Guys

I went to see this movie with minimal expectations, probably the best way. I don't know if there was anything special about it, even watching the trailer back now it just looks annoying. I guess it was just funny. Or maybe I just liked the idea of Eva Mendes being my wife.

Music

I haven't really got round to listening to many albums that came out this year. I think I spent most of the year listening to cheesy 80s songs on Spotify. I could literally rave about it all day, instant access to any song, it's the future. Seriously, if you haven't got it and like music, do it now!

Books

I am in serious book trouble. I can't really remember the last book I finished. I used to love reading, but these days I have "no time". One to work on in 2011!

Christmas Day

Christmas greetings to all!

Hope its been a good one. While my Granda was round today the legend fixed my laptop charger and I am now able to share this Christmas treat with you!

I did a radio show for a couple of years and this was one of my all time favorite moments. For our first ever live session we asked these two girls I had seen play in a cafe one time. They came in and were a total blast. It was December and when they played this song it was unbelievable, I just could not stop smiling. Enjoy!

Ruby Bloom - Fairytale of New York

Christmas Eve

I haven't posted for the whole of December for two reasons. The first three weeks were a complete blur of busyness and stress and fun. The last couple of weeks of any semester are always crazy, you have so much work to do and yet there are so many fun things going on! I deliberately didn't write anything because I knew it would just be a depressing rant about how much work I had to do.

The second reason was that for the last week I have been off and have been doing some SERIOUS CHILLING. You have no idea how good it feels. Just sitting round the house playing PlayStation with my brother, watching some chick flicks, playing in the snow, hitting a few shops, eating massive amounts of Chinese food and hanging with my friends.

It is now Christmas Eve and I am sitting wearing my Santa Onesie wrapping presents and putting the finishing touches on my Dad's annual mixtape. CHRISTMAS IS AWESOME!

Movember = Fail

Okay, so Movember was a TOTAL FAIL!!

When I decided to take up the challenge, I was under the impression that hair actually grew on my face. I was mistaken. After 30 days I still looked like a total noob.

Right, it's all in the past now. Hopefully by next year puberty will have kicked in!