TILAE: Great Indie bands

One of the first things has to be the great Indie bands we have or have had in this country.

Hefner were one of the best when I was a teenager-enjoy!!

Things I love about England

So I'm trying to re-condition myself into loving living in England again. I'm going to post a random list of things I love about England, as an when they occur to me.

Credit Crunch song

Adam and Joe's Credit Crunch song



Actually some good advice!

here's a piece i came up with off the top of my head

This is bizarre-a guy playing banjo during brain surgery!



What dedication. You can read more here

I just can't wait for the weekend

Its Saturday morning about 6 o'clock. My face is covered in boils for no apparent reason. I have no milk in the house which means no coffee and no cereal and plenty of stress later. I don't want to wake my wife so I'm can't turn on the light in the bedroom and have to pick my clothes in the dark, making me look more gooberish than normal. The financial crisis continues which means this years bonus and my future earning potential are shrinking by the second.

I have CFA training all day so have to go to London on my day off.

DAMN IM GLAD ITS THE WEEKEND

Beef curry

MMMM tasty

How I work

Not particularly well it seems. I’m a classic procrastinator-I’ll leave any task no matter how big or small to the last possible moment, then if there really is no way to avoid getting started, it absolutely must be done and done now.

Then I’ll take a quick walk to think about it.

I have been tempted in the past to think that this is only because I don’t really enjoy or care much for the work that I have to do. However the unpalatable fact is that I have not yet got round to doing the work I’d really like to do i.e. writing, despite spending many an hour reflecting on how much I really would lit to.

I suppose if I carry on in this fashion six months before my death, a switch will click internally and I’ll churn out some passable first novel, screen play or similar and then on receipt of the first royalty check pop my clogs.

Herein lies the procrastinators real problem.Whilst putting off work(related to employment) is fine provided you remain in employment and able to feed yourself-generally there is an eventual deadline you must meet and the work gets done, or senior management changes and the work gets forgotten.

Putting off life ambitions though is exceptionally dangerous. There is no deadline for realising our real goals except death itself. Unfortunately we don’t know when this day will come and spend a great deal of time attempting to trick ourselves into believing that we are in fact immortal. The real risk is that the deadline will hit one day unanticipated and, well, that’s it, failure, we never even got close to doing what we set out to do. Of course even if are a lifetime of devoted procrastination we manage eventually to realise our goals we still will have spent most our lives putting off the one thing we actually wanted to do.

Perhaps I should get on with that first novel / screenplay / whatever. Well maybe tomorrow.

I'm back

And I'm living in Cambridge

I'm back

AND IM ENGAGED

I need more friends

So spent another weekend reading, watching tv, walking around London. I enjoy all of these things, I also have strong preference for keeping my own company.

Still I've been increasingly feeling fed up with the fact that I don't seem to have many people to talk with or hang out with. I can't believe in a city as big as London there are not more people I can get on with... So how the hell do I find them.

GRRRRRR

30 day trial, day 15

Ok so the trial is going ok.

The last week has been really brutal at work. I actually managed to make myself ill-predictably it didn't hit till the weekend.

Anyway on the trial front-not smoking is ridiculously easy during the week and I'm really glad I've stopped-surprisingly the day goes a lot faster now I don't smoke. This is because (I think) I don't spend half the day counting down the minutes until my next cigarette break. Instead I just get on with my work and the day seems to fly past.

The weekend has proved killer though. I smoked a pack last weekend and this weekend had two cigarettes one on Saturday night and one this evening. I think it is simply because I haven't had as much practice avoiding cigarettes at the weekend.

It quite upsets me because every time I go for a cigarette at the weekend I set back my progress in quitting significantly. Still I hope that next weekend I'll be able to remain firm in my resolve not to smoke. Whats great is that I am absolutely sure I won't smoke all week.

I was feeling really down this weekend. Work was simply so brutal that I was completely beat up come Saturday. To try and cheer myself up I bought a Mocha today-the first the entire trial. I had a sip and I must be honest it tasted like crap. I managed to get through two more sips and I had to throw it away. The strange thing was that they actually had prepared the Mocha perfectly! I think I have just managed to lose some of my sweet tooth.

The illustrative moment will be in a week and a half when I get paid. I'll then have gone a complete financial month without smoking or drinking starbucks (regularly that is). I'm excited about seeing the results.

Great science videos.

Wired have posted some fantastic science videos here

If you want more an extensive collection is found at this great site...

Amazing...

30 day trial, day 8

So day 8 of the 30 day trial, i have not ordered a single take out coffee-I did get a coffee to go with my bacon sandwich this morning but I don't don't count this because the coffee was incidental-by which I mean I wasn't going to the place to buy coffee and had a sandwich on the side-so it is unlikely that buying coffee from this particular restaurant will become a daily habit unless I also make it a daily habit to buy bacon sandwiches-not impossible I admit.

Not Smoking is progressing in a mixed fashion. After my lapse on Tuesday the week was pretty easy and by Saturday I was feeling fantastic-nicotine free, definitely feeling the benefits to my health and general well being. Then I got smashed on Saturday night and smoked a 10 pack.

Obviously drink is the problem here. Still not smoked today, nor felt like smoking-do have a mildly irritating headache which I guess is a repeat of the nicotine withdrawal. I know I can beat this and I think if I avoid bars for the next 22 days I'll be completely free of the desire to smoke.

The times they are a changing

Saw this story in the LA times. Apparently 48% of teens (sic. American teens) bought no compact discs in 2007.

The times really are changing!

30 day trial, day 4

Smoked twice. Feel like shit about it. Really wanted a smoke in the morning. Thanks to the encouragement of my amazing girlfriend overcame the temptation. Felt great all day about being a non smoker and having nearly kicked the tobacco out of my system. Went out for someones leaving drinks and in the company of some French guys ended up having a cigarette. Then a little tipsy on my way home, bought a pack of ten from tescos. Took one and binned the rest. Smoked my second cigarette. Felt appalling as a human being.

Now I can feel myself wanting another smoke, I can smell the filth on myself and I'm really peed off and angry. Still I hope this will serve in contrast to the fantastic feeling I had as a non-smoker this afternoon and spur me on to avoid all cigarettes in the future.

Sorry for letting myself down!

Still I haven't touched a take out coffee...

30 day trial, day 3

Today was the third day of the trial. The first day back at work and the first full day without cigarettes.

Going without take out coffee was pretty easy-it meant I got to work a little faster and saved me a fair bit of money. Ordinarily I'd get a mocha and croissant from Starbucks on the way into the office. This clocks in at around 4 pounds.

This morning I got a croissant from pret a manger and a coffee from the free vend machine. Total cost 95p!

During the day avoiding coffee was more of a challenge. We have costa coffee stores in the office and going for a coffee in the morning or afternoon is usually quite a good break.

Still I just stuck with water and found that I feel a lot more awake than at the the end of a normal day guzzling coffee.

Cigarettes-now they were more troubling. Although I don't actually feel like I want to smoke, I don't miss the smell, the foul taste or the cost. There is a part of me that misses a coffee and cigarette although I know that there is nothing particularly nice about a coffee and cigarette beyond not having to work while you enjoy them.
In terms of symptoms-I couldn't sleep properly last night and woke up five or six times, I've had a mild headache most the day, been fidgety, not able to concentrate fully and mildly irritable. It's been particularly severe (understandably) around those times I usually most looked forward to smoking-walking to and from work, at lunch and right after dinner.

Despite all the irritation I am glad I've quit and viewing the whole experience as a mild illness that will soon be done with.

By day seven or so i think it should be smoothe sailing.

You know it's an HBO historical drama when...

The opening credits take longer than your TV dinner. I'm watching Band of Brothers and apart from the feature length title sequence with mock operatics and dodgy mock sepia photographs it is pretty good.

So WTF?

Because I really have a deep rooted affection for myself I was reading my previous posts. Apparently I can't remember what I was doing or thinking 2 weeks ago.

Anyway I noticed that I begin a significant portion of my posts with 'So...'

SO! SO! WTF.

I'm relatively literate, fairly eloquent, my grammar is lacking but still, when did I start writing and talking like a 17 year old American girl.

In Star Trek (a topic I promise to post about-bet you can't wait) they have a term called 'Cultural Contamination'. In fact I'm pretty sure that this term is not limited to Star Trek but the Enterprise has far more intellectual standing with me then the French sociological/political establishment.

Anyway they get really stressed out about talking to primitive cultures or leaving any technology behind on planets they visit. I always thought this was a little overblown. But 'OMG' inadvertent, infrequent exposure to America's next top Model has turned me into a moron!

I re-read the post (as I said I really do enjoy reading about myself) and I noticed that beyond repeated use of the word SO, I seem to start every other paragraph with ANYWAY. ARRRGH

You know you have worked in a bank too long when...

You have an inexplicable urge to consume vast amounts of 'Fiji Water'. Seriously at what point did £1.25 a bottle become a reasonable investment. Yet I am convinced it tastes better-it fell as rain before the industrial revolution don't you know. This means that the rest of you are drinking water filled with smog and all the other rubbish that has crept into the atmosphere. I on the other hand get the real deal-true pure water. Allegedly.

Still I'm a sucker for marketing.

Perhaps it reflects something deeper however. According to Steve Schmidt (John McCain's campaign strategist and former campaign consultant to Bush, Cheney & Schwarzenegger)

"among independent voters there are life styles and behaviours that identify them as Republicans or Democrats. For example, the GMC Yukon is a Republican vehicle, and Volvos and Subarus are the most Democratic vehicles. Republicans have Fiji water preferences, versus Democrats who have Evian water preferences"

Given the fact I'm not American, this is a bit academic but he is right about one thing, given the opportunity I would back McCain. Evian is naive in my book.

No coffee, unexpected side effects

Turns out that there is one other side effect to not drinking take out coffee. A massive craving for beer!

All day today I've been walking about completely untempted by Starbucks but craving a pint. Sadly my friends were out of town. In the end i wasn't willing to drink in a London pub on my own. That way leads to destruction. So I bought a few fine ales on my way home to enjoy alone in the privacy of my bedroom. Surely a much healthier approach!

If this continues I might be replacing the 30 day trial with a 30 day stint in rehab.

Cheers

30 day trial, day 1

So today is the first day of my trial. I'm not off cigarettes yet because I still have a few duty free left, and I'm sensible enough to know that I'll not be able to risk quitting with cigarettes left in my house.

I have gone without take out coffee though. Any normal Saturday I would have torn through 2-3 mochas. I found that for most of today it was pretty easy to not buy Starbucks. This was made easier by the fact that I slept all of the morning and the best part of the afternoon.

The only problem has been this evening. I have a splitting headache presumably from caffeine withdrawal. I've made myself a coffee this evening which has taken the edge off a little-my trial is for take out coffee, not coffee in general. Still I can't believe how bad not drinking 4 cups a day made me feel. It's pretty scary how dependent on various chemicals I am without even realising it.

Anyway I also joined a gym today and plan to hit it tomorrow morning-hopefully that will help. Apparently doing exercise once in a while can improve one's mood. Who would have thought it?

30 day trial-no coffee or cigarettes

This weekend I'm beginning a 30 day trial. I'm attempting to go 30 days with no cigarettes and no take away coffee.

Basically cigarettes obviously need to be dumped. Take away coffee? First it is pretty bad for you-my usual coffee has 300 calories (triple grande mocha with cream), I have at least one a day and sometimes two or three more coffees-either from starbucks or from the staff cafe.

More importantly it's too pricey- I think I'm spending about £30 a week on take away coffee alone. For what? Take out coffee is far from tasty, sometimes a barista will get my drink just right but generally it tastes like dirt. Largely take out coffee is a conditioned reflex purchase. So time to kill the reflex and save myself some money-at least in theory.

Why 30 days?-well this is the length of time required to break an addiction, its also short enough not to feel like too much of a sacrifice.

At the end of 30 days I'll see how I feel about take out coffee and move on. The cigarettes will stay ditched though!

Things I actually heard in the staff cafeteria

'I'd like a skinny (low fat) hot water'

Everyday Normal Guy 2

Sequel to one of my favourite videos online-'Regular Everyday Normal Guy'.

Enjoy then go watch the original!

WHY CAN'T I FIND ANYWHERE TO RENT

So I am desperate to move out of the room I'm renting. Mainly because I want some space to myself and free use of the kitchen, bathroom etc etc. In all honesty I hate sharing with other people.

Now I'm a young professional, I don't earn stupid money, but hey I work in finance, so surely I should be able to find somewhere right? WRONG. WTF! Who are all these tycoons driving up the price of one bed appartments in the city! I mean surely a one bed can not be worth 1.2k a month.

ARRRRGH

Maybe I need to ask for a pay rise...

MIA

Apologies for my absence, I had an exam on Friday-which I passed! and then my gf was visiting this weekend which has meant I've felt less of a need to post stuff online.

back in the office tomorrow-grrr, from all the emails they've been blaming lots of stuff on me in my absence. GAH GAH GAH. tomorrow promises to be pleasant. Fortunately i hope to be moving to my new role soon, my manager is being a bit tight lipped about how soon which worries me a little.

Ho hum.

In response to vic's comment. the picture was named Dyke Rat by the BBC-principally because it is a picture of a rat relating to a story about Greg Dyke (ex-chair of the BBC)

more cogent posts to follow.

Things I wish I'd heard on the DLR

'What do you think about that Archbishop Rowan wanting to introduce Shariah law?'

'Its a bloody disgrace, he should be flogged'

Why you shouldn't brush your teeth in bed

As part of a recent effort to grab a few more minutes in bed before going to work in the morning, I’ve tweaked my pre-work routine:



1. Alarm goes off 6:00
2. Shower 6:05
3. Shave 6:15
4. Bed 6:20
5. Brush teeth 6:25
6. Get out of bed 6:35
7. Dress and go to work 6:40

As you may have noticed I’ve discovered a loophole in man’s morning routine ready to be exploited.
By moving a glass, my toothbrush, toothpaste and mouthwash to the side of the bed I’m no longer a slave to the bathroom sink, instead I can brush my teeth from the comfort of my own bed. Buying me more quality time in the morning and preventing the risk of me falling asleep again.



There is however one downside.

No post teeth-brushing trip to the mirror.

Not until I am alone in the lift on the way to my office. Predictably, having visited Starbucks, a news agents and spoken with 3 colleagues I found myself alone in the lift and noticed for the first time that I was wearing half a tube of toothpaste all over my chin.

I wiped it off and once I’d composed myself got to my desk. A little later feeling slightly better about the world I decided to share the story with my manager.

‘Really?’ she said ‘you know you did the same thing yesterday’

Perhaps I should have called this post ‘Why you should wash after work…’

HAPPY NEW YEAR

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

I'm not that excited but on the basis that the only people who seem to read this are Singaporean I should hop on the bandwagon.

Some people don't know just how lucky they are...

Some people who shall remain nameless have no idea just how lucky they are!

Complaining their work is so boring they have to read blogs to pass the time! You are lucky you can read blogs. I have two huge glossy screens on my desk=perfect for youtube, digg, facebook and blogging. So perfect the entire floor can see what I'm looking at-now I have reduce my internet explorer to postage stamp sized windows if I want to read anything vaguely entertaining.

On the plus side I have discovered that the FT, Wallstreet Journal, Bloomberg and Reuters are almost readable and are a useful way of convincing everyone on your floor you are super committed. The WSJ in particular has loads of completely non-work related stuff to read. Of course you need to be a subscriber. Reuters Oddly enough is also pretty amusing.

I have six tips for workplace entertainment:

1. Training-start a qualification-CFA, Accountancy anything that involves many exams and training courses. Trainers are inherently lazy (otherwise they'd have real jobs) and always finish classes at a civilized time. Pick the right qualification and you can be out of the office for weeks at time. Plus once you are qualified you can join a better team / by the time they find out you failed you have found a better job.

2. Flexible working-Anyone who claims they can do more work from home is just admitting they do sweet f.a. in the office.

3. Hold yourself personally accountable for the companies share price-kid yourself into believing your actions contribute directly to the movement of the company's share price. If the company is performing well you'll feel great, if not launch an activist campaign to oust your chairman.

4. Hold yourself personally accountable for the companies share price and invest in the competition-not only do you make money, but your every failure contributes towards your future wealth.

5. PROJECT GUTENBERG This site has 17,000 online books, basically transcripts of work published before 1920 and is thus no longer copyright protected. Go on, find a book download it in html format and then copy the whole thing into word, or into an email...you can even get texts that can be read on your blackberry!

6. Become a mentor-you not only get time to meet with the junior office members, but their respect, admiration and need for approval will remind you just how great you are. Even better train them to do your work, hand everything over to them, take the credit and pass on the abuse. Welcome to management!

I think the only real answer is to look for another better job, or else get a pay rise-more money always seems to make things sunny.

Sweet Mother of Spok

Oh Sweet Mother of Spok, how sweet has today been!

I Got the JOB and will be moving to an office in central london shortly!

More importantly though-THERE IS A NEW STAR TREK FILM BEING RELEASED THIS YEAR!

See the trailer-HERE

This had completely passed me by somehow, rest assured I'll do some digging around and post more info later in the week.


seriously though, new job, clean underwear and a new star trek movie. After such a good day, tomorrow is bound to be appalling.

Worse things happen at sea you know

Well today was another wonderful Monday, not that Monday at work was that terrible, the day descended rapidly once I left the office.

1. My credit card is unrecognisable to any device invented by man

2. My Oyster card was out of credit

3. When I bought my Mocha in Starbucks they forgot the cream

4. When I managed to get to the front of the DLR some tramp had dumped 3 pints of Strongbow all over the floor

5. My phone is no longer working because I have a £160 bill coming on the 4th so my account is now blocked-what can I say, I love to talk. For some reason 02 have decided they don't want to actually make any money

6. When I got home my landlords have guests which means no bath for me

7. It takes 3 hours for me to connect to the internet so I'm unable to talk with my girlfriend

8. I have a huge pimple resulting from a number of ingrown hairs on my chin

9. I've received a pack of razor blades in the mail (I did order them, but still after a day like this a tad inappropriate)

10. I put my favourite tie through the washing machine

Still- I managed to buy some new pants and cotton socks-so tomorrow I have one of life's greatest and most rare privileges-COMPLETELY FRESH UNDERWEAR

After all this I have to expect that tomorrow is going to be especially fortuitous, which is good because I have an important interview. What a way to start of a the new year! With a new job and some clean underwear.


So despite everything that happened this evening I think Monty python say it best:

The Laffer curve

Useful video from the Cato institute on the Laffer curve-a theory to help determine appropriate tax levels.

Good for the planet bad for your council

Residents in Toronto are conserving so much water that the municipality is struggling to cover it's costs. Which means ultimately life will get worse for it's residents.

The fact is that doing 'good' is often not quite a virtuous as it might first appear.

For instance plant a tree initiatives that so many cafe latte conservationists hopped on have led to increased forestation-in the wrong part of the world! Obviously many conservationists want to be able to visit the woods they are helping to plant, so new forests have been created in the western northern hemisphere. Problem is that all that foiliage prevents a clean snow covering. So what? Well in winter a clean snow covering across large parts of the norther hemisphere has a cooling effect, all that snow reflects sunlight back into space. Now we have acres of trees which instead of reflecting absorb the heat. Or something like that-I can't be bothered to find the article.

Similarly aid programs to developing countries have been shown to increase corruption, all that money/food flying in-the idea that it directly reaches those who need it most. Even when distribution centres are set up properly rioting and fighting often break out.

This was going to be a cogent defence of self interest, but I've run out of steam, besides the super bowl is on soon!

I will write something about my dislike for charity soon, in the meantime this will have to do.

When someone asks you to do something for free/provide a donation, remember that if their solution was all that good they'd be able to make you pay for it.

Build your own electric car

Why wait for the motor industry to produce a reasonably priced electric vehicle.

These guys provide kits to convert your own electric car.

All you have to do is get your hands on a beat up compact, order one of their kits, and hey presto! you are motoring on sunlight.


Then again why bother driving at all when the jet pack is already here!

Overheard on the DLR

'I can't believe there is a city more un-friendly than New York'


'This your first trip to Europe?'

Actually I never got round to spitting out the second half, principally because some idiot decided that their ponytail belonged embedded firmly in my mouth. You have to love London, seriously otherwise you'd have to admit you were an absolute ass for paying more for rent, more for food, more for transport, for sleeping less and working longer than most the developed world.

Who the hell in idaho reads my blog.

So my delusions of grandeur of course prompted me to get a Google Analytics account. Basically Google Analytics is a free web app. that allows you to analyse site traffic data. Now roughly half the site traffic I get comes from me checking for comments.

The other half is from my girlfriend checking up on me. When I logged in to Google Analytics this evening however I discovered that someone in Idaho has visited the site.

In all probability this is a bounce from bloggers random blog feature. However on the off chance that I have a reader in Idaho this is just for you:

That was the week that was

Well tomorrow is Thursday-roughly 22 hours of work till the weekend! Woohoo. I have absolutely no plans but a lot of things I probably should do.

Go for a bike ride for one, buy a valentines gift for another. If only there was some way to combine the two.

What I'll probably do is sit on my ass watching DVDs playing online chess and reading a couple of books.

ho hum.

Tough day.

Another brutal day, this about sums up where I'm at.



Food update:

Ordered pizza again, this time though it was a small one. No lunch, no breakfast. Vowing to have some porridge tomorrow.

My healthy diet...

I think this says it all. The pizza is my 'friday night treat' which i regularly enjoy on a Sunday, Wednesday or Thursday.

The plastic container is from ec1 noodles-this is my 'Monday night treat' which i sometimes enjoy on a Tuesday too. Yes the carton has been on my floor since Monday.In case you are wondering it used to contain beef curry and egg fried rice-the only meal I ever order. EC1 noodles do the best beef curry I've had since living in Hong Kong. It is sprinkled liberally with MSG (Mmmm Sooo Good). which personally I find gives it that authentic home cooked flavour.

The ketchup adds variety to an otherwise bland diet.

The innocent smoothie provides me with one whole week of fruit and vegetables in a carton I can finish off in an evening.

The x-box controller constitutes my principle form of exercies-arrgh I know I've misspelled this but can't remember ever having to write the word before. Hang on EXERCISE-now that speaks volumes about my lifestyle...

Without wanting to whine or make excuses-it is genuinely difficult to 'live right' when you work long hours, live alone and cook for yourself. I am trying to improve my diet-not because I want to lose weight but because I want to be able to blog without breaking out in a light sweat. If I come across any decent food that you can cook for yourself in one pan in under 20 minutes with ingredients that keep for a while AND are easy to find-I'll post the recipes on the blog.

Drunks talk about hitting the bottom-that moment they know they have sunk as low as they can go and need to make a change.

That moment came for me when the pizza delivery guy knew my name, order, address and credit card info all just from hearing me say hello.

Admittedly this happened a few months ago, but I'm a slow learner and that pizza is damn tasty.

Paparazzi hassle my family, again

One of these men is my father, he has a sense of irony and an eye for free train tickets. The press apparently don't.

What I'm most proud of is the fact he not only gave the press a false name but later learnt how to manage the journos.

Not only did he give a no comment to the BBC's over eager political news editor who had the bad manners to try and ambush my dad as he popped out for a smoke, but when the 'journalist' snuck into the audition my dad alerted the runners who had the intruder thrown out. (NOTE the 'journalist' claims on the BBC website that he confessed to his press affiliation).

With press management skills like these perhaps my dad should offer his services to the $cientologists.

Dirty screen?

Laptop screen a little grimy. Click here for a free online screen cleaning service!

First post

Well coming up with something to say for a first post is pretty difficult, so I'll leave it to one of my personal heroes, Bill Hicks.