Please don't show this in the UK

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12092196

An advertisement used to promote the show reportedly depicts a body
covered by a sheet with one hand wearing the singer's trademark
sequined glove visible.

I'm not sure how anyone can justify watching this anyway but the risk
to the discovery channel brand is huge. There's no way they should
show it.

Should I sit on my ass more?

As you may know I have various spreadsheets, each monitor various parts of my life or ‘interesting’ things that I observe. Two of which are my weight and the amount of exercise that I do.

Being relatively short (still taller than April), and having masses of muscle I have a high body mass index (bmi weight in kgs / height in m squared), I would like to get this under 30 i.e. not obese!!! Since I’ve been tracking my weight I have never had a bmi of less than 30. My best is shortly after a nice bout of food poisoning when I was 88.8kg, a bmi of 30.02. Anyway, it is a goal of mine to get under that level and keep it that way.

To reduce my weight I try to exercise, I’m not tremendously motivated and extremely weak when there is a more fun option available, i.e. pub. By keeping track of both weight and exercise I can easily see if my weight is going up too much or if I’m not exercising enough. I have now combined the two and the results are quite interesting.

My weight actually goes when I exercise (I must be buffing up). Doh! If I correlate the data (going back to January 2009 (when I bought the scales)), I have a positive correlation of 0.10. If I do the same on a monthly basis (count the times I exercise and average my weight) it is even stronger, 0.39.

Should I stop exercising? Should sit on my ass more?

No.

I should probably exercise more, drink less beer, eat less / more healthily.  How very boring.

P.S. This analyis is not scientific

Bargain

I managed to renew my annual season ticket yesterday on the way home from work.  This is pretty good as i've saved the best part of £400 as the ticket price goes up a day later to £3406.  Bastards!  The whole process did amuse me though.  When the figure of £3046 popped up on the till I sarcastically said "what a bargain", the cockney (Kent) git behind the counter actually laughed.  The cheek of the man.  It did amuse me though.

Lazy girl

If it wasn't tor the fact that she was super greedy and always wanting food she'd live on here.

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It's a little foggy out there.

The view from my street and of the river Thames from London Bridge.

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And now this starts

7 hours to go and now some sort of alarm has started up in the office.  Neenoor, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr, neenorr.

I think it'll drive me insane.

The coldest December on record...

...or at least my records (since 2004).
The average maximum London temperature in December was 2.65 degrees
Celcius the previous low was 6.35. If we look at the average lowest
temperature during December we get -1.03, the next lowest low is a
balmy 2.71 in 2009.
I've also got some historic data going back to 1959. The coldest max
in this period was indeed 2010, however the coldest average min was
back in 1981 -0.6.
I'm the only member of my team in today / tomorrow so expect more of
the same as i've only been in for 30 minutes and am already bored.

Wimp

I was toying with the idea of not shaving for work tomorrow seeing as i'll be the only one that's in from my team. I've not shaved since last Thursday morning which isn't unusual but if I continued to not shave till the 4th till the next time I need to go in it would be a record since I started shaving.

Needless to say i'm a wimp so shaved this evening. I reckon I could have had a full Brian Blessed by new years if I'd have kept it up. Wimp.

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Pretty sure they have maps in Morocco

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-12082905

Not that that would help, but i'm sure he could have bought a map at a petrol station.

Doh

Bath time

Biscuit keeping an eye on things whilst I'm having a bath.

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Hofftastic

We went to see the Hoff in panto over in Wimbledon on Tuesday. We've both got pretty bad colds (some worse than others) so considered not going but glad we did in the end.

It was pretty funny and everyone joined in. We also stayed over in a swanky Victoria hotel which was nice too.

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Open meat cellar

During a Christmas pub crawl yesterday I spotted this really cool butchers. I dread to think the price of a sausage in there. I'm sure it's worth it though. In the process I took the guys to 4 pubs they'd never been to before. We only got covered in glass once.

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Butt warming

The bloody cats know where to sit. Soaking up all my expensive heat. Doh!

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So clean you could eat your dinner off it

Or at least cook in it. April made me promise to clean the oven before new year so I paid a nice man £45 to do it for me. Spotless!

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We have lift off

April successfully managed to get the car off the drive today so everything is good for driving down (up) tomorrow for Christmas drinks and family seeing. The snow that we were threatened with never materialised so we needn't have bothered anyway.

On another note I picked up the 20 pint barrel of ipa for new years in the Forest of Dean successfully. £25.50, not bad really.

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Hurry up time

1h40mins before 5days holiday.  Hurry up damn you!  I'm in for 2 days next week then another 4 days holiday.

New spreadsheet

Not being one to rest on my laurels (not even sure what they are) I
have created yet another new spreadsheet, this one tracks the places
that I boycott. I've mentioned on here before about companies that
annoy me get a punishment of me not using their services for a set
period of time. Well, I now track them.

I think it's fair enough, if somewhere I go regularly for tea forgets
to put milk in my tea then they get a punishment of a weeks non use.
The only reason I go there is because out of the two nearby they add
the milk for you, it's about 10p more expensive but I feel this
service (me being lazy) is worth it. If they don't do it they get a
punishment. Anyway this punishment equates to about £6.50 in lost
revenue for the company.

By keeping track of these simple mistakes and minor / major annoyances
I can directly affect where I spend my 'hard' earned cash. I also have
a three strike rule which means I won't use them again in a year. The
spreadsheet will help to keep track of any accounting discrepancies.
"Did the barman not serve me when it was my turn twice or three
times", I will now know the answer.

Companies of the world be warned.

Christmas Inflation

I've so far spent 36% more on Christmas presents this year. When will it stop?

What are the chances?

I was listening to my favourite podcast on the way to work this
morning and they happened to have a conversation about their favourite
beers. The main host Stu by sheer chance has the same favourite beer
as me! Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Mmm. They are American so I guess
more likey to choose a beer from there but it's quite a long shot.
One of the other hosts perfers Boddingtons... Go figure (as the guys
in the states say).

Snowed in again

I've got tomorrow off though which is a pain.  There's no way I can get the car off so will have to get the train to Sevenoaks and pick up our turkey.  The weather's not good over the next few days either so i'll have to clear the drive tomorrow so there's a chance I can drive home.  That would be annoying.

Failed my exam boo

I failed my Aviation and Space exam. Boo! Not by much, but still a
fail. It's not the end of the world but it has annoyed me. I'll have
to consider if I want to continue. I think i'd certainly have to put
in some of my own time in order to be confident of a pass and I really
don't want to do be doing that.

Other reasons for failing...

1) Ages since I did a written exam (nearly 10 years)
2) I booked the exam late so didn't have time for the material to sink in
3) My handwriting is unreadable
4) Didn't study enough (recommended 100 hours, I did around 30, the
previous ones recommended 50 and I did about 25 but passed easily)
5) I'm lazy
6) I'm a dumb ass

It's probably a combination of the above.

Team Christmas Curry today

Should be good as you can't beat a curry but it won't be a boozy one
and I bet we're back at our desks by 2:30. Boo! Sometimes I wish I
was still working for a broker... Hang on a minute. No I don't, I
hated that job!

I really should stop buying myself presents

Yet again I managed to buy myself a Christmas present that April had
already got me / thought about getting me. I was in HMV yesterday to
buy a couple of last minute bits for people and spotted The Pacific on
Blu-ray had recently been released. I don't have sky movies so
couldn't watch it when it was originally shown. Anyway, I showed
April what i'd bought and she's told me to take it back. Doh!
Previous things i've bought that April had already got for me /
thought about getting me include a scarf and a watch.

I might buy myself a Porsche. You never know...

Did you know?

Did you know?

The Chilean earthquake is likely to have moved the Earth's axis by 2.7
milliarcseconds - about 8 centimetres - and shorted the day by about
1.26 microseconds.

Richard Gross, NASA geophysicist

14th worst in the county

My old junior school has the 14th lowest reading and math scores in the county.  Hardly surprising.

It's out of 202 although 47 of them boycotted the testing.

Gauchos tonight

We're of to another Gauchos tonight, this one's in Farringdon next to Smithfield Market.  Should be great.  Last time I went to one I covered my shirt in molten chorizo fat.  Guess what colour shirt i'm wearing today.  White.  Sorry April.  Or maybe we can get Anne-Marie to clean it...

Book tickets if you can

I'm off to see Doug Stanhope next year.  Just booked tickets for his 2nd April gig at the Hammersmith Apollo.  I've seen him about 3/4 times before with my brother but it's always been at a much smaller venue.  Let's see how he deals with thousands.  I think he's on a UK tour around that time so make sure you book tickets where ever you are.  You won't be disappointed, unless your idea of good comedy is Michael Mcintyre... sorry April.

SAFC

This is our modified Valentine Warner fried chicken recipe (Stuart April Fried Chicken),

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/leesbrownbagfriedchi_91744

We do pretty much the same recipe but have upped the herb quantities and added seseme seeds and chilli flakes.  Yum, yum!

Lazy girl

Nice and warm on here, she's not roaring it was more of a poorly timed yawn.

Stung!

Just received my Vodafone bill.  £85!!!  Ouch, £40 was for data when I was over in Tenerife.   I switched my phone off roaming and I hardly used any data. Thieving bastards. 

The office party

Christmas party

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That's the decorations done...

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Canteen crisps up 10p

20% increase.  What is the world coming to?  Next thing they'll be doing is making students pay for their education

Elvis and a Chinese

A perfect combination. In case you're wondering, I was trying to sing a low note. We ended up leaving at around 11:30, by that time a few lady were getting very amorous towards him. Let's hope he made it out alive.

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Dog tired

Poor tired cat, must be hard doing nothing all day.

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Ice, ice baby

The view from the study.

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Snow woman

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Hyperspace

More snow last night

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Ration shopping

Trip to the shops to pick up food and to buy today paper to prove to the guys at work that it snowed today.

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Look at the delightful snow

Working from home yesterday / today

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No!

http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2010/11/29/12254/leslie_nielsen_dies_at_84?rss

I didn't realise he was 84!

-5, but no snow. Boo!

Bloody hell!

Just found a new podcast called The Infinite Monkey Cage

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/timc

 

A radio 4 comedy show about science. 

 

"Science/comedy chat with Brian Cox, Robin Ince and guests. Witty, irreverent look at the world according to science with physicist Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince. New Series starting on BBC Radio 4, Monday November 15th at 4.30pm for 4 weeks."

 

I only started listening to it properly this morning and it's pretty funny, quite similar to the Museum of Curiosity which i'd seen getting recorded on a couple of times. Unfortunately three quarters of the way through the first episode I was listening to they introduced a new regular guest a stand up mathematician, he also happens to be April's ex husband!  Doh! 

 

Bloody Hell!  At least he wasn't that funny.

Go UWE!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11829102

 

Students have staged occupations at universities including Royal Holloway, Plymouth, Warwick, Birmingham, London South Bank, UCL, Essex and UWE Bristol.

Marches, walkouts and protest events are also taking place at universities and colleges across the country.

There were 3,000 marchers in Manchester and similar numbers in Liverpool and Brighton and an estimated 2,000 at a protest in Bristol.

Hell yeah

I certainly think so.  For $12.99 a bargain.   $14.00 shipping.  Less so...

 

Still ordered them though.  £16/£17 for a little Christmas present to myself.

Maybe they're finally pulling their finger out however

After 2 and a half years in Tonbridge I think my morning train was actually in on time today.  It arrived at 8:37.  36mins, in the morning it's usually at least 45 as it's got to come through the congestion at London Bridge.

Argh!

Really struggling to get the details from their site but the Metro said that our season ticket is going up from £3048 to £3408

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-11825376

 

 

Southeastern's increases were capped at 2% above other firms to take account of extra investment in the region which includes new 140mph trains.

 

I don't care about high speed trains!  I won't be able to use them.

Helping the minority to hinder the majority

I'm all for helping the disabled integrate more fully into society but by adding braille to the back of medicine boxes so that you can hardly see the words is ridiculous.

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An Essex fruit

Free fruit today included this beauty. It's a Sharon. Extremely sweet.

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Where's Jedi?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/greatbritishfaith/

 

10 years ago I filled out the census declairing not only mine but my hole flat's were indeed Jedi.  Where is the recognition?  At least most people have heard of it.

 

Where did these coem from.  Never heard of them.

 

Baha'i 

Brama Kumaris  

Christadelphian

Coptic Orthodox Church

Elim Pentecostal

Huguenot

Inghamite

Lutheran

Moravian Church

Othona Community

Zoroastrian

 

Even bloody Druid s get a mention!

Home alone

I'm starting to feel like poor little Macaulay Culkin, April's on yet another course (Monday to Wednesday) and has left me on my own again.  At least I can talk to the cats to keep me company.

Mmm... turkey heads.

Leadenhall Market butchers with their collection of meat.

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Bloody ankle

I'm off today with a bloody painful ankle.  My ankle's pretty bad, it's been playing up off and on for 3 weeks after I twisted it playing rugby, but it's always been fine a couple of days later.  It started hurting again last night and this morning I couldn't put any weight on it, so no chance of walking in.  It seems a little better now but I can still hardly walk.  They reckon I've strained some ligaments in my ankle and recomend that I don't walk on it for a few weeks.  I can't see that happening so i'll be in on Monday. 

And to top it all off I made myself a cup of tea after finally getting a chance to sit down.   Biscuit the bloody cat drank some.  Lovely.  I think i'll make another.

Last weekend I was mostly...

Got up Had breakfast
Sat in the sun reading
Had lunch
Sat in the sun reading
Had dinner
Sat in the bar drinking

We ended up getting a late deal on an all inclusive place in Tenerife.  The weather was great and we hand a really nice relaxing time.

25 donations

I've just given blood this morning and have come back with a lovely sliver badge.  It was my 25th donation today.  Not bad really, next target 50.  I was a little worried before going in as last time I gave blood I nearly fainted like a girl.  I'm fine today though.

Caught in the act

I left a pub earlier only to remember that i'd left my umbrella, I headed straight back only to find someone leaving with not only one umbrella but two.  The second being mine.  As soon as I saw him with it he handed it straight to me, he must have known it was mine.  What a cheeky git!  I was quite shocked so didn't say anything but wish I did.  What a stealing swine.

Isn't Corby great? Have a cheap pizza (you fat bastards)

http://www.northantset.co.uk/news/Why-we39re-loving-Corby-this.6616835.jp

 

 

Who would have though...?

Paloma Faith and Metallica on the same album.  Ray Davis of the Kinks fame.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/See-My-Friends-Ray-Davies/dp/B0043VCPV4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289164595&sr=8-1

 Fireworks and fire at Leigh fireworks.  A good night although I forgot to bring my Welles and the fireworks went on for far too long 30mins.  Good Thai curry afterwards too.