3rd run of the week this morning

No toilet issues but my old phone failed on the tracking side of things.  Not sure why the GPS wasn't working but every five minutes were disturbed by the message you have been running for x minutes and have covered 0.00 miles at an average speed of 0 /mph.  Quite demoralising really.  Hopefully i'll get my phone back in a week or so.

My phone's completely dead now

I've contacted the insurance company and am not impressed so far.  They've asked me to provide proof of purchase etc which I did this morning and in speaking to them found out that it will take up to 2 days before they send out the details of how I can return the phone to get repaired / returned.

Not good.  Over the years i've had a handful of phone insurance claims and  so far this is one of the worst experiences so far.  If everything goes as expected i've just wasted a weekend where I could have sent off my phone to get sorted.

What a numb nuts

Dropped my phone today, doh! Only last week I decided not to renew my policy (it would have been covered my bank account), but I'm on cover so have made my claim. Bloody annoying though as I'm in the process of moving to a sim only deal and this will only delay things.  Hopefully, i'll get the replacement / repaired done before the Pac code runs out.

Second run of the week

And nearly had my first Paula Radcliffe moment. I had to cut the exercise short and walk home very quickly.

Garden update

I think they must have used napalm to get rid of the weeds in the back garden. Now to get them in again and make it look pretty.

My run this morning

I'm feeling a bit stiff now but here's the run I did this morning before work.

A bit creepy

I received this e-mail from Fullers this morning.  A bit creepy don't you think?  It's like they're watching me.  Or worse judging me for going to the pub after work.

Then I realised that i'd signed into their free wifi so they knew exactly where I was.

Stu Gardens (not quite as impressive as Kew)

After what has been far too long we've finally got round to getting people round to sort out the garden.  Or at least clear it up before the real work can start.  I did a good hour or so last Sunday but did not have much fun, With no exaggeration I was stung about 40 times by nettles and various other nastys plus it was 30C+ degrees outside so nearly died of that too.

2 guys for 3 hours this morning for £131.  I haven't seen their efforts yet (photos to follow when I get in tonight).  After that we're going to get people round to properly sort it once and for all.  I'm thinking big raised beds with low maintenance flowers / bushes and a newly laid lawn.  Fingers crossed we can get it all sorted out by the time I celebrate my 37th birthday (fuck me- i'm getting old) over the August bank holiday weekend.

Just ordered a new home brew kit

Hopefully i'll get it delivered before the weekend so I can kick it off for my birthday weekend.  I will be calling upon April to design me a label for the bottles...

I last made my own beer (cider) when I first moved into Tonbridge about 8 years ago.  The first attempt went well and tasted fairly drinkable.  The second one was terrible but I think that was more down to me not paying as much attention to the instructions as I should have.  Especially with the disinfecting...  It was revolting and probably not that safe to drink.

I'll give TM Lewin a try

I bought a suit and a spare pair of trousers online from House of Fraser last week and tried it on for the first time this morning.  I should have guessed why it was cheap.  The trousers weren't lined.  This wouldn't have been a problem on it's own but due to my manly, muscular rugby playing legs the material was far too tight round my legs.  Doh!  I'll have to take it back tomorrow.

In the mean time i've ordered another, this time from TM Lewin.  Fingers crossed this will fit.

I'm ordering them online rather than trying them on in a shop as I absolutely hate clothes shopping.  I used to go to Austin Reed with April there to hold my hand until I tried ordering on line once and it fitted perfectly (my standards aren't that high). Now Austin Reed has gone into receivership i've had to go elsewhere.

It stems from the "Can I help you" when I first walk in.  I can't stand it.  In the past i've walked out straight away.  I'm not sure where my phobia comes from.  I'm not particularly shy but I do hate talking to people I don't know.  Mingling at a party or networking at work are my two joint worst nightmares.

Scanning through the channels

Spotted what I thought could have been something interesting to watch. I was mistaken.

Glow worm spotting

 

Here's the torches I brought to the pub with me last night.  It was a good 35 mins walk and mostly in the dark so was certainly needed.

Walking we spotted a few glow worms.  I didn't know the UK had any.

25 mins to get my PAC code

The lady did try to get me to stay but told her that unless the deal was going to be amazing then I was going to leave anyway as i'd already been on hold for 25 mins and wasn't in the mood for haggling.  She didn't haggle.  Back to Giff Gaff for me then.

Date night turned movie night

Our regular date night turned into a movie night last night and it was April's turn to choose.  After the first 5 of her films were not available on Netflix (must be something down to her taste in films) we settled down to watch Northern Soul.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1837613/?ref_=nv_sr_1

My interest was perked when I saw that Steve Coogan was in it.  Unfortunately only for a couple of scenes.

It was good though, it was set up tut north back in the 70s so had a bit of Kes about it.  I quipped that they probably didn't need to make a set for half of the street scenes as they won't have changed much since they were originally built. Shithole then, shithole now.

The film is about a couple of lads trying to save enough money to go to America so that they can buy as yet unheard soul music to take back to the UK.  Not bad.

IMDB rating: 6.4 (2505 votes)
SC Rating: 6.9 (1 vote)
April rating: Probably about an 8 (1 vote)

One for Steve

A game for Steve to play whilst waiting for his delayed trains.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-36825721

10 year anniversary of the friend spreadsheet

Last week was the 10th anniversary of me starting up my 'Friends' spreadsheet.

For those not aware, I started keeping track of my friendship with various people I knew by scoring them a rating of 1 - 10 each week.  I now have 524 entries!

People have come and gone in this data set but there is a good core of 10+ that have been scored consistently over the past 10 years.  It also includes the occasional note as to why i've suddenly scored them a 6 when the previous week I gave them a 9.  All interesting reading i'm sure...

Why do I do it you ask?  I can't remember exactly why I started but I imagine it came out of me being annoyed with one or two people in the past.  Many people might think i'm not like this but i'm actually very forgiving in nature.  After the initial annoyance with any situation I generally revert back to my norm with most relationships within a day or two and tend not to think about it again.

Noticing this, I felt it was unfair on me and unfair on other friends that might want or deserve more of my attention by constantly forgiving people.  By keeping track of such things it's allowed me to use pseudo science to review certain friendships from time to time.  I haven't not stayed in touch with anyone due to this but have certainly pulled back on my interactions occasionally.

Before i'm judged too harshly on this, you all do it internally without knowing it, some are better at it than others.  It may even be unintentional, where you gradually over time lose touch with people that were once good friends.  But everybody does it.  I'm not unique, but out of all my friends I think i'm one of the few that consistently tries to stay in touch and to see what everyone else is up to.

Below are some of the your scores tracked over time

Current average score of the friends I track = 8.89 / 10 keep up the good work.  This is a high of 9.71 (Feb 16) and a low of 6.54 (July 2006). * This is only looking at the current live set of friends.

If you would like to know your own particular score please let me know and i'll arrange a time where we can have your appraisal...

Interesting demographics of the new Ghostbusters film

http://gb.imdb.com/title/tt1289401/ratings?ref_=tt_ov_rt

I knew there was a certain backlash about having a female only leading cast but this score is a little ridiculous.  IMDB 5.2.

Looking into how this breaks down your average male gave it 4.5 out of 10.  Your average female voter gave it 8.1.

I know the overall vote is not far from my earlier vote of 6.3 but come on.  The internet is very retarded at times.  You can always discard a few idiots that only review films as a 0 or a 10 but this is really stupid.

I don't see myself as representative of the people but the scale of disparity between the sexes is far too big.  In reality the film is not great, but not bad either.  Perhaps an average of mine and April's vote would be more appropriate. 6.7 / 10.

I decree, from now on all 'out of 10' votes should be decided upon a straight average between myself and April.  Perhaps the general election and referendum should have been done this way too.

More people into the gaming fold

I don't think we'll get them to play War on Terror, Fortune and Glory or Zombiecide anytime soon but we've added another few friends into the gaming 'scene'.  That'll make it 6 in total.

Too hot for some

Poor old girl. We reckon she's about 17 years old now.  I think she needs a bath and would have liked it in the hot weather.  April disagreed.

Dinner party meat

3kg of pork leg (pulled pork) for Saturday's dinner party.  It took 6 hours to cook!

My baby

This is our friend's new puppy Lilly.  I lovely French Bulldog with flatulence.   Isn't she lovely? 

Ouch! That was pricey

We made an impromptu trip to our local cinema last night and it cost a bloody fortune.

There were rumblings in the not to distant past that Tonbridge was to get it's own cinema but that doesn't seem to be materialising any time soon so our closest is an Odeon on the outskirts of Tunbridge Wells.

2 Premier tickets cost us a total of £31.90, and when you add that to the cost of a couple of packets of chocolate, a large drink and a large popcorn it came to almost £45!

Jeez!

The film was fine though, Ghostbusters.  I gave it 6.3 / 10, April gave it 7 / 10.  It was funny in parts and good to see all the surviving cast show up for cameos with the notable exception of Rick Moranis.  Shame.

Photos from last night's gig

They're our friend's band (ex band members of one of April's bands), Power Corruption and Lies.  And very good too.

It took me ages today to rub off the stamp on my hand we were given to note that we'd paid entry.  It was pretty powerful ink.  That didn't stop me spotting the fact that I must have slept on my hand as I spotted the reverse on my left bicep. 

Heated conversation in the lift this morning

The lift to work this morning was busy but it was made even more claustrophobic by the heated conversation between a Brexiter and a Remainer.  The Brexiter overheard a conversation where the Remainer must have said something disparaging against Brexiters so he butted in saying he was fed up with Remainers claiming that all Brexiters were morons.  The Remainer argued back.  I don't think they even knew each other.

This continued till my floor on the 10th.  I should have stayed in till the 12th to see if there was going to be a punch up.

I feel like i've lost £80

Bloody Portugal.  At least I won £20 so got my stake back and £10.  It so easily could have been £100 and £90 profit.

Boo!

A long way to go

Once it's finished it's due to be one of the biggest in the city. A long way to go then, some of them have 40+ stories!

Well, that's a turn up for the books

I should have won player of the year, but that went to the son of the captain who played his last game ever (age 18). Cough...

It was full of what we assume was whiskey.

Is this appropriate?

Man with his shoes off on the train yesterday morning. The answer is no. Definitely not.

Another one bites the dust

Another one of my favourite grotty city pubs has been revamped. They are trying to win me over with free food and drinks. It's the same landlord though so I hope he still plays rock music.

First kill of the summer

Woke up early this morning to head a bath.  Got quite a shock seeing this on the floor. Bloody cats. I thought they were too old as they haven't killed anything in ages.

Summer discounted wood

Got 20% off my latest delivery of wood last week but forgot that I'd actually have to stack it myself. Doh! Really not what I needed after a hectic week or so at work.

Yesterday's antics

Yesterday we popped to a local bazaar.  Which sold a load of stuff from India.

We also went to a semi local vineyard where we bought some fancy sparking wine.

Would have been nice

Nearly bought this coffee table yesterday. It would have been very nice but when we got home and measured up it would have been far too big.  Shame.

It baffles me

Why would you only get half your head done?

50p for (almost) free

After Kris mentioned google opinion rewards to me last weekend I thought i'd give it a go.

First survey

Q1 Are you a parent?  A1 No.

End of Survey

They've now credited my google account with 50p.

Brilliant.  Much better than Yougov.  I think it took me 5 years to get the required points to get my £50!