30th NaBloPoMo Post

This is my final NaBloPoMo post for 2007. The badge says it all...



Actually, on checking I see that this is my 31st post - I must have posted twice in one day earlier in the month.

NaBloPoMo - Did It!

This is the last post for NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month - Post every day for the month of November. That's all you have to do).

I did it (if you don't count the fact that I didn't hear about this until 2nd November - I'm counting my Hallowe'en post as 1st November).

Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible - back to irregular blogging...

Santa Dash

I'm taking part in the Liverpool Santa Dash.

Myself and 6,999 other jolly Santas jogging through the streets of Liverpool early on a Sunday morning.

A couple of work colleagues roped me into it, as they've done it for the past couple of years. (Here's a site that shows photos of last years event)

I'm picking up my costume tomorrow.

Should be a laugh (Ho! Ho! Ho!) - I'll take my camera.

Chris Moyles

Tuning into Radio 1 this morning, on the way into work, he said that he was broadcasting from Liverpool on his tour of the north.

If you're a Lardy Loud Mouthed DJ Stalker, he's staying in the Malmaison hotel.

I passed a tour van, parked in the car park, and his tour bus is now parked outside the hotel.

7% and Rising

Since Novelist Supermum isn't available (see previous post) to promote her new sci-fi,futuristic romance novel, this post creates a small amount of publicity for it.

Hospital Trip

Having a bit of a weird day today. It's supposed to be a 'study day', working from home. Unfortunately Novelist Supermum's hangover on Sunday has developed into serious back and stomach pains, so I took her to the G.P. this morning, who then had me rush her into hospital.

She's having a load of tests and scans today, so I'm running around like a blue arsed fly dealing with the kids, and sorting out a minder (Grandma) for the rest of the week.

She's got a book release tomorrow - I'll have to contact her publisher to tell them that she's not going to be available for any promo.

Sounds like I've sat on my phone again. An old pal just sent me an email to ask me "hows things?". He's had a voicemail that lasts for ages and sounds like me talking to the kids.

Children's Novels

Began the tidy up of the house in preparation for Xmas today.

This wasn't helped by a sore head, and a weary body, due to a number of bottles of Staropramen in the Everyman Bistro on Saturday Night.

Got the bulk of the Xmas shopping out of the way on Saturday afternoon. Only a few people left to buy for.
Spent an enjoyable couple of hours in the children's book section at Borders, leafing through novels by the likes of Anthony Horowitz, Eoin Colfer, Roald Dahl etc.

There's a fantastic range of children's action, adventure novels and fantasy these days. I do still buy them (or have them bought for me) as I enjoy a good lightweight, escapist. read. I spotted a new book called Iron Hand by Charlie Fletcher, which is a sequel to Stoneheart - both of which look promising.

Late Night / Early Morning Ditty

With apologies to Judas Priest - here's a little ditty to keep up my efforts for National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo)

Posting after midnight,
Surfing till the dawn,
Geeking till the morning,
Then I Yawn, Yawn Yawn

Blogcrowds Problem Resolved

Looks like they've fixed the Blogger Template problem at Blogcrowds.

SWAT and Viz

The film that we're watching on five US tonight is called SWAT.

Apparently it's based on a '70's TV series. I don't ever remember seeing it - perhaps it was on "the other channel" :)

The film is utter pants - but entertaining all the same. It's reminded me of Viz comic's SWANT team (Special Weapons and NO Tactics) , which prompted me to look up this trip down memory lane of Viz characters

Blogger Template Problem at Blogcrowds

Something's up with the blogger templates at blogcrowds (all of their templates are generating a "bandwidth exceeded" image) so I've had to switch to this layout/colour scheme for the time being.

Missing Discs

Following today's news headline, it didn't take some wit very long to post an advert to sell two data discs on ebay.

Sledgehammer by Night

Got back early from work, and found our friendly landscape gardener hard at work breaking the last of the concrete in the back yard/soon to be a back garden.

I gave him a hand, taking a few turns with the sledgehammer. It's quite fun doing this when the day light is fading, since the sledgehammer creates sparks as it whacks the concrete.

Cardboard Guitar

Frodo had a school project to make a musical instrument. We took an old tissue box, some elastic bands, a piece of card, paint and stickers to create this ornate little axe.
Samwise joined in and made a couple of shakers.

Decisive Action

As an office worker I regularly have to make tough decisions.

Do I iron all of my shirts for the following week, or do I just iron a shirt at a time, as I need them?

I'm on the early shift next week, so to save a little time in the morning's I've opted for the former.

Family Occasions

Sisters Birthday yesterday and Parents Silver Wedding Anniversary (Mother and Step-Dad) last week. Will be meeting up with Bro' & Sis' (and their families) and taking Parents out for a celebratory meal tonight.

An Honest Mechanic?

Driving home from work yesterday, I spotted a car in front of me with large lettering on the rear window that said "Warning, bits may fall off!".

I wondered what this was about? I could see that the car had a company logo on it.

As I drew nearer I saw that the car belonged to a Mobile Mechanic!

Either somebody's having a laugh, and he doesn't know, or he's just a bit too honest for the good of his business.

Steam Punk Ray Gun

Visited Worlds Apart and Forbidden Planet on my lunch break, to see if they had any Dr Who figures that we hadn't got yet for the kids.

Whilst browsing around Forbidden Planet I came across a limited edition (number 471 out of 500) Steam Punk Ray Gun that they had for sale.

No marked price, and I strongly suspect that it's non-functional (although the makers website does say that in the event of malfunction it doubles as a wonderful cudgel).

Bad Joke

There's a chap at work who is notorious for puns and the telling of bad jokes.

Here's an example:

When I was with my last company I was driving up the motorway and my boss phoned me and he told me I’d been promoted.

I was so shocked I swerved the car.

He phoned me again to say I’d been promoted even higher and I swerved again.

He then made me Managing Director and I went right off into a tree.

The police came and asked me what had happened. I said “I careered off the road.”

GROAN!

Monkey Nuts

Grandma Gandalf bought us a packet of "Monkey Nuts" a week or two ago.
We got about half way through them and put the rest in the cupboard.

She's bought us another packet, so I've taken this one to work to share out.
They're going down well - nobody has had these treats for a while. There's peanut shells all over the office.

There's some amusing labelling on the packet.

Ingredients: Peanuts and Shells 100%
WARNING! May contain Nuts.