Hey!
I've been bad and not updated my Livejournal for ages... Thanks,
rebelfilms, for the nudge!
Came back from a week in Croatia on Saturday. That was really great. Very nice not to have the laptop with me and no computer access. We were sailing through the Cornati Islands, which are pretty remote. Lots of good meals out and loads of swimming.
Best bit was swimming at night in a little bay. There was this crazy thing called phosphorescence, which I'd heard about but never seen before. It really is incredible. As soon as you move in the water, all these little points of light appear around the part of you that's moving. So if you splash a bit, the whole sea seems to light up with little stars --- tiny, tiny points of light. It's some kind of microarganism in the water... I'm not entirely sure why they do it. Going to have to read up on it. Certainly an amazing experience, anyway.
Got back on Saturday... Plane to Manchester was almost two hours late, which would be fine except for that we'd booked another flight straight after to take me to Newquay for my aunt's 60th birthday party. We landed 40 mins before the next flight took off. It was a bit close -- I managed to get to checkin desk with 1 minute spare.
The party was fun. It was a surprise for my aunt. There was lots of music - my brother Alex and I played some songs (covers, which I don't normally really do - was a good experience). Also lots of food and drink. Got back to my parents' in Somerset at 4.30am in the morning (5.30am Croatian time, I guess).
Then spent 4 days in Somerset, working down there, before heading up to Manchester in time for Thursday evening. Was doing sound engineering / PA hire for a gig at Abode in Chorlton that night. Some really great people playing (all of whom I'd done sound for before, which I thought was quite random). On the bill were God's Little Eskimo, Lucy and the Caterpiller, and Gosamer Albatros. It was good to be involved with an event without actually playing in it or organising it. Also quite a few mates came down, which was good.
Yesterday pretty much spent all day working at my office in Manchester. Then went to meet Clare to give blood in the centre of Manchester. First time I'd ever done it (which is a bit rubbish, I know). Was fine. Chocolates and tea afterwards was good. Also, in the café bit at the blood place they had a copy of Holiday Villas Magazine, who I work for down in Somerset. Which is good to see. (Here's an online version the magazine, which I have just finished creating, coincidentally... one of the things I do as my day job!)
After that, we went to the Cornerhouse to pick up a T-shirt that Clare had won from them in a random film competition... But the people at the desk didn't know anything about it. Oops. We'll have to check back another time when they've actually been told about it!
Then we went drinking. Which is I think not what you're actually meant to do after giving blood. That was fun. And ate a big mexican meal in a place called Panama Hattie's... (eating in restaurants with puns in the title also isn't recommended, but this one is actually okay).
Wow - I actually did a LJ update. Excellent! I should do this more often! Hope everyone's well....
Tom
rebelfilms, for the nudge!
Came back from a week in Croatia on Saturday. That was really great. Very nice not to have the laptop with me and no computer access. We were sailing through the Cornati Islands, which are pretty remote. Lots of good meals out and loads of swimming.
Best bit was swimming at night in a little bay. There was this crazy thing called phosphorescence, which I'd heard about but never seen before. It really is incredible. As soon as you move in the water, all these little points of light appear around the part of you that's moving. So if you splash a bit, the whole sea seems to light up with little stars --- tiny, tiny points of light. It's some kind of microarganism in the water... I'm not entirely sure why they do it. Going to have to read up on it. Certainly an amazing experience, anyway.
Got back on Saturday... Plane to Manchester was almost two hours late, which would be fine except for that we'd booked another flight straight after to take me to Newquay for my aunt's 60th birthday party. We landed 40 mins before the next flight took off. It was a bit close -- I managed to get to checkin desk with 1 minute spare.
The party was fun. It was a surprise for my aunt. There was lots of music - my brother Alex and I played some songs (covers, which I don't normally really do - was a good experience). Also lots of food and drink. Got back to my parents' in Somerset at 4.30am in the morning (5.30am Croatian time, I guess).
Then spent 4 days in Somerset, working down there, before heading up to Manchester in time for Thursday evening. Was doing sound engineering / PA hire for a gig at Abode in Chorlton that night. Some really great people playing (all of whom I'd done sound for before, which I thought was quite random). On the bill were God's Little Eskimo, Lucy and the Caterpiller, and Gosamer Albatros. It was good to be involved with an event without actually playing in it or organising it. Also quite a few mates came down, which was good.
Yesterday pretty much spent all day working at my office in Manchester. Then went to meet Clare to give blood in the centre of Manchester. First time I'd ever done it (which is a bit rubbish, I know). Was fine. Chocolates and tea afterwards was good. Also, in the café bit at the blood place they had a copy of Holiday Villas Magazine, who I work for down in Somerset. Which is good to see. (Here's an online version the magazine, which I have just finished creating, coincidentally... one of the things I do as my day job!)
After that, we went to the Cornerhouse to pick up a T-shirt that Clare had won from them in a random film competition... But the people at the desk didn't know anything about it. Oops. We'll have to check back another time when they've actually been told about it!
Then we went drinking. Which is I think not what you're actually meant to do after giving blood. That was fun. And ate a big mexican meal in a place called Panama Hattie's... (eating in restaurants with puns in the title also isn't recommended, but this one is actually okay).
Wow - I actually did a LJ update. Excellent! I should do this more often! Hope everyone's well....
Tom