The Youth of Today

On the way to the post office to collect my pension I came across this vehicle, carelessly parked after what looked like an accident (note hole in bonnet and loose headlight). The driver was clearly under the influence as they left the roof down on a rainy day, and gave scant regard for the authority of "no parking" signs.

I don't know what they're teaching these kids in school these days, but when i was young, we at least parked parallel to the kerb when we abandoned vehicles.

Rugby? What Rugby?

I heard there was a rugby match on in Cardiff today, Wales vs. Italy. I only know this because we were giving away tickets in the union last night in exchange for dunking people in a tub of murky water.

Obviously I had to make it seem to my welsh cousins that I was taking an interest in the sport that was happening less than half a mile from my front door, so under the cover of darkness I crept into town.

...and took some photos of buildings.

I feel so patriotic, I may shed a tear.

30th Post!

It's not your usual milestone, its not as impressive as 50 or 100 posts, but since I started this blog I wondered how long I would keep it up for. 


At first I thought maybe it would be a summer thing, just something to help me report back to people about my many, many adventures. Then it became a way of getting my thoughts and observations into the big wide world. 


Now though, I try and use it to share interesting bits and pieces that I find lying around, hopefully some stuff will interest you, but if not, please hang up and try again.

Oh...

If music be the food of love, steal it!

I've been trying to put some video or a photo with my blog posts, but sometimes you just feel the need to share something else, some music, a sound, a rousing monologue perhaps.

Seeing as millions are made each day hosting videos and photos on the web, surely there is an audio equivalent of photobucket, or youtube. but apparently not!

I've been wanting to share this song by a young american singer/songwriter for a while but try as i might, I couldn't find any sites that wanted to host my file in a simple photobucket-like way. In the end i created a new folder on my website server so that i could share sounds with the world.

This is a song called Smile by Kaylin Alexis, i randomly found her on myspace, like a couple of other artists i've been honoured to listen to.

Big Brother is watching...

I've always had a book by my bed for the last few years. They've  mainly consisted of bill bryson, random books bought just because I liked the cover, or biographies of soldiers, pilots, generals, etc.

It occurred to me just before Christmas, that there are one or two books which have always eluded my increasing pile of bedtime reading, one of which is Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell. So when it came time for the annual pilgrimage to Waterstones a
week before Christmas, i was determined to get it. And get it I did.

I'm just over halfway through it now and it's quite a chilling tale of what the world could become like if governments turned from their current paranoid "nanny" state, to a more controlling "big brother" state, run on media spin and oppression.

If you haven't read it I heartily recommend it! Though maybe not so much if you have an abduction complex or a fear of alternate pasts...

Asleep

Asleep
Originally uploaded by WierdyBeardy

The internet can be a strange place sometimes.

I uploaded this photo of me yesterday evening on flickr, but somehow it has already become the most viewed image in my collection.
I'm not sure what people find intriguing about it, are they looking for an interesting back story? do they think there will be some deep and meaningful reason for this picture to be taken at all?

Personally I'm baffled.

TED - -Ideas Worth Spreading

"TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design."

Ever since I discovered TED last year, i have been watching videos on subjects so far ranging and  numerous that it excites me to think that there is so much potential, passion and knowledge in this world.
The other day i watched a video of a performance of a Theremin and an explanation about its history and construction, before that i watched a video where a designer and innovator was showing a prototype phone that hangs around the neck and has a built in camera and projector, to enable instant information relating to anything its pointed at. One use was for finding your way, you can turn on google maps, project it onto a surface and, using finger gestures as seen on the iPhone but also in Minority Report, you can zoom in, out, drag, drop, right click on items and find information about businesses, amongst a host of other things.


The latest video from TED was an 18 minute talk by Clifford Stoll. I had no idea when i clicked to watch the video what the topic was, the only clue was in the title "18 minutes with an agile mind". It ended up being an amazingly entertaining and informative talk by a physicist that im sure most people have never heard of, but who managed to leap through about 5 different topics before coming to a climax with the actual topic of his talk. But to find out what that is, you'll have to watch it yourself. :)

Behind The Scenes

Earlier this year I attempted to add another feather to my cap by trying my hand at filming and producing a behind the scenes video for a 2-day music video shoot by Silvertip Films for an upcoming female artist that goes by the name Hashell.

I filmed on a Sony Z1 and used Sony wireless lapel mics for the interviews. The video was created to show the process of making the music video and to show the production companies work.

Have a butchers





to see the music video this was shot for CLICK HERE

Christmas without batman

robin
Originally uploaded by WierdyBeardy

My first year as a "real" adult, having recently graduated was an interesting one, partly becuase i had no real terms to judge holidays by, and also because my family's christmas day wouldn't be the traditional affair it has always been.

It happens to nearly every family, but it felt strange this year that my older sister wasn't around on christmas day, and i didnt see my older brother at home. We also went to visit my auntie instead of staying at home for christmas day, which brought its own adventure. (If at first you don't see the road, try going further before turning around and approacing from the other side of town)

There wasn't any real snow to talk of in cardiff, just a light fall that turned into ice overnight, but in milford there was good crunchy stuff, and i took the opportunity to take some pictures of this rare event.

While i was on the common a robin came and landed on a branch by my head, i hadn't expected a robin to come so close and even when he hopped away he didn't go ar so i tried to take some pictures of him. He must have known what i was up to because he barely gave me any time to focus and frame up before he hopped off somewhere else!

After a few minutes though i managed to get this picture, which i think is a cracking shot of a cheeky little fat bird.