Weekly Quote - W/E 13/2/10

"Women were expected to have weak opinions; but the great safeguard of society and of domestic life was, that opinions were not acted on. Sane people did what their neighbours did, so that if any lunatics were at large, one might know and avoid them." - Middlemarch, George Eliot

Weekly Quote - W/E 06/02/10

"I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice - not because of his voice, or because he was the smallest person I ever knew, or even because he was the instrument of my mother's death, but because he is the reason I believe in God, I am a Christian because of Owen Meaney." - A Prayer For Owen Meaney, John Irving

Splinter Cell World Tour, part 4

With the fifth game now near to release I'm continuing my imaginary travels based on Sam Fisher's exploits in the first game of the series, after visiting Georgia the journey now takes him back to American soil.

Langley, Virginia

Country: U.S.A.
Area: 47.9 km2
Population: 38, 929
Language: English






Sam's next mission takes him to very dangerous ground, infiltrating the very headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency to gain information on the conspiracy going on within the government. The stealth element really ramps up in this mission as you are not supposed to be there at all, meaning you can't leave a trail of bodies behing, no matter how silently you dispatch them.

The name Langley is one I'm very familiar with from all the U.S. spy games and TV I've absorbed over the years, but I've very little other ideas about the place. For all intents and purposes the CIA HQ is the town's claim to fame. However it would still be great to go just to see the place and maybe get a tour of the ground floor or something. To be where secrets are held and important decisions are made would be an exciting thing I'm sure.

Other than that the town seems to be built up but fairly quiet and probably a pleasant place to visit. It is big enough to hold the publishing offices of USA Today, but from the scant information I've seen it's otherwise a leafy part of town which is good for a stroll after my exciting visit to CIA.

More soon.

Weekly Quote - W/E 30/1/10

"You're not buying only junk, you're buying junked lives. And more - you'll see - you're buying bitterness. Buying a plow to plow your own children under, buying the arms and spirits that might have saved you." - The Grapes Of Wrath, John Steinbeck

Weekly Quote - W/E 23/1/10

" ' But I don't want to go among mad people', Alice remarked.
'Oh you can't help that' said the cat: 'we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'
'How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice
'You must be' said the cat 'or you wouldn't have come here' " Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

Cambridge 2005

More random pics, these were taken on a visit to Cambridge in 2005 on a youth camp - I think it was the first time I'd been.

Weekly Quote - W/E 16/01/10

"I've gone past my sell-by date already. It gets hopeless when you get older than five or six. You've stopped being a cute little toddler and started to be difficult. And I'm not pretty either." - The Story of Tracy Beaker, Jaqueline Wilson

White death from above!

Aaaaaaah! It's still snowing, what are we going to do, how will we live...

oh wait, snow is actually quite fun, apparently you can build snowmen - even go sledging. Plus you get to stay off work (which is slightly less fun if you don't get paid I can say firsthand!) and be at home.

But oh no - it's a disaster according to the news as always, rather than five minutes of snowball fight footage and creating igloos we get the danger statistics, and if you're utterly cruel like ITV news, footage of a woman falling painfully after slipping on ice repeated in between every news item.

What I really hate is the bit where they do show the kiddies enjoying themselves and end with a pessimistic line like 'it might be fun for these youngsters, but many of us will be finding it hard to laugh this winter. Back to the studio." Euugh, leave 'em to their fun don't drag the innocent into your fearmongering!

Well these are unusual circumstances in that it has snowed on more than two consecutive occasions within the same month so that's panic stations for us, and a normal day for many many places in the world. But should the situation continue the BBC have issued some guidance.

The situation does give rise to some cool stuff like this classic image of what is now known as 'Frozen Britain'










































Have fun out there everyone, and above all stay safe.

Word of the post: snow –noun

1.	Meteorology. a precipitation in the form of ice crystals, mainly of intricately branched, hexagonal form and often agglomerated into snowflakes, formed directly from the freezing of the water vapor in the air.

2.	these flakes as forming a layer on the ground or other surface.

3.	the fall of these flakes or a storm during which these flakes fall.

Weekly Quote W/E 09/01/10

"Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buenida was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice." - One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez

A Christmas treat

Another great moment from working with kids - this one during a Christmas concert - the reading is taken (phonetically) from the book of Matthew

'After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Maggie from the east came to Jerusalem'


















Dontcha just love it?!!

Word of the post: Objective –noun

1.	something that one's efforts or actions are intended to attain or accomplish; purpose; goal; target: the objective of a military attack; the objective of a fund-raising drive.

Weekly Quote W/E 02/02/10

The first of 2010!

"I am become death" - Robert J. Oppenheimer

Had this one in my head for a while - fun one to start the year eh?

Merry New Year!

OK so Christmas has been and stuff - I'm not good with the whole punctuality, Christmas for me is a time of year where I'm actually too busy to be on the internet and I regard that as healthy and a worthy goal.

I really enjoyed Christmas - a traditional family affair as always, though my inner five year old is always disappointed at the dwindling stack of presents you get as an adult, that and the lack of a LEGO moonbase or somesuch! But it was a really good time spent with friends and family.

The highlight was of course getting a white Christmas, something we hadn't had in a while. This was made all the more fun for me because of a South African family who have moved into our area and who hadn't seen snowfall before - so introducing them to snowball fights, sledging etc. made it all the more magical.

New year was ok, hung out with a mate and played a long game of poker - New Year's things are difficult for me generally as I'm not too fond of drunk people or fireworks so there aren't many events that I can access - but nonetheless we had a good time.

Right as always it's time to reflect and look back - so let's pick out some highlights of my year's blogging!

My first 'random picture post' - I've really enjoyed digging around the 'My Pictures' folder and posting stuff this year.

Splinter Cell World Tour - my imaginary travels around the world started here.

My 200th post landmark

Some Political Commentary

Digital Kid - one of my first posts to get some attention of Facebook

Blog Action Day - I kinds missed it this year, but it's an important event on the bloggosphere


OK enough of that - how about some reolutions - please bear in mind that I'm making these up right now so salt at the ready folks.

1. Blog more - duh!

2. I will not buy Xbox games for more than £30 unless it's a must buy now title like Halo: Reach

3. Be more organised, not losing bills and important paperwork like my driving license

4. Get a full-time job

5. Keep on top of my Coke[tm] addiction

That'll do - have a good decade folks!

Word of the post: Elongated

1. Made longer; extended.

2. Having more length than width; slender.

Weekly Quote - W/E 19/12/09

"Tom had been offered the post of builder to the Exeter Castellan, repairing and improving the city's fortifications. It would have been a lifetime job, barring accidents, but Tom had turned it down, for he wanted to build another cathedral...once he had tasted that wine, Tom was never satisfied with anything else." - The Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follett

Weekly Quote - W/E 12/12/09

"And I was going to sea myself, to sea in a schooner, with a piping boatswain and pig-tailed singing seamen, to sea, bound for an unknown island, and to seek for buried treasure." - Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson

Snow through the ages - 2006

Hmm, I thought I had more pictures than this, but either the snow's been unimpressive recently or I keep forgetting to take pictures - actually yeah - I think we made a snow bear in 2007 but I don't have photos on my computer so maybe that didn't happen - but anyway, in 2006 we got very creative with our snow.
















Behold snowhenge!! This was meant to be a snowman, but after my sister and her friend used up all the snow in the garden, then make the 'body' by rolling snow down the entire length of our street resulting in a snowball about six feet tall and wide, there was no hope of moving the thing, let alone lifting it, so we cut the beast up and created snowhenge!!

We had had a coating several inches thick of snow, after this escapade -all that remained was...
















Later on there was more snowfall and again opportunities for creativity - with my sister again heading up the creation - this was produced.
















Mr Head - as he is affectionately known. Well that's it, if some white powdery snowball fodder falls this year I'll be sure to take a few pictures - word out people.

Word of the post: Quarantine –noun

1.	a strict isolation imposed to prevent the spread of disease.

Word of the post:

Abject

Thought I'd type it into Google images as well as Dictionary.com - see what I'd come up with, I was stuck for time!! Makes for a quick post when you've nothing else you can think of I guess.









–adjective

1.	utterly hopeless, miserable, humiliating, or wretched: abject poverty.

2.	contemptible; despicable; base-spirited: an abject coward.

3.	shamelessly servile; slavish.

4.	Obsolete. cast aside.

Weekly Quote - W/E 5/12/09

"It's a grand country for a man to live and work in, and good money, too. But it's a crook place for a woman." - A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute

XX

...is the name of a band.

I've no idea how it's meant to be said - 'ex-ex', 'double x', 'twenty'...

But they are pretty great as a band if you're after something a bit different. With quiet chilled-out songs and simple melodies they are easy to listen-to, but not easy-listening as you soon find yourself humming the songs, then remembering the words, then in a shop buying the album!

I'd definitely recommend them - here's the album cover for you to look out for and one of their songs to listen to as I'm not good at describing music.










Word of the post: Elegant –adjective

1. tastefully fine or luxurious in dress, style, design, etc.: elegant furnishings.
2. gracefully refined and dignified, as in tastes, habits, or literary style: an elegant young gentleman; an elegant prosodist.
3. graceful in form or movement: an elegant wave of the hand.
4. appropriate to refined taste: a man devoted to elegant pursuits.
5. excellent; fine; superior: an absolutely elegant wine.
6. (of scientific, technical, or mathematical theories, solutions, etc.) gracefully concise and simple; admirably succinct.

Stuf I've read recently 7

It has been a long time, even longer than usual since I did one of these, so long I barely remember writing about stuff I've read. It is mere weeks short of a whole year since I last posted so I'd better get cracking. In my defence I was on a very full-on teacher training course which barely left time to think, let alone read and I'm only just getting back into my already lax reading habits.

If you're my friend on Facebook you probably already know what I've been reading but on the off chance there's someone else reading here goes.

The Bible - God

My reading as taken me right through the rest of the New Testament up to Revelation, which I've just started reading. The letters of Paul, John and Peter are full of marvelous instruction and exploration of the truths told in the Gospel. To read the words of great Christian leaders to the real Christians of the day, all the while knowing that God is breathing his Scripture through them, intending it to be read by us is humbling and inspiring.

Holy Sonnets of the Twentieth Century - Don Carson

A collection of poems in the aforementioned form expounding on a number of topics from the Bible, each accompanied with relevant verses. A useful way to dip into the truths of scripture in an interesting and accessible form

Neverwhere (Graphic Novel adaptation) - Neil Gaiman

I really enjoyed this rather loopy tale of one man's journey into London's 'underworld' where the strangest characters dwell, unseen by the masses, and where there really are sheperds at sheperds bush and a key player in the world is an Angel called Islington. The idea of this fantasy world that is just beyong our own is magnificently portrayed and the characters are appropriately 'different' while also recognizable as heroes, villains etc. The story is also a clever exposition of homelessness as it discusses the people who live on the streets of London who we simply do not see.

Star Wars Underworld: The Yavin Vassilika - Mike Kennedy

A short side story about a quest by the Rebels, the Empire and a trio of rival Hutt lords, manipulated and controlled by their 'slaves' for a rare and powerful item called the Yavin Vassilika. Various hunters and smugglers are called in, including the notorious Boba Fett, and a pre-New Hope Han Solo - you can guess who wins but the story does have plenty of twists and surprises in the running.

Planetary Vol 1 and 2 - Warren Ellis

Planetary is a superb series which manages to merge many classic Sci-Fi elements into a completely original story. Expertly drawn by Jon Cassaday the story is about a group of supehero arhceologists who don't fight crime, battle supervillains or alien threats, though they have their fair share of action don't worry! They investigate the hidden world, all the thing that have gone on behind the scenes, the cover ups, the truth behind ghost stories, digging up interdimensional devises and travelling to monster filled islands all the while uncovering a larger consiparacy. Well worth reading for the intrigue, superb characters and giant space ants!!

The End League vol 1: The Ballad of Big Nothing - Rick Rememder

Another new take on the superhero genre, this time set in a post-apocalyptic world where millions of people have abilities and their human nature has made the vast majority cowards and villains who serve despotic leaders like Dead Lexington or the Smiling Man. Yet one band of heroes remains, hiding for the most part but striking against the darkness when they can - they are the End League. When the characters make one desperate attempt to do good they lose more than they can imagine, yet discover one thing that could give them hope - the hammer of Thor. The characters are familiar such as flying super-strength 'Astonishman' or spider based 'Arachnakid' but their setting is a far darker world and their story is new and powerful.

Call for the Dead - John Le Carre

I caught this in a John le Carre series on BBC radio with dramatisations and readings. I really enjoyed this first one, though I unfortunately lost track of the other broadcasts. The spy George Gently is very interesting as he is an older man, not attractive (he is referred to as frog in an interior dialogue with his ex-wife) and his main background was as a trainer of other agents. Yet this makes him more real in ways and the danger to him more potent. The story was well-written and captivating and worth a look at.

Doctor Who Short Trips: Indefinable Magic - Caleb Woodbridge et al

My first purchasing venture into Doctor Who fiction, I have picked up some free audio dramas but that's about it. I bought this because my friend Caleb is the author of one of the short stories collected in this volume. I really enjoyed this collection of stories with the various Doctor incarnations and companions with a wide variety of stories and adventures as well as different writing styles. If you want to 'dip in' to Doctor Who fiction, a collection of original adventures like this is a great way to start.

OK those are the books I picked up during the past almost year, here are the 'main books' I was reading, in addition to the Christian stuff.

Strange Places, Questionable People - John Simpson

The autobiography of one of the foremost foreign reporters in the world and of his tumultuous love affair with the BBC. The story goes from how he audaciously applied for a job he didn't believe he'd get and from then on carved a career in some of the most exciting and diverse aspects of news reporting. Through planning and large amount of luck he has found himself in the front line of many key conflicts and global events and his story provides as much insight into the changing world as does his broadcasting.

Children of Dune - Frank Herbet

The third book in the Dune series detailing the political and religious machinations of the desert world of Arrakis where giant worms produce the spice that is central to the economy of an Empire spanning many worlds. There has been ecological transformation on Dune, starting the transformation of it into a lush world, but this is slowly killing the worms and threatening the whole of the Empire. Leto and Ghanima, heirs tot he throne and born with all the memories of their anscestors hatch a desperate plan to move against the rulers and move the Empire on a new path. The Dune books are notoriously heavy, but once you get into them the detail and minutiae build up a remarkable world and an exciting story.

OK - that is actually it, my next post should come sooner because two of the books I'm reading are on loan!!

Word of the post: Fray –noun

1.	a fight, battle, or skirmish.

2.	a competition or contest, esp. in sports.

3.	a noisy quarrel or brawl.

Weekly Quote - W/E 28/11/09

"It sometimes happens that a woman is handsomer at twenty-nine that she was ten years before; and, generally speaking, if there has been neither ill health nor anxiety, it is a time of life at which scarcely any charm is lost." - Persuasion, Jane Austen