Magazine have reformed!!!

Check their Myspace page here...

Regards,


djp

Unashamed to say...

...I went out and bought the News Of The World today, but only so I could get the free Life On Mars DVD. The paper went straight in the bin...:-)

Regards,


djp

Janus

Today's my birthday. 46 today. Yay.

Some people I used to know were fans of horoscopes and would try to apply the alleged character traits associated with persons born under particular zodiac signs to actual people they knew who were born under those signs. Thus, in my case, being a Capricorn, I was supposed to be a cautious, considered, "political" type of person. Not so sure if that is the case with me, but then maybe I'm too close to the subject to take an objective view.

But one thing I can say for a fact:- if the month of January was named after the Roman god Janus, then, on the basis of a particular habit of mine, I could only ever have been born in January.

What do I mean by this? A few examples:-

1. I'm 46 today ( I know, "Yay"). I started work when I was just about 18 years old, say 28 years ago. In 28 years time, if I'm still alive, I'll be 74 years old, which will be three years older than my father was when he died and around four years younger than my mother was when she died. In those few sentences, I've spanned 56 years - longer than I've lived. Since I can remember starting work like it was only yesterday, will I feel the transition to 74 like it will be "only tomorrow"?
2. Similarly, I will reach retirement age in 19 years. Around 19 years ago, Elder Daughter was born. Can I honestly say that at 27 years of age, I ever gave serious consideration to retirement? No, but I will reach that landmark soon enough. It'll certainly feel as quick a canter through life as the journey from being a new parent to paying university bills.

I have this compulsion to put myself at the centre of a particular scenario and count the years backwards and forwards from this particular point in time. I find myself thinking, almost simultaneously, "where did the time go?" and "where is the time going?".

Not that this is anything to get depressed about. But it does bring home the fact that time is only running in one direction, that there is a limited amount of it available, and that ever day you live is one day less that is available to live. So "get on with your short life", as Brian Kennedy might say.

Having said that, a person I know is currently recovering from a heart bypass. On the assumption that the op was required to prevent imminent death, then every day that person lives is a day extra. Until the days run out, of course. But you have to think that this gives one a new perspective on life. Provided the op is a success, that is...

Regards,


djp

2008 vs 2009

Here's how I did with last year's New Year Resolutions:-

1. To eat sushi for the first time - OUTCOME - cracked it! Elder Daughter and I put our lives in our hands and gave it a lash. Not bad. Not something I'd try everyday, but at least I can say I did it - finally...
   
2. To get to see Arsenal play at least once this year - OUTCOME - did it. Unfortunately, Arsenal's season so far has been shite, so I hope I didn't jinx them by turning up on the day...:-)
   
3. To visit a country I've never been to before (this one is looking good...) - OUTCOME - mission accomplished - Czech Republic and Poland. Not a bad haul, really.
   
4. To start cycling again as soon as the weather improves (this one is not looking good...) - OUTCOME - abject failure. I did manage to get a few runs up to Portumna Forest Park, but the weather was so bad this year (particularly during the summer) that I might as well have stayed at home. Disappointing...:-(
   
5. To generally get the oul' bod a bit more together - OUTCOME - total disaster. If anything, I've gone "backwards" if you know what I mean. Frankly, I don't know why I bother at this stage.
   
6. To move house - OUTCOME - didn't swing it this year.
   
7. To either change my car or keep it for longer - OUTCOME - kept it, so I guess that counts as "boo-yah!"
8. To have a better year at work than I had last year (which wasn't bad, but had its "moments") - OUTCOME - 2008 was marginally better than 2007. Had a flat patch in the middle of the year but ended pretty good.
9. To see friends more - OUTCOME - some small successes, but must try harder
   
10. To stop wrecking me own head - OUTCOME - absolute failure - definitely must try harder!!!
    

And as for 2009:-

1. To get to see Arsenal play at least once this year - unlikely this year, as the mortgage for our new house will start kicking-in, so self-indulgent skites like popping over to the Emirates may have to be deferred for a while - we'll see...
   
2. To visit a country I've never been to before - this one is not looking good as the economy takes a downturn and budgetary expenditure has to be reined-in...
   
3. To start cycling again as soon as the weather improves (this one is not looking good...)
4. To generally get the oul' bod a bit more together
5. To move house
6. To either change my car or keep it for longer
7. To have a better year at work than I had last year
   
8. To see friends more
9. Not to volunteer to do anything for anyone under any circumstance - I had two scenarios in 2008 where I offered my services, as it were. Both scenarios ended rather awkwardly. The situation will not be repeated.
   
10. To stop wrecking me own head

That will do for now...

Regards,


djp

My Top 10 iPod tracks - 01/01/2009

1. (-) - She Said (live) - Barclay James Harvest
2. (7) - Light Of Your Love - Carlene Carter
3. (-) - Le Garage - The Futureheads
4. (-) - The One In Seven (XFM session) - Jah Wobble
5. (-) - When I Close My Eyes - Natacha Atlas
6. (-) - Good Bait - Nina Simone
7. (-) - One Train - Pete Francis
8. (1) - Death and Night and Blood (Yukio) - The Stranglers
9. (2) - No Way Of Knowing - A. Tent
10. (3) - She Really Wants You (acoustic version) - Aimee Mann

Regards (and Happy New Year),

djp