The Future
"You've
just a got a computer, why don't you embrace this technology to the
full and do a blog? There's normally something happening in your life."
Well is true, I have just got a pc and all the stuff that comes with it.The waiting around all day for it to be delivered, which it then doesn't, phoning the company after 6pm only to find that they keep office hours for this type of thing.Although they would have been happy to sell me some more stuff at that time. Having finally tracked down the the damned thing, I decided once it was up and running to fire off a letter of compliant as after all delivery shouldn't have to included me trailing round a shabby industrial park on a Saturday and then missing most of SoccerAM, including Barry Proudfoot. I had the wording in my head, all I need to do was type it up and print it off. This proved to be harder then imagined as the printer that was sent with the pc was missing a small yet vital piece of equipment, a USB cable. For those of you with lives, it links the printer to the box and enables printing to be done. This would appear to be standard practice in the computer world. The best analogy I can think of is buying a car only to find that the steering wheel needs to be purchased separately at a location several miles away that is only accessible via motor vehicle.
As is normally the case in situations like this I ended up getting several off a bloke at work, "You can never have too many of these mate" and how right he was proved when I was contacted just after noon on Boxing Day by one of my friends requesting an emergency USB cable. Computer and printer companies get it sorted!!
I'll get round to describing my xmas shenanigans next time. It might be that blogging is the future, everyone can have a rant, get stuff off their chest and then settle down with a warm milk drink.
Published Date:
03/01/2007
Modified Date:
09/07/2009
Travel Broadens
mainly it would seem, the waist. You eat big in America; whether you want to or not. It's all about value for money. If the plate ain't full words will be had. A few meals stick in the mind from my recent trip to America. The burger from In & Out in Merced, Ca. A few drinks had been consumed and time was marching on. The bouncer outside the bar we'd been in pointed us in the direction of the place and we weren't disappointed. The burgers were cooked to order and are a cut above the usual fayre found in Maccy Ds or BK.
It was in Vegas that the food surpassed itself. Firstly in Gallagher's Steakhouse at the New York New York. I've walked past the original Gallagher's in NYC, 52nd St & 8th Av, and seen its glass meat lockers which can be viewed from the street. I booked us into the Las Vegas version. I shared a deep fried calmari starter which hit the spot. The main course was the food of champions, a dry aged New York sirloin cooked rare. So tasty, cut like butter. Heaven. I had a side of onion rings but with a piece of meat as big as I got they weren't really needed. I've never had any complaints about the Circus Circus Steakhouse but Gallagher's just took it to the next level.
I'd also discovered that the hotel we were staying in had a branch of Hash House Ago Go. I'd first discovered this place via the tv show Man v Food. It serves classic American diner foods with with an emphasis on breakfasts, although anything seems to be available for breakfast. I'd recommended this place and most of my holiday buddies breakfasted here more than once I only managed one visit myself due to over stuffing during previous meals. I had a tenderloin pork hash, served with scrambled eggs and a biscuit, which is really a plain scone.
I had to let the belt out a notch.
Published Date:
19/08/2010
Modified Date:
20/08/2010
Outside it's America
I've been back from my trip for a few days now but the memories linger on. Small town America rocks. Friendly inquisitive people wherever we went. A couple of drinks always helped but that the way of the world. The very small Californian town of Bishop springs to mind. After a great meal, I had meat loaf, we pressed on in search of a bar for a couple more beers. We ended up locked in Rusty's until about 1.30am; only getting to leave once Steve had shown our token smoker his gun collection which took pride of place in his truck.
I've included a couple of photos, the first one is Rocky Creek Bridge on the Cabrillo Highway between Carmel and Big Sur, California. The second is of the road that leads to Death Valley, near Beatty, Nevada. To a guy born and raised in the Isle of Man some of the views driving across America are awesome. The huge blue skies and endless ranges, the mountains that are no doubt hundreds of miles away yet seem so close.
Published Date:
12/08/2010
Modified Date:
20/08/2010
Vegas Baby
I'm in the Apple store in Vegas. Its hot outside. The racing at Laguna Seca was fantastic, as was the trip across California. Small town America rocks.
Published Date:
29/07/2010
Modified Date:
12/08/2010
Up & Away
Today is my last day at work for three whole weeks, the longest I will have been away from a desk since I started gainful employment back in 1988. Its a long time but only half my working life. So much has changed, mainly my waist and hair but also in the world of work. Its hard to imagine how we worked with with virtually no IT. Now if you can't log on you might as well go home.
Unfortunately my actual holiday isn't 3 weeks but as it's mid week to mid week to accommodate watching the American round of the MotoGP I ended up booking the full three weeks. The travel out will no doubt be tiresome as it involves leaving Gatwick at 9.40 and arriving in Carmel, CA at about 10.30 in the evening. There are changes at Charlotte, North Carolina and Pheonix Arizona. I'm just hoping it all runs to time.
Quite a few of the places we're staying in are small town America, I've only ever been to the larger cities to this should be an eye opener.
I'm looking forward to the whole thing.
Published Date:
16/07/2010
Modified Date:
16/07/2010
West Coast
The days are quickly receeding until my American trip is due to start. It can't come quick enough for me. We fly with several stops to Monterey in California for some MotoGP action at the Laguna Seca Speedway. After that its on the road for several days as we work our way east to Las Vegas. I'm really looking forward to this. Whlist it's not Route 66 or the Pacific Highway of my road movie dreams there should be sights to see and incidents to report. The whole thing is finished off with 6 nights in Sin City.
To keep me going its sausage Saturday this week so bring on the bangers.
Published Date:
09/07/2010
Modified Date:
18/07/2010
Happy Days
Whats not to like? It's been sunny and the farmer's market is at the Villa for Sausage Saturday supplies. As well as that there is the Tynwald Day bank holiday on Monday. A day all true Manxman can be proud of as it one less day that needs to be worked. I can't make it to St Johns myself as I'll be decorating the kitchen. The ceiling is done so it's onto the wall. A quick coat tonight and then a further one sometime over the rest of the weekend.
Bliss indeed.
Published Date:
02/07/2010
Modified Date:
05/07/2010
Late Replacement
I popped out for lunch on Saturday, at the Queens very nice, and subsequently found myself at the Bay Festival. I was initially surprised by this turn of events. I didn't have a coat with me and I was wearing new shoes. Steel toecapped Doc Martens; which are bang on trend. After Divercity and DJ Inronkic passed me by in a haze of indifference things started to pick up. The Coronas, not named after a long forgotten brand of lemonade, played well but weren't really my cup of tea. Not enough power chords but they went down well with the rest of the crowd so what do I know? Sets from The Feeling, including a Buggles cover and Calvin Harris raised the tempo and were more to my liking. The Feeling even managed to get their guitars screaming and Mr Harris was most insistent that we showed him our hands. This proved difficult while clutching a pint pot.
The headline act was Spandau Ballet and to cut a long story short I got the impression they were just going through the motions but after 30 odd years in the business and having played, no doubt, some of the biggest venues a tent in Nobles Park might be a slight come down. They were well received by the crowd though.
I finished the night off with a very brisk walk home as the wind had picked up and I hadn't got round to getting a JLS hoody.
Published Date:
25/06/2010
Modified Date:
04/07/2010