I decided this year I will try to do as many new things as I can. I’ve made a list of places in the UK that I haven’t been as part of that resolution and I will also be on the look out for new activities.
My first challenge, to break me in gradually, was something I’ve never done with snow before..and that’s to build an igloo. I’ve done snow men and snow sculptures before but never attempted an igloo.
I also decided to record the building of the igloo photographically and then shoot the built igloo at night with an inner glow. I’ve uploaded the result in my portfolio and the rating is favourable, so I’m pleased with that.
I’ve also written how to do it on my foliopic site blog Building an Igloo so you can get an idea a) how to build an igloo, b) how to photograph one and c) view one of the strengths of a foliopic site’s article system.
Yes that’s right last night I was out in the dark taking a photo from a bridge running over a dual carriage way and I was stopped.
I was playing with the Fujifilm Finepix F70EXR compact’s Pro Low-light mode. It’s a great mode for shooting in low light with static subjects. It takes four shots in quick succession and merges them to create one lower noise and sharp image free from camera shake. It works well, but I wanted to see what would happen with car light trails, so I’d gone to the bridge to get an overhead view of passing cars.
I was holding the camera over the rail when a car slowed down and drove past. The driver and passenger were both looking at me. The car turned into a pull in a few yards up the road and stopped. Minutes later a woman got out of the car and came towards me. And asked if I was ok???
Ok, I guess that’s not what you expected this post be about, in the light of all the police and security issues that are topical at the moment, but it got you hooked
It took me a few seconds to comprehend, and then I realised she may have thought I was about to jump? I’m not sure, but it was quite surreal, and also very encouraging that there are people around who care enough to stop and check.
And the picture I took? Well that was rubbish as you can see. I’ll stick to static shots for this mode, as it was intended.
I started backing up my CDs using iTunes about two years ago. The one thing that concerned me was playing them on the iPod didn’t seem like the sound from my trusty hifi through my Linn speakers.
I’m not a Hi-Fi buff, but I do like a decent sound…and the iPod has always been a bit too shallow for my liking.
Recently I hooked it up to the hifi using a jack to two phono through the headphone socket. The sound was better, but still nothing to write home about, and the volume varied from track to track. So I started to look around for an ipod dock…and the first one I came across was the Cambridge Audio iD10. What grabbed me about this was the price…£14.95 from Richer Sounds.
According to a mate, you can easily spend up to two grand on kit to play digital files through the hifi, so 15 quid seemed like a no brainer. I popped along to Mr Richer’s shop in Sheffield and bought one. It doesn’t come with a remote or cable, but I already had the cable, and I’ll access my 5000+ tracks via shuffle. So I parted with £15 and as I write I’m enjoying the sounds of Unkle.
Just thought I’d let you know that the sound is excellent, the build is good and the price is top!
This is my thinking aloud. It would probably be best kept internal, but it helps to put it down on paper so to speak. And this is where I put things down.
It was the same Friday one year ago when I came away from hospital…at this moment in time I’d sat in a chair waiting to be discharged after five days of the strangest period of my life. I’d had an unexpected heart attack and I hadn’t seen it coming.
Now a year on I know much more about the heart and healthy living, but from a personal point of view I’ve changed. I used to think I was a 20+ year old in a 40+ year old body with an energy and fitness level of a 30+. Now I feel more like a 50 year old in 40+ year old body with a 60 year old fitness level. They say you go through an period of denial. Well mine seems to have continued. On the outside I put on a brave face, but on the inside I’m still feeling shaken by the whole thing. I can be thankful I’m still here, and I now know that certain food and a more active lifestyle is necessary, but I haven’t exactly done anything drastic with my “wake up call”. Ok I’m eating more fruit, nuts, fish and less chocolate, cheese and cakes, but I seem to be wasting much more time, turning down more invites, avoiding more things. It’s a weird feeling, like I’m not in total control. That’s hard to accept from someone who likes to be in control.
I’m going to have to do something…I’m just not sure what yet.
If you like the humour of Monty Python, Mitchell and Webb, Reeves and Mortimer etc you may find the site of Australian David Thorne brings tears to your eyes…well it did mine. An incredible mix of mad/daft/silly pieces pulled together in a brilliant web site.
Follow this link: 27bslash6 and click the logo on the right to enter. Prepare to laugh out very loud!
For those who watched X-Factor tonight and managed to stick it through the ads each break you may have enjoyed the melodic track accompanying the new Häagen-Dazs advert. It happens to be from one of my favourite relaxing musicians Richard Hawley. The track titled Open Up Your Door can be heard on last fm. It’s not, in my opinion, his strongest track, but it suits the ad perfectly. Now if you want a really good Richard Hawley track try this one: The Sun Refused to Shine – shear genius!
Oh, and he’s from my home town of Sheffield…all the best people came from the Steel City
Find out more about Richard Hawley on his official web site richardhawley.co.uk
I recently over heard my cardiac nurse saying “she wants to be a model” and couldn’t help push my nose in. I soon found out she was referring to up-and-coming model, Chloe Bleackley, who’d done some catwork work, but never modelled before. So I offered to take some shots to kick start her portfolio.
I spent Friday evening in the Turbine Studio with Chloe. It’s the first studio shoot I’ve done since the heart attack last year.
Chloe turned out to be far better than I expected for a first shoot. In fact, she was much better than some models who’ve been doing it for years. She’s very alert to how models pose and has spent time watching TV etc to learn. So when she started moving I was gob-smacked at the ease of flow.
Happy as they come, but also capable of turning on a sultry pose. I’m sure she’ll go far.
My Cardiac Rehab exercise sessions are now over, I’ve been refereed to the local gym and I’m on my own. The sessions helped me understand my breathing. so I can now tell when I’m reaching a point that I shouldn’t go beyond. It’s far less strenuous levels than I’m used to, but means I can go swimming, cycling or longer distance walking with some degree of confidence. I’m looking forward to visiting the plane wrecks on Bleaklow Moor soon. I’ll be off swimming next weekend.
Next medical stage is a check up with my consultant in a couple of weeks.
I went to my first game in years… Sheffield Wednesday vs Nottingham Forest. An average game of, as they say, two halves…both with little action but a fair bit of drama from the Notts side who seemed to foul a lot and wasted about seven minutes of injury time.
The game started with a goal in 3 minutes to the away team, but Wednesday pulled back to make it one all in 39th minute. Those moments were about as interesting as it got.
I bought the Louder CD by tauchsieder a few weeks ago in a sale at Head (ex Zavvi) in Meadowhall. I’d never heard of them but it was one of those lucky stumble upons. If you like unusual slower music that’s verging on ambient you’ll find this a great album. What’s even better is having looked around I spotted it is now available for free download along with both tauchsieder’s other two CDs on Last.fm here: tauchsieder
I decided this year I will try to do as many new things as I can. I’ve made a list of places in the UK that I haven’t been as part of that resolution and I will also be on the look out for new activities.
I recently over heard my cardiac nurse saying “she wants to be a model” and couldn’t help push my nose in. I soon found out she was referring to up-and-coming model, Chloe Bleackley, who’d done some catwork work, but never modelled before. So I offered to take some shots to kick start her portfolio.