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.

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.

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.

You can see Chloe on Model Mayhem here Chloe Bleackley

And a few photos from the shoot in my gallery pages here:  Chloe Bleackley

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.

Sheffield Wednesday vs Nottingham Forest

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.

Well it wasn’t pigeons that I heard squawking today in the garden. When I heard the loud shrieks I thought “oh no the kitten’s got another bird”, but this time it was quite the opposite. To my surprise I saw a very worried kitten running away while being dive bombed by a thrush.

The kitten, called Diesel, eventually froze in the centre of the garden and stared in amazement as the thrush began to hop closer in circular motions, shrieking all the time. In the background, in just about every bush, was a group of blackbirds, seemingly egging the thrush on to attack. It was a surreal moment that I’ve never seen before.

After some time Diesel plucked up courage to attack. The bird missed the leap and proceeded to taunt poor Diesel from a nearby bush before diving down like a Spitfire over the kitten’s head. I decided to get the camera and managed to take a few quick snaps before Diesel came to running to me all shook up.

I’m not sure how they situation had occurred but I think tonight maybe he will have nightmares.

Some ?!%$&!!?$ has accessed my host’s server and managed to deleted all my personal sites files and folders. Luckily I have backups, but that’s not the point. It’s all the trouble I have to go to to get the sites all back up again. Why do people have to do this? Why do people have to write graffiti on signs, smash windows, drop litter, vandalise beautiful things? GRRRR
Anyway the reason, apart from rant, of this blog post is to say sorry to anyone who’s tried to access any of my personal site projects and couldn’t get on. They will be resumed as soon as I can.
One peed off person

As many who read my occasional diary know, after my heart attack it was discovered that I had a totally blocked artery, and the remedy was an attempt at doing an angioplasty. I arranged a consultation with the cardiologist, Dr Grech, who put my mind at ease and said he had a 70% chance of successfully unblocking the artery. In my mind that’s a high chance of success. It’s certainly at least a glass half full situation. And, at the end of the day, even if it couldn’t be unblocked, there are alternatives.
So I decided to go ahead.

Since that day, the bit that’s concerned my is the odds within the angioplasty procedure. The risks are explained in advance.

Firstly, there’s a 1/100 chance of a groin injury – the angioplasty is performed by inserting a tube into the main artery in your groin and then feeding a catheter through up into the heart. Then hole is a couple of mm thick in the artery, so is plugged up at the end of the procedure to stop the bleeding. I guess it’s quite a strain on this area hence the risk. Now I’d rather have discomfort in the leg/groin than the blocked artery in the heart, so I’ll happily take that 100 to 1 gamble without too much worry.

But there’s also a 1 in 100 chance of a stroke, heart attack or fatality…and it’s this that’s been playing on my mind for a few month since my last health blog post, while waiting for the date of the procedure.

I thought I’d share how I coped with this. If coped is the correct word. I’ve gambled a few times in my life and enjoy playing games that involve the role of a dice. So on one hand I had the thought that 100 to 1 was pretty risky, but on the other hand, and this is the thing that gave me a glimmer of hope in my half empty glass head, is the fact that I rarely get a £10 win on the lottery (54 to 1 chance); I rarely get number 23 on roulette (36 to 1) and would I bet on a 100 to 1 horse? I have done, but I never expect to win. Even down to a roll of a dice. How often does 6 come up when you need it (6 to 1)?

So still with a sprinkling of doubt I entered the procedure room at about 9.15am yesterday in a fairly relaxed (well I hadn’t any brown stains in my pants) state. An hour or so later I was out. I had a sore leg, an aching heart, and three inserted stents, but I was still alive. Of course, I have to thank the skilful cardiologist and his excellent team. And I guess the next time when I’m presented with a health odds situation I’ll feel less anxious.

So anyone reading this with the decision ahead of them, I’d recommend going ahead. Of course this is just an opinion I’m no medical expert – so please seek professional advice.

In Worksop!

A series of events led to a night at the theatre.

As I walked in to town a few weeks ago a car stopped and the driver asked for directions to Acorn Theatre. I’d never heard of it, and didn’t think twice. I shrugged, said “sorry, no idea” and she went on her way. A week later, on my daily “heart exercise” walk, I passed the theatre on a back street.

When I got home I looked it up on the Internet and one production caught my eye: Pathway to the Red Sun. A striking image did it, because poetry, music and acrobatics, inspired by Madame Butterfly, are not exactly my cup of tea. But the image of a gothic woman, looking like the lead in the Japanese Horror film The Grudge, and the mention of influence from Pans Labarynth tempted me to “take a risk”.

And it was incredible, from the moment I walked through the theatre doors to the end.

Two Soldiers stand guard at the front of the theatre. On stage a guitarist to the left plays using an E-bow, his skills with that gadget were brilliant -the notes droned out harmonically, creating a sonic ambience.

Then the play begins and we see the Grudge influenced character (turns out she’s Angelina Boscarelli, the woman founded the company in 2005) appear from under the floorboards. The make up was excellent and simple, but effective lighting.

The story unfolds – a tragic love story based around a soldier and a samurai’s daughter.
Through out we hear the talented musician Andrew Bate play guitar and keyboards and add the occasional vocals. It all ended too soon.

This was my first taste of the Acorn Theatre…and maybe beginner’s luck, but it’s certainly not my last. I’d recommend this play to anyone, although it’s only a short tour but there are a few shows left.

You’ll find details on their web site here: Rogue Theatre

Andrew Bate has a Myspace page here: Andrew Bate