For the first time in years, I played 5-a-side football with some of the guys from work. Though it only lasted an hour, we were all exhausted at the end, with a satisfying score of 7 goals each.
Afterwards, in a fit of extreme madness, I decided that since my muscles were all warmed up, and I could do with regaining my fitness, I would go cross-country running over White Coppice afterwards.
Using the valley to control my breathing, I then made my way up though the woods (walking on the slippiest, steepest parts), I reached the metalled track from the road at the top and ran across the moorland at the top. The wind up there was bitter, particularly since I was in shorts. It was even colder as I began my descent to the right of the gorge, running slowly because the ground was wet (it's wet up there in summer, let alone mid-November).
I was grateful for the shelter further down and picked up the pace back to car park and spent ten minutes to pull on some warm clothes and do some warm-downs.
Even so, for the remainder of the day, I continued to feel sore and stiff, and if I sat still in one position too long, the cramp in my legs would be particularly painful.
Still, I've been planning to return to training for some time, and I just hope I can keep it up. I'll have to brush up my football skills too, since everyone else seemed to be much better than me.
Tracks I'm Listening To Right Now
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Chess Rating
This link shows how my rating has changed according to games lost or won at Chessworld.
As you can see, I seem to be holding steady at around 1100, therefore I have decided it is time to start reading up on how to improve my tactics. The first book I have purchased is, "Rapid Chess Improvement" by Michael de la Maza, which discusses tactical thinking and 'Chess Vision' as the foundation upon which positional knowledge should be built, rather than the other way around.
As you can see, I seem to be holding steady at around 1100, therefore I have decided it is time to start reading up on how to improve my tactics. The first book I have purchased is, "Rapid Chess Improvement" by Michael de la Maza, which discusses tactical thinking and 'Chess Vision' as the foundation upon which positional knowledge should be built, rather than the other way around.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Works on house
When we first went in and turned on the water, there were several leaks and we could hear the elctrics fizzing as the water poured down the switches and light fittings. We fixed those temporarily, and began work.
So far, we've stripped out the remaining furniture, removed most of the wallpaper, knocked off the plaster to a meter high, and had the damp course done and wall ties fitted. The old boiler, gas fire and mantelpiece have also been despatched to the tip.
We have designed a compact kitchen and are considering the best solutions for the bathroom and central heating.
So far, we've stripped out the remaining furniture, removed most of the wallpaper, knocked off the plaster to a meter high, and had the damp course done and wall ties fitted. The old boiler, gas fire and mantelpiece have also been despatched to the tip.
We have designed a compact kitchen and are considering the best solutions for the bathroom and central heating.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Books and Films
Over the last few weeks, I have steadily been working my way through the Morse series. I don't know if it is a particularly healthy thing, but I seem to identify with him; from the crosswords to the ale to the disillusionment and loneliness.
In addition, I've watched all 4 Crow films. I had watched the first with Brandon Lee years ago and loved the whole Gothic atmosphere and soundtrack. The 4th is the weakest by far of the set, where the bad guy, nicknamed "Death", is obsessed with making himself the Devil incarnate, and it is up to The Crow to stop him.
The 2nd reintroduces Sarah as a seer and show her befriending a street girl, that seemed to be setting the scene for the next story in the sequence, though it didn't work out that way.
I've read the novels "No Mercy" and "Sleepyhead", which are both forensic crime thrillers. The plot devices in "No Mercy" were a bit predictable, and were transparently links to the next action sequence. "Sleepyhead" was different in that the killings were accidental - he sought to force his victims to exist in a permanent paralysis unable to function without the assistance of the outside world.
In addition, I've watched all 4 Crow films. I had watched the first with Brandon Lee years ago and loved the whole Gothic atmosphere and soundtrack. The 4th is the weakest by far of the set, where the bad guy, nicknamed "Death", is obsessed with making himself the Devil incarnate, and it is up to The Crow to stop him.
The 2nd reintroduces Sarah as a seer and show her befriending a street girl, that seemed to be setting the scene for the next story in the sequence, though it didn't work out that way.
I've read the novels "No Mercy" and "Sleepyhead", which are both forensic crime thrillers. The plot devices in "No Mercy" were a bit predictable, and were transparently links to the next action sequence. "Sleepyhead" was different in that the killings were accidental - he sought to force his victims to exist in a permanent paralysis unable to function without the assistance of the outside world.
Monday, May 29, 2006
Bank Holiday
As often is the case, the Bank Holiday was one with mixed weather. So, I took a ride on the Ribble Valley Railway shown in the pictures below, and then went to the Odeon to watch Xmen: The Last Stand. The reviews I read for this film described it as reasonable but not up to the same standard as the 2nd, which (according to that particular reviewer) was the best of the three.
Personally, I think that they wanted to wrap the franchise up before it became boring and stale, and that was why they made this. It was visually engaging and the dialogue was fairly believable, but there seemed to be dynamics only between the characters central to the plot, with a lot of extras thrown in to fill the screen up a bit. In other words, too much room was made for the action at the expense of telling the story well.
Personally, I think that they wanted to wrap the franchise up before it became boring and stale, and that was why they made this. It was visually engaging and the dialogue was fairly believable, but there seemed to be dynamics only between the characters central to the plot, with a lot of extras thrown in to fill the screen up a bit. In other words, too much room was made for the action at the expense of telling the story well.
Ribble Valley Steam Dock Railway
The Ribble Valley Steam Railway is a recently formed attraction that runs on the Preston docks railway when it is not being used for its primary purpose serving the bitumen plant there. It has a reasonable collection of smaller locomotives as shown in the pictures. It runs at weekends and Bank Holidays and seems to be particularly popular with either young families or retired couples, but anyone interested in industrial or transport history, or who is just stuck for somewhere to go for the day will find it worth the trip.
Sunday, May 28, 2006
The Square in front of "the Church of the Crooked Spire", Chesterfield
St Marys and All Saints Parish Church in Chesterfield attracts visitors due to the crookedness of its spire, but it is a fine building too.
St Marys, Bottesford
The church at Bottesford is huge, compared to the size of the villages it serves
St Johns, Spittlegate Parish, Grantham
This church and tower is built on a small parcel of land, with the rectory below.
Spittlegate House, Grantham
Spittlegate House is on the main London Road, and is not far from the old workhouse location (which is near the railway).
A Day to Drive
Since it was a Bank Holiday weekend, the roads didn't appear to busy, and I had some time off work, I decided to take a trip around some of the towns, cities and villages identified in my family history research.
Setting off from Chorley at 5.30am, my route took me down the M61, M60, and M62 east-bound through Leeds, after which I picked up the A1(M) southbound, skirting Doncaster. This road had light traffic and took me all the way to Grantham, my first stop.
Grantham is famous for its connections to Sir Isaac Newton and former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. It has also retained a semblance of its historic identity, despite the attempts of chain retailers to give it mass-produced shop facades like the rest of featureless British towns these days. Its market still straggles down the centre of a road in the town centre 2 days a week, and its ancient buildings and monuments are carefully preserved.
I was interested in Grantham, since that was where my 4th great grandfather Joseph Walker (1782-1853) died. He ended up in the workhouse there, presumably when he became too infirm to make a satisfactory living in his trade as a journeyman shoemaker. The workhouse was in the parish of Spittlegate, though the churches in this parish didn't appear to have burial grounds. No records in the library cast any further light on my ancestor, though there is a reasonable file of material about Grantham's various workhouses and poor Law administration.
From here, I took the A52 to Bottesford, where Joseph had lived and worked after coming to Lincolnshire from Chesterfield, Derbyshire. His son Joseph (1825-1852) was also a journeyman shoemaker, living on Queen Street. St Marys was the church where all the usual family ceremonies took place, but after Joseph's death, the family made their way back to Derbyshire via Nottingham.
I followed in their steps, driving through Nottingham and on to Mansfield, and thence to Chesterfield, Buxton via Chatsworth House, Stockport, Manchester, and home - a 320 mile round trip.
On my next trips, I intend to see Somercotes and Riddings, and Toxteth Park (where my mums family came from before moving to Barrow in Furness).
Setting off from Chorley at 5.30am, my route took me down the M61, M60, and M62 east-bound through Leeds, after which I picked up the A1(M) southbound, skirting Doncaster. This road had light traffic and took me all the way to Grantham, my first stop.
Grantham is famous for its connections to Sir Isaac Newton and former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. It has also retained a semblance of its historic identity, despite the attempts of chain retailers to give it mass-produced shop facades like the rest of featureless British towns these days. Its market still straggles down the centre of a road in the town centre 2 days a week, and its ancient buildings and monuments are carefully preserved.
I was interested in Grantham, since that was where my 4th great grandfather Joseph Walker (1782-1853) died. He ended up in the workhouse there, presumably when he became too infirm to make a satisfactory living in his trade as a journeyman shoemaker. The workhouse was in the parish of Spittlegate, though the churches in this parish didn't appear to have burial grounds. No records in the library cast any further light on my ancestor, though there is a reasonable file of material about Grantham's various workhouses and poor Law administration.
From here, I took the A52 to Bottesford, where Joseph had lived and worked after coming to Lincolnshire from Chesterfield, Derbyshire. His son Joseph (1825-1852) was also a journeyman shoemaker, living on Queen Street. St Marys was the church where all the usual family ceremonies took place, but after Joseph's death, the family made their way back to Derbyshire via Nottingham.
I followed in their steps, driving through Nottingham and on to Mansfield, and thence to Chesterfield, Buxton via Chatsworth House, Stockport, Manchester, and home - a 320 mile round trip.
On my next trips, I intend to see Somercotes and Riddings, and Toxteth Park (where my mums family came from before moving to Barrow in Furness).
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Cropduster's New Single
Yes, Cropduster have returned to the studio and put another CD together. Hear it at their MySpace page.
Reading List
Well, since I last updated, I've read The Belfry Witches (a kids book), Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer, and Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein.
The Belfry Witches wasn't the type of book I used to read as a child, but it was nonetheless entertaining. Kane and Abel, is a classic, that juxtaposes the fortunes of two men, one born with every advantage, and the other with just his ambition and determination.
Starship Troopers is a good read - I haven't seen the film - and stylistically different from the other novels I've mentioned in this blog. It's subject is the near extinction of the human race through warfare with an alien race, but its tone is light.
Yesterday, I bought No Mercy by Colin Forbes, and read the first 45 pages in the pub. It opens well, with a couple of different angles to capture the imagination.
The Belfry Witches wasn't the type of book I used to read as a child, but it was nonetheless entertaining. Kane and Abel, is a classic, that juxtaposes the fortunes of two men, one born with every advantage, and the other with just his ambition and determination.
Starship Troopers is a good read - I haven't seen the film - and stylistically different from the other novels I've mentioned in this blog. It's subject is the near extinction of the human race through warfare with an alien race, but its tone is light.
Yesterday, I bought No Mercy by Colin Forbes, and read the first 45 pages in the pub. It opens well, with a couple of different angles to capture the imagination.
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Times they are a'movin'
It's been a while since my last update so here goes. Cropduster were great live. The chess is still going well, though I tend to make some obvious mistakes. I sign my contract for the new house this Tuesday (which has taken a while), and work is the same as ever - tedious. I have to admit though, I've been there six years in the same job, having abandoned my management training when I knew I would be getting a divorce. However, it's free shares time again, so I can hold out a little longer.
For any recruiters out there, my e-box is hungry for career opportunities to be passed its way. I enjoy work that involves with people on a face-to-face basis, though not in sales or marketing (which limits my options). I'm particularly good at explaining concepts and putting across ideas, which is why I often have to look after the new staff in my current role. I'm highly numerate and literate, and good with I.T.
I enjoy researching my family tree, and have built up a good collection of primary sources to reinforce that research.
I'm based in the North West but I don't have to stay here, so drop me a line.
For any recruiters out there, my e-box is hungry for career opportunities to be passed its way. I enjoy work that involves with people on a face-to-face basis, though not in sales or marketing (which limits my options). I'm particularly good at explaining concepts and putting across ideas, which is why I often have to look after the new staff in my current role. I'm highly numerate and literate, and good with I.T.
I enjoy researching my family tree, and have built up a good collection of primary sources to reinforce that research.
I'm based in the North West but I don't have to stay here, so drop me a line.
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Gig
The gig didn't go too badly, all in all. Apart from the quality of sound from the vocal mike, and one of the guitars getting muted on the mixing desk causing it drop out all together for the last song, there were no technical hitches. The mike problem is easily solvable by experimentation with different brands, and the mixing by having their own competent sound engineer.
The songs themselves were solid enough in their foundations, but the three that they recorded were noticeably stronger than the rest of the set. It is clear that they have a good idea of the sort of music that they wish to produce, and with the usual BSAT, the rest of the set should be brought up to the same standard.
The songs themselves were solid enough in their foundations, but the three that they recorded were noticeably stronger than the rest of the set. It is clear that they have a good idea of the sort of music that they wish to produce, and with the usual BSAT, the rest of the set should be brought up to the same standard.
Friday, February 17, 2006
Preston Band Cropduster
This link takes you to my good friend Rob's band website. Hopefully, I'll be seeing them perform on Wednesday so I'll review that gig here afterwards.
Cropduster
Cropduster
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
News
The chess is going well, though I'm still losing more games than I'm winning. The internet has made it much easier for players to research good tactics, and even ordinary folk can make reasonable players.
I received the survey report for my new house and had the points detailed analysed by an expert. It seems the house has rising damp due to a failed damp proof course, plus the wall-ties need replacing (it seems there were insufficient to start with). That's about £1200 of work, so not too bad.
Still stuck on the book. I have read only a few pages since my last post.
I found a course on Greek in WH Smith whilst in Preston. I started teaching myself Greek for a holiday in Corfu last year with my (now ex) wife. Perseverance will have its reward.
I received the survey report for my new house and had the points detailed analysed by an expert. It seems the house has rising damp due to a failed damp proof course, plus the wall-ties need replacing (it seems there were insufficient to start with). That's about £1200 of work, so not too bad.
Still stuck on the book. I have read only a few pages since my last post.
I found a course on Greek in WH Smith whilst in Preston. I started teaching myself Greek for a holiday in Corfu last year with my (now ex) wife. Perseverance will have its reward.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Yes well
In my last post, I said that my latest book was taking me a little longer than usual. Well, by the context, you may have guessed already that I'm still reading it. I'm half-way through and hoping to finish it within the week and move on to something else.
I have added a link to "Lets Play Chess" in the sidebar, a site I joined some time ago. I haven't visited in quite some time because of my home life driving me into a state of utter dejection the like of which I have never known. That is also the reason I dropped from the management training course at work, and I have not recovered sufficient momentum to consider rejoining.
At this time, I have received the court Order for which I was waiting, but the situation is not yet resolved. It's all down to a single piece of paper and my solicitors being satisfied that it has been appropriately drafted before allowing me to sign it. Money - the bane of the human condition.
I have added a link to "Lets Play Chess" in the sidebar, a site I joined some time ago. I haven't visited in quite some time because of my home life driving me into a state of utter dejection the like of which I have never known. That is also the reason I dropped from the management training course at work, and I have not recovered sufficient momentum to consider rejoining.
At this time, I have received the court Order for which I was waiting, but the situation is not yet resolved. It's all down to a single piece of paper and my solicitors being satisfied that it has been appropriately drafted before allowing me to sign it. Money - the bane of the human condition.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
New Year?
Well, so far little has changed. I'm still scraping by, supporting my ex-wife while I wait for the Court to approve our financial arrangements. I have the searches and the mortgage arrangement fee paid on my next property, but am a little worried that if things take much longer, I will lose that property and be starting the search process over.
This week's book is "Whiteout," by Ken Follett, which is taking me a little longer, since I have been feeling very tired post-Christmas. After "Wolves" and "Broker," both of which I enjoyed immensely, it seems a little shallow. The problem is with the dialogue between characters. It's a little obvious that mechanics of the plot are being introduced through these conversations. However, this isn't apparent throughout the whole novel so I won't dwell on it over-much.
This week's book is "Whiteout," by Ken Follett, which is taking me a little longer, since I have been feeling very tired post-Christmas. After "Wolves" and "Broker," both of which I enjoyed immensely, it seems a little shallow. The problem is with the dialogue between characters. It's a little obvious that mechanics of the plot are being introduced through these conversations. However, this isn't apparent throughout the whole novel so I won't dwell on it over-much.
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