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Christmas approaches

Thursday, December 1st, 2011

Well I guess it’s been long enough that I really should put another post online. I’m sorry I don’t do it more often, but to be honest I get such little feedback about my blogs (and never any comments – that aren’t spam which I filter off before they can even get on the site properly) that it almost feels pointless updating reguarly. But I know there are some people who read it from time to time and I find it quite nice to look back on occasionally as a kind of online diary, so here comes the next installment :-)

Sarah and I went to see Lacuna Coil in Birmingham at the HMV institute in early November which was great to see. I’ve never been to such an intimate gig before. I was probably only about 10 paces away from the stage, and I wasn’t even that close to the front. The front row were only just over an arms reach of a distance away. I put a few pictures of this online on the same evening (my new phone has a nice link in to let me upload almost as soon as I take the photo, if I choose to – which has proven very useful for whilst I was away in France on holiday and for a lot of other smallish events, allowing me to at least keep the photos section of my website very up to date).
St John’s is still going very well too. We’ve been a few more duties, one fireworks night in Rubery – Birmingham and I’ve also been to a Christmas Tree lighting in Bournville, which was pleasant. I’ve not had any significant incidents really happen whilst I’ve been on duty yet (and lets hope it stays that way for the patients sake). The busiest incidents I’ve had have been the Half Marathon through Birmingham where people were coming in with injured knees, which was mostly just a quick treatment with an ice pack and a compression bandage.

I’ve been growing facial hair during November – not for Movember this time, more for my own curiosity of how it might look and how it would grow on me – which has been coming along surprisingly well. I’m sure I wasn’t this hairy last year when I was doing Movember. Now I’m at the spot of trying to decide if I should keep it or get rid of it. I might keep it for a while to see how it plays out, but if it does start to irritate, annoy or itch me then it may have to go. Plus I’m not sure how it would play out with SJA duties as I would imagine it might become an infection control issue. I’m really not sure though as it would be washed with the face and being blond mine will never grow long.

Sarah has already bought our tickets to go to Download 2012 as the lineup has already started to be announced and they have some pretty big names going along. Steve from work is also going to the festival and are going 2 days before the gigs start (when the campsite opens) so we’ve made an agreement that if they can set up our tent for us, so we arent miles away from the arena, then in exchange they can use our tent for the first 2 days (before we arrive) and when we arrive we’ll bring resupplies of various things with us so they dont have to worry about keeping things cold or taking 5 days worth of stuff with them (although I would imagine they will have some emergency items incase anything were to prevent Sarah and I getting there). The risk with Download 2012 is how close it is to the wedding – being in early June.

Also Sarah and I have ordered our joint Christmas present for each other – I’m not going to spoil the surprise to …us… just yet (although we obviously already know). However we are going to collect the XBox from Sarah’s parents house later today, as we had it delivered there so someone could receive the delivery as these always happen during working hours when we are ..well…at work :-)

Birthday approaching

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Well, my birthday is approaching once again. 25 this year. Everyone keeps talking about their 25th birthday as a major landmark date for them, which made them start to feel old. To be honest, I dont really have any odd feelings about this birthday. I don’t really feel any older than I did about a year or so ago, so I don’t really see how it changes anything that much (except now being able to hire cars abroad much easier).

I have put my birthday list on the website as usual (in case anybody is wanting a list, as I get asked each year, but I dont think anyone actually looks on here :-D ). I’ve tried to keep most of the prices on there quite low. There are a couple of pricier items for anyone feeling overly generous or (more likely) if anyone wants to team up with someone else and get a joint item.

I know Sar keeps telling me she has already got my present. I have no idea what it is, although I know where it is hidden in the house, and I’m not looking in advance. I quite like the surprise, so I shall wait :-) Absolutely no idea what it will be though.

I’ve started working on my video editing skills in preparation for a visit from my parents this weekend. Its actually not quite as bad as I thought it would be, and there are lots of very handy keyboard shortcuts for a lot of things when you start to get used to the software. I’ll also have to make sure I set up my father’s iPod to subscribe to my RSS feed. I’d like to think there are some people out there who may read this (as boring as it may be – sorry about that). So please, if you would like to follow me too. I know I tend to write on here quite infrequently, and so its not worth checking the blog all the time, but if you subscribe to my RSS feed, you won’t get any spam or anything like that. its not how mine is set up to work. It will simply let you know whenever I post a new blog entry, and will load the blog entry for you to read. Thats it :-) It saves you having to come and check for new entries. It will let you know when they are made. There should be an RSS feed link at the bottom of the page, or you can navigate to my blog (www.alexander-smith.co.uk/blog) with your RSS feed reader and ‘detect RSS feeds’ on the page, which will pick it up automatically for you.

I’ve also started working on wiring up a cooling system to my TV cabinet at home. My prototype device (a 14cm computer case fan combined with an old mobile phone charger) worked very well, and quietly. So next I need to order 2 silent case fans, pick up some electrical wire and a switch, then combine them all together and screw the fans into the back of the TV cabinet.