How nice is this light?
No, seriously. It's great isn't it?
I wasn't a fan at first; I remember when it used to be in Gill's bedroom in her old flat. You couldn't swing a cat - or even walk round the room - without walking into that thing. And the sound, oh the sound. Hitting that light sounds like you've just walked into a ream of A4 office paper. It's like a giant paper-mache Coke bottle.
A giant Coke bottle that emits light, SURE, but a giant Coke bottle nonetheless.
I didn't intend to starting writing a blog about 'big light', but rather the idea of big light.
You might have a big light, in fact you might literally have the same big light. It's terribly common and at only £11 from Ikea, I'm surprised more people haven't got them.
But aside from being a nice, cheap way to light your living room, my big light represents something else, something more, and that's 'home'. It's nice, after a hard-day's work to sit and relax and let the worries of the day melt away.
Sure, some
Posted Thu, September 2nd, 2010 by  Mat 
How nice is this light?
No, seriously. It’s great isn’t it?
I wasn’t a fan at first; I remember when it used to be in Gill’s bedroom in her old flat. You couldn’t swing a cat – or even walk round the room – without walking into that thing. And the sound, oh the sound. Hitting that light sounds like you’ve just walked into a ream of A4 office paper. It’s like a giant paper-mache Coke bottle.
A giant Coke bottle that emits light, SURE, but a giant Coke bottle nonetheless.
I didn’t intend to starting writing a blog about ‘big light’, but rather the idea of big light.
You might have a big light, in fact you might literally have the same big light. It’s terribly common and at only £11 from Ikea, I’m surprised more people haven’t got them.
Continue reading Daily Blog # 0245 – Thursday 2nd September 2010
About as breaking news as you can get this side of a Sky News subscription, I'm here to report on Apple's annual Music conference event, which was held at about 6pm ish GMT BST ASAP LOL.
Every September it's always the same; kids go back to school, Christmas decorations start appearing in shops, and Apple unveils new iPods. Tonight's conference was no different, and Apple's new range of iPod Shuffles, Nanos and Touch's all look great.
I'm not going to list all the new features; the new Shuffles now have a click wheel, the new Nanos are now fully multi-touch touch screen, and the new iPod Touch is basically the iPhone 4, without the contract.
That was all very good and well, but expected; we all knew what was coming, but it was nice to see them in the flesh (well, on video in the flesh) but what was really interesting was what was unveiled later in the show; a new iTunes social network, and the new Apple TV.
First up; iTunes 10. Apple's 10th incarnation of its popular music software brings
Posted Wed, September 1st, 2010 by Mat
About as breaking news as you can get this side of a Sky News subscription, I’m here to report on Apple’s annual Music conference event, which was held at about 6pm ish GMT BST ASAP LOL.
Every September it’s always the same; kids go back to school, Christmas decorations start appearing in shops, and Apple unveils new iPods. Tonight’s conference was no different, and Apple’s new range of iPod Shuffles, Nanos and Touch’s all look great.
I’m not going to list all the new features; the new Shuffles now have a click wheel, the new Nanos are now fully multi-touch touch screen, and the new iPod Touch is basically the iPhone 4, without the contract.
That was all very good and well, but expected; we all knew what was coming, but it was nice to see them in the flesh (well, on video in the flesh) but what was really interesting was what was unveiled later in the show; a new iTunes social network, and the new Apple TV.
Continue reading Daily Blog # 0244 – Wednesday 1st September 2010
Posted Tue, August 31st, 2010 by Mat
Tonight after work we walked over to our wedding venue to have a meeting with the lady who’s going to be sorting out our special day for us. Fran was our name, and this was only our second meeting since booking our wedding as Fran is incredibly busy organising other weddings and events.
We’re having our wedding at The Faversham in Leeds. And yes I know that anyone reading this who’s either from Leeds or has been to the Fav is asking themselves “They do weddings at the Fav?” Well yes, they do do weddings at the Fav.
And not only that, but it’s looking like it’ll be an utterly fantastic day. Both Gill and I have (understandably) been stressing and fretting about our special day, but after coming out of tonight’s meeting with Fran we both feel a lot better about how our wedding day is going to go.
Continue reading Daily Blog # 0243 – Tuesday 31st August 2010
After delaying it yesterday to order a takeaway instead, tonight we made a nice homemade pie for dinner. You literally cannot beat a homemade pie. Literally, there's been tests and stuff.
I mean, I bloody love Greggs, but comparing Greggs to homemade pastry-dishes is like like comparing McDonald's is to a nice summer BBQ. (i.e. you just can't do it)
I would love to make my own Greggs-style menu though. Homemade pies and that are bloody gorgeous, but to make your own Steak Bake and Chicken Slices would be something else.
In fact, my love for creating a homemade Greggs menu must've been so apparent to Gill at an early stage of our relationship that she decided to jeopardise any future we may have had to lie about her own kitchen skills, hoping they would be enough to whisk me away, never to look at another woman ever again.
I don't even think I had mentioned my desire to create Greggs from scratch at that point, but that didn't stop her one Christmas. Oh no.
Picture the scene; it was Chri
Posted Mon, August 30th, 2010 by Mat
After delaying it yesterday to order a takeaway instead, tonight we made a nice homemade pie for dinner. You literally cannot beat a homemade pie. Literally, there’s been tests and stuff.
I mean, I bloody love Greggs, but comparing Greggs to homemade pastry-dishes is like like comparing McDonald’s is to a nice summer BBQ. (i.e. you just can’t do it)
I would love to make my own Greggs-style menu though. Homemade pies and that are bloody gorgeous, but to make your own Steak Bake and Chicken Slices would be something else.
In fact, my love for creating a homemade Greggs menu must’ve been so apparent to Gill at an early stage of our relationship that she decided to jeopardise any future we may have had to lie about her own kitchen skills, hoping they would be enough to whisk me away, never to look at another woman ever again.
Continue reading Daily Blog # 0242 – Monday 30th August 2010
At what age do you suddenly gain loads of DIY skills?
Because at 27 I’m still very much out of my depth. It can’t be 31 either, because Gill didn’t do much better. But then maybe you have to subtract 5 years for girls as it’s usually a man’s job to fix up the house.
If that’s still the most subscribed-to pattern of thought, then Gill had better get used to living in a sub-par family home, because I’ll tel you what; I’m pretty hopeless.
Take today for instance; we painted a step which leads out to the rooftop terrace and after cleaning and painting, we then had to seal the wall which houses the outside doors to the wooden step which leads up to the wall.
Pretty simple stuff, I think you’ll agree.
Continue reading Daily Blog # 0241 – Sunday 29th August 2010
You know, it doesn't matter what town or city you visit, certain shops are always the same. HMV is the same all over the country; if you're on holiday somewhere and you need a DVD or a new pair of headphones or something and you see a HMV, you know exactly what to expect. Other shops are the same; every M&S is the same no matter if you're in Chichester or Middlesbrough, Worthing or Wolverhampton.
I thought the same would apply to supermarkets, but I was wrong, because today I went into a Tesco that was rough.
Now it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to forsee a little Tesco Extra that's open till late in a dodgy part of town being rough, in fact that's almost to be expected, but the Tesco I went into today was a full-blown supermarket, and yet it had the air of a shop about to be the victim of a daylight robbery.
I couldn't quote put my finger down on exactly why it felt rough, it just did. There was a tense mood in the air, and the shop was unaturally quiet for a big supermarket.
The cli
Posted Sat, August 28th, 2010 by Mat
You know, it doesn’t matter what town or city you visit, certain shops are always the same. HMV is the same all over the country; if you’re on holiday somewhere and you need a DVD or a new pair of headphones or something and you see a HMV, you know exactly what to expect. Other shops are the same; every M&S is the same no matter if you’re in Chichester or Middlesbrough, Worthing or Wolverhampton.
I thought the same would apply to supermarkets, but I was wrong, because today I went into a Tesco that was rough.
Now it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to forsee a little Tesco Extra that’s open till late in a dodgy part of town being rough, in fact that’s almost to be expected, but the Tesco I went into today was a full-blown supermarket, and yet it had the air of a shop about to be the victim of a daylight robbery.
Continue reading Daily Blog # 0240 – Saturday 28th August 2010
Got a bit in trouble tonight.
After another incredibly stressful week a few of the guys from work decided we should all go to the pub next door to work for one. Just one, and we actually meant it this time, we really did.
So in another cliché-filled, drink-fueled decision, we decided to stay for more than the pre-agreed 'one drink', ad we actually had three or four! We're bloody mental we are. We really bloody are.
Thing is though, once you have one, you really do get a taste for it, and well, work had been tough and the conversation was flowing like a Flo-Rider in a flood, so we carried on gassing like it was going out of fashion and until I spoke to Gill on the phone realising I was four hours late for dinner.
WHOOPS.
We finished work at half four you see, which isn't uncommon for a Friday night, but in the past when Gill and I worked in the same building we just walked home together whilst I waved the guys at work off with a tear in my eye as they went to the pub and I cleaned up
Posted Fri, August 27th, 2010 by Mat
Got a bit in trouble tonight.
After another incredibly stressful week a few of the guys from work decided we should all go to the pub next door to work for one. Just one, and we actually meant it this time, we really did.
So in another cliché-filled, drink-fueled decision, we decided to stay for more than the pre-agreed ‘one drink’, ad we actually had three or four! We’re bloody mental we are. We really bloody are.
Thing is though, once you have one, you really do get a taste for it, and well, work had been tough and the conversation was flowing like a Flo-Rider in a flood, so we carried on gassing like it was going out of fashion and until I spoke to Gill on the phone realising I was four hours late for dinner.
WHOOPS.
Continue reading Daily Blog # 0239 – Friday 27th August 2010
Man it's been a tough day.
Work was so busy I didn't even have a lunch break, or any break come to think about it. We were so busy that I actually had to refrain from going to the toilet, scared to waste precious seconds that could otherwise be used to do work.
I could handle not going to the toilet (thank God for Shewees) and I could handle not having a break, but not eating? Oh man. That is my limit.
I'm sure I'm not alone in this, but I go really, really weak without food. And I don't mean being without food for days or even weeks, I'm talking minutes and hours here. It can get bad, really bad. Like if I'm out in town walking round the shops for instance, I get all zombie-like. Staggering about and falling into things.
And this is just because I haven't eaten anything for an hour - two hours tops.
The same thing happened today, I was so tired and hungry by the time I had got home that as I reached our flat and approached the front door I put my got out my wallet and got my bank ca
Posted Thu, August 26th, 2010 by Mat
Man it’s been a tough day.
Work was so busy I didn’t even have a lunch break, or any break come to think about it. We were so busy that I actually had to refrain from going to the toilet, scared to waste precious seconds that could otherwise be used to do work.
I could handle not going to the toilet (thank God for Shewees) and I could handle not having a break, but not eating? Oh man. That is my limit.
I’m sure I’m not alone in this, but I go really, really weak without food. And I don’t mean being without food for days or even weeks, I’m talking minutes and hours here. It can get bad, really bad. Like if I’m out in town walking round the shops for instance, I get all zombie-like. Staggering about and falling into things.
And this is just because I haven’t eaten anything for an hour – two hours tops.
Continue reading Daily Blog # 0238 – Thursday 26th August 2010
[There won't be any Scott Pilgrim movie spoilers in this blog post, I swear to God, man]
Saw Scott Pilgrim tonight. Right after work, too. And guess what? It was brilliant.
For those of you living under a rock that was chucked from the deck of a cruiseliner setting sail for India from the north-west coast of Australia by an angry Norwegian kid, Scott Pilgrim (vs. The World) is the films based on the comic-book series by Bryan Lee O'Malley, and has now been turned into a major motion-picture, directed by Edgar Wright.
The film (and I'm guessing comics too) tell the story of Scott Pilgrim, a 23 year-old kid who likes videogames, is in a band, and has a gay room-mate. He then meets a cute girl who who likes but to go out with her he's got to defeat her 7 evil ex-boyfriends.
The film was brilliant for a number of reasons, but as I'm not a film reviewer, this next bit will be poorly-worded and ill conceived.
Firstly, there are literally (not literally) a million computer game references in
Posted Wed, August 25th, 2010 by Mat
[There won't be any Scott Pilgrim movie spoilers in this blog post, I swear to God, man]
Saw Scott Pilgrim tonight. Right after work, too. And guess what? It was brilliant.
For those of you living under a rock that was chucked from the deck of a cruiseliner setting sail for India from the north-west coast of Australia by an angry Norwegian kid, Scott Pilgrim (vs. The World) is the films based on the comic-book series by Bryan Lee O’Malley, and has now been turned into a major motion-picture, directed by Edgar Wright.
The film (and I’m guessing comics too) tell the story of Scott Pilgrim, a 23 year-old kid who likes videogames, is in a band, and has a gay room-mate. He then meets a cute girl who who likes but to go out with her he’s got to defeat her 7 evil ex-boyfriends.
Continue reading Daily Blog # 0237 – Wednesday 25th August 2010
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