i did not believe the information

It's a strange cultural climate to live in whereby leaders and people in authority are presumed to be lying before we've heard what they have to say but journalists are presumed to be telling the truth until it's shown they're not.

I was reading about Heath Ledger being surrounded by pill bottles in a red-top the other day, but I've read numerous accounts that say the police found his medication in the bathroom. I wasn't there so I don't think I could comment on who's telling the truth (although I know which version sounds more sensational), but I'm guessing that neither will have to publicly step back from their comments when the official police report is made public (if, indeed, it isn't already). And meanwhile people who've read either will go about secure in the knowledge that they know what all went down (in an admittedly trivial issue - trivial that is, to those not close to Heath).

So now we know that all people lie (or at least if you watch House you do), but what happens when the people that lie have their words reported by those who lie? Or when the people that lie have their words reported by those who lie and passed on by those who lie who've read the words.

It boggles the mind.

The Heath Ledger issue has awakened my mind to new depths of despair at the proliferation of the media. Just doing a google news search for him brings up such a multitude of articles all vying to get the scoop; the new angle. And yet who really knows the truth?

The actual spark for this thought was thinking about something else. People always assume the worst of change as directed by management. Or any authority. Maybe they've been burnt before, maybe they see the cracks in the argument. But the thought occurs that trying to second guess what might happen in the future based on assuming that the management is lying to you (but with no proof) is likely to be a stupendous waste of your time and energy.

I'd rather be the change, or move away from the change than always be complaining about the change.

It all screws with your head is what it does.

wordoverandout


As an aside, can anyone give me a decent synonym for headf*** (noun). I don't like to offend those of a sensitive disposition, but I can't for the life of me think of another noun that conveys the same meaning in such a concise way. As used in such phrases as "yeah I know, it's a bit of a headf*** isn't it" etc.)

say it again

This has been a jolly long week. Monday/Tuesday feels like rather a long time ago.

How about a brief summary? Ok ok.

- David Ford in Oxford
- M & M over for dinner
- recording. This has taken over quite a lot of time. It's coming along nicely, but there's still a fair amount to go
- there were a few glasses of wine and a couple beers
- played this morning. 'twas great.
- cooked up a hunter's chicked stew this afternoon. Another Jamie recipe. Very nice. Although I suppose it should be with 3/4 of a bottle of chianti in it.

I've had thoughts. But they are elusive little beggars it has to be said.

One thought that occured to me this afternoon was that in my reckoning it's a positive thing for famous people to use their position to encourage people to vote, but it's a very negative thing for them to use their position to encourage people to vote for a particular person or party.

This probably sounds quite reasonable on first inspection, but dig a little deeper and it's all based around the assumption that democracy is inherently a good thing. Which I'm not necessarily disputing, but the fact is that it is just another system. To assume it's the best idea is still an assumption.

In fact, I've heard it said that benign dictatorship is the best form of government. Which might be fair enough if you could assume inherent goodness in a leader with absolute power. But when we talk about democracy being the best solution are we not also talking in ideals?

Food for thought I suppose.

Have a good week would you?

overandout

self improvement

Today's lesson runs thus:

I must think harder about the information that people actually need when I'm speaking to them.

This is mostly required in business type exchanges. So for instance this morning when I rang the garage, they didn't need to know that I had read the opening time last nite as 8am but was ringing in the hope that they actually opened earlier. They especially didn't need that information in the garbled state in which it was delivered.

I'm guilty of this quite a lot you know. It comes from not wanting people to misunderstand me. I often find that when watching films/programmes I think that characters should be explaining themselves more. Then I realise they really don't need to.

Another classic example is phoning up ill for work. All you really need to say is, "Hi, I'm not able to come in today because I'm ill." Simple really.

That's it today. No humour. No picture. Just insights a-go-go.

overandout

still tiny minded thoughts I think

It's weird that no matter what else is going on in your life you will still find stupid thoughts encroaching upon you.

Like:

"sometimes in the morning, getting dressed stalls at socks. Like, I'll be all dressed apart from socks, but that will be too much and I'll have to go and do something else like make a cup of tea. Then I'll look at the socks and think, I'll just brush my teeth. And so on. It's weird that."

or

"When you have an electric toothbrush with a timer, it makes you better with a normal toothbrush if you have to use one for some reason like you're on holiday or you've forgotten to charge the electric toothbrush again. Because before you just used to brush all over your mouth like it's r-r-random but now you do a big stretch of time - maybe even 30 seconds but probably not exactly because that would be well impressive - on each quadrant of your mouth. So that's good because it means even when you're not getting the goodness delivered by the rapidly oscillating head you're getting benefits."

Not that there's anything particularly big going on in my life right now.

It's just I had these thoughts and I, you know, thought that you might be interested.

I can see now I was wrong.

on cynicism and such

Right then.

I was on the bus earlier today, as can be the case from time to time. The woman in front of me had a (red top) paper which was open on the problems page.

Right there is all the proof you'll ever need that:
- people never learn
- people are gluttons for punishment
- people think that the rules don't apply to them

I mean seriously. I can only assume these people never read the problem page to which they have decided to send their desperate plea for help because they're having an affair with a married man and he says he'll leave her but he hasn't yet etc etc.

Unless of course all of these letters are made up and I've been had.

I think I probably am a cynic. At least, according to Wikipedia I am. And according to MotherVic.

But I like to think I'm at least an optimistic cynic. A cynic with a dash of hope. Sometimes.

Maybe a chipper cynic.

I should be careful. I'm coming awfully close to making a defining statement about myself. We all know how much I hate being boxed up now don't we.

This is, quite frankly, going nowhere. And I should really get some shuteye. Tomorrow I'm heading out Sevenoaks way. So watch out posh people. You've got it coming.

Think that's about it.

say my name say my name

Hello.

I was thinking earlier. Sometimes you know, you have ways, certain ways of doing things. You've done things these ways for a jolly long time.

And sometimes it occurs to you to wonder why you do things a certain way.

And you remember knowing that the reason was very logical and practicable.

But you can't remember the actual reason itself.

It's a funny thing.

I don't remember a lot of things. Either that or the misses makes up a lot of things that I've said and done. I suppose both are plausible.

Anyway. Two things for you.

1. Off to the Personchester tonite. Yummy.

2. Apparently I look like this guy. I don't see it personally.

you can't have all the crossroads.

it's a trip

Thoughts:

- I've had some bizarre spam lately. Some of it is out and out sick and funny ("no more squirt squirt whoops love"), but some of it is just like Radiohead lyrics ("messaging not just"). I'm simultaneously amused and perturbed. Perturbed to think that these emails are worth sending out because there's somehow some kind of return on them.

- I can't help but think these people are in for rather a large shock when they die. I don't think I need to clarify this statement any more, but if you need some help drop me a line

- There are actually two kinds of rebels. Those who rebel from the inside out, and those who rebel from the outside in. The latter can be "inside", it's more of an attitude. I think I'm more of an in/out kind of guy, although I'm not sure I could tell you which I'd prefer to be

- I'm still astounded at how many christians are proud of the fact that they are recognised in non-christian environments as people "who don't swear". I don't want to start the swearing debate (go here if you do), it's just that I can think of a million better things to be 'known' for. If you still need some pointers, how about loyalty, love, honesty, LACK OF PRIDE, gentleness, oh and so on. God, you'd have thought we'd have realised the triviality of externals by now.

That's about it. I had planned on a picture, you know, but somehow it just didn't work out. It's been a good day all told though. Just ask the wife.

overandout

the past goes unnoticed..

I have previously 'harped on' about the usefulness, or perhaps interest is more accurate, of blogging as a means of looking back on myself in years to come, but I was just thinking about how much I actually miss out.

Like my parents moving out of the house which they lived in for most of my teens and all of my early twenties. (See picture yo).

Or the fact that Anwar and Han are having a baby.

Or a mulitude (host?) of other minutiae and bigutiae that clutters up my life but somehow not my blog.

If anything that's kind of fun. Big stuff I would probably remember anyway, but would I necessarily remember an evening of procrastination (there's so many).

Anyway.

subjectivities

Heylo my freunden.

I received a compliment on my poor spellingness today. What fun!

What? Fun?

Anyways. I'm about to expose my jaded side and for that I truly apologise. We know it happens, but that doesn't mean we should revel in it. I will no doubt be berated by the misses.

Anyway.

I find the education system to be a little confusing at best. There seems to be so much that's imposed from outside/on high that talks of aiming high, of making sure that the best that can possibly be achieved is achieved, that results go from strength to strength and so on. Yet for all that (and here comes that subjective, jaded opinion that's gonna get me busted) it feels to me like the country gets more and more mediocre.

Further to that (and boy do I really despise the fact that I'm getting on this bandwagon, but what can you do?) it appears that to satisfy this endless target setting grades are getting better, but standards appear to slip. Which leads to a situation where you're telling an ongoing population that is getting dumber (just look at reality tv if you don't believe me :P) that they are getting smarter.

That's some scary sheet right there my friend. It's almost as if someone wanted us to be subdued whilst making us think that we're not. Not that I'm a conspiracy.. um.. ist?

What I will say, however, is that we're training people to look like they're doing the right thing, sound like they're saying the right thing, and appear to tick all the boxes. Surely that's got to be good for something?

Right?

Having said that, you can't have it all..

then again..

How's it going my inter-buddies. Time for your daily (ahem) dose of Toby.

Went out to 'the shopping' yesterday. In Brommers. Bought me some shoes, a shirt, a belt and some rings. All at 'knock-down' prices. Caloo Calay.

Tonite it's back to the foop-ball. Let's see how 2 weeks of inactivity will go down. I'm guessing bitter. All the way down.

What is it in human nature that is attracted to the bitter-sweet? Dostoyevsky said "Man is sometimes extraordinarily, passionately, in love with suffering..." I'm taking it that he meant wo-man too. Ho ho. Anyway. It is a strange thing when you think about it. I'd be interested to hear religious people explain it. They can be good at that..

That aside, I wonder whether and how the human tendency to find definition and/or character through suffering has an affect?

I couldn't tell you. I'm all about the questions. Hee.

Anyways. Gotta eat to live, gotta stop blogging to eat. Otherwise this would go on.

Wrong!

Buh. You can't have it all.

of iced tea and poisoned fingerfoods

Hello and good morning one and all.

We've got a lot to get through so sit tite and hold on.

First and foremost I would most definitely like to say that I'm very sorry to have missed such a special date yesterday. I can only guess how terrible it must have been for all of you sat there waiting at your computer screens, fingers poised quivering above the refresh button. A drop of sweat hits the desk as you feverishly press that key over and over whilst muttering to yourself and wondering, wondering, wondering..

Truth be told I was ill and lost track of dates somewhat. In all honesty I'm still not better but I'm sitting up, and they tell me the worst has passed.

Now.

I've been laid up for a while so watching films has been the order of the day(s). I can taste your expectation even across the webbernet so I won't hesitate, deviate or repetition.. myself.. um.. I'll get right into telling you what's going down.

Little Miss Sunshine.
What a great film. This was right up our street. Quirky and all about the characters.

Pay It Forward.
Also a good film. That Osment kid sure had it. Good ending as well.

Crash.
Holy carp there's the hattrick. This was also. A good film.

Jurassic Park - The Lost World & Jurassic Park III
Oh. Well, you know.

I was also gonna have a little chat to you aboot ideas. I think it's weird the way ideas come upon you. I've never particularly been one to work hard on ideas. I either just have them or I don't have them. I don't know if that's everyone's experience. Mostly I think for me this relates to songs that I write. I can't really sit down and bash them out. Usually when I write them they just occur. So I'm not going to be running any songwriting seminars anytime soon.

But so I wonder what ideas might be to come in the world. I read about that one guy with the million dollar webpage just sat there and worked backwards from a million dollars. I don't think I have that approach.

But maybe, just maybe an idea will just hit me and you'll be reading about me in the Times or the FT yo yo. Just maybe.

Anyway. I'm out.

and over.

in the half-light

There's been a lovely twilight tonite.

It made everything feel hyper-real.

I find those times interesting. Often I find it's if there's a strange natural lighting going on. Other times it could be at a party when the music's loud and you've had a couple of drinks. It's funny. Because it feels both real and not real.

That's my observation for you tonite.

foop-ball to come. And maybe poker. Who knows.

o&o

staying late / extra credit

Calloo Calay.

I'm here today.

I've been thinking all sorts of negative thoughts about society recently. I don't like it much. Having negative thoughts that is. Society's got its high and low points. I just wish people wouldn't be arseholes to each other.

And I wish we didn't have to tear down all the time.

But it's so easy. Everyone thinks they know better. Everyone has a plan.

Why don't we let the journalists run the country? I'm sure they could do a better job.

Actually I don't think sarcasm helps the situation. It does make me feel better for a little bit, but then it tastes sour.

I could spin this out into an essay, but I need to get dressed really. Also, I meant spin in the other sense. Not the newspaper sense.

oberonout

statistics, dreaming and the like

Hi there faithful real-worlders. (funnily enough, as I typed that I was listening to In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel, and as we all know, his record label is.. that's right little timmy, Real World. How bizzarely inconsequential).

I hope you're enjoying yourselfs. I know I am. I'm on a break from work you see.

I was thinking it would be interesting to see some statistics about my blogging in order to further analyse myself. Specifically I have a hunch that I generally tend to post more towards the year's close. But I could be wrong. The closing in of the days, the bright but chill days in autumn, the sitting drinking hot drinks watching the poor weather in the lowlight: these cause me to be wistful and slightly melancholic in a good way. And, god forbid, this makes me feel 'artistic' which makes me want to write more. Probably.

I've been thinking about dreaming again. It truly is a weird state of affairs. Particularly the location aspect of dreams. You see I often dream about places that I know and I know in my dream that it is said place. But it bears little or no resemblance or likeness to the actual place. But yet I dream it the same in different dreams over long periods of time. Why? Why does my brain rearrange locations? I think I would understand if it rearranged them randomly each time. Or at least it would trouble me less.

Now, I'd better get back to work so I'm going to head, but so you know (and I know you want to), yes, David Ford was fantastic last nite. There were some odd people in the crowd but we didn't let it spoil the moment.

overandoutt

The wall

Sometimes you wish you wouldn't half overhear conversations in bars.

There's not anyone here with whom I can converse and therefore block out the guy who's spouting off as I write this. The only slight problem is that he's just out of range for full clarity. The state of my ears being what it is I can't quite confirm that he is the bigoted fascist I'm taking him for. There's a lesson there somewhere.

Still, it could have been one of those conversations where you swear they're talking about you but you just missed the crucial part. Those suck. What's that? You never had that? Sucks to be me eh?

Where do we find ourselves?

You's got to love them sunscapes. Yeah?

We find our selfs lazing around back in the homestead. With the Fizz. The questions we face are slightly ones of losing the weight, of the sorting out of and of the playing of the music on Friday for the BubbSass wedding and of the sorting of the house. Small questions in life's great treadmill.

I really really don't mean this question to sound the way that I assume most people will think it sounds, and because of that I don't hesitate to ask it. How is it that a lot of blogs get all the comments that they get? Am I not resonating with the bloggernet? I get reasonable hits per month, but not many comments. And verily, I say to you, I honestly don't care in that way. I really don't. I'm happy with none. I just wonder how people get them. And maybe if I knew, I wouldn't put said knowledge into practice. Mebbe.

this that and, of course, the other

Stoopid hacking type people ruined my phone auction. So I'll now have to relist it.

It's interesting (maybe) to think that when people are behaving themselves there are two categories. Unless you can think of more, in which case there are two or more categories.

- people who don't do immoral things on the basis that it's immoral
- people who don't do immoral things on the basis that they might get caught

Which category any given person falls into differs on an issue by issue basis. For instance I would imagine that quite a few people fall into the second category when driving a car.

The thing is though, for the first category you would expect that the person will never do the action in question, but for the second it's just a matter of what risks they're prepared to take or whether they get the opportunity to do the action without getting caught.

The application of this (I can tell you're itching to hear it), or rather the catalyst for me thinking about it is using/leaving your credit card details in the possession of other people. You have to leave your card as a deposit for hiring surf boards etc and I've also recently heard of people having their credit card details stolen by petrol stations in Dartford (I don't know which ones). Most people hopefully will fall into the first category and you're safe, but some people fall into the second category, and you'd better hope they don't have a plan.

To the moon

not that they wouldn't anyway

I wonder what prospective employers would make of all of this here. Hire or fire? It's an interesting question. Does this guff have any relevance to my professional potential? Is the title of my blog a deterrent perhaps?

Maybe I shall never know..

Do you think they should maybe cut the clandestinity of the exercise and mark your internet presence and its bearing on your employability out of 10 on a form for you.

Well Mr Toby One you scored high on general dedication to blogging and getting yourself out there (or whoring yourself about as we like to call it) but you fall and fall hard on overall content and on your slipshod, nay slovenly, approach to language, entertaining an audience and, quite frankly, making any bl*ody sense what-so-ever. Please do not darken our doorstep again.

Could be good. I await the day when people start businesses that will assess someone's online 'portfolio' for companies and summarise in a one-page writeup. There's money to be made I deem.

By the way I self-censored back there because I know that I may have picked up a few readers of a 'sensitive disposition' somewhere along the line. And I like to look out for them, bless their little trepidacious souls.

overandout

webber-writing yo

Isn't it funny the things that people get indignant about? For this 'banal observation'™ I have drawn on the experience of seeing them speedy cameras what are been burnt or painted over or whatever. People get rather het up about it all don't they? But why? It's the law. If you don't want points or fines, don't speed.

The funny thing with people is they're always justifying things with theoretical situations. "It's unfair that if you lapse in concentration and accidentally go too fast you should be punished". How often does that really happen? You know you're going too fast. The lapse in concentration was not noticing the camera. Also, shouldn't you be concentrating all the time when you're driving? Not that anyone does of course. Not even, not EVEN, yours truly.. hee.

The other one that makes me chuckle is when there's talk of putting speed limiters on cars. I'd really appreciate one time someone actually saying "well we don't want speed limiters because I like to go really fast actually." But the line that usually gets used is "it's dangerous because sometimes you need to accelerate out of danger". I've been driving for 8 years and the only time I've ever had to do that is because I was going too fast in the first place. Maybe not being able to go over a certain speed would cause a couple of accidents. But maybe that should be weighed against how many accidents get caused by speeding in the first place..

"I don't like tobiwan.co.uk so much these days. He's getting preachy."

The actual point I was originally going to make before I "went off on one"™ was that it's bizarre that people get all fired up and burn speed cameras when there's things like Guantanamo Bay going on. I guess it's only really easy to get passionate about stuff that affects you personally hey?

Quoi d'autre? OH I'M SELLING A PHONE ON EBAY! Huzzah!

K I'm done. You can't have it all yo yo.

baronial

I got a few bits and pieces for you today. We're off to check out a church where Bub and Sass are getting marrid in less than a month fairly soon, so I will be brief. For now..

- Did you ever wonder what the difference between a citizen and a denizen is? Not much apparently. You never tend to hear people talk about citizens of the deep however.

- Do you ever get annoyed when you're installing something or using some weblication and they only give you the option for U.S. English? This is probably not a very fresh or original insight but what the carp is that aboot? Either there's some serious inferiority issues going on there or perhaps they're worried that there's gonna be some americans going "I don't get it, my language ain't on this list" if they just list it as ENGLISH.

I'm running out of time right now so I'll just leave you with all the quotes about god from my little archive of quotes. Dandy

• "God made me to run, and he made me fast, and when I run I feel his pleasure." - Eric Liddell, Chariots of Fire
• "I'm not one for dance classes, feeling if God had wanted us to wear leotards he would have painted us purple." - Victoria Wood
• "Newbie, if the next two words out of your mouth aren't 'See ya' then the third word will be 'Oh my god. my crotch. You've punched me in my crotch.'" - Dr Cox
• "As God once said, and I think rightly..." - Margaret Thatcher.
• "For godness sake, will someone else please submit some quotes!!!!!!" - Mothership
• "You can tell it's a heatwave when......
  You come to believe that deodorant is God's own stick of petrochemical derivatives" - Lucy Mangan
• "Live among men as if God beheld you; speak to God as if men were listening." - Seneca
• "I'm not a god. I've just been.. misquoted" - Lister
• "As the days go by, we face the increasing inevitability that we are alone in a godless, uninhabited, hostile and meaningless universe. Still, you've got to laugh, haven't you?" - Holly
• "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin
• "Love, having become a god, becomes a demon" - C.S Lewis
• "You go do that. And I'll go find God, quit drinking, get in touch with myself emotionally, and we'll meet right back here at half past impossible. Mm'kay?" - Cox

down by the railway siding

You know what would be scary? If a malevolent and sinister force, agency or other third party were able to obtain a list of all your details, interests and calendar as well as photos of you, your friends, acquaintances and contacts with details of the exact nature of your connection to said people.


Don't you think?


So anyway, in an unrelated aside, what do you think of facebook? El loves it. I'm undecided.

What else is up? Well the Jub is getting marrid on Saturday. That's up.

I'm done, gotta pee.

You can't have it all.. Toby

perspective..

It messes with your mind when you start thinking about it. Believe me. I think the easiest way is to pretend that there's nothing to worry about it. Which is the way most people get by every day. Maybe that's ok.

Again, if you think about it, there's probably someone out there already worrying about whatever so that you don't have to. There's probably already a charity for it.

I know what you're thinking, you're thinking, that's how Nazi Germany got off the ground. And you're probably right.

But don't worry.

Propaganda

"Propaganda is the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist."
- Garth S. Jowett and Victoria O'Donnell, Propoganda and Persuasion, 4th edition, 2006

I sometimes think the word propaganda is only ever applied to materials, methods or views that the person using the word disagrees.

Is it ever possible to tell a full objective truth that the other person receives objectively in its entirety?

Do we ever write something public without wishing or hoping to shape perceptions? Perhaps not to further our intent, but probably to propagate our views.

I think we react more to perceived propaganda when we see the manipulation. For instance, in a program I watched recently, images were used that were not directly related to the commentary but had been (I assume carefully) chosen to create a certain mood that would help convey the overall message. I think, "propaganda", but perhaps those that agreed with every word being said wouldn't. Or perhaps those that had not spotted the conceit.

But does it matter? I guess people don't like to be manipulated so on principle yes. But then everything we see, hear, touch etc. will be manipulating us in some way. It then comes down to whether we know we're being manipulated and whether we like it. Or it becomes about whether you think it is right that other people should be manipulated in that way. But if you cry foul you're still deciding what is right and wrong for someone else. Who ultimately decides what is good propaganda and what is bad propaganda? Surely training people to choose for themselves is in itself a form of propaganda?

My final question may seem a little trivial but I don't mind. Do you think that a rare bearlike mammal of the mountains of China and Tibet, having woolly fur with distinctive black and white markings would think this rant to be propapanda?

Didn't think so.

overandout

stark

Hello hello.

My current nark is all about the humility. I'm guessing that when your business is writing words it doesn't pay to be unsure of them so it's understandable that you state your position and you state it boldly.

I hate to add to the countless words already written in the wake of the recent retirement announcement, but I'm surprised that I haven't read or heard many balanced pieces of thinking about the 10 years with Tony Blair in charge.

Most of it's RAH RAH RAH IRAQ, or HEALTHCARE this or Oh whatever. Pieces either blind in their praise or blind in their hatred. What emerges is that there are many with an issue or an axe to grind (bad axes or good axes) and most of it would maybe rest on a few personal experiences of life under Tony that have colored overall opinion.

So many things are summed up with such self-belief and arrogance it's hard for me to take any of them seriously. Perhaps I'm just nervous of stating any case too boldly.

My own guess is that this country hasn't been run all too badly for the last 10 years. I think the government has probably been a little spin-happy, but I defy anyone not to be in the current media climate. I see triumphs and disasters and so-sos and maybes. There are people who have been let down, people who have been well served, people undermined and people lifted up.

I have a sneaking suspicion that life creeps on, and also a slightly nervous inclination to believe that in more cases than we'd like to admit, we do bad things to ourselves. The General Public of the United Kingdom is a strange and unruly beast.

In closing I see a country and a system and a decade too complex to bring down to a few paragraphs (though you will see that even I am trying :P). Also I see a job impossible to be done to the satisfaction of all. I try to understand that not everything is as it seems and that there is good and bad in all walks of life from the lowest to the highest.

Finally I deem it unwise to try and second-guess what history will make of things. Hindsight is a scarce commodity.

I hope this hasn't appalled you.

Overand out..

of butterflies and hurricanes..

Performance is kind of addictive. I didn't twig onto this very early. I have vague memories of being an air raid warden in primary school and I also have more distinct memories of pissing myself whilst singing 'Lady in Red' in Year 7 (could it be I had taste even back then?). I vaguely remember Mr Baker being involved in that particular incident as well, though I could be mistaken.

I digress. Last nite's (that's Wednesday for those of y'all reading this on a different timescale to my posting of it) gig was super great fun and I bopped and bounced and threw shapes like a good'n. Then Open Mic tonite was also very good fun,

I may have had a point. I may also have had 4 pints and no dinner. What of it?

I'll stop now before I hurt someone.

overandout

don't you find

It's always the people you would like to blog that don't do it. I'll let you draw your own conclusions from that. You're smart people after all..

Not, of course, to say that those that do blog are those who you wouldn't want to. That's stretching the point. But then I'm hoping that being the smart people you are, you would have worked that out too..

I'll leave you with this. My favourite part? Well naturally it's:

The zoo bought the animal ten years ago from a local resident who had kept it as a pet.

Could we have a little more background than that please? Like.. let's say an interview with the 'local resident' (read: nutjob).

overandoutbarndancingformostoftheeveningactually..

What a beautiful day

again..

I'm sure we'll look back in times to come when all the bees are dead and gone and marvel that we weren't aware of the catastrophes this lovely spell of weather foretold but for now we're loving it and isn't that part of what life is about? Hmmm..

Anyways, there are many reasons to be happy.

- the sun is shining, the birds are swaying and the trees are singing
- this is post #600
- the weekend she stretches out before us
- last night's gig was all of the funs
- food
- friends
- family
- music

I could go on. I had a few random thoughts in the last few days, let's see if we can remember them..

- we tend to think we know/understand people's motives without knowing that person in the slightest. We tend to think the worst of motives or assume that they couldn't be altruistic. In my experience at least, motives seem to be a big ol' mixed bag. I don't think I've come across a pure motive.
- I love people who can write songs that pinpoint an aspect of humanity and either tell a story with it or just describe it. Ben Folds is very good at this. Songs that spring to mind: Gone (Ben Folds), Sadako (3dBs Down), I had some others but they escape me). I wish I could do it.

El's back now so I will truncate this post.

See you all soon..

Garden livin'

Wireless network ensures tanning opportunities are maximised. No longer will the geek be weedled out for jokes and points due to his "studio" or "computer" tan. The world has been turned upside down..

I made a warm bread salad with pancetta, parmesan and poached egg for lunch and Teh Fizz is here to fill in an application form with El's help and my (not very good) jokes.

What else I wonder? Oh, gosh, how could I forget. I went to see 3dBs Down last nite at the River Bar in Maidstone. That was some gig. Their new stuff is great and they generally blow me away. I tell no word of a lie.

I think there was some other stuff but I got shanghaied into typing things for El and Fizz and so have forgotten it all. You will cope I do not doubt.

a walk in the park

Yesterday we went for a walk in the park. It was easy. Some might just say it was a walk in the park. But enough of the asides and verbal wizardry (dentistry?).

It was nice to see some of the places where I used to go as a kid. Being in the home town makes you all nostalgic don't it..

I spent this morning slumming around on the internet and whatnot. Watched the Hamster's car crash from The Top Gears, checked out who's been visiting ah my site, wrote a blog post about internet arguments and deleted it, mooched about on myspace, forgot to drink two cups of tea. Pretty much the usual. Gotta love the holly days.

I feel in the mood for some creative writing but I can't think of what to write. So after all that not so creative. Mebbe I should do some uncreative writing.

Or a blog as most people call it. Oh ho. Got there before anyone else did.

Well I'm going to get back to my general meanderings through cyberspace.

You all take good care of yourselfs or I will be coming after yous.

PEACE and OUT

calm yourself

Hello there oh blog of my blog.

What pleasant weather we have been having of late. And all us britlanders can do is talk about it. It is useful though when you're rubbish at small talk. How do you leave a small talk conversation politely once you've both sensed that it is just small talk and it's not going anywhere? I find the best I can do is make some kind of lame excuse ('gotta go get some.. something') or pretend to have seen someone. Or actually see someone.

Just had a nice old bath. Always a treat.

And now to cook.

&out

minimum leisure facilities

Saturday nite cabin fever..

It's been an interesting day. From this evening backwards I guess.. In a few minutes we're off to a partay. Right now I am watching Red Dwarf - Quarantine. Before we had some Friends. I also got a cheap pair of new shoes this afternoon. Good stuff. Lunch. Nick was over. Fizz has been around too. I did try and lie in this morning but it left me with a sore neck/back.

Enough of the minutiae. This isn't helping anybody.

Where would sitcoms and short televisual stories be without the old deus ex machina eh? I guess if you've got a short time span and want to explore more in depth ideas whilst still retaining the situation (it's a sit-com after all) you've only got a limited number of ways of achieving that. Done well it can really enhance a story. Done badly it can fair give you jip (what's that? It was all a dream? Hurrah!).

I expect you all knew that anyway. You clever peoples.

What's your favourite deus ex machina? I think mine would have to be the ending to Enemy of the State. Although maybe that's more of a mexican standoff. Who can know?

Signoff time:

OVER&OUT YA CRAZIES

blank canvas

Ahhh morning time. When the day has such possibilities. The world could be full of kittens and blog posts and chance meetings and cups of teas.

I'm told the secret to having a popular or even, dare I say it, useful blog is to find that one subject that you know and love and write passionately about it day by day. Now a lot of you may be saying, "but Toby, you already do that", but hear me out. I don't think I major in any one subject (no, not even myself, though I do a good job of pretending to love myself that much). Certainly not enough to blog about. I like to dabble in a bit of everything.

The question here this morning is does that create an overall rounded view of the world or do I miss out?

Sadly, the one thing I do excel in is half-finished thoughts and inconclusive essayettes. So you can imagine what's going to happen, can't you?

That's right, I've got to go and put the rubbish out..

Overandout

on life and such..

We've had a gloriously lazy Saturday today. Which is a welcome relief from the madcappery that has been occuring in recent weeks. Also, we didn't play poker in the end last nite so I managed to sneak more precious hours of sleep from my body which will insist on getting me up at 9 or 10 regardless of the time I retire. Very good.

It's starting to get annoying that all I seem to be posting is HEY I GOT UP LATE TODAY AND I'M DOING THINGS LATER. I guess the pictures do add some interest, and I will every so often get creative.

Speaking of which, do you recall the tea hunt story from back in November? I was thinking about it just now because I was making myself a cup of tea and it appears that that box has run out. Although I have the thought in my head that there should be one more jar of them but I CAN'T FIND IT.

Back to the point. I would like to post something of note or even possibly something inter-muh-lectual. But alas. I do have thoughts sometimes, but one of three things happens. I either wimp out, forget what the thought was or more likely the thought is banal or unshareable. Two such examples from this week:

"bacon rolls are always good."
"there's few bad moods that can't be solved by eating a couple of bags of poly-trans-fattiated-saturates" (that's crisps to you and your cousins THE NORMAL PEOPLE).

See?

Since this is the second time I have now typed this guff (it's not getting better with repetition let me tell you) due to Windows being a bastard, I am going to stop. Once again Toby relearns the inevitable lesson about saving work and so on..

A real jedi wouldn't have these problems..

overandout

a cheery thought on the bus

I was sat on the bus today, thinking. For some reason I got to thinking about afterlives.

Pretty much any concept of the afterlife is bearable except hell.. I know that's fairly obvious, but there you go. I'm a fairly obvious kind of guy.

Think about it..

annihilation - wouldn't care would cease to exist
joining a greater consciousness/god/whatever - weird but again would cease to be self-aware so dealable with
reincarnation - pain in the ass going through life to get to the fun bits again but again, wouldn't realise I'd already done it and you get to try some different stuff to what you tried this time round
heaven - best of the bunch. Or else it wouldn't be heaven

All good and well. The beliefs essentially stack up as don't carry on, carry on in a new form, carry on in the same form in a different place. But hell is unthinkable. I think someone once conceptualised hell as being like here but going on for ever (basically saying that that would be hell). That's dumb. Sometimes life can be a chore here and life going on for ever here would be an eternal chore but there's so many opportunities to take joy in small pleasures - a glass of wine, laughter, a mountaintop etc etc - that you could deal with it. Now imagine the worst parts of life as we know it and imagine that there could be no respite from them. Gah.

Oftentimes when I start things like this, I have no idea where I'm going. This is no exception.. ha.

Often people questioning beliefs in a deity of some description will say, "how can you believe a good being would send people there". I would tend to struggle with the same question, although I still believe in God. But I can't help but wonder, what if there was such a place and you went there of your own choosing?

Frightening.

carry on regardless..

Going through a 'having problems with titles' phase. Not that I care. And nor should you.

This whole labels thing is weird as well. Trying to choose what labels to use. I mean after all I could just use a different one for each post but the point would be somewhat absent.

Guess where got snow? Oh you can guess you're smart people..

Also, here's some photos that got uploaded recently. It was Boy Crossroads' birthday. We had a finger buffet and played Risk. Who said Aran only ever comes up with weird ideas?!?

Family is fun is what I say.

Finally, El finished the painting. It's called Blood In The Water.



Wow. This was a long one. Sorry about that folks..

Overandout.