A Mental Few Days

If I’m still alive on Monday, I deserve a medal. Over the next few days my normally manageable social calendar has exploded into a plethora of wonderful things to do & people to see.

  • Thursday Night – Mancseo. Thursday night is the monthly Mancseo meet, and my first anniversary since my first one – when I was a North Wales SEO. Enjoyed the night so much in the House No 9 that it was a catalyst for changing jobs, and the rest – as they say – is history. Anyway, this month’s is in the Blackdog Ballroom, Church Street, Manchester from about 6pm. If you’re in SEO in Manchester (or can get to Manchester) then it’s well worth going to. It’s a great way to network (although I didn’t meet my present employer at the first Mancseo, he was there!).
  • Friday – TNA Wrestling European Tour. Last year the day after my first Mancseo was TNA Wrestling’s European Tour, which stopped in Manchester for the night. Last year’s was a great day, with afternoon beers before the show which was incredible. So we’re doing it again :). Bit of a different lineup compared to last years (both us & the wrestlers, unfortunately a few nasty injuries & emergencies mean that the card is a little weaker than last year), but it should still be good fun. Also, it’ll provide content for my new blog – You’re Supposed To Be At Home (I’ve posted about NEO Ladies Pro Wrestling this week).
  • Saturday – Scarborough & Leeds. Finally on Saturday I’m meeting up with a few university mates & we’re going to Scarborough for the day, followed with a rather cultured wine tasting evening at my mates (followed by a few less cultured piss up in Leeds). If anybody’s out & about in Leeds, let me know!

So yes, even though nowadays more than about 2 or 3 pints ruins the day after, I’m going to be running on fumes by Sunday. I’ll be hitting the gym next week – I bought some scales this week & like all good SEO’s, I’m analysing the ongoing (hopeful) drops.

Easy Access Whiskey

So yeah, I’ve spent the weekend at home back in North Wales, enjoying home comforts, including finishing off the bottle of Jack Daniels I got for Christmas.

In a drunken stupor I dropped the screwcap underneath the fridge freezer, a large contraption neither myself, nor the dog, can fit beneath.

Searching the kitchen I can only find one such top that fit on the JD. It was a perfect fit. What do you think?

Marvellous & I think I’m onto something, wouldn’t you agree?

On the minus side, I’ve not  got a bottle for the gym. I could take the whiskey…

Snow Pictures of North Wales & Manchester

In my last post, where I talked about You’re Supposed To Be At Home, Carly commented on the quality of pictures – which was nice, as it’s something I’ve been wanting to improve (I’ve got a great book on photography, and an ace camera – Kodak Easyshare Z915). So I’ve thought that now we’ve emerged from the Snow Days of Death™ in the bleak mid winters, I’d show a few pictures of the snow. Here you go:-

In other news: as part of my New Years Resolutions I’ve started kick boxing. Yes I’m sore, yes I’m aching, but yes it’s rather fun! Early shout for my Birthday (4th of March peeps & I’ve since discovered I’m now a fucking Aquarius) for Thai Kickboxing shorts. Purple Ones.

Dulcimer Chorlton & The Need of a Local

Update: Dulcimer is reported to reopen on the 24th March, 2011.

This photo makes me very sad.

R.I.P. Dulcimer

This is the Dulcimer in Chorlton. It sold real ale & fantastic cheeseboards (and ask the mother, I’m somebody who isn’t that into cheese bar Primula, Babybel & Brie), and was a great place where I shared many a banter with Shane, amongst others. Seriously, behind those shutters we put the world to rights, brokered a Middle East Peace Treaty, cured cancer, and made ourselves richer than the entire past, present & future cast of Dragon’s Den. Combined.

Until last night, where it shut down.

Unless you enjoy a beer as much as me, you’ll know how much this hurts. This was my local. I loved that place, a proper pub, with music, good ales, good food & banter. All at a reasonable price. I’ve never lost a local before (I was a little too young when Taylors became The Pen y Bryn). I don’t know what to do! It does feel like I’ve lost a leg.

Anyway, I need a new local in Chorlton, must:-

  • Serve Real Ale.
  • Have Good Food.
  • Not Too loud.

It’d be great if it has:-

  • A pub quiz.
  • A dartboard.

Any suggestions would be greatfully appreciated!

Stargazing

Orion's Belt

A bit of a confession here – I’m fascinated by astronomy.

I always has been, even though with the exception of Big Dipper & Orion I couldn’t name a constallation, nevertheless, my grandad installed a fascination of looking at the stars from an early age, a passion at least one of my uncles & my mum shares (which has also been passed onto me). It was a damn shame he passed on a couple of weeks before the Total Eclipse of 1999, which we were fortunate to see down in Devon.

One thing I have missed about home since moving to Manchester rather oddly is seeing the stars. It’s been wonderfully clear, which lead to that rather uninmpressive photo at the top of the page. Trust me, it was spectacular. I can’t remember noticing the stars in Manchester.

Anyway there’s going to be a programme on the BBC presented about Prof. Brian Cox called Stargazing on Monday (tonight!), which will be a bit like Springwatch, only amazing. I’m not sure what the programme will be about, but it could be about the partial solar eclipse happening on Tuesday morning – the peak of which is happening at about quarter past 8. Yeah I know it’s the first day back for most of us after Christmas, but surely you can be a few minutes late for work to see a partial solar eclipse?