May 3rd, 2007

12:54 am - Scottish Election - 07. Still undecided? Then click here! http://www.dont-vote-labour.co.uk/votesnp.jpg I'd urge all Scots to view this poster before going into the ballot box! Print version poster: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/endlabourlies/ For emailing: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/endlabourlies/small-poster/ Print the high-res version of the poster. View it. Pass it on. Print it. Hang it on windows and walls, especially near key seats and ballot areas! Email the lower-res poster to all and sundry! Family, friends, pets, strangers - go for it. You're helping to build exciting new horizons that don't rely on dependency or warmongering! See through the labour lies and spin Scotland! SNP for a return to democracy...1, 2 and 3. Tags: alex, alex salmond, election, election 07, holyrood, jack, jack mcconnell, labour, scotland, scots, scots election, scottish, scottish election, scottish election 07, scottish national party, snp, sturgeon, vote, vote snp

April 26th, 2007

10:32 am - Join the boycott of anti-Scottish newspapers: The run-up to the Scottish parliamentary elections has demonstrated transparent and blatant pro-union bias in the Scottish mass media - especially the press. Free and fair elections are at stake. Join the boycott of anti-Scottish newspapers: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/anti-Scottish/ Sign - only takes twenty secs - then tell your friends. Current Mood: enraged Tags: independence, scottish, snp

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July 27th, 2006

12:48 pm Wow. Here we are then. As it turned out, Eiraniel and myself declined the house. It was a massive decision. Looked at from every conceivable angle, we [probably] did the right thing... ...nevertheless, out with work and other stressful nuggets, we're busy painting, varnishing, sanding, polishing the new bat-cave. Namely Eiraniel's folks place. They've very kindly allowed us to move in for a few years - and apply whatever creative license we wish to pursue in the meantime. To that end, we've suddenly become very nesty with careful discussions around 'whether to paint or varnish' this or that, that 'correct' conservatory green - together with other palette matters our 20-something selves would have balked at. A wee bit. Quite excited though - and it's probably about time house proper were on the cards for ourselves and chick... ...who has taken quite the stretch of late. Work plummets on. Templates being tested. Excitement starting to froth once more. Current Location: Llwynithel, North Wales Current Mood: uncomfortable Current Music: Muse - Supermassive black hole

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May 21st, 2006

01:25 pm - Y 'campaign for an English parliament website' Ellyll - wyt ti wedi gweld hwn? Mae'n ddiawchedig. Darllena! Current Mood: nauseated

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May 15th, 2006

08:07 pm - Hoose. It appears the hoose is ours. This is good news, and today there has been much financial bustling, talking to mortgage people on the phone, working out best deals and the like... ...we know exactly what kind of mortgage we want too. Still, it's not easy. Unfortunately, the housing scenario is particularly bad in Gwynedd. Relatively low annual incomes, coupled with *the* worst house pricing rise, by county - mean that it's pretty tough to get onto the ladder at all. Could have been so easy at that. Shuttle back three years. Four bedroom house by the coast. A mere 87k. Wages at the time meant even this was a thorny pill. We got cautious. Well, I got cautious - Sian was all for it, if memory serves. Try getting it now for 87k. ZZZZap. Still. We're officially on the property conveyor. ;o) From all accounts, nothing's going to get cheaper - and ten years or so from now you could be looking at a repeat loop of frenzied increased housing costs. So, what's the Llanfairpwllgwyngyll area like ellyll? :o) I made fish, sweetcorn and new potatoes for dinner. Enjoyed mine - spesh with the cold beer. Sian's is on a warm tin platter. Awen ate the fish and found my efforts at getting her to eat the rest....amusing. Got a staggeringly busy few weeks to look forward to at work. All is well and good, but I figure I'll be hammering the weekends until July... ...thereabouts my brother is getting married. The fool! ;P So, gotta book a hotel for that - 'cos there's a few squillion relatives vying for beds etc Family room somewhere seems the easiest thing to do. Looking forward to it, of course. Perhaps this best man speech will be a little easier to write. Just openly mock the wee runt, and that'll be that sorted. Got fitted for my kilt again. Was alarmed to find out I've swollen up a tad to some 13-and-a-half stone! Sheesh. Guess I can jog down the beach! Importantly, need to grab a quality few weeks off, post site launch. Two weeks in Scotland I reckon, with one of them just for me and eiraniel. Just let go of the reins a while. Saunter about Edinburgh. The best city on these islands. Next to Glasgow :P Loiter about Princes street gardens and drink coffee in the old town. Catch up with some of my [dearly missed] compadres from my Edinburgh days. Sian's got a few friends who've also moved North of the border. Just a few miles from where I used to live, which is kinda bizarre... ...this time she might make *all* the steps up the Scott monument. Rather than losing the ability to walk thirty steps or so from the top :P Drink nice beer on Rose Street. Camp out in Waterstones. Walk up to the observatory. In the meantime, the likes of this guy, not to mention this lady, are gonna have to carry me a little. Current Mood: & excited

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May 7th, 2006

12:25 am - Ramblings... Eeeeek. It's been a busy few weeks... ...the missus, bairn and myself have less than three weeks to box everything, namely our lives, and find ourselves a new pad. We've only ever rented since I came down here, tho' we pondered buying a lurv-ely terraced house just before babi bach came along. In the end, we bit the bullet and played it cautious - tho' times may have been a tad tight there - we figure we made the wrong decision. This wee bothy has been the only place Awen has ever known - but, tbh we're not devastated at the prospect of leaving. Despite roaring fire and all, the sittingroom is just too big - the room's too wee... ...methinks it's time to move. Find out tomorrow if we get first shot at the bricks 'n mortar. Isle of Anglesey. Nice - spacious - massive garden, the main focus of Sian's concerns as it happens. Too right I guess. It means you could be suppin' on some Lazy Sunday whilst letting Awen run about daft. Especially with cousins and such when they come to visit. This is a BIG garden, at that. So, we'll wait 'n see. If this isn't meant to be, it's back off to Llwynithel, Sian's folks farm - until such time said hoose 'opportunity' comes a beggin'. Work has progressed very nicely with the site, very happy with the site design and some of the Phase I functionality. Whilst remembering this is only the beginning of a [hopefully] successful publishing run and a kick-ass govt. read. Yet to roll out the CMS and start the web writing off - and I guess this is the heart of the whole thing - content really is king, but I have a lot of very enthused scientists - wrapped up in biodiversity, climate change, geology and the like - the trick [as it always is] is to nail the organisation to the task - guarantee upper management get crackin' etc Done my mock Welsh GCSE the other day, was quite pleased - I've been advised not to do the real thing, simply 'cos it clashes with the live date for the site - but I did run through another test to keep the Cymraeg thinking ummmm, thinkin'. Glad, 'cos I'd feel crap with *no* Welsh buttons on the shoulder, busy or not. Awen has a crappy cold at the mo, we basted her in warm olive oil, applied calpol, hugs on sofa etc Wee mite still doesn't know what to do with it. Unfortunately, she's a tad more like me in that regard. Little patience, easily frustrated at stupid things - than her mam's calming self. Tomorrow, Sian's clan are coming round. I will cut grass as we ready ourselves to hand the keys back over. Cut that - mae gas gen i torri gwair! Ain't that the truth. [Badger scurries off, looks for orange squash, honey...] Current Location: Bwthyn Gwyn, Wales Current Mood: contemplative Current Music: Beck - cancelled check

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May 1st, 2006

12:47 pm As told in the 0ct0pus diaries... After you die... Guardian Angel After death, you will exist as a guardian angel in order to protect your still-living loved ones. You might even inspire a classic Christmas movie. Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com Current Mood: sleepy

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April 12th, 2006

02:30 pm - Gamers... ...what can you do with them? In any case, if you want to learn how to 'level', chatter about sprites, or are hell bent on dressing up as a badger and whacking your friends with rubber swords - in the flesh - then please do check out the return of eiraniel. Squirreltastic. Cam. Current Location: Bangor, North Wales Current Mood: silly Current Music: Fell in love with a girl - The White Stripes

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March 11th, 2006

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January 14th, 2006

07:57 pm Ho-hum - not been around for a while... ...stressed Eric. Work has been mucho heavy. In any case - a United Kingdom? Don't make me larff - National British day - blechhhh. The sooner this ludicrous union is dismantled, the better. Thankfully, that seems to be the gist from Scots, Welsh and Eng-er-lish voices at large. Good. Brown is a numptie - of some quality. Throwing his fat Scots butt into an England that'd kick his party out [if the English just had themselves to deal with]. Certainly, they'll balk at the idea of a Scottish PM. 'Cos Britain should mean England. Whereas Brown - another Scot of tireless self ambition, is a blinkered unionist. Heh - funny. A deserved fate for his ilk? A limbo land for Scots who do their own country no favours, whilst trying their best to get into the slipstream of a country who's voters want feck all to do with them. Excellent. These Brito-Scots make me want to vomit. Really. The fact that they can vote on certain English matters underlines the nonsense nature of this union. The nonsensical 2+2=5 nature of a union that should have been left to die, peacefully, some time back in 1914... ...when will it simply end in the name of god. Let Scotland prosper. The Celtic countries work together as the Scandinavians. The English can, well, be English... Current Mood: rushed Current Music: The Foo Fighters - Resolve

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November 14th, 2005

07:08 pm - Brrrr... It's cold. Damn cold. The heating is on. Still chilly. Fire is blazing away - logs and coal. Nippy, nonetheless. I've covered my two-year-old, asleep in her wee bed, in about three soft covers, and her quilt. Yet she'll probably wake later in an effort to snuffle in somewhere she deems cosier. Namely our bed. Still, can't blame her... ...and it is better than the rain. It was one of those slow weekends I guess. Nothing happening and nothing much really pressing you anywhere. Last Saturday morning, whilst it was pouring it down, Awen and Sian let me sleep a bit before presenting me with my birthday cake. 'Penblwydd hapys dad!'. They made it, rather surreptitiously, on the Friday night. Weekend was enjoyed along those lines. Went to Llandudno on Saturday, didn't buy the b-day present I was planning to. Afterwards, went to Sian's folks in the evening to let Awen see her Nain and Taid - lazed in front of the fire...enjoyed Sunday roast the next day. Yawwwwwwwn. Then the grim reality of a Monday morning slams into you like an obscene 1970's wrestler. And you've got the cold. And it's bleedin' -45C outside. And you've got a massive web workshop to sort for Wednesday, and 140 scientists to keep busy for a bit. I have to raise my hand up as a *hater* of the flu - or any of it's 18 billion guises. I hate it. Can't think straight. Can't do your best work. Can't even sleep right. I am at my *most irked* in such times. Some female colleagues would rightly name it the *man-flu*. Grrrrrr. Just gotta relax - go back to Saturday morn. Warmth. Funnies. Cake.... Current Mood: discontent Current Music: Bach - sleepers wake!

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05:12 pm From alivicwil Two Parts of Your Heritage: 1. Scottish 2. Irish Two Things That Scare You: 1. Heights 2. Uncertainty Two of Your Everyday Essentials: 1. Coffee 2. Computer Two Things You Are Wearing Right Now: 1. Blue jogging pants 2. Blue t-shirt, Celtic design Two of Your Favorite Bands or Musical Artists: 1. The Beatles 2. The Stone Roses Two Things You Want in a Relationship (other than Real Love): 1. Support 2. Funnies Two Truths: 1. Life and love are work - and what you make it 2. Scotland and Wales are crucial to England Two Physical Things that Appeal to You: 1. Smiling eyes 2. Female figure Two of Your Favorite Hobbies: 1. Reading 2. Photography Two Things You Want Really Badly: 1. For my website to the best in its class 2. To find myself back in Scotland [after leearning Welsh] Two Places You Want to go on Vacation: 1. New Zealand 2. British Columbia [or Washington state] Two Things You Want to Do Before You Die: 1. Learn Scottish Gaelic fully 2. Have several pieces of writing in print Two Ways that you are stereotypically girlie: 1. Ummmm. Nought. 2. No, seriously. ... and boyish too: 1. I'm bad tempered [struggle with patience, rather] 2. Foolishly patriotic Two Things You Normally Wouldn't Admit: 1. Foolishly patriotic 2. Bad tempered Two Things You Are Thinking About Now: 1. What to cook Sian for dinner [she's working] 2. Need to finish my presentation for Wednesday Two Stores Where You Shop: 1. Ebuyer 2. Flip Two people I haven't talked to in a while: 1. Rab 2. Lis

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November 9th, 2005

05:40 pm - Random Q&As... ...everyone else seems to do 'em - so I scooped this from some pointless corner of LJ.... ( Blarg ) Current Mood: contemplative Current Music: Time is running out - Muse

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November 5th, 2005

04:02 pm - Ho-hum... ...the weather is glum, which sucks - primarily 'cos I have a camera I'd like to try out on a crisp Welsh Autumn. An Autumn that's way too elusive - meaning nipper and I are enjoying some windy, wet walks - and stoking lots of coal on the fire. I love Autumn - it was my grandmothers favourite time of the year, it was within the clutches of a particularly bonny Autumn I met Sian, my second daughter was born on the cusp of the season - I love the reds, the browns, the quality of the light. The smell of the coal and peat fires. In the absence of photography - here's a snap taken on the back of the ferry to Ireland a while back. We set off early, and were all shattered tbh. Nevertheless, we scrambled into the ferries slipstream and I grabbed a shot of Sian and the girls - because of the roofing under which the lassies were huddled for the shot, there's a serious violet colour cast - which I've left in 'cos I like it. Dublin was busy - very interesting place at that. We managed to *do* the writers museum, have some Guiness, chuckle at American tourists, lie on the grass for a spell in an attempt to remove the bags from our eyes - the whole bit. Got some crackin' shots of Cara and Awen in their kilts too - outside the natural history museum. The only tiny wee hitch was Stenaline making an arse of the train tickets (previously paid for online) - we had to up cash for all bar one, cos' they hadn't logged it on their system. When I quickly punched out a letter on our return, they reimbursed us, apologised, and gave Sian and myself first class passes for our next Irish stint. :o) Ms.Sian Angharad is working today - and work has been very busy on the web front also. Signing the new design contract next week. The weeks leading up to turkey and family are going to be pretty hectic, no mistake. Doubtless, Christmas will absorb most of our extra pennies in the meantime. In other news, we both stunned ourselves a tad - in buying a tumble-dryer. Not a new PC. Not a new music system. A feckin' tumble-dryer. On that domestic note - and despite this crumby weather - I'd better fetch Awen [currently snoozing on couch in vicinity of said fire], amble through the sleet over to the shops, and return 'A Shark's Tale' - yup, she loved it - perhaps I'll purchase some wine in the process. Sian is very excited about the new Narnia film. Fantasy aspects asides [she's wowed to the max] - it was the first book we bought Awen. Whilst she was snug inside and hadn't even drawn the breath of day. Write soon. Current Mood: groggy Current Music: Foo Fighters - Walking after you

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October 9th, 2005

12:04 am - Weekend stuff 'Bookered out' did indeed fall through the door this morning. After getting comfortable, dividing some pasta and a large jug of coffee between myself and Sian - as well as nailing down Awen for half-an-hour or so, we cautiously hit the button on the DVD player... ...not bad really, all in :o) I did begin too many sentences with 'To me...' however. Was unaware of it, completely - but moreso editing gave a curious slant to the show. Chris and Susan and co. were quite brilliant, really. We actually did all meld very well, very quickly. Before the show filmed, Chris stumbled on some character profiles that the very lovely director had temporarily laid on a sideboard. I was 'sincere, honest and intense' - not a bad plug - if a little 'get the pole out your ass'. Chris was 'loveable geek' or somesuch. Not a geek tho. Rather a well grounded teacher with the most extraordinary knowledge of Doctor Who. Ever. Ever. Angharad actually pointed the camera at herself for a chunk - but was relieved to have been snipped from the final film. Although Awen is there quite a bit toddling about - as is my elder daughter Cara and my wee nephew Aryn [filmed while in Scotland]. Really great experience. Absolute highlight was meeting the other contributors - as well as sharing some very fine champagne and getting 'This thing of darkness' signed by Harry Thompspon. Life tumbles on at the mo. Work is very exciting, very busy, taking up most of the seconds. Meanwhile Sian is starting to set her heart on a wee three-bedroomed house on the Isle of Anglesey. Safe garden for Awen. Not far from Bangor by car. More space at home. A conservatory for book reading and the drinking of wine. Very nuclear. Very provincial, even - but it makes more sense every day - the alternative is simply renting and peeing away money for nada. My parents took Cara to South Africa yesterday for three weeks. My dad's brother emigrated a while back. I miss my wee cousins lots, although Angharad kept the secret of secrets when they snuk into our wee Welsh Bwthyn a few months back. Hadn't seen them in years. Tears 'n stuff. They loved Sian, which is, of course, to be expected. :o) We ate ice cream, and walked on sand dunes, and swam with Jellyfish. Today we jumped into the Rover and headed to Llandudno. I bought a B&W photography book. Angharad bought some kind of fantasy novel, again. Awen bought grapes. Fantasy novels. Role playing. Online gaming to that end. Sian is daft on it. Lurvs it. I think it's all pretty cool - but admit to chuckling when seeing live action role players at play. Folk dressed up as badgers and the like.. ..amazing that imagination can be fleshed out that way, truly - and it's a very human thing to do. I can't find the aesthetic though - of course, many of these folk no doubt put pen to paper in fantasy novels etc and are obviously a bright bunch, which is ubercool - but I guess the hard fact is that I'd rather be asking questions of myself - by myself - camera at hand - notepad and some good coffee - even stationed in front of a cool PS2 blend mode... ...than dressing up as a rat/badger/squirrel and assaulting other forest dwellers with rubber swords. Hmmmm. Kudos to 'em all though. As I write this - Angharad and Awen are curled up together on the suite. Awen had toddled up earlier, stood at the top of the stairs [gate in place!], and started whispering for her mum. Sometimes she reaches out like that - and always to Angharad. Sometimes she just wont go over again until she's cuddled in. She's getting to that age - you wake up suddenly - and she'll be there - sprawled out between us both - a ridiculously warm waterbottle. Angharad herself is off somewhere in nod, dreaming of this 'n that no doubt. Probably on some ancient battlefield, dressed to the hilt in some feminine armour. Or slugging it to some ungodly beast. She's began, tentatively, playing some online games again - she's played about with a few and settled on an old one she loves. Like a bairn in a sweetie shop :o) Woke up from a wee doze the other day and she was nutting some skeleton. Next week I'm explaining the benefits of a good website to the head rangers and wardens of the CCW. I do like my job, lots. :o) Thereafter, we're having a company day out in an old coppermine. Not a bad place to discuss budgetary concerns for 05/06 I guess. Tomorrow, Angharad's folks are coming up and might mind the wee yin for a few hours.....giving us the opportunity to see 'Serenity' at Cineworld. Better than StarWars? No brainer I guess. I think there will be an opp. for some photography next week also....Sian suggested taking her folks amazing wee retro-caravan [like a spacepod of sorts] for a bit and camping on a truly stunning beachhead on Anglesey (not far from the house she's fond of either). I could wake up. Catch the morning drama. In beautiful monochrome, of course... Later. Current Mood: creative Current Music: Lloyd Cole and the Commontions - Sweetness

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October 2nd, 2005

01:49 am - Bookered Out... ...airs on the 10th. Or so the letter from the BBC said when it phliffed through the letterbox. In other news, Sian, me and baban are on the hunt for a new house. Alf - is Newborough really that bad? Some crackin houses there....doesn't seem to be a council house under 135k this side of Unnes Mon. :o) Was working today - in a bid to bring some figures to bear. Award contract for site next week! Yip! Need to get some more images up - waiting on some further opportunities coming in - it'll be nice to relax... Current Mood: content Current Music: Scottish/Celtic stuff - Corries etc

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September 14th, 2005

12:09 am - Llyn Padarn Another day. Another pic. Llyn Padarn, again. Smooth waters, and the closest I can get to Scotland. I miss that camera. Time for some MacCaig. Kudos to you mister - hope your delegates on Earth don't mind an occasional online piece or twa. Sure proof I can no more describe you than I can put a thing for the first time where it already is. If I could make a ladder of light or comb the hair of a dream girl with a real comb or pour a table into a jug... I'm not good at impossible things. And that is why I'm sure I will love you for my ever. Current Mood: sleepy Current Music: Carter Burwell - warriors ballad

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September 13th, 2005

10:32 pm - Back to work... Well - truly back to work now. The mill. The quest. Stuff I'll fall asleep worrying about... ...but only because this new project is so invariably exciting. Was home late - having been at a big meeting in Manchester all day - scoping the possible solutions company who can take the project home. There's always a far flung StarBucks in these 'proper' cities also - and foreign bookshops to muse over. Staggered to see the amount of cricket fervour, 'oer the border. Cricket. Is it just me, or is it about as exciting as oatmeal? Due to lack of interest tomorrow is cancelled. I've decided. If I pick up another poxy circular convincing itself that 'the better team won' I'm gonna go gaga. Chwarae teg to the English though. Probably picked 'em up some after Northern Ireland's satisfying victory the other night. There is much to be said for failure. It is more interesting than success, for starters. What is it about the English problem with failure? However unimportant. Said football match, for example. Doesn't make a difference! They'll likely get through... ...but lose one game, as they have - and they're claiming the head of their manager. Well - two games [chuckle] - but who's counting? Only, when they do win the next game, it'll be crudely and hastily stitched back on. Crown in place. Hailed, duly, as a redeemer of man. I genuinely feel sorry for the players. England are an average football team, with some real class elements. Invariably, they have just about every trophy won before a ball is kicked. When they do lose - no matter how insignificant - there's insane pondering - intense debate - about how such a thing happened. At all. It's infuriating. Not to mention tremendously arrogant. There was one lad at Chester station - shell suit - emblazoned with Union Jack style throughout - socks tucked into his white trainers, baseball cap askew, 'Beckham' engraved annoyingly somewhat off centre in the middle of his gargantuan dome. Cricket? Raving about it. Hey - that's not to say the 'failure factory', so encouraged by the press and the like - isn't equally as grating back home in Scotland. Terrible business in N.Ireland. One dwells on Cromwell and Charles Stewart and Scottish settlers in Ulster. Met Sian at the hospital. Scuttled home in the wind. Ate the mince & tatties she prepared earlier. Not at all bad. :o) Awen fell asleep after reading 'The Kind Little Bear'. It's still very windy outside. Time to get warm and fall asleep... Current Mood: contemplative Current Music: Kate Rusby - Let the cold wind blow

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September 11th, 2005

02:58 pm - Sunday Sun Sunday - in all it's majesty. Typically, my body seems to have realised this - and refuses to do much - 'cept mulch in front of the computer and hope that something decent on the TV makes an appearance. You gotta love David Attenborough... ..still vegging after books - is nice feeling. Here's another pic. Dramatic sunset next to Yr Wyddfa [Snowdonia]. Current Mood: relaxed Current Music: Elastica - waking up

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September 9th, 2005

11:48 pm - Sunset in Snowdonia.. ...a few months ago, I intended to lose myself in the moutains for a short while....when I came back down some eight hours had past. Like Alien abduction, 'cept minus the aliens - and with sheep. Current Mood: artistic Current Music: Karen Matheson - Ailein Duinn

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