Still walking

I've been tagged again courtesy of wayfarer: I'm going to do this one for a number of reasons, though overall I'll continue to politely decline tags unless it's something that really grabs me (which is why this one looked interesting). Thanks to wayfarer for that: it's an end of year meme and, while I'm cynical about the whole New Year's Resolution type of stuff, wayfarer rightly pointed out that this isn't really about that as such.

But! (it's not a big but....this is a big but) it will have to wait until tomorrow since there are plenty of questions to be answered and I'm not in the frame of mind just now, having come back from yet more walking. This time I was out with a couple of friends in the Malverns, having a very bracing two hours or so in the hills, which I really enjoyed. So, yet more photos for your edification.










We also found this obelisk (though to be honest I've a suspicion that other people may have found it before we did) and decided to recreate the tower in Mordor from Lord Of The Rings, the
one with the big evil all-seeing eye on top of it: I haven't linked to any photos of the one from the film since I think you'll agree that this is a supremely convincing mock-up, without any tinkering on Photoshop believe it or not.


I'm in a pleasantly drowsy state following the walk and a welcome pub lunch and a pint of Old Speckled Hen, though I'll be heading out again later for a gathering round at someone's house: I'm sure it'll be pretty hellish in many of the pubs this evening. I'll take this opportunity to pass on my best wishes for the New Year to those of you who stop by to visit the Press. Hope you have a good one.

So tired...

...that this is all I'm going to write, until September.

Tags (3)

I'm employing diversionary tactics here, since my mood has dipped with uncommon fierceness following such a sublime weekend. So now seems as good a time as any to respond to the fact that Charlotte tagged me the other week with her "5 Things" Meme, bless her.

Chances are I'll delay or avoid doing any further tags in the near future since this is the fourth I've done in a fairly short space of time - which is enough for any pair of trousers, even the hard-wearing denim variety. Still this "5 things" did look like fun so maybe it'll give me a bit of a lift. Thanks Charlotte!

What were you doing ten years ago?

Spending my weekends in a beautiful flat (more like a huge rambling old cottage) in the huge grounds of a heritage site in Derbyshire where my girlfriend was staying, since she had moved there to work. We were coming to the end of our relationship after several years but this was rather a fine swansong. Our break-up seemed inevitable under the circumstances but was about as amicable as it could possibly be. I was also taking antidepressants and having bereavement counselling: in the main though I remember this being a good time (which might sound odd having said what I've just said), albeit with a pretty intense edge to it.

I was listening obsessively to "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space" by Spiritualized throughout the whole summer, which in a way sums up its bitter-sweetness.


Five Snacks You Enjoy:

Pine kernel

Bananas

Chocolate

Apples

Alpen cereal bars (strawberry and yoghurt flavour)


Five songs you know all the lyrics to:

Pale Blue Eyes by The Velvet Underground

Mutual Friend by Wire (very odd words, worth checking out)

Teenage Daughter by Fat Truckers (hope this isn't cheating, the only words in the song are "Teenage Daughter")

Careless Soul (traditional, arranged by Daniel Johnston)

No Expectations by The Rolling Stones


Five things you would do if you were a millionare:

Buy or rent an apartment abroad

Set up somewhere to record, paint and write

Travel

Get needlessly anxious

Carry out random acts of senseless generosity


Five Bad Habits:

Constantly drumming on tables, chairs and any other hittable surfaces

Grinding my teeth

Picking my nose (when I think no-one is looking)

Procrastinating

Being pedantic


Five Things You Like Doing:

Cycling

Worrying

Drinking

Sleeping

Creative things


Five Things You Would Never Wear Again:

Things which don't fit - otherwise, never say never (this answer is a cop-out, since this is something I would hardly think about)


Five Favourite Toys:

Laptop

Guitar

Endless cheap keyboards

Digital camera

George Foreman Lean Mean Low-Fat Grilling Machine


Once again, thanks to Charlotte for providing the means to some distraction during a rather melancholy moment. In a bid to get him off his backside and writing something, I'm tagging a certain welder.