Blog-splotation - The Comeback

I hate having to fill out forms. My handwriting is dreadful, and I often don't have the attention span required to fill out these sorts of things.

I get a letter in the mail the other day from the Telford and Wrekin council. This concerned me because: 1) It appeared very official, and: 2) Had they finally caught the illusive Morti?

It ended up being worse than I had imagined. My dad (62) is kind of a pimp. Handily for being a pimp he had a vasectomy in the 80's. He has since remarried his lovely wife, Louise (30) who would like nothing more than to have a baby.

Unfortunately, having a vasectomy puts somewhat of a dampener on those kind of plans. Morti junior was just never meant to be. And knowing what kind of a bloke my dad is there was no way he was having anything to do with a sperm donor.

Bring in option 3! Fostering!! This is where I come in. Basically the potential foster parents have to get people they know to fill out a form that states that these people are fit to be parents, and in no way shape or form would these people ever harm children!

These questions are hard for me to answer. If I am honest, my dad and step-mom dont stand a chance. To save myself from sounding like a complete wanker and going into a detailed back story that sounds like something from the Hallmark Channel, my dad was never the best. And really? at 62? you want another shot? Pull the other one.

So now, my dad who I speak to roughly twice a year has now contacted me at least 4 times this year. Can you guess the content of the calls? I'll give you a clue. If you can imagine someone attempting to help you re-live what they consider to be the best days of your life so as to have you believe they were the best parent they could be, but yet they have no clue as to what actually occured on those days.

It goes a bit like this:

"Do you remember the time we took you swimming and you did a shit in the pool? We all laughed so much"

Yep, you sure did laugh. Not to mention completely belittle me infront of my teachers and my friends. And why did I shit in the pool again? Because you were running late and wouldnt let me go to the toilet? Great times! I can't wait to see how hard you can Eff up someone elses kid.

Argh, I just got a bit EMO didnt I? Sorry.

It might be better if I wrap this up by saying that I dont want to fill out this form. Yes there are lots of kids that need good homes. I just seriously doubt the abilities of my dad. But, he's still my dad, and me filling out this form negatively also affects his wife. Who I happen to think is a decent person. I just dont know what to do.

Blog-sploitation

I type this blog to you with many hopes. The first being, I hope you aren't stalking me. Because that would be creepy, and weird. The second hope is that you are taking full advantage of your blog to deal with your complex emotional state.

As many of you know, I am a massive hockey fan, and particularly fond of the San Jose Sharks. I remind you of this because the Sharks just got dumped out of the playoff's in the first round. My complex emotional state has rendered me almost mute on the subject. I am a little lost for words, which isnt like me at all.

I have been reduced to arguing with strangers on the internet about issues that I cant change. As we all know, arguing on the internet is tantamount to Graffiti. Sure, the world can see my creative viewpoint, but by the same token does anybody really care? Has anyone been swayed by my timbre? Does anyone feel that my works of 'art' are essential, or are they more likely inner-city noise?

Hypothetical questions aside, my opinions are swimming against a teal tide. And I hate that.
I want to be heard! I want to preach from the top of HP Pavilion! I want to stand arm to arm with my fellow fans and unite against bad journalism and reactionary fans.

What is more likely to happen is I will cry about it here, and continue to hold on to my blog like a security blanket, because this is my happy place, and I need my happy place.

Anyway! I have more hopes! Three, I hope that I can finish all of the pedals I have promised to people.
Last year I gave a pedal to one of my favourite bands, The Avett Brothers. Unbeknown to me, they actually used it the following night! and then every other night on the tour. When I found out, I was shocked. I didnt think that a band as big as them would be interested in using my stuff.
What came as more of a shock was that people who have toured with The Avett Brothers have contacted me and asked me to make them a fuzz pedal! Scott Avett was so happy, he told all his friends.

This certainly balances my sports related sadness.

So I'm trying to get more legit. I am trying to follow up all of the positives in my January bloggings by having more of a company ID, and being more proactive in finishing my pedals and selling them locally. To the point that I have had a new company logo designed! Even though I dont make any money off my pedals, my fourth hope is to make some money off my pedals!

My fifth hope is that I continue to hope. If I stop hoping for things to be better, is there any hope at all?

Another day for you and me in paradise

Lately I've been indulging in the past. I wish I could say that it's not like me at all to do that, but it totally is. As evidence of this I've been listening to E.L.O pretty much exclusively. Also, I have been reminiscing about my time in the states. One memory in particular:

I never had a Stag Night!

This is largely for the reason that anyone who would have attended was on a different continent. As it stands my stag night consisted of looking at boats and watching people fish with my Father-In-Law and my wife's uncle. After an exhilarating afternoon looking at boats, we headed to a local bar where we proceeded to drink one beer each before heading back to the homestead to sit around and watch Home Improvement.

I didn't have any strippers attend, nor did I get chained to a lamppost or get put on the night train to Edinburgh. Part of me is still disappointed that I missed this important rite of passage the other part of me wishes I could have just flown home and gone to The Crown for a couple of shandy's followed by a kebab.

The thing is, even though I have been thinking about the past, I still really look forward to the future. I've been reading a lot about the next generation of hybrid cars. They can run up to 50 miles on electric power. Which is great for driving about town. If the battery runs out, the petrol engine kicks in and you have about a 400 mile range before having to either refuel or recharge. Great! and most of the cars (Chevrolet Volt) don't look like a piece of cheese on wheels.

The only downside about attempting to get myself psyched about the future is the waiting. Whilst I think about the potential of hybrid vehicles, it's all too easy to think about my old cars, never driving in England, the English countryside, English pubs, my friends, things I miss/missed out on. And so the cycle is complete.

Stupid forward thinking!

This is the new year

I resolve to be the best person I can be.

I have already fudged this up. As I write this I am on my work's time. So if I were being the best person I could be, I'd be hard at it. Nose to the grindstone, and I'd do this when I got home.

As it is I am almost being the best person I can be. It's a start!

I decided to pull my finger out and finish up some electronics projects. And I did! and I have more to come. That's all part of my action plan to be a better person. I have previously promised a lot of projects to a lot of people and yet I always seem to forget/something eats the project/I run out of time/get made homeless etc. This year is different! so if I promised you something, remind me of that.

I read in another blog somewhere that from the time we are born we make these synapsial connections in the brain that guide what we do. Every time we repeat a specific task these connection form bonds that tell us something. Unfortunately the same theory is true of negative thinking. If you think doom and gloom all the time your brain makes the connections and rather than these thoughts being random, they get to become the way you are hardwired to deal with situations.

This has affected me in a number of ways:
I dont like to order food over the phone
I dont like to drive long distances
I'm very lazy

Part of being the best person I can be this year involves a little re-wiring. Both on the work bench and in my head. Hopefully all the years of not feeling good enough or not feeling like I am producing a high standard of work (or effectively ordering take away food) can be undone with a little positive thinking.

My inspiration is this guy: [url]http://45daystoanewme.blogspot.com/[url/] he has suffered from depression for most of his adult life and I have been privvy to some of the end results of his state of mind through various blogs and message boards. Reading the above blog has inspired me to 'Get Confident' also. Just seeing what a difference I can see that it has made in his life has charged me up. Not that I have depression, but I do have a history of lazyness and negative thought patterns.

Say it with me:

I WANT TO CHANGE!!
(i really do)

My 2008 in Music

So I dont think I bought 10 albums from 2008 that were released in 2008! I may have not even bought 10 albums for the first year since I turned 15. The reason? Drama, Drama, Drama!!

Here is an abridged list of what we did musically in 2008

1) The Avett Brothers - The Gleam II
We were lucky enough to get to see this band a 4 times this year. If they come by your way, you should go, and then you will know why we saw them 4 times this year. Back in April I gave them a guitar pedal I had made. I didnt really think any more about it. Then when I saw them in August and saw the pedal sitting on the stage I was rather surprised! According to their road tech, Dane, they had used it every night since I had given it to them And it still works!!!!!!

Murder in the City



2) The Everybodyfields

Whilst they didnt release an album this year, they did let this little gem sneak out.

Worth Keeping



3) Jessica Lea Mayfield - With Blasphemy So Heartfelt

It really embarasses me when people a lot younger than me are 10 times better than I am at song writing. Perhaps my news years resolution should include improve my song writing as well as start "Hall & Oates: House of Chowder franchise"

We've Never Lied



4) Langhorne Slim - s/t

Despite being only a three piece, these guys sound huge!!!

Restless



5) The Incredible Vickers Brothers - Galimaufry

A friend of mine has being playing in bands for a few years with the chap behind this album, but there isnt too much on the net about them.

http://www.myspace.com/incrediblevickersbrothers

Check out the song: "Blues for Frankie"

I wonder if the boys of the NYPD choir still sing Gallway Bay?

So I have finally got a place to work again and I made this.



I will post even more projects I promise!

Christmas Gift Ideas.

I think the below item would make a cracking gift for someone if you haven't yet started your Christmas shopping because you were too busy drinking. Merk?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/PAUL-ROSS-Canvas-Print-MirrorPrintStore/dp/B001N6W8U0/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t

The reviews really tell you all you need to know.