When me say rice you say.......

So here I am sat eating my rice and steamed veggies (focus on how better you will look thin, just keep the focus .. phew) while the entire first floor has been to the chip shop and the smell is wafting in and making my mouth water. Bastards. Except Leigh and Theresa. They have sensible food too.

I have been trying to post a link to two guys website for art, films and stuff and for some reason it just hangs when trying to publish the post. Look up Barats and Bereta .... then watch the short films. Loving their work. And kinda digging them too ... even though they are apparently misguided straight boys.

And after a misty start followed by some heavy showers, we now have a bright afternoon ... oh fuck, I'm turning into Wincey Willis. The point I was about to make is that as I left to nip out to go to the garage with Tree, there was a rainbow over our car park. But because it was pelting down with rain, but not a cloud was in the sky, it wasn't your usual up above the streets and houses rainbow, flying high where everyone could see it smiling over the sky, but a longer, flatter one that started on Danni's car and landed on Kelly's .... I took a pic but its a bit faint sadly. Looked beautiful though. Its not often you are stood 10 feet from both ends of the rainbow .... unless you are at Mark's house of course.... or Lyanne's for that matter.

Photo madness

This was taken back in February. Putting it here in vain hope I can get it to be my main profile picture but it looks a bit complicated so if this is the only place you see it, dont panic.

And yes Pete, it is the real one ... they were fliming the final scene of The Idiot Lantern, with the street party just around that corner you see behind me. I have other pix if anyone is interested.

Update: it was too fucking big. so this is a smaller one

And why does my profile still say I am 34? Why did that not change on June 11th? I have been through and found no place to put my age, just d.o.b .... lost now.

A Mid Autum Nights Mare

So, you may or may not recall .... or maybe I had neglected to mention ... that I am directing a production of A Midsummer Nights Dream in just four weeks time. And last friday I lost our Hermia due to a difficult pregnancy...... of bollocks, its all starting to sound like 'last time on The Young and the Restless'......


Well, I think I have a replacement actress. I haven't met her yet so have no idea what her acting abilities are like .... But given she is coming back to Uni and send me messages in that txt spk tht drvs me 2 distracshun, I am guessing she isn't 52 and 19 stone so will do nicely. I hope she has a full set of limbs and can speak now I think on it....... Not that I have anything against casting a paraplegic mute but I'm not directing the life and times of Helen Keller right now and there a lot of very crucial lines for her to say, that just wont have the impact if I have to subtitle them on a projection. Not to mention what a wheelchair would do to my blocking. Then again, you know what they say... we professionals notice, Joe Public never clocks a darn thing.

I also had a meeting in the theatre last night. Did I say theatre? I meant TARDIS. I swear that building grows every time I leave it. It just always seems bigger than I remember. This does mean I have way more room to play with than I thought, which is good. Also, the projector is in place and has a screen that lowers above the stage .... so I can use that for my special effects rather than projecting on to some random wall or ceiling as I had expected.
Did I tell you my magic trick I am trying to pull off? Well, since 99% of the readers here wont see the play, I don't mind telling you. For the finale, I am going to make Puck fly ...... with absolutely no harness, wires or safety features .... see, what will happen is that young Nerys will deliver her last speech in a costume that has tiny sparkling lights built in to it .... then at the final words, be stood underneath the screen and leap into the air, throwing handfuls of glitter as she does. The lights on her will cut out and we then project an image of her face, laughing on the screen as if she has just leapt up there and is flying above the stage. It will either look spectacular .. or really shit. I'll let you know how it goes.

Ive decorated

Largely becuase I couldnt make the other profile add links.

I NEED to see this.

http://www.priscillathemusical.com/index.php

Oh


my


god

First cold of the season

Yes, Mucus season is back and the second it got vaguely cool I have found myself with a head full of slime that I can actually feel move as I walk about. My boss is off with it today and my spidey senses warned me he was not going to be in and so I made sure I was here to ensure Tree wasn't left on her own to man the office. This also means I can suitably mumble in the corner and feel oddly smug about coming in when sick when everyone else calls in at the slightest sign of a fart, let alone the squits, vomitous or sniffles. Then again, I get migraines with increasing regularity and they do wipe me out for the better part of two days at a time.

So in other news.

One of my lead actresses dropped out of A Midsummer Nights Dream on friday. She is expecting a baby and has hit some difficulties, so I totally stand by her decision. Does leave me looking for a new Hermia though .....

It was Dan's birthday yesterday, so we had a really lazy day and did v v v little. I had been trying to get him a statue thing of the discworld as he really loves it, but the only one on ebay was going for far more than I could afford sadly. So instead I got him a Papa Lazarou tee, an X-Men graphic novel and a star trek calendar (which is still awaiting stock on play.com). I would dearly love to be able to get more for him as he is the most special man in the world to me, but funds just don't allow it at the moment.

This last week, I have had the Scissor Sisters Ta Dah! in my car cd player. Fucking love it. And would like Babydaddy to lurve me ... but that's not for here.

Also, have had some good news from friends over the weekend. Got a text from Rach saying how positive she feels and how she is moving on now and my mate Rich is a 'married man' again after getting together officially with his new t'other half. Dead chuffed for both of them and also a bit of a result for me as both are what I asked for for them on last moon barking session a couple of weeks back. Big thanks to the universe for granting those ones ... now if it can just get on with sorting out the third and final wish for another dear friend of mine...............

And again.

Another freaky dream.

Me & Tree from work, who can be seen here http://www.dancesisterdance.com/myvid/index.php?v=0fadfa8014540

were driving somewhere for work and stopped in a big park for a wee. We drove up to the trees, just below a railway line. Its daylight but when we get there, there are lots of dubious dogging activities going on. Amused at this, we drive by and find a spot higher up where we can pee behind tress or whatever. At that point, six police cars turn up and start arresting people. I notice that in one of the cars is Bsabas' friend Renee and her girlfriend. I run over and say hi and talk the cops into letting them go as clearly they were just sight seeing. We are stood talking, just watching the cop cars driving around ... at one point they drive under the railway only to appear further along from another bridge.

Then I am back at the last house I lived in in Luton and it looks very similar to the day I left it. Russell, who I house shared with at Uni is there with Bsabas and they are both naked and analyzing handwriting styles. We kind of chat for a while and then I realise I don't own this house any longer and that the new people might be home soon. I walk about and see what changes the new people have made, which are mostly to the back of the house.

We then had a knock at the door and it was a group of people surveying the house for various things. We pretend we are supposed to be there to let them in and they have a look around and then leave. Then the new owners came back and we somehow (cant remember exactly how) explain our presence their and then I start to cop off with the husband. He and his wife then leave and we are there again for a while and I start to get anxious about it not being my house any more. The husband then comes back again and we start having sex ... then his wife comes back and in odd farce style, we try and explain why he is naked with his willy in my mouth.... and she accepts the explanation!!!! Then I woke up.

Answers on a postcard please.

Dream a Little Dream

I had a very vivid dream this morning that caused me to oversleep by 15 mins.

So given I rarely remember dreams, you're getting it.

Starts off, I am on what appears to be either Dallow or Biscot Road in Luton ... with Dan and driving my current car. I am approaching some red traffic lights on a pelican crossing but the red goes off and the amber flashes twice and as there are no pedestrians in sight, I ease off the break and keep driving. But, after flashing twice, instead of going to green, it goes back to red and I have to brake to stop at the crossing. Sadly, the guy behind us doesn't brake at all and smashes into the back of my car. He gets out and comes around to start having a go at me. I leap out and call him all the mothers under the sun as he was the idiot that didn't brake ..at all! The back of my car is fucked to say the least. Our shopping is all crushed. His car is fine. We exchange details and I am waiting by a chip shop for a mechanic to come and tow me away .... other driver has given me his details and gone. Dan is in the chip shop getting our chips but I wander off to see if anyone is coming. Dan come south and gives me my chips and I send him home.

I stick my head into a building that actually appears to be a big hall that is being used as a studio and I am now standing among lots of people and we are being briefed on how to be a good extra. They aren't mentioning what we are filming but the assistant comes over and informs us its Doctor Who so that we don't get excited when we see David Tennant. Lots of people start trying to play up to the incredibly camp and precocious director in a hope of getting a line or two somewhere. I roll my eyes and sit in a corner texting goodness knows who to find out if my car has been picked up.

We are taken en masse along one of Cardiffs main road .... which of course this being a dream looked nothing like its real life counterpart .... and went past the set. This consisted of a crescent of houses that had been given false fronts to look like Elizabethan houses and in the centre was half of a full size galleon ship. From the road, we could see the outside of it and there was a lady in a bright pink brides dress on it with DT stood in an upright crate nearby being hoisted up on a winch .. and he looked angry but was acting at the time. He also had blonde highlights.

I then went outside to try and call somebody as am now v worried about my car but do very much want to be in Doctor Who. I come back in to find all of my extra colleagues dressed in Elizabethan wear and I am to be dressing as a priest. I know, the irony is not lost on me.

I wander off again and end up at this roundabout under a motorway trying to make a call. Suddenly I am surrounded by crew as DT walks right up to me and is acting away like mad standing in front of me. Apparently, I was standing where they were going to film but my exact spot was not in shot so they just decided to ignore me and carry on. After some brief conversation with David (which annoyingly I don't remember), he went off for a 2 hour lunch. Exasperated, I realise its going to be 2 hours of hanging around, delaying me from getting my car sorted out and I realise I also left the cd player front attached and it might get stolen as the doors aren't locked. At that moment, Tom Baker walks by muttering and swearing about how corporate the show is these days and do they not know who he is.... we have a chat about how the world has changed, the BBC has changed, 'the craft' isn't important anymore, that kind of thing. And I wake up.

No, I don't get it either.

This no moon, its a space station

... but I am not going to talk about star wars, even though I did watch my original 'bonus disc' version of empire last night, its just a reference to the fact that I have lot to tell you in this entry, so go to the loo, grab a coffee and hold tight.

Of course, today is the day after the three day trip to Spain before. friday am I got up bright n early all packed n stuff, had a shave so I wouldn't have to bother out there and could just get all macho stubbly, ran out to catch the 6.40 bus to Aber station to meet Jo. By 7.00am and no sign of any of the 'every 10 mins' buses, I went back and got the car .. just in time to see the bus go by as I opened my front door. As it happened, I overtook said bus in Abertridwr (pronounced Abba Tridder) so would have been quite late to meet everyone had I got on it. 5 of us met at work and went off to the airport for a good breakfast before flying to Malaga. Bit of a bumpy flight out, but since I live flying I didn't care. Also there were about 11 of us on the plane together and we cackled most of the way there.

Quick cab ride to our hotel and then the fun really began. Torremolinos is quite possibly the biggest shit hole in the universe. No, really. The biggest shit hole in Torremolinos is the Hotel Griego Mar. Can you guess where we were staying? After a major kerfuffle over room sharing (11 people from the original booking had dropped out so the hotel had cancelled rooms and decided who was sharing with whom and had put together a few couple that were not going to get along. Luckily Tucker and I were just fine and toddled off to our fifth floor room with stunning view of mountains, other hotels and er ... cranes). We had been upgraded to all inclusive, which meant we had to wear charming purple wrist bands to show at the bar and restaurant ..well, I say restaurant....... Marias face was a picture when she realised she had to wear this at all times and at no point was going to be given a clean one.

So we toddled off for a stroll along the beach and managed to find our way there easily, via a cemetery.....

Now, you'd think that a nice beach at the southern tip of Spain on a gorgeous afternoon would be riddled with eye candy, wouldn't you? WRONG. Vileness from all corners. The only sight that even vaguely amused me was a semi cute young man who had fallen alseep and was quite clearly enjoying his dream a bit too much, if you know what I mean.... other than that it was skinny hoes with their baps out ... and baps would really be pushing the point, it was more like loaf ends from a small hovis. We did manage to meet some of our colleagues from an earlier flight though and we all made our way back to the hotel to go for dinner.

And what an experience that was. Buffet self service in a restaurant that had not seen any new decor since 1964. Have you seen the Are You Being Served movie? Some odd mix of Florida salad, turkey in sauce with grapes, cold meats or steak and kidney pie and chips were on the menu. Pie and chips it was then .... even though I removed enough kidney to have been from the population of a small african village and found just one piece of steak the size of my thumbnail. The choice of beverages with dinner were tea, coffee, chocolate, milk, water, orange juice or red or white sherry. There was a lovely angel delight with cream and hundreds and thousands for dinner though.

After the sheer comedy of the meal, we sat by the pool, all 30 odd of us, watching the hapless wonder of the mini disco. Then we decided to venture out ...... and it was decided we would go to an Irish bar. Now, at this point I was a bit tired and had downed a few vodka's and raised the question as to why we had come to Spain to go to an Irish bar, when Dublin had been one of the choices for this weekend away. This caused a minor spat between me and Kelly as she wanted to know if I knew anywhere better locally ... which clearly I didn't and said so but thought I should just raise the point. So Kelly told me I was being derogatopry, so I flounced off to my room to sulk and didn't go out with them.

After an hours sleep, I felt better and went for a walk round the town, decided there was nothing I wanted to do and went back to bed. But not before finding a confused Dave in the hotel lobby and I took him to the Irish bar to be with everyone ... but didn't go in as didn't feel up for it.

So saturday morning came and we went back to our lovely hotel eatery for breakfast. Cereal, continental or a fry up. A fry up so greasy that it looked like it was actually glazed and the grease ran off it like water. Nice. Then as most of our party finally arrived, they were clearing away and didn't let them even eat.

So a train ride to Fuengirola was in order. Drift round the shops, sat at a cafe and staged a comedy broken chair you've been framed moment, bowl of chips then off on a bus to Marbella.

Marbella is beautiful. We arrived mid siesta so lots was shut but we wandered around the town and found a cafe to sit and chill out at with some drinks (just diet coke for me) and some nibbles (I opted for chocolate mousse as had had chips earlier). Then we trotted down the beach and had a paddle. As Tree and I were squealing with the cold water on our feet, Graham came and informed us that everyone had gone to get taxis back ... without us. Gee, thanks guys. Thank god Graham thought about us! So found Chloe, wandered up to get our own cab, found a few others who had stopped for one final bevvie for the road then got cabs back. Cab ride? Longest white knuckle ride I have ever been on. Shit my pants.

As we pulled off into Torremolinos, the three cabs re-grouped to get together and find the hotel. As the first one pulled away, a jogger we had passed went over the the second cab ... and proceeded to knock seven bells of shit out of the driver. Our driver and Tucker leapt to the rescue scaring the jogger off ... but the other driver was already a mess and covered in blood. My already pounding head wasn't loving the extra adrenaline. Needless to say police were called and it was all a bit of a drama. Apparently, the cab driver had slowed down to check out the joggers wifes ass ... and jogger man didn't like it. Over react much?

We got back to our room and I looked out across the balcony ... or the blur that should have been the view and came to a hateful realisation. Migraine in T minus 5 minutes. sadly, my medication was still back in Wales, so there was nothing to do but ride this bad boy out. And it was one of my worst too. I think the mix of the heat, being tired, the 20 minute drive from hell and finally the punch up was too much for a delicate flower like me. While the rest of my party enjoyed another great night out, I was semi conscious, writhing in pain. I passed out after about an hour from the sheer exhaustion of it ...and came to around midnight, in a nest I had somehow made myself on the bathroom floor, in a puddle of my own sweat. I figure my sub conscious took me there as it was the darkest and coldest place in the hotel room. My sub conscious is a wonderful person ... it had also seen fit to pack my bags as I would be in no fit state in the morning and had dead locked the door so I wouldn't be disturbed. Amazing.... wonder what else I am capable of comatose?

Bright and early and still with a banging head (but by no means as bad as it had been 12 hours previously) I checked out and we got the coach back to the airport. A coach that was delayed 30 mins by three of our party who hadn't got up........ meaning we were at the back of an hour long queue to check in .... then only had 30 mins before boarding.

Flying with the tail end of a migraine is a bizarre experience. My sinus passages were in a bad way and the pressure actually made me very dozy ... so I slept but could taste blood a lot, even though I couldnt find what was bleeding.

So that was the big weekend away for me. A queenie strop and a migraine. By all accounts, everyone else had a cracking time and are still trying to recover .... so think all in all, I did quite well to actually have a rest really. I enjoyed myself after all!

Torremolinos here we come

...........well, less of us than originally planned but we are going anyways. A good 10 people have dropped out of the trip citing various excuses.
Saddest of all is our traffic team. Those people I was on about before who totally rock. Due to their work levels they are staying back. They are also working 14/15 hour days .... if that was me, I'd go to spain, only do a slightly longer day and when the shit hits the fan ask management to re-evaluate what they were asking of me and either pay me overtime or hire some temps to cover the introduction of the new system .... but far be it from me to put dissention in the ranks.....

I will endeavour to bring back tales of a debaucherous weekend for you.

Just a quickie please dear.

Hi!
Dead busy today as have all day incentive to earn dosh for this coming weekend in Spain.

First check this out: http://rubyroo73.blogspot.com/ Comic genius - fact.

Second, as I was about to leave work last night I was handed tickets to see Will Young in cardiff. Now, I always fancied the arse off him but never really went all out for his music. Its nice and good but inoffensive and was just there. After seeing the show last night I AM A HUGE FAN! He is even better looking in real life, clearly has a very large penis, puts on a great show and isnt up his arse as some would have you believe ...
It was the first night of the whole tour and had some minor hitches - not least poor Will holding the show up for 5 mins as he got himself caught in his flies...... but it was fantastic and I highly recommend you see him if you get the chance. We were right at the front too .... got some great pix on my phone!

Ok, must dash or am going to Spain with a tenner which will be v v v poor.

I'm flying high like a rocket in the sky

Recognise that line? Probably not.

Its from Sonic Boom Boy by Westworld. Randomly, the song has been mentioned twice in my presence in the last 7 days, so you are getting to hear about it too as its now in my head but I haven't heard it in the better part of 20 years.

I remember this..... Westworld appeared to be a manufactured outfit and dressed in big faux 50's outfits (think more Stray Cats than Showaddywaddy) and the video to Sonic Boom Boy had them performing in their big colourful outfits and gradually turning into cartoon versions of themselves. However they were actually in a cinema on the screen but bits of cartoon kept flying out into the auditorium where a few patrons where watching the film. You have to assume this was either a shit film or maybe we were just in trailers ... there was a spate of showing pop promos rather than film trailers and commercials in the 80's. It was Cloudbusting (kate Bush) and Re-election Day (Arcadia, who were just three members of Duran Duran) with Back to the Future. Amongst said patrons were a couple snogging, some angry man and a few others I don't recall. The cartoon bits flying off the screen then hit the people, turning them into cartoon things. Angry man became a bee. And that's all I recall. Westworld then released Silver Mac, all about a bloke with a shiny coat presumably and I vaguely recall this playing under the closing credits for Saturday Superstore.......

But searching for it on You Tube has drawn a blank. Its the first time You Tube has let me down over a pop video. If you have the video for either Sonic Boom Boy or Silver Mac and can get them to me, please do leave a note in the comments.

Over today I have re-lived most of the Bananarama and Steps back catalogue. Don't tut or act surprised. I'm gay, what did you expect? Wasp?
Did you know that Bananarama released Last Thing on my Mind first? Me neither. It was when they were a duo, which wasn't exactly a highlight of their career. As Alanis Morrissette would say: you live, you learn.

Never stand behind me in a queue

Because the moment I joined it, chances are it stopped moving. Fact!

Its a rare and genuine talent and has been tried and tested over and over. Like last night at the tolls for the new Severn Bridge as you come into Wales on the M4. There were 3 manned booths open and 2 automated coin bins. The manned booths had about 4 cars at each one but the barriers weren't even coming right down before going up again .. we could see this as we approached, doing the cautious move of not committing to any direction to get to the shortest and fastest moving one so as not to add 30 or 40 seconds un-necessarily to our journey. So I took the easy route and joined the one in front of me. So naturally it stopped moving. After a few moments, I realised that the cars passing through the toll either side of me, hadn't even been in a queue when I arrived and were now sailing off while the front car of my queue was the same one that had been there when I pulled up. Again, barriers either side were up and down like a pornstars arse just before the money shot. Us? They can raise Tower Bridge quicker.

Twas a relatively lovely weekend. We went up to Baldock for Lyanne & Steves engagement party on Saturday .. but the pub was a bit of a hole to be honest (I am such a snob sometimes ... but I really am not a pub person so it has to really have something for me to actually like it) and by 10.30 the smoke was killing my throat and I had to leave. So we went back and watched the last half of The Rocky Horror Picture Show on ITV3.

Then we spent sunday morning with Mark, drove down to Bermondsey to have dinner with Rich ... Somebody stole the A10 en route but I found where they had put it and we got there ok. Halfway there has a text from Roo with some news (wont go into it, not my news to discuss) so had to then stop off in Swindon to make sure she was ok .... So I got to spend sunday with my three of my bestest buds and Dan was with me all day! Chances of seeing them all in one day without it being my wedding: zero - so dead chuffed all in all.

How are you?

Every morning when we wake....

If that line means a song to you, then you know where I went first thing this morning. Thinking mornings might be better for exercise. I am awake perky and ready for whatever the day throws at me. Lets see how long that lasts.......

Last night was the UK premiere of the final EPA of Will & Grace ... which I saw several months ago ..... and Living TV need to be shot. Its bad enough they have inflicted Derek Acorah on the world, they then went and cut most of the best scene of the W&G finale. In case you haven't seen it, I shant spoil but its Karen & Jack's final scene together and its perfect .... just perfect ... and Living cut a good half of it out. Which I would understand given the episode is too long to put into an hour slot but not quite long enough for a 90 minute, BUT they had just had a really long ad break .. I know it was long because I managed to watch a 4.5 minute Battlestar Galactica webisode (more on that in a sec) during it and still catch some ads. So surely a three minute break and the full episode to reward the fans for sticking with them for 8 years? After all, Living became the big channel it is by having the foresight to get in with first run W&G & Charmed, giving them the cash to make Most Haunted which then took over the world as we know it. I am NEVER watching Living tv EVER again and urge you to do the same.

So BG webisodes. What a clever notion they are and a great get out clause to the what the fuck? ending of last seasons sudden jump a year ahead. Go watch, my children. And if you have been under a rock or had your head shoved up your arse the last two years, get caught up and fast.

Last night was the full moon and the first clear full moon since I moved to Senghenydd. So I went up the mountain for some moon barking. At this point, I need to make it clear at no point do I actually bark at the moon. I just chill, have a little meditation, enjoy the moonlit night, ask The Goddess for some good things for some of my friends and wander back home again. Last night was an all time best. Apart from the bit where I got a bit lost in the trees and stood in the river. It was just a wet foot. I'll get over it.

Y Viva Espana

So I may or may not have mentioned that next week the entire staff body of Real Radio Wales is off to Spain for a jolly. I any or may have not mentioned I was planning on going. I may or may not have mentioned that I have no fucking idea what happened to my passport since I moved house in June. And I may or may not have mentioned that I did an online form, this being the 21st century and all, to get a replacement. Sadly, all this means is that they pre-print the form with your details ... saving you lots of reading of instructions of how to write in black ink and block capitals presumably. A printing process that takes a week ... and you still have to sign it and send it back with countersigned photos. So all you have achieved is 7 days of the process lost as they don't count any of that as part of the turn around time for the application. This meant that 4 days ago, I was expecting it to be three weeks before I had a passport and no Spain trip for me. Two days ago, I e-mailed them asking if they had received my application ok. The answer came back yes and that I should have the passport in ten working days from receipt - ie it would drop onto my doormat approximately 10 minutes after my plane had taken off, which was a kick in the danglies to say the least.
However ... today they called me to say that its all done and if I don't have it by tuesday morning to call xxx number quoting xxx reference and chase it. So weds absolute latest ..which still gives over 24 hours for total fuck ups ... so I am going to Spain! With about 20 quid to spend .... but like McDonalds so this is ok.

In other news .... four solid days at the gym this week ... v pleased with self.

Star Trek is 40 today. Fuck. I can remember celebrating 25, 30 & 35 .... and I only got into Trek with TNG. Shame its been shit since DS9 finished ... and yes, I mean you last few seasons of Voyager and Enterprise!

And while digging around randomly online, I found the Top 500 Singles as printed by Rolling Stone about 2 years ago. A quick glance reveals Like a Rolling Stone at no.1 and The Rolling Stones at no.2 .... in Rolling Stone magazine ..... sounds like You're So Vain should have been a strong contender.
Then in the top 20 the only record after about 1973 is Smells Like Teen Spirit. Now, I have nothing against the classics, but it does strike me that the people putting this list together were all over 50 and the kind of people who witter on about woodstock and say things like 'If you remember the 60's you weren't there man' Surely not a true picture?

What do I care though, I'm going to Spain next week!

So tired.

Rough as, today ..... had a very bad nights sleep due to setting myself several tasks to do in my sleep. Things obviously weren't as easy as I expected. The joys of being a psychic......

Everyone is talking about Steve thingy crocodile bloke kicking the bucket. Most people seem to be dwelling on it as a tragedy ... why? The man was doing what he loved best and an accident happened. I can only imagine he is sat on the other side now just wishing it was something a little more dangerous than a ray that finally got him. We can all only hope and pray that we go doing the thing we love the most .... which for me would mean a heart attack on the job I guess, Private Benjamin style. Of course the jokes have already started doing the rounds .. I wont spoil any of them for you in case you get them and, like me, can laugh at such things. Some people are saying its in poor taste .. again .. why? I really hope that my loved ones can still laugh at me after I am gone .. after all, I do my damnedest to keep them laughing while I am here and have no desire for them to be unhappy without me. Even Steves family understand the nature and importance of his work enough that they want the footage he was filming to be broadcast. .. and I agree with them. Its like being a soldier ... you know the risk that goes with the uniform. The best way to honor Steve's memory .. imho, is to live like he did, remember what he was about and take that forward (not that I am about to wrestle a croc you understand).
Steve, wherever you are .... thank you!

Holding out for a Hero

Ok, this will mean nothing to most of you but it needs doing.

When you listen to your radio, do you ever think beyond the songs and presenters? Ever stop to think, wow, how do all of the songs, ads, talky bits and news all come together so smoothly? What clever people those radio chaps are! If you don't, you should .. and if you do you probably think its some very talented engineer or presenter that pushes lots of buttons and stuff. Well, in part that may be true but a good half of it is done by a team of behind the scenes people who plot everything in place. For GMG radio we have an inventory team . or traffic as they are oft called. They plot the airtime traffic ensuring that all our lovely paying clients get their ads on air. And they work bloody hard. And usually everyone who feeds them info lets them down, causing more work that just isn't necessary. And on top of that they are running two separate systems right now for reason that I cant divulge or Gav might take me out the fire escape and bludgeon me to death with Dave Wheadons spikey hair.

Now, our sales team are treated with bigger kid gloves than I can even begin to describe .. they are precious little flowers, under a lot of stress to hit targets ..and frankly some of them get away with murder, but that's not for here. So to keep them all happy and striving to give proper copy instructions, theyt are incentivised with wine and money and things to try and become the 'Traffic Hero' - given to the helpful nice people who do their jobs properly. Back at ntl, Deb & I regularly rolled our eyes at the notion of incentivising somebody to just do their job correctly .. incentivise them to over deliver maybe, but just for turning up and doing what contractually they are obliged to? Ridiculous, surely? But nonetheless, every week around this time on a friday we get a little mail telling us to go to an intranet site and see who has won. Well, for one week only, I would like to have Queenies Hero of the Week .... and the award goes to ... can you really not see where I was going with this? ........ come on ...... just guess ........
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no, go back and re-read the entry if you cant figure it out. ......
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THE GMG RADIO TRAFFIC TEAM!
Gav, Kat, Dave, Danni, Karen & Ang (who is away this week but that doesn't mean she is any less deserving of the award) and that other bird who is training them who I know not the name of.
I salute you!