Olympic update

A while ago I mentioned Chris Mears as an Olympic hopeful.  Well, the clients I visited today are attending his Olympic-good-luck party soon as they are close relations.
    
I didn't say that I found him fit fit fit...
  
In other news, another Olympic hopeful I highlighted, Aaron Cook has been left out of the Taekwondo Olympic team despite being the world number one.  I appears that he was not impressed with the Team GB set up so trained on his own.  The Taekwondo bosses, on the face of it, decided that they didn't like being treated like that and have destroyed his life in a petty display of political control.
  
Poor Aaron has appealed as far as he can, but the Taekwondo people refuse to take part in any further conversations, including arbitration.  They should be ashamed.

Please explain to me...#1

...why is Cheryl Cole famous?
  

I see her as a slightly dim, quite good looking woman that happened to be in the right place at the right time.  She has no obvious skills, yet is looked up to by millions of women and girls.
  
She cant sing (it's auto-tune overdrive on her songs), her accent is annoying, her presenting skills are weak and yet she earns a fortune on lowbrow television programmes and advertising.  She sits on the panel of television programmes that exploit individuals and she gives her views on their talent, yet she has none herself. Doesn't seem right to me.
  
The strange thing is, she doesn't have that "look" that some other celebs' have - the look that says "I know I'm a fraud and it's just a matter of time before you figure it out".  People like Kerry Katona have that look and it's one of fear.
  
Can anyone explain to me why Cheryl Cole is famous?

Alex Pettyfer stripper!

OK, what else could I do?! I see a film starring the gorgeous Alex Pettyfer who is playing a stripper and I just had to find some images.  Now I'd be much happier if I could see the end of the act...
  

US television... I give up

The US television machine seems to be missing the idea of the long game... So many programmes are cancelled after just one season.  So the programmes that I have watched and enjoyed in recent years are cancelled and in limbo, i.e. we are left high and dry mid story.
  
- Flash Forward
  
- The Event
  
- And now Alcatraz
   
So from now on, I wont be watching anything until a second "season" is confirmed and recorded!

June movie update

Here are the films that Pete and I have received from Lovefilm.com and watched on TV and DVD over the past few months in reverse order, with my ratings out of ten from my movie list on the IMDB.
  

The Artist (2011) 8

I had been saving this and was cautious of watching it due to the hype. It was a new and fresh experience and I liked it a lot. Who would have thought that a silent film could work so well?!
 

Chronicle (2012) 7

It starts out as a comedy-horror about some kids who get special powers, but gets dark pretty quickly. Lots of special effects and poor acting, but I enjoyed it all the same.
   

Men in Black 3 (2012) 7

Watched this as part of my first drive-in movie experience! Lots of silly fun.
 

The Woman in Black (2012) 6

Watched on the plane and it's too dark for that environment. The whole film seemed to be about finding scary things in rooms of a big house. A bit dull.

The Descendants (2011) 8

Watched on the plane and enjoyed thoroughly. George Cluny is a fine actor.
 

The Well Digger's Daughter (2011) 7

French film about love and war - worth a look if you like classic French cinema.
 

Vanishing on 7th Street (2010) 5

Poor horror film. Hayden Christensen really cant act!

Dream House (2011) 6

A horror beset with lots of production and final cut issues and it shows. Daniel Craig refused to promote it due to the way it was cut as it gives too much away too early. Just didn't work.
 

Krabat and the Legend of the Satanic Mill (2008) 6

Confusing and weird German Harry Potter(ish) film. Don't bother!
 

Zodiac (2007) 7

Very good drama based on the true story of a serial killer. The start is very violent and may put some people off.
 

Planet of the Apes (1968) 9*

Still a brilliant film - just ignore the sequels.
 

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) 5

It's not the teen classic I was expecting.
 

The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising (2007) 6

Silly Harry Potter wannabe, and surprised that Christopher Ecclestone was so appalling! The young actor who played the lead is all grown up now and has matured nicely.
  

Another Earth (2011) 6

A very strange movie about a second planet Earth drifting towards us. Pete liked it more than I did.
 
* previously viewed

It's over

So we're out of the Euro finals...
   
The Italians played far better than England, though I think it's worth mentioning that Joe Hart wasn't really troubled that much if you think about it.  I'm actually quite pleased that we don't have to play Germany.
   
For the record, I feel that penalties are a rubbish way to end a game.  God knows why Ashley Cole took a penalty (and missed) - though the good news is that nobody likes him anyway.
   
Let's lift our spirits with a picture of Joe Hart, who I find strangley attractive, despite him being a cocky, overpaid, womanising prat... but he did have the horrible job of trying to save some penalties.
  

Will

At Christmas, my eldest brother brough us (other brother, wife, Dad, Mum, Pete, Me) all Will Young tickets. A surprise that's for sure!
 
So last night we ventured to Bedgebury near Tunbridge Wells to see Will in the surroundings of a forest.  Apart from the poor organisation with queuing and traffic control, it was a fine evening.  We had a picnic and watched the show.  The performance was spot on - perfect voice and performance and I'm not really a fan.
 
Pete bought a nice momento in the form of tea towel.  Yes... a tea towel.  It does show Will in a leotard...
   

Tom Daley

No comment required.
 

Summer Solstice

The shortest night, the longest day.
 
I know it's probably all the mind, but I always find today a little strange. I cant put my finger on it.  I knew I would struggle to sleep last night and I know I will be hungry at unusual times.  Perhaps I have a link with the ley lines.
 
My eldest brother often spends the night at the Coldrum Stones, not far from my Parents house.  These images of Coldrum were 4 or the 5 that I posted for an old '5 on the fifth'.  The place has a 'presence' and will be buzzing last night.
 

Home

Getting back from holiday is always so depressing. I'll get over it!
  
The week so far has been: catching up with work, 1-2-1 with my manager and a training session on forthcoming regulatory changes.  Fun eh?!  Apart from that, Pete and I have both been exhausted and struggling to sleep, which is strange.  On Monday, I was so tired and wiped out that I was struggling to complete sentences and so I made phonecalls with clients as brief as possible.
 
I've been watching the Euro football games and in the main, enjoying them. England were lucky last night and it just emphasises that we need goal line technology.  No game should be won or lost due to luck.
 
Normal service will resume soon.

Day 18 - 16th June 2012

The final day...

With a flight at 9.20pm, we had most of the day to see some more of New York. We took in the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market and then walked downtown to an 'antiques market' before looking in various shops.

It was mighty hot, but we walked back along some of the High Line, where you can see Pier 54 which is the pier the Titanic was set to birth, before finding a cool bar/restaurant for a late and long lunch. They had a clever pricing system for beer (I assume it only works in the evenings) where the price goes up and down based on demand! We ate too much of course!

We got our cases out of the hotel storage and struggled to Penn Station to get a train to the airport over the river in New Jersey.

  

The final tally shows our driving route from Boston via various towns and into New York was 1,175 miles via 8 states in this order:

Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Vermont
New Hampshire
Maine
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Connecticut
New York
New Jersey
  

Some night shots...

from the 86th floor of the Empire State Building...
  

Day 17 - 15th June 2012

We got the subway downtown and jumped on the Staten Island ferry. I didn't realise until this week that Staten Island is pretty big and is part of New York and not New Jersey. The ferries run 24 hours a day, take 25 minutes to cross the bay and are free! It was a warm and clear start to the day as we sailed past the Statue of Liberty... more of her later.

We walked and walked on our return to Manhattan and ended up in Chinatown. We had a Dim Sum lunch, the contents of which were unclear - a very strange meal indeed, with weird flavours and colours! 
  
In the afternoon we took another boat trip, this time down the Hudson to the Statue of Liberty with a very informative guide.  We saw the newly positioned space shuttle and Concorde en route, as well as the quay where the Titanic was to have docked. 
  
After a wash and change, we walked via Grand Central station to have a few beers at a very trendy bar followed by a top steak meal.  And then we got high... higher than I've been before! We went to the observation floor at the Empire State Building - the 86th floor to be precise. The view at night is wonderful and it was a clear night so we could see 35 miles.
  
Tomorrow is the last day and we fly late in the evening. :-(

Day 16 - 14th June 2012

It's been another extremely busy day today that will have pleased my friend Sonny who knows New York very well, as it was full of arty stuff. 
  
We started at the high line - a fantastic park a mile long that was formed from an old goods railway line. It was an impressive use of space and a surprising highlight of New York.
  
Mr Porter (posh clothing and accessories shop) had a Pop up shop (though that does it not justice) at the end of the High Line. - this was all planned. They combined with 30+ actors/models to launch the new season of Suits. They had lots of guys on bikes dressed as one of the characters from Suits starting here and then biking round Manhattan. We then walked for miles and miles around the West Village. 
  
Laurie Anderson had a show in an old warehouse that Pete insisted we see and Karl Lagerfeld had a photography exhibition that was actually brilliant. Lunch was a simple affair and then we looked in loads of shops including many cool independent shops and a crazy expensive thrift shop. I have seen so much today!
  
And something that I know Sonny does well (and often), we had über expensive drinks on the 20th floor rooftop gardens at 230 Fifth. It had a few thousand people spending the debt of an African nation. We started with beers then went on to cocktails.  Some guys next to 4 guys who spent at least $300 on drinks without a worry!
  

Day 15 - 13th June 2012

We started early with a walk through the streets to the NBC studios where they present Good Morning America on the street for some of the show and then a slow amble to Central Park.
 
We saw the Dakota building where John Lennon and Yoko lived and where John was killed and then had a look round Strawberry Fields... a quiet area of 2.5 acres in Central Park. Unfortunately, Americans are unable to do anything quietly it seems and, not for the first time, they were acting inappropriately. 
 
Tons of people were jogging, walking and cycling in the park and lots of women (who I assume don't work) jogging with pushchairs or stretching with personal trainers. We then entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The building is huge - nowhere as big as the Louvre, but big all the same. There was some great art in there and it was packed.
 
We then went to the Museum of Modern Art which is tiny when compared to Tate Modern, but we still saw a few interesting items.
 
Despite exhaustion setting in, we took the lift to the top of the Rockerfeller centre - floor 69!  Took lots of pictures, though it was a bit misty.  It's a loooooong way up!
  
This evening were went downtown to "the village" and Little Italy. We started with a gay drink in a very cool bar/restaurant and ending up eating too much in an Italian.
 

Day 14 -12th June 2012

Started the day with a subway journey to Brooklyn and then a walk through the park and over the bridge.  The view was incredible and could even see the statue of Liberty in the distance.  
  
We queued to get cheap show tickets as the rain started and managed to get 50% of Jesus Christ Superstar. My parents saw the first cast in London so I know it very well, despite not being religious.
  
We walked through Wall Street and then around Ground Zero. It was as depressing as expected, especially in the dull rain. We then spent around 2 hours in Century 21 which is a higher quality TK Maxx.  Pete spent lots! 
  
We then got the Subway to Macy's and then back to get changed for the show.  So we saw Jesus Christ Superstar on Broadway and it was a fantastic show! Pete made the totally wrong comment at the end: "is it OK to fancy Judas?" Oh yes it was!    
  
We traversed many streets to get to the award winning Daisy Mays for loads of meat!  It was amazingly meaty and yummy.
  

Day 13 - 11th June 2012

We left Boston at 7am and it took 4 hours to drive the 213 miles to New York, despite some Satnav "fun" at the start of the journey.  We entered Manhattan at the Northeast of the Island and it's a stunning place to see as you drive along the narrow highway.
  
It has been a hot and humid day and after a challenging drive around the busy streets and dropping the car off, we found the hotel which is quite nice and we are 21 floors up.
  
We walked around the local area for a while, with Times Square just around the corner.  I've never been to New York before and this may sound silly, but it is really big.  The size of the buildings are big... and big everywhere.  There is skyscraper after skyscraper and I was surprised that most streets are quite narrow. It's all a bit like London, but on steroids.
  
This evening was walked for about an hour to watch a concert in Central Park. Pete has bought tickets for Foster The People months ago and it was held in a fenced off area near to Strawberry Fields.  It was a great show, complete with two warmup acts.  The stench of pot was most evident in the toilet cubicles - I felt a big headheavy after having a pee!