Friday Night Pub Quiz Birthday...

My Friday night consisted of a Pub Quiz Birthday, which is a nice idea in itself. You invite your friends, ask them to write up 20 questions or 1 Round of a quiz. Lots of good rounds, like a Lord of the Rings one, that believe it or not, I got full marks for. A Who's That Pokemon (the round I would have done it I wasn't beaten to writing it), and a Disney round. However, for comedic value there were a few other's that were a bit unorthodox. There were a pair of rounds (mine included) about the people who wrote them, and from those questions one stuck out about me, and made everyone fall about laughing. Jim asked:

If I were to hit someone, what race would they be?

And I think you'll agree, that's a pretty funny question. And we, knowing Jim, knew the answer. And because I don't have very much else to say here now, I'll leave you with my round to do. See how well you know me. And I'll leave you with the knowledge that I'm going to the Cardiff Bay Food Festival today!

Carpe diem...

1. Everyone has a favourite Film Genre, the same can be said for Big Tom. What is Big Tom's Favourite Film Genre? (1 point)

2. Baring in mind his favourite genre, what is Big Tom's guilty pleasure when it comes to films? (1 point)

3. Who is Big Tom's role model in the Film World? (1 point)

4. With all the lovely stars of the silver screen, name one actress Big Tom fancies. (1 point)

5. And because he's greedy, name an actor Big Tom has a man crush on. (1 point)

6. Back in time, Big Tom was inspired to write when he was read a bedtime story, what was that bedtime story? (1 point)

7. Since growing up his tastes have developed and matured. What does Big Tom claim to be his favourite book? (1 point)

8. Growing up, Big Tom's Uncle bought him a comic book every Christmas. What was it? (1 point)

9. As he claims to be a writer, he should have read a lot of books - has he read:

i. Wasp Factory by Iain Banks (1 point)

ii. The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien (1 point)

iii. Dracula by Bram Stoker (1 point)

iv. Frankenstein by Mary Shelly (1 point)

10. Completely stolen from Never Mind the Buzzcocks, whose line is it anyway? I'm going to give you the first line of a song from Big Tom's iPod and you're going to give me the next line. For an extra point name the Artist and Song.

i. What if I wanted to break...

ii. I walked across an empty land...

iii. Sometimes I feel like throwing my hands up in the air...

11. What does Big Tom occasionally shout at passing Cyclists and Runners? (1 point)

12. When is Big Tom's Birthday? (1 point)

Anticipation...

I love the smell of morning air, just before the sun has risen, don't you? (no sarcasm intended). I was having a shower with the window open, and the breeze just smelt so refreshing. I wonder if they bottled it and called it morning breeze or something would it smell the same...nope.

And thus the Friday event, namely Slen's birthday has arrived. Tonight, after my daily activities, I shall be travelling, yet again this week, to Big End to see friends and, inevitably, family. I've also figured that I've got to stay the night again, which is a bummer, as the bed I have to stay in is still the plank of wood with a mattress on top of it, in the sauna room. The idea for the birthday being that everyone brings a pub quiz round and we quiz it up - my topic is all about me (fill my little ego, right up, right up).

It's meant to get hotter again this weekend, and tomorrow I will be gathering supplies of weed killer and soil to pot up some pumpkins (I'm boring I know), and I don't think the other plants in the tubs are going to survive much longer. I don't like the look of them anyway, but they were a nice surprise. 

Holiday begins today, and it's gonna be a good'un, as far as holidays are concerned. Food, Wine, BBQ, Sun, Festivals, Friends, Birthdays, all the best things rolled into one. Tim came to see me again yesterday. Apparently there was a fatality they were treating as Murder! on the tracks at Llanharan. Spooky stuff, who knew Wales had a Mafia?

I've been figuring out my costume for this comic con and I've settled myself on a few things I'm going to have to purchase (I'm no good at shopping around, so it might have to be for the prices I find them at, but here's what I got...

...it'll be August, so I don't know how warm that thing is going to be...

...goggles seem to be very important to the Steampunkers. Upon hearing this, my mother suggested that I have some swimming goggles...

...I friggin' love waistcoats, but I'm not sure whether to get the tie to match or just go open collar'd? Any suggestions?...

...and why go for just a telescope when you can have a sextant as well? Any decent cartographer needs one (a little OTT?)...

Personally, I think I require more gears and stuff. I've got a pocket watch I plan on using, and I'm not sure about weapons. Are we meant to have weapons, is that a requirement? Either way, I'm thinking it's going to be a good day, and something to look forward to. I need a small leather travel bag as well (fer maps, duh!), and what were those stupid boots all the emos were wearing at one point without the laces done up? I might need some of those, or actual boots.

Today won't be relaxing, but I'm looking forward to spending time with the girls down the Bay on Sunday. FOOD FESTIVAL MASSIVE!

Carpe diem...

Concerning BBQs...

I really get the urge to kick children sometimes. You know when they're being annoying, self-centred swine? When they cry, and beg, and actually steal shit. Yep, then I just want to pick them up by their soft, squidgy heads, and drop kick them into next week. Does anyone else get that? Or is it just me?...

Also, another thought passed me the other day, as two mobility scooters sped passed me, can I shout 'LYMPICS' at them as well? I know their not being healthy because let's face it, they're sat down, but you know, I just get the urge...

Okay, I'm starting to sound a little cray-cray, but who cares, I'm not harming anyone, or planning to. And also, half the things I say, are just my mouth taking over from my head. Which is why when I sometimes say 'Have a Nice Day' in my head, it comes out as 'Have a Nice GAH!_sd@!S"H'. My mouth syntax-error's my mind, and half the things I say, I know I should have stopped speaking or I didn't intend to say anything in the first place. I'm quite good on a one-to-one basis, but it just frustrates me sometimes. I suppose it reminds me of my stutter and pronunciation problems (Azerbaijan)...

Where am I going with this? Ah yes, concerning BBQs.

BBQs are strange and fantastical things, where you sit out in the outside, whatever the weather and do as you would normally do, except the cooking is done beside you, you're allowed to drink anything you like no matter the time of day and as long as it has ice in, and barefoot is okay attire. Could you imagine a BBQ in suits and dinner dresses?

It wasn't as warm as I had hoped, walking back from my daily commitments, but it was warm enough. I had found loads of food, and carried it home. Pill had sorted the BBQ stuff, cleaned it out and prepared, which was nice. And we waited for the others. He lit the fire, shortly after 7:30, and I got a text from Tag about 10mins after that saying that he had missed the train due to an Asian. We cooked on without them, and when they arrived the food was ready. Which is a nice change.

We sat and chatted, and laughed, and discussed our days, and it was nice. The usual, but the usual is usually nice. Red had been #sploring, Tag had been selling, and Pill had been passing on our country's secrets again. Food was pleasant, and quite cheap for the quality of the items (I collect the coupons), and I think a nice time was had. It is a pity that my garden has no grass, and it isn't very big either. And that makes me very jealous Cherry and Tag, very jealous indeed.

Red exclaimed that she was bored and that they should go, and go they went. It was late, about 11pm (late in this instance meaning that we had work in the morning and we don't intend on sleeping here).

We've got at least 3-4 days of activities to achieve as of Sunday, and it goes a little like this - Food Festival, IKEA, Birthday, Cinema (though I'm assuming cinema is a maybe). Perhaps we could holiday somewhere, Cornwall, Wodge Visiting, Castle Hide-n-Seek, St Fagans, #sploring? Who knows what we'll get up to, fingers crossed we wont end up at the Western or Nandos.

Carpe diem...

Resentment On Gower...

Yesterday was my Mother's birthday, and as such, I traveled to Big End to wish her a lovely birthday. And then we went to Gower...

I'm not sure what my siblings bought her for a present, but I did see my brother's card. My brother hates being forced to do anything, very much like the rest of us (and we were already miserable being made to go to the beach), but when it comes to birthday cards that takes the biscuit in his book. He, like me, sees the birthday card as a useless item and thus we hardly ever buy them. This year he bought a 'Happy Birthday Son' card and scribbled out the word Son, and replaced it with the word Mum (subtle). The yellow sports card on the front of the card (a Lamborghini Aventador J), didn't influence his decision in card at all, because when Mum confronted him about it, he simply said 'cheapest'.

Dad drove, as he had a plan, and drive he did, an hour and a half into the Gower Peninsula, looking very pretty and Middle Earthian. I even got to see Bury Port from the other side of the estuary. And I thought that was quite cool.

We arrived at the King Arthur Hotel and set about sitting outside and eating lunch. I helplessly flirted with the staff (cooey!) and we moved on further into the Gower. I should add that the burger I had was massive, and the chips were quite nice. And there we were on the edge of the land. Mum fell down a hole, the drunk, and we all fell about laughing. And when we reached the beach she set about ordering us to sunbathe. My response being to point at a ruin I could see in the distance, and then a marker rock I saw on top of the cliffs. 'I'll be over there if you need me.'

Ben came with me and we discussed manly things like Lego Lord of the Rings, and other video games and computer schematics. It was a nice walk, but it only took and hour, and I didn't take enough photos. I dangled off cliff edges, looked out to see, and even tried to find a hole in the wall (Good Luck with that). We had Milkshakes and went back. I requested to be dropped at the station, you know that feeling you get of restlessness when you just want to be doing something else, somewhere else, with someone else? Well that came about and I returned home.

Pill was there and informed me he was out for the evening visiting his brother, so I set about watering the garden, and watching all the catch-up telly, before deciding to go shopping for BBQ food. And let's face it BBQ food, plus this weather, sprinkled with friends, after daily commitments, equals a good time. 

Today I'm talking to 60 kids or so about flying toys. I don't know what I'm going to say, but apparently they've got questions or something. I think I'm gonna need that BBQ.

I hate the beach...

Carpe diem...

Lympic Sun, Biches!...

It's now Tuesday, my day off, the day I was meant to be doing very little, the day I was perhapsly going to view Fast 5 and 6 consecutively after I had helped Tag in the garden. But no, today is Tuesday, 9th July and it's Mum's Birthday...

I sent the majority of the weekend, away from home, at either Ponty or the Big End, so it was a bit of a relief to sleep in my own bed last night. After my Sunday Commitments (not religion), I dashed to the meeting place, after being bombarded in the Office with the rest of the work crew, watching the Wimbledon Final. That was fun, air conditioning and tennis. However, I was late, and the iPlayer was delayed. 

Either way, I met with Tag, Cherry, and Red, and we ventured to their homestead and lounged in the garden listening to countless good songs, and drank a little. Cherry slaved over the cooker to make us a fine meal of Bolognese, and we ate in relative silence (and that's a sign of good food). Top Gear was cancelled or something, and replaced in favour of Wimbledon Doubles, something not many people watch. But the hour later involved the Returned. That show be good. The room we sat in got really really hot, and I slept there. The next day I returned (see what I did there?) to my daily commitments, and upon returning home,  I got to see Pill for the first time in a week or so, and his magicing friends from Big End. I was really concerned that I might know the pair, as I was a part of the Big End nerd community for a while. Thankfully, I didn't know them, and set about making myself scarce, weeding, watering, and cooking (in that order). 

They finished eventually and I got Pill to sign Red's passport documents (we going somewhere soon biches!) and he went to bed. I did a few more chores, and here I am. It's 9:30am or so here, sat on the parental sofa, in a warm house, waiting to go to the Gower for the day. I hate beaches, but it's Mum's Birthday.

My Father just walked into the room and looked at me, I said 'Hi' and he said (entirely to himself, but audible) 'Good, that sorts that one out, I need to put some shorts on and water, a little.' I should add, he was completely clothed.

I don't like getting treated like a child, and apparently this house is a house of resentment. My brother and sister are already bickering, my father is quietly sat at his computer, and mum just asked when we were going anywhere. I thought this was your idea? I was just expecting to take her to lunch at Jamie's or something, like she suggested I do on Saturday when I was here last.

I've got a busy week coming up, and I don't think I'll see Pill very much again. He goes to Plymy on the weekend for a week. And Wednesday we've got Date Night (every Wednesday and Sunday?), Thursday Clareg's trying to arrange drinks with an old friend of ours The Bennett (he's far too handsome, successful, and bonkers for you guys to meet him, I'd get jealous), Friday I'm away to Slen's for a quiz, you should see my topic - it's a good one, and Sunday my Aunt and Uncle are in town. When will I get to see that Food and Drink Festival down the Bay?! Saturday perhaps? What say you guys?

I hate the beach. I much prefer Bute Park.

Carpe diem...

Indecisiveness Almost Kills...

Thankfully, due to my ruggedly handsome and superbly brilliant physique it was only 'almost' and not 'actually'...

You may remember how upbeat and fantastically ready for Friday I was, well it happened and I didn't lose a single ounce of that positivity, which was great! (and marvelously annoying for the Work Crew). Having only packed a shirt for hitting a pub or bar after daily commitments, I thought I was ready, however, upon trying to get anyone to do anything I was casually noped out to a quiet evening.

As the day continued Cherry popped to see me, and arranged an evening (the only problem being my lack of overnight bag). Within my half our break I managed to run home and back, and catch the final point in a Wimbledon Semi-Final (hehe, semi...). Which, as it turns out is just over a mile. I ran 2 miles, in under half an hour, and managed to pack a bag! I'm chuffed with myself, even though no one believed I would do it, or actually did it. 

Anyhow, trains were caught, and getting changed in a train toilet is a tricky thing in 20 degree heat and with, quite frankly, appalling conditions, even for a dog to go toilet. And there I was, with the Swingers, sipping cider and eating pie in a very nice pub. I enjoyed myself, sharing onyon rengs with Red because the other two don't like onyons. Talking shit, and that's literal verbal diarrhea, and generally having fun, until V/H/S/2.

And what a load of balls that was. The Americans big up far too much shit. You've been disappointing me a lot recently America, get your act together and get a job! It was even too late to redeem the evening by watching another movie, so we consoled each other and went to bed.

The next morning, I caught the train to Big End, and spent the day doing Gardening that I didn't want to do, mainly because I was told to do it, and mainly because it wasn't gardening, it was tidying the Garden. Washing was done, Mother wanted to wash everything I own, because she still thinks I'm a poor student, and I ate lasagna, before the entire Famile ventured over to Clareg's to celebrate his graduation/birthday. BBQ was had, sunshine, ciders, witty banter, and I got to show everyone how intolerant of somepeople I can be. It's okay, I was in a house of blonde-haired and blue-eyed people. We can talk about the less fortunate when they're not around (riight?). 

Either way the evening came to an end, we all went to bed. I was forced to sleep at home. Which is something of a rarity, in the box room, which boils you when it's warm, and which my head and feet can touch either wall when I lay down, and which has a bed the equivalent to sleeping on a hard floor. Needless to say, I don't want to be doing that again. I don't think my shoulders could take it. 

And now I'm home again, which came as a great shock to my father, as he had hoped to fly helicopters and plant pumpkins with me today. And that would have been very nice, however I have daily commitments. He still insists that no body told him, though he is rather deaf. 

Oh well, after daily commitments today, and missing the Wimbledon Final (come on Murray!), I shall be whisked back away to Ponty by Tag, to eat well and watch gripping television. It sounds like a good Sunday. And do you know what? The sun's out, A-gain!

Boom! Carpe diem...

The Loving Smile Implanted On The Memory...

Here comes the Sun...

It's a beautiful day outside, everything is okay and alright...

Lovely day, lovely day, LOVE-ly day...

Daily commitments over and done with, today will be my second Friday of the week. The weekend starts now, as it were in 9 hours time. And as such, I think I've got most things planned. Go to Big End to see La Famile a Clareg's tomorrow, return for daily commitments on Sunday only to travel to Ponty for a big of Bolognese with the Returned - how's that for a slice of fried gold?

All the while the Sun is actually set to get hotter, and possibly hit the 30 mark. Do we dare to dream? The parks will be littered with the bodies of the recently sizzled, the pubs will be surrounded by the sozzled, and the shops will, quite frankly be empty due to the first two reasons.

Oh, and not only that, but I'll probably miss the Wimbledon Final on Sunday, due to said daily commitments.

I miss gardening, one of my potted plants drowned the other day. Apparently, when my mother planted them up she forgot to put drainage holes in the bottom of one of the trugs, so now one of them look far worse than the other. Which is a pity, I hope you'll agree.

Pill and DarkHorse are away again this weekend, back to the Shire with them, visiting friends. Thankfully, this time, I have daily commitments to see me through the inevitable madness that I would surely befall, and thusly yourselves, due to being my readership.

Speaking of readership, I really want to get my short story finished and edited and proofread and all that jazz. Who knows. Who would read it I wonder. Is the time of fantasy-timey (IT'S NOT A TIME PERIOD!) crime drama over?

I don't think so, as long as there are still dreamers in the world. Although, I am wondering where the hell I'm going with this. 

I picked up a free magazine the other day, all about the latest cameras and the best deals. I'm thinking, perhaps I should save up. Or perhaps I should become a better photographer first. 

Red has given me her passport documents for my Father to sign, it's useful having a member of the British Empire in the immediate family, it gets you all kind of perks - namely being able to lord over the lower classes and get your passport signed and shizz. Useful no? Either way, potential holiday in the mix.

I think I miss Pokemon, which is an odd thing to say after just watching Luther (Oh Idris Elba, your voice is heavenly - POWAR, to You)

So yes, sun. I might be in my garden this evening if anyone wants to join me, bring a book and a snack and we'll stargaze like there's no tomorrow! Or I've got this urge to dance in the late afternoon light, hmm. (Alright, gay!)

Drinks?

Carpe diem...

It's a beautiful day outside,

Everything is okay and alright.

Your smile is a vast contrast from the things we said last night. (oh, last night)

Why did I say that line?

If I shut my mouth, we'd be fine.

I've got perfect hindsight in the daytime,

I'm starting to see that

In a perfect situation, I'd be doing things much differently.

And I just thought, thought you should know,

I'm sittin' by myself, but I'm never alone.

In fact, I'm making myself heard,

I've found something louder than words.