It's been a while since I checked one off my challenge list and I took the opportunity having a free day in London Town to do just that. Challenge number 83 to visit the Greenwich Royal Observatory. This one is all about celebrating the geek in me, with a touch of nationalistic pride.  

I have often said I'm lucky that I have a young family. I was privileged to get to know some of my great grandparents and my grandparents. I've been lucky that they've been able to play a huge role in my life, something I know not everyone gets to have. Today I want to focus on one person who made a huge impact on my life, my Great Grandad.

One of the great loves of my life is the War of the Worlds, the movies, the book, the musical, I love them all! They tap into everything I love about science fiction, it is the quintessential story, alien's arrive try to take over the world, exterminate the human race and the plans get derailed, the human race survives and learns to accept that that aren't the only beings in the universe. It's been done a million times since and will no doubt be done a million times more, but this was the story that made me fall in love with sci-fi. 

One of my first ever girlfriends, Lauren, used to have this saying, a good day was one that was covered in glow. Now 15 year old me thought this was one of the most stupidest things he'd ever heard but now I can look back on certain days in my life and yes they very much are covered in glow. They give you that warm nostalgic feeling that makes you smile when you think about what went on that day, when you close your eyes remembering just how much fun you had wishing you could relive it.

Remakes of classic films are always a little bit hit and miss for every Heat there is a Rollerball, for every Dune parts 1 and 2 there is a Planet of the Apes or Total Recall, and don't even get me started on the remake of the Karate Kid.

Sometimes reputations outlive their applications, it's a line from one of my favourite films of all time Empire Records, more specifically it's a line from the song Sugarhigh by Coyote Shivers made especially for the film. It's a line I've often thought of when I think of some of the people from my past. Some people will always be stuck in a box in my head as to what they were and not what they've become. It's wrong of me to pigeonhole them like that but I think we're all guilty of it.

We all know that students never need an excuse to go out and get drunk. In fact I was took part in a three day bender to celebrate the changing of the games machines in a pub. We started drinking at approximately 10.30am on the Monday and lasted until 00.01 am on the Wednesday. I know technically speaking it wasn't three complete days, but continuous drinking with no sleep, it's a feat that I have no illusions that I would fail spectacularly these days. 

The skyline of Boston is dominated by one thing. St Boltoph's church, more commonly known as The Stump. The tower standing at 266 feet 6 inches high is the highest parish church in the whole country. It's a symbol of our little market town that is known the world over.

This weekend saw the ruby wedding anniversary of my parents. 40 years of being together that's almost the entire span of my lifetime, the world has gone through so many changes in that timespan. We're able to do so many things that they could only of dreamed of back then. Society has changed indescribably, but through all that my parents have stayed together. They've had three children....one of which is amazing, the other two are passable. They've urged each other on and got degrees, purchased their own home, they've renovated that home, paid it off and are now enjoying 'van life' with their recent camper van purchase and are planning to travel the country in it.

15 years. 5479 days. It's a long time isn't it? Well that's what milestone I hit this weekend at The Bowl. It's by far the longest time I've been employed by a company and for the vast majority of my time here I've enjoyed it.

I've always loved reading, Kev, Dave and Scott will tell you of the time I read a whole book in the bath in one go. The fantastic Are you experienced by William Sutcliffe. It wasn't a long book, only 180 pages or so but apparently taking a two and half hour long bath was a little on the odd side.

Saturday February 1st 2025, approximately 13.05pm. Location The Parcel Yard, Kings Cross Station.

Before I begin this entry I want to make a public apology. Emma, I'm so sorry my spelling, punctuation and grammar is abysmal. I humbly bow down to you and beg for forgiveness. So with that out the way let's get down to what was one of the most fun filled few days I've had in many a year.

And I'll sing the blues if I like..  Yes I know  the last blog entry was all about music and I've started this one off with lyrics but forgive me, but the fact is that this is a tune and a half and deserves to be listened to at every given opportunity.

I am good at many things in this world, I can cook half decently, I'm not bad at photography or writing but the one thing I can readily admit that I'm hopeless at is anything musically related. I can't carry a tune, my singing is awful and apart from a half hearted attempt to learn the recorder at primary school I can't play an instrument either. So with that knowledge in mind I'm sure you'll laugh at my latest purchase, a shiny acoustic guitar....

I'm a bit of history fan, always have loved looking at the past, loved a trip to a museum or a castle, I can spend hours reading about famous historical events or listening to podcasts, for all those who love British history I fully recommend the British History Podcast, it covers our beautiful little islands history from the very beginning to at the time of writing this, the Norman conquest.