New Year's Eve

Went to Kink last night by myself. I wasn't gonna go but I was bored so decided to drive in.

Ended up being a pretty productive night. I met up with that skinhead I saw at ALERT the other week. His name's Ian, but he has a boyfriend... although it was all good. Got my head smacked in by the toilet door though so this morning I feel like I've dislocated my jaw!

Tonight Shaun, Rob and myself are off to Federation with fire-eaters, snakes and naked (hung) dancers!!! Should be good. At £20 a ticket it better bloody be anyway!

Have a good one whatever everyone is doing.

Home truths?

According to my mother I'm a failure. Something that's always nice to know at Christmas!

It's like we've gone back 10 years... they have these periodic outbursts and I always forgive them. I'm fed up of apologising for who I am.

I was accused of sitting back and waiting to take their money when they're gone. If that's what they think I don't want it... Claire can have it.

I'm so hurt by this I can't really put how I feel into words. Suffice to say that I'm so emotionally hard I'm worried there can only be one outcome.

Christmas time... misletoe and wine

Christmas presents I got that were good:

1) Digital camera
2) Money

Christmas presents I got that were rubbish:

1) T-shirt-cum-kaftan
2) Aftershave
3) A book
4) A chocolate orange
5) A pen
6) A jar of marmalade

Do these people I call family even know me?

Having said that the day itself was a good one, Ian made an excellent Christmas Dinner, my Mum got leathered, and then we all went up to Helen and Gary's and watched the kids play with all their toys... and lets face that's what makes Christmas so great.

Reach for the ear-muffs, Albania have picked a song!

It's called Balada E Gurit, which translates as The Stone Ballad... it leaves you feeling not unlike you've spent the best part of an hour scraping a pumice stone across a veruca!

It's sung (read "wailed"), by a woman called Aida (she may be an Albanian opera star) and some old bloke called Frederik Ndoci, who sounds a bit like your Grandad after he's had a few too many.

Having said that, they have got to cut it down to 3 minutes so that's an improvement straight away.

It's all a bit like Zjarr E Ftohtë, but whereas during that, the singer was easy on the eye, there isn't much to even gaze upon during this. Oh well there's always 2008!

Drain yourself (and your ears) by clicking the link below.

http://www.box.net/public/4m6nh269iy

Friday night's ALERT...

So I was bad and rang in sick on Friday so I could go to ALERT on Friday night... so hit me!

It was good anyway... met up with Paul & Paula beforehand which is always good and then headed off to the club. Met up with a guy there called Gav who I've been chatting to recently... not my type, but he seems like a cool guy and he wins brownie points for giving me a lift home.

Also saw Des in the club and it was good to catch up and laugh at the two guys fucking next to us on the dancefloor!! Mind you he did lick me boot so.... ;-)

Plus I wasn't totally leathered when I left ... this is a minor miracle as I'm always totally tanked up when I leave that place.

There was a really horny skinhead there who I quite fancied and we were staring at each other all night, but for some reason fukk all happened... aah well... I'll have to keep an eye out for him.

It's Christmas Eve!

So why are you reading this?

Go and have some drinks, spend time with your family and mates, eat too much food and enjoy yourself.

Alternatively, if like me you're in work today and tomorrow.... look forward to your days off when you're still celebrating Christmas after everyone else has gone back to work!!!

Have a good one...

Georgia on my mind

Georgian Public Television & Radio have announced that some bird by the name of Sopho Khalvashi will be singing Georgia's debut entry in Helsinki.

She'll sing 6 potential entries on 11 February and the one that wins the televote will be the Georgian song. Hopefully they'll give her something more exciting to sing than the song in this vid.... otherwise everyone in Europe will be asleep!

Greek song writer

Allegedly, the song writer of 2007's Greek entry is Michalis Hatzigiannis. It's a shame he's not representing Greece as he's hot, hot, hot and he has voice that melts over you like honey.

He represented Cyprus in 1998 in Birmingham when he was very young and very firmly fixed to his spot on the floor!

Watch some of his vids below.

Finally some news from home

Now then, now then... the BBC have announced that the British entry will be chosen in mid-March. What does this mean?

1) They're gonna select an entry internally. This could work.

2) They'll select an act and let the public choose the song. Possibly the best way we could pick something that might get us out of the bottom 5.

3) Let the public choose the singer and the song. This will be a complete disaster as the UK public are known for voting for a load of old rubbish.

The BBC press brief mentions the Scissor Sisters and Morrisey so it won't be either of them two. More likely we'll see Michelle McManus or a Scott-Lee or someone from X-Factor.

Could we not just have Jessica Garlick again? Or Claire who used to be in Steps? Or what about Kristian Leontiou? Any of those three and I'll be happy!

Watch Jessica as she came joint 3rd in Tallinn in 2002.

Claire doin' the whole Steps thing!

And sadly I couldn't get a YouTube of Kristian Leontiou so you'll have to make do with this download... http://www.box.net/public/n0ismh4qja

Doğuloo Doğuley

Türkçe Radyo Televizyon have selected Kenan Doğulu to represent Turkey in Helsinki. Having had his first hit in 1993, he's been at the top of the Turkish music scene for over 10 years. His experience will no doubt shine through compared to some of the half-rate acts that are likely to turn up.

Kenan will sing 3 potential entries on Turkish TV in February and the one that wins the televote will be Turkey's entry. All seems simple enough.

Watch the video for Çakkıdı below.

A load of old bobbins

A few days ago the Schweizer Rundfunken Gemeinschaft (or La Société Suisse de Radiotélévision if you prefer.... or even La Società Svizzera di Radiotelevisione if you're gonna be pedantic) selected DJ Bobo to represent the land of mountains and cheese.

He's not really my cup of tea.

He's a "DJ" of the Daz Sampson or DJ Ötzi variety... ie: a load of old cheesy nonsense. He had a massive hit in some countries a few years back with a song called Chihuahua, which was used on a Coca-Cola advert in Spain.

In my opinion, if you're going to make dance music, make dance music and not "dance music". C'mon Cascada and Infernal may not be the best dance acts goin', but at least they know how to produce a banging tune.

Mind you he is a Swiss, which is significantly more than the last 2 Swiss entries have managed to be so maybe it's not all bad. Also, some of the stuff Daz Sampson has done with Uniting Nations is ok, so maybe I'll reserve judgement on this guy until I've heard the song.

In the meantime, kill yourself watching the vid of Chihuahua!

What a day, what a day!

So I drove over what I thought was a puddle, but turned out to be a massive pothole in the road.

My car went BANG! That was supposed to be like in the original Batman series!

So I parked at the gym and it all looked ok, but when I came back the front tyre was flat... ok not too much of a problem, but after jacking up the car and removing the nuts, the wheel wouldn't come away. Bollox!

So I went up into work and got 2 engineers down... even they couldn't budge it so in the end we had to get a mallet to it... it came off!!!!

Then went to the garage and waited an hour for a new wheel. And there went my day when I was supposed to be buying Christmas presents. Aah well...

Download What A Day by Slobodan River
http://www.box.net/public/0jveki0mz9

News from Europe's last dictatorship

So Belarus held their national final for Eurovision on Friday night, but as befits such a corrupt state it was never going to be an easy affair. Fifteen acts battled it out to pick 3 to go forward to an internal selection by Belarussian national television. In this internal selection the singers don't have to sing the same song that they sung in the national final... so beggars the question "why hold a national final?"

Well the winner of the final (in the televote) was Dimitriy Koldun, who is quite famous and pretty good looking so that's ok. Then a jury (oh please God no) selected 2 other random acts to go forward to the next stage. So this must've comletely pissed off the group Litesound who came second in the televote. Anyway the jury selected novelty (oh dear) group The Project and blind (uh-oh) singer Diana Gurtskaya.

Hopefully Dimitriy will be announced as the winner from this bunch, but as Diana has the most money behind her it ain't likely.

Click the links to hear the offerings by...

Dimitriy Koldun - http://www.box.net/public/4r64laq9fp

The Project - http://www.box.net/public/jdxhg0qzfz

Diana Gurtskaya - http://www.box.net/public/luuznk75vx

Click below to hear (in my opinion) the best song of the bunch, which pretictably failed to get anywhere! http://www.box.net/public/7k3pnur87k

And below is possibly the oddest song you'll have heard so far this year if you can take watching through the dreadful reception ... Natalia Tamelo singing So Badly High... never was a song title so apt!

Heaven on Earth

So the Netherlands have selected Edsilia Rombley to go to Eurovision for them.

THIS IS GOOD!!!

Edsilia represented the Dutch in Birmingham in 1998 with the fabulous Hemel En Aarde (Heaven And Earth). Watch her performance below back in the day when everyone had to sing in their national language and there was even a live orchestra... woo!

She came a very respectable 4th in the year that Dana International (Airport) won! This was the last time the Dutch have come in the top 5. They've only made it out of the semi-final once in the last 3 years so they'll no doubt be pleased just to get to Saturday's event.

Tom'll be spitting feathers now he's not coming to Helsinki!

Moldova come out fighting

So Moldova are the first country to select an entry for the gayest show on Earth. They're going to be represented by a red-haired beauty "with slightly slanting eyes" (not my quote, but from Tele-Radio Moldova!!).


The song's called Fight and is sung by Natalia Barbu if you care...

It's all quite rocky and a half cross between Christina Aguilera and Kelly Clarkson. I quite like it actually... listen to how fantastic this song is at the link below courtesy of TRM.

http://www.box.net/public/l7unf5aadn

And while I'm adding pics....

Here's some from Manchester Pride, way back at the end of August.

Pics from left to right...

A lovely pic of Stephen looking like a stunned rabbit and me! Ben and me pretending to be Phil & Grant from 'Stenders at Federation. Me, Chris, Ben and Stevey bein' classy with our cans at the Airport Train Station. Chris, Ben and me in Cruz.

Is it me or do I have the same pose in every picture?!

Real Manchester

A pic of me looking a right numpty on my birthday weekend with Paula who is about to eat the photographer.... photo courtesy of www.realmanchester.com

This pic is on the first page of the website, which is surprising as I thought they be wanting to attract people to Cruz rather than put em off going... I don't even remember em taking it!

I look a right dick! Enjoy a laugh at my expense...

However, here's Tom and his new boyfriend on the same night.... hehehe...

Moral question

Should you sleep with someone (using protection) even though you know they are HIV positive if you are negative?

My own opinion is that if said person is that honest to tell you then you can trust them. Obviously even using protection there's still a risk of the condom splitting and you becoming infected, but then this could happen with someone who you don't know is positive and they don't tell you and so you have no idea that you yourself are infected.

Or you could just be stupid enough to go around barebacking and not asking anyone their status, which is foolish.

Should you avoid someone with HIV like the plague? I think not... this is just shallow.

I'd appreciate your thoughts...

Swinging London Town

So I thought I should say something about last weekend's trip to London.

I had to stand all the way down due to train cancellations the day before. Mind you I saw Aaron from Chesterfield on the train so the trip was cool as we had a good chat down to London.

Got there and met Charlie and Keiron then checked into the hotel, which was ok actually.

Friday night we went out for some drinks and met up with Luke from uni... he'd just come back from New York on some press trip with ITV... not that I'm jealous or owt. No I just love sitting in my dark office in rainy Manchester for 12 hours!!!!! Anyway after an abortive attempt to get into Heaven, whose staff so far up their own arse they can see daylight, we ended up in G-A-Y. Hmmm not my club du choix, but a good laugh none the less. Especially so as I was in my 20 hole rangers n braces, although some gays seemed to think it was ok to pull my braces back hard n let go... yeah whatever!

Charlie pulled twice the dirty ho!

Saturday daytime, we were very cultural and went to the Tate Modern! Then I met up with Björn for some extra-curricular activities! Was good to see him. It's all so easy yet so hard. Sigh...

Saturday night and Fiona's surprise party was excellent... like Natalie said, it was just like we'd been at rehearsal the night before even though we've not seen eachother for years. One person I didn't expect to see there was Laura Mugridge who's now working as a stand-up comedienne... how rock 'n' roll is that?

All in all a great weekend.

Oh and as for my train back... it was cancelled! And they say privatisation equals progress!!!

Au-revoir encore une fois

So Télé Monte-Carlo have withdrawn Monaco from the 2007 edition of Eurovision. All I have to say about this is that it's a great shame. While I support new countries entering the contest, it's always good to have a balance between East and West and Monaco, however small, played some part in that balance.

Monaco first entered the contest in 1959 and participated regularly up until 1979. They won in 1971 for the first and only time (so far). They then took an extended break, but returned to great surprise in 2004. Like Andorra, Slovenia, Estonia, Belarus and Bulgaria, Monaco has suffered the curse of the semi-final and has never made it to the Saturday night in their 3 years of trying so far. Having said that, they've entered 25 times, making them amongst the most prolific Eurovision nations.

Part of me thinks ok, so they didn't enter great songs the last few years, and their 2006 effort was very off-key, but if the likes of FYR Macedonia can qualify every year, I can see why TMC have got pissed off. Possibly the biggest injustice was 2005 when Monaco came 2nd from last with one of the best songs and singers on the night, whilst FYR Macedonia sailed through to the final with a man shouting a load of old nonsense!

Anyway, I hope TMC are doing an "Austria" and that they'll return next year, with a much fresher approach to the contest than their last 3 entries.

Come back Monaco.... I'm missing you already.

Märyon - Notre Planète (Our Planet) 2004

Lise Darly - Tout De Moi (All Of Me) 2005

Séverine Ferrer - La Coco-Dance (The Coco Dance) 2006

Helsinki here we come!

Yes yes yes... I am officially brilliant!

I got me, Craig and Markku tickets for the Eurovision Final today even though they had supposedly sold out yesterday... wicked!

Also two tickets for me and Craig to the semi-final so we can cheer on Andorra as they come last again...

Força a nosaltres!

Kinky cruising

Had a wicked birthday weekend with Shaun, Craig, David, Steven, Gary, Rob, Tom, Paul, Paula and Jamie...

Friday night we ended up in Cruz, which was a laugh. Not sure about the "live" act Beyond, although they were very good at miming. Just one thing, if somebody seriously requested Cliff Richard - I Just Don't Have The Heart, I may require heart surgery!!!

Last night we ended up at Kink, which was ok, but as tame as ever. Even so we had a bit of a dance and Craig n Shaun seemed to enjoy it. Most comical moment of the weekend was me walking into Glam under Queer dressed in full skin gear with 20 hole boots on... was fukkin hilarious!

Hell-singing

These are the forty-three (yes that's right 43!!) countries that should be taking part in Eurovision 2007... it's gonna be a big'un!

1) Andorra will no doubt enter a classy song, but have the most bizarre staging you'll ever see...

2) Albania will be fraught, it'll be ethnic, it'll involve a screeching woman...

3) Armenia will be an ethno-stomper involving some light bondage, whether male or not, the singer will have major facial hair issues...

4) Austria will have the pretense of being serious, but will come accross like a complete novelty act...
5) Bosnia-Herzegovina will live up to its reputation of being the campest country in Europe...
6) Belgium will enter some durge sung in French...
7) Bulgaria will have a scandal in their national final, but despite the entry being quite good, they'll end up near the bottom of the scoreboard...
8) Belarus will rape the English language...
9) Switzerland will scale new heights of the mountain known as cheese...
10) Cyprus will enter something guarranteed 12 points from Greece and nowt from everyone else...
11) Czech Republic will be an unknown quantity, but could turn out to be quite credible...
12) Germany will enter something credible that no one will vote for...
13) Denmark will have props and gimmicks a-go-go...
14) Estonia will have a banging europop number that bombs on the night...
15) Spain will have tits and hair flying in all directions...
16) Finland will return to form and prop up the scoreboard come the end of the night...
17) France will enter a woman singing a ballad that ain't in English...
18) United Kingdom will cry foul-play when a half rate act comes almost last...
19) Georgia will be another unknown quantity, but we're guessing it's gonna be ethnic...
20) Greece will enter a hot favourite and be gutted when they don't win...
21) Croatia will have a rocking national final, but plump for someone singing a ballad in a trouser suit who'll come 12th...
22) Hungary will enter some turbofolk on speed...
23) Ireland will enter a ballad based loosely on "Pan-Pipe Moods Vol. 6"...
24) Israel will all hold hands, sing about peace and walk sideways accross the stage...
25) Iceland will see fans shocked when they don't qualify for the final...
26) Lithuania will be a load of old rubbish...
27) Latvia will continue yo-yo-ing around the scoreboard and will be in the top 5 this year...
28) Monaco will enter the same thing as France did 8 years ago...
29) Moldova will leave you thinking 'what the fuck'...
30) Montenegro will enter a boyband with No Name...
31) FYR Macedonia will inexplicably qualify from the semi-final, but come nowhere in the final...
32) Malta will enter the most twee entry of the night...
33) Netherlands will leave you wondering why they even bothered...
34) Norway will enter whatever Sweden did last year...
35) Poland will come 11th in the semi-final...
36) Portugal will enter something that would have won in 1985...
37) Romania will be represented by a banging dance track...
38) Russia will be shite, but harvest votes quicker than Stalin deported folk to Siberia...
39) Sweden will enter something sounding nothing like ABBA...
40) Slovenia will take hairdressing to new limits...
41) Serbia will enter a half dressed woman screamin some Balkan ethnopop at ya...
42) Turkey will enter some woman well past her sell-by-date dressed in lycra...
43) Ukraine will have cossacks, whips and chains-a-plenty...

First Choice up for sale

Hmmm so it appears the rumours are true... at 11:30 yesterday we were told that First Choice Group has put the Mainstream part of the company up for sale. This is about 49% of the total of the group.

It constitutes First Choice Holidays (UK), Sunstart (UK), Sunquest (UK), Falcon (Ireland), JWT (Northern Ireland), Unijet (UK), High Frequency Charter (Internet), First Choice Airways, First Choice Travel Shops and the Holiday Hypermarkets.

Great!

If we do get taken over by MyTravel I doubt they'd need to keep as many people as we currently have in our Ops Control Department. Might take the redundancy and move to Amsterdam.

We'll see what happens....

9/11 Conspiracy Theory

This is pretty freaky and taken from an e-mail I was sent...

1) New York City has 11 letters
2) Afghanistan has 11 letters
3) Ramsin Yuseb (The terrorist who threatened to destroy the Twin Towers in 1993) has 11 letters
4) George W Bush has 11 letters

This could be a mere coincidence, but it gets more interesting...

1) New York is the 11th state
2) The first plane crashing against the Twin Towers was flight 11
3) Flight 11 was carrying 92 passengers. 9 + 2 = 11
4) Flight 77 which also hit Twin Towers, was carrying 65 passengers. 6 + 5 = 11
5) The tragedy was on September 11, or 9/11 as it is now known. 9 + 1+ 1 =11
6) The date is equal to the US emergency services telephone number 911. 9 +1 + 1 = 11

Sheer coincidence...?! Read on and make up your own mind...

1) The total number of victims inside all the hi-jacked planes was 254. 2 +5 + 4 = 11
2) September 11 is day number 254 of the calendar year. Again 2 + 5 + 4 =11
3) The Madrid bombing took place on 11/3/2004. 1 + 1 + 3 + 2 + 4 = 11
4) The tragedy of Madrid happened 911 days after the Twin Towers incident. 9 + 1 + 1 = 11

Now this is where things get totally eerie. The most recognised symbol for the US, after the Stars & Stripes, is the Eagle. The following verse is taken from the Koran/Quran, the Islamic holy book: "For it is written that a son of Arabia would awaken a fearsom eagle. The wrath of the Eagle would be felt throughout the lands of Allah and lo, while some of the people trembled in despair still more rejoiced: for the wrath of the Eagle cleansed the lands of Allah and there was peace." That verse is number 9.11 of the Quran.

Still uncovinced about all of this...?! Try this and see how you feel afterwards...

Open Microsoft Word and do the following...
1. Type in capitals N334AA NYC. This is the aircraft registration of the first plane to hit one of the Twin Towers and New York's 3 letter city code.
2. Highlight the N334AA NYC.
3. Change the font size to 48.
4. Change the actual font to WINGDINGS.

What do you think now...?



Of course this is all total rubbish... the facts have been made to fit... whoever came up with this could have used any infinite number of events or places related to 9/11 to come up with something. That person has excluded elements that don't fit the theory such as Osama Bin Laden, World Trade Centre or American Airlines. Still, it's quite interesting.

From the land of the littlest tellytubby...

So Poland have announced 14 nobodies + 1 somebody who'll be taking part in their Eurovision selection at the end of January. Woo!

1) Vino - Come In My Heart
2) The Jet Set - Time To Party
3) Charizma - Emily
4) Kuba & Maciek - No Second Chance
5) Natasza Urbanska - I Like It Loud
6) Bikini - Don't Judge Me
7) Button Hackers - On My Mind
8) Ania Szarmach - Open Your Mind
9) Hania Stach - Regroup
10) Mikael Erlandsson - Love In The Air
11) Lidia - It Must Be Love
12) Zee - All That I Can Be
13) Kabri - Flow Like A Stream
14) Sandra Oldenstam - You Really Got Me Going
15) Plastic - Wake Up With Your Music

Out of all those, the only ones I've heard of are the Jet Set who came 3rd in last year's Polish final. Charizma and Mikael are apparantly Swedish. I don't know why the Swedes feel the need to invade every country's selection process, but I'm pretty sure one year soon we're gonna end up with every country represented by a Swede singing some schlager ABBA rip off shite! It also won't have escaped your notice that all of the above songs appear to be in English... Telewizja Polska are obviously very proud indeed to be Polish!

ALERT? Yeah right!

Went to ALERT last night with Gary n Alex... I feel totally fucked now. Bonus for managing to NOT destroy a pair of new bleachers first night I wear 'em!!!

Don't know why, but everytime I go there I seem to get leathered... still it was a good night... roll on next Friday when it's my birthday weekend...

Girls Aloud stuff

With the release this week of the Girls Aloud Greatest Hits album (although maybe one album premature for a greatest hits), I've been listening to the Chemistry album again. I forgot how much this album totally rocks. If you think Girls Aloud are just singing throwaway pop songs like the dreadful "Long Hot Summer", then download the following songs. These are what they should've released instead of "See The Day" and "Whole Lotta History"...

Swinging London Town

Copy and paste this address into your browser and download:

http://www.box.net/public/u6zvud2djr

Do you know the me that wakes and sees the livewire in my eyes?
The "it-girl" with a twist girl and no one realises
That I'm living on a tightrope, I can't, I won't look down
I pussyfoot from drink to drink in swinging London Town

Do you know the me that wakes in places with faces I've never seen?
The mother of all hangovers to remind me where I've been
And if I stop, I'm sickened, it really gets me down
So I step back into the city lights, the queen of London Town

It's the queen of London Town
It's the queen of London Town

New York, Monaco, Paris and Milan
Poor little rich girl, who does it 'cause she can
I'm just a big time Gucci girl, a First in retail therapy
And now we're down the slide to rehab and all of it for free

And with these joke-fuelled egos, Martini sipping chums
Gigolos, stick-thin models hanging off their arms
I guess I'm neck deep in it, I'm starting to drown
Along with all the wannabes in swinging London Town

Do you know me? Do you know me?
Do you know me? Really, really know me?
Do you know me? Do you know me?
Do you know me? Really, really know me?

Do you know me?
Really, really know me?

Soho soaks drink Campari
Free-flowing bubbly, a drop of gin
Cocktails with price tags make you choke on your sushi
Dressed to impress, these bright, young things

Chelsea chicks drink white wine spritzers
GnT's or bottled beer
Hooray Henries are cruising the King's Road
In daddy's Bentley still full of Gear

Gear, Gear, Gear, Gear, Gear, Gear, Gear, Gear

Do you know the me, the face that graces the pages of Hello?
Tryin' hard to die-hard, united on the goal
Air kissing eligible bachelors and trust-fund daddy's boys
International playgirls are showing off their toys

And all these price-tag starlets, a galaxy of stars
Buzzing round the next big thing and checking out their cars
I guess I'm neck deep in it, I'm starting to drown
Along with all the wannabes that swing in London Town

Swinging London Town
Swinging London Town
Swinging London Town



It's Magic

http://www.box.net/public/z7bv3ft2vj

Oooh, I tried to talk to you
Oooh, it's like I can't get through
Oooh, have you blown me away?
Oooh, that's how you're making me feel

Hugs and kisses, broken wishes
Hearts and pieces on the replay
Over and over again, please help
Tell me which path I need to take

I know you're hiding inside
And you're bad yes it is frustrating
Well if you give me the time
I've got so much to share with you
I just can't get you (out my mind)

And now you've got me wondering
What the hell I'm supposed to do
Other side of my world
And I know that I'm in love with you

And if it's tugging inside
We both know I took you for a ride
And honey, what have I done?
Oh, believe me, I have realised

With you, only you
I know that I can be myself
Funny how I could find love with you
And nobody else

I could call you crying four in the morning
And you'd make it better
Even when I thought I couldn't pull through
And we'd be trying together

Let your body receive what I can give
Remember when you were last weak, it's happening
Let your body reveal an innocence
Let me set you free, it's magic

Let your body receive what I can give
Remember when you were last weak, it's happening
Let your body reveal an innocence
Let me set you free, it's magic

You're in my thoughts all the time
And I can't seem to shift you from my mind
I know I made a mistake
I need some pill for shifting this heartache

You're in my thoughts all the time
You're in my thoughts all the time
You're in my thoughts all the time
You're in my thoughts all the time

Deen - Taxi

Just found the vid of the song that should have won the Bosnian final of 2003... Deen went on to represent the campest country in Eurovisionland in 2004 with the incredibly gay "In The Disco"... enjoy!



Hej je je je
Hej je je je
Hej je je je

Vozite, sjever ili jug
Svejedno je, može i u krug
Samo me maknite od nje
Odlazim, dosta mi je sveg'

Taxi trebam da joj pobjegnem sad
Vozite me u neki drugi grad
Kroz stop i crveno samo prođite
Taxi treba mi, brzo dođite

Vozite, sjever ili jug
Ljubav je zaćarani krug
Vozite izvan grada bar
Cijena sad nebitna je stvar

Taxi trebam da joj pobjegnem sad
Vozite me u neki drugi grad
Kroz stop i crveno samo prođite
Taxi treba mi, brzo dođite

Taxi trebam da joj pobjegnem sad
Vozite me u neki drugi grad
Kroz stop i crveno samo prođite
Taxi treba mi, brzo dođite
Taxi treba mi, brzo dođite

Taxi trebam da joj pobjegnem sad
Vozite me u neki drugi grad
Kroz stop i crveno samo prođite
Taxi treba mi, brzo dođite

Taxi trebam da joj pobjegnem sad
Vozite me u neki drugi grad
Kroz stop i crveno samo prođite
Taxi treba mi, brzo dođite
Taxi treba mi, brzo dođite

Hej je je je
Hej je je je
Hej je je je

Hej je je je
Hej je je je
Hej je je je

Fingernail biting moment

So it's been announced that ESC tickets go on sale on 10 December. No doubt they'll be sold out for the final in about 10 minutes as they were for Athens... no doubt the website will crash due to volume of traffic... card numbers will have been passed over an unsecure server... we must be fekkin mad! If we don't get tickets there's gonna be tears!

Rock 'n' roll

Saturday night n I'm sat at home on my own having worked days today and back on days tomorrow.... life doesn't get better than this....

Roll on next Friday when it's ALERT!

Ireland 2007

So our Irish brothers have selected trad music band Dervish to represent them at the ow-row-vee-zee-own in Helsinki. Below's a taster of what they may offer up... God have mercy on us!

Wilderness

We watched Wilderness last night at work. Just wanted to say that the guy who plays Steve (Stephen Wight) was well fit - see pic above.

The film's basically a British teen horror-flick, which despite being extremely gory, is never really scary. Starting out in a teen offenders' institute, new-boy in the dorm, Callum, quickly proves that he's going to be no push-over for head-bully Steve, who uses mentally challenged Lewis as muscle.

After the suicide of Davie due to bullying by Steve and Lewis, the remaining guys get sent to a remote island for some male-bonding with guard Jed. Once there they get the feeling that they're not alone, even after meeting a group of girls there on some training excercise.

What follows is the grisly death of the gang as one by one they get picked off in more and more imaginative ways by a guy with a pack of dogs and a crossbow.

The problem with this film is that you never really feel for any of the characters (except maybe the girls), as they're all without exception evil bastards, so it's hard to sympathise with them when they're killed. Perhaps the only one that the viewer gets a feel for is Callum, although we're told several times he's a cold blooded murderer. There's little character development and the guys are little more than the social stereotypes of youth offenders: Callum the cold, silent killer, Steve the skinhead bully, Lewis the thick piece of muscle, Jethro the chilled out black guy and Blue the slimy sex-offender. Even Lindsay, the insipid Welsh coward, proves he's no less malicious than the rest and indeed you're glad when he dies.

There's a couple of plot fuck-ups here too... the biggest one being when Blue says he's never seen a dead body before - wrong - they all saw Davie dead in the dorm. Doh! Also, and without wanting to spoil the film, if Davie was so good why was he in a young offenders' institute in the first place?

Despite the flaws it's an enjoyable 90 minutes with plenty of gore to turn the stomach, some beautifully shot forest scenes and some funny dialogue. A slasher movie that's basically a cross between "Scum" and "Lord Of The Flies" it's quite frenetic and pretty exciting. Certainly worth getting out on DVD.

NOX vids

And just coz they're great here's a couple of NOX vids!!!

Csak Játssz (Just Play)




Láthatsz egy rút nap ősz fényű alkonyán
Csodát, nézz, láss!
Járhatsz a mélyben, csúf, rossz erők nyomán
Még élsz, még jársz!

Van vissaút, csak légy erős!
Már készül ellened mindenféle "hős"

Holnapokba vágysz
Tegnapokba szállsz
Színeket a mában nem találsz

Jobb napokra vársz
Rossz sarokban állsz
De nyeherted a játékot: csak játssz!

Csak játssz!

Állhatsz a ködben, vívhatsz ezer csatát
Bár félsz, még állsz
Várhatsz a csöndben, eltűrve más dalát
Még élsz, még vársz!

Van még remény, ha lángod ég
Mert túl kell élned mindent, az álmodért

Holnapokba vágysz
Tegnapokba szállsz
Színeket a mában nem találsz

Jobb napokra vársz
Rossz sarokban állsz
De nyeherted a játékot: csak játssz!

Holnapokba vágysz
Tegnapokba szállsz
Színeket a mában nem találsz

Jobb napokra vársz
Rossz sarokban állsz
De nyeherted a játékot: csak játssz!

Csak játssz!


Szeretem... (I Like...)

Csoda napok járnak, változik a szél
Öröm dala árad, költözik a tél
Szabadul a folyó, megölel a fény
Olvad a gond a szívemről, minden az enyém

Velünk jön a szerelem, túl az utakon
Ha lemarad az idő, fel nem kutatom
Mosolyog a világ, mért' ne tegyem én?
Olvad a gond a szívemről, minden az enyém

Szeretem az élet hajnali dalát
Szeretem a fények nappali szavát
Szeretem az est otthon-melegét
Szeretem a csókod éjjeli tüzét

Szeretem az álmok rejtett aranyát
Szeretem a táncok tiszta tavaszát
Szeretem a csönd égi örömét
Szeretem a csókod éjjeli tüzét

Csoda napok járnak, változik a tér
Mutatja magát a csillagszemű éj
Napot kap a virág, hitet a remény
Olvad a gond a szívemről, minden az enyém

Velünk jön a szerelem, boldog-szabadon
Vége sose legyen, kérem, akarom!
Szorítom a kezed, élem a mesém
Olvad a gond a szívemről, minden az enyém

Szeretem az élet hajnali dalát
Szeretem a fények nappali szavát
Szeretem az est otthon-melegét
Szeretem a csókod éjjeli tüzét

Szeretem az álmok rejtett aranyát
Szeretem a táncok tiszta tavaszát
Szeretem a csönd égi örömét
Szeretem a csókod éjjeli tüzét

Nézz rám, érints meg szóval!
Nézz rám, számíthatsz rám
Némán szólj hozzám, csókkal
Nézz rám, számíthatsz rám!

Szeretem az élet hajnali dalát
Szeretem a fények nappali szavát
Szeretem az est otthon-melegét
Szeretem a csókod éjjeli tüzét

Szeretem az álmok rejtett aranyát
Szeretem a táncok tiszta tavaszát
Szeretem a csönd égi örömét
Szeretem a csókod éjjeli tüzét

Ow-row-vee-zee-own 2007!!!

The guy who MIGHT be representing Turkey at Eurovision 2007... although it wouldn't be with this song... wonder if there'd be room for a strip!!!



Kimini dudağından
Kimini gözünden
Kimini düşündüren zeki sözünden
Kimini uzun bacak bacaklarından

Kimini profilden
Kimini belinden
Kenarından yada köşesinden
Kimini kıvır kıvır saçlarından

Kimini dudağından
Kimini gözünden
Kimini düşündüren zeki sözünden
Kimini uzun bacak bacaklarından

Kimini göbeğindan
Kimini sesinden
Kimini nefesinden
Kimini serin bakış bakışlarından

Beğenirim hepsini severim ayıramam
Seçemedim hiçbirinden vazgeçmedim
Of aman!
Oh

Na nanı nana na
Mecnun olamam ben
Na nanı nana na
Böyle aşkı bulamam ben
Na nanı nana na
Leylaya varamam ben
Na nanı nana na
Hiçbirinden cayamam ben

Kimini dudağından
Kimini gözünden
Kimini düşündüren zeki sözünden
Kimini uzun bacak bacaklarından

Kimini göbeğindan
Kimini sesinden
Kimini nefesinden
Kimini serin bakış bakışlarından

Beğenirim hepsini severim ayıramam
Seçemedim hiçbirinden vazgeçmedim
Of aman!
Oh

Na nanı nana na
Mecnun olamam ben
Na nanı nana na
Böyle aşkı bulamam ben
Na nanı nana na
Leylaya varamam ben
Na nanı nana na
Hiçbirinden cayamam ben

Uğrarım hepsine fazla kalamam
Soramam telefon karıştırmam
Bir anda müptela olurum hemde
Üzmem çünkü ben yarıştırmam

Na nanı nana na
Mecnun olamam ben
Na nanı nana na
Böyle aşkı bulamam ben
Na nanı nana na
Leylaya varamam ben
Na nanı nana na
Hiçbirinden cayamam ben

UN peace deal for Lebanon

After a month the UN has finally managed to secure a peace deal after certain states were dragging their heels...

But still the Israeli violence continues...

Will the Israeli government be able to sell this deal to their right-wing ultra-conservative press?

Will the Lebanese government be able to hold together, not just themselves, but the whole country?

Will hizbollah try and orquestrate another Lebanese civil war?

Will the international community allow that to happen even if the USA would be unwilling to intervene?

What of the continued bombing by Israel of the Gaza Strip?

When will the international community get serious and force Israel to create a Palestinian state?

Chaos at 02:00 10 August 2006 - threats to blow up aircraft

What a night at work on the 9th to 10th August!

I was working nights and just enjoying a quiet shift, not much happening when we received a call at 02:00 from the UK Department of Transport about a change in airport security procedures across the UK.

We were told, in a lengthy fax, that the Police had made several arrests that night and had foiled an imminent terrorist attack on approx 20 aircraft departing the UK for the USA. We were then told that all pax departing the UK would not be allowed any handluggage except for a few items which would have to go in a clear plastic bag. Everything else would have to go in the hold.

We were told we weren't allowed to tell pax the reasons for this security change because arrests were still being made and the police didn't want the media finding out until later... it took Sky News until 05:30 to catch wind of this story... a good 3 and a half hours after we knew.

Each airport authority was pretty much left to it's own devices.... Bristol were spot-on and had it all organized in about 30 minutes. Belfast seemed to know nothing about it for around a hour after everyone else and London Gatwick was, predictably, a nightmare!

Hopefully these extra security measures won't put people off of flying... it is still the safest form of transport. Industry staff are suffering enough from high oil prices which are keeping down wages. The last thing we need is a large amount of people not travelling. The only thing that can mean is more redundancies.

At the end of the day... flying is much safer now and more secure than prior to 11 September 2001... so fingers crossed that people see that and don't let even more of the industry collapse.

15 rated pics from Amsterdam

Hit the link, ignore all the ads, download the file, unzip and view the pics... this time without the nakedness!

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3EH1V2RO

I'd rather do you on the backseat of my car

Kylie by Akcent



Kylie give me...
Kylie give me...

Baby, you're the one that melts my heart
I swear I'm not lying
Maybe tonight I'm gonna try my luck
I can see that you want me

I'm dreaming about you every night, every night

Kylie give me just a chance, let's go out and dance
We can get into the groove, I can watch you move
Later you can sing to me like a shining star
But I'd rather do you on the backseat of my car

Kylie give me just a chance, let's go out and dance
We can get into the groove, I can watch you move
Later you can sing to me like a shining star
But I'd rather do you on the backseat of my car

Baby, take a minute check me out
I sit in the front row
Baby I'm the coolest guy in the crowd
I'm sure you have seen me

I'm dreaming about you every night, every night

Kylie give me just a chance, let's go out and dance
We can get into the groove, I can watch you move
Later you can sing to me like a shining star
But I'd rather do you on the backseat of my car

Kylie give me just a chance, let's go out and dance
We can get into the groove, I can watch you move
Later you can sing to me like a shining star
But I'd rather do you on the backseat of my car

You drive me crazy, you slowly drive me crazy
Red blooded baby, can't get you off my mind
I should be lucky, I should be so lucky
I should be lucky to sleep with you tonight

Kylie, Kylie, Kylie

Kylie give me just a chance, let's go out and dance
We can get into the groove, I can watch you move
Later you can sing to me like a shining star
But I'd rather do you on the backseat of my car

Kylie give me just a chance, let's go out and dance
We can get into the groove, I can watch you move
Later you can sing to me like a shining star
But I'd rather do you on the backseat of my car

Kylie give me

Dragoste de inchiriat

Astazi pe la cinci ma vad cu ea
Nu stiu ce m-asteapta
Poate de l'opt e cu altcineva
Iubirea-i nedreapta

Acum c-am ajuns departe vreau sa te-ntreb

Ma iubesti sau m-ai uitat, cine-i vinovat?
Am o dragoste de dat, nu de inchiriat
Oare cine te-a vrajit cand m-ai parasit
Eu cu tine, stii bine, cat de mult am cheltuit

Ma iubesti sau m-ai uitat, cine-i vinovat?
Am o dragoste de dat, nu de inchiriat
Oare cine te-a vrajit cand m-ai parasit
Eu cu tine, stii bine, cat de mult am cheltuit

Stiu ca n-ai avut curaj sa-mi spui
Ca vei pleca fara mine
Stiu ca vrei sa fii iubita lui
Dar cum ramane cu mine?

Acum c-am ajuns departe vreau sa te-ntreb

Ma iubesti sau m-ai uitat, cine-i vinovat?
Am o dragoste de dat, nu de inchiriat
Oare cine te-a vrajit cand m-ai parasit
Eu cu tine, stii bine, cat de mult am cheltuit

Ma iubesti sau m-ai uitat, cine-i vinovat?
Am o dragoste de dat, nu de inchiriat
Oare cine te-a vrajit cand m-ai parasit
Eu cu tine, stii bine, cat de mult am cheltuit

Ai fost cu mine, te-ai folosit de mine
Acum ti-e bine, de mine ai uitat
As vrea cu tine, o noapte as vrea cu tine
Stii foarte bine ca mi-ai luat inima.

Ma iubesti sau m-ai uitat, cine-i vinovat?
Am o dragoste de dat, nu de inchiriat
Oare cine te-a vrajit cand m-ai parasit
Eu cu tine, stii bine, cat de mult am cheltuit

Ma iubesti sau m-ai uitat, cine-i vinovat?
Am o dragoste de dat, nu de inchiriat
Oare cine te-a vrajit cand m-ai parasit
Eu cu tine, stii bine, cat de mult am cheltuit

Park Hill Flats

The Park Hill flats in Sheffield are to be turned into luxery apartments. They reckon the one bedroomed ones will go for £103000.

Anyone who knows the Park Hill Flats will understand that luxery is likely to mean running water (down your living room wall)...

Pictures from Amsterdam

Hit the link.... ignore all the ads, download the file, unzip and enjoy the pics!

Realised there were pics of nekkidness in there... (!) a new link to be online Wednesday.

Lucky you if you downloaded before I realised and got free porn!!!

Lots of Pride... fuck all shame!

Just returned from Amsterdam after a fuckin' amazing weekend with Kristof who kindly let myself and 4 other gays (plus a mouse sexuality unknown) stay in his apartment for Amsterdam Pride weekend.

I've not had such a laugh since Athens.... and not as much sex either!!! The whole weekend was fantastic - Kristof you're the man and I'll look forward to seeing you a few weeks. Vincent - give me a shout if you're gonna be in Manchester. Gavin - I hope you made it back to Chicago and haven't had to say too many Hail Mary's along the way!



This sums up the general tone of the weekend!






Gavin was so hungry he ate his hand!

Tornerò, tornerò, la mia vita ti darò!

England's World Cup campaign

Well the 2-0 win over Trinidad & Tobago was hardly the resounding success that we all thought it was going to be. Average play throughout most of the game and then about 10 minutes at the end where it actually got interesting.

It's a bit sad if we have to rely on Wayne Rooney to win a game comfortably. And the next game against Sweden is likely to be the hardest in our group....

.... plus with Sweden's win against Paraguay we need to beat Sweden or at least draw with them to avoid meeting Germany in the second round. It's going to be nail-biting on Tuesday I think.

On the positive side I got absolutely leathered last night at Via Fossa and met 6 new people, which was great fun - although I've had a few random messages today on my phone, which makes me wonder what I was saying!!!

Shame on Latvia

The Latvian parliament has recently passed laws banning gay-marriage there and ministers have described being gay as a sin! Latvia is a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights and the EU should take measures against that country to force them to bring their laws in line with the rest of the EU.

Coming on the same day that two guys are jailed in London for the homophobic murder of a 24 year old lad in London 10 months ago, it's no wonder that these sort of problems exist when parts of the political establishment believe being gay is inherently wrong.

Being gay is not something people choose to be... if it was a choice, people would choose to be straight every time.

Shame on Latvia for stirring up homophobia.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/5084832.stm

Good news

I'm going to be an uncle!!!

My sister and brother-in-law have told us they're expecting a baby... due on 14 February 2007 - Valentine's Day.

How amazing is that?!!

Note to self

Don't go out on a night between two dayshifts. I was late for work this morning. Oops!

On another note, Lordi realease their first UK album (The Arockalypse) and first UK single (Hard Rock Hallelujah) on 06/06/06... nothing to do with Satan you understand... hahaha.... a work of pure genius - nice touch!

http://www7.cd-wow.com/detail_results.php?product_code=369200
http://www.hmv.co.uk/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;-1;-1;-1&sku=518486

A note to Richard Jackson!

Hey... was nice to hear from you... it seems like ages since we last saw each-other.

Enjoy Ibiza (as if you wouldn't) and we'll definitely meet up in August at Pride. Oh and if anyone else is gonna be in Manchester for Pride weekend (last weekend in August) then give me a shout and we'll meet up.

A week goes by....

Can't believe it's already Friday night....

... for those of you wondering why I'm not out drinking copious amounts of Stella and then stumbling out of Cruz to eat Iraqi Fried Chicken, I'm working tomorrow and Sunday days. Which kinda kills my whole weekend.

Hey ho....

Things I've achieved since Monday:-

1) Went over to stay at David's. Which was nice and he cooked me a lovely Cottage Pie!!!!
2) Had David cut my hair.
3) Let David get me into 'Celebrity' X Factor. I'm slightly worried by this. Although it did provide several comedy moments involving Rebecca Loos, who I've now decided I quite like.
4) Went into town on Wednesday to the Chinese Buffet and saw the fattest girl I've ever seen in my life.
5) Spent the remainder of Wednesday afternoon and evening getting slowly pissed in AXM Bar. Well they let airport staff have drinks for a quid a go. We may have told the bar staff we're pilots. Oh dear God!!!
6) Came home and devoured 2 Tesco's cream cakes and chips and a ginsters pasty. It seemed a good idea at the time, but isn't gonna help me get a six-pack. Or even a two-pack!!
7) Managed to get up on Thursday morning!
8) Went to the gym twice.
9) Was entertained last night by Kirsten S, Denise and Julie, which involved vodka, wine and plenty of bitching about Fat-Sue's Supersize Wedding! It just keeps getting bigger!
10) Spent today laying out in the sun in the garden.

Main thing I haven't achieved this week: was supposed to meet Kirsten H for coffee. I promise to do this next week. Sorry Kirst.

Lordi Lord!

Just found the music video for Lordi... it's fabulous and features zombie cheerleaders and a comedy hand!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8Zv-rStWHU&search=hard%20rock%20hallelujah

Remember This?

Yes it's Tony Robinson in Maid Marian and Her Merry Men....


Did anyone else watch this in 1989? I seem to recall I thought it was hilarious at the time, but no doubt it's aged hideously. For anyone who's having trouble remembering, the twist to the legend was that Maid Marian was the fearless hero whilst Robin Hood was a fool and only worried about what he was wearing! Tony Robinson played the evil Sherriff of Nottingham opposite Forbes Collins' gurning King John. It was quite politically incorrect, looking back at it now, with a black rasta musician called Barrington and a short fat guy called Rabies, but at the time this constituted great kids (and family) entertainment! The funniest thing though is that I have a photo of my mum with the exact same washed out, frizzy perm as Kate Lonergan's Marian in the pic above!!! Such great '80's style!

It's out now on DVD...

Javan earthquake

So Indonesia suffers a 2nd major natural disaster just 2 and half years after the tsumani. At the moment the Indonesian government is claiming that over 4000 are dead, but that number is sure to rise as they always do in such situations.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/5023874.stm

Of course the international community should act quickly to help Indonesia, but no doubt the international response will be as cold as it was in Pakistan last year. Rhetoric is all well and good, but what is needed in such situations is cash and a co-ordinated resonse.

I wonder when Mr's Bush and Blair will realise that people in fragile and emerging democracies, and also here at home in the UK, would have much more respect for them if they were to spend the same amount of money resolving natural disasters like this, that they have spent on their imperialistic disaster in Iraq.

Bored in work

It's currently 18:30 and I'm still sat in work waiting to go home.... I'm bored and tired and it's been right busy. The only thing I can think is that I want to be back in Greece having fun partying. It's also a holiday here on Monday, but I'm working all weekend and will miss my old housemate's (from Uni) birthday because of it. Thinking of you Kirsten - have a good one - we need to meet up for coffee soon.

The main topic of conversation at work today has been gay sex.... (!) - you'd never believe my colleagues were straight!!!!

Gigolo

Click the link to download and sing along.... 'cause you're a bomb, diggi, diggi, bomb, diggi, diggi!!! Hahahaha....

http://www.filegone.com/74g8

Hey! Hey!
Hey! Hey!

Mia ethó, mia ekeí
Stin agkaliá sou várdia, xéna hárdia
Ma tha theis, tha kaeís

'Cause I'm a bomb, diggi, diggi bomb, diggi, diggi, ah!

Ti dropí, ti dropí
Afelés agóri, horís love story
Nai, nai, na pas, na xanapeís to poíima
Nai, nai, s' avtés pou s' agapoún

Érota poulás, tázeis gi ki ouranó
Oops, to léne galliká gigolo
Óneira poulás se kardiá kai myaló
Ma the se thélo, ásto pia gigolo

Érota poulás kai fthinó andrismó
Pou tin éheis, tin kardiá gigolo
Htýpa kai fýge to aísthima pníge
Then kánei sti douleiá sou kaló

Hey! Hey!

Sto 'ha pei, sto 'ha pei
Min paízeis me ta spírta, kalinýhta
Eím' egó astrapí

'Cause I'm a bomb, diggi, diggi, bomb, diggi, diggi, ah!

Ti dropí, ti dropí
Afelés agóri, horís love story
Nai, nai, na pas, na xanapeís to poíima
Nai, nai, s' avtés pou s' agapoún

Érota poulás, tázeis gi ki ouranó
Oops, to léne galliká gigolo
Óneira poulás se kardiá kai myaló
Ma the se thélo, ásto pia gigolo

Érota poulás kai fthinó andrismó
Pou tin éheis, tin kardiá gigolo
Htýpa kai fýge to aísthima pníge
Then kánei sti douleiá sou kaló

Hey! Hey!
Hey! Hey!

Nai, nai, na pas, na xanapeís to poíima
Nai, nai, s' avtés pou s' agapoún

Érota poulás, tázeis gi ki ouranó
Oops, to léne galliká gigolo
Óneira poulás se kardiá kai myaló
Ma the se thélo, ásto pia gigolo

Érota poulás kai fthinó andrismó
Pou tin éheis, tin kardiá gigolo
Htýpa kai fýge to aísthima pníge
Then kánei sti douleiá sou kaló

Lógia ftiná, pou then kerdízoun pia kardiá
Nai, nai
Ti koitás, giatí me prokaleís
Min kourázesai

Tha to theis, apó ména tha to vreis
Nai, nai
Mi m' akoubás, then xéreis n' agapás
Esý the noiázesai

10 minutes of drama in a quiet day

Spent most of today catching up on stuff I needed to do since getting back from Athens.... so all exciting stuff like washing clothes and going food shopping. Had a brief moment of drama when I realized I didn't have my mobile in my pocket at the counter in Tesco's. The woman was asking all those stupid questions, you know the ones, like "Do you need any help with your bags?" - no I'm 26 and have arms and hands; and "Did you find everything you wanted?" - well yes apart from my mobile phone.

Anyway it turned out it was on the floor of my car so the crisis was averted. It's amazing how much of our lives are crammed into a little piece of plastic nowadays.

Apart from that I went to the gym - not been for 2 weeks and nearly killed myself - but felt better for it. Then went home and ate chips so undid all my good work!

Oh and I had a nice phone call from my mum and dad. Which was nice.

Aside from that I spent the majority of the afternoon singing to the Helena Paparizou CD I bought in Athens. Will upload the first track from it tomorrow.... 'cause I'm sad like that!!!

Take That .... and party

Went to see Take That with David and Kirsten on Monday night. We were outnumbered 3000 to 1 by screaming women in their 30's! I may need counselling to get over it.

Take That were good actually.... better than I thought they'd be. As David said it was totally engineered by Gary, who did (almost) all the singing with the others there to act as backing dancers. The support was the excellent Beverley Knight, who also took on the Lulu part admirably in Relight My Fire.

We went to Via and Cruz after.... Kirsten fell over though claimed today she wasn't drunk despite clutching a 2 litre bottle of vodka! Me and David danced for almost 4 hours and then went to get chips before catching the train home. Just like old times.... we even stared at our old house for 5 minutes on the way back, but quickly moved on in case evil Karen at number 193 reported us to the police!

Song of the day

Click the links to download two versions of Mambo by Helena Paparizou. This was playing in all the clubs in Athens and is kind of like ethno-bouzouki pop on speed! It sounds nothing like My Number One!!! Hahaha.... The first link is the English version and the second is the song in G(r)eek!

http://www.filegone.com/2r60

http://www.filegone.com/unhn

Pictures from Athens

Click the link for some pictures of our time in Athens.

http://www.filegone.com/dch7

They're stored in a zip file so you'll need winzip (or a similar programme) to access them. If you want to see all 130-odd pics in better quality, but mostly of ruins and the Acropolis then let me know and I'll happily send them to you on a disc.

Hello

Back from Athens! We saw the Eurovision.... woo!

Met some great people... including some crazy Finns so I guess it's a good job Finland won. You may think the picture's of the winning band Lordi, but it's actually us after six nights out in a row drinking Amstel and Mythos and getting in at 07:00.

Athens is a great city and we had a gorgeous view (of a concrete wall), it's buzzing, lively, grimy, exciting, beautiful and historical.... go visit! It's also cheap, which is always a bonus!

I'm gonna have an American Oscar's moment now, but I'd like to thank the following people for making it one of the best holiday's of my life:-
Tom for being a great mate and putting up with me when I was drunk and irritable at quarter to 8 in the morning!
Tomi, Heli, Markku, Marko & Juka for being fabulous and Finnish!
Gavin and Vincent and any other random Irish people we met.
Kristof for knowing where all the best clubs were and for non-stop dancing!
Ross for finally meeting up with us for coffee on the last day of our holiday.
Ed for having the balls to go on holiday on your own and spending a cool day with us at the Agora and in search (in vain) for Andorran flags!
Tassos for being the best waiter in the world!

Pictures to follow....

Click the link to download the winning song.

http://www.filegone.com/w7td