WHAT A MONTH......

3rd March 2010

It's been a great week actually, Heavy Rain a game exclusive to the PS3 has been launched, Sweet Digits beat The Sultans 8 - 0 at 10 Pin Bowling and over the weekend I hooked up with the home boys and though we met every year, this was the first time that all of us have made it in 8 years, so that was pretty cool.

Heavy Rain is a game created by a company called Quantic Dreams, and basically it's an interactive game, where you play the game from 4 different peoples point of view, but you are all trying to solve a series of murders. But what makes the game special is that it's not just guns and action, it has a real emotional tie to the game and how you play each character develops the game and how they fit into the game, like one scene you in a situation as an FBI agent, and someone pulls a gun on you… do you shoot and ask questions later or do you try and talk the man down… depending what you decide, depends which way the game goes, in my view a great game that any Adult can play, male or female, so look out for it in all good and some bad gaming stores.

Beating The Sultans was brill, the main reason for that is because one of them gave me a bowling lesson at the being of last season saying I needed it… so it was like whole Vader vs Obi Wan… student becomes the master thing…. that said last game we played against them last season we beat then 8 - 0 too, but yet this still keeps giving me a dig about my bowling… I recall part way through the game last week, we had a few bad bowls, and I over heard him say to his bowling partner… "They're doing us a favour seems like we got this in the bag….." … err sorry son… I beg to differ my friend…. I knocked in scores of 137, 167, 138… which are okay, though I'd rather knock in 3 games of 148, so here's hoping this week.

Seeing the guys at the weekend was pretty cool, despite the nightmare home afterwards, as we had a jumper on our line.. so we were delayed and I got back to Brum at about 0130 instead of 0010, but at least I made it home safe…. Yeah Saturday started with me going to my childhood stomping ground and even had a Full English at the Café I used to go to as a teenager and in my early 20's from there I went to see my pops in London…. then in the evening from about 5ish I met the home boys and we had a drink or two at The Loop Bar in Mayfair… we also made it an impromptu Stag Do as my man Monts has got engaged, but with happy hour from 5pm - 8pm the Loop Bar is great place to start your night out, but it has three or four floors with different music so if you did go there, you'd probably stay there till the early hours as many of the lads did in the end.

Sunday I just chilled catching up on recorded TV from Friday and Saturday, and I must do an up date on Wot Are You Watching page, as there have been a few good shows on the box recently.

The early part of this week I had a trauma, my PS3 had a disaster and the internal clock reset itself, I was forlorn…like a lost puppy…. no only joking my life doesn't really revolve around my PS3…… honest….. and people… "Don't Leave Home With Baggage You Can't Carry"

19th February 2010

I have start with a couple of big shout outs, firstly to The International Fox who pointed me in the direction of a possible lead for some DJ work, and I've been in discussions and I may well have a slot at a venue in Birmingham, so thanks Foxy, and the next shout out goes to my man Monts, who is part of the dynamic duo we all know as The Geek Syndicate, he has got engaged and is due to get married in early April, so congrats my man hope all the arrangements go smoothly, and I wish you and your good lady a wicked life together, all the best mate.

Since I last blogged what has happened, well I've been looking further into doing a podcast and that's been going well, I hope to put the first one out there in the next fortnight or so, so watch this space for the link.

I've also held an interview with a vampyre and that should be published in the next newsletter due out towards the end of March, and I hope to include an interview I did with an Author in the summer of last year.

Other things that have happened in my world, well I had to ask the question is Insurance worth after hearing of couple of incidents that happened where people had paid out for insurance in good faith only for the insurance company to decline to make the payment, one even said they'd pay back the last premium paid the cancel the policy, bunch of thieving bar stewards, I do discuss it further in the up and coming podcast, but man that's just blatantly robbery, and because it's been done behind a corporate banner, they are allowed to get away with it.

I discuss it further in my brand new podcast, which you can listen to by clicking here...

Been a little usy putting the pod together but I shall be back blogging, and podding on a regular basis, but in the meantime, "Don'T Leave Home With Baggage You can't Carry

9th February 2010

The less said about my last game of bowling the better, with the poor scores of 128, 128, 114 on my part, I let the side as we fell to a 6 - 2 beating, and we only got the 2 points cos Digits put in a storming game. She's bought herself a new ball and it appears to be doing her game the world of good.

This weekend was Superbowl weekend so for me it was all about getting plenty of sleep so I could stay fully awake for the game as often the first quarter can be quite dull and you end up drifting off what with the game starting so late our time, but Saturday morning that plan was scuppered when I awoke at 6am, so I got up did some stuff on the PC then headed into town for full English at the café near New Street Station, which claimed it opened at 8am.. I was there for 0810 and it was closed and with no sign off life inside, so I ended up having a McD's McMuffin Breakfast.

From there I head to Starbucks on Colmore Row for their opening time of 0830… but they didn't open till 0836, which after the breakfast fiasco it just annoyed me so once inside and supping on my coffee, I plugged into their Wi-Fi Hotspot, logged on to their website and proceeded to email them and complain about the fact they opened late with no explanation, yeah I know it's only 6 minutes but it's the principle, you're going to Starbucks for a stress free chill and you get caught out sitting outside in the cold while there Barista staff take their sweet time to open up… though I did notice they appear to have a good selection of breakfast options…. maybe next time.

After getting home via the indoor market I spent most of Saturday catching up with TV in terms of Ironside, Monk and Mission Impossible, along with playing Fifa10, which a very good game, and I plan to post a review out there, I also had a couple of power naps.

Sunday I missed out on the gym and had a lie in as part of the Superbowl regime and then on waking up I decided to prep the chicken for the game. In previous years I've always treated myself to a box of KFC or Iceland's SFC.. but this year I decided to cook my own chicken, so I broke out the seasoning rack and put together some of the family special and coated the chicken and stuck it in the fridge till cooking time… so the chicken had 15 hours to chill and soak up the atmosphere so to speak.

The rest of Sunday, I did as little as possible, so again TV and Gaming, though I did put together some script work for the podcast and I really need to start putting together the newsletter, as I near enough completed my interview with a true life Vampyre.

The Superbowl kicked off at about 11:30pm our time and I have to say what a game, with the Colts going 10 up pretty quickly and the Saints scoring 3pts then deciding to go for it on 4th and inches and coming up short, though they did stop the Colts and go on to score a field goal. Then boom in the 2nd half the Saints really started playing. starting with an Onside kick, which usually reserved for desperate measures when a team needs to get the ball back as there is limited time to get a gaming winning score. This move set the Saints right up to call a couple more gutsy plays and finally taking over and holding out on the Colts, thus winning the Vince Lom Trophy, cracking game.

Monday I had my traditional day off after the Superbowl and chilled with TV catch up, in terms of The Bible : History, Seven Ages of Brit and the last in the Empire of the Seas series with Dan Snow, but also on Monday, I had a furniture fitter come round to measure up the apartment as I'm hoping to get bespoke fitted wardrobes and storage fitted, though I know it's not gonna be cheap, but as I'm looking at living here long term, I thinking , get a quality product and pay the right price for it…. and on that note just want to remind you folks, "Don't Leave Home With Baggage You Can't Carry.

3rd February 2010

Well bowing last week was brill, first time I'd bowled in five weeks and I knocked in 170, 171 and 164 which helped the team to a 6 - 2 win… so we've played 4 games won two and lost two all scores have been 6 - 2, so not a bad start, on an even keel I guess

Since I last blogged I made it to the Doc's who said what I'd been thinking in terms of my lower back pains, I need to lose weight and I should carry on going to the gym, but she has put me down for some blood tests to check on my Cholesterol, Sugar Levels and Kidney condition, so hopefully that will all come out clean and healthy, but what did amuse me was her trying to prescribe to me pain killers and she seemed a little put out when I asked if normal painkillers from Tesco would do the job, to which she reluctantly said yes…

I seen a few interesting shows this week, but the stand out show for me was Industrial Revelation which talked about how Birmingham was the hub of industry in the UK, and as a Londoner living in Brum it was very interesting, the next show in the series is about Sheffield and the steel industry, def worth a watch, it on a Sunday evening on the Quest Channel.

I've been toying with the idea of hosting a podcast show, I'm teaching myself how to use Audacity as I'll use that as my editing tool… is there anyone out there who might be interested in being my co-host otherwise I'll got it alone. In terms of the podcast content, I'd be looking at just discussing stuff on TV, things in the News and basically any stupidiness that may have been spotted in the Week that was…. though we won't call it the week that was, because our pals at Geek Syndicate have that as a section in their podcast.

This weekend coming is the Superbowl, being held between The Colts and The Saints, it's on BBC1 from about 10pm, so get plugged in people and give it a watch, though I've got the Monday off work. I'm rooting for The Saints but I think that Mr Manning will be too good for them, but I def think it should be good a game.

Until we next communicated people, be safe out there and remember, Don't Leave Home With Baggage You Can't Carry…

28th January 2010

It's been a while since I blogged and not too much has happened in my world… though that said I got a fair few aches and pains, but hopefully that's down to my body reacting to me going to the gym and not anything more sinister, but shall give it a few more days and if it persists I'll go see the doc and if it is something sinister here's hoping I make it out the other side.

Bowling last week The Mag and Digits flew the Sweet Digits flag high and pulled off a 6 - 2 win which is all good, with Digits producing a personal best game out the hat… but it could go all Pete Tong tonight as I return to the fray for my first bowling match in about 5 weeks…. I hope I hit at least 120 each game, but we shall see.

I've registered with a site called www.goalhappy.com where you can set yourself certain goals and then give your pals access to your profile and they can see how you're doing with your goals and then can either praise you or encourage you, I shall give it a few weeks then I'll post my profile out there, you can also get this on you Smartphone so you update your profile on the fly.

The fitness plan is going ok so far, been to the gym a few times, and each time I'm increasing the cardio vascular work by a couple of minutes, so having started on 2mins on the bike, I went last night and I'm now up to 18 minutes… once I hit 20 on the bike, I'll add 2mins on the cross trainer then each time I got I'll add 2 minutes to the cross trainer till I hit 20, then I'll add the treadmill or the rower, though I hate the rower with a passion…

Plans for the weekend, will be pretty much catch up on TV viewing and hit the gym a couple of times, well at least on Sunday anyway and I dare say I'll spend some time with Tiff, and I hope to see the film PUSH on DVD, so if I do I'll put a review out there. I also need to do some work on the newsletter.

So here's wishing you all a fantastic last weekend in January, but whatever you do, "Don't Leave Home With Baggage You Can't Carry".

21st January 2010

Another broken up week with being down south for two more days, but I won't be doing that for a while, but it's all good.

It was good to touch base with Mr G, the other day for a few cheeky ones at the pub in Euston station, we'd worked out that the last time I saw him, was when he helped me move to Brum which was back in July 2009, it'd been a long ole time, but we had a good chinwag, hopefully we'll be hooking up a bit more often this year.

Today is bowling night, and it will be Digits and The Mag holding the fort, and I got a feeling they are going to win this week….. whilst I'll be sitting waiting for my Tesco delivery, but that said, last months delivery the driver rang early as he was ahead of schedule, so you never know that might happen this month. But def like the whole supermarket shopping online as I find one is more focussed on what one buys…. though the 5 cartons of Ben Jerry Ice Cream I bought last month cos they were half price are still sitting the bottom drawer of the freezer untouched isn't quite what you called focussed…. well I guess I was focussed on saving a buck or two as opposed to what I was actually buying.

With the trip down south my weekend will be filled with TV catch up, still not plugged into Heroes Season 4, but not sure I'm gonna like it but of course I'll let you all know via the Wat You Been Watching link once I've plugged in, but the other thing I'll be doing is starting the website newsletter which I hope to publish in the first week of March.

But whilst I'll be doing all that, here's you one and all having a great weekend and wishing Monts a smooth house move, but remember people, "Don't Leave Home With Baggage You Can't Carry"

15th January 2010

Firstly I'd like to send out my condolences to The Mag and his family, as his Granddad passed away this week, Mag, you and family are in my thoughts and prayers sir, and you know if you need anything, just holla me.

This week has been a little bit broken up as I was down in Le'Head at HQ for a couple of days, which was nice, despite the weather. It was good to be near London for a few days. It actually wasn't too bad the weather, though Wednesday's snow flurry threw everyone, but I heard it snowed all day on Wednesday in Birmingham.

On Wednesday evening I hooked up with Monts and Ju for a few cheeky ones at Euston station which was really good as I hadn't seen Monts since Pat Sharp and Betty Boo christen their first born, in like June time last year, so was good to catch up with him, seems I may need to look at getting measured up for a new suit, as he gone and got himself all loved up which is brilliant as I'd never had thought a woman could tame him, nice one Monts.

Having been down South for two days I didn't bowl last night but I do know with The Mag spending time with his family Digits had to bowl a blind and alas it was against arguably the best team in the league, The Twins… and final score was 6 - 2 to The Twins, which is a sterling effort cos to even get a point against The Twins when you got a full team is hard, so well done Digits,.

I was at home doing house stuff and catching u p on the TV shows, and I have to say there was some cracking viewing and I've updated the Wot Are You Watching link and I hope this year to keep it up to date weekly, so have a gander as there are few new shows out there.

The big melt has commenced, so this weekend will be one of staying in and staying dry, but if I do go out… and you should do the same… "Never Leave Home With Baggage You Can't Carry.

8th January 2010

Some women have been heard to say, "Women are always right…" how true that is, well that's debatable but for one of my pals he is gonna have to live with the fact his wife is always right.. well at least until she locks herself out of the house again.

Here's the story, Tuesday the snow fell and it was pretty bad up here in Brum, in the mid afternoon my pal spoke to his wife on the phone and she specifically told him not to come home by bus but to get the train. So when we left the office that evening, he told me he was getting the train….

Well the next morning after he eventually got in, we had a chat and he told me that he didn't get home till 9pm, to which I said, it's a good job you got the train, but that look came across his face which said…. what train…. he then proceeded to tell me that as he walked down Broad Street he saw his usual bus running and running on time so he decided to forego the walk to the station and he ran and caught the bus…. the bus sailed trough to Quinton he told me, and then it hit gridlock.. and proceeded to crawl all the way home…

I was in tears, especially when he told me that as soon as he walked into his home at 9pm, all his wife said to him was… "I told you not to catch the bus, above suspicion is about to start I don't want to hear it" …. so for the until that lock out happens, I'm sure he'll be hearing the quote, "You know I'm right, ever since you got the bus and not the train"…

Plans for the weekend for me is, gym visits both Saturday and Sunday, CSI NY new season starts on Saturday, so will be watching that along with FBI Case Files on the Quest Channel and I also need to sort stuff for the day trip to Le'Head, so a reasonably hectic weekend, but I won't be going outside apart from the gym unless I have too.

The new bowling season started last night, with Digits flying the flag solo and she played really well knocking in a couple of 200+ games, but alas it wasn't enough to make up for bowling alone and we lost 6 - 2, which is really good, so any given Thursday around 7.30 if you're in Strichley why not pop in and see Sweet Digits throw down, but if you come, make sure, You Don Leave Home With Baggage You Can't Carry.

5th January 2010

Went to see to Sherlock Holmes last night and have to say I very entertained and Robbie Downey impressed me with his British accent, but a review is posted on the website, click here to read it.

Went for supper at La Tasca afterwards, alone as always and have to say I do like the place, it is right up there as one of my fave places to eat, but I got to teach myself how to make a Paella, as I'm sure it can't be that hard.

This morning I went into Tesco the get some fruit for breakfast and to pick up a box of bran flakes and a pack of sultanas, but could I find the sultanas…. I'm sure my local Tesco used to have a Home Baking section where you'd find such stuff as dried and packaged fruit, but that section has moved from where it was and despite walking round the store I still never found what I was looking for, and the incident confirmed to me why I do my supermarket shopping online….

Yeah I know that supermarkets and other shops move products around so that they can get customers to look beyond their usual products but it is quite annoying and as a bloke we don't really do shopping, as in walking from shop to shop or aisle to aisle, we just want to get in then and get out……. sound familiar ladies I know…. hee hee

It snowed in Brum this morning for about 15 minutes and just look at how much we got, view from 15th Floor of my office block, more to come. I remember the last time it snowed in Birmingham the year I started working here, I lived in Northampton…. I ended up having a night on the tiles in Birmingham….. the Office Carpet Tiles…. no trains I had to break back into the office and sleep on the floor in the filing room as that was the warmest room

Hey people with all this snow be careful out there, esp if you are driving and make sure you pack plenty of water and blankets and so forth just in case you get stuck, but do make sure you, "Don't Leave Home With Baggage You Can't Carry"

2nd January 2010

Well the start of a new year in Camstar’s World and what does the year hold I ask myself

January I got two, two day visits to Leatherhead planned, so won’t be going out much though I do plan on seeing Sherlock Holmes and possibly Avatar at the flicks with maybe a meal out to La Tasca at some point in January. February sees a gathering of my old pals from London at The Loop Bar, and I get the feeling it won’t be a cheap night, as I’ve already spent £25 on the night and it’s still 8 weeks away.

March, I’ve pencilled in a trip to Swindon or maybe Brighton, it all depends what kinda vibe I get from each of those places, and April is Easter so I may well do a jaunt to Cyprus but my man Wendell wants to do a bit of a lads jaunt away to sunnier climes within 2 hours reach so feel free to suggest places, though I’m thinking Jersey or Guernsey. So may stay in sunny Brum and save the pennies for later in the year.

May sees the two bank holidays, so there is possibly going to be a night out at Flares in Birmingham, but there will def be a trip to London and a certain drinking event I go to each year, June brings a pal of mine’s wedding and on the same weekend the start of the World Cup, but do I go to the wedding in Ireland or watch England take on the US plus all the other games that weekend… dilemma

July is the knockout stages of the World Cup, my Bro’s birthday and maybe the jaunt away with Wendell, or could that jaunt be in August when we have a Bank Holiday so another Flares visit could be on the cards.

September sees Drinks in the City revisit Blackpool and The Soul Suite, or is that the Sugar Suite and no it’s not a gentleman’s club, but it is a good club. October should I still be a alive, I’ll be another year older but not decided where to go for the birthday drinks maybe that new place on Broad Street called Pushkar’s, if it’s still in business and as before no it’s not a gentlemen’s club.

November the year is coming to an end and plans for Christmas will have started in earnest, with December bringing copious amounts of drinks and food along with the new Invitational Voucher Book and the end of another year.

Though there are things that over the next year that will continue as normal, as long as I can, I’ll be saying, “Never Leave Home With Baggage your Can’t Carry” and there be a ton of people who will spend the year “Talking a Good Game.”

22nd December 2009

Can't believe that, though deep down I can actually believe it. I live in a block of apartments and you need a proximity pass to get through the front door, and we do have video phone entry. Well I put some Christmas Décor outside my front door, so in the hall way, but the way the floor is arranged you should only be down my end of the hall if you're visiting me or my neighbour opposite me. I put the décor up last week Wednesday…. well I walked out my front door today and someone tosser has half inched the décor… I really hope that's not the sign of things to come, but regardless of if it is I'm going to look into getting myself an alarm, thieving bar stewards.

Apart from that downer, unless someone breaks into my flat, I'm all good actually, off to The Big Smoke tomorrow to hook up with some old work colleagues, which should be a great laugh but very messy, though as most of us are in our 40's and not seen each other for a year, it's likely to be an afternoon tea affair, in that small talk and light drinks.

My shopping gets delivered tonight hopefully, so I will be all set for the festive season, with my Mince Pies, Pheasant, Yule Log, Smoked Salmon and the obligatory Twiglets and Matchmakers, so here's hoping it's a fun time and it doesn't go too quickly, but as we all know, we buy enough food to feed our families for a fortnight but it gets consumed in three days, but I plan not to over indulge as I'll only have to lose it all in the New Year.

I may not be online before Christmas Day as some tosser may have nicked my PC by then, so I'm gonna wish one and all a cracking Christmas Day, Eat, Drink and be Merry but whatever you do, take care and Never Leave Home With Baggage You Can't Carry, and hopefully we'll touch base on Boxing Day or at least before New Years Eve, Happy Yuletide people.