So it's been a good few weeks since I sat down and typed up a proper blog. I've been promising this for a while also, so I apologies to those who actually give a feck.
It's one of those things, the internet I mean. Recently, I've been spending alot of my time doing other things apart from surfing. Alot of that time I spend with Sarah, but the remainder I've been mixing it up. Reading, watching DVDs, Airsoft Skirmishing and various other things, but we'll get round to them.
It's been relaxing. I've not totally ignored it. Far from it. I still check the SG Groups, the various Networking Sites I'm a member of, and certain sites containing news about various Comics, Movies, Games etc. Alot of it has to do with not having actual access, like I say, spending time with Sarah (Which I'd like to point out, I prefer), being out and about. I suppose to a greater extent I can "blame" the greatest phone I've ever owned, as I find myself checking stuff like Twitter and Facebook on my iPhone. Hell, I even did some Play.com shopping on the bloody thing, while sitting at my desk at work.
So yeah, I guess I've got to that point in life where being on the net isn't the be all and end all. I'm happy that I have friends in and out of the interweb, so I have a happy mix of both I suppose.
Anyway, moving on.
Some may remember the various plans I had to sort out the small amount of debt I had. Well, I've tightened the ropes again after slacking somewhat, and it's starting to work. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel so to speak. By the end of the year, I should be rid of two of my three "debt points", mainly my Credit Card and my Loan Payments, leaving only my overdraught to be dealt with. Naturally, all I will be doing is taking the money I used to pay on my loan and Credit Card each month and then reduce my overdraught by that sum each month. It'll be a bit of a slog until the end of the year, but once I hit my overdraught, it'll clear in a matter of 3 or 4 months. By the middle of 2010, I will be debt free, with only my rent and my mobile phone bill to cater for. That thought alone seems a great pleasure at the moment.
My other "niggle" in life is my job. Not so much what I do, but the processes I deal with to complete it. It's an office job at the end of the day, and with it being an office, you get all the shite that goes with it. Spreadsheets, Graphs and processes so old, so dragged out, that every time you see one or need to start one, you die a little bit inside. The people I work with a big part of this also. I have 3 or 4 good "friends" at work at the moment. Two of which I would only ever consider meeting up outside of work or work related outing, but the majority of the team are so superficial, so immature that it makes an episode of Hollyoaks look like the Teletubbies. Seriously, I've never been in a working environment with so many rumours and dirty remarks floating about. The politics in this team is perverse. At the end of it all, the only reason I'm here is the security and the money. I just find it VERY hard to get motivated or get anything done, which plants that seed of doubt in my mind that I'm doing a good job, or I'm in the good books with my manager (she's a completely different species, I'll tell you that much.).
So, with this in mind, I've applied (and got through a telephone interview) for an apprenticeship with Cable & Wireless to become a Field Technician/Engineer. I should here at the start of June if they want to have a face to face interview. Basically, I want out of the office, I want to do something where I work by myself but also within a team, something I can actually see the benefits of my work and where I can use my hands. Now, it would mean a slight drop in pay during my education, but if I got the marks, I would get a job instantly, with better pay and possibly a company car/van. During my education, I would need to journey south to Warwick College for my teachings, but it's nothing I couldn't handle. The only thing that would bug me is not seeing Sarah for 3 or so weeks at a time, but seeing as my accommodation would be paid for, there is nothing stopping her coming down of course. Lots to think about. I hope I get it. I would love to work outside most of the time.
So, that's the job covered, what next.
Airsoft. For those that don't know, Airsoft is sort of like Paintball. However, instead of the regular paintball guns, you use plastic/metal replicas of real weapons. These are either Electric (AEG), Gas Powered or Spring loaded. They fire little plastic BBs. This brings it down to being a very honest based game, as you obviously don't know you've been hit unless you feel it (and for the most part, you bloody well know you've been hit). I love it. Spend the whole day out doors, playing army in a forest/field/swamp. You get to meet some great people (and utter tossers, but we'll ignore them for now). You keep fit, I'm already feeling the benefits.
It's costly at first. Weapons can be anything between 50 - 500 (and more), which means most new players hire the site guns. Kit can be picked up pretty cheap, from surplus stores etc, but some of the stuff, like tactical vests, can be quite expensive. All in all, once you have your own kit and gun, the only thing you need to pay for is game play and ammo (both of which tend to be fair, fair cheaper than paintball). It's just a lot of fun. I prefer it to Paintball. It's alot more serious and tactical, while maintaining the excitement you get from paintball. I've already started picking up kit. I've chosen which gun I want to buy once I'm registered and I can't wait to get it. It's a big geeky community, and I love it.
So, it's a good hobby to have, as it keep you active, but seeing the games are every two weeks, I still plan to take up Snowboarding. I have vouchers to get me started, so it's just a matter of time before I book them.
Recently, I came across this picture.
It's a double page spread of the X-Men from the 1991 Special Edition Issue 1 by Chris Claremont and art by Jim Lee. I love Jim Lee. Amazing artist.
Anyway, this was the first comic I ever owned. When I was younger, I never bothered keeping it, but this scene is one that kept with me for years until I saw it in an advert for the new Marvel Chronicles book. I instantly went about finding out what comic it was from, as I had forgotten since I was small, and found out the issue etc. I now own Issues 1-13 and 21-23 of this series, and I plan to continue plugging the gaps and completing the collection. This is by no means the oldest comic I own, or the most expensive, but it has alot of sentimental value.
Coincidently, I purchased this over eBay about the same time as I found out that Chris Claremont was returning to Marvel to continue his story from Issue 3 (Chris left after #3 due to disputes with Marvel) under the title, X-Men Forever. I'm really excited about this series. Sadly, Jim Lee won't be returning to do the art, but Chris's stories and comic writing style is enough for me to buy it. Exciting times.
I think that's enough really. I've been up to lots recently, and if I was to type it all, you'd get bored reading it all.
Anyway, lots of things planned. SG Scotland Meet this month, so pictures will no doubt follow.
Laters.
It's one of those things, the internet I mean. Recently, I've been spending alot of my time doing other things apart from surfing. Alot of that time I spend with Sarah, but the remainder I've been mixing it up. Reading, watching DVDs, Airsoft Skirmishing and various other things, but we'll get round to them.
It's been relaxing. I've not totally ignored it. Far from it. I still check the SG Groups, the various Networking Sites I'm a member of, and certain sites containing news about various Comics, Movies, Games etc. Alot of it has to do with not having actual access, like I say, spending time with Sarah (Which I'd like to point out, I prefer), being out and about. I suppose to a greater extent I can "blame" the greatest phone I've ever owned, as I find myself checking stuff like Twitter and Facebook on my iPhone. Hell, I even did some Play.com shopping on the bloody thing, while sitting at my desk at work.
So yeah, I guess I've got to that point in life where being on the net isn't the be all and end all. I'm happy that I have friends in and out of the interweb, so I have a happy mix of both I suppose.
Anyway, moving on.
Some may remember the various plans I had to sort out the small amount of debt I had. Well, I've tightened the ropes again after slacking somewhat, and it's starting to work. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel so to speak. By the end of the year, I should be rid of two of my three "debt points", mainly my Credit Card and my Loan Payments, leaving only my overdraught to be dealt with. Naturally, all I will be doing is taking the money I used to pay on my loan and Credit Card each month and then reduce my overdraught by that sum each month. It'll be a bit of a slog until the end of the year, but once I hit my overdraught, it'll clear in a matter of 3 or 4 months. By the middle of 2010, I will be debt free, with only my rent and my mobile phone bill to cater for. That thought alone seems a great pleasure at the moment.
My other "niggle" in life is my job. Not so much what I do, but the processes I deal with to complete it. It's an office job at the end of the day, and with it being an office, you get all the shite that goes with it. Spreadsheets, Graphs and processes so old, so dragged out, that every time you see one or need to start one, you die a little bit inside. The people I work with a big part of this also. I have 3 or 4 good "friends" at work at the moment. Two of which I would only ever consider meeting up outside of work or work related outing, but the majority of the team are so superficial, so immature that it makes an episode of Hollyoaks look like the Teletubbies. Seriously, I've never been in a working environment with so many rumours and dirty remarks floating about. The politics in this team is perverse. At the end of it all, the only reason I'm here is the security and the money. I just find it VERY hard to get motivated or get anything done, which plants that seed of doubt in my mind that I'm doing a good job, or I'm in the good books with my manager (she's a completely different species, I'll tell you that much.).
So, with this in mind, I've applied (and got through a telephone interview) for an apprenticeship with Cable & Wireless to become a Field Technician/Engineer. I should here at the start of June if they want to have a face to face interview. Basically, I want out of the office, I want to do something where I work by myself but also within a team, something I can actually see the benefits of my work and where I can use my hands. Now, it would mean a slight drop in pay during my education, but if I got the marks, I would get a job instantly, with better pay and possibly a company car/van. During my education, I would need to journey south to Warwick College for my teachings, but it's nothing I couldn't handle. The only thing that would bug me is not seeing Sarah for 3 or so weeks at a time, but seeing as my accommodation would be paid for, there is nothing stopping her coming down of course. Lots to think about. I hope I get it. I would love to work outside most of the time.
So, that's the job covered, what next.
Airsoft. For those that don't know, Airsoft is sort of like Paintball. However, instead of the regular paintball guns, you use plastic/metal replicas of real weapons. These are either Electric (AEG), Gas Powered or Spring loaded. They fire little plastic BBs. This brings it down to being a very honest based game, as you obviously don't know you've been hit unless you feel it (and for the most part, you bloody well know you've been hit). I love it. Spend the whole day out doors, playing army in a forest/field/swamp. You get to meet some great people (and utter tossers, but we'll ignore them for now). You keep fit, I'm already feeling the benefits.
It's costly at first. Weapons can be anything between 50 - 500 (and more), which means most new players hire the site guns. Kit can be picked up pretty cheap, from surplus stores etc, but some of the stuff, like tactical vests, can be quite expensive. All in all, once you have your own kit and gun, the only thing you need to pay for is game play and ammo (both of which tend to be fair, fair cheaper than paintball). It's just a lot of fun. I prefer it to Paintball. It's alot more serious and tactical, while maintaining the excitement you get from paintball. I've already started picking up kit. I've chosen which gun I want to buy once I'm registered and I can't wait to get it. It's a big geeky community, and I love it.
So, it's a good hobby to have, as it keep you active, but seeing the games are every two weeks, I still plan to take up Snowboarding. I have vouchers to get me started, so it's just a matter of time before I book them.
Recently, I came across this picture.
It's a double page spread of the X-Men from the 1991 Special Edition Issue 1 by Chris Claremont and art by Jim Lee. I love Jim Lee. Amazing artist.
Anyway, this was the first comic I ever owned. When I was younger, I never bothered keeping it, but this scene is one that kept with me for years until I saw it in an advert for the new Marvel Chronicles book. I instantly went about finding out what comic it was from, as I had forgotten since I was small, and found out the issue etc. I now own Issues 1-13 and 21-23 of this series, and I plan to continue plugging the gaps and completing the collection. This is by no means the oldest comic I own, or the most expensive, but it has alot of sentimental value.
Coincidently, I purchased this over eBay about the same time as I found out that Chris Claremont was returning to Marvel to continue his story from Issue 3 (Chris left after #3 due to disputes with Marvel) under the title, X-Men Forever. I'm really excited about this series. Sadly, Jim Lee won't be returning to do the art, but Chris's stories and comic writing style is enough for me to buy it. Exciting times.
I think that's enough really. I've been up to lots recently, and if I was to type it all, you'd get bored reading it all.
Anyway, lots of things planned. SG Scotland Meet this month, so pictures will no doubt follow.
Laters.
VIEW 13 of 13 COMMENTS
I'm tending towards 4, even though it's almost twice the price and things could be a little less tight money wise... the new job pay gap is going to be a pain!
All jobs have politics and stuff, the bigger the office the more the rumour mill turns... Tesco used to be bad for it with between 800 and 1000 staff. The christmas night out usually gave them enough on my for a whole years worth of gossiping!!
Good luck with C&W. I can see the appeal of being out on the road, I do miss the driving job I had before, though I don't miss the pay!?
I've never tried airsoft or paintball, but always plan to. My friends in NZ do play airsoft, so perhaps my best chance is next time I'm over there, saying that they fence too so I might end up with a foil in my hand if I show too much interest. I'm sure I've seen that gun in COD4... could be wrong.
Anyhoo, hopefully see you later in the month??
She has a few problems with her head and she beats herself up about it, we both had exams and she was a total nightmare throughout it and she put loads of pressure on me.
I'm very patient so i'm going to do my best and help her through it