It's Sunday, right?

So who knows what day it is?

That isn't my way of admitting I'm sat here writing this blog post drunk...far from it...it is my way of capturing a time of year when we all lose track of what day

The past 7 days have no doubt been as busy for you as they have for me.
It was of course Christmas week! And I hope you have enjoyed yours as much as I have mine!
This is always, a week filled with last minute present buying, gift wrapping, gift giving, food buying, preparing, cooking and finally eating!

Not that I will bore you with the details of my Christmas week, needless to say it has been filled with last minute present buying, gift wrapping, gift giving, drinks with friends, food buying, preparing, cooking and of course eating!

It is however, a week in which we all say we're "off" but in truth we are more switched on in this week than any other as there is always so much to remember that come Christmas night we can't help but collapse into the nearest armchair and "just have 40 winks"!

Somehow, this one week coupled with unusual amounts of time off together and visiting friends and relatives we haven't seen since the year before leads to a very surreal feeling of waking up each day and basing our day around activities rather than the habits of the other 51 weeks of the year dictated by what day it happens to be.

Now of course I am full of the festive joys that this time of year brings, the food, the presents, the time with family all help reaffirm the world around you...but there is also something else bringing an unexpected cheer to my heart and affirmation for the passion that I have...writing!

That's right, by completing and publishing this blog post, I have somehow managed to complete the final (and arguably hardest for me) #RandomTask of the year!

I've done it! I've only gone and blooming well done it!

For those of you regulars, or at least recent regulars you will remember that on 16th November 2014 I made a triumphant return to this blog post after a 3 month absence and decided to challenge myself to not only return but be more prolific than ever before by publicly committing to the following #RandomTask:

"#8 Between now and 31st December 2014 I am going to publish a minimum of one new blog post per week (Monday to Sunday)"

For anyone who thought I was a dead-cert to fail a task that required regular blog posting (to be honest, from the outside looking in I would have thought exactly the same), I apologise for any bets lost or for making you question the reality in which you live.

Truth is, this hasn't felt like a task at all and has actually been the one that has given me the most pleasure and impetus to complete!
I have enjoyed having the ever impending countdown looming over me each week.
And most importantly, it has helped me find my voice again and end the year on a bigger high than I could have expected when I first started these #RandomTasks!

So why not carry this on?! That's why I am making my first #RandomTask of 2015 a continuation of my last for 2014:

#2015-1 Between now and 31st January 2015 I am going to publish a minimum of one new blog post per week (Monday to Sunday).

Unfortunately, my poem last weekend hasn't led to the Children's book deal I was hoping for, so no poem this week but I did receive some very kind feedback on it and the habits of how and when my blogs are read this past week, which is always enjoyed and nice to hear!***

Also back in my post from 16th November, I mentioned that I was still a long way from getting around to completing Danny Wallace's "Charlotte Street" (otherwise known as #RandomTask 7) so marked that #RandomTask down as "Ongoing".

Well, it's always good to carry the lessons of the years gone by with you into the year ahead so as not to make the same mistakes again. So with that in mind, I shall carry that #RandomTask forward in to 2015...but alter it slightly...

#7.5 Read one chapter of Danny Wallace's "Charlotte Street" each week until the book is completed.

See what I did there? Surely that's made it slightly less of the mountainous task it has become...surely?!

So with all of that tidied up, the final #RandomTask count for 2014 stands as:

#RandomTasks Set = 8 Completed = 5 Pending = 1 Failed = 2

Now, a 25% fail rate (not counting the Danny Wallace fiasco) may sound like a disaster, but as the intention of creating #RandomTasks in the first place was to improve my ability to commit to New Years Resolutions for longer than the first few months of any given year, I would say that the 62% success rate is the far more positive figure to focus on!

In fact that's exactly what I'm going to do...use that figure and aim to improve on that in 2015!
Let's agree to see what the year ahead holds and meet back here same time next year (obviously I encourage you to come back far more regularly than that but I was just trying to create some early suspense...I'll get better at it I promise!) and see if #RandomTasks have evolved and surpassed their inaugural year!

#2015-2 Achieve better than 62% success rate in #RandomTasks by the end of 2015

Technically that's 3 #RandomTasks to start the new year with...a pretty good start but I'm sure I'll be adding to that figure sooner rather than later so watch this space as for me, 2015 has so much potential to be the best year yet and I will be doing all that I can to make sure that potential is reached...and will no doubt be updating you on all that unfolds throughout the year!

And so I guess all that is left for me to say is...
Happy New Year to all my lovely readers, regulars and newbies, I hope 2015 is the happy, healthy and successful year we all hope for!
Do whatever works for you to make the resolutions you feel you need to make as successful as you need them to be and keep checking back here for updates on how I'm getting on with my #RandomTasks!

See you all next year!

p.s. For anyone wondering, the beard is coming along nicely, my grooming skills are improving and my girlfriend appears to have embraced my facial fuzz by buying me a "Beard Grooming Set" for Christmas, so be prepared for a future blog post solely inspired by all things beardy...tentatively entitled "A Close Shave" (thanks Nikki)!

***Hello Hannah and Scott, hope you enjoy this week's instalment, sorry there's no poem but you never know in future...now get up and out of bed, make a massive breakfast and enjoy all that the day brings!

Twas the Sunday before Christmas...

You could be mistaken for entering this blog post on the allusion that you expected my twist on a classic festive poem and if that is the case then I apologise to you, for it was never my intention to deceive nor to get you here under false pretences.

However, if you did venture this way for that reason then there is a good chance that you are in the festive spirit and one thing I can assure you is that this blog post is full of that!

For it is the Sunday before Christmas and my now weekly ritual of settling down to write some words of reflection from the 7 days gone by has coincided with me in high spirits for the week ahead...as it does this time every year!

It does help the week started with only 3 days at work (even if they were a little busy!) before officially breaking up until January 5th 2015! THE 5th...of JANUARY...2015!!! January of the 5th variety! I am only repeating it so many times as I am still in a state of disbelief that what lay ahead of me was 18 whole days away from work!

Now I'm not trying to rub it in for anyone who hasn't finished work for Christmas or have to work over the festive season but I am merely relaying my thoughts on why you find me in such high spirits.

Anyway, next on the festive agenda was a Thursday morning spent pounding the streets of Shrewsbury finally finding time to complete my Christmas shopping...a whole week ahead of the big day...and after 4 hours all decisions had been made, purchases completed and every site even vaguely Christmas related in my hometown had been taken in...I challenge anyone not to feel festive after that!

And if that wasn't enough, Friday was finally upon us...a day that had been pencilled in for months...a day that meant my girlfriend and I would be venturing back down to Ol' London Town for the 3rd and final time this year to stay with friends and gratefully participate in a trip to the Theatre on the Southbank to see the comedic PowerPoint genius called Dave Gorman!

Now I could go on for hours about my love of all things Dave Gorman over the past 15 years but I realise that that sentence alone kind of speaks for itself and I don't want to come across any geekier than I already do, neither do I want to bore those not interested or give away anything for those yet to see this tour.
Needless to say, the man who inspired my style of writing and love of all things graph and PowerPoint related was as incredible as ever and a wonderful time was had by all...well in our party of 4 at least, I can't speak on behalf of the other couple thousand or so people but you catch my drift!

Of course, afterwards as we strolled along the Southbank and back towards our homeward bound destination, we took in all the sights and lights that London had to offer, providing the perfect festive ending to a magical day!

(The London Eye by Night)

Then once Saturday arrived, the festivities just kept on coming as we decided to brave a trip in to Central London to join the hustle and bustle of Christmas shoppers and peruse the offerings so called "Panic-Saturday" had to offer...even if no panicking was seen, neither were there more shoppers than usual and no hustling nor bustling occurred!

Add in to the mix joining our friends on their drive back up to Shrewsbury for their Christmas break, a road trip filled with Slade, Wham, Girls Aloud (who knew they made a Christmas album?!) and of course Chris Rea, let's just say it was like Top of the Pops Christmas Special...minus Fearne Cotton of course!

All of this topped off with a Sunday spent watching Four Christmases (never seen before but worth a watch this time of year), The Holiday (Manly I know and even though it was my girlfriends' choice, I didn't exactly protest), Sister Act 2 (one of my all-time favourite feel good films and one I'm not ashamed to know word-for-word) as well as Gavin & Stacey, all whilst wrapping the remaining Christmas presents and eating plenty of food, leading to the perfect festive ending to a week of festivities!

So let's do the maths...

18 Days off work + Christmas Shopping + Christmas Lights of London + 3 Hour Christmas road trip with friends + Christmas films and wrapping presents = One very happy and festive Andy!

And as this is more than likely the last blog post from me before you all wake up on Christmas Day to see what delights Santa has left for you, let me wish all my lovely readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year...although I will re-empathise this sentiment next week when I post my final blog of the year, a nostalgic look back at 2014 as well as all that 2015 may hold!

p.s. For anyone wondering, the beard still exists...even if the grooming is still a little sketchy!

p.p.s. For those of you lured in by the title, here is your reward for sticking with me...

Twas the Sunday before Christmas

And as I sat on the couch

Hopefully no creatures were stirring

Especially no mouse!

The festive cheer was high

And the big day in sight

As I typed on my keyboard

Hoping to fill you with delight

Only 4 sleeps til Santa

Too much excitement to contain

It seems all the joys of Christmas 

had taken over my brain

So fill your days with loved ones

Your nights with festive cheer

Remember to be good boys and girls

And St. Nicholas will soon be here!

To Beard or Not To Beard...

So here I find myself once again, having had all week to write down the countless thought starters for blog posts, the hours that I wake in the night, feel too lazy to write down the thoughts that woke me and then forget them by morning.
The 45 minute commute to work and then the same back again where my mind wonders off on to full paragraphs...which then turn in to incomprehensible half-sentences by the time I'm able to write any of it down.

Now, I'm not saying that these lost thoughts would provide the solution for world hunger, end wars or topple corrupt governments, but at least they would provide me with a little more material to chose from and limit the potential that what you are left reading here is simply pure drivel (I've set myself up here I know)!

Instead, each of the past few weeks I've found myself sat on the sofa late on a Sunday night, racking my brain and hoping that the words that pour out make some sense and resemble something readable!

Truth is however, this Sunday night ritual is becoming quite therapeutic!

What started as a final attempt to end the year of blogging on a high (quite a simple task, seeing as more than one blog post in 3 months would have been a successful outcome!) by committing myself to blogging at least once at some point of each of the remaining 6 weeks of the year, has turned in to a mad dash on a Sunday evening in the feint hope that I may recount a tale from the 7 days prior that you may want to read.

With that in mind, the past 7 days have once again been slightly overtaken by work but one recurring theme has underlined this week even more... Facial hair!

Now regular readers of my blog posts will know the many brushes with my masculinity...or lack of it...over the years but one of the 2 main things I appear to have inherited from my dad is my ability to grow facial hair at a pretty alarming rate but until recently I have always opted to keep this down to the bare minimum designer stubble...(in case you're wondering, the other one is an ever expanding forehead, so the less said about that the better!)

However, as the cold nights have drawn in over the past couple of months I have been slowly introducing more and more hair to my face (through growth, not literally introducing my face to other people's hair).
Much to my girlfriends initial despair!
But sometimes, you have to play the long game and eeking out time between shaving longer and longer each time.

Until the past few weeks when I have avoided shaving completely and all of a sudden, as if from nowhere, I am suddenly a man with a beard!

I am literally growing myself masculine!

And it seems to be growing on my girlfriend as well! Well, not literally, that would be weird! But as the days pass and the beard remains, a new normal is being created...one that would be strange if I were to remove it!

But with increased masculinity, comes great responsibilities! All of which leads to all manner of decisions to make...What style? How long? How often to groom? Do I go professional? Do I just grow it out? Is it worth all of this effort?

In fact, 2 of my 3 open pages in my Safari browser are Beard Grooming related...which may be a little more than you wanted to know about me...but it just shows a) how seriously I am prepared to take this new part of my life and b) how desperate I am to ensure that this one shred of masculinity isn't ruined by all my other emasculated parts!

It really is a minefield! There are hours of videos available to the budding beard grower to help sculpt, style and pamper hair that happen to grow around the chin, neck and cheeks!

Thankfully, the research seems to have paid off and the first attempt at home grooming the beard didn't leave a chevron or two accidentally shaved in to my cheeks or one side-burn longer than the other.
Have no fear, you will be kept well informed of all things beard-related, whether you actually want to be or not!

I've actually conducted a few surveys of friends and family on the beard (even post-grooming) and so far all responses seem positive...so guess in the question of "To Beard or Not To Beard?", the answer is "A beard is for life...not just for Christmas"!

So, no moral tale this week and a relatively short narrative in comparison to many of my other endless ramblings but I hope you'll agree that on this journey of life even the simplest of things can have the greatest impact...even Facial hair! (Oops, maybe there was a thinly veiled moral tale)

p.s. For those of you wondering, the 3rd open page in my Safari browser is an Avocado smoothie recipe! I know what you're thinking...wish I hadn't asked! Yeah...I'm pretty rock and roll!

The Journey Continues...

Well it seems like only last week since we were last here... oh wait... you know what I mean anyway...essentially, doesn't time fly!

So since I spoke to you last my life has pretty much been consumed by... Work! Working 12 hour days Monday to Friday AND going in to work on a Saturday, you would think that the me you have grown to know so well through my periods of blogging inactivity would have let the busiest week of my year so far, get in the way...

Well this is the new me! Or the latest me at least but whilst this latest challenge I've set myself seems to be spurring me on I won't question it and hopefully long may it continue!

This is a new me that also reached the end of one journey this week and as of today starts the beginning of another!

I know what you're thinking... "That all either sounds very metaphorical or he's been Indiana Jones this whole time and we've never even realised it!"
But alas, I have not been deceiving you, nor have I taken to the metaphorical ramblings of Yoda!

Both of which would have been far more exciting and film script worthy than the tale that is about to follow...not that I'm trying to put you off...forget I said that and continue to read on with all the excitement and expectation of a Spielberg classic!

Instead, this a tale over 3 years in the making...but don't worry, I won't waffle on and bore you with the details, building a back story etc. Suffice to say, I had a sudden change in health that has taken on numerous forms, been tested in numerous ways and caused numerous amounts of uncertainty and very few answers. Something made all the worse by my very real phobia of all things medical...especially when it comes to tests!

So roll forward to August of this year... and after much deliberation and multiple conversations, it was during a busy social spell that I realised that something had to change.

I had noticed changes in my appearance, my energy levels and my overall awareness levels...all of which meant that a test was looming over the horizon.

I guess in the next scene came the lesser of multiple evils, a finger prick blood sample (which wasn't an easy experience either...just ask my sister and girlfriend!) sent off to the people of YorkTest to potentially provide me back with a list of food groups that I was showing an intolerance to.

Which, after what felt like an eternity, they certainly did...

And despite a knowledge at the back of my mind that it would definitely show something. Nothing had really prepared me for it to say this...

"Reactionary: Avoid Gluten, Wheat and Dairy"

Gluten, Wheat and Dairy!!! That's practically my entire diet!

This wasn't going to be easy. This would as big and drastic a lifestyle change that I have ever faced and surely it would be easier to just carry on as I was?!

But now it's there in black, white and red, something told me that I couldn't hide from it anymore. Here is the reason to make the change.

A change that would start with a prescribed 12 week journey of going "Free-From" these troublesome ingredients and in to the unknown. 

An unknown that saw me effectively go through the withdrawals symptoms we lovingly referred to as "cold turkey" in weeks one and two, a time in which I wasn't the easiest person to live with (sorry Zo!).

It has also been 12 weeks of increased food bills, as for those of you with any intolerances or allergies know, the alternatives don't come cheap!

But it has also been 12 weeks of eating more fresh and varied foods, expanding my horizon and monitoring what I am putting in to my body.

It might be a pain to read labels and be the "awkward one" when out with friends and family but you would be surprised just how many places cater for one, two or sometimes all three of these and many other strange requirements!

All of which has led me to this moment, 12 weeks on, feeling improvements, however slight but also realising that I'm not alone in this. Th research, conversations and help and support from friends and family all drive you on and ensure you turn your mindset from feeling like a victim, to simply being a part of life!

It was back in February of this year I wrote a blog post about how habits are formed (feel free to check out that post here...but do come back and finish this one straight after), during which I used a mixture of stats and even an interview with a close friend and personal trainer to basically make myself feel better about my inability to stick to new years resolutions or change my ways!

Now I don't expect you to remember that posts word for word (or even at all), especially with it being one of my more lengthy posts but as a quick reminder there is one paragraph within it that seems to be quite poignant at this moment in time...

"...resolutions don’t have to be drastic or negative.They can be little incremental changes that make the greatest impact and they should always be for the positive.
It’s often how you approach them that can lead to whether they will be achieved or not!
Nor do they have to be made just at the turn of the year. The desire to change or improve can come any day or night of the year.
It’s making sure that this change is the thing that will have the greatest impact on your life and that the desired outcome is the thing that you want more than anything."

Little did I know just how true some of these ramblings would turn out to be!

It's pretty safe to say that removing gluten, wheat and dairy from your diet is pretty drastic and could definitely be seen as a negative...but having the right support around me and approaching it in the right way certainly helped more than you would ever realise.

And last time I checked, August certainly isn't the turn of the year! The desire to finally focus on the change that would make the biggest impact to my lifestyle and help me achieve my desired outcome came shortly after my 28th birthday during the height of the summer!

To say it hasn't been easy would be an understatement...but sometimes the biggest drivers come unexpectedly and just stay with you throughout!

Trying to set myself #RandomTasks throughout the year to help make resolutions a success worked to an extent but as it turns out it was necessity that was my biggest driver to date.

And when it comes to your health, well that's the biggest motivator you can ever need to make a change...however small or large!

Now I don't know how long this next stage of my journey will be, when it will end or if this is the path that I am being led down for life.

All I know is that these first 12 weeks has seen the biggest change in my approach to all things food related and no matter how many ups and downs are to come, the improvements that I have seen so far have been enough to change my mindset from doing this in the vain hope that I'll be able to get back to eating the foods I once could...to actually finding enjoyment in a new healthier lifestyle and break myself out of my "comfort food zone".

So as we ebb nearer and nearer to the annual resolution time once more, take a second to think about what you really want to achieve...and if the answer doesn't come to you by January 1st fear not... some resolutions are for life, not just after Christmas!

It's that time again!

My, doesn't time fly?!

How is it Sunday night all over again?

It doesn't seem 10 minutes since I was last sat here typing some words on screen for you to read and cutting it a little fine to not break my target of blogging once a week at the first hurdle!

Well here we are again...a wintery Sunday night after another long week (& weekend) at work and the sudden realisation that the clock is ticking ever closer to that weekly deadline!

And as the minutes tick away we also get ever closer to the final month of 2014... December (not that there is usually a different final month of each year but just bear with me)... a time of year that brings reflection, anticipation, celebrations and all manner of family gatherings.

So with that in mind I suppose I should use this blog to reflect upon what has the past week taught us since you heard from me last and look forward in anticipation to what the month ahead will hold?

Well other than work getting in the way (sorry I know I promised I wouldn't!), this past week has taught me one thing... sometimes we embrace the wrong parts of other societies...particularly from our American friends across the pond.

For this past week saw "Black Friday" arrive on these shores in it's greatest onslaught yet.
I for one fell victim to crashed websites and heavy traffic.

All in the name of grabbing a bargain...which is fine if we all remember that we are civil human beings... something a few hundred of the people I saw reported across the news stations seemed to have forgotten!

But what those same people are forgetting is that so called "Black Friday" exists in America due to their culture and history...something lost in translation as it makes its way across the water and over here simply in the form of queues, stampedes and aforementioned crashed websites.

In it's earliest sense, "Black Friday" has a history littered with racial connotations but in more recent time, it is part of the American holiday season and a mad dash to the shops the day after Thanksgiving to see what bargains can be had.

However, it seems to me that we are simply picking and choosing the parts of their culture that suit us (and the retailers) best... on this occasion we go crazy trying to get something new for ourselves or for one of the many Christmas presents we need to buy and conveniently forget to "give thanks" for the things that we do have.

Truth is when it comes to Christmas... no scrap that, when it comes to the whole of December and it seems now even earlier, we all get affected in one way or another. It's hard to escape even if you don't celebrate, as anyone that tries to simply "nip out to the shops" will attest to.

For some, this time of year brings magic and joy. For others...well...not so much!

For me, the build up and magic of Christmas starts now. December is when I let that festive spirit take hold. There's no stopping it and this year is no exception. With the countdown already on to finishing work, the list of presents to buy slowly being ticked off and the excitement of spending lazy days watching festive films and wrapping presents as well as pretty much every weekend planned in with family and friends, something tells me it's going to fly by!

Whichever way you look at it we should all enjoy the good times when they come and embrace whatever lies ahead...even if it does take twice as long due to queues!

I for one will open door number one on my advent calendar tomorrow (that's right, you're never too old!) and each day after that and be thankful for the many things I have in my life... right before I let work get in the way all over again, wonder where the days are going, search high and low for the remaining Christmas presents I need to get and try to fit a social life in as well.

It's a crazy time...but man do I love it! Happy December everyone!

And on the 22nd day he rested

Ok so I'm leaving it a little late, even in week one, to fulfil my promise of trying to blog at least once a week between now and the end of the year!
But as the deadline technically is 11:59pm tonight then I suggest we move past that...for this week at least!

To say that this has been a busy week would be subjective, if you count long working hours, heading to Glasgow and back for work and then returning home to leave the house for work within 10 hours, all before a thoroughly enjoyable evening spent watching the new Hunger Games film with friends as a busy week then that's where we'll start!

Being busy at work is becoming the norm of late... as you all know it's a constant excuse for my lack of blogging. Even my social life has increased somewhat over the past few months... as my bank balance can attest to!
So it is very hard to remember a time when the days don't merge in to each other, the need to unwind wasn't ever present, I didn't feel like I had to remind myself about the smallest details or have to rely on Facebook to remember when people have their birthdays!

Anyway, imagine my surprise to get 5 mins yesterday to relax and unwind scrolling through the various forms of social media.
There I was happily browsing the lives of others when I decided I would take a delve in to the wonders of my past social media exploits through the wonders of Timehop!

Waiting the modern sense of an eternity (i.e. 2 seconds) for the app to load, I was full of anticipation to see what statuses, tweets, pictures and posts had befallen the 22nd November in previous years and hopefully remember a time when I had...well...time!

And let's say I wasn't disappointed!... Well actually I was!
For what lay on my screen in front of me wasn't an array of photos or witty statuses.
Nor was it a feast of tweets, retweets or check ins.
Alas, it would appear that in the modern technological era (or Anno Facebook as it may as well be called), the 21st of November is a day of rest!

As you can see, at no point in this date have I posted a picture, updated my status, tweeted or retweeted or tagged myself anywhere.
How can that be? Surely I've done something to shout about on each of the 365 days over the course of the last 7 years or more? Apparently not!

A massive part of me feels sad for the need to validate our lives by checking in, tagging friends or being tagged as well as updating statuses and taking selfies! However, I am a modern metrosexual man who understands the importance of rolling with the times and embracing culture...
It's something we've been doing for years and never realised it.
I bet I'm not the only person who grew up surrounded by photo albums and camera rolls? Mums worldwide are stereotypically renowned for getting the photos out at the first opportunity during an evening of entertaining friends and relatives.
We also horde memorabilia from places we've visited, concerts we've attended or even stubs from movies we've seen, all so we can look upon them and relive those moments whenever the mood takes us!

So it may seem pointless to repost things you've already posted years before but for me I'll let this one slide as it is just the modern way of taking time to reflect on where we've been, appreciate what we have now and use it to spur us on to where we want to be!

Now, I know you're wondering if come 22nd November 2015 I'll be able to open up Timehop (or whatever technological item we're using then) and look back on a date to remember... Well you'll just have to keep checking back between now and then to see if I reveal any details... A cheap way of ensuring reader retention but it's all I've got with this deadline looming!

p.s. In case you were wondering and can't tell from the costumed dinosaur at the bottom of the picture then the "News from 1995" is that 19 years ago yesterday the first Toy Story film was released in cinemas...makes you feel old doesn't it?!...maybe, just maybe, some times it's dangerous to reminisce!

I had a dream...

In which I wrote an entire blog post...which must have been a dream as it has been well over 3 months since I last wrote one of those!

I can blame my usual factors of working too much; Life getting in the way or simply not having enough hours in the day but truth is...I had lost that loving feeling with writing this blog.

 
"Sacrilege!" I hear you shout! Well not entirely...you see, it's not that I had nothing to write about, in fact the past 3 months have been some of the most life changing Ibhave so far experienced. Instead, it was more that I was my own critique...every time I would start writing I wouldn't be happy where it was going or I would try to put too many different things in and suddenly it's an essay that makes little sense to me let alone all of you lovely readers!

And of course, I have been working too much; Life HAS been getting in the way AND there are simply not enough hours in the day! Sorry, couldn't resist!

Then to top it all, using the wonders of modern technology* (*Read Timehop) I was able to see that 2 years ago I posted on another modern platform** (**Read Twitter) that I was suffering with major writers block! 

Now you may be wondering why this comes as a surprise to myself, seeing as it happened to me and 9 out of 10 of my blog posts will contain some reference to me apologising for not blogging or reciting the blogging equivalent of the Catholic mantra, "Forgive me dear readers for it has been (insert time frame here) since my last blog!
However, it may not have come as a surprise but it sure acted as a kick up the backside... especially when I then reposted that Timehop status on Facebook and got some exceptionally motivating team talks from friends and family! Suddenly I can't hide anymore... 

But maybe that's the secret! I let goals slip away from me with writing, even the #RandomTasks couldn't keep motivation high!

Whilst we're on the subject though and for those of you still on the edge of your seat wondering whether I managed to hit double figures in April for my yoga activities (yes that's right, it's been that long since I bored you with this topic)...well wonder no more...well slightly longer as I prolong this section and type random words just to keep the suspense (a real poor form of suspense, especially if you compare it to a Hitchcock thriller)...anyway, where was I?

Oh yes, yoga, well I can reveal I did indeed hit 10 yoga sessions in April! Huzzah!

And whilst I'm avoiding the subject that I haven't blogged much over the past few months, I may as well fill you in that I managed exactly the same number of yoga sessions throughout May as well!

June saw me reach a grand total of 8 and July fettered away with a mere 2...the decline inevitable when looking back over previous years' attempts to sustain a healthy lifestyle!

And now August, September and October are but a distant memory I can reveal that the only trend forming is a negative one...on this front anyway...as a grand total of zero was also "achieved" in those months too...something tells me that these #RandomTasks weren't as effective as I had hoped all those months ago!

Anyway, back to the epiphany...

I'm usually someone who strives to be well prepared, focussed and take a good run up at tasks...but mostly end up doing my best (subject to opinion) work when under pressure with the deadline looming.
Throughout school, college and university I would always start day one of an assignment or exam with all the right intentions: planning, research, study partners etc but more often than not I would find myself learning the most in last minute revision or working against the clock to get work finished.
Even in my working life, sometimes it is the impending feeling of failure to meet a deadline that drives me on to complete a task (shhhh...don't tell my bosses though!), so I'm guessing this is just the way my mind works...best or otherwise!

Maybe, just maybe, setting myself a time oriented #RandomTask as my last one of the year will help stir the creative writing juices and see the year out the way I intended!

#8 Between now and 31st December 2014 I am going to publish a minimum of one new blog post per week (Monday to Sunday)

It's not going to be easy if my history of blog posting is anything to go by and I have no doubt there will be a future blog post from me apologising for my tardiness between blog posts but my commitment is to make sure that my tardiness is ever decreasing and ultimately I am going to try my hardest to make sure you never have to read those 5 immortal words again...that life got in the way!...well after now, obviously I needed to use them then for effect, but starting now!

And so a promise is a promise! It's time to blow away the cobwebs, write about the good and bad things life throws my way and hopefully...just hopefully, write something that not only I enjoy, but one or two of you do too!

Oh and for those of you with incredible memories (seriously, if you did remember then after reading this you really should get in touch with MENSA!), I failed miserably in finally getting around to finishing to read Danny Wallace's "Charlotte Street" (otherwise known as #RandomTask 7) so let's just mark this down as "Ongoing".

#RandomTasks Set = 8 Completed = 4 Pending = 2 Failed = 2

A feast of fun, food and festivities

It can be said that the quality of food on offer in a restaurant or pub can be judged on whether you would come back… 

With that in mind, my girlfriend and I found ourselves on a warm Wednesday evening in a quaint and characterful Foley’s Bar, a traditional Irish pub and restaurant in every sense, based in the thriving seasonal town of Kenmare, Ireland.

Having never been to Ireland in my near 28 years of eating, my sisters’ wedding in the heart of Co. Kerry seemed like a perfect excuse to take a 4 day trip and sample as much of the Irish culture as possible.

And what better way to start our mini-break than by arriving in to Kenmare at lunchtime on Tuesday, meeting up with family and the first order of the day being to choose which one of the 20+ bars and restaurants within a half mile radius we wished to sample.

With the sun beaming down and feeling quite tired from an early flight, we opted for the nearest pub and elected to sit outside.

The Lansdowne Arms Hotel and Public House is situated at the top of the Kenmare triangle and was recommended by my sister as the perfect place to start our Irish dining experience, whilst also allowing us to sit outside, enjoy the sunshine and cater for my sisters’ dog, Boo, as well.

Now whilst our choice of 2 platters of fajitas to share between the 4 of us can in no way be considered an Irish dining experience, there is no denying that the generous portion size, friendly staff and slightly overpriced cokes were a good benchmark for the days to come.

After finishing up our Mexican/Irish lunch and heading off to settle in to our rental cottage, the four of us met up with my sisters’ fiancé in the evening and ventured back in to town to decide where our next meal should come from.

And after a brief discussion, the recommendation was given for us to try Foley’s. 

We walked through the entrance and turned left towards the dimly lit restaurant area we were greeted by our waitress and advised that if we were happy to wait for a few minutes then they would have a table for 5 ready for us.

After a short wait at the bar, during which our drinks needs were met (naturally inclusive of a couple of Guinness amongst our party) and the atmosphere of the room could be nicely observed, we were escorted to our table and handed our menu’s.

Browsing through the menu, it was clear to see that local produce was at the heart of everything they do, with oysters and mussels from Kenmare Bay as well as Kerry Beef and Lamb dishes, all offered up as a hearty meal with the suggestion of a pint of Guinness never far away.

A selection of starters were ordered, including some of the finest fried prawns I’ve ever tasted but it was the mains that truly left an impression.

I opted for a 8oz Kerry Beef Burger, whilst my mum, sister and brother in-law to be ordered a mixture of lasagne and steaks (all sourced from County Kerry of course), and finally my girlfriend scoured the menu and found an item that had intrigued me…Kerry Beef and Guinness Puff Pastry Pie.

My burger was as expected, succulent tasting beef, served between a sourdough bun and applied with salad and condiments and a generous helping of thick cut chips. In fact there wasn’t an unsatisfied member in our party, particularly not my girlfriend. It took her one bite of the mix of beef and pastry for her to realise that she would try her best to clear her plate…but alas luckily for me, there was a small amount of meat and pastry left to sample when the realisation kicked in just how full she was.

And my goodness was I grateful for her small appetite.

Housed between the remains of the 2 individual sheets of pastry lay thick cuts of beef that simply fell apart as you picked it up with your fork. This should have been my first clue to the deep flavour that I was about to experience, as it was clear that the meat had been slow cooked, allowing the Guinness flavour to permeate throughout…something my taste buds enjoyed deeply, even from that small taster.

About 9:30pm a chap with a guitar appeared on the stage in the bar area to our left, leading to chorus after chorus of traditional Irish music, adding to the atmosphere rather than taking over it.

After our stomachs were satisfied, thirst quenched and ears charmed, it was time to pay the bill, a generous tip and of course our compliments to the Chef…

As it turns out, the chef and owner of Foley’s was also the landlord of our rental cottage for the week, adding to the community feel that the small town of Kenmare brings.

Our evening can best be described as a superb experience all round!

The following night, there was a real celebratory atmosphere building as the number of guests for the wedding party grew in the small town. After a few early evening drinks at O’Donabhan’s across the road from Foley’s, my girlfriend and I set off up the road to decide which establishment to eat at that evening.

We walked the 2 main roads of Kenmare centre, stopping at each potential pub or restaurant and perusing the menu outside to see if anything stood out to tempt us inside.

All the time we were doing this, both of us were discussing how impressed we were with the meal the previous evening and how tonight’s meal had a lot to live up…whilst also remembering just how succulent that beef was and how we could still taste the Guinness-laced gravy.

After about 10-15 minutes of deliberating we found ourselves venturing towards a familiar doorway and sign above our heads.

Heading through the entrance, turning left and entering that now familiar dimly lit dining area, we knew exactly what we could expect…and 2 Kerry Beef and Guinness pies later we were not disappointed.

Needless to say the entire Kenmare experience will be one to remember and no doubt we will be back…to sample other Irish delicacies but if that pie is still on the menu at Foley’s when we do…well it would be rude not to!

And it’s fair to say that with all of the quality food options on offer in Kenmare and Ireland as a whole, I would have to add to my opening line… that the best judgement of any establishment is surely not just based on whether you would come back…but whether you would come back the very next night!

Memory Lane: A Festival of Food and Friends

"I told my friend, that's the beauty of Shropshire...not much changes"

That was the phrase that really stuck with me from this last weekend.

It's quite an evoking phrase. Meant with endearment (as it was at the time) it can make you see our County for what it is...A homely place, filled with happy memories and familiarity that can be comforting to those returning to a place where they grew up.

You could however, re-read it in a negative way.

If someone said to you, "Oh I see not much changes with you!", chances are you probably wouldn't take it kindly and would politely inquire as to what that person was referring to?!

Well surely the same logic could be applied here, right?

Now I'm the first to admit that Shropshire, Shrewsbury in particular, is not the anywhere near the nations capital...and nor would it want to be!

It understands it's place in the world as a historical centrepiece of a farming county. A town that bridges the gap between yocals, locals and out-of-towners. A town that still contains it's history whilst allowing modernity to creep in gradually... most often in the form of a new restaurant and growing up and living here it's easy to wax lyrical about the splendours of this town...and at the same time it's just as easy to do the same thing about all the things that change at a snails pace!

But it's not until someone points it out every now and again that you are reminded of how protective you can feel for something you just happen to be a part of.
Needless to say, that sentence has made it's way in to my consciousness whichever way you take it and proved to be the base against which the rest of my weekend would be judged.

The weekend in question is that of 28th and 29th June 2014. One that I had been looking forward to for some time.

One random Saturday evening in March we received a Facebook event invite to a friend's 30th birthday party on the 28th June in our home town of Shrewsbury and it soon became apparent that the evening would be the first time in a long time that our group of friends would be back in the same room at the same time together...reminiscing about being over 10 years on from college and realising that mentally we are probably still pretty much there as well!

Since leaving college, like any group of friends, people branch out on multiple paths and it seems a number of those branches have led all the way to "Ol' London Town".
Friendships have of course remained but organising multiple lives in multiple locations to congregate in one place at the same time has been a rarity over the years.

And in case you were wondering, it was one of these friends who uttered the sentence that began this blog post, not realising the impact that those 12 words could have.

The evening itself went off superbly! It was filled with drinking, dancing, picture taking and reminiscing... whilst new memories were made along the way...all whilst celebrating the latest milestone in our friends' life.

And just having this one event happen this weekend would have been enough to walk back in to work on Monday and when asked the usual, "So, how was your weekend?" question, respond with a hearty "awesome!"
But as part of the build up discussions of people being around for the weekend, talk soon switched to potential Sunday activities...and with a huge slice (pun intended) of coincidence, there was only one festival to be seen at and only one place to be (outside of Glastonbury that is) that weekend...

The Shrewsbury Food Festival!

In to it's second year, The Shrewsbury Food Festival can boast 2 things at the least:

1) Over 10,000 attendees in it's first year

2) A buzz of excitement felt so far and wide in this County and beyond that it would be easy to imagine double that number of visitors this time round.

Obviously it can boast many other things too and this year over 200 local exhibitors could be found surrounded by the luscious backdrop that the Quarry has to offer.
Also, being an avid Twitter user, I was quick to follow @ShrewsFoodFest to keep up with all of the news and announcements surrounding the two-day event, expecting to see lots of pictures of food and drink and be ultimately in a state of pure hunger for months to come.
What I didn't expect was to witness the excitement, build up and reaction first hand for an event taking place in my hometown...remember, where nothing changes apparently!

A sense of togetherness even in 140 characters.

The build up to both events that weekend made the wait both unbearable and also quicker than expected but all of a sudden the weekend was upon us.

Those of you in the Shropshire area that week will know that the weather Monday to Thursday could only be described in one word... Glorious!
The sun beamed out in the daytime and elongated the evenings in to humid nights...meaning only one thing...something had to give!
And unfortunately as the week went on it became apparent that it was likely to give Friday night and in to the weekend. Which it did with a thunderous bang and downpour on the Friday daytime, clearing in to the evening.
So when I awoke early on Saturday morning to the sound of yet more torrential rain I feared the worst for all of the festival goers.

Following the event as it unfolded on Twitter on the Saturday, it was clear to see how much of a success it had been even on day one...
The rain subsided, the ground dried up and judging by my newsfeed across all social media platforms, half of the people I know were enjoying the delights that the hundreds of exhibitors had to offer.
And with a forecast for the following day looking far more promising, it made me all the more excited to sample it's delights on the Sunday as planned.

Due to hangovers, journeys back to the big smoke and other commitments, we were no longer venturing to the Food Festival as a group of friends, instead my girlfriend and I took my Mother and agreed with everyone that we would meet up at some point during the day.

Parking at the bottom of Wyle Cop, we decided to venture up through the town and were instantly greeted by waves of people also en route to the Quarry.

As we entered the familiar blue iron gates that surround the top entrance for this area of Shrewsbury town, it soon became clear that we were not alone in our idea for a great way to spend a Sunday.

The gates on the Sunday opened at 10am and less than an hour in to the day, stamp on hand and raring to samples as many delights as humanly possible, we walked through the top entrance and stared down in to the quarry to see crowds easily already in the thousands...a figure that only grew as lazy Sunday mornings turned in to adventurous outings and the sun continued to shine.

There were picnic blankets lining the main central green and folk music fluttering towards us from under the large TiPi opposite. And so came our first and hardest question of the day...

Where do we start?

But start we did...turning left to sample all of the delights that the top half had to offer...
An hour and a half later, we were still in that top half!

It was a foodie's heaven. We were no more than 3 stalls in and we made our first purchase, a hickory smoked bbq sausage roll...followed closely by pain au chocolat, butterscotch cake, coffee and walnut cake and ice cream...and don't judge us on the random order and combinations, if you weren't there you wouldn't understand, it was a place to over indulge and do it in style.

We sampled syrups and biscuits, strawberries and pastries. We met up with friends and family. We watched cooking demos and special classes put on by Brompton Cooker School.
Time was simply flying by!

Eventually we made our way down the Quarry and found the lunch vans offering items such as Fish and Chips or Shropshire Beef Baguette, jacket potatoes or salads...just in case you hadn't filled up from the 100 or so stalls we'd passed so far!

And after over 5 hours spent sampling anything and everything, making our way carefully around the entire site we decided our stomachs could handle no more...well until we got home and sampled the delights of our purchases all over again!

And even venturing up in to the town after exiting the Quarry grounds, it was clear to see the buzz and excitement for all things foody and Shrewsbury related...helped largely by the ever increasing temperatures of the afternoon sun.

I think it's fair to say that Shrewsbury is now realising it's potential as a food hub. Ludlow has always been referred to as "The place to eat" in Shropshire, drawing people from far and wide to it's Food Hall and Michelin starred restaurant but with the impact that a simple idea between friends growing in to an event that brings all tastes of Shropshire and beyond together in one central location, it is clear to feel the scent of change in the air. Shrewsbury can boast an historic yet cosmopolitan blend of tastes and cultures that are being reflected more and more with the choice of establishments offered.

Maybe it is the maturing side of me finally appreciating what has been right under my nose all along?
Maybe it is the nostalgia of old friends returning to the place where we met?
Maybe it is that Shrewsbury is becoming a more food-centric place to be?
Maybe it is all of the above?

Whatever it may be, all of this points to one thing...

Compared to some places, things don't change quickly in Shropshire...but that is the beauty of it!

And after experiencing all that the Shrewsbury Food Festival had to offer and seeing that evolve in to a growing passion for all things Shropshire from inside and outside of our County it is obvious to see the winds of change are definitely coming...and what better place to be when it does!

Films, films, thunder, rain and more films...in that order!

Weekends and films go together perfectly don't you agree?

The trouble is, for those of us that work Monday to Friday (officially 9-5 but who's kidding who here), the weekends are 48 hours where anything is possible...where we must find a way to undertake all the necessary chores that life dictates whilst also allowing ourselves to be free to let our hair down, over indulge, spend time with the people we love, catch up on things we've been putting off all week and generally just enjoy not being at work!

However, one of my favourite past times that I (amongst millions of others) also like get in each weekend, is at least one film...a task made much easier the past 6 months up until the sad demise this week of a certain iPhone app Cartoon HD! But even with all of those films at my fingertips, I still managed to find excuses to not be in the right frame of mind to sit down and watch certain films in favour of beloved classics that take less brain power after a working week!

This weekend offered most of the above, with catching up with friends, Chinese takeaway, haircut, housework and meal out with sister amongst other things planned for this 2 day period.

But when my girlfriend became unwell with flu like symptoms, the house became a quarantine zone, the weather decided to rage with thunderstorms and unpredictability, plans got cancelled and worst of all Cartoon HD was no more, I decided to take the lemons we had been dealt...and treat myself to a weekend of finally watching films I have been meaning to watch for months but never got around too!

My first choice is one that drew my attention nearly a year ago when I first saw the trailer and has stuck with me ever since for it's intriguing list of mega star cameos and underlying offbeat comedy!

The Grand Budapest Hotel is an escapist comedy that pays great homage to early British cinema and sees a heavy nod towards the slapstick nature of Charlie Chaplin and such like early greats.

Set in a backdrop based on wartime Bavaria, this stylish comedy is subtle in nature and could be easily lost on those who like their comedy a little more direct or choose not to pay attention and therefore miss the nods, glances and gestures that add more humour to the film than any words could at those points!

Ralph Fiennes' camp comedy genius is matched only by dry wit and timing of the young actor, Tony Revolory, playing the able Lobby Boy apprentice.

Despite all of the A list cameos, there is a single one that overplays their part or doesn't suit their role perfectly...with the ultimate A List appearance coming from Harvey Keitel as you would never expect to see him!

Overall I went in to this expecting to expect the unexpected, unsure of the true premise and simply knowing that my intrigue may not be enough to carry this film to my liking...but I needn't have worried. For I was enthralled from the start and remained intrigued and captivated by the comedic twists and turns that shout largely to a cinematic age long lost in the 21st century.

For a weekend of films ahead this was the perfect start for me...and would be a hard act to follow!

But follow it I must try...

So the second film I reached for is one that has fluttered around my consciousness for the majority of this year but one I've never quite been in the mood to get in to

The usual Coen Brothers melancholic atmosphere but this time with a soundtrack that enthrals and encapsulates an era of post war struggle inspired by Bob Dylan and the greats of that time...and one that anyone who enjoys their folk music a bit more modern, there is plenty to keep your ears entertained thanks to the involvement of Marcus Mumford of a certain chart topping group (I couldn't really make that one any easier to guess!).

The slow pace is typical of all things Coen (they are the masters of making you sit up one hour in and question whether anything has actually happened yet at the same time as realising that you've actually quite enjoyed the journey so far...wherever it is they've taken you) so if you're after a laugh-a-minute comedy to wile away a Saturday afternoon or entertain on a Friday night then this probably isn't for you...

And to be honest, even once it finished I wasn't entirely sure it was for me...as I wasn't entirely sure if it had actually gone anywhere...

But the truth is, it's one of those films that leaves you thinking about the undertones for a long time afterwards...and then of course there is that soundtrack to remember it by...what exactly I'm remembering I'm still not sure, but apparently that's the point!

So on to the next one...

After all that implied melancholy I figured it was time to lighten the mood.

So I thought I would take a risk and see if Zac Efron's brilliantly comedic stint in Bad Neighbours was a one off and give his previous dalliance a try.

That Awkward Moment is exactly that...That awkward moment when you realise that Zac Efron is actually a pretty decent comedy actor. Yes this is a simple rom com from a guys perspective that could easily be classed as a warm up act for his stint in Bad Neighbours but that would be unfair (alas it is what crossed my mind before pressing play having already seen Bad Neighbours and enjoyed that immensely!).

This film ticks all the right boxes you would expect... Attractive male characters, check; Attractive yet quirky female characters, check; A group of twenty something's finding their way in life to a backdrop of winter in New York, big check! What more could you ask for?!...

Well apart from Miles Teller not trying far to hard to be Jonah Hill, which is probably the main thing that annoys throughout but if you can get past that you'll be treated to a generic boys meet girls, falls for girls despite a brotherly pact, regrets early mistaken pact which causes rift between boys and girls alike, important moral life lessons get learned and then the grand gesture that brings them all back together...but we're all suckers for that kind of film from time to time right?!

This is one of those films that you can watch to wile away the time on a Saturday afternoon or indeed enjoy a Friday night out to!

And all of this in time for a Saturday afternoon haircut, housework and a Chinese takeaway with my sister and her fiancé!...after which we even managed to take in another film that I had previously seen but enjoyed nonetheless, Non-Stop. A Liam Neeson action spectacular that does exactly what it says on the tin and won't leave you disappointed if you are a fan of all things Taken...or whodunit-style thrillers. Which is pretty much all you need to say on that one!

I realise now that this feeble attempt at a film review blog post has whittled on for some time, and much like one of the films I watched, has left you unsure what you expected when you first started reading, what indeed you have just read and what, if any, impact losing these 10 minutes reading has had on your life.

And with Sunday still to go, I'll let you enjoy the rest of your weekend and I'll be sure to post part 2 (or the sequel if you will) of this self indulgence very shortly. If you are in anyway intrigued then do stop by again, hopefully (for me anyway) there is plenty more to follow...

Life's Ultimate Soundtrack

Coming down to London on the train yesterday gave me an opportunity to do something modern life rarely gives me time for these days...choose an album on my iPod, hit play and just sit back and enjoy!
This is something that is so easy to take for granted but should be savoured when the chance arises as hearing songs in the order that the artist intended can lead to an experience that can't be replicated elsewhere.

Recently I have found myself on numerous occasions just hitting the "shuffle" button on Spotify playlists or my iTunes library in search of missed tracks or new music or even a classic (in my opinion of course) that has escaped my ears for too long now.

Sometimes all I want is a particular song to capture the mood that I am in or provide the perfect soundtrack to whatever activity I may be undertaking at the time...and I won't know what that particular song needs to be until it randomly appears with that first note in my ears and I instantly know that I need search no longer.
Music can inspire us to future triumphs or remind us of moments or people that help make us who we are today.
Whether it is a 4 minute masterpiece or an entire album, just the intro or snippet of a forgotten clasic can gather a feeling that, in this modern technological age, no emoticon or hashtag can express!

The moment that you discover an existing album or artist you've never heard before can feel all your christmases have come at once...especially if their back catalogue before you found them is an extensive one!
Likewise, discovering a brand new artist or group can feel like the moment you've been waiting for and the anticpation for their new material can feel like a lifetime.
Arguably a better feeling is that of re-discovering a forgotten song or album. This is a feeling that allows us to recapture the years gone by, memories and moments that remind you of being a certain age, in a certain place or surrounded by a certain bunch of people.

Discovering older music or artists that inspired your current favourite artists is far more rewarding than in any other entertainment form, like finally getting around to seeing one of those classic films that you've "always meant to watch" but never actually got round to it.

Movies can inspire, amaze and delight in much the same way that music can. They are equally as era-defining and can make us aspire to be better people or change our lives.
And just like an over-hyped or eagerly anticipated album they can dissappoint just as quickly or leave you deflated after commiting 2 hours of your life to it!

Music however, reaches us on a much more personal level. We can identify with lyrics or just get lost in the moment.
And even songs that once annoyed us can be remembered years later with nostalgic fondness.

Ultimately, music is the most accessible form of entertainment that can break down barriers or simply capture an emotion.
It can be with us all day and night if we choose and there is no greater jukebox than the mind to help your favourite songs whirl around in your head for days at a time.

You can allow yourself to be defined by your musical taste or be open and eclectic with your choices.
Just like movies, everyone has their favourite genre's but other genre's are always out there, sometimes intertwining with one another to tempt us in to unchartered territory.

Whatever your taste, music will always be the greatest gift a person can give as it is out there to be shared with the world...but still enjoyed by the individual all the same.

So why not treat yourself this bank holiday weekend to that album you used to own or have been meaning to get but haven't got round to it. Maybe just download a selection of your favourite tracks from iTunes or hit the shuffle button on your music collection.

Whatever you choose to do in this film we call life, let music capture the moments and create the ultimate soundtrack!

Oh and for those of you wondering, I chose 2 albums on my journey down to London...HAIM's "Days Are Gone" and John Legend's "Love In The Future", neither of which I had had chance to listen to before and both of which I can thoroughly recommend...and for the journey back up north?...guess both you and I will just have to wait and see!

Striking to the heart of the problem

The notion of "cause and effect" is something that has been uttered, considered and utilised by generations of western civilisations dating back to the days of Aristotle, and even longer in Buddhist teachings on Karma.
Essentially the causality principle centres around the notion that every action (cause) has a consequential reaction (effect).

Don't worry this blog post isn't about to start spouting off scientific principles or utter sentences beginning with "If a butterfly flaps its wings...". Instead, watching the news in the past few days and keeping a close eye on all things social media in that time has brought the term in to my head on more than one occasion.

Not being a Londoner myself, the chaotic tube strikes which are now upon our nations capital are having little effect on me and my ability to get to and from work or play.
However, it is probably because I can sit from my perch 180 miles north that I am able to have an unbiased view on the potential outcome of this unfortunate inconvenience for London's commuters and visitors alike.

First off, I am not privy to the ins and outs of the numbers that Boris Johnson is using to evaluate the need for ticket offices. Nor am I saying that the cutting of staff and hundreds of people being made redundant is anything other than disgraceful in any industry, with effects to be felt in the lives of each of those individuals if the situation gets to that point.

However, what I am saying is that with strike action there is a greater impact to consider than just the required outcome for the 900+ tube workers that could potentially lose their jobs as part of planned modernisation to the underground system.

A friend of mine posted a picture on Facebook last night of the queues emanating from Oxford Circus station at 6pm...3 hours before the first strike was meant to start!
The same friend posted a second picture this morning, this time from Earls Court station, where the view from the overpass linking the platforms showed more resemblance to that of a 1940's evacuee reenactment than that of a Tuesday morning commuter rush.

The impact that the increased time and uncertainty of his journey from South West London to his job in one of the busiest retail stores in Oxford Street (and the world for that matter) stretches further than just adding time to his day.

Think about it, if one member of staff is unable to make it to work on time then workloads, rotas and potentially pay can be affected. Now, imagine if 5 staff are affected are unable to make their shift or work altogether? Suddenly the impact is growing. Granted the larger companies can swallow small impacts like this no problem, but what about the smaller independent business such as restaurants? The lateness of 5 staff would surely mean it doesn't open on time and thus impacts attracting potential customers and loses potential income.

Commuters are walking further to stations, a positive effect on health, but are then greeted by walls of fellow commuters at the next station, leaving streets congested and visitors unable to experience day-to-day London, something that will surely impact businesses even further.

And surely purchases in general will be down during this time, impacting sales figures, bottom lines and potentially target related bonuses, which has knock-on ripple effects on an unknown scale.

The daily number of consumers in London won't dip too much even with the strikes in force; pre-planned trips and people just wanting to be part of London's culture will ensure the economy thrives no matter what, but their shopping habits are likely to be affected.
If they reach the shopping areas such as Oxford Street and are greeted with walls of people, their first instincts are not to simply browse and purchase on the off-chance, but to prioritise their purchases and head straight for those areas to ensure they accomplish their initial goal.

Also, with the average commuter, who may pop in to a store as they pass on their usual route home of an evening, now fully concentrated on the time it takes to get home and making sure that they take the quickest route possible then they are unlikely to make off-chance purchases as well or at least put off purchases until the strikes pass.

And that's just an example of how one person and one company could be affected, in a city of over 8 million people, 70% of which are employed, the impact of this tube strike will be felt far and wide even outside the districts and boroughs that the tube line connects.

I read in the Independent this morning that an extra 266 buses have been added to the existing service in London for these 48 hours, meaning over 8,000 buses would be in use per day. These services, along with additional river services, are fine but surely at 90 people per bus still can't cope with the majority of passengers affected by these strikes.
But that is beside the point. Extra buses means extra fuel use and pollution, leading to yet another effect that would not have occurred prior to this strike.
Also, the tube strike may steer the minds of people looking to enter London to drive instead of using public transport, again adding extra cars to already congested routes, more pollution and ultimately lining the pockets of government further with all the extra congestion charges!

It is an example of how day-to-day services can be taken for granted and another old adage of "you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone" could always be thrown at this but ultimately, living in an age of information should mean that we are prepared for situations such as this.
But nothing can prepare businesses and domestic life for the impact that these delays could have. In a city of individuals, the variable number of impacts being delayed could have are almost immeasurable but could be felt long after the 48 hours are up.

I do hope a resolution can be found for both the modernisation of the underground as well as the safety of jobs in an obvious lifeblood of our capital city.

Forgive my input in to this delicate situation but sometimes it is important to make sure all factors have been considered.
For the cause may be worthwhile...but as we have already briefly discussed, you've got to remember that there is always an effect.

'Tis the Season...

It's that time again folks...it's the most wonderful time of the year...

No, not Christmas! Don't worry, you haven't gone to bed last night and had 8 months sleep rather than the recommended 8 hours.

No No No (sorry couldn't resist another Christmas-esque pun), 'Tis the season and most wonderful time of the year for those closest to me, who have all of their birthdays within 12 days of each other...oh and this year for good measure there was a Mother's Day thrown in too!
So that's Sister, Mother's Day, Best Friend, Girlfriend and Mother to buy for, treat and spend time with all within just under 2 weeks and all within one pay slip!

This seasonal time may explain my absence from writing this blog for the past 4 weeks as it is always filled with copious amounts of celebrating, enjoyment filled evenings catching up with friends and family and of course food aplenty (most of which is indulgent and needs rectifying in the weeks that follow)!

But 21 days in to April, you don't want excuses, your excitement can only hold so long...for I know you've all been checking back eagerly awaiting an update on all things #RandomTask related...No? Well, you're going to get one anyway!

For those regular readers of you out there, you'll remember last month I achieved my #RandomTask of 14 Yoga sessions in February and decided to emulate this pattern in to March with the following addition to this years approach to New Years Resolutions...

#6 Keep up the good work and undertake Yoga on a minimum of 15 days throughout March.

So what do you think? Don't look ahead...did I complete this challenge for the 2nd month in a row?
Did I achieve my increased target?
Can I, for the first time since undertaking this blog, sit here and write to you in a state of positive achievement, knowing that I have successfully stuck to at something for more than an initial honeymoon period?

Is it a yes? Or am I building you up for comic effect to tell you that somewhat predictably I have failed?

Have you got your answer? Time to stick or twist as I can now reveal that...

I am delighted to tell both the believers and the doubters out there that I...have only gone and achieved it! (If this was an audio blog this would be the moment that a chorus of "Hallelujah" rings out in the background!).
There were a few set backs but with perseverance I managed to achieve the 15th round of yoga on 31st March at 9:05pm, determined to not let myself and you, the reader, down!

All has been going really well with my enjoyment of this new hobby and my willingness to stick to my target and the regret I feel when not undertaking it hasn't wavered so understandably after all this triumphant celebrating I started April with all the good intentions that have seen me through the past 2 months in full force.

But this is where this birthday season comes in to conspire against me...

Not just financially (being the generous gift giver that I am! ;-) ), but with the even more precious gift of time.

For these 3-4 weeks of birthdays are filled with searching for, picking up and wrapping presents, meals out and time spent with family and friends (which I love and am very thankful for but let's be honest I can't exactly get changed and tell them all to "talk amongst themselves" whilst I undertake 20 mins of Yoga in the front room or whilst out at the restaurant!) and adding this to the usual day-to-day working and household activities that get in the way all year round, then this all seems to work against me and the new Yoga routine that I've built for myself.

However, it is not all lost as I have realised that it is not always about the number achieved but the benefit gained from each session (sounds a bit "oo er missus" but you get where I'm going with this). I have already undertaken 6 yoga sessions since the 1st April and with 9 full days still remaining I have every faith that I will at least hit double digits by the time May 1st swings round.

So no Yoga related #RandomTask from me this time. Let's see how well I get on without it and especially now that birthday season has passed.

And as for blogging, well just because I haven't posted anything until now this month, doesn't mean I haven't been busy.
Having already blogged more than the entirety of 2013 and with this post I have equalled the 2012 total that kick started this little side project of mine, I am feeling rather pleased with myself and positive about the year ahead!

As in the small amount of spare time I have managed to find and as always in the random notes that I take down on my phone at whatever hour the inspiration comes to me, blogs are slowly piecing themselves together and I intend to share a couple of them with you before this month draws to a close...so keep an eye out for those as I increase my blog count further and further.

For now though, I will simply sit back, wish you all a very Happy Easter and wait for pay day to roll around as I find my feet again...no doubt just in time for birthday season to creep up on me again this time next year!

Oh and for those of you keeping count...
#RandomTasks Set = 7 Completed = 4 Pending = 1 Failed = 2

A Happy Coincidence?

Having left university 5 years ago with a 1^st class Business degree (if you can’t blow your own trumpet on your own blog then where can you?!), I presumed that I stood as good a chance as anyone at securing myself not just a job but a career!

Well for those of you with good Math skills (and those without) you’ll be able to work out that I graduated in 2009, at the heart of the recession, meaning job opportunities (especially for that dream job all graduates so desperately crave) were few and far between.

It took me 6 months and multiple applications, interviews and rejections but I finally landed myself a job as a Project Analyst within a Life and Pensions provider.

Not quite the direction I had envisaged myself going whilst working on Marketing or Business Development case studies about Amazon and Disney during my studies but it was a job and a foot on the ladder!

Simply put, I was one of the many graduates to almost “fall in to” a career path that was chosen based upon my necessity to make all of the debt collected on student loans and late night studying worth it!

I grew in to the role quite quickly and progressed on to more high profile projects, growing with confidence as the months went on (there’s more trumpets being blown on here than a Jason Derulo song!) but something was missing…

There was a certain lack of creativity involved in the Life and Pensions industry (I know you’re all shocked!) and the right side of my brain was just craving to be allowed to have its say!

Well last March I made the decision to take my career path in a slightly different direction and apply for a role within the Marketing department at Fruit of the Loom.

Luckily for me I was successful and instantly knew I was in an atmosphere that more reflected both my personality and direction I wanted to go. Even as a Commercial Analyst I was asked for my creative opinion on artwork and involved in agency meetings. I had more creative meetings in my first week than I would have ever had in my previous environment.

But I was still on the fringes of Marketing, watching on as my colleagues took on creative projects and interacted with creativity on a daily basis.

Then, 5 months ago, the chance arose for me to apply for an internal position as Digital Marketing Executive…a role that would send me in a completely unchartered path for me but one that would combine my passion for marketing and desire to let my creative side run wild with the analytical skills I have picked up along the way.

And having previously worked as a Marketing Assistant during my placement year and also working as a Commercial Analyst within the Marketing team in question for the 8 months prior, the switch didn’t seem like it would be as risky as it might be going elsewhere.

I’m not naïve enough to believe that just having the right job title ensured that every day will come up smelling of roses or that there won’t be dull moments but I was prepared to take that step into the unknown, knowing that the days that provided creativity and enjoyment would more than outweigh the others.

And thanks to all of these decisions that I have taken, I was able to enjoy one such day last week, when I had the pleasure of attending the 4^th annual McCann Birmingham Digital 360 event, held at Austin Court in Birmingham.

Now, if you are a believer in fate and things happening for a reason then the day started well. For in order to ensure I had something to entertain my mind during the 1 hour train journey to Birmingham from Shrewsbury I decided to purchase a daily newspaper…something I haven’t done for some time.

With all of the options available to me, I decided against any of the red-tops (just because) and knew that if I went for one of the broad sheets then the site of me trying to turn giant pages on a packed train would soon outweigh any intellectual prowess I was trying to protrude.

Instead I went for the in-between (and weirdly the cheapest) choice and purchased the i-newspaper for 30p.

There were a number of interesting articles on the first 39 pages, not least one about an inappropriate local train announcer, but as soon as I turned on to page 40 I was stopped in my tracks (get it, tracks…trains…just me? Oh well…) and got the feeling that seems to evade us all far too often… the feeling that everything was falling into alignment rather neatly.

For the headline on page 40 read “The Rise of Digital Marketing"...

(The Page 40 article in question, Source: i Newspaper Print Edition 20/03/14)

The article was predominantly a chance to promote the 2 London Universities offering post graduate courses in different fields of Digital Marketing but the theme went along with the heading and conveyed the message that this was a field on the rise and businesses needed to reflect the importance of it or risk falling behind. Alongside that message was the added bonus for my background that analytical skills would help people thrive within this aspect of Marketing…all music to my ears!

I looked around to see if anyone else had reached the same epiphany moment as I had just done…or whether someone was sat there waiting to tell me this was a prank being played on me…nothing…just 100 or so blank expressions from people going about their morning commute as normal and wondering why this weird guy was trying to make eye contact with everyone.

But it seemed like the world was telling me something. Nudging me towards the conclusion that maybe I was finally on the right path…or maybe someone just happened to write an article on Digital Marketing in the paper I chose to purchase on the one day I chose to purchase it on my way to a seminar on Digital Marketing? (For those of you wondering, I purchased the same brand of newspaper the next day just to check if it was a regular theme and I can tell you there were no such articles on Digital Marketing that day…just throwing it out there!) Either way, whatever you believe, it started my day with the confidence and eagerness to increase my knowledge base further…and so onwards I travelled.

I then arrived at the venue to find delicious breakfast pastries and juices available, most likely to ensure we were all suitably filled with enough sustenance to keep our minds focussed on the content about to be delivered to us…they needn’t have worried…

With presentations from Mintel, Sky Media and The Guardian intertwined with case studies from McCann employees, the insight provided to the audience was interesting, engaging and scary all at the same time.

(Prime seats for question time with the speakers at the McCann Digital 360 Event)

Interesting in the sense that we were treated to stats detailing the habits and patterns of the post-recession consumer; Engaging as with each new speaker that arrived on the stage, new ways to reach and interact with these consumers were delivered alongside some modern technological advances that wouldn’t have seemed out of place being reviewed on The Gadget Show; Finally the scariness came from the amount of data that is collected on all of us as we go about our daily lives. Every item purchased, every link clicked on, even every facial expression made can be collected at different times depending on where you are or what you are doing. This concept was referred to as “Big Data” and essentially means that every action we take in the modern world can be captured, translated and fed back to us in a way that is designed to seek our engagement all over again… and I know what you’re thinking and I agree, you’re right to be thinking it… “How very Orwellian!”

The overall message behind the day was that “Content is key” in order to help engage the end user and drive a business forward with the right product mix directed at the right consumer demographic… but the prospect of Orwellian privacy was never far behind…whether we like it or not, Big Brother (who take many forms and watch us from many locations) can see everything if we let them, a fact that is seeing legal precedents arise in the United States on a more frequent basis but one that doesn’t have to be scary if you a) know how to protect yourself or b) don’t mind the slight intrusion of privacy if it means that the world around you becomes more tailored to you.

Concepts such as mood-sensing audio systems in the home or billboards that convey advertising to you based upon your current facial expression seem all very Star Trek-like but are very real and very much in use and are just the tip of the iceberg for where technology, data and marketing can be taken.

For me, as I am still relatively new in to this side of Marketing, all of the intrigue, engagement and scariness that sparked my interest and humbled me to see where the field is heading and in an environment that is ever changing, I already feel like I’ll be playing catch up for a while to come yet!

And all the while these presentations were taking place, my mind was taking in all of this information as well as flashing back to that article on page 40 and my decision to take a step in to the unknown all those months ago.

However, it was the reinforcement of the message that analytics would continue to play a huge part in the future shaping of Digital Marketing that made me realise that life might just have taken me on these apparently unconnected paths to reach the point where I finally figured out what I was meant to be doing within it!

It all sounds very fantastical but I can’t describe it any other way.

Through chance I had landed myself an analytical job outside of Marketing…a chance decision to take a leap of faith as an Analyst within a Marketing team led me to be in the right place at the right time when a Digital Marketing position became available…which led me to reading an article in a randomly purchased newspaper by chance on the one day that I was on a train to a Digital Marketing seminar…what would you call it?

Anyway, once the seminar was concluded, questions were answered, guests and speakers were thanked and the crowds made their way back to normality, it was time for me to do likewise.

Despite all of the fantastical cosmic alignment talk and enjoyment of the day, I knew I would still be heading back in to the office as usual the following day. But for the first time in a long while I would be doing so knowing that I was heading in the right direction (metaphorically anyway, after one year at the same place of work you would expect I know where the office is by now!).

Ultimately, this hasn’t just been an excuse for me to learn to play the trumpet, I guess the moral behind this narrative is that change can be scary or risky but change can also lead you in the right direction. Sometimes taking that leap of faith can pay off and it may take time and there will always be ups and downs but on the occasions when everything seems to fall in to place, you’ll get the chance to reflect and think “I made the right decision…I made this happen!”

Oh and all of this happened to me on World Happiness Day…coincidence? I like to think not!