2003 Blog Archive

Below are my web blog updates from 2003, officially the first full year of blogging.

Wednesday 31st December 2003

Just wanted to wish all visitors to my site, new and old all the best for 2004.

I have now been successfully listing on BloggingBrits Web Ring. Fantastic!

Tuesday 30th December 2003

Two full days of 2003 left, and this one is quickly passing me by with no thought that the year ahead is to be one of the toughest I have faced, in four years. Now thinking about it, perhaps even six years, because although my A Level exams where important, my GCSE's where a much more significant milestone!

I have to admit that I have been playing my XBox quite frequently, recently. It does come useful, when you have a few hours spare before the final Premiership game of 2003. Of all the reasons to like GTA Vice City, I have to admit mine is quite vague. The 80s setting and the soundtrack make the game exceptionally different from others in the same genre. Particularly when they include hits such as 'Out Of Touch' by Hall & Oates and also the mega smash 'Billie Jean'. I have also been trying my hand at Project Gotham Racing 2. I have never been the best player of computer games. As those who witness my trashing on Super Mario Kart on the N64 will recall. I would usually come last, and occasionally 3rd. Only if one of my mates had made a major mistake. My advice to you is this is not the best way to spend the time before and in between lectures. What happens is that you keep giving you unlimited amounts of '5 minutes' and then have a race against time to get to your lecture in time! However, I am sure with time and patience, I will make slow progress on the racing game and up the Kudos roster.

As most of you will be aware, I am fan of the BBC Fame Academy Show. It began with the first show, and I was impressed with the format, as it had more creditability than the rival ITV Popstars and included an element of Big Brother. I blogged about it here. The show this year had a different format, which although I disliked, proved quite successful. Instead of having three students on 'probation', all students sang for their place in the academy. The prize, how can I not mention the prize. The life of a popstar for a year. Something money cannot buy, no matter how much success fame brings you. Overall the quality was extremely high, and much better than rival ITV Pop Idol. Some 10 months from first mentioning the show in my blog, I was doing it again, in August. My favourite student was Alistair Griffin. He has the quality of being of those guys that you instantly call your friend. His song writing ability was only surpassed by his singing talent. Winning, every weeks song writing competition. I wanted to link to the Official Fan Site dedicate to up and coming popstar, but they have removed their banner. So I will wait until then. I have heard Griffin's first single and have to admit I am impressed, with 'Bring It On'. A catchy, uplifting song about facing the challenges ahead. Indeed we shall, we shall...

The month began with great responsibility. There will come a point in your life, when you are called upon. Called upon with great honour to forefill a part of your destiny. There is a saying that "Time waits for no man...". I personally I think this is incorrect. I believe that, "Destiny waits for no man..." When you are called, you go. You do your utmost best, no matter what the circumstances are to prove yourself, to prove those doubters wrong. To show that those whop had done you wrong, shall never deter you from seeking the truth and finding joy in the happiness of others. This fine day belong to my long time school friend David Jones. If you had asked me ten years ago, if DJ would be the first of the Lansdowne Crew to get hitched, I would laughed. It was total incomprehensible. Even now, it sounds strange, almost alien to say, Dave is married!" I was there and I was his best man. A favour you ultimately have to return, but in my case, I think I will be the exception.

Another highlights of this month, I had a week off work, spending working on my second Placement assignment. With regards to my website, I smashed the 2000 visitor mark. Interesting, as the site has just smashed the 3000 barrier a few days ago. Overall a great month for me. My placeement was drawing to an end, and summer had become a truly sweet prospect.

Tracks of the month:
Sonique - Can't Make Up My Mind
Q Mix - Eye Of The Tiger v Fill Me In (Survivor v Craig David)
R Kelly - Ignition (Remix)
Foundation - All Out Of Love

This month started me with installed Windows XP Pro on my PC. There was also the entertainment of seeing the second installment of The Matrix trilogy. My website was tweaked slighty, but I was still trying to find the best design for the new site. It was still sometime before I would begin construction on the new site. A quiet month in contrast to the one before and very little to write about in my blog. I recall two England internationals, as they continue to qualify for Euro 2004 in Portugal.

Tracks of the month:
Melanie C - Northern Star
Jennifer Ellison - Baby, I Don't Care

Sunday 28th December 2003

Does it feel like a Sunday today? No, it does not. Actually I cannot tell you what day it feels like at all. The week gap between Christmas and the New Year is such a strange time. You lose tracks of the days and your sense of timing too!

Have you seen the recent BBC FA Cup campaigns starring the legendry Don King? If not click here. The basically plot behind the trail is to inject some much needed, "razzmatazz" into the FA Cup. This is something the Americans are proud in their professional sports leagues. Don King does demonstrate, that the love of the FA Cup, is something very English and no matter how much showcasing, it will always remain so.

Did you watch the final ever episode of The Office? The first part of the two part Christmas Special, I have to admit was a disappointment to me, as a big fan of the spoof documentary series. However, last night's episode was fantastic. too many times in the past have certain things happened in soaps and other tv programmes, when I have thought to myself. "No, I didn't want that to happen!" On this occasion, what we had hoped for did happen. Dawn and Tim did get together, and the way in which this was undertaken on screen was brilliant. Even, Brent for whom, we started to feel some apathy and pity. As a boss, we could put up with him, but seeing him on the road as a traveling sales rep, you do tend you feel that he is rather like a fish out of water. For him, then to find someone like Carol, at the end through the dating agency was a nice touch. Even though at times, we all thought it was wasn't going to happen. Particularly after the first two unsuccessful dates. The script at times was amazing, I just wish I could recall some of the dialogue! The final few scenes did bring closure to the series, with David, pushing Neil out of the picture and asking for a photograph of the old regime, the "Glory Years". Perhaps those days will return sometime in not to distant future.

I got an X-Box for Christmas. This is my first console since the Sega Master System II, which I had nearly ten years ago. So far I have been very impressed with the overall quality of the video game system. Microsoft have spent some time working on this product. However, the games are still quite expensive, with most new titles, costing £40. Do you remember when games for the Sega Mega Drive (Genesis to most of you out there!) were that expensive? Oh, the sweet memories! I got Project Gotham Racing 2, with the console. I was in London yesterday with a friend and purchased Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto Vice City, Platinum Pack. I had played both the first two versions of this now classic game on the PC. My dear friend Sippy had made the foolish mistake of bringing the original to Uni in the first year. I can recall many an afternoon spent driving around the streets of Vice City. Then a few weeks later, I was given GTA Mission Pack 1: London 1969. More time wasted around the streets of the capital in the 60s, hijacking Minis and trying to keep one step of the police. Then after the Christmas break, I was given GTA2. I think I spent more time on this title, than any of the predecessors. The lesson learned? Avoid any games at University if you can help it. Particularly those popular titles, such as Grand Theft Auto.

I have applied for mySQL account to be added to this web hosting package, so I will have a guest book loaded onto the site very soon. Apart from that I haven't made an effort with any site updates. I am even considering, not completing my Review of 2003. It was one of those things that seemed a fantastic idea at the time, but as you get drawn into writing something meaningful to reflect a month, it becomes very difficult and challenging. It is not for me, however, to not finish something that I have started, so I shall, this week, finish my review of 2003. Whether I do such a look back at my year in the future, is in the balance. Still waiting for my entry in Blogging Brits to be listed. I anticipate that once this happens, I shall get an increase in traffic to my site. The counter has just reached 3,000 in the last few hours. That is an average of 72 hits a month over the 41 month history of the site. Let's hope 2004 brings more friends and visitors to my site.

Friday 26th December 2003

The rain drizzled down, as we drove back from Oxford in my friend's Maxda 6 TS2. He turned up his stereo, to fill the car with suitable festive music. A break in our casual conversation, I began to listen to more attentively to the music being played. I then asked my friend, C, the artist for the song that was being played. He quickly answered with some assurance, "Wings". Never one to judge my friend's high intellect, even for such a trivial subject as music, I felt reassured that this was the artist of the song. However, just to check, I asked to see the CD case for the album being played. It was, The No.1 Christmas Album. Released on 9th December 1996, the quality of the music was exceptional and music there to appeal to both old and young. As the reviews on Amazon clearly indicate. However, by now, there were various other songs that I had heard and I never got the chance to recall the song I had enquired about. I searched for them on the track listing, and tried to make some mental notes. That was Sunday, and I do recall checking the track listing in full on Amazon, and downloading a few songs via KaZaa. The song was forgotten for now. I began to think, is this really a Christmas song? When I had heard it earlier, it sounded far from a festive number, with no reference to any seasonal related paraphernalia

Christmas Eve, and with all my family arriving home, I didn't actually make my way to bed until nearly 12:30am. So, I decided to listen to the radio on my Nokia 7210. (Yes, I know I need to upgrade my handset!) I briefly heard the song again, but the reception was poor, and I was switching across all my preset stations.

Today, I decided to check the song listing for the album again, and recalled the song chorus. I looked for songs by Paul McCartney or Wings, but found not what I sought. I continued to scroll down and there it was, "Freiheit". I searched for the song on KaZaa and found it, then I played it on WinAmp 5.01. This was the song, I had been hunting for. I was then desperate to find out more about this band, this song and to discover, why their sound was so familiar to the famous Beatles. My first port of call was BBCi, and searching via the TOTP2 Database. No luck there. I had to dive into the deep end and use Google. I found the lyrics, that was easy enough, but finding out more about the band, that seemed more of a difficult task. Luckily on surfing through several Google results, I discovered a page dedicated to the German 80s band, Münchener Freiheit on here. On the The Leopard's Lair. More to follow on that shortly. For now, I'm just going to enjoy the song, and discovering more of the music.

The hopes we had were much too high
Way out of reach but we have to try
The game will never be over
Because we're
Keeping The Dream Alive

Thursday 25th December 2003

I just wanted to wish all visitors to my site, both old and new, a very Merry Christmas.

Wednesday 24th December 2003

I have been at home for almost a week, and with Christmas a few hours away it does feel strange. Strange in the sense, that the special day has come around again, so quickly. My memories of the last few Christmases are still fresh, each one filled with joy and happiness. I am looking forward to the big day tomorrow, very much like I always do. I have to admit though, the force has not been as strong as previously. By the force, I mean the Christmas feeling you feel deep inside, this time of year. You may not feel this 'feeling' anymore, but you will have pleasant memories as a child, feeling a warm glow at Christmas time.

I went to do my Christmas shopping on Sunday. This may have been a poor decision, due to the shorter opening hours. I went to Oxford with a friend, hoping that it would be quieter, than any going to any other town centre nearby. This of course, was the case, but then Oxford is not really a commercial retail city, but more of centre for tourism and academic excellence. I fell into the false sense of security, that it was a Saturday and then time got the better of me. Therefore, I only purchased a few of my presents and needed to go shopping again. I was thinking of going out on Monday, but decided against this and went yesterday to Uxbridge. Luckily, I got all my shopping done, amid the rush of The Chimes. That is one weight off my mind!

Overall a good month. I went back to Leicester for the first time, and I would make two trips this month. I had very mixed emotions heading back to my University city. The feeling of seeing my friends and meeting up with course mates was great, but I knew I had to be back for my Final Year and the prospect brought a chill down my spine. There was also the fact that my memories of Leicester would never be the same. I was returning as a new man, a changed man. Although you were not to know how I felt, and the chance of seeing you were slim, very slim, I would not have been able to deal with such an encounter. No matter how brief. A met up with my friend Darren this month, too and he came over to see the sights and sounds of Wycombe! Summer was drawing nearer and with it the prospects of a fresh start.

Tracks of the month:
Sugar Jones - Days Like That
Kym Marsh - Cry
The Bangles - Something That You Said
Beyoncé Knowles - In Da Club
Pure Tone - Stuck In The Groove
Laura Pausini - Surrender

A moving month with many events that brought with them great responsibility. Early in the month, during the England v Turkey game, I get a shock from my dear friend David Jones. He asks me to be his Best Man, for his wedding, exactly a month away! Foolishly, I say yes! Later in the month, I get the chance to have a full demo in the Fiat Stilo Abarth, which was one of best experiences of the month. TEG was back on the road and my placement was going very very well. The night out in Milton Keynes for which I had great expectations, turned out to be quite a disappointment. Then of course, there was a weekend traveling exactly 600 miles in three days! Crazy! :)

Tracks of the month:
Sister Hazel - Champagne High
Backstreet Boys - I Want It That Way (Remix)
Liberty X - Saturday/Doin' It

Friday 19th December 2003

A very busy day today, but I have found time to update my blog. Under normal circumstances I would not be updating but my dear friend Sippy, read my blog and gave me some additional food for thought! It was in relation to my views on perfume advertisements currently flooding our television screens. He quite happily pointed out that I had missed out the following: Jean Paul Gautier, Echo by Davidoff, Armani and the new fragrance from CK. Thank you kindly Mr. Bandali, should me miss out any other vital information that the country must know, we will know where to go!

Another update from last night's blog, is the song that I have been overplaying wherever I am. Kagna by Dr. Zeus featuring Master Rakesh. Well I found a site, which uncovers the full meaning of the song, by translating it into English. You can read the full lyrics in English and Indian-English, here.

Thursday 18th December 2003

I got back into Wycombe, yesterday afternoon around 3.30pm. I have to admit that it is a great feeling to be back home. The plans for Christmas can now be put into full swing. Wednesday was quite a hectic day, packing everything, sorting out everything at my house. Saying goodbye to my housemates until the new year. I have noticed that the Christmas period does tend to creep up on you more when you are a student, rather than a everyday, worker. The reason I suppose for this is because you are too busy with deadlines and in your own student bubble, that starts and ends on campus. This is not to say you are completely detached from the outside world, but you access the reality of the rest of the world remotely, via the television and internet. When I was on placement last year, Christmas appeared to be more of a steady heartbeat, from mid November, rather than a mad stroke a week before, as is the case now. I do appreciate life as a student, having been on the other side of the fence and realized that perhaps, working life is not what it is all made up to be.

The prospects of seeing all my friends again is great. I haven't got in touch with many yet, but should do by the time the weekend comes around. Great to see how things have been getting along, since the end of the summer. Although I am going to try my best and enjoy myself while at home with my family. The promise of a new year are great reasons to celebrate, the holiday itself is far from fore filled, as exams play on your mind and are just around the corner. There is no escape.

Think Of A Letter. That was one of the Royal Mail's advertising campaigns several years ago. Before Elton, before they decided to brand themselves as the Real Network. However, most of their vans and lorries still have this corporate message. One drove passed me on Wednesday morning, when I headed onto Welford Road for a haircut. What made me notice this vehicle from the many others heading around the busy Leicester Ring Road? The number plate. "R590TEG". It has been sometime since I had seen that plate, mainly because I hadn't ventured beyond my regular journeys to and from Queens and Gateway on the DMU City Campus.

Now that my blog has reached a substantial size, with nearly two years of archive, I have decided to have it listed with several blogs rings and listings. Blogging Brits was re-opened on Monday after being down two weeks, well for membership adds. I added myself to the blog ring, and await successful addition to their listing. I also added myself to BlogWise, expecting to be added to their UK listing within a few days. To my dismay, it will be some 24 days before my site is even considered for inclusion. Hopefully this will raise the profile of my blog and get it many more hits from a variety of sources. I was checking my stats for the site, over the past few days. I was amazed to discover, that my site has been viewed by people, in the Netherlands, Italy, Romania and Canada. Not just that, but also far flung places such as Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Singapore. If you have recently surfed on, from any of these exotic locations, please get in touch. It would be great to hear how things are going in your part of the world.

As anyone else noticed the over exposure of perfume advertisements on TV recently? I think I counted over eight in one ad break alone. What is the world coming to? Perfume must be one of the few products in the world where the manufacturer, has to sell you an experience rather than just a box. With other products, the Unique Selling Point will alone, drive a product or service to the consumer, but with perfume? What can the you sell about it across a medium like the television? From what I can remember, I noted the following: Glow (JLo), No.5 (Chanel), Tommy (Hilfiger), Lacoste, Elizabeth Arden (starring one Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Hugo Boss.

Not sure how many of you have seen the most recent of the BBC Promotions for Digital Radio. Well all the promotional slots, well I cannot called them advertisements as this is a public broadcaster, follow a very familiar theme. The 'stars' have to reduce time spent on other activities to be able to enjoy all the new content on 8 new digital channels from the BBC. One of the more humorous, if rather bizarre, clips was of a middle-aged business executive, not dressing properly (or should I say fully), to the dismay of her colleagues, all to enjoy an episode of the Archers. The most recent of these has been focusing on the BBC's Asian Network and it's now countrywide availability on DAB. The scene is a restaurant and the couple are being served their starter. All seems well, but the waiters return to serve up second and third courses. The other customers in the restaurant look on in a mixture of shock and bemusement. Then the couple return home and the man turns on his DAB radio, for a banging Bhangra track to fill the room. The tag line: "Eat all courses at ones. Time Saved: 32 minutes". For sometime, the song that was played during this sketch evaded me. I asked my sisters, even a friend who is a DJ at a rival digital radio station. However, still no joy. Until last night. My sister had purchased the album Urban Fusion, very familiar to Urban Explosion released earlier this year. Before I feel asleep, I thought I would look at the track listing and see if I was familiar with any of the songs. I wasn't. Then I noticed disc two and the artist called Zeus. He had featured on Urban Explosion, with a remix of the Sugar Jones cover of "Days Like That". This was originally a hit for Fierce back in 1999. I played the track by Zeus and immediately, it clicked. This was the song that I had been searching for. I love it when a play comes together. Just need to rinse the track in the car now. The name of the song, how could I leave you in any more suspense - Zeus featuring Master Rakesh - "Kangna".

Some of the luxuries of being at home...

Monday 15th December 2003

I purchased my Christmas Cards today. It is amazing how much time we spending browsing and searching for the perfect card for our friends and loved ones. I wonder, how much time we spending in a lifetime, doing such a trivial activity. It is one of those things that always takes longer than you expect. For many years now, my preferred choice for any card for any occasion has been Clinton Cards. Not sure how this particular brand loyalty came about. I just like there products, and the staff are quite pleasant too. So now it has become the only place I got for my greeting cards. Well better going there, than the petrol station, I know how poor they can be! How times fly, today it has been exactly three months since I moved into my student house in Leicester. Where has the time gone?

For some reason, I thought I would download some MJ videos. Not really sure what spurred me on to do this, I just wanted to see what was available. Although I have downloaded several myself and my friend Darren got me the DVD, Michael Jackson - Number Ones for my birthday last month.

Everyone knows that my favourite music video is A-ha's classic, "Take On Me". However, in recent years music videos have provided some heavy competition for this 80s art piece. One video that is greatest bases purely on concept is Michael Jackson's - "HIStory - (Tony Moran's History Lesson)" This remix from the 1997 album, Blood On The Dancefloor - HIStory in the Mix, provides an exciting and unique look into the future of the nightclub. The premise? A young girl, inserts a CD, into some sort of entertainment system of the future. She is then transported into the world of the music. As the pumping bass lines starts, you taken on a journey. A journey into the future. A future, where compact discs are spun by the DJ, the dance floor is full of television screens, and projections as the clubbers begin to move to the beat. As the unique vocal that can only be Michael Jackson enters, you realize that this amazing club is like no other. The screen shows some of the most famous music videos ever, by of course the King Of Pop. I recall watching this videos on many a lazy day, during my family holiday in India. It was August 1997, and my sisters, cousin and I could not get enough of this video. We waited impatiently for it to come on Channel [V] every day, and then hit the volume button to enjoy the best of MJ. Unfortunately, it was a international video and not on the UK play lists when we got home. Luckily, my sister got the album on cassette tape. That time didn't last until Christmas.

I haven't 'burnt' an audio CD for ages, so I'm going to create one tomorrow. It's being created mainly for my journey home to Wycombe on Wednesday, but also to keep me company on those festive drives around town. Just got to decide on what to include...

Sunday 14th December 2003

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we got Him!" Those were the words used by Paul Bremer, to the cheers of Iraqis in the audience at the coalition press conference. These words filtered across the globe in a matter of seconds, with the power of the media. All I can say is that this day will forever live in the memories of people in the free world and hopefully echo, for generations to come. I hate to sound too optimistic, at the capture of one of the most brutal dictators over the past 30 years. I feel it only fitting to say, with perhaps a hint of sarcasm, "God Bless America".

When do you feel old? You only really feel old when you notice that a set period of time has passed you by. There a significant dates when we 'feel' old, our birthdays, Christmas and when the New Year is glaring around the corner. However, these are all significant milestones and well highlighted and celebrated. There are far more subtle hits, to let you know that a large passage of time has occurred. The block has reduced in length, but the connotations have not reduced at all. What am I rambling on about? Normally the journey a film would make from the silver screen to the small screen, would be four years. That has been the case for most of my lifetime, however in recent times, it has been reduced to three. With the network premiere of Road Trip last night on BBC1, my mind flashed back to the hay days of Autumn 2000. I had just started Uni and this was my first trip to the cinema in Leicester. The Odeon, was my port of call for a classic 'Saturday Night At The Movies'. It is amazing, that such a minor event can bring back such good memories. No, theses memories were beyond good, great. A magnificent time for me. A time for me to truly find myself and realize what exactly Andrew Tegala wants from life. Although I went far to answer my first question, the second still remains somewhat blurred.

Tales of the Unexpected? No, I'm not talking about the spooky series from author Roald Dahl, but ITV's Pop Idol. Another shock last night, as favourite. Yes, can I repeat that, 'favourite', Sam loses the public vote. That leaves Michelle and Mark in the final. Read the full story here. Well I want to see Pete Waterman's face when Michelle wins. I can see it now, her performance will be the weaker but the public will vote for her in their thousands. What has the British music industry come to? Will it end? Not by the sounds of things, as I heard, Ant giving out the address for applications for next years show! Oh, dear oh dear! :-0

My last weekend in Leicester, as I head back home to Wycombe on Wednesday. I am looking forward to going home. I feel that the Christmas feeling is only complete, when I am there, and it becomes so much stronger, when I am with my family. Perhaps because they are the people with whom, this special feeling occurs. They make it complete. They make me complete. Busy few days planned, so you may have some wait for my next update. Therefore, I've 'blogged' a bit to keep you entertained for now.

Saturday 13th December 2003

As I lay on my bed, and think of the year flown by and the promise of the year ahead, I shed a tear. I shed a tear for you. For what could have been, for what might have become. If only, like me, you had been the one to truly believe. But this was more than belief. For holding on you need more than belief. For someone you hold on with strength. People all make mistakes and I will be the first to admit that at times I have drifted from the righteous path. Afterall when people ask 'Why', I just tell them that is's one of the purest forms of, human nature. Is not this turn one of general admiration and respect, It is much harder to admit your mistakes and regain the righteous path, rather than turning a blind eye to the evil that you are bringing to your world.

I brush away the tear from my cheek. For too long have you intimidated my life, my thoughts, even my dreams. Even after some 14 months of cold radio silence.

Having settled the ghosts of the past, I come to review the year that was 2003. I will begin the review now and include a brief personal insight into the month, taking into account my blog entry at the time, and how subsequent events transpired during the course of the year. The actual blog entries are hyper linked, so you can cross-reference the material, if you so wish. There is also the inclusion of the music that I was listening to at the time, mainly in the car and in my WinAmp Playlist.

The promise that a new year brings and the doors it opens are shattered some 24 hours and 3 minutes into 2003. Friendship is a fragile entity and the smallest ripple can crush it forever. Perhaps I was foolish. Foolish to believe but then is friendship after love, a dream beyond reality. When the other party builds up such a belief, you are by far from foolhardy. So with some 30 distant characters in a lonely text message, the words would haunt me like a bad dream and so like a gun shot rupturing behind me, I try to gather the broken pieces of pride, what little fragments of it remain. Can a text message really break a young man to a quivering wreck? An SMS message has no such power. The power comes from the sender. But in this case the only power shown by the sender is that of utmost cowardice. They will beg to differ that few. The record will show, what was said, by whom and when. For it still sits in the archive. Like a lost soul, with no 'named' sender, waiting for it's end. It had hope, or rather the sender had hoped the message would have been deleted in the rush of what would be my first day work in 2003. No, not this time. There it will stay until the time is right for it to be written out of time. The time will come and I'm sure it will be very soon. This one event would have the most profound effect on the rest of my year. To this day, I'm not quite show, how or why. Being stuck on the M1 for over 10 hours would be a low light towards the end of the month.

Tracks of the month:
Divine Inspiration - The Way
3rd Edge - Know You Wanna
Erasure - Solisbury Hill

In February, recovered somewhat from the shocks of the previous month, I would find my hero, our hero would too be under the spotlight but for him, the worse was yet to come and for me, the worst was over and the turn, a case of time. Towards the end of the month, I would come within touching distance of one of my favourite contemporary popstars, who has a promising future.

Track of the month:
Mis-Teeq - Scandalous

Thursday 11th December 2003

Arsenal did the business, not just for their fans but for the country too! Getting through to the Second Phase of the Champions League, but also as group winners and therefore will not meet Chelsea or Manchester United in the second phase. That was the most important aspect. When everyone thought the team were down and out, bottom of the group with 1 point from the first three games. However, we recovered and in what style, to beat Locomotiv Moscow at Highbury and safefly secure passage to the next round of European's elite competition.

On my quest to find suitable blogs to add to my Blogs of Note listing (on the left!) I have come across a Web Ring. Well it's not really a web ring, more of a blog ring. So what makes this ring different from others? It is exclusively dedicated to those special blogs on the world wide web, those blogs that hope to make a different, purely by the nationality of the author. I am of course, talking about British Blogs. I was hoping to add myself to the listing, but at the moment, memberships for new members is closed. However, that does not mean, I cannot add a link to their site and hope that someone aids my quest for their membership to be opened again soon.

As you may recall, a site recommended to me by my dear friend Sibtain has proved to be a successful way of surfing onto other blogs. The site is of course, MightyMouse dot net run by the genius that is, Hussein Jodiyawalla. It is just a shame he doesn't update the site has often with real content, rather than screen captures and stupid photos of fluffy animals. Come on Hussein, raise your standard! Anyways, his link section brought to my attention the aptly named, "Why the Hell" website run by Alex Mace. A basic but well designed guided into his life after University.

I hope to be added a long list of blogs that you should read on daily basis, within the next few weeks. My plan is to highlight Brit blogs, but also any that are important enough to require a review.

My other plan for the Christmas holidays is to completely re-organize my MP3 collection. As it continues to grow and an alarming pace, I'm beginning to lose track of songs and their exact location. Therefore, I'm going to create folders for all 60s and 70s material and also double check that all songs are in the right decade. Any un-released or special material (special remixes, limited editions etc) will be placed in a new folder and archived away onto CD) I am also going to accelerate my quest to have every single UK Number One hit single from 1980 to the present day. Once this has successfully been done, I will endeavour to backup everything to DVD, to ensure I have pristine copy of every song! Of course the ultimate goal is to break the 3000 mp3 barrier before the end of the year. On my last check, I have around 2790, which means just 210 songs to download before 31st December. (That is 21 days away!) Will I do it? Time will tell. Will I break the 3000 visitor mark before then too? I hope so! :)

Tuesday 9th December 2003

I was hoping to update my blog, last night, however coursework and other commitments got on top of me and I had to focus on them. I can now say with some relief, that my last piece of coursework (for this semester at least!) was handed in this morning. I now can take a break and look forward to Christmas and the holidays. Unfortunately, as Barry Davies would say in his football commentary, this is just "a short rest bite for the defence", for I have exams in January and of course my Final Year Project to keep me busy.

Talking of football, it was great news to read on BBC Football website, the best player in the world, say: "I can't see myself coming back to Highbury with any other team because Arsenal is my paradise." Having send that, an Arsenal team without the French striker, does look somewhat limited in it's attacking options, as the weekend game against Leicester and the Walkers Stadium clearly showed. Read the full story here.

I would like to thank Kristy for her continued kind words and making me an 'official' affiliate of her personal site. I've never been an affiliate of any site before, so this is a bold new experience. Good luck with the competition, don't worry, I'm sure you will win!

Christmas is fast approaching and a similar warm feeling begins to make me glow inside. It is difficult to explain the exact sensation but it's the same feeling I had as a boy of 11 or 12, looking forward with great anticipation to the big day. Of course, now there is more a commercial burden on the religious festival, but we must at times take a step back from all that to reflect upon the importance of the day and the symbolic meaning it has for all people, not just Christians.

I really wanted to add more to blog, but have lectures and other things to deal with at the moment. Hopefully will add a further entry later this week.

Wednesday 3rd December 2003

December already, I just do not know where the time has gone. I can remember just like yesterday, being on placement, working the long 7am to 7pm working week and covering over 600 miles in the course of those five days. Although I do, smile, with some relief that I no longer have to adjure such a working life. I look back and feel that perhaps I did not make the most of time then. I am not sure if that is what I mean. I should have made more of my time, on placement. It was an opportunity, it was an experience, a chance, a break. A break from University and a opportunity to realize that 12 months in industry can indeed be fun. I agree that my intentions were, just the same, at the beginning. But was I to know, the harsh card of fate I would be dealt by the man upstairs? If I was, I surely underestimated his power and the affect that the events of early August would have on the rest of my year. We did our best, to contain the situation and forever, whenever possible, not allow the views of others, particularly those whom we held close to our hearts to change the direction of journey. I know, perhaps at times, we drifted off the righteous path, but then we did what we thought was best, taking into consideration what others had said to us. Maybe that was my mistake. No, no, not my mistake. It was theirs. They made their choices, they took their decisions and sent those text messages. Little care, for how cold, they would leave someone, in the winter's night. Only a few miles away, but in my mind's eye, they were lost forever, and I wouldn't be letting them in ever again.

Some people don't deserve a second chance, and of course there are those that do. One More Chance at love, now that is a tall order. Given time, perhaps, maybe we do build up our expectations far too high, and then when we finally are discover. It is far from what we expected and at times, we are let down. This is indeed a jut another case of human nature. My friends, even I felt into this trap of emotion, recently. I too, built something up, beyond any reality and pushed my expectations far beyond the needs of the situation. How did I feel? I made the feelings worse? I pushed my emotions too far, and the other party could sense this. For, you do not act alone in such situations. That time has passed now and reality has brought some control. I think there is plenty of time for decisions to be made. For a change, I'm not going to be making a single decision and destiny shall be far from my hands. It feels a bit more interesting that way.

I mentioned Michelle Heaton Online but I did not give enough praise and mention of the author. Kristy, has her own site, and has recently revamped the site (with some careful words of encouragement from her friends). The site, follows on very much from same design layout of MHOL, but is based around Katie Holmes, of Dawson's Creek fame. My favourite part of the site? Well the blog of course. But the other outstanding feature is the motto of the site. Take directly from my favourite (& Kristy's as well I think!) Liberty X song, "Holding On For You". The opening line, "Trust Is All It Takes..." The instant I hear that song, I'm taken back to first full week of November in 2002, and listening to the song on BBC Radio 1, on my drive home from work. To read more, check my Blog Archive, from Saturday 9th November. We look forward to reading how Kristy's story develops and if she ever will be transported from one of her boring days in Holland, to the exciting city of London, to live her dream. I am sure she will do and of course we will all be able to read about the experience on her site. Trust Is All It Takes

I must be a great feeling to prove you critics wrong. Particularly when you are completely written off as a one hit wonder dance act. Well Love Inc. can feel such joy. There latest single, released next week, "Into The Night", also the name of their debut album is a break away from the standard foreign dance track. Instead it is a very uplifting and at times soothing track. The Canadian trio can proud themselves on a great job done! It certainly hits the spot. Listen out for it on your radio station, in the coming few days.

Not much else to report I'm afraid. Just one final piece of coursework to complete for University. The other's are done and dusted, one which just needs to be submitted in the morning. A week early I might add! :) However, that was the good news, still got a lot of work, mainly documentation (as I'm informed by a course mate, via MSN) to do this coming weekend. Assignment due in on Tuesday. So, I must get cracking with that. I look forward to hearing from you soon, particularly have blogs, you feel should be listed on this page!

Saturday 29th November 2003

My second night out this week was to my Student Union. Although the nightclub is called Level One, no-one ever refers to as that, it's just the SU. There has only ever been one Level One for me. That was in Reading. I remember spending several nights there with my friends from college. A regular co-haunt of the club was my dear friend now budding DJ, Pavneet Khural. Oh, how sweet memories can be, when you look to the past, and only think of the happy times. It's shame you can't always look at your history with rose-tinted glasses.

The All New Top Of The Pops was launched yesterday, with executive producer, Andi Peters at the helm. Overall, I was quite impressed with the new format of the show. More focus on album tracks, the album chart, and giving the performance artist the opportunity to sing medleys rather than single releases. I was disappointed that Michael Jackson's video for One More Chance was not shown. I'm informed Sony UK, have stated that the video was incomplete. I see that being far from the truth. I think the new logo, new studio and presenter, Tim Kash borrowed from MTV to bring some of the cable/satellite channel's magic to the BBC's flagship music programme. They are all very good, as the programme and tired format were in need of a makeover for some time. However, there are those out there who oppose the idea of logos and tags on television screens. For more info go to Logo Free TV to find out more. Personally I feel logos, idents and tags are important to provide the image for a television network. There are also discussions on the website about the TV Licence, and the purpose of a Public Service Broadcaster. All very interesting stuff, but not enough substance to swing my opinion against the BBC I'm afraid.

The Info page has been updated. I was able to dig out some images from previous versions of this website. I captured some screen shots and have added them to the Info page.

Uni is going well. Having got one coursework deadline out of the way last week, I can now focus on the final two modules that have assignments pending. Still a substantial about of work to do, but I'm sure it will be done and handed in on time. Luckily as we head towards the end of the semester, my lecture time is gradually reduced. So after two months, I will be able to watch Tuesday's edition of Eastenders. Fantastic!

Just when you thought time was running out for web based music service, I discover a great website, for digital audio. With the explosion of peer-to-peer networks, you would feel that http based audio providers would have disappeared completely, if not gone into obscurity. When downloading from KaZaa I have found many MP3's tagged by the web-based services they have originated from. One reoccurring tag, was MP3 Finder. However, I mistyped the address during the summer, when I wanted to track this elusive, MP3 phantom. Not finding the site, I felt they didn't exist and that the tag was just a unique name the sharer wanted the digital world to know him or her has. It wasn't until this week on my searches around various forums, I found the full URL given. The site has a large archive and list of popular single downloads and also links to current album hives, which are again all web-based. Enjoy!

I have often been told that I have a very strange character trait. One which looks far too deep into things, and becomes tense when events are beyond my control. I am taking stock of such comments and have become to realise that 'True Love Waits...'

Friday 28th November 2003

The problem with your birthday falling on a Sunday is that there is little to do. As much Sunday has moved from being a religious day to more of a day to do the shopping, it still isn't the best day for your birthday. They day was spent with my family. So, after my drive back to Leicester on Sunday evening, my friends decided that we should go out later in the weekend, Thursday and Friday. This would be the best time, as I would have finished my coursework and handed it in. I was looking forward to going out, for it always seems to promise so much and never live up to expectations. This seems to be a reoccurring pattern in my life. Building things up with great expectations, but being let down, by someone who decides that they are far more important. I felt on this occasion it was time for this 'spell' to be broken. However, such power is in the hands of others, and not in mine. My wild nights out, has often been the subject of my blog. Particularly in April when a night out in MK, which I was looking forward to with great regard, turned out to fall from grace, based on the idiocy of a door policy.

Creation has played an important part in my time at University. Kudos as it was known back in 2000 was the venue for my first night out in Leicester. From then on there have been very fond memories, unlike some of the other nightspots of Leicester. It is funny, how that on this particularly night there, I'm with new people, and all the memories I recall of this place, are more distant than the memories. Perhaps, this was how it was always supposed to be. That I would return for one last time but on this occasion spent the night with a new set of friends and a new experience.

Champions League Tuesday, has been one of the highlights in the terrestrial television week. However, due to my timetabled lectures and tutorial, I was on campus from 2pm until 9pm. A very long day indeed. So therefore, I would miss the matched and only catch a few minutes of the second half. However, on Tuesday 25th November, my lecture was only for an hour and the subsequent tutorial, only some thirty minutes. This allowed me to get home just in time to see Arsenal kick off against Inter Milan at the San Siro. I personally thought a 1-0 win, would do us fine. Get a goal, then stick back and grind out the result. We had done similarly in the past. However, I was to be astonished, with the character, determination and spirit we played. All ingredients had been missing from our European football, even from last season. It was great to see Henry back to his best and scoring important goals again. I remember, almost a year ago, when he single handedly defeated Roma with an excellent hat-trick. This sends a great signal to our European rivals - Arsenal are back, all guns blazing!!

Monday 24th November 2003

Early than expected, I have uploaded two new photo galleries. Check the Photos page for further details. Too busy for any other updates. Take care for now.

Sunday 23rd November 2003

Just finished watching JFK: Beyond Conspiracy on BBC2. Overall an interesting programme, which delved quite deep into the various aspects surrounding the assassination of the 35th US President. Ultimately, it attempted to bring some closure, to one of the most discussed topics in the world. There was no conspiracy and Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. Perhaps, but we shall never know the whole truth.

With recent news of Michael Jackson, and the media circus regarding the allegation of child abuse, it was great to hear that his latest album, "Number Ones", went straight in at number one on the album chart this afternoon. His single, "One More Chance", is released tomorrow. Hopefully, it will go straight in at number one in the singles chart next week. A fantastic site, I've found on the 'King Of Pop' is MJ Fan Club. It provides a worldwide service, providing news, events information and a forum. Well worth a visit, as the site has been designed by a true fan and created with high precision.

New photos gallery to be uploaded this week and also in the pipeline, is a guest book for all visitors to leave their comments on the site. I was informed by Steve Bevis, webmaster of UK Britney Fan Site Network that the Mis-Teeq site has been pulled after no one was visiting it anymore. Therefore link removed from links page. However, he does have sites on various pop groups, including Liberty X, Tatu and Shakira.

I have broken one of my own records today. This is my tenth blog update this month. My average over the course of the last two years, has been around six entries per a month, even some of those, lacking major content, beyond a few lines. The reason for this is difficult to establish, I know I don't have as much time, and there isn't as much going on in my life. Perhaps, I just want to tell the world what is on my mind, more often.

It was great being home for the weekend. I hadn't seen my family for over a month and there is a warm feeling of being back in High Wycombe. I know I didn't really do much, over the course of the weekend, but it was a relief to see some familiar faces and taste mum's home cooked food! Going back to how I spent this time last year, and it was very different. Plans I had made came crumbling down around me, and instead I had to 'make do' with a much more local setting and company, which brought with it more pain than joy. We shouldn't judge people, on their relations, but it is surprising to find, that now, a year on, they are far from friends. During the night, I remember, my body being sitting in Bar 38, but my mind was in some far distant universe. Perhaps more likely a parallel universe, where everything I had gone somewhat according to plan. A young lady, a complete stranger, made her way over me and came up with some really random comments. "You friends, look they are going to get it together, and you seem like you don't want to be here." She then made some suggestion of what I should do, which I cannot recollect now. My response, "Maybe, I wish I was at home watching TV!" I was abrupt I agree, but what right had this individual to come and pass judgment on me. Everyone is entitled to their own view and opinion, that is their right. However, on this day, at that bar, on that Saturday night? Why? Last year, I recorded in my blog, that "Is your birthday, the closest you come to being invincible?" Maybe we do, but why had this girl approached me in such fashion and made the comments that she had. I never really pondered the event at the time. My evening wasn't going well and it wasn't really going to get any better until I got home and went to sleep. My dreams shattered and my heart sunk. I deserved better than that on that night. For sure, perhaps I was getting something I deserved, but did I really deserve to be spending the evening with people, who were on the fringes of friendship and for whom this day meant very little and for me so much? Why should I think about this anymore? It is in the past, and we live for today and tomorrow. I'm only reflecting on the past and trying to make sense of what it means for the present and ultimately the future. My future.

Thursday 20th November 2003

You would think that I had come accustomed to getting up early, after my sandwich placement. However, having got back into 'student mode' I have become my lazy self again. Before going to sleep, I would set my alarm for 6.30am. This is purely an excercise in wishful thinking. I feel slightly better, thinking I am going to get up early and get loads of things done. However, as usual, I awake from my slumber, around 7.30am or later on some days. I was avid to switch back to my better days and get up early for a change. To do this, I knew I would need a unique weapon to aid my quest. There was little discussion, although the mobile phone is fantastic at waking you up, it has little staying power, as I normally ramage around for it and switch it off, heading back into a deep sleep. Therefore, I set up my TV to switch on just before 6am. That way, as the BBC Breakfast News started I would be woken by the intro and news headlines. I have to say, that this was a success yesterday morning and I woke up at 6am. I am very proud of myself, but only wish I could repeat this rare occurance, on a much more regularly basis. On well, we can wish. Perhaps, Zora Suleman, will be the additional incentive for me, to RI:SE in the morning! :)

I am off home this weekend, so I apologise in advance if there is no updates to the site over the weekend. Hopefully, I will be back in Leicester early evening on Sunday, to review the weekend and look forward to the next.

With all the sport on the television in the last few days, European Championship Play-Offs, and the imminent Rugby World Cup Final between England and Australia on Saturday. I was thinking of what my favourite sporting commentary of all time was. I thought about this for quite sometime, before remembering the actual words of the commentator: "Lord Nelson! Lord Beaverbrook! Sir Winston Churchill! Sir Anthony Eden! Clement Attlee! Henry Cooper! Lady Diana! Maggie Thatcher - can you hear me, Maggie Thatcher! Your boys took one hell of a beating! Your boys took one hell of a beating!" From the over extravagant Bjorn Minge on Norwegian TV. Norway had just beaten England 2-1 in Oslo in a World Cup qualifier in Sept 1981. The passionate response, and roll call of famous English persons, summarised perfectly the uninhibited sweet pleasure of beating England at their own game.

I want to get a good list of blogs together on my site. So if anyone has any suggestions for some blogs that I should take a look at please e-mail me. The aim is to find a list of blogs, that are interesting enough for me to visit every day, to catch up on goings on, in someone's life.

What do you think of when I mention Leicester? It would be interesting to find out people's views of the city, particularly those who have never visited this part of the Midlands. You would think that the best way of promoting anything is to advertise it's benefits, the positives. Well not in this part of the world! A new £250,000 advertising campaign for the city, uses the slogan: "Boring, boring Leicester". The concept is to get people thinking about and talking about the city. Will it work? I doubt it. The purpose, to provoke local residents to defend the city and start talking about all the good points of the city. Posters went up around the city, on Tuesday 11th November. Not that I have noticed any! If you have please get in touch! Read the full article here at Ananova.

Just to let you know that Sibtain is working very hard most evenings on DemonNet Productions, version III. It should be online, this weekend and having already had a sneek preview, all I can say is that he will not let you down. He hasn't updated the original site (version 2) since he left the UK to go on holiday in Kenya. We look forward to his return to cyperspace and the famous blog!

I wish I could write more, but it's getting late, and I have a very busy day tomorrow, plus I want to get up early and organize my stuff for the weekend. Take care for now and hope you have a good weekend.

Sunday 16th November 2003

I have updated the Audio page as promised. My mp3 collection is close to breaking the 3000 mark. I aim to do this by Christmas. I now have over 165 full albums. My collection has grown by four full 80 minute CDs, that is 320 minutes of music gathered in the space of four weeks. I also have been clearing out a lot of redundant mp3 files from my collection. I have moved all classic Christmas songs to CD.

Everyone knows that I am a big fan of Eastenders, and there is very little that will can get in the way of me missing an episode of the BBC soap. On my treks across the world wide web, I have discovered a blog dedicated to the soap. The Eastenders Blog gives the authors view of shows, past, present and future. A great way to find out how other people view the fantastic show!

To all those, who said to me: "You could have been dead in the 80s and you would've missed nothing!". Well I feel I am having the last laugh! Popstars: The Rivals, produced Girls Aloud and of course One True Voice, who are no longer together. The five 'losing guys' have formed their own band, called Phixx and released their first single, "Hold On Me", towards the end of last month. The song, and the band's image is very new wave, and it is as if they are paying tribute to the great bands of the early 80s, such as Human League, Flock Of Seagulls and Adam Ant. Well let us focus purely on the music and we find that it does have an 80s production. That is not a bad thing, and it a break from the state of play with current material out in the charts at the moment, and perhaps the guys deserve the chance to prove Pete Waterman, wrong for the mistake he made. Check out the official, Phixx website, or various fanzine sites on the web.

New photo album uploaded. Please go to Photos page to see the full listing.

Friday 14th November 2003

Eastenders, I haven't mentioned my favourite soap for several months now. It has been so long, that I'm going to have to check the Updates and find out exactly when I did mention the show. The update from Saturday 1st March 2003 was when I last did. Although, some of you out there, knew what was going to happen,I am one of those of us who prefers to be oblivious to all the press coverage and articles in Heat magazine. What is the point of watching the show, if you are know what is going to happen? There are some rather strange soap fans out there, I must admit. However, I felt that Andy didn't deserve to be treated in such fashion, to have his big day ruined, his mother's birthday (if I recall correctly, not quite sure, answers on a postcard...) and more significantly have his heart broken. Punching Alfie, would have brought some temporary relief, but the numbing of pain is short lived. So, 'Kathleen' and Alfie head of into the streets of London, leaving the fracas at the church far behind them. Again, I would like to thank Tony Jordan, for remembering what the most important aspect of any story. True love will always prevail and that there are times, when we like to see the 'loser' win. Perhaps, because their prize is biggest of all.

Many site updates planned over the weekend, including audio, links and photo gallery.

As I promised earlier in the week, went to see The Matrix Revolutions at the Warner Village Cinema, Meridian Park last night. Overall, bringing the film into context, it is one of the more enjoyable and aesthetically pleasing trilogies I have seen in recent times. Rather than go into several pages into why I enjoyed the film and thought it matched the first in parts, and have my Inbox flooded with abusive e-mails, I thought it best, my fellow travelers, expressed their views.

Nav's views were summed up in two photographs. "I loved the special effects, shame about the plot and lack of exploring the philosophy."

Paul, is still quite undecided. "Money took over man, and they didn't do the whole idea justice. It is in the hands of some other 'Chosen One' to resurrect the franchise and take it to the next level."

"An opportunity knocks, for you to seize with both hands. But success, the dollar bill and fame gets in the way of your goal to create a truly great film trilogy to match the supremacy of Star Wars. Instead, you produce, one great film and two average films, released close together, to keep those revenues high and bank balance pretty!"

So as we headed off into the cold Leicester night, we had come to realize that, "Whatever has a Beginning, has an End..."

Thursday 13th November 2003

I would like to mention someone who has created a fantastic site, for one of their personal idols. She has proved what can be achieved, if you show great devotion, for the one, who has touched your heart. Kristy (yes, that is Kristy, no Kirsty!) from the Netherlands, has created a homage to her idol, Michelle Heaton, from the band, Liberty X. I have added her site's link to my links page, but I feel she deserves an 'official' plug, via my blog. Michelle Heaton Online or MHO as it is referred to, is a one of the best 'fan' sites I have seen out there on the web. I would like to wish her every success with the website, her dreams and aspirations. You will come to the UK one day and see Liberty X.

Like many of the British population, yesterday evening, I settled down in front of the sofa to watch, Only Fools and Horses: Miami Twice. I needed a break. I needed some food. I know, I had seen the episode several times, since it's original airing, in Christmas 1991. The scene that captured my attention and imagination, was when the brothers are about to enter the night club. It was not so much the comedy that was being played out on the screen, but rather the music. The music streaming from the club, sounded yet again so familiar, but it was just beyond my memory, in terms of placing a name to those angelic words, sung by such an sweet voice. "Baby, Baby", was all that I could remember as the comedy episode came to a close. I rushed onto my computer, and opened up Google. I didn't know what to search for, but attempting to complete a line of the song, proved unsuccessful. I then, just entered in "Baby Baby". Instant response. Amy Grant. The song had been number one in the US, and number 2 in the UK in April 1991. Downloading the song, and hearing that almost 80s electronic introduction, took me back those 12 years. How could such a classic 90s song be lost, for so long? I hadn't heard it on the radio, or seen it on any episodes of TOTP2. I will of course, keep you posted with my progress. What makes things slightly more stranger, is the fact that her better know hit, is the cover of the Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi".

Baby, baby
I'm taken with the notion
To love you with the sweetest of devotion.

Baby, baby
My tender love will flow from
The bluest sky to the deepest ocean.

Stop for a minute
Baby, I'm so glad you're mine, yeah
You're mine.

Wednesday 12th November 2003

Middle of the week already, week 7 at University. The time is flying by and I am over half way through the first semester already. Where is the time going? There was a Graduate Fair at the Walkers Stadium today. In conjunction with both University Of Leicester and De Montfort University, around 20 employees were exhibiting, along with several clinics and workshops during the course of the day. I was looking forward to potential get some contacts for job applications for after graduation. However, the day turned out to be quite a big disappointment. Ignoring the warnings, we went down, early afternoon, hoping to make the most of what firms were there, regardless of the fact that there we no potential IT positions. However, in the end it turned out that the majority of employers were only there to represent their companies, rather than offer potential graduates jobs, advice and direction. Never mind, I made the most of the afternoon and got on with my FYP and other courseworks.

I was having a discussion with my housemate, Nav with regards to blogs and their worthiness. Are they simply self propaganda, for the author, and an example of the selfish world we live in? Or are they at a much highly level, an insight into the psyche of millions of individuals across the globe. Tapping into a wealth of information that the world has never known of before. Nav came to the conclusion that it was purely self propaganda, where the individual just wishes to reinforce their own important and in the process increase their ego, as the visit counter increments! I take the other view that blogs, no matter what their shape or form, provide a unique insight into the lives of thousands of individuals across the globe, and enables us to communicate in a way, that was never possible before, by exchanging thoughts!

Was hoping to go to see The Matrix Revolutions, this evening, but the monumental event has been postponed until tomorrow evening. Hope to bring you my thoughts on the final part of the trilogy on Friday.

Site has been updated on several levels today. I am composing a list of 'blog's which I read on a weekly or daily basis. They will be listed on the right hand side, in the Quick Links panel. I was hoping to upload a new Photo Album but there have been problems with the jpg files, so I will do that over the weekend. Links page has been updated.

Not much else to report I'm afraid, very busy with work, but will hopefully add to my blog this coming weekend.

Sunday 9th November 2003

Just a quick update, it's nearly 11pm and I'm badly in need of some rest. I was at the Classic Car Show in Birmingham today. I have uploaded some photographs to the Photos page for you to enjoy. I hope to write up a more in depth web blog in the next few days.

Friday 7th November 2003

Now you think that even terrestrial broadcasters would have a vast library of programmes and films to show. I was extremely surprised to discover that last night, five had no other content in the archives apart from to show the 1980 movie, "Escape to Victory". Although a classic in it's own right, the film is one of those annual films that you only see at Christmas time. I was shocked by this and wonder if anyone else out there was surprised, and delved into their programme listings, trying to discover what mistake had been made.

I have been a fan of Liberty X, ever since the first ITV Popstars back in 2001. Of course, like everyone, I was disappointed that Jessica, Kelli, Kevin, Michelle and Tony didn't make the final band. However, what success they have made out of failure! Signed up to Richard Branson on V2 for a six album deal, within six months of the end of the talent show, they seemed to be going places. But a lawsuit, change of name and low exposure of their first few singles, did not deter these artists from aiming for star status. They wrote several songs for their debut album, including the breakthrough single, "Just A Little" which would launch the band to the dizzy heights of number one in May, 2002. Having to add 'X' to their name, did little to change the band's overall appeal. They won a Brit Award for Best Single in 2003. Thinking It Over was released two weeks after their debut number. With debut albums, there seems to be a lack of quality, and it appears that management have forced many changes and not allowed the creativity to flow. The evidence is clear, through tracks such as "Never Give Up", "Saturday" and "Feel The Rush". Although fantastic songs, in their own right, they appear 'incomplete'. So expectations are high with their second album - "Being Somebody". Released on Monday, I was able 'obtain' a copy on Thursday evening. I've been listening to a variety of the tracks. Overall the quality and clarity is better than the first. Depending on which songs are released as singles, the X have a potential multi-platinum album on their hands. Apart from the two single releases, 'Jumpin'' and 'Being Nobody', my personal favourites include: 'Be Remembering', 'The Last Goodbye' and 'Forever'. I look forward with great anticipation to see how Liberty X, grow and develop into a world class pop band. [Particularly Michelle Heaton :o)]

Uni is going well, I am making fairly good progress on my FYP and the rest of the modules are going fine too. Hope to get some of the coursework out of the way over the weekend. Life in general is treating me well, no complaints, so far! Arsenal left it late to beat Dynamo Kiev at Highbury on Wednesday evening. Thankfully Ashley Cole was there at the far post, to knock the ball into the back of the net! We just have to pull it together and win our final two games, I'm confident we can get the results we need! As I mentioned earlier in the week, I am off to the NEC for the Classic Car Show. Expect all my photographs to be uploaded on Sunday evening.

My dear friend, Sibtain Bandali, is currently working on DemonNet Productions version 3. It shall be online soon, he promises me. Of course, having exclusive access, I've seen a preview of the site and all I can say is, it will blow you away... I will keep you posted on the site's progress and when it finally goes live.

Back when I was on my placement, there was a realisation that my final year was hastily approaching and I needed to prepare. I decided to take a little 'peek' around the web for sites on final year projects to get some inspiration. One site I stumbled upon, was that of Tamir Hassan. His site was documenting his experiences at the University of Warwick, while he studies for the final year of his four year MEng Computer Science. I contacted Tam, and he provided and continues to provide a valuable resource as I undertake my Final Year Project. He has also been providing me with details of various graduate schemes, that I should be applying for. Hopefully, the publicity through my webblog should force him to give the site a much needed update!

Tuesday 4th November 2003

I was discussing the DMU television commercial with my housemates, and was informed that the University of Warwick has a very similar advert. However, a quick crawl around the web via Google has not provided me with any answers. However, I was able to find a great site which catalogues television commercials from Europe and the US. Visit4info is a great site, as it enable the consumers to give feedback to the advertisers on what we like and don't like and which advertisements make an impact, and those that do not. Out of sheer curiosity, I went to search for 'De Montfort University' and to my surprise, up popped the result for the commercial I was trying to describe yesterday. To view the ad, you need to have Quick Time installed. Click here to view the commercial. Let me know what you think, particularly your views on the 'other candidates' and their response to Thompson from De Montfort University. I wonder if I will have a similar experience when going for interviews in the summer?

I have been a member of the DeLorean Owners Club, for over two years and on Sunday, I attend my second show. The Classic Motor Show takes place over the coming weekend, Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th November at the NEC Birmingham. I am looking forward to it, and catching up with several friends I made in Belfast in May 2001. I will be taking my digicam, so expect loads of photographs to be uploaded next week.

Monday 3rd November 2003

Weekend flies by and the busy week is upon us, with a blink of eye. Just thought I would make up for yesterday's poor web blog update and add some more thoughts. I wanted to bring to your attention a link to one of the 'thinkers' at my University. I would say, one of the thinkers of our time, but that would just give him further reason to add to his ego. Mr. John Lampier has throughout the journey of my Computer Science course, been the champion of causes, few others would ever consider fighting for. He is on my Computer Ethics module, and has proved himself to be champion, against, an 'unethical lecturer'. To find out more, click here and enjoy reading his essays on this heated topics.

I am not sure how many of you out there were watching Pop Idol on Saturday evening? Well during one the later breaks, between 19.00 - 19.30, there was an advertisement that captured my attention. A young lady enters the foyer of a large corporation and bumps into someone, falling and losing the portfolio she was carrying. I had seen this all before and was about to take my attention away from the television, when I noticed one of her possessions was a De Montfort University ID card. As she picks up the card, you see her time at university flash her by. The next shot, she is in the lift, and we are back to the present day, as she enters the waiting room, the receptionist asks, "Thomson, I have two Thomson's on my list, are you the Thomson from De Montfort University?" As she replies, yes, the rest of the interviewees, look to the floor in shame, and one of them leaves. I am not sure exactly how to respond to this. When I was back home, I saw similar commercials for Middlesex University, but none so that caught my imagination in such a way. I suppose, in the past, I haven't been that proud of my institution, but then perhaps I had reason to be apprehensive. The commercial has provided me with some much needed motivation to make the most of what remains of my time at DMU.

Very busy at the moment with work on my Final Year project. It is week six and I'm half way through the semester already. Two out of three coursework assignments have been released already, so I'm very busy at the moment.

Please report any dead links to me, via e-mail. I have updated the links page. I am working on getting the photograph gallery page uploaded very soon.

Sunday 2nd November 2003

I've been promising all visitors to my site, a revamp for months. I know it has taken me some time to fore fill my promise, but I feel I've done myself justice. Although the site is not 100% complete, it is "work in progress" and I'll continue to work on pages and upload new content, as and when I have time. I hope you are happy with the new design, layout and navigation. There are no longer any frames and I've implemented a CSS. I was considering to get both the HTML and CSS validated by those lovely people at the W3C Consortium. However on reconsideration, it was too much work and I knew that my site would take a further few months, to validate correctly.

Loads to catch up on, so let me begin. Last weekend, on Saturday night, there was a mission. A mission for the 'patriots on patrol', who live in Sheffield Street. The purpose of this mission was to locate the fireworks display taking place for Diwali, around Melton Road, Leicester. Around 8pm, our trepid soldiers headed out into the wet night. We had our map, and we had our trusted driver, Private Han.

With Corporal A in the rear of the vehicle, keeping a close eye on proceedings and providing us with the instructions we needed to make our mission a success. Indeed, it was a great success, as we able to make it to see the full firework display and did not get stuck in major traffic heading back to base, due to good thinking on the part of our driving, and leaving the vehicle, walking distance from the recreational ground.

Did any of you catch the National Television Awards on Tuesday evening, on ITV1? Well Sir Trevor MacDonald picked up the Lifetime Achievement Award (or something similar, not sure on the exact title!) During the presentation ceremony, there was a flash back of all his best reporting moments, through the years and also some comments from celebrities. One particularly classic moment, was Lenny Henry in makeup with the newscaster. Trevor advised the comedian, on the most important aspects of presenting the news, "You have to get the shuffle of the papers exactly right!". Taking this holy grail of advice, Henry, thanked MacDonald and headed for the exit. Then the news presenter came with some final words of advice, "Remember brother, whatever you do, stay Black!".

I just wanted to extend a warm (very warm!) thank you to Karen, Assistant Manager (not quite sure on that fact!) at Doland & Aitchson Opticians, in Leicester. Great to see a great level of customer service!

I have not got much else to update with regards my webblog. I will try and update it again very soon.

Thursday 23rd October 2003

It is rather a shame that I do not update my website more often. I have put myself in the position now, where I have very few excuses. Broadband connection at home, a home network, comprising of three computers. Oh yeah, there is the small question of my University degree. It would be good if I got some work done, after all I have not accumulated all this debt for nothing.

It is four weeks into my the first semester of my Final Year at De Montfort University. You begin to lose focus, and at times hope with the strain that is life. Something is needed to bring you back on track and once again, bring hope to your heart. There are very few things that can occur that can stimulate this change in mood. There are even fewer people on this planet, that are able to bring faith, when all is but lost.

Facing continual adversary, they have been able to stand up for their faith, even though they have tendered never to be far from the spot light. The negativity at times, is far from truth, but when the person believes so much in truth and justice, you can only feel that perhaps life has dealt them a unique gift and a great disadvantage, through no fault of their own.

My feelings were so different a year ago. I remember, the wet October night, the rushed drive to the petrol station. The conversation, which was anything but. Rather a glide through a pre-defined list which you had decided upon long before the phone even rang. It would be the last time I spoke to you, but I was not to know then. I wasn't to know that those few words would be last I would hear and subsequently the most easiest to forget. Three weeks later, my feelings of friendship would be destroyed with a barrage of text messages. Even then I didn't lose hope. The cowardice you showed was unparalleled. For one, who had once shown directness and the 'right way', you did everything wrong. If love and affection are words that you still respect, where was the respect for the one who had meant so much. I look back and feel the whole phone call episode was a smokescreen. You had to repay your debt, but I never heard a thank you. Sure, my gesture was far from the biggest, but it was important and I thought it meant something, particular when you do things for the right reasons and for someone else. That all seems a world away from now, and as much as I try to avoid thoughts, images and words of you, they very much remain as I always intended. Beautiful, as indeed my memories shall forever remain.

We all deserve one more chance, and there was only one person I can describe, who can give us, "One More Chance with Love". Michael Jackson, is releasing a brand new single, written by R. Kelly on Monday 24th November. A month to go, and of course, there is further significance regarding the date, but that isn't important right now.

I have had my digital camera repaired and will hopefully be uploading new photographs to the website soon. I think I may leave the change, until the next version of this site is live. Then all pictures will be organised, in a easier to use gallery.

Erasure made it to number 13, with their remixed release of Oh L'amour, which I mentioned in my update last week. It was really good to see them back in the top twenty, after all these years in the wilderness. Even better news, was from my favourite song from the last few weeks. Kevin Lyttle, made it to number two, and the second highest new entry of the week, with "Turn Me On". Fantastic anthem, and very much deserved.

On other fronts, I am still working on my new version of this website. Please bear with me. It is just a case now of transferring and updating various pages onto the new layout, testing a few pages and uploading the entire site.

I have been busy tinkering with my University website. It now has the latest feed for the new live web cam, looking over the Leicester City Campus. That too is going under a minor overhaul, while I update you with information regarding my Final Year Project. Stand by for further information on that over the coming few weeks.

Hopefully, new website should be online over the weekend, if I have the time to sort all the pages out. So prepare yourselves people!

Monday 13th October 2003

The broadband connection finally went live at Sheffield Street, at around 5pm on Wednesday 8th October. Two souls had been waiting patiently, for the big, "switch on". For one, it would just be a case of normal service resumed, for the other, it would be an brand new experience, unlike no other. Once the configuration had all be set correctly, thanks to those lovely people down at technical support, we were up and running. I had received an e-mail from my housemate, over six weeks ago and it had suddenly become a reality, "we'll be setting up a home network and broadband connection, if you are interested..." Of course, I was. The benefits of having an internet connection on your doorstep, are too obvious and dull to waste noting on my blog, but not having to trek to the Queens building just to check my Hotmail, is of immense benefit.

Music wise, I've listening to a variety of music over the past two weeks. Of course, Kazaa-Lite was downloaded, before I had a chance to breathe, and eMule followed quite swiftly behind. A song, I had heard several times, during Fresher's week, was known to me only by the title, "Turn Me On". I was soon informed, by my dear friend Sippy, that the artist was Kevin Lyttle, with the help of Alison Hinds. I downloaded about four different versions of the song, by 5.15pm. The song is released today and it is hoped that it makes the top ten. In total, I've downloaded some twenty songs and four albums since the broadband pipe went 'live' and the downloading continues...

Audio page updated to reflect the changes to my music database.

Erasure, whom I mentioned in my blog, early last year around 19th January, are releasing a single this week. Well I should be clear and declare, re-releasing, but "Oh L'amour" has been remixed and rehashed for a modern pop audience. To date, I have not heard it played on the radio. To be honest, I have not been listening to that much commercial / music orientated radio stations in the past few weeks. The only time I would do such a thing, was if I was commuting some 600 miles a week. (I don't think so...!) I am looking forward to seeing how well the electronic duo, do on Sunday in the Top 40.

Some of my dreams lately have been edging on the level of completely bizarre. I'm not sure if my new surrounding have anything to do with my dreams, but the content has been extremely peculiar. Mixed up images of friends from primary school, people I hadn't seen in over ten years, and strange meetings with the Terminator. Not sure what has been happening. Maybe my diet has something to do with?

England played with great resilience in Istanbul at the weekend. As always, when in mattered, they put in the performance to answer their doubters and prove that England are still a force to be reckoned with on the international stage. Hopefully, all the uncertainty regarded Sven can be discarded and the Swede, left to make plans for Portugal, 2004. I'm looking forward to the tournament, as always, they come at a crucial point in my academic life:

  • SATs - Euro '96
  • GSCEs - France '98
  • A Levels - Euro 2000
  • Finals - Euro 2004

    I've quickly adjusted back to University life and am enjoying being back in Leicester. Of course, I miss home, High Wycombe does tend to hold some happy memories for me, and as much I miss my family and friends, I know there is a job to complete here. The culmination of four years of good work, needs to be seen through to the end and I'm not going to start letting people down, as perhaps, I have done in the past.

    Tuesday 2nd October 2003

    So an new month dawns, and September disappears into the abyss. However, with anything records remain of the past and they come back at times to haunt you, at times to bring joy to your heart. A incident when I logged back into my University account was to check the contents of my network drive the home drive (H:\). Browsing throw the folders, I discovered an old excel spreadsheet with details of my MP3 database. I checked the date, it was 31st May 2002. My mind instantly flashed back to that time and how wonderful life was. I had just finished my exams and the World Cup was a mouth-watering prospect, with a few days away from England's first group game. The file took me to a life, which now seems to be a completely different from where I am now and where I am heading. The most extraordinary fact is how my MP3 collection has grown, since the end of my second year and how the content of my web blogs have gone from a few lines detailing updates to the site, to an opportunity for me to tell the world what is on my mind.

    487 days had passed since the date recorded on my MP3 database. In that time, my MP3 singles collection had grown from 1282, and increased by over double in the space of 16 months. The most dramatic rise is in the album collection. In May 2002, I had 37 albums. I now have 152, which is an increase of over 4 times. I have updated my Audio page to reflect the latest information with regards to my MP3 database. Due to University commitments, I will update it on a monthly basis.

    Not sure if any of you have seen the latest Party Political Conference Broadcast from the Labour party. It did indeed make me chuckle. I would use the word that they use, but it is more borrow the idea of the classic MasterCard advertisements. However, the tagline changes to the comical: "There are some things a governm