My arm was on telly!!!

A few weeks ago, Jay and I did the weekly Saturday shopping haul at ASDA in Southport while Kerris and Luca got their collective locks cut back home.

While in the shop, I noticed some filming going on and at the time I thought nothing of it until I caught, completely by accident, a part of "How Green Is Your High Street" on BBC2 on Thursday night.

The program was all about ASDA trialling a green grocer style approach to packaging by displaying its veg "au naturale" rather than washed and in packaging.

Anyway, next thing, I see a handsome looking ginger haired arm come into shot attached to a Liverpool training top and BANG, its me picking peppers for our various pasta and rice dishes for the week.

So there you go, I am living testament to shopping greener and if anyone wants to argue about it then I can point them to this blog entry!!!

I saw Genesis live in Dusseldorf....in a cinema....in Staines!!!

Well there was a surreal experience if ever there was one!!! I went to see a live simulcast of Genesis at a Vue cinema in Staines!!!

I was dahn-saff for the night so it occupied my night nicely. The cinema was pretty full and at £15.00 a ticket it needed to be good value and I enjoyed it immensely.

I love Genesis, I am really happy that they got back together to tour but there was no way I was forking out for a stadium gig as they are just too big to enjoy!!! I much prefer arena's or theatres.

They sounded great, it was like they had never been away and the stage set was fantastic too.

Phil Collins kept referring to people in the cinemas to make noise and join in which was very funny but it was quite placid affair in Staines so everyone just sat back, relaxed and enjoyed the show.

There is something nice about watching a gig on a 40ft screen in Dolby 5.1 surround sound though!!! If one comes to a town near you.....go!!!

PS....how can anyone live anywhere called Staines?

I have joined the You Tube revolution!!!

This one kind of speaks for itself really.......impressive though!!!

Happy Birthday Nanny June!!! 60 Today!!!

Today sees my Mum, Nanny June, turn the ripe age of 60 and it's time to sit back, put your feet up and enjoy your retirement!!! Happy birthday Mum!!!

This lovely picture shows Mum with her young sidekick, Jay, on holiday last year and I am sure even Mum will agree that its a nice picture.

For those who don't know, Nanny June actually retired 2 years ago. She left work at the cushion cover factory to look after Jay for 2 days a week so that Kerris could return to work and get a much needed break away from the 24/7 demands of raising Jay.

Mum has been so good to us, she has never moaned or complained and always looks at looking after the kids as a pleasure rather than a task. She is obviously showing signs of dementia here. She has taken Jay under her wing and taught him so many new things that we would never have have dreamed of. Mum has been as much of a contributor to Jays' development as a child and sunny disposition as Kerris and I have.

So thank you Mum, we love you loads and really appreciate all you have done for us. Happy Birthday XXX.

Handreader frustrations!!!

This is an external Handreader, in fact to be more precise, its an ID3D/RW with built in 24V AC heater.

This is a product I sell in my day job as possibly the best security consultant in the UK and it is, without doubt, the best product that Ingersoll Rand produce by a country mile.

The product is a biometric reader (not strictly but its a long explanation) and it require you to type in a unique PIN code (like an ATM) and then place your hand onto a plate and the technology compares that hand on the plate to that of your template stored in the machine and decides whether you are who you claim to be and sends a message to open the door.

OK so you are with me up to here? Good.

Well, when I sell this machine (or when I sell 2 as I did recently) it needs to be connected to another piece of kit to release the door securely (not strictly true but another long explanation).

My frustration is, this other piece of kit is generally supplied by another company, Paxton Access, and this means that every time I sell a Handreader, I also indirectly do a great sales job for Paxton Access at the same time.

Now I hear what you say......."Why don't you use your own version of the Paxton product and get the full sale?". Well, Ingersoll Rand in their wisdom do not sell said piece of equipment in the UK and I am sick of asking for it to be brought in. So my bosses can always push me harder for better sales while they don't do small things like this that could make a big difference.

The other frustration is that I know Paxton Access better than my own product and 9 times out of 10 end up commissioning that side of the job while setting my own products up because it just makes the whole thing easier for me in the long run as when the Handreader fails to open the door, the client does not see the Paxton product or understand its role in the system and its generally the Paxton side that is at fault when a door does not open!!!

Well there is another frustration aired.

Happy Birthday Dad!!!

Today would have been my Dad's 60th birthday if he was still with us. Even though he is not here, it's still his birthday anyway!!!

So wherever you are Dad, all the best to you, we do miss you and love you a lot and you are always in our thoughts.

I don't have any pics of my Dad scanned into my PC but I do have a funny one that my brother, Andy, sent to me a while ago. He called it "Separated At Birth". Obviously the black and white one is my Dad but who is the handsome young ginger one?

And on the subject of music......

I had to do a little research on this before I put my foot in it but if I ever made it big, I think that KT Tunstall and myself may end up in court!!!

Although this is a shameless plug to draw attention once again to my own musical masterpiece, I noticed a while ago that KT and me must have been on the same wavelength for a short time. Her tune, Heal Over (2005), from The Eye Of The Telescope album has an uncanny chord structure likeness to my own song, Beautiful Day (2004).

Why not compare the two and see if you get where I am going.....

Click here for KT Tunstall.

Click here for Me!!

And just for the record, I dont hold any grudge at all!! I like KT Tunstall and long may we share the same wavelength!!!

Oh, I think to avoid any problems with old KT, I need to link to her website to be on the safe side!! Yes KT, I lifted the link off your site so I am more than happy to link back over to you!!! Click here - KT Tunstall Website.