…..who obviously hasn’t seen the news yet.
Other Stories
Nelson Mandela Freed – Where Were You?
I’ll never forget where I was the day Nelson Mandela was released exactly 20 years ago.
The Gatwick Park Hospital had just taken out my tonsils and I watched the TV coverage scoffing copious amounts of ice cream.
This is the cell he lived in for all those years. Twelve months ago we were in South Africa and went to Robben Island – off Cape Town – to see where he was incarcerated and hear sad, sad stories from former inmates.
It was a remarkably moving day.
This was the only view of civilization they had while locked away. A hazy view of a distant table mountain.
A boiling hot day, we heard how prisoners often spent hour upon hour working in direct sunlight, and went to the quarry where so many ended up with sight difficulties, due to solar reflection on the limestone rock.
The day he was released, Mike Tyson lost a big fight. He was knocked out by James "Buster" Douglas in the 10th round and lost his world heavyweight title.
The Sun celebrated both events with a photo of their respective reactions.
The headline?
“Down & Out!”
Running 1/2 Marathon for National Association for Children of Alcoholics
This was me this morning – photo taken by a very sleepy Ashley!
This is what I went out running in at 6.30am
Why??
Because I’m training for a 1/2 Marathon in aid of The National Association for Children of Alcoholics
2 years ago I ran the London Marathon. I’ve now just about recovered, so decided to try a 1/2 Marathon to get back into shape after the best year of my life – 2009 – when I got married to the lovely Ashley and celebrated hard (!) on both sides of the Atlantic.
I’m trying to raise £2,000 this time by running the Lucozade Sport Race Your Pace 1/2 Marathon in Windsor on 28th March.
That’s less than 3 months away……gulp!
The charity I’ve chosen is The National Association for Children of Alcoholics who do really fabulous work in an area of much taboo.
Do visit their website to read some of the children’s stories to understand there are 1000′s of young people out there suffering through no fault of their own.
I work for Microsoft and they guarantee to match any donation, so anything you give will effectively be doubled!
Check out my charity page to donate & thanks in advance:
Dropping Post-Xmas Poundage & The MSN Diet Blog
Well the bows of holly have been de-decked, tree needles are clogging up the vacuum cleaner and what’s left of the brandy butter is going mouldy in the fridge.
We’ve had a fabulous first Christmas as a married couple traipsing about 5,000 miles to see family and friends in the SW of England and then in Seattle.
Highlights were being rescued from an icy ditch near Taunton, being in the BA lounge for 2 hours while others, without such lofty access, queued to be searched before boarding our Boxing Day flight, the overwhelming reception from 30 of Ashley’s close family when we arrived States-side, and spending quality-time with Ashley at the Seahawks game – that Hasslebladder really has to go?!
Now I’m on a New Year Mission to lose some weight and get fit for a 1/2 marathon in Windsor at the end of March. We’re not drinking in January again which is going to be tough as I fly to Las Vegas today for the Consumer Electronics Show…..so we’ll see well how I get on!
I’m aiming to lose 20lbs or one and a half stone, but our friend Nicole Thomas has just started a Diet Blog for MSN UK and she’s aiming to shed FOUR Stone!!!
You really should follow her stuff – she’s a great writer, very funny and acerbic when she wants to be!
You can follow her on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/treefroggirl
Happy New Year to you all and wish me and Nicole luck in becoming half the people we used to be!
British Airways Strike & Xmas Petition to BA Staff
My wife and I are planning to spend our first Christmas as a married couple with family in the SW of England before flying to Seattle to visit her family on Boxing Day.
Now all that looks doomed unless Willie and the BA managers can sort out this “12 days of Christmas strike” with those lovely chaps at the union Unite – ironic name don’t you think seeing as over 1M people look as if they’ll not get united with their families this festive season!
If you’ve been affected, leave a message below for all parties involved and explain your situation. Maybe that’ll pull a few heart strings and avert disaster for everyone!!!
Searching For Santa at SES Chicago 2009 & Finding Bing
A very Greg Jarboe looking Santa, quizzes the searcherati at Search Engine Strategies in Chicago about what they want for Christmas.
Jim Sterne, Matt McGowan, Motoko Hunt, David Szetela, Dave Naylor, Anne Kennedy, Bryan Eisenberg and Li Evans all feature.
Bill Hunt gets the festive link lovage though – watch till the end to see why!
Wish I’d gone now!!!
It’s Dark Already – PhotoTherapy
Just gone 4pm and the night is already young!
To be honest I’m not much of a Winter person. I much prefer the Summer months of warm sunshine, cricket and pints outside the pub.
Just browsing through my photo albums I found a few photos to keep me going through the week!
Jess & Daryl from Cherry UK, the London Corporate Video Company that were with us in Cannes
Me and Max on a historic day at The Oval Cricket Ground in 2007
Our Safari Lodge in South Africa last year
Ashley & Me at Vignamaggio in Tuscany in 2007
