Alton Towers issued a press release today, basically in summary they have cancelled a special Preview Weekend to go behind the scenes of the brand new World 1st Roller Coaster, Th13teen. Why?
Well basically it doesn’t work… so in summary, they’ve built this “incredibly sophisticated“ ride, only to get “technical difficulties during testing”
Hmmmm… I’m glad I didn’t apply to be the first to ride :P
I quick post to say that I thought the way that this weeks Shameless handled the mental breakdown of Karen very well. And Rebecca Atkinson (the actress who plays Karen Maguire) performed the role very well. Was very real and quite scary.
How embarrassing would it be to be taken out by a milk float…
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/shameless/episode-guide/series-7/episode-3
Alton Towers new Secret Weapon (SW6), Th13teen, opens 20th March 2010 in the area which used to house the Corkscrew (and beyond). Trip to Alton Towers this Easter anyone?
Anyway the new ride is supposed to not just be a rollercoaster, but have other elements as well, along with special “mind” effects and a world first element. I have no ideas what this is but I’m so totally looking forward to finding out. (The track kinda of rules out anything to do with the way the rider actually experiences via the train - so no flying or gravity defying inversions then…)
The idea being that a grave yard has been discovered, and riders must try and escape “The Dark Forest”. Rita is also getting a re-theme (and hopefully a re-name, because the name seems pretty out of place…)
Alton Towers is really hyping up the ride, and has “employed” Celebrity Big Brother winner Alex to recruit the first riders for the ride. I’d apply - but I’d rather someone else tested it first, you can’t trust builders these days and with a name like Th13teen thank god it isn’t going to be launched on a Friday 13th…
Bring on March 2010.
Apple (my favourite brand of all time) introduced iPad this week. My initial opinions of the device where basically why?! But I am now seeing more and more reasons to get one. 1) I don’t like taking my netbook everywhere with me, it is actually as Steve Jobs would say “clunky”, with an iPad I could just stick it in my bag along with my other pads, books etc. I came to my conclusion after realising that actually for most things my iPhone is just fine, and I only really need a laptop when I’m going on long journeys or away on holiday. At the moment I use a netbook to bridge that cap. But it’s slow, the keyboard is terrible (constantly hit the wrong keys) and the screen size isn’t desirable for a standard operating system (particularly vertically). iPad fixes all of this, and it also has the added benefit of all the features of the iPhone (bar the phone) IE touch screen and motion sensor mainly.
Add to wish list: 1 iPad.
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/shameless
Shameless Series 7 started this week, and although I’m probably really sad to admit, but it made me very happy, and really cheered me up. (Perhaps further helped by the several cocktails, bottle of cider and bottle of VK consumed earlier that night - along with plenty of sugar in the form of cake - well it was Lizzies birthday!).
Anyway my favourite character in the first episode was Nin - I mean who wouldn’t want to be that old, that screwed on and that strong. An incredible character - and I hope there are people like Nin in the world.
Other highlights include seeing carl in his boxers (boy has he grown up & got fit) and catching a glimpse (in the opening characters) of carl and mickey, my favourite character, in the sack together.
Anyway what I like about Shameless is that it is just so totally is Shameless. It’s one of the only shows on the TV today which isn’t afraid to bluntly delve into controversial topics. Also I love the concept, I think being shameless is probably one of the most comforting ways of anyone to live their life.
The power of moving pictures indeed.
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Life Is One BIG Balancing ACT…
Everyday (like lots of people) I balance student life with business life and then both of those are also balanced with whatever is left to make some sort of social life.
Sometimes it gets confusing - worlds collide and things get lost mid-air. Just this morning I totally blanked my new housemate for next year and good friend - I was lost in mid-air trapped in my own little bubble rushing around.
This post marks a new era of RetroNerd where I intend not to always post things that make sense to one particular area or group of people. I’m scrapping the balancing act - and living life merged. So my uni time is my business time, my business time is my uni time, my personal time is my business time and my business time is my personal time.
Basically I give up trying maintain a different image of myself for every (very different part of my life) and I’m going to start living life merged. So if you call me expect to hear music in the background. If you party with me, expect me to be working as well. If you study with me, expect me to be doing anything but studying :P.
So eventually this little blog will actually have some representation of my real life - not just one aspect of how I would choose to present myself. The cuffs are off. Lets go.
(Oh and the design is a work in progress people. In case anyones wondering yes it is custom and it’s (going to be) a 80’s mash up influenced by fantasy, neon lights (neon rainbow / ministry of sounds 80’s) and good old saved by the bell.)
I am loving Spooks – despite the magical technical things they seem to be able to do that don’t make sense. To hack into a bank we simply go to one of the computers open it up and put a round thing between two wires it seems – and it seems when we shuv it all back in within a matter of seconds the computer is up and running exactly as it was before. Oh well the bombs, running, guns, timers and near-end-of-the-world(or UK) scenarios are always interesting. Wednesday is currently Fish’n’Chips+Waterloo Road+Spooks day for me and Lizz at the moment lol. *guilty pleasures*
Talking about magical technical things that don’t seem to make sense. Windows 7. I really don’t get why everyone is raving about it – is it because it looks “nice” and works? Well they’ve really exceeded expectations: a computer which actually works – who’d of thought it ey. Anyways seems as I get it all free – I’ve just installed a Windows 7 VM which seems to run fast enough so it’ll replace my XP VM. Fortunately I can escape the vista style theme and butterflies by running it in coherence mode with OSX Leopard. Now my mac dock and my windows dock are the same. Mac Power Looks like Mac needs a new slogan because “It just works.” isn’t going to cut it now Windows works as well – I’ll do my best to report on annoyance and crash of Windows 7 at time goes by
I’m stuck in a hell holeish world of an eternal cold and misery lol. It peaked at the end of October after a fantastic night at Alton Towers Scarefest (I love Alton Towers and everything that it stands for) – I woke up and realised that I actually couldn’t open my mouth very much. So I thought oh – it’s ok – it’ll go away. 3 days later I could no longer open my mouth enough to speak or even swallow my own spit – in fact if I had it my way I wouldn’t of swallowed at all because it was just total agony. Anyway hoping for some antibiotics and to go home, I went to the doctors. Unfortunately they said I needed to go hospital. So I spent 3 days in hospital on a IV drip with multiple antibiotics, painkillers and nutrition running through me. I spent my time with a bunch of old men and an infuriating bed-side computer/tv thing which I felt like smashing several times. Not the highest point in my life. Anyway coming to 2 months on – I still have the damn after effects.
Well I have an excuse for not updating my blog this time. Again I’ve gone through massive changes – it’s September again and I’m back in Lincoln (in a new Flat with the wonderful Lizz Brady – see I do mention you!), this time on a Web Technology integrated masters course, which is perfect because I’m in 2 days a week, and the rest is for my business I launched WebFloat.co.uk and I’m really pleased with it, it’s something original and yet, very very simple.
I’ve also had to deal with the threat of legal action from my ex-employer Easy Internet. Anyway the long and short of it is I have been accused of stealing all their clients in some elaborate conspiracy theory. Anyway after repeat attempts to defend myself against legal action and threats to cease trading- I think, just maybe, they have realised that the only threat from me is in their heads.
Right then – Gays. Stop ganging up on Dannii, it wasn’t and isn’t a big deal. It annoys me, it really does. If she’d of said to the little lad (which they did) “all the girls will be crying rivers for you” – was that shock horror, no! Why not say it – it wasn’t malicious, and he said himself he’s not ashamed, so it’s no biggy. Simon Cow showed his true colours again though.
Moody post is over – hope it was both enlightening and entertaining, and even a bit disturbing. I shan’t grammar or spell check it – consider it organic.
7 Months Ago vs Edit: Today
Well first of all I’ve failed miserably with regards to keeping my blog up to date – but I will put in more effort on that front! Anyway I’m on holiday in France and it’s raining so after hacking in and updating WP I thought it was time for a new post! A lot has happened since my last post back in March, so I thought I’d kick start my new effort by doing a quick round up… *Edit: And I’m starting that new effort again lol
After over five years of service, I left my job as SEO Team Leader & Web Designer at Easy Internet in Leicester. I’d been part time for nearly two years and to be honest, it was becoming an unnecessary waste of my time. I decided I’d reached the top of the hill, and I’d prefer to jump off rather than tumble down slowly. All the best to them for the future. *Edit: They since tried to sue my ass for the below - but that’s all now sorted (I think…)
I launched Specific Gravity – www.specificgravity.co.uk – I’m steadily building up a client base and plan to launch a more detailed/comprehensive site in September. I’m also due to launch WebFloat (webfloat.co.uk) in the next few weeks. I’m also looking to launch the new version GAYY.co.uk in the coming months (this has been on hold for about a year). SG and WF will also be taking a more prominent role on my personal sites – aiming for a more personal and transparent image for potential customers/visitors to my business sites. Edit: I did this :D And I’ve also launched other sub brands www.supernovanames.com and www.getgravity.co.uk with more to come soon
I’ve shut down my 7ft reef aquarium, I’ve now sold all of the stock to good homes and I’m in process of selling of the equipment and then the tank. Sad to see it go but what with being a student, running (and funding) a business plus spending most of my time away from home, I really don’t have the time or the spare income to justify it. I set up my Dad with a very small 15″ nano cube tank tho to keep him occupied. I plan to make ReefKeep.in a gallery/tribute sort of thing – mainly for me really, but I’m sure others in the reef keeping community will enjoy it as well – anyway that’ll be on the back-burner perhaps late this year or early next. *Edit: I’ve still not done this. But we have got two little clown fish in the nano cube - and they survived a 5 day marathon on a current treadmill - they are called fish n chips (thanks Lizz)
Other news on my personal site front, SJSNET.co.uk got a makeover – well I’ve decided RetroNerd.org is to replace SJSNET.co.uk by the end of the year, I want to move away from this old identity which really now has no hold over any of my projects. Expect some more enhancements to RetroNerd before this move takes place. EugenetheDragon.info is to be re-designed and updated and I’m planning some retirements for other domains. *EDIT: I’ve since given it another makeover - and eugene etc still has no makeover.
Back to the “real” world. I’m going back to Lincoln University in September to start an Mcomp in Web Technology, providing I pass a maths exam – glad I made the decision to nip the Graphic Design degree in the bud, although I love graphic design, I think my time is better spent elsewhere and this new degree will reinforce my work experience in the web industry. Looking forward to being a fresher for the second time around – this time with just a little bit of restraint. *EDIT: I’m now at uni just finished my semester A - but I’ve changed course, now doing Computer Science. Also have the perfect house for next year with Amy and Lizz
and how could I forget! I managed to get hold of tickets for the Michael Jackson This Is It concert at London o2. Since then Michael Jackson has died – I’m so gutted that we never got to see him live in concert, but even more gutted that we’ll never have the opportunity to hear anything from him again. RIP Michael Jackson. *Edit: But I did see and hear new things from him again. I got my souvenir ticket and went to see This Is It. Total and utter legend.
Some updates to previous posts…
Since my Not To Twitter post back in February, I’ve now joined (reluctantly, but on good advice) Twitter – but you’ll find I’ve not yet become an active user (I don’t think active is a good word for me) I best get to it before they remove my account! http://twitter.com/specificgravity Edit: In fact I now have two twitter accounts, a personal one and a business one. @retronerdorg and @specificgravity
Also on the TV front Hero’s Fugivitives has finished, along with the third season of Brothers & Sisters and Skins. All brilliant, even – dare I say – Robin Hood, though it is what it is. I’m now on the 3rd season of Ugly Betty (love it!), Big Brother (charlie to win of course) and looking forward to watching 5 hours worth of Torchwood when I get home next week. *Edit: I’m now on season 4 of brothers and sisters, season 2 of being human and season 7 of shameless starts Next Thursday. Get In.
On the Apple front I upgraded to the 16gb iPhone 3G as my 18 month o2 contract came to end – which was really stupid because the iPhone 3GS was released a few weeks after – always the case, you can never have the latest model. I’m still running Safari 4 beta – it’s getting better and the initial bugs I reported are now resolved – woo. *Edit: It broke, and I got a brand new one free from Apple.
What with all of these big changes and decisions to make I’ve managed to put on a few stone in weight, which I’m now on an effort to lose again as quickly as humanly possible. Anyway I’m getting back on track again now, still lot’s going on over the next few months – so hopefully posting again soon with something more useful/interesting. Edit: I have failed to lose much weight - although probably lost a little if not put any on.
Well this has been a very interesting look - for me anyway - of what I have achieved and not achieved in the last 7 months and how things have changed.
