Day ???

Since this is a weekend post I'm going to call this Bonus content.

Anyway I've been away to Birmingham for the last time (I only have got to go back for a single day in a week or two) and then since I arrived home I'd not been feeling too well.

A little back story behind being ill, I don't get ill.

Sounds strange but in all my years I've only been bed ridden maybe 3 times, each from tonsillitis.

This time I've been feeling under the weather, feeling tired, irritable and mostly run down.

Today I woke up, feeling nauseous and tired as well as a sore throat and a slight cough, added with all my joints aching led me to believe I have seasonal Flu.

Big deal, it sucks but I learned from a young age, for me personally I have to be active to get better. So I took a walk and eventually a nap when I was feeling very bad, but after a long hot bath and some food I feel ok again!

Anyway being tired and the such is the reason I found it difficult to try and post the last few days, and to apologize I thought I'd share some personal information.

No real reason but I juts feel like opening up a little, which for me is hard indeed.

The thing I love the most:

Friendship, I value most in this world is friendship and the ability to understand people. For me I have always believed that the biggest problem in this world is not the frequent inhumane acts we see on the news or even the people starving while others can waste, I personally think, if you took it all down to its most basic level, its the lack of understanding.

Slavery was an act where no effort was made to try and understand. People never saw a slave and thought, I wonder what his life is like, and what could make it better.

Wars with religion are all based on a lack of understanding, understanding that we can co-exist and that the wars that are raged are not in honour of their gods, but in honour of our own primitive desire of destruction and violence.

It is often hard to see a view that contradicts your own, and having the gift to analyse and see things from both sides will save a lot of bother in your life.

I saw a video of some young men beating to death two tramps in a forest (its on a news site I visit) and it was horrific, this all started because the tramps had eaten their cats.

Now instead of stepping back and thinking why did they eat the cats, the automatic reaction was to become enraged and eventually murderers.

I bet those tramps did not grow up wanting to become cat eating tramps, and I certainly do not think the cats were killed for fun, they were killed for food, what you have here are 2 outcasts of society fending in the wild eating whatever they can to stay alive.

What those people needed was compassion and understanding, maybe even empathy, rehabilitation and a chance to live their lives as valuable citizens, and perhaps not to be murdered.

As long as a bad society stays bad, their will always be homeless people, so really all the homeless people become are a by-product of a bad system, a system which I think needs changing.

A stubborn person is hard to argue with, I know this as I have a stubborn farther, the problem is that in their mind there is only one answer, and its the answer that they have concluded on one sided evidence.

Here is a personal moment for you, when I was a young kid, maybe 10-12 I got into some trouble with some older kids who were bullying me and a friend, back then I was tiny and weak and to be honest frightened.

I remember this well as it was the first and last time I came home and opened up to my dad about it, hoping that he would talk to them or at least solve the problem.
I told him, and we went back to the playground, the two boys were there, and my farther got out the car and is an intimidating guy for a young kid, anyway he asked them just what had happened, finally I thought, this will be over.
Anyway he came back to me and told me we were going home and that I lied to him, apparently I had called one of the boys (who wore glasses) four eyes.

Total lie, but they were older and for some reason he believed them over me, since that day I've never relied on my farther for support, maybe when the car breaks down I'll call him, but that's because I have no idea about cars, but in life, if I have a problem I go to my mother.
I know your thinking that perhaps I'm painting him in a bad light, this is not true. Regardless of flaws parents are parents.

I just wanted to explain, we have always had a stormy relationship, I've always done the things that are opposites to him, drawing at a young age, liking video games, and not having an interest in sport like he always had, so I can see how it might have been hard for him to relate to me.

That one moment, that one time... it's funny how some things really stay with you, and from then onwards I always thought I'd have to live life my own way, and rely on nobody but myself to get things done.

I'd be interested in hearing defining moments of your life, readers?

Things I fear most:

Top of the list, is death.

For me death is a big issue, since I'm not really religious and only very partly Buddhist I find great difficulty in following something I do not believe in.

This is were I might get all philosophical and spiritual.

Uurrgh I'm blabbering, let me get to the point, I actually wish I could believe a religion, the reason is I'm terrified by death. Religion gives you the comfort of thinking that their is more, I personally think when we die that it is it, the end.

Reincarnation makes little sense to me, because if the population constantly expands, how can they all be resurrected souls? so for example say there are 400 people and the next year there are 700 people where did 300 souls come from? you could argue from animals etc, but if they keep populating then it still makes no sense.

Anyway, death seems so absolute! an infinity of nothingness, not even thought.

For me this fear came from college, when we were playing the game where you breath in and let people push on your chest, causing you to faint briefly.

I don't remember it happening, I remember waking up, and firstly thinking that when we die, we won't know, and from there on we cease to exist. for me a very scary thought.

If I had a religion to cling to, that notion of absoluteness would be a lot more easier to swallow.

Favourite food:

The problem for me is I've always been a person that flutters between foods, liking something one week, disliking it the next.

I suppose the one constant, the one thing I'll always eat, would be ice cream.

Weird eating habits:

I have to have a little of every element on each fork, so for example if it is a fry up, I'll have a bit of bacon, sausage, egg, hash brown, toast and beans on each fork load.

I have to have a drink with every meal.

I have tomato ketchup on macaroni and cheese.

My worst trait: Jealousy

This only applies to relationships, After a few bad relationships and being used a few times I have developed a were notion that everything that can go wrong will go wrong.

I get jealous when people get to spend time with my friends and girlfriends if I'm stuck alone at home or something, I suppose my problem is not jealousy, it's loneliness.

I get lonely very easy, spending most my time home, alone, gives me more than enough time with myself, and I find myself tedious and argumentative with myself, if that makes any sense. always over analysing and arguing to myself, contradicting and thinking constantly.

Fun facts:

It took me 3 years to tell a girl I loved her.

I have a scar on my forehead (very small) that was the catalyst for me losing 5-6 years worth of memories.

(You can read more about it all here: http://mastersfinalmemory.blogspot.com/ its my personal blog during my Masters final piece.)

I once ate 6 litres of ice cream in one sitting.

I once had a pet cricket called rambo, who lived 4 times longer than it should have.

I failed my fireman training test paper twice (mathematics paper) maths is officially my weak point. But passed the fitness exam while having the flu, a guy who worked at a gym failed.

During my first year or two in my flat, I slept in a bare room with an air bed, now my room is completely crammed full.

I'm struggling to find more things to talk about, so This is your chance readers, I PROMISE to answer any 1 question per person, no matter HOW personal.

So go for it, ask away!

Peace readers I hope this has in some way been a remotely interesting read.

Day 109: Urban jungle.

I have no swish fancy title headers, the images I created and use for my blog exist on my home PC, I'm posting this blog a few hundred miles away in Birmingham!

I go to birmingham often to vist my girlfriend, and I won't lie, I detest cities.

I like nature, I like natures fresh air rustling through the tress, the smells of fresh flowers and the sounds of the sea.
I don't like polluted air blustering through my choking my lungs, the smell of fumes and various deodorants and the sounds of relentless cars with the common sound of an ambulance crashing through.

Cities have their perks, for example birmingham has a massive wealth of restaurants and generally a good selection for food, but once you peel that away from it's grey exterior there is little in entertainment. Sure you could go and drink cocktails at night or go out to nightclubs but other than that there is nothing to explore, just roam around pe designed spaces that maximize consumer sales.
To controlled, not wild, free and unforgiving.
Now of course I've lived my life in the countryside so for me, until recently I was biased, but I've spent a good few moths in city life, and it really is bad for the soul.

A deep concentration of people with little to do, you hardly see people talking to each other in a city and it is strange that in somewhere so deep wit people, that you could really feel alone.

Its not a long post today, but I'd like to hear what people think of the environments they have been to, what conclusions you have found.

Peace out, you beautiful, beautiful readers.

Day 109: Urban jungle.

I have no swish fancy title headers, the images I created and use for my blog exist on my home PC, I'm posting this blog a few hundred miles away in Birmingham!

I go to birmingham often to vist my girlfriend, and I won't lie, I detest cities.

I like nature, I like natures fresh air rustling through the tress, the smells of fresh flowers and the sounds of the sea.
I don't like polluted air blustering through my choking my lungs, the smell of fumes and various deodorants and the sounds of relentless cars with the common sound of an ambulance crashing through.

Cities have their perks, for example birmingham has a massive wealth of restaurants and generally a good selection for food, but once you peel that away from it's grey exterior there is little in entertainment. Sure you could go and drink cocktails at night or go out to nightclubs but other than that there is nothing to explore, just roam around pe designed spaces that maximize consumer sales.
To controlled, not wild, free and unforgiving.
Now of course I've lived my life in the countryside so for me, until recently I was biased, but I've spent a good few moths in city life, and it really is bad for the soul.

A deep concentration of people with little to do, you hardly see people talking to each other in a city and it is strange that in somewhere so deep wit people, that you could really feel alone.

Its not a long post today, but I'd like to hear what people think of the environments they have been to, what conclusions you have found.

Peace out, you beautiful, beautiful readers.

Day 107: Battle Strategy-Making life fun.

Hello readers, it's Tuesday and I've got enough content to validate today's post, yesterday I did not have enough awesome content worthy of your eyes, today I do.

During the weekend I tried a cigarette.

Now for those that do not know (I'm unsure if I ever mentioned) but I used to smoke, on and off for quite some time, in patches of high stress I smoked the amount a normal smoker did, say 10-20 a day, but in September last year I stopped, no graduation in it, just flat out to myself no thanks.
I've always been strong willed, and will always be but I'd always have the odd one now and then sort of like a temporary relapse.

Anyway I decided to ask my friend if it was ok to take one, he was worried I'd fallen off the wagon but actually it was for me to test the effects of being off it for so long, what I took was a roll up, in other words not a straight cigarette, it uses the raw tobacco and significantly better on the lungs as it contains a lot less than the commercial pre made ones, I figured this would be interesting.

It was interesting, firstly it just felt like it normally did, but as I went on I felt queasy and got a headache followed by just feeling incredibly sick, great news, my body completely rejected it and I was so impressed because I know now that I'll never become a smoker again, maybe have a puff on a cigar if its a big event but only as an ascetic accompaniment.

So, I'm smoke free and have no urges to make myself feel ill, also I've lost another 6 lbs since I now have a working bike again, I've been using it daily, and ideally would like to keep using it daily.

Going to get the standing punch-bag working sometime soon so that I can have a hard cardio workout 2-3 times a week.

Anyway, back onto the intended topic, it is nice to see progress, for example I uploaded a photo of me on facebook recently and my brother commented how I'd lost weight, and to be honest with you readers, it made me happy to see that there must be noticeable changes happening.

It has been a LONG time since I posted this subsection, it was used only once before if I remember correctly.

Anyway today's invention is just some tricks to make life more exciting in tasks that might require some more motivation.

During my Degree in games design, I used to find meeting crazy deadlines difficult, so I started making desktop backgrounds in photoshop, they would have some text like "Days until JUDGEMENT" or something equally as crazy, with how many days remaining in a line, as the day passes the number of days shrinks and a meter moves along a line, on that line is the various milestones I'd set, so say after 5 days it might read "have concept art completed" anyway I used this method to keep me focused and organised making sure I'd hit deadlines and meet milestones.

Then during my Degree I had my first Dissertation to do, now I'll share a secret, I can type a lot of content fast, good in depth material about a subject and can really say I find meeting the required word count pretty easy.

But regardless of how easy you might find it, it still takes time and is pretty boring.

So to keep myself in track I would build a battle scene from a video game using sprites and have enemy's with hp (Usually with the amount of each sections word count) if I had to stop for 5 mins and get a break I'd update the image with how the battle was going.

Seems weird but making work feel like elements of something I enjoy, like games, it feels less bothersome and a little bit more fun than it would have been.

So my invention is not really a item, its the idea of converting mediocre things into fun things by relating them to things you enjoy.

So with my fitness, I was thinking of making a RPG game style state sheet, and make a means of keeping track of things like strength, speed etc.

And have it so once you meet the requirements you level up a area, this way you can treat the training process much like how games grind for skills on RPG games.

If I make one, I'll be sure to post it up here!

A new design was made, here is a link to the RAW image.

>>> HERE!! <<<

It is for an event in summer, it's not a breath taking piece but I'm trying to scout what the customers actually want as I have ideas but I want people to have the products they want.

Anyway this week a lot of designing has been taking place, after this blog update I have to get all the text for some of the sites sections finished off and sent to the programmer, something I failed to remember to do at the weekend.

Other than the new designs, there is nothing new to report in the business sector.

Seasick Steve, a man who spent most of his life homeless released a new album and I personally think it is amazing, check out a track from the new album.

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Food

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DAY 107:

(Morning)

Woke up too late.

(Lunch)

Mineral water 1 pint.

cheese, bacon and chicken sub (2.5 grams of sat fats)

(Dinner)

Chinese: Chrispy shredded chilli beef, egg fried rice and a few chips.

(Not had it in a while)

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Fitness

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Day 107:

Light bike ride, 2 mile light run.

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Last message

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"Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared."

Buddha

Day 103: Great days = Great adventures.

First adventure post, I went on a 16 mile ride, through an Estate that is situated 5 minutes ride from my house.

But first I needed fuel, and that came in the form of a cup of tea and a plain scone.

After that I had a score to settle with the arcades claw machine, I'd been winning these Angry bird plushy's and needed one last one to complete the collection, the fat yellow one! It's tricky to grab and I've had a few failed attempts to successfully capture him. I have a luck app on FB where it randomly seems to tell you how lucky you are, I was 100%, so I knew if a random percent generator believed in me, that I could not fail!

So I went, and won it, made me feel happy it was over, no more levelling up on claw machines for me!

After that, I began the bike ride to the woods outside the estate, and from there onwards I think I'll let the photo's do the talking, enjoy!

Nice and fun, stunning day temperatures of 28, got to give my new bike a through test, verdict, it's amazing, smooth joints, no lost energy and lightweight, I think all my long trips on my last tank made me realise I have phenomenal leg strength.

After the ride I sat at home, in a little pain, I had pushed myself a bit too hard, and I have a bad habit of doing that, I just feel I let myself down if I don't give everything in life 100%, stupid really.

Business wise? Well I've started drumming up interest online, using forums and chat IRC to mention products etc, but this won't go into large scale until the website is done.

Tomorrow I'm going to make sure the website's text is finished, as it NEEDS to be done.

Other than that, not a lot of news on that front.

Isklar Water.

Now I know what some of you are thinking "Water is water, there is no difference" I did feel the same way, but after drinking so much recently I do actually see a difference!

I was initially attracted to Isklar water about a week before I started this journey and was totally sold on the bottle design (I'm a bit of a sucker for good design being a designer) and the drink is just so light, no residue or that feeling of thick water, like volvic. I used to drink volvic, but in comparison I prefer Isklar for the reason that it tastes crisp, light and feels refreshing as well as being better designed and cheaper, no brain'r, I don't get paid to promote products so you know this is not some pointless plug, I tell you readers what I think is good and bad.

Another thing I'd like to point out.

Honey!

This picture is from a while back, when I made some weird health drink using fruit, trying to get the good alkaline substances out to balance the blood, anyway, honey is liquid gold.

For hundreds of tears, across the world honey has been used as a medicine in all kinds of tribes, why?

I dragged this up.

"Honey has been used in many medical applications over the years, but recent studies are now able to prove its benefits as a topical antibacterial treatment for burns and ulcers.

Known antioxidant compounds in honey are chrysin, pinobanksin, vitamin C, catalase, and pinocembrin. Unlike most other sweeteners, honey contains small amounts of a wide array of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants, which include a wide array of vitamins, such as vitamin B6, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid.

In addition, honey contains essential minerals including calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and zinc as well as several different amino acids have been identified in honey. Dark honey has more nutrients than lighter varieties. Vitamin and mineral content depend on the floral source of the honey. Honey has less than 2% sodium.

Because of its antibacterial properties, pure honey can be preserved indefinitely."

So there you go, honey not only tastes great but has a ton of awesome stuff in it, it can apparently heal wounds and I have seen footage of tribes using honey as a "organic plaster" if you will.

Also dragged this up, because blue berries are delicious!!

Blueberries:
"Blueberries are an excellent source of vitamin C.

In fact, a serving contains about 14 mg or almost 25% of daily requirement for Vitamin C. Vitamin C is needed for the formation of collagen and to maintain healthy gums and capillaries. It also aids in the absorption of iron and promotes a healthy immune system.^{1, 2}

Blueberries are a good source of dietary fiber.
Government surveys tell us that there is not enough fiber in our diet. A diet high in fiber contributes to heart health, helping to keep cholesterol in check. Fiber also aids in digestions and helps maintain regularity.^{1, 2}

Blueberries are an excellent source of manganese.
Manganese plays an important role in the development of bones and in the metabolism of protein, carbohydrate and fat.^3"

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Food

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DAY 103:

(Morning)

Rice crispies with honey :3

Cup of tea

Plain Scone

(Lunch)

Isklar Water

missed it as was biking and forgot about the time.

(Dinner)

Vegetation

burgers (I'm not a vegetarian, but they are quite tasty)

Beer batter oven chips

Pint of water

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Fitness

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Day 102-103:

15 mile ride (Yesterday)

17 mile ride cross country (Today)

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Last message

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“If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten.” Antony Robbins.

Day 101: Introducing a NEW SECTION!! :D

Oh I do believe I need some new content, something to talk about, something to look back on.

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YES, this is ADVENTURE section where I'll post pics or even sometimes videos of small daily adventures I'll be going on, showing off what my countryside has to offer and what kind of crazy things can happen.

If you remember the last adventure I ended up wrestling with a massive bird, crafting weapons out of driftwood and watching some birds of prey, as well as discovering a treasure chest (which was made of steel and padlocked with a sign saying it was for some event).

Anyway I've not been doing my adventures justice so thought I could create a new dedicated section just for it!

(I know you're as excited as me)

I can't wait, tomorrow if the weather permits I'll be going for an adventure back into the forest and taking pictures and looking for some excitement.
If the weather is bad, then I'll turbo fail, and create an adventure in my house...

Business today has been ok, I took the designs and test prints to show my parents and let them in on the plan, they seemed sceptical but after showing the designs they seemed very found of the plan, my farther has also agreed to be the lead photographer for the photo shoot however seemed nervous as he has never shot models before, I told him "the pose's are sorted, you just need to make them look pretty and I'll touch up the small details in photoshop".
Anyway now they seem to believe in the idea its starting to sink in that not only can I do this but I think I'm fairly good at it and can compete in the market.

So today my mood has been insane, I've literally been bouncing off the walls and listing to upbeat music, a welcome moral boost indeed!

The amount of work that go's into the process of printing the dark T-shirts is immense when compared to the light T-shirts.

I'd say it takes about 90% more effort to make one single Black design (Assuming its a complex cut) over the light T-shirts.

So I've just got to make a system that allows me to prepare as much as possible for the factory like process to work.

Still nothing more on the website, I'll see what I can get done, Ideally I'd like something even if only one page done before the weekend, but I'll have to see.

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Food

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DAY 101:

(Morning)

Woke late, so skip to lunch.

(Lunch)

Lorraine Quiche

Tea

Scone

(Such a stereotypical British set-up)

(Dinner)

English breakfast

1x sausage (80% pork)

2x lean trimmed bacon

small portion of branston baked beans

2x slices of toast

small portion of garlic mushrooms

poached egg

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Fitness

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Day 63:

Light run

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Last message

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Would type more but it's late, I want another run so that I sleep well tonight.

So readers, let me know what helps YOU sleep, I mean in an ideal world I'd have a mug of horlicks after a relaxing bath.

Peace, you beautiful, beautiful readers!!

OH WHAT'S THIS!

I believe that in my house, it's SAFE to dance!!

GOD DAMN FISH!

Also I updated my twitter page, and it looks sexy!