Do you ever.....

.... really want to just tell someone something but know that if you do you will most likely screw things up as a result?

But anyway! It's November and monday was one of the nicest days we've had in a long time; the sun was out, was crisp and clear and the autumn shades of red and orange are appearing!

I do love this time of year!

Faith

...No.. not the George Michael song...

In order to catch my bus home in the evening, I have to walk through the IBM Car Park, down a track and then through a Churchyard. While the Car Park and the Churchyard are lit up, the track is not and so with the evenings drawing in, leaves me (and others) with about 100 yards of pitch black to walk down.

It's funny as we walk that track every day and so know it like the back of our hands, yet as soon as we hit the dark patch we slowed down and take small careful steps. But then.. after a couple of days we got used to the dark and now stride on through it like it's lit.

It's quite an odd experience.. we can see the streetlights ahead.. but around us is all dark.. yet we trust that no one will have put anything sneaky on the ground to trip us! (and none of us have torches!)

In some ways, that's how i've found that being Christian is like.. You don't always know what's out there.. or what's up ahead but you keep going regardless as you take faith in that He will look after you.

Note: If i fall base-over-apex in the dark tonight I will be retracting this blog post!

Scary

I've just read the latest xkcd and indeed.. it is scary.

Another example of how time slips away from you without you noticing. In 18 days time, I enter my tenth year of service with IBM....

Went ringing last night. Was at the H12 and there were LOADS of freshers there. It's really good to see since the society hasn't had that many new starters over the last few years. It's funny though how the University Bell Ringing society changes over the years. There are people like Colin and myself who have been around for 12 years and have seen so many people come and go. But with so many people turning up now, it might end up the best year they've had in ages.

Thank Crunchie...

It's Friday, I like Fridays.

The weekend is nearly upon us once more! How time flies...

It seems that my blog (apart from the obvious readers) has gone international!

Checking the logs, I see that I have had a few random hits worldwide via Google but I seem to have picked up a fairly regular reader from Norway.

So.. whoever you are, a big hello from me!

Controversial?

Was reading the news just now about more soldiers being killed while on active duty. One of those was a father of four.

That got me thinking; is it irresponsible for a serving soldier to have children?

Might be a controversial topic this one but the way I see it is simple. Being in the armed forces is a dangerous job, one which carries a higher than average chance of being killed while working. It's also a job likely to take you away from your family for long periods of time.

Kids need stability and so having a parent that is not always around must have some effect. Also to lose a family member is hard enough for an adult to cope with let alone a child.

It's all well and good a soldier getting married, as their other half can take a rational, considered and adult view on the risks involved. But any kids born do not have that luxury. They are born into a life that is really less than ideal for bringing up kids with the instability and risks thereof.

We see far too many pictures in the news of children crying as their military parent is flown back to the UK in a coffin.

Update

Way back last December I blogged a few aims for 2009. Now we are almost 3/4 gone - How did that happen?! 2009 has flown by! - I wanted to do a quick check on how i'm doing.

If I remember I had the following:

1) Get a new Job
2) Lose Weight
3) Embrace my inner 'middle class'
4) Don't panic about turning 30
5) Visit D&G in the US
6) Get a hair cut

So where are we?

1) Nope.. FAIL.. Still at IBM.. still looking for around for something new.
2) Well.. not gone on the massive weight loss / fitness regime i envisaged... but have lost a few pounds.. just enough to go down a few belt notches.
3) Completly embraced. I'm now perfectly happy with my 'inner middle class-ness'
4) 30 came and went.. i didn't panic, don't feel old. It's all fine.
5) DONE! Went to see D&G earlier in the year.. evident by my long holiday blog ramblings. Excellent time.. really brilliant holiday so want to go back again.
6) Yep.. hair cut many times.. including a good ol' 'kokomo cut' .

So... three months left.. how much progress can i make on 1 and 2 in the next few months?

Walking in the Rain

...No not the song by 'The Ronettes' or the cover by Erasure...

Isn't there just something really great about walking in the rain? I left work today, having been in a hot stuffy office and stepped out into a downpour. I had no coat so got soaked; but I didn't care.