Ole, Herren ...!

'Schnaks?? Por Favor??!'

M goes the extra mile to support her sweepstake team, Germany, in Sunday's Euro 2008 final .. but just can't shake off her anti-competitive nature, opting instead for a dual costume - Bavarian waitress haircut, combined with flamenco flair. Great effort I thought - but expected nothing less having fluked her way to the final at her first attempt.

'If I took a holiday .. '

Ooooo hoo hoo wooh ... it would beee, it would be SO nice .. to finally have the chance to try out my new beach wear. New me .. new beach wear, n'est ce pas?! 

Handy pouch at the front for my loose drachma

sparing with the material at the back for a nice even tan

Roll on August! x

Video killed the radio star ..

Great song .. about, essentially I reckon, the death of a form of communication (which didn't actually come to pass in the end anyway, IMHO). Since poor communication is pretty much the key protagonist in the (possibly) needless break up of my marriage, the video linked to here, resonated with me more than a little bit, since it is so manifestly about death and communication (or death as a result of the lack of ..) that that eerie 'i'm watching a horror movie' kinda terror is palpable ... to me anyway - Note the lead commander's final comment. It's 8 minutes long but worth bookmarking for when you have a moment to follow through to the end. I've done a bit of translating as a result of my russian degree. The biggest challenge, especially in delicate situations (in my case business discussions), the biggest and most sacrosanct rule is to be literal in the translation and not interpretative (I remember very well back in 1996 learning the hard way, the distinction between being a translator and an interpreter. A subtle distinction, but a distinction nevertheless. Who knows the agenda of this 'translator'. He may just be bad at his job, but it's not his role to say he 'hate's these people' as a translator. Perhaps he's decided what side his bread is buttered on, so to speak - but lives may very well be at stake. Worse is going on in the world, I suppose but this is a true life horror movie.

I didn't expect that when I clicked through earlier...

Game on!

"The Republican candidate yesterday congratulated Obama on his victory and challenged him to a town hall debate every week between now and the Democratic convention at the end of August. McCain, speaking at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, said John F Kennedy had made such an agreement with Barry Goldwater for the 1964 election. 'I don't think we need any big media-run production, no process question from reporters, no spin rooms, just two Americans running for office in the greatest nation on Earth, responding to the questions of the people whose trust we must earn' ... the two teams are to discuss the structure and timetable."

Back to the future .. now this sounds like an election!

Can. He. ?

Snow Dawg
Originally uploaded by Nick Seecharan

'Snowy dog .. snowy dog ..

where are you? I loooooooooooove you .. you and your frozen cone nose .. wo ohohohoh'.

look at that little face. He felt so real at the time. There was a tangible sense of loss, when it was time to go home. Oh, the luxury of the west.

More pix from the late winter/ early spring trip to see auntie maria at My Photos link.

The last lecture I stayed awake for ...

"On September 18, 2007, computer science professor Randy Pausch stepped in front of an audience of 400 people at Carnegie Mellon University to deliver a last lecture called “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.” With slides of his CT scans beaming out to the audience, Randy told his audience about the cancer that is devouring his pancreas and that will claim his life in a matter of months. On the stage that day, Randy was youthful, energetic, handsome, often cheerfully, darkly funny. He seemed invincible. But this was a brief moment, as he himself acknowledged."

Actually I wasn't there but, it was recommended to me by the lady I've been to see for counselling for a while now, to mull over life after wife and all that entails ... it sounds pretty inspiring and we can all watch Randy's 'Last Lecture' online here:

"Randy’s lecture has become a phenomenon, celebrating the dreams we all strive to make realities."

Time to get fit for the summer




it's been a while since i cycled, but missing critical mass recently (and my expanding waistline) are a timely reminder that you're never too old to get in shape or be left out to dry by the perennial 'yoof' - as this man with - quite literally - the wheels of steel will testify. Enjoy!