In work for three weeks. Whoop! New Zealand here I come.
I'm so nervous about the flight that I've had to go and get valium. I'm also taking my Nintendo DS, 6 books, magazines, sudoku and a notebook. Should keep me entertained for 23 hours!
I'm planning to update my blog, my flickr, my twitter, my facebook and all my other geeky online versions of me, so this isn't the last post yet... unless I die, but I'm not planning to.
Hwyl fawr am y tro
Xx
Friday, 23 January 2009
Monday, 12 January 2009
Rali Calan Hen / Old New Year Rally
Llun / photo: © Rhys Llwyd
Dyma fi, Nina a Patrick yn ymdeithio lawr Stryd y Frenhines yng Nghaerdydd Dydd Sadwrn diwethaf - yn rhan o rali Cymdeithas i ddangos y maint o gefnogaeth i siopau ar y stryd fawr i ddefnyddio mwy o Gymraeg. Cliciwch yma i fynd i wefan Cymdeithas.
This is me, Nina and Patrick marching down Queen Street in Cardiff last Saturday - as part of a rally organised by Cymdeithas to show the magnitude of support for shops on the high street to use more of the Welsh language. Click here to go to Cymdeithas' site.
Friday, 9 January 2009
Podcast 3.0
She Machine
This is a 1979 Fisher Price radio that used to play Teddy Bears Picnic; I had one when I was a little boy. I bought this one second hand and messed about with it. I removed some of the tines on the music box mechanism, filed down some of the points on the cylinder, then I added another music box mechanism (with tines and points removed, bent and stuff). When you play them both together you get weird, scary, tinkly, discordant music. It also still has elements of Teddy Bears Picnic, mixed with recognisable notes from When You Wish Upon a Star - the other music box mechanism.
It's also for sale in my folksy shop, for a mere £15. Click here to go to the She Machine page in the shop.
This is a 1979 Fisher Price radio that used to play Teddy Bears Picnic; I had one when I was a little boy. I bought this one second hand and messed about with it. I removed some of the tines on the music box mechanism, filed down some of the points on the cylinder, then I added another music box mechanism (with tines and points removed, bent and stuff). When you play them both together you get weird, scary, tinkly, discordant music. It also still has elements of Teddy Bears Picnic, mixed with recognisable notes from When You Wish Upon a Star - the other music box mechanism.
It's also for sale in my folksy shop, for a mere £15. Click here to go to the She Machine page in the shop.
Thursday, 8 January 2009
New shop
I had to get rid of my etsy shop when I got quite ill last year. But I'm tentatively trying out a new shop on the Folsky site. It's a British site, which means it's easier for me.
Have a look at it by clicking here.
Not much in it at the moment - I'm busy knitting for an art exhibition (deadline February 14th, so I'm a bit pushed for time!) and super busy in work (they've just extended my contract again - I'm officially safe until the end of June. Hooray!) here's hoping I don't have another meltdown.
Have a look at it by clicking here.
Not much in it at the moment - I'm busy knitting for an art exhibition (deadline February 14th, so I'm a bit pushed for time!) and super busy in work (they've just extended my contract again - I'm officially safe until the end of June. Hooray!) here's hoping I don't have another meltdown.
Tuesday, 23 December 2008
More important than rainforests
BBC News story
I'm not as angry at him as I thought I would be; I'm not surprised, certainly. Go on Benedict, show the world how irrelevant you are.
The Pope's a cunt.
I'm not as angry at him as I thought I would be; I'm not surprised, certainly. Go on Benedict, show the world how irrelevant you are.
The Pope's a cunt.
Monday, 22 December 2008
Review of the Year
What a busy year. Highlights include:
My new job (obviously). I love working for RNIB Cymru, and even though my opinion of it has changed a little since my colleague Ian left, I still love it here (and god knows it's better than working in fucking Blackhorse).
The new skills I've acquired this year: people, project and event management; audio recording and editing; podcasting; felting; delivering presentations to hundreds of people/youth groups; interviewing, recruiting and training over 300 people; getting better on my ukulele.
Falling in love again.
My ideas for THREADS 2009 - Blodeuben and how he was made.
I'm excited about next year - the funding for my job only lasts until 31st of March; now I've always been super apprehensive about taking on temporary jobs, but doing this one has made me realise how much freedom they allow, so I'm not scared of them any more. I'm also looking forward to James and Tarina's wedding in New Zealand (but hellish scared about the flight). Something else I'm looking forward to, is seeing where me and Patrick go from here: our first holiday together, our first camping trip together... soppy things like that.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
Loads of love
Cariad mawr
Andrew x
My new job (obviously). I love working for RNIB Cymru, and even though my opinion of it has changed a little since my colleague Ian left, I still love it here (and god knows it's better than working in fucking Blackhorse).
The new skills I've acquired this year: people, project and event management; audio recording and editing; podcasting; felting; delivering presentations to hundreds of people/youth groups; interviewing, recruiting and training over 300 people; getting better on my ukulele.
Falling in love again.
My ideas for THREADS 2009 - Blodeuben and how he was made.
I'm excited about next year - the funding for my job only lasts until 31st of March; now I've always been super apprehensive about taking on temporary jobs, but doing this one has made me realise how much freedom they allow, so I'm not scared of them any more. I'm also looking forward to James and Tarina's wedding in New Zealand (but hellish scared about the flight). Something else I'm looking forward to, is seeing where me and Patrick go from here: our first holiday together, our first camping trip together... soppy things like that.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
Loads of love
Cariad mawr
Andrew x
Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Another list
Another list that I nicked from John (but he nicked it from somewhere else so that's okay).
1. Magazines subscribed to - Popbitch, i-D, Dazed.
2. Aside from knitting, my favorite pasttimes are - making things: music, writing, toys, jewels, paintings, banquets, love.
3. If I were not a volunteer co-ordinator/writer/artist (insert your own profession), I would be - still stuck in that hellhole of an office working for a multi-national finance house that, although it makes over 8 billion of profit a year, still treats its staff like shit. So glad I left.
4. I am irrationally worried about - everything, constantly. It's my default setting.
5. If I were the opposite sex - I'd be taller because I'd be wearing heels.
6. The thing I miss most about childhood is - the innocence. Life has twisted me into the cynical bitch you see before you, I miss the innocent little boy I used to be.
7. I like to collect - wool, earrings, buttons,
8. Though I’ve never been there, I feel inexplicably homesick for - Japan. Love the mythology, folklore and customs; and how they've permeated everything from computer games to shoe design.
9. I’ve never really liked to eat - sprouts. Bleurgh! The devil's testicles.
10. When I have nightmares, they’re usually about - Being hurt by the ones I love, or the ones I love dying (usually by werewolves or zombies).
1. Magazines subscribed to - Popbitch, i-D, Dazed.
2. Aside from knitting, my favorite pasttimes are - making things: music, writing, toys, jewels, paintings, banquets, love.
3. If I were not a volunteer co-ordinator/writer/artist (insert your own profession), I would be - still stuck in that hellhole of an office working for a multi-national finance house that, although it makes over 8 billion of profit a year, still treats its staff like shit. So glad I left.
4. I am irrationally worried about - everything, constantly. It's my default setting.
5. If I were the opposite sex - I'd be taller because I'd be wearing heels.
6. The thing I miss most about childhood is - the innocence. Life has twisted me into the cynical bitch you see before you, I miss the innocent little boy I used to be.
7. I like to collect - wool, earrings, buttons,
8. Though I’ve never been there, I feel inexplicably homesick for - Japan. Love the mythology, folklore and customs; and how they've permeated everything from computer games to shoe design.
9. I’ve never really liked to eat - sprouts. Bleurgh! The devil's testicles.
10. When I have nightmares, they’re usually about - Being hurt by the ones I love, or the ones I love dying (usually by werewolves or zombies).
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
Stop this madness
What a Daily Mail headline I've come up with there! Which kind of leads on nicely to the point: Look at this blog post. Now don't buy any more books from Waterstones. What a cop-out.
I've emailed this:
Sir,
I am disgusted and appalled at the lack of support you have shown not only Patrick Jones, but also freedom of expression. You sell the books, but then refuse to allow an author the voice with which to talk about them. I am so very disappointed that you caved under pressure from a fundamentalist group; who advocate rioting and destroying public artwork on one hand, and behaving in a 'Christian' manner on the other. You should be ashamed.
I was a huge fan of Waterstones and bought a lot of books there. I will no longer buy anything from any of your stores.
Yours sincerely
Andy Williams
To Gerry Johnson, UK Director of Waterstones. He caved under pressure from Stephen Green (frontman of fundamentalist crazies Christian Voice) and cancelled a poetry reading by fantastic writer Patrick Jones on the 12th of November. So much for free speech.
I am disgusted by the whole thing, and urge you to write to Mr Johnson at the following email address gerry [dot] johnson [at] waterstones [dot] com.
I've emailed this:
Sir,
I am disgusted and appalled at the lack of support you have shown not only Patrick Jones, but also freedom of expression. You sell the books, but then refuse to allow an author the voice with which to talk about them. I am so very disappointed that you caved under pressure from a fundamentalist group; who advocate rioting and destroying public artwork on one hand, and behaving in a 'Christian' manner on the other. You should be ashamed.
I was a huge fan of Waterstones and bought a lot of books there. I will no longer buy anything from any of your stores.
Yours sincerely
Andy Williams
To Gerry Johnson, UK Director of Waterstones. He caved under pressure from Stephen Green (frontman of fundamentalist crazies Christian Voice) and cancelled a poetry reading by fantastic writer Patrick Jones on the 12th of November. So much for free speech.
I am disgusted by the whole thing, and urge you to write to Mr Johnson at the following email address gerry [dot] johnson [at] waterstones [dot] com.
Tuesday, 18 November 2008
Y Rhegiadur
Dyma wefan hilariws, rhegi yn Gymraeg: Y Rhegiadur
An amazing website, swearing in Welsh.
An amazing website, swearing in Welsh.
Monday, 17 November 2008
Wednesday, 12 November 2008
Radio
Man alive! What a radio day today is. This morning I spoke on BBC Radio Cymru on Nia Roberts' show (about volunteering), and I just saw on my Fflwcs last.fm page that Adam Walton played me on BBC Radio Wales last month. Whoop!
Things I'm proud of (this year)
Getting a fantastic job
Getting a poem published
Buying into volunteering
Being good at my job
Learning new stitches
Having a serious relationship
Learning sign language
Not taking myself so seriously
Talking on the radio
Losing weight
More piercings
Starting my new novel
Being crazy in love
Getting a poem published
Buying into volunteering
Being good at my job
Learning new stitches
Having a serious relationship
Learning sign language
Not taking myself so seriously
Talking on the radio
Losing weight
More piercings
Starting my new novel
Being crazy in love
Thursday, 6 November 2008
Wednesday, 5 November 2008
Lessons I have learned
1. Things will never go to plan
2. Instead of disappointment
3. There should be amazement
4. This time
5. This time
6. Being told lies
7. Sick and tired all the time
8. Sick of sighing
9. Sick of trying
10. Where does love go when love goes?
2. Instead of disappointment
3. There should be amazement
4. This time
5. This time
6. Being told lies
7. Sick and tired all the time
8. Sick of sighing
9. Sick of trying
10. Where does love go when love goes?
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