Adipose!

My delightful TorchwoodForum Secret Santa got me one! Yay! Should hopefully spur me on to loosing some more weight this year...?

Come on Secret Santa - Reveal yourself...!

Double fail!

OK, so I've been quiet again for a few weeks... Life got ahead of me and I just couldn't seem to catch up! Once I'd got five or six blogs behind on the challenge, it just seemed an ominous task to try and double or treble post and so the event stalled... I also failed to complete the required 50,000 words for NaNoWriMo... I scored a respectable 35,000 in the end but again, life took over and there were so many other things to fit in...

So, what other things?

Well, I popped to Liverpool to see friends (images on Facebook as always) and had a great time visiting the newly re-vamped city centre and took a trip to Chester, which is rather beautiful still!

My friend Pat will of course love this photo in particular:



I hit Birmingham NEC for the Memorabillia event (again, more pictures on Facebook) and met my hero - Gareth David-Lloyd! OMG OMG *squee* and all that! I'm still not quite over it!





And my mother joined me for Memorabillia (managing to speak to Gareth enough to embarass me wholly - "You're the reason my son's here today!" she cheerily chirped, whilst I gibbered!

Mother & I also hit Leicester's new centre and I had my first Yo Sushi experience - how cool is that place? Food is lovely and it's really groovy inside:




I've also been preparing for Christmas a little, with some shopping expeditions and the creation of the Celebrity Male Advent Calendar I make for D each year:



The lights are the special addition to this years model - the problem is, I try and better the previous years version each time and it's getting more and more difficult to do!

And we bought a gift for the cats that I decided couldn't wait:



Pern is into it (must be the catnip) but Eric is being wary... We'll see how it goes! I'm all for getting a kitten (or chickens) in the New Year too, depending on sweet talking D and discussion with the vet so we could have another fluffyness to play with it too soon?!

So, I hope that little round up explains some of my absence and makes up for the lack of recent posts? OK, it probably doesn't entirely but it's a start! I'll try again to keep you up to date in December... Jxx

Cardiff - The best shots!

Time to add some shots from Cardiff, for all those who haven't yet joined me on Facebook! I'd still recommend signing up for FB to see the rest of the photo's (There're loads of 'em) but here are the ones that I like best...

I've tried emailing these to some of you but the files're too big to send! I hope you can enjoy them here anyway! Jxx

The Plas at night - A great time to get shots of the Millenium Centre!

Reflection of the Millenium Centre in the tower!

Ianto's entrance of course!

The tower in daylight!

A dalek in the Who exhibition - I was shaking so much the camera couldn't quite compensate!

Statue from 'Blink' - very scary!

A view across Cardiff Bay! Such a great place!

Little ol' me in the Beret! I was sooooo cool! Hmmm!

If you enjoyed these, pleas do join Facebook to get access to my other shots... It's the only way you'll get to see all the other fun folk who were in Cardiff over the weekend - bunch of freaks the lot of us! Jxx

At A Loss?

Torchwood has finished... I feel a great sense of loss!

*sobs uncontrollably*

Thankfully, I have some good friends just waiting in the wings to bring geeky-meaning back into my life!

*cheers*

Thank you to my dearest friends M&J for my (belated, but very well timed) birthday present of INSIDE THE HUB, the unofficial guide to the first series which arrived just a few days ago! How cool is that!

*Two Big Thumbs Up*



And some more great big Wooley-hugs go to my namingly-tormented friend - Lalileeloopyloo who has brightened my life once again with not one, but two great images of my other beloved - one's even got a kiss on it!

*WooleyHugs*





Ah... Torchwood may be over but the Torchwood related days go on...! Jxx

Selling myself?

Been on leave this week and whilst we've been spending a lot of time on the computers, I've been focussed more on ebay (I'm now a seller - or will be if anything sells!) 'Bout time we got round to auctioning off some of our junk... Erm, some of our prized possessions that we no longer have space for and therefore are reluctantly selling!

Books, DVD's, A Graphics Card, Reflexology Kit and Travel Iron / Kettle / Hairdryer are all up for grabs - here's to hoping we get to keep the post office busy (and therefore open?)

OK, so I've also spent far too much time on torchwoodforum.co.uk too and we're now watching a week ahead of ourselves on BBC Three after already deciding pre-series that I wouldn't do this! It means we have to stay up later on a Wednesday, or more often, tape it to watch on Friday night! It's still bloody good!

Finally for now, I did promise a few folks some more of my fine art photographs and so, in order to stick to my word - here're a few from a recent family visit... The first two are of my Auntie, the others, just some random shots! All are due for some further light-room tweaking!

I've also recently been to Chester with my beloved and I'll add some shots from there once they're sorted...! Jxx

Not a lot to say!

...Well, that's not strictly true! I've been saying an awful lot over at www.torchwoodforum.co.uk but that's just fuelling the obsession and not something you'd want to hear here... Not in quite the fan-driven detail we go into on the forum! But still, whilst I'm ont he subject - this series (all two episodes so far!) has been great! Action packed, thoughtfull, well written... And of course, Ianto being, well...! This iamge says a lot!! <3


Of course, there are other events in my life that should really be taking priority!

Life goes on, though strangely in some respects, following Nan's funeral. It was a traumatic day - one that had already been dubbed the worst day of the year by sociologists... Being just the wrong distance from Xmas, with bad weather and such... Well, it certainly felt like it! D did a great job of driving in the most appalling conditions whilst I just numbly tripped through the day. The finality of it hit me hard in church and again at the crematorium. It was such a shame she couldn't have attended the after-party! It was her kind of event with so many family members in one room!

I was graciously given Compassionate leave from work. Not always awarded for family other than siblings, children and parents! Of course, Nana was closer than most grandparents! Besides which, my sick record for the previous year was excellent (no days off recorded in 2007!) Shame that I've now got two sick days in 2008! I was off yesterday, for reasons you won't want to know...!

Starting the new job on Monday - have emailed many folk in anticipation of meeting up with them to discuss their role, their expectations and the running of the ward / speciality! For those who've asked, I'm a little reluctant to state exactly which speciality as there's only one ward for it in Leicester... It'd place me exactly if I let on! Neurology has several wards so I could remain a little distanced from my direct whereabouts! I'm still a little cautious about details online, despite having a Facebook, Myspace and Blog for all to peruse!

Have taken more photo's the other day - this time at Ashby Castle... I've printed a few drafts and will start to add a little post-production work shortly... Keep your eyes peeled!

Finished one of my Xmas books - Chart Throb by Ben Elton! Very funny, parodying the Talent(less) Shows that have dominated weekend entertainment recently! Whilst I've read better books by him, this doesn't mean that Chart Throb isn't good - just that some of his other work has been even better! I'd certainly recommend this, despite it being a little repetitive in places, it doesn't bore!

There... For someone with not a lot to say I've certainly said a lot! Jxx

Torchwood Day

Torchwood day came and went - And wasn't it just Awesome!!

Without obsessing too much, I just have to say Wow!

OK, so I joined a Torchwood Forum and I've been gushing there for the last few weeks, so I don't fill the blog with non-stop Torchwood!

It was bloody amazing though! Jxx

Not long now...

Thanks to the guys & gals at Torchwood Forum for hunting these down so I didn't have to look so far!! Jxx

OMG! Did I write that?

OK, so I don't write fiction. Well, I do but I'd never be daft enough to put it on display for others to read! Well, other than the odd poem here and there... Never a short story, certainly never a fanfiction... In fact, I've never written a fan fiction! Until today...

Oh, what the hell! In for a penny...

It's Torchwood related, obviously, considering my current obsession! It's probably rubbish but I got it in my head and figured the easiest way to get rid of it was to write it down... So here it is... enjoy! Or Not... Hell, whatever! Jxx

---

Like Today Never Happened.

It really was the strangest sensation. It was more than a déjà vu phenomena, it was more like knowing that I’d been here before yet the fact remained that I hadn’t. In my entire memory, I hadn’t set foot in Cardiff before today.

Weeks before we’d been planning the trip. Just a day out. A visit to the Millennium Centre and dock area before hitting the town centre and indulging our shopping passion. We should’ve visited a week or so before but something had happened and we’d delayed the trip. Come to think of it, I can’t even remember what it was that stopped us. Probably too drunk the night before to get out of bed in time? The whole affair seems cloudy now. Like vaguely remembering some antics from the night before, too fuelled by alcohol for true clarity. And the dreams I’d been having… It all seemed so close to fitting together but the pieces didn’t quite slot in comfortably. Oddly familiar faces, dinosaurs, autopsies, aliens, cold storage… All sitting in my nights sleeping brain like all the actual memories I have. I must’ve been watching some really fucked up TV shows recently.

But that was the whole issue… Everything was like “I must’ve done this or maybe I did that.” I couldn’t really remember doing any of the stuff that seemed to plague my subconscious. Snippets of actions and places that I couldn’t quite grasp hold of long enough to make a full thought out of.

But here I was, standing in front of the Millennium Centre, almost knowing that I’d stood here before but being very aware that I hadn’t. It’s an impressive building. Really great architecture. I took a load of photographs, I’ll have to show them to you… And the great big mirrored tower thing just across from the centre. Don’t know what it’s called but it’s great. It’s got a strange feeling to it. When you look at yourself in the reflections it’s almost like it’s mirroring back yourself with a secret. That sounds dumb I know but I really did sense I was looking at myself and seeing someone who was in on a joke but unwilling to share!

Anyway. We had a coffee and sandwich in the centre to start with. The weather wasn’t great and it was nice to just sit inside and shrug away the odd feelings creeping around me. We chatted and drank and ate and eventually agreed to brave the weather again. Stepping outside, it felt cold and wet yet still familiar. I suppose the weather in Wales is always like this. Not that I’d been before as I’d said but I’ve been to Manchester and it always rains there too…

We wandered through the square, outside the centre and down to the waters edge through a small underpass. It was quiet. I kinda expected the area to be busier, bustling even but it had an air of somewhere that people haven’t quite discovered yet. Again that familiar sensation, as if I was in some secret place that I hadn’t shared with any of my friends. Nagging at me like when you know you’ve got to pay a bill or make an appointment to see your GP but never quite get round to it. I know I keep going on about this but it was so strange. And it got weirder.

There’s a small tourist info office tucked away near the waters edge. It’s kinda dilapidated in comparison to the modern feel of the rest of the area. Uninviting. Almost looks closed. I was interested in finding out a bit more about the local area… make sure I wasn’t missing out on anything. The Welsh Assembly is nearby for instance, who knows what else. Well, that’s what a tourist office is for I figured so I tried the door. It was open and we stepped into a cramped, musty run-down space with just a few pamphlets and old unappealing images on the walls of Cardiff’s attractions, nothing modern though. The dark wooden counter was littered, in an oddly untidy yet definitely ordered fashion, with more unimaginative literature. The whole place suggested that there was no desire to welcome folk or invite you to stay more than momentarily but yet, again, I had a jolt of recognition. This time stronger than before. And warmer. This place hit the same senses in my head as those touched when you walk into your office, or a relatives home, or your favourite restaurant. It’s not like the comfort and closeness of being at home but it’s somewhere you feel you should be relaxed and comfortable within, with an edge to it that stops you kicking off your shoes and putting your feet on the table? Something like that.

And then he walked in.

It was just the briefest of moments of eye contact yet it hit me like a bus smashing into my whole body. Not that I’ve been hit by a bus. But this guy, I never caught his name, I don’t think he was wearing a badge or anything but anyway, he stood in front of me and for a moment my whole world stopped dead. I knew him totally and yet, as I said, didn’t even know his name. I’d never even seen him before but felt like I’d known him for years, all my life even? All that from a brief look into his eyes. Yeah, I know, it sounds weird but that’s how it was. People say that when you meet the love of your life you know it instantly. This was like that. Not falling in love but just being very aware that this person in front of you was of huge significance.

I got the most sudden realisation that the random flickers in my head were starting to make more sense in those few moments standing in that dank office. Him there ahead of me, his uninviting demeanour and body language suggesting he’d rather we simply leave but also, his almost projecting of an emotional net, keeping me stood there, rooted to the spot.

I didn’t speak. I stood silent, like some gormless freak, whilst my mate asked a few questions about the docks and the all the developments in the area. Hell, I don’t know what he asked or what he talked about really. I’m just presuming. I was somewhere else entirely. Deep in the heart of a dream as real as the life that surrounds me every day. Seeing things in my head that don’t exist, yet sensing them as real as the physical world around me. I could almost touch and feel the objects in my mind. Weird artefacts and almost alien looking materials and computer screens, swirling patterns, and people, familiar but strangers.

I could certainly feel the remembered pressure of the touch on my skin… Of him…

But it hadn’t happened. I’d not been here before. I’d never met him. I’d never seen this place.

I don’t remember leaving. It seemed hours before I got my head back together but can only have been a few minutes. My mate was going on about how unhelpful some folk were and how we ought to find the main tourist place in the town centre but I was still a million miles away, searching my subconscious for an answer that wasn’t there. As we walked further away from my strange experience, it faded back into the recesses that it had occupied before today. Like today had never really happened. Like everything I remembered from before, that hadn’t really happened.

Like nothing had happened.

Jayson 03/2007