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The Specials
2009-10-27 13:14:00
I have been raving about this web series for a while now, mainly on Twitter. It's called The Specials and it follows 6 young adults with learning difficulties. It's very warm, funny and enlightening and the kids will brighten up your day with every single episode. I have embedded episode one for you to check out, the rest can be found on the website or on DVD later in the year.I think you'll agree that Sam is a legend, really cool guy.Hope you enjoy it.

Mixa - The mix-tape reborn?
2009-10-08 17:02:00
Just came across mixa, it looks like a cassette tape but is actually a USB stick.On the website you can fully customise your own mixa, choosing the colour, sleeve design and it even comes with funky stickers to add at your leisure.They cost £19.99 each and hold 1gb, tempting perhaps as a present. You could loads up a few songs on there and maybe a few photos and a personalised video for your loved ones to watch.There is even a flickr page for people to show off their designs.Who said the mixtape was dead eh?
More About: Reborn

Utter Crap about Nottingham Forest
2009-09-21 18:40:00
This article in the Telegraph by Jonathan Liew is complete rubbish. Notts County are about five years away from being near the standard of Forest, Forest may not be the best side but County are still crap, the injection of cash from Qatar and the media hype surrounding Sven and the washed-up Sol Campbell do not make County a decent side, defeat to Morecambe at the weekend should confirm that. It just shows a level of ignorance and sensationalism that is so common in football (and all) press nowadays."Nottingham Forest seek to escape shadow cast by Notts County"It has been over fifteen years since Nottingham Forest and Notts County played each other competitively, and a good deal longer since the city’s bragging rights have beengenuinely open to debate.
More About: Crap

Live in Concert: Noah and the Whale
2009-09-02 23:18:00
You are invited to join the concert Noah and the Whale City: LondonLocation: KOKO, 1a Camden High StreetDate: 02/10/2009Sent from my iPhone
More About: Concert , Live

Dig for victory - mobile update
2009-08-13 22:14:00
Just blogging from the back garden on my new iPhone. Technology eh? Had a meal with home grown tomatoes last night. Awesome. Plus, my tallest sunflower is now well over six foot. Have a look peeps!
More About: Victory , Mobile , Update

Pocket TV - Pocket Sized Genius
2009-08-13 21:12:00
From my days of working in TV one constant struggle we faced was making things snappy and bitesized enough for today's iPhone generation, people like myself and most of my peers, people who can only handle information in teeny-tiny doses because they have far too much else to do...Well, to quote blur, as today has been a blur-heavy day in my life, "It looks like we might have made it." Not we as in me and you, but the wonderful team behind PocketTV, or Sony Ericsson's PocketTV to give it it's full, sponsored, title (in the vein hope I may get a phone or something). They might have made it.PocketTV can be found on youtube and offers perfectly proportioned sized pieces of pop all presented by the frustratingly brilliant Matt Edmondson (of Holy Moly and twitter fame, pictured below with Lethal Bizzle) and the latest piece of T4 talent Jameela. The weekly 'episodes' consist of 6 short segments which can range from performances to games to Matt's brilliant brain dumps.It captures t...

Ameli Sande
2009-07-24 21:41:00
New artist for you, Emeli Sande, she can currently be heard on Chipmunk's top ten hit Diamond Rings. But don't hold that against her, her other stuff is superb. Big in the club world at the moment, so I've been told, is Never Be Your Woman with Wiley. You might recognise the lyrics from White Town's 90s one hit wonder of the same name. The other track which is Massive Attack meets Adele meets Winehouse is called Daddy and I love it. Check out her myspace and let me know what you think.

Dig For Victory - Update: Splendid Spuds
2009-07-14 20:33:00
One of the first things Elen and I planted when we first hit the horticultural highway were fivepotatoes. I think they were M&S Charlotte potatoes, but can't be too sure. We planted them on March 29th. Last weekend on Saturday 4th July we dug up around 25 potatoes! Our first harvest, all grown out of an old dustbin that was lying around in our then empty back yard. I think you'll agree that they look delicious...To celebrate the occasion I had my sisters and my brother-in-law over for a bbq and we gorged on the potatoes till there were none left. They were so tasty, really fresh and tasted like some of the best new potatoes I've ever had. They were served with a little of parsley (not home grown I'm afraid), seasoning, and a drizzle of oil.We think we dug them up a little early as some hadn't fully developed yet and we possibly would have had more if we had a little patience (as Gary Barlow would say). But nevertheless this was an experiment, a first glimpse into the world ...
More About: Victory , Update

StyleJunkee on Guardian Website
2009-07-13 20:20:00
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/pda/2009/ jul/10/blogs-nichepublishing-socialmedia- advertisingMy sister's uber cool fashion blog Style Junkee is mentioned on the Guardian website. Check it out!
More About: Website

Glastonbury
2009-07-02 17:50:00
This weekend I ventured south-west again for my first ever Glastonbury festival. It took nearly ten hours to get there on Friday but when I arrived the rain had stopped and I had an amazing weekend. Missed a few bands I would have liked to have seen on Friday but managed to catch a whole load more over the weekend.My personal highlights were an epic set from Dizzee Rascal, who paid tribute to Michael Jackson and sent everyone 'bonkers'; the last five Bruce Springsteen tracks and this beautiful tune from Bon Iver. I have decided to review the rest of the weekend in just a few words below, because so much is written about this festival that it would be pointless to even try, anyone who wasn't there won't really care either.So here goes:amadou and mariam - superblur - seminalbat for lashes - much needed tranquilityladyhawke - averagespinal tap - 11 out of 10tom jones (above) - sex bomb *neil young - rockin'jason mraz - brassyquo - noTrash City was a phenomenal place, it felt like ...

Dig For Victory - Update: July
2009-07-02 17:37:00
Great growth to report, the weather has really helped, I was slightly worried that my trip to Glastonbury would mean everything wilted, but Elen was on hand with our little green watering can so everything was looking great upon my return, even if I wasn't! Our sunflowers are around 5 foot tall now and one has fully developed, with yellowness and everything! The others are catching up and I think some will reach 6 foot, not exactly Blue Peter territory but still, I'm proud.Now, onto the strawberries, when I last updated you I think we'd had two strawberries, well I'm pleased to report that number has doubled. Below you can see a very proud garden gnome holding aloft our produce. Hooray!My last picture is of a few little tomatoes, there are about 15 in total so that's going really well. They are so tiny at the moment, hard to believe that we have grown them from seed, it's awesome! Likewise the herbs, which are growing very well, particularly the basil and coriander. It's so e...
More About: Victory , Update

Dig For Victory - Update: Summer Breeze
2009-06-14 14:59:00
I haven't had much time to update you all on the progress of my plants, but don't panic I have had enough time to look after them, and buy some more in fact.We now have a selection of herbs growing in a window box, I can see them growing from my bedroom window which is a lovely thing to wake up to. I'm growing mint, coriander, basil and rosemary and they all seem to be going well after a week or two of TLC.We had a big storm over here which caused a few potato related problems, a bit of breakage and damage was done, but I think we have salvaged what we could. They have started flowering too so very soon I will have potatoes!So far we have had two strawberries, they were so juicy and sweet, absolutely brilliant, and there are more coming so hopefully one day I will have enough for a whole bowlful.The sunflowers are doing well, as are the tomatoes, and we now have a dahlia, wild daisies, sweet pea and a peonie (apparently that is how you spell it). It's all looking beautiful. I gu...
More About: Victory , Summer , Update , Breeze

Lego Sunglasses
2009-05-09 17:17:00
I want them!http://www.shoppingblog.com/cgi-bin/ sblog.pl?sblog=5080922
More About: Lego , Sunglasses

Dig For Victory - Update: Back from Cornwall
2009-05-07 11:40:00
This Bank Holiday weekend I took a trip to Cornwall with a few mates to relax and unwind before I start my new job. So obviously I was a bit nervous that my plants would suffer in the heat. Boy was I wrong!Most of the sunflowers are progressing really well (below), though I did have to cull a couple; both sets of tomatoes are more than ready to be planted in a grow bag; there are things that look like strawberries on the strawberry plant (above) and the potatoes (above also) should start flowering soon. It's all very exciting, maybe not for you, but it is for me.In other gardening related news, BBC1's The One Show was giving away chili seeds to viewers and asked people to send in their pics. I missed out on getting seeds, but all the same it's a great idea.
More About: Victory , Update , Back

Guardian - Grow Plants at Work
2009-04-27 15:54:00
The Guardian has started a campaign to get a plant onto every desk in the UK. Obviously with my new found love for all things green I fully support this. So go and tell your boss that your not doing any work until you have a plant on your desk.http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/blog /2009/apr/27/work-office-allotment-plants
More About: Plants , Work

Susan Boyle
2009-04-21 12:32:00
When I watched Britain's Got Talent's two weeks ago, I was blown away by Susan Boyle, she was great, and although I hope she wins and think she is inspirational bla bla bla, I bloody hate the woman.For those of you who don't know who she is, she is a lady who can sing really well but happens to be a little bit unfortunate in the looks department, she said herself that she has never been kissed. She appeared on episode one of the current run of Simon Cowell's ratings winning freak show Britain's Got Talent and wowed the judges and audience, and Demi Moore apparently.So why on earth to I hate the bloody woman, well it's not her fault, I guess it's the World's fault. (I just wanted to get your attention) Susan Boyle has become a internet phenomenon. The various youtube videos of her appearance on Britain's Got Talent have been so popular that the clip is set to become the most watched video ever on youtube. Susan Boyle is more popular than George Bush having a shoe thrown at h...

Summer Colour Change
2009-04-20 14:32:00
As you may notice I have introduced a summer colour change, I'm not sure how I feel about it, so may tweek over the coming days. Let me know what you think...
More About: Summer , Change , Colour

Style Junkee and more
2009-04-20 14:17:00
I watched Kirstie's Homemade Home on Channel 4 the other day and have been feeling inspired all week. It was a really aspirational show for the credit crunch era and Kirstie (from Location, Location, Location) really held her own without Phil.Check out this very chincy chair and more at Style Junkee, a blog for all you dedicated followers of fashion.I bet Kirsty grows her own veg...

Dig For Victory - Update: My Little Easter Miracles
2009-04-16 18:48:00
I went away over the Easter bank holiday weekend, so had no idea what would be awaiting me when I returned to my Clapham garden. Five days away without love and care was going to be tough, for me and the veg. Luckily it had rained in London, whilst I was sunnying myself in Wales, so the growth was fantastic!My potatoes have now entered their second stage! When I planted them, in my bin, I put them in about 15cm of soil and then covered them with another 10cm. I had been told that once there was green shoots peeking out of the top of the soil then I had to cover them again with 10cm, and so on until I reach the top of the bin. So I was really pleased to be able to get a second layer of soil on!Meanwhile, my sunflower seeds (below right) have fully germinated and have really taken off, before going away they were tiny little shoots, but now they are becoming real plants. So I have had to buy some planters to continue their growth in.The strawberries are continuing to develop well (abo...
More About: Victory , Update , Miracles

This morning I was daydreaming...
2009-04-16 13:01:00
...on my way to Sainsbury's and ended up walking right by it. Not exactly newsworthy I know, but I did something which is totally pointless but I alway do it, and I wanted to tell someone about it.It happens to the best of us, you get off at a tube station you vaguely know and walk confidently in the direction of the place you are going, only to realise that you have gone the wrong way. But, because you are stubborn, and don't want to look silly, you carry on walking for a bit then you do one of two things. You will either look at your watch, or failing that, your mobile phone. Both are foolproof ways of avoiding embarrassment...The watch trick will fool people into thinking that you were going the right way but have realised you have to be somewhere else and don't have time to go and pick up that pint of milk/paper/flowers before your important meeting.Looking at your mobile is a better trick though, it basically fools the hundreds of people watching you, waiting for you to make...
More About: Morning , Daydreaming

Dig For Victory - Update: 1st Signs of life
2009-04-04 18:39:00
The tomatoes we have been growing indoors were given a blast in the sun today and yesterday and have started to do something. Here are the pics. Mine (on the left) are doing better than Elen's (on right) so I am delighted!
More About: Victory , Life , Signs , Update

Dig For Victory
2009-03-31 12:12:00
I went to the Imperial War Museum yesterday as part of my cultural development program, it really was fantastic and I would recommend that any young(ish) person go so that they can truly appreciate what our predecessors did for us. It makes our current 'plight' seem rather pathetic and thus the protestors, who will be strutting their stuff today, look like bloody fools.One thing really stood out for me at the museum, the sense of togetherness and camaraderie that our troops and those on the home front had. Everyone did their bit, and did it well. I have little doubt that today's society would bemoan having to rally together and work. The poster campaigns and slogans would probably be the laughing stock of twitter and facebook now, but during World War 2 they kept the nation together.Dig for Victory , was one such campaign which I strongly believe in. The campaign encouraged people to start growing their own vegetables so as to lower imports (thus freeing up space in storage for wa...

Stand up if you hate stewards
2009-03-28 19:32:00
Took my biweekly trip to Brisbane Road today to watch the mighty Leyton Orient score a lucky win over Oldham. Aside from the very dubious O's penalty and the awful refereeing making me laugh one thing made my trip very amusing. It was the sight of a very overweight steward (I think she was female) having to walk all the way from pitchside to the top of the east stand (it's not Old Trafford but still quite a walk) to tell four Orient fans to sit down.These fans were stood at the very back of the stand, thus not obstructing anyone's view, nor even obstructing fire exits or anything which would give the tubby steward cause for concern. Perhaps the four outlaws might have all fallen over and tumbled down the stand, collecting fans along the way like a snowball, somehow I think not. 'Bloody health and safety' rant, rant, rant.I am sure that she was following orders but it was nice that the jobs-worth got a fair amount of abuse and had to sit down for about ten minutes after the trek...
More About: Hate

Steve McLaren stars in Back to The Future 4
2007-09-02 16:08:00
This Autumn's biggest flop looks set to be England's football team and in my opinion it is down to Steve 'Doc Brown' McLaren who seems to think the year is 2002 and England are heading to Japan for the World Cup. Last month he recalled Sol Campbell and David James, as they are the future of English football, and today he has announced Emile Heskey has been recalled too. Now don't get me wrong, all three were and still are talented players, even David James had his moments of skill, but is this really the way England are going to succeed, by recalling old players?I think everyone would agree David Beckham deserved a recall, but let's face it, England were useless in 2002 and will be useless now if McLaren insists on living in the past. One encouragement is that David Bentley is in the squad, but Heskey's inclusion cancels that out, and then some. How about McLaren invests in youth like so many Premier League clubs are at the moment, clubs such as Tottenham, Villa and West Ham ...
More About: Stars , Future , The Future , Back

Music of August
2007-09-02 12:09:00
Here's what was in my ears in August ...1. Dream Catch Me - Newton Faulkner - Mick Hucknall's love child's (left) album is at number one this week.2. Ice Cream Sundae - The Twang - Another great song from one of this years best newcomers. Click here to see them perform the track at Glastonbury.3. A Fortnight's Time - Maximo Park - Maximo Park teach the five times table in this numerical album track.4. Mr Rock & Roll - Amy McDonald - Is it just me or is this song Alloway Grove by Paolo Nutini.5. On Call - Kings of Leon - Great to see The Kings of Leon have produced an album to match their first after the disappointing Aha Shake Heartbreak.6. Hello Oh - The Cribs - If you like this then check out Men's Needs by the Wakefield 3 piece.7. Abacus - Fionn Regan - The latest singer/songwriter to be compared to Damien Rice, though Fionn may actually be better.8. We Will Be Here - Jack Penate - The album 'Matinee' (right) has been announced and will be launched on October 1st.9. My Whol...
More About: Music

Big Brother, Why Bother?
2007-08-30 18:16:00
If, like myself, you haven't been watching Big Brot her this year then you might not even realise that it is the final tomorrow night. Well it is, and the twins are set to win. Surely they have an advantage, or disadvantage (depending on how you look at it), as there are two of them. Interestingly, if I was part of a set of twins I would be up in arms at the idea that they want to be considered as one person! But let's not get sidetracked. The question is not who is going to win? But rather who cares? And why do they have to fill my Friday nights with this rubbish? Well here at toomuchtime we want to give you an alternative to the 4 1/2 hours of Big Brother that will be hitting our screens tomorrow night.Cinema - This is where I am going, I am seeing Knocked Up, which looks great. If the manromcom isn't your thing then try The Bourne Ultimatum, or Shrek, The Simpsons or just go and stand outside the cinema and read a magazine, anything is better than Big Brother!Athletics - You co...

Motorway Update
2007-08-30 12:54:00
My 'review' of the M25 is featured on the front page of the BBC's Magazine page. Very pleased to have it on there. The article in full can be found here.
More About: Update

Best Wishes Owen
2007-08-28 12:07:00
All my best wishes go out to Owen Wilson and his family, get well soon Owen.
More About: Wishes

You Spin Me Round
2007-08-23 19:19:00
Now I'm not normally one to get excited about motorways, who is? Most are boring, particularly the M1, and all of them have men in fluorescent jackets sitting in big yellow diggers doing absolutely nothing (apparently, they are paid to do this). But when I saw that the BBC websites magazine section was asking for it's readers to send in a tribute to their favourite motorway I couldn't resist. It didn't take me long to think of my favourite, and here it is..."How can anything match the spherical beauty of the M25? Regardless of it being the 'London Orbital' there is so much more, Essex, Hertfordshire, Bluewater, Lakeside & Surrey. In one trip around the M25 you can drive through the beautiful Epping Forest, take in some serious shopping at Bluewater and then head to either Stansted, Gatwick or Heathrow to fly as far from the bright lights of London as possible. Then there's the best thing about the M25, if you miss your junction you know that you can always try again the n...
More About: Spin , Round

Reach for the Sky
2007-08-22 17:20:00
You may have read about Google Sky, a new feature on Google Earth which allows you to look above and beyond Earth. Google Earth itself has been around since 2005 and allows computer users to see satellite imagery of pretty much anywhere on Earth. From the Eiffel Tower to the airplane graveyard at Davis-Montham Air Force Base in Tuson Arizona.Google Sky is part of an upgrade available to download now. It enables users to view star constellations, images from the Hubble Satellite and hundreds of Galaxies. A very neat feature that I stumbled across is the ability to see the movement of the planets, so you can see where in the sky they will be on certain dates, and for lunatics this feature is also available for the moon.Google Sky is complicated, there are introductions to astronomy from NASA included in the upgrade but it is still very new and therefore can be very hard to understand. However, one can imagine that within a few weeks the brilliant Google Community, which is made up of ...
More About: Reach