Ben Oliver Artiste takes a picture everyday!Ben Oliver Artiste takes a picture everyday!I am taking a picture of something everyday, just to see what changes! Articles
Day 352 - 11th March 2008
2008-03-12 00:04:00 There's been a lack of events to talk about today but I have no cause to complain; I didn't have to go and see the film because I already have it on DVD - what's more I found out it was the last Spanish culture session of the year.Someone leant me the 'Flight of the Conchords' DVD (you know who you are you menu-maniac; yeah, both of you) so I watched two or three of those - I'm not one for free plugs but it's pretty funny, definitely recommended. More About: March , March 2008 , 2008
Day 351 - 10th March 2008
2008-03-11 00:56:00 Another strange night's sleep caused me to wake at some ungodly hour; I did however manage to get some work done before lessons started - including this radio script someone asked me to rewrite.Despite the very early start, I felt pretty good all day until I found out about a deadline due for this evening. It was for what the bosses call an 'Independent Learning Portfolio', where we are meant to go off and do our own exercises then do a 500 word write up about them.Needless to say I spent most of the day banging out three of those before 5pm; I managed to get it done by what can only be an act of God.I spent most of the evening talking, you know how it goes, and now I'm off to bed where it seems as though it'll take another act of God for sleep to come. I still don't feel too bad for the insomnia, but surely the breaking point is on its way if I don't get a good night's sleep soon... More About: March , March 2008 , 2008
Day 350 - 9th March 2008
2008-03-09 23:43:00 Ah the Lake District, what better place to spend a... oh wait, I said this last week. The night in the hotel was nice and we took a short walk around Windermere this morning.Windermere village is pretty dead itself, at least that's until mum discovered the Lakeland Plastics HQ; massive shop included. It's a haven of cool, swanky and mostly useless kitchenware; things like avocado scrapers and mango splitters designed for the middle-class hordes - I got a new spatula out of the affair.Talking of middle-class, we stopped at Sizergh farm; home of the organic mother-earth £12.50 chicken and the £2.50 apiece apple and wild boar sausage. It's the kind of place that when you buy something, you can't help feeling all left-wing and smug; I suppose you have a right to, seems like saving the planet and supporting local produce is for rich people only...Weekends like this make me realise why I like football - particularly the FA cup; so yesterday Barnsley beat Chelsea, Portsmouth beat Man U... More About: March , March 2008 , 2008
Day 349 - 8th March 2008
2008-03-08 17:35:00 I'm writing from a hotel just outside Kendal, looking out to a great view over the lakes. In the bar tonight there's a maestro keyboard player doing strange versions of songs I used to like until I heard his unique takes on them - I never realised I could go off The Beatles so quickly!More importantly, we went to a great Italian restaurant with food as good as anything I've ever tasted in the country itself. Before that though, Barnsley, having beaten Liverpool at Anfield the other week, only went and beat bloody Chelsea today! They weren't even desperate, I'm not sure I've ever seen such a good defensive display from any side...Portsmouth beat Manchester United too, although they were lucky - for various reasons Man U ended up with Rio Ferdinand in goal! Portsmouth and Middlesbrough are the only Premiership sides left in the cup now; Middlesbrough have Cardiff tomorrow so they'd better watch out - could be a death match and West Brom have Bristol Rovers, with a whole league ... More About: March , March 2008 , 2008
Day 348 - 7th March 2008
2008-03-08 00:06:00 Friday at last and it's been a rather good day. Following on from what was the best Thursday I've ever had - today really was the icing on the cake. Looks like I can finally write an essay about Clint Eastwood; so long as I link it in some way to Spain, pah, that's the kind of thing I was born for.Went to the cinema again tonight to see The Darjeeling Limited; the latest Wes Anderson film - it's not bad at all. In fact, it was really quite good; the kind of film you could watch again and pick up on stuff you've missed the first time.Tomorrow it looks like I'm off to the lakes again; this time with my mother who's on her way up to Scotland - nice way to spend a weekend I'd say! More About: March , March 2008 , 2008
Day 347 - 6th March 2008
2008-03-06 23:25:00 Today's picture is rather blurred; but when you're sure you've seen two freak clones just in front of you, it's hard to keep the camera still. Just look at them, same clothes, haircut, build, even the same bags!Thursdays are generally bad and yet, whilst this one wasn't particularly good, it certainly doesn't seem to have been as dire as the other ones. One cancelled lecture this morning made for a later start, and no film night for the first time this term allowed for an earlier finish; pretty good if you ask me. More About: March , March 2008 , 2008
Day 346 - 5th March 2008
2008-03-05 23:49:00 Wednesdays are always good, and today's was no different. Somewhat boring to write about maybe, I read a book for most of the day, but still relaxing.Oh, I did go to a 'focus group' about what I like in cafés; sounds like corporate tosh and it was to some extent, but I was happy to talk for a while with some new people.My main preoccupation seems to be the lack of sleep I seem unable to shake; I'm tired but I just don't seem to be able to stop my mind racing to go to sleep. I'll get over it I'm sure. More About: March , March 2008 , 2008
Day 345 - 4th March 2008
2008-03-04 21:16:00 Went to see a film today, 'Wristcutters', which, for £2, was worth the trip out to central campus. The point it tried to make was pretty weak and I think it let itself down trying to be too 'quirky', but it was entertaining nonetheless and it made me forget the excruciating numb buttocks caused by the lecture theatre seats.Nothing much else happened today, although I still can't quite shake this feeling of unease; I can't help but think as to when the lack of sleep shall catch up with me... More About: March , March 2008 , 2008
Day 344 - 3rd March 2008
2008-03-04 00:25:00 Persistent restlessness and intense boredom led me to bake another cake this morning, so some reading and get the laundry done.The story I read inspired me to draw a picture, which I took a photo of for lack of anything else to get a picture of.It's been a long day, what with films being moved and whatever, but I still do not seem to be able to expend the energy built up inside of me when it comes to going to bed. I can feel it coming on now, I'm not looking forward to lying in bed with my eyes wide open for another night... More About: March , March 2008 , 2008
Day 343 - 2nd March 2008
2008-03-02 23:22:00 It was, as ever, a sad thing leaving the lake district this morning. It was good to catch up with everyone again and hear of news, good and bad. The strange feeling that I might not ever see that place again swept over me as we pulled away; who knows what the future holds though?In a spare moment I thought it'd be good to make a cake; so I did and here it is. It doesn't look brilliant but it's only a simple Victoria sponge so it tastes pretty good really.Stoke lost for the second time in a row, 3-0 away to QPR. This is becoming a bit of hindrance in the league, and we've dropped a place to 2nd now. I hope my visit to the Preston game last Tuesday wasn't the cause of their possible demise... More About: March , March 2008 , 2008
Day 342 - 1st March 2008
2008-03-01 16:22:00 Once you manage to get over the freezing cold mornings in the house, then there is no better place I can think of to spend the first day of the month in than here up in the lake district.We did some French exercises before going on a walk to the pub where a good old Cumberland sausage was in order. Getting back home, we saw a red squirrel in the garden but we weren't quite quick enough to picture it; otherwise it was more French work until bedtime.It's cold and I'm writing by hand so I need to get my arm back in my sleeping bag and get to sleep; goodnight. More About: March , March 2008 , 2008
Day 341 - 29th February 2008
2008-02-29 16:06:00 So here I am, The Birks at last; smack bang in the middle of a lake district valley, this is easily one of the nicest areas in Europe.The accommodation is basic, as ever, and the weather is grim; none of this takes away from the joy this place has brought to many a school child including myself.I never thought I'd go back in my lifetime since the final trip last year; but I was honoured to be invited back to help out with a French trip coming up for the weekend. It's a leap year, and today is the extra day we get; apparently it's on this day that women are meant to propose to men, guess I'm in the wrong place then...Before I go to bed; I must mention that the train ride up into the lakes is truly amazing. For a small fare you can cross though sand, sea, lakes and fields; all looking great whatever the weather. I just wish my legs could fit in those old trains a bit better. More About: February 2008 , February , 2008
Day 340 - 28th February 2008
2008-02-29 00:06:00 Thursday seems to come around so often these days. The film was cancelled, so I had a 5pm finish; two hours before usual time. This was a welcome break.Why then, despite this lifted burden, do I feel so bad? The sense of having lost something I never even had is overwhelming, and I'm not even sure why.Tomorrow I head for the lakes; it'll give me time to collect my thoughts and pick out what the problem is, the feeling of almost constant anxiety instilled within me today is beginning to rather annoy me.Melancholy is not something I'm used to; I hope I get over it soon. More About: February 2008 , February , 2008
Day 339 - 27th February 2008
2008-02-28 00:07:00 Wednesday is always pretty good, for various reasons; the main one being that I've practically got the day off. The next day, however, is Thursday and although I don't wish to complain just yet, Thursdays are not the days to be staying out late the night before on.This is partly why, along with the fact that I'm not a huge clubber anyway, I went home early from someone's birthday in town. Thursdays require 100% energy for even a slight chance of making it through sane.It all sounds exaggerated, and I guess it is; I suppose it's only really bad from my perspective... More About: February 2008 , February , 2008
Day 338 - 26th February 2008
2008-02-27 00:33:00 On days like these I often stop an wonder if there's such a thing as luck. I've just got back from watching Stoke end their unbeaten run to Preston, the league leaders beaten by a side in the bottom three.I wouldn't mind so much, but it's the one time I went; the one time and we just couldn't score. Preston scored two goals, we didn't get any but on a different night we would have had four or five; that's how many times Preston cleared it off their own line anyway.Of course, it was Stoke's fault really, they need to get more clinical with the strikers; enough talk though! It was freezing cold and the Preston ground is a fair old trek from the train station; it wasn't a bad game, but the £25 entrance fee did leave me with some regrets. I won't be going again in a hurry... More About: February 2008 , February , 2008
Day 337 - 25th February 2008
2008-02-25 23:53:00 It was Italian presentation day and in what is quickly (and, I'll admit, shamefully) becoming my own patented style of making it up, I somehow did OK in the end. I did have a few conjugations on my hand though...The thing is, I count myself lucky every time I pull it off, and every time I tell myself "phew, I'll prepare loads for the next one" and of course, I rarely do. I suppose it makes me stupid, a weird kind of 'if it ain't broke don't fix it method'. When I fall flat on my face, which is clearly inevitable, I'll stop winging it. Until then...The sun in the morning filled me with optimism, but the exact opposite I see outside my window tonight doesn't really make me look forward to tomorrow. There's not much to talk about otherwise, so I'm going to go to bed early. More About: February 2008 , February , 2008
Day 336 - 24th February 2008
2008-02-25 00:24:00 Guess who's got a harmonica? Yep. I've got it off eBay for practically nothing, and I'm playing away at the blues all day now. I've managed to get a tune for all situations; just what every man needs, the ability to play a slightly annoying tune at any minute.Otherwise, I would talk about the work etc... but it's late and I need to get off to bed. Oh yeah; Tottenham won the carling cup. More About: February 2008 , February , 2008
Day 335 - 23rd February 2008
2008-02-24 00:21:00 I'm not a huge fan of cocktails, although I guess I've had my fair share abroad, so I was surprised to find that I actually quite enjoyed the one someone made me tonight; the Mohito. Didn't want any more though; too much of a good thing and all that...There seems to be a university TV station starting up, so I'm starting to throw together a script for a sitcom about a guy at uni; so I did that for the morning.What a great day for sports, not only did England beat France (convincingly) in a miracle six nations result, but Stoke beat Ipswich, putting them a point clear at the top of the table. That's right TOP OF THE TABLE! Oh boy, I might just nip down and see them at Preston on Tuesday... More About: February 2008 , February , 2008
Day 334 - 22nd February 2008
2008-02-23 00:55:00 Another pretty eventless day, although I can't complain about it. I saw some sort of Geese or ducks or something on the way home, I don't really know much about these things so I can't tell you what they are; they were pretty big though, so I settled with Geese.I came close to going out tonight, but I feel tired and I don't really want to go, so I'm going to sit in bed and watch Jools. Goodnight. More About: February 2008 , February , 2008
Day 333 - 21st February 2008
2008-02-21 23:16:00 Blugh; I bloody hate Thursdays. By the end of the day everything is a big fat blur; especially when it's foreign film night. I don't even want to talk about it anymore. More About: February 2008 , February , 2008
Day 332 - 20th February 2008
2008-02-21 00:19:00 The good weather has come to an end; grey skies and rock bottom temperature were once again the norm today. From what I hear, a lunar eclipse is meant to occur tonight; I've been out late and seen no sign of it, I don't particularly want to stay up until the crack of dawn for it so I think I'll give up, at least you can see the moon in the picture. There's not much more to be said; time is moving at breakneck speed, it's hard to believe the end of the term is so near now! Deadlines are approaching, and although I'm on top of it all so far, it's still surprising that it's all flying by so quickly. More About: February 2008 , February , 2008
Day 331 - 19th February 2008
2008-02-20 00:44:00 What a beautiful day, again, and what a beautiful night. I know this because I'm currently doing a spot of late night clothes washing and I can't help but look up on my trips out to the machines. In a spare moment, I thought it'd be nice to make one of those infinite door signs to go on my door. As it happens, it was rather nice so I took a picture. Nothing much else to talk about really; just that it'll be Wednesday in about seven minutes and that can only be a good thing. More About: February 2008 , February , 2008
Day 330 - 18th February 2008
2008-02-19 00:10:00 Apologies for the blurred picture today; we had a wonderful sunset and evening but my batteries ran out, this being the only picture I took. Nothing has happened to speak of and I need to get to bed, so I'm going to stop here for tonight. More About: February 2008 , February , 2008
Day 329 - 17th February 2008
2008-02-17 22:43:00 For the record, but at the risk of starting to repeat myself, it's been a lovely sunny, freezing day. I didn't do much so today I'm going to tell you a true story.Today's picture is of a web in a cardboard tube, but there's so much more to it than that, it's a small part of the saga that is: Simon The Spider.It all started with a flatmate down the corridor who is arachnophobic and wanted me to dispose of a spider on her window. I scooped it up in a bag and put it on my houseplant, thinking it'd be nice to give a new little home; I gave it a name too, Simon Jones.Simon was great, running around my plant but never running off, living in a web of his own. When I went to bed one night, cheeky little Simon decided to dangle off one of leaves on the plant using his spidey-silk. Sadly, this was rather blocking my view of the TV screen from the bed; it seemed cheeky little Simon had become a cheeky little sod.So, I found a cardboard tube and scooped him in there, thinking it would be... More About: February 2008 , February , 2008
Day 328 - 16th February 2008
2008-02-17 00:34:00 Apologies to Liverpool fans, but today was a testament to the brilliance of not only the FA cup; but British football overall. Ouch is all I can say if you're from Merseyside, a 90th minute Barnsley winner put the reds out of the cup today, at Anfield; although you probably know that already. Sadly Huddersfield couldn't do the same at Chelsea, but Manchester United opened a can of whoopass on Arsenal, beating them 4-0. Stoke beat Scunthorpe and a Watford draw now puts us at the top of the league! Yeah baby! It could change with tomorrow's games, so they'd better make the most of it now! The premiership is a realistic sight now... To talk about the weather is only natural when it's been yet another fantastic day. Freezing, but fantastic; just the type of weather I love. Pray it happens again tomorrow. More About: February 2008 , February , 2008
Day 327 - 15th February 2008
2008-02-16 00:57:00 Thursday disappeared pretty quickly, and so did the bad weather. Ah, that lovely feeling that the weekend is only tomorrow was upon us again, although I can't say it's been very warm. On the way to a lesson I couldn't help but notice a new shape mustang parked up outside the church. I won't go on, but just take a moment to admire that it's the same height as the 4x4 down the row and twice as big as the Jag next to it. The sight of this sore thumb did make me laugh somewhat, especially when you think it's parked with its exhaust blasting into the chaplaincy centre; home of the eco-warriors. More About: February 2008 , February , 2008
Day 326 - 14th February 2008
2008-02-15 00:11:00 As I rather miserably predicted, Thursday was enough to end the nice weather and it sent us straight back to the good old Lancaster climate. You can, however, see two nutters having a picnic on the roundabout; it was 4 degrees with no sunlight!This morning I dropped my brother off then went to work, doing my Sebastien Loeb presentation in French along the way; I could stop thinking about Clint Eastwood whilst I was doing it though, I still don't know why I wasn't allowed to do that...Anyway, time to look forwards and put the bitterness behind me; I don't know what tomorrow will bring though. More About: February 2008 , February , 2008
Day 325 - 13th February 2008
2008-02-13 23:58:00 It's good to see my brother again, and he seemed to have struck lucky on the fifth glorious day in a row. The picture is the pub we went to and stuffed ourselves silly before going bowling in the afternoon. I haven't got much to say, it's been pretty eventful I guess though... I just hope that the good weather lasts a while longer, although tomorrow is Thursday and it's highly likely to end on such a day. More About: February 2008 , February , 2008
Day 324 - 12th February 2008
2008-02-13 00:39:00 The total of glorious days so far has added up to four, and hopeful there are more to come tomorrow. I'm sort of running out of sunshine photos to take now, but I feel as though it should really be milked for all its worth; we probably won't see the sun again for a few months... My brother is here, and I'm off to bed now; early start again tomorrow! More About: February 2008 , February , 2008
Day 323 - 11th February 2008
More articles from this author:2008-02-12 00:10:00 On Thursday I've got a French oral exam, I was told I could talk about any topic; so what better than Clint Eastwood, my favourite cowboy. For some reason, the teacher has told me not to do this and to draw from my French background to benefit the class. Oooh that's annoying, I was really looking forward to a bit of Clint... Anyway, that finally off my chest, it's been otherwise yet another fantastic day. Glorious warm sunshine hit us all and made it feel like the start of summer, never mind the middle of winter. A beautiful sunset with the moon in the clear sky made for another pretty picture of the day. Tomorrow, my brother arrives in the evening and I think it's gonna be another pretty good day; bring it on! More About: February 2008 , February , 2008 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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