EXTRA! EXTRA! BLOG MOVES ADDRESS!

So after 365 posts (366 after this one) we are moving over to the Wordpress platform, which should help us expand, be more efficient, and look that big more professional.

The archive is also being moved over, so this address will become pretty much obsolete, except to tell you to head over to www.bigguybigcity.com to enjoy the new blog goodness.

So once again, we are consolidating and moving to www.bigguybigcity.com this process may take a day or so, please bear with us.

what a little community!

Isn't it nice to see everyone (minus Tigg, who is incidentally safe and well) checking in to say that they're doin' alright?

I've been a fairly busy bee lately, doing random jobs for my parents, including getting lost on delivery/pick-up jobs around the county. I've also been trying to choose a new camera, since the P51 has packed up, although it did work(ish) for about 10 minutes after I repeatedly smacked it against my knee like the bad boy it's been.

The move to Wordpress (though Mambo has been attracting my attention lately) is getting ever closer, with web hosts being checked out here, there, and everywhere. I think I may well heed Ben of a ben week's advice and go for theIcy.net and just post to forums rather than actually pay for hosting, although the way the ad revenue is going at the moment I may well be able to start paying for hosting, and maybe even start running little competitions for bigguybigcity.com merchandise!

Oh, and I broke one of my teeth on Sunday when watching Newcastle lose, as predicted, to Arsenal, and the weirdest thing was that it didn't hurt when I broke it, and it happened when I was eating a beef sandwich, which was a soft roll, I really should get that dentist called.....

Long Time No Post..

The guilt of not posting finally got to me today, having seen that both Duncan and Claire have done their bit in the last few days..

Yesterday I got back from the Lake District, following a little trip up to see Andy's home area. I suppose that he probably gets bored of all the scenery, but it really is quite spectacular, even in the cloud and rain. Among the many natural wonders visited was "The Wheelie Bin", which is Andy's local club: I was disappointed to find out that it wasn't the worst club that I've ever gone to (that honour goes to Chameleon in Woking, Surrey), and it was in fact pretty reasonable.

In other news, I spent 2 weeks working for a Lib Dem MP in the Houses of Parliament, and found that my new room at university is far nicer than any other room I've had so far (Andy's room is larger, but also painted pink..).

And that is pretty much it!

She Digs Me

So anyway, haven't blogged in a while, thought it might be relevant today.

Had a date today, first in a long time, (Longer than I'd like to broadcast over the internet).
As you cant probably imagine it didn't go badly, some could even say well.
So I guess it's a good day for Duncan, a bad day for Bone, at least as far as the football is concerned.
I'm in a pretty good mood really. We went to go and see the Wedding Crashers, a surprisingly good romantic comedy. To be fair though a romantic comdey was all that could have really happened on a first date.

So after a morning of exchanging texts and pleasantries I picked her up this afternoon at her fortess. I guess this comment probably need explaining, she lives on a private road, but the road itslef is guarded by 14 foot iron gates, with coded security. It was a little weird turning up at the to begin with, but she was beaming when I met her at her front door, even though her little brother was trying to hold her in with his lightsabre. He's a Star Wars fan, so he's instantly cool in my books, but thats off the subject.

So we went to the cinema, and she bought the tickets. I'm not really up on dating etiquete, but she had the debit card, and its always an akward moment at any time. But we watched the increasingly weird ads that appear before the films. We definatly picked the right film, it was funny, and actually had a good plot. I know thats weird a plot in a romantic comdey, but there's always an exception to any rule.

After the film we went for a drink at Wetherspoons, just cokes if you're wondering, and had the CV talk, who I am, what I like, what I do, the family, etc. But that was cool, I then took her back to hers, and I felt we had a good time, so did she. As soon as I got back I got a text off her saying she had a great time and wanted to do it again, I guess that warrants the title.

In other news the Jenas sending off was harsh, I feel sorry for the kid (who happens to be a year older than I). It wasn't a convincing win, but a wins a win, I'm just sorry it had to be Bone's team.

Anyway People that's all I've got to say at the moment

Peace Out

Gotta Help Bone Out Here...

Bonjour! Claire's back in the blogging zone! I'm surprised Bone hasn't sacked me, I, again, shall apologise for the distinct lack of blogness, but I've been a busy little bee! It's been lovely being at home, uni was a bit shocking by the end of it all, got a bit of depression, but I'm not interested in any of that anymore... lets recap on the events of the last few weeks...

Holiday to Wales - just grand. A week with all 16 of my family member dudes in Bangor to celebrate my gruf's 75th birthday. Fun to had by all. I climbed Snowdon! We mocked the pathetic attempt of those old dears in high heels taking the train and trying the claim they also climbed Snowdon. My cousin Richard & I kept the student thang alive by drinking every night... Nah hang on, that was just me... Ah well, I'd been detoxing since leaving uni, hadn't drunk a drop of alcohol (well except for champagne on my friend Jen's 21st, but that doesn't count... to me anyway) for a month, it was a celebration! Why am I justifying myself, everyone knows I'm a piss-head! You only need to look at past blogs for evidence. Still working full-time which is good cos I need the ma-honey and loving my job anyway.

Then my little bratchen and I went to 'Pop 2 The Park' in Carlisle! (don't even both commenting and mocking me, I've heard it all before!) Afterall, it was only a tenner entrance and we saw a whole selection of dudes, ranging from the cheese from Daniel Bedingfield, Girls Aloud, Estelle, Jo from S-Club 7, Tyler James, Bananarama, to the pits from pop idol and pop star the rivals rejects. But all in all a good day. Except we waiting an hour for Girls Aloud and they were rubbish, pretty sure they mimed, Nicola had a face like a smacked arse throughout the entire set and Cheryl took every advantage in showing off her massive engagement ring to the assembled crowd, who really weren't all that excited to see them! Daniel was pretty darn fab though!

Returned from Carlisle to find I had been robbed of £422.86 from my bank account. Some bastard has cloned my card and is spending like billy-o. So I've spent many a morning either in tears at the bank or the police station. So basically, I have no money. Again, I try to forget these things that piss you right off!

Went over to York for a evening, stayed with my ex-housemate Helen, realised old habits never really die hard when I was faced by the state of her new bedroom... not criticising you though Helen! I'd have it no other way! Got massively drunk and was told many a time that what I was saying made no bloody sense whatsoever... what's new? Shopping the next day with Jenni, visitated Oscars, which reminded me of my fateful birthday... which led to thoughts of "why the feck did you drink AND smoke so much that you couldn't see Green Day?!" The self-tourment will never die. Saw Charlie & The Chocolate Factory... Johnny Depp is a genius! And he likes my favourite cool cat place in York - the Evil Eye. My kinda guy...

And now, in between working my butt off, I'm preparing for the big move! The flights are booked for 3rd October. Spending my days off trawling the mobile phone companies and banks for the best deals. Planning weekends to climb Scarfell Pike, visitating York again, seeing the Stereophonics and even stretching to planning next summer! Well, these things have to be done... but true to form, the best laid plans at all that!

Until next time, I leave you with a classic quote from my holiday... "So, have you ever been whitewater rafting?" I'll let you guys think about that one...

We coulda been brothers...

So me and Neil were clearing out the pantry today as part of the re-organising/decorating of the house. During our clean up we had to remove everything from the shelves so that we could put wallpaper down as shelf-protectors, protection from what? I don't know, it's just one of those things that your mother decides is the way to go. Anywho, whilst we were remvoing the cans we thought we might as well chuck out all the ones that were past their best before dates. Somehow we persuaded ourselves that some products that were 2 years past their best still ok to keep, semolina doesn't go off right?

Once again, I appear to have gone off track, and the title has become ever more misleading, but I'll get to that now, though as ever it is still a bit obscure. One of the cans was for Carnation evaporated milk, which isn't that odd, except this particulary can had a date on it of 1989, thats 16 years ago, I'm only 20! And consider that that's the use by date, not when it was bough, and I'd imagine that evaporated milk lasts for years. Of course I had to open it, it smelt..... same as any other evaporated milk. It certainly didn't look like it though, kinda flaky, yet still gloopy, and most amazingly of all it was able to move on its own. Food. That moved. On its own.

Needless to say, I didn't taste it. But the 2000 vintage decorative icing was fine.

I shall hang my head in shame later...

So I've just watched Agent CodyBanks on Sky and whilst I am shoked to say it, it wasn't that bad. Although Lovejoy wasn't much of a villain. Ad what about that Angie Harmon? Meeeow, hot stuff, table 2!

In less pervy news we failed once again at the pub quiz, despite getting a perfect ten in this weeks movie section. Although it was a laugh, as always, especially when I realised that one of the answers was the 'Best Little Whorehouse in Texas' which the guys struggled to believe, but still wrote down. And voila, 1 point.

Hollyoaks celebri-tease + a bit of a recap

So I went to the wheelhouse last night, despite repeatedly vowing to never go back there when sober. It was supposedly a charity night because the Hollyoaks cast was there, but the only apparent act of charity was to put up the entry charge.

Even trying to get in was a hassle, I had faxed ahead under my parents company, as I had asked the manager on Friday night what the situation was for corporate membership, and after he tried to make me look like a dick he eventually just said that I needed to fax on headed paper. So saturday comes and I do that, and when I get there he checks Ian's Military personell card and lets him through, and asks if I'm signed in and I say "yeah, under Colwith Interiors" and he says "never heard of them" so I reminded him that we discussed it last night, showed him the fax and the fax receipt to their number and he had to shut up and eat his words. Considering that my group of friends goes there once or twice a week, every week, you'd think they'd cut us a bit of slack since we've got to be some of the best customers they have, that and I was sober, wasn't gonna cause any trouble, have never caused trouble there, am always polite to the staff and yet still all we get is hassle from them. And I don't mean to be big headed, but my parents company has to be one of the most successful in the area, employs 15 or so employees (+ sub-contractors) and does very high quality work all over the country (and once in France) so it's hardly my fault if he doesn't know them. And that is why I don't like the Wheelhouse, it comes with such an attitude, when the only reason anyone goes there is because it's the only place with a 2 a.m. licence and if it were in any city it would be out of business in a matter of months. Rant over.

The Hollyoaks cast were a laugh, and it was amazing how starstruck people were by soap stars that don't really attract thaty higher viewing figures. I'm not godude that plays Joe nna use the real names of the actors/actress because I don't know most of them, so it's character names for all. Greeny told Mrs Hunter that he loved her, and she reciprocated, but she was hammered, and finished the night being held-up by some guy. I saw the guy that plays Russ throwing double devil horns and rocking out whilst sat down, so I pointed at him and laughed, he looked at me and laughed, then stopped, so clearly I have the power to stop soap stars from making themselves look like fools. The Justin guy was loving the dance music, throwing shapes like a mad thing, standing on tables, I'd say that he was a dancing like a Leeds pill-head but I fear litigation, though lets be honest the exposure would be fun. Darren's hair looked greasy, but at least he had the decency to get out there and have a dance with 'normal' people, though one friend said that he grabs his arms and shouted "lets pull some birds!!," sure man, you do that. The dude that plays Joe seemed to act exactly like his character, sitting around acting cool. Lee Hunter is much shorter than I'd imagine, and was spotted in Bargain Booze earlier in the night looking at copies of Nuts and Zoo (Greeno said hi to him thinking he knew him, and then realised that he only 'knew' him because he was on TV). O.B. refused to give Daz a light for his cigarette even though we had seen him smoking, bit arrogant that some would say. Lisa Hunter, well what can you say about her, definition of fit perhaps, also spotted by Scott needing assistance when leaving the club after a few too many Bacardi Breezers, and being aided by O.B. maybe he's more of a gent than we thought. Les Hunter seemed to act much like his character and was clearly a few sheets to the wind, but still chatty to people asking questions.

After driving Danni back to Nichola's (can't let a girl walk home on her own) I went back to pick up Rob and the whole lot of them was walking across the road to the Burnside hotel, they didn't seem to care that a car was quite rapidly approaching them, "local man ploughs through C-list celebs." I then waited for 45 minutes for Rob, which is a whole other non-bloggable story, but he apologised to me about 50 times on the drive back, and then when he rang me today, andc I can't stay mad at the guy anway.

------
I enjoyed the Newcastle game even though we lost, and it was nice to see my grandparents and cousins. We also enjoyed a few Chinese starters at a place called Mango's after the game, I recommend the deep frieds squid. I managed to get back waaay too quickly, but it was never dangerous speed, and it was 1 a.m. so the roads were dead anyway.

I went out on Friday night and had a good time, stayed at Rob's and was loved by all. In Sophie's words "you made me laugh last night" "how" I replied, "Just by being you."

Amsterdam: the pics keep coming

Errrr yeah, the entertainment in their clubs is.... interesting to say the least. To quote Tigg (the photographer of the past couple of posts) "she's wearing stars!" He was in heaven. Notice me putting the boobs at the top of the post. Genius.


This was from our first day, after we'd had an average of 1 hours sleep each, and we were walking around town searching for somewhere to have lunch. Logically, we walked into a cafe, but this being Amsterdam, cafe actually means bar, so instead of having sandwiches, we had beer. Now you have to consider that this was at 12:00, which was 11:00 English time, and we hadn't slept, so 2 pints had us fairly merry. The barman was a guy called Marco, who was very helpful in telling us about where to go for clubs and stuff, and was kind enough to take our picture behind his bar. We've also been immortalised in the form of a signed bar mat on a wall.


So when we were hanging out in what can only be described as an 'indoor-balcony/living room' (complete with tv and lamps) we met some American ladies , almost none of which can be seen in this picture. I think they came into Escape with us.... but I can't quite remember. This was in the Outback bar, where we also met a German girl called Sabine, who sat with us for ages, and I wondered what her friends thought of her disappearance, as she surely didn't arrive on her own.


For some reason we saw a mural of fish, and decided that we needed a picture of all of us in front of it. Check out my white belt, which was surely combined with gigantic amounts of ass-cleavage, and as many will testify, is my personal style.

*VERY TENUOUS CELEB LINK* There was a band on Kerrang! just before called 'My Awesome Compilation' who are from Leicester (and very good I might add) whose keyboardist once described me to their singer as "the man," he was very drunk, as most people are when they leave The Fan Club.

P.S. Probably no post tomorrow as I'm going to the Newcastle game and won't be home till late. Also, I'm getting a haircut, my first for maybe 4-5 months.

Amsterdam: More Escape pics

Don't you just love this, they're so oblivious, they have no idea whats going on. Their is a super-secret double meaning to that previous sentence that would be beyond scandalous to the blogosphere, but those who know, will get it.


Poor Will, it wasn't until the next day that we realised that there was ticker tape on his face in the photo. Surely testament to the heat of the place and the hardcore-ed-ness of our partying..... or maybe the hotness of the girls. (Check out my big guy big city t-shirt making an appearance in a new country, the companies gone continental).



Some of you may say that I'm exploiting these women just so that I'll get more hits to the blog. Well, I can't really argue against that, and whilst they were lovely looking ladies, they stole the damn podium we were dancing on!