Welcome to my world

I live in London with my two crazy cats, Phil and Grant. This is my online training journal as I will be running the British London 10km in July, and I hope you enjoy your visit!

• Been a bit busy

  Posted on May 1st, 2009 John 2 comments

  So, the new job’s started. A bit of a gentle introduction to the job (well if you count 30 things on your to-do list within 30 minutes of starting quiet!) I get to go jetsetting around the world still … unfortunately nowhere as exotic as Spain anymore. Chesterfield next week (which suits me for visiting the family) and sunny Solihull the week after that. But on the whole I’m enjoying it - it’s a different job entirely and it’s very weird not to be thinking about Helpdesk tickets, moaning customers and service levels.

  And seeing as this is supposed to be my training blog, here’s a training update. I did some gym sessions this week, which went well. My foot seems to be back to normal now so that’s all good too.

  P.S. Have you checked out Walford Web’s new feature - the cast wiki? I’m frantically importing character bios into it, and are up to the surname beginning with V so far. With a bit of luck everything will be imported by Monday. Click here to have a sneak peek!

  Training, Work EastEnders, Gym, Walford Web, Work

• EastEnders: Good riddance Danielle

  Posted on April 5th, 2009 John 4 comments
  

  Danielle, played by Lauren Crace

  So, this week saw the departure from EastEnders of one Danielle Jones, played by Lauren Crace. Now, before I continue with this post and get lynched no doubt by anyone who stumbles on this blog - this post is not about Lauren Crace’s acting, she was a good actress and I wish her every success in the future. No, this post is all about the STORYLINE (because, remember children, EastEnders is a work of fiction).

  For the last few months we’ve all had to sit through half hour after half hour of much umming and ahhing and knowing looks. In fact, you’d have had to be bloody stupid to have not put two and two together the minute Danielle arrived in Albert Square. Doh … Ronnie’s suddenly got a daughter she gave up for adoption … Duh … woman about that age arrives in Albert Square … Duh … Wonder who she could be?

  Then, probably the most annoying thing about this whole sodding story. The way that tweenies across the country united and latched onto this story like it was a modern day version of Romeo and Juliet (or let’s be more accurate, the new version of Sharon and Dennis). Post after post of interminable crap on our Forums about “When will she tell her? How will she tell her?” Why didn’t they go even further and ask, “What clothes will she be wearing when she tells her? Will she have red sparkly lipstick on?” Good god people. You’ve driven me to distraction.

  And then the ultimate.

  She died! Praise the lord hallelujah. And so the story should have ended at this point. Except it didn’t. The sodding aftermath then brought down Walford Web Forums, Digital Spy and every probably every other website where the words Ronnie and Danielle had appeared at some point in its life. How it didn’t crash the National Grid as everyone went to make a cup of tea I don’t know.

  And now, get this … Fans are petitioning the BBC so that Danielle won’t be dead. For pete’s sake, grow up. It’s a story which has come to its natural conclusion. For me, that conclusion has come five months too late but at least it’s off my screens now.

  Last not least, let’s give Charlie Brooks a medal for coming back as Janine. If I ever meet Janine, which I won’t because EASTENDERS ISN’T REAL, I’d give her £500 myself for bumping Danielle off. You’re a star love, an absolute star.

  On Television EastEnders

• Back to the grind

  Posted on April 3rd, 2009 John 3 comments

  So I’m back in the UK now after a lovely week in Spain. Well … the nights out were lovely (if a tad late - I don’t think I could ever get used to still being eating dinner at midnight too often), and the days were busy but flew by.

  Back this afternoon, courtesy of Easyjet (actually an airline I quite like to fly with - they’re cheap, their planes are new and clean and the crews are very friendly). And of course back to my beautiful boys who have waited patiently all week for me to come home to give them some cuddles. Don’t worry - they’re not abandoned whenever I go away, they have a babysitter who feeds them twice a day and gives them lots of attention.

  So, now it’s the weekend … First on the agenda is recovering from the late nights, second is possibly going for a run (my foot has now stopped hurting for three days straight, but I don’t want to risk thrashing it too much) and third hoping and praying the web server is going to stay up long enough to let obsessive compulsive fans of Danielle whitter on about how much they miss her. Me … if I never need another picture of her again it’ll be too soon.

  Work EastEnders, Spain, Work