A change blowing in the wind?

I've been thinking a lot about life recently. Feeling like a change is coming. Just don't know what it is yet.

Interesting if unsettling times.

Hmmmm......

Blog back

Well, it was about time to post again. A while back, someone said my life looked like it had stopped in April 2006. It didn't, but I didn't have broadband for a while, and you know, got busy. So anyway, back now with an evolved blog. Less pressure, you know. Shorter posts? Who knows. My mate Hattie inspired me.

Just seen "Hot Fuzz" and it's great.

Hmmm.. not the most dramatic new beginning is it?

Hey ho!

Nick

Photos from visit of the parents

Why they say that the Scot's diet is the worst in Europe I'll never know.

My mum enjoying a mocha at Chocolate Soup.

Two old ruins, my dad and Holyrood Abbey.

Me and my mum!
The snowdrops were out!
Edinburgh castle, around 5pm

Moving again and other stuff

Hello!
Haven't had time to blog for a while, but now I have a free morning. Just spend some time editing some more photos for you to look at from my parents visit a few weekends ago. We had a nice weekend, visiting Holyrood House (the Queen's official residence in Edinburgh).
Other than that, work continues to be very busy and taking a lot of time. We have a major project to get done before Easter.
I'm looking forward to seeing some of you during my travels around Easter time, heading to Southampton via Birmingham most likely the Thursday after the Easter weekend where I'll catch up with old friends from the Southampton Vineyard at their weekend away.
The biggest other news is that I'm moving house into what hopefully should be my home for a while. For those that believe in such things, it was a God thing for sure, all other doors were closed to me. The flat came about from a random connection via a friend of a friend who gave me a name and a number. Which I proceeded not to call until told to about 3 times. I did and turns out I had met this guy once before, he was a friend of another friend of mine (lost yet!). Christian guy who works for a local homeless charity looking for a Christian to move in. Needless to say too much of a 'coincidence' for me! So I move tomorrow.
Anyway, apologies for the lack of blogging, new place has broadband also so should be able to keep up a bit more.
Oh yeah, my trip to Houston has been confirmed and there are those who know how much that means. I'm heading there in mid-May, and am going to take in both weekends either side of the course. Really looking forward to getting back after nearly 5 years! Doesn't seem possible it's been so long since I was last there, but there you are. Good Mexican food here we come!

Music and films

Just thought I'd take a blog entry to chat a bit about some of the less stressful aspects of my life. Been listing to some cool new albums, favorites at the moment are The Editors, The Back Room; Jose Gonzalez, Veneer and one of the best albums I've listened to in a long time; Arcade Fire, Funeral. This is a true album in that it makes more sense as a whole than as individual songs. You really have to listen to the whole thing for it to make sense. It's absolutely brilliant and was on continuous play when I bought it.
I've also seen some top films recently, high on the list have to be both 'Walk the Line' and 'Hidden'. Thought Ms Witherspoon was well worth her oscar and thoroughly enjoyed the whole film -- pure entertainment. I defy you not to come out singing. Hidden is a real thinking film. It stars Juliette Binoche as the wife of a successful tv star who stars receiving video tapes showing their apartment. Very clever film and leaves more questions that answers. Highly recommended.
So there you go!

Pictures around Edinbugh

Outside the National Gallery of Modern Art

Outside the National Gallery of Modern Art, different view

Me nr. the centre of the city

Rose street, around 6pm

KK with castle in the background

Always go to a Chinese with a Chinaman!

Or at least someone who speaks Chinese. Yes, as referred to in a previous post, am temporarily living with my colleague KK from Singapore. So, we had a nice day out on Saturday, checking out the farmers market and the National Modern Art Museum. Which was excellent and well worth a return visit. I'm a big fan of modern art (or at least some of it) -- mainly because good modern art makes you think. It can also say whatever you think it says -- in the end a good painting of a landscape, although nice to look at is only ever that. I'm sure some of you will disagree.... There were some excellent new Damian Hurst things there, a series called "The last supper" where he's modified labels from pharmaceutical packets and replaced the drug names with day-to-day food items such as "Cornish Pasty". Very effective, wry statement about modern food.
Oh yeah, before returning to the chinese, it snowed here last Friday so there was some snow around still Saturday. I took the camera out again and took some shots around Edinburgh, which I'll pop in a separate post.
So back to the chinese. I didn't know, but apparently a lot of chinese restaurants have a separate chinese menu. Which was offered to us as soon as we walked in. And the stuff on there is quite different to the regular english menu. So, being a bit lacking in old chinese reading I let KK order. And we have the most fantastic chinese meal I've ever had. You know I like the regular chinese banquet thing, always happy with good prawn toast and aromatic duck. But main courses always a bit of a let down. Not here. Fantastic food. Fish soup. Tofu in this amazing sauce. Roast pork and duck with a delicious orange-flavoured dipping sauce -- like nothing I've ever had in any chinese. Dim sum. So, I've decided you have to do chinese with someone who can read the chinese menu. Well, I was excited anyway. KK was quite bemused at my excitement. Maybe you are as well.
Other than that nothing much else to report. Still trying to find permanent accommodation and the car is due for MOT tomorrow. Hope it passes.

Another day, another place to live...

Well, survived my brief soujourn at the b&b place. Moved out on Thursday morning and wasn't that sorry. Why is it that b&b owners are either really friendly and parenty (not in a bad way) OR slightly odd. The owners of the b&b I stayed at were unfortunately of the latter type. Couldn't put my finger on it exactly, but they were odd. And not in a good way.
Anyway, throught the kindness of one of my new colleagues, KK from Singapore, I am staying with him for a while in his 2-bed place. He's here for 3 months before heading back to Singapore and his family are joining him in April. So he kindly offered me the spare room until then. Really helped me out. So, here I am.
Now toying with the idea of getting a 2-bed place and finding someone myself, since it seems like less hassle. I've never had to do this whole flat mate hunting thing and it's quite a stain, especially with work being quite hectic. Could do without it to be honest. Was also toying with finding a 1-bed place, but that still seems a little excessive to me and not necessarily what I want to spend my money on. Still, I have become quite intolerant in my old age of other people's habits(!) so the idea quite appeals. Watch this space.
Not much else to report, work continues to be good but challenging. Getting busier, meeting more people which is great and generally settling into life here. Just need a place to root down in is all....
Oh, yeah, the place I'm staying has OFF-STREET-PARKING! which is very exciting for Edinburgh and means that finally my car isn't 20mins walk away from my accomodation! This is a good thing. Although the idiots who designed the car park were not cycleists - how else could you explain the fact that the cycle racks, although in the garage area, are not under a solid roof but a grill -- which of course means they get very wet in the rain. The cars of course stay nice and dry! Bonkers. Truly bonkers!

Houses, Schmouses

Well, ignore anything I said below re: housing. It all fell through this week at the last minute. Was supposed to move this w/e but found out on Wednesday that the building work that was supposed to have happened wasn't finished. Confirmed today that it wasn't going to be done anytime soon. You might have thought that the landlord could have figured this out before now! Anyway, as I write, am packing up to leave my nice apartement - end of the lease and someone else in coming in on Sunday.
Have decided to take B&B for 7 days spending last of relocation budget, in hope that will find something in the next week.
Interestingly, for those who hold to such notions was praying with good friend that if this place wasn't right that something would happen. The kind of prayer that needs to come with a health warning! So, obviously God's got something better in mind. I look forward to blogging to tell you all what it turns out to be.
Anyhow, gotta pack....... Nick the Edinburgh nomad