The family went to Sue and Anthony’s for a Bond theme night. I went as Blofeld, Isaac as Bond, Rachael as Odd Job, Isobel as Pussy Galore and Hannah as Miss Moneypenny. Good fun and the kids lasted well all night.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Torres scores 50th Premier League goal
Torres is a great striker!
Steven Gerrard hailed Fernando Torres as "the best striker in the world" after the Spaniard became the fastest player in Liverpool's history to score 50 top-flight league goals when he struck an injury-time winner to break Aston Villa hearts.
(from Guardian article)
TV: The TV Book Club
This new series starts early in the new year on More 4.
This Bookseller page lists the books that they will be covering, and they are as follows:
- 17th January: The Little Stranger Sarah Waters (Little, Brown)
- 24th January: Blacklands Belinda Bauer (Transworld)
- 31st January Sacred Hearts Sarah Dunant (Little, Brown)
- 7th February Juliet, Naked Nick Hornby (Penguin)
- 14th February Cutting for Stone Abraham Verghese (Random House)
- 21st February The Rapture Liz Jensen (Bloomsbury)
- 28th February Brixton Beach Roma Tearne (HarperCollins)
- 7th March The Way Home George Pelecanos (Orion)
- 14th March Wedlock Wendy Moore (Orion)
- 21st March The Silver Linings Play Book Matthew Quick (Macmillan)
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
My 9 to 5: Miranda Mckearney, Head of the Reading Agency
About The Reading Agency:
We’re an independent charity which inspires more people to read more.
Why? Because we believe that reading can transform people’s lives. The more you read, the more you know. The more you read, the more you imagine. The more you read, the better you understand other people, and the better you connect to them.
We’ve got ideas and the energy to make great things happen. We’ll work with anybody who wants to get more people reading more. Much of our work is with public libraries, but we also team up with prisons, publishers, unions, businesses, broadcasters, and others.
Football: Aston Villa 0 - 1 Liverpool (Premier League)
Fernando Torres scored in the 93rd minute to give Liverpool a dramatic late victory over Aston Villa.
(from BBC report)
Christmas Tuesday
After a dental appointment where I got more info on replacing lost teeth (getting old!!), we spent most of the rest of the day at Alan and Audrey’s catching up on what we have all been up to over the year and generally chilling. Always great to see them.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Film: Private Fears in Public Places
Watched this French film on DVD. An OK film but a bit depressing I thought but well acted and directed.
Trailer:
Moneymadeclear
A new web site from the Financial Services Authority with a summary purpose being “When it comes to money, our impartial information and tools can help you work out what’s right for you”.
Bank Holiday Monday
Mum and Dad came over from York for a lot of the day to “do” Christmas. I cooked for them for the first time and did the Nigella Lawson ham etc that I have done before. The food was well-received.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Christmas Sunday
Church in the morning, yes this holiday day was a Sunday! 2010 church calendars were handed out.
House tidying for mum and dad coming tomorrow.
Rachael took Isobel to get some Ikea shelves for her bears to sit in the bedroom.
Lazy day after then.
Recorded “The Skye Trail” on BBC2 Scotland and then Delirious? night on The God Channel marking the end of an era as Delirious? play their last ever gig.
Isaac and I watched Top Gear’s Bolivia Special. He loves Top Gear!
Obituary: The Rev Maxwell Craig obituary Kirk leader with a vision for Scotland
Maxwell Craig, who has died of a heart attack aged 77, was one of the most influential Scottish church leaders of the past four decades. As its convener from 1984 to 1988, he gave the Church of Scotland's church and nation committee a critical cutting edge at a time when there was considerable opposition to the then UK government's policies, led by Margaret Thatcher.
(from the Guardian obituary)
Jean-François Rauzier's opulent hyperphotos
Jean-François Rauzier is a French photographer who has developed the concept of 'hyperphotos' - 'stitching' together hundreds of enormous high-resolution images. Citadelle 2, which measures 180cm x 300cm, was created from a total of 1,500 images, endlessly distorted and duplicated, depicting the first floor of a grand Parisian residence
(from this Guardian page, includes the facility to look at the detail of the photo)
Rauzier’s work is a groundbreaking marriage between art, photography and technology. It is both a methodology and a new channel of artistic expression, resulting in breathtaking images which combine the big picture and close-up to present a new and sometimes disturbing vision of the world both in composition and scale.
(from this Waterhouse & Dodd gallery page)
In praise of… telling the truth
Another in this Guardian series, this one inspired by Thierry Henry’s handling of the ball in a World Cup qualifying match that led to Ireland being knocked out.
Remembering Drucker
Four years after his death, Peter Drucker remains the king of the management gurus
Obituary: Lino Lacedelli, mountaineer
Climber who conquered K2 during the controversial Italian expedition of 1954
Obituary: Josette Baujot, colouring Hergé's Tintin albums
Baujot's colouring, pencilled in by hand before the age of digital enhancement, is still revered by cartoonists worldwide and is said to have strongly influenced Walt Disney. The film-makers Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson, currently at work on a trilogy of Tintin movies, due to start with The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn in 2011, are reported to have told their team to reflect the original colouring as much as possible.
(from The Guardian obituary)
Wikipedia entries for Josette Baujot, Hergé and Tintin.
What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision Awards 2009
What Hi-Fi? site
The iPod speakers from Aktimate look good and they are shipping a new maxi product in the new year which includes internet streaming. Could be worth a look.
The iPod speakers from Aktimate look good and they are shipping a new maxi product in the new year which includes internet streaming. Could be worth a look.
Kenneth Branagh on the new (2nd) series of Wallander
Guardian video interview
As the award-winning Swedish detective drama Wallander returns for a second series, producer and star Kenneth Branagh talks about the troubled TV cop, the dark violence of the tales and the beauty of Sweden
As the award-winning Swedish detective drama Wallander returns for a second series, producer and star Kenneth Branagh talks about the troubled TV cop, the dark violence of the tales and the beauty of Sweden
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Boxing Day
We all went to see Aliens in the Attic for a pound each at Movies for Juniors. A very average film.
Then food shopping at Tesco.
Lazy rest of day. Great being at home veg-ing.
Watched “Home Alone” after we all had an urge to see it and managed to pick up a 4-film box set at Tesco!
Watched one of the qualifying heats of World’s Strongest Man. Derek Poundstone the 2008 winner looks like he is going to be the one to beat.
Did the 2010 Church Calendar.
Football: Liverpool 2 - 0 Wolverhampton (Premier League)
Liverpool's players handed boss Rafael Benitez a welcome Christmas tonic with a battling win against 10-man Wolves.
(from BBC report)
Friday, December 25, 2009
Christmas Day
Kids were up early and all pleased with their presents.
Church at 11am in the icy snow.
Most of the rest of the day at MIchelle’s (Rachael’s older sister’s). Great lunch.
Lousy TV over the Christmas period but did watch Dr Who and also the Christmas special of Strictly Come Dancing won by Ali and Brian.
U2 on the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1981
Great reminder of how the best band in the world started off. Saw them for the 1st time in 1981. This video was on the recommended YouTube videos for me this Christmas morning.
U2 performing The Ocean and 11 O’clock Tick Tock on The Old Grey Whistle Test.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Video: Kanye West’s “Jesus Walks”
Christmas Eve
Rachael and the kids and others from church went sledging at X-scape at Castleford.
The usual evening session with the Pearsons and Egans which this year was at the Pearsons.
Watched the French film Not Here To Be Loved.
Christmas Greetings from the Foggs
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Foggs to all our family, friends and work colleagues.
The kids were part of a group that sang some carols in church last Sunday morning. Video below:
Listen to a radio jingle for a Top 10 Christmas tunes with a difference here.
And finally we have all been loving Chris Tomlin’s Christmas album “Glory in the Highest: Christmas Songs of Worship” this month. We have used a video of one of his songs below in a couple of our Holme Christian Community services. Enjoy . . .
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Fish and chip life group session
We used the last life group session of the year to have a fish and chip party at the Garsides with spouses and kids. Great turnout with Ronnie and Dorothy, the Egans, Lynsey and the Barrows as well as the Foggs and the Garsides.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
A wrapping night
Most unlike me but I started and finished all my wrapping in a one night session and even finished in time to watch the last episode of Paradox.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Carol Singing with Gordon Dey
Going carol singing round the local care homes on Holmewood with Gordon Dey and his 2 churches is now one of our highlights of the Christmas period. Egans and Iain came with Iain on his cornet.
Watched Role Models when we got back.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Church Day
We had an alternative nativity service where we looked at the nativity story from different people’s perspective. This was a great meeting with lots of people taking part including Rachael’s kids choir (see here for video).
Then in the evening we all went to the carols by candlelight service.
Loads of snow still lying on the ground with snow showers over the past 3 or 4 days.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Family Day
Isaac and i had a Christmas hair cut followed by taking Isaac and Hannah to Marks and Spencer then Asda for final gifts for Rachael.
Later in the day Rachael took Isaac to see Avatar while I and the girls watched the final of Strictly Come Dancing.
Strictly Come Dancing: Final Result
I suspected Chris would win when from the semi-final onwards it was based on public vote.
Strictly Come Dancing / Final: Jade Johnson's Tango
Jade pulled out earlier in the series through injury, good to see her as part of the final show.
Obituary: Donald Fisher; Founder of the Gap clothing empire
Donald Fisher, who has died of cancer, aged 81, was the co-founder of the US clothing retailer Gap. Starting out with one store in his home city of San Francisco in 1969, he went on to build an iconic clothing brand with more than 3,000 outlets worldwide – including 134 shops in the UK – and annual sales of nearly $15bn.
Hadn’t heard of this retailer before seeing this Guardian obituary.
Football: Portsmouth 2 - 0 Liverpool (Premier League)
Ten-man Liverpool's season of woe continued as they were beaten by bottom-of-the-table Portsmouth.
(from BBC report)
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Phone: Samsung Jet
New phone on upgrade from Virgin arrived today – a Samsung Jet, my first touch screen phone.
The new free internet tariff only kicks in towards the end of February though.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Football: Liverpool 2 - 1 Wigan (Premier League)
Liverpool relieved the pressure on manager Rafael Benitez with a morale-boosting victory over Wigan.
(from BBC report)
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Elders Meeting: Social Action
One of the meetings in the social action stream. Bernie led us and had us doing group work on how the HCC values are worked out in specific projects. Some were easier than others to address!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Singer: Ellie Goulding
Listened to some of her yet-to-be released tunes on myspace/youtube in the past week. Good listening.
This currently unsigned Welsh lass is a cross between a singer-songwriter and a synth-pop starlet. Is she another Kate Nash? A kooky British Lykke Li? A technoid Cerys Matthews?
Guardian piece
Added in December 2009: Guardian article predicting great things for 2010
Christmas Starts With Christ
This is the annual UK Church ad campaign which this year is targeting bus shelters.
Radio ads:
Chart rundown
Police chase
Horse race
Football match
The pics below are of the bus shelter that Holme Christian Community paid for:
Prep-ing the 2010 church calendar
We had lunch at the manse with Mark and Sheila. Before and after lunch, Mark and I put together the HCC calendar for 2010.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Saturday with the girls
Rachael took Isaac and Hannah for their next grading at jujitsu and they successfully got their brown/white and orange belts respectively.
Took Isobel to ballet and had a latte in the cafe while I was there.
Isaac went to the City match with Will while Rachael took Isobel to her dance show and school choir event so it was me and Hannah in the afternoon.
Went to Open House at the Manse as part of Mark and Sheila’s Christmas celebrations.
Evening with Isaac while Rachael took the girls to see Where the Wild Things Are.
Watched Strictly Come Dancing with Chris staying in (Ali went out) due to the public vote.
Watched the X Factor semi-final with Stacey going out.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Work Christmas Party
The annual Emerald Christmas party held this year again at the Victoria Hotel in the centre of Bradford. Not a great turn out from the IT team. We shared a table with the Library journals team and Chris B. I enjoyed the food. My annual tour round a dance floor. Home by taxi just after midnight.
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Life Group: Meeting Notes: Go Fish #1
Started a new series at life group this week, Andy Stanley’s recent series titled “Go Fish”.
Fishing stories. We've all heard them. "It was this big." "You should have seen the one that got away." People love to tell stories of their fishing adventures. When it comes to faith, however, most people clam up. Why is it we can't talk about what God has done in our lives as naturally as we can spin fishing tales? Includes 6 sessions, entitled: We Were All Fish Once, Why Fish?, Fish Guts, Fishing Buddies, Muddy Water, and The One That Got Away.
Played the talk in 3 parts and discussed the content after each part. Good discussion with Maria, Ben, Dave and I.
Football: Liverpool 1 - 2 Fiorentina (Champions League)
Liverpool's disappointing Champions League campaign ended in miserable fashion, with Alberto Gilardino's last-gasp goal giving Fiorentina victory.
(from BBC report)
HRH The Duke of Kent visits Emerald
His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent visited my place of work today (Emerald Group Publishing Limited) in Bingley in recognition of the company's global success as a leading publisher of management research.
TV: Paradox (BBC Drama)
Mysterious images that show incidents 18 hours before they happen are transmitted from space. As a space scientist attempts to explain their source, detectives race against time to change the future.
Enjoying this series.
Monday, December 07, 2009
Film: Happy Go Lucky
Watched this film recorded on a recent Film 4 showing. Previously blogged about the film here.
Sunday, December 06, 2009
Christingle and Nativity
Church this morning was our now-becoming traditional annual Christingle service. Good atmosphere in the meeting as people made their Christingles and got into the swing of the meaning of Christmas.
Afternoon seeing Isaac and the rest of the cast perform a High School Nativity at Laisterdyke Cricket Club. Very enjoyable and a sizeable audience.
Song: “Morning After Dark”, Timbaland (featuring Nelly Furtado & SoShy)
Loving this new tune “Morning After Dark” by Timbaland (Featuring Nelly Furtado & SoShy) from first hearing it last night.
Saturday, December 05, 2009
Christmas Shopping
Finally started for Rachael. Amazed at how quiet Bradford city centre was so not stressful at all. Followed by more, mainly food, shopping at Tesco.
Lazy rest of the day.
Isaac was dancing in the first of 2 performances of a High School Nativity around the corner at Laisterdyke Cricket Club.
Friday, December 04, 2009
Thai Takeaway
Very extravagant but fetched a Thai takeaway from the Baan Thai in Morley. Great food as always.
Thursday, December 03, 2009
2 things not working
The Christmas tree lights and the home PC both stopped working at nearly the same time this evening.
The lights were replaced over the next weekend with some flashing ones – the first time I think we have had flashing ones!
The wireless router stopped working and after trying a number of things just re-intalled the whole thing from scratch.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Film: Ratatouille
Watched this Pixar film with the kids after borrowing it from Ania at work earlier in the day. 2nd time I had seen it but very enjoyable. Good themes re food and perseverance.
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Church: Elders Meeting
This was mainly a practical issues meeting covering things in the Care Centre and next steps for the church magazine.
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