About Me - GAD123

My photo
Belfast, N.I., United Kingdom
I first got on the net over 15 (2009) years ago and have had my own site for at least 7 (2009) of those years (a place where I could dump the misery of my everyday life!), you can see my fist efforts @ www.freewebs.com/gad123 and my current blog @ www.gad123.co.uk . I am a kind person, smart, (I know that is subjective) and witty, the dry, sarcastic type! I am told that I am easy to talk to and am very laid back. I enjoy playing poker, listening to any music, watching movies & American TV shows, love going to the pub, dancing on a Saturday night and am a bit of a nerd as I own a Wii, PS3 and built my own PC! I am a creature of routine, love the night time when all the exciting things happen, am a bit of an insomniac and love getting trashed at the weekends! If you want, you can catch me on MSN @ graham@gad123.co.uk! Take care and enjoy you browse around this GAD123 Page!

Thursday, March 30, 2006

Without the Lows...

Here is a semi-interesting but thoroughly depressing conversation that I was having with myself recently. I seem to have an unjudgemental personality that lets people open up to me, I also understand relevancy and can put peoples problems in context, I've heard it and seen it all and find it very interesting, the wide range of things that upset and practically destroy people. On the flip side I must say I have seen people completely turn their life around after a bad episode of their life. So what, if anything is the single worst thing that can happen - or can't as the case may be - in life?

I have personally experience nothing, well nothing major the way I see it at all, I never worry and tend to be relaxed about life but lets break it down so you know what I am talking about. Some of these may seem stupid but try to put yourself in the position.

  • Being ill or loosing your health in some way, maybe paralysed or living with HIV. Blindness or deafness, mental health issues or being depressed.
  • Being alone. Loosing your family young and having to face the word with only friends as support.
  • Relationship troubles, being single, never finding a partner, anyone who wants you. Getting dumped or divorced. Being in an abusive relationship. 'LOVE' problems!
  • Money worries, deep in debt and seemingly no way out.
  • Unemployment, lack of qualifications, redundancy.

That is all I can think of off the top of my head and I agree that a lot of them are inter linked! Everyone says that health is the single most important thing in life but is this true? For me, yes it is. If I have 2 arms and 2 legs and my brain is able to move them it's highly probable that everything else can be achieved. That sounds fair and I bet a lot of people would agree, so why do people generally not think like this, why worry about life, why get so down on things that are out of your control and if they are in your control, why not just change it?! Is the suffering we put ourselves through a product of the naughties or new generation Y concern? Are we to take opinion polls seriously and read in to them i.e. that nearly 40% of teens want plastic surgery, therefore are insecure, where is that going to lead, how will they cope? I just don't know! The way I see it is no matter how bad it gets there is always someone worse off striving for a better life!

I suspect people open up to me and don't let any of these issues out normally. They may just not be the big deal I think or they have made them out to be but I really fear for what's coming and the kids of today. It is the best, most fun, carefree time of your life, how could this be happening and if they can't cope now how are they going to get the skills to cope with the real problems life throws up! I think we all need to lighten up and enjoy life as much as possible and if you are a kid, then act like a kid and don't try to grow up to fast.

TODAY'S LINKS :: View What I am Currently Listening to in Real Time :: MoBlog - My life in photo's :: Rave Dances to try out :: Psychology of Color :: Optical Illusion of Mona Lisa :: Trailer Trash Stuff

REMEMBER KID'S :: "I found Jesus - he was behind the sofa all the time"

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Positive or Not Positive?

Is it really Wednesday, already?! My life is flying by and I don't care. I mean I really don't give a jot. Why? Well, I am realistic. I know how great life could be, you read about it all the time in the gossip columns, rich 'happy' folk and I also know how tough it can be, look at what is happening in the world all around us! I have some unsettling things going on at the mo but as long as I am prepared, then why should I worry, right? Dimples would have me pegged as an old miser, a pessimist but I am not, I just don't like to get ahead of myself. Good or bad, that's the way it is, the way I am.

What about you guys, what side do you fall? Pessimist or Optimist? Lets take Deal or No Deal, I am out of there with any offer above 20k. That's a win and I would be happy with it. Ah I here you say, you play poker but again I don't gamble, I play the best hands, the 'Nuts' if you will and try to get as much money from them as I can. So let me know how you feel about the future, is it positive or is it negative? Anyway I am currently a little positive as this arrives today or tomorrow:

SAMSUNG 19inch SM913N

TODAY'S LINKS :: Very Funny IRC excerpts - UPDATED :: New T-Shirt Hell Shirts :: A Blog :: Stuff Magazine :: Film School

REMEMBER KID'S :: "What wouldn't Jesus do?"

Friday, March 24, 2006

Planes, Poker and Burning CD's...

So last night I hooked up my hard drive and backed up my PC, I also installed my new DVD burner. It's so exciting, after not being able to make CD's for the car in 6 months, I made a compilation of some new tracks I had been listening too, happy days! It was a joy this morning to on the way to work to be listing to some pumping, uplifting music and I arrived with a big smile on my face! How great is music for improving your mood!

Poker on Wednesday evening went well too, I was really short stacked, did not get any cards and played my tight game. Was last at one point, down and out but got an all in last stand hand and doubled up. My cards improved and with some chips I was able to play a little more, anyway I finished 2nd. I was really happy with that considering where I came from. Thanks kayeso for the game and hopefully you can get a Friday night one soon. So summer is here *sigh* (you all know I like the winter and hate the summer, right?) and the clocks have to be moved 1 hour forward at 1 am (01:00) GMT on Sunday March the 26th! The tip I posted last year still applies: Spring FORWARD - Fall (Autumn) BACK. Dam that hour less in bed!

2 Beers bought me a Radio trolled Aeroplane for my birthday (I will get some photos for you to see), I tried to fly it when I got in from work yesterday but the wind was to strong, does not look like I will be able to show it to my niece over the weekend if the weather stays like this. Maybe there are some positives to the summer...

So it's the weekend and I for one can't wait to finish work today! I am drinking vodka and playing online poker tonight and then on Saturday Dimples and I are off to the cinema to see Hostel, well that's if she decides that she can handle it and I hope she can. I know it's not highbrow entertainment but I just want to see how far they push it! I don't know what else I would like to watch otherwise. Then it's home for some of the old Vino or Cava! Have a great weekend folks, whatever you get up to.

TODAY'S LINKS :: *Northern Ireland - Where is the bright new future?* - This is a must read! :: View What I am Currently Listening to in Real Time :: MoBlog - My life in photo's :: Watch the sun rise and set all over the world on this real-time :: Comics, lots of comics! :: What's the cheapest way to make a movie?

REMEMBER KID'S :: "The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on the list"

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Sickly Birthdays and Storage Mediums...

Hey everyone, miss me??! I have not posted as I was REALLY ill, I thought it was just the usual fallout from the weekend, not sleeping and all that. As it turns out I was sicky bad and took yesterday off work. The one thing I will say about me being ill is I never take medication, I don't know why but I just don't feel it is necessary, these things run their course. I am waiting till one day when I am seriously ill and need it so I can get the maximum from it without toleration having been built up. Do you think this is a wise move? Anyway, I am still a little peaky but more or less there. I have now passed it on to Dimples tho, sorry about that honey. While I am on the subject of 'her' Happy Belated Birthday for Monday She is all grown up now, a woman if you will, at the ripe age of 27!

After all the giving of presents I thought I should get myself something, soooo, I bought Casshern on DVD, had not heard of it before but it was on sale in HIV and it looked like my kind of movie. Have watched half of it and I must say I am enjoying it. It's like a live action Japanese Animé movie with subtitles. My other purchases are a little more extravagant. I don't back up my system and would like to do a fresh install of XP soon (also worry it will fall over one day) so got a small hard drive, best compromise on price Vs. the storage that I need. It's the 80GB Freecom Classic SL USB 2.0. Also as I currently can't burn CD's (very frustrating) or DVD's (my DVD writer is banjacksed) so opted for an external DVDRW, again best purchase based on what I need Vs. price, I got the Liteon SOHW-1673SU EZ-DUB Ext 16x DVDRW. They should arrive today, so I am a little excited. I purchased them from CCL. I must say that, as of yet, can't find a better service, they even text (SMS) message you when your items have been despatched giving delivery details, it's a very nice touch. Their prices are also very competitive, maybe only £1 or £2 more expensive than the cheapest I can find on the interwebnet. Which is a small price to pay for the service and security they offer. I have never been ripped off on purchases made on the net, will never use Ebay for example and I want to keep it that way! Maybe you should check them out for all your PC purchases.

Finally in today's news, "The BBC has outlined plans to redesign its online offering for an era of on-demand TV and radio, and personalised web services." I can't wait for true on-demand telly! I am off now, so have a nice day folks!

TODAY'S 2006 Weblog Awards LINKS :: Tokyo Girl (Best Asian Weblog) :: Baghdad Burning (Best African or Middle Eastern Weblog) :: My Boyfriend is a ... (Best European Weblog) :: Girl with a One-Track Mind (Best British or Irish Weblog) :: Vegan Lunch Box (Best Food Weblog) :: It's Raining Noodles (Best Teen Weblog) :: PostSecret (Best American Weblog, Best Topical Weblog, Best Community Weblog, Best New Weblog AND Weblog of the Year)

REMEMBER KID'S :: "Consciousness: That annoying time between naps"

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Gambling With Presents...

Hey. First I must say, I tried to goad people in Friday's post by pushing some buttons but not one person took the bate and was up for a discussion, ah well! Further to that post it now transpires that the government has had it's knuckles wrapped and been told to compensate 85,000 people who have lost all or part of their company pensions on the grounds of bad advice, yet they are washing their hands of it with Stephen Timms, the minister for pensions reform, saying "it could not be the responsibility of taxpayers to bail out failed corporate pension schemes." So why are we, the taxpayers, going to bail out the civil service pension mess??

Anyway, my birthday weekend was FAB, drunk 3 evenings in a row, got some fantastic presents, cards (I love getting post), texts and all that, thank you everyone. You all make me feel special and very lucky! My family got me this chair and Dimples got me these chips, those where the big presents and at my age, getting 'big presents' is brill!

Feel ill today tho, probably just run down, chest, sore throat and the like. Those late nights, alcohol and as usual, I am not sleeping are to blame, I assume! Dimples has suggested that I read to get me in the mood for bed. I would really love to do that but as I find it so difficult, I am not sure I would gain much pleasure from it and what to read, I would not want to put the effort in to a book and then feel let down halfway through! I am thinking she should read to me and do the voices for the characters. I still get pleasure without the trauma and she gets to practice for reading in class, lol.

Played my first poker tournament on Sunday and enjoyed it immensely, finished in the middle, did the best with my cards and finally made the decision that the blinds where catching me and I had to make a move. I play too tight to win a big game like that, am disciplined and, usually only really fall to bad beats. I need to become more aggressive to win but that means playing more hands, taking risks and gambling, which I hate to do. Anyway, does everyone not know that is the correct way to play, ergo, they are all at it and soon my style of play will pay off?! Thanks Kayeso for setting everything up and running the games, shame you did not get to play yourself. Cheers for the copy of the tournament software too.

TODAY'S LINKS :: View What I am Currently Listening to in Real Time :: UPDATED - My life in photo's :: Comic Strips - Updated daily :: www.timeanddate.com :: Ten Rules for Being Human :: PocketMod :: Movie Clichés

REMEMBER KID'S :: "I don't have a beer gut, I have a protective covering for my rock hard abs"

Friday, March 10, 2006

A Marx Birthday...

At last it's the weekend and I for one can't wait to start enjoying it! Obviously being my birthday weekend - 31 on Saturday, shhhh - I have presents - not that I am materialistic or anything - to look forward to, yay! Out for lunch in work today, a party after dinner tonight (for my niece really) and then to John's for a good old fashioned piss up. Up to watch the Formula 1 qualifying (I'm so excited), Dimples over tomorrow night, more presents and then to the pub, he he! Up to watching the Formula 1 race in the morning and then a poker tournament on Sunday evening. What a fantastic weekend, dispersed with online poker, late nights and Monday off work, I could not ask for more, just brill!

I have so much to pack in to my post today I don't know where to start. Dimples bought me Peep Show series 2 on DVD the other day and I am looking forward to watching that as I missed a couple of episodes. Thank you Dimples and so close to my birthday, what were you thinking??! lol

This pisses me off, I will be concise and not get bogged down in stats but why do I have to fork out for Governments fuckup's over public sector pensions, I pay national insurance and there is nothing left in the pot for me to retire on as it is. If you check the dictionary it gives as an example, the opposite of efficient, as, the Civil Service. Sort it out! Also on a similar theme, Lectures are striking, they don't think they are getting paid enough now because they have to do some of their own Admin and if they worked in the private sector the wages would be higher! OK, well, go get a job in the private sector then, that's that sorted. *sigh* They get paid £35-£40k on average for rehashing the same lectures that have stood them in good stead for the last 10 years, are not in a high pressure environment and work half the hours compared to top level management or directors, catch a grip! If I said I don't earn enough you would tell me to look for a better job, ergo...

Surely people realise that there is a threshold for what we can manage to pay in TAX and have some sort of quality of life. The purse is empty and yet we all expect more cash for schools, hospitals, transport and don't get me started on the welfare systems. The way I see it, and of course I would see it this way, is that it's me and people like me, not poor, not rich, not married, somewhere in the middle of there working life, putting all the effort they can in, who can't get ahead! To demonstrate this, I earn the average wage in the UK and live in N.I where it's 'supposed' to be less expensive to buy a house but yet not one house is below 3 times my wage, nowhere in this country can I buy a house! It's a joke but I accept that because I realise that I have a lot more than many others in the world. Maybe public sector workers should too and take responsibility for their lives! This country is turning into,
including me, a population of grumpy moans and we are god dam lucky to be born in a place with the 6th highest standard of living in the world, get
over it, I'm off to read the
Communist Manifesto!!

To end on a more positive note.... I am so looking forward to the Formula 1 GP on Sunday, the first race is always a bit of a mishmash and this year, with the rule changes will be no exception. I have no idea who will win and the practice gave no indications with the top teams conserving engines and tyres and choosing not to run. It will probably come down to reliability but I would like to see David Coulthard the Red Bull driver do well!

Finally, yip there at last I hear you cry, a short word on some movies. Lucky Number Sleven was a great flick, not a comedic as I thought and certainly more violent but enjoyable with a little twist. Would love to see Hostel the new Quentin
Tarantino (presents) flick, I don't think it will be outstanding but wanna go none the less. In breaking news,
Cyber-Satan will be happy to see the Corpse Bride took the top animated film award at the British Animation Awards. Also, I got the new Ricky Gervias podcasts to listen to later!

Ok folks, that's me finished, have a good and safe weekend whatever you get up to, peace, out!

TODAY'S LINKS :: View What I am Currently Listening to in Real Time :: MoBlog - My life in photo's :: Website meets Art :: Make your own site with relevant info based on some entered words, I think... :: F1 commentary live on BBC website

REMEMBER KID'S :: "Knowledge is power, and power corrupts. So study hard and be evil"

Thursday, March 09, 2006

Taking Photographs...

Gosh, 2 days to my birthday and I am officially old *sigh* I don't really care tho, I don't really look my age and I would say I am young in my outlook, whatever!

I decided I wanted to get some memories down this year and instead of using my phonecam and posting photos digitally here I decided to get a disposable camera and make a collage for my bathroom. I took photo's of friends and got my little niece to take some photos of my family - I hate posed photos and thought she would do a better job of catching people off guard - so all that was left to do was Dimples but we/I have a problem, we stayed up drinking to 5am and I have no recollection of what photo's we actually took! I now have just a few left to finish the camera off and then the unenviable task of taking it to get developed. I am a silly boy sometimes and I will leave it up to your imagination as to what's on the camera, maybe, just maybe, I will post them here!

Should I pay for it? The new Ricky Gervais Show is available on audible and iTunes and I don't know if it's worth buying, what do you think?

This week:

Karl Pilkington - the talk of tinsel-town;
There's no news like no news;
Karl's illustrated book of ages;
Tall and pale and naked and waving;
Karl's diary - Auntie Nora, cat criticism, unappealing ultrasound scans, the passing fad that is hoummous, mind/brain confusion and the elderly lady with the bent neck;
Rockbusters

That's anouther post done and dusted, hope y'all come back now, ya hear!

TODAY'S LINKS :: Read the instructions, and try it out for yourself and STOP TIME :: Urban Dictionary :: Automatic complaint-letter generator :: Type it and George Bush says it :: Old but good Net Disaster, go on destroy my site...

REMEMBER KID'S :: "Rock is dead. Long live paper and scissors"

The Trivium of watching DVD's...

Half way though the week already, how good is that? Also it's raining today, great for the gardens, reservoirs, insects, birds, animals and ME!

Last night I had a great dream that, when I woke, I thought I must remember to write about here, needless to say I have forgotten most of it. It was very exciting and took place in the wild west. The inspiration must have come form watching
Futureworld at the weekend, the follow up to Westworld, which I think they are rehashing in 2007. What a great movie and concept, I would love to holiday there, tho hitting Vegas is the next best thing, which I am doing!

So, the Trivium gig in the Ulster Hall was well radical dude or something like that. The venue was just perfect and it's the first time I have been there. The whole building is non smoking -
HAPPY NON SMOKING DAY and INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY, see told you I would talk about them - which is fine but they don't tell you until you are in, which is not that fair. Everyone ended up smoking in the toilets, how Rock and Roll, here I am at a metal gig, all the guys fancy themselves as tough guys, thrashing in their mosh and circle pits, all sidewalk slamming and tombstone finishing moves and the most risqué thing that they can do is have a sneaky tab, even at Bodger and Badger gig's kids are dropping pills and snorting coke these days! Anyway, 40 years ago my father won the All Ireland Armature Boxing title there, thankfully it has been renovated since then. On Sunday - great night for a metal gig - it was packed with 12 year old Goths, I was like the oldest person there, shhhh. That was great for me though as there was no queue at the bar, lol! I don't know the intricacies of describing 'Heavy Metal' music, so I am going to settle with, Sunshine State Metalcore, if anyone knows better post a comment. John and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole gig, even tho the support act's where a little heavy for me i.e. God Forbid!

I think a short word about some DVD's I watched at the weekend and MySpace.com to wrap it up for today.
Serenity was everything I thought tho not as 'made for TV' style as I had imagined, all good and a solid 8/10! The Mighty Boosh was again as expected and thoroughly enjoyable, weird humour and musical interludes are the order of the day here, again 8/10! Scarily I identified with a lot of it, I mean not just identified with but act like that, hmmm, not sure how that will come across but please, no one try and have me sectioned!

Lastly I suppose I should mention
My Space.com, here in the UK it is the band wagon that everyone is jumping on so you should get on it too. I have been hanging around there for a year now but never really done much with it, check me out at GAD123 My Space! That's your lot, until tomorrow, have a nice day guys!

TODAY'S LINKS ::
View What I am Currently Listening to in Real Time :: MoBlog - My life in photo's :: Quadrupedalism :: Blooker Prize

REMEMBER KID'S :: "Use the best: Linux for servers, Mac for graphics, Windows for Solitaire"

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Journal of the Week...

*Cough* and I quote:

"Journal of the Week! Each week, we pick two journals to be listed as Journals of the Week based on good use of design and/or content and yours has been selected due to the outstanding job you did on your journal."



Anyway on with the show. This week some of the topics I want to cover arrrre:

  • The Trivium Gig in the Ulster Hall
  • My Birthday on Saturday
  • The Mighty Boosh
  • Poker Home Games and Tournaments
  • Serenity DVD
  • Formula 1
  • Hostile and Lucky Number Sleven in the Cinema
  • Disposable Cameras
  • International Women's Day [March 8th]
  • No Smoking Day [March 8th]
  • The Ricky Gervais Show

Anyway that's your lot so move along, nothing to see here until tomorrow, form an orderly queue and, skoot, passing though the links (that I slave over to bring to you lot) as you go!

TODAY'S LINKS :: New Sniff Petrol Out :: High Voltage :: High-Tech system to escape from burning buildings :: The World's biggest Windows Error Message :: Some of the things people do to computers is downright painful :: TV.com

REMEMBER KID'S :: "Jesus loves you! Everybody else thinks you're a jerk"

Thursday, March 02, 2006

I'm Sharing Some Lists...

Prompted by Slashdot, I read an interesting Newsnight article about P2P, BitTorrent and copyrighted material. I think you should have a look too. My personal thoughts are, who cares about P2P, I mean maybe with smaller music files (there are of a lesser quality but fine just to play on your iPod or on your PC) but movies??! Have you tried to DL one of those things, takes days, then you do finally open it and... It's corrupt or of really dodgy quality. Come on Holywood, get your act together, P2P is not taking anything away from your business, harness the technology and sell us inexpensive, low quality versions of your movies and TV shows to watch on our PC's. People will gladly pay for it, look at iTunes and Podcasting *sigh* Maybe the Origami is the answer!

STAT WHORE TIME:

January 2006 - 4985
February 2006 - 5398
TOTAL - 10383

SOME NEW DVD'S I BOUGHT:

Might Boosh Series 1 & 2 on recordation by Cyber Satan
Saving Private Ryan
Kung Fu Hustle
Napoleon Dynamite

So finally F1 is back and I am going to watch the 2006 F1 Season Preview it's on Saturday 4th March 12.40 (ITV1). Also here is the complete F1 racing listing for the year so Dimples is aware of when I will be busy and can add it to our diary! lol

FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX CALENDAR

12 March Bahrain, Manama
19 March Malaysia, Sepang
2 April Australia, Melbourne
23 April San Marino, Imola
7 May European, Nurburgring (Germany)
14 May Spain, Barcelona
28 May Monaco, Monte Carlo
11 June Great Britain, Silverstone
25 June Canada, Montreal
2 July USA, Indianapolis
16 July France, Magny-Cours
30 July Germany, Hockenheim
6 August Hungary, Budapest
27 August Turkey, Istanbul
10 September Italy, Monza
1 October China, Shanghai
8 October Japan, Suzuka
22 October Brazil, Interlagos

TODAY'S LINKS :: View What I am Currently Listening to in Real Time :: MoBlog - My life in photo's :: What is General Intelligence? :: What is copyright protection :: Battle Sounds

REMEMBER KID'S :: "Nuke the Whales! We'll hunt them at night."

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Faceless Images...

Faceless Images... OK so today I have a lot to get through, nothing to personal as I am sure you are aware of my social and work life by now, OH, you're not, well just ask then!

This seems intriguing, it all started on a London radio station, and now the anonymous student's diary 'FACELESS' is the number one podcast in the United States and number two here in the United Kingdom, I have not checked it out yet but am going to get the podcast later and have a listen, maybe you should too...

Google has now launched a Page Creator, it's a browser application that uses a basic what-you-see is what-you-get style of interface, designed to allow anyone to create and publish web pages! Cool is what I say.

I have not decided if the following is tacky or not (I stole it from emergence) but I think they give a little insight in to me, let me know what you think and give me your honest views on the new background, I have changed it a few times now and nothing seems, well, 100% right! Anyway:

some pics that represent gad123

Threads

TODAY'S LINKS :: View What I am Currently Listening to in Real Time :: MoBlog - My life in photo's :: Anti Spy - Microsoft Defender :: Need a Firewall? :: Need Antivirus Software? :: All new T-Shirt Hell shirts

REMEMBER KID'S :: "Wrinkled was not one of the things I wanted to be when I grew up"