Pencil Sharpening Sculptures

I come from a technical drawing background, and having a *very* sharp pencil (of various weights) is vital to doodling- sorry accurate drawing. Despite failing my 'o' level - in which I was predicted an 'a' (special thanks to a teacher that didn't teach the curriculum AT ALL - plus, as someone that has a surname also beginning with 'a' at a MASSIVE disadvantage at the front of the exam room because I couldn't eavesdrop on the other upright drawings like my also failing-albeit one grade above - 'n' grade class mates) Anyway, this is very impressive. And slightly obsessive. And most of them would be rubbish for drawing with

See much more here, thanks to Elke Laleman

Space Shuttle Launch: Viewed From An Airplane

When I fly, I HAVE to have a window seat to watch the world go by underneath.. catching the final launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery whilst having a hot bread roll / mini can of Carlsberg - wow.

The Beatles Performing "Smack My Bitch Up" in 1965 *NSFW*

Sword Fighting Shadows

You've probably seen this, but all the same, its very good. Imagine artists interacting with their backdrops / visuals.. Travis *gawd bless them* picked a lucky fan out of the audience during their Invisible Band tour to play Gran Turismo projected onto their huge backdrop during Coming Around. *aw memories*

Having Trouble Counting To 16

As previously posted, I'm taking part in a 24 mile swim in 24 hours, swimming a mile on the hour every hour, from 9.30am on the 30 April through to 9.30am on 1st May.

Training for this has well and truly started, with extra sessions outside GCSC Masters, and a Saturday afternoon spent at the fantastic Aldershot Barracks 50m pool - which is always pretty quiet / empty, and home to the British Army - apt as we are swimming in aid of Help For Heroes.

The plan was to swim 3 or 4 miles. Again the first mile hurt, and seemed a hell of a long way, and take ages. I'm sure both myself and fellow GCSC member Kieron lost count of the number of lengths - this is bloody demoralising. I know it might seem a simple thing to do, but each length feels exactly the same as the last length - and in a 50m pool I allow my mind to wander off. When this happens, I think of the number I could remember counting to, then take two off it, and start counting from there, seems like a fair way to make sure you do the distance. In a 50m pool, a mile is 32 lengths. To ease the counting confusion, we count every 100m or 2 lengths, so count up to 16. When you lose count, you are never sure when to finish - and makes the swim drag on. And on. and on. AND ON.

Anyway, my first mile (and a bit) was done in around 28mins I think, Kieron who is much faster, finished in around 26mins. We had a quick drink, and started the next - this time, I didn't think I'd lost count, but did an extra 100m on the end for the hell of it as Kieron had started his - finishing in around 26mins. Again, a quick drink, and back for the last mile - doing these in 100m bits, off 1.50 (that means you've got 1min 50secs to complete the length, and have a rest, before starting the next 100m.. the faster you swim, the longer you rest). I'm aiming to complete each mile in under 30mins, so on the day I get a nice 30min "rest".

I've had confirmation of my place in the swim, an email from the organisers also brought good news.. the Guildford Lido is going to be heated to 24c (hooray!), they will allow us to set up tents / camping equipment (small luxury!) and there will be a Hot Tub (Amazing!). Kieron, stick a stamp on that envelope and get it in the post!

So that's 5 miles down in the extra training, 19 to go, and 68 days left to get match fit. Loads of time *ahem*

Next Time It Snows, I'm Going To Build Something Like This..

Because last year's igloo is already soo last year..

A Marathon In A Pool (Well, Almost)

So, myself and fellow Guildford City Swimming Club (GCSC) Masters Squad member Kieron Taylor have entered a swimming event - the more we've discussed it, the more we realise how hard it will be to complete, and from reading previous participants comments, mental strength is going to play a huge part in it.

You see, for swimmers, there aren't many high profile / well organised challenges to test you, unlike Running or Cycling. Take running. Anyone can do it, at anytime, anywhere - from a simple jog around the block, to entering a 5k / 10k, or even a Half Marathon (Never EVER again) or full Marathon. Other than swimming club competitions and meets, there isn't much for swimmers - triathlons (tick), BT Swimathons (tick) and British Gas's Great Swim Series (tick). Then there's the English Channel - more people have climbed Mount Everest than successfully swum to France. Maybe one day.

Anyway, we've entered 2Swim4Life. It's a 24 mile swim, in 24 hours, in the Guildford Lido, taking place on Saturday 30th April. The basic challenge is to swim one mile on the hour, every hour, starting at 9.30am in aid of Help For Heroes.

Other than my GCSC training (up to 9 hours a week, mostly starting at 6am) I'm going to have to start getting fit for swimming a mile at a consistant and comfortable pace. A mile in a 50m pool is 32 lengths. A mile in a 25m pool is 64 lengths. Ideally, I want to be swimming the mile in under 30mins, so on the day, I'll have time to get out of the pool, warm up, stretch out, eat, refuel, rest before getting back in for the next mile.

Training started this morning. My first thought was "32 lengths is a bloody long way", followed shortly afterwards by "what the hell have I entered this for", along with "I've lost count already, how many lengths was that" and "I've not actually posted that entry form yet.. maybe I won't get a stamp for it"

Managed the first mile in around 25mins, had a 3minute break, and did another mile in around 28mins. That's 2 down, 22 to go then. Ouch.