This Welsh Dragon is About to Roar

After researching my family tree and finding out that im mostly Welsh (a slight shock as didnt realise Merrick was a Welsh name but then its not a common name anywhere) and the name comes from the latin Mauritus meaning 'Dark' i feel i should act more like my ancestors and start to more like the dragon. (http://www.houseofnames.com/merrick-family-crest)

Tired of being pushed around now by jobs saying im not qualified enough (even though i have a degree and MSc in business and Management) ive decided to write a letter to my manager to see if i can get training for a promotion (lets see how that goes!). Atleast i have this weekend @ Alton Towers Scarefest to look forward to :o)

Ian A

In Retrospect

A weekend of highs and lows (one captured in this photograph!). Went on a run with the mrs on saturday morning from Sandwich to Deal to see how far we had to come still for marathon training (seems quite a bit still! but its only early doors) and then spent the rest of the afternoon mulling through the shops in Deal. Sunday started off badly for me as we went to a 'retrofair' in Folkestone which in retrospect was really only ever going to be a few indoor stalls full of old records and womens clothing. Then by random chance (as we did not know they were there) we came accross the beach huts at Folkestone beach (below leas cliff hall) and spent a few hours photographing).



Then our bi-monthly (twice a month not once every two months (typical english grammar being unclear)) quiz at the Kings Head Pub (in Deal)  where i make random suggestions to answers which sound funny but that are right (such as Holland inventing speed skating and the Titanic being the first boat to give an S.O.S call). The quiz is always interesting but we never get a chance to win and always get annoyed with each other when its only a bit of fun!!

In Retrospect, in retrospect!!

Ian A

Binding By Bus

Interesting day one had today, firstly got up early and went in to Canterbury to get my girlfriends disseration bound. As always the bus was not on time, and when i did eventually get to the book binders the were closed without giving a reason. Pah! I then decided to get another bus from Canterbury to Folkestone to see the mrs for lunchtime (although we didnt actually have lunch together :o( ) i then had 4 hours to kill so i got the bus to Dover and walked from Dover to Deal along the saxon Shore Way- 13 miles along the top of the cliffs in 3 hours a bit gruelling but the views were amazing. Unfortunately no pictures taken today due to me leaving Miranda (my camera) @ home before the trip today!!

Ian A

Helplessness is unhelpful

There are many times that i guess every individual goes through where they feel completely helpless. At the moment I have this feeling for two reasons:

1. My own job- im waiting to hear back about a possible promotion-making training
2. My girlfriends job - she should have started it a couple of weeks ago but her recruitment department keeps loosing her details

However, i feel as per normal for me I feel more compelled to try and help out with everyone elses problems first before my own, but i realise theres not a lot i can do for either my girlfriend or myself this time. It just annoys me that to get ahead in life it takes someone you dont even know to make a decision (or as i call it to 'switch an invisible switch') or otherwise your stuck in a situation that you shouldnt be anymore.

Anyway to try and take my mind off these problems i decided to go birdwatching yesterday instead of keeping fit and managed to get some pictures of some birds (pictures above) ive not seen before: red-throated divers, teal and snipe (and all basically on my doorstep)

Ian A

Smiley interior / Non-Smiley Exterior

After a recent friend told me I never seem to smile in pictures I looked through some pictures of myself (there were many to choose from unfortunately!!) and i think they may actually have a point!!  Here are a couple of recent holiday snaps from Venice: now i was there with the other half, and it was one of my dream destinations. So why the heck was i not smiling?!! I am very rarely unhappy and always like to have a joke and laugh and i get to go fabulous places around the world with my wonderful miss B and a whole raft of friends. Hopefully this shows me one thing- I JUST CANT SMILE!!!

Well now off to get myself fit again so i can help with the mrs marathon training (afterall as they say: "happy in body, happy in mind"!!)

Ian A

Theres a first time for everything.......

Well heres my first attempt at real blogging!!

This last few weeks have felt like my lifes on hold still due to work (am still in the same job role at the same job since i was 17!!) but hopefully things are about to change. Not much to report from this weekend as not a lot happened (except for booking a couple of days away at Alton Towers Scarefest :oD ) although i did make a beer-matt spaceship!! Makes me feel like a 7 year old doing those  playing card pyramids....still not quite sure how this stayed up mind you (kept re-trying afterwards and it collapsed- maybe the added cider helped with balance!)

Ian A