Nick Greenslade > Emotional Roller Coaster: October 2004

Thursday, October 28, 2004 They're coming....

Monday, October 25, 2004 Ostrich burgers, Adelaidians and Merrell

OK, I'm having lots of fun still. Sorted my work hours out a little (I now own my laptop and have four days owed to me for time in lieu), and I've gained a new client too. This one is in Birmingham which is 2.5 hours train if you book your trip the morning you leave; but getting out to London to what is rumoured to be a shopping mecca [agreed] and some decent clients. This project is an Intranet and Web Site, so its big. Even better was lunch the day I went up there - an ostrich burger. A mix between chicken and beef and really tasty. I finished my meeting early and had a cruise around - think of your biggest shopping centre and multiply it by 10 and welcome to the Bullring. Amazing stuff, and I'm sure I'll go up there when I'm not working [and hopefully with £1000 to blow].

Still on work, I had my three month review. Wasn't sure what to expect as I'm still reasonably new and still feel I'm cutting my teeth. And I guess I was right -- not the usual numbers I'm used to, but it seems more to do with the fact that we're flat chat and some of my clients are copping that, with less of the support I'd like to give them. I dunno, its a bit of a challenge to work decent hours, look after 5 clients and organise my developers without driving everyone crazy -- part of the challenge I guess. But I'm still loving it. Also good news as my company is keen for me to stay on and possibly begin some postgrad study -- to become a legit Project Manager and get some [internationally renowned] qualifications. This excites me, but I'm not a good studier and I also guess money will probably be reduced a little and stress levels increased; but if I want to be a Project Manager and potentially stay and be successful -- a paid for course maybe exactly what I should do. I'll keep you updated. Also a bonus is one of my bosses who I look up to in skill set [not stature :P] is keen to mentor me, so that makes this roller coaster all the more fun really. And finally, we're moving offices closer into town [Old Street] in December [the 1st, but I'll be busy while they move! Bugger :P] and we saw the officeon Friday pasyt and its rockin' Rumoured party there before we move in -- so you can see what sort of office I work in.

Music is still one of those things in this city that is endless in options. And between now and this Xmas [aarrgghh I can't believe I mentioned it already], I've got The Prodigy in Amsterdam, The Beastie Boys, Muse and The Music. And thank god Muse are playing in London -- I was right-royally pissed I leave the country and my fav band heads to Australia. My wishes were granted and I have tickets to see them just before Xmas at Earl's Court. So very excited, and have read of a rumoured new track being played. Yay! I also saw The Blues Explosion last week, who I've seen twice before. They were great, maybe not as good as previous gigs at home, but they still rock out and are slightly mental.

Another comic book convention came through London, this time I journeyed onto the tube and trudged through hung over as hell [after a Friday night work drinks until 3am with another fall asleep on the bus and back again!]. It was pretty quiet, but I did enjoy the talk a few creators did to the crowd. Initeresting to listen to their views on everything from comics coming out on time versus quality and political views of Americans versus English. To top it off [other than the KFC to cure my hangover] was meeting Michael Avon Oeming who I've followed on Powers. He was nice enough to do me a sketch of Batman - in the animated style. So I left with my favourite character personally sketched on a piece of 8 x 10 card in a bag, and hit my bed for some rest. I'll try and get the pic scanned for this site [along with my bloody photos!].

I've seen my first friend from Adelaide, Michelle [well my girl's good friend], knock on my doorstep, and have a couple [who've just got engaged! Congrats Nick and Jo!!] coming over on the weekend. And another out of the blue phone call came through today -- a mate from my work [then he left], Stephen, is in London and a few pints is on the cards sometime this week. So I've definitely got Adelaidians around the place at the moment. But its great. Michelle crashed here for a few nights, I introduced her to the Friday night work drinks [too many tequilas she said!] and we had a cool time on Sunday at Camden Markets. Huge markets, hundreds of tourists everywhere, but cool and funky stalls covering everything from music to antiques. And I finally found the shoes I was after -- the ones I've been looking for since I got here and began looking around at shops. They got a run through today and shit they're comfortable - Merrell Sprint Striker Goals [far right - chocolate]. Very London --- bwahahahah.

Thanks Mum and Dad for the brilliant zipped hoody for my birthday too -- huge, warm and Australian xx.

Oh yeh musn't forget -- 37!

Posted by Nick @ 10:25 pm 0 comments

Friday, October 08, 2004 How Princess Leia said f$%k to me and more

I have just reviewed the last post date - Septemebr 2oth. Heck I didn't even post on my birthday. Aaahh well, like I said previously, I was too excited about the Holy Trilogy coming out on DVD.

So I'll give you a run down of the exciting things for this newly turned 28 year old.

I watched the best Star Wars episode on my birthday - The Empire Strikes Back - and my housemates got me a cake and put the candles in the shape of an N. Extra I felt. So my actual birthday was quite chilled. I did open a number of presents at midnight on the request of my girl over webcam so it was as close as being there. Got some cool booty. I opened up a big box to find a litter of stars (all over the floor btw) and an awesome Jag top (Jag not availbel in UK so cool!) a Muse CD, a postcard book and some rare Aussie chocolates - MILO BARS! Also a huge thanks muchly to my close friends for the - Tea Party CD and accompanying t-shirt(fabulous album! x) and the Michael Chabon book and comic(when a boy doesn't read books, get him a book on comics and he'll be turned! x).

Following my birthday came two days of full on work -- 25 hours in 2 days. Not bad for a guy who's supposed to do 8 hours a day and gets paid only for those..... So Friday of my birthday week comes around and we celebrate a busy week with champagne and cake at work then head out on the turps. Had a great night drinking who knows what at Vodka Revolutions. Following that a group of us wandered Soho dropping into pubs and clubs and I decided to bail around 3am. love a city that you just wander asking directions, hop on a bus then crash in your bed once you land in the right place.

I went to the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace one Saturday. It was quite the spectacle, lots of tourists (not me! I live here now), and we all watched a bunch of guards move around the place yelling and screaming orders and switching positions. Something you have to see I guess. The Golden Moment for me was the Royal Band that was behind the gates and started playing Dancing Queen. Where Elizabeth was dancing I don't know, but I'm sure she was. Followed up this with a wander through Buckingham Palace itself which was incredible. So extravagant is each room, you just stand there in awe. I think if I owed it, I'd just have problems naming each room.

I got a new phone, even though I'm still slowly plodding around trying to sort out my insurance for my stolen one. I got an XDA, which is a PDA and a phone in one. Now prior to leaving The Great Land, I was actually going to get a PDA because I'm hopeless at organisation and this helps me keep dates and appointments. So I got one now coupled with a phone. I love it. So geek and a great toy, and I'm definitely one who doesn't shy away from toys at all! (I can see everyone nodding here). Got it very cheap too - £30. And no it wasn't off the back of a bus either, a mate from work thought it time to upgrade, so I helped fund it. Top deal -- especially since I have a 1 Gig SD card to put into it once it arrives at work (yet another eBay auction win).

I took a train the past weekend to Collectamania 6 in Milton Keynes. Now Milton Keynes isn't in London but a good hour out on the train, so I peeled myself out of bed on a Saturday morning very hungover and went to meet a pile of celebrities and check out some geek stuff. I must say, once I got there I knew I was in my element - movie stars everywhere signing autographs and movie stuff in a number of stalls. I wandered for hours as I waited for my prize autograph that I came for. During hte wait I picked up Donnie Darko Directors Cut on DVD, I met Sam Jones - who to you guys is Flash Gordon from the movie of the same name (you might remember the Queen soundtrack) and got a photo and got a 8x10 signed for my lovely sister who is a big fan of the movie too. Can't say I'm not a lovely brother! It was getting late and I continued to wait for the Big Meeting, and got into line, but passed up brielfy to meet Billy "Lando Calrissian" Dee Williams who signed my 8x10 and forgot to acknowledge me -- bastard! -- and then I moved into the Carrie Fisher line. Now its not everyday you meet Princess Leia. Sans gold bikini she'd sat there from 9am signing unattractive geeks pictures which probably will just end up on eBay anyhow. Now it was 4:45pm, and I know she'd had enough. So the guys in fornt of me wander up and beg for a photo which has been explicitly stopped to get people through. Now Princess Leia is feisty, but hearing as I stood there in front of her and behind these two tools giving her the shits - I don't give a fuck what that guy said, he's just a fucking idiot, just do what you fucken want to do and take the fucken picture - all I could do is laugh. These tossers moved on and I looked and smiled at Carrie Fisher (someone who I thought was fabulous in my early years) who looked up at me and said, "that wasn't meant for you, I'm so sorry, I hope you have a great day." And I leave with a huge grin hearing Princess Leia spew forth with a dirty mouth and a signed 8x10. I left happy!

I watched Shaun of the Dead a few days later. Sort of THE English flick to watch. I dislike English comedy, but this cracked me up so much. This flick gets released very soon in Australia, so anyone from home needs to hit the cinema to catch it. Classic stuff. I also saw Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow last night. I can't say it passes the "I'll buy it when it comes out on DVD test" but it was still quite a good movie. A pulp, 1930s comic book style movie presses my buttons, but it lacked just that little bit, but was still a good fun flick. You want to see a good pulp comic book flick? See The Rocketeer, its not just Jennifer Connely that makes the film..... but she helps.....

And tonight was the magic. My first actual foreign concert. Or a local concert now that am a Londoner. I saw The Music at Hammersmith Palais tonight. Oh my God were they the best or was I dreaming. They rocked out so much. You know that with such unique vocals that live they must be grand. New songs from Welcome to the North and their self-titled first album and I was just in my element. This conert goes into my top handful along with Muse at Big Day Out and Tea Party at Thebbie. All you Aussies, just go to Big Day Out 2005 to see The Music, worth the $80 on their own, I shit you not! Bonus is they are doing another concert in London just prior to Christmas, and I've getting two tickets tomorrow. And i know someone is excited about that...

Also am going to see The Beastie Boys in December which will rock as I've seen them before. This time I'll be seeing them at Wembley which excites me in that I can say Beastie Boys and Wembley in the same sentence. And one more concert is coming up in November - The Prodigy. Now London sold out, so me and a bunch of mates are off to Amsterdam to see them instead. I guess I can say just because we can!

Photos are slowly being web optimised and hopefully I'll have quiet weekend and get them all done and published onto this blog site. Love to you all, I miss you all, and please just send me stupid emails to keep me amused! x

Posted by Nick @ 1:55 am 0 comments