Pip Pip Away

Pip, aka Phil, aka Chadders is leaving Bermuda this weekend.

I met Phil on my first visit to the island in 1996, and have known him since then. What can I say about Phil?

- He looks like George Harrison and sounds like Ringo Starr
- He loves his Vespas and Lambrettas
- He liked to call himself the "Bug Catcher" - something to do with his current job
- He sneezes when he has drank too much (a useful barometer)
- He was always one of the most stylish men on the island (apart from the Speedos)

Good luck Phil on your new adventures in France. Bon Voyage !

Cool or Safe?

It is a question I often struggle with. When riding my Vespa do I want to look good or protect myself. Some scenarios:

- Rain - do I wear shirt and shorts like a carefree caribbean, or full foul-weather rain gear like an ocean-going sailor? The problem with this conundrum is that if I opt for the former I ride faster to try and stop getting wet, which makes the situation worse

- Helmet - half helmet like an Italian Paninaro, or full-face like a proper motorcyclist? If it was a case of money and style no object, then the Reevuwould be the best choice...

- Shoes - sandals like a trendy Greek model or full-on motorcycle boots like a full-on motorcyclist? My preference is barefoot, but the tarmac gets too hot and it is sometimes difficult to put your bike on the stand...

Lurking in the Green

My morning regimen normally includes a cocktail of Vitamin Cmixed with Berocca. I follow this up with some Bolthouse Green Goodness - a green fruit smoothie containing lots of good stuff, including Spirulina. Then I go and play squash.

The problem with the Green Goodness is that it tastes so good. Too good, in fact. It makes me think back to that movie from 1973 calledSoylent Green. Could this stuff really made from something more sinister, like the recycled bodies of people who have used government-sponsored euthanasia centers?

Cold Cut

I am a big fan of food. The only reason I do so much exercise is so I can eat a lot - if I didn't play squash I would be 300 pound s and ugly. Instead, I'm just...

Anyway, one of the best things about eating is reheating, or not, as the case may be. I love to eat foods that you can stick in the fridge and revisit the next day. And I am the sort of person who generally cannot be bothered reheating - I tend to eat all my remainders cold.

Food remains which are best served cold straight from the refrigerator include:

• Curry - probably one of my favourites when cold. The garlic and spices really set your tongue alight. And cold Naan bread is even better ...
• Pizza - not that I eat it that often, but when I do it tastes great from the fridge. Unless of course the topping has all merged together and congealed into a cheesy mess. Then it doesn't look that great, but it tastes fab
• Chilli Con Carne - Meat, spices and kidney beans - need I say more?
• Vegetarian Lasagna - my home made aubergine lasagna tastes great when cold, which is good, because I normally make enough to last 4 days
• Baked Beans - normally after coming in late from the pub. Sometimes I skip the refrigeration altogether and eat them straight from the can.

Needless to say, there are some foods which don't do so well after a night in the Frigidaire. Salad being one of them - designed to be eaten cold, but not stored. A liberal helping of Paul Newman's dressing sometimes helps. And leaving Nutella in the fridge should be a crime - it ruins the gooey goodness of chocolate and hazlenuts altogether.

Queue for a View

As of today I have reached a major Flickr milestone - 500 photos uploaded and 33,700 views - in just over a year on the site.

And when you consider that for every photo I upload, I have taken at least 10 more, that's a lot of photos. As a point in case, at the weekend I took more than one hundred shots of the area around my house, but have only uploaded one.

Here are some of my photos:

• The first photo I uploaded to Flickr
• My most interesting (according to Flickr)
• My most recent entry to the Safe

I was also able to order my Moo mini-cards over the weekend - I can't wait for those to arrive.

Handy Man

It is official. I like using my hands. There is something in me that really likes to be creative with them. That usually involves one of the following:

- Coding. After more than 10 years in the IT business, I still only type with two fingers. Some people may not think it is that creative, but I love it. I just hope none of my bad code ever ends up on Google Code Search...

- Taking Photos. I am always looking for new challenges with a camera. Scoble has just done a great series on Photowalks with Thomas Hawk. I am also looking for a new camera at the moment as well - torn between a Canon 5D, Nikon D200 or a Nikon D80.

- Painting. I have finally started to paint. My first painting was of Hamish - almost a still life, you could say. I have moved on to other subjects. He was too demanding during poses. Acrylics are the way to go - all the colour, but they wash out of your clothes easier than oils.

- Writing. I really like writing. Recently I have been given the opportunity to take part in an online writing experiment pitching male against female. Very interesting...