Finally, the details for my TV audition have come through.
It'll be in a posh hotel in the centre of Bristol, about 10 minutes walk from the train station. Thankfully I've already got my train tickets (cheaper to buy in advance) so it's good to know I can walk to the venue.
There will be a general knowledge quiz, followed by some team games and if I pass that bit I'll be invited to do a small piece to camera. This is all very reminisent of the audition I took part in for The Weakest Link. I have ot take some references with me, so hopefully I can enlist the help of a couple of old work mates to write something nice about me and get it sent over by e-mail.
I won't hear if I've been unsuccessful, but if it gets to the end of April and I've had no word, then I can assume the worst....
...oh and the show is called 'Sell Me The Answer' in case you were wondering.
February 26, 2009
Fake Aroma
A funny, aromatic, thing happened to me yesterday while I was walking through W.H.Smiths.
I had popped in to the store to see what type of folders they sold, for when I print off my Magnificent Octopus. As I stood at the appropriate shelf, browsing the various types of wallets and binders, a smell wafted into my nose.
Nothing unusual I suppose, but this aroma was so distinctive. It instantly reminded me of a close friend, so much so that I instinctively turned round to say hello and hug her. Of course, there was no one there. The smell was still lingering though, perhaps she had just walked behind me, so I went in search of the source.
But then I stopped. The chances this particular person was in England was slender enough, never mind being in Southampton. Even less likely would be the chance she walked down the same aisle of W.H.Smiths as me - I just couldn't get the sensation out of my head.
If you'd asked me to describe the person, the last thing I would have said is that she had a distinctive aroma. (I'll take this opportunity to point out it wasn't an unpleasant smell!) I also can't fully describe what the smell is. It's not a perfume or eau de toilette smell, it's not a food smell, it's not even a soap or make-up smell. Perhaps it's a combination of a few things.
They say we all have a double, (apparently mine is Peter Griffin from Family Guy) but it would seem we all have an aroma doppelganger too....
...For the record the smell only lasted a few seconds, but the lasting impression it left on me is still there now.
I had popped in to the store to see what type of folders they sold, for when I print off my Magnificent Octopus. As I stood at the appropriate shelf, browsing the various types of wallets and binders, a smell wafted into my nose.
Nothing unusual I suppose, but this aroma was so distinctive. It instantly reminded me of a close friend, so much so that I instinctively turned round to say hello and hug her. Of course, there was no one there. The smell was still lingering though, perhaps she had just walked behind me, so I went in search of the source.
But then I stopped. The chances this particular person was in England was slender enough, never mind being in Southampton. Even less likely would be the chance she walked down the same aisle of W.H.Smiths as me - I just couldn't get the sensation out of my head.
If you'd asked me to describe the person, the last thing I would have said is that she had a distinctive aroma. (I'll take this opportunity to point out it wasn't an unpleasant smell!) I also can't fully describe what the smell is. It's not a perfume or eau de toilette smell, it's not a food smell, it's not even a soap or make-up smell. Perhaps it's a combination of a few things.
They say we all have a double, (apparently mine is Peter Griffin from Family Guy) but it would seem we all have an aroma doppelganger too....
...For the record the smell only lasted a few seconds, but the lasting impression it left on me is still there now.
February 25, 2009
Off the Face of the Planet
Bet you all thought I'd dropped off the surface of the Earth didn't you? 9 days without a blog entry, possible a new record!
So what's been happening since my return from the land of the honeycombed chocolate? I spend a couple of days in Manchester before returning to Southampton. Surprisingly I don't have a single tale to tell about the train ride. No really, not a sausage. I came back to a barrage of emails detailing errors the rest of the team had made in my absence. A lovely start to the day.
So, I've held a staff meeting, chance for me to go through the mistakes. Seems no one could defend them, or offer any practical solutions, but at least they've been aired. We wait with baited breath to find out if things improve. I believe I mentioned a long time ago that errors only seem to occur when I'm out of the office.... looks like my theory has more weight behind it now.
My boss/flatmate left me a cryptic note to say he doesn't need the flat in Southampton anymore. That would be MY flat as well. No idea what he means, it could be I need to get a new flatmate, or I have to move out, but until he gives me more details I'm in limbo. As usual he is being evasive.
My DVD player in the flat is no longer operational. I'm now limited to using my laptop or my portable player if I want to watch a movie. I've not had much luck with hardware since I came down South.
I have a new mobile, which I'm still not fully used to, but at least it works. It keeps flashing to say the battery is low, even when it isn't, but other than that it seems fine. Camera is good quality too, so it should be ok for at least 12 months.
My stomach still isn't 100%, ever since being very ill in Malta. Almost everything I eat either causes stomach cramps or passes straight through me. Not the most pleasant experience.
I'm not going to Wales for a break now; seems Sarah can't afford it at the moment. Looks like we'll be splitting up soon too, but it's not as if we're really a couple anyway. We hardly speak, and if I try, she says she's too busy at the moment. Don't panic people, it won't send me into a spiral of depression this time, I never got a chance to get close to them both this time around. As it stands though we are still technically together, but I'll keep you posted.
It's about 3 days to payday and I'm skint again. Not bad for me though, usually I run out of funds about a fortnight into the month, so I should survive this time.
I've had no details sent to me about my TV audition. I was expecting it sometime around Monday. I'll give them another 24 hours, but if there is still no word I'll try to dig out the researchers number and give them a call. I wrote it on a receipt in my hotel room in Malta, but I do remember putting it into a bag when I packed to come home.
During my two days in Manchester I worked on my Magnificent Octopus, got it up to about 85 pages and sent a second draft to my chief proof-reader. I should be getting feed-back on it after the weekend.
Think that about sums up my life upto and including Pancake Day (for which I ate a total of zero pancakes).....
...I'll try not to let 9 days go past before I fill you all in again.
So what's been happening since my return from the land of the honeycombed chocolate? I spend a couple of days in Manchester before returning to Southampton. Surprisingly I don't have a single tale to tell about the train ride. No really, not a sausage. I came back to a barrage of emails detailing errors the rest of the team had made in my absence. A lovely start to the day.
So, I've held a staff meeting, chance for me to go through the mistakes. Seems no one could defend them, or offer any practical solutions, but at least they've been aired. We wait with baited breath to find out if things improve. I believe I mentioned a long time ago that errors only seem to occur when I'm out of the office.... looks like my theory has more weight behind it now.
My boss/flatmate left me a cryptic note to say he doesn't need the flat in Southampton anymore. That would be MY flat as well. No idea what he means, it could be I need to get a new flatmate, or I have to move out, but until he gives me more details I'm in limbo. As usual he is being evasive.
My DVD player in the flat is no longer operational. I'm now limited to using my laptop or my portable player if I want to watch a movie. I've not had much luck with hardware since I came down South.
I have a new mobile, which I'm still not fully used to, but at least it works. It keeps flashing to say the battery is low, even when it isn't, but other than that it seems fine. Camera is good quality too, so it should be ok for at least 12 months.
My stomach still isn't 100%, ever since being very ill in Malta. Almost everything I eat either causes stomach cramps or passes straight through me. Not the most pleasant experience.
I'm not going to Wales for a break now; seems Sarah can't afford it at the moment. Looks like we'll be splitting up soon too, but it's not as if we're really a couple anyway. We hardly speak, and if I try, she says she's too busy at the moment. Don't panic people, it won't send me into a spiral of depression this time, I never got a chance to get close to them both this time around. As it stands though we are still technically together, but I'll keep you posted.
It's about 3 days to payday and I'm skint again. Not bad for me though, usually I run out of funds about a fortnight into the month, so I should survive this time.
I've had no details sent to me about my TV audition. I was expecting it sometime around Monday. I'll give them another 24 hours, but if there is still no word I'll try to dig out the researchers number and give them a call. I wrote it on a receipt in my hotel room in Malta, but I do remember putting it into a bag when I packed to come home.
During my two days in Manchester I worked on my Magnificent Octopus, got it up to about 85 pages and sent a second draft to my chief proof-reader. I should be getting feed-back on it after the weekend.
Think that about sums up my life upto and including Pancake Day (for which I ate a total of zero pancakes).....
...I'll try not to let 9 days go past before I fill you all in again.
February 16, 2009
The Maltese Adventure: Rules of the Road
Thought I would pass on the rules of motoring for anyone who plans on hiring a car whilst on holiday here.
1. Parking. Parking bays across the island come in three official forms. White boxes are available for free to anyone, 24 hours a day. Yellow boxes are free to permit holders only. Green boxes are free to anyone, but have a time limit. A nearby sign will indicate the length of stay permitted.
In reality you can park where you like as long as you stick your hazard warning lights on. This can mean double parking, blocking a complete carriageway or road, on corners or pedestrian crossings etc. As long as it's convenient to you, just stop your engine, put on your flashing lights and leave it.
2. Road markings. At junctions there may be a solid white line in front of you and the word STOP. This is not to be taken literally. The correct procedure in Malta is to tear up to this line at break neck speed, hang the nose of your car so far out it blocks the traffic and then just keep going.
3. Horns. The horn of your car should be used liberally. Particularly in built up areas at unsociable times. If you find yourself caught up in a traffic jam (because someone has decided to block the road by parking with their hazard lights on), honking your horn continually is bound to make things move faster. No one in nearby hotels will mind.
4. Buses. Malta has an extremely cheap and efficient bus service. Despite the fact they all look like they were made in the 1940's buses run every 10 minutes and most journeys are about 50cents. Bus drivers however are the most reckless people on the road. If they wish to get somewhere they will, regardless of who is in their way.
5. Indicators. Indicators are only fitted to Maltese cars for the purpose of hazard lights (see point 1 above). Under no circumstances should you tell people if you are turning off the road, or which exit of a round-a-bout you are planning to take.
6. Swerving. If the car in front appears to be driving a little erratically, chances are he is not drunk. He is swerving to avoid the potholes in the road. Use this as a pre-warning that you will also need to make dramatic directional changes.
7. Petrol. In the UK petrol stations prefer payment by card, and are sometimes reluctant to handle large sums of cash due to potential robberies. In Malta, petrol stations have never heard of credit cards and will demand payment in cash.
8. Overtaking. Overtaking in Malta is permissable on either side of the vehicle in front. Even if there does not appear to be enough room to pass, you should still edge your nose down the side of his car in the hope of nudging him off the road. If all else fails you might nudge him into a pothole.
9. Pedestrians. Pedestrians in Malta are well catered for. They have an offical crossing every 100 metres, some of them zebra style, some pelican. Do not expect pedestrians to use them though, they will happily step out at anytime and expect you to test your brakes for them.
10. Directions. Many motorists will find themselves lost in Malta. If you arrive at a busy junction and don't know which way to turn, the correct procedure is simply to stop, put on your hand-brake and consult your map. The traffic building up behind will be happy to wait, although they might wish to say hello through the voice of their horn (see point 3)
1. Parking. Parking bays across the island come in three official forms. White boxes are available for free to anyone, 24 hours a day. Yellow boxes are free to permit holders only. Green boxes are free to anyone, but have a time limit. A nearby sign will indicate the length of stay permitted.
In reality you can park where you like as long as you stick your hazard warning lights on. This can mean double parking, blocking a complete carriageway or road, on corners or pedestrian crossings etc. As long as it's convenient to you, just stop your engine, put on your flashing lights and leave it.
2. Road markings. At junctions there may be a solid white line in front of you and the word STOP. This is not to be taken literally. The correct procedure in Malta is to tear up to this line at break neck speed, hang the nose of your car so far out it blocks the traffic and then just keep going.
3. Horns. The horn of your car should be used liberally. Particularly in built up areas at unsociable times. If you find yourself caught up in a traffic jam (because someone has decided to block the road by parking with their hazard lights on), honking your horn continually is bound to make things move faster. No one in nearby hotels will mind.
4. Buses. Malta has an extremely cheap and efficient bus service. Despite the fact they all look like they were made in the 1940's buses run every 10 minutes and most journeys are about 50cents. Bus drivers however are the most reckless people on the road. If they wish to get somewhere they will, regardless of who is in their way.
5. Indicators. Indicators are only fitted to Maltese cars for the purpose of hazard lights (see point 1 above). Under no circumstances should you tell people if you are turning off the road, or which exit of a round-a-bout you are planning to take.
6. Swerving. If the car in front appears to be driving a little erratically, chances are he is not drunk. He is swerving to avoid the potholes in the road. Use this as a pre-warning that you will also need to make dramatic directional changes.
7. Petrol. In the UK petrol stations prefer payment by card, and are sometimes reluctant to handle large sums of cash due to potential robberies. In Malta, petrol stations have never heard of credit cards and will demand payment in cash.
8. Overtaking. Overtaking in Malta is permissable on either side of the vehicle in front. Even if there does not appear to be enough room to pass, you should still edge your nose down the side of his car in the hope of nudging him off the road. If all else fails you might nudge him into a pothole.
9. Pedestrians. Pedestrians in Malta are well catered for. They have an offical crossing every 100 metres, some of them zebra style, some pelican. Do not expect pedestrians to use them though, they will happily step out at anytime and expect you to test your brakes for them.
10. Directions. Many motorists will find themselves lost in Malta. If you arrive at a busy junction and don't know which way to turn, the correct procedure is simply to stop, put on your hand-brake and consult your map. The traffic building up behind will be happy to wait, although they might wish to say hello through the voice of their horn (see point 3)
February 12, 2009
The Maltese Adventure: God Knows What Day It Is
What a hell of a few days since I last blogged. Hell is quite an appropriate word.
Last time I reported I was sick. it's now Thursday and I'm still not fully fit. I haven't eaten anything solid for two days and I single-handedly got through two rolls of toilet paper in one night last night. I really have lost track of days too. I haven't slept for more than 1 hour at a time in the past 72.
I tried breakfast this morning, thinking the stomach cramps were hunger pains. One small bowl of cornflakes and a tiny glass of pineapple juice and I was back to my room in agony.
But illness aside, what else has been happening in the land of the Maltesers? Well yesterday, some ass-hole decided to get into my car and remove my mobile phone for their own use. Now I will be without a means of getting in touch with people, other than through the office, for about 10 days. That's assuming I can find a cheap (but decent) handset online in the meantime. When I contacted O2 to ask them to cancel the SIM, they informed me the 12 quid credit I had left on the phone had already gone. less than an hour to drain 12 pounds of phone credit. I'm not allowed to blame the Maltese. If you mention the story to a local, the first thing they say is: "It wouldn't have been a local. Must have been a black."
Losing the phone is a HUGE inconvenience, not only because I had so many phone numbers in it, but it was my only thing keeping me going during the long, boring nights, chatting to friends by text. Granted, it was costing me a fortune in credit, but now I can only lie awake feeling my stomach churn.
I met Sir Alex Ferguson! He was over in Malta for a few days with Giggs, Scholes, Neville and a few older players. I met Sir Alex in a Scottish themed bar in St Julians and would have had the chance to meet all the others if I'd gone back that evening. (That was the evening my illness was at it's worse. Apparently Giggs does a lot of Kareoke) Fergie was more interested in finding out the result of the 1.30 race at Plumpton, but he was friendly and chatted openly. I did manage to sneak a photo of Sir Alex, and Paddy Crerand (for you older readers)....
....the photo is on my phone camera.
Last time I reported I was sick. it's now Thursday and I'm still not fully fit. I haven't eaten anything solid for two days and I single-handedly got through two rolls of toilet paper in one night last night. I really have lost track of days too. I haven't slept for more than 1 hour at a time in the past 72.
I tried breakfast this morning, thinking the stomach cramps were hunger pains. One small bowl of cornflakes and a tiny glass of pineapple juice and I was back to my room in agony.
But illness aside, what else has been happening in the land of the Maltesers? Well yesterday, some ass-hole decided to get into my car and remove my mobile phone for their own use. Now I will be without a means of getting in touch with people, other than through the office, for about 10 days. That's assuming I can find a cheap (but decent) handset online in the meantime. When I contacted O2 to ask them to cancel the SIM, they informed me the 12 quid credit I had left on the phone had already gone. less than an hour to drain 12 pounds of phone credit. I'm not allowed to blame the Maltese. If you mention the story to a local, the first thing they say is: "It wouldn't have been a local. Must have been a black."
Losing the phone is a HUGE inconvenience, not only because I had so many phone numbers in it, but it was my only thing keeping me going during the long, boring nights, chatting to friends by text. Granted, it was costing me a fortune in credit, but now I can only lie awake feeling my stomach churn.
I met Sir Alex Ferguson! He was over in Malta for a few days with Giggs, Scholes, Neville and a few older players. I met Sir Alex in a Scottish themed bar in St Julians and would have had the chance to meet all the others if I'd gone back that evening. (That was the evening my illness was at it's worse. Apparently Giggs does a lot of Kareoke) Fergie was more interested in finding out the result of the 1.30 race at Plumpton, but he was friendly and chatted openly. I did manage to sneak a photo of Sir Alex, and Paddy Crerand (for you older readers)....
....the photo is on my phone camera.
February 09, 2009
The Maltese Adventure Days 12 and 13
Is that the weekend?
I am officially ill. I haven't slept properly for 48 hours, a mixture of loud noises all through the night and some kind of fever. I go from boiling hot to freezing cold in seconds, and back again. I've taken some Anadin, so hopefully I can shake it off.
My boss is due here tonight for two nights. What a perfect time to be ill.
I've made into work each day, but I'm finding it hard to concentrate on the keyboard. The training I've given has been really basic too, we are falling behind, although only against my own personal agenda. I didn't have an official timetable to work to. To cap it all, the rain and winds are back too, so driving to and from work is back to being a nightmare. Trying to skip round puddles which are the size of Olympic swimming pools (and just as deep).
On a completely separate note, I watched the Italian version of 'Deal or No Deal' last night on TV. Completely bizarre. The host is like a cross between Dale Winton and Timmy Mallett. Some of the boxes have strange things in them (a dancing cartoon crocodile in one... I kid you not) and by the end I couldn't work out how much the contestant had actually won. I think it was 20,000EUR but for all I know it was the dancing croc!
....I also watched a Margaret Rutherford Miss Marple film dubbed into Spanish. Good job I knew the plot already :)
I am officially ill. I haven't slept properly for 48 hours, a mixture of loud noises all through the night and some kind of fever. I go from boiling hot to freezing cold in seconds, and back again. I've taken some Anadin, so hopefully I can shake it off.
My boss is due here tonight for two nights. What a perfect time to be ill.
I've made into work each day, but I'm finding it hard to concentrate on the keyboard. The training I've given has been really basic too, we are falling behind, although only against my own personal agenda. I didn't have an official timetable to work to. To cap it all, the rain and winds are back too, so driving to and from work is back to being a nightmare. Trying to skip round puddles which are the size of Olympic swimming pools (and just as deep).
On a completely separate note, I watched the Italian version of 'Deal or No Deal' last night on TV. Completely bizarre. The host is like a cross between Dale Winton and Timmy Mallett. Some of the boxes have strange things in them (a dancing cartoon crocodile in one... I kid you not) and by the end I couldn't work out how much the contestant had actually won. I think it was 20,000EUR but for all I know it was the dancing croc!
....I also watched a Margaret Rutherford Miss Marple film dubbed into Spanish. Good job I knew the plot already :)
February 07, 2009
The Maltese Adventure: The Interview
No idea what day it fell on, so I'll add this as an additional entry. A few days ago I had to conduct an impromtu interview!
A male Malteser had sent in his CV on spec, looking to see if we were hiring at the moment, and with about 30 minutes warning I got a call from my boss asking if I'd conduct an interview with him, and see if he was suitable for a job.
Well he was nice enough - a little bit cocky and full of himself, but perhaps that's the way they have interviews over here. He certainly seemed capable of learning the job, and his english was very good. It did mean me hanging around the office an extra couple of hours, which forced me to drive home in the dark again, which directly accounted for me taking a wrong turn (again). Other than that, not much else to report.
I never found any antiseptic for my bites, all the pharmacies over here only seem to open for one hour a day at completely the wrong time. The bites have almost disappeared though, so I don't think there is a risk of infection.
I didn't get a wink of sleep last night. Just as I was dozing off the noise from the streets got too loud to ignore. Friday night is apparently party night in St Julians. By the time it died down at about 3am, the bin trucks were beginning their rounds. It's nice that they empty bins daily, but not when you're trying to catch a few zzz's.
Not in the office on Sunday, so if I can't sleep tonight, at least I can have a lie in again.
A male Malteser had sent in his CV on spec, looking to see if we were hiring at the moment, and with about 30 minutes warning I got a call from my boss asking if I'd conduct an interview with him, and see if he was suitable for a job.
Well he was nice enough - a little bit cocky and full of himself, but perhaps that's the way they have interviews over here. He certainly seemed capable of learning the job, and his english was very good. It did mean me hanging around the office an extra couple of hours, which forced me to drive home in the dark again, which directly accounted for me taking a wrong turn (again). Other than that, not much else to report.
I never found any antiseptic for my bites, all the pharmacies over here only seem to open for one hour a day at completely the wrong time. The bites have almost disappeared though, so I don't think there is a risk of infection.
I didn't get a wink of sleep last night. Just as I was dozing off the noise from the streets got too loud to ignore. Friday night is apparently party night in St Julians. By the time it died down at about 3am, the bin trucks were beginning their rounds. It's nice that they empty bins daily, but not when you're trying to catch a few zzz's.
Not in the office on Sunday, so if I can't sleep tonight, at least I can have a lie in again.
The Maltese Adventure Day 10 and 11
I think that's Thursday and Friday. I'll probably get to the end of this and find I lost two days somewhere along the way!
Thursday was an ordinary day, just like any other. Breakfast, drive to work, work, drive home from work, but then it sort of changed. I knew I had the day off on the Friday, so I thought I'd dump the car and have a proper wander round, exploring some of the back roads of St Julians. Dumping the car proved to be an adventure in itself.
Firstly, my usual car park was full. All the cars seemed the same, like it was some sort of convention, so I drove up the hill towards my hotel. For 20 minutes I drove in and out of the alleyways looking for a free space. I'm sure I wasn't the only one, I swear I past the same Volkswagen Beetle four times.
After giving up, I drove back down the hill, past the car park again and out of town. It was a brilliantly hot day, so if I had a long walk back, it would be a pleasurable one. 2 miles back in fact in the end. It seems there is an invitational snooker event coming up on the island and a lot of visitors have already arrived, taking up valuable parking spaces!
As for the Friday, it was a day off. A long lie in, watching Midsomer Murders, a slow breakfast and then a bit of exploring. The weather was still warm, so I sat outside a lovely bar called The City of London for a while catching some afternoon rays. In the early evening I returned to my room, and sat out on my little balcony with my ipod, watching the world go by. It was then I got a phone call.
Actually, I had just had a call from my Dad helping me to organise a train ticket, so when my phone chirped into life again I assumed it was him. It wasn't.
"Hello, is that Mr Gibson?" asked the girl on the other end. I hate calls like that, usually means I'm in trouble or they're trying to sell me something. Considering I was getting charged to receive the call, I was determined to cut it short.
"Yes." was my only response.
...but then she continued to say she was from some TV production company, calling about the quiz show I'd applied for (which was over a month ago) and would I be interested in an audtion. To cut a long story short, the audition is in Bristol on 2nd March and if I"m successful, filming is in mid April and Mid May (although I won't be needed for both sessions).
...What a lovely surprise! :)
Thursday was an ordinary day, just like any other. Breakfast, drive to work, work, drive home from work, but then it sort of changed. I knew I had the day off on the Friday, so I thought I'd dump the car and have a proper wander round, exploring some of the back roads of St Julians. Dumping the car proved to be an adventure in itself.
Firstly, my usual car park was full. All the cars seemed the same, like it was some sort of convention, so I drove up the hill towards my hotel. For 20 minutes I drove in and out of the alleyways looking for a free space. I'm sure I wasn't the only one, I swear I past the same Volkswagen Beetle four times.
After giving up, I drove back down the hill, past the car park again and out of town. It was a brilliantly hot day, so if I had a long walk back, it would be a pleasurable one. 2 miles back in fact in the end. It seems there is an invitational snooker event coming up on the island and a lot of visitors have already arrived, taking up valuable parking spaces!
As for the Friday, it was a day off. A long lie in, watching Midsomer Murders, a slow breakfast and then a bit of exploring. The weather was still warm, so I sat outside a lovely bar called The City of London for a while catching some afternoon rays. In the early evening I returned to my room, and sat out on my little balcony with my ipod, watching the world go by. It was then I got a phone call.
Actually, I had just had a call from my Dad helping me to organise a train ticket, so when my phone chirped into life again I assumed it was him. It wasn't.
"Hello, is that Mr Gibson?" asked the girl on the other end. I hate calls like that, usually means I'm in trouble or they're trying to sell me something. Considering I was getting charged to receive the call, I was determined to cut it short.
"Yes." was my only response.
...but then she continued to say she was from some TV production company, calling about the quiz show I'd applied for (which was over a month ago) and would I be interested in an audtion. To cut a long story short, the audition is in Bristol on 2nd March and if I"m successful, filming is in mid April and Mid May (although I won't be needed for both sessions).
...What a lovely surprise! :)
February 04, 2009
The Maltese Adventure Day 8
Is day 8 Tuesday? I'm losing track now.
Most important thing that happened today was late at night... or early on the morning of Day 9 perhaps. Something attacked me in the night. I woke up this morning with three separate insect bites, one on my right shoulder, one on the inside of my left elbow and the third on the right side of my neck. The last one is the worst as I caught it with my razor and made a right mess of it.
I'll try to get some ointment from the local supermarket, but I'm not back in St Julians til late tonight, so they might be shut. I hope to God the critter responsible has left my room, otherwise there will be hell to pay.
The other thing from Day 8 is more of an observation. I hope I don't sound like I'm stereo-typing with this comment, but aren't we all guilty of that at some time or another?
It's about the local men and women of Malta. I'll start with the men. So far they have all been friendly, on the whole they keep themselves fit. Despite the fact there is a bar on every corner there doesn't seem to be an obesity problem like the UK, all in all a healthy bunch of blokes.... and they all seem to have 3 day old beard growth! No one appears clean shaven, but at the same time, moustaches and beards are rare too, everyone just seems to have stubble. How is that possible? How can you keep three day old fuzz on your face without it getting longer, or having to cut it shorter?
The other thing I've noticed is the women. (obviously). From teenage to middle age, Maltese women, on the whole, are very pretty. Again, they keep their bodies in shape, in general they have dark hair which compliments their olive skin. They dress well, or at least make it look as if they dress well.
When a beautiful girl or woman walks towards a man the man will stare to begin with. Then he'll think he's been staring too long so he'll look at the pavement. Then he thinks that looks too obvious, so he'll look back up again, but try not to make eye contact. As they pass, he'll slyly look backwards so he can see her from behind too. (or maybe this is just how I operate!) My point though is all Maltese women seem to have one thing in common.... their bums are slightly out of proportion with the rest of their figure.
I really can't explain it, but it's too common to be a coincidence. Maltese female's have backsides that are slightly larger than they should be. I swear I'm not making a detailed study of posteriors... you just can't help but notice! When I worked at the casino in IOM, the four Maltese girls there used to get teased about it, but I put that down to chance. I didn't expect an entire nation to have the same build! If someone can offer a rational explanation, I'd be glad to hear it....
...I'm not complaining of course :)
Most important thing that happened today was late at night... or early on the morning of Day 9 perhaps. Something attacked me in the night. I woke up this morning with three separate insect bites, one on my right shoulder, one on the inside of my left elbow and the third on the right side of my neck. The last one is the worst as I caught it with my razor and made a right mess of it.
I'll try to get some ointment from the local supermarket, but I'm not back in St Julians til late tonight, so they might be shut. I hope to God the critter responsible has left my room, otherwise there will be hell to pay.
The other thing from Day 8 is more of an observation. I hope I don't sound like I'm stereo-typing with this comment, but aren't we all guilty of that at some time or another?
It's about the local men and women of Malta. I'll start with the men. So far they have all been friendly, on the whole they keep themselves fit. Despite the fact there is a bar on every corner there doesn't seem to be an obesity problem like the UK, all in all a healthy bunch of blokes.... and they all seem to have 3 day old beard growth! No one appears clean shaven, but at the same time, moustaches and beards are rare too, everyone just seems to have stubble. How is that possible? How can you keep three day old fuzz on your face without it getting longer, or having to cut it shorter?
The other thing I've noticed is the women. (obviously). From teenage to middle age, Maltese women, on the whole, are very pretty. Again, they keep their bodies in shape, in general they have dark hair which compliments their olive skin. They dress well, or at least make it look as if they dress well.
When a beautiful girl or woman walks towards a man the man will stare to begin with. Then he'll think he's been staring too long so he'll look at the pavement. Then he thinks that looks too obvious, so he'll look back up again, but try not to make eye contact. As they pass, he'll slyly look backwards so he can see her from behind too. (or maybe this is just how I operate!) My point though is all Maltese women seem to have one thing in common.... their bums are slightly out of proportion with the rest of their figure.
I really can't explain it, but it's too common to be a coincidence. Maltese female's have backsides that are slightly larger than they should be. I swear I'm not making a detailed study of posteriors... you just can't help but notice! When I worked at the casino in IOM, the four Maltese girls there used to get teased about it, but I put that down to chance. I didn't expect an entire nation to have the same build! If someone can offer a rational explanation, I'd be glad to hear it....
...I'm not complaining of course :)
February 02, 2009
The Maltese Adventure Day 6
Ok, so firstly you're wondering where day 5 went aren't you? No? Well I'll tell you anyway. I wasn't in the office on Sunday, so I didn't have an opportunity to write anything about the previous day. Not much happened anyway except for the fact I managed to drive to AND from the office successfully. Not a single driving error or wrong turn. When I got back to St Julians the little car park was full, but the old man I mentioned previously told me to wait as he knew a car was about to leave. He was dead right so he saved me a lot of trouble, so I tipped him a Euro.
Anyway, Day 6 (Sunday 1st Feb) was a day off for me. Chance to catch up on some sleep, maybe walk around the town a bit more. I got up and went down for breakfast (and noticed they do boiled eggs too, although I only spotted them when I was leaving to go back to my room) then went back for a quick cat nap.
At about midday I went out to explore, and it was brilliant sunshine. No wind either, a really nice summers day, despite being the first day of Feb. I walked along the harbour road, the road I drive along to go to work, dipping in and out of shade as I did. I probably walked for about half an hour, thankfully this stretch of path is completely flat. Then, naturally, I turned round and walked back. I stopped off in an Irish bar to watch the second half of the tennis final before heading back up the hill to the hotel.
At seven o'clock my two trainees met me at my hotel so we could all go out for a meal. We chose a local Italian restaurant where Michelle know's the owner. A lovely meal, good company, and I think she got us a huge discount too, it certainly seemed very cheap for the amount we ate.
Bed by 10pm, very tired after my walking, but a thoroughly enjoyable day. Sadly, an early start required for day 7...
...but that's the price you pay for being so in demand :)
Anyway, Day 6 (Sunday 1st Feb) was a day off for me. Chance to catch up on some sleep, maybe walk around the town a bit more. I got up and went down for breakfast (and noticed they do boiled eggs too, although I only spotted them when I was leaving to go back to my room) then went back for a quick cat nap.
At about midday I went out to explore, and it was brilliant sunshine. No wind either, a really nice summers day, despite being the first day of Feb. I walked along the harbour road, the road I drive along to go to work, dipping in and out of shade as I did. I probably walked for about half an hour, thankfully this stretch of path is completely flat. Then, naturally, I turned round and walked back. I stopped off in an Irish bar to watch the second half of the tennis final before heading back up the hill to the hotel.
At seven o'clock my two trainees met me at my hotel so we could all go out for a meal. We chose a local Italian restaurant where Michelle know's the owner. A lovely meal, good company, and I think she got us a huge discount too, it certainly seemed very cheap for the amount we ate.
Bed by 10pm, very tired after my walking, but a thoroughly enjoyable day. Sadly, an early start required for day 7...
...but that's the price you pay for being so in demand :)
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