Once again Bristol like a lot of UK has been covered in snow and the transport system stopped. This is not a gripe about how crap we are at handling snow. No it's the opposite. I walked into HQ, passed the cars stuck in the snow and compacted ice, dancing and occassionally singing along to Rage Against the Machine. Had a great meeting and then got to walk home, passed some of the same cars and picked up my car. Then the real joy of driving out into the local countryside and having the roads to myself, with unspoilt snow covering the fields and woods. Gorgeous. Even got to stop and have a run round and take piccies. Felt like a little kid and couldnt stop grinning.

Snow can be so great.

Yes according to the news we are currently experiencing the worst Arctic Plunge in 18 years! OK, I noticed the 1cm of snow, very lovely and enjoyed being first person to run across the car park and leave footprints (yes I am a child) BUT there was no snow on the main roads due to enormous amount of gritting and nearly constant traffic. So please explain why the whole city went into panic mode and was driving like they had never seen the white stuff, I know this is an old gripe but it still amazes me.

By coincidence the boiler at work died, as we are in basement it was bloody cold, so the students got sent home (just as the snow started to fall) but the staff got to stay and huddle around a little heater trying to do lesson planning etc. Finally warmed up the room about an hour before we went home. Admittedly I felt warmer out in the snow and had a laugh running around when I was on a break from paperwork.

Oh well off to get supplies in just in case of the whole country going into shut down. I may be some time :-)

OK, today I have had very little sleep, ache all over, had crap lessons with hyper students and had to suspend another student - whose parent then came in and shouted at me saying it's all my fault for not disciplining his son ( ERR? Thats why I suspended him as part of the disciplinary procedure). Add to that a completely packed gym where I spent more time queuing for machines than I did exercising and twisting my ankle running home in the dark and cold.

Yes I think that sums up the day and maybe I should be knackered and down but no I am feeling really happy for no particular reason and sat enjoying watching CSI Miami (crime soap at its best) and Criminal Minds.

That and gorgeous girlfriend who just danced around the room and made me lol.

Don't worry be happy.

Today I am sat in the UK, it is raining and a cold 11'C. Yesterday I was sat in bright sunshine, in the mountains of Central Italy at a hot 35'C. I so want to be back there. I have spent the last week in the most beautiful location. A retreat in the mountains, that has it's own training hall, Buddhist shrine and miles and miles of woods, lakes ... basically anything that you could want to get away from the big loud city.
So rather than sitting around and just relaxing I joined several others in hard core training with a Jujitsu master and also reality based fight training. I am now aching, covered in bruises and so wanting to go back for more. In between the fights we got to relax in the brilliant surroundings and of course drink a quantity of the local beverages and explore the cliff top fortress towns of the region. Absolutely brilliant.
link to metta centre: http://www.mettacentre.com

Well, back in the UK and slowly recovering from jetlag (bright awake in the early hours) and back in work. The feeling that the holiday was a film I watched about China is creeping in and the whole thing has an unreal quality to it. Therefore had to go and look at pictures, and as some people have asked to see some we have put a select few on flickr at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/arthmawr

Highlights have to be the thunderstorms, temples, a cocktail lounge on the 87th floor (great for my fear of heights), Old Shanghai (carnaaki we have found the perfect restaurant for you, called 1931, serving excellent food to sounds of swing and the rat pack in period surroundings - unfortunately,no photos allowed) Maglev at over 200mph, jazz, beer served by cute barmaids (sorry Cheryl :-) ), raw spirits stripping my throat lining, different cultures, hawkers (NO! I don't want a copy rolex, Gucci, Prada or shiny toy), tailor made suit and THE FOOD, which included a BUN festival to celebrate Buddha's birthday in style by eating 1000's of buns.

Absolutely loved the whole trip and so want to go back out there and see more. Quite literally only saw a speck on the map of the country and dipped in to the culture (great having Adam speaking Mandarin and showing us stuff away from the main tourist traps). Off to try and work off the excess kilos I have gained from the lovely food.

Ok, so after travelling for 24 hours door to door we arrived at our hotel in Hong Kong. The sun was shining and the heat and humidity was both in the 90s and I thought the road reminds of something from a film. Today the thunderstorms finally broke and the heavens opened and the connection became clear when it was dark at 4pm in the HEAVY rain - I have entered Bladerunner. Any minute now Rutger Haur is going to come running down the road with some nut chasing him. The place is amasing and I love it - although I am absolutely knackered having been hiking around (in true tourist style "Look Cheryl it's a really big sky scraper with lights and lazers shooting out in to the clouds - WOOOOOOOW!!!") Got to go and sleep and think about the jazz club we found and was forced (ok persuaded) to drink beer in, whilst listening to live cantonese jazz, very cool.

Lots of piccies which I will upload to Flickr account later.

Bed time.

Ok I am now officially feeling old.  Not only have I been out for hours in the rain, running and kicking my way across Durdham Downs for TaeKwonDo, against people many years younger and fitter than me.  I then come home and settle down with a nice cup of hot chocolate in front of the telly and what do I see?  Logan's Run - 1976 film version - telling me that I am five years past "Renewal" and therefore should be dead.  Oh well at least the film has a "happy" ending, when they blow up the computers that have kept them all alive for hundreds of years.  Now on a nostalgia trip and wondering if the Logan's Run tv series is out there to be found.  Off searching before, the sandmen come and terminate me for being 35!

Having finally beaten off the worst of the sore throat and flu virus I went and did a judo seminar.  After a couple of hours of being in various locks, throws and chokes I now have a sore throat (over enthusiastic choke by one guy) and aching limbs which make me feel like I have flu.  Thing is I am stilling grinning about it and loved every minute.  Finally after 20 years I got to meet and train with Neil Adams, British Judo Olympian and all round nice guy.

Off to eat the last of the chocolate in preparation for lent.

Done it again - forgotten my sister's birthday!! I can't keep using the same excuse of the card being in post, even if I have been using it for god knows how long.  Better go and check the diary for other birthdays - oh, Gods it's my mum's in a few days, better get a card etc.  And Mr Walker's.

OK, so this is the infamous live journal. Have to be honest only created this to use as a way of keeping in touch with friends ( albeit keeping up with the Jones style). I have left this alone until now because I didn't feel like putting anything on here and was more a voyeur of my friends ljs.

Today though it has changed as I have had a great wake up about putting off things, especially with regards to friends. An old friend, Ken Bavin, who I used to work with and kept meaning to get back in touch with died last Friday. For the last couple of months I have been meaning to give him a call and meet up for a pint. Too late now.

Ok, I didnt want to be mordid or depressing and actually wanted to do something positive and start getting in touch with people. So, that is why I will have added you my friends page and ended up popping up.

Off to get a whisky and drink to Ken.