Monday 28th Febuary 2011

So we are now about to enter the 3 month of the year, cant believe how quick the year is passing, and it looks like being quite an expensive month, got my car to MOT, and tax, plus try and pay off some more bills. On top of that I want to try and catch up with a few friends, who I havent seen recently, or havent seen as often as I wished.

If I am to be honest I have felt rather down, and I feel that I am sailing in unfamiliar waters at the mo, but it is taking everyday as it comes.

Now there is one person who I am fed up of hearing about, and that is Jordan, Aka Katy Price. Now a dim witted blonde tart who got her knockers out for the boys in that wonderful rag we know as the SUN is fair enough, but she is rarely out of the media. She went on that programme for hasbeen celebraties, yes you know the one in the jungle, and married onetime one hit wonder star Peter Andre.

I remember Peter Andre, and the debates I had with my mates as a 17 year old about what we would like to do to him if we saw him in an alleyway, well lets just say we would be locked up, but it was fun thinking up outragiously violent ways to end his career.

But going back to Jordan, you listen to her being interviewed and it strikes you she is a thick Essex girl. but, She is a being that craves to get publicity, and she doesn't care who she stamps on or sues to get what she wants.

Personally I wish a cyborg from the future what come and destroy her, or better still her parents so the ghastly person never existed in the first place. Mind you the real people to blame are the people who buy the papers, the celebrity gossip magazines, and fed in to her quest for power, money, and publicity. Lets to the best thing and ignore the bitch.

So anyway rant over, now where was I? oh yes.

Yesterday I told you about my life story, which is one of many projects I am undertaking. I have lots to research, which include the changing music scene, and social trends. Anyway I am going for tonight, up early tomorrow so TTFN.

Sunday 27th Febuary 2011 blog number 2.

Well 2 blogs in a day, well I have alot on my mind, so here goes, My on going work about my life story is progressing, dont know when It will be ready for publishing, but the main thing is to get it down on paper, well on screen, So far I have detailed my first 16 years, so there is another 16 to go, which should be interesting, but what I would like to do is look in to how life affected me, and how it was growing up on a council estate, in a suburb of Nottingham, and the implications of being a quiet shy kid. It is also my intention to chart how my transport interest developed.

Another thing I am look in to is the social changes that happened in the time, how the old order moved to one side in favour of the 24hour culture we live in today, So I am hoping that there will be something for everyone. I am not setting a date for completion, but I would like to try and complete it sometime this year.

I had to do a few jobs today, one of which was go and get my hair cut, I had a nice female cutting my hair, I prefer females cutting my hair, because they usually know what looks good. As always I took my camera with me, and recorded some of the changes which are going off. I noted that the city tresury is being demolished, which is a shame as I used to going in there with my dad when he went for his council expenses.

So I am here now on the sunday evening before going back to work tomorrow, I am up early so dont intend to be up too late tonight.

It has been an interesting few months as I have started to open my mind, and speak my mind a bit more, As I have said before, my opinions are my opinions, right or wrong, I will stand by them.

So 2 short bloggs for the price of a long one, so there. TTFN

Sunday 27th Febuary 2011

It is a miserable day today, looking out the window it is drizzling, The half term week is nearly over, and the schools are back tomorrow. I have a few things to do today, but it is that typical sunday afternoon feel.

I have been writing a chapter in my life story, infact a full account of events from last year, in an attempt to finally bury some ghosts, and move on with the rest of my life. I recommend writing things down, as it helps, otherwise you just bottle things up, which is something I am very good at doing, but hey ho,.

When the life story is complete then I will be looking for people to read the first draft, for feed back, I will put details on here at a later date, so if you are interested then please get in touch.

So how has halfterm week been, well, to be honest it has been quiet, I have been part of a team valleting some of the double deckers in the fleet, so they are ready for the kids to go on on monday and undo. Mind you I did manage to catch fire on friday, long story, but I got away unscathed, apart from a few blasters on my right hand.

March is fast approaching and looks to be a very expensive month, but what is new, I have a few more jobs to do on the car, plus MOT it, so fingers crossed. In the mean time I am hoping to sort a few other things out too.

So what is instore for the next 6 months, I am not sure, hopefully they wont be as eventful as last year, but all I can do is reflect and learn from the past, and look to the future.

So I am going to go for now and get on with my sunday and I will post another blog later TTFN

Thursday 24th Febuary 2011

So it has been the warmest day of the year today, well so far, with the temperature reaching 15 degrees. I was on the Dial ride bus duites today, driving between Castle Donnington and some of the local villages. I was finished by half 3 today so I took advantage and had an early finish.

I have been watching a very interesting video, by George Carlin, who is in the same catergory as Bill Hicks, a lot of the jokes border the subversive and are quite political, but they poke fun out of everyday things. Sadly both George Carlin and Bill Hicks are both dead, but their legacy lives on.

So the vid I watched was entitled we have no rights, So he explored the swearing on the bible thing when in a court of law, then goes on explore that our rights are not rights in reality, only privilidges that can be taken away on a whim. One example is the Japanese American citizens during world war 2, who after the bombing of Pearl Harbour, were put in to internment camps and had their basic rights removed.

The fact of the matter is, none of us are entirely free, we are bound by rules and regulations, which have come in to force over many years. Now I like reading about the daft bylaws which are still in force. One examples taxi cabs have to carry a bale of hay in the back on a sunday.

The reason we are not entirely free, is from the moment we wake up to the moment we go to bed, we are being minipulated, mostly by that little box that sits in the corner of the living room, or commonly known as the TV, now the minipulation comes at us in various forms, it could be through the adverts, the news, if the kids are watching a kids tv channel, then they too are being minipulated. We are constantly being told what to eat, what to buy, what to wear, even in some cases what to think. During election time, we have the leaders of the political parties telling how to vote.

There is a saying that to truely understand what is going on we need to step back and look at everyone rushing round like a load of ants gathering food. We are in the forest but we can't see see the forest as we are surrounded by trees.

Now how many of us have been told we cant do something, because of restrictions, the law, other peoples rights, how society will look at us, well we can do anything we like and the only thing that holds us back is ourselves. The us being people. So next time you have some twat on the tv, telling how to live our lives, just switch the programme off and say screw you, I am an individual, I am going to live life for me.

We are all individuals, we all have something to give to life, we are valuble in who we are, just remember that one.

So I have lots of photos I need to sort through, this is for several reasons one being my portfolio of pictures, another reason is the life story I am writing, which I want to include lots of examples of my work. I have met lots of people over the years, sadly some of these people are no longer with us, but we all have to go sooner or later. Some of the people I met all those years ago I still talk to on a regular basis. One person being My good friend Simon Bramley, I cant believe I have known Simon for 21 years. He has a blog page called Transport Menagerie, which I contribute to. But I digress a little, I look through some of the pictures and I can still remember taking every single one of them.

So I wonder what I will be up to in 20 years time? who knows, but lets have fun in those next 20 years.

I will leave you on my thoughts for tonight TTFN

Wednesday 23rd Febuary 2011

It is 6 months since I started at my current employer, so how has it been? Well its been ok, I think i have settled in ok, and yes I am enjoying it. Life in general is alot more settled, still not where I want to be in life, but with these things we all need to be patient and take everything one step at a time.



There should be some interesting developments in the near future, I am not saying a word at the mo, save to say that it will be good.

So, work has been quiet this week, so I am down on the hours front, but, it is giving me a chance to get a few things out of the way.

I intend to sort some pictures ready for posting on to fotopic, I have already posted some of them on to facebook too. Plus got loads of older pictures to trawl through. So it has been a short one tonight, TTFN

Monday 21st Febuary 2011

It has been a very wet sort of day, I've had the day off and been to see my good friend Simon, he was busy sorting a room out and I helped him strip a wall, To save fuel, I decided to walk to his house, well felt I needed the exercise, and the camera as always accompanied me.

We the first site is was of local road which is being road surfaced, so it will be a week of mayhem.

Talking of Mayhem, we are seeing images of rioting and demonstrations in Lybia, Egypt and Bahreign, ( dont know if I spelt that one ok), People are speaking their minds and trying to out the tyrants, the start of something me thinks.

Been looking at some of my past photos recent, and their is a shitload to look through, and I cant believe that I have been taking pictures solidly for 17 years, I actually took my very first picture in 1986, and mars shaped 110. This was of a Nottingham City Transport Leyland Atlantean, however, I didnt really take anymore until 1993, there were some false starts, but it was september 1993 that I seriously took up the hobby, and I have not looked back.

I had started to collect picutres in 1991, but these were ones taken by other people. I had looked at these pictures and wondered if I could take pictures like these. So I borrowed my brothers camera, and took some pictures, well I had done this back in 1991, but never processed the films until 1993, along with a couple from 1992.

My first pictures did not really turn out right, but I have kept the pictures for all times sake, It was after getting a decent compact camera for that my photography really took off. After 2 years I bought a second hand SLR camera and enjoyed the hobby even more.

The next big change happened in 2008, when I borrowed my dads compact digital camera, I took the plunge at christmas 2008. On the back of this I started a fotopic page in Jan 2008, using a selection of prints which had been copied on to disc, and the results took on my dads compact. I would like to scan the earlier pictures in one day and put these on the site to share them with the world.

Now one thing I will not do is publish pictures taken by other people, without permission, So for now all pictures on the site have been taken by myself. Please when you get chance, have a look at my photosite, It is called calumbus's photographic adventures.

Enjoy and TTFN

Sunday 20th Febuary 2011

Greetings, I have been writing these blogs for nearly 6 months now. I find then quite addictive to write, and it certainly gets things out of my system, whether it be my dislike of the government, and past governments, my frustrations with society in general, and they way people approach things, like Lemmings marching towards the edge of the cliff, they dont know why they are doing it, but the rest are marching so they feel they must. Those who try to be individual are branded outcasts, outspoken, heratics if you like.

As I have said before, I like my blogs to be thought provoking, even if you do not agree with my words, it is my intention for the reader to go away and think about things. Is there a right or wrong way to look at life? well the answer is in your own hands, and you need to make decisions for yourselves, and not because the tv has told you to think in a particular way.

Yes I am feeling very reflective tonight, I always believe that to understand a scenario, then you need to look at both sides of the story, each person involved has their own slant on things. The trouble is things are told from a particular viewpoint, and this can be easily turned round in to propaganda for brainwashing, yes I do watch some subversive things, but only to gain a different view point. I suppose I like to remain netural to lots of things, I dont necessarily sit on the fence, but I dont like taking sides.

I can remember lots of little sayings over the years, and well I do remember lots of them. I can remember several years ago, I really lacked self confidence, I hated talking in groups, but one day I was taken to one side and someone said that I need to think of everyone being there for my entertainment, and it is true. During my early days of employment I was told that if I had a problem which I could not solve, then take a break, have a cup of coffee, have a walk, then go back after 5 mins and the problem would be staring you in the face.

We all get advice over the years and we all change, whether we like it or not, but the best thing we all can do is do our best in life, make the most of it, because as far as we know it is our only one, I am not worried about the after life, because I have many years ahead of me. But hey ho.

So there you go, nearly 6 months of blogs, a snap shot of how I see life, so I will keep blogging, and make the most out of life. TTFN

Half term and changes in the Nottingham bus world, Saturday 19th Febuary 2011

We have reached the half term week. The schools have broke up, so the town and city centres are going to be full of kids, MCdonalds is going to do a roaring trade, as are the cinemas and shops. The Skyline has altered in Nottingham, the the eye has been constructed, so this will dominate the Market Square for the next few weeks.

My working hours will be down this week, but I dont mind, as the extra time is welcomed, it means I can set a couple of things in to motion. More of which at a later date.

I have been at my new employer for 6 months, well it will be 6 months on wednesday to be precise, So how do I make sense of it, well I have settled in, I turn up everyday for duty, (well to be honest, in the last 10 years of working I have only had 3 days off sick), and do the job. I will be honest I do have a burning ambition, well a smoldering one, but I am happy.

In the bus news in Nottingham, Veolia, have sold the bus operation in the city to Premiere travel, and already some of the veolia vehicles have been noted on Premiere workings and vice versa, In Loughborough, some of the University of Nottingham Hoppa buses have been noted operating on the X9 service between Nottingham and Loughborough. This takes Premiere to 100 vehicles, the business was started in 2002 with just 2 vehicles and has grown steadily in that period. So it brings a chapter to an end.

Veolia's Nottingham operation originated with the Dunn-Line business, who sold in 2006. I worked for Dunn-Line between 1999 and 2002, and saw the business through its ambitious expansion phase, were the fleet grew from 100 vehicles in 1999 to 260 in 2002. It was exciting times with the company rarely out of the trade press, and you didnt know what would happen next.

After the sale due to lots of factors which I am not going to go in to, the company started to contract, with various parts of the once mighty empire sold off. This just confirms my idea that all empires either implode or naturally come to an end

You only have to look out in the wider world and look at the Roman empire, where are they now, point made I think.

I look at rapidly expanding empires in the same way as blowing up a balloon, grow to big and too quickly with out the backing and resources and the whole thing goes bang.

Maybe this should go as a warning. TTFN

Wednesday 16th Febuary 2011 Music Analysis

Well today has been just like any other day really, I woke up, got up, went to work, drove a bus for a bit and did some yard work, swept and mopped the floor, came home, thats my day in a nut shell. So, what can I go on about tonight.

Well how many of us, listen to music and use it as a theme for our lives, come on, we all know what we were doing when a particular song was in the charts. Music stimulates emotions, Some songs make us happy, and some make us sad. There are those songs, usually played over and over again, in the Disco's of those holiday concentration camps, or more commonly known as Butlins.

These songs are usually done by black lace or some other one hit wonder, and involve a dance, now in normal circumstance you would not dream of doing the dance, but in the camp it is law, "You VIL DO SA MACARENA OR YOU VIL BE SHOT". So what do you do when you get back off holiday, you go out and buy that song, in the hope that it will revive the memories, but all you really do is listen to it once, then put it in with the other cd's. One outcome is this rancid song is elevated to number one in the charts, so it is forced upon everyone. Yet there are people like me who want to shoot the TV, when the song appears on a music programme.

There must be 2 sides for the music industry, with the teen market, which dominates the charts, So spotty kids are going out buying records of other spotty kids, such as Justin Bieber,(arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh), Miley Cyrus,(please kill me), that by band lot. you get the gist,

I am one who has a select number of bands and groups I like, I will listen to older songs to revive memories, and new bands to give them a chance. I know what I like and I listen to that.

It is funny, that sometimes you find an album that discribes how you feel at a particular time, the said album, captures the mood of the time.
One album that does this for me is Third by Portishead, Now it is a very bleak, dark sounding album, full of cries for help, frustration, anguish and dispear. The voice of the singer, (Beth Gibbons), is truely haunting, with echos of Edith Piaff, Nina Simone Et al, mix this with trip hop and electronica and you get the full benefit. The album is now approach 3 year old. During its release, I was going through a relationship break up, and found the time hard going.
I had the other 2 portishead Albums, the last one had been released 11 years earlier, so naturally went and bought it. The entrie album spoke to me, and described how I felt at the time.

Now when it comes to Albums, I always tend to find track number 4 is usually the best track of the Album, right in the middle of the Album will be a very mediocre track, which you listen to once then skip after that. The last track is usually very good or very disapointing, depending on the group. I have a couple of albums I bought, played once then left for a while for that music to mature. I found this was the case with a Snow patrol album.

I use music to relax to, and have my tastes, which usually revolve round Indie british guitar bands. But I do listen to lots of other things, although the days of me avidly listening to the chart on a sunday afternoon are gone, I dont even care who is number one.

A mate of mine once said that for me to buy an album then it has to be good, well I buy my music for the long term, for my enjoyment.

So off the subject of toons,(tunes),. Next week is half term, in Nottingham the wheel is already in build, might go up in it this year, so once this is out the way, it will be the count down to easter, then before we know it, the summer will be here. time flys when you have fun, So on that note TTFN

Tuesday 15th Febuary 2011

Right, what have I been up to today?, well I have done a job to Nottingham, the weather was very cold, but I had a walk along the Trent Embankment, as always my camera accompanied me. Well I got some pictures of my employers coaches, plus, a rather posh addition to the Sharpes fleet turned up, which had been brought along, after being picked up from the spray shop.

I still have a buring ambition, and it is rather getting to me now, we all get that feeling from time to time. and it can be exciting and frustrating, as the vision and ambition is there, but the means usually not.

I told you about my orignal dream, how I intended to set up in business, maybe now is not the right time with the economy being the way it is, interest rates are set to rise again, so we will all have to sacrifice more earthly pleasures, in the name of feed, clothing ourselves and keep a roof over our heads. I have just been watching the latest of the C Veitch videos, well it was more of a rant, and I found it interesting.

Some one who I know said the other day that I had millitant views, when it came to politics, the fact of the matter is I have seen quite alot of things other the years. The images I saw aged seven everynight on the tv of the striking miners fighting against the police. Now whether you agree with the miners striking to fight for the rights, or Thatcher rounding up the police and sending them in like stormtroopers doesnt not really matter. Fact of the matter is it was not just the miners affected, whole communities were shut down as the economy of the towns and villages ground to a halt. Times were not good. This is just one example. I suppose the reason I hold politicians with contempt is down to the age old thing of people want power and when they get it they will do what it takes to keep it. I also hold the Royal family with the same contempt, I was born a free man and not a subject.

Now several hundread years ago, I would have been put to death for having those thoughts, but why should I swear alligence to someone, whos family came over to this country about a thousand years ago and took it by force, and as far as the royal wedding is concerned it is just an extra day in the pub, or if there is work I might take it so I dont have to sit in and watch it.

The fact of the matter is, if someone came in to power to run the country, and they did it for the interest of the people who voted them in through a democratic process, then they will have my support. I am anti establishment to a degree, but not in an Anachistic way, no I like change for the better, to improve things. If things didnt change we would still be believing that the Earth was flat, and lets look at it this way, Some of the religious prophets were anti establishment, Jesus went against the wishes of the elders, to the point that they saw him as a danger and had him executed. Moses was the same, although reading the story, I dont really seem Moses as a particularly nice man, but I am not saying anymore, because I dont wont to get in to a row over religion. I tolerate most peoples beliefs, we all need to live together.

So on those thoughts TTFN

Roll on Half term,

It will be half term next week, and I am not sure what I will be doing, I know a couple of week days off will be welcome, so I can get up to date with a few fleets, thus keeping my photosite up to date. I did manage to take a few shots last week, but with alot of issues to deal with in the opening months of 2011, the issues really are a throwback to 2010, a year I would rather forget.

The website I was building has taken a back seat for now, but It is my intention to combine this blogg and my photosite on to a website. Trouble is what direction do I take it, not sure at the mo.

As you can gather I am looking at self discovery, trying to find out who I am and I must admit it is interesting, I do have doubts about the path I am on in life, and I question lots of things too, which is a good thing, Just think had people never questioned things we would still be sat in a grass land banging rocks together. It is a short blogg tonight so TTFN

Sunday 13th Febuary 2011

I have been on this planet for 33 years now, done lots of things, wish I had done alot more, I do have some regrets, but we all have regrets. The what might have beens, the I wish I had done that, or done better at school. But these are past events they have happened. We have to go forward and never back, and far too many people dwell on past events.

You have family feuds, and some people hate each other because of who they are, the family name. Go and ask both sides of the feud, and chances are that they can not remember why they hate each other, It was maybe a differance of opinion many years ago, and the following generations have carried the feud on. Sometimes the feuds affect whole communities, countries, religions. Doesnt matter how you look at it, feuds stem round past events, maybe both sides need to look to the future and sort things out.

I am guilty of dwelling on the past, thinking about the what might have beens, yet not taking notice of the now. There have been times where I have reflected on the past, maybe looking back to a time where I may have liked a girl, but never did anything about, because I was scared of being rejected at the time, only to bump in to that girl, who has now become a woman, she has married and had children, made a life for her self, she lets on that she really liked me at school and wished I had asked her out.

Yes I could have been the one, but my life would be so different, maybe I would be part of a family unit, mortgaged up to my eyes, maybe I would be happy, I dont know. But It never happened, so why dwell on it.

Our society is a very complicated web of peoples lives all interlinked with each other, We all have different skills, and by working together, we make use of those skills and the skills of other people. Some of the skills are dying out, so I falls to some people to teach the next generation.

How often do you ask the question, why was I put on this planet? well the simple answer is to breed and carry on the genes, it is not the only reason though.

This last year has been an interesting one, and in some ways my life is different to how it was a year ago, It must have been a couple of years ago that I started to try and discover myself, I started by carrying a note book, to write down my thoughts, whilst on trips out. I still have this book, and several people have read it. maybe I might publish the thoughts oneday.

But back the matter in hand, time does not stand still, we are all born, we learn, we marry and start a family, we work hard, we retire and we die. This is the life cycle and yes that has been put in to mechanical terms, life is not mechanical, you can not tell your toaster your innermost thoughts, well you can but it wont listen, it is an object.

One less pleasant thing about life is, we will all lose friends, due to different reasons, Some may move on and go their separate ways, but some will pass away, and the older we get the more often it happens, and there is nothing that can prepare us for loss. Especially when that person is taken away before their time.

But there is one positive, there are lots of people out there, whose lives have not been touched by us, our future friends, the ones who we have not yet met. I remember after leaving school, and yes I was saying goodbye to lots of people who I had grown up with, within a few months I was to make friends with a new set of people, and through mediums such as Facebook, I have got back in touch with lots of people I lost contact with all those years ago. I have made some new friends too.

The true friends are the ones who, you may not see for many years, but when you do meet up, it is as if that time has not past, the common ground is still there, call it a magnetic force. One example of was when I was sat at home one night.

I was on Facebook, and thinking about who I could look up, I thought of one particular friend, who I had not seen since leaving college, so I typed in his name on to the search, but just as I was doing this a message came through, it was a friend request from the very person I was looking up, now very coincidental, even spooky, but I am so glad it happened, We have met up a few times, we both share a love of music, he has even opened my mind musically too, and I had the pleasure of attending his wedding.

So things do happen for reasons, we have to move with the times, and even though friends go their separate ways, if the bond is strong enough, then one day the paths will cross once more.

So on that note I am going for now and I hope our paths cross very soon, TTFN

Saturday 12th Feb 2011

I have been out on a job today, I nipped down to Stratford for a load of lads to play a game of Rugby, It amuses me how much people object to having a coach park on the road near their houses, "well a bus cant share the same bit of road as their BMW". Talking about buses there is are conferances regarding the future of bus services, which is a vital part of the social fabric of this country, and not a big smokey thing that gets in the way of the Lexus.



The fact is, in rural parts the bus is a vital link for people to do the shopping, go and socialise, visit the doctors, get to work, doesnt matter what the reason is, it is there, and if the bus service was withdrawn, it would have a major impact on that community. People are dubbing it the Beeching of buses, and yes the buses may mostly carry fresh air, they are still needed. I do feel passionate about it. But half of the government have probably never been on a bus, same with the bankers, so why should they care, as the nation is plundered.



A deep question for you, who makes the biggest impact on your life, to find the answer go and look in the mirror, yes it is you. I saw a little film by Stefan Molyneux last night, and it explored our selves and went it to questioning how people would remember us, I recommend watching it. Fact of the matter is, we have one life, we all live it day to day, and each day we all get older, we all make choices, which have consequences, I touched upon it slightly last night, there is no right or wrong way to live your life, but there are lots of right and wrong decisions that we all make, everyday.

Now some people go through life worrying about what will happen to them to them once this life is over, They attend church and read the bible, and good luck to these people, it is nice that they have found a path for their life to follow, However, I am not worried what will happen to me after I have departed this Earth, Life is for living, I am just trying to do the right thing every day. I dont wish to offend anyone with strong religious views, I respect those views, but we are all different, and it is important to chose that right path for you.

So it is Valentines day on Monday, and I can imagine the Restaurant owners, florists and card companies will be making a profit this week, I cant see the point in it to be honest, there are 365 other days to show that special someone love.

One last thing It was half past 5 when it got dark tonight, so spring will be here very soon and plants will start blossoming, Hopefully it will be a good spring and summer. anyway TTFN

Friday 11th febuary 2011

So a question is terrorism and fear a state of mind, well lets explore it, to a degree they can be, Before the 911, Bin Laden and his cronies were just a bunch of fanatics who were armed to the teeth by the CIA in the 80's to crush communism in Afganistan, A country that cant really be tamed, well civilisations have tried for many years. They are very manipulative people, who brainwash people in to doing their deeds. No you would not find Bin Laden straping a bomb to himself, no he persuades other people to.

A similar atrocitiy was committed in London in 2005, where nearly 70 people lost their lives, The men who did the deeds were educated men, So what went wrong, well they were going along to meetings and getting further sucked into the thinking of a cleric, who in his mind was still fighting a war that ceased many many years ago. The men were fed a very distorted ideaology, and persuaded to take action.

Now many years ago I was on a job waiting out side a school and I noticed a couple of guys standing outside recruiting young kids, now nothing wrong with people finding religion, but introduce people in the right way, let them take the path for them. All religions are guilty of forcing their ideals on others. The trouble is because of certain fanatics all people who share a particular faith are tarred with the same brush.

This is a very small planet we all live on, we have to share the space, and yes, each and every individual who share the space are unique, have their own ideas and share ideas with others. There is no true supreme race or person, we all chose differant paths, and yes there is going to be conflict of interests.

Now, several years ago, I was engaged in a interesting conversation with a muslim man, it was over a book he was reading linking science to religion, I came away from that conversation enlightened. We can learn from each other rather than bicker over a bit of desert in the middle east.

However, the fanatics use terrorism to spread fear, in the hope that people will ditch their ideals and follow this distorted ideas. The media use fear too, and unfortunately, people listen to this, and things get stupid. People become suspicious of other people, before you know it certain freedoms are removed, people engaged in activities become targets for harrasment in the name of anti terrorism laws. The people preaching the hatred just sit back while their brainwashed foot solders go out and do the deeds, and become martyrs to the cause.

We all have choices in life, and we all go down a certain path, their is no right or wrong way to live your life, but there are right and wrong choices, to guide us to the correct path for us. It is a case of living life for us, and not for someone else or a distorted idea. I am going to leave you on that one. Yes I do alot of thinking, and maybe I am wrong in some ways, but I am finding my way through life, it is my journey if you like. anyway TTFN

Thursday 10th Febuary 2011 letting off some steam

Well the frustrations continue, and it seems to be one step forward ten back, but things are moving, and hopefully by april things will be ok. Thats if the system and the government dont decide that they are going to screw things up and meddle with the industry I know and love. I have already decided who I will be voting for in the next election, and that will be a piece of dogshit on the pavement, as I think it can do a better job of running the country than all of the governments over the last put together, failing that I will vote for an independant candidate, you know the sort who is lucky to get a vote.

As far as I am concerned all of the current politicians, (with the exception of the few who actually do some good for the constituents), are a bunch of self serving failed lawyers. David Cameron has the sort of face you just want to punch, Nick Clegg is a complete sell out, who sold his beliefs down the river to get a taste of power. Milliband is a typical example of the next generation of champagne socialist. Nick Griffin is just a biogotted twat. I still believe that to become electable, all parties have to move to the centre. So If the EDL or BNP were to get in to power, then alot of their policies would go out the window.

I do respect the views of everyone else, and to be honest I do like discussions with people who may not agree with my views, after we are all differant, we are all divine individuals who have something to offer the world, I keep reminding myself of the fact, when something goes wrong or I feel low about myself. I Have lots of things to offer the world but I do lack self confidence, this does hold me back in lots of ways, and as a result alot of opportunities do pass me by, I also get emotionally attached to things, such as my car.

There was a time when I was planning my next part of life, I had plans to start a small coach business, I wanted max of 4 motors and employ drivers who I knew and trusted, I would sit and think about the colour schemes of the coaches, nice dream, however, I looked at the market in Nottingham and found it to be very cut throat, I would have had to found a niche. So what went wrong with the plan.

Well a couple of operators set up who undercut everyone else, making rubbish returns for the operator, The sort of driver I wanted just wasnt their, or already happily employed. Then there was the issues with my then employer, which due to several factors expanded and started to contract, I also learned what can happen with the authorities. So the dream may come true one day, or it may just remain a dream. Our own fate is in our own hands.

We are all differant, but we are constantly dragged by society, through the tabloid newspaers, telling us all what we should think, or magazines telling us all how we should look, we have our place, but what if we dont want to take that place.

I read about a man who got bored with the daily grind of things so he sold the house, and alot of belongings to by an old lorry convert it in to a home and travel round. I think what a brave man, He travelled round europe and when he got fed up with a place he moved on, to earn money he did some odd jobs. The man was no pikey that you see travelling round in a scruffy transit pickup with a caravan on the back. No he was a proper traveller who took pride in his home. I think what a lucky man. Isnt it great to be free to live like that, we all could live like that, but how many are brave to turn their back on society and say I am going my own way.

No society has a way of shunning those who are differant and refuse to follow the main stream. Lets look at it this way, 400 years ago, if you had differant religious views or disagreed with the church, then you were branded a heratic and burned alive at the stake. So we do live in more enlightened times, but we still have to be careful what we write sometimes or what we research in to. There are many theorists on lots of things as well as the wikileaks thing. I do believe that things are kept from us, but If we were to know some of those things then we might get freaked out, but there is no smoke without fire.

It is quest for knowledge, but to gain the bigger picture then it is case of read both sides of the story.

So It has been a thoughtful night, but I am looking within myself to move to the next step in life, so watch this space. anyway take care and I will talk soon. TTFN

The art of spotting and collecting

What is it about, vehicles registration numbers and fleet numbers. Those who are not in the know a fleet number, is carried on the vehicle for identification purposes, usually for the purpose of allocation, fuelling and maintenance.

They are also used by spotters so they can bag the buses, and mark them off. Now we go into alsorts of subcultures, of spotters I will talk about those later.

Now where did spotting originate, hmm good question, I am sure most people started off by collecting train locomotive numbers, and it was quite a popular pastime among schoolboys and a few schoolgirls in the 1950's. Publications were made and sold on railway stations containing lists of numbers so these kids could tick off the numbers. Collecting Steam loco numbers died, out after the last steam loco was withdrawn, or did it????. Not really, as alot of these people clubbed together to form preserved railways, but I will talk about these another time.

People also collected numbers from buses, British roadservices lorries, tramcars, the same publishers cottoned onto this and produced books, and clubs formed to record the movements of the vehicles from fleet to fleet, the wealth of knowledge contained is better than the computer kept by the DVLA.

So we have the spotters, and we also have the subcultures. There are those who go round chasing particular types of vehicles, there are those who chase a particular group operator. Doesnt really matter, it keeps them entertained. Now these people or to use the common term bashers, usually have a language of their own, and the antics performed by some can be interesting. But they are harmless.

The bashers also form social groups, and probably go out drinking together, it is not like the stereotypical image, the social misfit who has no friends.

Now collecting is part of human nature, going back to the times of the huntergatherer, having a trophy of a conquest. Now how many reading this collected things in younger days, the person who said they didnt is a liar. Some of the things I have collected over the years have included matchbox cars, photographs, action man figures, and the number one item which caused many a battle of the playground, which echoed to the "got got got need got got", yes the Pannini football stickers. Now there were stickers for the world cup, in my case mexico 86, and Italia 90, and particular players commanded a higher palyground value. Michelle Platini, Pele, Peter Shilton, Chris Hoddle,Waddle and Gary Liniker, all commanded high values, the kid who had these as swops ruled the playground, the sky was the limit as we all very quickly learned demand and supply at a very early age.

Then came the day, when one of the kids completed his collection, ( yes it was a boys thing, girls collected my little ponys or some other girly bollocks), and announced that he was going to bring in his carrier bag full of swops, (yes it was highly addictive and almost as bad as doing drugs), and there was to be a scramble at playtime, everyone for themselves. So word would get round, people would be trying to do the deal to get that sticker they want, but no they will have to wait. Everyone would watch the clock. half and we would go out side.

All the boys would occupy a corner of the playground, the kickabout would stop, you could cut the atmosphere with a knife and out he would come, carrier bag hidden under the coat, as this was technically against the rules,(Ive suddenly gained weight Miss)". So everyone would gather, he would put his hand in the bag and pick out a handful of stickers, all of a sudden the cry of Scramble would be heard and all hell would break loose.

So the next few minutes is total carnege as noone is spared in the scrum, The teachers would notice and come and break it up, the few remaining stickers which would be left would be confiscated and the bell would ring for lessons to resume. Ahh the memories. It was a laugh and taught us all a vital lesson in the law of the jungle and a doggy dog world where to survive you had to have bigger teeth.

We have all moved on from those days, but the habit of collecting is still there, and it is linked to spotting, It keeps people entertained and totally harmless.

Anyway happy bashing and spotting ttfn

Sunday 06 Febuary 2011 What a weekend where has it gone??

Well After the events of last week, which brought worry about personal security, I decided to go to the shed where I keep the bus. Some other members were working on various vehicles in the shed, I just got on and scanned in some slides for the archives, I did blast the bus with some more febreeze, it is losing the moldy old wreck smell.

I spent the rest of the day after leaving the yard visiting a couple of friends who I havent seen in a very long time, and got back home after midnight, well more like 1am.

Today I had originally planned to pop in to Nottingham to try and get a few photos of the National Express coaches owned by Yourbus, but having been commendeered by mother to take her to B&Q, the object of the mission was to purchase a mirror and some other bits and bobs. I got watching an episode of the ITcrowd followed by Nathan Barley and the inbetweeners, and the afternoon was gone.

I have a busy week ahead of me, but I do intend to try and capture some of the Veolia, or is that Ex Veolia vehicles used on the University hoppa service. I need to capture more vehicles on flim, so I can sell copies. I am also going to start photographng lorries in the hope that people will want these pictures too.

I do have an ambition and idea which is driving me crazy at the mo, but it will take alot of effort to get there, and at the mo I need to strengthen my current strengths and opportunites.

So there you have it, keep it real and believe

Friday 04 Febuary 2011

Well it has been a very frustrating week, to start off I logged on to Facebook, to find someone had attempted to hack into my account, obviously to gain personal information, as a result, I have had to change my passwords and recheck personal details on their. One word of advice, if you have a Facebook account, make sure you dont put, your home address, phone numbers and other highly confidential information. My Hotmail account is going to be deleted very soon and replaced with another account, as everytime I try to log on to MSN it freezes up on me.

Other frustrations was that I went to get some cash, and found that my bank card was missing, now it could have dropped out of my pocket, or could be somewhere at home. I had last used it a weeks previous, it is usually on my person. So again the old card has been cancelled, there were some transactions which were unknown, so whilst these issues are being dealt with my account is temporarliy frozen, meaning until the new card arrives I cant get my money. Bugger.

Now I also received a letter from the tax people informing me that according to their records I could be between jobs, another matter that needs resolving, how come these things come to light at night/weekend or times you cant get to the office to sort the matter out. So where does this leave me. Well I suspect some of the things are the result of identity theft, unfortunately some payments have been made using the card, such as to pay a bill on line.

This is just typical of my life at this particular juncture of life, it is a case of one step forward and ten back, it is really frustrating as I have done my best to lay lots of ghost to rest, resolve alot of problems. But heyho, the ghosts will always try and get you, and drag you back, well try to.

Apart from the stress of the above I have been busy with work, and I am looking forward to a weekend off work, So time to resolve a few things, just dont need the stress. I am going to go for now, TTFN

Thursday 03 Febuary 2011

So the government are swinging their guillotine of cuts, now it is the turn of public transport, So people who need vital links so they can do the shopping, collect the pensions etc, could be losing the bus services, So the control of the government tightens it grasp, while the people who voted and pay the taxes,( to keep these elitist scumbags in power), suffer. It reminds me of Animal Farm, they are the pigs, we are all the other animals, trouble is the other animals revolt.

So I have no faith in this government, well neither do alot of other people. I think the government should make the cuts in their priviledges, rather than making everyone suffer for other governments past mistakes, our only crime is that we vote the bastards in every 5 years.

I am in a bit of a moany mood for tonight, I was watching a music video by some youngish American woman called Kesha, and apart from having the sort of voice which absolutely grates on me. The Vid was promoting the typical Yank, think of number, go out and party, dancing in the street sort of bollocks. The teens buy the records, but the real evil people are the music producers and the executives of the Disney channel. I wonder if all american teenage girls talk in an irritating way and go shopping at the mall.

I have been hacked recently with someone attempting to get in to my facebook account, the person was in Latin America, so all I can hope is that where every they are I just hope they get killed in a hurricane, or the drug baron gets them.

So it is friday tomorrow, and I have the weekend off, I dont know what I will be doing saturday night, as there is a load of crap on the tv. Well the 6 nations start so I might watch the match.

So I will talk soon TTFN

Tuesday 01 Feb 2011

So we have now moved in to month of feb, 2010 is gradually disappearing in to the distance, along with the rest of the past, the nights are drawing out, and it was dusking at 17:15 as I drove through Charles Street in Leicester. Spring will be here soon, and I am making plans to make the most out of this year, to make up for last year, which went quickly but nothing seemed to be achieved.

There is a school reunion coming up and I am half wondering whether to attend or not, It is nice to catch up with people, and see where the journey of life has taken them, but sometimes things from school days are better off left there, such as arguments past crushes. The trouble is we all move on from those days and sometimes to go back to those days be very awkward. The reunion is not for a couple of months, so I might see how I feel closer to the day.

So has anything else really happened, we not really, but sometimes a quiet time can be a good thing.

One last thing, I signed on to my Facebook account to find I had a message saying someone had attempted to access my account from Latin America, So I have had to reset a couple of things, I would like to say that this sort of thing is bad, and if they are trying to nick my identity then they can get stuffed, They are probably using it for no good things, such as drugs or arms. Lets hope they get their commupence.

Any way TTFN