North face of shopping

Well its been a couple of weeks since my last blog/journal thing.

Like Gibbs on NCIS I do sometimes wonder what a blog is for, web log as it really should be known. I don't blog everyday as I use things like twitter and face book, but I feel a good long blog helps the soul. Well helps my soul at any rate.

And who does read this, my version of the world, what I am up to, what I enjoy etc.

This past couple of weeks have been fun. Archery plays a role now in my life and last Sunday (7th August 09 just in case) I went to my third archery competition. It is - as I have said - amazingly calming, mind clearing and just fun. Shooting at 80 yards was a first, not brill as yet but not a complete mess. 108 shots, 487 scored a personal best of course. Wonderful day, great weather, great company around me.

So what else has happened. Well Maddie had her 7th birthday - Steve and Carlys daughter. Plus they have a new puppy Logan (and if the name is for that Logan the runner then wonderful). That will be a full household and yes we will go to visit. Oh yes and English cricket had its ups and downs as normal with the Ashes.

And I hear someone ask (I hope anyway) what does the title mean. Well it means I went to North Face at Cheshire Oaks and found a few things to buy. That's not difficult for me really. New shirt for archery (green), new daypack (green) and canvas jeans (green). Green is the new black or white.

Also I will be spending the day at Edgebaston 20/20 cricket, watching the two semi's and a final. I will blog on that later.

Time to wander now. Oh yes and films. A few to see, GI Joe, Harry P and a couple of others. More later.

Archery dramatics for the weekend

Another weekend and some very interesting events.

Amateur dramatics on a Saturday night. What does amateur mean? Well considering that Sir Patrick Moore considers himself an amateur is odd. He is one of the most knowledgeable people in Astronomy. So what does amateur really mean.

Well to me it means just people who are not paid for what they enjoy. So watching my sister enjoy her first performance was quite something. "Sailor Beware" is an old play set around the 50's.

My sister played the comic part but very straight which as people may or may not understand is very difficult. To have comic timing whilst not laughing is not easy. I was I admit impressed by how well such people put on such a play without all the dramatics around them. Simple, easy, no problems great fun.

My sister did a great job, in my humble view.

So amateur dramatics , people doing what they love for no pay, just like many others, and some do it very well.

Well what did I do this weekend. Three days of archery. A little bit of searching for replacement items like a new digital phone (not replacing my iPhone nothing could). The old land line phone had many issues not least I could not hear many people, which could be a blessing.

As for my archery, each session was indoors which at this time of year I was hoping for more sun or at least less rain. However indoors gave me the opportunity to concentrate on my technique, letting the archery flow. Its more than just a physical element of the sport its in the mind as well. And is it a sport? Not to me. It was a military weapon, a way of hunting, a desire to ensure countries could keep themselves safe, defend whatever. At Agincourt it was deadly. Very deadly.

Now it does something for me. It relaxes, focuses, gets me to exercise and most all is fun.

Archery is much more than just how to draw a bow, what poundage you need, the draw length. Its seeing that string drawn, feeling the power in the bow, looking at the one spot on the target, waiting that one moment longer.

Then the power, all transferred back to the bow, the arrow in flight, the moment when its there then hitting the target. Seconds.

So did I enjoy my weekend. Of course. It was pleasurable relaxing enjoyable and fun. I feel a poem coming on.

Now for the week ahead, the normal mixture of meetings, managing and with a fair wind completion of a few tasks.

So another blog or diary ends. What with twitter, Face book, myspace, yahoo etc I am glad I express myself so deeply in each.

A Sunday Post

Its been a few weeks since I last blogged, well wrote here at least.

What have I been doing one may wonder (and that maybe only one person who wonders) and I do wonder that myself. A couple of Saturday's ago I spent the day at the clubs first outdoor archery competition of the year. It was amazing fun watching 30 archers standing on the line loosing off arrows. My first time at this competition which is an American shooting 30 arrows at 60, 50 and 40 yards. I set myself a target (550) and after the first two rounds had reached about half way. The conditions were not bad, but the wind always seems to have a say where we are and a couple of 5's could have been 7's. (To those who have no idea what I am going on about here search for GNAS rounds outdoor) So the final round 40 yards and needing to up my scoring. Without making a motion picture here down to the last 6 arrows and needing 43 to make my target (adds tension here) I hit a blue (5 points) drama! Of course as I approached the target had I reached my required score? As the Hitch-Hikers guide said - Stress and tension is bad - so to ease the reader (if there are any) of course I reached my target and passed it.

So what else I have been doing. Watched Night at the Museum 2. Not bad film, nice gentle comedy well put together a good family view. Looking forward to a few films Transformers for one, maybe Public enemy , 2012 and The Last Airbender (looks interesting).

Now a few spoilers here so if you have not seen Torchwood Don't Read On!!!

This last week has seen Torchwood: Children of Earth shown everyday. Brave, bold, different or sadly lacking in a few places? It just did not have that all round grab for me. Some bits I found made no sense. Why try and kill Capt Jack with a bomb inside him when sending it by parcel post would have been easier. The timing of the explosion was just right - why not wait and remotely blow him up? OK so these are plot designs or holes - you choose.

It sort of worked and sort of did not. The last episode worked, but if the Doctor had been there would he have allowed Jack's son to die? OK that's the difference you are all shouting (the one of you is at least). Torchwood has grit, is different, hits hard(ish) and has adult themes. To me this was more an adult version of Quatermass which may have fitted its aims.

Well hopefully there will be another series, at least a new set for Torchwood or will we find that lost base. Who knows.

The Ashes has started - cricket to those who dont know - and the first test is almost complete. It could be a long hard summer , very very hard.

Off to watch the F1 now and see if Button can get another win.

Enjoy