A friend showed me some flying suit & base jumping videos recently that inspired me to go looking for others, and so I did, the one I’m gonna drop below I selected for 2 reasons…
A) I fell in love with the song when I heard it; Sail – Awolnation
B) The title of the video is pretty much summed up in several parts, my personal favourite is 1:35

As he says himself in the video he cut it pretty close back there…. 

p.s. If you get the chance, I’d head over to youtube and watch it in HD

A Google Street View / Robot inspired stop motion short;

Okay so this one is another gem I’ve picked up in the last few days, and it’s somebody that’s made a stop motion video using google street view, and it has a story behind it. Incredibly well made and stitched together.  Full details can be found on the Youtube channel, including details of where to find the song, director etc.

Google Street View stop motion animation short made as a personal project by director Tom Jenkins.

Story: A lonely desk toy longs for escape from the dark confines of the office, so he takes a cross country road trip to the Pacific Coast in the only way he can — using a toy car and Google Maps Street View.

Well I’m placing a reasonably save bet that I’m the first member of hooded badger to post some content from a Virgin Train!

For anybody interested theres Free WiFi on most Virgin services from now until 28th Feb curtsy of Google, sponsored by Google Chrome, which is a fantastic way of promoting their new (proportionally) browser, and trying to increase its market share.  It’s something i do hope they decide to carry on in non-holiday periods, as it’s a service already provided for free by Google in many airports, train stations, and certain airlines (again Virgin Atlantic included).

Anyway, enough about how I’m posting this and more about posting something.  So I’ve stayed up through the night once more, to try and complete a Java Lab/Assignment, with a fairly decent success rate in the end it has to be said, however it’s the second night in a row. not to mention having worked the last 2 days… Oh and deciding to (learn to) play Squash Tuesday, and play 5-aside last night.  Great exercise, not so great for the whole staying awake during the day business.  Alas I resort to Coffee and high energy snacks, Jaffa Cakes.  After all I wouldn’t want to fall asleep on the train and miss my stop On an aside how the hell did it suddenly get so cold again, it was -8º in Bangor at 5:30am!

I came across a Motivational picture however that pretty much sums up my mood so I’ll share it with you;

So thats my mood, excited for this evening, Exams over, Assignments done, New semester/new Modules on Monday, and I’m off out tonight.  There is one thing though, the amount of time i spent on Java RMI’s, Sockets, and Internetworking.  I now want to practice the skills *head desk*

(SleepDeprived) Ash

Sounds rather like an Underworld track, doesn’t it. Or maybe that’s just my slightly hazy decent music influenced way of thinking right now, but more on Underworld later.

So, I’ve been back on British soil for almost exactly two weeks. Now seems like a good point to make a post on here, it has been a while afterall. For the record, it doesn’t feel like two weeks. Nothing like it, nothing like it at all. Double that and you’re still not close; I think this says a lot about how great of a time I had out there. In fact, it’s been a real drag getting back into the swing of things. Anyhow, I’m back now so time to smile, nod and just get on with what needs to be done. The good times were great, and no matter how much work I have to do they wont fade from memory, so it’s not at all bad.

How was it? Well…

Let’s start at the top, well almost. Ignoring the fact I landed in Hong Kong for an evening as that’s a bit irrelevant since I returned later, Beijing was first. *Culture shock*. Wow. So you get off the train and it’s complete and utter chaos, people everywhere, cars everywhere, the noise, the smells, sensory overload. That’s Dongzhimen station for you. The odd thing being, this is quite accessible for the Western tourist; leave this area and it all changes, lots. Now I won’t ramble on too much, I find pictures speak more than words, just like the age old saying. So head on over to my Flickr page (when I get the photos uploaded). However, imagine that you can’t speak to anyone because they wont understand you, you can’t understand them either, you can’t read anything, nothing makes any sense, you don’t even know what all these shops are. Yehhh, that’s China. It’s nuts. That said, it was an experience that I’m very glad to have had; it may not be one I want to repeat any time soon though. The bureaucracy, my god, that’s ridiculous – for anyone that doesn’t believe me, you so much as try and transfer through PEK airport, then you’ll understand. I have more stamps than the Royal Mail…

Things I learnt in China:

• Expect the unexpected.
• You will encounter things like boiled duck/rabbit heads, shark and turtle on the menu.
• Don’t cross the road with earphones in. You will almost certainly die – I learnt by the third occasion.
• Ignore the world, concentrate on what you’re doing.
• Don’t question, and certainly don’t question out loud.
• Be aware that everywhere you go you will see a dozen PLA vans.
• That the police don’t give a shit about anyone, regardless of age, what’s happened, or who’s seen it.
• That if the police are there (yes, them again) then everyone else is powerless, or woe betide them. – Fear doesn’t breed contempt, it breeds uncertainty and complacency.
• Drink lots of water.
• If you find someone trying to sell you a waving Chairman Mao watch, buy it because you might not get another chance.
• That Mao is everywhere, yes everywhere. Yes even there. He’s watching you. Yes, even when you’re doing that. He knows all.

Leaving China was a pleasant experience. When you first land you (well I did anyway) have this feeling of “oops, I’ve bitten off more than I can chew here” as you breeze past the military outposts by the runway filled with troops. So when you board a Korean Air aircraft with it’s big comfy seats, decent entertainment system and pleasant cartoon characters, colour and general happiness it feels damn good. Like really good!

Korea.

Cool. Just cool. Lovely welcome at the airport, everyone is so friendly! Even customs. You board a coach, and it’s got massive leather seats, they recline too. You sit back and watch some super brightly coloured tv programme on the massive tv that’s on the coach, watching the bright neon lights go past. Bliss. You arrive in Daegu, and ok it’s humid but getting a taxi is easy; they even comprehend what you’re on about, or at least where you want to go. Everywhere is relaxed, the roads are civilised and ordered (unlike Beijing) and it’s colourful too. I know I’m harping on about the colour, and yes Beijing was colourful, but this is so different – it’s colourful because they want it to be colourful and it’s neon too. Anyway, I got across Daegu fine and dandy and was welcomed by Cat which was ace, I’m sure you may realise. A British person who understands my Northern accent, bliss! Anyway, yes caught a taxi all by myself, clever boy all growed up.

I’ll write more later, let’s face it that’s only the first part of the journey. It is however late and I want to sleep. I’m testing my next participant in a matter of hours afterall, ugh!