Innercity Sumo

THAT'S IT MAN IT's GAME OVER MAN IT's GAME OVER

2006-11-06T19:44:00.000Z

I am moving the whole blog over to http://innercitysumo.wordpress.com

for really boring reasons which if I explain will make me sound like a geek. Which I am not. I am too cool for skool ....daddio. Shit, I have gone and shattered the illusion of Fonzy like cool.

anyway those regular fans which I believe probably number two (big shout out to punch and liam) should follow me there.

Ta ra for now.

Alphabety Spaghetti

2006-10-29T22:55:00.000Z

A leisurely Sunday stroll in Hyde Park today in the company of swans. Apparently can break a man's arm with a wing flap. Dunno if that's true, but I certainly wouldn't mess. Specially as seeing as killing a swan is treason and you get a paddling from the Queen. Then you get inappropriately commented on by the Duke of Edinburgh.

Starting the weekday set of nights from tomorrow, which isn't all bad. As the hospital has a skeleton staff, your job is to hold the fort until the morning when everyone else takes over. Even if you do become slightly bonkers and delirious by day 3 due to lack of sleep and food. However I shall attempt to stave off boredom by trying a much simplified version of Bill Drummond's (from the KLF) musical diet. He listens to bands starting with A for one year, then B for another year then etc. He is upto L (I think). The theory is that you listen to more varied music and you appreciate it more, seeing as you won't get to hear any more Ace of Base for another 26 years. My own version shall involve listening to bands beginning with A for 1 day on my iPod, then B etc. I appear to have 17.4 days of music on my iPod, and I can't have listened to more than half of it. It'll be interesting.

Hyde Park: Pests the lot of them

Dinosaur at Natural History Museum

This Country

2006-10-23T19:22:00.000+01:00

Back on nights over the weekend. Although Friday was fairly quiet, Saturday and Sunday night were much busier. Thanks to split night rota, I have to go back to days from tomorrow until the end of the week then do 4 nights. Alan Partridge sums up how I feel about all of this.

London Traffic

2006-10-17T19:51:00.000+01:00

I was listening to the first track off Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds whilst coming home through London Bridge station. Seemed strangely appropriate. So here it is.

No one would have believed, in the last years of the
nineteenth century, that human affairs were being watched from the timeless worlds
of space.

No one could have dreamed we were being scrutinized, as someone with a microscope
studies creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water. Few men even considered
the possibility of life on other planets and yet, across the gulf of space, minds
immeasurably superior to ours regarded this Earth with envious eyes, and slowly and
surely, they drew their plans against us.

Lift with a view

2006-10-16T17:26:00.000+01:00

Following a request from justanotheraussiebogan I shall attempt to update my blog at least every other day. Lets see how long it lasts. Anyway, here is a photo of the sign of my flat, from the lift.

Beach Life

2006-10-10T00:25:00.000+01:00

I whizzed off to Newquay in Cornwall for a long weekend. Got there on the good ole National Express on a rather unconfortable 7 hour overnight journey. We did all the usual tourist stuff of going to the Eden Project and the village of Padstow. all you food afficianados (or tv food gluttons) may know Padstow as the home of celebrity fish cook man Rick Stein. We ate at his cafe and I have to say that the plaice I had there was amazing. Rick Stein's Seafood Restaurant has a £28 monkfish vindaloo. 28 bloody pounds! You can't beat a 6 pound dubiously named meat saag from the local curry house if you ask me. I think my some of my Newquay photos have turned out rather nice, hence I've blogged almost half of them. Check out the flickr set by clicking either on the photos or on this link. Ta ra funboys

Newquay Beach

Point Break types off to surf

Newquay - Britain's Las Vegas

Eden Projects Biomes - presumably so called cos biodome is trademarked

Ou es l'office de tourisme? - Padstow

Dance Magic Dance.
You remind me of the girl
What girl?
The girl with the power, the power of voodoo
Who do?
etc.

Celebrate Good Times Come on

2006-09-30T23:18:00.000+01:00

This woman is very excited as our broadband is up and running, so my updates will be more frequent. Working this weekend so limited photo oppurtunities at the moment.

2006-09-24T19:27:00.000+01:00

Just a few pics from the Thames Festival last weekend with the parade. I must have annoyed the chap in front by repeatedly firing my flash in his direction.

On the blogging road

2006-09-19T19:55:00.000+01:00

With the broadband still down as we cancel our account with Wanadoo and restart it with someone else, I am currently using the free wifi at the pub in Great Dover Street. Having finished nights last week, my body clock was still somewhat joe mangled but went to Kingston on the weekend and ended watching Little Miss Sunshine in the cinema. It is a very good film and I recommend it. It made me laugh out loud repeatedly and hysterically at certain points. On Sunday, it was the London Duathlon in Kingston Park, which resulted in me ignoring the deer which smelt somewhat of wee, and instead taking photos of cyclists.

South by Southwestern

2006-09-09T18:31:00.000+01:00

The flat broadband is still not working, with Wanadon't and BT passing the buck between themselves. Hence the big gap between entries. Anyway, here's a photo of the train.

Blogging from the Burbs

2006-08-31T15:00:00.000+01:00

A flying visit back home to Ma & Pa's and an opportunity to use their functioning broadband. So a few pics from Notting Hill carnival which was very busy. I was sober as I was on call the next day, so no opportunity to drink gallons of red stripe, eat jerk chicken and rice and beans then fall asleep next to some "seriously fierce sound system and dance and t'ing"

Orange/Wanadoo is Bum and Wee

2006-08-26T14:46:00.000+01:00

The broadband hasn't been working for 2 weeks due to orange being suboptimal. Hence the lack of updates. Sorry. Normal service will resume when we get our broadband back. This is coming atcha on location from the Apple Store in Regent Street. Ok love you bye bye.

Photos from the Train

2006-08-08T23:01:00.000+01:00

Canary Wharf in ebony and ivory

And Canary Wharf in glorious technicolour

Over the last seven days I have worked 73 hours. So that's from zero hours to seventy-three hours. I did snap these shots of Canary Wharf from my train as it comes in to London Bridge.

People are Rubbish!

2006-08-05T23:29:00.000+01:00

A bit busy this week with my first week at work. I bought a bike for the cycle from the flat to the station then after arriving in Kent, from the station to the hospital. Although its inexpicable why chavs and drunks are fascinated by the bike and try and make me swerve or chase after it screaming "I got you! I got you!"

I've been working this weekend, so its been exceptionally irritating when you have been working for the last 13 hours and you just want to get home. Waste of space the lot of them.

The Elephant in the Room

2006-07-29T22:17:00.000+01:00

And the penguin couldn't understand why no-one was talking about the elephant in the room.

Quiet night in today. I sprained my ankle at touch and now am hobbling around my flat. So a photo of stuff around the flat.

An All New Episode of Innercity Sumo..

2006-07-28T22:27:00.000+01:00

Actually coming at you from the innercity this time. I have moved in most of my stuff so I thought I'd delight you all with a view of the neighbours. And a view of Londinium from the Eye.

The view from my new living room

London, Londinium...

He's leaving home

2006-07-25T00:50:00.000+01:00

I have now officially moved from the parental abode in suburbia to central London. Expect my photos to contain more European backpackers from now on. And Antipodeans.

Anyway today I finally got round to going on the London Eye. At the top of the "flight" (as British Airways insist on calling it) you can see the arch of the still unfinished Wembley Stadium. Aussie builders eh? No wonder seeing as they are in this state most of the time.

The London Eye - 100% British

We Become Sillhouettes

Through the Eye

A Cold Dead Stare

2006-07-21T00:23:00.000+01:00

It's a mannequin's head.

Another super productive day. I watched Back to the Future III. Not the best of the trilogy but highly entertaining nonetheless. The best one of course ends with "Roads? Where we're going? We don't need roads!"

The Golden Generation

2006-07-20T23:18:00.000+01:00

England's world cup in image form. Photographic pictionary if you will.

Technorati Tags: worldcup

Oxford Heat

2006-07-19T22:35:00.000+01:00

I have just got back from a couple of days in Oxford in staggering heat. 32 degrees, its hotter than the bloody sun. Did all the usual wondering around the colleges and staring at oddly dressed people like a white man in an african dress wearing slippers. I'm all for dressing uniquely but there's really no need for that. Also we got to laugh at goths dressed in black on the hottest day of the year. I always feel like grabbing them and saying "Teen angst is so overrated. Life really isnt that bad. Once you get out of puberty things get better."

Also went to the Oxford Natural History Museum, which has skeletons of (amongst other things) a T-Rex and the Dodo (which featured in Alice in Wonderland). Lewis Carrol made up stories for an 11 year old girl called Alice (Wikipedia here). Turns out he may have been the original Paul Gadd.

Stained Glass Window in Christchurch Chapel

Magdalen College

T-Rex in the museum: JURASSIC PARK!

Is That a Column in Your Pocket Or Are You Just Pleased to See Me?

2006-07-14T19:10:00.000+01:00

I went wandering around London and was in Trafalgar Square around dusk. It's now pigeon free and Nelson is looking cleaner since they scrubbed all the crap off him.

For the last few days I have been amusing myself with the rather amusing Adam & Joe Podcast. Click here to have a look yourself.

Football is dead

2006-07-03T12:23:00.000+01:00

Well-ah. The World Cup is over. England is out and deservedly so on the grounds we were rubbish. After wallowing in self pity for 24 hours we all went off to a Islamic Music Festival in Kew Gardens. Where a salami bagel and wine and Pimms and lemonade were consumed, in keeping with Islamic law. And a jolly good time was had by all.

Ultimate Frisbee - Now officially better than football since England lost

A Big Salaam All Round

The Temperate House

Looking Down

Kew Pagoda

Love and Marriage

2006-06-29T09:51:00.000+01:00

I was off to my second wedding in a month (obviously not mine, I am no Elizabeth Taylor) near Shrewsbury. It was amazing, with the reception in a big marquee with a céilidh. It was accompanied by English folk music and was very entertaining.

There was a staggering amount of booze and an ale brewed just for the occasion. It was a wedding after my own heart.

This was followed by three days in Birmingham, watching Another Tepid England Display (TM) and eating curry and drinking brummie ale. But is wasn't all working on the beer belly. We walked around the canals and also went to Warwick castle. The itinery of the day was as follows:

1pm - Leave Birmingham

1:45pm - Arrive at Warwick Castle Car park

2pm - arrive at Warwick Castle. Find out it costs 16 pounds. Calculate the amount of beer that each of us paying 16 pounds can buy. Try to stand at the fence and learn for free.

2:05pm - Give up learning for free. Walk around Warwick instead

2:15pm - Look at castle from neighbour garden. Mock people inside paying 16 pounds. Silly tourists.

2:25pm - Eat tea and scones. Hmmmm. Lovely

4pm - Go to the pub and watch Australia vs Italy

5:47pm - Be slightly scared by angry Australian when they lose.

5:48pm - Mock Australian when he goes home. Talk about how this represents the " ripping heart out, and stamping on it repeatedly before weeing on it" aspect of footy at it worst. Go home.

Charles Darwin Statue in Shrewsbury. Another wise bearded man

Warwick Castle - from outside

Selfridges building in Birmingham. Close up to the MAX

Selfridges building in Birmingham - further out

Brummie Barges

Book 'em Danno!

2006-06-21T23:44:00.000+01:00

Monsieur with this 2nd post you are really spoiling us. This note is at my local Underground station and shows us two things:

1. If it ain't screwed down someone will nick it

2. If you really must break the law don't do it at an Underground Station

Although I would have been seen on CCTV taking a photo of the note. Hopefully this does not mean suspicion is hanging over me and the police kick my door down and accuse me of plant stealing whilst in drag. I am not a klepto. Honest.

The Animals Went in...

2006-06-21T23:32:00.000+01:00

A day trip down to Laaahndaahn Zoo today. Lots of excellent "looking at animals" action, as well as what can only be described as a misguided attempt by an Okapi to woo his lady, whilst being stared at by a gaggle of tourists and schoolkids. Only he didn't have the excuse of "sorry luv, I have had a few too many. Maybe next time eh."

I think zoo animals have it easy. No predators, someone feeds them and they get to sleep all day. The only price they pay is some E-numbered up sprog screaming "Urrgh, he's doing a poo!" when he is dropping the kids off at the pool as it were.

Giraffe Head and Zebra Arses

Look at him. Off his face on booze. Nothing else to do really

Bone idle. Obviously overdid the Frosty's this morning

Bow down before the might of the England juggernaut!

2006-06-16T23:39:00.000+01:00

Another England match another tepid display. I have decided that the fault for the repeated disappointment lies with the media. After banging on about "The Greatest Team to Leave These Shores" (TM) and "The Best Midfield in the World...Ever" for the last 6 months we have all been brainwashed into believeing we were quite good. In reality, we are uncreative and lump it to the big man. Watching the Argies obliterate Serbia and Montenegro merely underlined this fact. Hopefully we can sort it out but you never know.

Innercity Sumo reserves the right to ficklely change his opinion and state that he knew all along that England would win/do well if this does occur.

Urban Cross of St. George

On the Outside Looking in

Joe Strummer of the Clash. If he was a stencil

You didn't miss much, apparently it was an own goal

2006-06-13T22:15:00.000+01:00

I went off to a wedding over the weekend and missed England crushing Paraguay one nil. I did however watch a video tape of the game at two in the morning, absolutely munted off my face on booze and have very little recollection about the events. Apparently we were poor. At least now all the ridiculous optimism about how this is our year (forty years of hurt blah blah etc) will be put to tempered with a bit of realism. After the first round matches, the Argies and the Italians are looking very strong.

Anyway on the way back, I took this photo out the car window. Its near Stonehenge.

Boof! Eat My Goal!

2006-06-07T14:50:00.000+01:00

I bought the World cup footy to replace my ball which my mate hoofed into an wreckers yard. The World Cup starts in two days. I am ludicrously excited. I will be missing England vs Paraguay due to a wedding. Some people....

Sun A-Rise Early in the Mornin'

2006-06-06T21:34:00.000+01:00

An early morning trip to the Heathrow Airport (as in 5am early) to meeting Sumo's infinitely better half, fresh off the plane from NZ. As you can see the photo, Heathrow looks beautiful at 5 in the morning. I love the smell of aviation fuel in morning!

Also did a bit of wandering around London, pretending to know where I was going and pointing at the sights and making up facts. Much like the The Best Tour of Mount Maunganui Ever (TM) which was my staple. Admittedly my tour of London involved walking to the London Eye and back. But you get what you pay for.

Graffiti courtesy of Banksy

Bicycle Bicycle Bicycle

2006-06-03T10:44:00.000+01:00

I want to my bicyle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like.

The wise words of a moustachioed troudabour. I am still stunned that Freddy Mercury was gay, what with that 'tache, the yellow jacket with the straps and being a member of a band called Queen. It was a bolt from the blue I can tell you.

A Bunch of Danny Devitos

2006-06-01T20:03:00.000+01:00

A Bunch of Danny Devitos
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

An oldie from when I was in Japan of Arctic penguins outside Osaka Aquarium. One is a bit bored and is giving himself a good scratch and one is confused. No doubt wondering why his iceberg has been replaced by fake ice and all he can hear is Jingle Bells.

There must be something wrong with sticking a group of arctic birds outside a Japanese aquarium.

Oi! Heed! Move! Look at the size of his noggin!

2006-05-26T21:08:00.001+01:00

A day trip to the British museum today. It's always good for a wander. It's like going to Greece and Rome without braving dayglo Easyjet staff.

Got Your Passport?

2006-05-26T01:15:00.000+01:00

Taking someone to Heathrow Airport is a joyless affair. You have to tolerate the noise, hideous traffic and colossal number of people milling around. On top of this, you don't get the reward of finding yourself accosted by street vendors trying to rip you off 12 hours later and trying to carry your luggage to the nearest youth hostel listed in the Lonely Planet.

This is a photo of the traffic and the rain on the way to Heathrow.

Three Go Mad in London

2006-05-23T15:25:00.000+01:00

Met up with the Punch and Kdogg in London. What was supposed to be a sophisticated get together before Punch runs off to marry a donkey herder turned into drunken revellery and Kdogg's successful blag into a bar by pretending to be meeting Chris Martin there. Yes, he of Coldplay. And married to the one who was in Sliding Doors.

This is the Kdogg's luxurious bouffant. It's like he just stepped out of a salon.

Hey Luigi! Someone sat on my glasses!

2006-05-19T22:18:00.000+01:00

There is a small plastic chef near my house. Look how jovial he is despite his broken glasses and morbid obesity.

And a little advert for Summerburn 2006 by Funjunkie.co.uk

Basically you sign up for Summerburn and burn a summer cd. Funjunkie email you with 2 addresses and you send 2 copies of your opus off. And in return you receive 2 cds chockablock with banging summer tunes. Can't say fairer than that. My burn is ready and consists only of Gabrielle and Lighthouse Family songs. And that Des'ree song Life with the sublime lyric:

I'm afraid of a ghost
It's the thing I fear the most
I'd rather have a piece of toast
And watch the evening news

Click on the link below for details

http://www.funjunkie.co.uk/the_summer_burn.cfm

Three Colours Yellow

2006-05-07T00:00:00.000+01:00

It's a train. It doesn't go choo choo nor is it called Thomas. It was driven by an obese man however. In these PC days I suppose you would call him the Rotund Controller.

Beer-can Sandwich

2006-05-03T00:00:00.000+01:00

Been a bit quiet as of late as I have been attempting to fit 700 pages of medical knowledge in my head. I suggest checking out the KDogg's rant about exams and copy it for me.

I was uploading some photos onto my Flickr account and I came across this. Looking at this photo puts me in a hammock in Fiji and is quite relaxing. Much more relaxing than learning the ins and outs of glomerulonephritis anyway.

Angels with Dirty Faces

2006-04-27T17:30:00.000+01:00

An angel in my local graveyard. You know everytime a bell rings an angel gets its wings? Thats according to "It's a Wonderful Life" which also suggests that if you go bankrupt, the entire town will turn up at your house and give you money. That may be the case in Bedford Falls but in London, they ring the bailiffs, who'll kick your door down and take you TV as payment.

It's just some fellas havin a laugh!

2006-04-26T17:09:00.000+01:00

It was the meeting of the Medical Unemployment Association when I met up with the Punch today and went off to the Tate Modern. We saw Rachael Whitbread's sculpture "Embankment" which was made up of lots of white casts of boxes. It was much better than I thought it would be, although some of the stuff we saw was to quote Punch "some fellas havin' a laugh!"

Embankment by Rachael Whitbread

A spanish singing busker on Millenium Bridge

See the rest of the photos from the Tate Modern here.

Red

2006-04-24T12:51:00.000+01:00

Red
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.
I didn't have much to take today, so the flowers in the garden become the stars.

I believe it's a tulip (but feel free to correct me if it's wrong)

Reflections

2006-04-24T12:48:00.000+01:00

Reflections
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo

This was near Holborn station. It's a reflection init.

Octopussy

2006-04-18T14:53:00.000+01:00

Octopussy
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

This photo was taken a while ago but I uploaded it yesterday onto Flickr, and it was in the Flickr most interesting top 10 for 17th of April. Flickr works out Interestingness based on how many people like it and put it down as a favourite. At the moment 166 people have seen it and 16 people marked it as a favourite. Isn't that nice?

So I thought I'd stick it on here. Its a dead octopus from Tokyo Fish Market. Oh and revision is crap

Here's looking at you kid!

2006-04-17T22:34:00.000+01:00

The Real London Eye
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

A nothing non-exciting day today. Not enough revision and general laziness. But did get this pic of a CCTV camera at Wembly Park station. I wonder what the security guards staring at tv screens were thinking when I took this photo?

30 Day Photo Mosaic

2006-04-15T16:43:00.000+01:00

30 Day Photo Mosaic
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

This is all 30 days in a lovely mosaic. Look at it, isn't it lovely?

I am glad I did the challenge there are some good photos there.

This is the End

2006-04-15T16:41:00.000+01:00

Break on through to the other side (Day30)
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

Day 30! Finished now, after taking a photo a day for 30 days. It'll be nice to not have to take a photo on the days where I don't do anything.

Drunk people on the Tube are great

2006-04-14T00:38:00.000+01:00

The Wrong Side of the Tracks (Day29)
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

Actually no, they are rubbish. I had the pleasure of a very drunk woman sitting next to me on the tube, showing significant problems balancing when sitting. She could have picked any number of seats but she picked the one next to me.

Of course when I am the drunk person on the Tube then everyone on the tube is great.

The Local Graveyard

2006-04-12T16:52:00.000+01:00

The Local Graveyard
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

I've taken photos of graves and flowers so I thought I'd combine the two. Juxtapositioning of death and birth etc. It turns out that my local church actually had Handel as the composer-in-residence. Handel used to run his fingers over the organ keys around in the early 18th century. As well as hang out in the local boozer, wolf whistling at the local ladies and offering to do you a deal "cash in hand, no VAT mate."

Now don't say I don't teach you anything.

Those London folk are big

2006-04-11T23:52:00.000+01:00

The Land of the Giants (Day27)
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

I read an interesting article today about the photographer Zed Nelson. He went around the USA taking black and white photos of guns and gun culture called rather unsurprising "Gun Nation." The most controversial photo involved a man with a gun and a baby (I assume it's his baby). Zed said that while Brits found it a horrible photo, Yanks thought it showed a man prepared to protect his family. The chap in it wanted a massive print of it for his living room.

As George Bernard Shaw said "England and America are two countries separated by a common language." Me, I think that the mullet is much worse than the gun. Something that hideous should not be near children.

Zed Nelson's website

Coins

2006-04-10T23:13:00.000+01:00

A double dose of photos today cos I didn't have time to add this yesterday. This is Day 25's photo. The days have flown by. The coin with the hole is actually Japanese. I always seem to find random coins hanging around from my travels. I still have a 20 NZ dollar left. I keep meaning to take it down the bureau de change.

Coins (Day25)
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

Flower (Day26)
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

Back on the song lyrics motif

2006-04-08T22:48:00.000+01:00

Common People
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

This photo is called Common People. I'm not saying that these people are common or that I hae anything against common people. I just don't like plebs.

There's somebody at the door!

2006-04-07T21:37:00.000+01:00

Shed Door (Day23)
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo

Not the quote from a crappy teen horror flick but the seminal kids tv program "Emu's Pink Windmill Show." A classic in every sense of the word, it involved Grotbags attempting to kidnap Emu every week. And had lots of kids shouting "There's somebody at the door."

Rod Hull actually died 7 years ago when he tried to fix the ariel on the roof of his house and fell through his conservatory. After he died it turned out that, according to the Sun anyway, that "Rod Hated That Bird!"

Requiem For the Double Decker

2006-04-07T00:42:00.000+01:00

Requiem For the Double Decker (Day22)
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

Apparently the double decker bus is on it's way out to be replaced by those flexibus things. I don't really go to the upper deck of the bus normally anyway as it's usually full of youf comparing mobile ringtones, init.

Running on empty

2006-04-06T00:17:00.000+01:00

Night (Day21)
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

I feel spent (creatively). Finding a photo for today felt almost laborious mainly because I didn't leave the house. I really didn't want to take a photo of a flower either. It's weird cos a few days ago I felt that I had loads of ideas. It's really not as easy as it sounds this photo a day shenanigans.

So here is a photo of a lamppost, tree and wheelie bin. This isn't my house by the way, it's the one opposite my house. I'll try and do better tomorrow.

Generation E

2006-04-05T00:36:00.000+01:00

Do you want the red pill? (Day20)
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

The big news of the day is the 37 year old guy who presented to St George's in London with depression, hallucinations, short term memory loss and paranoia. This is probably due to the 40,000 (yes that's FORTY THOUSAND) ecstasy pills over 9 years. Apparently at one point he was popping 25 a day. Now he has problems opening his jaw. Although if he does have short term memory loss, how can he remember how many pills he took? And it probably explains why he took so many. The appropriately named Mr A probably forgot he had taken them.

He thrashed the last record for E use (2,000 pills). To be honest I would prefer to break the record for walking around a stadium with a pint of milk on my head. And then have Kris Akabusi cackle wildly and present me with a gold medal and a certificate.

I don't know but It's driving me nuts!

2006-04-03T21:57:00.000+01:00

But Doctor, It's Driving Me Nuts (Day19)
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

The driving instructor has shut up shop and left the area after my last lesson. I swear that traffic cone came out of nowhere. I guess a gust of wind must have blown it into the middle of the road.

And the opening lines to the above punchline?

A man goes to the Doctor's surgery with a steering wheel on his crotch. "Why's that steering wheel in you pants." Man says...?

Make Like a Tree and Get out of here

2006-04-03T00:12:00.000+01:00

Make like a tree and get outta here McFly (Day18)
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

A chilled Sunday today. Just revision. I struggled out of my front door to take a photo of the tree outside which is in bloom. Winter is dead, long live spring.

This photo is named after a line in an excellent hangover film, Back to the Future. It is one of the branches from the tree (note that it is a lot bigger than the branch I broke yesterday. That was tiny). Hopefully there isn't any tree karma that'll come round and I'll get snapped by a branch.

Man Bites Branch

2006-04-01T18:49:00.000+01:00

More touch rugby today. I must be getting fitter, because I didn't feel like I was having a stroke this week. No tries this week, but I stopped a few from being scored. Although in the process of stopping one, I sprinted back and ended up running into a tree just (literally just, as in 2 yards) off the pitch. I didn't spear myself but snapped a branch. It drew some blood and everything.

The pic above is the satellite view from Google Maps. It's staggering the detail you can see. I have put arrows to where we play, and an arrow at the actual tree I ran into (now minus one branch). Yes that is the actual tree which tried to kill me. Evil bastard tree.

And this is today's photo (Day 17). These are some escalators at London Bridge Station. I couldn't think of a song title related name. Why don't you give it a go? Answers on a postcard, winner gets a Magnum (ice cream not the gun or the hawaiian shirt wearing, ferrari driving moustachioed detective with slightly gay overtones).

Spring is in the air, everywhere I look around.

2006-03-31T15:05:00.000+01:00

It's sunny today, woohoo feels like spring. Flowers are in bloom, birds are singing, people are waking up and embracing each other, war is over, the world is a better place. Everybody, all together now:

I see trees of green........ red roses too
I see ’em bloom..... for me and for you
And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world.

At least until Thames Water introduces a hosepipe ban and we can all get back to road rage, tripping over old women with crutches, pissing on your neighbour's flowers and bombing foreign folk. It's what we do best.

The Halfway Point

2006-03-30T18:42:00.000+01:00

Bring Out Ya Dead! (Day15)
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

For a bit of variety today's photo is called "Bring out ya dead!". And we all know how the rest of it goes...

The Dead Collector: Bring out yer dead.
[a man puts a body on the cart]
Large Man with Dead Body: Here's one.
The Dead Collector: That'll be ninepence.
The Dead Body That Claims It Isn't: I'm not dead.
The Dead Collector: What?
Large Man with Dead Body: Nothing. There's your ninepence.
The Dead Body That Claims It Isn't: I'm not dead.
The Dead Collector: 'Ere, he says he's not dead.
Large Man with Dead Body: Yes he is.
The Dead Body That Claims It Isn't: I'm not.
The Dead Collector: He isn't.
Large Man with Dead Body: Well, he will be soon, he's very ill.

Those who don't get it, you are a terrible person. Go to the video store and hire out Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Then immensely enrich your life by watching it. People will like you more and the opposite sex will find you more attractive.

The photo is from a graveyard near my house. I get a bit weirded out around graveyards. I think it's because of the film Carrie.

A B C D or E?

2006-03-29T16:56:00.000+01:00

ABC, Easy as 123 (Day14)
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

Damn you MRCP questions. Without doubt designed to be one of the most exceptionally irritating things in the world.

A 28 year old pub owner comes into A&E with a sore leg. His blood test shows [some figures you're not sure of the relevance of]. What's most likely diagnosis?

A. He fell over
B. Alcoholic Liver Disease
C. Von Lambert-di George Turnerhausen syndrome
D. Something you've never heard of
E. He's dead

Hmm. Let's see. Could be a few of these. Let's pick B. He is a pub owner he's bound to be a boozer. And the answer is.....C. The triad of leg pain, low albumin and low complement is indicative of Von Lambert-Di George Turnerhausen Syndrome. It could be D but in this age group it is unlikely. The pub owner information is a red herring. So in your face! I, MRCP question am the winner, you are the loser. Looooooser! In your face!

Gah!!!!! Argggghhh!!! (and various other feral-like sounds, book gets hurled across the room). And so it is to Day 14's photo. And how much longer can I get away with using song titles to name my photos?

The Wild Flower's Song

2006-03-28T15:29:00.000+01:00

I heard a wild flower singing a song (Day13)
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

The Wild Flower's Song by William Blake

As I wandered the forest,
The green leaves among,
I heard a Wild Flower
Singing a song.

"I slept in the earth
In the silent night,
I murmured my fears
And I felt delight.

"In the morning I went
As rosy as morn,
To seek for new joy;
But oh! met with scorn."

Although this isn't a wild flower, it's in my garden. But the Garden Flower's Song doesn't have the same ring to it. And no, I don't have a clue what flower it is. Answers on a postcard, winner gets a chunky Kitkat.

Eat My Goal! In and stick it in!

2006-03-27T14:11:00.000+01:00

Seeing as it's coming upto the World Cup in Germany, thought this photo would be appropriate. Grassroots football in England. Jumpers for goalposts. Avoiding being bitten by a crazed pit bull in the park. Wondering why that old man was hanging around in his brown mac. Realising that you were four pence short of buying chips after the game. Those were the days.

And my quote of the day comes from eBay. Some despicable people are selling their Blue Peter Badges in online auctions (click here if you fancy buying one).
How these people can live with themselves in our moral altruistic capitalist times I don't know. What next? People will be selling their Olympic medals, Victoria crosses, tennis trophies and ....oh.

This was left in the comments of the bid:

"For this unholy act you will surely burn in hell - along with the people who desecrated the blue peter garden in the 1980's"

I would quite like to meet the person who left this comment but they are probably busy BEING A MENTALIST.

You're gonna eat lightning and crap thunder!

2006-03-26T18:40:00.000+01:00

Eye of the Tiger (Day11)
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

"Duh. Duh duh duh. Duh duh duuuh. Risin' up back on the street..."

It doesn't quite seem so rousing when you write it down. But it does highlight one of the great injustices of our modern age.

Rocky - 3 Oscars (Best Picture, Director, Best Film Editing)

Kindergarten Cop - No Oscars.

Oh well, I'm off to punch seven shades of shit out of a hanging carcass in a freezer.

Adriaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnne!!!!
Adriaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnne!!!!

London in the Spring

2006-03-26T02:05:00.000+01:00

"SHUT YOUR MOUF. LEAVE IT OUUT. FAACK ORF YOU SLAAAAG. YOU CAAAAAAHHHNT!!!"

Ah, the sounds of London in the spring. It was a lovely sunny day to go and chuck an oval ball around. And score my first tries. They were magnificent. The first happened like this:

The ball was chucked left to me at speed. I grabbed it, and with sidestep than Sivavatu would have been proud of, I evaded the flailing attempts of my opponent. I race past his forlorn form, as I crashed over the try line. I was then cheered by the whole team and made their God.
Disclaimer: Based on a true story. Some or most of the events described may not have happened

It's all true I tells ya. Todays photo is of my new living room. Very modern, open plan style. What do you reckon?

People in glasshouses....shouldn't walk around naked.

2006-03-24T22:55:00.000Z

In a English City Garden (Day9)
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

More home based photos today. This time the greenhouse is the star. As you can see by the random scattering of various garden equipment, we are not a family into their gardening. Not for me the spade or the hoe.

And seeing as it's Friday, here's my quote of the day/week (although it's the first one I've done):

"The Prophet Muhammad has said several times that those who convert from Islam should be killed if they refuse to come back," says Ansarullah Mawlafizada, the trial judge.

"Islam is a religion of peace, tolerance, kindness and integrity. That is why we have told him if he regrets what he did, then we will forgive him," he told the BBC News website."

For anyone who doesn't know, this is the story about the Afghan chap who may be executed for converting from Islam to Christianity (BBC News). So tolerance for him, but only if he converts back. Hmmm, I see how that works. I'm off to convert to Atheism and threaten people under the guise of tolerance, integrity and peace. Brilliant.

Rear Window

2006-03-23T21:19:00.000Z

Rear Window
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

Another day locked inside my room. Managed to spend a lot of time looking out my bedroom window. I didn't see anyone trying to kill their wife. Life is never like Hitchcock films. Unless you live in Warwick where apparently local crows started attacking windscreen wipers and have now moved onto people (the full story is here). I reckon just wave a cat around when you leave the house and you'll be fine.

The Horny Cucumber

2006-03-22T17:42:00.000Z

Another trip into London led to me visiting the Erotic Gherkin (or to use it's proper name, the Swiss Re Building). It is a massive building and does standout in the London skyline. It was designed by Norman Foster who also designed the Millenium Bridge amongst other stuff. Unusual as it is, I like it. Today's pic is a close up of one of it's "sides". It doesn't really have sides as such being round and all.

Erotic Gherkin? It looks like a ruddy big....

The 365 Photo Day Challenge?

2006-03-21T15:46:00.000Z

This Photo a day malarky is difficult. Another day of being trapped inside doesn't lend itself to good photos and it can be tricky to find inspiration. But at least this is a shortlived project. Tom Judd decided to do a drawing a day for a year and documented it on his website. He finished in November. The pic above is his for this day last year. Who knows maybe I'll take a photo a day for a year (unlikely as I'm struggling to make it to a week). Here's Day 6.

Three Elephants. One Table. An Incredible Journey
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

Day 5 in the Photo A Day House

2006-03-20T17:12:00.000Z

I had to go to Fleet Street today, so I popped down to Westminister to have a look at the Houses of Parliament. I met Richard who has been protesting everyday for the last three years against the war in Iraq. He said he sets up his placards for two hours everyday and needs to get all his placards cleared with the police. I told him to have a cup of tea because it was cold. I'm quite the political debater.

Richard Goes to Westminister
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

I may also have made the news. I walked in the background of an NBC news broadcast outside the Royal Courts of Justice. So if you see a hairy oik obliviously bumbling along with a big rucksack, listening to his iPod on the news, you'll now who it is. Woo hoo my 1 minute of fame. Maybe.

Day 4 - Green Chillies

2006-03-19T22:04:00.000Z

I like curry, and these go in curry. Hmmmmm curry.

Chillies Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

Day 3 on the Northern Line

2006-03-19T22:03:00.000Z

Early start for me today. I had to get up at the somewhat hideous time of 8.30 in the morning to go and play touch rugby in London. It brought back memories of being run around by a Kiwi from RotoVegas, and breathing like an emphysematous 90 year old. The plan is to get fit and stop getting fat.

My photo of the day today comes from a station on the way to where I go to play touch rugby. Stockwell is now infamous amongst Londoners for what happened on the 22nd July. Armed police shot a suspected suicide bomber who they thought had been involved in the second round of bombings (which failed) on the 21st. He was followed onto the train at Stockwell Station, restrained and shot seven times in the head and once in the shoulder.

The next day it was announced that the man was Jean Charles de Menenez, a 27 year old Brazilian who had not been associated with the bombings. There is a memorial to him outside Stockwell Station. There is more info at Wikipedia as well as this Guardian article called "The Terrorist Who Wasn't".

Stockwell
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

Day 2 - Housebound

2006-03-19T22:01:00.000Z

It's Day 2 of the photo a day. I haven't actually left the house today. I still havent managed to break my record of 10 (yes that's ten) days without leaving the house. Not because I'm an agrophobe though. Its just i don't like the open spaces. Anyway, here is a selfportrait. As you can see I'm regrowing my beard.

Selfportrait

Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.

The 30 Day Photo Challenge starts here

2006-03-19T21:59:00.000Z

This rut of unemployability and revision that I have entered has meant that I have stopped taking as many pics as I used to. So I have joined the a photo a day challenge, which was originally started by someone called Stephanie. Quite a few people have started it (well about 18). If you fancy it you can even join the flickr group. If you like the photo (or even if you don't) leave a comment.

This photo was taken after me and some mates went to the TFL pub quiz cricket club fundraiser. We stormed in at a rather glorious 5th. Out of 6 teams. This is my local station, and it was frikkin freezing when I took this. It had just started to snow.

Station
Originally uploaded by innercitysumo.