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Antony

Will an Iphone 4 change my life?

By TechnologyOne Comment

Well we are about to find out! I’ve upgraded my Blackberry Storm to an Iphone 4. I’m so excited! I’ve wanted one for soo long, in preparation for it’s arrival I’ve been on iTunes and downloaded some apps, here’s what I’ve downloaded:

Blogging – WordPress App
The essential tool for blogging from my phone, so now I’ll be able to blog from anywhere!

News – BBC News, Metro, The Guardian, MEN News Apps
I couldn’t decide on one news app, so I’ve downloaded four.

Pagan – Star Walk & Pagan Gods Apps
Star walk apparently enables you to look at constellations, moon phases, etc. so should be a good app. Pagan gods is an app with apparent beautiful artwork images of popular gods/goddesses and gives a bit of information about them. So both should be handy.

Entertainment – Movies by Flixster, Civilization Revolutions, TVGuide.co.uk Apps
Now I’ll be able to check out the latest movies on my iphone, play civilization (one of my all time favourite game series) and always know what’s on TV.

Living Frugally – Ace Budget Lite & Jumpsoft Money Apps
I’ve downloaded both of these to try. The idea is that I can set my budgets and manage them on my iphone, rather than on scraps of paper. Will make a massive difference to my spending.

Shopping – Amazon Mobile UK App
I’ll be able to shop and track my orders on Amazon, on my iphone.

Productivity – Documents to go, Google Mobile App, Dictionary.com Apps
Will be able to view, edit, etc, microsoft office documents with documents to go, which will come in useful. Google will enable me to search the web and Dictionary.com will ensure I can spell.

Health, Stop Smoking – iQuit & Easy Stop Smoking Apps
Downloaded both and will try both in my first serious attempt in sometime to quit smoking.

Health, Diabetes – Diabetes Log & Glucose Buddy Apps
Downloaded both and will try both to help me better take and record my blood sugar readings.

Others – Facebook, Free Translator, Navfree, Met Office Weather Apps
Facebook – essential for life. Free translator just-in-case I ever need to write an email in another language or somet, Navfree apparently like Tom Tom but on the Iphone and Met Office Weather so I’ll know what to wear.

Ok so maybe I’m exaggerating (as I have a tendency to do) the effect it will have on my life. But if it will help me to make some positive changes in my life, it’s worth it right?

Write soon,

Antony

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Tuesday 2 November 2010

Making a pumpkin lantern for Samhain

By PaganismNo Comments

Samhain or Halloween, is very important to us pagans. In a previous post Pagan Festivals, I said this about Samhain (Halloween to most people):

Samhain – 31st October
The last harvest. When the vails between the worlds are thin. Seen as the pagan ‘New Year’. Also known as Halloween.
The goddess is now the crone. With age coming wisdom.
Colours: Black, orange, purpose, violet, white.
Themes: Ancestors, death, rebirth, banishing & bindings, spirit & guide communication, guidance.
(From: Pagan Festivals @antonysimpson.com, Last Accessed: 26th October 2010)

Rather than the elaborate rituals with lots of people, costumes, dancing, chanting like the previous years, this year I will celebrate it alone quietly as a time of reflection. I decided to get creative and make my own pumpkin lantern. I googled on how to and got this video:

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The video’s good, but the music is somewhat unbearable so heres my written guide to Making a pumpkin latern for Samhain.

What you will need

  • x1 pumpkin
  • A sharp knife
  • A pen (with ink that will wipe off) or pencil

    • Step 1 – Choose a side and draw the outline

    Choose a side of your pumpkin that’s best for the face. Ideally one that’s not got any scuffs on it. Draw an outline like below:

    Step 2 – Cut off the top and scrape out the insides
    Using your guide lines you’ve drawn on, cut carefully around the top off the head and pull it off. You’ll see the pumpkin insides and seeds which you need to scrape out (see photo below). Some of the cooking experts around may choose to keep the insides to make a pumpkin pie, which you can google for a recipe if you want.

    Step 3 – Turn your attention to the face
    Now you’ve scrapped out the insides. Go back to the outline of the face you drew and carefully cut out the eyes, nose and mouth. Once these pieces have been removed, take a tea light candle and place it inside lit. (Please never leave a lit candle unattended.) Replace the lid of your pumkin and switch off the light to admire your handy work. It should look like this:

    I have named him Jacko, I know how original. Hope you found this guide useful. Write soon,

    Antony

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    Wednesday 27 October 2010

    The long fantastic weekend, that never happened

    By HealthNo Comments

    Hello all, I’m still alive!

    It’s been a few weeks since I’ve posted and the last few blog posts have been about books I’ve read, rather than what I’ve been up to. So don’t worry, I know we are well overdue a catch up. Let’s start with the weekend. I was all set to have a fantastic weekend. I had booked Monday and Tuesday off work, making it a long and exciting weekend. Here was the plan:

  • Friday – Finishing work and not having to work the evening, a chill night in front of the box.
  • Saturday – Meeting my long lost half brothers kids in the evening (that one’s a long story, sure I’ll blog about it sometime in the future).
  • Sunday – Going to Manchester in the day to see my granddad and his wife, to celebrate his birthday.
  • Monday – A chilled day (with a lie in) and then going to see John Barrownman with my good friend Simon.

    • So where did I end up? At home in bed. I had a bug and felt at points like I was dying. I couldn’t even tolerate at food at one point, which I know dieters would love, but believe me it was horrible. I had stomach cramps, a banging head, sleeplessness, vomiting and temperatures. I’ve texted everyone and apologised for not making my plans, explaining that I was ill. But do you know what the worst thing about this nasty bug? It’s like it knew I had a busy long weekend, filled with good times, because it struck Friday night and I’ve only just started feeling better today. I go back to work tomorrow. So I have aptly named this the long weekend, that never happened.

    Now you know what they say (who ever they are), “You must have caught a bug?”
    Well if you see anyone coughing, sneezing or looking like they’ve got the bubonic plague, get out of there sharpish! And then repeatedly wash your hands until they’re red raw (only kidding, that would be self harm).

    Don’t risk catching this one, it’s really not worth the 4-5 days off work for the pain (stomach cramps & head ache), the I’ve-not-slept-in-five-years blood shot, dark bagged eyes, the sweating one moment shivering the next. So apart from feeling terrible the only good thing is that this bug will help you shift that stubborn pound if your dieting.

    Take Care and BE HEALTHY all,

    Antony

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    Tuesday 26 October 2010

    Book Review: One Day by David Nicholls

    By Books & AuthorsNo Comments
    one-day-david-nicholls I bought One Day by David Nicholls after hearing about it on The TV Book Club. The book follows the lives of Dexter and Emma over twenty years, each chapter being a year in their lives. Dexter and Emma meet at a party on graduation night at University and spend the night together. Dexter a young man, good looking, with an air of confidence. Emma a social rebel who wants to go out and change the world, although she’s not sure how too.

    The book proceeds to go through their lives. Emma initially getting lost after leaving university, mean while Dexter becomes a TV presenter and gets in to the recreational drug scene. As the years go by Dex meets a woman and settles down having a child, whereas Emma finds her way becoming a Teacher, which eventually leads her to her dream of writing books. However along the way there are many twists and turns and you begin to think of the story as “will-they-wont-they” get together. Life seems to be drawing them together, yet there are several missed opportunities, a lot like real life. It’s so obvious to us reading the story that they are right for each other, yet how come they don’t see it?

    You begin to care for Dex and Em or Em and Dex (as Dexter describes them). This is because you see them grow as individuals, dealing with what life throws at them, recognising their vulnerabilities as ones we all have, along with their strengths that pull them through. David Nicholls describes the settings, scenes and what happens with a mix of realism and airy romance, which makes it a compelling read.

    Dubbed by many critics as a “modern classic love story”, I tend to agree. It is a story of love over two decades, describing how life can get in the way of love, but in the end love will win over life. The book made me laugh, reflect over times in my own life, and even cry. I do think this book will be a classic love story that will be around for many years to come and be just as relevant then as it is today.

    I would highly recommend One Day by David Nicholls which is available to buy on Amazon

    Write soon,

    Antony



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    Sunday 3 October 2010
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