This is one of my favourite people in one of the most peaceful places I have ever been to. This picture is looking out across the French Alps from Le Grand Bornard in mid August 2002.
To see the contrast between winter and summer was wonderful. To go to a place I associated with snow and warm clothing to that of T-shirts and hot sun, to see all the tracks and paths I never knew existed under all the snow was like going to a new place altogether.
I wanted to live in Annecy for a long time, it was only ever a dream though. But what a perfect dream and what a perfect place to live. X

This picture feels calm - I do not... It feels like voucher central day, my head is being compacted with different voucher designs. I feel like my brain is filled with numerous dead end alleys that are individually all filling up and overflowing into others. I seem to be working on about 15 different things all at once and then worrying that I have forgotten something or someone along the way. I am leaving myself little trails as I go in the hope that I don't. Rather like those kids in the woods, yet my trails are not edible, more bits of stray paper and scrawls that only mean something to me.

I realised today that I need to learn something new. Today one of my database designs needed some tweeking and on sticking my head into the users manual and then upon solving the problem I realised I missed that feeling of achieving something that had moments earlier confused me.

I have always been a bit of a problem solver, its probably the main thing that has progressed me in my career. I am also very much a loan problem solver, rarely asking for help or assistance when I probably should.
That however would take away the ultimate satisfaction of achievement, ultimately making the reason I took on the task redundant.

I am worried my brains filing system is internally defragging today. Of course I should do that writing a list thing, but I don't "do" lists.

I think I need to go to the seaside with my camera. x

Round and round...

Roundabouts... they fascinate me, always have done. Up north they like to call them Islands which is just wrong. Islands are something different altogether that I am not about to go into here. My fascination is slightly odd I am aware, although I am sure I am not alone. The thing that most confused me and made me cross in the US was that they dont have any in Pennsylvania. How can you not have roundabouts?? I like to imagine the world would come to an abrupt holt without them. In my world they are like nuts and bolts, holding the road network together, all different sizes. You will never find one the same as another (except possibly in Milton Keynes).

I dont want to sound like a roundabout spotter, its true I fear I could if I obsessed over them to much. I keep getting little pulls in my mind to photograph my favourite roundabouts. Urgh.
I like the American more popular alternative - right on red - but its not the same, however since returning from America I do find I now get increasingly cross when sat at a red light just waiting to go left. Sometimes to the point of bladder rage. I know what draws me to roundabouts so much, the fact that i never like to stop, happiest when I am on the move. I am indeed my happiest when i am driving. (So long as I am not in a jam, or indeed at one of those red lights).

The abuse of roundabout usage is astounding, indication is an essential part of their working... yet it would seem many cars nowadays are not built with indicators, so until they implement crystal balls into modern cars one has to be cautious, which disturbs the flow, hence making me cross. People don't understand different roundabouts either, there is one very special roundabout that is near me and it is what is called a "Red Ringer" which is simply that it has a red outer outer ring (this is not an ailment!) I have to smile as i watch everyone go slowly all the way around it, daring not to touch the red part as if i some laser beam would reach out and puncher their tyre. I live just 10 miles from the largest roundabout in the UK, contained within it is a pub.. need i say more.. wow!

There is a theory I read that roundabouts have a severe effect on the psychological makeup of a country depending on which side of the road the country drives on. In countries that drive on the left (such as Australia, New Zealand, and the UK) the left side of the brain gets squashed as a driver goes round a roundabout, which crushes the cells responsible for language and reasoning. Conversely, in countries that drive on the right the side of the brain responsible for creativity gets crushed. This does of course explain why the English are unreasonable and incomprehensible, but make the best music on the planet.

I have never spoken about or told anyone about my fascination with roundabouts, its always been a secret love of mine that I share with this blog for the first time.

Today is Canon Eos 350D day. Today is a day of new toys and increased debt.

I shall focus on the nice memories I will capture in my new lens, this has to hold more adventure than pouring gallons of beer down ones neck.

From memory black outs to memory gain - this is the way i wish to proceed.