Q-Continuum

The politicians came back with a massive thud today. Mr Blair's holiday now apparently over has seen him come back to the UK while both Bush and Blair are commenting on how poorly the execution of Saddam Hussain was handled. In the UK the health service topped the agenda.

Every channel seems to be playing the gallows video, showing Saddam's final moments balancing the "public interest" to see how he was taunted with what I suspect is their real desire to show the point at which he was hanged. Loads of noise on all fronts but very little substance.

I'm fearful that this is the way of things to come over the next months as rather than a wild goose chase we seem to have a lame duck race between Blair and Bush. Today saw the Democrats in the US gain a majority in the congress (as well as the Senate which they already hold) and immediately the calls for forces withdrawal from Iraq start.

In the UK virtually nothing to challenge Blair, Mr Brown appears paricularly quiet (although the holidays always have been more closely observed in Scotland) The Conservatives seem to have dropped off the face of the earth and there seems to be a growing sense of resignation that the status quo will remain until the personalities change at the top.

I spent the day presenting to three police forces in the east of England today which was challenging but enjoyable, more of that in the coming weeks I think. I found myself listening to the Ashes commentary for the final cricket test. We've been well and truly beaten by the Australians - totally white washed, trounced, beaten, humiliated, destroyed.. You get the picture. Although I do find some of the more acidic Australian dislike of the English distasteful, I do have to admit they thoroughly deserve their win - though it doesn't mean you can have the ashes urn lads... that should stay at Lords.

I'm in a totally arty mood today. That tends to happen when I'm off work for long enough for my natural character to come through (roughly 2 days - which always makes Mondays pure hell)

Two tasks occupied me for the majority of the day - editing a DVD of the town's history for a local Trust and researching my family tree after some unexpected contacts from abroad.

It turns out my ancestors (all from the Somerset area of UK) were fairly prolific in the late 1800's and I'm busy tracking down family branches in Canada, USA (North Dakota) and Australia. Nothing in the world is new! We think we're free spirited today and travel great distances with work and to seek better lives - well most of our families were doing the same 200, 300 and 400 years ago. Just goes to show how important history is to help us retain some perspective.

Then to take a break I worked on the DVD editing. Coming from a background that was firmly analogue I was used to the comfort of actually splicing and cutting tapes, so doing the same digitally was something of a culture shock at first although I love the immediate results and ability to re-jig things on the fly. I'll post a link here when the deed is done.

I've also decided that this blog will be for my benefit at this stage - getting onto any of the publication lists seems to be a non starter so I'll just focus on my thoughts at present and if anyone else dips in ... so be it.

I knew starting this blog just prior to the New Year was a good idea - at least I can say I managed to continue it between 2006/7 !

A fairly eventful and busy New Years Eve yesterday given that Alan is a party animal and really likes to celebrate the day, where as I would much rather have a quiet change of year on this of all days. - So we compromised and went to Birmingham for their celebrations and I was quiet ... more seriously, it was a fairly good evening with good spirits throughout.

It was quite interesting speaking to people about their approach to the changing year. Only two types came out last night those for whom it is just another day so no big deal, and those who see it as full of promise but suspect things will revert to normal by the end of January. Interestingly, I always feel New Year is something of an anticlimax. The remnants of childhood Christmas mean that season should be longer but is built up and over in 24 hours. - Then New Year comes along and we're as far away as ever again. It feels like plunging over a precipice to me and always has done.

Certainly there are hopes and loads of opportunity but no resolutions or promises as I reckognise those as hostages to fortune.

Needless to say I was somewhat delicate this morning. Not I hasten to add due to the excesses of the grape or pharmacist, but because I was nominated driver and am just very tired at present. So a quiet day of television and reading. Speaking of which, am I the only person who feels that something terrible has happened in relation to Jennifer Saunders writing of late? I've just seen the last ever episode of "Vicar of Dibley" and am still jaw on floor with embarrassed shock at just how bad it was. Purile, juvenile, weak and not worthy of a swan song to what was a good series (at times). Then to add to the litergy of miswits we have "Jam and Jerusalem" also from Ms French which is a who's who of British Comedy talent but remains as humerous as root canal surgery without the benefit of a decent anasthetic. - What has happened to the French and Saunders of old.. If anyone spots signs of the original humour please let me know on a postcard!

Trivia today, nothing worldly at present. - Well I am on holiday.

Well would you believe it winter arrived with a biting northerly wind today. So why I wonder did I chose today to update some images of the Wilts and Berks for some work I'm doing for the group. (http://www.wbct.org.uk) I must admit this isn't one of my shots, it was taken by Gary Mason who specialises on wildlife and waterways photography.

I didn't think I would spend so much time trying to work to getting this canal restored - but living near Swindon I'll work on anything to give the town some much needed character. So if you're feeling charitable or just want to see what people are working towards why not take a look at their web site.

It felt a little like being back on school holidays today. You know the point in the holiday when you start counting down to the return to school/work. - Well today was that day so I'll have to make the most of the remaining days before it's back to the fun palace. Speaking of which, where are all the New Years Eve events? I keep hearing the same comment - "Well it's a Sunday this year so everything will be really low key" - I don't understand why that would make any difference?

A quick trawl through the linked blogs gave me pause for thought today. Newsnight's ethical man was telling us about wringing the neck of his turkey this year - this on the same day that Sadam Hussain was hung. I was quite worried that I felt more for the turkey. Not because it was a comment on the undoubted evils of Sadam, but more that the thought of killing an animal - even for food - has always troubled me. The call of the vegetarian has never felt so attractive.

I must admit to having been surprised at how difficult a first blog entry can be to commit to the page. Not the practicalities of course, I'm passed the two toed typist stage, but more the assumptions that sit behind the blog.

In some ways an electronic journal is just the same as writing a diary. It lulls you into a sense of personal disclosure - and there is the first challenge - is it personal? Would this be of interest to anyone else? Should it be written for me or for a wider audience? Then my practical side kicks in and tells me not to over-analyse and just enjoy the space the think out loud. This accounts for the blog description if nothing else.

I don't know why an electronic record should be more attractive or more readily maintained than a written record, my previous attempts at keeping a diary have always ended before the month of January so lets at least make it to the end of this month by starting on the 30th December.

A comment for the benefit of AOL - your moods dropdown doesn't contain melancholic (I hardly thought they would as the word is so Victorian) but somehow that sums up my mood most of the time during Christmas and New Year. Perhaps they'd consider adding thoughtful or blue - not totally the same for the purists but as close as the modern era will permit I think.

I don't know what it is about this time of year that makes people so reflective? The closeness of family (that always puts me off for starters) the almost mandatory need to be seen to be having fun. I have plenty of fun, believe me, it's only when I need to demonstrate it constantly for the benefit of others that I have problems with it.

As an aside the constant barage of classic films where all the cast are long dead probably started the tail spin. Today to keep the peace I watched My Fair Lady and a Sherlock Holmes adventure starring Jeremy Brett. Not the most active day but the howling gail and rain limited things somewhat. - Both of them excellent, far better than most of the prime time "entertainment" that followed. What a shame we have so few who could carry of any of these roles today. That fed into the general air of things becoming generally less good and then it was just a hop and skip to .... melancholy !

So all things considered probably not the best day to start a blog - or entirely the best day depending on your view of the world. In any event I'm fairly convinced I'll make it into an electronic 2007.