whatleydude

Last week I was approached to write a piece about the iPad. But if you read here regularly, you’ll understand that it’s not something I’d typically do. However, I’m not proclaiming to have uncovered something new or shocking about the product, I just fancied putting a few thoughts down about how I feel about it because someone asked me to.

A zealot I am not.

iPods enforce iTunes. iPhones enforce iPods. I don’t like the iProducts, because I like to do things my way. Mine. Not Apple’s.

I digress.

When I was eight years old, my father bought my sister and I the complete Encyclopedia Britannica; appendices, indexes – the lot. This was before the Internet, before the Web, before Wikipedia.

The Encyclopedia Britannica got me through school. I used to sit and read through the pages, sometimes just for fun. ‘Let’s see what I can learn today’ was my daily motto. It was a thing of wonder.

When I look at the iPad, that is what I see.

Not a great big iPhone, nor a simplified MacBook Pro. Just a small boy, spread out on the lounge floor. With his school books on one side and the iPad on the other, he’s laying there, doing his homework.

For that reason and for that reason alone, I think I might get one.

Quite possibly the best year of my life…

See you all in 2010!

I started writing this post nearly three weeks ago, way back when November was coming to a close and I’d just about made it to the end of National Vlog Post Month (NaVloPoMo). If you missed the explanation at the start of it all, then apologies – the general gist was to upload a new video every day, for the entire month of November. Consider this a review, if you will.

Final score? 28/30

Not bad for my first attempt, wouldn’t you say?

The two that I missed were Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd respectively. The former was my birthday and, while I did actually manage to record and upload a video in time, the quality was so frickin’ bad – I’m refusing to put it up. The latter however, was the day after my birthday and, given that the party guests only started to leave around 7ish on Sunday morning, I think I can let this one pass.

Either way, two other videos were made for the weekend in question and, if the creators don’t mind, I think I’ll submit them as entries for those days. Guest entries if you will. First, my NaVloPoMo partner in crime, Benny Crime, with his ‘Happy Birthday Whatleydude‘ entry and second, creator of all things NaVloPoMo, Rupert Howe, for this awesome ‘Whatley’s evil twin‘ video.

While Benny’s is suitably bonkers, Rupert’s definitely needs some explanation, but you’ll have to wait for another day for that I’m afraid…

In the meantime one upshot from making video every day for a month is the enforced, creative experimentation of it all.

Much has happened over the past couple of months and there is much to catch up on.

The ‘Tales from my Moleskine‘ series is only halfway through (so expect something from there to appear here next), there is a lot of random video content I still want to throw together and of course, there’s just a crap load of normal life stuff I want to share.

So watch this space, I’ll be back soon…

“Changed for good, my output has.
To what end, remains to be seen…”

Spent the weekend sorting through some old videos and found this l’il beauty from February earlier this year. Saffy – the star of the show – isn’t mine, but she does love it when I come to visit…

As you may’ve noticed from yesterday’s NaVloPoMo entry, last Thursday, Farhan and I cunningly attempted to sneakily move house without my other half (who was in Berlin at the time), finding out.

You may be pleased to discover that, after we stopped recording, we did indeed conquer our GPS woes and managed to find our way to the new place of residence just in time.

After unloading the van and assisting with lugging all the boxes up the four flights of stairs, Farhan went on his merry way while yours truly showered, changed and got himself to Heathrow to break the news to the London-bound Miss Chowney…

Surprised? Much? I certainly hoped so…

Watch in wonder as Farhan and I undertake a super-secret mission to move house under the cover of daylight without Vikki Chowney finding out.

Then marvel as we get lost after while not listening to the GPS.

That little guy on the left, is my brother Stephen and that bigger guy on the right is my Dad. They both live in Gibraltar and I really don’t get to see them much. Last week, my Dad was over here, in London and – through various circumstances – I didn’t make time to see him.

I know he checks on me here from time to time, so hopefully he’ll see this today:

November 3rd 2009: My Dad’s Birthday.

Dad, this one’s for you.

Happy Birthday, x.

From me, Victoria and of course – all the guys from my new office