Burst Attention Span

As I will probably have to visit the US some time in the coming year, I have been looking into the new requirements for people travelling into the country. You'll probably be aware that since 2002 everyone entering US borders needs a machine-readable passport and/or a visa which involves the collection of your fingerprints by the embassy that processes your application. You'll also probably be aware that most of the world – including a large number of Americans – does not trust the US Government and its agents one little bit, especially with such personal or stigmatic information as fingerprints. It makes people feel like criminals for one: Discussing e-Passports for US Citizens, Barry Kevauver formerly of the State Department says of biometric data, "…that's further off because it would require fingerprinting the general public, something that may not go down too well with people because of the criminal taint of being fingerprinted". Yet foreigners won't mind? Read the rest of this entry »

Last weekend my mate got some VIP tickets to Art Basel, so I just had to go with her! It's a huge event with 3 floors of Messe Basel devoted to installations and gallery stands. The whole place is a maze of white spaces, the only landmarks being an occasional sign and the art on the walls. We got lost several times and I left with the feeling that we'd been spun around blindfolded at some point during the day. Or maybe that was the VIP champagne and ice cream… Cameras were confiscated at the gate, but rules suck so I've uploaded a few pics from my phone onto Flickr anyway.

Last week I was working in Zürich on a project for a banking services company. I'm not a fan of commuting, much less so when I have to get up at 5.30am to catch a train every day and even much less so when I'm not back home again until 10.30pm each night. The cumulative effect of this stressful, coffee-fuelled week of travelling and meeting ridiculous deadlines was that I fell foul of a sinus/throat/chest virus as soon as I relaxed on Friday night and dropped into a delirious fever for two days. If my girlfriend hadn't been around at my place to care for me and keep me hydrated I really don't know what would have happened.

I spent the early half of this week in hospital in the UK having routine tests done on me. It's true what they say about UK hospitals too, they're dirty and unpleasant smelling and the staff were mostly impersonal and seemingly immune to the feelings of patients. Admittedly, I probably didn't enhance the experience by going out out drinking with my mates the weekend before – the resulting hangover combined with the stress of being a fairly healthy young man in a ward full of seriously sick old guys for 2 days and nights was shattering. While listening to the beeps, moans and shudders from the beds around me I vowed to take a bit more care of myself so I don't end up back in there for real someday.

It's funny. All the time I was unemployed, I was completely unmotivated to travel or take holidays. I guess it's partly the psychological fear of missing an invitation to a job interview. I also believe that when every day is free to do as you please, there is no further freedom to look forward to and the motivation to do something new is somehow suppressed. Perversely, though working all day leaves me less day to use for myself, I am ending up doing way more than before. Those little luxuries afforded by infinite free time; being able to go to the supermarket at lunchtime; just going off somewhere for a few days; hanging out at the dirt jumps on my bike; are all the more rare and correspondingly valuable to me. I also have someone special to share my free time with now, which again seems to stretch it out and increase my appetite to fit more into the day. Consequently, I've spent less time in the fairly introverted pursuit of internet-distractions and less time blogging what I do find. As I get used to this new lifestyle, expect more blogging again, more real world stories and many many pictures. See you in meat-space…

After giving up cigarettes and alcohol for New Year, I was pleased by an apparently related healthy and energetic first couple of weeks to the month. It didn't last long. Read the rest of this entry »

I learned some interesting things about Britains motorways today. For example, I just discovered that Britain's Shortest Motorway is in the town where I used to live. Not only that, but it is on the route I used to drive to work! Most of it really is just a concrete trench through the city, brightened occasionally by strange geometric murals presumably intended to prevent drivers from being hypnotised by the monotony. Other highlights include views of the black and threatening Armley prison, the imposing Social Services building or 'Kremlin' as it is known locally and the Yorkshire Post head office. Exciting stuff ;)