Hamster's Wheel

6th November

2009-11-06T01:29:00.001Z

LGBT people born today:

1924 – Jeanette Schmid – Czech Whistler – Died 9^th March 2005

1926 – Jackie Forster – UK Presenter / Reporter / Actress / Activist – Died 10^th October 1998

1939 – Arthur Bell – US Journalist / Author / Activist – Died 2^nd June 1984

1949 – Brad Davis – US Actor – Died 8^th September 1991

1950 – Torben Lund – Danish Politician

1952 – Michael Cunningham – US Author

1956 – Jim Neal – US Politician / Businessman / Investment Banker

1957 – Cam Clarke – US Actor

1962 – Frank DeCaro – US Presenter / Comedian / Author

1962 – Georg Uecker – German Actor / Author

1979 – Owen Hawk – US Porn [or 6^th October 1979]

1980 – Barrett Long – US Porn

1980 – Vin Nolan – US Porn

And those who died:

1893 – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Russian Composer / Musician – Born 7^th May 1840

1976 – Patrick Dennis – US Author – Born 18^th May 1921

1985 – Joel Crothers – US Actor – Born 28^th January 1941

2008 – Phil Reed – US Politician – Born 21^st February 1949

Showcase

2009-11-05T22:13:00.003Z

I have now set up a completely separate blog to showcase all the best of my written work. This will include poetry that I have written, commentaries and reviews from this blog and any other written work that I believe best shows what I am capable of. I want to use this alternate blog to store all of this work in a format and media that is instantly available to anyone, i.e. potential employers, and the reason I didn't want it linked to this blog is so that the reader can retain their objectivity without being influenced by my obvious mental instabilities!! [That was meant to be a joke, please say you laughed and didn't just nod with a resigned look on your face!]

I hope to receive some feedback on this new blog so that I can improve my writing style, but most of all I hope it leads to a more fulfilling career for me.

The new site, in case you want to read stuff you may have already read, is:

http://alexrobins.wordpress.com/

Knees Up

2009-11-05T18:07:00.002Z

I was awake early enough this morning to be able to make an appointment to see my doctor today. I thought it was about time I went to see him about my knee pain and the fact that I suspect it is some form of rheumatism. My appointment, however, was not until 16:30 and so I wasted the day away again waiting for the allotted time to come around.
He did indeed feel some swelling on my knee and has given me a referral note to get an x-ray and blood tests done, though I will have to wait until Monday at the earliest to go and wait around for a chance to have this done. He also suggested that I see a physiotherapist, which I have made an appointment for, and that I put off joining a gym until I have talked with the physiotherapist. Another stay of execution for me as I am always looking for excuses not to rejoin the gym! (My eye treatment being the current one!).

I feel that I should be going out tonight, but I have no one to drink with and really do not fancy going out alone tonight. I have not been out for the night for about 2 months and it is really starting to annoy me. I didn't mind at first as I was recovering from my eye treatment and needed to save money because of the cost of that. But, I need a life too, and, more importantly, I need to get some attention and some affirmation every now and then, something which I just do not get at home or at work, strangely enough!
I'll put it off for tonight and treat myself to some new clothes tomorrow before possibly going out tomorrow instead. There, that sounds like a plan.

5th November

2009-11-05T02:31:00.000Z

LGBT people born today:

1948 – Pepper LaBeija – US Entertainer – Died 14^th May 2003

1965 – Kevin Williams – US Porn

1968 – Penny Wong – Australian Politician

1982 – Bisexual Britni – US Porn

1983 – Andrew Hayden-Smith – UK Actor / Presenter

And those who died:

1963 – Luis Cernuda – Spanish Poet / Literary Critic – Born 21^st September 1902

1989 – Vladimir Horowitz – Russian Pianist – Born 1^st October 1903

1996 – Bunny Breckinridge – US Actor – Born 6^th August 1903

1997 – James Robert Baker – US Author – Born 18^th October 1946

1999 – Michael Montague – UK Businessman / Politician – Born 10^th March 1932

2000 – Roger Peyrefitte – French Author – Born 17^th August 1907

Disappointed Again

2009-11-04T22:06:00.004Z

I'm not quite sure what I was expecting, but I was hoping for something more than "thank you" for doing the manager's job over the last 2 weeks. I have had a couple of people saying what a good job I did and how grateful they are, but that doesn't go very far really. I am out of pocket (sort of) as I was working for less per day that I normally would work. It would have been nice to have some financial recognition, but most of all I would have liked to have had another job offer come out of it. But what do I have? Thank you. Not even a printed "Thank you" that I can use in a reference or a C.V., but just verbal "Thank you" 's. They are worth about what they are written on!
I am going to try not to worry too much about it now though as I am off work for 12 days. Lets see how well things go without me there. I don't expect it to all fall down, but maybe they will realise exactly how much I do and how bad some of the other guys are, or more to the point, how little they do and how unprofessional they can be!
I have had an employment agency contact me today after seeing my C.V. on C.V. Library, so hopefully, now that they know exactly what type of job I am after, they may be the answer to my prayers. I would love to find a job while I am off and never have to go back to that place again.

Oh, and I am thinking of setting up a new blog to showcase the best of my writing. I may include it on a C.V., or mention it in interviews etc. So, if you have a blog entry that I have written that you think was any good, please let me know so I can include it. I always appreciate feedback.

4th November

2009-11-04T00:53:00.001Z

LGBT people born today:

1896 – JR Ackerley – US Author / Playwright – Died 4^th June 1967

1912 – Frances Faye – US Singer / Actress – Died 8^th November 1991

1921 – Sam Wagstaff – US Art Collector – Died 14^th January 1987

1933 – Barbara Grier – US Author / Publisher

1934 – Tommy Abbot – US Actor / Dancer / Choreographer – Died 8^th April 1987

1942 – Roxanne Ellis – US Hate Crime Victim – Died 4^th December 1995

1946 – Robert Mapplethorpe – US Photographer – Died 9^th March 1989

1956 – John S Arrowood – US Judge

1961 – Jon Robin Baitz – US Playwright / Producer / Actor

1972 – Steve Cruz – US Porn / Director

1981 – Dan Fishback – US Performance Artist / Playwright / Singer / Songwriter

And those who died:

1918 – Wilfred Owen – UK Poet / Soldier – Born 18^th March 1893

1959 – IAR Wylie – Australian Author – Born 16^th March 1885

1977 – Keith Vaughan – UK Painter – Born 23^rd August 1912

1989 – Trevor Kent – Australian Actor – Born 24^th April 1940

1995 – Essex Hemphill – US Poet / Activist – Born 16^th April 1957

2005 – Graham Payn – UK Actor / Singer – Born 25^th April 1918

2007 – Massimo Consoli – Italian Activist – Born 12^th December 1945

3rd November

2009-11-03T02:30:00.000Z

LGBT people born today:

1500 – Benvenuto Cellini – Italian Sculptor / Painter / Soldier / Musician / Author – Died 13^th February 1571

1895 – Jeannette Howard Foster – US Author – Died 26^th July 1981

1933 – Jeremy Brett – UK Actor – Died 12^th September 1995

1939 – Terrence McNally – US Playwright

1943 – Tee Corinne – US Photographer / Author / Activist / Artist – Died 27^th August 2006

1959 – Timothy Patrick Murphy – US Actor – Died 6^th December 1988

1962 – Marilyn – UK Singer

1966 – Jim Stork – US Politician

1977 – Torbjorn Urfjell – Norwegian Politician

???? – Joao Pauzao – Brazilian Porn

And those who died:

2003 – Aaron Bridgers – US Musician – Born 10^th January 1918

Handing Over the Reigns

2009-11-02T22:36:00.003Z

The new manager started today and, as I am also on day shifts today I have the pleasure of ensuring he knows what is going on, who everyone is and where we are at. It did ensure that the day went quite quickly, which is never a bad thing. I had plenty to do besides "training" him too so I can't complain at all. I just hope that the next 2 days are as busy. Then after that I am off for 12 days and intend to enjoy them. I haven't been out since I had my eyes lasered and I really want to go out and have a good time. I shall have to see if Richard is available for a good piss-up!
I also want to see if Tim can face going into town for a change of scenery. I though either we could just have a nice meal somewhere or go to the cinema. It all depends what he can handle. I'll see what he says. I am determined not to waste my days, like I have my last 2 weekends.

2nd November

2009-11-02T02:18:00.000Z

LGBT people born today:

1906 – Luchino Visconti – Italian Director – Died 17^th March 1976

1916 – John Burnside – US Inventor – Died 14^th September 2008

1943 – Casey Donovan – US Porn – Died 10^th August 1987

1946 – Michelle Cliff – Jamaican / US Author / Poet / Literary Critic

1961 – KD Lang – Canadian Singer / Musician

1962 – David Brock – US Journalist / Author

1963 – Jonas Gardell – Swedish Author

1966 – Tim Kirkman – US Author / Director

1977 – Randy Harrison – US Actor

And those who died:

1960 – Dimitri Mitropoulos – Greek Conductor – Born 1^st March 1896

1975 – Pier Paolo Pasolini – Italian Poet / Director / Journalist / Philosopher / Author / Columnist / Actor / Painter / Film Critic / Murder Victim – Born 5^th March 1922

1978 – Henry Willson – US Actors’ Agent – Born 31^st July 1911

1994 – David B Feinberg – US Author / Activist – Died 25^th November 1956

1st November

2009-11-01T01:56:00.001Z

LGBT people born today:

1889 – Hannah Hoch – German Artist – Died 31^st May 1978

1936 – NA Diaman – US Author / Artist

1950 – Bob Hattoy – US Activist – Died 4^th March 2007

1962 – Adolfo Constanzo – Mexican Serial Killer – Died 6^th May 1989

1966 – Sophie B Hawkins – US Singer

1981 – Pierre Fitch – Canadian Porn / Producer

And those who died:

1907 – Alfred Jarry – French Author – Born 8^th September 1873

1963 – Elsa Maxwell – US Author / Presenter / Columnist – Born 24^th May 1883

1988 – Aladar Marberger – US? Activist / Gallery Manager – Born ????

2006 – Florence Klotz – US Costume Designer – Born 28^th October 1920

Strictly Wrong

2009-10-31T21:46:00.003Z

Tonight's Strictly Come Dancing was disappointing on more than one level. Not only were most of the dances uninspiring, with strange choices in music and costume, but neither of the couples in the dance off should have been there at all.
It is about time that the public started to vote for the dancing and not the funniest dancers. It is obvious to almost everybody that Craig is consistently the worst dancer. He seems to believe that he is a brilliant dancer and is clearly deluded. Someone needs to point this out to him. Bad dancing is ruining this show. He should have been in the dance off with either Natalie, Phil, Ricky Groves or Chris.
I was quite surprised when I first saw Ricky Groves, as I thought he was looking quite handsome. He should have left his jacket on though as it would have covered up those awful arms!
And Zoe's costume was terrible with the triffid stuck to her back!
the highlight of the evening was Ricky Whittle, yet again, with his amazingly good quickstep, which deservedly earned them a 39/40 mark!
Oh, and can I just say, though they have produced some great music in the past, I am not a fan of the Bee Gees performing live. I didn't like then when I saw them at the Radio 1 road show back in the early 90's and I still don't. As I said, disappointing.

Slipping

2009-10-31T16:46:00.005Z

Somehow today I have slipped into a downer. I couldn't find any new clothes to treat myself to today (apart from a much needed lightweight jacket) and just found myself wandering around Oxford Street with no particular aim. I then forgot to go to Superdrug which was where I was going to get some essentials. Even seeing Bradley James and Angel Coulby from the television series Merlin in Forbidden Planet did nothing to improve my mood.
I've just got back now and the fact that it is not even 17:00 and it is getting dark is depressing me even more.
I have no plans for tonight and realised that I have never been to a Halloween party in my whole life. I haven't been to a party since my sisters wedding last year and before that it must have been over 3 years since I'd been to any party.
I'm not helping my mood typing this so am going to stop and search for something to take my mind of my downer.
Any ideas?

Blogger Problems

2009-10-31T11:34:00.003Z

I don't know if it is Blogger or my computer. The other day I couldn't post pictures on here as, whenever I tried, my internet connection would crash. I managed to fix that, but now I find that I can't paste any information onto my postings, meaning that I have to copy information over (taking time I sometimes do not have). I am just wondering if anyone else is experiencing problems or if I need to rectify it by getting a man in to look at my (computer) workings!!

No To Hate - Candlelit Vigil

2009-10-31T11:16:00.003Z

I am feeling slightly guilty that I did not attend the canlelit vigil in Trafalgar Square last night, I was just feeling too tired. The vigil was organised, in just 2 weeks, to remember all victims of hate crimes, and the venue was chosen as it was where Ian Baynham was attacked by a group of teenagers leading to his death in hospital 2 weeks later.
I would like to congratulate the organisers of the event and hope that it can make a difference.

BBC News reported on the vigil:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8316646.stm

Last Day As "The Boss"

2009-10-31T10:37:00.003Z

Yesterday was my last day filling in for the manager at work. I'd had Thursday off for my Optimax appointment and went back in yesterday morning to find that the night supervisor had rearranged all of the manning I had sorted out at the beginning of the week, not knowing what I knew.
I had been told that 2 of the guards would no longer be on site from the end of this week and so had to arrange their shifts to be covered. I had managed to do this, but couldn't tell the guys why as the 2 in question had yet to be told what was happening to them.
I had to spend another couple of hours sorting the manning out again, and found that I couldn't change some things until the contract manager phoned in the late afternoon to confirm that the two had been told their fate.
On top of that we had a lift break down, just after maintenance had left for the day (everything goes wrong in this building after 17:00, I'm sure that the maintenance department must sabotage it that way, just before they leave!).

The new manager, who is due to start on Monday, came in for a brief visit today. I was not impressed. He had a really weak handshake and incredibly clammy hands. He seemed quite timid and not at all confident. Let's hope he was just being reserved, as he needs to come onto this site and kick some ass. Some of the guards have just got so lazy and need someone to keep them in line. I tried giving them hints to this during my 2 weeks, but I didn't have the authority to really whip their butts. Let's hope that this new guy can, or that I get a new job very soon.
I'm off for the weekend now, back in on Monday to Wednesday to help orient the new manager, and then off for 12 days. I can't wait.

31st October

2009-10-31T00:47:00.002Z

LGBT people born today:
1876 - Natalie Clifford Barney - US Playwright / Poet / Author - Died 2nd February 1972
1888 - Napoleon Lapathiotis - Greek Poet - Died 7th January 1944
1896 - Ethel Waters - US Singer / Actress - Died 1st September 1977
1940 - Craig Rodwell - US Activist - Died 18th June 1993
1942 - David Ogden Stiers - US Actor / Musician
1956 - Bruce Bawer - US Literary Critic / Author / Poet
1964 - Frank Bruni - US Food Critic
1972 - Gordon Sloan - Australian Reality TV [Big Brother] - Died 13th September 2007
1978 - Inka Grings - German Footballer
1983 - Adam Bouska - US Photographer
1986 - Brent Corrigan - US Model / Porn / Actor

And those who died:
1976 - Eileen Gray - Irish Designer / Architect - Born 9th August 1878
1989 - Georgi Partsalev - Bulgarian Actor - Born 16th June 1925
1996 - Marcel Carne - French Director - Born 18th August 1906
2001 - Lee Calvin Yeomans - US Playwright - Born 13th June 1938

30th October

2009-10-30T02:20:00.001Z

LGBT people born today:
1853 - Louise Abbema - French Painter / Sculptor / Designer - Died 10th July 1927
1930 - Timothy Findley - Canadian Author / Playwright - Died 21st June 2002
1948 - Claude Janiak - Swiss Politician
1951 - P Craig Russell - US Comic Book Artist
1953 - Arthur Dong - US Director
1962 - Rex Harrington - Canadian Ballet
1968 - Jack Plotnick - US Actor
1971 - Grant Robertson - New Zealand Politician

And those who died:
1968 - Ramon Novarro - Mexican Actor / Hate Crime Victim - Born 6th February 1899
1990 - Craig Russell - Canadian Female Impersonator / Actor - Born 10th January 1948
2004 - David "Sinders" Morley - UK Pub Landlord / Survivor of Admiral Duncan Bombing / Murder Victim - Born 3rd October 1967

Defying Gravity

2009-10-29T17:34:00.007Z

I saw a trailer on BBC1 the other day for a show called Defying Gravity. I knew nothing about it, but the trailer made it look like it was a comedy, and an unfunny one at that. Yesterday I saw it on BBC iPlayer, had nothing else to do so I thought I would check it out. I'm glad that I did.
I am not sure yet if it is any good, I think it may be one of those shows that comes into its own half way into the series (which is unusual for an American show, as those impatient tv-execs normally don't give slow-burning good shows time to grow). The reason I am glad I watched it is because it has given me this weeks man to obsess over:

Ty Olsson

Ty is a guy whose name keeps coming to my attention and for a different reason each time. I saw him first, that I recall, in X2, as an overweight, unattractive and dumb security guard. I thought nothing of him then. His name next came to my attention when I was researching 9/11 this year. I was checking out all the actors who had portrayed Mark Bingham in the four films about Flight 93. Ty was one of these guys and I was interested to see that all four actors (the other three being Cheyenne Jackson, Jason LeGrande and Gil Kolirin) were very attractive men, the pictures I saw of him showed he had lost weight, especially around his face. Now Ty has once more come to my attention as one of the stars of this new series. I am going to keep watching and hopefully there will be a bit more action, some revelations about the mysterious "Beta" and a whole lot more half-naked shots of the incredibly sexy Ty (who, by the way has converted weight, in X2, to muscle in Defying Gravity!). Sexy!

p.s. I can't find any pictures that do him justice, so if you know where there are some, please let me know.

29th October

2009-10-29T01:56:00.000Z

LGBT people born today:
1881 – Russell Cheney – US Painter – Died 1945
1958 – Ann-Marie MacDonald – Canadian Author / Playwright / Director / Presenter / Actress
1959 – Nicole Conn – US Director / Producer / Screenwriter
1968 – Karin Giphart – Dutch Author / Poet / Singer

And those who died:
1677 – Charles Coypeau d’Assoucy – French Musician / Poet – Born 16th October 1605
1961 – Guthrie McClintic – US Director / Producer – Born 6th August 1893
1992 – Richard Hall – US Author – Born 26th November 1926

Maxine

2009-10-28T22:35:00.002Z

I was waiting all day at work to hear how my sister's operation had gone today. Maxine went into hospital last night as she was due to have a hysterectomy this morning, though it wasn't confirmed what time she would be having the operation. I waited and waited all day for news but didn't get any. In the end I resigned myself to thinking that she had had her operation cancelled or something, but when I got home I chatted to my niece, Mikala, on Facebook and found out that she had indeed had the operation and was now recovering but was still under the anaesthetic. She will apparently be in hospital for 5-7 days, but hopefully I will hear tomorrow how she is doing once she wakes a bit more.
She was having the operation as a mostly preventative measure, my other sister having done the same a few years back. Both felt it necessary as my mum had died of ovarian cancer, and had previously also had a hysterectomy. Let's hope that it is wholly successful for both of my sisters in the long run as they have lots of people around them who could not do without them.

28th October

2009-10-28T01:29:00.001Z

LGBT people born today:
1856 – Anna Elizabeth Klumpke – US Painter – Died 1942
1909 – Francis Bacon – Irish Painter – Died 28th April 1992
1915 – Karl Lange – German / US imprisoned by Nazis for homosexuality
1920 – Florence Klotz – US Costume Designer – Died 1st November 2006
1937 – Walter Capiau – Belgian Presenter / Politician
1939 – Andy Bey – US Musician / Singer
1943 – Fran Winant – US Poet / painter / Activist
1967 – David Binder – US Producer
1969 – Derek Hartley – US Presenter
1971 – Peter van der Voorst – Dutch Producer / Presenter / Columnist

And those who died:
1972 – Mitchell Leisen – US Director / Costume Designer – Born 6th October 1898
2007 – Joe Herzenberg – US Politician / Historian / Activist – Born 25th June 1941

Frustrated

2009-10-27T19:59:00.002Z

Today was a fairly uneventful one until around 17:00. This is the time that most things seem to kick off at work. "Why?" You may ask! Because this is when everyone has gone home!
We have a 5-strong maintenance department who all start at the same time, have ciggie-breaks at the same time, lunch at the same time and leave site at the same time. None of them are on over night or weekend shifts. A ridiculous situation for a working 24-hour building (especially considering some of the issues outstanding since before the refit was started!). But what do I know? I'm only security (and I've only been on this site for almost 3 years, so what could I possibly have to contribute to the conversation?).

Frustrating!

27th October

2009-10-27T00:14:00.000Z

LGBT people born today:
1466/69 – Desiderius Erasmus – Dutch Theologian – Died 12th July 1536
1930 – Larry Townsend – US Author – Died 29th July 2008
1941 – Gerd Brantenberg – Norwegian Author / Teacher
1959 – Brian Pockar – Canadian Figure Skater – Died 28th April 1992
1977 – K8 Hardy – US Artist / Performance Artist
???? – Derrick Stanton – US Porn / Actor / Activist

And those who died:
1941 – Georgette LeBlanc – French Singer / Author – Born 8th February 1875
1988 – Niek Engelschman – Dutch Actor / Activist – Born 12th November 1913
1988 – Charles Hawtrey – UK Actor – Born 30th November 1914
1992 – Allen R Schindler Jr. – US Naval Petty Officer / Hate Crime Victim – Born 13th December 1969

26th October

2009-10-26T00:52:00.000Z

LGBT people born today:
1900 – Karin Boye – Swedish Poet / Author – Died 24th April 1941
1946 – Holly Woodlawn – Puerto Rican Drag Queen / Actress
1953 – Keith Strickland – US Musician
1954 – Ben Brantley – US Theatre Critic
1957 – Glen Murray – Canadian Politician
1963 – El-Farouk Khaki – Tanzanian / Canadian Politician / Lawyer / Activist
1971 – CJ Madison – US Porn
1971 – Anthony Rapp – US Actor

And those who died:
1989 – Mabel Hampton – US Dancer / Activist – Born 2nd May 1902
1993 – Alexander Wilson – US / Canadian Author / Horticulturist / Activist – Born 25th May 1953
1999 – Rex Gildo – German Singer – Born 2nd July 1936
2001 – Kris Kovick – US Author / Cartoonist – Born 10th September 1951

What We ALL Fight For

2009-10-25T23:46:00.001Z

Thanks to my friend Ronan who highlighted this video on Facebook. I'll let this man's words say it all: