Getting myself a fella and my first V

9 Sep 2006 not well Current mood: crappy This is gunna be a tiny blog entry, cos i is poorly sick. both ‘S’ and I have tonselitis. (too sick to use spell check). we both feel like crap, but im quite likeing us nursing each other better. I promice a proper blog post will come soon, 8:57 – 2 Comments – 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

My Perfect Sunday Wakin up in the arms of the man I am compleately smitten with, eventually getting out of bed. Breakfast of bagels scrambled eggs, bacon, coffee and OJ while watching ‘The great muppet caper’. ‘S’ faling asleep with his head on my chest and me drifting off shortly after. We woke up in time to watch the last hour of “carry on screaming”. When hunger got the best of us we got dressed and went for sunday lunch in a good pub. The day was finished off by meeting up with his sister and her partner for a fun drunken night dancin to steps and kylie. 21:05 – 1 Comments – 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

another weekend, another wristband

After Last weekend I was going to stay in and maybe sell or even give away my manc pride ticket. Well that was until I got a call from Mitch, an old Newcastle mate last night, who was down there. I didn’t go down last night as I was far too happy snuggled up on the sofa watching final destination 3 (some good deaths, especially the one in the gym, but not as good as the 1 & 2, and definitely not as good as “snakes on a plane” which I saw at the cinema this week, the 1st time in ages I have heard a cinema audience cheer)… anyway, today I jumped in the car and drove down to Manchesterford. It was great to see Mitch and Peter and Jerry, and catch up on old gossip, as well as new gossip, thanks to a text from Oscar. I stayed down there long enough to have a wander around the stalls and purchase a “specialist” DVD for ‘S’ and I to enjoy in the privacy of his home (Abba Karaoke). I also stayed for the parade which was fab, from what I could see. The sun came out, very briefly, it also started to rain, for a moment I was convinced we would get a real rainbow.

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V pics and vid

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Click here for the pics or wait for the video clips

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How could i forget…

Saturday evening, before the Charletons, Faithless with Insomnia. wow

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V

Oh my god what an amazing weekend. After the traffic jam from hell I finally got parked and met up with the others around quarter to midnight. I say met I was actually introduced to 7 slightly merry silhouettes around a camping light, most of whom seemed to be called Carl. A few glugs of the special stuff from my thermos and I was as merry as they were. I have to say considering I hadnt met them before, they all made me feel really welcome.

 

On Saturday I got to see the site and all the sites including the lynx manwash where guys could strip to their undies , stand on a conveyor belt and be lathered by ladies in bikinis and eventuality hosed down. We saw lots of stalls and communal pissing (male and female) against anything that could be described as a wall. The main band we saw on Saturday was the charlatans. I know we saw more than that but theyre the only ones I can remember. We spend a significant amount of time dancing out tits off in one of the tents. Then eventually back to the campsite for beers and random conversation including:

Not ostracized, Ostrich sized, as in the size of an Ostrich

Im always getting poo tashes

Can you hire a gimp

The song that goes doo doo doo doo STELLA

 

Sunday was fanatic, on the way down I got myself a green cowboy hat which filled me with festival confidence, we started of with the magic numbers, then sang along with keane and after a bit of a chill out we got over to girls aloud who where f***ing amazing, especially their version of I predict a riot.

No matter how great the weekend was, nothing could shave prepared me for the magic of Fatboy slim. Crescendo after crescendo of fantastic tunes. By the end I was dancing like a mad man with nothing on from the waste up other than the cowboy hat.

There is so much more to say about the weekend but I will leave it there for now. You may have noticed I havent mentioned the guy who I went with. The only reason for this is because it still feels a bit soon and I dont want to jinx things. But I did have a great weekend.

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Jam

I am writting this on my phone while stuck into a traffic jam on the way to the v festival in staffordshire. So far the journey has taken 5 long hours. The reason i am here is mainly down to a certain guy. Who started as a friend although i had always hoped it would develop into something more. Turns out he felt the same however it took him several pints before he got round telling me. God knows how many pints it would have taken if left to me. I don’t want to say too much as its so new i don’t want to jinx it. What i can say is that last night i decided to go meet him and various friends and family at this, my first festival. They arrived this afternoon but thanks to me working i didn’t leave bp till half 5, its now 11:54 . Right best go as there are laws against blogging while driving, even if it is 5mph

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quickie

its 10 past 8 and i need to in lancaster uni at 9 so thiss will only be a quick one, but i had to write abiut last night. I wasn’t going to go out last night but eventually dragged myself off the sofa and drove down t the bew road inn , this is the pub i origionally thought was quite scairy.
The ballons and men in suits told me it wasn’t the avaerage karaoke monday, turns out it was a gay wedding reception. so i sat dwn and various people i had met over the last few weeks said hi, the landlady served me and told me that during the week she had heard the scissor sissters song on the radio, and it made her realise how good i was at it. I went to put a song on and the karoke hoast said don’t worry Kev, ive already put ya name down.
I couln’t belive it, within a matter of a few weeks i had become a regular, and a popular one at that. It was such a fantasic wedding reception, drunk emotional karaoke songs, buffet in the back room, dog running round the bar being treated to the odd sausage roll by various customers, One of the highlights of the night was when the landlord and landlady were slow dancing at the end of the night and the dog kept jumping up cos he wanted to be part of it. that was sweet.

There are alot more reassons why last night was so good, but i had best leave it there for now.

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Up all night

Last weekend Carlos ( a great mate from Newcastles gay karaoke circuit) was down to visit. It was great to see him and thanks to a series of drunken conversations, we got to know each other a little bit better.

Despite my lack of funds, I had a few good nights out this week. A hedonistic Saturday night in a club with live guitarists, fire eaters and dancing boys, was counteracted by a Monday karaoke night in a real bar with dogs running around and a sign letting the locals know picked eggs are only 40p.

My working week was relatively non-eventful. I was starting to panic about the fact I have moved away for a job I am fining really dull at the moment, but I managed o look at the bigger picture and see that the reason its dull at the moment is because everyone is on their hols and I am busy learning the basics, know that once the colleges get back Ill have the chance to really get stuck into it and Ill love it.

And then we get to the end of the week where I went out with a new friend, Simon, and couple of his work mates. The night involved lots of vodka, and discussions on everything from the state of the NHS, why emanon Holmes is the antichrist and getting to the age when you feel comfortable enough to have a poo at work. I cant say how long we were all up chatting till, but we were still chatting when the postman delivered Saturdays post. And I was worried I wasnt going to make any friends here.

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Those about to rock, we salute you

Not a great deal to report this week. Last weekend it was all change at the house as Patrick, Emma and Stephen moved out and Chris moved in with me and another Emma. I think its really helped the house dynamics, and weve all gone out for a couple of beers a couple of times already. Plus Chris appears to share my taste in ROCK. My love of all things ROCK has been revived thanks to discovering KERRANG TV. I am noticing that Dave Grohl appears in pritty much every other Video, having said that theres a Limp Bisket vid on at the moment with Eminem and snoopy snoopy woof woof. LETS ROCK.

So what else? well the fourms picking up nicely, Ive done a bit of work on making it look a bit better and create a logo. Not great but it’ll do for the moment. Oh yeah, found out this week i have passed my PGCE with a comendation. should bloody think so too.

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Moving to Blackpool

30 Jul 2006 I’ve created a monster Last week I mentioned setting up a blackpool gay community message board.  Well I did it, sent a few emails asking to various members of gaydar and myspace to look at it and its really kicked off. At the moment the URL is http://blackpoolgc.proboards38.com/ but I am hoping that in the next day or 2 I can get that changed to www.blackpoolgc.co.uk.  So far I have had loads of positive feedback about the site and more people are joining thanks to word of mouth.  Once I get the url changed I can really get to work in promoting it.  I guess the fact that it has had a good start goes to show there was a real need for something like this.  I must admit I am putting a fair bit of my own time into managing the site but as it picks up I hope to get more administrators involved.  Apart from taking the pressure off me, this will also encoursge the community to take ownership of the project.  (god that sounded, like dead grown up and stuff). I am really proud of whats happened so far with the site and from a personal level its helped me find my feet down here. Currently reading : Doctor Who: I Am A Dalek (Doctor Who (BBC Paperback)) By Gareth Roberts Release date: 19 July, 2006 6:29 – 3 Comments – 2 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

Community For the last few weeks I have felt a bit of a fraud at work.  Because I donât come from an education sector background I have had difficulty keeping up with the conversations and discussions.  It has felt like a foreign language at times; Moodle, NLN, QiA, WebCT, COVE, Fenc, TASI, CETL, LLUK, SCORM, etc.  you get the idea. The thought that I will have know and understand this to the extent that I can go out and advise colleges, has been daunting to say the least.  Earlier this week I was in Worcester for a meeting of people around the country with the same job as me, these meetings happen 3 times a year and during the day there are various presentations.  However the most important part of the gathering for me was during the evening where we all had a meal and a few drinks.  I was really impressed with the sense of community and support.  The event doubled as a leaving do for one of the founding members of the group. During the various speeches and toasts someone spoke of how they felt when they started all those years ago, and how they put off going to college visits because they were so daunted at the thought.  But they got through it and so will I.     As I mentioned last week, I have found then gay scene a difficult place to fit in.  If there is a âcommunityâ then I havenât found it.  However I have made a few friends via websites such as gaydar and myspace.  Through these contacts I have discovered that there is a large number of gay people who avoid the scene.  I was thinking about this and what could be done to develop some kind of community spirit., when I had the idea of a Blackpool gay community internet forum.  A forum that catered for the gay community, and not just the gay scene.  There isnât anything like this at the moment, so why donât I start one? Actually I can think of loads of reasons why I shouldnât but I think I might do it any way.  I havenât had anyone give me any reason to think that it will be anything other than a huge waste of time, but if I donât try then I wonât know, and id rather try and fail than just sit around complaining about things.  Lets see what happens. Currently listening : Batman By Prince Release date: 15 June, 1989 5:26 – 3 Comments – 2 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

Drinkin with the devil

Its been another busy week what with starting the new job and going out every night:
- Monday – Karaoke in a scairy rough bar (good fun)
- Tuesday – Drinks with 1 of my new housemates
-Wednesday – Drinks with Pip & his BF Steve, Mates from N’Cle
- Thursday – Work related night out- more fun than i was expecting
- Friday- trying to discover the scene- More on that later

But lets get back to the new job, the reason i’ve moved down here.  I started Monday and there have been moments where I have felt as though I have been swamped with so much information i didn’t know where to begin getting through it all. As I don’t come from an educational sector background i feel as though its a doubly steep learning curve, not only learning the job but trying to get my head round all the abreviations, acronims, services, products and various partner organisations. Having said that, I have also had times this week where i have felt that once I get to grips with it all, i will fit in and be bloody good at the job. time will tell.  Also there is something about the organisation that seems to attract doctor who fans, told you i’d fit in.

So last night I got in from work and the sun was shining so i went for a couple of beers over the road with one of my housemates, emma. It was good but it gave me a thurst for a few more so I shaved my head (not a good dea after a few beers) and went into town.  Now, whereever I go, either to live or on holiday, I enjoy sitting at the end of the bar and making friends by chatting to people.  But blackpool is different.  There doesn’t seem to be that culture of making conversation at the bar.  I am finding this really odd.  As I think i mentioned in my last blog, i have found the community atmosphere more noticable on the gaydar site than in the real world.  But I ended up out on my own last night anyway.  I was there for a while when i noticed someone who i vaguely noticed from the bars in newcastle.  we started chatting and it wasn’t long before the subtley negative comments started coming though
“you’ve moved here? why?”
“nice place to visit but you wouldn’t catch me living here”
“Haven’t you just left loads of friends back in newcastle”
“you’ve put on a fair bit of wieght havent you?”
“Your really loanley here arnt you?”
“I give you 6 months before you move back”

Thankfully half way through this conversation I swapped my lagers for diet cokes and this helped me reallise what was going on.

Before Dr who, Russel T Davies and Christopher Ecclestone collaborated on a show called the second coming.  In this show the devil took over a normal guy (the fat guy from the “new customers only” building society adverts).  and this guy would talk to people and, in conversation, bring up there fears, and paranoias which would make them much worse.  This is exactly what this guy was doing.  He was so full of negativity that, if you allowed him too, he would really bring you down.  I made sure this wasn’t going to happen.

He hated the fact that i had moved on from the beers “let me buy you a pint”, “Go on, I’m on holiday, i’m sure i can afford it more than you can”, “Just cos i buy you a pint doesn’t mean i’m wanna shag ya”, “HAVE A PINT”, “WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU? HAVE A PINT, ” “WHATS WRONG WITH YOU?”

What the hell was I doing talking to that peice of shit in the first place? But walking away from him made me feel stronger.  I won’t deny I have paranoias and worries about moving down here.  The lack of community atmosphere on the scene means I won’t be able to fit in the way  did in newcastle, but you know what? It just means I will find other ways to find my space in this town. and i will.

Currently listening : Confessions on a Dance Floor By Madonna Release date: 15 November, 2005

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“Any one in tonight from Newcastle?”

Is been difficult getting round to writing this blog, my first since moving to blackpool last weekend. Not sure why, maybe its because I was feeling quite down earlier this week and when Im down I dont like to share, maybe its because I havent had a busy schedule, and when im not busy I end up not doing the few things I should be doing, or maybe its because there has been so much I could write about I dont know where to start.

So I think Ill start with a list of things I could write about:

• The fantastic leaving party I had on my last day in Newcastle, where Daniel had his chest waxed (click here for photos)
• The stress of trying to move my belongings from one side of the country to the other during the hottest day of the year
• The efforts I made during the week to get out there and try and make some friends on the gay scene which resulted in me making some enemies
• The shock and disappointment I felt upon hearing there is no gay scene karaoke here
• My new housemates who seem really nice guys but who I havent really gelled with yet, primarily because I have been out every night
• The loneliness I have felt during this week in a town where I didnt even know the area code, never mind any friends.
• The difficulty I have had in trying to tap into the gay scene community up here
• Managing to find more of a friendly, community feel via the local gaydar chat room
• The few potential new friends I have made thanks to gaydar and a shared interest in Doctor who
• The local cabaret curcit which I am fascinated with, varying from really good pop/rock acts to ultra cheesy singers with black suits, ruffled shirts, a laptop onstage full of backing tracks and a diamante treble clef brooch on the lapel.

I think Ill leave it there for today.  Hopefully my next week Ill be in a routine with my new job and Ill have started to feel more settled in.

Currently reading : Bigger Than Hitler By Rik Mayall Release date: 05 September, 2005

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“Haven’t you gone yet?”
Current mood: full

It’s been another week of farewells, with a karaoke/gay scene leaving do on Sunday and a works and others do this evening. Plus I have just had my works leaving meal (Lunch at Pizza hut click here for photos).

I always kew that some people wouldn’t be happy with me having a leaving do at a Sunday at the karaoke, but i went ahead with it any way.  It was too noise and busy which is probebly the ain reason most people turned up for a short while before making their excuses and leaving.  Plus I was taking every opportunity to sing.  Having said that I had a good time, particularly as thanks to these karaoke Sundays I have made so many new friend such as Arthur, Carlos, Kevin, Laurence and Diane. I was so shocked when as I walked through the door Diane gave me a big hug, a card and a beautiful watch as a leaving present. For me the highlight of the night was singing with Diane at the end of the evening.

I did pop out again during the week on Wednesday firstly to see the hoppings fair. which was pritty much the same as last year, although there were allot more queues for the fortune tellers. I wonder if this is connected to the rise in ghost shows on living TV? and then i popped down the yard to have one final song with my Diane.

Today’s Pizza hut work lunch was fun, an impressive turn out (20 I think) far too much food, for me anyway, and a presentation( 3 cards, a tie, £50 and a fantastic pair of tardis cufflinks). I have taken the opportunity to get hugs of pretty much everyone.

So now I have come home to get ready for the evenings final farewell before moving across tomorrow morning. 

I have noticed from the pics just how much of an effect all this partying had had on me. When i get moved in I am going to spend some serious time at the gym.

Currently listening : Bright Idea By Orson Release date: 08 June, 2006

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Party Animal
Current mood: tired

Its been a busy week, I have only had 1 night that hasnt involved me going out and partying.  It was my 31^st on Monday which meant I had to go out Sunday and Monday.  Wednesday I went out, well just because I wanted to, Thursday was one of the legendary Newcastle pub crawls with my mate Martin, and last night It was a night out with the lads from work. I am going to do my best to stay in tonight, especially as tomorrow is my Gay scene leaving do. 

 

In between all this partying I am getting things packed, and returning assembled funitire to its previous flat pack state.  This is so I can load the car up next Saturday and begin this new life.  Time is dragging at the moment, especially at work, just because I want to get this move over and done with. As a friend at work said, I need to stop saying my goodbyes and start saying some hellos.

Currently listening : Greatest Hits By Red Hot Chili Peppers Release date: 18 November, 2003

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paranoia’s
Current mood: nervous

I have only got about 40hrs left to take an 18-30 Holiday. Yep, Im gunna be 31 on Monday.  How do I feel about this?  Err absolutely nothing. Maybe its because all I can think about at the moment is the move.  Although I am organised I am still a bag of nerves about the whole thing.  Hopefully a session at the gym will help me work off some of this stress, and it should be better for me than the several glasses (ok, bottles) of wine I have sampled this week to do the same thing.

 

After writing my blog last week I had nothing  to do for the rest of the day except enjoy the delights of Blackpool in the sunshine.  I went out that evening and visited various local gay bars.  I dont know if was the heat or the fact that I was a tired, but I didnt feel my sociable self.  Usually I can go somewhere and find someone to chat to, but last Saturday Blackpool felt a very lonely place.  This was playing on my mind during the week and fuelled my paranoia about leaving all my friends in Newcastle,  to a town where I dont know a soul. These paranoias where dispelled (for the moment at least) by a few kind messages from Dean, a guy from Blackpool, who I found via myspace.  He has invited me for a gathering to meet him and his partner and friends once I move down.  Suddenly Blackpool doesnt seem such a lonely place.

Currently listening : Whales & Dolphins By Terrorvision Release date: 27 September, 2001

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The move continues
Current mood: hot

Well here I am in that same cafe in Blackpool. The frustration of not getting details of the new job was really getting to me so by Wednesday I gave them a call.  The new contract had been sent and was in the post and my start date is 10th July.  Since finding that out I have been busy getting things organised; handing in my notice (last day 30th June), sorting out 2 leaving do’s (a works do and a gay scene do, although I am dragging my work mate to the gay scene anyway),and I drove down here to blackpool yesterday after work to look for somewhere to live.  I have just put a deposit down on for a really nice shared house in Leyton, Blackpool.  I even have a view of the tower from my bedroom window.

Have been on such a high since finding out about the job that I must be hell to live with and work with at the moment, even more than usual,  although I did get quite emotional when I read the comment left by Davyjimjam on my myspace page.  I think that other than my landlady/friend/Guiding light (Oscar) I will miss my work collegues the most especially as I feel that there are so many really good friendships that are blossoming.

By the way while I am writting this, the rest of the world are watching the 1st england world cup match, I have just overheard that england are winning 1-0 Beckhan scored, no idea who against.  The whole country appears to have gone a bit mad with the whole thing. At what point does patiotism turm to jingoism? (see i do know big words, even if i cant spell them).  I am even doing my bit, I have been walking round in the baking heat all day so tomorrow my entire body will be “eng-ger-land” red, with white bits.

Thats it for now

OK, love you, Bye bye

PS I have done my best to think of a witty football related pun for this blog, but failed. sorry.  If i think of one i’ll update , or if there is anyone who reads this and can think of one, please let me know

cheers

kev

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Limbo
Current mood: frustrated

I am waiting, and waiting, and waiting. You get the idea.  I cant hand in my notice at work yet because I need to wait until I get various forms through from the new job, then have some kind of medical, then wait until I get a starting date.  So at the moment I cant really look for accommodation,  arrange a leaving do, etc. 

 

But enough of that lets go back a bit,  I wrote my last blog last Saturday from a café in Blackpool.  I eventually found a cure for my hangover; fish, chips and anadin while sat on the beach.  That night I went out with the owner of the B&B I was staying in and a few other guys staying there.  The club was fantastic and I danced all night. Im sure everyone thought I was on something, which I wasnt.  The best moment was when I came off the dance floor with a big grin on my face, and the B&B owner put his arm round me and said Welcome to Blackpool

 

The rest of the week has just been the usual odd night out and work, although now it feels like I am starting to tie up loose ends and plan who I will be keeping in touch with, and who I wont.  The highlight of the week was a grape fight with the lads at work.

 

Right thats me for now

 

Kev

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Blackpool

Yesterday mornin I had my interview.

Yesterday afternoon I got a call offering me the job

Yesterday evening/last night I went out and celebrated.

Today I feel ruff.

I am still numb, not from the drink, ok not just from the drink, but also at the thought of how much my life is about to change.

I have had the happiest decade of my life in newcastle, and I have so many friends there, and I am saying goodbye to all that to start again in a town where i don’t know anyone.  you know what? I can’t wait.

I will miss everyone so much but I know i’ll keep in touch with those who i want to keep intouch with, and I have a new adventure to begin.  It hasnt sunk in at all yet, again that might be due to last nights celebrations.

I am going back to newcastle tomorra, so another party night lies ahead.  I think i’d best have a few hours kip before then. maybe i should start looking for flats while i’m here?

sod that I’m too hungover.

right time for a lie down.

PS I am moving to a town with a perminant doctor who exhibision, Get in

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Berlin, Stress, Karaoke

20 May 2006 Time to move on? Part 2 Category: Blogging This is my first “my space” blog, all previous ones have been copied over from blog.co.uk.      If you have been reading previous blogs, you’ll know that I applied for a job in Blackpool; well next Friday I have an interview. I feel very grown up for getting an interview for a job advertised in the guardian.  I don’t think Ill get it but Im going to give it my best shot.  The fact that I have an interview makes it feel like a real possibility that I will be leaving Newcastle.   As I mentioned in previous blogs I havent been looking to leave and if I allow myself to think about it, I know I could convince myself that leaving this city I love is a really bad idea, especially as I have made so much of a life for myself, with so many really close friends.  Once word got out that I might be moving, I was surprised at how many people seemed genuinely upset.  But the way I look at it, Id rather be sad to leave my friends but excited about having a new adventure, than regretting not going for it.  I do try my best to seek out new adventures without worrying too much about the consequences.  I know this is a foolhardy approach but its worked well for me so far.   But I am getting ahead of myself, because although I will give this interview everything I’ve got, I don’t think I’ll get the job. At least Ill have a night out in Blackpool out of it.  Don’t get me wrong, I am really going to give it my best, which means I have allot of prep work to do this weekend. I have to give a presentation as well as research the job itself. so thats me busy for the weekend, which is a good thing because the last few weekends have been a bit…..wild and I need an excuse to put the breaks on for a while. Having said that, last weekend was FANTASTIC, and thats all I dare say about that.     Ok thats all for now P.S. Dr who has been a bit rubbish over the last 2 weeks, sorry but the new cybermen look naff, next weeks looks good though.  20:47 – 0 Comments – 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

Time to move on? Part 1 I have decided to move my blog to my space, i’ll see how it goes and if its no good i’ll be back, but for now my blog can be found here: http://www.myspace.com/kevhickeyuk 7:59 – 0 Comments – 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

Time of the month

This week i am going to be lazy and just copy accross an email I have sent to my mate Teresa

Hello m’darlin
well whats my news?
ok, first of all I am having a period at the moment. I had stomach cramps over the weekend and yesterday I had hot flushes, so obviously it must be my time of the month. thankfully I seem to be over it today, which is a shame cos i wanted to go rollerskating and parachuting like in the adverts.

Next, I have finaly got my finger out about looking for another job. Although I still like this job I feel as though its time to move on and progress my career. so last week I applied for a job as an e-learning advisor in Blackpool. Although I wasn’t thinking about leaving the north east, this job looked ideal, and i do like Blackpool. The thing is now I have opened myself up to the possibility of living away from the north east, i have started to applying to jobs elsewhere. I have decided, no matter what the job is I am not going to move somewhere I hate (sorry London, Surrey and Birmingham).
I hope i at least get an interview in Blackpool, I’ll make a long weekend out of it.

No men on the horizon what so ever at the moment. Not a problem, can’t be asked.

as for my musical career, last night my and a few guys from the office got together and had a jamming session. well Mr Anderson ( Chris, but Mr Andrson sounds better in a matrix style) demonstrated that he could actually play drums and guitar while Dan and I demonstrated that we couldn’t. Mind you I am slowly getting the hang of these chords which is all I want to do.
Had a good Sunday night karaoke session, lots of ROCK songs, loads of fun.

and that’s about it from me

best get back to work

OK love you bye bye

Kev

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Sex, drugs & karaoke

It’s all over, after 2 years of getting stressed about writing assignments, I have finally finished my PGCE (FE). I had my final observation on Monday and within a few hours it was written up, added to my portfolio and handed in. I think that means I can get on with my life.

Last weekend this involved several wild nights (hence sex, drugs and karaoke)and as its bank holiday I guess this weekend might be the same.

One thing I did last week was randomly get a guitar. well it was cheep in the market and i though it rude not to. I snapped a few strings trying the tune the strings to the wrong notes (i was looking at the book upside down) but I have got there and managed to have ago at trying a few chords. My poor house mate must be fed upon the noise.

I have decided that it is imposable to play most of the chords with only 5 fingers on each hand so I’ll be looking for songs that only have the few humanly possible chords. I am getting there although there is a 5 min gap between chords. Still I am confident and have booked the telewest arena for this time next year.

Right I am going to get back to the guitar.

Other news in briefs:
- I have a new mobile (nokia N70) which does everything you could imagine, include tune the guitar (not joking)
- I have booked jet another trip to Berlin for June. Is 3 times in 7 months a bit obsessive?

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nothing to report

Nothing to Report

My initial plan was to write something on this blog every week, but to be honest there is nowt going on in my life at the moment worth talking about other than:

- Uni work. I am busy finishing my last 2 Assignments for my PGCE. Thank god I have finished all my lectures. I have a bottle of champaine in the fridge waiting for the day i hand in my last assignment.

- Gym. I have thrown myself into going to the gym. I am going most days doing either a weights routine or the medevil torture that is a spinning class. This has been going on for 3 weeks or so now, and so far i think i have put weight on. maybe its muscle? i’m not conviced

I hope that once my works out of the way normal service will be resumed.

I have been told that i should fill my blog with my thoughts, ideas, etc. rather than rely on whats going on around me, however i am far to shallow to have any, but don’t worry,if i get one, you’ll be the first to know.

I almost forgot, New series of Doctor Who starts saturday, can’t wait.

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time to de-stress

About 10 years ago i was told that i was very Irish as far as anger and stress. I allow lots of things to wind me up and, without noticing, I bottle it all up until I snap. 10 years ago this led me to shouting like a mad man over who had eaten the last jaffa cake, and last week it led me to walking out of a uni test, going down the pub and staying out drinking till half two in the morning. A combination of work, uni and other bits and pieces had got me into that state all mixed in with my roman catholic guilt, that I am forever carrying around. Sorry.

So here is my plan of action for making sure things dont get on top of me:
- Give up coffee. I used to drink 3 or 4 cups of very dark coffee a day. I gave up a week ago and have finally got past the cold turkey headaches
- Exercise. I rejoined my old gym on Wednesday, did a work out yesterday, can barely move today.
- Vent my spleen. I wrote a 3 page letter to the Uni pointing out everything that was wrong with the course.

Right what else has been going on? Well last weekend I was back in brum for my Dads surprise 60th birthday party. Despite dreading it, I actually had fun. Dad really had no idea, in fact he almost walked out the bar because he could see there was a private party on, before the penny dropped. He had a smile on his face all night long. His girlfriend had organised the whole thing and you could tell she was relived that all the planning and secret phone calls was now over. Although I have met his girlfriend a few times this was the first time I had met the rest of her family, and seen how Dad was part of it. Through her he has a pseudo step son, daughter, son-in law, daughter in law and 5 amazing grandkids, who all seem to adore him. I guess part of me felt jealous, sad or even relived that Dad now had this ready made family that I could never give him. But then I remembered how shallow I am and got on with enjoying the party.

I had invited my best friends Teresa and Elizabeth (sisters) who where the only ones there who know Im gay. Being the friends they are they did their best to make me revel my secret identity. While chatting to one of my dads work friends I could see them out of the corner of my eye, encouraging me to join in the dance routine to the YMCA. They were also there while various uncles and aunts asked if I had a girlfriend and how great it would be to have a wedding in the family. My standard reply was why dont you renew your vows then?

Before I drove back the following day, I popped round to see Teresa and Elizabeths family, including Elizabeths baby daughter who had her mothers big cheeks and big eyes. She looked permanently shocked, and beautiful with it. So then it was a 4 hour drive back to brum while practicing I dont want to miss a thing for the evening karaoke session back in ncastle

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just another saturday

Its Saturday morning and I have just enjoyed the Doctor (pertwee) attack werewolf with fire extinguishers in several parallel universes.

I have given up trying to figure out how to post pics on here so if you want to see my Berlin pics you will need to go here http://kevhickey.fotoblog.co.uk

Well this week I managed to finish my latest assignment early so i can chill out this weekend. Hoorah.

Well this week my best mate from Uni became a daddy, wow big news. also my dad is 60 this month. I guess these 2 facts mean i should think about the passage of time and reflect on my life passing me by. Thankfully I am far too shallow to be bothered about any of that nonsense.

I have been trying to get a proper website sorted but its not there yet, watch this space. Nowt else going on

so Ta Ta for Now

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Last day in Berlin

On Sunday night i looked thought the free magazine to see what was on. I had a choice of karaoke or a naked sex party. Obviously I went for the karaoke. On the way I stopped in several bars that I hadn’t tried yet. As it was a Sunday evening most of the bars were really quiet. There was a real “slaughtered lamb” moment when I walked into a relatively busy bar and everyone went silent and starred at me. I think it was more a case of check out the fresh meat than youre not from round here. On my travels I found a lively bar where I bumped into Naked Guy. This time wearing boots, the hat and jeans. I was a lot more comfortable chatting to him now he wasnt so naked.

A small group of queens had spotted me from the other end of the bar and were obviously talking about me. One was really cute, however sods law, it was his mate that came over and chatted. He told me that he used to go out with a Scottish guy who he dumped because the Scottish guy could not speak good English. An annoying pop song came on and this guy was distracted enough to go for a bit of a boogie, halfway through he bounced over and kissed me, naked guy seemed put out, so he kissed me as well.

I joked that was popular tonight, naked guy didnt see any humour in this. With a shrug he explained you are young and look healthy. Despite the overwhelming flattery I moved on to the next bar, Hevan. A lot more relaxed and less cruisy. I stayed for a few drinks and chatted to a guy who explained that his home city of Munich was very conservative although everybody sunbathed naked in summer. Naked and Conservative are words that should not go together, think john major, Ann Widicome, ect. Although I was getting on well with Munich guy, my karaoke cravings took over and I headed over the road to a club/bar called WoWos.

It was a small tacky bar with less than a dozen customers. The drag queen hostess, sat next to me and repeatedly asked what I was going to sing. No one had sang yet and I wasnt going to be the first, despite the fact that I was on my 7th bar and was more that a little tipsy. Eventually the karaoke started, mostly German songs but a few I could understand. It seemed that everyone was singing relatively quietly and sombrely, even the drag queen. One guy sang raindrops keep falling on your head, which, thanks to his accent now included the line my arse are turning red.

So it wasnt long before I got up and showed them how to do it. Ahhh the confidence you get with alcohol. My name was called up and but it took them a while to find my song, so while I was stood on the stage the drag queen was joking with the crowd (does 12 people constitute a crowd?) she turned to me and explained we have decided you have to do this song naked. Thankfully for all concerned she did not hold me to this.

As I blasted out too funky the drag queen decided to be one of the supermodels from the video, first dancing behind me, then all over me. I sang my last yeah yeah, the crowd cheered, and I decided it was time for my bed.

Monday morning I enjoyed a lie in before I packed my bags and left, my flight wasnt till the evening so I stored my luggage in a locker at the station and decided to join a walking tour of the city for the day. Over the next 3½ hrs a group of Americans, Irish, Canadians, and me, were entertained and shown the sites by an enthusiastic New Zealander called Mike. Highlights included:
The Brandenburg Gate
The Reichstag
Hitlers bunker
The new Holocaust Memorial
Potsdamer Platz
The Berlin Wall
Checkpoint Charlie
And of course the hotel window where Michael Jackson dangled a baby.

So other than getting lost on the way back to the airport and several single friends I didnt get round to mentioning, that was berlin

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Berlin Day 3
Category: Travel and Places

 decided last night to leave my comfort zone, this meant trecking over to the other side of the city in serch of a bar called roses which has been recomeded to me. I got as far as finding the street but couldn’t see anywhere called roses. I did see a cafe/bar called bierhimmel with a rainbow painted on the window, so i popped in for a beer. It was very busy but I managed to get a seat at the bar. I plucked up the courage to chat to the couple next to me who told me that roses was the bar a few dors down, with no sign on the front. They also advised a few other bars and a night club, called the powerstation… or something like that.

After a few more drinks I moved on to roses. from the outside it looked scairy, painted black with a bulldog on the door. But when I went in i was amased. It was fantasicly, gloriously camp. The walls and celing were covered in thick pink fun fur, hanging on these walls a tacky, glowing picture of the virgin mary holding baby jesus was hanging next to a painting of miss piggy reclining on a chez long. I counted 7 chandeleers in this tiny bar, as well as several glitterballs accesorized with rosery beads. the main focus of the back wall was a mirroed crusifix surounded by fairy lights. It might all sound awful, but when something is this camp and potentialy offensive you have to love it. I managed to make a few “single serving friends” (see fight club) and the couple from the other cafe came in and We chatted for a few hours. Its depressing trying to explain to someone who has seen their city change so much in their lifetime and is so effected by the after effects and politics of the wall coming down, that I come from a country where more people will vote for magaret thatchers daugter to eat a kangaroos bollock, than will vote for a political party.

before the couple left they again recomended this club although it wasnt called powerstation it was called beghain, and although it wasn’t far i would have to get a taxi. So after drinks with a flock of jolly lesbians, thats what i did. I started to worry when the taxi driver turned off the road and drove down a dirt track in a very rundown industralised part of town. After a few mins the track stopped next to a disussed warehouse.

“This is as far as I go, from here you walk round the corner and you will see it” said the driver.

Hell, what had i gotten myself into?

I followed his instructions and saw a long queue of young people standing in front of a hudge building, then it clicked. The club wasn#t called powerstation, the club was in an old powerstation. So I joined the queue in the frezing cold. I could see the bouncers were slowly letting people in, in groups of 10 at a time. As I queued for 30 mins I told myself that all these people wouldn’t be so happy to freze there tits off unless it was really worh it.

When i got through the doors I was in a room which was as large as any club i had been in, along one side of the room was a relly long counter, not a bar because this hudge area was just the cloack room. In return for my jacket and a few euros I got a dogtag to hang around my neck, with 1038 printed on it. I walked up a flight of stairs and saw the club in all its glory. BArs around the outside, harsh stone walls, a powerful but uncomplecated lighting rig hanging from the celling. and a sea of young people chearing and dancing to the techno music. On the dance floor I could see groups of straight couples, young queens, gay skinheads (who really didn’t know how to dance), muscle marys and straight lads. all having a great time together. as i explored the building i discoverd staircases, corridors and hanging walkways which lead to smaller bars and other dancefloors. I am sure there were lots of other hiden gems that i didnt discover. There was even a darkroom hidden just off the main dancefloor. by 7am I was flagging & decided to make my way back. as I left people were still ariving. when I got outside I noticed that during the nmight it had snowed which meant that for my train ride back to the flat I got to see the citys sites coverd in white.

It had gone 8 by the time I got back, so you’ll excuse me for not doing much today other than sleep.

Right lets see what tonights got in store for me. Its sunday so i am hoping to find some kareoke action

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Berlin day 2
Category: Travel and Places

I am sure there will be those of you who were shocked after reading my day 1 blog, and to be honest i am ashamed, 30 years old and my spelling and grammer are awful. I will try harder.

So last night i went out and prity much did the same as the first night. Same bars, same drinks, same people, including naked man. Although I almost didn’t recognise him as he was wearing a hat, but other than the hat and boots he was still the only naked guy in the bar. I dragged myself back to the flat about 6am again.

After all the walking and climing i did yesterday, i decided to make today alot more chilled. After dragging my self out of bed I got the bus to Potstamerplatz, which is a really nice modern area with big shiny buildings. I like shiney. I went to the Imax cinema where i put on my 3d glasses and watched the underwater adventure (something like that) It was all narrated in German but from what i could gather it was just about following a turtle as he (or she) swam through the sea. Basickly lots of coral, fish, dolphins and sharks swimming towards the screen.

I did have plans to do other things today but by the time i’d watched that & got something to eat it was pritty much time to get back. Ooh the excitement.

Berlin Day 1

24 Feb 2006

Berlin Day 1 Category: Travel and Places AHHHHHH Damn these german internet cafes, I was in the middle of writting my first blog entry when the pc suddenly rebooted with no warning or reason. boo hoo any way, I have been here for less than 24hrs and i am having a great time.right up untill the flight I was thinking that this trip was going to be waisted on me as i have been feeling a little flat resently, not depressed, just not really feeling much of anything. after an inflight doze, i decided that this trip was going to act as a defibulator and shock me back to life. and all of a sudden i was excited about having my first foreign adventure on my own. The train journey went past some of the places i love in this city, like the tv tower, potstomerplatz, teirgarden finishing off át Zoo Station (see track 1 of Actung baby). My b&b is in the center of the gay sceane of schernberg. so after dumping my bags, sorting out the exchange of keys and money with the landlord (nice american poof) I ´went out and did my best to paint the town pink. started out in Muntchmanns which I loved the last time i was here. there were 6 guys in there including me, the barman and an unplesent bearded german who didn’t speak english, so he tried to communicate in the international language of grabbing my crotch. I finished my becks and tired somewhere else, i think its called prinzknect. From the outside it looks like a very quiet hotel bar, i remember making that mistake last time. the long bar inside makes it look bigger on the inside than the outside (sounds familliar) with a few mins I saw a couple of guys from newcastle, steve who works for mesmac (newcastle gay support type thang) and his bf mark. Steve assumed i was here with rick, i had to break it to him that we split up about 2 years ago. while we were decideing weather to stay for another drink, the 3 of us noticed that a hot guy was getting up and leaving, so we followed … we ended up in scherne bar, nice and sleazy. several tv screens all showing different porn. The hot guy came over and joined our merry band. He did tell me his name but i didnt even atempt to remember it (i had had several becks by this stage and the name was long, foreign and complecated). He was here from bulgaria, or belivia, or somewhere else begining with B. We all ended up in new action bar, very sleazy, the kind of place where its difficult to have a wee with out someone breaking your stream with there fingers. There was a naked (apart from boots) man who sat next to me and started chatting to me. its not easy to make small talk with the only naked man in tha bar. I hope that stool was wiped before someone else sat there. By this time it was about 5am so i decided to come home. As for today, its been a really bright clear day, ok its still bloddy frezzin. so I went up the TV tower, had a bit of fun getting on random busses and trains to see where they might lead, walked around the teargarden (a big park) which was beautiful. I got as far as the victory statue or bird on a stick as i call her, and decided to walk up the stairs to the top. apparently there are over 50 million steps to the top which is five miles high, well thats what it felt like. so that brings me to needing a rest, hence spending half an hour in this internet cafe.

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