The increased volume of blogging despite the fact I’m back to work is down to the MacBook Air and 3G card. I rattle off a few posts into Evernote, then refine and publish when time allows, adding links and correcting stuff. It works brilliantly when I get a seat (and don’t have more pressing work bits to contend with).
Hope you’re enjoying it. Any requests or feedback appreciated.
I blog on a lot of different topics over here and since my partner in running blogging crime, James, has been absent for the last 9 months or so I’m wondering if I shift my running posts to the other blog and retire LSR as a separate entity. I think most people keep up with my via syndicated content on Facebook/ Twitter anyway, so the actual address of the blog doesn’t matter too much, but please let me know by responding to a few questions on this poll. Thanks!
Loading…
I’m having to upgrade to a professional hosting package so there might be some disruption. The avalanche of traffic thanks to the various Outcasts posts has doubled my bandwidth allocation this month and the price penalty made it worthwhile going to a pro account for the year (!!). With my newfound blogging passion I can only hope that traffic will continue to grow so it seemed a worthwhile investment. Good on 34sp for the help with the hosting and migration and my domain registrar 1and1 for providing relevant DNS settings information.
Please bear with us…
I’ve spent just over eight years writing this blog, which made its transition to WordPress in March 2003 (it had previously lived on motime (now defunct) and Blogger in its pre-Google days).
That translates to nearly 1000 posts, over 500 comments, tens of thousands of visitors and a great deal of enjoyment and satisfaction for me. Whilst these stats pale in comparison with the vast majority of genuinely popular blogs out there, my inconsistent, polymath tendencies make this a difficult blog to pin down and want to follow.
So here’s to you, my friends and Internet followers, for making it an interesting ride, and here’s to future blogging.
And here’s to the fans of Outcasts for making this month the most popular month on my blog in 8 years!
I’ve got a couple of months off after today! No detailed itinerary for you, webbiverse, because I want to dissuade stalkers and robbers, but the essence of the plan is to:
It’s very, very exciting. V. grateful to my employers, for giving me the opportunity (a benefit following 4 years service which I’m calling in after 7 years here!) and am looking forward to the break!
This isn’t a post about porn – I’m turning thirty imminently.
I had a vague thought that I might blog a list of all the profound and impressive things I’d thought or tried / succeeded / failed to achieve, but truth be told… I don’t see the point.
The essence of anything I’d write would sum up more or less as follows: at age 30, I am as completely happy as I imagine anyone could be. I have (in no particular order) a wonderful wife and am about to become a dad. I have an amazing set of friends, an ever-supportive family and financial security. I’m healthier than I’ve ever been, I take huge satisfaction in what I do for a living, I have an amazing home, and I have all the adventure and excitement I could wish for.
Here’s to holding that thought for the next decade or six – and to all of y’all.
Many, many things keeping me busy. The Long Slow Run has turned into Long Slow Recovery, somewhat, as I’ve come down with ITBS (more on that blog), my sister’s wedding had me in Malaysia for a week (also busy), shenanigans with prepping for family life, including sorting out house and car, many good friends’ weddings and stag dos etc. etc.
But I’ll try to be a bit more present on here… maybe a few more tech-related posts, maybe even (shock, horror) something related to my job (which has been through a sustained period of being both busy and fascinating). Any requests for a theme for my next big blog post?
It probably won’t be about soup, although I’m determined to get back onto that wagon soon!
My colleague and co-blogger @jimbocoyle isn’t leaving this blog, but he is moving on from B2L towers for new challenges. “Valete” is Latin for goodbye, but literally translates to “be well / stay strong” which seems a more than appropriate wish for me to send in the direction of a man who is training for both a half marathon and a triathlon simultaneously. And no, I’m not some great Latin ponce, but I picked up a few words by osmosis as a result of having been schooled poshly.
James delivers his running wisdom directly to me at the moment (he’s sat behind me at work for about three years) — so really this is good news for you all, devoted readers of LSR, as it means we’ll have to use communications platforms like this one to discuss our running geekery.
Join me in wishing James luck as he goes off to work in, it won’t surprise you, a more sport-related field [sic].
In tribute to his departure, I returned to running this morning and recorded a personal best time for a 5k, 28.53. That’s an appropriate leaving tribute for a man who can beat my time by nine minutes.
Dear all,
I’m sorry I haven’t been posting much here lately. Truth is, I’ve been busy. Busy with work, the new running regimen, and… planning for the arrival of ‘Hippo’, our child to be, due in October! The name is clearly a work in progress…
Needless to say we’re delighted and keeping fingers crossed everything goes well. I imagine the ‘soup’ oriented focus of this blog might change somewhat when Hippo arrives…
In the meantime, find me on Twitter or Facebook, or on the LSR if you want to keep up to date with my happenings, but stay subscribed here… as a great man once said, “I’ll be back.”
Cheers, Armand
Longtime followers will know I’m a big fan of my friend Ben’s band, Urusen, who have a bunch of new tracks up on their Myspace page today, including a COP 15 special (“Wish it was”) – all brilliant, as ever with them. Check them out.
If you’re more into the environmental side of things, my friend Damian is reporting from the conference for Prospect (and has been writing for the BBC in the run-up to it). All worth checking out, and a great overview of some of the issues under discussion and (on Prospect) a feel for the show.
Sorry for lack of posts of late. There’s been no new soup, work’s been manic, as has the Christmas routine which has seen us away most weekends. Expect blogging between Christmas and New Year, as I attempt DIY and to resume my fitness regimen.