Retro running fashion - Richie Tenenbaum

It is impossible to look cool when playing sport but there are some worthy attempts that deserve a mention........

1. Richie Tenenbaum - okay he is a fictional character but handsome nevertheless, no?
2. Bjorn Borg - fricking amazing. 

Yes, I do go out running like this. Its better you see as little of my face gurning as possible. Plus my hair keeps the Manchester wind from howling down my ears.

Result.

Sam x

Saturday binge

The weather is definitely getting milder so it's running season.

I'm a definite seasonal runner, I hate running in the winter. It's gross, its dark, you get covered in mud, develop translecent skin that resembles corned beef and snot candles to rival a toddler.

But this weather is perfect. Feeling pretty smug I got out there but then I was starving when I got back and so swapped stretching for 3 packets of french fries crisps and 2 crackers with blue cheese. Fecking binge eating - bane of my life. It's the ultimate pleasure/pain.

anyway...check out my run, pretty huh......

Chorlton Ees

On route to Jackson's Boat

Calories burnt - 211
Calories consumed in post run binge - 288 not including 3 slices of brown bread with Flora buttery
Actual calories consumed post run - approx 7 thousand

Chance of losing 1 stone in weight before wedding season without wiring my jaw shut  - minimal.

I'm kind of the mindset that I enjoy food too much to restrict my diet, one life and all that. So I'm just going to have to exercise myself back down to a healthy BMI. That's fine I can do it, I've done it before but I am noticing it is getting harder as I am getting ahem, older.

I am not going to let that frigging wii avatar mock me anymore, no sir.

Laters
Sam x

Pancakes

Pancake day is up there when it comes to the best days of the year.

I am a massive purist, as far as I am concerned you should only have lemon and sugar on them, anything else is heresy. 


Say 'no' to savoury pancakes though, that's heresy.

I nicked a recipe from the brilliant LibertyGirlLondon blog - they were foolproof, try them!

Sam x

Into by Windows Phone event - NW preview of Roman Polanski's Carnage

This post is out a lot later than I planned, life happens that's all I can say about that.

Well, a rare opportunity came up from the blogging world that allowed me and a mate to attend the northwest premier of the new Roman Polanski film 'Carnage' in association with Into by Windows phone.

Now, I am pretty grateful for the invite to the event because it was brilliant, the whole thing was beautifully executed with free booze and canapes at the Beehive Mill in Manchester. What's not to love about that building, its named after my favourite hairdo for a start not to mention is a gorgeous old brick, manhattan style loft with an envious view of the canal.

This is exactly the kind of place I imagine myself living when I am a proper grown up with a proper car and super high flying job pah yeah right, more chance of platting p*ss.

Check me out getting on their stock photos (above) with me old chum Reid, she's the red & I'm the blonde. Tis funny really because we spent the whole time photo dodging, it's a bit like dodgeball but the aim is to make sure there is no photo evidence of your double chin.

The event was organised in association with Windows who were promoting their new phone and the 'dog eat my wookie' blog. I got a demo of the phone whilst I was there and though I am not a techie it looked very sleek and in keeping with my modernist taste. It looked super fast as well, there was even a feature to hook it up to your xbox and you could even use it as a remote control as well. Tres clever.

The bestest bit other than the free cocktails, red wine & canapes was the preview of 'Carnage'. I really really enjoyed the film, I'm generally not a fan of Kate Winslet but she really impressed me as did Jodie Foster and the other actors. The film was developed from a stage play and I think they have made the transition well. It is set all in one room, normally this format would put me off but the script is more than enough to stave off boredom.

Now I am not going to lie, I was dee-runk. Not horrible slur and fall over drunk but I had just had come from a particularly gruelling swim training session & I may have had a crack at a couple of cocktails and wines with only a couple of canapes to line my tummy.
 
Though there is nothing I like more I like doing more than watching films drunk, though it maybe meant I laughed a little louder than most at the funny bits. There was nearly an unfortunate popcorn choking incident which I dont want to discuss much further but needless to say don't drink and film people - well not without a responsible adult at hand.

This is me and the reid making the most of the bar, as you can see I am thoroughly paying attention to the phone demo whilst Reid is making sure we remain properly hydrated.  I lost at this round of photo dodgeball, damned double chin making me look tubby and old.

There was also a dramatic reconstruction of a couple of the scenes, to be honest though I respect their trade I was pretty busy chasing the canape lady for a mini pizza to try and soak up the booze at this point. Then for their other scene I was trying my hardest to find the loo, then finding a way of holding the door shut because the lock was broken. The plight of women!

I did my bit though, a lady actor spilt her beer and I helped clean it up with a napkin. Though thinking back I wonder if this was part of her scene and I messed that up with my good samaritan intervention. Better to be nice than not though.

All in all it was brill, both Reid and I enjoyed ourselves immensely. It was brilliantly organised - thanks to all those involved. Without bias I would in the future consider checking out that phone, it looked swish but I have only recently invested in an iphone and that puppy was expensive so it ain't going anywhere.

This post is going on both blogs, Rubber Soul is still in it's infancy and I think Windows and Studio Canal deserve a bit more traffic for putting on a bloody good night.

Thanks

Sammy x x

p.s. there is a link to the Carnage trailor below - go and see it, it's immense.
p.p.s Big thanks to 3monkeys for the invite

Happy Birthday Kurt Cobain & new blog

Hello readers

I have a new blog, check it out here....

http://rubbersoulmanchester.blogspot.com/

And remember it's Kurt Cobain's 45th birthday. I god damned loved that man, it was like taking a bullet when he died. Sad times.

Sammy x

Just practising

Isn't Tom nice letting me borrow his OBE, it's nice to practice the face I'm going to pull on receipt of my own medal for services to something. Not decided what service I do well for my country yet.

Did you know he and his kids can get married at Westminster Abbey now he is an OBE. That is rocking.

Just call me 'OBE'

Tom McAlpine Officer of the British Empire

No, this isn't a casting call for Fagen in a community production of Oliver.

Nope, this is Tom McAlpine's dress rehearsal for his OBE. This man is so fantastic Queenie has only gone and given him the title of 'Officer of the British Order' for services to mental health.

He is a one man depression fighting machine, well that's a fib he is dead good but he also has a dead good team behind him with the lovely Linda and the folks at Moodswings.

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom.

 

 Proud as punch

Tom getting his 'Jim will fix it' badge at Buckingham Palace

Ahh, I love these photos. It would have been good if we had a Queenie picture too but Prince Charles takes a pretty good snap and he is going to be king one day. Tom's met Queen Betty before any way so a change is as good as any.

Kath and I are so chuffed for him, he really bloody deserves it. When we say this man saves lives were not exaggerating.

If you want to know more about the sterling work Tom and Linda do with the Moodswings team check out their website and facebook pages. Moodswings is a registered charity and if you wish to make a donation you can do through justgiving or paypal.

Go on, at the very least give them a 'like' on facebook and spread the mental health love  x x x x x

Sam x

Having a Wii

Hey there mother truckers! How is thou?

Yeah, we are lazy bloggers. I have just been getting all round in the tummy and enjoying it - note that when I said round I mean like 'chubby, I like filling my cake hole' kind of round and not like 'baby in my belly' round. That isn't happening, no sir.

Kath is like all gangly still, she is running and other acrobatics. Biatch.

Me, well I got meself a Wii. Well my bro got me one and its top. I have a little mii avatar and I have of course made it more attractive than I am in the flesh - that's the point though isn't it, making a fitter version of yourself so you can pretend your sexy in a virtual world, whilst teenage lads self love themselves over your pixelated though incredibly inaccurate image, no?

Mii images nicked from show mii

Then legoman got me the old Wii fit for me birthday, that rocks.Well apart from when it weighed me and the little virtual Sam got all fat around the middle. I am officially overweight - yeah no shit Nintendo.

I wish my Mii looked like this

It's also a pretty dangerous tool for the uncoordinated. I twisted me knee in a rather vigorous hoola hooping session. I dare not have a go on the hula hooping when legoman is about as I think all the pelvic action would get him all excited and encourage amorous behaviour.

He needs no encouraging, look what I got for valentines day........

I kid you not, this was my Valentines Day card. I have no interest in Valentines Day and what's incredibly scary about this card is that it is pretty much a perfect representation of what legoman actually looks like.

We made a little wii of him too which is so amazingly true to life I wii a little with laughter every time I see it. 'Wii a little', I am fecking hilarious.

When I work out how to do it I'll show you a picture of my wii.

Anyway, the Wii as a fitness tool - yes. I like the yoga and I ached liked a Nana the next day which means it's doing something. The only problem is it takes a while to load and it's heartbreaking getting on the balance board for a weigh in.

Prepare for some before and after photos soon. 'Fat Sam' is going back to 'Fit Sam' in the next few months.

Sam out x