Christmas Party 2006

I think a very big thank you is in order for Jonnie Bryant and Big Boy Barry, aka Alex Varrey for last nights, well, what can only be described as a Roman feast. Okay, so it was Korean BBQ but that's not the point. The metaphor wouldn't work as well otherwise.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, we went out to Jin Korean Resaurant & BBQ in old London as part of what is becoming our annual games industry Christmas night out. We spent last years in Wagamama's near Regent Street, carrying on the well, slightly less than Christmassy theme.

Cue a three hour conveyour belt of food, food and more food. Sure we were stuffed by the end of it, and we couldn't even get drunk (oh, we drunk... Hell, we drank the place out of all their Korean and Japanese beer and half their Western stuff) but the sheer amount of food meant that our measly efforts amounted to nothing.

Well, nothing except one of the best nights out. Aside from meeting up with some of the great friends I already am lucky to have including Keri Allan, Ben Talbot, Luke Newcombe, Gareth Williams, Chris Easton and Emma Irving, I also got to meet Dan Griliopoulos and Alex Verrey, two people who I know I'm likely to become good friends with... I hope.

We also got treated first to a man whose love of food surpases even mine... Alex. I've been lucky to meet the people that I have in this industry, people who are genuinely selfless individuals who are more than happy to bend over backwards to help people get ahead in this industry. Luke, who I will never be able to pay for all the help, assistance, advice and opportunities he has offered me over the past two and a half years I've known him, it is literally because of him that I am where I am today; Keri, who constantly puts up my bad jokes, jokes which she's probably 15 times before i've dragged myself out of bed in time to get online for 9am and more than anything I always willing to take 5 minutes out her day to help me... Taking a whole day every week would be the least I could do to repay her; Gareth to whom I owe a massive amount to as well. Short of stature he might be but of willingness to give advice, support and help, he stands among giants (although it looks that way when he stands next to Luke anyway). Also a massive thankyou must be given to Jonnie who despite the fact that I still haven't managed to review Civilisation 4 and it's expansion pack because everytime I go on it to remind myself of what it is like, I get dragged down into the depths of its addiction, still fed me, and well also have been a great example of how games PR people should be. But Alex... Well, wait until the video goes up. He is easily one of the most welcoming, charismatic and friendly people who I have ever met. Although we only met for the first time last night, I could tell that we'd hopefully be working together in the future.I also have to say a big thanks to Dan Griliopoulos who Ben managed to drag out as well. Easily the person who I spoke to most last night, Dan just made me more determined to get a job on OXM360... Or at the very least do more freelance for them and go down to the office to a) meet up with Dan and Ben and b) show Gary my pristine condition 1991 and 1992 Sonic the Hedgehog yearbooks.Anyway, that's enough for today... I'l get the video and pictures up asap for your viewing pleasure...

Also checkout Ben's and Luke's blogs for their opinion of the night or check out my flikr account for more pictures...

A mad weekend

Ok, so i've just about recovered from the weekend. Alas, no it wasn't excessive alcohol consumption although there was plenty of that... it was more the late nights followed by the early mornings that took it out of me.

Anyway, Friday as always was a great night. It was a pity Mike, Steph and of course Anita couldn't be down but we had a good time regardless. Dave, Tim and me all headed down the pub at about 6pm but because it took us 40 minutes to walk down we weren't the first to arrive... ok so we we're by like 2 minutes at most. Cue 5 hours of drinking and a slightly tipsy ending and you had the reicipe for a great night...oh just don't forget the cheeseburger and carton of apple juice that I devoured. And yes you read that right, I retired at 11pm, however, it was with good reason.

Saturday morning came (not that I particularly wanted it too (the morning, not the events that followed) and I soon found myself out of bed at the unearthly (well for me anyway) time of 6:40am. Cue shower, breakfast, dressed and a rush for the train and I was on my way down to Birmingham's NEC arena to cover Matchbox360's inaugral XL LAN (XL for Xbox Lan and Xtra Large.

I got down there and found myself in a surprising big queue... which I had to wait in... boo, but I'm not one to push and flaunt the fact I was there as a VIP Guest. Anyway, once I got in I scoped out the place and set up my equipment (camera and videocamera). I was soon snapping away and filming the action.

Unfortunately due to an unforeseen event, Luke couldn't make it down (well unfortuneate for me, not so much Luke since he owes me a drink), but I along with several other Matchbox360'ers got on with what we were there to do. Them, run it and me, document it.

You can check out the rest of the pictures on my Flickr account (there is 150+ of them) and i'll post up the video once it's edited and sorted, hopefully by Thursday/Friday at latest: it'd be up earlier but my DV cable is up in Ormskirk with Mike since he needed it to edit the latest episode of Herman Munch).

Unfortunately I had to leave at 6:20pm because a) by that time I was tired and b) i didn't fancy waiting at Crewe with over £1000 worth of video and photographic equipment for over an hour for the next coach (Runcorn station looks like it's being repaired) so off I went, and caught the coach back to Runcorn in time for 9pm and an early night.

Sunday rolled around an as usual, I was dragged into work and unusually shoved on Petrol. It wasn't long before I was back on Checkout though and supervising. 4pm rolled about and I had a driving lesson so I got out of work and then went for a lovely *argh... brain dead after 6 hours of boring supermarket work" (I will stick to the fact that I only still work there to keep a constant income coming in in addition to my freelance etc) drive which went surprisingly well... oh but I found out that Micra's don't like going at 70mph...when they manage to go that fast.

Anyway I got back and then it was off down to Cuddington for a pub meal for my Dad's 49th which was yesterday (27th) before eventually getting back in time for the works do.

I have never seen it so busy before... it was probably something to do with the offer of monetary prizes but meh, it was a good night. Unfortunately my university days are catching up with me and after 9 pints I was still stone sober and slightly gutted. Oh well, there is always next time... Either way... one of the busiest weekends i've had was over and to bed I crawled... well I crawled anyway... a lot of my friends went off for a bar crawl around Warrington till 5am on Monday...me? Too tired... oh well.