Amadeus

Don't worry - the entire US army could be waving while I drive past, and I wouldn't notice them - eyes on the road at all times

Nah..still stuck in half-way down pos..wait a minute... [scary music] how do you know? [/scary music]

Yep, all fixed now - and got a diploma in mechanical engineering in the process...

'glad to be back' stopping by while I was still trying to fix the car - you missed the tirade of swear words and the car kicking by 5 minutes Oh, and well done to the driver of the red M6 Beemer - down here is just the right place to put your foot down and nearly wipe me out while you accelerate to warp speed - idiot! Was the crash yesterday not enough of a warning for some?

That was part of the three-day event Rover calls "changing a lightbulb" - if I ever get my hands on the *&%$!! that designed this car - aargh... Yep, its not the kind of vehicle to maintain anonymity! A Suzuki 4x4? Why would I look at such thing? Must have run out of medication that day.... And nope, no anonymity with that car - at least, you always know who defeated you at your last Roundabout Mexican Stand-off

Life works in weird ways - take this for example: I usually park my little Rover at the house - there's a few spaces down here, and with a bit of luck (depending on when the participants of the daily rat race return), I usually get a spot slap-bang in front of my house. Well, yesterday - for the first time in months - did I not park on my usual spot. Had a few drinks in town, and left the car in Atholl Street, with the plan to collect it today. It really hardly ever happens that I leave the car in town - last time must have been months ago - and it turned out to be a good choice.... Today - around 8.30am or so - I was pretty rudly awoken by the sound of sirens - the odd thing was, that the sirens got louder and louder, and then stopped - thinking that the house might be on fire or whatnot, I fell out of bed and checked - the view that presented itself to me outside wasn't exactly what I was expecting: Not really sure how it happened, but three cars were involved in a collission right outside my house. Actually, there were four cars involved - a van that was parked on the side was hit as well - now have a guess what would usually have been parked there instead of that van - yep, correct - my little Rover. Turns out, leaving the car in town, and not parking on my usual spot for the first time in months, saved it from being wrecked today - you couldn't really make that up if you tried... I wonder what the odds are on something like that... The people involved seemed ok btw - Airbags and seatbelts seemed to have done their jobs well on this occasion.

Er..yes, I was there today - I think I'm being virtually stalked

Thought it was you...too tired for any further contact on that occasion, though...

Was it? Nah..its just part of the Rover experience - every drive a surprise

Right - I've got my brand new Metal Detector for over a week now, but didn't really get a chance to try it out yet, mainly thanks to work. So this morning, after finishing another night shift, I decided to finally try it out on Douglas Beach - just to see if and how it actually works... You know how it feels when you get a new toy - you want to try it out as soon as you get it - its an urge, something that just needs to be done, no matter what.... Like all new hobbies, this one seems to be a bit of a science, so studying the (surprisingly small) manual was first on the agenda - switch thingy on, put on headphones, set "fine tune" to 50%, move "coarse" control until you hear sound, then move it back a bit - easy! So off I went along the beach, moving the thing from left to right, and right to left - just as instructed - not expecting to find anything more than old coke cans and other rubbish... The first find actually was rubbish - some metal object which was definitely worthless, but then the noise in my headphones got louder again, indicating another find - exciting! So marked the spot again and started digging - only a few inches below the ground, right near the stairs to the beach in front of Colours, I suddenly held a round metal object in my hand - definitely a coin, and here it is: Its dated "1946", and I've got no idea if its actually worth anything (probably not), but just finding that on my first attempt ever was nice - definitely gonna try that again - there's gotta be some treasure out there, and I'm gonna find it! Manx Museum: reserve me a room - I'm going in

Finally, finally, my little Jag is back on the road - booked it in for service and repairs before christmas, and its finally done. Haven't got the bill yet, so I'm still smiling - bottle of JD and large glass are at the ready, though - just in case I need them at the moment of truth - opening an envelope can be a nerve wrecking experience... At least I didn't give it to Jaguar to get fixed - that would have ruined me properly, looking at their rates... Well, she's back on the road, and drives really well - still a bit reluctant when cold, but once the block has warmed up, she purrs like a cat - only a bit louder... I'm still rather careful with it - have to get used to it first - but couldn't resist giving it a little run to the Creg yesterday - boy, what a monster... Every downward movement of your right foot provokes a sound that somehow reminds you of a sleeping Lion that has been kicked in the groin - it roars - it roars big time, painting a huge smile on your face while doing so - you have to hear, feel, and experience it for yourself to really know what I mean... I don't think its actually that fast (giving its weight), and its certainly lacking that "turbo-feeling" (when your head suddenly decides to move backwards, while the car jumps forwards with what feels like "warp speed"), but it has torque, and plenty of it - no matter what speed you're doing - there's power, and loads of it... Driving through town is weird, though - you don't need the throttle - only the brake. Its pushing so much, any more action of the right foot, and you're easily doing 50 - have to get used to that, and keep an even closer eye on the speedo now... Well, I shall now patiently await the arrival of that innocent looking letter containing the bill - it may look like any other letter to you, dear postman, but trust me - it isn't! Its a hugely important piece of information, a document that decides where I go on holiday this year, and what kind of food will reside in my fridge for the next month or so - Salmon or Brussels pate, Tesco Value or M&S... And its all part of the experience, the feeling you get when you sit in front of the screen, typing away on your blog, and think to yourself "yep, I've got a Jaguar V12 supercar" - and you know what? It feels good.... (And nobody needs to know that it cost less than an old Mondeo to buy - so please don't tell anyone, ok? )

Some recent study came to the conclusion that the average working person feels happiest around payday - wow, must have been rocket scientists to work that one out.. They also concluded that the level of "general happiness" within the working population declines day by day after that, only to reach a high again on the next payday - the things people research. I sometimes wonder who pays for studies like that... Well, according to this, I have to be very happy today - end of the month, and the fruits of my nightly work have arrived on my bank account - thing is, I never feel really unhappy anyway - money or no money, and I had plenty of no-money in the past... And I don't really feel any more happy today - its just another day, and although having some dosh in the bank is nice, it still isn't everything - there are so many more things that make me smile more than payday. "Recent Studies" - totally overrated...

Good news this week - at least I hope so. My little Jag is currently in the garage to get a service, and apart from the bits I knew about, nothing else seems to be wrong with it. That's quite remarkable for an old Jaguar - usually, there's always something else that needs to be fixed. I've just learned that the old XJ-S had the nickname "Racing Oil leak" in years gone by - doesn't make you feel any better when one is parked outside your house.... Can't wait to get it back, though - cruising with a big V12 is fun - just driving along with the windows down, listening to the 12 pistons working away, the beautiful smell of leather seats and fresh air mixing in your nose, creating that "Classic Car on a day out" aroma - I sometimes wish they sold that in bottles... I've never driven any of these monsters really fast, though - I mean, there's plenty of power under the hood, but it somehow doesn't seem right to race around in it, to torture chassis and suspension on the journey from pothole to pothole. And anyway, I'm somehow way too scared that I would take out half the Island's population should it ever spin out of control (heaven forbid). That thing is big - the bonnet alone doesn't seem to end. I remember reading somewhere that in the beginning, when there were only a handful of cars around, drivers were required to employ a man to walk in front of their vehicle, waving a red flag to warn any unsuspecting pedestrians and horse riders of the approaching motorcar - somehow, that wouldn't feel out of place with this thing - at least I would know where it ends then... Until I can find an Olympic Athlete willing to run in front of it, while waving a little flag instead of the more usual torch, I think I will just rely on the safe knowledge that I could make any budding boyracer cry at the traffic lights if I really wanted to - but I won't... I think that at a certain age, you realize that speed isn't everything - its the experience that counts, the knowledge that you have 4.2 litres and 8 cylinders more than the 1.1 shed next to you - that you could annihilate him with one press on that little pedal under your right foot, but you won't - you rather let him race off into the sunset, silently congratulating him on his "victory" on this occasion, in the safe knowledge that he hasn't really won anything - in fact, he actually lost - He lost his chance to have another glimpse at this beautiful car, which still looks so damn good more than 30 years after it was first built....

Hm..this daily blog thing really doesn't work... There are loads of things running through my head every day, many probably worth remembering in one way or another, but somehow, I'm lacking the motivaion to start a new entry and write them down every day... At least, I'm still adding something to it every other day, and still feel motivated enough to keep it going.. I know I'll probably enjoy reading any entries in a few weeks/months/years time - reason enough to click on "new entry" once in a while... Maybe tomorrow will be more exciting...

Just started a topic about Religion - kind of interesting, that.. What would the world be like without it? Tried to imagine it, but couldn't - do we really need to believe in something "higher"? And if we wouldn't believe in God - or whatever name we may call him by - what would we believe in? Would we really just believe in something else? Would we worship football clubs? Would we have the "Church of Chelsea", praying to the "special one"? No idea...keeps me thinking, though... Why do we believe in things we don't even know ever happened or existed? Do we need the reassurance? Do we require a quick and simple answer to all our "complicated questions", so we can get on with our pathetic little lifes? That one's gonna keep me busy for a while... Listening to Live365 at the moment - EBM Radio, my favourite station, on full blast via headphones - still a Goth inside then... Couldn't see anything wrong with that - seems to be the only kind of music and the only group of people that generally accepts you the way you are - no questions about the colour of your skin, no comments about your religion (there's that one again then), and no requirement to wear a certain brand - although you may get some funny looks if you turn up at a Lacrimosa concert dressed in white - you'll get over it, and will soon realize that black might have been a more appropriate choice - not that it would really matter, as long as you enjoy being there... Just be yourself - that's the message I was tought when I "joined the movement", and I've never felt any more at home... I've seen a few "goths" in town here over the years, and still admire their bravery - such a shame that so many people look down on them and secretly think "what freaks" - you should respect them for expressing their individual beliefs and looks on life in a world that is so totally uniform and blank - I always looked at them, and wished I knew them better, simply because I so much feel the same, but unfortunately can't walk around the way they do, simply because capitalism has got the better of me - if you're one of the people I passed in Strand Street over the years, pm me..

Yipieh! Made it trough another week then. Saturday morning always feels good - mainly because I'm off for three days after this - not back to work until rather late on Tuesday night. Decided to enjoy a quiet pint after work today - a rare occasion that, and it's out of the can as Pubs usually don't open this early (unless there's a Rugby World Cup at the other end of the world). In the end, it's evening for me now, so why not.. The process of buying beer at shortly past 8am is still a rather funny one, though... Somehow, the shop assistants always look at you as if you're the biggest alcoholic ever - "8 o'clock and he's getting his first fix already - what a saddo!" It's the look they give you - it just gives away all their thoughts. I considered dropping some kind of casual comment, something mentioning the fact that I've just finished a twelve hour nightshift, but I didn't - In the end, it would probably only be seen as a poor excuse of someone who's drinking all day and just felt the urge to get an early morning pint before work. Strange, really - I hardly ever go out, and the last time I went on the piss and got really plastered was ages ago, yet when I buy two cans of lager after work, I get more funny looks than the guys that down three or four pints in their lunch break during the day - I guess it's one of these things that come along with working nights, and I've learned to accept it... I'll never understand how people can drink during the day, though.. I've seen it so many times - rushing into the Pub at two minutes past one, ordering some food and getting a few pints or bottles down, before rushing back to work - maybe I'm still too European to understand this, but I would just fall asleep at my desk if I had only one pint during my working hours - regardless of the fact if I work day or nights... Well, the beer is long gone now, and I'm off to bed - maybe I'll dream off a better comment to use in the shop when I fancy a pint after work in the future...

Hm..so much for keeping a "daily blog" then - never been good at writing diaries.. I got a little diary as a present when I was younger - one of these old fashioned thingies, requiring you to use a pen or pencil to add an entry. Proper little book, though, with a tiny little padlock at the front - not that it would really have prevented anyone from finding out what was written inside - I mean, you could have put chewing gum on the front of it and it would have been more secure, but I liked it. I liked it for about three days - then I simply couldn't be bothered to pick up a pen and write down the exciting events of my youth anymore - I somehow regret that now.. Would have been nice to know all the gory details of my life as a teenager, listed on a day-to-day basis - now, I'm left with patchy memories of things I probably shouldn't have done, but am glad I did - learning curve, you'd probably call that... Will try to keep this blog thing going - might be interesting to read in a few years time.....

Another night over then - good.. It's strange how some nights feel as if they have no end, and others just fly past you - tonight felt quick. Finishing work at 8am enables me to walk home and study the rat race in all it's detail - all the cars driving into town, all the people walking past me on their way to work - smartly dressed and still smelling of soap, perfume or after shave from their morning bathroom routine - their facial expressions varying from "I'm so motivated" to "I so can't be ar..." - interesting to watch, that.. Feels a bit like groundhog day at times - the same people, the same cars, every day... I can even tell if someone's late by now: If I see certain cars while walking home, then I know they're on time. If I seem them when I'm already at home and brushing my teeth (my bathroom window overlooking the road from the nunnery to south quay), then I know they're probably late - sad somehow, I know - but such is life... So the next time you drive into Douglas in the morning - give us a wave! I'm the guy with the electric toothbrush in his mouth, who's wearing a white dressing gown and just about to go to bed...

Tuesday, 3rd of January 2006 - start of the official Amadeus Weblog then. Not that I would have loads of exciting things to share with anyone, but I thought it might be a good idea to keep track of the events a year brings. I can never really remember what I actually did in the last year ( can't even remember what I did last month or week, to be honest) - all the little things that are probably worth remembering, but that aren't automatically saved on the grey harddrive in my head - feels a bit as if I'm running under Windows at times... Well, today then: Got up way too early - 3pm is no time to face the world. Thought I use this rare opportunity to see some daylight and head to the bank'n stuff. The bank unfortunately thought different - by the time I changed into human shape and made it out of the house, it was 4.30 and the bank was shut - great, could have stayed in bed then... Went to Marks'n Sparks instead, and managed to grab the last two bowls of my favourite salad from the shelf - that stuff is usually always sold out before I make it down there, so some compensation then... Supermarkets are strange places anyway - the behaviour patterns of some people participating in "yellow sticker hunt" at Tesco often remind me in a frightening way of vultures waiting for prey - doesn't matter if you really need 15 packs of value pork sausages or 12 grilled chickens - it's cheap, so we want it! And we definitely don't want to lose out to the fellow shoppers who dare to approach the shelf at the same time - subtle eye contact with a hint of anger and determination, as well as a slight increase in speed for the final approach send out a clear signal: "They're not yours! They're mine!" I guess a military background could sometimes be an advantage in there...

would have been good for it, I guess.. You just can't kill the beasts - if the rust doesn't get to them, then they run forever.. Everytime you see a report from Israel, Iraq or Africa on telly, all that's driving around in the background are W123s - miss her already... Why no auto box? When you get stuck?

What, the Rover? Not bad for a freebie, I guess.. Is the little Clio still running ok?

The car is a bit of a giveaway...(see avatar for details..)

I guess it does somehow..many people see my car every day, especially if you drive along the south quay in the morning. I'm usually coming home from work at shortly past 8 (nightshift), passing the rat race in opposite direction on my way to bed, seing the same cars at the same time every day...

Which one is yours? I'm über-friendly to all of them, in fear that I might accidentally cut in front of you and see myself in a "have you seen this driver" post on here the next morning (Just wondering, really..)