Summer Season Starts!

The sun is shining outside, spring has sprung, and the Pink Singers summer rehearsal season starts this Sunday, so if you are interested in joining the Pink Singers, now is your chance to do it. New members can only join the choir in the first three weeks - basically because learning the music after that is really too difficult! - so let us know now. Best thing to do is get in touch with Ed, the new members' rep. See you at one of the rehearsals on Sunday 24th February, Sunday 2nd or Sunday 9th March 2008.

World Press Photo Competition

2nd prize in the contemporary issues section of this year's World Press Photo contest is this picture by Zsolt Szigetváry, simply entitled "Couple targetted in anti-gay violence await medical help, Budapest, Hungary". It makes you think... the mark of a really good photo. And I especially admire the couple who let their image make such a powerful statement. Well done indeed.

Of Mice... And Keyboards

I turned on (one of) my PC(s) yesterday to find that the mouse would only go in every direction but down. While most of the time I am fairly happy navigating Windows with the keyboard, I will admit that the mouse, a concept which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary - thank you Douglas Engelbart, adds much greater versatility to how you interact with your PC. I like to do basic Photoshop for instance, and you really need a mouse for that. So, it was time to pick up a new mouse and keyboard combo. Why both? Well I was using an ancient two-in-one wireless system - the mouse still used one of those roller balls - and I can't really lose one without abandoning the other.

Ever since I was back last year visiting my parents I have been lusting after what I think is the Rolls Royce of keyboard-mouse combos: the Wireless Desktop 7000 from Microsoft. My cousin had the wired version and everything, from the position of the mouse to the split keys with their gentle curve, was just so comfortable to use. Unfortunately, is is also ridiculously expensive, so I decided that, as much as I type, I don't really need one.

So, in the end, eBay fanatic and cheapo that I am, I went for the A4Tech A-type wireless keyboard. It is small and wireless which means I can use it in bed while watching videos on my PC, but more importantly it is also an ergonomic A-type keyboard with those odd inclined keys. I am holding my breath a little on this one, because typing on it could be a complete disaster, but we'll see. Watch this space.

In a fit of random purchasing though, I also went out and bought a Prodikeys PC MIDI from Creative for my bedroom PC, pictured at the top of this post. The previous version is demonstrated with a strong Singaporean accent in the video above. At the moment, when I am using Sibelius I just use the on-screen keyboard which is neither convenient nor particularly user-friendly. Not having a MIDI keyboard of my own I had a peek on Amazon for a small cheap one which I now know doesn't exist. I am, in no way, shape or form, a musician, but I do like tinkling on the ol' ivories and checking my line when I'm rehearsing, so a cheap one will do me fine. I ordered one of these keyboards as well, so it looks like I will have a number of new toys in the house pretty soon! Check out more on the Prodikeys on YouTube.

Er, so rather embarassingly, one mouse died and I ended up buying two keyboards (and a mouse) instead!

Edit: I've now posted a review of the A4Tech Ergo A-Shape Keyboard And Mouse.

Various Voices - In At The Deep End

The last concert was a wonderful success if we say so ourselves. All the members of the audience I spoke to loved our opening number of "Dies Irae" by Karl Jenkins. It was rhythmic, fast, exciting - a very much in your face number which hit just the right note. Other particularly memorable songs for me were "Come What May" and "Hymne A L'amour". Now we find ourselves taking a well earned rest but I for one am raring to go. I'm really looking forward to the new season with the addition of "Introit" to the Jenkins songs we're singing as well as a number of other new songs.

Of course yours truly hasn't been resting on his laurels. I've volunteered my services to Various Voices and attended my first meeting with them in January. True to form I suggested producing a video as a trailer and promotion for Various Voices to be uploaded to youtube with links from other sites. I'm glad to say that the committee was keen on the idea so I will be working with Emily to produce this over the next few weeks. I'm very much hoping that the Pinkies will be a part of the video as I see no better platform to promote ourselves for this event in 2009. As I joined the Pinkies in 2005, I just missed the last Various Voices which was held in Paris. By all accounts it was an amazing event with choirs from all over the world celebrating our joy of singing with each other. So I'm very much looking forward to 2009 when London will host the next event. The Various Voices committee is full of interesting and dedicated people who are working hard to make this a success. The organisation started nearly 2 years ago and as everyone is a volunteer it just goes to show how much this means to all of us. Much work has been done but much remains to be done. As a newbie to the group I found myself volunteering to do a presentation at the West London LGBT meeting in January - talk about jumping into at the deep end... Thankfully one of the more established members came with me to lend some support and I'm glad to say that it all went smoothly. It's also very encouraging to know that external groups are interested in our activities and will try to help if they can. With the event scheduled to be held in The South Bank, there can be no better venue for this. Sometimes I feel a bit daunted by all that remains to be done but I feel sure that it will be a big success - a chance to celebrate, enjoy, sing and meet new friends.

While on this break from rehearsals, I'm taking the chance to travel to Malaysia and Singapore for a wee rest. It's Chinese New Year this week so the place will be a riot of colours, noise and festivities. It's an exciting time to be visiting South East Asia. I'm rather glad to escape the cold and wet of UK though anyone who knows Malaysia will tell you that it's wetter here. Difference is that it doesn't usually drizzle all day and stay damp for weeks on end. We just have heavy downpours followed by bright sunshine minutes later.

Roll on February and here's to our first rehearsal on 24 Feb.

A Clone Apart

I am a certified geek, and as a card carrying member, can admit to actually liking the Star Wars series. Yes, even the ones with Jar Jar Binks. The thing is, Star Wars lends itself so well to spoofs, even the bits when it is trying to be funny. One of the more imaginative ones is Blue Harvest using the characters from the cartoon series Family Guy. With the increasing prevalence of video games containing graphics and physics engines, however, it is now possible to create your own films on the computer, an art form called machinima. A great example of this is 'A Clone Apart', a funny romp through the Star Wars universe using the Star Wars: Battlefront II engine. It is now up to Episode III and with any luck will make it beyond the film series which spawned it!

Wallpaper: The Prophecy

Mmmm. Pecs, pecs and more pecs, and all done in the most artistic way of course! Lovely wallpaper called 'The Prophecy' in super-duper high resolution courtesy of Beautiful Mag. I could do without all of the self-aggrandisement, but hey, if they put that much effort into it and release it for free, who's complaining?

I Love Isabella, Even As A Snail

When I was a kid I loved Isabella Rossellini. She was gorgeous in the Lancôme ads and blended that elegance and poise, and dare-I-say-it heritage, with something altogether more naughty behind those eyes. Than she got married to David Lynch and the arty-surrealist in her really exploded. In the latest twist she has released a series of short films for portable devices (e.g. personal video players and mobile phones) in which she dresses up as insects, then acts out how those particular creatures procreate.

Hmmm. Not sure I needed to know, but thanks anyway!

Hamburger In A Can

I love fast food. I especially love the Colonel's two piece chicken meal with gravy instead of a drink (poured over the fries of course). The appeal of fast food to me is that you pop into the 'restaurant', pick up the 'food' and eat it straight away. No cooking required. It is a worthy trade-in of nutritional value for convenience. That's why I don't really understand ready-meals, and I especially don't understand this random ready-meal from Germany which seems to combine the dietary void of a bad cheese burger with the hassle of having to boil the whole shebang in a can. And if you were going trekking, would you really be wanting to eat a cheese burger anyway?

It just looks revolting.