Groove a minute with Mr Binks

Who's the daddy?

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:54:13 +0000

Did I tell you I was pregnant? Well, not me. That would make me Arnie. Mrs Binks is though. Which is nice. Anyway, you probably know from subtle and not so subtle references on Facefook and Titter.

So basically I’m going to be a dad(dy) and in equal measures this is both ever so exciting and brick shittingly terrifying. Whilst having 3 younger siblings has given me a BIT of experience, I was a kid myself so I’m not sure how much of that counts. I’m very good at slyly stealing food from them and blaming the ripped wallpaper on the youngest one, for instance.

Let’s assume I know nothing then, and start from scratch.

Having now had a successful 20 week scan and watched the little guy/gal (here on in, “Squirt”) move and groove around, yawn and generally look like a real life (yet smaller and scannier) version of a little person, we are now working out what we’re going to need. We decided that stage 1 should be a pram/buggy/carseat thingy.

I’m honestly not lying when I say, choosing a new car isn’t this difficult. Everyone has their own advice, some anecdotal, some just from what they’ve heard. There are people that tell you to get the best and most expensive thing you can afford, whilst others say “it’s not a car, it’s only going to last 3 years and get covered, literally, in shit. So don’t spend more than you need to.”

3 nights last week and a weekend of searching for the ideal buggy and I think we’re sorted but damn, who knew a Ford Focus (The UK’s number 1 family car) would be so fudging awkward to get a car seat for. Nice one, Henry.
So whilst we’ve decided on what we’re getting we’ve still not actually got one. I can see this running and running, if only for the shits and giggles of watching wifey dearest try to navigate buggys around Mothercare and Babies R Us with all the poise and grace of Crouchy on Ice. All good practice though, eh.

This blog post is therefor an announcement of joy, and also a resignation of all my gaming habits.

RIP [GF5]Binky

Genius! gamefreaksnz: ronworkman: I need to remind the world...

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:17:12 +0000

Genius!

gamefreaksnz:

ronworkman:

I need to remind the world that I hate Paris Hilton again… and here it is and there you go. I do… a lot!

"I’ve stopped playing at the moment for these reasons, it seemed every game and squad I was put..."

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:01:20 +0000

“

I’ve stopped playing at the moment for these reasons, it seemed every game and squad I was put in was full of absolute mongs.
I was in the Apache and landed it to repair, as I’m repairing it the gunner switches to pilot, takes off, spins out of control for 5 seconds then crashes into a mountain.

I sat there just staring at the screen, then turned the xbox off.

”

- milknoodle (Eurogamer)

Greg Lines FAWM

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 23:23:04 +0000

Greg Lines FAWM:

Woo hoo! 6/14 FAWM songs done, and tonight we see my first ever collaboration with @MrBinks - Up With The Lark - http://fawm.org/songs/3422/

Battlefield moments?

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:29:59 +0000

So those “battlefield moments” that the marketing team would have us believe in. They’re actually real aren’t they.

I’ve been thinking about the differences between the new demo for BFBC2 and the other giant of the shooter world. Both are great and do their thing extremely well but crikey o trousers those battlefield moments, it’s them that make you remember your last hour of gaming. With the other one every (very good) game kinda rolls into one. With battlefield you can be halfway through your admin on a Tuesday and a wry smile will appear at the corners of your mouth as you recall that “moment” from the night before.

The moment the tank exploded before your eyes, inches from the place you were hiding. Or the moment you parachuted through the skylight stabbing one enemy and headshotting the other before arming the bomb. What about that time you and a squad member survived 12 minutes without dying in the apahe chopper causing utter mayhem for the ants beneath you. Not to forget the other night when a well placed airstrike swung the tide of battle your buddy got the final kill on a baddie fleeing to a nearby tank.

These are battlefield moments. These are the reason to play.

PMA from PNA

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:11:37 +0000

So with tumblr I can actually blog from a moving train. This is good as it gives me something to do, but also good for anyone that follows me on Twitter as it means they won’t get spamified by my bored brain.

3 trains cancelled last night, but you know what, it didn’t make me quite as angry as sitting in a traffic jam on the m25. This is a good thing. The walk to & from the station is also a bit annoyingly long at 20 mins but you know what, the positive spin is that it’s a bit of a health benefit. So let’s keep smiling and carry on.

I think it helps that I’m doing public transport by my own will and haven’t been forced into it this time. Normally there is a certain resentment about the whole thing. It becomes an ordeal. Not this time though. I’m seeing it as a holiday from the motorways. I’m sure my car understands. I’m not ignoring her. She knows that.

PMA.

"The club is massive,I am a Celtic fan and did not have to ask much about it. I always wanted to play..."

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 09:18:34 +0000

“The club is massive,I am a Celtic fan and did not have to ask much about it. I always wanted to play for Celtic and it works for all parties.””

- Robbie Keane - On joining Celtic, 2010

"I would like to place on record my thanks to the board, players and fans of Tottenham for the past..."

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 09:15:00 +0000

““I would like to place on record my thanks to the board, players and fans of Tottenham for the past six years, which were the best and most enjoyable of my career to date. I would specifically like to thank chairman Daniel Levy for understanding that, as a fan, joining Liverpool is a lifelong dream of mine and one I couldn’t let pass me by.””

- Robbie Keane - on joining Liverpool from Tottenham in 2008

Training it

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:37:24 +0000

Week 2 in the Big EA house….

.. and I’m back on the train. 1 week of M25 hell reminded me how much I hadn’t missed driving to and from work for 6 weeks. ahhh 6 weeks off, how I miss you already.

So it’s pretty much as you were. Back to work, back to the gym and back to cereal/soup for lunch. Not together obviously, that would be a bit rank. Shreddies and oxtail soup? hmm… Maybe in Scotland.

The bag is packed. Consisting of a DS, a book and a cag, quite literally, in a bag. What else should a train commuter be carrying? I always thought porn was a good idea, as it allows for a slightly longer grace period between finding a seat with no one next to you, to having the world and their dog sitting on your lap reading your text messages.

And with that, the contest is afoot. Car vs. Train. Who will win? YOU decide. (Actually, I’ll decide thankyou very much).

Oh, and does anyone know BrundelFly’s telephone number?

Stargirl by McFly. Possibly has one of the greatest lines in any...

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:53:21 +0000

Stargirl by McFly. Possibly has one of the greatest lines in any song ever.

DI, Y?

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 16:28:04 +0000

I don’t really do DIY. If I need something sawing, or something banging into a wall, perhaps something being turned into something else, I call my dad.

Having sauntered by the 30 year milestone I started feeling something. A feeling that I should spend less time playing videogames and more time understanding what the hell a rawplug is. Apparently it isn’t an uncooked electrical conduit.

So today I needed things hanging. This required drilling, banging and measuring.
I rang my dad.

It’s ok though. I made it very clear that I wanted to do it all, but needed his eye of Sauron cast over my every move… oh and I needed him to come with me and suggest what basic tools I should be owning. I am, you see, the man that bought a drill 3 years ago without buying any drill bits and left it in my shed ever since.

I now have a fully fledged toolkit, including fancy tool box, drill bits, pliers, even a saw (a saw which I managed to cut my finger on without even using it) and with this collection of goodies I have put up a rail. Good times.

I can already feel my mangina disappearing. That said, blogging about it straight afterwards and crying about the blood pumping from my finger isn’t particularly man-ish is it?

"Got change for a dollar? Oh, I also need to borrow a dollar."

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 20:44:36 +0000

“Got change for a dollar? Oh, I also need to borrow a dollar.”

- Homer Simpson

Bored of being cold now.

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 21:50:00 +0000

I know we’re all still moaning about the cold and that those that aren’t, are moaning about those that are still moaning about the cold but… FUCK I’m cold.

I’ve been wearing two pairs of socks for the last week (and not in a willy enhancing way like normal) and recently have been taking advantage of the unused pink fluffy slippers hidden on wifey’s side of the bed. Alas, she’s realised how beneficial they could be and has taken custody of the only family slippers.

BuggerArseBiscuits.

Snow hasn’t been mega deep around here but the ice has been shocking. Gritted roads are fine but the paths are a nightmare. Trying to keep your cool when your right foot slips from under you and you do that slide’n’dance move in the nano-second it takes to regain your balance is becoming a pain in the arse. Speaking of a pain in the arse, has anyone else got tighter buttocks from this cold snap? Trying to walk/skate to Tesco whilst clenching in fear of the slide’n’dance has done wonders for my cheeks.

Wanna see?

"Maybe I should join the army. Do as I’m told? Fuck ‘dat."

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 22:35:31 +0000

“Maybe I should join the army. Do as I’m told? Fuck ‘dat.”

- Me. Just then.

Things I've learned this morning

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 09:24:35 +0000

Feeling a little guilty for letting wifey go to work on her own so I decided to walk her there. Here are a few things I learned this morning.

Keeping your arms by your side improves balance. Gloves on and hands out of pockets, people!
It’s really easy to get disorientated on the heath when it’s covered in snow.
Taking short cuts across snowy landscapes may seem like an adventure but they can make your wife cry.
Never show a look of confusion on your face when leading the way.
Always park outside your house else someone will put a skip there. - sigh -

Still cold where you are?

It’s snow joke, it really is cold all over the UK!

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:38:28 +0000

It's pretty cold here..

..so I thought I'd take a photo...

...can't sit down though!

It’s snow joke, it really is cold all over the UK!

I didn’t realise father xmas took holidays in Liberty...

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:33:30 +0000

I didn’t realise father xmas took holidays in Liberty City?

"Sticking feathers up your butt doesn’t make you a chiken."

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 02:25:20 +0000

“Sticking feathers up your butt doesn’t make you a chiken.”

- Tyler Durden

"twitter was societys one great chance to say ‘twat’ on a regular basis and instead everyone went for..."

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:02:49 +0000

“twitter was societys one great chance to say ‘twat’ on a regular basis and instead everyone went for ‘tweeted’. this is why i’m leaving America.”

- ned hepburn:

HNY

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:34:00 +0000

2009 is nearly done. The year of many things. Some nearly good, but a lot of poop. Two massive standouts though.

This was the year of my frankly gorgeous goddaughter, Ayla, and also the year of the Molseys.

So here I am raising a metaphorical glass to these things whilst at the same time sticking two fingers up at the shite sandwich that surrounded the rest of the year.

Here’s to 2010. May it be full of wonderful things and be known as the Tenties. Or Tensies? I’ve not quite worked out which I like best yet?