In a rather more strange, romantic and yet still something which will make you throw up if you hate the whole idea of men and women being together twist of fate, instead of eating far too much in Shropshire with the family, talking about each other’s work habits, sitting down the pub for three hours on Christmas Day, and then coming back to eat even more to only collapse in front of the TV watching the Christmas edition of Doctor Who, this year took a different slant.

This year, the festive day would take place somewhere else. Somewhere in Europe. Already things are looking down. But fear not gentle readers, it’s not Brussels, filled with smelly European MPs signing us all up for the not-a-constitution and we were outside protesting by tying ourselves to trees.

It was in fact, the historical capital city of the Czech Republic, Prague. Filled with architecture, culture, and various adventures for stag parties, Prague has been attracting visitors for years and somewhere to go to let yourself go, and marvel at its stately homes, concert halls and film locations.

That’s the travel guide b******ks over with. Time for the reality of Prague and what’s it now like.

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Hello campers, and as you can see on this boxing day eve, we are back from the Czech Republic, filled with stories of the last….day and a half of being there.

Granted it’s not long at all in the grand scheme of things but never the less, much has been learned in that time about Prague, what goes on for Christmas there as far as the tourists go and some other local residents, and some of the real deal with the place which it appears never gets said by anyone who I’ve asked about the damned place.

That will come in a future post complete with silly pictures carefully selected for the biggest laughs in terms of captions. Or not, depending on how we go.

It pleases me the last few days that site visits have dwindled for the festive period, which means that people actually have something better to do for Christmas. But now that stupid thingy’s out the way, you can all come back and enjoy some more mutterings from myself and the rest of the contributors here at the dome of enlightenment.

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Merry Christmas to everyone today, hope you got what you wanted, and if not, just remember, the receipt for it’s probably hanging around somewhere so just have a quick look when everyone’s dead from eating too much Christmas pud.

Just think, You have the January Sales to look forward to now, and New Year’s Eve getting absolutely wasted, stealing a traffic cone and weeing on someone’s car.

In case people are wondering (mind you I’m expecting no-one to be reading this blog today, hopefully they have something better to do), I actually wrote this post a few days ago, because I didn’t see myself staying on t’internet while missing out on Prague. And this handy doo hicky allows me to write this now, so it will automatically pop up Christmas day! WOO technology!! I swear I tell thee about it when Natalie and I get back soon. But for now as short as it is, enjoy the rest of the day with the family (and maybe your own family too.)

Episode 13: Best of.....Something [ 53:22 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Because it’s christmas time, and it’s the time to give, we are proud to release this extended edition of the audio noise file, where the best bits are played back from both the audio and written tomes of silly, for your drinking and fornicating pleasures. Well no-one ever really tells me what they truly want for the festive occasion so this will have to do. It’s either that or a book token. And I’d have to lend money from you to get the book token….

As usual you can subscribe to the show via the feed URL: http://www.oohsometimes.com/podcasts/feed.xml which you place carefully into your program of choice such as the free programs Juice or Doppler.

You also have the choice of searching the iTunes store, searching using either Paul Hughes, or Ooh Sometimes and subscribing using the software.

If you like what you hear or you don’t then please let us know at: podcast@oohsometimes.com and we’ll respond at some point.

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Like the inevitable rise and setting of the sun, the tide of the sea changing and the stupidly absurd rush to the supermarkets to buy everything before it’s all gone simply as they are shut for one day over Christmas; here is another update on what’s new in the life of the Lord of Leisure.

Friday didn’t exist until 1 O’clock this afternoon after a going to bed late, furiously trying to sort out the UberBeast of the machine at home while writing that little synopsis of the Golden Jigsaw puzzle. One venture was successful; the other was not so joyful, and quite annoying.

You will see the results of that in a future post, one which will be strictly for the computer people out in the world but it will contain information for those who are none technical as this will in fact be something you will have to deal with in the future yourselves, and not just when you get a new machine as what most people tend to do these days (providing of course they can afford anything anymore.)
So now some of you will be quaking in your boots awaiting the post of doom, I’ll move onto more seasonal things.

Until next Thursday I shall be away from work, working on other nice things such as packing for the trip away, which shouldn’t take long, and still trying desperately to think of the last few bits for only 3 people now, the rest have been sorted with various bits of tat, normally the things that people receive because you cannot possibly think of anything else they would like, but who gives a brown smudge resembling material passing from people’s bottoms?

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He was right. It wasn’t that good, but at least I didn’t fall asleep during the events that occurred before my very eyes and afterwards I actually wondered what the rest would be like.

The problem was before the events of last night, I was armed with prior knowledge that my good friend, Mr. Logan from sunny Wales has previous experience with the thing in question and he wasn’t overly thrilled with it himself, you have to be in the “Fantasy” mindset to enjoy.

Before any more confusion sets in, let me you assure you all that the object of the moment was none other than the film, The Golden Compass which is currently at the local cineplexsuperuberwooperscreen building near you, unless you live on a deserted tropical island or some such, in which case I have to ask, how have you got internet access and can actually read this?

Leaving that bizarre mystery to one side, it is most certainly a kids film and I have the mind of a 3 year old, so I’m already in the child-like state and therefore properly equipped to harp on about it like some old retired window cleaner telling the unfortunate nephew about the time he cleaned a window that was big.

The Golden Compass is the first of three films, just like the books by some bloke I’ve never heard of, and is set on a parallel world where people and their souls walk about beside them, having a chat about various things like shopping and the weather, while under the thumb of the evil empire from Star Wars, who has just undergone a PR rebranding exercise and are now called the Magisterium. They only want what’s best for everyone and that seems to be no free will and rule everything in existence.

Sounds fair.

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Yes, it’s true. Yet another trailer for the Duke Nukem: Taking Forever game has been produced although this time it has sparked the most unlikely of reactions from the gaming community.

It’s most commonly known as “Couldn’t give a s**t” syndrome. Because the ever awaited proper sequel to Duke Nukem 3D has been over 10 years in the pipeline and all but written off as what is termed around the gaming world as Vapourware, something which will have trailers galore, but will never see the light of day, when 3D Realms announced this new teaser footage, gamers on forums just went ‘meh’, and went for the kill of no real gameplay shown.

No release date again has been mentioned, so brace yourselves for another 10 year wait if people are to be believed.

The trailer has been posted on YouTube, and well it’s not often I link to things on the great booth of video naughty, but because I prefer people to make their own minds up, here is the teaser for you to enjoy.

Of course the wide eyed amongist you would have spotted that the site has been decorated, just like our home, which we have just finished doing, ooooh, I’m feeling really festive now, and it is now a mere week away till my first christmas in another country. Can’t wait!

Now on a unrelated note, the band we have pushed here at Ooh Sometimes quite a bit, Crashing Cairo, had posted a message on their MySpace page. It was put out a while ago, but I never had chance till recently to tell you all about it. Half way through there is a thanks to the website mentioned, so like the proud father handing out cigars and setting fire to things to celebrate, here’s the message from the band in full.

Wax from the Band [ 1:37 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

and they have updated their website with extra goodness so here is the url for that: http://www.crashingcairo.com. We have also recieved a few more emails regarding the last podcast, and how good it actually was, so from the bottom of my manly heart, thank you all very much.

Take care people and remember only a few shopping days left. Ugh.

And finally for the last of the three Christmas write-ups for the week ending 16th December 2007, or week ending 15th December 2007 depending on where you consider the week ends and the new one begins, I give you the works Christmas doo.

Every year, where I work, they rent out the International Centre in Telford, and allow all the broken hearted people who are driven into the ground, wondering what’s the point any more, and consider throwing themselves off a cliff, just to reach the Samaritans phone cunningly placed at the bottom of the cliff. They are a funny bunch, the Samaritans!

As I was saying before going off on a complete tangent, this event allows the workforce to unwind, drink lots on behalf of their respective companies, dance like silly people and makes sure that you can’t face certain people come the next day.

They also have a theme running every year, this year of course as mentioned previously on the blog, the theme was the school disco, where people of various ages dress up in school stuff or not. Sounds simple doesn’t it? You get some food, a lot of booze, a free casino where you can win nothing and a stage show. Should be good. Cue applause.

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The second of the week’s outings took both Natalie and me this time for something decided different. Highfield Hall was holding a Murder Mystery night, where you have some food, some drink and try and find out who killed the host of the evening.

Highfield Hall is somewhere in North Wales, yes Wales, where a Welshman with many girlfriends is considered to be a shepherd. It’s a hotel, where they have various events such as barn painting or clothes drying, some such like that, and they also do evenings like the murder mystery and Justine, one lady in North Wales, thought it would be something different for everyone to enjoy. We then tagged along.

The company we were in, were those I hadn’t seen for a very long time. Justine was a year older and a year wiser (well not for another week at the time but never mind) so hurrah three times! Jo was showing the baby pounds now, and she is expecting a girl which is nice. I’m never sure what to say about babies being honest.

Haydn and Claire were also there (thank you once again for the present, it was really unexpected and nice), with Mandy and her new boyfriend, who is an absolute hoot by the way, it appears there are truly others in the world with a fantastic sense of humour like myself, but his was clearly more refined and he has much to teach me!

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