Friday 14 December 2012

Friday 14th Saw 2 out of 3 movies

WAS MEANT TO SEE 3 X MOVIES/MISSED 1/SAW 2

I originally signed up online to see 3 movies, today; but, unfortunately, I got there far too late to see the first movie; so, instead, I ended up seeing only 2 movies.

1> Love Crime/Cineworld/Picadilly/1:50PM (missed it)
2> Life of Pi/Cineworld/Haymarket/3D/5:15PM
3> Sightseers/Cineworld/Picadilly/8:30PM

GAMBLED: WILLIAM HILL/LADBROOKS STREET BETTING STORES

Overall, been a great day. I eat a lot/gambled a lot...and, won...using the money I'd won to buy all of my food with; as well as to 'top up' my food store cards, both Starbucks/Pret-a-manger.

JOINED PRET-A-MANGER

I also signed up for a Pret-a-manger loyalty 'top up' card. Which when I came home I registered online in order to protect the card from being used by others who might accidentally find it/steal it.

CONCLUSION

I came home with my belly feeling totally full with both food/drink; and, my wallet was full, too. Marvellous.

-(It's a pity that not every single day could go like this; but, that's life, I guess, always utterly unpredictable!)-

Thursday 13 December 2012

Hyde Park Christmas Fair: 12/12/12

MISSED MY LAST MORLEY COLLEGE CLASS

Was meant to go to HTML & CSS Level II between 10AM-1PM. Unfortunately, I missed it. I woke up far too late around 10:20AM. Then, I just decided because it's going to take, at least, one hour to get ready/then, another 1 hour to reach there; by then the class will already be over; might as well just not bother. Altogether I think there were 6 classes to attend during this 2nd term; I attended going to just 4 lessons; can't honestly say I learned all that much...a bit boring, frankly! It's a pity though that I didn't attend that last class; as there were end of term papers to fill in; which, of course, I missed.

BROUGHT MYSELF A WEEKLY BUS PASS

I guess, I must have gotten really tired of having to go ride my bike for endless miles and miles all around London town. So, instead, I decided to go buy a weekly bus pass; the cost of which was £18.80. It was brought 12/12/12; therefore, will run out on 19/12/12 at 4AM late night/early morning.

Hopefully, I will use my bus pass a lot; and, not just waste the money. In particular, I have to travel out to Cineworld, Trocadero, Picadilly in order to use my Unlimited Cineworld pass.

HYDE PARK CHRISTMAS FAIR/WONDERLAND

Quite a few times I rode my bike through Hyde Park where I saw there was a huge fair going on. However, I'd never actually been inside there before. So, I decided to go check it out.

At the fair, I brought...

1 x black sheepskin leather gloves/size: medium, £20
2 x wolly hoody hats/both black, £20

HYDE PARK PUBLIC TOILET

There is a public toilets which I used to use regularly for FREE located outside of the Knightsbridge bus stop. However, much to my total shock and surprise when I tried to use it...it actually blocked me from going inside...you now have to pay £0.50p just to get in. I felt totally disgusted have to take a leak at that price; 0.10p/0.20p would have been more reasonable. So, instead, I went back outside; and, found a place to go piss in the park; luckily nobody saw/or, caught me!

GREEN PARK/STARBUCKS/MEMBERSHIP CARD

Opposite Green Park tube station there is a Starbucks food store. Recently I went and joined their membership card scheme. This allows you to buy a card from a minimum of £10.00; which you are later on allowed to top up at anytime. -(You can also top up online/or, over your mobile phone using any amount from £10-£100.)- I already went and registered my card online; this is meant to ensure your balance is safe; and, nobody else can use the card.

The first time I got my Starbucks card was 11/12/12; and, I placed £20.00 on it. I then bought 0.50p worth of chocolate which left me with a balance of £19.50.

12/12/12, I went into the same Starbucks shop, again. This time I brought...
1 x Giant Cookie
1 x Choclate Gold Foil Circle
1 x Cashew Peanuts
...the total costing me around £3.55. My current Starbucks card balance now says: £15.95.

PICADILLY WASABI FOOD SHOP

Opposite the Trocadero Cineworld on Picadilly is a Wasabi food shop. I prefer to go in there and buy food whenever I visiting the cinema; as the Cineworld food is a load of crap/as well as, being way over expensive.

Inside Wasabi I brought...
1 x Japanese Sushi box
1 x Hot Miso Soup
2 x Sushi wraps.
...in all the total cost was around £6.49.

PICADILLY TROCADERO, CINEWORLD, SAW FILM: RUST & BONE

Using my Cineworld Unlimited card, I booked to see a film which I'd already paid to see before at the Odeon called: Rust & Bone. I enjoyed watching it, again. I especially liked the fact that I got to see it for FREE this time. In fact, I shouldn't really 'buy' any more films; when using my Unlimited card I can see all films FREE, now; straight up until when I have to renew membership next year Nov 2013(£215).

BROUGHT 6 X PASSPORT PHOTOS

Outside of the Trocadero Cineworld is a one man stand; where the guy sells people passport photos. I brought 4 x Passport Photos for £10.00. The guy gave me 6 photos, altogether; along with a FREE minature padlock(which I thought was really kind of him).

BROUGHT 3 X MINATURE BOOKS

One of my fav. bookshops is the junction Old Compton Street/Tottenham Court Road. I usually go in there late at night whenever I'm in the Picadilly/Soho area. I brought 3 books.

1 x Reflexology
1 x Chinese Astrology
1 x Palmistry

...the total costing me around £14.99.

TOOK BUS TO PIMLICO

I forgot which number bus I took from off Tottenham Court Road; but, it took me over to Pimlico. When I discovered the bus was going the wrong way; I decided to get off it; and, wait to take a different bus going towards Vauxhall, instead, on the opposite side of the road.

In between times, waiting for my bus, I hopped into a Pizza shop; and, there brought 2 x tins of coke; both costing £1.19.

GAMBLING

I use to gamble only online; using either my Desktop/or, Laptop machines. However, now, that I've been going out the road a lot; I've decided to switch to gambling inside of betting shops. My fav shop to use is William Hill; and, I use around 3 of these around the Picadilly Soho area. I spent...

1 x £40 (which just completely vanished/actually I came away with something like £1.60)
1 x £30 (which I managed to double to become £60)
1 x £30 (which I managed to double to become £54)

...all the time, I'm panicing...thinking to myself...on no, I'm going to lose it ALL...?!


TRAVELLING

Right now, I'm enjoying using the buses; and, so I've stopped riding my bike. However, there are some big advantages which riding a bike brings; such as it's healthier/and, a lot more highly flexible/plus, biking is FREE.

However, due to the weather being so cold. I much prefer taking a bus, instead.

The truth is, though, I will probably use a mixture of bike/bus/walk.


CONCLUSION

I left the home with around 6 x £20 £120. I spent around £200+. I returned back home again with £50(2 x £20/2x£10).





Friday 7 December 2012

December 2012 begins...

GAMBLING...

I continued gambling, as usual, at William Hill...
http://www.williamhill.co.uk
...unfortunately, I lost £100.00 last time I tried playing online Roulette.

I went to visit GA/Gamblers Anonymous at 131 Cleveland Street, outside Great Portland Street tube station, a couple of times. I only go there whenever I have big financial problems to have to deal with. Basically, I owe £27,800.00.

18G Benefit money to have to repay
5G Barclaycard VISA
2G Barclaycard Mastercard
2G Nat West overdraft loan
£800 3 Mobile Phone contract still to pay

But, all I have left in savings is 3 grand(the which total started out at 28 grand...most of which I went and lost to the bookies)?! So, that's why I felt tempted to go and gamble to see if I could make enough money to pay all of these bills. Unfortunately, as is usually the way whenever one tries to rely on gambling I lost a hell of a lot more than I ever won; in fact, I also lost all of my winnings back to the bookies, too; on top of losing my original stake bets. The only way I can describe being caught up in this situation is it's a total nightmare...which could possibly get a whole lot worse still...soon, I could be left with having absolutely no money at all; yet the same bill won't go away; and, what then I wonder...?!

BIKING...

One of my Halford bikes: Apollo Encounter got stolen outside of Morley College. I went and reported the theft to the Lambeth North police station. They wrote me back a letter to say they can't do anything about it due to a lack of sufficient evidence; this is even though the college itself has CCTV which covers seeing the  bikes outside! Basically, reporting the loss to the police was a total waste of time.

Anyway, I just came back home, and, proceeded using my  back up Apollo Encounter bike; which is an exact replica of the missing bike.

COMPUTING...

Currently, I'm using 4 computing machines...

1> Desktop computer
2> Laptop computer (in bed)
3> iPad (around the house)
4> iPhone 5 (outside the home)

All of the last 3 need to be recharged constantly; as their charge doesn't tend to last a single day. The laptop battery drains away especially fast in less than 1 hour long. Whereas the Apple machines tend to hold their charge for up to around 10 hours long.

The Desktop I mostly tend to keep left on; as their are web pages I load which I didn't have time to view; so, I leave it on standby until when I next return.

NOTE: I would love to buy/own an iMac computer. However, right now, I'm just far too broke to own one.

CINEMA...

So far to date I've joined the following cinemas/film clubs...

Cineworld Unlimited membership: £210
Prince Charles Cinema -(Leicester Square)- Lifetime membership: £50
Odeon Premiere Club £10
...and, I'm thinking of rejoining film making club, Raindance: £50 yearly

I love seeing films at the cinema; as, essentially, I'm a born dreamer; getting to see films at a size that is 100 x your TV screen makes one feel so immersed in the cinema experience as though it were 'real'; this sort of experience I really enjoy.

I wanted to rejoin Raindance film making club; as, one day, I hope to be able to make my own 'amateur' films.

MARTIAL ARTS...

KICKBOXING

Recently, I went and joined Kick Boxing at...
Seymour Leisure Centre
...which is located off Seymour Street near Marble Arch.

I wish I'd gone and joined them in Spring/Summer...rather than Autumn/Winter. As I have to bike it all the way there and back in the utterly freezing cold; which isn't much fun at all. On the other hand, the lessons they give are both interesting and fun.

The cost however is extremely expensive.
£350 equipments: Large/Small Bag, Groin Guard, Gloves, Shin Guards, Mouth Guard, T-shirt(white), Trousers(blue), Insurance.
£85 joining fee to be paid right away; then, £85 Direct Debit monthly for a contract to 12 months; DDR starts 3rd Jan 2013.
Training days, twice weekly: Tue/Thu 1PM.

KRAV MAGA

I'm still a member of South London Krav Maga(West Norwood)/and, Urban Krav Maga(London Bridge).
South London Krav Maga is £30 monthly DDR.
Urban Krav I already pre-paid for 10 lessons @ £60.00. I have around 4 more lessons still left to go.

TAI CHI

I've not returned back to Tai Chi Brixton £30 monthly Tue 7:30PM. Nor have I returned back to Michael Jacques Tai Chi lessons in West Norwood £2.50 Mon 11:30AM.

KEEP FIT...

Recently, I went and rejoined...
http://www.thegymgroup.com
...but, due to the Winter cold; I'm not at all tempted to go out there to use their 24 hours per day training facilities; so, I think, I might have to cancel this Direct Debit costing me £20.00 monthly.

EDUCATION OFFLINE...

MORLEY COLLEGE/HTML & CSS LEVEL II

My Morley College HTML & CSS Level II course is coming to an end, soon. Unfortunately, I missed this week Wednesday 10AM-1PM lesson; as I booked a cinema showing which clashed with the lesson time. Hopefully, I will go there next week.


NEXT COLLEGE TERM

I think, next college term, I will sign up to do arts, again;. In particular, I'm interested in learning...

-Book making
-Computing
-Film
-Drawing/Painting-Writing
-Sculpture
-Photography
-Writing
-etc.


NOTE: There are certain advantages one gets through having gone and joined a college; such as cheaper/discounted cinema tickets/computer software/NUS card/-etc.

Too, you can state on your C.V. I did, at least, some studying during that time/as opposed to having done absolutely none.

Thus, it's very important, indeed, that I should be listed as a college student each new term.

EDUCATION ONLINE...

Because I been going out so much; and, watched so many movies at the cinema; having to ride my bike all the way there; then, all the way back, again. I often come back in late around 12:00 midnight; when I return back in, I'm so tired I simply fall asleep; then, wake up to go out again the next day. Is it any wonder then that I haven't been doing any studying online?! In particular, I miss...

Lynda.com
ConquerMath.com
UniversalClass.com
-etc.

ARTS...

I have memberships to...

Tate Gallery (paid membership)
Dulwich Picture Gallery (FREE through being a member of Paxton Green TimeBank)
London Zoo(paid membership; not a gallery; but, I use it to take photos/draw from these)

...unfortunately, I've not been finding sufficient time to go visit seeing any of these. The freezing cold doesn't help much, neither; instead, it only puts me right off.

LIFE DRAWING

Occasionally, I find time to go and visit a Life Drawing class; which people pose nude. However, due to the freezing cold; I've not been going there much neither. It's usually £10 per class. The last time I went and visited 23 Abbey College, Bloomsbury Square, London; where the host is Tony of the Life Drawing Society.
http://www.lifedrawingsociety.co.uk

EBAY ARTWORKS

Lately, I've returned back to buying artworks from off eBay; especially, the work of my fav. artist...
Onelio Marrero
...however, the competition is strong; and, even when I tried bidding really high: $50.00...I still lost the bid! It looks like there are Marrero fans out there who are every bit as mad about his artwork as am I.