Christmas, Man Flu, the Internet and Marriage in an ice hotel.

And there Christmas goes for another year.  I’m back from Shetland after my few days break.  Shetland is really nice, but there is very little to do, especially at Christmas time.

Christmas was good, although quiet. I caught a cold man flu while I was there and are now suffering a little. Emma has no sympathy for me (she’s still not impressed that I left her for a few days).

It dawned on me while I was home that on Christmas day it would have been 10 years since I got the internet.  How times have changed. In 1998 we connected via a 19k modem to a local rate Shetland number to connect to the internet.  I was limited by my dad to 2 hours a week, although on Christmas day 1998 BT ran a special offer where all local calls were free after an hour connected. I remember spending the whole day on the computer (it did take a whole day to anything on the internet in those days).

Now a days I have super fast always connected broadband. Although I did get the impression that Shetland’s broadband network is slowly crumbling with the number of users (and BT are not planning on upgrading it any time soon).

In other news, Emma is already talking about marriage. We were watching a programme on BBC 2 where Joanna Lumley went in search of the Northern Lights in Norway and stayed in an ice igloo hotel. They have a marriage chapel. Emma has decided we’re getting married there. Better get saving…

Radio wise, filling in on Drivetime Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week. Give us a listen if you have nothing else to do, www.originalfm.com. Also on 6am New Years Day morning, I don’t expect you to be awake.

David

Flying home for Christmas

Off home to Shetland for a few days tomorrow.  Took the unusual step this year of booking the plane instead of the boat. I’m quite glad I have, the boat has had its fair share of cancellations in the last couple of weeks. The plane also has the added benefit of only taking an hour, versus 12 on the boat. I don’t mind the length of boat trip, I quite enjoy it at times, but when you are only home for 4 days it seems a waste of time.

I’m not sure Emma is too impressed that I’m disappearing for a few days, especially over Christmas.  We had our Christmas at the end of last week, spending a couple of days in Glenshee which is where the above photo was taken.  It snowed which was nice (but apparently it always snows in Glenshee at this time of year – it is a ski resort after all!)

Radio wise, Christmas is/was always my favorite time of year.  You get to hear your favorite presenters doing different shows at different times. With that in mind, here’s what I’m doing over the next couple of weeks.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday of this week I’m on air my normal shifts 7-10pm.  (Despite being off to Shetland tomorrow, try and work that one out if you want).

Christmas Day/Boxing Day off.

Saturday December 27th normal shift of 2-6pm (including Aberdeen v Hearts live football).

Sunday December 28th, normal shift of Sunday Breakfast, 6-10am.

Monday 29th, Tuesday 30th, Wednesday 31st, Drivetime 2-7pm (looking forward to this one)

Thursday 1st January Breakfast, 6-10am. Working that early on New Years Day should be interesting.  Will sleep from 10am onwards!

Friday 2nd January, back to normal, on air 7-10pm.

106.3/106.8FM in the North East of Scotland and online at www.originalfm.com

David

Christmas Toy Appeal

If I were wanting to hold a meeting at work over the next couple of days I couldn’t, or at least I couldn’t hold it in the board room.  It has been taken over by toys. And that’s just a small selection of the presents that have been donated to our Christmas toy appeal.

We’ve been running this for the last couple of weeks on air. When you were out and about doing your Christmas shopping, all we asked is that you buy an extra gift to donate. Then thanks to the Salvation Army, Bernardo’s and Befriend a Child, all the presents will be distributed to under privileged kids of the North East of Scotland in time for Christmas.

If you donated, thank you, it was much appreciated.

A bit of Where’s Wally-esque fun now, can you spot my donation, Henry the bear?

David

Woolworths

I took a visit to Woolworths today, possibly for the last time.  I didn’t buy anything, I left after 3 minutes, stressed by the number of shoppers all trying to get their hands on a bargain.

The cue for the tills was long. Very long. Stretching all the way round the store.  I felt a little sorry for all the staff, working like slaves only to lose their jobs. Then it struck me.

Could it be a conspiracy? A brilliant marketing ploy by Woolworths?  Announce you are having a massive closing down sale, cut all your slightly higher than average prices down, sell lots of goods.  Seems like a pretty good plan to me.

Still didn’t convince me to start my Christmas shopping though.