Mario Kraut.

My eldest daughter recently purchased Mario Kart for the Wii, having loved it on other platforms (the DS being the previous version she played to death).  So of course, it would be rude of me not to participate in a few evening games...who is she going to play otherwise?  Her mother loves video games (are they still referred to as that?) as much as she loves selotaping offal to under her eyelids.  Me though...well, the Wii was intended for my daughter as a present but it seems such a waste sat there all forlornly come the evening when she is in bed.  Zelda and Super Mario Galaxy are of course sublime (though I, nay 'we' could do with completing them soon enough).  

Mario Kart Wii (although hardly a major jump, if any, up from previous incarnations it is nevertheless, a flippin good journey to the centre of fun...

Last night I managed to sort the wi-fi out (some crazy looking new, superfast model  router sat flashing it's face off in the corner of the living room) and jump onto the 'worldwidewii' so as to race against all types from all places dotted around the globe.  So here I was, Paulo, waving on the virtual globe as Hans99 from Germany, Elsie from the UK (I imagined her to be a 'silver surfer' from Suffolk), DAZX from Korea, TonyTony from the United States (such as potential prodigy his parents named him twice), Kiki (Dee?) also from the States and a few other wordless names grinning their cheese boxes off at me from the consoles display forum (my telly).

With a good few weeks practice under my belt and with some pretty swift moves, I felt I could have these races in the bag before I knew it...how bleeding wrong I was.

To be frank, I was shafted rather unceremoniously by these onliners.  I came last in all but one...and I reckon that was probably due to a loose connection on the end of one of the participants.  Am I missing something here?  I had what I thought was one or two tricks up my sleeve (like those cheeky speed boosts) but I was pretty much trundling along on my own at the back whilst the others (possibly arrogant little sh...eight years olds with ill manners and a lack of respect for other generation gamers) were probably downloading ultra cheat codes onto their wireless LCD pets.

Just before I called it quits and did something worthwhile with my evening (like watch another episode of the Wire) I could see that my 'driving techniques' were getting a little more savvy.  A few more attempts (and a quick session googling cheats/tips) I reckon I'll have these upstarts by the scruff of their Nintendnecks.  

Olympicitis.

Day 5 of the Olympics in what looks like blanket coverage by the BBC (perhaps it's the time difference, perhaps they need to recoup much of the money spent advertising these games).

My daughter woke up this morning at the usual time of 6:30 (her body clock is sharper than quartz) and whilst making her breakfast I stuck beeb one on – yup the Olympics were off to an early start.

Finish an episode of the Wire late at night just before bed and voilà – the Olympics still streaming out of the tellybox.  Not sure if it's bad timing on my behalf but every time I've viewed these games I seem to fall upon either equestrian events (in all honesty this has never been one of my favourites), rowing (again not one I'd go out of my way to view) and canoeing: now I'd almost written this off as a none too pleasing to the eye sport but I was ultimately hooked.  The British fella, David Florence, although initially somewhat behind, soon pulled himself up a few gears and before you know it a silver was his.  This looks like one of the toughest sports in the game (mind you most of them look back breaking) a lone competitor wrestling with what look like angry flash floods whilst commanding a canoe through flagged gates.

The cycling always has me hooked, there's something ferocious in the sport in which the body is almost torn apart from the nerves up during the races/grotesque feats of endurance.  Cyclists seem to be the leanest and fittest looking people in the world.  Great news that Nicole Cooke won us our first gold.

Swimming is always good viewing (and yes I haven't forgotten beach volleyball...neither it seems has that Dubya Bush fella).  Michael Phelps (as of writing) has won a record 11 gold medals marking him down as the greatest Olympian in history (and he hasn't finished yet).  

Here again Rebbeca Adlington did us proud with a gold medal.

Unsurprisingly China leads the medal tally (currently at 27 golds).  The only games I saw today was the women's weight lifting.  A rather strong, yet stout lady called Liu Chunhong not only won the gold medal in the 69kg division but she also hammered in three world records.  All this talk over 'clean and jerk' and 'third attempt in the snatch' left me a little befuddled so I promptly called it a day.

The opening ceremony was pretty special...it will be a hard act for London to follow in four years.  Everything ran like human clockwork, a giant organic German car personified.  The architecture for the most part is brash and flash (the aquaitc centre and the stadium are undoubtedly gorgeous looking).  Overall I can't help feeling a little confused over whether I should be watching this at all, without guilt over the goings on of such an oppressive regime.  I'd hope that this will open China up to the world and in turn make the citizens of this vast country much more free...I'm just not sure if this emerging (and emerging quickly by the looks of it) superpower can be trusted to be in charge of  this planets steering wheel.

Anyway...I'm now off to see if I can catch any of the table tennis – a true Olympic sport if there was one!

Canon can.

During the past year I've managed to somehow be involved in the destruction of a couple of digital camera's.  One of such breakages I can probably accept responsibility for: it was in a pushchair that  once folded resulted in the crushing of the LCD screen of 'camera 1'.

Now this was purely accidental (I had no idea it was residing in said pushchair) so I cannot fully be at fault here surely?  'Camera 2' stopped working a few weeks back.  It went from taking vivid snaps of friends and family to taking multi coloured 'murals' of images best described as abstract.

Now theses camera's 'were' (they're both unusable now) used heavily on a daily basis (my girlfriend uses them as part of her job working with children) so we certainly got out moneys worth during their brief, yet wholesome life.  I'd actually pulled the first damaged camera apart in a [currently] aborted attempt to fix it like some eccentric scientist.  If I could perhaps find somewhere that sells replacement screens I may in fact be able to rescue it, but so far my searches (mainly online) have proved fruitless.

Anyway, it's now sat in a salad bag on top of my microwave in around 50 pieces.  God knows if I can reanimate it but should I get a replacement part then I'll certainly give it a go.  I've been told that a local company (real camera company in the Northern Quarter) may be able to help so I'll take the salad bag in some time this week and see if there's anything I can do.

In the meantime we've just purchased a second hand DSLR on ebay.  Now these camera's were pretty pricey (the kit came to around £1000) at the time and given that they are still a very decent camera, we were happy with the price we got it for.  Compared to the point and shoot compacts this is a bit of a beast (although for a DSLR it's a handy size and weight).  The camera, the Canon EOS 300D, came with a lens attached as part of a kit and it's possible to add different types of lens as you go on (although these do not come cheap the camera is more than capable of producing startling images).

My girlfriend might take a bit of convincing that this was a much better purchase than the compact digi cameras – afterall, you can fit those in your pocket/purse/handbag.  Not really possible with these larger camera's...hardly stealth like.  However, I'll guarantee the images they produce are worth the pay off in size and accessibility...once I get to grips with the more technical elements of it.  It's possible to pick a auto program and go ahead and shoot, but for more refined and creative moments then it's worth understanding some, at least, of the fundamental elements of photography.

I sometimes use an old 35mm SLR which I love to bits.  The images are much more 'filmic' and 'cinematic' than the new digital point and shoots.  Whether this DSLR replaces that much loved piece of equipment, only time will tell.  

Impending trip to Barcelona.

In less than a weeks time we all, as a family, fly out to Barcelona.  This will be the first time in a while we've been out of the UK for our summer hols: we usually traverse the two thousand odd miles (the journey down feels that long) to Cornwall come August.  Looking at the prices for a place down there (especially leaving it this late) it became apparent that this year (especially considering the price of petrol) that we might be better off flying 'abroad' in 2008.

So this weekend we fly off to the Catalan capital...and I can't wait.

Aside from the abundance of cultural offerings and the beautiful, almost organic looking architecture (courtesy of Antoni Gaudi) I think my body is about due some sun rays.  I half expect to awake from this poor UK summer we're enduring as a gollum type creature, cursing the rain god for all it's worth.

I might jump onto one of those shopping channels and buy myself a set of UV lights and place them  on every ceiling in the house.  It's been warm enough (but that clammy, humid warmth rather than the sharp energy giving heat donated, occasionally, by 'sun ra'.  Whatever have we done to upset her?

Anyhow...the cases are out and ready to be packed, although to be fair I usually pass this job over to the missus: I really have little idea when it comes to packing for trips away.  I just can't get my head around the concept.  Pair of shorts (which will I'll be wearing on the trip anyhow); sandals; a few t shirts; a 'nice evening shirt'; pair of jeans (possibly); underwear; pair of 'denim keks'; toiletries – and that's it – I can fit all that in an American 'fanny pack'.

Oops...forgot about the kids.  There you go see...awful at this packing game.  I'd have them pack a bathing costume each, a weeks worth of clothes and have done.  Travelling with kids on budget airlines it makes sense (financially and physically) to take less luggage – extra weight and luggage incurs what can be a fairly substantial fee (which is how most of these airlines make up for the initial cheap cost of the ticket).

I've planned a bit of an itinerary for our visit, certainly wishing to revisit Girona and hit the town of Sitges (and it's beaches) fitting this in with the myriad attractions within the city itself.

I'll report back with pictures on my return.

Say adios for now.