kthxbye - the final post

Heelloooo!
Long time no speak.
I'm not going to fill you in; too much has happened and not a great deal that I want to broadcast in such a public way.
Suffice to say, as the title of this post explains, it is the last of it's kind.

'this blog thing...'
I started this blog thing three years ago, and funnily enough this is the 300th post.
I'm not going to bury this thing immediately - I have nothing to hide and I'm quite fond of all the areas of my life it has chronicled over the last few years. There are plenty of painful memories attatched within however, and at some point I will remove it and probably archive it in a different location.


'... I've started a new fun little project.
Over the last year, I began to realise that although I enjoyed my forays in to the world of the blogosphere, I was never really a 'blogger' in the classic sense.
I found the moments that I had something of interest or profoundity to contribute slowly became fewer and further between, whilst at the same time I have been active in various other web2.0 social networks which seemed to serve the various purposes of communication in a far more efficient fashion.

That's why I threw up http://ralphventon.co.uk

I have set it up to aggregate all of my portable data and web based activity.
So when I digg a story on Trampolining Circus Dwarves with Laser Beams for Nipples, or tag the new 'Zodiac 2050 Vegetable Steamer 9in' in my del.icio.us archive - you know about it!
And I don't have to come to blogger and think of a reason to blog about it.
It'll also grab facebook, twitter, flickr, osf, youtube and other stuffs using the magics of teh internets!!11 so you can TOTALLY STALK ME!!1 how awsum?!!1

And if that wasn't enough, I'll also post the odd personal post and let you all know what exactly is going on with me.
All in all, I think for me at least, it is a better fit.

"I wanted to say something.'
I also wanted to express my thanks to all of the supportive messages and wonderful support people have selflessly provided over the last couple of months. Words cannot express. Mostly I've felt challenged to open up and reach out. If you have skype, facebook or whatever - add me (ralph_venton). Let's talk.

Lastly and most importantly, God is good.
He has been to me everything He has promised - and so much more. 'A better day will come', and possibly has even arrived.

Peace.

dear canada

dear canada

just wanted to drop a quick line to wish you a happy canada day.
i'm sorry i can't be there with you to celebrate your special day this year, although you should know that i really, really wish i was.

i hope to be back one day, perhaps i will bring audge too. (she sends her regards).
until then, i toast to the one-and-only, much loved, much missed, great and glorious nation of canada.

cheers.

a new post

Well, it's been a long time since I last posted.
Truth be told, life has been busy.
I wasn't sure what to insert into this very public white space, but I felt like I probably should put something here.
So I have decided to do a little guide of some of the places I've been recently, for those of you not familiar with London, all with the aid of some fantastic photographers off of flickr.

My trip to work everyday takes around 30mins; I get off at Canary Wharf tube station.

If I'm working early or on a close, I'll make time to get to my gym in West India Quay - it's a 7 minute walk from where I work and you cross a floating bridge on the docks to get there.

The gym is next door to a Cineworld. I have a good friend that's a real film buff, so I've ended up in Cineworld more times than I'd care to admit.

I've been playing a lot of tennis recently, mainly in New Cross in South London.

It's a great community, mainly afro-carribean - I'd never been there before until recently as I hardly ever go south of the river.
New Cross is also home to the only African-Japanese restaurant I've heard of.

Last week I went to see a new exhibition at the Tate Modern.

Urbanism - a fantastic artistic look into the growth of urbanism and urban culture around the world. I'll probably go back for another look before long.

Most of all, my mind has been full of the "what nexts'?" You know, the usual pre-marital thoughts and ponderances.
I'm quite excited for Audge to come and visit, although nervous at the same time... what if she doesn't like it? Will she enjoy herself here? Will she feel relaxed? Settle in?

The first few days back from Japan were really hard, although I have grown accustomed to the long periods of separation; one day they will end.
Until then, I wait.