Searching for Inspiration in all the wrong places?

So last weekend I went away to Swansea and struggled to enjoy myself. This weekend should have gone better but I just suffered from the sheer Woodbridgeness of it all. It almost feels like every Saturday night has the whole "all this has happened before and will happen again" Battlestar Galactica vibe to it. Plus yesterday I managed to lose my phone and my camera (you'll note they're 2 seperate items!), had my credit card cloned, got blown out by a girl and we got mugged on the rugby field. All in all, not a lot of fun.

This injury is just frustrating me I think. I need to find some new way to blow off steam...

Heck, I'm even considering Internet dating again (a terrifying prospect).

Meloncollie and infinite repeats.

Ever feel like your life's just on an endless 7 day feedback loop? That's kind of how I feel after the past few days. Frankly I've found myself in the early stages of what I fear may be a minor rut. Wake up, work, go home, mope, go to bed x5. Then, on the weekend, go to the rugby, limp around and complain about not playing, get drunk in town, realise there are no girls, mope, use Sunday to recover, begin again. Only unlike a videogame, there's nothing harder on the next level, it's just like repeating the same game time and time again.

Hmm. It's a dilemma. Luckily, next weekend I'm escaping the confines of the IP12 postcode and hopefully going to Swansea, innit to catch up with the Welsh girls. Ironically on a weekend, where I had about a dozen alternatives, including, Jo's 30th in Ipswich, Laura's birthday in London Village and a boat Cruise on the Broads for Katies birthday. Oh and a houseparty or two as well!

Still, Wales for a six nations weekend with Wales on the for a second consecutive Grand Slam? Allez les bleus is all I can say!

Sunday awesomeness.

Hmm. It's been a funny old week in many ways. I've injured my knee - it feels like ligaments so am 'off rugby' for a goodly few weeks. I should have known my body was gonna give in eventually.

That said, went with the boys yesterday. We won, a rare away win! There was then some extreme randomness and lunacy in the pub. Apparently there was a punch-up but I was safely tucked up in bed by then. Having gotten rather tipsy on the way back. Today is Sunday and so far it's been awesome. Got up, made up spurious rumours about my mates with Eddie, knee felt easier too which was a bonus! Then headed up to the Kings' to pay my bar tab (which I had assumed would be huge). Instead, it was £2.50 for a bowl of chips. Ummm.... So I had to buy a roast dinner to get up to the £10 to stick it on card. Embarrasing. Anyway, now I'm at the folks, waiting for another roast dinner and reading Classic Comics. Happy days!

A Saturday off. What on earth do I do today?

So it's a Saturday morning, I've literally just put down my bowl of rice krispies, am listening to the still fantastic after approximately 47,000 listens, Bon Iver - seriously, as averse as I am to encouraging mass consumerism, buy this album! In fact, buy anything on the Jagujaguwar label - there are some amazing acts on it!

Anyway, I'm sat here and it's weird. There's no pressure, there's no nerves. The intensity of the Saturday morning just isn't here because there's no game to pace up and down in advance of, no players to contact in a panic saying to make sure they know about the meet, no kit bag to prepare (I get a bit OCD on Saturdays) and I am completely lost! So far today, I've caught up on some reading (finished my re-reading of Hickman's the Nightly News and finally re-read the Long Halloween).

I suppose I've gotta do my ref's exam at some point today ahead of tomorrow but you know, there's no pressure. My most difficult decision is where I'm going to watch the England game this afternoon! It's either at the club (I'm probably gonna 'direct traffic' for the 3's this arvo), in the Cherry Tree with Amy and co, or in the Mariners with the boys. One thing's for sure and I can't talk about this with hopefully police charges pending, I'm not drinking in the Kings. In fact, I'm in the mood not to drink there again for a goodly long while, or certainly not on a Saturday night.

I suppose I should do something with my day and maybe even invest some time in getting off my proverbial derriere and try to I don't know talk to girls or something but ugh, it's just hard work...

Oh and I'm gonna stick a plug on here for http://www.foundationlotuschild.org/ - Carrie's charity. She's gonna do awesome things, check it out and if you can, donate.

My new theory of injury energy.

Hmm. It's Tuesday, it's -2 outside and I've just gone down the club to get some physio. And I've realised that actually, as I approach 30 I'm getting old. Luckily it's not the steady steam of Alzeimers awareness campaigns that are being shat out ad nauseam by the media (I haven't got that far yet). But, it's certainly true that the knocks take longer to heal. To the extent that now, just as new energy is never really created in the universe (GCSE Physics, folks!) then no new injuries are created on the body of Karl Harris. Healing them simply moves them elsewhere!

Still, hamstring is better tonight. Hopefully I won't be limping around the office like Herr Flick from Allo Allo tomorrow!

After 8 months it really is time to blog again

Hi there, I don't really know if anybody really reads this anymore. Well probably not in fact, 8 months is an awfully long time to not write anything.

What's happened to me in that time?

Readers Digest version:

I 'may' have grown up a little. Yes, there are still some massive caveats, I still chase an egg-shaped ball most Saturdays and definitely still read comic books but I don't know, maybe as the times have changed, I've changed.

I'm finally working again! After a wicked Summer putting up marquees (mainly lots of gags about erections), I had a few very depressing months on the dole and now I'm back, temping at a major regional food retailer in their head office. Everyone's been very Co-operative and in many ways its an organisation I believe in, with some genuinely altrusitic and left wing views.

The Warriors have started winning again (this for me is a huge thing as I'm currently not only playing but am first XV manager so spend most of my week acting as a glorified Mum/ Girlfriend/ boss to about 20 blokes I consider to be amongst the best mates a guy could have).

I've toyed with a number of foreign travel options, either back to Vietnam to help my friend Carrie with her plans over there (I'll blog about her charity some point soon - it's amazing some of the stuff that girl has done already and she's barely started!), or going to Brazil to work with street kids in the Rio favellas but at the moment the grim reality is that I just can't flash the cash. I've already sold off nearly every second rate comic book series I've bought over the past few years (and there have been some turkeys!) but have pretty much reached the point where I can't sell anymore (although I do still think about selling my Complete Age of Apocalypse v1-4 but, ultimately nostalgia for the first X-over event of comicdom keeps me away from that).

I spend less time hovering on CBR which is weird. Its not quite the same for me on there these days, a few people who I used to talk to loads aren't on there as much and I'm just not as up on my X-lore as some of the others on there these days. I guess its like when you see a group of your school mates in the local, you pop over and have a pint it starts off great and then there's just a long, almost pregnant pause and you wander off and get your coat.

I was also in danger of turning 30 and still living with my Mum and Dad. Luckily this has been averted and I'm pleased to say I'm moving out at the weekend which will be great.

I'm also trying to do 'stuff' to 'help' people. It's not just money, it's actions, it's keeping a positive outlook on life and generally not being a prick. I've kind of come to realise that maybe that's the most important thing of all in this world obsessed with 'things'.

Ciao for now

Melon

Random Musings and how a whole lot can happen in 3 months.

So, last time I posted, I was on hols in Thailand.

Now I've been back 6 weeks, have a job putting up marquees and managed to fall in love in Vietnam with the most simply beautiful girl I ever met in my life. Heck, I think I might even have found God.

Sadly, I'm not gonna talk about that stuff 'cos well its private. But, what I am gonna talk about is the negativity I've come back to since I've been back in the UK.

It's a sad thing to say, but having seen a decent section of the world and met some truly amazing people, it sickens me how lazy and happy to whinge everyone is over here.

I don't know when moaning became the acceptable response to absolutely everything but, I'm pretty certain, we've been put on this planet to you know, get of our collective arses and do something.

Instead, we have this blame culture where nothing's anyone's fault, it's all either the government or big business, or in fact, absolutely everyone's responsibility but their own. Here's the truth for all of you people, all those bodies are is groups of people. Get of your asses, take some responsibility and take some action to change. Ignorance and Inaction are the biggest crimes in the world today. So why not take some positive action to change?

Hmm a long overdue update!

Ñow then, when we last spoke I was just leaving Malaysia. Since then I've spent a month in Thailand, mostly doing the Islands and have now been in Cambodia for half of my week long stay here!

First I have to apologise for not blogging more but actually my journal's in an even worse state right now!

Lets see, I continued to spend my first week or so in Thailand travelling with Neil and Leanne on the Islands of Phuket (don't bother, its shit and full of pikey twats), Phi Phi (Same same but different - actually not true on first impression but when I returned definitely so).

The one thing that did happen in Phuket on our first evening was our complete inability to find a bar. Having been excited by the sight of some Neon Lights I soon realised that there are approximately 2 kinds of business that have neon lights outside, Bars and of course, Neon Light shops. Sadly, this was the later. We did immediately afterwards find the world's most random bar, run in some Chinese dude's living room which was a shrine to Jazz and on our first arrival didn't sell beer - luckily he sent his wife to get some. It was all very strange. We also dealt (for what wouldn't be the first time) with the futility in booking rooms in advance in Thailand. Suffice to say the rooms we were told we had had mysteriously been sold. Gotta love those Thais!

After an amusing day on the beach followed by our first experience of the seedy world of pickup bars (not literally - don't worry Mum!) we headed to Phi Phi, where tourism has basically destroyed the beautiful island used as the basis of the appalling book to film conversion of Alex Garland's excellent debut novel The Beach. Can't really complain about where I stayed, it was easily the nicest (but commensurately most expensive) place I'd stayed in. After a night with friends, Paul and Natalie where I got inappropriately drunk on Sansung Buckets (Thai Whiskey - imagine Single Malt, well its nothing like that, imagine petrol diluted by dirty dish water and you're nearer the mark mixed with the very dubious Thai Redbull which evidence seemed to back-up may have contained amphetamines). Next day was nearly a write off. I went to the viewpoint looking over the whole island before managing to get stuck in the middle of the biggest cloudburst I think I'd ever seen. Water was literally running down the streets. So after that I essentially laid on my bed, watched telly, listened to my now dead ipod by plugging it into the wall (how practical!) and set about planning how I was gonna 'do' (rah rah Travelling) Cambodia Vietnam and Laos (Admittedly the plan has changed approximately 37 times since then but that session laid out the bare bones!) Oh in the evening it was off to the tourist muay thai which was hilarious but the real highlight was the WWE muay thai show at the end of the night - just too funny.

Next it was off to Krabi town, the maintown on the South West Thai coast to meet me old mucker from school Gemma. Three days, 1 night in Krabi, 2 in the nearby coastal resort (and full of irritating cock-jock wearing swedes) pf Ao Nang. Most of you have seen the photos on Facebook and given that it was Gemma's last weekend before heading back to the Woodbridge mothership, you will no doubt have heard her recount many of the tales of chaos that transpired there - suffice to say, I picked up a new travelling companion, the world's largest and least practical travelling cuddly toy, Terrence the bear. He's cool.

After that, I spent one of the worst days of my life stuck on a bus and boat surrounded by people from the one nation on earth that you can't criticise otherwise you'll be accussed of being one of the worst things imaginable. Suffice to say, they were loud, rude, pushy and didn't shut the fuck up for about 15 hours. My travellers calm was lost that day. Certainly went I got to my destination. Koh Samui, what a shit hole. Imagine breeding Playa de Las Americas with Blackpool and the back of Kings Cross station and thats what this shitty little hole is like. The most blatant examples of ripoff Thai entrepeneurship also occured on this island. Still, first night, met back up with Paul and Nat and Neil and Leanne for Neils birthday where we watched Muay Thai. Hilarious. Especially the Swedish girl from Contender Asia who got the shit kicked out of her!

Anyway, I had one day left on Koh Samui and as it happened I met up with me old mucker and buddy from home Bex Bostock, who was about to become my travel buddy for the next fortnight or so. A very funny night consisting of good food, and a Sham Rock show (you should see the video clips) before retiring ahead of an early depart for Ko Phangan.

I left Bex on the boat heading to Ko Tao and I jumped on the back of a pickup truck and headed to the Coco-hut resort, where I met PNNL. First day consisted of a lot of comedy pool action - including the 70's disco dance a few beers and some DVD's. Second night was the Black Moon Party. I was utterly boxed got a Superman logo painted on my chest and proceeded to sing all 182 verses of Chicago to the world and his dog. I also met a massive prick from Leeds. I wanted to break his face.

Then, off to Ko Tao. Met Bex, slightly off the beaten track where we stayed for about 6 nights. We met randoms, weird randoms, and disturbing randoms oh and a lot of ladyboys. But, Ko Tao was easily my favourite place on this trip. Cheap food, friendly people and the majestic bay where frankly you could sit down and swim on the beach all day. Shame!

Argh I grow tired of this.

Next up Krabi again Koh Lanta, Krabi again, Bangkok, Siem Reap, plenty of shits and not quite as many giggles.

Oh and next stop for me after Phenom Penh is Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam - Bring it on!

Malaysia

So I'm in Malaysia now, on the island of Penang.

Quite simply, Malaysians are the nicest people in the world. Yes, one or two will try to con you (like the "Yoggi man" I called a "F***ing snake oil merchant" the other day, and the numerous requests I've had to help people with visas - yeah, right). But, on the whole they're a wonderful people and the cultural merging of India, China and the natural Malay culture makes for wonderful - and cheap food! Seriously, my dinner last night cost about 60p.

Awesome!

Comics related - warning those of you who think I'm sad. Like I care.

Buy this, that is all.

And it's written by Paul Cornell who's written some of the best Dr Who episodes of recent years, including the 2 parter last season set in the public school with the Doctor becoming human and the excellent Jekyll which graced BBC TV shortly afterwards.

Farewell Honkers - it was truly Bonkers.

Wow,

What a town Hong Kong was!

From the utter crazyness of Mong Kok and the old town, with its "bird market" "goldfish market" and other random places, to the sheer obsession with shops.

Walking past shops selling birds nests, and other "delicacies"; the sheer obsession with capitalism that puts the US to shame; the rudeness of the people; watching people gamble like idiots in Macau; The Giant Buddha, perhaps the least spiritual place I've ever been too!

So much to say, it's a crazy place and well worth spending a week in if you're out that way!

Big thanks of course to Mylo for putting me up for a week and being a great host! And of course to the boys and "ladies" of Kowloon Rugby Club who made me so welcome both on and off the field. The Miss Kowloon contest has left many scars, thats all I really care to divulge right now!

So goodbye Australia.

Hmm its time to leave. Feels weird the whole idea of getting on a plane again after 2 months. It's weird. I've actually gotten so used to Australia. The other day for example, I walked around a museum, barefoot, with a stinger suit up to my waist, topless wearing only a hat and aviators.

Heck I find myself sat here at 6:10pm on a laptop in shorts, thongs and a VB beater like its the most natural thing in the world!

There are some things I'm not gonna miss about Australia though:

1) The general rudeness of the blokes
2) The strange obsession with the song "The Piano-man"
3) Greyhound drivers - are they really old or is it just the toughest job in the world? - so weather beaten!
4) Backpacker bars. These places are the scummiest places on earth, making student nights seem somehow flash!

Things I am gonna miss:

1) The Ocean
2) The sun - apparently HK's really cold right now!

The highlights? Oh there've been many, from being asked alongside my cousin Stu if we were a "couple of poofters" in the ironically named "Port Fairy", to trying to hitch a lift home on Fraser Island with my tour guide whilst in an extreme state of consciousness on Australia Day and proceeding to have an in depth discussion of the life and works of the Thievery Corporation with anyone who we could find with a ute!

Anyway, I'm off to Hong Kong tomorrow following what is bound to be a fun night of sleep at Cairns airport! Apparently it's cold! But, I've got a rugby game lined up hopefully. Eek! Should be good though, then off to Kuala Lumpur (or "oompah" as we prefer to call it_. I'm Horse confident that it'll all be apples!

Hoa boy this place just keeps getting better.

So after the excellence that was Fraser Island (seriously, every bit a beautiful as the eponymous 'they' say). It was off to the Whitsundays fro an awesome 3 days of sailing and nights of sleeping on the deck and general boozyness (bekark has gone global folks!)

Anyway, back on dry land, it's raining (again) it's mid afternoon and I'm trying to work out where on earth I'm gonna be able to watch the England game tonight.

Oh and tomorrow I'm on a bus all day. Doh! This country gets better and better the further north you go though!

Noosa

Well, I guess that's it for surfing from me. Having become mildly proficient at not falling over too much and even 'standing up' on occasion!

Noosa's a lovely little town - possibly my favourite place in Oz so far. Really chilled little hostel and lots of decent people. But the bar in town is horrific. Went there last night, not realising that when one of the girls I was with said 'yeah you've gotta be pretty drunk to enjoy this place' quite how drunk that meant. Suffice to say, several Jaegerbombs had no effect other than to give me a 'long dark night of the soul' at around 3-4 am local time causing me to consider phoning basically everyone. Luckily, not many people endured a phonecall from over-tired philosophical Harris!

Anyway, Fraser Island tomorrow for Australia day. It's gonna be good. I hope!!!!!!

Eek I'd almost forgotten I had this!

Well I'm in Brisbane, and not a huge amount to report really. I've just had an excellent week long break from hostels, staying with the family near Surfers. The weather's improved somewhat and Brisbane although not brimming with activities is the city I could most see myself living in of all the ones I've visited.

Why

1 - well the river is exactly like London, except the boats are cheap!!!!!

2 - The girls are unbelieveable.

In balance, 2's more of a swinger for me. But, the bad news:

The comic store is woeful.

Oh well, win some lose some I guess!

Australia, land of surf and sunshine.

Or not, having finally left Sydney with the intention of learning to surf before I reached Surfer's Paradise, I find myself in the middle of a rainstorm and high pressure cyclone. Which means lots of rain and no surf.

So, I'm spending a lot of time visiting sights and walking along the ocean, looking at the water. It's all getting highly, highly frustrating!

I'm in Port Macquarie which is a lovely little seaside town for the next day or so, it's got a Koala hospital (cue excrutiateingly sick photo opportunities!) then I'm on to Coff's Harbour, land of the Giant Banana, before a few days in Byron and then I'm on the Gold Coast. Woo hoo!

PS I appreciate Australia's in the midst of a massive drought so don't despise them for rain!

Wild Horses.

Wild Horses, couldn't drag Mick Jagger away in perhaps one of the most beautiful pop songs ever written. Heck, the Sunday's cover at the end of that Buffy ep is pretty beautiful too.

Well, in hindsight, Wild Horses couldn't drag me away from where I am now. As I look back on 2007, the amusingly self-proclaimed 'year of the melon'. I think about where I am now and how whilst it isn't where I imagined I'd be 12 months back it's still pretty awesome.

See I've learnt a lot this year, from a lot of different people, from Eddie and the rugby boys to my family, to the people I've met on this trip to my fellow comic nerds on CBR, I've learnt something from pretty much every single one of you.

Well, this is where I say thank you. And I mean it. I've been to some funny places this year, physically, emotionally and mentally. Without the love, strength and support of you guys I wouldn't be where I am today.

All I can say, I've learnt a lot about myself in 2007. 2008 is the year I try to make a difference to other people. I'm not sure how yet and I'm sure to make some mistakes along the way. See I remember the 80's He-man and the Masters of the Universe. They had a saying 'we don't say good-bye, we say good journey'. And there's a truth in that and I guess to all of you I hope your journey through 2008 takes you where you want to go. If it doesn't then make the most of what's in front of you, whoever you are, wherever you are, there are people who love you and that's pretty much the most important thing and the best feeling there is.

Peace out, happy new year, enjoy 2008, live it like its your last.

XXXX

Karl

Uluru

I could just right Wow here because it really was wow.

I could come up with something deep and meaningful about how when we're all gone the big red rock will still be there.

I could be moan the tourists and the ridiculous amount of cash I had to shell out.

Instead, I'm just gonna settle on the memories.

Wow.

My farcical Christmas.

So, it's 13:30 here in Sydney, a time when most of the civilised world would be tucking into turkey veges and all the trimmings. Not I for I have just been on one of the most farcical trips of all time.

Yes, Wake Up backpackers thought it would be a good idea to charge a non-refundable $25 for essentially a plate of cold meats and a bus to Bondi beach. Now I wasn't expecting much after last night's equally fucking gash (pardon my language but I'm on a tirade here) boat trip around the harbour. But, I was expecting to be able to drink the BYO booze I'd bought with my own money in the place. Alas no, as apparantly in a minor technical omission, you can't drink ANYWHERE on Bondi on Xmas day and the bacon closed us down. Not that I blame them, they were only doing their job!

So, in the absence of that we had the option of either going on a bus and paying to go to another beach where you could drink. Or go to some wholly undersold rave where oh there's no BYO and pay to enjoy your booze whilst listening to shit house and probably a reasonable amount of reggae.

As is, I'm gonna just Grinch around for the day.

If they don't let me watch Lizzy's speech I'm going medieval though.

Woah, long time no blog.

Apologies for the lack of update for a while folks.

I find myself in the warm wet confines of Sydney. Yup, it's raining. I'm not feeling remotely Christmassy either. Although, we did have a whole day of sunshine yesterday and my farmer tan has migrated towards a wife beater tan!

Oh and I'm running. LOTS. Went for a glorious 1 hour run today round the Botanical Gardens, Opera House, Rocks, up some hills, round Darling Harbour, through Chinatown and home (I also passed at least 12 Tabs but sadly not a single drive in off-licence). It hurt a lot. I don't think I've run for more than an hour since the Great North Run over 7 years ago!!!!!

Oh and I've lost nearly two stone. Many are imploring an early return for rugby tour which I am SERIOUSLY considering.

Hopefully I'll start feeling more Chingy today when I go to Sydney's largest open air carol service. If not, I'll probably just get drunk and phone Jenks, whilst singing Fairy Tale of New York to him - it's something of a tradition.