So this is my latest new toy. It's shiny with blue LEDs and all, which is always good :-]

Conceptronic Media Player

It's a little USB media player. Basically, you stuff it with pictures, videos and music and off your 'puter. Then you hook it up to your TV and it just plays the goods. So these days, I get to watch my daily Doctor Who dose whilst lounging on the couch, with the dog to one side, the cat on my lap and the other nuzzling on the other side. It's quite cosy and homely and I'm really happy with it.

The extra 500Gigs of storage come in handy too.

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I'm slightly annoyed with myself for not paying attention to the Nick gigs. Of course, the tickets for the London gigs are sold out, so I may just have to take my chances. It'll be great to actually go and see him with Mark and Sabine. It's somewhat funny to see how many of the Bowie crowd I managed to get into Nick :-] It'll be nice, a week of travelling around the UK going to see Nick gigs. I need to see if I can take the time off, but somehow I don't think that'll be a huge problem.

So off I go see Nick again... Gawd, this is starting to feel awkward. I may have to hide in the crowd.

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So I'm contemplating my first ever trip to New York (that's actually not strictly true, but anyway).

Are there any must-sees, must-eats, must-gos I should know of?

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In honor of the upcoming Olympics, what could you win a gold medal in?
Submitted by TheFiercestCalm.

I'd win a medal at not being extraordinarily good at anything at all.

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This could be a new addiction. I have never been a very confident rider. Well, confident on horses that are sweet natured and don't generally put a foot wrong. Unfortunately, I don't have a horse like that. My horse is a cheeky bastard, who will test his rider again and again, and sometimes shows us his box of tricks still isn't nearing it's bottom.

So for me to sign up for something like the XC/cross country course was a big thing. A bit of a challenge to myself. Recently I have decided to do a few more things I've "always wanted to do" and this is one of them. Solon has been an absolute star, feeling very steady and confident. Even so, I'm somewhat relieved to find myself still alive when I get of the horse.

All in all though, pretty cool. And I just love his ears being pricked forward. He seems to be really enjoying himself.

Solon: better safe than sorry

Splashing around

Up, up and away!

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Show us something you can't resist

Szep

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Solon and me were being adventurous yesterday. First time ever doing XC. He was such a good boy, feeling very steady and more or less doing his thing, saying in his non speaking way "Never mind, I know what needs to be done, just go along for the ride". Except of course when there was water involved, at which point he threw a temper tantrum :-]

Solon and me, first time XC

Solon and me, first time XC

Solon and me, first time XC

And to continue the horsey news... I added another beastie to the family. Barones. She's a 2 year old Dutch Warmblood. Still needs to grow up a little, but she's lovely and sweet (and has beautiful paces for a showjumper)

Barones aka Blondie

Blondie

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Fingers crossed today for Blondie's vetting...

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I just realised I haven't posted in weeks. That's probably a lot to do with me never being online anymore when I'm at home ever since my laptop died a miserable death. Usually I post from work, but it's been a rollercoaster for 4 months straight, but I think we're nearing a temporary end now. I could use a bit of a breathing period.

Solon has been doing a few more showjumping courses and doing quite well. He's going to a huge show this weekend. Only downside is that his class on Saturday is starting at 8:00 am *yawn*.

Szep is doing great. He's just started teething now. He's a very good natured dog, always happy and quite well behaved. Quite surprising considering his breed(s). I think even the vet was impressed.

Storm and Sterre are suffering from a spring bug. Poor Storm was having a real hard time breathing. He's cleared up a little now and the whole family seems to be enjoying their time on the balcony. Little Sterre is still a brat though and scares me everytime she hops over to the neighbour's balcony.

Tonight I'll be seeing Nick Cave at the Heineken Music Hall, even though I kind of forgot about it, so really have to rush to get there.

Not a whole lot going on. I must be growing old and homely.

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In a way, it felt like I had won the lottery, but with a massive BUT to it.

I've had my horse for 6 years now. In that time, he's grown to be my buddy, my master in crime, most irritating beast ever and superduperbeastie. We've had wars and make ups, ups and downs, great rides and big falls.

And then someone came along last sunday, after seeing him jump an almost all clear with the words "Are you interested in selling him?". My initial instant response was "no way!". My friend told me not to say no right away, so I said we'd discuss it and get back to them. She's more savvy in the wheeling and dealing of horse business, so she caught up with the people later.

The situations was... a huge, HUGE sum of money to sell him to an international rider. I mean, we're talking brand-ne- middle-class-car-amount here. A lot of money for a 9 year old horse, who has never done anything in his life and can be very stroppy to boot.

So I had to consider it, and it was terrible. I didn't sleep most of the night, and was completely absent at work. Every hour my decision would change from "yes" to "no".

Now, all my more commercially inclined friends are calling me crazy, but I don't care, 'cause I'm still quite happy with my little pony Solon and he's going to stay with me for a little while yet.

But what a difficult decision to make...

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