Kingdom's Blog

August 25th, 2008

Over the years I have listened to numerous albums that contain only maybe one or two great songs.  Sometimes artists release an album to back up the success of a hit single, other times the singles are tracks from the album… and here we have a problem.  If you only buy singles (not that it’s easy to these days) you’re going to miss out on some fantastic music over the next while.  I have just listened to the debut and self titled album from “The Script”.  It’s currently number one in the Album Chart, and I can see why.  Listen out for their current single “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved” … and if you like it you won’t be disappointed in the album.

August 22nd, 2008

I think it would be fair to say that I’m quite good when travelling about, and that I don’t tend to get lost that often.

Unfortunately the same cannot be said whenever I visit Glasgow. Every time I go, I get lost!  Yesterday I had to go to an IT training course and promptly took the wrong road out of Queen street station.  Even the bloke from the Royal Mail sent me in the wrong direction!

 If only I had followed the directions I had printed out before I got there, I would have been fine. But, where’sthe fun in that?

August 20th, 2008

When you’re invited to an event that requires you to dress smart, it shouldn’t really be a problem.  The downside I have lost and gained weight over the last year or so, and I am really struggling to find something suitable to wear to the Kingdom FM Local Hero Awards … if you have the secret to losing an inch or two around my waist line, in a day, please let me know!

I’m really enjoying my new show, Kingdom Daytime, there are a couple of new competitions for you to check out, including “The Brainstormer” just after midday.

Went back to the gym this week … and really enjoyed it.  I say that like I’m surprised, the truth is the first time I went I didn’t think I would like it, but I always have so I am not sure why it’s taken me quite as long to head back after my wee trip to hospital.

Leo Update: … he’s a good lad and seems to be very happy. I haven’t had any chewed up shoes or ‘accidents’ to clean up … and all this playing and walking has to helping my fitness level !

Barry

August 13th, 2008

Aparrently it’s summer just now, you might remember this from your childhood, traditionally it was a time when you were off school for 6 weeks and the sun came out!

Not this year though!  It feels like it’s been raining since April, the grass in the garden was nearly a foot long in places recently as any time i was available to cut it, it was raining!  Like a lot of people I joked about building an Arc, this afternoon I was so shocked at a glimmer of sunshine in Edinburgh that it was nearly turned into an impromptu barbque.

Now where are the marshmallows on a stick….

August 13th, 2008

It’s been a busy few weeks at home, and despite not blogging recently the truth is I have LOTS to talk about on here

Leo is the newest arrival in the Snedden household. He came to live with us a few weeks ago now, and he has settled in fantastically well. We think he is about five, and whoever looked after him before must have spent a lot of time training him. I have tried all the usual, and he does the lot … sit, paw, other paw, speak, rollover, fetch … I even asked him to “go get my shoes” and he did !!!

I’m just about at the end of a two week stint on Kingdom Breakfast with Naomi … in that time we have started a fresh “Word Is Out” competition, and the guesses have been … diverse !
Gambling, Golf, Girlfriend … Ferrets, Habits, Wii … all these and many more have now been guessed, but obviously there all wrong. Remember you can play the game at 7.15 and 9.15 weekdays on Kingdom Breakfast.

There’s a few Kingdom FM Roadshows coming up over the next few weeks that I will be presenting with Darren Stenhouse, check out the What’s On section of the website to see where we are, and feel free to pop along and say hi …

In the meantime, here is a wee photo of Naomi eating something rather sour on the breakfast show this week …

Barry

August 12th, 2008

This is the book that started an obsession on the show yesterday….

While I was on holiday I read a book which was recommended by Craig from the newsteam. It was comedian Dave Gorman’s third book called “Dave Gorman: America Unchained”. If you’re looking for an entertaining, light-hearted read I can thoroughly recommend it!


Once I had finished that book, I decided to get my hands on the author’s previous publication “Dave Gorman’s Googlewhack Adventure” for two reasons. 1. I had heard about the standup show related to the book and 2. You know me…I’m a bit of a geek so I wanted to know for sure what a ‘Googlewhack’ is!


I won’t go into detail of what a Googlewhack is just now….so here’s the brief version….. You type 2 words (they have to be real English words with definitions at Dictionary.com) into Google’s search engine and try to come up with a search result of just one webpage. Now, given there are around 3 billion web pages out there, that task is not as easy as it may seem. In fact….why not try it for yourself and see how you get on!


On my first attempt I managed a result of more than a million web pages….. not a great start! By the time I started the show yesterday I had managed to get the results down to just TWO webpages…but I was stumped! That of course is where you came to the rescue! Thanks so much to everyone who sent text suggestions and called in with words to put into the search box. I am very pleased to say that together we managed around FIVE googlewhacks before the end of the show at 7pm.


If you don’t believe me try typing the following words into Google yourself …. at the time of writing….it’s a Googlewhack! “scuzzbuckets nubbin”

August 11th, 2008

Since I had been moaning about the terrible weather and joking about an Ark I thought I’d go with the flow (if you’ll pardon the pun!) and get out on the water yesterday.

You know me…I take notions for things…and generally they pass without me throwing too much of my hard earned cash away. Lately, my latest notion is to buy a kayak! I know…I know…. a bold move given my experience of them is virtually non-existent. Like I just said… I take notions for things!

So yesterday I braved the terrible weather and headed along to Lochore Meadows to get out on the water and see what all the kayaking fuss was about. One tight wetsuit later (NOT an image anyone needs to keep in the head for any length of time) and I’m out in the occassionally driving rain and choppy water and you know what….I loved it! Everyone at the watersports center at The Meadows was amazingly friendly and helpfull… so a big “Thank You” to you!

Of course, all this now means is that I will be guarding every penny until I can save up for a kayak of my own. Having looked online at the prices, that may take some time!

As for the purchase of my own skin tight wetsuit…. I’ll keep searching until I find one that has a built in corset and six pack!

August 10th, 2008

So this is British Summertime is it?

What is going on with the weather these days? I know we don’t exactly live in the Tropics, but I can’t remember there ever being so much rain at this time of year before. According to our top news team, we had a months rain in just a few days. As with most statistics, without context that doesn’t really mean much to me, so let’s put this into perspective. As I write this, the River Ore has burst it’s banks, many roads are closed due to flooding and land slides and even public transport has been affected. Not good! What’s more, the Kingdom FM Roadshow due to take place yesterday at The Man I’ The Rock in Dysart was cancelled too. That’s a real shame - I was really looking forward to that. If you were planning on going along, I share your disappointment.

On a more positive note, I’ll be out the next two Saturdays with the Kingdom FM Roadshow with Barry Snedden so let’s hope the weather holds for those! Keep listening for details on air of where and when we’ll be out and come along and say hello.

I’ll be the fella in the wetsuit on top of the Ark!

August 5th, 2008

As you may have noticed I wasn’t on air last Sunday. The reason? Well t’was time for the annual summer holiday. Now, Darren went off to Fuertaventura, Micky is currently raving it up  in Ibiza and Diane will be propped up at the end of a bar somewhere in the world.  Now being the fair skinned person that I am a foreign holiday at this time of year isn’t the best plan. I spend all the time hiding from the sun and I really don’t do heat very well. Anyone who knows me will confirm that I become the most grumpy individual when the mercury gets over 70F and turn in to Victor Meldrew.

So it was off to Derbyshire and Lincolnshire for a week of walking and resting and very nice it was too. The only problem was incredibly the sun shone too much with the temperature hitting 75F most days. So much for keeping out of the heat!! However I now have a sun tan which will no doubt have faded by the time you read this. So that was summer 2008 then. You look forward to it all year and then before you know it - it’s passed. Roll on Summer 2009….