New Year: What does 2013 have in store?

Ganesh 2013There are some folks who believe that January 1st is "just another day". What's the big deal? It's the day after December 31st.

I don't. I think New Year's Day is kind of a day for reflection. Looking back on 2012, it's not a year I can especially rave about. For every high point there's been a disappointment or something underwhelming.

Why I love running on winter mornings

Running in winter

If you run all year round, you'll know that a run on a wintery morning is a totally different kind of beast. The ideal conditions are cold and crisp, but dry. The obstacles are one thing - icy ground is a challenge, making the ground slightly slippery underfoot, meaning you have to take a little more care with your stride. The tends to be slightly worse if you run in rural areas like I do.

Apple tip: Setting up Gmail with Google Calendar and Contacts on a MacBook Pro

So, you've got a brand spanking new MacBook and you want to configure the default apps to connect to your Gmail account and other Google services like calendar and contacts? Step this way, I'm going to show you how.

iPhone & iPad Users: You might be tempted to try the Microsoft Exchange trick that your iOS device can do which seamlessly connects Mail, Calendar and Contacts with Google automatically. This will not work on a MacBook!

Ealing Half Marathon 2012

Me and Gordon at the Ealing Half Marathon

Sunday morning, 30th September 2012, I found myself standing under the criss-crossed, vapour-trail etched skies of Ealing with my brother-in-law Gordon. Steam on our breaths and goosebumps on our arms, we were there for the first ever Ealing Half Marathon.

It wasn’t just Ealing’s first half-marathon, either. It was mine, too.

The Arcadia, Portrush

A bleak, desaturated shot of The Arcadia in Portrush. The building sits out on an outcrop on the beach and was once an old dancehall where showbands played. It's been given a lovely facelift in the last decade, but today was a particularly grim day in Portrush, and the Arcadia looked abandoned and dark.

Stonework Face, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast

It's not often that I share my Instagram shots on the photoblog here, but I'm quite pleased with the effect here. The stone face is above a doorway on Belfast's Ormeau Avenue. I thought it would be good to take the shot from below looking up. After I took the shot, I used Instagram's Inkwell filter to make it monochrome and a touch of a tilt-shift effect to set the focus on the face in the center.

St. Paul's Cathedral from across the Millennium Bridge

St. Paul's Cathedral, London at night

It's not often I include my iPhone footage when updating my photoblog, but I had to include this shot of St. Paul's Cathedral at night.

My Highlights Of 2011

2011 in reviewThis is my first ever “year in review” post. Not that other years haven’t had their notable moments, but 2011 has seen a number of incredible changes for me. After a couple of fraught years where things have been up in the air, I feel like I’ve got a renewed focus and energy. And despite 2011 being marked by massive changes, it feels like those changes are just the beginning.

My Drupal 6 to 7 Upgrade Process

Drupal 7 Upgrade

Oh, hello! If you're reading this, it's the first entry I've posted to my blog since upgrading the site to Drupal 7!

Dunluce Castle at Sunset

Sunset over Dunluce Castle, Northern Ireland

A photo of Dunluce Castle and the coastline beyond at sunset on 1st November 2011. I've been wanting for years to capture this iconic image (the 'concept' of the castle at nightfall - not my actual picture - I'm not that conceited) and I finally managed it at the end of a wonderful day trip with the children.

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