Philo_Vance

Absolute banger, that. I remember one of them crowdsurfing on top of the pops and young teen me thinking it was the coolest thing I'd ever seen.

I passed Mick Jones from the Clash at a zebra crossing a few weeks back. Had to Google a recent pic to confirm my suspicions but it was definitely him. I gather he's down here fairly often. 

Bob Geldof lives around the corner from my work but I've not seen him yet. 

Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere, I did a quick search and couldn't seem to find another car related thread. 

So. I passed my test six years ago, bought a polo that was already 8 years old at that point, and I've thrashed it round about a dozen countries and 120k miles since then. It's well overdue for getting replaced and I've just found out that when I sign my new contract at work they'll be giving me a cash for car allowance. Whatever I buy has to be under five years old, and they'll put a set amount on my pay cheque to cover it. If I want I can always spend more and top it up myself, so I'm in a position to actually get something decent, which isn't something I was expecting- I'd assumed I'd just be replacing it with whatever shit heap I could afford. 

The question then, is what to go for.. I don't know much about cars other than that I love my little old polo and after what I've put it through, I've got tremendous faith in the reliability of vws. I was looking therefore at maybe a new polo. 

Approved used cars are also an option if I want something a bit swankier, just been looking at a couple of two year old audi a3's, and the newer Seat Leons are grabbing me. 

We've not got kids or any need for a big Suv or anything, but I wouldn't mind something a bit more spacious and comfortable than the polo. 

However I'm very aware of my lack of knowledge and the fact that I'm not really a proper bloke so I don't know what to look for with cars, so any tips or suggestions would be a help. 

5 minutes ago, Chest Rockwell said:

Deftones are just hand down the worst popular band of that nu metal period, and that is saying something. So fucking shit.

You're forgetting Coal Chamber. 

New Snuff album out today. They did a little mini tour where they played all the new songs before going into the studio a few months back and they sounded amazing, will be interesting to see how they sound recorded. 

1 minute ago, Tommy! said:

People always push for that bit extra time in life, I'm sure Columbo wanted just one more thing.

Superb. 

Hammy Lynn Sytch? 

4 minutes ago, David said:

Holy fuck, I'd never heard of that Edler lad until now but I've just read those screen shots. Seriously mate, as one adult male to another, what the fuck is wrong with you?

And as a supplementary question, why the fuck would you come on here and joke about it if you'd been accused of that? What a fucking weapon. 

I've got an ig account these days. @dave2tone

After 5 years of working for a shithouse firm building racking and displays and whatnot in branches of B and Q, I've managed to escape. Fiancé's dad got me a foot in the door with a housebuilding firm as logistics manager and three months later I'm moving up to assistant site manager and getting put through some professional qualifications. First job I've ever had with any kind of prospects. I'm loving it so far, but I'm also so far out of my depth that James Cameron keeps going past in his little submarine. 

https://youtu.be/uhGC23ffdC0

On 8/4/2019 at 12:14 AM, PowerButchi said:

He's a great guy. Weve been meaning to go for a pint for years but one or the others always been unavailable closer to. The time 

Next time I hit Shropshire to see the fam I'll head your way for a night mate. Promise. 

18 hours ago, Frankie Crisp said:

Not long back from the aforementioned weekend on the South Coast, meeting up with Kooks and Dave2Tone. Honestly made me appreciate what this place has become, spending time with usernames who’ve become genuine friends over the years. Going to 2Tone’s Stag Do next year and at no point has that felt weird, given how we met.

Made me smile (whilst thinking of Butch grimace) walking around Hastings with 2Tone seeing all the chippies with puns for names: The Cod Father, The Old Town Fryer and Oh My Cod. It was like having a pint in Carbomb’s head.

Having spoken to Frankie about this thread, I thought I'd log in for the first time in years. Can confirm that we had a lovely time and that Frankie Crisp is a fucking beer drinking machine. Monday night and I'm still broken. 

Aye, I've always got me eyes peeled. Last night turned out ok. Took fucking forever to get there, but we smashed through the job quickly so I got on the road at 5 instead of 7. Missed the traffic on the M25 so I was home with beer in hand by half six. Local shift tonight and the next two nights off, so I'm quite happy.

I'm still plugging away on the night shifts.

Was set up to do several nights in a row about a half hour drive from home this week. Last minute change and they're sending me to Farnborough. I'm looking at a near-two-hour drive each way, two days in a row. They're upping my money for it though and giving me thursday and friday off, so it could be worse, and it's been made clear that clients have actually requested me when things have gone to shit because they know I'll get it sorted, which is a nice little pat on the back.

On the other hand, I'm wondering how long I'll be able to deal with being out of the house 16 hours a day. 12 hours of heavy work with 4 hours of driving around it is a big ask. Determined to stick with it for a few more months so I can get some money saved, but some of the guys I meet who've been doing it for years look fucking dreadful.

Well, now that's out of the way, I'll post this year's picture of me looking like a pillock on holiday:

 

 

You're slowly losing that great hair

I think you're being kind with the 'slowly'. It's thinning pretty badly at the front now. Best I can manage is Mike Ness style scraped back rather than a quiff now.

Every time I work on a new site I'm nicknamed wolverine within about 4 minutes. Not sure about the dad bit, I'm only bloody 32!!!

Well, now that's out of the way, I'll post this year's picture of me looking like a pillock on holiday:

And one of me having a drink with Lord Fear and Treguard at Knightmare Live:

Maybe not, but props for doing it.

Update: the last 3 weeks I've had fuck all shifts, and what I have had have been shit. Last night probably the worst. The nature of the job means that when I'm not out with the firm I prefer, I'm often part of a big team of gobby blokes who discuss only football, women and drugs and it's getting to me a bit. Very beginning of last night's shift one of them, a gobby, pushy, sort who's convinced he can do this (ridiculously simple) job better than anyone else, grabbed something off me because he thought he could do it quicker, trapping my finger in the process and I went berserk at him. He fronted up to me and tried to justify himself, expecting me to shuffle off like everyone else does when he shouts at them. Instead I got louder and swearier as people started to gather and he fannied out and ended up apologising to me. Nice win for me I suppose but it's unusual for me to lose my rag to that extent so I guess the job plus the night shifts are starting to get to me.

In better news, as of next week I've got a good 3-4 months where the majority of the work is the stuff I prefer. Out on my own for 12 hour stints, probably getting out after 8 or 9 hours. Will give me plenty of chance to get some money saved and I love working alone. Some driving involved, but again, I don't mind that when it's just me in the car, it's ferrying strangers around I hate.

I seem to be having trouble embedding flickr photos on here (any clues appreciated), so here's a couple links to some photos I'm quite proud of.

One

Two

Three

Fo

My new job is odd.

Spent last week on day shifts, some in London, some local, being 'trained' on the procedures for stock control type stuff for B and Q. There was no training as such, I was just a dogsbody for the guy doing the job, but I picked up virtually everything I needed just by watching him. Every shift was booked in as a 12 hour shift, but we always got done by about 8 or 9 hours into the shift, so off we went. Still get paid for the full shift.

Fast forward to last night and I'm out on my own for the first time for a 2 week project getting stock out of a local branch. The guy running it for B and Q has a strict plan for what sections are getting done each night, and I can't really do much until the merch team (from a different company entirely) have emptied the section for me. Last night there was fuck all stock to move out of that section, so on a 4pm- 4am shift, I'd done it all by about 11. I'm not allowed to really move on to the following night's section because they don't like empty bays through the day when the store's open, so I tidied up after myself, watched a bit of Match of the Day in the staff room, offered to help the other guys with stuff but they were over staffed anyway, so at about midnight I fucked it off and came home.

Given that this was how it worked last week, and the merch team have said that my company's guys ALWAYS get away early, I know I've not done anything wrong, but I'm so paranoid that I'll get in shit over it. Thing is, as I'm the only one from my company there, there's no way my bosses will find out anyway. I suppose I should just enjoy it and get in early for some extra kip. On 7-7 the rest of this week, so I'm hoping I'll be able to get home around 5ish at the latest. Until I get told otherwise, I'm going to take advantage.

I'll preface this by saying these guys are my mates, but this has been my song of the day for about a week or two now. Eagle eyed punks will be able to spot cameos from members of Wonk Unit, Snuff/Southport, Jesse James and Goober Patrol in the vid. The live stuff was filmed at a gig I put on a while back.

Oh, and RPW/IPW fans will spot some lovely Sittingbourne scenery in here too.

Edit: jut in case any of you were thinking of clicking it at the office, it's NSFW

First week report:

Only got the two shifts this week in the end, but having the last few days to sort my house out and see the missus before the crazy shifts start has been handy, plus I had a gig last night so needed yesterday free.

Anyway, Monday and Tuesday nights I was at the local Morrisons. Boring, shit work but both shifts finished early. Were supposed to be 10pm-10am, but on the first one I was home by 7.30, and the second by 5am. And if a shift finishes early, I still get paid for the full 12 hr shift. Nice easy first week then.

Next three are pretty mad, however. Tomorrow and tuesday I'm on 12 hour day shifts in Eltham, so a bit of a drive to work, then weds and thurs in Whitstable, just up the road about 6 miles. It's at a B and Q, for a company that does stock control and auditing. Not entirely sure what the project is, but after these four days training, there's 2 weeks at 5 nights a week, all in Whitstable again.

Best bit however, is the expenses. I get 45p a mile for driving, which is FAR more than it'll cost me in my economical little car. Plus there's a 15 quid a day food allowance, which is enough to cover my lunch out plus something to take home for dinner. So the 4 or 5 days a week I work, I'll essentially have zero outgoings, so a hell of a lot of my wages will be able to get put away in my savings account. Gonna be the first time in a few years I've been able to save anything. Very happy.

Edited due to an accidental DP.