dalehay.com

Collapsible Menu with jQuery

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 16:44:03 -0700

To begin with we need to make a menu, which I've just done a quick temporary 5 items in mine using the HTML lists tags.

<menutitle>Main</menutitle>
<ul id="menu">
<li><a href="#">Item 1</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Item 2</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Item 3</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Item 4</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Item 5</a></li>
</ul>

Then in the header of your page, you will need to call your jQuery file.

<script type="text/javascript" src="jquery.js"></script>

Now beneath the line where you're calling your jQuery from, you will need to write some more JavaScript to tell the document to run the later bit of code when the document has loaded.

<script type="text/javascript">
$(document).ready(function(){

});
</script>

Now the document is ready for your jQuery code, we need to tell it that when the "title" bit of the menu (which we've tagged as <menutitle>) is clicked, it should slide it closed.

<script type="text/javascript">
$(document).ready(function(){
$("menutitle").click(function () {
$("#menu").slideToggle("slow");
});
});
</script>

The above code will toggle the sliding action of anything we've put id="menu" on, which is why we've put it on the <ul> bit. Now with everything put together and saved, you should have a menu that toggles closed and open when you press the top bit, which in my example is "Main" Please Note
Please note though, that this is just an example of doing a menu that can open and close. You can use a cookie to saved if you've closed the menu so that when you refresh the page it stays closed or you can style the menu nicely with CSS. You can also use this method for anything if you wanted from showing and hiding an image, paragraphs, forms, buttons, flash applications, etc... You can get hold of the latest copy of jQuery from the jQuery website.

Atherstone Ball Game 2010

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 06:14:22 -0700

Shrove Tuesday in Atherstone saw another game of the yearly Atherstone Ball Game. Roughly 901 years old now, this game begins with large crowds gathering in the main street (Long St) and await the huge ball to be thrown out of Barclay's Bank window. Once it's thrown out the people in the street boot the ball up and down the street for about an hour and a half, then once that time is up the mayhem erupts and everyone goes for the ball to see who has it when the claxon goes at 5pm. The game does involve violence, so if you're tempted to get the ball around 4.50pm then you more than likely will be punched, kicked or thrown everywhere... that's just how the game is. Anyways, this years winner was Mark Rollinson (I think I've spelt his name correctly). » WikiPedia :: Atherstone Ball Game

Galleries of Justice, Nottingham

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 19:17:11 -0700

Myself, my Mother and my Sister left for Nottingham on Saturday night (13th February 2010) for a night ghost hunting at Nottingham's Galleries of Justice. We left Atherstone around 5pm and got to Nottingham fairly quickly... however when we did arrive at Nottingham we had never seen a city centres travel routes so messed up! One way systems, tram lanes, confusing bus lanes, no entry signs and also the usual fecking "Diversion" signs... so after arriving, it did take us 2 hours going around the city centre before giving up and just parking in a car park and just walking through the city. This method proved to be a hell of a lot easier! Also I believe it to be a hell of a lot easier to navigate around London than it is there! We got to the Galleries of Justice and were given the usual Health and Safety info, then we were given a tour of the building with a few bits of information about each section of the building, then we were allowed to be set loose around the 6 (or 7) floors. My favourite bit was the cave (about 6 floors beneath the surface of Nottingham) ... I did also spend a while in there, in the pure darkness - I was singing a nursery rhyme at the time too. After being allowed to venture throughout the different rooms, hanging cells, chapel, washing room, etc... we then all met back up again and were introduced to the medium of the evening. Once we met him, we split into two groups and went to certain locations with one lady that works for the ghost hunting team, then afterwards we'd swap and go with the medium. When we were with the lady (Mandy) we ended up going to the Chapel and doing some glass moving and while that was happening that's when I went into the cave and sat for about 10-15 minutes. I felt really safe and homely in the cave. When we swapped we went to the medium who took us into the hanging room and did some calling out. My Mother's coat kept getting tugged and I found it quite funny (and so did the group too) when I said out-loud "I know I don't usually say this, but Millie... TOUCH ME!" (Millie was the ghost that the medium picked up on). Once we finished in the hanging room, we moved to one of the chambers where it was really small and felt very claustrophobic. Throughout the night there was the odd bump and bang and the odd "growl" that we couldn't find a reasonable explaination for, but all in all it was a really good night. I'd like to go back there one time - maybe even stop for the night ... on my own! Or go to other places too and do some ghost hunting as it's a subject that I really like and have been interested in for a long time. Below are some pictures that I took, there would have had been more but I didn't get anymore.

Galleries of Justice

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 07:31:07 -0700

Well tonight is the night I go with my Mother and Sister to Nottingham for a night of ghost hunting in the dark and dreary Galleries of Justice in Nottingham. The investigation starts at 9pm and goes till 5am in the morning and after reading a few things around the internet, I'm looking quite forward to it. Living TV's Most Haunted team have described the location as "one of the scariest places they had ever visited. They captured strange gurgling sounds emanating from the caves as well as numerous unexplained banging sounds and apparent poltergeist activity. One member of the crew also claimed to have witnessed the apparition of a small child." So it should be a fun night and I hope I see something decent... oh and I sooo want to sit in one of the cells on my own in the dark... that'll be great.

Who killed Archie Mitchell?

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:16:16 -0700

If you're an Eastenders' fan like myself, then you'll more than likely be currently still interested in this long running storyline of "Who killed Archie Mitchell?". Well we ain't got long left now till we know who the killer is and the best bit about it is that even if you look online everywhere or if you're a friend of one of the cast, then you will NOT find out ... no matter how drunk you get them. Why? Well it's simple... they've been given 9 different scripts - one for each of the suspects if they were the killer and basically the person who is the killer will get notified ONLY a few minutes before that scene is about to be aired on BBC One next Friday ... LIVE! I'm looking forward to the live episode next week as I'm expecting someone to fluff up their lines and also I think only the killer will get notified so it'll also be a shock for the rest of the crew too. So, who do you think the killer is? Could Archie Mitchell's killer be Ronnie Mitchell, Peggy Mitchell, Janine Butcher, Jack Branning, Sam Mitchell, Phil Mitchell, Bradley Branning, Ian Beale, Stacey Slater, Grant Mitchell, Ryan Malloy, Roxy Mitchell, Lucas Johnson, Glenda Mitchell, Pat Evans, Billy Mitchell or Tracey The Barmaid?? Even though this person isn't in the list, I think it's Dot Cotton! He he. Oh, also in tonight's episode, it did make me think it may have been a male that did it as at the end of the show when the ring was taken out of the draw, the hand in the glove looked male. If, however, it turns out to be a female, then the Eastenders production crew need to sort their stuff out. Anyways, give me your feedback and views...

Worst TV Licence Excuses

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:44:35 -0700

I decided to have a look around on the internet to find the worst (and some funny) TV Licence excuses when people who haven't got an up-to-date TV Licence get caught. My dog watches it while I'm at work to keep him company - not me. The subtitles on my TV are set to French so I'm not paying a UK tax for something I can't read. My wife has her hair done twice a week, so we find it difficult to pay. I haven't renewed my licence because my wife flushed it down the toilet, along with my wallet. My husband has just spent 3,000 pounds on this massive flatscreen digital TV so we can't possibly afford a licence. I couldn't make my last payment as my baby was sick on my shoulder and I didn't want to go to the shop smelling of sick because the guy I fancy works there. I have not been making payments because a baby magpie flew in to my house and I have had to stay in to feed it. I [he] forgot to pay as my [his] girlfriend had hit me [him] over the head with a hammer. I'm not paying for a politically partisan media controller when I don't watch anything it produces. I want the license abolished cos I really think a media completely controlled by right-wing plutocrats will provide me with better programming and accurate news. I was stuck to the sofa thanks to Derren Brown's show on Friday night. Because my [her] cat had got sick down the back of the set and blew it up. » TV Licensing

Resealable Can

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:09:50 -0700

Always annoyed by your drink going flat when you buy a can of pop? Well you don't need to worry anymore as there's now a new resealable can with a twist-shut lid that can supposedly keep your drink fizzy for upto 24 hours after first being opened. The price of the can is £1.19 though as it's likely to be more expensive to manufacture, though the can isn't the regular 330ml size - it's a bit bigger, being sold in 485ml cans. The can is due to be released in April 2010.

Haiti Earthquake Charity Single

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:37:14 -0700

I've just been checking out the latest news on the BBC News website and came across the "video premiere" for the Haiti earthquake charity single and to be honest, I found it quite good and have been suprised at how quick it's became available - considering the earthquake (measuring 7.0rs) happened only a few weeks ago (16th January 2010).
image taken from screenshot of music video, © BBC The song is a cover of REM's 1992 single, Everybody Hurts and features Susan Boyle, Leona Lewis, Mika, Rod Stewart, Alexandra Burke, James Blunt, Robbie Williams, Cheryl Cole, James Morrison, Aston (JLS) and a couple more... One thing I have noticed though, which I thought was good - well especially of our Tax-robbing Government, is that they're not wanting the VAT from the single - so every penny goes to the Haiti earthquake fund. » BBC News: Video premiere for Haiti charity single

Pectus Excavatum: Date Change

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 13:22:33 -0700

The feeling of crapping myself that I mentioned in the previous post ended up taking over and a week and a halfs notice was a tad bit too soon for me, so I have re-arranged the operation and stuff for the middle of March 2010, so that gives me a month and a half to sit and chill myself out about it all. I'd like to personally thank everyone that has been supportive along the way - family, friends and blog readers - for your excellent pieces of feedback, suggestions, questions and comments about the up coming operation.

Pectus Excavatum: Almost There

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 03:02:23 -0700

On Saturday afternoon, my Mom called to say I had some posted and one was marked "Private & Confidential" and it looked more like it was from the hospital. So I tottered off to my Moms house and opened it... I saw the NHS sign and four pages stapled together ... my arse went 10-pence-5-pence. Reading it over it says that a bed is available for me on Wednesday 10th February 2010. Then it goes on to mention about not having anything to eat or drink from 3am that day (other than clear water till 7am), then it just goes on to say about the "No Smoking" policy that the hospital operates, yadda, yadda, yadda... Before I do go for this operation, I do have to be tested for MRSA (quick and simple nose swab) and also have my Pre-Op Assessment (including an ECG), which they all take place on Thursday 4th February 2010. Luckily they're in the afternoon so I don't have to worry about waking up early in the morning. :D Then the other two pages just jabble on about visiting times, no under 12s allowed to visit and the stuff I need to take with me. All in all, it's a bit scary that I've only been given a week-and-a-half notice, but hey-ho... that's life. I'm kinda really crapping it, but will be fine. Also a huge thanks to all those that have been supportive about it all, Thank You! :)

Pectus Excavatum (7)

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:28:49 -0700

Well after a long time of no updates, today has brought my biggest shock so far... a letter from the hospital dating when my operation is ... 10th February 2010! At the moment it hasn't sank in properly yet, but I am a tad bit scared at the moment... I will do a proper write up about it tomorrow morning.

Google Page Rank Update

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 01:29:19 -0700

Google has updated its page rank, yay! This place still sticks as 0 but other sites have crawled up the rankings - yay! The update happened on 31st December 2009. Keep it up Google. :-)

2000-2009: A Round-up

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 22:35:15 -0700

Well now as we're in the "10's" now, I'd like to do a round-up on a decade that I can throughly remember. This past decade (The Noughties) has been a mainly technological age for us all, plus also has had some very disasterous outcomes too. So lets start with the beginning of the decade and the celebrations of the new Millenium. Technology With the roll-out of broadband to pretty much anyone and everyone during the turn of the Millenium, the internet started to become the main hub for different types of media (i.e; music, movies, tv programs), mainly this was an illegal activity in many countries, however was easily achieved via free Peer-to-Peer programs such as KaZaA and Limewire. To stop activities like this and causing many companies to lose millions, if not billions of revenue, services such as iTunes, Napster and Spotify were created, along with online MP3 downloading websites such as 7Digital. Social networking was also one of the main things that became a huge hit during the mid-millenium when the sudden - yet popular - rise of MySpace came along - with everyone allowed to have their own customisable profiles and ability to add people as friends and leave comments on each others pages. MySpace mainly sparked it off with the whole social networking thing and as its popularity grew and grew, more sites began to pop-up like Bebo, Facebook and Twitter - all of which follow similar roles and are also accessible via a normal internet connection or through WAP supplied by your mobile phone operator. MySpace has proven a hit with many singers, as if it wasn't for MySpace then we wouldn't have Lily Allen or Arctic Monkeys. Along with the trend of everything evolving, in the noughties we said goodbye to our 3 and a half inch floppys *cough* ... floppy discs!! And said hello to the USB pen, so instead of only having 1.44MB of space available (plus also the huge risk of data loss on them) we were now allowed to have something a lot smaller offering a lot more space (64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB, etc...) for a nice low price... plus they're roughly the same size as a lighter and reliable. Computers and laptops are starting to equal out as laptops are coming down in price and going up in specifications meaning more people are opting for the more portable option. Not only was computer based products evolving in this technological age, but so was our televisions with the introduction of play-pause-record TV and onDemand services where we could catch up with programs that we'd missed and we even had interactive services that had upgraded our original Teletext service - damn I remember those old days of having to wait ages for the page to search. Stereo appliances have also changed too so it was a goodbye to the old casette players and most Stereo Hi-Fi's were made with just a CD player and radio built in, then came the ability to play MP3 files from a CD on them, then along came DAB Radio as the analog signals start getting cut off for TV and Radio and now some systems even have harddrives in them so you can use them a multimedia centres. Talking of multimedia centres, we cannot forget that we had the Playstation 2 released just at the turn of the millenium with its brilliant (at the time) graphics and powerful (also at the time) specifications and also the XBox, Playstation 3, XBox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS/DS Lite and a million and one new gaming franchises. Certain websites were also gaining huge popularity in the noughties clocking up millions of views each day, including Google, Yahoo, MSN/Live, eBay, WikiPedia, YouTube, MySpace, Bebo, Facebook, GenesReunited and Twitter. Along with internet technology updating all the time, many people found it easier to also make things online to share with the world - so became a generation of homebrew cartoons (flash based), games, tutorials, guides. The internet during the past 9 years has turned into a huge information tank - which thankfully is easy to filter through thanks to the help of Google, Yahoo and MSN/Live. As the decade plodded on, we had also seen the introduction of cost-efficient solar panels, ultra-flat screen televisions and monitors, touch-screen displays, digital cameras, mobile phones gaining cameras and other features all crammed in, digital switchover, blu-ray DVDs, high-definition TV, hybrid vehicles, GPS based instruments (i.e; TomTom), VOIP and affordable corrective eye surgery. Who knows what technological advances we'll have in the next 10 years! Disasters Along with all the wonderful advances we've had this past decade, there has also been a lot of tragedy too. 9/11 (September 11th 2001) was a day that no-one worldwide will ever forget, I personally can still remember that day ... I remember sitting on my computer when my Uncle phoned my Dad and told him to put the news on, so we both went into the living room and stuck glued to the TV watching just one tower burning - then the second plane hit, right in-front of our eyes. It was a very sad day for America, with 2,991 lives gone in the space of just over an hour and a half. All this resulted in the War on Terrorism. NASA's Columbia Space Shuttle disintergrated over Texas on February 1st, 2003 during re-entry into Earth's atmosphere killing all 7 crew members. The summer of 2003 witnessed the deadliest heatwave in human history causing 37,451 deaths over the summer months in Europe. 2004 - Madrid Train Bombings - claiming 191 lives. A quarter of a million people are killed after a Tsunami hit the Indian Ocean on Boxing Day 2004. 7th and 21st July 2005 saw London attacked by terrorists killing around 56 people and also claiming the life of Jean Charles de Menezes. 2008 - Mumbai attacks claiming 175 lives. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina almost wiped New Orleans off the map when it came ashore, broke the levees and caused $81.2 billion dollars worth of damage and killing an estimated 1,836 people and flooding pretty much the whole city. 2009 also saw the return of H1N1 Virus, commonly known as Swine Flu and so far it is still spreading around the world with a death-toll so far of 12,970 (of which 772 of them were in the past 8 days). Events The noughties has seen many events happen including the Euro becoming the main currency in 12 of the 15 European Union States, the outbreak of SARS, the capturing of Saddam Hussein in December 2003. NASA's Spirit Rover lands on Mars in 2004. The United States of America get their first black (well half-cast) President, Barack Obama in 2008/2009 creating mass-celebration around the nation. Deaths 2001 - George Harrison
2005 - Pope John Paul II
2006 - Saddam Hussein (Executed)
2009 - Michael Jackson Future Hmmm... now thinking towards what the next 10 years has in-store might be slightly mind-bending but I think we're going to accomplish a lot more this next decade and I'm also going to say that by January 1st, 2020, we'll have found a cure to one of the big killers (i.e; Cancer, HIV/AIDS, etc...) *fingers crossed*

Stupid YouTube

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:00:40 -0700

So I can't watch my own video! Everyone knows I did a mimed performance of Shirley Bassey's - Hey Big Spender and well, when I went on YouTube to get the link for it, I get presented with this message: "This video is not available in your country due to copyright restrictions." Arseholes!! >=[

Tim Minchin - 5 Poofs And 2 Pianos Lyrics

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 11:15:15 -0700

Yesterday I spent about an hour and a half trying to write up the lyrics to Tim Minchin's excellent song that he wrote and performed on Friday Night with Jonathon Ross. Obviously I don't want to infer that being invited onto Friday Night with Wossy isn't wonderfully affirming
And I know I 'orta,
appreciate the risk you took the bookers who agreed to book a chap
who tends to talk about the kind of things that get the BBC, in hot water

And I don't want to seem greedy, I'm just saying
I'd like to be here every week, if that's OK and if you hear me out
I think I've got a way in which we could do it pretty easily
You could leave all the boring details to me

It's a brilliant idea, a truly original concept
No one in Britain has ever done anything like it, yeah...
Picture this...
Imagine if we had...

5 poofs and 2 pianos
Yeah, it's a wicked idea
Why settle for a quartet of queers
When there's a possibility of a penta-poofter-piano-posse here

5 poofs and 2 pianos
Yeah, it'll be ace
A 100% more pianos
And 25% more gays

I know, I know
I've seen the problem too
There's a rumour, I am straight it's true
It hurts to admit it, but I'm about as bent as Wossy himself ... or 50 cent.

But I've already thought it through
D'you know there's preachers in America who reckon they can do
Sexuality conversions, I've heard them assert
They can cure a man of trouser love and turn him onto skirt

But I don't see why they couldn't pull the same trick in reverse
And we'd have...

5 poofs and 2 pianos
Yeah, it's a revolution
Probably the best solution
To the problem you're inevitably having with an even number of homosexuals

Yes I know
Your producers might suspect
That the license paying public will object
To the corporation having yet another homosexual to pay

The Daily Mail will bring the big guns out
Jan Moir will be frothing at the mouth
Writing further brilliant stuff about
The myth of being both happy and gay

But all that moral indignation
Will disappear when they see
Those 4 lovely guys and me
Singing in perfect harmony

And all those angry letter writers
Like disgusted from the Isle of Wight
And mad from Hull and outraged from Leeds
And slightly annoyed from Berwick-on-Tweed

Will instantly change their tune
They'll be bleeding heart liberals by Saturday noon
They'll be giving their grandchildren up for adoption
In the hope that gay married couple will adopt them

They'll be putting rainbow stickers on their cars
And cutting holes in the arse of their leather strays

Watching 2 pianos and 5 guys,
Watching 2 pianos and 5 guys
Watching 2 pianos and 5
1, 2, 3, 4 ...

5 poofs and 2 pianos
Yeah, it'll be grand
You can never have too many pianos
Or too much man

5 poofs and 2 pianos
And maybe would could out Jamie Cullum
Make it a trio of pianos
And a big gay half-dozen. I'm not 100% sure, if they're exactly correct, but I've posted them over on the Sound Upload Lyrics section of Sound Upload too.

Minor Update

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:03:02 -0700

Damn, it's been months since I last updated this... well not much has really changed, though I have many plans in the pipeline. Firstly, I'm going to clean up some pages on here as some are getting old and out-dated. Secondly, I'm in the process of writing up a storyboard for the next video - hopefully you'll all like it... it's going to be a bitch to make, but it's going to be worth it afterwards. All I can say at the moment is that I'm going to be doing the typical "Basshunter" style storyline with the song - Oh and it's not a Basshunter song that I'll be covering. Watch this space! :)

Yay Internet

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 04:00:27 -0600

Yay! I've finally got internet. Now considering Virgin Media said they were going to be around mine to install everything between 1pm and 6pm ... they decided to ring me at 8.45am (which I missed) then 8.50am (which I also missed) then 8.55am (which I missed again - come'on I was sleeping) then at 9.05am (which I answered) ... they said they'll be about an hour if that's OK with me, so of course I said "Yes". Now they're currently here drilling away - which I'm not sure what my neighbours will think of it - oh well stuff them! I need my internet and catch-up services fix! Right ... the hole has been drilled now and they're threading through the cable from the hole drilled in the drain outside and also the grass they've dug up. I can see the modem... oh I've just noticed... the Virgin Media installation guy has took his shoes off... why? If the carpet gets dirty ... then it gives me something to do. Well everything is now installed... plugged in... and fireman sam is on. Wonderful. Well now I have internet ... YAY! :D Oooo better check my grass outside ... *goes and looks* ... it's flattened back down... brilliant! Well 10/10 for the service, natter and speed of installation. :D

Interesting Question

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:53:53 -0600

The other week in the pub an elderly bloke asked me a question that got my brain thinking. It was raining outside and I had to get some chewing gum for my mate. The question was If you run in the rain, wouldn't you get just the same amount of water on you as if you walked? Because when running in the rain the water is hitting you more even though you're not in the rain much. Fairly interesting question isn't it. All I can say is, discuss.

Pectus Excavatum (6)

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:29:26 -0600

Ok, so since I last spoke about my "journey", I've visited George Eliot Hospital (in Nuneaton) and had to revisit Birmingham Heartlands Hospital. With a result of still not being sure of my exact operation date (though, it's predicted sometime late-October / early-November ... I should put a tenner down that it'll likely be on my 22nd birthday - he he). On 21st July 2009 at 5pm, I ended up going to the George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton for my CT Thoracic (Pron: four-ass-sick) scan which was something I've not had before. I've had an ultrasound before and a normal XRay, but having a CT scan wasn't ticked off in my list of hospital machinery that I've experienced personally. So off I plodded into the hospital - hungry may I add, as I had to be nil-by-mouth for hours (I didn't even smoke during that period! Good me.) - along with a digital camcorder (cheers Peter) and headed around the few corridors to the XRay department - obviously I had a little play with the hand washing things (oh so childish!), then proceeded to the reception desk and told them I was booked in for ??.??pm. They told me to take a seat and as I did I noticed the sign on the wall "estimated XRay waiting time: 1hr 30min" - I thought "Oh wonderful!" ... so I'm sitting there thinking an hour and a half with no puzzle book with me to pass the time and only a bunch of elderly people in front of me nattering about something prehistoric (VHS, German's or something). Though within sitting there for less than 5 minutes, I got called in - the nurse didn't say my name loud enough, so when I got to her I did ask her "You did just call Dale Hay, yeah?", just to make sure. Anyways, she guided me through more corridors and finally I was in the small area with about 5 seats for the next lot of people to go into the rooms. She told me to put a gown on my top half of my body then come back out. At this time I told her that I'm basically following along my journey by filming it and also asked if it was possible to allow a camera in the room with me, because I was originally afraid that the radiation from the scanner would malfunction the camera. She wasn't sure, so to be safe she asked her boss and (s)he said that it was fine - as long as no footage of any staff was present. So with that in mind, I got my gown on and sat in this small area. Had a cannula placed into my arm (short sharp shock that was!) - I'm fine with needles, but I felt a bit whoosy with this one, though after speaking to the nurse about Coors Light beer, it was in. Then came the call for me to enter the room. As I entered I saw a bit of clutter from boxes at one end of the room and this big doughnut shaped thing with a bed on it, quite pleasant looking to be honest. I set up the camera and put myself on the bed. The nurse told me that she'll be speaking instructions through the glass and I have to basically take a deep breath and hold until told. Oh and she also said that I will have Iodine flushed through my veins, so the other nurse that was there connected my cannula upto the Iodine machine and they left the room, with the nurse pressing record on the camera. The scan started, the bed rose up and started going in and out of this doughnut and I could see in the bit by a laser that said "Do not look at this laser", that the machinery inside the doughtnut was spinning ... it was mad. Anyways, they told me to hold my breath a couple of times during the scan and took scans of that - along with scans when I was normal. Then came the most bizarre moment... the Iodine flush! Now if you've had Iodine flushed through your body, you'd know what it feels like... well for those that don't know, it's te most weird/relaxing/niggly feeling. Basically you get a warm sensation flood through your body, but you actually feel it gaining around your body - mine went left arm, left hand, right arm, right hand, underneath the testicles, left leg, right leg, left foot and finally right foot. When this stuff reaches your feet you want to itch them, but you can't. The sensation is like getting into a lovely warm bath, but without your skin touching any water - that's the best way I can describe it. After a couple of minutes, the scan was finished. Though there was one minor complication - which was when they were supposed to fill me with Iodine, the machine didn't seem to want to give any away, though they came in and tilted the machine a bit more and then continued with it, then once the results were sorted, they'd be sent off to my surgeon over at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, then I just had to stay on site for 30 minutes - just incase if my body went manky due to the Iodine, though it didn't so I was allowed to go home. Once Birmingham Heartlands Hospital received these results they contacted me by post and had an appointment ready for me to see my surgeon. I attended and after finding my way around the millions of floors and corridors (this time though, without the guided instructions from the receptionist) I was there and got weighed (not sure why). I got called in, but this time it was a different surgeon (along with a student nurse/doctor). He showed me the book of photos that my surgeon was supposed to have had shown me last time I was there and some of them are horrific! (One was really bad... the persons spine was poking out like a sharp mountain because of how his dent in his chest was!!) Then he was speaking about the procedures and I said "Nuss Procedure" straight away, with him asking if I knew about the different ones and I told him my surgeon explained them all on my previous visit and I also know some from research and personal stories from people online. That kinda hurried him up, however he kept wanting me to go with the Ravitch Procedure - and no offence to Dr. Ravitch (if he's still alive), but mate, your procedure may have been a break through in its time, but now-a-days I'd rather call it "The Bludgening Procedure" ... the amount of crap that's done to your pectal area is awful, not to mention the huge band of scars left afterwards, I'll just prefer to have the 2 small scars on the sides of my body when I have the Nuss Procedure. So once he knew I wasn't going to be budging about what procedure I want, he and the student went off for about 20 minutes - leaving me in the room ... I think he went to speak to another surgeon about it. When he came back he said that I'd need to come in again and see the surgeon and then more-than-likely I'd be placed on the waiting list. So I was told to wait a couple of weeks to hear from the surgeons secretary and if I don't hear anything then phone up. So today (2nd September 2009) I phoned up and got told there'll be something sent out in the post soon. So now if nothing comes within the next 7 days, then it'll be another phone call. SO judging by it all, my operation might be as soon as late-October / early November. Right, I believe that's me all rattled out. Speak soon! :-)

TV Licensing have spelt my name wrong...

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 02:32:03 -0600

Well that's good isn't it! I specifically say on the phone to TV Licensing when I called them up to say I want a TV License that my surname is "HAY" and spelt it with each letter too, "H", "A", "Y". What's so difficult about that? Yet still when I finally got my TV Licensing billing card about 30 minutes ago, my name is spelt "Dale Haye" ... grrr!! Then when I checked the information booklet that came with it, it says that if there is a change of name, then it'll appear on my account and card when the next one is issued - so that's March 2010! So for the next 6 months or so I've gotta be "Dale Haye" and not "Dale Hay". Grrr.

Hurricane Bill and the United Kingdom

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 19:34:55 -0600

Well by the looks of it, if you're in Scotland then you may get a tad bit of windy weather on Wednesday 29th. The reason being is (at current) Hurricane Bill is roughly on the eastern sides of Canada and is heading towards the United Kingdom with Scotland being its main target point. Obviously this target point can / may change over the next 24-48-72 hours however it looks like a slight Tropical Depression (a cyclonic storm with a mean wind speed of 39mph and less for more than a minute) will hit Scotland on Wednesday. So expect wind and rain. I will try my hardest to keep you updated on how Hurricane Bill is going at the moment, but if Bill does reach Scotland then it'll just be named as Tropical Depression Bill. Oh and according to the charts, Bill is due to hit at around 2pm (however I'm not sure if that's 2pm GMT, BST or other??!)

Sound Upload

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 06:41:07 -0600

I've just been sitting and thinking and I believe I may actually be able to have Sound Upload running the same as how it used it, with the allowing of uploading and downloading of non-commercial audio files. Must get pen-to-paper and work out some figures...

Richard Hammond in Showaddywaddy?

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 08:16:12 -0600

I've just been watching the video of Showaddywaddy performing Under The Moon of Love and I'm sure one of them is Richard Hammond. Seriously! (Like in a past life or something, well it couldn't have had been in a past life as Richard Hammond was born in 1969 - making him 6 or 7 during the performance that I watched) Take a look... here is a screenshot of the video, in low quality at 52 seconds:
Now here's Richard Hammond:

(Not exactly the best image I could find, but you get my drift!) See the weird resemblance!! » YT: Showaddywaddy - Under The Moon of Love

Pectus Excavatum (5)

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:29:43 -0600

Not really much of a major update, but on Tuesday I got my letter from my surgeon asking the George Elliot hospital, if they're able to book me in for CT Thoracic scan. Today (well technically yesterday - Wednesday) I took it into the hospital and gave it to them. The lady on the reception desk of the X-Ray department wasn't sure that they do CT scans (or that she wasn't sure they did CT scans for the thoracic area). So she asked someone else, who said "Yes" and she just confirmed my name, date of birth and address... took my landline / daytime number and then told me that they'll send an appointment date out in the post. So, that's all that's really happened since I've been to Heartlands Hospital. Oh, something slightly on-topic, but not.... those alcohol gel-based hand things... my goodness, don't hospitals go a bit over the top on them... there must have had been about 4-5 bottles that you can use on just the reception desk itself! Let alone loads of big signs saying "Please wash your hands with the gel provided upon entry and exit of this area" ... I mean, yeah OK, it's nice to stay safe from infection... but I was just handing a letter in! However, once I get started on them things... I can't stop... I find them brilliant! :p Right, I'll stop blabbing now... I'll update you all soon on further progress! Oh, one final note... Thoracic is pronounced four-rass-ick

Pectus Excavatum (4)

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 08:14:24 -0600

Right, another update is due about my current Pectus Excavatum journey... Last Thursday, I ended up going to Birmingham Heartlands Hospital at 9.30am to see the surgeon (who is actually the surgeon that will be doing my chest). He spoke to me about the different procedures that can be used, which included: A) Ravitch technique - Loads of incisions, small bar, very invasive. 5 and half hour operation. B) Nuss Procedure - Bar through the chest, the one I want. 1 and half hour operation. C) Filling the dent with a collagen type solution. (but that's not correcting the bones, but correcting it cosmetically) D) Pulling the stomach muscles up, and stretching along the two breast muscles, meeting at the point of the dent and attaching them to my breast bone. (Also cosmetic, but not what I want) I'm going to be wanting the Nuss Procedure. That is my definite choice! Now as the surgeon was explaining to me, the possibility of death during the operation is not what I originally read up of being 1 in 300, but it's around 1 in 100 - yes, one hundred! His exact words were "you can die during the operation" ... not exactly what you want to hear, but they do have to tell you. So, because I'm slightly morbid, I'm actually thinking of arranging a "Pre-death Drink", just incase I pop my clogs on the operating table. Anyways, so once we went through all the usual stuff and he checked out my chest, he wanted me to have a photo taken (so I can see the before and after from a different point of view and also for medical research / educational use). I signed the form for them to use them under my permission and only for educational use and then off I went to the photo room over in the Education Centre. After arriving at the education centre, I was thinking that I was just going into an office where someone will just use a normal digital camera, but no... it wasn't!! It was a full on photography studio - the white and black backdrops, the big lights with the umbrellas on them hanging from runners on the ceiling. One of the pictures that they did take of my chest is a really really good one and I want to find out if it's possible to get hold of a copy to show you all. After having the photos done, I ended up going. Also the surgeon is now sending me for a CT scan just to see if everything in my chest is all good and fine, which I have been told I can have it at the local hospital of George Elliot in Nuneaton, then it will be back to the surgeon to see him one last time to get my final bits and bobs prepared and my operation date given, then it'll just be a 6 - 8 week wait. Yay! I will also be video documenting the journey, when it gets closer to the time and also I will be keeping you updated on here too.