Chris Worfolk's Blog

I don’t watch much TV. Who has the time? Then people talk about box sets as if it is still 2007 and we all have DVD players. But Game of Thrones is proving to be one of the rare exceptions.

I’ve now watched the first two series and it quickly turned into a love hate relationship. My favourite characters keep dying. It’s very annoying. You get attached to someone and then his head comes off.

But as the same time, a medieval drama with dragons and snow zombies – what isn’t awesome about that?

Remember It’s a Knockout? I don’t, because even at 26 I’m too young. But basically, Total Wipeout is a total rip off of it, so think that. Except that it started in the 60s, so there was no PC filter of the very offensive comments that the host makes.

Turns out though that you an hire them to turn up and do a corporate events days.

Photos from our trip to Jersey.

Photos from our trip to the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Centre on Jersey.

What a climatic ending we got for the final game of the season. The Rams needed to win to make the play-offs but all was looking pretty grim at half time when they found themselves 22-0 down.

However, a spectacular reversal in the second half brought them back to 22-20, with only a few minutes left and the ball on the half way line when they were given a 15 yard penalty against the defence. It was like a replay of Super Bowl XLVII from earlier this year.

Sadly, just like the Super Bowl, the defence held, though due more to a valiant effort of the Predators than the clear pass interference of the Baltimore Ravens.

For the first speech in the Public Relations advanced Toastmaters manual, you have to speak about Toastmasters. The project is a “good will speech” in which you promote public speaking, and thereby Toastmasters by making a few references to it in your introduction and conclusion.

I felt this was a bit of a lazy speech as a lot of it I’m quoting other people. But it was good enough to win Best Speaker on the evening, so can’t have been too bad.

While on Jersey last month, we went to the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Centre. I took a few videos while I was there. First, some otters playing.

Second, a mother gorilla and baby feeding.

Last month I went to Hull Speakers to provide a bit of peer review on their meetings. It seems like a lovely club and I felt very warmly welcomed. On the way back, we stopped at the Humber Bridge to take some photos. Click to see full size.

Turns out that herring roe is delicious. You probably don’t want to know what it is though…

Dan recommended me a budget set of ND grad filters. They’re £16 so you would expect them to be terrible but all the reviews on Amazon spoke highly of them, so I gave them a go. I’ve literally taken a few photos out of my windows so far, and at 25mm I get some serious Vignetting, but at 35mm and beyond it produces good results.

The top image is taken without the ND grad and the details of the building faces and trees are lost. The bottom image is taken with the ND grad and has far more foreground detail while still maintaining the dark and stormy look of the clouds.