Photo a day 2012 (81/366) - pint (sized) guardian

Photo taken in Campbell's Bar, Torry.  Strange figurines in the windows of the pub, minding pints while you're in the loo.

Photo a day 2012 (80/366) - extreme closeup, waaaa!

Photo taken with a cat in my face.  Ownership of my mobile phone is about to be asserted.

Photo a day 2012 (79/366) - where the noise comes from

Photo taken in the bedroom.  I'm a terrible one for having a poke about inside things, I've done it since I was a kid.  Not so much "user adjustable" stuff these days though.  That's one thing I like about bass guitars - apart from a few active instruments it's all deliciously "low-tech" - just wires, switches, pots and sockets.

Photo a day 2012 (78/366) - the spice of life

Photo taken in the dining room.  I've decided to carry on.  I'll catch up gradually.  I do like my chilli flakes :)

Bad Matt

Well, that's me 6 days behind in my "photo a day" thing including today.  Furthermore it isn't the first time I've fallen behind - the big burps of photos might have given that away, after all, when am I far from a computer?  I really have got a problem with attention span.  I'm the sort of person who makes lunch the night before (oh, how organised) and then forgets to grab it from the fridge before leaving for work.  Like today then :(

Lately I have been finding myself a little ill at ease with myself, a bit fed up, a bit demotivated and a bit lethargic.  Only a bit.  Not enough to lump it all under "stress" and take 3 months off work, but just a little gnawing feeling.  I think I just need to get back to a state of being comfortable in my own skin.  I'm a terrible one for editing what gets out into the world, in any interaction you can see me chewing words over in my head before I say them as I sift through the possible outcomes of what I'm about to say.  Now there's nothing wrong with being a bit measured in one's approach to life and using words sparingly and appropriately but it seems that I spend so long mulling it over that the real me is buried somewhere in the middle of a convoluted flow chart in my head.  I've got to realise that I can't control everything.  If you don't share something of yourself then can anyone truly know you as a person?  I can understand being like this with strangers, or people on the outskirts of your social circle - but with your friends, family and - most important of all - one's significant other?  That's out of order and it needs sorted.  It's been going on so long now that I'm losing sight of my understanding of "the real me".  The worst part is that I'm not so sure that I even like the stuff that does escape the inner vault.  I guess that makes me a crap editor as well as a dubious friend, an errant son and a rotten husband.

I'm hoping that typing that out is a springboard from which to start diving into conversations and letting the important people back into my life - properly.

Getting back to the original point (before I hijacked it) there's no excuse other than laziness with a side order of lack of motivation for this lapse in photographic service.  It's not as if I've been rushed off my feet from when I get up in the morning to when I go to bed at night.  I guess I've got some catching up to do, but to be honest I don't know if I'm going to bother.  I'll know by the end of today.

Photo a day 2012 (77/366) - Chico the car mechanic

Photo taken in my living room.  This is what happens when your cat has a sniff around underneath cars, I think.

Photo a day 2012 (76/366) - diy giggin'

Photo taken at 26 Collective, Exchange Lane, Aberdeen.  Our friend Stewart getting ready to play some tunes at his art exhibition.

Photo a day 2012 (75/366) - glowing peri-peri

Photo taken at Nando's, Union Square, Aberdeen.  I like these lights.  The chicken was OK.

Photo a day 2012 (74/366) - pleasant working environment

Photo taken in Wrights' and Coopers' Place, Aberdeen.  One of the most pleasing thing about my work is where it is.  Old Aberdeen is beautiful and sometimes when I'm having a stressful day it's good to have a walk about and be greeted with gardens, old buildings and picturesque lanes.

Photo a day 2012 (73/366) - the wedding present

Photo taken in my living room.  One of the more unusual and amusing gifts that we received on our wedding day.  The note reads "Thought I would give you something special to contribute towards your new home" :)

Photo a day 2012 (72/366) - fine weather generator

Photo taken in my garden.  This is why the weather was so good this weekend - I installed a water butt on Saturday.  Yes, it's still empty ;)

Photo a day 2012 (71/366) - sunny in Torry

Photo taken on the North East coast.  Lovely day today, we went for a walk along the coastal trail to Cove.

Photo a day 2012 (70/366) - Leppard and the Big Cats

Photo taken at the Rusty Nail, Aberdeen.  Our friends Leppard and the Big Cats in full swing.

Photo a day 2012 (69/366) - living room without walls

Photo taken on the North East coast.  Another orphaned sofa, another chuckle escapes.  Fly tipping's bad though, OK?

Photo a day 2012 (68/366) - campaign trail

Photo taken on the Old Aberdeen campus, Aberdeen University.  The least popular Family Guy character  goes on a charm offensive.  Maybe ;)

Photo a day 2012 (67/366) - living room with a view

Photo taken on the North Sea coast.  Normally I would just call this litter, but the positioning of it made me chuckle.

Photo a day 2012 (66/366) - new toy

Photo taken in my bedroom.  I got a new amp recently, and so far it has performed excellently.  It totally surprised me by keeping up with the band at band rehearsal.

Photo a day 2012 (65/366) - mmm, this is a tasty burger!

Photo taken at the Handmade Burger Company, Union Square, Aberdeen.  Blue cheese and bacon burger.  Mmmm.

Photo a day 2012 (64/366) - cat cupboard

Photo taken in the dining room.  You can't leave a cupboard door open with a cat around :)

Photo a day 2012 (63/366) - the bane of my life

Photo taken at Cafe Drummond, Aberdeen.  This is a CCTV DVR.  Whenever the shit hits the fan and the Police want footage of some drunken shenanigans it's me who often has to extract it from this infernal machine.  On this day it failed twice - right at the point when it had done the hard part and begin burning the DVD.  A half hour job turned into several hours.  It hates me.  But I persist, because I love getting the evidence that helps get violent people who can't handle their booze their comeuppance.

Photo a day 2012 (62/366) - pointing the way

Photo taken in my bedroom.  Sorry folks, nothing exciting today, just some gratuitous mother-of-pearl on black ;)

Photo a day 2012 (61/366) - Kitchen Cynics Orchestra

Photo taken at The Tunnels, Aberdeen.  Went to see local legend Alan Davidson perform alongside Jan and Claire from Seas, Starry.  Guitars, bowed bass, loop pedals, effects, a theremin and a finale of strange things with a horn and a string which the player bows.