Author: martinjamesphd
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Red Hot Chili Peppers
It took me 20 years but I finally got round to seeing the Red Hot Chili Peppers, having got into their music during my sky dive days when they were blasted out at Langar airbase throughout hot summers. What else would you pick? It’s the quintessential sound of clear blue skies and Bermuda shorts. Loved…
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Munch was more than just a scream
I took a trip to London (24th – 26th June 2022) with the original objective being to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers (see: https://martinjamesphd.com/2022/07/17/red-hot-chili-peppers/). As I was already there I thought I would squeeze in some culture of a very different type: I went to see “Masterpieces of Bergen,” a Edvard Munch exhibition at…
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Le Grand Collection
Throughout summer 2022 my footwear collection has continued to expand. We all know about the brutal return of double digit inflation but as far as I can tell, bargains can still be found in certain product categories. Fortunately for me, footwear is one such example. Expansion has led to re-arrangement of my storage spaces. I…
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Spring & Early Summer
It has to be the best time of year because the days get longer, the garden springs back to life, there’s a bank holiday every few weeks and you get to wear a single layer every now and again due to the warmer weather. Partly in relation, you feel a natural pull outdoors and cannot…
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Office Life
In my new job I have been very lucky in my office allocation, occupying the effortlessly cool BBS Lodge. I’ve invested a modest sum adding a few bits to personalise the space. I’m really happy there, makes me look forward to going to work!
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Finishing touches
My footwear collection has expanded hugely in the last few years, although a couple of collection “must haves” have eluded me. Until today that is… I’ve finally added some Air Max 95s to the collection that I’m happy with. Even more dramatically, I’ve added some incredibly rare Asics to my collection after years of being…
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Home improvement
Moving into my office in Edgbaston has given me the opportunity to introduce some new art into my home. I have also had some decorating done this week, beginning the long-awaited conquest of the top floor.
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One small step for man, one giant leap for the man’s fitness mission!
After a (typically) long period procrastinating I have executed a plan to get a punch bag mounted in my garage gym. It’s taken a month to put it together – buying the bag on Ebay (bargain!), fetching the mount from Decathlon, fetching the Rawl plugs from Homebase, the wall mats from Aldi, etc, etc. So…
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41 years old, 2 special gifts
Like most men of a certain age I don’t make a fuss about my birthday. This one is special though for two key reasons: 1. I’ve got a new job! It has real dream job potential, being based at an elite institution that also happens to be my local university (so it’s practical). I will…
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Home for Christmas, 2021 edition
What can I say about Christmas that doesn’t verge on cliché? Very little I’d guess. I’ve always kept Christmas well and in my own way, and the latter explains why I always enjoy it so much. No compromises, no bland middle ground so as to not offend certain understandings of what Christmas is or should…
Dr Martin James 