Life & Times Of An Urban City Cowboy

Journal of a bike-riding, beat making, photographer hermit dodging the mainstream

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This article has the number one spot on IMO (however only because PS2 could play PS1 games)...

Every Video Game Console Generation Ranked From Worst to Best

Which era of console gaming was the absolute best time to be a gamer?

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Day One of starting all over again. Again. This is point zero for me. I've trained before and I've raced (unsuccessfully). I've got ill and I'm back at square one again. I'm not the young person I was and some days I'm in complete agony. Most people would say "you've had a good run, slack it off" but not me. I love bikes. I love being on a bike and like being fast on a bike. I still feel like there is one more chance to do something or be something on a bike. Whether that means racing or not I don't know and I realize now that enjoying my time on a bike is the most important thing. I want to be quick again though but my body has other ideas. So I'm going to keep pushing. I'm going to ignore the naysayers and do this thing. Let's see what can come of it. I've had to start at the beginning again I'm afraid but you have to start somewhere. I'm out of shape, my body aches likes hell all the time (I can't list all of the problems I have at the moment - too many) and it's for the best I start on an e-bike. Going to try my best to lose as much weight as I can (wake up thyroid you slow ass) and keep pushing for faster times until I am fit enough to switch back to a analog bike again.

I have a hospital scan on my neck Wednesday so hopefully a few more issues can be explained. Hopefully my thyroid gland isn't shitting itself too bad as my last few blood tests have come back pretty bad. Doctor isn't referring me to an endocrinologist so I'm having to find ways to get this sorted that don't involve them. Anyways, Rome wasn't built in a day. Finding the momentum and building on it is the most important thing at the moment.

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Update 2024

Well, I must start by apologizing for not blogging much on here for a good while. I have been juggling so many things it has been crazy. I continue to have this underlying health problem that I need to learn to manage better (if I could put a name on it it would be helpful but at the moment lets just say it is related to the fibromyalgia even though it might not be). I also had a load of my teeth removed last year and my step-dad passed away. I’ll probably break it all down in future posts but for now I just want to go through some of the good stuff I have planned this year.

I am in the process of getting back into the photography side of things at the moment. I don’t really have the resources at the moment to invest in loads of new equipment unfortunately but I will be trying to work as best as I can with what I’ve got. I have my trusty Sony NEX-5R to work which has been an okay camera so far but in due course I will need to upgrade as some of the connectivity is getting a bit dated (these modern cameras and their apps - d’oh!). I bought a wicked 200mm beer can lens off a popular online auction site last year and it’s not bad. I am settling now on working on photographing gymnastics - something I haven’t had the chance to do too much of so would like to do more - and more street and landscape photography. I might work with some models again in the future but only if the right project arises.

I am quite esoteric with my shoot ideas. For example, I like the idea of shooting with gymnasts out of the training gym and outside in countryside or urban environments. I’m quite a fan of the apocalyptic look (think Mad Max) so having swirling skies amidst an industrial or barron landscape is what I’d like to make my signature. And being somebody that likes messing around with graphics editing packages it would be great to shoot stuff that I can use as a canvas for editing on the computer. AI has opened up so many new realms recently and it is generally a good thing in my opinion as long as it is used to enhance something. I don’t agree with AI completely replacing humans. It has to be in toe with the whole creative process not completely running it. If any gymnasts out there would like to work with me (I had a few top flight gymnasts previously booked that unfortunately didn’t happen in the end - c’est la vie) then feel free to get in touch with me. The same goes for models. My contact details are available on my bitly page.

I am also busy at the moment trying to get my music projects going again after a long (4 years) lay off. I’m working on a big project that I started in 1997 but I have never seemed to get completed. More on that in due course. However, I have a little acid jam project where I’ll be hopefully going out live just doing some live jams with a load of hardware synths, samplers, drum machines et al with a dancer and some naughty toucans. I’m currently working on some tracks that I’ll be dropping soon on Bandcamp though I won’t really be releasing very much with this project as it is all about playing live. Currently looking for a dancer but I am headhunting some people so hopefully that will be a position filled rather soon. I also have a little beat making project where I do some downtempo, lo-fi sounding FM Pop-influenced sombre beats. I’ll be dropping all of these on my feed as and when.

I’m hoping to spend a lot more time on the bike this year too. Health has prevented me from doing so much previously but I need to find a way to get through the bad days. At the moment I have an e-MTB that I am considering swapping out for an e-Gravel bike. I want to only use the e-bike as a crutch for when I’m not feeling so good or when I am having a day when I am not so motivated to go riding. Kind of help gee me up a bit because any kind of ride is better than no ride in my opinion. I also have my “fixie” bike which I don’t ride because I’m a noob to that sort of riding. I need to find some folks who want to help a rookie learn how to ride fixed. So if that is you give me a bell. I’ll bring the beers. I also have my hardtail which I bought last year (notable mention to Terry Barentsen and his “A San Francisco Hotline” video which inspired me to buy a hardtail) which I use to bomb down the woodland hills where I live into the town and use a street-based mountain bike. I’m going to be doing a blog soon about what kind of biker I think I am so watch out for that one. And finally I am looking at buying an old retro 90’s mountain bike. Something like a Marin Bear Valley or a Specialized Rockhopper that I can convert to ride the streets or light gravel with. In funky colors (well, it’s a 90’s bike). And I’ll share some media about that stuff.

In addition to that I have been endlessly delaying buying an e-Skateboard and I’m hoping to do so this Spring so expect some content on that when I have it. I do hope in the long run to retire this page or possibly run it alongside my new website. Part of the problem with me sitting down and writing posts like this is that I have so many social media accounts and I can only post to one at a time. I’d rather just build a website and point people there instead of spreading myself thinly over multiple sites. That way I can post all of my works on one site (photography, cycling mishaps, stuff I’m rocking etc).

My life may not be perfect but whose is. I hope that I can make some in roads into getting back to where I need to be this year and perhaps talking or meeting or even working with some of you this year and hopefully blogging a lot more. Peace y’all!!

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Your 2023 Wrapped

This is what my 2023 sounded like on @Spotify. Get your #SpotifyWrapped now!

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The High Llamas are back with some great new music...

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I have not been sleeping very well at all this month. Very fatigued and just catching z's any moment I can really. Tough times with everything going on. Trying to get some good vibes alive in my life. Hopefully back to beat making soon and hopefully back on the bike. What with everything going on I have lost 5kg since the beginning of the month. Onwards and upwards. Peace y'all ✌️.

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Planet of Gymnastics on Instagram: "Follow @planetofgymnastics for more! BEAUTIFUL standing gainer layout stepout by @ehodges5 😍 🎥 @brand

766K likes, 1,159 comments - planetofgymnastics on July 10, 2023: "Follow @planetofgymnastics for more! BEAUTIFUL standing gainer layout s

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Justice for Andy

Can you spare a minute to help this campaign?

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The veteran artist, AKA As One, recently learned he needs a pacemaker, which is "problematic" with certain equipment: "So I'm bowing out at