London 2012 is just around the corner and I can hardly contain my excitement to get down to London and support the GB teams in their quest for gold. I have tickets for numerous hockey events and have been lucky enough to get a GB game!!!
My excitement is only heightened through the variety of Olympic ads that are beginning to make their way onto our screens.
Below are two of my favourites so far...
P&G talk about 'The Best Job in the World' as being a Mum, this full length video follows the story of young athletes from growing up and training to them competing at this summers Olympic games. (There are shorter versions available for specific countries.)
British Airways encourage us to stay at home and support our team. With a British Airways plane preparing for take off but heading out of the gate and through the streets of London
...I know there will be more to follow but for now, thanks much xoxo
Having recently visited the Birmingham Made Me Expo in the Mailbox (blog to follow) I stumbled upon a new app which initially amazed me but back at my desk I am wondering; is it a step too far?
This May AGA launched 'AGA iTotal Control' this is a new on-off AGA which you can control where ever you are using your mobile smartphone, PC, laptop, iPad or tablet. The technology allows you to sync your AGA using the touch of a button.
The new cooker has three ovens for roasting, baking and simmering (also hot plates which cannot be turned on by the app but can be turned off) all of which can be controlled remotely to ensure your meal is ready and waiting for your arrival home.
The technology also recognises that not everyone owns a smartphone or has access to internet via mobile phone so the cooker can also be controlled via text message using the following controls;
- Roasting oven on
- Baking oven on
- Simmering oven on
- All ovens on
- All zones off
Once the message has been received the AGA will reply saying, for example, 'Baking oven on activated'.
I must admit the idea of returning home on a wet and windy day in November to find my dinner cooked and ready to eat with the house smelling of warm toasty food is appealing but there is something about it which makes me feel a bit odd.
The technology is fantastic and having seen it in practice I can appreciate how forward thinking and fantastic it is but this was in an exhibit and not day to day life (and this is not a blog about technology). I worry it would leave me continually paranoid about leaving the oven on or forgetting to lock my phone and turning the roasting oven on in my handbag. Let alone what could happen after a few drinks (I find touch screen and alcohol never mix).
So as much as I would love an AGA (I dream of a Kirsty Alsopp kitchen but anyway...) and I love technology like this that makes me go "oooo" while touching the screen of my smart phone, however I would rather you left me turning the oven on when I get home. Even if it does mean I eat my dinner 40minutes later.....
On returning from the beautiful Tesoro Blu hotel in Kefalonia, Greece last weekend I was in need of a pick me up and this came in the form of a Coldplay ticket from one of my bestest Josh. The ticket was a Christmas/Birthday present last year so I was even more excited having not footed the bill ;-)
Josh, Emma (his gf) and I made our way to the Eithad Stadium in Manchester with thousands of other Coldplay fans. On making our way into the stadium we were given a wristband with a LCD light attachment on it (see below) - they were all different colours and I knew from Twitter that these were going to make the night beautiful. We took our places to the left of the stage about 50 people back - EXCITED does not even cover it!
The less said about the first support act the better - I will keep it short and sweet; everyone cheered after the following statement "This is my last song tonight". There is nothing else to really say...it was not good.
Robyn came on next and she was a delight! I love her stuff anyway but she had an incredible energy running round the stage dancing and get involved with the crowd. Her cover of Paradise by Coldplay was also brilliant, cheeky but brilliant.
A few moments from the Coldplay set stood out for me...(other than the confetti cut out in shapes from the album such as tear drops, doves and hearts AND the fireworks AND the giant bouncy balloons with graffiti art scribbled on...)
- My wristband coming on and looking round the Eithad stadium to see 55,000 other lights twinkling in the dark.
- Hurts like Heaven & Warning Sign were my favourite tracks. A perfect example of the old and the new.
- Having seen Coldplay before I knew how the crowd would react to Fix You, and second time round it did not disappoint.
The LCD wristbands are something I have never seen at a gig before but I am sure they will not be the last. The technology made the crowd feel connected to the band and to each other. You could not help but smile and sing with your fellow gig goers while waving your arms in the air.
I won't go on about how incredible they were because they don't need it. Anyone who has seen them before would never dare to call them 'boring' or 'depressing'. Coldplay are only getting better with musical age and I am already looking forward to the possibility of a further album while still loving the older tracks.
