Another Constable

Sometimes it’s easy for some people to forget that coppers are just normal people. I do often get referred to as “you lot” by polite people, and f*cking scumbags by the not so polite (which I find startlingly ironic). I also note that in the 2+ years I’ve been blogging, it has struck me on many more than a couple of occasions, that I really should be trying my best to remain anonymous. And yet, I feel that you dear readers, don’t really know a lot about me.

So, in order to redress the balance of gripe/non-gripe on this blog, and to give you a bit more of an insight into myself, I decided to open up a bit about the things I do when I’m not in work.

So where to start… well my main interest is still technology/computing due to my previous career, and you’ll find me at my computer pretty much all of the time I’m not in work or not with the future Mrs AC (I’m currently engaged to be married, which will happen in 2008).

I enjoy my garden very much, and have been spending all my recent days off removing a lawn from the front and landscaping it. Hard work, but rewarding to get to the finish so I can sit back and admire what I’ve done. Long term readers will know I’ve been doing more to encourage wildlife into my garden, more specifically garden birds. This year we have a new addition - a pair of Bullfinches which are really lovely little birds and give me a smile each time I see them visiting our feeding station. It’s particularly pleasing as Bullfinches are now on the red list for conservation as being critically endangered, so seeing the pair do well is nice.

I also like to play the piano (though I’m not very good, despite having played on and off since age 10). Having recently sold a bank of synthesizers though to reclaim space/money and because I wasn’t utilising them anywhere near as much as I should, I no longer actually have a keyboard instrument. I’m getting withdrawal symptoms now though, and I’m actively seeking a digital piano to go in my study so I can quench this particular thirst I have for playing. I’m most likely to be caught playing (or trying to play) Elton John and Coldplay tracks… only singing along when the house is empty!

I don’t have any pets, or children. This of course means we have a nice clean house, with lots of nice things. So no jam butties inserted into dvd players for example. We do have a hat full of gorgeous nephews and nieces though, but visiting time can be quite fraught at times… need to have eyes and ears like hawks! I’m not really into many sports. I do watch football now and again, especially major tournaments such as the World Cup, and Euro Tournament, plus major games like Champions League fixtures once the group games are out of the way, but I don’t follow our domestic leagues very much - though there is one team in particular I do look out for. My main sporting enjoyment comes from Formula 1, and other motor sports such as rallying and touring cars.

My drink of choice is red wine, though my tastes have changed over the years. Current favourites are Australian shiraz wines, my bottle of choice being Hardy’s Varietal Range Shiraz, closely followed by the Jacob’s Creek Reserve Shiraz. I’m not into beer as a general rule, but when I have to, it’s generally a bottled “premium lager” such as Becks, Heineken or Tiger Beer. I love food, hence currently a couple of stone overweight, and will generally eat absolutely anything, though dishes from the Mediterranean region are my favourites. My musical taste is eclectic - today so far I have listened to albums by Iron Maiden, Snow Patrol, Lily Allen, Jean Michel Jarre, Genesis, and the Berlin Symphony Orchestra. I am, however, unlikely to choose any Country and/or Western music - expect perhaps for “A Boy Named Sue” which I have a particular affection for.

I only really watch TV when I’m with the future Mrs AC (as previously stated, when I’m alone I can generally be found in front of my computer, or in my garden). Programs of choice would be ER, Lost, Desperate Housewives, Heroes, 24. My Name Is Earl, Scrubs, Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond… pretty much all American. When I’m feeling a bit nostalgic I’ll watch some Starsky and Hutch which takes me back to age 7-12 when my brother and I liked to play - I’d be Dave Starsky due to my dark hair, bro would be Hutch as he was blonde back then. It’s probably Starsky and Hutch which pushed me in my particular career direction. I do watch occasional UK drama, and am a big fan of Spooks when that is on air. I also of course like Dr Who, but I think Mrs AC just tolerates it more than enjoys it.. the sacrifices she makes for me!

My favourite place at the moment is my conservatory, in the dark, with twinkle lights around the ceiling, candles lit around the window ledge, chill out music being piped into the wireless speakers, glass of port in one hand, spring onion and chi