Christmas Bumps #dreamdiary 186

It’s an early sunny Christmas Day morning. I’m off to the other side of town to see the family. There’s a blue Volkswagen bug parked outside the house that I’ve never seen before but it’s not blocking the driveway. I back my car out, but I accidentally tap it. I have to stop and pull up to see if a mark has been left. A woman dressed in white is inside with her two children.  They get close as I back up and try and line up my car on the other side of the driveway. I can see that their boot is filled with presents. How long have they been sitting inside? I’m about to give a bad start to someone’s Christmas. Hopefully there’s no visible damage and I can get away with swapping insurance details and that’ll be the end of it, though it’ll probably have to be reported. She doesn’t look happy though.

What's the medal count?

I assume I’m going to find out some sport results rather than expect a definition. I’m also wondering if this feature works when a tournament isn’t in session. Will it default back to the latest international tournament or will it find an event that is taking place currently? Will I get a response at all or will it ask me to back another time when a tournament is taking place? I get a lengthy list of the top five countries and how many medals they have won. For the winner, I get a full list of bronze, silver and gold totals. But I can ask for a specific country to be told its bronze, silver and gold totals. If I ask for the event, I’m told that Team GB didn’t win anything this year, though to be fair I did specify UK rather than Great Britain. When I get the phasing right, I’m told that it doesn’t know. I guess it’s back to Google.

Smoke Signals #warwick 18

I wonder if the smoke can be controlled. Do they have fans to choose which way it travels? Is there a thickness button to control how long it’s in view for? And do they have to use more or less smoke depending on the weather and atmosphere? Is it dry ice? Using real smoke would be a right pain if it got into your eyes. But perhaps the birds are used to it and they’re able to use it like camouflage. It helps to protect them from the crowd, and they can always dip into it like a cloud if they feel threatened. Or maybe it marks a no-fly zone to control where they’re allowed to go. After all, their eyes must be much more sensitive than ours, and there’s a few different species of birds. It wouldn’t be surprising that they didn’t all get on. Hopefully we don’t see too many aerial battles.

“Just put one foot in front of the other and don't worry about the length of the path. Once you get on that path, and the longer you stay on it, there eventually will come a time when you will not turn back.”

-Martina Navratilova

Little steps always help when you’re facing something big. As long as you’re making progress, it’s still progress, especially if people can see it. Stopping to do nothing won’t help things at all. They’ll be many distractions, and some of them will need dealing with while others can be ignored. But if you can stay the course without looking back, then eventually you’ll reach your goal, wherever or whatever that may be. You might need to keep an eye on the length of the path if it’s a literal one though. You’ll need rest stops and supplies to keep you going, otherwise you’ll arrive wishing you’d never departed. With a bit of training, you’ll get used to it. It’s also nice to know that at some point you can leave your troubles behind and you won’t have to face them again, though hopefully others won’t have to finish the work for you.

Snack Time #warwick 17 #dozo 2

Dozo pondered his next move. There were plenty of humans in front of him with snack foods but he’d probably get told off by the trainers for that. Some were paying him a bit of attention but most of them were focusing on the other birds in front of them. They may also retaliate as there were a lot more of them than him so he could probably get hurt, though most would just get out of the way if he asserted his dominant speed as a threat. There was also a black hole in the wooden square behind him, but again he could get into trouble if he went inside. The stick holding the panel open could also close quite quickly, and they might not let him out again. Dozo had heard of some humans who didn’t want to leave these structures. Then his rattle began to rattle so he knew that it was time for a proper snack.

Passing Trade

He’s tall. Taller than me, but not by much. He’s also a bit lankier and has a slightly better physique but it’s not too much on me considering he’s a builder. He’s not the brightest when it comes to technology but what he has in place is practical skills. He’s not the best conversationalist when it comes to topics unless you’re discussing his trade. He keeps himself smart and well-trimmed unless he’s been working hard (in which case a few signs of stubble will start to show). And while he never formally suits up, the clothes that he does wear while out and about are always branded. He’s always great at playing the host and sources quality ingredients for his guests. Though he doesn’t have much interest in the way of hobbies, he loves spending time with people he values. He’s happy with the work that he does, he’s good at it and he charges a fair price.

Spot the Birdie #warwick 16

Nature works best when camouflaged. Everyone’s drawn to the biggest subject in the centre of the picture. But it’s not the shed. There is someone inside it who’s keeping  an eye on the control centre making sure that everyone’s behaving themselves and that there’s no risks. He might also have a sound desk in front of him. You’re then drawn to what’s on the shed. There is something sticking out on the top of the roof, but if you zoom in it’s just a receiver. You’ll have to look where the people are looking. If you focus on the left side of the shed, you’ll see a pole sticking up just in front of it. Follow the pole up to the top, and you’re suddenly looking at an owl. It’s amazing how the light of the tree offers him perfect camouflage in this daylight setting. He’s found the perfect spot of shade too.