Killer Clown #dreamdiary90

I’m being pursued by a killer clown with a machete. He’s wearing a black leather jacket with jeans and boots, and he’s spouting red hair either side of his ears. He has white make-up and he has a red dog nose rather than a round or human one. I’m in the town centre on a dark autumn night. There’s no rain but it’s cold and the wind is howling all around me. I’ve managed to duck into a service yard but it’s a dead end. I suppose that I could try and climb the wall by propping myself in the corner if he does decide to come down here. But if I slip then he’s got me. Then again, if he shows up, he’s got me. Perhaps I should start climbing now while I’ve got a bit of time so I won’t be as scared. Either that or I should ready myself for a fight.

The McFart

It seems to me that customers of McDonalds produce a unanimous fart. It’s a very distinguished smell; and while not completely off-putting, once whiffed you can be sure that the one who trumped went to McDonalds earlier. The smell of your food is important and the after-effects should be taken into consideration as well, particularly when you identify what your product is doing to your customers and specific ingredients may do different things. But this is as if their marketing department needed something to identify its customers. Perhaps a McRep would walk down the street and think ‘I can’t smell our customers; we need to get our best people down here to increase sales’ or devise a similar scheme to keep loyal customers hooked. Maybe when an odour lingers in the air it encourages passers-by to partake. Sometimes even litter may send subliminal messaging and trigger a reaction in people. I’ve never been one to make enquiries, but maybe I should. Or at least get to my nearest McDonalds.

Fone Shop

My phone wouldn’t turn on. It’s been kept in its case since day one for two years. After a long charge it still wouldn’t turn on so I suspected that it needed a new battery which would be cheaper than shelling out for a new phone. I went to a computer shop where my mother had hers done last year but got told that they don’t do them any more as the man who supplied that service had left. That led me to one of the independent stores that sells cases on a kiosk. So for security purposes, I made a note of the serial number before I went in. He asked me to leave it with him for twenty minutes so I wondered around the shopping centre and bumped into an old works colleague. Forty minutes later, I returned to find he’d gone walkabout and he’d left a friend in charge. He showed up ten minute later and told me that it’s still charging and asked me to get him a Red Bull while we waited! So I popped to the shop and saw that they only had the sugar-free variety and I wasn’t going back to ask him if that was OK. When I returned, there was some more waiting around and he’d told me that he’d tried a battery but still couldn’t get it to work. He suspected that his battery would be faulty and that if I left the phone with him, he’d be able to try again tomorrow when more stock arrived. So a day later there was some more waiting around then he explained that he’d tried three different batteries and they still wouldn’t work. Time of phone death: 17:23. He offered to sell me a refurbished phone from his shop but I wanted something new.

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It’s an interesting and novel subject to focus on, but at times I thought this book could have been more intimate to increase its appeal. I enjoyed the style of Golden’s writing, from the progression of a young frightened girl to the mature woman that she becomes, though at times I found the narrative to drag on a bit. Being a Westerner, I think I would have enjoyed a bit more attention to detail, as what would be considered everyday to the Japanese would fascinate other readers, though occasionally Golden does take the time to tell us this in earlier chapters. I also found it a bit strange that Chiyo referred to her goal so formally throughout the novel; particularly in later years when she began to discover more about him. The ending revelation is impressive but perhaps not so much as to encourage the reader to re-visit earlier passages. It’s entertaining, but it’s more of a biography than a gripping read that you’ll remember.

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Life after Lockdown

If you haven’t been out in the world for a while, you may be in for a bit of a shock. People are more cautious out there. They may cross the road to avoid you, or they may suddenly try to hide themselves as if they’re about to spring onto you. You can’t necessarily go the normal way that you want to go, even when on foot. They’re also less welcoming. They’ll be hiding behind screens or wearing helmets that look like they’ve been borrowed off a riot squad. Rather than being invited in, they’ll often ask if your visit is necessary and what your purpose is. There’ll also be hazard tape everywhere; covering the floor and in between posts to make queue systems. Meanwhile, the rest of us who’ve put ourselves through this process will try to get on while you stagger around like mindless zombies trying to work out what is going on.

Gossiping Grace

She’s got that cute and innocent look, but there’s more than meets the eye. She’s a dark horse. She’ll ask more questions than give answers unless it’s a quick query and gives very little away. She’ll certainly twist her finger to get you to do her bidding rather than knuckle down and do the dirty work herself. Her ambition is to lead but whether she is or not is questionable currently. She’ll talk in an innocent voice about what she wants but seldom takes an interest in others. As well as a smug little look if she’s not delighted to see you, there’s also an ill-gotten mystery of exploiting someone that has yet to be solved. Could it be an inequality or something much worse? It makes you wonder what she gets up to outside of the workplace. Does she have her own little network or does she like to keep tabs on everyone and spread the gossip?

Torchwood

Quite simply, it’s Doctor Who for adults. There’s more blood, more sex (perhaps a bit too much), and new baddies, though it would have been fun if they’d have made some more episodes which included some old ones. But just like the Doctor, Captain Jack’s past is also kept secret unless it’s relevant to the plot, which frustrates the viewer as much as the other characters. I thought that the first two series in the traditional format were brilliant and the extended storyline in the third series worked very well. But it all seemed to fall apart in the fourth series. The American agents were either just too serious or over-dramatic; with only Gwen trying to retain the show’s traditional comedy value. The show’s continuity was left wide open but it will take a good storyteller to bring the show back up to its original values. Perhaps there could be another spin-off with Captain Jack charting his adventures with the time agency. Now I just need to watch the Sarah-Jane adventures and I’ll be up to date with the whole franchise.

Jess

At first glance, you may think it’s just another bimbo but this one is ruthless and cunning. She knows when to flaunt her good looks and when it’s inappropriate not to; and she’ll also take advantage of this to tell others not to do the same thing. She’s happy to discuss the best of gossip out of confidence and spread any rumour that comes her way. She’ll talk to you about the image of the company then become the ultimate hypocrite as you pass your workplace watching her stick her tongue down someone’s throat while in full uniform. She’ll happily shout at you when you’re doing something wrong but will offer very little help to your own career development. She wants to remain ahead of the competition. Even when she’s out of a job, the company is loathe to let her go. They’ll happily keep her on the payroll until they’ve found somewhere that she can dominate.

Mother!

She means well, but also interferes. She never realises intrusion or privacy, and is often nosey to spread the gossip. She doesn’t recognise when she’s in the way of others. She has to be entertained, but it’s always someone else who has to do the entertaining for her. She seems to be incapable of discovering things for herself; and expects that there should be instructions for everything. So rather than take up hobbies with her spare time or learn a new skill, she likes to interfere in the affairs of others. And then there’s the remembering. It’s not instant forgetfulness as she’s quite into a routine; but if you ask her to try something different the next time that she completes a task; she’ll forget all about it. It’s the long-term memories that begin to deteriorate. Still, we must look after for as long as we are able just as she did to us. 

Winter Wonderland

We like to take the girls ice-skating for a winter treat. Usually it’s just me and them while the grown-ups watch at the fun we have because they won’t risk it. So we wrap up warm and head for the upmarket garden centre. They have a temporary small rink just for Christmas as the nearest one is miles away, and you need to book in advance to guarantee a place. There’s also toys on hire for the younger ones; a penguin that you push around to decrease your chance of falling over; or for the even smaller there’s a banana that up to two small children can sit on. But the garden centre relies on the older ones wandering through the winter wonderland to purchase the novelty items on display. There’s all sorts of Christmas decorations at ridiculously marked-up prices. We use the experience to browse what’s on offer, then if we do spot something that we really want, we pop into the coffee shop and out comes the smartphone to see where we can get it cheaper. 

My boss calls and texts me at all hours and on weekends. He expects an answer no matter when. What's the best stragety for dealing with this while still maintaining my own time?

I’m in a similar situation as I’ve been asked to work independently on behalf of two separate sites because of the recent pandemic. Both sites want to keep in touch with me regarding different matters; but there’s work time and there’s my time. These should never overlap; especially if you’re being paid by the hour for a large company. But it’s difficult to turn around and say no as there’s often urgent matters that need to be resolved regardless of who’s the cause of it. Refusing these messages makes you seem inflexible and could have an impact on your career progression, but you also have a life outside of the workplace. That's why I keep a log of how much time I've spent outside of the workplace dealing with these messages. Then when I'm in the workplace, I’ve got evidence to claim the time back. This could be in the form of an overtime payment discussed with the boss, or Ican use the evidence to leave earlier at the end of my shift. I also use it to justify arriving late one morning, or take slightly longer breaks for the inconvenience. If you’re not being paid for it, it’s important to claim it back.

Down at the Docks

We fancied a day out at the historic docks in Gloucester to visit the Victorian Christmas Market. Finding somewhere to park was a nightmare. The car park that I’d scouted out on-line was closed for re-surfacing and the nearest available lot was the nearest to the event so it was full of supply vehicles. We eventually found some street parking and forked out four quid for two hours. Apparently there was an underground car park nearby but we only discovered this on our way back to the car. We entered the market underneath an archway that was blowing out snow. All the vendors were in Victorian attire and were in very festive spirits (unlike other city Christmas markets). We wandered around the stalls to inspect the wares on offer then went for a stroll around the docks and picked up some pork baps for lunch. After that I took the little one on the carousel then we tried to get into the ice-skating but you had to book a session in advance but we didn’t have enough time on the meter to wait for the next available session. So to make up for it we stopped off at a playground near an abbey in Evesham on the way back.  

Elevenes #empress4

At last the doors opened and he was granted admittance. But rather than an extravagant room full of city officials that he had come to expect, the room was void of furniture apart from one item: a huge bed as tall as a pagoda and wider than his entire paddy field. On this bed propped up next to a window was an enormous woman which took up the rest of the height of the room. She was lying face down with a mountainous spherical derriere just short of scraping the ceiling and her head was balanced upon two huge breasts, each as big as a hauler’s cart. She was wrapped in a plain robe of scarlet red and had brown hair that just flowed down her back. She lifted her head from what seemed to be a cauldron of noodles. ‘O forgive me while I partake in a little lunch, my char sui has just arrived.’

Breakfast Time

It’s hard to get a child to try something new; especially when it’s the same colour as poo. When they’re too young to protest they’ll just have what they’re given. They’ll either reject it or accept it, and once they’ve done the latter it’ll be easier to stick with the things that they do like. But then along comes something new. Change. Will they like it? Will they take the risk? It’s a big investment. You’ve got to persuade them to ignore the doubts and plunge straight in. But when change does come along, it’s a big comfort to have something that does say the same so that there’s some sort of normality preserved. It’s comforting. You know where you stand if you had something that you’ve tried before, and it’s relaxing because there’s no sense of risk. So it’s always handy to have something familiar to fall back on, especially in a different environment.

Possessions

I probably have too many possessions. A mixture of nostalgia, childhood memories, and things to pass on or to mature their value. There’s also the failed hobbies. Hundreds of pounds spent on projects that I don’t do any more sitting around wasted. Old battle figures, books, half-figured puzzle books, DVDs that may not work any more. Finally, there’s the stuff that I keep because I think it might be useful later; either to me or to lend out to a friend in return for a favour. Product boxes, computer disks, even a floppy disk drive powered by a USB. I doubt if there’s even a driver out there for it any longer, though I suppose someone out there could be equally nostalgic. I’m a hoarder, possessed by possessions. But is that what’s holding me back? Am I too full? Do I need to be a bit more ruthless in choosing what I chuck away? Or do I simply need to think of a new and sensible way to store it all to create more space? To sort it before storing it?

If Dinosaurs Ruled the World...

Life would be very different. We would no longer be the dominant species on the planet. We would have to reside in fear and in hiding for our security. Technological advancement would be inhibited as the speed to develop and share advancements would be rapidly reduced. Only the fearless would be out in plain sight, the rest of us would remain in shelter for our security. People would live in tribes rather than families which would be much closer-knit, and suspicion of other tribes would be great in case of looting and war. Transport would be much slower and mainly on foot since it would take longer to produce roads and any large gatherings would attract the greatest of attention for prey. Trade would be negotiated in materials rather than a universal monetary system that everyone could adapt to, and would have to be in the greatest of security. And just one slip-up could mean a massacre for a whole tribe.  

Password Pandemic

Following a spam e-mail, I wondered if a hacker had got hold of one of my accounts that I no longer use. I didn’t really care until I started receiving a string of e-mails telling me that I’d been logging in from different places using different browsers throughout the world. Normally, anyone would think this a bit strange especially since there’s a ban on travel at the moment, but in the world of computers you can use software to mask your location to protect your current one. Even so, I thought it best to secure the account and change the password. As soon as I’d submitted a new one, the link failed. In a flash, I’d realised that I’d given out a current one, and that someone had the ability to access some of my other profiles. I had to take quick steps to change passwords to some of my other accounts.  

Cuddle Time

A cuddle is not just a sign of love. It’s significant of comfort. It’s a chance for two humans to recognise their shared feelings and to let each other know that they’re not alone, whatever they’re going through. It’s something that you can’t buy in meaning; though you could just pay a random person to cuddle you or inspire someone to give you a cuddle in the form of a gift. It allows each other to be calm; and bodies often tend to harmonise as they slow down to adapt to each other; though sometimes they can speed things up in excitement if they inspire other things. A cuddle can last for as long as people want them to; it suggests that it’s longer than a hug as you wouldn’t cuddle someone as a greeting. And kids are experts at them; they just love to give them out and be held.

Malicious McAfee

It’s time to re-new my sister’s antivirus subscription. The trap is that they always want you to renew direct online by purchasing software through them; and they promise a big discount. But if you shop around, you can usually buy a product key from a retailer at a fraction of the cost. It’s funny really, because all you’re really buying is a piece of cardboard with a code that the software company have paid to produce. The only real disadvantage is that it takes a bit longer than usual as you have to uninstall their software and re-install the new version. And strangely enough, they also want your credit card information for it to work, even though you’ve already paid for it. But the reason behind this is that they can try and set you up with a subscription to automatically re-new your software next year; while charging you full price of course. But again, this can be disabled by switching your feature off in your account. All it takes is a bit of time. Sometimes I wonder if we even need their software at all. But then again, you’ve got someone to blame if something does go wrong. It’s kind of like insurance for your software.

Chloe and the Great Glass Elevator

The presentation was very informative and tried to keep everyone entertained by switching characters, but I fear that little ones would have been put off and maybe even frightened in the dark. We carried on into a tour of the factory itself where we saw various products flying around on conveyor belts and being packed. We also got to stir chocolate and write our own names, and we could also pick toppings to sample along with chocolate in its liquid form. Then it was time for a ride through an animated world. There was a long queue for this but they’d employed a children’s entertainer to keep the little ones happy. As we got nearer, he told a few jokes then apologised for the wait as the ride had been breaking down. Just as we entered the alpine village section of the ride, it broke down. We had to sit there in the artificial snow listening to animated high-pitched laughing from the beanies while a voice on the speaker calmly asked used to remain in our car. And that was all we could do. Luckily, the next section of the tour was the media zone so it was a perfect opportunity to get those voices out of our heads. We spent some time in the gift shop then grabbed a bite to eat from the packed cafeteria. There were two things left to do; the 4D cinema and the playground. There was quite a queue for the cinema so we let Chloe loose on the playground while we waited in line for her; though she missed someone climbing after her to chase her. Then we picked up our glasses to see who stole the mini eggs. 

PPE

What’s going on with PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)? Why is it so suddenly unavailable? I know that people are after more, but we should try and look after the equipment that we’ve got rather than source new stuff. Surely a spray and a rub-down with some antibacterial spray should do the trick? I found a dust mask in the garage to use, but many people have improvised with scarves, scuba masks and old bras (always use the left cup otherwise you’ll look a right tit). And plenty of schoolchildren have been filmed making equipment for friends and family and donating it to community causes. The problem is that it’s manufactured as cheaply as possible in a faraway land. Many British companies have offered to manufacture it here but have found that the markets are slow in purchases so have sent them elsewhere. But isn’t this what we’re trying to get away from? What was the whole point of Brexit? It’s just so infuriating.

Chloe and the Chocolate Factory

For a half-term treat, we decided to take the girls to Cadbury World. We went by train which meant that we could get a discount if we booked our travel tickets with our tour. Because of high demand, we had to book an arrival slot. Unfortunately, Millie wasn’t well enough to join us that day, but her age meant that she would have got in for free anyway. The walk from the station itself was quite a trip as we had to walk past the employee car parks and around the back of the factory to reach the entrance; though we skirt by the cricket club where it got pedestrianised. When we showed the booking to the attendant in charge of handing out complementary chocolate, she agreed to put a few extra bars into our bag. Then we waded through the artificial forest to learn about cocoa beans and arrived onto a Victorian cobbled to await an invite from a virtual Joseph Cadbury into his factory.

Fisherman's Friends

This is a heart-warming tale of community which is something that the cinema lacks these days, and I even found myself shedding a tear towards the end. You certainly gain an insight of life in small communities. It’s hard to warm to them at first as they don’t take too kindly themselves to their visitors, and I didn’t enjoy the mocking and the cynicism from the music industry either. “Troy” was over-exaggerated, although the group’s choice of song at the wedding didn’t help things either. But Danny’s naivety was heart-warming, and his determination to achieve his goal certainly won over this viewer’s heart. I genuinely felt for him when he offered guidance to the village pub’s tenancy without realising the consequences of his actions, and the difficulties he faced when they arrived in London. But you could see from the beginning of exile from city life that he was determined to fit in. The only odd thing about this film is that there’s no actual fish – a bit fishy all things considered.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

The Secret History by Donna Tartt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a great story that really captivates the reader to turn the pages. It’s a take on a different theme as the ‘whodunnit’ is revealed straight away; it’s the how that intrigues the reader. At first, I thought it might be too intellectual since there’s a fair bit of detail about philosophy and the classics discussed in class. I even thought that Tartt might imply a modern-day Magus. But add in some traditional student vices and it soon becomes a tale that everyone can relate to. Richard has the perfect method in the group to blend in from the outsider to closest confidant without having to pledge close allegiance to any other character. And having such young characters creates even more possibilities as they don’t necessarily have the same conformity and methods as regular murderers or villains. Tartt’s conclusion is quite short but brutal; exploring the power of guilt and how to cope with it.

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'You have to fight to meet your dream. You have to sacrifice and work hard for it.'

The road to success is tough but you need to stay focused. Sometimes you even have to fight with yourself to get the task done. Finding the energy and enthusiasm can be difficult, as well as the time. It’s also difficult to resist those distractions but you must persevere; even if you have to divert your time from others that may need your assistance. You may have to abandon certain pursuits and pleasures to pursue others, and leave other people behind too. Others may help you, but they can also hinder you and the goal may never be reached. What you really need is a plan to find that perfect balance, a time for you to truly achieve your ambition. Then you can keep going no matter what happens. It sounds crude, but only you can achieve your goals. If it was easy then everyone would be doing it. So go.

Measuring Up

I’ve got some slat blinds in my room. They’re good at covering the window, but what they’re not good at is blocking out the light. The window’s not very tall as it overlooks a windowsill but it’s quite wide. I thought that a blackout blind might do the trick so that I can carry on with my computer during the summer. It’s a great distraction. So I’d thought I’d try out the measuring app on my phone. I’ve got no idea how it works. Perhaps the camera uses a laser to calculate how far it’s away from things and calculates the perspective distance? But how do you know it’s calculating the correct surface? Can you trust its accuracy? And how do you use the app anyway? It’s often quite tricky to get a reading and if I was to rely on it, I’d have to google the app for instructions. If I was doing some building work or making a purchase, I’d still use an old-fashioned tape measure just to be sure. On the other hand, I should really be outside when the sun’s streaming through the window.  

Calm Kim

Cool, calm aloof. Nearly an ice queen who isn’t bothered by much and isn’t prepared to go into too much detail about their needs. Someone who you’ve never met before has forced their way into your life and you’re forced to find some common ground. Half the time you’re entertaining the children while the adults converse so quite often conversation is avoided. You don’t know what’s already been said so does it seem rude to make them repeat it? Or does it make you look ignorant and not caring? Naturally, you want to find out about their past but everyone else seems to know this so you feel a bit disinclined. The last thing you want to do is to make her feel that you’re vetting her, but it’s difficult to find out about topics that interest you both. Travel and discussion of previous activities similar to what you’re currently doing are usually safe topics. 

A Wander around Warners

It’s nice to explore the world around you. You can discover new and interesting places. But sometimes you really need to know where you’re going. It’s no good going for a wander if you’re not going to enjoy it; and it could waste a great deal of your time. It’s also nice to know if you can wander around in a circle. If you have to go back the way you came, things can get too repetitive and boring. The challenge is knowing a bit about where you’re going rather than just ploughing on. Do you see what’s around the corner before deciding if you should turn around? I find that asking around is sometimes detrimental to the experience as one opinion can differ greatly from another. That’s why it’s always best to have a map. You can plan your route and have a guide as to what to expect without ruining too much of the adventure for you.

What is the best thing that you can do for someone who is homeless and hungry?

I’m approached by a homeless person. ‘Spare any change?’ the problem is the context. I just don’t know what they need the change for. Are they saving up to buy food or a hot drink? Or are they going to splash out on old habits like a can of booze or a line of coke? You’ve got no way of knowing whether you’re helping them to survive or fund disorderly crime. And as soon as you donate, they’ll hound you for more. You could give them a gift or loyalty card so they’ve got no choice but to spend it at an outlet. But these people may be nervous of entering such stores; they may even be accused of theft as soon as they enter. It seems that the best course of action is to donate to a cause that deals with the homeless. It might not help the person in front of you in the short term; but you can always attempt to persuade these organisations to assist a particular person and they may even be aware of their background.

Up the Bosporus

One of Mum’s ambitions was to sail up the Bosporus, and we managed to find a ferry to do this for a bargain 25 lira a head. This wasn’t a sightseeing tour but a passenger ferry, so we were without a guide or the commentary, and we weren’t sure what we were looking at some of the time. We were also subjected to beggars selling scarves but it was a day out on a shoestring. We called in at various ports and I had a map on my phone so we could get some idea of what we were looking at, including castles and palaces. Then we got our first glimpse of the black sea. We called in at Anadolu where everyone disembarked and the crew took a break. Everyone filed past the village and climbed the hill, so we decided to follow and reached the abandoned Yorus castle for a great view. Along the way were apartments in gated communities with barbed wire fencing, it looked like a prison with the amount of military presence but I guessed that they could have been barracks since there was a squad going through a drill that we’d spotted once we’d returned to the ferry. We also stopped off at a nice fish restaurant with a sea view while we waited to re-board the ferry.