Stuck Around the Metro #dreamdiary 119

I’m late for work. I decide that if I forego breakfast, I can make it on time and maybe stop at the convenience store on the way and buy a sandwich to sneak into the stockroom later. I head off on my e-scooter and park it outside the shop opposite the metro line. The whole area is full of sanded concrete buildings in a pedestrianised area containing shops in what used to be a huge housing estate with a jumble of roads and criss-cross green spaces. The e-scooter is still running. I ponder the best way to get to work from here. Should I backtrack on myself and go down the old road? Or should I turn off the scooter and walk through the precinct to catch a glance at our company’s newer store? I look at my watch and discover that I should have been at work by now. I take out my phone and start looking at Google maps to plan the best route. 

Prancing around Penguins

We entered through the turnstile. For a half-term holiday it wasn’t crowded, but either the day-trippers have been and gone or the weather had put a lot of people off. The first thing we saw was the penguin enclosure. Nothing much was going on apart from they were out for a waddle.  There was a young one out refusing to take his eyes off the gate where the keeper would obviously enter to feed them, but other than that not much was happening. Further up, there was an observation bridge overlooking the pool. We walked around to look at various coloured birds in cages, then we decided to head into the café for lunch. From the outside it looked very nice with its tables and views, but as it was tipping it down we were huddled into a corner amongst the other sheltering families. I can’t remember what we had and there was a fair wait for service, but the girls did get an activity pack to play with while we waited.

What is the craziest office scandal that happened at your job?

 I took on a temporary early evening cleaning job with two fairly aged mothers. We’d meet in the reception of an office block and we’d each load up a trolley of supplies to cover three or four office areas. We’d do simple things like vacuuming, emptying the bins, cleaning the toilets and scrubbing down desks. The offices were mainly for social security workers so we wouldn’t expect anything to be too gross, but everything had to be super hygienic and we had to wear gloves and even sanitise the phones. I guess that if the office workers walked in the next day and couldn’t smell any sanitiser then we hadn’t been scrubbing hard enough. We’d spend maybe half an hour doing our own areas then we’d put the kettle on and have a brew while our supervisor checked that our work was satisfactory. One day I received a note saying dear Mrs. Cleaner with a list of areas for me to focus on that evening. I guess they hadn’t cottoned onto equal rights yet. Yeah, I don’t have much experience of working in an office.     

Stuck in the Village

There’s only so much you can do to entertain children in a confined space. So when we’d walked round the model village and spotted as many things as we could think of and posed to our heart’s content, it was a struggle to think what to do next. We’d already paid an admission fee for an attraction, and it wasn’t the best of weather to go for a walk around the village, though we did do the traditional walk across the ford. It was too early to justify getting back into the car to go home. In the end I forked out for a family ticket to go into Birdland. It wasn’t in our original plan but the kids said that they wanted to go there as soon as we arrived in the village. And being as it was their day out and they were being very good I decided to treat them. 

"A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on."

-John F. Kennedy.

It’s natural to want your legacy to live in in some form, whether it’s through your children or to commemorated for something that you did. It’s your calling card that you were here on earth. And even if the planet is left in ruins, it’s hoped that some form of your existence would still prevail; even if it’s a mission that you weren’t able to complete but someone else might strive to achieve your goal, even if they claim it as their own. It’s ironic that some of these ideas are being discussed even now as quotes, if only to preserve the thinking of the person that spoke them. But ideas are nothing if people don’t discover them and they may never be found or acted on if people don’t share their thinking. The key is how people preserve these important ideas so that one day their wishes may be fulfilled. 

A model of a model within a model...

To be honest, it looks like a heck of a mess. It’s hard to say whether the newer buildings represent new houses built in the area or if they’re part of a restoration project. Is it genuine Cotswold stone, or is it just a plastic mould waiting for material to be added to it? There’s not really much in the way of a guide or an information board to tell you what you’re looking at, so it’s pretty much up to the viewer to decide. The public buildings were more interesting since some of them had sections of their walls removed so that you could peer inside. It looks like they want to stick to the traditional village rather than showcase how the village has evolved though. It would be great if they had a hands-on model section. Sure, they’d get some duff ones but they might pick up some new ideas too.    

 

Secrets

Nobody really likes a secret. I suppose it's OK if it turns out to be a nice surprise, but the consequences of discovering information that is detrimental to your character can be upsetting. It's a right that you should have access to the same knowledge as everyone else, all and you can hope you is that you’ll discover it but it's not nice when you know that everyone is conspiring to keep things from you. Sometimes it's a game, but when it becomes part of your life it can really get hold of you. I don't have a shocking secret. I might have dirty habits that I don't want you to discover, but it's probably for the best if you do as it'll stop me from performing them owing to fear of embarrassment. I've kept certain truths or attempt to from parents to avoid getting into trouble, and I suspect a lot of people have done the same thing, particularly with the law as well. But some people are addicted to secrets. They thrive on gossip and action and wonder how long I can last before someone finds them out. Love, stop. It makes them particularly addicted to soap operas, usually because of who's sleeping with who.

Little Posers

There’s a fair bit to see for little people. They can wind their way through the tiny lanes and take note of what’s inside each building, particularly when they may struggle to get a decent view on their own looking at the real thing. Some exhibits might need an explanation of their purpose. The pub looked particularly run down, and if it was a derelict pub it would certainly be an accurate model. It’s definitely one of the buildings that requires some work. Some of the buildings even looked like they’d suffered from mould or fire damage. And of course, they’ve got to take a postcard picture to say that they’ve been there, even if they don’t remember being there later on in their lives, or the squabbles just because they each wanted a picture of themselves on their own. I didn’t. And I don’t quite understand the poses they took, although I’m pretty sure that they won’t remember either.   

Towelling Off

What can you say about a piece of metal that consists of two rods that slide in and out of a bracket? I don’t think it even came in a box or had instructions. We just received pieces of metal wrapped in plastic and some screws. Apparently it’s easy to install but it’s not a job that I’m allowed to attempt. It does look a bit delicate as it doesn’t extend that far, and I also think that the gap between the rods isn’t wide enough if you’ve got two thick towels. It’s also quite shiny but it will probably spend most of its life covered up by towels. As it’s new, it does feel quite sturdy and the bracket hides away well but I wonder if it would hold the weight of two wet towels. I guess only time will tell and that I won’t have to worry about rust.

Village People

We arrive at the model village and pass through the turnstile. It’s a cash only job and I wonder if a mobile signal is powerful enough around here to warrant card payments. We’re greeted by a view of sandstone buildings surrounding by a well-trimmed wall of hedgerows to mark the perimeter fence. Occasionally there’s the odd domed umbrella floating about like some kind of camp spaceship, and the odd child’s hood peeking out over the rooftops. The buildings are a bit worn down; evidently the model’s been here a while and it’s not looking its best; some buildings are desperately in need of a touch-up or it could be the rain reflecting the actual village. The best thing I loved about it was that there was a model village within the model village. I’m guessing they only built that once though. Next to this was a railway exhibition but I don’t think the girls would been interested enough to warrant the extra charge to visit this.

 

A real real Wimpy wimpy

What was once a wimpy skinny guy with freckles on the nose that loved to prance around in water has now become a loyal friend. The belly might have grown a bit to the point of wondering if he’s pregnant, but a controlled diet has toned that back down again to be as short as his fair hair. He’s never ready at any physical activity unless it’s a walk with a pint at the end which often involves a beer gear. There’s an aura about him that he always has to be in labelled uniform and doesn’t realise when it’s time to be formal. He’s also not a great listener as information washes over him after it’s been explained. He’s happy to be committed to labour but isn’t a great instigator when it comes to planning, often choosing to shelter at home rather than taking a leap out into adventure.

Bourton-on-the-Water Model Village

It’s a cold, wet, day and it’s our turn to entertain the kids. We promised them a day out so off we head into the Cotswolds to look at the model village. It seems that despite the weather, a lot of other people have got the same idea. The local tourist trap car park is full of coaches and we take a lovely tour of the next pay and display lot only to discover that that’s full as well. We take a drive around the village and park in a backstreet outside someone’s house. It’s not ideal as we’re a short walk away but at least it’s legal and we’re not blocking anyone’s way. The girls don’t mind the walk as they’ve been inside the car for an hour and are keen to stretch their legs. It’s a shame that it’s a very busy road with nothing much in the way of sights.

 

Marvel's Agents of Shield

What an amazing series. It’s an evolved version of Thunderbirds only on a massive scale. There’s stunts and action galore as well as high-tech gadgets. It’s great how all the characters are committed to come together as a team. There’s also plenty of dry wit and humorous moments. And the mole buried in the team against the backdrop of the films was amazing. It’s a shame that this wasn’t carried out for the rest of the series. I love how the team’s leadership is shifted around the whole series. I thought it was a shame that Bobbi and Hunter left the series and was delighted to see Lance return in series 5. I must admit that the final two series was a bit hard to follow in terms of enemies and all the alterations of the timeline. It seems that they just couldn’t let go of Coulson, and Simmons experienced major character changes. But it’s certainly a series that I’d want to watch again.

The Feast #Titannabell 8

The King and Queen were seated on a raised table on a stage alongside the hosts of the party. Titannabell was invited to sit on a raised bed of cushions below the stage, but she was that tall that her breasts still overreached the host’s table. Because of her size, the hosts thought it would be rude not to keep Titannabell waiting for each course and would always ensure that she was served first and got the best and biggest portion as a token of their hostelry and have her own waiting staff. It was great entertainment for the rest of the crowd as well who were keen to witness how much food this girl could put away and whether she would grant the ensemble a favour by letting loose one of her earth-shaking belches. Of course, such an act would deem to be unladylike but it certainly didn’t deprive her of any attention.

Forward the Foundation by Issac Asimov

Forward the Foundation by Isaac Asimov
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

It’s certainly a tale of democracy. As with Asimov’s other tales in the saga, most of the action takes place through dialogue rather than narration and every character seems to have the right to exercise their say as they individually turn detective to counter-question their fellow characters in order to achieve their goal. But there’s few moments of humour in this story. Sometimes I feel as if it’s a tale of how Hari got his groove back as he deals with depressive moments of old age and battles politicians with conspiracies and infiltration, all while battling self-doubt and paranoid mutinies. But the idea of an army of gardeners penetrating the heart of government is certainly a novel one. At times it’s interesting to see how the stage is set for scenarios that take place later in the saga. There are still some unanswered questions and I was hoping to learn of some of Seldon’s soothsaying abilities which never transpired and it’s more than likely that these are now simply a product of the Second Foundation. But it’s really a sad tale of demise as the protagonist observes everything deteriorating around him, and it’s more a novel of self-interest rather than offering any real insight or technological progress.

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Barrels and Bongs

So just what the heck is happening here? It looks like the barrel’s trying to get high as it dishes out the beer. It looks like a tiny bit of plastic that’s someone’s moulded to the top. Is this a quick repair job to keep the line intact? Is the beer being transferred from one barrel to the other to make some room? And what’s the stuff that’s coming up the tube? Is it a gas or a liquid? Maybe the beer’s breathing and the air’s being extracted from the barrel to make it last longer. It’s strange that the keystone is on the metal rim of the barrel and not the wood. This must make it a lot harder to fit unless this is a barrel that’s designed to be refilled. I can think of better things to do on a Saturday afternoon. Hopefully it’s not wasting too much beer.

Ambridge Mosaic at Southcrest Manor Beer Festival

 A festival isn’t’ just about the bands you see or the beers you drink or how much you spend or avoid spending. It’s about the people you meet. The bands might be from the top of the pops and you could spend every penny you have sampling every item but if you’re doing it all solo it all tends to be a bit commercialised. And even with your friends it could just like you’re meeting up in the usual local all over again. It’s all about meeting different people and seeing how they interact with the same stimuli. You might find that character that everyone talks about or the event might just move you enough to become that person. There’s a great atmosphere to get you going with live music for everyone, bales of hay to sit on and chill out, and you can go at your own pace and try whatever takes your fancy.

Nice Day for a Drab Wedding #dreamdiary 118

Me and a colleague from work have been invited to a wedding reception. There’s been a bit of a debate as to who will attend, but we are the company’s chosen representatives. We work a half day then throw a blazer over our uniforms and jump into a taxi. We arrive at the local social club. Inside, we walk through a large open room with a square bar in the middle to reach the function room at the back. The tables are laid out banquet-style in front of a stage and we’re invited to take our seats. Then Mrs. Doyle (or a lookalike) arrives to a glittering gold backdrop. She’s wearing a matching top hat and tails with white gloves and boots. She presents the new bride and groom’s family who are a bit shy to be brought up on stage. We then realise that we have to make our way back to work and organise a taxi, realising that we still need to retrieve our cars from our workplace. We also haven’t seen the bride and groom all day. 

Happy Birthday

Is it a time for celebration or is it a time of reflection? After all, it does mark your demise. But it's a day when all the attention is on you. There's a ritual to this as we turn light into darkness by blowing out candles on a cake after observing how many there are. But does it mark another year of survival? Is it an opportunity to compare your progress to your peers? Whatever it is, society believes that it should be marked in some way. It's as if it's commemorating successful intercourse between two people around nine months before this date. And now we gather and send gifts and share cake and send cards if we can't be there or in this day and age a photo message on social media is dispatched instead. It's a great indication of who your friends and allies are. But don't forget that it's just as important to take part in the celebration of theirs as well.

 

Pointless

It’s a bit difficult to play these games on your own, but at least they get the theme music right in these things. We get a warm welcome from the gameshow hosts then the assistant jumps in to announce today’s category. Mine was History and Politics. I suppose you get the option to run away if you don’t fancy it. There’s also no time limit, so you can take as long as you like to answer the question, which means that there’s nothing to stop you from googling your answers either. So if you can’t think of anything, you can go ahead and learn. If you’re right, Richard does give a few other answers but not as much detail as he would in the show. After three rounds the game is over, and I’m invited to come back tomorrow to play again or pay to upgrade to the tournament mode. I suppose it’s handy to build up your confidence if you’re planning to appear on the show, but otherwise it’s just a quick five minutes of entertainment.   

A Wander in Worcester Woods Country Park

We’re off for a walk in the woods. Well, what we’re really doing is attending a hospital appointment and using a free car park that’s situated just a ten-minute walk away. We arrive early to orientate ourselves and drive into a marshalled car park opposite a large modern office building and we’re directed into a space. As I leave the car, I ask one of the marshals if it's free parking because it's odd that there's marshals here. I'm told that it is free so long as we're not parking here to use the hospital. We head off and we’re aware that we're being casually observed, so we entered the woods rather than the tarmac path alongside it. At the corner we re-join the tarmac path and follow the signs to the hospital. Once we work out where our department is, we head backed into the woods as we’re still too early.

Is Toxic Positivity Real?

You’ve got to wonder who dreams these terms up. Is it something that we really need to be aware of? I suppose it’s real if you choose to make it real. But if you choose to ignore it, then you don’t need to worry about it. I suppose it can be annoying if someone’s always smiling at you even if there’s a negative situation. It’s as if they’re a plastic person with a fixed smile who can’t identify an emotion or be granted any freedom of expression. There’s just no way that these people can sympathise with any kind of problem, or when they do they just want to dispose of you as quickly as possible. It can be frustrating when you’re trying to get some genuine help. But if they’re stuck in their ways, it’s probably better to just abandon them altogether and try and find someone that cares.

Ancient Paphos

On the south-west coast of the island is a fenced-off area just behind the coastal path that you’d be forgiven for thinking that it’s some kind of military compound if you didn’t know what you were looking at. But with a bit of background reading, I discovered that it was part of an archaeological site and it should at least be worth a look at. What looked like a very well-preserved museum from the outside soon turned out to be a bit of a desert within. Armed solely with a mobile phone and a pamphlet given to me by a very bored security guard, I attempted to make the best of what I could find and took a quick photo of the map for reference. The mosaics seem to be well preserved and most of them were enclosed in some kind of basic shelter. The highlight for me was reaching the base of the lighthouse that we could see from our apartment complex, but unfortunately it was forbidden to go in. I also enjoyed the nearby amphitheatre. 

"If they don't like you for being yourself, be yourself even more."

 -Taylor Swift.

Everyone wants you to conform to some sort of system, whether it’s how to behave while out and about or act in a certain manner, particularly in the workplace. But that can be kind of boring. If everyone’s doing the same thing, it just makes life predictable. Instead, you need to stand out and do what you want to do. Otherwise, you’ll be too easily persuaded to follow the herd and do things that everyone else wants you to do. If people want to mould you to act a certain way, then they’ve definitely got too much control over you. It also takes the enjoyment out of things. So why should you put up with it? You need to let them know that you’re not all right with it. You may feel kind of lonely at first, but others will follow you if you can make them see your point.  

Aphrodite's Rock Brewery

 As I was with the kids for a full-on week, I was allowed a couple of escapist days on the island. One of the things that I was interested in was a brewery in the mountains. I’d actually heard of this place a few years before as they faced a struggle to get it set up and had often written into beer magazines to publicise their business. I found that for just €50 they would pick me up in a minibus from my apartment, provide a BBQ lunch, a brewery tour, and all the beer that I could drink as well! I applied online and they confirmed the booking by telephone the following day with pick-up details. As all the pick-up points were completed ahead of schedule, our driver decided to treat us to a view of a shipwreck before getting shipwrecked ourselves. We were then taken to the brewery where a welcome paddle was provided to us on arrival.

What I Really Want

I’ll tell you what I want, what I really really want, don’t’ tell me what you want what what you really really want, I wanna zig-a-zig-ah! But if I don’t tell you what I want what I really really want, how am I supposed to get it? I suppose I’ll have to go and get it myself. It’s often a question I get asked when it comes to close to birthdays or Christmas, but I hate giving people the easy option. Instead, I like to think that they know me well enough to anticipate things that I’d like and enjoy. But I can't seem to obtain my goals and desires. I'd like a study income that pays enough to sustain myself and a family to go with it. But why can't I have these things when others can? Is it because I'm not trying hard enough? Or am I being too worn down by others through unselfish ways? I'd like a bit of glamour and a fun day out with people who are interested in spending time with me and like to invite me out to interesting places or events. It would be nice if I didn't have to do the planning and also be available for these opportunities. I’d like my things to be nicer with a bit less rat and tat and have room to store them. I’d like more time to spend pursuing new hobbies and projects.

Out and About in Paphos

We were a bit far from the main part of the town but there were still some decent amenities nearby. There were a cluster of restaurants on the main street, and we were also on a coastal path that ran down the island all the way into the main harbour. Not far away was a large supermarket but we decided that the convenience of a local shop outweighed the cost of a further journey out. There were some archaeological ruins nearby to check out as well as a castle to explore. There were also some bars in the main town but getting the kids down there was a problem so we only risked it the once. The good news was that our apartment complex offered some evening entertainment in the bar so that we could go out to eat then return for the entertainment and the room wasn’t too far away if the kids got tired.  

Old and Grey

I needed some new smart t-shirts for going out and about in. I picked some up from the shops and my last one was an online order. The choice of size was limited to the usual male range, and I wasn’t sure what the texture of the cotton would be. It was an interesting shirt since the sleeves were a slightly different shade to the body of the garment. When it arrived, the feel of it was nice, soft and smooth. But when I tried it on, it looked ridiculously baggy. It was the kind of shirt that an American teenager would wear in a heatwave to keep cool. It was the kind of size that an American footballer would fill out proudly. But on me, it just emphasised my skinniness. When I looked in the mirror, there was more shirt than person. And now that shirt’s got to go on a journey back to the warehouse in the hope that it’ll be passed onto someone else. 

Swinging Sisters

The breakfast quality isn’t great as it’s cooked en-mass then chucked into serving pans as there’s lots of people to serve, but the choice is plentiful. I found myself alternating between cereal and pancakes then a nice choice full English. I’d also tuck away an apple for later which my nieces found incredibly amusing and towards the end of the week they began doing the same thing with pieces of cake. A daytime tour of the complex found us a little supermarket which was functional but slightly overpriced, and on the other side of the road was a small arcade. There was also a spot for hiring bikes and a heated indoor pool and gymnasium. Opposite this was the main pool which was split into a small splash pool and a very cold large pool with a dividing bridge. Opposite this was a café which doubled as an entertainment room, a small indoor kids room, a play area and some sunbeds facing the sea.  

 

The Absorberer

She’s got small and short blonde hair with a very small fringe overlapping her forehead. She has small straight square teeth, so small that she has to cut her food into ridiculously small pieces which takes her ages at mealtimes. When dining in company, she’ll resort to abandoning what’s left on her plate and will spend the day nibbling on jerky or straw-like snacks. She’s never seen without her travel coffee mug or some other snack in liquid form. She’s constantly on the go and it’s her small ponytail that makes her so aerodynamic. As a result she’s very thin, but she always wears short shorts to display her smooth legs accompanied by light, bright, colours, usually white or yellow. When it’s cold, she’ll resort to a large baggy sweater to wrap herself up in, but as soon as the sun is up or there’s any sign of physical activity she’ll cast this off so that she can try to absorb as much sun as possible to rid herself of her pale look. Nevertheless, she’s fast and determined, and she’s always ready to put in the effort to keep things moving quickly. 

Kefalos Beach Tourist Village

We’re welcomed by friendly smiling staff in a large atrium. There’s a nice selection of comfortable balcony sofas with matching coffee tables stacked with a small selection of magazines and leaflets. The check-in process is simple and we’re invited to hand our luggage to a porter to be driven to our apartment on a golf cart. The ladies are given a lift and a quick tour of the complex while we walk down a well-laid path of crazy paving surrounded by well-maintained greenery. The room is comfortable. It’s a bit echoey inside which makes up for those scorching hot days but the climate controls are easy to operate. After a good night’s sleep, we attempt to retrace last night’s steps to the breakfast buffet. It’s in a very large open-plan room but staff are always on hand to allocate us a table. The view isn’t great and there’s a bit of a journey to make between the table and the buffet.

 

Black Widow

I was disappointed to learn that this movie wasn’t to be an origin film. I knew of Romanoff’s tie-in to the Red Room as she was introduced in the Avengers films, but what I was really looking for was a fill-in of the relationship between herself and Barton, maybe with some S.H.I.E.L.D agents thrown in. And some intimate moments would have been brilliant. Instead, we’re treated to a post-Civil War film with some new characters thrown in to prevent the release of brain-washing gas. And the use of Ray Winstone as a villain made it look too tacky and simple rather than a battle with someone who possessed superhuman powers. That said, the film did have a few interesting moments. I loved how Belova mocked Romanoff’s poses, and the locations that the film covered were quite spectacular. But the attempt to encourage a former hero to get back into his cape just failed. I couldn’t see him portrayed as a father figure, and perhaps this should have been covered in the introduction of the film. I also spent his every appearance wondering if her was Kelsey Grammer. The film is entertaining in itself, but it doesn’t really fill in any puzzles to the cinematic universe.