A Nurse Puts a Healthy Baby Next to Its Dying Twin. What Happens Next left Everyone Without Words.

Shouldn’t this process of a hug be natural? This sibling has had another in the womb for nine months. It’s the only thing of comfort that each other knows. If anything, it’s a comfort for itself. It’s also a natural incubator that man cannot recreate. You can’t recreate love with a machine, no matter how soft you make it. You’d think that the twin was bidding farewell to its sibling, but after a long and unnecessary complex explanation about the baby’s mother, the story goes on to tell that the sibling recovered. It’s only natural that it wanted to copy its brother, but it’s still a miraculous tale, although the story does lack detail of the twin’s condition. There’s too much focus on the mother rather than the twins who draw you in. It’s the past that makes the story rather than the future, although it does encourage you to discover what happens next. 

What A Fiesta!

I showered and started to pack up my things. I thought I’d load up the car then go and have breakfast before hitting the road. It was a cloudy day but the sun was out trying to warm up the land. I found the car and unlocked it but the door didn’t open. I looked at the car. There was a baby seat in the back. My car was parked another two car lengths away. Clearly I needed some coffee before I continued any further. I looked around the street. Someone was probably watching me trying to enter a vehicle that wasn’t mine. I looked up at the flat windows but the curtains were all shut. Luckily, it was a Sunday morning and the street was deserted. Perhaps everyone was treating themselves to a lie-in after being woken up early by someone hammering on the door trying to wake his mate up. 

Spiderman: No Way Home

I hadn’t seen any films of this franchise or even the whole of the previous franchise; but I had enough knowledge of Spiderman to cope with a new film. The only things I wasn’t sure about were the first antagonist from its predecessor and Electro. Life would probably have been easier if Spiderman had pressed the button in the first place since the outcome would have been the same either way, but I suppose it was May’s key message that called him to put a focus on his actions. It was nice to see that Ned was tied into the Wongs though. There’s some fun moments that happen thick and fast like Spiderman’s battle with Strange in the mirror universe but I felt that in some ways it was more of a fan’s tribute film than a new adventure. In other ways it’s a prequel for Strange’s new film. I think the concept would have been more fun if the current Spiderman entered other realms. 

A Rude Awakening

I was up quite early. I don’t know why. Perhaps it was the excitement of the day. But there was a thumping in the corridor. I don’t know what was going on, but I stuck my head out to investigate. A young man was pounding on a door three doors down from me. I could hear him yelling as well. The person within was refusing to answer. There was no way of knowing if he was there at all. I was tempted to shout something back, but it could have been the breakfast chef for all I knew. I suppose I could have made some helpful suggestions, but it didn’t really bother me too much as I was up anyway. Learning from my previous night’s interaction with the Scottish locals, I decided to keep out of it and avoid a confrontation. The banging did carry on for a bit though. 

Green Mean Outbreak #dreamdiary 132

There’s something going around. I can’t quite put my finger on it. People are out and about wearing green chins with swarms of flies buzzing around their face. They also have swollen green cheeks. These people seem to be more direct in their approach. It’s as if they’ve been infected by an alien parasite. They’re approaching people and breathing into their mouths. After a few moments, the recipient begins to gag and vomit then collapse on the floor. The only way to escape it is to stay away from them. They’re congregating in urban centres where they can quickly build up numbers. I’m hiding with a group of people in a small rotunda which used to host a coffee shop. We’ve pushed all the tables and chairs to the exits but I think they’ve heard us. They’ve somehow climbed up to the window and smashed the glass. They’re in. They’ve got me. 

How to Make People Like you in 90 Seconds by Nicholas Boothman

How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less by Nicholas Boothman
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

In an age where there’s more people than ever before and there’s hundreds of different ways to connect with each other, you’d think that no-one would feel lonely again. But being liked is where it counts. There’s no major secrets here. A lot of what Booth writes is common sense. The whole book is aimed at insecure people and could be summed up in one page, but there’s also some great tips for nosiness people wishing to increase their sales. When I was reading through the breathing exercises, I felt that my balls could be used as a pair of lungs when he mentioned that I should be breathing from below. Some of the suggestions are a bit meek and they’re more of the complimentary or monetary perspective rather than making you a better entertainer. There’s also no protocol for group behaviour. Still, you might find yourself correcting the way that you say things to people to present a better attitude, even if it’s too late (which actually overemphasises your previous attitude).

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Caged Up

My sister-in-law needed a new cage for her spaniel. He’s a gorgeous black little thing who’s quite old and never barks. He does like to be fussed over and loves to jump up on people to play with him. Often he’s happy if someone’s rubbing his forehead, but if people are eating then he has to be kept in a cage so that he doesn’t jump up and beg. When he’s out, if he’s naughty, he’ll either be kept inside, let out into the garden on his own, or he’ll be confined to the cage. At some point it was decided that his current cage was too big for him, and they could get a smaller one to save room and enforce a punishment. I suppose he could have also chewed through some of the bars and worn it down over time. There may have been a breakout, though a small repair would have been feasible. 

The Contents Within

Upon opening the package, I quickly realised that the server had decided to give me the rest of the meat so that he could close the shop, which meant for an extremely dry kebab. I realised that this would kill me if I ate the whole thing, but it would probably stink out the room if I left it in the bin. I therefore had to venture out into the night again to find a suitable receptacle to dispose of it. I became aware of smells of weed wafting out from the estate opposite. Hopefully I’d encounter some sort of industrial Biffa bin which wasn’t being patrolled by a gang. Luckily, I didn’t have to venture out far. A short stroll back past the kebab shop led to a bin in the middle of the shopping precinct. Job done, I had a lot of driving to do the following day so I settled in for an evening with Family Guy.

 

Problems Kids Face

They’re smaller. They’re inexperienced and don’t know the problems they face. When something goes wrong, they want to conform in someone that they trust who’s bigger than them, familiar to them, and willing to fight for them. There may be peers that are bigger than them or more advanced than them that they may have to compete with. They also need to be watched to ensure their safety and well-being. They may be taken advantaged of because of their vulnerability. They may have to battle their peers and siblings to ensure their supremacy. Because they’re smaller, they have to be louder so that they can be heard. They have to follow more rules and guidelines to keep themselves safe so that they can settle into a healthy routine for their development. They have to be reminded of things so that they retain this information. They have to learn who they can trust and who might hinder them. They have to learn whose advice is the best to take. 

A Night on the Toon

Food was now the priority of the day. Although I was due to eat a hot breakfast tomorrow, I still wanted a hot meal. There were restaurants nearby, but having experienced the local Scottish welcome, I opted for a takeaway. A kebab would be good. I found a fish and chip shop in a corridor of estate shops and decided to give a kebab a whirl. I popped in and it looked like they were closing for the night. I asked for a kebab in a naan with salad, and he popped a fresh naan onto the grill. Then the meat was added and my choice of sauces was requested. I asked for yoghurt and mint and was told that he’d never heard of that one, so I settled for mayonnaise. The next place was where to eat it? There wasn’t a particular choice of scenic views, so it made sense to sneak it back to my hotel room.

I Got You Dave

He’s tall with short, white hair and a wide face, but not so much that he’s obese. He’s well-travelled which keeps him fit and active and likes seeking out adventure. He’s always happy to share his experiences with others. And he’s not afraid to be a critic to the system, so long as he doesn’t have to be up there in the face. Talk to him and you may think he’s slow-witted, but it’s just his speech and you’ll never have trouble understanding him. Occasionally the veins in the face might light up, but that’s just a sign of a good day on the beer. Shorts are usually his preferred method of dress with a white t-shirt, and a silver chain. In winter he may resort to jeans, but he’ll always be brown-booted. Occasionally this may be beer-themed if he’s on an associated visit. And you can guarantee that he knows his way around the kitchen even if he’s not cooking.   

Inveralmond Lia Fail at the Earl of Zetland, Grangemouth

I was looking for somewhere to take an evening meal and found what I thought was a Wetherspoons. It was an interesting building that had been converted from a church, and it still held the outer doors and adjoining pews leading upstairs to the restrooms. Inside was a cavernous environment and the bar was built over the old organs. Unfortunately, I couldn’t see any menus out, and I soon established that the place was a former Wetherspoons and food stopped at 8pm. My next course of action was to buy a pint and have a think about what to do next. After browsing on my phone, I found a takeaway that I could try, and I also managed to book myself a canal trip on the Falkirk wheel for the following day. Pleased with my antics, I relaxed as I finished my pint. Unfortunately, one of the locals didn’t take to my browsing, and thought that I was filming him. I explained that I was on the web, and it took a while for him to be reassured. I felt that this isn’t the sort of pub that welcomed newcomers, and the pub has since folded.

 

Recipe Ideas

I’m cooking at home this weekend and I fancy trying something new. I might make a bit of a mess, but as long as I clear it up afterwards and don’t destroy anything, all will be well. I also need to survive the experience, and it’ll be a bonus if it tastes nice. I’ve got three dinners to cover, and I’ve tried to use ingredients that I can combine in other dishes so that nothing goes to waste, which is harder to work out when you’re cooking for one. I was toying with the ideas of sausages in a Yorkshire pudding, which I could also stick into a pasta bake. I also got some fishcakes and thought about some mac and cheese, but then I decided to be healthy and serve it with mash and veg which would also go with the Yorkshire pudding. Then I found some healthy carrot and suede potato which I could just nuke then use half of it and reheat it the following day, which would be easier than trying to make it. Job done. 

The World out There

So apart from the shopping village and the fingerpost, there wasn’t much there. There was a ferry in port at the harbour and a line of fishing pots, but no-one was about. I wasn’t hungry so the only thing left to do was to go souvenir shopping. There were three shops to choose from, and after browsing them all and working out the best deals I picked up some shortbread for home, for work, and to give to the family. I also got myself a keyring to say that I’d been to the most northern point in the country, although from looking at the map, the cliffs seemed like they were further out. Maybe it’s based on magnetic north and everything is at an angle. In any case, I still had over four hours of driving to do to get to the hotel, so I thought I’d better give them a call when I was nearby to make sure that my room was still available.   

The Approach #vampress 3

The party approached the hill on an oddly clear night. There were stars in the sky, the moon glistened, and a light breeze in the air compared to the full force winds that usually resided in the village. Some of the townspeople began to feel a little warm and sweaty in their overclothes. A grey hedgerow was planted either side of the path, and a couple of the villagers decided that this would be a suitable place to lie underneath and create a defensive retreat position in the event of an ambush. They armed their crossbows and placed themselves underneath the soft, fur-like foliage. The others creeped cautiously towards the huge wooden door. As they reached the peak of the hill, the slope began to disappear out of sight. One of the villagers pressed his ear to the wood and recoiled in horror. He thought he heard screaming, but when he released his face from the door, all was silent. 

End of the Line

I’d somehow missed the turning and got all the way to the fire station before turning around. I’m not sure what happened to the sat-nav. Maybe it gave up once it realised how north I was and didn’t want to take the responsibility of navigating any further. I soon arrived at a car park surrounded y a few buildings, mostly shops and cafes. They weren’t particularly inspiring, but I felt that I needed to check them out because of the effort that I’d made to get here. At the very least I wanted to get a keyring and some gifts for my family, and I had to shop around to ensure that I was getting the best deal. But first I had to take a picture of the fingerpost before a coach party turned up. There were already a bunch of cyclists and people in uniformed t-shirts who were either setting off or completing fund-raising efforts, so I had to pick my moment.

 

Psychops

Apparently, brewers used to use ingredients other than hops to give it a floral taste. I suppose these flowers were easy to forage, or you’d splash out and buy hops from the market. You’d have no way of knowing what was in the concoction placed before you in the tankard other than trusting the brewster. It springs up images of wrinkly witches with pimples on their noses stirring a cauldron while wearing a pointy hat and cackling loudly. No wonder people got drunk and referred them to beers as potions that made them do odd things. Is it any wonder that people thought that these brewsters would fly off into the night on a broomstick and the mere drop of water would make them disappear? Or would this be holy water, which in today’s terms would be water that’s clean and purified (i.e from the tap? Is our tap water scientifically the same as holy water without the magic spell of a blessing?). 

Where to Refuel?

The last thing you want to do on a long road trip is to run out of fuel. Calling for help is certainly going to hold you up. Likewise, you don’t want to spend too much time away from your route scouting out for a good deal on fuel or paying premium prices at service stations. I usually just get enough to keep me moving until I’m in a more familiar area where I know I can get a better deal and fill the tank. I was quite surprised to see such good deals on the edge of the mainline coast, and the forecourt at Wick was quite open plan too. This was a great opportunity to keep me moving for the rest of the day. I would have liked to stop for a remote pint as well but I still had a lot of driving to do. I was going to have to put my foot down when no-one was looking.

Solo: A Star Wars Story

This origin story is the earliest of the saga. I thought it all lead into Rogue One, but it turns out that this film follows it. The high-action heist scene is great but there could have been a few more fight scenes with comic moments. The only character that provided this moment was L3-37, a droid perfectly capable of starting a rebellion. Still, the number of times that Solo got betrayed explains why the character is untrusting in later films. I thought that his closing line was a bit corny since it was coming from a kid himself. It’s a shame that Maul wasn’t revealed as the antagonist until the final scenes. I would have also liked to have learned how Qi’ra aided him. Lando hasn’t changed a bit though and I really enjoyed his collection of capes. Overall, there wasn’t much to shout about, though in context it might have made more sense. I suppose it’s a bit tricky when you’ve got to introduce four essential elements to the franchise but telling the story from different perspectives might have made more a more engaging story. 

Whisky in them there Hills

An overnight road closure because of the windy weather forced me to head east rather than north and drive up alongside Loch Ness, adding half an hour and twenty minutes to my journey. Once again, I hit the outskirts of Inverness. I’ve always passed through this place and I’ve never stopped off to visit. The outer roundabout with its retails parks and McDonalds is starting to become a bit too familiar, as well as the sight of the town’s level crossing. I’d like to say that there was stunning scenery from thereon in, but most of it was a dual carriageway, sometimes hindered by a steep hill and a set of roadworks. What surprised me was the number of distilleries that I passed. At least the traffic wasn’t heavy and it wasn’t any problem at all to pull over into a layby where I could enjoy some coast with a pre-packaged sandwich.    

Back to the B&B #dreamdiary 131

I’ve returned to a B&B for a second stay. On my first visit, I got very friendly with the landlady’s daughter and she ended up spending the night in my room. She was a blonde girl with a petite frame but was very friendly and we sat together supping shorts in the small hours of the night at the premiss’s small wooden bar in the back. Then we retired to my room where we somehow both managed to fit into the single bed and spent the rest of the night together. I was expecting that she might get into trouble for not reporting for work the next day or that I might receive a stern telling off from the landlady, but fortunately it was smiles all round. Luckily, it was her rest day and the landlady said to me that we make a cute couple. But on this second visit, the landlady’s daughter was a bit frosty to me. Had I left it too long? Was it because I hadn’t kept in touch? Or perhaps she’d favoured someone else. Either way, I was struggling to get a smile out of her. 

Crash by J.G Ballard

Crash by J.G. Ballard
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

It’s certainly a vulgar tale. The conclusion is given away at the start of the tale in a summary of the whole novel which leaves the reader wondering who the main protagonist is and when will they meet him. In between this, we address the author’s unhealthy obsession with sex and genitalia while unhindered or unashamed by any other character he meets. There’s a sense that courtesy is dead, and that only work, sex, and death exists in Ballard’s world and nothing is pure. There’s no escapism except for the planes which Ballard’s partner experiences. I get the sense that Ballard is appealing to an international audience rather than a local one. His constant use of road terms such as ‘exit ramp’ instead of ‘slip road’ illustrates that he’s catering for a foreign market, yet he’s actually alienating the British one as his writing appears to be of a visiting narrator rather than a resident one. It’s repulsive at times, and with no background story you have to wonder how these characters came to be this way.

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"Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes."

-Mahatma Gandhi.

No-one purposely wants to make a mistake. Some people even live in fear of them. Unfortunately, they do occur. You just have to hope that you can be forgiven if they affect others, or at the very least that they don’t notice them. But how tolerant should you be of others? The greater the mistake, the harder it is to forgive. But what may be a mistake in one man’s eyes may be justified in another, especially if you’re unlucky enough to leave in an alternative to freedom. There is always right and wrong, but when it’s down to someone else to decide, even if they haven’t witnessed the incident, that’s when mistakes hit you the hardest. Some people don’t know what freedom is until it’s been taken away from them. And most of us don’t want that. The best thing to do is to compromise wherever possible and live by a set of guidelines that everyone agrees to. 

You Shall Pass!

There’s a long, open road ahead, but we’re all going the same way. Or at least everyone thinks I am. We haven’t agreed upon a rendezvous or a stop off before we part ways. I don’t want the hassle of my friends tailing behind me or knowing the lengthy journey that I’m about to make as I head off course. Do I just pull over and give them some space? The trouble is that I’ve got an awful lot of driving to do. There’s only one irresponsible thing to do and that’s a risky overtake. The roads aren’t exactly friendly so I have to risk it for a biscuit as soon as there’s an opening. Now everyone thinks I’m a crazy idiot for undertaking such a manoeuvre. They’ve witnessed it, and I’m wondering if they’ll ever want to get into a car with me again. But on the plus side, I’m making progress on the day’s drive. 

What is the Science behind Cryogenic Sleep Pods we often see in Sci-Fi so characters don't age on long space journeys?

If you’re looking for an explanation of the materials needed to construct a chamber, I don’t think that we’re quite there yet. We can freeze things down to a certain level, but not so much as to stop the natural decaying of things without causing permanent damage. Perhaps there’s an illegal lab funded by an evil billionaire that’s working on it. Or maybe when the space station starts to expand they can somehow use the vacuum of space as a cooling agent to create the effect required. But you’ve also got to consider the moral implications. Would you really want to? You’re going to leave the world as you know it behind, and only bond with your peers. Anything could happen while you’re away, including the destruction of everything and there’s also a possibility that you might not recover afterwards. You’re putting a lot of trust in technology and your fellow man to get you to your destination. 

To Stop or Not?

It was time to head further north than I’d ever gone before. My plan was to reach John O’Groats, though I was to do this on my own. Had someone else been with me, I might not have the freedom to make that call. We packed up and departed, perhaps a little later than we would have liked but we all recognised the long journey that we had. As I descended the bridge, I came across two hitchhikers, a man and a woman. They both seemed friendly as they waved me down and I toyed with the idea of offering them a lift. But the question was how far would I take them? Would they talk me into dropping them at their doorstep, thus depriving me of my own freedom? Or would we get all get on like a house on fire? It’s very difficult to make a good impression at one glance. Perhaps if they were both ladies I might have given it a bit more thought. 

 

The Floor Is Lava!

I bought this game for my niece to encourage her to stop climbing all over the furniture and mover around the room in a constructive way to occupy herself. It proved to be quite a popular game. She’s played it before at other people’s houses, but she was delighted to have her own box to play it at home. It’s amazing how many tiles can fit within. They’re of good quality so long as everyone remembers to take their shoes off. There’s also a plastic spinner which is a bit flimsy on its cardboard base alongside some action cards. Some of the actions are pretty lame. It’s just an excuse to get everyone playing the game to move about more, and there’s no punishment or reward if you can’t complete the task. I think I’ll have to create an evil version. But it’s a great way to keep kids occupied when they’re stuck indoors.

Isle of Skye Gold at Saucy Mary's Bar, Kyleakin

I thought it’d be good to finish off the trip with a meal out at the local pub. We’d found that they only do pizzas so the others weren’t so keen to eat but were interested in going for a drink. As we approached, the place did seem a bit run down, but the big attraction were the bikers. There was some form of private party in progress, but we were quite happy sitting outside anyway. I’m not sure why but they refused to serve my friend a soft drink. I went in afterwards and got served without any problems at all. Perhaps they thought that she was underaged, or that I was a hardened biker as I was wearing a scruffy jacket. Maybe it was my confident bar manner. But it did make the others want to get back to the cottage as quickly as possible. Pizza was good though.

 

Character Traits

What can create a negative image of someone? Perhaps they have a disfiguring scar. They may have been in an accident or they may have gotten into a fight. There might be an interesting story to tell if they’re willing. But unfortunate as it may be, it also presents someone as ‘unclean’ and others might not be willing to be associated with them because of it. It portrays an untrusting image. Tattoos are another one. You’ve (hopefully) dedicated yourself to something or someone and you’ve had this commitment seared permanently into your skin to prove it. But to the onlooker, it might not mean a thing. The owner may not even want to share their story. It could cause them pain. Marijuana is another. Do I really want to spend my time standing next to you when you’re exhaling the stuff? Then there’s cigarette breath. I’m baffled by the number of people who have one last puff before they come into work then carry that odour with them for the rest of the day. All these traits conjure up an image which is important when creating first impressions. 

Dunscaith Castle

Our final castle was quite a fun wreck to explore. We could walk around it, descend underneath it, and climb through it thanks to the cliff that it sits on. From a distance it looked quite hazardous but as we got closer everyone was encouraged to give it a go from as many angles as they could. Simple rocks were interwoven into bricks to form perfect archways that you could walk underneath. I wonder if the tide used to come in at that height or whether that’s something that might happen in the future with our rising oceans. We managed to get some beautiful island photographs as well. I loved the assorted colours of the grasses on the cliffs. I’m not entirely sure why we came here though. I suspect it might be so that Ben could open a portal or find a geocache; he offered to drive in any case. 

Double Size

He’s rather large. Not just in height but girth too. He comes from a family trait of being tall. Rectangular glasses cover a plain symmetrical face, sometimes with a pimple which is something that can be made fun of. He likes to wear blazers, thin trousers and vests rather than coats, which often leaves him wet and prone to colds, though he always has a handkerchief to hand. He’s never afraid to gross people out though. He’s happy to wade through puddles to demonstrate his size. You’d have thought that he’d go in for sports but he wasn’t a team player. Both his sister and his parents are tall people. He’s used to ducking underneath doorways. Bouncer work comes naturally to him. He just has to do the attitude tests. I always thought that ties would be a problem, but amazingly, there’s no problems when it comes to finding clothes to fit him, though he may have to travel further beforehand.