Running away is hard when you're older #dreamdiary 180

We’re looking for a quiet place to rest for a while. Three of us have sneaked into the back of someone’s garden to drink some beer and eat some pizza that we’ve bought from a takeaway. It’s one of those gardens where there’s not really a fence separating the two houses and you can just walk straight down the drive past the side door and park yourself at the bottle of the fence. One of my friends produces an empty pizza box and proceeds to throw it in the direction of a tree like a frisbee. Unfortunately, the branch doesn’t have much weight to it and cracks instantly, toppling onto a larger branch below which instantly collapses onto the garden fence in front of us, bringing the tree down with it. Naturally, this alerts the occupant, so we decide to flee quickly and swiftly before they work out that they can film us on their phone. One of my friends is a little slow in leaving. I hope that they don’t have a video doorbell to identify us.

Don't Dilly Daly

He’s a short and cocky loud man who has to fight to get what he wants. He’s had to work had while being friendly and hospitable in his trade. I’m not sure if he’s aged prematurely or he’s just chosen to shave his hair off and be done with it. It’s a strange choice given that he has a large Noah-like white beard too. He’s very possessive of his accessories and like to have designer sunglasses and hats. And they must be tinted. He likes to have the hardman persona while remaining friendly at the same time. Perhaps he got bullied a lot as a child. He can have a bit of a temper when things don’t go his way. He’s always up for a laugh apart from when the joke’s on him. He doesn’t like to boast so it’s a lot better when other people do it for him.

Bar Life #Richmond 5

There’s only a limited number of places that we can go at the moment, and we’re not allowed to explore them as a group. One of the easiest places to meet was at the terraced bar in the hotel that we were staying at. It was an overflow area designed to refresh people passing by from visiting the park, but it didn’t have the greatest of views. Beyond the terrace was fine, with comfy seating, heated umbrellas and waitress service. It was the prices and the view of the car park that we weren’t so keen on. At least it was free for us. The hotel itself was a large bricked building. Inside was a long brightly painted bar with a dining room beyond it where breakfast was served. It was very popular and we often had to wait for a table to ensure that we were seated with social distancing.

The Potent Artistry of Beer

To describe something as potent is to suggest a bad smell. That’s not a pleasant term when you want to describe something that you like. It’s also not pleasant to have it introduced by someone who you’re not entirely sure of their gender or what they choose to identify as. It is that month when we are told that we have to be aware of these things. But having a giant portrait of yourself in front of the article does little to make your case if it’s unflattering. Yes, you drink beer, but you also dress yourself casually to present it. I have no idea what this Wandle design is that you’re referring to, so you’re alienating your audience already. It’s great to have an opinion but people need to know what you’re talking about otherwise they just won’t bother and pick out the other things that you offer instead.

Young's London Original at the White Cross, Richmond #richmond 4

It’s a nice traditional boozer from the outside, but with all the clientele outside, it’s trying to portray itself as a trendy nightclub. There’s even bouncers on the door. We’re shown through a maze of umbrellas and into the building itself, past the bar for a brief glimpse of its offerings before being shown to an upstairs room kept for a party of our size to be able to interact together. The inside is very much a wood interior with small rooms and high ceilings. I wonder how a kitchen can operate here. There’s a balcony and even though the windows are open we’re not allowed on it. In fact, there’s very little that we are allowed which makes it frustrating when we want to order a second drink as it’s hard to get service. The food is passable at inflated prices for the area but offers nothing special.

Husband leaves wife because she becomes deformed. No one expected what she did next...

It all sounds a bit cruel and van when you think that someone supports you has decided to leave you after an accident. But there’s a right way and a wrong way to get even, especially if you do it purposefully. If she was to go on and best herself while shaming her partner, that gives her more power. However, the story doesn’t do that. You’re just lured in by the headline. There’s a lot of detail about her recovery and how people are making donations so that she get on with her life, but there’s nothing about what she has physically done. There’s no comeuppance or revenge mentioned here, or any word of her husband mentioned whatsoever. It’s also a bit unclear as to who is speaking at times. But what you do need to take away from the story is that you need to stay positive no matter what the circumstances are and work hard for a better future.

Richmond Ramble #richmond 3

We were determined to do a circular route rather than a linear one to see as much as possible. We headed north along the high street, taking in the shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants as possibilities to eat out at later. At one point we’d managed to stumble onto the Old Deer Park where there wasn’t much to see other than vast expansions of green fields. Occasionally a jet would fly over on its way to Heathrow. There was a small playground and the opening to a car park but we couldn’t see any deer here or work out where they might be hiding. Frustrated, we backed up on ourselves towards Richmond Green where a cricket match was in progress. After following a busy residential road, we climbed a hill alongside more terraced housing where a lot of it had been converted into flats. We climbed a long hill past a church with a huge steeple to pass another area of shops and restaurants before returning to our viewpoint to return to the hotel.

Sherbourne Wharf

Boarding a boat took a while. We had no idea if the gentleman in the galley was a crew member or someone simply stretching their legs. After a small interval, we were invited to board. There was a small bar and plenty of seats available. We opted for the triangular table which had comfy seats but didn’t necessarily give the best views. In front of us was the horn which was used at every turn. We set off at a steady pace and we weren’t sure what the delay was. The entire interaction was done through a recording. At the first instruction, we looked ahead and waited for the rest of the narration. There was certainly a lot of subtext encouraging you to rent out a private boat. The scenery and route wasn’t the best. At one point it took us past a waste ground where new housing was being built. But it was still a pleasant hour to relax and wave the world on by.

Wandering around Richmond #richmond 2

Our friends had made plans to join us at a pub, so we had a bit of free time to explore the area. There were plans for a boat trip but some were still worried about the virus. We decided to go for a walk along the Thames and have a walk around. A large scenic track and some park benches separated the main road which gave us a great view of the river below. This opened up onto a terrace with some sloped gardens leading down to the riverbank. As the sun was out, the towpath was packed with pedestrians and we wondered if we should put our masks on. We found the venue where the party was originally planned to have taken place and had a peak through the gates. It look liked the garden was a bit overgrown. We ventured under the bridge for a short while to find our meeting point for later then walked back to the bridge and headed into town.

The Argument

‘I don’t want to do it.’

‘Why not?’

‘It’s too much work.’

‘It’ll really give you great publicity.’

‘Yes, but it’s not for a big audience.’

‘It’ll get bigger if you invest.’

‘That’s the problem. We don’t have a lot of money to make purchases. We’re not a business. We do this as a hobby to promote our society.’

‘You’ll get people scoring beers regularly, and you’ll be able to track them.’

‘Yes, but we already have a system for that which people are keen to promote. They’ll also have access to the data and we don’t charge for it, and we can also use that data to determine our best pubs.’

‘You’ll get extra customers.’

‘That’ll be great in the short term, but we haven’t got a lot of time to set it up. If I had a dedicated volunteer that would be brilliant but we’re overstretched as it is. If you’d approached us earlier we might have had time to consider it.’

Riding to Richmond #richmond 1

I'm here in Richmond, famous for its views of London and the Thames. Our friends have cancelled the party that we have come down for because of COVID, but as the hotel we booked is allowed to open, they won’t let us cancel or amend our stay so we've come to make a weekend of it. I'm also bunged up with ear wax and I can't get anyone to pump me at the moment. But I've just negotiated the motorway without causing too much congestion. The only tricky bit was a roundabout with traffic lights and full lanes. There's a 20mph speed limit enforced here and everyone seems to be sticking to it. Normally people are tailgating me, but here I have to remind myself occasionally. We're staying a fancy boutique hotel which is only a stone’s throw from Richmond Park. The rooms are very bright and colourful, and looking at the cars in the car park, I wish I'd hired a sports car for the weekend. 

Mrs. Palfrey at The Claremont

Dear God, this was depressing. The few joys that this film did bring was trying to recall where I'd seen each cast member before. We're introduced to people who believe that they’re elitist because they’ve amassed a fortune to retire in a London hotel to socialise with high society so that there's no shortage of companionship or boredom, yet too  many lies are woven with the protagonist to create an impression. It's a shame that the other characters aren’t profiled more with similar values to create a sense of humour. Instead, we’re treated to a depressing display of degradation as the characters attempt to escape their lives. There's an attempt to bond with a younger generation to create a sense of happiness, but this is overpowered by too much demise. There's a few opportunities to suspect that the protagonist has had some sort of celebrity status, but it’s not commented on enough to make it clear to the viewer. Avoid.

Cross to the Common

We set off from the town's hospital. Not a great place to start for a walk, but it's a very handy point on the edge of town and a lot of buses head that way. I think I’m fortunate enough to say that I've used the place more as a starting point than having to go inside. We turned right and followed the footpath right downhill to the roundabout, then turn right and continue to follow the road in a south-eastern direction. At the crest of the hill was a junction which used to be a pub called the Griffin. It's since been burnt down and converted into housing. We turned right here and headed west for a bit, passing a pillar box with a knitted cosy on top. Once the houses had thinned out, a stile appeared on our left which took us into a field. Here we bore south through a kissing gate into Studley Common, a green belt area that had been developed into a  community nature reserve.

Fart that Tune!

What is this! Do I get to guess what comes out of the speaker? It’s going to be a delight. We’ve always heard it done in cartoons but it’s physically impossible without prerecordings and re-arranging them to suit the tune. Will there be bass and tenor? Oddly, this is all happening on International Women’s Day. Will you be able to tell who’s farted? If I refuse to play, I’m told that that’s no fun, followed by a sad, slow, quiet fart. Unfortunately, it’s multiple choice followed by a bit of bass. It’s a bit obvious once you hear the choices, but you do hear the real thing afterwards, and there’s a bit of a pun in it as well. The real art is guessing it before the tune ends. Thank goodness Alexa doesn’t ask you to do the same. You’d need a large can of beans and an airy room. But you can only hear three tunes a day before it asks you to subscribe.

Shelf Shine

 

These panels could open any way. We’d certainly get taken out if they were flung vertically in a swing, but would anyone expect them to drop down horizontally on top of us? It’d be like staying in a caravan where the furniture is falling apart. The whole wall moves with the camera. The full set of doors could come tumbling off at any moment. Maybe a hatch in the ceiling will drop open followed by a ton of stuff including a bowling ball, then the hatch itself. Or the blind rail could come down followed by the tiles. How about the doors retracting into themselves along a slide rail to reveal a host of electrical gadgets? It could be secret spy stuff or kitchen inventions previously unknown to man. Food from other establishments could be teleported into this space once a few buttons have been pressed and the doors have slid shut again.

I'm Hating It #dreamdiary 179

I’m at an exhibition hall and I decide to try McDonald’s for lunch. It’s located at the end of the hall in its very own corner area. It’s a large open building laid out with fold-up tables and plastic folding seats. At the end is a display of everything already cooked and placed into silver trays. There’s large fried fish fillets with cheese sprinkled on them, and there’s also rows of hamburgers with fries and McChicken selects. They’re all behind glass screens and there’s uniformed staff opening them up and placing them onto plastic trays for serving so I guess I need to go and place an order. There’s a queue for a silver box with a microphone so I start to head for that. There’s five people in front of me, then there’s a gap between the rows of counters containing the food, and these people are queuing too. Then there’s another gap, and there’s even more people. I can’t seem to find the end of the queue. In the end, I declare that this place is rubbish and decide to eat somewhere else.

Tying the Knot #devils daughter 20

Take 2

My hair looks even wilder and my grin looks even more manic than before. I’ve somehow managed to make my teeth look even wonkier. The room somehow looks brighter. It must be the angle of the sun. There’s even a stroke of light emitting from the candle, or perhaps some unknown force has passed through the wick to enlarge the flame. The camera seems to be tilting along to the music. Considering the time it took to make this video, I’m wondering if I’ve somehow managed to copy it on my phone. The sound isn’t great either apart from the doorbell. Perhaps it’s because we’re not miked up. Next time we’ll have to try a more practical location, though we were partially worried about spilling any wax on the carpet. Perhaps the garden or the front of the house would have been better, though we’d have the embarrassment of the neighbours wondering what we were up to.

“If you're offered a seat on a rocket ship, don't ask what seat! Just get on.”

That does sound a little irresponsible. It’s worth finding out a few things before boarding. You’ll want to know what’s inside and what’s required of you unless your last wish is to have a ride on a rocket ship. Who’s controlling this thing? What’s expected of you? Are you expected to contribute somehow? Will you be able to figure it out without putting the team at risk? Or is it all going to be at your leisure? And you might want comfort to put yourself at ease, especially when exposing yourself to all those Gs. But if you survive, it could be a great opportunity. Sometimes you’ve just got to take the risk and jump into the unknown. Ask too many questions and they could regret offering you a place. There’s a risk that you might become unpopular as a result of it, but you won’t know until you try.

Fire!

 

And we’re live! We’re standing there with stupid grins on our faces singing along to a single tune coming from our musical doorbell. I’ve definitely got that crazed Uncle look with my two front teeth all crooked and about to fall out. Maybe we’d just in from the rain. Meanwhile, the wax drip down the muffin but at least we include both children and it’s also a bit of entertainment for them while they have their breakfast. There’s also an attempt at interaction alongside a sense of reality. Hopefully she didn’t get too upset at the fact that we’re going to eat her wax-covered muffin. I’m quite proud of the lighting as the reflection of the white blind upon the orange canvas behind us draws the eye to the centre of the shot. We do what we can in these times to keep them in our lives while we get on with our own.

The Frank of Joy

I can’t recall if this was in place or not during my visit. I tend to focus on what’s inside rather than it’s exteriors, though I suppose that this will have to change now. Two randy pensioners isn’t what I’d choose to post on my wall, though it might give off the impression of everlasting love to some. To others, they might have just met. Inside, there’s a long traditional wooden bar in a corridor with stools to match. You get the impression that little has changed much over the years and you’d probably find someone holding a cigarette in the next room. The bar has a window and you probably wouldn’t be surprised if a plastic shutter came down if the publican was to refuse you service. There’s an open parlour room opposite with tables and stools, and a long banquette on the wall. There’s also a smaller lounge at the back, though this was filled with folk musicians while I was there.

Kitchen Cam

 

This is a quick attempt to make a birthday video for my niece. As you can see, the make-up department have yet to arrive. There’s lots of shaky cam footage and awkward posing as we attempt to get the height right to show a giant birthday candle which looks like it’s just hatched out of a muffin. I’m amazed that I didn’t end up dropping it on the floor. You can also see the thought process going through for our prep work and rehearsal. Still, you can get a quick glimpse of what our shiny kitchen used to be like before it was all turned to wood, as well as a quick glimpse at the other tasks that we’ve got planned for the day. It’s an exciting time to be alive, and it’s a good job I noticed that we were already filming. That would have been an interesting greeting. 

My landlord is evicting me because I'm two years late on rent. How do I tell him I'm not leaving no matter what?

Do you need to tell him? You’ve already decided to disobey the law. Do you think that telling him will stop an attempt to evict you? Is it a warning that he’ll need more assistance if he’s going to attempt to get you out? By all means write a letter, post it on Facebook, put a sign outside the door with lots of barricades but if you’ve already decided to stay then there’s not much point. You could even telephone him; I’m sure he’s given you his contact details if you haven’t been paying up. The trouble is that the law is on his side so you can’t run the risk of going out again or he’ll just enter and change all the locks. If one set of circumstances change, you can’t expect everything else to work around you. People can be understanding and a little lenient but they won’t put up with things forever.

Coffee Table Capers

The camera is angled for a view. I’m not looking my best but there’s little that anyone can do about that in the circumstances. At least there’s room for a more glamorous partner on the sofa. I just have to find one. My voice sounds a little high, but with my speech I suppose that I’m only going to look like a technician, someone who’s going to be clear of shot as soon as filming begins. I do like how the light brings everything into focus before the camera swings to the correct angle. It’s like I‘m getting up in the morning, only it’s happening a lot faster. Perhaps I should have lit the candle to make it more dramatic, even though it was the morning. It’s literally a fly, though it’s in a glass bowl on a coffee table that’s observing me rather than on a wall. But with the picture, it really is nature captured indoors. Perhaps that’s all that’s left.

 

Ghost Castle

This was a modern uptake of the original and it brought back so many memories. There’s been a couple of substitutions in that the characters are dressed as ghostbusters and the antagonist is just a ball bearing rather than a luminous skull. It is a fair bit of work to put together and you do have to look after the cardboard as there’s dedicated instructions on how to put everything back in the box. There’s a little bit of work for first-time assembly as well as for each game. The girls weren’t too impressed with it as they were expecting Mousetrap and I did assemble it wrong for the first time, and I hoped that more of the grown-ups would join in. I had the axe dropping in the wrong room, and I wasn’t able to install the wobbly floor or give an adequate explanation of the different footprint spaces. I just hope that they’ll want to play it again.

Wet the Road #Barnt 5

So the bridge has done an oopsie. There’s been a crack in its arch. The trouble is, who’s going to clean it all up? And the bridge itself has to assessed as well. Everyone can get by, but not at the same time, and what’s going to happen if two different types of users attempt to use it at the same time? You know that there should be water under there but you just don’t know for sure, otherwise why is the water there in the first place? And it’s not still, so something could be emerging. There could be no bottom and you can’t see it. Looking ahead, this is just a taster of what’s to come. There’s some very serious flaws in the infrastructure here. Better take the kerb on the right side; the left is spilling over. Hopefully it won’t take long to fix and without any diversions.

Our Man in India

I've never watched any of the previous seasons, but I picked this one out as I'm heading that way myself in a few months’ time. While I'm only going to a few of the destinations covered in the programme it certainly gave me a light-hearted idea of what to expect in terms of people and culture. May is on his usual comedic form and while he undertakes a few activities which aren't usually offered to tourists, there's some brilliant comedic moments where the fourth wall is broken as filming goes wrong. There's some great banter with the locals as their wares are showcased and you get a great sense of attempting to bond with your fellow man without being elitist, especially when the locals are desperate to be captured on camera and he’s prepared to lose his dignity for entertainment’s sake, especially given our history with this country. Expect few facts, but a great journey.

Storking Around #barnt 4 Sherduck 15

Meanwhile, out in the rushes, a lonesome figure was hovering outside the headquarters. The ducks didn’t take much notice of other animals trying to hide outside of their hideout, as the area was welcome to all herbivores. But this particular animal had found a nice spot just outside one of the windows where he was able to peer into the lab without being seen. He’d just observed one of the detectives at the bar stumble into this particular room with a piece of evidence at the crime scene. It wouldn’t be too long before they’d make a connection, unless he threw a spanner into the works. As the hideout backed onto the canal, there were many areas where the humans lit fires to keep themselves warm during the night. If he could acquire one of those branches, he could at least halt the investigation and perhaps put a stop to these ducks once and for all…

Little Minds

There should be an obstacle course to enter the building, something like a scramble ladder through a hole in the wall followed by a slide into a classroom or hallway. Every door should have a space to crawl through. You should be able to exercise whenever you want. Each classroom should be full of comfy cushions and sitting blocks rather than desks and chairs, and dedicated taps full of orange juice and cola. Ice cream after lunch should be mandatory, and a TV should be available at break times with built-in tablets in the tables. There should be an ample supply of clean clothes and a dedicated team to help with any boo-boos. Staff uniforms should be bright and colourful.

Waheybridge #Barnt 3

Once we’d re-joined the canal, we headed north again to the next bridge where we exited the towpath and crossed the canal. Continuing west past the Crown, we passed through the kissing gate and followed the footpath up the hill. At the top of the hill, the path bears onto a wooded embankment before passing through a residency to re-join the road. Then we turned right and followed the road uphill to a T-junction. Crossing the stile in front of us, we continued north through the field past a mobile phone mast before crossing the footpath across the motorway. On the other side, we continued north downhill through a field until the footpath narrowed to a track and re-joined a road. Turning right, we continued into the village towards the train station. We turned left just before the railway bridge and followed the road uphill until we reached the pedestrianised entrance just before the next rail bridge. Then we followed the platform to the footbridge where we were able to cross back into the car park.

Shakedown #dreamdiary 178

We’re on holiday in America. It’s an itinerary that I’ve put together to see some interesting sights and the others have come along for the ride. We seem to be accompanied by a red petrol mower that we have to cart everywhere. When we’re not pushing it, it ends up in the back of a black pick-up truck. We’re staying at a redneck caravan park inside some motel rooms dug out from the ground. There’s sliding windows on metallic frames with sliding doors, and the bedroom is functional. There’s leather look bedding with brown cushions to match. Outside, there’s stone pillars supporting a porch which has a roof of grass. As I lie on the porch’s sunbed I casually toss a frisbee. It hits the stone pillar and a stone falls out. Then there’s a rumbling. Behind the room is a tower of flats, and it starts to implode on itself.

Voice Arcade

It starts with an interesting beat to get its audience excited. It then asks me if I want recommendations. I haven’t played this before so it should know my browser history. I’m given a variety of games and a brief description of them. I opt for the first which is the daily quiz. I have three minutes to answer three multiple choice questions while eighties pop music plays in the background. I’m not told if I get the questions right, I’m only told if they’re wrong. I assume I have to wait until the final question is read, then I’m told afterwards that I need to get all three questions right to continue playing. It tries to switch me to another game and I ask it to stop. It then repeats itself so I ask it again to stop in mid-sentence. There is a huge pause when I mention the game that I want to play, then I’m asked again. There’s a lot of repetitiveness in this.

A Ribbeting Ramble #Barnt 2

After exiting through the kissing gate, we headed east and followed the road which crossed the reservoir. We walked up the long incline, and just after the left-hand bend was a stile on the right-hand side. This took us through a row of abandoned vehicles, and at the foot of the hill was a barn with a track that led us past a paddock and onto a bridge over the canal. Turning right, we headed south along the towpath with the reservoir emerging again on our left. Heading south, the towpath took us underneath the motorway then took a left-hand bend followed by a right one. Behind us we could see where the canal was re-routed for the motorway. Continuing south, we passed a pub on the opposite side named the Crown, and at bridge 63 we exited the towpath to cross the canal to reach a charming cosy pub named the Weighbridge on the left-hand side.   

Tower Of Lies #vampress 20

The tower was starting to gain a lot of attention. It was getting tall enough to block out the sun, and it had started to expand outwards too. They tried to tell visitors that an eccentric was constructing a hotel to create views of the ocean, that was until they’d persuaded them to join the fold or be fed below once the secret had been discovered. Then there were the people who occasionally came after the missing, but by then the townspeople were used to lying to outsiders. ‘We’ve never seen them’ was the standard reply, followed by ‘They left a few days ago’, that was if outsiders could a response out of these bewitched residents at all. Forests were constantly being felled to make way for timber, and it wouldn’t be long until they’d have to rely on sources from nearby towns. The only way forward was to dig underneath her, and take the town with her if need be.

Training Tracks #Barnt 1

It’s great when you get out to a walk on public transport. You can wander off in comfort without worrying about how much time is left on the car park ticket or how your vehicle will be in an unfamiliar place. The only downside is that you might not be able to be whisked straight back to your door after your walk. After disembarking from the train station’s east exit, we followed the road downhill to the high street where we turned left towards a mini roundabout. At the roundabout itself we turned right, then once we reached the church we headed north through its car park passing the building on its right to gain access to some playing fields on a footpath just beyond it. In the north-east corner, the footpath continues through some woodland then bears alongside a hedgerow in a field then bears diagonally across a second field to join a road. 

Kirbside

He's a big man with a big, happy grin. He loves being a jester, but he seldom uses his size to help others as he’s retired now. He'd rather be at the receiving end than at the giving one. He’s seldom seen without a thin brewery shirt promoting something which doesn't really do anything to hide his paunch. His grey hair has brightened to a beautiful snowy white. Sometimes it's thinned and trimmed with a moustache. He's not afraid of the cold and is always happy to bear his legs, especially if he knows that he's moving around a lot. He's also a man who likes to explore, especially abroad. In a crowd, he’ll happily take a turn at the karaoke. He lives to entertain. And he's not afraid to rough it. He likes to be sociable with people his own age. You've got to wonder how long the caravan bug will last for. It probably depends on how many home comforts he's got.

Training Time

Occasionally, I have to take courses to refresh my knowledge of certain subjects. Most times it’s an online test when they change the terms and conditions and we have to prove our knowledge to demonstrate that we’ve understood the changes. It’s usually in the form of a multiple-choice quiz where I either have to tick the box or drag the right phrase into a blank box on a paragraph. The questions themselves are often wrong, and sometimes they specify that there’s only one answer when there’s actually several answers. Sometimes the managers don’t believe that I’ve already done the training. I have to log on and send them a picture at my end to show that it’s done. They then have to e-mail the IT department and show them the status at both my end and their end and get them to figure out why the training hasn’t been marked as completed at their end. Some people like to do these outside of the work environment and get paid extra for it, but it’s not my place to do this.

"The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything."

It all sounds a bit selfish. You have to have everything your own way. You might have a fortune to do what you want with but are you disappointing others? Are you focusing too much on your own goals and not enough on your fellow man? You're aiming to get what you want, but you might be missing out on a lot of things and other people may only want to be associated with you because of your status. It's not wrong to say no, but if you're not prepared to negotiate anything then it's going to be difficult to get everything you the way you want it (unless, of course, you’ve already got your millions and you can just buy another team). But on the other hand, you do have to set your expectations of others, and they might do the same for you. Everyone only wants the best, but sometimes you have to settle with what you have.

Pub Crawl #hanbury 3

Once we'd reach the top, we'd understandably created a slight thirst, so we decided to try the Ewe & Lamb. This is normally a restaurant pub, but as it was a hot day we decided to sit outside in the beer garden where a large patio with high stools surrounded barrels which served as tables. There was also a grassed area which was roped off. Nearby, a bunch of suited up chavs supped on lager and wine while phoning for their partners to pick them up in SUVs. We managed a swift half of Wye Valley HPA  which was reasonable, then followed the road north to reach our destination pub, the Hanbury Turn. This was the first time that we had managed to visit this pub since its new ownership. We were still under COVID restrictions so we couldn't order at the bar, but we came in to look at the beers displayed on a screen. Then we found a bench in the courtyard where the car park had been sealed off to make more room for patrons.

World Laughter Day

It’s hard to create laughter when there’s so much cruelty around. Of course, you could just laugh at yourself. You could be cruel and laugh at the misfortunes of those with less success than you, or find irony in someone else’s situation, especially when they should know better. But sometimes we all need a good cheering up, and to remind ourselves that there’s still hope. You need to jest in the knowledge that someone will understand the pun and can take it. There’s a good reason why a lot of fictional characters are created. Or it could be an act which excels in someone’s delight. And if you can echo that deed around the world to make good to others, they will do the same in return. But you need to know that there’s a day organised for this to start you off in the first place. And not everyone has the same taste in comedy.

Railway Wanderers #hanbury 2

Crossing the stile,  we followed a narrow path alongside a field where a taller stile over the other side took us over some railway tracks and into some fields. On the left hand side we could see the Queens Head pub in the distance. A few yards later, we’d joined onto the Worcester to Birmingham Canal. We bore south along the canal through the bend as it turned westwards, and at the second bridge we rejoined the road to visit the Navigation Inn. Sadly, no cask was available at this time, so we decided to split a bottle of Shipyard Pale Ale in the deserted beer garden instead. It was quite quirky, with lots of memorabilia on the walls and canvas deck chairs, but it was also quite fake with its astroturf. We now had to get back to the car and the easiest way to do this was to head north back along the main road. This also meant that we had a bit of a hill to climb.

Gladiators

It’s great to see this show back in action. There’s just so much nostalgia to be had here. The general format is mostly the same, though a few of the games have changed. I really would have liked to have seen Atmosphere and Swingshot, though the latter has been developed into a similar game called Collison. I would have liked to have seen more of Hang Tough, and perhaps a format can be developed to include all the games in an episode or develop a phase which lets the contenders choose. We have a new presenter team which focuses on the family side of things and are certainly belittled during their interviews, but perhaps we could have done with a female presenter and more behind the scenes coverage. Of course, the producers could have been cautious with a comeback series. It’s great to see heated rivalry between contender and gladiator; though sometimes it’s overdone for the camera. What I really want to see is this same rivalry between the contenders. But despite all of the injuries and swaps this year, it’s still a fun show to watch.

A Winding Walk #hanbury 1

We started this walk on the recreation ground opposite the Hanbury Turn Pub. We’d originally planned to park at the Avoncroft Museum, but since it hadn't reopened yet, its car park gates were shut Instead, there were a few spaces at the rec ground just before the school gates. Since school wasn't in session, we didn't have to worry too much about the school rush. After crossing the cricket pitch via a kissing gate, the footpath headed southwest to the main road then met another path heading east where we entered a restored meadow. We continued on a narrow path alongside a hedgerow where we had occasional glimpses into the museum grounds beyond. We did find a gap large enough to get a great shot of the windmill. Continuing along the path, we joined a small road where we descended the hill past a garage and several local workshops that we wouldn't have discovered otherwise. Then after the road crossed a small brook, we turned right and follow the road alongside it until we reached a style on the left-hand side.

 

My boss called me on a Saturday to let me know that due to financial reasons, I was no longer needed effectively immediately. Three days later, he send me a text about work issues. How do I respond?

The bigger question is why should you respond? Are the bridges burnt or do you still see yourself to have a future at that company? Do you still need that job or can you work it as an opportunity to hire you back? If he’s that desperate, maybe you can negotiate a better salary before agreeing to answer his query. Perhaps your contract states that you’re still obliged to answer these requests and you might want to do it out of professional courtesy, or at least until your final paycheque is in the bank. They’re trying to get more out of you for nothing, or at least hold you to ransom for a reference if you need one. But if you have no further obligation or desire to honour this request, then there is absolutely no reason why you should. You could even waste their time as vengeance for wasting yours.

A Bridge Too Far #astoncantlow 12

Sometimes you feel that there’s not enough bridges in the world. You have to travel a fair distance to cross, unless of course, it’s safe enough to brave the water, get wet, and plough through it. And if you find yourself doing either of these things often enough at the same place, it might be worth gathering the resources to invest in your own crossing point. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a bridge. It could just be a boat that you use on a track to pull yourself across from one side to the other. You could even make a business out of it, either charging by the crossing, or renting it out to someone else who uses it more than you. You’ve just got to be clear on who’s responsible for it and who maintains it. If it’s relied upon, you want any deformities corrected quickly if it’s still to be purposeful.

The Balls-Up #dreamdiary 177

Lisa headed onto the court. The other players were nearly double her height and twice as wide, and there didn’t seem to be much movement going on as most of the players were able to just throw the ball to each other. When she did get hold of the ball, she managed to move quite nimbly between them all, albeit having to take some very wide detours. When they ran to intercept her, the whole court shook. After practice, Lisa had to hit the showers. What she saw was the most bizarre sink ever. There was a porcelain trough built into the bottom of it with a metallic drain at the end. This was bolted shut with a piece of wood, and a chain stretched over the whole thing. The rest of the room just consisted of racks to hang clothes with benches underneath. One of her teammates came over. ‘That’s not for showers’ she said.

Komoot.com

This is a fun and handy website which works well both as an app as well as on a desktop. You can search for routes to explore in areas that you’re interested in, as well as adapt them to create your own. There’s also a social option to see what other people are up to, and you can add your own views too. The footpath tool is easy to use and gives you a good calculation of both distance and gradient, and it even shows where hinderances like stiles might be, though sometimes a satellite and street view feature might assist in the planning, which forces you to use other applications. The map software itself is some sort of freeware. And there’s also weekly suggestions of local things to explore that can be e-mailed to you. The majority of it takes place online, though you can download routes to your home area or if you subscribe.

Stuck in the Water #astoncantlow 11

This could be anything between a log flume and an open sewer. Though it does seem to be endless, it’s a shame that a boat didn’t come through while I was there. But what’s bubbling in the water? Could it be lily pads or twigs? Or could there be something swimming around underneath? If there are fish in the canal, do they navigate between locks or are they contempt to reside in the section that they’re in? When a lock opens, is it their gateway to possible freedom, or does it confuse them? They may be lucky if the odd board has a hole in it, or nature and good fortune is able to assist them. Maybe there’s a secondary draining system if they can find their way, or they can wiggle their way out of something’s clutches. If it’s something bigger, it might be able to leap out providing all is clear.

Random Passages

It’s nice when you get a quiet train all to yourself. You may be lucky enough to afford first class travel; in which case you’ll geta quiet carriage every time apart from when the train manager cancels the service due to overcrowding. You can sit back and relax, let the world go by, maybe take a nap if you know that you can wake yourself up again so that you don’t miss your stop. Or you can delve in and get ahead or catch up on some work or life planning. But if you’re on a train that’s completing a smaller journey, you have to face the rabble, the great unwashed that can’t travel without a can of lager in their hand and can only communicate by shouting. You may be able to block them out unless they insist on involving you. It’s particularly frustrating if you’re trying to get things done. You might even consider changing trains. And of course, the only other way you can summon help is by texting the British Transport Police, unless you can stand up to it.

Weather Watchers #astoncantlow 10

Sometimes I’m wondering if someone’s watching over us as we complete these journeys. Although we don’t plan to do these in bad weather, we rarely encounter it when we do walk these journeys. There might be clouds about, and we seem to miss the worst of the showers when they do occur, though sometimes it is fate which diverts our route. There’s cloud on this one, but it’s warm enough to get away with wearing just one layer. And then there’s the determination to complete them. It’s the act of posing to how that we’ve been out into the countryside to explore somewhere, and it’s the reward of a pub meal afterwards that motivates us to keep going. Either that or I’ve photoshopped us standing in a field full of sky together with some broccoli and a water pipe. But I certainly could have done with a shave for my close-up.

Midnight Snack #titannabell 20

Inside was the princess, lying down, naked, right in  front of him, on top of her towering breasts. Her butt was lying on what was left of a mattress, though the size of her ass practically made her horizontal. Surely she wasn’t that big earlier? He forgot all about his lost colleagues. He became enchanted by the creature in front of her, rising up and down with each breath, snoozing peacefully. But her exhaling seemed to be shorter than her inhaling. Was she growing right before his eyes? He just had to touch them. A man could certainly get very cosy in there without bedsheets. He got closer and closer. A mound of silky blonde hair rested on top of them. Suddenly, a hand shot out.

‘Come on in’ said Titanabell, and she dragged Polonius in between the mountains of flesh. She pulled him up so that just his head was sticking out, and brought her mouth down to his.

Claim to Fame #astoncantlow 9

So how do I feel about crossing the UK’s longest cast-iron aqueduct? I feel as if more people should know about this. It sounds very impressive, but it’s just there. It’s basically a narrow trough that you can walk alongside, and it’s not even deep. You could probably swim in it if there aren’t any boats around. Perhaps it’s not well-known as there are aqueducts in greater beauty spots, or there are longer aqueducts made out of different materials. After all, the longest is actually in Wales. It’s a technical whim, and the locals are trying to blow their own trumpet. There’s a nice bit of land below, but there’s not much in the sense of elevation or scenery unless you’re not used to a bit of green. There’s not even a busy road. Still, it connects one point to another, and it was probably an experimental engineering feat in its time.

Drum Roll please!

I’m not expecting much out of this one. There’s going to be a roll of drums, possibly followed by a fanfare at the end. How long will it be for? Will it keep rolling until I give it the command to stop? I might be able to set a time for a drum roll or programme it to respond to key words. But it’s just a simple two-second sound. It doesn’t even conclude with a cymbal, and you can’t differentiate between a short and a long one. If I ask for a drum roll in twenty seconds, it switches to a radio station that plays harmonic noise. Occasionally it asks me if I want to start a free trial. It just doesn’t understand the concept of time, especially if I ask for a specific time or give the time first followed by the command. There’s so much more that could have been done here.

Angle Pals #astoncantlow 8

What’s the best angle to take photos? Obviously it depends on the subject. Serious photographers might want to take pictures in both portrait and landscape to cover themselves. Digital photography used to be free, but our clouds are filling up, and the platforms have found a way to make money out of this. Soon we’ll have to have a subscription to use our devices alongside another to take possession of them. So you really need to know how to use your device. There’s angles to pose, lighting conditions, not to mention all the filters you can play around with afterwards. There's lots of options to create the best quality images at the expense of filling up your device. Selfies need a stick to capture landscape shots, otherwise you're not going to end up with much other than faces. And if you haven't got a guide, the only other way you can learn is by experimenting.

Bobbing Around

He’s a stern man with experience who’s used to teaching people the old-fashioned way. He’s a man of discipline, but he’s also got to earn his keep putting up with young people and what they need. A crisp, plain, white shirt always appears over a pair of black trousers and smart polished black shoes. He wasn’t happy when I hit the kerb a few times. But he has his faults as well. He’d often pop into places for his own little errands while leaving me alone in the car. And I got one up on him one morning when I’d spotted that he hadn’t placed his L-plate cone on the top of the car. And he was absolutely shocked when the news broke that I’d passed with only four minors. Interestingly enough, I didn’t get offered the chance to do an advanced course. I think he wanted me off his books as fast as possible.

Off with his Head! #astoncantlow 7

There’s a few pubs out there that claim a royal connection. Perhaps they were popular places to go to toast a new leader when his predecessor had his head cut off. It might even have been on display at the pub for a while. It all sounds a bit gruesome! The trouble is that when pubs get taken over, artefacts and histories are often lost in a refurbishment, and you have to revert to local folklore. This one’s now a restaurant, and a lot of the focus is about the food rather than the atmosphere and what you can expect to find inside. Are the ghosts still celebrating their executioner? It doesn’t even tell you which King they have! But many often refer to the King after Henry VIII’s separation from Catholicism, and were previously called the Pope’s Head. This one is right next to a church, I wonder if that’s a common factor?

Napoleon

This is a serious biopic of lengthy proportions which lacks humour and entertainment, but provides some fascinating insight. There’s some interesting war scenes which are dramatically staged with all of the action, but these scenes are too short in length and there’s no sense of kinship within the troops. Instead, the focus is much upon Napoleon’s social and political life, and the love scenes show too much spooning which is surprising since it’s French. I find it amazing that a man with no religious values whatsoever is allowed by the rest of the populace to become their King, though he preferred the title of emperor. But while he’s heavy-handed in his actions, he makes no attempts to hide behind anything. He’s a man who’ not afraid not get what he want, and even in exile he still manages to get people to follow him. It must be the hat. But it’s all held back for the final battle which leaves you thirsty for more.

Back on Track #astoncantlow 6

Back on a paved track, we passed a farm followed by some holiday cottages on a single-track road. It then leaves the built-up area then curves round and faces north. We stayed on this road and enjoyed the view of gently rolling hills until we reached a T-junction. Turning right, we headed east underneath the Edstone then ascended the staircase on the right to join up with the canal. Turning right, we were able to walk north along one of the country’s longest aqueducts before following the canal back towards Wootton Warren. Along the way, we just happened to pass one of my ex-girlfriends. After passing the marina, the canal changes course and bears north-east. At the next footbridge was a stile on our left which led us west down a gravel track to a single-track road. Heading north, we turned left at the main road which led us back to the village hall car park.

"When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this, you haven't."

-Thomas Edison.

You think that you’ve thought of everything. There’s always another way. You just have to find it. It might take a bit of imagining for it to become a reality. It’s a good incentive to help you not give up, though you might have to give it some extreme thought. Perhaps you could create some technology to help you. Or maybe you could look to nature for inspiration. Perhaps another species already has the solution, and you need to adapt to it as much as possible. It’s important to not give up, but you also have to recognise when to move on. Perhaps there’s a way of skirting around it so that you can work on something else and come back to it later. There’s other people here too. It’s going to be a way that you haven’t thought of, and you may need to ask others for their insight, or at least follow in their footsteps for a while. Perhaps you can inspire them to get the task done.

Away after Afters #astoncantlow 5

We resorted to drinking out of plastic cups, and there wasn’t much available in the way of dessert but we were happy with ice cream. Then it was time to head back to the walk. Heading north, we walked back the way we came, passing the turn into our village on our left. As the road bent round to the left, a trail on a footpath opened out onto a field just past the houses on the right-hand side. We followed this east until we reached a gap in the hedge, then we were supposed to head north until the path intersected with the road again, but we missed the gap in the hedge and wandered east a bit too far. Instead, we cut across and headed north-east to get back on track. Here, we followed the footpath east through a small wood followed by two fields before bearing north-east to reach the road. 

Ironing out my Dreams #dreamdiary 176

I’ve built my own smart speaker. It’s a little on the impractical side, it’s currently the size of a steam generator. But the base is see-through and all the wiring is neatly stowed away in the plastic lid so that you can’t see it. I think it was the only available container that I had to hand. At the moment it’s primarily used as an alarm clock that can wake you to the sound of your choice and tell you the weather, but other features are coming, which is why there’s so much space. I decide to show this idea to a friend who runs a tech store to see if he’s interested in helping me to develop it and sell it at his store. I manage to accost him on his way to work. Unfortunately he’s running a bit late so he has to run ahead of me so that he can start to open up the store on time.

The Pub

It sounds nice, doesn’t it? It’s short, simple, safe and relaxing. It’s somewhere that you’d like to end up at the end of a hard day. You know that there’s not much to worry about while you’re here (unless, of course, you’re in the wrong one and you have to watch out for potential deviants). Keeping the tax the same gives the impression that nothing changes, but the people who run these places still have to adapt to the world outside. Wages will rise, which mean prices will have to rise so that people can still have the same proportionate income that they did before. There’s little sign of any assistance or support. It’s just used as a buzz word. Meanwhile, while there are benefits for working people, everything else is rising so the extra wages are absorbed into coping with these costs while communities are struggling with the cuts in their services.

Aston Antics #astoncantlow 4

Continuing to the end of the road, we turned right and passed a mixture of old and brick-built housing. We passed the village club on our left which looked more like a pub, and oddly a beautiful village hall in a traditional merchant’s house was just on the other side of the T-junction. But why would you have two community spaces next to each other? Perhaps they both cater for distinct types of residents. Across the road from this was the pub. Because of restrictions, we had to enter via the car park at the side where we had a table in the garden in the shelter of a magnificent oak tree, and a hatch operated a bar  service. The menu was also restricted, but we opted for the fish platter for two, which was a feast of goujons, sardines, bread, salad, dips and prawns alongside a side order of chips.

My boss threatened to fire me because I usually leave at 6pm and don't stay until 8/9 like other employees. How should I handle this?

You need to look at your employment contract. It will clearly state how many hours you are required to work that week. You’ll also need to examine any overtime agreements. If you’re fulfilling your hours then you’re perfectly within your rights to claim unfair dismissal if they do fire you, though with the way they’re treating you it could be a quick and easy way out with a free pay check for a while as you hunt for other jobs. It might also be worth discussing your hours of employment contract with your colleagues. Perhaps their contract is longer than yours and your boss needs to be reminded of this. You’ve got to know your worth, the job market, and what other companies are willing to pay for the same hours. Is the exploitation worth it? Or perhaps you’ve got it all wrong and you really need to put in that overtime.

Descent to the Pub #astoncantlow 3

The field brought us out next to a hen coup with a kissing gate in front of us onto a road. Turning left, we followed the road around the bend heading south-west past some newly built houses, and after passing traditional farm buildings that had also been converted into housing were barns that had been converted into small boutique workshops. There’s also a café here but we weren’t that far from the pub. The road then passed open fields again, and at the second one was a gate on our left. Here, we enter the field where we were re-united with the river again, and we followed the river south until we spotted a gap in the hedge where we crossed the river over a footbridge. We bore south along the next field then exited onto a track alongside some houses which deposited us on a road of built-up housing.

 

Strapless

I’d bought my Mum one of the cheap unbranded smartwatches. It’s a Chinese product that does everything that all the branded ones do at a slice of the cost. She’s quite impressed with its functionality and design. The only problem is that a few months later she’s dropped it and the strap no longer seems to want to hold together. She thinks that she’s managed together all the part back together, but I’ve got no idea how they all fit. There’s no diagram, and although I can see how some of the parts clip back in, I’ve got no idea if I’m attaching them the right way. Fortunately, the watch comes with a spare band but it’s a rubber silicon design instead of a fitted mesh strap. I’ve followed the path that the manufacturers want -purchasing  a new one instead of repairing the old. I’ve taken the lazy way out.

Old Bull #astoncantlow 2

We followed the river for a brief period then continued north-west for a moment until we’d past some railings on our right containing a yard of skips. Shortly after that on our left was a kissing gate which took us into a field bearing south-west with a small line of fenced trees separating us from the river. We bore south-west to another kissing gate then crossed a farm track to a third kissing gate on our right where we climbed a gently sloped grass hill towards a row of trees. On the horizon of this field was a gate which slope down to the next field. A farmer was busy tending to a cow that had passed away and was attaching a net around its carcass so that it could be carried away by forklift. My mother was absolutely fascinated by  this as she’d often had a fear of cows in fields.

The Worst Day

They say that piss preparation gives you poor performance. I knew that not having a plan would cause all sorts of problems. It’s one of the first things that they teach you at the training schools. Plan, perform, review. Without it, you can’t sync the learning to the national curriculum. But I’d spent too much time socialising the night before. I’d had to get some marking done afterwards which required constant vigilance of spelling and grammar, as well as fact checking to make sure that any revolutionary views were in line. I thought I’d have just enough time to start planning introductions to the next segment of Romeo & Juliet, and I’d made some notes about language and what to look for in each character’s performance. I was sure that I’d done this all before but I couldn’t recall where the book was. I’d passed out with a giddy head with my textbook on my bed with YouTube in front of me blaring in the background. Then I woke up. I should have called in sick, but when I saw what the time was, I realised that there wasn’t any time to organise any cover…

Aqueduct Antiques #astoncantlow 1

This was an interesting walk that walk us into the heart of countryside while seeing some interesting sights along the way. It was mostly flat, though it was a bit long as we arrived at the pub too early on the route, and we also had to take a slight detour back owing to a missed footpath. Parking at the village hall, we walked directly south past the social club and into the neighbouring field. As the field opened out, we turned left and bore east until we reached the river, and just before the footbridge we turned right and followed the river directly south. The footpath headed directly past a local sewage works, but luckily nothing was stinking at the time. The trial brought us onto a concreted path next to a railway bridge and we were lucky enough to witness a train pass over us before we proceeded underneath.

Regal Worries #empress 20

People were running towards the pit. They’d brought shovels, trowels, and extra paddy hats -anything they could use to scrape dirt out of a hole. A rumour had gone round that the empress was visiting the area and there’d been a cave-in as the royal wagon had passed over. Little did they know that it was the other way around. It became clear to him that lies were being told and that there was some sort of propaganda going on. From what he’d seen, they were just going to be food. Giant hands suddenly appeared out of the ground like tree trunks growing on steroids. They were lifting people up high then dragging them back down beneath the surface. Zhong wondered if they were being stored somewhere or were going straight into the Empress’s mouth. And why weren’t the guards helping? They’d probably cottoned on to what was happening and were taking shelter themselves.

Around the Glens

This is kind of what you’d expect to find in a small commuter village. Large houses that are sheltered away from the main road by a hedgerow to give a sense of privacy and quiet, yet still cheap enough to be built in a batch while having a busy road in earshot. The nearby brook often absorbs some of the sound but it’s not enough to hear just the brook itself. Its only access point is a bridge, but people have attempted to create their own to save time. Sports cars are parked in odd places on narrow roads to allow second cars off the drive to commute. Old features like willow trees have been preserved, but traffic has caused more damage to the foliage than the local council can spare to renew, so it just gets felled for the sake of safety. Then there’s people’s own attempts to tame nature, whether it’s to let it wither or demolish it completely in favour of something more manageable.

Stop Smoking

Is this going to be a diary-driven project which records when I cut down? Am I required to record my daily habits and it’s going to tell me off if I indulge or congratulate me when I’m on a clean break? Or maybe Alexa’s secretly on fire and emitting smoke into the room? Will there be dramatic music or warnings from the Chief Medical Officer? Maybe I should start this day every way just for the moral support, even though I don’t smoke. My attempt was a wall of silence. Either it misheard the command, rejected the app as it’s now closed, or stopped what it was doing. It’d be nice if I could get a message to say that the app’s no longer working so that I’m reassured that it’s the app at fault and not the device itself. Either that, or the air in my room is going to be a lot cleaner.

Fawn and Dandy #fecken 2

Once we hit the bottom of the field, we cross a stile into a small wood then turn left. We follow the path around to the right until we meet a small track which leads us out to the road. It’s then a small incline up a narrow one-track road where we encountered our four-footed friends. Don’t forget that a few hundred years ago this land was all forest without any farms. A short while later, we see a build-up of housing on our left. Gardens are facing out with rooftops protruding over hedges. Then it’s just a small footpath which takes to the other side of these houses and we’re back in suburbia. And it’s amazing how big this estate is. There’s just rows upon rows of houses with large footpaths separating them as we pass through to cut off parts of the road network. It just seems endless.

Mister Big

At first glance, there’s a tall thin man with short ginger hair and a short face. There’s a character with the bare minimum of a wax jacket, wellingtons and gaiters who isn’t afraid to put in a bit of hard work to achieve a goal. There’s a lot of nervousness about him but he’s equally grateful to anyone who’s placed a little faith and investment in him. A few years down the line, the times have changed. He’s strutting his stuff like a peacock as he realises how good his product is. His dress sense has changed to more of a business sense where he’s now seen in a clean shirt and polished shoes. He’s also seeking out opportunities rather than compliments. There’s an effort to make contacts but it’s to sell the business rather than to seek out sales. The gaiters have been swapped for a business jacket to portray someone who’s no longer prepared to get their hands dirty.

Fawning around #fecken 1

It’s quite easy to get to the countryside where I live. You only have to walk two clicks to be on the edge of town. Though the border’s still expanding, there’s still many a house that backs onto woodland or rural fields. It starts from an estate pub where there’s plenty of parking and meals are served. We ascend eastwards towards a cluster of large houses, then as we pass another cluster of houses sheltered in a wood, the pavement becomes non-existent as the council’s desire is to keep you within the town borders and head back through a laid-out path in the woods. Instead, we turn away from the main road onto a field next to the stables. We’re greeted by someone tending to the horses as we cross the stile. We ascend the hill, and as well as the view of the hills in front of us, we’re also treated to someone’s magnificent house where the rear end is mounted onto a large balcony extension which also shares the same views.

Funeral for a Friend #dreamdiary 175

It’s time for a funeral of a friend of mine. I haven’t seen him for a long time so I’m not even sure how he died. The only thing I know is that someone has decided that it should be some kind of a party. We’re encouraged to wear brightly coloured clothes. I end up wearing a fabric rainbow top hat with a bright green shirt and white trousers. As a disguise, I also decide to wear dark sunglasses in case someone recognises me and has repercussions. There’s quite a crowd. People are actually lining the streets to see him pass by. Considering the length of time since I’d last seen him and the amount of people standing around, I decide to just watch the body roll through the gates rather than stay and attend the whole service. Instead of a hearse, it’s a limousine that rolls past me at the gates to the crematorium. 

"My job is not to be easy on people. My job is to push them and make them even better."

 -Steve Jobs

Everyone likes an easy boss. It makes them feel more relaxed and less under pressure to fulfil their tasks. But that’s not a good attitude for the company. You have to be ruthless and ambitious to get ahead of your competitors and turn some profit. But you also need the backing of a good team. You need to push them to do their best, but you also have to show compassion and solidarity in their efforts. You must help others to overcome their problems rather than become one. You have to be inspirational and persuade them to stay with you otherwise they’ll use your efforts to usurp or rival you. There’ll be skills that you want to teach them, but it’s also worth listening to them at the same time as they may have ideas that they want to teach you to make everyone’s tasks easier. It’s a two-way process all in the name of progress.

Sanctuary #wootton 13

I’ve driven past this building many times. Apart from sounding like a hideout for a Doctor Who villain, a sign outside proclaims that it’s the oldest building in Warwickshire. From the outside, at a distance, it just looks like any other church. If you pass by early enough in the morning, you’ll see plenty of bunnies on its lawn. Once you’re up close, it looks fairly big but there are other nearby buildings that are bigger, but they’re not necessarily older. Its entrance has few tombstones which was withered away over the years. It’s a shame that it was closed so that we were denied the opportunity to look inside. The lawn and foliage are well looked after, though there’s few plants to attend to and the clock could do with some maintenance. It’s unclear whether its neighbouring mausoleum belongs to the church, the caravan park, or if it’s independent of the two.

 

Futurama (Season 11)

When I first heard the news that a new batch of seasons had been commissioned, I was delighted. However, from what I've seen so far, it seems to have lost its charm and ironic wit, which is often animated and hidden into the background rather than becoming part of the plot. There's some interesting attempts at continuity, but it lacks creativity such as interesting inventions and time travel, with the original situ taking a major back story. It’s certainly not enough to attract new viewers from this airing. A lot of the lower-level characters like the robots haven't been included, maybe for budget reasons, and there's not enough attempts at worldwide peril and too many character developments. Perhaps ten episodes are too few for a new season. But at least these writers haven't attempted to undo anything, and has left the series open for someone else to have a better attempt.

Camper View #wootton 12

This is a fantastic beauty spot for the locals. It’s not a great known river, but it still has a job to do. At least here the weir diverts water away from the adjacent hall and caravan site. It doesn’t like fast-flowing, and these even gaps over the walls. I love how the light balances over the top of it. It looks like a geyser is sprouting. I wonder how their flood defences are, or whether the caravans are seasonal so that they don’t have to worry about evacuating the residents. The river does like quite shallow at the bottom, though there’s no way of knowing how deep those roots go down until you put something into it. There’s plenty of foliage to soak everything up, and the root on the right could be mistaken for a giant insect or a monster sticking its neck out for a look at the fisherman.