Man, Where's My Car? #dreamdiary 212

I’ve parked my car for the day in a multi-storey car park. It was up on the second floor alongside other cars and I couldn’t see any signs saying that access was restricted for the day. But when I returned to the site, the whole building was sealed off with barrier fencing and white sheeting saying that the sign was closed for maintenance. I’d understood if this was for an emergency but this seemed to be for scheduled work as there was no-one around working. I started to get annoyed as the parking ticket would expire soon. I decided to go through the adjacent shopping centre to see if I could enter the building from the other end. At least if I could get to my car I might be able to unbolt the fence from the inside. I head through some double doors and there’s an armed guard in riot gear stood in the corridor by the lift.

Wednesday Club #dreamdiary 211

I’m on a night out at a club. There’s a group of us in designer suits with a few happy fillies and I’m not the designated driver tonight. The club is one of those large spaces that’s designed for the weather. It takes ages to get to the bar. It’s at the end of a long corridor of shrubbery. I think about ordering a beer then think that this place is a bit more designer so I have a mojito instead and it comes in a tumbler layered up like rainbows. I’m vaguely aware that someone thinks that I owe them money but I’ve already paid them off. I just hope that they can remember. At least I can take them on if necessary. We ascend a metal staircase to a rooftop garden where I see a group of shops opposite. I feel like I have to hit those at some point.

Indian Odyssey #dreamdiary 210

I’m in an Indian city. There’s much to explore. We’ve just had our breakfast and we’re exploring an old library. There’s a vertical concrete cone that just goes down below, at the bottom is a giant ceramic vase. It looks as if it’s a set-up for a video game and that I should attempt to slide down the cone to see what’s inside. Adjacent to this is a staircase for an ancient library. Inside, we buy souvenir mugs which aren’t wrapped but placed into a plastic bag. We ascend the stairs to see a balcony of colour. It’s the rooftops of a modern marketplace, of which there are beautiful decorations adorned and painted with idols of the Hindu gods. I drop my carrier bag in amazement. I peer inside and one of the mugs is smashed into pieces. There’s not much I can do about that other than purchase another one on the way back. We spend the rest of the afternoon browsing souvenir shops and restaurant menus.

Floresta Apartments

A nice but busy place to stay, but at times it was a bit of a battery farm. Reception was clean but we could have been aided by a second receptionist to check us in. Our room was surprisingly spacious and comfortable, but it took us a while to open the prison-style steel door. We were lucky enough to have a sea view, but our ground floor patio didn’t seem to be fenced off. The wi-fi was also limited during busy periods. We had just enough time to take dinner on arrival where protective staff patrol the area and are more concerned with guarding tableware and cleaning rather than welcoming newcomers and explaining how everything works. It’s touch and go on how hot the food is depending on when they brought out the trough, but there’s a microwave at the end to reheat your mound if desired. There’s also restaurant theme nights with cuisine from aro7nd the world as well as regular staples to cater for everyone. The pool was beautiful but it’s a shame that people reserve their sunbeds before breakfast, and as we didn’t do this on the first day we missed out. The bar is small but service is quick and most of the cocktails are pre-prepared in large plastic bottles. The pool bar food, although limited, is cooked fresh to order. There’s a great variety of evening entertainment which we tried to keep our younger party members awake so that we could see it. And there’s also a daytime activity programme for both adults and kids, though the mini golf seems to be a rushed addition. We’d probably stay again for the peaceful convenient location and amenities but might go half board instead to enjoy more of the island.

Backend of a Heist #dreamdiary 209

I’m at a social club on a motorbike. I’ve had to buy tickets for my mother who wants to attend a charity quiz night. On the way home, I notice two teenagers on the dual carriageway who are also on motorbikes racing each other. I decide to catch up with them to see if I can beat them. There’s something happening as a lorry has pulled onto the hard shoulder and two cars are coming at me on the wrong side of the road. Once I’ve got around the hazards, I accelerate where the wind somehow catches up with me and lifts me up, and I manage to land in an adjacent field. My belongings are scattered about a bit, and I notice that the police have arrived to pick up bits of paper. Upon examining them, I realise that they’re £20 notes. I try and cram some into my wallet, then when I’m spotted gathering them up, I bring the ones that I’m holding in sight over to the police officer. 

Costa Luz

This seemed to be a restaurant of convenience rather than a specialised cuisine. It was on the rooftop of a block of bars and we were recommended to go there to keep things neighbourly, though many of the locals came from there for takeaway pizzas so that’s probably what we should have stuck to. We were slightly disappointed as we were hoping for something a bit more authentic since it was our first venture out of the all-inclusive hotel. Our paellas were well presented in skillets but looked a bit dry and didn’t seem to have any vegetable stock included. We also ordered a burger which came as a huge tower of food but looked slightly overdone. The garlic prawns were delicious but could have been bigger. The pizzas were nice and fresh which was the best part of the meal. We weren’t presented with a dessert menu; instead we got complimentary shots with lollies for the children (I’m guessing they wanted to call time on a late Thursday night).

Back to the Backpack #dreamdiary 208

I’m passing through some woods with a backpack. A lot of schoolchildren like to camp here with their friends and it’s my job to make sure that they’re OK. I call into a small tent with interconnecting entrance tunnels and a living quarters in the centre. A young girl is in the centre setting up her sleeping quarters. I ask if she’s OK as I crawl through. She just stares at me. I presume there’s another child in the wood gathering fuel and water. I wonder what’s going through her mind, ‘Who is this person and what right does he have to climb through the tent?’ I scramble out and head to the outside of the woods where my bike awaits. I decide to cycle uphill to the next town, which takes me through a set of roadworks. I overtake queuing traffic on the hill, aware, that they’ll have to overtake me at the red light. I reach the lights and I realise that I’m blocking the driver’s view of the lights so I edge forward past them. Then, when they do turn green, I struggle to pull off up the hill. Once I’ve exited the roadworks, I realise that I’ve left my backpack at the edge of the woods where I collected my bike.

Mopsy

At first glance, she doesn’t give the best of impressions. She’s got grey hair that sticks out like a mop and it hasn’t been combed in a long while. At the same time, she’s got the ace of a ditzy blonde that doesn’t take in her surroundings properly. And the dress sense doesn’t help. She’s always wearing thick coats, even in the summer. But when she speaks, it’s quite confident and she’s not afraid to make sure that she’s heard and make suggestions. Sometimes she doesn’t realise what we can and can’t do, but she’s participating and making an attempt, even if it’s easy to shoot down or she doesn’t realise the work that’s required with the request. She’s got a phone but sometimes needs help with the technology. I’m quite baffled with how she got engaged and wonder if anything’s going to happen in the near future, especially when I witness the odd argument.

Grass v Concrete

It’s a British version of Central Park, only it’s before the buildings surrounded the trees. Here they are lining up to do battle against the city. Some of the buildings even have heads, or they just could be giant cameras. They’ve just marched down the hill, and it’s taken all this time to line up in formation against the buildings. But there’s already some infiltrators on the left. Though they’re not a tall as their generals, they’ve managed to insert themselves amongst the enemy. They might have even fenced them in with a crude piece of rope so that there’s no turning back. They’ve even drawn lines in the sky. We’ve got no idea what those are connected to. On the left, you can see that there’s a bit of land left to conquer. Perhaps this is where nature will be rallying on rock formations that the builders cannot reach or cut through the trees.

" A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success"

-Joyce Brothers

If you take the time to look the part, people will do their best to help you. It’s a projection of confidence and people will be able to trust you. Even if you haven’t prepared a speech, people will be willing to listen if you have a good excuse and they’ll help you out if they’re not eying up the competition or are open to a little negotiation. You may not have to show muscles, but you do need to portray strength, confidence, and the willingness to get things done, and you need to form a bond. Even if you’re late, you might be able to get away with it by a little smile to show that you genuinely respect them. If you don’t prepare, and you believe that you can’t do it, then people may not even want to take a look at you, and they’ll want to form a relationship with someone else instead.

Elf in a Bag

I filmed this for my friend who is absolutely mad about this film. I was wondering if I was going to get a message back to save it for her. I’m not sure if I even got a thumbs up. I don’t know why I couldn’t get the sound and the audio in the same frame. I suppose I needed both hands to hold the toy and pull the cord. The sound quality is actually quite good and it’s a shame that I only recorded the one phrase. Perhaps the hands are in the wrong place. They do look a bit constipated. I wonder if the arms are posable. You don’t get the full effect while it’s wrapped in plastic, but for some reason the packers have opted to put small punch holes in it. Is it to convince kids that it needs to breathe? I haven’t seen them on the shelves lately.

The Truth about Competition

It can be healthy for you. It will encourage you to do more, not just for profit, but to improve your practices. It can also encourage you to work hard for those extra sales. But in some instances you can be forced to work too hard and if you haven't got everything in place then it can have a detrimental effect, especially if you're struggling. It also depends if there's a team involved and whether everyone wants to share your goal of being top dog. So you have to watch what everyone is doing and react accordingly so that there's an opportunity to overtake your competitors if you can afford it. If you're leading the way, you'll naturally be the first choice, but you have to bear in mind that sometimes people will want to give your competitors a go, especially if there's a promotion on. There's a lot of work involved to keep your top spot.

Little Tits

We’re back for a wander around Earlswood. It’s a winter’s day and there’s a lot of frost but we’ve come to attempt to walk around the lake. We’ve found a nice car park that’s free that has a small footpath directly to the lake via a small footpath through some woodland. Once we’re lakeside, there’s a stream of water emptying out into the lake. Turning right, we follow the path alongside the lake until we pass through some woodland. In this section, the ground is quite dry and there’s plenty of bird and bat boxes mounted upon the trees. It’s a great spot to see wildlife in action. As we approach the boatyard, it gets muddier. We try  to swap tip with fellow walkers upon their approach about what the route is like ahead. But in the end, the only way forward is to put your feet in front of you and go for a good squelching.

I fired an employee for eating a hamburger during his lunch break. Was I within my rights?

There’s lots of questions at stake here which requires context. If you work with hamburgers, it can be seen as theft. If your firm doesn’t have anything to do with hamburgers, there may be a bit of a problem. You can’t tell people what they can’t eat, and employees are legally able to do what they like on their time off including rest breaks on site. You might not like it and it might be contrary to your beliefs but your employee has the right to be free too. You need to provide a space for them to do this so that it doesn’t interfere with your other activities, or have a policy for them when they leave site so that it doesn’t affect your business. But if they’ve eaten somewhere in an area that they’re not supposed to like a preparation room then that does give you grounds for dismissal no matter what time of day it is.

A Walk Around the Windmill

I’m back for another wonder around the windmill. We’re roughly doing the same walk but with less pubs. We’ve crossed over the railway and we’re just about to get to the canal when someone trips over a root. Panic sets in as we’re quite away from an urban area, though we’re not far from a line of cottages. It’s not going to be easy to get an ambulance here. I’d have to leave her to get the car or maybe find a stranger to help. I might even have to get the air ambulance, though it would need someone to land. Luckily, I manage to help her onto her feet and she’s able to stand. After a little rest, she’s able to walk quite normally and we’re able to finish the route as planned without even mentioning it. But for a moment, we were down. Then we got back up again and got on with it.

Rancho Texas

 It cost us a fair bit of dosh to come here. We were relieved to see that our transfer was included in the price, but we were concerned that we might be losing time and wouldn’t fit everything in after all the pickups but we needn’t had worried. Upon arrival, a friendly staff member handed us a map and directed us to a queue to have our online tickets scanned; though I did wonder if it was quicker pay on the door.

We made straight for the dolphin arena to get a seat for the show, stopping to look at creatures along the way. Upon arrival, we did manage to get seats near the back but the viewing and performance area looked quite large and the dolphins seemed to be happy and well cared for. We then wandered around the rest of the zoo section. The ponies didn’t seem to be in any shade, but the enclosure for the white tiger was huge with plenty of viewing angles once you’d worked out where he was. We also enjoyed watching the lynxes chase each other. Then we had a go at the canoeing, though we were disappointed to pay a surcharge for this and the experience would have been better if you did a lazy island style circuit with optional rapids than paddle down a u-shaped bend to a dead end with some bushes. We dried off by walking around the reptile house, though I did wonder if the amphibious crocodile-shaped tortoise had enough room.

After some interesting xxx antics from the tortoises, we observed the bird show from the hill, but they did indeed seem to be tied up when not flying. We then headed down to the fast food restaurant for lunch. The portions and freshness were reasonable for the price, and staff were happy here. We shared a pizza and some baguettes with fries and onion rings between six of us before heading to the sea lion show which was also good fun with some great photo opportunities.

Onto the water park. We hired a locker for our valuables then found some sunbeds and grabbed some inflatable rings. There was a bit of confusion about where to queue for the lower slide, but the wait wasn’t long (I wondered how busy it gets at weekends when the locals come along). I think it’s a shame that you have to take these tyres up yourself and perhaps a ramp could be devised. The hidden valley was also a bit of a disappointment; I was expecting a lazy river style circuit that you could swim or float through rather than a waterfall around a corner. But me and the young ones happily spent the rest of the afternoon sliding down on the rings; we did try the larger wave slide once but lost count of how many times we went down Wild Canyon and the Gold Rush.

I had a quick visit to the gents by the gift shop and was surprised to see into the parrot enclosure; the parrots could literally watch you pee! Then it was onto the transfer bus which was waiting for us at the exit and we were directed by more friendly staff. We weren’t the last ones on but we had booked; it appeared that a seat shortage was caused by those who hadn’t booked the transfer and came earlier via taxi. No-one seemed to check us on as we embarked. A few little ones ended up on laps to make room.

Although admission was slightly expensive, we all had a great time as there was a lot to see and do. Hopefully there will be new exhibits to tempt us back and we may be braver to try some of the faster water slides!

The Future of Pints?

This isn’t liquid inside a plastic bag sent as emergency alcohol. They’re actually paper wipes. I know that there’s some high alcohol content in these disposable sanitising wipes, but I never would have thought that they’d attempt a beer-flavoured one! You can smell the alcohol but you probably wouldn’t want to taste it. Perhaps it’s designed as a new dispense method that you would inhale or maybe even tear up and chew. You might even be able to absorb it through the skin. I wonder if they’re partial to making it as a stout? But its immense ABV would actually reclassify it as a barley wine or old ale. But unfortunately it’s some sort of chemical compound which takes all the fun out of things. Still, it might be a cheaper relief for those addicted to alcohol. It might warn them off the stuff, especially with how it’s administrated. Unless they’re going to absorb it into their skin…

Whitbread Wipeout

They’re a company out there who’s just sitting on assets wanting to get rid of them. They’ve just given up and the place is shut. They’ve still got tables, chairs and equipment in them. Why would you suddenly restrict the use of your property to a certain clientele just because they’re spending less money? At the end of the day, you’re still turning a profit. Restricting your trade just for convenience isn’t going to win you over with the locals who will visit frequently. Instead you’re just forking on money just for protection. You won’t even give it a chance to sell it to someone who wants to keep the place going. Instead you’re just going to sit there and wait for a change in the policy to cash in. Instead, you’re just forcing abandonment which won’t give it much of a lease in life as people will become used to it.

Fast Forward

 We must be moving forward through a time loop very fast so that our eyes can’t keep up. Everything’s getting shook up because the world is ageing quickly. We’re moving so fast that others are fading from view. Either that or everything is being spun around. It could even be the same person. The silhouette in the background could be another body with a smaller head from a different dimension. Or it could be a body of things yet to come. It could be a teenage top with a late adult waistline below. Is it all going to fade away? And I’m not sure if those are chocolate flakes, hot dogs or bullets hurtling past her. She seems to have dodged them at any rate, unless they’ve hit her in the mouth which has made her teeth crooked. She could also have something a bit adult in there like a cigarette which has caused this whole mess.

The Graduate

This is a great film with some brilliant comic moments and a great soundtrack to match. Even the cinematography has some great transitions to flick quickly between scenes. I enjoyed Hoffman’s nervousness of trying to get his own way while also doing the right thing, especially when he has to demonstrate a family gift in front of his family’s friends. It’s a strange time as independent women are still hard to come by, yet if there’s a generational gap they can easily command younger people out of respect as they push by through the door. It’s only when pressure is put on by his parents that he begins to question his motives to get what he wants, and there could have been some more scenes slipped in. Some scenes are cut to the point to save time and you could be forgiven for thinking it’s the same scene. You just have to wonder what happens next.

Head Goes Pop

This head’s just popped up, but how long have we been waiting for it? What about all those times when we haven’t seen that smile? The head might as well have been trapped underneath the coat. But just beyond there is something green. It looks as if it’s ready to grab it and pluck it from the coat like a cabbage. It could be a claw or talon of something that’s about to swoop down and get a grip. It’s accompanied by a grabber on its left. Is that to take out the both of them? Then the head will be boiled and the hair will be served up on something’s dinner. It might get the little sister first. If they’re quick, they can grab the ropes and poles while the other one may be able to help. Will she notice and get the harpoon out to rescue her? Maybe it won’t be long until it grows back again.

Pack up your Troubles #dreamdiary 207

I’m at a works conference. It’s in a giant arena in what used to be one of the company’s premises in a  shopping centre structure. There’s an outline of what we’re supposed to achieve over the next year and the tasks we must complete to achieve that. Rather than having us leave the building, lunch is provided for us which forces us to mingle in the auditorium to collect it. Having been stuck inside all day, I fancy some fresh air and the opportunity to  see some daylight. I head into a corner where I calculate that if I head behind a propped noticeboard, I can squeeze through a gap in the chicken wire and head outside. It’s a huge airfield only instead of planes it’s a car park. There’s hangers for the company to store its wares. It’s as if we’re being forced into packing up  the company’s property to ship elsewhere, leaving us jobless in the process.

Pranksters

They’re no longer best friends. The little one doesn’t get on with the big one and the big one doesn’t like it. They will argue over anything, and the little one will always overact to the slightest bit of jest. She’s not sleeping well at the moment so it doesn’t take much to set her off. You have to wander if they’re going to play any pranks on each other, which would be much more entertaining than trying to stop them from fighting all the time. They need to put a bit more thought and planning into their activities rather than just taking things off each other. Perhaps they could build a trap that falls onto them when they enter a room. They might even see the funny side of it, especially if they film each other. It does take a bit more prep and thought though. They’ll have to get googling.

Filling a Hole #empress 25

The empress was mountainous. All that she wanted to do was to lay across the landscape while teams of seamstresses worked to attempt to create clothing, nightwear, and blankets to fit. What happened underneath the blanket wasn’t exactly private. Probably the whole region could witness and hear her. It usually served as a warning to evacuate the area or face her wrath in the morning, accompanied by some very large craters where the ground had been pounded and cracked. Though people went missing, there were never any sightings of blood. It was usually the males that got entranced, though the odd lady also got involved occasionally. In its wake, people would often leave flowers as a memorial that the empress had graced their land, if they could find any. They also used the remaining rubble to construct a temple to remind them what they had lost. It was a miracle and a tragedy at the same time.

Shipmates

This could be a playground, but this could also be the rig of a ship that’s just come into harbour which explains the trees. The ropes lead up to the crow’s nest. The hoist on the right could be the bell to bring the crew to attention. The crew are excited to be home after a wet voyage at sea. They’re celebrating their safe return with a selfie that they can send to their families to let them know that they’ve docked and are looking forward to seeing them. Or they could be looking forward to setting off for an adventure. It’s the excitement of seeing things that they haven’t seen before, but they’re ready to share it as a team. There might be a nippy breeze but the sun is out to warm up the route ahead. But it’s an easy ship to restrict and invade once it’s in harbour. 

 

Sing a silly song

I’m not convinced by the tagline on this. Is it going to be one repetitive song that constantly gets on my nerves? Will there be a different song each time I ask? Will I have heard of it and join in? Will there be accompanying music and rude words? Or will it just be the usual monotone voice? I get a male voice starting off a song that’s not dissimilar to a Green Day lyric, but it’s a children’s rhyming song that I haven’t heard of before about how no-one likes me and wanting to spend the day eating worms. Not a great motivational tool, but at least it’s not aimed at me. It’s the second song that’s the irritating one, but at least it’s only one verse and it’s not played on a loop. And then we’re back to the first one. I don’t think I’ll bother any more.

Circle Suspenders

It’s a turret on the end of a stick. It might have a nozzle in front of it to shoot something out. It could be pointed at the back of the girls’ head, or it could be aimed at a platform that she’s standing on which could cause her to plummet to her death if it collapses. You never know which part is an eyepiece to enhance magnification for targeting or if it’s a spare round installed. It could even be an earpiece. It can move at any moment and might be looking at more than one place. It might even be able to adjust its height. But has someone lassoed it into place to prevent it from moving, or is it in the process of spitting something out? It might even be chewing up the ropes that the kids are standing on. Maybe they can pull it back down by jumping.

Raft of tax hikes expected in budget today -here's what we know

We don’t know what’s going to happen until it’s revealed. Until then, we can only have an expert guess. There’s been hints of what’s going to be raised, and how these will affect prices, rates and wages, but then there’s also been a change of plan. It’s a worrying time, and it’s rare that things are going to be able to go back to the way that they were. It’s just going to get more expensive and it’ll discourage some people from continuing their current paths. Is it right to compare it to a raft? Is there a hint of blaming the illegal immigrants in the story to fill the gaps in the budget? The experts all seem to agree that it’s not going to be good news. Of course, what the press really want is a big leak so that they get all the attention first for their article.

Tower Defenders

The square is the strongest until it’s folded in two. They’re not the most natural of shapes and they can be very artificial. Sometimes they can wobble without support. It depends on how they’re stacked. They can also be pierced easily. You’d need a lot of them if you are to win the day. If you’re fortifying, you’re also going to need some patience and the right tools if you want them to stick around. If you have enough of them, you can make something that’s hard to move, but it’ll cost you more in materials and you have to watch out for the saggy bits. Most people don’t bother. They realise that it’ll need rebuilding anyway so it’s better to be mobile. But you can also use them as art forms to make interesting shapes and cut off any corners or bits that you don’t need. You could even use these as decorations.

Wellness

She’s a big girl with a bit of meat in the right places. She’s blonde with brown eyes and glasses that look a bit thick and a short ponytail. She’d be better off in contacts or a different style entirely. She might bat for the other team. She always has a strange odour about her. It’s as if she doesn’t use deodorant. She likes heavy metal when she’s not employed and she’ll be in as much skimpy black as she can. She can be very heavy-handed and she often looks for the easy way out or for an excuse to avoid the task. But she speaks and walks quite confidently. She knows how to get away with things and is happy to ask questions. She might even get in touch via Facebook or be happy to come along to social events with a friend. You can’t think of a reason not to invite her, but at the same time…

Invasion of the Triangles

They’re sharp and pointy and perfect for piercing things. They hang in the balance, but they support many things and are very aerodynamic. There’s more of them than squares. In fact, they’re made up of them so they outnumber them by at least two to one if they’re smaller, and if they’re bigger they can make holes with their corners. They’re ready to invade. They may cut everything up which might be a good thing if you want to start over or make some repairs. But they can also be quite nasty. Luckily, it looks as this one’s covered with curvy plastic so any unexpected face plants will slide right off without piercing or grazing any skin or eyes. This one’s in an angry pose though, so it could do some damage with a bit of force. Has it already taken some hair? Hopefully it’s just a threat to leave the area.

 

Positivity Always Wins

-Gary Vaynerchuk.

You can do it if you think positively! It’s a nice thought that might keep you fighting, but there are some things that can’t go your way however hard you’re thinking them. Laws of physics when you’re standing on the roof of a tall building for example. But you never know if you don’t try. You need to feel that you can do it otherwise you’re not going to be able to spur yourself on. If you have a feeling of doubt, then it’s easy to give into it. You’ll also be disappointed with yourself if you don’t achieve it, and it’ll be harder to get up to the same or better standard again. What’s meant to be a sound of encouragement comes out as a war cry as a desperate attempt to convince yourself. Most people want you to succeed, providing that they’re not competing at the same time.

White Teeth

Check out those front gnashers! They look so cute, but also a bit thin and wobbly. I hope they’re not liable to snap off if caught in an apple. It’ll feel a bit painful. I wonder how long they’ll stay white for. They might get caked in sugar but at least they won’t be dipped in booze. Hopefully they won’t be stained with yellow. The gums look very delicate. They’re all pink and slimy. I hope they’ve got some resistance. There’s also something in the eyes. It looks like little white flakes. That could be a reflection or a digital distortion. It doesn’t seem to bother her. Some of her most vulnerable parts are on show. There’s also a few cute freckles unless it’s a bit of mud from the playground. I wonder how long they’ll last. Perhaps it’s skin that hasn’t properly developed yet. Either that or it’s the tougher stuff.

The Truth about Differences

Differences are exciting. When you meet someone new, you wonder what they look like and how you will get on with them. Will you click with them? Will you both like the same stuff? Will they be different to the point that you can’t stand them or will you ask each other questions to learn about cultures and values? If everyone and everything was the same, life would be boring and everything would be the same. It’s the spice of life! Then there’s differences of opinion. Sometimes it causes conflict, usually over matters of ownership. Then there’s stereotypes of these opinions which are deemed to be bad and can also lead to hatred without the right context or knowledge, or sometimes war. It depends on how you view them. Some people just want conflict and nothing else. They enjoy the struggle of watching other people suffer. Others are bound by rules, usually under employment. But it’s what we do or choose not to do that counts. Sometimes you can tell how things end up, at other times you’ll be surprised.

What if a cruise worker gets fired during the cruise?

I’d imagine there’d be restrictions just as if someone had committed a crime. It would depend on the severity of the offence. Ideally, you’d want to hand papers to the employee while the ship is in port, preferably at the end of the voyage or have arrangements made to take the employee back to the point of embarkation. It depends if you can trust them enough to continue with their duties until you reach port, or have them assigned to a different set of tasks. Access to their work areas would be secured with a new keycard and the employee could be secured in the room if necessary with room service only. You’d be short staffed while the employee is out of action unless you can ask someone else to work an extra shift or put more time in. It would put more stress on the other employees. They may have to pay a fare out of their salary.

Siloed

It would be cooler if the playground was a hideout for something much more. Perhaps it’s used to host a secret silo for a missile. After all, no-one would want to purposefully bomb an innocent children’s space unless they were intentionally declaring a terrorist threat or act of war. These areas are well-guarded by children playing during the day, and they’re maintained at night which is why the park gates are always locked at night. The whole area is already barricaded off and well-fixed playground equipment could just drop down on a trapdoor to reveal a pit below. You could even have half a rocket protruding from the ground for children to play in with an engine and payload below held by a launch pad disguised as a slide and a climbing frame. It would probably need a bit of maintenance and cleaning especially with self-sealing doors. But perhaps they don’t all have to work at once?

Resturante Italica

This restaurant was a nice spot by the sea. We were placed at the rear of the restaurant and if it wasn’t for the mixing desk in sight I would have thought that the music they played was live. The staff were friendly and insisted on taking our picture when we arrived, but perhaps they needed a little more practice in clearing dishes and preparing drinks as some vessels were scattered, but they were quick in cleaning it up. They were well presented, especially with the wine selected for us. We ordered cheesy garlic bread as starters which were very moreish. The traditional lasagne and mixed pasta was very nice and the kids enjoyed the spaghetti. I opted to try the chicken Corden bleu but was disappointed to receive chips instead of potatoes and it was without sauce. The mussels were well presented and there were plenty of them. We then moved onto dessert, the kids enjoyed their brownies, and I chose the tiramisu which was a huge piece. I was slightly disappointed that we weren’t offered a complimentary shot given the amount spent.

Temporary Accomodation

 So could a kid live in a playground like this? Not really as there’s not much in the way of shelter. They could shelter under the slide but they’re going to have to put walls up and build a fire to keep warm. Having a rubber floor isn’t a great thing near a flame. They’re also going to need food, although an ice cream truck probably has a weekend residency and the café across the stream would also be worth a visit. How to fund these visits? Well, if you can’t charge other kids to enter your playground (which would also put the wellbeing of your property and risk); you’ll just have to be evil and mug them. Unfortunately; with or without crime, you’re going to be spotted very quickly as a resident by a grownup who might just have something to say about that or pass on a tip to the authorities.

Surviving the Axe

I’m not sure how this place will survive. It’s a lone small building in the middle of a building site that hopes to cash in on the passing rail travel when the HS2 terminal is finally complete. There’s an upstairs function room with extra seating and there may be a second bar there too but even then, it’s going to be a bit cramped with its central bar and small rooms. I don’t think that it’ll be able to cope with crowds. There’s overspill areas with picnic tables but people still need to get inside to order. At the moment it’s being fuelled by students and real ale fans. It’s going to be difficult to market as a destination pub with a limited capacity. It’s great that it’s being preserved but it’s going to be a tough one and prices will inevitably have to increase unless they can knock through.  

Roped Off

I suppose it’s good practice should they decide to take up life at sea as they’ll be good at climbing the rigging. But there’s not much use of that if the town’s in the centre of the island though. The next use is for practice should they want to join the circus. They can practice hanging and swinging like monkeys to build up their stamina, though not at height. And with the gained confidence in height training, they might want to stop at nets and focus on rooftops to see what other areas they can reach. Are we causing them to develop for the wrong reasons? Where does it stop? They might be enjoying themselves now, but they could have an accident if they attempt to apply their newly acquired skills to a different environment, especially if they attempt to reach places that they’re not supposed to get to. Hopefully they’ll get bored and try to interact with something else.

Futurama (Season 13)

Although short, this series had something to satisfy everyone. It was well-written without fear of cancellation again, with most of the stories being independent of each other. New abilities are backed up with well thought-out processes. Sometimes you wish things to be a bit bigger. Inventions and animation processes are well-thought out which contribute to the plot together with hints of past adventures for continuity. Yet some things haven’t changed and have taken trends into account like media streaming overtaking the cinema. At other times they’ve thought of everything incorporated into a character’s design and issues that are totally relevant that still haven’t been solved a thousand years later. But once again, while it tries to make jokes out of maths and science with a hidden agenda of how we can attempt to safeguard our future, there’s a few characters and plots that have been left out of this series.

Knotted Up

There’s a lot of rope involved to hold these playgrounds together. It all encourages kids to become acrobats and stretch their bodies in ways that they normally wouldn’t when on the ground. They’ll hang upside-down and try to touch the ground and they’ll learn about their body’s capabilities and be able to pull themselves back up again. There’s still a bit of wiggle room so that they get a bit taut when weight gets put on them. Nowadays they use metal rather than thread so that they don’t decay and they’re harder to strip apart. Unless of course, you strip the whole cable away. You could make a ladder in your own backyard. I suppose that there’s special locks installed to stop that from happening. Either that or no-one’s that heartless to attempt to saw through it and leave a playground abandoned. They used to in the olden days. Unless that was in parks that were less frequented. 

 

Exceeding Occupation #dreamdiary 206

I’m back at one of my old family holiday haunts. I haven’t been there in a while. I’ve walked on the beach and I’m following an old trail back to the hotel. It’s a bit overgrown. There’s grass everywhere and I have to push through, but the plants and branches are soft and haven’t hardened in the heat. Then I emerge onto concrete and a wave of humanity hits me. There’s people everywhere gathered around sunbeds on the pool, and there’s children dressed in swimsuits sitting on towels on the floor. The pool itself is also busy, and though there’s places to stand there’s nowhere to swim. There’s hardly a space that isn’t occupied, and the only route to the hotel’s reception is one drawn from my memory. It’s clearly the result of an increased population. I look back at the trail that I’ve left and all I see is a wall of hedge. I wonder if anyone knows if it’s still there.

Branching Out

Branches grow in many ways. In public parks and woods, they’re amputated to keep the bushels safe from the people and the people safe as they can’t climb up the tree. They can’t pick up the blossoms or the mushrooms that might grow on its branches. They can’t risk getting a cut or splinter or a branch landing on their head. But even though the council can’t do much about the leaves, it still leaves the tree vulnerable. What they think will protect could actually harm it. Some branches just don’t grow back. The growth is stunted and restricted to the way in which the tree can move or tilt itself towards the sun. That might suit the locals since it won’t restrict anyone’s view or it could be less likely to cause damage should it fall. It might even be angled to fall in a particular direction. And the tree might just fight back or die altogether which would be a waste of everyone’s time.

Change of A Dress #devilsdaughter25

Resting her full weight on it, it snapped like it was tin. It wasn’t quite hard enough. She’d be better off with a piece of wood. It was easier to snap a piece of wood off the pews. That would be much more comfortable, and they were even cushioned. A nice combination of hard and soft. With her corset in pieces, she needed to get Luke back to the hotel and into the honeymoon suite where she might be able to persuade others to join them. There was a large blue curtain behind the organ which separated the church’s office from the rest of the building. Rolling onto her side, she used the momentum to lift herself up and walk over to the curtain, all still while holding Luke. With a slow twirl, she grasped the curtain and wrapped it around her. Luke’s head popped up in between the apex.

Kidding around the Court Leet

It’s a bit of a concrete hideaway. We haven’t booked, but we’re led to a large booth at the back of the pub. It’s tall and green and there’s a screen hovering above us showing cartoons. There’s a playground on the other side of the wall that stretches around to the front, but the kids aren’t interested too much because we’ve just come from one. Instead, they turn their attention to the menu. Once we’ve worked out who wants what, my brother and I head to the bar. I choose a cider since there’s no real ale available. I’m not convinced that she’s taken my menu option right. The bill seems quite cheap considering that there’s six of us. There’s a work colleague of mine in the next booth and she stops by on the way back from the bar to say hello. The kids go for a pudding but there’s nothing there to inspire me.

 

What happened in the Paralympics?

Probably quite a bit I would imagine. I’d expect some running and jumping. Some people would be given medals while others would be disappointed. If a competition was running, I’d expect a rundown of the day’s events. Now that the event isn’t running, I’d expect a bit of prep news as to how the organising of the next event is going. It would be sad if nothing happens at all, especially for the athletes. But I get a press release of how an athlete became a recent champion and his progress in Motocross and how he was inspired. There’s probably hundreds of similar stories. I ask again and I get the same story. It’s a bit outdated since we’ve had an event after that. It’s not clear when this person become a champion. Will I get a different story if I ask it tomorrow? It’s so mundane that I don’t want to find out.

Hair-raising Fun

It ends up in all sorts of places, both good and bad. In some ways you're leaving your mark. It's a way of marking your territory and stating that you've been somewhere. You're probably not going  to be able to notice it unless you’ve left if there deliberately like a forensic scientist or a spy. But if it’s blonde, it’s easier to spot. But it’s also unhygienic, especially if it ends up near someone’s food. Sweat gathers and you can taste the stale moisture. It can also get stuck causing you to gag or swallow it. You’ll need quite a bit of water to wash it down and out quickly. And older people are more likely to leave it behind. But this one is a bundle of fun since it’s soft and there’s lots of it. It probably needs a trim but she hasn’t had an opportunity since all the salons are closed.

Hannah, 22, died after buying poison online -why her death raises serious questions for the NHS

Why was she buying poison online? Did she think it was medicine and that she found it difficult to get the treatment that she wanted? Or was she genuinely shopping for suicidal products? Unfortunately it turns out to be the latter. You can misuse anything to create poison. And having it delivered to a specified address means that it’s harder to trace. If you’re in special accommodation, these sorts of packages should raise questions. What has the recipient ordered and what do they intend to do with it, especially when they’ve ordered a large amount? It’s just common sense. But it’s not clear in the story if Hannah was under NHS care at the time or whether she was back at home. It’s a big gap as it shows who should be liable. The story also fails to address where the poison was sought and identify the specific purpose of the product. There’s no duty of care and action needs to be taken to avoid blame.

A Quest for a Cartridge

I’ve had mixed reviews of these people. I’m just looking for a deal on something that works. I don’t mind if it isn’t the genuine article, but it needs to the same job with the same quality. What I don’t want is someone calling me up to see if I want to substitute my order for their own brand. I know what I’ve ordered so why can’t I stick with that? I also don’t want to have to phone up and complain only to be told to watch a video of how the cartridges should be installed via a different technique. It just seems like a waste of my time when my delivery could have already been despatched. I asked for recommendations but decided that my printing needs were a bit more urgent so decided to go with a quicker method delivery and put these guys on the backburner for next time.

Button it Down!

There’s the type that you feed through holes and the type that you fasten and push in with a click. These can be fiddly to fasten, especially if it’s wet as the metal parts will just slide off each other while you’re trying to press them in. And the child inside might be wiggling too. But the advantage is that you’ve got more natural room to breathe. It’s a shame that you can’t go the effort of making a corresponding wall with the fasteners in the same position so that you could hang the coat up in an optimum position to dry (with the child being enclosed inside it as an option. Perhaps upside-down to force them to hold onto some overhead bars to conquer the fear of falling). But my favourite ones are the ones that are made of chocolate. There’s no need to torture for those, until you find that you don’t have enough.

The Truth about Secrets

Some are lies dreamt up by people to avoid attention. They don’t want you to know the truth so they throw distractions. Some of them are revealed eventually like hiding gifts for Christmas or birthdays. Others are more devastating when you hear the excuses that people come up with when they don’t want to tell you the truth. They’ll try to deflect you from asking the truth with a list of tasks that they want you to complete while they think of a genuine excuse that can be backed by a convincing alibi which prevents you from pursuing the subject any further. We don’t really know what goes behind the doors of Area 51. Is it a host site for aliens or is it really a site for advanced technology? If it’s the former then someone would have surely blabbed by now. But be warned; the truth can hurt. They may be doing you a kindness by not telling it to you.

Zip it up!

They’re handy things. It’s good to pull things together and it’s very easy when they’re working. When they’re not or if there’s a jam,  it just takes too long to adjust and it’s very tempting to just throw the whole thing out. You’ve also got to wonder whether it’s lighter to strap a load of metal to your chest or to add more material. Then you’ve got to hope that people can use it. It’s easier to do it yourself that reverse it on front of another person. But for children it encourages more hugs as you wrap your arms around them to fasten it up. One day they’ll be big enough to do it for themselves or they might be too big for you to do it, but you hope it doesn’t come to that. You hope that the process doesn’t wear you out either. With a bit of luck, you’ll have some help.

Costa Lota

I had to get up early today for an appointment so I decided to get breakfast on the way back and popped into the coffee shop. I had to add to my balance otherwise my points would be deleted and unclaimable. After clarifying what a certain coffee was, I decided to do the bacon and coffee deal. Rather than it being a fresh bacon roll, I was asked to pick up a pre-packaged one out of a fridge for the barista to heat up. Then it was a question of which offer to use. There was one of them that I couldn’t use with the breakfast deal. Then I couldn’t get the drink that I wanted with the breakfast deal. It was all so restrictive and I ended up with a micro portion. Still, it did the job with the large beverage, but it wasn’t as great as I remembered it to be. Perhaps it’ll be another year before I’m back.

I am Jane, hear me roar!

Little monkey doesn’t want to be left out. She understands that sometimes she has to give up her share of the limelight; but she wants to make her presence known. She works hard to make sure that she’s not forgotten. She’s even got a matching jacket so that she feels like she’s a part of her life like being in a team. She’s managed to get herself to a higher position to get herself in the frame. She knows that she might be interrupting her big sister’s golden moment but who can resist that cheeky smile? She’s done something brave to get where she is and she’s enjoyed the journey and what she’s achieved. They both love posing, especially when they’re in an area built just for them and it’s going to be difficult for grown-ups to come and get them. But they know that they till have to follow their rules if they want to be fed, watered and sheltered.

The Secret Garden (2020)

This is a great classic escapist film to fall asleep to on a sunday afternoon complete with a classical music soundtrack. It’s set on a classic english manor estate which must be enormous which is why all other countries think that all British people are elitist millionaires who live this way. I’ve not read the book so I can’t appreciate the childlike wonder of the characters, but I don’t think that the film was aimed at younger viewers anyway. The characters are portrayed as brats. The animation is amazing, and Jemima is very well trained. I particularly enjoyed the Avatar effect where plants came into blossom as the children ran into the garden and withered away as they retreated in times of peril. But it’s a bit unrealistic as to how far Mrs Medlock’s voice carries such a vast distance into the garden. I’d like to think that the film concludes with all the characters camping in the garden while they wait for the manor to be rebuilt; but it doesn’t look like that’s realistic.

That's the tooth

She’s got no neck, but a cheeky grin. Her coat must be caught on a rope and she’s ducked down to free herself. There’s quite a few golden buttons and there’s nothing for them to fasten. I hope the coat’s not lifted up to expose something else. At least she hasn’t got any fear of falling. The head’s getting ready to erupt and shoot out. But when she’s taking her own photos, she can do what she wants. She’s happy and I’m happy so long as she doesn’t drop the phone. She could be on a ship’s rig if it wasn’t for the fact that there were trees behind her. She might even have a twig in her hair. She’s stuck but she’s enjoying the experience of being outside with company. It’s a good job that she’s not trying to be a trapeze artist. Unlike the other one who’s a right little monkey.

Bigger is Better #vampress 24

But who should she pick? Perhaps she would hold try-outs. Perhaps it was time to show herself at night to see what the lay of the land was. Or would it be safer to find someone she could trust. She would have to get to know the people under her power to see who the better ones were. For the first time, she would have to pay attention to them to learn who were the most skilled. She suddenly realised how alone she felt. They all worked together to serve her and she didn’t know any of them. She sighed. Maybe she should introduce herself to them gently. Tease them into what she wanted them to do and gage their reaction. She should start with the bigger ones first to see what their stamina was like since there were plenty of them about. A lot of them worked on the farm and had great big muscles.

Restricted Sight

It’s like looking through a small slit in your eyes, but what’s actually happened is that the camera has been stuffed down the hood inside of someone’s jacket. It’s a view of the floor. You can make out the autumnal leaves. It looks a bit like rubbish, which you wouldn’t want to see at a children’s playground. There’s a lot of pale brown at the bottom which can only be skin. The rest of the image is light into darkness. It’s like you’re stuck inside a refuse sack. Hopefully you’ll catch the phone before it falls out completely. As we climb higher, the images could be something else. The white blob in the centre could be a child’s shoe. To the left of it, it looks like a hand. It could be a glove grasping a banana skin rather than a leaf. Alarmingly, the object on the left could be a knife.

 

First hostages being released as part of Gaza peace deal

Why have this terrorist group been allowed to occupy Gaza in the first place? It baffles everyone why this has been going on for so long. I expect that there’s relief for the families as well as resentment at their governments for taking so long. I wonder if they’ll sell out their story. There’ll be pictures of hugs. It was very frustrating last time they did this as they were paraded on a stage. How long will it be for all of them to be released? All you needed was a bit intelligence and you could have taken them out. Is our technology and intelligence really that low for the area? Or is it a case of other countries not willing to invest resources? There’s even rumours of Trump visiting now that it’s safe. Hopefully he’ll stay there. It’s just a PR stunt for him. For his sake, I hope his detail states that it’s too much of a risk.

Hanging Tough

The rear of the park is dedicated to a large football field and a large play area. This is fenced off by a number of colourful metal gates, and in the centre is a small group of low benches for parents to sit and watch the action. The floor is made of a mixture of woodchip ad safety rubber. There’s also a number of sensory instruments like metal tubes to tap and make notes, and an earpiece that stretches to the other side of the playground. In the middle there’s a giant rope spider that kids will be desperate to get to the top of, but it’s designed so that parents can duck in when they get too high and pluck them off when their fear of heights kick in or that can’t seem to get down. There’s also lots of swings and a climbing island with a slide and a fireman’s pole. Plenty to keep the kids active.

What's the latest football news?

The problem with this is that it’s such a broad question. Am I going to have to tell her the teams that I’m interested in? Is she going to look up the nearest local match and tell me the scores? Or is she going to read out the transfer headlines? I actually get international news in a monotone voice with quotes from a coach that I’ve never heard of. There’s also an in-depth analysis, as if I’m preparing to place a bet, and they seem to be interviewing anyone possible from every angle. It's as if she’s attempting a summary of the headlines on the same topic from different sources. There’s no other matches happening. Will I get something else if I ask again? Six hours later, I give it another go. I get news of a different country, this time it’s analysis of a match in progress but it’s not clear who they’re playing.

Park Life

This is a municipal park set just outside the town centre. It’s gated to discourage night parties; though it’s still accessible on foot around the back. Inside, there’s a zigzag car park which is free but causes everyone to park at an angle. There’s an overflow area at the end, but these could be disabled bays to let people get closer to the playground. There’s an island moat for ducks which people are encouraged to feed by purchasing pellets from the shop. There’s also a bandstand which hosts performances in the summer. There’s also some tennis courts, a putting green, and a children’s paddling pool. Occasionally there’s an inflatable slide that you pay an admission fee to use. Next to this is an outdoor self-propelled gym. I’ve only seen kids use it. I’ve never known anyone to train here. Bridges cross a small stream to the rear of the park.

Bored by Barber

She’s fairly tall with shoulder-length blonde hair with a bit of meat on her arms and has curves and lady lumps in all the right places. She knows how to flaunt them to get what she wants. But she always has such a bored and tired look about her unless she’s flirting or having a joke with someone. Every syllable that she speaks seems to be a slow whine or that she’s going through the motions as briefly as possible to get it all out of the way. Even her smile is fake at times. She hates waiting but when it comes to wasting time she’ll get the task done as slowly as possible until it’s time to down tools and leave. Then she’ll exit as quickly as possible without taking any responsibility for what she’s left behind. Any idle time will be spent standing around flicking her hair until she’s told to do something else.

Jellycats

It’s a stuffed orangutang and its name is Pip. It’s small with orange fur and has felt feet in the shape of hearts and horns like zebra stripes. You can’t store anything inside it, and its limbs aren’t articulate for posing. So why is it so fucking expensive? Is it stuffed with real cat fur? Is it the materials used (it is apparently). Or is it because of a certain video trend that makes everyone wants one?. Even beanie babies aren’t that dear. It’s not like it’s a full-sized bear. Perhaps it’s going to absorb liquid and grow. Still, the recipient was happy to have it and it’s one of her favourite gifts that she tells people when they ask her what she got for her birthday. Still, if she does start making her own videos, I can ask for a mention in the credits. I might even receive some revenue.

Which way now?

If you’re on foot, the sign might be helpful, but it’s actually there for the boats as it doesn’t expect walkers to cover that distance. Maybe it is for the birds, but for everyone else, there’s a great gate that blocks the way. It doesn’t like it’s the right direction to go for King’s Norton. Going straight ahead looks the obvious way, but there’s boats in the background and also a waterfall. You could ask them to move but they might not be there, or they’re also waiting for the lock to open. That might be a lock but it only leads to the upper marina. At first glance it looks like iron because of the shade supplied by the bridge, but as you get closer you realise that it’s wood. All you need to do now is to work out how to open it. Maybe the duck that’s just come from Stratford has all the answers.

Doorbell footage shows blaze erupt at mosque after suspected arson attack

So it’s not just the synagogues that are being attacked; it’s the mosques as well. And it also gets someone some money as they’ve probably sold the footage to the media, unless they’ve posted it online already. It also looks like they tried to destroy the getaway vehicle, although having a printed sign on it isn’t going to help. It looks like it’s advertising a taxi firm. I hope that the police are further ahead than the press with their enquiries. It might be down to a local disagreement rather than a hate crime as described. I also noticed that some of the flags have disappeared off their lampposts recently. I’m not sure if this is a token of respect in regard to recent events, or whether it’s the storm that has blown them away. Hopefully those responsible can be easily identified and paraded around in shame to prevent copycat instances.

Oh Buoy

Now the dog’s at the bow. You’d think he’d be trained to bark left or right to help steer the boat away from danger. I hope he’s on a lead or he’s well trained and he’s not preparing to jump out and swim to chase ducks. Oddly, the steering’s done at the rear of the boat. I suppose a wheel could be installed at the front but then a pole would have to be run underneath the whole boat to control direction. It’s a weird because a car is controlled from the front as well as some watercraft, so why isn’t this one? Surely you’d get a better view, and you would also be able to steer the way that you want to go rather than in reverse the whole time. The lady passenger sill thinks that the scenery behind them is better. Either that or she doesn’t want to be on camera.