The Greatest Showman

This works well as an adaption of a musical rather than a film, as that’s what everyone really wants to see. It’s interesting that in this case, the film was made before the musical. It does seem odd that characters burst into song randomly, yet that melody could last an evening or a whole decade. Jackman exhibits his cuddlier to attract the female viewers, while others are made to marvel at the circus freaks, though it’s a shame that they weren’t given more screen time to develop as individual characters. We also focus on just one showman. It would have been an interesting angle to portray other showmen who would have to prove who is the greatest. But what I do like about the tale is that it encourages you to never give up on your dreams. The actions are inspirational to do whatever it takes to get to the top.

On yer Head

This little one’s had a great week. She’s got a brilliant pose to show that she’s at the top of her game. The only reason she joined was to prove that she could do better than her elder sister and her cousin, and it’s really given her confidence which will take her far in sport. She’s so proud of her achievement and her expression says it all. I hope that it was a presentation at the end of a training day rather than just handed out to her on the way home. I’m trying to work out what the creature on the certificate is. It could represent a lioness. I hope that the net behind her isn’t a real goal though, otherwise it’ll take ages for someone to score. Hopefully it’s just a target net and the black bar or paint line behind her is the real goal. She’s certainly joined a great team. I wonder who they’re playing?

Pride

What’s it all about? There’s a bit of confusion. Is it all to do with tolerance and understanding of other sexualities? Is it an excuse for a party? Or do you have to swear allegiance to a particular sexuality? It’s not always clear what’s going on. I was once on a pub crawl which coincided with a Pride Day, and we had proper shire people with us whose jaws just dropped when they saw what was happening on these event stages. It honestly looks like something off TV, people who just want to bring attention to themselves. They certainly glam themselves up to make them look like a larger-than-life character. It’s a shame that these groups have such a stronghold over the word, and that we can’t celebrate our community without rainbows being involved. It’s a minority group, but it’s so easy to be labelled as discriminatory if you’re not into it.

Who let that Tramp in? #ralphcourtgardens 19

So here I am, the author of these musings. Will I return to these gardens? I think there’s something for everyone and I wouldn’t mind another visit; if only for a bit of my favourite gardens and in the hope that others have been renewed or replaced. I wouldn’t like it to be too crowded though as you’d be restricted to where to go It’d be nice to think that the hedge behind me is a maze in progress with a viewpoint built in front of the pine tree. The gardens aren’t easy to get to though. You certainly need to make the time for the journey. I’d hope that the café would be a bit quieter to be able to sample some local food or have the opportunity to visit a local pub nearby. Hopefully I’ll have shaven by then, my hair won’t be in clumps, and my teeth will be a bit straighter.

Wowcher

I found a great gift for my mother’s birthday; an afternoon tea for two at a local luxury hotel. She could either invite me or take a friend along. I was a bit confused by the pricing and hadn’t used Wowcher in a while so I wasn’t  sure if I was signing up for a paid subscription as well. I also looked at booking it through the hotel’s website and although Wowcher was cheaper, I do believe that it’s not the saving that was initially advertised. The only downside with the e-mail gift is that the voucher that comes via email and could be a little more presentable to print out to give as a gift. There is a postal option to have the voucher printed and sent for you but the timescales aren’t clear and the cost increases. The voucher was easy to redeem and there were no problems checking in at the venue and I’m told that Mum and her friend had a wonderful time. 

Miniature Gardens #ralphcourtgardens 18

At first glance, I thought this was a miniature line of trees lining a paved path into a hedgerow.  Perhaps it was the entrance for a children’s maze. It’s the height of the fence next to it which is also confusing. There’s even  a building beyond that, but even that could be miniature. The only large building that I can remember being on site is the entrance and administration building. But I could  have also taken it from a height of a balcony overlooking the gardens from a café, but I don’t remember being that high up. Perhaps it is the work of a miniature garden in progress. Beyond the gap in the hedge is something in white. It could be a statue, but if it’s a person it’s difficult to picture them emerging through the gap. I like how the trees get taller from left to right, but again that could just be from my perspective.  

 

Pope thanks well-wishers as he records message in hospital

It’s nice that that the Pope acknowledges his followers of their well wishes to get well soon. But is it because they know him at a personal level or that they’re keen to see him get back up on his feet and continue the job? It’s a traditional joke that becoming Pope is a fast-track way into heaven because of the work involved, but when it’s dragged out all sorts of details can be unveiled about your past, especially at that age. Some might argue about the lifestyle that you lead and that you should have set an example. And he does look a little on the chubby side. Perhaps he’s been taking too much advantage of the finer things and that he hasn’t been exercising enough. But for a figure who’s supposed to represent the world internationally, he certainly hasn’t been practising his English. You’d think that  there’d be better procedures for him to be treated in somewhere other than a hospital though.

Green Green Grass #ralphcourtgardens 17

The green is spreading and they’re probably going to be next. But despite all that we’ve seen today, the girls are still happy to sit and pose. They probably haven’t noticed the giant insect carved on the wooden bust. It looks like there’s a real one on the top left of the stump, though it could also be a plant leaf in the shade. The light on the leaf of the left girl could be mistaken for a dragonfly at first sight. Who knows what other insects are within? It doesn’t seem to bother them and they’re still happy to sit there and pose. Perhaps the right one is beginning to realise that something could emerge from the undergrowth and up her leg at any time. It would be great if a spider were to jump down upon them at this very moment, though they’d probably be scarred for life and would never dare to set foot in a natural environment ever again if it did.

Winding Tracks #dreamdiary 193

I’m off on the mountain trail. I’m setting off to reach Black Tor, a national footpath which takes me to a peak then down into a town where I can catch a train back to the car. I set off through a gated archway through a park where there’s a bricked dome-topped building with a museum inside. The trail then winds its way alongside fenced fields before curving round to reach the mountainside. The top is quite foggy so I don’t hang about for long and make straight down the other side to the train station. Upon arrival, I bump into my niece and my sister-in-law who’s been booked onto the Santa express. As I have time to kill before my train, I take my niece for a walk to the end of the platform to visit the train’s museum. She becomes enthralled in all the exhibits but when I return her to her mother I discover that she has already departed on the Santa Express.

The Bitch's Itch #devilsdaughter 23

Lucinda needed more. Something to balance the other side. It was an itch that she couldn’t scratch. There was just too much cleavage in the way. And even though she was big, it was getting harder for her to wrap her arms around one of them. Although she was strong, she was still feminine and she’d prefer it if someone else were to do the heavy lifting, though it might take many hands to give her the support that she needed. She could also do with something to wipe off the sweat. Then again, it was just herself and her newlywed husband in the building now. Why should she have to restrain herself? With a massive groan, she released what was a very tight button on her corset which was holding her ensemble together. There was a might boom as the building shook and dust descended from the rafters. Evidently Lucinda had underestimated how tight her corset really was.

Knight Knight #ralphcourtgardens 16

The future queens have ascended their garden throne! It’s a casual day today as it’s just a rehearsal which is why the cushions haven’t been placed, although no-one told the guard next to them. He must be feeling a bit warm, though he is colour-coordinated with the throne. When he’s off-duty, I can imagine his helmet opening and closing quite comically as he talks. It’s good to se that the throne is armed with a sword protruding from the back and another on the front wall of the seat, though it’ll be difficult to envisage the queens lifting them. It’ll be handy for a bit of knighting though. There’s also some light coming in from the back panel. I wonder if that’s a secret escape route? The little one looks as if she’s getting ready to test it out. I wonder how detachable those shields are and whether they’re any good. Their size is probably for hidden items behind them or they activate the trapdoor. 

Is the British invasion called that in the UK?

I’m not sure what you’re referring to. Could it possibly be the Revolution when Americans earned their independence? I can’t think of much that we particularly invaded and took over, apart from small ports in order to trade with the rest of the country, though we did keep a bit of it for ourselves. Most people didn’t know that it was happening owing to the communication technology available at the time. Others might mishear the term and use it for when the English invaded Wales and Scotland, though they’d refer to the invaders as English rather than British. Some people seem to think it happened when the Beatles came to America, but all they wanted to do is play a few records. So can I think the same way when Trump pops over to play golf? But if you take the intelligence of some people, it could be the sale of Cadbury bars for all they know. Sometimes a bit of context is good.

The Wind in the Willows #ralphcourtgardens 15

This looks too colourful to be real but it is. On a wet day, this could be a dumping ground for rubbish. Some garden maintenance is desperately needed, the fence especially looks a bit crooked. Perhaps Toad’s goal once he’s finished his breakfast. He could use the caravan to straighten the fence out, or throw the whole thing and the hall inside the caravan into the back of the caravan for fuel. Poor Toad himself is a bit out of place and proportion; he’s massive compared to his hall but it could be argued that’s it’s further away. Toad also appears a bit on the larger size, and also a little tatty, though it could be argued that he outgrew his clothes. I’ve never known him to eat breakfast outside a caravan either, though I suppose that this could be his new life since he’s too big to fit inside the hall. Of course he could have fell through the sky out of his plane through the hole in the bush to land in a convenient place which explains the blue hole above him.

That kid who hurt your feelings at School

How are you feeling? Are you proud of what you did? Do you think that everyone likes you because of it? Are you doing the right thing? What are the effects of your actions? Do you want to make people feel miserable and take bad jobs because they constantly live in fear of change and they feel useless because they can’t make good things happen? They’re never going to trust people again. It’s going to make them feel very difficult when they approach other people for help because they feel that they’re going to get in trouble every time and they’ll have to go through the whole process of being scared again. It’ll make them too worries and dream up bad situations that could get worse with every thought. Think about how scared they’re feeling. They’ll always want to avoid a fight and take the easy way out. Think about what you’ve done. How can you make it right?

We are Siamese if you please #ralphcourtgardens 14

It’s certainly got an Asian edge with the gateway behind them. But I think the girls have had enough of poses. One wants to yell and burn off excess energy while the other one has trouble keeping still. It’s also a lot warmer than we thought that it would be which means that they have to carry their cardigans around. But at least the smaller one recognises the lion and is attempting to imitate it. It’s strange how the grass is roped off by a red bamboo cane. Should I be oof the grass or should the girls not be on the stone? But they won’t be around for long as the gargoyle above the portal has found them and is prepping to google them up. Maybe it’s the colour of their cardigans that’s attracting it. The right side is paying more attention. It’s more fertile so the taller one will be the first to go.

Do you like my Christmas Jumper?

So this is a new one. The ultimate kiss ass machine. How is it supposed to see you? I suppose I’ve you’ve got the later model with a built-in camera then it might be able to compare it with others, but for the unit solely with a microphone, how is it going to judge? Will I have to give it a detailed description? Will it tell me to bugger off for being sad since I’m two months out of date? Will it ignore the whole request and feign ignorance with the view that I’ll get a more favourable response in the lead-up to Christmas? I actually get insulted. At least it’s an honest response. Maybe it varies. The adjective is still the same, but the verb and metaphor is different. Santa, Rudolph, and a snowman have all retreated in disgust. I can only hope that it’s more complimentary in the month that I’m supposed to wear it.

Origin of the Passion #ralphcourtgardens 13

This is where it all originally started. Mum saw a flower here and fell in love with it. We took a picture and asked a man on the desk in the gift shop if he knew what it was. Amazingly, he did! As I was stuck for a gift idea, I started to investigate it as a Christmas gift for her, and found a nursery based in Northern Island that sold them on Amazon. I’d need somewhere warm and dry to keep the plant, so my brother agreed to store it in his conservatory until the big day. As it was difficult to wrap, I just put the planting card inside an envelope since we were going there anyway. Since then, my brother’s admired it so I bought a second plant for his garden. Although our climate isn’t hot enough for the fruit to grow, it still produces an attractive flower on a vine that can be positioned on a fence.

“If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

 -J.K Rowling (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire).

You can learn a lot of someone’s bad habits from watching people. It’s how they react to others that counts. Do they treat them the same way that they do their peers? Or do they expect more out of them and are they less welcoming? Listen hard and see what they say to them. Do they sound condescending? Do they sound disappointed that they have to deal with them? Do they scowl or retreat at the sight of them? But of course, if you’re caught being too observant then if they realise that you’re onto them they may alter their behaviour. This might even cause confusion since the other person is expecting to deal with the negative behaviour. But if you can’t work out who the inferiors are then you’re onto a good person. The problem is that if he considers that he has inferiors in the first place. I wonder if we’re expected to use the same process for women?

Up the Villa #ralphcourtgardens 12

These genuinely look like real apartments. They could rent them out to visitors that just want some peace and quiet and inspiration. They’ve got a few hours spare in the evenings when everyone else goes home to make sketches and have a bit of tranquillity and escapism. It would only need a bed and a shower inside; maybe a small kitchenette if they don’t want to live off the offerings of the café. There’s an interesting skylight in the corner that almost makes it look like there’s a lighthouse. I suppose there could be a tower of stairs inside to gain access to a first floor on the right. Perhaps there’s a hatch that lets the gardeners climb through the window to trim the foliage on top of the rooftops or scrub the tiles. But the fountain has climbed higher to better attract our attention. If one jet gets out of place, it could certainly soak passers-by.

The Bull's Head Inn

This pub has had a strange history. It’s still a pub, and very much a drinking hole for the locals, but it’s a shame that the family haven’t treated it right and they’re not making an honest buck out of it. It’s run by a father whose son used to run a brewery just down the road. The brewery produced fantastic beers, but the father neglected them when it came to displaying them on the bar since he never cleaned his lines so everyone was getting tainted pints. Enraged, the son refused to supply beer to the pub, which is now trying to market itself as being owned by a brewery by placing its letters high outside on the entrance wall. It does serve food which I’ve never sampled. I’ve never heard of it being complimented, though they have put up blackboards by junctions which gives a whiff of desperation.

Mirror Mirrored #ralphcourtgardens 11

It feels like a piece of Sicily. It’s the sunshine combined with the curvy roof tiles. The mirrored windows are a beautiful effect. At any time you could visualise a senorita flinging them open to let some air in, hang up some washing or let a lasagne cool on the windowsill. But then you’ve got to ask what have they got to look out of? Hopefully it’s a see-through mirror. The fountain is beautifully shaped, but you’ve got to wonder where that water comes from and how it’s used in the villas behind. And is the emblem on the stone in front a real practical rope, or is it part of the architecture? The grass looks perfectly cut, but there’s an out-of-place rose in the right-hand corner that looks like the shuttlebug from Red Dwarf. It’s certainly an alien enough picture as you wouldn’t find this view practical anywhere, especially when there’s a hanging basket look-alike just above it.

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

It was good to see the pair back on screen again, but it’s a shame that the plot didn’t focus on something new. I also expected a bigger budget with some guest appearances and a bigger voice cast. There were some great cameo appearances on the franchise but they could have included more. What happened to Gromit and Fi-Fi? Some of the advertisement jokes could have done with a bit more screen time. Wallace’s Thunderbirds approach still manages to make an excellent opening scene. Norbert’s jokes are very good, and the character is easily integrated into a quiet urban area with only Gromit initially raising suspicions. The oddity is that I would have thought that penguins could have survived in sewers, though it could be argued that Mcgraw would consider this to be beneath him. Fans of heritage will be happy with the finale with both steam trains and narrowboats featured in the chase. It’s a feel-good film that will appeal to all.

After Hours #ralphcourtgardens 11

The ripples in the water are close together, you could mistake them for being monogrammed. At first glance, you’d think those circles in the water were fish, but they’re too colourful. But as the garden isn’t open at night, maybe they’re not being used to their full potential. Or perhaps the gardens are used exclusively by the owners, or they’re open at night on selected days. Otherwise, their installation would be pointless. They could waltz through the grounds with large glasses dancing where appropriate, so long as someone clears up after them ready for the following day’s trade. It’s impressive enough, but there’s still no fish. Perhaps they’re located near the other animals so that they can get fed in one go and the animals don’t disturb the tranquillity of the rest of the garden. As the sun captures the light of these gardens perfectly, they must make some interesting shadows.

 

Pillow Talk #dreamdiary 192

I’m lying in bed next to a beautiful young thing. We’re lying underneath  a thick white duvet while white sheets are underneath us. She’s dressed in a cotton white sports top and pyjama shorts while I’m wearing a matching t-shirt and boxers. It’s light enough for us both to see each other. She’s petit with short black hair and small perky breasts underneath miniature teeth. There’s been a safe resting space between us while we’ve been sleeping but now that we’re both awake we curl up together. We ask each other how we slept and it turns out that we’re both happy as we’ve both had a good night’s rest. Then we begin discussing dreams. It turns out that I’ve been busy slaying zombies by stepping through the gameplay of Resident Evil 4. It turns out that she’s done the same, albeit a different scene in the game. I wander if our moment here is part of the game and that there’s a herd of zombies out there ready to attack us right outside of our little den of sheets. But then I stand up and open the curtains and it’s just a normal sun rising over a sleepy block town.

Cheers to Beer

There’s songs about last orders and nights out but beer should have its own song, just as every TV show has its theme tune. But it doesn’t mean that you can copyright it and sell it or claim royalties every time that it’s sung. It needs to be shared and told everywhere, and it should be something that everyone can join in with, if only to add their own take on the verses. There may be someone who sings it best, and there may be many versions of it depending on where you go, but there’s also a story that needs to be learned. The downside is that with all the singing, it’s distracting people from actually tasting the beer. Imagine serving and having to sing every time someone ordered one. Many people just like to say cheers and chink their glass as it’s sweeter and gets to the point.

The Original Hobgoblin #ralphcourtgardens 9

So here he is, the original hobgoblin, before he escaped from the forest and started to sell beer. We don’t know if he’s just escaped from another realm, or if he is forging for a special kind of yeast or a fish to make finnings for a barrel. Maybe this is the backyard to his home which is why a skull is there to ward off evil spirits or donogooders. But from his expression, it looks like it’s a task that he finds difficult. But he goes through this process to create a product that’s worthy for him to consume and maybe to sell to others. He might keep a barrel in his hovel entirely for himself or he could own a bar where centaurs gather every night to sing songs and bask in his activities. These late nights might just require him to take a dip the following day to clear his head.

Am I Cheating the system?

I’ve been asked to make a purchase from a company on behalf of someone. It also happens to be the company that I work at. I order the product, but after that I find out that I can get it even cheaper from another company even with my employee discount. It does seem a bit disloyal, but why pay more for exactly the same product? And I’m also passing on the savings to the person who asked me to obtain it in the first place. I’m getting some loyalty points, but perhaps not as many as I would if I’d made the purchase as instructed. But I’ve got cash in my pocket and the payee has got their goods and a bit of money back as well. I’ve made a little bit of cash, but I still need to clear it off the credit card at some point. As long as I don’t forget and I’ve the funds available to pay it off when it’s due, everyone is happy.

Birth of a God #ralphcourtgardens 8

We’ve stumbled across someone’s eureka moment. It could even be a real live action shot and the character within has been swimming in liquid gold. But when the liquid leaves the pool, it’s pure, clear and clean enough to look like crystal. It’s a precious moment. And these four have just come by to watch. Three of them are proud to witness this moment standing in his garden, though it could be a cage for their amusement. We’re not sure of the fourth one since she’s a bit short and the railing has disguised her expression. They’ve got the best view since their railings are decorated. They may even be superior to the creature contained within these four corners. I wonder if the ladies would like him to be a bit less submerged. There’s even a sign for liability purposes. I wonder if anything else is emerging or is it simply the spot where more water hits the pond?

Boy, 14, stabbed to death as five attacked in Austria

What causes someone to do this? Is it the frustration and jealousy in not being able to integrate into a society? Is it a copycat incident where they hear about this happening somewhere else and decide that it’s a good idea to copy it? It sounds a bit stereotypical that the offender has a foreign background but that’s predominantly the case. As usual the comments focus on the witnesses and what has happened. Nothing can be confirmed until the police announce their findings, which they are only happy to do once they have completed their investigation. Often they need more details, but they can only get them if they make facts public. Most people want a motive, but often this isn’t declared and the guilty party ends up sitting in court in shame while people’s lives and plans have been shattered. And it’s just getting to be more and more common.