17 December
Some time ago I gave up on Game of
Thrones 5 and stopped reading it around 2/3 way through. We have both
enjoyed the DVDs though. With Series 6 having just come out we bought and
watched them just after they were released. I’ve been trying to keep up with
what Mr Martin is up to, especially as there seems to be sign of Vol;8 of the
series coming out soon. One FB friends said he gave up on the telly shows with
series four because they had moved too far from the books. So, a couple of
nights ago I returned to GOT5 and continued reading from where I left off,
re-reading the first 2/3s was a bit much really.
The point of all this is to say that there is no way that a 770 page book
can be crammed into ten 50 minute TV shows. Not only that but some of the
scenes in the book need to be played out better, or more dramatically on
screen. A scene where a character goes to bed at night and wakes blind in the
book, looks far more dramatic if said character goes blind suddenly and unexpectedly.
If that is moving away from the book too far, then so be it. All in all though,
I’m still enjoying the journey through Westeros and I’ll be happy when #8 is on
the market. However, it looks like we will have a long wait. Mr Martin is
toying with the idea of another, but different series to start writing. Readers
must hope it’s not another series he will get fed-up with and move on again.
I suppose that is a danger when it comes to book series that are not
stand alone stories in their own right, Rankin’s Rebus books for example. So
what of my own writing then? I have two series on the go, Fred Cooper in
Cambridge and David Oxford in in Portsmouth. Arathusia will not be a standalone
story, I can see it becoming a fairly long series. Mission, with Alan Parsons is currently just a one off, or is it? A
few months ago I had a dream which has set off another story idea and that one
now stands at around 4,000 words, with the retired Mr Parsons coming out of retirement.
I keep seeing ads for items with the words, ‘So many books, so little time!’ on
them. How about, ‘So many ideas and words, so little time,’ for us writers? No
wonder me ed urts …
You do know what the problems is don’t you? It’s not getting fed up with
things as Mr Martin seems to be, no, it’s too much time being waste on social
media, the great procrastination excuse in the sky! That’s what it is. But hang
on a mo … How will be find new writers and books with it? Newspapers, magazines
TV … but all of those drawn the unwary from the pleasures of a blank screen
needing to be filled with words of wisdom or of the dreams of us writers. Or
even an A4 pad with a pencil or a nice pen? Just the same my friends, just the
same … and of course, writing a daily blog!
Today’s photo …
seeing as I’m on about writing again, how could it be
anything else.
Today’s funny …
A man was staggering home drunk
in the early hours of the morning when he was stopped by a police officer.
'What are you doing out at this time of night?' asked the officer.
'I'm going to a lecture,' slurred the drunk. 'And who's going to give a lecture
at this hour?'
'My wife.'
16 December
Another benefit of me loosing so much weight is that my sleep apnoea
seems to have cleared up. When I was first diagnosed with it around 10 years
ago, the consultant wasn’t too happy with me when I walked in with a Costa
coffee cup in hand. He said, ‘That stuff won’t help you sleep at all.’ Ah well,
I do like coffee though, although I don’t drink loads of it. It’s the caffeine
in it that causes the problem but I wouldn’t have thought it was so strong as
to burn down half of a service area on the M3 yesterday. Yes, yes, I know, I
know, I’m being silly again; just trying out a funny for size, anyway, I bet it
was a Starbucks.
Perhaps my attempt at a funny wasn’t so good, but I invite you to think
about your body and health for moment or two. I doubt you have heard of the
term ‘holistic’ being applied by some folks. It’s something I have always wrote
off as being some sort of New Age clap-trap thought up as way of dragging even
more money out of us. But is it though? In some cases, I think that may still
apply to some of the more outlandish ideas that get peddled. However, I do now
think that there is something behind all the hype.
In 1998/9 I had a fall in a shower and I seemed to fall apart after that.
Yes, I wasn’t the fittest man at that time but that fall did me no favours at
all. Off I flew to Mallorca for a week on my own after the damages payment
arrived here, and I enjoyed it too. However, I came back with a burst blood
vessel in my left eye – not good. That then lead to being diagnosed with diabetes
not long after returning. Now here’s the kicker; I was a greedy and lazy for
many years before the fall. My weight was well over what it should have been,
even when I was in the army, and I ignore every warning I was given.
It was that excess weight that caused all my continuing problems. If I
had listened and sorted myself out at that time, in all likelihood I wouldn’t
have had the problems I’m now facing. One health related issue has blossomed
into a continuing list of problems, including the depression that I can have
come on me at any time. Now I wish I had listened and taken note and acted. But
I didn’t and it’s no use playing the, ‘shoulda-coulda-woulda,’ game, no use at
all.
But that’s the issue isn’t it; when we are young and carefree we think we
own the world and are invincible. We don’t learn the truth for many years
after, usually when it’s too late to do anything major to correct things. Now I
watch what I eat as well as the amounts I eat, and I stopped drinking booze
nearly two years ago. The weight is coming off nicely, my diabetes is well
under control and as for the depression, it’s not coming on anywhere near as
often as it once was. I still get a lot of pain in my knees and hips but overall,
I doing a lot better than I was three or four years ago.
So my friends, please read this and take note. It can happen to you, even
if it hasn’t happened yet. Look after yourselves and save yourself from the
pain and day to day fight with high blood sugar levels, better known as
diabetes.
Today’s photo …
A normal dinner
for me these days.
Today’s funny …
A guy was lost on the Mall by the
Washington Monument. He stopped a policeman and asked, "What side is the
State Department on?"
The cop answered: "Ours, I hope."
15 December
What is the difference between our very own Bonkers Boris and the Germany
defence minister? It’s easy really, at times Bonkers doesn’t know when to speak
and what he says and when to keep quiet. The Germany lass does know what she is
doing when she refuses to wear a head scarf while on an official visit to Saudi
Arabia. Her glorious leader has stated that Germany should ban the burka, this
other woman is deliberately flying in the face of the norm, even for visitors.
I seem to remember Mad Maggy wearing a scarf on a visit there when she was
Prime Muppet, and she was a woman very much in charge of herself.
With this one we see a deliberate insult to Saudi, something that will
not go down well at all. There is a huge difference between speaking your mind and
acting accordingly, and the use of common sense. This woman is there on
government business, will she complain if they refuse to see or deal with her
with her head uncovered? Personally, I think she has a point but as I said, common
sense needs to be used at times. Dressing according to well laid down
traditions of visiting government should be respected. Lucky for her she will
have a diplomatic passport and all the protection that carries with it. If any
Germany national went there with the same attitude and did the same, they won’t
have that protection. No, I’m sorry, but she is wrong on this one!
And while all that fuss is going on, the evacuation of East Aleppo has
finally begun. Hopefully all the kids and their mothers will be the first to
leave, let’s hope so anyway. But what of the city itself? From what I’ve seen
on the telly news there not much of it left, not enough to fight for anyway, if
that was what they were fighting for. But that isn’t the reason is it? Oh no,
the fight is to rid their country of a man who has killed and maimed thousands
of people. On the face of it, there is little between their president and Sadam
and Quaddaffi, both of whom were sadistic bully boy tyrants holding on for
their very lives. Al-Assad will know what happens to men like him, and that is
why he is so keen to accept Russian help and fire power. Like all bullies, he’s
hiding behind his protectors.
It has been 25 years since 18 year old Nicola Payne went missing in
Coventry. Her body has never been found, and the two men charged with her
murder last year were acquitted. I really do hope they find her soon so her
family can have some peace from the constant worry and concern. Nicola had a
baby son too and he is now 25 years old and yet he has never known his mum. How
sad that must be coming up to Christmas every year. Her family are convinced
the answer lies in Coventry, and I wouldn’t be surprised that it’s there with
the area where she lived too. It’s time for her to be found and returned home,
even if it is only for her proper funeral. At least her family will have said
goodbye.
Today’s photo …
A reminder of summer.
Today’s funny …
Doctor, Doctor, I keep thinking
I'm a telephone.
Well, take these pills and if you don't get any better give me a ring.
14 December
Yesterday I really didn’t feel up to siting here at me ‘puter for a
couple of hours at all, so I didn’t. I did eventually have a short time on
FaceBook in the evening though. In the afternoon, we went to Tesco Arena to do
our shopping for a change, we won’t be going back in hurry. Just about
everything we bought was more expensive than Asda, and we had to hunt around
for a lot of items. OK, that is down to not going there all that often, but all
round, not a fun time. On the way home we called into a pub for drink, and even
that was a disaster. The tables were sticky, there was a slight smell of rotten
food, and even at 4pm, there were several drunks in there shouting the odds
over everything and anything.
Arnie the feathered lodger went home last Friday and we are surprised
that Maxi isn’t missing her. Having said that, he’s not coming out of his cage
as much as when she was here. He’s happy chirping away in there right now. It
is quieter now she gone though; I’m sure they used to make so much noise just
see who could scream the loudest. However, Maxi will remain by himself now, we
don’t want another one in a hurry, far too much mess from two of them together.
Have you ever heard of an outfit named Inrex? No, nor me, that is until I
read a story on MSN home page today. According to the story, they are a traffic
analyst group and they have come up to a warning that December 23rd will
see the most congestion before the Christmas period and the 27th
after Christmas. Oh hum … is that supposed to be news? The last traveling day
before is always busy on the roads. Year after year the telly news carries
pictures of people turning up to travel late on the 24th or the 31st
only to find out that whole system has shut down. Like I said, what’s new?
It could be the big Day is on a Sunday this year, but most of us have
lived through even that before. Maybe real story is Inrex themselves. I don’t
know of them and I would suggest most people don’t folks don’t. I’ve just done
a search for them and it seems they have a finger in a number pies, mainly to
do with communications and mapping apps. They have a real estate and a home
care services too. Perhaps the whole thing is aimed in lifting their profile.
If so, I’ve just help them a good bit haven’t I?
Well, Jan has just left to go for a GP appointment. It’s our own fault that
it’s happening in a rush though. When our prescriptions were delivery a couple
of weeks ago, she wasn’t in the driver took my repeats back with him, but he
had to leave Jan’s here. We took it in yesterday and it was refused because she
hadn’t seen a GP for prescription check. It was clearly show on the first page
of the repeats but neither of us saw it. So now she has to get it all done in a
bit of a rush. Why’s that? Well, they are due delivery on 27th, but
I can see them coming out earlier. Our fault but Jan is doing the racing around
because of it.
Today’s photo …
One of my better shots a Lady Godiva.
Today’s funny …
Patient: Doctor, doctor, I keep
seeing frogs in front of my eyes.
Doctor: Don't worry, it's only a hoptical illusion.
12 December
Yer man Putin must be laughing his socks off at the West right now. The
US is ripping itself apart over Farter Trump; the UK is doing the same over
BREXIT; the EU is fighting hard to keep itself from falling apart; the Arab/Islamic
nations are fighting among themselves, and while all that is happening he is
happily rubbing his hands together while he bombs the hell out of Syria. I have
a feeling he’s also laughing at all wasted efforts of predecessors in the Kremlin
who were fighting to keep the USSR at the top or the power race. Right now the
world is going to pot and Putin sits there laughing as he looks on, waiting to
slid right in and take over what is left over after all our petty squabbles.
The West has never really trusted the Russians, even when we fought a
common enemy in WW2. The alliance was only in place because of the need to
fight Germany at that time. After 1945 the truth became really clear when Stalin
annexed so much of Eastern Europe and the cold war began. In October 1945 the
United Nations was set up in an attempt for nations to live together in peace,
hopefully preventing another war on the scale of 1939/45. Nations living
together in peace, ha, what a joke. Think of the Korean War, the Vietnam War,
all the various conflicts in Africa, Indonesia and Malaya, and don’t forget the
Falklands War or the Troubles in Ulster. At least the UK had armed forces worthy
of the name, if anything major blew up now we would be hard pushed to meet it
at our own shores, let alone be on any offensive.
Look, I’m not all that clever a man, and yet I can see all this. Surely
there are people in power who can see what I see and can read between the lines
of the headlines. So why is that lessons have not been learned? Millions of men
died during the conflicts of the 20th Century. All it needed in 1914
was for one world leader to say, ‘No, this can not happen!’ for it all the have
been prevented, but none of them did because they didn’t want to be seen as being
fearful, or being afraid.
Of course, things are different in the 21st century where militant
Islam plays such a huge part in so many lives. Now men and women go to their
deaths happily because they believe they are doing God’s work. But is really
all that different? Islam has its strong leaders who can incite followers and
stir them up to action by big promises of paradise awaiting for them. If
paradise is so good, why aren’t the leaders at the fight of the fighting? For
the same reasons as in every conflict, they live to give orders, not to die for
the Cause. The difference is only in the reason behind the greed for power and
wealth.
Coming back Yer Man in Moscow then; even he isn’t immune to attacks by
the fanatics of Islam. Russia has been hit a few times by them over the years
since communism fell. And just like so many tyrants of the past, he too will be
brought down when he least expects it. Sadly though, some other unstable person
will take over from him it will all start again, and the UN will continue to
sit back wringing its hands and begging everyone to please stop what they’re
doing and live in peace. And the Ferris wheel of life goes around and around … …
…
Today’s photo …
The clock tower, Leicester.
Today’s funny …
After suffering through years of his wife's awful
coffee, the man spat it out and took the coffee maker to his lawyer.
Dropping it on the attorney's desk, the man growled, "Here they are!"
"Here are what?" the startled lawyer asked.
"Grounds for Divorce."
11 December
Having posted yesterday’s blog we sat and watched the new Independence Day, DVD that we bought in
the week. It was OK, ish, if you like. The ending has been left wide open for
another one at least. Who knows how many more they can mine out of the original
story? Just like Star Wars. We made a
mistake buying it though; we should have waited until the price dropped. As it
is I don’t think it was worth the tenner we paid for it. A good few of the original
cast were back, all 20 years older of course but Will Smith didn’t join them.
Jeff Goldblum was there looking really old and tired. I’m sure that I saw at
least three different films in this one, the original obviously, Day After Tomorrow and various bits from
Star Wars and Star Trek. Perhaps they should have left idea alone.
Kile isn’t so well right now. He’s coughing and barking like an old miner
with dodgy lungs. Jan phoned his mum and it seems they are all down with it.
Now it’s just a waiting game before Jan and me come down with it too, even if
we have had the flu jab. Actually, I don’t think it’s flu they’ve got, more
like cough and cold really. We know how to deal with those without worrying
doctors up at the Hussy, they are busy enough as it is.
Here’s the thing though, and it applies to all hospitals not just the
Hussy; I’m 68 now and that means if I do have to go into hospital I’ll be put
on the geriatric ward, don’t you dare laugh, your turn will come, never fear!
Anyway, I do tend to get really pissed off with the some of other guys on those
wards. I know they can’t help it, but some of the tricks they get up to all day
make me feel even worse. I’m lucky I suppose in that my mind is clear and I try
to keep occupied as much as I can, sitting in a ward with older men causing
chaos while I’m there trying to keep calm doesn’t do me any good at all. But
there again, what can they do? Not much really. Trying to decided or judge a
patients’ mental state so quickly would soon be jumper on, so the only choice
really is on their age, no matter what effects that might have.
We are surprised but relieved that Maxi isn’t missing Arnie now she has
gone home. We had hoped that he would continue to come to us as he was while
she was here. What he does do is to fly onto the top of Jan’s lappy screen and
poop down the front of it, that is something he learned from Arnie I think. It
does keep his cage a bit cleaner but Jan isn’t so pleased. We can’t seem to
puzzle out why they only do that on Jan’s machine and not both of them, not
that I’m complaining of course, oh no.
I think I’ll end this one at this point, floundering for words right now,
so today’s photo …
Smiling chimp.
Today’s funny …
"And what will you do when
you grow up to be as big as me?" asked the father of his little son.
"Diet."
10 December
I had hope to get out into market this morning but the weather forecast
was pretty dire, with heavy rain for most of the day, so I decided not to
bother. A street market is not fun in the rain, just as riding a mobility scooter
isn’t. and yet here it is 11am and there’s no sign of any rain, and we can see
the sun trying to poke it’s head out up there. Well, I’ve saved a bob or two by
not going down town I suppose.
Our glorious banks have threatened to leave the UK when Article 50 is
triggered. My first thought was to call them a taxi to Heathrow. These people
seem to think that they actually do own our country. But look at this idea a
deeper and you’ll soon see it’s all just farts in air from them. RBS for instance
is so deeply in debt that can you see any other country willing to let them
move their HQ there? No, nor do I. None of them will move abroad, simply because
they all fear a back lash from their customers. If some of them do try it, I
can see a lot of the smaller banks becoming a lot bigger rather quickly.
Apparently there’s a guy hoping to get enough dosh together to lunch
another bid at stopping BREXIT by the back door. This attempt is try to get the
Irish courts to say that Article 50 can be overturned at a later date if
needed. It seems to me that there are a lot of people about who really do love
democracy, that is, as long as it goes in their favour. Right now all these legal
challenges being brought are just rattle shaking and throwing. I’m reminded of
the old pictures of little girl screaming, ‘I want and if I don’t get I’ll scweam
and scweam and scweam.’ Do you remember that? If so, just think of her and
remember that all these people are spoilt kids not getting their way.
A change of track here; I was reading Writing
Magazine last night and came across and article by Simon Whaley. In this
piece Simon use the normal gluttony of Christmas as the link to how over eating
can lead to a drop in creativity for writers. He points out that what we eat,
just as much as how much we eat can have an effect on our moods too. If you’re
in a bad mood, how can you concentrate on what you supposed to be doing, that
is writing in this instance. Regular meals are the key to it all, starting with
breakfast, hmm, well, yes. Next is having a proper but light lunch and dinner
later, with plenty of protein in between the two.
Water is vital to health, I’m sure we all know that. We are supposed to
be around 80% water anyway, including our brain of course. The claim made by
Simon is that drinking water instead of tea and coffee is the best way to keep
your brain hydrated leading to a clear mind for working creatively That’s fine,
and I can agree with it, however, being continually thirsty might also be a
sign of diabetes, and that is one I do know about. As it is it doesn’t take
long before I need to go pee anyway, drinking even more water would cause me to
go pee even more than I do now. But don’t go throwing out the baby with all the
water, moderation is the key. Sip water regularly, don’t gulp down glass after
glass.
In another article I read something about ‘polishing’ an essay; hmm, I
wonder if they used Brasso, Pledge or Duraglit? And doesn’t make the paper
soggy? Surely they don’t use it on their monitors, I can’t that abrasive stuff
doing a ‘puter much good at all … … …
Today’s photo then …
Feed time
Today’s funny …
How many brewers does it take to
change a light bulb?
One third less than for a regular bulb.
