Japanese Garden.
Inspired by a visit from my brother, I’ve decided to do a few things in the house. Thing is, I have always said, my main focus should be adventure (and it should). The idea, is that instead of buying a new cooker which looks nicer, keep the one you have, and use the money to visit Istanbul.
At the end of your life (and due to the recent passing of my mum, I’ve been thinking about this more than usual) what will really have made a difference. Will it be walking across the Bospherous bridge, from Europe to Asia (the only place in the world where this is possible) or having friends in your house and hearing ooh and aah to your new cooker.
These are principles I’ve held since the birth of the bluelist. But there’s another side to this isn’t there ?. The paint in my bedroom, is a bit dingy, and the room looks and feels dark.
I have been diagnosed with S.A.D., and on average, will spend a 3rd of my life in that room. Equally, the bathroom, is the first room I will enter each day.
The colour schemes in both rooms, are the ones which were prevalent in the house, when I moved in, there is no personal reflection of me, in either. It will only cost £12.50 to repaint each room. Adventure will still be the focus, but in between adventuring, I think its important that you enjoy being at home, rather than just putting up with it until the next trip.
I have made a list of around 50 things (clearing the guttering, putting up a shelf for my mouse and keyboard to clear my desk, putting the cookery books in the kitchen etc.) most them wont cost any money, but should increase the quality of my life (when I’m at home at least) significantly.
Above is the plan for the Japanese garden I have always wanted to build (the design is Steve’s, he’s offered to help for free).
Time traveller.
You’ve probably seen this video kicking around the internet. It basically concerns somebody in a Charlie Chaplin film, appearing to talk on a mobile phone (with the narrator, promoting his own work to high heaven, along the way).
Do I believe that this is an example of time travel ?. I believe that time travel is probably possible, but I don’t think this is an example of it. The first hearing aids, were made by Siemens in the early 20’s and I thank that’s probably what were looking at.
Far more interesting for me, is to see the internet, being used for its original purpose. The exchange of ideas, a discussion of the fantastic and the endless possibilities of what life can hold.
I am sure it will fade in a few days, and well be back to “Tracy: I’ve just come back from the gym and I’m having a shower, can’t believe that Brad was at Angela’s party on Friday” and other rubbish like that.
School report.
My original School reports, recently came into my possession and made for interesting reading. They all say that I am friendly, but lack focus, that I’m incapable of getting on with anything, and I’m therefore unlikely to achieve anything.
They’re probably accurate for that time. I rectified most of those problems after I left school (the fact that I wasn’t helped or inspired very much at School is one of the reasons, I have very few teacher friends).
Around this time last year I was in South Africa touring the Garden Route. There was one particular day there that came to mind when I was reading the school reports and had a special significance for me.
I remember being 13 and a PE teacher, was teaching us geography in a most un-inspiring way.
Typically, he used me to make an example of me (I wasn’t a rough lad, and avoided trouble, which he came to rely on).
I had to stand up in front of the whole class while he shouted at me and ridiculed my hair (I was 1 of only 2 people in the class with blond hair). I remember the humiliation as he told me I was scruffy and I would never “go anywhere”.
The lesson was about famous Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama setting up a spice trading route around the Cape of Good Hope in 1497.
If by any co-incidence, your reading this Mr Blease, I’ve actually been there. Have you ?
Police to be given training in Facebook.
The police development agency, are arranging for detectives to be given training in Facebook.
If I was providing the training, it would be short, and fall into 2 parts.
1. Facebook is crap, don’t use it personally. Go to the cash-point, take out some money, and go and meet some “real” friends over sport, a pint etc.
2. No real detective work is needed. The kind of people that “live” on Facebook are that dense, if you have a potential criminal, just look him up.
It will only be a short time, before he confesses on-line, and you can use shift + print-screen to gather evidence and then spend a bit longer in the pub at lunchtime.