A Digression

Have you seen my creative kidney?

I’ve been having something of a creative block recently. It’s not that I’ve been sitting at my desk banging the keyboard with my head in a bid to see if something falls out. It’s more like I’ve been doing other things and haven’t attempted much in the creative sphere. I can’t say I’ve been overly busy doing those other things, but for whatever reason I haven’t felt the urge lately to write or to think or to do other somewhat-creative things.

To me that’s a terrible thing to admit. Others would find it silly to be that way in the first place, I know, but I’ve always had a kind of need to “create”. Not being endowed with any drawing skill and not being able to play a musical instrument, this yearn has mostly manifested itself in writing form. For the past few weeks/ months(?) this yearn is not there.

I don’t know why, but it hasn’t really bothered me. And that bothers me.

It bothers me that I’m not bothered that I haven’t been creative. Most things I’ve written here (especially those in the category A Digression or books or music lyrics) have come from this need. It’s as basic to me as breathing or eating. I’ve never forced it or wondered “what should I write about?” Recently I’ve just not had that need and that’s why I haven’t posted here much or done some of the other things I might have been doing.

I wish I had the need. It’s like losing a kidney. It can’t be seen or quantified with the eye in normal day-to-day interactions, but I know it’s not there and I’d rather have it back. (Thankfully I do still have two kidneys at time of writing bythewaythankyouverymuch.)

It’s not that I think that need will never come back again, but I suppose I believe the time has come for me to give it a little kick. I hope this post somehow helps re-start the engine, which is why I felt the need to make it.

I hope you haven’t suffered through reading this only to find it’s pointless. Perhaps you can give me some pointers on what I should do?

“Get a life!” I hear you cry. Alas, we all can’t be as good and upstanding as you.

Gorilla, Happiness, Music

Marvellous Day

Three months in the making, this video is our most ambitious to date -until the next one!
(coming soon)

If this song + video doesn’t add to your day’s cheer I fear you’re beyond hope.

Tell a friend!

OK, obviously we weren’t filming continuously for three months, but we started it in April and finished it in June. It’s been a long time coming, but now that it’s here I’m very happy with it. I trust you are too -OR YOUR MONEY BACK!

…And just for the record, yes marvellous is spelt with two Ls in the US.

Film, THING, TV

What is THE WIRE all about?

The Wire is a TV series by David Simon -and others.

I’m posting this because I don’t think enough has been said about The Wire.
Sure, it’s easy to see it’s praises being sung everywhere, but I’ve spoken with many people who have seen/read this praise and jumped in, often unable to make it halfway through the first series without throwing in the towel.

Why?
Maybe, I think, it’s because people have become weary of the kind of traditional tales that are set in “this environment” via the traditional media. Who needs more woe-begotten, hopeless stories with small sparks of over-gushing sentimentality? Not me.
Or maybe it’s because people see it as being “about a world I have no interest or involvement in”?
That’s possible.

Thankfully, the Wire is about much more than that, if you allow it to take you through its story.

So what is it? What is THE WIRE all about?

I’d like to make some attempt at explaining why people should stick with it (if they have a difficulty) and to put a finger on exactly what it is all about -or at least give a general no-spoiler overview so as to enable you to decide if it’s something you might wish to devote your precious time to…

Continue reading What is THE WIRE all about? →

Kids, THING

10,000 to 1

The following isn’t funny or anything like that -just somewhat interesting…

I passed the kitchen table a while ago and noticed a small piece of paper with some writing on it. I picked it up and there was my Bankcard PIN number staring back at me, in my (7 year old) daughter’s handwriting.

I’m very careful with this number and never let anyone else see when I’m keying it in and never write it down anywhere. It’s not a ‘straightforward/ obvious’ number such as 1234.

I called out and found her in the front room. Showing her the piece of paper, I asked what it meant. Immediately she grew annoyed and didn’t want to say anything about it. Of course I insisted. Finally she confessed: It’s the password she chose for some Nintendo DS game.

I asked how come she chose that number.

…Obviously I can’t tell you what number it is/was, or her reasons for each digit, but suffice to say she did indeed have a reason for each digit -although one of her reasons was slightly ‘wrong’.

Her reasons are not the same as mine.

She has no idea I’ve been using the same number for a number of years.

Is it purely coincidence she chose the 4-digit number I’m probably most familiar with? Must be. I can’t think how else she chose it -and it’s not like she deliberately chose it because of its link with me.

This is a new DS game and her first time choosing a 4-digit code for anything that I know of, so it’s not like she has chosen lots of codes before. By my reckoning the odds of her picking those 4 digits in that order are 10,000 to 1 (0000 – 9999).

Strange but true.

Externals

Alan Sugar

I don’t usually add video links, etc. here but I had to laugh at this

If you don’t have 6 minutes to spare I suggest you jump to 1:15 for Sir Alan Sugar’s rendition of the theme tune of The Apprentice (from Romeo and Juliet by Prokofiev if you’re interested and didn’t know).

THING

Why I Don’t Like Eco-Toilets

If you haven’t bought a toilet in the last few years it may come as news to you that the “flush & go” system as we knew it is now (as far as I know) more or less extinct.

Gone is the old handle.

oldflush11
Flusher. An old one. Yesterday.

.

.

In is a dual flush system, with a small button and a big button.

Twice the fun.
Twice the fun.

The small button is for Number Ones. The big button is for Number Twos, but nobody ever tells you that. Isn’t the internet marvellous?

.

So here’s my list, off the top of my head as to why I think the new system is (if you pardon the pun) crap…

Continue reading Why I Don’t Like Eco-Toilets →

A Digression, Happiness, Kids, THING

More Kidstalk

My son, Jack, turned 4 last week.

The other day as we watched TV (I think The Simpsons was on -nothing to do with anything) Jack cheerily said “sure we’ll never get dead?”

I don’t think he was waiting for an answer. He was happy to leave it at that.

Lucy (aged 7) turned to me with a knowing smile and said “Daddy, will you tell him or will I?”

I didn’t ask her to expand on what she might tell him.

It was a funny and sad moment. An excellent combination I find. 🙂

– – – – – – – – – – –

Last night as I was dressing Jack for bed, he hung his head and quietly asked “Sure fuck off boyo isn’t a nice thing to say?”

I shook my head and told him no it’s not. He seemed happy to know it.

Film, THING

Somewhere in Time

Somewhere in Time

A number of years ago a team of medical experts placed a camera in my anus to search for the source of my intense abdominal pain. They didn’t find anything.

A few years later they were back to search again. Afterward, the main doc was coming around to each of the examinees in turn, telling people they’ll have to come back for more tests, etc.. When he came to me he said “we didn’t find the possible source to your symptoms,” before adding lest I feel dejected, “…we found a polyp!” in an almost cheery manner.

It reminded me of that scene in Life Of Brian when a group of ‘terrorists’ hid in a small house and a full garrison of Roman soldiers marched in to search for them. They didn’t find anything, then left. A little while later they returned because there was some place they forgot to check. Following the lengthy entrance and exit, the garrison leader was expecting a positive find, but instead was informed “we found this spoon, sir!”

I do enjoy it when often totally unrelated events or circumstances remind me of something from a movie or book or painting or whatever.

Continue reading Somewhere in Time →

Motoring, Research, THEORY

A Sitty Choice

This is the seating layout for the NCT (National Car Test) Centre I previously mentioned. Fellow attendees marked by letters. Females in pink. Males red.

Seating

The TV is blaring, showing Sky News broadcasting live from the UK house of commons where half a dozen half asleep politicians are trying hard not to be disturbed by the animated speaker.

I enter and stand in the place marked ‘IN’ and find myself at a loss… Where do I sit?


Continue reading A Sitty Choice →