So today a 9st, 5ft 7in mother of four from Nebraska ate 363 wings in 30 minutes to win Wing Bowl 22 and the $22k first prize. Her performance was described as "the greatest performance in Wing Bowl history". I actually don't know where to start with those statements, I really don't. I'm trying to work out which of the following appals me the most;
a) This is the 22nd ANNUAL version of this event - 22 years of eating crap for the sake of it
b) Assume each wing is ~50 calories. What does a 9st woman need with around 18,000 calories?!?
c) There are a substantial number of jobs in the US that don't pay $22k a YEAR
d) The local online news site in Philadelphia gave this "story" 700 words and a video
e) Eating is now a performance rather than a necessity to survive
Seriously though, what is wrong with this world? When did competitive eating become a good thing that deserves our time and attention? There are entire communities that could be fed on what was eaten today in this event yet it is treated like a game, a sport, something to be celebrated?!? You can tell this is making me angry because the punctuation is coming out in force.
But I really cannot believe that this kind of thing actually exists. Or maybe I can? Maybe it is symptomatic of the divide between rich and poor that engulfs this world. To us in the Developed World it doesn't seem wrong because we see food in a totally different light. It is not something we treat with the respect it deserves, because we have so much. Instead we essentially make sport out of it whilst turning a blind eye to the suffering of others.
This is another one of these blogs that I start off meaning well but lose my thread somehow. I know I should so something to help but I don't know what. There is something wrong in this world when food is eaten for fun yet also is in desperately short supply at the same time. So that is my plan this weekend, to try and find a practical way to help even a little bit to balance things.
A few things are for sure; I'll be giving wings a wide-berth and there will certainly be no prizes for gluttony awarded.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - St. Petersburg is the most northernmost city on the planet with a population over 1 million people.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: Why do cows wear bells? A: Because their horns don't work
Today's #websiteoftheday - Live webcams from Chester Zoo, obviously much better during the day (http://www.chesterzoo.org/must-sees/web-cams/)
On this day: 1961, the first Hominidae (Great Ape) is launched into space - a chimp called "Ham"
Till next time,
DT
Friday, 31 January 2014
Wednesday, 29 January 2014
Giving journalism a bad name
The more I hear about the phone hacking trial/scandal currently going on the more exasperated I get. What is the obsession with celebrity lifestyles and, more importantly, when did it become acceptable to tap phones and dig for dirt, just to find something to sell their papers with?!
There are some fantastic journalists out there, and there is certainly no need to go looking for stories buried in famous people's lives. And yet a significant number of newspapers sold in this country contain almost nothing of value when it comes to the original intention of journalism.
The world is in significant strife and there simply aren't enough pages to devote the required words to those items which need to be discussed, reported and acted upon. The frivolous and simply pathetic "reporting" which is undertaken by these newspapers and the people who work at them has to be stopped.
The original function of newspapers is given away by the title really, they were papers that told you the news. They also serve an important role in society in providing a forum for ideas and discussion but at the heart of the matter should still be the reporting of the news. There is always a perspective to consider but never at the expense of the truth. Journalistic integrity is a fundamental principle that is in danger of becoming an oxymoron in the eyes of those looking in at the industry.
Yet now we have these people who's job it seems to be to find half-truths, rumours and suspicion and report this instead of concentrating on the fundamental purpose of journalism. It frustrates me so much that we, as a society in the West, have propagated this situation and allowed these so called "newspapers" to flourish. And these people are paid a fortune to contribute what?
Those who are now on trial have taken something which has the power to do so much good in the world and dragged it down to the basest level; making fun of people and prying into things that are not "in the public interest" at all but are simply sensationalist rubbish.
It is only by refusing to provide these people with the demand for what they supply that we can really be in a position to return journalism to what it should be, and in fact what it still is amongst a decent amount of the newspapers and magazines out there.
And in case anyone is worried about "restricting the freedom of the press" I would argue quite strongly that this is not what that law is all about. We are not restricting freedom but rather ending the intrusion of the gutter press and that is something what we should surely be striving to achieve. If we are able to do that then I believe that real journalism will then allowed to flourish and perform the function it was originally designed to do, report and comment on the news of the day.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - Michigan Stadium at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbour is the largest stadium in the USA. It holds 109,901 people. The town of Ann Arbour itself only has a population of 113,934
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Did you hear about the magic tractor? It turned into a field
Today's #websiteoftheday - How good is your geography? Prepare to get better! (http://www.travelpod.com/traveler-iq)
On this day: 1820 - Death of King George III - who's reign as monarch is still the longest of any King of GB or UK.
Till next time,
DT
There are some fantastic journalists out there, and there is certainly no need to go looking for stories buried in famous people's lives. And yet a significant number of newspapers sold in this country contain almost nothing of value when it comes to the original intention of journalism.
The world is in significant strife and there simply aren't enough pages to devote the required words to those items which need to be discussed, reported and acted upon. The frivolous and simply pathetic "reporting" which is undertaken by these newspapers and the people who work at them has to be stopped.
The original function of newspapers is given away by the title really, they were papers that told you the news. They also serve an important role in society in providing a forum for ideas and discussion but at the heart of the matter should still be the reporting of the news. There is always a perspective to consider but never at the expense of the truth. Journalistic integrity is a fundamental principle that is in danger of becoming an oxymoron in the eyes of those looking in at the industry.
Yet now we have these people who's job it seems to be to find half-truths, rumours and suspicion and report this instead of concentrating on the fundamental purpose of journalism. It frustrates me so much that we, as a society in the West, have propagated this situation and allowed these so called "newspapers" to flourish. And these people are paid a fortune to contribute what?
Those who are now on trial have taken something which has the power to do so much good in the world and dragged it down to the basest level; making fun of people and prying into things that are not "in the public interest" at all but are simply sensationalist rubbish.
It is only by refusing to provide these people with the demand for what they supply that we can really be in a position to return journalism to what it should be, and in fact what it still is amongst a decent amount of the newspapers and magazines out there.
And in case anyone is worried about "restricting the freedom of the press" I would argue quite strongly that this is not what that law is all about. We are not restricting freedom but rather ending the intrusion of the gutter press and that is something what we should surely be striving to achieve. If we are able to do that then I believe that real journalism will then allowed to flourish and perform the function it was originally designed to do, report and comment on the news of the day.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - Michigan Stadium at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbour is the largest stadium in the USA. It holds 109,901 people. The town of Ann Arbour itself only has a population of 113,934
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Did you hear about the magic tractor? It turned into a field
Today's #websiteoftheday - How good is your geography? Prepare to get better! (http://www.travelpod.com/traveler-iq)
On this day: 1820 - Death of King George III - who's reign as monarch is still the longest of any King of GB or UK.
Till next time,
DT
Monday, 27 January 2014
Regular Readers
By the way, if there are any regular readers out there then I'd love to hear from you. Any comments you have would be great, would love to know what people think and also what dragged you in the direction of the blog in the first place.
Many thanks in advance
Tom
Many thanks in advance
Tom
The answer to life, the universe and everything is......
........42. Well according to Douglas Adams's seminal work The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy it is. The problem then switches to one of finding the question that fits this answer. Another of Adams's quotes from the same work goes further and implies that humans are, in fact, missing the point of life somewhat.
"On the plant Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent that dolphins because he had achieved so much - the wheel, New York, wars and so on - whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believe that they were far more intelligent than man - for precisely the same reasons."
Does Adams have a point here? I personally think the dolphins have got it nailed down. Life is so staggeringly complex, impossible to work out and completely beyond our levels of comprehension that it is probably a much better approach to not get too hung up on the whys and wherefores and simply make sure we live our lives to the fullest with the cards we are dealt.
Life has been around long before any of us and will be around long afterwards too. It doesn't really care whether we understand it and frankly we would probably only find an answer that doesn't really mean anything anyway.
I do feel that sometimes we worry too much and can tie ourselves in knots trying to understand the nature of the universe and the reason behind what goes on in our lives. It can be difficult sure, but is the best approach actually to accept the fact that the answer might as well be 42 and enjoy the ride while we are on it?
It is often said that the journey is more important than the destination and nowhere is this truer than life itself. I know it is our human nature which pushes us to question, explore and understand - and striving for knowledge is no bad thing in itself. But maybe there are some things that we are not meant to understand, some things that we simply have to let be and accept despite them fundamentally making no sense.
We often spend so long searching for answers without realising that we either (a) don't know the question we are asking or (b) wouldn't have a clue what to do with the answer even if we found it.
Everyone has things in their life that they struggle to understand and reconcile, but you know what? I think those dolphins having fun in the water might have the right idea after all.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: What do you call a missing parrot? A: A polygon
Today's #websiteoftheday - An insult generator inspired by The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Password for the XXX insults is yeah42 (http://www.wowbagger.com/)
On this day: 1888, The National Geographic Society is founded in Washington D.C.
Till next time,
DT
Sunday, 26 January 2014
I just don't know what to do with myself
Well it has been another busy last week and a bit. The usual work, rest and play interspersed with a bit of business travel and a whole heap of various coffee delights.
It seems to be the norm for me at the moment so it is with some trepidation that I realised that I have a pretty quiet week and weekend coming up (well outside of work anyway!). Maybe it is just this particular time of year but I really don't like the idea of having lots of time to think to myself this week.
Sometimes it is great to have a bit of time to yourself to take stock and re-evaluate things, but often the opportunities seem to come at very inopportune times. How often do you find yourself having a VERY busy week followed by a very quiet one? And have you noticed how often those quiet weeks are just when you least need them!
It does seems that things often tend to come in clumps and it is a facet of life I have always found puzzling.
Do we like it this way? Do people like to EITHER be very busy and have lots of things on at once OR be very quiet and have plenty of time to relax and think? Is this approach preferable to being, say, 60% busy all of the time?
Personally I do prefer the peak-trough approach as it does allow you those critical periods of total relaxation which are essential to keeping sane and healthy. It is also true that when I am busy I like to be very busy, I've made the effort to set my body/mind into "on" mode and I may as well keep it in that mode for a decent length of time. No point start-stopping as that can often be more draining. The problem with this approach often is scheduling those busy times for when you need to be busy!
I'd actually be really interested to see whether others have a similar preference. Do significant batches of energy expenditure followed by periods of relaxation suit you better? Or are you an "even-keel" kind of person? And if, like me, you prefer the up-down approach - do you always seem to end up with a quiet week just about the time when you'd give anything not to have time to think about things!?
I know what'll happen this week though. I'll manage to fill it up, keep myself busy and then when it comes to the week after and I'm busy and tired I'll wonder why the hell I did that!! There never seems to be enough time in the day to accommodate everything but I think the truth is simpler - there is plenty of time to do what we want, when we want, it just doesn't seem to turn up when it should.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - Smallpox is the only infectious disease of humans to have been completely eradicated by human intervention. Polio is close to being the second, with only 223 cases in 5 countries reported in 2012.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - A red ship and blue ship collided. Both crews were marooned
Today's #websiteoftheday - Billed as "the internet's most horrible items". You can buy all of these things, though why you would is a mystery (http://theworstthingsforsale.com)
On this day: 1788, The British First Fleet sails into Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) to establish Sydney, the first permanent European settlement on the continent.
Till next time
DT
It seems to be the norm for me at the moment so it is with some trepidation that I realised that I have a pretty quiet week and weekend coming up (well outside of work anyway!). Maybe it is just this particular time of year but I really don't like the idea of having lots of time to think to myself this week.
Sometimes it is great to have a bit of time to yourself to take stock and re-evaluate things, but often the opportunities seem to come at very inopportune times. How often do you find yourself having a VERY busy week followed by a very quiet one? And have you noticed how often those quiet weeks are just when you least need them!
It does seems that things often tend to come in clumps and it is a facet of life I have always found puzzling.
Do we like it this way? Do people like to EITHER be very busy and have lots of things on at once OR be very quiet and have plenty of time to relax and think? Is this approach preferable to being, say, 60% busy all of the time?
Personally I do prefer the peak-trough approach as it does allow you those critical periods of total relaxation which are essential to keeping sane and healthy. It is also true that when I am busy I like to be very busy, I've made the effort to set my body/mind into "on" mode and I may as well keep it in that mode for a decent length of time. No point start-stopping as that can often be more draining. The problem with this approach often is scheduling those busy times for when you need to be busy!
I'd actually be really interested to see whether others have a similar preference. Do significant batches of energy expenditure followed by periods of relaxation suit you better? Or are you an "even-keel" kind of person? And if, like me, you prefer the up-down approach - do you always seem to end up with a quiet week just about the time when you'd give anything not to have time to think about things!?
I know what'll happen this week though. I'll manage to fill it up, keep myself busy and then when it comes to the week after and I'm busy and tired I'll wonder why the hell I did that!! There never seems to be enough time in the day to accommodate everything but I think the truth is simpler - there is plenty of time to do what we want, when we want, it just doesn't seem to turn up when it should.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - Smallpox is the only infectious disease of humans to have been completely eradicated by human intervention. Polio is close to being the second, with only 223 cases in 5 countries reported in 2012.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - A red ship and blue ship collided. Both crews were marooned
Today's #websiteoftheday - Billed as "the internet's most horrible items". You can buy all of these things, though why you would is a mystery (http://theworstthingsforsale.com)
On this day: 1788, The British First Fleet sails into Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) to establish Sydney, the first permanent European settlement on the continent.
Till next time
DT
Friday, 24 January 2014
REVIEW: The Rithmatist - Brandon Sanderson
Those of you who know me or follow the blog will know of my liking for Brandon Sanderson's work. I haven't found anything of his which I haven't thoroughly enjoyed. I first got introduced to his Mistborn Trilogy during my lengthy stay in hospital in 2012 and haven't looked back.
A bit about it
The Rithmaist is the first of a series of (at least) two books. The reason I say "at least" is because Sanderson always seems to keep adding new dimensions and twists to his worlds and frequently ends up writing more books than he meant to at the start.
The book itself is set mainly in a prestigious school on the continent of America, which in this imagining is a set of sixty islands rather than a single landmass. The school itself does not play a large part in the story really, it is more a useful location from which to launch the story. The story is part-whodunnit, part-typical "school based story" (Harry Potter elements exist here) and part-"there is clearly more going on here".
The time-period is more "modern" than most of his Cosmere works like Mistborn, Elantris and Warbreaker but it is by no means futuristic. It works for this story as I think there is a temptation some times to "over egg the pudding" by either setting something basically in Middle Earth or so far in the future that it is irrelevant. This hovers nicely in that the world presented is one that we can imagine for our own world, with just a few modifications and a few years difference.
As with all Sanderson creations there is an element of magic surrounding the story, in this case the ability of 1 in 1000 of the population to use chalk to create and control creatures called Chalklings. In an intersting twist, the main protagonist is not one of those blessed with the ability.
The Verdict
I really enjoyed The Rithmatist. It is typical Sanderson but with enough fresh about it to hold your attention.
The story is a little less involved than your usual creations from Brandon. In fact this book feels like it is aimed a touch more towards the YA end of the market. Having said that though I would say that if stories like Harry Potter can be enjoyed by all ages then so can this.
There is more development of the characters than you would see in a true YA book and there is no doubt that the slight drop off in complexity actually aids this story more than hinders. It is in essence a coming of age story but the characters are engaging, there is the usual dose of Sanderson humour and it is definitely a page turner. I read this cover to cover in less than 24 hours.
The world he has created is detailed, vibrant and scarily believable (as always) and the genuine care Sanderson takes to draw you into the narrative and give you the right information at the right time is a feature of all of his work. The denoument of this story (but not the overall arc) is neither too obvious nor deus ex machina. This is a skill of Brandon's that I think is massively underrated, too many writers dig holes they simply cannot get out of or they give it all away on page 1.
The magic system is beautifully presented (both verbally and also visually through some great drawings from a guy called Ben McSweeney) and the pacing of when and how information is revealed about the system itself is perfect. It is another facet of Sanderson's work that his magic systems are always interesting, consistenly applied and a little bit quirky - which is a great mix.
Overall this is a great starter of a series and it is a pretty good stand-alone book on its own. It is no towering epic in the mold of George R.R. Martin or J.R.R. Tolkein but it takes its position in the genre very comfortably. It knows exactly what it is and is proud of it; a fun romp, engaging in its own right but the beginnings of something more. The surface, you feel, has only just been scratched.
Verdict: 4.5 out of 5
Tuesday, 21 January 2014
It depends on your point of view
I will confess to being a bit of a nerd when it comes to General Knowledge, facts and the like. Find me a good pub quiz and you can keep me entertained for hours. But it seems that some "well known facts" might not be completely true if you look at them from a slightly different angle.
My favourite example of this is the question of the tallest mountain on Earth? I would surmise that a significant number of people would say Mount Everest, which is indeed the mountain on which the highest point above sea level on Earth is registered (some 29,029 ft).
But did you know that if we are talking about the actual "tallest" mountain on Earth then we actually have a different answer? Mauna Kea in Hawaii has a base-to-peak height of 33,100ft, comfortably higher than Everest.
It becomes increasingly obvious as we move through life that our perception of things is greatly influenced by our position. This can mean physical position but also our social, economic, cultural and political (to name a few) positions and standpoints.
It may be a sweeping generalisation (but I'm still going to make it) to say that a significant number of problems on this planet come from a seemingly inbuilt human inability to see things from someone else's point of view. Often our bias and prejudices get in the way and make things worse for all concerned.
I'm as guilty as anyone of letting my personal perspective influence my life and my behaviour, and it is by no means a bad thing all the time. Sometimes allowing our personal position on things to dictate our thoughts and actions can lead to positive results, there is nothing wrong with a bit of passion and fire if it is channelled in the right way.
The danger becomes when we become blinkered and unable to see past our own perceptions to the detriment of others and, ultimately, ourselves. It won't solve the myriad problems of the world but it might just help a little bit if we can just challenge our own perspectives sometimes and see things in a slightly different light.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - The deepest point below sea level on earth is Challenger Deep. At 35,814ft it is deep enough that if you put Mauna Kea on the bottom, the volcano would still be submerged at is peak.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: How does NASA organise their annual company party? A: They planet
Today's #websiteoftheday - It's just fun (http://www.howstuffworks.com/)
On this day: 1954, the world's first nuclear powered submarine (USS Nautilus) is launched
Till tomorrow,
DT
My favourite example of this is the question of the tallest mountain on Earth? I would surmise that a significant number of people would say Mount Everest, which is indeed the mountain on which the highest point above sea level on Earth is registered (some 29,029 ft).
But did you know that if we are talking about the actual "tallest" mountain on Earth then we actually have a different answer? Mauna Kea in Hawaii has a base-to-peak height of 33,100ft, comfortably higher than Everest.
It becomes increasingly obvious as we move through life that our perception of things is greatly influenced by our position. This can mean physical position but also our social, economic, cultural and political (to name a few) positions and standpoints.
It may be a sweeping generalisation (but I'm still going to make it) to say that a significant number of problems on this planet come from a seemingly inbuilt human inability to see things from someone else's point of view. Often our bias and prejudices get in the way and make things worse for all concerned.
I'm as guilty as anyone of letting my personal perspective influence my life and my behaviour, and it is by no means a bad thing all the time. Sometimes allowing our personal position on things to dictate our thoughts and actions can lead to positive results, there is nothing wrong with a bit of passion and fire if it is channelled in the right way.
The danger becomes when we become blinkered and unable to see past our own perceptions to the detriment of others and, ultimately, ourselves. It won't solve the myriad problems of the world but it might just help a little bit if we can just challenge our own perspectives sometimes and see things in a slightly different light.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - The deepest point below sea level on earth is Challenger Deep. At 35,814ft it is deep enough that if you put Mauna Kea on the bottom, the volcano would still be submerged at is peak.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: How does NASA organise their annual company party? A: They planet
Today's #websiteoftheday - It's just fun (http://www.howstuffworks.com/)
On this day: 1954, the world's first nuclear powered submarine (USS Nautilus) is launched
Till tomorrow,
DT
Monday, 20 January 2014
What a great idea!
As I sat watching yet another trailer for yet another sequel I began to ponder the current state of affairs in the world and find myself asking, have we hit a bit of an "ideas barrier" in the human race? "Now hang on", I hear some of you cry, before you rightly point out all the magnificent inventions and new technology that has come out over the last 3 or 4 years. "Surely this is the most vibrant time for ideas in history"?
But dig a little deeper below the surface and you might slowly come to see that human kind may be stagnating a bit when it comes to genuine ideas. I mean real ideas, things that will change the world and be talked about in the way that electricity, the microprocessor and aircraft are. Genuine game changers.
Take the entertainment industry as a, possibly slightly loaded, example. Most popular (and therefore successful) movies these days are sequels, adaptations of comic books/stories or remakes. Even a lot of the "new" ideas in TV drama and literature are actually rehashes of older ideas that have become fashionable again. And don't get me started on the endless diet of reality TV that is getting churned out for our "enjoyment". I'm finding it harder and harder to find a genuinely new and unique idea that captures my imagination.
Going back to the recent technology boom, closer examination shows us that real life is simply catching up with the ideas that science fiction writers were peddling years ago. The concepts are not new, though I will grant that some original thought is required to adapt current technologies to make them viable. Even the big "buzz" concepts like genetic engineering and alternative energy sources don't "feel" like new ideas.
Maybe the sense of wonder has dissipated now that I am a bit older but I don't find myself in awe of new ideas or totally engrossed in a new concept the way I used to be. I am concerned by how little of the innovation we are seeing in the world is actually genuinely new and ground-breaking.
Human kind is reaching a critical point in our stay on this planet. The world is becoming dangerously over-populated and under-resourced and it is this coming generation which will have to be fresh, inventive and ingenious if we are to flourish. Are they being taught these skills by watching endless movies that could be copies of each other, or playing on one of a bunch of electronic devices that all do essentially the same thing? How are the innovators of tomorrow being prepared for the challenges ahead?
I'm obviously generalising here and doing a great disservice to the people out there who are making a difference, though I think they are well in a minority. But I just worry that we are kidding ourselves that we are in an "age of invention" whereas in actually fact we are becoming very good at recycling old ideas and putting a fresh "twist" on things. I am struggling to tell you what was the last truly mind-blowing idea I saw was, but maybe that's just me.
We have some fantastic challenges ahead of us in the next 50 or so years, there is a part of me wondering whether we really know what is going to hit us, and what on earth we are going to be able to do about it when it does.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - King Edward VIII is the only British Sovereign to have resigned the throne (abdicated) voluntarily.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: What's red and bad for your teeth? A: A brick
Today's #websiteoftheday - Some humourous photos as random stupidity (http://hadonejob.com/)
On this day: 1265, in Westminster the first English Parliament conducts its first meeting.
Till tomorrow
DT
But dig a little deeper below the surface and you might slowly come to see that human kind may be stagnating a bit when it comes to genuine ideas. I mean real ideas, things that will change the world and be talked about in the way that electricity, the microprocessor and aircraft are. Genuine game changers.
Take the entertainment industry as a, possibly slightly loaded, example. Most popular (and therefore successful) movies these days are sequels, adaptations of comic books/stories or remakes. Even a lot of the "new" ideas in TV drama and literature are actually rehashes of older ideas that have become fashionable again. And don't get me started on the endless diet of reality TV that is getting churned out for our "enjoyment". I'm finding it harder and harder to find a genuinely new and unique idea that captures my imagination.
Going back to the recent technology boom, closer examination shows us that real life is simply catching up with the ideas that science fiction writers were peddling years ago. The concepts are not new, though I will grant that some original thought is required to adapt current technologies to make them viable. Even the big "buzz" concepts like genetic engineering and alternative energy sources don't "feel" like new ideas.
Maybe the sense of wonder has dissipated now that I am a bit older but I don't find myself in awe of new ideas or totally engrossed in a new concept the way I used to be. I am concerned by how little of the innovation we are seeing in the world is actually genuinely new and ground-breaking.
Human kind is reaching a critical point in our stay on this planet. The world is becoming dangerously over-populated and under-resourced and it is this coming generation which will have to be fresh, inventive and ingenious if we are to flourish. Are they being taught these skills by watching endless movies that could be copies of each other, or playing on one of a bunch of electronic devices that all do essentially the same thing? How are the innovators of tomorrow being prepared for the challenges ahead?
I'm obviously generalising here and doing a great disservice to the people out there who are making a difference, though I think they are well in a minority. But I just worry that we are kidding ourselves that we are in an "age of invention" whereas in actually fact we are becoming very good at recycling old ideas and putting a fresh "twist" on things. I am struggling to tell you what was the last truly mind-blowing idea I saw was, but maybe that's just me.
We have some fantastic challenges ahead of us in the next 50 or so years, there is a part of me wondering whether we really know what is going to hit us, and what on earth we are going to be able to do about it when it does.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - King Edward VIII is the only British Sovereign to have resigned the throne (abdicated) voluntarily.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: What's red and bad for your teeth? A: A brick
Today's #websiteoftheday - Some humourous photos as random stupidity (http://hadonejob.com/)
On this day: 1265, in Westminster the first English Parliament conducts its first meeting.
Till tomorrow
DT
Sunday, 19 January 2014
A whirlwind of activity
Well its been one of those weekends that I need a weekend to recover from. As well as plenty of sport, and a wee bit of drinking, I've managed to advance a few of my projects and organise a couple of trips too!! I love productive weekends, though I think I'm definitely going to set-up that petition aimed at getting a 3 day weekend.
So the children's story project is progressing really nicely. We've managed to complete 5 of the 8 stories and we've got great concepts for the other 3. My sister has edited and tidied up a couple of them and we have sent one off to a publisher as part of our initial submission to them. Fingers crossed that it'll lead to something in the long run. I have to admit it's been really good fun writing the stories and it has given me a real buzz and a definite bug for writing more things in the future.
Also managed to get a couple of trips either provisionally booked or fully booked out. It looks like I should be able to knock at least 5 of the capitals on my list off this year (Copenhagen, Ljubljana, Zagreb, Lisbon and Riga). It's always good having things to look forward to, and there is no doubt that with one thing and another 2014 is just going to keep on getting busier and busier!
The blogs this week have been a bit "This is what I've done today" so hopefully next week I can get back to my usual style of just sharing thoughts, opinions and ideas with everyone (well, all 10-20 of you that kindly read my blog).
Today's #randomfactoftheday - From 1593 (death of John) until 1972 (death of Frederick IX) every ruling monarch of Denmark was either a Christian or a Frederick.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: What is a Quark? A: The sound a posh duck makes.
Today's #websiteoftheday - Stunning astronomy photos http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
On this day: 1883, the first electric lighting system using overhead wires is switched on.
Till tomorrow,
DT
So the children's story project is progressing really nicely. We've managed to complete 5 of the 8 stories and we've got great concepts for the other 3. My sister has edited and tidied up a couple of them and we have sent one off to a publisher as part of our initial submission to them. Fingers crossed that it'll lead to something in the long run. I have to admit it's been really good fun writing the stories and it has given me a real buzz and a definite bug for writing more things in the future.
Also managed to get a couple of trips either provisionally booked or fully booked out. It looks like I should be able to knock at least 5 of the capitals on my list off this year (Copenhagen, Ljubljana, Zagreb, Lisbon and Riga). It's always good having things to look forward to, and there is no doubt that with one thing and another 2014 is just going to keep on getting busier and busier!
The blogs this week have been a bit "This is what I've done today" so hopefully next week I can get back to my usual style of just sharing thoughts, opinions and ideas with everyone (well, all 10-20 of you that kindly read my blog).
Today's #randomfactoftheday - From 1593 (death of John) until 1972 (death of Frederick IX) every ruling monarch of Denmark was either a Christian or a Frederick.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: What is a Quark? A: The sound a posh duck makes.
Today's #websiteoftheday - Stunning astronomy photos http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
On this day: 1883, the first electric lighting system using overhead wires is switched on.
Till tomorrow,
DT
NFL Conference Championship Games
If you don't like NFL then I would recommend turning away now. If you do, then hello and welcome to my preview of the AFC and NFC Championship games. On paper these look like two fascinating match-ups: in the AFC you have two of the highest scoring offenses in the league this season whereas the NFC brings together two of the best defences and running games.
AFC Championship Game
#2 New England Patriots (13-4, 4-4 road) @ #1 Denver Broncos (14-3, 8-1 home)
This one has all the elements of a classic. Brady v Manning has some history too, and I think a critical part of this game will be which Manning turns up. If it is Regular Season Manning then the Patriots could be in trouble.
The Broncos scored 10pts a game more than anybody else in the Regular Season and the Patriots defense was only 15th in YPG against the pass. If Manning is on then the Patroits' secondary could be running after shadows most of the game.
Critical for the Patriots will be disrupting Manning's rhythm and not allowing him to improvise on the fly as he is so good at doing. The 3 lowest points scoring efforts from the Broncos this season were all against the Chargers, who mixed it up very well on defense and kept Manning guessing.
For all their dominance in terms of points this season the Broncos had a 0 turnover differential, compared to +12 for the Patriots. If the Patriots can keep the Broncos off balance then they might be able to turn the ball over a few times and have a chance in this one.
Both running games should play a big part, although I suspect Monte Ball will do the heavy yards for the Broncos and don't be surprised to see Shane Vereen carry the ball for the Patriots. LeGarrette Blount torched the Colts last week but I think Belichick will keep the Bronco's defense guessing and use Vereen more.
My gut feeling in this one is that somehow the Patriots will get to Manning and shut him down (well, relative to his performances this season) as the game wears on. Brady and Belichick know how to win in the Playoffs better than anyone and I can see this going the same way.
Prediction: Broncos score first and lead at half time. Patriots come back and take it by a FG (34-31)
NFC Championship Game
#4 San Francisco 49ers (14-4, 8-2 road) @ #1 Seattle Seahawks (14-3, 8-1 home)
This could get feisty. The teams don't like each other. The coaches have history from their days coaching Stanford and USC in college. Both teams have a player or two who likes to run his mouth. So yeah, this could get feisty.
The two divisional games this season may be a good form guide; SF kicked a FG with 00:26 to play to win 19-17 at home in Week 14 whilst Week 2 was a 29-3 blowout in Seattle that made everyone stand up and pay attention to these Seahawks as legitimate Superbowl contenders.
Seattle have been dominant this season on defense, leading the league in Total YPG and Passing YPG and finishing 7th in Rushing YPG. They lead the league in takeaways and coughed up a mere 14.4 PPG. These Seahawks are tough, fast and intelligent on the defensive side of the ball.
Offensively Seattle are effective. They have "The Beast" Marshawn Lynch to do the bulk of the work and Russell Wilson doesn't give the football away. They haven't got a real #1 WR to go to but they distribute the ball effectively and sensibly. When your defense gives you only 15 points to beat each week you can keep it simple and do the job. They might need to score a few more against the 49ers but they do have the tools to do it, especially if they get up early.
Frank Gore led the 3rd ranked 49ers rushing offense, ably supported by Colin Kaepernick who is a nightmare to scheme against. Teams have started to work out that if you are going to let him break containment then make him go left, but it isn't always that easy.
In the air the 30th ranked pass attack of the 49ers possesses the man described as "the greatest catcher of all time" by his coach. While there is no doubt that Michael Crabtree has good hands, I think most people will acknowledge he is not even the greatest catcher to wear the red and gold! Still, he makes plays, stretches the field and occupies defenders in a way that allows San Francisco the space to get their ground game going. When you throw Vernon Davis into the mix at TE it is not hard to see that the 49ers have enough options to win this game, but it won't be easy against that Seahawk defense.
Defensively the 49ers aren't too far behind the Seahawks, and their impressive 23-10 last week @ #2 Carolina shows they can do it on the road too. On the road this season the 49ers haven't really been stretched (playing the likes of the St. Louis, Jacksonville, Washington and Tampa). Their two road losses were to NO in Week 11 and the thumping they took in Seattle in Week 2.
The 49ers finished 4th in the league against the run this season and will need to be every bit as good as that to keep the Seahawks in check.
There is one other factor in this game, Seattle's fabled "12th Man". The crowd generates enough noise to trigger seismic activity in the region and communication at the line of scrimmage will be key for the 49ers if they are to avoid being overwhelmed. Kaepernick likes to improvise but his ability to do that will be severely hampered by the noise and Seattle will be coming for him
Prediction: Seahawks get a fast start and lead by 10 at half time. 49ers make some adjustments and come back at them but the Seahawks are too dominant defensively and take it by 10 (24-14)
AFC Championship Game
#2 New England Patriots (13-4, 4-4 road) @ #1 Denver Broncos (14-3, 8-1 home)
This one has all the elements of a classic. Brady v Manning has some history too, and I think a critical part of this game will be which Manning turns up. If it is Regular Season Manning then the Patriots could be in trouble.
The Broncos scored 10pts a game more than anybody else in the Regular Season and the Patriots defense was only 15th in YPG against the pass. If Manning is on then the Patroits' secondary could be running after shadows most of the game.
Critical for the Patriots will be disrupting Manning's rhythm and not allowing him to improvise on the fly as he is so good at doing. The 3 lowest points scoring efforts from the Broncos this season were all against the Chargers, who mixed it up very well on defense and kept Manning guessing.
For all their dominance in terms of points this season the Broncos had a 0 turnover differential, compared to +12 for the Patriots. If the Patriots can keep the Broncos off balance then they might be able to turn the ball over a few times and have a chance in this one.
Both running games should play a big part, although I suspect Monte Ball will do the heavy yards for the Broncos and don't be surprised to see Shane Vereen carry the ball for the Patriots. LeGarrette Blount torched the Colts last week but I think Belichick will keep the Bronco's defense guessing and use Vereen more.
My gut feeling in this one is that somehow the Patriots will get to Manning and shut him down (well, relative to his performances this season) as the game wears on. Brady and Belichick know how to win in the Playoffs better than anyone and I can see this going the same way.
Prediction: Broncos score first and lead at half time. Patriots come back and take it by a FG (34-31)
NFC Championship Game
#4 San Francisco 49ers (14-4, 8-2 road) @ #1 Seattle Seahawks (14-3, 8-1 home)
This could get feisty. The teams don't like each other. The coaches have history from their days coaching Stanford and USC in college. Both teams have a player or two who likes to run his mouth. So yeah, this could get feisty.
The two divisional games this season may be a good form guide; SF kicked a FG with 00:26 to play to win 19-17 at home in Week 14 whilst Week 2 was a 29-3 blowout in Seattle that made everyone stand up and pay attention to these Seahawks as legitimate Superbowl contenders.
Seattle have been dominant this season on defense, leading the league in Total YPG and Passing YPG and finishing 7th in Rushing YPG. They lead the league in takeaways and coughed up a mere 14.4 PPG. These Seahawks are tough, fast and intelligent on the defensive side of the ball.
Offensively Seattle are effective. They have "The Beast" Marshawn Lynch to do the bulk of the work and Russell Wilson doesn't give the football away. They haven't got a real #1 WR to go to but they distribute the ball effectively and sensibly. When your defense gives you only 15 points to beat each week you can keep it simple and do the job. They might need to score a few more against the 49ers but they do have the tools to do it, especially if they get up early.
Frank Gore led the 3rd ranked 49ers rushing offense, ably supported by Colin Kaepernick who is a nightmare to scheme against. Teams have started to work out that if you are going to let him break containment then make him go left, but it isn't always that easy.
In the air the 30th ranked pass attack of the 49ers possesses the man described as "the greatest catcher of all time" by his coach. While there is no doubt that Michael Crabtree has good hands, I think most people will acknowledge he is not even the greatest catcher to wear the red and gold! Still, he makes plays, stretches the field and occupies defenders in a way that allows San Francisco the space to get their ground game going. When you throw Vernon Davis into the mix at TE it is not hard to see that the 49ers have enough options to win this game, but it won't be easy against that Seahawk defense.
Defensively the 49ers aren't too far behind the Seahawks, and their impressive 23-10 last week @ #2 Carolina shows they can do it on the road too. On the road this season the 49ers haven't really been stretched (playing the likes of the St. Louis, Jacksonville, Washington and Tampa). Their two road losses were to NO in Week 11 and the thumping they took in Seattle in Week 2.
The 49ers finished 4th in the league against the run this season and will need to be every bit as good as that to keep the Seahawks in check.
There is one other factor in this game, Seattle's fabled "12th Man". The crowd generates enough noise to trigger seismic activity in the region and communication at the line of scrimmage will be key for the 49ers if they are to avoid being overwhelmed. Kaepernick likes to improvise but his ability to do that will be severely hampered by the noise and Seattle will be coming for him
Prediction: Seahawks get a fast start and lead by 10 at half time. 49ers make some adjustments and come back at them but the Seahawks are too dominant defensively and take it by 10 (24-14)
Friday, 17 January 2014
World of pain
Why oh why do I forget how old I am?! And why am I still unable to grasp the concept that certain parts of my body (oi, quiet at the back) simply don't work they used to. I enjoyed a nice couple of hours running around playing 6-a-side football this evening, probably for the first time since around August. By the end of the 20 minute drive home the only part of me that wasn't hurting or numb was my left ear lobe.
One of these days you think I'll learn, but I don't think it'll be any time soon. Granted I'm taking up less and less energy sapping hobbies these days but I'm still taking up new things and sooner or later I'm expecting my body to actually fall apart. Hopefully somebody will save the day with a roll of sticky tape but I'm not holding out much hope.
It is a very sad day when (a) you realise that your chances of playing professional anything are long gone (although see yesterday's post for a cunning way you can still be world champion at something) and (b) you become acutely aware that you are past the peak of your physical powers and that it is all downhill from here - or in fact from back over there somewhere!
I guess this is why I've taken up the silly challenges. Obviously the main driver now is the charity work but initially it was out of some ill-conceived idea that I needed to prove I was still capable of doing these things.
Well I'd like to state for the record right now that if anyone sees me having a "bright idea" any time in the future, can you make sure I am brought back to earth with enough force for me to at least consider it a bit longer!!
I am now off to have a soak in the bath (though we don't have one) and contemplate the fact that most of tomorrow will be spent drinking, so at least by the end of the evening there will be maybe one bit of me that isn't really really really sore!!
Today's #randomfactoftheday - Since the "Doomsday Clock" concept was invented in 1947, the closest it has been set to midnight is 23:58 (1953-1960), and the furthest away 23:43 (1991-1995). It is currently at 23:55.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: What do you call a fish with no eyes? A: A fsh
Today's #websiteoftheday: www.booking.com
On this day: 1912, Captain Scott reaches the South Pole - one month after Roald Amundsen. None of Scott's party made it home
Till next time,
DT
One of these days you think I'll learn, but I don't think it'll be any time soon. Granted I'm taking up less and less energy sapping hobbies these days but I'm still taking up new things and sooner or later I'm expecting my body to actually fall apart. Hopefully somebody will save the day with a roll of sticky tape but I'm not holding out much hope.
It is a very sad day when (a) you realise that your chances of playing professional anything are long gone (although see yesterday's post for a cunning way you can still be world champion at something) and (b) you become acutely aware that you are past the peak of your physical powers and that it is all downhill from here - or in fact from back over there somewhere!
I guess this is why I've taken up the silly challenges. Obviously the main driver now is the charity work but initially it was out of some ill-conceived idea that I needed to prove I was still capable of doing these things.
Well I'd like to state for the record right now that if anyone sees me having a "bright idea" any time in the future, can you make sure I am brought back to earth with enough force for me to at least consider it a bit longer!!
I am now off to have a soak in the bath (though we don't have one) and contemplate the fact that most of tomorrow will be spent drinking, so at least by the end of the evening there will be maybe one bit of me that isn't really really really sore!!
Today's #randomfactoftheday - Since the "Doomsday Clock" concept was invented in 1947, the closest it has been set to midnight is 23:58 (1953-1960), and the furthest away 23:43 (1991-1995). It is currently at 23:55.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: What do you call a fish with no eyes? A: A fsh
Today's #websiteoftheday: www.booking.com
On this day: 1912, Captain Scott reaches the South Pole - one month after Roald Amundsen. None of Scott's party made it home
Till next time,
DT
Thursday, 16 January 2014
Sporting Greatness (Kind of...)
I recently signed up to do a 5 min talk at the Ignite event in Liverpool in mid-February. The basic gist of this event is that you get 20 slides over 5 minutes to talk about any topic of your choosing. Each slide is on for 15 seconds before automatically advanced so you have to keep it snappy and interesting. My topic of choice? The Many World Championships of Finland.
As those who know me will be aware of, I recently spent about 2 months in Finland with my work. In that time I tried to take in as much of the culture as possible and it was this that lead me to discover just how many world championship events Finland hosts. Included amongst those "sports" where you can be crowned world's best are: Mobile Phone Throwing, Mosquito Squashing, Swamp Football, Air Guitar and (my personal favourite) Wife Carrying!
It seems to be an interesting function of humankind that we can make a sport (or certainly an event) out of almost anything. Even the most humdrum activities can be "jazzed up" by making a competition of it. Toe Wrestling for example is now an event with its own world championships.
I love the human spirit when it comes to these kind of things. It reminds us all not to take things too seriously and to remember that most of the stresses we bring upon ourselves (especially in the Western world) are relatively insignificant in the grand scheme of things. So next time you find yourself faced with a task or a situation that you aren't too keen on, my advice is pretty simple - invent a "World Championships" for that task and bask in the glory of success when you beat all comers.
Of course the trick is to find something that no-one else can beat you at, but that is probably all part of the fun. I remember being a child and wanting to be World Champion at something. I thought that opportunity had passed me by but I have new hope now; there is bound to be something I'm better than everybody else at! Surely?!
Today's #randomfactoftheday - The 5 NASA Space Shuttle Orbiters did a combined total of 21,158 orbits of the earth during their 30 years of operation.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - I went to the doctor's the other day and asked him if he had anything for wind. He gave me a kite.
Today's #website of the day - http://www.mobilephonethrowing.fi/
On this day: 27BC, General Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian is granted the title of "Augustus" by the Roman Senate. This heralded the start of the Roman Empire.
Till tomorrow
DT
As those who know me will be aware of, I recently spent about 2 months in Finland with my work. In that time I tried to take in as much of the culture as possible and it was this that lead me to discover just how many world championship events Finland hosts. Included amongst those "sports" where you can be crowned world's best are: Mobile Phone Throwing, Mosquito Squashing, Swamp Football, Air Guitar and (my personal favourite) Wife Carrying!
It seems to be an interesting function of humankind that we can make a sport (or certainly an event) out of almost anything. Even the most humdrum activities can be "jazzed up" by making a competition of it. Toe Wrestling for example is now an event with its own world championships.
I love the human spirit when it comes to these kind of things. It reminds us all not to take things too seriously and to remember that most of the stresses we bring upon ourselves (especially in the Western world) are relatively insignificant in the grand scheme of things. So next time you find yourself faced with a task or a situation that you aren't too keen on, my advice is pretty simple - invent a "World Championships" for that task and bask in the glory of success when you beat all comers.
Of course the trick is to find something that no-one else can beat you at, but that is probably all part of the fun. I remember being a child and wanting to be World Champion at something. I thought that opportunity had passed me by but I have new hope now; there is bound to be something I'm better than everybody else at! Surely?!
Today's #randomfactoftheday - The 5 NASA Space Shuttle Orbiters did a combined total of 21,158 orbits of the earth during their 30 years of operation.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - I went to the doctor's the other day and asked him if he had anything for wind. He gave me a kite.
Today's #website of the day - http://www.mobilephonethrowing.fi/
On this day: 27BC, General Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian is granted the title of "Augustus" by the Roman Senate. This heralded the start of the Roman Empire.
Till tomorrow
DT
Wednesday, 15 January 2014
The Great Divide
Well today was the day I fell back off the property ladder. To be perfectly honest I haven't lived in the house for nearly 5 years and can't even really remember the postcode but it was still a bit of an odd day. I remember buying it nearly 7 years ago and thinking it was a surreal moment, you have to borrow 35 years worth of money to buy just one "item".
Yet the amount it was sold for is HALF of what Yaya Toure allegedly earns in a week. In fact, according to my calculations he has earned the princely sum of about £800 in the 30 minutes I have been writing this blog and watching him play football (assuming he earns his money 24/7). He is obviously just one example but it got me thinking about the shocking way in which resources in general are spread around this world.
I found a website which told me that I am in the top 1% of people in the WORLD in terms of earnings. Just think about that for a moment. There are approximately 50m people who earn more than me and a simply staggering 7.1bn who earn less!
There was a study done in 2002 which calculated that we generated enough food for every single person alive in the world at the time to have 2720 calories per DAY. As you can probably guess from my tone a lot of these statistics are making me very, very frustrated. Partly because of the problem but mainly from the frustration of realizing the futility of trying to find a solution.
We have enough money, food and other natural resources to go around the entire world comfortably yet human kind suffers from a chronic problem of greed. Enough never seems to be enough for us. If everyone gave one thing to someone "poorer" than us it might be a start, but who knows.
I've been staring at this entry for a while now, because I realize I am going nowhere with it. I have no idea how to help or what I am going to do about it right at this moment, but I am determined to do something.
All I know is that the one thing I am definitely going do from right now is be more appreciative of what I do have. After all it seems that less than 1% of people in the world have more than me, and however you look at the numbers that makes me a pretty lucky guy.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - Halley's Comet was not given the title officially until it returned in 1758 as predicted by Edmund Halley. He had died 16 years early so never lived to see his prediction come true.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - I went to a zoo the other day. It only had one dog in it. It was a shitzu
Today's #websiteoftheday - http://www.globalrichlist.com/
On this day: 1759, the British Museum (maybe the second best museum ever) opened its doors
Till tomorrow
DT
Yet the amount it was sold for is HALF of what Yaya Toure allegedly earns in a week. In fact, according to my calculations he has earned the princely sum of about £800 in the 30 minutes I have been writing this blog and watching him play football (assuming he earns his money 24/7). He is obviously just one example but it got me thinking about the shocking way in which resources in general are spread around this world.
I found a website which told me that I am in the top 1% of people in the WORLD in terms of earnings. Just think about that for a moment. There are approximately 50m people who earn more than me and a simply staggering 7.1bn who earn less!
There was a study done in 2002 which calculated that we generated enough food for every single person alive in the world at the time to have 2720 calories per DAY. As you can probably guess from my tone a lot of these statistics are making me very, very frustrated. Partly because of the problem but mainly from the frustration of realizing the futility of trying to find a solution.
We have enough money, food and other natural resources to go around the entire world comfortably yet human kind suffers from a chronic problem of greed. Enough never seems to be enough for us. If everyone gave one thing to someone "poorer" than us it might be a start, but who knows.
I've been staring at this entry for a while now, because I realize I am going nowhere with it. I have no idea how to help or what I am going to do about it right at this moment, but I am determined to do something.
All I know is that the one thing I am definitely going do from right now is be more appreciative of what I do have. After all it seems that less than 1% of people in the world have more than me, and however you look at the numbers that makes me a pretty lucky guy.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - Halley's Comet was not given the title officially until it returned in 1758 as predicted by Edmund Halley. He had died 16 years early so never lived to see his prediction come true.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - I went to a zoo the other day. It only had one dog in it. It was a shitzu
Today's #websiteoftheday - http://www.globalrichlist.com/
On this day: 1759, the British Museum (maybe the second best museum ever) opened its doors
Till tomorrow
DT
Monday, 13 January 2014
Exciting Announcement
Well I think I'm in a position to finally reveal the new project that has got me so excited. In collaboration with my co-author/editor/sibling (we are negotiating which role she can have) I've been working on a set of children's stories which we are hoping to get published sometime soon!! My dad actually came up with the idea over Christmas and the whole family have been bouncing ideas of each other since.
The books will tell the story of two young astronaut boys and their cat (played magnificently by my nephews Charlie, Oscar and niece Poppy) who fly around the Solar System in their magic spaceship accompanied by a friendly star they meet called Luke. They meet all kinds of creatures on their adventures and hopefully learn a bit about space too.
Jo is going to illustrate the stories and Lil has already had some preliminary discussions with a publishing house!! Any profits we make will, of course, be going to the Friends of Serenity charity so please keep your eyes peeled for any further announcements as I hope we will be able to start selling them some time this year - these things ALWAYS take a while.
In the meantime, if anyone wants to help in anyway then either let me know on here or head to the FoS website (see sidebar) and contact Jo through there.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - Of the 222 test centuries scored at Lord's, only 13 have been in the 4th innings of the match
Today's #badjokeoftheday - I asked the gym instructor if he could help me do the splits and he asked how flexible I was. I told him I couldn't do Tuesdays.
Today's #websiteoftheday - http://brandonsanderson.com/
On this day: 1910, the first public radio broadcast took place
Till tomorrow
DT
The books will tell the story of two young astronaut boys and their cat (played magnificently by my nephews Charlie, Oscar and niece Poppy) who fly around the Solar System in their magic spaceship accompanied by a friendly star they meet called Luke. They meet all kinds of creatures on their adventures and hopefully learn a bit about space too.
Jo is going to illustrate the stories and Lil has already had some preliminary discussions with a publishing house!! Any profits we make will, of course, be going to the Friends of Serenity charity so please keep your eyes peeled for any further announcements as I hope we will be able to start selling them some time this year - these things ALWAYS take a while.
In the meantime, if anyone wants to help in anyway then either let me know on here or head to the FoS website (see sidebar) and contact Jo through there.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - Of the 222 test centuries scored at Lord's, only 13 have been in the 4th innings of the match
Today's #badjokeoftheday - I asked the gym instructor if he could help me do the splits and he asked how flexible I was. I told him I couldn't do Tuesdays.
Today's #websiteoftheday - http://brandonsanderson.com/
On this day: 1910, the first public radio broadcast took place
Till tomorrow
DT
REVIEW: Infinity Blade (The Novellas) - Brandon Sanderson
I've just finished reading Brandon Sanderson's two novellas based on the popular iOS games, Infinity Blade. Having never played the games I was a touch wary as to whether I would miss out on some of the storyline but thankfully no prior knowledge of the games was required.
For those of you unfamiliar with Sanderson's work I urge you to get acquainted. He operates mainly in the High Fantasy genre and is probably best known for finishing Robert Jordan's epic Wheel of Time series as well as his own, arguably superior Mistborn Trilogy. He is a master at "world creation" and you find yourself drawn to his characters and really caring about their fates. Another skill is his ability to introduce magic systems into his world without making them feel forced or out of place. His story telling is fantastic and he has a very amenable writing style which sucks you in and keeps you enthralled.
Enough of the love-in, what of the two novellas? Having written my last book review in about 1994 this could be an interesting experience.
Well for those of you versed in the Infinity Blade world, Awakening is set between the first two games whereas Redemption is set some time later, though when I don't know. The two have the same main characters and concepts and I lost nothing from not having played the games.
<<SPOILER ALERT>> I've tried not to give too much away but there may be the odd spoiler here.
Infinity Blade: Awakening
The story tell the tale of Siris who at the start of the first book returns to his village having killed the God King, one of a race of "Deathless" who rule as gods. No-one expected him to survive as each generation sends a Sacrifice to the God King and every one has died up until this point. He is quickly asked to leave the village and realizes that his new purpose is to hunt down the remaining Deathless and kill them all, thus freeing his people. He soon discovers that not is all as it seems and, after a chance encounter with a woman named Isa, finds that his path is massively different from what he thought it would be,
Infinity Blade: Redemption
Siris's story continues sometime later with him still coming to terms with the events of Awakening and the subsequent game in between (don't worry though, you don't need to have played the game). Alongside the story of Siris's ongoing escapades we learn more about the God King, the initial creation of the Deathless and the identity (and intentions) of the mysterious Worker.
For those of you unfamiliar with Sanderson's work I urge you to get acquainted. He operates mainly in the High Fantasy genre and is probably best known for finishing Robert Jordan's epic Wheel of Time series as well as his own, arguably superior Mistborn Trilogy. He is a master at "world creation" and you find yourself drawn to his characters and really caring about their fates. Another skill is his ability to introduce magic systems into his world without making them feel forced or out of place. His story telling is fantastic and he has a very amenable writing style which sucks you in and keeps you enthralled.
Enough of the love-in, what of the two novellas? Having written my last book review in about 1994 this could be an interesting experience.
Well for those of you versed in the Infinity Blade world, Awakening is set between the first two games whereas Redemption is set some time later, though when I don't know. The two have the same main characters and concepts and I lost nothing from not having played the games.
<<SPOILER ALERT>> I've tried not to give too much away but there may be the odd spoiler here.
Infinity Blade: Awakening
The story tell the tale of Siris who at the start of the first book returns to his village having killed the God King, one of a race of "Deathless" who rule as gods. No-one expected him to survive as each generation sends a Sacrifice to the God King and every one has died up until this point. He is quickly asked to leave the village and realizes that his new purpose is to hunt down the remaining Deathless and kill them all, thus freeing his people. He soon discovers that not is all as it seems and, after a chance encounter with a woman named Isa, finds that his path is massively different from what he thought it would be,
Infinity Blade: Redemption
Siris's story continues sometime later with him still coming to terms with the events of Awakening and the subsequent game in between (don't worry though, you don't need to have played the game). Alongside the story of Siris's ongoing escapades we learn more about the God King, the initial creation of the Deathless and the identity (and intentions) of the mysterious Worker.
The Verdict
The books are classic Sanderson; engaging characters, interwoven plot lines and a well conceived story that manages to retain an air of mystery without seeming too far fetched. The stories are really novellas so you'll crack through one in a few hours, yet Sanderson still manages to get the pacing right without rushing anything or getting bogged down.
Considering he is working with other people's creations I think he does a great job at fleshing them out and giving them some depth. Yes I'd rather see these characters in a full story but they are a really enjoyable read for the short time they are with us. The denouement is clever without being preposterous and you are certainly left wanting to know more about the world they inhabit.
I'd love to see Sanderson take these characters further but he has so many irons in the fire at the moment that this is unlikely. Still, I enjoyed these for what they are and they've given me some good ideas for my own stories.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Doctortom
Sunday, 12 January 2014
Making Plans
Had one of those restless days today, when you spend all of the day making plans that you probably aren't going to follow through but its nice to make them anyway. Although actually a lot of my plans are concerned with my travelling and that is definitely going to happen at some point.
Still trying to work out which of the European capitals I am going to tick off this year. Reading the last 12-15 issues of Lonely Planet hasn't made my job easier though, I kind of want to go everywhere and anywhere!! I'm sure I'll change my mind about 100 times this year but I guess that is part of the fun, the anticipation and the buzz when you actually commit and say, "yep that's the one".
Would definitely recommend this whole being busy and making plans approach. Its amazing how much there is out there to do - and not all of it needs time and/or money which usually end up being our excuses for not being able to do things!!
Right, that's all from me today, keeping it quite short because it's late and I want to get the book I'm reading finished so I can get a review done tomorrow.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - The earliest enclosed wind tunnels are thought to have been invented in 1871
Today's #badjokeoftheday - A lorry load of tortoises crashed into a van carrying terrapins. It was a turtle disaster.
Today's website of the day - Another awesome sciencey one www.facts.fm/random-facts/8/
On this day: In 1895, the National Trust was formed
Till next time
DT
Still trying to work out which of the European capitals I am going to tick off this year. Reading the last 12-15 issues of Lonely Planet hasn't made my job easier though, I kind of want to go everywhere and anywhere!! I'm sure I'll change my mind about 100 times this year but I guess that is part of the fun, the anticipation and the buzz when you actually commit and say, "yep that's the one".
Would definitely recommend this whole being busy and making plans approach. Its amazing how much there is out there to do - and not all of it needs time and/or money which usually end up being our excuses for not being able to do things!!
Right, that's all from me today, keeping it quite short because it's late and I want to get the book I'm reading finished so I can get a review done tomorrow.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - The earliest enclosed wind tunnels are thought to have been invented in 1871
Today's #badjokeoftheday - A lorry load of tortoises crashed into a van carrying terrapins. It was a turtle disaster.
Today's website of the day - Another awesome sciencey one www.facts.fm/random-facts/8/
On this day: In 1895, the National Trust was formed
Till next time
DT
Saturday, 11 January 2014
The Lone Ranger
Well my latest challenge is over. Thankfully it is the last one until June which I am doing on my own. I have to admit that when I started these back in May last year I enjoyed the fact that I was doing most of them as a single competitor. That enjoyment has waned significantly in the last few months to the point where I'm starting to dread the Tri in June. I'm not sure why but the lone enjoyment effect has definitely worn off.
I have in all fairness been pretty injured since November and every time I've tried to get back into training I've really struggled with physical problems. So I've not been preparing for these events as well as I should be physically. That always makes things harder if you aren't quite in the shape you'd like to be. But normally I'm always mentally focused and today's run was the first time that my mental resilience was not where it should be.
No point dwelling on it too much though. I've just got plenty to work on to get myself back into physical and mental shape ahead of some pretty big challenges this year. On reflection I think today's struggle is not necessarily a bad thing, it's a wake-up call to remind myself why I am doing this and what I am trying to achieve.
Anyway, I'm really looking forward to having some company for the next few challenges. The more the merrier in most cases, and it really had become about the banter and the fun. Yes it's great to set these goals and achieve them individually but it has become about so much more than that and I'm delighted to be one piece of a puzzle.
I've updated my Challenge website (see sidebar) with a quick review of today's challenge and hopefully some photos will turn up soon. Please go and have a read and let me know what you think.
But for now its off to bed with the NFL, thankfully its only Saturday today!!
Today's #randomfactoftheday There are 34 mammal species found along the Colorado River corridor including 18 species of rodents and 8 species of bat.
Today's #badjokeoftheday Q: What's brown and sticky? A: A stick
Today's #wesbiteoftheday This is seriously cool, every sci-fi spaceship http://visual.ly/all-sci-fi-spaceships-known-man
On this day: In 1569 the first "lottery" is recorded in England
Till next time
DT
I have in all fairness been pretty injured since November and every time I've tried to get back into training I've really struggled with physical problems. So I've not been preparing for these events as well as I should be physically. That always makes things harder if you aren't quite in the shape you'd like to be. But normally I'm always mentally focused and today's run was the first time that my mental resilience was not where it should be.
No point dwelling on it too much though. I've just got plenty to work on to get myself back into physical and mental shape ahead of some pretty big challenges this year. On reflection I think today's struggle is not necessarily a bad thing, it's a wake-up call to remind myself why I am doing this and what I am trying to achieve.
Anyway, I'm really looking forward to having some company for the next few challenges. The more the merrier in most cases, and it really had become about the banter and the fun. Yes it's great to set these goals and achieve them individually but it has become about so much more than that and I'm delighted to be one piece of a puzzle.
I've updated my Challenge website (see sidebar) with a quick review of today's challenge and hopefully some photos will turn up soon. Please go and have a read and let me know what you think.
But for now its off to bed with the NFL, thankfully its only Saturday today!!
Today's #randomfactoftheday There are 34 mammal species found along the Colorado River corridor including 18 species of rodents and 8 species of bat.
Today's #badjokeoftheday Q: What's brown and sticky? A: A stick
Today's #wesbiteoftheday This is seriously cool, every sci-fi spaceship http://visual.ly/all-sci-fi-spaceships-known-man
On this day: In 1569 the first "lottery" is recorded in England
Till next time
DT
Thursday, 9 January 2014
I'm sure it'll be fine
Well the costume fits, the tights haven't laddered yet and the hula-hoop attachment method seems sound. I'm ready to make a complete and utter tit of myself on Saturday whilst running around Arthur's seat in Edinburgh dressed as an eyeball! Its obviously all for a good cause (Friends of Serenity) and as long as I don't end up on my ass it'll all be worth it in the end. If anyone happens to be in Edinburgh on Saturday then head down to Holyrood Park for the 5km Great Winter Run. There is loads going on by the looks of things including some cross-country races and the usual fare associated with an organised BUPA event.
In other news, it turns out that my tidying of the loft has caused it to cave in slightly!! That was not exactly the point of the tidy up and I can't for the life of me work out how (a) it happened (b) I didn't notice when I was doing it. Hopefully it's fixable but my cunning plan of not doing anything too stupid in 2014 lasted less than 9 days. For a supposedly smart kid I do some very dumb things :-(
However I feel in reasonable company. Widely accepted as being "a bit smart", Thomas Edison once electrocuted an elephant to prove that his DC method was less dangerous than the competing AC method invented by Tesla and Westinghouse. While he had a point that AC was in fact more capable of killing than DC, I'm sure there might have been a more logical way of proving his theory!!
I have decided to add (yet another) section to this blog. The not-so-random Random Website of the Day. The first entry is http://www.diffen.com/difference/Alternating_Current_vs_Direct_Current
Hopefully I won't run out of interesting websites to use!
Today's #randomfactoftheday Nelson's famous signal at the Battle of Trafalgar, "England expects that every man will do his duty" is slightly misquoted on BOTH Nelson's Column and his tomb in St. Paul's Cathedral.
Today's #badjokeoftheday Q: What's the difference between a guitar and a fish? A: You can't tuna fish.
Till next time,
DT
In other news, it turns out that my tidying of the loft has caused it to cave in slightly!! That was not exactly the point of the tidy up and I can't for the life of me work out how (a) it happened (b) I didn't notice when I was doing it. Hopefully it's fixable but my cunning plan of not doing anything too stupid in 2014 lasted less than 9 days. For a supposedly smart kid I do some very dumb things :-(
However I feel in reasonable company. Widely accepted as being "a bit smart", Thomas Edison once electrocuted an elephant to prove that his DC method was less dangerous than the competing AC method invented by Tesla and Westinghouse. While he had a point that AC was in fact more capable of killing than DC, I'm sure there might have been a more logical way of proving his theory!!
I have decided to add (yet another) section to this blog. The not-so-random Random Website of the Day. The first entry is http://www.diffen.com/difference/Alternating_Current_vs_Direct_Current
Hopefully I won't run out of interesting websites to use!
Today's #randomfactoftheday Nelson's famous signal at the Battle of Trafalgar, "England expects that every man will do his duty" is slightly misquoted on BOTH Nelson's Column and his tomb in St. Paul's Cathedral.
Today's #badjokeoftheday Q: What's the difference between a guitar and a fish? A: You can't tuna fish.
Till next time,
DT
Wednesday, 8 January 2014
Major overhaul
Busy tonight. I was watching the City v Wet Ham semi-final but it was basically a massacre so I decided to overhaul the blog instead. I've added links to my fundraising pages, travel blog and social media feeds and I'd love to know what people think about it (if anyone actually reads it that is). Thanks in advance folks.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - The longest single spaceflight in human history is 437 days, 17 hours and 58 minutes by Valeri Polyakov. Most of it was spent aboard the Mir spacestation.
Today's #badjokeoftheday Q: Did you hear about the guy who had the whole left side of his body cut off? A: It was touch and go for a while but he is all right now.
Till next time,
DT
Tuesday, 7 January 2014
Now how did that happen?!
What started as a quick phone call to a colleague playfully asking him to stop spamming me very rapidly turned into a team booking for yet another challenge event. I still don't know entirely how it happened!
This seems to be occurring rather a lot over the last year or so; things taking place without me really being too involved in the process. Sometimes I wonder whether it's a good thing (spontaneity can be great and its often good to do things rather than look for excuses not to) but at other times I'm marginally concerned that it shows a complete lack of control over my own life.
But then, should a lack of control over your own life trigger panic? Possibly not. Humans (particularly in the Western world) seem to have an obsession with controlling every aspect of life, often to the detriment of our health and sanity. Leaves travelling down a stream end up at the bottom without having to thrash around and stay in the middle of the current for the entire journey. Sometimes they even get stuck on the way (check out that philosophical waffle eh?) and things get a bit "interesting".
Maybe that should be our approach; drift along taking life's "eddies" and just make those major adjustments only when they are needed. After all, everyone of us ends up at the bottom of the stream and I guess I'd much rather sit back and enjoy the view than worry about how I get there.
The point of this all?!
I've realized how much control, over the last year or so, I was trying to take over aspects of my life that I didn't need to. I'm not advocating a complete lack of responsibility (because some things DO need your control) but more I'm suggesting a slightly different approach. Take a deep breath, enjoy the ride and save the big worries and decisions for the really important things. Life doesn't ask permission very often and it also doesn't really care what we think about that. The only person who cares is often yourself, and thankfully that is the one person's behaviour you can influence.
Right enough psychobabble. Not sure I still really know what point I was trying to make but I feel a lot better about making it so I guess job done!
Before I finish though, I just want to say to my friend (you know who you are) that my thoughts are with you.
Today's #badjokeoftheday Q: Why was the belt sent to jail? A: For holding up a pair of trousers
Today's #randomfactoftheday The first moons (other than our own) discovered in the solar system were the 4 Galilean moons of Jupiter in 1610.
Till next time,
DT
Monday, 6 January 2014
First day back - Insomnia reigns supreme
Gotta love insomnia (and I don't mean the seminal dance anthem)! Today was my first day back at work after 3 weeks off. I got a good sleep last night, in work by 7:30am, nice and refreshed. A cracking start to the year I thought.
Its now 1 am in the morning and my "good start" has been blown out of the water. Why oh why are humans so often tired when they wake up, but wide awake when they hit the hay? Its got to be something to do with modern life but for the life of me I cannot put my finger on it!!
On the plus side, I managed to progress my new project a bit further - really hope to be able to announce something soon on this. Maybe that is half the problem, my brain is running on full all the time and so it doesn't appear to have much of an off switch. Hmmmmmm...........
Well in the meantime I'm off to count some more sheep and make some vain attempt to fall asleep, probably just in time for my alarm to go off and wake me up for the start of the next day!
Today's #randomfactoftheday -- --- .-. ... . / -.. . -- --- -. ... - .-. .- - . ... / - .... . / - . .-.. . --. .-. .- .--. .... / -.--.- .---- ---.. ...-- ---.. -.--.-
Today's #badjokeoftheday Q: What's a Grecian urn? A: About 3 dollars an hour
Till next time,
DT
Sunday, 5 January 2014
Interesting Times
Really excited today, just started a FANTASTIC new project which I hope will come to fruition. Don't want to say too much right now in case it doesn't come off but if it does it'll be a cracker. I'll try to keep everyone posted as to how its going but it is unlike anything I've ever tried and definitely outside of my comfort zone.
I have suddenly realized though that I "may" have over estimated how much time I have available this year for my different projects and plans. Never mind though, I'd much rather be busy than quiet as it feels like you are getting somewhere when you are busy all the time. Especially if you are busy doing exciting things.
There is a famous phrase which is purported to be a Chinese curse (though it's origin hasn't been fully confirmed) - May you live in interesting times. I understand that "interesting" has many different interpretations depending on context, but I'll definitely take interesting over mundane every day of the week!
Today's #randomfactoftheday - The Bayeux Tapestry is not actually a true tapestry. It is technically an "embroidered cloth"
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: How do you deal with an angry Welsh man? A: Caerphilly
Till next time,
DT
I have suddenly realized though that I "may" have over estimated how much time I have available this year for my different projects and plans. Never mind though, I'd much rather be busy than quiet as it feels like you are getting somewhere when you are busy all the time. Especially if you are busy doing exciting things.
There is a famous phrase which is purported to be a Chinese curse (though it's origin hasn't been fully confirmed) - May you live in interesting times. I understand that "interesting" has many different interpretations depending on context, but I'll definitely take interesting over mundane every day of the week!
Today's #randomfactoftheday - The Bayeux Tapestry is not actually a true tapestry. It is technically an "embroidered cloth"
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: How do you deal with an angry Welsh man? A: Caerphilly
Till next time,
DT
Saturday, 4 January 2014
Flying into the unknown
Did you know London has a cable car from Royal Victoria across the Thames to the O2 arena?!? Well I didn't until the last few days but I do now. It was a wee bit windy up there but fun all the same. Got me thinking how little we know about the places we should know the best.
I've lived in Manchester on and off for about 25 of my 33 years on the planet. Yet if someone turned up next week and asked me for a tour of the city, I'd probably be able to show them a damn good pub crawl or two. But not a great deal else.
What is it about human nature that leads us to look away from where we are for experiences that can be found closer to home. Take the UK, which has some of the most amazing scenery in the world in the Lake District, Scottish Highlands and Cotswolds (to name just a few). Yet we British seem to be obsessed with travelling to places like New Zealand to see spectacular places?!
I know I'm as guilty of this as anyone with my seemingly refreshed "Wanderlust" but it is an interesting habit we have. So my plan (yes, its another "aim" for the year) is to go somewhere new (in Manchester) every month this year.
I've heard there are some great Manchester Treasure Hunts around an about, anybody potentially up for one of these? If you might be, drop me a message on the usual twitter/facebook places.
Or anyone got any other suggestions to get me started?
Cheers for now
DT
I've lived in Manchester on and off for about 25 of my 33 years on the planet. Yet if someone turned up next week and asked me for a tour of the city, I'd probably be able to show them a damn good pub crawl or two. But not a great deal else.
What is it about human nature that leads us to look away from where we are for experiences that can be found closer to home. Take the UK, which has some of the most amazing scenery in the world in the Lake District, Scottish Highlands and Cotswolds (to name just a few). Yet we British seem to be obsessed with travelling to places like New Zealand to see spectacular places?!
I know I'm as guilty of this as anyone with my seemingly refreshed "Wanderlust" but it is an interesting habit we have. So my plan (yes, its another "aim" for the year) is to go somewhere new (in Manchester) every month this year.
I've heard there are some great Manchester Treasure Hunts around an about, anybody potentially up for one of these? If you might be, drop me a message on the usual twitter/facebook places.
Or anyone got any other suggestions to get me started?
Cheers for now
DT
Wednesday, 1 January 2014
Here's to 2014 - now make me smile
Another year has begun. A time when people feel the need to make all sorts of promises to themselves which for some reason they can't make at any other time of the year!! The whole "new year, new start" thing has always puzzled me a bit, surely yesterday was just yesterday and tomorrow is just tomorrow - whatever time of year it is?
Anyway, after saying all that I did kind of do exactly what I've just said I find puzzling and set myself some aims for the coming 12 months!!! Damn my conformation to society!
Should be a busy January with my latest Friends of Serenity Challenge (#9) coming up on the 11th. For more details about Friends of Serenity and why I am doing what I'm doing please check out the Challenges bit in the "Links of Interest" below. It is a fantastic cause and every little helps.
I am also looking for a "Beta Group" of readers (preferably sci-fi/fantasy fans) who would like to help with what I am sure will be the toughest challenge I have set myself this year - getting something published. I've written a couple of short-stories that I'd love people to have a read of for me; both from a proofing point of view and also to get some feedback as to whether or not I'm wasting my time. For details drop me a comment on here, my Facebook, my Twitter or at my email address doctortomowens@gmail.com
Throughout the year I'm intending on sharing my experiences via this blog. I have recently been lucky enough to travel to Helsinki, Tallinn and Oslo over the course of the last 2-3 months and have a bug for European Capital Cities. My aim now is to try and tick all of them off before I turn 40. I've got around 40 to do so I'm going to need to do 6/7 per year to achieve that. I'll keep a running total on this page somewhere and also share my travels via my TravelPod blog, which can also be found in the "Links of Interest" below.
On the theme of sharing things, I am intending to review any books/films/games etc. which I get through this year - hopefully someone will find something of interest in them!
Enough waffle for now. Live Each Moment (2014 motto - pretentious and annoying like me)
Till tomorrow, DT
Anyway, after saying all that I did kind of do exactly what I've just said I find puzzling and set myself some aims for the coming 12 months!!! Damn my conformation to society!
Should be a busy January with my latest Friends of Serenity Challenge (#9) coming up on the 11th. For more details about Friends of Serenity and why I am doing what I'm doing please check out the Challenges bit in the "Links of Interest" below. It is a fantastic cause and every little helps.
I am also looking for a "Beta Group" of readers (preferably sci-fi/fantasy fans) who would like to help with what I am sure will be the toughest challenge I have set myself this year - getting something published. I've written a couple of short-stories that I'd love people to have a read of for me; both from a proofing point of view and also to get some feedback as to whether or not I'm wasting my time. For details drop me a comment on here, my Facebook, my Twitter or at my email address doctortomowens@gmail.com
Throughout the year I'm intending on sharing my experiences via this blog. I have recently been lucky enough to travel to Helsinki, Tallinn and Oslo over the course of the last 2-3 months and have a bug for European Capital Cities. My aim now is to try and tick all of them off before I turn 40. I've got around 40 to do so I'm going to need to do 6/7 per year to achieve that. I'll keep a running total on this page somewhere and also share my travels via my TravelPod blog, which can also be found in the "Links of Interest" below.
On the theme of sharing things, I am intending to review any books/films/games etc. which I get through this year - hopefully someone will find something of interest in them!
Enough waffle for now. Live Each Moment (2014 motto - pretentious and annoying like me)
Till tomorrow, DT
Pressing the Reset Button
Well, another year draws to a close. From a personal point of view 2013 was pretty disastrous and I'll be more than glad to see the end of it.
However, it doesn't do to dwell on the past at the expense of the moment (if I ever become famous then this can be one of my famous "quotes"). So, I'm looking forward instead and trying not to worry about things than aren't under my control. "Live each moment" will be my motto for the year, but who knows what those moments will be.
I don't really want to set resolutions so instead I am setting my goals for the year;
1) Write something on this blog every day
2) Read at least a book a month
3) Get my short stories published
4) Tick 4 more European Capitals off the list
5) Complete 14 Friends of Serenity challenges
Have a good 2014 everyone
Till next time, DT
However, it doesn't do to dwell on the past at the expense of the moment (if I ever become famous then this can be one of my famous "quotes"). So, I'm looking forward instead and trying not to worry about things than aren't under my control. "Live each moment" will be my motto for the year, but who knows what those moments will be.
I don't really want to set resolutions so instead I am setting my goals for the year;
1) Write something on this blog every day
2) Read at least a book a month
3) Get my short stories published
4) Tick 4 more European Capitals off the list
5) Complete 14 Friends of Serenity challenges
Have a good 2014 everyone
Till next time, DT
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