"Success breeds success" they say. In cricketing parlance fielding teams tend to say "one brings two" - meaning of course, get one batsmen out and you might have a good chance at getting another one. In this case I am going to apply it to travelling - why does wandering and exploring always seem to spark an increased desire to keep doing it!?
Since coming back from Copenhagen I have done nothing with my spare time except plan trips and try to work out where to go and when. I was looking forward to going to Denmark but it certainly wasn't with this level of enthusiasm, so why now the excitement?
It is true of a lot of things though when you think about. A really good gig gets you buzzing and in the mood for another one. A great meal always seems to leave you wanting more no matter how full you are. And there is no better way to get over the end of a holiday or a trip than to get planning another one.
I am sure this is some psychological or neurochemical effect within the brain that explains fully this relationship between doing something fun and suddenly wanting nothing more than to keep doing it. But I'll leave that to the professionals!
All I know is that when you get that urge and/or that intense enthusiasm and desire to do something then it is your brain giving you some fantastic advice. "That was brilliant, let's do that again soon". And who am I to argue with my brain on something so important?
Today's #randomfactoftheday - A total of 12 countries in the world currently have more than one "capital". One country even has three!
Today's #websiteoftheday - Everything you could ever want to know about Mud/Obstacle Races, including how to get over an 8ft wall (http://www.mudstacle.com/).
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: How do you kill a circus clown? A: Go for the juggler
On this day: 1909, construction of the RMS Titanic begins.
Till next time,
DT
Monday, 31 March 2014
Sunday, 30 March 2014
Neglecting my readers :-(
Sorry all. I know I''ve been shocking these last few weeks in terms of giving you fascinating life insights and meaty topics to get your teeth stuck into. I also apologise for not polluting your timelines/walls/"insert social media function" with terrible jokes and random facts that seem exciting to me but I'm sure aren't to all you normal people.
Part of the reason I've not been blogging is a real down-spiral in my state of mind the last month or so. The doctor did warn me that my condition would result in the odd period like this so it shouldn't have been a surprise. Unfortunately I wasn't quite prepared for it so I didn't manage it quite as well as I hoped I would. Still, lessons learned for next time. Needless to say I am back on the way up which means high productivity and (more than) likely an increase in the stupid things which I sign up for and/or agree to do!
Another reason however was that I have been attempting to write my travel blog for European Capital #15 (Copenhagen) which I managed to tick off last weekend. It has taken a while and I still think I have probably missed something out!
Anyway, it can be found at http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog/tomthedoctor/6/tpod.html or you can follow the link on the left hand sidebar.
For those interested, the complete list of visited cities so far is as follows, and I know I'm cheating by counting the 4 components of the UK separately but it helps boost my numbers! Numbers 1 to 9 have no travel blog associated with them (yet!) but #10 onwards can be found at the above address.
#1 London (multiple visits, first in 1989)
#2 Edinburgh (multiple visits, first in 1998)
#3 Dublin (January 2003)
#4 Prague (August 2003 - part of interrail trip)
#5 Bratislava (August 2003 - part of interrail trip)
#6 Budapest (multiple visits, first in Aug 2003 - part of interrail trip)
#7 Warsaw (August 2003 - part of interrail trip)
#8 Cardiff (June 2004)
#9 Belfast (April 2010)
#10 Rome (July 2010)
#11 Vatican City (July 2010)
#12 Tallinn (October 2013)
#13 Helsinki (October 2013)
#14 Oslo (December 2013)
#15 Copenhagen (March 2014)
Next Five
#16 Lisbon (proposed July 2014)
#17 Zagreb (proposed October 2014)
#18 Ljubljana (proposed October 2014)
#19 Riga (proposed November 2014)
#20 Reykjavik (proposed February 2015)
I'm always on the lookout for travel buddies so if something catches your eye, then let me know.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - The most remote Archipelago in the world, is actually part of the UK (Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic Ocean).
Today's #websiteoftheday - NW England's first Disc Golf Course is being built in Longford Park, Stretford. Find out more here (http://www.manchesterdiscgolf.co.uk/)
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Courtesy of my 5 year old nephew Charlie; Q: What goes up and down in a lift on its own? A: A Gooseberry
On this day; 1856, the Treaty of Paris is signed - ending the Crimean War. Well, the first one anyway.
Till next time,
DT
Part of the reason I've not been blogging is a real down-spiral in my state of mind the last month or so. The doctor did warn me that my condition would result in the odd period like this so it shouldn't have been a surprise. Unfortunately I wasn't quite prepared for it so I didn't manage it quite as well as I hoped I would. Still, lessons learned for next time. Needless to say I am back on the way up which means high productivity and (more than) likely an increase in the stupid things which I sign up for and/or agree to do!
Another reason however was that I have been attempting to write my travel blog for European Capital #15 (Copenhagen) which I managed to tick off last weekend. It has taken a while and I still think I have probably missed something out!
Anyway, it can be found at http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog/tomthedoctor/6/tpod.html or you can follow the link on the left hand sidebar.
For those interested, the complete list of visited cities so far is as follows, and I know I'm cheating by counting the 4 components of the UK separately but it helps boost my numbers! Numbers 1 to 9 have no travel blog associated with them (yet!) but #10 onwards can be found at the above address.
#1 London (multiple visits, first in 1989)
#2 Edinburgh (multiple visits, first in 1998)
#3 Dublin (January 2003)
#4 Prague (August 2003 - part of interrail trip)
#5 Bratislava (August 2003 - part of interrail trip)
#6 Budapest (multiple visits, first in Aug 2003 - part of interrail trip)
#7 Warsaw (August 2003 - part of interrail trip)
#8 Cardiff (June 2004)
#9 Belfast (April 2010)
#10 Rome (July 2010)
#11 Vatican City (July 2010)
#12 Tallinn (October 2013)
#13 Helsinki (October 2013)
#14 Oslo (December 2013)
#15 Copenhagen (March 2014)
Next Five
#16 Lisbon (proposed July 2014)
#17 Zagreb (proposed October 2014)
#18 Ljubljana (proposed October 2014)
#19 Riga (proposed November 2014)
#20 Reykjavik (proposed February 2015)
I'm always on the lookout for travel buddies so if something catches your eye, then let me know.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - The most remote Archipelago in the world, is actually part of the UK (Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic Ocean).
Today's #websiteoftheday - NW England's first Disc Golf Course is being built in Longford Park, Stretford. Find out more here (http://www.manchesterdiscgolf.co.uk/)
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Courtesy of my 5 year old nephew Charlie; Q: What goes up and down in a lift on its own? A: A Gooseberry
On this day; 1856, the Treaty of Paris is signed - ending the Crimean War. Well, the first one anyway.
Till next time,
DT
Thursday, 27 March 2014
Still here!
Ok so I know it has been a while. With travelling to Copenhagen last weekend, plus working pretty late for the last couple of weeks it has left me very little time to blog at all. Couple this with the fact that I am writing my travel blog for my trip plus trying to sort out hospital appointments and you can see why I have slipped back a bit.
Anyway, enough excuses. Full Copenhagen report should be up over the weekend and I'll be back to daily blogging soon.
Keep the faith and maybe I might find something interesting to say soon!
Till next time,
DT
Anyway, enough excuses. Full Copenhagen report should be up over the weekend and I'll be back to daily blogging soon.
Keep the faith and maybe I might find something interesting to say soon!
Till next time,
DT
Wednesday, 19 March 2014
Where do you draw the line?
All this craziness going on in Crimea made me think about boundaries and territory and how they are perceived by us humans. We have a very nice obsession (which I have touched on before) of quite rigidly labelling and defining things, "that is mine", "this bit of land here is called Denmark" etc.
But when it comes to boundaries it is actually very hard to define these unambiguously and with unilateral agreement. In fact I'd wager a large majority of the conflicts in history can be put down to the simple truth that two sets of people disagree about where they think the boundary is!
The map of the world as we know it is constantly changing, and it has been for centuries. There is always one area of the world looking for independence from another and there are always people coveting something that they may perceive as "rightfully" theirs.
I think part of it comes down to the fact that it is very difficult to draw artificial barriers easily. Although the land is constant (within reason) it is the movement and relocation of people throughout history that has a significant effect.
This constant moving around means that it is very rare to find an entire area which is easy to "fence off", both in terms of the people who inhabit in and from a geographical standpoint. Take Great Britain for example, which is geographically very easy to define. Within this relatively small piece of land we have had more changes in definition than seems logical. Throughout history we have seen the Angles, Saxons, Vikings, Romans, Celts, Pics, Normans....well you get the point.
After the great Colonial period there seems to be a drive (certainly amongst the people) to move towards smaller territories, or at least territories where they are living with people they class as "their own kind". A large driver in Crimea appears to be that the majority of people consider themselves Russian rather than Ukrainian.
Modern society is said to be multi-cultural and integrated but if you look in more detail then I think the opposite is happening. People are looking more to live within communities with a smaller diversity , one where they have a heritage in common and where they feel more connected.
I wonder whether this is a cyclical thing following a period of great expansion and domination from a small number of powers or whether there is something else at play here? Either way it is difficult to get away from the fact that, wherever the boundary is drawn, there is always likely to be someone who has a different idea of where it "should" be.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - There were 51 founding members of the United Nations in 1945. There are now 193.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: What do you call a penguin in the desert? A: Lost
Today's #websiteoftheday - Europe through the ages (http://www.worldology.com/Europe/europe_history_lg.htm)
On this day; 1982, Argentinian forces land on South Georgia precipitating the Falklands War.
Till tomorrow,
DT
But when it comes to boundaries it is actually very hard to define these unambiguously and with unilateral agreement. In fact I'd wager a large majority of the conflicts in history can be put down to the simple truth that two sets of people disagree about where they think the boundary is!
The map of the world as we know it is constantly changing, and it has been for centuries. There is always one area of the world looking for independence from another and there are always people coveting something that they may perceive as "rightfully" theirs.
I think part of it comes down to the fact that it is very difficult to draw artificial barriers easily. Although the land is constant (within reason) it is the movement and relocation of people throughout history that has a significant effect.
This constant moving around means that it is very rare to find an entire area which is easy to "fence off", both in terms of the people who inhabit in and from a geographical standpoint. Take Great Britain for example, which is geographically very easy to define. Within this relatively small piece of land we have had more changes in definition than seems logical. Throughout history we have seen the Angles, Saxons, Vikings, Romans, Celts, Pics, Normans....well you get the point.
After the great Colonial period there seems to be a drive (certainly amongst the people) to move towards smaller territories, or at least territories where they are living with people they class as "their own kind". A large driver in Crimea appears to be that the majority of people consider themselves Russian rather than Ukrainian.
Modern society is said to be multi-cultural and integrated but if you look in more detail then I think the opposite is happening. People are looking more to live within communities with a smaller diversity , one where they have a heritage in common and where they feel more connected.
I wonder whether this is a cyclical thing following a period of great expansion and domination from a small number of powers or whether there is something else at play here? Either way it is difficult to get away from the fact that, wherever the boundary is drawn, there is always likely to be someone who has a different idea of where it "should" be.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - There were 51 founding members of the United Nations in 1945. There are now 193.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: What do you call a penguin in the desert? A: Lost
Today's #websiteoftheday - Europe through the ages (http://www.worldology.com/Europe/europe_history_lg.htm)
On this day; 1982, Argentinian forces land on South Georgia precipitating the Falklands War.
Till tomorrow,
DT
Monday, 17 March 2014
Recipe #4 - Raspberry and White Chocolate Trifle
This might be the greatest dessert ever made. It is trifle but not quite as you know it. There isn't a hint of fruit nor jelly but there is raspberry swiss roll, white chocolate custard and a wee bit of alcohol in there if you fancy it.
I'm not sure how many it serves to be honest, but it doesn't usually last long. Like all trifles there is some fiddling around and you'll probably use most of the baking implements you own - but boy is this worth the effort. Simply delectable.
Ingredients
300g raspberries
juice 1/2 lime
1tbsp vodka or framboise liqueur
2 tbsp icing sugar
3 small swiss rolls
125g white chocolate
100g double or whipping cream
About 700ml fresh custard (cartons)
A straight sided glass bowl is the ideal serving dish for this.
Method
1) Place 100g raspberries in a sieve and squeeze their juice through into a bowl using the back of a spoon. Scrape the sieve to collect as much of the juice as you can, leaving the pips behind.
2) Add the lime juice and alcohol as well as 1tbsp of the icing sugar. Stir well.
3) Slice the swiss roll into 1cm thick slices and cover the base of your bowl. Also make a single layer up the side.
4) Pour about half of the raspberry juice mixture onto the slices and add about 100g of raspberries.
5) Break about 100g of the white chocolate and melt in a bowl over a boiling pan of water (known as a "bain marie").
6) Stir 1tbsp of cream into the chocolate when melted and add the whole mixture to the custard.
7) Pour half of this white chocolate custard mixture over the swiss roll slices.
8) Add another layer of swiss roll slices on top and cover with the rest of the raspberry juice, white chocolate custard and the remaining raspberries (save about 10 for the top).
9) Whip the rest of the cream up until stiff and add to the top. Lift up with a fork to decorate.
10) Add the leftover raspberries, grate the remaining white chocolate and dust with the other 1tbsp of icing sugar for decoration.
11) Cover with clingfilm and chill for a minimum of 2 hours (best overnight up to 24 hours).
12) Enjoy!
Today's #randomfactoftheday - Grapes, avocados and bananas are all technically "berries". Neither raspberries nor strawberries are however.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: What do you call an Irishman who keeps bouncing off walls? A: Rick O'Shea.
Today's #websiteoftheday - The Tree of Life web project. A fascinating look into the biodiversity and evolutionary history of our planet (http://tolweb.org/tree/).
On this day; Every year, St. Patrick's Day results in a ridiculous amount of Guinness being drunk throughout the world by anyone with any connecting (no matter how remote) to Ireland. Slainte!
Till tomorrow,
DT
I'm not sure how many it serves to be honest, but it doesn't usually last long. Like all trifles there is some fiddling around and you'll probably use most of the baking implements you own - but boy is this worth the effort. Simply delectable.
Ingredients
300g raspberries
juice 1/2 lime
1tbsp vodka or framboise liqueur
2 tbsp icing sugar
3 small swiss rolls
125g white chocolate
100g double or whipping cream
About 700ml fresh custard (cartons)
A straight sided glass bowl is the ideal serving dish for this.
Method
1) Place 100g raspberries in a sieve and squeeze their juice through into a bowl using the back of a spoon. Scrape the sieve to collect as much of the juice as you can, leaving the pips behind.
2) Add the lime juice and alcohol as well as 1tbsp of the icing sugar. Stir well.
3) Slice the swiss roll into 1cm thick slices and cover the base of your bowl. Also make a single layer up the side.
4) Pour about half of the raspberry juice mixture onto the slices and add about 100g of raspberries.
5) Break about 100g of the white chocolate and melt in a bowl over a boiling pan of water (known as a "bain marie").
6) Stir 1tbsp of cream into the chocolate when melted and add the whole mixture to the custard.
7) Pour half of this white chocolate custard mixture over the swiss roll slices.
8) Add another layer of swiss roll slices on top and cover with the rest of the raspberry juice, white chocolate custard and the remaining raspberries (save about 10 for the top).
9) Whip the rest of the cream up until stiff and add to the top. Lift up with a fork to decorate.
10) Add the leftover raspberries, grate the remaining white chocolate and dust with the other 1tbsp of icing sugar for decoration.
11) Cover with clingfilm and chill for a minimum of 2 hours (best overnight up to 24 hours).
12) Enjoy!
Today's #randomfactoftheday - Grapes, avocados and bananas are all technically "berries". Neither raspberries nor strawberries are however.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: What do you call an Irishman who keeps bouncing off walls? A: Rick O'Shea.
Today's #websiteoftheday - The Tree of Life web project. A fascinating look into the biodiversity and evolutionary history of our planet (http://tolweb.org/tree/).
On this day; Every year, St. Patrick's Day results in a ridiculous amount of Guinness being drunk throughout the world by anyone with any connecting (no matter how remote) to Ireland. Slainte!
Till tomorrow,
DT
Sunday, 16 March 2014
Pushed to my very limits
Well Challenge #11 is in the books. The Mighty Deerstalker is complete, but at some cost it seems. Three of the four team members are nursing sprained ankles and there is a general feeling of soreness and exhaustion throughout. Check out the review of the event here.
This one was tough. Physically it was hard work, 16km of terrain covered with over 500m of climb. Very little of the path was navigable at any speed due to the mud build up and the amount of rocks strewn across the MTB trails. Add into the fact that there were 6 or 7 dips into the water and it was all done with only the light from your head torch and you begin to realise what a tough challenge this was.
But it was the mental and psychological aspects of this which have left a mark, this was the deepest I have ever had to dig and I have to be honest and say that there was not much left in the tank mentally by the end. The initial stages were OK but it became apparent that every step would require concentration and thought, the twin aspects of tight paths and very little light made this very different from "normal" runs.
I managed to roll my ankle after about 3km and it didn't look good for a while. Thankfully I found an ambulance and, after 20 minutes of treatment, I managed to continue. It was torture from there, the next section was essentially flush downhill but I couldn't trust myself to descend at speed. There was no-one else around me so it was me against the forest. I was seeing things, hearing things and all the time trying to keep moving.
It seems so silly now but I was really struggling at this point and my mental state was "heightened" to say the least. Thankfully I managed to get myself down and back on to the flatter terrain for a bit. Everything was sore at this point but it is only physical pain so I'm pretty accomplished at sucking that up and moving on!
The next problem came up the second hill, and this is where it got really tricky. The second hill was essentially a rock climb. It was pitch black apart from my head torch, I have a fear of heights and I was already physically exhausted. I managed to get myself 20m up, then fell. I picked myself up and went again. I got 15m up this time, then fell again.
It all went wrong very quickly from this point. I have never before experienced paralysis due to fear but that is precisely what happened now. I have always considered myself reasonably strong mentally but I was shot by this point.
Looking back now it seems pathetic but in the dark, all alone and halfway up that hill I was genuinely in serious trouble. I was petrified and I don't remember a great deal of what was going through my head, except I couldn't go up or down. Fear swept over me and I froze. I lay on the scree for FORTY FIVE minutes unable to move. Panic like I have never known it.
It was a horrible experience and I don't know even now what it was that made me able to move and start back up again. I don't even think it was a conscious decision but I finally made it up and the view from the top was worth it. But WOW, it was an absolutely horrendous experience and I hope it is one I never have to go through again.
I have never really been outside my comfort zone but halfway up that hill I experienced something which I never thought I would. I was pushed so close to my mental and psychological limit. I always though my physical limits would be the ones that would be tested and stretched but they gave way spectacularly to my mental ones last night.
Looking back now I know I had nothing to worry about and I was being over dramatic but, at the time, the combination of everything really got inside my head and pushed my somewhere I didn't know I could go. I can look at the positives and the fact that I managed to get myself through it and finish the race.
But it tells me that I have a long way to go and I still have many mental hurdles to overcome. I was disappointed that I reacted in the way I did but it has shown me that I have limits and that I have to make sure I am aware of them and learn how to control what I can control. I learnt things about my "inner workings" that scared me but also things that I know I can build on and use to allow me to manage myself and my condition better.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - The longest foot race in the world is the Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Run
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Courtesy of Charlie the nephew. Q: What do polar bears do in their spare time? A: Chill out
Today's #websiteoftheday - The Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Run. Nuts (http://www.3100.ws/)
On this day; 1912, Lawrence Oates leaves his tent in Antartica. His final words, "I'm just going outside and I may be some time".
Till tomorrow,
DT
This one was tough. Physically it was hard work, 16km of terrain covered with over 500m of climb. Very little of the path was navigable at any speed due to the mud build up and the amount of rocks strewn across the MTB trails. Add into the fact that there were 6 or 7 dips into the water and it was all done with only the light from your head torch and you begin to realise what a tough challenge this was.
But it was the mental and psychological aspects of this which have left a mark, this was the deepest I have ever had to dig and I have to be honest and say that there was not much left in the tank mentally by the end. The initial stages were OK but it became apparent that every step would require concentration and thought, the twin aspects of tight paths and very little light made this very different from "normal" runs.
I managed to roll my ankle after about 3km and it didn't look good for a while. Thankfully I found an ambulance and, after 20 minutes of treatment, I managed to continue. It was torture from there, the next section was essentially flush downhill but I couldn't trust myself to descend at speed. There was no-one else around me so it was me against the forest. I was seeing things, hearing things and all the time trying to keep moving.
It seems so silly now but I was really struggling at this point and my mental state was "heightened" to say the least. Thankfully I managed to get myself down and back on to the flatter terrain for a bit. Everything was sore at this point but it is only physical pain so I'm pretty accomplished at sucking that up and moving on!
The next problem came up the second hill, and this is where it got really tricky. The second hill was essentially a rock climb. It was pitch black apart from my head torch, I have a fear of heights and I was already physically exhausted. I managed to get myself 20m up, then fell. I picked myself up and went again. I got 15m up this time, then fell again.
It all went wrong very quickly from this point. I have never before experienced paralysis due to fear but that is precisely what happened now. I have always considered myself reasonably strong mentally but I was shot by this point.
Looking back now it seems pathetic but in the dark, all alone and halfway up that hill I was genuinely in serious trouble. I was petrified and I don't remember a great deal of what was going through my head, except I couldn't go up or down. Fear swept over me and I froze. I lay on the scree for FORTY FIVE minutes unable to move. Panic like I have never known it.
It was a horrible experience and I don't know even now what it was that made me able to move and start back up again. I don't even think it was a conscious decision but I finally made it up and the view from the top was worth it. But WOW, it was an absolutely horrendous experience and I hope it is one I never have to go through again.
I have never really been outside my comfort zone but halfway up that hill I experienced something which I never thought I would. I was pushed so close to my mental and psychological limit. I always though my physical limits would be the ones that would be tested and stretched but they gave way spectacularly to my mental ones last night.
Looking back now I know I had nothing to worry about and I was being over dramatic but, at the time, the combination of everything really got inside my head and pushed my somewhere I didn't know I could go. I can look at the positives and the fact that I managed to get myself through it and finish the race.
But it tells me that I have a long way to go and I still have many mental hurdles to overcome. I was disappointed that I reacted in the way I did but it has shown me that I have limits and that I have to make sure I am aware of them and learn how to control what I can control. I learnt things about my "inner workings" that scared me but also things that I know I can build on and use to allow me to manage myself and my condition better.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - The longest foot race in the world is the Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Run
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Courtesy of Charlie the nephew. Q: What do polar bears do in their spare time? A: Chill out
Today's #websiteoftheday - The Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Run. Nuts (http://www.3100.ws/)
On this day; 1912, Lawrence Oates leaves his tent in Antartica. His final words, "I'm just going outside and I may be some time".
Till tomorrow,
DT
Friday, 14 March 2014
Challenge #11 is coming. The MIGHTY DEERSTALKER awaits
Just a short one tonight. I'd like to say I'm being a proper athlete and preparing properly for tomorrow's event. But in truth I'm not in the slightest. But hey ho, I'm sure it'll all work out fine in the end.
So I'm just going to plug the challenge website and the Friends of Serenity charity website. Please take the time to go and read these to see what I am doing, why I am doing it and to learn about Trisomy 13 and the journey some people unfortunately have to go on.
It is only with your support, your help and your generosity that we can make a difference. So anything you can give (whether it is time, money or even just your best wishes) would make the world of difference. Thank you all, hopefully see you Sunday if I survive!
Today's #randomfactoftheday - 3 films have won a total of 11 Oscars; Ben-Hur, Titanic and Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: What does a T-Rex use to do DIY? A: A dino-saw.
Today's #websiteoftheday - Ooh ooh ooh. Miniature trees! (http://www.allthingsbonsai.co.uk/)
On this day; 1879, birth of Albert Einstein
Till next time,
DT
So I'm just going to plug the challenge website and the Friends of Serenity charity website. Please take the time to go and read these to see what I am doing, why I am doing it and to learn about Trisomy 13 and the journey some people unfortunately have to go on.
It is only with your support, your help and your generosity that we can make a difference. So anything you can give (whether it is time, money or even just your best wishes) would make the world of difference. Thank you all, hopefully see you Sunday if I survive!
Today's #randomfactoftheday - 3 films have won a total of 11 Oscars; Ben-Hur, Titanic and Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: What does a T-Rex use to do DIY? A: A dino-saw.
Today's #websiteoftheday - Ooh ooh ooh. Miniature trees! (http://www.allthingsbonsai.co.uk/)
On this day; 1879, birth of Albert Einstein
Till next time,
DT
Thursday, 13 March 2014
The calm before the storm
Feeling surprisingly relaxed considering the upcoming challenge of Mighty Deerstalker on Saturday. Weird how sometimes ahead of a major event or activity I can be as calm as a millpond whereas for others I'm a fidgety, twitchy mess. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it either; I was more nervous before doing a 5 minute talk the other week than I was before my PhD viva. One was quite important in the grand scheme of things, but not the one I was nervous for.
I wonder if there is some kind of reverse effect here, do things that really really matter actually focus the mind more and leave less time for nerves? And do things that sub-consciously aren't that important in the grand scheme of things lend themselves to nervous excitement rather than genuine worry? Is it the case that this nervous excitement manifests itself externally whereas real worry or concern results in a very introverted situation?
More likely is the case that the human body processes so many factors and functions that the essential "algorithm" for determining whether something makes you nervous or not is so fundamentally complex. There appears to be no logic behind these feelings simply because we haven't found a way of working out what the logic is. This is certainly not unusual in the world; generally things are far more complex than we are capable of determining, though we do make pretty good attempts at understanding the world in certain fields.
So I'm left in a state of surprising calm which itself is now starting to unnerve me! Shouldn't I be panicking like crazy ahead of the event?!? Maybe by the start time I will be, who knows? For now however I'll settle for a nice chill out safe in the knowledge that I've clearly got this under control, if I didn't my body and mind would be warning me.
Probably. Maybe?
Today's #randomfactoftheday - The most remote city with a population of 1 million is Auckland. It's nearest 1mil+ neighbour is Sydney, 2169km away.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: What type of bears dissolve in water? A: Polar
Today's #websiteoftheday - Not sure how genuine this is, but it purports to allow you to name a star :-) (http://www.starregistry.co.uk/)
On this day; 1781, William Herschel discovers Uranus
Till next time,
DT/
I wonder if there is some kind of reverse effect here, do things that really really matter actually focus the mind more and leave less time for nerves? And do things that sub-consciously aren't that important in the grand scheme of things lend themselves to nervous excitement rather than genuine worry? Is it the case that this nervous excitement manifests itself externally whereas real worry or concern results in a very introverted situation?
More likely is the case that the human body processes so many factors and functions that the essential "algorithm" for determining whether something makes you nervous or not is so fundamentally complex. There appears to be no logic behind these feelings simply because we haven't found a way of working out what the logic is. This is certainly not unusual in the world; generally things are far more complex than we are capable of determining, though we do make pretty good attempts at understanding the world in certain fields.
So I'm left in a state of surprising calm which itself is now starting to unnerve me! Shouldn't I be panicking like crazy ahead of the event?!? Maybe by the start time I will be, who knows? For now however I'll settle for a nice chill out safe in the knowledge that I've clearly got this under control, if I didn't my body and mind would be warning me.
Probably. Maybe?
Today's #randomfactoftheday - The most remote city with a population of 1 million is Auckland. It's nearest 1mil+ neighbour is Sydney, 2169km away.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: What type of bears dissolve in water? A: Polar
Today's #websiteoftheday - Not sure how genuine this is, but it purports to allow you to name a star :-) (http://www.starregistry.co.uk/)
On this day; 1781, William Herschel discovers Uranus
Till next time,
DT/
Wednesday, 12 March 2014
Making the same mistakes over again
I was looking through some of my photos from previous trips abroad earlier on and found a few which sparked some interesting thoughts. They were from Auschwitz, and if you have never been then it is somewhere you must go. It is a haunting place and a frightening reminder of what humanity can do to itself. Everyone has to visit, for no other reason than to make sure the terrible events are not forgotten. But it is not the first time a systematic genocide has taken place, nor indeed was it the last.
George Santayana once said, "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it", yet humanity does not heed his warning. And that may be the greatest crime of them all, we have such short memories and a terrible sense of responsibility. War, genocide and mass murder don't happen naturally - they can only happen due to the actions (and sometimes inaction) of human beings. We, as a species, are in control yet we do not seem to realise that fact.
We refuse to learn the lessons of the past, we repeat the same mistakes over and over again. The cycle simply continues from one conflict to the next, each humanitarian crisis follows the last and someone somewhere is always waging war. Human beings cannot help ourselves it seems, we always want what we cannot have and we seem unable to stop this happening!
Why do we let this happen? What is it in the human psyche that seemingly condemns us to an inability to learn from our mistakes. There is a line in Eric Bogle's emotional song about the Gallipoli Campaign during World War I where he describes a lull in the fighting. "We buried our dead and the Turks buried there's. Then we started all over again."
It perfectly sums up the unbelievable stupidity of it all. What is the point of it all? There is seemingly no end, no respite from the horrors of how human beings treat each other. We have everything we need on this planet to live in peace, harmony and safety. Yet we don't. We exterminate each other and we NEVER LEARN. I do not know how to change it, but we cannot continue like this. Somehow, soon, humans must begin to learn from our mistakes, lest we be condemned to repeat them again.
I decided against the usual daily "fun and games" on the blog today. Instead I'll leave you with the first half of the quote on the plaque at Auschwitz.
"For ever let this place be a cry of despair and a warning to humanity".
Till tomorrow,
DT
Tuesday, 11 March 2014
Some literary news
A couple of interesting developments on the old writing front (and before any gets too smartarsey, yes I can do joined up writing now thank you very much). This may explain why I haven't been blogging quite as prolifically as I was hoping to, I've actually been doing some "real" writing in my non-existent free time.
I have finally got around to finishing the last of the the kids books I am writing for charity, the adventures in space of Charlie, Oscar, Poppy and Luke. Unfortunately there is still plenty of work to do on them and we haven't had much traction in terms of finding a potential publisher. But hopefully we can get the ball rolling again soon with these as they are for a fantastic cause and I'm quite nervous and excited to see what people think of them.
My book of sci-fi/fantasy short stories has been severely neglected recently but I've got a few more ideas flowing through the head so I'm planning to crack on with some of them very soon. Hopefully a few of you who have kindly agreed to read them will be getting a few dropping through your virtual inbox soon, if there are still folks out there who would like to help then please let me know. They aren't very long and any feedback and advice you can give me would be fantastic.
I'm also making tentative steps towards starting my fantasy series but I have a long long way to go before that is even close to being a serious project. I think concentrating on the kids books and short stories will keep me comfortably too busy when all my challenge training gets thrown on top too. Once again, I think I may be keeping myself ridiculously distracted. I guess it is never too bad to be busy with things you enjoy, and contrary to popular belief I've never been one for sitting around and just passing the time. Ok, quiet in the back you lot!
Today's #randomfactoftheday - 47 of the 92 league managers in England have been in charge for less than a year.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: How do you make a fruit punch? A: Teach it boxing
Today's #websiteoftheday - Ah, takes me back (http://www.80scartoons.co.uk/)
On this day; 1990, Lithuania declares independence. This was the first time a Union Republic declared independence following the dissolution of the USSR.
Till tomorrow,
DT
I have finally got around to finishing the last of the the kids books I am writing for charity, the adventures in space of Charlie, Oscar, Poppy and Luke. Unfortunately there is still plenty of work to do on them and we haven't had much traction in terms of finding a potential publisher. But hopefully we can get the ball rolling again soon with these as they are for a fantastic cause and I'm quite nervous and excited to see what people think of them.
My book of sci-fi/fantasy short stories has been severely neglected recently but I've got a few more ideas flowing through the head so I'm planning to crack on with some of them very soon. Hopefully a few of you who have kindly agreed to read them will be getting a few dropping through your virtual inbox soon, if there are still folks out there who would like to help then please let me know. They aren't very long and any feedback and advice you can give me would be fantastic.
I'm also making tentative steps towards starting my fantasy series but I have a long long way to go before that is even close to being a serious project. I think concentrating on the kids books and short stories will keep me comfortably too busy when all my challenge training gets thrown on top too. Once again, I think I may be keeping myself ridiculously distracted. I guess it is never too bad to be busy with things you enjoy, and contrary to popular belief I've never been one for sitting around and just passing the time. Ok, quiet in the back you lot!
Today's #randomfactoftheday - 47 of the 92 league managers in England have been in charge for less than a year.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: How do you make a fruit punch? A: Teach it boxing
Today's #websiteoftheday - Ah, takes me back (http://www.80scartoons.co.uk/)
On this day; 1990, Lithuania declares independence. This was the first time a Union Republic declared independence following the dissolution of the USSR.
Till tomorrow,
DT
Monday, 10 March 2014
Where does the time go?
It's now 2230 and I've literally just sat down having been on the go all day since I gave up on overcoming insomnia this morning around 0645. Why are some days over before you've even had a chance to think about them? I was genuinely planning to get a good long blog in tonight but unfortunately it is not going to happen. Hoping tomorrow might be more fruitful but chances are it'll be another one of those days that passes me by without me really noticing.
I would like you all to remind me of this in a few months when I'm complaining of being bored and having too much time on my hands!! Swings and roundabouts and all that eh?
Today's #randomfactoftheday, #websiteoftheday and #badjokeoftheday will return tomorrow. Probably.
On this day; 1876, Alexander Graham Bell makes the first successful telephone call, "Mr. Watson come here, I want to see you".
Till tomorrow,
DT
I would like you all to remind me of this in a few months when I'm complaining of being bored and having too much time on my hands!! Swings and roundabouts and all that eh?
Today's #randomfactoftheday, #websiteoftheday and #badjokeoftheday will return tomorrow. Probably.
On this day; 1876, Alexander Graham Bell makes the first successful telephone call, "Mr. Watson come here, I want to see you".
Till tomorrow,
DT
Sunday, 9 March 2014
Recipe #3 - Fruity Tea Loaf (and a bit of charity stuff!)
It has been another really bad week in terms of finding stuff to blog about. Definitely seem to have hit a really large wall in terms of topics. Well, I have plenty of topics but I've actually covered most of them already so I don't want to redo them!! However, I think I may have come up with a few things to chat about so hopefully next week I'll be back on form.
One thing I did want to mention is next Saturday. It is Challenge #11 of Tom's Many Silly Adventures - The Mighty Deerstalker. Please check out a few links to see what I am doing and why I am doing it.
There is my challenge website here and the Friends of Serenity Charity Website which details all about the charity, the causes and the aims of the work that we are trying to do. Every bit of exposure helps and the more we can spread the word about Trisomy 13 (and other chromosomal abnormalities) the better. Thanks in advance folks.
So, back to food. This is basically THE nicest tea loaf I have ever had. It is full of fruit, juicy and pretty good for you (as long as you don't eat the entire thing which is very possible). This makes about 10-12 servings and needs a long soak beforehand.
Fruity Tea Loaf
Ingredients
1 tea bag
100g chopped dried prunes
100g chopped dried apricots
100g sultanas
225g self-raising flour
2 tsp mixed spice
150g demerara sugar
1 medium egg, beaten
3 tbsp skimmed milk
Method
1) Mix all the dried fruit in a bowl with 250ml of tea (leave the tea bag in). Leave to soak for 4-5 hours (or overnight).
2) Grease a 2lb loaf tin a line with baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 180C (fan assisted 160C).
3) Sift the flour, spice and a pinch of salt into the mixing bowl. Reserve 1tbsp of the sugar and add the rest.
4) Mix the soaked fruit mixture (including any unabsorbed liquid) with the egg and milk.
5) Add to the flour mixture and form a batter.
6) Pour into the tin and sprinkle the excess sugar on top.
7) Cook for 50-60 minutes (or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean).
8) Tuck in!
Today's #randomfactoftheday - The first sports event broadcast in the UK was a rugby match between England and Wales from Twickenham in 1927.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana
Today's #websiteoftheday - The Mighty Deerstalker website (http://www.mightydeerstalker.com/)
On this day; 1842, the first documented discovery of Gold in California occurs in Rancho San Francisco.
Till next time,
DT
One thing I did want to mention is next Saturday. It is Challenge #11 of Tom's Many Silly Adventures - The Mighty Deerstalker. Please check out a few links to see what I am doing and why I am doing it.
There is my challenge website here and the Friends of Serenity Charity Website which details all about the charity, the causes and the aims of the work that we are trying to do. Every bit of exposure helps and the more we can spread the word about Trisomy 13 (and other chromosomal abnormalities) the better. Thanks in advance folks.
So, back to food. This is basically THE nicest tea loaf I have ever had. It is full of fruit, juicy and pretty good for you (as long as you don't eat the entire thing which is very possible). This makes about 10-12 servings and needs a long soak beforehand.
Fruity Tea Loaf
Ingredients
1 tea bag
100g chopped dried prunes
100g chopped dried apricots
100g sultanas
225g self-raising flour
2 tsp mixed spice
150g demerara sugar
1 medium egg, beaten
3 tbsp skimmed milk
Method
1) Mix all the dried fruit in a bowl with 250ml of tea (leave the tea bag in). Leave to soak for 4-5 hours (or overnight).
2) Grease a 2lb loaf tin a line with baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 180C (fan assisted 160C).
3) Sift the flour, spice and a pinch of salt into the mixing bowl. Reserve 1tbsp of the sugar and add the rest.
4) Mix the soaked fruit mixture (including any unabsorbed liquid) with the egg and milk.
5) Add to the flour mixture and form a batter.
6) Pour into the tin and sprinkle the excess sugar on top.
7) Cook for 50-60 minutes (or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean).
8) Tuck in!
Today's #randomfactoftheday - The first sports event broadcast in the UK was a rugby match between England and Wales from Twickenham in 1927.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana
Today's #websiteoftheday - The Mighty Deerstalker website (http://www.mightydeerstalker.com/)
On this day; 1842, the first documented discovery of Gold in California occurs in Rancho San Francisco.
Till next time,
DT
Thursday, 6 March 2014
World Cup thoughts
If you don't like football and/or the World Cup, then look away now. Today's blog is World Cup themed.
It is 98 days till the start of the 2016 and, let's face it, England shouldn't really be in with a chance. But you never know once you get there. So here is my list of the 23 who I would take to Brazil, assuming everyone who is currently fit remains fit of course. I've also not thrown in any major curveballs, everyone on this list has at least been capped by England and/or is definitely in Roy's thinking.
Goalkeepers (3)
Joe Hart (Man City)
Fraser Forster (Celtic)
John Ruddy (Norwich)
Pretty much a no-brainer here. Hart is guaranteed and Forster deserves to at least go for the experience as he'll be around for a bit - he is only 25. Ruddy goes as the #2 and I don't think anyone would be worried if he was called upon in South America.
Defenders (7)
Phil Jagielka (Everton)
Gary Cahill (Chelsea)
Leighton Baines (Everton)
Glen Johnson (Liverpool)
Phil Jones (Man Utd)
Ashley Cole (Chelsea)
Chris Smalling (Man Utd)
I'm still not 100% convinced about Gary Cahill, particularly his defensive positioning, but him and Jagielka seem to be as settled a pairing as we have. Baines and Johnson complete the starting back four. I thought long and hard about whether to bring Kyle Walker but I really want to take 9 midfielders and so I only have 7 defensive slots. I don't want to waste 4 of the 7 on full backs. I toyed with leaving out Ashley Cole and using Gareth Barry or Glen Johnson as the back-up left back (allowing me to take Walker) but eventually went with Cole as he is still exceptional defensively and has the experience. I think Phil Jones has a future at centre half and he can also play right back and even in midfield so he is a useful option to have.
The final place was a real toss-up and I still haven't really 100% settled on Smalling. The problem is that Ferdinand and Terry are gone for their various reasons and the cupboard is a bit bare beyond that. Curtis Davis has been having a good season but is untested and Joleon Lescott's confidence is shot. Michael Dawson might be an option but his lack of pace concerns me. So Smalling gets the nod but would only play in dire circumstances. Maybe if Kyle Walker has a good second half to the season he might sneak in but we already have one right back who isn't great defensively so I don't really want to risk another.
Midfielders (9)
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)
Gareth Barry (Everton)
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal)
Andros Townsend (Tottenham)
Adam Lallana (Southampton)
Raheem Sterling (Liverpool)
Michael Carrick (Man Utd)
Ross Barkley (Everton)
I know I am an Everton fan but Barry has been superb this season and he is the perfect fit for that holding role right in front of the back four. Wilshere is a really nice footballer (alebit injury prone) and I think the slower tempo called for in the heat of the jungle may suit him. Gerrard is a no-brainer and I'd like to see him in front of Barry alongside Wilshere if they are all fit. Carrick hasn't been great this season but in the holding role I think he'd do a great job if needed and he sneaks in ahead of Cleverley who seems to have gone backwards (kind of like his passing).
Lallana looks great everytime I see him and I think he would do a really good job wherever you play him across the midfield. The Ox isn't fully match fit yet but he can play wide or central and I think he has supplanted Milner who would possibly be pegged to do a similar role as that. Kevin Nolan was another I considered in here but he wouldn't be a focal point for England the way he is for West Ham so I don't think he is as effective.
That leaves wider options. Sterling looks good but needs to learn to stay on his feet when not touched. Townsend is another one who isn't fully fit but has the ability to do plenty when running at people. That leaves one more place and I considered Lennon, Milner, Henderson and Adam Johnson amongst others. In the end I plumped for Barkley as I've seen him play lots this season and the boy is class. Two footed, quick and smart. My only concern is maybe a lack of a real natural left footer but Sterling can play out there and Lallana can do a job too if need be.
Strikers (4)
Wayne Rooney (Man Utd)
Danny Wellbeck (Man Utd)
Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool)
Rickie Lambert (Southampton)
Sturridge is almost the first name on the team sheet for me at the moment. And he MUST play down the middle. He is deadly if you keep him no wider than the outside of the penalty area and must be played there. Rooney has to go, simple as. Wellbeck looks much better for England than Man Utd and he always has an impact coming off the bench. So he is in.
So that leaves me with one more option. Lambert, Carroll and Defoe are the obvious choices and it really was a three-way flip of a coin. I think Lambert and Carroll both offer more in the 1 up-front shape than Defoe and, of the two, I think Lambert just has the edge.
So there you have it. England's 23 for the World Cup according to Tom. The squad is of course only part of the equation and the toughest job for Roy has to be accommodating Rooney into a system (1 up top) which clearly doesn't suit him. Maybe he should lie deeper and play alongside Wilshere with Gerrard a touch deeper. That way he doesn't force Sturridge out wide but we get him on the ball a lot.
Good luck Roy is all I can say!!
Today's #randomfactoftheday - The mascot for the upcoming tournament is an armadillo named Fuleco
Today's #badjokeoftheday - I can't stand those people who don't like football but still go to games, cause trouble and generally ruin it for anyone else. Bloody referees.
Today's #websiteoftheday - Where else, but the official World Cup sticker album? - released 27th March (http://www.footballstickipedia.com/panini-2014-fifa-world-cup-brazil-sticker-album.html)
On this day; (not World Cup related) - 1475, birth of Michelangelo
Till tomorrow,
DT
It is 98 days till the start of the 2016 and, let's face it, England shouldn't really be in with a chance. But you never know once you get there. So here is my list of the 23 who I would take to Brazil, assuming everyone who is currently fit remains fit of course. I've also not thrown in any major curveballs, everyone on this list has at least been capped by England and/or is definitely in Roy's thinking.
Goalkeepers (3)
Joe Hart (Man City)
Fraser Forster (Celtic)
John Ruddy (Norwich)
Pretty much a no-brainer here. Hart is guaranteed and Forster deserves to at least go for the experience as he'll be around for a bit - he is only 25. Ruddy goes as the #2 and I don't think anyone would be worried if he was called upon in South America.
Defenders (7)
Phil Jagielka (Everton)
Gary Cahill (Chelsea)
Leighton Baines (Everton)
Glen Johnson (Liverpool)
Phil Jones (Man Utd)
Ashley Cole (Chelsea)
Chris Smalling (Man Utd)
I'm still not 100% convinced about Gary Cahill, particularly his defensive positioning, but him and Jagielka seem to be as settled a pairing as we have. Baines and Johnson complete the starting back four. I thought long and hard about whether to bring Kyle Walker but I really want to take 9 midfielders and so I only have 7 defensive slots. I don't want to waste 4 of the 7 on full backs. I toyed with leaving out Ashley Cole and using Gareth Barry or Glen Johnson as the back-up left back (allowing me to take Walker) but eventually went with Cole as he is still exceptional defensively and has the experience. I think Phil Jones has a future at centre half and he can also play right back and even in midfield so he is a useful option to have.
The final place was a real toss-up and I still haven't really 100% settled on Smalling. The problem is that Ferdinand and Terry are gone for their various reasons and the cupboard is a bit bare beyond that. Curtis Davis has been having a good season but is untested and Joleon Lescott's confidence is shot. Michael Dawson might be an option but his lack of pace concerns me. So Smalling gets the nod but would only play in dire circumstances. Maybe if Kyle Walker has a good second half to the season he might sneak in but we already have one right back who isn't great defensively so I don't really want to risk another.
Midfielders (9)
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)
Gareth Barry (Everton)
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal)
Andros Townsend (Tottenham)
Adam Lallana (Southampton)
Raheem Sterling (Liverpool)
Michael Carrick (Man Utd)
Ross Barkley (Everton)
I know I am an Everton fan but Barry has been superb this season and he is the perfect fit for that holding role right in front of the back four. Wilshere is a really nice footballer (alebit injury prone) and I think the slower tempo called for in the heat of the jungle may suit him. Gerrard is a no-brainer and I'd like to see him in front of Barry alongside Wilshere if they are all fit. Carrick hasn't been great this season but in the holding role I think he'd do a great job if needed and he sneaks in ahead of Cleverley who seems to have gone backwards (kind of like his passing).
Lallana looks great everytime I see him and I think he would do a really good job wherever you play him across the midfield. The Ox isn't fully match fit yet but he can play wide or central and I think he has supplanted Milner who would possibly be pegged to do a similar role as that. Kevin Nolan was another I considered in here but he wouldn't be a focal point for England the way he is for West Ham so I don't think he is as effective.
That leaves wider options. Sterling looks good but needs to learn to stay on his feet when not touched. Townsend is another one who isn't fully fit but has the ability to do plenty when running at people. That leaves one more place and I considered Lennon, Milner, Henderson and Adam Johnson amongst others. In the end I plumped for Barkley as I've seen him play lots this season and the boy is class. Two footed, quick and smart. My only concern is maybe a lack of a real natural left footer but Sterling can play out there and Lallana can do a job too if need be.
Strikers (4)
Wayne Rooney (Man Utd)
Danny Wellbeck (Man Utd)
Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool)
Rickie Lambert (Southampton)
Sturridge is almost the first name on the team sheet for me at the moment. And he MUST play down the middle. He is deadly if you keep him no wider than the outside of the penalty area and must be played there. Rooney has to go, simple as. Wellbeck looks much better for England than Man Utd and he always has an impact coming off the bench. So he is in.
So that leaves me with one more option. Lambert, Carroll and Defoe are the obvious choices and it really was a three-way flip of a coin. I think Lambert and Carroll both offer more in the 1 up-front shape than Defoe and, of the two, I think Lambert just has the edge.
So there you have it. England's 23 for the World Cup according to Tom. The squad is of course only part of the equation and the toughest job for Roy has to be accommodating Rooney into a system (1 up top) which clearly doesn't suit him. Maybe he should lie deeper and play alongside Wilshere with Gerrard a touch deeper. That way he doesn't force Sturridge out wide but we get him on the ball a lot.
Good luck Roy is all I can say!!
Today's #randomfactoftheday - The mascot for the upcoming tournament is an armadillo named Fuleco
Today's #badjokeoftheday - I can't stand those people who don't like football but still go to games, cause trouble and generally ruin it for anyone else. Bloody referees.
Today's #websiteoftheday - Where else, but the official World Cup sticker album? - released 27th March (http://www.footballstickipedia.com/panini-2014-fifa-world-cup-brazil-sticker-album.html)
On this day; (not World Cup related) - 1475, birth of Michelangelo
Till tomorrow,
DT
Wednesday, 5 March 2014
How easy do you want it?!?
Yesterday was pancake day. I missed it. Mainly as I had a dentist appointment and my mouth tasted strongly of blood but also because I forgot. Neither of those points are in any way relevant to the topic of this blog but I thought I'd share them with you anyway. I am nice like that.
What IS the topic of today's blog I hear you ask? Well, human laziness basically. To my relatively untrained eye, pancake batter consists of eggs, flour and milk. But apparently you can now buy a special "pancake mix" from the supermarket which just requires you to add milk. In other words, they have kindly mixed together the eggs and flour for you, as we all know that is unbelievably tricky to get right and is a real time-consumer. You have to be kidding me!?
Have we got so lazy that we are now expecting more and more things to be done on our behalf? Did you know for example that there are kids over in Japan and China whose job it is to play computer games all day? But not for their own benefit, rather it is for yours. They will play 8-10 hours per day (sometimes more) essentially "levelling up" your characters for you so you don't have to bother doing it. Now, call me crazy, but doesn't that defeat the point of playing the game yourself?
And what about this "JD and coke in a can"? Is it so difficult now to take some JD and add your own coke to it? We use the "lack of time" excuse to justify some of the laziest and most bizarre behaviour imaginable. I appreciate that some things need to be delegated in a busy life but surely people have to draw the line somewhere.
It seems that we won't even take the time to mix our own eggs and flour together, so what chance do we have of actually undertaking anything which involves either time and effort. It is no surprise that we are turning into a short-term obsessed, obese society here in the "developed" world.
So please don't take the easy way out folks. Don't always look for the quick fix or the shortcut or the way around. Make the time to do some of these simple things. Often it is mere minutes out of your day and you may find that the enforced slow-down may actually help you to take stock and occasionally look at your life as it passes you by. There is pleasure to be taken from doing some of these things, don't miss out on it.
And mix your own pancake batter please.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - Only four of the 193 UN member states have never joined the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty; India, Pakistan, Israel and South Sudan. North Korea DID join at one point but have since left.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - BREAKING NEWS: David Blaine's record of 40 days in a box doing nothing has been broken by Fernando Torres.
Today's #websiteoftheday - Okay so I may be a teeny bit obsessed with this game. RULE THE WORLD, kind of (http://en.forgeofempires.com/?invitor_id=1687777&world_id=en3&ref=player_invite_link)
On this day; 1616, Nicolaus Copernicus's book De revolutionibus orbium coelestium is banned by the Catholic Church
Till next time,
DT
What IS the topic of today's blog I hear you ask? Well, human laziness basically. To my relatively untrained eye, pancake batter consists of eggs, flour and milk. But apparently you can now buy a special "pancake mix" from the supermarket which just requires you to add milk. In other words, they have kindly mixed together the eggs and flour for you, as we all know that is unbelievably tricky to get right and is a real time-consumer. You have to be kidding me!?
Have we got so lazy that we are now expecting more and more things to be done on our behalf? Did you know for example that there are kids over in Japan and China whose job it is to play computer games all day? But not for their own benefit, rather it is for yours. They will play 8-10 hours per day (sometimes more) essentially "levelling up" your characters for you so you don't have to bother doing it. Now, call me crazy, but doesn't that defeat the point of playing the game yourself?
And what about this "JD and coke in a can"? Is it so difficult now to take some JD and add your own coke to it? We use the "lack of time" excuse to justify some of the laziest and most bizarre behaviour imaginable. I appreciate that some things need to be delegated in a busy life but surely people have to draw the line somewhere.
It seems that we won't even take the time to mix our own eggs and flour together, so what chance do we have of actually undertaking anything which involves either time and effort. It is no surprise that we are turning into a short-term obsessed, obese society here in the "developed" world.
So please don't take the easy way out folks. Don't always look for the quick fix or the shortcut or the way around. Make the time to do some of these simple things. Often it is mere minutes out of your day and you may find that the enforced slow-down may actually help you to take stock and occasionally look at your life as it passes you by. There is pleasure to be taken from doing some of these things, don't miss out on it.
And mix your own pancake batter please.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - Only four of the 193 UN member states have never joined the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty; India, Pakistan, Israel and South Sudan. North Korea DID join at one point but have since left.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - BREAKING NEWS: David Blaine's record of 40 days in a box doing nothing has been broken by Fernando Torres.
Today's #websiteoftheday - Okay so I may be a teeny bit obsessed with this game. RULE THE WORLD, kind of (http://en.forgeofempires.com/?invitor_id=1687777&world_id=en3&ref=player_invite_link)
On this day; 1616, Nicolaus Copernicus's book De revolutionibus orbium coelestium is banned by the Catholic Church
Till next time,
DT
Monday, 3 March 2014
Striving for recognition
Well another Oscars has been and gone. Lavish parties, endless self promotion and a ridiculous "over-interest" in the clothing choices of the rich and famous is finished in Hollywood for another year. But what is this seeming obsession humans have for having to rate everything and anything? We seem to view so many things through eyes which compare, judge and rate.
Not a day goes by without articles appearing all over the place, telling us things like "what the best 10 hair care products are" or "20 different diets and their benefits". Manufacturers are always quick to point out when their products have won prizes; and book covers, DVD sleeves and cinema posters are replete with
awards, positive quotes and even nominations for awards that won't even end up being won.
I do understand that it is nice to have your work appreciated and lauded, but the obsession with lists and awards and prizes seems bizarre and possibly counter-productive. But it seems to me now that a lot of what is done in certain industries (like making a film or a product) is done with the singular intention of winning an award or getting on a list or getting someone "important" to give you a positive review.
Surely prizes and the like are simply the by-products of doing something well in the first place, not the driving force? If you make a great film which tells a story well and gets people's attention then the recognition will come? Yet it does seem sometimes that gaining the recognition becomes the obsession and therefore the quality of what you are doing often suffers because you aren't dedicated to the process, but rather the result.
I wish certain industries, particularly the entertainment ones but there are others, would get back to concentrating on the process. I wish they would get back to worrying about making something that they themselves are passionate about, proud of and excited about. If you do that then, to be perfectly frank, it shouldn't really matter what anyone else thinks.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - The tallest building in the European Union is The Shard in London which tops out at 306m. This makes it the joint 75th tallest building in the world
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: How you make a sugar puff? A: Chase it round the garden
Today's #websiteoftheday - Everything you've ever wanted to know about how to get Amiga games on your PC (http://www.amigaforever.com/emulator/)
On this day: 1938, "The Mallard" which holds the world record for the fastest ever steam locomotive is completed.
Till next time,
DT
Not a day goes by without articles appearing all over the place, telling us things like "what the best 10 hair care products are" or "20 different diets and their benefits". Manufacturers are always quick to point out when their products have won prizes; and book covers, DVD sleeves and cinema posters are replete with
awards, positive quotes and even nominations for awards that won't even end up being won.
I do understand that it is nice to have your work appreciated and lauded, but the obsession with lists and awards and prizes seems bizarre and possibly counter-productive. But it seems to me now that a lot of what is done in certain industries (like making a film or a product) is done with the singular intention of winning an award or getting on a list or getting someone "important" to give you a positive review.
Surely prizes and the like are simply the by-products of doing something well in the first place, not the driving force? If you make a great film which tells a story well and gets people's attention then the recognition will come? Yet it does seem sometimes that gaining the recognition becomes the obsession and therefore the quality of what you are doing often suffers because you aren't dedicated to the process, but rather the result.
I wish certain industries, particularly the entertainment ones but there are others, would get back to concentrating on the process. I wish they would get back to worrying about making something that they themselves are passionate about, proud of and excited about. If you do that then, to be perfectly frank, it shouldn't really matter what anyone else thinks.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - The tallest building in the European Union is The Shard in London which tops out at 306m. This makes it the joint 75th tallest building in the world
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Q: How you make a sugar puff? A: Chase it round the garden
Today's #websiteoftheday - Everything you've ever wanted to know about how to get Amiga games on your PC (http://www.amigaforever.com/emulator/)
On this day: 1938, "The Mallard" which holds the world record for the fastest ever steam locomotive is completed.
Till next time,
DT
Saturday, 1 March 2014
Entering a down cycle
So I was recently diagnosed as being bi-polar. Having at least a partial diagnosis is always a big help, and particularly this one because it now gives a name to some of the bizarre things that seem to be permanently taking place in my head! It has also allowed me to identify that, rather than me simply being in a bad mood today, I am actually entering one of my "down cycles" and so I need to learn to adjust and work out how to operate well when I am in them.
One of the things I will have to learn to get the hang of is a lack of production. I haven't written a blog for three days, and even this one is a blog about not having anything to write about. It is a very weird sensation to suddenly go from being phenomenally productive to physically unable to do anything constructive essentially overnight.
It is strange to feel all your enthusiasm and drive leak out of you, but at least I now have some idea why it is happening so it shouldn't get me down so much any more. Everyone struggles with peaks and troughs in production and energy, mine just seem to be more extreme in both directions! However I just have to make sure that when the "up" cycle comes around I'm raring to go with lots of big ideas and projects to use the time well.
Hopefully next week I might be able to think of a few more things to write about, there is certainly plenty in my head and lots of good stuff coming up soon. Another couple of challenges should be done by the end of the month (check out the Many Silly Adventures site for more news) and there are a couple more projects in the pipeline that are getting me pretty excited. Plus another capital (Copenhagen) is due to be ticked off in March so it should be full steam ahead.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - As of 2013, there are 981 UNESCO World Heritage Sites with 28 of those being in the United Kingdom.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Another favourite that I may have used before. Q: What's a Grecian urn? A: About £6 an hour.
Today's #websiteoftheday - If you've ever wondered what order to watch all the Babylon 5 series and movies in, well here is your answer (http://johan.kiviniemi.name/blag/b5/)
On this day; 1896, Henri Becquerel discovers Radioactivity
Till next time,
DT
One of the things I will have to learn to get the hang of is a lack of production. I haven't written a blog for three days, and even this one is a blog about not having anything to write about. It is a very weird sensation to suddenly go from being phenomenally productive to physically unable to do anything constructive essentially overnight.
It is strange to feel all your enthusiasm and drive leak out of you, but at least I now have some idea why it is happening so it shouldn't get me down so much any more. Everyone struggles with peaks and troughs in production and energy, mine just seem to be more extreme in both directions! However I just have to make sure that when the "up" cycle comes around I'm raring to go with lots of big ideas and projects to use the time well.
Hopefully next week I might be able to think of a few more things to write about, there is certainly plenty in my head and lots of good stuff coming up soon. Another couple of challenges should be done by the end of the month (check out the Many Silly Adventures site for more news) and there are a couple more projects in the pipeline that are getting me pretty excited. Plus another capital (Copenhagen) is due to be ticked off in March so it should be full steam ahead.
Today's #randomfactoftheday - As of 2013, there are 981 UNESCO World Heritage Sites with 28 of those being in the United Kingdom.
Today's #badjokeoftheday - Another favourite that I may have used before. Q: What's a Grecian urn? A: About £6 an hour.
Today's #websiteoftheday - If you've ever wondered what order to watch all the Babylon 5 series and movies in, well here is your answer (http://johan.kiviniemi.name/blag/b5/)
On this day; 1896, Henri Becquerel discovers Radioactivity
Till next time,
DT
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