Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Su Doku v. The Word Warrior
Sounds like the title for some Skeletor-type film, doesn’t it? Yet it actually sums up the dichotomy of my lifeskills, such as they are.
From a very early age, my dad sat me on his knee and got me to pick out words from newspapers, so that by the time I got to primary school, I was already able to read basic text. And so he literally launched a lifelong love of language and literature (and alliteration, obviously). It’s why I can, and do, plough through rows of books at a prodigious rate.
So when the time came to choose A-level subjects, I shook off any pretence about liking matters scientific or mathematical and opted for three languages. Which I barely scraped through.
The portals of University clanged
firmly shut on me and I turned to serve Mammon.
Now, half of my job involves technical authoring, producing software specifications, screeds and texts that need to be able to stand up unambiguously in court or I.T., yet be clear enough to pass the
Plain English Campaign's 'Crystal Mark' seal of approval. So when the office recently did an on-line quiz, it surprised no-one (well, me, anyway) that I was awarded the title of “Word Warrior” (whatever the fcuk that means?)
And yet, the other half of my work involves writing formulae and macros for tables, graphs and charts, giving me a literacy/numeracy worksplit which means that no two days are ever the same.
And why I now find myself skipping between crosswords (not the fiendish 'Times' types – I’m not
that good) and the new(ish) craze of Su Doku ("number placing") which you all must have seen?
Anyone else hooked?
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:47 AM
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Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Spannered
Just about recovered from a barbie/red wine session on Sunday where I managed to get legless by 2.a.m. (becoming a lightweight, eh?) so t'ings is hopefully quiet today...
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:28 AM
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Thursday, August 25, 2005
Simulpost
World Tour DateFor every action ... there is
The ReactionI last saw
Bruv in action behind the drums, almost thirty years ago.
The band was called The Fence and one of the lyrics from their self-penned songs gave rise to his Blogtitle and the band’s name figures in his tagline.
And now, he’s
about to do it again.
Wonder if there’s enough fuel in
the broomstick to get there?
God, I hope the groupies are all fit...
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:42 AM
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Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Thanks
... to those who contributed to the previous post.
Regrettably, not enough for a whole dictionary, so it looks like I've got to carry on working....
But it's a start.
On the subject of books, I've just tallied up my "2005 reads" and make it 25 so far.
Time was, when I was driving round the M25 to and from work, my annual (sic) reads consisted of whatever I managed to get through during the usual fortnight's furlough. This arrangement is way better.
P.S. sorry about the saga of the site makeover, but my unpaid webmistress is apparently still in a state of internetlessness. We'll get there, though.
P.P.S. Oh, and
Soapy, where you gone, man?
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:30 AM
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Monday, August 22, 2005
The "Are you positive?" survey
I might leave this one up for a couple of days, to see what responses I get?
I'm interested in words that don't appear to have a 'positive' version. e.g. have you ever
mantled a piece of flat-pack furniture? No, but I bet you've
dismantled something at some point?
Or do you know of a
bilitating disease, which actually cures something else the patient is suffering from?
Please ask about and leave your offerings in the Comments box. I may compile a mini-dictionary, sell a million, make a fortune and retire.
I thang yew.
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:36 AM
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Saturday, August 20, 2005
No first night nerves on this one night stand
Because
they chose to play the fool in a seven-piece band.
Kerreist, nine hours after the gig and my ears are still ringing.
From the opening notes of 'Rhythm stick' Chas and the lads had everyone 100% with them.
They banged out loads of oldies - 'Sweet Gene Vincent', 'Reasons to be cheerful. Part 3', 'I believe', 'Mona', countless others; and finaled with 'Blockheads'.
Well, they had to, didn't they.
The Brook is a great venue and Derek plays the most menacing triangle I've ever heard.
Why don't I get back into bed?
update:
No, couldn't get back to sleep. Something to do with 90'ing it back from Portsmouth to get Mrs.D back in time for her shift down the mines.
So toyed with this instead
via
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:32 AM
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Friday, August 19, 2005
Hard to believe...
...that it's over five years since
the Blockheads' front man shuffled off.
The only time I saw him 'live' was at Portsmouth's Guildhall, when a small fire under the stage had the firemen rushing on set and the crowd all thinking it was part of the gig.
Ian just sang on, oblivious.
So we're off to a Blockheads' gig tonight, down Southampton way. Be interesting to see how they front up, thirty odd years on.
Enjoy your weekends, y'all.
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:32 AM
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Thursday, August 18, 2005
Time
Time is very important to (scuba) divers.
The length of time spent submerged, and the amount of time you spend at particular depths, both affect you physiologically.
And just as pilots log their flying hours, divers keep a record of the time spent underwater. It's called "bottom time".
So if I happen to mention I had some great bottom time on holiday, don't jump to conclusions?
(This post was inspired by an e-mail to my Greek divemaster, who Mrs.D. fancied the ar5e off!)
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:26 AM
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Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Wet and dry
No, I'm not (yet) reduced to discussing the relative merits of various grades of glasspaper.
And there is probably a highly scientific answer to my question.
'Do wet film photos, digitised (burned to CD during the processing, er, process) make better photos than pure digital ones?'
'Better' in the sense of 'warmer'?
It was a silly evening in the garden, last night with Mrs.D. and Number One Daughter.
NOD was discussing her future salary-earning potential, for mortgage purposes.
"Don't forget" I murmured, "before you go down that route, you need to visit Essexboatyards.com for my
Arvor 25.""More like 'kissthatpipedreamgoodbye.co.uk'" she rejoindered.
"I'm going to send you to 'youshouldhavemorerespectforyourelders.org" was my final word.
As I said, it was one of those evenings...
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:36 AM
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Monday, August 15, 2005
Silent Day
Yesterday, I charged up the minidisk's batteries, recorded some new stuff, then went and left the disk at home. Gah! So there is no "Today's Lyric". Sorry.
On Saturday, we met up with our friends who are over here from Hawai'i (see Friday's post) which involved circumnavigating the M25. Going clockwise past Heathrow, we actually saw a BA flight taking off, so some lucky peeps were getting away, finally. But as the traffic was just as horrendous going anti-clock, we decided to take the Essex/Kent route back when we left.
And hit driving rain. I really don't know why it's called that, because it's the last thing you should do in such appalling road conditions. Aquaplaning could become a new Extreme Sport?
But it was well worth it to see our friends who, we were very pleased to see, both looked in almost rude health. So photos were taken and duly e-mailed back to them, and a good time was had by all.
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:27 AM
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Friday, August 12, 2005
Past and presents
The ex-pat friends who were the subject of my
first ever post are visiting Blighty, so we're off to meet them tomorrow.
The third dose of chemo seems to have put her non-Hodgkin's lymphona into remission (Yay!) so we're
really looking forward to a reunion after nearly two years.
Bruv rang last night to confirm he'd procured tickets to see
these guys, as my birthday present. Double Yay!
Minutes later, he rang again to say he had a spare ticket to see
these guys again.
But that night, we're seeing
these guys. Triple Yay
Damn, I just love live music.
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:29 AM
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Thursday, August 11, 2005
Hmm.
On the way in this morning, I finally finished my current 'read'. Over there, on the left.
I have to say, as my first Forbes' fiction, I was very disappointed and, unusually, struggled to the end of this particular opus.
Maybe it was racy/pacy when it was first published in '83, but references to "tasting her sweet cnut" are, at best, arrant tosh and, at worst, obscenely sexist.
I doubt that many women would have been patient enough to continue reading the pathetic drivel which led up to that gratuitous line. I really wish I hadn't, either. And having not started with a bang, it ended on a whimper.
Verdict: Utter waste of my time.
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:27 AM
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Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Museum piece
I seem to recall a announcement by Southern (Rail) - no, not "We apologise for the delay, due to..." but that the old slam-door trains had been phased out and now only exist in sidings and museums.
Strangely, though, another one arrived this morning, looking
remarkably like the one that arrived yesterday morning...
We're being taken out to lunch today, to a particularly nice restaurant specialising in fishy dishes (my favourite) so a quick troll round my bloglinks and I'd better get working.
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:35 AM
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Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Made up
Third prize in the office quiz: two crusty bake pork pies.
I've died and gone to Heaven.
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:33 AM
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Monday, August 08, 2005
Not playing with a full deck
That was a fantastic weekend. Although 'not all the presents are in', I'm a tad surprised that no-one thought to buy me a pack of playing cards for my 52nd birthday?
A brief barbecue on Saturday (blogged about yesterday*) followed by a small party which saw ouzo being consumed, literally, 'til dawn, and then a barbie last night.
Life don't get much better.
Except that I was given the latest
Sharpe and
Elton, plus the
Pistols' dvd (if you haven't already got it, I'll lend it yer next time we meet,
BW?)
And top billing,
this to replace the half-brick I've been lugging around for years. That's a weight off me shoulders!
Ta, Darlin'
* The Blogger is called ron (geddit?)
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:51 AM
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Sunday, August 07, 2005
Mail fantasy
I was privileged to be invited into The Magic Circle on Saturday (I'm not linking, 'cos you know who you are*.) My one regret was that, entirely due to other committments, I wasn't able to stay anywhere near as long as I'd liked to have. But sincere thanks anyway. We'll do it again, soon? And yes, the trip back
was a doddle, compared to the outbound leg.
Today, I woke at 10.30 with a bed full of pussy. All three cats anchoring down the duvet. They were enjoying what would, in normal circumstances, have been a Sunday lie-in. Except that we didn't collapse into bed until 4.30 this morning, celebrating.
As convention has it, we won't be opening my birthday cards (assuming I have some - hence the title of the post) or any possible presents, until this evening. So that (may) give me something to blog about tomorrow?
So, meanwhile, what was that little song that
used to go "Good morning to you" until someone changed the salutation?
And for the motorists among you, I leave you with
this:
# posted by Mr.D. @ 2:33 PM
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Friday, August 05, 2005
nswE
Friday marks the end of my blogging, as well as my working, week.
And if BT Broadband deigns to deliver directions (oops, nearly gave away my real name there!) by midday tomorrow, me and The Cooper* will be heading off on a long, long journey.
Off to buy gps (or a cheap compass - ever the tightwad)
Enjoy yours, y'all.
* not - necessarily - Elsie.
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:36 AM
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Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Octopussy
Taken at c.15m in the Sporades...
and while you're still grinning at that odd-looking creature, go
here (completely worksafe), register your smile (for free) and get HP to donate 25p to the NCH charity.
You may even be part of a world record, in the process?
# posted by Mr.D. @ 7:42 PM
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The cold winds of August
I seem to remember, eons ago, reading a book called that. And that it was crap.
Couldn't find it in any of my usual search engines, but was physically reminded of it when crossing London Bridge this morning, in my trade-mark short-sleeved shirt.
Am I the only one to query the validity of the massive police presence in the capital and elsewhere?
While, in a way, it's supposedly 'comforting', it won't stop people who are determined to blow themselves (and others) up. They're hardly going to be available for arrest afterwards, are they? Not sure I appreciate the logic behind it all...
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:36 AM
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Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Ne pas deja vue
Yes, you have seen this tired old template before, but while "we" are fine-tuning the new suit, you're back with this. Sorry, but perfection takes a little longer...
Talking of perfection, when we arrived over our Greek idyll, the pilot announced a 'slight delay' for landing.
"Ladies and gentlemen" he announced, "as you may know, Skiathos has a very short and narrow runway, so we need perfect conditions in order to land. Now, they're right in the middle of a violent thunderstorm, the temperature is 20c and we need the runway to dry out. So we'll be 'hovering' for about an hour. Don't worry, though, we've plenty of fuel."
So that's Ok then. * adopts the 'brace' position *
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:58 AM
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Monday, August 01, 2005
A far cry
from where I was 72 hours ago.
A brilliant blue sky and clear, aquamarine water, and heat.
Nothing, absolutely nothing, going on between the ears. And now, little to show for it but the tan and some more entries in the dive log. But that's how we wanted it.
While we were away, Number One Son returned from his world travels, pipe-cleaner legs looking like he'd been stuffed the wrong way up a chimney. With harrowing tales of post-tsunami Sri Lanka and its British-stoic people still
desperately trying to rebuild their existence.
And now he knows he needs to move on, in a local sense. The live lounge that was the garage will not be reconstructed, as he feels that's a retrograde step. Not 'lost' exactly, just getting the compass bearings back.
And today, being my first day back at work, I feel just a little like him?
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:45 AM
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Drinking and Driving (but clearly not simultaneously)
