satguru 
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Like the snow predicted tomorrow my path has been swept clear of ideas and activities and besides the weather which may keep me in regardless am fast running out of material. No doubt the house will benefit and I may get some more phone calls made, although I've covered one by inviting someone to my house new year's eve so can carry on any conversation there and see her at the same time. If she comes that is. Otherwise the social attempts have run into another dead end, the ex I dumped (no surprise there), someone I last saw in 1965 and someone I used to wind up for about ten years ignored my messages at Friends Reunited (any ideas why?) while the woman I met years ago who called the radio didn't return my phone messages after I heard her on it last week and wanted to catch up. I thought of a few names from my drama classes and dug one up last night who got a message, we barely mixed there but no one else was on Facebook so she got the short straw. Maybe a 'thanks for the message but haven't a clue who you are so please leave me alone' from her.
So the week depends partly on the weather, snow will save me thinking and watch videos for however long I'm stuck in, and finish the tidying. If dry (but freezing, a month or more expected) will slowly work through the remaining chores and whatever else turns up next. I'll order the prints of the newly found slides and negatives as well and the rest is a predictable mystery. Not the best sort but the usual one here. |
Reply #341. Nov 29 10, 12:57 PM
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satguru
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Nice to get a break, the snow arrived and my heating currently can't cope despite just being turned to maximum. It managed after a day or so last year so trust the boiler to get there eventually. So far I watched one programme I missed yesterday, heard one radio programme I missed last week and checked some more negatives. I'm glad I can become more relaxed about crystal ball now as after getting four in a row I'm not so bothered about winning or staying on the top 10 as it's quite hard work to stop what you're doing every hour and get busy. I enjoy it but it had become too important for me.
So I have a very basic list of ideas, the snow may or may not increase, the temperature may not rise for a week or even a month, and if so although I have nothing important to do outdoors there's only so much indoors alone. Anyone who is in the same position wouldn't enjoy it much if they couldn't go out either whatever they say about liking it. If you've been in a huge family or had to share a bedroom then living alone can bring newly found freedom, but otherwise it's unnatural and shouldn't have to happen to anyone.
I will always believe that it's not effective to chase goals the same way you can't think of a word actively but let it go and it comes to you. We make the first push whatever we want to get, and then have to leave it and let the system work. Outside the world of education and business you can't make anything decent happen really, you can invite people to do things but may not enjoy it assuming any are actually available. Most good things happen pretty much on their own and best ideas seem to come out of the blue. So my approach is like a spider, my part is to spin the web and then wait and see what gets caught in it. And not bogies, pests or bad news please. |
Reply #342. Nov 30 10, 1:18 PM
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satguru
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The snow almost melted today, I needed food so got out for that at least and returned to the prediction the real stuff was coming tonight, but as they measured it in centimetres all I know is it's a lot. A foot or a few inches I have no idea but too much to go out in round here on a 45' slope. The Grace phoned and wanted to see me (not sure where) as there's no Eastenders on a Wednesday (good reason for not a date) and the prospect of getting absolutely nothing from a person yet again was quickly saved by the probably irrelevant weather forecast, but thank goodness she bought it and I invited her over next week to try and cover myself. I don't like dismissing offers but at my age if I took all of them I'd be losing my own time to the wishes of others who mainly don't consider my own.
I've added two more messages to my failed list, three down the loo on Friends Reunited and probably one on Facebook, and just found out the first of my four TV programmes has been syndicated in the US. I only know that means it's spread from the tiny station it was on to a long list including Fox, which someone saw me on to let me know yesterday, but no idea if it's going terrestrial and if so locally or nationally, but it's a step the right way at least. I emailed the producer, but as I did the same scene with the same person I think two days running for two American/Canadian companies she may have been for the other lot. I did point this out to her in advance but think it's the right one, I hope. She's a lovely woman and quite funny to hear someone coming here from abroad talking about having a night out in Ealing. You'd have to know it to know why. I hope she replies even if to tell me she produced the other programme, but would at least decipher who's showing what if nothing else.
So if there's going to be more snow tomorrow I will do more tidying up and also have a painting planned for a day or more like that. I don't mind as I had nowhere to go anyway and if things get done in the house it's not a bad thing. We will see. |
Reply #343. Dec 01 10, 1:31 PM
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satguru
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Two more inches fell last night, but somehow apart from my own road the rest were fine so I did a bit of wandering around and photography in Golders Green, found the biggest kosher supermarket I've come across and saw everything else except the carrot tsimmes I was looking for. I suspect if they don't have it it doesn't exist but will have another nose around before giving up. The pavements were diabolical so didn't walk around too much and couldn't take any more photos as it got dark soon after anyway. So I have the rest of the day to return the items to the cupboard I took out yesterday, and then see if I start the next painting I had saved up for days like this.
The good news is one person I contacted actually friended me on Facebook, she didn't actually reply to tell me what she was doing but no doubt will catch up now just by being around. I've sent five now on Friends Reunited, the three last week clearly aren't interested and will see if the next two go the same way. I've heard nothing from the TV producer yet, I assume she'll reply as there's no reason not to, but nothing is ever 100% certain with people. The builder at least will start at my grandma's place next week, and may have to then do my garage as my builder who was planning to has ended up in hospital and doesn't sound good. He was also meant to come round some time soon with his sister who introduced us to him and his brother to do all our plumbing and building who has just returned from Australia, and hope they can still manage it as I haven't seen her for nearly 15 years now. I don't think there's much else to report but keep setting up new possibilities where one may finally succeed if I send out enough attempts, plus even the odd one I didn't do anything to make happen. And Japan have just pulled out of the climate negotiations which is the start hopefully of an exodus which can't come too soon. |
Reply #344. Dec 02 10, 12:02 PM
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satguru
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Oy vay, this was the entry which got me locked out yesterday but happily it was only for a few minutes once Terry was informed. It should work now.
I have to admit this has been competing for one of the most boring weeks of my life. Ice (worse than snow alone) covered the pavements till today, I went on a few short trips out to break the monotony but nothing more than food and a free paper. I started my art deco house painting and then found two windows were 25% too high but being watercolour am stuck with it. It didn't take long as the houses being white most were plain paper with barely an outline.
I can relax a bit now on crystal ball or it would have become an obsession, and managed two expert wins instead which are a lot rarer for me. My photos arrived today with a selection from just before I was born to this year as my grandpa's final slides were included as well as many negatives that hadn't previously appeared in my original prints. I haven't got a single plan left besides the last couple of chores, and hope the eye test will be out of the way although do also need a haircut.
So that is what they call excitement in these parts, Grace may come over on Wednesday although other things may distract her at the moment. How I get all the people no one else wants is probably inevitable as not married by now, and the others can't find anyone as they are not quite right. The reply quotient this week has risen slightly, but Friends Reunited got a clean 0/5 sweep which is even worse than normal. The Facebook person added me which is something and the TV producer replied but without actually answering my question. I was up till well after 3 last night collecting all the studies which both contradict and twist the accepted wisdom of global warming, sent them far and wide and couldn't sleep after the postman arrived with my photos. Lucky I had little to do today, although I wouldn't have got to bed quite as late if I had but still have to answer the door with the same consequences.
I am expecting a few more people new year's eve this year as people come in couples (OK, except me but Grace no doubt will substitute for that role) although one new couple may not turn up from what I expect which is a shame as I was going for a bit of variety. All the birthdays are either side of Christmas, my mother, father, me and then would have been my grandma. To think I'd just turned 40 when I joined here and am now touching 51. I've had one proper girlfriend, one short job, a new kitchen, spoken in four TV programmes plus five seconds on Big Brother in the crowd, one article published, spent five years moderating the chat boards, met 11 members here, had three photos published, spent eight years going to the gym, met Harry Hill and Ann Charleston, seen Patrick Stewart on stage, more or less completed my old road sign photo collection, been to various enlightened teachers, been to just about every resort on the south coast, and anything else clearly not important enough to recall. Not that any have changed my life as besides the total lack of payment for any media work, none have brought any fame besides Big Brother which millions of people watched including everyone at the YMCA where I'm a member. That lasted a weekend and that was it. I'm very pleased I've managed so much, but will be nice to see my life change for the better one day in a lasting way. It has been before but inevitable when living at home in my case and couldn't exactly last could it? |
Reply #345. Dec 05 10, 10:12 AM
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satguru
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I've been well and truly told to stop moaning on my other blog. To be fair most of it is descriptive- if the weather is bad and people a pain then you can hardly spin that to look better without wrecking the whole story.
The wonderful tasks ahead (added to the existing ones) include finding a new internet provider (mine has closed down), hopefully paying the builder if he finishes my grandma's roof this week, putting things away somewhere taken out of the spare room and finishing the painting with too big windows. Having been told to look for humour, I exhausted the bodily functions about 30 years ago so any more references are all recycled. And unless you have an audience of 5 year olds not many people think that's funny anyway. And like all comedians you can't be funny when someone asks you to, it has to be there. Losing my grandma removed another source of humour as she could recall bodily functions deadpan as if she was reciting the football results. Toilet, 3, paper used, four. Hours of sleep three, got up to use the toilet 2 etc. You can't invent that, it was just how she was. And my grandpa once made me laugh nearly as much as a joke I can't quite repeat here, when I spat something out and he told me I looked like a geriatric old woman. You had to be there...
I recalled most stories in my previous blog (olav ha'sholem) from the past, most involving bodily functions gone out of control, as jokes only mirror the funniest parts of real life. Or the one about my uncle who held up a lost hanky in the shop, and a customer looked at it in great detail before deciding 'It's mine'. And being told off leaving a greyhound bus by both my grandparents sharing the lines (as they usually did) 'You were picking your nose the whole time' 'With both fingers' 'Both fingers at the same time!'. They never got why I was falling over laughing. And when my grandma shouted 'Ivor, the cat's doing its business in the garden!' and he said 'What do you want me to do, tell it to stop?'. Who needs Woody Allen or Seinfeld to write the lines when the best ones are real.
I was very relieved (pun intended) when after three phone calls I managed to find a hospital prepared to take back my grandma's unused incontinence pads. Once she needed them for the small jobs (you know) we had to listen to the pad reports most weeks, including how she needed a new one. They arrived in huge boxes (large and super sizes I think) and had one and a half left which really shouldn't have been thrown out. So when I returned all the mobility equipment she never used I could clear some more items as well and took a good few trips from the car. I wasn't the only one, another family were doing the same and there was even a notice on the wall for where to leave the various items.
The humour now is the unfortunate sort of missed jokes, repetitions ad infinitum and basic lacks of perception. Woody Allen pretty well covered that in the kitchen scene in Annie Hall, but unlike him I carry on seeing the same people as I haven't yet found replacements. That's the difference between films and TV and reality, we don't get the tidy endings or cut out all the boring bits. Or in my blog of course. |
Reply #346. Dec 06 10, 3:49 PM
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| lesley153
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But David, that's what blogs are for! It wouldn't be a proper blog if you (one) didn't use it for moaning. And we did a lot of that in the much-missed proper blogs (olav ha'sholem).
Delighted to hear that you got a response on facebook.
I watched Annie Hall a long time ago, but can't remember the kitchen scene, or much else come to think of it. I'll see what I can find through the wonders of the internet - one of the few things the well-known genius Al Bore didn't invent.
Reply #347. Dec 06 10, 4:27 PM
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satguru
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I think my friend Roger was pointing out more the repetitive nature of the moaning rather than the sole fact I was doing it. You need outsiders to spot patterns and he certainly did that. It's not as bad as I made it sound but clearly went on a bit.
Today has been going with the flow- I had no plans at all besides a few possible phone calls (none made). One client phoned for an hour and another's coming soon so after getting a quick walk round the park before it got dark I then had to get my painting stuff out of this room and all the junk I have to recycle by law off the floor where it waits before I put it outside. So I've had no time to stop and think and will let tomorrow go the same way.
I keep getting spiritual advice from a few people and by my own searches, I see the light in occasional flashes but so far not enough to make much difference. Of course we can all do well when things are going our way, it's how we deal with all the rest that pulls us out of the mire. I am naturally skeptical about any claims we can by our own actions but nothing lost in checking it out. |
Reply #348. Dec 07 10, 12:42 PM
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satguru
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The kitchen scene in Annie Hall is where he tries to cook a live lobster with his new girlfriend, who unlike Annie has absolutely no sense of humour. It shows how relationships either work naturally or not at all.
It is now 1.04am, and my own fault means I am now considering whether do drive half a mile of speed humps on the way to buy some milk. I probably will as I want some now and may tomorrow. It reminds me of when I had to drive a few miles at about the same time when my tenant used up all the toilet paper (the same way she also blocked it, when I tried to flush it all overflowed). Such memories. I spent today doing jobs for my mum, rewarded by a meal and a very good French video which I'd never come across before and was totally surreal as only the French can be. I've never succeeded with any French women, they have been some of the best I've tried and hardest to succeed with. Unlike American women who have been the antidote to the English frost and repulsion.
Anyway, I've done a couple of hours paid work this week anyhow so can buy another week's food if nothing else, the builder can't start at my grandma's till Monday now (why give a day if he wasn't sure?) and when I saw my friend (the musician) sing on Facebook yesterday had to do the same track myself knowing I was not and would never be George Harrison- when he was singing with the TV screen on I assumed he was singing with George and then realised it was just him and his guitar. I was impressed.
I hope another disappointment isn't on the way, I have read here that the Wikileaks ufo story is the one we've all been waiting for in the community, a real one with alien crew which has been covered up for over 30 years. Had this been true as well as confirming many suspicions would also guarantee all governments are complete excretions (ie the word I can't say here) as if one knows I'm sure they all would and therefore we can't trust them as I was convinced some time ago.
I haven't thought of any more plans, the new painting is nearly finished as art deco houses are nearly all plain white paper left behind, although the lower windows are far too big no one would realise apart from me and the house owner. It's been such a mess I may have to go back to acrylics which go hard, cost a bomb and make a mess everywhere but can't make mistakes with as you just cover them up. Watercolour is a one off, if you get it wrong you're stuck with it. No doubt more will come to me as time goes along, but haven't a clue what so far. |
Reply #349. Dec 08 10, 7:15 PM
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satguru
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I will take a ten minute break, once I got back from the shops I discovered the quiz all rounder badge, 95 scores of 90% or more from all but one category over 2 months. I checked and I'd done about 7 by chance, and rather than spend 2 months decided to do it all today. I am just under half way through as only score enough in around a third of quizzes, but am learning a heck of a lot and collecting more brains as well. I hope to make it by bedtime as still have the dailies to do as well.
Otherwise I've done a few business calls, got the gas board not to put in a new meter for my late grandma (they just did and still want to change it, that's Britain for you) and got my father's house signed up to a new broadband provider since the old one was closed by its buyer to reduce competition. Except everyone is joining someone else as they charge a lot more. When I worked in retail and offices I made a few mistakes but always knew I had and owned up to them. These clowns ignore repeated complaints pointing out their errors and if the gas board (as I remember them when we were still the leading country in the world) still send out my grandma's details 18 months after my mother took over the account they clearly only have lobotomised monkeys working for them, along with the data agency who sent the local estate agent's my late uncle's address who had died 16 years earlier when they wanted to take on my grandma's house. When you receive a letter addressed to your late husband after such a long time it's not a pleasant experience.
I hope the builder does turn up on Monday having said he now will, and also fix my garage roof now my own builder is not well. It's taken years to find anyone to do my work mainly due to asbestos but he hasn't seen it yet so may well put him off as well.
I've also thought of a new quiz to write which will be next assuming there isn't one on it already. No previews but is on my main theme as there must be more material in that rich seam. I am looking forward to filming my first duets for Youtube, John is a proper musician and will be probably the first I've ever found besides Gary who was sent to work up north just after I met him who can play what I do and more or less to order. I've spent a few years learning to sing as since I've been making clips for Youtube there's no one else here to do it so had to force myself. I also learnt two part harmony so can do the high line to John's melody on a couple I've got ready in advance. It should be interesting. Well back to business, I've done about 40/95 quizzes so far, and that includes the ones I'd done before today so better get a move on. |
Reply #350. Dec 09 10, 5:27 PM
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satguru
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| Update, I just completed the all round quizzer after maybe 7 played already in around 12 hours, missing out video games (thank goodness!). And I still missed endurance by about 10,000, although yesterday could have been in with a chance. It wasn't my aim but soon realised it was getting there but one person is out on a limb and can't catch up even if I played overnight! I will be 3rd or maybe 2nd though not that that gets a badge ;) |
Reply #351. Dec 09 10, 9:54 PM
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satguru
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The week hasn't been wasted by any means, and despite it being dark nearly the whole of my day have worked around it. I had a few hour's work which helped pad it out and pay the bills, went to my mum on Wednesday (work more than social until we watched a video after dinner) and spent what I worked out was around 11 hours yesterday getting the all rounder badge, and came 3rd (by 11,000 points that day) on the site with 20,010 points which I really didn't notice clocking up as I was absorbed in the job.
I just sent the christmas cards off with 5 minutes to go for the collection, have the week's food and a new quiz to write as well as tidy up the painting before I decide if it's fit to view publicly. I've checked Wikileaks (now  www.wikileaks.ch as the .org host dumped them if anyone can't find them) and the current massive file will be spread out over a few months to allow the media to read it all gradually and report. That means the only item I believe is actually of any value at all about ufos is a few months maximum and presume that they will still all be released now their leader has been put out of commission.
Totally trivial nonsense includes saving £6.50 plus on a new watchstrap (every year or two) as I found an old one I could use, getting the Horlicks on the second try (not opened yet), sorted my father's broadband (once the old people let him have the migration code that is) as the cheap firm supplying him was bought and removed by the competition, and anything else is clearly so minor it's below the memory threshold. I'm off out now but wanted to do this early so I wouldn't go to bed quite as late. Again. It was nearly 4am before I got the last quiz on the challenge yesterday, Lady Macbeth's musical instrument quiz. I had no idea about so many details of woodwind and definitely not that French horns have the hand put in the hole to change the pitch, I assumed it was as a mute. That's what it's all about! |
Reply #352. Dec 10 10, 11:44 AM
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satguru
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Being saturday I can add the whole week rather than day as so little happened in the cold and dark. Good news was I earned some money so keeping that afloat. I've nearly finished the suggested painting of a house which was never confirmed as a job, and besides the windows being far too high looks reasonable so far. I have totally run out of ideas now, I hope either the eye test or car service will follow this year at least as you can't let them drift too long. It does mean I should be forced to continue the tidying although it does involve going out to the garage and is too dark and cold to really want to at the moment.
I'm still busy in my psychic research but months or more can go past with little or no events. I can now watch many of the best teachers on Youtube so spending spare hours on that and then testing the methods to see how far I can go. It's also interesting how two equally qualified and convincing teachers can claim the opposite as well, which tells me they are probably both describing two parts of the same thing rather than one being wrong. I'm gradually working with a few other people again now as from the bible onwards it says two or more must gather for the full power.
One frequent description of enlightenment is you no longer care what happens around you as you are detached from it, but till then I am and would like some control so instead of being like a random dream I can direct it into a decent script with a happy ending. Most teachings say that is how it should be as well so am following many others who went before me. I certainly have a few more things I'd like to tidy up and besides having had my teeth done which was anything but supernatural would like to fix a few more things in my life the same way but beyond the scope of any drills... |
Reply #353. Dec 11 10, 7:00 PM
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satguru
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A quick check in before I go to bed, as I have photos to take tomorrow and need to be out before it gets dark. Sunday, especially in the winter is my quiz day. Today was no exception and added a crystal ball and expert win, which I am pretty happy with as much harder to do especially as the topics I can do better use up. I never expected to get the 2000 brain badge (maybe by 60?) but the crystal ball awarding 1000 points has renewed my chances and well over 700 now. It won't get you a job or prize but some of us are attracted to such achievements, clearly quite a few.
So let's hope the photos can be taken tomorrow properly, a few only need the flash but would like some scenery to go with them. I also phoned the radio as usual last night but a new presenter for a change- the regular has been on nearly 30 years as have I calling him. They were talking about global warming and only a couple of callers still believed in it. On many websites now they seem to be a growing minority, turning out the same tired cliches of all scientists agreeing (they don't, and the IPCC only quoted about 55 unnamed ones anyhow) and we must do something before the planet burns and there's no life on earth. Anyone studying biblical prophecy (or any others, especially scientific disasters) will know NONE of them have ever taken place, with one exception being the bank's failure in 2008 as the media basically didn't predict it, just one stockbroker who was sacked as a result. But prophets of doom are normally wrong as believe it or not the future cannot be predicted. We love to try, and when someone gets it right they assume it means they can, but you must write them all down and see the percentage rather than the isolated victories.
The saddest thing is commonsense seems to have been beaten by a combination of obedience, trust, fear and basic stupidity. Put all of these together and it crosses from stupidity to madness, as if you continue to ignore the new information but hold on to your delusion even more then you have become delusional of course. There is no answer to the complicated history of CO2 on the planet, the little known details of solar changes and cloud cover amplification. In fact knowing they exist as influences is all you need to know as barely any scientists can offer more than that besides Piers Corbyn who makes millions as a result as he can actually use these areas to get decent forecasts. As the IPCC have now admitted being an agent for economic redistribution then the environmental and climatic concerns are irrelevant as if they want to share our money with the third world they'll simply do it whatever the reason. If not the climate they'll start a few more wars and then rob us to pay for them. They always have and unless people wake up they always will.
Anyway, it's now bedtime, one more crystal ball and that's my lot. And an expert maybe. |
Reply #354. Dec 12 10, 7:46 PM
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satguru
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Last night Streetview found a few private signs up the road which looked interesting, it turned out they were handpainted wooden ones in reality so ended up losing another wheelcover and getting a few other pictures for very little. Tomorrow I have to see the builders at my grandma's place so little time for much else as it gets dark so early, am waiting for a haircut booking (she's very popular), and see how many other chores can be done this week.
They've just published four temperature diagrams for 2010, all are falling except one, and that was the one used by both the media and the IPCC. Someone got hold of the raw temperature data and the majority wasn't there, so was filled in afterwards. Despite being proved to be no more than a fabrication no investigation or even questions have taken place, or media reports. If this doesn't indicate collusion and corruption at the highest level how much more evidence is required?
Maybe the world will wake up, even by telling people here more know, and basically it depends on being taken up by someone with equal power who believes in honesty. No idea who that person will be as currently the people involved in fighting the whole thing are ex politicians and reporters, while the scientists do their bit to help very few papers report any of it so unless you keep searching online you would indeed assume the science is settled. It never was, it never actually existed and I have enough now for anyone else to see it. |
Reply #355. Dec 13 10, 1:57 PM
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satguru
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Interesting, or not, I don't know. Firstly I got in last night to find the internet was down, and hung on over half an hour for the operator (free call or I wouldn't have been happy) who said he'd send an engineer immediately today which was pretty impressive. I woke up and found it working so called them to cancel the appointment and was told he'd probably managed to fix it from the box outside without coming in, normally they at least come and test what they've done on your computer and although he said it was cutting out if I could stream video then they'd leave it as clearly able to perform. Then I got a message from the builder at my grandma's asking me to come tomorrow instead which saved me rushing today and went for a walk in the park with the camera just before it got dark as a result. It turned out although I had missed the dailies yesterday I hadn't played all the team v team anyway this month so besides dropping a few other chances for a badge (very low) nothing was lost.
I'll work my way through some phone calls as well now it's quiet, no doubt as usual half or more will be messages like the one I just made, and then half won't call back (as the previous one hasn't) but those are the rules. I don't know if I can get the car serviced this week as I was meant to go out today and they're closed Wednesdays so may not be free in time. Maybe I'll get round to an eye test though instead. No doubt the barber won't bother to call back (I think she did once in a few years) so will keep having to try her and may well not get seen till next week either.
Even though it looks like the day is over it's only 4.50pm and hope to find other things to do before tomorrow indoors. There's no incentive to go out just for the heck of it if dark at any time. |
Reply #356. Dec 14 10, 10:51 AM
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satguru
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Two entries in a day? If it's free and people read them then why not use it?
I had a message on Youtube from a possible alien abductee, and having various distant clients have managed to actually carry out sessions on the phone, so had what became an extremely tiring but helpful 90 minute session and hope the results were effective. I may well have a visit as well but as I can work nearly as well on the phone offer that first nowadays. The other calls followed but to me rather than from, first the ex and then Grace, who (strike me down for saying this) is working too much this week to see me thank goodness. Conversations are always like pulling teeth and it's really too much like hard work unless I'm showing her things on the internet or playing music. But conversation? Feh!
Hopefully the builders will finally make a start a week late tomorrow as I have to go and instruct them, and although I've travelled the route for much of my life may take photos if it's light. I did a few today and scanned in the latest from the SLR although since I broke the lightmeter were all equally underexposed. Black and white can usually be increased to compensate, I'm sure colour can as well if minor but they'd rather do them all the usual way and then send you a note to say what you can see already. I wonder if someone had lost a leg they'd include a note 'One of your subjects appears to be missing a limb. This may be due to a) amputation- solution, wear false leg before taking photo. b) Thalidomide, claim compensation if possible. c) Genetic disorder, sorry, there is no solution.' It's just as unhelpful.
I have also just discovered the Falun Gong exercises I can't follow in the book as requires turning pages while exercising have the whole lot free online and began lesson 1 today (there are five altogether which when learnt I think need doing in sequence). I'm sure every now and then people find ways to enhance our abilities and this seems like potentially one of the best. And it's always something I can do when other ideas dry up.
I hope the Open University call back as unless they are still charging £50 a video should any remain I am hoping they will finally fill the gap in my programme collection of original TV lessons in science. I learned so much in the 70s and 80s from seeing them and was pretty amazed to see one of the main lecturers at a shiva once, although under the circumstances didn't accost him, let alone ask for an autograph or worse still a photo of us together. But seeing a physics lecturer saying the Hebrew kaddish (prayers for the dead) is quite a privilege. I also went out with the daughter of another of their science lecturers for a short time although he wasn't there when I went round. The original studio was at Alexandra Palace so many lived nearby like I did. Sadly they don't show lessons at all on TV now, and missed the final few years as I was working on Saturdays when they were on and before I had a video recorder. Not that I tended to save programmes but that would have covered both situations had I done so. Kiki Warr on marine biology (hands on, digging around on beaches like I used to as a child) was a particular favourite, along with the maths questions and followup answers the next week, being able to see impossible questions I didn't have to answer but was often able to follow when explained. Eigenvalues were a particular one I remembered, and Young's modulus. |
Reply #357. Dec 14 10, 8:38 PM
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satguru
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Make plans? Balls to that! (I think that's a safe word here?). After getting the call (almost as I was leaving) the builder still hasn't started yet I had minutes to think of where to go before it got dark, and realised although still photos are pretty well covered nearby videos aren't, and did a route to Wembley Park, ending with our local comedian who works at the Co Op who luckily was very happy to be filmed. So seeing the builders has been pushed ahead yet another day, and working in the evening.
Following on from expectations never quite becoming real the Wikileaks UFO leak (by them that is) has become a thorn in my and probably many more enthusiast's sides, as they should either get on and tell people or wait till they were going to. The authority's efforts to stop them in every possible way makes it look more and more possible they could be stopped, and aliens are the highest level of secrecy in the world. Nothing is kept more from the public, which is odd considering they officially don't exist, but are still kept at the highest levels of clearance, with efficient energy generators for equally sinister reasons.
My call for the Open University videos was indeed returned with a second number, which by the time I finished what I was doing referred me to a third which I'll try tomorrow when someone may actually be there. They still charge £40 for a 30 minute video for current material, which is clearly one way to either put people off buying them or make huge profits from anyone who may actually need to buy one. Maybe I'll swap it for an antique Mars bar for £25 which is just as fair as what they're offering.
I did call the radio again today but they didn't call back, sometimes when you actually know exactly what you're talking about they don't as it would spoil the amateurish speculation that keeps many programmes going. If you simply provide an answer that ruins a whole theme, sorry to spoil your inadequate downmarket mediocrity but most people would actually prefer the truth to wasting hours guessing about things. |
Reply #358. Dec 15 10, 3:50 PM
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satguru
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I was dead right about the plans. Despite 12 hours of rain I didn't hear from the builders so went to check just in case as there was nothing else to do. Of course they weren't there, but the complete ceiling was now on the floor rather than just the middle, and have just been informed that was part of the work they could do (the only work in fact). Despite aiming to do it tomorrow we have snow and -5 forecast for later. I am not exactly confident. I did buy eggs and flowers for my mum tomorrow as it's her birthday dinner (I don't think anyone else is going but may have forgotten) ahead of the actual day on Sunday. I took a few photos on the way, and turned out the two houses that came out I had already (as yesterday's, but that was while I was filming a video), while the third was blurred. Never mind. Then my client had a demo outside her road blocking the area up for miles, although had she got here it may have been snowed in when she tried to leave so may have been better after all. I just hope she can manage it next week as she has some way to travel.
There are no programmes on TV from Tuesday to Thursday now the series I watched finshed along with the snooker so have plenty more imagination to draw on although I have cable 99% show repeats I've seen already or stuff I wouldn't touch unless laid up in a hospital room with nothing else. That reminds me of the happy hours spent watching the usual five channels (and that's in private hospitals, the rest apparently lost TVs many years ago unless you hire one) with my grandma for months on and off, although not many of her rooms had one either and usually resorted to filling in her puzzle magazines and newspaper games after the first hour. Until then I'd always visited people in hospital, caught up and left. But not my grandma. If you even looked towards the door after an hour or so she'd spot it and say 'You're not going yet?', and regaled us with complaints about any previous visitors who dared to leave any sooner. After the second hour I could just about manage to get away but with great protests. That put me off altogether and on her return the hundredth time (maybe 15th if I was actually checking but felt like many more) explained if I couldn't leave earlier I couldn't manage it any more so she let me off. There were two more stays and didn't have a problem once she understood, although the final one when she got home after a month or so didn't remember I'd been there, although was delighted at the time. I bet if I hadn't gone she'd have remembered, she tended to be like that.
So tomorrow is likely to be yet another freezing spell, I have to get to my mum later on and we both live on roads which can't be driven on in snow so will have to see. Having the house visit postponed every day buggered the chances of servicing the car, it's not urgent but does need doing soon. Christmas will close more or less everything probably with the exception of the Jewish optician. We did once do what is apparently an American Jewish tradition of having Christmas dinner in a Chinese restaurant, it was quite busy and Alan Freeman the DJ was on the table opposite with friends but we didn't bother him. While it's quiet, just like my grandma did, mention one word and it releases the 8 track tape. Our family trips to restaurants managed to finally put me off altogether (I never liked them but forced myself). My late uncle was always literally late so my grandpa began in a bad mood as a result.
My grandma gave a running instruction 'Why didn't you wear a tie? What sort of jacket is that? You can't eat chips here! Stop yawning! Why are you fidgeting? Look if they haven't got time to take the order you'll just have to wait. Close your mouth when you're eating! Stop waving the knife around! Did you wash your hands? I've got the same as you and there's nothing wrong with it. Relax, there's no train to catch. Why did you let him come out without combing his hair?
I should make it into a TV programme, and in the end I'd had enough of the endless waits, constant criticism and surprising food. My uncle didn't have the power to stand up to his mother so barely said anything rather than actually not come as I ended up announcing with no option to reverse the decision. I think my grandpa's birthday was the final exception, as everyone we knew was there and it was only local, although I somehow forgot the tie and was picked up on it the second I walked in. That was in 1996 and nearly half the people in the photos are no longer with us already. We have my mum's second wedding on film, and being ten years earlier is even more, but so good to see friends and family as they were without needing to rely purely on memory. I may well end up watching some more videos tonight as the live material may well not stand up to my test.
I'm sure if I was famous I could easily put the whole lot in a book- I could now anyway but won't get anyone to buy or publish it, but something else to keep me occupied in the dreadful winter. |
Reply #359. Dec 16 10, 1:13 PM
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satguru
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Back again, so is the snow but not enough to avoid driving. Yet. More forecast tomorrow so will see. I managed to get some light today and just relieved to get a few new photos without the threat of sunset. I can't go far as takes too long and too much ice so finding anything relatively different nearby is quite a challenge.
I've been busy making videos while it's been quiet, my client couldn't come yesterday due to the road being blocked with a demonstration, so done a bit of my local tours and a few indoors with words and music. The latest painting is nearly finished, hopefully the mistakes won't be too obvious as you can't fix them in watercolour beyond the bare minimum. In the old days I'd have posted it here but can't have everything. The new habit of reporting my food shopping may have been a symptom of turning 50, or just peculiar, but it's what passes for excitement round here. It is however one of the few things we can control in life as there's always a very long menu. How many other areas besides maybe TV and radio can offer such a wide choice with so little work?
I have no idea if the builders actually started at grandma's today as it was dry besides maybe an hour of snow at lunchtime. The phone calls I've made had one pickup in the whole week, and have now learnt the Open University have all their old TV programmes stored but the market for sales is too small to start making copies. Not even on demand. I did however persuade the archivist that there are enough people who would like to see them to get her to consider adding a few online, and hope I may finally get to see them again. I didn't have a video recorder 30-40 years ago to save copies and probably wouldn't have saved them had I needed to record them anyway. As it was I knew most well as they were repeated for years and probably didn't miss too many of the favourites. The other three messages I left had no calls back, one is probably just being stroppy, one lazy and the third is probably either too busy or didn't check her messages. I'll try some more tomorrow if at a loose end, and if I'm snowed in and can't go out later probably quite a few.
I just made a video about how little choice we have how we think or feel. How we think is mainly limited by information, and only make mistakes as we don't know enough to be sure exactly what to do. If we knew it all then we'd never make mistakes but as we can't then we usually do our best. Our thoughts themselves are the same as our feelings, they just turn up and we are witnesses rather than creators. As such you can't be condemned for having either, as they are really not within our design to choose. You can alter your habits, so if you see a bad thought we can learn to ignore it, but (remembering it is my job to do so) apart from that there's little else you can do. My rational-emotive therapy, which unlike the profession has stayed at the original version rather than grow too wide, is based on cause and effect, ie pure information. Being both objective and trained I can usually see when someone blames something on the wrong reason, and use my methods to inform them. That doesn't change their thinking directly, it simply provides them with a missing link which anyone would use the same way. If they then choose to ignore it then they move into habit, and again habit is only a level of thinking and comes in automatically and up to us whether to ignore it as a bad thought, completing the circle. Thus normal bad thoughts can never be condemned, only the people who, once discovering they are bad, continue to act on them. If they hurt themselves it's their problem so again no one else's concern to judge, and if they hurt others then let the police deal with them, unless they're in the EU and have to respect their rights.
Spock Out. |
Reply #360. Dec 17 10, 7:29 PM
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