| lesley153
|
And being open!
Reply #641. Aug 03 11, 7:46 PM
|
satguru 
|
I've had many dreams of all my family on the other side, and some did seem like real conversations but would expect that happens to most people. It is good for the first time in my life to choose when I have a haircut. My mother complains but doesn't nag about it, and I think I learnt to wash my hands a few years before my grandma left us so have that under control. The shopping was definitely specific, there were the preferred brands or varieties of fruit, and then the alternatives in order of preference, and god forbid they didn't have them and you improvised (I took the dictation but my father went to the shop on the way to her house) it usually ended with a rush trip to Waitrose before they closed for a refund. My shopping experiences were the shared ones when I took her when she was up to it herself. But she was the greatest fan of my ouija board and even borrowed it for some time so I should have a go now and see if we can hook up. I personally only use the information it gives me as we can never prove where it's from but can easily test the accuracy when it reels off answers we ask correctly, and can't cheat as the person asking the questions is stopped from touching the slider to guarantee the possibility is not there to fiddle.
I've heard nothing when I emailed the new editor of the magazine about other things than my articles, which is naughty of him but doesn't affect the fate of them. Ronald from Amsterdam is a bugger and I'll ask his brother what the bloody hell is going on, my father said he'd have had no reason to ask if he should pass his address on before telling me, which would explain his lack of interest. It's not as if I'd force myself on seeing him even if he's back in London, it's not such a problem just catching up is it? Apparently so.
I made Stevenage yesterday, and had I planned beyond would have had a route in case I wanted to carry on a little beyond, but as you can't stop there (it's all roundabouts) once I reached the northern end of the place the signs were like they were during the war (all mixed up) and couldn't stop to investgate the map so turned round and went back. There was what turned out to be a small right turn (ie not the one to Hitchin that looked right, but Letchworth and Baldock, as Lesley will be familiar with) which would have given me an easy couple of miles further north before turning round at the next roundabout. But I added 10 squares north so mission complete.
The good news (not very often nowadays if ever) is after closing the only pub (and not a bad one) in Temple Fortune and Garfunkels becoming an office, Grace suggested we go there when the pub I went to was full as were all the spaces around it, and the office has just become a big coffee shop and was still open, as was the one further along the road she thought of first. I can't remember a time something became a shop after closing down before, normally flats are built and if not it's still converted to private use. I now have a regular evening hangout, good food and not too expensive and hope it lasts.
No need for plans today, the rain's on and off and had a client booked later but wasn't well enough to come. I have videos backed up so not too bothered. It's only money... The plumber has booked for next week now I've offered to pay him, he thought he'd end up doing it and not getting paid (he clearly doesn't know me) so just vanished. The electrician is having to fit me in around his real work but unfortunately it's electricity I need before I can use the room, the heating is for months ahead. It's like being given a car without the key. What's the point...
So no need for plans for a while, but I really want to get to the south coast before the clocks go back to complete the scope in the other direction. Besides that whatever happens will at the time. |
Reply #642. Aug 04 11, 10:58 AM
|
satguru
|
I'm clearly getting old, one of the biggest pleasures nowadays is to be able to do absolutely nothing for a day or two without feeling guilty as I've done a lot already. And it rained on and off all day as predicted so I couldn't even go out till past teatime for my usual walk and was enough on TV to fill the rest of the space, along with mopping up finding the locations for the remainder of yesterday's photos.
It is disappointing how a few people still think its wrong to speak out about anything you believe to be wrong, especially if supported by a cabinet of research. So if you learn something is not as it should be then as long as most people think it's fine then you can say once, twice the most what you think and why, and if fail to gain any hearts and minds give up? That simply shows the calibre of the critics and you do not stop a mission because no one else cares. That's for the wimps and if people want everyone to be wimps maybe they just can't handle the consequences of the alternatives. |
Reply #643. Aug 04 11, 4:59 PM
|
satguru
|
I said to my mother, I get some interesting jobs. Today the same person I mentioned later with her asked me to get him a bag of compost as it was too heavy to carry on the bus, so I did and managed to get it on the back of my bike as well. By total coincidence I had to take my mother to put a letter through the door of one of her banks as they called her to do so after they'd closed for the same day. We took a route I said I only ever took when I took this person to dump his rubbish. That's what passes for excitement nowadays.
We had a dump near me once, except it closed before I moved here so never had the chance, although until not so long ago the council picked the big stuff up for you but they can't afford it any more, maybe as every road hump has cost them £8-10,000 each so none left to collect extra rubbish as well. We are living in what is potentially a totalitarian state as with our version of democracy, responsible, the rulers do exactly what they like as they are officially given the role to choose what is right for us and if we don't like it there's almost nothing we can do, not even these silly new petitions they don't actually have to do a thing about however many votes they manage.
The economic news is simply boring. The US debt is just a symptom of wild lending and fraud, and technically the UK is not affected but is hardly going to lead the world much longer in their current position. The Euro crisis is about to be settled with a debt pool, so says the smart spokesman, as then no one country will be affected and in true communist style all the rich countries will have their debts increased to even the problem despite not being responsible for them personally. It's a bit like if your sewer floods, and rather than it overflow your house you make holes to the houses next door and have a lower level of sewage through them all. That's communism, everyone sinks to the lowest level, and although Britain won't be hooked as we're not Euro users the others will be economically unified to do so. No national tax or much else when that happens, basically a single state. If they hadn't had the Euro debt zones they would never have had the chance to unify the whole zone, so you could say that if they wanted a unified state all along then creating a currency that would fail and need unification to hold it together, then that has now been achieved. It can all be set up in advance more or less as reckless lending will always lead to a crash and if the solution was in place before the crash then the cart was put before the horse, many many years before in this case.
There is a big picture in politics and economics, and once you see it then it all makes sense. Wars make arms traders rich. Opec zone wars make Opec rich as it shoots the price of oil up, they already have reserves and it's like saying your savings have suddenly tripled in value for doing nothing. Create a small war every now and then and you can keep the oil producers happy and get your donations in for the next election from the big arms dealers. It all fits together like a jigsaw made from faeces. Each piece of dirt fits nicely with the next one and basically the whole scene is one of filth and corruption, as threats and bribes have always oiled the wheels of politics better than votes and helping people ever can.
So basically the world governments operate like an international mafia. They will let the ordinary people have a reasonably good life otherwise they may turn against them, so they turn the screw but only enough to keep the cash flowing and not enough for a full revolution to occur. You won't get the town to keep silent when they witness a murder if you don't give them some kind of freedom. So it's a balance of oppression and limited liberties, just enough so people feel free and don't realise they could be a lot freer. Those hippies in the 60s were a rare diversion from the tracks, and actually many of their communes were left in peace and seemed it was easier to leave them alone than stir things up and only shot at them when they demonstrated about unpopular issues like Vietnam. But if they kept quiet and out of the way smoking a little weed didn't usually cause too many ructions.
But that was a short diversion into an oasis among the rest of the storm. Like the bible says (they did invent a lot of wisdom that works without the slightest need for god) you can't lie openly, you have to hide it in truth, and you can't mistreat people openly (except in half the world as the people are so poor that they haven't the resources to revolt) but in the west they pretend to be nice and only suck your blood at night when you're asleep and don't notice, like a mosquito. You hardly ever know when you're being bitten but you sure know afterwards. They offer the moon before an election, they get in and miraculously continue 80% of the policies of the precious government they'd spent four years running down. In fact for decades now the policies have hardly changed whoever has got in, the differences are now the exception and whatever they say in opposition virtually the same crap happens in power. Tuition fees, fortnightly bin collections, the congestion charge, the Climate Change Act, petrol taxes, all things the opposition criticised and now they're in charge have all been kept, although the congestion area has been reduced none of the others have happened at all. They scrapped one policy immediately, medical waiting times were deregulated so we can wait two weeks to see the doctor and a year for a consultant again after that had actually been fixed.
It doesn't often get better nowadays, does it? |
Reply #644. Aug 05 11, 7:40 PM
|
satguru
|
It's so early for me I can still write this and get a fairly early night for a change.
I never put talk close to action from anyone, but a couple of women seem to be showing a little more interest than before, as one just said she couldn't remember ever turning me down (she did, it's etched on my diary of failure) which means whatever her intentions at that time they may not be the same now. Worth a second go at the least. One other appears to have left her husband (if it lasts) and one I suspected may be a possibility if that happened, as it seemed on the cards for some time. As so often the energy is all around so the same sort of things happen at once, like a door opening. But it can't close till the action follows the talk or it won't give me time to get through it.
Following yesterday's political analysis I think I must have enough material now to create a diagram of the whole system. Where the money goes and who pulls the strings. It's a spider's web and of course the whole economy is interconnected and bad decisions by government are only made because the money is being deliberately diverted away to who makes them and not their people. They don't pee away trillions by accident (except Gordon Brown, he is a poopiehead), they divert funds away from the people to the bankers and suchlike for favours in kind. As I said before, the mafia created the model for the western economy, it's like feudalism or company shops where you can only spend your wages (in company tokens) on company products way above the shop prices, much like food in cinemas. Oil is a good example, and gas. Who decides the prices and creates the competition? They pick a good price for now, and there is no competition as it's a world price for each so the retail price only varies by the amount of national tax on top. The companies don't fix the prices so Shell, BP or anyone else own different amounts as they all explore separately, but what they find isn't then sold in the free market like apples or milk (depending on the local protectionist laws which apply at any time) but is priced in dollars and will cost the same except for added transport costs to remote islands.
As I listen to the radio, thanks to people like Max Keiser and Nigel Lawson people are gradually learning this a lot more and when you lose total trust in governments you start working out how they operate.
Don't get your wedding hats ready mind you, I didn't say I was thinking of marriage, but a female companion who can actually have a conversation as well as look reasonable would be a massive step up on its own. |
Reply #645. Aug 06 11, 4:37 PM
|
postal315
|
Go for it, David. Life is much more fun when shared. It's zero fun to quip and the person you quip to doesn't get it.
I can hardly watch what passes for news here, as it's so propaganderish (word?) Biased to the point of sounding like an ad.
Reply #646. Aug 07 11, 12:36 AM
|
satguru
|
The major problem is we are not governed by leaders who follow our will, but the will of the leaders and their associates. That means regardless of utilitarianism, the benefits to the most people, if a bank doesn't want to go broke then the most people do instead. Someone has to, but it's like punishing you for what your neighbour did even though they owned up to it and was caught red handed anyway. But with corruption and no protection from vested interests then the banks will always win. They spent three times more on derivatives (which sunk the world economy) once they were bailed out than before, why, because they could. It's like crocodiles, it's their nature and unless you clip their wings (or teeth) that's what they'll always do.
Woody Allen illustrated the point well in Annie Hall, when his new girlfriend just didn't see anything funny when he did. It doesn't matter how good everything else is, if they're boring then you can't share the same interests or humour and can't take second best, especially for life. Grace wants marriage or nothing, so we both have nothing but the friendship which we had already. And I still think she only wants to get married as her sister said she should, that's how the relationship between them operates. |
Reply #647. Aug 07 11, 8:12 AM
|
satguru
|
Where was I? My red photo map is my latest collection (I wanted one after I'd found most old road signs) and keep thinking of new trips within my car's ability (it's not designed for motorways). I wanted a record distance as I don't add my life's work like a few people but my digital only, and the A3 almost to the cost was the fastest available. 3/4 of the route was an old sign, and as it was a left turn off the main road going there went to get it, and was too tired to keep it up, looked for an alternative route south and couldn't work one out, and called it quits. It wasn't close to the record as a result but went a few miles further south and got the sign so still worth the job.
I'm hoping an east this week (the other job is to extend as far in each direction as possible), the hard one due to road works and general tailbacks in that direction, so have to bypass the usual route I've taken all my life and use the motorway. The plan B was even worse I often used as everyone else uses it now for the same reason, and a 30 minute journey just to cross London took me an hour. The other problem is the river Lea which only has a handful of bridges, and I think that amounts to one every two miles on average. I have to do them before October or it'll start getting dark on the way so cramming them all in while I can.
I've got my first likely counselling session booked for the new room if it's not too hot at the weekend, as I now have another chair, and maybe the plumber will come this week and not any later now he's seen my money. I still can't actually do much more until it's got electricity, but he's doing that free so can't really chase him (not that he was much quicker in the past when I did pay). No other plans so far besides clearing the garage (it rained most of last week) plus plenty on TV this week so have less reason to look for places to go. The photos I produce for the site are things I'd never have taken otherwise but basically whatever you can stop for safely in each grid square as you pass through it. Most are empty open roads and roundabouts as until you reach a town (and most are bypassed nowadays) that's all there is on a trip, or the equivalent railways. I quite like looking at them now but wonder if many other people do. I'd have added some here on the old blog but we can't keep dwelling on the good old days can we... |
Reply #648. Aug 08 11, 4:13 PM
|
satguru
|
I got home last night to find the bags and boxes had been moved around meaning either the plumber or electrician had come. The thermostat was down so I assumed it was the radiator, but as I wasn't going to turn the heating on I looked around, there was no bulb in the socket but out of curiosity pressed the buttons until the light switch turned the red light on- it was the electricity!
Then a few minutes ago the bell rang and the plumber said they had actually (as I suggested somewhere, maybe even to him, I can't remember) arranged to work together, of course they both needed the floor lifted up so would be crazy not to and do the same work twice. So the room inside is now complete, and once the steps are in can open the door and walk outside. We got there in the end.
The sun sort of came out after lunch, and it warmed up very quickly so I got my walk in before the TV started. Now I can move the last few things to the new room, including the photo printer, once I swap the card reader and cable over from elsewhere. No other plans, the ex is on her way for the rest of today as usual and just hope to get the trip east done sooner or later to increase the photo area. The house clearing should take the rest of the time if nothing else. |
Reply #649. Aug 09 11, 12:02 PM
|
satguru
|
Even I can be so busy I don't get on the computer, except to add the photos I took when I was busy. The new hobby and the long days allow it till October and not again till March so I'm literally taking them when the sun shines. I found a very winding route to Essex yesterday avoiding all the snarlups (besides a couple of local ones) and worked out how far I'd need to go before I reached the next little square to the east and must have returned with nearly 100 photos, which all needed locating before I added each one. Most were obvious but there are always long stretches of featureless road and you really need the spot or the map you've made will be meaningless and Streetview walks the road until you spot it sooner or later.
I went to Golders Green today, and after adding the photos that needed editing (more than ever before, it must be getting old or just totally rebellious yesterday) just got there when the parking became free. The shop I wanted to go to had left, but I saw my friend's girlfriend on the bench and she was waiting for her mother on a rare visit home from Thailand where she escaped to despite having a lovely big house in the country originally and then moving to a flat in town. I've known her for 26 years but although had seen many pictures had never met her mother and she arrived a few minutes later and finally did.
I then realised the shop I want was probably at Brent Cross on the way home, which it was, they didn't have what I thought they would so left again (I didn't feel like queueing up for food at M&S by then) and as I was leaving saw a blonde woman waving at me, and another friend had seen me just before I drove off, I hardly see anyone I know out any more (I very rarely did before) and that's two in one day. That's another example of how things work out, plus I got the only space in the small carpark outside it which was the one by the entrance, I've never got that one in 35 years of trying.
I think I'm allowed to have no more plans left at all, I'm hoping to get a lift near Selsey soon as it's both the furthest south trip and crosses into a new 100km square which is about the closest point I can. When I collect I do it properly as apart from women and the supernatural it's my major motivation. Of course collecting women would be an ideal combination but one is a job let alone a harem. If anyone wants to see the girl on a trampoline I filmed at Brent Cross it's on my Youtube channel of the usual name. That's pretty well as exciting as it gets in North London besides the riots which really don't pass for excitement in my eyes.
|
Reply #650. Aug 11 11, 6:27 PM
|
satguru
|
It wasn't a bad week all in all- the plumber and electrician came on Monday, and when I wasn't there so no disturbance, got to Essex on Wednesday, saw two friends when out shopping on Thursday and used the new room for work for the first appointment on Friday. I don't think I can go far tomorrow as there's a cycle race on most of the day exactly where I was planning to go and half the roads will be closed.
I emailed my friend's brother who said he didn't know I was going to contact him and would let him know in case he hadn't read it, but still no reply. Maybe his brother, who clearly doesn't have an issue with me, may offer some sort of explanation at least. Otherwise I will just see what happens ahead, as long as there are no obstacles like medical appointments and the like ahead I will do whatever I can and if it's the same routine with the same weird women as usual I'll just carry on, although finding a decent cafe that opens late has opened a brand new door for me as long as they don't disappear again like so many others, and Grace doesn't mind more regular visits there (the menu alone needs a few to work my way through the various cakes and drinks).
I would also very much like to turn my back on politics altogether. I've spent more time trying to get others to do more about changing their own lives and not tell others how to live theirs, which is basically the essence of politics and certainly all political ideology. We know the best way for you to live so you can either vote for us or we'll do it anyway. I prefer to mind my own business and let the authorities deal with any injustice and criminality, but in fact now the authorities are more involved in crime and the people are talking politics. The rules should be to look after the people who can't look after themselves, prosecute those who harm others and basically leave everyone alone. Isn't that the best and easiest way to run a country? Leave people to their own devices unless they are the cause or victim of some sort of trouble? Or have I missed something and we really need to invade other countries and restrict everyone's lives? |
Reply #651. Aug 13 11, 5:21 PM
|
satguru
|
I feel I've done my job. I learn, I communicate. If I communicate original information with sources I assume people will show an interest, but people either know already or don't care, or worse still claim it's either rubbish or unimportant. I do know many victims of Stockholm syndrome who now lobby for higher taxes and greater restrictions, and I give up. All I can say is now unlike our great waste of space Gordon Brown, they'll never be able to say they haven't been warned.
Otherwise I can look back on a year of travelling and house renovations, so when the clocks go back I can't feel guilty when I spend the remainder of the year wandering around Golders Green and trying to invite friends over. I can also complete all the tidying up now all the building is done and don't need long days for that. I've also pretty much given up expecting the news to improve. Low interest rates are here to stay, so everyone who works and saves are now subsidising the borrowers and risk takers. Taxes are rising to fill the gaps left by the bankers and our rights are reducing by the week, mainly from the unelected UN and EU who have done a wonderful job of completing the job the Germans failed to do in the last war. I see it happen, I know how it happens and having studied constitutional law know it's a totalitarian dictatorship, and people continue to vote for them (ie we could leave but need a party to take us out). I think most people trust politicians so as long as that's the case I've wasted all my time.
You never know the result till you've tried, I've done my best and now I know the opposition may have a rest and let Rome burn. |
Reply #652. Aug 14 11, 4:31 PM
|
satguru
|
Now my grandma can't tell me to get my hair cut and not to go to football as I'm meant to be seeing her the ex has taken both roles over. There's a match tomorrow with another team I haven't seen and she's insisting I still see her and no she's not going there with me (she lives almost opposite the ground). I'll go sooner or later but not many midweek games so one's down already and others may not be teams I haven't seen before (there is a list but I can't remember the total, although with two teams joining the league every year now it grows so almost impossible to complete.
I've planned my next trip hopefully for Wednesday now going north (I try and beat the furthest in each direction and south will follow but twice as far) and while I'm waiting have no choice but to do all the housework as can't do a lot else. So the next few days are organised, so disaster permitting can keep my little projects going. Meanwhile the news is diabolical from every front, the EU are removing the rail subsidies (not that I use trains a lot but it's going to wreck the economy) and bring in road pricing. Who voted for them? No one, they aren't elected. Their parliament is like the Irish president or our queen, power in name only. I don't know what they are paid for as they don't make laws so search me. The laws are made in private and often no records released of the process. That's not democracy and as most UK laws are made by the EU one can deduce we are living in a totalitarian state. Not that anyone besides me appears to care (and Lesley I do know) which is how they get away with it. Do they have to start killing the first born before anyone notices or will that be accepted as part of the greater good? |
Reply #653. Aug 15 11, 4:00 PM
|
satguru
|
I have realised what I am doing till 4am many mornings and other times throughout the day, I have discovered a formula where I realise from the news and old political theory what is going on in a particular situation, have the stories to prove it, and put it into little paragraphs to spread the word. I studied law, politics and sociology so can see the spider's web of cause, effect and corruption, and know where rules are simply not being followed. I check all my facts and then make sure I am certain of all the queries before I make my announcements, which is why I take very little opposition from others unless they can actually show them I've got any of my facts wrong.
I've seen only today the European governments on the whole have clamped down on reporting the radiation in Fukushima, far worse now than Chernobyl and growing, as they have vast amounts invested in nuclear and don't want people realising what'll happen here next. You can't contain nuclear waste, you can only wait till it's your turn for a disaster which releases it. You may not have earthquakes but can all have terrorist attacks, and if a grenade or bomb is dropped on an installation the effects will be identical.
Most people have such trust and faith in politicians they assume the bad eggs are the odd ones out, rather than vice versa. Assume the worst and use the mafia as your model and you'll pretty well get the lot. I've watched it 40 years and now quite convinced they're nearly all dirty baskets who couldn't care less about the health and wellbeing of the citizens, just the highest bidders. Rupert Murdoch, bank chairmen, Al Gore, you name it, they make the policies as they give favours back in return. If you or I are helped by any new schemes it's a pure coincidence. That's why most policies in Europe are so similar now as the same people (Bilderberg Group, Club of Rome etc) make them. But as David Icke says, the truth shall set you free, so simply knowing what they're up to will make it impossible for them to carry on once enough people get it. Who'd vote for carbon taxes if they realised it was to dismantle capitalism? |
Reply #654. Aug 17 11, 8:10 PM
|
satguru
|
I did beat the system yesterday, I measure each trip now by how many kilometres (their pick, not mine) I can extend my photo map coverage at each compass point, and yesterday was north. The road was totally unfamiliar, as whenever I've been to Luton I've stayed there, and never needed to go beyond it as usually I'd have stayed on the motorway till the next exits. So entering on the other road took the east bypass route rather than the usual way as I followed the signposts, and half way along the road was so bad I turned round. When I got to the roundabout taking me the old route the police had blocked it just as I got there, and just remembered a junction as I arrived giving me an even further east route which was my last hope. That was incredibly busy and spent maybe 10 minutes plus in traffic going round the back doubles until I finally made it to the main road north. I wasn't going to waste a whole afternoon going that far and coming back with nothing more than I had already. The map I used at home is an old one, so when I got north half the places were different as they'd all been bypassed. The village I was aiming for on a junction was so small even though it hadn't been bypassed wasn't mentioned once, I turned off to the last village I came across in case I'd already passed it and stopped to take photos of buildings rather than roads, used the facilites (actually the trees by Cranfield University playing fields, but drivers have to learn to improvise), and had the good sense not just to bring my drink with me (I did this last week for the first time as it was so hot) but a banana as well. Damn good thing as it took me 2 hours to get there and an hour or so back, as I was stuck in Luton in the rush hour despite no schools traffic.
When I looked at the map I was a couple of miles short of plan, and as the scale wasn't good enough to plan the escape route from where I was turned back to the main road and carried on. I ended up going south before going north so was very lucky I added a square at all when I turned round, just one short of the one I planned which wasn't significant. The romance of travel and holidays has gone altogether now, as besides a few views I remember in Kent everywhere I go isn't as nice as here. Harpenden hasn't changed at all and can't remember going there since the early 90s when my father still lived north of London so we always went that way rather than Surrey where he has been since then.
I only planned to cycle out for food today, the rain provided all the month's supply during the day so will have to do that tomorrow, and carried the desk from my room down to the new room as it needed a set of drawers and may as well be able to write at it as well. It got stuck on the stairs although I got it there on my own with no trouble, broke some glass on a picture and had to wait for someone next door to come home, and after trying all the variations finally got the one angle it would clear the twist in the banisters, like a Chinese puzzle. Big Brother started tonight after being cancelled last year and taken over by another channel, and spending the rest of the time adding the last of yesterday's photos. I'm working tomorrow so good thing I got the trip done when I could. I hope I make the south coast this year now as it's pretty well the last bit I need.
|
Reply #655. Aug 18 11, 5:28 PM
|
satguru
|
I have a little time on my hands before I go to bed and a trip for tomorrow. I've had an even busier week than usual- well over three hours driving on wednesday due to the rush hour and police closing the centre of the town I wanted to divert through, work today and just yesterday getting through loose ends indoors as the rain didn't stop till very late. The photo map's now pretty well been covered in all directions- east is short as I have to drive through London on restricted roads to get there, so once I cross into Essex I've done an hour already and not to keen going much further. South is easy so planning one last big one to the coast, west is covered as the motorway almost goes door to door, and north was covered this week albeit not that far as I prefer the little roads in my little car. Going north they are so diabolical I must have averaged 20mph this time, and took half the time coming back with no traffic. Of course this will stop in October as it'll be dark as soon as I get anywhere more than 20 miles away, so cramming it all in now.
Despite what must have been a nudge from his brother my Dutch friend clearly blew me out, it's a shame as back then he had nothing like that about him and unusual for anyone to change that much. At least I tried. My other two old friends died in their 20s and 30s respectively as the internet does get answers even when you've waited a few years. One was run over and the other had an autoimmune disease, but was in Hong Kong by then so wouldn't have been able to see her regardless. But Ronald, for that is his name, was probably the final loose end. The women remain, but they were all short lived and did all they could to get as far away from me as possible in the 70s and won't be more than polite at best if I ever tracked them down now, and 99% are married and maybe 20% are abroad as I've discovered with the rest.
I have however used the enhanced search capabilities of Facebook to locate my best girlfriend after over 30 years, she is now married and looks almost the same, and have absolutely no doubt she'd never speak to me again so not embarrassing us both by trying. A woman displaying a photo of herself with a baby is a clear message to men to keep well away. But at least that's one more off the mystery list. Christine has always been the enigma as unlike Vivienne above she never went off me but was too far to stick with and got married, divorced and involved when i did find her again, but still liked me as I still did her. Still lived even further out but a waste of time anyhow considering. OK people tend to meet new ones rather than try and plunder old graves, but at least you know roughly what you're getting and done all the groundwork, ie burying the relationship already. Maybe the odd zombie can be revived, but mine have apparently now run out, the free online site never allowed me to register so will have to do a Funtrivia (not that I'd recommend it here of course) and open a fresh account. I've been too busy to think about that recently anyway let alone spend the time reapplying and then the inevitable messages telling people exactly the same things (well I'm only one person so can't offer variations on what I've done) and then god forbid the wasted evenings when you find you don't get on, she doesn't fancy you, she still loves her ex-husband, her doctor says she has to be back by 10, her son is older than me, she doesn't really want a relationship, she's moving abroad or she's got a fatal illness. I think only two of those haven't actually happened to me, maybe you can guess which ones. |
Reply #656. Aug 19 11, 8:08 PM
|
satguru
|
OK, it cost me nothing so sent the message anyway. Here's the itinerary for the days ahead:
Day one: Wait in case she's online and replies quickly
Day two: She was probably busy yesterday so most likely to come today instead
Day three: If she hasn't replied yet this is the only likely chance
Every following day: Typical, I knew the stuck up basket wouldn't bother to answer
2012: Maybe she'll change her mind out of curioisity
2012 day 2: No she didn't
END |
Reply #657. Aug 20 11, 9:20 AM
|
satguru
|
I'll kill it off on day two. That's well long enough after 30 years to wait unless she's away. The book has now eliminated virtually every name though, the main objective is finding people and getting a reply is a bonus. She wasn't that nice to me the last few times I saw her so hardly expecting a welcome.
My friend who travels around for work found an old direction sign nearby I took yesterday, a very rare type in London so a valuable addition, and someone just found another one in the other direction I'm heading for on Tuesday and just hope it's still there. The rest is a mystery and will report when it becomes known. |
Reply #658. Aug 21 11, 4:00 PM
|
satguru
|
After long photo trips it takes a couple of days (in between other things) to get them all mapped to upload, and managed the south coast on Monday so been adding them since. Someone also found an old road sign about 20 miles away I went to get yesterday so that's still adding as there are so many roads they can still turn up when the majority have been spotted already. I had an actual day off today, got nearly all the photos on and best ones printed, did some shopping on my bike and watched TV. Grace normally pops up as soon as I've finished any busy times but she called last night to say she had a long family wedding so busy with relatives all week, so I have the time to myself this time round.
I do wonder how people can cut themselves off from old friends- I can't think of a single one I wouldn't reply to- I don't know if I'd feel like seeing some of them again but people change and may have improved. If I never liked someone then maybe I'd still avoid them, but not actual friends. But Ronald and now Vivienne have behaved like total pieces of excrement as neither have absolutely any reason not to at least return my messages, Vivienne didn't even chuck me, her mother did, and Christine, although she behaved abhorrently right at the end was otherwise as enthusiastic as I was having never had the chance to complete our relationship as we lived so far apart after meeting on holiday. As my Maharaji teaches, if people behave like animals we should see them as such and not expect any better. It's their problem for being free of manners and decency and I should see myself as better as I have been brought up not to be. I actually remember the times as a pre-schooler when my mother or nanny (as they made most of the rules) told me not to point, make personal remarks, kick people, take more than my share etc, and once someone important tells you that you should only need to be told once. So either these people were never told or preferred their own way of doing things despite good manners being universal and treating your neighbour as yourself. Their problem.
Having just clicked back from twitter my new hobby of detective has just won another victory, I said a few weeks ago a webmaster who has created the biggest global warming propaganda site in the world could no way be doing it in his spare time, as it was the sort of place a whole department of professionals would need to keep going. He's just been busted for working for a University propaganda department. If it smells like a poo it's rarely anything else.
|
Reply #659. Aug 24 11, 5:25 PM
|
satguru
|
It's nice not to feel guilty doing nothing when you've earned it- not that I did the driving south but unlike the past I don't have the energy for long trips any more so seems five times further than it used to. Two old road signs within four days after getting so many already is pretty amazing, no two direction signs are the same and some are a lot rarer than others, like the latest one. All I've done the last couple of days was a trip on my bike yesterday shopping and a walk round the park that surrounds the estate today. Otherwise I've still been editing and tracking down the remaining photos as although you can take photos from a moving car half are unusable and had to sort the borderline ones where they were the only ones I had for the map. I also spent hours last night answering someone's questions on global warming, or climate change as she insisted in calling it. Unfortunately people guess what it all means based on Al Gore's propaganda, and is like the Essex girl's book of history and philosophy. Rene Descartes said 'Life is, well, whatever', or is East Angular abroad? You get the picture. Even my mother who was a judge (although admits useless at science besides biology) thought CO2 affected the ozone layer, as half the world seems to. It's easy to have opinions on everything because it's in the media, and nowadays almost as easy to learn it directly on your own. Then you sort out the 'whatevers' from the absorption spectra, and don't mix up ozone with CO2.
Of course after two of us (the other is a geologist) spent in my case two plus hours explaining about the delays in ice melts, coastal erosion and temperature measurement methods, by the next day she was still saying the identical things. She was pretty well sure of her theories 'as she'd seen it herself' diving around the world. Unfortunately with no training in scientific method and evidence many people don't know the difference between anecdotal evidence and direct, and get very upset when you try and point it out. You can't open closed minds.
Meanwhile (although I never turned on) I have totally turned off on Libya. Vietnam was a total fiasco, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc etc. Other countries always have civil wars and by their very nature there is little outsiders can and should do. If they were genuine they'd have stopped the genocide in Rwanda which was widely reported and known about and somehow the UN and NATO filtered it from their agendas. But Libya is an internal issue miles away and you don't see foreign powers running to help or invade, depending on your point of view, when the west has issues. The sole consequence here of invading/helping Libya was a huge rise in the oil price, so it's going down now but only as it looks like it all might be over soon, if we hadn't gone there it would probably have been far less of an effect. But we can't be involved in everyone else's business without an extremely good reason. Rwanda was a rare one and we didn't, Zimbabwe is another, ditto. Very selective and in my opinion if there are far worse atrocities elsewhere and you choose somewhere different it's clearly a bad move. So if the Iranian people kick off next (and they really should under that regime but would be wiped out in days compared to elsewhere) will we go there as well? Syria has been well avoided so far, despite being a lot smaller than Libya, and I really no longer know or want to know why, Britain has major problems with debt, investments down to almost zero and prices doubling, and all we're doing is falling at the same rate China is rising till we meet in the middle and then end up like Zimbabwe. Pre-Nazi Germany printed money when they didn't have it and it started off the last war. We are going the same way, making the same mistakes and at this rate we'll be invaded by the Chinese when weakened enough and the few troops we have left will be in Afghanistan getting themselves shot by terrorists. Does it make sense? Not to me. |
Reply #660. Aug 25 11, 5:46 PM
|
Legal / Conditions of Use
|
Play Now! 
: