Made in Scotland

Obscure

2012-01-23T13:44:00.001Z

I feel reasonably well justified posting other people's words when I most feel my life is a musical. In fact I often do, and it's always good to hear when people pick up the references!

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I Didn't Dig Deep, I Did Not Want To Know

2012-01-21T22:21:00.001Z

So, well, it's 2012 for those who took until now to notice. As I have exclaimed before, "it's all too involved, Tilly".

And truthfully, it is. The boy, the boss and the Brazilian in BH just to mention a few. Is it all going to come crashing down soon? (Of course, don't assume I mean on me please).

In any event, I know what you're going to say. You're going to tell me:

"I knew before".

So be it.

Even if I have to tell best friend he can't stay over the Jubilee period because we have 5 Americans visiting. C'est la vie.

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This Christmas

2011-12-21T13:30:00.003Z

Our first Christmas at home together - even after all these years. We alternate - 1 year at Xfe's parents in Annecy, the next in Scotland with mine.

Search labels for Christmas 2010 and Christmas 2009 on the blog and you'll see the habit.

But this year we're having a Scottish Christmas here. Mum and Dad, my brother, his partner and their 2 children (16 months and 3 years 1 month).

What a joy. It is so much fun with LM (the older).

And Xfe is on his way home from Tunis...

Christmas 2011 - Festive Weekend 1

2011-12-12T17:58:00.001Z

Friday night - Green Lanes Christmas tree switch on

in 50 different languages at the Salisbury pub

Even the rest of the decorations are working tonight

Saturday morning - the tree came from the florist around the corner. Easy.

Decoration done

A real Dalek bauble

and my Dalek bauble from last year

Pizza Night

2011-12-09T21:08:00.001Z

Because tonight is Romanzo Criminale.

Fabu.

Dear Life

2011-12-08T21:56:00.001Z

Hanging in there, really...

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Final Sequence

2011-12-03T22:30:00.001Z

Delicious.

Repulsive.

Final Sequence.

ToDoToDay

2011-12-03T12:09:00.001Z

Buy some stollen.
Check if champagne is on double offer at M&S. If so, 6 bottles please.
Have lunch.
Come back home.
Write Christmas cards, sipping a glazz of something cold and fizzy.
Dinner in, DVD or other film.

We are only 1 episode of Romanzo Criminale behind, and as we watch 2 in one go, we'll get up to date next weekend before Xfe's departure to Tunis.

Read Me - I Used To Be Good

2011-11-26T18:32:00.000Z

Wow. I just read some posts from this time 3 years ago.

I used to be good.

Relatively prolific, some of my posts were - out there!

I have no idea really what this one was all about:

Made in Scotland: With A Little Illumination

Nor indeed what inspired it (though I would hazard a guess some glasses of wine helped).

Likely it was nothing more than wine and music of course. I do recognise the lines...

Scent Of Winter

2011-11-25T18:23:00.001Z

Late November is my favourite time of year.

Short crisp days, a cold sun hanging low in a cloudless sky. A warm home, back turned to the black outside, and the anticipation of Christmas. Close enough to be real, but not yet close enough to be drawn beyond control into the festivities.

Although Christmas can be anticipated after Hallowe'en, bonfire night first needs to get out of the way.

But by the end of November it is a certainty, inevitable and there to be enjoyed.

This year we will be at home for Christmas. I haven't spent Christmas at home with Xfe ever. We take turn about to visit his parents and mine. A Christmas in France followed by a Christmas in Scotland.

This year (a Scotland Christmas at my parents) we are spending at home in London. Mum & Dad are coming to stay and so is my brother, his partner and their two children.

I'm not sure which part is the best part. being at home for Christmas. Being at home for Christmas with the children....

The best part, of course, is all of them.

And 32 years later I'm still listening to Kate Bush - 50 Words For Snow

Loving It...

2011-11-24T20:06:00.001Z

Interference Book Two

2011-11-22T19:51:00.001Z

My second Amazon Marketplace sale.

Bought for £3.33 (3 for £10) and sold for £49.

It's rare and I've been biding my time - no rush. I have 3 or 4 to sell and a secret supplier.

All brand new mint bookshop condition...

Hard Times

2011-11-13T08:22:00.001Z

Yesterday and tomorrow come find me toiling at the Country Life Christmas Fair, Islington Design and Business Centre.

I can competently work the till and I used the card machine once, which means, I think, that I can safely use it too.

Why? Austere times. Even a City lawyer needs to moonlight.

Of course, as one would expect, I am doing it pro bono. Out of the goodness of my heart (even though I might not be a good person).

My friend is staying this week and I volunteered to help her yesterday and today.

So if you see me, come say hello.

Such fun.

Simple

2011-11-11T18:33:00.001Z

A relatively painless switch of internet provider has occurred.

From btopenworld to Sky, saving in excess of £20pcm, with first 3 months free - so we now have integrated tv, broadband and talk package. All because BT were too expesive for phone and broadband, and really, who wants BT vision?

I Hate Bonfire Night

2011-11-05T17:59:00.000Z

I'm such a grumpy old man. I've become my father. I hate fireworks (that's not new though).

They shouldn't be sold to the public, let alone up at Wood Green. That is really irresponsible.

Happy 5th of November all.

Bonfire Night - go Google it!

Already the air is heavy with the burn of gunpowder. All around - and it is only 20h03. Still, I think it is going to rain. Damp squibs.

Squibs - go Google that.

Show Me The Puppies - Part 2

2011-11-01T07:45:00.000Z

Show Me The Puppies - Part 1

2011-10-29T17:48:00.000+01:00

In the wee hours of this morning I caught myself waking up in front of the TV at 3h42. I'd been watching the stuff recorded on the HD, trying to free up some space for all that Xfe has programmed in. Never aware of loosing time, sleeping. So I had the idea that it was a good time to go to bed.

Suddenly I was awake, listening to the calming tones and sensible interrogatories of Evan Davis. Which meant (knowing it was Saturday) it was after 7h00 but still before 9h00.

Despite a bottle and a bit of wine I had a not too throbbing head.

I rose, prematurely. Had some pepsi max (always my soda of choice) for breakfast. I would have liked some instant coffee but the milk was off, Xfe being away. Followed by cold pizza. The Mexican from Papa Johns. Two slices more than half were left over from the night before.

I think I prefer cold pizza to fresh, especially if spicy. No pizza expert I rely on friend R1's recommendation of Papa John. Though they had no coleslaw, which I love on hot pizza. Instead to get the 25% online discount I ordered sides of chicken dippers with potato wedges and chicken dippers with stuffed jalapenos. I ordered 4 of their buffalo dips. I am addicted to them. Delicious. Though I never ate any last night. You see, like any good hoarder I need to keep them for a better time to have... (I did notice their best before goes into the New Year. Brilliant).

Selecting 4 buffalo dips, Papa John must have thought I was mistaken. For in addition to the 4 buffalo, my delivery came with a couple of others instantly forgettable.

At some point I went back to bed to listen to the Reverend Richard "Communard" Cole. It was too involved to do otherwise. Sue Johnston's Inheritance Tracks, disappointingly unlike their sponsor, were predictably true to type.

After some WhatsApp exchanges with Tel Aviv located Xfe, it was time for action. A shopping trip adventure to Wood Green.

~~Sometimes~~ It is another world up there. Always. I think I just fit in up there. That is until I open my mouth, or present my selections for purchase and pay. My new favourite store there is Wilkinson. It's ~~like~~ crack cocaine for the non-earning income supported.

Today when paying for another bunch of foil wrapped Doctor Who Series 2 Character Building figures and more Christmas shit, I was asked if I needed to top-up. I was lost for words. I didn't want to stand out, but I didn't know what she was offering me. My instant reaction was that her question was related to alcohol. Many of the people who shop there use alcohol in extreme. The third time she asked me I had to own up that I had no idea what she was asking me about.

She explained - did I want to add money to my mobile. Nothing to do with wodka.

As with an Oyster card you can choose a phone to "pay as you go". They also can do it for electricity (though I think you need a different sim card for that). Looking around many people appeared to be doing it. In fact, many "Wilko's" had smartphones. They were buying "top up" points and lottery scratch cards. Here's an idea for someone - top up scratch cards. I think I'd be on to a winner!!!

Looking around I couldn't believe so many of the people around me had expensive smartphones. I just got my first smartphone 2 weekends ago. It took me a long time to weigh up if I could have one. Cost -vs- benefit. Whereas it seems benefits -vs- mobile phones is a no brainer, even though they have not enough to do without benefits (I think that is why they shop in Wilkinson etc). This I don't understand. Me - City salary, doubting if I can afford the iPhone. Them... not. Simples.

Thus - if anyone from Waitrose is paying attention - look up! Why can't we "top up" when buying monkfish tail and parma ham?

Before getting the bus to save me a 15 minute walk, I decided to pop into LIDL on the way back (glad I did; got some stollen and other Christmas muck). In store I found myself thinking about the 2 week old smartphone in my pocket. The place was full of families with children taught to be more interested in what is in my pockets than what is on the shelves. But the cropped haired boys and the girls with full length skirts are all too easily distracted by dropping a £1 coin and pretending not to notice.

It may be only 1000m away, but Wood Green is a different world...

FilmCram

2011-10-28T22:29:00.004+01:00

Never enough time. Sky+ almost maxed. Watch or delete? Kidulthood. God. Do. I. Really. Want. To. Live. In London? These kids. Jokers, right. Who would. Seriously. Dangerously though. Fucking blood. Man. Innit.

Von Trier - he gets 7 mins with 1h56m remaining. Delete. With relief.

39% on the HD left.

How about a Threesome? I rather liked it last week. Then I'll delete. I know Xfe would like to watch it, but if I do I shan't want to see it again. And he has tons of TV to watch. Really, I promise.

Besides, next week the Becky/Russell Tovey bedsit sitcom starts again, and we rather liked that and we can't keep recording all these comedies and stuff to watch.

Innit, Blood.

I say, blood. Get back to your estate.

TFI FRIDAY

2011-10-28T08:43:00.000+01:00

Is it just me, or is life really getting more difficult?

The day job (a misnomer, obviously) gets harder. I find stress more difficult to deal with. I worry about so much. I sleep fitfully....

When Thursday arrives it really feels it should be Friday. When Friday arrives, I just want to sleep in.

One more journey to make to work before I can kick back for the weekend. Kick back meaning destroy 2 bottles of wine and eat some seriously junk food. And go to bed without worrying about having to get up to go to the office.

I recently read blogging is so vintage. My blogging conduct over the last 18 months or so would seem to substantiate that.

Still, TFI FRIDAY.

Excuse Me?

2011-10-26T19:57:00.002+01:00

Today I got this email from a colleague who also happens to be the compliance officer of the firm.

Really! The demands that are put on us at work to comply....

The New Look

2011-10-23T07:37:00.000+01:00

So, the new Christmas light works better receded.

Still, you will be converted.

Message From Xfe #1

2011-10-22T15:29:00.001+01:00

This of course is the only way I manage when Xfe is away.

#1

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While Xfe's Away

2011-10-21T19:05:00.001+01:00

I'm gonna' play.....

With a takeaway arrived, I guess you can conclude Xfe has gone to work. Three weels in Tel Aviv this time.

So, what's for dinner?

Indian takeaway. Yum.

But, I assure you - this isn't one meal. Honest. It will do me 2 or 3 meals over the weekend.

Mmmm.....

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Hot Harvest

2011-10-16T17:16:00.000+01:00

From our chilli plant. Great success.

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Bye Bye Betty

2011-10-15T12:44:00.001+01:00

She's gone to make hotpot in heaven...

RIP Betty Driver, Betty Turpin

Can You Guess What It Is?

2011-10-15T12:18:00.001+01:00

Hint: Just reference my last post.

iMadeInScotland

2011-10-13T19:09:00.005+01:00

Once again it's i-Everything.

Having pondered I have decided that I cannot afford the iPhone 4S. Not this month.

I'm thinking about downgrading to a 10mb internet service and ditching Sky+ for a freeview or freesat.

All I can see are rising costs and outlays and static income.

This month Foxtons clawed back £1,700 commission on the next 6 months rent, so no voluntary mortgage payment this month.

Season 6 - Been And Gone

2011-10-09T16:56:00.003+01:00

From today's Observer.

I have still to post my thoughts, but in brief, over-complicated for a large part, the split was a mistake and well, they are always changing the timing and have been for a number of seasons.

Though The Girl Who Waited was...wonderful.

Is time up for Doctor Who?

Its stories might be getting darker, and its plots ever more outlandish, but the Time Lord still has millions of fellow travellers. Helen Lewis-Hasteley and Andrew Harrison debate the tea-time institution

'Perhaps the show has become too complicated for adults, but children seem to get it just fine'. Photograph: BBC/James Stenson/BBC

Helen Lewis-Hasteley is assistant editor of the New Statesman

God love the BBC, but they do make some baffling decisions. In Doctor Who, they have more than a TV show, they have a national institution. So what do they do? Monkey around with its scheduling – a split series this year, and the next 13 episodes to be spread across 2012 and 2013 in some unspecified way, like it's some failed American import that no one knows what to do with. Even worse, BBC1's controller, Danny Cohen, put the blame on the showrunner, Steven Moffat, who also executive produces Sherlock. Moffat took to Twitter to respond: "The scheduling of Dr Who has got NOTHING to do with Sherlock", so I'm guessing there was a frosty atmosphere the next time the pair met.

Then there's the penny-pinching: I can't quite believe they scored the coup of getting Neil Gaiman to write an episode, then told him he couldn't have a new monster and would have to make do with a recycled Ood.

Andrew Harrison is editor-at-large of Word magazine

You know what? You're right. The BBC really should show more love to the series that practically regenerated the corporation's family viewing remit all on its own. The idea that there won't be a full, 13-part season for Doctor Who's 50th anniversary in 2013 is a crime on a par with Scaroth of Jagaroth forging the Mona Lisa.

But when you look at the figures, the idea that Doctor Who is fading just doesn't stand up. This season averaged about 7.5m viewers (a little down on David Tennant in his rock-star pomp, but hardly a collapse) and between 1.5m and 2m people watch it on timeshift. In September, four out of the five most-requested shows on iPlayer were episodes of Doctor Who. These are figures that TV executives dream of.

But let's talk about the stories instead. The other complaint is that under Steven Moffat, the show has become too complicated for kids. Too many loose threads (Amy's baby, the Doctor's death, River Song), too many time paradoxes, too much concentration on giant story arcs and not enough on one-off tales. All I'd say is, if it's too confusing for kids then nobody has told my nieces and nephews, all of whom understand the show completely. Perhaps it's become too complex for adults – but children seem to get it just fine.

HLH I wouldn't deny that Doctor Who is a phenomenally successful show, and I agree that the viewing figures are a red herring in the age of the iPlayer. But I will see your nephews and nieces, and raise you my own nephew, with whom I watched "The Curse of the Black Spot". He might only be eight, but even he could spot plot holes so big you could pilot a star whale through them (sorry, no more nerdy references, I promise).

The current vogue of 45-minute, high-concept single episodes means that everything else can get squeezed to the margins, resulting in dollops of exposition and all-over-the-place characterisations, like Hugh Bonneville's heartwarming-yet-bloodthirsty buccaneer, or the cheery Silurian medical researcher in "The Hungry Earth", memorably described by the Androzani review site as "lovable old Dr Mengele". And how could Rory and Amy lose their baby in one episode, and in the next be blithely unaffected by the story of a child who feared being abandoned? Instead they were larking about with giant scissors.

Oh, and while we're on the subject of Amy, what happened to Steven Moffat's hatred of "clingy girlfriends"? They've eased up this series, but I could definitely live with fewer longing looks across the Tardis console, and I bet your nephews and nieces could too.
And as you're clearly a "City of Death" fan, answer me this: how many of these episodes will you want to watch again? Isn't the danger with relying so much on cliffhangers, twists and big reveals that the shows don't stand up to repeated viewings?

AH Well, one person's plot hole is another's unfathomable mystery – and I'm glad that Moffat is pushing the Doctor back into the realms of inscrutability. It's more fun that way, and it's best not to focus on plot holes in a show that's based on the flatly impossible. But you're right to question Amy and Rory's weird reaction to the abduction of their baby. Spods like you and me know it was because the producers switched a couple of episodes around, so that a relatively simple pirate story would follow the plot-heavy "Day of the Moon". It's not the ideal way to play it, but neither does it constitute bad characterisation.

Instead, I prefer to think of it this way: Doctor Who is a kids' show – one that adults love because they can share it with their own children, and with the part of themselves that is still a child. It's one thing to see a human brain sliced out and inserted into a Cyberman's body (in fact, I'd say it's an essential part of a rounded upbringing); but a mother in weeping despair over a stolen baby would just be too raw and too real for Saturday tea-time. Better to treat it as a fairy tale, where children vanish and are rescued without any real pain.

Too much seething passion in the Tardis? When Russell T Davies resurrected the show, his masterstroke was to understand that it had to win over women viewers as well as nerdy males. Remove the "emotional content" and you've got a husk of a series. As for the re-watch value of new Who, how could you not want to see "The Doctor's Wife" or "The Girl Who Waited" again? They're self-contained modern Who classics, up there with "The Talons of Weng-Chiang".

HLH Hmm. I'm not sure that pointing out there's a reason for bad characterisation excuses it, when as you say, the vast majority of viewers wouldn't know about it.

That said, I'm pleased to see you acknowledge that some topics aren't right for a Saturday tea-time programme, because the classic deflection of anyone criticising Doctor Who is to argue that "kids understand a lot more than you think". I'm sure they do, but that doesn't mean there isn't a difference between a children's show and a grown-up drama, and the recent series have tended more towards the latter.

Still, I'm pleased to be having this argument. While I love the fact that Doctor Who fans feel so possessive about the show (I do, too), it can mean that any whisper of dissent is met with a thunderous wall of denunciation. And here's one thing I bet you can't defend: James Corden's acting when he was on the floor being attacked by that CyberWoodlouse. Preposterous.

AH The thing is, Doctor Who is like Queen: there's so much of it, and it's so ridiculously diverse, that no sane person can sincerely say they love every single aspect of it. I've got a soft spot for "Don't Stop Me Now" but I wouldn't care if I never heard "Bohemian Rhapsody" again. Similarly, I'd defend "Vincent and the Doctor" or "The God Complex" as epitomes of quality telly until the eventual heat death of the universe. But every time the music goes soupy and some tearful character tells the Doctor what a wonderful man he is – and every time that Love Saves the Day – I find my faith wavering.

No, I'm not going to stand up for James Corden and his Rod Hull-and-Emu routine with the CyberMat… the comedy bits are not for me. But following Doctor Who is a bit like following your football team: some Saturdays you get beaten 3-0. Some Saturdays it's a boring story about a girl whose drawings come to life. It doesn't mean that next week won't be amazing. And as for those over-possessive fans, my advice is to stay away from the message boards. There be dragons. And Skarasens, Myrkas and Slythers.

In The Closet

2011-10-01T22:47:00.001+01:00

Today I took my Dad 1h50m approx across London to see a game of footie.

Truth is, I'm a closeted fan. I know the bare minimum to converse about. Though I can't/won't comment on technical happenings. I have no idea.

Truth is, I ended up thinking I should sponsor the kit of one of the players. I get to meet him and get it (his kilt) end of season.

Hope I can negotiate it unwashed.

The Random Of Coincidence

2011-09-25T16:29:00.001+01:00

This morning, after speaking to my Mum on the phone (while I was surfing elsewhere) I was looking at the ultra-rare Dr Who Character Building (Lego like) figures.

I started here, then went to the Merchandise Blog.

Last week, before my Manchester trip, we were at this super cheap store. The cheapest I have ever seen. We live near Wood Green and, oh my goodness, the shopping canyon that is here and then (when we lived in Islington). What I have learned is that those who can pay do.

Here, in N8, value is necessary and a total bonus. The quality and choice of food we have here cf the Islington delis is beyond belief. There, I'd pay £2.89 for a bag of gourmet crisps. Here I get them in the cheap shop (the name eludes me, but when Xfe wakes up he will know) for 99p. No joke. The same.

In this shop people buy in bulk. I hate it. It takes forever to get beyond the check-out. Because they have 33 bottles of conditioner and 39 bottles of shampoo. Which they sell on in their corner shops, I'm guessing.

Anyway. I digress. I was looking at these limited edition figures. The 11 Doctors set at £19.99. With 4 variants, each selling for between £200-£150. I was immediately there.

But, it seemed someone was there before me. All the packs had been reviewed. I checked and instead took 15 foil packs (@£1.99 each), and a plush Dalek for a Christmas gift to nephew or neice.

Back home, two packets in, I hit gold. First came the certificate. Then I took the pack to Xfe, saying which I wanted to be.

And it was.

£1.99 selling for £200. But I won't sell. No way.

Ha!

2011-09-25T16:09:00.001+01:00

Mr Brit Washes The Taxi

2011-09-21T19:49:00.000+01:00

IN LOVE WITH MYSELF. from elvisdifazio on Vimeo.

Our Little Chilli Plant

2011-09-20T13:11:00.001+01:00

You saw Stephen's. Well that's our one. It is fierce and we have so many chillis!

Location:Piccadilly,Manchester,United Kingdom

Travel

2011-09-20T09:50:00.001+01:00

I'm heading up to Manchester on business for a couple of days. Nice to get out of the office, but the blackberry keeps me a slave to the stress.

Here in the wifi Virgin Lounge at Euston, there is not much worthy of noting. It is not at all the nicest lounge.

I'll be comfortable at the other end however. I'm staying at the Malmaison, which is always rather nice.

See you there.

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Location:London,United Kingdom

On 20 July...

2011-09-14T08:03:00.001+01:00

Xfe left for the far east - Taiwan and China. Just before I posted this piece.

Today he arrives home, 1 day short of 8 weeks away.

Hurrah! Welcome home mon C.

On Amy Pond

2011-09-10T19:28:00.002+01:00

Amy Pond IS Emma Peel.

And this was the first episode to bring a tear to my eye since any one of the Donna episodes.

Some Kind Of Trouble

2011-09-09T08:34:00.004+01:00

Shit. I'm going to be arrested...

From:     Agent John Edward
    Subject:     Proof Of Ownership For Your Consignment..
    Date:     9 September 2011 08:12:34 GMT+01:00
    To:     john.ed@ci.fbi.gov
    Reply-To:     agentfbi_jee@one.co.il

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
INTELLIGENCE FIELD UNIT
J. EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING
935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE,NW WASHINGTON,D.C.

ATTN: BENEFICIARY

I AM SPECIAL AGENT JOHN EDWARD FROM THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI) INTELLIGENCE UNIT, WE HAVE JUST INTERCEPTED AND CONFISCATED TWO CONSIGNMENT BOXES AT JFK AIRPORT IN NEW YORK, AND WE ARE ON THE VERGE OF MOVING IT TO OUR BUREAU HEAD QUARTERS.

WE HAVE SCANNED THE SAID BOXES, AND HAVE FOUND IT TO CONTAIN LARGE SUM OF MONEY AND ALSO BACKUP DOCUMENT WHICH BEARS YOUR NAME AS THE RECEIVER OF THE MONEY CONTAINED IN THE BOXES, INVESTIGATIONS CARRIED OUT ON THE DIPLOMAT WHICH ACCOMPANIED THE BOXES INTO THE UNITED STATES HAS IT THAT HE WAS TO DELIVER THIS FUNDS TO YOUR RESIDENCE AS PAYMENT WHICH WAS DUE YOU FROM THE OFFICE OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN NIGERIA FROM UNPAID CONTRACT SUMS.

WE CROSS-CHECKED ALL LEGAL DOCUMENTATION IN THE BOXES, AND WERE ABOUT TO RELEASE THE CONSIGNMENT TO THE DIPLOMAT,WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT THE BOXES IS LACKING ONE VERY IMPORTANT DOCUMENTATION WHICH AS A RESULT, THE BOXES HAS BEEN CONFISCATED.

ACCORDING TO SECTION 229 SUBSECTION 31 OF THE 2005 AMENDED CONSTITUTION IN TAX PAYMENT, YOUR CONSIGNMENT LACKS PROOF OF OWNERSHIP CERTIFICATE FROM THE JOINT TEAM OF THE IRS AND HOMELAND SECURITY, AND THERE FOR, YOU MUST CONTACT US FOR DIRECTION ON HOW TO PROCURE THIS CERTIFICATE, SO THAT YOU CAN BE RELIEVED OF THE CHARGES OF EVADING TAX WHICH IS A PUNISHABLE OFFENSE UNDER SECTION 12 SUBSECTION 441 OF CONSTITUTION ON TAX EVASION.

YOU ARE REQUIRED TO CONTACT THIS BUREAU WITHIN 72HOURS, OR YOU WILL BE ARRESTED, INTERROGATED AND PROSECUTED IN THE COURT OF LAW FOR MONEY LAUNDERING.

ALSO, YOU MUST NOT CONTACT ANY OTHER BANK OR PERSONS IN NIGERIA, THE UNITED KINGDOM OR ANY PART OF THE WORLD FOR ANY PAYMENT, BECAUSE YOUR PAYMENT HAVE BEEN CONFISCATED BY THIS BUREAU HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

YOURS IN SERVICE,

AGENT JOHN EDWARD
REGIONAL DEPUTY-DIRECTOR
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
INTELLIGENCE FIELD UNIT
J. EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING
935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE,NW WASHINGTON,D.C.
20535-0001,USA.

My Newest Latest Addiction

2011-09-08T20:16:00.000+01:00

Coming at the weekend.

You'll never guess....

...ever.

My Latest Addiction

2011-08-30T22:52:00.003+01:00

Wine gums!

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Happy 70th Birthday Mum

2011-08-25T22:48:00.003+01:00

I think I came up with a great idea for a birthday present for my Mum.

She doesn't want for anything (apart from her health, really). So, I thought and thought and came up with something.... thoughtful. Her desert island disk from us...

I asked family to come up with a choice and an explanation.

And here is the playlist.

I really can't wait to give it to her! She will of course get the CD and a framed copy of the explanation.

The Sun Refused To Shine

2011-08-19T20:42:00.009+01:00

This morning I cried.

I read "A letter to..." from the Family section in the Saturday Guardian that had been on our dining table for about 3 weeks.

My fear is the bereavement one of us will suffer at the loss of the other. My biggest fear is that I will have to leave my darling man behind.

I have taken bereavement badly before. The fear of leaving my darling man, Xfe, behind terrifies me. Less so, saying goodbye to him and letting him go. I could just survive that.

But leaving Xfe behind truly scares me. Unfair, no longer being able to look after him (of course he can look after himself, and financially he'd be secure and able to live well - but I would not be there caring for him).

If I knew I was dying I would only worry about who would look after mon C, and to love you.

Lust - vs- Love

Still continues to be a feature in life.

Did anyone actually see last weekend's Ch4 Banksy editorial night? Loved it. It all made sense, even more so when I found myself listening to Richard Hawley remembering that I had noted to buy his work before. It really suits me.

Happy birthday, Mum

I thought for my Mum's actual birthday [she will be 70] I might give her her very own desert island disk.

I thought I would ask closest family to suggest a song that they would want to give to my Mum, to take on a desert island, so she could know what she meant to us all/think of us.

Suggest a song (hopefully that I can find on iTunes), and write and send me maybe 2-3 lines/sentences or less to say why.

I thought:

Dad

Bro & I

Aunt M.

Aunt E.

Aunt T.

You

S.

El.

JLL

Xfe

E& B

Would you do that for me? Choose a song, and if you could all write a couple of lines in your handwriting (then sign below) send it to me, no wider than A4 and I will stick them all on a card/in a frame and give from us all on her birthday.

BUT I do need it by next weekend….

SO, Bro & I will choose 2 little boys and probably write

Because, Mum, we will always remember that we are your two little boys.

You get the idea

Would you manage that? The song doesn't have to be about her - just for her. If nothing comes to mind, a song from the house when you were children, or even choose a song that Nana or Papa would have chosen for her….

It would be greatly appreciated

Le Weekend!!!

2011-08-12T19:13:00.003+01:00

At last the weekend is here.

It's hard to describe this week. Work hell, London shame and pride...

However there was this great piece of news on the way home.

A model wept today as she was jailed for six months for looting an Argos store in the London riots.
Shonola Smith was caught when police stormed the building after youths smashed in the front of the shop during the disturbances in Croydon on Monday night.
The 22-year-old model, from South Norwood, was arrested at the scene in Church Street with her sister Alicia and their 22-year-old friend Donness Bissessar.
All three pleaded guilty at Croydon magistrates' court to entering the store with intent to steal.
The trio, who had no previous convictions, broke down in tears as they were led to the cells.
Their stunned families clutched each others' hands for comfort as District Judge Robert Hunter gave them all six-month sentences.
He said: "The tragedy is that you are all of previous good character, each of you well educated.
"You have jobs. You have got plans for future education. You have shown remorse and you have all pleaded guilty.
"However, I can't ignore the context in which these offences were committed. You have played your part in a wider act where devastation was caused to businesses and local residents.
"In my view, although I'm retaining jurisdiction, the matter is so serious that only a custodial sentence will suffice. That, I hope, will serve as a deterrent to others."
When Alicia Smith was arrested she was carrying 10 packs of chewing gum she had stolen from a nearby Kwik Stop convenience store on the same day. She admitted theft.
The Smith sisters and Bissessar were remanded in custody when they first appeared in court on Tuesday. Dressed in identical prison issue clothes, all looked downcast in the dock as they exchanged glances with their parents in the public gallery.
Their lawyer told the court: "I was taken by surprise. Talking to them and recently talking to their families, they come across as perfectly ordinary, reasonable, dare I say it civilised young women.
"Their parents have found it really very hard to fathom what's going on. They have accepted their guilt and there is no doubt that they are remorseful.
"They all work. If it all kicked off again tonight I don't for one second think you would find these ladies anywhere near."

2011-08-08T21:12:00.001+01:00

Full

2011-08-07T17:56:00.000+01:00

My pop-up is full.

Though I am considering having a 70's dining experience after next weekend's meat feast!!

ahoj

Me, The Rudeness

2011-08-07T15:09:00.000+01:00

No problem. We were very tardy to get the invites out! I will pass on your regards (after the surprise, of course).

Fortunately their health has been decent this summer, unlike the last couple of years. Mum has just had the very good news that, for the moment, her cancer is in remission. Perhaps we will have the chance to celebrate 75, with plenty of notice to all!

Because so many have asked about gifts for Mum and Dad, none are needed.

Though, after the cancer so soon after the amputations, I have asked people to consider donating to UK cancer research.

http://giveincelebration.cancerresearchuk.org/....

TOGETHER WE WILL BEAT IT.

Have a lovely time and if you don't mind, I will read out your kind message from xxx at the celebration.

This has been an automated message.

On 7 Aug 2011, at 10:37, jxx xxtter wrote:

MiS,Thank you for the invite to your mum & dads surprise party,sorry we shall be unable to attend due to other commitments.
Please give our regards and we wish them all the best and have a great time with family and friends.
Mr& Mrs J xxtter

Welcome To My Pop-Up

2011-08-02T21:55:00.003+01:00

Xfe is gone away - for 8 weeks!!!

Paris-Taiwan-China...

While I think I'm heading to the kitchen. Pop-up (according to my TimeOut) is all the rage.

Welcome to my pop-up! Instead of going out I'm going to offer for 6 guests only a pop-up dining experience. On 13 August (subject to 6 discerning consumers) I'm serving an exclusive dining experience.

Meat feast (you have to like meat). £30 per head, BYOB. Email me for a reservation.

Apple Buggeration

2011-07-31T10:23:00.002+01:00

Last weekend I upgraded Snow Leopard to Lion.

When I went to use Eudora it wouldn't work. Work and Excel also had a "no entry" sort of sign over the icons.

After a little research I realised that the Outlook for Mac I used was for Power PC chips (used by Apple before Intel was inside). Lion no longer supported Power PC software.

My archive - and more importantly Xfe's - archives of emails, addresses, attachments and other documents using mail were lost.

SO, thought I, no option but to buy new Office for Students for Mac. Only to find, when I loaded it and ran Outlook, I had to upgrade to "buy" it.

What?!! Then looking at the box I noticed only Word, Excel and Powerpoint are included. Outlook is not.

I tried to find the .eml files etc, transfer from one Mac to another. But all in vein.

Eventually, 11.30pm on Tuesday night I thought of a solution...

The Garden - July 2011

2011-07-28T22:03:00.003+01:00

Here's how the garden is currently looking, after 1 year ...

Lonely House

2011-07-24T15:59:00.004+01:00

Well, the family have been and gone, and once again the house is empty.

It was super fun having our nephew and niece stay with Uncle Riffroff and Uncle Gok.

Xfe has far more patience with them than I. But they are lovely and a delight.

I had the week off and got into nephew LM's routine, watching his programmes, so much CBeebies. My favourites were Zing Zillas (I counted the coconuts with Granite and Gravel until the big zing) and Show Me (where L does his funky moves, then freezes - great stuff).

Here are some best bits.

They'll be back again at Christmas. We are having my parents and brother and family. It is going to be so over the top, and that's a promise!!

Cheeky Monkies

2011-07-21T08:54:00.001+01:00

At the zoo...

The Excitement

2011-07-16T11:14:00.004+01:00

Great excitement (me a little, Xfe overly so). Our nephew and niece are arriving today to stay with us - with their Mum and Dad - for a week.

Xfe is a patient and joyous Uncle. He's great. When I've had enough I just tell nephew LG to go show/tell/ask/bother his Uncle Xfe!

Nephew LG is almost 3 and niece LO almost 1 (so I expect she is a little less effort).

(Only joking - I am looking forward to seeing them. I haven't seen niece LO since just after she was born, and nephew LG for about 10 months or so).

My great pleasure is seeing how much happiness they bring Xfe. They really do.

The Working Crowd

2011-07-14T21:07:00.003+01:00

I couldn't help it. I had so may favourites, and while this doesn't make me rock, it really takes me back.

My video BTW!

Something Of Your Very Own

2011-07-14T08:48:00.001+01:00

Last night I was transported back to 1979, to my bedroom, living at home with my parents.

One year for my birthday I got a record player. It was a kind of portable lo-fi one. Certainly not a stereo.

I had a few records to play on it. One of the first that I ever bought, I played over and over. A 12" single, with an alternate French version of the song on it, and B side I also liked.

The band became a favourite, before new wave led to indie and The Smiths.

One of the bands whose music takes me back...

Living in my bedroom, and only just teenager, Blondie became a firm favourite. I never ever thought in my little teenage world in parochial home-town that I'd ever see them.

But tonight, almost 32 years later I was 3 people back from the front of stage listening to Atomic, Union City Blues, Dreaming, Sunday Girl, Heart of Glass and oh so many others. I loved it.

But here is an amazing thing. Debbie Harry is older than Xfe's mother and just a little more than 3 years younger than mine. My goodness!!!!

More Garden Chores

2011-07-13T09:50:00.004+01:00

We're back from Stockholm. I ordered some compost while we were there for delivery and it arrived at 8.30am this morning.

Over 1000 litres to fill up the borders....

In the meantime, we think the garden is looking rather nicely thank you.

Holiday Reading 1

2011-07-12T14:12:00.001+01:00

I finished reading The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, appropriate reading for Stockholm I thought. As one of the waiters on Finnhamn explained to me yesterday, "Capturing, isn't it?".

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Location:Tegelbacken,Stockholm,Sweden

A Silver Darling - Stockholm Day 2

2011-07-08T20:42:00.000+01:00

So, here we are in Stockholm, in a fantastic room at the Sheraton. When we booked there was a twin queen room available at the same rate as a queen. I told him to take it. He had a little moan of doubt - but when I explained that having 2 queen beds didn't mean we had to use them both, he sort of saw the point. Now we are here he does. The room is double the size of the others.

There is one small problem with the room. I'll explain later, but for the moment let me just say that Stephen King would no doubt write a blockbuster novel inspired by it!

Last night we went out for dinner at ......... I has the taste of Sweden platter (delicious) followed by Elk meatballs and mash - the most traditional of Swedish cuisine. Xfe had a selection of herring and then a salmon skewer. I have to say his herring dish was a winner.

I was struck by Sweden as soon as we started flying over it, the mix of green and water. As we descended even better. Forests and lakes everywhere. Stockholm is surrounded by water and with quite a number of imposing, historic buildings.

I could live here, but Xfe not. The winters would be too cold and the nights too long. That, for me, would not however be a problem...

Location:Kungsgatan,Stockholm,Sweden

Garden Ever After

2011-07-04T08:20:00.004+01:00

Here are a couple of pics, showing the finished result, after the hard weekend graft.

But first the before:

Now the after...

Actually, there is still some work left to do. We have to raise the borders to level off the brick. We can do that once we have successfully recycled the top soil.

The Big Ache

2011-07-03T08:07:00.001+01:00

Oh my goodness, Xfe and I are completely ached-out. Yesterday we shifted over 3 tons of sand and stone into the back garden.

The grass we had didn't winter very well. Over winter it was pretty sodden and the grass destroyed and extremely patchy. So, Xfe decided we should get rid of the lawn and cover it over with shingle.

Yesterday was the day. So, while other Londoners may have been enjoying Pride under the sun, we were doing back breaking work, lifting turf, digging up and replacing with sand and stone. Over 3 tons, plus some 160 bricks. Which was well calculated - we only had 4 left over.

I will post some pics once I've got them over from Xfe's phone later.

In the meantime I. Need a rub...

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Olympic Dream Tickets - Update

2011-06-26T08:19:00.003+01:00

Well, there's no email. So is it just another system failure or does it mean Xfe was unsuccessful?

It is hardly beyond the realms of possibility that the system has just failed to cope and perhaps allocated more tickets than were available, leaving even more of a guddle to be sorted!!

Olympic Dream Tickets?

2011-06-25T12:32:00.005+01:00

So, yesterday was the second chance to buy Olympic tickets for London 2012. After the first round lottery, tickets left over were available on a first come first serve basis for those applicants who were unsuccessful first time around (like Xfe).

That said there was very little choice. Swimming, cycling, diving and gymnastics were all sold out after the first round. Very limited athletics tickets were left over though...

I was logged in and waiting at approximately 5.20am. At 6am as promised the tickets became available to purchase. For the first 3-4 minutes all seemed to work well, but when I tried to check-out...

At 06.07.39:

at 06.23.09:

at 06.23.18:

at 06.23.45:

at 06.31.04:

and at 06.31.33:

Sorry, We Cannot Process Your Request

2011-06-24T06:11:00.002+01:00

London 2012!

What a surprise. Website unable to cope...

Ridiculous!!!

First Come, First Serve

2011-06-23T22:28:00.001+01:00

Oh just wait and see how London 2012 website will crash tomorrow at 6am with the weight of those trying for second chance tix for London Olympics 2012. Including Xfe.

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In The End

2011-06-22T20:59:00.008+01:00

We have been getting deliveries galore. I think my Internet buying addiction is a sure sign of some unhappiness elsewhere in my life. Of course! Classic behaviour. What else.

Amazon as always is a prime suspect, but so too sites for plants (office plants for clean air retailing in the hundreds of pounds - because they come in amazing self-watering containers).

Books, CDs, forbiddenplanet.com. Travel tickets, more plants and concert tickets. Apps, for the pad.

The latest thing is anything Stockholm. Books, DVDs (set in and or filmed in) and guides.

But, hurrah! In this week's TimeOut I see Justin Bond is playing at the Soho Theatre. I missed him last time. But not this time around. Oh no. we will be there.

You may have seem Justin in Shortbus, or elsewhere. His new album is out now. Dendrophile. With a gorgeous Scott Matthew cover.

Already I am dreaming of Christmas and Christmas shopping. Sabon patchouli vanilla and lavender is the new Dr. Haushka don't you know?

We can get it in Tel Aviv, Paris and New York. But not, yet, in London. So I have in mind a trip to Paris late autumn to stock up on the Sabon product to gift away.

In truth we have really been austere this year in sympathy and in fear. Each month I salary sacrifice to allow a £2.6k injection into my pension. The pension pays the mortgage in 23 years and 11 months we hope.

As a back-up I try and repay between £500-£1k capital per month, just in case. The last few months it's been the k.

As a result I have no surplus left to spend. As soon as my salary hits my account, the balance left covers regular mortgage payments and other bills. Ok, my spending thereafter may put me withdrawn, but I can rely on the tenant's rent to cover that, which it so far does.

Usually I can bear the austerity, but just for the moment I feel the need to spend.

This morning I heard that interest rates might be subject to change in autumn. By the time I was heading home I read in the Standard that interest rates will be on hold for at least a year.

No wonder that I'm up and down.

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2011-06-19T08:53:00.005+01:00

Last night we went to see John Malkovitch in The Infernal Comedy at the Barbican.

The story of Jack Unterweger - presented here as a stage-play for a Baroque-Orchestra, two sopranos and one actor, by Michael Sturminger - is a fascinating one.

Sentenced to life for strangling a prostitute in 1974, he turned to writing in prison - so successfully that the Austrian intelligentsia campaigned for his release after serving a minimum 15-year term, to which the authorities agreed, believing him rehabilitated.

Subsequently he killed at least another nine women, both in Europe and the US - all the while reporting as a journalist on his own crimes - before his final arrest in Florida.

If we imagine, that I am the killer, what could possibly be more intriguing, than to gain all the information about the state of police investigations concerning the murders I have committed. Soon I am producing radio interviews with anxious hookers, asking them about the murderer out there, waiting to strike again.

Soon I am talking to policemen and detectives and they are informing me about their strategies, approaches and policies.
Can you imagine the strange feeling of supremacy, of omnipotence, of getting away with anything. I have something like a permission to kill women, without being caught. If I want to, I can just pick up a girl on the next corner...

The piece is structured as a series of monologues by Unterweger, interspersed with a sequence of concert arias by Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn and Weber – music intended to depict female vulnerability and at the same time extremes of desire, rage, and despair.

However, despite a consistent and believable performance from Malkovitch, I was left feeling emotionally disconnected with the whole thing. I found it hard to sympathise with the two sopranos, finding the music and the involvement of the orchestra intrusive as if it were part of something else.

Yip Yay

2011-06-17T22:28:00.004+01:00

Blooks

2011-06-14T21:25:00.001+01:00

With a holiday in just over 3 weeks time, I'm open to reading recommendations.

The last book I finished reading was in January! Since then I've been dipping in and ordering plenty. After all, they look good around the house, and besides Xfe reads heaps.

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To Take A Lover

2011-06-14T08:06:00.001+01:00

Whilst lying in the bath on Saturday morning the thought crossed my mind whether life was richer for the experience brought to you by taking a lover. That is, a lover whilst already in a relationship.

I don't know how the thought came into my mind. What linked it to the original thought that I linked in between the first thought and that particular thought.

Like an interlude, a lover breathes a breath of fresh air. What better gift to my partner than to let him enjoy the distraction of a lover. When I am too busy, too neglectful whether deliberately or not knowingly. Knowing the physical pleasure, attention and comfort it gives.

Like a fine wine, a warm blanket or thrilling firework.

The fresh perspective, an alternative way of thinking, a lover, like absence, could make the heart grow fonder.

I have a favourite book, but I still read others. My favourite song is often revisited, and it will always be so. But the delight of listening to something fresh never looses appeal.

So why not?

Of course I'm not saying it will be so; far from it. As with many others, the thought arrived fleetingly and commanded a moments attention.

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Before Glee

2011-06-11T05:30:00.005+01:00

Before Glee, (and Cop Rock*), we had the Kids from Fame.

I think it was one of the first albums I ever had, My GrandMa bought it for me one Christmas.

I loved Desdemona. I had been studying Othello at school for my English higher - so it made perfect sense

When Coco and Miss Grant went head to head for a Broadway part, it was unhappiness all round. But this is the version that was reprised for Coco's goodbye.

And poor Julie couldn't really sing (nor dance). All she was good for was putting a cello between her legs. Then, one season, she never came back, having got knocked-up over summer vacation. In truth, Lori Singer went Footloose.

*OMG, how we laughed about this musical police drama series!!! A critical and commercial failure

MiPad

2011-06-10T15:05:00.001+01:00

So, despite my best intentions, I bought an iPad 2.

The thing is, having played with it at the airport I avoided it at duty free Dixons (the price was approximately £8 less than the high street price).

However when we arrived at Aberdeen we had a few hours to kill at the station, and they have an Apple store there...

What do I think?

The size is fantastic. The keyboard is actually ok, and not difficult to use at all. My typing skills don't demand anything better.

The cover is ingenious and fantastically engineered.

But what can I use it for? Surfing, blogging (having found the app), email. But not quite the usual Internet stuff. There is no flash player because of some dispute, so that is a chore. I can't use websites to best advantage as I can on the mac.

Do I need it? No.

Do I like it? Yes. More than I thought I would.

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Thursday, Thursday

2011-06-09T08:32:00.001+01:00

I have the feeling that work is totally out of control at the moment. On top of that I have a stinking cold to deal with.

Still, the sun is shining, our garden is looking green and good, and

Xfe is home.

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Time Changes Everything

2011-06-07T08:24:00.001+01:00

On Saturday we were in the north-east corner of Scotland for the wedding of a university friend, ex-flatmate and former colleague (we trained together at the same law firm).

However, over the years since then we grew apart; he and a few of our wider group of friends went on to do a lot more things together, travel, club and party in ways that didn't really suit me.

While the other core of our wider group stayed in touch, and we with them, I was the only invitee from my group.

Yesterday's wedding really brought home how much some of us had grown apart.

It was great to see old friends, and members of the groom's family who I used to see regularly when we were close friends. But time and distance did it's work.

In part, some of that has to do with different social needs and aspirations. They have moved onto families, children. We have not.

In some respects it is a relief that I know I won't see them again, probably, and if I do it will be as part of the larger core. Still, there is a sadness and regret at the passing of time and the distance of friendship.

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Location:Mid-air (Aberdeen to London)

Seagulls And Sky

2011-06-04T11:48:00.001+01:00

Here we are in the hotel in readiness for our trip out to Haddo House for the wedding. Friends and former colleagues some last seen over 10 years ago.

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Location:Aberdeen city centre

Test

2011-06-03T15:09:00.001+01:00

Mini break in super sunny Scotland. We are at my parents before heading into Aberdeen for a wedding tomorrow.

Here Xfe is relaxing at the parents.

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Location:Laurencekirk

London 2012

2011-06-01T22:27:00.002+01:00

You may recall that I applied for £7,359 of Olympic tickets for London 2012.

Yesterday was the last day for money to be debited. I am pleased to reveal I was successful to the tune of....

£94.

I can work out from the amount billed what I have by way of tickets. 4 tix for athletics for 4 August 2012.

See you then!!!

(we won't be seeing Tom and Max...)

€500

2011-05-31T08:29:00.002+01:00

We had a housewarming gift from Xfe's parents - €500. Needless to say Xfe put it somewhere inappropriate, and it sat there for months.

Now we can't find it....I think it had been packed away somewhere, or even worse - discarded with the rubbish!

Those Gangers Get Everywhere

2011-05-29T17:14:00.007+01:00

My gangers tell me I shouldn't do things in the kitchen.

Give...

I like to give.

Support where you can.

Sink deep, because hands that do dishes can be soft as your face...

Now The Sabotage Don't Work

2011-05-27T20:34:00.003+01:00

Picture says, sabotage doesn't work.

Yup, it's true. But I say...watch this space.

Svenska

2011-05-26T19:55:00.003+01:00

Holiday bargain alert!!

Last night we booked a mini-break. We're off to Stockholm for 6 days. Flying Club Europe with BA, 5 nights in the Sheraton and it's costing us £192. Spend to save.

We had booked into the Sheraton SoHo in New York and I was on the point of confirming Club World BA flights until I found out the tax and airport charges to fly BA0001 was going to be approx £850. Whilst nothing pleases me more than the thought of flying 8 hours in BA business class, with a bed, £850 doesn't fit in with our age of austerity theme for 2011.

So then we looked at a map to see where we could go. I couldn't get flights to Las Vegas. BA (even on BA Club World) was too far for a mini-break. Istanbul had no availability. So we settled on Stockholm.

In keeping with the age of austerity I'll be buying my booze at the airport to take with me.

Tena Pants And Ciggies

2011-05-24T22:53:00.003+01:00

Tonight it was off to one of my favourite haunts to see the now-time rock grandma and soon to be 70-year old survivor, Marianne Faithful.

Whilst not untuneful, she doesn't do much in the way of vocal variety. Just tanic gravel loud and LOUDER.

Though the pensioners in the audience who lived with her from the 60s to present day probably would be disappointed with anything less.

There's something funny-queer seeing an erstwhile rehab rebel dropping the names of great grand-daddy rockers like Keith Richards, Mick Jagger and Roger Waters whilst coughing up phlegm in-between and wearing tena pants (probably).

Still, I rather enjoyed it.

The Rebel Flesh - Mondas?

2011-05-23T21:56:00.005+01:00

So, are we seeing the genesis of the Cybermen in the two-parter The Rebel Flesh and The Almost People?

I think so.

The clues:

"Early technology"
the design of the acid suit

the planet is in our solar system

and it looks like Earth

Mondas (according to Wikipedia):

"Mondas is Earth's twin planet, identical down to even the size and shapes of its continents. Millions of years ago, it was the tenth planet of the Solar System, until somehow it drifted out of its orbit and journeyed into deep space. In Mondas' first appearance in the 1966 serial The Tenth Planet, it is stated that "Mondas" is another name for Earth in one of the ancient languages (compare mundo).

What exactly moved Mondas out of its orbit is not known. According to the book Cybermen by Davis Banks it was the arrival of the Moon in orbit around Earth, but the canonicity of this is uncertain. According to the Cybermen themselves, the Mondasians were once exactly like human beings, but to remove various weaknesses such as a decreasing lifespan, their scientists designed cybernetic spare parts to replace the organs of the human body. They also considered emotions a weakness, and removed those from their brains as well, becoming extremely powerful and long-lived while at the cost of becoming cold, logical and machine-like in their ruthlessness. It is unclear if this conversion process arose because of environmental necessity after Mondas left its orbit or for other reasons."

In a comment on an earlier post Matthew Celestis said...

You did not even mention The World Shapers strip, in which Mondas turns out to be Marinus (the planet with the acid sea) and the original Cybermen, the Voord in their acid suits.

and

You knew The World Shapers was by Grant Morrison, so I thought you knew that already.

Of course, I don't think Grant Morrison had actually watched The Keys of Marinus before writing The World Shapers, as the only thing from that story he references is the Voord and the name of the planet.

It does make a lot of sense. A computer governing people, blokes with handlebars on their helmets, a very earth-like planet (apart from the acid sea) and the peculiar fact that the old bloke at the beginning seems to have lived quite a long time (partially cybernised).

Lance Parkin considers Mondas as Marinus to be canonical. Tat Wood and Lawrence Miles dismiss The World Shapers as a bit silly.

So, perhaps, at last, we are going to find out what moved Mondas out of its orbit.

(Though I can't work out why Dusty Springfield would be playing on Mondas, not unless its peoples were identical).

A Partner Is For Life?

2011-05-22T11:32:00.005+01:00

Not just for Christmas!

Gay Banker recently posted on Sharing one's life with a partner:

I recently suggested to a friend that one of the purposes of a gay relationship was to share one's life with someone else. I was surprised to hear his response, which was that to start out with any purpose like that was prejudging what might happen, and hence inviting failure. He seemed to suggest that perhaps the starting point could be love, but nothing beyond that. For straight couples, one of the reasons for a relationship can be to have children, but for gay couples that reason doesn't really apply.

I've written before about how gay relationships should be constructed (1, 2), but those posts were more from the point of view of whether relationships need to be monogamous or not. I think that when I wrote those posts, I was assuming a situation where two gay guys do want to share their lives with each other, so that isn't the issue.

If a gay "relationship" is purely based on sex, then I reckon the two guys are fuckbuddies rather than boyfriends or partners. For two gay guys that call themselves partners, surely the idea of sharing one's life with the other guy is fundamental?

I often think about the nature of relationships. Having had two long-term partners before meeting Xfe, I have a degree of experience.

I agree with GB about sharing lives. But I think the real question is whether this is (or should be) for life.

Which is a different issue.

Living together for life may be what people (gay or straight) aspire to, but why do they aspire to it? Perhaps because it is seen as the "social norm". What people do.

But when those norms are based on, say, morality or aspirational values, are they realistic?

Do we then aspire to something that is not consistent with our natural selves, or nature?

The seven year itch. It seems to me that tag exists because a relationship runs a natural course, far less than life. On average, perhaps 7 years.

Certainly having children is a reason why couples are encouraged to stay together through thick and thin. To protect and provide. Sometimes when things are falling apart the children are the glue, the reason to make the relationship work.

So, people do. And we see it as the norm, something to aspire to.

The Working Week

2011-05-22T07:53:00.002+01:00

Work has been full-on over recent weeks.

Almost two and a half years ago, when the credit crunch first started to make an impact here we suffered redundancies. Then about six months later, another round. That left us about a third less in our department than we originally were.

Now that things have been busier, much busier, for some time now we are more than creaking from the seams. There is no space capacity to deal with small - minor stuff; and the more complex projects need to be juggled.

Although the weeks fly by, they are incredibly busy and full of stress.

I start to feel the looming dread of Monday's arrival on the Sunday. Watching the clock, counting the hours. During the week the quality of sleep is poor. I wake up 2.30am and drift in and out of sleep. I am fairly awake at 5am, and by 7am I'm on my way to the office.

By the evening I have little energy or concentration, so I leave the office around 8.30pm-9pm, come home and get off to bed before 10pm if possible.

On Friday night/Saturday morning I woke up around 3.30am. I was not stressed, but felt too tired to sleep. Is there such a thing? My eyes were sore with fatigue, but I had to get up, to avoid stressing about not sleeping. I was back in bed around 6am.

When I am working like this I do like to take full advantage of the weekend and cram as much in, and as much relaxation.

Early Technology

2011-05-21T21:09:00.007+01:00

The Rebel Flesh.

I think we are on Mondas. (Didn't the planet at the beginning look rather like the Earth - Mondas is our twin planet).

Early technology... Replacing limbs, body parts, but the Flesh was the early technology.

The Cyberman shell perhaps serving the evolved function of the acid suit?

"Early technology".

I recently blogged about the creation of the Cybermen according to Target.

Might the acid suits become the Cybermen body casing? There may well be a clue in the design...

IDris - And The Cybermen Conspiracy?

2011-05-17T06:31:00.006+01:00

Elsewhere I had speculated that Gaiman's Who episode involved the ID of the TARDIS (hence IDris). It was explicit, though sometimes explicit is far from obvious.

Id

The id comprises the unorganised part of the personality structure that contains the basic drives.

The id is unconscious by definition:

"It is the dark, inaccessible part of our personality, what little we know of it we have learned from our study of the dream-work and of the construction of neurotic symptoms, and most of that is of a negative character and can be described only as a contrast to the ego. We approach the id with analogies: we call it a chaos, a cauldron full of seething excitations... It is filled with energy reaching it from the instincts, but it has no organisation, produces no collective will, but only a striving to bring about the satisfaction of the instinctual needs subject to the observance of the pleasure principle."

In the id,

"contrary impulses exist side by side, without cancelling each other out....There is nothing in the id that could be compared with negation...nothing in the id which corresponds to the idea of time."

Developmentally, the id is anterior to the ego; i.e. the psychic apparatus begins, at birth, as an undifferentiated id, part of which then develops into a structured ego. Thus, the id:

"...contains everything that is inherited, that is present at birth, is laid down in the constitution — above all, therefore, the instincts, which originate from the somatic organisation, and which find a first psychical expression here (in the id) in forms unknown to us."

In the meantime, lets examine the Cybermen.

We have already had the Silence (plural - Silents).

Can you fit their face into a Cyberman mask? Or rather, if you peel the mask away, what might you find underneath...?

My 1980 re-print of the 1976 Target Book of Doctor Who And The Tenth Planet has a prequel - The Creation of the Cybermen.

Centuries ago by our Earth time, a race of men on the far-distant planet of Telos sough immortality. They perfected the art of cybernetics - the reproduction of machine functions in human beings. As bodies became old and diseased, they were replaced limb by limb, with plastic and steel.

....

Their main impediment was one that only flesh and blood men would have recognised; they had no heat, no emotions, no feelings.

....

They achieved immortality at a terrible price. They became dehumanised monsters. And, like the human monsters down through all the ages of Earth, they became aware of the lack of love and feeling in their lives and substituted another goal - power!

Auntie and Uncle are made up of parts when in need of replacement. House renewed their parts for them. Replaced, when done.

["As bodies became old and diseased, they were replaced..."]

The Rebel Flesh

Flesh working. Flesh on flesh. Replace the human part...

The Moonbase

Novelised as Doctor Who and the Cybermen (I have the 1976 reprint of the 1974 Target original).

Prologue: The Creation of the Cybermen

Centuries ago by our Earth time, a race of men on the far distant planet of Telos sought immortality. They perfected the art of cybernetics - the reproduction of machine functions in human beings. As bodies became old and diseases, they were replaced limb by limb, with plastic and steel.

The Age of Steel.

So, will there be Cybermen? It does seem that there is at least a bit of a theme running.

But might series 6 turn out to be all about them?

Tagine, And Sabotage

2011-05-15T18:13:00.006+01:00

I have, for the best part of 24 hours, been massaging the meat that is lamb, for a delicious tagine. I hope.

Let me tell you, we do have a very sexy butcher. The rest are minging, but one is truly H.O.T. Well, at least I think he is.

So, recipe says bathe the meat in spices overnight. Hence last night's pasta. But tonight...Mmm, smells delicious (while slow cooking).

In the meantime. We went to Alexandra Palace Garden Centre today. Whoopee, wow! SO much to choose from. We spent over the ton again. But how worth it.

Last night I dreamed our neighbour told me it would be OK to cut down this plant if we preferred. It has been "bugging" me for 48 hours or so. The plant, not the dream.

So I did it. In the best Hammer House of Horror dream/reality dichotomy I took my mini-saw to the roots. Sliced through. Watch it die. And how I know nothing about it. (But if it becomes an issue I can simply pay them off - in kind, or preferably, in cash).

I am not a nice person - but you knew that, right?

Fairy Tale Dreams Come Tru

2011-05-13T19:34:00.002+01:00

Where did those Royals get their inspiration?

Kruse On The Rude Tube

2011-05-11T19:50:00.004+01:00

On the 5th May there may well have been a suspect package deposited on the Central Line, a looming spectre suggesting revenge terrorist attack, following on from Obama's taking out Bin Laden.

But on that morning the suspect package that confronted me on London's Underground was even more dangerous.

I'm often, actually frequently, cruised on the tube. I guess I have a certain :heir: about me. I put it down to wearing a suit. A rather nice one (for each day). One that stirs the parts other suits fail to reach. Not that I'm looking for anything. It just helps the journeys pass quicker and distracts from the horror of work to follow.

On Thursday I entered the carriage as normal. So did a guy who looked a little like Joey Essex, but far better looking. Anyway, it wasn't him (as if I would). It was some guy with a few piercings and a bit of facial hair. Not my thing, but take the beard away and he was incredibly handsome.

He kept catching my eye.

As seats became available he moved closes to me.

I saw him slowly licking his lips.

I opened my second top shirt button, just to flirt.

He touched himself.

He moved closer.

I turned away (not to be obvious).

He pushed against me.

He pushed against me.

I did nothing.

He pushed against me.

I turned round, stared at him and rubbed just below my neck, exposing my chest hair.

I turned around.

I felt his excitement.

I heard him whisper "piss" and "mouth".

Mine or his?

I alighted at the next stop, minding the gap.

The Wedding

2011-05-04T21:12:00.003+01:00

So, we had a party for the wedding. A street party in the garden.

We had plenty of bunting and stuff - in the garden and in the house.

We had some Pimms as well - the most delicious of summer drinks.

As you know, we don't go in for half measures. Here was my glass of Pimms... A tad oversized you might say. But simply delicious!

(that is a 1-litre bottle of Pimms)

Celebrating Le Marriage

2011-05-01T13:59:00.001+01:00

I'm guessing this won't make it into the official photo album...

Towering Velveteen

2011-04-28T19:59:00.002+01:00

Hedwig may be in the box. But today we bucked the RW&B trend to do something different.

The Doctor Who Experience, at Olympia.

If you click the photo I think it will take you to more on Flickr. Enjoy.

It's Coming Soon

2011-04-28T09:09:00.003+01:00

Plans have been made.

The preparations are well underway.

For the big celebration here in London...

Here is how my cupboard is looking. Very patriotic.

The Red The White The Blue

2011-04-28T06:02:00.002+01:00

Continuing with a celebration of all things red, white and blue, here's Olympic diving star (with plenty star quality to come in 2012) Tom Daley, flying the flag.

For some reason, my blog gets so many Google hits for Tom Daley naked, Tom Daley gay.

Her seems to have overtaken Ben Whishaw in popularity.

Perhaps it is the rush to buy tickets for London 2012.

For all those locals wanting to see Tom Daley, Olympic diver in the red, white and nude.

Royal Wedding Guests

2011-04-27T08:09:00.001+01:00

It's the hot ticket. In case you didn't already know, like Will's mother, Kate is a commoner.

And, so, as is the want of the bride's mother, family is thicker like blood. Apparently.

The Red

Ex-PMs Tony Blair and Gordon Brown are not invited.

The Sh*te

Uncle Gary Goldsmith is invited.

The Blue

Baroness Thatcher, John Major and David Cameron were invited. Unfortunately, the Baroness is in ill-health and declined.

The Countdown

2011-04-26T21:46:00.008+01:00

We are rather in something of an hysteria here in London. If it has escaped your notice, well, there's a certain event happening here on Friday (the clue is in the red, white and blue hanging all the way down Regent Street here to Piccadilly Circus).

Le marriage. But best of all, we get an extra day's bank holiday. That has meant with Easter first and May Day on it's heels, we have two 4-day back to back bank holiday weekends.

Take off the extra 3 days in between and I'm not back to work for another week. Hurrah!

We went shopping today in Oxford Street/Regent Street, and We are transformed.

So, is MadeInScotland getting ready to street party or else to watch DVDs or old films all day Friday?

Bunting, or bah humbug (see the red, white and blue yet)?

Just wait and see...

Eurovision Blues

2011-04-26T09:50:00.006+01:00

Not that I need cheering up, but forever happy I am when I listen to the Eurovision 2007 songs from our Helsinki honeymoon.

Here's Eirikur for Iceland

and here on my blog, reading all about him, on my blog!

Lego Who

2011-04-25T11:28:00.002+01:00

Well it's not really Lego but the next best thing. Can't wait for the other figures to come out.

And I'm loving this new app....

Season Of The Visitor

2011-04-24T07:41:00.006+01:00

So, season 6 of Doctor Who kicked off last night with space, 1969 - The Impossible Astronaut, and a fitting tribute.

All the characters were there, but there was something I didn't quite like about it. I love having a story arc, but I got fed up watching Lost, Heroes because it just became too involved and too difficult. Plotting and setting up are great, so long as we move forward and have resolutions, rather than more questions.

Amy seemed whiny. I liked her character last season, less so last night.

But River Song. Her banter with the Doctor - classic. Especially her quip about how he seemed to have gone down rather well on Easter Island (the locals erecting the statues in tribute to him). Spot on.

So, the season of the visitor has started. I love having guests. On Thursday night best friend arrived from Warsaw, for one night en route to Scotland for Easter. He is back on Tuesday until after the Royal Wedding.

Z arrives from Paris today for 2 weeks. Her boyfriend Aymeric arrives next Wednesday for the balance of her stay. Then the weekend after the wedding we have C&C with us from Paris.

I'm off work until after the May day bank holiday, and may the weather remain glorious!!

A Tear, Sarah Jane?

2011-04-23T06:30:00.008+01:00

Doctor Who may be back on screen tonight, but the Whoniverse will be a sadder place without Sarah Jane Smith.

czechOUT from 1:40 - rather poignant!

The week started with the excitement of the release of Planet of the Spiders, when 3 became 4. But on Tuesday night I heard that Lis Sladen, the actress that was Sarah Jane Smith, had died.

As a 6 year old, Sarah Jane was my friend and from December 1973 until late 1976 my Saturday teatime companion. That's probably why the news was incredibly sad for a generation or two.

So, tonight, when Matt Smith returns in The Impossible Astronaut, it will still be Sarah Jane Smith I'm thinking of.

For further reading, see Memorabilia Antonina: Elisabeth Sladen, 1946-2011.

Sarah Jane Smith - Lis Sladen R.I.P.

2011-04-20T08:14:00.003+01:00

Last night I learned that Lis Sladen had died.

Elisabeth Sladen's Sarah Jane Smith and her times with Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, especially the Sarah Jane Smith/Doctor 4 combo, is and always will be classic Doctor Who for me.

Halcyon childhood days and memories are stirred.

I didn't know Lis Sladen, but I knew Sarah Jane Smith.

So, goodbye Sarah Jane. You were the best.

My Sarah Jane

2011-04-19T22:18:00.003+01:00

Goodbye to Lis Sladen, my Sarah Jane.