Today's High Notes are only high compared to how rubbish I felt for most of last week - I guess they are more like the high notes in a good karaoke song than something an opera singer would be proud of, but they are my high notes, so there! Anyone who wants to complain can (to quote from Futurama) kiss my shiny metal ass!
My cold/flu thingy has more or less gone! Yay!!!!! No more feeling that my brain has turned to ooze and is trying to escape down my nose!
To make sure I got better, Mrs RC made me the best banoffee pie ever. It was so good, in fact, that the kids decided that it was not just for me and managed to eat most of it for me.
I had a check at the dentists this morning and got the all clear. This always gives a good feeling, does it not?
Starting the new week with a clear head - plenty to do but I can handle it - BRING IT ON!
Monday, 31 October 2011
Friday, 28 October 2011
Perseverance rewarded at last!
I like bookshops.
I like to browse, flicking through books, checking the offers, the new releases.
I like the SMELL of bookshops. They are second only to libraries.
I don't like buying books online. In fact I only buy ANYTHING online if desperate.
I like to support my local bookshop against the onslaught of online book shops.
And they do need support. A nearby one shutdown recently - the owner had got to the stage where he felt that the shop was nothing more than a showroom were people would look at the stock and then stand there and order the thing online using their iPhone!
Anyway, to the point of this post.
Back in June I ordered a book at my local bookshop. The publishers had intended that anyone who wanted it would buy it online, but my reasoning was that if it had an ISBN number then my local shop SHOULD be able to get it.
And I was right.
Eventually.
It arrived today!
I make that just over 4 months.
OK, so I did almost give up a couple of times, but after a while I just wanted to see it through to the end.
The guy in the shop was SOOOooo pleased to give it to me - and he almost believed me when I said that I didn't want it any more...
Have a great weekend!
I like to browse, flicking through books, checking the offers, the new releases.
I like the SMELL of bookshops. They are second only to libraries.
I don't like buying books online. In fact I only buy ANYTHING online if desperate.
I like to support my local bookshop against the onslaught of online book shops.
And they do need support. A nearby one shutdown recently - the owner had got to the stage where he felt that the shop was nothing more than a showroom were people would look at the stock and then stand there and order the thing online using their iPhone!
Anyway, to the point of this post.
Back in June I ordered a book at my local bookshop. The publishers had intended that anyone who wanted it would buy it online, but my reasoning was that if it had an ISBN number then my local shop SHOULD be able to get it.
And I was right.
Eventually.
It arrived today!
I make that just over 4 months.
OK, so I did almost give up a couple of times, but after a while I just wanted to see it through to the end.
The guy in the shop was SOOOooo pleased to give it to me - and he almost believed me when I said that I didn't want it any more...
Have a great weekend!
Thursday, 27 October 2011
Me and cooking...
TechnoBabe wanted to know if I have ever worked as a Chef.
I guess the answer to this is "almost".
In the summer when I turned 15, I worked in a restaurant that was owned by a friend of the family. Due to the nature of our town, it only opened in the summer when there were tourists around. I was the kitchen dogs-body, washing up, using the potato peeling machine, mopping the floors each morning, that sort of thing. It was hard work but I threw myself into it. The owner said that he wanted to take me on as an apprentice in the following summer and train me up. Unfortunately, things didn't work out that way and the restaurant did not re-open the next summer and I ended up going to college instead.
But I was ALMOST a chef. I guess that would be another Alternative Me!
But I love cooking and eating - we always try to make mealtimes a family affair, getting the kids together and talking about "stuff" - what has happened to us during the day, what is happening in the world at large, the latest thing we have seen on a blog or YouTube. I just love it.
My mom never really excelled as a cook - she did good, basic stuff but we never really had the money to go beyond that. It was only after I started to get some money of my own that I started experimenting with cooking - Ken Hom's first book became my bible and at one point we were eating so much Chinese food that Mrs RC and I forgot how to use a knife and fork! We went to dinner at a friend's house and spent several minutes fumbling with them until we got the hang of it again.
I only became Rock Chef when I had my mid-life crisis. Some get a sports car, some get a young girl friend, but I got a new electric guitar. Until then I had only owned bass guitars. I was so eager to get as much playing time in as possible that I played while cooking, having a small battery powered amp clipped to my belt. It was great fun.
OK, that is enough for now! I think I am emerging from the depths of my cold. Time to get lunch.
I guess the answer to this is "almost".
In the summer when I turned 15, I worked in a restaurant that was owned by a friend of the family. Due to the nature of our town, it only opened in the summer when there were tourists around. I was the kitchen dogs-body, washing up, using the potato peeling machine, mopping the floors each morning, that sort of thing. It was hard work but I threw myself into it. The owner said that he wanted to take me on as an apprentice in the following summer and train me up. Unfortunately, things didn't work out that way and the restaurant did not re-open the next summer and I ended up going to college instead.
But I was ALMOST a chef. I guess that would be another Alternative Me!
But I love cooking and eating - we always try to make mealtimes a family affair, getting the kids together and talking about "stuff" - what has happened to us during the day, what is happening in the world at large, the latest thing we have seen on a blog or YouTube. I just love it.
My mom never really excelled as a cook - she did good, basic stuff but we never really had the money to go beyond that. It was only after I started to get some money of my own that I started experimenting with cooking - Ken Hom's first book became my bible and at one point we were eating so much Chinese food that Mrs RC and I forgot how to use a knife and fork! We went to dinner at a friend's house and spent several minutes fumbling with them until we got the hang of it again.
I only became Rock Chef when I had my mid-life crisis. Some get a sports car, some get a young girl friend, but I got a new electric guitar. Until then I had only owned bass guitars. I was so eager to get as much playing time in as possible that I played while cooking, having a small battery powered amp clipped to my belt. It was great fun.
OK, that is enough for now! I think I am emerging from the depths of my cold. Time to get lunch.
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Feeling rubbish
Got a bit of cold/flu going on, so I will leave you with this for today:
This is Frou Frou trying to convince us that she does not need to go outside into the cold and rain.
Monday, 24 October 2011
Hitting the High Notes
Last Friday, Terri revived her "Life is Good" posts, and encouraged others to join her in posting about the good things in life. This is intended to be the first of a regular feature here where I share some of those small things that make life good.
One constant High Note is my younger son's sense of humour. We were watching a TV show last night where a guy was in Soweto at a Bungee Jump site.
One constant High Note is my younger son's sense of humour. We were watching a TV show last night where a guy was in Soweto at a Bungee Jump site.
They have a platform between 2 disused cooling towers and jump from it. As they bounce around the jumpers go incredibly close to the towers. My son watched this and suggested that the paintings on the towers were to cover up the splat marks...
Another High Note is food. I love food - both cooking and eating. On Sunday evening I had the urge to make a nice dessert, so I set about the bowl of apples that had come from a friend's garden/orchard. Peeled and chopped I got them cooking slowly, adding a good dose of cinnamon as it went. Once these had cooked to a wonderful combination of firm pieces and sauce, I left it to cool and smashed up some biscuits to make a base, which I dolloped the apple onto.
Next I set to on the cream - I love whipping cream by hand with a wire whisk. None of that electric mixer stuff - I like to feel the cream thicken, choosing the perfect moment to stop. The cream was now spread onto the now cold apple and finished off with grated chocolate. Oh yeah, that was a great treat on a Sunday evening!
My final High Note is that it is home time for me! Sorry if you are only starting your working day...
Friday, 21 October 2011
Friday Roundup
Another busy week has flown past!
We are down to 3 rabbits. Earlier in the week we realised that Buttercup (the big brown and white one in the title photo) was not right, having lost control of her bladder. We took her to the vets who said they could run some tests but that it was probably just old age, so we had her put down. So we now have Houdini, Panda and Bubbles, their mother. Resisting the urge to get another friend for Bubbles as she is alone in her run now but can still talk to the babies who are right next door. We will see how it works out.
Warning - going Political for a moment!
So, Gaddafi is dead now! Can't be a bad thing, really. I see that Amnesty International want an investigation into how he died. Really? Please, concentrate on the real issues, don't waste time and money arguing about the fate of a man who had so much blood on his hands.
One thing that I WOULD like to see debated more, though, is the way that the NATO air strikes (mainly by the British and French) seem to have totally exceeded the UN mandate to protect civilians. With the current leaders of the British government having been so critical of the legality of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, their conduct in Libya smacks of more than a little bit of double-standards.
Political moment over.
The weekend is looking good - cold but dry. Plenty to do - shopping, stacking hay for Humphrey (my mom's pony), reading for my dissertation, cooking, etc. Meanwhile I think Mrs RC will continue redecorating our hall, which is taking on an increasingly red theme...
Right, better get back to things - have a great weekend!
We are down to 3 rabbits. Earlier in the week we realised that Buttercup (the big brown and white one in the title photo) was not right, having lost control of her bladder. We took her to the vets who said they could run some tests but that it was probably just old age, so we had her put down. So we now have Houdini, Panda and Bubbles, their mother. Resisting the urge to get another friend for Bubbles as she is alone in her run now but can still talk to the babies who are right next door. We will see how it works out.
Warning - going Political for a moment!
So, Gaddafi is dead now! Can't be a bad thing, really. I see that Amnesty International want an investigation into how he died. Really? Please, concentrate on the real issues, don't waste time and money arguing about the fate of a man who had so much blood on his hands.
One thing that I WOULD like to see debated more, though, is the way that the NATO air strikes (mainly by the British and French) seem to have totally exceeded the UN mandate to protect civilians. With the current leaders of the British government having been so critical of the legality of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, their conduct in Libya smacks of more than a little bit of double-standards.
Political moment over.
The weekend is looking good - cold but dry. Plenty to do - shopping, stacking hay for Humphrey (my mom's pony), reading for my dissertation, cooking, etc. Meanwhile I think Mrs RC will continue redecorating our hall, which is taking on an increasingly red theme...
Right, better get back to things - have a great weekend!
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
Custard and Frou Frou
The part of the blogosphere that I read has taken a decidedly doggy turn recently, so...
Meet Custard:
Custard is nearly 6 years old and is a bit of a softy. We got him at the age of 10 weeks, buying him from a local pig farmer.
Meet Frou Frou:
Frou is now 1 year old, is super cute but is also a bit of a tough nut. We bought her from a nearby stables after an exhausting hunt for a puppy - let down by rescue centres and a succession of supposed breeders that we found on the Internet, we eventually tracked her down at a nearby stable. Mostly but by no means all Yorkie, she is a great little character.
Custard and Frou Frou "play" together quite a lot, and this generally falls into 2 categories:
Play fighting. Custard laying on the floor like a beached whale with Frou attacking him - nipping his feet, jumping on his head, using him as a bouncy castle. When she was younger, Frou would put her entire head into Custard's mouth and lick his teeth clean. This sounds like a bad deal for Custard, but he does seem to have fun - he certainly tells her if she goes too far.
Steal the toy/chew - often started by Custard waving something around in front of Frou to get her attention. One of them has something that the other one desperately wants - never mind that there are a dozen or so other things littering the floor. If you have children you will recognise this behaviour. If Frou gets it she will run rings around Custard with it until he somehow corners her and takes it away, using his far superior strength. Frou now turns to a couple of strategies. If Custard remains standing, she alternately grabs at the toy and nips at his toes until either she gets it or he lays down with it and holds it between his paws. Now she gets subtle and starts turning her back on him, distracting him with her feminine charms. Once he has taken the bait she backs towards him until she is between his head and the toy, grabs it and is off. From time to time he stands his ground, refusing to give in, so she goes and finds something else to play with, which usually results her letting him have the new toy while she grabs the original one.
When it comes to chewies, Frou Frou finds them a bit hard at first, so she likes it when Custard has had a go at them first, making them nice and soft for her. Sometimes Custard will eat a whole chew while Frou waits for him to make it soft - this really annoys her, unless in his haste Custard has swallowed it too soon. This tends to result in him vomiting the chew back up, ready to be grabbed by the waiting Frou Frou. Yes, I know that is totally disgusting, but what can you do? Not so cute now, eh!
At meal times, they have their own bowls but Frou prefers to share Custard's dinner, sneaking mouthfuls of food when his head isn't blocking her way. She might eat her own food when Custard has finished, but often doesn't.
But they do love each other and are hard to seperate, often sleeping snuggled up together. Frou also seems to see herself as Custard's bodyguard, standing up to dogs that like to threaten Custard.
So there you have it - our Dynamic Duo!
Monday, 17 October 2011
Happy Birthday to Frou...
Our darling Frou Frou is 1 today!
Here she is on the day we got her.
And here she is camping in the summer, having stolen Custard's chew.
She has got plenty of presents which she unwrapped this morning and a birthday cake (made of meat and dog biscuits) which she will share with Custard tonight.
In around 6 weeks I am sure we will be celebrating Frou Frou Day - the anniversary of when we got her.
Thursday, 13 October 2011
Nose to the grindstone...
Had a really productive evening - got the bones of my dissertation down, started getting the references going and putting the relevant documents into a folder so I can find them easily when I need them.
I think I have done enough for one evening!
Off home now - bye!
Knuckling down
It starts tonight!
I have spent time since the early summer fiddling with data and creating maps.
Now is the time to start writing!
Thursday evenings have been set aside as writing time - I will stay at work to avoid the usual distractions and chip away each week until it is finished. If I find other time in between, even better, but I won't rely on it.
Wish me luck!
I have spent time since the early summer fiddling with data and creating maps.
Now is the time to start writing!
Thursday evenings have been set aside as writing time - I will stay at work to avoid the usual distractions and chip away each week until it is finished. If I find other time in between, even better, but I won't rely on it.
Wish me luck!
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
Lost in translation
I love the way that we can be chatting away with each other, apparently talking the same language, only to suddenly come across something that does not transmit properly.
My all time favourite was seeing Carrie Fisher on a British talk show talking about weight loss, holding her arms out and declaring that "my fanny used to be THIS BIG!", causing the presenter and audience to almost die laughing. That word means something totally different over here...
Anyway, my last post gave some of you the impression that I drink these in the morning:
This would be quite a feat, and even if made into some sort of smoothy I doubt it would taste very good even if it would probably be very good for you.
The squash that I drink is much more normal:
Fruit flavoured stuff that you mix with water.
Have a great Wednesday!
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
100 Random Things
I was just trawling through the "My Documents" folder and found a Meme that I did soon after I started blogging. Given the first question, I thought it might be fun to see how my answers have changed in nearly 5 years. The original answer will be first, followed by the new one in bold.
Here goes:
1. How old will you be in five years? 48. 53.
2. Who did you spend at least two hours with today? My wife. My wife.
3. How tall are you? 6’2”. Same - haven't started shrinking yet...
4. What do you look forward to most in the next six weeks? Playing wargames all day at the Society of Ancients Battle Day. My daughter’s birthday. Summer! Halloween, Guy Fawkes Night, my baby brother's birthday.
5. What's the last movie you saw? Terminator III. Land of the Dead, which is a surprisingly good zombie movie.
6. Who was the last person you called? My friend Steve. My wife.
7. Who was the last person to call you? My wife. My dad.
8. What was the last text message you received? My friend Steve moaning about the NHS. My friend Steve talking about alien invasions.
9. Who was the last person to leave you a voicemail? Don’t know, I never get them. I still never get them!
10. Do you prefer to call or text? Call. Call. Unless I am in the middle of watching a movie - my dad rang during Land of the Dead...
11. What were you doing at 12am last night? Laying in bed reading about Alexander the Great. I guess that is rather sad. Sleeping...
12. Are your parents married/divorced? Divorced. Still divorced - in fact even more so right now!
13. When did you last see your mom? This morning. This morning.
14. What color are your eyes? Blue-grey but if I wear green they look green. Still the same...
15. What time did you wake up today? 6.30am. 7am. Getting old...
16. What are you wearing right now? Short sleeved shirt, trousers, slippers – and undies of course! Jeans, Star Wars t-shirt, trainers.
17. What is your favourite Christmas song? Away in a Manger. My mom used to sing this to me when I was a child – even in the middle of the summer! Can't change this one either!
18. Where is your favourite place to be? Anywhere with the wife and kids. Ditto. I am starting to think that I haven't changed that much!
19. Where is your least favorite place to be? The local hospital. Any hospital!
20. Where would you go if you could go anywhere? I would do the coast to coast tour of Canada. Hey, I will be doing something like this in 2013!
21. Where do you think you'll be in 10 years? Not far from where I am now! Who can tell? Guess it depends on what happens to the British education system!
22. Do you tan or burn? Tan very slightly. My skin is still the same...
23. What did you fear was going to get you at night as a child? Things in the shadows. No I was NOT scared of Hank Marvin! Hah, I like that answer!
24. What was the last thing that really made you laugh? A really dumb sketch on Radio 4. A TV show about alien visitors to earth where they kept putting in clips from 1950s scifi movies. It was hilarious even though it wasn't supposed to be.
25. How many TVs do you have in your house? 5. 5 different ones.
26. How big is your bed? Double. A different double.
27. Do you have a laptop or desktop computer? Both. Still both, but I never see the laptop which is more or less my daughter's now. So I guess I have a desktop.
28. Do you sleep with or without clothes on? Without unless it is really cold. Another thing that doesn't change!
29. What color are your sheets? Burgundy. Cream.
30. How many pillows do you sleep with? Four. Four new ones.
31. What is your favorite season? Autumn. Still Autumn, especially when it is a beautiful one like this!
32. What do you like about fall? Blackberry picking, crunching through fallen leaves. This year it is the feeling that we are finally having a summer!
33. What do you like about winter? Getting through it without getting too cold and wet on my bike! Same still! Plus Christmas, of course, and having a barbeque on Christmas Eve...
34. What do you like about the summer? Picnics, long family walks, sitting in the garden playing guitar. Ooooh Yeah!
35. What do you like about spring? Warm sun, blossom on the trees, longer days. Ditto.
36. How many states/provinces/counties have you lived in? 1. Still 1!
37. What cities/towns have you lived in? Herne Bay, Whitstable. Same again!
38. Do you prefer shoes, socks, or bare feet? Slippers. Crocks...
39. Are you a social person? Sort of. I like company but can easily get along on my own. I am probably a bit less social at the moment...
40. What was the last thing you ate? A jelly baby. A roll with cheese, ham, tomatoes and chili sauce in it.
41. What is your favorite restaurant? Burrito Amigo. Not sure at the moment, we are experimenting.
42. What is your favorite ice cream? The white Italian stuff. Then I chuck all sorts of stuff on top. The Honeycomb stuff we had when we were camping - amazing...
43. What is your favorite dessert? Trifle. Probably angling towards something like banoffee pie these days.
44. What is your favorite kind of soup? Hot and Sour. Still Hot and Sour, but it has been a long time since I had soup.
45. What kind of jelly do you like on your PB & J sandwich? Bramble. Raspberry.
46. Do you like Chinese food? Oh yes! Chinese is the best, I love it!
47. Do you like coffee? NO! I hate anything that has coffee in it...
48. How many glasses of water, a day, do you drink on average? Plain water? None. I do drink about 3-4 pints of fruit squash each day, though. Still on squash - and Pepsi.
49. What do you drink in the morning? Squash. Squash.
51. Do you sleep on a certain side of the bed? I sleep away from the door, because my wife wants to be close to the door. Same. We tried switching but it just didn't work.
52. Do you know how to play poker? Vaguely. Better now than I was - had some practice while camping a couple of years ago when we played for biscuits.
53. Do you like to cuddle? Oh yes. Now that is another one that ain't gonna change!
54. Have you ever been to Canada? No. Soon...
55. Do you have an addictive personality? Yes. Yes, but it is more under control now, isn't it My Precious?
56. Do you eat out or at home more often? Home. But we are eating out more these days!
58. Do you know anyone with the same birthday as you? Not the say day, but 1 day either side. No change here!
59. Do you want kids? Did not want them until I found I was going to be a father. Now they are the centre of my life. It is funny how things change as they get older - it is gettimg more like sharing a house with a bunch of adults!
60. Do you speak any other languages? No, like a true Englishman. I started to learn German a long time ago...
61. Have you ever gotten stitches? Yes. Trying to remember when this was - ah, it was when a loft hatch hit me on the head! I laughed so much, but others insisted that I got looked at.
62. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance? Yes. Usually with Mrs RC in labour...
63. Do you prefer an ocean or a pool? Pool for swimming in, ocean to look at and listen to. Ocean all round now - I haven't been swimming for a long time.
64. Do you prefer a window seat or an aisle seats? Window. Window - I like to check that the wings are still there!
65. Do you know how to drive stick? How to what? ???
66. What is your favorite thing to spend money on? My kids. Same, but they are good kids and don't expect what I can't afford.
67. Do you wear any jewelry 24/7? No. I used to wear a ring that my wife gave me but it got caught on something at work (when I worked in a factory) and my hand nearly got dragged into a chopping machine so I stopped wearing it. Yes, I wear a wedding ring these days - Mrs RC finally dragged me to a shop and bought it.
68. What is your favorite TV show? Heroes. The Middle. Just love this show.
69. Can you roll your tongue? Yes. Why would someone ask this question????
70. Who is the funniest person you know? Steve. Still Steve!
71. Do you sleep with stuffed animals? No in the bed – I have a couple of stuffed toys that are mine in the bedroom. Same.
72. What is the main ring tone on your phone? Incoming. My phone is old. Got rid of Incoming, just have a plain ring now. My phone is still the same old one...
73. Do you still have clothes from when you were little? No. Guess!
74. What red object is closest to you right now? My desk tidy. My can of Pepsi!
75. Do you turn off the water while you brush your teeth? Yes. Definitely!
76. Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed? Who cares? They tend to be closed - our bedroom is small so we can't leave doors open without risking injury.
77. Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of bees? A bear. Bears are cuddly and cute. OK, they are not but I think I would die much faster. I like that answer!
78. Do you flirt a lot? No. Nah, it's not right is it?
79. What do you dip a chicken nugget in? Hoisin. Sweet chili.
80. What is your favorite food? Mexican. Chinese.
81. Can you change the oil on a car? No but I don’t have a car! Same.
82. Have you ever gotten a speeding ticket? No, they don’t tend to give tickets to cyclists. Same.
83. Have you ever run out of gas? Yes but a good Mexican soon fixes that! Oh, what a wit I have!
84. What is your usual bedtime? 11pm. More or less - sometimes it is 10pm, sometimes later.
85. What was the last book you read? The Campaigns of Alexander the Great. Bone in the Throat by Anthony Bordain. Not my usual stuff at all, but I enjoyed it.
86. Do you read the newspaper? No, I hate them all. Hate them even more these days!
87. Do you have any magazine subscriptions? Yes, ones about wargaming. No.
89. Do you watch soap operas? No. Definitely not!
90. Do you dance in the car? No car and you can’t dance on a bike. Same.
91. What radio station did you last listen to? InvictaFM. Radio 4 and Absolute Rock Radio.
92. Who is in the picture frame closest to you? My kids. The same photo!
93. What was the last note you scribbled on a piece of paper? A phone message for someone who was out of the office. Notes about some maps I was making.
94. What is your favorite candle scent? Not really my thing. Same.
95. What is your favorite board game? Backgammon. Chinese Checkers with loads of players.
96. Have you ever screamed at someone (not words - just a scream) in a public place, just for the sake of it? No. No, but I might do in the near future.
97. When was the last time you attended church? A wedding when I was about 18. A funeral last summer.
98.Who was your favorite teacher in high school? Mr Nicholson, my maths teacher who lived 2 doors away. Same.
99. What is the longest you have ever camped out in a tent? 1 night. 4 nights, but we usually do 3 at a time.
100. Who was the last person to do something extra special for you? My wife. My wife, again.
Phew, made it! Some changes but a fair amount hasn't changed, which is only natural I guess. Please feel free to ask extra questions while I am in the mood!
Here goes:
1. How old will you be in five years? 48. 53.
2. Who did you spend at least two hours with today? My wife. My wife.
3. How tall are you? 6’2”. Same - haven't started shrinking yet...
4. What do you look forward to most in the next six weeks? Playing wargames all day at the Society of Ancients Battle Day. My daughter’s birthday. Summer! Halloween, Guy Fawkes Night, my baby brother's birthday.
5. What's the last movie you saw? Terminator III. Land of the Dead, which is a surprisingly good zombie movie.
6. Who was the last person you called? My friend Steve. My wife.
7. Who was the last person to call you? My wife. My dad.
8. What was the last text message you received? My friend Steve moaning about the NHS. My friend Steve talking about alien invasions.
9. Who was the last person to leave you a voicemail? Don’t know, I never get them. I still never get them!
10. Do you prefer to call or text? Call. Call. Unless I am in the middle of watching a movie - my dad rang during Land of the Dead...
11. What were you doing at 12am last night? Laying in bed reading about Alexander the Great. I guess that is rather sad. Sleeping...
12. Are your parents married/divorced? Divorced. Still divorced - in fact even more so right now!
13. When did you last see your mom? This morning. This morning.
14. What color are your eyes? Blue-grey but if I wear green they look green. Still the same...
15. What time did you wake up today? 6.30am. 7am. Getting old...
16. What are you wearing right now? Short sleeved shirt, trousers, slippers – and undies of course! Jeans, Star Wars t-shirt, trainers.
17. What is your favourite Christmas song? Away in a Manger. My mom used to sing this to me when I was a child – even in the middle of the summer! Can't change this one either!
18. Where is your favourite place to be? Anywhere with the wife and kids. Ditto. I am starting to think that I haven't changed that much!
19. Where is your least favorite place to be? The local hospital. Any hospital!
20. Where would you go if you could go anywhere? I would do the coast to coast tour of Canada. Hey, I will be doing something like this in 2013!
21. Where do you think you'll be in 10 years? Not far from where I am now! Who can tell? Guess it depends on what happens to the British education system!
22. Do you tan or burn? Tan very slightly. My skin is still the same...
23. What did you fear was going to get you at night as a child? Things in the shadows. No I was NOT scared of Hank Marvin! Hah, I like that answer!
24. What was the last thing that really made you laugh? A really dumb sketch on Radio 4. A TV show about alien visitors to earth where they kept putting in clips from 1950s scifi movies. It was hilarious even though it wasn't supposed to be.
25. How many TVs do you have in your house? 5. 5 different ones.
26. How big is your bed? Double. A different double.
27. Do you have a laptop or desktop computer? Both. Still both, but I never see the laptop which is more or less my daughter's now. So I guess I have a desktop.
28. Do you sleep with or without clothes on? Without unless it is really cold. Another thing that doesn't change!
29. What color are your sheets? Burgundy. Cream.
30. How many pillows do you sleep with? Four. Four new ones.
31. What is your favorite season? Autumn. Still Autumn, especially when it is a beautiful one like this!
32. What do you like about fall? Blackberry picking, crunching through fallen leaves. This year it is the feeling that we are finally having a summer!
33. What do you like about winter? Getting through it without getting too cold and wet on my bike! Same still! Plus Christmas, of course, and having a barbeque on Christmas Eve...
34. What do you like about the summer? Picnics, long family walks, sitting in the garden playing guitar. Ooooh Yeah!
35. What do you like about spring? Warm sun, blossom on the trees, longer days. Ditto.
36. How many states/provinces/counties have you lived in? 1. Still 1!
37. What cities/towns have you lived in? Herne Bay, Whitstable. Same again!
38. Do you prefer shoes, socks, or bare feet? Slippers. Crocks...
39. Are you a social person? Sort of. I like company but can easily get along on my own. I am probably a bit less social at the moment...
40. What was the last thing you ate? A jelly baby. A roll with cheese, ham, tomatoes and chili sauce in it.
41. What is your favorite restaurant? Burrito Amigo. Not sure at the moment, we are experimenting.
42. What is your favorite ice cream? The white Italian stuff. Then I chuck all sorts of stuff on top. The Honeycomb stuff we had when we were camping - amazing...
43. What is your favorite dessert? Trifle. Probably angling towards something like banoffee pie these days.
44. What is your favorite kind of soup? Hot and Sour. Still Hot and Sour, but it has been a long time since I had soup.
45. What kind of jelly do you like on your PB & J sandwich? Bramble. Raspberry.
46. Do you like Chinese food? Oh yes! Chinese is the best, I love it!
47. Do you like coffee? NO! I hate anything that has coffee in it...
48. How many glasses of water, a day, do you drink on average? Plain water? None. I do drink about 3-4 pints of fruit squash each day, though. Still on squash - and Pepsi.
49. What do you drink in the morning? Squash. Squash.
51. Do you sleep on a certain side of the bed? I sleep away from the door, because my wife wants to be close to the door. Same. We tried switching but it just didn't work.
52. Do you know how to play poker? Vaguely. Better now than I was - had some practice while camping a couple of years ago when we played for biscuits.
53. Do you like to cuddle? Oh yes. Now that is another one that ain't gonna change!
54. Have you ever been to Canada? No. Soon...
55. Do you have an addictive personality? Yes. Yes, but it is more under control now, isn't it My Precious?
56. Do you eat out or at home more often? Home. But we are eating out more these days!
58. Do you know anyone with the same birthday as you? Not the say day, but 1 day either side. No change here!
59. Do you want kids? Did not want them until I found I was going to be a father. Now they are the centre of my life. It is funny how things change as they get older - it is gettimg more like sharing a house with a bunch of adults!
60. Do you speak any other languages? No, like a true Englishman. I started to learn German a long time ago...
61. Have you ever gotten stitches? Yes. Trying to remember when this was - ah, it was when a loft hatch hit me on the head! I laughed so much, but others insisted that I got looked at.
62. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance? Yes. Usually with Mrs RC in labour...
63. Do you prefer an ocean or a pool? Pool for swimming in, ocean to look at and listen to. Ocean all round now - I haven't been swimming for a long time.
64. Do you prefer a window seat or an aisle seats? Window. Window - I like to check that the wings are still there!
65. Do you know how to drive stick? How to what? ???
66. What is your favorite thing to spend money on? My kids. Same, but they are good kids and don't expect what I can't afford.
67. Do you wear any jewelry 24/7? No. I used to wear a ring that my wife gave me but it got caught on something at work (when I worked in a factory) and my hand nearly got dragged into a chopping machine so I stopped wearing it. Yes, I wear a wedding ring these days - Mrs RC finally dragged me to a shop and bought it.
68. What is your favorite TV show? Heroes. The Middle. Just love this show.
69. Can you roll your tongue? Yes. Why would someone ask this question????
70. Who is the funniest person you know? Steve. Still Steve!
71. Do you sleep with stuffed animals? No in the bed – I have a couple of stuffed toys that are mine in the bedroom. Same.
72. What is the main ring tone on your phone? Incoming. My phone is old. Got rid of Incoming, just have a plain ring now. My phone is still the same old one...
73. Do you still have clothes from when you were little? No. Guess!
74. What red object is closest to you right now? My desk tidy. My can of Pepsi!
75. Do you turn off the water while you brush your teeth? Yes. Definitely!
76. Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed? Who cares? They tend to be closed - our bedroom is small so we can't leave doors open without risking injury.
77. Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of bees? A bear. Bears are cuddly and cute. OK, they are not but I think I would die much faster. I like that answer!
78. Do you flirt a lot? No. Nah, it's not right is it?
79. What do you dip a chicken nugget in? Hoisin. Sweet chili.
80. What is your favorite food? Mexican. Chinese.
81. Can you change the oil on a car? No but I don’t have a car! Same.
82. Have you ever gotten a speeding ticket? No, they don’t tend to give tickets to cyclists. Same.
83. Have you ever run out of gas? Yes but a good Mexican soon fixes that! Oh, what a wit I have!
84. What is your usual bedtime? 11pm. More or less - sometimes it is 10pm, sometimes later.
85. What was the last book you read? The Campaigns of Alexander the Great. Bone in the Throat by Anthony Bordain. Not my usual stuff at all, but I enjoyed it.
86. Do you read the newspaper? No, I hate them all. Hate them even more these days!
87. Do you have any magazine subscriptions? Yes, ones about wargaming. No.
89. Do you watch soap operas? No. Definitely not!
90. Do you dance in the car? No car and you can’t dance on a bike. Same.
91. What radio station did you last listen to? InvictaFM. Radio 4 and Absolute Rock Radio.
92. Who is in the picture frame closest to you? My kids. The same photo!
93. What was the last note you scribbled on a piece of paper? A phone message for someone who was out of the office. Notes about some maps I was making.
94. What is your favorite candle scent? Not really my thing. Same.
95. What is your favorite board game? Backgammon. Chinese Checkers with loads of players.
96. Have you ever screamed at someone (not words - just a scream) in a public place, just for the sake of it? No. No, but I might do in the near future.
97. When was the last time you attended church? A wedding when I was about 18. A funeral last summer.
98.Who was your favorite teacher in high school? Mr Nicholson, my maths teacher who lived 2 doors away. Same.
99. What is the longest you have ever camped out in a tent? 1 night. 4 nights, but we usually do 3 at a time.
100. Who was the last person to do something extra special for you? My wife. My wife, again.
Phew, made it! Some changes but a fair amount hasn't changed, which is only natural I guess. Please feel free to ask extra questions while I am in the mood!
Monday, 10 October 2011
Monday...
Well the presentation is over and done with - went OK, although I managed to talk for 10 minutes instead of the recommended 5! Guess I was trying too hard not to be a 2 minute wonder :-) It went OK anyway - the bar has been set at just above knee-height!
The weekend passed in the blink of an eye - birthday dinner out for the youngest (pizza), laying semi-comatose in front of the TV in the evening, cooking more pizza for dinner on Sunday (can't have too much pizza it would seem), watching Land of the Dead (a rather good zombie movie) while munching popcorn and an early night! Oh, I slipped in a bit of work on my presentation somewhere - not sure where but it did happen...
Well that is about it for now. More soon - I have found one of the first memes I ever did and thought it would be fun to revisit it to see how my answers have changed...
The weekend passed in the blink of an eye - birthday dinner out for the youngest (pizza), laying semi-comatose in front of the TV in the evening, cooking more pizza for dinner on Sunday (can't have too much pizza it would seem), watching Land of the Dead (a rather good zombie movie) while munching popcorn and an early night! Oh, I slipped in a bit of work on my presentation somewhere - not sure where but it did happen...
Well that is about it for now. More soon - I have found one of the first memes I ever did and thought it would be fun to revisit it to see how my answers have changed...
Friday, 7 October 2011
Friday - taking a 5 minute break...
Why did I do it?
In class on Monday - we all have to do a short presentation to explain an academic paper that we have read.
Guess who volunteered to go first?
Yep, that's right.
And I get to do it on this Monday!
I could have hung on until November, given myself plenty of time to prepare, but no.
Ah well it will all be over for me and give me a clear run at other stuff, so I am sure it is better this way really.
OK notes taken - reduced a 20 page article to 2 pages.
Now I just need to reduce those 2 pages to a single slide...
Wish me luck!
Back on Monday, unless I get some online time over the weekend...
In class on Monday - we all have to do a short presentation to explain an academic paper that we have read.
Guess who volunteered to go first?
Yep, that's right.
And I get to do it on this Monday!
I could have hung on until November, given myself plenty of time to prepare, but no.
Ah well it will all be over for me and give me a clear run at other stuff, so I am sure it is better this way really.
OK notes taken - reduced a 20 page article to 2 pages.
Now I just need to reduce those 2 pages to a single slide...
Wish me luck!
Back on Monday, unless I get some online time over the weekend...
Thursday, 6 October 2011
A BIG DAY!!!!
My "little boy", who is almost as tall as I am, is 13 today! He is a great little guy with a razor sharp sense of humour. He will spend most of the evening shooting zombies on his XBox while munching through the assortment of goodies that he requested for his birthday "dinner". We will be going out to dinner to celebrate properly on Saturday.
Meanwhile, it is becoming clear that people are having increasing problems commenting on my blog. I will start to look into moving to a different service - any pointers would be more than welcome - assuming you can comment, of course!
Meanwhile, it is becoming clear that people are having increasing problems commenting on my blog. I will start to look into moving to a different service - any pointers would be more than welcome - assuming you can comment, of course!
Wednesday, 5 October 2011
Alternative futures
Shrinky recently wrote a great post where she met up with various versions of herself, each one having made a different choice at some stage in their life. Please pop over to her blog and read it, if you haven't already.
Done?
Good.
Well after reading this I got to wondering what the alternative RCs would look like. Having not been sucked into a garbage disposal to actually meet them, I have had to use my imagination.
"Went to school properly" RC.
This guy didn't skip school like I did, went to Uni at the normal age and is now Professor of History at the University of Somewhereshire.
"Really believed he could be a Rock Star" RC.
Works for free in a guitar shop, tending to bore customers with stories about the time his band supported Ozzy Osborne. Still trying to put together the killer band that will finally make the big time.
"Hooked up with XXX" RC.
She was exciting but was into some serious drugs. This RC has not been seen for several years, presumed dead from an overdose.
"Never met Mrs RC" RC.
Still plays Dungeons and Dragons and lives with his mom.
"Took one of those highly paid jobs he was offered" RC.
Divorced. Never sees his kids. Has lots of expensive guitars and toy soldiers that someone else painted. Never has time to play with them as the career just sucks up his time and energy.
"Learned to drive" RC.
Due to lack of exercise, this guy weighs in at 300pounds.
"Took the job at the nursery school" RC.
Now runs the nursery school in one of the most deprived areas in the county, doing his best to set the local kids on the right path. The occasional success keeps him going as he sees so many of "his" kids go bad.
That will do for now. Why don't you try it?
Done?
Good.
Well after reading this I got to wondering what the alternative RCs would look like. Having not been sucked into a garbage disposal to actually meet them, I have had to use my imagination.
"Went to school properly" RC.
This guy didn't skip school like I did, went to Uni at the normal age and is now Professor of History at the University of Somewhereshire.
"Really believed he could be a Rock Star" RC.
Works for free in a guitar shop, tending to bore customers with stories about the time his band supported Ozzy Osborne. Still trying to put together the killer band that will finally make the big time.
"Hooked up with XXX" RC.
She was exciting but was into some serious drugs. This RC has not been seen for several years, presumed dead from an overdose.
"Never met Mrs RC" RC.
Still plays Dungeons and Dragons and lives with his mom.
"Took one of those highly paid jobs he was offered" RC.
Divorced. Never sees his kids. Has lots of expensive guitars and toy soldiers that someone else painted. Never has time to play with them as the career just sucks up his time and energy.
"Learned to drive" RC.
Due to lack of exercise, this guy weighs in at 300pounds.
"Took the job at the nursery school" RC.
Now runs the nursery school in one of the most deprived areas in the county, doing his best to set the local kids on the right path. The occasional success keeps him going as he sees so many of "his" kids go bad.
That will do for now. Why don't you try it?
Monday, 3 October 2011
Of Chili Dogs and Cold Beer
Woke up a little late on Sunday morning, missing the morning dog walk, but feeling refreshed and ready for the day ahead.
After breakfast and a quick blast on one of my bass guitars (put new strings on them on Saturday - love a guitar with new strings...) I started making dough for the rolls we would have with our barbeque. Once this was set aside to rise I got to work on the chili dog sauce, using a recipe that was sent to me by one of my wonderful blog buddies...
The recipe was written for a semi-industrial scale, I reduced the amounts to a more managable level. The only risk I took was to interpret "Red Pepper" as "Cayenne Pepper"....
After the sause was cooked, I put a lid on it and set it aside for reheating later on. In my experience, things like this often benefit from a good standing time to allow the flavours to develop fully.
The rolls rose and baked to perfection....
The sausages that were to make up the chili dogs were put onto the barbeque last, catching the lower heat that was good for warming them through...
Then it was time.
I cut open a roll, and placed one of the sausages in it. Slight misjudgement meant that an inch or so of sausage hung out of each end of the roll, but hey, that is not serious.
Then a couple of generous spoonfuls of the chili mix.
I swear there was a Chorus of Angels at this point.
The chili dog also glowed briefly, I kid you not!
OK, so maybe the Police were chasing someone on the bypass.
And MAYBE someone picked up their glass which reflected the bright sunshine.
Maybe.
But there is no denying that this was the Holy Grail of chili dogs. It was absolutely wonderful. As was the 2nd and 3rd. Many thanks for the recipe, wReggie - I am forever in your debt.
And now we come to the beer part. I had bought some nice German beer to go with the chili dogs, but as I was cooking and baking in the heat from the sun (hotter than most of the summer had been!) I added some appleade to it. It was a wonderfully refreshing combination. Mrs RC pulled a face when I told her what I was drinking, but she then drifted back for a sip. After that she returned for several more, admitting that it was rather good!
Later that evening I had another beer and watched a dodgy disaster movie - a "just how bad can the continuity get" movie. A great way to round off a wonderful weekend.
Hope you had a great weekend and have a great week to come!
After breakfast and a quick blast on one of my bass guitars (put new strings on them on Saturday - love a guitar with new strings...) I started making dough for the rolls we would have with our barbeque. Once this was set aside to rise I got to work on the chili dog sauce, using a recipe that was sent to me by one of my wonderful blog buddies...
The recipe was written for a semi-industrial scale, I reduced the amounts to a more managable level. The only risk I took was to interpret "Red Pepper" as "Cayenne Pepper"....
After the sause was cooked, I put a lid on it and set it aside for reheating later on. In my experience, things like this often benefit from a good standing time to allow the flavours to develop fully.
The rolls rose and baked to perfection....
The sausages that were to make up the chili dogs were put onto the barbeque last, catching the lower heat that was good for warming them through...
Then it was time.
I cut open a roll, and placed one of the sausages in it. Slight misjudgement meant that an inch or so of sausage hung out of each end of the roll, but hey, that is not serious.
Then a couple of generous spoonfuls of the chili mix.
I swear there was a Chorus of Angels at this point.
The chili dog also glowed briefly, I kid you not!
OK, so maybe the Police were chasing someone on the bypass.
And MAYBE someone picked up their glass which reflected the bright sunshine.
Maybe.
But there is no denying that this was the Holy Grail of chili dogs. It was absolutely wonderful. As was the 2nd and 3rd. Many thanks for the recipe, wReggie - I am forever in your debt.
And now we come to the beer part. I had bought some nice German beer to go with the chili dogs, but as I was cooking and baking in the heat from the sun (hotter than most of the summer had been!) I added some appleade to it. It was a wonderfully refreshing combination. Mrs RC pulled a face when I told her what I was drinking, but she then drifted back for a sip. After that she returned for several more, admitting that it was rather good!
Later that evening I had another beer and watched a dodgy disaster movie - a "just how bad can the continuity get" movie. A great way to round off a wonderful weekend.
Hope you had a great weekend and have a great week to come!
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