Tag: dailyprompt

Shopping

What are your favorite websites?

The one I spend the most time on is EBay. It’s where I get most of my stuff to repair. Secondly it’s probably Amazon and from then on there are a Number of smaller sites I take in.

I follow a number of blog sites of people who are kind enough to follow what I do. I check in to all of them regularly to see if anything has changed. I probably check in more when I haven’t seen anything for a while as I’m concerned that I’ve heard nothing, but I’m probably just overthinking it as they’re probably just living busy lives like most people do.

I only post regularly as I use it as a coping mechanism / Journal as stated in the past.

There is a good site where you can see all the cameras on the island of Iceland, all set up to show views of the volcano’s when they kick off, great for planning a trip to see something different.

Beyond that I look at the Leicester football club site occasionally, but to be honest they are not doing it for me this year so I tend to avoid it if possible.

Have a good day all, may it be a peaceful one for you.

1976

Is there an age or year of your life you would re-live?

For some reason 1976 always features in my memories. It was the year of the heatwave, summer was just how you’d expect it and the six week school holiday was utter bliss.

Things were different back then when you went out and played in parks, woodland and farmers fields, making your own entertainment and just having such fun. Now they are all sprawling estates.

No distractions such as mobile phones etc, you went through seasons of football, marbles, cricket, conkers, making catapults, you name it and we did it.

We had national strikes and power cuts but as a youngster that was still a couple of years away from being a teenager, none of that really mattered.

I sure miss those days of innocence, fun and enjoyment with your mates. Truly superb times.

Then we grow up.

I do believe the younger generation of today have missed out on those hazy days gone by. But then again I guess it’s our generation that changed that.

I have always found it easier to be a child rather than an adult. My wife would whole heartedly agree.

Stay happy. Don’t grow up.

The formation of the Universe

What historical event fascinates you the most?

It’s one that’s going to annoy a number of people on both sides of the spectrum.

The formation of the Universe.

My upbringing was in the Church of England so I have a Christian upbringing. I spent the first 16 years of my life going to Sunday school and then on my 16th I was given the choice to carry on going or to stop. I chose to stop. We were told throughout that the Lord built the world in six days and rested on the seventh. And I believed this.

But in school the teachers were telling us about the Big Bang, the science around it was amazing, mesmerising, there was now another choice. It was confusing. Creation or Evolution?

Now I don’t class myself as a religious person, however I do find comfort within my beliefs. I don’t force my beliefs on anyone, it is a highly personal aspect of my life and that’s how it will stay.

However the evolutionary route fascinates me and when I was younger certainly created a conflict of interest. I would question theories privately as who could I talk to about it? It’s not the sort of question you discuss with friends as a youngster, they’d think you were crackers!

No, I’ve developed my own understanding and it’s a healthy mix of the both. Purely because I’m not fully able to just ditch my entire upbringing, and as I previously stated i do find comfort in my faith. But I am always fascinated by the science and discussion regarding evolution of everything on this planet and from within our solar system.

I’m sorry it’s a bit long winded and I could have easily just said “ The Universe” and the question would have been easily answered. But it’s a bit more complex in my eyes. Sometimes our recent history puts blinkers over our eyes and makes us ignorant to the facts or truth.

But who knows the truth? I guess we will never ever know.

That’s kind of exciting in my eyes.

Walking

What is your favorite form of physical exercise?

Walking.

I’m one of those who’d sooner walk than jump in the car. Yesterday for instance a 3 mile drive would have taken a few minutes and I could have sat at home with my feet up.

No. I walked.

Two years on the trot myself and my dog Alf took on the “Walk 1000 miles” challenge and we smashed it. Unfortunately he is no longer with us and my mileage has dropped considerably as I no longer have that purpose. I need to break that attitude and get back to it as I love walking.

It’s so natural we all do it everyday. I just need to do more of it.

Have a super day.

That’s a no from me

How much would you pay to go to the moon?

Much that I admire those adventurers who throughout my life have risked all, for the sake of these journeys, I wouldn’t pay a penny for the chance of going there.

Nope, I’m an old fashioned kind of fellah who is quite content keeping his feet on the ground. If at sometime this old world decides to go “Pop” then I’ll also be going down with it.

My sense of adventure doesn’t quite reach to the moon.

Have a great day all.

CHEF!

What alternative career paths have you considered or are interested in?

From an early age I always wanted to be a chef. Don’t know why, I wasn’t influenced by anyone in particular and my mum, bless her wasn’t a gifted cook but she always kept us well fed. Maybe that was why then!

Anyway that never occurred, as when you get older your choices increase and your preferences change. I was always good with my hands and as an exceptional student in Art, Technical drawing and metalwork I was being edged towards a career in engineering. I took all my entrance exams and interviews to work at Rolls Royce aero engines at Leavesden, however my school were two days late in submitting my course work so that option became a non starter.

I ventured into photographic production, maintenance and lab work and remained there for about ten years ending up as a freelancer.

Then I ventured onto the railway where thirty two years later I’m still employed.

So it’s Been a greatly varied career, however the next move I make is intended to be my best career move yet….

Retirement !

Have a good day

Baked beans on toast

What food would you say is your specialty?

Don’t come here looking for any arty farty top league cuisine, for me the best meal out there is also the simplest – Beans on toast.

My wife often comments that I’m a dream to cook for as I pretty much eat whatever is put in front of me. Gone are the days when a meal is considered to be a full blown meat and two veg, as it was for previous generations, for me especially, just keep it simple.

Want to jazz it up? Just add some grated cheese and you have beans on toast avec fromage 😂

Lovely.

Have a great day.

Rockets & Sinking boats

What major historical events do you remember?

There are a few historical events that have featured throughout my life so far, there are some such as the Apollo 11 landing, I guess I must have watched it if we had a tv then, however I’d have only been a few years old so I don’t quite remember it.

I remember the first shuttle launch in April 1981, I was at work and bunked off for about 30 mins with half the workers there to watch it on the company TV.

I’ve witnessed many high profile weddings and funerals, prison releases and successful / non successful legal cases. The one thing that really sticks out is the 9/11 attack in September 2001. We had only been there 9 months earlier and we had even seen the remnants of the last attempt when someone had attempted to detonate a car or lorry bomb at the foot of one of the buildings.

Of course for all of these memorable and historical occasions you did one thing, you collected the headline news papers of the day and I still have a number of these stored away in my home. I used to even have a copy of a paper that was issued the day the Titanic was sunk, this was my fathers and I used to take it to school for show and tell, this however disappeared when he passed away. I suspect it was foolishly recycled or disposed of.

Buying the newspaper today just doesn’t really occur as the news in its majority is now online. We’ve kind of lost a traditional way to pass on these nuggets of history as we used to do in the past.

Peace to all. Have a great day.

I was on the Chase

What’s something most people don’t know about you?

On the 29th July 2015, i was a contestant on the ITV quiz show the Chase. Below are the highlights of that episode.

Yep and we won 👍

My fellow contestant Hayley and I both won £3500 when we beat the “Dark Destroyer” Shaun Wallace.

Me with Shaun Wallace – The Chase

A lovely guy, nothing like his TV persona.

A good day was had by all.

Stay happy.

Yes and no

Do lazy days make you feel rested or unproductive?

I have had to change my way of thinking regarding this prompt from WP. I have always been one of those that even on a day off feels like I have been wasteful if I have not done something productive.

However the other side of me has started to realise that I am not going to live forever, I am slowing down and already experiencing issues that are compounding my mobility, so due to these factors I have now decided that these precious and rare days should be used for what they were designated for. To rest.

There is no doubt that your body knows you the best, if it’s telling you to rest, you need to do just that. Though it is admirable to keep on being productive you have to realise that no one really cares what you are doing and you are not going to be remembered for just “Papering or painting” that one more wall.

Rest, do as your body tells you. If it gains you just another day on the planet, it’s a bonus.

Have a peaceful day.