Today I Learned

Nesquik operating instructions: Despite a few years of gulping down milk shakes made of Nesquik I've never taken the time to read the instructions. Having read the them now I see that it says "create a paste". That was unexpected. I've yet to try to create a paste from the magical Nesquik powders before adding the rest of the milk. I've always been into free style. How will it work now? How will it change my enjoyment? I'm holding off on this piece of progress but will slide into using it eventually, then I can enjoy the whole experience as recommended by the manufacturers. Possibly.

Glen Esk Daily Photo

Getting away from it all in a signal free zone. Actually these photos were taken in Glen Mark just a few hundred yards from Glen Esk. Trees, water, hills and tumbledown properties mostly. The picture above shows a tree brought down in last year's storms that's still trapped in a weir on the River Mark. Below is a modified wheel barrow with added Barbie bike wheel.

Stornoway Stack

 

Thanks to our local butcher I've just been introduced to the Stornoway Stack. A curious mixture of pastry, peppercorn sauce, black pudding, bacon, haggis and chicken. It's a combination that works well. Scotland's foods can be a bit strange and often uninspiring at times but this is good. The mighty stack is a proper tasty treat. Highly recommended. I may have over cooked this one a little but still not bad for a first attempt.

Horses in Hospital

Horses on a hospital visit. Their unwell horsey friend was said to be in a stable condition apparently. @FifeJammer.

Today's look has been mostly windswept and ruffled. The house painters understandably required all the doors and windows to be open in order to paint them. Funny how surprised some people are when they realize that this will be required. A refreshing flow of fresh air purged the house for about eight hours, rearranging the smells of sweat, cat pee, paint and a particularly toxic filler into an exhilarating cocktail of lethally poisonous fumes. Rain fell and the wind blew and the cat stayed firmly fixed under a bed. I couldn't blame him. Watching paint dry is, if anything worse than watching paint being applied but there is that end of the day bonus when you step back and see the finished work in all it's sticky and gleaming magnificence.

Milestone

The long and winding road to Aberdeen allowed me to arrive at a mileage milestone the other day. The journey ended just as I rolled up one hundred thousand miles. A nice round figure. It's obviously a bit higher now as I'm back home. Phew.

Our Most Guarded Institutions

We the great unwashed and uneducated need to be kept under control, kept hungry, uninformed and quiet. No unnecessary noise please. No laughing or gesticulating, no expressions that are not approved of, unless they approve of them and they'll tell us if they do. Listen, preferably on headphones, lose yourself in the screen images, that's the best thing for you, stay entertained, don't move around. Keep yourself to yourself. That is unless you want to enter a TV talent show or perhaps gamble or visit a shop ... but no stealing items you can't afford. Things have been planned and set up so that we can't easily move around. Transport is too expensive and disruptive. Those are not our lands or buildings either. Nobody wants that, to own land and buildings, it's just for them. Nobody wants dirty feet on the carpets, roads and pavements. There's a king and a royal family and a few thousand hangers on, perhaps they're even out and about and you mustn't upset or disrespect them or stare at their funny clothes. No.

"I’m headed on out of here with my paperwork and pills,

An AI drone’s gonna bury me, has all the necessary skills,

It could do Elvis or Peter Pan but I never was that kind of man,

Grave entertainment’s here on hand, 

To find that gateway to the promised land,

Eat, sleep, delete, completely incomplete."

This Means?

Shapes or signs: On the floor of the Dr Who exhibition in Edinburgh, we trample them underfoot as we shuffle by the exhibits. There are many of them in this style. What might they even mean? Some strange, esoteric universal truth unmasked? Some SOS message from the mandarins and flaky script writers at the BBC hoping for rescue? Who really knows or cares. Sci-fi has been carrying a heavy load for a while now and I have sense of exhaustion about further stretches into the darkness of the all too real fictitious future.

It was interesting to see the objects, models and artwork and yes there's a lot of science sprinkled around like pixie dust to try to explain or justify something, to give the show a core of concept that might be important. In the end Dr Who is an "experience" that's been around for most of my life, there were good times and not so good times with it. At the moment I'm inclined to think it needs a rest, for a few earth based, human generations anyway. 

235 or 281?

House painting: What is the best colour? 235 or 281? Neither of these colours are the actual house colour, these are for the window surrounds. The house is a plain and simple white. I'm pretty much rambling right now, it's been a pleasant weekend though, I think. I can't recall a whole lot about it now. Next week may well be busy too, mostly in a quiet kind of way.

Reasonable Friday

Just stealing a clever and witty cartoon from the Guardian (credit to Ben Jennings). Family nepotism isn't something I've ever suffered from so it's difficult for me to understand the sheer pain of it all. It must be tough, all those billions and nothing to spend it on. Anyway another happy meaningless cash-cow season of eggs, bunnies and chocolate all running alongside some peculiar and unreliable religious memories. At least the weather looks to be reasonable. 

Self Locker

Seen on a Honda Civic window in a car park. I can imagine what self locker might mean but I'm not sure what it actually means here.

Missy

Missy, our beloved wee cat passed away yesterday. We think she was about 17 years old. Her health has been poor for a number of months and she'd been through a lot of treatments and medicines that had kept her going but we didn't want her to have to struggle on any longer. She was a lovely cat who lived a full and eventful life and we miss her very much.

Doune the Rabbit Hole

There's certainly been a lot of talk recently regards the finances and ethics of the Doune The Rabbit Hole festival. People didn't get paid, badly organised and so on. It seems we're now embroiled in the controversy in a small way. They featured us and our tent, bunting and towels in their email and on their website for 2023. Not sure what to make of this. We still had a good time there last year anyway 😳.

Me Being Me

Me being me (which happens pretty much all of the time), I like the look of these:

Vague Life

Just a few lines* about human beings and politics I'm afraid. I never was a fan of Jeremy Corbyn and his political stance and outlook but it somehow irks me that the Labour Party have excommunicated him in the way they have. Had he won the last election does anybody seriously think that things would have be in a worse position regards Covid, inflation, refugees, corruption and human rights? Would he have tanked the economy the way Liz Truss did? Would he have destroyed political credibility and trust the way the current crop of arse-hole Tories have? Hmm.

*My father always began the letters he wrote to his mother and sister with the words "just a few lines". I hadn't really thought about that in a very long time and he's been gone for nearly fifty years.

Apropos of nothing: 

Daily Dose of Stoicism

Historical context: Stoicism is a philosophical position that originated in ancient Greece and has been practiced by many people throughout history, including notable figures such as Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus, both household names but not in every household. It is based on the idea that we cannot control external events, but we can control our reactions to them. By focusing on what is within our power to control, we can achieve a state of inner peace and tranquility, regardless of what is happening around us. Yes!

Real world advice: One of the key strengths of Stoicism is its practicality. Unlike some other philosophical positions that can seem abstract or esoteric, Stoicism offers concrete advice on how to live a good life. For example, it emphasizes the importance of developing self-discipline, controlling our emotions, and practicing mindfulness. These are all skills that can be developed and applied in daily life to improve our well-being, assuming you can spare the time.

You are important: Another strength of Stoicism is its emphasis on personal responsibility. Rather than blaming external factors for our problems, Stoical types recognize that we are responsible for our own thoughts and actions. This can be empowering, as it encourages us to take ownership of our lives and make positive changes where necessary.

Seek a happy place: Finally, Stoicism offers a sense of perspective. By recognizing that external events are beyond our control, we can avoid becoming overly attached to material possessions or worldly success. Instead, we can focus on developing virtues such as wisdom, courage, and compassion, which are within our control and can bring lasting fulfillment.

Avoid wasting your time: Overall, while there are many philosophical positions to choose from, some of which are pretty questionable, however Stoicism offers a practical, empowering, and perspective-shifting approach to life that has resonated with people for centuries. 

Thanks to @DailyStoic and the Servants of AI.

Free Festivals and the Romans

Sunny afternoons in the park. When I was young this seemed to me like the ideal way for a rock band to perform. Gear on a flatbed truck, pull up in a field and just blast through your set while stoned people mingle, wander and flop around the proceedings having the time of their lives. I did not consider the issues of power, sanitation, access, safety and security or the weather. 

When you're young you think everything is possible and should be dead simple. "Why can't everyone understand?" is your most common thought. I'm not sure what age I was when I understood that life really was a whole lot more complex and that most of the "other people" were as confused as I was.

A low flying, slowly passing thought: Imagine what our perception and view of world history would be like now if the Romans had invented the camera. Come on Romans, you did so much, is a simple camera too much to ask? I asked ChatGPT about the idea ...

Cat Laxative

Based on possible money saving veterinary advice I was out in the big bad world seeking a suitable laxative for an unwell cat. The vet said that it was best to go to a regular human pharmacist and buy a certain unflavoured brand. A small measure of this should "do the trick". I found it hard to locate stock of the item in (Puss in) Boots the Chemist but eventually came upon another pharmacist with some. Unfortunately I blurted out that I intended to use it on a cat (based on a vet's advice). Immediately the shutters came down and I was told in a fairly polite but firm manner that I could not purchase the product. The pharmacist lurking behind the shop assistant had overheard me say I needed it for a cat. "We can't sell medicines to you here if you are going to use them on animals, it's not allowed" she whispered. 

I realized I'd now crossed over into another world, one where the secret rules of drug retailing are applied. I was unaware that this code of conduct existed but I could tell they wouldn't or couldn't give way on it. Feeling like some sort of mad, animal experimenting scientist I left the shop dizzy from the experience. Obviously there are many rules out there that I know nothing of when it comes to animals and medication. I was surprised that Brexit measures hadn't fucked over this obviously evil European derived red tape yet. I should perhaps inform Douglas Ross MP, the great Tory zoomer and idealist.

I'd no option but to go to the next local chemist and, without disclosing my true reasons, try to buy a pack. Fortunately they had stock hidden deep behind the counter and I managed to keep my mouth shut and the beads of sweat on my forehead under control. I should add that this laxative only comes in monster packs of 32 sachets. One sachet would provide about a dozen cat sized doses. So is the vet just having a laugh? And who the fuck actually needs that much laxative? Anybody need a life long supply of laxative?

The next problem is tracking the cat's whereabouts and wanderings in the garden to find out if it actually worked. Life is a constant struggle.

Edinburgh Daily Photo

The abandoned (?) gatehouse to the old Victoria Hospital on Craigleith Road. Not really sure of the site's future, probably a catalogue of inner city type Cala homes (or some other similar reputable builder). Hope they can preserve a few of the trees and find a use for this building.

Disciples of Casio

A design and style icon, a fully functional timepiece, an item that may just survive when all else is failing. Just a pity it isn't powered by clockwork. Time just keeps moving on and so does Casio. You can get them for £7.50 brand new, no messy set up or charging requirements. No need to tether it or find a good signal. No steps to count. Classless and ubiquitous. They still sell three million a year and there's hundreds of millions out there on wrists, in sock drawers, pockets, deep in bags and rucksacks and quite a few in landfill or at the bottom of the sea. Sustainable? I doubt it but certainly practical and affordable, maybe even cool.

Ultimate Noodle

There was I thinking that the ultimate noodle took place one February morning when I messed around on the Am Pentatonic scale for about two hours to some pseudo Pink Floyd drum pattern as a kind of guitar fingering exercise and soul searching activity. Slide and echo, slide and echo, you'll never go wrong with slide and echo. Turns out the ultimate noodle is a lot more straightforward to achieve and only takes four minutes or so.