※SpinalGap24 ※

Below are actual insurance claim form gaffes. These are the collection made by Norwich Union for their annual Christmas mag-

"I started to slow down but the traffic was more stationary than I thought."

"I pulled into a lay-by with smoke coming from under the bonnet. I realised the car was on fire so took my dog and smothered it with a blanket."

Q: Could either driver have done anything to avoid the accident?
A: Traveled by bus?

A Norwich Union customer collided with a cow. The questions and answers on the claim form were:
Q - What warning was given by you?
A - Horn
Q - What warning was given by the other party?
A - Moo

"On the M6 I moved from the centre lane to the fast lane but the other car didn't give way."

"Three men approached me from the minibus. I thought they were coming to apologise. Two of the men grabbed hold of me by the arms, and the first slapped me several times across the face. I Knee'd the man in the groin, but didn't connect properly, so I kicked him in the shin."

"I was going at about 70 or 80 mph when my girlfriend on the pillion reached over and grabbed my testicles so I lost control."

"I didn't think the speed limit applied after midnight"

Q: Do you engage in motorcycling, hunting or any other pastimes of a hazardous nature?
A: I Watch the Lottery Show and listen to Terry Wogan.

"First car stopped suddenly, second car hit first car and a haggis ran into the rear of second car."

"Windscreen broken. Cause unknown. Probably Voodoo."

"The car in front hit the pedestrian but he got up so I hit him again"

"I had been driving for 40 years when I fell asleep at the wheel and had an accident."

"I pulled away from the side of the road, glanced at my mother-in- law and headed over the embankment."

"Coming home, I drove into the wrong house and collided with a tree I don't have."

"I thought my window was down, but I found out it wasn't when I put my head through it".

"A pedestrian hit me and went under my car".

"In an attempt to kill a fly, I drove into a telephone pole."

"I was on my way to the doctor with rear end trouble when my universal joint gave way causing me to have an accident."

"To avoid hitting the bumper of the car in front I struck the pedestrian."

"My car was legally parked as it backed into the other vehicle."

"An invisible car came out of nowhere, struck my car and vanished."

"I am sure the old fellow would never make it to the other side of the road when I struck him."

"The pedestrian had no idea which way to run, so I ran over him.

"I was thrown from the car as it left the road. I was later found in a ditch by some stray cows."

-Jokefile

1] What colour is the most attention-getting?
Black
Yellow
Red

2] Villains usually wear what powerful colour?
Black
Red
Blue

3] What is the colour of royalty?
White
Purple
Green

4] People lose their tempers most often in rooms of what colour?
Black
Yellow
Pink

5] Hospital rooms are often painted in what relaxing colour?
Pink
White
Green

6] In ancient Rome, public servants wore clothes of what colour?
Blue
Brown
Red

7] What solid, reliable colour implies genuineness?
Green
Brown
Black

8] What colour can cause people to lose energy?
Green
Blue
Pink

9] While brides in the West wear white, traditional Chinese brides usually wear what colour?
Red
Beige
Green

10] What is the least appetizing colour?
Black
Yellow
Blue

Colour: sand
Music: Kamran & Hooman :: 20 :: Man Toro Mikham
Shakila :: Magic Of Silence :: Shahe'E Mani

Things you do not want to hear during surgery.
1. Better save that. We'll need it for the autopsy.
2. Someone call the janitor. We are going to need a mop.
3. Accept this sacrifice, O great god of the Volcano.
4. Ola! Ola! Come back with that! Bad dog!
5. Wait a sec, if this is his spleen, then what's that?
6. Oops! Hey, has anyone ever survived 500ml of this stuff before?
7. Sterile, shcmerile. The floor's clean, right?
8. OK, now take an XRAY from this angle. This is truly a freak of nature.
9. And now we remove the subject's brain and place it in the body of the ape.
10. Could you stop that thing from beating? It's throwing my concentration off.

xxx
If a person with multiple personalities threatens
suicide, is that considered a hostage situation?
xxx

I've booked my trip to Germany, for health reasons, I will check into a spa town, and seek solace in the pine forests, fresh spring water, healthy, clean and cold air, and the all important back massage, radiating a whole host of methods which they will use upon my broken spine. Ranging from hot crystals, to eucalyptus ointments, intensely hard massage, and other methods of brutality which work wonders. (Yes, a HEALTH spa!)
It'll last all of four days, only, and I will stay with relatives, but yesterday, returning to English matters, was a 20 minute examinaton of my spinal problems, can you believe since January, they still sought confirmation of my diagnosis...so there I was, along with a dozen other suffering souls, all of us just waiting, waiting, waiting...three hours in total, for a humiliating examination to see if earlier diagnoses were correct...one left in tears, another with crutches gave an enormous sarcastic sigh, a girl hurtled out at the completion of her appointment, and mine was the last of the day.

The result of this will be in 7 weeks...WEEKS! And the MRI waiting list, which I thought was 7 months...any guesses how long??
18 months!!
Yes, eighteen months, I thought it a mistake, but no, this is the revised estimate, as of yesterday.

When people say merde stinks, they are right.

No matter, chin-up, and I shall stay supremely positive I hope.

It is no mere coincidence that the mind, lies above all else in the human body. At least most of the time.

Bye bye.

~~~

Positivity must rise above the immense quagmire of negativity which continually holds us back, threatens our energy, heaves at our emotions, and is generally a ruinous brute...if we allow it to be...and ONLY if we allow that!

Colour: Black and grey with a hint of orange
Music: Faithless: Sunday 8pm
Royksopp: The Understanding
Listening to, "Saturday Night Fry" a recording from 1988 and very, very funny.

The season has been so serene in general, that I think the equinoctial tempests like the squadrons, have passed the autumn in harbour and that they will all come forth together.
-Walpole, October 31st, 1779

Something mysterious is formed, born in the silent void. Waiting alone and unmoving, it is at once still and yet in constant motion. It is the source of all forecasting knowledge. It has no name, so we call it the Tao.

1 If the chart is seen, the surface form is seen.
If the Tao is seen, then the underlying form is seen.
Then there is truly harmony.

2 The foolish forecaster is told about Tao and laughs at it.
The average forecaster is told about Tao and searches for it.
The wise forecaster is told about Tao and follows it.

3 A novice asked the Master Forecaster: "Sometimes my forecast verifies, and other times it doesn't. I have followed the model guidance, yet I am totally baffled. What is the reason for this?"
The Master replied: "You are confused because you do not understand Tao. Only a fool expects rational behavior from the atmosphere. Why do you expect this from a machine that humans have constructed? Computers simulate determinism; yet Tao arises from chaos. Therefore, you must contemplate Tao before you can use numerical models. Only then will you receive Enlightenment."
"But how will I know when I have received Enlightenment?" asked the novice.
"Your forecasts will be perfect," replied the Master.

4 There once was a Master Forecaster who consulted computer models in detail. Often he shook his head mightily and cried out in disgust. Often he tapped the chart in silent approval.
The Novice, seeking to imitate him, also began to consult computer models, either crying out or tapping the chart in approval.
When Novice asked the Master to evaluate his progress, the Master criticized him: "What is appropriate for the Master is not appropriate for the novice. You must understand Tao before transcending beyond the real atmosphere."

5 Taking a break from his forecast, the Student Forecaster said: "Master, what is Enlightenment?"
Said Master Forecaster: "Enlightenment is complete attention on reality itself, instead of focusing on our intellectual and emotional reactions to reality. Reality is the ever-changing, ever-growing, indefinable something known as the atmosphere."
The Student held up the 500 millibar chart: "But how does that help me with this?"
The Master said: "Ignorance is seeing the lines and marks on the chart, and forecasting from that. But Enlightenment is using the lines and marks to see the atmosphere lying underneath."
Feeling the humid breeze which wafted through the open door of the forecast office, Student and Master meditated on this.

6 Said the Student: "Show me the way to Enlightenment."
The Master dug through a pile of weather charts and pulled out a satellite photo. "Do you see this?"
"Yes."
"Enter here."

7 "All this Enlightenment stuff is nonsense," said the Bureaucrat.
"You are perfectly correct," responded the Master Forecaster. "But this is a teaching I normally reserve for only my most advanced students."

8 Master and Student stood outside the forecast office, admiring a beautiful mammatus display underneath a thunderstorm anvil.
Said Student: "Is there anything more miraculous than the wonders of nature?"
Said Master: "Yes. Your appreciation of those wonders."

9 Said the Master: "When Student depends on numerical models, it is like chasing his own shadow. It makes Student healthy, fit, and enthusiastic, yet all the time he is running away from the sun."

10 A renowned Professor once visited the Master to learn about Enlightenment. "Let us see the weather patterns," said the Professor.
The Master sat at his weather analysis computer, began with a blank weather chart, and pulled up hundreds of transparent overlays, turning the map into a chaotic sea of green. The Professor cried for him to clear the screen and start again.
Said the Master: "The screen is full of weather maps and can hold no more. In the same way your mind is full of ideas and there is no room for my teachings, unless you empty it."

11 The Master's student was wrestling with a difficult weather forecast. Finally he set his pencil down and said: "Look at this ETA run. Look at it! How can it show the warm front here when my analysis shows it's clearly over here? The RUC even sinks it southward. This is chaos! Where is the Tao now?"
The Master brushed the pencil away from the hand analysis and pointed at it. "There it is."

12 Bureaucrat went to the Master Forecaster and showed him the requirements to forecast for the Superbowl.
He asked the Master: "How long will it take to produce a forecast if I assign five forecasters to the task?"
"It will take three hours," said the Master promptly.
"But we need a more timely forecast! How long will it take if I assign ten forecasters to it?"
The Master Forecaster frowned. "In that case, it will take two days."
"And what if I assign a hundred forecasters to it?"
The Master Forecaster shrugged. "Then the forecast will never be completed."

13 A great storm was bearing down on the village. Pompous Forecaster was intently studying the radar with Novice, while the Master Forecaster was meditating in his chair.
Said Pompous Forecaster, "Come over here and see this radar image. Notice the hook shape on this storm. Notice the mid-level mesocyclone alert. Notice the appearance of high VIL values. Surely there will be a tornado. We should take cover now."
The Master Forecaster said. "There will be no tornado." He then resumed meditating.
Pompous Forecaster was stunned. "You fool! The facts are right here on the screen. Do you not see?"
The Master ignored him.
It came to pass that the storm moved away, with no tornado. The Novice confronted the Master in private. "Please enlighten me, Great Master. How did you know there would be no tornado?"
"Do you see the window over there? Look through it, Novice, and there you will find Tao."

14 The Master and Novice were sitting on a rock in the park. Energized by the sun, the Novice said: "Master, enlighten me so that I may find harmony in my forecasts."
The Master pointed. "Look. Do you see that old man? A friend told me that he would climb Mount Xianjing tomorrow and stay up on the summit all night, drinking wine and carousing. Do you agree he will do this tomorrow?"
Said the Novice: "I do not know. True, I could accept your friend's opinion, but I would want to go over right now and talk to this man, ask him questions, and understand him thoroughly before I could answer for certain."
"You have been enlightened," said the Master.

15 Said the Master Forecaster:
"A well-developed analysis is its own Heaven;
A poorly-developed forecast is its own Hell."

16 Much to the dismay of the Master, the forecasters in the weather office eagerly accepted the duty to devise an immediate forecast for the Emperor's anniversary ceremony, ten days away. Many of the forecasters argued to use the MRF, while others insisted that the ECMWF should be followed.
In a flash of insight, the student blurted, "Let us combine both models!"
The Master suddenly came forth and reprimanded the student with a stick. "Novice! Enough nonsense. Come with me and let us meditate."
The two went outside into the rock garden. The Master said, "Let us sit over here, where we cannot possibly be bothered by the blacksmith's smoke." The two went to a corner of the garden and sat in silence, relaxing their minds and staring into the sky, contemplating its great mysteries.
After much time had passed, a small cloud of smoke from the blacksmith's fire wafted over and choked both Master and student. Suddenly the student was enlightened.

17 The Master was explaining the nature of Tao to one of his novices.
"The Tao is embodied in all meteorology -- regardless of how insignificant," said the Master.
"Is the Tao in a stratocumulus cloud?" asked the novice.
"It is," came the reply.
"Is the Tao in a SKEW-T diagram?" asked the novice.
"It is even in a SKEW-T diagram," said the Master.
"Is the Tao in a numerical forecast model?" asked the novice.
The Master gently cleared his throat and stood up. "The lesson is over for today."

18 Prince Li's forecaster was analyzing a map. His pencil danced upon the weather map. His forecasts had always been faultless.
"I am astonished!" the Prince exclaimed. "Your technique is faultless!"
"Technique?" said the Master, turning from his map. "What I follow is Tao -- beyond all techniques! When I first began to forecast, I would see before me the atmosphere on separate charts. After three years, I no longer saw this. Instead, I saw the atmosphere blended together from all of the different charts, combined in three dimensions within my mind, and compared against the numerical models. Now I see nothing. My whole being exists in a formless void. My senses are idle. My spirit, free to work without a plan, follows its own instinct while I put pencil to paper and sift through all the charts. In short, my forecast produces itself. True, sometimes there are difficult problems. I see them coming, I slow down, I watch silently. Then I focus, use all of the tools available to me, and the difficulties vanish like puffs of idle smoke. I then complete the forecast. I sit still and let the joy of the work fill my being. I close my eyes for a moment and then go home."
Prince Li said, "If only all of my forecasters were as wise!"

19 The Novice held up a chart for the Master. He said, "This ETA chart shows that the CAPE over here will be quite large, but I do not understand this, because the dryline should mix rapidly eastward."
The Master disappeared and came back with a glass of iced tea for the Novice. "This is to help you think."
The Novice bowed deeply, took the tea, and sipped it. He looked at it, thought, and sipped it again. He said, "Master, did you sweeten my drink with saccharin?"
"Ah, Student. Your senses tell you that it is not sugar! Is it not good?"
"Yes, Master, it is good. It is very much like sugar and sweetens my drink nicely."
"And like your ETA chart, it is one of the best substitutes for nature that humans have been able to devise."
The Novice looked at his chart and suddenly was enlightened.

20 A well-used door needs no oil on its hinges.
These are the truths of the Tao of Forecasting.

21 When a forecaster computes stability indices, he sees the sounding within man-made constructs.
Truly, this is not the Tao of Forecasting.
When a forecaster studies the sounding, he sees the underlying form.
Truly, this is the Tao of Forecasting.

22 Computer met Capitalist on the road to Changtse. Computer said: "You are Yin and I am Yang. Together we will find Tao, redefine the science of forecasting, and obtain vast sums of funding."
And so they set forth together, thinking to conquer the world.
Presently, they met Hand Analyzed Chart, who was dressed in tattered rags and hobbled along propped on a thorny stick. Hand Analyzed Chart said to them: "I have seen Tao, and it lies beyond Yin and Yang. It is silent and still as a pool of water. It does not seek money; therefore nobody knows its presence. It does not seek to teach, for those only those who desire it can find it. It does not seek enlightenment, for it is complete within itself. It exists beyond space and time."
Computer and Capitalist, ashamed, returned to their homes.

[http://www.weathergraphics.com/tao.htm]

~~~
This is refreshing food for thought when confronted with all the doom-laden predcitions of global warming which shower us regularly from the hands of the 'experts'.

As I have mentioned before, I am sceptical about the whole theory, we should always seek the bigger picture, not the greater statistics.
lauren6

today lurching freshly, intoxicated ~ medication
seeking plateau, mesmeric pain ~ excruciatingly
afternoon awaits, trepidation, fear ~ inundation
today marching stale, unbeknown ~ debility.

aujourd'hui vacillant fraîchement, médicament intoxiqué
plateau cherchant, douleur mesmeric atrocement
l'après-midi attend, agitation, crainte, inondation
marcher aujourd'hui éventé, débilité inconnue.

Colour: red
Music: Paul McCartney: We All Stand Together...but I can't think why!!!
The Regents: 7Teen

Lone mouse delays flight

MANILA, Philippines (UPI) -- A lone mouse scampering through the aisle of a Qatar Airways jet in Manila caused the flight to be delayed 12 hours as workers hunted for it.

Just minutes before takeoff for Doha with 242 passengers aboard, a flight attendant spotted the rodent and alerted the captain, who immediately returned to the gate Sunday night, the Philippines Star reported Wednesday.

Passengers were unloaded, and the place was emptied as workers scoured the craft and fumigated it, but there was no sign of the mouse.

Flight QR 645 finally departed 12 hours late.

On the ground, airport management ordered a thorough cleanup of the terminal and a second spraying of pesticides to prevent another occurrence, the newspaper said. Mice can cause deadly damage by gnawing on wires and cable straps.

A German company has come up with a novel way of beating bans on smoking in pubs - put the nicotine in the beer.

A new beer, known as NicoShot, is undergoing testing in Germany with hopes it can be moved toward approval in the next few months.

Each beer contains three milligrams of nicotine and a 6.3 per cent alcohol reading.

Its German maker, Nautilus, claims the beer is designed to help smokers quit the habit rather than make the drink addictive.

"While NicoShot can lessen cravings, it is not a 'cure' for smoking," Nautilus said.

"But it can help you make changes in your lifestyle without having to walk out of the bar for a quick smoke to deal with sudden withdrawal symptoms.

"Over time, when you are more comfortable being a non-smoker, the use of nicotine beer can be reduced and then stopped."

AAP

Actual Writings on Hospital Charts

1. She has no rigors or shaking chills, but her husband states she was
very hot in bed last night.

2. Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year.

3. On the second day the knee was better, and on the third day it
disappeared.

4. The patient is tearful and crying constantly. She also appears to be
depressed.

5. The patient has been depressed since she began seeing me in 1993.

6. Discharge status: Alive but without my permission.

7. Healthy appearing decrepit 69-year-old male, mentally alert but
forgetful.

8. The patient refused autopsy.

9. The patient has no previous history of suicides.

10. Patient has left white blood cells at another hospital.

11. Patient's medical history has been remarkably insignificant with only
a 40-pound weight gain in the past three days.

12. Patient had waffles for breakfast and anorexia for lunch.

13. She is numb from her toes down.

14. While in ER, she was examined, x-rated and sent home.

15. The skin was moist and dry.

16. Occasional constant infrequent headaches.

17. Patient was alert and unresponsive.

18. Rectal examination revealed a normal-size thyroid.

19. She stated that she had been constipated for most of her life, until
she got a divorce.

20. I saw your patient today, who is still under our car for physical
therapy.

21. Both breasts are equal and reactive to light and accommodation.

22. Examination of genitalia reveals that he is circus sized.

23. The lab test indicated abnormal lover function.

24. The patient was to have a bowel resection. However, he took a job as a
stockbroker instead.

25. Skin: somewhat pale but present.

26. The pelvic exam will be done later on the floor.

27. Patient was seen in consultation by Dr. Blank, who felt we should sit
on the abdomen, and I agree.

28. Large brown stool ambulating in the hall.

29. Patient has two teenage children but no other abnormalities.

~~~

Famous last words of the anthropologist:
"This is a standard custom here."

Cheese makes you dream?
http://cheeseplz.blog.de

Foggy morning and weekend is here, I thought it was Friday until I saw the traffic, which was emphasised by it's non-existance...my eyes are not accustomed to that upon parting my blinds each morgen.
Only my postman to be seen delivering one item of happy mail, a cd from my friend in Japan, with the latest offering from Japanese music, mostly his favourites, but I'm grateful to receive this...especially as one year ago today I was flying to Tokyo. Actually, this time in 2004, I was in the lovely Schipol airport, my connection from Norwich necessitated a whopping seven hour wait, which brought on a humungous migraine upon boarding the KLM flight, and two hours into the flight I became so sick I hit the internal panic button. I threw cold water over my face in the pencil case-sized toilet, then knocked back one whole Heineken and went to sleep, ...it worked!

I miss Japan so much.

Not to detract from England, I love it here also, to a great degree, and this autumn has been pleasant, warm, and really no-one could have asked for better weather than this, now could they?

Blog buddies, what is your strongest memory from this time of year?
Is autumn your favourite season?
I believe, it probably is my favourite.

Had an awesome dream, the fourth in my life to feature the Gallagher brothers! Noel and Liam, my father (!!) and I were in the studio with them, Noel was seriously putting together a fine tune, Liam was seated, away from the song, with a guitar, and messing around. He looked at me, with a peculiar expression, and handed me the guitar, we smiled, and I played...played!!! I cannot in reality, but in the dream, I could put together a 3-minute tune, that Noel enjoyed, Liam liked more, and I was knocked-out by it.
I remember the dream was in England, Liam wore a brown jacket, the material of which I cannot recall, with jeans, Noel was in dark colours, with the slight squint under a spotlight, sometimes standing, sometimes leaning back to barely sit on a stool.
My father was silent throughout, not being Oasis' best fan.
And there we are, no further details, whereupon my dream went somewhere else...

Colour: Pinkorangered...like the Cocteau Twins song~~
Music: Spongebob Squarepants theme music...similar to the 'Home Truths' music when the late-great John Peel held the reigns...both seem to offer me great happiness, consolation, warmth and security...amazing really.
Oasis: Don't Go Away
Reading: a stack of this month's newspapers.

What occurs once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?

22:46pm; what is this one?

Weight in my belly,
Trees on my back,
Nails in my ribs,
Feet I do lack.

Music: Outkast: Roses
O'Jay's: For the Love of Money...absolute classic!
Groove Armada: Superstylin'

I am here, my cousin, with my daughter, her son, her step-daughter and the good abbé, and the finest weather in the world.
-Madame de Sévigné. Livry, October 28th, 1685

A good morning it isn't with rain beginning to lash down from a sea-like sky, the astonishing warmth of yesterday now past like a golden memory, fresh though it is, and the warm legacy just stumbles into today, at least here in Norfolk.

I stand here...well, not entirely true, due to my spine I can't stand anything...
yesterday, apart from enjoying the unprecedented glory of 'weather' I also had another health shock, setback even. What was it, and what am I on about?
I'm on about the now official "mismanagement" of my health case at the hospital. Wednesday was the day when I had confirmation, that my waiting for urgent spinal MRI, let alone even more urgent treatment, is the result of the said hospital loosing my papers. They cannot find my records!! What bumbling fools, what shocking irresponsibility.
But before their admission, what was their declaration? It was to denounce and overrule the consultant's and GP's diagnosis as "normal", "non-urgent" and "an age-related bone movement"...this is disgraceful!
I saw the x-ray, read the physiotherapist's report, attended my GP's surgery, all showing the extent of my spinal injuries....the missing bone since childhood, the use of the word 'fracture' by a senior consultant, the physiotherapy for 'slipped disk'.
It then transpired, after third party pressure, that the hospital finally conceded they do not have ANY paperwork relating to myself and my MRI appointment, (so all my waiting has been for 'nothing'?), and their initial words were without proof. That is shocking in the extreme...in my case spinal injuries, if it happens to others, who knows?
So, I could have waited for years, patiently, with NO CHANCE of ever being seen, by which time my spinal condition would have neccessitated the need for a wheelchair...a further and unneccessary cost to the country, as well as a huge social adjustment for self...I am still heading in that direction now.

What shocks me most, is that I was ignored, (of course, I'm only a human condition), my GP was ignored, and finally I snapped and went to my excellent MP and local press...only, ONLY then did any truth come out. And it is far from being resolved even now.
This is how things are in the local hospital. I, of course placed myself below those who required urgent orthopaedic treatment, and like so many British people, waited my turn and some...without any wish to appear selfish, despite the intense pain...until now, waiting since January's collapse, March's x-ray confirmation...is long enough.

So, it means, with respect, that a hospital can fob-off anyone to reduce numbers, no matter what the diagnosis??
It means, that only those that fight, and fight hard, will EVER get seen?
It means that only those who seek help of higher powers will be treated as seriously ill?
What of the rest?

I never expected such an appalling situation for the treatment of fellow human beings, and still retain faith in the doctors and nurses from around the world who are themselves breaking their backs to help people, but the administration is not bringing hospital's to their knees; it has already broken the backbone of their very rôle.

Cling not to experiences for ever-changing are they

A question dear bloggers, a brain teaser really...

From which song is this lyric taken?

"...mushrooms on the horizon..."

On the news today, they informed us that it is better to 'sleep on the problem' and that a good night's sleep will offer a better solution than making a decision "after 6pm".

But, while agreeing to some extent with this announcement, I would like to add that, if the answer doesn't appear in the first few throes of the problem, the chances are that it never will, at least not an adequate one. This is my opinion, and I will readily concede that it doesn't suit all!!

I mean, we cannot say that a 100% swing either way is satisfactory. Some of the reports that are being constantly thrown at us by our beloved media, make good reading, good entertainment, and great blog fodder, (try saying that quickly and see if you get away with it!! ), but should also be taken with a pinch of salt too, as if choosing your food at a buffet, we have some experience of all those things, but don't need to take it all on board unless we are in 'one of those moods.'
The decision is still our own, and we do not need to be led down the garden path unless the garden is ours.

Anyway dear blog friends, how do you tackle a problem?

For myself, I have an immediate response, (I'm a leo!!), then sleep on it, (I'm a leo!!), and wake up going back to my initial response, (I'm a leo!!).
In my view the initial response is the one from within, from our heart, and hopefully head too, but it belongs to us, the one that is delayed or slept on, tends to be the one of others. So my feeling to go with my initial response after a night's sleep is the best of both worlds, the one "within you and without you" and authored by one's self.

Colour: autumn gold of course, in this weather!
Music: Heather Nova: Island (whom I met in my dream last night)

Reading: Killer hornets by Richard Lloyd Parry, The Times, October 25th article

~~~

We were talking-about the space between us all
And the people-who hide themselves behind a wall of illusion
Never glimpse the truth-then it's far too late-when they pass away.
We were talking-about the love we all could share-when we find it
To try our best to hold it there-with our love
With our love-we could save the world-if they only knew.
Try to realise it's all within yourself
No-one else can make you change
And to see you're really only very small,
And life flows ON within you and without you.
We were talking-about the love that's gone so cold and the people,
Who gain the world and lose their soul-
They don't know-they can't see-are you one of them?
When you've seen beyond yourself-then you may find, peace of mind,
Is waiting there-
And the time will come when you see
we're all one, and life flows on within you and without you.
-The Beatles

(1) Do not bend down and look between your legs. You will see a ghost.
(2) Do not sweep dirt out of the front entrance. It will make all your money go away.
(3) Do not sweep at night. It is bad luck.
(4) Do not clean the spider web at night. You will lose all your money.
(5) Do not open an umbrella in the house. It will make you bald.
(6) Do not eat candy that has dropped on the floor. It now belongs to the ghost.
(7) Do not put valuable things away at night. The ghost will see and steal it.
(8) Do not keep broken Buddha images in the house. It will cause your family to be separated.
(9) Do not tell other people about your bad dream when you are eating. If you do it will come true.
(10) Do not rock an empty cradle. Your child will become sick.
(11) Do not throw anything onto the roof of the house. It is bad luck.
(12) Do not tap a kid on his head. It will make him a bed wetter.
(13) Do not enter a house through the window. Bad luck will come to that house.
(14) Do not allow wedding guests break any plates or glasses. It will cause the couple to become separated.
(15) If you have a scratch, do not attend a cremation. It will make your scratch infected.

A game for today - Using only the Amazon.com description, guess what product is being sold...
"Easy to Assemble & Clean. Glow-In-The-Dark Spike with
Squeeze Bulb"

Any guesses?

a rich country is a country that loves it's people, and cares for them, as well as smiles warmly to those within it's sphere.

Therefore, the Philippines will always rank higher than my beloved England.

England, you have everything,
and sometimes show yourself nothing,
England, see yourself more clearly,
and heal yourself urgently
England, I love you
but where are you in my hopelessness?
England, I need you,
but where are you now?
England, I die for you,
but please don't let it be because of you

=dedicated to all England's suffering giants, stuck hopelessly on obscene hospital waiting lists.

England, I say again, I love you,
but why are you so disloyal to me?
England, your people are the salt of the earth,
but why must you govern surrender?

Written in frustrated love...NOT hate!! For England will be forever my number 1

addenda:
This was written after my hospital now say they do not think the original diagnosis of my spine was correct, but another consultant says it was...so while they squabble amongst themselves, what about me?
Since January, what A told B but not me, disagrees with what B now tells me, without telling A...until today.
I have also been told that I should have been placed on the waiting list 'sooner' but 'wasn't'...another 27 weeks to wait at present estimate?
I want to learn to run again, so I can run my head into the wall.
Oh God help us.

At the sound of me, men may dream
Or stamp their feet
At the sound of me, women may laugh
Or sometimes weep

answers please ~~!!!!

In this gusty Norwich evening, when Liverpool have succumbed yet again, (I swear Liverpool should start playing all games on the continent), I want to give a shout and BIG thanks to my dear and precious blog buddies.
Having this blog, this outlet, this shelter, this corner seat, this place, has allowed me a lot of thought and hope during the fear and gradual realisation of what I'm entering into, with regards hospital waiting lists and crippling injuries. The year from start to finish will seem like viewling a string from one end to the other...but the string is not straight...one side is ability but halfway, the string twists round a great tree at a right angle and heads into shade, the end of which I can't yet find nor see.

Anyway, my wonderful blog buddies, stay close, you are very much appreciated in many, many ways, and again a warm thank you.
You are stars.

Colour: Oceanblue
Music: Faithless: Why Go?
Reading: Nature Through the Seasons by Shinzo Maeda

I am becoming increasingly sure that my dear hospital have lost my paperwork, because nobody seems able to get a respone from them...they ignore my GP, MP and of course little me.
My GP declared my spine so serious that I must refrain from work, a deep shock to my craniums' inners, but, upon receiving incapacity benefit for the first time in my life, I have received a mighty swift doctor examination appointment, via the Dept. of Work, not the NHS, as if by miracle, the waiting list is only 5 days...so, so, so...I get it all now, this country which I love so much acts with haste in the department that governs money, and shuts the door on the ones that need basic treatment to save an even more basic gift, that of being able to walk.

In summary;
I have waited since January for ANY treatment to a cracked spine which now threatens my ability to move.
Within a few weeks of being forcibly told to stop work, against my wishes, and placed on incapacity benefit...I get a miraculous doctor's appointment, a doctor willing to see me, not to help me, but for diagnosis/confirmation to satisfy our government, to make me feel even more helpless. I'm not annoyed with them, and welcome the appointment, they are doing their job...but by doing so, they highlight how BADLY the hospital are doing theirs.
But far from feeling depressed, this is stirring the fire in me more and more and more.
It is, at least here, obvious that priorities lie in money, pure and raw money...health can go to hell, and if you are patient and polite, even worse.

There is only one way to go forward here, and that is to fight, and fight hard.

~~~~

Many times, I have something in my mind, a phrase, a memory, a person, place, song, or something, and low and behold, as I listen to the radio at the same time, view a website, read a newspaper... that same thing appears within a second of my thought...it happens time and time again.

Do you have this happen often?

Music: Faithless: She's My Baby
Take the Long Way Home

Faithless, aspire to the places where I want to be, and to places where I've been, I salute you, and all you touch, it touches all I know, and is with me where Im headed.
You come 1 with all those you touch. Faithless always.

The earthquake in Pakistan was really hard for me to wrap my head around. I mean, I've lived with earthquakes my entire life, and I've lived through some really huge and terrifying ones, but nothing that even begins to approach the magnitude (pardon the pun) of the Pakistan quake earlier this month. Coming on the heels of Katrina and Rita, I have to admit that I was suffering from a major case of tragedy overload, and I didn't really know what to say or do about it.

Just now, I read a story at Yahoo! News about natural disasters that brought the catastrophic enormity of the disaster into sharp, horrifying focus.

Of the estimated 61,000 people who have died this year due to natural disasters, about 50,000 (according to today's estimate) were victims of the 7.6 earthquake that struck Pakistan Oct. 7. In 2004, by contrast, more than 60 percent of the total natural disaster deaths were caused by the tsunami in the Indian Ocean.

The whole story talks about how it's not Mother Nature who is changing, as much as we who scurry about the planet are. "Earth might seem like a more active and dangerous place than ever, given the constant media reports of multiple natural disasters recently. But a broader view reveals that it's not Mother Nature who's changed, but we humans." It goes on to say "Drawn by undeveloped land and fertile soil, people are flocking to disaster-prone regions.

This creates a situation in which ordinary events like earthquakes and hurricanes become increasingly elevated to the level of natural disasters that reap heavy losses in human life and property."

Environmentalists have been succesfully demonized by the Right Wing Noise Machine, and some of the loonies out there don't exactly help the cause, but we've only got one planet to live on right now, and it's clear that we who scurry about on her surface are having an impact on how well she handles us. It's something to think about, at least.

[the above is from WWdN, October 17th, 2005]

I agree, it is a media fashion to blame global warming, and mother nature, without ever seeing the broad view, (which ironically, is more readily available than ever before). Global warming is a convenient reason, which in itself needs to be looked out over centuries, not just this decade!! The media are good at creating hysteria, we only have to look at Sven last month, bird flu now, and global warming these past years. Good people of the world are not stupid, and we can see raw data which tells us a whole lot more than the media ever can, in their present form.
For example;
England 2, Poland 1 = the 'Sven out' calls subside, at least for now.
We get a cold winter in the UK, with all of us seeing a snow plough at some point. = Ordinary people say they have never known a winter like it...but it is a return to normal weather, just like this poor summer over England...it was actually a normal summer of decades past...we have forgotten that!

There is, after all, such a thing is natural variability.

It only takes one change of course, (or return to the 'norm'), and a whole hypothesis can be thrown out of the window...if anything is fickle, it is US humans!!!
lauren6

What do you, my blog buddies, think?

We could not walk, it was so very rainy.
Dorothy Wordsworth, October 25th, 1800

Colour: Darkorange and darkolivegreen
Music: Stranglers: European Female
Howard Jones: What is Love? ...remember that???

News story of the day, a lorry has shed it's load...of lard somewhere in the UK today...didn't catch the location though...anyone know where??

Philippine Cheez Whiz on toast, topped with German salami made my breakfast quite a treat, washing down a now reduced medicine diet of three tablets daily.
I'm at breaking-point in more ways than one.
My doctor is on my side, my physiotherapist too, and lately my MP also...but the one that really matters most, the hospital, are totally acquiescent in that they are busy, but oblivious to patiently-impatient-patients.
I have, of course, put myself second to those who need attention, I have waited 10 months, with a slipped disc/fractured spine...can you fellow bloggers confirm that I have waited long enough without ANY treatment??

All I have been given in 10 months are bloody painkillers, the bottle of which I've used for 'street football practice' and also some good physiotherapy too...the latter I have welcomed, the former I have shunned.
In that time I have gone from a well-abled football player, a striker of two goals a game, to a registered "incapacitated person" who is shortly in need of a wheelchair, as I can no longer move freely. I have seen my perception of the world change radically, as my spine hauls me down to the spot where I find myself.
Dressing, showering, eating, watching tv are all challenges now, some of which I am starting to lose. I have kept my mind sharp and positive, and fought hard and bravely, but I've been exhausted recently, and can no longer fight it alone, in constant pain, with no help at all from our glorious and rich country.

When I touch my lower spine, I have 'electric shocks' all through my right kneecap and right foot, and a burning sensation as if someone has used a wood-planer across my thigh, and this lasts for most of every day.

I have requested help, treatment etc, monthly and my GP is sincerely a good...very good one...but why have I, like so many others, been cold-shouldered by the hospital that appears to require a visa and a sponsor to enter??
My spine is crumbling away, slipping further, and my mind wonders to going abroad for treatment.
I never thought my biggest battle would be to be seen, (yes, I am still waiting to be seen for MRI...let alone treated!!! after TEN months), by the NHS, as opposed to fighting a cracked spinal chord.
I have not given up yet, I have one last major push in me...but my time is running out...or else my shattered body will finally curl up.

Only the rain falls today
between the sky and my choice of way
going through, alone, without you
is as familiar as it is new

forever forward I am turning back often
and backwards I shall never go
in my memory you are warm and safe
in reality you are lost and laid to waste.

~~~

été-automne

Seulement la pluie tombe aujourd'hui.
entre le ciel et mon choix de manière.
intervenant, seulement, sans vous.
est aussi familier qu'il est nouveau.
expédiez-pour toujours moi reviens souvent.
et vers l'arrière je n'irai jamais.
dans ma mémoire vous êtes warm et coffre-fort.
en réalité vous êtes perdu et étendu à la perte.

You can give up having faith in some,
but never give up faith in all.
-lauren6

The reward of a thing well done is to have done it.
RALPH WALDO EMERSON

NAIROBI, Kenya - Amina Harun, a 45-year-old farmer, used to traipse around for hours looking for a working pay phone on which to call the markets and find the best prices for her fruit. Then cell phones changed her life.
"We can easily link up with customers, brokers and the market," she says, sitting between two piles of watermelons at Wakulima Market in Kenya's capital.

Harun is one of a rapidly swelling army of wired-up Africans — an estimated 100 million of the continent's 906 million people. Another is Omar Abdulla Saidi, phoning in from his sailboat on the Zanzibar coast looking for the port that will give him the biggest profit on his freshly caught red snapper, tuna and shellfish.

Inevitably, cell phones have become status symbols. "If you do not have one, your friends will laugh at you and say that you are outmoded," says Akpene Rose, a 23-year-old hairdressing student in Togo, a tiny West African country where every sixth person is estimated to have a cell phone.

[groonk.net]

*Do you love your cellphone, value it's commerical brilliance and convenience, or loathe how they've 'stolen' people?*

When unwanted email first came along, people invented different words for it, such as unsolicited email and junk email. But eventually "spam" became the word of choice to describe the phenomenon.

It's a process that happens each time a new thing needs a name, but language researchers have struggled to model how it happens without a central decision maker. Now a computer model shows the process at work - and may give insights into how the first human languages emerged.

Luc Steels of the Sony Computer Science Laboratory Paris in France and his colleagues studied the "naming game", a simple computer model that reflects how people invent words and use them. In the game, a group of "agents" live in a virtual environment with a number of "objects". Each agent makes up random names for the objects, and the agents then interact in pairs, trying to "talk" about those objects.

Name game
In each interaction, one agent (the speaker) says its word for an object, while the second agent (the hearer) listens. If the hearer fails to recognise the word, it memorises it as a possible name for the object. But if the hearer understands the word, both agents retain this word in memory and ditch any others they have made up or heard.

Repeated over and over again, this process reflects how people invent and share new words for objects: they constantly invent new words, yet can only use ones that others understand, so it keeps a lid on the number of words in use.

The simulations showed that this is enough for the emergence of a unique shared vocabulary. In the model, each object always ends up being described by just one word. "The model is as simple as possible," says Steels. "But it captures the main ingredients of how a population develops an efficient communication system."

Evolving grammar
So could a similar process have helped the historical emergence of human languages? "Absolutely," says linguist James Hurford of the University of Edinburgh, UK. But he emphasises that in addition to common words, human language also requires richer structures such as grammar, the emergence of which the model cannot yet explain.

Repeated over and over again, the process reflects how people invent and share new words for objects

While Steels and colleagues hope to develop more complex models capable of evolving grammar, they already see potential applications in computing. For instance, programmers currently have to establish standards to get commercial or scientific databases to communicate effectively. It may soon be possible to get computers to talk to one another by letting them evolve a common language on their own.

[New Scientist, October 16th, 2005]

*My blog friends, what was your first word as a baby?*

This morning started sharply with a phone call...and at the other end?
An obviously early-riser declaring, 'Your quail mix is ready for collection now!' ...huh??
At 8am? Quail mix...quail mix??? Sounds like something Oscar Wilde could have used for a play.
I stupidly replied, "one moment" while I waited for my brain to land from it's dream...and when it did I just laughed and said "I don't need quail mix just yet!!"

This morning, at 9.30, was supposed to be gym practice, to help my spine, but upon arrival a dishevelled looking man, informed 13 of us, that 'last night's function was rather wild and the gym is not ready, it's off' ...which left us lost for words. I thought maybe we should all have gone to THAT function firstly!!!

The cloud blanket has returned now...
"Our climate is delightful when framed and glazed, that is, beautiful through a window"
-Walpole, October 22nd 1771

Colour: chartreuse and lime
Music: Depeche Mode: The Darkest Star
スピッツ：ババロア
Reading: Asian languages at a glance

Now it is lunchbreak, and I'm enjoying kikkoman aka miso which is very healthy and nice.
I try to eat healthy, but recently I've been going for nice hot and thin chips, Thai chilli sauce and Danish blue...it is a wonderful combination...cheap, simple, unorthodox and yummy~~

I read a very interesting article by Colin Randall yesterday, which claims a recent poll conducted by Yours magazine put France out at number 1 as the nation that makes the worst tea. Do you agree?
Being half-French-but-British and having lived there for a great number of years I feel I have a right to speak on this matter...outside Paris I could agree with this finding, but a big reason being simply the milk...which is delicious on it's own, or in cereals, but appaling when mixed with tea.
Colin Randall went on to conclude that the French do not prioritise tea as the British have, and I tend to agree with that also. It's still true to say the best English teas are had in Britain, my most enjoyable Japanese tea was in Kyoto, ...when in Rome...

However, I was saddened to read in the same Yours report that sales of traditional tea bags have fallen by as much as 16% 'recently'...which is quite a lot.
So, I am bucking the trend with at least one pot of Tetley's a day, and at least a further four offerings of Japanese/Chinese/traditional teas.
Speaking for myself, I love english tea and teatime very much.

Friends, what is your favourite drink?

~~If you believe everything you read, better not read~~

Music: Spitz: スピッツ：夜を駆ける
Jun Shibata: 柴田淳:ちいさなぼくへ

Addenda: I also have a nice selection of 'english' (Indian/Sri Lankan) teas which I forgot to mention in this original post! These teas are amongst my favourites.

Why don't you get back into bed x10

Reasons to be cheerful part 3

1 2 3

Summer, Buddy Holly, the working folly
Good golly Miss Molly and boats
Hammersmith Palais, the Bolshoi Ballet
Jump back in the alley and nanny goats

18-wheeler Scammels, Domenecker camels
All other mammals plus equal votes
Seeing Piccadilly, Fanny Smith and Willy
Being rather silly, and porridge oats

A bit of grin and bear it, a bit of come and share it
You're welcome, we can spare it - yellow socks
Too short to be haughty, too nutty to be naughty
Going on 40 - no electric shocks

The juice of the carrot, the smile of the parrot
A little drop of claret - anything that rocks
Elvis and Scotty, days when I ain't spotty,
Sitting on the potty - curing smallpox

Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3

1 2 3

Reasons to be cheerful part 3

Health service glasses
Gigolos and brasses
round or skinny bottoms

Take your mum to paris
lighting up the chalice
wee willy harris

Bantu Stephen Biko, listening to Rico
Harpo, Groucho, Chico

Cheddar cheese and pickle, the Vincent motorsickle
Slap and tickle
Woody Allen, Dali, Dimitri and Pasquale
balabalabala and Volare

Something nice to study, phoning up a buddy
Being in my nuddy
Saying hokey-dokey, singalonga Smokey
Coming out of chokey

John Coltrane's soprano, Adi Celentano
Bonar Colleano

Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3
Reasons to be cheerful part 3

1 2 3

Yes yes
dear dear
perhaps next year
or maybe even never

in which case

Reasons to be cheerful part 3 x10

(Gone but never forgotten...Ian Dury)
http://www.iandury.co.uk/

I love you

It seems a waste
To reminisce about you
Because I want to keep you mine and mine alone.
I don't really wanna remember you
I mean, it's embarrassing
Grinning to myself.
Even though you were late coming home
Tired from a late night
You picked me up in your arms
Even in my dreams, I knew it.

I miss you so
I couldn't feel any more helpless
I miss you so
I'll always love you.

Did you know,
What I wished for
That night
When we went for a drive?
Did you know,
That I saw our happiness
In the sky we looked up at together?
You took this one 'me' laying there
Made her beautiful and were always there for me.
I miss you so
I don't wanna be any further away from you
I miss you so
I'll always love you.

I miss you so
I couldn't feel anymore helpless
I miss you so
I'll always love you.

I will always, always and forever
I will always love you. la la la.

~~~

なんだかあなたのこと
Nandaka anata no koto
重いだすのもったいないよ
Omoidasu no mottainai yo
あたしだけのものにしておきたいから
Atashi dake no mono ni shite okitai kara
ななだかあなたのこと
Nandaka anata no koto
重いだすの矢田よ
Omoidasu no yada yo
だって一人でにやけて恥ずかしいよ
Datte hitori de niyakete hazukashii yo

徹夜でかえってきてつかてるのに
Tetsuya de kaettekite tsukateru noni
だっこしてくれて
Dakko shite kurete
夢の中にいても分かったよ
Yume no naka ni itemo wakatta yo

あなたが恋しくて恋しくて
Anata ga koishikute koishikute
これいじょうどうしようもなくて
Kore ijoo dooshiyoomo nakute
あなたが恋しくて恋しくて
Anata ga koishikute koishikute
ずっとずっと大好きだよ
Zutto zutto daisukidayou

しってた？あのよるにね
Shitteta? ano yoru ni ne
二人でドライブに行ったとき
Futari de doraibu ni itta toki
ばいくのうしろ座席で願ったこと
Baiku no ushiro zaseki de negatta koto
しってたあのよるにね
Shitteta ano yoru ni ne
二人で見上げて星空に
Futari de miageta hoshi zora ni
あなたとあたしの幸せが見えたよ
Anata to atashi no shiawase ga mieta yo

たった一つのころがってたあたしを
Tatta hitotsu no korogatteta atashi o
きれいにしてくれていつだって支えてくれた
Kirei ni shitekurete itsudatte sasaetekureta

あなたが恋しくて恋しくて
Anata ga koishikute koishikute
これいじょう放れたくないよ
Kore ijoo hanaretakunaiyo
あなたが恋しくて恋しくて
Anata ga koishikute koishikute
ずっとずっと大好きだよ
Zutto zutto daisukidayo

Liverpool did in the Champions League, again, what they fail to do more often than not in the Premiership...win!
A great Cisse goal keeps going an impressive record in the CL under Benitez, and much optimism. It's looking good.

I read, incidentally, that Ian St-John was pleased when Houllier was sacked, stating that he was destroying the LFC midfield completely.
Houllier after his near fatal heart problem seemed to lose the fire, and in my opinion, Phil Thompson was doing an exceptional job at the helm, albeit brief...Liverpool never built on that.
Ironically, Houllier now has a 100% record in the CL with Lyon!

Monday was a hellish day...a mealy-mouthed, smarmy little man driving on the wrong side of the road, outside my home, hit me, head-on, while I was stationary, and shook not only my nerves, but shocked little ones aged 4 and 6 in my car, who were fortunately ok, (that is all that really matters), and ate away some more of my crumbling spine. The unctuous twot tried to get me to admit it was "50-50" and I said 'how????' you idiot, driving at 40 on the wrong side in a 30mph zone and smacking my car is 110 to -10 in my book.
Snap out of denial, admit it, then shut it. I hate him right now...so full of himself and his voice and fails to open his sly-eyes to reality.

This morning I fed the guinea pigs, Morris Womble and Rodders, who had been squeaking all night as the rain thundered down, then helped myself to one croissant and soya, washing down 4 tablets. yuk.

After working, I'm thinking of digging up some old vinyl lp's from my garage...this week I rediscovered my two Sparks lp's from 1974, Propaganda and Kimono my House...I remember watching them on TOTP and loving that crazy sound, one of my earliest memories as a 3 year old!!

What is your first musical memory?

Colour: Grey, black, white and dark blue
Music: Ai Otsuka: Daisuki dayo おつか愛：大好きだよう...memories of hearing this while being driven by my good friend to Kyoto. This was his favourite too, though a simple song, it is beautiful.
Confirming what is often said, that simple is frequently the best.
日本が恋しい。。。ずっと

I'm still waiting on the NHS for a mundane MRI which will reveal the extent of my fractured spine and slipped disc...so exhausted and pained am I now, that I even had the sympathy of my MP.
Only time will tell~
Whenever time can yell
on this pain-framed male
still smiling, from hell.

Had the most godawful dream last night, a torturous account of childhood, (symbolic I guess, with no relation to real-life, just a nightmare, nothing more, nothing less), which has wrecked this morning.

While browsing in HMV I was surprised to hear the Jesus & Mary Chain cornering me...long time since I heard them...followed by a Peel favourite, from the Cocteau Twins...and that got me, I was lost, yet taken, by the 80's dreams and visions I had, which linked with the 'today' just sidestepped. Just two songs shaped the entire day, and turned it dramatically into yesterday.

I daren't go into too much detail about Norwich City, but 0-4 at HT to Luton...finishing 2-4 is a meltdown for their promotion aspirations I'm afraid.
And it's Liverpool, playing Anderlecht...this game I first saw in 1998 playing Fifa 97...in which Liverpool won 6-0 with Fowler and Owen firing on all cylinders.
I dare say Liverpool take longer to accumulate 6 goals these days, but paradoxically have a far better chance of winning European trophies. Come on you Reds, we can't have Chelsea winning it. Shall we let them have the Premiership again this year, and we keep the European Cup title?

I'd settle for that right now!

I see that Ewen McCallum, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, has warned that Britain faces it's coldest winter in a decade.
I remember this time last year, we were warned of the imminant 'coldest winter of the century'...which was subtle in that the century was only a few years young.
What can be read into this latest warning?
Chips are bad, tv pollutes the minds of youth, too many couch potatoes, eat your greens and so on~~~

I've just taken all 4 tablets, (4 x daily), I got some cucumbers, tomatoes and potatoes from my garden, mixed with peppers, Thai rice, olive oil, French vinegar, tuna, 2 eggs for lunch/supper to break up my work. (My friend is here also, but I make lunch.)
Tonight I might have a Chinese takeaway, probably with spice. Good for the heart you know!
Also a regular right now, is Twinings lemon and ginger tea. Lovely~~

What are you having today?

===== =====
========you=========
====thought it was good====
======and so did I======
=sharing what we shared=
deeper now...
||
...now you and I forget the time without either
imprisoned with impassion
free with touch
the comfort of love and suppression of lust
we flower beneath memories leaf-fall
trampled underfoot, and blown upwards
hand in hand
one step at a time...out of line
~the fine line~
dividing a season betwixt a divine time
and what best passes to memory left behind.

=
=
=
=
Colour: Maple crimson, salmon, orangered
Music: Depeche Mode: Suffer Well
Reading: Thai craft

||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

My life can be measured in hours,
I serve by being devoured.
Thin, I am quick
Fat, I am slow
Wind is my foe.

||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Clue: it is not me
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

Certainty - I've yearned it's precious qualities
God - onward we march
Years - laying cause for new leanings
Heavens - forward we lurch

Trust - I've given, offered and lost
Lord - my empty words you hear
Fears - re-laying a certain ghost
Cross - seen, felt, never heard

Signs - of this life revealed
Face - the world in my eyes
Walking - in my shoes
Say - what I've been too afraid to say

[Playing the angel's music]

"Flying"

the word

the world

the word is...?

the world is...?

What does flying conjure up for you good people

Colour: Traffic light red-amber-green under midnight blue sky...heading west, listening to;
Music: Depeche Mode: A Pain That I'm Used To
'' Suffer Well
Supergrass: Moving
Sneaker Pimps: Spin, Spin Sugar
Primal Scream: Shine Like Stars
Reading: Mrs Henry Wood: The Weather Calendar.

The muscles flex, while anger objects to
those long-winded malcontents, who stare from their
superfluous necks, sickening my view
of the shallow-brained few, my blood boils...
in their own stew, overtaking the
ridiculous queue, your speeding dream machine
fitting your far from lean cuisine, wiping away
the sheen of your car-cum-latrine...
overflowing filth, break lights ~skidmarks~
too late - your car excretes a shuffle and screech
thud meets teeth - clattering beneath
my shattering spine locked in car-cum-shrine.

Morning, car, crash, 8.35am

Colour: Black
Music: Sparks: At Home, At Work, At Play

I have a question. (Which was also put to me!!)
Should a person regret a precious part of their own past that made them warm, strong and happy...but which upsets another whom was not known of at that time ?

Habang ang tao ay nasusugatan, ito ay tumatapang

While a person is being wounded, he is stronger
(Hardships make people stronger)

Colour: Gold
Music: Squeeze Hits
Reading: H. Warington Smyth: Five Years in Siam

An Arab sheikh tells his two sons to race their camels to a distant city to see who will inherit his fortune. The one whose camel is slower will win. The brothers, after wandering aimlessly for days, ask a wise man for advice. After listening to his advice they jump on the camels and race as fast as they can to the city. What did the wise man say?

I build up castles.
I tear down mountains.
I make some men blind,
I help others to see.
What am I?

Eine Welt weg
ein Moment, zum Sie zu sehen
eine Lebenszeit des Gefühls
eine Sekunde, zum Sie zu sehen
eine Sekunde, zum meines Lebens zu ändern
eine Lebenszeit, zum in einer Sekunde zu ändern

A world away
a moment to see you
a lifetime of feeling
a second to see you
a second to change my life
a lifetime to change in a second

Humbly uncomplicated beginning's

I love you...in my wet hair
I love you...in the misty morning air
I imagine you...as you lay there
I imagine you...when I can't be there

I see you...as you give me your care
I see you...as you stand and stare
I hear you...your flat feet on the floor
I hear you...your soft sounding occasional snore

I need you...as I fall from grace
I need you...as I hide my agonised face
I want you...to be what I'm not
I want you...to see what I've got

I feel you...everytime I fear the worst
I feel you...everytime my heart does burst
I reach you...when my mind runs away
I reach you...when my head turns the other way

I am you...it's plain to see
I am you...as these simple words may be
I touch you...when everything is to give
I touch you...when it's all I have to live

I found you...finding myself like this
I found you...when loneliness I could dismiss
I called you...one moment asunder
I called you...pursuant-nexus-together

I visited you...flight-heat-exhileration
I visited you...16 hours, touchdown, new chapter begun
I met you...surrounded by heat-hazes, unfamiliar faces, and you
I met you...world ceased, silent disorder, sweetened by you

I held you...embracing; my landing-your takeoff
I held you...petite, black hair ribboned , gray, violet and light steel blue
I gave you...my entity, being...soul
I gave you...unequivocally...a life-patterned goal

Together...heat forgotten-new paths trodden
Together...I lay to rest beside you, besotten
Together...safest place I've been
Together...moments above all others...serene

the simple taste is easiest to satisfy
such satisfaction hardest to satisfy

Today, I love all the European countries equally...I have my deep love of England the country that has given me most years, France, the country that has the deepest family genes, (though diminishing sadly), Germany, which has the family members of youngest years, Italy, a nation which I resemble most in features, from family of centuries old...Tuscany to Dunkerque, to here, today, but not gone tomorrow.

Colour: Lime green
Music: ChaOuzo: World of Guitars (B. Brüggemann/ I. Terhorst)
Sven Väth: Ein Waggon Voller Geschichten

closing my eyes I'm guided by you,
opening my eyes I'm blinded by you
covering my eyes I'm touched by you
Rubbing my eyes I have you

I visited you, and wondered
curiosity and profanity
all at once in mindful nonsence,

regret felt knee-deep in icy water
your offer rejected and squandered
now I revisit you and long for...

drapeau blanc

you visited me, and no wonder
curiosity well pronounced
all over summer long lost

regret felt sky high in tepid Channel
my heart accepted and squandered
now we revisit what we once longed for...

`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`

Colour: Sienna, gray and slate gray; the colours of my wretched tablets.
Music: Manic Street Preachers: You Love Us

60 -Californians put on sweaters(if they can find one in their wardrobe)
50 -Miami residents turn on the heat
40 -You can see your breath, Californians shiver uncontrollably Minnesotans go swimming.
35 -Italian cars don't start
32 -Water freezes
30 -You plan your vacation to Australia, Minnesotans put on T-shirts, Politicians begin to worry about the homeless, British cars don't start
25 -Boston water freezes, Californians weep pitiably, Minnesotans eat ice cream, Canadians go swimming
20 -You can hear your breath, Politicians begin to talk about the homeless, New York City water freezes, Miami residents plan vacation further south
15 -French cars don't start, You plan a vacation in Mexico, Cat insists on sleeping in your bed with you
10 -Too cold to ski, You need jumper cables to get your car going
5 -You plan your vacation in Houston, American cars don't start
0 -Alaskans put on T-shirts, too cold to skate
-10 -German cars don't start, Eyes freeze shut when you blink
-15 -You can cut your breath and use it to build an igloo, Arkansas residents stick tongues to metal objects, Miami residents cease to exist
-20 -Cat insists on sleeping in your pajamas with you, Politicians actually do something about the homeless, Minnesotans shovel snow off roof, Japanese cars don't start
-25 -Too cold to think, You need jumper cables to get driver going
-30 -You plan a two week hot bath, The Mighty Monongajela freezes. Swedish cars don't start
-40 -Californians disappear, Minnesotans button top button, Canadians put on sweaters, your car helps you plan your trip south
-50 -Congressional hot air freezes, Alaskans close the bathroom window
-60 -Hell freezes over, Polar bears move south!!

This morning started brightly, not by looking out of the window, but by answering the door to the postman, and collecting mail which was actually hand-written and for me, as a human being, not statistical noose-mail.
My loveliest friends from Kyoto, my art buddies of many years, sent me some get-well-soon cards...all hand painted, and also some snacks, as they remembered my soft spot for o-senbei. I've had three already! My heart is cheered enormously by this, and I read the three cards, and feel a little complicated..."should I stay or should I go?" ...I was supposed to be in Kyoto at the end of this month, as they had planned many events, and so had I. My friend is a graphic artist/painter, her partner colours and designs kimono patterns, he and I share near identical musical tastes, and their mutual friend, is perhaps the most talented of all...she is expert in children's stories and artworks, having many exhibitions on Honshuu. I've drawn many artworks myself to take there, all Japanese and Thai style...but...

yesterday I sought the doctor yet again, my spine is displaced as I am pained beyond the barrier, and now the slipped disc has gone into the tenth month with no satisfactory treatment, such is the NHS situation. That day in January, playing by the university team, running in on goal, and being hacked down by the new boy, little did I know that 10 months later, my project and trip to Japan, and very profession would all be knocked back by our rich country's waiting lists. I have not even had an MRI yet, and meanwhile, I am now unable to walk at all, get out of cars when nobody is looking such is my shame of being 35-going-on-75, and now have complications with my rib cage resulting from all this, with my heart being slowly squashed by the changing position of my bones. For 10 months I've had in mind, I can do it, I can recover, I can use this to my advantage, and there are thousands of less fortunate people...but this week I snapped, damn it, about bloody time too...I value my life, and want to enjoy what I can, when I can, while I can...because I know personally, it is far from finite. I dislike speaking like this, but this is my week, when I've been told not to push my body as the damaged bones will restrict the heartbeats. Heavens.
So that means no flight to Tokyo, this year?

My doctor told me, "I hope you'll have the MRI this side of Christmas" ...which year?

My German nephew returned to Germany this week, and was thrilled with England. We had a great time listening to Slam in my car on Norfolk's roads~~! I will return to Germany, to a health spa for three of four days next month.

Blog buddies, what's your favourite place, and why?

Colour: Dimgray and indigo
Music: Dub Kult: On and On ~~This is awesome~~
Reading: Lowell Sheppard: Chasing the Cherry Blossom

The European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby English will be the official language of the EU rather than German which was the other possibility.

As part of the negotiations, Her Majesty's Government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a five year phase-in plan that would be known as "Euro-English".

In the first year, "s" will replace the soft "c". Sertainly, this will make the sivil servants jump with joy. The hard "c" will be dropped in favour of the "k". This should klear up konfusion and keyboards kan have 1 less letter.

There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year, when the troublesome "ph" will be replaced with "f". This will make words like "fotograf" 20% shorter.

In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be ekspekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible. Governments will enkorage the removal of double letters, which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling. Also, al wil agre that the horible mes of the silent "e"s in the language is disgraseful, and they should go away.

By the fourth year, peopl wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing "th" with "z" and "w" with "v". During ze fifz year, ze unesesary "o" kan be dropd from vords kontaining "ou" and similar changes vud of kors be aplid to ozer kombinations of leters.

After zis fifz yer, ve vil hav a reli sensibl riten styl. Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi to understand ech ozer. Ze drem vil finali kum tru! And zen world!

-Passed to me by my German student this week.

There is a glass half full of water:

Mathmetician: the glass is half full
Physisist: the glass is half empty
Engineer: the glass is too big

-shoeb hafiz

Music: Chris Isaak: Heart Full of Soul
Reading: Okini; Kyoto dialect phrase book

～～～～～～～～～～～～～～
You heard me before,
Yet you hear me again,
Then I die,
'Till you call me again.
～～～～～～～～～～～～～～

I woke up with my late, (Dutch by birth), 'aunty' on my mind...long-lost visions swirled around me, in the missing sunrise that greeted me, I was a child again, awaiting the Saturday call of my aunty...her characteristics, intense perfume, and upright manner were all clear again, she was alive, and so was I in my younger form...
Those days in the late 1970's, early 80's which wakened me from the dream I had, -she breached that gap today, somehow, and entered my consciousness at around 7am. So, today, I'm hand-in-hand with a multitude of memories which had been covered with daily, weekly, yearly living...
those vistas I knew like the back of my hand, which has now finally tuned over to face me again.
those teatimes with her and my late grandmother...which taught me so much about respect and life, as well as the joy of Dutch cakes.
those work ethics which she stuck to until her health briefly failed in her mid 90's, and took her away forever...she was a clock by which not only family could rely, but the chickens we kept in the garden also recognised this fact, rain or shine, snow or hail, she was there.
Aunty, I have not forgotten you, and no doubt you have not forgotten me, as you reminded me this morning. Thank you.

England won! And furthermore, played pretty well...indeed, that is the first time in the ten qualifying games, that England played well over 90 minutes, with spirit, and a will to win...with a confidence that showed they were the better team. It is curious indeed, that they played this well without Beckham, but that is pure observation only. The team need to do a LOT of re-thinking.
England top the group with a highly impressive 8 wins out of 10...funny how life is.

One year ago today...a great man died...I hope everyone can spare a moment to remember John Peel.

Recently, this week to be precise, I've had an irrational craving for shreddies...and settled on Asda's Malted Shreddies, which are doing the job perfectly, with fresh cold milk straight out of the fridge, and I'm made.
Last night I had Chinese spiced beef and before that, at lunch, Thai spiced frikadellan.
Blog buddies...what's your craving today?

Colour: Goldenrod and Peru
Musc: Matt Tolfrey & Craig Sylvester: The Horn

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

What am I?

If you break me
I do not stop working,
If you touch me
I may be snared,
If you lose me
Nothing will matter.

[][][][][][][][][][][][][[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

from The Times

Made it to Luton...through the 4am Norwich drizzle, and hazy moon, empty A11, Cambridge diversion, no worries, then speedcamerashire...25 miles of those glorious met-yellow-hutches scrutinising our weary driving. How many people monitor that 25 mile stretch of 15 or more speed cameras around Royston, Baldock, Letchworth??
I'm sure they outnumber those who break the speed limit in a day.

Now, as before, I'm awaiting the drain on my energy which paradoxically will make me better eventually. I am told I need more rest, but the journey from norwich to Luton, takes days of my precious power, such is my fatigue of late, and the pain in the chest I do wish to throw away.

Taking me up and throwing me down,
onwards to the place I know too well and dislike twice as much
tinkering with the roads and meddling with our homes
no journey is free as no mood can now remain undisturbed
silenced by screams and stirred by silence
I lay back on my feelings, puzzling over their meanings.

par la nuit noire
marais tranquilles
et trouvant la bienvenue du lever de soleil
entraînant un tel plaisir/
through the black night
quiet fens
and finding the welcome of sunrise
causing such delight/

Colour: Midnight blue
Music: SaD MaFioSo: Ce Que tu Cherches
Reading: Robin Page

||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Said a pupil of Einstein, "It's rotten
To find I'd completely forgotten
That by living so fast,
All my future's my past,
And I buried before I'm begotten.
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

｜~I owe my mother lots~~!!｜

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished
cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of
next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
"Because I said so, that's why."

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My mother taught me IRONY.
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
"Just wait until we get home"

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that
way."

19." My mother taught me ESP."
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOUR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25. And my favorite: - My mother taught me about JUSTICE.
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"

~and still the best in the world~

The weekend that put England's lacklustre performance above that of another tragic natural disaster in India and Pakistan, the latter suffering it's worst ever natural tragedy.
And so, the shocking sequence of events continues around the world.

There is an amazingly warm calm this autumn in Norwich...every day is perfect and dry, one of the nicest autumn's for a long time...which is a blessing for Morris Womble Blogflirt and 'shyeye' Rodders, who tuck into a hunk of cabbage right now with a soft and warm shriek, just as the sunlight touches their dew covered hutch...a suntrap for now! The front of my house, in contrast, is always churned up with traffic, usually for three hours every morning.

Breakfast was croissant and soybean coffee, and I'm still awaiting my bicycle to be repaired, for the daily physiotherapy...but, I've been told to "rest, rest and rest more"...so I shall heed that advice, but as a 'leo' not 100%!
I've decided to go to Germany next month, for three days, to a hill retreat, good for health, peace, and tranquility...healing will greet and meet me there, I believe.
However, on Wednesday, Luton awaits once more...as I need some treatment again. Departure time 4am from Norwich...

Colour: Lime green and orange/red
Music: Elliot
Reading: This England (autumn 2003)

Two bats were sitting in a cave. Suddenly one flew out into the night and yelled: "Man, I'm starving! I need to get some blood!" He returned about three hours later, with blood dripping from his fangs and mouth. "Where'd you get the blood from?" asked the other bat. "Well, you go out the cave... And you see the first tree on the left?" "Yes," the other bat replied. "Well, I didn't."

Colour: Red
Music: Limp Bizkit: My Way

What goes through the door without pinching itself?
What sits on the stove without burning itself?
What sits on the table and is not ashamed?

Driving on that road again
foggy overblown and staggered
to overcome all the pain
groggy overwhelmed and haggered

Arriving at that place again
weary weak and hurting
to overcome all the pain
nearly beat and fading

Resting in that room again
cold numb and monitored
to overcome all the pain
heart drum and shattered

Leaving that place again
warm indifferent and alive
to overcome all the pain
drawn indomitable, this life!

~~October 6/7~~

un jour à la fois.
aucun deux journies ne sont jamais identiques.
jour.
nuit.
chacun a un droit.
pour être vivant.

~~October 7~~

Colour: Grey and cream.
Music: Nero: Fables Gold (H. Kalled)
Ayra: Sweetsmoke (h20 mix)
Reading: Pirate Tales

Well, the journey from Norwich to Luton is, in a word, arduous, as there is no clean or logical route that guides you like it does to London, it is like walking across freshly harvested wheat stubble, but walking through it, rather than along it, constant stops, lurches, irritations, and regret. Can anyone tell me why there are soooo many speed cameras in Baldock/Royston/Letchworth/Hatfield/Luton? I know they are everywhere, but these towns have more than I have seen anywhere else, hence my nervousness to exceed 29mph...and everyone else the same!
Lovely towns, but the numerous speed cameras make me feel like an intruder...sorry.

I'm awaiting medication now, which will, hopefully, settle me down, bring my blood pressure to near normality, and ease any strain on the ticker.

My friend called me many times, and then appeared and offered me a (daijoubu) hug. What a perfect moment.
Well, I never realised months ago, that two things would happen;
1, I would become so ill.
2, That blogging would be an outlet of healing, and also a community of some truly lovely and kind people...thank you for your kindness blog buddies, you are stars!

Colour: a surprising shade of yellow
Music: Chemical Brothers: Surface to Air
Basement Jaxx: Cish Cash

I just got home, after a terrible night, in which I required assistance on three occasions to ease my blood pressure...seems like a kind of meltdown...anyway, I'm now being taken to Luton.
The Norwich day is foggy and reminiscent of bonfire days...

+ + + + + + + + + + + + +
The Doctoral student Ilse Rosenthal-Schneider asked Einstein in 1919 how he
would have reacted if his general theory of relativity had not been
confirmed experimentally that year by Arthur Eddington and Frank Dyson.

His answer was: "Then I would feel sorry for the good Lord. The theory is
correct anyway."
+ + + + + + + + + + + + +

Music: New Order: True Faith

The Three Swordsmen

Once the Shogun gave a reception to honor the best swordsmen in Japan. All the top samurai were in attendance along with Court nobles and beautiful geisha. A geisha approached the third highest ranked swordsmen and asked; "Sir, can you demonstrate your sword skills for me?" At once, the samurai drew his sword a cut a hovering fly in half. "Very impressive", said the geisha. When she saw the samurai who was the second highest ranked swordsmen in Japan she asked him the same question. He immediately drew his sword and cut two pesky flies in half. "Most impressive", said the geisha. Then she spotted the samurai that was the highest ranked swordsmen in all of Japan. "Honorable Sir", she said "would you be so kind as to demonstrate your sword skill for me?". The samurai drew his sword and cut into the air in the direction of a nearby fly, but the fly buzzed away. "Oh, so sorry you missed", said the geisha. "But I didn't miss", said the samurai humbly "that fly will have no offspring."
(This story is a classic - origin unknown)

For all of us who feel only the deepest love and affection for the way computers have enhanced our lives, read on.

At COMDEX recently, Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated, "If GM had kept up with the technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25.00 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon."

In response to Bill's comments, General Motors issued a press release stating: If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics:

1. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash twice a day.

2. Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.

3. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull over to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.

4. Occasionally, executing a manoeuvre such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.

5. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive, but would run on only five percent of the roads.

6. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single "This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation" warning light.

7. The airbag system would ask "Are you sure?" before deploying.

8. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.

9. Every time a new car was introduced, car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again, because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.

10. Oh yeah, and last but not least . . . you'd have to press the "Start" button to turn the engine off!

It's only a building...I kid myself, that the hospital is simply an example of modern functional architecture, near the university, where I used to play and score every Friday on the football field, but the more I think of these things, the more imprisoned I feel...made worse by the fact that my bed is furthest from the window...ahhhhhhh. Give me air, give me space, give me sunlight.
It cheers me somewhat to know that my filipina friends work here, though in a different ward, it is some comfort. As is the fact that I am still free enough to use the internet and reach out to you, and some of you have helped me greatly...thank you so much.

My blood pressure is steady now, at 164, peaking recently at a nauseous 200+. I remember seeing 202 as if rising in a lift, but switching off before the gradual conclusion, and my daydreams interupted as the final dancing figures eventually and redundantly settled on a 2--.

The spiced beef is now a glorious memory, and today I enjoyed Philippine pork and ice, followed by fresh fruit jelly, tonight was also rice with pork and dozens of vegetables, with milk.

Colour: Red
Music: Holst: The Planets
Karl Jenkins: Requiem
Reading: Life of Mucha

God bless Ronnie Barker

"I'd give a thousand pounds to the person who would worry for me!"
"You're on. Now, where is the thousand pounds?"
"That is your first worry!"

A group of manager's were given the assignment of measuring the height of a flagpole.

So, the manager's go out to the said flagpole with ladders and tape measures.

They're falling off the ladders, dropping the tape measures - the whole thing is just a ridiculous mess.

An engineer comes along and sees what they're trying to do, walks over, pulls the flagpole out of the ground, lays it flat, measures it from end to end, gives the measurement to one of the manager's and then walks away.

After the engineer has gone, one man turns to another and laughs.

"Isn't that just like an engineer! We're looking for height and he gives us the length!"

Moral: No matter what good you do, managers can always find fault in you.

I'm now ensconced here in sick bay, awaiting various tests, MRI and all that the cardiology department can offer, and the doctor I had come to know and trust, has, I am informed, gone on a week's holiday. Joy.

Before leaving I cleaned my home, and unveiled my new French toilet paper, which contains an entire story from start to finish, on each of the 12 rolls...so depending on what I eat, it'll last a few weeks, (today the story reads: ...lutin malin et sa mouche verte sur fond des droits de l'homme...)...but enough of that great idea, I brought some reading with me;
"Fish of the Seto Inland Sea" by Ruri Pilgrim.
101 Key Words for Understanding Japan
"Mystery of the Alphabet" by Ouaknin
...and a vast quantity of drawing paper, as this place is so damned good for me to lose my head, and allowing my eyes to escape through the visions and images I can place, in time, on paper is without doubt a Godsend, and that is what I shall do...funny how everytime I draw a face, it always becomes the face of the one who stole my heart~! Which, ironically, is why I'm in here.

Today I had some of the spiciest Chinese food I have ever had...roast beef with chillies that glowed in the dark and threw a noose around my stomach for the remainder of today.

Colour: white and light blue
Music: Eminem: Lose Yourself
Ashte5i

Thought for this evening......

There is more money being spent on breast implants and Viagra than on
Alzheimer's research. This means that by 2040, there should be a large
elderly population with perky boobs and huge erections and absolutely no
recollection of what to do with them.

(and yes, I myself am in hospital right now!)

September was a warm and benign month opening with a 'mini-heatwave.' Seven of the first nine days recorded maxima of 25c or above, and although temperatures gradually fell during the remainder of the month it was never cold. Nights were often warm, the maximum of 17.1c on the 10th was the highest I have recorded in September.

Most unusually, the mean or average temperature of the month was a mere 0.1c less than the mean for the preceeding summer month of August!

Not surprisingly, with this extension to summer, and total absence of frost, there were few signs of autumn until the close of the month.

Rain fell on 13 days, with a particularly wet day on the 15th when 25.4mms was measured. The monthly rainfall total of 61.9mms was close to the average.

No thunder was heard, continuing the trend this year of below normal thundery activity.

Little credence need be given to the Met Office forecast of a forthcoming colder than normal winter, as the success rate of their seasonal forecasts is low.

The British Isles, situated on the periphery of the area of forecast cold, means that even if the forecast is broadly correct, only very slight changes could allow much of our islands to remain reasonably mild.

Hurricanes have again been much in the news, and although there was further flooding and damage in states bordering the Gulf of Mexico, hurrican Rita was less destructive than her sister Katrina.

Unfortunately, Rita's tidal surge caused the hastily repaired levees to fail, flooding anew recently drained areas of New Orleans. Much of New Orleans, (like Amsterdam), lies below sea-level, and it would seem prudent that the expertise of Dutch drainage and sea defence engineers should be sought.

Alarmist forecasts that the Arctic ice cap will disappear within 60 years have in some cases tended to mislead the public. Arctic ice, being floating sea ice, will not cause any sea level rise if melted, and the forecast melting of the ice cap only refers to the short summer season as the sea ice would continue to re-form in the winter.

I remain profoundly sceptical of these forecasts of a partially ice-free Arctic Ocean, as natural cycles of excessive and deficient ice indicate huge variations from decade to decade.

In the late 1930's it was confidentally predicted that there would be no pemanent sea ice in the Arctic by 1999, and yet in the late1960's and early 1970's there was growing concern within the scientific community that the northern hemisphere was slipping into another 'little ice age.'

September 2005
Total rainfall: 61.9mms
Wettest day: 25.4mms 15th
Days with rain: 13
Coolest day: 15.0c 16th
Warmest day: 27.0c 5th
Average temperature: 16.1c

NB

The Hormone Hostage knows that there are days in the month when all a man has to do is open his mouth and he takes his life in his own hands!
This is a handy guide that should be as common as a driver's license in the wallet of every husband, boyfriend, or significant other!

DANGEROUS: What's for dinner?
SAFER: Can I help you with dinner?
SAFEST: Where would you like to go for dinner?
ULTRA SAFE: Have some chocolate

DANGEROUS: Are you wearing that?
SAFER: Wow, you look good in brown.
SAFEST: WOW! Look at you!
ULTRA SAFE: Have some chocolate

DANGEROUS: What are you so worked up about?
SAFER: Could we be overreacting?
SAFEST: Here's my paycheck.
ULTRA SAFE: Have some chocolate

DANGEROUS: Should you be eating that?
SAFER: You know, there are a lot of apples left.
SAFEST: Can I get you a glass of wine with that?
ULTRA SAFE: Have some chocolate

DANGEROUS: What did you do all day?
SAFER: I hope you didn't over-do it today.
SAFEST: I've always loved you in that robe!
ULTRA SAFE: Have some more chocolate.

~The male path is indeed a simple and strange one!

A book, a word; spelling a misplaced moment
out of view and out of mind the book you could not find
A fine, double indeed, but please never fear
this was once, and my smile is surely near

the moment passed - hurting this moment aghast
Learning your worries, I type now twice as fast
simple humble words written by self please see
and all those worries and fines? let them be.

...for kitty.
I lost the posting of this the other day, so repost it now!!

We all need a little stress-reliever! This only takes
a minute.
Please don't be a bore and ruin it. Sometimes when you have a stressful day or week, you
need some
silliness to break up the day. And, if we are honest, we have a lot more stressful days than not.
Here is your dose of humour...

The following is excerpted from a children's book, Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot Professor Poopypants, by Dave Pilkey, in which the evil Professor forces everyone to assume new names...

1. Use the third letter of your first name to
determine your new
first name:

a = snickle
b = doombah
c = goober
d = cheesey
e = crusty
f = greasy
g = dumbo
h = farcus
i = dorky
j = doofus
k = funky
l = boobie
m = sleezy
n = sloopy
o = fluffy
p = stinky
q = slimy
r = dorfus
s = snooty
t = tootsie
u = dipsy
v = sneezy
w = liver
x = skippy
y = dinky
z = zippy

2. Use the second letter of your last name to determine the first half of your new last name:

a = dippin
b = feather
c = batty
d = burger
e = chicken
f = barffy
g = lizard
h = waffle
i = farkle
j = monkey
k = flippin
l = fricken
m = bubble
n = rhino
o = potty
p = hamster
q = buckle
r = gizzard
s = lickin
t = snickle
u = chuckle
v = pickle
w = hubble
x = dingle
y = gorilla
z = girdle

3. Use the third letter of your last name to determine the second half of your new last name:

a = butt
b = boob
c = face
d = nose
e = hump
f = breath
g = pants
h = shorts
i = lips
j = honker
k = head
l = tush
m = chunks
n = dunkin
o = brains
p = biscuits
q = toes
r = doodle
s = fanny
t = sniffer
u = sprinkles
v = frack
w = squirt
x = humperdinck
y = hiney
z = juice

Thus, for example, George W. Bush's new name is:
Fluffy Chucklefanny...

A 3-1 away win to Brighton was very welcome, and deserved. Suddenly Norwich City have got it together, without changing their style too much...I don't know what happened during their first 7 or so games, but 4 wins in their last 6 games would get them in the promotion places...fingers-crossed. It's looking better, yet can still get better too.

This afternoon I'll be going to my friend's birthday party, as we were at school together, and lost touch for 16 years, until I returned to Norwich and had a chance meeting in 2003, so we are now very happy to meet up weekly and enjoy whatever.

Colour: brown, red and grey
Music: Robert Miles: Children, (a seminal time for me, this was popular in France when I was there, in 1994, and only made a hit in England in 1996.)

PS:
Well, I can say, I prefer to be alone these days...I love people, and when called out, I give my love for my friends, but actually, I prefer just being with one friend, not crowded, and giving full attention.
Today I don't want to write a blog or share anything with anyone to be honest, but my mood will change, I guess. I am given to sharing by nature...too much, and now I wish to close the door more...and look after myself, and my failing health, and not give anymore attention to others...I did the right thing of being unselfish for 34 years, and I do not know if it has made me feel better or worse, but I do know that I'll respect myself more from now on...sometimes people make me more unhappy than happy. 'I'm fine by myself thanks' is what I feel inside right now, but if it were entirely true I'd not write a word here...
however, being alone is precious, in it's own unique way...it's uncomplicated, and broader than being committed and bogged down with others. (Actually, I know it is hard too...but I think there are positives that can be found and appreciated a little more.)
Enjoy people, enjoy yourself, enjoy whatever comes your way, as best you can.
Writing today has helped me, cleared my mind, calmed me a little...

In café rouge we sat, a deeply entrenched memory,
your eyes, black as olives, cup clasped
your cultured playful ways, entered my seasonal faze
of those joyful, halcyon days,
lost in the torrent of thoughts raining down on us
from far and wide, the sodden ground and the travel guide,
dissertations, wine-lounge pies and contemplations,
sketching where we sat, a blink of your eyelid and...that...was...that.

~~one rainy night in Norwich~~

Sliding or slipping, all the same, the tripping was simply not ...the end,
and down, to the lowest of steps, out of line + in the firing line
stand up! stand up! try as I might the might in me stood down
can't run, can't hide, facing the pain as if in vain, unable to explain,
failing heart and seizure the corruption of health brings amnesia,
bring the bells! ring the bells! ringing louder with nothing said,
shaking, breaking, and losing the breath that keeps my 'paining'..
from leaving the airless lungs, arms clutching loved ones...
reddened face not leaving, the travels behind my eyes you're not seeing
face pales, brilliant whites and sharpened glaring sunlight
health spinning into the distance, bells ringing and nobody is leaving.

the end...
of September.

Yesterday I went with my dearest to eat in a Chinese restaurant, and headed straight for my favourite sesame toasts, washed down with vodka. I don't do that so often, but love it when I do.

After the delights of Chinese buffet style, I ventured into the new 275 million pound Chapelfield shopping mall here in Norwich which was not what I expected, though it nonetheless impressed me with it's space and height, and above all good light. I feel there is nothing worse than poorly lit malls, with no natural light to be seen, causing a feeling of nausea and agitation to some...however, Norwich's two malls work very well, in my opinion. On the top floor, by the eating area, it reminded strongly of a similar shopping mall in Tokyo which I visited last year, which is situated near the 'old' Tokyo central railway station. Speaking personally, to have an area in Norwich that reminds me of Tokyo is wonderful and very unexpected. However, as I've always said, Norwich only has as much new building as is needed, and most of the recent developments have been successful. For any readers not familiar with Norwich, the three major new developments have all resulted from wasteland areas, dereliction, or fire...
The Forum, the focal point of the city, is a splendid new library which rose from the tragic ashes of the old one. The new Forum is far more popular too.
The Riverside development is our entertainment district and is temporary home to tens of thousands of people over the course of a weekend evening, and was built on old decaying industrial units, as ws the new shopping mall, which comfortably filled the space vacated by the old chocolate factory. (I still remember the distinctive smell of chocolate wafting over the city centre streets...a smell that I have never experienced since, and not unpleasant~~!!)

Recently, I have been thinking of my past days...as my doctor regularly meets up with me at hospital and goes over my condition, and found that a series of events have affected my health considerably. I have had three near-death experiences which I hesitate to ever go into, but two of which were unexplainably fortunate in my favour...but who am I to tempt providence, it's not good to speak of such things, but rather appreciate what I have. However, I appear to be losing my battle regarding my spine, with some fainting moments, I'm not prone to going anywhere alone anymore, and the physiotherapy is still weighing heavily on the aggenda. (Sitting on a ball and keeping the spine straight and still while waggling the legs alternately is not as easy as it sounds!! And no, I've not been drinking, but following doctor's orders!!)

Last night I had some lovely Norwegian cheese, with French toasts, very nice. Cheese before sleep does NOT give me nightmares...can anyone confirm any truth in the 'myth' that it does?

This afternoon I'll go a party with my lovely friend, and share many things...

...I'm ready, yes I'm ready, ready for the moment to relief the pains,
and when you look around, just watch it go...
we can leave it...leave it all behind and let it go.

=Why does sour cream have a sell-by-date??=

Colour: Autumnal yellow & green!!
Music: Chemical Brothers: Surface to Air
Reading: em

'Thrilla in Manila' was 30 years ago today!