Welcome to a cloudy but dry south Manchester on day 97 since our resident clown lifted all restriction due to Covid-19.
At the moment I am working back in the office two days a week but last week a person who, thankfully doesn’t sit near to me, tested positive for this wretched virus. By all accounts he is okay but I have taken a lateral flow test just in case – and thankfully I am still fine.
I won’t be going into the office next week because I am making my second trip to London this year on Thursday for a long weekend of being a tourist with Mrs PM before visiting a couple of friends down there. I don’t want Covid-19 to ruin that.
Woah! That’s a personal start isn’t it? Do you know, I don’t actually know what I wash first – hang on – let me think. It’s probably my hair because I have to get the useless unmanageable mop under control after a night that has morphed it into weird shape.
2. What colour is your favourite hoodie?
I don’t actually own any hoodies. I do own three coats that have hoods: a blue summer jacket that claims to be waterproof but isn’t, a truly waterproof jacket that is so good at its job that it makes me sweat when I wear if for a long walk and a huge thick winter coat that is perfect for those cold, dismal, dark and depressing winter months (that are approaching too fast for my liking).
3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?
Of course I would. I don’t give kisses lightly and if a person gets a kiss, they usually deserve another.
4. Do you plan outfits?
Absolutely not. I just open my wardrobe and pick up the first thing that takes my fancy. Actually, having said that, sometimes if I am going to a posh party or something like that, I may plan to wear my penguin suit.
5. How are you feeling RIGHT now?
I am feeling terrific and looking forward to an enjoyable day.
6. What’s the closest thing to you that's red?
Embarrassingly, this book.
7. Tell me about the last dream you remember having?
It’s an odd recurring dream that is the result of my body telling my sleeping brain that it needs to heed a call of nature in the middle of the night. Whatever dream I having is invaded by the concept that in my dream I have to go to the toilet urgently. This usually manifests itself in a toilet appearing in my dream that I simply cannot use because there is something wrong with it. For example, if I am dreaming that I am working in an office, the toilet appears in the middle of the room in full view of everyone who is working. Obviously I can’t use it because there is no way I can expose myself in front of all my colleagues. So I wake up and have to go in reality.
Odd, aren’t I?
8. Did you meet anybody new today?
Not today, no, because so far I haven’t been out of the house yet.
9. What are you craving right now?
I’ve just had some lunch so the truth is that I am not craving anything. I wouldn’t mind another cup of tea, though.
10. Do you floss?
Yes – otherwise my dentist tells me off. Whenever I go to the dentist I feel like a naughty child who has been summoned to see the headmaster for doing something unspeakable. My dentist is a young bloke and I always feel a little weird when he asks me how often I floss and then tells me off for overbrushing and all of the other things I do incorrectly. The strange this is that at the end of the examination, he always says “Your teeth are fine. Keep up the good work!”
Odd, isn’t it?
11. What comes to mind when I say cabbage?
Yeuch! I’m not a big fan of cabbage if I’m honest, particularly that dark green veiny abomination below.
It looks like something out of an alien horror movie, doesn’t it?
The white variety is edible though and I do try to eat it because, supposedly, it is good for your health. At least that’s what my mum used to tell me.
12. Are you emotional?
I can be. The problem is that I sometimes show emotion over the most mundane and innocuous things, like a TV program, or a great song – like this one.
13. Have you ever counted to 1,000?
No – why would I ever do that?
14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it?
I do a bit of both actually.
15. Do you like your hair?
Not at all – and equally my hair hates me. Regular readers will know this. My hair is short at the moment but even so it is an unmanageable mop. When it is longer it becomes a sentient being that taunts me mercilessly, especially when I wake up in the morning. I swear I can hear it saying “Good luck trying to get ME under control!”
If you don’t believe me, please read this cringeworthy account in a post I wrote back in 2008:
Welcome to a cloudy south Manchester on the east side of the pond on day 90 since our clown Prime Minister removed almost all Covid-19 restrictions.
Today we are driving to Chester to visit some friends. It’s a lovely little city that isn’t too far away (about 30 minutes) and is a haven for foreign and domestic tourists alike. I particularly like the Roman Walls surrounding the city centre and you can have a lovely walk around them. They were built by the Romans in 75 AD so they have been around for a long, long time.
We won’t be walking around the walls today; instead we will be visiting a pub or two and having a nice meal.
In the meantime, let’s answer some silly questions that originate from the west side of the pond, on Sunday Stealing.
I’ve been trying to teach myself Spanish for a while now and I reckon I could live in a Spanish town or city and make myself understood for the essential things in life. Having a deep conversation with a Spaniard would be very difficult though – and in that sense I haven’t really accomplished the task yet – far from it in fact. What I really need to do is go to a class and actually start having conversations with Spanish people. There are a couple of places in Manchester where I can do this but finding the time at the moment is difficult. It will happen when I retire though.
This is really an ongoing self—improvement process.
2. What's one product you use that never ever fails?
There are quite a few things that never fail – like the TV, the microwave oven, my iPod. You watch – all three of the items I mentioned will fail miserably now.
3. Have you found your place in the world? Where is it?
I think so. I am very happy to spend the rest of my life here in Manchester, travelling apart of course. If this question doesn’t really mean a physical place, then I guess I will find that too when I retire. I’m currently in a place that I am fed up of when it comes to my career – but once that’s over, I will be seeking a new place that hopefully I will find fairly soon.
4. Worst movie you ever saw?
I would say that Sharknado is probably the worst but it is so bad that it is brilliantly funny. If you haven’t seen the film – here is the trailer.
Believe it or not, they have made five sequels and the names kind of tell you that it is very tongue in cheek:
Sharknado 2: The Second One
Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!
Sharknado: The 4th Awakens
Sharknado 5: Global Swarming
The Last Sharknado: It's About Time
The worst film I have seen that is meant to be serious is Lincoln. I watched it on a long haul flight because it won so many Oscars but it was truly awful and it bored me to tears. I would rather watch all the Sharknado movies than have to endure that again.
5. What's the last fun thing you did?
We went to visit my eldest son in Prestwich, North Manchester last night to see how he and his girlfriend are settling in, in their new house. They have bought a house that needs some work and they are slowly chipping away at it. Every time we see it, there is a massive improvement. It will be great when they have finished it. We went out to a restaurant and had a fun time with them.
6. What's your favourite Italian dish?
I love most Italian dishes but I will put forward lasagne as my favourite for now. Ask me next week and it will be something else.
7. Have you ever been to France? Any desire to visit there, and if so what would site or city would you most want to see?
I have been to France many times and I love the place so my desire to visit there is still ever-present. I speak French well enough to make myself understood, which is almost essential really, particularly in Paris.
I am lucky really because Mrs PM speaks French really well and can easily hold a conversation with a French person. She lived in Toulouse for a year, while studying for her degree at university.
I have been to a few cities, including Paris, Bordeaux, Monte Carlo (which is really in Monaco but let’s not split hairs), Cannes, Nice, Lyon, Calais, Collioure and Antibes as well as a few northern towns. My favourite city is Nice – it is beautiful and is a great base for exploring the area.
We will definitely go back there in the near future.
8. Have you ever been to Disney, any of the parks at all? Are you a Disney superfan or something less than that? They're open right now so tell us, would you go if you had the time/money/a free trip?
I have been to Disneyland in Paris and California as well as Disneyworld in Florida.
I am not really that big a fan of Disney; I like the cartoons but I can take or leave them. To be honest, Disney is huge now and has engulfed lots of other franchises such as Star Wars abnd the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I have to admit that my favourite of those franchises is the Marvel Cinematic Universe – I absolutely love the movies.
Would I go to one of the parks now? Probably not – I’ve been there, seen that and done that.
9. Your favourite place to go when you want to be quiet as a church mouse? Would those who know you well describe you as more church mouse or perhaps more like mighty mouse?
When I want to be as quiet as a church mouse I would just stay home in the room I am in at the moment. It’s not exactly quiet because I always have music on when I am in this room but it works for me when the introvert inside takes over (as it has now).
I think people who know me well would describe as mighty mouse (if that is the opposite of a church mouse) because I can be quite loud when I want to be. When I am in the mood to see people (which is often) I unleash the extrovert within and love to have a good laugh with people – even in the office with work colleagues. I struggle to take things seriously and even when work is demanding I like to provide some light relief from time to time by just acting like a complete pratt.
10. Do you bake your own bread? Last time you had hot out-of-the-oven homemade bread? What's your favourite kind of bread?
I have never baked my own bread. The last time I had hot-out-of-the-oven bread was when Mrs PM tried to make some during lockdown. She did a good job to be honest. The best hot-out-of-the-oven bread I have had was at a small bakery shop in Nice, France. We were staying in an apartment and we popped there every morning for bread, croissants, pain aux raisins and when feeling naughty, pan au chocolate. They were divine.
My favourite kind of bread? I love thick white toasty bread – but I eat all kinds really.
11. What's something you might say is 'the greatest thing since sliced bread'?
Smartphones. I love them. It is like having your own portable computer and I would be lost without it.
12. Share with us five little things you're grateful for today. Small blessings. One catch-they all must start with the letter T.
Tea
Toast
Television
Tunes
Travelling to Chester
13. Tell us where you were and something about what life was like when you were 20- 21.
I was a student at the University of Liverpool and living near to the centre of that wonderful city. I love Liverpool and it is close enough for me to go back and visit it on a fairly regular basis (it is about 30 miles to the west of Manchester). Being a student I was sharing a place with seven other guys so we had a great life with lots of student-related fun being pursued. Of course, I was also studying hard and left university with a Bsc Honours degree that has set me up for a great life since.
My three years in Liverpool were probably the best years of my life.
14. What's on the menu at your house this week?
We will probably have a traditional Sunday lunch on Sunday but for the rest of the week, I imagine that there will be steak, salmon stir-fry, chicken pasta, perhaps a curry, maybe meatballs and possibly something a little more special on Friday.
15.Something you recently purchased where a coupon was involved? Do you regularly shop with coupons?
I can’t remember the last time I bought something with a coupon if I’m honest so the answer is that I rarely shop with coupons.
Welcome to a cloudy but unseasonably warm south Manchester on day 83 since restrictions were lifted. The weather is cloudy but it is pleasant.
It was my birthday yesterday so Mrs PM and I are venturing into the city later to have a couple of beers and an Italian meal.
My date of birth makes me a Libran, the same star sign as Margaret Thatcher who was born on October 13th. The fact that I share the same star sign as that horrible woman, for me at least, destroys the very idea that people with the same star sign have the same traits, foibles and behaviours.
Anyway, I could spend the entire blog post talking about how much I disliked Thatcher but in the spirit of beauty, congeniality and fun I will desist and chat about some silly questions, as usual from Sunday Stealing.
Let’s dive in …
1. Who is your favourite singer? What do you like about him or her?
I have many favourite singers and in the interests of harmony I am going to single out two – one male and one female. It is difficult for me to select my favourites and if you were to ask me tomorrow I might select different ones.
Anyway – today’s male singer is Devin Townsend. He is a Canadian singer whose genre of choice is mainly progressive rock/metal but also sings ambient rock too. Why have I chosen him? Because his voice range is spectacular, from low soothing ambience via plain rock singing to the ability to scream like the best screaming rock singers. I love the guy. Here is a wonderfully eccentric song that incorporates, ambience, choirs, Hawaiian, rock, metal and even a little dance and shows his vocal range as well as showing what a fun guy he is. The video is amazing and funny.
The female singer I am going to pick is Charlotte Wessels, a Dutch symphonic metal singer, formerly of the band Delain who has now started a solo career. She has an incredible voice and is at home singing metal as she is singing anything else. I have seen her live a few times now with Delain and her voice is as incredible on stage as it is in the studio.
Here she is in action and you will hopefully see what I mean.
2. Write about your first memory of going to the doctor.
I was about seven years old and I had an ear infection. I remember screaming all night because my ear felt like it was on fire and the doctor took a look and immediately diagnosed the problem. I was given penicillin and it cleared up really quickly. The relief was immense.
3. Write a poem about writing poems.
A poem? As long as it is just the one ...
Poetry is tricky; I’ve tried it many times.
The words can be found quickly. I just can’t find the rhymes.
It’s stories that I want to write. I’ll never be a poet.
Prose is king in my mad world; if only I could show it.
4. Write a poem about vacations.
What – another poem? Are you serious? Okay – here goes.
I want to go on holiday, I’m bored here stuck at home.
A trip to France or Germany, perhaps even to Rome.
A visit to a foreign place can truly make me whole
Such journeys really cleanse the mind and liberate the soul
5. What is something interesting that no one knows about you?
So after two poems, you want to get personal now? Is that it?
Okay – let me think. I can say “hello”, “thank you” and order a beer in the following languages:
6.Why is it so important to help other people in need?
The way I see it is that if something bad happens to me, then I would expect somebody to help me. It’s human nature. For that reason, I will always try to help people if I can because you never know when you are going to need help yourself.
7.Would you rather finish a project early or do it at the last minute? Why?
I would much rather finish a project early. My work is subject to deadlines and I always strive to complete it before then so that I have time to polish it – or maybe make some progress on the next chunk of work that will have its own deadline.
People who leave things to the last minute suffer more stress in my experience. I hate stress.
8. If you had three months left to live, what would you do?
I would travel the world if I were fit enough to. Or if I wasn’t fit to travel I would do my best to brain dump my thoughts into a book.
9. If you could be a flavour of ice cream, what flavour would you be? Why?
That is a surreal question – the kind of question that would be asked at an interview to get into Oxford or Cambridge university. Also it is the kind of question that a pseudo-intellectual would revel in because it may make people believe that he is a smartarse.
Me? I refuse to answer it.
Oh, go on then.
I would be vanilla because I have pale skin, light hair and I also like the flavour.
10. What is the hardest thing about being a kid?
Not being an adult. When I was a kid I always wanted to be grown up because I was sick of people telling me what to do “for my own benefit”. Every adult tried to boss me around whether it was my parents or teachers or the old woman down the street who though that she was my boss because she was older than me.
Since I was a kid I have had a problem with people telling me what to do but now I can simply refuse or at least decide for myself whether their goals meet mine.
11. Would you rather be tall or short? Why?
I am about average height for a male at just under six feet tall and that is pretty good. The answer is therefore tall because you can see more. There is nothing worse, for example, than being at a gig when the tallest person in the building decides that he wants to stand in front of you. I have had some interesting chats with taller people under such circumstances and most will allow me to stand either just in front of them or just to their side.
Equally, I am always happy to let a shorter person stand in front of me as long as it doesn’t impair my view of the stage.
12. What is the greatest challenge facing people in our world today?
Global warming. There are people who think that it is a myth and continue to turn our world into a toilet. Personally, I think that it is too late – we are attempting to shut the stable door after the proverbial horse has bolted.
It doesn’t help that we have world leaders who are complete climate change sceptics. Boris the Clown, for all his faults, at least has the wherewithal to realise what is happening and has set some targets.
And thank goodness the Orange Goblin is no longer in power. We just need to get rid of people like Bolsonaro in Brazil.
13.What is the scariest experience you’ve ever had?
I would say climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It was my own fault. I am scared of heights and still I did it. I must have switched my brain off. Three hours I had to endure this torture – a torture that I stupidly volunteered for and actually paid money for too.
What a stupid bloody idiot I was.
I’m glad I did it though – I will never do anything that stupid ever again.
14. Write a poem about music.
Not another poem please! Oh go on then!
A song from many years ago, with lyrics built to last,
Can conjure up old memories from the dim and distant past.
A melody’s a mind machine that draws things back through time
Remembering a life gone by, a feeling so sublime.
15. Write about a favorite memory of something you did with your best friend.
My best friend is Mrs PM and all my memories with her are brilliant ones. She shares my passion for travelling so the best memories involve visits to weird and wonderful countries, such as Japan and Vietnam amongst many others. The best ones are always in Hong Kong because that’s where we got together.
Welcome to South Manchester on day 77 since Covid-19 restrictions were lifted. I’ve taken my fifth Covid-19 test this morning because I am now going to be working in the office two days a week and my company insists that we self-test – even though we aren’t necessarily supposed to tell them the result. It’s a weird idea if you ask me but it is good to test just to make sure.
The test, like all of the others, was negative - so I don’t have the virus, by the way, in case you were wondering.
I didn’t take part in Sunday Stealing last week as I had a university reunion in London, and spent most of the weekend strolling down the South Bank visiting a few sites and popping into a couple of pubs. It was good to see these old mates of mine again. One guy came across from the US to visit his family and took the opportunity to see us. I’ve known these guys for 40 years now and I regard them as my best mates. Sadly we don’t see enough of each other but it is always fun when we do; it’s just like we are still at university.
Anyway, let’s answer some more silly questions from Sunday Stealing. Don’t be misled by the title; these questions have been stolen from Facebook but aren’t about it.
1. Do you like bleu cheese?
I love all cheese apart from blue cheese, although having said that, I quite like blue cheese sauce. To me, blue cheese looks inedible and, having tasted it, I can confirm that it tastes almost as bad as it looks.
2. Coke or Pepsi?
Neither. I have tried the brown fizzy sweetly revolting drink a lot over the years and I really don’t like the taste of it. Both Coca-cola and Pepsi, to me at least, taste very similar. To be honest, I don’t really drink pop (for American readers, what you call soda, we call pop) because it is too sweet and sickly. If I feel really thirsty or have a mild hangover, I might just try a Sprite or 7-up but Coca-cola and Pepsi are near to the bottom of the list. The worst fizzy drink I have had is a Scottish drink called Irn Bru – it is utterly revolting. Oh – and root beer – oh – and Dr Pepper. All of those drinks are utterly disgusting.
3. Do you own a gun?
I live in the United Kingdom so the answer is a resounding no. I am curious about the American obsession with guns. It seems that it is easy to get a gun over there and is the right of all Americans to “keep and bear arms” because it was written in a document back in 1776.
I am always appalled by the number of mass shootings that occur over in the US and the power that the NRA seem to have. The easiest way to stop these mass shootings is not to arm “the good guys”; it’s to make difficult to get a gun in the first place.
Things like this hardly ever happen in the UK. There is a reason for that.
4. Hot dogs or cheeseburgers?
Cheeseburgers. I like hot dogs but cheeseburgers are one of my many food weaknesses. It involves cheese and a burger – what’s not to like?
5. Favourite type of food?
I love so many different types of food that I cannot pinpoint one in particular as my favourite. I’m not keen on Thai food but I will try anything else.
6. What do you drink in the morning?
I usually start the day with a fruit juice and a cup of tea.
7. Can you do a 100 pushups?
I used to be able to when I was young and fit. I could probably do 100 push ups now but it would be in groups of five with a gap of ten minutes between them. I may have a go later just out of curiosity.
8. Tattoos?
What about them?
No – I don’t have any tattoos and I will never get a tattoo. They are two permanent and I am not a fan of them. Besides, as I get older and my skin starts to droop, the tattoo would become a parody of itself.
9. Do you wear glasses?
Yes. Without my glasses I am like Mr Magoo. I could probably find my way around but it would be difficult. I can actually read without my glasses and in fact I prefer to do that – I have to hold the book right up to my face though. My lenses are really expensive as they are varifocals and specifically made for somebody who sits at a computer screen all day. To make matters worse, I suffer from astigmatism too.
10. Phobia?
I am scared of heights and spiders. I am not fond of any insect if I’m honest. Anything with four legs or less is fine – anything with more can get out of my house.
11. Piercings?
I don’t have piercings. I have never understood why people do that to themselves. The funniest piercings I saw were on a barman in rock club we used to have in Manchester. It was full of weird and wonderful people and played rock and metal music for people who hated the more conventional clubs. As I was ordering my beer I looked at the barman and thought that there was something wrong with his moustache. On closer inspection, it was because he has about ten large studs on his upper lip giving himself a metal moustache.
That must have hurt.
12. Can you whistle?
I can whistle with just my lips but I can’t do that weird whistle where you put your fingers in your mouth.
13. Surgeries?
I’ve never had any surgery. I think I am quite lucky in that respect because I am a massive hypochondriac and would always fear the worst.
14. Like gambling?
Gambling can be fun if you are sensible with it. I’ve been to horse racing events and had a plan to enjoy it.
There are usually seven races and the minimum you can bet on a race is £5. If you decide to just bet the minimum, no matter what, then the most you will lose is £35. What some people do is look at their winnings and decide that if they win a race or two the they will increase their stake on the next few races. They will probably lose it all.
I once had one good meeting in Chester. Mrs PM and I were with friends and we decided to bet separately on the first race. She won and her £5 bet returned her £20. I lost, and suggested that we pool our resources as she seemed to be luckier than me. She refused thinking that she might be on a lucky streak. So I bet for myself on the remaining races.
I won every single one. Out of all of our friends, Mrs PM was the only one who won a race apart from me and that was the first one. Instead of putting say £20 on the next race after I had won, I stuck to my £5 maximum.
I ended up winning close to £200.
After the race meeting, we went to the pub and I bought a round on my winnings and Mrs PM and the rest of them looked at me with frustrated and envious eyes.
That was a one off. Every other race meeting I have been to, without exception, wins have been few and far between and the best I have done since is to just break even. If I counted that first race meeting where I won £200, I have lost money on the rest and probably lost that £200.
That’s what I mean – they will get you in the end – but if you are prepared to lose just a small amount, it can be fun.
For casinos, and I have been to one or two, it is best to walk away if you win big. Just stop or be prepared to lose just a small amount.
Ultimately you will not win. The odds are stacked against you in any form of gambling. As long as you know that you can enjoy it.
Sorry for the rambling answer.
15. Do you like to dance?
Yes – sometimes. I am not a bad dancer – I can maintain the beat – but these days I just mess about and act a little silly while dancing. That said, I haven’t danced for about three years now.
Welcome to a sunny South Manchester on day 62 since Covid-19 restrictions were eased. Infection rates are actually starting to drop again over here in the UK but hospitalization and deaths are still slowly rising, even though they are nowhere near as bad as they were during the previous spikes.
I expect them to start falling too soon.
This is all due to the vaccination program and now we are starting to give over 50’s and vulnerable people a third booster jab. I will be eligible but not until six months after my second jab, which will, in theory be in December, just before Christmas.
I still have to do a lateral flow self-test this weekend for another day in the office on Monday. I have to say these tests are quite unpleasant because they trigger your gag reflex and make your eyes water as you poke a swab in places where swabs aren’t supposed to be.
It’s worth it I guess, even though there are no signs of Covid; after all I could be one of those lucky people who don’t actually know they have Covid – you never know.
1. If America is one nation under God then are atheists citizens?
One nation under God? There is something I don’t quite understand about America. I love the place but it is a little bit of a paradox, especially when it comes to religion. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with people who choose to immerse themselves into religion of any kind because, ultimately, in most cases, it provides comfort.
I am a Roman Catholic but I have not practiced the religion since the age of 16. I was indoctrinated until I actually realized that perhaps there was something else out there. I will never say anything bad about people for whom God is the single most important feature of their lives.
Yet in America, I think religion is taken to extreme and sometimes used to exploit people. The President who fails to say “God Bless America” is the person who will be ousted at the next election. Even the Orange Goblin, a man who I doubt believes in anything but himself, pretended to embrace religion when he somehow reached that pinnacle.
It is obvious he has never read or studied it but people would have believed him. His favourite book? Not a bloody chance.
When I talk about people using religion to exploit the masses, I mean guys like this charlatan:
Don’t get me started on these arseholes!
Sorry for rambling but to answer the question – of course atheists are citizens. And America doesn’t have a monopoly on God. I think most nations in the world would agree with me.
2. Is there anything that you believe should be banned for any reason?
Absolutely. This is something I could write a book on many things I think should be banned. Let me just start with one so-called religion: Scientology. Now there’s a start.
3. How often do you eat too much?
Probably every weekend. I am slightly overweight but not so much that I couldn’t get back to a healthy weight in a month with some willpower. From Monday to Friday I eat really healthy diet, with fruit for breakfast, a fish or chicken salad for lunch and a healthy meal in the evening. I do not drink alcohol from Sunday to Thursday either. Yet on the weekend, starting with Friday evening, I usually drink a couple of beers and have a lovely fried breakfast on Saturday and Sunday with a large lunch, though the evening meal is reasonable usually. This year I have managed to reach my lowest weight for about two years, although I am above that now thanks to it being Saturday and having had bacon and egg for breakfast.
4. If you died tomorrow, what mark would you have left on the world?
I doubt that I will leave a mark whenever I die (although as I keep saying, I plan to live forever). I guess some people might still read this blog in the unlikely event of my demise; it’s been around for thirteen years and people still stumble across older posts, probably thinking “who is this weird nutcase?”
I am sure that I will be remembered by friends for a few years, and my name will crop up in family conversations for a few decades. And maybe, a future descendant will unearth me in a century or two and realise that he is descended from a weird nutcase.
We’ll see.
But, of course, if I come back as a ghost, I will see this all for myself, won’t I?
5. Are you a city person or a country person?
I am primarily a city person but I love the country too.
The city is vibrant and I love being part of a huge community with everything you need at your doorstep. Manchester is an amazing place to live. I also love London, and I am off there next week for a university reunion and again in October for a four day trip being a tourist before visiting other friends. London is huge and a great place but a little too big and busy for me, I think. Manchester is more compact and perfect for what I need.
That said, I love to escape to the countryside too. When I need to escape, I can easily just drive for about half an hour and find peace and tranquility in more rural settings. In fact, that is another reason why Manchester is great – city life on your doorstep and countryside just a small drive away.
6. What annoys you the most about yourself?
I am actually very fond of myself but I know that I am, like every other human being on this planet, a flawed creature.
Despite boasting about conquering shyness, I am still shy. I am sometimes overly cautious when perhaps I should take more risks.
Also, I am heading towards 60 years of age and although I am quite fit in terms of walking most days, I can feel the pull of old age – and that annoys me.
But generally I am happy with who I am.
7. Who was your childhood hero?
I would probably say my dad.
8. With nearly 100 channels why is NOTHING ever on?
There is always something on, but there is an awful lot of absolute garbage available to laugh at or mock. My TV viewing habits have changed dramatically over the past five years or so. Here in the UK I subscribe to Sky, which gives me access to movies, sport, the freeview channels and a lot of other weird and wonderful channels from all over the place, most of which I don’t watch.
I share this with my two sons. Who in return have shared their access to Netflix and Amazon Prime. So rather than watching things in real time, I tend to record stuff to watch later or simply tune into Netflix or Amazon to carry on with one of the hundreds of offerings they have.
I am also tempted by Disney+ - the only reason being that they have the Marvel series ( I am a huge geeky fan of Marvel) – but I am resisting the pull because I really don’t want to end up as a couch potato. One day I might but probably not until the only thing I can do is dribble in my soup.
9. Would you adopt a stray kitty wandering through your neighborhood?
Absolutely. In fact, the two wonderful black cats I own, Ziggy and Star(dust) were rescue cats when some heartless cruel bastard left them in an alleyway for a couple of days in a cage where nobody could find them. When an old lady eventually found them and took them to a cat charity, they were covered in shit and very ill. They were only about a month or two old.
How could somebody do that?
I was so angry and I would love to meet the perpetrator of that particular crime.
Anyway, they are now healthy cats, as cute as anything you could ever wish for, and amazing fun. Best of all, they are happy and have a loving home with us.
When it comes to strays, in particular though, we did adopt a cat quite a few years ago. At that time we had two other black cats called Jasper and Poppy and one day we spotted a new black cat in our kitchen. He had come in for food. We gave him some, although he looked well-fed, and he gradually moved in. We called him Spike and he settled in nicely.
However, after about eight months, he came in with a collar on and a name tag. It turns out, he was owned by a woman who lived about four streets away and his name was really Hamish. I called the number on the collar and took him to his real home where she accepted him gratefully and said that he keeps going missing. Also, she didn’t have a cat flap so every morning when she went to work, she would just turf him outside and leave him out all day come rain or shine. No wonder he looked for a new owner.
In the end, he just kept coming back to our house and we simply kept him. I gave the woman my phone number and address but she never came back to ask for him.
Sadly, he disappeared from our house too. He was older than Jasper and Poppy and Mrs PM thinks that he just went off somewhere to die. He was a lovely cat and we had him for about three years.
Sorry – another rambling answer.
10. Which Lord of the Rings movie has the best ending?
My favourite is The Return of the King.
This scene at the end always brings a tear to my eye.
11. What are you missing in your life?
At the moment I am missing travel. I am absolutely dying to get on a plane and go abroad – anywhere will do!
12. What could you make a sculpture out of that's in the room with you right now?
Nothing. I couldn’t make a sculpture if I tried.
13. Do you believe in the lost city of Atlantis?
I love anything like this and I dearly hope that Atlantis really existed. Many people believe that it is in the Mediterranean Sea or nearby in the Atlantic Ocean and was a progressive and technologically advanced civilization on an island that was destroyed by a tsunami. I think that this is possible and I hope that somebody finds it.
14. Have you ever read The Little Prince?
No.
15. What fantasy book would you like to see made into a movie?
I would love the Hyperion Cantos novels by Dan Simmons to be made into a movie or a series similar to Game of Thrones. I loved the books (there are four of them) and I particularly love the Shrike, a very powerful creature that is about nine feet tall, has four arms with an exterior skin that is metallic and covered with sharp spikes and blades, including its four hands with sharp blades as speakers.
It is a phenomenal creature and I would love to see it brought to life in a series:
Welcome to an overcast South Manchester on day since the end of restrictions. It’s been a mixed week in terms of the Covid cloud hanging over us. On Monday and Tuesday I returned to the office where I had to endure an “induction” to tell me what to do in the office in terms of mask-wearing. I also took a lateral flow test the day before and it was an unpleasant experience that, thankfully, resulted in a negative test (as I knew it would). I am back in the office on Monday (only one day this time) and I have to test myself again (I’m not looking forward to that to be honest).
I also went to my first gig since March 2020 – the Wildhearts – one of my favourite bands. And it was amazing. I think capacity was down but it was busy enough. We had to prove that we had had two Covid jabs or proof of a negative test before we were allowed past the threshold. The band and the crowd all needed the experience. I had a great time. Here they are:
On the flip side, I was supposed to be going to see the latest test match in the England versus India series in cricket on Sunday, but the whole match has been called off because the Indian cricket squad have several cases of Covid-19 in their ranks and cannot field a team.
I am disappointed with that because I was looing forward to a day of cricket.
Oh well – I guess I’ll have to answer some silly questions from Sunday Stealing.
Let’s dive straight in, shall we?
1. Who do you take for granted?
I don’t take anyone for granted and I hope that nobody ever takes me for granted either. If they do, I usually deal with it, and I would expect the same if somebody thought I was doing it to them.
2. Short, knee, or ankle skirts? (if a man, have you ever worn kilts?)
Only Scotsmen wear kilts and they feel jolly proud of it when they do. As an Englishman I am referred to as “The Auld Enemy” as I support England in football matches when they play Scotland. This all goes back to centuries of old battles between the Scots and the English. There have been quite a few skirmishes in the past but nothing in recent centuries. We actually get along very well now, although some would probably like to be independent of the UK.
If I were to wear a kilt in Scotland, I would probably be mocked. My Scottish accent isn’t good enough to pass myself off as a Scotsman. That said, I love Scotland and the people are fine upstanding citizens. Here is a photo I took of a Scotsman playing his bagpipes in Edinburgh.
And very smart he looked too.
3. Do you wear a hat?
I only wear a hat when it is extremely sunny. I am blond (well with a bit of grey now) and I burn in the sun – even if the temperature is as low as 20 degrees Centigrade. I have a few hats that I will take on holiday, or if I watch a cricket match. My favourite is one I bought in Australia.
4. Who's your favorite cartoon character?
This guy:
5. Does break dancing impress you?
Not at all. I didn’t get it back in the da and I don’t get it now.
6. Are you a miracle?
We are all miracles. When you think about the chances of you and I being born and living out our lives in a rock floating in space, the odds are quite stupefying.
Enjoy it.
7. Have you ever eaten tofu?
Once or twice. It’s pretty bland if I remember rightly.
8. Does the moon have an effect on your mood?
Not knowingly. I don’t turn into a werewolf or any other creature when the moon is out. If I did, I am sure that Mrs PM would tell me.
9. Many people will say that the Harry Potter books are pure fluff with no literary value. Do you agree?
They are good stories (I have read them all) but they are really children’s books in my opinion and the writing reflects that. I think that they have literary value and will be remembered long after J K Rowling and I meet in the afterlife.
10. What are you doing next Wednesday?
Sadly, I am going to be working. I will be at home sitting exactly where I am now but performing specialist brainwashing on a variety of remote computers, some in the cloud and some not, and no doubt having a rant about the banality and stupidity of working life and office politics. I will no doubt have a couple of meetings and talk to the images of my team on my work laptop via Microsoft Teams where I will try not to rant. I guess my cats will make a guest appearance on these meeting, which they sometimes do.
11. Why do so many people think Elvis is still alive?
Because they can’t deal with the fact that he died in 1977. Think about it; if he were alive, he would have just celebrated his 86th birthday. That in itself is believable but given that he declined rapidly in his forties, it is unlikely that he gave it all up for a life of anonymity. I think these people should just enjoy what he did and cherish his work.
12. Are your hands cold?
Not at the moment. It is Autumn here and the weather is still relatively warm. I can put my hands in the freezer for a while if you want me to.
13. Have you ever given blood?
Yes – once. And I almost fainted. I felt really ill and decided that the trauma wasn’t worth it. Also, I am squeamish when it comes to blood and seeing it flowing out of my body is too much.
14. What ScI-fi books do you read?
I am a huge fan of science fiction. I like anything weird and thoroughly enjoy a good space opera. I am currently reading one in fact:
15. Have you ever belonged to a sorority or a fraternity?
Welcome to a sunny and warm South Manchester on day 49 following our resident clown’s declaration of freedom from Covid-19. Infection rates are steady but rising ever so slowly, hospitalisation due to Covid-19 is steady and the number of deaths a day is still rising slightly. But the powers that be, as incompetent as they are, seem happy to allow it to continue as is, as we head in Autumn here in the UK. This time last year, the rates all climbed as the temperatures fell and the nights became longer. Unlike last year though, 88% of the adult population have had at least one vaccine with about 78% being fully immunised.
The coming week is a strange one for me. I am going into the office tomorrow for the first time since Macrh 2020, just for a couple of days, and today I have to test myself with the government supplied test. I don’t know how accurate it is but if I have Covid-19 it should yield a positive result.
It is the first test I have done and, as far as I know, I haven’t actually had Covid-19. I certainly don’t think I have it, as I feel absolutely fine, with no symptoms whatsoever. But my company has mandated that we have to test ourselves twice a week if we are to return to the office, ergo I have to, even though I will be working part time in the office and part time at home from now on.
1.What's your favourite TV channel to watch in the middle of the night?
I rarely watch TV in the middle of the night. If I do, I will channel surf until I find something interesting or, most likely, just watch the news or a late night comedy show.
2.Which decade do you feel the most special connection to and why?
The 1980’s. I love that decade and have many fond memories of it. I entered the decade aged 17, still living at home in Walsall and studying for A-levels, having never travelled abroad and barely even travelled outside Walsall (if I am honest). I left the decade aged 27, married, with a university degree, a job in an IT company, having moved to Manchester and travelled abroad often enough to get completely bitten by the travel bug.
My life changed so much in that decade.
I loved the music, the fashion, the movies, the TV and the entire lunacy of the decade – perhaps summed up in the following songs:
3.What is your favourite oldie/classic rock song?
As you can imagine, I have hundreds of them. Here is one of my favourites:
4.What Disney villain are you the most like and why?
I love Shere Kahn from the Jungle Book. He is just so cool and has an amazing voice (provided by George Sanders).
5.Have you ever been a girl scout/boy scout?
No – thank goodness!
6.If you were travelling to another continent would you rather fly or take a boat?
I would fly, of course. A boat to the USA or Africa would take ages and even longer if I had to go further afield, like Asia or Australia. I’ve been on a cruise before and to be honest I got a little stir-crazy. It is much better to fly.
7. What are three of your favourite dog names of all time?
I have to dig into my past for dog names. I would feel like a traitor if I chose any names other than dogs I have owned or that have been owned by my family. Here are my three:
Paddy, Rinty and Beric.
8. How do you feel when you see a rainbow?
I feel it is time to quickly get my camera out and capture it. Like this one, I captured in Liverpool:
9. If you were in the Land of Oz would you want to live there or go home?
I would want to go home. It looks like a mad place to me, with witches, wizards, talking lions, talking scarecrows (we have one as Prime Minister and he has no brains either), talking and moving tin men and flying monkeys.
10. What is the first word that comes to mind when you see the word:
Air: Music
Meat: Pork
Different: Eccentric
Pink: Elephant
Deserve: Merit
White: Snake
Elvis: Burger
Magic: Moment
Heart: Beat
Clash: Colour
Pulp: Fiction
I hope nobody is going to psychoanalyse me based on those choices and send the men in white coats around.
