Monday 5 January 2009

Inspiration Arrives!

Happy nNew Year to one and all. Yes, after an eight month absence I have finally accrued some things in my life worthy of note.

Firstly - an update. I managed to move from Wales but not without a mad rush to get out of the house in time for the next occupant to move in! I ended up having to drive home with my car boot taped shut (thanks go to Sian for the tape). It was hectic but all went well.

The training to become a bus driver wentsmoothly and I am now fully qualified and herding people from a to b across the Dudley borough; a task that I actually enjoy. Alas I have noticed just how scarce manners are in the community. I never realised just how much of a difference a thank you can make to somebody's day.

Fortunately though there are the occasional happenings that restore your faith in humanity.Take today's random act of kindness for example - a gentleman got on my bus but didn't have enough money for his fare. So one of my passengers (who I don't think knew him) gave him the 30p he needed. "How kind" I thought and smiled to myself for a few minutes.

Winter Hath Arrived...

Yes indeed, since my last blog we've barely had a summer worthy of note and now it's ruddy freezing. Quite literally - the temperature is going down to minus 10 Celsius tonight according to the forecast.

The high point of my summer was a trip to Denmark with Tracy. It was for a week and I enjoyed their museums and architecture. The food was good too but it was all so expensive so we didn't really get to sample a lot of the local delicacies. Which I regret but I don't think it could've been helped. We'll have to try harder next time.

Anyway, back to winter. The snow this morning was beautiful as I left for work at 04:45hrs. None too surprisingly I was the first one to walk down our street and the blanket of snow was just begging for me to make patterns in. So I did.

Something has me perplexed though. For the last couple of months we have had an ice cream van doing the rounds around our estate. He comes round twice a day nearly every day. I don't see how he can be making any money - is there really a market for ice cream in the winter? I'm yet to be convinced that there is.

One good thing about these cold winter nights is the occasional clear skies. This gives me the perfect excuse to get my new telescope out and disappear to the back garden for a few hours. I've seen my first nebula (the Orion Nebula) and have enjoyed learning my way around the sky. All I need now is less light pollution and a better tripod. The former may necessitate a trip to a secluded lay-by in deepest darkest Shropshire whilst the latter will probably be an Ebay job.

And Finally...

Well a post just wouldn't be complete without something sci-fi related would it?!

We have a new Doctor Who! I've seen his interview and I must say that I can see why he was chosen. It'll be interesting - and positive I feel - but must they keep getting younger? This guy is only 8 months older than me; does this mean that I am capable of commanding that level of authority if I were to try?

The new Star Trek film has been delayed, delayed and then delayed again so i hope it's good when it finally arrives in May. I have my reservations - again with the age of the cast for some reason. I think it may be to do with trying to make it appeal to a wider audience. But if it's Hollyoaks in space then I'm walking out of the cinema.

I also want the special effects to be more like the re-imagined Battlestar Gallactica rather than Transformers. I found that you never got a good look at the Transformers and all of the fleeting glances just got on my nerves. I want to revel in the imaginary creations of mankind in all their slow, magestic glory.

Perhaps I expect too much.

Until next time folks - take care :-)