Category: Uncategorised

Got me a funky little wood effect CD player, off Amazon. It arrived today, whilst I was out working in a Biblical Deluge.

And to try it out? Some stuff from my growing collection of JMA stuff. Aka the Joni Mitchell Archives.

I’ve been sitting on these sets for ages. Finally played some stuff from the third volume (second disc) tonight.

‘Barangrill’ is one of my all time favourite Joni tunes. Indeed, it’s one of my all time top tunes, period.

After that, it has to be reverent silence.

I recently set up my website using a book that I borrowed for a friend called teach yourself HTML. I use that book to code my illustration website 20 or so years ago.

The website has largely fallen into desuetude. Or in simple English, disuse it shouldn’t have. But it has.

The blog component of my website has always been what I regard as an adjunct. Secondary to the main shop window that my website is intended to be, for my Art music and illustration.

But this isn’t quite how it’s worked out.

I recently had a conversation with a guy from Fasthosts, and I thought I’d resolved the issue. But in fact, I hadn’t understood things correctly. Migrating to the new hosting package he suggested would reduce my website to nothing more than the blog. I would lose the HTML aspect.

I have absolutely no loyalty to any particular code. But I do want my website to act both as a wind shop window for my creative endeavours, while simultaneously featuring a blog that runs alongside.

It looks like I’ll have to do a bit more work, learning how that can be achieved. And at what cost…

My use of the phrase ‘clutching at straws’, in my last post, lead me to read about the origins of that phrase.

If Google/Wiki are to be trusted, it derives from certain writings of Sir Thomas More, penned whilst jailed in The Tower, by mad serial-killer King, Henry VIII.

What struck me about actually reading bits of A Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation, is the irony that More – famed as a Humanist, and the author of Utopia (which I haven’t read, but would like to) – seems, here at least, far more a prisoner of mind than of body.

The Dialogue is between the young Vincent and the older Anthony. If we take Anthony to stand for More, he is far more a mental prisoner of Christian Theology than merely the literal corporeal body that was locked in The Tower at Henry’s whim.

Rather than finding solace in the guff that’s played out here, it’s a stark reminder of the parochialism of particular moments in time within an evolving faith.

The picture of the bearded warrior on horseback bespeaks the era, in bloody political truth, far more than any dreams of piety, such as are depicted in the Gethsemane scene, above.

Rather than finding deep truths, it’s disappointing to find pretty low-level ‘reasoning’, being employed in trying to square real life suffering with a book stuffed full of absurdities (thanks, Frederick The Great). That’d be The Bible, in case that isn’t clear.

There was only one instance I can recall when More struck a nerve (two, if you also count his superbly pithy ‘clutching at straws’ image), and that’s when he speaks (or Anthony does) about “the busyness walking about in the darknesses”, which the wiki’ article says is More interpreting a particular Psalm as being about ‘the frantic pursuit of riches or worldly possessions.’

They also discuss suicide, which, having tried to do myself in a couple of times, I was intrigued by. But, once again, it’s mired in the archaic theology of the time (with nonsense about purgatory, the ‘purchase’ of merit, etc.), and isn’t really interesting at all, alas.

Still, there is some interest in all the odd and arcane history that these threads are woven into. Henry merrily butchering wives and dissenters, and smashing up a massively longstanding religious tradition, with vast and far reaching consequences (still ringing down the years), in pursuit of various expansionist wars and an heir. Meanwhile, ‘The Turk’ is knocking at the gates of ‘Christendom’.

Historically it’s a dynamite era. But don’t go looking for deep wisdom in A Dialogue of Comfort against Tribulation, you just might be sorely disappointed.

Bugger!

Had a few drinks. What an effin’ tit! I seem impervious to learning from my mistakes.

One thing of note:

I seem most apt to abject tomfoolery in the depths of winter, when very stressed.

And I’ve done this two days/nights in a row. On both occasions swearing ‘never again’.

This is the kind of behaviour that leads to ruin, or the AA/religion. When one’s own inner strengths just aren’t enough, or just aren’t there.

I’ve tried AA meetings. My goodness, they’re depressing! Or at least I found the March AA very much so. They’re also generally quite late; 8-9.30 pm. I’m usually in bed by then!

I’ve found, thanks to a helpful AA lady in Wisbech, a daily week-day meeting. But it’s miles away… in Cambridge. And smack dab in the city centre! So access and cost become issues.

Anyway, might be worth a try? It’s 12-1 pm, Downing Place, United Reformed Church, Downing St, Cambridge, CB2 3EL.

Here are some pics of this lunchtime meeting venue. It’s a building I’ve passed by countless times in my life. Never once been inside, tho’.

I have to admit I love ‘proper’ olde churches. Anglican, or ‘High’, perhaps? Often they’re quite dark n’ fusty. This has the feel of a more utilitarian, plainer (more Protestant?) vibe. But it is pleasingly open and bright. And I note elements of green. My favourite colour.

I even watched some snippets from this churches’ YouTube Sunday Worship series. Hmmm!? I liked the olde musick with which they opened ‘the show’. And I even quite like the idea of singing some good ol’ hymns. It’s the sermonising bit that really puts me off. Oh, and the whole God/religion schtick.

But when you’re lost at sea, being tossed (oo-er, snigger) about in gales of anxieties and emotions? You’ll reach out for any driftwood… verily, doth the drowning man clutch at straws.

I took my mini Grammar of Ornament, by Owen Jones, out with me today. And I’m glad I did. I only liked at a very few pages. But, oh, boy! Are they rich in content?

I was in Ely for some blood tests (and I bumped into Patrick!), where I also stopped in at the Oxfam branch. Whilst I was heavily tempted, I managed to refrain from buying any new books. Truth be told, nothing in their current t selection really grabbed me, as it sometimes does. 

Whilst awaiting my turn in phlebotomy, I was perusing several pages of Grammar. That’s when I took the pictures that adorn this post.

I like the limited pallete, of cream, ochre, browns, and a little bit of orange. And, as any observant eye will note, there’s a certain kind of organic theme running through the designs that I’ve focused in on. 

This is right up my street. I like it so much I ordered one. Will I Proceed Directly To Jail, or to Hell? If the Joyless Puritans get their ways, indubitably.

I had a really early start, today. Up at 5 am, out by 5.20, for a 6.15/6.30 am start. It’s a bit too early, in all honesty. Not for me, much to my own surprise. But rather for some of the first few customers.

Anyway, I got home nice and early, having finished my shift in a little over half the allocated time. Once home, I was both exhausted, and yet hungry. Often when I’m tired I lose all appetite.

But on this occasion, hunger held sway. So I made two poached eggs on two bacon on two toast. With lashings of mayo’, and some salt n’ pepper. It came out very nicely. Yum!

Now for a bit of a rest, before my afternoon shift.

Having just spent £1K on a new clutch, it’s always nice when one can effect repairs for free!

I have a number of issues with Flo’ at present. Two of which I just fixed. the first was the headlight adjustment rotary dial. I was testing different positions, and the whole switch/dial mechanism just popped through the fascia, lost in the innards of the dash!

I have been driving around delivering in the dark a fair bit, this Autumn/Winter, and needed to have the head lamps adjusted for max’ light projection. Luckily it was very easy to pry open a sub-assembly on the dash and clip the dial switch back into its proper place.

A quick examination suggests the clip parts aren’t damaged, which is good news.

Then, whilst out delivering last night, the boot latch stopped working. It was cold, dark, late, and I was nearing the end of my shift. So I bodged it till I got home.

This morning, after watching a few videos on the theme of ‘Nissan Qashqai boot won’t lock’, or similar, I went and investigated. Fortunately it’s proven to be a ridiculously simple fix. Some of the vids I saw (but didn’t watch in full) were diagnosing much more complex/costly faults.

Luckily for me (fingers crossed!?) I just needed to tighten two large Phillips head screws – the lower part of the latch (not the tailgate door electro-mechanical portion, thankfully) – was so loose the upper mechanism was failing to ‘catch’.

Several days later, I watched the above. Now that’s what I call really fixing vehicles!

I’ve driven past this place, in Benwick, many times. Today I stopped for a look. And even talked to a couple of guys on site.

Lots of interesting stuff.

I have numerous crazy plans. Some of which could include steel beams. This place seems like a potential place to get such stuff.

Got Flo’, aka The Car, back Thursday.

That’s two days ago now. Cost a bomb (£1K!) to get the clutch replaced. But it could’ve been worse, and cost more. Luckily we’d just had a refund from E-On, of almost exactly the amount The Garage billed us. Carma!?

My situation delivering for Amazon Flex is alarmingly precarious, at all times. But much more than usual right now, alas.

I’d been at or near the top of their Standings scale for ages. So long, in fact, they’ve changed how they display one’s Standing, since I took the above screenshot. I wish I’d taken a screenshot whilst I was still riding high in the new look Standing.

But here’s how things, er… stand, right now.

I’ve had numerous occasions when they’ve chastised me and lowered my Standings. Usually only temporarily. Because I usually haven’t actually been at fault. This has been vindicated via my appealing, and getting replies like this:

But, so far, my appeals on this occasion – I’ve been told I’ve not been recording deliveries accurately (not actually true*) – have not succeeded. This makes a job which is, by its very nature (no employment is guaranteed, and there are no employee rights/benefits, like sick pay, etc.) already very tenuous, even more scary.

Especially when, despite me working hard and conscientiously, I can be mistakenly deemed at fault, through no fault of my own.

Having had just over a week off work, with no income – due to the clutch failing – is bad enough. But having to work under the shadow of the axe, now I’m back to work, ain’t pleasant. Esp’ as I need to do as much work as poss’, to make up for lost earnings.

Anyway, I can only do my best. Keep scrupulous records, and hope my standing returns to its former high level. The quicker the better!

In happier news. I got a pack of six wireless, rechargeable, motion-sensitive lights, mostly to illuminate our bathroom, where the lighting has failed (and we’ve failed to get an electrician able to easily/cost effectively fix things!).

I’ve out four up in the bathroom, and two on the upstairs landing.