duty free marlboro red

greetings

indeed this is to be (arguably yet) another post on cigarettes, look you see. to be fair it has been a while since i have done one. all the same, as usual, of course smoking cigarettes is in all likelihood not at all good for you (probably quite bad) and you should either not take up the habit (or addiction) or, if that bit of sterling advice is too late, seek help to quit. 

mostly (or for the most part) this will (shall) me just enjoying the rare treat of my most beloved, or if you will preferred, cigarette, Marlboro Red. a duty free carton of these was kindly purchased for moi by my eldest (known) son on holiday. he perhaps should not have, for i am quite aware that both of my (known) children would very much prefer it if i did not smoke, but still. however, also here will be a look at the stupid corner certain governments have backed themselves into with insane taxes on cigarettes. 

a highly biased and considerably subjective thing for me to say would be that Marlboro Red are the finest cigarettes in the world. perhaps they are, certainly in their classic form they had the strongest branding of any product ever. for a start them tw@ts at Apple can only wish their branding was so identifiable. just my personal preference, they are, to be sure, like others have a preference for a specific type of tea, coffee, whisky, beer, etc. since the (ahem) independent retailers of "imported" cigarettes don't get them in and also that i will be f****d if i am paying the exorbitant price commanded for them at more conventional shops, well, they are a rare treat indeed for me. can't be sure with precision on this one but these may well be the first ones i have since i crammed my Bowie bag full of them in Dubai on my return from New Zealand. 

what's the fascination, appreciation, wish or appeal of (or for or with) them? famously us smokers tend to lose all sense of taste and smell over the years, but it doesn't disappear entire. they do indeed have quite a distinct taste, indeed kick if you will to them. with apologies to all non and anti smokers, whose views are not entirely unreasonable, to have one of these is sheer bliss. two hundred even better. 

kind of the "best of both worlds" with the packaging on these, then, for it features the apparently all important warning images and text whist retaining the iconic branding. of the warning pictures the one to the right, which is clearly a child doctored to look like much admired leader Putin, remains a strong favourite. the one in the middle, promising that the cigarettes shall cause an amazing sexual explosion, is also quite class, and for some reason the one to the left of that looks like artwork for an album off of The Doors or similar. well, no, there isn't anyone similar. 

cost of these, duty free? just south of £50. i believe the exact was £47, but i sent my son over £50 and i am sure he bought himself a can of pop and a copy of the Beano or similar with the change. this is of course (far) cheaper than the price of these on the shelf in the UK (roughly 25% - 30% of the price) and even slightly less ("fewer") than what the independent shops charge here. which leads us nicely into a bit on the problems faced with governments who got very greedy and extremely stupid with tax on cigarettes. some of the following might seem like a rant, but hopefully someone somewhere can see my point. 

just two things, in the above, i have noticed "online" about cigarettes. the top bit is from Australia, where they are now actively looking to decrease the cost of "legal" cigarettes. as a more progressive country they have acknowledged higher taxes has "served only to give the biggest cash boost to criminals in history". bottom is the UK, where the government (of course) refuses to accept they made a similar mistake with the taxes and instead wants to scare everyone into buying overtaxed "legal" ones. 

quite a lot of this relates to the facts, figures, numbers and calculations in this post, where i took apart the current taxation of cigarettes (in the UK) compared to what they should be if just standard inflation and standard increases of the "sin tax" had been applied. present day numbers are likely to be higher, but allowing for all of them adjusting they should still (more or less) reflect the scenario. much of this relates to their £1.7 billion "stolen" from taxpayers number.

let us say, and i am (quite) aware that i should not, on average i smoke 2 (two) packets of cigarettes a day. these are presently all procured from (ahem) "independent" distributors. so, with the figures from the link above (and here again), this is where they and i am are at -

TOTAL TAX RECIEVED BY GOVERNMENT OFF MY ACTUAL CIGARETTES - £0 (zero)

TOTAL TAX IF THEY HAD STUCK TO THE ORIGINAL SIN TAX - £1,569.50

TOTAL TAX IF I HAPPILY PAID THE CURRENT EXTRA TAXES - £7,285.40

yeah, no. the "original" or existing "sin" taxes on cigarettes would price them negligibly higher than what the independent sellers charge, and like many others i probably would not have sought out such. let it be made clear that i appreciate (understand, even) that some will see this as me "robbing" our much loved government of just north of seven grand in tax. a better question is why, exactly, they weren't happy just taking north of fifteen hundred from me. 

slight break (for more are to come) from numbers, then, for a "poster size" VHS mode selfie of me very much enjoying one of the Marlboro Red. yes in my outrageous round sunglasses. 

more numbers? sure. this whole £1.7 billion "stolen", then. i think they just like to come up with an arbitrary figure which sounds as plausible as it does scary. for that number to be correct, and assuming by this they mean the tax "stolen" is at the level in my previous post (links above), they believe that around about 170,340,681 "illegal" packets of cigarettes are sold in the UK each year. yes that is indeed just north of one hundred and seventy million packets. much of this shall be courtesy of our famously celebrated "after you" approach to border control. once again using those numbers, it isn't really a case of £1.7 billion being "stolen", rather the government tossing away £366,232,464 in tax revenue had they just kept the inflationary "sin tax" levels at a constant.

oh, sure, but there's the "aah, but illegal cigarettes are funding terrorism and criminals" argument. from what i remember pirate videos (and then DVDs) were also doing this, and probably lots of other things. sometimes they don't need to sell more than an "idea", especially when you consider the astronomical amounts the Americans "donated" to the IRA on the basis of a somewhat recollections may differ interpretation of the history of Ireland and how blowing up some churchgoers would make it all better. up to now no (alas) the government has not explained how stopping purchasing illegal cigarettes will somehow end all terrorism and/or criminal activity. i am sure they shall, eventually. besides, if they are all that bothered about smokers "funding" anyone but them, well, bring the price of cigarettes back down to a sensible level, like our friends in Australia are actively seeking to do. 

well, that quickly became more an awful lot of numbers and something of a rant that wasn't entirely intended, but there we go. unfortunately common sense got jettisoned from the world with things like this, but fair dinkum to the Aussies for trying to fix a mess made. oh if only we had such leadership. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

supergirl

hello there

well, as the title gives you every indication of being so, off i went to see Supergirl. eventually, look you see, but that's a story for a bit further into all of this. being as helpful as i can for those who have gone done a "google" (or whatever) and wish to just know (kind of) quickly if this new Supergirl film is any good, the answer to that is a resounding yes. some of the more sensible, considered critical reviews out there (as in the ones not simply upset with a lady lead character) are not entirely wrong with some observations, in particular the pacing of the last half hour or so, but overall this one ranks as well above average for moi, for whatever that is worth (not much) and is by a fraction the best film i have gone done seen at the cinema thus far this year (2026). 

first off though and once again it was the case that i went to Roxy Movies in Middlesbrough to see it. twice, as it happens, and for those using that facebook thing here you go. at this risk of making this overtly link heavy (or just too busy) i was really impressed with the cinema when i went to go and see that Masters Of The Universe not so long ago, and thus it has become my default cinema. not the closest one too me but oddly the easiest to get to. 

just what, exactly, compelled me to go and see Supergirl? if i was asked i would say i could pretty much take or leave "superhero" films. however, an awful lot of "credit in the bank" exists due to just how damned brilliant the Superman film of last year was. sure, the various (yet limited) bits and bobs of promotion for this one looked interesting enough, but my choice to go and see it was more or less made last year when (and perhaps a spoiler warning here) the character was introduced at the end of Superman. i was very much "yes please, more of the same of this type of film, thanks". 

plot? sure, but in giving that (since i wasn't really sure what it was when i went in) now is the time to give an actual, proper spoiler warning thing. to be fair i have given you the "review" bit at the start. anyway, the film commences with Supergirl out and about on an interplanetary pub crawl, ostensibly to celebrate her birthday. another lady walks into one of the bars, seeking help on a quest for vengeance slightly confused as justice, which Supergirl has zero interest in. until her dog, Krypto, gets poisoned, and finding the antidote means joining the quest, albeit in a quasi way. 

eventually, when i got to see it, i ended up with a default (or "de facto") private screening, for it seemed like no one else considered it a quite class idea to see it at noon. oh well. my plan was, on the spur of the moment, to see it the night before, since i had no interest in whatever football was being played. off i went, having booked a ticket, only to find it closed due to a "system failure" after a power cut. oh. well, the staff were excellent, and to be fair they gave a refund and a free ticket for this screening. 

things i liked about the film? well, for a start, this Milly Alcock, who(m) i don't think i have ever heard of before or seen in anything, is really good in the lead role. it's a rather well written role with some decent character development and she is (ahem) superb. rest of the cast also good, but just about all the focus appears to have gone into making sure they get her "right". 

also it has a punchy, (mostly) let's get on with it pace, all at no expense to the story. quite a relief to see a film in this day and age what is south of two hours, what with the calling of bathrooms and cigarettes usually being the main thing against a cinema trip. in terms if the criticism i mentioned above, yeah, the ending (not the final scene, though) felt "a little off", somewhat more clumsy with the editing and pace than the bits before.

yes, indeed i am aware, as anyone legally connected to Scala somewhere north of 30 years ago can confirm, one generally should not test the patience (or f*** around with) Warner Bros in regards of matters of copyright. going on them people what throw stuff on you tube, however, i would suspect (or kind of hope) they won't get too @r$ey (or p!ssy) about the few seconds i (ahem) accidentally taped in the above clip. 

mostly, allowing for the (usual) poor quality of my videos, that's there to show what i love about Roxy. yes, these multiplex things have massive screens and larger sound. they are also rather soulless. going to see a film at a "multiplex" is to have to have your eyes darting all over the screen and feeling the walls vibrate as they have confused "excellent sound" with "as loud as possible". here at Roxy there's a very easy on the eye perfect size screen and the volume correct - not too loud, not to quiet, just right. 

quickly glancing for information on such gives every indication that, thus far, Supergirl is not doing particularly well at the box office. oh. mostly, of course, this isn't my problem. traditionally i think it is so that, for a variety of reasons, "female led" films don't always do that good. if one looks back, most of the promotion of Barbie focused on Ryan Gosling. nonetheless, or regardless (or, you know, whatever), it is a surprise a film of this quality isn't (so it seems) drawing in crowds. perhaps the world at large was just not as enamoured and impressed with Superman as i was last year. 

what shall be my next cinematic excursion? not sure, truthfully. i am not that @r$ed about yet another Spiderman film being essentially the same story Marvel makes, and to be (completely) frank the idea of watching Nolan's The Odyssey in a cinema feels like an endurance test i shall fail. since i don't keep up to date with news of releases, well, maybe an advert will pop up on the internet for something what looks interesting enough to go see. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

a little piece of you, a little peace in me, will die

who is and who isn't

tradition does indeed dictate that today, July 1, is a celebration of The Stone Roses here on this blog. if you were to ask why, well, that's the date i, my now former (yet still considerably) better half and some dear friends saw them at Heaton Park. way back in 2012, look you see, which does and does not feel like fourteen (14) years ago. 

rather than the usual fawning over them, or (more frequently) stating that "there's not much else i can write about it all", events between the last post on this and the one here have dictated what to write. by this i of course mean that we, the world, have lost Mani. none of the grief or sadness we feel, to state the obvious, compares to the heartbreak of his family and dear friends. mindful, of course, that it is not a contest or thing to be "the most of". 

my original intention was to call this something along the lines of why we grieve for those that we did not know, but hey, Bowie (slight mis-) quote is always going to win. also i don't have the answers to you for that one. some ideas, thoughts, theoretical ideas perhaps, which (but of course) i will throw out here. perhaps they will make sense to someone; probably not. 

but first Mani. if you are here via a "google" thing looking for gossip, rumours or such, you may as well leave now. i have absolutely no idea on the nature of his passing, only that it happened. my honest first reaction to the news was "but that's simply not possible", which was exactly the same ten years ago when we lost Bowie, and then Prince. of all the comments made when Bowie past the one which has resonated me with the most was another fan, anonymous, who when asked about it just went quiet and then eventually offered "it didn't occur to me that he could die". 

exactly why was Mani loved, held so dear? a lot of it is, of course, his music. yes, some journalist somewhere will have kicked off an era of mourning describing him as "the best and most important bass player of all time", which he would have responded with a list of players he considered superior. still, man, that bass of his. everyone gets drawn to something, i think the "sell" for me with The Stone Roses was always his bass, be in the ingenious Taxman off of The Beatles played backwards for I Am The Resurrection or that most amazing bass ever on Fools Gold. 

ostensibly one could describe The Stone Roses as a band in possession of all the talent, artistic gift and quality to be the biggest band in the world but ultimately simply couldn't be @r$ed with it all. still, they remain hugely important for what they did do for many of us. in terms of the love for Mani, well, he was generally seen, or regarded, as the "most approachable" of the band, the one more open to any conversation you would care to have with him. for all the mythology, legend and tales of why The Stone Roses fell apart he was always direct, candid and honest about it, saying it was "four very different people doing four very different kind of drugs", making clear not so much that it was obviously not going to last but more wonder that it lasted at all. 

famously, or if you will infamously, when (in the words of the band after the fact) the "wheels fell off" the band, he joined Primal Scream. yes, made more albums with them and was in that band longer than he was in The Stone Roses. to illustrate either his humour or philosophy (if not both), when these "facts" were put to him was always "also, interestingly, I have been in Primal Scream longer than and done more albums with them than i did The Beatles". 

going to the "wider context" here and it is a folly to think that "outpouring of grief" is a fairly new phenomenon, existing only in this "social media" era. not quite true. back in the 80s is was pretty standard for any "famous death" to make the news. oddly i can remember more than once it being the passing of someone who was only really widely known for being in one episode of Fawlty Towers that made such news coverage. such is how we feel sad when someone who has made life better leaves us. 

perhaps if we were a more "enlightened" society (and it is a surprise, for all our history, that we are not) then news of the passing of some minstrel that made music, someone who was good at dressing up and pretending to be someone or someone who was better than average at kicking a ball, would just get a brief mention. instead, medical professionals that keep us alive, teachers who spread knowledge and more importantly every mother in the world would be the ones we held in the highest esteem, those we grieved the most for. such is not the world we have created, though. 

yet, ultimately, i "get" it. those famous people who have passed are essentially poets in the purest sense, for whatever their art is that they have shared with the world it has infected minds and seeped into hearts. to variations of extent all art is an attempt to understand, or make some sense, of the incomprehensible human condition, to grasp an idea of why we have that will to live, what makes us feel and so on. but someone a good deal cleverer than me can probably word it better. 

not entirely sure (and far from convinced) i have worded this all proper and as intended, but who knows, someone out there may get the idea. ultimately, it's natural and understandable to feel a sense of loss when someone who has made your life better passes away. what they did that touched you so shall remain in the world long after we have all gone. 

one generation under the same groove. 

who is and who isn't, who is and who isn't

unusual insect

heya

just another of them "chance sighting" things, look you see. although in this instance not, alas, either an item of footwear discarded or (for that matter) a repurposed shopping trolley. no, this time around it was a most curious insect what i managed to see. 

to give a ragged notion of the idea of some pretence of context, one day (mid June) i was out and about in the world, doing my thing (verk) when i stopped for some dinner (lunch, if posh). on going to dispose of waste (wrappers and what have you) in a bin something caught my eye sat upon the trees, bushes, plants or what have you nearby. so of course i took a picture. yes, video too. 

admittedly VHS mode with "damaged tape" on the go isn't the best to help identify what i saw, but here we are. pretty sure you can see it clearly enough anyway, just sort of middle off central, as it were. a clearer, or if you will more better, image is below somewhere. 

no real idea what kind of insect this is, to be honest. my best guess would be a moth based on the size of the body and wings, but it is with no certainty that i say such. quite interesting to see one of this colour, and so clearly well camouflaged. presumably it remains this colour, and is not a kind of chameleon type of creature. unless, of course, it is. 

video above for you, then, which (of course) is in VHS mode. i can assure you this insect (if indeed that is the correct terminology) was very much alive, yet oddly still as i approached to take the pictures and video. 

certainly i am aware that i could do one of them "google image searches" (or similar) to find out what sort of insect (or winged creature) this is, but, well, where is the fun in that? there is no more obnoxious or annoying a pr!ck than the type that knowingly goes on any sort of "internet forum" or chat thing and responds to a question with "you could just google that". if that's your approach, why are you on a system where conversation is the crux? slightly worse are those that post "someone else has already asked that". yeah, conversations can be had again, in particular by those who(m) were not part of it the last time it happened. 

my best go at a clearer, or if you will "proper", picture above, then. the more i look at it and beyond thinking how magnificent it is the more i am reasonably sure it is a sort of moth. 

righty-ho, that's that. likely more than was actually there to write, but done now. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

pleasantly surprised

greetings

well, what can i say. this is all to do with a (reasonably) unexpected further cinema visit, look you see. i did kind of get into the habit of going fairly frequently when down in that there London (innit), but since my days on the road came to an end, not so much. having, somewhat predictably, gone off to see the most recent Darth Vader (or whatever) film, Buckethead & Space Frog, in this instance the excursion was to go and see Masters Of The Universe. a motion picture, in truth, that i was only aware of via seeing a trailer for it at that previous (or most recent before this) trip to the cinema. 

further (or also) a film i was not all that @r$ed about, truthfully. yes, the trailer for it did indeed look quite class, but the original animated series isn't one i recalled all fondly, even with my proclivity for nostalgia. as far as i can remember i have also never managed to make it all the way through the previous live action film, with him out of Rocky IV in it. still, a good friend went to see it and was urging me to go, and was clearly not going to cease urging until i went. thus, off i went. 

rather glad i did, as this new (2026) version of Masters Of The Universe is, simply, excellent. on a straightforward level it's a really well made, solid entertaining film that's slightly north of two hours long because it needs to be, which is to say it is not needlessly padded out. going somewhat deeper than that and it pulls off the remarkable trick of being self aware without descending into either parody or p!ss take. quite a lot of skill, effort and outright love for the subject matter went into making this operate as a truly decent adventure film for a "new generation" and a knowing nod to those who perhaps recall the series a good deal more fondly than i do. 

plus, as it happens, it gave me the excuse (or reason) to go and try a "new" cinema not so far away from me in my lodgings in this era of exile. glad i did too, as Roxy Movies in Middlesbrough turned out to be a wonderful cinema, clearly run by people with a passion for movies and is most decidedly more better priced than the "big name" ones. rather like, i suppose, that Ealing Project one i did love going to. 

before doing a bit more on the film, and thus before any sort of "spoiler warning", some more on the cinema itself, then. smaller theatres and smaller ("fewer") screens than the big multiplexes, yet somehow the picture and (in particular) the sound felt a great deal better. i am no expert in such but often it feels that the "overtly digitalised" and "ultra definition" stuff really sanitises and thus spoils the experience sometimes. a friend, and someone who(m) i greatly respect, says that there's no argument that DVD, Blu Ray, etc have superior sound and video, but completely lack the "warmth" and enjoyment one got from watching a videotape. for pricing comparisons my tickets at the Roxy for Masters Of The Universe was roughly half what the "big" cinemas wished to charge, a medium popcorn, which was about the size of a large one at the major chain ones, and a decently large pepsi max was a straight (or flat) £9, which was more or less half of what the same cost me for Baby Space Frog or whatever it was called. 

i will try and make it so that there are not too many (if any), but from here on out there is every chance of "spoilers" featuring. the biggest concerns i had going into the film were that either it was going to be around 80% "origin" story or it would be full tilt Marvel, with it being just a fragment of a film intended for some grand "expanded universe". merrily neither happen. it is with efficiency and high effectiveness, as well as some humour, that the premise is all set up in 10 (ten) or so minutes. whereas the potential exists for further films, there is no "cliff-hanger", and it is very much a self contained, very satisfactory complete story. 

most, if not quite all, of the cast do a decent job here, yet understandably it is left to Idris Elba to do just about all of the heavy lifting with "proper" acting. as far as i am aware, and no i don't really follow social media or what have you, this Jared Leto is someone we are not supposed to like, yet his (and i appreciate mostly voice) performance as Skeletor is ace. realistically quite a lot of this fantasy world film has to be special effects (or "cgi"), yet it is all gone done proper, with it not being like you are just watching a glorified computer game. 

ultimately, at the risk of sounding repetitive (or even more so than usual), it was a genuine delight to spend an afternoon watching a film which entertained, made me laugh and felt very good indeed. again, not sure how, exactly, i managed to miss that they were even making this one. 

oddly (or as it happens) my next cinema trip should be quite soon. the Supergirl film is out shortly, and i am rather keen. going on just how excellent Superman was last year, well, i am looking forward to seeing more of the same. certainly yes, if possible, likely will head to this Roxy to see it. for the record, the view in the cinema is not as "obscured" as my image above accidentally suggests, that's just me keeping the camera thing on my phone low down so as not to disturb others. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

elvis tapes

howdy pop pickers

just another of them posts showcasing some needless acquisition or other, look you see. well, no, that's not fair, it cannot be entirely needless when it concerns The King, Elvis Presley who(m) hasn't been mentioned all that much on here of late. time, then to address that. 

recently, then, i picked up some tapes of The King, Elvis Presley. not just one, which would be north of the none i intended, not as few ("less") as two, and not nearly so many as four. so three (3), then. i believe i got "upsold" into taking an extra 2 (two) on top of the one which caught my eye, but there i was, here we are. 

provenance? a shop which was closing down. one i had done some business with before, a year or so ago, when on a whim i wished to procure a machine what did both video (actual) and disc. it is, or was, a shop that one would kindly call a "bric a brac" one, or if American "thrift" i suppose. junk shop is likely more accurate. still, i found things of interest there. 

i was on a stroll, making my way in the world as usual, when one of the tapes (actual) i ultimately purchased was in the window and caught my eye. rather than the above image, i draw your attention to the one below. the tape in the middle was the one i saw and thought "that actually looks class", and it being in the middle allows us to avoid any of that left or right nonsense. 

the tapes were £1 each, and no i am not going to convert that into various currencies as the market is rather volatile these days. when i went to pay for the one (1) that i wished for with a crisp (hello, Faye) £5 note, the bloke said he "only" had 2 (two) £1 coins, so would i rather like to buy at least two (2) more tapes. hence me also owning the ones to the left and right. now that i think, or look, the one on the right (the Love Songs one) is a really smart picture of Him, The King, Elvis Presley. 

certainly there is a degree of nostalgia, or if you will sentimental hygiene, behind the purchase. other than me being a compulsive shopper. probably the first tape of The King, Elvis Presley, i ever encountered was one my brother purchased. we were on holiday, i think Torquay 1983, when he purchased it. up until that point i don't think i was aware of him being a fan of His, and i am not sure he was aware of it either. from what i recall the "draw" was the cover promised it featured the "laughing version" of Are You Lonesome Tonight. i would speculate that neither i nor my brother at that point in our lives were particularly aware of any version of the song. 

which of these three (3) is the "best"? there is no such thing as a bad tape of The King, Elvis Presley. leaving that (obvious) statement aside, then the already mentioned Love Songs one seems to have the higher proportion of the most well known songs He gone done. think it just has the standard, as in not laughing, version of Are You Lonesome Tonight on it, along with Always On My Mind, Can't Help Falling In Love, Suspicious Minds (which i am not sure is a traditional love song), The Wonder Of You and more of that nature. it is all a bit more eclectic on the other two tapes (actual), with a sparser share of "well known" stuff. but, all the same, still all great songs. 

yes, i shall indeed actively seek out stuff of interest to write here for the next time. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i stare at the sky and it leaves me blind

hello there

one of them erratic if not ad hoc "health update" things, look you see. indeed i do appreciate that those wishing to hear of how i am getting on (at least in a positive way) are limited in number, but still, you never know, someone doing a "random google" might find some of this of use as they go on making their way in the world. 

if for some reason you are interested in how i am getting on yet have no patience for my waffle, the short version is a remarkable reversal of fortune, thanks. as in i was quite sure i was on the verge of death, but i made it through that and am "on the mend". should you remain of a mind to have some interest, you are welcome to read on. yes, some "story so far" links are likely a good idea......

either to recap, then, or for those reading this wondering just what, exactly, all this nonsense is, some links. presented in chronological order, with i (do indeed) appreciate is a bit out of character. by the way, be warned, for selfies feature both here and in the links if you click. here you go - 

until the end of the world

blinded by the light

here i am, not quite dying

 

of these, hope

sleep for a while and speak no words

don't be afraid to care

righty-ho, then, an update on what test results i have back, for they have taken an awful lot of blood, and other things, from me to have a bit of a gander (or look). you all saw that selfie warning earlier on, yeah? 

the above is indeed taken after my (most recent) diabetic eye test. when they make a booking for you it is made (perfectly) clear you should bring sunglasses as your eyes shall be sensitive, and you shouldn't plan on driving for some 4 to 6 (or so) hours after it. on this front they are not f*****g kidding. not sure my eyes have ever knacked so much. 

eyes

yes, i am starting with the one that i don't have the full results off of. well, i do (at the least) have some provisional ones. they did the tests what knack, and it would seem that all is ok. for those seeking information, of the many things which can go wrong (or "went f****d") with diabetes a particular concern is going blind. as for the test, well, each eye gets two (2) blinding, scorching flashes as they take a picture (or x-ray or what have you) of the back of your eyes where the damage can occur. one is a straightforward, erm, look straight forward one. second one is quite class, as you have to "follow" a white circle along, then they "flash" at random. watching the circle is a bit like watching that smart bit that's usually at the start of James Bond films when the protagonist is viewed down a gun barrel. 

weirdly, or oddly (strangely, perhaps), on the provisional tests my "long distance" vision has somehow managed to improve since last year. i did indeed ask if it was normal for eyes to get more better without any sort of treatment or intervention, and apparently yes, it is both possible and not unusual. 

full tilt results of the eye test will only get to me in a few weeks, but as i said it would appear that all is as it should be for now. which means i shall only have to get the tests done again in 2028 (assuming i make it that far). something of a relief, that. 

circulation

being not too clever i am not sure on the wording being all proper here, but effectively diabetes means there's damage to blood vessels and arteries. this can cause all sorts of issues, but particularly with your feet, for reasons of how blood circulation around the body goes. and so a regular (as in every year) test is done to make sure all is as good as can be. 

quite a few people would, i suspect, rather like to watch me get this test, for it basically (or essentially) involved me getting repeatedly jabbed in (on) the soles of my feet with a pointed stick. or something that feels like such. once more, then, it was good results for this, with me being "low risk". i asked if it was so that i would only have to have this done every two (2) years now, like (hopefully) with the eyes, but no, they want to stab me at least once a year. 

appreciating the limitations on just how much information you would wish for in regards of various rituals i engage in, i do indeed do precisely what they told me to do in respect of limiting (or mitigating) the risks of damage. so, every morning i put some aqueous cream on my feet, and read a few chapters of a novel as it all dries enough for me to put socks on. 

blood sugar 

the "biggie", as it were. if you have read the first link off of the above list then you may recall that my blood sugar level was at 107. not a normal figure, and one that had the paramedics sure that their machine was busted as they doubted anyone with such a level would be coherent or alive. 

sets of tests some 6 (six) months apart show that it is now 56. as a frame of reference, the "ideal" or maximum should be 58. i asked if that meant i was to work on bringing it lower ("fewer") and they said not really, not really, no. with respect to how this has been achieved, a mix (blend) of medication (but i am not on them "hippie yuppie weight loss" jabs), a changed diet and an awful lot of walking, with the latter being the only exercise i am prepared to do as it is the only one i can work out that i can do and still be able to smoke whilst doing it (sorry). 

my vegetable intake on any given week (or day, i suppose) now is probably higher than the combined levels of any other decade of my life you would care to mention. strange. every weekend a batch not too far off the above example gets washed, peeled, grated or chopped and added to a boss mince recipe my sister gone done for me. 

heart, lungs, breathing

a quite interesting (and surprisingly) casual call i got earlier in the year (after some tests) was that i should not worry too much, but they had "an idea" that my heart might fail. oh. well, yes, ideally that was something to avoid. medication for that appears to be working, and so long as i keep going with the tablets and all the other stuff it should be "fine". 

indeed there was a conversation about my proclivity for smoking. they asked if i had any wish or desire to quit, and i said not really, not really, no (sorry). whilst obviously no endorsement came of smoking it was the case, then, that they suggested i do not "force" myself to quit. probably need this one as a psychological support still, and there's also the "shock to the system" possible if i did try and quit,  mindful of all else going on. a suggestion was made that i try and cut down and i said yeah, sure.

kidneys

being propped up with medication comes (of course) with a price. in my instance, my kidneys (for i think you have more than one) are doing an awful lot of work to "clean" or otherwise heal what is wrong, which comes with the risk of them going all busted on me. 

this, as in them going busted, was closer to a reality than a risk earlier this year. happy to say that, yes, it is so that some extra, extra medication is being taken, and it is working. no immediate risk of them going all f****d, then, but i do really rather suspect i shall be going wee wee in some test tube things for quite a lot of the future, allowing someone to look at it and check it's not too bad. 

just look at what an outrageous slave to fashion in am in the above combined (composite?) picture. yes, indeed these are selfies of moi, a year (or so) apart. first one (on the left) is last year, after the diabetes eye test, then the one to the right (with the grey sky and full tilt beard) was taken just a few days ago, after the most recent eye test. or a few days before the date of this post, should you be reading all of this many years from now. forward, not backward. 

right, well, i think that's covered the main "bits". possibly too much information on some of the things, most probably not enough details on the others. oh well. more importantly, though, and in no real order, best of luck to anyone who has stumbled on this looking for things of stuff as they contend with their own medical plight, and thank you very much indeed to all those who have offered (or extended) support and help. absolutely no idea why anyone would think it ideal to have me remain as a going concern, yet here i am. 

UPDATE

so my eyes are, as you can see in the above (mostly), fine then! nice one. this means no blinding test for another two (2) or so years. i shall just have to find a different reason to give you all an update on my latest fashion trend around this time next year. should, of course, i make it that far. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

recent reading

hello reader

and so time for a look at another two (2) books what i have gone done read, look you see. considering that my reading has been somewhat slower of late it feels like this post is relatively soon after the last on a similar (as in exact but different books) subject. perhaps a sign that i was quite particularly engaged with the ones read this time out, but that is not to say they were flawless experiences. 

to the usual, then, which is to say an image of the 2 (two) books what i gone done read, followed by a brief, if you like executive summary style overview, and then every chance of them "spoilers" things exists in whatever ramblings i compose. been warned, you have, to be sure.

from left to right (i think) and in the order what i gone done read them, then, The Children Of Eve is the most recent (in paperback) Charlie Parker novel off of John Connolly. i did set myself a sort of reminder to look for this one, and remembered to eventually. bit of a kind of "hmn" review for this one, alas. next it was on to the most recent in paperback, at time of writing (June 2026), of the Thursday Murder Club novels by The Tall One Formerly Of Pointless But Still Does Pointless Celebrities And Now Also Former Host Of Richard Osman's House Of Games But I Guess They Will Call It Something Else Now And He Was A Backing Dancer For Sonia, or whatever his name is. a significant (as in large) locked in market exists for these novels, making any review mostly moot. but yes, i enjoyed it. nearly forgot to give the title of it, which is The Impossible Fortune. 

no idea, exactly, how many warnings (if any you need) about "spoilers", but this is your last of such. read on only if you are prepared to risk potentially slightly revealing things of stuff. 

provenance of my copy of The Children Of Eve is possibly more interesting a tale than usual, as in it was not "book of the week" down at Tesco. as point of fact the last one was not either, but Tesco at least still stocked it. not, alas, this one. was also absent from the shelves at Morrisons, but their book section is kind of a token gesture anyway. on little more than a quite vague whim i took a lengthy (but agreeable) walk to a large Asda and was delighted to find they did indeed have it. cost was north of Tesco's £4.50 (although they charged a flat £6 for the previous) yet marginally south of Morrisons's default £6. it was getting bought anyway. 

the plot? hmn. Charlie Parker is mostly contentedly in a relationship with a police officer, doing low level investigation work for a lawyer. the ghost, or spirit, of his long dead daughter has all of a sudden started making her presence felt once more. an artist which Parker is sympathetic to (if not one he actually likes) approaches him, requesting his services in locating her boyfriend, who upped and left in a rush. which takes him on a voyage into close to the usual sort of darkness in which he dwells, with his interest changed from piqued to dedicated when it turns out the disappearance is linked to the apparent kidnapping of children.....

up front, be warned, this is essentially the most Raiders Of The Lost Ark novel to feature Charlie Parker yet. what, exactly, does that mean? that the involvement, presence and actions of the (ostensible) protagonist make absolutely zero difference to how the story pans out. no influence or change. the only things Parker does here are ask a few questions that don't lead him anywhere he was not and then also gets his head kicked in. 

quite disappointing when you realise that, which would be around the magical "100 pages to go" part of the novel. reading a Charlie Parker novel is usually to delve into the idea of it's no secret that our world is in darkness tonight, but his lack of actually doing anything of consequence in this one has one, or if you like me, going "so". 

just a picture of the novel (and others) on the shelf in Asda, then. no, no particular reason for adding the picture here, i just for some reason took it and thought well, why not add it. 

still, or and yet, the novel was  hugely enjoyable read. it has been somewhere around a quarter of a century (!!) that i have been reading the world created by John Connolly, and still it remains interesting to read anything the usual characters are "doing". the novel hints at something to come "soon", but doesn't do all that much in establishing a potential new long term quarry. my hope is that this novel has been John Connolly doing one if not "for the sake of it" as such then as a sort of "you love the stories, i love the stories, just roll with it". 

rather more familiar provenance for The Impossible Fortune, then, with yes it being £4.50 off of Tesco as their "book of the week" thing for club card prices. purchased (or bought) on the thursday it came out. no, so far as i am aware they did not specifically or especially publish this on a thursday, that just happens to be the day when new books are on the shelf down Tesco. 

plot? a relative of the Thursday Murder Club is getting married. Elizabeth, still grieving, is approached in private by the best man. he has been led to believe she is good with "this sort of thing" and so asks her if she might consider looking into the small matter of a bomb placed under his car.........

there was some hesitation in reading this one as a (very) good friend had found it a bit "hmn". also, in truth, for the last couple of novels it felt like the "good" bits were getting to be a bit sporadic. but yes still of course i found myself reading it not long after purchase. what can i say? this unexpected "cosy crime" genre which the author appears to have accidentally created is very comfortable reading indeed. although i could "see" the parts where my friend went "hmn", to be fair mostly it was rather good, with just one twist (for those who have read it, the first code reveal) not appearing to make all that much sense. not how (that was really clever), the why. 

overall this was a pretty decent read, to be honest. the twists and turns (red herrings and what have you) were, for the most part, quite clever. as for my "100 pages to go" test, well, when it got to that stage of reading i was "hang on this doesn't feel anywhere near a conclusion", but it didn't end up as all rushed and contrived as i may have feared. again, though, i am mindful of a "locked in" audience for these novels. with sales of this book likely to be measured in 7 or even maybe 8 digit figures, doesn't feel like i can say much other than yes, it's "in the tradition" of the other novels and worthwhile. 

presently my "gauge" as to how good a book is (or is not) would be how much i read it other than a couple of chapters each morning as i wait for cream on my feet to dry. no, not a fetish thing, just something i need to do for "circulation" or what have you in the face of my medical plight. both of these got read a good deal more than at those times, with Impossible Fortune being taken with me on my most recent laundry visit. so yes, both kept my attention and had me wishing to keep reading, which is, i would think, what one would wish for any novel read. 

alas the above is (most decidedly) not the case with the one i am reading now. risking "spoilers" for the next book post and i am, some 40 (or so) pages into it, very confident indeed that i have stumbled upon the most singularly awful novel for which trees have been needlessly slain to produce. perhaps it shall get better, but i very much doubt it. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

at the laundry again

heya

further efforts in bringing the banal, the mundane and the ordinary to you are here, then. perhaps just a routine thing, look you see. i do wonder who has the greater edge of folly me for writing it or you for knowingly being here reading it (or looking at the pictures). most of the "economies" of using a laundry service can be found via clicking here. well, my take on such. 

a (relatively) recent post showcased my class (if not splendid) koala bedding. not in an overt way, to be sure, but still it was there. with this being the case it was, once more, off with me to the laundry to go and get the bedding (linen, if you will) that was being used washed and dried, then folded away for use once more. assuming, of course, i make it as far as another bedding change. 

bit of a reverse (or false forward) with images, as the one above (in psychedelic mode) is of the massive, yet not enormous, tumble dryer in full effect. i just happen to think that this is a nice, quite colourful image, and the first picture on any post gets used as the "preview" or what have you. the end is the beginning is the end, if you like. 

going on what i have learned of the "politics" (or social etiquette, or dealing with pig ignorant people) of the laundry i, of course, elected to "go" early. one saturday morning, as it happens. there was an ever so slight intention to go the last public holiday we had, but i went and saw Buckethead & Baby Space Frog at the cinema instead. moving on and i got (arrived) there just a few minutes before their prescribed (or advertised) opening time. imagine my surprise, then, to find two (2) other patrons already in, somewhere near mid-wash on their respective cycles. 

it turns out (yes that is the washing machine i used, in VHS mode) that the laundry opens one half of one hour (or 30 minutes) earlier on a saturday. oh. this i ascertained from the conversation what the two ladies (a mother and daughter) were having. perhaps i shall going earlier next time, then, although such would run the risk of them electing not to open earlier and leave me standing around waiting. not certain that loitering around looking desperate for a laundry to open is what i wish to project. 

did i engage in any sort of conversation (or interaction) with the mother and daughter? there was a cursory exchange of greetings followed by, under the laws of guidance of the English way of doing things, brief mentions of the weather (hot) and the torment of being up doing laundry so early. otherwise, no. yes, i do appreciate, for a generation influenced if not scarred by the Nick Kamen incident, that a gent encountering a mother and daughter at a laundry could be the premise of the plot for a particularly bad Robin Asquith film, except that by default suggests there is such a thing as a particularly good plot for a Robin Asquith film. or how you spell his name, you know who i mean. 

mostly, or for the most part, whilst waiting for the machines i just read more of the book what i am busy with. that would be the most recent (quite a lot of most) one, at the time of writing, to come out in paperback from The Tall One Formerly Out Of Pointless Although He Still Does Pointless Celebrities And Now Also Formerly Out Of Richard Osman's House Of Games Although I Guess They Will Call It Something Else Now And Also He Was A Backing Dancer For Sonia. not a bad read so far, but the usual post on that shall follow eventually. 

some of the "politics" of the laundry was absolutely going to kick off, by the way. just as my laundry, which to clarify was the bedding but also a couple of towels, was doing its thing in the tumble dryer a particularly unpleasant and obnoxious chap came in with about twelve (say a dozen) bin bags loaded with clothes. he looked quite cross that others were already there, using the (and this i stress open to the public) facility, clearly believing the place was "his". unfortunately suck d!ckhe@ds with a sense of entitlement roam the entire planet, with an abundance of them in Scotland with internet access, but the English ones do seem to be louder than usual, and have a more distinguished huff sound. 

regarding costs, it was a neat (flat) straight £9, with £5.50 for the washing machine and £3.50 for the tumble dryer. which means the costs have not increased over the last 18 (or so) months. such a thing in our present world is to be treasured. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

koala paperclip

g'day

indeed this shall be one of them "does what it says on the box" (or in the title, look you see) posts. for any sense of urgent clarification it is so that i have procured (or if you will acquired) a koala related paperclip. no, i had no particular need for a paperclip, with it also being true that i might not have required all that much further in the way of koala related items. yet such is done. 

so yes, then, i have bought (purchased) a paperclip that (what) has a koala on it. quite a large paperclip too, as it happens. not necessarily or particularly "massive", for i have seen "novelty" ones of a much larger ("less fewer") size. although who, exactly, considers making a massive paperclip a fun thing to do is beyond me. still, it is larger than what one would think a "standard" paperclip would be. 

every now and then, then, i do like to make use of a copy (or two) of The Joshua Tree off of U2 for a sort of "for scale" thing. my understanding is that "banana for scale" is a "thing" on the internet, which kind of makes sense, but generally i have to hand more copies of The Joshua Tree than i do bananas. rather likely you do not need me to explain this, but that is indeed two copies of the cassette (tape) variation of the album used for scale. as this tape (cassette) is a standard size and shape issue one, it simply is not so that you would need your own copy of The Joshua Tree to grasp the size being compared here, any conventional tape shall (will) do. 

provenance of the koala paperclip? i came to be the custodian after seeing it down the market. generally if i see something or other koala related i will make every effort to buy it, and then worry about what to do with it later. well, worry seems an exaggeration. contrary to the view of some (not many, but still) it isn't the case that i go to the market (usually weekly) with every intention of being certain of purchasing something. true, normally i do, but seldom (if ever) just for the sake of it. obtaining something what is koala related makes my life momentarily, perhaps fleetingly, better. 

not everyone in this odd era of "streaming", i appreciate, shall have a grasp on what actual size (or shape) an actual tape cassette is. doing a further comparison with a compact disc would feel moot for such people. taking as a given that playing cards remain a thing in this unusual century, there, the koala paperclip compared to a standard sized pack of (David Bowie, yes) playing cards. now that i look, and have something akin to a think, a standard deck of cards is probably the size of a tape anyway, so my apologies for the needless double comparison. 

what, apart from the obvious, would be the purpose (or intended use) for this paperclip? actually as far as i can ascertain it is the obvious. my initial thought was that perhaps it was meant to be used as a bookmark. on discussing it with a (good) friend, however, i was inclined to agree with their dismissal of this, for the (and i think this is the correct terminology) tensile strength of it would totes knack the pages of a book. another thought was that it was an elaborate brooch or badge thing, but no, my friend assured me that, in their youth, this sort of paperclip (large with something on it) was very much a thing for use on papers. usually ones of importance, or that one wished to show off with some flair. 

most of my koala collection is featured in the above picture, then, with my bedding of choice also featuring koalas. someone has already taken the trouble to point out to me that me showing off my koala bear collection in this era is perhaps not that great an idea, what with a certain former Prince being famous for (amongst other things) his teddy bear collection. i would really like to think there is not really much comparison between he and i, or between "standard" teddy bears and these quite class koala ones. 

just what, exactly, is the appeal of koalas for me (moi)? they just look really awesome. also they live off of (or on) eucalyptus, and that stuff is smart even beyond the scrabble score you get for the word. do i consider a koala bear to be my "spirit animal" or what have you? maybe. very much everything of this world, this era, this time, suggests that a life lived hanging around in trees getting completely stoned on the fumes of eucalyptus is a more better way to exist that the current reality we have all either made or stood by and let become a thing.

for some i reason i assumed, or took as a given, that anyone interested in koala paperclips would most probably wish to see the back (or rear) of it. so, here you go, above, with the actual cassette tapes in the boxes on display for size comparison. rather sturdy design and make, as you can more or less see in that picture. 

do i intend to make any sort of conventional use of this paperclip? not really, not really. no. i don't have all that much use (or need) for large amounts of paper that require a provisional means of keeping them bound. there is no a single calorie of regret about buying it, mind, even if it is ultimately just going to lay around doing nothing.

be fair dinkum to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

mandalorian and grogu

greetings

and so another cinema trip, which after a brief that there London (innit) flourish of such has become a somewhat rare thing. indeed it has been nearly a year since i last went to the movies, with the very excellent Superman luring me in, look you see. for this instance it was, after some nine (or so) years, the arrival of a new Star Wars film as a cinema thing, in the form of, as the title gives you every indication of it being, The Mandalorian & Grogu. 

for those seeking a kind of "spoiler free" review and somehow ended up here rather than on a proper web thing, well, no, it is unlikely to be possible to watch and "understand" (or follow) this without having seen all three series ("seasons", Americans) of The Mandalorian. also (of course) The Book Of Boba Fett, for one cannot really follow all of the series of The Mandalorian without seeing that. beyond that it is a pretty average film, to be both honest about it and quite surprised. not awesome or excellent, but certainly short of being disappointing. every now and then it is quite entertaining, but then (and mostly due to some horrific pacing decisions) it decides to brutally fight against being entertaining. 

right, that's just about as spoiler free as i can write. so, after the picture (below) things what are likely to give away some (a few) details will be present. you have, indeed, been warned. 

one of the more interesting, if not peculiar, things is that the ostensible main thrust (or gist) of the plot has been lifted from the initial movie ("pilot") of the animated The Clone Wars series. no, it is not exactly a new thing for Star Wars to borrow from itself, but still them going "hey, let's do another thing where Jabba The Hutt's otherwise unknown son gets kidnapped again" is a bit peculiar. 

quite likely that this underlines the main "problem" or issue here. as excellent as all the tele stuff has been what featured these two (2) characters, maybe the concept has now been exhausted. yes, the baby yoda (Grogu) character is infinitely cute and is always going to be class to see, but there's not that much they can do with the character remaining as a child ("youngling"). as for the theoretical protagonist, the Mandalorian himself, well, yes, he is a class fighter and bounty hunter. there are certain limits on just how many ways they can put a spin on this. hence, i suppose, the "borrowing" of a plot. 

much has been made of how they are all going "no no, this isn't a proposed 4th series condensed into a film, honest", yet that is precisely how this feels. very little, bar the AT-AT things getting twatted one at the start, appears filmed with "make use of the big screen" as an intention or, more pertinently, need. i would suggest that one of the most disjointed, time consuming sequences (you were warned of spoilers, but you are now warned again) - where Grogu attempts to restore health to the Mandalorian - is generally exhibit a here. had this part been an episode of a (standard 8 episode) series it would have been more better, giving time to show Grogu going, being able to fend for himself, etc. as a film sequence it drags on far too long and is just monotonous to sit through. 

no, it's not al as bad as the above bits (rant, if you like), suggest. there are moments of humour, fun and excitement. for "borrowing" stuff, well, when you realise (you saw the spoiler warnings yeah) that they have recreated the "space chess" thing off of the first (released) Star Wars film, you have to go that's a lovely touch. also the action scenes are decent, and there's the one line humour from the series. 

credit where it is due, mind - this is the first (i think) of the "new" Star Wars films not to feature a single major (or minor) character from the originals. indeed i was hoping for Lobot to turn up, but alas no. however, that said, one does have the feeling that the Sigourney Weaver character was likely supposed to be an outing for a CGI Princess Leia if they thought they could get away with it. 

where does this rank with the "new", or if you will Disney era, of Star Wars? it's nowhere near as dull, tedious and monotonous as the horrid Solo film, no matter how hard it tries at times. also it's not as fan baiting as the "let's let someone who really hates Star Wars make a film" ludicrously bad The Last Jedi was. i won't even have a pirate copy of that in my home, thanks. yet it lacks the excitement and familiar entertainment of The Force Awakens, and it is certainly nowhere near as good as the surprisingly brilliant Rogue One, a film which promised so much for the future. kind of sticking with average, then, for whilst you won't regret watching it you also won't be that fussed about ever watching it for a second time. 

highly likely that anyone wishing to see this film has, at least around the time i wrote this, already done so. there is a certain novelty factor in someone many, many years from now looking at this, curious about an "old" film they heard someone mention..........

live long and prosper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!