Misfits Mid-Life Crisis Adventures In East London, Northamptonshire, and Surrey.
No one likes a person pushing in. In the UK from an early age we are taught to queue, to wait our turn, especially in shops. Don’t get me started about driving, people seem to be more and more impatient these days, just pushing in attempting to squeeze in to every space even if it’s not big enough. There is an etiquette in how we queue and wait our turn to be served or seen.
This week I wondered if there was an etiquette in feeding squirrels or other animals in the park. I know that grey squirrels are a subject that some people find a little divisive (the rights and wrongs of the greys is not for me to attempt to discuss). Personally, they are beautiful creatures that live in local parks (and the garden) and bring me a lot of joy. I absolutely adore feeding them in the park with monkey nuts (in the garden they are welcome to dine from the bird feeders) no matter how bad I feel, seeing or interacting with a squirrel always makes things better. I think that GPs should prescribe a walk in the park with a bag of nuts and seed to feed birds and squirrels (maybe I should pitch this to whoever is in residence at No. 10 on the 5th of July) to help with people’s mental health.
Is there an etiquette in squirrel feeding, I say this because earlier this week on a couple of occasions I have been in the park feeding a couple of tiny very brave souls that gradually come over to take a nut. When other people muscle in a few feet away also with nuts or worse slices of bread and start attracting the little ones I was feeding. There are plenty of others all over the park just waiting to be spoilt. If I see people feeding a couple of greys, I continue until I find others waiting. It wouldn’t cross my mind to just rock up next to a person and take over the feeding. I realise there are far more important things to be annoyed about in modern life, but I am a simple soul. Maybe these days waiting in line, or your turn is not so important, remember I am an old person. Personally, I do feel that queueing still has its role to play in the 21st century.
And Now For Something Completely Different……
When I was small, all newsagents and book shops had top shelf’s that sagged under the weight of all the adult nudy magazine (another place that they appeared regularly in the black and white days of the 70s and 80s were in parks and other green recreational spaces hidden in bushes). When I visited a local cinema in the 80s, I would regularly pop into a second hand book shop to buy comics and film and TV book and magazines. My browsing was regularly disturbed when men (and it was always older men) passed through a beaded curtain that separated the adult section from the main shop of old musty books and magazines. From memory I never actually made it beyond the beaded curtain, its contents remains a mystery.
Why am I talking about the top shelf. This week I visited a large newsagent that I have never been to before and discovered that the space and science news and information magazines I read, and buy were all on the top shelve. This really made me laugh, I was almost tempted to look on the lower ones to see if the adult information pamphlets had been positioned better for teenagers to reach so they didn’t have to climb on the racking to reach the magazines, like we did in the good old days. Maybe science is frowned upon in that part of London town. I felt grubby and slightly dirty reaching up to have a leaf through the various space and science magazines I regularly enjoy. This is a perfect example of how a digital subscription would be better, a human spaceflight enthusiast would never have to worry about the shame of reaching up to the top shelf in public while others stop and stare looking back in disgust.
I already knew a lot has changed since I was a teenager, but this week I realised things have changed a lot more than I thought.
And Finally……
I broke a tooth last weekend and had to ring 111 (for those outside the UK, this is a number run by the National Health Service for non-urgent medical issues) for the first time. Within an hour I was at a dentist a few miles from home, with a strange man’s hands in my mouth. Next week I have an appointment with my regular dentist, to replace the temporary fix. I never thought I would enjoy soft food as much as I currently am, it’s preparing me for when I am in a care home dribbling in a corner sat in front of daytime TV. Thank you 111, for all your help.
R.I.P, this week we lost,
Another human spaceflight pioneer Bill Anders the Apollo 8 Astronaut who took the amazing Earthrise picture.
And
Dr. Michael Mosley, a medical and science broadcaster who I and millions have watched and learned from with great interest for many years.
My Mid-Life Crisis Conts……
This Week I Watched……
“A Theory About Doctor Who: The Tenth Planet Episode 4”, (David Gillespie-Pratt/YouTube)(TX: 29/10/22). “All Of Us Strangers”, (2023). “Bohemian Rhapsody”, (2018). “Bridgerton”, (S3, Pt 2, ep 5 to ep 8). “Butterflies”, (S1, ep 2). “Can You Trust A Camera script? Doctor Who Missing Episodes”, (David Gillespie-Pratt/YouTube)(TX: 11/07/23). “Dave’s $200,000 Camera Race”, (Letterman/Youtube)(TX: 21//05/24). “Dead Boy Detectives”, (S1, ep 4 to ep 6). “MEG 2: The Trench”, (2023). “Michael Mosley: The Doctor Who Changed Britain”, (TX: 14/06/24). “Patrick”, (2018). “SAW X”, (2023). “Republica – Drop Dead Gorgeous (Video)”, (RepublicaTV1/YouTube)(TX: 19/12/19). “ Republica – Ready To go (Official Video)”, (RepublicaTV1/YouTube)(TX: 25/10/09). “Sneaker Pimps – 6 Underground LIVE – The Jack Docherty Show (TX: 15/08/97)“, (MCKAYUK/YouTube)(TX: 13/02/16). “SCRE4M”, (2011). “Snow White & The Huntsman”, (2012). “Sophie B. Hawkins – Damm I Wish I Was You Lover”, (Sophie B. Hawkins/ YouTube)(TX: 25/10/09). “Some Like It Hot “, (1959). “Springwatch: 2024”, (ep 9, TX: 10/06/24)(ep 10, TX: 11/06/24)(ep 11, TX: 12/06/24)(ep 12, TX: 13/06/24). “Star Trek (Original Series)”, (S2, ep 8, “I Mudd”, TX: 03/11/67). “Superman IV: The Quest For Peace”, (1987). “The Artful Dodger”, (S1, ep 3 to ep 8). “The Great British Sewing Bee”, (S10, ep 4, TX: 11/06/24). “The (New) Old Doctor Who Show Podcast – Rouge”, (The (New) Old Doctor Who Show Podcast/YouTube)(TX: 10/06/24). “The Sky St Night”, (TX: 10/06/24). “The Weird TARDIS Of Wimbledon Common”, (David Gillespie-Pratt/YouTube)(TX: 11/12/23). “Training Dog’s The Woodhouse Way”, (S1, ep 5, TX: 04/02/80). “Voice Of The Beehive – Don’t Call Me Baby (Top Of The Pops – TX: 08/06/88)”, (London Records/YouTube)(TX: 23/09/21). “White House Down”, (2013). “Wogan Titles 1985 – 1992”, (23111963/YouTube)(TX: 01/02/2016).
Doctor Who Watched This Week……
“Rouge”, (Series 1 (S14 or S40 Since 1963) ep 6, TX: 08/06/24).
“Doctor Who Unleashed – Rouge”, (TX: 08/06/24).
This Week I Listened To……
“Brian And Roger”, (13/06/24). “Broadcasting House”, (BBC Radio 4/Sounds)(09/06/24). “Clinton Baptiste’s All-New Paranormal Podcast”, (S7, ep 1, 14/06/24). “Doctor Who Flashcast”, (TeeVee)(ep 69, “Eve Of The Daleks”, 01/01/22)(ep 70, “The Legend Of The Sea Devils”, 17/04/22)(ep 71, “The Power Of The Doctor“, 24/10/22)(ep 81, “Rouge”, 09/06/23). “Doctor Who Literature”, (“Bonus Episode – Lynda Baron Tribute“, 13/03/22)(“Farewell To William Russell”, 09/06/24). “Doctor Who Target Book Club”, (ep 19, “The Myth Makers”, 14/10/17). “Toby Hadoke’s Time Travels – Happy Times And Places, (81.1, “Resurrection Of Daleks”, 10/06/24). “Exocast”, (ep 50, 18/04/21). “Hard Boiled Eggs And Nuts A Laurel And Hardy Podcast”, (ep 50, 12/07/18). “Liza Tarbuck”, (BBC Radio 2/Sounds)(08/06/24). “NASA Houston We Have A Podcast”, (ep 340, 14/06/24). “Nick Abbot Whole Show”, (LBC)(08/06/24)(09/06/24)(14/06/24). “Now Playing Presents – Live And Let Die”, (31/08/12). “Pale Blue Dot”, (10/06/24). “Physics World Stories”, (ep 1, 17/11/15). “Radio Astronomy (Sky At Night Magazine)”, (14/06/24). “Radio Astronomy (Sky At Night Magazine) Star Diary”, (“10th to 16th June”, 09/06/24). “Random Movie Generator With David Earl And David Edward’s”, (S3, ep 24, 12/06/24). “Random Trek”, (The Incomparable)(ep 15, “(TNG) Remember Me”, 04/09/14). “Robot Or Not?”, (ep 137, 06/08/18)(ep 289, 10/06/24). “Rylan On Saturday”, (BBC Radio 2/Sounds)(08/06/24). “SestraCast (Orphan Black)”, (The Incomparable)(ep 3, 12/07/17). “Sicker Sadder World (Rewatching Daria)”, (S1, ep 12, “The Teachings Of Don Jake”, 23/05/17). “Smersh Pod – Harry Potter And The Half -Blood Prince”, (10/06/24). “Space And Things Podcast”, (STP198, 13/06/24). “Space Rocket History Podcast”, (ep 226, 04/10/17)(ep 227, 11/10/17)(ep 228, 18/10/17)(ep 229, 25/10/17)(ep 230, 01/11/17)(ep 231, 08/11/17)(ep 232, 15/11/17)(ep 233, 22/11/17)(ep 234, 29/11/17)(ep 235, 06/12/17)(ep 236, 13/12/17). “Star Trek Universe Podcast “, (S1, ep 30, “Operation Annihilate!”, 11/06/24). “The All-New Angelos And Barry Podcast”, (13/06/24). “The Laurel And Hardy Podcast”, (“Two Tars (1928)”, 21/04/22). “The Marxs Brothers Council”, (28/05/19). “The Nick Abbot Habit”, (LBC)(10/06/24). “The (New) Old Doctor Who Show Podcast”, (ep 159, “Rouge”, 10/06/24). “The Official Doctor Who Podcast”, (BBC Sounds)(“Rouge”, 07/06/24). “The Space Shot”, (ep 361 & ep 362, 11/05/18)(ep 363, 12/05/18)(ep 364, 13/05/18)(ep 365, 14/05/18)(ep 366, 15/05/18). “The Who Watch Podcast”, (“Trailer”, 31/10/23)(“Bonus”, 01/11/23)(ep 1, “An Unearthly Child”, 01/11/23)(ep 2, “The Daleks or The Dead Planet or The Mutants”, 08/11/23). “Trash Talk With Count Binface”, (ep 4, 11/06/24)(ep 5, 14/06/24). “Two Watch Who”, (S24, ep 4, “Dragonfire”, 09/06/24). “Universe Today Podcast”, (ep 348 & ep 349, 22/06/17)(ep 350, 29/06/17)(ep 351 & ep 352, 06/07/18)(ep 353, 17/07/18)(ep 354, 25/07/17)(09/06/24) (11/06/24)(12/04/24). “W4D”, (ep 1, “An Earthly Child“, 07/01/19)(ep 2, “The Daleks or The Dead Planet or The Mutants”, 20/01/19). “What’s Your Problem With Nick Abbot And Carol Mcgiffin”, (LBC)(10/06/24)(14/06/24).
This Week I Enjoyed Music By……
“Morrissey”, “David Bowie”, “Frankie Goes To Hollywood”, “Gnarls Barkley”, “Hazel O’Connor”, “Republica”, “Sneaker Pimps”, “Starship”, “Sydney Youngblood”, “The Stone Roses”, “U2”, “Voice Of The Beehive”.
MisFits Mid-Life Crisis.... 