Meanderings of a Monkey Juggler

Just a quickie.

Cheers to Clurby for entertaining me right royally yesterday evening down the juggling club.  Enjoyed it immensly.  Ta.

Have fun.

Friday night saw the return of scary fillum night.  And, more importantly a new sighting of Nicky.

She turned up early and we sat n'chatted a bit.  She's well and happy but not really able to get along on Mondays to play.  Re juggling she couldn't practice balls due to [sic] her balls being bust.  So I gave her the 3 I won at Leeds.  Quick aside: why do raffles at juggling conventions give out basic juggling kit?  Almost everyone there is a juggler and will probably have, ooh let's say for the sake of argument, a set of 3 balls.  So I don't need any more so she got 'em.  No skin off my nose.

We made Pete go and fetch pizza, can't remember quite why now but I'm sure he'll elucidate.  Whilst this was happening we introduced Nicky to the marvel that is Wario Ware Inc.  She turns out to be a natural at it and only lost due to [sic] inexperience.

Fillum 1: Dark Water - slow Japanese thing that wasn't that scary but I rather liked it.  Not sure it was universally loved by the group tho'.  Also notable for having some soundtrack by the man known as Aube - one of my favoured Jap musicians.

Fillum 2: Chopper - Ozzy flick from "the year 2000!?".  Dramatises the life of Mark "Chopper" Read, a Melbourne based baddie who claims to have killed 16 people but has never been found guilty of murder.  Wasn't too scary but had some really bloody parts.  Notably to my mind was "Quicker!  Don't hack at it!" whilst making someone chop his (Chopper's) ears off.  "Are you alright?" in a genuine tone of sympathy and enquiry immediately after shooting someone in the face and "The year 2000!?"  Well worth seeing as long as you don't mind "occasional bloody violence " as the ratings bit would have it.

As I see it now we have no more scary fillums to see except the Japanese version of "The Grudge".  Any others out there that people want to see?  It is Christmas after all, perhaps I can buy DVDs for folk that we can watch next November.

Have fun.

A trip to London this weekend to visit her in the title for her birthday do.  We'd already got it moved to this weekend instead of the preceding weekend because us Leicester lot were in Leeds then.

So cool idea, let's all go on the train as there were to be 4 of us.

Bad idea as no trains available at all all day on the Saturday, turns out there was to be a rugby match.

So to drive.  Hate, hate, hate driving through London so the plan was to park up somewhere in the north and tube it.

Cool that's decided.

So let's go early and do the tourist thang.  But D has to get his hair cut and can't possibly move it.  So we'd be going later.

Then on Sunday P and C phone to say that Mrs THOMAS! was injured and needed their tender care so weren't coming.  So there was no point going early and I ended up at D's later than planned thus rendering my whinging at him re late start due to [sic] his hair cutting shenigans, in vain. Don't I feel daft?

Easy drive to London and then nightmare finding anywhere to park.  Why doesn't Ken set up massive park and ride schemes near the terminal tube stations?  Probably because it's a good idea.

Eventually parked up and tubed to Elephant and Castle.  Shopped a bit first.  Went into book shop and found book on English usage.  Found out that D was right re "due to" being wrong.  In fact it actually said that this incorrect usage was common "in the illiterate".  He still says grars instead of grass tho'.

To R's house:  early so told off for being early.  Sat about whilst she did the "getting ready" thing.  Gave out 2 cards including pants.  Well done!

Nice party with nice folk.  Met Emma and Dodge again.  It must be 3 years since previous meeting.  They're a nice couple with an interesting life.  Matt was around too and he's still a nice chap. 

Slept on settee and spent a very slow paced Sunday chatting and chilling before heading home.

A nice weekend with nice people, shame about the travelling required but that'll only get worse from next year.

Sigh, back to reality now and a very dull day at work.

Still Lincoln Christmas market this weekend so fun to be had there (as well as German tasty treats).

Have fun.

Get this.

I was talking with a patient this morning and mentioned that I was eventually heading off to Bulgaria.  "oh what will you do there?" is the response I usually get.  He said "Oh we're thinking of going to Bulgaria soon for a holiday". 

I said "what to the beach";  "no we not fond of beaches but we like to see the history and culture."

I'm rubbing my hands at this.  I mentioned our plans and he was most interested.  I showed him the photos and he was more interested.  I told him the price and he was really interested.  I haven't taken an order 'cos we're not set up for it but he's got my email.

We got our first interest!  Yay!

Have fun.

Had another text message read out on 5live last night.  It made more people laugh and I feel good.

It's a nice feeling when you have an idea and strangers laugh about it (deliberately).  It's also nice when friends laugh too by the way but they're more likely to tell you to shut up if it's not funny.  I think it must just be a version of parental approval like being given rsponsibility for something at work or praise at school. 

Alternatively I'm just so wrapped up in myself to notice that most people could get this stuff to happen if they bothered.

Anyway it gave me a warm glow last night

Have fun.

I went to bed last night listening to Anita Anand's programme on 5live.  One of the commentators was appalling.  You might have seen Loose Women, well Carol from there was on and she was awful.

Firstly see previous article, guess what she thought.  Secondly there was a story about a rape case collapsing because the woman admitted in court that she was really drunk and couldn't remember whether she consented or not; therefore the judge ordered a "not guilty" verdict saying "drunk consent is still consent".  Well Carol went off on one wittering about "If a man wants to rape someone all he has to do is choose a drunk woman and he'll get off."

We need the universal "uuummmmmmmmmeeeeeeeerrrrr" sound here.  Does Carol think consent can be awarded or withdrawn retrospectively?  Assuming this woman was drunk, the chances are that the men near her were as well.  So drunkenly consenting to sex and then withdrawing that consent when sober enough to realise it is a valid way of behaving is it?  Well it may be if the result is vowing never to do the same stupid drunken rubbish again.  But to wreck a man's character and drag him to court on the basis that "I didn't know what I was doing" is hardly fair.

Rape is bad but so is giving a man grief just because you sobered up to find he's a moose.

Arrrghh.

Have fun.

My God people are so effing stupid!!!!!!!!

You'll remember that I had a go at supposedly clever people wantonly misunderstanding news stories here?

It's happening again and it's more irritating this time.

One of the health trusts in Norfolk has been reported as saying that clinically obese people won't get hip or knee replacements.  I checked on the beeb today and the message board has been melting down with the rantings of fat and ignorant people who really haven't understood a: the story and b: the issues.

Firstly it was the doctors who came up with this idea not the government so it's not on to blame Tony for this.

Secondly having a new joint is not a routine thing.  It' a hell of a major op that will put massive strain on the operee.  Obese folk are far more likely to a: die in surgery; b: have horrendous problems recovering from surgery; and c: break the new joint meaning another, far more difficult, operation that is likely to be far less successful will need doing.

Thirdly it wasn't the whole story anyway.  The point was to encourage obese people to actually do something for themselves rather than the standard pathetic "it's your problem not mine" attitude I get from fat and lazy types who cannot be bothered to get off their fat arses and do something to help themselves despite knowing what to do about it.  I'm sick of people whining about their tedious problems and then expecting anyone other than themselves to drop everything and try and pull out all the stops to help.  This NEVER works.  These people will never get enough help.  For once someone has stood up and said "we're not going to allow lazy arses to piss us about any more".

Lose weight, take some, any or even only a smidgen of responsibility for your fat, lazy, worthless, whining backside and then I will have some sympathy.  If YOU can't be bothered to look after yourself then just why do you expect me to?

Oh that's right, you pay my wages.  Hard luck, so does everybody else. They can be bothered to look after themselves and they realise that their health is their responsibility and we're there to show them how to maintain their best health.  I am not here to waste my time and your money telling you things that you clearly are not going to listen to because it would mean actually burning some calories instead of shoving more and more of them down your gross and distended, flabby gullet.  Nothing will work for you if you are not involved in your own health care.  It doesn't work if you opt out.

The operation is not a panacea.  People don't wake up after surgery and skip merrily down the ward.  If you've had 10 years of pain it will be hard for you to recover and obesity WILL get in your way and nobody can take that away but YOU.

In summary: don't be fat and lazy, we'll laugh and point as you drape yourself over your fat person wagon (aka mobility scooter).  How dare you insist I care when you so clearly don't.  Sod you!

Have fun.

Bugger.

If you notice me a bit grumpy this week I'd just like to let you all know that one of my uncles has just had a stroke.

From what I've heard it's not completely awful but strokes are never good. 

Arse.

For those cat lovers amongst us:

Go here.

It's possibly the most disturbing thing I've seen for a while.

Have fun.

My home convention was on yesterday.  Well as near as dammit.

Early and bloody cold start and we printed some directions off from the RAC website.

First problems:  the directions said turn off the M621 at junction 2a and then take the 3rd exit to Morley.  Firstly we turned off at J2a and there was no sign to Morley.  In fact there wasn't even a bleedin' roundabout so we got lost - the normal precursor to a jug con.  And D oh so nearly ran out of petrol too.

Got to the site and we were quite early so had loads of space to play in.  Signed up to do my workshop.  Met Naomi at last and cracked on with a nice day.

For workshop reflections see physiomonkey.

After the workshop my voice hurt and I started feeling quite crappy.  To pub with everyone for a quick drink and the others had some crappy food.  D and Jen's sister spent their time with some rather obvious "I fancy you" type shenanigans but neither said that they saw it.  Sigh.

People: got to meet Sean (from Leeds), Naomi, Matt and Matt, Philip's gfriend who is called Camille (no forgetting this time) and Sam.

Show:  Generally impressive considering they did it in the Refectory rather than the theatre they'd used before.  Apparently this was because of the uni informing them 3 weeks before that the theatre was being re-fitted and they couldn't use it.  So not a bad replacement but the lights weren't that great.

Performers:

1. Spaghetti brothers - really didn't work.  I know both of them and they are both really good individual jugglers and have worked as a passing partnership for ages but it didn't work on the night.
2. Sharon from Durham - I've been harsh on Sharon before.  She's performed before and I would say that, at that time, she wasn't that good for a stage performance.  However she impressed me yesterday, improved no end and did well.  Good on yer lass.
3. Sean - nice diabolo stuff and the best stage presence of the night (with the possible exception of Vux)
4. Eek and his 3 balls - looked a bit sheepish, but showed some good stuff with interesting ideas.  Could do with some performing tips (oh hark at me, the expert I don't think).
5. Zyllan - clubs.  Good skills but deeply irritating music (effing Guns and Roses!  Don't pick wanky music if you want to keep your audience - it turned me off anyway)
6. Tempei  Diabolo stuff.  Very nice indeed as usual but even he was thrown by the lights and made some unheard of drops.
7. Tiff - more balls.  Again very good skills but poor presentation.  These kids today!
8. 2 cups and an axle - a school playground skit with 2 showing off diabolo skills against 2 doing balls - nice attempt at a context.  One of the best performances even if the skills weren't up to the others.  Although making the sketch longer shouldn't really mean just putting the same song on again when it finishes.
9. Norbi - a rings thing in progress with a jungle theme.  Would have worked really well if not for the excessive droppage.  Enjoyed the juggling actually fitting the music.
10. Jon Udry - better presence than the other young 'uns and nice skills.
11. Bill doing contact staff - nice mellow act with some oddness and stuff I'd not seen before. 
12. Tempei - balls.  Good stuff with ludicrous pirouettes (x1, 2 and 3).  Had a Gilligan moment at the start.
13. Vux - French diabolist.  Good stuff with good music done well.  A good finish.

Hell that's a lot of acts.

Anyway it was a good day despite feeling really ill last night and today.

Have fun.