Arcs and Arrows: Finding the Line of Flight

It is with some satisfaction that I can honestly say I feel not the least little bit of remorse or concern at having just made an illegal download of a ripped copy on .pdf of the book "One Day" by David Nicholls.

If you know how I feel about authors working hard and deserving to be rewarded and recognized for that then this could come as a surprise, so let me explain the background …more

With the departure for France only days away and Derrick in tip-top condition disaster has struck; believe it or not in the form of "the cuddly toy"! It almost reminds me of the Monty Python sketch with the comfy chair ("Always expect the unexpected"!).... Perhaps I should explain though; …more

I really am not entirely sure how it came to pass.... but since the matter has been the subject of at least two blog posts I feel it bears mention to relate that our tandem bicycle got christened recently. …more

Over at didactic.me a little while ago I made this post where I said;

`And furthermore I have an idea for a possible name for our tandem - which is: "TANTALUS"`

OH HOW I REGRET THAT NOW! …more

I have learnt from the didactic days that spambots love blogs (or anywhere they can post their crappy emails and links into), BUT I like to try and leave things open for genuine passers by …more

Assasination by poem, if it were possible, would be a fitting end for my father.

 The Iambic pentameter what done it Guv -

 A cunning plan for the perfect crime - read a poem where the rhythm is SO powerful it accelerates the beat of the heart …more

Upon confronting himself
the narcissist will often
hide amongst bamboo

The pandas of the psychic world
often prone to failed breeding
preferring their own gender
Within their bamboo stand
…more

Mission Accomplished!

And what a ride it was, despite the excitement of variously discovering our rear lights were slightly out when we changed luggage plans at the last minute and having a bolt work loose which detached the upper stokers bars early in the ride.  The one thing which did perform throughout were our bluetooth Scala headsets, which were a definite help in keeping the team tandem spirits up.

By an odd coincidence the title of the last book group read was "The Help".  Although I have barely begun the book I am firmly committed to finishing it eventually because it was unanimously approved by the reading group members and I have a hunch it would do me good to get out of a slight rut I have been in with reading.

But that is hopefully the only rut I have been stuck in, …more

Dear friends

We have pledged to complete a 100 kilometer charity night ride
through London taking place on the night of Saturday June 11th..
Starting from Crystal palace at or soon after midnight and finishing
there at “breakfast time” (“kitchen” closes at nine!) on the Sunday
morning. We cycle a route around London, including Alexandra Palace
to the North and crossing the Thames no less than five times along the
way.

Well, I am making this post to the blog using PHPMyAdmin, which is far from ideal - some while back I discovered my login stopped working and then more recently the database got borked by hosting updates....

For a couple of weeks I have not felt ready to engage with the other Friends at my local meeting, which is definitely challenging, but not necesssarily a bad thing or something to be ashamed of.  It is almost a commonplace thing for Quakers to complain of the company they seem bound to keep, at least amongst those Friends whom I tend to respect and socialise with.  So attending a couple of Meetings outside my local area has, perhaps, been good for me spiritually.

It was not so long ago I posted pictures with some excitement of the new tandem, acquired at the start of the summer holidays.  It took a little while to get everything sorted out for active and regular riding, because the logistics are more than twice that of two bicycles really and you feel as though everything is really very new, even to an experienced rider. Perhaps in large part that is because my riding partner (called the "stoker" in tandem parlance!) is returning to cycling after a gap of many years.

I am still slightly reeling emotionally after sending an email copied to all the members of the reading group I can remember (or have addresses for) talking about Christmas and next year's reading list possibilities (hoping for J.P.Donleavy).

Then I heard from a fellow member that one of the most lovely members of the library staff died in August.  She had been ill for a little while apparently beforehand and although this must have overlapped with, maybe, some of the time she was there I had no inkling.  Nor had I heard anything of it from anyone else at the library or at the reading group...

But none of that matters really, it feels like nervous chatter.

My darling daughter was told of the engagement yesterday morning (the first to know!).

She has been a wonderful bag of excitement ever since and on top form.  As some might notice I think she has great potential as a creative person and (who knows) maybe even poetry.  Her first effort was very impressive to me, even though I am her Dad others have said as much.

Well when we went to our favourite restaurant last night

It is not too often the personal intrudes on this blog (I hope!) But today I would like to indulge myself a little.  Anyone who has been here before will perhaps notice that there are a couple of new categories creeping in here.

One is cycling - and the tandem features (Now enhanced with lights and super bell and ready to roll!).

The other is marriage - and this is because I am now engaged to be wed, I have plighted my troth!  It will be a long engagement, but if any matters come up which I think I can talk about here (or even if I read anything which seems connected) then I may post to this category.

On which subject my fiancee thinks this blog would reach a much wider audience and I can see what she means (though am uncertain I really want the world and it's brother to be reading this - my hosting could not cope for a start!).  BUT I have decided to see if I can register the domain "eclectic.me" as a possible alternative.

UNLESS anyone has any better ideas for the name of this blog?  AND YES; I do realise the heading banner and design would be due for a complete overhaul as a result, then again I am quite keen to improve the site's accessibility and so should not mind this.

A post should be forthcomng to review the book "Chicago" soon and not sure what will follow from that, perhaps a thrilling account of the first tandem tour involving panniers and distance!