Review of 2016

A dreadful year for me, in many ways, but there's been some great points as well.
I managed to hit all my reading aims, I think. I'm slowly edging my way back to writing.
I have Kindle published a collection of my poetry, I have been dipping my toe into making and selling my own items.
I have a gorgeous Maine Coon kitten, who is eleven months old today, he's called Raphael, and is a heavily disguised angel.
I have tried new recipes out, but probably only one per month.

Bad things, :(
I was made compulsory redundant, I had to wave goodbye to Shadow as she crossed the rainbow bridge, several electrical items died, the boiler died, the toilet died. I haven't found a new job yet....

BUT......I'm still here, alive and creaking.  Another year older, maybe a little wiser.

Edwin and Becky are now living together in St Helens, Sam and Lewis have a house, instead of two flats in St Anne's, and Oliver has a lovely girlfriend, who he thinks enough about to have brought her home for Christmas.

Oh! And I met some lovely people who I was only friends online with before.

Not a great year, but some really nice bright stars in the darkness.

This crazy world we live in.

A week ago, I decided that I'd like pie and chips from the chip shop for my dinner.
One thing caught my eye as I was waiting for my food.
There's a notice on this chip shop door.
"What's so eye catching about that?" I hear you ask.
Well, the notice is actually quite discrete, but what it was saying caught my eye.
It said "We accept...." and then listed the credit/debit cards, and "We DON'T accept...." and a list of unacceptable cards.

Not that strange in most shops, but in a chip shop?
Long gone are the days when buying a "bag of chips" is an impulse buy, and you knew that you'd have enough money on you to buy them.
Could you imagine trying to buy your chips by cheque back in the late 60s, early 70s?
No, me neither.

I think that the existence of this particular sign demonstrates that the world is going crazy.

Antique Road show......circa 2100

My brain sometimes goes off at strange tangents.  If you look closely you can just about see what is at the root of my crazy ideas.
Anyway, the other day I had been down to the town centre, and as I was walking back, I saw this guy with a carrier bag.  Yes, I know that they aren't that rare........yet, but this was from a shop that hasn't traded for at least five years, and it was in great condition.
That's where Antique Road show comes in.  I pictured a time in the future, let's say 2100, for argument's sake.
The expert is sat at his/her table, a member of the public approaches, they're invited to be seated.
"And what do you have for us today?"
The member of the public places a parcel wrapped lovingly in brown paper, inside the paper is a layer of tissue paper, nestling in the tissue is a plastic carrier bag, from Waterstones.
"I'm not entirely sure what this was used for, but it has an inscription on it."
The expert is awestruck, "This is incredible.  Do you have any ideas what it might have been used for?"
The member of the public shakes their head.
The expert goes on to explain what it was originally used for, "and do you have any idea what it's worth?"
Again the member of the public shakes their head.
"Well, originally they were given away to carry your purchases home from the shop, in 2015 a charge was brought in of 5p as they were injurious to the environment.  At today's prices it should be worth around €5000, as there's very few left in such good condition.
The credits roll at the end of the show, the camera focuses on the clearly gobsmacked member of the public.

Like I said, crazy things spring to my mind sometimes.

Form filling

So, it's over six months since I was made redundant, and I am sure that applying for jobs is in itself a full time job.  Some application forms can take up to two hours to fill out.  It's crazy, to take so long to do something that might only be given a cursory glance.
Perhaps it's just me, but when I fill out an application form, I write everything down truthfully.  I have heard the "urban myth" that "everyone lies on their CV".  I must be the the exception to the rule then, as I think that lying is counterproductive, and could end you up in an awkward situation, just because you lied on your CV.  Also, it does raise the question in my mind, "why would you lie?"
Anyway, that's today's musings.

My thoughts today.

Given that  Cameron said back in February he wanted to leave, and then went on to lead the remain campaign, I can't help thinking that it has all been an elaborate ruse. It gives him an "honourable" way of stepping down, and after everything else that has gone on, perhaps that's been his only aim.  After all, people only focus on the moment, if he went before, it would have been in disgrace, but now, it looks honourable.

Dating sites

I know that I have posted about this before....but one site, I have left open as closing it isn't as straight forward as I would like.
Anyway.....every so often I get email alerts asking me if I am interested in various men.
And I cringe, the photos that are shared don't give the blokes a chance.
I'll try to list  photos that just make me, and any serious woman wanting to find a match, switch OFF.
1) a photo with sunglasses on......hey blokes.....your eyes tell a story that your mouth might not....ditch the sunglasses, especially reflective ones.
2) We don't want to see your six pack, or any other muscled part of your body.
3) don't post X rated photos......it's only men who get turned on by opposite sex genitalia......for most women....the opposite sex genitalia is a great source of merriment. (Think that one through guys.)
4)You with a woman of roughly the same age.....OK, she might be your sister, but female brains see a man with his arm around a woman of roughly the same age and see a relationship.
5) This one is really stupid, showing a photo of a superhero/movie/cartoon character....enough said.

So...if there is anyone reading this, put a honest photo of yourself on your profile, you might not be inundated with replies, but the ones you get should be genuine.

Highway Code, it's for ALL road users!

Okay.....you learn to drive then you study the highway code.......
BUT......wait a minute!
The Highway Code outlines how ALL road users should behave.
I'm not getting at motorbike riders, it's cycle riders that get under my skin.  Proper cyclists are aware of the highway code, and don't wind me up.
It's the "occasional cyclists" who annoy the Hell out of me.
They have never even opened a copy of the Highway Code, and blithely cycle hell for leather the wrong way down one way street, and cycle along narrow footpaths without any warning to the other footpath users.....which is really arrogant...when there's a promenade as wide as the road, where cyclists are allowed...
Which would you choose? A three foot footpath...(Maybe 4 foot at a pinch,) or a promenade.....at least 10 feet wide, or more?
And cycling on the wrong side of the road?
To sum up, my thoughts, if you use the road...you should know how to use it properly.