26 December 2012

light-bulbiPod, GPS, credit card, microwave oven, bar code, light bulbs, telephone,  - what do all these have in common?


They're amonst the list of 25 inventions that have changed our way of life, see:  http://list25.com/25-inventions-that-changed-our-way-of-life/.

And to think that, for instance, when electricity was discovered people couldn't think of many uses for it!

This is a very interesting website which lists 25 best of all sorts of things.  A proper time-waster but fascinating at the same time.

As it's towards the end of the year, I'm sorting out the computer bookmarks.  I thought it would be fun to put all the youtube links on here - for others to enjoy - and so I can find them when in a hurry.

Bullterrier vs Cat
In memory of our dog Sooty, here is the first one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw1Aes8jmV8&feature=related

For all who love Downton Abbey (and Red Nose Day): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3YYo_5rxFE&feature=relmfu

Going back to being a mother, here are two favourites:

Baggy Pants (my nickname when I first went away to school and all my clothes were far too big!) and the Nitwitshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwWUtoLnUjo

Wacky Races (remember Muttley the dog, Dick Dastardly and Penelope Pitstop?!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C6QVnDCrVw

Rowan Atkinson (telling the Gospel of John in 'We are most amused' in a concert to mark Prince Charles's 60th birthday): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umRRCkspaQU


From The Secret Policemen's Ball, 1979: http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&hl=en-GB&v=-hJQ18S6aag



Igudesman & Joo with Rachmaninov had big hands: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifKKlhYF53w&feature



more to follow ...

We live in an age in which we are saturated with images.  They stare at us from posters and the pages of magazines, they flit across our television and computer screens, they adorn our food packaging, our clothes and accessories. 

Whilst many of these images are purely commercial, the ubiquitous image has not left the art world untouched. Andy Warhol declared the death of art and stood for the democratization of painting – advertisements can be high art, art can be advertisement. The widespread nature of images has only increased the demand for art in peoples’ homes.  Cheap full color reproductions and posters of paintings can be found from student rooms to hotel foyers.

In the decades after the explosion of mass-produced images, many artists moved away from traditional formats and embraced a broader and more all-inclusive package of subjects and mediums. 

Art lovers followed suit, buying ever more extravagant pieces that moved further from the traditions of yesteryear, constantly searching for the newest sensation. Where then does this leave painting?

Contrary to the popular view of contemporary art, many of the newest and brightest young artists have fully embraced painting, reviving it and transforming their canvases into extraordinary works of skill and talent. 

This renaissance of painting can be seen in galleries worldwide. However, when one can buy a very pleasing colour print for £5, why should one buy a piece of original art?

A painting is unique – you are the owner of a work, the only one of its kind. So much more substantial than a print, you have a piece of heritage. When buying paintings, you must only choose that which you truly love and can imagine yourself living with. 

Paintings come at a price, but a high price is no guarantee that your painting is a good investment. As with all things, fashions and tastes change.  Paintings that were once immensely popular can fall out of favour rapidly, whereas unknown artists can shoot into the spotlight overnight. 

A painting you love can be treasured by you and your family for generations to come, irrespective of monetary value.

The qualities that an original painting possesses cannot be replicated even by the most advanced print technique.  An original is so much more vivid, more alive than any reproductions they've seen, but often they can't put their finger on why exactly this should be. 

Perhaps the ephemeral superiority lies in the details that come together to make the whole: The look of the paint - a soft translucent sheen or the crystallized pigments that change subtly as you move through the room; brushstrokes, the textures of the paint, the surface created by movements of brush, palette knife and sponge; The three-dimensional quality of a painting on canvas or board, which gives it a tremendous sense of presence. When displayed, an original painting will transform a room, altering the space around it. A painting is so much more than just an image. It is the unique mark of an artist, a document of their creativity and energy. 

In a world full of reproductions, watered-down visions and genuine fakes, an original painting stands as a capsule of authenticity – a direct link to humanity and the spark of creativity of another human being. Paintings are personal in an impersonal world, a token of love and passion that reconnects us to ourselves.



So Why Buy Art?

  • Original art is unique.  As a personal expression, art reflects emotions, experiences and individuality of the human experience.  In a home original art is a powerful statement.  If we are able to connect with the impact of original art, the expression of personal identity is enhanced in our living space which adds to the quality of life.  
  • Original art improves our environment.  Imagine bleak, bare walls or walls covered with factory produced reproductions compared with one filled with emotionally charged original art that reflects the taste of the art buyer. 
  • Art connects people in a real way.  People reflect on and comment about original art. 

25 December 2012

A Householders Guide to Self-defence in the Home

From an invaluable article in the Sunday Telegraph in 2004 and hopefully still relevant - unless the law has changed radically.

If an intruder confronts you in the kitchen:

  1. Take the intruder by surprise and seize the initiative from him/her by reacting instantly.  Grab items within your reach - the heavier the better - and hurl them one after the other.
  2. Do not throw a kitchen knife - it could be dodged and retrieved by the intruder.
  3. If the intruder continues to advance, use a kitchen knife as a defensive weapon.  Take it in your hand and hold it 'upside down', with the blade pointing towards your elbow and the unsharpened edge of the blade pressing against your wrist.  Use it to 'block' the intruder; if he attempts to assault you, the blade's cutting edge will wound and deter him.
Turning a wooden spoon into a lethal weapon:
  1. Grip the spoon's handle tightly.  the bowl of the spoon should point towards you; the length of the handle should point away from you, with just an inch of it protruding from your fist.
  2. The handle, when wielded forcefully and used as a stabbing tool, is like a stiletto heel: a lot of force concentrated in a small surface area, that can cause a great deal of pain.
  3. Aim for the most sensitive 'points', or areas, on the intruder's body,for maximum effect.  These include the eyes, nose, ears, upper lip, throat and solar plexus.
Fighting back with a bunch of  keys:
  1. Grab the key fob in the palm of your hand and allow the key=ends to fall between your fingers, to create a spiky 'knuckle duster'.
  2. Grip the key fob tightly and wield it as forcefully as you are able.  If the intruder comes close, go straight for his eyes to disable hi.  Or scratch the keys down his face, to distract him.
While you are watching TV:
  1. Once again, throw what you have.  In a sitting room, typical missiles are vases, paperweights and the TV remote control.
  2. Keep pokers and other fireside irons within reach.
  3. If the intruder continues to approach, throw your arms around his neck, pull him to you and do what you can with your teeth.  Bite his ear off.
If an intruder confronts you on the landing:
  1. In the absence of a sharp-ended object such as a wooden spoon, poke and jab with your fingers.
  2. If you do not know how to punch properly, hit with the ball of your palm for a better result.
  3. If he lunges at you or pushes you, step to one side.  It is a chance to put him off-balance - he could even go sprawling.
  4. If he falls, or you are able to push him to the floor, pummel him with our elbows, which are sharper than fists.
If an intruder confronts you in your bedroom:
  1. Regain the initiative by reacting instantly, and use what is close.  If you keep a torch make sure it has metal ends, not capped with rubber, as this can be wielded with better effect.
  2. If you sleep with your arms below the covers, it is easy for an intruder to pin you to the bed.  If this happens, you can use your head to butt and your teeth. Spitting will not do you any harm;it will distract your intruder.
Not sure that I could manage some of these, as a short person, but would certainly be prepared to fling things at an intruder.  Tins sound an especially good idea, or some of my late mother's collection of paperweights!

See also: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13957587 and http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19886504

24 December 2012

Emoticons

These clever little pictures, made from conventional symbols could be considered a sub-genre of text speak, or an art form in themselves.  Even emoticons are subject to the vagaries of nationality - Western emoticons need to be looked at with the head tilted to the left, while the Japanese use emoticoms that can be viewed straight on:

:D
implies great joy

:-(
implies the opposite

:-)
to remind you that something is a joke

:-/
means the sender is sceptical about something

;-)
a nudge-nudge-style wink, meant to soften the impact

B-)
wearing designer sunglasses and therefore cool

8-l
wearing nerdy glasses and therefore uncool

(:3=
is to suggest that the sender is a walrus

@-_-@
Japanese emoticon for Star Wars Princess Leia

<o)))><
Japanese emoticon for a goldfish

Here's a full list from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_emoticons

A few New Year quotations


When snake is alive, snake eats ants.

When snake is dead ants eat snake.
Time can turn at any time.
Don't neglect anyone in your life ...

Never make the same mistake twice,
There are so many new ones, 
Try a different one each day.

A good way to change someone's attitude is to change your own.
Because, the same sun melts butter, also hardens clay!
Life is as we think, so think beautifully.


Life is just like a sea, we are moving without end.
Nothing stays with us.
What remains is just the memories of some people who touched us as waves.



Whenever you want to know how rich you are, never count your currency.
Just try to drop a tear and count how many hands reach out to wipe that - that is true richness.

Never change your originality for the sake of others, 
Because no-one can play your role better than you.
So be yourself, because whatever you are, you are the best.

Baby mosquito came back after first time flying and his dad asked him 'How do you feel?'.  He replied 'It was wonderful, everyone was clapping for me!'.  Now that's positive attitude.

23 December 2012

Ten Top Tips for the Last-minute Shopper
(with men in mind ... )


  • Rifle through her dressing table and buy refills of cosmetics she is running low on.
  • Avoid anti-ageing creams and anything else that smacks of correcting imperfections (tweezers, hair removal lotions, leg waxing packs).  Not so daft as it sounds, once a male friend bought me some dandruff shampoo!
  • Massive brownie points if you buy her something she'll actually wear.  Buy too large, though, and you're in big trouble.
  • Keep the receipt so she can take backyour gift if it's the wrong colour/absolutely revolting. And don't feel you've failed if she does change it.
  • Buy for her, not for you (this includes everything from lingerie to box sets of Arsenal's greatest goals).
  • Always say yes, if you assistant offers to gift-wrap your present.
  • Think goddess, not domestic: resist the temptation to buy oven mitts, ironing boards or food mixers.  Again not so daft, I knew someone whose husband bought her a microwave for Christmas!
  • Feel the quality: cashmere rather than cotton, silk rather than wool.  Avoid nylon nightmares.
  • Book and music tokens can work, but airline tickets for a surprise winter break work even better.
  • If it's got to be flowers, wrap them in paper you have bought yourself.  The same applies to bottles of booze: remove the tombola/raffle ticket.
From the Daily Telegraph

16 December 2012

Playing your cards right

The well-meant festive gesture of exchanging Christmas cards has turned into a social minefield

If you haven't yet written and sent your Christmas cards, then it's probably hanging over you like a chore still to be ticked off, akin to putting the bins out, only much more time-consuming.  That's how many people see it, and of course now that postage has increased  so much (from 36p to 50p second class) it's also an expensive pastime.

The British are expected to send 800 million Christmas cards this year, which is down on the billion we sent in 2005 but still adds up to an awful lot of expenditure.  The average person will send 19 cards this year, up from 15 last year.  Whoever that average person is, I envy them.  I send many more than that, which will cost a small fortune.

We have a Victorian entrepreneur called Henry Cole to thank - or, if you prefer - to blame, for this expensive annual ritual.  Cole conceived the idea of sending greetings cards at Christmas and in 1843 he commissioned an artist, John Callcott Horsley, the brother-in-law of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, to design the first card (see picture above).



 Gordon Kensler, Or. christmas card to Kathleen BlackshearHorsley's artwork was controversial; over the message 'A Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year to You' it featured a family, including a young child, drinking wine.  The burgeoning temperance movement was appalled, yet this failed to kill off the Christmas card concept.  Here we are 170 years later, revising the Christmas card list to include the people we met on holiday in Corfu in 2002, who didn't send us a car last year or the year before, but have done so this time.  It's become more of a pantomime than Mother Goose.  However, I enjoy sending Christmas cards to friends I rarely see.


Lovely card but what's the link with Christmas?!
The cards we send say a lot about us - charity cards, pictures of penguins, teddy bears, snow scenes, mail coaches - even ourselves.  Do we want to show people how well we're doing, how prosperous we are?  

Every Christmas, one of those round robin circular-type letters arrives, listing the families manifold achievements over the past 12 months. The other kind of circular letter is the one full of such banalities that you wonder why they bothyered, unless it was perhaps motivated by the very Christiam impulse to make you feel better about yourself and that your life is much more fun.


What does this have to do with Christmas?

That said, it's nice to include a bit of news with your card, but why not a short, personal, handwritten note, unless of course it's the ultimate cliche: 'hope to see you next year'.  Ths glibly conceals what you both know, that you probably won't see them until you bump into each other at an airport, in 2021.

So the whole business is fraught with potential faux-pas, and nobody knows that better that the etiquette adviser at Debrett's who counsels: 'Choose your cards carefully and be cautious of risque humour or strong religious messages'.
Also, alluding to that unexpected late card from the Corfu acquaintances, she points out that 'all too often the days leading up to Christmas can turn into a tit-for-tat scramble of retaliatory card sending'.  Her advice is 'cut your losses - a christmas card that arrives after the big day looks like a tawdry afterthought'.

True enough, and I also wonder what the point is of robotically dishing out cards to people you see every day?  


Perhaps not in the best taste!
It does look rather like a social minefield.  Little did old Henry Cole know, back in 1843, what he was starting. But he can't be faulted for his sentiment.

Debrett's Christmas card Equiquette

  • Do handwrite your Christmas cards and envelopes.
  • Do include a short personal message if the card is to far-flung friends or relatives.
  • Do include your surname if in doubt, using an informal style: 'from John and Mary Smith', rather than 'from Mr and Mrs John Smith'.
  • Do hand-deliver cards to your nearest and dearest postage is expensive in these straitened times.
  • Do play it safe and keep it traditional; save risque humour for birthday cards.
  • Don't Enclose a general round-robin newsletter, or photographs of the family and pets.
  • Don't use a franking machine for your personal cards, always use a stamp.
  • Don't rely on social networking instead of sending cards, most people (especially more mature recipients) will appreciate written correspondence.
  • Don't send out generic e-cards or a group email; it's lazy and impersonal.
  • The last posting date before Christmas is 20 Dec for first class letters and 15 Dec for second class (yesterday!).


Religious Christmas Card
(from an article in The Sunday Telegraph today)

15 December 2012

Free (recycled) fabric for my stash


This week we discovered that one of our electric blankets no longer worked.  It seemed a shame to throw it away.

So I took off the electrical cable controllers and cut around the edge of the blanket itself.  
I then spent quite a long time ripping along all the quilting lines which joined the top cotton fabric, the springy wadding, the electric wires, and then the more substantial wadding.  

Then I pulled apart the three fabrics, took out and threw away the electric wire snaked between the layers of wadding - and now, hey presto, I have two rather large sheets of wadding, ready to upcycle them in the next project!


12 December 2012

I've often wondered how to decorate a long narrow room and recently dug out these notes, which you may find illuminating too:
  1. Don't treat it as one room: divide, perhaps using a corner arrangement but treat it as one continuous space ...
  2. Think of traffic flow and keep traffic to one side
  3. Try and avoid sitting looking straight at nearside wall, looking the length of the room will be more satisfying
  4. Have a piece of furniture near the end of stop the eye
  5. Where is the focal point? It's best not on  the end wall
  6. Decorate the long walls with cool light colours
  7. lighting - recessed shelving, towards groups of items.
  8. small stools, cubes.
  9. Put the bookshelves on short walls
  10. However, if you do have to have bookshelves on the long walls, start half way up, so floor space seems wider as not all the room is narrowed



See also: http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/how-to-work-a-long-skinny-room1.htm

http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/how-to-work-a-long-skinny-room3.htm

http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/small-space-design.htm

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/672823/list/How-to-Arrange-Furniture-in-Long--Narrow-Spaces/
Diary of a house seller - Part VII, Winter 2012/13

10 December: Was pottering around today when the phone rung and the estate asked if he could bring round some viewers - in 15 minutes' time!  

Having not had a viewer for four months (quiet time of year) we were rather surprised and very glad that, the new bathroom's now finished and the place wasn't looking too bad.  Quickly tidied up and found keys to get into flat below.  The viewers seemed to like what they saw but we don't hold out great hopes, with being in competition with so many other houses.  

Afterwards, I had a quick look on the internet to see what the competition is like in this area.  Our house (http://www.williamshedge.co.uk/more_details.php?profileID=100394000510)is a particular size and layout which wouldn't suit everybody but will appeal to the person for whom it is exactly suitable - and there will be very few in competition with us in that category.

11 December: Had a call from the agent to say that the viewers would like to come tomorrow for a second look, bringing another member of the family.

12 December: We've been busy cleaning and tidying and it's amazing how dirty everything is, when subject to close scrutiny.  From a distance it looks fine, but get nearer and it's an entirely different story.
I've been busy, implementing the suggestions which were in a previous post (), using bicarb, vinegar and so on, instead of smelly chemical cleaners.  
Then realised that this computer monitor's filthy!  Looked up on the internet and the first site I visited had nothing constructive to say except that the screen was very delicate (dur!) but no help it how to clean it.  However, another site had the following, much more helpful, advice: 

The TFT or LCD screen is one of the most expensive component of your notebook or desktop computer and they're very sensitive to dust, fingerprints or even when you cough or sneeze without covering the mouth and nose.

Unlike the standard CRT monitors with Glass screens, you are not advised to clean an LCD Monitor by wiping it with a piece of dry lint-free cloth since the sensitive display is likely to get scratches from dust particles. 

So how do you clean an LCD monitor screen without buying any of those expensive LCD Monitor Cleaner solutions or Monitor Wipes available in the market ? We look at some proper methods and precautions before you clean the monitor [should apply to HDTVs, projection TVs and Plasma TVs as well]

Think of LCD Displays just like the soft and delicate skin of your newborn baby - Be very gentle and never put even the slightest pressure on the computer screen with your hand. 

Second, you need to find a piece of soft cloth - old cotton handkerchiefs lying in your mom's wardrobe should be fine but don't try tissue papers, toilet rolls or even shower towels as the fabric will scratch your screen permanently [like sandpaper or utensil scrubbers]

Either turn the monitor off or set the background to black and hide all the desktop icons and minimize the open windows. This will easily help you identify the dirty areas of the monitor.

To prepare the solution for cleaning LCD monitors, you will need deionized or distilled water and vinegar or iso-propyl alcohol - Don't use tap water or mineral water as they could leave white marks on the screen because of the dissolved salts.

Dilute the vinegar or IPA with distilled water [1:1] and spray this liquid on the cloth. Never ever spray liquid directly onto the LCD screen. Moisten the cloth with this home made LCD cleaner and gently move the wet cloth in just one direction - from top to bottom.

Word of Caution: Be sure that the LCD screen is dry before closing it or using the computer. Do not use any solutions that contain Acetone, ethyl alcohol, toluene, ethyl acid, ammonia, or methyl chloride. Never touch the LCD screen with your fingers as this can cause the pixels to burn out.


(from: http://labnol.blogspot.co.uk/2006/11/wipe-clean-lcd-screen-laptop-monitor.html)

18 December:  Had a phone call freom the agent to say that the vendors were not proceeding as they would prefer a more rural location. Not a lot we can do about that, but at least they have lots more choice of new abode.  Meanwhile, we'll sit tight for the winter and see what happens come the spring.  Signing off for 2012 ...

January - a new year, perhaps new beginnings ...

25 January:  Had an offer this week from the people who viewed in December.  Unfortunately it was far too low, so leaving this one on the back burner.  Who knows, they may come back to us again soon.

28 January: Just had a call from the Agent to book a viewing this Friday, 1 February.

30 January: The people who made an offer last week are not keen to raise their offer, citing the area as the reason for not upping the price they're prepared to pay.  

Perhaps there are quite a few people on the look-out for property at the moment who are only keen for a bargain and not actually bothered whether the property suits them of even the facilities on offer at the house.  Or am I being cynical?

1 February:  Had some people viewing this morning.  They like the house and are now putting theirs on the market, perhaps not especially to buy ours.  But they may be confident that they'll find something they like in their price range.

2 February:  Just in case, I'm travelling up to the Midlands tomorrow to view some houses.  The prices may well be cheaper and that could balance the low offer we've just received.


Looking towards Torquay and Hope's Nose with Thatcher Rock and Shag Rock
It's exciting as they are lots of suitable properties around, fortunately none of them are perfect as we'd be very disappointed not to get it.

Here's a couple of photos from our living room window, taken this afternoon.  It's still light now, at nearly 5pm, so the nights must be drawing out.  Roll on spring!  It would be nice to have one of these view blown up and mounted on canvas to put on the wall at our new house to remind us of these fabulous views.
Looking towards Brixham Harbour and Berry Head













8 February: Have just heard from the agent that the proposed purchaser is prepared to up their price a tiny amount.  After a long discussion we have accepted on the basis that this buyer does not seem very committed so it's not all that likely that the deal will come off.  

The Agent will take the house off the market for ten days to give the pp chance to organise a survey.  If this hasn't happened then marketing the property will continue.
We are away on holiday so expect that by the time we return in two weeks that things will be well in hand.  If so we'll got and seriously look at properties.
It's such an unusual market that it's difficult to make a decision and be sure that it's the right one.
Have come to the conclusion that I was not being cynical (see 2 Feb) as pp has said he's not particularly bothered if he doesn't get this house!!

22 February:  We've had our holiday - it was lovely to enjoy some sunshine and be pampered - but hard to come home chilly (well really cold!) weather.  After one day at home to tie up loose ends and to have the surveyor book to come to prepare a report on our house, we have travelled up to the Midlands to house-hunt ... again.

24 February: We have looked at several houses today and what has struck us is the property garden descriptions.  What to some people would be a good-sized garden would to others be minute.  
Why don't estate agents measure the gardens (roughly), like they do unimportant items such as downstairs cloakrooms?  A reasonable-sized garden is very important for us and there are several houses where the photos made the garden look lovely.  Then we viewed the houses and saw that in fact they were totally unsuitable.
After all, agents making a garden look big when a purchaser wants a small garden are just as misleading as photos making gardens look huge when the purchaser only wants a pocket handkerchief back yard to enjoy sunbathing with a glass of vino.


25 February: It's exciting looking at potential houses, apart from the disappointing, misleading details.  Unfortunately, I like every house we look at, so find it very difficult to be objective.


26 Feb:  We have made an offer on a very suitable house - not a perfect one, as the perfect house doesn't exist - and said offer has been rejected.  So we are now reconsidering ... and I idly looked on the internet and saw a very suitable house which has just come on the market ...  So have booked to view it.  
every girl should have at least one pair of red shoes!
One thought which does now occur is that it's rather like buying shoes - or finding a husband! - in that, once a suitable one is found then stop looking!

27 February: Have viewed the second house and it's perfect! ... except needs new kitchen, bathrooms, heating and possibly even new wiring.  So have been trying to work out whether it's economic - for us - to buy said house. It's spacious, have three rooms upstairs and three downstairs, plus kitchen - and a bathroom on both floors.  The living room has a beautiful picture window and the garden looks out onto fields, yet the house is easy walking distance to shops, buses etc.  
On reflection it's been decided that there's too much work to do, so have made an increased offer on first (nearly perfect) house, which has been accepted.  As a gardener I'm not totally satisfied as garden is small, faces north and neighbour's trees are likely to block out some of the light.  Perhaps we'll be able to have a word with the neighbour about the trees, having first checked that they're not actually ours, and see what can be done.
Looked at the epc of the property as it's a healthy 85 (with potential to rise to 88) - even better than ours at 82! (http://www.wmepc.co.uk/PDF/EPC%20Explained%20Final%2018%20July%2011.pdf)

28 February: surveyor came and looked at the house we're selling. He didn't stay long - which could be a good sign. Fingers crossed.

Tomorrow is 1 March which an optimist would say is the start of spring, so I'll start a new page on here.