Monday 23 November 2009

Das Boot at Easter

12.00 The priority of the day is to sort out a new mobile phone. It is not used much but I need it work when required and over past ten days there have been growing problems. I only need an inexpensive pay as you go with no fixed monthly payments. I do not need most of the extras which make a phone a mobile communications system for listening and downloading music, using the internet, hands free wireless, taking and storing photographs and mini videos and whatever else can be thought of to increase the amount of monthly subscriptions and special add ons, except when I am travelling which is not a regular occurrence. If my financial circumstances were different then I would become a user of the latest technology because it is at the core of being a contemporary artist, but this is something for the young as I have always found the understanding, handbooks and explanation leaflets confusing and time consuming, and the process of trial and error, potentially disastrous in terms of what can and has gone wrong.(Little did I know how things would develop).

13.50 I had lunch early, a cooked meal of beef stir fry, after completing the third volume of the self employment records from the years 1992 1994 set numbers 9810 9814. with the last set having 36 cards, These sets mean that I have reaching a daily average of 4 , which is still below the 6 reached in the second year, and will endeavour to continue at this level and get a good start for next month taking time to get my main sub project work underway in terms of a first draft. I have made the decision to write what I need to write regardless of the quality of the writing or the structure and focus. Get what I need to say or paper and then work on it until it as I want others to read. I have been anxious that if I do this and something happened then it will be regarded as the best I could achieve hence the inclination to get a little right as perfect as within me at a time and then even if it is incomplete, I will have demonstrated something of my capacity and which will then enable everything else and the way the project has developed to be placed in perspective.

Time to go and look at a new mobile phone having discovered there is network shop locally. It is typical that I have passed the store on now countless walk through the town centre not connecting (clever) that one of the three may be four stores included my own network

15.50 It is perhaps too soon to be triumphant but so far the day has gone well as I now have a new super phone for far less than anticipated and with various possibilities, and my existing number with credit transferred. I was in the midst of buying a phone marked £50 when I was able to upgrade to one with greater specifications for the same price and would usually have cost £50 more. However I have so far been unable to find the model on the internet either under the network or the make which explains that it has been superseded rather than there has been a problem, There is now a cheap mainly text option at 3p per message. The camera will be useful if I encounter any incidents as in the past, or do not have my camera with me. Similarly the internet could be useful especially when I am on the move and especially if I an connect phone to lap top with the wireless connection. It will take the rest of Easter weekend to work out, if not longer but I am determined to master before the day is done, so to speak. Meanwhile there is the football after what could have been an even more disastrous Test match which I blame myself for forgetting to tune in last night when I am sure we would not have lost the first three wickets for just four runs.

16.45 Phone being charged and still amazed at what the technology will do at the price, Newcastle are now 2.0 up and wait for it Sunderland are 1 up away from home I will repeat that, Sunderland are 1 up away from home, both matches are being listened to on the radio. One on the TV radio and one on the Staples. The Boro are also 1 0 up yes we have won our first away game of the season. Newcastle have won for the first time in 13 matches. For the first time since the commencement of the season I look forward to watching the replays and this time there are two to enjoy.

19.30 I listened to the euphoric supporters across Tyne and Wearside as everyone senses that today’s wins open a gap sufficient to make relegation now unlikely, but one more win, two would be better, or one win a couple of draws should see the teams safe and everyone begin to think of next season, such is the nature of the belief, the hope and the commitment. No where else outside of Merseyside does the success or the failure of a team would affect the whole community. I remember the days when walking to Roker Park from my home and people in the houses would come out to their gates to ask about the result and the game. In the office after derby games victorious supporters would had out printed cards offering their commiserations for the defeat! I have reviewed my writing for the past 24 hours and published. I expected it would bed time before the battery on my new phone was charged up but I checked and it is ready so I can begin to learn. I have some free send picture credits, use of internet and other freebies for a up to ten days with the new phone and continued connection but first I need to finding my way around the system checking that my numbers have been transferred or set them up, credit also been passed over and so .. embarking on all things new. I will also watch the football replays and some cricket although two new subscription DVDs arrived in the post I am still set on a Lord of the Rings Day but the DVD’s and Lord of the Rings will now have to wait. There is the Grand Prix .

17.35 There are important features which I had not previously identified such a voice recorder and the taking of short videos as well as photographs. There is also synchronisation with windows media player, direct printing and a radio. I have moved into the future the 21st century has arrived.

20.30 Watch replay of Newcastle V Fulham. Not as a convincing first half impression from radio commentary, admittedly in the background to that for Sunderland. Strong snow storm which I did not notice if it also came to this area.
22.00 Michael Owens’s goal which secured the victory for Newcastle was excellent but it was a nervous time for much of the second half when Fulham refused to give up There was little time between the end of this game and Sunderland’s where the odds were much stronger against any result, and the team was without the striker Kenworthy which resulted in more balls to feet than to head and with playing two up front there was more prospect of making the few opportunities to score count. Both teams had their chances and at one point the general consensus is that the Villa goal keeper handled the ball outside his area. The Chopra goal was extremely well taken and the response of the away supporters who have seen so much failure and disappointment was understandable euphoric. Having made the journey to and from Villa Park in a day, I know the contrast between the two feelings so well. With one you are drained and tired and the journey seemed to get longer with each mile while with the other you drive hard to get home in time to watch the replay on Match or the Day, or the ITV alternative in the days before Sky did the full length or longer length replays. The only regret about this win is that my one friend who is also a football fan supports the Villa, however the Villa did give the Toon a good going over.

23.00. Earlier for the evening meal I had salmon sandwiches, followed by some grapes and coffee. I made some progress with the phone but decided it required my full attention and left until the morning. I used part of the time watching the matches to photograph the completed volumes of self employment receipts 1992-1994 which amounted to some 700 pictures. It was earlier when I was looking for my magnifying glasses that I discovered the missing set and a half of MySpace Blogs which I could not find about a month ago. This resulted in finishing the Development Volume, as it seemed appropriate place to include the duplicates, the first occasion that I have intentionally duplicated work in this way, and while I have avoided including copies in the master work, but historical habit of making mistakes when not concentrating has to be shown in the way the work is constructed in addition to reporting and commenting on my experiences in that first job writing motor vehicles licences and registration log books. The consequences is that in addition to finishing the set which completed the volume the first set of the new volume is completed but I will leave adding these to the records for Sunday.

00.15 I have been watching an interesting German film on BBC2 , made in 1981, Das Boot, the boat may well be the most authentic portrayal for life in a submarine in war time that has been made, although it is an odd feeling watching them hunt British Merchant vessels and evade Allied destroyers. The horror of war is real to both sides. I do not watch the film in its entirety because I remember about eh cricket and there has been an amazing turn around. It is Kevin Petersen rather than the constantly injured Flintoff who is showing that his first performances indicated a major batsman who will stand the test of time. Without his century and support from bowler Broad, England’s total would have been under 100 whereas they reached just over 250 and then Sidebottom, a new face at this level, performed brilliantly creating a collapse of the home side after they had a promising start, taking seven wickets with Broad taking the other three, completing the demolition after tea with a lead of some 80 and then the opening batsmen redeemed their previous efforts and were 90 for 2 at the close.

02.30. I went to back to the film after watching the cricket a little. It is not entertainment in its strict meaning as the men undergo much hardship, fear, guilt and remorse at what they have to do and being in constant peril. The films shows men working mechanical miracles in getting the vessel off the seabed at great depth after a series near successful depth charge attacks by the allies. However the boat is repaired and makes it way home to great acclamation only for the allies to mount a major bombing raid which sinks the submarine and many of he men who endured and overcame the hazards of the mission are killed or badly injured within minuets of arriving home

06.00 This is a guess because it was light when I needed to rise.

09.25 I get up after a struggle in which I was awake for what seemed sometime, But the significance is that there was only one getting up, the second night in succession that I had long uninterrupted sleep and the first time of two nights in succession that I can remember for at least five years although I have not kept records in the way that I am now doing.

10am I have played some chess to game 25 of the present run 479 wins of 489 played over the past three weeks with ten draws, and then I work on this writing before beginning the phone which requires full alertness.

11.am In switching to check the score I find that the Asian Grand Prix has been run and that Lewis did not make the podium and this therefore alters my approach to the day. I will have some coffee and concentrate on the phone. I listen to the Papal Easter address and watch the Blessing as torrential rain sweeps Vatican Square. Such is the nature of faith. I wish sins could be swept away as easily as with a Papal Blessing for those who are fully repentant. It is a comfort that many others are healed and this helps their attempts not to sin again which has a beneficial effect on society and counters those who once in sin accept the situation and progress deeper into the abyss, This is what the Lord of the Rings is about, although it should be enjoyed as brilliant fantasy adventure, with the books red first, then the radio series and the talking books, then the three films in theatre, then the special extended version with extended scenes, new scenes and a new score, plus all the extras on the 12 DVD version.

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