Misfits Mid-Life Crisis Adventures in East and West London and Surrey (The NEXT Chapter).

Week 189 Saturday 27^th January until Friday 2^nd February 2018.

In December 1952 there was a smog that effected London for 4 days, there has never been another like it since (that’s I know of).  Most summers there are news reports showing a shimmering haze of pollution above the capital.  London has a couple of the most polluted roads in Europe, walking down them and sniffing the air you can see why they won this accolade.  Along these roads you will see very fit people jogging, I always wonder what the pollution there breathing can be doing to their lungs.  At least the explosions of cyclists seem to be wearing more face masks these days, when I cycled regularly I found a mask helped combat fumes while peddling the roads.

  “Enjoyed a supermoon this week”.
 
There is a new form of pollution affecting the streets, not just of the capital but the country.  Vaping, all over people are breathing out huge clouds of sweet smelling mist.  Its big business with shops and stalls are popping up all over for the vaping connoisseur.

  “But, is it art”.
 
I used to smoke but haven’t for a long time, one thing I am definitely not is an anti-smoking Nazi, it’s up to others if they want to smoke.  But I don’t want to breathe there foul tasting waste product.  Walking behind a smoker as they breathe out I’ll hold my breath and overtake as quickly as possible.  With a vaper the cloud that they produce appears to be so much larger.  There are people who take part in competitions to see who can make the biggest cloud of smoke/mist from a single breath.  By the late 2020s this will be an Olympic sport, there are certainly a lot of people in training for this future televised big money event. 

  “Look i got a seat”.
 
Recently I had a go on a vape; if I’m honest I didn’t see the point.  A number of people I know have gone from fags to full time vaping.  I thought the original idea was that these were a temporary replacement to regular cancer sticks.  The long term effects are not known at this time, my friend’s attitude is by the time these are known they will be too old to care.

  “Lovely surprise from Aunty MOZ, visiting a cheap cinema”.
 
As I have mentioned I don’t mind or care what others breathe, but I really don’t like breathing there waste product.  Walking around the streets of the capital these days is bad enough with all the traffic going nowhere slowly.  While on the pavement so many people are holding small battery operated sticks looking like mini lightsabers or sonic screwdrivers breathing out huge clouds of smoke.  The way things are going it won’t just be cyclist wearing face mask, pedestrians will be covering up just to get a pint of soya milk.

  “Cute image of the week”.

With all this vaping that’s going on, during those summer news reports about pollution in the capital all you will see are the unfinished top floors from all the skyscrapers which are sprouting from every empty piece of land (that’s an argument for another week I think).  Maybe I’m just a person that likes to moan….

  “London is being invaded”.

 And Now For Something Completely Different……

Sitting on the train in the morning there are times while re-watching Star Trek: The Next Generation when two Dr Crushers might appear.  To refocus my cross eyed look I find looking out of the window or glancing at another passenger helps.  When eye contact is made with a fellow commuter it seems to happen again and again, it’s not something planned it’s all very unconscious. 

  “Fashion corner of the week”.

One day this week I was so engrossed in the adventures of the 24th century that I didn’t realise that I had arrived at the station I was due to change at (Yes, I know last week I complained about the number of public announcements on the tube, but that was then) .  Once the announcement had been absorbed into the excuse for grey matter in my skull, I looked up and caught the other passengers gaze.  She knew I should have got off, but something made me stay and pretend I was supposed to still be on the train.

 “I knew those Post-It notes would come in handy”. 

I got off at the next station, one I haven’t visited before.  Because I could feel their eyes burning into the back of my head, I actually started to walk to the exit resisting the urge to look back over my shoulder.  Only once train had left could I relax and walk back along the platform.  This is when I noticed the “Fairy Garden” (yes you read that correct).  The wall had fairies and an open door painted on it.

  “I believe in fairies, I believe in fairies”.
 
On the platform there was a sad looking garden which in summer must look lovely.  The fairies didn’t appear when I visited; it was very early after all so I suspect they were still tucked up.  I’ll have to return when the flowers are in bloom and say hello.  This little platform gem wouldn’t have been discovered if I had got off the tube when I should.  Maybe looking like a numpty is not too bad after all.  “I believe in fairies, I believe in fairies”.

  “I’ll return in the summer, the fairies might be in”.

My Mid Life Crisis Conts……

 “Writing this shiz, and being distracted by extra sprinkles”.

This week I have mainly been watching:  

“After Trek”, (S1, ep 12: TX 29/01/18).  “Brian & Charles”, (2017).  “Click”, (TX: 27/01/18).  “Charlotte Church Inside My Brain”, (TX: 25/01/18).  “Chris Packham In Search Of The Lost Girl”, (TX: 28/01/18).  “Despicable Me 3”, (2017).  “Having A Little Chat With Charles: Etiquette Expert William Hanson”, (2017).  “Inside No9”, (S4, ep 5).    “Rhod Gilbert: Stand Up To Shyness”, (TX: 24/01/18).  “Spiral”, (S6, ep 9 & ep 10).  “Star Trek: Discovery”, (S1, ep 13).  Star Trek (TNG)”, (S5, ep 3 & ep 26)(S6, ep 1 to ep 5).  “Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi”, (2017).  “The Biggest Little Railway In The World”, (S1, ep 4: TX 28/01/18).  “The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe”, (2005).  “The Graham Norton Show”, (S22, ep 15: TX 26/01/18).  “The Last Leg”, (S13, ep 1: TX 26/01/18).  “The Mash Report”, (S1, Winter: ep 3: TX 01/02/18).  “This World: The Coffee Trail With Simon Reeves”, (TX: 24/01/14).  “Will & Grace”, (S9, ep 4).  “Winterwatch 2018”, (S6, ep 1: TX 29/01)(ep 2: TX 30/01)(ep 3: TX 31/01)(ep 4: TX 01/02/18).                  

This week I have mainly been listening to:   

“Angelos And Barry: Flashback”, (ep 1 (19/09/14) 27/01/18)(ep 2 (23/09/14) 02/02/18).  “Brian Gittins And Friends”, (ep 29, 12/12/17).  “Craigslost (from Dazed And Convicted), (ep 114, 10/06/14).  “Don’t Quit Your Daycast”, (ep 13, 04/05/12).  “Iain lee (Bonus)”, (xxxx).  “Iain Lee (Highlights)”, (26/01, 29/01, 30/01)(01/02/18).  “In Poor Taste”, (ep 68, 16/04/17)(ep 90, 31/01/18).  “LBC Podcast: Mystery Hour”, (01/02/18).  “LBC Podcast: Nick Abbot (Whole Show)”, (27/01/18)(02/02/18.  “NASA: Gravity Assist”, (ep 11, 31/01/18).  “NASA: Houston We Have A Podcast”, (ep 30, 02/02/18).  “NASA: In Silicon Valley”, (LIVE ep 2, 01/02/18).  “Pints And Puzzles”, (xx/01/18).  “Soundtracking With Edith Bowman”, (ep 75, 02/02/18).  “The Aggy Fox Podcast”, (ep xx, xx/01/18).  “The Rabbit Hole”, (ep 41, 01/02/18).  “Those Conspiracy Guys”, (ep 1, 14/09/14).  “Young Free And Coupled”, (30/01/18).  “Morrissey”,  “Bran Van 3000”,  “Len”,  “Weetas”,  “Blink 182”,  ”Sophie B Hawkins”,  “The B52’s”, “Florence And The Machine”.