Misfits Mid-Life Crisis Adventures in East, Central, South London and Surrey.

Week 379, Saturday 18^th until Friday 24^th September 2021.

“Previously, on the So-Called blog…….

This week is a sort of continuation of last week.  Over the last 379 weeks there have been connections to a previous ramble, but I think this is the first time that 2 consecutive weeks are related.

Where was I…. “Previously on the So-Called Blog”, I sent an email quitting my job on 24th September…..

The plan was to pop in to the office early next week for the first time since March 2020 to return all the equipment that has allowed me to work remotely.  Everything changed first thing on my last day because I of an e-mail from my boss, informing me that there is a back-office admin role for a few weeks if I want it.  Of course, I said yes, it’s part time, remote and the money is the same.  The most important aspect is I won’t be working in the call centre taking call after call.  For once I actually feel positive about the changes ahead.

Strangely I was looking forward to popping into town because after handing over the electronics I was going to mooch around and visit my fave shop Forbidden Planet.  Every time as soon as I cross the threshold in my mind I have spent thousands of imaginary pounds on comics, books, magazines, action figures, other toys and clothes.  Basically tatt!  I already have enough in storage and definitely don’t need any more crap which will eventually end up in land fill and wont breakdown/biodegrade for thousands of years helping to pollute the planet.

I have a lot of planning over the next few months and must not spend real money on more stuff, that’s why the hypothetical money is good.  This job may only last a few weeks, it give me a little more time to find something more permanent until Jan 22.  This is when I intend on travelling, so any work I do over these next few months really doesn’t have to be the most stimulating.  The position has been described as “just” a boring admin role, but that is exactly what I am looking for.  It will allow me time to clear my storage, plan the trip and distress from years of chatting rubbish on the phone in a call centre.

And Now For Something Completely Different……

I have mentioned several times since March 2020 that gardening has become a something that for the first time I really enjoy.  It’s a tonic that has helped keep me grounded (pun intended) in reality during these strange time.  I never thought that I would enjoy the feeling of soil/compost in my hands or spending time watering the garden every day after work, but I do.  What I have found most satisfying is watching the plants that I have looked after to grow and flourish.

Last year’s crop of Tomato’s, Broccoli and Carrots was pretty good for someone who had no knowledge at all.  This year I sowed Tomato and Carrot seeds late.  It’s only now that 4 tomatoes have started to ripen, hopefully the other will before the colder weather arrives.  If not, I will have to learn how to make chutney, I am not a cook and doubt I ever will be, but I do not want to waste anything that I have grown.

Just looking below you will see that I love TV.  Until recently a genre you wouldn’t have seen notes are Gardening programmes.  These days I never miss Gardens World; I am watching older episodes as well and am not ashamed to say that Monty Don is my new hero.  Don’t worry I still love my Sci-fi, and am never happier when aliens are attempting to destroy the planet yet again.  But I really have a new appreciation for gentle programmes about plants.  Maybe this is another sign of getting old, I would like to think it’s more a case of me settling down and becoming comfortable with who I am and less stress about the world.

And Finally……

Helping Jbombs with his maths homework, he had to write a series of sentences which will reveal a number.  Right from the start I worked out a 4 digit number, coming up with interesting sentences that the reader need to think about to come up with the answer.  When I proudly showed him the results he just looked and pointed out the final number only had 3 digits.  Lesson learned, next time I won’t butt in, he really didn’t need my help.

It was only when he finished did he realise that this was written in the wrong work book.  He was resigned to the fact that he would have to copy everything word for word into the correct exercise book.  I mentioned to his mum as she passed who stopped pulled out the page only to glued it into the correct book.  Jbomb and I looked at each other in surprise.

My Mid Life Crisis Conts……

This week I have watched:

“15 Storeys High”, (S2, ep 3 to ep 6).  “Blake’s 7”, (SB, ep 8).  “Chris And Meg’s Wild Life Summer”, (S1, ep 4, TX: 19/09/21).  “Click”, (TX: 18/09/21).  “Entourage”, (S5, ep 5 to ep 12).  “Gardeners World”, (2021: ep 26, TX: 17/09/21).  “Inspiration4: Splashdown: Live”, (SpaceX/YouTube)(TX: 18/09/21).  “Jack Whitehall Travels With My Father”, (S5, ep 1 & ep 2, best of ep).  “Late Night Mash”, (S1, ep 4, TX: 23/09/21).  “Mortimer And Whitehouse Gone Fishing”, (S4, ep 4, TX: 19/09/21).  “Neutrino: Hunting The Ghost Particle”, (TX: 22/09/21).  “Only Murders In The Building”, (S1, ep 1 to ep 5).  “RHS: Chelsea Flower  Show”, (2021: ep 9, TX: 23/09/21).  “Spitting Image (2021)”, (Britbox)(S2, ep 2, TX: 18/09/21).  “Stargate Atlantis”, (S2, ep 13 to ep 15).  “Star Trek, (Original Series)”, (S3, ep 13 & ep 14).  “Star Trek Lower Decks”, (S2, ep 7).  “The Bureau Of Magical Things”, (S1, ep 11 & ep 12).  “The Golden Girls”, (S4, ep 7 to ep 15).  “The Great British Bake Off”, (S12 (S5 on C4), ep 1, TX: 21/09/21).  “The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice”, (S7 (S5 on C4), ep 1, TX: 24/09/21).  “The Graham Norton Show”, (S29, ep 1, TX: 24/09/21).  “The Orville”, (S1, ep 1 to ep 6).  “The Sky At Night – Question Time”, (TX: 19/09/21).  “The Umbrella Academy”, (S2, ep 8).  “The Walking Dead”, (S11, ep 5).  “V War”, (S1, ep 8).  “Van Helsing”, (S4, ep 10 to ep 12).

“Doctor Who Watched this Week”……

“The Women Who Fell To Earth”, (S11(S37), ep 1, TX: 07/10/18).

“The Ghost Monument”, (S11(S37), ep 2, TX: 14/10/18).

“Rosa”, (S11(S37), ep 3, TX: 21/10/21).

“Arachnids In The UK”, (S11(S37), ep 4, TX: 28/10/18).

“The Tsurang Conundrum”, (S11(S37), ep 5, TX: 04/11/18). 

This week I have listening to:

“13 Minutes To The Moon, (BBC World Service)(S1, ep 1, 13/05/19)(ep 2, 20/05/19).  “30 Animals That Made Us Smarter”, (BBC World Service)(S2, ep 13, 20/09/21).  “Betamax Video Club”, (ep 51, 11/07/19).  “Box Of Delights”, (S3, ep 3, 11/02/20)(ep 4, 14/02/20)(ep 5, 18/02/20).  “Coronavirus Global Update”, (BBC World Service) (18/09/21) (19/09/21) (20/09/21)(21/09/21)(22/09/21)(23/09/21)(24/09/21).  “Doctor Who”, (The Incomparable/TeeVee)(S11, ep 9, 03/12/18).   “Don’t You Want Me?”, (ep 1, 23/09/21).  “Farscape (Muppets In Space)”, (The Incomparable)(23/09/21).  “Full Disclosure With James O’Brien”, (S2, ep 26, “Monty Don”, 01/10/20).  “Maximum Power”, (ep 1, 19/09/21).  “Mystery Hour”, (23/09/21).  “NASA Houston We Have A Podcast”, (ep 214, 24/09/21).  “Nick Abbot Whole Show”, (18/09/21) (19/09/21) (24/09/21).  “Radio Astronomy (The Sky At Night Magazine)”, (04/06/21) (24/09/21).  “Rob Beckett And Josh Widdecombe Parenting Hell”, (S3, ep 21, 21/09/21)(ep 22, 24/09/21).  “Smersh Pod – A View To A Kill”, (Pt 1, 06/04/20)(Pt 2, 07/04/20).  “Smersh Pod – For Your Eyes Only”, (Pt 1, 22/03/20)(Pt 2, 23/03/20).  “Space And Things”, (STP10, 05/11/20)(STP47, 22/07/21)(STP56, 22/09/21).  “Space Soliders Podcast – Flash Gordon’s Trip To Mars”, (Chapter Fifteen, “An Eye For An Eye”, 18/09/21).  “Star Trek Universe Podcast”, (05/01/19)(31/08/21)(02/09/21)(18/09/21).  “The Adam Buxton Podcast”, (ep 161, 20/09/21).  “The All New Angelos And Barry Podcast”, (22/09/21).  “The Audio Guide To Babylon 5”, (ep 46, 07/02/16).  “The Friendship Onion”, (S1, ep 19, 21/21).  “The Nick Abbot Habit”, (21/09/21).  “This Week In Time Travel”, (The Incomparable) (03/21/18).  “Toby Hadoke’s – Happy Times And Places”, (23.1, “Nightmare Of Eden”, 20/09/21)(23.2, 24/09/21).  “WTB”, (S3, ep 6 (ep 49) 24/09/21).  “What’s Your Problem With Nick Abbot And Carol Mcgiffin”, (20/09/21).  “Wolf And Owl”, (ep 42, 22/09/21)(Bonus #22, 24/09/21).  

Songs I enjoyed this week, were by:

“Morrissey”,  “Alanis Morissette”,  “Arcade Fire”,  “Carly Simon”,  “Catatonia”,  “Deacon Blue”,  “Doves”,  “ELO”, “Everything But The Girl”,  “Keane”,  “Nirvana”,  “REM”,  “Radiohead”,  “Sophie B Hawkins”,  “Snow Patrol”,  “Travis”,  “Texas”,  “The Beatles”,  “The Cranberries”,  “The Lightning Seeds”,  “The Fratellis”,  “The Smiths”,  “The Spice Girls”.