Favourite blogs for On Man, on nature, and on Human Life, Musing in Solitude

No. They're like buses

Writing about web page http://www.nfb.ca/animation/objanim/en/films/film.php?film=&_onfplr_sel=plr&sort=director&director=Barker,%20Cordell&id=17537&formats=default&speeds=default&use_cc=no&use_dv=no

Stumbled across this today and was wondering if anyone else has ever seen it before. I remember it vividly from when I was quite little, but I have no idea why I would ever have seen it before, and often enough to remember quite a lot of it.

I remember finding it really creepy.

Any suggestions as to when this was ever on television greatly appreciated.

: 15 Aug 2006 15:25 |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Stupid people on trains

No, this isn't a rant, just a comment about how amusingly unthinking people can be.
Was on the train on the way back from London the other day. It was about 8 in the evening and the compartment was almost entirely quiet – at least, there were no conversations going on. Anyway, the woman sitting across the aisle decided that now would be a good moment to book some theatre tickets over the phone. She then proceeded to give her name, address and telephone number to the woman at the other end of the phone. I know it was a woman because the phone was turned up loud enough for me to be able to hear the person in the box office. So the entire compartment got these details twice (just in case you missed it the first time), with the added bonus of the woman in the box office spelling a couple of things just to check.

So far, not too stupid. Admittedly you don't really want random people on the train knowing your phone number and address, but not disasterous.

However, she needed to pay for the tickets. So she then read out her credit card number and the security code in full earshot of the entire carriage.
Had I wanted to I could have written down all of these details with very little difficulty. I didn't, so I can only reveal that she was getting tickets for The Taming of the Shrew.

Not wishing to generalise, but surely people who go to see Shakespeare have a bit more intelligence than this!

: 15 Aug 2006 15:19 |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

The joys of daytime television

Hmm, there seems to be a pattern forming in the subject of my blog entries.

: 13 Apr 2006 15:44 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

To anyone else watching Countdown right now…

Is it just me, or does Carol Vorderman's dress make it look like she's been shot several times?

: 13 Apr 2006 15:43 |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

A mathematical query

On Deal or No Deal, if you get all the way to the end without dealing you get the option to swap your box for the last remaining box. Query is, should you?
Is it the same as the two goats and a car game show principle? (Three doors, behind two are goats, and behind one is a car. You choose a door, the gameshow host opens one of the other doors to reveal a goat. He gives you the option to change doors. In this situation you should change (assuming you want to find the car!).) Or is it slightly different somehow? Assume we have got right to the end and the banker's final offer has been rejected.

: 12 Apr 2006 17:07 |  Comments (8) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Nice date

On the first Thursday in May this year, at two minutes and three seconds after 1:00 in the morning, the time and date will be 01:02:03 04/05/06.
That won't ever happen again for 1000 [sic]* years.

Woo! I hope Mrs McN realises that this is coming up soon.

*See comments 1 & 2

: 12 Apr 2006 14:22 |  Comments (6) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Look what happens when people give me work to do!

I really don't have that much to do – got to write another 600 words in fact, which I know isn't very much, but as it's still work I am procrastinating. I am enjoying my first summer with no exams since 1998, though. It's nice to only have a finite amount of work to do, and no revision that always makes you feel guilty for not doing enough.
But, nonetheless I have been blog quizzing…

Your Inner Child Is Happy

You see life as simple, and simple is a very good thing. You're cheerful and upbeat, taking everything as it comes. And you decide not to worry, even when things look bad. You figure there's just so many great things to look forward to.

: 11 Apr 2006 15:03 |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Woo! Second year running!

It was clearly the support from my blog that helped them win.

: 02 Apr 2006 16:58 |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Go Oxford!

That is all.

: 02 Apr 2006 16:32 |  Comments (6) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Blogs on the move

For those of you who followed the adventures of We're ranting and raving in Pedants' Corner you may be interested to know that it has moved to a new home: Ranting and raving all over again

He probably won't write very often though…
Or he might…

Anway, I would anticipate more camera phone photos of bad grammar.

: 27 Mar 2006 18:47 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Time wasting…

Ooh, pretty picture!

You scored as Mysterious. You wish to hide who you are from all those around you. You find it very hard to trust people. You also may enjoy the fun that comes from playing mind games with others around you. My advice Get out there and reveal the true you if only to one person! Mysterious 83% Diamond Eyes 75% Passion 75% Eyes full of Pain 42% What do your eyes reveal about you?(PICS!) created with QuizFarm.com

You Are a Fun Flirt

You just can't help yourself… you flirt with everyone you know. Guys, girls, crushes, and friends. They're all victims to your charm. You're into silly innuendos, sexy jokes, and playful touches. You are a huge flirt, yet you never make anyone (too) uncomfortable!

You Are 28% Evil

A bit of evil lurks in your heart, but you hide it well. In some ways, you are the most dangerous kind of evil.

: 12 Mar 2006 17:37 |  Comments (3) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Woo!

3393 words.

Woo and indeed yay!

: 30 Jan 2006 15:44 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Today we learn…

…that if you plug the hoover into the socket in the hall you can reach the whole flat.

: 23 Dec 2005 13:15 |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Another quiz bandwagon to jump on…

Writing about an entry you don't have permission to view

You are The Star

Hope, expectation, Bright promises.

The Star is one of the great cards of faith, dreams realised

The Star is a card that looks to the future. It does not predict any immediate or powerful change, but it does predict hope and healing. This card suggests clarity of vision, spiritual insight. And, most importantly, that unexpected help will be coming, with water to quench your thirst, with a guiding light to the future. They might say you're a dreamer, but you're not the only one.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

: 18 Dec 2005 17:01 |  Tags: Trivia |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

You learn something every day

While researching Y8 Christmas quiz questions I found this.
It is the meaning of the carol "12 days of Christmas":

The "true love" of the song refers to God.
The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
Two Turtle Doves were the Old and New Testaments.
Three French Hens stood for Faith, Hope and love.
The four Calling Birds were the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, luke and John.
The five Golden Rings recalled the Torah or law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
The six Geese A-laying stood for the six days of creation.
Seven Swans A-swimming represented the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: Prophecy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership and Mercy.
The eight Maids A-milking were the eight beatitudes.
Nine Ladies Dancing were the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control.
The ten Lords A-leaping were the ten commandments.
The eleven Pipers Piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
The twelve Drummers Drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in The Apostle's Creed.

So I take it back about being able to swap ladies/lords with drummers/pipers. Although I maintain that the lift-the-flap book I had when I was little had 12 Lords, 11 Ladies, 10 drummers, 9 pipers, so I am perfectly justified in knowing it that way round.

p.s. definitely should be "Honk" not "Oink

: 15 Dec 2005 14:14 |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Less than a week to go

Don't get me wrong, I have really enjoyed the first placement, but I'm really getting that end of term feeling. Spent an hour after school getting a tablet pc to talk to a projector via another computer stuck to the wall. Works now, but now I have to remember how to do it again on Friday so I can play Who Wants to be a Millionaire with Y9.

Need a holiday. Also need to do Christmas shopping. And buy stamps.

: 14 Dec 2005 18:09 |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Quizzes

Judging from the ratio of quizzes to real entries on here I seem to need pointless internet quizzes to tell me about myself rather than being able to self-analyse in deep, meaningful blog entries.

Or maybe I just don't want to reveal my deep, meaningful self-analysis online.

You will never really know! Mwahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!

p.s. I really need a holiday – my brain seems to have melted

: 11 Dec 2005 17:54 |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

I have been given quizzes!

Follow-up to Give me quizzes… from Thoughts of me

Possessing a rare combination of wisdom and humility, while serenely dominating your environment you selflessly use your powers to care for others.

Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.

Woo, time wasting.

: 11 Dec 2005 17:44 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Give me quizzes…

Had a lovely free evening – my first for a while. I know I should probably have been lesson planning, but I've got all weekend.
Had fun investigating various resources that other people have shared with the PGCE students. There's a really good Who Wants to be a Millionaire powerpoint presentation. You just enter your own questions. It's got the right music and everything. Think I might be using this with my Y10s at the end of term.

I need more quizzes to do though. Not nearly enough time has been wasted recently.

: 07 Dec 2005 22:03 |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Just for Jon…

Having repeatedly asked me for more blog entries recently I felt I must oblige.
Life's been quite busy recently so I haven't had time to blog. Anyway, I will try to come up with something interesting to say.
Hmm.

Am fairly on top of stuff at the moment, but some days it feels like I have far to much to do, and not nearly enough time to do it in. I suppose this comes from not having any free evenings, so I have to do all my lesson planning at the weekends. This is fine, unless I have very busy weekends, which is most of the time.
I'm hoping that life will become a bit less hectic next week once uni terms have finished, and I am going to try and get lots done tomorrow when I have 4 frees. But next week I have completely full days on Thursday and Friday. Then I will experience true teaching life. Do have to relearn partial fractions though.

Right, enough of teaching stuff.
Lots of music is happening too, but I'm having some trouble with singing at the moment. I think the main problem is the cold that I have been unable to shake off fully since the start of term. It's quite knackering on the voice to shout at Y8s (ok, I hadn't quite finished on the teaching stuff) and then go to a rehearsal in the evening, especially when you have a cold/sore throat/suspected laryngitis (well, suspected by me anyway). It's frustrating to not be able to sing as well as I know I can. I can't do any proper practice cos I don't have time and I don't want to wear my voice out too much.
Again, this will all hopefully improve once uni term finishes. I just need to get properly better.
I think that part of the problem is being too tired. But then I want to socialise. Ah, the dilemma. And then even if I am socialising I am often too tired to enjoy it properly.

Looking forward to the Christmas holidays. I am enjoying the teaching though. I think the PGCE was a good decision.

: 30 Nov 2005 18:28 |  Comments (5) |  Close comments |  Report a problem