and the occasional rant.
Enjoy!
I'm Mark. Older than you imagine, pescetarian, husband, father, professional parent & pedant.
I post some original stuff and a bunch of other things that I like. If you own the rights to something you see here and you're not happy about me sharing it, let me know.
Let’s do this.
My band name is “Black Porkloin”
Blue Water.
Plain and boring. How appropriate.
———————-Blue Denim Burrito
Your band name is invalid
Green Protein Shot… odd
I don’t usually do this, but I had to share my Blue Nuts.
Sybil update
She had her second shots today. That means the world is officially her oyster. Exploring starts this weekend.
pug Sybil puppy
January ends in tragedy
Whilst at work today, I heard that the bodies of two young men were found in a pond in Canterbury. Some of the guys were speculating on how they may have met their demise. I didn’t pay much attention at the time. However, it was also a topic of conversation when I arrived home. After all, Canterbury is only a few miles away, and my Princess attends University there.
I guess it was idle curiosity that led her to a Google search for more information. One article named the youngest victim and suggested a name for the eldest, although details had not been released formally. It was with palpable shock that we realised we knew him.
Dan Lloyd went to the same school as our son. He was a gifted musician and played at my son’s sixteenth birthday party nearly ten years ago. Since then we’ve seen him busking from time to time; we even bumped into him in Canterbury on my wife’s birthday last year, and my Princess saw him on almost every occasion she went into town.
He always seemed happy and following what, to us at least, appeared to be a bohemian lifestyle not dissimilar to that of our son. In an even more shocking turn, we learned that our son knew both victims and worked with the younger lad only recently. He says his tool belt is still hanging up in the crew room. Now, sadly, everyone knows why. He too was a busker, and unusually a beatboxer whom we’ve also seen and heard as he earned his keep. Canterbury’s streets will be quieter and darker without these young men to lift our spirits.
My Princess has been in tears for much of the evening, which has been a fairly sombre affair. It seems odd that one can sit dispassionately watching a graphic TV drama about particularly grisly murders and feel nothing. No matter how good the acting, it is only that; merely players portraying events that happen to someone else less fortunate than ourselves.
It’s wholly different when reality bludgeons its way into your living room. In appalling enlightenment, we now find ourselves wondering what these young people thought as the grim reality that their lives were about to end became crystalline.
For us, it’s uncomfortably close; both our children’s lives crossed with those of the victims. For the victim’s families, the grief must be unbearable. Our thoughts are with them.
Dan Lloyd and Hugo Wenn, you brought music and happiness into the lives of the many folks who knew you and heard you play. We will miss you. Rest in peace.
Dan Lloyd Hugo Wenn RIPApparently, I’m a religious freak or an animal rights activist
according to two of the guys I work with. On what basis do they form their judgement? Simply that I’m a vegetarian.
Actually, they couldn’t be further from the truth. Most of you will know that I’m an atheist. For what it’s worth, my beliefs align more closely with Buddhism than anything else, which makes me a real atheist. I became vegetarian more than twenty years ago solely because I didn’t like meat. Nothing to do with animal rights, although in fairness I’m more principled now than I’ve ever been.
I don’t try to impress my beliefs on others. Everyone should be free to follow their own path. I respect others’ beliefs and values and would greatly appreciate it if they would allow me the same.
That’s all.
/rant mini rant welcome to my world carnivoresRant: I Love Photography
photography in all its forms“Why am I telling you this? Isn’t it self-obvious? Don’t we all love photography? The answer is no. There is a percentage of photographers who hate photography. They do not appreciate photography. They do not consume photography. They don’t look at photo books or photo magazines. They hate the guy with the iPhone taking Instagram shots. They hate the guy who just bought the D4 because they don’t have one. They hate people using digital because film is what real artists use. They hate photographers who embrace social media because images should stand on their own. They hate Getty, Corbis, the AP, day rates, photo editors, assistants, rental houses, camera stores, point-and-shoots, iPads, zoom lenses, padded camera straps, wheeled suitcases, younger photographers, older photographers. The photo of so-and-so on the cover of whatever it’s called sucks. That guy copied the other guy, he sucks. Terry Richardson sucks. Chuck Close sucks. Vincent Laforet hasn’t taken a still in 17 years. Kodak hasn’t been managed well since the 70s. Blah, blah, blah. […]
The business of photography is undergoing massive change. People who used to make a ton of money aren’t making the same money any more. Amateurs are giving away photos for free. I totally get it.
But listen. There are so many more incredible photos today than there ever were. And more people consume more photography than they ever did thanks to things like Facebook, Instagram, iPads, blogs, and “best of” compilations. This is the golden age of photography. Everyone takes photos now, and there is inspiration all around us. History is being made, and we’re capturing it.
Well, That's Just Great: drinkingtheflood: glitterpants: god what book do i put as my favorite...
god what book do i put as my favorite book for my usc application my god i have so many but i’ll be judged way too harshly someone give me a book im drawing a blank on what ive even read H-A-L-P
BRO. HAMLET.
Books that, for different reasons, won’t make the impression you’re going for.
Mien Kampf
The Hungry Caterpillar
The phone book
The Owner’s Manual for a 1971 Impala
The Anarchist’s Cookbook
Your handwritten notebook of people who are gonna “get it one day if it’s the last thing I do.”
Hairy Potter and the Deathly Swallows.
Ag
You know, there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with reading Mein Kampf. It doesn’t make you a Nazi, but it does provide great insight into Adolf Hitler’s ideology and how he formed his opinions. It definitely doesn’t belong on the same list as the other titles you suggest.
If the original poster wants to impress in their USC application, they might be wise to concentrate on punctuation, spelling and grammar, IMHO.
mein kampf
1953 Les Paul Goldtop autographed by… Les Paul himself!
Gorgeous. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve returned to look at drool over this, so I might as well give in and reblog it.
(Source: lespaulforum.com)
That moment when…
You remember why you don’t frequent fast food outlets. I just popped into McDonalds for porridge and a cup of tea. It’s full of people with the combined intelligence of a glove puppet, all of whom have a screaming baby with them. Then they only had teaspoons instead of desert spoons and to cap it all the trainee idiot on the counter overcharged me. Have you ever tried eating porridge with a teaspoon? I’ll just go hungry in future.
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Why do Land Rover call it a “Discovery”?
Because you discover something else wrong with it every day!
No one in their right minds should buy one. I’m nuts, so that makes it OK. The latest episode in the long running saga of “what can go wrong next?” involved another trip to the workshop and the associated bank account punishment. To be scrupulously fair, my mechanic’s shop rate is very reasonable, probably because he spends so much time fixing my truck.
This time, the engine started surging under acceleration. Then it wouldn’t accelerate at all. They say you can go anywhere in a Land Rover. I think they missed a phrase - you can go anywhere in a Land Rover, as long as there’s a garage nearby.
Two hours of diagnostics and tinkering later and she’s back. The difference is incredible. It turns out that the mass airflow sensor had packed up and the turbo boost valve wasn’t working. They are now! I had no idea that the TD5 engine was this quick! It’ll be interesting to see whether the fuel economy improves too.
So that’s January’s bill. I wonder what’s in store for February?
Land Rover love affair mild insanityOnly we could buy another dog that snores.
Maisy and Sybil were having a snoring contest last night. Tonight, Sybil’s little snores sound like F1 cars in a Grand Prix.
pug snoring
The thing about puppies is that they’re either into everything, or they’re asleep.
Sybil does the sleep bit rather well.
Photo: mings
This is the best dignified look I can muster. Will it do?
Actually, this is a rare moment of wakeful stillness.
Photo: mings
