Over the weekend I have learned that the Post Office Tower was a national secret, and didn’t appear on any OS maps from it’s completion in 1966 till it was finally declassified under parliamentary privilege in 1993.
Despite being the tallest building in London and open to the public as a restaurant for most of that time.
I find this to be completely brilliant, and part of me wonders why no one told me.*
* I asked my brother about this, to be told “That he couldn’t tell me as it was a secret”!
Achievement unlocked: Just completed my first black run!
Think that makes me qualified to deliver Milk Tray..
Today has been brilliant..
The bulk of the day has been spent skiing*, the skiing has gone really well with me mostly skiing on dark red routes.. so I pushed myself and did well, ok there were a few spectacular wipe outs.. but if you don’t fall over your clearly not trying..
Then there was vast amounts of beer at a pub with a live band.. (who rocked), then there was Calsone, followed by chocolate ice cream..
Not really sure how I could have a better day.. **
* But that can be replaced with other physical activities.. like cycling.
** Ok maybe if it had included a strawberry milkshake or a very good hot chocolate..
Every once in a while you make a seemingly innocuous choice and later you learn some details of what might have happened had you chosen differently.
Today I have learned some details about what would have happened if I had cancelled my plans last night (go see my osteopath) and taken up on another offer.
Alas I must remain a tease and not divulge details but all I can say is that I have missed out on a chance in a lifetime.
I suspect that this opportunity will never exist again in my spacetime.
Arg.
[Edit: Auto correct had me go see my sociopath, which would have been a very different kind of evening..]
Last week, (sorry this post is horribly late) I visited a timber yard to buy a short length of window sill board. I am finally getting round to putting a nice window sill in the kitchen.. It has only taken me erm years..
Anyway, after wandering about a bit I found what I was after, but as I only needed 1.25 meters I needed to get someone to cut it to length for me. This is where the fun started. The chap I was dealing with hadn’t been trained on the static circular saw, and the company safety policy prohibits untrained use. Sensible enough if you ask me.
So I ask who can use the saw.. which is met with a blank look..
At this point I also learned that it is policy that staff members can not use hand saws… But if I had a saw with me I could cut the wood for myself. Sorry what!
Given that I am not a full time builder with a van full of tools, I didn’t have a saw with me, and the sharpest thing I was carrying was a pen..
This clearly identified me as a very strange person, clearly I was comfortable in a timber yard, I knew exactly what specific thing I needed, but I wore a suit coat had no discernable paint marks and had no tools with me..
What was worse, not only did I not have tools I didn’t have a van or a car having walked.
While I was quizzing yet another member of staff just who could use the power saw, my original helper returns carrying a hand saw, that he has borrowed from a slightly perplexed builder who is visiting the yard.
Apparently I am allowed to use a hand saw in their workshop, but they can’t.
So I set to and cut my own bit of wood, before returning the saw.
This has just left me baffled. Clearly they have identified a safety risk with the use of hand saws.. one that is so serious that it can’t be mitigated by staff training. Yet untrained members of the public can be given a saw (that has been borrowed from some other member of the public) and allowed to cut their own wood in the workshop space of the timber yard. Given that they have a duty of care to members of the public, I wonder just what would have happened if I had had an accident.
Think I know where I am now..
Progress made so far on this year’s goals.. none.*
I’ve still not taken any photos or been out on my bicycle this year, and that is just poor.
I am going to have to put some more effort in.
* Ok. This is a blog post so that does count a little..
So last night I was watching the news with Mum. There was an item about a lady who had won London bus driver of the year..
During that item the reporter was saying that “the winning driver had to learn 13 routes with countless stops.”
Countless! I exclaimed. That isn’t countless.
Mum just laughed, commenting that it was something that Dad would have remarked upon.
Given that it is the new year, it is good to have some goals and resolutions.. by writing about them here should make me feel more committed.
So in no particular order here we go:
1. Post to my blog more..
2. Use FB less..
3. Go for a Sunday morning run. (I have missed one already, oops)
4. Take more photos, (5 days in still not taken any.)
5. Watch less TV.
6. Be more geeky, write some code, do something with my Raspberry Pi.
7. Get fitter.
8. Actually interact with my friends in real time.
9. Get a new job.
10. Get on with the DIY projects.
11. Bake more.
12. Get out and do stuff.
13. Accept challenges.
While I accept that these are not SMART objectives, and are a bit vague in places, I am hoping that I will make some progress on them and that will lead me to being a better person.
So feel free to ask me how I am getting on.