Jun. 22nd, 2018

danieldwilliam: (Default)
Five Things on a Friday make A Friday Five Things post

1) My daughter appears to have both a job and a boyfriend. I do not know much about the boyfriend as I have not officially been informed. The job seems to be some sort of data entry role for a financial services firm - so a bit dull but better paid than working behind a bar. The boyfriend is in IT. Both are in the South West of England - so that is where she is for the summer.

2) The Captain has a new bike. It is red and has fast gears, is lighter than his old bike and is big - so a big fast red bike. The dream of every small gender neutral child - unless they like other colours or don't like going fast. It arrived yesterday, only three days after ordering it. So far, I'm pretty impressed with Isla Bikes. Although I am definately feeling my middle class privilege. The preparation of the bike was juxtaposed with a current affairs piece on Brexit talking to folk in a poor part of Blackpool. Och, what's a boy to do. I vote for more public spending, I pay my taxes, I campaign for a better democracy - I'll enjoy my boy riding on his big, fast, red bike. It's a nice bike.

3) My excitement with the World Cup of Soccer has literally reached the pitch. So far I'm enjoying the upsets.

My favoured teams are doing okay.

In Group A - Uraguay have qualifed for the last 16. Sadly Russia have also qualified for the last 16.

In Group B - Portugal should qualify barring a major upset. Spain are perhaps the team of the tournament (unless it is Croatia or someone beats Brasil).

in Group C - Australia have just about kept their Workd Cup campaign alive with another penalty. Who needs goals from open play when you can win the World Cup with a series of dead ball goals and 1-0 wins? They will to thrash Peru which is a bit of shame but I don't mind if France beat Denmark 10-0 if it means Australia go through.

In Group D - Iceland are close to qualification with a better goal difference than Argentina. A better goal difference than Argentina! Argentina are a bit of a flawed love for me. On the one hand Lionel Messi is marvellous, is not Ronaldo and plays for Barcelona. On the other hand Argentina are Argentina and coached by Maradona. I can not approve of Maradona. Or Argentina.

Group E - crunch match today as the hydro powered heroes of Costa Rica (hooray) take on the flip flop and budgie smuggler wearers of Brasil. I will laugh *so* hard of Costa Rica beat Brasil.

Group F - well Mexico! Welcome to the World Cup 2018. When the German football team arrive, perhaps you should play them.

Group G- plucky Belgium seem to be off to a good start. England looked a little laboured against Tunisia but they did keep their cool in rather warm conditions and won. I think they might lose against Belgium but they then they will have qualified. They should probably win their last 16 match and end up facing Mexico in the Quarter-Final. I shall celebrate with chille con carne, guacamole, tacos and probably beer from somewhere that makes nice beer and not tequila because I don't drink tequila ever.

Group H - I worry for Columbia. I have decided to support Sengal because their manager looks like Bob Marley.

Also, vuvuzales can fuck the fuck off and when the get there, fail to hear the warning signs over the sound of the vuvuzales and keep on fucking off until they've fucked off some more. Alpenhorns, however, are very welcome. Also mariachi bands.

4) My face is itchy from growing a beard in case I need it for the play which I'm in. The beard is not universally approved of. Several friends have cut me dead in the street as a result. MLW is suffering for my art. The Captain is delighted.

5) I may have discovered why the Captain is so obsessed with what he calls my "enormous fatness". It seems that none of the other dads in his friendship group have "enormous fatness" and I am therefore unusual. I keep telling him that I am working on reducing my fatness but that it will take time. Currently what appears to be happening is that fat is slowing being replaced with muscle so I have a slightly reduced layer of fat around my middle but it's sitting on a much, much firmer layer of muscle and so is sitting a bit prouder. I think come the winter I shall return to the 5 & 2 diet to lose a the fat a bit quicker.
danieldwilliam: (Default)
1. Favourite Book from childhood

My favourite book from childhood is, well I'm not entirely sure. It depends in part when one thinks childhood ends. I was very, very fond of The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett which I got as a birthday present when i was twelve. At about the same time I was an avid reader of David Eddings and Magician by Raymond E Feist and also the Robot stories by Isaac Azimov. I think I shall go for the Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett. It was the first Discworld novel that I read and I've been reading them at about the rate of 1 new one a year since then. I regularly re-read them and I expect they will appear again on this list. I don't think I've read them all yet. There are a few of the Tiffany Aching novels that I've still to read. The Captain and I recently read the Carpet People and I think we'll try the Diggers next.

I think what I liked about Terry Pratchett was that, unlike the American fantasy novels I was reading at the time, they weren't ponderous. There was word play and silliness and confusion and a lack of heroes. And they were sharply politically aware in a way the American fantasy novels weren't. There was, to paraphrase Sir Pterry, no Just Kings, just kings.


2. Best Bargain




3. One with a blue cover.


4. Least favorite book by favorite author


5. Doesn't belong to me.


6. The one I always give as a gift.


7. Forgot I owned it.


8. Have more than one copy.


9. Film or tv tie-in.


10. Reminds me of someone I love.


11. Second hand bookshop gem.


12. I pretend to have read it.


13. Makes me laugh.


14. An old favorite.


15. Favorite fictional father.


16. Can't believe more people haven't read.


17. Future classic.


18. Bought on a recommendation.


19. Still can't stop talking about it.


20. Favorite cover.


21. Summer read.


22. Out of print.


23. Made to read at school.


24. Hooked me into reading.


25. Never finished it.


26. Should have sold more copies.


27. Want to be one of the characters.


28. Bought at my fave independent bookshop.


29. The one I have reread most often.


30. Would save if my house burned down.

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