Personal Blogs

... it is rather a shame that the S104 module team have seen the need to place a 'news item' on the module website warning us of the penalties of plagiarism and the sharing of answers (cheating in any other terms...) in general.

This is in-spite of all that's been said and the continual good work of the many individuals that monitor, inform us about, perhaps even remove such items from the sites that are available to one and all...

There does seem to be a few of the 'don't care' brigade around with the phrase "Preaching to the converted" coming to my mind. Those that are unconcerned with such rules will probably ignore all that has been said anyway!

S104's TMA01 is now submitted and I am preparing for a bit of a music week as well as getting stuck into both Book 2 for S104 and J.Gribbin's "Almost Everyone's Guide to SCIENCE".

I will be contributing to the Remembrance Day service at All Saints (my) church, as I did last year, and had a session on Monday with choir practise on tomorrow night. It is cold in church at this time of year and, without the 'dedication' aspect of being in church, I now find it harder to just go and practice there... still...

Met my son's current (now long-ish term) gf on Sunday (4th) up to now I have only seen the pics. Seems like a good match, I have to say, and they both study at Cardiff Uni, Laurence music and Alex doing Env. Engineering (or some such!) This time it was me that paid for the Pizza's whilst L got the drinks, so more or less even on the Pizza Express front!

Still getting stuck into Dvorak's symphonic music with a number of Orchestra/Conductor comparisons to make as well a thinking about which are my favourite symphonies. Also playing will digital 'up-scaling' of sample rates (e.g. 44.1 to 88.2) of some of this music as I have a number of FLAC downloads - all of which is getting dangerously close to H! F! - jeez...

...and I got loads of housework done!

Met up with my mate (Hi Fi Richard) in London on Saturday afternoon (that's 2 pizzas this month) read some more of In Search of Schrodinger's Cat (John Gribbin, 1984)... and now it is Monday morning

Sadly, not much studying for S104 has been done around here as in between 'doing' things I'm enjoying listening to (and being distracted by) the many orchestral works of Antonin Leopold Dvorak (1841-1904) that I have recently accumulated

 

Well now, the service went well on Sunday (7^th) with the congregation about 50% larger than the normal Sunday morning service has been over the last six months - Stats huh?! The swelling of this Christian gathering was no doubt due to folk that would normally go to other venues for services (alphabetically - Baptists, Catholics, Methodists and the Salvation Army etc?) being invited to this particular get-together at ‘our’ Anglican (or C of E) church, All Saints

Dad gave one of the readings (John 17, verses 10-21) and Mum gave a good talk (for 5 minutes or so) on the history of ‘our’ church. Mum was born in the same year that the building was consecrated (1933) with the foundation stone being laid in December 1932. The hymns went well and my contributions to Coe Fen (How shall I sing that majesty) and Lobe Den Herren (Praise to the Lord) also meeting with well done and thanks from Father Desmond and two other visiting ministers. There you see, a great deal of benefit was had by all and all in the name of Christian Fellowship!

There is a 'tradition' of the Collier family being involved with this particular church in Hillingdon, even if I don't perhaps take full advantage of the religions aspects of the services. My Uncle was the main organist for years and only recently reduced the amount of times he plays there, which, unfortunately was not for this get-together. My Dad, my brother and I were all in the choir at some point and Dad even took his turn as Choir-master!

Once again I express my gratitude for being allowed to practice my trumpet in the church - done at various times when all else is quiet which saves annoying the neighbours! In return, I seemingly give 'a bit of a lift' to the Sunday mornings when I contribute to the musical side of things - that's good

 

 

…or mislead anyone that may be more than ‘just passing by’ (with Rolf Harris’ Court of King Caractacus now in my head)

The trip to Aston Abbots was completed ok, with light traffic and pleasant weather most of the way, leaving Mum (and Dad) with her friend for the day. I feel that it is worth pointing out that I drive Dad’s car (which is a 1993 Citroen Xantia with Hydro-pneumatic type suspension) as he is unable to drive these days due to health/leg problems. As noted previously, never mind the Hi Fi, I can’t afford to run a car let alone buy one

It may also appear that I like going to church!

This is purely in a musical capacity as I am neither particularly religious, nor do I hold with the views of (most) Christians. I won’t go on about religion(!) but suffice it to say that I am very grateful to Father Desmond (and the church wardens and ‘staff’) at All Saints for this privilege as without it my trumpet playing would not have improved as much as it has recently. More later, Brekky time…

 

...me that is - I'm wanting to get into s104 so must read the books that are sent for that very purpose!

Yesterday I thought that Hi Fi, rather that being the first, gets dropped from my list as I can't even afford to run a car, let alone buy expensive Hi Fi equipment Was in KJ West One again on Sat (22nd) and Richard was doing the 'post sales bit' - a chap had just come in and ordered a new cartridge which is the bit on the end of the tone-arm that makes contact with the groove; cost approx £2000! Rich later tells me about a lady buying a 'stereo mini jack' to left/right phono cable which would be the sort that plugs into a pc, laptop or digital playing device and connects to your Hi Fi system - this was £350!

These days it all seems rather out of my reach and out of my 'world' even though I enjoy the sounds of excellent Hi Fi systems when I go to the shop. The £8500 Martin Logan speakers were doing a fine job in the (suitably re-arranged) main dem-room

So how about the Science - Pseudo-Science that I have on my list? I initially was looking for definitions and comparisons, but perhaps I'll expand this as s104 kicks in... or may be I won't have the mental capacity

 

Well, safe to say I’m glad that’s done and I'll bet I’m not the only one. Then again, as my first level two module (and only my second module ever) who said it would be easy?

I’m sure I’m not -

I know I’m not -

I’m glad that it is done!

 

Little gems that are hidden,

Away from these casual glances;

Spring to my mind unbidden,

The good book says - take chances.

(… well, mine does anyway!)

So, now that TA212's TMA06 is submitted, I am straight into the EMA which is ok for the essay part (well, sort of) as I play the trumpet and found the relevant parts of this module very helpful. Pride goes before a fall - or is that just one of those 'put down' sayings, hmm? Anyway, before I become a completely insufferable tw*t (erm, well luckily I deleted stuff!) I'd better get on with it

Hi fi tho... and there is lots more too say, but as I offered up to the TA212 forum, I don't want to spread myself too thinly It's hard enough keeping up with the day-to-day stuff, especially living with my parents these days which does have benefits, but unfortunately not for hi fi. 

Never mind Digital Humans being the missing link, as I posed previously, another of my missing links (some would say) appears to be the Olympics OMG. It's so near (to my 'hood) yet so far away (from what I want to be doing or thinking about).

I am, though, offered constant reminders by those nice people at 'tfl' of where to avoid on particular days with the only effect so far likely to be the 4th Aug. This is when I am off to Baker St. tube en-route to where my mate Richard works - the KJ West One Hi Fi shop (I assume 'adverts' are ok here?). Many disruptions are likely for others of course, and it seems that near-by Northolt is the base for the RAF Typhoon aircraft that are on duty for these 'games' "" - noisy!

The good bit? - eh, wot? Oh yes, I've passed the DSE141 module and with a good mark, considering my lack of knowledge 'till last year! On this basis I ought to do well with TA212 (being musical an' all) -  so perhaps had better get on with TMA06...

... so off to Watford soon for the tech parts of TA212's TMA06 and EMA. At least the weather forecast is promising better things, no doubt though it will soon be too hot (for me) with 27/28 degrees indicated for next week!

 

So, when should an on-line relationship be considered as flirting or, more seriously, a threat to ones main off-line (physical) relationship, assuming that there is a physical partner? We tend to portray ourselves in the 'best possible' way when on-line and there is no warts an' all as no one can see us. For love to blossom, we also tend to want the person of our dreams to see us in the 'best possible' way...

As there is a Strong desire to be loved, or at least wanted, should there be a limit as to how we go about getting others to desire or want us? When we meet on a date we like to dress-up in order to impress, this dies off after a while (yes alright, no science here) and there is likely to be an on-line equivalent, I suspect. Would you, yes you, want to 'chat' with someone that can’t spell, or type correct sentences, or make any sense to anyone else (erm, that's me again)? To behave well on-line can take just as much effort and restraint as a physical relationship can.

As I'm not 'fishing' for anyone, just practicing getting my thoughts together, it does not matter (to me) how well I do it, or does it? I will also say the same about me when going out - to the shops for example - why bother dressing up, just in case? I do though want to type and spell proper and make sense - I told you, I'm practicing!

A good number of relationships that started off innocently(?) whilst on-line have  subsequently blossomed into something 'physically' good, but, I wonder, at the expense of whom or what? It is not always negative, as others may testify, and for me, I prefer a bit of this to ‘fishing’ for a .n. other - once bitten etc…

“Hi there, you ok? I was hoping to catch you - have you got time for a chat? You know that Pizza Parlour in the High Street, next to the Crown and Sceptre, well, it’s got new management, and there’s an offer of  £10 discount for the first 100 people that book a dinner for two - are you up for it? My partner is on business at the mo, and I’m going to be bored tomorrow and Saturday. We always seem to get along Soo well when expressing our thoughts to one another… ” And so on, ‘till next time?

 

I have just watched the Transit of Venus, courtesy of BBC's Sky at Night 1 Hour special available on iPlayer.

Wow! - brilliant pictures and also quite humbling....