I know it's still 2 months away (August 21st or something), but AOL Journals are quietly approaching their first lustrum, i.e. their 5th anniversary. At present, I'm not actively involved in J-land, so I'm just putting the baton on the counter and hope someone picks it up.
Saturday, 28 June 2008
Thursday, 26 June 2008
Stripped
of all credibility, decency and even his honorary knighthood. Cannot resist putting up this topical video of his rooms. Whose? Oh well, all shall be revealed. No, I haven't returned to blogging as before, but this story plumbs ever deeper depths of depravity. Code word: 1,000,000% inflation.
Friday, 13 June 2008
Acknowledgements
I have just pushed out over 100 emails to J-landers, and this entry is to reach those I missed by email. This message is to acknowledge the condolences, sympathy and support from J-landers following the sudden death of my mother 6 weeks ago, on May 1st. Everybody's contributions certainly helped to make a very difficult situation bearable in those early days. J-land has shown itself to be a caring community, which I have always believed to be its strong point.
I sincerely hope all are well, or as well as can be under the circumstances. I do intend to return to blogging, but you'll have to watch this journal for updates.
I am currently blogging on my journal from Holland called The Shell Gallery. However, I am not active in J-land (with a few exceptions), and do not respond to comments from that journal. Do feel free to call round though.
I sincerely hope all are well, or as well as can be under the circumstances. I do intend to return to blogging, but you'll have to watch this journal for updates.
I am currently blogging on my journal from Holland called The Shell Gallery. However, I am not active in J-land (with a few exceptions), and do not respond to comments from that journal. Do feel free to call round though.
Thursday, 29 May 2008
Exception
Well, I had to point to this story. It made me ill. In August 2006, a group of army cadets set out on Loch Carnan, South Uist, in winds of force 7. A boat overturned and all but one was saved. The 14th was not found until 45 minutes later, drowned under an upturned boat. The fatal accident inquiry is hearing harrowing and shocking evidence. Read more here, but heed my warning.
Monday, 26 May 2008
Header entry
I am posting this entry to reiterate that this journal remains suspended, as are my activities in J-land. Northern Trip will resume if and when I return to Lewis.
On May 1st, 2008, I lost my mother (as earlier entries indicate), and I am currently in Holland, coming to terms with my loss and supporting my family where possible. I am writing a diary-type journal called The Shell Gallery, using the screenname Veluweman. Feel free to come over and leave a comment.
On May 1st, 2008, I lost my mother (as earlier entries indicate), and I am currently in Holland, coming to terms with my loss and supporting my family where possible. I am writing a diary-type journal called The Shell Gallery, using the screenname Veluweman. Feel free to come over and leave a comment.
Sunday, 18 May 2008
Orkney & Shetland pictures
I have scanned in the last pictures of my 2004 journey through the Northern Isles of Scotland. I link to the relevant entries in Northern Trip - The Start, and thence on to Flickr.
Thursday, 15 May 2008
Pictures
Well, many thanks for the compliments on my photography. I guess it's a combination of being in a pretty environment and having an eye for the right scene. Mind you, there are plenty of horrible places in Holland as well as in Scotland, but then I'd never picture them.
Photo updates - Orkney
I spent 4 weeks in that archipelago, and have started to work my way through a fair collection of pictures, about 100. The first two days can be viewed through the usual process. Follow the link to the diary entry, thence another link to the pictures on Flickr.
Wednesday, 14 May 2008
Tuesday, 13 May 2008
Photo updates
I am currently catching up with pictures from 2004, when I started Northern Trip as a true journey through Northern Scotland. I have put photos on Flickr, from the following dates. Please note the link takes you to the diary entry of that day (on Northern Trip - The Start), where a separate link takes you to the pictures on Flickr. You may want to open the journal in 2 windows (just a tech hint), lest you keep jumping back and forth.
14 August
15 August
8 October
9 October
10 October
11 October
12 October
20 October
22 October
23 October
24 October
25 October
26 October
27 October
28 October
29 October
30 October
31 October
Friday, 9 May 2008
Thank you all
Just want to take the opportunity to once more thank all who went to the bother to comment in recent times, in excess of more than 100 all told. I am currently not blogging, and neither am I replying to emails. I do check emails, hence the post here.
I am currently in Holland. The funeral went as well as could be, but the emotion remains raw. Whether I shall remain here, or return to Lewis is totally undecided. If anything, it's too blinking hot here. Not used to 80F...
If anyone is interested in more Scottish pictures, please check out the pictures on my Flickr account. I am in the process of scanning 250 pictures from the start of Northern Trip, and the first 90 are there now. More to come, keep an eye on Flickr.
Monday, 5 May 2008
Monday
Very nice and warm here in Stornoway, everybody is outside (except for me at the moment). Will make final preparations for tomorrow's journey later this evening. Plane is at 8.30 am, so will have to be at airport even earlier. Hope that formalities are sorted quickly, after which I can organise onward transport.
I hope to return to Stornoway at some point in the future - whether that be soon or late I cannot tell at this point. Neither can I tell whether I'll resume blogging on here or on the alternate journal (The Shell Gallery).
I wish all well, and special thoughts to those coping with a bereavement of their own.
I hope that those of you who are coping with ill health yourselves or in the family will soon find an improvement.
Bye for now,
I hope to return to Stornoway at some point in the future - whether that be soon or late I cannot tell at this point. Neither can I tell whether I'll resume blogging on here or on the alternate journal (The Shell Gallery).
I wish all well, and special thoughts to those coping with a bereavement of their own.
I hope that those of you who are coping with ill health yourselves or in the family will soon find an improvement.
Bye for now,
Sunday, 4 May 2008
Sunday
I may make one or two posts before I head off early on Tuesday.
Although my alerts are off, I was checking a few journals on Technorati, and found that Kathy [onestrangecat] lost her mom yesterday, May 3rd. I know what she is going through, please call round. I'm very sad for her, and worried.
I am deeply moved by the tributes to myself on various journals, as well as the 100-odd comments on previous posts, as well as on Call for Support.
I shall be very sad to leave the Isle of Lewis which has been my home for the past 3½ years. You can access some of the work I've been doing from my website, www.adb422006.com.
Although my alerts are off, I was checking a few journals on Technorati, and found that Kathy [onestrangecat] lost her mom yesterday, May 3rd. I know what she is going through, please call round. I'm very sad for her, and worried.
I am deeply moved by the tributes to myself on various journals, as well as the 100-odd comments on previous posts, as well as on Call for Support.
I shall be very sad to leave the Isle of Lewis which has been my home for the past 3½ years. You can access some of the work I've been doing from my website, www.adb422006.com.
Saturday, 3 May 2008
No need to comment
Please place on alerts (if you want of course) my new journal The Shell Gallery. It'll be a while before I start making entries - if I decide I want to continue blogging.
Thursday, 1 May 2008
Thank you
Although I've turned off alerts (save comments alerts), I have read the many messages by email and comments, also on Call for Support, in sympathy and compliment.
Just want to let y'all know that I'm touched. I cannot look into the future, but if you want, you can keep my alert open.
I'll continue to monitor emails until (probably) Monday.
Just want to let y'all know that I'm touched. I cannot look into the future, but if you want, you can keep my alert open.
I'll continue to monitor emails until (probably) Monday.
Suspended
I know this will come as an unexpected announcement and a shock, but I am having to suspend this blog until further notice, due to a bereavement in close family. I'll email the group with further details. I do not know when or if I'll be resuming this journal.
I am also going to turn off alerts by the end of today, again with the same proviso - I do not know if I'll be able to return to J-land.
As the eventual answer could well be negative, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all for welcoming me into a wonderful community.
The Call for Support journal will remain available.
All the best,
Guido
I am also going to turn off alerts by the end of today, again with the same proviso - I do not know if I'll be able to return to J-land.
As the eventual answer could well be negative, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all for welcoming me into a wonderful community.
The Call for Support journal will remain available.
All the best,
Guido
Thursday 1 May
Labour Day today (please note the spelling), which used to be marked with marches with red flags, plenty of military ironware and patriotic or socialist sing-songs along tree-lined streets in Eastern Europe. That all fell silent 20 years ago. Only China still engages in that rigmarole.
May 1st is Beltane, the ancient start of summer, marked in Celtic Europe. Winter is over (is it?), the beasts can go to pasture and the evenings have already grown very long.
It's an overcast day today, and rain is possible.
May 1st is Beltane, the ancient start of summer, marked in Celtic Europe. Winter is over (is it?), the beasts can go to pasture and the evenings have already grown very long.
It's an overcast day today, and rain is possible.
Wednesday, 30 April 2008
Hurricane update - 30 April
Tropical cyclone Nargis is heading for Myanmar (Burma), and will reach that country's west coast on May 2nd, Friday, with winds at category 1 strength, that's up to 80 mph. Landfall is expected northwest of the capital, Yangon (Rangoon), probably near the resort of Sandoway.
Tomorrow is 1 May, and we're within weeks of the Atlantic hurricane season. In some years, the first tropical system can occur in the first weeks of May, so if you're in Hurricane Alley: BE PREPARED.
Tomorrow is 1 May, and we're within weeks of the Atlantic hurricane season. In some years, the first tropical system can occur in the first weeks of May, so if you're in Hurricane Alley: BE PREPARED.
Mr LSD is dead
Albert Hoffman has died in Basel, Switzerland, at the age of 102.
He discovered LSD (lysergic acid diethylamine) in 1938. He was experimenting with a crop-fungus, called Claviceps Purpurea. This forms so-called ergots on wheat and related plant species.
In the Middle Ages, people would eat rye-bread, made from infected rye, and it would send them mad. It was referred to as St Anthony's Fire.
Hoffman discovered the hallucinogenic properties of LSD, when he accidentally ingested some his invention. He described the effect as: "Everything I saw was distorted as in a warped mirror". LSD causes hallucinations, which may recur even after ingesting only a single dose.
Derivatives of lysergic acid are used in medicines, such as older migraine preparations (ergotamine) and in obstetrics (ergometrine), to prevent bleeding.
He discovered LSD (lysergic acid diethylamine) in 1938. He was experimenting with a crop-fungus, called Claviceps Purpurea. This forms so-called ergots on wheat and related plant species.
In the Middle Ages, people would eat rye-bread, made from infected rye, and it would send them mad. It was referred to as St Anthony's Fire.
Hoffman discovered the hallucinogenic properties of LSD, when he accidentally ingested some his invention. He described the effect as: "Everything I saw was distorted as in a warped mirror". LSD causes hallucinations, which may recur even after ingesting only a single dose.
Derivatives of lysergic acid are used in medicines, such as older migraine preparations (ergotamine) and in obstetrics (ergometrine), to prevent bleeding.
Contrasting Queens
This is an adjusted repost from an entry I did on 30 April 2007.
This month, April, sees the official and biological birthdays of two of Europe's Queens, and I'd like to contrast them, as contrast they do.
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [...], was born on 21 April 1926. She celebrates her birthday in private, with no public ceremony. On the second Saturday of June, the ceremony of Trooping the Colour is taken at Horseguard's Parade in central London. Until 1987, the Queen would take the parade on horseback, but her advanced age has excused her from that now: she takes it seated in a carriage. There is a whole website dedicated to the ceremony, which I would like to link to.
Queen Elizabeth II will be on the throne until her death. Prince Charles is next in line for the throne, but there are voices of doubt within the UK, whether he should give way to his eldest son, Prince William.
Her Majesty, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands was on born on 31 January 1938. She too celebrates her birthday in private, but a public ceremony takes place on 30 April. Her mother, the late Princess Juliana (who was Queen between 1948 and 1980), had her birthday on that day. Juliana had the people come to her palace at the town of Soestdijk, east of Amsterdam, for a file-past. Beatrix decided to come to the people. Each year in her reign (she ascended the Orange throne 28 years ago) she visits two towns in one of the twelve provinces in the Netherlands, with a clutter of relatives in tow. Public festivities are laid on in all towns in the country. Read more here.
I foresee Queen Beatrix abdicating, like her mother did, to make way for her eldest son, Willem Alexander. He is 41 this year. Beatrix was 42 when she ascended the throne in 1980.
This month, April, sees the official and biological birthdays of two of Europe's Queens, and I'd like to contrast them, as contrast they do.
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [...], was born on 21 April 1926. She celebrates her birthday in private, with no public ceremony. On the second Saturday of June, the ceremony of Trooping the Colour is taken at Horseguard's Parade in central London. Until 1987, the Queen would take the parade on horseback, but her advanced age has excused her from that now: she takes it seated in a carriage. There is a whole website dedicated to the ceremony, which I would like to link to.
Queen Elizabeth II will be on the throne until her death. Prince Charles is next in line for the throne, but there are voices of doubt within the UK, whether he should give way to his eldest son, Prince William.
Her Majesty, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands was on born on 31 January 1938. She too celebrates her birthday in private, but a public ceremony takes place on 30 April. Her mother, the late Princess Juliana (who was Queen between 1948 and 1980), had her birthday on that day. Juliana had the people come to her palace at the town of Soestdijk, east of Amsterdam, for a file-past. Beatrix decided to come to the people. Each year in her reign (she ascended the Orange throne 28 years ago) she visits two towns in one of the twelve provinces in the Netherlands, with a clutter of relatives in tow. Public festivities are laid on in all towns in the country. Read more here.
I foresee Queen Beatrix abdicating, like her mother did, to make way for her eldest son, Willem Alexander. He is 41 this year. Beatrix was 42 when she ascended the throne in 1980.
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