A week's disappearance and a year's end

This past week has been the longest stretch of inactivity I've experienced on Air Nice-to-Livelands to date. At the end of Christmas Day, my laptop developed a problem and has been out of action since then, although one of my uncles was able to sort it out over the weekend after I left the device at my grandparents' house.

In addition to my laptop's problems, I've been at my girlfriend's house for the past couple of nights and since I've been busy spending time with her, I've not paid much attention to updating my blog.

And so, 2017 ends. For me, this year has broken major ground in that during it, I completed my first year of university, attended a wedding (two, if you include the reception I went to back in July for the first time since California and I started a relationship. As it stands, I am nearly halfway through my time at university.

Happy New Year, everyone; I hope 2018 brings you all much good luck and success.

"Yesterday, When I Was Mad" - Pet Shop Boys

Time for a song that I have loved since the 1990s:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBHjVq3SUXk

It's "Yesterday, When I Was Mad" by the Pet Shop Boys, taken from their album Very. This version of "Yesterday, When I Wad Mad" is the album version of the song, for the video version is significantly different in sound:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS0fsoyrFg4

It wasn't until 2005 when Dad, my brother and I heard the video version but we'd all heard the album version many years before then. We used to play Very a lot when we lived at our second house in California, quite often when certain friends were over to visit.

"Yesterday, When I Was Mad" it not only one of my favourite Pet Shop Boys songs but also remains one of my favourite songs overall. Very itself is probably my favourite album overall, given that I have highly positive impressions of every one of the songs it contains.

Presidential primaries, 2016 - conclusion

The final block of presidential primaries in the United States occurred last night. The Republican nomination has been decided ever since Indiana but the Democrats were still battling it out; however, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders was defeated in four of the six states up yesterday, including in California. He is unable to win his party's nomination after those losses.

I can now reveal that I was supporting Sanders in this election. I made the decision last summer that I would be on his side. His policy positions and my political thoughts are mostly aligned and I think Sanders is a good human being in general; he would have made an excellent president and would have been transformational in a positive sense. While this only cemented my support for him rather than decided it, I have also taken the Isidewith.com presidential quiz and it informed me that I agree with him over 90% of the time (I took the test again tonight and it said 96%, which is a minor improvement from several months ago when it said 95%).

So, yes, I'm most definitely disappointed with this result. I'm also disappointed and furious about the amount of gloating I've observed over the course of the day about his defeats; I consider it to be extremely childish. As for what happens should Sanders leave the race, I'll see what course of action he takes before I support anyone else, assuming I do give any new support.

"What's the Matter" - Milo Greene

Here is a more unusual song that I'd like to share; well, maybe the song itself isn't unusual so much as how I came across it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW8Ie5i9bhY

It's "What's the Matter" by Milo Greene, a Californian band. I discovered the song in late 2014 when my grandfather and I were watching Supernatural - the episode "Bitten" from the eighth season. I took note of some of the lyrics and was sure to Google them later. "What's the Matter" is quite a sad and soft song - it brings back memories of a different time of my life.

Hucknall new houses

When I visited Hucknall on Sunday, I walked to a part of the town that I hadn't been to before nor even knew existed - this housing development:

The development is so new that it shows up on Google Earth as a dirt-track construction site. I did not walk around the development because it was late in the day and I had two bus rides to catch.

The combination of the colour of these houses, the clear sky and the hills in the background briefly caused me to forget what country I was in. I felt a touch of California here.

The county crossing

I wrote/posted this on Facebook earlier and it's good enough to copy here:

"In my travels today, I was unaware that Stapleford is so close to the border than one can simply walk out of Nottinghamshire.

I think this is the first time I've walked (not ridden) out of one British county and into another; the last time I recall walking out of any county was probably from El Dorado (California) into Douglas (Nevada) in 2000 (which was also across state lines)."

Now been nineteen

Nineteen years ago exactly, my family and I arrived in California. We lived in the Golden State - in the Central Valley - for just under five years before we moved to Oregon, which is the state to the north of California. The last time I visited California was in May 2003.

Do I want to visit California again? Certainly. As I've said before, I want to travel to Southern California one day, which means by default I want to go there. I am not certain about when I'll visit the state again - going there is not a priority - but that's not a reason to be pessimistic.

The golf balls

A very long time ago, I used to collect golf balls:

Back when my family and I lived in California, there was a park that we walked to most Sundays. This park was popular with golfers, who would play their games but never pick up after themselves. My brother and I would pick up all the balls we found and bring them home; we amassed a golf ball collection while cleaning the park of what was technically "litter".

The two golf balls in the above picture are the only ones I have left; however, neither of them came from the park. I received them from a neighbor in Oregon. Other than them, I do not collect golf balls anymore; don't get me wrong, golf balls are neat, but I no longer have any need to collect them.

The hockey ball

Here is another part of my sports-related belongings:

It's my (used to be mine and my brother's but came into my full possession) hockey ball. For a short spell during our last year in California, my brother and I went through a phase of wanting to become hockey players; however, we were interested in the financial aspect of hockey rather than the enjoyment of the game. One evening when on the way back from work, Dad dropped in at a sports shop to buy two hockey sticks and this ball, which allowed me and my brother to play street hockey against each other.

While my brother and I ended our hockey phase shortly afterwards, we continued to play street hockey, even playing it for our first couple of years in Oregon. In the end, we donated our hockey sticks but I kept the ball.

My hockey ball is kept in the same place as my baseball. I think Dad bought the hockey ball around the same time that I found the baseball. The hockey ball is scratched and scuffed but is otherwise in good condition; there is no structural reason why it couldn't be used in a game again.

The baseball from the park

Well over a decade ago, I found this baseball at a park in Patterson, California:

It's ironic that I've kept it because I do not know the rules of baseball, nor has baseball ever been an interest of mine. It's more for sentimental reasons that I keep it; after all, baseball is massively popular in the United States, so why not hang on to a piece of that sport?

The baseball has not been used in any game since I've owned it. There is no structural reason why it couldn't be used again, however: It's old and has some minor signs of wear but it's sturdy and intact. It's even somehow managed to retain the smell of "newness". Still, I would prefer for it not to be used again, as I don't want to risk causing any major damage to it.

Mother's Day 2013

Today is Mother's Day in the United Kingdom. Two days ago, Dad surprised Mum by buying her flowers, chocolate and a card early:

This was the first time since we lived in California that my Dad bought Mum flowers. For years, our cats would eat parts of or play with any plants we had; while she misses the cats dearly, Mum appreciated the flowers.

I should note that Dad did this on International Women's Day; while he didn't buy them specifically for that day, I found myself appreciating his timing.

Where is Oregon?

It shouldn't surprise me that people here in the United Kingdom don't know a great deal about geographical locations in the United States. After all, the reverse is true: in my case, had we not made the decision to move back to the UK I would not know the geography of the country.

Still, it does bother me somewhat when people have no idea where Oregon is, or worse, have never even heard of the state. Fortunately, everyone has heard of California and knows where it is located, making it easy to tell people where Oregon is, but Oregon is a state with a significant history - vital to the United States' expansion west to the Pacific Ocean - and it shouldn't have to be cheapened by merely being "the state north of California". It shares a common ancestry with California and Washington, and the three states often work together, but Oregon is still its own state.

Oregon isn't really in the news much either, and when it does I despair that it's often an article about some bizarre behavior from someone, or a tragic event of sorts. Occasionally there is a piece of good news, such as a local hero, but reporting on the positives isn't commonplace.

Which is why I speak highly of the state when explaining it to people! I begin with how magnificent the landscape is, how friendly the people are, and how wonderful the wildlife is. I talk about the little things like the hummingbirds and the obsidian to the mountains and the coastlines. I tell people a little about Oregon's culture, and if they're interested in its history and/or its politics I'm happy to discuss them, too. Last but not least, I recommend it to people who express an interest in visiting the United States.

So, in a nutshell, where and what is Oregon? It's located on the west coast of the United States, just to the north of California; it's full of impressive terrain and great people, with a rich history and various cultures. It's somehow not as well known as its southern and northern neighbors yet it holds just as much significance as them. I haven't lived there for over two years, but it was my home for close to ten years and I love it as much now as I did when I left!

Riding a bike

Dad has spent a few days over the past couple of months giving his bike a large amount of much-needed maintenance. He bought the bike twenty years ago, rode it for work before we moved to the United States and then used it for exercise when we lived in California; when we lived in Oregon he only rode it twice (at most), as the terrain was unsuitable for his bike.

Just before we moved back to the United Kingdom the bike was accidentally left out in the rain, and the water rusted a number of its parts. Fortunately, Dad's recent overhaul replaced any of the affected areas, and the bike's overall frame had little to no damage.

This afternoon Dad rode his bike for the first time in over nine years, and he had little trouble in re-acquainting himself with the controls and balance. He travelled up and down our street a few times before coming back; other than the brakes sticking somewhat Dad said that it was as though the bike was new. He proved that the saying is true: when you learn how to ride a bike you never lose the skill.

Dad riding his bike today made me think how long it's been since I last rode one - over ten years ago. Riding a bike is an excellent source of exercise, but I am already fairly active in that I walk a lot. I definitely think I will ride a bike again, but for now I'm content seeing how happy Dad is with his!

The significance of "Fur the Color of Dark Grey Skies"

Fur the Color of Dark Grey Skies was written in September of 2002, two weeks before I wrote Colors of Tabby. While Colors of Tabby was about our cat Tinker, Fur the Color of Dark Grey Skies was about our Smudge, our other cat. That the title uses both an American-spelt word and a British-spelt word was likely an oversight, but now I think it actually works for the poem.

There are no nonsensical verses for "filler" in Fur the Color of Dark Grey Skies: each line is about a different aspect of Smudge. For example, the title is a reference to his fur, which was a grey color; and "Feral though domestic" refers to the fact that his mother was a feral cat, although Smudge himself was domestic. When we lived in Patterson, California, one of our neighbors came across Smudge's mother and litter in her yard, and she took them inside her house to look after them (the kittens anyway, I am not sure about the mother). All of the kittens were given new homes, and we were the family that received Smudge (and it was my Dad that named him).

Smudge had a different personality to Tinker, but he was still very good-natured and a character; while Tinker was happy to meet people, Smudge would hide in either mine or my brother's bed; it took him time to get to know someone new, but when he did feel comfortable with them coming to our house he would greet and even purr for them. Whenever he was given a brush, it took at least two of us to get the job done (he was a large, strong cat, likely because of Maine Coon ancestry in him); if anything, he preferred being bathed to being brushed. He often came into my room and my brother's, and was happy to sleep on either of our beds. Smudge did not have a near-constant purr: he only purred (and it was more of a "rumble" than a purr) if he was in a really good mood or was on someone's bed or lap. One of his habits involved dipping his paw in water and licking it off himself, and later in life found he preferred fresh water (he would lick the bathtub and its curtains, the sinks after recent use, and drink from cups). As for Tinker and Smudge's relationship, the cats did get on well: they would often play and sleep together, as well as occasionally pull some silly stunt that would either confuse or amuse us.

He died on March 6th, 2009, and would have been thirteen years old that May. As Tinker was dying Smudge had developed a serious problem with his kidneys; the condition was critical, and at his age it would have been very difficult to treat him. We were devastated to lose both our cats within a month of each other; as with Tinker, Smudge's life was happy, long, and eventful.

California rolling

I read a post yesterday by my friend Jessica on her blog about bus rides. I thought the post was great overall, but there was a tiny part of it that caught my eye: the part where she mentioned a "California roll". In this context, Jessica is referring to when a driver slows down to a near-stop at a stop sign, but continues to drive without stopping completely. I know them as "California rolling stops", and although they were illegal in Oregon, we observed that a significant amount of drivers were either unaware or did not care about that being the case.

Inspired by the brief mention in her blog, out of sheer curiosity...and because I rarely hear them said aloud anymore, I decided to research the terms "California roll" and "California rolling stop". I was surprised to learn that in addition to referring to the rolling stop, a "California roll" is also a type of sushi roll filled with crab and avocado; however, it then occurred to me that it should not have been surprising at all: I have never eaten sushi before and do not pay attention towards anything to do with it, and I am used to hearing about rolling stops than a particular type of food. Still, I am pleased to learn a small fact merely from wanting to look up some terminology.

The interesting part here now is that rolling stops only had a small (albeit significant) part of Jessica's post, and food had nothing to do with it whatsoever. Even so, thank you Jessica for your role in my post about California rolls!

In the year...2112 (Part 2)

The second part to my opinions of this article about predictions people had submitted for potential advances by the year 2112. Again for attribution, note that the text highlighted in bold are the submissions themselves, which I have copied from the article. I went over ten of the predictions in my first post, and now I will be covering the remaining ten here:

11. Eighty per cent of the world will have gay marriage
I do not have any problems with this: however, some parts of the world are extremely hostile to gays and lesbians at the moment, and others are still wary of them, but that negative attitude is changing and I am sure the change will accelerate and spread.

12. California will lead the break-up of the US
I am opposed to these ideas of splitting up the United States, and think they are nothing more than jokes, or in some cases mere wishful thinking. By law, no state can declare its independence from the United States on its own accord (see the Supreme Court case Texas v. White), but even if that was not the case, I do not consider it to be in any state's interest to attempt to break up the Union. In the case of California, the only times I have seen its independence or its own splitting up be suggested are by people either with a grudge against the state or those who disagree with it politically (of which I think neither are good reasons for it to secede). I would also be very surprised if Congress ever approved a state's secession, now or in the future.

13. Space elevators will make space travel cheap and easy
I have always been unsure about space elevators: while I accept that technology does change and advance, I have wondered how such incredibly tall structures would even stand up, and get through the atmosphere...not to mention the danger of something hitting the elevator above the ground but below space, or of the elevator snapping outright from stress. I think I would prefer to travel to space on a ship.

14. Women will be routinely impregnated by artificial insemination rather than by a man
I respect and support that a woman should have control over her own reproductive rights, but I do not understand why pregnancy through artificial means would become commonplace just for the sake of itself. I can see why single women, older women, and women in relationships with other women would need to do this, but unless the world decides to enter an incredibly anti-sex period, I think most people will still choose to reproduce via sexual intercourse if they do not need any assistance with reproduction.

15. There will be museums for almost every aspect of nature, as so much of the world's natural habitat will have been destroyed
Actually, I hope that by then attitudes have changed so that everyone is doing their part to protect the environment...therefore ensuring that museums to honour the extinct wildlife and habitats do not come to be. Harming the environment does harm us in the long run, so it is in the best interests of all people to preserve nature.

16. Deserts will become tropical forests
I would support restoring forests that have been lost to expanding deserts, but I would oppose replacing the deserts altogether: places such as the Sahara, Mojave, and the Gobi all have their own ecosystems that should be preserved. By all means, recover places overrun by desertification, but still allow the deserts to remain.

17. Marriage will be replaced by an annual contract
I am a strong supporter of marriage: my parents are married, my father's parents are married, my mother's parents were married until one of them died, and I have friends whose parents are married; I have been fortunate to celebrate a couple's 50th wedding anniversary (twice!), and am looking forward to celebrating a couple's 50th anniversary this year. A couple here in the United Kingdom even recently celebrated their 86th wedding anniversary.

Marriage is about love and commitment, and I fear that replacing marriage with renewable contracts would turn it into a commodity and a convenience, rather than something genuinely treasured by both partners. I am aware that divorce can be painful, but changing marriage in this way would hurt people who do make their relationships work. While these are only predictions, this one does contradict 11. much further above: gays and lesbians want equal marriage rights, and I think that replacing/doing away with marriage would be a large step backwards for everyone.

18. Sovereign nation states will cease to exist and there will be one world government
I do not think this would be a bad thing as long as the said government is similar to the Federation government in the Star Trek universe rather than like the one in 1984. I think at the very least there will be much greater cooperation between governments in the future and much less prejudice among people overall.

19. War by the West will be fought totally by remote control
I think it would be infinitely more preferable if there were no wars fought at all, regardless of the means used to fights them. Again, I think there will be more cooperation in the world, and therefore no war.

20. Britain will have had a revolution
What can I really say about this one? Any nation could have a revolution between now at the year 2112, so I would not single any out.

----

To be honest, I do not think the future can really be predicted that accurately: forty years ago it was predicted that we would have eliminated poverty and crime, built colonies on the Moon and developed warp drive by now, but sadly, these have not yet come true. We can give rough estimates based on current and past technology and human behaviour, but nothing exact. As for me, I merely hope for a more positive future for humanity and a more peaceful world: the advanced technologies will come when they come.

That concludes Part 2 of my posts on the Twenty top predictions for life 100 years from now article. I would again like to thank the people who submitted their predictions to the magazine, and I would also like to say that I hope I did not come across as dismissive to any that I disagreed with: I appreciate that the submissions were likely all done in good-faith. 

If anyone has any comments on what I have had to say, I welcome the input. I am open to discussing my opinions, and to changing my mind.

My daily decoration

I promise that this will be my last Christmas decoration-related post for a while! Anyway, soon after I wrote this post and this one, it occurred to me that I do have a Christmas decoration out all year: a snow globe.

For as long as I have had this globe (going back years, although my family owned it back when we were living in California), it has never been put away (barring moves). I have always had it either on a shelf, a bookcase, or a window ledge. In fact, the only time it was put away for a significant amount of time was, not surprisingly, when it was packed for the move to the United Kingdom.

One could say that it is difficult to put a snow globe away because of their fragility, but with some practise, packing one can be easy and storage/moving damage to the globe can be avoided. This globe has been out for such a long period of time that it is no longer a Christmas decoration, but rather, an item that belongs in my room. I am fond of my snow globe, although it is battered in parts and I am worried about it breaking.

Another one of my jokes (6)

This was a joke I wrote for Christmas 2008:

"In what California city do the people do lots of cooking in open grass spaces? Bakersfield."

You have probably noticed by now that the jokes I have posted on my blog are stated as being written at Christmas: this is because nearly all of my jokes have been for past Christmastimes...very few of my jokes were thought of during other times of the year.

The Oregon move

The last two posts have been move-related, and it seems I am now going to post another one! Anyway, it is now eleven years to the date that my family and I moved from Patterson, California to Medford, Oregon. I can remember us being excited about getting to see a new state (at that point, my brother and I had only lived in California and visited Nevada), although we were also saddened about leaving California, a place that had been our home for close to five years.

It was sunny and clear along the stretch of the I-5 from the Modesto area all the way up to the Rogue Valley. We had set off early, before 9:00am, and made it to Medford probably about around 5:00 in the evening, as I remember it being close to sunset when we arrived. We encountered few if any delays on our way up, and we did not rush the journey at all. It was exciting to see the "Welcome to Oregon" sign, and it was at that point that we knew the drive up was almost over: within a day we had gone from living in a valley and having mountain ranges on either side of us to actually living in the mountains...I will not forget the first time we saw our house.

To think how long ago that all happened: we did not expect that ten years on from that day we would then be getting used to living in a new country again (well, technically the old country, but the sheer amount of time we lived in the United States, plus the fact my brother and I grew up there, makes the United Kingdom seem like a totally different country). No, I am not complaining here...merely reflecting on the past and thinking about what has changed and what is still the same from back then.

Coincidentally, we met an American today, though she was not from Oregon (Tennessee, in fact). We have actually met several Americans since being back in the United Kingdom, but I did find it interesting to meet one on the anniversary of our Oregon move.

Buying the house

It was about eleven years ago when we purchased our house in Oregon. I remember the moment Mum told my brother and I that we had bought the house and that our move to a new state was imminent (neither my brother or I had been to Oregon at that point). It is hard to believe how long ago the move from California to Oregon was...it seems like it was yesterday.