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If you don't want to know the answer to this then don't read this yet.

So the three options I gave you were these:

1. I melted all my toe nails and burnt my feet while walking on hot coals incorrectly.

2. I was once in an episode of Gardeners World where I talked about seed trays and pumpkins.

3. Years ago I abseiled down the side of the Birmingham Hippodrome to raise money for charity.

The coals were laid out and before we walked across we had a lesson from the instructor. This involved walked the same distance as the length of coals and placing out feet down as we would on the coals, and also walking at the correct speed. We must have done this about thirty odd times before he told us the "secret" of the coals.

"Ash doesn't conduct heat which is why it doesn't burn," he said.
"Chuh, yeah right!" came various different replies.
"It gets warm and you'll feel the heat from the hot coals underneath but the ash will not burn you as long as you walk how you've been shown."

He talked some more and convinced us this was true and then finally the time came for us to do it and even worse I was only third in the line. The man in front of the lady in front of me walked across and at the other end he turned and smiled and we all applauded. I'd winced the entire time he was walking along the coals but he'd shown no signs of pain. The lady in front of me took her turn. She "oohed" and "ahhhed" a little but at the end she jumped up and down and screamed to her applause from us.

I took a step forward and could really feel the heat coming off the coals. My foot tentatively hung over my first step and down it went on to the coals.

"Keep moving!" he shouted.

But I just stood there wondering why it was actually getting hotter given that I was told the ash shouldn't burn.

"KEEP MOVING OR YOU'LL BURN!" he shouted again, "LIKE WE PRACTISED!"

And as he said that I started running. Well not so much running but walking faster than we were shown. Not only was I going faster that I was supposed to but I wasn't putting my feet down properly either and ended up jamming my toes into the coals. I carried on running, pressing into the coals with my feet until eventually I jumped off onto the sand and soil either side of the hot path. Two people cam rushing over, one with a bucket of water, and I could hear someone else calling an ambulance. The pain was intense and my feet were black. Suffice to say I ended up in A&E and had to spend two nights in the hospital during which time time they removed my melted toe nails and bandage up my feet.

My toe nails grew back but at funny angles. Most of them grown down into my toes but my little ones grow up towards the sky and it's only been these last four or five years that they're starting to sort themselves out. I have parts of my feet that have feeling and I'm not ticklish either.

So, that story tells you that number one is true.

At the age of thirteen when we had to choose our options at school I took Rural Studies. My only two reasons for doing this was that it meant you got to go to the Royal Show every year and that Mr. Salt was the schools best teacher! One day I got called to the headmasters office, along with a few other pupils, and while waiting outside we worked out that the only think we had in common is that we were all doing Rural Studies. Finally we got called into his office and told that our teacher, Mr. Salt, had written to Gardeners World to tell them how great our gardens and projects were and he'd picked our specific projects to go ahead and be filmed when they turned up the following month. I ending up talking about how I'd started off my pumpkins in seed trays and then planted them out in the garden with various protective devices to save it from flies and insects. Hopefully at the end of the year I'd be able to determine which was the best protection. As it was I had an accident and ended up on crutches for around twenty weeks and couldn't get down to the gardens to sort them out. No one else did anything as they were too busy with their own projects and Mr. Salt was sadly too late to sort it as he thought the others were looking after it. He was very apologetic and and he was the kind of teacher that would actually feel guilty over it. In the end I passed Rural Studies with a C and I've still no idea how as I hated the subject in reality.

If number two is true then is means number three is a lie.

Well it is a lie, but only part of it.

I did do a charity abseil but it was down the side of Sandwell Hospital and not the Birmingham Hippodrome. I've also done one down a cliff in Kidderminster. I think I'm too fat (and gay) to do one now.

So there you have it. Three was the lie. Sort of.

As seen here.

Here are three statements. One of them is a lie. Can you guess which one?

(Brad you're not allowed to enter)

1. I melted all my toe nails and burnt my feet while walking on hot coals incorrectly.

2. I was once in an episode of Gardeners World where I talked about seed trays and pumpkins.

3. Years ago I abseiled down the side of the Birmingham Hippodrome to raise money for charity.

There you go. Which is the lie?

P.S. There is still time to get your free cd. Click here if you don't know what I'm talking about.

I'm still trying to finalise the track listing. It's not as easy as it might sound.

There are so many tracks I want to put on that I've decided I'll be sending out more than one cd. I might do one a month. If you've emailed me at iwouldlikeacdplease@gmail.com then you don't need to do it again... although some of you forgot to include an address... I shall mention no names.

It'll be posted sometime next week so I do hope you're not sitting waiting for it.

If you'd like to suggest themes for the next few CD's feel free.

If you've no idea what I'm talking about go here or just email me at iwouldlikeacdplease@gmail.com with your name and address.

Right, time to actually finish it while Bert goes and fetches us a Chinese!

There are certain bloggers on here that may need to read some of the following. Thankfully none of them are on my friends list!

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Stalking is a term used to describe unwanted attention by individuals (and sometimes groups of people) to others. Stalking behaviors are related to harassment and intimidation. The word "stalking" is used, with some differing meanings, in psychology and also in some legal jurisdictions as a term for a criminal offence. It may also be used to refer to criminal offences or civil wrongs that include conduct which some people consider to be stalking, such as those described in law as "harassment" or similar terms

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In Internet slang, a troll is someone who posts controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum or chat room, with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.

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Attention is the cognitive process of selectively concentrating on one aspect of the environment while ignoring other things. Examples include listening carefully to what someone is saying while ignoring other conversations in a room (the cocktail party effect) or listening to a cell phone conversation while driving a car. Attention is one of the most intensely studied topics within psychology and cognitive neuroscience.

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Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, manic depressive disorder or bipolar affective disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated mood clinically referred to as mania or, if milder, hypomania. Individuals who experience manic episodes also commonly experience depressive episodes or symptoms, or mixed episodes in which features of both mania and depression are present at the same time. These episodes are usually separated by periods of "normal" mood, but in some individuals, depression and mania may rapidly alternate, known as rapid cycling.

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English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England. As a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and of the United States since the mid 20th century, it has become the lingua franca in many parts of the world. It is used extensively as a second language and as an official language in Commonwealth countries and many international organizations.

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All that is on Wikipedia so it must be true!

Now fuck off!

It truly has been a bit of a shitty year so far.

Even ignoring all four deaths there has been enough bad news to last a life time and it never seems to end, even today more bad news comes and even though she tries to put a brave face on things my mother really isn't coping. I can tell from the crack in her voice as she talks. Father has said he cannot go to the hospital anymore as coming out upsets him. This has been going on since January with a friend of theirs. Even though he says he can't go he still does. Every week. What is going to hurt them both even more is that when this friend dies, which could happen any moment, it'll be on the news and my mother will have to watch it. Not because the television is broke and stuck on and on one channel but because she'll feel as though she has to. She'll read any newspaper clipping and she'll cut them out and save them. She has a secret box which we all no one knows about with certain items in it. Clippings will end up in there and once the funeral is over she'll never look in it again until the next time something sad happens and even then it'll only be opened to put more things in, never to take things out and never to have anything read.

I can't grieve anymore as there is no part of me left that has anything left to give. I cannot go into mourning and to be honest the mood I'm getting in to over all this means I'd refuse to anyway.

Instead I'm being positive about things.

To this end I'm offering you all a gift. The gift of music. A while back Brad did a post where he asked people to send him cd's of music that they liked to try and introduce him to some new artistes and music and he got some wonderful replies. I'm offering you the exact opposite.

I'm going to create a CD of music I like and would like to send you out a copy. To do this you'll have to give me your name and address. Email me at iwouldlikeacdplease@gmail.com with your name and address and I'll post you a CD of music. Don't panic, it won't be angry stuff, it will be a myriad of various musical tastes.

After it's been done and sent out I'll be writing a post about it here so you can listen and read along and see why I've picked those songs. There will be a lovely cover design by me which I've no doubt will be reminiscent of when I used to host a radio show. You'll understand that when you see the CD.

So if you'd like one... it's free... all you need to do is email me at iwouldlikeacdplease@gmail.com.

 

Twas on the Blogship Lollipop that the captain set a challenge.  Go here and look and then take part!  Go on!  You know you wanna!

"Come Dine With Me" - Captains Challenge

My Four Guests
I'm not going to tell you why but I'd love to hear why you think why ;)

Immanuel Kant
Freddie Hubbard
Clara Twomlow
Isabella Rossellini

My Menu
I am assuming that my guests have already told me that they're not allergic to anything and have no major dislikes.

Aperitifs & Canapés upon entry and before dinner.

Starter
Salmon Mousse served on a bed of lettuce and chopped peppers with an accompaniment of new potatoes wrapped in Palma ham and then slow roasted and served with a sweet chilli sauce.

Main Course
Roast Chicken stuffed with an onion, sage and apple stuffing served with a selection seasonal vegetables and hassleback potatoes.

Dessert
Four individual "bite-sized" desserts comprising of a traditional sherry trifle, lemon meringue, orange cheesecake and a chocolate & beetroot brownie.

Chinese Tea to end the evening.

The Table Setting & Theme
The table would be set with all appropriate cutlery and condiments along with a jug of iced water, a bottle of red wine and a bottle of white wine.

There would be no theme as such as I often think these things can go horribly wrong but the evening would be elegant but simple.  A refined night with gentle conversation, a relaxed mood and stylish background music.

Why I'd Win
I am and would be the perfect host.  My guests all compliment each other and are all people who I know I'd be friends with given then opportunity.

 

This story utterly amazed me!

A Michigan man has come forward claiming to be Stephen Damman, the 2-year-old boy who disappeared over 50 years ago after his mother left him and his sister alone outside a Long Island, NY bakery.

According to Lt. Kevin Smith of the Nassau County Police, in the 1950s, it was not uncommon for young mothers to leave their children outside when grocery shopping.

An 81-year-old woman who had young children during that time told the Associated Press, “They [children] would all be lined up outside the supermarket. We never worried. We never thought about it.”

On Halloween in 1955, Marilyn Damman entered a Long Island bakery leaving her 2-year-old son, Stephen and 7-month-old daughter, Pamela outside with a stroller.  Ten minutes later, Marilyn came out of the bakery and could not find the stroller or her children.  Around the corner she found the stroller with only her daughter inside.

Over 2,000 people assisted in the search for Stephen for 28 hours, after which the county’s assistant chief inspector, Leslie W. Pearsall, called off the search.  According to The New York Times, Pearsall decided the case should be left up to police detectives.

The Associated Press reported the family received a ransom note in Nov.  A public plea was made to the kidnappers, which emphasized Stephen's anemia and his need for medication.

Authorities are awaiting DNA tests to determine if the man who claims to be the missing boy is actually Stephen.

According to an official inside the investigation, the man believes he never fit in with his family and began searching missing person cases around the country.

Stephen’s father, Jerry Damman, 78, said “it’s very possible” the Michigan man could be his son and believes the man paid him a visit last fall.

The man approached the Nassau County Police and federal authorities over the past few months.  The man’s name has not been released.

 

 

 

Copied, stolen and plagiarised from here and here.

Looking at him as a child and an adult there is a likeness.  How would you approach your supposed parents with this?  "Mommy did you kidnap me in the 50's?"  It makes me wonder how many other adults are out there that are part of a family they don't really belong to.  It also makes me think about the nature and nurture argument.  Does this man have any personality traits of his real father or of the father that raised him?  Or both?  The nature ad nurture argument has always intrigued me.

 

So Saturday there I was sat at the top of the stairs playing with Eddie & Hille (our dogs).

I was gently rolling a ball off the top of the stairs and they were running after it. Sometimes I wasn't dropping it at all.

So one second I'm holding on to the ball and the next I spin my arm round to hurl it somewhere and bash my hand off our lovely wrought iron bannister. It's a feature of the house - or so the details say - personally I'd prefer solid oak like the Duggans but you can't have everything.

My finger swells up and I jump around the house, eyes weeping, sucking air through my teeth and generally making noises like a beach ball with an intermittent leak. Apparently these are the things that take pain away.

Ten minutes later I can't actually feel my finger, it's bigger than usual, and I can't bend it.

An hour or so later and it was still painful but not broken.

Come the next morning it was still a bit stiff... oooh err.. but not a problem.

Monday it was virtually pain free and this morning it felt a lot better.

Until today.

So at work, like a complete and utter twat, I trapped my finger in a heavy fire door. I felt and heard the crunch and know for a fact that this time it's broken.

Joy of fucking joys.

I shouted "cunt" rather loudly which made it feel a bit better.

I've taken the strapping off for now as it's a pain in the hole but I'm sure I'll put it back on at some point.

Fuck it!

Four times now I've written and deleted a blog entry.

FUCK IT!

So very pissed off right now!

Every day since Mom rang and told me about Ashley I've cried. Sometimes it's been a little sniffle, a few tears then a big sniff and everything going back to normal very quickly, but then other times it's a big sob with my shoulders bobbing up and down. This morning it was the latter.

Now I'm not one of those people that believes in holding back my emotions. If I want to cry I'll cry and I don't care who sees it.

Usually when I'm faced with the death of someone close I'll have a big cry, then a couple of little ones, I'll go through the grieving process and then I start to rebuild. That is not happening this time.

I've tried to work out why and the only answer I can come up with is that this last six (possibly even twelve) have been filled with sadness and death. In the last six months I've lost four people I've either been close to or grown up with. One of which was both and also a year younger than me.

I am not coping well with any of this.

I know death is all a part of life and I know it happens to us all, but why is it happening so frequently around me. It's making it more and more difficult to deal with.

It's also making me nervous of answering the phone when my mother calls!

As a fluent German speaker, only discovered during our trip to Berlin, I have decided to do my first entry about the Berlin Blog Meet (Berliner Bloggen Metten) in German.

Here goes!

Oh... by the way... in the entry I'm ignoring the trip from Galway to Dublin and the flight to Berlin I wasn't in Germany and didn't know I could speak German at this point!

Da Thurstag Frau Soy, Herr Scoobs und I gotten metted at das Schonefeld Tubenwingedcomeundgo by Herr Ramps und Frau Mon. Quicked wheeledstoppenstarten trip den da Understoppenstarten groupen arrivenhoff Hotel Du Rampage.

Lateronenhoff du grouppen eated di besht dooner kebab mit cluck-cluck meaten und ovenhoff vegeatbles.

Un grossen drinken mit alcohoff in da platzbrewenbeer und munched goulash souppen den da beddenbyes und de sleepenhoffen.

Da sunnenuppen da Fritag, kaffee dranken de grouppen footstepped to metten Frau Mala da Tegel Tubenwingedcomeundgo. Frau Mala quicksteppened oot Tubenwingedcomeundgo und flingarmsround der grouppen mit slurp-lippen. Brekkeneated de Beatnik Bohemian Cafe das fruitten mit milkensolid mit meatten mit cluck-cluck baba mit salat ... verre happus!

Droppen Frau Mala baggagenhoff a Hotel Du Rampage der grouppen quickstepped Berliner du Bloggen Grossen Milkensolid Hoffice. Der de grouppen metted Frau und Herr Sula, Frau Murphymole, Frau La_Spice, Frau AntLady, Herr Notbob und staffenslaven a Bloggen Herr cYzzie und Herr Florian. Downensmile Frau Gilrean da invisble! Frau La_Spice und Herr Rampage pacen forthundback braining way to contactenhoff Frau Gilrean. Electrowhizzymail checked, biggen webben checken, bloggen webben checked - downensmile. Frau La_Spice readen electrowhizzymail getten callanywhere digitten! - Uppensmile! Zero personnenhoff talky-talken a callanywhere. - Grossen downensmile. Talky-talken mit grouppen, mit grossen groupen und downensmile. Choicen grossen grouppen biggen signage a bloggen hoffice. Grouppen downensmile. Grouppen quickensteppen da pizzahaus to metten Frau Grit. Alcohoff drunken der biggen groupen eatedmunchen der grossen pizza und pastas den quickensteppened du beerhaus mit more alcohoff!

Saturtag der grouppen metten da Alexanderplatz. Darkenhoffnight previousen der grouppen agreenodded der metten da fountainenhoff. Slappenforehead der ist triple fountainenhoff a Alexanderplatz! Muchen talken und Herr Rampage mit gooden sightensockets finded gonnen memberhoff! Groupen togehter a furst timen mit grossen grossen uppensmile! Quickensteppen circulator Berliner mit Herr Scoobs a tourenhoffenguide mit grossen information a Berliner!

Sunnendown grossen groupen metten eatenscoffplatz unter der surfacestoppenstarten. Grouppen waited longenhoff but der flannkuchen mit whitenhoffen vino vas der besht!

Un quickensteppen der strasse Frau La_Spice, Frau MurphyMole, Frau Soy, Frau Mala, Herr Scoobs, Frau Gil, Herr Notbob und Herr Me dranken cocktails und bierre den un quicken ridenhoff un der understoppenstarten und de sleepenhoff.

Suntag mit grouppen da Herr Notbob, Herr Scoobs, Frau Soy, Frau Mala und Herr Me seen der Berlin Wall den seen aquaunderanimals un der grossen tanks und aquarium in der grossenhausen mit sleepenhoffrooms. Den der trippen to der pointandcoo paintingenhoff buildingenstrasse. Mala und I slurpendrinken alcohoffen un taptapwatchen fer de udders.

Oh mine got! Der cloudden droppendrip de grossen aqua similerr de Saturtag! Mala un I hiddenn under der underoverclothmithandle. Herr NotBob, Frau Soy und Herr Scoobs arriven und der grouppen trippenhoffen. Waveybyebyenhoff de Herr NotBob und Herr Scoobs, Frau Soy, Frau Mala und I quickensteppen und understoppenstarten de Hotel De Rampage.

Grossen eatten niceynicen fooden munchen createdenhoff a Mala mit Ramps a Helpenhoff Cheffen. Much alcohoff und fooden munchen und der sleepenbyebyes.

Montag Mala proddenpoken wavenbyebyes a fuckearly o'clock. Groppen und slurpen-lippen und fiven minutenhoff plus sleepen.

Soonen Frau Soy, Herr Scoobs und I riden un tacsicabben de Schonefeld Tubenwingedcomeundgo.

Gutten timenn hadden by all!

Well there you go. I'm not going to translate but I will be doing some other entries but then again I might just do a photo entry. I don't know yet. Depends on my mood really doesn't it.

For no reason other than it changes my own personal blog home (My blog.co.uk) page, here are four pictures from my recent trip to Kilkenny with some of the lads from work.

I will do a post about Berlin.

I had a great time and it would good to see friends and make new ones. I'm very much looking forward to getting my Team Tag.

I'll do it soon but right now I have other things on my mind that I need to clear up before I can do that. Thursday, possibly even the end of today, could do that for me. I don't know yet.