National Blood Bike Awareness Day (2019)

Today is National Blood Bike Awareness Day.

A day to celebrate all of the thousands of volunteers across the country (especially those in Blood Bikes Wales), who give up their time to provide the free Blood Bike service to the NHS, 365 days a year, 7 days a week.

So if you see a Blood Bike out in the wild today give them a wave, and if you see anyone wearing blood bike gear say thanks. (And if you are in the Ruthin area and see someone in a black Blood Bikes Wales hoody give them Coffee & cakes)

#Itswhatwedo #bloodbikes #bloodbikeday

MEME: The Year That Was 2018

Its that time of year again, where I look at the Year that was, and do the customary Year that was Meme.

MEME: The Year That Was 2018

1. What did you do in 2018 that you’d never done before?

OK, New things :-

  1. Got Provincial Rank (In the Holy Royal Arch)
  2. Got Provincial Rank (In the S.R.I.A.)
  3. Went into the Chair of my collage (S.R.I.A.)
  4. Was Part of the Procession in the Provincial Meeting to install a new PGM.
  5. Saw the Installation Ceremony of a Provincial Grand Master
  6. Was Part of the Procession in the Provincial AGM Meeting.
  7. Visited an Anglesey Lodge.
  8. Gave a Talk in a Lodge during a PGM Visit
  9. Gave a Talk in a Lodge in a different Province.
  10. Ran a stall at the LlanBikeFest as the Widows Sons
  11. Was part of the Chain for a PGM’s last visit before retiring
  12. Was part of the Chain for a PGM’s first ever meeting.
  13. Visited Several New Masonic Halls.
  14. Became a Blood Bike Controller.

I notice a trend in this list 🙂 

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I gave up on resolutions many years back as I never stuck to them, whereas my competitive nature makes me stick to challenges. So for the last few years I have had a yearly challenge

This year I failed miserably with everything apart from the Goodreads reading challenge.

I had a really unproductive year, which can be seen by the fact that the previous Blog post to this one is in fact 2017’s year that was 🙁

It was a busy year as I was acting Steward and with the PGM Retiring he wanted to visit lots of Lodges, so I was out with the team lots. Plus I visited Lodges in two Provinces to give Talks on the Widows Sons, Started as a Blood Bikes Controller for Blood Bikes Wales, So I am writing off 2018, and look forward to the challenges of 2019.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? 

None that I can think off.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

A few Masonic Friends passed away this year.

5. What countries did you visit?

The usual suspects of England/Wales.

And Anglesey. I figure Anglesey should be counted as its own country, for it is a strange place.

6. What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018?  

Productivity.

Productivity

Productivity

Productivity

Looking at this Blog, the last post I wrote was the “MEME: The Year That Was 2017” which was posted exactly one year ago. So in 2019 I would like to find where my get-up-and-go went, reclaim it and be super Productive. I plan to get my charity book published, update a couple of websites, along with several other projects. And i give permission for people to poke me with sharp sticks if they spot me being too unproductive. The lazyness and apathy of the last few years needs to end.

The line must be drawn here! This far, no further!

7. What dates from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

  1. 12th June – My first shift as a Blood Bike Wales Controller
  2. 31st October – Being appointed Provincial Grand Steward in the Royal Arch
  3. 12th November – Giving a Talk at an Installed Masters Lodge.
  4. 1st December – Being appointed Provincial Conductor in S.R.I.A.
  5. 5th December – Going into the chair of my S.R.I.A. Collage.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Being appointed Provincial Conductor in S.R.I.A. before I had even gone into the chair! And being invited to the North Wales Lodge of Installed Masters to give a talk (They normally book professional speakers)

9. What was your biggest failure?

A total and unbelieveable lack of productivity!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I did almost manage to make it through the whole year with no incidents, only to burn my fingertips on Boxing Day.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Either my new qNAP NAS system for my home or I did finally got myself a DSLR Camera, which is something I have wanted for a few years now so I can learn Photography. I have never found a justifiable reason to spend a lot of money on a fad idea before.

Then I remembered I am an Adult, and I do not have to justify spending a lot of money on a toy, Plus it was in the Black Friday Sales, so I now have a fancy camera, so I can not learn what all those mystical terms like ISO, Shutter Speed, and things mean.

And I can take photographs as well, which is a bonus.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

  • Hugh. A New Candidate to Masonry who has already visited more Lodges than a lot of Masons who have been members for dozens of years.
  • My Father.
  • Myself, Just because.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? 

The Special Snowflakes,  Those people who scream in the echo chamber of their social media circles about how everyone who thinks different are Nazis. And get angry when they loose votes because the majority wanted what they wanted so how can they have lost. We can no longer have conversations or debates because to disagree is to assault them and they need to kill you to defend themselves or run to a safe space. The world is going to pieces.

14. Where did most of your money go?

I got a new car, a fancy Camera, a NAS, and the usual Video Games, Books, More Books, More Games, Possibly a few Books.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Going into the chair of my S.R.I.A. Collage. 

16. What song will always remind you of 2018?

With the amount of outcry and attempts to ban the song there can only be one song to sum up the year.

Baby it’s cold outside.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

  • a) happier or sadder? Happier
  • b) thinner or fatter? Same
  • c) richer or poorer? Richer

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Falling in Love, Writing, Following my Dreams, Conquering the World, Finding a cure for the common cold and blackmailing people for the cure, You know, the simple pleasures in life.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? .

Wasting time, and suffering from lack of enthusiasm, also getting upset by the behavior of some people.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

I am writing this on December 27th, so I know exactly how I spent Christmas day. I got up early, and went over to my parents to open presents with family, and  then spend the day eating too much, drinking too much, and doing nothing.

21. What was your favourite month of 2018? 

December. Due to getting Provincial Honours in S.R.I.A. and going  into the chair in S.R.I.A.!

22. Did you fall in love in 2018? 

Alas No. I am high functioning Sociopath.

23. How many one-night stands?

I do not believe in one-night stands. How can you tell if you realy like something unless you try it at least a couple of times?

24. What was your favourite TV programme?

Way too many to mention, As well as all the excellent ongoing TV shows, There was the new finds of :- 

  • New Legends of Monkey
  • Shooter
  • Marvels Cloak and Dagger
  • The Crossing
  • Disenchanted
  • Maniac

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? 

You know what? NO! I do not believe I hate anyone this year that I did not hate previously. Maybe I am growing as a person, becoming more enlightened? Or is everyone already on THE LIST

26. What was the best book you read?

This is always a very hard question. According to Goodreads I have read about 150 books this year. Trying to pick the best of that lot is not going to be easy. But if I had to pick just one book, arrgghghhh……

Well there is :-

  • Robert Lomas’s translation of Daniel Owen’s “Rhys Lewis” 
  • Sorcery as Virtual Mechanics by Stephen Mace
  • Lone Rider: The First British Woman to Motorcycle Around the World by Elspeth Beard
  • Shroud of Eternity by Terry Goodkind

I also liked the Series’s “The Temple Chronicles” and “The Demon Accords”

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Celtic Thunder

28. What did you want and get?

A decent Camera.

29. What did you want and not get? 

Enthusiasm

30. What was your favourite film of this year?

  • Solo
  • Ant-Man and the Wasp

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I am still not having birthdays. I have decided to stop having them so that I can live forever.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? 

Alien Invasion, I mean come on Zombie Apocalypse is so last year!

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?

Mostly Cargo Pants (I like the extra pockets) Jumpers, and in work Coats…. Oh and suits, because suits are awesome…… True story

34. What kept you sane? 

Sane? Sane? “You Keep Using That Word, I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means” I think, Good Friends, Good Books, and the fact I was never very sane to start off with, so there is not that much to keep hold of.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? 

I am not sure who to pick this year. So I will say Emilie Cocquerel as Sandy – The New Legends of Monkey

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

This year is basically the same thing as last year. 

The same screaming angry nazi fascists who believe their echo-chambers and scream death threats against everyone who is different to them, or who does not think 100% the same as them.

We were wrong guys. 1984 does not come from the far right trying to take over, but from the far left trying to reduce everyone to the same as them.

37. Who did you miss?

No one. “ high functioning Sociopath” Remember? Remember? from Question 22?

38. Who was the best new person you met? 

I would have to say some of the Blood Bikes Members, We have a great bunch of people in Blood Bike Wales.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018?. 

Always… no, no… never… forget to check your references.

A Prize to anyone who spots the reference. 

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. 

Well due to the very unproductive year I would have to say :-

Today I don’t feel like doing anything
I just wanna lay in my bed
Don’t feel like picking up my phone
So leave a message at the tone
‘Cause today I swear I’m not doing anything

MEME: The Year That Was 2017

Its that time of year again, where I look at the Year that was, and do the customary Year that was Meme.

MEME: The Year That Was 2017

1. What did you do in 2017 that you’d never done before?

OK, New things :-

  1. Got Provincial Rank
  2. Was part of the Provincial Chain
  3. Was asked to give a talk in a Craft Lodge
  4. Gave a Talk in a Craft Lodge
  5. Was asked to write an Article for an International Magazine.
  6. Attended a High Council Meeting
  7. Helped Organising a National Rally (Widows Sons)
  8. Helped Organising a UGLE Tercentenary Event

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I gave up on resolutions many years back as I never stuck to them, whereas my competitive nature makes me stick to challenges. So for the last few years I have had a yearly challenge

This year I failed miserably with everything apart from the 100 Day challenge, and the Goodreads reading challenge.

Because I failed miserably this year, I am using this failure as the focus of rebooting myself next year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? 

My Middle nephew had a Son this year.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

A very good/old school friend died this year!

5. What countries did you visit?

The usual suspects of England/Wales.

6. What would you like to have in 2018 that you lacked in 2017?  

More Productivity, Several more papers written towards a book of papers that I hope to publish in 2018, 2019. My charity book finished, and a published article in an international magazine.

7. What dates from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

  1. 7th October – The day I got my 1st Honours.
  2. 11th November – My 1st time visiting a Lodge to give a talk.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Being appointed Provincial Grand Steward, Being asked to give a talk at a Lodge, then getting other requests for talks, Being asked to write an article for a Masonic Magazine.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Not actually getting anything published this year, and not fully completing the years challenge, and my total lack of productivity!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I had a Vampire Eye occurrence this year.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Alexa!

Or more accurately an echo dot. It is like the PA I always wanted, she keeps track of my calendar, notes, todo lists, etc.

Best toy ever!!!!

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

 

  • Myself, Just because.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? 

The Special Snowflakes,  Those people who scream in the echo chamber of their social media circles about how everyone who thinks different are Nazis. And get angry when they loose votes because the majority wanted what they wanted so how can they have lost. We can no longer have conversations or debates because to disagree is to assault them and they need to kill you to defend themselves or run to a safe space. The world is going to pieces.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Video Games, Books, More Books, More Games, Possibly a few Books.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Provincial Honours, And being part of the official chain.

16. What song will always remind you of 2017?

With the year (or two) We’ve had there can only be one song to sum up the year.

Friends in Safe Spaces. By Chad Prather and Steve Mudflap McGrew.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

  • a) happier or sadder? Happier
  • b) thinner or fatter? Same
  • c) richer or poorer? Richer

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Falling in Love, Writing, Following my Dreams, Conquering the World, Finding a cure for the common cold and blackmailing people for the cure, You know, the simple pleasures in life.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? .

Wasting time, and suffering from lack of enthusiasm.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

I will wake up late, and spend the day eating too much, drinking too much, and doing nothing. Then on Boxing Day I will go to my parents with the rest of the family for an all day long mass family party!!!!

21. What was your favourite month of 2017? 

July. The month started with The Big Party the Provincial party day to celebrate the tercentenary,  And the month ended with the Noerth Wales Chapter hosting the National Widows Sons Rally!

22. Did you fall in love in 2017? 

Alas No. I am high functioning Sociopath.

23. How many one-night stands?

I do not believe in one-night stands. How can you tell if you realy like something unless you try it at least a couple of times?

24. What was your favourite TV programme?

Way too many to mention, As well as all the excellent ongoing TV shows, 2017 saw dozens of new shows being released such as The Orville, S.W.A.T., The Brave, The Gifted, The Punished, etc… As well as some old shows I discovered for the first time such as Greys Anatomy, The Catch, etc….

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? 

You know what? NO! I do not believe I hate anyone this year that I did not hate previously. Maybe I am growing as a person, becoming more enlightened? Or is everyone already on THE LIST

26. What was the best book you read?

This is always a very hard question. According to Goodreads I have read about 150 books this year. Trying to pick the best of that lot is not going to be easy. But if I had to pick just one book, arrgghghhh…… OK I will go with “Revolutionary Ride: On the Road in Search of the Real Iran”

The story of one woman who took a solo motorcycle trip around Iran where women are not allowed to drive cars, let alone ride bikes, and should always be accompanied, and that is before you take into account she was a westerner…

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

The Temperance Movement

Thanks Helen!!!!!.

28. What did you want and get?

An amazon Dot & a coffee machine. Which I wanted, and I got…

GO ME!!!!

29. What did you want and not get? 

Enthusiasm

30. What was your favourite film of this year?

  • Thor: Ragnarok

I have not seen the new star wars yet.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I did not have a birthday this year. I have decided to stop having them so that I can live forever.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? 

The Zombie Apocalypse. Seriously, How cool would that have been!

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2017?

Mostly Cargo Pants (I like the extra pockets) Jumpers, and in work Coats…. Oh and suits, because suits are awesome…… True story

34. What kept you sane? 

Sane? Sane? “You Keep Using That Word, I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means” I think, Good Friends, Good Books, and the fact I was never very sane to start off with, so there is not that much to keep hold of.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? 

Well due to binge watching 13 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy this year, I guess Izzy would count.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

This year is basically the same thing as last year. 

The same screaming angry nazi fascists who believe their echo-chambers and scream death threats against everyone who is different to them, or who does not think 100% the same as them.

We were wrong guys. 1984 does not come from the far right trying to take over, but from the far left trying to reduce everyone to the same as them.

37. Who did you miss?

No one. “ high functioning Sociopath” Remember? Remember? from Question 22?

38. Who was the best new person you met? 

No one jumps out, as the best new person.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2017?. 

Empty Vessels make most noise!
Do not engage in an argument with a stupid person, they will drag you down to their level and beat yo with their experience. 

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. 

I’ve got friends in Safe Spaces And If you don’t go with us Then you must be racist That is our catch phrase Where is my latte Come on in and let’s get cozy Showing off participation trophies Watching CNN In Safe Spaces

Happy Thanksgiving (2017)

Dear US of A people, no matter where you are around this ever shrinking world, We here at the Three-Ninjas wish you a very happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoy your annual stuff your face day, but this year as you spend time with your family, and think back to the stories of the “1st Thanksgiving” you were told as a child, think about the friendship between yourselves and the Indigenous people and take a moment to show support for those same people trying to defend their land at Standing Rock.

Lets all have a traditional American Thanksgiving.

<PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT>

It turns out that if you try to order a batch of smallpox off the internet, to try to genetically modify the strain to wipe out a large racial group you get a visit by a bunch of men in black suits and mirrored shades, and a pat-down that makes the TSA look like a nervous schoolboy with his first above the clothes fumble.

Also, most races are slightly more streetwise these days, and you can not claim their country as your own with the cunning use of flags & the Winchester repeating rifle. Also the men in black will confiscate said Rifle when they leave

</PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT>

Least We Forget (2017)

Each year, on 11 November, the country falls silent to commemorate our war dead. This ritual, and the ceremonies and symbols that accompany it, have become part of national life.

Remembrance started long before the guns of the Western Front fell silent with people marking the loss or absence of loved ones away at war. 100+ years later, the personal and political resonances of remembrance still stir strong emotions.

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

remembranceadIn Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

John McCrae (1872 – 1918)

Happy Independence Day (2017)

PSA

On this special day just remember, If you had not had that temper tantrum all those years ago,

you would not now be stuck with Trump

toddler-reinsFour score and seven years ago, or in 1776 We decided that the young country of America had become old enough to trust not to run out in front of traffic, or try and play with dangerous animals and as such we took the reins off.

There comes a time in every parents life when you have to trust that your early guidance and teachings have given your offspring all the help they need to make their way in the world alone.

So the UK took off the training reins and watched as America took its first hesitant steps on it’s own. Yes there was a few stumbles and mishaps along the way. Several times America slipped and cut its hand or knee and UK wanted to pick it up and hold it safe.

“Maybe we should leave the reins on for a bit longer.”

UK.

But like all good parents we stayed back, Watching carefully and holding back our urges to guide and jump in at every hurdle. You have to trust your children will do the right thing.

I will say, America you grew up ok. Ok. you have made some really poor dating choices, and Looking at your teenage photographs “What were you wearing??” But all in all, you did well.

SO we here in the UK in general, and the Three Ninjas Temple in particular would like to wish you a Happy Anniversary of your First Steps without the Reins!!

Happy Independence Day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1YvJBwC4xQ

Have Pride in your Geeky Towel Day (2017)

GN: Well today is May 25th Which can mean only one thing! Towel Day.

R: What about Geek Pride?

GN: Well today is May 25th Which can mean only Two things! Towel Day, & Geek Pride Day.

R: What about sanitation?

GN: Well today is May 25th Which can mean only Three things! Towel Day, Geek Pride Day & Sanitation. Sanitation? Oi! This is not degenerating into a monty python sketch!

CN: “Hang on Guys! Didn’t you have this exact conversation last year?”

GN: R: We hate your face!

CN: “Again with this conversation?”

GN: R: We Still hate your face!

CN: I give up!!!

CN: REALLY??? Are you really that lazy??

GN: R: We Still REALLY hate your face!

CN: This is just getting Silly now!

GN: R: Your face is getting silly!

CN: Why don’t you just start a new conversation?

GN: R: We hate your face so much we are planning to start protesting it!

Today is May 25th which is a day of celebration for two reasons. :-

Towel Day

We are all aware of the greatness of towels, we learnt this information in Chapter 3 of Adams’ work The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

A towel, it says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have. Partly it has great practical value. You can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapors; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a miniraft down the slow heavy River Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand-combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (such a mind-bogglingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can’t see it, it can’t see you); you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough.

More importantly, a towel has immense psychological value. For some reason, if a strag (strag: non-hitch hiker) discovers that a hitch hiker has his towel with him, he will automatically assume that he is also in possession of a toothbrush, face flannel, soap, tin of biscuits, flask, compass, map, ball of string, gnat spray, wet weather gear, space suit etc., etc. Furthermore, the strag will then happily lend the hitch hiker any of these or a dozen other items that the hitch hiker might accidentally have “lost”. What the strag will think is that any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still knows where his towel is is clearly a man to be reckoned with.

The original article that began Towel Day was posted at “Binary Freedom,”

Towel Day: A Tribute to Douglas Adams
Monday May 14, 2001 06:00am PDT

Douglas Adams will be missed by his fans worldwide. So that all his fans everywhere can pay tribute to this genius, I propose that two weeks after his passing (May 25, 2001) be marked as “Towel Day”. All Douglas Adams fans are encouraged to carry a towel with them for the day.

So long Douglas, and thanks for all the fish!

D Clyde Williamson, 2001-05-14

Details taken from Wikipedia.

Geek Pride Day

Geek Pride Day is an initiative which claims the right of every person to be a nerd or a geek. It has been celebrated on May 25 since 2006, celebrating the premier of the first Star Wars movie in 1977.

Basic rights and responsibilities of geeks

A manifesto was created to celebrate the first Geek Pride Day which included the following list of basic rights and responsibilities of geeks.

Rights:

1. The right to be even geekier.
2. The right to not leave your house.
3. The right to not like football or any other sport.
4. The right to associate with other nerds.
5. The right to have few friends (or none at all).
6. The right to have as many geeky friends as you want.
7. The right to be out of style.
8. The right to be overweight and short-sighted.
9. The right to show off your geekiness.
10. The right to take over the world.

Responsibilities:

1. Be a geek, no matter what.
2. Try to be nerdier than anyone else.
3. If there is a discussion about something geeky, you must give your opinion.
4. To save and protect all geeky material.
5. Do everything you can to show off geeky stuff as a “museum of geekiness.”
6. Don’t be a generalized geek. You must specialize in something.
7. Attend every nerdy movie on opening night and buy every geeky book before anyone else.
8. Wait in line on every opening night. If you can go in costume or at least with a related T-shirt, all the better.
9. Never throw away anything related to geekdom.
10. Try to take over the world!

Happy [*Insert Name Here]

* Spring Equinox, Alban Eilir, Eostar, Eostre, Shunbun no Hi, Higan no Chu-Nichi, Feast of Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Festival of Trees, Lady Day, NawRuz, No Ruz, Ostara, Ostra, Rites of Spring, and the Vernal Equinox.

What ever you celebrate, Happy * to you.

Enjoy!

SpringEquinoxStonehenge

MEME: The Year That Was 2016

Its that time of year again, where I look at the Year that was, and do the customary Year that was Meme.

MEME: The Year That Was 2016

1. What did you do in 2016 that you’d never done before?

OK, New things :-

  1. Became a Godfather for none-family member!
  2. Presented a Paper to a group of peers.
  3. Visited a Lodge in the Province of Warwickshire
  4. Was invited to visit a Lodge for the purpose of performing ritual (Charge after Initiation)
  5. Entered the chair of Z
  6. Was Promoted to the Second Order of S.R.I.A.
  7. Did the Intermediate Degrees in Rose Croix.
  8. Got a Provincial Job (Provincial Webmaster)
  9. Partied in the Clubhouse of a 1% MC
  10. Visited a Lodge in the Province of Yorkshire, West Riding
  11. Finally Visited LOLS
  12. Placed a bet on a horse race.
2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I gave up on resolutions many years back as I never stuck to them, whereas my competitive nature makes me stick to challenges. So for the last few years I have had a yearly challenge. This year it was the Artisan Challenge,

  1. Do the 100 Days Challenge.
  2. Write 4 none LOLS papers
  3. Do a piece of Art slowly over the year.

I did not do so well this year.

  1. 100% Completed.
  2. 25% Completed. I only managed 1 papers
  3. 40% Completed. I drew lots of the bits, but never got them put together.

Because I failed miserably this year, I am using this failure as the focus of rebooting myself next year.

I am doing a Challenge Reboot. To reboot my creativity, productivity etc.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? 

No.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No one. Which is a good thing considering the year.

But I did loose a load of childhood heroes, and people from Music & Film who made an impact on me growing up.

5. What countries did you visit?

The usual suspects of England/Wales.

6. What would you like to have in 2017 that you lacked in 2016?  

More Productivity, Several more papers written towards a book of papers that I hope to publish in 2018. An army of Minions or at least a few PA’s

7. What dates from 2016 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

  1. 11th June – The day I joined the 2nd Order of S.R.I.A.
  2. 10th December – My 1st visit to LOLS.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Being appointed Provincial Webmaster, Presenting a Paper to a room full of people, Gaining the chair of Z.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Not actually getting anything published this year, and not fully completing the years challenge, and my total lack of productivity!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Not that I can recall! I do not think I even got Man-Flu this year.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

I do not recall any great new purchase this year. This is not acceptable, I must get myself a new toy before the end of the year. 

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
  • My Godson Callum for learning to walk (And for being an evil genius)
  • Henry for being great
  • My father for getting a decent 1st Honours
  • Myself, Just because.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? 

Whoever came up with the Hungry Bird!. And the Special Snowflakes

14. Where did most of your money go?

Video Games, Books, More Books, More Games, Possibly a few Books.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Well for the second year in a row we get a new Star Wars film. This year we also got Doctor Strange & Suicide Squad, so that’s three films this year I got excited about.

I also go excited about finally visiting LOLS after all these years.

16. What song will always remind you of 2016?

With the number of decent musicians we lost this year, there is only one song suitable to remember 2016

American Pie – Don McLean

With every paper I’d deliver
Bad news on the doorstep
I couldn’t take one more step
I can’t remember if I cried when I
Read about his widowed bride
But something touched me deep inside
The day the music
Died

 

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
  • a) happier or sadder? Happier
  • b) thinner or fatter? Fatter (slightly)
  • c) richer or poorer? Richer
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Falling in Love, Writing, Following my Dreams, Conquering the World, Finding a cure for the common cold and blackmailing people for the cure, You know, the simple pleasures in life.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? .
Wasting time, and suffering from lack of enthusiasm.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?

I will wake up late, grab some breakfast & a coffee, then go over to my Parents house with the rest of the family to open presents and do that festive cheer stuff. Then Christmas Dinner, and off to youngest nephews house for a Christmas Party type thing. Then home.. Beer, Doctor Who Special, and laze in front of the TV.

21. What was your favourite month of 2016? 

I do not think any one month stands out more than any other since the great stuff that happened this year was spread out over the whole year. 

22. Did you fall in love in 2016? 

Alas No. I am high functioning Sociopath.
23. How many one-night stands?
I do not believe in one-night stands. How can you tell if you realy like something unless you try it at least a couple of times?
24. What was your favourite TV programme?

How do I pick just one? Lucifer, Blindspot, Van HelsingKilljoys, Dark Matter, Flash, Arrow, Supergirl, Scorpion, Librarians, Blacklist, Brooklyn Nine Nine. the list is endless…….

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? 

You know what? NO! I do not believe I hate anyone this year that I did not hate previously. Maybe I am growing as a person, becoming more enlightened? Or is everyone already on THE LIST

26. What was the best book you read?

Picking a favorite book, is even harder than picking a favorite TV Series, or Film. So here is a list of some of the Top books I read this year (In no particular order)  :-

  • Warheart (To finish the Sword of Truth Series)
  • Fox & O’Hair Series
  • Lois on the Loose
  • Ben Hope Series
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

The Forest Rangers

An American Rock Band that started from the TV Series Sons Of Anarchy.

28. What did you want and get?

I do not think there was anything I really wanted this year that I actually got. It is depressing really.

29. What did you want and not get? 
Enthusiasm, Love, Slaves A PA/Intern, A new House (Not easy finding one I like, I may be fussy?)
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
  • Doctor Strange
  • Star Wars – Rogue One
  • Suicide Squad
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I did not have a birthday this year. I have decided to stop having them so that I can live forever.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? 
The Zombie Apocalypse. Seriously, How cool would that have been!

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2016?

Mostly Cargo Pants (I like the extra pockets) Jumpers, and in work Coats…. Oh and suits, because suits are awesome…… True story

34. What kept you sane? 
Sane? Sane? “You Keep Using That Word, I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means” I think, Good Friends, Good Books, and the fact I was never very sane to start off with, so there is not that much to keep hold of.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? 

I don’t think any one celebratory really stood out this year.

It was a poor year for crushes..

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

There was two this year, but they are basically the same thing.

Brexit! We had the vote, and the Leave group won. And from the second they won the remain lot started screaming that only racist idiots would vote to leave, and their votes should not count. They have tried dozens of petitions, legal campaigns, and everything to go against the winning vote on the grounds that anyone who disagreed with them is too stupid to be allowed a vote. This loud insulting of anyone with a different view started in the run up to the vote.

American Presidential Election. Again, the loosing side started legal means to get the vote changed, they tried forcing the electoral collage to break the law to make the loosing candidate be the winner. There was even rioting on the streets and such. and plans to prevent it from happening.

I am not saying the right outcome was won on either of those votes, but it is the minority who lost and just insult and threaten anyone who thinks differently that has annoyed me the most. You can no longer discuss or debate things, you either agree 100% with the special snowflakes or you are evil racist scum with an IQ of a carrot. And their yells of we must protect democracy by going with the loosing vote. errrr?

37. Who did you miss?
No one. “ high functioning Sociopath” Remember? Remember? from Question 22?
38. Who was the best new person you met? 

I am not sure, I guess I would probably have to go with some of the Masonic people I have started working closely with since becoming the Provincial Webmaster. There are some insane, funny people among them.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2016?. 

Empty Vessels make most noise!
Do not engage in an argument with a stupid person, they will drag you down to their level and beat yo with their experience. 

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. 

With every paper I’d deliver
Bad news on the doorstep
I couldn’t take one more step
I can’t remember if I cried when I
Read about his widowed bride
But something touched me deep inside
The day the music
Died

See Question 16