Mike Riversdale

The Haggis Wildlife Foundation has been around for a while but they've recently really kicked into action with some gorgeous educational videos about the wee beastie . Enjoy ...  ... and ...

Working Out, Working In: Applying the Six Principles of Athletic Training to Writing and Creative Work Brain Pickings / by Maria Popova / December 17, 2023 at 02:48PM The highest and hardest task of life may be to become entirely ourselves — to continually purify and clarify who and what we are, shedding the shoulds of culture, convention, and expectation to discover the innermost musts: those deepest and truest callings of the authentic self, or what we might call soul. And yet the great paradox is that the self is not a fixity but a perpetual fluidity, reshaped by every experience we have: every love and every loss, every person we meet, every place we visit, and every book we read. And so it must be: “A self that goes on changing is a self that goes on living,” Virginia Woolf wrote, for she understood that the finest souls “are always the supplest.” [source: https://www.themarginalian.org/2023/12/17/exercise-writing/ ] Drawing an analogy between the science of exercise and his [Bill

Early in 2022 I asked if the 2019 "Ask for Angela" advice was still active here in Wellington (NZ), I'd still like to hope it is. I was so happy to see this in The Australia , a great Porthmadog (Wales) pub - top work everyone that keeps this visible and going. #DIMMWY Dweud dim mwy i drais a chamdriniaeth rywiol yng Ngogledd Cymru HELO ANGELA YDW I, A YDYCH AR DDET SYDD DDIM YN LLWYDDIANT? A YDYCH YN TEIMLO NAD YDYCH MEWN SEFYLLFA DDIOGEL? A YW EICH DỆT TINDER NEV POF YN DDIM BYD TEBYG I BWY WNAETHANT DDWEUD AR EV PROFFIL? A YW I GYD YN TEIMLO BRAIDD YN RHYFEDD? OS EWCH I'R BAR A GOFYN AM 'ANGELA' Bydd y staff bar yn gwybod byddwch angen help dod o'ch sefyllfa. Gwnant ffonio am dacsi i chi nev eich helpu'n synhwyrol - heb lawer o helynt #NOMORE Saying no more to sexual violence & abuse in North Wales HI I'M ANGELA, ARE YOU ON A DATE THAT ISN'T WORKING OUT? IS YOUR TINDER OR POF DATE NOT WHO THEY SAID THEY WERE ON THEIR PROFILE? DO YOU FEE

Look, there's gonna be quite a few days of Portmerion as it's designed to be photographed (sort of). I'm doing my best by collaging them but bare/bear with me as I'm thoroughly enjoying all the little nooks and crannies of the place. Day 1 Monmouth - Crickhowell - Brecon - Llandrindod Wells - Elan Valley - Bishop's Castle Day 2 Bishop's Castle - Welshpool - Llangollen - Pontcysyllte Aqueduct - Wrexham Day 3 Wrexham - Penrhyn Bay - Llandudno - Conwy Castle - Betws-y-coed - Beaumaris / Cemaes Bay Day 4 Llanfairpwllgwyngyll - Caernarfon - Llyn Peninsula - Portmeirion - Porthmadog

Or perhaps you'd prefer: The superstorms from space that could end modern life I've finally replaced paper in my life as a writer — here's how Why is everyone suddenly talking about cucumber salad How Industry’s Eric and Harper became the most fascinating relationship on TV Are AI-created recipes hard to swallow? All real stories shared to my eyeballs from players like RNZ and the BBC, some from Stuff and other "newspapers", and some from websites that exist now to merely make advertising dollars. It's all just bollocks eh, no wonder those with a slightly less than critical approach to information are getting disenchanted with "the media". Imagine if every time you went to a page coz the headline you were genuinely interested. On arrival and a quick read you very soon realise it's just another "blah blah reckon blah", how fucking annoying. Over time this chips away at the soul and eventually it's, "The mainstream media is just

It's quite the place, Portmerion village . Quirky is the best word, it's definitely quirky but also looks very fun for those staying . As you can well imagine the phone camera ran hot taking photos. I'll collage up the best over the next few days - this is the entrance set. For those that are thinking, "Portmerion .. Portmerion, I know that name ...", you're thinking of the successfully surreal 1960s UK TV show, The Prisoner . Day 1 Monmouth - Crickhowell - Brecon - Llandrindod Wells - Elan Valley - Bishop's Castle Day 2 Bishop's Castle - Welshpool - Llangollen - Pontcysyllte Aqueduct - Wrexham Day 3 Wrexham - Penrhyn Bay - Llandudno - Conwy Castle - Betws-y-coed - Beaumaris / Cemaes Bay Day 4 Llanfairpwllgwyngyll - Caernarfon - Llyn Peninsula - Portmeirion - Porthmadog

Absolutely vibrant rainbow , makes Welsh rain worth it 😁 Day 1 Monmouth - Crickhowell - Brecon - Llandrindod Wells - Elan Valley - Bishop's Castle Day 2 Bishop's Castle - Welshpool - Llangollen - Pontcysyllte Aqueduct - Wrexham Day 3 Wrexham - Penrhyn Bay - Llandudno - Conwy Castle - Betws-y-coed - Beaumaris / Cemaes Bay Day 4 Llanfairpwllgwyngyll - Caernarfon - Llyn Peninsula - Portmeirion - Porthmadog

Prostate cancer, 1 in 8 men, 1 in 4 if you're black. Most people (men mostly) that die of cancer (all types) are those that didn't go and get checked early enough. They could've survived. If you feel something is wrong, especially with your prostate (bum, penis, wee'ing, poo'ing, orgasms, lumps bumps or nodules) then GO TO THE DOCTOR AND GET IT TESTED. Jon Holmes Says The C-Word is a funny, insightful, important, and to be honest "about bloody time" podcast with a lot of men talking about their cancers from episode one, "I've got what?! Fuck!" to the end, "You responded well to the treatment". Men such as Stephen Fry, Eric Idle, Richard Herring, and many more. It's fair to say that the moral, mmm let's call it a catchphrase, of this series is Go Get Tested. If you're in the age or race bracket for prostate risk or if you feel like something is off somewhere else don't be embarrassed. To be frank, your GP doesn't

I take a lot of beach photos and this is one of them. The challenge for you is to name the beach and tell everyone where it is.

As I move through the Wales trip with Mum I notice I'm missing a few photo albums . I've also brought together some "highlight" albums, coz I can. Enjoy them all. Museums, Art Galleries, Theatres, and Concert Halls The Hound Of The Baskervilles (2024) Ed Byrne (NZ, 2024) Wales Menai Bridge, Beaumaris, and Cemaes Bay (Wales) Llyn Peninsula (Wales) Penryhn Bay (Wales) Pukeahu National War Memorial Park (Wellington, NZ)

On a tiki tour around the Llyn Peninsula and our first stop was a golf course carpark, as you do. If you pause the video you can see buildings, big substantial homes, and a hotel in the nooks and crannies of the bay, right on the beach - astounding. In the summer the view from the hotel is gorgeous. Day 1 Monmouth - Crickhowell - Brecon - Llandrindod Wells - Elan Valley - Bishop's Castle Day 2 Bishop's Castle - Welshpool - Llangollen - Pontcysyllte Aqueduct - Wrexham Day 3 Wrexham - Penrhyn Bay - Llandudno - Conwy Castle - Betws-y-coed - Beaumaris / Cemaes Bay Day 4 Llanfairpwllgwyngyll - Caernarfon - Llyn Peninsula - Portmeirion - Porthmadog

CCTV (mostly private) has been a scourge in the UK for decades, and even after all this time there's still plenty of crime from the petty to the murderous. You'd think after 40 years of  CCTV surveillance someone would've asked if it's all really worth it. Reply if you have facts, I'd love to hear about them.

Apart from gravity , which currently CANNOT be defined at a quantum level which means it can't be a thing (but it is, just not what you think ), time is probably one of the last great mysteries of the universe. So much so that we humans can't even agree if time actually exists. Time, what is it? Our gut reaction usually says that time is what we measure using clocks as it flies forward like an arrow. Yes, we measure it with clocks, but what IS it that we are measuring. We use scales to measure weight (mass), and we can now say exactly what mass is, but time, what IS it that we're measuring using clocks? Here's a few quotes to show the differing views of time is, to show that it's truly unknown .. at the moment. Problem of time In theoretical physics, the problem of time is a conceptual conflict between general relativity and quantum mechanics in that quantum mechanics regards the flow of time as universal and absolute, whereas general relativity regards the flow of

".. my father knew Lloyd George." Seems every Welsh person took pride in knowing (by degrees) David Lloyd George . David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor, OM, KStJ, PC (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922. Lloyd George gained a reputation as an orator and proponent of a Welsh blend of radical Liberal ideas, which included support for Welsh devolution, disestablishment of the Church of England in Wales, equality for labourers and tenant farmers, and reform of land ownership. In 1890 he won a by-election to become the Member of Parliament for Caernarvon Boroughs, in which seat he remained for 55 years. Day 1 Monmouth - Crickhowell - Brecon - Llandrindod Wells - Elan Valley - Bishop's Castle Day 2 Bishop's Castle - Welshpool - Llangollen - Pontcysyllte Aqueduct - Wrexham Day 3 Wrexham - Penrhyn Bay - Llandudno - Conwy Castle - Betws-y-coed - Beaumaris / Cemaes Bay Day 4

Bar Bach , the self proclaimed smallest bar  in Wales. ... note it does not claim to be the smallest pub in Wales. As a business it is part of the popular Caffi Maes on Castle Square but for this bar you go around the corner to where a narrow entrance gives access to a charmingly intimate bar. While it does indeed occupy a small area it is deceptive in that it leads to another longer room on a lower level with upper floors where the cafe operates. [source: CAMRA: Bar Bach, Caernarfon (Tafarn Lleiaf Cymru) ] Ah well, it's a thing and everyone needs a thing to pull the punters in. Day 1 Monmouth - Crickhowell - Brecon - Llandrindod Wells - Elan Valley - Bishop's Castle Day 2 Bishop's Castle - Welshpool - Llangollen - Pontcysyllte Aqueduct - Wrexham Day 3 Wrexham - Penrhyn Bay - Llandudno - Conwy Castle - Betws-y-coed - Beaumaris / Cemaes Bay Day 4 Llanfairpwllgwyngyll - Caernarfon - Llyn Peninsula - Portmeirion - Porthmadog

How to say and what Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch means. "The church of St. Mary ( Llanfair ) of the pool ( pwll ) of the white hazels ( gwyn gyll ) near to ( go ger ) the fierce whirlpool ( y chwyrn drobwll ) and the church of St. Tysilio ( Llantysilio ) of the red cave (g ogo goch )." All Welsh words are spelled phonetically - pronounced exactly as they are spelled. Once you learn how to pronounce each letter in the name, it's not so bad: F is pronounced like an English letter V . FF  is pronounced like an English F . LL is pronounced like an English L, but you blow air out along the sides of your tongue as you say it. CH is a heavily aspirated H , pronounced with the tongue back in the throat, similar to the German CH. Y is an " uh " sound unless it is at the end of the word, then it's an " ee " sound. W is a vowel with an " oo " sound. Have a go, impress your friends! Llanfair ~ pwll gwyn gyll ~ go g

Classic Welsh fishing village, I assume. The boats resting on piles waiting for the Irish Sea to come back are very photogenic. This collage incorporates one photo with a few of the Google Photos editing tricks alongside two that are Gemini ("AI") created stylised versions. You can see the originals in the Menai Bridge, Beaumaris, and Cemaes Bay (Wales) photo album. Day 1 Monmouth - Crickhowell - Brecon - Llandrindod Wells - Elan Valley - Bishop's Castle Day 2 Bishop's Castle - Welshpool - Llangollen - Pontcysyllte Aqueduct - Wrexham Day 3 Wrexham - Penrhyn Bay - Llandudno - Conwy Castle - Betws-y-coed - Beaumaris / Cemaes Bay - Llanfachraeth

In the bad times (2020-2021) there was a lot of entertainment that helped me through. I remember watching all of James May's toys and fixit shows, Sandy Toksvig and her daily chats, Midsomer Murders, and the Something Rhymes With Purple podcast . Last week Something Rhymes With Purple ended, as all things do. I got sad. It felt like saying goodbye to a friend that had been there for me . Even as I type this I remember the tough times and how it was so tough for everyone. Thank you Susie and Gyles, you meant a lot ❤️

Ynys Môn / Anglesey is a land of mystery. To my mind it's covered in mist, there are historical happenings and nefarious activities. I dunno, maybe the Famous Five stories, or Welsh stories of Druids, or perhaps just the image percolates Wales. A number of things I didn't realise until we had crossed the Menai Bridge: Ynys Môn is a lot larger than I'd thought It's home to "that" Welsh placename It's where the Holyhead ferry goes from  It's as normal as the rest of Wales. It's got some astounding country and coast. Also, the Menai Strait is bloody small, I mean it has two bridges across. From the east of the Isle you can not only see the mountains of Wales but probably hit them with a stone's throw. And while we're here let's have a quick look at the Menai Bridge crossing as filmed by my Mum. Day 1 Monmouth - Crickhowell - Brecon - Llandrindod Wells - Elan Valley - Bishop's Castle Day 2 Bishop's Castle - Welshpoo

We know  the best ever Watson , we're all still working on who  the best ever Barnaby Sergeant is, so let's get the best ever Holmes as depicted in moving pictures be that TV or movies. Sherlock Holmes is the most portrayed character on screen, well over 250 times, that is a LOT of Sherlock Holmes depictions to trawl through but luckily  The 100 Best, Worst, and Strangest Sherlock Holmes Portrayals of All-Time, Ranked has done the hard yakka for us. I'm not gonna regurgitate the list, but using it here's my top 3 Sherlock Holmes ever, and it was so easy. Oh, but before we continue I need to say that Clive Merrison is awesome as Holmes in the radio series  The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes , alongside one of my favourite Watson's ever, Andrew Sachs. 1. Jeremy Brett, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984-1985), etc. I just can't go past Brett even though his affectations and quirks became more noticeable and annoying in the later episodes. Still, he n

Druids, dragons, hillforts and caves, it all comes to you when you're driving through the empty wilderness of majestical Wales . Day 1 Monmouth - Crickhowell - Brecon - Llandrindod Wells - Elan Valley - Bishop's Castle Day 2 Bishop's Castle - Llangollen - Pontcysyllte Aqueduct - Wrexham Day 3 Wrexham - Penrhyn Bay - Llandudno - Conwy Castle - Betws-y-coed - Cemaes Bay - Llanfachraeth

The Christmas Tree outside Betws-y-coed train station is genius, and very effective. Day 1 Monmouth - Crickhowell - Brecon - Llandrindod Wells - Elan Valley - Bishop's Castle Day 2 Bishop's Castle - Welshpool - Llangollen - Pontcysyllte Aqueduct - Wrexham Day 3 Wrexham - Penrhyn Bay - Llandudno - Conwy Castle - Betws-y-coed - Cemaes Bay - Llanfachraeth

A dairy* in Betws-y-coed was my first encounter with Welsh being spoken and it made my soul soar. We Pākehā** do our best with the national language of the land we're standing upon. We drop in a "bore da" when we can, a "mōrena" when appropriate, and even an, "apples.and pears" if called upon. To hear the language spoken as naturally as the wind blowing through the leaves is another level though, and so so cool. "Welsh Wales" indeed. A phrase used by my Dad actually to denote the Gogs who spoke a language designed to annoyed the English*** 😁 * dairy = corner shop + bakery + minimart ** Pākehā  = Māori word for European New Zealander  *** English, in this concept, is anyone from East England, especially London Day 1 Monmouth - Crickhowell - Brecon - Llandrindod Wells - Elan Valley - Bishop's Castle Day 2 Bishop's Castle - Llangollen - Pontcysyllte Aqueduct - Wrexham Day 3 Wrexham - Penrhyn Bay - Llandudn

I have so many amazing shots of Conwy Castle it's bloody difficult to decide what to use as a daily photo whilst also not spending weeks sharing photos of old stones. The 'entrance' is quite different with it's three modes of transport bridging the River Conwy - car, pedestrian, and covered train. We'll leave Conwy Castle on this blog but, if castles are your thang, I urge you to check out the full photo album  as it's a spectacular example of such structures. Day 1 Monmouth - Crickhowell - Brecon - Llandrindod Wells - Elan Valley - Bishop's Castle Day 2 Bishop's Castle - Llangollen - Pontcysyllte Aqueduct - Wrexham Day 3 Wrexham - Penrhyn Bay - Llandudno - Conwy Castle - Betws-y-Coed - Cemaes Bay - Llanfachraeth

Wales is chock full of castles as the Normans, who became the English, made sure the Welsh weren't gonna get up to their old tricks and try and be independent and all that. Conwy Castle is quite a stunner, especially seen from outside. I believe it's the most complete castle in the UK and bloody looks it as you drive across the bridge to it .  Luckily we parked away a little, had a small walk to get in which gave us a lot of great views . I have had a lot of fun editing this photo this morning 😁 Day 1 Monmouth - Crickhowell - Brecon - Llandrindod Wells - Elan Valley - Bishop's Castle Day 2 Bishop's Castle - Llangollen - Pontcysyllte Aqueduct - Wrexham Day 3 Wrexham - Penrhyn Bay - Llandudno - Conwy Castle - Betws-y-Coed - Cemaes Bay - Llanfachraeth