Tag: lesson

Summer’s almost gone

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Apart from being an excellent Doors song, it is true as we approach the longest day already (unless you are Aussie chums). Its been a bit on the warm side for the UK i.e. over 30 degrees. Occasional thunder storms have definitely not helped l, in our area at least. I did note that we may actually be growing mashes potatoes. This has proved not to be true as we had a great crop from one of the tubs earlier this week.

Spuds

This year we moved things around in the beds to see if they might grow better. On the whole.it seems the brassica may be better where they were and the potatoes like being in tubs not the purpose built boxes. The blackcurrant looks like it will crop despite only being put in late Feb. No gooseberries this year though.

Then came the thunderstorms. It’s not so fierce as predicted.

I did get a bit soggy earlier as I drifted between buildings at the local university where I’d gone to use the WiFi in the library for a PhD meeting online. The storms seem to have devastated our home WiFi. Not sure really but it’s been slow to none existent. Good meeting BTW. Its about now that I begin to think what has happened since I were young and how little we now seem able to do without the damn www. In fairness I’m a reader, as our local charity shops and library can attest so it wasn’t too bad but all the doctoral work is stored in the ‘cloud’ as they say. I do have backup copies, but infuriating all the same. I implore you all to save local copies of your documents. Indeed a pencil and paper seldom fail even if you run out of paper or break your pencil.

Which takes me back to the garden. My non digital starting place and a note to self that it’s impossible to rely on technology all the time and important to have some skills that don’t involve electrical devices. I’m going outside now to play my tongue drum.

Washing your watch

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Not something that I can recommend. This week, however, I managed to do just that. I’m a big fan of Casio watches and have one or two. The F-91W is my go-to, don’t cate if it gets damaged dirty jobs watch. They cost next to nothing. I mean, like 10 or 15 quid. (That’s pounds sterling). Not even the price of two fancy cappuccinos or bubble teas. Yep, the only splash proof don’t shower in it watch went through the full cycle (I don’t tumble dry, save the planet, cut your energy bills etc.) And I dried the outside and slapped it back on my wrist. Would I like a Rolex? No. Really, no. Would I like to be able to afford a Rolex? Yep, I can think of loads I could do with the money. Travel, probably.

OP-1 not so teenage engineering

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So for a while I’ve had a little synth known as an OP-1. (If you know you know). I’ve not really for to grips with the thing but with the release of an updated version(for even more and trust me it ain’t cheap) I decided I’d best dust it off and play. The face that my better half is away for a few days and I can cheerfully make a racket has nothing to do with it….honest.

Again YouTube is a marvellous thing and alone to rewind and pause as often as you like. I managed after some fumbling to create what the young folks call a ‘beat’. The theory is simple all I need to do now I’d fine tune the way I understand the controls. It’s a fun little beast and you can rest assured I’m not planning an album any time soon.) Just knowing that I can finally use it.

I’m a secretive creature. Not like hiding things but I prefer to practice and try things without an audience. It’s an introvert thing. In my life I’ve found that strangers can teach me as I’ve nothing to lose. Where I’m invested with a person I’m less inclined to show weakness. Daft eh? Still now you know. If I have one piece of advice for others (hey I’m flawed get over it) it is do your thing fearlessly. I’m learning. That’s some of what this is is about.

Of Course

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Lockdown was a strange (and wonderful) experience. I know that we were quite content not to have to be around people we didn’t want to see. We were sad not to see friends though. After a while…you get bored. I started taking courses online. In particular Domestika. Art courses. 🎨

I’m not claiming this is a new career. It’s fun. At school I did Latin. Art was for wasters according to my parents…both of whom have had creative careers (mum wrote a newspaper column. Dad was a house painter and still makes art). I’ve always written and I’ve always drawn but not consistently. I take photos too. What I’ve learned is to relax. It’s for fun. Lots of my friend are doing this too. And I enjoy sharing (@ushiedraws on Instagram if you’re nosey)

It has made me look at things more closely. I use my phone less as a distraction. I’m not as bad as I thought might be, in fact I have a style. Faces are hard. Feet are not.

My right foot

Be thankful this is not a video of my ukelele playing.

Wireless for Sound

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So I started the process of getting my radio ham beginners license. I’m enrolled in an online course. The calculations are going to mess with my brain for a while but practice, practice. Next stage is to book an exam but I’m going to leave that until I’m through the programme. I told you this blog would be eccentric.

The little Chinese walkie talkie arrived today. A Baofeng. It’s cheap and hopefully cheerful. I’m not allowed to PTT (push to talk) until I pass my exam and have a call sign and license from HM Government. I can, however, listen and I am told that it may be possible to hear the ISS (International Space Station) as it passes overhead. I can also get Radio 2 from the BBC no doubt!

Today’s adventures in amateur radio seem to have included a lot of information about electrical circuits and radio frequencies which is to be expected I suppose. I’m thankful that there’s not currently a practical requirement for the first level due to Covid 19. No doubt that will come. In the meantime I’ll sign off.

Rapid Ascent

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I scuba diving, as in life, a rapid ascent can bring problems. At the weekend I had the job of taking a couple of divers in to test a rescue skill needed for their qualification. It’s that thing you need when you’re out of air! Not a recommended situation and not something that should happen in the course of a normal dive. Still we train so that if it does happen we are prepared.

Under normal conditions a diver should not exceed 15 metres per second when returning to the surface. If a diver is out of air for some reason they should signal to their buddy and take the spare regulator (breathing mouthpiece) so both can carefully get to the surface together. My trainees had completed one careful lift from 10 to 6 metres depth and dropped to change roles (hero becomes victim). All systems checked. Everybody neutrally buoyant (nicely floaty, like in space) and off we go. This should have been easy. For what ever reason my trainees shot up like a rocket and ended up breaking surface. One complained that the computer was beeping and would not stop so we made for the exit slipway and did not continue out dive.

Sitting on the café over a brew we discussed the issue. Checking my computer I could see that we came up at twice the recommended rate and then some. These were not novice divers and have done this manoeuvre many times in practice. For whatever reason when it is being watched by an instructor everything goes to pieces. When you dive you take on air (or other gases) at pressure so your lungs stay inflated. Which means you take in more of every gas that is in air (in this case). Still at 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen but at higher concentrations. The issue is the nitrogen. Too high a concentration and you get a ‘bend’ or decompression Illness. If you come up slowly some of the nitrogen flushes from your system. Come up too quickly….

Contrary to logic you should dump air from your buoyancy system as you rise to the surface. The air inside will expand as the pressure (caused by the depth) lessens. Forget to take the air out….result rocket speed. If you are at any real depth this can cause you to pass out. De brief over we returned to our respective homes. Now the nice thing about a nitrogen overdose is that you have to rest, complete rest, when you get home. The nasty stuff can be a rash, nausea, dizziness aching joints (hence the bends) and all manner of things. So home to the pyjamas and the sofa.

All divers involved are fit and well two days later. No trip to the chamber for us. Lessons learned.