A New Day, A New Dawn!

 Sunday 19th April. 9.05 a.m. Horrah! It's bright and sunny. The digital thermometer currently reads 25ºc, so there is a considerable amount. Just thinking that lifts my mood.

We had a social evening at church yesterday, and I did a reading of 'Growtiger's Last Stand,' one of the poems from T.S.Eliot's 'Book of Practical Cats' which was the basis for the Lloyd Webber musical 'Cats.' Other people did songs, some sung and some instrumental, and one young lad played the piano, and a girl did BSL (British Sign Language) to a Christian song. A good crowd of people and a lot of new faces, and certainly a success and there should be more in the coming months.

As a result of this and the positive feedback from people at church, I am looking into doing something I've wanted to do for years: working as a voice-over artist. Many years ago I saw an advertisement in the Guardian for a business called Gravy For The Brain, which helps people break into this line of work. They are not an agency, but provide training and mentoring for voice-overs. The person I spoke to on the telephone had a familiar voice, but I couldn't pin the name down. Having since done a search online, I now know his name, Peter Dickson. No wonder I wasn't sure of his name, but his voice is familiar, because he does the by now iconic voice for such television shows as The X Factor and Britain's Got Talent, and he's the voice of Channel Four. 

Wednesday 22nd April. 5.10 p.m. It's yet another bright and sunny day, except for a keen wind. The digital thermometer currently reads 25ºc, so quite an increase in temperature over the last week or so.

On Monday, I had to have blood taken for a test, as ordered by the doctor, the last time I had an appointment. As you may know, if you read my posts regularly, you will know the problems I  have giving blood and the fact that I don't like needles. The last time I had to have blood taken, it took two attempts at the doctors, and then I went to the hospital, where it was a success, so this time I was somewhat dubious of any success, but it went fine enough, without any problems, and now I just wait for the results.

On The Up!

 Friday 10th April. 2.35 p.m. Another sunny and warm day. The current temperature on the digital thermometer reads 21ºc.

Yesterday afternoon I went to see the musical "Miss Saigon" which is currently touring the country, and on at Milton Keynes Theatre (could they have found a more imaginative name? Merely calling it Milton Keynes Theatre does show a lack of not only imagination, but it just doesn't stand out.) It was a good production, and a show I've wanted to see  from the time when it was first on in the West End in around 1989 and running at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. I recall standing outside the theatre and reading the posters and looking at the artwork and not knowing what it was about. I believe that it was inspired by a photograph showing refugees escaping from Saigon during the Vietnam War in 1975. It is loosely based on the opera Madam Butterfly. It was written by the two who wrote 'Les Misérables', Claude-Michel Shoenberg and Alain Boublil, with additional lyrics by Richard Maltby. It is a joint production of Cameron Macintosh and Michael Harrison.

The show has clever staging, utilising modern technology, allowing pieces of the set to move around effortlessly, as well as a central revolving section, and a variety of bits of set flown in, such as banners and electronic neon advertising signs.

If I have a complaint, and it's not about the show itself, but is connected to the sound. In the first 10 minutes or so, it was almost impossible to hear the lyrics, and because it was so loud, it hurt my ears. Just a minor tweak might have made it easier to listen to. As a result, I couldn't learn where the story was going, although, as the show went on, this became apparent. I think the sound department should have done pre-show checks, which I know happen, as I have worked in professional stage management, usually in the hour before the audience is let into the auditorium. Not just sound, but lighting, set, props and everything to make sure the show runs smoothly.

I have found someone on YouTube who has seen this show during its tour, I think probably in Birmingham or somewhere in the Midlands. They also picked up on the sound issue, which, if that is correct, nobody has managed to fix the problem if it was some months ago, and it is still an issue when the show arrived in Milton Keynes. I think if I were the director of a show or producer, and I was checking up on my production, and this sound issue came to light, I would certainly get it fixed. Cameron Macintosh, one of the producers of this show, and who is so totally involved in all aspects of his productions, would seemingly want it fixed.

Hey Ho, The Wind and The Rain!

 Saturday 4th April. 9.30 a.m. So, Easter is here. It doesn't seem like more than a few days since Christmas. The months in between Christmas and Easter have sped by at a rate of knots. The clocks have changed and the weather is fine, but apparently, there is a storm brewing. This one is called Dave, but, with a name like that, it sounds as if it's some sort of April Fool's joke, or something in a sitcom. Remember in 'Only Fools and Horses,' when Trigger insists on calling Rodney Dave, for no apparent reason. Similarly, this really sounds like a made-up name. Then I have to ask, why give a storm a name? What on earth do they need to give them names? I suspect it's to make them seem less powerful, a personality. But they're not creatures, animals or in any way, shape or form, living beings. Someone will, no doubt, tell me the reasoning for such naming. Why give storms a name? It has no purpose. Just unnecessary. But they will continue to do it anyway.

3.45 p.m. The weather is changing rapidly. The day started off sunny, but now it has become overcast, and the wind has begun. It appears it will develop into quite a strong storm. Typical, since it is the long Easter weekend. Well, it would, wouldn't it? It's almost traditional for a Bank Holiday to have miserable weather, strong winds and lashing rain.

I've been go the doctors to have my annual review, a check up for my heart, weight, and all the rest of what they term 'obs.' I have to have a blood test, so an appointment has been made, but, after the last time I had one, and the three attempts to extract blood and having to go to the blood department at the hospital, where they managed to somehow get blood out of my arm. No, not blood out of a stone, but very nearly. The doctor wanted me to do a blood pressure test once a day for a week, and I thought, that's easy enough. I already had my own blood test device, purchased from our good old friends at Amazon. It had batteries in it, ready to be used. It was in a drawer in the lounge, so I got it out and attempted to use it. You won't believe it when I tell you, it didn't work, after only one use, which was well over a year ago. Dead, almost as the proverbial door nail. I was not impressed. I then asked the lady who is currently standing in for our regular S.H.O., here at Dexter House, and she said she'd help with the blood pressure device, but it gave a very high reading, which would have been quite dangerous if it were correct. So, I gritted my teeth and went on the Amazon website, with the intention of buying another machine. I found one which was more expensive than the others on there, has a rechargeable battery which means it can be charged via a cable, similar to so many modern devices, such as mobile phones and cameras, and meaning you don't need to go out and buy batteries each time the thing has no power. It also has an app, which means you can store your data on it and thus have a record so the doctor can see your blood pressure readings. Which was the whole idea of all this in the first place. is used by the N.H.S, which makes it more reliable if it gets that sort of recommendation. If the N.H.S. uses the model, then it must be fairly good.. It is an OxiPro BP2. It seems to be so much easier to use than the run of themill blood pressure device that uses a cuff and is difficult to use if you are on your own, as I am, and have nobody to help. It costs around £40 on Amazon. It took several attempts to get it to work, but I found a helpful video on YouTube, giving you instructions on its use, because, as usual these days, devices such as this rarely give a comprehensive manual to instruct you on setting the thing up and operating it. So, there you have it, my review of the machine. It's neat and tidy in its design,looks the part and seems efficient and works well.