Futile Gesture

Saw this a little while ago - only remembered it recently.

There is a cycle path on my route to work which runs along quite a busy road. Whilst on my way to work, I saw a cyclist nearly get wiped out by a rather large cement mixer lorry.

The cyclist, rather understandably, was less than pleased. He cycled quite quickly to catch up and then promptly spat at the cement mixer. Impressively he did manage to hit the lorry.

However as the lorry was filthy it was doubtful that the driver would even have noticed.

I do feel however that small acts of defiance should be celebrated.

Motorway Randomness

I need a better title for this blog... will have a think.

Anyway - firstly my thanks to my friend Clare for letting me borrow this photo. I've driven past this bridge on a couple of occasions but have either a) not had a camera on me or b) been the only person in the car so unable to take a photo.

Graffiti on bridges has often been a source of pondering for me (yes I am that sad). The major source of my interest is how they actually paint the slogans on the side of the bridge... do they hang over the side? In which case surely there are less dangerous ways to get your slogan out there.

The slogan itself is also a source of musing - especially when stuck in traffic which considering this is on the M25 happens quite often.

At the end of the day perhaps it's best not to know how it got there etc. Perhaps it is simply enough that it is there and brightening up the day of the motorists who pass it.

You Wait Ages For One London Bus...

Took this whilst up in London on a day out. There are actually a couple of other buses out of shot... I've seen loads of taxis altogether in New York but this is the first time I've seen this many London buses all in one place.

When Pandas Go Wrong

I had completely forgotten I had this photo until I was going through the album recently. This was taken at San Diego Zoo. This was the wall along side the panda enclosure. The whole wall was covered with various paintings of pandas clearly done by artists of various skill. This one just made me laugh as it is the most awkward looking panda ever.

The importance of context

Everyone must have been in this situation. There you are, sitting minding your own business, when someone starts a conversation with you and expects you to know exactly what they are talking about straight away - forgetting that whilst they may have been thinking about something all morning, you aren't a mind reader and as a result haven't the foggiest about what they are talking about. "Context! I need context!" has become my stock response to this.

A prime example of this happened a couple of weeks back (admittedly wasn't helped by the fact that the conversation was by text message).

So I'm sat on the train, slightly hungover and I receive the following from my Mum:

"Sat in the garden guarding the pond from a mink".

That was it. No explanation as to why there was a mink in the garden. Turns out there wasn't really a reason for it, it had just appeared but stating that in the original text would have helped with some of the confusion... Or maybe I'm just picky!!

Lost in Translation?

I've called this lost in translation but that doesn't seem entirely right seeing as I took this in San Diego where they speak English... can only assume 'mugger' doesn't mean the same on that side of the pond as it does on this as I'm not sure why you would want to name your mug shop after a person who robs you in the street.

International Randomness

I was in Toronto recently (does a couple of months count as recent?) and saw this. The grey bit is one of those things that normally hold useful information about the statue or whatever you are looking at. This one had been left blank and someone had helpfully added "This is a tree". My favourite piece of Toronto graffiti.

A question of semantics...

A while back I went to a gig at the Shepherds Bush Empire in London (finally got so see Dodgy who were every bit as good as I hoped they would be). During one of the breaks between the support bands I went in search of the loo.

Strangely for a ladies toilet there wasn't a queue. If there had of been, what happened next might not of occurred. Glancing at the door as I pushed it open I noticed a sign saying "Mind the Step" - not an unusual sight, especially as everyone has started suing at the slightest provocation.

Duly warned, I opened the door fully and promptly fell up the step. For some reason I was expecting a step down not a shin high step up. Thinking about it though I had no reason to expect a step down, the sign hadn't specified. Just got me thinking - why had I assumed one type of step over the other?

Incidentally I wasn't the only one to fall up the step... sort of forgot to mention it to my mate...

This might just be me...

I am willing to stand corrected on this one... Not convinced whether it should be included.

Whilst walking to work yesterday morning, a camper van went past. Behind it was a trailer but instead of the usual car/storage trailer/boat that you might normally expect to see, this one had a tractor on it.

As I said, this may just be me who finds this slightly odd...

Puerile but funny...2

Couple of months back whilst on a narrowboat trip with mates I spotted this in a field. What it was doing there I don't know but it definitely made us smile. Anything that means the phrase "Massive cock!" gets shouted loudly has to be included in this blog.
*NB not actually a real cock but a wooden carving - just in case you can't see the photo too well...

Going for the hat trick

What's that? You want more? Ok I'm aware I'm blogging to myself but I'm bored and it's keeping me amused... Also there is another photo with this one. Saw this in a shopping centre in Warrington. In my opinion one of the creepiest Christmas decorations I have ever seen...

Twice in one night

When a on a roll surely it's best to go with it? Anyway I'm posting this because a) there is a photo and b) it involves googly eyes and there is always room for more googly eye usage in the world.

I took this photo whilst on holiday in San Diego last November (yes I have been that lax at posting).

Complete and utter rubbish...

... is perhaps the best way to describe my posting over the last few months and that is putting it mildly. It's not even like I've not seen anything random - I've just not been able to find the words. Pretty much sums up everything really. So I will endeavour to put that right starting with this...

Whilst walking back from watching a friend of mine in a local production of Robin Hood I was passed by a man on a bike. Nothing so strange about this until you factor in the fact he was dressed in chef's whites and even had the tall chef's hat. Hitched up to his bike was a trailer covered in a perspex box which contained what looked a bit like an oven - sort of like the old Victorian ones for roasting chestnuts complete with chimney. All in all it wasn't what you expect to see on a fairly deserted road in a city centre on a weekday night.

He looked at me, I stared back, he waved and I waved back before walking off into the night none the wiser as to where he was going or why - one of these days I really must ask...