Colin Harris' Journal

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Not sure if these exist in the US but in the UK there is a company called Haynes who publish detailed self-maintenance manuals for all the different makes of car. They also do a few more "fun" variants, including this
Owners Workshop Manual for Apollo 11 ...

Personally I like some of the user comments at Amazon, like this one ...

"Just what I had been looking for. I was having problems with my retro thrusters and the local Ford dealership just couldn't fix them. With this manual, some double sided tape and some sticky backed plastic I now have a fully functioning moon module once again. If you have the Apollo 11 at home you really must buy this. (N.B. This is no good for the Apollo 13 version which had the exploding side panels fitted)."

Enjoy!

Colin

David Stewart auction update
As most of you know, David Stewart passed away in 2006 from Oesophageal Cancer. Since then, his family and friends have set out to raise money for a specific project relating to this disease.

It was my privilege to meet Terry Stewart, David's father, at Eastercon for the first time and to hear about the progress made. Prior to LX, collections and auctions had already raised 12,500 EURO, a figure which the family had doubled. The total of 25,000 EURO has paid for the first year of the project -the establishment of a register of people with a disease which is a common precursor of Oesophageal Cancer. The aim is that eventually this register will span all of Ireland.

A special auction was held at LX of some of the most valuable books from David's collection. I'm pleased to say that this raised another £1,000 towards the work.

I know there are many who still miss David - I know I do - for his great warmth and generosity as well as his contribution to running conventions. I was glad to have the opportunity to meet Terry and hear about the money raised, but also to join the many, many people who've told Terry what David meant to us all. I know that the family didn't know too much about this part of David's life until he died, and it's clear that it means a lot to them to discover how well he is thought of and how much he brought to the community.

You assume it will only happen to other people ... part 2
Another couple of hours and I'd been seen (eventually) by a doctor, given some heavy duty pain relief (Co-codomol 30/500, if you really want to know) and trolleyed around for a couple of chest X-rays.

To my relief they said nothing was broken, so they gave me a load more pills (Co-codomol 8/500) and let me go. Essentially they said it was deep internal bruising and they couldn't do anything much more, so I'd just have to let it heal.

Over the next 24 hours some of the secondary effects, like the breathing problems, went away, but I found that the core injury was really awkward if not carefully managed. Increasingly I found I could walk or sit OK (as those of you at the con would have noticed) - but anything using the abdominals puts pressure on the damaged area and is very painful. (Standing up especially was hard). In some ways the core injury got worse - presumably the internal bruise developing fully.

I made it back to Guildford yesterday (strangely, driving is a lot more comfortable than most other positions, probably because the seat gives full support and is well adjusted).

Today I had the problem that it took me an hour to get out of bed. I think I must have tried to sit up 20 or 30 times, using every technique / angle I could think of - but as soon as I got a few inches I just had a horrible wave of pain and had to lay down again. I'm sure that sleeping just lets everything seize up again (it seems better now I've been moving around for a few hours).

I've been signed off work for at least a week (with expectation that it may become two weeks, and a warning from the GP to expect soreness for 6-8 weeks in all). Plus I've now got Diclofenac (anti-inflammatory) as well as more Co-codomol). After the talk with the GP, it sounds like the two lowest ribs on the left were hit so hard that they pulled extremely hard on the cartilage at both ends. So I now have stretched and damaged cartilage as well as overall tissue bruising. Which explains why I have two pain centres, one down below the heart at the front, and one around the back ...

I guess I'm lucky to have gone this long without ever having a nasty injury, and of course you feel a bit of an idiot saying you slipped in the bath - but it's a nasty reminder of how easily these things can happen to any of us. Of course if this was the US I'd have my lawyer chatting to the Campanile by now, and I'm sure that I won't be the last person to have a similar accident with their new bathrooms, but I just want to forget it and get on with healing now ...

You assume it will only happen to other people ... part 1
So, Eastercon was great as a convention. Before I start on the personal travails, much kudos goes to the whole committee, all of whom did brilliantly. James Bacon in particular led from the front as only he can - his deep beliefs in what fandom is about shining through and inspiring the team and the con - and my long standing admiration for Vince went up another notch from the amazing and unique music programme.

The hotel was a real find, too; the lack of sleeping space was regrettable but the combination of good function space, social spaces, excellent onsite food options (choice, low price, good hours, decent quality) and really helpful staff really enabled everyone to get the best from the con.

It was therefore unfortunate that I picked this weekend to have my first really serious personal accident in 40 odd years. (Even when I wrote off my car a few years ago, I walked away without a scratch; and touch wood, I've yet to break any bones anywhere).

Staying in the refitted Campanile hotel, I went to take a shower. The shower head was over a (new, shiny) bathtub with fairly high sides; there was no anti-slip bottom to the tub, and no rubber mat. This didn't bother me especially, after thousands of showers over the years ...

I got the water going, put one foot in, then as I lifted the other one into the tub the first one just shot out from underneath me. I went straight up in the air and came down too fast to catch myself, dropping all my weight (about 230 lbs these days I think) onto the 3-inch-wide edge of the tub, landing sideways on my ribs.

Thankfully I didn't pass out but the immediate experience of being unable to shout or indeed breathe was one of the scariest of my life. Thankfully after what seemed like quite a few seconds I was able to focus and breathe a little, but only shallowly due to the huge pain I now had all down the left side.

Thankfully the immediate pain subsided enough to let me stand up after a few minutes (well, claw my way up) but I couldn't twist or bend without making it much worse. I managed to get dressed, walk to the lift (I found that walking very slowly in a straight line was OK) and get the hotel to order me a taxi. (I thought about an ambulance but this seemed unnecessary at that point - excepting that I could only breathe very lightly still, and any cough or attempt to talk immediately doubled me over in pain).

I reached Bradford Royal Infirmary to find a 3-hour waiting time in A&E, but they fast tracked me into Major Incidents for the breathing problems and level of pain. ...

(on to part 2)

Just to let you know ...
After my slight misadventure (of which more will be posted tomorrow), I am back home, safe and sound. Much appreciation to those who were concerned for me on the trip back ...

I do however feel like I have been run over by a bus (I stopped taking the painkillers to keep my head clear for the trip ...)

Disney / Pixar movies for 2008-2012
Old news perhaps, but not to me ... I admit fairly shamelessly to enjoying a lot of the current Disney & Pixar animations (having a 9-year-old does tend to make you more interested in family entertainment!). So I was interested to discover this announcement from last year of the next 4 years of movies, including lots of 3D (including Toy Story 1 & 2 reissues) and, unexpectedly, a Philip K Dick adaptation ("King of the Elves").

Trivia Meme ...

Ten Top Trivia Tips about Palatinate!

Three seagulls flying overhead are a warning that palatinate is near.
Some birds use palatinate to orientate themselves during migration.
Antarctica is the only continent without palatinate.
It is impossible to fold palatinate more than seven times.
Wearing headphones for an hour will increase the amount of palatinate in your ear 700 times!
If you kiss palatinate for one minute you will burn six or seven calories.
Palatinate was originally green, and actually contained cocaine.
Palatinate was banned from Finland because of not wearing pants!
Palatinate is the world's smallest mammal!
Palatinate can last longer without water than a camel can.

And some more good ones ...
Check out the relaunch of tor.com. And check the other posts too ... especially this, this and this.

And I guess you've all met CADIE by now, too!

I liked this one ...

But check it out today, while it's still there!

An unfortunate turn of phrase ...
Like most news channels, the BBC has been reporting Steve Job's illness and the consequences for Apple. However, I suspect a good editor might have spotted and removed this statement from today's piece:

"Now with his second medical leave of absence , the question as to whether or not Mr Jobs will return takes on even more weight."

Whoops ...

Bush's Words
The BBC has published this interesting analysis of the words Bush used in his State of the Union speeches over the years. The word cloud is fascinating (I'm always taken with how the RIGHT graphic can make all the difference ...).

Even the BBC isn't perfect ...
Just the tiniest error crept into the BBC website today, showing we're all human. In this article about a rare mammal, I spotted the following list of links ...

The fifth one is the Audobon Society of Haiti - although I will now forever think of them as "the other one" ...

Ewan Chrystal, who is sadly missed already
I had to post this to the SMOFS mailing list today ...

"It's with a very heavy heart that Vince and I have to report the
passing away of Ewan Chrystal on 4 January 2009. Ewan was the DH for
the Concourse (Fixed Exhibits) in 2005 and a wonderful, kind, warm and
gentle-hearted fan.

It seems particularly unfair to me that Interaction's team has seen
the loss of KIM, Johannes Berg, David Stewart and now Ewan. The very
best of us, all with wonderful souls that enriched all the people
around them, and all taken so long before their time (I know the first
three were all in their mid to late 40s; I believe Ewan was slightly
older, but not much). It is small consolation indeed that the success
of the Convention, and the pleasures and memories of working together
on it, stand as part of their memorial.

Flickr

Some of the many tributes which Ewan will undoubtedly receive are
starting to appear on LJ and at other locations, including on the journals of myst and mquin.

Colin & Vince"

As someone posted elsewhere, Ewan was bearish with just a little impishness in his humour. And this was very unexpected. I know Ewan had had some healthy problems since Interaction but I was not aware of anything serious - and indeed he seemed in very good form in Denver.

I still miss David Stewart badly, and I shall miss Ewan in the same way. Neither of them ever had a bad word to say or a single bad bone or thought in their bodies. They deserved better and longer from life.

Matt Smith ...
Not convinced, I'm afraid. Although Moffat is an excellent writer and I suspect a good show-runner, so I will certainly give it a chance.

But as Ten would have said.

What? What? WHAT!!

Star Wars Concert at the O2
Looks interesting - a new 2 hour concert based on the 6 Star Wars movies, premiering at the O2 next Spring before a European tour.

Goodbye Ten ...
Sadly, no more David Tennant after the specials next year ...

I would have liked another year but I think he's just a little too big a star these days, and too ambitious, to keep sticking around especially now RTD's moved on.

Anyone ready to start the sweepstake on who will play Eleven?

First meme for a while ...
Just for the hell of it ...

Your result for The Perception Personality Image Test...

HBPS - The Optimist

You perceive the world with particular attention to humanity. You focus on the hidden treasures of life (the background) and how that fits into the larger picture. You are also particularly drawn towards the shapes around you. Because of the value you place on humanity, you tend to seek out other people and get energized by being around others. You like to ponder ideas and imagine the many possibilities of your life without worrying about the details or specifics. You are in tune with all that is around you and understand your life as part of a larger whole. You prefer a structured environment within which to live and you like things to be predictable.

The Perception Personality Types:

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Take The Perception Personality Image Test at HelloQuizzy

Hamlet Postscript
OK I know David Tennant is popular but even so ... Liz pointed out that tickets have been going on Ebay (not normal even for the RSC). Prices for 2 x stalls seem to be averaging £300+; one pair in row A went for £800; even balcony seats are going for £100 each.

I think we can safely say that cultural hysteria now surrounds DT...

For comparison, this week I also bought 2 tickets to Anthony Sher's Tempest in Stratford next February, for which booking opened at the same time; and was able to get premium seats (best in house) for any performance with no trouble at all.

By the skin of our teeth ...
Just managed to get two tickets for the RSC Hamlet in London this winter ... David Tennant as Hamlet and Patrick Stewart as Claudius.

Now I know this is a popular choice but even so ... priority booking for RSC members only opened on Wednesday with public booking not until September. And as of 9 this morning the phone system is in meltdown (I tried around 50 times without getting through; they have no queueing system so you just get engaged tones all the time). And booking online I found that of the dozen performances I checked (including midweeks etc), most are sold out to the last ticket whilst just a couple had a handful of singles left. So whilst I do have 2 tickets, they are at opposite ends of different tiers of the theatre, in very poor positions off to the side.

Who knew the overlap of RSC members and Dr Who fans was quite so big?

I'm sure it will be worth it. Usually we only go when we can get decent stall seats but we didn't hesitate on this occasion to go even with the poor and separate seats we could get. But I am now cursing myself that I didn't chase this up at 9 am Wednesday ... (I thought it would be busy but surely even these guys wouldn't sell the whole run out in 48 hours? How wrong could I be ...).

I now have an odd mixture of being pleased that we're going and irritated that I didn't get my act together faster ...