h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I finally bought a mobile and wonder how I did without. (Actually I did buy one just before I went into hospital...but became convinced I'd melted it, one of many delusions, and threw it away...c'est la vie).

Anyway so I had to get another. Did a bit more research and got exactly what I want this time. A flip top..I find them much more ergonomically pleasing. Large well separated keys..and a bright large lettered display bit. Also a loud loud speaker.

It just does texting and phone calls...all I want and has a very simple and easy menu system.

But what really annoys me is that the 'reviews' the company put out on the web site, all talk about stuff like, 'great for grandad - really simple...good for olds getting a bit deaf and blind..emergency alarm for grandma' etc.

Usual prejudice. It doesn't occur to these idiots that lots of people have these requirements. I wear reading glasses and find distraction when I'm trying to listen to a call very difficult. I much prefer to read books without very tiny text.

It's perfect for me. And what if it is also well designed for older people..why the disparaging remarks?

It's the company that really annoy me. They've *branded* it for the olds and are pushing that...hence the reviews selected.

So there it is. And I love this phone, but not who I bought it from.

The rediculus thing is, as I recall from a while back when me and my lodger were trying to find a phone for his mother (very technology unaccustomed), was how* damn expensive some of the more simpler phones are! Seriously... most of the really more basic 'plain' ones, without all the gizmos were more expensive than the entry-level ones with built in gizmos galore Goodluck with it though, I was a bit late converting to mobile phones properly, but as with so many things, find it hard now to remember the time before mobile phones Mind, I've somehow kept the same mobile number since 1997 which must be a bit of a record, everyone else I know seems to change their number more often than I change my saucepans

It wasn't dirt cheap..but then its solidly made and bigger than most..so hopefully I won't lose it..I'm not a fan of this obsessive miniaturisation of everything. I like something I can really get my hands on The last one I threw away, was ridiculously small.

It's about the first thing I bought in a while which is exactly what I wanted.

I must be getting old

Finding things which are exactly what you want is brillient! which is why I'm still wearing an old pair of zip up black leather boots, which arn't waterproof as I've failed to find exactly* what I want to replace them with yet
I really like having something I can really get my hands on too... luckily I seem to have found that

My co-workers (most of which are 20-somethings) never cease to comment on the size of the font on my BB. We all have the same model (company supplied) so I guess it sets me apart, old fart that I am.

zoomer I think a lot of this junk will seem as dated in style as filofaxes and mini skirts in a few years..people will wake up from this silly reverie of miniaturism. Hopefully it will apply to people's bodies as well.

2legs why not just keep polishing your boots to keep them waterproof? I just did my black leather trainer/walking boots...I use that delicious smelling kiwi polish. Rub it on..wait a few minutes then buff to a satin sheen and enjoy the vapours

I love those shoes..

Its mainly where the sole/upper are pulling apart where the water comes in I've been meaning to get frisky with them and some strong multipurpose glue and a G-clamp for ages... actually might try do that tonight... First off they need a clean, some liquid nikwax on them and a polish with ordinary boot polish, then I think there is a bit of the heel coming off, which can be glues and clamped overnight, then the bit where the water comes in on the other boot can be done (not sure I've got two G-clamps) then there are a few bits of the inside lining that has come away, and that can be glues easily enough too Might get another decade out of them hmmm... must be nearly a decade old already (with one new set of soles/heels on them already )

I can see a spot of kiwi polish on its own might not really cut it.

G clamps are wondrous things. I have a few I've used for all sorts of woodwork I've done in the past..and you have loads all at different angles...and then when you unscrew them and the glue has set

Although I have many clamps in the house... I think I only have one proper wood working one
I keep meaning to get back into wood woork, not done any in ages
and I do have a bunch of projects to start on, when I get round to it I've got to build some new fronts for a set of old speakers out of wood, and I keep meaning to make a HiFi cabinate (sod paying out for one, they're bonkers expensive and only MDF, I want to make one from proper* wood...)
I have also had a cunning idea for a set of speaker stands, with space under for storing vinyl Pity I've not got a shed or garage here to work in though, as I can't set up a proper bench or vice or anything for doing wood work at

right... if I glue one of the bits tonight, now, which needs to be clamped, I can do the other tommorrow night I think the polishing and cleaning can wait until after they've been stuck back together

2legs manages to sound dirty while talking about DIY. It must be a knack.

TRiG.

Did a bit of research for you 2legs

You might already have some good glue but these look good because it'll put a hell of a strain on the repair.

http://www.repairproducts.co.uk/page31.htm

http://uk.gorillaglue.com/

I'm getting quite enthused by this project myself

*Waves* to Trig

They're one of the most expensive things I've bought, clothes/shoes wise in years... I saw them... just had to have them think they were a bit over £100 when I got them, and the origional leather soles, were not very hard wearing though, so I had new rubber soles put on, maybe three years after I origionally got the boots... which have in maybe the last year started getting a bit coming away from the bottoms... mmm bottoms... oh, shoes... yes...
The uppers arn't great anymore, just scuffs and scratches though really, so I don't particularly want to pay out again for having them re-soled.... Was looking for a replacement pair, but fashions seem to have changed, and the only ones I can see in any shoe shops are all about £150, and absolutely horrible They've all seemingly got some kind of strange plastic/laqure coating on the outside of the leather, so they don't even look or feel like leather And its patently obvious, that as soon as one of these pairs of boots gets a tiny scratch or scuff, they'll just look really crap, as it'll never polish over, as the laqure/plastic coating will be buggered
I've got my more heavy duty working/hiking type boots, but their lace up and take me longer to put on than it takes me to actually walk to the shop to buy cigs, so I've carried on using the zip up old boots for things like that, and just put the heavy boots on when going for longer walks
Never got round to doing any gluing last night, I had to make poolish for the multigrain rolls I@m making today
Did a 45 minute autolyse (without salt), today, for a change, and the dough oughta be finished the first of the two bulk ferments/rises just about... Although its taking awhile to rise today as its not warm

I made talking about clamps sound dirty?!

Well. yes. I think I did mention that I had clamps in the house, but most weren't suited for clamping woodwork or boot-repairing projects They might, however be more suited to clamping onto parts of someones body... mmm... nipples...

Can't William give you an early Christmas present and buy you a new pair of just what you want? Remember money spent now will last another ten years.

As for patent leather I love it in little bits as part of a boot or shoe to give an interesting look and you can get stuff to shine it up good as new...but I couldn't imagine wanting a whole boot of that..unless it was for a pantomime or something...but I do think it's a bit sexy.

I want some thong type sandals for the summer with a bit of patent leather...have seen some really nice ones coloured deep plum.

The problem is, there arn't any boots that I like about at the moment... Not in any of the shoe shops we've been in And, they're all way*too expensive