Journal Entries
Always follow your dreams
Posted Jun 6, 2006
When I was a kid I loved to sing, I sang in the school choir and was actually quite good. However singing requires practising and whenever I tried to practise at home, my Dad would make fun of me, so I had to stop. No worries that is what Dads do afterall.
Ever since, I have wanted to sing.
I have also wanted to write, take photos and do various creative stuff, which I am doing now.
But singing was a private secret dream.
When my anti-depressants stopped working a few weeks ago, I noticed that the more I sang the better my depression got. It didn't work miracles, depression isn't that easy to get rid off afterall, but it gave me something to aim for.
So I started training seriously, at least an hour a day. I had 2 normal days last week and I am on my second for this week as well. I used to get one normal day a week at the very most. Normal being without having to struggle against severe depression, anxieties, agorophobia etc. In fact normal means feeling happy, maybe just a bit happy, but that is still huge progress for me.
Today I went for my first singing leson, a neighbour of mine who has sung in west end shows for years, teaches.
She said that I have a good voice, a good range and there is every chance I can do something professional with it. I am so happy.
It took me until I was 34, to eventually try to persue my dream. Its never too late to try, cause its fantastic when you finally find out, you can do it and do it well. 
On a side issue, lots of people are being daft about the date today 6/6/06. Well I just got back from shopping and my bill came to £6.66!!!!!! 
Discuss this Journal entry [21]
Latest reply: Jun 6, 2006
BBC survey
Posted May 6, 2006
I only popped on here to read a few friends journals, I got the survey.
I answered 1 - very unlikely.
I then tried to explain why in less than 25 words and couldn't, so thought I would make a record of them here, in much more than 25 words.
"The bbc championed satirical broadcasting, it was brave and new and pushed the boundaries, now it is a timid copy and so far removed from its brave efforts to champion new broadcasting and push the boundaries that it doesn't even look like the same channel. Would 'That was the week that was' get commissioned in the present bbc - obviously not and h2g2s decline reflects the new cowardly and non-relevant bbc which we have today. The people who run h2g2 are now too busy to listen or to converse with us. The new profanity filter does not allow the use of Fathers Jacks word - f-e-c-k, it does not allow the use of the word C-n-u-t, which is the popular spelling for a English King, it does not allow the use of the word b-o-p. I have documented on my journal the use of these words on other bbc sites, so why are they not allowed on h2g2? I only come here now to check on a few friends. I was going to restart my science column and my human rights column, but a juvenile website like this which has such ridiculous rules in its profanity filter does not deserve grown-up writing anymore."
Discuss this Journal entry [8]
Latest reply: May 6, 2006
Last journal entry
Posted Apr 20, 2006
I will be keeping in touch with you guys elsewhere from now on. However I will remain here to stay in a few convos.
I have obviously had enough due to the profanity filter, I wonder if anyone is making a list of all those who have completely left over this and who have like me, mostly left?
Anyway, this is interesting, I have been searching certain words which are not profane but which get stopped by the filter. I have found many things...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/82/a8927382.shtml
is all about Wireless OPerators, I bet the author is pleased to know his war occupation is now a banned word.
If you search the bbc website for this word, most the articles are in the World War 2 section, so banning this word is a complete insult to all of them, in my opinion.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/classicpop/reviews/vario_doowopunderground.shtml
Part of the name of this album is now banned.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/soldonsong/glossary/d.shtml
The third entry in this glossary, in something we are now banned from saying here.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/f/fatherted_7772595.shtml
This has a list of Father Jacks favourite words, including one begining with f, which is now banned from here.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/archers/listeners/fantasies/bridge_farm_2020.shtml
Apparently its okay to say the f word in a fantasy Archers script, but again not here.
Then there is the English King we are not allowed to mention here anymore, although we maybe allowed to say Cnvt, many links to follow...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/war/normans/background_01.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/timelines/england/inv_return_scandinavian.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/timelines/britain/inv_danish_rule.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/vikings/evidence_03.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/lj/conquestlj/coin_7.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/war/normans/key_players.shtml
there are many more, but I believe I have made my point.
Discuss this Journal entry [9]
Latest reply: Apr 20, 2006
Looks like the end
Posted Apr 11, 2006
I have been away for a week due to my back giving out on me again. I am having painful side-effects to the anti-depressants as well. So I managed to get on here today, noticed no-one had missed me - never mind. Also noticed many people are talking of leaving and some have left. I have been reading much over the past year about people saying the spirit had gone. Now the ridiculous profanity filter is finishing the job, I see.
Anyway whilst in this health situation its very difficult reading all these people thinking of going. Everytime someone writes that, I know I am losing another friend. Anyway, h2g2 is my only place where I have friends at all and watching them all go is far too painful.
Those who are leaving may want to consider deleting all your articles, this can be temporary, but it makes a point. Afterall, it would be nice if the italics cared that people were going. I notice all new announcements are closed immediately, they don't want any discussion anymore, with us it seems and I am utterly fed-up with Jimsters sarcastic postings, it was his posting about wasting bandwidth which made me delete all my articles in protest.
Father Jacks favourite word is not a swear word.
Discuss this Journal entry [34]
Latest reply: Apr 11, 2006
Thames Salmon and other news
Posted Apr 4, 2006
The Thames Salmon Rehabilitation Project has been going for 30 years, it was initially very sucessful at bringing salmon back to the Thames. I studied it at Uni and we learnt a lot about it, it seemed as though it would work.
However I read in our local paper today that not one salmon returned last year. Probably due to the huge amount of raw sewerage dumped in the river in the summer, during storm surges. So that could be the end of that scheme and the end of the Thames as a clean river for a while.
Another piece of news today is about the Liberal democrats, they are advising how to get their leaflets out there...
"You go into the middle of a council estate with your leaflets and you shout at all the local kids you can see and hear 'any of you lot want to help deliver all these leaflets?'.
Then proceed Pied Piper-like round the estate doling out badges and toffees and leaflets, the last at least to be pushed through doors by the shouting, squealing and quarrelsome horde."
Basically lessons in how to succeed as a paedophile. Link here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4875698.stm
Discuss this Journal entry [8]
Latest reply: Apr 4, 2006
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