Insignificant/ Significant things that BYP or just wind you up a little

[Horse]

I'm considering moving on all of my Pratchetts. Most of the Discworld novels, most of them in hardback. Plus some 'science of', etc., Nation, and a couple of others. Might get to £5 ...

Another one interested in Pratchett hardbacks - I switched from paperback to hardback after the first nine-ish, so if you have the early ones, I'd happily take them off your hands

(I also didn't really like the Long Earth stuff )

Looking at this list (and without walking a few yards to the bookcase), I started on hardbacks about book 18.

No backfilling, earlier ones read as paperbacks.

There's actually a - tenuous - motorcycle connection.

In about 1994 I was going to the Birmingham bike show with my mate Paul. We stopped at a services and he was looking for the latest Pratchett. I'd never heard of him. Next day (we did a day on the BMF stand (RIP) and a day wandering) Paul arrived with Colour of Magic and Light Fantastic. Hooked. Filly bought me Masquerade in HB.

https://www.discworldemporium.com/reading-order/

[Noggin]

I have found the essential oil Eucalyptus Citronée has worked pretty well (also helps on the bites too - not sure why!). I've also used Cironella, Menthe and tea tree, just to try and upset the little bastards and make them go away. Doesn't always work But the times I got bitten up here I didn't have any of the oils/smells (cos didn't realise that we now have mosquitoes up here ). Must remember and be prepared!!

I could be used as mozzie bait. It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't react to them so badly. I ended one trip around eastern Turkey looking like the Elephant Man. The missus was quite happy as they ignored her 'cos my pheromones and blood were more attractive.

I was surprised, at first, to see shelves of anti-mozzie stuff in Brussels supermarkets - I found out why later. At certain times of year that's where they seem to go for their hollibobs! However, that's where I found out about the plug-in devices that have a little heater pad and a bottle of mozzie-cide screwed on top. Got a couple - one with a UK plug and one with a euro plug. Don't like using them overnight but an hour or two in the bedroom, with doors and windows closed, before bed seems to help. They also seem to congregate in bath/shower rooms so blatting them with mozzie-cide helps.

IIRC there's a theory that taking vitamin B helps to pevent bites and there are vitamin B patches available. Doesn't seem to have any scientific evidence to support it though.

I might try VitB (it's almost the only one I'm not taking I reckon!! LOL) I had some of the mozzie-cide heat plug things when I was int he first rehab - they wren't bad but the Grenoble tiger mozzies were vicious and almost immune to everything! Bastards

The most effective household mozzie deterrent I've found is two highly strung cats

Mrs. D gets the swelling thing really badly, but it does vary with location - apparently that's not uncommon, sliight variation in mozzie spit proteins cause it.

She's got a little self imolating zapper thing which plugs into your phone which you scorch bites with as soon as you notice them, it seems to work! AFAIK it pretty much just cooks the proteins in the spit like egg whites. Could be total snake oil/placebo though.

I need to get one of the plug in zappers for sure!!

Eating garlic and drinking gin is supposed to help as a deterrent too.

I'm not sure there's any science behind it, I imagine the rumour was started by someone who liked garlic bread and a G&T.

Garlic I can do - Gin does not like me

I do a few outdoor gym classes. In the evening, the mozzies can be voracious. I've found this stuff to be cheap, nice smelling and very effective. I assume it's the oil: the buggers must overshoot when they come in to land.
https://avon.uk.com/collections/skin-so ... OzEALw_wcB

The mozzies in Grenoble would happily attack despite the skin so soft stuff. But I might try it up here and see if these ones here are a less tough!

Thank fuck we've no mozzies here

This is the first ever time I've seen them here. Ok, I missed a lot of too heatwaves as I was in Grenoble fighting Tiger Mosquitos!! But it's proper weird to be attacked up here as I never have been before I guess it's cos we've had so much rain (something else unusual/missing for you!! )

[Noggin]

In about 1994 I was going to the Birmingham bike show with my mate Paul. We stopped at a services and he was looking for the latest Pratchett. I'd never heard of him. Next day (we did a day on the BMF stand (RIP) and a day wandering) Paul arrived with Colour of Magic and Light Fantastic. Hooked. Filly bought me Masquerade in HB.

https://www.discworldemporium.com/reading-order/

The first one I read was Small Gods. I have no idea where it came from or why I ended up with it, but I started it whilst waiting to get on a plane to go to a Grand Prix. I was laughing out loud on the plane and whenever I could get to read it at the hotel. Freaking awesome! Soon as I got back I found as many others that I could and from then on bought each one as it come out!! They are books I can read over and over. I do miss them quite a lot! LOL But if you find an easier/closer home, I will find them all again from somewhere x

[Sunny]

Looking at this list (and without walking a few yards to the bookcase), I started on hardbacks about book 18.

No backfilling, earlier ones read as paperbacks.

There's actually a - tenuous - motorcycle connection.

In about 1994 I was going to the Birmingham bike show with my mate Paul. We stopped at a services and he was looking for the latest Pratchett. I'd never heard of him. Next day (we did a day on the BMF stand (RIP) and a day wandering) Paul arrived with Colour of Magic and Light Fantastic. Hooked. Filly bought me Masquerade in HB.

https://www.discworldemporium.com/reading-order/

Ah, in that case there might be just a few - I'll check and let you know, in case you do decide to shift 'em (mine are currently in boxes awaiting a new shelving system, hence a small bit of effort required )

[Mr. Dazzle]

Airport drop off charges.

£7 to drive by the front door

[ChrisW]

I do a few outdoor gym classes. In the evening, the mozzies can be voracious. I've found this stuff to be cheap, nice smelling and very effective. I assume it's the oil: the buggers must overshoot when they come in to land.
https://avon.uk.com/collections/skin-so ... OzEALw_wcB

That's the stuff used by the army, I think? I'm sure I remember reading it - might have been a bit of PR.

[ChrisW]

Airport drop off charges.

£7 to drive by the front door

East Midlands is only a fiver (for up to 5 minutes) - bargain!

[Yorick]

Airport drop off charges.

£7 to drive by the front door

East Midlands is only a fiver (for up to 5 minutes) - bargain!

It's about 1€ per hour at this airport

[Noggin]

Realising how slow I really am on a bike now I was never particularly quick on track (the straights were my issue, fast in corners dog slow on straights ) but on the road there weren't many that could pass me!!

The last few days too many people have caught up with me at a pace that meant I waved them past

My physio made the usual comment that it's 'just getting old'


I'm realising that it's, sadly, self preservation, also a bit that I'm on a borrowed bike But, I don't want to ride too fast as I don't want to fall off Well, actually, more to the point - I DO NOT want to damage the metal shoulder OR the 'good' shoulder!! bloody wuss!! LOL

I ride very comfortably, just not very fast With luck I can improve once I have my own bike again.


But right now?? It's just bloody depressing (well, not when I'm riding, that's joyous!)

Just the realisation when I get home that I'm now slow is miserable

[Mr. Dazzle]

Airport drop off charges.

£7 to drive by the front door

East Midlands is only a fiver (for up to 5 minutes) - bargain!

Yeah LHR is a fiver too.

Stansted retains it's title as Shittest Airport. Luton runs it close.

[Horse]

I'm realising that it's, sadly, self preservation, also a bit that I'm on a borrowed bike But, I don't want to ride too fast as I don't want to fall off Well, actually, more to the point - I DO NOT want to damage the metal shoulder OR the 'good' shoulder!! bloody wuss!! LOL

I ride very comfortably, just not very fast

My US mate and training mentor, Garth, said that the secret is to find the mid-point between being bored and scared.

In cornering terms:
1. Are you comfortable about opening the throttle to balance the bike, then drive through?

2. Can you stop in the distance you can see is going to remain clear?

If the answer to either is 'no' then you're probably too fast.

You're not being a wuss. We all lose the fearlessness of youth. And you have the tinware to consider.

Along with that, as discussed in your thread, you're still finding out what works. Doing that enough to embed a [good] habit will take time, both days, weeks and months, and 'time' as in distance approaching each bend.

And that extra time changing body position means earlier braking so, overall, more time to travel the same distance.


But think for a moment. Are you enjoying riding? If yes, who cares? You do, you're putting yourself under pressure.

If you exit a bend and think "I could have gone faster", great. Better that than the alternatives.

[cheb]

Airport drop off charges.

£7 to drive by the front door

East Midlands is only a fiver (for up to 5 minutes) - bargain!

It's about 1€ per hour at this airport

It's free here, and so is both the short and long term parking.

[Mr. Dazzle]

You can actually park for an hour for free at Stansted, I looked.

You just have to get a bus to the car park

[cheb]

How long does the bus journey take?

[Mr. Dazzle]

How long does the bus journey take?

Hopefully less than 30 mins each way.

[cheb]

How long does the bus journey take?

Hopefully less than 30 mins each way.

That's a very one sided view.

[gremlin]

Oft repeated jokes.

I have one colleague who, whenever I plug my helmet in to charge, will make a Sid James-esque quip along the lines of, 'Oooh. Juicing up your helmet?' or 'I may have to manhandle your helmet'.

It may have been mildly amusing the first 500 times, but after years of hearing it, it gets really tiresome.

[McNab]

Oft repeated jokes.

I have one colleague who, whenever I plug my helmet in to charge, will make a Sid James-esque quip along the lines of, 'Oooh. Juicing up your helmet?' or 'I may have to manhandle your helmet'.

It may have been mildly amusing the first 500 times, but after years of hearing it, it gets really tiresome.

It's similar to those "Can you do mine next?" when you are washing the car/bike. They think they are amazingly funny but it's not the first time I've heard it, probably not even the first time I've heard it that day.

[Taipan]

At work I often used to get introduced as our resident biker and then people nearly always said I bet you've got a Harley Davidson? I'm quite clean cut looking if anything and beer gut aside, I don't look anything like the stereotypical Harley Dude? Do non biker people always assume bikers only ride Harleys? Anyway, it got on my nerves after a while and I asked my Director to stop introducing me as a resident biker, not hat I've got anything against bikers, or harleys or harley riders, it just grated after a while.

[Rockburner]

At work I often used to get introduced as our resident biker and then people nearly always said I bet you've got a Harley Davidson? I'm quite clean cut looking if anything and beer gut aside, I don't look anything like the stereotypical Harley Dude? Do non biker people always assume bikers only ride Harleys? Anyway, it got on my nerves after a while and I asked my Director to stop introducing me as a resident biker, not hat I've got anything against bikers, or harleys or harley riders, it just grated after a while.

Generally speaking... Harleys are the only brand most of the general public are aware of, if they've had absolutely zero experience of bikes in the rest of their lives.