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Lancashire Science Festival 2014

By Friends & Family, Happiness & Joy, Life, Love & Relationships, Reviews, Technology, The WebNo Comments
lancashire-science-festival-2014

Lancashire Science Festival: Sign.

 Last weekend I dragged boyfriend-A along to Lancashire Science Festival. We arrived, signed in and were given a programmes, maps and visitor passes. It was being hosted by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN), which had a special significance for me as UCLAN was where I completed Nursing studies sometime ago. It was nice to see that the campus has developed, while at the same time keeping some of the buildings that I studied and lived in. Walking around triggered many happy memories for me, but I wasn’t there for a trip down memory lane. We were there to explore all things science. All things geek.

Which started with Titan, a singing, dancing and joke-cracking robot. See photos below (click any image for full size photo):

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Lancashire Science Festival Selfie with Titan.
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Titan The Robot.
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Titan 2
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Titan 3
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Titan 4.
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Titan 5.
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Titan 6. Mr Red Eyes.

Then boyfriend-A and I listened to a fascinating talk from @Drsurvival entitled Power Up Your Brain. I enjoyed the talk, but it would have been great to have two talks: one aimed at children & families and one aimed purely at adults. This was because I would have liked @Drsurvival to go into more of the biological and physiological detail.

We discovered a hall that had so many activities from a wide range of science and engineering organisations. My particular highlight was the CSI tent, where we learned more about the process of investigating crime. Then it was time for lunch, followed by Jo Blows Stuff Up!

Lancashire Science Festival ignited my imagination for everything science, engineering and technical. There was so much to get round, we spent most of the day there and only got through a small fraction of the activities on offer. I would have loved to have more time to do: the Science Dome Planetarium, Zoo Bus and Flash Bang Science. The free talks were over subscribed meaning that even pre-booking I couldn’t get tickets to attend Davros – An Audience with Davros and Science of Sherlock free talks. But I’m sure we’ll get around to some of these activities and talks next year.

Lancashire Science Festival is free fun for all the family. There were loads of young children there, loads of activities for them and they looked like they were having a fantastic time.

My advice on how to work the day: Arrive early and do the open activities in the morning. Then pre-book a talk or two for the afternoon.

Write soon,

Antony



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Friday 4 July 2014

The Lady Boys of Bangkok ‘Lack their Sparkle’ in Manchester

By Friends & Family, Gigs & Shows, Happiness & Joy, Reviews, ThinkingNo Comments
lady-boys-bangkok-june-14-manchester

The Lady Boys of Bangkok Stage. They strictly prohibited photos throughout the show.

 Steve and I recently went to see The Lady Boys of Bangkok in Manchester. I had seen them four or five times over the last few years and couldn’t wait. Unfortunately, for the first time, I was to be disappointed.

It started with an embarrassing experience with a rude Door Supervisor. He checked my bag and said that I couldn’t take in a bottle of Lucozade. I explained that I had diabetes. To which he wanted to see a medical card. I showed him one and then he wanted to see tablets (I had to explain that I was on injectable insulin and showed him this). He still looked unsure about whether to let me in or not. So I said, ‘Look if I have a hypo I need sugar quick. I wont be able to make it to the bar. I’ll be on the floor having a seizure and foaming at the mouth.’ What made it embarrassing was his lack of knowledge about diabetes, his attitude and the growing queue of people behind us.

I wasn’t going to judge the production based on the experience I’d had with the Door Supervisor. However the shows atmosphere wasn’t as fabulous as it has been in the past. The Lady Boys cast seemed unhappy. They smiled throughout the show, but the smiles never seemed to meet their eyes. Their costumes were less glamorous, looking cheap at times and there weren’t many opportunities to see the Lady Boys in showoff their wonderful selves.

The audio quality was poor on some tracks, there were some odd choices of songs and some great songs that they only played clips of.

The set was satisfactory. The choreography was fun. Not all performers had perfected their choreography, but this didn’t matter to the audience. The choreography did become repetitive in the second half and had too much use of jazz hands.

The lip syncing has improved year on year, and this year all of the Lady Boys had it spot on. The comedy elements of the show remain as funny as ever, however I was unsure about the humour derived through use of the dwarf.

I desperately wanted the show to be as magical, glorious and brilliant as it had been in the past. But it simply wasn’t. It lacked its special sparkle that makes The Lady Boys of Bangkok production unique. Overall Steve and I had a good time, but I don’t intend on seeing future shows until I’ve got over the disappointment. This is likely to take at least the next few years.

Blog soon,

Antony



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Sunday 29 June 2014

Mid-Wales Part 2: Aberdovey Beach & King Arthur’s Labyrinth

By Adventures, Friends & Family, Gay, Happiness & Joy, ShoppingNo Comments

While Simon and I were away (see Mid-Wales, Part 1: The Lovely Penrhos Cottage), on the Saturday morning the sun shone gloriously and the temperature was set to soar. So we went to Aberdovey Beach for the day. It felt like being abroad. The sand was golden and reflected the sun. The sea was calm with the faint scent of salt in the air. The smell of coconut sun lotion drifted by from the people that had come to the beach to make the most of the weather. I imagine that this is what heaven is like. Here are some photos (click on any image for full size photo):

Aberdovey Beach

Aberdovey Beach: Felt like being abroad.
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Aberdovey Beach 2.
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Aberdovey Beach: Sailing boats and glorious sandy beaches. It got busier as the day went on.
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People watching.

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Simon and I spent the time people watching and sitting in a small gardens with coffee. We walked along the sea front and I had an ice cream. I think I spent too long in the sun, as my arms were a lobster red colour by the end of the day. More photos:

Aberdovey Beach compass

The compass of the circled bench seating area.
Aberdovey Beach sea front walk

Walk along the sea front.
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Ice cream: Just want I needed.
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Lobster Red: Think I spent a bit too much time in the sun?

On the way back to the Cottage (see Mid-Wales, Part 1: The Lovely Penrhos Cottage) Simon and I had seen King Arthur’s Labyrinth on Google Maps, so decided to check it out. It turned out that King Arthur’s Labyrinth was a children’s attraction. But on the site was a collection of artists workshops in little huts. In a gorgeous little candle shop, I bought the most fabulous gay mirror:

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My Fabulous Gay Mirror.

Our whole time in Wales was brilliant. Throughout the trip we ate out often. We drove home through Betws-y-Coed and Conway. On the way to Wales we had bought lotto tickets. While at the cottage Simon and I had talked about what we’d do if we won. Simon had said: “I’d be happy with just £50.” and guess what? We actually won £46 which was a pleasant ending to our awesome trip.

Write soon,

Antony



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Thursday 22 May 2014

Mid-Wales, Part 1: The Lovely Penrhos Cottage

By Adventures, Friends & Family, Happiness & Joy, NatureNo Comments
Penrhos Cottage near Corris Adam and Andy's cottage

Penrhos Cottage Sign

 Simon and I spent the weekend at Penrhos Cottage. This homely cottage, set in the beautiful Welsh Valley of Corris was the perfect escape from busy life. We dubbed Penrhos ‘The Lovely Cottage.’ Here are some photos (click any photo for full size image):
Penrhos Cottage near Corris Adam and Andy's cottage

Simon popping his head out of The Lovely Cottage
Penrhos Cottage near Corris Adam and Andy's cottage

Cosy & Homely.
Penrhos Cottage near Corris Adam and Andy's cottage

The fireplace – we didn’t use it, as it was such good weather.
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Practical Kitchen.
Penrhos Cottage near Corris Adam and Andy's cottage

Bathroom 1
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Bathroom 2. A shower big enough for two.
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My bedroom.
Penrhos Cottage near Corris Adam and Andy's cottage

Simon’s Bedroom.

It was wonderfully peaceful, especially with the whooshing from the stream set in the centre of the valley. The view was great:

Penrhos Cottage near Corris Adam and Andy's cottage

The View 1.
Penrhos Cottage near Corris Adam and Andy's cottage

The View 2.

We met the chickens, roosters and pigs that were in the field in front of the cottage:

Penrhos Cottage near Corris Adam and Andy's cottage

The Chickens & Rooster.
Penrhos Cottage near Corris Adam and Andy's cottage

The pigs.

The Lovely Penrhos Cottage is the the perfect place to holiday; whether you’re looking for quietness or activity. For those looking for quietness and contemplation you can chill out in the cottage or take long walks in picturesque countryside. If you’re looking for activity there’s plenty of tourist attractions just a short drive away. The cottage features include Wifi, a fully functioning kitchen and a washing machine. Children and dogs are welcome.

It struck me that Penrhos Cottage would make a superb cottage for writers taking a writing holiday. Simon and I left The Lovely Cottage feeling rested, relaxed and recharged.

In Mid-Wales, Part 2 I’ll tell you about Aberdovey Beach, King Arthur’s Labyrinth and my fabulous gay mirror.

Blog soon,

Antony



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Tuesday 20 May 2014
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