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By robz, April 15, 2012 11:41 am

We used to have a number of different kitchen gadgets, but they spent most of the time gathering dust in cupboards. Some gadgets are useful, but their convenience is often minimised by the time spent cleaning them after use. Now we have very few gadgets.

I was reminded of this yesterday when wondering what to do with leftover double cream. I like clotted cream, but most other cream holds little attraction for me. Then I had the idea of whipping the cream and adding it to our dessert of baked bananas in Grand Marnier.

Out came the balloon whisk from the drawer and a good workout began whisking the cream until it was substantial. Yes, it takes some work but the trusty whisk invariably produces a smooth sauce or mixture of whatever I am preparing. It’s good exercise, uses no electricity and does not use horrible batteries, so it’s pretty environmentally friendly. And, what’s more, only takes a few seconds to wash up.

By the time the bananas were baked, I had also worked up an appetite and the cream was delicious.

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By robz, April 8, 2012 4:15 pm

Just when you’re nestling into your comfortable online environment, do you ever find reality making an unwelcome intrusion?

Reality can be so demanding and inflexible.

What’s the best way for managing it effectively to minimise its impact?

Here are my suggested top 10 reality management tools:

1. What do you do when people talk to you rather than email, message or send a DM? Don’t worry, speech is an amazing tool for developing a conversation in real time. Use your tongue, lips, jaw and other organs to produce words in a high quality audio format (currently incompatible with iTunes) that other people can receive via their ears. Quaint, although unlikely to replace the typed word.

2. Online is so clean. I mean, when was the last time you had to dust your web site? Reality is full of dirt, which often produces smells. This is where soap and water can help. Washing and showering can keep the smells away (unless you’ve eaten garlic, strong cheese, pickles or all three).

3. One of the most exhilarating yet scary aspects of reality is its live mode. Online you can reload, replay and edit stuff, but in live mode you only have one chance to get it right: copy, cut and paste options are not available. Use it well and life’s a breeze, but when it goes wrong there’s no ‘undo’. (The alternative to live mode is best avoided.)

4. It’s so easy to have thousands of friends online, even if you have no idea who they are. In the real world, you can attract friends instantly when you buy a round of drinks. Soon you’ll have as many friend as you do online, but you’ll still have no idea who they are.

5. Online you can schedule automatic status updates and tweet the same message every day, throughout the day. OK, you’ll annoy people but they can’t touch you. In reality, restraint can stop your incessant repetition of tedious sales messages and prevent a trip to Accident and Emergency for facial reconstruction.

6. Avatars don’t age, especially when you use a photo that is 10 or 20 years old. Unfortunately, some people are clever enough to realise this by comparing your real-life comb over hairstyle with the wavy locks of glossy hair in your online photo. One option is to wear a wig or toupee to retain that fine head of hair sported by your avatar.

7. Online you can ‘like’ something on Facebook and ‘+1’ it on Google to help your friends, even if you don’t like it. In reality you can really ‘like’ something and I mean ‘really’. After installing the emotion plugin, you’ll find ‘liking’ electric. You even have the option of upgrading to the pro love plugin, although this requires monthly credit card payments.

8. Blocking or unfollowing annoying people is not possible in reality: you can’t simply hide them from your timeline. Instead use excuse scripting. Because it sounds authentic, an effective excuse enables you to get away from someone annoying without risk of trauma for them or you. Note: excuses are likely to conflict with your ‘honesty’ settings.

9. To recharge a smartphone you plug it into the wall, but unfortunately your navel is not a USB charger port (that surprised even me!). Instead you have to eat. Eating is far less messy using cutlery. Use a knife to reduce food to bite-size pieces which you can spear with a fork to transfer to your mouth. Even cleverer, use a spoon to scoop up hot soup to avoid burning your fingers.

10. Eyelids and fingers are the answer when reality becomes too much to handle. Shut your eyelids to stop seeing and poke your fingers in your ears to block out external sounds. Cut off from reality, you can imagine being back in the safety of your virtual world and hope you return there fast.

So good luck when you venture into the real world and take care: there are many strange people offline.

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By robz, March 11, 2012 9:43 pm

It’s been a while since I’ve had the time to sprawl out and listen to an entire album’s worth of music. Today I did it. Last week Ray Thomas’ ‘Our Guessing Game’ went through my head and I thought it was time to savour the digitally remastered CD of The Moody Blues’ ‘Every Good Boy Deserves Favour’.

Released 41 years ago, the question is always: does it stand as a listenable work today? The answer is: yes.

The Moody Blues were at the peak of their initial success in 1971 and this was the sixth of their ‘core seven’ albums. A gruelling work schedule – touring internationally in Europe, the USA and in front of 150,000 at the Isle of Wight and recording an album or two every year – was taking its toll. The Moodies had evolved from an underground band to international superstars and doubts were setting in. However, they continued to produce fine work.

‘Every Good Boy Deserves Favour’ continued the Moodies’ concept approach from the start of the album to the finish. ‘Procession’ takes us from creation of the universe through to the development of human communication, leading into Justin Hayward’s ‘The Story in Your Eyes’, which the band still performs today. The doubt shows through: “I’ve been thinking about our fortune, And I’ve decided that we’re really not to blame.” It’s one of his best and a great, fast start to the album. Next ‘Our Guessing Game’, one of Ray’s best too, a reflective song contrasting with his whimsical ‘Nice to Be Here’, apparently inspired by Beatrix Potter, which has Hayward attempting to play a guitar solo on one string, but needing two! It’s good to see they could still have some fun, even though the pressures were getting to them. ’After You Came’ is, for me, one of Graeme Edge’s best songs, with vocals by each of the rest of the band and a loud, driving finish.

John Lodge’s ‘One More Time to Live’ makes clever play of words, Hayward’s ‘You Can Never Go Home’ combines exquisite melodies with controlled yet blistering guitar, while ‘My Song’ creates an orchestral mellotron soundscape to which Mike Pinder bares his soul.

In those days, the Moodies looked to innovate and Graeme Edge played an electronic drum kit developed by Sussex University constructed with rubber, silver paper and magnets. While it worked in the studio, it was a nightmare to try to play live: a reminder of what was required to produce complex sounds before synthesisers made it possible for anyone.

Like all the ‘core seven’ albums, “Every Good Boy Deserves Favour’ was intended to be played from start to finish in one sitting and today it still wafts you through 40 minutes without giving you time to think. Strong songs from five songwriters, singing from four superb vocalists plus virtuoso playing make this album a treat. The recording quality is superb, crisp and deep, and typically rich. Today I heard sounds I hadn’t picked out before or had forgotten.

The remastered version contains an unreleased Ray Thomas/Justin Hayward bonus track ‘ The Dreamer’, which is interesting but not the best of tracks for me, plus the more basic, original version of ‘The Story in Your Eyes’.

‘Every Good Boy Deserves Favour’ is a bittersweet album. It’s not as optimistic as previous works and marked a turning point in the Moodies’ career, which would change the band forever.

As a band that is not generally in favour, I’m not sure how much it will appeal to many people, although I always find that once I start listening to the Moodies, I get hooked all over again. I think they deserve more airplay.

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By robz, February 7, 2012 10:19 am

If I didn’t already live in Ilfracombe, I would book my holiday here. Plenty of accommodation, dining and activity ideas in the 2012 Ilfracombe brochure.

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By robz, January 17, 2012 8:35 pm

Similar to the European Union Stability and Growth Pact, I have an agreement with Mrs Z that when the deficit in my hair supply exceeds 3% of a full Barnet, it’s time to change my hairstyle to avoid comb over.

At the weekend, I suggested two possible actions:

1. To wear a badly made, shaggy, obviously false orange wig
2. To cut my hair short

Mrs Z considers only one of these options a possibility – otherwise my rating could be downgraded from ZZZ stable to considerably unstable.

In the meantime, I will luxuriate in what hair I still have.

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By robz, December 31, 2011 11:46 am

. . . especially in the following activities:

COMBEbusiness

After standing up and speaking at a public meeting, I was elected to the committee and then voted chairman of a new business group in North Devon. Thanks to my fellow directors and support from members, COMBEbusiness has established itself to promote business around the Ilfracombe, Woolacombe and Combe Martin area of North Devon.

This has been an inspiring year and the turnout and participation at our monthly meetings has been phenomenal. In 2012 COMBEbusiness plans to provide tailored support and training for businesses in the area.

Ilfracombe courteous town initiative

Again, the response from business and residents of Ilfracombe has been tremendous. This pilot initiative, run by pleaseandthanks.co.uk and the National Campaign for Courtesy, has trialled a campaign to recognise courteous businesses in the town and focus on the positive aspects of business and work.

During the course of the initiative, I have met hundreds of people in business in the town and have been amazed by the response when people realise that someone has nominated them for an award to recognise their courtesy: it means so much to them.

North Devon 101 Apprentices campaign

In my role as business writer for the North Devon Journal, I had no idea how the North Devon Employment and Skills Board’s campaign to sign up 101 apprentices in 101 days would succeed. As it turned out, the commitment from North Devon’s employers, jobseekers, schools, colleges and residents was impressive. We beat the target and will be repeating the campaign in 2012. Watch out in the North Devon Journal.

North Devon Journal Business Awards

This was the first time that the North Devon Journal had run its business awards and again the response was enthusiastic. We met some great businesses and judging the winners was very difficult. The awards evening was a contrast to many other events in this time of economic uncertainty in that it focused entirely on genuine achievement and success.

North Devon Business Alliance

As a founding member of the NDBA, I’ve always enjoyed its friendly, professional lunches and events. Blogging, discussion on LinkedIn and interaction on twitter help to bring this vibrant business community together and in 2011 I’ve got to know even more business people across North Devon through the NDBA. In 2012 I look forward to getting to know even more.

Studio Theatre car boot sales

I also organised six fund-raising car boot sales for Studio Theatre on the seafront at Ilfracombe. I know many people love these and come from Bideford, Barnstaple and elsewhere because the atmosphere is so enjoyable. I was considering giving these up, but this week bumped into a car booter who thanked me and pleaded with me to run them again in 2012. I shall have to think seriously about this.

So thank you to all who have supported these organisations and activities and have made all the hard work in organising them worthwhile.

I plan to do some more gardening, DIY and things for myself in 2012, but already there are many projects and events in the pipeline for some of the above organisations above.

Let’s hope 2012 is even more successful!

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By robz, May 14, 2011 7:52 pm

There’s so much wildlife to see around Ilfracombe, North Devon.

At the moment the foxgloves are just coming into flower up Hillsborough . . .

While conkers are already forming on the horse chestnut trees near the swimming pool . . .

While nearby a starling hopped around on the grass . . .

Over at Bicclescombe Park, a collection of goldfish and other fish have mysteriously appeared in the boating lake. From what I have been told they are not supposed to be there and may be someone’s unwanted fish from a pond . . .

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By robz, May 7, 2011 10:38 am

Studio Theatre, of which I am a director and trustee, will be staging a production of Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Ilfracombe and Torrington, North Devon this June.

Not only is this production part of the North Devon Festival, but it is also part of the RSC Open Stages programme, which involves workshops with the RSC, mentoring and the chance to be selected to perform at the RSC at Stratford-upon-Avon. The play is directed by Bob Corwin and the cast features a number of younger performers as Studio Theatre aims to promote both Shakespeare and theatre generally.

You can book tickets online for performances at the Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe on Thursday 9 and Saturday 11 June  or call The Plough Arts Centre, Torrington for tickets on Friday 10 June.

The production promises enjoyment for those who already know Shakespeare and for those new to his plays.

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By robz, April 24, 2011 7:47 pm

The bluebells on the north and east sides of Hillsborough, Ilfracombe, North Devon are astounding at the moment.

To see them:

• walk from the harbour round to Hillsborough
• go via the car park by the swimming pool
• climb the cliff steps from Hele Bay