March 2026
Renew Time
Received an email a couple of days ago to warn me my Disability Railcard was about to expire. It was a no brainier to decide if it was worth getting again. I must have saved a few hundred pounds for the 54 quid it costs over the three years. Well worth it.
But it was bloody frightening to discover that I had first got a card three years ago. Feels more like two at the most, FFS. If there’s one thing I’d like to renew it is time itself. Anyone know who I can ask for time to be checked and recalibrated. Let us Renew Time!
I maybe should have chosen to update the photo on the card, but I didn’t take the opportunity, so I’m stuck with a ‘going through a fat phase’ photo of me—and one without a beard too. To be honest though when I am out and about on a train I’m rarely asked to show my card (a digital one) or often even show a ticket.
Feel like I need to book a train trip somewhere to use the benefit of the savings: one third off. One trip could pay for the card.
But it was bloody frightening to discover that I had first got a card three years ago. Feels more like two at the most, FFS. If there’s one thing I’d like to renew it is time itself. Anyone know who I can ask for time to be checked and recalibrated. Let us Renew Time!
I maybe should have chosen to update the photo on the card, but I didn’t take the opportunity, so I’m stuck with a ‘going through a fat phase’ photo of me—and one without a beard too. To be honest though when I am out and about on a train I’m rarely asked to show my card (a digital one) or often even show a ticket.
Feel like I need to book a train trip somewhere to use the benefit of the savings: one third off. One trip could pay for the card.
Comments
Writing: A Return Required
10/03/26 22:58 Filed in: Writing | Writing Plan
It’s been a while since I’ve done much writing. And I need to get back to it. It’s been exactly a year since I posted anything under the ‘Rat Rampant’ page. I read the last two things I put up and I had no memory of writing them really, or posting them. I read them on Scrivener and wasn’t aware I’d then posted them. FFS.
Obviously it’s been a bit stressful with the MS and I don’t know whether it is the stress that has affected my memory or impacted on me not writing—or whether MS as a neurological condition has impacted too on my writing game. I’ve read a few things I’ve put up on the website and think a) they’re not bad, and b) could I write that now? I guess that latter one is one scary consideration. Something has affected me; in the last year I hardly did any reading either.
With the world going thru its current nightmare I think sitting in front of a blank screen and imagining stuff must be a good use of my time. And, even if that screen remains stubbornly blank, it will prove less stressful than watching the news channels.
So I am tasking myself to come up with a writing schedule, be it stories, blogs, or finishing off those damn novels (before starting another). First up I better write something random and new to go on to Rat Rampant. It’s my website and I guess I could make it short anyway.
Obviously it’s been a bit stressful with the MS and I don’t know whether it is the stress that has affected my memory or impacted on me not writing—or whether MS as a neurological condition has impacted too on my writing game. I’ve read a few things I’ve put up on the website and think a) they’re not bad, and b) could I write that now? I guess that latter one is one scary consideration. Something has affected me; in the last year I hardly did any reading either.
With the world going thru its current nightmare I think sitting in front of a blank screen and imagining stuff must be a good use of my time. And, even if that screen remains stubbornly blank, it will prove less stressful than watching the news channels.
So I am tasking myself to come up with a writing schedule, be it stories, blogs, or finishing off those damn novels (before starting another). First up I better write something random and new to go on to Rat Rampant. It’s my website and I guess I could make it short anyway.
Pokémon Go: Kalos Event
Had an excellent week on Pokémon Go this week catching a few I didn’t already have and getting some with Mega Energy. Some of these with enough to Mega Evolve and others just getting me part way, but closer next time I see the right Mega Raids.
These were once again largely assisted by turning up at—or near to—the Liverpool Meet-Ups by St George’s Hall. Highlights were getting a few Kyogres, being able to Mega a Tyranitar, and getting closer to a Mega of Metagross. Shame I didn’t get a Mega Swampert (one of my favourite Pokémon’s in my Dex). But getting a Kyogre I guess makes up for it from a Water type anyway.
New Pokémon I caught this week included;
Kyogre
Zekrom
Reshiram
Kyurem
Mega Malamar
Xerneas shiny
Kangaskhan (hatched 10k shiny)
Hawlucha (another hatched 10k)
Next week I should hopefully get a MewTwo which will get me my Platinum badge for catching all the Kantos. I’ve not got many Platinum badges (9 total ATM) so any more I can get now would be great. Unique Poke stops may be next but will require me to visit a few newish towns and spin away.
I’ve now got 31 I can Mega evolve—and therefore collect the energy without Raiding—I’ve been slow working on these. I guess cos you can’t Raid on your tod that easily. Thank you, Liverpool peeps. I went into the park the other day (waiting to get Tyranitar) and spoke very briefly to a couple of people. Haven’t met the main peeps of the group. It did good to see that there are plenty of people doing it—don’t want to think I’m the only one not reading books and ‘wasting’ my time with the game. It’s clearly mostly younger people than me. And many not old enough to take the route of playing whilst having a pint in Dr Ds. Well, not old enough yet…
These were once again largely assisted by turning up at—or near to—the Liverpool Meet-Ups by St George’s Hall. Highlights were getting a few Kyogres, being able to Mega a Tyranitar, and getting closer to a Mega of Metagross. Shame I didn’t get a Mega Swampert (one of my favourite Pokémon’s in my Dex). But getting a Kyogre I guess makes up for it from a Water type anyway.
New Pokémon I caught this week included;
Kyogre
Zekrom
Reshiram
Kyurem
Mega Malamar
Xerneas shiny
Kangaskhan (hatched 10k shiny)
Hawlucha (another hatched 10k)
Next week I should hopefully get a MewTwo which will get me my Platinum badge for catching all the Kantos. I’ve not got many Platinum badges (9 total ATM) so any more I can get now would be great. Unique Poke stops may be next but will require me to visit a few newish towns and spin away.
I’ve now got 31 I can Mega evolve—and therefore collect the energy without Raiding—I’ve been slow working on these. I guess cos you can’t Raid on your tod that easily. Thank you, Liverpool peeps. I went into the park the other day (waiting to get Tyranitar) and spoke very briefly to a couple of people. Haven’t met the main peeps of the group. It did good to see that there are plenty of people doing it—don’t want to think I’m the only one not reading books and ‘wasting’ my time with the game. It’s clearly mostly younger people than me. And many not old enough to take the route of playing whilst having a pint in Dr Ds. Well, not old enough yet…