27th June 2014

I have been reading “The Chimp Paradox” by Professor Steve Peters. It’s a “Mind Management Programme to Help You Achieve Success, Confidence and Happiness” recommended by Sir Chris Hoy, Vitoria Pendleton and the likes. It’s based on scientific facts and principles, which have been simplified into a workable model for easy use. It will help you to develop yourself and give you the skills, for example, to remove anxiety, have confidence and choose your emotions with the logically analytic part of your thinking process opposed to the “chimp” part which leads us all into trouble. It is fascinating and can be applied to anyone in any walk of life. Definitely worth a read if your someone who tends to fly off the handle at the slightest issue or sit there 'stewing' about things that have happened when it isn't necessary, I know quite a few people I can certainly recommend this book for. I have been eating out at my favourite Mongolian restaurant (only Mongolian restaurant I know) which is of course Khublai Khans and Frogs Legs (known as Melkhi) are on the starter menu. Really tasty morsel fried in what I believe is oats and served with white shallot cream. Once you have picked off the meat you are left with two little leg bones and can’t help wonder about the little hopper to whom they were once attached. Nice eating but thing Kangaroo haggis with its burnt whisky sauce is still me favourite starter. Crocodile is back on the menu so this is surely a good sign that the economy is recovering and people are purchasing Croc skin boots and bags again. And their Turkish Delight ice cream is …well such a delight. It’s not easy amusing a kid when the attractions of a digital lifestyle is too appealing with craving to play computer games such as Mine Craft and angry birds and my little Sam is no different. It can be hard trying to get a good balance, especially when it weather is poor outside so I have found an excellent piece of kit from Maplin which not only captures Sam’s interest, it’s also educational and practical providing a creative way to show him realistic concepts of electronics and electricity, perhaps encouraging a nerdy side of him which may help put him in good stead for future employment when he is older in what will be an even more competitive job market. I have encouraged him to follow a simplified wiring diagram with which he was able to wire up an AM Radio and so other experiments which capacitors, reid switches, resistors and other such components. He has also wired up circuits to activate LED lights, rotary fan and other such basic circuitry. It really increases his confidence after connecting lots of wires and getting rewarded seeing everything whirl and beep and light up. I have a substantial lawn to mow at the back of my house and until recent I have persevered with a simple flymo but always intended to upgrade to a petrol mower and recently as Homebase were doing a 20% off sale I took the plunge and got a 125cc self-propelled petrol mower and also a petrol strimmer too and what a great investment, cuts through my lawn (even when damp) like a hot knife through butter in a fraction of the time which the old Flymo did so I am a very happy man, and also my apple trees which I planted a few years back and now producing an edible crop of apples, just need the pear, cherry and peach trees to follow on likewise and will soon be making my own jam. The gig scene has not been very busy recently although I did see Clutch last month in Edinburgh which was fantastic, have Elton John down South and awaiting my tickets to arrive for Slash in December and also the Black Stone Cherries in Glasgow, with Still Game at the Hydro in September the year is still shaping up nicely.