101 Things/1001 Days

This was something that I have been meaning to do for quite sometime, mainly to get rid of a lot of my old junk. However when actually looking through my possessions and putting aside the things that were surplus to requirements and could be sold at a car boot sale I discovered I had very little and would be hard pushed to sell enough to cover the cost of setting up the stall. So for the last few months I have been building up bits and pieces that I could sell or at the very least have on the table to make it look like I had a lot.

It has been at least ten years since I last did a car boot sale and this was the first time at this location and I did find it rather disappointing that there did not seem to be a great deal of organisation, we got there just after 7am and were informed that there was no spaces inside so we would have to set up outside and take our chances with the elements. But even setting up outside there was no real order so after setting up the table and having to contend with all those bargain hunters (fellow traders hoping for a bargain in the confusion of setting up your stall) we were set and with a few more cars around us it should have helped with the footfall. The weather managed to hold out for a few hours just after 11.00 that a few of the cars close to us decided to call it a day but as the rain got heavier we called it quits at about 11.30.

The majority of what I had was old VHS cassettes ( I have hundreds so only took the films that I have on DVD) a old inkjet printer, scanner and some old computer games. I had not expected to sell many videos as DVD’s seem to be all the rage these days but was surprised that none of the computer peripherals went but then again would many people want to take a risk buying electrical goods at a car boot sale?

I did not want the printer so removed the ink cartridges so that I can send them off to be recycled and hopefully get some TESCO Clubcard Points some of the other smaller items that had no real value for me were binned and I shall be deciding what to do with the other items that did not sell.

You would have thought that this is something I could have done months ago and I suppose you would be right. Never easy to know what fruits I have never tried, as I tend to eat a lot of mixed fruit but I after months of looking at exotic type fruits I decided to sample the “Sharon Fruit” which is persimmon variety and a good source of Vitamin A. To me looking at this fruit it looks like a tomato and after learning that it could be eaten as an apple I decided to try it. The first thing I should say is that the skin is very hard but edible. As I bit into it I did expect to either instantly love or hate it but to be honest I found it rather bland. Maybe because I was expecting it be just as juicy as a tomato in fact to describe the taste and texture I would have to say it reminded me of eating a pear (same texture to the fruit) but a pear is a lot more refreshing. So no more Sharon Fruits for me!

Another year has gone and that means I am getting closer to the deadline for my 101 things to achieve within 1001 days. When I started this project I expected it to be easy but then again if something is worth doing it should not be easy.

So with just over a year to go what have I done over the past few twelve months, to be honest it does not feel like a great deal but I have now crossed off seven things off my list –

54. Upgrade/change my computer
35. Visit the National Botanical Gardens of Wales
46. A night out in Cardiff/Swansea
70. Complete EDCL Level 3 Powerpoint
85. Complete my Quantum Leap dvd collection
34. Visit Dublin
25. Go out to Worms Head off Rhosilli

But I am well on my way to completing the following –

1. To watch all of the AFI top 100 films.
2. To watch all of the BFI top 100 films.
3. To watch all of the IMDB top 250 films.
(Out of the 367 films that I need to watch to be in a position to complete the above three tasks I have currently watched only 90.)
91. Visit at least five National Trust properties[1/5]

Another item to be crossed off my list, I actually went out and got a new computer back in November but have only now found the time to write this message. My computer has been out of action for sometime now when I switch it on after a few minutes it just shuts down and at first I thought this could be a virus but believe it is something to do with the memory (thats what happens when you get it repaired in the wrong place) As the computer was a fair few years old and because I don’t have Internet access at home I decided that it would be a waste of money to get it upgraded so got myself a laptop instead. With the laptop it is portable so I can take it to my mothers to connect to the Internet and update things and it does not take up a great deal of space at home. I will still need to get rid of the old computer not that it really has any value.

I only live a few miles down the road from the National Botanic Gardens of Wales and yet had never been there. I have always thought that sometimes we forget what we actually have on our own doorsteps, which was one of the main reasons I added a visit to the gardens to my list of things to do and it has taken me until now to actually fit in a visit to these gardens. I went there on August Bank Holiday and was glad that my student card still allows me discount as I did not think a lot of the actual attraction, in fact at times it felt as if a visit to a local garden centre would have been cheaper and just as interesting. Okay I did get to take some good photos but felt that the people running this attraction could have done a lot more to make the day enjoyable for all. As a garden they grow a lot of produce, which they mention can be sampled at the various restaurants/cafes what would have been nice is for some of the local produce to be available for free, even if this was only at selected times of the day. In fact I think this venue is best for people with an interest in plants or people who just want to pay to get close to nature.

Well another item crossed off my list, as last night I went out for the night to Swansea. It was with friends from work and it was a great laugh.

At the start of May I decided to sit the presentation section of the ECDL and have been waiting since that time for confirmation that I had actually passed. I knew I had passed from how well the exam had gone and the tutor had already told me but you know what its like you don’t want to believe it until the certificate arrives though the post. It did yesterday so another goal crossed off my list.

I have been a fan of Quantum Leap since I caught the first episode on BBC2 over here and always thought it was a great idea for a television show. At school on a Wednesday all my friends would be talking about the episode on the night before. Like all good programmes they have to end at some point and the final episode was quite a talking point and still is today to be honest. Back in those days they started to release the episodes on video and I have a grand plan to collect them all, in fact I only ever managed to buy the pilot episode and never seemed to have the money to buy the other releases. It seems that others couldn’t either as they never released the complete series, and only a few videos were released so when I saw that the dvd was being released with all the first seasons episodes I had to have it and when it came to compiling this list I knew that I just had to complete the collection. The final box set to complete my collection arrived yesterday.

Guinness Storehouse – Dublin

After visiting Dublin for the day a few years ago I always said that if I went back it would have to be for more than a day visit, so it ended up on my list and I am happy to finally be able to cross it off my 101 things list. Only went for a few days and still not really enough time to do everything that you could possibly want to do but saying that there is so much you can do that I don’t think you could ever do everything. One place I did visit was the Guinness Storehouse, where the photo was taken (would you believe I could not find many signs which actually said Dublin)

Anyone who is planning to visit Dublin should invest in one of the open topped bus tours and if you have a student card be sure to use it for some great discounts.

Me on the worm

I used the fantastic weather yesterday to re visit Rhosilli and was finally able to make the trip to “Worms Head” On my two previous visits I have been unable to get across to the actual worm as the tide had been in. I was lucky yesterday as the tide was out and the causeway was still passable so I set off and have to admit that it was a lot further than I originally thought. In the past I have looked from the hill side when the tide is in the gap looks very small but it is a fair trek just to get to the first island and then you I discovered that there is another causeway to climb over to get to the second island. Unfortunately it was not as clear as I would have hoped and a lot of the photos I took of the coastline are very hazy. Apart from that it was a good day and I must have walked miles and burnt up loads of energy with all the climbing that needed to be done to get across the causeway. So been a while but I finally get to cross something else off my list