Saturday 21 November 2015

3YR BIKE WARRANTY/ROSEBERYS AUCTION/-etc.

Sat 21st Nov 2015 15:34 PM GMT

LATEST NEWS...

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MY BIKE

Recently, I went and had my bike fixed at Brixton's Halfords. The cost was something like £153.00+; I hadn't had the bike serviced in absolute ages; possibly, 6 months up to a year long; the brakes weren't working at all/-etc.

I also returned back there and brought £40.00 of Labour/not parts warranty lasting up to 3 years long; so we're now in Nov/2015...the warranty should last until...Nov/2018.

This means in all I spent...

£153.00
£  40.00
   -------
£193.00

...which, I think, -considering the bike itself cost me: £199.00- is just quite simply ridiculous; however, so long as it means I can now ride feeling both safe/and, also, worry free.

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FINANCE...

GAMBLING

Recently, in fact, just yesterday, I went and played Roulette at William Hill online bookies...

http://www.williamhill.co.uk

...and, lost 1 grand. 

I borrowed the grand in the form of a bank loan; and, now, I have to repay it all back to the bank, again; which I'm sure is going to take me an awful lot of time; as I remain unemployed still.

NOTE: I might need to serious think about returning to GA/Gamblers Anonymous meetings, as before.

WORK

BENEFITS

Recently, I started signing back on at Streatham Job Centre. They had cut off my benefits completely for the previous 3 months. So, now, my benefits have been restored.

COUNCIL TAX

I need to remember to get in touch with Olive Morris house to inform them that I'm entitled to Council Tax benefit. 

SELF EMPLOYMENT

For a time, I tried going in for 'self-employment'; however, that didn't work out at all; as I didn't even manage to sell even one single thing. I was also meant to receive a job pack; which, I never ever did...? I need to talk about that to somebody...possibly, IXION work training people.

WORK TRAINING

I was doing some 'admin' role job training with FST/First Step Trust in West Norwood; near the local G.P.O depot.; however, I stopped doing that. Basically, I  found I was totally bored to death; plus, there were a million other fun things in life I could get on with doing, instead; including studying arts/-etc.

NOTE: IXION work training. Recently, I got a telephone call from IXION; they left a message on my answer machine saying I should get back to them...in order to update them on my present work circumstances.

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HOME IMPROVEMENTS/EVEREST WINDOWS CONTRACT CANCELLED

I ordered 3 new windows to be done from Everest. They charged me £226.00+. I cancelled the order as being far too expensive. Nevertheless, those windows will still need to be done. Perhaps, I will try some other company such as Anglia/or, have someone fix it, privately, instead.

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ROSEBERY AUCTION HOUSE/BROUGHT 2 ITEMS

Today, I went and attended a Rosebery's Auction; and, ended up buying 1 x plate/and, 1 book; altogether the full cost was: £146.74.

I would be proud if I'd gone and brought things that were worthwhile owning. However, what I actually brought was the cheapest items they had on sale. I didn't do any pre-research; instead, I just let myself buy entirely on impulse, alone...which was a really big mistake. Afterwards, now, I realise I should not have brought these 2 items; as they are, in fact, perfectly useless to me; and, I doubt that Rosebery's will even want them back to put in a re-sale; but, instead, I think, they just wanted to get rid of it by dumping the items on to any damn fool who was willing and stupid enough to buy.

The collectors plate is no. 333 in an edition of 500. That's fairly useless.

The other item a book; contains abstract work by some Spanish author/artist; who's name I never even heard of before; and, whose work I never even seen before? In fact, after seeing it...I can honestly say I don't like it at all.

The problem was at the auction; all I got to see was the on screen slide show; I didn't not get to either see/or, handle, inspect the actual goods themselves up close; therefore, that quite simply means I didn't even know exactly what it was I was buying; not until, of course, it was all too late! Now, I feel seriously sad and sorry for myself to have gone and wasted £146.74.

Here I have the Auction book details:-

CATALOGUE
Rosebery's London
Modern & Contemporary Prints, Photography, Multiples & Editions
Saturday 21 November 2015

Item No.: 334
Description: Manuel Facal, Spanish b. 1943
"Irispaxaros", 1983
loose bound book to include screenprint in colours, etching with aquatint, and, embossing on paper and acetate, signed by the artist and author, and, numbered 25/26 in pencil, 33 x 25 cm (book) (may be subject to Droite de Suite)

Estimate: £80-120/Actual buyers price(me): £60.00 + £16.56(buyers Premium)

Item No.: 346
Description: Andy Warhol, American 1928-1987 - 'Campbell's Tomato Soup'; multiple, transfer printed glazed porcelain plate, bears printed signature, produced by Rosenthal studio-line, number 339 from a limited edition of 500, 23.5cm.

Estimate: £80-120/Actual buyers print(me): £55.00 + £15.18(buyers Premium)

Hammer: £115.00
Premium: £ 31.74
Total:       £146.74

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MARTIAL ARTS

KRAV MAGA, WEST NORWOOD LEISURE CENTRE

There are Krav Maga classes going on at my local WNLC/West Norwood Leisure Centre. The price is £50.00 per month. Frankly, I'm not too sure I will be able to afford it.

Today, I  went over there to WNLC, and, saw, Remy, the Krav Maga teacher; who invited me to attend a class; however, most unfortunately, I was very busy...had to go and attend a local auction, instead; therefore, I didn't go.

I still want to join in; but, I guess, that will have to quite simply wait; until whenever funds are available; and, also, I'm not so very busy.

TAI CHI, HYDE PARK

I haven't been attending doing any Tai Chi classes with American teacher Jake inside of Regents Park; where I used to go on Saturdays. Hopefully, I will go again...possibly, next Saturday; that is, if it doesn't conflict with any other classes I'm taking.

BAIJI QUAN, CLAPHAM COMMON

I haven't attended going to Clapham Common, anymore, to take FREE BaiJi Quan lesson on Saturdays; and, also, paid for (£5.00) lessons at Soho Chinese Community Centre on Tuesday evenings. Frankly, I been broke; and, also, feeling far too lazy.

TOKEI DOJO, LONDON BRIDGE, MAGDALEN STREET

I was thinking of joining Tokei Dojo to weekend lessons of Aikido/-etc. I believe, the cost is something like £15.00 per month; which, I think, is affordable. However, it's a long way to bike ride.

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FAMILY

I went to see my cousins in the country late yesterday evening. I wanted to deliver some presents, namely: series of books brought from off eBay:

Complete Vintage NEW JUNIOR ENCYCLOPAEDIA By Purnell 12 Volumes - 280 B51

...and, also, 2 x large sized illustrated children picture books costing £5.00 each: Dinosaurs/Science. I also gave them some choclate ice cream/together with a £10.00 box of choclatates brought from down at my local Sainsbury's.

Unfortunately, the little boy was ill with a serious cough; and, seemed to be in the process of giving it to the whole of his entire family; thus, I didn't stay there far too long; but, left as quickly as possible.

Father brought a new car.

The older boy showed me some 3D architectural software called: SketchUp.

http://www.sketchup.com

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WINTER WEATHER, KEEPS GETTING COLDER AND COLDER

The date is now 21st Nov 2015; and, already, the weather is becoming markedly colder; today, I rode my bike out there; and, the exposed flesh on both of my hands felt bitingly cold; my immediate thought was I need to start wearing gloves, again, real soon.

What I'm most worried about is the house has no proper central heating system to keep us warm; therefore, if the weather gets far worse...which, I honestly believe it will...then, it will be really hard staying at home; needing to carry around 'hot water bottles', constantly, all the time. I think, I will have to buy some Calor gas canister tanks to put in the heater; however, I heard it's extremely expensive, now-a-days, something like £42.00 per gas canister!

Monday 2 November 2015

021115 ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS: Office/Adobe/Lynda

MARTIAL ARTS

I was doing FREE Tai Chi classes with a young 20+ year old American teacher called, Jake, inside of London's Regent Park during the weekends. However, Jake is only in Regent's Park on Saturday's 1PM, now; and, on Sunday's his class is in Finsbury Park, instead. Finsbury Park is too far for me to travel; which means I can only attend Tai Chi no more than 1 day per week.

For around 5 or more weeks long I haven't been attending any further Tai Chi lessons; nor have I been practicing at home; therefore, everything that I was taught is now already long forgotten...?!

I hope to return back to class, possibly, next Saturday. I should have returned back this last Saturday; however, my mind got distracted/I felt extremely lazy/it was far too wet, and, cold; plus, my bike is still in the process of getting repaired at Brixton Halford's bike shop.

BIKE

My Apollo Encounter model bike brakes were no longer working, properly, anymore; therefore, I decided to send the bike in for repairs from where I did originally buy it, namely, Brixton Halfords. Much to my dismay the quoted bill came to £164.99(including £50 labor costs); when the bike itself did originally cost £199.99. So, at first, I was extremely unwilling to pay that sum...taking the 'unfixed' bike away to 'think' about it...thought to myself that I might as well buy a brand 'new' bike, instead. However, after feeling it's much too dangerous to be riding around on the streets of London with a bike that isn't working properly; therefore, I decided to send it in for repairs, anyway.  

RECENT ONLINE MEMBERSHIPS

Online, I recently joined...

Annual subscriptions...

1> Microsoft Office software...
http://www.office.com

2> Adobe PDF files...create/edit/store...
http://www.adobe.com

3> Lynda.com (online learning)
http://www.lynda.com