Thursday, 10 August 2023

Wed 090823

 Wed 090823 17:19 PM GMT Money worries...constant struggle to keep one's head above water...?! Too, struggles with old age.../ill health.


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MONEY PROBLEMS HAUNTING ME LIKE MAD

Today, I had to go and pay £50.00 worth of bills; because my current a/c. said nil balance. The only savings I have left in the world is just £350.00. It takes around £500.00 per quarter to keep the house running...gas bill/electric bill/water rate/tv licence/phone and internet/also, multiple other loans still needing to be paid off/-etc.

Can't afford to go fix up the house...that's, gradually, crumbling down all around me.../roof leaking in multiple places, all together at once, when it rains/dry rot setting in/dampness/mould.

So, frankly, I find myself constantly worrying about what in the hell am I going to do, next...?! As I'm walking along the streets...I find myself, sometimes, talking to myself; and, asking myself the exact same question over again and again: 'What am I going to do? What am i going to do...?!' And, I can't think of any clear answer...; far from seeing things getting any better...; i can only see them getting worse and worse...like what happens when 'all' of my savings runs out...; and, I got nowhere else to get help/and, nobody else to turn to...???

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DEALING WITH TOO MUCH STRESS/ENDLESS WORRY

At the same time, I try my best to not look too down...; lest other people might notice it/or, be affected by my own damned 'miserable' mood themselves. One has to keep up pleasant appearances in order to please the rest of the world around you.

The other thing I keep on thinking is...too much worry is not good for you. It is by doing too much worrying why some people end up going completely 'mad'...!

So, I try to take things as 'lightly' as possible...and, think about good things....such as how beautiful is the sky/clouds/flowers/trees/birds/bees/-etc. I still have a place to live in...got a 'safe' roof over my head...and, a warm comfortable bed to sleep in/-etc. -(Though, another part of my mind tends to wonder...what will happen when all of that is gone...?!)-

Also, I have some computing skills...; and, can type 60 w.p.m...; so, I'm not totally useless, hopeless, or, dumb!

Anything good I can think of...to try and take my mind off doing constant endless worrying.

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STRUGGLING TO KEEP FIT...LAZY/DEPRESSED/-ETC.

The other great difficulty I'm having is being totally 'out of shape'. I do try and exercise every now and then; but, most unfortunately, I don't tend to stick with doing any 'regular' keep fit routine for very long...; 'start and stop' has always been the very same training pattern I've used right thoughout my life...even as a child.

Then, when I let myself get completely 'out of shape'...; I find I can hardly run 10 yards...without out breathing out really loud just like a horse....huffing and puffing away.

It's embarrassing to see me attempting to run on the streets...usually, because I find I'm 'late' to an appointment...; running at an incredibly 'slow' pace of just 3 m.p.h; and, still being left breathless...having to stop...due to fearing -if I push too much- I might just have a heart attack...?! I wish I was kidding...; but, the truth is, I'm not. Yes, things are really that bad.

Then, I go back to when I was 'younger'...say half my age of 60...at 30, I swear, I could still 'walk/run/move'. But, now-a-days, really very little or nothing. I have to ask myself what the hell happened to make my health run down so 'fast'...?! If an older person stops training...they get 'stiff/slow/lacking in stamina' in next to no time...say within a week.

You see a 'young' person can get fit fast...as they can push themselves really hard. But, an unfit older person...has to push themselves both patiently and slow...; they cannot force/or, hurry it...; otherwise, they will simply end up doing themself some sort of serious injury.

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NECK PAIN

I woke up this morning...with severe pain in my neck. Something about the pillow I sleep on...it's not firm enough. And, the position of the TV is off to the side of the bed...; thus, in order to view the TV...I have to 'turn/twist'. All of this results in 'bad sleep/poor rest'.

When I awoke my neck was hurting so damned bad...that I had to both 'slowly and painfully' move off the bed. I actually thought about going to visit seeing the hospital 'accident and emergency'...just to discover what must be going wrong...?!

Instead, I went off down to the kitchen...and, putting on the electric kettle, I filled up a small sized 'hot water bottle'...which I placed around my neck...for up to 1/2 an hour long; and, much to my own surprise, the 'heat' seemed to treat the 'neck/back' injury well; as I found I could move a bit better, now...as the warm muscle seem to relax more. This house is just far too cold, I think; it freezes one's muscles.

Right now, the sun is shining...so, things are a little bit warmer; but, then, all the time, I'm very deeply 'aware'...that we are now in the middle of August...and, Winter is coming...with both the 'bitter cold'/and, too, 'the constant rain'

The chimney pot is leaning the wrong way...I wonder if the Winter winds are going to blow it down...; and, if it does fall...will it crash into the roof...producing a next leak to be fixed/or, will it fall on somebody who is passing by...and, thus, end up hurting them...?! I don't know...; all I do know is this much...I don't have the money to pay builders to put up scaffolding to go fix/or, replace the chimney pot.

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Sunday, 6 August 2023

Sun 060823 Latest News/Events Summary

WEEK SUMMARY

- FREE ONLINE STORAGE

- TATE BRITAIN GALLERY

- EXTERNAL STORAGE: CD RW/4.7 GB

- LINUX/UBUNTU

- GAMBLING

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- FREE ONLINE STORAGE

- I joined some FREE online storage sites...

-- https://www.idrive.com
-- https://www.roofr.com

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- TATE BRITAIN GALLERY

- I recall going to visit Tate Gallery who were open 'late' night Friday...040823. I practiced doing some drawing there...; as well as, meeting a few people (poetry class/I showed some guy, Origami bird; he took me animating it on his phone). I also ran into some girl...Shermin, I think, her name was...who had seen me (pre-Covid) drawing at The National Portrait Gallery on late night Friday's. She informed me...they are not doing late night Friday drawing at The National Gallery; as NPG lacks the necessary funding, at the moment.

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EXTERNAL STORAGE: CD RW/4.7 GB

Today, Sun 060823, I found a CD RW 4.7 GB...which I decided to pop into the CD tray to test. Sure enough, it works...I can now store files really very easily up to 4.7 GB worth.

The limitations are...

- both 'reading/writing' data to the CD is rather 'slow'...as opposed to 'reading/writing' to an SSD drive (but, manageable, if one is patient)

- what if I were to lose the CD/or, it were to become accidentally damaged/(stepped on)...???

- the data both is/and, isn't 'portable'...with online storage...you can be sure you can get to your data from any computer in the world; but, when data is stored on disc...you have to carry it physically with you, all the time...otherwise, you no longer have access


- because the CD RW is NOT protected in any way...anyone gaining access to it...is able to view ALL files

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LINUX/UBUNTU

I tried to download...

- https://www.balaenaetcher.com
- https://www.ubuntu.com

...in order to run Ubuntu from off my external hard drive; but, most unfortunately, it didn't work.

I did download balaenaEtcher normal version/as opposed to 'portable' version; so, maybe, I should have tried doing that, instead.

All I know is I want desperately to be able to work with the GUI version of Linux Ubuntu...so, that I can get to practice more.

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- GAMBLING

I played FREE games of...

- 'spin the wheel' every day at both: ladbrooks/William Hill

- Ladbrooks FREE poker 

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Tuesday, 1 August 2023

Wed 030823 Pra Group online payment: £5.00/£210 bal.

Table of Contents:-

- William Hill/Ladbrokes 'Spin The Wheel'

- Pra Group online payment: £5.00/£210 bal.

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- William Hill/Ladbrokes 'Spin The Wheel'

Of late, for the last couple of days...I've tried visiting both...

- https://www.ladbrokes.com

- https://www.williamhill.com

...where I played 'spin the wheel' game for FREE. I believe, in all I won a grand total of: £0.04p.

-(I figured if it's FREE...then, it really doesn't matter if I win/loose; and, then, again, who knows...I might just win big time, possibly. Though, mostly, all you ever win with these FREE games is just mere pennies.)-

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- Pra Group online payment: £5.00/£210 bal.


Early this morning, I decided to make an  online payment to PraGroup of £5.00. This left a balance still to pay of £210.00. 

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Tue 020823 Visited PGTB Foodbank

PGTB Foodbank

The fridge was getting 'empty', again. So, I decided to 'swallow my sense of pride'...and, go and visit the PGTB/Paxton Green Time Bank Foodbank. (This is the 2nd time I've visited them.)

I was going to take bus over there...; but, the 322 bus was really 'slow' to arrive. So, instead, I just simply walked.

-(Along the way, I also came across Clive Road community centre foodbank; but, they were, currently, 'closed'.)-

Eventually, I arrived at PGTB Foodbank..where I handed over a £5.00 note to the receptionist guy...; and, was given 2 bags of food to take home. 1 bag contained fruit & veg/the other bag contained stuff to heat up inside of the microwave/-etc.

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I took the bus in order to get back home...a bus up to Crystal Palace/then, a next bus 322 to take me home...; when the 322 arrived in West Norwood...; I had to get off and cross over the road to take a number 2 bus to West Norwood bus garage.

I was really lucky, today, though...as I didn't need to wait far too long for the buses to arrive...; and, it sure as hell beat walking with 2 relatively heavy bags.  


 

Mon 010823 Visited Ingeus/Tate Britain Gallery/Dulwich Picture Gallery £43.00 yearly


 Mon 310723 17:00 PM GMT Visited Ingeus/Tate Britain Gallery.


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Table of contents:-

- 4 PM INGEUS APPOINTMENT/STOCKWELL

- 5 PM - 7 PM VISITED TATE BRITAIN GALLERY/PIMLICO

- DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY £43.00 DIRECT DEBIT BECAME DUE, TODAY

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- 4 PM INGEUS APPOINTMENT/STOCKWELL

Today, I had to go and visit Stockwell for a job centre directed appointment with Ingeus. I'd gone and missed, at least, 2/3 of these appointments, before...each time, arriving there 'late', unfortunately...; and, so, they wrote me a letter stating that it's, now, 'mandatory' to go...otherwise, one's benefits could be affected.

Being a 'poor' person, already, I didn't wish to lose my benefits...as, frankly, that's all I have left to go live on...??? On this occasion, I made sure to arrive there, promptly, on time...I believe, I was 10 minutes early, in fact; and, had to sit down, and, 'wait' for the appointment time to come.

The person I saw was not my usual advisor...who, I think, was off sick; but, a different person, altogether, instead. Anyway, they made really short work of it all...within around 15/20 minutes...I was already on my way back out, again.




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- 5 PM - 7 PM VISITED TATE BRITAIN GALLERY/PIMLICO

After having gone and visited Ingeus offices in Stockwell...; I thought to myself...I might as well go and visit seeing the Tate Gallery which lies just over Vauxhall bridge. (Stockwell, being the adjoining district next to Vauxhall.)

So, because I now have a 60+ FREE bus travel pass...; I decided to go hop onto a number 88 bus...which takes me straight over to the gate of Tate Gallery...across the road.

When I walked into Tate Gallery, I told the receptionist...that I had recently lost my wallet...together with all my cards having been contained therein...which, in turn, meant that I also lost my Tate Gallery membership card. I showed her my 60+ travel card/with photo as ID. After, first, getting me to confirm my address details...house number/road/post code/-etc. Then, she printed me out a 'new' Tate Gallery membership card/with bar code, instantly.

I went and checked out the 'lastest' two exhibitions...; The Rosetti's(downstairs).../and, Julien(upstairs). I didn't actually stay to visit seeing any of these exhibitions...; because, I'd already seen them before; but, instead, I just wanted to acquire an exhibition leaflet...which they hand over to all visitors who walk in.

After that I walked into the 'drawing room' area...where they place out 2 artist easels/pencils/coloured pencils to draw with...plus, paper. They used to put out A3 sized papers, before, I do very distinctly recall...that would be pre-Covid times; but, recently, I've noticed they only put out A4 sized papers, now-a-days. (I much preferred drawing on A3/but, I guess, they deliberately chose to put down A4 in order to save themselves some money.)

I practised drawing 1 or 2 sculptures; and, then, because I'd entered the gallery 'late'...at 5 PM...and, they close at 6 PM...therefore, closing time came up really 'fast'...; when all visitors were ushered out by guards.

I stayed outside for around 1 hour or so...copying one of the outside sculptures...and, also, doing a lot of 'staring'...at how the effects of 'light' affects the outside sculpture by reflecting directly off of it.

Eventually, though, I left for home...; by taking a number 2 bus straight back to West Norwood garage.



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- DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY £43.00 DIRECT DEBIT BECAME DUE, TODAY

Today, my DDR/Direct Debit to Dulwich Picture Gallery became due...; so, I had to make sure that my current a/c. had £43.00 in there to pay for the year.

However, when I went and checked my bank a/c.; it stated that the payment did go through, successfully. Thus, I can now look forwards to both seeing/visiting Dulwich Picture Gallery a whole lot more(it is my nearest major picture gallery.../Tate Britain gallery is located further out).

I haven't been a regular visitor there...not since pre-Covid. Though, I did recently make one visit to go and see their 'latest' Berthe Morisot exhibition; on that same date I requested a Direct Debit membership, as well; and, thus, was let in in advance -(before the DDR had become due)- to go see the show. 






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Saturday, 29 July 2023

Sun 300723 Latest news...events summary for both the present/last week

This will be a summary of both the present/previous week...

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Table of contents:-

- Missing/or, stolen wallet...having to re-order replacement cards

- Koofr 10 GB FREE Storage/saves Facebook data with 1 click

- Linode, set a Ubuntu server running...cost: $5.00 monthly

- Currently due bills...

- To do...

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Missing/or, stolen wallet...having to re-order replacement cards

I lost my wallet...Barclaycard sent me a replacement card that I received/the replacement Nat West card went missing/ordered another, yesterday...the guy on the phone said it should arrive before Wednesday coming. I also received a CoOp store card replacement. I still haven't re-ordered an Iceland store card replacement, yet...due to experiencing difficulties on their web site. I ordered both Tate Gallery/Dulwich Picture Gallery replacement cards. 

(I still cannot recall exactly how many cards were lost...inside of the wallet...?!)

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Koofr 10 GB FREE Storage/saves Facebook data with 1 click

I joined a FREE storage site called: koofr

- https://www.koofr.com

...they allow you to store Facebook data...by using just 1 click. They give you 10 GB free.

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Linode, set a Ubuntu server running...

During the last 3/4 days...I visited Linode web site...where I set up a running Ubuntu server...; which I'm using to learn...

- Linux web server maintenance/administration
- programming: ruby, php, python3, pyscript, vue3, -etc.

The server costs $5.00 monthly to keep it running, constantly.

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Currently due bills...

£  29.41 bank OD/Overdrawn
£  82.90 Thames Water
£159.58 gas
£221.81 electric
 ---------
£ 493.70 
 ---------
   122 1

...that's an awful lot of bills needing to be paid, right NOW! (And, I'm not even working...?!)

Hopefully, I will be able to negotiate with British Gas...to still continue with the £50.00 fortnight payments due...???

I deliberately left out...

£ 79.00 TV License
£ 40.00 TalkTalk (phone/internet)
£ 43.00 Dulwich Picture Gallery DDR
   ------
£162.00
   ------
   1 

The reason why I choose to leave these out is...

The TV License can wait (I pay it one year in advance/so, this is for next year's bill).
The TalkTalk bill isn't due until the 11th of next month (and, can also be delayed for up to a month)
The Dulwich Picture Gallery membership can be cancelled/and, then, renewed, again, at any time.

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To do...

- I have an appointment with Ingeus coming up...this Monday.- 

Other...

Have to remember... 
- when next to sign on at Streatham Job Centre
- went to visit St Thomas Hosptial physiotherapy appointment
...also, need to check that these appointments do NOT overlap with one another...?!

Wednesday, 19 July 2023

Wed 190723 Visited West Norwood Library/CoOp...lost wallet/cards...ordered replacements

I went down the road...with the intention of visiting the post office...where I needed to top up my current a/c. which is £4.xx overdrawn. 

Normally, I was meant to arrive at West Norwood post office before 2:30 PM...in order to avoid running up any extra overdrawn current a/c. charges; but, as usual, I tend to leave home 'late'...thus, the time was around 2:40 PM...when I found myself being directly opposite the post office; I, then, decided there is no further point in 'hurrying', anymore; because, I'm already far too 'late'...the extra charges are going to stand, anyway; and, I can't do absolutely anything to avoid it.

Instead, I walked into West Norwood Library...which is across the road...; and, there I handed over 3 library books to be returned.

- Picasso
- Portraits
- (Forgot the name...?)

Next, I went into West Norwood CoOp...where I used my Pockit debit card -(£21.xx balance)- inside of their cash machine to withdraw £10.00 cash. Also, I brought some cat food, £5.00/and, 3 loafs of bread, £3.00...with the rest of the money left inside of the Pockit a/c.; now, the Pockit a/c. says something like £2.xx balance left. 

It was inside of West Norwood CoOp store...when I arrived near the 'self-checkout' till; that, all of a sudden, I realised that my wallet was missing...? I checked all 3 of my trouser pockets: front/side/back -(I wasn't wearing any coat)-; and, nope, not there...??? I ran back, and, looked at the area around the 'cash ATM machine' I just used...saw no wallet.

I rushed back to West Norwood Library...to check if my wallet could be seen there...no, nothing. I mentioned to the library staff that my wallet seems to have gone missing...they said they've seen nothing being handed in.

So, I went back home...thinking to myself...possibly, I've left the wallet at home, somewhere...; but, when I returned back home...and, looked all around...up, and, down...nothing...?! That's when I decided to phone and cancel some cards...especially, the bank debit cards...so, that nobody can take cash out of my a/c. Now-a-days, they don't need to guess your 'pin number'...; as cards can be used to pay for things/pay for bus far journeys...using 'cashless' payment card...up to a certain limit...such as £40.00...simply, by swiping the card, anonymously.

To order cards to be cancelled/and, re-ordered, again...I phoned...

- Nat West
- Barclays
- Dulwich Picture Gallery
- Tate Gallery

I still have left 2 or 3 card which were not inside of the wallet...

- Library card
- Pockit card
- 60+ FREE travel card

...the only thing that is pissing me off, right now...is I should have made it a point to, carefully, note all cards that I am taking down the road with me...that are stored inside of my wallet. But, because I didn't keep notes...; therefore, I really don't even know what other cards might be missing...I seem to remember...there was 2 store 'discount' cards...

- CoOp card
- Iceland card

...but, whatever else...I'm really not sure...? Nor am I sure, if I had left any cash notes in there, neither...?

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CONCLUSION

It is a really bad habit of mine...that when I'm outside -(especially, on a good day...when I feel that nothing is likely to go wrong)- I can let myself get far too relaxed/and, feel just completely casual and carefree...I tend to take my wallet out of my coat/or, trouser pocket...and, place it on something in front...such as a desk...and, then, continue to do whatever it is I'm interested in doing...use a cash machine.../or, renew library card items...totally forgetting about exactly where the wallet is...??? -(An opportunist thief needs no more than just merely 'one' second to strike...)- ; then, if I see it on the desk, later...I replace the wallet straight back into my pocket/but, if I don't see it...then, I might completely forget about it; quite simply, moving on to do whatever else it is I had in mind...; and, thus, noticing the missing wallet only when it's already far 'too late'...?!

Next time, I must remember to, ALWAYS, replace my wallet straight back into my coat/trouser pocket...; and, do NOT leave it out...otherwise, these things can get stolen very quickly and easily, indeed.