Seb Palmer

I took my mini Grammar of Ornament, by Owen Jones, out with me today. And I’m glad I did. I only liked at a very few pages. But, oh, boy! Are they rich in content?

I was in Ely for some blood tests (and I bumped into Patrick!), where I also stopped in at the Oxfam branch. Whilst I was heavily tempted, I managed to refrain from buying any new books. Truth be told, nothing in their current t selection really grabbed me, as it sometimes does. 

Whilst awaiting my turn in phlebotomy, I was perusing several pages of Grammar. That’s when I took the pictures that adorn this post.

I like the limited pallete, of cream, ochre, browns, and a little bit of orange. And, as any observant eye will note, there’s a certain kind of organic theme running through the designs that I’ve focused in on. 

This is right up my street. I like it so much I ordered one. Will I Proceed Directly To Jail, or to Hell? If the Joyless Puritans get their ways, indubitably.

I had a really early start, today. Up at 5 am, out by 5.20, for a 6.15/6.30 am start. It’s a bit too early, in all honesty. Not for me, much to my own surprise. But rather for some of the first few customers.

Anyway, I got home nice and early, having finished my shift in a little over half the allocated time. Once home, I was both exhausted, and yet hungry. Often when I’m tired I lose all appetite.

But on this occasion, hunger held sway. So I made two poached eggs on two bacon on two toast. With lashings of mayo’, and some salt n’ pepper. It came out very nicely. Yum!

Now for a bit of a rest, before my afternoon shift.

Having just spent £1K on a new clutch, it’s always nice when one can effect repairs for free!

I have a number of issues with Flo’ at present. Two of which I just fixed. the first was the headlight adjustment rotary dial. I was testing different positions, and the whole switch/dial mechanism just popped through the fascia, lost in the innards of the dash!

I have been driving around delivering in the dark a fair bit, this Autumn/Winter, and needed to have the head lamps adjusted for max’ light projection. Luckily it was very easy to pry open a sub-assembly on the dash and clip the dial switch back into its proper place.

A quick examination suggests the clip parts aren’t damaged, which is good news.

Then, whilst out delivering last night, the boot latch stopped working. It was cold, dark, late, and I was nearing the end of my shift. So I bodged it till I got home.

This morning, after watching a few videos on the theme of ‘Nissan Qashqai boot won’t lock’, or similar, I went and investigated. Fortunately it’s proven to be a ridiculously simple fix. Some of the vids I saw (but didn’t watch in full) were diagnosing much more complex/costly faults.

Luckily for me (fingers crossed!?) I just needed to tighten two large Phillips head screws – the lower part of the latch (not the tailgate door electro-mechanical portion, thankfully) – was so loose the upper mechanism was failing to ‘catch’.

Several days later, I watched the above. Now that’s what I call really fixing vehicles!

I’ve driven past this place, in Benwick, many times. Today I stopped for a look. And even talked to a couple of guys on site.

Lots of interesting stuff.

I have numerous crazy plans. Some of which could include steel beams. This place seems like a potential place to get such stuff.

Got Flo’, aka The Car, back Thursday.

That’s two days ago now. Cost a bomb (£1K!) to get the clutch replaced. But it could’ve been worse, and cost more. Luckily we’d just had a refund from E-On, of almost exactly the amount The Garage billed us. Carma!?

My situation delivering for Amazon Flex is alarmingly precarious, at all times. But much more than usual right now, alas.

I’d been at or near the top of their Standings scale for ages. So long, in fact, they’ve changed how they display one’s Standing, since I took the above screenshot. I wish I’d taken a screenshot whilst I was still riding high in the new look Standing.

But here’s how things, er… stand, right now.

I’ve had numerous occasions when they’ve chastised me and lowered my Standings. Usually only temporarily. Because I usually haven’t actually been at fault. This has been vindicated via my appealing, and getting replies like this:

But, so far, my appeals on this occasion – I’ve been told I’ve not been recording deliveries accurately (not actually true*) – have not succeeded. This makes a job which is, by its very nature (no employment is guaranteed, and there are no employee rights/benefits, like sick pay, etc.) already very tenuous, even more scary.

Especially when, despite me working hard and conscientiously, I can be mistakenly deemed at fault, through no fault of my own.

Having had just over a week off work, with no income – due to the clutch failing – is bad enough. But having to work under the shadow of the axe, now I’m back to work, ain’t pleasant. Esp’ as I need to do as much work as poss’, to make up for lost earnings.

Anyway, I can only do my best. Keep scrupulous records, and hope my standing returns to its former high level. The quicker the better!

In happier news. I got a pack of six wireless, rechargeable, motion-sensitive lights, mostly to illuminate our bathroom, where the lighting has failed (and we’ve failed to get an electrician able to easily/cost effectively fix things!).

I’ve out four up in the bathroom, and two on the upstairs landing.

Wow! Just found these old pics of me, as a long-haired youth.

Teresa and I have been tidying up, and doing various bits of home maintenance. During these efforts I found a number of old photographs. Including these.

I’m pleasantly surprised at my looks. I wish I’d have been a confident cocky type, back then. Instead of being painfully shy. Oh well… youth, hey? Wasted on The Young.

Stumbled across this, on YouTube.

It’s rather lovely, I think. I love Shuggie’s Inspiration Information album. But if you search for more in a similar vein, for the most part you’ll be disappointed.

There’s some more good stuff, sure. But most of his other recorded stuff, e.g. with his father, Johnny Otis (or indeed later, in his comeback career), is pretty standard blues, of one form or another…

Bugger-balls! More essential Joni is released from the JMA, or Joni Mitchell Archives. There’s also this:

Are the Hejira demos part of the Vol IV box? I guess I’ll have to find out.

I wanted to do this as an unboxing video. But I couldn’t find any of the gear I have for holding my iPhone like a camera, so I can use both hands.

Anyhoo… this batch turns out to be a total GB fest, as in George Benson. I didn’t realise, until unpacking/reading, but he’s even on the Esther Phillips disc that is part of this shipment.

Give Benson albums, and one Esther Phillips. The latter I got for several reasons: it’s a ‘72 release (which I collect); I love all the players; I love CYI/KUDU, etc. The Benson stuff is the result of my ongoing and ever growing love for George and his music. In particular his 1960s-‘70s (and even a little ‘80s) stuff.

The wonderful interview with Benson that Rick Beato did (below), fairly recently, was another factor. It was a reminder of what an absolute legend and mega-dude George is. And compelled me to go back to my Benson catalogue, revisit, re-listen, and expand it.

I already had near enough all of what I’ve just acquired. But mostly only as mp3s (or similar). And I don’t listen to much in that format. I’m a bit old school, and like a real physical object. CDs, in my case.

I’m a bit of a collector/hoarder. To the extent it may be borderline disorder! I’ve been collecting a fair number of Mainstream Records reissues (also via Japan*). And I’m very chuffed with them. I feel similarly drawn to these CTI 50th Anniversary reissues. So much so I’m compiling a list of as many of them as I can find. With a view to getting more, in future.

The above mini-gallery above is me looking at the packaging of just one item from this latest Nipponese order. I was a bit surprised that, unlike the Mainstream and Groove Merchant reissues I’ve got, which have multi-page booklets (albeit they’re in Japanese), these CTI 50th ones only have a single sheet; cover facing front, and a tiny bit of generic info on’t back! Mildly disappointing.

But as the above gallery also shows, they do, on the back of the jewel cases, list personnel. And that’s the info’ I’m most keen to have. Anything further I might be able to glean online?