I have been on the other side of it, back in my early 20s I was that toxic person.

Only child, and a rich kid, so didn’t think I needed to work, ultimately I realised I was carrying a load of divorced parent baggage around with me.

I was with a girl, actually a series of girls, but one in particular that I treated like garbage. Everyone around me could see it, but I didn’t.

Eventually she saw the light and got rid of me in a highly public and hurtful way, I completely deserved it. At the same time the rest of the friend group basically ghosted me (I never knew if it was intentional or not.) Again, I absolutely deserved it.

In hindsight, it was the best thing, I needed the wake-up call, after a period of depression, I got on with life, moved towns and treated people a lot better.

I carried the regret around with me for a long time. I lost people that would have been lifelong friends. But the lessons learned set me up for life.

They’re not going to do anything. This is the plan, and as far as they’re concerned it’s playing out exactly as it’s supposed to.

Completely agree, its all going to plan.

I travel two days a week on the train into the city. The additional cost of driving into the city is the only thing that makes me do this. I detest public transport.

Often the train company are sending a two car train when four cars would be needed to seat everyone, it would be nice if they were clean too.

I work for a luxury goods manufacturer. Sales have slowed down due to supply issues – we simply can’t manufacture enough product. This is down to a lack of labour in the far east, a consequence of Covid lockdowns.

I am lucky enough to have a bit of spare cash coming in, but right now I am tightening the belt and stashing every spare penny, as the storm is coming.

Very much depends on the use you want to give it and how serious you want to get with it.

I have two distinct mirrorless systems – Canon R and Olympus.

The Canon stuff is brilliant but expensive. While the native lenses are expensive its very easy to adapt older EF glass to fit it and retain the full functionality, so there is every lens option imaginable at relatively low cost. The one downside of the Canon is its physical size – its not much smaller than a DSLR once the lens is mounted.

Hence I also have an Olympus system – Smaller, Cheaper but the image quality has never disappointed me. I primarily use this for street photography where you want to remain incognito. There are lots of used options and a couple of different body styles. I actually prefer the retro feel of these cameras to the Canon system. You could probably get started in this system for under £200.

However that being said, If I was starting from scratch today I would probably go for Fuji – beautifully made, amazing glass and somewhere between the two systems in size.

Wow that wasn’t very helpful.

Had BMW Sold out?

Only Joking, what a great bike, enjoy.

Mexican Jumping Viper

These things can jump?

That’s it, I am sticking to Peloton workouts.

Up until my last car change I did all my own work, I genuinely used to enjoy working on it. If something needed doing underneath I would go to my local rent a ramp which cost about £50 for a half day, made life super easy and also allowed me to fully inspect everything underneath,

But since moving to the new car I simply cant be bothered. I have software to talk to the car if a warning comes up, but other than that I now go to a local specialist. Fortunately they have so far been pretty reasonable.

Yarp.

No shortage of exercise, but my food choices are bad, can’t pass a KFC.

15KG heavier than I should be.

Immediately sell the house.

Scotland’s third best Chesney Hawkes tribute act.

A bit of finance focused IT as a side gig.

Music.

Nothing more that noise pollution.

TikTok.

No even remotely the most costly or sharpest lens that i own, but its always the one I choose.

I panicked and spent £400 on some adjustable dumbells as I was really worried about my gym closing.

They are still in the box.

More worried about smarties not having plastic caps on the end of the tube these days.

Bike? Yes please, lovely looking.

Tyres, no.

John saved my Intense Spider from the bin earlier in the year, although being a carbon frame I had not really tried much beyond cold spray and hot water.

Like Brant I am desperate to know how he does it, my guess is some sort of ultrasonic vibrating tool he has built – similar to the kit they use to pull out stuck diesel injectors.

Regardless, cant recommend John highly enough.

Head and Shoulders shampoo has always worked for me for some reason.

As someone who occasionally buys cars to ‘flip’ generally I list at the return I want plus 10%

Over the moon if they pay asking.

Send it, no question.

I have friends that my wife knows about but has never met, I would expect to do the same in that situation. And I know she would take comfort if she were the one receiving the letter.

Like you I bought a cheapo Canon – MG2450

I doesnt like generic cartridges at all, I have ended up buying genuine canon ones and calling them a ‘work expense’

Have not seen those refill kits for years, as I recall they were a pain in the arse.

As a dyed in the wool Blairite (Champagne) Socialist I have chosen to donate to my local foodbanks – both human and animal. However I have simultaneously invested in companies that will prosper once the restrictions lift. Notably Greggs and Mcdonalds, lets get the plebs people back to work so they can afford to buy their lunches there.

+1 for the LG, the Medion is probably fine, but smart TVs need software updates to keep them useful – I have a three year old Samsung that cant be upgraded to get Disney plus.

How long/often will the Medion updates go on for?

Not in the slightest if anything I am slightly embarrassed to be British.

I was in the US not long after the brexit vote, Trump supporters were laughing at us.

I also really detest the war and empire jingo-ism; the empire was basically about exploitation.

I have an old Gary Fisher 29er HT that I have about 5000 miles on. Everything else gets swapped out way before this.

Lower leg I do myself every 1500 miles or so

Anything else is only when it breaks.

Going against the flow here, but I have never seen anything quite so boring; its even worse than those ‘Slow’ programmes they show on BBC4 from time to time.

But then I cant really be bothered with the Handcrafted, or artisan thing, these skills are dying for a reason.

Los Angeles.

Specifically the north of the city near the PCH, Pacific Palisades maybe.

From the first time I visited I immediately wanted it to be my home.

I hate the what the UK has become, so there are few places in the world I wouldn’t consider.

No, flat no.

Next would have been a week in the lakes in a swanky, hot-tub equipped AirBnB.

Rolled it over to next year.

My Intense is matt black and I hate the look of it, so here is the ‘Dale instead.

Harry Potter films – pick one.

All drivel.

Similarly I was given an IWC for my 21st, I don’t wear it much, but its very much my prized possession.

I would check very carefully if this is something he would appreciate though. my feeling is that watches are very much less of the thing now.

That being said maybe have a look at Oris or Christopher Ward watches, superb quality and the prices are a little behind the more in your face brands

4 Packets of Bourbon Biscuits, just a start, will be building up to 20 packets

The notion of us both being forced to work from home and there being no biscuits to stop her talking fills me with fear.

SUPER LIKE!!!

Resident Evil VR genuinely made me jumpy for days.

I have one of these on 160K, the rear diff now needs replaced – a £700 touch, but that’s been the only bill beyond consumables in the 100K or so that I have had it.

Planning to run it 250K.

We used to live in a stone house in Northern Scotland, central heating had not yet reached that far north so the winters were freezing.

One day my older sister grew tired of me moaning about the cold and sat me in front of my mothers sun lamp. (Basically a small, shit, 80s UV tanning lamp.) she left me there for at least couple of hours, no protection, no goggles.

The next morning I was the colour of a strawberry and the day after that my skin started peeling off in sheets.

She completely got away with it, as she had finally raised the alarm with my dad, who had been outside repairing something.

STEEL BIKES ARE SHIT.

I watched the full run of Lost for the first time about three years ago.

I was angry for weeks after it, as others have stated about the end, its dreadful.

Can I have those hours of my life back please?