but if a disabled person was hitting you, would you hit back?

Depends on situation/circumstances. That’s not me saying it’s correct and appropriate to hit anyone. Again, many variables dictate the “best” course or action.

He is an outstanding young man and I am glad proud he is my son.

Oh yeah, the cost of childcare … if one of you is happy to stay at home and/or you have the support of family/friends then you may well keep this to a minimum. But one of you needs (or chooses) to work and you have no support network, then expect to pay IRO of £500/month (oop north) or more than double that darn sarf for M-F. And that will often be per-child!

Never really gave it any serious consideration in previous relationships (mostly in 20s), partly because 2 partners had young kids already. Kind of ‘believed’ it would happen when the time was right. Well, that time arrived 3 years ago and we now have the most amazing junior monkey boy.

Like others (parents) have said already, they can test/challenge you like nothing else but the rewards are on another level altogether.

IME things like riding (lots) will most likely go out the window as will other things. Wouldn’t have it any other way though.

My tuppence: listen to the opinions of those who have kids more so than those that don’t. IMO there is no way the latter can possibly identify with what it’s like to be the former.

+1 Marathon as well as the Big Apple.

Have done plenty of off-road miles on Marathons too. Won’t attack anything with a gnar-rad-skillz rating above 4/10 though. Cracking tyre – can’t find any replacements for the exact one I’ve used though.

Also use Big Apples off-road, but once again, only on the fairer stuff.

Carbon Stumpy? Haven’t ridden a Yeti or Blur to compare though …

Just had a chat with a friend who has a fair bit of experience with this. I asked her to summarise in an email so here it is:

Secondary school can be extremely daunting – more so if the world around you feels like a noisy chaotic mess!! I would recommend starting with the small things. Making sure he has everything he needs (uniform/pe kit/school bag/stationary) and he knows his route to school well (walking/cycling/getting a lift/bus). I would recommend allowing him his own independence as soon as possible, so if he was driven to school before-now allow him the bus and/or walking.

I don’t know if he has been statemented but try not to have him labelled “Autistic” in the classroom – more like the quirky one!! Do you have/can you get a map of the interior of the school so he gets an idea of where everything is?? Confusion causes real anxiety. Also be aware he will probably lose his PE kit 3 or 4 times, stationary, trainers etc etc so put names in things. Tell him to find quiet places early on – Library, LRC (Learning Resource Centre) IT room – places he can go at break/lunch and feel relaxed.

I’m normally not an advocate of technology, but I would recommend a mobile phone – maybe one which plays MP3s so that if he is feeling stressed he can listen to some music on the way home from school etc etc. Also if he forgets anything important he can text mum (Books/non-school uniform day etc).

Make sure mum has a calender and highlights any non-school uniform days, trips etc as he might not remember them, and turning up to school in uniform on a non-uniform day is not good (I know!!)

Really it’s all the little details – in the end just be himself, instill in him not to take anything personally – that kids are scary and horrible and cruel but its not personal) and get him into some sort of activity club.

In the classroom he will take everything literally – he won’t understand sarcasm or non-linear thinking – if he doesn’t understand something this will make him very anxious and upset and frustrated. Come up with a system with him about how to deal with what he doesn’t know – both in and outside the classroom. Find someone who can explain things to him in a way he will understand (I find being clear and economical with words helps – also creating mnemonics or limerics or diagrams really help). Quite possibly he will excel at IT and anything computer-related – let him!

The Big Bang Theory may be a bit old for him yet – but the Sheldon character is useful to watch for him and those around him!!

As he grows up he will come into his own – just give him that knowledge and faith.

I would have emailed this to you but couldn’t anything in your profile. Hope you read it and find it helps 🙂

Yep, played 1 and 2 and loved ’em. Tricky bastard hard in the later levels though.

It’s also the fact that the new kits have so many “pre-sculpted” pieces that there is no longer the need to use 10 pieces when 1 will do. Therefore the structural integrity often goes out the window … not to mention the creativity etc.

Shouldn’t it be your kids that do the re-building?

Yep, tis the same two grand from some of the other sets too 😯 Not sure how you justify that kind of outlay.

Do they do a Balrog, if so you can count me in!

Not officially it would appear …

If only life were that simple.

Here’s what I’d like … but one’s STW disposable income does not allow for such extravagances 🙁

Maybe not, but I’m talking in the context of what he was responsible/accountable for.

Bit late old bean …

18 months is a joke given he was over the limit and did a runner.

I underdid my hardboiled eggs this morning, for my egg mayo

Yep, that really **** me off that does. There isn’t really a way to correct it IMO.

What I’ve started doing is boil the water (avec eggs) for 10 mins, none of this simmering lark. Then straight under the cold water and peel. Job done every time. As it happen I’m tucking into egg mayo, saucisson sec, leaves and a gram wrap right this minute. Nommage.

Apologies for the hijack: re Dropbox, am I right in thinking it doesn’t sync the whole folder structure onto the device? I.e. you only get to surf folders and pull stuff down (from your cloud storage) as and when you need it? If so, then you need an internet connection to use it? That’s how it works on my iPhone.

You want to capture every frame? How long is the movie – 160,000 frames?

Chillblast[/url] do a fair few gaming builds and they tend to score very highly in reviews. I’ve had a non-gaming-specific machine from them for nearly 2 years and it’s a cracking piece of kit.

I find it strangely therapeutic viewing.

Truth be known they can all be zipped off sharpish with a cordless angle grinder and a thin cutting disc in seconds!

You don’t recommend a decent anchor then? Not even a Torc or whatever else?

Quite possibly:

Star Wars
Empire Strikes Back
Planet of the Apes (original)

Then again, back in my school days I had a penchance for:

Ferris Buellers Day Off
Weird Science
Ghostbusters

Either way, pretty highbrow stuff!

One of my mates has the new Lumia (960 or something?) and swears it pi55es over the iPhone and Android counterparts (which he trialled for 3 months via work). Can’t say I agree with him at all though – as a phone it may be good, but as an eco system it surely can’t compare.

The most painful thing is the interviews. So forced and unnatural and just plain dull.

Even including some basic continuity would be a start. Either the material is badly constructed or even more badly edited. Tangent jumping of the highest order.

Yeah, it’s one of those industries, dare I say like the music biz, where you can be genuinely skilled + work your nuts but never get anywhere. Likewise, you can be sh1t + get lucky and have a deal land on your plate.

Lots of recent talk abut self-pub (i.e. Kindle route etc) + self marketing being a great way to get something out there while raising your profile. Others are now poo-pooing it partly because the PR side can be a real drain. Depends on a number of variables though. My advice: subscribe to loads of relevant blogs, start blogging, comment on others’ blogs, start tweeting, make yourself interesting and get people following you. Even if you don’t go down the self pub route, an agent/editor/etc may well see more potential (sales) in you if you have an audience to play to.

And check out NaNoWRiMo[/url] – given the time it’s a great way to ‘get something delivered and out there’.

Matter of fact, a major publisher is ‘considering’ an opus of mine as I write. Fingers and all other flexible appendages crossed…

Good luck – I hope that’s genuine interest! I’ve known a few people ‘on the inside’ who got one of my submissions in front of various people (agents and pubs) but nothing came of it. There’s a lot of BS amongst the touts IMO. I have no issues with it though – I believe in my work and will persevere until one day it comes off …

Fire XC Pros

Hummvees do the trick for me; light, something like 8 pockets (inc 2 for maps), perfect fit. Job done.

if your TV is bigger than your bookshelf, then you’re working class.

A couple I know have absolutely no books in their house … but they have had a grossly oversized 50″ screen for 5yrs+. And it’s on every second of the day – literally. Yes they are working class, but nowt wrong in that. Just can’t understand the desire to sit in front of a box for hours yet have no compulsion to pick up a book.

anyone actualy still use one?

What a weird question.

A. Yes, lots. If I didn’t then I’d go too slow and wouldn’t fit in as many miles/trails/cake stops.

Ordered a helmet for Monkey Jnr (nearly 2yrs) a few weeks ago and we couldn’t even get it on his head despite all the measurements stacking up. Walked into LBS and tried on the competitor’s equivalent – fitted perfectly and with 2-3yrs ‘room’ to grow.

Have a Croozer and he has no problem with helmet/vision. Plenty of scope to look up, down and side to side without any crooking or discomfort. The only challenge I have is finding a way to keep his head up when he nods off. Have tried toweling and an inflatable flight pillow but neither work that well. Anyone found any solutions?

I remember nicking some of those industrial masks (from where I was working) back in the mid 90s. Jollied up with some glo-sticks we thought we were mustard.

I’m off to listen to this:

Easily one of the best (commercial or otherwise) mixes ever. Sends me into space every time 😯

my son is named after Farley Jackmaster Funk..

Funki Yunki? 😀

So mboy, you don’t think there was cheesy mainstream clubs playing commercial music in the 90s too?

Yeah, but something tells me ‘we’ were romanced by the underground scene instead of the mainstream sh1t. Life was different then – less media BS and certainly less chavving up on cheap booze and sh1tty clubs. No idea if that happens now – I don’t know enough teens/twentysomethings to comment.

Can’t figure out what the Number 1 slot is going to go to … was thinking along the lines of Hacienda, disco roots, Farley Jackmaster Funk et al …

+1 Grum and Mboy. Nail. Head. Methinks.