Big of him

Dec 2015

June 2011

Ben is with Rayburn in Florida this week on the left. I bet they're going fishing as they did in the Wandle in June 2011 on the right.

That is a lot of growing in four and a half years. I am sure Ray is at least six feet tall, so Ben must be coming up to six two now, regardless of any foreshortening in the photo. (Looking again, why he thinks a Kim Jong-un hair style is a good look is a mystery to me.)

Before he moved to the US, Rayburn (and all his mates come to think of it) were great at taking the Bomber around with them. Fishing or going to an all-you-can-eat buffet with a group of nineteen year olds when you are ten, must feel great. I remember Ben telling me that when they went to the park mob-handed Ray would get him to run and climb Marine Corps style with a rucksack filled with rocks on his back "as training for Muay Thai." I know it sounds a bit like they were taking the Mickey, but the boys always treated him like one of the gang, and he loved being around them. You can't really ask for more.

Ben in the U.S.A (I'm a cool rockin' Daddy in the U.S.A. now)

Iguanas are falling from trees in south Florida as unusually low temperatures sweep through the region. The invasive species can become sluggish when temperatures drop below 50F (10C) and are susceptible to freezing once temperatures drop to around 40F (4.5C) and once frozen, these cold-blooded creatures lose their grip on the trees they call home. Residents have expressed shock at the sight of rigid reptiles lying motionless in the middle of sidewalks and backyards. But while they appear lifeless, they are simple too cold to move.

As if I didn't have enough on my plate, now I have to worry about Ben being poleaxed by a frozen iguana falling out if a tree while he is visiting Rayburn in Florida. (Why an iguana is visiting Rayburn in Florida, I couldn't possibly say.)

Rayburn and Kevin, yes. The media, no.

S. I. Hayakawa

The original version of this book, Language in Action, published in 1941, was in many respects a response to the dangers of propaganda, especially as exemplified in Adolf Hitler's success in persuading millions to share his maniacal and destructive views. It was the writer's conviction then, as it remains now, that everyone needs to have a habitually critical attitude towards language—his own as well as that of others—both for the sake of his personal well being and for his adequate functioning as a citizen. Hitler is gone, but if the majority of our fellow citizens are more susceptible to the slogans of fear and race hatred than to those of peaceful accommodation and mutual respect among human beings, our political liberties remain at the mercy of any eloquent and unscrupulous demagogue.

Those are wise words above. Once more with feeling, " if the majority of our fellow citizens are more susceptible to the slogans of fear and race hatred than to those of peaceful accommodation and mutual respect among human beings, our political liberties remain at the mercy of any eloquent and unscrupulous demagogue." I had never even heard of Hayakawa until Rayburn, who lives in Florida now with his partner and daughter, introduced me to his though with the wonderfully understated "I try my best to try and understand what's going on in the world."

Also, last night Kevin told me a story about Test and Trace's Dido Harding and a misplaced decimal point that I won't repeat but also won't forget.

Fast flies meanwhile the irreparable hour

Ben is sixteen today, and Rayburn's little girl was born last night.

Gosh.

bad father all the way to the max

Rayburn, with whom I am in regular contact via WhatsApp even though he lives in Florida now, sent me a YouTube Shorts version of the video above yesterday. Synapses fired and neurons were linked.

When Ben was little I passed on what my father had told me about punching to help in his fights with Ray. When I told John my brother that, he told me that he had given the same boxing lessons to his daughters. It made me chuckle and I have since quietly confirmed with one of the girls that it is true. The anecdote, and particularly laughing about Jazz needing punch up lessons , is now and forever associated with this Rick and Morty scene in my head.

It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, which was released as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the US, is now free to stream on Audible. It’s the version narrated by Stephen Fry, and part of a series of initiatives launched by JK Rowling and friends to keep everyone entertained while they’re cooped up at home.

You can get it at https://stories.audible.com/pdp/B017V54W6O.

I remember buying the Fry audiobook on CD as it was unabridged and would last long enough to keep Rayburn amused on a trip driving to West Wales (a mission in which it succeeded) to see Vince and Michele.

The CD version came out in 1999. I am pretty sure neither Ben nor Isaac were born at the time of the trip, and they came into the world in 2000, so it could be coming up for 21 years ago.

Leeroy Jenkins

Rayburn popped round yesterday lunchtime, which was a pleasant surprise.

He introduced me to the power and the glory that is World of Warcraft's Leeroy Jenkins (over 21 million YouTube views). I thought I would collapse with laughter.

Florida: Marion County

Rayburn and his family live in Florida; Marion county to be a little more precise. Corona-virus infections seem to be surging there, and the governor, Ron DeSantis, seems to be a loon.

Rebekah Jones, who says she was fired from her job in charge of the state’s official Covid-19 database in May for refusing to manipulate its figures is running her own privately funded version now at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/7572b118dc3c48d885d1c643c195314e/

That is where I will be checking regularly for the time being.

Gary Rhodes

So sad to hear about the death of Gary Rhodes. In 2008 on my gap year I worked at his restaurant in Marble Arch to save for drama school. Gary was always so lovely. When I left to go to drama school he gave me one is his signed cookbooks, I opened it and there was £200 inside.

— Kadiff Kirwan (@kadiffkirwan) November 27, 2019

I am not sure why this tweet was in my feed today. Perhaps because the guy is an actor and I follow some of his peers?

Anyway, it reminded me that years ago we were at some event where Gary Rhodes was promoting a book and people were queuing up at a table where he was signing copies. Rayburn joined the line without buying the book and when he got to the front told the chef that he was thinking of going to catering college. Gary Rhodes didn't blink an eyebrow about the missing harback and the fact there was nothing for him in the exchange, but had a proper encouraging chat with Raybs and then shook his hand.

Ever since I have been a member of the Gary Rhodes fan club. Top geezer.

I swear I use no art at all

Here are Ben and Halex at paintballing on Saturday.

Who would it have been do you think that dropped his gun on purpose, gathered the relic in has arms in Tomb Raider and raced home under hostile fire cradling it in his arms? Could it have been the same cool customer who delivered the bomb from the bus in Terrorist Attack into the heart of the enemy camp (admittedly aided by Rayburn and his riot shield)?

I cannot tell a lie, it was the same person, and it was me.

Mount Dora

Jane and Ben have flown out to visit Rayburn in Florida for Christmas and New Year. They are staying in Mount Dora. Look at all the fun they can have.

Cwm On Down

Ben is flying off to Florida today visit his brother Rayburn and family for a fortnight.

When we met for lunch this week, he mentioned a mountain biking trail near London where he goes with mates. This reminded me that there are a lot of MTB facilities in South Wales, and to speculate that perhaps he could get a morning or afternoon in the next time we go down to Cardiff to see his grandparents.

There's a Mountain Bike Wales websitest http://www.mbwales.com. That suggests to me that the Cwmcarn centre will be our best bet. 10 minutes from the M4 and only 15 miles from mum and dad's house.

Facilities

For Cwmcarn Visitor Centre opening times please visit our website.

http://your.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmcarnforest/visitor-information/visitor-information

To book the uplift service visit Cwmdown www.cwmdown.co.uk. Private Uplifts are not permitted on either of the trails.

Shop and bike hire are available from PS Cycles – www.pscycles.co.uk

There is a shop, café and bike wash, plus pay and display car parking facilities.

Happy Birthday

November the second 2017 is Rayburn's 28th birthday!

See Icons Passim from 2005.

It's 3:30 in the morning of November 3 here, but still the second in Florida.

So the greeting still counts.

bombastic

Ben and Rayburn

The Bomber is back from  Florida and sleeping the sleep of the just after flying through the night to Heathrow. I will have to stock up on fun size confectionery, mango juice, Weetabix chocolate chip crispy minis and the other cornerstones of a nutritious breakfast that I don't really have much call for when he is away.

Ras Kitchen

I had thought that the soothing slow television that is Ras Kitchen might be something of an acquired taste; a private matter between me, YouTube and my chill out zone.

Not a bit of it. I mentioned the show in passing to Ben on Friday. He watches it as well, as does Rayburn's old mate Alex Devereux etc. etc.

Faith in human nature restored.

I want you to play a game with me, Ray.

Ben and I went to see the latest Guy Ritchie at the Wimbledon Odeon. I thoroughly enjoyed though I can imagine how someone who didn't relish its winking through the fourth wall might find it something of a trial.

We went to Wahaca after; a tradition that is now over four years old. We must try and fit another one in before he flies off to Florida to see Rayburn.

Let no man ignorant of geometry enter here.

Ben is in Florida with Jane visiting Rayburn and his family over Easter as usual at the moment.

We met in the Merton Apprentice last Thursday evening after work, before I drove to Wales on Friday and he flew out on Saturday.

He was talking about the number - or constant - Φ (phi) and how it appears in the proportions of, among many things, the human body? I said I hadn't heard of it and asked him if it was related to the golden ratio that the ancient Greeks knew about. He hadn't heard of that.

It turns out that Phi and the Golden Ratio are the same thing! Early in the last century a mathematician Mark Barr proposed using the first letter in the name of Greek sculptor Phidias, phi, to symbolize the golden ratio. Amazing eh? See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio#History

When he is back, perhaps we can get together again, blow the froth off a couple of cold ones, and really start digging into the Fibonacci sequence?

I didn't see this one coming.

as we that are left grow old

Rayburn is 29 today. To put this in perspective he is just slightly older than Paapa who got a Bafta Breaktrhough Brits Award the day before yesterday.

I went to see the NT Live show of Allelujah! last night. Having spent so many weekends visiting my mum's broken hip and my dad's dementia recently and - for what it is worth - having sung with Bryn last weekend, I found it very moving. It proved you can wear your heart on your sleeve without being overly didactic or hectoring.

A Life in the Day

 I aw the Bomber yesterday. He is due to be back in the office in Clapham on 26 April as COVID - touch wood - recedes.

We ate feijoada, farofa, rice and greens. It must have been good because he photographed and sent the picture to Halex, his old school friend, and took the leftovers back with him.

We watched a couple of episodes of The Lost Pirate Kingdom on Netflix last night, and kept thinking of Rayburn because Florida kept coming up in the stories. I had no idea it used to be Spanish.

Anthropology in Azeroth

As I sprawled on the couch during a rainy interval over the weekend, half reading my book, I was also watching the New Ninja Bomber playing World of Warcraft.

He met up with Rayburn - who was playing from Morden - and they took off by ship on a long and intricate quest.

I am still amazed at how comfortable he is with this sort of realm. Techy as I am I still don't get it.

I wonder if the fact that I am not - and have never been - much of a gamer is relevant. Perhaps Chris - a gentleman and a gamer of my vintage with a son around the same age as mine has an opinion? (I will pass on the message about Celts.)

One thing I certainly don't see is that games and computers are bad for kids or socially stultifying. My little one is happy in the park with his bike, a football, some chums, and happy rampaging in a digital virtual world. I don't like the implied either/or dichotomy that one sort of fun is necessarily enjoyed at the expense of the other.