Life

We all start off from nothing, one moment there are two people and the next there are three, as if by magic. When we die the consciousness leaves the body, just a collection of cells that eventually crumbles away into nothing. The nitrogen is released from the body, the plants take up the nitrogen, and the whole cycle of life starts again. What is the consciousness? Where does it come from? Does it suddenly arise from nothing as a function of synapses that start to fire?

We are nothing. We are just a collection of cells, different parts that all function together according to the fundmental law of nature: procreation, survival. Selfish really. Why then do we miss people so much when they are gone? What is it that makes us human, that makes one person different from the next? Somehow throughout the course of a life that silly collection of cells, those firing synapses, form an individual with its own personality, that makes its own choices. It is beautiful. It has the potential to do so much good in the world, to make such a difference to the people around us that know us and love us. Most of us are lucky enough to be born of love, to start of as the very best hopes and wishes of our parents. Throughout our life that selfish collection of cells somehow learns to give, to love, to do good and eventually perhaps to create life of itself. If you give life, and part of you forms a child, then so if that child comes to give life then in a way a part of you is passed on and still lives. If I look back then I am my parents, my grandparents and their grandparents - some infinitesimal part of them lives in me. Weird.

So as we come from nothing we go to nothing. We cannot expect that there is anything after to come. There might be, but we can never know. Just remember though that the baby in the womb knows only that as his world, and the rest of us look on waiting for him to be "truly born" and to realise what comes next. How do we know that there are not others, now passed on, that do not look on us in "life" in the same way? We can only try to be the best person that we can be during our lives, because that is the only certainty, this conscious life that we live. Or is it? Someone, I think it was Descartes, once postulated "I think, therefore I am." I think he should have said was "I think, therefore I think I am."

Sausage

Had a chicken sausage today for the first time. Note to self: chicken's really don't make very good sausages. Next time stick to ones the butcher has made.

MRI Scan

Just had one of those MRI scan things to make sure my brain is still there. Whilst changing into my hospital gown I was given a choice of music to listen to, which they play over headphones to disguise the noise of the machinery. I then spent a torturous half hour wedged inside a narrow tube with all sorts of weird, horrible sounds going on around me. My fault for choosing Westlife's Allow Us To Be Frank album I suppose (I can only assume that the "Frank" part is rhyming slang). Not really - I went for Classic 80's Rock and it was certainly very surreal being wedged down a rabbit hole with some nurses staring up my gown while The Final Countdown blared into my ears.

It did give me some time to come up with my top five most inappropriate songs to play in an MRI scanner though:
1. I Don't Want to Die In a Hospital - Conor Oberst
2. Die Young - Black Sabbath
3. Nice to be Dead - Iggy Pop
4. Brain Damage - Pink Floyd
5. Anything by Radiohead or Brain Ferry

Anyway, it seemed to go ok. Well, I don't have the results yet, but what I mean is the machine didn't explode or anything. They even gave me a CD at the end with my scan results on - I did consider loading it onto my blog but it somehow seemed inappropriate. I was disappointed not to get a T-shirt with the CD though - "I rode the Harpenden MRI scanner and survived" or something similar.

Day 3 - Final Result!

The Grand Decking Project - Lunch on Day 3

Handrail - done! Pointing - done! Handrail for steps - nearly done!

The Grand Decking Project - Close of Day 2

Great success! Got the steps done and the decking, just the handrail and gate to go now. An afternoon spent with another power tool - the pressure washer. Whilst not as powerful as the angle grinder, no less satisfying - especially when you can use it to accidentally soak your father. Oops. God got revenge on Dad's behalf though by sending down a particularly heavy shower of rain just as I had mixed my cement mortar, meaning I had to spend the next half an hour painfully stirring it so it didn't set.

The Grand Decking Project - Lunch on Day 2

So, here we are at lunch on Day 2. Day 1 was a grand success, getting all the basic structure up. We have been using the stone cutter to cut tiles for the steps, and laying the first few bits of decking. The stone cutter was a most excellent power tool and made me feel very macho, especially as I am now sporting a beard, albeit one with a fair few tints of ginger and (a recent development!) grey. In fact, I swear I discovered my first grey hair the same day we found out Em was pregnant. I know I am getting old now since my blog features my DIY exploits and I waffle about my grey hairs. Still, I have chosen Absolute Radio over Radio 2 for our builders' radio station of choice, so not too middle aged yet...

Actually - I say DIY, it should really be DISE as Dad it doing all the hard work in my opinion. Still, DIY and barbecues really seems to be the well-protected domain of all Dads. Perhaps, when Em has the baby in December, Dad and I will have to have a "DIY-off" to see which Dad has the true mastery of skills. I know who would win at the moment so I'd best get practising (cut to six months time, me with saw in hand: "your powers are weak old man, now I am the master". Dad: "Mike, I have something to tell you ... I am your father." Me: "Noooooo!!!")

Anyway, I managed to convince Dad to finally take a photo of me instead so it gives the impression that I am actually doing some of the work too (namely the bits that have gone wrong!)

The Grand Decking Project - Tea on Day 1

Well, coffee to be more precise. The rain started and stopped right on and after lunch, perfect timing. More progress has been made since and relations between the two builders are still as steadfast as the structure itself!

At the moment the vertical posts are sticking up quite far as we haven't yet cut them down to size. The neighbours are going to have a fit when they see it that high - at present it sticks up about 2 metres above their fence. It looks like we are actually extending the kitchen - I did consider moving the dishwasher and cooker out there and throwing a tarpaulin over the posts as a makeshift extension. May get a little cold in the winter though. The other option is to put a maching gun and barbed wire up there and build a little watchtower with searchlights. All will be revealed...

The Grand Decking Project - Day 1

Lunch on Day 1 - Rain Stopped Play

(or "work" says Dad)

So, here we are - the day has finally arrived for the grand decking project to begin. I thought I'd put up a few photies so you can check our progress (or lack of). No doubt the photos will evolve over the next couple of days to show two increasingly angry and frustrated men, threatening each other with ever more deadly tools. Perhaps the final photo will be a chalk outline of a body?

But I jest. Dad has come down to help - I say help, but actually most of the morning has been me taking pictures while he does all of the work! Ha! Anyway, best get back to it as the rain has stopped!