Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 8-12-2025 — How To Abolish the Monarchy

8th December, 2025: Abolition.

Right … it’s officially Monday.

And the day of my last weight management meeting.

Or, at least, the last one of 2025.

The meeting’s restart in January.

Either way … ?

I want to find out what’s happening!

~≈𐄷≈~

I caught the first — first — episode of The War Between the Land and the Sea, last night.

And have come away mildly impressed!

But … ?

I’m thinking timing is a thing.

Two episodes were aired on BBC 1, last night: and now available on iPlayer.

The next two … ?

Will be aired on the 14th December, and the last on the 21st.

Which means I’ll be juggling my timings, in getting the reviews written!

At any rate … ?

I’m very aware that Disney+ will be airing the episodes in January.

And that that time difference will prompt people to VPNs, Virtual Private Networks, to access them.

Or just head for torrent tracking sites to access them.

Those episodes are on at least one, already …

~≈🧜🏼‍♂️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 7-12-2025 — The Death of Cicero.

7th December, 2025: Cicero.

OK, he says, brightly … !

It’s officially Sunday: and I’m going to be review a TV show, tonight.

Yes: The War Between the Land and The Sea starts on BBC1 at 8·30GMT.

I’ll caught the first episode, tonight, and the second, later in the week.

I’ll tell you what, though … it’s the first time I’ve started two posts on the trot … !

~≈🧜🏼‍♂️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 6th December, 2025.

6th December, 2025.

In the land of the humpty bongos, where the masticating parrots say “YURT” at frequent intervals …

In the land where flolloping mattresses hunt vagrant stewpots, and rentable conkers fly over the lucid purple clouds, where humming birds argue philosophy with ambulatory begonias … 

Where large fish point at passing spoof-wangers … 

There exists one thing.

There exists an insistence … on a world that makes rational sense.

Rational sense that does not include something that happened, yesterday.

Rational sense demands that the 47th President of the USA does not get a peace prize from FIFA: from the body that organises international football.

Which is exactly what happened.

The president got a peace prize … from a sports body!

I would say I’m speechless: as speechless as I possibly could be.

But … ?

I’m also thinking that’s the most pointless trophy a football body can hand out … 

~≈⚽️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 5-12-2025 — The Great Smog

5th December, 2025: the Great Smog.

Right … that’s that Christmassy task done … 

Yes: I’ve officially made a mess … by wrapping presents … !

OK … there’s not many presents.

And a chunk of them are gift cards, so didn’t need much in the way of wrapping.

But … ?

It’s the job done for another year.

~≈🎁≈~

I caught this video a couple of days ago.

It’s one that tells us more and more government departments are adopting Huawei-made PCs, PCs that come equipped with HarmonyNext OS, the Chinese developed operating system.

Including, apparently, in many government departments.

I grant you: being reliant on one operating system isn’t necessarily a good thing.

If there’s an undiscovered bug in Windows 11, word gets around, quick.

But … ?

The Chinese government encouraging Chinese use of the OS — by consumers, companies and government departments — means it’s encouraging those same people to not use Microsoft, Google or Apple products.

All three are American companies: and outside of anyone’s control, but America’s.

The net result?

Is that China is promoting its own digital sovereignty: promoting the idea that — inside its borders — it’s going to prefer to use Chinese produced technology, that Chinese data stays controlled by China.

Personally?

I’ve always felt the UK should be doing something similar.

After all, the British made Ubuntu Linux has been around for years.

But it’s only recently Britain’s introduced laws to protect the vulnerable in the UK: and that BT has announced its digital sovereignty ambitions.

Should the UK take a cue from Beijing?

I think so … 

~≈📀≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 4th December 2025

4th December, 2025.

Right … 

It’s not Thursday.

Which means it’s the day after by regular diabetic retinopathy test: an eye test designed to see if type two diabetes has damaged the nerves in my eyes.

It hasn’t, over the last few eyes: so, hopefully, it won’t show any this year.

I do know I had to had the usually eye drops, when the tests were performed: so my pupils dilated enough for the interiors of my eyes to be visible.

Usually?   Things look brighter for some time afterwards, and we’ll have slightly blurred vision for some hours afterwards.

My vision is now back to normal.

But … ?

I swear, it takes longer every time!

~≈👁️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 3rd December 2025

3rd December, 2025.

Right … it’s Wednesday: and … ?

I’ve dug up the sunglasses on a day that’s promising to be overcast, at the very least.

“Why the shades?”, I hear you ask.

That’s easy to answer.

Today’s the day for my diabetic eye check.

Experience — as well as repeated medical explanation — tells me the nurse carrying the procedure will use eye drops to make my pupils dilate, so the examination can see inside my eyes.

So, of course, on the walk home … ?

Things are going to look a lot brighter than they should!

Heigh … … ho!

~≈😎≈~

Oh, JUST as a thought … ?

My nephew, Jude, was over, last night.

Along side an early lift home from his mother, and a pizza.

It’s the first time I’ve known my nephew to have pepperoni on a pizza.

But not the first time he’s made a video … 

~≈📹≈~

The President of the USA is being a racist: and yes, there’s ruder terms I could be using.

In a recent, televised, Cabinet meeting — told how he wants Somalis to leave the country: or “… go back to where they came from”, as he put it.

I’m wondering all sorts of things.

But mostly how the many Somali-Americans, and the American Somali community, feel about that.

A man holding the highest office in the land, a man who’s supposed to protect all Americans, regardless of origins, is starting to pick on people.

Or, at least, pick on more people: Americans of Mexican origins aren’t fond of the man.

I’ve got to ask … 

Who’s next, Mr President?

~≈🇸🇩≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 2-12-2025 — Slavery

2nd December, 2025: Slavery.

Right … my computer’s on-board speaking clock has just told me it’s 8·15.

Which mean’s it’s been some forty-five minutes since I got a call on my landline: from +491-7597572769

From what a Google search tells me, it’s a number in Germany.

With a caller — at the other end — claiming to be from BT, and who wanted to help block problems … by altering the settings on my mobile phone … 

It was a scam: after all, how many times do BT phone you … especially at that time of the morning … ?

What made this different?

Was that the scammer had an East European accent: rather than the more usual Indian accents I’ve heard from other scammers.

Hey … ho … !

~≈📞≈~

In other news … ?

I’ve finally finished my review of this year’s version of Frankenstein.

Whether the review’s fair is a whole other matter!

~≈🎬≈~

Frankenstein (2025) — A Review

27th November, 2025: Frankenstein.

The Introduction.

I need several things.

Money?

Dinner … ?

An occasional film?

There’s several things I could do with.

And yes: one of them is dinner.

I’ve got a burger cooking as we speak.

Yes: money’s handy.

Payday’s tomorrow, which is nice: but feel free to put something in my tip jar!

That’ll clean up the last of the Christmas, and birthday, presents.

Once dinner’s eaten, though … ?

I’m going to have a change in direction: and watch a movie.

And, yes: you’ve possibly guessed — from the poster — that the film I’ll be watching is very different to the last one I caught.

Given a well done burger, and time?

I’ll have this review done by 1st December. 

~≈🧟‍♂️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 1st December 2025.

1st December, 2025.

Right … you’ll possibly remember me mentioning that a house not far from my place had burnt down.

Sadly … ?

It seems that at least one person has died: and another — I’m assuming the spouse — is seriously injured, and still in hospital.

Thankfully — or not, depending on your point of view — the police are treating the event as non-suspicious.

So … ?

That means it was an accident: and not murder.

That possibly doesn’t makes things easier for the survivor.

~≈🔥≈~

Yes: before you say anything … 

I am up early!

Although not as early as last week.

But I’m up early for similar reasons.

I’m off to hospital: for my regular diabetic blood tests.

Thankfully … ?

It’s in Brentwood Community Hospital: rather than Basildon.

The trip’s going to be shorter … !

~≈🏥≈~

Just as a last thought … ?

I caught Frankenstein, the 2025 version, on Friday.

It’s rather good.

I’ll have a fuller review up, later … !

~≈ᛘ≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 30-11-2025 — Saint Andrew’s Day.

30th November, 2025: Saint Andrew’s Day.

In the midst of the words he was trying to say, in the midst of his laughter and glee … 

He suddenly realised he left someone off of the Christmas card list!

Thankfully?

I’m going to eternally grateful I’ve got a couple of cards and stamps left!

~≈🎄≈~

At any rate … ?

It’s Saint Andrew’s Day.

So … ?

I’ve been over-using ChatGPT, again!

And using ‘Ewan McGregor’ and ‘Peter Capaldi’ as prompts.

Hopefully, I won’t get into trouble, there … !

~≈🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿≈~

It seems the fire on Friday … has now been picked up by the BBC’s news site: and can be found, here.

And, while they and other news sites aren’t saying so … ?

There’s talk — talk, mind! — that someone died in the blaze.

If that’s truly the case … ?

I can only hope the fire was accidental: a chip-pan fire, say, or an overheating tumble dryer.

If it were deliberate … ?

And someone died … ?

That’s not arson, but murder … 

~≈🔥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 29-11-2025 — Yugoslavia

29th November, 2025: Yugoslavia.

Right, it’s now Saturday … 

And I’m still having earworms.

Yes: Sheldon Cooper’s still playing the blessed bongos in my head!

Why … ?

If I could work that out, or why the bongos are following the Yugoslav Dalek around, I’d make a big fortune … !

~≈🪘≈~

I was in town, yesterday: picking up a few bits.

And, on the way back … ?

Got passed by a police car: and a fire engine.

And heard what turned out to be an ambulance, as well.

It turns out there’s been a fire in a house not far from where I live: something a neighbour managed to grab a photo of.

Going by the damage in that photo?

And assuming it IS of where the fire happened?

It’s quite serious: so the talk that someone died in the fire, understandable.

And a tragedy … 

~≈🎇≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 28th November 2025.

28th November, 2025.

OK … I caught a movie, last night.

And, hopefully?

Will have my written and video reviews up by Sunday.

I have to say this, though … the film in question is very good … 

~≈🪘≈~

I have a confession … I have an odder than usual ear worm, today.

Yes: The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper is playing the bongos at me!

Why … ?

If I knew that, I could earn a fortune … !

~≈🪘≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 27th November 2025

27th November, 2025.

OK … I’ll admit it: I need stamps .

Two of them.

I spent most to last night writing out ones I’m going to be sending to friends and family in the UK … after having sent off three international cards.

Which cost a (comparative) bomb.

At any rate … ?

I have sixteen cards to send … and fourteen stamps.

I wonder how many I’ll need … … … … … …

~≈📩≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 26th November 2025.

26th November, 2025.

Right: it’s officially Wednesday.

And … ?

It’s going to be a quiet morning in.

Because … ?

I have my annual gas safety check, this morning.

That’s assuming I’ve filled in all the forms, correctly!

~≈👷🏻‍♂️≈~

I have to admit: I notice things on the BBC’s news site.

One that caught my eye, yesterday?

Was this piece: that tells me Justice Secretary, David Lammy, is planning to drop jury trials for all but the most serious offences.

I’m no expert, and very aware the justice system is struggling.

But I’m not sure I like the idea.

After all, the right to a jury trial, a trial before a jury consisting of one’s peers?

Is an ancient one.

And, I believe, a fair one.

Much fairer than being tried by a judicial kangaroo … 

~≈🦘≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 25-11-2025 Saint Catherine Of Alexandria.

25th November, 2025: Saint Catherine Of Alexandria.

It’s officially official: I now have a new CPAP machine, a new Continuous Positive Air Pressure Machine.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Paul Nik Nak Downie (@mrcuddy2977)

But, lord, I had to jump through hoops to get it!

I actually got up early, to get to Basildon Hospital, where I was supposed to take the old one.

For what — when I made the appointment — was put to me as a check-up on the machine: an MOT, if you will.

So, once I’d posted yesterday’s Teaser, got myself showered and dressed, I headed out for the nearest bus-stop: as — from what I’d understood — the #9 to Basildon was due to arrive at 9·10am.

Headed out at 8·40am.

Turns out I got to the stop way too early.

As the bus was due to leave at 9·25.

So … ?

As the stop’s near Brentwood station, I thought “I’ll take the train: the website said it’ll be quicker than, and there’ll be toilets, if needed.”

Oh, boy!

So you know?

The Brentwood to Basildon train trip means travelling from Brentwood Station to Romford, changing at Romford Station to get to Upminster, then taking the train from Upminster Station to Basildon.

Then getting a bus from Basildon Station to the hospital!

Needless to say, the relevant platforms are on the other side of each station.

And the toilets at Romford — which I needed both ways! — are on a third.

I missed the first train to Upminster as a result of that.

And had to wait for the next one.

The net result?

Was that I got Basildon Hospital around 11·00 … and got to the clinic about fifteen minutes later.

Those fifteen minutes?

Included a brief stop at the hospital’s Cashier’s Office.

Where, in theory, I could claim the fares back.

Except I couldn’t … as I had no proof I’m on benefits!

Once I was at what’s now called the Sleep and Ventilation clinic?

There was a wait: of about two hours.

You possibly wouldn’t believe how slowly those went: nor how uncomfortable waiting room chairs are!

But … ?

Once that wait was done?

The old machine was traded in for the new one in double quick time: and instructions for maintaining the kit — washing the mask and hoses, use of the humidifying chamber, what have you — I headed home.

Which took a while!

I got home at around the 3·45 mark: and had just enough cash to buy a snack, and feel just a touch … disgruntled.

Partly at the length of time the wait took me at the hospital: although the receptionist, nurse and machine-issuing doctor, were great.

But mostly because of the time the trip took: and the cost.

The cost of the train ticket was far more than I was expecting … but was something I was expecting to be able to claim back from the hospital.

Basildon’s been running a scheme that lets benefit claimants claim a refund for many years.

But it wasn’t until I spoke to the cashier that I realised I needed proof I was on benefits to claim it.

Not realising this?

Or, at least, completely forgetting I’d been told this, the last time I went to Basildon Hospital, under my own steam?

Meant I didn’t have any.

What made me feel even sillier … ?

Was when the cashier asked me if I could access my online benefits journal* … on my phone … 

Which, of course, I didn’t: as I usually do so on my desktop.

The screen’s bigger.

I’m … 

Well … 

Let’s just say that yesterday was a learning experience.

A time consuming, expensive, learning experience … !

~≈💷≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 24th November 2025.

24th November, 2025.

Yes: you’re right.

Being up this early in the morning is ridiculous!

Many things are.

Man’s inhumanity to man.

Man’s inhumanity to woman.

The way shopping trolley’s move.

Plenty of things are thoroughly ridiculous!

But … ?

I have a hospital appointment: so that the CPAP machine, the Continuous Positive Air Pressure machine, I have can be checked.

It’s going in for an MOT, in other words.

The only downside to getting it checked … ?

Is the fact it has to be done at Basildon Hospital, between 9·45 and 12·15.

Which means a seventy minute bus trip, and getting up early to do so.

At times like this?

I wish I was having a colonoscopy.

At least the hospital organises an ambulance for you!

Heigh … ho!

~≈🚍≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 23rd November 2025.

23rd November, 2025.

I think we can say Jude — my nephew — has posted his latest video!

Yes, hitting the ‘Like’ button would be very welcome: as would subscribing to his channel.

And mine, if you’re that way inclined!

But I’ll tell you what!

Buying dinner was a job and a half!

We couldn’t place an order through Deliveroo: why, I don’t know!

Then we tried ordering pizza from Dominos.

And couldn’t.

It just wasn’t happening!

It was only then, that I got a message from my bank.

They thought I was being defrauded!

I had to press buttons, and phone them, to find out what was happening!

And assure them that that no: I wasn’t being scammed, my card hadn’t been cloned and I was genuinely trying to order dinner!

And any rate … when we went back to the Dominos site … my payment got declined, again!!!!!!!

I was getting annoyed, by this point: and Jude was definitely underwhelmed.

Both of us were hungry … !

This second time, though … ?

Was my fault: I hadn’t fed the card’s expiry date, properly!

Ever had the feeling you’re being got at?

~≈🍕≈~

That said, I can appreciate my bank’s actions, last night.

Part of their job is to protect their customers from fraud, and to prevent crime.

And?

It’s been a while since I’ve ordered food online: and I’d made multiple attempts to order from different, and very unfamiliar, websites.

So I can’t blame them for automatically going into ‘Protect A Punter’ mode!

But, boy, the timing was wonderful!

About the only upsides to the evening?

Jude managed to get that video uploaded.

We managed to set up — and use — fast user switching, so we could switch between accounts*.

And … ?

Pizza never tasted quite so good!

~≈🍕≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 22nd November 2025

22nd November, 2025.

It’s officially official … I’ve paid my bills … !

Well … all bar the gas bill: and that I can get done, today.

Strangely, though … ?

I’m grateful it’s rain, out: that I’m going to get wet, heading out to pay the thing.

As, going by the predictions for my area … ?

It’s going to be warmer than it was, yesterday!

~≈☔️≈~

Coins … … … 

I have coins.

Which you’d possibly guessed.

But the weird thing … ?

Is that it’s only now — some years after his coronation, and after notes and coins with the King’s face on them started circulating — that I’ve received Charles 3rd coins in my change.

Yes, I know.

That’s not exactly note-worthy.

But … ?

It struck me as mildly coincidental that I have £1·05 worth of the things.

In other words, cash equivalent to an old English coin called a guinea, worth twenty-one shillings back then … 

And £1·05, now.

The reason it struck me as significant?

Is race horses are usually auctioned in guineas*, even now.

And the King, much like his late mother, is a bit of a one for the gee gees … 

~≈🏇🏼≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21-11-2025 — World Television Day

21st November, 2025: World Television Day.

It has to be said: I’m feeling quiet … 

Which is odd for me.

Or possibly not: given recent news.

With that said … ?

Gill Veail — Trevor’s sister — has asked me to thank everyone that’s passed on their condolences, after his recent death.

Thank you: you know who you are.

~≈💐≈~

It’s officially official: I have the sun in my eyes.

Which is what happens on a sunny day, when you buy cheap blinds!

Or, at least, have cheap blinds … on a sunny day.

Either way … ?

I can’t complain too much.

Yes, it’s a cold day … but yes, it’s also payday.

Which means I can do something positive.

Like shop … !

~≈🪙≈~