Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21-1-2026 — On Telly

21st January, 2026: Telly Savalas.

OK … it is officially official: my nephew was over last night.

He’s helpful when it comes to cooking oven ready pizza: but the pair of us could not work something out.

Are you supposed to put the garlic butter on the dough balls, when you’re cooking them: or after you’ve cooked them?

The label on the back of the packet only says that you have to “Set aside the garlic dip to warm to room temperature”.

Which wasn’t necessarily helpful!

At any rate … ?

Jude’s latest video is now out.

If you have a clue about doughballs?

Leave us a comment, on the video!

~≈🍕≈~

Today is a day that I’m expecting a phone call from my new work coach, my new Job Centre case worker.

This afternoon, in point of fact.

They’re the second new case worker in the space of three months.

I can understand new staff need training: and that the long-term unemployed can be good clients to be trained on … 

But it’s nice to deal with a familiar member of staff: that continuity of service is reassuring, I think.

~≈✒️≈~

Hmmm … 

The discussions — should I use italics, there, or quotation marks? — let’s start again, there!

The discussions over Greenland continue: with the US president heading for the World Economic Forum, today.

With Greenland’s Industry Minister going on the record to say “We do not want to be Americans”.

I’m not surprised.

Outside reasons of patriotism, outside a desire to not be an American colony, Greenland has free healthcare for its citizens.

Becoming part of the US, however it’s done, however it’s arranged, whatever assurances the greedy idiot in Washington wants to give?

Becoming part of the US means losing that free healthcare, and gaining the USA’s famously expensive system.

Why would anyone in their right minds want to do that … ?

~≈🇬🇱≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21st January 2025.

21st January, 2025.

I was going to tell you I’d made a point of not watching Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Or mention the theatrical way he signed several Executive Orders.

Mention how he’s pulled the US out of the World Health Organisation, declared a federal emergency on the southern US border, and pardoned the January 6th Rioters.

Mention how pulling out of the WHO may save money: but could certainly affect American lives.

Mention how he’s halted many US government diversity programmes.

Mention how I personally think the man is a bloody idiot.

Or quote a line from Terry Pratchett’s Going Postal*:

“What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter.”

I won’t, though.

No.

Instead, I’ll have to tell you my boiler’s failed again: and I have to stay in for twenty-four hours, to wait for a repairman.

And that wasting the money that’s on my electricity meter†, boiling water for a bath while I wait?

Means I’m not the only one having a bad day … … 

~≈🧐≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21-1-2024 — Ra Ra Rasputin

21st January, 2024: Ra Ra Rasputin.

It’s officially official: it’s now Sunday!

Frankly?

That means it’s a day closer to pay day.

I’m looking forward to that!

It means being about to buy shopping!

And possibly a haircut: I’m feeling a touch shaggier than I’m comfortable with!

~≈💇≈~

I’m a bit of a Doctor Who fan: it has to be said.

So I try and keep an eye on news about the show.

Something I did notice?

Was that — according to this piece in the Daily Mirror — Millie Gibson has been dropped.

And will only be in three of the projected eight episodes of the red-rebooted show’s second series.

Personally?

I’m wondering what happened, there: ‘dropped’ isn’t necessarily a good word, in context … 

~≈⇪≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21st January 2023.

21st January, 2023.

Yes, it’s officially Saturday: and frankly?

And frankly, it’s going to be a little quiet.

Beyond a little light shopping … and finishing something I started last night: a review of the first episode of The Crusade.

Here’s the intro, in case you’re interested … 

~≈¥≈~

I keep an eye on the news: in case you couldn’t tell.

And a couple of recent things caught my eye.

Firstly?

Two of the technology industry’s big names, Google and Microsoft, are cutting a lot of jobs, between them.

That’s worrying: especially when you consider they make the operating systems for a lot of phones and computers.

Secondly?

I have type two diabetes: so tend to keep an eye peeled for news about it.

I saw this, yesterday.

It seems that the University of Cambridge has developed a very experimental artificial pancreas: that has been used on a group of twenty-six people, and shown to be helpful.

I’m interested: of course I am.

Any thing that can lower my blood sugar levels, reduce the medication* I’m on and possibly prevent me going blind and losing a foot?

Is welcome.

I’m tempted to ask about volunteering for it.

But?   It’s possibly more sensible not to.

The process is VERY experimental!

~≈¥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21st January, 2022.

21st January, 2022.

Right … first things first … ?

My nephew was over, yesterday: and managed to make a video.

It WAS a little rushed: as Mummy was insistent he go home and have a bath.

Otherwise we’d’ve added assorted banging noises when a goal was scored.

Oh, well … !

~≈Ç≈~

Oh, now that’s said … !

Radio four’s just announced the Meatloaf’s died.

The man was an icon: and will be much missed.

~≈Ç≈~

Moving on … ?

There’s been a piece in The Sun: that tells us Chancellor Rishi Sunak is eyeing the entry price crisis that’s been going on for a while, now.

And seemingly, is studying the idea of a £500 cash payment to those on a low income: in order to cover the costs.

I’d welcome that.

Who wouldn’t?

But … ?

I still believe the twenty pound uplift — introduced during the COVID 19 pandemic — is a far better option.

Five hundred quid will go in seconds.

~≈Ç≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21st January, 2021

21st January, 2021.

Right: it’s a thing.

I caught a video on TV, last night: the Snowgum Films version of Terry Pratchett’s Troll Bridge.

I’ll have my written — and video — review, done, tonight.

But have to say, it’s fantastic!

~≈👹≈~

I’ve been talking about the twenty pound uplift to Universal Credit, over the past few days: the one introduced last April, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite a vote in Parliament on Monday?   The extra money is due to end on the 31st March, this year.

I’d rather it didn’t.

It’s a handy thing to have, and has given me extra money towards bills, rent, arrears, shopping … and the occasional iTunes card, and Amazon purchase.

Which reminds me, I need toe nail clippers.

At any rate!?   It’s a useful amount of extra money.

One due to end soon.

I would prefer it not too.

As — according to this report from the BBC? — the cost of living’s going up.

If you can mention that to the Chancellor, I’d thank you.

~≈💰≈~

mother!: what the duck?

21st January, 2018.

No, really, I’m a duck … !

Yeah … quack, quack … !

Ahem … !

Just in case you hadn’t realised … ?

That’s me in that introduction.

Fresh off of tonight’s movie action.

~≈§≈~



Let me briefly introduce myself, here, if I can … ?

My name’s Paul: also known — for various reasons — as Nik Nak.

I’m — currently — working in a call centre: but have worked in  pubs, fast food gaffs, toyshops … and ran pub quizzes.

I’ve also blogged about all and sundry: for the past decade.

Including about TV shows I’ve watched.

And movies.   I like the occasional movie.

It’s a movie that I’ve watched, tonight.

The 2017 film, mother!: written and directed by Darren Aronovsky.

Something I’d fancied seeing, as two previous Aronovsky films — π and Black Swan — had mildly impressed me.

And?

Strange … ?

~≈§≈~

mother! is set in a house in an isolated glade: owned by an unnamed poet — only referred to as Him, played by Javier Bardem — that’s been burnt down by a fire.

And being reconstructed by his equally unnamed wife — referred to as mother, and played by Jennifer Lawrence — who’s throughly enjoying the quiet life.

Until one day … ?

Their lives are interrupted by uninvited guests.

A dying, equalling unnamed, doctor — ‘Man’, played by Ed Harris — and his wife, ‘Woman,’ Michelle Pfeiffer.

Which is where …

Things …

Get … 

Disjointed … 

And mother’s life is irreparably changed … 

~≈§≈~

Now … 

Strange … ?

Strange is the word.

Or one word, certainly.

The other one I’d use?

Is ‘dream-like.’

Aronovsky has written and directed mother! so that it comes across with the disjointedness of a waking dream, with jumps from one line to another, Him disappearing from one door to come in at another, and discussions and conversations taking different directions: seemingly at random, and seemingly with no apparent cause.

mother get’s abruptly pregnant, for example: immediately after after a tastefully rough bedroom scene.

Him writing a poem which never, seemingly, leaves the house …  only for his publisher to phone to say how much she liked it.

Leaving mother very confused: as this is seconds after she’s given her opinion of it.

Confusing?

Well made?

The answer’s got to be yes: to both questions.

~≈§≈~

Now … 

You’re possibly saying “Paul, what did you think of mother! … ?”

Oh, that’s a tough one.

Frankly?

That really is tough … 

Right now, I don’t know that I could tell you I liked it.

It is very well made: with — possibly — a lot of depth, meaning, and philosophy there, if you chose to look for it.

But I think it’s a film I found mildly confusing.

Not that I mind confusing, occasionally.   I’m a fan of 1960s version of The Prisoner, which some will tell you is incredibly confusing.

And of Denis Potter’s The Singing Detective: which some will tell you is just as confusing.

Both of which?   Both of which I found straight-forward, compared to mother!: even though both The Prisoner and mother! — in their final scenes — loop back around to their respective starts, after convoluted finales.

Personally?

mother!’s only getting two stars from me.

It’s a well crafted movie: and one that is, with its dreamlike logic, worth watching at least once.

You might take to it.

But, ultimately?

mother! wasn’t for me.

mother!
★★☆☆

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21st January, 2018.

Bleaugh … 

I think I need more sleep!

Or, at least, I needed more sleep, yesterday.

I REALLY managed to lose my temper — twice — dealing with some awkward punters.

Not a good thing: especially if — as a result — your supervisor tells you to get out of the office, to get some fresh wire and calm down!

I think I managed that … 

But, LORD, what a day … !

~≈Â≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21-1-2017

Hmmm … 

Did I mention I’d watched Conspiracy, the other night?

I watched Conspiracy, the other night.

So you know.

Good little film, that.

The problem I had was with the updated version of Handbrake.

Or possibly with the DVD I ripped.

Either way, the film I ended up watching was in old fashioned 4:3 aspect ratio.

Rather than the 16:9 I’d’ve preferred.

Rather frustrating, I thought.

Still … 

I’ve now managed to flag it up on HandBrake’s forums.

I’ll hopefully have some sort of suggestion on how to deal with the problem.

~≈†≈~