Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21st July 2026.

21st July, 2026.

Yes: it’s officially official: I’m going to be watching television, tonight!

Feel free to keep your eyes peeled for my review of “Home”, the next episode of For All Mankind!

~≈🪐≈~

JUST in case you’re following my weight loss journey?

I was at my most recent weigh-in, yesterday.

And … ?

I’ve lost half a kilo: just over a pound, if you want it in Imperial.

That’s good!

~≈𐄷≈~

As a last thought … ?

Andy Burnham has announced that — as from October — his government will be reducing VAT on domestic electricity, reducing it from five percent, to zero.

In order to help ease the cost of living.

It’s a nice idea, I think.

But?

I don’t think energy suppliers will reduce the cost to customers.

I think they’ll freeze the cost, rather than reduce the cost.

That way?   They can make more money without increasing prices.

~≈£≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21-7-2025 — The Temple of Artemis.

21st July, 2025: the Temple of Artemis.

Right … it’s official.

I’m up early on a Monday morning, and off to my weight management group>

It’s been going reasonably well.

What I’m not looking forward to … ?

Is the trip, there.

It’s raining: heavily.

I hate getting wet!

~≈💧≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21st July 2024.

21st July, 2024.

Right then … it’s Sunday … 

Which means I’ll be getting an early night, tonight: after all, I have an early start tomorrow: and on Tuesday.

I have to be in Basildon, on Tuesday!

~≈🏥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21-7-2023 — You’re As Cold As Ice.

21st July, 2023: You’re as Cold as Ice.

Yes: it’s official.

It’s Payday.

Which means?

I’m going to have to put money aside.

I’m due to have my utilities meters replaced: next Friday.

As the balance on the current ones won’t be transferred over for another four to six weeks?

I need to make sure there’s cash on hand for when the new ones are installed, and the new payment cards, registered.

That way … ?   I’ve got credit on hand.

I hope it goes quickly: the uncertainty is’s doing my anxiety levels much good.

~≈¥≈~

Which is the other thing … 

I’ve put in for Personal Independence Payments: an extra benefit for those in poor health.

I had the assessment, on Tuesday just gone.

I’m … 

I have to admit to a certain amount of anxiety about that.

And a certain amount of … I don’t know what to call it: compulsive window shopping?

That seems as good a phrase as any.

My mind is convinced I’m going to walk away with a pile of cash, that I can start spending, now.

I understand it, I know it’s there, I know it’s my usual reaction to situations like this.

Including, I should say, having an unchecked lottery ticket.

Why it’s happening?

I don’t know.

But?

It’s not especially pleasant.

~≈¥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21-7-2021: Belgium … !

21st July, 2021.

Yes!   I’ve an early morning appointment, today: for the Office of National Statistics’ Covid 19 survey.

That’s handy.

I get to take part in something constructive: and helpful for the nation.

And that earns me a £25 Amazon voucher.

Money in the proverbial bank.

~≈£≈~

Talking of money … ?

You’re aware I’m unemployed at the moment: and claiming Universal Credit.

And am grateful for the £20 a week extra I’m getting: as a result of the COVID 19 Crisis.

The last of those £20 payments?   Is due in September.

Frankly?   I’m not looking forward to that: it reduces my income by a very helpful £80 a month.

Something that pays for food, covers my council tax, what have you.

So … ?

News today that senior MPs from Westminster, and from the devolved parliaments, have written an open letter: calling for the top up to be made permanent.

That’s something I welcome.

I think the Government will completely ignore it.

Completely ignore it.

But … ?   I — along side many others in my shoes — are going to be hoping it isn’t.

~≈£≈~

Just as a final thought?

You’ll possibly also know I’ve been listening to Just a Minute for years.

The show — where you have to talk about something for sixty seconds, without hesitation, deviation or repetition — was hosted by the late Nicolas Parsons for many years.

The BBC announced his replacement, yesterday: comedian and broadcaster, Sue Perkins.

Sad I'll no longer be able to play my favourite game, but both delighted and honoured to be the new host of it. #justaminute

— Sue Perkins 💙 (@sueperkins) July 20, 2021

I’m pleased: for two reasons.

One?   It’s nice to see someone left-handed do well.

Two?   She’s perfect for the job!

Frankly, I’ll be looking forward to hearing the show.

~≈⏱≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21st July, 2020.

21st July, 2020.

Wouldn’t you know it … ?

The radio interview’s been paused: as Phoenix were having some sort of issue!

Well, I say paused … maybe postponed is the word: postponed until today.

At twelve.

Wish me luck, I think I’m going to need it.

Especially given it won’t be the only one today: I’ve the initial interview with the Work and Health programme, today … 

It’s a busy morning!

Busy enough that an old friend’s decided to earworm through my head … 

~≈Ç≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21-7-2019: Just Like Jesse James.

21st July, 2019.

Yep: I’ve finally managed to sell that hard drive!

Which sounds like an odd thing to want to tell you about, I know.

Let me just summarise, though.

I had a little money from an inheritance, recently.

And got hold of a new external hard drive: something I could use to store my media collection on.

Of course, this meant I had a spare one to get rid of.

Except — would you know it? — there was an issue.

Apparently?   The thing had an unexpected partition: an EFI Boot partition that was blocking access to the rest of the drive.

I really don’t trust technology, sometimes!

But managed to post up a question on Apple’s own support forums: here.

I soon got an answer: from HWTech, advising on how to fix the issue, using the Terminal.

This is the command, just in case you need it:

sudo  dd  if=/dev/null  of=/dev/diskN  bs=100m  count=10

It worked … 

It got HWTech a big ‘Thank You’ … and me some handy cash.

Which is nice …

~≈†≈~

In other news?

That same inheritance?

Got me a book … dating back some ⨯ amount of years ago.

As a youngster?   I’d swapped … something or other, with a neighbour: for a copy of an interesting graphic novel — a reprint from the Nineteen-forties or fifties — called Tales from the Trigan Empire.

Something I’d long since lost.

But was able to buy from Amazon, recently.

For an eyebrow raising price.

Frankly?

I’ve been reading through it, marvelling at the artwork and story, thinking you couldn’t do it like that, today.

And thinking “Is it me, or has the font shrunk?”

At any rate … ?

It’s nice to be reading it, again … 

~≈†≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21st July, 2018

21st July, 2018.

Yep: I’m working, today.

And tomorrow, as well.

Yes, strong tea is definitely helping.

Yes, I really do want to go back to bed.

And yes: I’m looking forward to my next day off!

Oy, veh!

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21-7-2016

Hmmm … 

That’s what happened, is it … ?

Yesterday?   Yesterday, first thing, I was having problems getting the Teaser posted up.

At least … getting the Teaser posted was ok … just … !

Getting to YouTube?   Wikipedia?   Getting to the Creative Commons License page?

Was a no-no.

Turns out BT — my ISP, and the company whose infrastructure is what the ’Net runs on, here in the UK — had issues with one of its data centres.

Which meant I had issues all morning.

Still …

It could have been worse.

But it wasn’t the start I wanted to my Wednesday … !

~≈Ç≈~