Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 23rd October, 2025 (Six questions.)

23rd October, 2025: Six questions.

I think I need to make a polite phone call.

I had requested a visit for the group that delivers food bank parcels.

And … ?

Unfortunately, didn’t receive one.

Didn’t hear from them, even.

I’m not worried: today is payday, so I’ll be able to get some bread and milk.

But I’m wondering what happened … 

~≈🍞≈~

I like the idea that Britain should welcome migrants: both legal and otherwise.

I think, long term, it’s good for the UK: it potentially lowers the age of the population, and can raise more tax revenue.

What I have to laugh at?

Is the various attempts to stop illegal boat crossings across the English Channel: which has been going on for years.

I also laugh at the common assumption: that leaving the EU would stop these.

What’s more?

I laugh at there UK government’s attempt to stop the crossings.

The impression I’ve formed over the years?

Is that these don’t necessarily work.

If it had started, I think the last Tory government Rwanda plans would have been shown up as flawed, fairly quickly.

I think the same of the current, Labour, government’s One-In One-out, plan.

That started a few weeks ago when a handful of migrants were deported to France.

One Iranian man deported this way … ?

Has since made a return trip on a small boat.

I’ve formed three impressions.

One?

These plans are doomed to fail.

Two?

The next government’s plans will be just as effective.

Three?

We should laugh at a politician, the first chance we get … 

~≈⚓️≈~

I finally finished Sir Terry Pratchett’s Night Watch, last night: the Penguin Classic’s edition.

It’s a heady reminder of what the man’s writing was like, at its height.

And the annotations … ?

Are very revealing.

I can only hope Nation gets given the treatment: it, Night Watch and Thud! are possibly his best works.

~≈📚≈~

Which reminds me: I’ve started reading Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower, the next book on my to-be-read pile.

I’m two chapters in … and could — can? — hear the main character’s Southern US accent whilst reading it.

I don’t think that’s my imagination doing that: more Butler’s writing.

I think that’s a credit to her, given that!

~≈📚≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 23rd October, 2024.

23rd October, 2024.

Right … it’s official: I’ve been and got up, early.

Basically?

It’s pay day: or, at least, the day my universal credit turns up in my account, and my bills are due.

So … ?

Granted, I have a lot of money as a result of the recent PIP award.

But?

I want to make sure my regular bills get paid the same day of the month they usually get paid: for the sake of consistency, if nothing else.

The early start?

Means I can get my months shopping … and then get back for my scheduled phone meeting with my case officer at the Job Centre.

Ho-hum!

~≈ℇ≈~

Talking of which?

Whilst I’ve got the proverbial cash, I’ve managed to spend a little.

On CDs, would you believe?

Some of the music hasn’t survived the transfer from one hard drive to another, and isn’t available from the iTunes Store, or Amazon Music.

Thankfully?

Apple’s Music.app can still import stuff from CD: so I’ve not lost everything!

~≈♩≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 23rd October 2023

23rd October, 2023.

Yes: that’s right.

It’s Monday morning!

And?   Frankly?

Payday.

And, as much as a lot of my cash is going to vanish by the end of the day?

I’m going to enjoy spending some of it on food!

I’m seriously short of milk!

~≈Ï≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 23rd October 2022

23rd October, 2022.

Right … 

It’s Sunday.

And I’m vey aware that I almost said Tuesday, there.

I’ve got a couple of meetings, tomorrow: so I’m looking forward to Tuesday!

At any rate … ?

It’s assertively Sunday, 23rd October, 2022.

Which means?

Power of the Doctor, Jodie Whittaker’s last episode as the 13th Doctor, is on tonight.

At 19:30, on BBC 1.

Frankly?

I’m looking forward to it.

~≈★≈~

Oh, JUST as a thought … ?

I’ve posted my review of Spock Amok: the most recent episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Feel free to hit the Like button!

~≈★≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 23-10-2021: Feeling Hungary.

23rd October, 2021.

Right … 

It’s officially the case that I got everything I needed to do, yesterday, done.

Bills?   Paid.

Interview?   Done: I even managed to ask relevant questions.   Including ones about stools.   The older I get, the more I appreciate being able to sit down on the job.

Pest controller?   Visited: bang on the dot of 8:30.   Seemingly, I’ve been visited by mice, at some point.   And I got some better — presumably more lethal — bait/poison.

I need to get a new key for my rat trap though.

And I need to shop!

~≈Ÿ≈~

Remember me telling you that the UK government had removed the twenty pound (£20) uplift to Universal Credit, the standard unemployment benefit in the UK … ?

That’s going to make life difficult for all of us: I could see that, yesterday, paying my bills.

Now … granted I’ve put in for the Warm Home Discount fuel companies make available to those of us on benefits.   But I have no guarantee of when that will turn up.

But think the Government should have kept the uplift.

One thing I have noticed?

Is that the French Government has announced they will be paying about 38 million French citizens €100, this winter.   That’s about eighty-four pounds (£84), roughly equivalent to the monthly uplift we got during the Pandemic.

Well played, President Macron.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak will be unveiling this year’s Autumn Budget, next Wednesday.

Will he do something similar?

I very much doubt it, somehow.

~≈Ÿ≈~

Dr Who — Season 5 Serial 6: Fury from the Deep — Episode 1 and 2 — A Review

23rd October, 2020

Right … just as a first point … ?   No: I don’t know where that “Brush like a Dentist” line came from.

Certainly not from Little Shop of Horrors.

Secondly?

I’ll happily admit to suffering depression.

In my particular case?

I’ll admit that — for me — that leads to a lot of tiredness.

That does not mean I can’t do the things I want to do.

Just that I have a condition — medicated with a low dose of fluoxetine, and aggravated by an under-active thyroid — that makes me want to sleep.

Right now?

Right now I want to hit the sack.

But … ?

But, much with my reviews of Watchmen?

I wanted to start my review of episode one and two of the classic Dr Who story, Fury from the Deep, now … 

And then finish it tomorrow.

~≈😶≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 23-10-2020: Pelé

23rd October, 2020.

Yes: it’s true … I had my nephew, Jude, over, yesterday.

Apparently?

Today is Crazy Hair Day.

I thought the two glasses of diet cola I let him have, might have been a bit much … 

But it turns out that, no: he’s right.

There is a Crazy Hair Day.

I don’t think I’ve got enough to do anything special: at least any more wacky than I’ve done in the intro video … 

But feel free to have a go, yourself!

~≈🧑‍🎤≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 23-10-2019: Philippi

23rd October, 2019.

Yes: it’s pay day.

Or, at least, the day I get my benefit.

The only problem I have there, is that this month’s payment has been cut*: due to the only payment I’ve had from my last job.

The last one from them?

Gets to me the day before Halloween.

At least, in theory: I have my doubts about it.

That last payment, though, have a knock on effect on next month’s benefit payments: which means November is going to be tough.

We’ll have to see what happens.

~≈Ÿ≈~

Hmmm … 

Are you following the news about Brexit?

Yesterday in Parliament saw MPs approve the Government’s deal with the EU … but vote against the three day time table.

With the net result that … 

Well … 

We have a bloody mess in the House of Commons.

Personally?

I’m hoping the EU approves some sort of delay.

One that allows either a general election: or — my preferred choice — a second referendum.

That sounds like it may go ahead.

On the other hand?

I don’t know that the approval for an election will go ahead.

It seems the Government may have to trigger a Vote of No Confidence, in itself, in order for that to go through.

Going on current form?

I’d expect the Government to lose that … 

~≈Ÿ≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 23rd October, 2018

23rd October, 2018.

Yep: it’s another day, another dollar … 

And another day thinking I should be watching Rosa, again.

That was one HELL of an impressive episode.

And one that’s seen a lot of discussion on Twitter.

Something I know for myself: having seen the reaction to my write up about it … 

OK, @Dark_Blue_Box @AuthorSJB @debbimack @DWfan9 @whofalldifan @wtr240175 @DaftPhully @Greebobek @dsmom09 @SirJakeB

I don’t THINK there’s spoilers.

But don’t read my write until you’ve seen #Rosa, hey?https://t.co/cx4QALOgnY

Nut? I THINK I’ve just seen NuWho’s best episode

— Paul Downie (@Cuddy2977) October 21, 2018

It’s fascinating stuff to be part of … 

If you’ve read it, or commented … ?

Thank you!

~≈§≈~

Oh, JUST as a thought … ?

Apparently, there’s now more fast-food places on our streets.

As someone who’s over weight?

I agree, it’s bad.

The frightening research shows the more take-aways, the higher the obesity levels.

The problem IS … ?

Most of the ones around here are fairly cheap.

On my money … ?

A hot dinner that’s cheaper than a healthy sandwich … ?

Is an attractive option … 

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 23rd October, 2017

Oh, my good lord, it’s Monday.

It’s incredibly early on a Monday.

And … ?

Just for The week, I’ve actually got something vaguely approaching a 9 to 5 job in an office.

Bar the early start?

Bar the early start, it’s nice to know that — however temporarily — I’m doing something vaguely approaching a regular day job.

Given I’ve spent much of my adult life working evenings — and working evenings in various shades of the hospitality industry, which isn’t as much fun as it sounds — that’s a nice change … 

The fact the rail replacement service went into operation, yesterday?

Even that couldn’t spoil things … 

~≈Â≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 23-10-2016

Blimey … 

I was let loose, yesterday … !

I’ve started a new job, recently: as I’m sure regular readers will realise.

It’s for a company in Chelmsford: that handles the out of hours calls for various social landlords.

Well … 

Yesterday saw me me unleashed on the phones on my own.

Very nervously unleashed onto the phones, on my own … !

I think I did ok.

Once I got into the swing of it.

One thing I do know?

You know how, sometimes, a day can drag?

For me?

Yesterday seemed to be over, quite quickly.

That’s possibly the nerves talking!

~≈Ç≈~