Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 25-3-2026 — Greece is the Word. (Ten Questions)

25th March, 2026: Greece is the Word.

OK … there’s been a lot going on, recently … 

For one thing?

YouTube’s playing silly buggers, uploading today’s Teaser video.

Well … they were … or BT’s internet connection was.

One of the two … !

At any rate?

That didn’t stop me uploading a video, last night.

Yes: I caught the penultimate episode of Stranger Things, and finally posted my review.

Make of that, what you will … !

~≈🦑≈~

Nicholas Brendon died, a few days ago.

I knew from his work in Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, playing the affable everyman, Xander Harris.

So I was sad to hear about his death.

But equally, puzzled: as, from the little I read?

He died in bed, of natural causes: at fifty-four.

Of natural causes!

I have to admit to being puzzled.

I know he had addiction issues.

But fifty-four seems too young to be dying of natural causes.

All I can do is be puzzled by his death … whilst offering his loved ones my condolences.

~≈🏜️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 25th March 2025.

25th March, 2025.

Right … 

It’s now, officially, Tuesday.

Which means we can excitedly jump up and down.

If we want to.

Or won’t look strange.

What have you … !

~≈😳≈~

At any rate … ?

I’ve got an unboxing video done, if you’re interested.

The contents of that package … ?

Are currently being ripped with my copy of HandBrake.app: and it’s taking around fifteen minutes or so to transcode each episode.

It’s fast, in other words.

~≈🧑🏻‍💻≈~

I am knackered: after a late night posting videos.

I’ve finally finished another review.

And, as enjoyable as watching Close Encounters was … ?

Making the video version of the review with DaVinci Resolve was fiddly.

Yes: there’s a good tonal range of effects and transitions.

And I think I’ve worked out how to reduce the fringing one gets using green screen in the app.

But … ?

Going on what happened, last night, and a few comments I’ve seen online, this version of DaVinci — 19.1.4 — seems a touch buggy.

It managed to lose the media I was working on, last night, and freeze: meaning I had to reset everything.

And it crashed this morning.

Yes: it’s got more options than iMovie.

But iMovie’s far more stable!

~≈✩≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 25-3-2024 — The Medal

25th March, 2024: the Medal.

Right then … it’s Monday … !

Which means, of course, I’m up early.

Again!

Yes: it’s the day for my weight management group.

And, given I lost some weight last week?

I’m hoping I’ve lost more, this week.

~≈⚖️≈~

I’ve been binge watching Monarch: Legacy of Monster, recently.

It’s not something I think I’ll be reviewing: but it IS fun.

At one point in the fourth episode, though … ?

Kurt Russell’s character ends up setting fire to something, being present when something burns … in the middle of a snow-covered, barren, wasteland.

So it’s not like he’s being stereotyped … !

~≈🔥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 25th March 2023.

25th March, 2023.

Yes: it’s officially official.

I was in Brentwood Library, yesterday.

Scanning in some paperwork that I need to send off, for an upcoming Tribunal.

Sharpish, I should add: frankly, I’d’ve preferred a chance to talk over changes with the letter’s author, just to make sure everything was kosher … but you can’t have everything.

At ANY rate … ?

I was up at Brentwood Library: complete with a USB stick that I could store things on.

I did the scan, saved the scans to my stick, my Google Drive, and emailed them to my self.

Just to be on the safe side.

Then went shopping.

Then … ?

When I got home … ?

Realised I’d left the stick somewhere.

More than probably the library!

I’m going to have to go back, to check that, today.

There’s a hell of a lot of personal details on there!

~≈ß≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 25-3-2022: Patrick Troughton

25th March, 2022.

Right … 

Restart it is, then … 

I’m unemployed, so you know: and claiming various benefits.

And trying to claim others.

I’m also on what’s called the Restart Program: a Job Centre mandated programme designed to help me find work.

My next meeting, by phone … ?

Is at 9:45 GMT: today.

Heigh ho: let’s go.

To quote the Ramones.

~≈Â≈~

At any rate … ?

I had Jude over, last night.

Yep: there’s MORE videos.   Try finding Among Us memes when a fussy eleven year old asks you to!

~≈Â≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 25th March, 2021.

25th March, 2021.

Right … that’s the call from the physiotherapist out of the way!

I had a call, yesterday: from a physiotherapist.

And, going by that phone call?

I’ve got the very early stages of osteoarthritis.

Which is … um … well … 

Not nice news: I’m only fifty-three, for heavens sake, I can’t go having osteoarthritis!

At ANY rate … ?

I’ve a set of daily exercises to do, which should help.

They’re mildly intimidating, though: I’ve never exactly been Mr Motivator, after all.

However, I think the old advise from Alcoholic Anonymous comes to mind.

“One day at a time … ”

~≈🏃🏻≈~

I don’t know about you … but I’ve always felt Alan Turing — the man whose 1936 paper, On Computable Numbers, invented computers — has had short shift over the years.

Gay at a time it homosexuality was illegal?   He committed suicide in 1954: after being convicted of Gross Indecency.

He was pardoned for that in 2013.

However?   Many feel he should receive some sort of posthumous award for his war work: he was one of many — still unrecognised — who worked at the Bletchley Park cryptanalysis centre that broke German Enigma codes during World War 2.

One of the key workers.

He also worked on early computers at Manchester University.

I still think some sort of gong would be very welcome.

One good thing, though?

Is that the new designs of Britain’s fifty pound note have been released: complete with his image.

It goes into circulation on 23rd July: his birthday.

It’s not perfect.

But it’s a good start.

~≈🖥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 25-3-2020: The Feast of the Annunciation

25th March, 2020.

If you’ve been reading Nik Nak’s Old Peculiar for a while?

You’ve possibly realised I’m job hunting, at the moment.

Normally?

Normally, I’d have to go in, at least once every two to three weeks: in order that my my job hunting can be monitor.

My next appointment?

Was for Friday the 3rd April.

That last time I was in … ?

That got turned into a phone appointment: rather than the normal face to face one.

Corona virus: what can I tell you … ?

Yesterday … ?

Yesterday, however, I got a message through my online Universal Credit account.

My appointments have been cancelled for the foreseeable future.

As, with the on-going lockdown, and the associated business closures?

The Job Centre’s having to prioritise a lot of new claims.

I’m … 

I can appreciate what’s going on, I really can.

But, having been unemployed for some time, and having seen occasions where sanctions can be mis-applied?

I’m cautiously keeping hold of screenshots and saved web pages.

I’m — justifiably, I think — a little paranoid that something’s going to happen.

~≈¥≈~

Just as an extra thought?

I’ve recently been diagnosed with type two diabetes: and buying sweet potatoes, where I can.

They’re make for healthier eating, for diabetics, it seems.

At any rate, I was due to have an appointment with the my GP surgery’s parties nurse.

Long since converted to a phone appointment, I should add.

But that’s sort of my issue.

I don’t imagine it going badly … but I was supposed to take in a urine sample.

How you’re supposed to get that down the phone, I don’t know.

~≈¥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 25th March, 2019.

25th March, 2019.

That was a distinctly grotty weekend: that really was.

Arguments, phone bills, ill relatives, what have you.

Oh … and overcast weather.

The really disturbing bit … ?

Was the dream I had: at around quarter to one in the morning.

Just had a horrifically realistic dream about being diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's.

A dream, thankfully, but it tops off a bloody grotty weekend.

— Paul Downie (@Cuddy2977) March 25, 2019

About being diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s.

Dream?

Hmmm … 

More like a nightmare.

~≈§≈~

You know … you’re possibly aware I’m something of an Apple fan.

I’ve only had a Mac for a decade and a half!

Today?

The company are holding a big show and tell at their Cupertino HQ: and expected to announce a new streaming service.

It’d be interesting to see what they announce.

But, on a personal level?

I hope I can keep renting, and buying, content in the same way I do, now.

In much the same way that Apple runs both its Apple Music service: whilst letting me buy albums through iTunes.

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 25th March, 2018

25th March, 2018.

No, really, you would NOT believe the day I’ve had at work.

But let me ask you a questions: one I asked Tracey, the co-worker who was sitting next to me,. and later, Patsy, my supervisor.

How’s my face?

Frankly?   What I though — on Friday — was maybe a cold, or blocked nose, something like that, was making the left side of my face go numb.

And making winking my left eye undoable, my voice sound slightly odd … 

And my usually winning smile look a bit … you know … sick … !

Understandably?   And with this sort of poster displayed in the staff room?

Patsy moved like lightning, and got an ambulance: something I know I’m grateful for.

I’m ALSO thankful for Broomfield Hospital wasn’t that clogged up.

And were able to diagnose what was ACTUALLY going on.

Apparently?

I have a condition called Bell’s Palsy: that causes facial paralysis of the sort I’ve got, and is caused by a trapped nerve, linked to a minor virus.

That I’m thinking I may have picked up, a month or two ago: after having a tooth out!

At ANY rate … ?

I’m fine, well … and have steroids to take to help, and eye pads to wear, overnight: to stop my eye drying out.

About the only time I can afford an iPad, I know that!

At any rate … ?

I’m grate both to the hospital, AND to everyone — Patsy, Tracey, Ismayil, Ria, Del, et al — at work that helped!   And, bless her, to Old Peculiar regular and stroke survivor, Debbi — and her partner, Rick — for also clarifying the symptoms.

I’m alive!

Just very aware I sound like Emperor Claudius!

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 25-3-2017

Right …

That’s something to be thankful for!

As you’re possible aware, my extra monitor went home on me, the other day.

Why?   I really couldn’t tell you.

But I suspect the graphics card on my second-hand Mac Pro has … 

Glitches.

At any rate?

At ANY rate, I’ve managed to trade in an extra external drive — and some USB sticks — and pick up a second hand wide-screen monitor from my local CeX.

So now have everything laid out properly.

Which is all good.

~≈⇪≈~