Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 6th January 2026.

6th January, 2026.

Right … I can now happily jump up and down, in a cheerfully demented way.

A demented way that will involve wearing clothes: it’s still cold, in Brentwood.

I’m not that mad!

At any rate, I’m reasonably cheerful … as I found out I’d lost weight, at yesterday’s Weight management meeting.

OK: I’ve only lost some four hundred grams.

But it’s all good.

~≈⚖️≈~

I’ve mentioned this, before now: back when I was reviewing The War Between the Land and The Sea.

Three Classic Dr Who stories — An Unearthly Child, Terror of the Zygons and The Seeds of Doom — are unavailable of the BBC’s iPlayer service.

In the case of the latter two stories, I’m told this is because the BBC hasn’t been able to negotiate a licensing deal with the estate of Robert Banks Stewart, the writer of both stories.

However?

Those latter two stories have recently been released on blu-ray: as part of the Season 13 box set.

Something I’m ripping, as we speak.

The reason I mention this, again … ?

Is simply that the contradiction seems blatantly obvious.

The two stories are available in one format, blu-ray: but aren’t on the iPlayer, aren’t on the BBC’s domestic streaming service.

I’m assuming that the iPlayer versions count as a public broadcast, and that the bluray versions count as private home viewing: and that the various license agreements allow one, but not the other.

Either way?

It seems odd … !

~≈🤔≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 6-1-2025 — The Attack

6th January, 2025: the Attack.

It’s officially something I was trying to avoid: but I have to admit … I have an earworm, this morning!

Yes: a song about a baby!

Quite why … ?

I’m blowed if I know!

~≈♪≈~

It’s also, officially, Monday.

The first of the new year.

So … ?

I’m up early: to go to my newly re-started weight management group.

Hopefully?

I’ll’ve lost something: preferable some weight, rather than any hope, or my wits!

Height … … ho!

~≈🏋🏻‍♀️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 6th January 2024.

6th January 2024.

I have something of a confession, there.

I’ve used iMovie to make videos, over the past few years.

And generally been happy with it.

Unfortunately?

My use of the app took something of a nosedive, recently: with the collapse of my old iMac.

My only alternative?

Was to use the free version of ClipChamp: on my aging Lenovo ThinkPad.

It wasn’t necessarily the easiest experience: video editing isn’t on a  machine that age.

The best work to describe the whole experience?

Is clunky.

Spoon-bendingly, chest-pain-inducingly, gear-grindingly, clunky!

Thankfully, and with thanks to all who helped, it was only a temporary measure: an updated version of iMovie — and a new Mac mini— helped.

Today, though?   I felt using ClipChamp’s online version of the Mac seemed in order.

At least to do the intro video for today.

ClipChamp seems to have exported the eighteen seconds worth of video slightly faster than iMovie.

But we’re talking about a matter of seconds, there: and I suspect that the online version I used, leveraged some of Microsoft’s cloud servers to do that.

I don’t think I’d make the change permanently: but ClipChamp seems OK.

There’s a wider choice of transitions, and filters, to it over iMovie.

But, counting against it?

iMovie has better integration with macOS: and can access my various media libraries, far more directly than ClipChamp.

And the current version — iMovie 10.4, on a Mac mini using macOS Sonoma 14.2.1 — seems to able to queue projects for export: hand, as far as I’m concerned.

I suspect neither would be of interest to pro users who use things like Avid, the various Adobe editors, and Apple’s own Final Cut Pro.

But?

Both seem equally viable options for me and other home users.

~≈⌘≈~

Oh, JUST as a thought … ?

My nephew, Jude, was over, yesterday.

As a result of him turn thirteen, recently?

I’ve been able to add him as a manager* to two of the YouTube channels I run for him on YouTube.

If you’d like to subscribe to @MikeytheRabbit or @BobbytheCat, you’d be welcome to!

~≈⌘≈~

Nope — A Review.

6th January, 2023: Nope.

Right … 

Just out of curiosity?   How’s the audio on that intro video?

I have to admit: I got curious about the basic — very basic, I’m no sound engineer! — things I could do with the open source sound app, Audacity.

I think — by adding a distortion effect to the audio, then reimporting icon into iMovie — I’ve got an interestingly tinny effect.

That’s possibly not what you were expecting, were you?   A discussion of audio tweaking!

No.

You were expecting me to do what I’ve been doing on odd evening.

Telling you I’m planning to watch a movie … once I’ve had dinner.

Dinner’s will be going onto a plate, any minute.

Then eaten.

Then?

I’m going to watch a film … and tell you about it, tomorrow night … 

~≈🍿≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 6-1-2023 — New Mexico.

6th Mexico, 2023: New Mexico.

Right … Fridays … a day where I might get a chance to sit down with a film.

Or a TV show.

I’m very aware I’ve said that at least once, this week.

We’ll just have to see.

~≈📺≈~

At ANY rate … ?

I had a meeting, yesterday: with my Job Centre work coach.

Discussing my ongoing appeal for PIP/Limited Capacity to Work/Employment Support Allowance/whatever it’s called this week was obviously a feature.

The net result of that discussion?

Was my coach suggesting I double check my emails.

I should have a link to create an account on the Court services site: one that would let me track proceedings.

I checked my emails when I got home.

I had the email … but the link had expired.

So … ?   I emailed back: to ask what I could do.

I’m not expecting a reply: not just yet.

But, hopefully?

I’ll hear something: soon.

~≈⚖️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 6th January, 2022.

6th January, 2022.

Yep, I’ve got a blood test, today: after the last set I had, missed something!

Apparently?   It’s tracking both my liver and kidney function.

This will show they’re (comparatively) fine.

Or, at least, what’s going on for them, and what treatment may be needed as a result.

Here’s hoping!

~≈®≈~

As an extra point … ?

I had a Reboot your CV course, yesterday: something arranged by the Restart programme I’m on.

I think it was helpful enough for me to make minor improvements to my CV.

I have to admit, though … an hour and a half’s worth of MS teams meeting … ?

Didn’t half drag … !

~≈®≈~

JUST as a minor point … ?

You’ve heard of cryptocurrencies, yes?

In case you haven’t, they’re a kind of digital currencies: then — these days — need a lot of computing power in order to run.

Each unit of a cryptocurrency has a digital serial number on something called a block chain: working that serial number out, and verifying it and its owner, and where it is on the chain, is what takes the energy.

The process is called mining, so you know.

There’s been a lot of discussion of that energy usage: especially as, the last I knew, the energy used was roughly equal to Iceland’s annual electricity output.

Something game changing may have happened, though.

As Kosovo banned cryptocurrency mining, yesterday.

Global energy prices — and the blackouts that mining is contributing to — helped make that decision.

Personally … ?

I’m wondering what that will mean for the future of cryptocurrencies: and when or if we’ll start talking about a cryptocurrency bubble.

~≈®≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 6-1-2021: Rowan Atkinson

6th January, 2021.

 

Yes: it’s officially official.

I’ve got a meeting with my Health and Work programme, this morning.

At Ten.

As much use as they are, I’ve still got to be sat by the phone, ready to go!

Yippee … 

~≈☎︎≈~

Talking of phones, quickly?

I got a text message, last night: from banking group, Santander.

Complete with a (dubious looking) link that let’s me update my contact details.

It’s a scam.

I don’t bank with Santander … 

~≈£≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 6th January, 2020

6th January, 2020.

Right at the moment … ?

I’m feeling mildly grateful.

As the last bit’s of Christmas — copies of the collected Leopard from Lime Street Stories — were delivered.

At five to seven.

In the evening.

Just in time to avoid spoiling my viewing.

~≈Ü≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 6th January, 2019.

6th January, 2019.

Thank GOD for that!

I posted the letter!

JUST so you know … ?

I’ve put in for a provisional driving license: to use as ID for job interviews.

Except of course, me being me?   I forgot to sign the bloody form, before I originally sent it off.

Which got sent back to me, on Friday, and reposted, yesterday … 

Oy … 

Veh … !

~≈§≈~

I have to admit, this piece floated across my timeline, this morning: catching my attention with it.

The piece tells us that Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, is to delay a vote putting more people onto Universal Credit — the benefit I’m on — for an unspecified amount of time.

Personally?

I’m … mostly grateful to hear that.

I’m very aware — having been receiving it for a few years, now — that it’s means tested … 

But also paid monthly.

For those of us, like me, used to being paid weekly, the monthly paid Universal Credit is awkward to juggle.

Having had a quick look at Jobseeker’s Allowance, the benefit I would have been on, had I not been shifted to UC?

I’m about ten to twenty pounds worse off a month.

And the Housing Benefit component is paid directly to me: rather than directly to my landlords, as had previously been the case.

NOT something I’m comfortable with.

And yes: I’ve a few arrears that need paying.

The initial delay I faced, in receiving it, when I left the Brentwood branch of KFC?   Didn’t help.

So, seeing the delay is in place?

Is interesting.

But I can’t help think that improvements need doing … 

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 6th January, 2018

*Yawn* … 

You know, for all I actually like my job, there are times I want to give it a rest.

Usually … ?

At about five o’clock on a Saturday morning!

Right now?

I’m yawning, drinking some really strong tea, listening to Radio 4 …

And desperately hoping that, when I do get to work, I can bag a seat by the window.

Fresh can’t half help keep you awake …

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 6-1-2017,

Oh, they’re having puppies … !

You’ll recall that — on Tuesday night — my internet connection went down: seeming as a result of an outage BT were having.

By Wednesday?

This still hadn’t corrected itself: and that I was told — on Wednesday — the problem was my router.   I was also told I’d be getting a new one: free of charge.

By today, at the latest: but by yesterday at 6, at best.   Indeed, BT sent me a text message to say so.

I rang them to chase this up.

And … ?

It turns out the relevant routers were out of stock: and that a replacement would be with me … 

By Monday … 

By … soddin’ Monday … !

Can someone ask BT to get a bloody GRIP … !

~≈Ê≈~