Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 7-12-2025 — The Death of Cicero.

7th December, 2025: Cicero.

OK, he says, brightly … !

It’s officially Sunday: and I’m going to be review a TV show, tonight.

Yes: The War Between the Land and The Sea starts on BBC1 at 8·30GMT.

I’ll caught the first episode, tonight, and the second, later in the week.

I’ll tell you what, though … it’s the first time I’ve started two posts on the trot … !

~≈🧜🏼‍♂️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 7th December 2024.

7th December, 2024.

It’s: it’s officially official.

I’ve had more work done to my bathroom: and now have grab rails.

That’s … 

Well, a sign of getting old, I think.

~≈🧼≈~

Here’s a storm coming … 

Every-so-often, Britain get’s storm: which very occasionally, get nasty.

Storm Bert at the end of November: which was bad in some parts of the UK, but, thankfully, wasn’t too bad here in Brentwood.

Bar turning the ‘Lighting Up Brentwood’ event into something of a washout.

This week?

Storm Darragh is due to hit: today.

With Red, Amber and Yellow warnings for various parts of the country: that thankfully don’t seem to include Essex.

I’m thankful.

Whilst being very aware it’s blowy out.

~≈⛈️≈~

Every so often?

I’ll rip a blu-ray.

In other words, I’ll copy a Blu-ray Disc, then turn it into something I stream to my AppleTV.

I did the final half of the equation — re-coding the copies — over night.

Using HandBrake’s ‘Apple 2160p60 4K HEVC Surround’ setting to turn the copies into 1440*1080 resolution .mp4 files, on a 2024 M4 Mac mini.

If I’ve got the figures right … ?

It’s taken Handbrake roughly a minute to re-code each minute of video at those settings.

I don’t know how the combination of settings and machine would do with a 4k video: but those results are very impressive: compared to my old Intel machine.

~≈🍹≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 7-12-2023 — International Civil Aviation Day

7th December, 2023: International Civil Aviation Day.

Right … I’m officially back from the opticians.

And … ?   “And … ?”, I hear you say?

Apparently, the lenses I have are slightly too strong: and need replacing.

They can do that, for free, once the lenses turn up, next week.

Hopefully?   It should take about an hour.

The sooner it happens?

The better!

~≈Ω≈~

One thing that did make sense to me?

Was something simple.

The pain I’ve been getting isn’t the first time this happens: merely the most noticeable.

Milder versions happen … every winter.

Apparently?   And according to my optician?

It’s eyestrain caused by the changing in light as the sun lowers in winter … made worse by new glasses a touch too strong for my eyes.

Heigh ho!

~≈Ω≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 7-12-2022 — Tom Waits.

7th December, 2022: Tom Waits.

Yes: it’s true: I’ve got to go into town, today: checking to see if some medications are ready, and organising a blood pressure check at the surgery.

Heigh ho!

The one thing that’s concerning?

Is the weather: it’s looking cold out!

It’s no wonder the Met Office are telling us to turn on the heating!

~≈♨️≈~

JUST as a thought … ?

My nephew, Jude, was over, last night.

And yes: videos were made.

Here’s Jude’s most recent;

You possibly realised already realised it would be a FIFA ’23 game, haven’t you?

To be fair?   He’s planning another Rocket League … as soon as some of his friends microphones start working!

~≈♨️≈~

And, of course, when I say ‘videos’?

Yes: I’ve finished my video review of The Abominable Snowmen, episode five: alongside the written version.

Feel free to hit the like button … !

~≈♨️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 8th December, 2021.

8th December, 2021.

Yes: it’s officially official: I had a hygienist appointment planned for today.

Which has been cancelled.

And re-arranged for January.

Quite what happened, there, I don’t know.

At any rate … ?

I’ve got a phone interview, this afternoon.

No dentist trip … ?   Takes a little bit of pressure off.

~≈Ç≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 7-12-2021: What Did Delaware?

7th December, 2021.

Right … 

It’s Tuesday: you’d noticed, just as I had.

And frankly?

Once I’ve got this last batch of videos done, I’m going to start writing Christmas presents: and writing cards.

And make sure I free up time for today’s meeting with my Job centre case worker.

It’s a phone meeting: although the wording of the notification’s ambiguous enough for me to have asked for clarification, last week.

Hopefully … ?

We can get stuff done: and avoid any issues.

~≈Â≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 7-12-2020: International Civil Aviation Day.

7th December, 2020.

Yes: I’ve officially figured out another use for my big pot!

Well … 

No: I haven’t … I’ve out a variation!

I’ve got a bit pot: for boil washing my teatowels.

And it occurred to me that it would be an ideal thing for boil washing my underwear.

Frankly, though?

I’ll need a set of separate long tongs: to fish things out, with.

And possibly specific tongs for my pants.

Just to be on the safe side!

~≈🖖🏼≈~

Oh, I’m expecting a call, this morning.

From my landlord’s IT department.

Hopefully?   I’ll be able to get the password from them.

It’d be nice to actually start this course … 

~≈🖖🏼≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 7th December, 2019

7th December, 2019.

Right … 

It’s no a weekend: which means I can do stuff I’ve been wanting to catch up with for a few days.

Mostly?

Mostly shopping, picking up medications, making videos … 

That sort of stuff!

I do know I’m looking forward to Monday, and going back on my course.

If for no other reason than the fact that our tutor’s decided to buy mice: we’re all complaining about the track pads on the laptops we’re using … 

~≈É≈~

I’ll be frank?

I’m a Dr Who fan: and have been since boyhood.

So I was rather pleased, when the BBC unveiled a quick glimpse of Series twelve’s first episode: the Stephen Fry starring, Spyfall.

I don’t know about you, but I’m intrigued.

~≈É≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 7th December, 2018.

7th December, 2018.

Yep: I’m hoping what the BBC’s News site, the Today programme, and, indeed, O2’s own site, tell me is true.

That their services are up and running.

I hope so: I’d like to maybe send send a tweet or two, while I’m out and about.

That’s the other thing: over the past week or so, I’ve had a few potential employers phones, as well as the inevitable PPI sales people, boiler repair men, and Microsoft repair scammers.

Getting calls from potential employers?

That’s something I can do with.

So, not getting them?   Through no fault of my own … ?

Is not something I wanted to happen.

Frankly?   The fact I’m reassured that it’s because O2’s partner, Ericsson, had incorrectly configured some software?

Well … 

Makes me wonder if O2 will start buying in kit that’s reliable.

From, say, Huawei!

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 7th December, 2017

Phew … 

I managed to salvage my hat.

Or, at least, have it salvaged for me by a workmate.

Who I’m truly thankful to.

He’s saved me a few quid on Amazon.

~≈§≈~

Oh, talking of Amazon … 

One thing I noticed, yesterday?

Is that, apparently, Amazon and Google are having something of a corporate snit: with Google’s streaming devices not on the world’s online shop, and Google talking YouTube off Amazon’s Fire devices.

Personally?

I’m just glad Youtube, Netflix and Amazon Prime are all available through my AppleTV.

Given I can stream anything in my iTunes library to and from the think, ruling out the need for a Chromecast-like ability of local streaming?

It keeps the number of devices down.

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 7-12-2016

Oh, that’s another sad piece of news.

Actor, Peter Vaughan, has died: at the age of 93.

Although he’s best known — these days — for playing playing Aemon Targaryen in Game of Thrones, I grew up watching both Porridge, where he played Genial Harry Grout, and Charlie Johnson, in the first two series of Citizen Smith.

Frankly?

I think he’s going to be much missed.

~≈†≈~