Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 20-7-2026 — Colombia

20th July, 2026: Colombia.

Right … it’s Monday, again.

And … ?

After taking weight loss medication, last Friday, it’s time for me to head for my weight loss weigh in.

Keep you’re fingers crossed, please: while you’re doing that, I’ll be hoping the bag of crisps I had, yesterday, won’t show up!

~≈🥨≈~

Andy Burnham* gets sworn in as Prime Minister, today.

I wish him luck: although my cynical side has a question.

When exactly, will he resign?

We’ve got through a few PMs, since 2016.

~≈🔟≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 1-7-2026 — New Brunswick. (Ten Questions)

1st July, 2026: New Brunswick.

I think it’s official.

No, I know it’s official.

It’s Wednesday!

Although quite why I thought it was Tuesday, I don’t know.

I spent most of Friday, just gone, convinced it was Saturday.

Why do people’s brain do that?

Tell them it’s Day A, when it’s actually Day B?

I wish I knew.

It would possibly explain a lot!

~≈📆≈~

On other fronts?

I had a letter, the other day: from the NHS hospital that had carried out my most recent stool sample tests.

The letter told me I was — thankfully! —   free of any issues.

I have to admit to mixed feelings.

On the one hand, ‘free of any issues’ means I have nothing that needs removing.

No polyps, no cancerous bodies.

It also means I’ve avoided a colonoscopy.

Which is a good thing: as effective as they are, they’re not exactly comfortable!

On the other hand?

I’ve got the worry that the test has missed something.

And that — as uncomfortable as the procedure is — having a colonoscopy means I could be certain I’m free of bowel cancer.

It’s … well … 

It’s a mixed result, I think.

~≈🚑≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 23-4-2026 — Castile and León (Ten questions)

23rd April, 2026: Castile and León.

Right then … !

It’s payday!

Which means several things.

I’ve just spent ten minutes working out how much spending money I’ve got!

And swearing at the DWP: as the annual increase in Universal Credit doesn’t go very far.

I would say that pay raise is better than a poke in the eye with a blunt stick.

Ha!

Since when … ?

~≈£≈~

One good thing … ?

Is my shorts.

Short videos, I should add!

That’s certainly helped my subscriber numbers.

Thank you, if you’re one of them!

~≈📽️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-3-2026 — Newfoundland

31st May, 2026: Newfoundland.

Right, then: today is a day of general overexcitement.

Or possibly general yayness.

Because?

At yesterday’s weigh-management weigh-in, I found I’d lost some eight hundred grams: about one and three quarter pounds.

That’s good: so long as I can avoid treating myself to a bag of crisps*!

~≈🍟≈~

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 — 1/3/2026 — Nebraska (Ten Questions)

1st March, 2026: Nebraska.

I like somethings: and dislike others.

But you’ve possibly worked that out.

I don’t like the current, 47th, US President.

And make it a point of honour to not use the man’s name.

I don’t know if I’ve managed there, but I can at least try.

I don’t like unnecessary military action: at least, action I feel is unjustified.

So … ?

USA military action in Iran, taken in conjunction with Israel, is what I regard as unjustified.

I grant the Islamic republic’s unpleasant, and has violated the rights, and taken the lives of, protestors.

Furthermore?

The action taken has seen the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

If that doesn’t start a war?

I’ll be both grateful, and very surprised.

~≈🇮🇷≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 28/2/2026 — Andalusia

28th February, 2026: Andalucia.

Hmmm … 

That seems to work … 

I’ve subscribed to Apple’s Creator Studio, just recently: and found out that I could use a mix of Final Cut Pro, and Compressor, to make 8k video.

So … ?

I used the stock footage I keep for the quiz videos to make a dummy 8k video I could share via YouTube.

The results told me a few things.

Firstly?

When I upload an 8k video to the site, YouTube reduces the resolution to 4k.

The copy I’ve just downloaded?

Is some forty megabytes: compared to the approximately two gigabytes I uploaded.

I’m assuming the reductions are made, to allow YouTube to keep storage space and bandwidth — and thus costs — to a minimum.

Secondly?

It took ten minutes to render some three minutes of 8k footage.

I’d say that’s acceptable: but know longer videos will take longer to render.

I’m also aware the process had my machine running extremely hot to the touch: something I’m aware would happen, given my machine’s specs.

It’s got an M4 processor, and sixteen gigabytes of RAM, so you know.

The suggested, minimum, RAM is exactly that: sixteen gigabytes,

But the recommended minimum is thirty-two.

I can only tell you this, as a result.

Recording, and rendering, in 8k is something I’d love to do.

But would need machinery, and money, I don’t have.

That’s a shame: but that’s life.

~≈8️⃣≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 7-2-2026 — Grenada

7th February, 2026: Grenada.

Yay!

It’s Saturday … !

Which means … it’s the day after Friday, the day after I had an electrician visit.

It’s something I’d arranged a couple of weeks ago: as I’d had a couple of minor — very minor — electric shocks from the old switch.

Something the electrician told me wasn’t too risky: but agreed that I right in requesting the repair.

I was better safe than sorry.

~≈💡≈~

Just as a quick question … ?

I use Transmission if I ever need to download stuff via torrent: there’s a lot of open source software you can get that way.

Are you using it, as well?   Version 4·10, on a Mac running macOS Tahoe 26·2?

Are you getting problems?

Funny error messages, non-existent progress bars, what have you?

If you do, and have successfully done something about it, can you let me know, please?

Cheers!

~≈⚙️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 6-2-2025 — New Zealand (Ten Questions)

6th February, 2026: New Zealand.

Right … it’s Friday.

But you knew that, already.

I’ve taken my weekly dose of Mounjaro.

But you’d guessed I’d be doing that, too.

Just as equally … ?

I possibly need to go out, too: light shopping and healthy exercise calls.

But … ?

It’s throwing down, out there … !

~≈🌧️≈~

As a last thought … ?

An old friend is a Kiwi expat: and sent this photo:

Cheers, Donna!

~≈🥝≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 11-1-2026 — Morocco

11th January, 2026.

Right … sauce … 

I’ve actually managed to make some spaghetti sauce, last night.

Just not very good spaghetti sauce!

I’m convinced I didn’t use enough tomatoes: and it’s not as creamy as it could be.

Frankly?

It’s more a spaghetti stew, a stew you can put on top of spaghetti.

Still: I’ve five more tubs of the stuff.

And I can always have it with potatoes, if I didn’t fancy pasta!

~≈🍝≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 19-12-2025 — Here We Goa, Again

19th December, 2025: Goa.

OK: you’ve possibly realised this … but I, like many of us, get infected by the occasional earworm.

This morning … ?

It’s Joy Sarney’s only hit, 1977’s “Naughty, Naught, Naughty”.

Why on Earth I’ve woken up with the blessed thing banging around my head … ?

I really don’t know.

Answers on a postcard, please … !

~≈🎵≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 12-11-2025 — Plymouth.

12th November, 2025: Plymouth.

Wouldn’t you know it … ?

I got my dates mixed up!

I had thought my gas safety check was due, yesterday.

It wasn’t until I opened my emails, yesterday, and got a reminder … that I realised the thing was supposed to be today.

Where do I put my face … ?

~≈🤦🏼‍♂️≈~

As it turns out … ?

Nowhere!

Robert Heath — my landlord’s boiler contractor — have just phoned.

Apparently, their tradesman is off, for some reason.

So they’ve rescheduled for two weeks time.

Ho … … … hum!

~≈🐫≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 3-11-2025 — Dominica

3rd November, 2025: Dominica.

Yes, you’re right: it’s Monday, again!

And, yes, I’m up early, again: so I can get to my weight management meeting.

Hopefully?

I’ll have lost weight!

~≈⚖️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 24-10-2025 — Zambia

24th October, 2025: Zambia.

I’ve woken up, this morning: which should be obvious, by now … !

Let’s restart that, shall we?

I’ve woken up, this morning, half convinced it’s Saturday.

But very aware it’s Friday.

Why am I thinking it’s a day it’s not?

I think I have an idea.

I usually get my Universal Credit on the 23rd of the month: yesterday, in other words.

I get my Personal Independence Payment, every fourth Friday.

So … ?

I think my subconscious believes today is Saturday, as it thinks I got my PIP, yesterday, rather than UC.

Heigh ho!

~≈£≈~

I’m very aware that the UK’s government planning to introduce a Digital ID: something I don’t especially like.

Mostly on cost grounds.

Cost, and redundancy: I’ve already got ID.

Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, has now gone on the record to say the scheme will only be mandatory for those seeking work.

And only be needed when you change jobs, after the scheme is introduced.

In addition?

It will not be needed for anything else: will not be needed for those needing healthcare, as an example, or for housing, or to be able to vote.

Do you mind a confession?

That’s not something I find reassuring.

I remain as sceptical as I ever was.

~≈🫆≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 25-9-2025 — Down In The Park

25th September, 2025: Down in the Park.

There are times when I love myself.

Which is always a suspicious phrase, I think: very ambiguous, I think!

There’s times when I don’t love myself.

Or, at least, hate something I’ve seen.

I caught the last episode of Alien: Earth, last night: an episode called “The Real Monsters”.

It has a deeply ambiguous ending: one I found frustrating, as it offered no clear resolution.

With no second season confirmed?

It’s not a note I was expecting to finish on.

~≈🧌≈~

Sometimes … ?

I hate it when the situation is awkward.

I hate when circumstances force me to get up early.

Like today.

My Job Centre case worker’s decided I should attend a mentoring event, today: one that starts at ten in the morning.

So that means I’m up early to get this post done.

It’s a horrible time to be awake, I know that!

~≈🕓≈~

Oh, JUST in case you like unboxing videos?

I’ve done an unboxing video … !

I can only hope it’s an exciting one … !

~≈📦≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 1-8-2025 — Benin.

1st August, 2025: Benin.

Right, I’m up and about.

Obviously!

And … ?

I’m very aware that it’s Friday, so I’ll be having a phone appointment with my surgery’s nurse practitioner.

To talk about how I’m doing with the blood sugar monitor: and the larger lancets I’ve been given.

To be honest with you … ?

I’ve managed to successfully do three tests over the past week: tests that showed results of 6·3, 8·6 and 5·8, for an average of 6·9: just inside the safe range.

That’s more, and better, results than I had with the original lancets: they did diddly squat!

Quote where we go from here, I don’t know!

~≈🪡≈~

Here in the UK … ?

Here in the UK, the government has introduced new regulations: designed to make sure adult websites do age-verification checks on users.

That seems to have worked!

For starters, many iPhone users have installed VPNs, virtual private networks software, that lets them get around the UK restrictions by routing traffic through other countries.

For another?

You can reach these sites on the desktop by using the Tor browser*: which routes things through various layers.

There’s a version on the Google Play store, if you’re on an Android phone.

And finally … ?

It seems Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulators, are investigating thirty-four sites that haven’t introduced the checks.

That makes me conclude a few things.

Restrictions can be avoided.

And regulations can be ignored.

That’s assuming we can work out how.

Working out how is easier than it looks.

~≈🧅≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 30-7-2025 — The New Hebrides.

30th July, 2025: the New Hebrides,

It’s officially official: I had repairmen in, yesterday.

Lowering my cupboards, so you know.

I am suitably grateful.

To both the carpenters who did the job, my landlords for approving and arranging it … and to the occupational therapists who insisted on it in the first place.

Being able to reach the shelves — without a stool or a step ladder — feels odd, right now.

They’ve between that height since I moved in 2008.

Hopefully, though … ?

That will soon pass.

~≈🪑≈~

Something has caught my eye, this morning.

Or ears, I should say.

Is something that got announced on Radio 4’s Today programme: and confirmed by the Independent.

It’s a report from Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, that tells us YouTube is now the UK’s second biggest broadcasting service.

Behind the BBC, but ahead of ITV.

Even though I’m an older user who doesn’t use it as much as the younger generation?

That makes sense.

I’m finding it increasingly hard to find anything to watch on conventional broadcasters … but incredibly easy on YouTube.

There’s a song about that …

~≈🎶≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 27-7-2025 — Norfolk and Chance (Ten Questions)

27th July, 2025: Norfolk and Chance.

Right … it’s now Sunday morning: and … ?

I’ve finally got some Star Trek reviews posted!

The written review of “Shuttle to Kenfori” can be found, here.

And here’s the video … 

Feel free to hit the ‘Like’ button!

In addition?

Paramount’s gone and released a sneak peak for season four.

Has Anson Mount had work done … … ?

~≈🖖≈~

Did I tell you I’m not usually a fan of Marvel movies?

I tend to prefer DC films: Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, what-have-you.

But I did know there’s a new Marvel movie: Fantastic Four: First Steps, one that’s been recently released.

A film that got released on 25th July, of this year.

What surprised me — but shouldn’t — is simply how quickly it’s wound up on Pirate Bay … !

Apparently, the studio live-streamed it … in an effort to combat piracy*.

That worked … … … … … … …

~≈🏴‍☠️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 12-6-2025 — The Philippines

12th June, 2025: The Philippines.

It’s official: it’s Thursday … 

And, on a personal level … ?

I’m expecting piece, quiet, solitude … 

And a certain amount of boredom!

I might just have to do something about that.

I’ve got movies in, and TV shows.

But might just end up thumb twiddling … 

~≈🤔≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 5-6-2025 — Denmark

5th June, 2025: Denmark.

Right … 

It’s Thursday.

And … ?

Waking up with an earworm is not something I was planning!

Especially not that earworm: it’s horrible, isn’t it?

~≈🐛≈~

I think I might need a new phone: possibly.

I was switched over to the new Digital voice thing run by my Internet Service Provider.

It means my landline phone is plugged into my new router, rather than the junction box in the wall.

However?

It seems some of the phone’s features — call blocking, number tracking, what have you — don’t work with the router.

Which is a shame.

I got a call from a Technical Department scammer*, yesterday: one of the usual “Hello, we’re from Microsoft: your PC is causing problems!!!!!!!!”

It would’ve been nice to be able to block that … !

~≈📞≈~