The Value Of Your Investments Can Also Go Down

stock exchange board

Last year you may recall that I got very excited when I bought some shares, and especially when they went up 10%. They went up and down quite a lot but they were often 10% ahead, which would have been a nice £500 profit. I had invested pretty much all my savings in there, £5,000, which was my redundancy money from Easynet.  I wasn’t using it, so I thought I should put it to good use and get it to grow using my wisdom – I’ve always fancied myself at being able to spot an investment opportunity – I often … Continued

27 Places I Have To Visit

low angle photo of lighted signage

I started writing this over 2 years ago…no idea why I never posted it at the time.  3 of the places on the original list I’ve already been to – Bucharest, Vienna and Madrid. It isn’t in any particular order, bar the top 2 which I’d really like to do over the next 2 years…if I can somehow scrape the money together as they would by some way be the most expensive places to visit.  Which will only happen by the way of long periods without drinking or going out. 1. Tornado Alley2. Japan3. Cuba4. St Petersburg5. Melbourne6. Dubai7. Seoul8. … Continued

Complaint: TFL – Various

Rayners Lane station

The first of my complaints this year to TFL – on a broad range of subjects. ****** Dear Sir/Madam I don’t know where to start with this complaint.  How about GRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZR RGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZR RZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZR RZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZ RRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRR ZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZ RRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZ RRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZR RZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZR RZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZ RRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRGRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRRZRR? Yes, that was what awoke me on both a Saturday and a Sunday morning – early – very early in the mornings, back in September. I live close to Rayner’s Lane tube station, with my bedroom facing onto the Piccadilly line.  I quite like being able to see tube trains go past – for some bizarre reason this marginally … Continued

James Went To Vienna

Before going on holiday one should always ensure that the next holiday is booked. But also before going on holiday, one should ensure that the previous one has been blogged about.  Though I still didn’t manage to click ‘post’ before I went to Croatia. It seems ages ago, but back in May, myself and my most excellent friend, Martin, sat down on a Friday evening and decided to try to find somewhere to go away for a weekend of beer and culture. I had some budget restrictions – shock horror.  We also wanted to go to a country that we’ve … Continued

Complaint: Austrian Airlines

Dear Sir/Madam   A month or so ago, I travelled with yourselves to Vienna.  In Austria.  Though you probably know that Vienna is in Austria.   The flight on the way there was efficient and friendly – abominable cupcake, but hey, free food.   Vienna is a great city, as I am sure that you already know.  We had a great time there, but were ready to come back on the Monday, expecting to get home with enough time to do some tasks ready for work the next day.   Alas.  We were at the airport in good time, security … Continued

Abandoned Package For Pablo Hassan

Professional Packaging Systems' Quality Packaging

Dear Sir,  I am contacting you regarding a special cargo that has been abandoned here at our warehouse for over a period of 2 years and when scanned, t revealed an undisclosed sum of money in it. From my findings, the cargo originated from Europe and the content was not declared as money by the consignor in order to avoid diversion by the shipping agent. I strongly believe the box will contain about $4.5 million or more.  In my private search for a reliable person, my proposal now is to present you as the recipient of the cargo since the … Continued

Sainsbury’s Complaint: Pulling Teeth

Sainsbury's lorry, Grimmer Road, Hereford

I’m rather quite busy nowadays, especially with my job, commuting and trying to enjoy London, so I don’t always get the time to complain.  I have not only a list of complaints to make, but also a folder of complaints to share on my blog. So I thought I’d be efficient and save up a few for Sainsbury’s, and sent it shortly after they announced their merger with Asda. ****** Dear Sainsburys I am sure that you are currently being overwhelmed with part-time snobs given the proposed merger with Asda, with a flurry of complaints from wannabe Waitrose shoppers that … Continued

Fat, Fat, Fat

Free chocolate muffins

I’m feeling down again and guess what has triggered it?  Being fat.  As always. Nothing else really gets me down – things can annoy the fuck out of me like cyclists and Brexit, but nothing actually depresses me like the loss of self-esteem that being fat, and getting fatter does. Earlier this year, I lost, I think 6 or 7kg whilst on my 3 month detox.  I have since put back on 8kg – reaching a new record highest weight, 98.5kg.  Some of it I actually put on before my detox ended with an Easter chocolate binge (2.5kg – because I didn’t lose … Continued

Why Brexit Should Be As Hard & Dirty As Possible, By A Remainer

Protestor, Abingdon Street

“I’m a remoaner”, as Destiny’s Child may or may not once have sung.  Yes proud Remainer here – I unequivocally did not want to leave the EU and still do not want to leave the EU. But hey.  It’s happening. I see most of my remainer compadres seem to prefer a soft Brexit, staying in the customs union, staying in the single market, or even the EEA.  Hell, even one or two prominent Brexiteers do too. Sometimes, though, you have to play the long game, like the unaffectionately-known “bastards” of the 1990’s, Redwood et al, who spent 25 years agitating … Continued

James Went To Madrid

Gosh was it really 2 weeks ago?  Erm…gosh was it really 4 weeks ago?  That is assuming I actually finish this post tonight.  5 weeks…OK 6 weeks ago.  Definitely finishing it this time. Can I actually remember any of Madrid?  Oh yeah, I went with my family. The Why My father suggested a family holiday a while back, in celebration of his retirement.  I think I was probably 16, maybe 17 when I last went on holiday with my family, and I stated that I would never again go on holiday with my family. Well, I’ve gone back on quite … Continued