… there was this startlingly exciting new development lately. Turns out the human body can be used as a source of power. No, I don’t mean as in connecting a generator up to a crematorium, nor am I referencing Soylent Green.
No, it turns out that Glucose and Oxygen from a living human body could be used to power certain devices, Pacemakers among them. You might say it’s a subject close to my heart. Ahaha.
Seriously though, this development could dramatically increase the capabilities of not just pacemakers but any future electronic devices designed to aid, assist and indeed enhance the human body! Next step on the evolutionary ladder, perhaps? Time will tell. Full story here. But oh my gosh the potential!

Of course it isn’t always necessary to go bionic to be bionic: chap called Fauja Singh caused significant stirrings in the press by running a marathon in 8.5 hours. Not bad – catch me even running for a bus – thing is this chap is 100 years old. Er… yes. 100. Holy crap, that’s staggering! The most inspiring thing isn’t just the achievement, though – it’s Mr Singh’s quote to the press:

“The secret to a long and healthy life is to be stress-free. Be grateful for everything you have, stay away from people who are negative, stay smiling and keep running.”

Oh yeah. Oh yeah baby.

Hey, it’ll soon be Hallowe’en y’know. That means three things:

#1 – Last night of Upper Lip Alopecia – I shall be growing another moustache for Movember! Please sponsor me – men get cancer too y’know. I’ll also be going without kisses for a whole month. Serious stuff.

#2 – Story Time! I needs must write another of my all too infrequent Ghastly Yarns. Stand by for gore and things of that nature, generally. And a twist. There’s always one of them.

#3 – Once I’ve got my writing muscles nicely warmed up I shall have another stab at NaNoWriMo – that’ll be a 50,000 word novel written by the end of November then. Hmmm. The only real hurdle is the desire to edit: can spend a big chunk of my alloted time editing, to the detriment of the word-count. Gonna finish it this year though! It may be utter crap but I can edit all I like throughout December and after. Just hope I remember that when I’m elbow-deep in plot-devices and character-profiles.

Strewth, what is there really worth complaining about? I mean really? Isn’t life (and its many attendant wonders) just brilliant?

‹Turns up the last bit of Tubular Bells REALLY loud and runs around high-fiving everyone›

Saw these little chaps on Mrs P’s farcebollok and couldn’t resist…

What were they called again? Was it Nee and Ner?

‹chuckles malevolently›

Yes, thank you Trouty. *ahem*

Where was I?

Ah yes – the Pacemaker is ticking along very nicely. Must admit to the occasional Tigger’s-Lost-His-Stripes day (I never did like the rubbish Black Dog analogy) but then who wouldn’t succumb to the murky waters of self-pity once in a while after going through a few significant hospital visits?
The problem I have is really with kicking myself up the arse: punishing yourself for a bit of self-pity isn’t always the right thing to do – can make you feel a lot worse. An alternative is to work through it by watching something marvellously emotive like DIY SOS and just get a bit of good old-fashioned Dust-In-Your-Eye. Gives you a lovely fresh clarity of mind. Suprised it isn’t taught at school (though by now it may well be).

I’m looking forward to seeing my GP some time in December, y’know – only for a follow-up cholesterol check to see if I’ve been good. I’m pretty sure I have been good (major diet changes and not very much beer) and I’d really really like to be told my cholesterol is much lower. Not that it was especially high before, just that the goal-posts have been moved over the last few years.

Humph. What else has been bugging me?

*thinks*

Oooh! I took my mini trebuchet into work today! Everyone duly impressed, of course – nothing quite like flinging toy eyeballs across the office when it’s a bit quiet and explaining to both your Bosses (who know everything*) exactly how a Trebuchet works!
In light of this it should not come as any suprise to learn that I tracked down the orignal Trebuchet plans that formerly adorned my old living room (alas, married life included their removal) and these are, as I type, churning their way out from my printer to similarly adorn the study wall (w00t! Married life includes having a study! 1up!).

Now, I work in a tiny business unit on a semi-converted farm – I’m pretty sure we could get away with flinging turnips across the fields once in a while and we do have a lot of knackered old pallets and an empty coffee can…

‹Makes mental note to display paintball bruises sometime soon›

*but in a good way, I hasten to add†
†albeit as a really tiny footnote