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48 minutes ago, RelentlessOblivion said:

Do they still have the shrine of toys dedicated to the supposed ghost of that little girl down there? I remember doing most of the historical tours in Edinburgh whilst there in '04 and enjoying them. Greyfriar's Cemetary and the Covenantor's Prison was most interesting to me.

Yep the shrine of Annie is still there.

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4 hours ago, deathstorm said:

I’m not feeling well I’m sick  with bad cold  went for a chest x-Ray 

The common cold can be a real bitch!!! Been confined to bed with it myself the last few days...healthy food with black pepper together with apple cider vinegar and honey added to water...and lots of it!!!!You will not be cured in five minutes but it reduces the pains and comfort. Birch bark speeds up the recovery even more, but works best against infections, so I try not to use it more than necessary. 

Hope you'll feel better soon :-)

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1 hour ago, Tortuga said:

The common cold can be a real bitch!!! Been confined to bed with it myself the last few days...healthy food with black pepper together with apple cider vinegar and honey added to water...and lots of it!!!!You will not be cured in five minutes but it reduces the pains and comfort. Birch bark speeds up the recovery even more, but works best against infections, so I try not to use it more than necessary. 

Hope you'll feel better soon :-)

Thanks yeah I hope I don’t have pneumonia 

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15 hours ago, deathstorm said:

Thanks yeah I hope I don’t have pneumonia 

Worried about your lunges? Thyme will cleanse and strengthen your lungs! I do not know about The U. S, but in Scandinavia you can buy thyme in every supermarket. Sage is also good against lung problems, but go easy on it if you are a guy...sage contains oestrogens. 

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Huge doom/stoner show at the metal pub tonight with a huge $50 entrance fee! Church of Misery headlining. Never heard of them, but I think they’re Japanese. 

Quick beer in the bar room then moving on. 

Pantera currently on the speakers by the way. A huge playlist now that we’re three pints in and it’s taken me nearly an hour from starting this post to now. 

Hail Pantera. Hail Metal Forum. 

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Recently got back from a trip to NYC, probably my last one until next spring. Lots of good times with friends, and walking around by myself. Highlights included sushi for my friend's birthday, visiting Grimm Brewery in Brooklyn, and standing in a strong crossbreeze about a third of the way across the Williamsburg Bridge, hearing and feeling the trains go by behind me, and relaxing with the knowledge that, however briefly, I was home again. Boy, I sure do miss it a ton.

Coming back to MA afterwards - a good place, to be sure - I was vaguely conscious of the routines I've developed here snapping back into place around me, setting my feet again on this particular treadmill. I feel like a different person here, the product of a thousand tiny things that add up to a different set of available choices and behaviors. It's much more constrained. But we do get some peace and quiet, clean air, and night skies. And the occasional quality bowl of pho. 

Current mood: hoping to enjoy the autumn, dreading the winter.

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5 hours ago, FatherAlabaster said:

Recently got back from a trip to NYC, probably my last one until next spring. Lots of good times with friends, and walking around by myself. Highlights included sushi for my friend's birthday, visiting Grimm Brewery in Brooklyn, and standing in a strong crossbreeze about a third of the way across the Williamsburg Bridge, hearing and feeling the trains go by behind me, and relaxing with the knowledge that, however briefly, I was home again. Boy, I sure do miss it a ton.

Coming back to MA afterwards - a good place, to be sure - I was vaguely conscious of the routines I've developed here snapping back into place around me, setting my feet again on this particular treadmill. I feel like a different person here, the product of a thousand tiny things that add up to a different set of available choices and behaviors. It's much more constrained. But we do get some peace and quiet, clean air, and night skies. And the occasional quality bowl of pho. 

Current mood: hoping to enjoy the autumn, dreading the winter.

Glad you had a great time  buddy fright fest was awesome 

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Away most of next week in London (well Richmond upon Thames).  Fucking hate London with a passion, managed plot a route in avoiding any of the London stations though meaning a change at Watford Junction which will save me having to go into London to come straight back out again.  No such luck on the way back though, London Euston here I come!

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3 hours ago, MacabreEternal said:

Away most of next week in London (well Richmond upon Thames).  Fucking hate London with a passion, managed plot a route in avoiding any of the London stations though meaning a change at Watford Junction which will save me having to go into London to come straight back out again.  No such luck on the way back though, London Euston here I come!

What do you hate about it? I've never been but always kind of wanted to check it out.

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Just now, FatherAlabaster said:

What do you hate about it? I've never been but always kind of wanted to check it out.

The ruthlessness of the jostling for the tube, the endless queues of traffic regardless of time of day or night.  The exaggerated grandiosity of the whole city because of it's capital status.  Conversation is a dead art there, unless you are for picking a fight or casual disagreement.  It's culturally and socially isolating despite the diversity that's so obvious wherever you go.  It never feels like the rich cultural themes that would make for such a fulfilling and inclusive community are breathing beyond ethnicity, race, gender or age.  This is not just London that this happens of course but it just pisses me off more there because the opportunity is far more widespread given the size of the place yet all I see is people living in silos.  Manchester is a close second I have to admit.

In fact Edinburgh is probably one of the most culturally rich places I have ever been to in the British Isles.  I spent half an hour sat in a bar talking with an Indian girl last week about her beer brewing exploits and her passion and determination despite some set backs was inspiring.  Similarly the guy in the shop I bought my rings from was genuinely interested in engaging in conversation with me about my ring collection.  Not retail tittle tattle talk about the weather or how long I was visiting for, a proper interest in my interest.  There's none of this I have experienced in London or Manchester sadly, the majority of the people I see are just dead inside.  Going there for work a lot over a 2 year period hasn't helped London but then again I worked in Edinburgh a bit too - which might become a thing again soon.

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1 hour ago, MacabreEternal said:

The ruthlessness of the jostling for the tube, the endless queues of traffic regardless of time of day or night.  The exaggerated grandiosity of the whole city because of it's capital status.  Conversation is a dead art there, unless you are for picking a fight or casual disagreement.  It's culturally and socially isolating despite the diversity that's so obvious wherever you go.  It never feels like the rich cultural themes that would make for such a fulfilling and inclusive community are breathing beyond ethnicity, race, gender or age.  This is not just London that this happens of course but it just pisses me off more there because the opportunity is far more widespread given the size of the place yet all I see is people living in silos.  Manchester is a close second I have to admit.

In fact Edinburgh is probably one of the most culturally rich places I have ever been to in the British Isles.  I spent half an hour sat in a bar talking with an Indian girl last week about her beer brewing exploits and her passion and determination despite some set backs was inspiring.  Similarly the guy in the shop I bought my rings from was genuinely interested in engaging in conversation with me about my ring collection.  Not retail tittle tattle talk about the weather or how long I was visiting for, a proper interest in my interest.  There's none of this I have experienced in London or Manchester sadly, the majority of the people I see are just dead inside.  Going there for work a lot over a 2 year period hasn't helped London but then again I worked in Edinburgh a bit too - which might become a thing again soon.

So right on so many levels.

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2 hours ago, MacabreEternal said:

The ruthlessness of the jostling for the tube, the endless queues of traffic regardless of time of day or night.  The exaggerated grandiosity of the whole city because of it's capital status.  Conversation is a dead art there, unless you are for picking a fight or casual disagreement.  It's culturally and socially isolating despite the diversity that's so obvious wherever you go.  It never feels like the rich cultural themes that would make for such a fulfilling and inclusive community are breathing beyond ethnicity, race, gender or age.  This is not just London that this happens of course but it just pisses me off more there because the opportunity is far more widespread given the size of the place yet all I see is people living in silos.  Manchester is a close second I have to admit.

 

Honestly, most of this could describe New York just as well, if you're there for a visit. It's overwhelming and off-putting if you don't know what to expect. Yet weirdly, I found it easy to make friends there, and I'd say there are a lot of thriving cultures and overlapping circles of people. 

But now you've made me want to visit Edinburgh.

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On 10/8/2018 at 1:09 AM, FatherAlabaster said:

Honestly, most of this could describe New York just as well, if you're there for a visit. It's overwhelming and off-putting if you don't know what to expect. Yet weirdly, I found it easy to make friends there, and I'd say there are a lot of thriving cultures and overlapping circles of people. 

But now you've made me want to visit Edinburgh.

Update, yesterday I saw some heartwarming action on the stairs at Willesden Junction station.  An African lady was struggling with a pram/buggy and 4 fellow passengers actually helped her carry it up the steps and even took time to make sure she knew which train she wanted.  I actually smiled.

There's still an undercurrent to this city that makes me feel uneasy and on edge and despite the things highlighted in my post above I still feel there's more to it than that.  I just can't help but feel that for a place so full of life it is actually a very empty city.

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