Wub..wub...wubwubwubwub...

I'll admit, I slipped of the cultural and marketing radars about 2001. Since then everything that is new, cutting edge or Zeitgeist-y strikes me with total indifference.

Dubstep is one of these things that makes me shrug my shoulders. 'It sounds like Stephen Hawking beatboxing, so what?'  I thought. However, it seems someone always finds an angle to fire my interest on the cultural lucky dip that is Youtube. Among all the Bieber-esque turds was this nugget of pure amusement I had to watch several times:

X loves the I-Pad. A little TOO much.

So I've been laid low with gastric flu over the last few days..

Fever, stonking headache, bowels like roiling like steaming gravy. A real triple threat..

Anyway, X loves using my I-Pad. He enjoys watching Youtube where people play Mario themed games of every sort. Characters with names such as 'Chugga Conroy' and 'Nintendo Capri Sun'. Delightfully nerdy sorts with peppy personalities and a large following, you might now the sort. These people are like friends to him and he shares their nuggets of wisdom with us on a daily basis. Its pretty much most days that I will hear the words: "Alex, can I watch my videos on your I-Pad?". I didn't expect him to be asking at the moment I was chundering down the toilet though:

I charge past X on the stairs and mutter something like "Excuse me, I'm gonna be sick in the toilet" before slamming the door behind me.

X: 'Are you being sick in the toilet, Alex?'

Me: being sick in the toilet... [ I thought that was an obvious enough response for him]

X: 'Are you being sick in the toilet, Alex?'

Me: Yes.

X: [pause] 'Can I watch my videos on your I-Pad, Alex?'

The boy has a one track mind to marvel at. Even when you're crouched over the toilet...

It felt like Autumn ambushed me...

One minute all October sunshine and cloudless skies, next minute winter dimness on my work commute.

I'm the only one still wearing shorts on the school pick-up though. The ladies and gents of Molesey regard me with curious eyes as I march up to get X at home time.. the cold is a state of mind I guess! 

Most of my activities have been indoors of late. Our visit to the local fireworks display was a great success though. I dreaded little D freaking out at the bangs and the whistles like all the toddlers around us, but she did me proud. Whilst X oohed and aahed in all the right places, she just looked a bit bored!  

Did you catch any of the US Elections at all? I followed them with some interest (the lesser of two evils won in my mind, thankfully). It made me wonder - how could anyone really vote for Romney, a man who looks like he lights his cigars with one hundred dollar bills? The only non-white people he meets are probably the ones who clean his pool! He just reminded me of a younger, more photogenic version of these two: 

Obama is marginally better in my mind. At least he doesn't (blatantly) send US troops abroad to protect the financial needs of his backers. You'd imagine that Romney would have a long list of 'well wishers' demanding some action to make them a few bucks if he got the job.. like invading Iran perhaps? Instead we have Mr O for another term, caning the credit card to pay the bills for a little longer until he has no other choice. I watched his acceptance speech with a sort of flat bemusement. He trotted out all the patriotic platitudes you would expect and the crowd whooped and hollered their joy (or was it relief?). I reckon the people from Schmoyoho said it best.

A.