Wednesday 12th April 2017, 6.50pm (day 2,057)
Something tells me these three have been drinking buddies for a long time. They are all consuming their pints at the same speed, note.
Being 42
Life, one day at a time
Category Archives: Stranger
Cherry blossom worship
Tuesday 28th March 2017, 10.40am (day 2,042)
Last full day in Japan. A couple of free hours this morning were spent in Shinjuku-gyoen park, along with several thousand other people, most of whom seemed to be cooing over the blossoming cherry trees (sakura), with dozens of Japanese engaging in what I could only perceive as a form of fundamental nature worship beneath each one. A total stranger asked me in the hotel elevator this evening whether I had seen the blossoms. They even have national news announcements, blossom forecasts if you like, stating where the best displays are to be found. I don’t dispute these plants’ beauty, but I can’t help thinking — you know, we have cherry blossoms in England too. They’re just there. But clearly I’m missing something.
This week’s transit lounge (Helsinki)
Monday 20th March 2017, 4.55pm (day 2,034)
I am sat in my hotel room in Tokyo as I type this, but there can be no photos of Japan for this day as I didn’t touch Asian soil until Tuesday morning. This is Helsinki, which a few years ago had several shots on this blog in its own right but since then has become another one of those places (Copenhagen, Schiphol, Istanbul….) seen as an airport transfer but not otherwise ‘real’. How does it compare? Well, it has a decent amount of booze in it as you can see. And there was sunshine, which was certainly more than there was in Manchester on departure, or indeed on Tokyo on arrival, both teeming with rain.
Heading home
Thursday 16th March 2017, 5.55pm (day 2,030)
Long day for me today. In on the 7am train out of HB and back on the 17.45 from Manchester, on which this shot was taken. I felt like the woman in the middle.
Waiting room, early train
Monday 27th February 2017, 6.55am (day 2,013)
I don’t make a habit of getting the 06:59 service from Hebden Bridge to Manchester — a two-carriage cattle truck most days. But when I’ve a 9am meeting that can’t be missed, it’s the safest choice. At least it is getting light at that time now. Don’t normally frequent the waiting room either, but it was raining outside today. Welcome to Monday.
Family playing Gauntlet
Saturday 18th February 2017, 2.25pm (day 2,004)
The room full of vintage arcade and computer games at the National Media Museum in Bradford is a cheap form of entertainment during weekends and school holidays — and as a result has featured on this blog before. This family seem to be enjoying their time on the collaborative game, Gauntlet — if you grew up in the 1980s I’m sure you remember it…
At the photography exhibition
Saturday 11th February 2017, 3.05pm (day 1,997)
There is an excellent photography exhibition on at Manchester Art Gallery if you get the chance to go and see it. “Strange but Familiar” — Britain through the eyes of foreign photographers, from the 1930s to the present day. I saw it first time back in December but went back today, taking the family, trying to engage the boy in some media studies. Plenty of people there, including this guy, peering aesthetically at the ‘Swinging London’ section. The shot continues the run I mentioned yesterday, though that will be the last (10th) day of it — tomorrow will definitely be spent entirely in Hebden Bridge.
Applauding the teams out
Thursday 2nd February 2017, 7.45pm (day 1,988)
Evening game at the John Smith’s stadium, Huddersfield — but let’s not talk about it past this point. Suffice to say that only here, when the teams were coming out, did we Brighton fans feel particularly optimistic.
Greenhouse café
Tuesday 31st January 2017, 11.05am (day 1,986)
Although teaching term has restarted at Manchester, this guy still looked very much on his own in the corner of this particular campus café, and that’s what I was trying to capture.
Leeds station bar, Friday night
Friday 27th January 2017, 6.40pm (day 1,982)
Clare’s doing a course in London tomorrow (Saturday) so it seemed like an opportunity to get in a weekend away. Late trip though, so we were passing through Leeds station when Friday night was becoming busy.
Being 42 