Ethics and trading

 

 
After just unsnaking a thick audio cable that had gotten tangled around my arm where I had been doing some tests earlier on I have a few thoughts concerning things concerning some of my interests.

One is how much trust you can actually put in people when you buy things often collectible or 'used' that they are what the seem or do actually work.

 
If you buy say collectable you do need to know that something that is billed as a First Edition is just that  and certainly with some things such as Sci Fi merchandise and especially records it's been very clear to me that what they were offering was not a first edition or even a second reprint but something that came out many years afterwards.

 
It may be fine as a place filler and perfectly acceptable for what it actually is but it isn't as billed.

 
I got a record that is perfectly fine but a reissue from a year later which as it is in better shape from my original I'll keep but if you're going to make claims around this, do know what you're talking about.

 
Equally when it comes to things like dolls or  electrical consumables such as say Cassette Decks, "In good working condition" may seem a step up from "Looks as new and in box" but have they actually full tested it? Is everything there?

 
Digressing a little to make a point to check a cassette deck you need to see that it rewinds and fast forwards smoothly, that pressing stop stops the machine dead, that when you put a tape it plays correctly and seeing it records you need to put a blank tape in and check it records properly before you can actually say it is.

 
To me that's obvious but I am not so sure people get that anymore than obviously a musical box should be checked it plays a tune and a clock winds up and keeps good time.

 
I suspect some people selling on Ebay and in other places don't understand what selling entails not least what customers do expect for anything other than "as seen" because potentially these things are matters that consumer protection  apart from actually undermining your own personal reputation as a seller which really matters.

1000th Entry

I'm still a bit rough as it were but actually were at about the nine hundreth post on this blog which goes back rather a long time looking at past childhoods, age regression, being an adult little girl and all the things that go in this crazy life.

Everything starts from somewhere and that somewhere included little rituals like reading comics such as the Beano every Wednesday and in a sea of changes that has seen many comics go and changed reading habits that's still a constant. 

Most of us could relate to the world of the Bash Street Kids even if mirroring real life over the decades that's changed too and I adored Minnie The Minx.

 

Today reading for kids goes into such things like this magazine for junior fans of Jacqueline Wilson's popular mainly girlcentric stories as well as National  Geographic for Kids and with some regret children's celebratory magazines which just seem very frothy and sugary, lacking substance.

To me this life is about doing, following things living a more regressed child-like life so sometimes there's things about activities, being away from adult things we may need to engage with.

This can include nature as in exploring your surroundings, taking an interest in different species and varieties of animals and habitats as well as man made things such as historic events and buildings.
The  act of doing these things adds to our store of experiences that builds up our character and makes memories that can be backed up photographs and writing which is the measure of this regressed alg life rather than a preoccupation with dress.

Dress is great, dress is something I do like in the context taking in uniform but it isn't the life, that's what happens when you're in it.

Britishers might remember (and they're probably on YouTube apart from dvd) the Mr Benn cartoons where he changed his outfit and had an adventure. Well the thing that was interesting was that adventure, that by casting off those clothes he cast away what held him back from being that person having the adventure. 

What holds us back often is us.

Regression for me is therapeutic doing that which is enjoyable, comforting and operating within my own limitations rather than feeling pressured to go beyond, into things I can cannot see or find too frustrating to attempt to keep up with.

That's really what blog is about so while you might see a book or a music review the enjoyment of it is a part of that life being the context it happens in.

Teh Internet edition

Things will be a bit different this week for a variety of reasons one being actually I'm not well being on hot drinks, throat pastels and the like as I have a bit of soar throat and cold.

 The other is while all this is going on my Broadband is being upgrade to "Superfast Fibre" by my provider for free which should give me a speed of on average 67mbps which is just over two-thirds as fast as my current speed.

Part of that is done electronically, throwing a switch to send my internet via the service but to fully use it I need to change my modem and router combination for a new all in one faster hub which even if I'd been well would of been taxing so I'm kind of dependent on someone doing it when it suits them.
That means I may not around this weekend gone to write this blog and other things like Storytime at FA so I'll have to occupy myself with comic and music until I'm back up ready to change the Wifi name and password across laptop and chromebook.

Regressive correction

Tumblr's ownership is changing on Sept 26th but that's not going to alter this blog purpose one bit.

 
Reading is one thing I do like and I have read Juliet at the Chalet School a few times with the reminder of that series together with Enid Blyton's boarding school series for good measure. 

One thing that has always been a bit of an issue is I find I really need corporal punishment running across my life as my own ability to regulate my emotions or have the foresight to see how I am carrying on has an affect not just for me but on others is not good.

 
You might think suggesting quietly I didn't do something would work but I just ignore such 'low voltage' approaches  being poor on picking up clues.

 
On the other hand just raising a voice doesn't really work with me I'd be so over stimulated by that I'd go straight into oppositional behaviour mode, challenging you to the bitter end.

 
You find what tends to work for me is you just take over and give me something that can't be argued with or ignored - a well spanked bottom held down firmly so I have to have endure it to the point I surrender my behaviour and accept your limits.

 
This includes a discrete lifting of my skirt and a firm smack being delivered to my bottom as anyone important comes in to remind me to behave and the consequences that just happen if I don't before I have done anything.

 
To be honest I like people when I'm like this just with prior approval (as all else is technically assault) to feel free to just take me to one side and spank my bottom for me whenever they feel I need it.

September round up

There is little denying we are moving toward Fall, where there nutkins start to gather up nuts and acorns to store and the birds in my garden start eating the berries like there's no tomorrow round the back and near to where I often walk.
With the present political mess going on I find getting out and away from it all helps.

Something I did pick up recently was this three cd set of albums by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes who were one of the leading Philly Soul bands of the 1970's as it had  a couple of albums I lacked  plus some alternate mixes.

Lead vocalist Teddy Pendergast, left the group in 1975 and his career was one I followed having all his solo albums so this set nicely completes a set of his recordings for me.

A few thoughts on disability

It is in some respects a a bit of odd time for me because apart from observing the start of new term seeing the locals return or even start school for the very first time it also is the first week where officially I have the extent of my disabilities formally reflected in the financial support I receive and from that other kinds of assistance.
People had when I was growing up very conflicted ideas around what is disability thinking it was either sensory such as blindness or being hearing impaired or being full time on crutches or using a wheelchair so not to be in that category meant you were seen as not 'really' disabled except when it suited them and they tended to push you toward the idea you didn't have one even if you clearly had a disabling condition to the point you didn't really know if should should 'tick' any boxes that asked about it.
Like you could have a disabled education but not be disabled or struggle with reading but not qualify for support with form filling or finding you way around places so the fact you could walk short distances meant you inability to use that to be independent wasn't taken into account.
A very oxymoronish world.
In effect they created a category of disabled but not disabled really people who didn't get what they needed in education, work and everyday life because of a rigid medical idea about what constitutes a disability and so were bound to struggle while others were assisted and sometimes were elevated above you when it came to accessing programs that you needed.
In some respects the change from now on is I'm in that other category but really I'm just the same as I always was so I do need to think a bit more from what I used to know in making the most of being made "Really disabled" to achieve what i am able to with that support I was in effect denied for so long.
 
 
 

Autumn replacements

This week has been a bit busy with getting some basic ideas for an upcoming event sorted out, finishing off some redone MiniDiscs and out doing various things for folks so I did a bit a check through my stuff.
I mean how many of us know our sock draws intimately when I noticed a few of mine were rather bobbled and even had worn bits around the heels and that  so I needed to replace several pairs.

No, this isn't featuring a record review although there's a Mars Bar going if you get one hidden somewhere here but these are new long socks in grey featuring bows cos I'm a Neko!
Bows also happen to be very pretty too as well as super smol and are vailable from regular children's and schoolwear suppliers cos I'm small really.
I also have a new coat too which is as well given we can have rain or snow  from late Fall through Winter.
The good news is the all the old socks get turned into textile fibres that can be use to make new things.