Category: Family
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Still got game
A couple of days ago I was rummaging around in one of the many boxes of crap piled up in my study, when I found my old Nintendo Donkey Kong game (you know, the old orange clam-shell one). I don’t know why I’ve still got it – maybe out of sentimental gratitude for all the dull church services it helped me through during my boarding school days. I showed it to my 8-year-old son (Finn) who was distinctly underwhelmed, until I told him that this was the ‘original Nintendo DS’ (hey, it has two screens…), and explained that the little guy was Mario of Super… Read more
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Tomorrow’s World Finally Arrives
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. I’m a complete whore for technology. I wouldn’t quite put myself in the nerd/geek camp (although some would) but I do love the good, practical use of technology. And with the convergence of a couple of new-ish technologies, I’ve finally turned my home into something that could have featured on Tomorrow’s World – albeit back in the seventies. It started with the recent purchase (as a 10th wedding anniversary present) of a new TV – a 50″ Plasma HD TV, which now hangs on the wall above the fireplace (where it doesn’t look… Read more
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Terrorism begins at home
There was a report in the UK’s Guardian Online a couple of weeks ago about Anthony Garcia who is currently on trial in England for ‘conspiracy to cause explosions’ under the terrorism laws. One of the pieces of evidence against him was that he had attended an Al-Qaeda training camp in Pakistan. But in his defence, Mr. Garcia explains that he only attended the camp for a couple of weeks, before checking himself out. And why did he leave early? Because he’d learnt all there was to know about blowing up innocent people? Or because he was disappointed to find… Read more
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And not a ‘Hi-De-Hi’ within earshot
Last weekend we enjoyed a family holiday (4 days – does that count as a holiday?) at one of the CenterParcs here in Belgium (De Vossemeren). We’ve never done one of these kind of places before (I think us Brits have a natural aversion to anything that even vaguely smells of a Butlins Holiday Camp), but yes, we did actually enjoy it. It’s not necessarily my first choice of vacation [I couldn’t sell the family on a 10-day meditation retreat…], but the kids loved it and if they’re happy then the holidays are a lot more relaxing for us parents,… Read more
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World class what, now?
So, my kids’ school is closing down. I don’t want to get all concerned-parent-launches-Save-Our-Schools-campaign, but there are certain aspects to this that really burn my ass. The school (The British Primary School, in Vossem (near Brussels) in Belgium) has been running for thirty years. Last year the original (and now aged) founders decided that it was about time they retired, and sold it to an ‘educational company’ called WCLS (World Class Learning Schools and Systems). The announcement of the closure was made by Charlie Freer, the US-based Finance Director of WCLS, who flew over especially so he could tell us… Read more