Power is a State of Mind: September 2024

Monday, 30 September 2024

Come see Mr Scruff this Saturday

Mr Scruff has been DJing and producing with his eclectic brand of music styles for decades. His Keep it Unreal nights feature house, jazz, hip hop, drum and bass, reggae and everything in between. All the while, line-drawn animations of anthropomorphic household objects play on screens around the club.

I went to one of his nights back in 2003 in what was Music Box, which is now just the Tesco on Oxford Rd. A uni mate had invited me down at the time; I recall the heat, the sweat, the anticipation of not knowing which genre was coming next. I remember people trying to get Mr Scruff to sign autographs and draw illustrations from the DJ booth. Meanwhile, said uni mate went to fill up water bottles in the gents’ to save us all money. I also recall the cups of tea being served in a chillout room on one side.

Then I never went again. Why not? I just went to other places with other people. The guy who invited me was insanely overworked on a difficult Product Design degree. I don’t think he went out again after that.

It dawned on me, 21 years later, that I’d planned to go back. Hence, I eventually got around to putting up a meetup on the Manchester Nightlife group. Mr Scruff still plays; Keep it Unreal still runs. The local gig venue Band on the Wall in Northern Quarter hosts the rave nights now, somewhere I’ve been meaning to try for years anyway.

This Saturday, meetup group Manchester Nightlife are headed there. Come join us! Starting in Rewind on Oldham St – formerly Blockbusters (there was seemingly an injunction from the defunct rental store of the same name) we’ll then head to BOTW. It’ll be my first visit to the music venue.

Sunday, 29 September 2024

Sci Fi, Horror, Travel, Drunkenness

On Monday I met UK’s leading SF novelist Peter F Hamilton, the details of which I’m steadily putting together in a blog post. Had Tuesday off for the sole purpose of blogging that. I also booked tickets to For the Love of Horror happening on the 19th next month, in which I’ll be meeting the cast of the Evil Dead and someone off Silence of the Lambs. I was going to meet Dina Meyer – Dizzy Flores in Starship Troopers and Dt Allison Kerry in the Saw movies – but she’d sold out. Selfie bomb time. At the end of the week I was in Essex seeing family. A funeral, sadly. I made it back in time to get the bus into Manchester to meet a mate in a Meetup event he regularly attends. Manchester Socialising and Language Exchange meet regularly in The Ape and Apple near the Town Hall. It’s not so much about language learning as a bunch of mates from all over the world catching up. By the time I’d got there things were winding down, so the only drinking I did was on public transport. I was not the only person under the influence.

Saturday, 28 September 2024

Well, I’m no longer on Universal Credit.

My 12-month transitional protection has ended, and I’m now only on my part time admin wage and the smaller low-rate mobility element of PIP. I am no longer eligible for free prescriptions, eye tests or dental treatment, which will be a bastard in summer when I need hayfever meds, but at least I kicked antidepressants.

So what I'll save by not needing certain meds, I'll have to now pay out for other routine checkups.

It’s still fucked.

It does, however, mean that I can get paid for any additional hours in work, as opposed to needing to take them off in TOIL.

I was also unsuccessful in getting a disabled person’s bus pass. I’d been claiming that, legitimately, from 2008 to 2021, when Transport for Greater Manchester decided I was no longer disabled enough. The update at the time was that these passes were now only being handed out to people who were under the Learning Disability team in the local authority.

I was under them, briefly, in 2010-2011, but I had to file a complaint against the social worker for negligence and was taken out of her care. But that’s another story.

I did a bit of asking around. It seems the requirement for people to be actual LD patients in social care was introduced because professionals were filling out forms for people ‘willy-nilly’ as one professional told me. So they had to put in some stipulations.

The weird thing is, when I first got mine in ‘08, I wasn’t even properly diagnosed. I’d only just found out I’d been misdiagnosed, and that I needed a new assessment. They hadn’t even asked for the medical information; they’d just seemingly taken my employment mentor’s word for it.

More recently, I got a little clarity on this. The Bee Network took over First Buses in March this year. their routes were and still are operating in Oldham and Manchester. TfGM oversees all of this. One of the new rules for administering travel passes: ‘Would be refused a driving licence on the grounds of: severe enduring mental health; epilepsy, or giddiness and fainting; sight problems; other.’ Otherwise, and applicant would now need ‘a neurological development condition including ADHD, autism or other related conditions that would result in the refusal of a driving licence.’

It might be worth me booking a Citizen’s Advice appointment just to see whether there’s anything I’m just not aware of. After all, that’s how I’d found out about Transitional Protection in the first place. It’s also how, some years prior to that, I got back on Working Tax Credits after a) being booted off and b) being chased by debt collectors, for HMRC’s own mistakes.

I’ll probably update on this in a couple of weeks. There is a lot going on in terms of memory, confidence, the new government, cooking, etc. etc. All of this will appear here as part of #psychologysaturday.

Monday, 23 September 2024

Peter F Hamilton signing TONIGHT

Britain’s leading Sci Fi author Peter F Hamilton will be discussing his latest novel Exodus: The Archimedes Engine tonight. Waterstones Deansgate will be hosting the writer, who’ll be discussing the work, answering questions and signing copies. There are still tickets! Event starts 18:30.

Busy week this week so no meetup, although expect a write-up on the above, info on the upcoming Saddleworth Santa Dash and at least one meetup next week.

Sunday, 22 September 2024

Canon Hall / WeRoad / Salmon of Knowledge

Busy week. Went out to Canon Hall in Yorkshire with family. Got food.

Went to a WeRoad Social Meetup in Manahatta Deansgate. Another medley of people, good folk, no real agenda though. I stayed for a bit. WeRoad organise group travel trips across the world and provide opportunities to meet other backpacker types.

Last night was the first public night of The Salmon of Knowledge, a quirky new Irish bar in the Northern Quarter. Named after the wisdom figure of Irish Mythology, the bar features mosaics of Irish celebs (spot them yourself), cartoon fish, 70s disco and rock, hipsters and sports. I’d go again.

Saturday, 21 September 2024

Date the Girl in the Supermarket?

My GP retired recently, so I have a few doctors at the surgery that I’ve seen here and there for mental health related things. Dr C seems to be the one I’ve got hold of the most, a Greek dude about my age. I booked in with him after a few attempts at calling the surgery.

My sleep is all over the place at the moment and depression and anxiety are kicking my arse. I’ve already made yet another referral to Healthy Minds, the local low-level mental health service. I’ve been under them numerous times before and I’ve no idea what they could say that I haven’t heard already, but I have to do something. I’m struggling to keep my eyes open in work. Healthy Minds actually texted me on Friday last week to offer me an appointment. I made a mental note to action it, but then forgot.

A GP appointment was another avenue I explored. I explained how lack of sleep was affecting me in work and people were noticing. (I wrote down to mention that my Universal Credit award ends this month, which is adding a little stress. I’m not sure that I actually mentioned it, though.)

Dr C suggested I focus on who I am, not what I want. On the journey – meeting people, and the journey of life, I guess – not the end point. (The ‘end point’ in question is a relationship, not death.) I need to sell myself more, to work on ‘marketing’ myself.

‘Relationships can be shit,’ Dr C said in his thick Greek accent. ‘You should see some of the married guys I know. They’re so fucking miserable. You think a relationship is going to end your problems? That’s the start of your problems.’

As grim as this all sounds, there were some positives to the meeting.

Dr C went on: ‘I mean, you *could* go on antidepressants again, but I don’t think you need them. It’d just be like slapping a band aid on. It doesn’t address the underlying issues.’

I explained I’d been on a few of them before. They helped me to sleep, but they made me fat, and killed my sex drive, which defeated the purpose of going on them in the first place.

‘Look at the good things in life’ seemed to be the parting wisdom. ‘Don’t date the girl in the club. Date the girl in the supermarket.’

Sadly, since then, I forgot about the text from Healthy Minds and that window of opportunity passed. They texted me again asking me to re-apply. I will at some point.

Therein lies the problem: part of the underlying reason for my depression is the persistent mistakes I make from forgetting things. So then I try to address this and… forget to respond to text messages about the treatment, and get denied the treatment.

I would question, though, why such services think a grown adult would make the decision to ask for mental health support and then change his mind? Who, after receiving a call from such services – that they requested themselves – then say, ‘actually, no, I’m alright?’ Why should I have to confirm with them that I definitely need the help that I’ve already asked for?

Well. I’m continuing with my meetups in Manchester bars and clubs, but still. Watch this space.

Now, where’s my Clubcard?

Wednesday, 18 September 2024

Ex Oh! With Josh Wink

Manchester Nightlife Meetup group moved into A Higher State of Consciousness on Saturday night when 90s dance legend Josh Wink performed a DJ set in Exhibition.

The Peter St venue, a restaurant compendium by day (several eateries occupy kitchen spaces around the outside) transformed to a club at night for an evening of house music. Tables and seating were removed to make a good dance floor space. Ex Oh! Presents:EXHBTN360, as the night was called, riffed off the position of the DJ booth: in the middle of the room, as opposed to against one wall or on a stage. Some might say the centrality gives Exhibition more inclusive vibe, more so thanks to the incredible house music, which included Don’t Laugh, produced by Josh Wink himself as ‘Winx.’

Brilliant night. I of course managed to selfie-bomb.

Monday, 16 September 2024

Come Play Bongo's Bingo on Saturday

On the blog: a review of the Ex Oh! Josh Wink night, some sage medical advice for depression, another recipe and soon another project re December’s Santa Dash.

Saturday: it’s about time we got back involved with the most insane bingo game on the planet: Bongo’s Bingo! Think a standard bingo game, with added cross dressers, techno raves, fluffy unicorn (and later cash) prizes and a thousand people calling you a dickhead if you false call. It’s hilarious.

I’ve not done it since pre-pandemic, so this Saturday shall be the reprise. Meeting in Albert’s Schloss at 11:30, we’ll then nip upstairs into Albert Hall – a renovated Wesleyan chapel – and the games will begin.

Manchester Nightlife and Manc Mates are due to go. If you fancy giving it a shot and meeting new people, get involved! Tickets are currently £18. They may rise and they will definitely sell out. I’m buying mine tomorrow.

Sunday, 15 September 2024

Lame Locks, Louisiana Lunch, Late Last Night

Friday I went to some kind of 30s-40s Singles Mingles Lock and Key event in Ark on the Locks. We were all given lanyards. The guys had keys on these lanyards, the girls had locks. Some of the keys, supposedly, opened some of the locks. When you get a match, you get a raffle ticket that gets you a chance of winning prizes, so whether you’re interested or not, the aim is still to try people’s locks and get talking to people. I never saw anyone unlock, and don’t remember any prizes being awarded. Aside from someone at the entrance to the downstairs room, where it was held, nobody seemed to be in charge.

A lot of these dating events are pretty lacklustre and not well organised, nor are they particularly well-attended. I tried to go to one last week that was cancelled due to lack of interest.

After this a few of us went to Dirty Martini for a bit as nowhere on the Locks would have been busy for hours.

Yesterday was the last day of trade for the Church St Markets down the side of the Arndale. In the past I’ve bought some good books from there. No luck this final time.

Then I went for food at the new Popeyes restaurant in Piccadilly Gardens as that ridiculous Olympic Workout project is over and I can, for the moment at least, eat what I want.

Last night I saw DJ Josh Wink in Exhibition. Great night. Further details to come.

In other news, sadly Northern Quarter cafe Takk has closed. I went to a few meetups there before the pandemic. Nice Icelandic themed cafe. Sorry to see it go.

Saturday, 14 September 2024

Stuffed Braised Celery

I decided to give Jamie Oliver’s recipes another shot. I’ve cooked a few of them and was never particularly bowled over by them, but was tempted to try something Mediterranean, so returned to my signed copy of Jamie Cooks Italy. I picked out Stuffed Braised Celery. I’m a fan of sausages, and I’m looking to up my veg intake, so it seemed like an interesting choice.

A weird one.

I was wondering if Oliver had just invented it, but it seems like it’s a traditional Tuscan recipe, according to cooking site Food52. The recipe suggested a 2 hour 20 cooking time, but it took me 3 hours 10 in total. It wasn’t easy. I forgot parts of it, including turning the stuffed celery heads half way through the cooking time. I also forgot that, during the initial oven time, there was a huge part of the instructions that I should have been following. As mentioned last week, I stick with garlic granules as whenever I buy heads of garlic, they dry up before I can use them all. But even the granules pot won’t close properly, so I had to excavate them by uncapping the pot and stabbing it with a thin knife. The recipe asks for ‘2 tins worth of water.’ As in the tins the tomatoes may have came from? Tins of… cherry tomatoes? Not punnets? Because that’s what mine came in. Each tin probably would have weighed 400g, so I used 800mls of water.

The outcome was… okay. Given what all of the ingredients are, and their individual flavours and nutritional values, I may as well have just made bolognaise.

I’m not doing Jamie Oliver recipes any more.

Wednesday, 11 September 2024

Olympic Workouts ‘24: Results!

Right at the end of July, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opened in spectacular fashion to the backdrop of the Louvre, the Arc de Triomph and the Eiffel Tower.

At this point, I started a dieting and workout project. The aim: lose 4.5kg and beat some chin-up and dips records.

The games: superb. The athletes: powerhouses. I can imagine that several will get advertising deals and will officially open a few supermarkets over the next few months.

I spent a lot of the Olympics and Paralympics in front of the TV working out with my Pull-Up Mate. I did gym classes alongside it, but no actual gym work. I haven’t ran in over a month. I followed recipes (many already listed on the blog, more to come), made soups, ate sweet potato. I was 76.5kg. I aimed for 72.2. I’m now 76.1. Woo. I’m likely to put that back on in the next week. I just wasn’t rigid enough with food. Too much bread. Too many hot chocolates. Not enough prepping lunches, too much buying stuff in work. Not enough water.

As for personal bests, I was 2 away from matching my underhand chin-up record, and 1 away from matching my overhand. Again, if I’d just been more disciplined… I did, however, put 5 more on my dips record bringing it to 160.

There will now be a short intermission of junk food and alcohol before another fitness project. Santa Dash is just under 3 months away. No official date advertised yet but it’s probably Saturday 7th December.

Monday, 9 September 2024

Josh Wink on Saturday

The Paralympics is over, and so is this ridiculous dieting and chin-up challenge. Details to come.

Friday night: Meetup group Manchester Nightlife is out in Spinningfields for a few cocktails. Shock: I am drinking. Not going overboard, though, as I’m out again the next night.

This Saturday, Manchester Nightlife is again out on Peter St to see DJ Josh Wink (remember Higher State of Consciousness from 1997?) We’re starting in Albert’s Schloss and moving to Exhibition. There are still tickets!

Sunday, 8 September 2024

Deansgate Absurdity

On Instagram: discussed grammar with Aria Six, and scenes with Dharma Jones.

On X: ID’s Reece Dinsdale follows me back. Star Wars’ Jimmy Vee raised a few eyebrows with some anti-refugee sentiment.

Last night Manchester Nightlife meetup group did a few bars on Deansgate. Ups and downs on this night. Good night generally, starting in Slug and Lettuce, but particularly trying out the new Electric Shuffle, disco themed games bar.

Sadly one member tested our patience for the last time and kicked off because he didn’t want to stay in Raft, when the rest of us did.

He was always a difficult type. It was only a matter of time before he kicked off. He’s left the group himself.

Sadly, there’s a very specific stereotype that’s emerging on the Meetup scene. These people have been around for at least a decade and I’m noticing them time and time again. I might get in some shit for writing this, but I’ll deal with it as and when. There are a handful of people, British born Pakistani / Bangladeshi lads, in their 20s, who have grown up in probably a strict Muslim household. They’ve moved out and got themselves a decent paying job in the city. They’re renting in some flat somewhere close to the centre. They don’t know anyone, so they’ve got onto Meetup to look for people to meet and things to do. A lot of these guys are obviously gay and in the closet. They’ve found alcohol, but because they haven’t really drank much, their tolerance is low and their ability to handle alcohol is too. So their suppressed sexuality starts to ebb through and they clumsily come on to straight guys on Meetup. (The above guy didn’t, but I can think of more than one who did that.) They're used to their community backing them up and being able to say whatever they want and get away with it. When they come to the city, it doesn't occur to them that that isn't the case here. I know at least one of these guys who rolled up to a meetup with a black eye.

Jesus Christ.

Well, Manchester Nightlife is going to see Josh Wink next week. Should be a lot better. Join us!

Saturday, 7 September 2024

Gado Gado

I dipped back into The Green Roasting Tin for Gado Gado, an Indonesian salad recipe with warm potatoes, green beans, beansprouts and peanut-coconut dressing.

Prep time took me 30 not 15, due to memory difficulties and checking instructions. Otherwise, a straightforward task. I used dried coriander, not fresh. It emerged from the oven with a great spicy, peanut taste.

I have a burgeoning love for potatoes.