grumpyf1

Anyone who says that their success in the swimming pool was because “I used all of my mystic energy” is already high on my list of Olympic heroes. Sorry, Team GB - You’re doing brilliantly at the 2016 Olympic Games , with a bumper crop of medals and lofty position in the standings, but you aren’t a 20 year old Chinese competitor called Fu. The swimmer has tasted success twice in Rio, with 2 bronze medals, in the Women’s 100 metres backstroke, and as part of the Women’s 4x100m medley relay team. Fu Yuanhani has also become an internet sensation via her displays at the games, but not entirely because of her achievements. With The Huffington Post, Guardian, Daily Mail and many other publications featuring her, Fu has won the hearts of millions in her home country and around the world due to her being a charming combination of down to earth, normal, geeky, nerdy, and providing the internet with some genuinely heart-warming and funny moments. With her follower count on Weibo (Ch...

Slimmer. Friendlier. Drinks balloons. What's not to like about my stand-in? Many of us have to spend much of our week wedged into a small space with people we didn’t choose to sit with. I’ve had desks in all sorts of places over the years. Computer centres, airless open-plan offices where you couldn’t hear yourself think; draughty warehouses with broken windows – I’ve sat on chairs with varying amounts of wheels on in all of them. I currently share an office in a glorified shed with two other departments. I say departments – due to the small size of the organisation I work for, the three of us make up the IT, Health & Safety and Marketing teams between us. Two of those vital sections were on holiday this week – not together, as far as I know - so it’s been rather quiet in the Man Cave. Although it would be irresponsible and very un-blokey to admit it, I have rather missed them. A bit. Don’t tell them, though. Excluding weekends, I spend over 8 hours a day with them....

What’s a columnist to do when the Lake District National Park expands? Re-word a Britpop anthem, obviously. If you’ve never heard Blur’s ‘Parklife’: a) You should – it’s great b) This isn’t going to make any sense at all. In honour of the Lake District getting a bit bigger this week, I’ve done what anyone would do under the circumstances, and changed the lyrics to fit the occasion. Sorry, Blur... Oi!  Expansion is a preference for the Cumbrian area of what is known as the National Parklife The A591’s the best route straight through what is known as Parklife Lake District just got 3% bigger, that’s 27 more square miles to love of hills and fells Parklife You can go out marching, head on down to Sizergh mate, get some exercise Loads more people 300 people They all now live inside Side-by-side in their parklife Know what I mean? Lyth Valley’s open (except when flooded) where I get truly amazed by all the damsons Parklife I put my boots on, have a cup of tea an...

Funny how it goes, isn't it? This blog is six years old, and I've experienced some euphoric highs in terms of visits, and some crushing lows that left me wondering why I was bothering. I was startled to log in the other day and discover that the Queen at Wembley column had, in the space of 2 weeks, become the most viewed post... by four times more than the previous best. As if that wasn't jaw-dropping enough, in under a week the fad food one has also become 6th most viewed post ever. The stats are a little limited on here, but it also appears that the views for these are predominantly from the UK - a switch from the more usual USA readership. Not sure what I did right, or if it's just luck, but hey - I'll take it. Thanks for reading them - you've made my day! (Another break from the CD A-Z today, for a new compilation from a-ha - 'Time and Again - The Ultimate'. True, I've already got the hits, but I'm a sucker for a good remix, and...