Pump am y Penwythnos / Friday Five - 23/03/18

Welsh General / Questions
#1

P’nawn da bawb! Hope you looking forward to a fabulous weekend!

1} This morning I was up at 6:50 dyeing hair for charity. Have you ever dramatically/permanently altered your body’s appearance in any way?

2} Name three things you believe that you should stop buying and why?

  1. What is the most beautiful thing you have in a frame?

4} What is the last kindness you bestowed?

  1. If you could spend six months touring every corner of Wales how would you do it? Mode of transport/accommodation/people to visit/sights to see?
#2

1} This morning I was up at 6:50 dyeing hair for charity. Have you ever dramatically/permanently altered your body’s appearance in any way?
Tattoos and piercings, nothing too exciting.

2} Name three things you believe that you should stop buying and why?
Books, I really have to slow down buying or speed up reading.
I’m struggling with this, I don’t really buy stuff for myself.

3) What is the most beautiful thing you have in a frame?
A family holiday picture from about 3 years ago. Last year’s holiday was almost family picture free, my head wasn’t in a good place at the time, which makes the ones we have all the more precious.

4} What is the last kindness you bestowed?
I fitted a pair of wipers on a lady’s car for her to save her paying £5 for Halfords to do it.

5) If you could spend six months touring every corner of Wales how would you do it? Mode of transport/accommodation/people to visit/sights to see?
I would love to cycle all the hills of Wales stopping in cheap hotels. Anyone is welcome to join me.

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#3

1} This morning I was up at 6:50 dyeing hair for charity. Have you ever dramatically/permanently altered your body’s appearance in any way?

I cut my hair pretty short last December. Dad wasn’t very happy :stuck_out_tongue:

2} Name three things you believe that you should stop buying and why?

I don’t really buy anything I feel like I should stop buying

3) What is the most beautiful thing you have in a frame?

The only thing we have in a frame is this wooden fish my mom has had since before I was born. That and another wooden fish (I guess we have an above average amount of wooden fish on our walls) were probably the reasons my first word was “kala” :smiley:

4} What is the last kindness you bestowed?

I helped my friend study for her chemistry exam

5) If you could spend six months touring every corner of Wales how would you do it? Mode of transport/accommodation/people to visit/sights to see?

I’ll join you @gruntius! :blush:

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#4

1/ When i was a teenager i had ‘rainbow’ hair: blonde, green, purple and black, I was aiming for blue but didn’t quite make it
2/ Petrol - Climate Change
Palm Oil - I don’t always check for the Orang utan unfriendly stuff, I’m a dreadful person
Sandwiches at lunchtime, I should be able to make myself a packed lunch everyday
3/ One of our old dogs, she was a primadonna if you had a camera in your hand:
4/ The ‘contactless’ give £2 to a homeless charity wall thing in Cardiff.
5/ One of the old fashion Romany Horse and Home things, every SSIW user of course, there are sights???
I am so corny

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#5

1} This morning I was up at 6:50 dyeing hair for charity. Have you ever dramatically/permanently altered your body’s appearance in any way?

Grew a moustache and long side-whiskers, in order to take part in a Victorian evening at my wife’s church. I sang a couple of romantic music-hall songs. I would have preferred comic songs (possibly even bawdy ones :slight_smile: ), but couldn’t find anything suitable… :wink:

2} Name three things you believe that you should stop buying and why?

2a. Inkjet printer cartridges because they are stupidly expensive (unfortunately, we can’t really do without them.
2b. Inkjet printers. See above (see above).
2c. Bread and other carbs, because they do me no good (but have to buy them for my better half, and then I go and get tempted by them…)

3) What is the most beautiful thing you have in a frame?

Pictures of my grandson, son, daughter, daughter-in-law, and wife!

4} What is the last kindness you bestowed?

Various small errands for my dear old Mam.

5) If you could spend six months touring every corner of Wales how would you do it? Mode of transport/accommodation/people to visit/sights to see?

If my knee was up to it, possibly walking, hostelling/B&B-ing.
Might cycle, but not sure I could hack the hills.
Realistically, it might have to be car. sigh
[Edit: how could I forget: I’d make sure to “do” all the little railways at least once]

Sights? Oh blimey, all of them…well, I think I could fill 6 months easily enough.

People: Other than the Fab Four, and my B-i-L and his daughter: The cast and crew of Rownd a Rownd, with a bit of luck!

Dylan Iorwerth (and hope I could understand him as well IRL as well as I can (sometimes) on the radio.

Bonus Question: … what, no bonus question?

I’ll invent one: 6. What Welsh-related ambition do you have, not covered by any of the above?

To be able to get to see & hear a good selection of Welsh stand-up comedy, and be able to understand at least half of it (and not just the half that might be in English!)

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#6

1} This morning I was up at 6:50 dyeing hair for charity. Have you ever dramatically/permanently altered your body’s appearance in any way?

I once accidentally shaved my head. I was trying to keep the sides short to delay a trip to the barbers. The head slipped to it’s lowest setting and I had to complete the job.

2} Name three things you believe that you should stop buying and why?

Coffee in work. I have a travel mug. I have a travel cafetière. I don’t need to buy the coffee. I should at least use my travel mug.

3) What is the most beautiful thing you have in a frame?

A picture of Emma on top of Snowdon on a clear day.

4} What is the last kindness you bestowed?

I went into work an hour early yesterday so that a family could join a treatment session before they drove back to Scotland.

5) If you could spend six months touring every corner of Wales how would you do it? Mode of transport/accommodation/people to visit/sights to see?

I owe Aran a drink because I am the most disorganised lump ever currently and failed to meet him in Cardiff. So I would definitely be going to Pen Llyn. I want to join the Cloncedigion group and finally meet Nicky and Huw too. I’d also love to meet Geraint, so I’d love to join the bike ride.

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#7

  1. I have an irrational fear of hairdressers. No offence to any of them, but that whole chair/mirror thing freaks me out. I haven’t been to a hairdresser since 1983, when my Mum took me. A couple of years ago, I decided to opt for short hair, instead of the (very) long hair I had had since I was 11. So I took the kitchen scissors to it, and have done ever since. Bit of a shock to the husband/family/friends/work colleagues at the time though.

  2. Digestive biscuits. But the sheep love them, but they are not really that healthy for them.
    Dog collars. I have 1 dog. He doesn’t need another collar
    Can’t think of another one !

  3. A picture of myself and husband, with 2 dogs who are no longer with us. We all look quite nice !

  4. Cleaning out the ditch and drain at the end of a drive shared with 3 other houses. My lovely neighbours are all elderly, so I take it on as a task. Nasty, smelly and unpleasant as it is.

  5. On horseback. I have an arab who I ride, and a fabulous little section A Welsh who will be an amazing backpack carrier. I want to do the coast path, and all the stuff inbetween.

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#8

Oh wow; that would be fab! (Did you ever read “Travels With a Donkey” by R L Stevenson?)
A lovely book, which really caught my imagination at school, and remained with me.
(Obviously a horse would be much more cooperative than Stevenson’s donkey. :slight_smile: )

#9

I have - a great book, and have visited part of the National Park in Cevennes at one point - the terrain around there being quite tough. Not sure how co-operative my arab would be - he is a bit a diva ! Once we had done hills of the Massif, we then spent the second week following part of the canal du Midi as described in the book “Narrow dog to Carcasonne” which was recommended by a running friend, who had once met the author. A lovely holiday !

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#10

1} This morning I was up at 6:50 dyeing hair for charity. Have you ever dramatically/permanently altered your body’s appearance in any way?
I have invested a great deal of effort into buliding a spectacular bola/gut. It still attracts admring glances. :laughing:
2} Name three things you believe that you should stop buying and why?
Stuff wrapped in plastic - why? check the news.
Being a Cardi brought up in Aberdeen, I don’t buy much. :wink:
3) What is the most beautiful thing you have in a frame?
Apart from pictures of family, I love my print of "Caller Herrin’ " by Millais. It’s the young herring seller’s wistful, optimisitc, hope-full gaze into the future that captivates me.
4} What is the last kindness you bestowed?
It’s not for me to say, really. When I am kind, though, I usually get more out of it than the "beneficiary.
5) If you could spend six months touring every corner of Wales how would you do it? Mode of transport/accommodation/people to visit/sights to see?
I have completed Clawdd Offa / Offa’s Dyke and good portions of the Coastal Paths. The mode of transport would be my favourite - Shanks’ Pony - going on foot even though I’m less fit and more arthriticky than I was. I prefer walking alone, drinking in the scenery, absorbing history and local archeology (particularly industrial archeology). I stay at B&Bs and hotels and enjoy chatting to locals.

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#11

1) This morning I was up at 6:50 dyeing hair for charity. Have you ever dramatically/permanently altered your body’s appearance in any way?

Back in 1984, before anyone other than hardcore punkers were doing it, I bleached my dark hair white, then dyed it bright maroon. I got regularly stopped on the highway by the police in the small Louisiana dorp in which I was living, but not to give me a ticket; it was only because they’d seen my hair from my car window and wanted to get a closer look.

Other than that… I have one piercing in my right ear, and three in my left.

I’d like to have y ddraig goch as a tattoo, perhaps something like this:

celtic_knot_welsh_dragon_by_knotyourworld-d4xqxs5.png900×745 318 KB

Also a peregrine falcon, as the “P” in “SororP” stands for “Peregrina.” This one in a diving stoop is very cool:

2) Name three things you believe that you should stop buying and why?

I probably should stop buying so many books, but only because I have no room to store them. Also so much linen clothing from my favorite Etsy artist for the same reason, but I can’t resist her designs!

Third (and fourth, and fifth)… I really must stop buying handbags, Pirates of the Caribbean toys, and Squishables. No room, no room, and no room. Did I say I live in a cramped little studio flat?

Sixth: candy and chewing gum. My teeth and my weight don’t need either of them; and, as my sister says (because we have the same problem): “Neither of us can ration it; we go straight to the bottom of the bag.”

3) What is the most beautiful thing you have in a frame?

A piece of original art created by Cayce Moyer as an illustration for Erin Pyne’s steampunk-esque Alice in Wonderland-based book Curiouser & Curiouser, book 1: Pool of Tears. The watercolor twining vines and white flowers were used as accents for the page edges.

Second is my Captain Hector Barbossa sword replica that I keep propped in its frame right by my desk. It was hard to find, it’s awesome, and it makes me smile!

I’m sure everyone was expecting I’d say “family pictures,” but I don’t have any. Neither did my family. We just… never took any.

4) What is the last kindness you bestowed?

Went with a friend to the hospital a week ago when she had to undergo an uggy test.

5) If you could spend six months touring every corner of Wales how would you do it? Mode of transport/accommodation/people to visit/sights to see?

I have no idea! I’d love to go along every inch of the coast, for sure, be a tourist and hit all the castles, walk the interior alone, both high and low. For accommodation, I’m a bed-and-breakfast sort. This question is way too big to answer!

(edit for a stupid punctuation goof. That sort of thing drives me nuts!)

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#12

1} This morning I was up at 6:50 dyeing hair for charity. Have you ever dramatically/permanently altered your body’s appearance in any way?

  • I once had my nose pierced on television.
  • Once shaved all my hair off and dyed what was left black.
  • I’ve three tattoos.
  • I’ve had children.

2} Name three things you believe that you should stop buying and why?

  • Cheap stuff - I keep proving the saying ‘buy cheap buy twice’ right over and over again.
  • Like @HuwJones plastic packaging
  • Expensive, dirty coal - here’s hoping this is the year we get to change the central heating system

3) What is the most beautiful thing you have in a frame?

A family portrait of Aran, myself and the kids we had professionally taken a few years ago.

4} What is the last kindness you bestowed?

Spending 15 minutes out in the rain and the dark with a torch and a tired gas delivery man, trying to figure out why my mother in law had ordered gas when the canister was still full.

5) If you could spend six months touring every corner of Wales how would you do it? Mode of transport/accommodation/people to visit/sights to see?

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#13

1} This morning I was up at 6:50 dyeing hair for charity. Have you ever dramatically/permanently altered your body’s appearance in any way?

A small draig goch on my shoulder. Used to have bits of red hair from time to time, too… :slight_smile:

2} Name three things you believe that you should stop buying and why?

Coal. Petrol. Plastic.

3) What is the most beautiful thing you have in a frame?

A poem written during our wedding.

4} What is the last kindness you bestowed?

Getting Catrin her morning cup of tea.

5) If you could spend six months touring every corner of Wales how would you do it? Mode of transport/accommodation/people to visit/sights to see?

Horseback. Oh, my, how I would like to spend 6 months travelling around Wales on horseback. And camping. Maybe with a nice hotel at the end. Not sure if 6 months would be enough time to see everyone, though… :slight_smile:

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#14

Ah, yah … me too, but I didn’t look (body hence) much different as I do now … even weight more now than I did that time … :slight_smile: [quote=“aran, post:13, topic:11596”]
Not sure if 6 months would be enough time to see everyone, though… :slight_smile:
[/quote]

Take it a year … :slight_smile:

Now my pondering thoughts again (might be the most boring one):

1. Have you ever dramatically/permanently altered your body’s appearance in any way?

I always had straight hair so going to hairdressers to make it curly for the first time when I was 16 or so was the biggest ever change and probably the last one.

2. Name three things you believe that you should stop buying and why?

  1. capri trousers in the summer (especially if they’re lively colored or otherwise colorful)
  2. T-Shirts and shirts for the same reason
  3. Music of all kinds (I already own about 57,000 pieces of it on digital media and for sure about 10,000 of it on physycal media (not just CDs but vinils and casseettes too).
  4. all kinds of graphic design, drawing, photo editing, 3D modeling, animating and music making and editing software. The last time I’ve counted how many pieces of those I have I’ve counted just up to 30 different programes for photo and graphic editing … Other kinds of software I didn’t even count. The best thing is that I use all from time to time. :slight_smile:
    I’ve stopped buying ambrellas though (untill the rain catches me without any again :slight_smile: )

3. What is the most beautiful thing you have in a frame?

My sister in law is an academic painter and she likes to make sort of origami too. Her specialty are birds and plants which she put a lot of effort to draw them really in detail. She folds the animals from the special paper and at the moment she’s preparing two books for the children containing drawings and folded animals in them. They’re in Slovene and made as unique for each and every buyer and will not be made as serial printing.
Well I know one person here who knows what she makes … :slight_smile:
And no … we don’t have any family pictures or photos framed aswell. I had my mother and step father’s marriage picture but for verious reasons I’ve put it off the wall.

4. What is the last kindness you bestowed?

NIVEA every year organizes the charity with the community for the education of the children from poor(er) families, which requires something to do and (how convinient) it usually has to be blue. One year we had to put our hand on the wall, the other we could digitally be creative and draw whatever on the digital palm, last year we had to write one good thought of encouragement for the kids for their future in the digital blue heart and this year we had to create blue heart and put it on our windows. I’ve created 5 blue hearts (as you see) and the idea of this was that there’s one big blue heart which represents the kid who is the star and upon whom the sun is shining and the other 4 hearts are little satelites who bring such kid a fortune and love … These satelites could be their family, friends, community or simply we, who donate for their brighter future. I respond to this campaign every year and it always makes me feel awesome and useful and also grateful I can be of any help for anyone in need as NIVEA donates ceratin amount of money for each required creation. One person can make more creations though.

However the most recent kind (special for me) deed was donating to @margaretnock’s Sport Relief Swim a ton to which you still can contribute your share here.

5. If you could spend six months touring every corner of Wales how would you do it? Mode of transport/accommodation/people to visit/sights to see?
I’d like to visit all SSiW-ers I could in particular periode of time, however I am too boring person who, when meeting someone, doesn’t know what to say at all. The living proof of this was the gathering on the 2016 Eisteddfod where I didn’t leave any particular mark to anyone and some people of more importance (to one Aran introduced me when in the Maes D), ran away from me with light speed as I didn’t have any special and interesting thing to say.

Otherwise I’d love to go around … just around. I’d go to St. Fagans once again to stroll around the other half of it which I didn’t manage to see during my visit back in 2016. I also owe @faithless78 a coffee I believe as we met really briefly on the bus stop when I wait for the bus to St. Fagans to come. I

I’d go with this “beauty”

once again to go inside all atractions I’ve seen from the bus. Especially I’d like to go to Doctor Who Experience. I visited Cardiff Castle though but I’d visit it once again. Too much to see and I came too late to slowly go through everything. I was surprised the castle is opened only until 6 pm but it’s the high season of the tourism in the Summer. For example oru Bled Castle is opened until 9 pm at the same time. :slight_smile:

What else … Sing along in the davarn maybe … too much to do and too much to see, too many people to visit also but I only can get 14 days of the holidays at once despite I have 35 days to spare alltogether. :slight_smile: My knowledge of Wales is limited though so there surely are many things I don’t know but they’re worth of visiting. Buses and trains are my way of transport of course or I’d hire @leiafee for some panorama sight seeing. :slight_smile:

Oh, ja, and going around principality stadium possibly attending one of those famous rugby games instead of wandering around the empty almost ghostly place in the Summer would also be great and if possible meeting some of those “guilty ones” of me learning Welsh. :slight_smile:

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#15

With everything you post, I notice there’s something else that shows we think very much alike. :grin: I collect all of these things, too, and keep telling myself I really should stop, but it’s just impossible; and, in many cases, inadvisable. I think I mentioned the T-shirts in the past; but, like you, I also have vast quantities of both digital and physical media for music and video. In fact, I’m one of the last people who believes that multiple hard media backups are good insurance against my files being lost or music availability being discontinued (MP3s often vanish for a variety of reasons, and I’ve been shocked to find that CDs or DVDs I bought for a few dollars are now selling for more than $200 [€162] if, indeed you can get them at all). I can’t believe how many people have everything they own on their cell phones, including family photos; one accidental trip through the wash, and everything is lost. :scream:

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#16

Surprisingly enough I find the same way reading your posts too.

Yes, you did.

In particular I’m the collector of T-Shirts which “advertise” particular thing, company, event etc. This way I have many verious T-Shirts of the company I work for, several shirts of Welsh Rugby Union of events like 6 Nations, Lions tour, World Cup but I also have some Olympic ones aswell. The common reason I’ve bought or otherwise got those (soprts) ones is that I buy them only if I celebrate some success with it like winning the 6 Nations Championship in 2013 or winning 6 Nations Grand Slam in 2012. Olympics in London 2012 were also very successful (this time) for Slovenia and also were those in Sochi and Rio, however I didn’t buy the Rio T-Shirts (para and loympics) yet. Of course there’s one T-Shirt from Eurobasket held in Ljubljana in 2013 and last year’s one where Slovenia became Euroean basketball champions.

However I invented more practical and cheaper souvenir collecting when going somewhere. Fridge magnets are the latest collectors hit what concerns me and I’m filling in into my collection with every going or traveling around somewhere where I wasn’t before ahd brought the magnet home already. You can see some of my T-Shirt collection here. Unfortunately there’s no SSiW T-Shirt yet but the collection is to be updated in the future and set a bit differently as it is now too.

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#17

Unless the site is so old that no one’s paying attention to it, it appears we were once able to get them here.

:arrow_right: Perhaps we should check first with @aran, @Iestyn, @CatrinLliarJones, or… ack, I can’t seem to tag Cat Dafydd :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye: Is the Zazzle site still active, guys, or are you teasing me with a logo shirt I can’t actually have? (I want the beer shirt, too!)

Edit: if the site’s still live, can you sell to the U.S. or other countries outside the U.K.?

#18

This is a quick reply as I’m at work.

Here you go @sororp. https://www.zazzle.co.uk/ssiwelsh This is still alive and operational and yes, you can buy T-Shirts SSiW related of all kinds and they ship to US for sure. So go ahead and take a look.

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#19

Diolch yn fawr iawn iawn iawn! :grin:

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#20

Heh - best way to see the place!

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