December 2013 in the Life of Ben (Blog)
20th Blood Donation (31st December 2014)
You’ve punctured a major artery in my arm. Blood is pouring out. Yet all I have to do is hold a patch of cotton on it for 3 minutes and hey presto! It’s all fine.
Wait, what? How can that even…like…what?
This is like computer game healing! It still amazes me how people are able to do this
Xmas with Family (24th December 2013)
A lovely change of pace, with lots of shared meals and TV time.
Xmas Dinner at North Nineteen with Family (21st December 2013)
We each ordered a different thing and they were really enjoyable!
- Sirloin BTF
- Rib-eye
- Surf ’n’ Turf
- Grouper
Nismo95’s Event with NeXtGenGTA (19th December 2014)
Here are my highlights from the event. Didn’t get to play their famous BUSTED! mode in the end due to the host running a very long playlist.
(Photo to follow.)
48th Scalextric Club (16th December 2013)
Today we remember passed members in the Memorial Trophy event at the London Scalextric Club.
We race a set of six Lotus Elise prepared much like the Rally & Touring Car class. These are repaired and refurbished club cars used over the past few years.
I love these cars! The handle very flat and they slide before tipping out. Coupled with modest motors, they are wonderfully forgiving of newcomers but still reward for expert drivers with slightly faster times.
Green Lane
| Fastest Lap | s |
|---|---|
| Laps: | |
| Position: | NUMBERORDINAL |
| Crashes |
Brown Lane
| Fastest Lap | s |
|---|---|
| Laps: | |
| Position: | NUMBERORDINAL |
| Crashes |
White Lane
| Fastest Lap | s |
|---|---|
| Laps: | |
| Position: | NUMBERORDINAL |
| Crashes |
Blue Lane
| Fastest Lap | s |
|---|---|
| Laps: | |
| Position: | NUMBERORDINAL |
| Crashes |
Yellow Lane
| Fastest Lap | s |
|---|---|
| Laps: | |
| Position: | NUMBERORDINAL |
| Crashes |
Red Lane
| Fastest Lap | s |
|---|---|
| Laps: | |
| Position: | NUMBERORDINAL |
| Crashes |
Finals!
15 laps, racing 5 or 6 lanes as the ladder requires. Only the 1st and 2nd placed drivers progress to the next final.
Blue Lane
| Fastest Lap | 9.83s |
|---|---|
| Position: | 1st! |
| Crashes | 0 |
White Lane
Blue crashed but caught up and stormed ahead. Close for us 3 but Terry on Red got it! Satisfying race with no real mistakes from me. Not as expert as the old timers but very close to their pace.
| Fastest Lap | 10.08s |
|---|---|
| Position: | 3rd |
| Crashes | 0 |
There was a Grand Final after this which saw Pete win over all.
£75 Full Service for Secteur at Hadron Cycles (14th December 2013)
Just dropped my bicycle into Hadron as they are doing full services for £75.
Chain is very worn, not surprising after 1,800+ miles! They usually reckon 1,000 miles is good for a chain. That’ll be £18 on top.
Possibly time for a new cassette at the back, will know once the mechanic test rides it with the new chain after the service.
(Photos to follow.)
New Guinea Pigs (14th December 2013)
Introducing Holly & Ivy!
(More to follow.)
(Photos to follow.)
Computer Games Changed The World (07th December 2014)
A very long and thorough documentary of sorts with Charlie Brooker. Covers the cultural impact of computer games and reaches the conclusion in the title.
(More to follow.)
Comedy at Union Chapel (07th December 2014)
Owed Fiona £20! (£15 ticket, £5 hot chocolate and dry roasted nuts.) Think we saw Milton Jones and various other acts were on before him.
We were on the balcony level which gave a neat view over the interior. (A converted chapel, as the name suggests.)
(Photo to follow.)
47th Scalextric Club (3rd December 2013)
The frankly bonkers turbocharged prototypes from the classic Can-Am series tore up the London Scalextric Club in a festival of short wheelbases, absurd wings and off-the-scale horsepower.
It was another good turnout so we ran all 6 lanes for 2.5 minutes per race.
Blue Lane
| Fastest Lap | 9.89s |
|---|---|
| Laps: | 13.90 |
| Position: | 5th |
| Crashes | 1 |
Yellow Lane
The car from Green lane jumped into my lane at the start of the main straight. I stopped while a marshall recovered it.
| Fastest Lap | 10.22s |
|---|---|
| Laps: | 13.90 |
| Position: | 4th |
| Crashes | 0! |
Red Lane
| Fastest Lap | 9.95s |
|---|---|
| Laps: | 14.10 |
| Position: | 4th |
| Crashes | 1 |
Green Lane
Cold track, tough lane. Drove really composed with nearly maximum brake force.| Fastest Lap | 10.44s |
|---|---|
| Laps: | 13.90 |
| Position: | 3rd |
| Crashes | 0! |
Brown Lane
| Fastest Lap | 10.36s |
|---|---|
| Laps: | 13.45 |
| Position: | 4th |
| Crashes | 2 |
White Lane
| Fastest Lap | 9.70s |
|---|---|
| Laps: | 14.15 |
| Position: | 5th |
| Crashes | 2 |