Losing my memory

I like this colour. Today's theme is 'half way'. Every bloody route I'm on is only half way, besides getting prints of my latest photos which even our Department of Work and Pensions would have a job screwing up. Or maybe not. But as I have the originals they have unlimited goes should they end up in cyber oblivion but they are here. My two books of the same prints are a separate package and was fast asleep this morning so didn't need a ring on the door particularly to ruin it.
I am now generating some press interest for my old sign campaign, and having done a couple of interviews have heard nothing since. Nothing new there. I didn't lie, swear, ramble or make silly jokes but despite delivering what I expected them to want haven't seen any action once they had my piece. Especially as one wanted it for this week. I will see.

Besides the normal daily activities (I will never go in a shop again without appreciating it) that is the current state of play, and having done a few local photos today I am now either going to do a video request tomorrow or sit on my arse. I have 4 hours of videos from the Christmas rush when everything's being shown at once, so may as well sit back after a solid month driving around the area for sign photos. I covered Enfield again yesterday after one very odd sign was spotted by my Enfield correspondent, and found more old ones had gone since the last visit not long ago. My campaign is just at the right time if it was to have any effect as next year could already be too late. Now had I had a job like 'normal' people firstly I'd have missed a proportion of the signs I did get as many are gone since 2008, and secondly would have little time to campaign to save them. No one else has or will so in this respect I am apparently unique. So if it is a success even for one sign then I will have saved some history for Britain probably not done had I had a regular job. You don't get paid for this shit, but get a lot more than money.

It would really be nice for something decent to happen tomorrow. I am free, and have finished my photo list for this project as from this week. Well, tomorrow really as today's signs were obsolete even if younger than me. Not a sausage left outside the line of convenience (not distance but road quality), the further I go the more reason I need, so a couple of odd ones in east London remain incognito, and all east of Dulwich can remain in memory by other photographers. I am waiting for the report on Godalming and Hatfield before I risk going there again. There's a western corridor that appears totally barren since Pinewood Studios moved their entrance and pulled up a few unique examples there, I am aware of nothing between Harrow and about Bristol so however easy it is to get to Oxford and between there's nothing there for me. I want to go to Oxford in the spring though, it's been a good few years and having lived there on and off for a year has a place in my life now.

So I'm mainly pissed off at the moment as after being let down by the media since exactly a year ago when my last programme was aired on US cable, the latest experience reminds me of all the others since until something actually happens. I had a reply from one council (a BIG one) so far who say they also want to preserve old signs, although in the time they took to reply three had been removed, which I replied to their statement of theory. It didn't correspond with the reality though. I hope they respond to that as words mean nothing if they don't reflect actions.

Now if only tomorrow made some good news for a change. One or both newspapers follow me up. Someone else replies with a good result. Especially my enquiry about the mystery roundabout sign in Surrey I haven't been able to find (unless it's gone) since I saw it about November. I have a very poor response level at times, I see something and unless I make a note of it at the time forget about where it was within an hour or so. I've missed so many things that way, TV and radio programmes, other interesting locations and goodness knows what else. Or put off taking photos until something was gone as I passed it all the time. We all lose a proportion of the potential available, I see myself slip up over and over again but can't stop it happening. Once something has gone it's as if it never existed, it is seen once, the location literally wiped from my memory (it's photographic so I can see the scene but not locate it), and usually have someone with me who forgets as well. Anyone would think it was a ufo...

Plans continue

I didn't want anyone to think I'd dropped off or anything, and I have actually been busier doing things than writing, plus half my activities haven't been completed yet so only one to report. That was my 3rd speaking TV part, on Women's Entertainment TV, a cable channel across the US, and hopefully I'll get a DVD soon so I can see it. That was on Saturday.
I am also awaiting a date for a newspaper appearance, more on that when it comes. That kept me busy for a day or so anyhow.

Otherwise it's business as per, another possible woman on the system, again more when it happens there, the other one should be seen next week as well. No work this week, I mopped up two videos so far on the new camera and plenty of photos, and tomorrow haven't a clue as although it's nice to be free there's only so much to do when there's no one else around. I'll have to wait and see. Of course the main thing is to get a newspaper date so in quiet moments is hard not to worry about that.
So quite a lot has happened but only a little reached me. Another album is due in a day or two, and I have followed up the IQ situation a lot further as well. It seems if I can provide evidence Mensa will consider it (did I tell them I was 11 though? that could make a difference). I traced my psychologist to heaven (should it exist) as she was an alter cacker back then so no surprise she is long gone. That is basically an end to my chance of getting her records, and my mum has mislaid the file with the correspondence we did have in 1971 although we doubt it had an IQ result. I expect I'll have to take it again either way and not hopeful of my ability any more. The media exposure is more important but both would be nice of course, why either/or?

Well, tomorrow is another day, the week has been productive so far but the ideas are running out. There's plenty of crap to do at home but I'd like something to do out when it's light as well. I've videoed NW11, NW2, NW3 and N2 now and that presumably means N6 next. That's covered that although I was there last week after an NW11 trip. As I can't do multiple Youtube clips as it needs a mains plug to do it I am taking a 3-4 minute video and then any photos in the same direction. Of course on VHS I kept filming while I had places to take but I don't know if I can make files any other way without possibly an expensive editing program. One I couldn't figure out probably either.
So I have to do one video even though I can get lots in a couple of hours, and at least it forces me to find other places for photos as well, Bounds Green today. Right, that's Thursday (or my next trip) taken care of. That fixes another day. It's nice when you don't have to rely on your own resources as well though.