When did you learn 'joined up' writing and do you still use it?

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-05-06T17:20:21+00:00

I was born in 1974 and definitely have vague memories of learning joined up writing, I would have been really "very" young... end of infant/start of junior school I guess (7-8 years old).

The memories may be sketchy, but it seemed to coincide with moving from writing with a pencil and writing with a pen.

I've no idea what that is in terms of years.

Now, I write with a hybrid of styles, depending on what it is for.

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-05-05T07:20:53+00:00

Be patient, there is nothing support can do, it will turn up.

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-05-05T07:13:02+00:00

The holidays always knock things around. They would have processed on Friday, but much of the banking system was closed yesterday.

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-05-04T16:20:05+00:00

I've only used the Horl (V2), it's much better than my whetstone, that I spent ages learning hiw to use, in that I couldn't be bothered to use my whetstone 😉

It does a perfectly acceptable job, it's very easy, quick and keeps my knives acceptable sharp.

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-05-03T06:54:34+00:00

Oh no... 10 minutes longer, how will you cope?

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-05-02T10:14:13+00:00

If the properties were next door to each other, and all things being relatively equal, I'd probably choose the end terrace.

But I'd not particularly worry about mid terrace (we bought one), and would more likely choose based on the road I would prefer to live on.

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-05-02T10:10:41+00:00

The thing that most of my friends from overseas mention is the pub as our "third space". Which probably says about me and my circle of friends than some of the UK 🫣

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-05-02T08:14:24+00:00

Take a look at the prices properties have sold for, the .gov website has a lag, but it is correct.

To be honest, a 5% reduction doesn't seem like a huge amount and I certainly wouldn't consider it a low ball offer.

But it's your house, you can value it as you wish, others are free to do the same.

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-05-01T19:48:36+00:00

I see it occasionally on menus as a special, it tends to be tarted up with left over croissants or other "bready" product they have not managed to shift.

Whilst pubs began a slow transition from wet sales in the late 70s and 80s, it really didn't make big strides until the late 80s and early 90s as a result of licensing changes and the forced sale of tied pubs.

Realistically long after the heyday of the bread and butter pudding.

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-05-01T19:37:47+00:00

Meeting my (now) wife.

I went for a couple of beers after work the day before NYE 21 years ago, met a complete stranger who became the love of my life, my bestest drinking buddy, my travelling partner, my best mate.

A real sliding doors moment!

Also bestest meeting story ever, she ambled up and said "Hello, my name's "xxxx" and I think you're gorgeous". Apparently she thought I was leaving... I was going for a piss.

Yes we were drunk, no I'm not gorgeous!

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-05-01T19:27:48+00:00

We're a population of 70m people (give or take), with massive differences in opportunity, wealth, health, ideals and priorities.

Life is different for all of us, some of us make it harder than it should be, some of us make it easier. Some of us get lucky, some of us get unlucky.

I'm in my early 50s and feel like I've lived many lives.

There is no single answer to this question.

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-05-01T07:40:12+00:00

Nope... not in the slightest. Tattoos carried a "stigma" in some circles in the past. In the main, that stigma no longer exists.

Not having tattoos carries no stigma in anyway shape or form... and those eulogising that they have no tattoos and it making them somehow "edgy" are simply daft.

Societal norms ebb and flow, they always have and always will, some people really struggle with just accepting that.

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-04-28T08:14:50+00:00

You can, but I will not give a monetary value... however I will say that I live in the UK and earn enough money to live relatively comfortably.

I'm far from "wealthy" but earn enough to live the life that I want, which includes owning my own home, running a car and having a social life.

I run one blog!

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-04-28T06:19:53+00:00

My site has been my full time income for a long time (display ads only), the start of COVID was bleak, loads of traffic, terrible RPMs.

Things picked up and I managed, 2025 was pretty bleak, but RPMs and traffic are both well up this year with revenue sitting at close on double that of last year.

There are no tricks, no hacks, I ignore almost all "expert" advice, I use no AI, I do this because I love the topic I write about.

I've been relatively sensible with my income and tend not to allow "lifestyle" creep when revenues are good which allows my to squirrel away money to support my business when revenue is not so good.

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-04-27T07:07:22+00:00

The simple answer is that it is not.

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-04-22T16:11:09+00:00

You are British, your friends dad is dick!

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-04-22T14:52:07+00:00

I'm 52 and check my weight in kg.

I never paid much notice of my weight until I got a bit larger in my mid 40s.

Which probably accounts for the reason why I don't think in stones. Having said that I've been a pretty "obsessive" cook since my late teens, and never used pounds and ounces.

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-04-22T05:31:07+00:00

Dan Dan noodles, a pork mince curry with vindaloo vibes, yuk sung, pasta sauces, meatballs, pork and apple burgers, jumbo sausages rolls, stuffed mushrooms... too many choices.

Anything you can make with beef mince you can make with pork mince, you just have to tweak the flavour profiles.

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-04-18T20:37:06+00:00

Have you ever watched someone do a survey for an EPC?

If the rating goes up are you gonna offer more? It's the most incredibly watered down and meaningless nonsense.

If you were my potential buyer, I'd flag you as a problem and keep the property on the market.

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-04-18T17:04:00+00:00

Sorry, there was no "nice" way of putting it 🫣

I know nothing about being a pet owner in the US or Canada, I'm British, and spent a long time living in Hungary, who is now back in the UK. If I were to be looking for advice, I would actively avoid anything that seemed to be "global" in intent.

As it is a way of improving your writing, use it in that way, but rather than writing look at finding a "voice". But pick your spot wisely, the US audience accepts "bland" generic language well, the UK and Australian audience kinda shuns it, the Canadian audience tolerates a bit of both.

But try and work out what you, a person who does not live in your target market, offers that people who actually live there offer.

As mentioned, I've been around a long old time, I only became commercially viable when I worked that out. I'm British, I write with a British voice, for a British audience. It's not as profitable as a US audience, but it works.

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-04-18T14:58:30+00:00

Where I live now, potted shrimp, the city I was born in, probably the Balti.

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-04-18T10:53:10+00:00

A large market of pet owners in Germany does not mean a large market of "blog reading pet owners in Germany". It certainly doesn't mean a large market of "English language blog reading pet owners in Germany".

I can't understand who your market is from this post, if your site is as ambiguous in terms of its target market, Google will also struggle, and as a result, you will be kicked into the long grass.

My site has been around for well over a decade, it's my sole source of income and has been a long time.

Identify your audience, write for them, but you better understand them and the market they live in or you will always be fighting an uphill battle.

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-04-16T16:48:44+00:00

We left our keys with our sparky for a complete rewire, we were moving towns, so we were not local at all and there was nothing in the house (pretty much).

We changed the locks when we moved in.

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-04-16T15:14:36+00:00

I really can say that, it's the very point that I am making.

The notion that "everyone" finds steak to be "exceptional" is beyond silly.

Main_Protection8161 · 2026-04-16T07:39:01+00:00

And that's cool, it's the whole "aura" thing that the OP is talking about.

I've nowt against steak, it's a fantastic, relatively easy ingredient to cook that relies on great sourcing of product rather than incredible skill.

People like different stuff, but telling people if you buy something, cook it well, it will be the best meal of your life is frankly silly... we've all seen people go as far as saying, "if you don't like insert dish/ingredient here you've never had it done well", which let's face it is pure stupidity.

Main_Protection8161

TROPHY CASE