Computer group

First visit today to the Purbeck U3A intermediate computer group. Subjects today were communications, such as Skype and Yahoo, and media streaming. All very interesting, and not above my head as I'd feared. There were about 30 at the group, most had been before many times. Next group in April will be about databases.

Insomnia

Throughout my life I've endured frequent bouts of insomnia. Like many people, sometimes it happens when I have something on my mind, but often happens for no apparent reason. The strange thing is the time I awake during the night.

More often than not, I awake at 3.33 am. When I spoke to others about this, they said the same thing. Is there something magical about that time, or could there be a scientific reason for it?

Can anyone explain it?
According to some web-sites, it could be due to angel activity!

Creative writing group

This afternoon second meeting with the creative writing group. We all read out our homework - our lives in 3 pages max! After that we wrote haiku for about an hour. All read them out, some funny, some serious. Good group of people.

Photography group

Had my first visit to the photography group, which I've joined through the U3A. Very interesting, and I hope that I shall learn a lot and more importantly, understand it and use it. Should be a help when writing articles. Today we learned about photographing micros, so I'm to practice taking photos of flowers, insects etc. All good stuff.

Writers' Group

I've at last found a writers' group not too far from home, via the U3A which Mike and I have just joined. First meeting for me today, and only the second for the group. It's good to have somebody to meet up with and hopefully make my mind spring into action! About time too.

Bought a copy of Stephen King's 'On Writing' today for £2.50 in BHF charity shop in Dorchester. Been looking for ages for that one. Last Sunday I picked up a book called Crime Time about writing your first crime novel. That cost 50p in Wimborne market. All I need now is Dorothy Brand's 'Becoming a Writer' and I'll have no excuse!

British dentists

Where are all the British dentists? Since returning to live in England at the end of 2005, I've had 6 different dentists. At the first surgery, they were Greek, followed by Asian, not sure where from. The surgery I'm with now started me with a Chinese man, he seems to have retired. (Some say not before time.) He was followed with an Italian, a Romanian, and today another Romanian. Don't we train dentists here any more?