Dave T-W @davoloid@social.cleverlibre.org

It is, thanks all the same. That's not the reason for my visit to Boots the Chemist today.

Was out at a major shopping mall today, and popped into one of the last big #HouseOfFraser department stores. I'm sorry to say: it's doomed. Has been in decline for many years but now it's clear that management have done nothing to save it from this death spiral.

Lots of staff chatting with each other, barely any customers, but they're getting some #retail fundamentals wrong. The entire store is just full of racks of random clothes, so looks more like a giant charity shop. Signs all over just say 50% off, but nothing to direct you to fitting rooms (tiny cubicle), tills, or any other facilities that M&S, John Lewis and heck, even Primark manage to provide. Even the lighting makes it feel like you're in Dawn of the Dead, or 1987 Moscow.

Small moment of vanity.
Me: I'm the same age as that guy in the movie. Do I look as old as him?
Child: Not really, but you dye your hair.
Me: No I don't.
Child: YOU DON'T DYE YOUR HAIR?!

I suspect the truth of this story is a regrettable drunken fumble at the Zoo Christmas party between Ms Giraffe and Mr Antelope.

Pleased that #Oppenheimer exceeded expectations, though I wish I had sat just a couple of rows back in the IMAX theatre. Sound levels at Leicester Square were a bit off, even for a Nolan film so that the last words came out were muffled.

Ironically, given the other things I've mentioned recently, a portion of the film is about what happens when ambitious and cunning people try to manipulate behind the scenes against someone is doing their job for the community they serve. ;)

Like Barbie there are about 5 different stories, though here they play out in several chapters.

Off out to see Oppenheimer with the kiddo at Leicester Square. Any #London #Gastrodonts got a recommendation for a pre-movie restaurant? Got a few that we know and are ok but want to hear what little gems are around.

Btw, #Gastrodon does not bring up the posts I would have expected. What to use, then? #restauron?

Oh no, it's #enrollment time so the wacky student photos are coming in. Anyone involved in this annual process at a University will be familiar. Often from Asian #students who don't seem to have understood the purpose of a photo for ID cards.

Have seen one posing with the cat (is the cat enrolling?), One with what looks like an AI generated photo of a Chinese woman. You'd give them the benefit of the doubt but the eyes are closed.

Random thought while reading the news about child killer being sentenced: Gemma Whelan will surely play Lucy Letby when it comes to the inevitable TV dramatisation of this murderer. Uncanny similarity and she's an incredible actress.

Productive day yesterday and this morning with fellow directors and staff planning next week's community AGM. Actually had some really good chats with some people asking questions about contentious issues, and so far even some agreement with the decisions we're putting forward.

Last year's was the longest ever at 4hrs25, but tightest in terms of decisions made and recorded. It was also the first time minutes have been sent out within the month, let alone the year.

So I'm confident that, bar someone throwing a hand grenade at us, we have an opportunity to bring the holiday park community back together after 3 terrible years and 3 before that theatre were difficult.

Didn't expect UCL to enter a marketing deal with Norton AntiVirus.

I got lost in the old aerial photos on "Britain From Above" when those first went online and needed identifying. I also found photos of the homes of my Greatx3 grandparents, in a cityscape largely unchanged from their time in the 1860s until late 20th century road developments.

This archive is going to be awesome for #Histodon and geography nerds.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-66511918.amp

Oof, just seen someone share a youtube video in a teams meeting, and when they closed it their history and suggested videos were... interesting. That will have been recorded as well.