« General Interest »

Hobbies, interests, education and general knowledge menu:

• General interest and reference

• Activities
  New section to include sports activities. Gymnastic, fell walking and health and fitness routines will be first to appear.
  
  
• Arts and sciences
  Most curriculum orientated and general interest, covering maths, arts and artists, sciences and related resources like periodic tables, correct use of English language…
  
  
• Ballet
  New section to grow from first lessons and Grade 1 Ballet Theory onwards
  
  
• Books
  When I haven't got my head in front of a screen, I read - Languages, ancient history, computers, fantasy and science fiction, photography… This area includes book reviews, publishers, authors, specialist and general suppliers, links and writing, authoring resources.
  
  
• Business resources
  Small section as yet, but I have vast amounts of hard earned advice wisdom and advice to type up for retailers, small business, business to business etc. Largely from a computer dealer / consultants perspective, but it crosses over well.
  
  
• Child education
  Includes learning to tell the time, reading, maths and geography.
  I've a lot to add on this section, from parenting advice, to helping them with their homework, to the vastly neglected area (in this country) of proper dental care.
  
  
• Competitions
  You can win, you can make money on the Internet - and they aren't all just scams. Here's a few we know we can trust - and others we are going to test. If you put the effort in, even just a few minutes a day, you will start to win eventually.
  
  
• Cookery and recipes
  My party pieces are brandy trifle, bread and butter pudding and Cornish pasties, all of which I need to write down. Meanwhile, here's a few resources to wet your appetite.
  
  
• Facts
  Catch all for random collections of often sought facts - like wedding anniversaries and quotations.
  
  
• Gems
  There is a leaning toward their use in role playing games, but also a lot of hard data such as a testing procedures, chemical compositions and a glossary.
  
  
• Hobbies
  Can't have a general interest section without hobbies. As yet it's limited to a page on DIY, but it will be greatly extended eventually.
  
  
• Languages
  I set myself a last to learn at least languages as a child. I've long since forgotten all but the very basics but at one time or another I studied French, Spanish, Latin, Italian and Portuguese, amongst others. In the end I cheated and learned computer languages instead… Really children should be taught languages at a very early age so it sticks.
  
  Whether you want to do right by your children, learn a few phrases for a holiday, or get fluent for a business meeting these pages will eventually guide you in the right direction.
  
  
• Message of the Day
  Includes 'On this day in history', 'Famous birthday', 'Word of the Day, 'Article of the day' and, my favourite, 'Quote of the Day'
  
  
• Medical resources
  Includes medicine, general medical, rarer illnesses like spastic paraparesis, autistic conditions like Aspergers Syndrome and will be expanded to include first aide, advice on depression and more.
  
  
  
• Mythology
  My homage to the 'wall of weird'. OK. Too much Smallville their, but I have been interested in mythology, folklore and the supernatural from a very early age, so, as time allows, I'll add my thoughts, comments and resources here.
  
  
• Nature and natural history
  Again, a lifelong interest - I wanted to be a zoo keeper as a child, specifically a herpetologist working in the reptile house of Chester zoo. This is the start of my little online nature reserve and resource, looking at pets, nature and natural history in general.
  
  
• Photography
  I used to be a freelance photojournalist, which is to say I learnt new diets involving produce from the 'dented tins trolley' and 'past the best before' fridge.
  Anyway, as I'm getting back into photography I'm adding articles, resources and reviews. This section includes an extended glossary, online dealers in the US and UK, and links to all the main manufacturers. Quiz to come, along with thousands of pictures I've taken over the year.
  
  
• Reference sources, Online dictionaries and encyclopedias
  Notwithstanding a large library on my doorstep, I used to be obsessed with collecting factual books - covering everything from anthropology to zoology. Thousands and thousands of them…
  My wifes sanity and broadband Internet access helped purge them (*mutter*), but fortunately there's a great number of free online encyclopedias and dictionaries to cover your questions without trawling often dubious search engine results. Here's the best of them.
  
  
• Relaxing
  Take a minute to smile and relax with a good film or a corny joke…
  
  
• Shopping
  Links and reviews relating to new and second hand shopping in the UK and North America.
  
  
• Travel
  This section covers airlines, train stations and road maps from around the world, and resources for Canadians or those looking to emigrate to Canada.