Generation

Had a quiet morning - did some ironing and washing up. Then it was off to Newcastle on the bus.

First thing I had to do was go to the Travel Centre and hand in a form, a SAE and £5 to get a replacement pensioners concessionary bus pass. A few days ago mine developed a crack - right through the chip - so it won't work on the bus machine. Every time I get on a bus I have to explain about the crack and just show them my card to get a ticket. Hopefully I should get a replacement within 5 working days.

Next stop was Boots where I had an appointment for a free hearing test. Thought I would take the opportunity to get my hearing checked out. I'm pleased to say that everything was fine.

Then I did a bit of shopping. Bought food in M & S, Tesco and Waitrose and cat food in Wilkinsons. Also a new alarm clock in Clas Ohlson.

I popped over to Newcastle University to get my blip shot. The Forum Challenge today is Thoughtful Thursday so I decided to blip one of the sculptures in the University campus. There is group of three large sculptural human heads which are collectively called Generation. The artist Joseph Hillier trained at Newcastle University.

He explained his inspiration for Generation- “A lot of people ask me what these heads mean, they are about making art and defining the head, the site of our most perceptive organs and vessel of our thoughts, in more and more abstracted processes, they are about my own interest in the ways we define ourselves. These pieces resonate with diverse technologies, from the industrial history of IRON in the North of England, through to the more complex geometry of the STAINLESS STEEL piece, which borrows structures being manufactured on a molecular scale by nanotechnology.”

Even though my blip shot doesn't have any students in it Newcastle was full of them. A lot of them seemed to be buying ironing boards. Its nice to know that at least some of the student population will be well turned out.

After my detour to the University I went to get the bus home. The bus was at the stop when I turned the corner and I hurried along and joined the end of the queue. The lady in front of me got on.... and then the doors shut and the bus started pulling away. I banged on the door and the bus stopped. The door was opened and I got on. I said to the driver " I was in the queue!". He said - " No you weren't". What a cheek. Then of course I had to explain to him that my pass wouldn't work on the machine. - this didn't go down too well. He started quizzing me as to whether I had arranged to get a new one. Then he grudgingly giving me a ticket. Will be glad when my new pass arrives - one less thing to worry about when I travel by bus.

Steps today - 12,846