#Milton Keynes Shopping

[tmcphotoblog]

Apple Store Milton Keynes, England, United Kingdom

[junk-culture]

the other day my dad and i were talking offhand about the state of modern musicTM and too many middle class bands etc etc and i mentioned the jam at one point and he (a jam fan) was like "ah but even they weren't Properly working class were they..... growing up i was much worse off than paul wellers type of family...." etc. and like. on one hand its ironic that that sort of thing is exactly what the jam/tsc/weller preached against like. it should always be unity against the man rather than macho infighting over who's more oppressed but at the same time it is a little funny. because paul weller himself never actually had a job besides music did he. like correct me if im wrong but being in a successful band was his first actual job wasn't it. he already wrote some of the best lyrics of our time regarding class struggles and whatnot so i guess we can only imagine what he might have written if he'd actually worked in tescos and woolworths .

[sefurnitureoutlet]

Furniture Delivery Milton Keynes

Need reliable furniture delivery in Milton Keynes? SE Furniture Outlet offers fast, professional service for all your home furnishing needs. Browse our quality selection and enjoy seamless delivery to your doorstep. Transform your space with ease today!

[thomasjcuthbertson]

‘Resolutions #23 poster’

For ‘Resolutions 2022’ by Big Shop Friday in support of Mind BLMK

More information: https://tinyurl.com/4kbzpkb6

Digital print

420 x 594mm

2022

[33max]

winter warmers ☃️ - day one, lingerie

max/daniel, 921 words, mostly sfw (only one cock mention and one hole mention)

Max is not usually shy. Daniel knows this and has experienced first-hand exactly how not shy Max is. There have been times when Daniel has been showering and Max has barged right in to take a piss a couple of feet away. A few too many times where Max has told Daniel, in excruciating detail, about the food poisoning he caught from a dodgy kebab shop in Milton Keynes. And more recently, he’s not been shy about how much he likes it when Daniel puts him face down on the mattress and pulls his ass cheeks apart to tongue at him there.

So, Daniel doesn’t know why Max is so tight-lipped about this particular thing. As far as kinks go, this is probably closer to the vanilla side of the kinky scale.

But Max is still shy about it. He blushes whenever Daniel brings the subject up. Once, he even choked on his mostly empty gin and tonic, coughing loudly until Daniel dropped the conversation and instead started patting him on the back.

The thing is, Daniel is like a dog with a bone. From the moment he first brought it up with Max and it elicited cherry red cheeks and a spluttering dismissal from his boyfriend, Daniel has thought of nothing else.

Two things are certain.

Max Verstappen wants to wear lingerie.

And Max Verstappen is too proud to admit it.

So Daniel takes it into his own hands, and starts searching for the most perfect lingerie set he can find for Max.

Choosing the right colour is hard because as far as Daniel is concerned, Max looks good in everything. But it’s important he gets this right.

Orange seems too obvious.

Red seems too predictable.

Navy blue is too close to Max’s work attire.

White would look lovely on Max’s pale skin, but Daniel is looking for something with contrast. Something that will stand out.

He sees a forest green set online and immediately starts entering his credit card information because he knows Max will look gorgeous in this colour. Milky white skin underneath forest green lace.

It has a corset, panties and a garter belt. Daniel doesn’t even bother to read the price tag. The price doesn’t matter when it’s for Max.

When the set arrives, Daniel spends a long time deciding how he is going to gift the set to Max… who probably still thinks he has successfully shown little interest in any sort of lingerie. After much deliberation, Daniel ends up leaving the set, wrapped up in a fancy gift box, on their bed for Max to find.

That way, Max can spend some time looking at the details without pretending to be uninterested in front of Daniel. He can run his fingers over the lace and hold it up to his body and maybe even try it on. So, as desperate as Daniel is to see Max’s reaction to the gift, he knows he needs to let Max process this by himself if he ever wants to actually see him in the lace.

Not that Daniel is counting but it is exactly forty-three minutes after Max walks into their bedroom and finds the lingerie that Daniel hears a faint “Daniel? Can you come here?”

He doesn’t know if he walks or teleports to the bedroom, but the next thing he knows he is standing in the doorway looking at Max, who is completely naked clutching the gift box tightly to his chest.

“Do you like them?” Daniel asks, letting his eyes roam over Max’s exposed skin. He’s so hot.

“No,” Max lies, but it’s with a small lopsided smile. His cheeks are pink.

“Are you sure?” Daniel laughs, eyes trailing to where Max’s cock is chubbing up between his legs. Twitching.

“Will you help me put them on?”

Daniel doesn’t answer him, it’s a silly question, and he is already practically vibrating with anticipation. Instead, Daniel walks towards Max and carefully takes the box out of his grip.

“Let’s get you all dressed up,” Daniel says, leaning in to press a line of kisses along Max’s collarbones. “You are going to look so beautiful in these, baby. I bought them just for you.”

Max lets out a tiny breathy moan.

“How long have you wanted this?” Daniel can’t help but ask. He’s been dying to know.

“I don’t know,” Max blushes harder, his cheeks so pink. “Always.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Max shrugs. “I didn’t want you to think I was weird.”

“Maxy, it’s totally normal. It’s a normal thing to want.” Daniel reassures. “You could be into almost anything, and I’d be into it too because you like it.”

Max blushes harder.

“Baby?” Daniel says. He’s very aware that Max is still completely naked, and he is fully clothed, he doesn’t want Max to feel too exposed so he will drop it the moment Max looks even slightly overwhelmed.

“Itsnotjustasexthing!” Max blurts out, before turning away, his eyes firmly avoiding Daniel.

It takes a few moments to process what Max has said. It’s not just a sex thing.

“Max, baby, look at me.” Daniel says, “Even more reason to let yourself wear them.”

Max’s blue eyes search Daniel’s until finally, those words seem to sink in.

“Ok?” Daniel asks.

“Ok.”

“Let’s get you in these panties,” Daniel says, tickling at Max’s sides.

Daniel is right. Forest green is Max’s colour.

[wethotcrazy]

SYMPATHY IS A KNIFE (vi)

pairing: Yuki Tsunoda x Fem! Driver! Reader

word count: 1267

part 6. just something short and sweet for tonight, as i have to finish uni homework. i hope you guys enjoy. also cant wait to watch quali and the race later the anticipation is getting to me. thats all happy race day everyone

part i part ii part iii part iv part v

The first time Yuki saw YN at the Program, she carried herself like she already belonged in Formula 1. While other drivers tried to make themselves bigger with false bravado, she didn't need to – her presence filled the room naturally. Those intense eyes of hers had sized up every driver, every engineer, silently calculating the challenges ahead.

Yuki remembered the exact moment their friendship began. During a particularly dry briefing about fuel management strategies, he'd muttered under his breath, "If we save any more fuel, we might as well push the car ourselves." The room had stayed silent except for one sound – YN's unexpected laughter. It had started as a snort she tried to suppress, then evolved into a full belly laugh that lit up her entire face. The serious facade had cracked, revealing something genuine underneath that matched the passion in her eyes.

They'd gravitated toward each other after that. Long debriefs became more bearable with shared glances and subtle jokes. They'd stay late comparing data, YN explaining corner entry techniques while Yuki shared brake balance insights. Their competitiveness pushed them both to improve – neither wanted to be outdone by the other.

When they became teammates in Formula 3, it felt natural, like pieces clicking into place. They developed a rhythm – YN's analytical approach complementing Yuki's instinctive racing style. Even their engineers joked they could predict each other's feedback before either spoke. After particularly good races, they'd celebrate with convenience store snacks, sitting on the pit wall and dreaming about their future in Formula 1.

The years when they raced in different series had been strange. Yuki would find himself checking YN's race results before his own, watching grainy livestreams of her races whenever he could. She'd send him detailed messages about his performances, always ending with some variation of "You're going to make it to F1 before me, I just know it."

He still remembered every detail of telling her about his AlphaTauri contract. They'd met at their old favorite chip shop in Milton Keynes, and he'd barely gotten the words out before she'd launched herself across the table to hug him. "I knew it," she'd said, her voice thick with emotion. "I knew you'd do it." When she'd pulled back, her eyes had shimmered with unshed tears of joy, filled with such genuine pride it had made his chest ache.

But then came the reality of Formula 1 – different schedules, different countries, different priorities. Their constant communication dwindled to quick messages and reaction emojis to each other's Instagram stories. He'd still wear her team's cap during race weekends he wasn't driving, and she'd defend him fiercely in interviews when journalists tried to stir up drama. But gone were the late-night data sessions and shared dreams on the pit wall.

Sometimes, during particularly lonely nights in far-flung hotel rooms, Yuki would pull up old photos from their junior days. YN in her first Formula 4 car, both of them covered in champagne after their first Formula 3 podium, the grainy selfie they'd taken the night he got his F1 contract. He'd trace the evolution of her smile in each picture, from the intense rookie with something to prove to the confident driver she'd become.

He thought about texting her more times than he could count, wanting to recapture that easy friendship they'd had. But what would he say? "I miss when it was just us against the world"? "Sometimes I catch myself looking for you in the paddock even though I know you're racing halfway across the globe"? Instead, he'd send another emoji, another quick congratulations, and try to ignore the growing distance between them.

The neon lights of Singapore streaked across Yuki's hotel room walls, casting shifting shadows that matched his restless thoughts. His phone screen glowed with notifications – messages congratulating both him and YN on their double points finish, her first podium dominating F1 social media. P3. She'd finally done it.

The champagne had long since dried on his race suit, but he could still see her radiant smile as she'd stood on that podium, trophy held high above her head. The way she'd looked down at him in parc fermé, eyes shining with accomplishment, had stirred something deep in his chest – feelings he'd tried to keep buried under the weight of professionalism and friendship.

Rolling onto his back, Yuki let his mind drift to that pivotal moment in their junior days. They'd been analyzing data after a particularly grueling test session, YN's hair falling to her face as she leaned over the laptop. She'd been so focused, breaking down every apex, every brake point, completely lost in the pursuit of perfection. When she'd finally looked up, catching him staring, she'd given him that soft smile that seemed reserved just for him. That was the moment he knew – knew that what he felt went far beyond admiration for a fellow driver.

He remembered telling her about his F1 contract, how her eyes had lit up with pure joy, how she pulled him into a fierce hug. Even then, chasing her own dreams, she'd been genuinely happy for his success. That was YN – competitive to her core but never letting rivalry poison their friendship.

When she'd finally gotten her own F1 seat, Yuki had watched her try to navigate the pressure with grace. The media scrutinized her every move, questioning whether she deserved to be there, whether she could handle the physical demands. She'd answered them all on track, letting her laptimes speak louder than words. Still, he'd seen the toll it took, caught the moments when her smile would slip in the garage, noticed how she'd grip her steering wheel a little tighter before qualifying.

Now, lying in his hotel room, Yuki's phone buzzed with another notification. It was a photo from their team – YN kneeling beside her car in parc fermé, eyes closed, forehead resting against the nose cone in a moment of pure emotion. His thumb hovered over the screen, tracing the outline of her figure.

He was proud of her – so proud it felt like his chest might burst. Proud of how she'd fought through the day, how she'd defended against more experienced drivers, how she'd proven every doubter wrong. But beyond pride was something deeper, something that had grown from those late nights comparing data, from shared dreams and inside jokes, from years of watching her pour her heart and soul into every lap.

The city lights caught a drop of moisture on his phone screen, and Yuki realized his eyes had welled up. He wanted to tell her everything – how seeing her succeed made his own accomplishments feel brighter, how her determination pushed him to be better, how sometimes he caught himself watching her in team meetings instead of the presentations. How somewhere between shared convenience store meals and podium celebrations, she'd become more than just his teammate or friend.

But tonight wasn't about his feelings. Tonight was about YN's triumph, about years of hard work finally paying off. Tomorrow they'd be back in the garage, professional as ever, pushing each other to go faster, to be better. And he'd keep these feelings locked away, grateful just to be part of her journey.

He pulled up their old photo from their junior days, the one where they're both covered in champagne after their first shared podium. YN's smile in that photo was the same one she'd worn today – pure joy mixed with fierce determination. Some things, he thought with a slight smile, never changed.

here are some of the tags: @floweringanna, @hiraethberry, @holendernik, @oooom4arie, @burnhampeaches, @dying-inside-but-its-classy

let me know if you want to be added to the list :))

[superm4ks]

I think this a good time as any to share what I think H0rners big brain been cooking for some time, especially after the Spa fiasco wid Danny ric and allegedly big sponsors having to step in to save Checos seat ((Im skeptical of those reports but they not really the point, Checo bringing Liberty, and rbr, a lot of money from very intense LATAM pockets never been a secret, and it does matter in the cost cap era, its just how things are. Plus replacing Checo not something that keeps Horner up at night believe it or not, and that's where my word vomit comes in)).

I been sitting wid this 1 for some time, but mind u its all speculation on my part and mostly incoherent because my brain is completely fried these days. But stay wid me 😭😭. Adrian Newey leaving-- not just because of how it was announced, the way it was dealt wid internally, the shit he's been saying to press now ((he's tired and needs a break but been shopping around for teams like he's bored on hinge)) -- was , imo, more of a statement of distrust. In the rbr project, but mainly in Horner. He no longer believes Horners ability to succeed, he prolly already knew the rb20 as an evolution of the rb19 had its set of obvious limitations when it came to suspension once the field closed up, he knew they were headed down a difficult type of season, he took a step back, he saw the cracks begin to delve deeper and deeper into nastiness between the Verstappen camp and Horner, he saw Horner refuse to take accountability while Max very pointedly and UNLIKE all the other red bull drivers refused to express his unconditional support for Horner. Quite the opposite, Verstappen began making threats. Centering the importance of the car ((!!!)) and a stable environment, not Horners innocence or lack thereof. He doesn't care about that, as long as hes got the people and the car to work wid. Keep that in mind.

But back to the Newey divorce . Adrians one of the most important figures in motorsport period, he knew he had better options, perhaps some financial motivations, why not, he said thank you, I don't trust you anymore, goodbye. So here falls a core, original pillar of Milton Keynes, arguably one of the most successful aerodynamicists of all time. 1 of Red Bulls bishop, gone. Still, they rallied behind Wache, they said Adrian hadn't been part of development for some time, their factory remains strong, they can fill in the gaps, rbr is STABLE, sure sure sure.

Imola, Canada, Spain. We all hold hands wid Max and play pretend for a lil bit. Verstappen factor and all that bullshit. But for some reason, Max delivers the same conclusion every post race presser. This car is falling behind. We are starting to struggle. The sim data and the on track data don't correlate. This car is not gonna win constructors. Idk how the fuck its even the WDC. CHECO of course appears to be driving for my cousin's bumper cars themed birthday party so we can all point and laugh and marvel at how a driver known for his experience and who's won races and gotten poles to suddenly drop to fucking p6 in the standings. Surely this is the worst driver of all time. Surely.

Austria. Rbr pit stops, already looking kinda iffy since the beginning of the season, hit a new low. Lando, wid a single good overtake, wins the race, effectively beating Max on track. Max didn't let him. And he came out of it with a points advantage too, because he made a choice regarding his driving and how he wud defend his position. In a better car, that's never a choice he has to make. But the car isn't on par wid Mclaren. Rbr factory development has, quite clearly, stalled. Upgrade packages go backwards.

Hungary. Yeah. Everything is stable and the car was good and Max was beyond delighted of course.

So, that's stable environment gone, competitive car gone, and now off goes Wheatley to fulfill his tp destiny. Somebody , who, once upon a time, was rightly identified as the guy who wud replace Christian Horner due to the severity of the allegations made against him. Yeah, remember when Horner shud have fucking been fired? But Horner stayed, Newey left, and Wheatley left. To disconnect these events is, imo, a lil bit insane. Wid Wheatley gone, that's red bulls bishop n2 fallen. I think its fairly reasonable to assume somebody wid 2 cats in Monaco is straight up not having a good time anymore.

So, where do Checo and Danny ric and that fucking seat come in. They're all part of this dance, but I think in a way that's been fairly misinterpreted. See for a long time now, prolly since he signed Danny ric to do tiktoks, even before Vcarb became a thing, Horner has not been looking for a replacement for Checo. He's been looking for a replacement for Max. Ik, again, this is me letting the voices take over. Lemme say some unhinged shit before u call the cops. Max is an impossible teammate. U cant match Max on pace over an entire season, u cant prioritize a driver over Max when it comes to development, u cant tailor a car to somebody like Checo ((which , because Im so fucking money on this, is what Horner has just claimed he's gonna start doing post Spa)) and not Max, because, simply put, the car will be slower. Max can drive faster cars, he can deliver the poles, he can give rbr a fighting chance, he's been doing that shit, wid more or less success, all season, most of his fucking career actually. Now, who do y'all know who also qualifies very well, likes a pointy car wid a shit ton of oversteer and recently been caught discussing rb20 failings wid Verstappen himself. Danny ric. And Danny ric, like Checo, is very much in the Horner camp side of things. Danny ric, rn, comes wid bonuses of loyalty and trust and maybe a lil chip on his shoulder that Verstappen quite simply does not have, or cares to have because that brother is trying to get his fourth championship, not survive f1. Danny ric comes as a success story for red Bull amidst very trying times for the brand, the silver son who bent the knee and came home to warm hugs and big smiles after nearly getting fucking taken out back in a farm by Zak brown. U put that brother next to Checo or Lawson or whoever u also have the bonus of not having one of the best drivers of all time absolutely refuse to finish behind them, which can be a lil bit annoying if the car is shit too.

Horner is a stingy, extremely egocentric asshole, who prolly shudve been fired a long time ago, and he's not the team principal I thought he was. Horner's strength as a tp came from standing on business for his WDC once the going gets hard. He's doing none of that this season, at least not for Max. He's just a man, and at the end of the day, he's got the pride and insecurity of one, too. If he thought Newey was expendable, well sure u already have a bald man in the team who gives a fuck ((????)), if he thinks Wheatley is expendable, that's pointing towards a more personal type of dutch centric trend, because if he thinks MAX is expendable ... if this 2023 Merc stinking ass fucking season is headed the way I think its headed baby. I wish him good luck .

[agendabymooner]

if not for you ! daniel r. x ofc (måneskin member! ofc) // toto w.

SPIN OFF for COLOUR ME YOUR COLOUR and RUSH

"there'll be no spring if not for this love of mine"

summary: posts and tweets exchanged between lester and others during the baku race weekend as she babysat toto and tilly wolff's children. OR chaos ensues in the paddock and the hospitalities as the wolff kids and an asshole ex-lover (is he really?) made their presence known to almost anyone

content warning: character-centric, mentions of questionable man, appearance of characters not yet shown in the series colour me your colour, toto wolff being canonically fashionable, use of explicit language, faceclaims used for the kids, danny is full on babygirl in the instagram comment section. f1 drivers being messy.

note: sorry for the awol guys, i was walking my fish. tomorrow is the start of the canadian gp 2023 and i am sad that i am not there. maybe next year when i have the money? or maybe when i work for pr. who knows. since i'm not there, i'm just celebrating and writing this.

ALSO!! should i do a blurb or something relating to lester babysitting the paddock kids- like the wolff kids? i've started on it but...

enjoy xx

masterlist

[first image dialogue: i don't normally look at the time because i dress faster than this. i even dress ren and tia for less than seven minutes and they're always dressed nicely for their music classes]

[second image: if they're dressed ten minutes after, that's not my doing; toto dresses them and he struggles a lot. he mostly gets them ready if he's taking them to work or if i'm off to a meeting in milton keynes]

[third image: we've made a lot of trips to ralph lauren and tommy hilfiger because he thinks that he can just mix and match the clothes that we got there for the bunch. said it's a "capsule wardrobe." that's what happens when you're married to a fashion expert, i suppose.]

[fourth image: you'll be able to know if he dresses them once you see the jumper/dress shorts/trousers combo or the dress/jumper combo. you'll know he did the preparing if tia's hair is put in place with a hair clip. she loves it when her papa puts in barrettes in her thin hair.]

tagged tillywolff, mercedesamgf1, redbullracing

view 32142 more comments

carlossainzjr ay, i didn't know they were running a barber shop! i need a haircut

tillywolff i don't recall buying that toy set for them 🧐

charles_leclerc maman said to get it for them so it can remind them of their mamé pascale

tillywolff thank you so much for taking care of ren and tia! i've been told they enjoyed being with their zia lori. maybe you can take care for adelmo next time? liked by loressandro

loressandro i will definitely set up a playroom for the next time!

landonorris thank you so much tillywolff for the best hairstylist ever 😇 i got the best trim in the grid right now and no one can outdo it

mercedesamgf1 boss is asking who's responsible for allowing one of the wolff puppies drink red bull? just asking for research purposes 😊

charles_leclerc maxverstappen1

lewishamilton maxverstappen1

user1 LMFAOOOO not lewis and charles snitching on their in-law 😭

charles_leclerc user1 i need to be in toto's good graces again.

maxverstappen1 it's a red bull water bottle 💀 stop trying to push me back at the starting level mf charles_leclerc

user2 those kids are so toto coded 🥰

user3 if you can survive lando, you can survive the wolff kids 🙌 liked by loressandro

danielricciardo if you can survive the wolff kids, you can survive our kids 😘 liked by loressandro

thomasraggi_ yeah but try surviving her kids 💀

ykaaar you're about to have the BEST years of your life, danny

ethaneskin alessandro-ricciardo kids bout to treat the tracks like mario kart deluxe 🤡

loressandro guys please... this is the only man who's willing to put up with me. stop scaring him away

danielricciardo i'm not scared, i am challenged 😎

landonorris danielricciardo mental health wise? bc same.

danielricciardo when are we having our little ricciardo??

loressandro depends if your swimmers are still working in few months or years. also if you stop laughing at your own nephews and nieces, dickhead

danielricciardo got it ma'am. anything just to have your kids <3

[redsbrainrot]

Fairytail characters in the UK

- Lucy would’ve grown up upper middle class fr - family shops at Marks and Spencer’s and Waitrose

- She 100% went to an all girls private school

- If the friend group were planning a day out in London she’d drag them all to Convent Garden

- Natsu is council estate roadman, and he’d probably live in Luton HAHAHA

- Would spend his spare time at either a skatepark or maccies

- Gray would also be a roadman but from the north like Yorkshire or Newcastle

- Spends his free time at greggs

- He would definitely be hitting that blue razz elf bar

- Erza would be lower middle class, but richer than most of her friends - so she can shop at Sainsburys but meanwhile her friends go to Asda

- Juvia would be Gray’s chav girlfriend, but one of the sweet chavs

- Makarov is a corner shop boss man selling vapes to minors

- Mirajane would also be a sweet chav

- Gajeel would live in Milton Keynes

Part time jobs:

- Lucy: boots

- Erza: sainsburys

- Gray: tescos, maybe greggs

- Natsu: maccies

- Juvia: Lidl/Aldi

- Mirajane: wetherspoons

- Levy: Waterstones

Bonus:

[thesparkofrevolution]

My Elden Ring merch finally arrived and I’ve got it added to my Etsy store! This was also super self serving but I hope other people like it!

[lewisinho]

scrapping the trip to brackley. considering hitching a ride to milton keynes to steal newey’s red notebook instead. might visit a local photocopying shop as well. initiate spygate 2.0 for the good of the public interest

[sefurnitureoutlet]

Furniture Delivery Milton Keynes

Need reliable furniture delivery in Milton Keynes? SE Furniture Outlet offers fast, professional service for all your home furnishing needs. Browse our quality selection and enjoy seamless delivery to your doorstep. Transform your space with ease today!

[cathkaesque]

hiiiiiiiiiiiiiii I just wanted to quickly promote my wonderful sister's Etsy shop, she makes wonderful little Vocaloid, FFIX Genshin and Izutsumi pins prints and stickers so if you're into that I'd definitely recommend having a little look!

Her work is absolutely gorgeous, I have a lot of her Izutsumi stickers and can confirm they're really good :) She ships internationally too!

[charlesandmartine]

Friday 15th November 2024

A relaxing first night in our miner's rest. This is a very comfortable and well equipped property. There are 3 units in total here at number 12, and I suspect that through Airbnb, the guests are mainly connected to the mining industry. Mount Isa has been one of two major domestic sources of copper since 1953 when it became a one-stop shop for copper production — mine, concentrator, and smelter all next door to each other. Twenty percent of the Mount Isa Mines personnel live in the town, with most of the remainder working in supporting industries. One percent of the world's copper is mined here. Sadly, controversy is mounting because Swiss company Glencore, is planning to cease copper mining here next year and smelting here by 2030. A lot of government involvement here clearly with jobs at stake, the profile of this is pretty high. A town of nearly 20,000 people depends on this industry for its future. New open cast copper mining opportunities are proposed for Cloncurry 100kms away, but a decision is pending for 2026. Big challenges ahead, I guess.

Our first stop this morning was to the Tourist Information Office to find out what needs to be done around these parts. The must do event was the Hard Times Mine Tour, departing 13.00. We were offered concessions, so what's not to like? This was 10 am, so we had some time to kill, which we used highly productively looking round mining exhibits. Then, before the mine tour was to commence, we crossed the road to the City Lookout, which commemorates the spot where in February 1923, John Campbell Miles, a prospector, by chance spotted some yellow and brown rock, which when split open was black and honeycomb colour. When samples were analysed in Cloncurry, the results showed high levels of lead and silver; cerussite, a lead carbonate. And from this, a mining industry in Mount Isa was born. From this lookout, we could survey the whole of the city, from mine to the retail areas, to residential streets. Viewing the tree lined grid system roads, it was like looking down on Milton Keynes with a big dirty mine in the middle of it; the ever present tall copper and lead smelter chimneys overseeing and dominating the skyline!

Now it was time for our two and a half hour tour of the mine. This facsimile 25m deep mine was dug out in 2003, designed by the mayor and experienced miners to be as accurate a copy of a real mine, in size, equipment, procedure, sound, dirt etc. An experienced miner of 45 years of service led the tour. We started by descending into the ground in an authentic lift. Clothed in bright orange overalls, helmet, helmet light, boots we emerged into the darkness of the pit head, and we all turned on our lights, boarded a pit train and taken to a muster junction control area where tokens were kept, one for each miner monitoring and accounting for all in the mine. As a muster point, it was a place where lunch would also have been taken. We were lead on foot through the tunnels, having demonstrations of mine drilling equipment through the ages. All of it was extremely heavy; all rock mined by explosive and then moved onto trains. It is not a career for the faint-hearted. I felt tired just looking at the drills. The drill action was more of a hammer and chisel; bang and turn chisel, bang, turn etc. These old drills still worked as intended as we held onto an operating one, we were very aware of the weight and vibration, experiencing just how tough a job this would be. Drilling horizontally into the rock face would have been exhausting in extreme heat. Drilling into the roof almost impossible, but a team of two men would drill sufficient depth into the face, charge all the holes with explosive, clear the section, ignite through a chain reaction and extend the tunnel by six feet every day. Loose rock was removed to the surface for crushing and mineral extraction. As we moved through the decades, the work became more productive with heavier mechanised equipment until you reach the equipment of today which can use high pressure water or lasers to drill into the rock in readiness for explosive. More productive, certainly, easier work? I don't think so. Powerful ventilation fans, trains, massive dumper trucks, hammer drills, and explosions must have been deafening, working 6 days a week, 12 hours a day. Our guide, Steve, after a lifetime in the industry, would not wish to change anything, but regrets now the damage to his health having been diagnosed with the miner's disease silicosis, losing part of one lung and the knowledge that soon he will need to be on oxygen.

Such an excellent authentic afternoon spent being shown and having demonstrated a way of life totally alien to anything within our own experience, by someone who has lived through it himself and was able to patiently portray it, often humorously to us. Great value, and we were served hot pasties and coffee.

ps. We got to keep the overalls, so dead useful if we decide to take up mining at some point. Steve wanted the helmets back!

pps. As we sat enjoying our evening SB and nibbles, we watched plane after plane leaving Mount Isa from its tiny airport. Like many mining operations, a percentage at the workers are FIFOs, fly in, fly out Friday. It's clearly a nice town, but not that nice.

[techniktagebuch]

Montag, 29. April bis Samstag, 4. Mai 2024

Wenn man die Schwerkraft mal braucht!

Am Montag komme ich nach einer Pause an den Schreibtisch zurück und der Laptop ist aus. Der Akku ist leer, weil das Ladekabel nicht drin war. Als ich es einstecke. höre ich seltsame Britzelgeräusche und dann bald gar nichts mehr. Der Laptop geht nicht wieder an.

Etwa eine Stunde früher habe ich beim Teeeingießen auf meinen Monitor geschaut und den Tee statt in die Tasse auf die Schreibtischplatte gegossen. Dass das überhaupt passieren konnte, liegt nur daran, dass ich seit ein paar Tagen nicht mehr im Liegen auf einem Sitzsack arbeite, sondern an einem Tisch, weil ich durch die Liegehaltung Knieschmerzen bekommen habe. Am Schreibtisch ist meine Arbeitshaltung noch unergonomischer, aber durch die Abwechslung plane ich meine Körperteile gleichmäßiger abzunutzen.

Der Tee hat sich auf der Schreibtischplatte ausgebreitet und ist unter den Laptop geflossen. Aber doch nur unter den Laptop, denke ich, der Laptop steht auf kleinen Gummifüßen, wie soll der Tee gegen die Schwerkraft in sein Inneres geflossen sein. Sicher liegt es an was anderem.

Ich recherchiere, teste verschiedene Ladegeräte und lese nach, dass beim Einstecken des Ladegeräts eine LED leuchten soll. Wenn sie nicht leuchtet, ist wahrscheinlich das Mainboard kaputt. Bei mir leuchtet nichts.

Ich schraube den Laptop auf und gucke rein. Die Lüftungsschlitze sind auf der Unterseite, und um dort hinzusehen, müsste ich das Mainboard rausnehmen. Das ist mir zu kompliziert, außerdem kann sowieso kein Tee im Laptop sein, wegen der Schwerkraft.

Nach einer Anleitung führe ich einen Mainboard-Reset durch. Danach geht es immer noch nicht.

Nachdem ich noch mehr recherchiert und an Kabeln gewackelt und "aber es KANN kein Tee drin sein" gesagt habe, suche ich die Framework-Anleitung zum Ausbau des Mainboards. Es ist eigentlich nicht schwierig, man muss nur vorsichtig sechs Verbindungen lösen und fünf Schrauben rausdrehen. Dann kann ich die Unterseite des Mainboards betrachten, und, naja, es ist nass. Außerdem gibt es da eine verschmurgelt aussehende Stelle.

Ich trockne das Mainboard ab und schließe es direkt ans Ladegerät an, das geht nämlich beim Framework. Jetzt sollten eigentlich ein oder zwei LEDs leuchten. Es leuchtet aber nichts.

Ich mache mich auf die Suche nach einem neuen Mainboard. Das ist erfreulich einfach. Ich kann erst nicht glauben, wie einfach, und muss es mir anderswo bestätigen lassen: Man kann jedes beliebige Mainboard einbauen, das es im Framework-Shop gibt, alte, neue, sie passen alle. Es ist, als könnte man eine passende Hose einfach noch mal kaufen! Ich nehme das billigste Mainboard, das immer noch sehr teuer ist, aber dafür irgendwie besser als mein voriges zu sein verspricht.

Mein Plan ist, es einzubauen und zu schauen, ob dann alles wieder geht. Wenn das nicht der Fall ist, muss ich leider auf die hervorragende Reparierbarkeit des Laptops verzichten und einen ganz neuen kaufen, so blöd das ist. Denn nach so einem Gebritzel könnte ja sonstwas kaputt sein, keine Ahnung, wie ich das diagnostizieren soll. Außerdem ist man mit den Einzelteilen sehr schnell über dem Gesamt-Neupreis.

Von Dienstag bis Samstagmittag arbeite ich am guten alten Chromebook, das sich zum Glück gerade im gleichen Haushalt befindet wie ich. Alle ein, zwei Stunden sehe ich im Paket-Tracking nach, wo mein Mainboard gerade ist.

Am Dienstag um 8 Uhr morgens wird es in Amsterdam abgeholt.

Um 2 Uhr nachmittags ist es in Milton Keynes.

Am Mittwoch um 2 Uhr nachmittags ist es wieder in Amsterdam.

Ein paar Stunden später ist es zum zweiten Mal in Milton Keynes und wird importiert ("International shipment release").

Am Donnerstag um zwei Uhr morgens wird es in Milton Keynes noch mal importiert.

Am Freitag um acht Uhr morgens macht es sich auf den Weg von Milton Keynes nach "Unknown".

Am Freitag um 11 Uhr abends noch mal.

Und am Samstag um 8 Uhr morgens noch mal.

Am Samstagmittag finde ich es unangekündigt im Fahrradschuppen.

Ich baue es ein und setze vorsichtig alles wieder zusammen: Lautsprecherverbindung, Audioboard-Verbindung, Verbindung zum Monitor, Verbindung zur Webcam, Verbindung zum WLAN-Modul, RAM einbauen, SSD einbauen, Verbindung zum Akku, Kabel zur Tastatur, fertig. Das klingt mühsam, ist aber wie Lego, nur mit kleineren Teilen. Am Ende bleibt nur eine einzige Schraube übrig.

Dann schalte ich den Laptop ein, und alles geht wieder. Sogar meine 239 Firefox-Tabs sind noch da. Ich fühle mich wie Matt Damon am Anfang von "The Martian", nachdem er sich selbst die Antenne aus dem Bauch operiert hat, und bin sehr zufrieden mit den Reparierbarkeitsversprechen von Framework. Gut, die Lüftungsschlitze müssten nicht unbedingt auf der Unterseite sein, wo Tee hineinlaufen kann, aber Mia Culpa wendet ein: "Ich glaube, es ist egal, wo die Lüfterschlitze sind, es wird immer eine Freak-Accident-Variante geben, durch die Tee hineinläuft. Und wenn es keine Lüftschlitze gäbe, läuft Ketchup durch die Tastatur, irgendwas ist immer."

Das ist leider wahr. Ich nehme mir vor, in Zukunft beim Eingießen von Tee immer hinzuschauen.

(Kathrin Passig)