The uses of Artificial Intelligence
In September 2025 , as my contract in Research ended, I applied and got a bursary toward the costs (from Brixton society) of a Lambeth Tour Guide course. Six months in I was chatting with AI, about my reasons for wanting to leave the course.
Asking AI to assist me was a great process. I was struggling to keep up with the work and didn’t enjoy certain aspects of the course. Many conversations later the conclusion was that my type of personality wasn’t happy with prescriptive learning.
Yes I could hang on just to get the certificate Or I could get back to developing my personal interests and look for work. I chose to leave but there is a possibility (should I want to )I could maybe rejoin at a later date, banking my six months commitment.
I am free again to enjoy my walks at weekends.
I’m helping Brixton Society out with volunteer work at some of their events. As well I owe them a couple of guided walks, which I will honour. Depending on how this goes I can reconsider the options to revisit the tour guide course.
As the weather improves it’s great to get out of London for walks.
Lewes short walk
Firstly a walk around town, and then a short 6 miles or so walk, just up into the foot of the South downs
We walked up hill past the golf course, towards Glyndbourne and back, (steep gradient) back around the town to buy a few plants and lunch at Bills, it was nice n the sun, but otherwise freezing.
Walking in Twilight
Unintentionally I found myself walking along the river one midweek day, from Mortlake to Richmond, I had started at Putney about 2.30pm and once I got to Barnes Bridge, I decided to keep going .
My favourite part of the river where the woodland is ancient and you can’t see any buildings.
Bittercresses and Toothworts (Genus Cardamine) it has been named Hairy Bittercress, Cuckooflower & Milkmaids, Essentially it comes from the tribe of Cardamine.
The pathway from Kew Gardens to Richmond has been repaired. As often is the case I forgot how long that stretch is. I could see the sun going down over the other side of the river.
It felt great to be alone with my thoughts just ambling alongside the river and the woodland.
trees get the light.
The Twilight Zone (and fear of the dark)
Daskiss Is an Irish word for Dusk/twilight.
A time where the light is magical and the senses go into overload.
This river walk was starting to scare and excite me. I wasn’t sure if I could get to Richmond town before the light had gone down. Feeling scared in the dark is not something that happens much these days.
Other Moonlight tales
Many Moons ago I travelled from Dublin to Donegal on a coach, via Sligo, it seemed to last forever but it did feel bewitching.
It seemed a long climb upwards from Donegal town to the cottage. It was maybe a mile or maybe less. We were going to meet our hosts recommended by some hippy we knew living in a squat in North London.
I was so scared and convinced there was a cow in the middle of the road. The darkness made me freeze I refused to budge for what seemed like forever!
The middle of nowhere in the dark
That was a long time ago in the Independent Republic of Ireland, where there was some sort of anti cultural revolutionary movement going on
A bit of grow your own you know what, and live outside of the system. I was aware and intrigued with what I had heard about “The Screamers” who lived in a commune close to the Atlantic. I never got there and maybe that was just as well.
Donegal’s ‘screamers’: The story of 1970’s Atlantis Commune – BBC News
As always I’m all over London.
Back to the present, I had a great walk from Holborn to Victoria, via the South Bank. the day started at The Job Centre Kennington
I jumped on the bus from there to Holborn. then headed down to the river along the South Bank and ventured into The poetry library.
Walking alongside St Thomas Hospital , Westminster is on the right. I walk over to the next bridge, (Lambeth) toward Victoria. It feels like spring.
Poetry in motion
Looking for something /anything, that might inspire me, I eventually picked something by Carol Ann Duffy. I’m currently on a Course of hers and she recommends reading everybody.
I have a few unfinished poems and an idea to create an illustrated book of poems among other creative ventures, somewhere down the line.
The National Covid Memorial Wall- you can write a message in one of the thousands of red hearts post -its.
This boat collects your rubbish. It looks somewhat hazy, like a painting.
This Channel 4 building is on Horseferry Road, it’s one of my favourite areas of London.
PENSHURST VIA Tonbridge or Redhill.
26 wild and rugged Ramblers turned up for this spring day ramble of 10 miles.
Much of the walk was in woods so very muddy, but I’m not complaining. It was good to get out. We visited the historic Penhurst Village.
A traditional Letter box still intact on the side of a shop front, near the old church yard.
https://www.penshurstplace.com
The highlight for me was meeting the pigs!
Sandy
I couldn’t quite photograph them at the right angle, as they ran about a lot.
Eddie
I had some bread in my bag left over from my vegan sausage baguette. They were delighted at this little act of kindness and Texas Jane fed them with some healthy tortillas
so cute.
They had plenty of space to run about in and huts to hide or sleep in.
It was lovely to see. Many factory farmed pigs don’t have that privilege.
more walks n things in April.
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Excellent as always!