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Sunday, 23 November 2008
Widget/Gadget
Mood:
 spacey
Topic: Widget/Gadget
If your one of the many Opera browser users then you can now download this blog as a desktop Widget. There's a link on the homepage which is the easiest method of downloading it. I feel a photo update coming on  stay tuned.
Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H
at 6:02 PM GMT
What a week!
Mood:
 bright
Topic: Cancer
It's been quite a week with both ups and downs. Wednesday dinner time and I'm in town with my wife. We don't normally, but considering all that we're going through at present we decided to have a little drink in our local Wetherspoons. I'm at the bar and my mobile starts ringing, upon answering I'm bluntly told that my hospital appointment tomorrow for a pre-opp assessment has been canceled. I'm then told that my operation (to remove cancer) on December 4th has also been canceled and I'll have to wait for another appointment through the post.
To say I was annoyed was an understatement. But I said F##k it and went back to the bar and ordered our drinks anyway. On Thursday was my wifes birthday, I won't tell you her age but what I can say is that she gets more gorgeous with every passing year. The day was a little emotional but enjoyable and although the good days must come to an end I've learned to live in the moment and not worry about tomorrow. Friday brought good news from my consultant. He came to the rescue and managed to get me an operating slot at a private hospital and slightly sooner then my original one, if the man drank then I'd buy him a big drink but he will have to settle for the psychedelic socks instead (it's a long story). 
Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H
at 4:08 PM GMT
Updated: Sunday, 23 November 2008 4:36 PM GMT
Friday, 14 November 2008
Fuck it !
Mood:
 mischievious
Topic: Books
I've just started reading this book by John Parkin and I highly recommend it to anyone who's prone to a little stress or going through a difficult time. If nothing else it'll put a smile on your face and thats worth the cost in itself.
Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H
at 9:57 AM GMT
Updated: Friday, 14 November 2008 10:24 AM GMT
Tuesday, 11 November 2008
Videos
Mood:
 chatty
Topic: Youtube Videos
Been meaning to post this for a while but not managed to get round to it. But as I sit at the keyboard all is peaceful at Dark Destiny Towers so I thought before Hurricane Hugo wakes up for his pre-bedtime blitz of terror I would post one of the best Highgate Cemetery videos around.
Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H
at 10:49 PM GMT
Updated: Tuesday, 11 November 2008 11:18 PM GMT
Friday, 7 November 2008
7th November 2008
Mood:
 lyrical
Topic: New Monuments
As mentioned in my post on November 3rd, I went back to my local church yard with camera in hand to photograph the newly discovered monuments which have been hidden by dense vegetation for many years. Below are two of the three monuments discovered a few days ago: 
Spending some more time wandering around my wife and I discovered another three tombs which have recently been rediscovered. I can only conclude that the local Historic Society are on a mission and a very interesting one it is too. I'll post some photo's of the other discoveries soon! Take Care
Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H
at 6:22 PM GMT
Updated: Friday, 7 November 2008 10:31 PM GMT
Thursday, 6 November 2008
6th November 2008
Mood:
mischievious
Topic: Fame at Last
Last year a film crew spent time filming at West Norwood Cemetery for a TV documentary called "Dead Art". The filming also included the cemetery open day, and yes you've guessed it my mug appears in a couple of scenes. 
Sat right in the middle of the shot above, on the wall, is my family and I.
And here in the bottom left hand corner is yours truly having a little rest between taking pictures  If you would like to buy a copy of the DVD then the "Friends of West Norwood Cemetery" still have a few copies available for £8.50 each inc p&p. Details can be found on their website http://www.fownc.org/
Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H
at 11:29 PM GMT
Updated: Friday, 7 November 2008 9:10 AM GMT
Tuesday, 4 November 2008
4th November 2008
Mood:
 cheeky
Topic: How it begun!
To finish off from yesterday I will explain how Dark Destiny came to be. To start with the name or URL was acquired long before the site concept evolved. I'm not altogether sure why I brought it, I think it was at a time when I was buying domain names purely because they were available and I liked them. So I had a domain which sat idle for months until I read a report in my local newspaper. Before I carry on I should go back even further. Growing up, and still living, in a town which dates back to medieval times I have always found the many churchyards which surrounded me to hold a fascination. As a child I suppose it might of been the 400 year old gravestones with skull and crossbones on which marked the resting place of plague victims and the associated ghost legends. Then as a young adult I think it was the peace and tranquility which provided a brief rest-bite from the hectic daily round of work, married life and fatherhood. I still find such places tranquil and relaxing but now it's the history, symbolism, architecture and the combined beauty of both man-made stone art and mother nature which captures my interest. Back to the newspaper report. One of the most interesting graveyards in town had become victim to a Friday night drunken rampage. Multiple statues and more then a dozen headstones had been kicked over and smashed, most of the destroyed monuments were over 150 years old. This drunken act caused a small outcry among the locals and despite offers of rewards the offenders were never caught. It occurred to me that if the vandalism continued this way then in years to come there would be little if nothing left of the Victorian monuments and the memories they represent. I decided the only practical way of trying to preserve what was left was by photography. Cutting a long story short things kind of escalated as my interest in both photography and Victorian monuments grew. The thirst for bigger more significant memorials could only lead me in the direction of London and the "Magnificent Seven". Here's a few photo's taken in 2007 of the graveyard in question: 
Today my collection of photographs is massive. What is seen on Dark Destiny is only a tiny percentage of the photo's taken. On average each outing nets me around four to five hundred photo's which will hopefully one day provide a valuable record of the past.
Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H
at 1:59 PM GMT
Updated: Tuesday, 4 November 2008 10:55 PM GMT
Monday, 3 November 2008
3rd November 2008
Mood:
 lazy
Topic: New Monuments
I've not managed to get out too much lately apart from visits to hospitals and doctors, but on Saturday I had a wander around my local town center and a large church yard which resides there. It must be at least 3 months since I had a walk round there and it is in fact the churchyard which is responsible for the creation of Dark Destiny, I shall explain all that in a minute. Anyway while checking that all my favorite statues etc were still intact I came across three substantial monuments which were all unfamiliar. On closer inspection and a little head scratching later I recalled that previously there had been nothing more then a very dense bush at the location in question. The stone work on two of the monument was in pretty good condition considering their age and when I'm next going in that direction I shall take a camera so I can post a pic or two here. But the point I'm trying to make is that in this particular graveyard, which incidentally is over a thousand years old, there must be another ten to twenty large bushes which have grown up around headstones, tombs and statues and now conceals their very existence. I can't help but imagine just what long forgotten monumental gems lay hidden from view in thousands of graveyards all over the UK. I would love to get the shears out and see whats revealed, does anyone know the legalities of such a move? Time has beat me for the moment as the dinner requires my attention so I'll explain the fundamentals of how Dark Destiny was born and the connection to the above graveyard in another post very soon. Bye for now
Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H
at 5:02 PM GMT
Updated: Monday, 3 November 2008 6:03 PM GMT
Friday, 31 October 2008
31st October 2008
Mood:
 not sure
Topic: New Addition
 Received news today that my operation to remove the cancer from my bladder won't be until December. My consultant has tried every trick in the book to get things sorted quicker but there are just not enough available operating slots, even to pay private at over four thousand pounds will not get it done any quicker.
Thankfully he thinks it will make no difference to my long term health but when you have cancer which could be removed in a minor procedure lasting around 30 minutes it is very frustrating (and uncomfortable) having to wait so long.
Back to more cheerful things! To cheer my wife up and to take our minds off things we have a new addition to the family. Meet our new puppy "Hugo" or more appropriately "Hurricane Hugo". His fast, smelly, destructive, stubborn and far too clever for his own good but my wife loves him to bits.
Yesterday we updated the site with some photo's of Hanwell Cemetery which were taken back in May this year and coming soon will be photos of Brockley and Ladywell Cemetery.
Until then, be good.
Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H
at 11:45 AM BST
Wednesday, 22 October 2008
22nd October 2008
Mood:
 sad
Topic: Cancer
Life can throw things in your direction sometimes which really knock the crap out of you. I suppose writing this will help me come to terms and accept things a little more but it isn't easy.
Friday just gone I was informed that I have cancer. I have a tumour in my bladder which obviously needs to be removed in the next couple of weeks. My consultant is confident that the thing is superficial and once removed no further treatment will be required (there's always nagging doubts though) apart from regular scoping and scans to make sure all is well.
Despite changing attitudes towards cancer and the short time in which I have been diagnosed it's amazing how some people (thankfully not many) can still make you feel unclean, it's almost as if they think they might catch it from you. But at the same time I've also been overwhelmed with such sincere offers of support and love which has really restored my faith in human nature. Thank you so much to my family, friends and the amazing staff (Mr Lane, Helen, Denise to name a few) at Hertford County Hospital.
Anyway I have a wife and kids who mean the world to me so what more incentive do I need to make sure I'm around for years to come.
At present I won't be travelling about taking photo's but I still have a few updates in hand to keep things fresh for a month or two.
For the moment though, look after yourself and make the most of every day.
Best Wishes
Neil
Posted by Neil Bartlett DHyp M.A.E.P.H
at 11:42 AM BST
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