Monday 30 January 2017

Whitby



Just back from a weekend in Whitby staying in Dillons. I love Whitby because being here seems like you are at sea without having to set sail. There is wood and water, fish and seabirds, the odd pirate ship, whalebones and rope, and it is a wonderful place to be.

There is the odd bit of seaside arcade and a fortune teller, but you can walk everywhere. The walk from West Cliff (where you'll find La Rosa) to the top of the 199 steps (where you'll find the Abbey) does not even seem difficult and I am not exactly what you would call prime physical shape.

Most restaurants are variations on fish but that is hardly a surprise, and no matter what the weather the atmosphere of Whitby always shines through for me.

You can also  go out Whale watching, and that's the ling to the wonderful and violent song by Alex Harvey and The New Band from The Mafia Stole My Guitar, worth playing loud, if you dare.

Goodnight my friends.

Wednesday 25 January 2017

The Last Few Days


Has been sore and painful, and I'm not talking about that pair of morons Trump and May leading our nations into oblivion. Monday was and work and having to go for a wee about every fifteen minutes, but felt ok, Tuesday morning was  lots of horrible bodily stuff resulting in me be unable to eat, and feeling like I'd been punched from the outside and the inside, Tuesday night was unable to sleep but finally decided to take a couple of Ibuprofen which seemed to ease the pain. I've not slept so much for ages as I have over the past two days.

I was in bed but had 6Music on and in a really weird turn Stuart Maconie talking about The Chain entered my dream and I was just about to say something to him when I woke up about 3pm. The dream involved me working at BT based in somewhere that was vaguely familiar, meeting a lovely girl called Kiki and Stuart Maconie and moving desks and being on a rather odd bus ride that involved being covered in a protective tarpaulin, you know the average sort of dream that I have.

While I am not back to 100%, I have managed a tomato sandwich and some pea and ham soup and toast, so hopefully I will be fit and raring to go tomorrow.

Was wondering what song to put on this and somehow Randy Newman's "Putin" came up in my feed. I didn't even know this song existed but it's Newman at his satirical best,  I sure Vladimir would agree.

I didn't intend this post to have any political content, but I managed to mention Trump, May and Putin and that makes them sound like a firm of bailiffs, which I suppose they really are.


Sunday 22 January 2017

Chestwigging


Today was the first time I'd been to a gig since November. It was the first time I'd seen any once socially since before then barring my lovely neighbours and Jessica at Wildflower. On the the plus side I got to see a few friends who I hadn't seen in ages, and The Star Spangled Chestwigs sounded on top of their game. The Schooner was rammed.

Unfortunately this meant that I and many others couldn't see the band . The last time I saw them at The Schooner they were outside on the big stage / tables (see here) and while you could hear how good they were , you couldn't see.

But I felt brilliant to get out and it was great to see people and see The Schooner packed and enjoying the Chestwigs taking on classic rock and coming out on top.

They still can't play perfectly but they put on an absolutely perfect show and the crowd loved it. You will be hard pushed to see a better live band , because you come away from their gigs and feel absolutely top of the world. That's how good they are.

Saturday 21 January 2017

We Have To Stay Positive


We knew it was coming, we knew it was getting in the Whitehouse because the electorate knew him as the face of the Apprentice and that's why they voted. If Simon Cowell stood for Prime Minister in the UK the idiots would come out in their millions to vote for him.

This is called democracy

So what do we do?

We be ourselves.

We try and educate people that their vote matters

We foster respect and tolerance and a love of diversity.

We do what we can to make things better for us and for others.

We make life good.

WE know the dangers of what has happened the USA, but there are a hell of a lot of sensible people in the USA , like there are in the UK and maybe the Trump success is the kick up the arse that good people need to realize you cannot take things for granted.

Anyway we will deal with this and we will make things better by being positive, doing our best for ourselves, our friends and family and those who need our help.

Last Monday I was a little apprehensive about my Liver Biopsy. Today I have a biggish bruise on my right side and all is good. I knew it was going to happen and some brilliant people in the NHS made it perfect for me,

I have sort of neglected this blog but I will choose a song that is positive and the Mitchel and Webb Apprentice sketch which is hilarious. What better than Public Service Broadcastings's "Go" , totally positive and that is what we should be.





Tuesday 17 January 2017

The Day After


Yesterday was spent in the Freeman Hospital for a Liver Biopsy. This is something the NHS lets us take for granted but successive governments since Margaret Thatcher bought herself into power have certainly not helped the NHS.

Everyone I spoke with was positive , pleasant , helpful and did a great job. They told me what would happen, what the possible side effects were , what the side effects probably would be, and this is what we pay for with out National Insurance and Taxes. The last three governments have made life difficult by siphoning that money off to private corporations and consultancies, the most high profile corporate leech being Richard Branson.

Anyway today I am recuperating, not supposed to be doing anything at all, and supposed to be enjoying taking the time to read and catch up TV and be in a fit state for work tomorrow. I should be thinking positive thoughts and enjoying a day to actually rest , although I naturally feel like I should be doing something (I have done washing up and cooked an omelette for lunch and eaten it)  so I haven't been completely idle.

Anyway I thought we'd have one of my favourite singers covering one of my favourite songs. Bryan Ferry covering The Velvet Underground's "What Goes On".

Have a great afternoon, even if you are still at work.


Sunday 15 January 2017

Time


It's weird, over the last couple of months I seem to have less time to do what I want, often missing out on things so that I can have some me time to recuperate from the exertions of whatever I'm doing during the week. I haven't attended a gig since November and I've forgotten last time I met someone socially, the nearest being dropping in on my friend Krista at her KOTA place in the Grainger Market.

Tomorrow I go to the Freeman Hospital for a Liver Biopsy coincidentally the same day as a friend of mine is there for the start of his chemotherapy, hardly the best conditions for social interaction.

So what do I do , I set up another blog to give out free horse racing tips here. So I'm still looking for things to do, I'm also still trying to sort out recording possibilities with my set up, having discovered how to use the arpeggiator in GarageBand on the iPad, as well as catching up on TV and listening to music, at the moment "Queen" by Perfume Genius , followed by the stunning "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" by Pere Ubu , both stunning records.

I hope this doesn't sound as though I'm complaining, I am making plans to do things and will be definitely more active in the new year. Sometimes I wish I didn't have to sleep and had 30 hour days not taken up with 8 hours of work, but don't we all feel like that.

I'm lucky that work is a pleasant place to work with some brilliant people there, and they also do a great job that I am glad to be a part of.

So what temporally themed song should I choose "Time" by Pink Floyd or David Bowie? I will probably shock you by choosing Coldplay's "Clocks" but the Buena Vista Social Club version.

Have a lovely night my gorgeous friends.

Friday 13 January 2017

Friday 13th ... You Better Run, Rum, Run


 I really wanted to write something positive about the number thirteen. The thing is humans are conditions by society, parents , whatever to believe in superstitions. Single magpies, black cats , and lot's more.

I was thinking along the lines of a baker's dozen where an extra loaf was thrown in, in case one was not up to scratch.

There's a lot of reasons given why thirteen is bad, such as Judas being the thirteenth one at the Last Supper. But surely Jesus was the odd one out as he wasn't an apostle. We have twelve calendar months , but thirteen lunar months and the word lunatic is derived from Luna and the phases of the moon that brings out a change in certain people , not always for the better.

If you search the internet for "Lucky 13" you will come across albums by Bert Jansch and Neil Young although nothing about why 13 should be considered lucky.

Today is also Friday which is not deemed good for travel and combining it with 13 you have not a great omen for travel. Also it snowed today, so making it more likely that drivers would have an accident. Friday the 13th is also the name of a horror film series (here) and also it's the title of albums by The Damned, The Misfits and The Stranglers.

The song I will give you is "Run,Run,Run" , the opening track from "A Quick One" by The Whoabout all those reasonless supertitions, which I am sure you will identify with. Time for bed now, sleep well