Quietly Strange

Today has been weird, I've not felt like doing anything or even doing something which requires little interaction from me liking watching a film or catch up TV.

Earlier today I walked to Aldi (only about half a mile) got a few things then walked back (Stagecoach buses don't run that way on a Sunday) then realised I'd left my hat (it had looked like rain, so I put it in my bag, took it out when I packed it, and left it on the ledge), so phoned their customer service and they had it, so I walked back again and got it. That did mean I got some steps in and only need to do another 25K to hit this months target.

The weather has generally been good but cold, but when I got back, I just couldn't bring myself to engage with anything. On the plus side I was resting both my body and my brain, but it felt slightly weird just not actually doing anything and not wanting to do anything.

Hopefully tomorrow I will feel more motivated, but this afternoon has been just traveling in neutral. I did post my review of last night's Trash Shack gig here. so that was one positive thing , and it was a great night. I've also just ordered tickets for The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing and the Cluny 2 on Easter Sunday, and Half Man Half Biscuit at The Boiler Shop the following Friday, so I suppose today has not been a totally idle day.

And Sometimes Things Do Work Out

After two weeks an order from Aldi has turned up, taken in my my neighbour, causing musch annoyance for Aldi Customer Service as Yodel and then Parcel Force refused to follow basic instructions either because they can't be bothered or they like coming out to not be able to deliver to our house, but all is good now. It amazes me that these delivery companies, with all the useful technology available, cannot sort out a time to do just a single delivery. Basically most people are likely to be in before 8AM and after 6PM so if your deliver times were based between 6 and 8 and then 6 and 10 you could give the drivers a shorter working day and reduce the number of times you have to return for failed deliveries.

This weekend I also finally got to catch up with my great friend Mike O'Brien at Mog on the Tyne the Cat Cafe in which he is involved and found out about all the issues getting it off the ground despite Council kerfuffling and of course talking about , music and lots of other stuff. There's some video and pics on my instagram feed here. 

The night was over to The Doll at The Black Bull to see the impressive Moron-o-Phonics supporting Penetration, but for the first time ever I left a gig before the band I had gone to see came on. The room was packed , and the sound was good but where I was there were several big blokes very much worse for wear from the drink. While there were no problems as such, the amount of falling over and spilt drinks gave me cause for concern so I thought it better to leave. Still I caught the complete Moron-o-Phonics and that was worth the price of admission, and I caught a minute of them here.

So it's Christmas Eve and for the first time this month I actually walked into work, and managed so photographs. The weather is mild so that makes it easier, and I listened to the Cosmic Rough Riders and Thousand Yard Stare on the way in , and December's 340K target which looked in doubt earlier in the month, will definitely be hit.

Michael Moorcock's "Swords of Corum" is extremely entertaining, and far better than the Hawkmoon / Runestaff books that I finished previously although it is still light Science Fantasy but in my opinion rather good.

The sun is shining, and that is always positive, and that just made me think of "Sunchyme" by Dario G which is an incredibly uplifting piece for this Christmas Eve. Merry Christmas everyone.

Rumours of ...

Apparently there are rumours that tomorrow there will be snow. It's raining at the moment and if it gets colder the precipitation may very possibly turn to snow.

I've just found a silver polishing cloth under my computer desk, I haven't a clue if it's mine or Fiona's or something the cleaners from APM have dropped.

Today has been relativelty relaxed and I've only done a little walking but still hit 10.5K steps. I didn't get to town but just walked doing food shopping at Aldi.

I phoned Virgin about the delivery of the new V6 box and got a complete arsey person who told me I'd have to wait in all day Monday after being told it would be delivered between eight and nine in the morning. I put the phone down , knowing I was beaten by the idiot on the other end of the phone who kept repeating the same thing over and over again, but I also know these people actually are told to stick to scripts, so I blame Virgin management, another example of Richard Branson's complete disdan for the public.

This maybe should be on my And Annoyingly blog but I usually try to be positive, there is so much negativity in the world and I don't want any part of it.

So what could be more uplifting than The Addams Family dancing to The Ramones "Blitzkrieg Bop". Enjoy this, keep warm and dry, and sleep well.

Beatifully Southern - #ALifeInNumbers #37

Unbelievably there were a few options for "37" including "37½" from Soft Machine "6" , "37 Hours" by Kristin Hersh and "We Do What We're Told (milgram's 37)s" from "So" by Peter Gabriel, but I decided to go for "Straight In At 37" by The Beautiful South as I have always loved their playfully subversive pleasantness.

I had a far better night last night than the night before , sleeping well but finally throwing off (well almost) this cold. For the first time in a long time time I had a smoothie which included frozen blueberries from Aldi , you can see me making it here. So I definitely think that helped along with the drugs.

Have a great Thursday everybody, the weekend is getting nearer.

A Not Positive Post

I normally like to be positive and say good things, but at the moment I am suffering from 'flu' like symptoms, dripping nose , headache, sore throat , and tomorrow I go for my 'flu' jab. My only worry is that this might kick off ITP which has not hit me since the millennium. I'm also running a temperature. I feel like I have been kicked all over my body and all I have done today (apart from a lot of blog posts) is walk to Aldi and back (about 3 miles round trip) to get fruit and porridge for work.

So I am taking paracetamol and chocolate and I will beat this. Tomorrow is a 6 am start and I will be in work. I don't let these things beat me. Admittedly last time I had 'flu' I lost some weight and managed to work from home. The fact is barring time off for hospital operations I've forgotten how to call in sick, that's real, I don't think I have had a sick day since I left SSS in 2002 and then it was 'flu' followed by ITP followed by full blown diabetes which wasn't diagnosed for about a year resulting in me having a lot of time off.

Anyway it's reasonably under control now and I suppose I just don't like feeling physically run down. I am sure I will be fine in a few days

So what song should we have, at first I was going to choose something appropriate but I've decided to go with John Cale's "Bamboo Floor" which I love it and it makes me feel good. And when you don't feel good you need to do something to make you feel good and I am going to listen to that and then go to bed.

Sleep well my lovely friends, see you tomorrow.

Tangerine

Blackpool , my most detested football club are called the Tangerines , but I have other words for them.

Tangerine , when I first allowed myself to listen to Led Zeppelin , was a song off III that I loved to death, an absolute beauty and although Jimmy Page's solo in the live version in a bit superfluously ropey , the song is still an absolute beauty.

A few weeks ago I went to see a film called Tangerine and later found it was filmed entirely on iPhones ... so there is a use for them. The film featured lots of transgender thespians , but the main thing was that it was well scripted , funny , lots of swearing and sexual encounters , and heartwarming. I really liked it.

Oh My Darling

And now in my kitchen bowls sit lots of tangerines, well clementines , cos they had boxes of them at Aldi , and my lovely neighbours offered me a lift home so I bought two boxes. Thing is whenever I eat one I am sure I feel better. Must be a fructose sugar ruse.

So I suggest you taste or do something sweet tonight. The snow is melting and it's Monday tomorrow. Prepare yourself for a brilliant week.

Those Naughty Lumps - An NHS Interlude

Back from a great holiday, but on Monday noticed a small lump on my pelvis, where te leg meets the torso. By today it has become much bigger. It's not painful or anything but obviously needs seeing to. So went to local walk in centre on Ponteland Road , combining it with a small shop at Aldi. The nurse wasn't sure but though it was an abscess, and suggested I saw my own GP, but if there were any problems to come back and see them as they are open til 8 pm and all weekend.

I took up her suggestion and my own practice (Thornfield Medical Group)  got me in to see someone at 5 today, amazing considering I walked out of the walk in centre about 2. The GP had all the notes taken from the walk in appointment and reckoned that it is an abscess and said I should get on anti biotics straight away, and then if things aren't right to go back on Wednesday.

NHS

How bloody brilliant and efficient is that. You walk in and get sorted out straight away. This isn't an emergency, but just an example of how brilliant the NHS is at looking after us. i could go into a rant about certain things, but I wont, just have to say how brilliant our NHS is.

So now it's weekend so everybody enjoy themselves.

I chose this Warren Zevon song , which makes me think of the attacks the NHS is under from the money men. The NHS is not a marketing opportunity it is a service.

Always Look For The Positives

Today I need to find a chemist. It's not an emergency but I need to go to a chemist. I know there is a chemist on Ponteland Road maybe about three quarters of a mile away next to our local NHS Walk In Centre which is next to Aldi.

However Google searches show nothing. If you go to Streetview (a brilliant useful tool) it shows it's still a bike shop (look here) although I know the chemist has been there about 12 months, because I have used it several times, but I don't what it's called or anything.

So I will have to walk there, becase I'm sure that like the NHS Walk in Centre it will be open seven days a week. This means I will get a walk, get some exercise and have a pleasant walk as it's a nice day today. I know people who would be smashing their computer screens if this were the situation, but in every situation there are always so many positives if you are willing to look for them.

The James Brown classic came to mind, but don't you think Ed Sullivan looks and sounds like Richard Nixon?

Have a positive day and keep on smiling.