Showing posts with label Monday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Monday. Show all posts

Monday, 22 March 2021

Strange Dream Fragments and Instagram Problems

I dreamt last night and just remember fragments , a deep water harbour (there was a reason for this but it's gone) , an Excel Worksheet with an eight by four table based on the naked male wrestling match between Oliver Reed and Alan Bates in Ken Russel's take on "Women In Love" by DH Lawrence (yeah work that one out)  and wooden buildings akin to the northern towns in "His Dark Materials" by Philip Pullman. Obviously "Steppenwolf" is also somewhere in there as well . That's a lot of references for something that I don't actually remember anything about, but so often that's the thing about dreams, generally they don't make sense, they happen just before you wake up , and soon you forget about them . I sometimes write about them.

The other thing is that Instagram not won't access my camera on my phone. Instagram used to allow a one minute video , then they reduced it to 15 seconds , then video disappeared (unless you use Reels , whatever that is) , and now even taking pictures has gone, and I have to take things with a camera then add them to Instagram. An unexpected benefit is that when I share my #MusicWhileYouWork videos I now create a one minute video which I then share to Instagram. The only problem is that Instagram pics and videos need to be 4:3 and the phones. video is something like 9:16 and Instagram always then takes the bottom of the video, so I use a great piece of software called YouCut which allows me to crop and rotate and trim and lots of other things with the video , not ideal if your power is low, but it extremely impressive.

So music wise "I'm In Love With A German Film Star" by The Passions came to mind on this dreich Monday morning.

Monday, 16 December 2019

2 Early Morning


An early start the morning and there was a lady with a big dog outside the house before 5 am, you do wonder about what others are doing up so early. I know lots of people have dogs and have to be out early to walk there dogs and play with them throwing sticks and balls.

It's funny how when you have to get up early for work you are always tired, but if you are up early on a non work day it's easy to get up before you normally do because you know you can always relax later during the day.

I have been listening to a lot of music over the weekend and was very impressed with the quality of a copy of Al Stewart's "Past Present and Future" but was at first disappointed with "All The World's A Stage" but the solution was to turn the record player up louder and then it sounded good. I remember having the same problem when I got "On Your Feet or On Your Knees" by The blue Oyster Cult. It was heavy metal and it sounded small and tinny, not what I wanted or was expecting. Then I had a lightbulb moment , "TURN IT UP LOUD" , and then it sounded great. My parents were not too impressed, so I switched to headphones and only had it on loud when they were out.

So we will go with "Hot Rails To Hell" from that album, best played loud, great guitar soloing and possibly the best recorded version of this song that the band did.

Saturday, 14 September 2019

Morning


Is Saturday better than Friday? Friday has the anticipation of the two day weekend combined with the fact that it's the last day of work , whereas Saturday you can get up when you want , you don't have to go to work but you only have one more day before Monday comes around. This is not true for many people who work in retail, banks , call centres and the like so apologies to all those.

I once read of an American car shop who noticed that most of their sales came on Friday afternoon and Saturday so they changed their working week from Monday to Friday to Friday to Monday (that doesn't seem to make sense but it does) so employees went from a five day week to a four day week for the same pay and profits increased. This model wouldn't work for everything but is definitely an example of how you should always look to improve situations in a way that benefits everybody.

As I said I finished "Brief Answers To The Big Questions", the final Stephen Hawking book in around a week and it is a very interesting, easy and thought provoking read which I would recommend to everybody. My next book is going to be "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins, a far heavier tome but I do like Dawkins' sensible and logical arguments although he does, ironically, get a bit evangelical at times. Still I will see how it goes.

I;ve been enjoying the single "Ibtihaj" by Rapsody with GZA . I though "Ibtihaj" was some kind of acronym but it's actually the name of Ibtihaj Muhammad, the first female Muslim-American athlete to earn a medal at the Olympics. The chorus, male backing vocals sounds like a eerie Bowie song like say "The Bewlay Brothers". It is a great sound and I heard it again on Radcliffe and Maconie on 6Music this morning but Chris Hawkins has also been playing it.

Take a listen and definitely check out the books.

Enjoy your Saturday.

Monday, 19 August 2019

Never Ending


This morning my alarm awoke me from a very vivid dream at a point where I was trying to get into a folk club for a gig but thought I had no money so I'd have to find a cash machine, but the person on the door tok my wallet and pulled out a fiver (the admission fee) and pointed out I still had a tenner left . This was the last bit of the fairly vivid dream which has now completely disappeared, barring the location of the folk club that was either near Amen Corner in Newcastle , somewhere in Edinburgh or Settle three disparate locations I know but all places I go often.

I think I've probably written more about "The Illuminatus! Trilogy" than any other book , and in form it reminds me of Bob Dylan's "Tarantula" which is a book that I will keep and reread. But the latest "episode" (the "chapters" are fifty to a hundred pages long so don't look for a text break although there are some images in book one ("The Pyramid and The Eye") but I'm working through "The Golden Apple" at the moment with around thirty pages to go before I hit the final book "Leviathan", but the latest "episode" manages to link in religion and mythology including Adam and Eve as Bavarian subversives and linking them to Kull and Conan characters brought to me by Robert Ervin Howard and portrayed in film by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jason Momoa.

So it's a bright Monday Morning, and given that for people who read it's just a never ending journey, Limahl's excellent Giorgio Moroder collaboration for the title song of  the film "Never Ending Story"  (my girls loved it) would be appropriate.

Have a good one.

Monday, 17 June 2019

Early To Bed


Just a short post to say how good it is to go to bed early and actually sleep well. That sort of happened last night night and I've woken up to bright sunshine and blue skies, so even though it's Monday and I have to go to work and I have a hospital appointment for some cardio scan, although I think this is just due to the fact that I mentioned that sometimes when walk up inclines I get a bit of tightness in my chest. It's not anything that I consider being a problem but doctors know better than me mostly.

Chris Hawkins has the entertaining Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy (they did the theme to 'Father Ted' among other things)  talking about Dublin as well as playing songs from the new album "Office Politics".

Though I slept well I did wake from some complex dreaming and very often if that happens and I decide to have ten more minutes I fal back into the dream often to find out what happens, which is actually irrelevant  because most of my dreams make no sense at all.


This is post 1957 and 1957 is the year in which I was born, so I found Lonnie Donegan performing two of hits hits from that year "Cumberland Gap" and "Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O" which is always a good way to start a Monday.

Have a good one.


Monday, 6 May 2019

You Have To Watch This In HD


A friend of mine asked me to watch something on a new Hi Def video player many years back and he enthused about the fact that in the space sequences you could see that the backdrop was actually a black curtain. I told him I don't want to see a black curtain I wasnt to see a great film.

Another friend told me I had to see "Taken" in HD. I recorded it in normal resolution and watched it and thought, it's just a typical Liam Neeson film.

I have a DVD set of the original Addams Family and put it on and the transfer to DVD is not that great, like a crackly vinyl record for the eyes, but five minutes into the first episode you don't see the white screen noise you nee the excellent acting the hilarious story and the great characters.

I recently watched "Dr Strange" on oddity from the new Marvel Studios which was absolutely excellent and the special effects, particularly the folding buildings sequences (stolen from Christopher Nolan's "Inception" ?) are the sort of thing that would probably benefit from Hi Def but looked great in normal definition.

Since we switched to digital transmissions, most transmissions are fine in normal definition but sometimes they get it by digital drop out and pixelation (which I don't remember from analogue transmissions) but it my be like DAB against normal radio, mostly DAB is perfect but it can drop out, whereas normal radio you get interference and fading.

A year or two back we had another 3D TV push which dropped off , "Watch Football In 3D" they said, go to a real football match I said. There's no 3D sports broadcasts no although still a lot of films. Again it's something for those absolutely ridiculous disaster / horror movies (examples here)

Basically if a film or program is worth watching the quality of the media becomes secondary, yes it's great if you can see the best picture possible, but I'd rather have a great film on low res media than a bad film on hi res media.

So I have to share The Addams Family dancing to The Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop", what's not to like?

Enjoy your Bank Holiday Monday.

Monday, 18 March 2019

Preferring The Dream


Today I didn't want to wake or get up because the dream I was in was actually quite enjoyable and comforting despite being in a spin in a Mercedes the rear ended by a bus, but also being in pleasant surroundings and resetting the heating controls after returning from holiday. I know this makes no sense whatsoever but that is what normally happens with dreams. I suppose the benefit of it is that you wake happy and rested and ready for the day even though it's a Monday.

The sky is full of pink clouds so I am not sure what the weather will bring today.

Recently I have been mightily impressed by the new Gang of Four song "Paper Thin". It reminds me of the best of New Order although with added aggression and sandpaper, well worth adding to your collection in whatever form you decide to take it.

So it's Monday and we are ready to go, I have lots to do and deal with, but if I had nothing to do I would be terribly bored. Maybe if I don't write then it dips my mood so I really have to make sure I actually write something even if I have nothing to write about, although actually you can always find something to write about even if it's the fact that you have nothing to write about.

So get out there and enjoy yourself, it's the best way to go.

Monday, 22 October 2018

A Bowie Experiment


Today I will test my theory that I proposed in my last but one post here that the Bowie album you are listening to is your favourite Bowie album. I will make sure it's one that is not on my usual list of favourites, maybe Heathen or Outside, but I will let you know later which one I chose.

It is still very dark outside and it is Monday.

6Music is doing a Home Town Glory feature on Glastonbury, and I remember the only time I visited there there was a pub / hotel called Backpackers with a sign on the door saying "No Jeans, No Shorts, No Backpacks" not sure if it was meant in irony or stupidity, we didn't go in.

I found a market with a record shop and my mate Mike O'Brien had either told me about or played this amazing version of "I Fought The Law" by Oysterband with Yarinistan, and I found a compilation CD which had it on. I put a slideshow on Youtube because I couldn't find an online copy anywhere.

So enjoy this on your Monday.

Monday, 8 October 2018

Sleepwalking Into Pitch Blackness


One of the great things about being on holiday is having the option to lie in, which I took great advantage of this week. I only thought of getting up when light appeared through the curtains. This morning as I'm writing this, it is pitch black outside although it's getting a bit lighter. I am wondering whether to walk in or to take the bus.

The thing is that when it's dark, you tend to think it's not warm, and the lack of sunshine is probably a major factor in that.

This morning I switched on 6Music and they were playing "The Somnambulist" the new single by Echo and The Bunnymen. While I have always loved their sound this took me back to when I first heard "The Cutter" or "Seven Seas". Goose bumps and just wonderful music and every time I hear it I don't want it to end, and absolutely perfect record and a fantastic way to start a Monday morning.

The album it comes from is mainly transformations of some of their classic songs with a couple of new ones, it has a great title, "The Stars, The Oceans & The Moon", so I will be investigating that soon.

Well it's back to work today, so I'm going to make coffee, enjoy your Monday, only five days until the weekend.

Wednesday, 21 March 2018

Complete Demotivation


On Monday, after a great weekend I really couldn't motivate myself to do anything. I don't know if it was the overcast weather and the fact that the footpaths were iced up, but I couldn't even be bothered to walk very far and so caught the bus home and into work (not in that order obviously).

Work is fairly pressured but it's the work that is causing the pressure and normally that is a great motivatorm but not on Monday. Of course the other factor was that it was Monday and combine that with potential SAD then you have a fairly toxic situation. I got home and couldn't be bothered cooking or even getting a takeaway so made a tomato sandwich, swithced on the TV feeling really drained and tired, watched fifteen minutes of The Simpsons then went to bed .... and slept all teh way through to six o' clock Tuesday morning.

The weather is still grey skies and not great but after a busy day yesterday dealing with some exasperating people I have come up with a solution to part of a project at work which I expect to get completed today.

The thing is that how I felt on Monday must be a small part of how people suffering from Depression feel all the  time magnified God knows how many times with lots of additional dark feelings. I am lucky, on Monday I knew that I would feel better soon. If you suffer from Depression you do not have that luxury.

Anyway it is now Wednesday and yesterday I was listening to "Ritual De Lo Habitual" by Jane's Addiction and thought it was a time to listen to a different band, which contains among others the brilliant "Been Caught Stealin'".

I decided to choose Pink Floyd's "Atom Heart Mother" which was co composed with Scottish eccentric avant garde composer Ron Geesin. It features some amazing melodic brass, and this giveds me an excuse to share this wonderful live cover at Théâtre du Chatelet somewhere in France. I'm not certain but I think Ron Geesin is on keyboards on this. It is is nearly half an hour and is and uplifting and exhilarating piece and maybe contributed to my good mood yesterday.

It is Wednesday  so enjoy yourself everyone.

Monday, 27 February 2017

A Short Month


We're almost at the end of February and between February and March for most people is the shortest time between paydays. While I need to be aware of when I get paid these days I'm lucky enough not to be wondering  how I'm going to get through to the next one, though obviously I always did.

Wouldn't it be a great idea if each month we had a short week, a four day week that would give people something else to look forward to. Imagine if the week you got paid was also a four day week. It's just a thought. The thing is if you create a great working environment with things like that, the productivity will improve because people are concentrating more on their work while they are there. Very simplistic I know, but I also know what it's like to be on the journey to work and really not want to walk through the door.

Anyway we're at the end of February now, and although I had a very restful weekend I could still do with another two hours in bed. Still it's time to go to work and get this week underway. For some reason Spandau Ballet's "Musclebound" came to mind, love the relentless chorus and the totally over the top video that I've never actually seen before.

Have a brilliant Monday my friends.

Monday, 13 June 2016

Popularity and Numbers


Monday
Yes it's Monday , and yes I feel tired despite nine hours sleep and a lie in til mid day yesterday , but for some  reason the visits to this blog have doubled , so that makes me feel good that people actually want to read what I have to write. I try to be upbeat and despite so much negativity in the media they is a lot to be positive about.







This week is going to be relatively relaxing so hopefully I can see off my cold and get back to normal. I've woken up to mist and fog but I reckon that will burn off and we will have a very sunny
day.

I've just finished John Lydon's autobiography , Anger Is An Energy, 500 pages of not exactly easy going but some great insights to the man and his bands and the music industry and the media. I would recommend it to anyone who likes a challenging read, his opinions on certain people will probably surprise you.

Anyway this is just a quicky and we can have one of my favourite PIL songs Fishing which is just awesome though it doesn't get a mention in the book.

Have a brilliant Monday everybody

Monday, 26 May 2014

Monday Morning , Tony , Walt , Journey and Badfinger





Most Monday mornings are a pain. Today's, for me , is different. First of all its sunny after a grey and drab weekend weather wise (although that was the only downer so to speak) , Then I should be on the radio this afternoon in about nine and a half hours on the Steve Lamacq Show ( BBC Radio 6 at 4 PM GMT) and because it's a Bank Holiday I have the day to myself, and at the end of the week I'm off on holiday to Ampleforth for a week.

So for a change it's not a Stormy Monday or Blue Monday , but for me it's a good Monday. I have sympathy for everyone who has had to work today and am thinking about some friends who are having to deal with not good situations which I know they will come through so really, I am feeling positive today and everything is pointing towards a good day and a good week.



Tony
Walt
Yesterday I got some albums including a Badfinger compilation that contains the final song from the Breaking Bad TV series. I'm not sure whether it can match up to Journey's "Don't Stop Believing"  in the closing scene of the Sopranos but  I shall see, the album is full of great song , and I shall be working through Breaking Bad when on holiday next week, I'm half way through series two at the moment , so a way to go before I get to hear "Baby Blue". I am tempted to put it on here as I know, for me it will be out of context to hardly a spoiler for me.








OK I just watched , and it is good and I will now purge it from mind...... Have a great Bank Holiday Monday Everyone




Monday, 25 November 2013

Not As Cold Today

...but winter is here, and so am I. While I love snow, it's only when I can get get into the warm and admire it's beauty from a position of comfort. I now have to leave to go to work , so need to wrap up and brave the elements. So thought the Dean Martin performance was an ideal soundtrack, because according to the Mail and Express two weeks back we are due six inches of snow (naughty joke for Game of Thrones fans). But if they keep saying it one day they will be right.


We are closer to Christmas, and although it's Monday there are lots of things to look forward to. Have a brilliant day everyone.