Beach Canaries

This was originally going to be called "Time" but about half an hour the phrase "Beach Canaries" came in to my head, it's probably the name of a band and if it isn't it should be.

Anyway what this was basically about was that recently I seem to keep not having enough time to do the things I want to do. I do get them done but often times seems to run away. Maybe it's a sign of getting older. When you are six and you get six weeks summer holiday that's a week for every year of your life , it's like nearly forever, now six weeks comes and goes just like that. Actual time still last the same length ... I think.

A Long, Long Time

There's a science fiction story called "The Eighty Minute Hour" by Brian Aldiss in which the concept is that the controllers slow down the clocks when you are at work and speed them up when you are not. Would you know?  And how often have you looked at the clock at work and almost believed that it's stopped or going backwards.

Some morning when I go to work I am sure I leave at 7:30 but still get through the door at 8 for what should be a fifteen minute door to door excursion. Late buses , traffic jams , and forgetfulness also contribute.








The biggest benefit from leaving my previous job was the 60 hours a month traveling time I got back, and because of that I now commit myself to doing a lot more, seeing people , watching films , going to gigs , I've actually joined a band . So really I am filling up my time. I never sit and think , where is the time going and don't have an answer. I know where it's going , and I am enjoying it.

I love any excuse to talk and meet friends , and share fun times , and that makes life very enjoyable.

I will get a handle o this , and was going to write this this morning but ......

Last week my alarm clock woke me with piercing electronic screeching. I shut the thing down and it had reset itself to factory settings. I reset it all and the following day it did the same so , it was binned. I've spent a week with no alarm , until this morning. I got the new alarm, set and it went off at quarter to six this morning. I showered and went to get dressed and noticed the clocks and watched were reading 7:15 . Had I really spent 90 minutes getting washed and showered? NO , I had  set the clock and hour slow , so getting out to work was a bit of a rush.

Anyway that;'s just some thoughts about time and maybe a good song to have would be Buena Vista Social Club and Coldplay's Clocks from Rhythms Del Mundo.

Have a brilliant Tuesday my friends.

Embrace Hope and Be Happy

Be Leave

After the shock of the EU Referendum we're still here, we just have to put in more effort to make things right. Throughout my life I've been called thick and stupid by people who don't have the ability to comprehend what I say. Michael Gove stated that people were sick of experts and the some of the electorate agreed with him, there are a lot of Red Top Readers out there. Professor Brian Cox says this is  a way back to the Stone Age , check his article here. Who'd have thought I would be taking my lead from D:Ream's keyboard player.! Things Can Get Better.







 A few people who voted leave stated their reasons for voting leave were "Too Many Immigrants" , "Too Many (Unspecified) Laws" and the Leave Campaigners immediately denied responsibility for the claims or promises that they made. It's like buying a 2.8 litre Mercedes and then finding out there are bike pedals under the bonnet and the seats are plastic and the music system is am 8 Track.. Caveat Emptor.

But we are still here and there is a lot to be hopeful about. Look to your friends and the people about you. The people you can hug , the people you can share fun with. This post may be a a bit me-centric and Newcastle-Centric  but I believe that we can come out of this smiling. A lot of things are wrong but I know so many positive people who work together to make things better , that  I do believe that we will overcome the culture of selfishness that has been endemic since the Thatcher / Reagan era. Since then I have seen a lot of good , a lot of people helping others , a lot of great charity work, though I am looking forward to a time when we don't need charity. I don't know how that will happen, but I am sure it will.

So start now , be there for those that need you and want you , smile at people , find something that makes YOU happy and share that with others. I am feeling positive and a positive attitude makes good things happen . Smile , Be Happy , and Share .

Have a Wonderful week. I am sorry that this post is a meandering mess but really , Things WILL get better. I've chosen The Rumour's Emotional Traffic as he song ... well you know why.

Out

Well we are out of the EU. An old guy yesterday said it was a beautiful day because we were out of the EU and he was  free , free as a bird. Some people said they didn't realise their Leave Vote would actually count... that's how voting works!

Drop Outs

I probably feel even worse that when the Tories got their majority, but like all advertising campaigns the Leavers hit more voters than the Stayers. While the margin was narrow for such important decision , that was basically the criteria and we have to abide with it. Somebody said Democracy was where you always go with the majority decision until it's not the result you want.




Lots of people are asking for a second referendum but what they are really asking for is for the result to go their , like Dumbledore in Harry Potter awarding Harry's team extra points so they beat Slytherin. It ain't going to happen and it shouldn't happen

I just hope the country realises what it has done done and turfs this Government out at the first opportunity.

I know this is not my normal sort of post , but I hope we can steer ourselves away from the cliff that we are heading towards with the country drifting further to the right.

Which is why I chose PIL's Disappointed as the song for the post


Try and have a great weekend.

Fathers Day and Dexyfication

Father's Day is one of those made up things to con you out of money in the form of cards meals and presents... but ... we can always turn these things to OUR advantage , which effectively me and my wonderful daughters did.

We did lunch in Bar Loco on Friday which was a first for them and is now a definite favourite with them as well. If it hadn't been for Fathers Day we may not have met up this soon but it provided the impetus and we met and talked and had a great time. Lots of smiles and hugs and I got a copy of the excellent new Dexy's album that is playing as I write this. So all in all a great day.

My Dad with Me at Morecambe Long Long Ago

The weekend has been relaxing with lots of catch up TV.

Today I have phone my dad three times but not got in touch , although he'll get his card and presents
eventually.

These days are maybe commercially and cynically motivated , but we always have the option to make them out own and make something good out of them.

Also this week this post on Spoongig here got some major hits which made me happy.


I love the Dexyfication of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" from the new album with is why I've included it here , the album is excellent as well.


I hope you had a great day today whichever side of the fence that you were on, I hope you are rested for the coming week , which will no doubt be excellent, well it will be for for me

Smile Please

Smiling makes you feel better . You may feel you have nothing to smile about , but do it and something good has happened. You smiled. And That's good , so you can smile again. A smile causes the release of the same endorphins as a bar of chocolate, without the calories.

At work there are three people who ALWAYS have a smile on their faces , they raise my spirits and I'm sure they raise others spirits. I also know that these people have not had the easiest of times but they have found happiness and spread it around , making others happy.

If you smile people tend to smile back and then you raise each others spirits and they day gets better. Whatever you are doing gets easier, you get inspired , you work better and you just do better.

There are those who don't return smiles and you cannot force people
to be happy, but the more people who do smile , well they can spread it to the ones who don't think they can smile.

I've included OK Go - This Too Shall Pass , cos that WILL make you SMILE . :)

BE HAPPY

It's Monday night so I want everybody who reads this to smile at as many people as you can tomorrow. It will make your day and their day far better.

Tomorrow

SMILE !!!

You will love it and people will love you for it.

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

Stay Happy

Didn't get out to AKQ Stottin' last night but I know Trillians would have been packed and it meant that I could watch some good films and get a reasonably early night. Today looks incredibly dreary , grey , wet and not exactly the ideal summers day.

I also didn't realise that England and Wales were in the same UEFA 2016 group , and Wales are top and Russia got a last minute equaliser although the bits of the match I saw looked fairly good, but whether Russia are meant to be the group fall guys I don't know ,  because Wales are looking good.

Anyway today is going to be a relaxing day , I will be practicing songs , listening to music , perusing the papers , getting irked by the Red Tops whicjh will tells us how immigrants will cost Europe £20 Billion (while the UK allows Corporate Tax Evasion / Avoidance of £200 Billion) ,  but knowing that they are rags written by idiots for morons.

Stay Happy

Anyway today is going to be another positive day, enjoying the abundant greenery , maybe taking awalk with a hat or an umbrella , because walking is good for you and does make you feel better and does not cost you anything but time and energy and you can find lots of unexpected things if you go in a random direction. And that thought has given me a song for this piece , George Harrison's "Any Road".

There are so many reasons to be happy , find them and have a great Sunday my wonderful friends.