Five years. It's a funny length of time, its not a prison sentence, although at the time we all feel that way and we all feel that it is and we all feel that it will never end. It's the length of time you spend (allegedly) at senior school comprehensive, grammar, community college or what ever they call it these days. we have such strong ties with the people we band together with, and then as if by some kind of magic the thread is cut and we go our separate ways.
I enjoyed my five year sentence, I had good friends (at least I thought we were good friends) we had a great time huddled in our little part of the jungle, and although there were little clumps you generally knew everybody at least on a nodding basis, girls stayed in their areas boys in theirs, only the brave or the foolish went off in search of the female of the species (even now at my advancing years cough splutter.. I wouldn't know how to, can I speak to girls , yes I have no problem, ask one to go out with me the thought still breaks me out in a cold sweat) in the wet weather we closed ranks in the warm weather we spread just that little bit further afield.
We had the odd scrapes between us but again nothing that I would like to think serious, I'm notorious for holding a grudge(me with my reputation), but I didn't bear anyone at school a bad bone, I don't think I was hugely popular but I don't think I was hugely unpopular ( I'm trying not to think about it)either and generally to me at least they were the best of times, fun and games pranks and generally not a care in the world, well not really but the younger you are the more bullet proof you think you are. did I have female friends actually yes I did and not just tom boy types, the only real difference between me and a lot of friends is that there was only one mate that I hung around with that was into music, everybody else was into football it wasn't until much later that these friends caught us up and got into music.
Sports was the order of the day and although I wasn't great, I wasn't crap either, and I indeed enjoyed the various activities that I got the chance to do, was it all sweetness and light of course it wasn't, there was always the odd bump in the road but hey ho we were teenagers what can you expect, but you soldier on at that age or at least I felt we all did, what the hell do I know it was thirty plus years ago.
Now what has brought this particular blog to the fore, well to be honest I'm a tad socially acrophobic, I don't make friends very easily these days, I either try too hard or I really don't give a rats ass, not much of a middle ground and if I'm honest that's my issue and not the worlds, I didn't stay in touch with a lot of people from school because I got the hell out of Dodge as quickly as possible , I did gravitate back from time to time, but I lived away from the group so to speak even my best friends struggled to stay in touch, I didn't mind that's what happens we float in different circles, having said that my best two friends when we see each other it's like we are carrying on a conversation from the previous day, do they feel the same way I have no idea but hey ho it's the thought that counts.
But again I digress noticed on Farcebook I don't have a lot of "old" friends, I have to admit I rarely ask people to be my friend in case they think who the hell is the lunatic, and the potential that maybe I wasn't as popular as I thought (hahahahaha) but I did once and I feel so guilty for doing it, have a look at who my friends where friends with (stalker mode ooops), just to see who they had stayed friends with or had they gravitated to different groups and as a rule of thumb, and its good to see that they did, I have to admit when peeps reach out ask me to add them it really does warm the cockles of the old ticker because people have remembered me, and that's my rambling done it was an obscure thought that floated to the front of my brain I wasn't being maudlin and hankering for the old days, I'm sure that there are plenty of people thought I was a dick then and that I'm still a dick now (newsflash people I probably still am)but it was a fun time looking at all the good people, I really can't think of any who I didn't like, so for once that's me full of happiness and no need to send the goon squad around after me, I'm doing good and so it appears are the bulk of the people who I went to school with until the next time ....Toodles!
Sunday 19 January 2014
Tuesday 14 January 2014
Abilene
I know how late it is, get off my back will you, I have had a few blank moments, so lets not go there, lets talk about something totally different (and at least happy) the lost art of the b side!
The straight and narrow has not been that straight of late, but the music has helped and mainly cd's with obscure b sides, hence the title of this blog, come on smart arses, lets see who gets this one and lets see if you can do it without Google!
Spirals has been the order of the day and some journeys on the plague carrier have only been helped by said music it was while listening to the said title of the blog that I realised how much I miss playing vinyl and all the happy memories that go with it, the single that it comes from I bought for 25 pence because I couldn't afford the album, and I'm so glad as it's in my top five songs from this particular band, my journey home usually lasts about and hour and I must have played it over and over about a dozen times as I had truly forgotten the track and I rediscovered the joy of it, I had forgotten it was on the extended version of the album and after a crap day it was what was required.
It had great history with me, I know none of my friends cared much for the band but it was a track that just got hooked it has always been in my internal jukebox and I probably hum it or sing it (in my head) at least once a week, well more actually since I have rediscovered it. I would be unhappy not have what's left of my vinyl collection, but I would be devastated not to have my singles collection. whenever I travel I listen to music it truly is the one thing that lifts my spirits, from my dodgy prog albums to my collection of punk singles, those dodgy one hit wonders who sometimes the b sides were better than the a sides, not forgetting non album EP's I remember sitting in my then girlfriends house (how sophisticated I was at 14) listening to her playing her fave song of the day that dreary lucky number by Lena Lovich which I still hate today, after an annoying number of listens and just to break the monotony I turned it over and fell in love with the b side "Home" she hated it, I pinched the single, to which I still have, but would gladly return it as I picked up a Lena compilation with said track on and yes it's the only song I play!
All of my good days have music in them, I remember the summer days with my friends out in the country with crappy tape decks, when my friends got cars and I did tapes to educate them (actually it was the best way of getting to hear the music I liked) I remember times as a kid waiting my turn to borrow the record player me and my brother shared, and it's the one thing he as an older brother never denied me my equal time, playing music, maybe he knew what pleasure I derived from it, those of you who know me know that I can be quite obsessed about music, and can talk the ears off anybody who presses the "music" button in me! my idea of heaven would be winning the lottery and getting the opportunity to play music 24/7 all the time, oh and to blog interesting things! ok so I would have to buy a separate house as some of my music is............cough splutter.......special! ok so it's not to everybody's taste, but it is mine and some of the tracks I like simply because they are that crap!
Dark days in paradise tend to get brightened by music and although I know I have issues (me with my reputation) music usually is without a doubt the best medicine so I will have to have my prescription filled on a regular basis, it's the way forward, the future is bright .....it lies in the grooves of vinyl or the flat surfaces of cd's or amongst the sound waves of MP3's, I have had this sitting for nearly a fortnight but was to lethargic to actually want to get the written word down as though it might break something, the deed is done now and I feel happier for it, work is work (no comment for legal reasons) and home life is pure pap purely because the wife isn't firing on all six cylinders with bursts of hyper activity and then days of being wiped out, there doesn't appear to be a happy medium at the minute, I just wish that she could find a balance for everybody's sake, simply because we are all worried for her.
So the duck is broken and the new year is upon us well and truly, I still intend to only do 52 blogs in the course of the year, so I might do a few in the course of a few days and then might run silent run deep for a while so go with the flow boys and girls, thank you as always for the many kind words and encouragement, remember to keep spreading the disease, numbers have been fluctuating but hardware/software issues have not helped, but radio free Europe will be on the airwaves from now until ...well lets see? that's me done and dusted onwards (as I reread this blog there are at least 18 different song titles sprinkled like pixie dust through the thing) the one thing I have to ask, do you all still like doing the name game? or have I painted myself into a corner, do I break out of the stereotype and should I blog and then try and make a humorous title from that, who can forget the wonderful "The whore of Babylon and the dashing blonde pirate" and all the others that I did let me know (you always do) as I do feel as though I have painted myself into a corner (and the bloody paint ain't drying) and to be honest I'm sick of taking the piss out of Nils who does try valiantly but I think he thinks my sarcasm is actually disguised as affection towards him, it is really like shooting fish in a barrel, any hoo enjoy it's great to be alive and lets hope this years brings health and happiness more so than last year did ( can it get worse\? probably so lets avoid that one shall we!) so until next time play nice and.................Toodles.
The straight and narrow has not been that straight of late, but the music has helped and mainly cd's with obscure b sides, hence the title of this blog, come on smart arses, lets see who gets this one and lets see if you can do it without Google!
Spirals has been the order of the day and some journeys on the plague carrier have only been helped by said music it was while listening to the said title of the blog that I realised how much I miss playing vinyl and all the happy memories that go with it, the single that it comes from I bought for 25 pence because I couldn't afford the album, and I'm so glad as it's in my top five songs from this particular band, my journey home usually lasts about and hour and I must have played it over and over about a dozen times as I had truly forgotten the track and I rediscovered the joy of it, I had forgotten it was on the extended version of the album and after a crap day it was what was required.
It had great history with me, I know none of my friends cared much for the band but it was a track that just got hooked it has always been in my internal jukebox and I probably hum it or sing it (in my head) at least once a week, well more actually since I have rediscovered it. I would be unhappy not have what's left of my vinyl collection, but I would be devastated not to have my singles collection. whenever I travel I listen to music it truly is the one thing that lifts my spirits, from my dodgy prog albums to my collection of punk singles, those dodgy one hit wonders who sometimes the b sides were better than the a sides, not forgetting non album EP's I remember sitting in my then girlfriends house (how sophisticated I was at 14) listening to her playing her fave song of the day that dreary lucky number by Lena Lovich which I still hate today, after an annoying number of listens and just to break the monotony I turned it over and fell in love with the b side "Home" she hated it, I pinched the single, to which I still have, but would gladly return it as I picked up a Lena compilation with said track on and yes it's the only song I play!
All of my good days have music in them, I remember the summer days with my friends out in the country with crappy tape decks, when my friends got cars and I did tapes to educate them (actually it was the best way of getting to hear the music I liked) I remember times as a kid waiting my turn to borrow the record player me and my brother shared, and it's the one thing he as an older brother never denied me my equal time, playing music, maybe he knew what pleasure I derived from it, those of you who know me know that I can be quite obsessed about music, and can talk the ears off anybody who presses the "music" button in me! my idea of heaven would be winning the lottery and getting the opportunity to play music 24/7 all the time, oh and to blog interesting things! ok so I would have to buy a separate house as some of my music is............cough splutter.......special! ok so it's not to everybody's taste, but it is mine and some of the tracks I like simply because they are that crap!
Dark days in paradise tend to get brightened by music and although I know I have issues (me with my reputation) music usually is without a doubt the best medicine so I will have to have my prescription filled on a regular basis, it's the way forward, the future is bright .....it lies in the grooves of vinyl or the flat surfaces of cd's or amongst the sound waves of MP3's, I have had this sitting for nearly a fortnight but was to lethargic to actually want to get the written word down as though it might break something, the deed is done now and I feel happier for it, work is work (no comment for legal reasons) and home life is pure pap purely because the wife isn't firing on all six cylinders with bursts of hyper activity and then days of being wiped out, there doesn't appear to be a happy medium at the minute, I just wish that she could find a balance for everybody's sake, simply because we are all worried for her.
So the duck is broken and the new year is upon us well and truly, I still intend to only do 52 blogs in the course of the year, so I might do a few in the course of a few days and then might run silent run deep for a while so go with the flow boys and girls, thank you as always for the many kind words and encouragement, remember to keep spreading the disease, numbers have been fluctuating but hardware/software issues have not helped, but radio free Europe will be on the airwaves from now until ...well lets see? that's me done and dusted onwards (as I reread this blog there are at least 18 different song titles sprinkled like pixie dust through the thing) the one thing I have to ask, do you all still like doing the name game? or have I painted myself into a corner, do I break out of the stereotype and should I blog and then try and make a humorous title from that, who can forget the wonderful "The whore of Babylon and the dashing blonde pirate" and all the others that I did let me know (you always do) as I do feel as though I have painted myself into a corner (and the bloody paint ain't drying) and to be honest I'm sick of taking the piss out of Nils who does try valiantly but I think he thinks my sarcasm is actually disguised as affection towards him, it is really like shooting fish in a barrel, any hoo enjoy it's great to be alive and lets hope this years brings health and happiness more so than last year did ( can it get worse\? probably so lets avoid that one shall we!) so until next time play nice and.................Toodles.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)