The Song Remains the Same.

The last blog has done way better than expected and set off a number of questions that I feel need to be answered, they have been answered before and this will be the last time that I will address these questions, the next blog was meant to be a “four on the floor” blog, I have the bare bones of it but it’s a review blog and I simply haven’t had the chance to really play the guts out of the music that I wish to review, so that will become the next blog (honest it will, bear with me) so lets answer a couple of questions to get something published.

Why am I not consistent regarding the publishing of the blogs? A couple of reasons and if you do trawl backwards you will see that I have mentioned this a couple of times, life basically gets in the way, my health is pretty crap at the moment, its getting better (allegedly) but its like playing whack a mole something gets better something else pops up, my wife’s not well, and we occasionally look after my grandson from time to time to give his parents a little respite, then I have work which has been damn busy over the last 12 weeks and then I have to play catch up from the backlog of stuff while I have been busy! On top of that I don’t sleep past 4 in the morning, so as the days goes by, I can be just a little bit ragged, do the math there is not enough hours (or sleep) in the day, something has to give and at the minute its going to be the blog! Not intentionally, I am still writing and making plans but I always want to do my best for the blog so it will be quality over quantity, that’s all I can do.

The question that has popped up over the most over the last few weeks is why do I do the name game? Well because usually its some music that might have inspired the blog, maybe a word or a phrase, maybe even a chorus, sometimes (as in this case) the name, but if that sparks something well then that’s what its going to be, I would say out of the 680 odd blogs I bet 98% off them are music related. Music is now and has been from a very early age an obsession for me, I used to try and sing (try being the operative) word, I wrote songs for a period of time, I have always been around music, my friends are usually just as obsessive as me, damn it some are even more so than I am, its great, my bucket list is to sit around listening to music and do nothing except  blogging, that’s something at least to aim for.

Also with the original blogs I used to get quite a few people trying to guess them, some did it badly, some obviously googled the crap out of it and some really did know where I was coming from, yes some of them were a tad obscure, and the habit has stuck, music colours my day, it helps soothe the savage beast, I try and have headphones on for the bulk of the day, its only recently that I have begun to watch the TV, simply to give the wife some company, after all we are a married couple (happily I would add ,,,,,well for about 98% of the time), as a kid my mother used to play music all the time, as did my older brother and from when I was around 7, I was bitten by the bug and there ain’t no damn cure!

Now the title of this blog most people should get it quite easily, and I know my friends will mock me quite mercilessly, as they know I’m not a fan of the band (not my cup of tea so to speak) again I have mentioned it previously, although I do intend to do a “Four on the Floor” type of blog on them, just so people understand my take on them and to be honest if you have to google who sang the song well lets just say…..nothing and we will leave it at that!

So, I would suggest that you sit back and enjoy the ride, because I have no intention of stopping now, music really was my first love and it definitely will be my last,  another question has been will I be doing more books and will I be rereleasing the books that I released, again this has been covered previously ( and is unlikely to be mentioned again) when I released the books I was hoping for double digits, and I kept the price completely as low as I could (I didn’t make a penny off the books) I did 7 books and they all hit low triple digits, and as they slowed to no sales they were withdrawn, I think that they can still be found on the Blurb Books website but that’s it, there won’t be a reprint so if you have one well done to you. (I do have a small handful left and if you’re not obnoxious I might just send a copy,,,, watch this space).

Yes, I would love to write a novel and again as I have said previously, I do have a couple of what I like to think are great story ideas, however it’s about getting the voice of the characters that I am struggling with, as I simply do not have the time, to sit and write, maybe one day, hopefully!

So, there you go another missive fired from the hip I have more than enough questions from you the discerning reader to do 3 or 4 “Now Hear This” style of blogs but these had been asked before and I simply want to keep that type of blog as fresh as possible, keep spreading the word, click like or whatever it is that you do because the blogs have been doing great numbers, so thank you it really does help keep the ship afloat, not in a money sense but simply the more who like it, the more likely I am to write another one, ah well back to the grind stay, safe stay alive, and until the next time……………..Toodles!

Yet another bump in the road

And just like that life came to a grinding halt, with something as innocuous as a simple letter, I had been told (in the never ending saga of trying to get a new knee) to suck it up buttercup, but hey lets go back to the beginning and I will tell you the full tale.

In 2011 me and the wife went to a get together with friends in Blackpool, a good night was had by all but sometime as we were walking to the venue my knee did something it shouldn’t have and it caused me a lot of pain, it didn’t stop the night, but I was in quite a bit of pain, but I soldiered on, like the good soldier that I am, the pain eased the next day but it continued over the next couple of weeks, it got so bad that I eventually went to the DRs, because I had Bupa through work I was seen by a surgeon and had an operation in under two weeks cue 13 weeks of rehab, and I got on with my life, however the place that I worked at wasn’t helping, concrete floors, on site 6/7 days a week covering 24000 + steps a day, well lets just say it didn’t help my knees, it was simply the start of a long road of pain!

Fast forward 11 years I decided to go back to see another Dr, as I was really suffering, hoping to be told (as I still had Bupa at the time) that I could as see the surgeon again, only to be told “no they wont do anything for you as you are still too young”(I was 57 at the time) and for some stupid reason I believed him and simply cracked on like a good little boy, fast forward to a couple of years and I gave in, as I was slowing down to a snails pace and in pain on a daily basis. I didn’t see a Dr this time I saw what’s known as a nurse practitioner, she asked me a couple of questions including what painkillers I take (erm none if I can avoid them) and she said (another stupid man) then she asked the most important question “why have you waited so long?” so I told her all about the previous visit, she asked which Dr and I told her who and what was said, she wasn’t happy and she went and told said Dr in no uncertain terms, I was in the army and took a couple of tellings off, I never took anything like that, ooh how I chuckled, she then started the ball rolling, of course I had to do physio, that didn’t help, I then fell out with a surgeon, when I asked a question and the member of staff went to ask, she got abused by him and I stood up to him and that didn’t go down well with him, more appointments and an appointment to give me a plan of attack I had to lose 10 kilo’s before my next appointment.

I had three months to my next appointment, I had to lose the weight over Christmas, deep joy because of my knees I can’t exercise like I would be able to, I ate very simply, steamed veg with chicken or fish, I wasn’t naughty I behaved and when I went back I had actually lost 17 kilo’s I could have my new knee, hopefully in May, then everything went upside down, issues regarding surgical cement hit the whole world, I knew there would be issues, then I got radio silence, until I got a call from a clinic to prepare me for my op, it should happen 12 weeks after that, then nothing and all the while I keep getting worse, at the end of my clinic I was advised to contact my GP and see if she could send a letter to find out what was happening, and again radio silence was maintained for about 4 weeks, when I was informed that a reply had been received, and this is what pissed me off, I wasn’t asking to jump the queue I was simply asking where I was in the queue, I was in serious pain and suffering as I had had no contact other than an anonymous text asking me if I still wanted the operation, what do they think, no its a miracle my knee has repaired itself, good grief are these people for real?

What was in the letter, well basically I have to suck it up and wait your turn, OK it wasn’t that blunt but that’s what they meant, I had been sucking it up for over 4 years, and as I said previously I wasn’t trying to jump any queue I was simply after some communication, I was simply gobsmacked at the callousness of the reply very little human emotion in the letter, surgeons really do have the god complex, well this one appears to think he is! I had had a conversation with a friend from another NHS trust who gave me some advice that I thought I would never need, after my anger subsided I sent him a text, to which he give me a call and said all the right things, he said he would have a word, he calmed me down and we chatted about nothing but music and general chit chat, he certainly cheered me up, he went to work the next day and got me added to his surgeon’s friends list, at the back of the list I may add, I certainly haven’t jumped the queue, but I could be potentially seen by January next year not the following year, I have to see my GP so she can send a letter transferring me to me that list, fingers crossed, I have written this missive to share not just my frustration but the rest of the population are probably suffering as well, and I have a cunning plan that I will write about on another date.

So hopefully, this shall get me back on track, both blog wise and hopefully health wise, watch this space, so stay safe and stay alive until the next one ………….Toodles!

Five Truths

Some people treat their birthday as they would any other day. That does not mean they begrudge anyone else their celebration; they have simply chosen not to mark their own in the same way. For me, that outlook rests on five personal truths.

1. Strength Can Begin in Simplicity

Since childhood, I have rarely celebrated my birthday. Growing up in a one-parent family, I saw how hard my mother worked to afford even the simplest things. The strain took its toll on her and, in different ways, on my brother and me. We did not complain; we simply wanted what was best for her. I learned not to place too much importance on special occasions, because they could bring pressure as easily as joy. When you grow up with very little, you learn not to miss what you have never had. Life simply carries on.

2. Peace Is Its Own Celebration

I am naturally low-maintenance. Gifts, parties and noise have never mattered greatly to me. I enjoy being with family and friends, but I do not need to be the centre of attention. I also value my own company. Sometimes, genuine peace is the most meaningful celebration of all. Not everyone will understand that—and they do not need to.

3. Give More Than You Receive

I have always preferred helping others to receiving things myself. We live somewhat on the outskirts and do not see people often, but distance does not lessen my commitment to those I care about. My wife is navigating some difficult circumstances, and I hope I am helping her through them. The same is true for my family and anyone I consider a friend: it may take me a while to get there, but if I can help, I will. Some people see me as strong, although I am not always sure that I am. What I do know is that I will make myself available when someone needs me. When it is my turn to need support, however, I find it difficult to risk feeling like a burden.

4. Learn to Create Your Own Happiness

Ultimately, each of us must learn what genuinely brings us contentment. It took me time to understand that. I savour a quiet meal and moments alone, but I also treasure time with family and friends. I am not as insular as I once was. These days, I can be equally happy in good company or in the stillness of my own space. Solitude is not loneliness; sometimes it is simply where we find balance.

5. Measure Life by Progress, Not Dates

For me, another year is not really about cake or candles. It is about whether I have grown, learned or achieved something meaningful. A birthday may mark another journey around the sun, but the passing of time matters less than what we do with it. We all need a sense that we are moving forward; otherwise, what is the journey for?

This is not intended to sound dour. It is simply my attempt to explain how I see life, family and friendship. I was once far more withdrawn, and I have experienced many highs and just as many lows. Much of that came from my own state of mind rather than from the people around me. A few people have asked about me and about my philosophy on life. I am not sure this qualifies as a philosophy, but it is honest: value people, offer help when you can, find peace within yourself, and judge the years not by the dates that pass, but by the person you are becoming.

How does that sit with everyone who asked questions, no the name game is not in play, but my notes are pretty close to the actual blog as i wrote this as a stream of consciousness on public transport, i have to admit that i enjoyed writing this truthful missive, i hope you enjoyed it as much as i did, the first of the month, watch this space, but until then.........Toodles!