Hotel Hell

I don’t normally blog about work or work related items, I’m going to break this rule just this once, don’t say I didn’t warn you…..Enjoy!

For the sake of the innocent the names of some of the inhabitants of this blog have been changed to protect the innocent!

For six years I had been bleating on about doing a particular course (BS 9999) and then all of a sudden it was agreed that we could do an over view, that sounds like a start, go on then I will, it was short notice, but I was able to get accommodation sorted while I was off on holiday and passed the details to other people who I worked with. It was decided that because there was three of us off to the course it was cheaper to get a hire car and that it would be easier for us to get there (you know where this is going don’t you!) the course was in Birmingham; everything was going swimmingly!

Well it was until I got in  my lifts car and my work belt burst, I have lost a little bit of weight so walking around with my hands in my pockets was not going to give the best impression to the new starters that I was going to be doing the induction for, I have lost about 10 inches off my waist mind the crap I ate over the next four days didn’t help, also what didn’t help was the lovely L&D person (that’s learning and development for you out there in the real world) was trying to ruin my reputation by saying I was a good person to know, I soon put them right on that score, pfft!

Because I had been on holiday I actually did an early start on the day (it benefited me, or so I hoped)as I  got in to see the hire car was already there, that was a tick in the box, I trawled through as much of my emails that I could, before I went off to buy a new belt I did not wish to be dropping my pants at work! I then carried out my portion of the induction course for new starters, again this went quite well I only went 5 minutes over my time slot, which really was a plus, I then had to see a few people and then myself and Porridge Boy (for the rest of the blog he will be known as PB) headed over the Tyne to pick up the Buffet Slayer (for the rest of the blog he will be known as BS) traffic was light so off we headed south to much merriment and jelly babies (don’t ask) I didn’t partake although I was getting a contact high from the sugar fumes. We only had one pit stop I stayed with the car as I actually wanted a quick snooze, the sugar really was knocking me off my game.

The drive down was long and tedious, well it was once we hit Birmingham, we had made really good time until we hit the outskirts in rush hour and then it added a full 90 minutes to reach the suburb called Dudley, I can honestly put my hand on my heart and can say I didn’t see any kind of architecture that cheered me up, I found Brum to be , well lets just say not nice. Our humour took on a much darker tone when we pulled into the hotel, it wouldn’t look out of place in Beirut after a particular bad Hezbollah attack, industrial with a 50’s vibe, well actually the vibe was from all  of the electrical substations that were buzzing due to the moisture in the air (that was not our tears!) around the camp I mean hotel, heavy industrial trains passed by on a regular basis, this was looking to be a different type of trip away from work!

We booked in and although the place was clean the staff (sorry the Hag) at the counter wasn’t really communicating to us in anything other than grunts, I was defeated I just wanted to go to bed but we decided to head off and get some food, arrangements made we headed to our cells I mean rooms which again were clean, but everything was jammed into one side of the room leaving what could only be described as enough space for a ballroom, maybe they had competitions on at the weekend, and our doors had good old fashioned keys not the electronic type, and people say we are backward, bag unpacked and stowed away we met downstairs and found ourselves down the road in a nice little Indians offering us substance, it was lovely and just what I needed, once we ate we headed back to base I needed my bed a long day with irregular eating habits had put me  on the back foot  we dropped BS off at a bar a couple of hundred yards from our camp I mean hotel, the Blue Brick was…….. I wont spoil it as it pops up again later in this story. I had no contact with the wife which was worrying but I dropped off to sleep a lot quicker than I normally do, maybe in the morning!

Next morning I was disappointed to discover that the breakfast that had been paid for was……erm not good, it would have put me in a hospital, all that sugar would have put me in a diabetic coma, I decided to pass, thankfully I had taken emergency rations so I was in a good place, I had at least had a good nights sleep as the bed was just how I like it, a quick bath, more like a bird bath! the sink was deeper I should have stuck my ass in there to get bathed, dressed like an adult, I was a proper shirt and tie guy not dressed like an Italian ice cream salesperson, we made our way to the course and then when we got there it was pleasing that we started to bump into familiar faces who were on the same course, BS told us a few tales of the Blue Brick, mmmm maybe lets avoid it having said that it did appear to be the only pub open to say the whole area was depressed was an understatement it looked like the Luftwaffe was still blitzing the place on a daily basis and the RAF was losing the battle! There were some modern buildings but even they were empty, most just abandoned overnight, maybe the shape of things to come for all of us!

I had been unhappy getting up (not a great start) thankfully friendly faces pulled me into the land of the living and I greatly enjoyed and actively  took part in the course, finally the wife opened lines of communication with some texts to make sure I was alive, I’m glad it was just text as she would have heard how unhappy I sounded, the course was also rather intense, at times in the first couple of hours I was drowning not waving, it was fine once the penny dropped, I soon picked up the baton and ran with it, I enjoyed day one, surely it was only going to get easier…………….erm nope!

Lunch wasn’t up too much, which was strange as normally the grub is a thing to look forward to on a course like this, there wasn’t much and the options were limited, we had opted to a short lunch break so that negated the opportunity to pop out and get something else, thankfully there were a few people who voiced their opinions on the food, maybe when my director popped out and came back with sandwiches for those of a vegetarian nature, I should have known that something would be said. Then straight back to the course, thankfully we were to be allowed an early finish (well 40 minutes) as the instructor could see that we were all punch drunk, we headed back to the camp in the knowledge that just about everybody (with the exception of one lucky person) were all staying with us in hotel hell, they were all worried after our description of our short term abode, it was all true. I sense that when they get back to their respective places of employment harsh words maybe said about the hotel!

After a slight detour ( what us lost never) we arrived back and we all made plans for an extended excursion into the battle zone known as Dudley, most of us agreed to head to the Blue Brick for a pint (yes folks I was definitely back on the drink) we thought the area was third world, the pub was down right ancient history, a real spit and sawdust kind of place (which I normally love) I think we startled the bar maid, people with their own teeth and out while the sun was still up, the company was great just what was needed the beer tasted like it was pulled directly from the Birmingham canal, it was bad, probably the worst pint that I ever have drank, and I do mean that, the place only had a one star food rating and that was for selling crisps (I hope), we gathered our senses and the rest of us and headed to a spoons for food, we arrived mob handed and filled the place (15 of us)  we were well behaved and we laughed long and hard as our director (new in the job and really was meeting most of the team for the first time) bought the first round and had his credit card declined, thankfully nothing wrong with the card just a glitch with the pubs machine.

Food ordered drink drunk and much nattering about life the universe and everything else, my soul was lifted and the drink barely dinted me, as always I love these situations talking to my opposite numbers to see what they are doing and do they have similar issues that I have (they do) the night was as always soon over and we all meandered back to our camp I mean hotel, with one or two sloping off into the Blue Brick, I needed my bed, I wanted to talk to the wife and I had a huge swelling on my gum, disease I could do without.

I was up with the larks, it was a wet morning it didn’t make the place look any better, my gum was inflamed, I did all the old tricks (mouth wash tooth pick to lance it etc) thankfully it all helps, we all gather down stairs and head off to find a cooked kind of breakfast, back to the centre some went off to find the centre’s spoon’s, I didn’t want something huge, so we attended the Geordie embassy (Greggs) one bacon sandwich later I could have fought the world, well not quite but at least I felt human again, and then the course was off again at a pace, again very heavy but thankfully I knew I was doing ok, Lunch today was more of the same but much better quality, and lots of it, people were happy, fed people really do equal happy people!

More small talk over lunch and for once I simply sat and listened it was a source of pure gold for me, mostly good things, only one or two things I wasn’t happy about, but I will keep them for a rainy day, back into the course, thankfully another early finish, by now I wasn’t wanting to play I really did want to be anti-social, as soon as I was back in my cell/room I pulled the curtains and sat in the dark contemplating being a pathfinder for the Luftwaffe so they could bomb the whole area flat, there was nothing really wrong I just wanted to be anti-social, I soon gave my head a shake and headed downstairs to eat tea, it seemed we were heading back to the same spoons as the night before, tonight it was full thankfully there was only 8 of us, we managed to get seats and ordered, another good meal and another uplifting night for me, the wife rang me and we conversed like adults and again that cheered me up, we decided to head to another pub which was really nice before heading home, again a nice slow walk back to camp, honestly we were only looking at the barges, we were not going to steal one, people from Nottingham have a tendency to lead people astray!

A few people again nipped back into the Blue Brick (including PB and BS) I needed the loo and didn’t want to risk going to the pubs and getting anything clean was not in the pub’s vocabulary, also I didn’t want to drink anymore canal water from there! PB wanted to see for himself the mystery that was the Blue Brick, ha he learnt the hard way. Back in my cell I packed and was soon in my bed asleep ready for the last day, I awoke the next day with Tinnitus actually its what woke me, it stayed with me all day, another scout around the room to make sure that I hadn’t left anything behind, I then sat watching the TV from 5 in the morning, let’s just say I was ready to leave! I made my bed (old habits die hard) unpacked and repacked my bag and sat next to the car in the vain hope we could get the hell out of dodge, we were actually the last car from our wagon train to leave, who would have thought that, bacon sandwich for breakfast then into the course to be told “oh there’s an exam” “Oh Bugger” is not what I really  thought but I’m trying to keep it clean.

Thankfully the exam wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but the course was still as dense as  the previous days, my tinnitus wasn’t helping, lunch came and went and was just as nice as the previous days (still not a patch on what we do) and we crossed the finishing line and we all said our goodbyes, I may have scored a couple of brownie points, I was a good boy and quite the adult, who would have thought, go figure, it was great to say hello to people who you know but don’t get to meet very often, some cunning work plots put into action, back to the car and then time to get out of dodge before the Luftwaffe, I mean rush hour snarled up the place.

The journey home was a little quicker with only one slight detour because of the amount of traffic, and it really was quite uneventful mainly because I was sitting in the back and the radio was on and my Tinnitus made me nearly deaf, I sulked towards the latter part of the journey my issue not PB or BS’s fault purely mine, a nice uneventful return and then just like that it was over, I was back in the arms of the family, admittedly the dog was the only one who was over joyed to see me, I took a lieu day to catch up with the family including the Hurricane on the Friday, the weekend is nearly finished as I type this up all my clothes are ready shoes are shined and I’m ready for the plague carrier in the morning its been a while but bus seat bingo returns tomorrow morning with a vengeance!

It would appear that I’m back in the saddle with this blog thing so keep spreading the disease, watch the skies for the next one until then…………………………. Toodles!

Now Hear This 4.

Ok so I have been a tad busy over the last couple of days, but so have you lot as I have been flooded with tons of queries some good , some strange, some well lets not go there, but obviously English is not your first language, these blogs go down quite well, I was going to use this format for the last blog (number 500 is fast approaching) but somehow I feel that there will be an abundance of questions for that one, so strap yourself in this could be a bumpy ride (NOT!).

Why do you not reread the old blogs?

I feel as though I would go around in circles if I did, my memory is not the best (dementia kicking in) and some people have questioned some of the things that I have written about, not the facts just the order that I write about them, it’s how I remember them and sometimes I really struggle, sometimes though I miss my friends and rereading them would just be a negative thing, it’s a great positive whilst writing it, but life is crap enough I don’t need to be reminded all the time that it is.

Are you happy if blogs do low numbers?

It doesn’t matter if nobody reads them, its simply a way of me trying to feel better in myself, I’m over the moon if they do well, again the blogs don’t do anywhere near the numbers that I got whilst blogging on myspace, but actually they are doing pretty close to it when you consider how many blogs I have written this year I have outstripped last year by more than 25% so I think it’s doing ok. I’m disappointed for my little ones if they don’t do good numbers as I don’t know why they didn’t get a better reaction, I suppose it’s a little bit like life!

Why Songs for Titles?

I get asked this all the time and to be honest its simply whatever I’m playing at the time of writing the blog, I have tried other ways of creating a title and its simply not conducive to the process, I have used film titles as well, I simply get drawn back to music, sorry if you don’t like the answer but I am being honest, it also usually gives an indication of the mood I’m in.

More Historical?

Again another question that gets asked all of the time, I can’t force these, the bulk of these are written when something is triggered “The Dawn Patrol” was written about a specific time in my life about a person who I loved dearly and I was despondent for days afterwards because I miss them so much, I think it’s a great blog, but I wasn’t prepared for all of the crap that came with it, again my memory isn’t what it used to be and I’m not going to do something half arsed for the sake of it, they will arrive when the time is right, rest assured there is a couple more that I do wish to tell!

Your boat appears to be leaking (boating analogies)?  

Well not as much as it used to, I used to use boating analogies all of the time, I have no idea why, but thankfully no more, well not very often I have no idea why maybe I have found my safe harbour (LOL).

Are You Honest when Writing?

Brutally so, these aren’t done off the cuff, I prep and then write these out long hand then type them up, altering them and polishing them every step of the way, then proof read them and finally I post them, there’s a whole heap of work goes into them before they get anywhere near posted, and yes sometimes there’s mistakes (I never said I was perfect) but again there’s always a timeframe even when I haven’t written in a while.

What makes you Happy?

Good friends, Family and believe it or not Work and yes sometimes I consider the blog is work, I used to run to cheer myself up, however with the state of my knees I can’t run anymore, I’m not as miserable as I used to be! hell no, you should have seen me as a younger person god I was a misery, I’m a work in progress some times there are good days and then sometimes there are bad, of late there are more good than bad, lets just take one day at a time!

Don’t You Have a Social Life?

Yes and No, there a large number of things to take into consideration, Finance is the main one, Fun isn’t cheap anymore, work is also a consideration strange shifts and work patterns, my own as well as the wife’s, but health is also a big consideration as well, I have some good days so does the wife but we both also have some crappy days and I’m not talking mental health, the wife was off yesterday and we were going to do wonderful things and even have a night out, she got up feeling like she had gone a dozen rounds with Mike Tyson bless her, a lot of things need to align, but yes from time to time we do go out, not as much as we would both would like, but The Tee Hee Club will ride again!

Plans for the Future?

Another often asked question, well the blog as we know it will end at blog number 500 (this is number 438) and although I do intend to still write just not in this format, more than likely music reviews albums and gigs and the such like, I’m sure at some point the “thing” will become more focused but that’s the current plan I’m sure numbers will dry up, that’s the nature of such things, the world will keep spinning there’s not a lot any of us can do about that, again I might spit my dummy out and go on for another 500 (don’t hold your breath) things blog wise have a tendency to stay “Fluid”!

Family – Doesn’t it Help?

Not that I’m aware of, I love my family even the annoying ones (oooh that would be all of them) this is about me and not them……………Allegedly!

Father Figure / Jealousy seemed kind of personal?

Those two blogs certainly hit a raw nerve, what do you want me to say that’s what I felt at the time of writing them, I don’t know the individual that spawned me, and I wasn’t too bothered about him until I discovered he was quite close to us all of this time, I’m in a better place now but I still have my moments, I don’t know how you can just abandon two children, they were two blogs written in the space of 24 hours, there was a lot of bile, lets just leave it there!

Obsession about Digits?

Well I am and then I’m not , it depends on the mood and whether I thought I had written something good, some that I think are OK go through the roof and some that I think are the best stuff I have written do next to nothing, I don’t know how it works I promote the blogs in a limited kind of way but sometimes some blogs have a life of their own, to be honest its just me trying to figure out how it actually works, it’s safe too say I haven’t yet!

What does your place of work think of the blogs?

As far as I’m aware nothing, I don’t promote it in that direction, and as far as I’m aware I know of only one person who has read it on a regular basis, I don’t really write about work, so I don’t thing it would be an issue, I will let you know when I get my P45 (for those of you in countries outside of the UK it’s the document you receive when you are made unemployed).

Technology?

I keep getting asked why I rant at technology, well its simple or rather I am, I am now and have always been shit with technology I have no patience, its all my own making, I was told by someone that I was a man born out of time, I should have been born in the 20’s not the 60’s, I do not disagree with that statement, please believe me that there is plenty more rage in this  older person to come, I would gladly live in a cave with no technology, I’m not saying its bad I’m saying I’m a dumbass!

Good Days, Bad Days, Meh Days?

As long as I start a day feeling happy then I can put up with just about anything, some days do spiral out of control (me with my reputation) and some days I do simply feel Meh, I don’t control it, it is what it is the fact that I have accepted it seems to mean more days being happier, I can live with that!

Why not post more stuff from the books now that they are deleted?

Sometimes I do, but it still has to be relevant to what I’m feeling at the time, so yes watch this space that could happen, like greatest hits kind of thing you never know!

Do You remember Writing the Old Blogs?

Honestly about 99% of the time that’s a big fat no, usually the title has not a lot to do with the blog, sometimes it has a lot to do with the blog, when my dementia kicks in I might reread them and chuckle or go who the hell is this miserable turd, its like in Harry Potter I drag them out onto the page and forget them , I have been asked specific questions about certain blogs and I have had to go back and reread them because I haven’t got a clue on what was written, not because it was a bad blog its simply to refresh this tired brain of mine!

Do You Miss Working in the Music industry?

Another big fat no, I miss some of the people , I enjoyed most of the times, but no I wouldn’t go back it was specific time in my life, its also like a muscle if you don’t use it you lose it, I have been asked to help a couple of friends out over the last few years and it was painful like smashing my head into a brick wall repeatedly, not enjoyable, back in the day (listen to this old timer) it was a pleasure, some lovely people some pure evil people but it was around five years of intensity that I feel that I am way too old to relive, thank you and bring me something fresh! If you want to know what I really think look for the blog “Kiss Like Judas” that really should tell you all that you need to know!

Do you feel Old?

Only in body not in spirit, inside I still feel 16, admittedly I wouldn’t want to be 16 now I do not envy the young!

What Advice would you give other Bloggers?

Cough splutter, have you been reading the blog , there are much better blogs/ bloggers out there, read them, chat to them, set your sights and simply go for it, if you enjoy writing that’s all you need to know the more you do it the better that you allegedly become at it, I’m doing alright as a number of you keep coming back to read them, do it to enjoy, don’t do it as a chore if you do it as a chore it will come across in the blog.

There you have it I hope that some of you have enjoyed this instalment of “Now Hear This” all of the questions or variants have been asked multiple times since the last episode, there are a number which keep getting asked if you feel that I have missed your question read the previous ones, you will find the answers there.

As always thanks to you who read who click like / share you all know who you are no names no pack drill, I’m, nearing the last lap of this blog, just over 50 or so to go so if you do have a question number 500 will be the last version of this, enjoy and watch the skies for incoming it will be just under a week as I am way for work on a course, play nice and I will see you all soon enough…….Toodles!

Killer of Giants

Like bloody buses, I don’t have the urge to write for ages then one two three in the space of an hour. Yes, I know I’m an idiot, I have no idea how it works either!

I can say without a doubt the log jam is well and truly broken, possibly the out pouring of kind words from you lot the discerning readers moved my literary bowels so to speak, I have to temper what I actually write though as I want quality not quantity (yeah right) as I finished the blog yesterday my brain was awash with tons of ideas, even if I simply cherry pick two or three that should be ok, I know by publishing this one its going to kill the last one but I’m ok with that, the numbers are more than good and if its like the last couple it will limp  on for a while yet!

Technology was annoying yesterday and is still winning the war today, it doesn’t take much too turn me into an angry man, me a luddite hell yeah! I keep putting my Windows to UK English but whenever it does an update it reverts to American English pfft we came up with it first boys and girls please allow me to attempt to spell it the old-fashioned way (correctly).

I am conscious of the fact that since I have stopped writing I have gone back to devouring the weight of the house on a regular basis, that in itself is not helping me with several issues, my problem I know, but I’m unsure how I can resolve it, I do so well then revert to type! I would rather be happy and hardly eating, than being unhappy and eating the whole planet, yes, I know I seem to have issues, I can’t seem to find the owner’s manual for myself and I don’t know how I can do a permanent reset!

Farcebook is annoying me with adverts and people who I may know, I get great enjoyment deleting the adverts but as for the people well I know what I would like to do, I don’t know them, so I don’t want them on my page, I like being isolated (you may have noticed) I nearly smashed the laptop to bits, but I took a deep breath and went to the pub with nice people………….a win all around!

I have vermin (no not the family the four legged long tail versions) in my loft again and its doing my napper in, I keep putting poison down and they keep eating it then disappearing for a few nights then another one turns up, I need to save some pennies to sort out some chicken wire and some landmines (maybe the last was a tad over the top) after that I’m simply going to blow the house up with an atom bomb (I’m not really but its exasperating) I have used most of the tricks of the trade, I cant wait to move house, where is the lottery win when you need one.

This weeks holiday has not been the best for me for no other reason than I have defeated myself at every turn, I am away from home on a course next week hopefully being busy will help me figure some of this crap out, I know I went for some CBT a few years ago and I still use some of the therapy exercises on a daily basis, I’m a million times better than I was, simply taking new steps every day, I’m not fixed but I tinker with myself everyday (that nearly sounded rude).

As always I have to ask you all to continue whatever you are all doing, click like or share because something is working, the numbers are climbing to a new level nearly every time, I promise I shall be doing a historical blog sooner rather than later, last night as I already stated was lovely we were invited out along the road from some wandering vagabond minstrels that were travelling from far off lands to other locales and gratefully they popped into Gimpsville to see us on their way home, unfortunately the invite came a little too late for food as I was knee deep in making a curry for me and the youngest, the wife doesn’t partake, more for us, yum yum! but we gladly accepted the invite and I decided now was the time to stop my dry year (actually eight months) I haven’t felt any better for not drinking  so me and Jack kept ourselves company last night, with a house call from Dr Vodka for a cheeky nightcap, double yum yum!

The night was over was over far too quickly as always, but cunning plans as always are afoot I’m hoping my spleen has regenerated in time for the weekend ( I have a buyer from Nagoya interested) , actually I might sell my heart as it would appear I don’t have a use for  it! I hadn’t switched the laptop off so when I went to close it I had a message from a friend who was having issues in his life, a brief conversation ensued all in a positive direction, you never know what anybody is going through even if they appear happy on the outside, all I can say to people who are distressed in anyway H.O.P.E – Hold On Pain Ends, and trust me if any of my friends need a shoulder to cry on please reach out  help is literally a heart  beat away, you are never truly alone.

There you go number two number three is simmering but unlikely to be here anytime soon simply because of my jaunt away from home, but there may be a “Now Hear this” before the end of the weekend we will see , it depends on my anxiety levels, me a diva I think not (LOL) so be nice to each other enjoy the time that you have with people and watch the skies I have the bug again, for writing you silly people, the name game was won by…………………….NILS! god damn you had to have googled that one this one is a lot easier and its titled simply because it’s what I was listening to yesterday as I did my prep for this one, so until the next one…………………Toodles.

Behaviour Control Technician.

I know, I know, I know that you have all missed me, the  last blog although hasn’t done the fantastic numbers of the previous few, it has still done well and has been limping along with hits everyday over the last four weeks, and yes I kept using that as an excuse not to write anything, the longer you go the easier it is to leave the page blank, something I seem to be doing a lot lately! In life and in the blogs, go figure.

Yes the name game is as always in play and I suspect you lot will have to google it as I have a feeling that not many will know it, having said that the last one was relatively easy (King Crimson pop pickers) and obviously nobody could be arsed to google that either, having said that if I don’t show that I care why should any of you lot, the discerning reader!

My intention had been to call this one “I Don’t Know” after the Ozzy song (oops did I spoil that one for you?) But I have been playing a lot of this particular artist, simply trying to lift my spirits and have been failing miserably, no not the choice of music, just the way I have felt, no black dog following me, simply wallowing in………….nothingness, hence the reason why no blog of late, I know I said I was going to give my head a shake, but if I shake it much more I’m worried something might just fall out!

I had a week to clear my head from life the universe, and well it would appear that I failed miserably, finances haven’t helped, even though we have been very good, August is always a strange month, I went back to work and yet again life spluttered, lots of great music old and new but nope I was still only firing on two cylinders and not being able to put a finger on it simply makes it worse.

Wandering aimlessly through this thing we call life has been …..meh kind of rubbish, another week of respite and yet my head still isn’t in the best of places, not gaining any traction is kind of dragging me down, lots of lovely people being in contact some with strange and lovely questions for another “Now Hear This” which because of upcoming plans I might just do at posting 450, it all depends on the questions collated or whether I am actually struggling to gather enough prose to post! All of my cunning plans seem to have been holed below the water line and I have even left “The Whalers Dues” alone simply because I do not want to re-infest it with bile, just when you all thought I was just about to post it…………..NOT!

I need to get back on the horse (that’s blogging boys and girls I haven’t bought another pet) so don’t be shocked if you get a couple (yeah right) in the coming weeks, well ok it might be longer as when I go back to work next week I’m away for an educational course and I’m not taking two laptops (work’s and mine) one little black book for notes but nothing electronic that’s not work related! I definitely need to have my head on straight as it’s a hard course, one in which I have been requesting for over six years now, so I better not fail it like the last bloody one.

So I need to work through my tiny list of chores (a few each day rather than one long slog) and then spend the weekend prepping for the (not so ) jolly jaunt away from my home and my loved ones maybe its just what I need, no I’m not blaming my loved ones for my malaise, but I need to up my game and this might just help me.

I have  been bumping into a few old friends over the last few weeks and I have to admit that it has been lifting my spirits when I see them, people I have known for over 30 years and although I live in the same neck of the woods I very rarely seem them, the level of field craft from the people who I live closest to is phenomenal , it was lovely simply to say hello and spend a few minutes interacting, asking how their family and loved ones are doing, I know I need to make the effort more often, maybe if I left the house every now and again that might help, in life and in blog writing. I have even avoided historical blogs as they haven’t helped me, I need to be in a good place to write them otherwise this ship will sink even if I was in shallow water or not! Historical ones seem to take a lot more out of me so to try and write them when I’m not in a happy place is counterproductive.

So, there you have it, finally some written word from me the happy camper from Gimpsville, the fact that I have actually put pen to paper (figuratively speaking) is a step in the right direction, hopefully! Lets see what the coming weeks bring,  I’m not expecting these next few blogs to be sponsored by NASA, a few of the earlier ones have done old school viewing figures and to be honest that did indeed put a smile on this old cynic’s face, even  if just for a couple of minutes, what am I going to do for the rest of the day, well play some more music so hopefully I can be inspired with life or worse case scenario another blog (you never know) so watch the skies for incoming and do what you lot seem to do best  keep spreading the disease, until the next time …………………Toodles!

Into the frying pan

So, the last couple of blogs have done really well actually the last one was totally amazing, this one I’m not expecting to do as well, as its one telling you lot that I am going to be running silent and running deep for a while.

I have not been the happiest bunny in the last week or so, I simply do not want to be involved in anything, I wish to be left alone, I don’t really its simply the external projection of my persona, however I don’t know how to process my thoughts at the moment, anger seems to be the number one emotion coursing through these  veins, not at anybody but myself, not wanting to interact, not wanting to engage with anybody family , friendly or work related, its my issue not anybody else’s.

Again this isn’t a woe is me type of blog , it’s simply a heads up to those of you who know me in the real world, I’m not user friendly at the moment, I need to give my head a shake, heading to nine days off from my place  of work will  hopefully resolve most of my issues, ha I’m screwed if it doesn’t as my place of work is usually where I go to when I’m in this frame of mind.

So in all honesty if you see me and I growl its me not you, I’m not sure how the family put up with me, at this moment in time they would be better off if I lived in a cave, even music is not soothing the savage beast, I don’t hate the world I only hate myself, so until the next one, keep spreading the word, I will be back in  a happier frame of mind, I’m simply not 100% when that will be, until then ………………………….Toodles!

Oh and yes the name game is in play!

And on the Eight Day

I told you the blogs would be like buses, I have to get this one written as its like a buzz saw in my head, I also need to get it out to draw some closure to my “live” relationship with the hottest band in the land, and hopefully it will put an end to all the tags I have been put in on Farcebook since yesterday, who knew I knew so many wonderful Peeps!

So as I alluded  in the last blog, yesterday was a long-time coming and even longer in the planning, a few minor blips on the road in (ok so I checked my bank account and all the money was allocated to bills and stuff WTF) but we got over those hurdles and Saturday night really was like Kiss mas eve, everybody excited and me grumpy (who would have thought). The next morning, I was padding around the house while all and sundry (no the dog is not called sundry!) slept the sleep of the dead, I pottered on until the dead started to rise and like the nice person I am I cooked them their breakfast, well I am a nice person (honest I am the rumours are simply not true) again some more pottering whilst the ladies of the house (ok just the wife panicked) doing what ladies do, all the while I’m getting the evil eye as I’m not ready, it takes me all of two minutes, trust me I am not high maintenance.

Now this is where things started to go awry, my stomach was off I was praying that I wasn’t going to suffer a recurrence of my exploding orifices, thankfully no, but my stomach was simply not playing ball, the wife took the hound off to the Kraken’s and I made myself look as pretty as I could, yes I know lets not go there! Then the road trip could start properly, our planning required us to find somewhere to park, our number one destination was taken so we sneaked into a spot at our second preferred location, not ideal but at least we had a safe harbour.

We set off for higher ground (OK Trillian’s) and it was great walking through Newcastle looking at all of the fans in their great T shirts, there was some awesome merch on display, the wife was getting just as many admiring glances for her Eric Carr T shirt that a great friend made for her over twenty years ago, as we arrived it was great to see our once local full to the guns with like minded people and a lot of people who we knew, well OK the wife knew and the rest kind of grunted (LOL) to be honest there were simply too many people (hang on that’s a Vardis song) to chat to, I met some new peeps and some old peeps and some more from my place of work, all in all a fantastic part of the day, great memories great conversations and generally great people, I didn’t see one person who I didn’t like (that makes a change) the only problem as always with Trills is that it was like an oven, I felt for the poor people getting their Kiss face painted they must have been melting!

We decided to head out for some food and the party generally split if only for a little while, by now I was suffering, but I wanted to keep it on the lowdown as I certainly didn’t want to spoil anyone’s day (like I normally do) again the food and the company was great, but everywhere we went there were bloody stairs my knees were doing great at this stage, but I knew I would suffer in pain later on! Onwards we went off to the Bodega, picking up waifs and strays along the way and I did a good deed by taking stuff back to the car, once I got back we were in the middle of two heated sporting events (yawn I wasn’t bothered) we then took a slow meander to the venue picking up even more waifs and strays along our merry way.

At this point I shall point out that a number of photos were taken in many of the venues ( I know I have the face for radio) I’m not a fan of it happening, I feel as though I don’t know what to do, so thankfully I was allowed to take them and not be in them , although I was captured (under protest) at least once. By now I was really under the weather and my knees were suffering, and to get to our seats there was even more bloody stairs (somebody just shoot me) how did we do this all the time when we were younger and there would be copious amounts of drink involved? I was trying to keep an even lower profile than normal, not that it mattered the wife was fixated on a point in the distance and damn the torpedoes! For someone who is as poorly as she is (and I’m not joking she really is) she can’t half get up a head of steam, she was in full flight, once she was through the metal detectors it was time to feed Mr $immons bank account, now I didn’t intend to buy anything (please see previous bank statement) but I did like the vintage black and white Destroyer although I refrained although the youngest did offer (bless her) I don’t usually buy lots of merch (cough splutter) there were loads of strange people dressed up in full Kiss costumes including a dwarf (well smaller than me and that’s not tall) dressed as Mr $immons, they may be strange but I love them they are my kind of people,  once the merch was secured we headed into our seats, now my only complaint of the night is the size of the seats these cannot be for normal size individuals I have lost over five stone and I barely fit into it and I have a cute butt! Well so I’m told I’m not one to spread rumours (LOL)

It was at this point I was doing all of the tricks of the trade to stop projectile vomiting, my acid reflux was raging and I was suffering (if you knew a vet I would have asked to be shot honestly it was that bad) the gentleman next me was a very kind gentleman indeed, he kept asking me if I was ok , he even went to the trouble of scouring all of the bars for some peppermint cordial, bless him it was that moment that saved the day as the wife had some chewing gum that was peppermint flavoured, I must have looked deranged as I gnawed at it to sooth my gut! What was great and I did notice tons of kids (with ear defenders naturally) what a range of people were at the gig, what I don’t get is those that sit and simply film it on their phones, watch it in the now and savour the moment not some sterile thing on your big TV at home, how many people actually bother to look back at their videos? I bet not many, taking pictures I get, but videoing it sad and just a little strange!

As for the gig itself I’m not reviewing it, you should have been there, awesome stage setting awesome effects lighting laser’s , sound was pretty damn good, even for me who is partially deaf, the set list was………….actually quite good, Beth being the only ballad of a pretty rocking set, yes there was stuff that was missed out with that much bloody good music there was always going to be winners and losers, the only track I didn’t care much for  was “Say yeah” was this the best gig by the band I had ever seen? Probably not, but for the stage setting it was, nothing beats the first time at the hall but hey this was pretty close to it! Yes, the wife got up to dance, yes, she had an argument and told the world to go F*** themselves, it put a dampener on it for her, to be honest I was simply trying not to throw up at this point! All in all an awesome gig I don’t think that there will be much to beat that, so I might just be calling time on my gig going duties, I wanted the best and I got the best…………….WOW!

Then after the battle of the Somme sorry it felt like it with all of the explosions that went off, more fireworks than a Guy Fawkes night and enough lasers to kill all of the aliens in close encounters and I would like to see the fire risk assessment for the amount of flames that was used, I now I simply can’t stop working what can I say I’m a bloody workaholic! And then in a heartbeat it was over! the 42-year love affair was done, do I think it’s the end hell no I bet they have a few more tricks up their sleeve before they shuffle off this mortal coil, but for me yes it is and what a way to go out on!

 We then did a silly thing and attempted to leave with everybody else (lots of them) we bumped into even more nice people, it was just like being a bloody hippy , so many lovely people mind you I could have stabbed the guy drumming on the way in and out of the venue (bless him) we just had the uphill struggle to get to the car, my knees at this point had done a tag team effort with my acid reflux and was kicking my butt, I didn’t care I was happy I had a great day with great people watching a great gig it simply doesn’t get better than that!

We got the hell out of dodge quickly, we took the low road and were soon back in Gimpsville at the Krakens to pick up a pooch, who was over the moon to see us, we thanked the Kraken who could have kicked off but strangely she didn’t, once home the youngest went straight to bed as she had rehearsal today for some Sondheim thingy majig, me and the wife tried to keep up with all of the farcebook posts  we soon admitted defeat and headed up the wooden hill!

A slight lie in the morning (for me at least) the wife went back to bed for a short while, to say that I am crippled today is an understatement, but you know what it was well worth it, I know  I haven’t mentioned anybody by name (coded or otherwise) but it was great to see so many of you all (including a certain birthday boy) even though I wasn’t in the best of health, my spirits were lifted by each and everybody that I saw, everybody that I spoke to, especially the wonderful phone call I received on the morning to find out what our plans were for the day, I have said it before and I will continue to keep saying it, I have made more friends due to this band than all of the bands I like put together, oh and at no time did I attempt to do my Gene $immons impersonation, now that has to be a first!

So there you have it my Kiss blog, and you lot thought it would be about the gig, as if you really thought that you don’t know me that well, the next one wont be along as quickly as this one was, but there will be more down the line, so keep watching the skies for incoming, keep spreading the disease because the numbers have sponsored by NASA they are so high, thank you one and all for the kind words until the next one is ready …………………………Toodles!

Don't make no promises

You may have noticed my blogs are starting to behave like the public transport system, not that reliable, let’s see if we can quantify that, life has kind of sucked big style over the last couple of weeks and I have been fighting at the barricades of life! Not mentally just the soul sucking style of things with explosive bottoms and projectile vomit all mine unfortunately.

Health has had me kicked in the nuts, I have been on my knees still trying to fight it, but it actually winded me quite badly, my mouth  had been signing cheques that to be honest I had no chance of honouring them, lets go back and start at the beginning, the last couple of blogs did good, actually they did really good, I was on a high for once, I should have realised I was heading for a fall, work was starting to taking over, just when I thought I had finally got a handle on it, silently creeping in and taking over, I had to get my ducks in a row, I kind of did and then my health took a shotgun and blew those poor little ducks away.

I had a week of nightshifts to contend with and a lot of other work to deal with from the daytime side of life, I managed to get to day three before I suffered with an exploding body, yes it was actually from every orifice, it wasn’t pretty, but I soldiered on like the idiot I am and to be honest I am just getting over it now, this is the third occasion of such an illness in the last eight months, it had me worried, I was a poorly Indian over the weekend, then I went back with a big black cloud hanging over my place of employment, it felt strange to come back to work to find out that we had been under yet another review and we were expecting more redundancy’s , as usual the company handled it like they were juggling a bag of shit that was on fire, yes you got it right like shite! It dragged on all week and again we are all still on tender hooks, we don’t know if that’s the end of it or is there still more to come, like some kind of cruel torture, no news is bad news in this kind of situation. It’s the torture that keeps on giving!

Mentally I have been on edge purely because we don’t know what they want, it’s like playing Russian roulette with a fully loaded pistol, not fun consequently blogging has been the furthest thing from my mind, I had a blog sort of in mind (yes this is it) but as the week has gone on its kind of got twisted, and then my wanting to vomit kept threatening to resurface , mmmm I wonder what brought that back on, I don’t need to wonder at all, then family issues kicked in as we had been planning this coming weekend for the  past six months, thankfully it went away as quick as it raised its head, its not resolved but it has sunk itself for the time being, what’s happening this weekend? I hear you ask well its our last visit to join the ranks of the Kiss army, to say that I have been underwhelmed is an understatement, life has an awful lot to answer for, I cant wait to see the dear friends I have amassed over the years because of this great band, I have more friends due this band than any other band all rolled into one, haters got to hate but the Kiss army rolls on!

My attempt at a music page on Farcebook (WWBH) is simply refusing to die even though I haven’t posted in months and I have cancelled it more than six times, I keep getting requests for money from farcebook saying that they will promote it to a gazillion people which was never the intention, I have cunning plans that will suit my transient lifestyle, watch this space, Farcebook can kiss my shiny metal ass! It will have a happy ending, but it will be mine not what they desire, go figure me bitter not likely!

On the bonus side of things I can confirm that I have lost over ten inches from my waist (no not my head) although I am fighting the health thing on many fronts, that is one that I am happy with, little and often, I know I cant wave a magic wand (I would if I could but I’m not Harry Potter) and wish for it all to disappear, one step at a time, as long as I have my hair and my looks…………hang on a minute!

So there you have it, something small and warm (no not a turd…..hang on) to keep you amused on a warm summers day, I’m making no more promises that my body can’t keep these coming as something will happen and stop me dead in my tracks, when and if I’m mentally able too, that is the best  that I will offer you these days, having said this I will probably publish another twelve in the next three days, you know you can expect one after the Kiss gig it would be rude not to wouldn’t it, so enjoy your weekend whatever you have lined up I know drama will raise its ugly head at some point but its all good, life is too short to try and not enjoy it, right chores to do and chocolate……I mean healthy things to eat I might even have a pint or two, this could get dangerous, as I want rock all night and party everyday………….until then Toodles!