We dont need another Heroe...just a Quality Street
Current Music = Electric Barbarella by Duran Duran
Last night was bonfire night as previously mentioned. You can tell that these days kids take more notice of Halloween rather than the traditional UK event of Bonfire Night. When I was a kid you used to leave the house on November 6th and it was foggy, there were hundreds of burnt out fireworks littering the streets and you could hear kids coughing from 3 streets away. This morning as I left the house it was a clear, crisp day. Not a hint of fog, and no smell of burnt sheds. Saying that however, on the way to the station we were diverted as a block of flats had burnt down. Apparently 2 cars in the basement had set alight last night and all the residents had to be evacuated. Nice to see some traditions never change. In Detroit (in the USA….I do that because THEY always say Paris France!) they used to have Hellnight where kids went around on Halloween burning down empty buildings. All the more sensible citizens now patrol the streets on Halloween and make sure it can’t happen. Dunno what they would do if one of the “sensible” citizens was a pyromaniac?
Current Music = February 28 by Werner Ghost Truck.
The roadworks around Piccadilly Station are getting worse. They have now blocked Oldham Road, Bradford Rd, Pollard Street, Redhill Street, and there are minor roadworks dotted around. Now, I know I am a cynic, but put yourself in the position of Manchester City Council. They want to introduce a congestion charge to enter the city centre. Generally Manchester doesn’t HAVE any congestion , which, for Mcr City Council is a bad thing as it means they don’t get their greedy grabbing hands on all the money that a congestion charge generates, so what do they do? Just before the vote they dig up every fucking road around the city centre and automatically cause their own congestion so they can appeal to the voters with “look how bad it’s got”. Voters the look around at lines of petrol eating, emission belching cars parked outside on the road and agree with the bastards on the council. Council say “well vote for us then” and the people, like sheep being led into a slaughterhouse, do exactly as requested. Mcr City Council then remove roadworks and say “look what the congestion charge did to our streets”, sheep nod and go back to eating grass.
Or am I just being cynical?
Current Tune = Summertime by Big Brother and the Holding Company
Ahhhh NOW it’s misty. We are crossing the Cheshire Plain and it’s got that “after Bonfire Night” look about it. Makes you feel good to be awake.
Current Tune = Rock & Roll Jesus by Kid Rock.
I must admit I am listening to so much more music these days as there is very little else to do on the train except read or type up another one of these reports. I have no idea if anyone ever reads the things, but typing them whilst travelling give you something to do. It’s a fab chance to people watch as well, You can tell people who have high energy levels as they, even at this time in the morning, are awake, working on stuff etc etc. There are other, usually much younger people, who spend their time slumped across 2 seats, asleep and you know that when they get to where they are going they will be tired, grumpy, unable to focus etc etc. Mind you, I slept lots last night as I had spent most of the night before chatting in the pub. Shame that the waitress who I asked out last week still seems to making up her mind. We were supposed to be going out on Monday but something happened, and she hasn’t texted me yet so I don’t have her number? Oh well, life eh??
Current Tune = All Summer Long by Kid Rock.
I must admit that Kid Rock was never someone I would rush off to listen to, but his latest album is superb. I don’t think there is a tune on there that I don’t like? Maybe I should go off and investigate further. I remember hearing a superb cover version of “Sweet Home Alabama” a few years ago, and, as I said, “Rock and Roll Jesus” is a great album.
At the end of this month is the Lichfield Depot Christmas Party. Now those of you who know me will vouch for the fact that I don’t do Christmas, I certainly don’t do it in November, however, all the people who are going are people I like a lot, and I can always close my eyes to the glittery baubles and just drink and eat. However, if the DJ plays “I wish it could be Christmas Everyday” he will find out just how painful it is to have a CD coming out of his nose….after being inserted via his anus!!
Current Tune = Holiday by Hayseed Dixie
When I am away I get to see very little in the way of TV, added to the fact that when I am at home I watch very little TV as well, means that I have only just arrived at the story about Jonathan Ross & Russel Brand. Now, given the fact that Ross has always had the ability to make me laugh, Brand less so, and the fact that their victim was a comic actor who, in his time, should the job have needed it, would have taken the piss out of anyone if he thought there was a laugh in it, I can hardly see why he is complaining tooo much.
Ok, so they shouldn’t have done it, but they are comedians, they feed on each other and do stuff that they think is funy. Where the real failure occurred was the editor who decided to broadcast it.
The other sickening aspect is the desperate rush for publicity from Andrew Sach’s fat granddaughter. She has gone into “shocked and outraged” when you actually know she is LOVING it. OMG it’s a chance to get my ugly face all over the newspapers. What I think you will find is, while she has her 30 seconds of fame, in 10 years time Ross will still be on tv, his little mistake forgiven by an adoring public, and she will be married to some fool who has seen her on TV, fancied giving her one and foolishly fell into a relationship with her and ended up a dried up husk after she sucked him dry! Brand…I dunno. Maybe the same…maybe dead. He does seem to lead that “it’s better to burn out than fade away” type lifestyle.
Current Music = I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For by U2
Tonight is Liverpools big night as the “Capital of Culture” as they are hosting the MTV music awards. How the MTV awards end up being the highlight of culture I’m not too certain. When I think of Liverpool I think of the Beatles, I think of some great museums, I think of the docks and the working class humour. I think of The Ferries and Freddy & The Dreamers. I think of Derek Hatton and the Labour group who nearly brought a great city to it’s knees, and I think of places like Blacklers (city centre dept store). At no point do I think of MTV???? What about the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, all the great bands, all the pubs etc etc..Nope…still not getting why MTV should be the highlight?
Current Tune = Made of Stone by The Stone Roses.
One of my friends has just posted a meme about food. Later on I will copy it and post it here. As someone who likes and appreciates all food (well, except garden peas which are the anal droppings of green parrots from the cocaine fields of Columbia) it’s interesting to see other people’s views. I would, any day of the week, pay an extra £5.00 to have something that is fresh and has been well cooked. Most places that serve food these days do not employ chefs, they employ microwave technicians who’s only skill in the kitchen is the ability to wash plates and press a button that makes a machine go ping!!
Oh well, we are currently at Stafford and will be in Lichfield in 15 mins or so, so I better finish and maybe carry this on later…..or maybe just post it lol
Cut to Friday evening.
Current Music = I wanna be adored by The Stone Roses.
Am on train on way home. Today has been an interesting day, and , for some reason, I am feeling rough as a badgers arse! Didn’t have a lot of beers (one) last night, was quiet, and I was in bed by 10.30. However, I woke up this morning with a tongue that felt like I had been committing fellatio on a porcupines rectum, and a head that was in dire need of chopping off. All my shoulders are aching and, even my twisted ankle was playing up again and I have been hobbling about all day.
Maybe I am just getting old?
Current Music = She Bangs the Drums by The Stone Roses (yes, I’m playing the Album)
There was a crash just up from work earlier today. A double deck artic from Tesco’s went over on the roundabout. He must have been going at some clip. Loaded to the gills with gear, god knows how much money THAT will cost them. They pulled it back up without unloading it as well. Oh well..Least it wasn’t one of ours!
It obviously caused problems, as the taxi driver this morning went via outer Mongolia in order to get me to work. Luckily I have negotiated a fixed price between the hotel and work so it mattered not. I got to see some bits of Lichfield I haven’t seen before!
Current Music = Ten Storey Love Song by The Stone Roses
It’s cold outside. I think this Winter will be one of lots of frosts/snows etc. Given the fact that it is only November, we could be in for a cold one. Added to the fact that I think I am coming down something it should make for an interesting few weeks. I’m heading home to a long soak in the bath and then bed. Least I don’t have anything major on this weekend. Should be a chance to have a nice sleep. Tease Nobby and recover. Next week I am at Lichfield Mon – Fri afternoon and am then heading down to Banbury to work next Saturday. Will stay out Saturday night and go out with some of the Banbury guys and head home on Sunday. Apparently we are heading off to a comedy club. Should be good fun. Beer, jokes, and the chance to take the mickey out of an up and coming comedian.
Current Music = I am the Resurrection by The Stone Roses (I cheated and skipped to the end)
The above will be one of the 3 pieces of music played at my funeral. I mention this because, the other night in the pub a couple came in. They were there because their daughter had , well, stolen some money from Jackie. They had come to offer it back, but Jackie wouldn’t take it, but wanted to talk to their daughter. It ended up all huggy etc, but one of the things that came to light was that the woman was a Humanist. She conducted Humanist funerals, which is what I always said I would have. It is, to my way of thinking, terrible that you go through life as an Athiest and then, after you die, you get buried/cremated by a priest along with loads of religious iconography . with a service led by a priest, and all your friends singing hymns. I never bought a subscription when I was alive, I sure as hell don’t want one when I’m dead!!
So, I have spent a lot of thought deciding what I would like. I would like all my friends to turn up wearing whatever they feel most comfortable wearing, no black, colours, jeans, trainers, T shirts with rude messages etc etc. And they can talk. Talk about me, with other people, listen to the music, dance if they want to. I would be carried in (poor bastards doing the carrying) to ;
Fade Away & Radiate by Blondie, Brilliant, slow, eerie, sends shovers down my spine just thinking about it.
Sometime during the middle I would make everyone dance to;
I am the Resurrection by The Stone Roses, one of the greatest dance tunes ever written, that brings back so may memories of nights out in Manchester and good times with friends,
At the end we would have;
Meet on the Ledge by Fairport Convention. A song that brings about more feelings about losing friends than any other song I cn think of.
Oh, not that I am ill…Just want to be prepared. Loss comes suddenly, and in many forms, and you can never be too ready!
Well, that’s enough of THAT, onto more happy smiley moments;
Current Tune = A View to a Kill by Duran Duran.
We have been stuck at Crewe for 5 minutes, Dunno if we are running early…..yeah right!..lol It’s funny that, as soon as I type that, off we go. Oh well, Should be home in a hour.
At least the bloke sat opposite has gone. He looked about 45 and was reading a copy of Starburst Magazine. When I got on he all but tutted because someone had the temerity to share his table. When I got out the laptop I was again tutted at. Tutted at twice in two minutes, what IS the world coming to. Maybe he can go home to his wife and kids and take it out on them? ….err who am I kidding, he was the typical 45 year old single bloke living at home with his parents who would run a mile if a woman even smiled at him.
Hmmmm, how close did I ever come to that before I met Helen or Anne Marie?
Noo….I use to go out and meet women. I was never a one trick pony. I always had interests, and hobbies, and beer, and girls, and dancing, and…well loads.
Mind you, it’s been a year since I had a girlfriend (Julie)…maybe you can go back to being a saddo? OMG. Quick, someone needs to take me to bed..lol
Current Tune = Lay Your Hands on Me by The Thompson Twins
Might go out tomorrow night. Not for any special reason, just a chance to have a few beers, chat with strangers, talk bollocks for a few hours and not have the need to be worrying about how I am going to do this or do that? Might make me feel better? Usually, if you give into colds, all that happens is you start to feel sorry for yourself. I have never been one for that.
Cough ..lol
We are just passing through Alderley Edge, made famous by Alan Garner, and a fun place to visit if it’s sunny, not much to it’s credit on a Friday night in the middle of November however. I have so many holidays left, but so much to do, I may take one or 2 the week after next and head off for a bit of a wander. Get on a train, see where it takes me, stop at pubs, chat to people, drink beer, eat food and just relax. Then again, the chances seem a bit slim.
Current Tune = You Take me Up by The Thompson Twins
I have decided that I need a haircut. I will probably head off tomorrow and get it done. I have had pretty much the same haircut for the past 30 years. Side parting, cut & blown, I can’t see me changing it. I was totally expecting to be bald by the time I was 20, which was why, when I was a kid, I had my hair really long. These days it tends to wander between a bit long, to very short, to long again, to short etc. One of the guys at Lichfield had incredibly long hair, and has just had it all cut off and it has gone blond and curly. Another friend, Hammy, has had long…and I mean VERY long hair, since I first met him, and bugger me if, last weekend he didn’t tune up at a games con with a short back and sides. Apparently, when you are interviewing for a job with BIG computer companies it’s advisable to be a company man, which is a bit harsh as most of these damn computer companies were set up by hippies in the first place!
Current Music = Asleep at the Back by Elbow
Banks never fail to surprise me. Given the deep shit that the entire business world is in at the moment, you can’t help wishing that someone would grab some of these people by the testicles and give them a bloody good shake. Maybe the terrorists never needed to crash planes into the world trade centre, maybe all they needed to do was hire a few hicks form the city who could fuck up the world economy for them without any need for explosives and bombs.
Anyway…Time for be said Zebedee! Ok said Florence, but it has to be a foursome with Dylan and Dougal!
