take a nap

Take a nap.  It solves everything, apart from my lack of sleeping (and many, many issues)

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please help hitch hiking sign

Will they get what they want?  Are they attractive (and female?).  If the answer is yes - there's a good chance it will happen (but l wouldn't like to think of the cost).

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all the way from russia - the singingoffkeys!!

Amongst some recent finds searching through old photographs, were these snaps of a barbershop quartet l used to be in called The Singingoffkeys ('All the way from Russia').  There is a club near to where we lived called The Travaux that we used to play football for, and they used to have a barbershop singing competition every year.  As a laugh, myself and three mates decided to enter it, but to liven it up, we did comedy routines along with the singing, as there was no way we could take it seriously.  The above photograph features our dirty old men flashing routine, but we also dressed in nappies and danced like babies (amongst other delights).  Anyhows, we ended up winning it every year, as the audience voted for their favourite act, so the (old and disgruntled) organisers of the competition got upset with our impertinence and cancelled it, leaving us as undefeated champions.  I think the trophy is still on display at The Travaux, and l'll check it out the next time l go there (whenever that will be).  As for the other members of the quartet, say hello to Frenchie (Peter French), Lammy (Paul Lambert) and Rocker (Mark Rye).  I am the good looking one in the coloured undies.

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jonny glynn - the seven days of peter crumb

One of my charity shop purchases from the other day, The Seven Days Of Peter Crumb reminded me of Nick Cave's  'The Death Of Bunny Munroe', as they both feature a deranged character spiralling off the rails, although Johnny Glynn's Crumb is undergoing a contrapuntal crisis, as a result of  a death years before, leading him to drink, drugs, rape, murder and an unexpected act of heroism.  It's a real page turner, without doubt very gory and violent, but the story keeps you entertained and wanting to know more, as Crumb reveals flashes of humanity coupled with a sharp intellect. An unexpected delight.

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saying goodbye as a foursome

The delights of Colin Changs

Outside The Southern Cross

                                                       Outside The Southern Cross (again)

Some happy times and holidays as a foursome

My bed for the night - very comfy!!

Well, it was off to Robbo and Kerry's in Middlesbrough last night to say goodbye to the FPO as a foursome, as she is moving to a new job down south next week.  It started with a bang as the exhaust on her car fell off as she was driving me and Robbo to The Southern Cross.  She had been warned by Kwik Fit that it was about to fall off, and had it booked in to be repaired on Tuesday, but due to this calamity, she had to wait for a repair man to come and take it off completely, so me and Robbo carried on walking, had a couple of drinks and an in depth chat outside The Southern Cross, then got a taxi back to the house with Chinese food for everybody from Colin Changs.  The FPO left early as she wasn't able to drink much due to driving, and l stayed up with Robbo for a while once Kerry went to bed, drinking and chatting some more (when he wasn't falling asleep).  Up early in the morning as we all had work, except for Kerry, but she had to be up to drop off Cairan (or Mr C as l have decided to call him) at the nursery. Kerry is off to meet the FPO in London before Christmas, but it's probably the end of a glorious era.
I blame God.

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charity shop books just purchased

An excellent return for an hour or so of mooching around the charity shops in Richmond.  I've already got (and read) the Dee Brown 'Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee' book, but my old copy is pretty tattered now, so l'll give that one away and replace it with the newer version.  You can't go too far wrong with anything concerning Bill Hicks, and the others were just spur of the moment buys because they looked interesting.  I'll find out pretty soon if l was correct or not.

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new george best and manchester united framed pictures

At long last l have got around to putting the above pictures into frames and sticking them in the spare room. The George Best cartoon and signature was a present from some friends (Hello Mick and Gail!) which has been rolled up in a tube for the last few years, as l wasn't that keen on the cartoon, but loved the signature and thought that had gone into getting me the pressie.
The Manchester United one l put together myself, and am already cursing as l should have put the Typhoo Tea pictures at the top in a different order, with Best and the ball in the middle.  I will do this very soon, but l am put off by the amount of time it took to hang it correctly.  However, my annoyance with it will override my laziness.  If you are sad like me, and wondering what the little pictures are, they are a complete set of the Manchester United team from the  'Soccer Stars In Action' picture stamp album from 1969/70.  I also have the album itself with all of the teams squads completed and stuck in (see below).  Told you l was sad, but l've got to occupy myself somehow.

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dolly parton slowed down

Want to hear Dolly Parton's 'Jolene' slowed down?   It's as good a version as the original, if not better. Certainly more moody.

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george best on this is your life - 17 november 1971

What a great find this was!!
George Best on This Is Your Life from 1971, an episode l had never seen before.
I only discovered this about 2.30am as l was about to go to bed, but obviously l then stayed up to watch it. In hindsight, it's funny to see Frank O'Farrell (the then manager of Manchester United) looking so happy, as that was about to end in tears.  Best's disappearances and fines for missing training were glossed over, and where was Denis Law or the other players?.
It was only about a year after this when Best retired for the first time, and although he achieved a lot, and always said he had no regrets about his career, he could have done so much more, and scarily enough, been an even better player if he had looked after himself.
All praise Belfast Jack for putting it up.

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now that's what l call a sand sculpture!

The person who did this is a genius!  I bet there will be more than a few people freaked out by it (and some others thinking they have had a lucky discovery).  The seaweed hair is a nice touch.
From here.

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infrared photographs of space

Space is endlessly fascinating, and there is still so much we don't understand about it (dark matter anybody?).  It is however, also amazing to look at (with the right equipment) as these photographs of visible space and space as seen through infrared lenses highlight.
From here.

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tattoos of the body being opened up

Want to see some tattoos that look as though the body has been opened up?  Of course you do!  Well have a gander at these beauties, all of them pretty impressive, with the bottom one being my favourite. They certainly put to shame the crappy tats that l have got, that's for sure.
There are more to be found here.

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some old holiday pictures

At the Charles Bridge, Prague.

Strawberry Fields, New York

Nevada Smiths, New York, as Manchester United completed the treble in 1999.

I've been sorting some stuff out and changing some photographs in frames, and while doing so, came across (amongst many others) these fine examples of old holidays. 

Ah, the good old days, when we didn't have a care in the world.

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robin thicke and marvin gaye - fight!

Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams and Clifford Harris Jr are taking out a counter lawsuit against Marvin Gaye's family and Bridgeport music after a disagreement over the similarities of 'Blurred Lines,' and Marvin Gaye's 'Got To Give It Up'.  The trio say there are no similarities "other than commonplace musical elements", and l'll let you decide, but to my old cloth ears, it sounds like they have nicked the backbone of the song. However, the 'Blurred Lines' song is still a classic dance tune (as is the Gaye track).   There are two top tunes out there now instead of the one, so everyone's a winner (babe), unless you are trying to make money out of it and face ongoing court action, so 99.999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of the population are quids in, and l'm sure all interested parties in the song/songs will make a pretty penny out of it/them as well..

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my new (clean) driving licence

I can't believe it!  My new driving licence arrived today, and for the first time in nearly 20 years it is clean. No points, no convictions, nothing. Clean as a whistle, sharp as a thistle.
It doesn't feel right.
It's unnatural.
It's not me.
It won't last.

Now if l can only get the 4 pages of my CRB check seen to and cleaned up as well, l'd be sorted.

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charlie brown, peanuts and the smiths

My admiration for the Charlie Brown / Peanuts cartoons by Charles M Shulz is second to none, as l used to spend most of my (meagre) pocket money on the books when l was a nipper, identified with some of the stories way too much, and my crappy 'cartoon style' is heavily influenced by them (for what that is worth!).
Putting the lyrics of Morrissey  together with them was a genius idea, and it has been superbly realised by This Charming Charlie in this here tumblr page, where there are plenty more to be found.
As in many things in life, l wish l had thought of it first, and, although l do like The Smiths, the amalgamation of the lyrics and cartoons highlights how poignant (or just downright miserable) Morrisey's lyrics are.
By jove, Morrissey was easily mocked (and still is), but he sure was good.

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learned pigs and fireproof women - ricky jay

I have just re-read Ricky Jay's 'Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women', and a damn fine read it still is.  Dealing with the history of old time magicians, contortionists, illusionists, high divers and masters of the flatulence (I'm surprised l wasn't mentioned), there are colour reproduction posters, and the odd explanation of how tricks and stunts were performed.  I've always been interested in magic and illusion, as l love trying to work out how the deceptions are done.  It's amazing how many times you can argue with someone who describes a trick to you, only to take offence when you explain the ways the illusions could have been achieved.  "But they didn't do that" they scream, all spittle mouthed and incandescent with rage, despite the only other option being that the performers are true magicians who can make solid objects disappear, which l very much doubt.  Probably the one trick that really would have bamboozled me at the time, was the one involving Johnny Eck and his brother.  You'll have to look it up as l don't want to give the game away, but if l had seen that when it was first performed, especially as a member of the audience, l wouldn't have believed my own eyes.
 I've now got a hankering to rip open some boxes and dig out some of my other magic books (wherever they are).  Maybe they have disappeared and are trying to fox me. Bastards!

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my alternate future

Further to yesterdays post,  if l can just keep things reigned in and organised, the future could be more like the above (but with better albums in the picture frames).
Here's hoping!

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my future is staring me in the face

Oh oh!!  Left to my own devices at home, l can see where l am heading.  These pictures are not from my house, but it's only a matter of time......
The thing is, l'd love to have a root amongst those records, but l know l'd want to bring a load back if l did.

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8th grader test from 1912

Think you are smarter than a 13/14 year old in 1912 America?  Then try this test and be amazed. Obviously l know all the answers, but l doubt many others will.
It's from Bullitt County, Kentucky, and there is more information about it here.

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franz xaver messerschmidt

 

Now here is a man  that l would liked to have met, but sadly for me (and him) he died in 1783, and not even l'm that old.  Ladies and Gentlemen, l present to you the one and only Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. He was a German / Austrian sculptor who ended up making character heads of himself pulling various faces.  I first heard about him through Boing Boing, but if you want to see a lot more of his faces, look here.  What a character.

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