I just went on holiday...and now it's all this

Thankfully just before the Coronavirus shutdown, myself and some mates were out and about a lot locally, seeing bands and watching football. we also managed to squeeze a short holiday to Hamburg and Copenhagen in, arriving back to shutdown.
It's certainly strange times indeed, but luckily for me, it doesn't affect me that much, as l'm pretty unsociable most of the time. I'm still going to work most days, and enjoy staying in and pottering about, reading, watching TV, and listening to music.It's a shame l can't go to the pub, but it gives me some time to sort out the crap l've accumulated over the years (and buy more crap over the internet).
Anyway, here's some scans from the trip, where pretty much plenty of everything was taken, apart from food.
A splendid time guaranteed for all (apart for Peanut John).
Also, obviously l wouldn't go boasting that l am the only attractive one in our group, but Lara, the young attractive barmaid we were talking to in our favourite pub, slipped me her phone number as we were leaving to meet up with me later that evening. Result!!  Problem is, l mistook the line separating the area code and her number for a one, so rang the wrong number. Never mind, it was still an excellent thing to wind up the others with, and l'll just have to stalk her next time we go back. I've blanked out some of her numbers to prevent people calling her.

And here's some photographs - not in order

toodle pip

l found a reason - the velvet underground

I certainly love songs with a lot of noise and a bit of an edge, which is one of the many reasons l love The Velvet Underground. I do however, also love their more tender tunes from the pen of the now sadly departed Lou Reed (of which there are many).
One of these l had not played for a while came on unexpectedly (for me at least) as the credits rolled at the end of the 2017 film 'Daphne', which l had just finished watching. I very nearly missed it as l was just about to delete the film, but l'm glad l didn't, as it reintroduced me to the rather wonderful 'I Found a Reason', which can be found on the Velvet's fourth lp 'Loaded'.
Here it is in all it's magnificence.
Enjoy!



toodle pip

postcards and notes inside old books

It's strange what you can find tucked away inside old books. I've recently been out and about charity shopping (again), and found the items below inside a couple of the many books l purchased. I'm usually mildly curious about who's owned the books before they were donated, but items like these certainly make me more interested.

Item 1 - Three unused Canadian postcards inside Olga Grushin's 'The Dream Life of  Sukhanov'

Item 2 - A Postcolonialism and Hybridity critical reading list from Dr Caroline Herbert inside Hanif Kureishi's 'The Buddha of Suburbia'.
The trouble with this list, is because l am interested in reading books l may not have heard of, or bothered with in the past, a list like this makes me want to read the ones l haven't already read if they are grouped with ones l have enjoyed.
I need more time off work (and more room for the junk).

toodle pip

jack and the beanstalk at darlington - l'm not guilty

Another night - another recent theatre trip. This time for Jack and The Beanstalk at Darlington. I can't say it was one of the highlights of my life, but it wasn't me that delivered the hate mail, as even l'm not that sad.

toodle pip

wank pass

I've nicked this from Popbitch, but it's well worth sharing. A bit expensive, but well worth the money.
Shame l've already bought my Christmas presents, as l know somebody who would have appreciated this.

toodle pip

friday the 13th gives us a conservative majority

So it's finally happened. Rather than the great and good British public voting for a better life for others, they have voted to have a worse life for themselves (unless they are stinking rich), and fuck their friends, family, and the poor and needy.
Boris has lied constantly and just kept repeating the 'Get Brexit Done' mantra, while the right wing press have constantly vilified Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour party. People really are fucking idiots and will get what they deserve, but will no doubt spend the next few years moaning about public spending being cut, hospitals and the NHS going to ruin and being privatised, and the lowly workers having what little rights they have being taken away from them. Don't even get me started on the Universal Credit debacle, zero hours contracts, Libraries closing and food banks springing up everywhere, and some of the electorate deciding not to vote as 'They are all the same'.
If the Conservatives had done anything worthwhile in the last 9 to 10 years they have been in power, they would have been banging on about how they had improved the country and to vote them back into power so they could continue the good work. Instead of which they have bleated on about Brexit not allowing them to focus on the NHS, Policing etc during the last 3 years, What about the years before then?
Austerity has hit the poorest and it will only get worse. It's not like people can say they weren't warned. Despite the right wing press propaganda there are many instances of the Conservatives openly lying about their past and future policies for all to see if they could be bothered to look, and enough failings from Johnson and his party to show any compassion or empathy (and keep a straight face while doing so).
As for former coal mining or steel making wards voting for the Conservatives, it is just pathetic, and the rich fuckers who run the country (and their rich and powerful backers) must be rubbing their hands in glee at the stupidity of the masses.
Fuck all of them and don't blame me. As a scouser l voted Labour and am proud that the majority of the Liverpool area did the same. Don't blame Corbyn either. I think he could have done a lot better, but you should be voting for policies, not the figureheads, and if anyone thinks Boris Johnson can be trusted to run the country to benefit the country itself, rather than the rich, they are living in cloud cuckoo land.
Dominic Cummings, Priti Patel, Jacob Rees Mogg, Aaron Banks, Nigel Farage, Presidents Putin and Trump - come on in and abuse us as much as you want. Privilege, money and vested interest has conquered common sense, as the rest of Europe no doubt hangs its head in despair at our stupidity.
Democracy, human rights and compassion will be eroded quicker than they have been recently, but we deserve it all, like the fucking idiots we have shown ourselves to be.

toodle pip

jonathan pie sums up boris and the tories

I've not posted any election stuff so far, but Jonathan Pie's latest rant sums up my feelings exactly.
Vote Boris Johnson out for fucks sake, and kick out the rest of his sycophantic preening privileged lying Conservative arses with him.
I used to think the Tories were bad years ago, but even some of them (including past Prime Minister John Major) think this current set of liars are too right wing, and a danger to our democracy.
This is easily the worst set of politicians l have ever known in power, and l remember the bad old days of Margaret Thatcher and George Bush senior / Ronald Reagan only too well (Including the possible Mutually Assured Destruction).
What a bunch of fucking rotters.



toodle pip

family guy explain the allure of ecstacy

This made me laugh out loud the other night - Family Guy taking the piss out of why people take Ecstasy. It's not just funny because most of what they say is true (I used to take it a lot), and they are not afraid to state it, it's also the asides such as Peter being told off by Louis and Chris asking what the name of it is at the end, as he obviously wants some.
Classic stuff.

toodle pip

the soft cheese is off

Thinking l would have some cheese and crackers, l foolishly rummaged around in the dark recesses at the back of the fridge for some soft Philadelphia cheese. Result!!
I needn't have bothered, as, even with my rubbish sense of smell, l could guess it had gone off a bit.

toodle pip

mr parrot ignores the 2019 iggy and the stooges remaster

I was playing the rather splendid new two disc 2019 remaster of Iggy and The Stooges album earlier today, at what l would describe as a pretty loud level (turned up to 11).
Mr Parrot however, is so used to my nonsense and lifestyle, he fell asleep during it.
The little cutie.

Also..
My neighbours listen to some great loud music - How do l know? I'm playing it (In reality, they were out).





toodle pip

tottenham hotspurs mauricio pochettino sacked, and the return of jose mourinho

So, Jose Mourinho is the new Tottenham Hotspur manager, after the sacking of Mauricio Pochettino.
However, Pochettino has transformed the club during the last five years or so, playing attacking entertaining football, finishing in the top 4, and taking them to their first European Cup / Champions League final as recently as May, as the club was in the process of moving to a new ground, whilst having limited transfer funds. He's supposedly getting a £12 million pound pay off, and will have no shortage of offers, but if Daniel Levy (Tottenham Chairman) is anticipating things will improve under Mourinho, he must be mad, and can kiss goodbye to entertaining football. Apparently the training and mood around the ground was getting depressing, and recent results have not gone well, so let's see what happens now (Cue the entry of Mourinho, scowling).
At least Manchester United may have a chance of signing Harry Kane (and / or Christian Eriksen) now, so it's not all bad news.

toodle pip

cryptic message on my hand

When l was off work last week for a few days, l stayed up all night, drinking and listening to music. At one stage in the early hours, l turned all the lights off in my living room, to chill out and immerse myself in the tunes l was playing at the time (Early T.Rex if you must know). However, l then had a rather splendid idea l wanted to remember, and as l didn't want to get up and put the lights on, l wrote it on the palm of my hand in the blackness.
Great idea - Didn't have a clue what it was the next morning.

Then again - it was a long night!

toodle pip

francis rossi's green telecaster for sale

Another reason l need to win the lottery and move to a larger house. Status Quo guitarist / singer Francis Rossi has put his green Fender Telecaster up for auction with Bonhams, Knightsbridge on 17th December 2019. Rossi bought the guitar for £75 in 1968 and painted it himself, using green Ronseal, and it was the guitar most used by him during the subsequent years.  Rather sadly for me, it is estimated to go for between £100,000 and £150,000, which is a bit out of my price range, especially with Christmas coming up.
For those that have the money - see here

                                                                Image by Bonhams

Here's Rossi and the guitar in action





Toodle pip