Monday 28 September 2009

I ZIMBRA (Gadji beri bimba)


               BEFORE YOU WONDER

      NO, I HAVEN'T SUDDENLY LEARNT
            
                   A NEW LANGUAGE



The post "title" refers to a song by Talking Heads, in itself not a spectacular piece of information granted, but that’s not the reason for the post…

The reason for the post is to confirm that old adage that “you learn something new everyday”
I was listening to my Marvellous Mechanical Pod of i (see earlier post with the same name lol) this morning and in its wisdom it decided to randomly play I Zimbra. Now, I probably listened to the song for the first time over 25 yrs ago (that’s a quarter of a century in old money)…(a looooong time) and have no doubt listened to it more times than I care to imagine over the following 25 yrs.

In all that time (and it is lots)…..(of time) I never ever tried to figure out what the song was about or even attempt to understand the lyrics……….. fast forward a quarter of a century and there no exists a wonderful thing called google, so I conducted a little search.

It would appear (and unbeknown to me all this time) that the inspiration for the song was a poem, not just any poem, but a piece of work by a poet called Hugo Ball.

So that’s my 1 newly learnt thing for the day, but it got better. Apparently Hugo Ball was a member of the “Dada” movement, its member’s poetry receiving the name “sound poetry” due to the phonetic basis of the work and the use of the human voice to deliver it....

I have overdone the links in this post (sorry lol) but for those that want it here is the Hugo Ball poem that led to the song I Zimbra ......

 Gadji beri bimba

So that’s another thing learnt today, blimey, who would have thought it………

Sunday 27 September 2009

Leave things alone!





I really should know by now, I should have learnt......



It’s just sooooo very hard to resist, it’s hard not to do it.......


I really need to be more controlled (not controlling lol) I need to have more self control and resist doing it.........


But it’s so difficult...... ARGGGGHHH


I am of course referring to “tinkering” with my blog, fiddling (not while Rome burns)..(maybe the diner lol) although as it may be the last semi warm and dry day for the year (ever the pessimist) it may well be time to give the barbecue its final airing of 2009, distracted myself then thinking of dinner.....

So this fiddling, tinkering, playing with, I’m sure there are many terms (may form the basis of a future post, there’s something to look forward to lol) I had a spare bit of time so decided to, I thought I would play with my widgets, well 1 in particular, the trouble being because I have altered it, the silly thing (me not it) has reset itself, (I don’t mean I have reset myself I mean I’m the silly thing) that’s the technophobe in me, I should have known that if you change its structure/format the counter etc would restart, silly billy........



Some section of this post will be revisited at some time (maybe 10 past 10) but probably not, but at some time in the future (possibly) who knows...........

Saturday 26 September 2009

The weekend



Its Saturday… woohoo


I’m at work… boohoo

Actually it’s not so bad, as mentioned in a previous post (The Third Write) I’m fortunate to be doing something I really enjoy for a living, so not all bad.

Although there is something about Saturdays (and Sundays come to think of it) that leads you to think it’s not really a day for working.

I know many many people do work weekends (well round the clock)..(not the same people obviously)..(they would be like I was the other day VERY TIRED)..(see zzzzzz post lol) but now days everything (many things) has to be (have to be) open 24/7 to meet the “consumer demand” or just because given the job it entails providing a 24 hr service, for example emergency response mobile sheep shearers, ok, maybe not that particular service, but lots of other ones.

While on the subject of sheep, I feel its only fair to offer a public service announcement (with guitars)..(actually I made the last bit up, there will be no guitars, its just the opening line to a Clash song), no, my announcement concerns sheep, when out walking (not in the centre of Manchester obviously)..(or any other city) should you encounter a sheep, be careful, they are tricky little blighters, the thing is they have no eyebrows so you can never be sure exactly what they are thinking…. Moving on…

So, this weekend working thing, although I’m at work and it is a Saturday, it doesn’t feel like a normal (Mon through Fri) day at work, never does, the same with Sundays, they always feel different from a weekday, I’m guessing I need to look into that at some point to attempt to deduce why but I wont know, I don’t have the time I’m at work……………Oooops, just realised…….. I’m at work, I shouldn’t be blogging about inane drivel, I better go……………………………………….   :-)



Some section of this post will be revisited at some time (maybe 10 past 10) but probably not, but at some time in the future (possibly) who knows...........

Thursday 24 September 2009

zzzzzzzzzzzzzz


I’m one of those people (no, I don’t mean one of “those” people) who loves their bed more than probably anything else in the whole wide world (ok slight exaggeration) BUT I really really really (repeat until bored) do love it.

Now before anyone reading (if there is anyone reading lol)..(although if I’m talking to myself its ok)..(actually its not, well not in a psychiatric sense)..(well that’s not strictly true)..(I better move on)..(ok)….. before anyone reading this thinks I have a “thing” for beds, you know, in “that” way, I haven’t. When I say I love my bed, I mean love being in it.

The bed itself is nothing spectacular, its just a bed with a metal frame/headboard plus metal bottom bit where your feet point (don’t know the technical term) its not low to the floor (probably a bit too high for my liking) and it’s a king size as opposed to a standard double, basically it’s just a bed.

Now, therein lies my point (bed/lies, oh dear, sorry lol) its NOT just a bed, far from it, it’s a truly marvellous place, a place for cosy snuggling, a place where one can wander of to that special dreamy sleepy place that I’m sure everyone enjoys, a place to relax, read if your inclined, or watch television for those that do, or listen to the radio, there are so many things a bed is and can be, depending on who is in it, with whom, in what mood etc etc.

But tonight, as I write this, I’m really excited about what the bed can offer me, that one special thing, shared by many, alas some have problems with it and have to frequent the Dr/clinic regarding it but the majority can do it without problem and enjoy it frequently.

Tonight, I NEED to sleep, I’m so very very tired its untrue (well its not, its true)..(not sure why I implied it was a lie)..(not doing the lie/bed thing again) so I’m very much looking forward to spending some quality time with my old friend (the bed) tonight and doing that thing that I really need to do…..

SLEEPING


Goodnight :-)

Tuesday 22 September 2009

The Marvellous Mechanical Pod of i


For someone like me (a hoooooge lover of music) the iPod was/is a truly marvellous invention. All of most prized, coveted and long collected music in one place, a tiny tiny place at that. It also appeals to my sense of “what next” because when set on random and left to its own devices you just don’t know which of the (3000+) songs will blare out next..... heavenly......


Admittedly the initial transferring of “hard copies” of the music onto the laptop/pc (whatever is your particularly whim) is incredibly time consuming, but when done over several weeks, a few dozen or so albums each night it soon gets done. Especially when you have children, it’s amazing how excited they can get about loading cd’s into a laptop and pressing copy, well it is when they know there will be no dinner until the task is complete, you should see the chimney, its spotless, anyway, I digress.

So, it’s quite a task initially putting all the music onto your required receptacle of choice but once done it’s there for eternity and besides, once it’s on the iPod surely that’s it?

No, not really, that’s far from it in fact............

Fast forward about 6 months from when the (countless) cd’s etc were uploaded on to the laptop, and then downloaded on the iPod. In its wisdom (do they have that?) the laptop decided it had had enough of living and asked to go to a “special” clinic in Switzerland to end its life, well it didn’t, if it had it would have been easier (I could of moved the music on it to a memory stick type thingmebob first) alas it gave me no warning, it just went “pop” and is sadly no more. In itself not a great deal, it was getting old (like me) and due for replacement (no comment) so it just bought forward the purchasing of a shiny new laptop.

So after playing with it for a bit upon bringing it home, it doesn’t feel so wrong playing with it at home as it does in the shop, I realised that all the music that took so long to upload was also gone (with the old laptop). Not wishing to subject the children to upload it all again I wondered how feasible it would be to “copy” (my own music) from the iPod, for a confirmed technophobe like me,, not very was the answer.

After initially nearly wiping the iPod of everything (mass panic) I scoured the internet for a “suitable” program to assist me, thankfully I found such a program and successfully did it. Now not only is ALL the music still on the iPod but it also on the new laptop, such an enormous sense of achievement lol.

Thursday 17 September 2009

The C word!



                     





  I thought it was best to start with a warning, so I did, its up there.




Now then, when I first started this blog (all that time ago) I was very conscious that although not a single sausage is reading it (yet) (well 1 or 2 people maybe lol) at some point, in the future, there may be people taking a peek. With that in mind I held the thought that I wouldn’t post anything at all contentious or likely to offend anyone........... Didn’t last long did it............

So, the "c" word, I know everyone has different views on what’s acceptable and what isn’t, after all, individual views and individuality itself are marvellous things and should be encouraged but, and I’m sorry if I offend anyone, I think timing is everything (with many things in life) but especially use of the "c" word.

When the "c" word is used appropriately and at the right time I think it has a valid place in our society, especially with children, what I do object too though (the reader is now pondering why I don’t object to using the "c" word with children)....(read on, all may be revealed)....(I don’t mean in a full monty style), where was I, that’s it, what I do object to is being hit round the head with a wet halibut, but I’m probably not alone on that one, well, apart from a bloke I knew, Frankie the Fish we called him, but then that’s another story... I think I may have veered, what I object to, that’s it, what I really object to is use of the "c" word, especially now, even when aimed at children.

We have only just emerged from summer (albeit a poor one, see earlier post "confused") and already, I have heard mention of it, the "c" word, its over 3 bloomin months away, why do people feel the need (in a commercial sense) to start talking about Christmas?

Well, I answered myself really didn’t I, its because its so commercial that it needs to be talked about and hyped up as early as possible so all that hard earned money can be squandered on stuff that at best is barely needed and at worst is totally useless.......

I need a cup of tea now; my poor head hurts lol.....................................................



Some section of this post will be revisited at some time (maybe 10 past 10) but probably not, but at some time in the future (possibly) who knows...........

Tuesday 15 September 2009

Press Cupboard

AKA Sideboard!

It struck me today (not the/a sideboard thankfully) but the word, actually more than that, the whole concept.

WHY?

Why are they called that?
Why do they exist?
Why do they remind me of my Nan?

Why oh why oh (spells yo-yo) why….
Firstly the name, they cant be called side boards because they are on their sides, if they were you wouldn’t be able to open the drawers and the whole point of owning one would be lost, i.e. a place to store toot in, equally they aren’t just boards, there is already something like that in most houses with its own name, its called a shelf.

Side could be linked to the fact that they tend to be at the side of the room as opposed to in the middle (that would be a table I guess) but then many other things are or can be at the side of a room yet they don’t come with the side prefix? The mystery deepens………………..

The why, well I covered that, a place for putting stuff in and on (bit like my blog lol)

As for them reminding me of my Nan, well I can’t answer that…. or is it a case of wont answer it due to awful childhood memories of being locked in the sideboard with nothing but jelly (strawberry) and biscuits (bourbons) for hours on end while my Nan went out in to the woods bear baiting…. No it’s the former, certainly wouldn’t be the latter, my Nan always has been (and continues to be) a truly lovely lady that’s sweeter than a really sweet thing dipped in honey then covered in sugar. (luv ya nan)

I think I need to investigate the sideboard phenomenon more, its clearly bothering me at some deep level, I will no doubt revisit this subject in the future, but for now (as I’m getting quite board of it already)……(see what I did there? bored – board)...(I know, this post is getting tedious now isn't it) I will regale you of an interesting anecdote told to me by the great (if you like all that cubist movement stuff) Picasso, actually, I will LINK you to it and to be honest he didn’t tell me, alas he died not long after I was born, not related to my birth I hasten to add, I played no part in his unfortunate death whatsoever, I promise. Also it’s not a particular interesting anecdote, but it does contain mention of a sideboard so seems a fitting and rather delayed end to this post, thank you for your tolerance throughout this mind numbing drivel :-)

Saturday 12 September 2009

Confused?









A title for a post that could cover many things, but for this one (post) the confusion stems from summer.... as in the season of summer .......
I know its a bit of a cliche to go on about the weather or moan about summer (or lack of it) but I'm sure I must have missed this years. I know there were a few weeks (at the most and certainly not consecutive as in 14 solid days) of what you could call nice, classic summer weather.

Now, maybe its just me (although I doubt it) but when I was younger (a long while ago admittedly) I'm sure the summers were glorious and used to last for weeks and weeks. I remember as a child playing over the fields near where I lived day after day in the school holidays and every day was hot, magical and truly wondrous (ok I may be over selling it a bit lol) but they were special times, mind you I doubt the fields are there now, replaced by houses no doubt, the areas where I used to sit innocently with friends eating picnics made by mum are now probably someones front room or garden. I should return to the area where I grew up and knock on a strangers door and then proclaim that I have been in their garden and eaten a sandwich in their lounge, but I'm sure they wouldn't understand lol....

There is a song that reminds me of those days, not because it was released then, it was actually decades later, but for some reason it reminds me of the summers and childhood and how everything seemed so different as a child, I will have to have a hunt and place a link at some point.


STOP PRESS.... I found it :-) Little Fluffy Clouds

The Third Write

Well what else could I call my 3rd post, ok, probably many other things but I settled on that, after all its the third time I am writing within the pages of "this ere blog " .......

Work, it's a good thing, its one of life's essentials in fact and I'm one of the very few (and very lucky) people in life that truly adores what they do for a living, but (isn't there always a but)...(was going to insert a cigarette or anatomy based gag but wont don't panic), where was I, BUT, the thing with work (especially when you enjoy it) is that can at times become a drain on your time.

For instance, since discovering "the wonderful world of the blog" I have REALLY wanted to log in and have a play around with it (I refer the right honourable reader to my first post and the options comment) ... there are SOOOOOOOOOOOOO many, good isn't it :-)

Well yes and no, yes as it will no doubt ensure I stay entertained for a long time but no because it's frustrating not being able to find the time to tinker (distant memory comes flowing into my mind of some quirky older gentleman from Lovejoy ) and tinkering is what I want NEED to be doing, oooh its frustrating. Thankfully in a few weeks or so I will have more time for such tinkerings (i do good at inglish me innit) ... which reminds me, I need to add something to my profile thingmebob :-)

Wednesday 9 September 2009

Cables

Not in their own right a particurlarly rivetting subject (unlike rivets obviously) but they do play a purpose, more importanlty they have the potential to cause much hassle!

It was a lovely day (dry and VERY warm) so I thought I would go for a ride (had to pick some bits up in town and see a good friend) on my trusty steed, I say trusty, but I actually mean untrusted, as in I couldn't even trust it to get me home!

Anyway, to cut a long story short (I hear screams of please do) my throttle cable snapped, so there I am, side of the road, in gloves thick jacket and a crash helmet, stuck with a lump of metal I COULD push but given how it was so bloomin hot I decided not to. I thought to myself "I will ring the nice RAC man/woman (not wishing to be sexist)..(also I better add that other breakdown/recovery organisations do exist)..(I don't want to be seen to be showing favouritism lol)... I haven't managed to cut a long story short yet have I, bear with me....... anyway, he turns up, manages to "bodge" (its a technical term for making do) a new cable into place so I can at least get home, in theory a great idea, in reality it meant I had about quarter throttle (imagine putting the accelerator pedal in your car down just a tiny bit and trying to get anywhere at any speed) so my journey home was rather slow tedious and annoying, still, least I got home lol

Tuesday 8 September 2009

In the beginning

Not "Begin the Beguine" I hasten to add, even though in the beginning does sound a little like begin the beguine, well, sort of (maybe) ...... damn.... I have distracted myself already and barely begun, where was I, in the beginning, that's it....

In the beginning was the start, well starts sort of lend themselves to beginnings I guess and that's what this post is A START where it goes from here I have no idea but everything must start somewhere so it (I) has (have)

..........................................................................................................................................................................

OPTIONS

Now don't get me wrong, options and choices are a very good thing, BUT, when trying to get my head round the whole blogging thing I don't want loads of options and choices, it confuses my poor brain, still, it will give me loads to tinker with over the coming weeks, months, years (ok a little optimistic, I may loose interest after a handful of posts lol) but assuming I dont the possibilities appear endless so I'm sure this blog will look rather different as time goes by.