jasmine i saw you peeping

hello there

so indeed, then, another car, automobile or other such (similar) vehicle related post off of me, look you see. my interest (and partial knowledge) of such remains steadfast and firmly grounded in only what quality vibes one should hear on voyages in them, but i try to offer what i can beyond that, as and when i can. 

in this instance, or chapter if you will, it is time to give consideration to the matter of the scent of a vehicle. or how it smells. no, strictly speaking i have had little (it would be a mistake to say none at all) interest in this subject, and yet here we are. 

car air freshener things, although one is free to use them on practically any sort of vehicle, are not a matter i have ever given much in the way of consideration to. now that i think, two wheeled modes of transportation free of the constraints of a roof or such similar containment, are probably not suitable for air freshener things. whereas nothing stops one from attaching one to it, i fail to see the value of adding a dangling air freshener thing to a bicycle, a motorbike or one of them smart scooter things off of Quadrophenia. by all means go for it if you are inclined, no prohibition exists, but i doubt much value would be extracted no matter how agreeable or modest the price commanded for the freshener is. 

where was i, oh yes. in some instances i have had them in things what i drive before. at one point, i believe, a friend gave me a smart one what had a picture of (original) Bucket Head out of Star Wars on it, and then at some stage there was (i think) one that came free with the Viz. beyond that, i do not believe i have ever had all that much reason to dally or experiment with them. or make use of them. 

unfortunately, and with regret, due to limitations of what is possible to do with an internet, i cannot showcase the business end of a car (vehicle) air freshener here. there is no way i can work out which allows you to sense and appreciate (or react with disdain) the scent (smell) of it. by means of a replacement experience, or if you so wish apology, here is some video of it. 

this was the only place i could work out where to hang it and not obscure visibility. for clarification, it got placed by the passenger door window on a proper design vehicle. to people where they have built cars and roads all wrong, and they drive on the entirely incorrect side of the road (America, France, etc), it would seem that this is actually on the driver side. but it is not, your car is simply flawed as it is a bit backwards or just made all wrong. not your fault. 

at no point, or stage, did i consider a need existed for an air freshener within the vehicle i am most frequently found to be driving. i just happened to notice this one for sale as i sought some new shoelaces, and it all went a bit moth to flame. making something tape (cassette) shaped is usually a pretty good way to get me to purchase it. beautifying it with some basic, rudimentary text indicating that it is of the 80s helps, too. 

how does it smell? or rather, what is the smell like? mostly an agreeable one, pretty much like the fresh berries proclaimed on the tape label. oh yes, provenance and that. this was all of £1 off of Morrisons. so as to lure my business, they placed this item for sale not too far away from the section where they keep what shoelaces they stock, which was my more pressing need. indeed i did purchase both. 

one stark, bold or harsh reality here is that this may well be the only time i ever discuss the murky world of car air freshener things here. it is not a subject that i have any particular interest in, vested or otherwise. some, maybe even many, of you are possibly quite passionate about such. if this is you, then rather just enjoy what is on offer right here than worry about how no more is likely to come from me. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

peppermint crush

heya

well, here we are in that most perplexing of times, look you see. april is notorious for causing distress, for all at once it is so that a quarter of the year gone becomes a third of it. one thing i have noted, for i cannot escape it, is that which i was always warned of is true; "time" appears to feel like it passes all the quicker the older you get. memories of what has been before (for one does not have memories of what is to come) seem to be forever disjointed and outside of a vague, coherent or chronological nature. 

but, anyway, this post is meant to be a good deal more about fags rather than such mentioned above. please note, especially you Americans, that "fags" in the proper use of the word references cigarettes, and nothing else. should you have been searching for some other variation of understanding of that term, such is not here. i would say sorry, but i am not, as it happens. 

a simple dream it is that i and so many others have. this shared dream is, of course, finding the details of someone, be it a shop or individual, that can get their hands on loads and loads of less than officially imported cigarettes which they sell equally at profit to themselves and at a greater lower price to us than what we have to pay at the shops. of course such is a bit of a legal grey area, but needs must, and people that smoke tend to get very heavily punished for doing so off of taxes and that. 

distressingly, sadly, or alas even, i have yet to make the acquaintance of such an entrepreneur, or become a patron of a retailer who offers this bespoke service. i hope to do so soon. but, for now, in the mean time, a somewhat distant occasional colleague, and i would like to think friend, has indeed achieved such a business relationship. 

in a very welcome act of kindness, this chum of a colleague gave me (as a gift) a packet of the fags what he likes and buys somewhere south of half of the listed UK shelf price. he had an abundance of them as he bought more whilst forgetting he had a stash. extremely generous to share most outrageous fortune. 

granted, the fags offered as a gift were not the usual sort of thing i would indulge. but, dear reader, for a smoker, cigarettes are quite like pizza, or that sort of thing (sex). there is no such thing as a "bad" version of them, and if they are free or no strings and conditions attached then they are even better. 

omega ice blue superslims peppermint capsule fags, then. bit of a mouthful, really, compared to marlboro, or even marlboro. but who am i to judge what counts as a proper name, after all. i suspect that people (like my chum) probably just refer to them as omegas, for why would you use the full tilt formal name. 

how are they? well, this is where any sort of review thing falls over a bit. so, or thus, far, no, i have not tried one of them yet. my plan is to hold them in some form of "reserve", to have in an emergency. yes, quite like some other packs of these "super slim" fags what Spiros got me. 

but let me not deny you (if you are interested) all the technical specifications of tar, nicotine and all that good stuff. here, behold an image of what it says is in the box. also not sure why they say ice blue as i would not define peppermint so, but of course i am not expert. 

all of that is, i have every confidence, a reasonable and decent amount of each ingredient, or side effect or affect if that is the right one to use. exactly how relevant that carbon monoxide thing is would be a matter i have no certainty on. how, for instance, does it compare to cars or buses or similar sources of this thing which is probably not great to inhale. ask that lass off of Sweden what goes off on one now and then with a temper tantrum, i would presume or imagine. 

with regards to the damage (or destruction) done by smoking (it is generally poor for health matters so do not do it), a quite interesting thing is happening. now that the invisible war on the new plague is being kind of won (via vaccinations for coronavirus), there is a trifle of distress and discontent about the mooted idea of people needing to show proof of vaccination before entering pubs and clubs. some who decry any infringement of liberty which they happen to agree with are saying this is unfair. i see. smokers, who smoke and prolonged exposure might (and probably will) do some damage to others around them in the long term, were exiled from such to general agreement and little resistance. and yet now they want someone with coronavirus (or what you will call it) to be allowed to just wander around, where exposure to them for around (credit Andy Warhol) fifteen minutes could leave you very ill, perhaps fatally so, in a relatively short space of time. undoubtedly this all makes sense to someone somewhere, but apparently not moi. 

just ban everyone from everything, i think, is the long term solution to the above and similar matters. that way it is so that either everyone has something to complain about or no one does. 

gifts of this nature have become oddly recurring ever since i embarked on my somewhat unexpected but perhaps ultimately inevitable new stint at once again living the single life. no, i do not have a young free and single t-shirt off of (ooooh) Gary Davies (on your radio) and i doubt they do them in my size, but maybe i should email him. a mere, or just a day after the kindness of the fag incident, another similar colleague and chum of distance offered me some posh chocolates. granted, they were off of or out of the reduced to clear section, but still posh and kind. 

yes, i am quite aware that some would be of a mind to interpret men offering other men this particular kind of cigarette, and of course chocolates, in quite a specific way. there is every chance i am responsible for such. when addressing questions of why i am now single (theoretically) once more, i concluded that a quick and easy response would be to say that "all of us, in some way, have been inspired by the bravery and courage of Philip Schofield". no, this is not the case for me at all, but i do have a habit of sounding more convincing than i wished to be when uttering things like that. and also people shall believe what they wish to, in the end. 

right, i think that is all i can write of these fags without actually smoking them, and then some. should it ever be the case that i crack them open and give them a go, then yes, maybe, perhaps i shall add some further comments. possibly.

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

world of butter

greetings

not sure about you, but i get the distinct sense that i am prepared to compose on just about any subject here, just for the sake of updating. and being boring would appear to be no barrier, look you see. then again, who am i to judge or call; perhaps things like this are of a particular (arguably peculiar) interest to someone somewhere. should that be you, then you are very welcome. 

so, recently i was running relatively, or quite, low on butter. or spreadable butter, i had best say, for there are those what get rather protective on this subject, believing that only them rock hard blocks should be known as "proper" butter. fair enough, but this spreadable stuff would seem to taste like butter, and is nice and easy to make use of. 

anyway, my usual brand or choice (i am reluctant to name, but lurpak) struck me as being a trifle more expensive than usual. oh, undoubtedly the educated elite of that twatter thing and similar such social media things where people shout have blamed this increased cost on brexit, the incumbent government, coronavirus or whatever else they believe is responsible for them not having the life they expect to be given, but i cannot claim to be of their number. i just took the approach of looking for alternates at a lower cost. to this, i found not one, not three, but two economically viable alternates

well, now that i have mediated on the subject and given some thought, ostensibly it was indeed three that i found. one got dismissed extremely quickly, however. that would be something called anchor, which was on special for (i think) £1, and turned out to be if not absolutely terrible then not satisfactory for my taste requirements. 

moving on and no, it wasn't really my intention to purchase multiple, more modestly priced alternates. i went to the relevant retailer with a view to getting just one (1) and seeing if i liked it. but then, and this happens, i got kind of distracted and distressed by options, so i just went right ahead and got two different ones. for a sense of needless perspective, i think it was so that these two tubs (or whatever, containers if that is the right name) combined - as in added together - cost less than one tub of my regular or usual type, at current market prices. 

just so that we are all clear on this subject, and to ensure any deviants or curious types know that they may depart this post now, any and all reviews or comments concerning these products shall pertain only to the conventional, traditional and very much intended use of this stuff. which means no, absolutely not, hell no, there is no "Brando style" use of butter reviewed or endorsed here, thank you very much, we shall have none of that sort of thing here. 

the first (non terrible anchor) butter (or what you will call it) to catch my eye was the one above. it is called, as you can see, "danpak", and for those familiar with it the packaging is exceptionally, surely lawyer testingly similar to that of lurpak. as is, of course, the name. 

here is where any sort of "review" element or aspect falls over a bit, for i have not tried this danpak as such as of yet. i have purchased it, and it is in my fridge. this, i believe you will find, is around 66% of the way made towards a comprehensive look at it. on the basis of that, my conclusion is so far so good with it, a reasonably good decision was made to buy it. and of course refrigerate it.

for one that i have actually tried, then, we must look towards our friends in the (theoretical) south west of the land in which i live. a smaller tub, to be sure, and i am now actually trying to recall what i paid to get it. i think it was below, or south of the magical £1.88 figure, which means that on a pro rata basis yes this would work out cheaper (ipso facto) than what the market price for lurpak is. 

i think the one thing which drew me into this, other than the price which seemed immediately reasonable and the sleek, stylish black packaging, was the proclamation or announcement of it containing cornish sea salt. up until this point, i had a lack of awareness about how there is an apparent difference (or variation) in the salt of different seas. perhaps this is lazy, or even ignorant, of me, but much of my life has been lived with an understanding that salt is just salt. making it clear that cornish sea salt differs in a way which is tacitly implied to be superior makes me excited about the idea of one day tasting butter what has aegean sea salt in it. 

opting to start off with trying this one came about after a glance at the best before dates on the two of them. from this you can conclude that spreadable west country butter with cornish sea salt shall die just days before danpak will, if you wish to do so. or it could be a stock delivery issue, i don't know. up to now i have tried it on some croissants, and on toast with (scottish) three berry jam and then with some marmalade, or unspecified provenance. i would say, overall, it has been satisfactory. 

not a lot else i can say on this subject, at least at this stage, so i shall refrain from doing so. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

tenet

ollehello

it is reasonably infrequent that i take the time to watch a film, or motion picture, these days. time has, or was, been against me in respect of being able to do so, look you see. every now and then, though, it is so that a movie strikes me as making the effort to find the time to sit and watch. this is why, or how come, i recent sat and watched tenet, a mere three (3) months after purchasing the blu ray disc of it. 

as ever i am not too certain, or sure, that whatever i would have to say on this (or any) film throws any particular value into the world, but here we are. further, i am careful, cautious and mindful of any of them sort of "spoiler" things. 

let this paragraph be a sort of virtual (or digital) line in the digital (or virtual) sand of the internet, then. for a kind of quick glance of a review, i found tenet to be superb, excellent entertainment, and i would not hesitate in saying "yes, go for it" to anyone what asked me if it was worth seeing. a double whammy, as it were, of excellent and superb, for it is as much of a cerebral experience as it is one of being flat out action thriller stuff. just, well, watch it. 

just so we are all clear, and have an understanding, here you go - a *** SPOILER WARNING *** is now in place for all of the rest of this post. even, or especially, the next picture what will feature here, below, rather than the one above, and oddly enough direction is an important factor. 

plot? difficult to describe, really, as per the sparse wording on the back of the video (or whatever) box. we are introduced to the (ahem) protagonist of the film, played by the i have never seen him before but my what a talent he is John David Washington, via the means of what now must surely be called a classic Christopher Nolan dazzling mindblowing opening action sequence. you know, like the start of, say, The Dark Knight, where you get an incredible bit of film that gets surpassed again and again over the next two (or so hours). it turns out this is just a step, of sorts, towards his actual (or ultimate) mission, or purpose, or maybe destiny. one which he is given one simple word in respect of, tenet. 

rather deliberately, as was the case with inception, i went in to watching this knowing as little as possible of it. once again, i advise on you doing the same. after watching, i of course read up on some comments and reviews. to my surprise a recurring comment was that of "needing" to watch more than once so as to grasp, understand or follow it. some said this was a good thing, where others argued that if you can't watch and enjoy a film just once then it has failed to deliver. well, after a slight moment of wondering what was going on early on, i found it - surprising, considering the ultimate subject matter - all perfectly "linear" and straightforward, if not Police Academy easy, to follow. 

now, you saw all those spoiler warnings, yeah? ultimately, the subject, or main theme here, is what you would broadly label "time travel", but not in the (contextually) way we are used to experiencing it in movies. this is not really Back To The Future 'actual' time travel, but is sort of almost kind of thematically similar to, say, Terminator and indeed Avengers Endgame to a degree, as it revolves more around "something" of the future sent to the past (present) to ensure a future. but, tenet diverts, possibly subverts it. for a potentially better comparison, think the magnificent safety not guaranteed, or perhaps even primer, thrown at a very much (and the director has acknowledged this) James Bond sort of film. 

above is something called the sator square. once you have seen tenet you shall, no doubt, look at this with new eyes, and maybe go "oh". further, yes, indeed, reminding yourself that the (vastly) talented chap who made tenet also made the remarkable memento kind of helps you keep going with it.

what makes tenet such a brilliant, dazzling film experience? on a surface level or even face value, let us not pretend anything beyond the incredible set piece action sequences are key to keeping you watching. once again Christopher Nolan has imagined breathtaking, astonishing sequences and brought together the talent needed to film them "real" rather than by means of using special effects. i very much get why he, the director, was frustrated that the invisible war on the new plague of last year (and this) meant that not nearly as many who would have could have seen this spectacle in a cinema. 

on top of that, though, is a superb cast delivering outstanding performances of well written, developed characters. probably not since the days of James Cameron doing things properly have we been treated to an excellent script backing brilliant action films, before he decided vague one dimensional characters would do just fine for all that avatar rubbish. 

having already sung the praises of John David Washington it is only fair and right to do the same for the remainder of the cast. not one single performance is flawed. a delight to see him out of the glitter vampire films be excellent, and what could i possibly say of a Kenneth Brannagh performance that would not already be known. or is it Branagh, well, whichever. 

does the film have any flaws, on that note, or plot holes or similar? probably. i failed to notice them if so. maybe one or two (possibly just one) moments were convoluted, but nothing felt contrived or out of place, should that make sense. at no point was it that i was not sold, or not bought in to the whole concept of it. blimey, that sounded convoluted and negative. 

perhaps, or maybe, i should have a look and get a copy of that interstellar film. so far as i am aware that is now the only motion picture off of Christopher Nolan what i have not yet seen. in terms of all of his films, well, for me this one, tenet, ranks well with his finest. 

mostly, mind, i just enjoyed switching all distractions off (including putting the phone well away) and just sitting and watching a thoroughly enjoyable movie. let me try and make the effort to do more of the same soon, and i should do well to do so with a film as close as good to this one. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

once blurred now clear

hi there

if such a question was posed to me, my answer would invariably (or perhaps better instinctively) be that no, look you see, i don't have all that much free time. and yes, somehow, for quite needless and for no rational reason, it would appear that i was perfectly able to find enough minutes to carry out speculative glances at (ahem) minutes from meetings held by the general optical council. 

should it be so that for some (or any) reason you wish to step into this world, well, they actually have a really good spot of that "search engine optimisation" on the go and so it is quite easy to find details of them and their meetings. but, we are here now, so to make your life a little easy, mindful of the fact that i can do nothing for your interest in this subject, here you go, a convenient link to their public record minutes archive. 

with me apparently (or evidently) being at a trifle of a loose end, i thought i would, at random, very specifically look at the minutes for one meeting. selected was one on the very date this post is published, except in 2009 rather that now (2021). fascinating stuff? that would depend on what you considered to be interesting. or, perhaps, not. 

aesthetically, the older minutes are not too appealing. whereas the font used is relatively easy on the eye, which is a nice touch for optometrists, there is no logo on the top of the first page. at some stage one was introduced, but when it came to trying to work out when it was introduced i simply lost interest and did not bother. 

other observations would be how quiet and empty the declarations of interests section is compared to more recent minutes. it would appear that as the reputation of the council grew, so too did the interest in having members of it, so to speak, on the book. beyond that, i suppose one of the more important elements of the meeting was the discussion around "fitness to practice" and seeking clarification on the vetting and barring process for any budding opticians. not certain, as i did not read it all, but drink driving conviction enthusiasts do not appear to be encouraged to pursue a career in the realm of optical enhancement or improvement.

for a final observation, i note with great interest that they would never appear to hold a meeting in the same place. and why would you. the whole of London (innit) is available to them, and it would seem that they elected to try different places out for each session. 

right, that's that. should you take some time to go and read any (or all) of the minutes, i hope you enjoy, and please do let me know if there is anything (remotely) interesting or exciting that i might well have missed. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

just what does it have to do with falko, no, hang on it's columbo isn't it

heya

depending on who you ask we are presently winning the invisible war on the new plague or we are quite badly losing it. alternatively, look you see, there are some you could (i would not suggest doing so but please do as you see fit) ask and they will inform you it's all a hoax, a sham, something out of Orwell's novel 1984 and so forth. it is this latter group what has come to be of immediate concern. 

conspiracy theorists, refusers or deniers, are of course nothing new. a select brand or branch of the human population exists which shall immediately assume the opposite of whatever you tell them is really the truth. you know, things like moon landings, mobile phone technology, aliens, the shape (or dimensions) of our planet and that sort of thing. i believe there is only a finite amount of it what can be blamed on Mulder out of X Files, and that finite is very small indeed. 

so as to provide an unusual non non-linear link between paragraphs here, it would of course be quite wrong (indeed incorrect) to describe Peter Falk as Columbo out of Columbo as the Mulder out of X Files of his day, as he was not. well, not that i am aware of. i have seen a few episodes and momentariy i cannot recall any such episode, or case if you like, where he dealt with the supernatural, aliens or any related variation of conspiracy theory. maybe he did, but i have not seen it.

generally speaking, Peter Falk is perhaps most fondly, or immediately, remembered as being the Grandad, or "Grandpa" for Americans, what read the story to him out of Wonder Years in the motion picture adaptation of The Princess Bride. but, then, there are one or two who would more immediately recall him a being Columbo out of Columbo, especially if you switch on certain TV channels here in the UK on a Sunday, where they (for some reason) play, screen or broadcast 12 to 14 hours of Columbo for entertainment purposes. 

in either instance of preference, it would remain (i am confident) the case that one would be puzzled to see the singularly eyed much admired and sadly no longer with us actor being used as a poster, or rather in this instance sticker, boy for a crusade against the new plague, or "covid" as many call it. and yet, on my travels, i discovered that someone has opted or chosen to do this. 

recently, as opposed to some close or distant future date, i was in a reasonably well celebrated coastal town in North Yorkshire. whilst there, i spotted this placed (with scant regard for a straight or neat job of it, but never mind) place on a lamp post. well, i think it was a lamp post, actually it might have been a general or generic post, carrying a sign suggesting that i do not park where i just had or similar. 

no, i am no medical expert, far from it. but, so or thus far, i am inclined to believe the reports, coverage and numbers about all of this new plague, the pandemic of this thing what is called covid. evidently, or clearly, there is at least one rather highly motivated person out there who has taken a different stance on this subject.

whereas i can speak for none but me (and would never presume to do otherwise), i am uncertain the approach being taken by the "plague denier", for want of a better term, is going to work. just who is it they expect to see this and on the basis of it immediately accept their truth that it is all a "lie"? one really rather suspects that presenting some sort of evidence (hint or actual) that the whole thing is made up would do a better job of convincing people than trying to suggest or imply it as being the view of an imaginary detective played by the deceased Peter Falk. unless, of course, it is so that where i was, and i am loathe to reveal that it was Scarborough so shall not, they consider all associated with or attributed to Peter Falk as some sort of gospel, unquestionable truth. rather him that Sir Jimmy, i suppose. 

my view would be that this plague business, covid or coronavirus or whatever term for it works bets for you, seems quite real. further, the best approach one can take is to adhere to all these measures what they have asked us to do, be it face masks, hand washing and distance keeping. but, believe what you will, whatever gets you through life.

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

pristine and clinical

howdy pop pickers

quite delayed this post is, look you see, but here we are now. with volume five (5) probably already here and, at time of publishing, the sixth (and final) volume likely to be announced soon, here's a look at volume four (4) of Brilliant Live Adventures off of David Bowie. in a double compact disc format, although vinyl and "streaming" things were / are available. 

this one, Look At The Moon!, is the second (of two) set to celebrate Bowie's live, well, adventures from the year 1997. it is taken, culled or was recorded at something called the Phoenix Festival; an event i can vaguely recall being a thing. so as to (more or less) present the entire set from a gig this time around, we are treated to a double disc set (as mentioned above), which of course came at a slightly increased cost. 

it is, for a brief overview sort of thing type review, pretty good. at, or by, this stage, though, there is a sense of if not saturation then exhaustion. releasing a more or less previously unreleased Bowie recording once a month for six (6) months seemed like an exciting and class idea, but a sense of complacency in listening appears to slowly drift in. for this, and one or two other reasons, it was so that in truth when this one landed it was placed aside for a couple of weeks, perhaps three. 

and so the set itself. quite a mix of OK David, as in we are treated to six songs from Earthling, to wonderful, thank you David, with several much loved fan favourites all of a sudden appearing in the set. classics such as Fashion and indeed Fame, as well as a delightful filled with Jean Genie feature. to make this even better, it is so that the more esoteric, jazz odyssey moments from Outside are no longer getting played by this stage, just the two solid hits greats from that whimsical excursion (Hearts Filthy Lesson and proper Hallo Spaceboy, not the Pet Shop Boys fiddle). 

my single biggest issue with this edition (or episode) of Brilliant Live Adventures is the title. oh, no doubt the actual title, Look At The Moon!, has some relevance to the event itself, but i just refer to it as Beware The Moon! i think it would have been quite class to call it that, but then the makers or rights owners of An American Werewolf In London may well have wished to have a word with Iman or similar. 

on a more sound related side of things (which is kind of important to music), it states on the cover somewhere or other that this is a recording off of the sound deck, or mixing deck. as such, it is much, much better than the first volume, which suffered from seeming to be taped off of one side of the stage alone. but, the cost of this is right there in the title of this post. 

you may consider this to be a good thing or a bad thing, but the sound here is pristine, clinical and precise. there is virtually no crowd sound at all. for me, or to my ears, it makes it all somewhat, or a bit, eerie, really. i mean, yes, you want to hear the artist. but, hearing them (in this instance him) performing to a crowd and the crowd is effectively absent in presence is, somewhat, strange. very, or quite, 2020 and bits of 2021 i guess.

certainly, i think (know) i probably have added too many pictures to go with what little text i have to add around them. here, have a look at this one, then. 

for the outstanding moments of the set, they virtually all come in the form of the classics included. it's not so much that any huge pop hits are included as such, but all the same well loved ones. what makes them great is that David is clearly relishing playing them again, doing so as he wishes to, and not out of a sense of obligation of giving the audience what he thinks (or suspects) they might be after. 

beyond, or if you like other than the songs already mentioned, a highlight for me was very much in the form of the inclusion of Stay off of Station To Station. what a sterling performance it is, too. and yes, it remains that Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) just gets better every time you hear it.

negatives in the set all circulate around and then land on Earthling, alas. someone out there somewhere most probably thinks that this album was the best what David ever done, but it is not one i include in the top twenty (20) albums he did. being fair, once again Battle For Britain (The Letter) is a revelation here, a song far too good to have been (to be harsh) wasted and lost in the muddle of that record. 

with regret, though, most of the Earthling songs here prove exactly what Michael Eavis off of Glastonbury said. he considered it "boring", and once again this is a man whose tolerance for boredom is legendary, what with him hiring Coldplay 6 (!!) times, and Mr Kim Kardassian (or ex now i think). things like Looking For Satellites just go nowhere, and whereas Bowie appeared amused by Little Wonder i can't say i ever have been. 

a big thanks, and well done, to whoever made the decision to preserve the set entire (so far as i can tell) to the extent that we get the Gail Ann Dorsey performance of an obscure cover (i had to look it up) of a song called O Superman. lovely, it is, to be sure.

right, then. that's two sets from 1995 (one so so, one excellent) and two from 1997 (both better than anticipated or feared). on to 1999. next up with be one off of France, and the expectation is the last shall be the London Astoria gig, possibly including a DVD or video since Bowie set it all up (the gig) just to film. we shall see. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

comes the morning and the headlights fade away

hello there 

something of a little bit of a throwback (in all sorts of ways) with this post, look you see. predominantly this is in respect of me celebrating a mug on these pages, but also with regards to at least one (1) of the people what feature on the mug. 

whilst it is simply not true to say that i have my finger on any sort of pulse pertaining to fashions, trends or such things, every now and then i notice something. in recent times i have, to this effect, noticed a revival, or if you will rejuvenation, of interest in those "heat changing" mugs. should you be more or less unaware about what that is, exactly, fear not. basically, or in essence, it is a mug what has a "hidden" image on it, so it looks plain when stood cold (or "room temperature"), but an image (or pattern or similar) appears on the mug the moment some hot liquid is placed in it. well, not the precise moment, but still. 

i have no need to purchase any further mugs at the moment, and even less time to use to do such a thing. however, as a somewhat happy accident, it came to be that recently i unpacked not one, not three, but two of my own heat changing mug things. with regret i have to say one of them is most unsuitable to share here. but the other is, well, sort of kind of, so long as no one gets all busy and upset. 

yes, in the clarity of the greater good and glory of Commodore 64 mode, that is indeed a mug what features two stalwarts of the Carry On films, Barbra Windsor and Jim Dale. indeed, further, as you can more or less see, that is them in a scene out of one of the films; Carry On Doctor i think, but could be Matron or some similar medical thing. 

despite, or perhaps although, i would describe myself as someone who very much appreciates the artistic endeavours of Jim Dale (how can you not but help like him), it is of course the sadly no longer with us Ms Windsor who is in focus here. she passed away recently, an event which caused rather understandable nationwide sorrow. terms like "national treasure" and "icon" get used with ease these days, but she well and truly ticked all of those boxes. 

how and why? well, bubbly personality is often attributed to her. an open love of life, and embracing making the most of the world and being happy were her traits, all done with a tickle of a giggle and a quite remarkable, infectious smile. this touched, or affected, virtually all who ever saw her. famously, or infamously if you prefer, so much so that she had the most notorious and feared of East End gangsters, with particular emphasis on the Krays, wrapped around any finger she cared to choose.

that's the mug not in the greater good and glory of Commodore 64 mode, then. also, it is pictured here with no hot (preferably boiling) liquid in it. yes, also, that is my quite class coaster what celebrates the motion picture The Shining. for anyone reading this what or who is easily upset or a bit sensitive, you are possibly advised to skip the rest of this, and certainly suggested to avoid the other picture, which shall come below. rather than, you know, above. 

one reason in particular that Barbra was so treasured is a little bit tricky to word properly. it's something close to a sensitive subject, especially under the rules of the English way of doing things, where there are subjects, in particular that sort of thing, which one is not to speak of. but, let me try to assume a reasonably grown up audience is reading this, and i shall endeavour to be diplomatic, or delicate. 

for at least one, two or possibly three generations (and i was certainly one of them), it was so that a rite of passage, or expectation, was that the first semi undressed (at the least topless) lady any male would encounter would be Barbra Windsor. specifically, of course, that celebrated scene out of Carry On Camping. whereas nudity, or any expression of anything sexual, is generally frowned upon (mostly by the British Board of Censors) in our society, there was a determination by TV studios to screen Carry On Camping as frequently as possible. or include scenes from it in shows. all during prime time early evening entertainment slots. 

above is the mug (or chalice) with some hot liquid in it, tea i believe. well, you were warned before you looked at it. perhaps i should have gone further and written something so as you did not get your expectations of saucy excitement up way too high. but still, a lovely vessel for having a fine cup of tea out of. 

exactly how it came to be that in a nation determined to block or censor as much nudity as possible it was so that Barbra Windsor's quasi topless appearances were unavoidable to the point of being compulsory to see is, as you may well guess, a mystery. she herself said that she didn't (ahem) particularly consider her "assets" to be sensational, but in her usual style was thrilled and delighted that so many people appeared to think they were wonderful. let me not disagree with the latter. 

mostly i just use the mug for drinking out of, in truth. yes, just tea. it would be criminal to use such a decidedly English item for coffee, after all. but, a glance at Barbara allows one to see (based on how many clothes she has on) is a quite useful and very satisfactory way of determining how warm the tea in it (the mug) is. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

le coq du spiros la homme

bonjour mon amis

just a relatively quick post, look you see, with a somewhat (with mercy) deflated picture off of Spiros, what he sent to me recently. 

several years ago, somewhere just north or south of twenty i believe, it was so that Spiros and i, or me and Spiros if that is the more better way to word it, where was i, oh yes, were gainfully employed by the exact same respected corporate institution. quite class it was, mostly.

anyway, once upon a time, for special occasions or instances (birthdays, weddings, that sort of thing) we had a bit of a collection, or if you will whip-round, to buy a gift to commemorate such a happy thing. from what i recall, the practice might have stopped when we did exactly this for Spiros. we raised enough in coins of money to buy an item what combined two of his favourite things, with the one of them that i can actually list here being things what are inflatable. 

if that looks rather priapic in nature, that is because it most certainly, determinedly and decidedly is. although, so far as i am aware, no one ever took a tape measure to it, the packaging gave every indication of it being six foot (around 1.82 meters, metric fans) of priapic nature. indeed, yes, proudly erect priapic in nature, for it stands in a stark and bold way when inflated. 

my memory is not all that it could or perhaps should be, but as i recall the issue we had with this was not that we bought it, then inflated it in a corporate workspace, or for that matter that we left it in the chair of a PA (or if you like secretary) to one of the more senior members of management there. no, it was rather the medical cost, consequences and fall out of what happened when the PA saw it what got us spoke to a bit, and suggested that we do not do such a thing again. we didn't, of course, for exactly how many inflatable peni... inflatable devices can you need? 

right, well, i am sure you are all more interested - fascinated, possibly - in (or with) the picture than any text what i could add. let me rather leave you to do so, then. but, of course, many thanks indeed to Spiros for sending on the pic. i for one am delighted to learn that you have kept and cherished this most magnificent of heartfelt gifts. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

forty sixth anniversary

hey there

as a disclaimer, or if you like qualification, i know that i am not setting this article for publication on the specific date of the anniversary being celebrated. rather, i am throwing it onto the internet one day early, look you see, so that you, the people, may prepare for it. 

so, anyway, moving on, whenever you say "March 17" to someone, the immediate thought everyone will have (except for those what have a birthday on that date, or some other significant memory) is, of course, that wonderful night in 1975 when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II attended the cinema for a Royal performance screening of the motion picture Funny Lady. this was such big news that it made the cover of the TV Times magazine that week. 

yes, but of course, this is the version (or variant) of film called Funny Lady which starts the awesome and amazing Barbra Streisand, no less. she was indeed in attendance at this Royal screening, and thanks to the magic of the internet you can see some film footage of the event by clicking here. 

famously, or infamously, it was of course so that Funny Lady was a sequel to the motion picture Funny Girl, what Barbs won an Oscar for. she had no wish to be in this follow up film, despite a hastily signed contractual obligation to do so, but apparently quite liked the script. whilst not a bad film as such, it is perhaps not quite so good as the original. 

having Barbra attend the Royal screening of the motion picture, in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, was quite close to the potential of the great royalty of Britain and America meeting. if Mr Sinatra had been cast in the film as originally proposed, and thus also would have been in attendance, then it would have been so. 

many of you, in particular readers from outside of the UK, may be unaware of the concept, or if you like phenomenon, of a Royal Cinema Premiere for a motion picture. basically, it does what it says in the name, in truth. each year (except 2020, of course, but perhaps there was one pre-lockdown) a screening of a new film is held in the presence of a prominent member of the Royal Family. 

generally, or where possible, a British made (or made in Britain) film is selected. however, it also must be a motion picture what is suitable and appropriate to show a senior member of the Royal Family. in this regard, 1975 was problematic, as films such as Tommy, Carry On Behind, The Man Who Would Be King, Confessions Of A Pop Performer and Rocky Horror Picture Show are not ones which one would presume that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II would describe as being "quite class". 

usually, yes, whenever there is a James Bond film out, that is the one what gets the nod for a special Royal screening. indeed them films do have rather a lot of sex and violence in, but as Bond does it all purely "for Queen and Country" it is perfectly agreeable. 

late evening television entertainment on 17 March 1975 was, then, pretty much limited to watching Barbra Streisand be introduced to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. oh yes, James Caan was also there, and some other people. 

anyway, anything else what i write (wrote) here will just delay you from preparing to mark the anniversary proper. or, indeed, watching Funny Lady, the superior Funny Girl or any Barbra Streisand film. well, you could watch some other Royal Performance film, i guess. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

so when you think it's time to go don't be surprised if

hello there

just time to bid a fond farewell to a garment, look you see. probably with far more pictures than i have words, but i have every confidence that i can string some things together around them. although yes i have cheated somewhat and have stuck (consolidated) two together. 

necessity has, then, dictated or decreed that i needed to have a bit, as in a lot, of a sort out of things of stuff of things. one rather significant section of this was my wardrobe, or if you like my clothing. garments, i suppose, you could refer to them as, for that is what they are. yes, i am quite terrible for not dispensing with such, but now the time has come to do so. 

in one instance of this, it was with a heavy heart and a sense of sorrow that i had to admit, or confess, that yes, it had to go. my most favourite of shirt is in my wardrobe no more. 

and there is a most gratifying look at it, presented of course in the greater good and glory of Commodore 64 mode, because, well, why would you not look at such in such a way? but also yes, more regular pictures below. which you may, granted, have looked at without reading this. 

exactly why this one was a favourite shirt is pretty straightforward. other than the most splendid pattern, or if you like style, it was a perfect fit and really, really comfortable. without doing any actual research, let alone checking, my assumption is that of the many pictures to feature of me (moi) across this blog, most often it is this shirt which shall feature as being worn. 

worn it to death, so i have, to be sure. actually, probably accurate to say that i have gone ahead and opted to make use of it (as in wear it) for much longer time than anything of the condition of the shirt said that i should. but, done now. 

i think that one tear in the above pic appeared two, maybe three, years ago.  well, no, it was not quite so long, or large, or if you like pronounced, at first. it has gotten a good deal bigger and wider with each successive wearing of it. got, i guess, since now it is mine no more. 

did i feel uncomfortable, emotionally, walking around in a shirt which i knew was comfortable if appearing ill-fitting, feeling the eyes of judgement gaze upon me, with people walking by wondering how and why i would leave the house in such an unkempt, worn out item of clothing? at times, yes, i suppose so. but people who are going to do that shall do that anyway, irrespective of what fashion decisions you make. let them get on with it and be comfortable. 

here you go, them two pictures what i sellotaped (consolidated) together is below. see if you can see the seam in between the pictures, if you like, for you can clearly see such on the shirt. 

both aspects of the collar (as in front and back, if we assume the sides are thin and of no discernible interest) are on display, then. and neither would be what one would consider good. at the top is the back as in outward facing side, with the inner bit featured in the below segment. to say that it was "giving way" would be a bit generous and kind. i am aware of such a thing as a shirt with a detachable collar, but normally they would be designed for such. this shirt was not designed to do it, yet that is what it had started to do. except, i assume, i would not (without sellotape or a stapler) have been able to attach it on again. 

provenance of this shirt? it will have been bought many years ago, quite possibly even north of a decade, off of Makro, going on the "Camp Master" branding. blimey, i have had it for a while. or i did have it for a while. yes, i shall miss it a very great deal. 

what else can i tell you of, or write, about this particular shirt? not a great deal, honestly. if anything it is quite a surprise that i have been able to write so much as i have. 

there, a picture of an almost undamaged section of said beloved and now gone shirt, except for where you can see it is worn out towards the bottom, right of centre. 

so, how would (or do) i propose to replace this shirt? not with any ease. other than this particular lightweight cotton not being widely used in the UK (it is all polyester or similar plastic, creaky feeling stuff), the designers and tailors for the market here have an issue. with that issue being they are twats, i think. for some reason they believe any gent who needs a shirt the width (very large indeed) i do must be short. basically, they have used a more indulgent period (Sir) Elton John, or perhaps even prison era Boy George, as the blueprint for large shirts. ones which are the perfect width for me tend to be far too short. sometimes, please note, bigger gents, such as i, are also quite tall. 

also, i have had to get rid of a number (several) pairs of trousers (kex, or strides) because, frankly, it is so that the arse is hanging out of them. whereas i am an admirer of the man, i am no Wez out of Mad Max 2 and so cannot get away with wearing them. perhaps not, at least, without sending out an unintended message to certain fellow members of the gentry.

right, that's that. if for some reason you read all of this thank you, and let me dedicate it all to any of you who may also have had to give up a much cherished, dearly loved and frequently worn item of clothing. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

low cruise

hey there

normally, when it comes to considering or determining what i place up here on my blog, there is a general sense of "anything that takes my fancy" being the rule. it is not often i impose a self limitation, look you see. but i do wonder how many further posts, exactly, i am likely to be prepared to give over to an at this stage unseen sequel to a north of 30 year old Tom Cruise film, with specific emphasis on what can only be described as the bizarre thrust to market it. 

so, yes, more Top Gun 2 (or Top Gun Maverick as it appears to be styled) reduced to clear items off of Tesco. well, maybe not off of Tesco, but being offered by them. me saying "off of" them gives every suggestion that i, or someone else, has actually bought one or two of the items. no. 

please, make no error in assumption, this is not a bashing or pouring scorn issue. i consider Tom Cruise to be an exceptional talent. no, i don't have any particular interest or view on his "off screen" life. on screen, well, the best way i heard him described is as being someone who "always brings his A game to everything he does". also, Top Gun was an outstanding motion picture. it really just comes down to how the marketing for an unreleased movie makes little sense. 

another two (2) items being offered at a reduced price, then, with both relating to the film. yes, for those who notice it at the bottom, we did indeed get the Adventures Of New Buckethead And Frog version of Monopoly at Christmas, and had a very good fun, fight and argument free game of it over Christmas. but, if you may indulge me some, i would rather speak (or write) of the Top Gun Maverick items on display. 

certainly, yes, the most exciting (Top Gun related) item on display there is the "strategy game". but no, more on that one a bit later on. feel free to scroll down now and read if you wish, nothing at all says that you have to read this is the generally not too coherent order in which i place it. 

going on the top (ahem) item, priced formidably south of £5, and again it is an item of merchandise which focuses on a most decidedly secondary aspect of the Top Gun expanded universe; all that splendid fighter jet business. as i have said numerous times on this broader subject, the target market for this is not clear in any immediate way. leaving aside this is a jet we have only thus far seen in trailers, it is neither a toy nor a "proper" model kit, as it is snap together. my suspicion is that the proposed demographic for this was that selective group who would purchase it and leave it in the box, so that it may increase with value in a few decades. 

further price drops for the one i have featured frequently here, then. yes, the Matchbox (like a proper version of Hot Wheels, American friends) set featuring an aircraft carrier and fighter jet. some of you, presumably those enthusiastic about all things Top Gun, may well have followed the tale of this. it started off at an eye watering £30 (!!), and is now down to a quite tempting £7.50. yes, exceptionally tempting. as in, i had this in my hand(s) with consideration given to purchasing. but, ultimately, no, i did not. other than their being no obvious or even considered answer to the question of what, exactly, i would do with it (beyond "play with it", here at the age of north of 40, well south of 50, how did that happen), it might be that the film turns out not to be good. 

it is an interesting, perhaps fascinating, question to ask, to be sure, of what it was that someone senior at Tesco was thinking when they took the decision to go full tilt with a range of Top Gun Maverick merchandising items. sure, they will have opted to stock such well in advance, in a time when the film was expected to be released as planned. but, of all the films what were coming out in 2020, it was this one they felt would be the win? whilst being no expert, i would have thought perhaps whatever the latest Marvel or Star Wars thing was, or even James Bond, may well have been a more likely banker for being a big seller. 

back, then, to that board (or strategy) game. and a resounding sense of vindication for me, at least in so far as what i have said all along was the main focus, point or plot of the original Top Gun film. 

that 50% of the (so to speak) action of this board (strategy) game focuses on the volleyball of Top Gun says that yes, i have long since been correct to say that this was the main moment of the film. it is the scene we all recall fondly. further, of course, i go, and have long since stated that Playing With The Boys off of Kenny Loggins is the one we should call the "love theme from Top Gun", not the admittedly superb Take My Breath Away off of Berlin. 

no, i did not purchase it. i mean, sure, yes, it would be nice, but there are only a finite number of people i would play this board game with, and none are particularly close or in my "bubble" for the ongoing invisible war on the new plague. besides, we would probably rather play actual volleyball if we were together, rather than the board (strategy) game, pretending to be Maverick, Goose, Iceman and that other one what no one remembers the name of (very much the "John Entwhistle of The Who of Top Gun", he is). 

shall more stuff about Top Gun Maverick, with a peculiar specific emphasis on the merchandising, feature here? who knows, maybe. it would be nice to see the actual film, eventually. perhaps if i see anything more of interest in respect of it, then yes, probably. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

vintage looks

greetings

well, in truth i am not entirely certain (of anything, but specifically if) i should be posting or sharing these, but here we are. my thoughts were that family and friends around the world may well wish to have a gander. and well meaning strangers. but any weirdo or strange types can please leave this post now, look you see. there, i asked nicely. 

in recent times i have been obliged, or compelled, to a great big massive sorting out of things of stuff. this has directly, in an indirect way (and as an aside) led me to spending an awful lot of time down at the nearby tip, or "recycling centre" as it is now branded, which has left me all the more convinced that owning a scrapyard must be the best thing ever. going back briefly on subject, it was during the sorting things of stuff out phase where i stumbled upon two lovely "proof" or "sample" pictures of the boys. 

these were for some lovely pictures what we ordered but that never got delivered, as it happens. it was so that we were quite disappointed in this. yet, not all is lost, for having scanned in these samples it would appear i have obtained relatively decent, acceptable quality larger size images of each. 

so yes, our eldest pictured above. from (at time of writing) some ten or so years ago, perhaps even a very satisfactory Nigel Tufnell 11, in truth, as will be clear with the next image. 

for what reason did the larger (or if you like "proper") sets of these images not turn up? we have no idea. it was fairly, and reasonably, frequent that photographers came and offered to do some portraits at the much beloved nursery school the boys went to, and generally we purchased. on this instance, samples were delivered, orders placed, never arrived. on the one side so far as i am aware no coins of money got handed over so no loss, except we really, really liked the pictures. 

art, and arty stuff, is not really a strength of mine. beyond knowing what i like the look of, though. so no, i am unsure if these images are "black and white" as most would say, or that "sepia" thing, with the latter being, i believe, a sort of brown overtone to it all. anyway, still think they are lovely pics. 

yes, it is the presence of the two of them, wonderfully together, which allows for some reasonable guesses at accuracy of date. probably just south of 11 years ago (from date of publication), i am all but certain is the provenance of the pictures. 

right, well, anyway, time to move on from this excellent and accidentally discovered stroll down the lane of memories. but, yes, once again, if family and friends all around the world have seen this and just one has gone "aah" or similar, all worth it. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

has anyone got this?

hi there

just a (so far as i am aware) rare request, or appeal, off of me, look you see. a film what i saw many, many years ago and was never able to find again recently came to mind. it was wonderful when it did, via someone else mentioning it, for i was starting to think i had imagined the whole thing. 

i saw the film under the name Inside Out, but no, as i saw it in 1983 (or possibly 1984) it is not to be confused with the more recent (in relative terms) Disney film of the same name. or, at the least, from what i recall it was Disney what made one recently called that. as they (Disney) seem to now make all films, i guess so. 

should it help anyone randomly searching to help people out (thanks if so), it seems that Inside Out was the UK title, and in the USA it was released with the title They Weny That-A-Way & That-A-Way. more information can be found by clicking here, if you wish. 

yes, the above is exactly the cover what i remember. from what i recall, this was on the shelf at the petrol station at Marton Shops, where so many films got rented off of. only, i did not rent this one. no, one evening Dad came home with it from there, and we all sat and watched it. that's how come i have fond, or if you like sentimental, memories of it. 

not that, in truth, i can even remember all that much of the film. hardly anything, as point of fact, except i seem to think there was a scene where they end up eating possum meat. 

the trailer, which is available on the web, did not do much to bring memories back, except to suggest it is indeed a fairly funny film. well, have a look. 

certainly, i have had a look at trying to procure (as in purchase) a copy of the film, but alas it seems not to be. from what i can find it did turn up on DVD in the USA, several years ago. alas, that is now what they call "out of print", and copies of it sell for quite a lot more money than i am prepared to part with. especially as doing so would attract a lucrative "admin fee" off of Royal Mail. 

from what i can gather there are one or two "lending library" sort of things on this internet business where one can obtain practically anything. if it is not nailed down, generally someone somewhere shoves it online and lets nature do its thing. should nature be the right term. 

well, anyway, just throwing it out there. should any kind soul have a copy of this to lend, donate or pass on for a modest fee, please leave a message. or, indeed, if you know of somewhere where i may be able to borrow it off of internet, let me know. thanks in advance!

meanwhile, if this has jogged the memory of anyone and they also (for whatever reason) recall, or indeed just remember, this film in a fond way, well, much more of my work here is done. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!