PJs Blog

I've moved... sort of

2008-03-22T17:15:47+01:00

...to my website which is undergoing a makeover to turn into a nice blog type thing. Haven't quite decided what yet though.

http://www.pjharding.co.uk

See you there

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Long Time No Speak

2008-02-07T19:49:29+01:00

I really must write something in here again. It's been a long long time.

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Thunderbird One

2007-09-02T16:05:58+02:00

I don't think I ever shared my 3D graphic of Thunderbird 1 that I made.

I'm no artist and I struggle with scale and things but it took me days to make this and I put a lot of thought and effort into it. I'm proud of what I created so I thought I'd share.

The video quality is crap and there are errors that I can see. It was the first time I ever used 3D Studio Max and I had a crap lecturer and didn't quite discover everything I really wanted to. Perhaps you'd like to play with the files and improve this for me? Nah I didn't think so either.

Enjoy. x

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My poor Granny

2007-04-26T20:55:37+02:00

My poor granny isn't having a good time in life right now. She's almost 82 and up until the last month or so, I would have said she was about 73 and now she's more like 97.

What scared me was the fact I phoned my gran up a couple of weeks ago and she sounded so depressed, I was shocked into silence. I have never heard my gran as anything other than happy. Even when she moans about how badly her latest baking session went or how rubbish her house is. I love my gran and I hate to see this happening.

Old age is what's happening. For a while I guess I've looked past it; I understand my gran isn't as mobile as she was or can hear and see as well as she could but to me, she was always the granny I knew when I was growing up. Kind, loving and so thoughtful and generous.

It kind of sucks a lot to find that she's so vulnerable and actually old. This might sound odd, over the 21 years I've known her surely I would have noticed? But no, I didn't really.

She's been through some nasty stuff recently and poor her, it's continuing. My Gran went to Crufts with (my Aunt) this year; something she's always wanted to do. However, she fell over while she was there and although to you and me, it wasn't a major fall but to an elderly person it's like breaking your leg. The result of this meant my Gran had to walk with a stick for a wee while but it also shattered her confidence and sent my family into overdrive as to what happens next. After she returned from Crufts, my Gran went to see her optician for a routine check up and was told there was nothing more they could do for her eyesight. She's going to go blind in the next couple of years.

Now my poor Gran has gone on what will probably be her last holiday ever with my aforementioned Aunt and Uncle. My Aunt sadly broke her ankle on the first day so they've done nothing and everyone is having a terrible time.

I would love to take my gran on holiday somewhere but my selfishness kicks in and I don't think I could actually do it. I mean where would I take her? What would we actually do?

It's a bit of a mess. Anyway she's back in the UK from her "holiday" on Saturday so she'll be back home soon. Shall think of something to do but it's all so sad. My poor Granny.

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Just a Quick One... oo-er!

2007-04-21T23:54:57+02:00

I love whoever runs the Keane website; they have an ace sense of humour!

Keane are on tour in South America and they are getting the guys and their crew to write up short 'El Blogs'.

Rob Sinclair who is their lighting dude (he's awesome!) has written the latest. Anyway he included a photo he took of his preview monitor (he has cameras set up round the stage ready to project on a back screen; it's very cool. He pioneered this with the Hollies before Keane). Anyway this is the picture of the preview monitor....

And this is the thumbnail chosen to advertise the blog:

I wonder how many people notice the ASBO titling? Hope everyone else finds this as amusing as I do...

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Streuth!

2007-04-21T01:41:12+02:00

At last…! Another blog entry!

Sadly it’s probably not going to be that interesting for many of you. I just need somewhere to ramble away.

Every day when I get the bus in, I start thinking about amazing blog reflections I could write and by the time I get home at night I’ve forgotten what they are. Dear me, but at least I’m writing today. I’ve had a couple of extremely fun and helter skelter weekends; now I finally get to catch up on a lot of missed sleep and life.

Last weekend I was out and about seeing the Goodies and meeting up with Jess and Liv for that. We had a great time and I’m still thinking about the firemen. It was great to see Tim and Graeme again as well; last chance for a few months which is a shame but there’s going to be some Clue shows… I can’t let a tour like that pass me by! Shall write more about Derby soon.

Saturday night, I was out in Newcastle with the girls for H,S & J’s birthdays; had a good night but sadly my tiredness caught up with me and I slumped in Revolution. Don’t think I dampened the night though and it was great to chill out with the Newcastle chicks for a few hours. Hopefully we can do it again soon when I’m more on form!

Sunday was funny; despite going to bed at 4am, we all randomly woke up at 8am! Luckily we got to sleep again by J, H and I all left around 10.30 – 11am. Yes early I know, but J had to pick up her dog from somewhere and as H lived near her, she gave her a lift and I had a further 70 miles till I arrived home.

Absolutely lovely weather when I got home so I took the opportunity of airing my sun lounger and having a rest. Then on Monday it was back to work.

Work is improving on me mind, I love the division I work in; just need to get over my strange fear of using the phone. Don’t know why I struggle with the phone at work – it’s weird. But as I have a whole load of phone calls to make next week, I better start improving fast! I can handle phone calls in other situations but I guess it’s because I am still not entirely sure what I’m talking about with regards to my division so I feel a bit inadequate that way.

Anyway work is going well; have more things to do now and it looks like I have some more training to go on in the future so that’ll open up even more work to me. Just wish they’d make me permanent it would really help because I’m starting to get involved with long term projects and I would feel so much more secure in life.

Had a great week as well; on Tuesday I gave blood (finally) for the first time ever. I have a great fear of the unknown but the experience isn’t half as bad as I thought it would be. I got more bruising from the plaster cute Dave stuck on after giving the blood. I went home that night and asked my mum if I looked a pint lighter.

On Tuesday I also met up with K for lunch; it was great to see her again (well it had been over a week!) and we had some awesome chats. We went to BHS for lunch and my god did they pile the plates high! I had a PJ smoothie with my lunch purely for the name. After a quick venture in Fopp we walked to my work and agreed to meet for a coffee the next night after work.

Coffee was great; in Costa except I had a massive hot chocolate (I actually wanted a small one) and K and I chatted for ages. Edinburgh is the home of Wrong Conversations. I can’t wait to live in Edinburgh properly with K; we’re going to have such a laugh.

Anyway one really nice aspect of my life is being slightly tarnished right now which is a shame. Before I carry on it might be easier to establish the groups of people:

Group A – the poor people this who problem seems to revolve around

Group B - Me and my friends

Group X – the annoying people

Basically, Group A and group B have a special rapport of which Group X only know about 40% of the details because that is all they need to know.

Group X seem to think they are really liked by Group A (and Group B ) despite a lot of subtle bitching and hints. Group X seem to be a bit (deliberately?) oblivious to this and carry on trying to make out to Group B and others that they are actually becoming chummy with Group A. Group B aren’t stupid and cringe at their embarrassing messages. Group A, who most certainly read these messages as well, must surely shake their heads in despair.

Still following me?

One member of Group X in particular seems to want to be a member of Group B but really has endeared herself to anyone in Group B and wouldn’t fit in anyway. This particular member seems to be wanting to create a competition out of the whole situation. Group B, although irritated, aren’t all that bothered as Group X have no clue and based on past and present behaviour would never have the same rapport as Group B do with Group A.

It’s hard to describe here without naming people but I really don’t want to name and shame because it’s not very nice. I don’t think Group X will actually realise who they are if they read this… they seemed to have missed every hint so far.

On a nicer note, I’m part of a group of Goodies fans called ‘The Giddies’. There are 6 of us; two Aussies and 4 UK based. Tim B-T asked at Darlington where the name came from and, after a lot of um-ing and ahh-ing, we think that we started using the name around about the time of the Edinburgh Festival, possibly before. As our Minx pointed out, there is actually an episode of the Goodies where they are called ‘The Giddies’ but we couldn’t remember which one it was. Anyway a bit of research (I love saving emails some times) provided this:

30/07/06 Me to J: We should call ourselves the Giddies if anyone asks!

30/07/06 J to me: Hahaha, The Giddies, perfect! I will definitely be giddy in front of the boys, just like I was at ISIHAC. That will definitely have to be our name, "Giddies... Giddy Giddy Hee Hee"

So sometime after that, the name seemed to stick. The word ‘giddy’ describes our little group incredibly well –

Giddy: Attended with or causing dizziness

Frivolous and lighthearted; impulsive; flighty: a giddy young person.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/giddy

Depends on how you interpret ‘dizziness’…

Anyway the name has stuck with my friends and I and we’ve been using it since September as we swap messages between ourselves. It wasn’t meant as a way of singling ourselves out from other fans or anything like that; it’s just a bit of fun. Why am I justifying the use of our name?

Anyway, an UK tour of ‘The Goodies Still Rule Ok’ has just finished and just before it took place, we launched a UK fan site called ‘The Saucy Gibbon’

http://www.the-goodies.co.uk

We basically set it up because we were alarmed at how little hype there was on the official site for the tour.

Anyway we decided to set up the site combining the knowledge and skills of all 6 of us within our time constraints. I designed and built the site with the co-operation of the other Giddies and between us all we created and are still creating pages for the site.

We cover all sorts of info – about the Goodies (TV shows, music, tours etc.), ISIHAC, ISIRTA, Hamish and Dougall. We’ve created biographies and information on significant shows they worked on before the Goodies and we’re currently developing pages on shows the guys have done since or during the Goodies. They’ve been bloody busy I’ll tell you that. In amongst all that are some fan contributions; fun things people have done as well as photos and the like.

Something that tickled me pink with pride was that during a radio interview with Graeme, forget which one, but the DJ quoted from the Internet and I thought; I recognise that sentence! Sure enough, I logged on and there in Graeme’s biography was the quote.

Anyway, what has been interesting since we started the website, has been the surprisingly many people who seem to know about us. It feels quite odd. One of the memories that sticks out in my mind was of the last night of the Edinburgh Festival. For a laugh my friends K, J and I went to the show dressed in dungarees dresses with a white ‘G’ on the front; like female Funky Gibbon Goodies/ Giddies.

Anyway towards the end of the night, we asked for a group photo with Tim and Graeme and it was bizarre. The 6 of us were stood in a line and we looked around and suddenly the bar area we were in was full of people looking at us and in front of us were probably only 3 cameras although the number of flashes that went off made it feel like more. It felt very strange indeed; I’m not sure I liked it – the eyes of the room were upon us.

Anyway something happened at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre that reminded me of this episode. We met two Australians as they were leaving the stage door area having met Tim and Graeme. It transpired they knew one of the Australian Giddies and had only gone to the show in Edinburgh because they’d seen an advert in the paper that morning and known this Giddy loved the show.

Anyway once we called to them we knew their Australian Giddy friend, they demanded a photo of the three of us. So we stood, rather self consciously as a threesome with Tim and Graeme standing to either side of us. That was odd in the first place because they’re the famous ones! Then a voice says

“And you two. Tim and Graeme get in the photo as well!” It was the way she said it that made the whole scenario even stranger.

Those were perhaps two of the strangest nights in my life.

Any blog readers, I’m afraid I’m going to have to split. I am so tired and I have a lot to do this weekend. But if I can point you towards the Keane website www.keanemusic.com just go and read El Blogs – they are so fun. Keane’s website is an excellent example of how an official fan friendly website should be run; a lot of people could learn lessons.

Toodles!

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Easter Weekend

2007-04-05T22:16:22+02:00

So here we are, a lovely bright sunny Friday… I mean Thursday – the long weekend has me confused already! What have I got planned? An exciting weekend really but more on that later.

I’m on the bus quite a lot these days and I get very bored… er reflective and recently I’ve been thinking about all the exciting things I’ve ever done at Easter… well apart from three friends who have their birthday’s with two days of each other that sometimes coincide with Easter, there is only one really fun Easter I’ve ever had…

Easter Weekend 2005: KEANE!

A week/ end of a lot of firsts! Including my first Zutons/ Rufus Wainwright and Keane gigs and indeed a band featuring my mate Nathan Persad which has changed slightly into the Fruit Machine Blues (I think).

Other firsts included: Thai food, the Reeperbahn, Hamburg, German McDonalds strawberry milkshake (tasted of real fruit!), a classic fan moment.

This Keane weekend really sticks out in my mind because I had an amazing time! I went down a few days before the Easter weekend to stay with my friend Helen. She had got us on the guest list to see the Zutons – they were brilliant and we had a great time.

The next day we were fairly slow in getting up; I think we played a trick on our friend Bruce when we spoke on an online messenger. We then took a trip into London with Helen showing me the theatre where Carl Wayne (http://www.carlwayne.co.uk) appeared as the Narrator in Blood Brothers and the Virgin Store where she had recently seen and met Rufus Wainwright. We then met up for a drink with her brother and I remember how warm it was as we sat on a river boat bar.

Next we headed off to Lewisham (amazing how I remember such trivial stuff) to meet up with Nathan Persad (http://www.nathanpersad.com) and see his band. They were great and we really enjoyed ourselves. I can still remember Todd mid-song with his arm held out looking for his pint which he had left in front of us.

The next day we were off to Cologne in the afternoon. We watched Helen’s Travis DVD (they’re ace!), ordered in pizza and then set off for Gatwick. While we were killing time, we spotted in Smiths they were doing Cadbury’s Cream Eggs – 3 for £1! So we bought 6; one for each of Keane, 1 for Rufus and 1 each for us just as a nice Easter token. We jetted (ha!) off to Cologne, arriving fairly late but still able to check into our Thai hotel and then remove ourselves downstairs for Thai dinner! Yummy!

The next day we did a short river cruise of the Rhine – basically up to the chocolate museum and back down to the cross river gondolas. We then thought it would be cool to visit the chocolate museum but we stepped inside and it was so hot! We were surprised there wasn’t a river of chocolate running out of the building!

We then went and ate Schnitzel at a lovely restaurant before returning to the hotel via the impressive cathedral. We had arranged to meet a few fans at the hotel and we did so. One fan in particular was great; we got on with her really well – a fellow Backstreet Boy fan! We started to make our way to the venue as we had no idea where it was nor what the queue might be like and for my first Keane gig (and because I’m too short for these crowds) I really wanted to be near the front.

We only got lost once and soon found the venue; a huge warehouse in the middle of a warehouse district, but hey. We heard Rufus and his band doing their sound check and when we were finally allowed in, we were front row – score!

Rufus was amazing! I will never forget the bastard performing ‘Vibrate’ – just him and a piano and he plays some pretty complicated piano… does he looks at the keyboard? Does he, hell! He has his eyes clothes, he looks round the room and doesn’t miss a single note! That’s why I love him.

Keane were amazing as well; their first album (which must have been out for a year or so at that point) really translated well to stage. I wrote a review/ notes somewhere; I must dig them out.

After the show, we waited to try and meet the guys. We were sadly stuck with a couple of fans who we’d found quite rude and odd earlier but they were pretty harmless. When the guys came out, everyone rushed to them and we were able to meet them – they’re great guys. We had some lovely chats with them and they seemed to appreciate their Cream eggs – especially Tom…

I will remember this moment for the rest of my life as well; some fans had given Tom a huge extravagant basket of Easter goodies. He was looking through saying, ‘oh… thanks… wow.’ And then we gave him a Cadbury’s Cream Egg ‘Oh wow! My first one this year! Hey guys, guys look what I’ve got!’ *waves Cream Egg like a trophy* Tim and Richard wave theirs back ‘We’ve already got ours’. Oh it was a good moment.

After meeting the guys and getting (terrible – me not them) photos with them, we headed to a pizzeria on our street before turning in. Helen and I had an early start to catch a train to Hamburg and the clocks went forward that night!

The next morning dawned far too early however we made the train, I purchased a pretzel – German pretzels rule. A mixture of dozing and chatting got us through the 3 or 4 hour journey. That and laughing at the bright pink girl with the neon yellow stain on her trousers!

I remember before we left on the trip, my mum said to me ‘when you’re in Hamburg don’t go near the Reeperbahn’ so I said of course not, little knowing that the latest venue for the Keane gig (it had been changed twice already) was now on the Reeperbahn and we were staying in a hotel bang on it. Oh well.

We checked in and the hotel was fine (not the brothel we’d been expecting); it was just what we wanted and a great price (and I think it included breakfast) and about 5 – 10 minutes walk from the venue. We found this out when we did our recce of the area and bumped into a couple of lovely fans who we shared fajitas with (as I said to K last night; there aren’t enough fajitas in the world but that’s probably because people keep eating them!).

The gig was fantastic fun and we even sacrificed our near front positions to meet Rufus as well – which maybe wasn’t worth it cause there was table between us and him and it caused an obvious physical barrier. But on the positive, we were up next to Rob Sinclair at the lighting and seeing the entire show from the back where the sound tends to be more balanced was worth it.

After the show, we were able to meet the guys again and we got them to sign our European tour posters created by David Lupton and purchased for a bargain price of 5 Euros! We had a few more chats with the guys before leaving and realising we were hungry so we popped into the only open place we could see; a McDonalds. I usually avoid these but there were no other options and I ordered something with a strawberry milkshake and my god; the milkshake tasted of real fruit! A first.

The next day we walked round St Paulis taking in the sites before we got the bus to the airport and the arrived back in London. After a train and bus ride, I was home and the fun over, but it was a fantastic time.

So after that incredibly long ramble, what was the point of this blog? Well partly because I did actually want to write all that down, but it does lead me into another quick (promise!) pre-chat about this weekend.

After a long month and a half, I am finally having a wee break. Starting tonight! Although when I say ‘break’, it’s a break from paid employment largely. Tonight I have a chance to catch up on all the household tasks I am behind with; cleaning, ironing, washing… *yawn* anyway if I catch up with them tonight, I can relax tomorrow yay!

On Saturday, after a quick detour to Edinburgh, I am off with my friend K to Darlington to meet up with J and C (the M!). We’re off to see a show… They’re all coming back to my place which will be nice on the Saturday night so that we can start afresh on Sunday. On Sunday we’re off to a show in Edinburgh. On Monday we’ll probably head to Edinburgh yet again to say good bye to everyone till the next time. So the holiday yeah…? Time flies far too quickly but it’s worth it.

Finally, hello to all my friends reading this who I haven’t chatted to for ages! I shall be online tomorrow (Good Friday) (outside in the sun hopefully) and possibly bits of Easter Monday to catch up with you if you’re online. If not; have a lovely break and I shall be in touch soon. xxx

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"Oh what a world we live in"

2007-03-30T23:35:02+02:00

God and I really don't think I'm living it now.

I have fallen into a Routine. This Routine has been the same everyday with one variation (the time I get up in the morning):

05.45 - 06.10 Alarm rings and by 06.10 latest I get up
06.10 - 07.00 Get dressed and ready to leave
07.00 Open curtains, feed cats, leave for bus stop
07.15 Arrive too early for bus
7.25 Get on bus
08.30 Curse crappy Edinburgh traffic and roadworks and non inventive bus drivers
08.35- 08.50 Arrive in work
09.00 Get Latte
09.05 - 13.00 Read everything on BBC news website, maybe do some easy task, drink a load of water
13.00 - 13.30 Wander round Edinburgh
13.30 - 16.30 Read latest developments on BBC news website, maybe type some personal letters or lists to be worked on later.
16.30 Leave work
16.45 Get bus
18.00 Get home
18.00 - 22.00 Quickly check emails, update website news, do any house work required, have tea, have bath, deal with anything, fall out with mum about something I haven't had time to do.
22.00 ZZZZZZZZZZZ!

I love where I'm working right now (Civil Service!) and I hope they'll take me on permanently once I've shown them my web portfolio. At least on flexi time I can chose when the hell I will work. Also there's a gym at the office! I really could do with some exercise but when do I have time to take it?!

Can't wait to move to Edinburgh because then travel time and costs will be reduced massively and hopefully I'll have more energy to live.

So what has happened since I last wrote here? Well not much; nothing worth writing about. A few things have managed to irritate me such as poncy idiots who think my friends and I are too dumb to realise she's playing a sneaky (and pathetic) trick online. My mum and I keep clashing on issues which I keep meaning to write blog entries about 'cause they're interesting points but I can never find the time. Might write some at work next week.

I'm very sad to read in the BBC news of the situation in Iran and the 15 hostages. On the one hand being the media etc. I wonder (as usual) if we are being told the full story. Then I see how Iran is acting and I just think that they know they have acted wrongly and are just being difficult now to try and save themselves somehow.

For example these 'letters' written by the female member of the group that say things like 'isn't it time we removed troops from Iraq?' Now come on! That is not something she is going to have written herself is it? It might be a personal viewpoint but it isn't the issue here.

I just hope that Iran will back down and release these people or at least follow protocol and allow consular access. But they must have something to hide I reckon and they are so quick to say it's different to a similar incident in 2004...

On a different note, I bought Tim Burton's Corpse Bride today; been dying to see this since it was in the cinema. It is brilliant as usual; I love TB's style and the music by Danny Elfman is brilliant; can't stop dancing around to it!

Anyway I've probably bored you all now so ciao for now!

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Catch Up!

2007-03-10T22:19:12+01:00

Been a long time since I wrote in here *sigh*

The first thing I want to note is a couple of links for you to check out...

The Saucy Gibbon - A Pirate Website

Bring Back the Goodies! - a petition to ask the BBC to repeat the Goodies

A really good Goodies Myspace

Just a new UK fan site for the Goodies that I've had a hand in creating. I might come across as obsessed but I'm not lol it's just nice to have a fun UK site for learning about the guys. Take a peek it's a bit of fun.

Sadly since the site went live the motherboard or video card (although we reckon it's the motherboard) of the PC broke and the computer doesn't work. So I've been relegated to this crappy laptop which is very dodgy. Anyway because we've got the computer through the IBM computer hire scheme IBM have to fix the computer so we've now been waiting for over a week while they get their act together! It's ridiculous.

Also something that has slowed me down was the fact I started another temporary job at the Scottish Executive. I started last Monday and will work till at least the end of March (hopefully longer). Sadly with the job based in Edinburgh and me bsaed in Galashiels I've had to get up at 5.20am every morning to catch a bus for Edinburgh. So I was finally able to catch up with my sleep yesterday.

Nothing much to reprt really apart from that. I wish I could have seen Keane in Edinburgh on Thursday night but no joy although I did see Tim R-O walking down a street toward North Bridge. I hope their tour went well for them it certainly seems to have gone down well with the fans and critics (well except the critics who have a general dislike for Keane).

Some school friends have been in touch this week which is nice; I've been so tired recently I haven't had a chance to talk to many people. Apologies for that to everyone in general. At some point I'll find a balance somewhere but life seems to unsettled right now and I really need to watch pennies that I struggle to see everyone as much as possible. Sorry guys but it will improve eventually - minor blip at the mo but it will pick up I promise.

In the meantime, I am going to finish watching the amazing Casablanca featuring Humphrey Bogart.

"Play it again Sam..."

p.s. congrats to the Fore for winning their XFM competition

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Lord of the Rings: the Musical.... anyone?!

2007-02-08T15:15:50+01:00

I have just heard about the most... unlikely musical ever: Lord of the Rings: the Musical.

What?! It took Peter Jackson (a fellow PJ) near 8 hours (approx.) of DVD to do justice to the film and I don't know many people who would sit and watch that all in one go.

Somehow this musical has been edited down from almost 4 hours down to 3!

This has got to be a pretty adventurous production.

The news report I read had the title Director visits Tolkien's grave to get approval. I kid you not; the director (I think) knows he's probably upsetting Tolkein as he went to "to seek the author's posthumous blessing for staging the cult classic -- and he apologised in case the writer disapproved."

I would certainly be turning in my grave if my work of complex and dark genius had been given the musical makeover.

"As actors playing deadly orcs skipped, bounded and somersaulted across London's historic Theatre Royal Drury Lane" - fearsome eh? I bet they wear tights as well.

"The trouble in Toronto was that we were getting too much of the story on stage." I somehow get the idea the finished result really isn't going to resemble much of the Lord of the Rings except for the characters.

The idea of an all singing all dancing army of orcs is something best left alone... or give to the Goodies to make a great show out of.

Whatever will be thought of next? Star Trek the Musical sounds good...? No takers on that one? I'll go back to my work then.

Source:

Reuters News Report Here

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Sad Fans

2007-02-06T15:05:14+01:00

On one of my regular sites I visit, the act in question are touring this spring and fans are buying in their tickets.

Great news.

However from nowhere there seem to be a few fans who want to spoil the fun by participating in their own competition as to how many shows they're going to see and where they are sitting.

Jeez people - get over yourselves! It's pathetic

How many shows and where you sit isn't going to win you anything. The act are going to be greatful for your support. It's who you are that makes you friends and the members of this act aren't stupid.

You might be thinking I'm jealous but tbh I'm not; I've seen the show and yes I'm booked for only a couple but that's because my plans aren't finalised and if I go to a few more in the tour so what? At least I'll be glad to see the show not to be seen at the show.

Ok this is the initial pissed off feeling that fans give me in about a week or so I shall just be laughing at their patheticness. It always happens this way.

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I Don't Feel Like Dancing...

2007-01-24T12:29:46+01:00

Why the hell is this song so ironic?

It is the danciest song EVER! Everytime it comes on my iTunes I find myself dancing no matter where I am.

Love it though. Ta-Dah is an excellent idea.

Jake Shears and Rufus Wainwright once dated... interesting.

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A Fitting Song

2007-01-24T11:21:08+01:00

My friend K pointed out a Scissor Sisters song from the Ta-Dah! album to me that totally fitted a situation that she, our friends J and C and I are in regarding two guys. Cryptic eh? I just can't be bothered typing names.

---

Land of A Thousand Words

Another constellation dies
Do what you want 'cause it's your own sky
Just call me when the phone stops ringing
Thanks for coming by
I'm just glad I'm on your good side
Where it's smoldering or freezing
It's never all that easy to decide

This is the land of a thousand words
But it seems so few are worth the breath to say
Except I'll be looking after my own world
And you just keep on saving the day
I'll try to stay but it's in vain when you're far
I'm on the run to wherever you are

And that's the nature of the chase
You fall so far behind you end in first place
Pass the torch this time we're running to each's own regret
There'sno harm in playing hard to get
Boundlessness deceives me
Baby you may turn the corner yet

I'm a gonna do everything I say
Tried to stay but time's running out
But now I'm on my way

----

It's scary just how much this song is so fitting. It's a very romantic song. The mood of the song makes it the kind of song I would listen to on track repeat when I was travelling home after an amazing weekend that has related to the situation just to complete my happy sadness of the end of the weekend. (Don't worry it is a lovely situation).

The best line is:

"And you just keep on saving the day."

So, so true. They do keep on saving our days - just when you think they couldn't better themselves, they do something and you realise why you like them!

Another fitting line:

"I'm on the run to wherever you are."

We'd love to do more running but we don't want to appear scary and we can't afford it. But we run when we can... even when it seems near impossible.

So even though I think no one connected with this entry excpet me are going to read it, I'm still going to post it. It's something to me that is worth mentioning.

However....

"I'm just glad I'm on your good side."

Comments

2006 Highlights

2007-01-14T12:27:01+01:00

So these are the good things that happened to me last year:

Greatest Achievement: Graduating in July

Best Month: August - a show I love so close to me for a whole month!

Best Day: hmmm not sure

Best Moment: Giving scrapbooks to Goodies on their final night in Edinburgh or meeting Martin on New Years Eve

Best Show: The Goodies Still Rule OK at Edinburgh

Best Gig: The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band at the Usher Hall, Edinburgh in November

Legends met: Richard Hughes (very very briefly in Norway), Neil Innes, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, Humphrey Littleton, Barry Cryer, Tony Hawkes, Roger Ruskin- Spear

Legends stood on: Ronnie Corbett (oops hehe how do you ask RC to move out of the way?)

Spotted: Jeremy Hardy, Max from Neighbours, the dude from Channel 4 who wears the Monkees T-shirts

Favourite Clue recording: The Sunderland or Halifax one

Holidays abroad: Seeing Keane in Oslo, Norway - my less than 24 hours holiday abroad in May

Holidays in same country: Definately the only one I really did; cycling round the Scottish Western Isles for a week or so - Isle of Mull; do it!

Gigs worth mentioning: The Fore in the Cavern and in Manchester, Keane in Oslo, The McCalmans, Neil Innes, Bonzos

Best Album: Keane - 'Under the Iron Sea' or The Beatles - 'Love'

Best Book purchased/ received - The Michael Palin Diaries
Best book read - 'Gone With the Windsors' - forgotten the author

And thats all I can think of for now

Comments

Sneaking Online

2006-12-15T15:50:57+01:00

Well it's not technically sneaking but I have done my first log in at the library... the Internet line was taken out just 6 and a half hours ago. I would have been online sooner but I had things to do, people to see...

Anyway I have less than an hour to trawl round everysite I usually use and I've just logged onto facebook so I could be some time!

Hope you're all well.

Peej xxx

Comments

This is a Hoot!

2006-12-12T16:12:03+01:00

Christmas Lights you'll never believe

If you are up for a laugh you'll like these! Just beware, if you're at work turn the volume down.

Comments

How is Christmas less than 2 weeks away?

2006-12-12T13:28:19+01:00

When did that happen? I've been super quiet online over the last week *gasp*.

It started out that I got slightly addicted to Sims 2 - it's great therapy and then I started setting up families with characters based on various men I like (one can dream I guess) so I have a neighbourhood called 'Cricklewood' where lives about 10 Peej's with a variety of husbands. There should be 11 but I accidentally electrocuted myself whilst fixing a dishwasher... you live and learn or in that Sims' case you don't. So I recommend Sims 2 as a great game.

What went on from there was the fact that I start a job this week and I found out about a week and a half ago! So I have been busy all week doing jobs in preparation for Christmas and then things I wanted to get done in advance.

Also BT are in the middle of screwing up our change to broadband so it's looking like I may not get online properly before Christmas... I don't think I'll know how to cope! Well having a job will help.

So here I am sat at the desk with 101 jobs to do, my Gran is staying with us for one more night and I need to keep her entertained. I need to decorate my fake Christmas tree as well. I wish we had some colder weather just to help me into the Christmas spirit. Dad put up the outdoor lights last night which has helped.

It was good to briefly see my older sis and her husband last week - I doubt they read this but if they do - it was good to catch up a bit. They have been living in Canada for the last 5 years or so.

Christmas falls on a Monday this year which is nice so I have a party the Friday before, collect the turkey first thing next morning, have Christmas Eve on a Sunday and a relaxing Monday and recovering Tuesday. I'll probably work Wednesday to Friday, go to Sheffield to stay with my cousin on the Saturday (via Newcastle to meet up with Ruud and Beebs hopefully) and then New Year in Sheffield followed by a recovery day on Jan 1st and Jan 2nd (being a holiday in Scotland *phew*) returning to Scotland ready for work on the 3rd. Sounds good to me so it'll be next year before I get online at this rate! Scary stuff.

Edited to finish Blog entry:

I've lost my train of thought now, I blame Grant at the JobCentre; I knew I'd scored there. I think I even wrote about a month or a half ago that I'd definately been chatted up and sure enough he phoned this morning at 8.40am and yes I was fast asleep in bed not endearing me to him at all. So I groggily said I'd think about the job... that's a work type job obviously not any other kind - wash your minds out! I thought he'd forgotten. Well he was very sweet anyway and I was quite sad to phone up and decline the job later on. It might have been fun but I'm committed elsewhere.

Anyway so my Gran has been staying and it's really sad to see her getting older. I have some great memories of my granny and to see her forgetting things and staggering around poor granny. She's at my aunt's for Christmas this year which'll be nice for her if she can stand my two younger cousins!

We took my gran home today; weather was atrocious! Especially on the way back; it was really windy (over 70mph!) and rainy, we passed a nasty accident where a lorry had been blown over the road and hit a car. The fire engine had just arrived and there was definately someone still in the car because people had stopped and were talking to them. I really hope they come through ok.

We got home and after mentioning we were off to get our real live Christmas tree for this year; we didn't. Instead dad and I went to B&Q and then I introduced him to ASDA - oh what fun my life is.

Sad news to learn of was the death of Peter Boyle at 71. I'm not familiar with most of his work but he has always entertained me as the Monster from Mel Brooks' classic Young Frankenstein. I learned he was also a regular on 'Everybody Loves Raymond' (except me). You can read a little more by clicking here

And to almost finalise this post - I have the wisdom tooth pain from hell right now!

Ok my next challenge is to anyone who knows me and has my email address - I want a copy of your favourite/ band Christmas song.

Don't be worried if you don't hear from me over the next few weeks apart from Christmas, the BT saga has worsened (it's BT what do you expect?) and I could be offline for a while however I shall make use of the free Internet at my local library and log on when possible.

Thanks guys

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to one and all xxxxxxxxx

Comments

A Sad Post brought on by the nastiest email I have ever recieved.

2006-11-28T19:42:46+01:00

I recently fell out with a friend - there were reasons and I won't go into it here but it is the friend I mentioned below in earlier entries.

Anyway said friend owes me £80 which to me is a lot of money; it was supposed to arrive by this weekend at the latest and nothing came so I emailed to ask when I expected the money and the reply I recieved was incredibly unbelievable.

I normally wouldn't make things like this public but I am SOOO angry that I don't care because as usual she's the victim and I've been the worst effing bitch ever- well sod it. Three nice people don't stop talking to you for no reason and I've had enough of being treated like crap.

Her email bits are in bold and I've added comments after each point.

1. You’re perfectly right, I do have a full-time job. One that is extremely stressful and your harassment doesn’t help matters. I would appreciate it greatly if you refrained from emailing me at work when I have other things that take up the majority of my time here. As if I’ve not been hurt enough by you. Your complete lack of respect and total ingratitude for the last five years of friendship we’ve had together has completely broken my heart more than anything else ever has done. I do mean that, I am not being melodramatic. Think what you like.

It's funny how this job was never that stressful when she sent 20+ emails a day a few months ago.

Along with the words 'ravage' and 'ravish' (and the difference between them) she needs to add the word 'harassment' to her dictionary check up list. I have been very patient with her and have not gotten in touch with for a couple of weeks in any way. But that's her - being melodramatic as usual. I only emailed to ask when I would see my money as I need it.

She needs to think about her complete selfishness and lask of respect of people before she accuses me of it. I have plenty of friends and certainly don't need her. Don't they say you can measure a person by their friends? We have had some great times and I did have some great memories but she's tarnished them for ever now.

>>> The second point is private as it about financial stuff - she needs to learn about money; it's not always there to spend sadly.

3. You will get your money WHEN I have it AFTER everyone else has been paid off and not a moment before. I will send XXX a cheque at the same time as I send yours. I would send you two post dated cheques for 22 December but to be honest I don’t think you’d have the decency to not attempt to cash them before the date of the cheque. I want you out of my life just as much as you want me out of yours. It is a concern. You and XX should have your money by Christmas.

Where does she think she has that right to tell me like this when I will expect the money. I wouldn't have minded if she has said 'I'm sorry I couldn't pay you before Sunderland will the 22nd December be alright?'. And why the hell would she think I'd try and cash a cheque that isn't authorised till the 22nd December- it wouldn't go through and plus I'd be aware that it would bounce if I tried that.

Believe me I've wanted this person out of my life for a long long time.

4. Manners cost nothing. I would’ve thought you of all people would have known that.

Said person needs to learn some manners because of the way I have seen her treat some people.

5. Don’t bother replying because I won’t read it. I have completely had enough of you. Stop it. Leave me alone. Please. This whole debacle has made me extremely ill and I can’t take any more of it.

Pathetic. I believe she is scared of the home truths I could email back to her.

I don't believe anyone should be treated like this - she owes me the money and I wanted to (rightly) know where it was - how am I supposed to know it is due in December when I've been told November?

Sorry guys - I needed to vent.

Comments

A VERY Good Weekend

2006-11-28T17:43:44+01:00

Highlights:

Friday -

I met up with K in her old Edinburgh flat; memories of spending most of August there. Bus to Edinburgh and then breakfast in Frasers lasting from 11am - 1pm(!) because we were chatting and not realising how quickly time was going. We then passed the Assembly Rooms on George street to get lunch at BHS. The ARs were dead and it seemed completely wrong- K and I got a little nostalgic and stood in the queue again and even re-enacted a certain TBT wave given to us at our 5th visit to the show.... *sigh* memories.

We did a little shopping and met some of Ks friends for an afternoon coffee before heading to my house. Out for tea with my mum and dad followed by a Mahor Discussion with Jess till 2.30am! Cor we were knackered.

Saturday -

Up to Edinburgh again to meet some of Ks friends for lunch which was great. More browsing/shopping including a recovery coffee at John Lewis' to accompany the ibruprofen to help the headaches - it was like we had a hangover!

Dropped into Tescos to pick up a random chinese dinner and some popcorn!

Got home; chatted to Jess then had tea and watched Goodies episodes - Ecky Thump will definately never be the same again "Amazing!... amazing!".

Sunday-

Yes The Sunday. Finally. We were a little late setting off and went via ASDA to buy a picnic tea for later. Got to Newcastle and jumped on a Metro to Central station to meet Jess. Her train was late - what a surprise. Just as everything was going so well. However not too late and we were able to get on a Metro to Sunderland and arrive there by 3.40pm!

Got to Travelodge ok - cheap rooms but suited for our purposes! We set up Ks laptop and prepared to watch more Goodies with a cup of tea. Following the tea was a Jack Daniles and coke/ Archers and Lemonade/ Lemonade depending on whether you were K/ Peej / Jess.

General getting ready, eating tea, drinking drinks and watching Goodies ensued till about 6.45pm when we decided to go to the Empire Theatre (about 5 mins away).

ISIHAC - won't go into details because it'll spoil it for you guys! It was being filmed for the South Bank (not Park hee hee) Show who are doing a special on Humph

Everyone was on form tonight and Tim reminded me more of a nuaghty schoolboy than ever! Hee hee rude!

After the show we met Humph - who was lovely; he signed a piece of paper for me and Jess took photos. Then the lads all emerged at once...

More to follow on that later on - promise

Back at the hotel we carried on watching the Goodies and chatting. However 3 or 4 times the fire alarm went off for about 10 seconds and we weren't sure whether to leave the room or not and as no one else on the floor seemed inclined to we didn't. But it wasn't long before the alarm went off properly and after waiting a little before even sticking our heads out of the door, we finally left and it did turn out to be an official fire alarm. About 20 mins later we returned to our room - there wasn't a fire but an adjoining night club had a smoke machine and the smoke had been somehow getting into the hotel to set the alatms off - must happen quite often - I'd find it really annoying.

Anyway so we chatted till about 2am when K realised we had ordered breakfast at 8am and went off to her room to sleep and me and Jess got ready for bed were we then chatted till about 4am before agreeing that sleep might be a good idea.

Jess's alarm awoke us at 8am and we ignored it... twice. It wasn't till K knocked on the door that we realised we couldn't avoid getting up.

Monday -

Sad day this; we had quite a nice breakfast; chatted till about 9.30am and then left the hotel at 10am to get the Metro to Newcastle Central Station.

We saw K onto her train and then we all stood on the platform chatting before k boarded the train and Jess and I waved her off.

Then Jess and I waited for her train and I waved her off. All alone *sniff* no Goodies related show to look forward to *sniff* *sniff* buggar.

Metro-d to my car; intercepted my gran who was out shopping and spent a couple of hours with her then drove home to listen to the first Clue from London. Was completely knackered - will have to listen to the show again to realise what happened. "Watched" Wallace and Gromit with mum and dad but fell asleep during most of 'A Close Shave" - went to bed dead early to begin recovery.

Tuesday -

Started a Pilates class.

Comments

Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band - Usher Hall, Edinburgh 13th November 2006

2006-11-21T18:59:58+01:00

This is just the majority of my recollections - I want to write a better review but finding the time to do this is proving difficult. Enjoy this for the moment!

_______________________________________

I had my ticket booked since July (I think) and my desire to go long before then and finally November came round. My friend Jess was also going to a Bonzo show at Manchester two days after me. In the week before the concerts we were both reading the amazing reviews that were coming in. No one had anything negative to say and these reviews weren't just 'it was good/ excellent' but people were saying 'this was f**king awesome' as no other adjective was strong enough to explain their joy of the concert!

Here are some notes I made the morning after that you can have a read of...

_______________________________________

Got to Usher Hall around 7pm - was completely exhausted from "Christmas shopping" (I was actually walking the length of Princes Street and George Street several times holding parents shopping!) and I went straight to the merchandise stall (what a surprise).

Dad bought a 3 DVD set on the Bonzos and I splashed out on a £10 special - containing the best tourbook I have ever read, a 2007 calendar (guess who Mr September is!), a really expensive looking keyring, a mug and a poster. I was chuffed - bargain hunting is a hobby of mine. Yvonne Innes (Neil's wife) served me and noticed my egowarriors badge and we had a very brief chat about Alnwick. The merchandise stall was busy which was great!

So then we went into the Usher Hall and it was packed! I would say they were about 300 -400 seats short of a sell out! Thinking about this there may have been Health and Safety reasons because there were two follow spot-lights on either side of the upper circle and seats near those weren't filled. There was a silly couple about two rows ahead who never showed up but that was fine by me as I had a better view! We were 7 rows from the front on Neil's side.

They were about 15 mins late in starting and I really wish I had a setlist. Jess asked me earlier if I could pick a favourite song and I really can't! They were all amazing. Cool Britannia was a great opening and the energy just rolled from there - and there was a hottie in the house band called David Catlin - Birch (Paul from the Bootleg Beatles) who was excellent; he wasn't quite a special guest but he was more than a house band member. He sang songs like By A Waterfall, Sport (The Odd Boy) and others - my mind is flying. He was very hot as well...

--- I am shallow sometimes sorry I'm only 22 ----

Adrian Edmunson came into the crowd as Mr Slater's Parrot and picked on some poor girl in the front row *phew* I wasn't sitting there! He was chased off by Phil Jupitus who was brandishing a digerie doo (sp?) like a pea shooter. The intro to Trouser Press was great with Phil heckling Legs from the grand circle balcony and everyone boo-ing him! Phil also climbed over seats during Canyons of Your Mind and got about 8 rows in to where this poor girl was desperately trying to escape him! I love that they not only encouraged the audience to join in songs but actually brought the show into the audience! Roger started it all off (I think) by making a girl rub his leg!

They did Equestrian Statue (mum and I had been singing it all day) with Sam Spoons on his 'horse' galloping over the stage and then being encouraged by David who first fed the horse a lump of sugar and then Sam Spoons a lump. Urban Spaceman was fantastic and Mr Apollo simply rocked! It was amazing; it really was.

Roger and his (I presume) sons Tim and Justin were having a great night - Roger is like Tim Brooke- Taylor; you could be forgiven for thinking he's a schoolboy! Roger was desperate to do his trumpet solo all night and the 'Trumpet Wardens' came on and escorted him off several times. The Deux Calapsos appeared on stage as well.... I think Legs was actually wearing some thick looking tights - they were definately skin tight!

Rodney forgot his chicken clarinet solo during Pink Half of the Drainpipe - oops! Neil had to repeat 'Rodney will now do his...' Was funny though Rodney was like 'woops sorry everyone!' and then did it. Rodney was great rocking along and he is so talented; he must have played at least 6 different instruments!

Vernon on his musical saw singing 'Fallink in Luff again' classic - everyone was cheering so much he held up a sign saying 'control yourselves' - he held it up again at the very end of the concert when everyone was standing and cheering.

Bob Kerr was great as well - Little Sir Echo - he brought out a sign with 'hello' written on it saying "Please join in and say the word on the sign when I hold it up" So we did and then he forgot to hold it up and we all sang hello at the right spot anyway and he said 'you've been here before!' hee hee.

Legs was great throughout the show - he had been asked to sing Jollity Farm but didn't seem to know the words well and Neil took the piss when he said 'that's a funny sounding bird' after Legs fluffed. Woops! He also had some good tap dancing moves during Hello Mabel.

Sam Spoons on the electric spoons... enough said. He is a cutlery weilding hero! He was fantastic during the Moster Mash - you can see him in action on a DVD but you don't know the power till you see it in real life! He's amazing. He was hilarious as well knitting during one of the songs, drawing something on the bass drum skin (I couldn't see what) and changing animal masks during Jollity Farm and a hundred other things I will probably remember later.

I'm sure there's someone I haven't mentioned yet...

Ahh yes Neil! He was ace as usual! He was in top form and kept starting songs, stopping and re-setting the microphones or stage for various people! Hee hee. He also helped out Roger with his broken leg - when he plays the Theramin Leg aka The Leg; it had broken in Liverpool and he and Neil needed to get it to settle! Gosh. Neil broke a guitar string during Mr Apollo and affected a guitar change as soon as - when he started playing on the new guitar he had one of the levels set too high which gave the audience and Phil Jupitus a shock (Phil hadn't noticed the guitar change!). Neil just rocked completely!

They did a version of Intro & Outro to end the show and Neil introduced everyone to the whole band and at the end of it someone yelled something about Vivian Stanshall and Neil replied 'it's all for Viv' with his arm raised in a Bill Eckythump salute - it was lovely. The minute's cacophany for Viv and Dennis as well was something - I will never hear anything like that again! A fitting tribute.

At the end, the guys left the stage and the audience was mostly (inc. me and mum and dad) on our feet clapping and cheering and they came back to do the Head Ballet which was a hoot! They seemed to get it wrong at one point and I'm never sure if it's deliberate or not but Bob Kerr definately forgot to something because he laughed and mouthed 'I forgot' to Rodney next to him. It was excellent and then they performed a song I hadn't heard before that I now know to be 'Busted'.

A vast majority of people were on their feet at the end of the song and Tim and Justin [Spear] came on dressed as Policemen to escort the band off; they all stood in a huddled group on stage right looking sorry for themselves before Vernon started 'Silent Night' (I think it was) on the Musical Saw and everyone joined in singing. Excellent.

If only the night could have gone on and if only I could have afforded to go to Manchester or the London gigs... it was amazing!

After the gig we met Roger in the foyer - he was waiting for a cab to take him to the train station. He very kindly signed my poster for me and then we hung around the foyer a bit as everyone else seemed to be before the Theatre Manager sent us (about 10 people) to the stage door round the left of the building and about 10 mins later a (quite fit) guy sent us to the band exit on the other side of the building!

We waited till about 11pm but it was freezing and no one else appeared. The fit guy appeared again and apologised because there was a party on that he hadn't known about and it wouldn't finish till gone midnight. So we went home. It rocked.

I'm so lucky to have had a chance to see them live!

On the way home we listened to the Bonzo Outro Cornology CD which I'd picked up for £5 at HMV earlier so I was a very happy Peej!

I can't stop singing Hunting Tigers now (even though they didn't perform it) and I love 'By A Waterfall' - lovely!

___________________________________

Further Notes:

* Neil asked for people to turn off mobile phones and suddenly we heard a traditional phone bell ring- lo and behold Roger's "mobile phone" had gone off and his next gadget the "Rowmonium" arrived.

* Classic quote - on stage in Edinburgh Bob Kerr says "I'm now going to do something none of you can do" and promptly lights a cigarette on stage.

*'Jass, Delicious Hot, Disgusting Cold' - excellent; I never knew Ade Edmunson could play the trumpet (apparently neither did he)... Ade said he's been practising the trumpet and learnt to play both valves now, Roger pointed out to him there were three valves... Ade was excellent though.

* Classic quote 2- Neil Innes: "This next song is so old it's from a time when 'gay' meant 'cheerful'"

* Ade Edmunson holding the end note of 'My Pink Half of the Drainpipe' for long after the band had finished playing - Neil: "A new record there Ade!"

* They did 'Rockaliser Baby'

* David C-B lead the singing for 'The Odd Boy (Sport)' with some good supporting actions during the chorus (I find myself doing them now); Ade read the letter and Phil suggested the nice cold shower.

* Plenty of explosions, fireworks and exciting lighting.

* The entire band went still in the middle of a song for about 5 - 10 seconds and then carried on as though nothing had happened - excellent control but no idea which song.

* Legs sang Monster Mash

* Sam Spoons was knitting during a song (possibly Sport) and at the end help up a scarf and chanted "Enger-land!" and promptly got booed by the largely Scottish audience; me, mum and dad kept quiet.

* Legs tap danced during 'Hello Mabel'

* 'Big Shot' - Phil Jupiyus sat stage left at a table pouring drinks while the 'Big Shot' intro was repeated with Neil going 'pssst' to Phil before taking him the microphone and restarting the song - staged.

* A selection of Ruskin-Spear inventions: The Rownmonium for 'My Brother Makes the Noises for the Talkies' and his Robots 1. - male and did Edward Heath impressions and blew bubbles; 2. female - alternately lit up its face and boobs to stripper music; 3. Had foam bursting out of its head! Originals from 60s.

* Neil possibly did the Twist (the dance) during 'Cool Brittania' - he did at Manchester but I was so busy trying to take everything in I can't remember.

* Sam Spoons juggled his boxes and one stuck to the front of his dungarees during one song. During another song he was building a tower with them and couldn't reach to get the third brick on top so climbed on a chair (provided) to put the third brick on - you had to be there sorry. His spoon weilding was amazing!

*turns hand scribbled page over and realises there are MORE notes - it was the most visual and musical fulfilling show I have ever been to*

* Legs - as Mr Wonderful told us a story about flying in from Vegas and was being chauffeured when the driver stopped the limo and told him to wind down the wondow. Legs did and looked and saw a dead fox on the pavement (road for non- americans ). He knows the fox is dead because half it's head is smashed in, there's a condom tied round it's tail and there was an empty pizza box and a pen in it's paw. On the pizza box the fox had written it's last words: "God Bless America"

* Legs (again) after tap dancing on 'Hello Mabel' is heckled from the grand circle (Phil Jupitus) and Legs leaves the stage to "sort him out". Legs arrives at the Grand Circle and "punches" the heckler to the ground before finishing him off by throwing him over the balcony from a rope (don't worry Phil is ok; it was a dummy).

* Roger; ended with a bum note on his theramin Leg i.e. he stood on a chair and waved his bum over the leg to produce the note. My dad missed his calling - he should have been a Bonzo.

* Ade had a truncheon which he would hit Roger with if he tried to do a trumpet solo

* At the end of Mr Slater's Parrot; Phil Jupitus "hit" Ade Edmuson (dressed as parrot) with a blow dart (or similar) and Ade shouted "Ouch! Is there a vet in the house?" Before quitting the stage quickly... apparently there was one towards the back of the stalls.

* The bass player in the house band returned on stage during the encore (I think) dressed as a Gorilla - alluding to the Bonzo album entitled 'Gorilla'?

* Phil Jupitus made a joke of catching Sam Spoons sniffing a line of Horlicks.

* Edinburgh gave the Bonzos three standing ovations of which me and my folks particapiated in all. My dad doesn't usually do things like that so he must have REALLY enjoyed the night - excellent!
___________________________________

A pat on the back to you if you have gotten this far! One last thing is the set list:

1st half:
Cool Britannia
By a waterfall
My brother makes the noises for the talkies
I'm bored
Look at me I'm wonderful/I left my heart in San Francisco
Monster mash
Falling in love again
Jazz, delicious hot, disgusting cold
Noises for the leg
Mr Slater's parrot
Big shot
Hello Mabel
The sound of music
Rockaliser baby
Tent

2nd half:
We are normal / robots
What do you do?
The strain
Equestrian statue
Jollity Farm
(Heckler)
Trouser press
Little Sir Echo
Rhinocratic Oaths
Sport
Mr Apollo
Keynsham
My pink half of the drainpipe
Monster mash
Urban spaceman
Canyons of your mind
The intro and the outro

Encore:
Music for the head ballet
Busted

And finally:

Phil Jupitus' Bonzo Tour Diary - be warned it gets very teary in the last entry.

I had a FANTASTIC night - I can't recommend it enough - it really is the best show I have ever been to. I am sad right now that there is the prospect of never seeing the Bonzos as a band again but I hope they may do a couple more shows in the future- they are absolute legends - all of them.

Comments

A Weekend of Not Much

2006-11-20T11:27:50+01:00

So on Friday night I sat down and made a huge list of everything I wanted to do including two nights at Shepherd's Bush seeing the Bonzo Dogs and a day in Manchester seeing friends Jess and Carrie and a chance at meeting Tim and Graeme again and also Shane Rimmer and a few other peeps. But if I got to do everything I wanted life would be far too easy!

Friday evening was spent chatting to Jess on MSN while I downloaded a load of Neil Innes songs from his website - sweet. I also found some clips from shows like Rutland Weekend TV, Innes Book of Records and Puddle Lane (- I still vaguely remember this) and watched them. Neil Innes is my music idol - he is an excellent word-smith and writes some cracking tunes! So talented as well...

I also chatted to a school friend I hadn't spoken to in ages who got me hooked onto Facebook - thanks Tayo!

Saturday morning was spent cleaning my bedroom - I had been writing words in the dust all week and thought I don't need this. I still need to hoover but everytime I try the cat is asleep on my bed and I haven't the heart to move her! I'm such a softie.

Saturday afternoon was a mixture of Sudoku, reading and cleaning in preperation for my friend Kirstyn coming to stay on Thursday. I'm reading a very good book at the moment called 'Gone with the Windsors' by Laurie Graham. It's the fiction diary of Maybell Brumby friend of the famous Wallace Simpson (a divorcee) who married Edward Windsor (Prince of Wales) in 1930s and he abdicated because of the law saying he couldn't be King and be married to a divorcee.

It's quite funny really because the "friendship" between Maybell and Wallace reminds me a lot of a friendship I had with someone - I'm glad it's in the past now.

Saturday evening after dinner I was determined not to be jealous of everyone at Shepherd's Bush that night so I borrowed my folks' DVD of the Astoria 40th Anniversary Gig of the Bonzo Dogs and watched it - I'd had a bit of wine by this point; not much but enough to make me dance to a few of the songs... I'm sad! *sigh* I really hope the Bonzos do a few more gigs next year - it really was the most amazing concert ever - I don't think anything can possible beat it!! By the way; there is a review coming; I started writing it the other night and the computer duffed up and lost it but I will post one later on I hope.

Sunday... slept in. Had a bizarre dream involving a lot of drummers (Richard, Shave, Simon) and non- drummer David Catlin-Birch... it was very weird. Dad was weeding the garden when I got up so I read my book - there was talk of bacon rolls for breakfast so I waited. While I waited I checked my email, played 4 sudoku games, read a lot of the book, did various jobs around the house, fed the cats, put laudry on... basically it was about 2pm before we got breakfast!

I wrapped my sister's Christmas present - she lives in Canada and is coming over in just over a week with her husband so I was being prepared for them! I also made their gift tag (aren't I nice?).

I dyed my hair in the evening and would you believe it I've gone a bit darker! Grrr. I'm so scared of making my hair too bright a blonde that I picked up a darker shade. It doesn't look bad or anything but I definately suit it a bit lighter. Never mind; it's better than the time I got it so wrong I went a gingery blonde.

In the evening after dinner and helping mum and dad think of Christmas gift ideas we watched 3 episodes of Not the 1948 Show - classic! I thne caught up with this week's Torchwood. Am bored of the focus on Gwen let's have a bit more Captain Jack please!

So now it's another Monday morning and I'm filling out job applications and hoping I get something better than the Tesco job I applied for over the weekend (Customer Service Assistant 10PM to 7AM!!) It's all money I guess and at least I can live a little without being worried about money. Plus if I'm asleep all day and working all night apart from being a vampire I'll save some money! Hee hee.

Things to look forward to this week: Kirstyn coming to stay, meeting up with Jess, I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue recording in Sunderland (yes Sunderland! hee hee) and some Christmas shopping.

Oh and the first of the two giant Hypermarkets is opening today. ASDA and Tesco have taken over Galashiels and are within a 2 minute walk of each other; both oversized and apparently to service the whole of the Borders! Could have done with Tesco moving to a different town because Gala is certainly not the focus of the Borders and I prefer ASDA to Tesco to be honest. Shall go and see what George has to offer at the new ASDA today.

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WOW! I never thought this would happen!

2006-11-14T15:20:57+01:00

I have seen the most amazing show ever!!!!

The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band's 40th Anniversary Tour in Edinburgh last night!

A show unlike any other - if you're around Manchester or London and read this while tickets are on sale well you should be going! It was amazing! If I could, I would be there - this is just amazing!

Neil Innes, Roger Ruskin Spear, Rodney Slater, Bob Kerr, Vernon Dudley Bohay Nowell, Legs Larry Smith and Sam Spoons with special guests Adrian Edmunson and Phil Jupitus and also David Catlin - Birch ('Paul' from the Bootleg Beatles), who was slightly more than house band but not exactly a special guest!

It's a fantastic experience guarenteed to please you visually and musically! Entertaining as only the Bonzos know how...

Right, advert over!

Review to follow later when I've had time to delve into the Canyons of my Mind and calm down.

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Chit Chat

2006-11-11T16:12:55+01:00

I've been quite chatty on here this month...

There are times when I forget I have this blog! I've always been rubbish at keeping a diary - I was looking through some files from my laptop and found several starts at a diary. They all lasted about 4 days (with gaps).

So apart from long random messages what else have I been up to this week?

Well Dad has been in America so it's been me and Mum all week. We went to a market near Kelso on Sunday 5th and bought bird seed, bacon and buns and came home to our first bacon bun of the week! We came home did a few household things and in the evening I watched Torchwood and caught up with all that.

Monday... we went to try and buy a table from a pine shop that was closing down - not much luck; we left our phone number. Then we went to the Jedburgh woollen mill and picked up a bargain in paper and card for craft purposes. After a brief look round Jedburgh we headed to Teviot Smokery for a cappucino and scone (mmmn) and then via a new garden centre and a scenic drive round Bowden and Melrose we went home.

That was about the highlight.

I got my haircut on Tuesday - I was a bit nervous after the last time I wasted money on a haircut but I was at a new place and the girl did a great job - short (but not too short) with layers! She also complimented me on the amazing condition of my hair.

The rest of the week is a bit of a blur I know I've filled in a fair few job application forms - not heard much back; am waiting for some more deadline dates to come.

Dad came back on Friday 10th and mum picked him up bright and early. He came home and we had a bacon bun (ooh mum and mine's 4th of the week?!) and he went to settle to a little work while mum and I nipped out to a local continental market. It looked great and we decided Dad had to go today so we took him along. Sadly the weather was appalling and a lot of the stalls were absent however we'll try and catch the fair in Lauder (I want another Brezel!).

This weekend will be spent in a mixture of job applications, doing things round the house and getting ready for a trip to Edinburgh (half job hunting and half looking for Christmas presents). Bonzos in the evening! Yay.

Have a good weekend!

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My Mum is Officially Embarrassing

2006-11-10T15:24:54+01:00

I always thought it would be my Dad - he has a habit of embarrassing me in front of people I admire but my mum has beaten him.

An example of Dad embarrassing:

We [mum, dad and I] went to a book signing for a new book about the Goodies - Tim, Graeme and Robert Ross [author] were doing the signing. Now I had been to see the Goodies a few time (mum and dad thought it was 3 times *cough*) so dad was very chuffed when Tim recognised me (Tim was playing it cool luckily - thanks Tim!).

At the book signing, I went to the guys first (because I knew them said mum) and my mum and dad followed me. All was going well I said hello, how are you? Got mine and Kirstyn's books signed and went to wait for mum and dad slightly away from the table. I was doing fine till I saw dad chatting to Tim and pointing at me! EEK! How embarrassing; I was desperate to keep a low profile and dad was making it worse! I survived though.

Mum's Embarrassing Scene:

The Neil Innes gig in Alnwick. Neil used to play the magician in a TV adaptation of the Puddle Lane books (go on, who remembers them?). I vaguely remember the TV show but I do remember the books although I think my younger cousins inherited them.

My mum once told me it was the only children's show she used to enjoy watching with me when I was little to roughly quote her "The children would watch for the show and the mum's watched for Neil Innes." Dear me! Not that I blame them, he was very handsome!

Anyway, back to September and I was meeting Neil for the first time; I was very nervous and a bit shy (went quiet) but I was in the queue and got to meet him very quickly; he was an absolute gent and lovely! Mum and dad love him as well. After I thanked him for my autograph I scuttled away to my parents (where I heard my dad saying to Neil that 'they were responsible for me' - liking his music? Cause it certainly wasn't in organising the gig; I bought those tickets!). It may not sound embarrassing but it's the way he says it!

So the embarrassment of that was enough for me to block out anything else and this part of the story emerged a few days ago. My mum said to Neil;
"She was thinking of bringing her Puddle Lane books along to be signed."

*jaw drops* Oh my god! How could she say that to him? I'm glad I was blanking out what they were saying - I could be over-reacting but it's a bit embarrassing!

Parents! Can't take them anywhere. (I love 'em though)

So we're off to see the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band (Neil is a member) on Monday and I hope she doesn't say anything else!

Websites to look at if you likes this post:

Neil Innes' Website

The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band Tour Website

A Puddle Lane Website

Puddle Lane on Wikipedia

The Goodies

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Keane

2006-11-09T23:14:01+01:00

I have a healthy interest in Keane - I love their music, I believe they are the only band in my top 20 that I loved the music of first as opposed to seeing what they looked like and checking out the music... their looks were an added bonus.

Where was I? Oh yes Keane's music is great. I'm not going to go into a huge message about how everyone should think Keane's music is great because we're all different and it would be pointless but if you're open to music and haven't heard Keane - check them out.

I had a point to this message and I can't remember it was...

The whole Liam Gallagher (who made him Mr Opinion?) drug thing on Pete Doherty and Tom from Keane - I'm not going into right now.

The whole disappointment on the American video for 'Nothing In My Way' because it's a recycled video I shall go into later...

For now it's...

Keane: Items For Sale!

So I logged onto their website to see how the UK tour was doing and was amused to hear that among their tour merchandise, they were selling... shower curtains. After I got over my bafflement I was very amused; unusual and innovative I thought. I wonder who came up with the idea and I did toy with the thought of buying one in the hope that I'll at some point be using a shower that requires a curtain... I'll wait till I have money to waste, although I hope it's part of their current artwork - the idea of Tom, Tim and Richard watching me take a shower is a bit eerie. Mum made me remove my copy of Q magazine from the bathroom because she found it too weird.

Further to this story, I just logged onto 'Rag and Bone' which is Keane's online shop. Now I'm not holding the band personally responsible for what is sold on it because I don't think they are but the stock has suddenly expanded from the usual t-shirts. I love the latest artwork by Sanna Annukah (must check the spelling), if I remember rightly it is Swedich folk art and it is so unusual I love it. Keane have great taste in their art.

So new potential purchases on Rag and Bone... The Ice Queen Minidress (bonus points for wearing it a gig?), the 'Temptress' Tee (that's encouraging!), the 'Whale Vest' which is so named because of the whale image on it but sounds funny.

In the misc. section I have, however, found things I want like the Keane vinyl bag (£18) which would be great for when I start a new job to carry everything in. The Tote bag (£10) is cool as well - I have one but it has silver bats on and I feel stupid using it when it isn't Hallowe'en, there's a good looking book (£10) about the making of ( - I love behind the scenes; I find it fascinating). The shower curtain (£25) has an image of fish on it but I'm still not buying it right now but I do like the poster (£5) so there's £42 (+ p&p) I could spend easily.

Nice stuff on there... check it out.

Next ramble please!

The Recycled 'Nothing In My Way' US Video

Keane* sent through a note saying their American video for their new single 'Nothing In My Way' had been uploaded to their myspace site and I went along to watch it having not seen their 'Crystal Ball' video.

Now I really enjoyed the video; I got caught up in it and felt it really worked with the song (and yes I may have felt a bit sniffly at the end because the video subject ended up with no identity).

TO BE FINISHED TOMORROW NIGHT!

*When I use Keane here, I really mean whoever it is who sends out the emails etc.

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Monday 30th October 2006: Pink Footed Geese at Aberlady Bay

2006-11-05T17:47:23+01:00

On Monday I accompanied my parents to Aberlady Bay which is a little South of Edinburgh (down the A1) to see the pink footed Geese (Anser brachyrhynchus) fly into the bay for the night. It's very famous as there are thousands and thousands of geese who fly from some of the local farmer’s stubble fields to roost for the night.

The geese migrate from Greenland, Iceland and Svalbard to the north of Norway (where they breed) to locations round Scotland (and the UK I believe) in September and October and one of the main locations for the geese in Aberlady Bay. The geese tend to spread out from their migration areas in around January time and spread out more to other areas before returning east to their breeding areas in April.

So, on Monday afternoon we made the journey to Aberlady. We wanted to arrive slightly before dusk as the geese only leave the fields to returning to their 'sleeping areas' (not technical I know).

It was quite dark when we arrived as it wasn't a particularly pleasant day and we worried we might have missed the geese, however we were in luck. We walked less than a mile and found an old concrete anti- tank device left from World War 2 upon which we could rest our binoculars on while we waited for the geese.

It was a bitterly cold evening and very windy however it was completely worth it as the geese started to arrive after a 15 minute or so wait. About 1000 arrived and we watched them settle near an oil tanker berthed in the bay.

There was a longer wait as a few gaggles arrived and we spotted 4 deer (they soon swelled to 6) enjoying the tide being out. We enjoyed watching the lights illuminating the bay as the sky grew darker and darker and we were able to see cars on the Firth of Forth. Edinburgh Castle looked imposing on the horizon in contrast to the dry ski-slope that I had never known about.

The long wait we endured (it was very windy) was worth it as well over 5000 geese arrived in waves from the south. In the poor light you could only hear the geese before looking the vague direction of them and noticing the sheer number of geese flying in. It was unbelievable to conceive that so many geese even exist and there I was seeing proof! At one point I looked out to where the geese were settling and it looked like there was a long pontoon stretching for miles and miles across to a small island in the bay.

Even when we finally called it a day owing to the extreme cold and lack of light, there were still plenty of geese arriving in for the night. It was an unbelievable experience that I hope to repeat and if you’re in (or could travel to) the area I would advise wrapping up warm against the wind and to take your binoculars.

Information Source:

Arthur Grosset Pink Footed Geese

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I Promised This Would Be Cheerier

2006-11-02T22:47:05+01:00

And I deliver...

I'm currently listening to Keane doing a cover called 'Dirtylicious' which is a combination of Christina Aguilera's 'Dirty' and Destiny Child's 'Bootilicious' and it's great - you have to hear it to believe it!

Once again Keane deliver the goods and it is very well done. Go guys!

Glad to see Tom is doing so well for himself - go you! I really hope his good work continues - good luck. Won't get a chance to see them again till next year so fingers crossed! I'm still trying to work out if him engulfing my friend in his sweaty shirt last week at a gig was a good thing or not... hee hee

Was happily following the 31 hours the Keane Webmasters spent with Keane on tour and was chuffed to (finally!) have a question answered (how many people were turning up to the Brighton gig - 4500). Also nice to see ginger beer getting a considerable mention - most people hate it! Yes, I am odd.

On a more petty note, Richard is looking very hot with his beard - after a bad experience as a kid relating to a man with a beard I don't like them much (maybe explains why I'm not a Rolf Harris fan lol) but I'm growing out of that happily.

To further cheer me up, Newcastle Utd have just won for the first time on Italian soil despite most of our first team regulars being on the injury list and a 17 year old goalkeeper making his debut (good for him!). He must be very chuffed with himself!

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Slow life

2006-10-17T09:51:59+02:00

I have discovered another side affect to living in such a quiet area and having no life.

Apart from settling down to a life where I have no energy and I've started to lose my spark, I have re-discovered just how addictive ebay is. In fact I've been a bit crazy recently. Must stop.

I really need to get a job, some money and a life (in that order) because this is getting me down.

Don't get me wrong, I would move back to this area but only when I'm older, have money (and a family hopefully) and have a few more friends round-about.

It'll happen in time.

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This, that and the Other

2006-10-16T10:02:14+02:00

Sorry it's a stupid title.

I'm writing a job application letter today, well I have been all week. I found the most perfect job! It's basically like a kind of apprenticeship in a theatre production company based in Edinburgh. I would learn more about planning, organising, marketing, fundraising and other aspects of producing and touring theatre - WITH (and this is the important part) training and mentoring... and endless opportunities. Don't get me wrong, I value the endless opportunities but the training and mentoring would be a life support.

Here I am, not the most confident person in the world, stepping into the giant of a long- term career. Don't get me wrong, I'm not lazy and I can do the work it's just when I think about getting started it's like looking into a giant chasm and screaming "ARGHHHHHHHHHH!" To have such a support available to me for a first job is like having ropes, a light and a friend to descend into the chasm with.

So I REALLY want this job, I mean I really do and I'm fired up for it (although I'm usually more fired up about things like this but I think the Fear and also the quiet crap life I'm living at the moment is having an affect on my usual energy) but I can't seem to write the covering letter.

I have to basically say why I'm the right person for the job (and mention why the job is right for me) and use three highlights to back this up. However I feel I keep repeating myself and what I'm writing is rubbish so I keep starting again. Then I start to self-analyse myself and think I have no skills, nothing going for me and why the hell would anyone hire me in the first place? But that's silly because I'm not stupid and I have a lot going for me and I'm nice.

I think that my lack of experience in writing job application letters is getting to me a bit. But I shall persevere and make this the best letter I can possibly write.

Wish me luck!

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Theatre Advice Needed!

2006-10-07T22:58:03+02:00

I have finally decided a direction I would like to head into as a career and that is theatre.

I've been a big fan of theatre for years- I enjoy seeing shows and I love live performance and take an interest in the technical apsects. I did A-level Drama and Theatre Studies which would have been great if I hadn't been bullied but that's in the past now.

What was established was the fact that I can't act - well I can provided I'm with the right people and not being intimidated. I'm not a very confident actor (or person) but as I hate being the centre of attention this would explain it!

I was lucky (in my second year of study) to be able to focus on the technical aspects of theatre and specialised in lighting. I really enjoyed it. I lit several plays even in my first year when I wasn't studying the subject...

1. House plays

Basically my school (a posh one - but it was crap) split everyone into the imaginative 4 houses of red, blue, white (aka green) and orange; in year 12 I was red house leader (waay!). Every Christmas, the four houses put on plays as an end of term entertainment for the rest of the school. The year 12s produced these and as the red house leader you'd think I would have had some input but oh no one of the not so nice members of my house who was in my theatre studies class had edited down Othello and was going to produce a 20 minute version of it! I (and a few others) were booted out of the team so I defected to blue house where some of my best mates were putting together 'The Emporer's New Clothes' - perfect.

After a few creative differences (2 of my friends had a run of poor communication and misunderstandings), we finally had our script finalised and auditioned a really good set of actors.

From what I remember of the night...

Red House - edited Othello (very boring, not that good, bad atmosphere). The Director of the play thought it was bound to be a win because it's more of a challenging play (what with editing it down...)- arrogant or what?

White House - can't remember the play but it was harmless, didn't have anyone with an interest in theatre directing it, but nevertheless the play that was enjoyed more than Red House's... think it might have been a play called 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' which we studied two or three times in our school life. (I graciously lit/ guessed at lighting this play).

Orange House - a self written play that featured about 3 actors (other aspiring orange house actors had tried to join in with other houses). This play was written and directed (and I think starred) the most arrogant member of my Theatre Studies class and if there was an actual plot to the play it completely missed the entire audience who were bored out of their minds within 5 minutes. (I graciously lit this play - I was given my orders prior to the performance).

And finally Blue House - an adaptation of 'the Emporer's New Clothes' which was directed by two and two non- theatre studies students. Even though I was part of the production team I have to admit it featured some really good actors and there was such a good feeling about the whole rehearsal/ perfomance process. I lit this.

So it was a brilliant when blue house won! Yes we actually won! Other members of the TS class had looked down their noses at our inferior choice of play but hell let's face it, we thought about our audience and weren't trying to be too clever! Without sounding arrogant myself, we pretty much knew it was in the bag after the audience reaction to it. So that was my first lighting session.

2. Di Majorum Gentium

This was our 'coursework' play and my first official Lighting/ Technical Designer. This isn't a happy memory for me as it was where I was bullied the most. I was fighting a one man battle almost (I had support from one of my bestest friends who was in the TS class as well who didn't like the others much either), I was trying to build up my confidence and they were heartlessly knocking me at every given opportunity - even someone who wasn't part of the class joined in!

Anyway we were originally going to have a slideshow but owing to my school being inept, that was pulled out of the script (but guess who got the blame). I then concentrated on the lighting and acted as a sort of peacemaker when 2 certain arrogant group members got bossy and upset people who were helping us out of the kindness of their hearts. It wasn't a pleasant time.

The play was well recieved though and the lighting worked well (had this ace 'rainbow' light which I wanted (still do) which basically produced a rainbow of colours but had a gobo in it so it produced a pattern.

3. My Fair Lady

The school production where the drama department teamed up with the music department and produced this play in April of our final year and despite the teachers being the actual directors lo and behold there was a certain pair who took over. Never mind, me and my mate got to sit at the lighting desk and control that (or so we thought) actually it was quite fun because we were lighting novices and owed much to a cameraman from ITV who came and helped us loads - he said that we were in charge of the lighting and basically only the teachers could make lighting suggestions, the rest was up to us - score! So we got through that ok although some of the actors ignored directions and therefore when the spot came on, they didn't stand in it!

4. The Diary of Anne Frank

Our exam piece, complete with examiner! We adapted a play based on the Diary of Anne Frank and I lit it. I had to produce a lighting portfolio with what to me now seems like very basic points to cover - they didn't specify having a light plot or to cover Health and Safety or anything like that.

Basically I produced a portfolio that covered my research into various lighting options (involving several trips to a lighting shop near Newcastle - thanks guys!), and the devlopment of ideas - some that made the final performance and others that didn't. I also covered problems that arose and their solutions, health and safety and also the use of colours. I also (with the help of our ITV man who advised I do it) created a light chart - bonus points!

Anyway at the bequest of everyone we managed to secure an examiner and about 5 minutes before she arrived I had a mock presentation of my lighting portfolio where basically I just talked the examiner through it and she wasn't allowed to ask any questions. I was only supposed to spend ten minutes with her and 20 minutes later (it felt like 5 seconds) I emerged from the room - the worst bit was over!

Anyway I must have really impressed her because I only dropped 14 marks in that module!

That was pretty much it - the end of my stage lighting career. Since then I have lit (badly) a few video projects but to be honest they aren't very good as my team weren't lighting orientated and didn't take well to it (which sucked because it was part of the marking scheme).

I have regretted since my second year at uni, the fact that no one told me you could do degrees in stage lighting - I mean it's probably something I should have tried looking at but it's not something you necessary think about.

We had really crap careers advice at school and no-one ever sat me down and asked me what subjects I was doing, did I know what I wanted to do and if I was enjoying lighting so much, why didn't I do a degree in it? Instead I find out about it half way through my degree course when I'm feeling really disillusioned and it justs adds to the feeling of me wasting time and money, however I was over half way through my course and I couldn't change courses then... could I??

Now I've forgotten the point of this posting... see I just start rambling! Oh yes I was talking about theatre. I have to been to the theatre many times and see a whole wide range of productions (not just at theatres mind). I think the best production I have ever seen was the NTC's version of Moliere's Tartuffe - just amazing! I'll write what I can remember of it one day.

Anyway I went to the Edinburgh Festival in August and LOVED it - what an atmosphere. One show I went to in particular (a lot) re awoke the passion I have for theatre and live performance and now the more I think of it, the more I want to head into theatre in some direction.

I'm not sure what career paths you can have in theatre but I am currently on the look out for any advice people can offer me. Not neccessarily in the lighting department but on a managerial or organisational sort of role either at a theatre or in a production company... so if anyone reading this can offer any advice and/ or wisdom then I would be most greatful.

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