so that was January?

My pay is in the bank, so the month must be at an end, but where did it go?!  Between the horror of Gaza, the joy of the Obama Inauguration, two weeks off sick, the sad deaths of Tony Hart and Bill Frindall, the demise of Woolies, the worsening credit crunchy and subsequent difficulties for many, the announcement of the new runway at Heathrow,Chelsea imploding, teaching Pumpkin to sit up, exams for students,  Burns Night and getting the tax returns in on time at work, the month has flown by.

As for all the things I was going to achieve this month...bleh. I managed to get four pictures up on the walls, which is a start, but hardly dynamic.

So, can we start the year again? Please?!

250th Anniversary of Rabbie Burns' birth- start of The Homecoming

Shouldn't really let today go by without recording something. I'm not a huge fan of Burns the man- his morals left a lot to be desired, imho-but the 250th anniversary of his birth is the best marketing ploy the Scottish Government is likely to have for -well, presumably, another 250 years!

I do, however, enjoy his songs, especially the versions by Eddi Reader. Her voice is hauntingly beautiful. My current favourite is a song of unrequited love- written to one of the few women who refused to allow her relationship with Burns to go past the platonic stage, as she was married (but separated from her husband). After four years, she decided to attempt a reconciliation, and Burns wrote this.

Eddie Reader- Ae Fond Kiss.

Granny power...

I'm a Granny (actually, I prefer the English version, Nanny) although I do have a hard time comprehending this some days. My Nannies were old and wrinkled and opinionated and talked incessantly about how much better life was when they were children...oh, never mind....

ANYHOW, this Granny wins Granny of the month. Easily! 

just because....

I came across this quote today, and it made me think, and I wanted to share:

I didn't marry you because you were perfect. I didn't even marry you because I loved you. I married you because you gave me a promise. That promise made up for your faults. And the promise I gave you made up for mine. Two imperfect people got married and it was the promise that made the marriage. And when our children were growing up, it wasn't a house that protected them; and it wasn't our love that protected them—it was that promise.

- Thornton Wilder, from The Skin of Our Teeth

A lifetime's not too long to live as friends...

so the song goes anyway. At this time of year, I find my thoughts turn to friends. Christmas usually equals family, but New Year equals friends, for some reason. Maybe because in my young adulthood, new year celebrations were something I had more control over, and chose to spend with friends. Word arrived today that the funeral of a (not especially close, but still one nonetheless) friend is to take place tomorrow, and that has caused me to ponder anew  the power that is friendship.

I am blessed to have friends who put up with a lot. I am doubly blessed to have many friends who have endured much, one notable even going back to Primary School. Many date from secondary school and youth years. In my own case, transplanted from my home turf, the internet has been valuable in providing a reunion of sorts with many I hold dear. It's fascinating to try to work out what makes friendships tick. Why is it that we do not see certain people for years, but when we do, it's straight back into 'as if we've never been parted' mode?  Why do some friendships fall into the 'no explanations necessary' category, and others are hard work but very rewarding? I am further  convinced that certain friendships come into our lives for a limited period, meet needs of either or both parties, then move on, and knowing when to move on is an art in itelf, but that doesn't make those friendships any less valuable or lovingly remembered. The subject is intriuging, maybe more so because it isn't an exact science; it is unpredictable, fraught with danger, but when the concept works- so valuable, rewarding, and fulfilling.

There is one aspect of friendship on which I am rigid- that of betrayal, or loss of trust.By nature, I am probably too trusting; having been betrayed in my marriage, I am possibly too hard on disloyalty, but that's how it stands. A wise person said to me at one point in my marriage 'whilst I don't doubt you can and will work hard to repair things, the problem you have now is that the trust is gone- and without trust, what do you have?'  and, imho, think the same applies to friendship. Does friendship without trust relegate that friendship to that of  an acquaintance? Neitzsche said:  'I'm not upset that you lied to me- I'm upset that from now on, I can't believe you', which hits the nail on the head.  

There's another favourite quote which goes along the lines of 'A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked'. We're all slightly cracked, in different ways. At this time of year, my cup runneth o'er with gratitude for those friends who mop up the spills from my cracked shell, and stick me back together again to fight another day. Thank you, so much!

Predictable as always, here's the link to the song. Enjoy!

The art of being idle

Christmas is over, the sales began days ago in this credit- crunchy- recession- hit year, and a new year beckons. This is the time for year for resolutions, for pondering the past year, wondering what I could have done better, and working out how I can improve in the year ahead.

All those self help books say that you need a life plan; plan your work, work your plan, and everything comes right in the end. So every year I try that, buoyed up with expressions of goals and striving to do and be a better person, and every year someone else throws a spanner in the works to thwart me.

This year I have just one goal: consume less. By consume, I don't just mean what I personally eat (although that could do with some reduction after the festive period, but anyway). I mean all areas of life- do I need that article of clothing just because it's in a sale, or those shoes, or that bag?  can I get my act in gear sufficiently to remember to take the lifelong shopping bags to the supermarket, or my shopping trolley, instead of grabbing a handful of carrier bags? Why buy jars of sauces when I can make my own much cheaper?  Do I need the heating on full whenever I am home?  Walk away from the home improvements magazines and be grateful for that which I have instead of buying into a culture of dissatisfaction. Don't worry about the effects of the credit crunchy, because que sera anyway and it can't be helped.Stop beating myself up about the things I haven't been able to provide for my family, and take the time to enjoy that which I have- rejoice in their achievements, enjoy their company. Relax, take time to literally smell the flowers and the fresh air and kick the leaves and all those things I always tell myself I have no time to do. 

Give more, and consume less.

And indulge in 'creative idleness'. That appeals!

Happy New Year.

because it's that time of year....

no, not *that* time if year, we're not there yet! It's another 'that' time of year, a time of the year when a couple of my favourite musicians departed this mortal coil. So, because the other 'that' time of year means that we might forget, here's some links:

Kirsty MacColl 10 Oct 1959- 18 Dec 2000

a part of me always wanted to be Kirsty MacColl, I think. Talented, funny, comfortable in herself and in a good place in her life when she met a tragic end (see Justice for Kirsty Campaign). Many of her songs are on youtube; at this time of year her Christmas song with the Pogues gets much airplay. My favourite Kirsty song is the first I heard, 'They don't know'; ( 'I get a feeling when I look at you, wherever you go now I wanna be there too') my favourite Kirsty performance is in Billy Braggs' video for  'Sexuality'.

 Joe Strummer 21 Aug 1952- 22 Dec 2002

there's not much that can be added to the torrent of words written about this man. I still have all my Clash vinyl albums: a vivid memory is listening to the original Clash album, lent by a friend, sitting torn between disapproval of punk rock, and thrilling at the energy and the lyrics. It will come as no surprise that my favourite Clash song is 'London Calling'; back then, I lived by the river, and spiritually and emotionally, maybe, that's still the case. Favourite performance: 'Safe European Home' which starts at 2.16 into that link. It would have been the Rock Against Racism 1978 Victoria Park gig version of 'White Riot' had Jimmy Pursey not joined in and wrecked it, but that one is worth youtubing. However, whilst digging out this links for this entry, came across a live clip of  'Garage land',  from Oct 1977, with (imho) all time greatest Clash lyrics:

"I don't want to know about what the rich are doing

I don't want to go to where, where the rich are going

They think they're so clever

They think they're so right

but the truth is only known by guttersnipes".