Just so you know, I will be avoiding this as much as possible.
That is all.
A trip back in time.
Today I’m in Lowestoft, the place of my birth. I’ve come here to visit an event about the “Grit”, the lost village on the beach. When I was growing up this area was at the end of it’s life, it was a great playground though for us kids. The Grit or Beach village as it’s also known was the centre of the fishing industry, a real hub. It was swept away in the “improvements” of the area in the 1960s and the the whole area is now one vast ugly industrial estate. When I was born we lived in a house in the Grit called Bath House. I’m hoping to find out more about this building today and perhaps give some memories back. It seems only now when it’s too late that the significance of this area has been recognised so if I can do anything however small to keep the memory of this place alive, I’m going to try.
Unsurprisingly, this place is full of memories for me but it has changed so much it nearly brings me to tears. What was once grand Victorian buildings is now barren soulless open space. I met an old friend last night and we reminisced about his old house (Bow House) which was the go to place for us kids on rainy days. In its place is a dreadful car park that looks like every expense was spared in its construction. Just across the road from this point there stood the RSPCA centre, nothing more than a hut in fact and behind that an alleyway that ran through the to High street. This was never salubrious even back then but it’s still there and walking through there from my car to the High Street I was transported back in time. I took my time, taking in the surroundings that I had so often taken for granted, I wanted to see every inch, breathe in every smell and hear every sound. I paused for a minute and this 60 year old was 10 again, Saturday morning and off to the ABC to watch the films and cartoons.
A Facebook argument.
An acquaintance of mine re-posted this on Facebook:
Now I won’t post his name but he’s very well known in some circles and I find his condoning of this quite disturbing. Blaming all the countries woes on parents not hitting their children, seriously? I don’t condone hitting children at all, one only has to look at the recent events in Southern California to see how a simple slapping regime can descend into child abuse.
Socrates wrote around 425 BC: “The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.”
Not much has changed in thousands of years!
Perhaps not unsurprisingly there were a few that agreed with the post, well two actually. Here are some sample comments from them:
“some times the kids need it, you mamby pamby generation of wimps are producing disrespectful little mummies boys and fucking up the country“
On saying that I never have and never will hit my daughter, I got this response:
“I never hit my daughter either ever but boys you sometimes have to”
Naturally I asked, “Why do you have to hit boys?”
“because sometimes they need it that’s why”
And that folks is the pinnacle of his argument and justification.
Having said earlier in the conversation that it was my belief that violence towards children didn’t discipline them and in fact was more likely to make them believe it’s OK to strike out, he added this gem:
“I had the cane every day at school”
I’m not surprised he thinks hitting his children is OK.
“Grow some balls fella…you sound everything that’s wrong with society!“
I’ve lost count the number of times these guys called me a snowflake or not a man because I don’t hit my child. Needless to say as their arguments crumbled they turned to personal attacks and wild assumptions including claiming my daughter smokes – she doesn’t and as a completely non-smoking household we’d know the second she walked in the door.
No I’m sorry, the problems we are facing today are due to cuts. Cuts in Policing, cuts to local government, cuts to the NHS and general under funding where it matters at the grass roots, not because parents and teachers don’t hit children.
New guitar
I didn’t plan to buy a new guitar but we passed a shop in MK on the way to my birthday lunch. Well not exactly passed as the shop is on an industrial estate on the outskirts of the city and not in any way shape or form on the way to the centre from where we live 😉
I’ve never owned a semi and I thought this Epiphone Casino was a brand new instrument at a really good price but it turns out it was being sold on behalf of a local lady, it was her fathers and he had passed away. When I got it home I found the original receipt in the case which revealed it was bought in Guitar Centre Kirkland WA in 2006. I’m going leave my receipt in the case along with my story and when my daughter sells after I’m gone the story of this guitar will pass on to the next player.
I did a bit of research and it turns out that The Beatles used Casinos through the 60’s and John Lennon had his sunburst sanded down to the bare wood and removed the scratch plate. He used it pretty much all the time, take a look at the pictures of the Apple rooftop gig, you can see it in use.
Another surprising thing is that I’ve always been a Fender fanboy and not a lover of P90s. This guitar has changed my opinion in a big way – but I’m not ready for a Les Paul yet.
Last night I took it to band rehearsal (60s Jukebox) and it sounded so sweet, it’s absolutely perfect for the music we play and I can see why John removed the scratch plate 🙂
Landmark Birthday
Today I turn 60. Wow what happened?
It’s a strange thing because I don’t feel any older, in my head I’m still in my 20’s but sometimes the body can’t keep up and bits ache or leak 😉 I’m determined to write more, when I say more I mean write something as it’s something I’ve always wanted to do but never got around to. I’m not a great reader but I’ve always loved language and I’ve also always wanted to write a book so now I’m going to ease myself in with a bit of blogging and let’s see where it leads.
The day isn’t going to be anything special, once you get past the age of around 13 I think birthdays and Christmas don’t mean as much apart from the landmarks of 18 & 21. My 21st was spent with the drummer in the band I was in, aimlessly wandering around Great Yarmouth getting drunk. I’m so disinterested in my birthday that I’ve arranged a band rehearsal with my new band 60’s Jukebox tonight! I’m of the opinion that musicians don’t have a mid life crisis, we are lucky to do something that is rewarding and distracting and if you start at an early age it will stay with you until the end, how many 80-90 year old plasters, mechanics, office workers do you know of?
Hello world!
So this is where it all begins. I’ll explain more later……..