I just heard this afternoon that I have won a free years subscription to www.findmypast.co.uk. I am truly over the moon about this and as a bit of small thanks to them I have decided to splash the news all over all of my social media feeds, so here goes for this one (not that anyone's even looked at this blog yet!).
I'm sure there'll be more to follow on this one, as this is the one subject I do have a lot to say about!
But, in the meantime a BIG thanks to www.findmypast.co.uk for.....well, for pulling my little card out of the hat!
You've made an idiot very happy!
Wednesday, 29 June 2011
Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Un-seen private moments
I've just come back from posting a letter at our post box (where else!) and witnessed one of those many private moments of great historical significance that go on un-seen in our lives day by day. They happen all around us and every-so-often I'm sure we all notice them, but none of us really SEE them. By that I mean, we can never fully understand their true significance.....what has gone on before the event, what emotions are caught up in it, how the people there feel about it, how the people who aren't there feel about it.
This little event happened 5 doors up the road from me. An elderly couple were moving out of their house. I saw the old man put the last suitcase in his "crowded to the roof" boot and force the door shut. I saw his wife come out of the house and, struggling NOT to look back, close the door behind her. I imagine this will be the last time she will walk out of this house and shut the door. Closing the door on all the history, the family events, the laughing and, I'm sure, crying. I imagine they will have had children who, although not there to see, will also be thinking about that last door closing.
There was no one else there to see all this. I happened, by chance of having to post a letter, to be cycling by. 10 minutes earlier, 5 minutes later I wouldn't have seen it. No one else saw it and so, I'm sure, it would not be in many other people's minds. Yet it was still a momentous occasion in their lives. We've all had them and most of them have been unobserved, but we all know how we've felt.
I remebered this when I saw those two and I wonder where they are now?
This little event happened 5 doors up the road from me. An elderly couple were moving out of their house. I saw the old man put the last suitcase in his "crowded to the roof" boot and force the door shut. I saw his wife come out of the house and, struggling NOT to look back, close the door behind her. I imagine this will be the last time she will walk out of this house and shut the door. Closing the door on all the history, the family events, the laughing and, I'm sure, crying. I imagine they will have had children who, although not there to see, will also be thinking about that last door closing.
There was no one else there to see all this. I happened, by chance of having to post a letter, to be cycling by. 10 minutes earlier, 5 minutes later I wouldn't have seen it. No one else saw it and so, I'm sure, it would not be in many other people's minds. Yet it was still a momentous occasion in their lives. We've all had them and most of them have been unobserved, but we all know how we've felt.
I remebered this when I saw those two and I wonder where they are now?
Saturday, 25 June 2011
U2
In the 80's I never "GOT" U2. In fact, I still don't. Sure, I liked their tunes and there were one or two I really liked (New Years Day, Sunday Bloody Sunday, I Will Follow etc.) but I was never really excited by them. I couldn't understand all the people that raved on and on about them and how great they were. I think this feeling was re-inforced by the fact that they used to play the video of their Live Aid peformance, when Bono went into the audience, over and over again at Fridays Nightclub in Didsbury, which stopped everybody dancing while they watched. In the 90's, when they became highly pretentious, it helped my "I just don't get it" attitude.
I saw their Glastonbury performance last night and it was good. I still don't "GET" them, but I recognise that they are a bloody good band and have some incredible songs. In fact, I have been playing them all morning and they do indeed have a massive catalogue of good tunes and I have to admire them for that. They have also stood the test of time and been together for a remarkably long time, still all looking the part of rock stars.
They still don't set that buzz inside me going that I get when I hear a Beatles or JJ Cale or Prefab Sprout song, but I do like them.
Well done U2, you may come again!
I saw their Glastonbury performance last night and it was good. I still don't "GET" them, but I recognise that they are a bloody good band and have some incredible songs. In fact, I have been playing them all morning and they do indeed have a massive catalogue of good tunes and I have to admire them for that. They have also stood the test of time and been together for a remarkably long time, still all looking the part of rock stars.
They still don't set that buzz inside me going that I get when I hear a Beatles or JJ Cale or Prefab Sprout song, but I do like them.
Well done U2, you may come again!
Friday, 24 June 2011
So....now I am a blogger
So, I'm a blogger now am I?
I have very mixed feeling about this, having met many bloggers at trade shows and other associated IT events.
When I've been introduced to bloggers, or they've introduced themselves to me with the words "Hello, my name is Dick and I'm a blogger", I've thought, "...in other words you haven't got a job!". Or, whenever anyone has said to me, when I've asked them what they do, "I'm a blogger", I've always thought, "In other words, you think you're great and the world needs to hear your (usually boring) opinion on everything" I've always thought bloggers are up their own arses, basically!
I have rarely felt the need to tell the world any of my opinions, let alone have strong enough ones about anything to feel the need to tell people about them. Frankly, I don't really care that much about anything. Yet, here I am blogging!! Why? To be honest, I really don't know! The catalyst was so that I would have something else to put on my AboutMe link, but that's not a good enough reason, is it?
So, we shall see whether I can keep it up and if I think of anything interesting enough to write about. All I can say now is, "Watch this space...." There may be some interesting revelations although, on the other hand, they may just end up being the musings of an idiot!
I have very mixed feeling about this, having met many bloggers at trade shows and other associated IT events.
When I've been introduced to bloggers, or they've introduced themselves to me with the words "Hello, my name is Dick and I'm a blogger", I've thought, "...in other words you haven't got a job!". Or, whenever anyone has said to me, when I've asked them what they do, "I'm a blogger", I've always thought, "In other words, you think you're great and the world needs to hear your (usually boring) opinion on everything" I've always thought bloggers are up their own arses, basically!
I have rarely felt the need to tell the world any of my opinions, let alone have strong enough ones about anything to feel the need to tell people about them. Frankly, I don't really care that much about anything. Yet, here I am blogging!! Why? To be honest, I really don't know! The catalyst was so that I would have something else to put on my AboutMe link, but that's not a good enough reason, is it?
So, we shall see whether I can keep it up and if I think of anything interesting enough to write about. All I can say now is, "Watch this space...." There may be some interesting revelations although, on the other hand, they may just end up being the musings of an idiot!
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