Doo-Dah

Tommy Sheridan to be released on the quiet - Imagine

2012-01-28T20:04:00.000Z

Tommy Sheridan is to be released from prison on Monday. The odd thing is that when he is released he is to attempt to get into the Guinness Book of Records for the longest sponsored silence. He is going for six months of shutting his mouth (I'm willing to bet he cannae dae it). He will be raising money for a worthwhile cause though. The People's Republic of Pollock has been largely neglected by Glasgow City Council (since about the 19th century) so Tommy will surely be drawing attention to the plight of that part of Glasgow's south side. He has done it before and I'm sure he can do it again. Rock on Tommy.

Robert Burns video for Burns Night

2012-01-25T20:18:00.002Z

Hansel and Gretel in The Gorbals

2012-01-07T18:44:00.001Z

I went to see Hansel and Gretel at The Citizens Theatre, Gorbals, Glasgow. To be honest I was talked into going and I thought it would be like a 'boo, hiss, he's behind you' kind of show. It was nothing like that. Oh it was aimed at a young audience, but nobody was forced to sing 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes' or anything like that. It wasn't really an audience participation thing like the pantos at some other Glasgow theatres. It was sheer entertainment from start to finish. The story-telling, the acting, the music, the vocal performances, the costumes, the set - all brilliant.

Citizens Theatre publicity shot from flickr

I couldn't remember the last show I had seen in the Citizens until I looked at the stage and I remembered seeing 'Wizard of Oz' done there a few years ago. I loved that too. I think I've just discovered that I am a big fan of this place.

photo by Chris Haikney (wikipedia)

Another thing worth mentioning is access. One of the people I was with is a wheelchair user. She has difficulty with accessing some of Glasgow's older buildings. She had no difficulty at all at the Citizens. I'm going to keep an eye out for upcoming shows at this theatre. I like it a lot.

Winter Cheer

2011-12-06T09:11:00.001Z

This morning I awoke to the sound of applause. The world was greeting me with a cheer. I had risen from my warm cosy bed in the stillness and the dark of the early morning chill. What I had heard was a car passing slowly by on yesterday's snow which had frozen overnight. The satisfying crunch sounded to my still sleepy ears like a round of applause - "Hoorah! He is up. He has risen and has joined us today!" Or just simply, "Hello you". I went to the window to acknowledge my eager audience and I could see their tiny eyes glistening in the street light. Another car passed and once again the crowd went wild. A short time later a person walked by and I could have sworn that ten people were sitting with me in my front room munching on corn flakes - in unison - without milk. CRUNCH! CRUNCH! Crunch! crunch, crunch.

lovely tracks

Later still I got the biggest cheer of the morning when a procession of heavy vehicles passed en route to the building site across the road. The cheering reached stadium levels. This sound made me feel happy. I felt like Jon Bon Jovial!

When the snow falls and it's still fresh and soft it makes everything quiet. I think what actually happens is that it gets rid of all vowels. I can back this theory up. When a foot falls on freshly fallen snow it sounds like this, 'fffft, ffft, ffft.' But when a foot falls on frozen icy snow it sounds like my corn flake crunching friends mentioned above.

Hoorah for winter crunchiness. I Love it.

St. Andrew's Day 2011 at Headway Glasgow

2011-11-30T22:25:00.001Z

Today I was privileged to attend the St. Andrew's Day celebrations at Headway Glasgow (the brain injury association). The day was organised by Headway volunteer Annette. She was aided in arranging the celebration of all things Scottish by her fellow volunteer, Innes and two of Headway's finest employees, Simon and Katherine. First of all we were treated to a fine rendition of 'Flower of Scotland' by Jim. Annette gave a reading of 'The Wee Malkies' - a favourite of mine about little nuisances, then Katherine read 'The Twa Corbies'. Simon read out a poem by one of Headway's service users (another Jim). I can't recall the title of it (I think it was - 'Where Are You Staying Noo?'), but it concerned the recent expenses scandals of some of this country's political leaders. These performances were all great as were the videos we viewed of renditions of such classics as 'Three Wee Craws', 'Sam The Skull' and 'I Wish I Could Sing Like Sidney'. As good as all of these were I think they would have to go a long way to beat a reading by Innes of William McGonagall's brilliantly terrible poem, 'The Tay Bridge Disaster'. For me this was the highlight of the day. Thanks very much to Headway Glasgow for a great day out. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Cheers!

OOT AND ABOOT

2011-11-21T19:51:00.001Z

Recently I've been oot and aboot enjoying the city of my birth. In the last week or so I have visited Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Burrell Collection and Scotland Street School. Aye that's right I'm a pure culture vulture - me! Well I'm not really, but I do enjoy poking about in interesting places and Glasgow has more than a few interesting places. I was also (as previously blurted on this very page) at the release of a CD at Deaf Connections in the Gorbals and on Friday This week I shall be attending a book launch (Headway Glasgow - St. Stephen's Church). Oh I am getting about a bit.

School bell - Scotland Street School, Glasgow

Slush Puppies - GAMH

2011-11-11T11:12:00.001Z

Yesterday we attended the launch of a CD. This event was in the theatre of Deaf Connections in the Gorbals. The CD was recorded by a band calling themselves 'Slush Puppies'. They are a group of service users at GAMH (Glasgow Association for Mental Health). I never knew these people before they started out on their year long journey to record this CD. By all accounts they have come a long way. What I saw was a group of people who were confidently showcasing their work on stage in front of a packed theatre. The music wasn't always to my taste, but that is not the point. The point is that these performers were in the depths of despair just 12 short months ago. Now they have a purpose. They are clearly excited by music and it's the power of the music that now drives them on. The fellowship of each other is also a driving force as illustrated in a poem by one of their members.
For me the stand out performance of the day was a solo by one of the band. I do not know his name, but he performed a powerful song in Cantonese. I am only going to refer to him as ANGRY CHINESE BOY. I will look out for this lad in the future.

Fayre's Fair

2011-11-10T22:24:00.001Z

I had a wee trip out yesterday to Glasgow City Chambers. It was time for the annual Charities Christmas Fayre. Loads of charities in the Glasgow area were represented at the event. Each has a stall where they try to boost their funds (and profiles). I knew I would bump into some old friends there as it has become a regular fixture in their fundraising calendar. Sure enough Headway Glasgow (the brain injury association) were occupying their usual spot. The neighbouring stall was occupied by another group of old friends who are regulars at the fair - DDA (Drumchapel Disabled Action).

Drumchapel Disabled Action

Headway Glasgow

All in all it was a good day out. These groups rely on donations and other fundraising activities for their survival. The Charities Christmas Fayre provides a good platform for promotion and publicity. Long may it continue.

What's In A Name?

2011-11-03T18:36:00.002Z

All you have to do to get your own TV show in the UK is....change your name. That is unless your name happens to be Paul Merton, Paul Martin, Paul Murton or some other combination of those letters.
Comic Paul Merton is well known for his appearances on TV's 'Have I Got News For You' and radio's 'Just A Minute'. He is currently appearing in Channel 5's 'Paul Merton In India' on Monday nights.
Paul Martin can be seen daily as the presenter of 'Flog It'. This is the antiques show where people turn up to have there old tat valued and hopefully find out that it's worth a fortune.
Paul Murton is the presenter of 'Grand Tours of Scotland' which is going out on BBC1 once a week (Monday night).

We are not quite out of combinations for this popular name. I might start calling myself Paul Mirtan, Paul Morton, Paul Martyn or Paul Myrtan. I might even go for a slightly exotic version. I was thinking maybe - Pablo Martinez or Paulo Martino. Look out for me with my new name on a TV some time in the near future - or the far distance - or - not at all.

Hall of Heroes

2011-10-26T00:21:00.000+01:00

Today I paid a short visit to The Kelvingrove Art Gallery. I've been visiting this place ever since I was a child. I mostly go into this building at about this time of the year. They don't start exhibiting anything more spectacular or out of the ordinary at this time of the year and I am no art expert. I visit more regularly at this time of the year for the same reasons as most of the visitors - well the local ones anyway...it's cold outside. It's late October in Glasgow and there is a definite chill in the air. Rain is more frequent and the winds are beginning to howl. Yes winter is coming.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery

So art galleries and museums are a bit busier than usual and it's time to get reacquainted with some old favourites and maybe discover some new ones. You'd think with the recent news that this particular gallery will be playing permanent host to a 'Glasgow Boys' exhibition that I'd be writing about that. Nah. For me this building isn't just a local curiosity. People come to this city just for this particular gallery. It was my childhood introduction to the wider world beyond. Of course I had seen an atlas before and pictures in magazines or encyclopaedia as well, but to be physically next to something from long ago and far away is a much more real experience. It was in this place that as a youngster the meanings of time and distance properly fell into place for me. Even local history is better explained to a child when physical evidence is immediate.

William Wallace

What I will say of today's visit is that I was struck by the heroic figures I found. Of course I've seen them all before, but I had never tied them all up in one theme. They are not presented as a theme. They are dotted about in different parts of the building. They belong to different parts of the world and different periods in history, but they are all heroes of some kind. If I had spent more time looking around (I arrived near closing time) I'm sure I could have found a lot more on this theme. Being Scottish my first hero has to be a Scottish one. 'Sir William Wallace' by Jacopo Ghetti does not even remotely resemble the figure portrayed by Mel Gibson in the movie Braveheart. We don't even know if he resembles the real William Wallace, but I think it's a safe bet that this image is a little closer to the truth. He looks tough and he looks like a Knight. He seems quite real to me.

The Gaul

The next hero I have chosen is not local, but stands for many of the same principals as Wallace. This is the bust of 'The Gaul' by Francois Rude. He is just like the one on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. For me this shows that you can move forward a few centuries and change geographic location and people seem to be facing the same struggles. Of course these heroes may not have been figures we would have bowed to in real life. Time (and art) has altered our perception. For all I know William Wallace may have been the brute that English historians paint him as. In Scotland he is (and as far as I know was at the time) considered to be a national hero. THE GAUL, however is more than just a person. He is not named. He is an amalgamation of fighters. He is the first super hero. He is a ghost. He is the spirit of the revolution and maybe that is William Wallace's role in our history - or in our perception of our history. He is the spirit of a free Scotland. He (the man) never succeeded. He dreamt. He dared to dream. His bust at Kelvingrove dreams still.

The Kelvingrove King

My third hero brings us almost up to the present time. He is a hero of a very different time. He may not have fought for freedom, but he does represent a country which likes to present itself on the world stage as 'The Land of The Free'. I'm talking about Elvis - no need for surnames here - there only ever was one. He is presented as a kind of comic book hero. He is The King. He appears to be a saint. His halo is evidence. His place in Heaven is assured. He can be portrayed in this slightly comical, fun-poked manner and still be worshipped. Elvis is a truly modern hero. His values are those of sex and drugs and rock and roll. He is the epitome of modernity. He is abundance and excess. He is the American Dream by design and a World Dream by accident. All who saw or heard the real Elvis wanted to be American. All males who saw or heard him wanted to be Elvis. If THE GAUL was the first super hero then Elvis is the idea of that taken to it's most fantastic extreme. He was an earthly being who was treated as something a bit more spiritual. Everybody 'believed' in him. He ended up believing in himself. He took Elvis the myth and forgot who Elvis the man was. But his truth is marching on.

Daddy Was a Bullfighter!

2011-09-26T23:01:00.000+01:00

Well....no he wasn't actually. I was still quite a young child when I first clapped eyes on my own birth certificate. I found it to be a thing of wonder. I read it over and over again. I studied it as if it was some sort of sacred document...and I was mentioned in it! I was immensely proud.

Me with the most famous and fearless bullfighter in all of Glasgow

One of the details listed on the British birth certificate (at that time) was 'Father's Occupation'. Now at the time of my birth my dad worked on the docks, but I didn't know that. I had no idea what he worked at. So when I read the word, 'Stevedore' under Father's Occupation I was absolutely blown away. I was so excited to find out that my old man had been a bullfighter. I laugh now at how gullible I was when he took that birth certificate away from me and told me to stop playing with things that were not my concern...he never denied being a bullfighter. In fact he acted out his 'past actions' with a towel - posturing and shouting "Torro! Torro!" Sometimes I can still hear his laughter.
I'm kind of glad he was a stevedore and not a matador. He never had an appetite for blood sports. Besides there never was much call for bullfighters on Clydeside.

A Load of Carp About Westerns

2011-07-18T19:14:00.001+01:00

I've just been thinking about fish. I've also been thinking about movies. Movies about fish are usually rubbish. I like old Westerns and I like fish so it would be ideal for me if there was a combination of the two. In my mind there is. 'Gunfight at the OK Coral' (no need to change the spelling) could be an exiting movie about a battle between Billy the Cod and Doc Halibut. I am also looking forward to the release of 'Once Upon a Time in John West', 'How John West Was Won', etc. Aye - fish-based Westerns - it's the future.

You might have some suggestions of your own. Why don't you put them down on a postcard and send them off to yourself at the usual address.

Expiry Enquiry

2011-04-18T20:57:00.000+01:00

If you have the picture card version of the UK driving licence - you'll notice it expires after 10 years. Your TV licence has to be renewed once a year. Any licence you can think of will have an expiry date. My wedding certificate is perfectly valid. It has no expiry date. I've checked.

Ex-blogger?

2011-04-11T15:51:00.002+01:00

I used to write a blog here. One day I hope to return.

Banana Buying Burnt Building Bonanza!

2011-02-18T19:24:00.000Z

What a stupid title. Anyway, when I was out shopping for bananas today I stopped to have a wee look at the damage caused by a fire in a tenement block. It's in a bit of a state. I knew they had closed the road to traffic as the building was unsafe, but to see it is another thing. The fire was in the flats above the TSB - between the Betfred bookies and Nice 'n' Sleazy. The roof is completely gone and the building is to be demolished. I don't know if anyone was hurt in the fire. I hope not. These destructive fires seem to come in waves. Just as I was starting to write about this there was an item on the news about another big fire in Glasgow - this time in The Gallowgate where a row of shops has been destroyed. Again I don't know if anyone was hurt, but I do hope not.
I think I'll buy my bananas somewhere else in future.

Sauchiehall St. Glasgow

Avoid The Void

2011-02-15T22:18:00.001Z

Here I am writing an entry into a blog I have largely lost interest in. I have not written here or anywhere else in quite a while. Another of my passtimes has been painting and I have not done any of that recently either. I have not been out and about with my camera. I haven't been for a long walk and my bicycle is lying unused and ignored. In fact I have done nothing creative or inspiring for a long time.
Instead of doing something worthwhile or useful I have been playing poker. I am hopelessly addicted to online poker. I do not play for real money - it's all pretend. It seems real though and I am quite good at it. It's not a game of pure chance. There is a fair bit of skill involved. Of course it helps if luck is on your side, but that's more to do with what your opponents are dealt than what you are holding.
Anyway here I am talking about the game of poker as if it is the best thing to happen to me when it is clearly not. It takes up a lot of time and is a distraction from other things. I can see how real gamblers can become addicted to the process of winning and losing. I can see how difficult it is to quit while you are ahead and I can see how tempting it is to try to win back a big loss. I once won and lost a million (pretend dollars) in a week. I am not going to carry on with my poker career. It only happens in cyberspace. It is not real. Even a full-house doesn't really exist. That whole world is in a void.
I am making a conscious effort to return to the real world - beginning here.

Christmas in the Park

2010-12-26T11:10:00.001Z

We spent the afternoon of Christmas Day at the Botanic Gardens in Glasgow. It had rained a wee bit then the temperature dropped. With the water sitting on top of snow the place was like an ice rink. Luckily I had a wheelchair (which doubled as a sleigh on the downhill sections) to hold on to. A very helpful gentleman with super-grip shoes helped me to push the chair at one very slippery uphill path.
We had a great day feeding the birds and chatting to the other park visitors (not that many) and the poor park attendant on duty. He must have drawn the short straw this year. He says he's doing New Year's Day as well.
Although it was a wee bit cold, we were well wrapped up and we had a flask of coffee with us. I loved it. It was better than Christmas telly by a million miles.

Botanic Gardens, Glasgow - Christmas Day 2010

Moonlight and Icicles

2010-12-22T22:53:00.000Z

This is the view from my front door this evening. The moon is high and the temperature is low. I just liked the look of it.

mooooooooooooooon

Happy Christmas Headway Glasgow

2010-12-08T20:19:00.000Z

We went out to Christmas lunch today with our pals at Headway Glasgow. There were about a dozen of us at China Buffet King in Sauchiehall Street. We had a lovely lunch and it was nice to see some people we hadn't met for a wee while. The weather was nasty (again) and it took quite an effort for everyone to make it. Unfortunately the weather did manage to prevent all from being present (some areas were hit more severely by snow and ice). There were no buses or trains from my area so we took the car and I must say I've been on better drives. Anyway we made it there and back safely and I would say it was a worthwhile trip. It was nice to be among friends and sharing a lovely meal and a good time. Thank you to Headway Glasgow for arranging this get-together and for all the other great events they organise throughout the year. Lang may yer lum reek.

Liquid Lunch Anyone?

2010-11-20T20:59:00.002Z

Today I saw this picnic bench at the source of the River Leven in Balloch. I didn't have wellies on or I might have been tempted to have a picnic in the pond. It was a bit chilly down there on Loch Lomondside so I stayed on dry(ish) land.

the water table

Stranger Fruit

2010-11-17T11:34:00.001Z

I've got an odd-shaped pear....

my odd-shaped pear

Two On Incredible Journey

2010-11-10T21:39:00.002Z

Today we drove directly into the sun, or we would've if I hadn't swerved.

Deid Folk Are Interesting

2010-11-04T22:38:00.000Z

I just got a book from the library (just a bit late for Halloween) called, 'The Glasgow Graveyard Guide'. You might think that I'm in some sort of gloomy mood by choosing this book for my bedtime reading. But, no. It's written by a Glasgow writer called Jimmy Black and he has quite an irreverent style of description. I'm starting to love the way he writes. So much so that I will be searching out more of his work. The book is from 1992 so some of the references are already out of date, but the content is sound and the stories about some of Glasgow's dead are fascinating and informative. For instance I never new that there are still graves in front of what is now The Ramshorn Theatre (St. David's Ramshorn Church). This would put the graves under the present day pavement of Ingram Street. Black says that two of the graves are marked on the pavement by a "narrow cross" in the concrete. "Above one side of the crosspiece are the initials 'A.F.' and on the other side, 'R.F.' The bones of the printers ROBERT and ANDREW FOULIS were not disturbed when the street was widened." I found this passage to be of particular interest as I used to live in a place called 'FOULIS STREET' and there used to be (long before my time) a printworks in that street.
Anyway the Glasgow Graveyard Guide looks at the burial grounds situated at; Glasgow Cathedral, Cathedral (Old Churchyard), Cathedral (New Churchyard), Necropolis, St. David's (Ramshorn), Ramshorn Crypt, Sighthill, Southern Necropolis, Calton, Jocelyn Square, Gorbals, St. Peter's (Dalbeth), Cathcart and St. Kentigern's.
I have found it to be educational and entertaining. Deid folk are very interesting indeed.

UPDATE: November 2011

Dedication to the Foulis Brothers
pictured - November 2011

I have recently been for a walk past the Ramshorn Theatre (the old St. David's Church) and the graves of Robert and Andrew Foulis are now marked by an engraved stone in the pavement.

L-i-f-e i-n t-h-e S-l-o-w L-a-n-e

2010-10-14T14:05:00.000+01:00

S-o-m-e-t-i-m-e-s I h-a-t-e c-o-m-p-u-t-e-r-s

No Blogs Do I See

2010-09-02T20:51:00.000+01:00

I've just been looking at my blog here and I have noticed, like it's some sort of sudden revelation, that I haven't been posting regularly. In fact I'd say posts appear here and there, now and again or even once in a blue moon. There was a blue moon the other night and I never even commented on that. I don't know why some habits become a little tiresome. Things get a bit boring, staid or samey. I am not one for shaking things up just for the sake of it. The problem does not lie with the blog. It lies with the blogger. It's often been said and I think it may be true...I am a lazy blogger. Anyway this is a post....an item.....an entry about nothing very much at all, but it's a post nonetheless. I think it may be the most interesting thing I have ever written. Yes. I am a big fan of this post.