Music to make me smile.

As is my way I stumbled on a fantastic singer ,Linnzi Zaorski.
I'm loving her sound and while finding out more about her and her music my travels led me to the voice of Mildred Bailey and then the gem below by Gertrude Lawrence 'A Cup Of Coffee, A Sandwich, And You'
I feel the urge to buy a heap of music coming on.

All is quiet .

The count down is underway and it's time to close the door on another year .
The last month has been very hectic and I'm happy all has now returned to normal. In a way it's strange adapting back to the slower pace of things. Having time to think and ponder. So of course I've been mentally reviewing my 2007.
Highlights have included:

Combining the few good weeks of sunshine we had this year with a holiday in the west country.
It was so good to be able to walk around in sandals and short shirts and sunhats, while enjoying the ocean and the glorious coastline.
I visited the Eden project and what a joy that was.

Watching Zion Train at Wychwood Festival was a blast as was my comedy meeting and misunderstanding with Balkan Beat Box after they had played their set .
I'm certainly planning on going back in 2008. It's a very friendly and chilled out festival.

Pride at Brighton , I enjoyed the parade so much more than the festival afterwards.
I love watching people all dressed up , something I need to do more of myself.

My tattoo. I'd made myself a promise about when and why I would get some new ink and for those reasons I'm very happy. It's a lasting and fitting reminder , and works on many levels.

Friends and family who've supported me and shown love. I'm forever greatfull and blessed.

2008 what will that bring?
I don't really make resolutions anymore but I'm hopefull that the new year will include me finding a new place to call home that I can really make my own.
Travel, I have a few ideas buzzing in my head about places I'd like to visit and a return to Tokyo is one of them. Oaxaco, Mexico ,Nova Scotia, Canada, Provincetown ,USA plus a few weekends exploring some of the capital cities of Europe.

Tis the season.

Now the build up to Christmas is well underway, my plans of blogging seem to have been cast aside like all the rolls of festive wrapping paper will be come Boxing Day.
Christmas is the hectic point of the retail world , the highlight. The bells are ringing out and the till is filling up with festive cash to ease us through the quiet of the New Year and spring.
We have festive music playing all day long and well it hasn't taken long for it to worm its way into my brain. I find myself singing out loud and shaking my hips a little and snapping my fingers along to the cheer. Of course we are doing a slightly different take on the music.
You'll (no pun intended) find Brian Setzer's 'Dig That Crazy Christmas' alongside Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra's 'A Very Ping Pong Christmas: Funky Treats From Santa's Bag'
switching to Jo Stafford's 'Happy Holidays; I Love The Winter Weather' and Nettwerk Records ' Do You Hear What I Hear?' compilation.
I'm on a constant mission to keep changing and making the music fun.
It must be working though as one couple said 'I feel like I'm in a Christmas movie'.
That made me happy. It occurs we're helping create positive happy Christmas memories for people, that's a great thing to be able to do.


Today I made a very big dent in my own shopping for gifts.
Most of my family have been taken care of ,even if I want some of those gifts for myself.
I am however rubbish and shopping for others. I had to cave and buy a few items for myself.
The assistant in Waterstones bookstore seemed most confused at my purchase of two sets of books. I knew they were good books I'd owned them in the past , now I was buying them as gifts for others who would enjoy them and to replace my lost copies.

Time is once again running away with me and I've still to put together some festive mix cds for friends who appreciate my eclectic taste a in music .
Talking of which you cannot get much better than the lounge swing coverings of Ac/dc by the The Buddha Lounge Ensemble.

Drive he said.

There are times when I not that impressed with my morning drive to work.
The getting up early, the constant ,almost daily rising petrol costs, the fun of finding a parking space and the hope that no-one damages my wing mirrors as they too squeeze into the over-crowded side streets used for parking.
This morning was different.
Sure there was layer of ice over my car and the road were extra busy, but there was something slightly magical about wrapping up in my hat and scarf for the first time this winter.
I've been changing my driving habits recently and I have to say it's far more relaxing travelling between 60-70 mph. It doesn't feel like I'm taking part in a video game, no more weaving and dodging my way along the motorway, constantly looking over my shoulder.
This morning was an extra treat, the ice and frost shimmered all along the roadside the whole drive, the 7 o'clock sun just rising up bathing the land with a soft orange glow.
If only I'd had a bit more time to have pulled off the motorway and explore the surrounding country roads and record the images.
Still I'm sure there are many,many more icy days to follow.

Let's start at the very beginning

" Let's start at the very beginning
A very good place to start"

Yes, it's a clichéd and somewhat cheesy way to start a new blog but then I'm full of clichés and I certainly have a love of things cheesy and kitsch . Of course there has to be some contradiction and the first one is I don't actually like the film The Sound of Music. I have never managed to watch the entire film in one sitting but I do own the original soundtrack on vinyl ,so that must say something about me. Afterall there are moments in time when nothing else will do but to sing some of those lyrics out loud.


So yes it's a new beginning and a fresh start. I had thought I may be able to reinvent myself but is that actually possible ? The more I ponder on the notion the more I realise that one cannot reinvent oneself . I think it's more a case of self renovation and rebuilding.
To paraphrase The Six Million Dollar Man " Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. Better than he was before."