This is what the civilised or not so civilised often start their conversation with you
What you really want to do is to have something exciting to relate such as fighting a dragon in a mythical world or inventing something useful that’ll get you the next Nobel prize or an investment from one of the dragons (not one you killed earlier) from Dragons Den.
Whilst these are worthy thoughts and reasons to share with your audience, the real conversation usually involves sleeping, eating or cleaning.
If you think a little more laterally, these are some of the adult dragons that we fight most days. They also may be what keeps the mentality unhealthy dragons away and keep you alive.
I bet if George had to keep fighting dragons every day he’d get bored of it. However he needed to just to survive.
Anyway why am I rambling on about dragons.
For those new to me, I wrote a poem about dragons. If you haven’t read my first book then I have been told that it’s a fairly good read.
If you go to Amazon it can be downloaded or bought for a reasonable price.
Who knows you may enjoy it!!!.
Anyway to get back to the subject, writing was one of those dragons I had to conquer.
My English teachers would probably tell you that I could do better but I somehow didn’t.
By putting myself out there has changed my outlook on writing and also performing in that I thought it would be for others but not me.
Reflectimg on the present day, COVID 19 stiffles my writing a bit as I haven’t been out properly, but I have written about a quarter of a new book and need to write a little more
On the positive side I hope to produce something concrete soon.
I have a book in draft form (since March)which ” I will publish when it is my best work “
During the night the polls closed in America (or as Trump tweeted ‘the Poles’)
They have replied with their humour that they are never closed but enough of his xenophobic rubbish. This could not have been a mistake as Polacks (not my word) are the butt of jokes in the US like they used to tell Irish jokes in the UK.
No one better try!!
The usual suspects have voted blue and red which seems odd to us.
It takes some getting used to as in the UK, Red = socialism but in America, this is the anathema of the Republican belief system.
Imagine Donald Trump singing the Red Flag hand in hand with the leader of the Chinese Communist Party or even Jeremy Corbin whilst wearing a Karl Marx or Che Guevara T shirt. Is that why the spittoon squad are called rednecks?
Imagine Joe Biden with a Thatcherite Blue Rinse espousing that there is no such thing as society.
All so strange!!
The plan is for Joe Biden to break down the Red Wall (built to keep the Mexicans out) and show a compassionate side of politics. Also to set some limits on Covid 19. Maybe if elected, he could mandate wearing a mask and teaching some infection control.
This would be in opposition to “Freedom to infect who I like, don’t infringe on my constitutional rights, fake news superhuman”
Maybe some of the votes which Trump tells us he has already counted will not go his way.
Maybe the Supreme Court will discount the election totally and we end up with the biggest dictatorship not democracy.
The anthem will not be Hail to the Chief but “ Bring on the clowns”
Don’t worry, Nigel Farage is on hand to shout at Piers Morgan on GMB today and deny that Trump suggested disinfectant/ bleach injections to fight infection. – but that is a different story.
Will you still continue to work or will you stay at home?
Will you be furloughed again or does the threat of redundancy post December 2nd feel more real.
Be sure to look at all the supportive measures that you can. Keeping mentally healthy is important.
Maybe ring up that relative that you forgot to yesterday to check that they will be ok.
Arrange a Zoom/Skype/MS teams/ Facebook (other virtual mediums available) meeting to say hi and make sure that you don’t feel alone.
Maybe do something nice today. Cook a nice meal and share a photo. Buy some flowers or chocolates for those you live with.
Start planning your evening viewing or turn the tv off and read a book that is sitting there gathering dust which you promised yourself that you would read weeks or even years ago
Maybe you can play a board game.
Maybe sing along to a song from your voluminous vinyl record/ cd or Spotify collection.
If you are artistic then maybe this is the opportunity to produce something.
Write a book, poem or draw a picture.
Just because life produces lemons you don’t have to be bitter.
Smile ( even under your mask) it does produce endorphins and who knows, someone else may smile back.
The sun will put his hat on and you will reply hip hip hurrah or am I going to far now!
I have decided to share my latest plans for a piece of writing. In fact, it is a little further than plans, it is a ‘work in progress’
During the lockdown I started to write a play.
Having made a start I realised that this was not an easy task.
So, I am 6000 words in, have 32 pages of dialogue and I have the start of an outline of a story bubbling away.
I won’t share the storyline yet with you, but I’ll share what influenced me to start writing it.
At the end of March 2020, I was unwell. Not Covid 19 unwell but just unwell enough to be off work for two weeks. During one of my lucid moments I was watching the Boris Johnson speech on tv when he sent the UK into lockdown.
As something to take my mind off my impending doom, I started to listen to some of the music from my Spotify account. There was a “go to song” that I liked from the early 1980’s which I suddenly had in my head (earworm) which I usually feel offers hope. It also has a quasi-religious element to it, but I won’t dwell on that.
As I started to listen, I realised that it could conversely be about death and having an end point, the hope for a good afterlife. There will be redemption after various trials and tribulations are overcome.
For me, the song seemed to provide some bones to hang a story from.
I found myself visualising scenes in life (not mine) that could be put together. I could see vanquishing evil and worked out that the evil doer was going to meet their comeuppance. There would be a gnashing of teeth and all sorts of biblical revenge.
After I calmed myself down a bit, I decided that my lead character would be stuck in the lockdown and would meet with this revenge.
The worry was that I also had in my head “it’s a wonderful life” and that didn’t seem very vengeful at all.
Somehow the song by Jon and Vangelis brought these thoughts out.
Anyway a few lines.
“You ask me where to begin, am I so lost in my sin, somehow, I’ll find my way home” seemed to embody these thoughts.
Anyway, thank you for indulging my initial ramblings and I hope that my play will progress further.
Thank you to Lee Hall for nominating me. I read his blog every post and I enjoy the updates. It is a great mix of life, films and books. you also get book reviews too.
Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their
blog.
Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.
Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them
11 new questions.
List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo
in your post and/or on your blog.
These are the 11 questions Lee asked me
Why did you start blogging?
I started blogging as I was writing a book of “poetry” and I saw that others had done so before me. It also was an opportunity to get some thoughts out there. I realised that I’m not that great at it but I am getting better.
Who is your go-to blogging influence/blogger that inspires you?
I follow only 4 blogs at present:
Lee Hall who nominated me
Matt Streuli who has been blogging for a while and promotes his life infused with mental health positivity that has helped him.
Tim Walker is a writer who I follow and has featured me in his blog.
Name 3 music albums that shaped your life?
Shaping life is a strong thing to say. Queen’s Greatest Hits started me on a journey to have something that I liked and was able to proudly love. Even went to see Queen in concert.
y second album would be Sgt Pepper by The Beatles. Why it has shaped my life is that I remember it from music lessons in school and when I was 21 I bought it as it was 20 years since it’s release. I was able to remember some of the songs and that one of my best friends from school was into the Beatles. My other reason for how it shapes my life is my wife (girlfriend at the time) is from Liverpool.
My final album would be Costello Music by The Fratellis Somehow I heard some of the songs so asked for the album. Luckily I have also seen them in concert too. This got me out of some ‘old fogey slump’ that I got myself into and started to feel a little more up to date. Sadly I am now in this old fogeyness again but will find some more music to inspire me.
Is there something out there who you think is underrated?
I think that Marmite is underrated.
Which season of the year do you prefer and why?
I love all Seasons but if pushed I would have to say Summer.
Name a television show or film you couldn’t live without?
As a nerd I couldn’t live without quiz shows. Need to see one a couple of times a week. Really like University Challenge
What are you currently reading?
I have a couple of books on the go. Arthur Dux Bellorum which is a new take on the Arthurian story written by Tim Walker- friend. I am also about to start a poetry book written by a new friend
What are you currently writing?
I am writing my 3rd poetry book as well as thinking about writing a book or play. My ideas are around a tv show but haven’t got vey far with that.
• Name something you don’t like but ‘everyone’ else does?
people seem to like Love Island or Big Brother but I think it is mindnummung garbage
Do you have a profession outside of writing/blogging?
I am a mental health nurse
Name a place you’ve always wanted to visit but never have?
I want to go to the US
My questions for the nominees are:
1. Why did you start to blog?
2. what are your 3 favourite books from childhood
3. If time-travel was a possibility, what period in history would you like to visit?
4. What is you favourite meal?
5. How would you spend an unexpected windfall of £50,000 (you can’t save it)?
6. Is there a hobby that you’d like to take up if time and cost were not relevant?
7. If music were the food of love, what musical track would you like to eat your meal too?
8. What 5 words describe you (you may explain if you wish)?
9. Do you think that tomatoes are fruit?
10. If you could be a celebrity who would you be?
The bloggers I nominate are :
Dane Cobain who is a multitalented writer, musician, book reviewer and ran a local spoken word and inspired me to publish for myself
http//:danecobain,com
Matt Streuli is a multitalented actor, blogger, mental health advocate and pantomime dame.
http//:mattstreuli.blogspot.com
Tim Walker is an author of books, short stories, drabbles and poems and always has a piece to share when I see him
I went to see the live action version of The Lion King at the cinema. Obviously it is well known that The Lion King is based on Hamlet with Mufasa and Scar playing the parts of King Hamlet and Claudius and the young Simba being Prince Hamlet.
I enjoyed the cartoon/ animation as it brought to life the humour of a meerkat and warthog being friends with a lion cub but how do you re-create this in the live action CGI? Well you use the same script, cut out a song and try your best!!! Sadly one of the key components of animation is that anything is possible, even the fantastic!!! When you try to ‘be real’ then the story doesn’t work.
In animation Simba was cute- in CGI he could be any old lion cub. The chemistry with Timon and Pumba just wasn’t there and in reality when Simba grew up they would be just dinner for him.
The differences between Mufasa and Scar were that Scar looked like a mouldy old carpet and had no ‘majesty’ even when he became ‘King’ compared to the regal bearing in the cartoon.
old carpet
As a positive the CGI was good and the songs can followed if you knew the previous film. Maybe I’m getting old but was Disney trying to pull in the fans by using “Beyonce Knowles” They could have used any actress as far as the singing for Nala was ok. To Summarise Enjoyed going to cinema with family and friends. As a story and cinematography wise it is good.
As a classic not so good. Probably comparing it to the enjoyment I had watching Aladdin.
Did I feel the love tonight??
Can be watched again but sadly ‘straight to video.”
So I went off to the cinema again last night to watch yet another film -becoming a real cinemaphile.
The usual gang of family and friends with a couple more. enjoying our recliner seats in anticipation of what was to come.
This time we watched Rocketman which was a biopic of Elton
John.
Having watched the biopic of Queen (my favourite band)-
Bohemian Rhapsody, this was a chance to make comparisons
The premise (SPOILER alert) starts in a therapy group
whereby Elton John begins his story as the young Reg Dwight and through his
childhood, growing adolescence ,meeting Bernie Taupin (lyricist) finding
stardom,becoming Elton John, his hidden homosexuality and how he ended up
trying to ‘conform’ with the perceived norms whilst being outrageous and how it
nearly destroyed him.
The film is not shy in pulling punches and there is a
warning around drug use, swearing and sexuality before you watch.
As one of my fellow watchers noted “my bum went numb” as I
was transfixed and didn’t realise that 2 hours had gone by.
Analysing the film, it showed the childlike vulnerability
due to perceived and real rejection, leading to him overcompensating in life
for his feelings whereby he lacked real love.
The story moved along at a fair pace, and was different in
style from Bohemian Rhapsody.
The character of Jim Reid who was Elton’s (and Queen’s) manager and also lover, played a big part and it was interesting to show the predatory element of the relationship by Reid compared to Bohemian Rhapsody with Queen. This reinforced some of the ‘headlines I have seen growing up about Reid and his shady dealings/ narcissistic actions.
It was interesting that the songs narrated his life were not in chronological order but this didn’t detract from enjoying them.
The screenplay is by Lee Hall (Billy Elliot writer) not my friend Lee and there are well known actors-too many to list
I have been promising that a new book will come out and
tomorrow is the day
1st June 2019
I have been writing this over the last year. after finishing
previous tome
and had the title already worked out prior to writing.
As time goes on I have said the title “out loud” to many puzzled faces.
I am always happy to explain what the title is, how I came up with it and what it means to me.
My title is as you see MERRING or is it MRS GREN?
When I was at school studying for my O’ levels (this dates me)
the way I was taught to remember the signs of life/ whether something was
living was the mnemonic MERRING, which stands for Movement, Excretion,
Respiration, Reproduction, Irritability, Nutrition and Growth.
So for the last 37 years+, I have had those words in my head
and can “quote them at will”
When I was having a conversation with my youngest child
about MERRING, she looked at me blankly.
When I explained what I meant she informed me that this is
now MRS GREN (Irritability is now Sensitivity)
I decided that I liked this conversation as a title and kept
it back from last year.
So what
does the title mean to me?
Well the title reflects the biological side of me in that I
originally studied biology for O and A level, I then went on to train as a
General Nurse and had knowledge of
biological processes of health and disease which this sort of fitted into.
As time went on I changed direction and undertook further
training to qualify as a mental health nurse.
I then started to think more ‘holistically’ around the subject of health and humanity. There is a maxim that Humankind are biological, sociological, psychological beings. Without one you cannot have the other.
I am no aging hippie!!, but in taking that on board, I have
thought widely about these biological words and ‘adapted’ them to their more
holistic meanings. These are a few
examples
Movement to me also means a change and we often need to
change to survive.
Excretion is also ridding yourself of the mental rubbish
which can make your life toxic
Respiration, as well as in its breathing and energy sense
also brings in words like inspire which can bring hope and expire which brings
ending but chance of a new beginning.
Reproduction can also be thought of in the terms of
repeating things but also about being a good or bad copy.
Irritability conjures up thoughts about feelings and
reactions to those feelings. Within health and mental health being happy or
unhappy are paramount to how you are perceived
Nutrition is about how you nourish the mind as well as the
body
Growth is about maturity of thought and involves changes.
The fact that MERRING is now MRS GREN also reminds me that I have to keep up to date!!!!!
So what does that mean?
While I was writing my poems my thoughts were on the words and their wider meanings.
I found that I could be
literal but also tangential which is very a oxymoron way of thinking.
One of my friends found
that MERRING is an Australian aboriginal word for “eyes” so I that reinforced
that I should be looking and seeing things in a different way. GREN on the
other hand is found in Scandinavian languages and means “branch.” My thoughts
were about how branches may start as little twigs and grow bigger until they
are part of the bigger tree.
Each branch is independent
but dependant on the whole.
I’m not going to analyse
MRS!!!
Please buy my book on
Amazon- either in paperback or on Kindle.
I hope that you will like
it.
I enjoyed writing it and each word means something to me. I’m sure it will for you!!!!!
On Tuesday I went to the cinema with my friends and family to watch Aladdin
Now I have to confess that I am of the generation who saw
the Disney Cartoon with the Genie being voiced by Robin Williams and this is
part of the iconography of my life and being a parent.
Disney have brought out their
latest live action version of a film in
which the Genie is played and voiced by Will Smith.
Going in the conversations
revolved around the obvious comparisons whether which will better or is the
film just going to be a poor copy of the animation. Having heard mixed messages
praising it as the best live action film from the Disney stable to it
destroying the magic of the cartoon.
Well I have to say that because
time has gone on (from mid 90’s) that special effects are able to replicate a
lot of the scenes and movement that occurred within the original film’s
animation.
In analysing the story, it remains
the classical tale of the street urchin Aladdin meeting up with Princess
Jasmine and saving her from being arrested. When they ‘meet up again’ in the
palace, Aladdin is arrested by Jafar who needs him to bring back the lamp. Abu
the monkey causes the cave to collapse and ultimately the Genie and magic
carpet appear and so on.
This film adds a few ‘changes’ as
compared to the cartoon and its attitudes towards women is updated- no more
‘weak and feeble princess’ waiting to be saved but instead a strong character
supported by her friend the ‘handmaiden.’
The mixture of the live action, special
effects and the additions to the story help to make the tale believable and
less schmaltzy (as much as Disney can be) and a future classic in its own
right.
The classic songs are there with
some new ones expressing the strength of women, hip-hop and rap interspersed in
the new rendering of the familiar refrains.
In summary it is a “whole new world” thanks to CGI and Will Smith has made the Genie his own without trampling upon the legend of Robin Williams and gets a wife in the end.
Joe the poet 
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