Ring Out The Old

Well almost.  Will be glad to see the back of 2014 and the odd years are normally much kinder to me so here's to 2015.

If memory serves me correctly my blog will be 9 years old tomorrow.  Not really sure where to go with it really.  I never thought I'd keep it going so long and in a way that's all that keeps me doing it.  Until this year I generally received 20 to 30 views a day which made it worthwhile to me but this that has really tailed off.  And so far the post before this one has received no views.   Probably not surprising given my 8 month absence.  The 44 year old me wouldn't have been bothered but sadly Goffa circa 2014/15 is.

Hey ho, I'll give it a go for a bit longer but if the nil pwa gets to say 5 posts I'm out of here.  It's not like I'm  a natural writer anyway.  Some of you might find it hard to believe but it's sometimes tough for me to write this rubbish.  Partly because I'm terrible at typing but also because I have such an appalling memory.  I often find that by the time I come to the end of a sentence I've forgotten the point I was trying to make.  Crap, I know but I've got to be honest.

Not just that but since this latest batch of posts I've managed to delete one and duplicate another one.  So what's new I hear you me say?  At least now I can blame the drugs.

Seriously though, feeling shit has become my normal state of health and I really could just post everyday about how I'm feeling.  I can live (or die) with my heart disease but I find having to take 7 tablets a day to feel this rubbish so hard to bear.

Anyway to make things more interesting (for me) I'm starting a hand-written, warts and all diary tomorrow.  I got the idea from my friend Don who let me read his me his moving, funny, libellous moanathon commentary of his life (and shoe insoles) from about June 2009 to September 2010.  I don't know how it will go and knowing me it might not last long but I'm going to give it a go for at least a couple of weeks.  It will hopefully be more fluent than this and I can promise (myself) lots of uninhibited moaning and libellous comments. Oh and lots of spelling errors.

So before I sign off for the year.  Resolutions?

1.  My hand-written diary
2.  To learn more about music theory.
3.  What's that stupid saying that people use?  Less equals more.  Not really but something about making better use of my time.  Wasting less time doing things like reading the teletext and browsing the Internet will give me more time to do good stuff.  I've tried this sitting around watching the football and it's ok but it's just not me (this doesn't include watching Boro.  I never get sick of the Boro).  Forgotten the point I was trying to make.
4.  Go out more?  Mmmm.....  I know I need to.  We'll see.
5.  Be here for new year 2016 blogging or not.

Happy New Year

PS  I've remembered, No Hootananny this year!!!

Worryingly starting to believe...

It's been a few years since I've enthused about the Boro and it will inevitably end in tears but I loved Boxing Day's 3-0 win against Nottingham Forest.

There are few things in life I can say I've always loved but it's true about football.  Not always watching and there are lots of things I despise about modern football, the money, the cheating, the gamesmanship, most of the TV punditry and more but I always loved (past tense? - probably) playing.  And although I've gone a bit quiet in recent years I've never stopped loving the Boro

Our supporters are taunted "You're just a small town in Yorkshire"  

And of course we join in.  For long periods of my adult life "we" have punched way above our weight.  Yesterday reminded me of the successful period over the 10 years or so from 1997 and it was great.  I always knew our success would come to an end so never took it for granted.  Those days are gone,  football's moved on.  The rich clubs are so dominant and poorer clubs like Boro are so up against it.  The local economy of a club's location is becoming more important.  Historically lower league clubs are becoming bigger e.g. Reading, Brighton and even MK Dons (watch this space).  Boro?   Say no more.

It's been a barren period since we got relegated from the Premier League and thoughts of a  promotion campaign seemed like blind faith to me but just maybe ......

Yesterday's crowd was 32277 including 1399 from the city of Nottingham.  The highest crowd in the Championship so far this season.  We are away to Blackburn tomorrow.  The small town in Yorkshire has sold out it's away ticket allocation of 7000.  According to the Lancashire Telegraph the largest away allocation in the Championship this season.

Everybody supports their team but the fact is we are ...... and supporters of other teams are not.  End of.

Merry Christmas.

Was going to have an Internet free day but I forgot that smartphones don't allow that sort of behaviour.  I got a message, replied and that was that.

Had  a good day.  Woke up at Shamila's, went to see her parents, home, the Eagle with Mark, then home again for lobster and salad for Christmas lunch washed down with over half a bottle of wine.  The lobster was only meant to be my starter but hey ho.

I retired to my front room to listen amongst other things my albums of the year.

As I said the other night it's been a shit year for live music in Goffaland but not for the recorded variety.  I'd go as far as to bold say it's been one of my best for the LP/CD/album.  Somebody at work described my taste as unconventionally conventional and I'll take that.  I just love pop music and this year has been glorious.

The playlist can be split into 4 categories,

The Old Guys

Vic Godard's Northern Soul offering, 1979.  Uplifting, joyful, surprising.  Great songs.  And Happy Go Lucky Girl should have been saved for Eurovision.  It wouldn't have won but would have got more points than "we" usually get.

Dexys - Nowhere is Home - Astonishing is a strong and overused word to describe music but this triple album is.  The first 2 discs are a full live recording of their Duke of Yorks Theatre show from 2013.  Disc 1 is a live performance of their last album, One Day I'm Going To Soar and Disc 2 is a jaw dropping re-working of some their (not so) extensive back catalogue.  Best song - A weep a long Tell Me When My Light Turns Green.

Note to self - See Dexys live.

The Girls

Regulars will know I unashamedly love the girls and mine are  Caitlin, Beth Jeans, Elizabeth and Jocie (photos Richard?) and this year I've loved the Arc Iris album and Allo' Darlin's We Come From The Same Place

The Scottish Crew

All critically acclaimed, King Creosote, Withered  Hand and one that surprised me, the Glaswegian rap band, The Young Fathers.  It won the Mercury Prize which is irrelevant to me but a lad at work lent me the album.  It's brill in a Public Enemy meet the Black Eyed Peas sort of way.

Americana

No surprises but genuinely great albums

Single Mothers - Justin Townes Earle
All hail to The Felice Brothers - Favourite Waitress  (review is a joke) and
the acceptable faces of rock Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Only Run and Work and Love by Elliott Brood (I suspect I am the only fan).

I go in peace.

Back to work and....

Back to work today and not the horror it's been for most of this year.  And and only 2 more working days this year.  That's not too bad.

Had an early finish and went to take a few photos of the traffic on the A66 with Brigitte.

We didn't have much time, but it was good fun.

Had good intentions to do proper post but too tired.

Still not with the latest tinkering of settings but after a few clicks here and there I'm back in.

Yeah, it's been a shit year for me and I've been distracted for most of it so haven't got much to say.  Boro are picking up and I'm even going on Boxing Day.  Would love to see us in the Premier League again.  It must be close to the longest we've been out of the top tier of English football since 1974/75.

I've kept my eye on the politics and ..... what can I say ..... dismayed by what the public will put up with will have to do.  It's no wonder that UKIP are so popular.  They do offer something different.  The fact that most of the public are too thick and ignorant to realise you can't get a cigarette paper between them and lots of the BNP is not relevant.

Facebook friends (17 and no plans to increase) may have seen my stance on voting or (more to the point) not and   ....  again, just disbelief really that people are willing to put up with the mediocre shite governing our country of whatever colour.   Radical thinkers?  My arse.

Obviously I've got to put my money where my mouth is again next year.  I caved in at the last minute in 2010 and voted for Labour in my very marginal constituency last time.  Do you know?  I shouldn't have bothered.

I don't think I've missed much on the live music scene or have I?  Obviously I didn't make my beloved EOTR but to be honest I don't think I was going to go anyway.  I had a shed load of unused tickets for local shows but I don't think I missed much.

Back to the tele.

Laters.

And post number 7

Here are a few photos from my Andalucían adventure last year.  Please excuse shabby formatting etc.

Hanging out with the locals on Cadiz Beach as you do.




 Cordoba

and again

 A ghostly figure in the  Santa Iglesia Catedral de Córdoba

Wtf, here's another one of me and Sham hanging out with the Andalucían families on Sunday as you do.

Balsa wood rules ok in Sevilla

 

Not sure why there is a plaque celebrating an obscure Scotish folk/rock band in The Alhambra in Grenada but hey ho.

2014 - Post number 6.

and another month...  Not without reason to be honest.  Things are tough at the home of Goffa at the moment.  Can't speak out loud, you never know who is tuning in but I my inability to bounce back from my injury (back still not right) and more recently a virus that has so far lasted 2 weeks (seriously wtf!) in not without coincidence.  Needless to say I've got a plan that doesn't involve working for the man for another 7 years (I've done 36 years man and boy so far and counting) but I've got to keep it going for at least another 2.  Without a lottery win I'll be poor but there are lots of rich men in the cemetery.  Have I just quoted Charles Dickens?  A few things have got to drop in place and I'm relying on the world economy not collapsing (far from a given) but I'm hopeful.

So why post tonight?  Had a pretty good week-end circa Goffa 2014.  I've been at home all week-end and done loads of gardening and housework finishing off the week-end with half a Chinese takeaway made whole with half a bottle of red. I hardly drink nowadays so the wine has hit the spot

I was in the garden until 8PM was still light which has lifted my spirits.  I love light nights. 

Had my tea and watched the news.  The first 3 items were the Ukraine crisis.  Fucking scary or what?  The latest climate change warning.  I find the fact that nobody will take any notice so depressing and a very sad story about a toddler who's died in Blackpool.

Jeez!  It was even bad news about Mo only finishing 8th in the London marathon.

I remember doing film studies in my one year at 6th form college and the bully boy art teacher (some loved him but I didn't, can't remember his name) had us debate that all news is bad news.  I didn't agree but I'll give him today.

Apart from .... on day 1 of Yorkshire's first county championship match against Somerset we finished the day 342-5.  I trust you are supporting Yorkshire ex-northern hard man turned Somerset softie Richard G?

Funnily enough I'm going out with another Teesside exile called Richard tomorrow night.  A Monday night out has come up in the nick of time to put things into perspective.  It hasn't come to "school night" yet so maybe things aren't so bad.

Got a few ideas about easy posts so you never know....




 

Not too sure where those 2 months went!

Was predictably going to start with a "So what's the word?" type greeting but I won't be so presumptuous to assume anybody else is even going to read this.

So what have been up to?

Assume silence...... so I will continue.

Well my big news is I'm currently struggling with a crippling back injury.  I've had it for 2 weeks, I haven't taken to my bed or anything but I am in agony.  I had a similar problem in 2009/10 where I was laid up for a year, got addicted to a prescription drug, ended up having an injection in my spine.  Was I posting then?  You've probably heard it all before so I'll leave that one there.

Resolutions - I've actually read 2 books so far this year, Chavs: The Demonization of the Working Class  which I knocked it out in 4 days at the end of January and I followed this up with Luck which I read in 2.  Loved them both.  The demonization of the Working Class is of course a subject close to my heart and the term "C..." has always sickened me in a similar way to the N.. word.  Reading it reminded me of an incident a few years ago when I challenged a "Socialist" blogger for using the term to describe a white working class youth you doing something undesirable and stupid.  His description received much applause and laughter from his non-white working class pals.  He saw nothing wrong in using the term "chav"and counter-challenged me "well what am I supposed to call them.  Happy to discuss" missing my point totally. To my shame I didn't follow it through but Owen Jones put it all so much more eloquently than I could have anyway and I know he's a fan so.....  Don't suppose anybody else noticed but I did.

I was planning on only going out for a drink twice a month but that was never going to happen was it?  Seen a couple of bands who have been totally average.  Not going to even mention their names for fear of castigation.  Got a few things coming up in March, more later

Me and Sham have been walking has was going well until my bad back so that's stopped as has the gym.  I am currently not a pretty sight.

As ever, generally just been a bit contrary.  For example, inspired by the ludicrous abstinence concept of "dry January" I decided to do "wet February" off my own bat, having a drink of alcohol every day.  I asked a couple of people if they fancied sponsoring me, sadly there were no takers.  Anyway, I was doing ok until about the 21st of the month when I simply just forgot to have a drink one night.  So I might as well have not gone to the effort at all.
 

I seriously thought about rapping this up but here I am and I know it's too months late but my one resolution is to post at least 100 times this year and if I don't I'm going to delete all my posts over the last 8 years.

Cheers

Condemned Man

Will somebody please slow down the clock.  I've been off work since 24 December and I've loved it all but time today is just going by way too fast.  I'm dreading going back to work tomorrow and tonight I feel like ........ as the title says.

According to the ever insightful Daily Mail tomorrow is officially the most depressing day of the year.

So the upside is get tomorrow over with and it's back onto easy street.

Excuse sparse post tonight.  Off downstairs to drown my sorrows on half a bottle of wine left over from tea yesterday.

I'll just say manyana then.

Penultimate Day Off Work

It's been a bit of a We Are The Boro day, well at least until I read the football score, Boro 0 - Hull City 2.  Who cares, for now at least.

Mike and Lore did the  Albert Park 5K run this morning.  My only regret is that I didn't join them.  I would have loved watching them anyway but it was all the more satisfying because both of them did really well running great times.  Lore now lives in Sheffield but is from Brussels, she seemed to really enjoy the run and that gave me a bit of a buzz on behalf of Middlesbrough.

Gary has been doing the run for sometime and has suggested that I might like it and he's right.  I haven't ran 5000 metres since I did The Great North Run in 1981 and although there are logistical reasons why I won't be able to do it regularly I've got to have a go soon.  It is just a fantastic "feel good" community event. Just download your bar code, print it off and off you go. 

After the run we went out for a late breakfast.  They tucked into full English but I just had a coffee as I still had to go to the gym.  Jeez my swim today was depressing after that.

 

 

Better late than never - 8 years and 1 day old.

Had a busy day yesterday.  Brigitte and I went over to South Gare after dark to take some photos of our industry in full flow and then I went for a drink with Michael and his girlfriend.  Ouch!  Only 1 more night allowed in January and it's only on the 3rd of the month

 

South Gare was surprisingly busy with lots of cars coming and going.  To be honest we had our suspicions when 3 nearby parked cars sped off when we took our cameras out and the quickest of Google searches confirmed what was probably going on.  Excuse short-break while I delete my browsing history.

 

The wind was really strong and was blowing our tripods all over so our photos were generally crap but here are a few that I think are ok. 

 

 

2 more sleeps and then back to work.  Bugger.  It's been some break though.

The New Look

As usual my technical deficiencies meant it took me longer than it should have (the photos in the sidebar were the problem) but I'm pretty happy with the result.

That'll have to be it for the night.  Will post to celebrate my 8th birthday tomorrow.