Middleagedbloke

The last blog of the year from me. A tadge early for the brits and all points west a bit late for those in the far east.
Happy birthday to Big Ben, 150 years old and getting adjusted to add on second tonight to allow for the slight slowing of the earth. Make the most of that second, and be careful not to blink and miss it. Daydreaming is however permitted

Just a quick thought about these watches I have seen that advertised that they are accurate to one second in a million years. Who the hell is going to prove them wrong? Thats about 12 and a half thousand lifetimes, and I feel pretty sure that even if I leave one to my daughter and she to her offspring and thus down the line, it is bound to get lost, sat upon, broken, or generally buggered up. However even if it should survive to whom would my inheritors take the watch for verification?

Have a great NYE everyone, I'm off to work now to make sure that some of the good folk of Darlo have a good one.

See ya all next year

Just like to say Happy New Year to all who read this and hope that 2009 will be better for us all than 2008 was.

Well its all been a bit quiet on the middleaged bloke front this festive season. Indeed the highlight of the week was discovering I'd won on uskys' something for the weekend.
Had a nice lunch cooked for me at mates house here in Darlo then back to grotty flat.
Decided yesterday that 2009 will be the year to actually improve my personal situation. I will in 2009 pass my Yachtmaster offshore and return to a life on the ocean waves. To that end I have found out where I can renew my First Aid Certificate, in Gosport of all places. Actually one of several but if I do it in Gosport I have then got the excuse to pop in and see ageing parents and couple of nephews. Having got and started a couple of part time jobs plus the money the Tax authorities will give me to top up my income I should be able to save enough money by the end of February to start the YM course.

So a positive frame of mind to end 2008 which was in all truth a pretty shit year and a real plus plus start to 2009.

Off for a siesta now and back into work for 7pm. Oh yeah got some extra hours for New Years Eve, so it will not only be a good start to 2009 but a sober one too.

Just been listening to Radio 6 (just when did the beeb gain all these channels?) and joy of joys Young Marble Giants were featured. One of the best bands I ever had the pleasure of mixing, possibly at ULU around 1981 or 2.
If you've never heard of them try and find their seminal album Collasall Youth, and if you know the band dig out the album and play it again and remind your self of how simple and wonderful music can be.

You can't turn on the radio at the moment without hearing that there are 10 to 15 major chains in danger of going under in the new year. I personally hope that this is so. Perhaps then our High Streets will become less homogenised and once again more reflect our localities. Hopefully we'll see the small shopkeeper rise once again, people who know there customers and don't overstock their shops. People who can offer a service tailored to the individual and not the mass. Icould point out that the blame for this 'crisis' lies directly at the feet of one MT and her dogmatic approach that market forces must out and to hell with community, a word she seemed to confuse with communism. She created the 'I, me' society and catigated the 'we, us' culture.

Whoops turning into a rant Nigel. Stop it now!!

The downside is of course the mass unemployment these closures will cause, again it will be the workers who suffer whilst the (bad) decision making management class will bowl along just nicely with bonus payoffs for their inefficiency.

One other small point. Retailers never sell at a loss, how do they justify a 70% sale price!! I read in one of the papers today that the traditional New Year sales are starting on line 1 minute into Christmas Day!!

Come the revolution.............

Shortest day today, the winter solstice, my favourite day of the year. Here in Darlington it is a clear blue skied day but alas only light until 3,30 or so.
Tomorrow 3 minutes more. The count down to summer starts here!!!

YAHOOOOOOOOOO I've got 2 jobs!!!!!!

Both part time but work none the less and neither doing my normal sort of work. First job is for only 8 hours per week escorting the young lad to school each day and the other is as a part time barman in the local Navy Club. This will give me a total of 21 hours per week. And being over 50 I qualify for some tax credits so will give me a total of £192 per week. Not exactly brilliant but a damn sight better than the 60 odd I get now. Even taking off my rent I will still be quids in.

There is of course the added benefit that when I am at work I will not be spending as much on heating my flat. This is one of those things that the working person never really notices. I for one certainly never had.

I'm so happy, I'm so happy, I'm so happy so happy and straight!

Nigel

Here are a few questions posed to me recently by various friends and aquaintances.

1. How important does one have to be assassinated rather than plain murdered?

2. Why was I in a film but only on television?

3. Why is a bra in the singular yet panties plural?

4. Corn oil from corn, vegetable oil from vegetables. Baby oil?

5. What disease did cured ham get cured of?

6. If a deaf person goes to court is it still a hearing?

7. Why does'nt Tarzan have a beard?

Sure there are loads more but these will do for now.

Nigel

Does'nt work does it. Dunking your biscuits in Lemsip Max Strength.

OK so I'm not using digestives or rich teas, the supreme dunkers, but the humble and slightly decadent custard cream. These dunk well in tea and coffee but nothing I fear will dunk in Lemsips. Should have dumped this head cold by tomorrow so normal dunking will resume.

Note to self buy more rich teas........

Nigel

Hello again.

Something I have never done before is attempt to review a book but here goes.

Rob Chapmans' first novel, published in April of this year by Flambard Press, deals with the life of fictional avant garde guitarist Keith Gear. Within the novel are references to most of the major music events that have occurred here in the UK over the past 40 years, with constant references to Jimi Hendrix loosely based on actual events in his life. The novel is obviously well researched and in its own way quite amusing.

The only down point is probably the rather bleak (but ultimately happy) ending. Here I felt that the author was some how at a loss as to how Keiths journey should end. I felt short changed, and it was all a little rushed. Just my opinion. Overall though I really enjoyed the book and was often able to relate tales from within to my own experiences of the music industry.

Normal service from Nigel will be resumed later.

I would recommend that you go out and buy this book for your spouse or for yourself today! Especially if you have had any interest in the development of the music industry from the 60s' through to today and beyond.

The Iraqi government will have to "tread carefully."

This was the comment of the BBC reporter in Iraq about the shoe throwing incident involving an Iraqi reporter and George Bush.

Am I the only one to notice the humour in this statement?

Wooo hooooo gotta job today!!

OK so lets not get over the top here it is in fact a bit of a non job really. 2 hours a day. 1 in the morning and one more in the evening. I have to sit in a taxi that takes a young fellow and his wheelchair to and from his school. Thats it. I am not permitted to assist in the lifting, or setting up of the wheelchair or anything. Just be in the vehicle with him and the driver. Still 56 sobs a week is'nt to be sneezed at! Mind you I am sneezing more than usual at the moment due to a bit of a cold developing.

More later maybe

Nigel

Nothing to write but feel I ought to write something even if it is nothing. Its been a nothing day, that horrid sort of loose rain, dark by 3 which was'nt so good as I did'nt get up until half 12, went down and paid rent. Gig was crap; full of people pretending to be punx. Well weird. Left early which is something I seldom do normally out of respect for the musos but the crowd depressed me. Watched the last 10 mins of X factor so I'd know who won when I speak to daughter tomorrow. In spite of all my training she is an independent spirit and likes that sort of shite. May be it because of her independence rebelling against the rebel. Dunno but love her anyway.

Til the next one

Nigel

Oh joy of joys. Yes lets get some good news here first!!

Phoned the JSA people again this morning and there had been a 'glitch' on the computer system suggesting that I had moved. Once I had confirmed that no I had'nt moved away the lovely woman on the other end of the phone promised me that my payment would be in my account by 5 p.m. this evening. Yeh like hell thought I. Well I'll be shocked shitless and there at just before 5 was my fortune, £106! Gosh I am so underwhelmed that I don't know what to waste my gift from the goverment on this fortnight. Should I waste some on food? Maybe I should act in the feckless way expected of the unwashed unwaged unemployed. For that is how I still feel after my 13 week review.

Had the first of my weekly sign on sessions today, designed, so I was told by the horrid woman on Wednesday, to better focus my job seeking efforts. Personally I did'nt notice any great opening of the floodgates to employment. No siesmic movements of the earth, nada, not a bloody thing. In fact if any thing I was there for less time than normal. So much for extra help in getting back to work.

On that subject I got a nice e-mail back from a firm I'd applied to some time back letting me know that the job I'd applied for was no longer available and apologising for the length of time it had taken for them to reply. That in itself I felt was decent enough. I'd forgotten about the application, but there was an extra question asking if I was interested in working in either Afghanistan or Iraq. I should mention here that I have worked outside the UK for longer now than I've worked in it. Of course I replied in the positive. Never been to these places and any opportunity to go is one to be taken up. A tadge of danger just makes it all a bit more interesting and of course puts the salary up by a considerable amount.

Also got a call from the states offering me some networking thing. No thanks not today, I'll stick with the other one I'm starting in January.

I am definately going out tomorrow evening, some local, I assume young, punk bands are playing at a local venue, its only £4 to get in so along with a couple of beers should get away with a tenner, OK 15 quid, for the night. Oh dear I do hope that horrid woman from dole is'nt there to see me being feckless, or rather I do hope she is there!!! Ha ha

Thats all for now folks

Nigel

Fucking brilliant, my opinion of the dole system reaches new lows this evening. My meagre £106 was due in my account yesterday but being as how I was going out this evening to the seminar to become a sales rep and then on (time permitting) to see the Anti Nowhere League play in Darlington, I did'nt bother to go to the hole in the wall and check my payment. This evening I did. NO MONEY, or rather no dole payment in. There was £16 there, so of course I took the tenner available and hot footed it to the Jobcentre. "Phone the JSA from here" said the dis-interested can't wait to get home type at the door pointing to the free phones on the wall, "press button B".
Basically they tell me that there has been a glitch and some-one will call me tomorrow morning, funnily enough I start my weekly signing tomorrow morning at the un godly or rather un dole claimant friendly time of 10;10.

This has set me wondering as to whether or not I can sue the bastards for screwing my life up even more. I shall look into this.

Anyone know a free radical lawyer?

Back later, Nigel

I have just been trolling through the internet looking for ways to get the government to pay for me to do training to get me off the dole. Well guess what, there is the New Deal 50 plus which I qualify for by the fact I am over 50 but fall down as I've only been signing on for 3 months and not the required 6. How bloody ridiculous is that! I've also written to my local MP, Alan Milburn, to request a meeting with him. I'll be buggered if I'll let the bastards grind me down. I really can't recall the last time I was this angry.

Nigel, normally quite a placid sort of bloke.

Just a swift update.
I was intending to go pro this week but just got some bills in, water rates of 50 odd quid to be paid by January 1st and my internet/phone bill of £80 to be paid on the 23rd of December. Bugger I'd forgotten about bills to be paid.

Nigel

Well what a waste of time this was! My 13 week review at the dole office. I have now to sign on every week instead of fortnightly. The bloody woman as good as accused me of not trying to get work!! I came out of there with steam coming out of my ears I was so bloody annoyed at her whole demeanour.
I asked her, or rather tried to ask her, about training courses that are allegedly available. No not to some one who is as qualified as I am apparently. If I was semi literate I could go on a course to learn how to read and write but if I want to upgrade my current but seemingly inadequate qualifications, tough shit! Her only response to my questions was to tell me to write to Gordon Brown to ask him why the funding is not available for re-training. What the fuck are all those adverts I see on the TV all about then? More importantly what the fuck was our glorious PM on about with the statement copied below?

Speaking afterwards, Mr Brown said: "We want to get opportunities for people to get jobs. We want to give them all the personal support that is necessary. We want to provide a personal service to everyone. I can assure people, having been here, that there are thousands of vacancies that can be taken up. We are determined to help people."

Nigel
Gordon Brown statement 2nd December 2008

Back again!

Well went for the interview at Reed in Middlesbrough this morning and what an uplifting experience it was. The young lady who interviewed me actually seemed to be genuinely interested in me and seemed to go out of her way to help me out. She is re writing my CV to make sure it reflects my wealth of experience in the work place. I of course made the mistake of assuming that everyone knew what was involved in being a First Mate on a luxury yacht and running ones own businesses accross the world. Apparently not. You have to spell it all out, almost in words of one syllable. Lowest common denominator I suppose. I just want to say here thanks to Joanne Solomon at Reed Recruitment of Middlesbrough for rejuvinating my faith in people.

On the high from that got the train back to Darlington and celebrated with a couple of pints of good ale in one of the pubs in town.

All in all a good day. Of course it'll all come crashing down tomorrow when I have my back to work interview at the dole. Maybe I'll be wrong, check out this page tomorrow.

Thanks for dropping by, Nigel

I dont know nothing written for a couple or tree days and hardly anyone pays me a visit. Lesson to be learnt. Make sure I write something every day no matter how trite.

Triteness however is not the subject of todays entry.

What is well I thought I'd start off with a word or two about a television programme that I've been following for the pat few weeks. Spooks. This is, for those who have'nt seen it, a well written series about MI5, Britains security service. Yes the story lines are a bit far fetched but it has possibly the best secret agents since James Bond. This evenings episode was the last in the current run and I, for one, can't wait for the next season. It even finished on a real cliff hanger. But what is it about the programme thaat has made it such essential viewing for me? To be honest I'm not entirely sure. Perhaps the locations, I love anything set in London having lived there for so long, maybe its just the excellent acting with Hermione Norris leading a superb cast. Whatever it is I rate this as one of the best TV I've seen since returning to the UK in September.

What else happened in my life today? I spent an hour this afternoon playing roulette as part of my research into money making schemes. Yes it does appear to work at least on the free play now all I have to do is find a couple of hundre quid and I'm there! Thats the theory anyway. On the way to getting that initial stake I have an interview with an agency in Middlesbrough morning for some work for the next 4 months. I am reasonably hopeful for this one especially as I have made it as far as the interview. Once I get an interview I feel more positive in my self and can then put myself over in a better way. I find it difficult to descibe myself on paper in a way that potential employers seem to like. I can write OK I think but not when it comes to CVs and application forms.

Just a short one today. Maybe I should go for a job as a spook!! Or an as an actor!! Answers on a comment below please

Nigel

Hi there.

Just a few note inspired by hearing a track on the radio. Funny really what prompts one to write.

Listening to Planet Rock for no reason other than it was the best option available, radio 1 has no appeal, could'nt be arsed with Chris Evans and heard enough news today which kind of put Radio 4 out of the frame.

Fish, remember him from Marillion?  Well he is the presenter and bloody hell one of the first tracks he plays is by Steve Hillage. Who?!??!!!  I hear you all shout from the roof tops (or living rooms....). Steve Hillage. His album entitled quite simply L was one of the most influential albums I ever listened to. Space Ritual by Hawkwind being another that springs to mind.

What made L such an influence on me. It was one of the few albums that I heard once and went immediately to Virgin Records and bought. Normally I'd wait a while, find something else to waste my money on, tape the album from a friends almost anything rather than go and actually go and buy the damn thing. With L it was different. I can even remember the interior of the house where I first heard it and that the house was somewhere near Coventry Citys football ground at Highfield Road. Who the hell was there with me is a complete mystery though I have a feeling that a mate Stan may well have been there. Its a little cloudy as I was almost certainly stoned at the time. I do know the year was 1976 as the radio DJ just told me that.

I got the album back to my bedsit and read the sleeve notes and immediately wanted to know more, from Steve Hillage I moved onto Gong and Planet Gong, and through them to Here and Now and the free festival circuit that thrived through until Thatchers assaults on alternative culture. Along the way I picked up on the punk movement though not so strongly until I moved full time to London and the squat scene there. I was periphial to the Convoy, the Tibetan Ukrainian Mountain Troupe, Stonehenge and all the other fre festivals and the souls that frequented them. When I think back on the amount of drugs we consumed then it really is amazing to find myself still relatively sane at 51. 

The fact that I can trace all this back to one album stuns me and would never have thought it but for happening to tune into this particular station tonight. 

Prior to Steve Hillage I was listening to Yes, ELP, Deep Purple and the rest of that ilk. Don't get me wrong I still love all that music but would have, I am sure have just muddled along and fallen into an ultimately unsatisfying lifestyle. I had already given up my apprenticeship as a Turner Miller at a large Midlands engineering works. Row upon row of grey machines churning out grey metallic parts for a larger grey metallic product. The whole place depressed me beyond belief and I knew that I had to get out of there. What I wanted to do I had no idea. All I did know was that it would not involve working in a factory amongst grey people and machinery. This is not to suggest that my life post L has been anything to write home about but I have generally had a good time and regret very little of it. I have travelled extensively and almost always at others expense, which lets face it is the best way to travel, run my own businesses, some more successful than others, and experienced loads of differing cultures.

All in all I think I should thank Steve Hillage and more importantly, the guys in that house in the Highfields area of Coventry. 

Nigel  

Greetings to you all, well at least the few who bother to get this far. Please leave a comment even if its just to say piss off give it up! call me names! just say something.

Its getting kind of lonely in this space!!!!

Any way onto todays bit of writing though as yet nothing comes to mind subject wise. This is probably because I have done sweet FA all day long. Actually not true. I subjected myself to the chill elements of Darlington for a trip to Morrisons first thing this morning to buy some cooking oil, bread and bacon so I could make some breakfast using yesterdays brilliant and fantastic bargain grill and griddle. Oh the sheer joy of a decent bacon butty. The simple things in life that make me a happy bloke. My second foray into the wilds of Darlington was a swift visit to the local chippy to accompany my evening meal, note to self must get deepfat fryer next week.

Some good came of being in all day as I got a phone call from a bloke looking for some crew to take a boat from Ireland to Malaysia. A nice 10 week trip the downside being I have to find $1500 to do the trip with. At least there should be some work at the end of it. Also I have some mates out there, and no not just some dirty old middle aged blokes shagging their way to the grave, mind you one or 2 are going down that road. It will be a good opportunity to visit some interesting places especially the islands off the coast of Burma/Myanamar which are on the owners itinerary. Well we'll see.

All that means is that I've definitely got to get a bloody job.

On that front I have sent my CV all over the place but thus far no joy! The buggers seem not to want a 51 year old bloke. Hope they are in my position when they get to their 40s and 50s.

Anyway have to sign on tomorrow at half 11 so better pop off to my warm bed. Night night everyone and don't forget to leave a comment.

Nigel

I never ever, and I mean never, find a real bargain when out shopping. Since moving to Darlington things seem to have changed a bit and today was nothing short of miraculous. I have been looking for a George Foreman Grill and Griddle since moving into the grotty flat (my pet name for my home). I have trolled the internet, checked out all the local shops and markets, and all come up with the same price, £49.95 or there abouts. Sometimes a little less but with delivery thrown in brings it back up to the 50 quid mark. So imagine my complete amazement when popping into my local Morrisons to get milk and bread I spot the afore mentioned item on sale for £29.46, thats £20 less than anywhere else in the entire country!! I am so chuffed it is unreal.

Why has getting one of these grill griddle things been such a quest for me? Simple really, I have only got a microwave oven at the flat which kind of limits my cooking options. I have after 6 weeks living here got pissed off with frozen ready meals, and stews and things out of a tin. At least now I can cook some meat, fry eggs, mushrooms, make some tasty paninis, you understand the sort of thing. Oh the joy of potential good food.

The other bargains that I mentioned at the beginning of this entry are all from Darlingtons fantastic Ofam shop. This has to be the best charity shop I have ever been in. I have bought two really good suits from there at a tenner each and am keeping an eye on leather jackets at only £5. I have been shopping in charity shops for getting on for 35 years and this one is by far and away the best one I have seen.

Maybe more to write later, don't know yet.

Nigel

Just happestanced to glance out of the window and spotted that it is snowing again!! Should try and get a photo and put it on here. Nah photo did'nt work as I was'nt going to go outside and freeze my balls off for a photo and tried to take picture through the window. Guess thats the difference between me and a photographer. Anyway 5 minutes later and the snow has stopped falling.

I live on one of the main roads north out of Darlington and there so little traffic it is almost eerie. I've lived major towns for most of my adult life, London, Malaga, Kampala, Portsmouth, Dublin. You get the drift. These towns seem to have a constant traffic flow that is lacking here. I guess it is an indication of how small a town that Darlington actually is and the lack of industry here.

Getting back to a theme of mine from a few days back. I hope to have the money in the bank to pay to make this site a pro one. Its only €39.90 and then hopefully I can get my mates to click on the ads and see how much money it makes. Not much I'm sure.

Nothing more for the moment!

Speaking afterwards, Mr Brown said: "We want to get opportunities for people to get jobs. We want to give them all the personal support that is necessary. We want to provide a personal service to everyone. I can assure people, having been here, that there are thousands of vacancies that can be taken up. We are determined to help people."
Gordon Brown statement 2nd December 2008

So sayeth the Prime Minister.

Well I have an interview on the 10th of this month at my local jobcentre to offer assistance to me in getting back on the workforce. I look forward to quoting this PM statement when I tell them that yes I can get a new job if I get assistance to complete a course I need to do.

Watch this space for updates on this one!!

There is snow outside my window, now how do I get to the launderette without freezing my balls off.

Bloody hell I need to get a washing machine and dryer!

Sad git must get a life.

Whats the difference between a page view and a visit?

Well there should have been a piece about Saturdays papers on this site but for some reason the word a d e r v t i s m e n t means that it is not permitted to be published. Another reason for not trusting bloody computers. Of course the lost writings were the best I have ever done and will never be able to replicate such wonderful scribblings again. Aha I think I may have copied it to some place on my computer. Let me have a look around the place.
Nope not there. Bugger bugger bugger.

Talking of the word that I'm not permitted to use why oh why do they appear on my blog. I do not endorse them but am willing to do so if they cross my palm with large denomination notes.

Oops sort of lost my thread there as am trying to do this at the same time as listening to University Challenge. I'm no good at answering the questions but do feel quite chuffed when I get some of them right and the students don't. Only copped about half a dozen today which is about my average.

Oh jolly good! Panorama is on and already a bunch of NIMBY wankers complaining about open cast mines in their neighbourhoods. Put the nation first you selfish bastards. You'll be the sort of people who will complain when the price of your electricity goes up. I do consider myself to be an environmentalist but you do have to look at the bigger picture. According to the early comments the average life time for an open cast mine is 4 or 5 years and then the site is returned to its original state. There is one in Merthyr Tydfil which will last about 15 years. As far as I recall this area of south Wales has massive unemployment problems. Surely an employer coming in and putting jobs in place and improving the lot of the local economy should be welcomed.

I do understand that there has been a change of policy by the Government but that is, in my opinion, the sign of good governance. The world situation has changed and surely it is the duty of our Government to change to meet the new situation. Are the complainers happy that the country should be paying Russians, South Africans or Australians for our coal? Money that could be spent inside the country and for the benefit of the country as a whole. There is of course the very obvious concern about the carbon emissions from burning coal but burning coal now is very different from 30 years ago. Yes the country does need to address the problem of carbon reduction in our lives. I wonder how many of the NIMBYs would give up their vehicles to cut carbon output. Very few I think.

I could write more but feel that enough is enough. I will only start to ramble on ond bore both myself and you the reader.