In Glasgow, its the season to be jolly alright..

I’m jolly too.. Hence a post with nowt of note to say..

I’m not drunk.. I deny that. Consider me… easily amused..

I’m off to drink two litres of water..

Well, after waiting a while my M-Audio Radium 61 arrived today. I just had to test it before Xmas!

It was not the controller that I expected it to be. Mainly, I wasn’t impressed with the knobs and faders for MIDI data so Ive sent it back.

However, I bought something a tad more expensive and powerful: Novation’s REmote 61

I tested this beauty this evening, and it really is time to retire my trusty old Roland D-50. The responsiveness of the knobs & faders along with the keyboard action gave me a lot of enjoyment.

11/10 for the product! It is truly a controller for sound fetishists who get their kicks out of twisting virtual knobs.

I look forward to gigs using it. In fact, I love it so much Ive asked it to be my new girlfriend.

My work colleagues and I wrote a Xmas card to Glen Michael, who is now a DJ on Saga FM in Glasgow.

We shall be very sad if he doesn’t send us one back. Perhaps if we don’t get his autograph, then maybe on Friday I should send another card addressed to Cecil Buckland In Devon.

Which is his real name apparently.

Glen Michael presented the show on STV for 26 years. It started as Cartoon Cavalcade in 1966 and changed its name later to Glen Michael’s Cavalcade.

Glen, who kept his age secret, was born Cecil Buckland in Devon. He came to Scotland in the early 50s as part of a touring show and never left. He still lives in Ayr.

Orginal source from Evening Telegraph Letter

Cecil Buckland’s Cavalcade doesn’t have that nostalgic ring to it and the information above destroys my parents’ belief that Glen was from Australia.

It was a strange day travelling around Glasgow using public transport. Firstly, the bus was on time this morning for the first time ever. ( You just know its going to be one of those days when that happens.. )

Secondly: waiting for the bus this evening, I encountered a twenty something non educated delinquent wannabe standing next to me at the bus stop, slurping out of a two pint milk carton.

I think he wanted to drink the hard stuff before the kids drink that was the four cans of Miller snug in his shopping bag. Anyway, back to the transport link. A number 38 bus comes by and almost fails to stop due to his lateness in sticking his hand out.

The bus grinded to a halt, the man child walks past me and mutters ‘ If that bus didnae stoap ah wid hiv knoacked fuck oot eh ye! ‘

I did not flinch, nor did I speak. I gave him the evil eye and he quickly went on the bus.

Whenever I see men like him, I wish they brought back National Service.

The third strange thing happened on the bus I get home. As the bus kept stopping to let off passengers, 1 out of 2 passengers tapped me on the shoulder and said ‘ Does that one penny piece belong to you? ‘

There was a 1p sitting next to me on the bus. It did not come from my wallet. I denied everything to the caring passengers who worried for my financial wellfare.

I’m too damn honest. I never picked that 1p and kept it. It is still lying on the bus no doubt. Sad, lonely and cold for Xmas.

Perhaps one day, I shall look back on my life and wonder what life would have been like if I lied and grabbed the penny. I shall also look back on that journey as I will remember it as at journey’s end I was greeted by my mother who had a big smile on her face as she came home to us with a fish supper.

The smile on her face removed any feelings of worry or emotional
tiredness Ive had recently.

I never thought that would have happened.

Mum comes home on Monday. I should be feeling wonderful.

I wish was feeling wonderful.

The euphoria of mum having a slight chance to be with us for a couple more years has died down within me. She has the attitude and mindset to do well and lead a normal life again ( if treatment works ) but the whole saga has taken a lot out of me mentally and physically.

When mum was diagnosed, I was dealing with a sad and unexpected breakup of a long term relationship. The love gone, the cancer cometh seems to be the tag line for the last half 2005.

I have been dealing with both those things, and combining music work all at the same time. It has not been easy, and now I just feel like an old worn out record.

Is it selfish of me to feel this way? I visited mum this evening, and she saw the change in me. She said I looked tired and in need of rest.

As ever, the woman’s insight serves her well. I’m emotionally drained. It’s a feeling Ive not really had before.

Now I have to try and find a way to enjoy Xmas, enjoy mum being here, supporting her through her determination to live life as she always has, to enjoy my music work & to live my own life again.