I’m watching a beautiful sunset from my house after a very busy day cleaning the house. ( I’m still struggling to find alternative digs) This place looks like a shrine to my late mother, as if we are expecting her return from shopping or whatever. I had to do a much needed spring clean and threw a lot of things out.

There was no need for her jacket to be still hanging on the coat rack.

There was no need for her slippers to be in the hall, waiting for a pair of 65 year old tired feet to fit into them.

There was no need for her knitting needles and wool to be lying on the sideboard, waiting for her to knit 100, purl 300.

Keeping a house just the way the deceased owner left it is not good. I don’t think we deliberately kept it the way mum liked the place. We have been lazy.

I was on the bus today on the way home from work. I got away early to try and catch some of the World Cup’s opening ceremony (which I missed.. thanks First Bus. ) On the bus there was a lad, well he wasn’t a lad he was older than me, but the poor guy was sobbing pretty bad whilst on the phone to a woman. in front of a public audience of neds, pensioners and of course… me the Glasgow Franz Ferdinand, Michael Jackson lookalike.

Part of me wanted to hug him, but he may have thought I had homosexual tendencies.

All he kept saying over and over was the broken hearted mantra of ‘ Take me back, take me back, please, I’m a nice guy.. ‘ I felt so sorry for him. I kind of got emotional. Thankfully an old woman tried to calm him down after he got off his mobile phone. Still crying, he told her that his wife had just left him for another man and she is pregnant.

She dropped the bombshell by a phone call whilst he was on public transport.

No wonder he was in a really bad way emotionally.

‘ Nice guy.. ‘

Ive used that one a few times. Too many times in fact. Its cringe worthy, it doesn’t make the situation better. It doesn’t bring her back.

I have come to terms with the biased opinion that there is no such thing as a nice guy. We are all bastards, but on different levels.

In a previous post I mentioned that the Sir Alan Mcilwraith story inspired me to write a song, well if you want to hear a work in progress demo, please click here:

Link deleted due to technical issues..

A bit long, a bit repetitive, but hey that is how proper songs are carved from demos..

Let me know of your thoughts.

Having a good read at Lisa Rullsenberg’s Blog her latest post influences this posting.

My simple pleasures in life:

Walking through a park mid summer around 9 or 10 pm in the evening. The park would preferably be The Meadows area in Edinburgh. Ive been in a lot of parks, and that area is my perfect image of an afterlife.

Laughter and fun when there is no darkness in life.

Talking to someone special and being able to go off on random rants, discuss random things.

Holding hands and kissing.. ( the eternal romantic! )

Freshly brewed coffee from Starbucks or any other decent coffee house..

The sound of opening up my tenth can of diet irn bru. The taste of 7UP Free ( which is hard to find in Glasgow! )

The rare event of finishing a track and wishing others to hear it..

The thought of someone out there will fall in love with me..

Being lost in a good book..

My white shoes. I have noticed in Glasgow there is a colour prejudice towards white shoes.

Listening to the full version of Kraftwerk’s Autobahn..

Doctor Who ( When David Tennant finally gets to grips with the role, and Russell T Davies can deliver something with a bit more meat script wise, I shall be a happy whovian.. )

Having a beer or a diet coke with lots of ice in Ashton Lane, especially in late summer.

The darkness of winter. Especially travelling by bus late at night on the M8 Glasgow - Edinburgh. You cant really see anything when you look out the window. Its evocative to me. It symbolises life’s journey at times.

Eating Sushi when I am depressed..

Being in good company, and the thought of others enjoying my company.

Spending too much money on Ebay..

Oh I could go on..

I am writing music again, and this time music that appears to be on the road to completion, instead long periods of time. Musicians are usually inspired by emotions or beautiful summer nights. However I am not like those music people. Recently, I have been inspired by a man who made national headlines, and I worked with him. His name? Captain Sir Alan Macilwraith…

Scotland Today News
Wikipedia
Sir Alan’s Wikipedia Entry

Why Alan or Sir Alan as I still call him, did this I don’t think we will ever find out. I liked working with him and he was a helpful chap. I knew he was not a real Sir, or a war hero the UK and NATO could look to in times of chaos. I guess I did not wish to upset him, as I’m sure he would have taken great offence. It was up to my superiors to check the man’s credentials, which allegedly they didn’t.

It shows that you cant be sure if your work colleague is actually the person they say they are and have the proper experience for the job.

Anyway, back to how he inspired me. I was working on a musical piece which was going nowhere, and I couldn’t sleep one night. I thought of Sir Alan and the recent news stories and decided to make music around the story.

Perhaps its my dark humour coming to play.

I guess Sir Alan just wanted to be loved hence the charade. Who knows where he might have wished to end up with it if not found out?