What I know about Basketball

Not a lot, if you really want to know, suspect it could be written on a small sheet of paper, thats for sure. Did once go to a Seattle Sonics (now Oklahoma City Thunder) game in the NBA, but thats really it, and I only did that because the opportunity was there, and it seemed to be a fun way to spend an evening. It wasnt bad, but not a sport I’d rush to watch again in all honesty.

NCAA Basketball, oh please, I didnt even go to university over here, let alone in the US, so…But yes, I’m following the basketball playoffs with a slight hint of bias. If I say that I started with 3 teams to follow, and I still have 1 left in the final four, and given the whole Louise Brooks thing, you may have gathered that’s Kansas. And yes, you’re right, I couldnt name a single player on the team without cheating by using a relevant website lol.

I even watched a bit of their game last night while finishing off on here, but only after the cricket finished, have to get my priorities right lol! But did it mean anything really to me, no, in all honesty. Doesnt mean I wont be looking out for their result next weekend though, I think I heard next Saturday mentioned as the date? But yes, I seem to be getting more into this whole college sports thing, funnily enough. I have wild, and unlogical affiliations, Washington, because I love Seattle, Yale, because they are the first team I saw (college football far too long ago), and now seemingly Kansas, though I have no actual idea if they are the nearest university to Cherryvale anyway! Oh, and Oklahoma State, because I have to stay in Kate’s good books, and besides, they arent that far over the state line from Cherryvale either!

I’m actually hoping to get up to Washington Uni next month, just to walk around the site, just because I love that sort of thing, and yes, despite the knees, I do love just walking, though it does pretty much have to be fairly flat, or well paved nowadays unfortunately. Can you get an unofficial college Alma Mater btw? I think most college sports are at the weekend unfortunately, so I doubt I will get to see any Husky team play though. Might try and find a website, I’m pretty sure there are several lol!

All the same, in spirit at least, I will be rooting for the Kansas Jayhawks next weekend, and yes, I did have to look the nickname up!

The music, an indirect link to Kansas if you think about it carefully,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kMVdazvII4&feature=g-vrec&context=G2b2c126RVAAAAAAAADg

What would it be like?

To be whisked back to the 1920’s, and dress flapper style? Mind, at my current age I’d probably be too elderly to be such a rebel anyway, even if I was. And yes, you’re right, I’d definitely miss the internet now, if that did happen to me lol! Its funny what you get used to, just about 12 years ago I thought a computer was a luxury I could happily live without, but now…maybe not? 😉 Mind, what they cost then, as opposed to what they cost now, quite amazing really, especially if you compare the capabilities of a modern computer as opposed to those of just 10 years ago.

No, seriously, I’d probably find the lifestyle back then very restrictive, and very basic compared to what I’ve now got used to. And lets face it, the concept of transatlantic air travel wasnt the norm, in terms of passenger flights, it didnt even exist! It didnt really exist in terms of passenger travel at all, let alone flying from Manchester to Chicago non stop, in just over 8 hours!

So alright, maybe going back to those days on a permanent basis for a modern middle aged woman wouldnt be fun! But alright, maybe a quick visit, just to meet someone before returning…that might do nicely! 😉

But lets hypothesize on an intermediate step. Back when I was a child, early teens apparently, due to help from Wikipedia with the dates, there was a series called Mr Benn. Wont mean a thing to the vast majority, if not all my readers, because as far as I know, it was only ever shown in the UK. Basically it was a short animated series based around the visits of said Mr Benn to a fancy dress shop run by a mysterious man, dressing up in an outfit her found there, and having an adventure as such, before returning to his normal life at the end of the programme. Now wouldnt that be fun, dress up as a flapper girl, walk out of the changing room, and find myself temporarily in the 1920’s as a young flapper girl. Hopefully getting to meet Louise Brooks, but at least being able to find out what her life was like at least, before walking back into modern life.

I know, there are fancy dress shops as such, but lets face it, most, if not all are more into ‘fun’ uniforms than 20’s outfits. But most arent interested in photo shoots dressed up or anything like that, let alone having the magic powers of the one in Mr Benn. But yes, getting dressed up, and being made up to look like a 20’s flapper girl, yes, I’d love that to happen. But I suspect that no place where this sort of thing can happen really exists? I know there isnt around here, thats for sure.  But in Seattle, New England, or somewhere else I can visit in the future where I could fulfil this dream, any ideas, anyone?

I wouldnt want anyone to get me wrong, the robot fantasy still stands, especially if involving a transformation scene, but currently the whole 20’s thing seems to have infected my thoughts greatly, especially one woman, but I’m not complaining about that in the slightest!

So yes, no prizes for working out who might be seen in the video tonight! A Cole Porter song, sung by the Maestro which sums her up perfectly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_QqaqXTirg

The plan is one more post before the end of the year, so I will leave certain comments until then. The video I use then might be a slightly apt one, without a sighting of Louise Brooks lol!

Oh come let us adore him

Just in case some (especially James) thought that I might only go in for songs with a slightly jaded outlook on Christmas, I thought I’d better slip this one in here. Ironically, 2 videos tonight on my blogs, and not one word of English in either of the songs! And this one in one of the older languages of the world, thats for sure. Funny thing is, its the same singer for both, and both are Christmas carols.

Its fair to say my religous background is an interesting one, my father being of Irish Catholic stock, my mother being Protestant, though she changed religions on marriage, as you had to back then, I have no idea if thats still true today though? So yes, I started off as a good catholic girl, though when my parents split up when I was 9, I quickly went protestant in beliefs, and church going. To me, Christmas crosses all religous barriers anyway, and is something both sides should worship, and enjoy equally. Today I simply call myself a non church going Christian, and leave it at that.

Why, a simple reason. When I was in Seattle in 2003, and staying for a brief while in a ladies mission hall (money didnt quite last 6 months lol) for a few nights before flying back, I got invited to a church related to where I was staying on the Sunday for a service. Even then I hadnt been in years, mainly because my work tended to involve Sunday working, so I couldnt fit in by then, even if I wanted to. I used to go to a Christmas service when in Dorset, but that was it, and when I left there…

Trouble was, this service I got took to was one of those ‘fire and brimstone’ type Christian preachers, very homophobic, a major put off for me of course. Ironically, not knowing what ‘type of girl’ I was, he offered to help me find work in the area, though I wasnt certain how, unless he had the power to override US labor laws at least, he might well have thought he did, mind!

Fortunately our paths never crossed again, as I flew back to the UK the following weekend.

I could say that I need to find a wonderful, open minded priest to put me back on the right Christian trail, but some would say I found him a few years back. Not that I really ever lost my Christian beliefs, it just jaded me for a long time to Christian preachers though. I hope one day to go to one of his services, but that date will have to be very TBA at present, all the same. But I know he’d welcome me in, and thats the main thing.

Anyway, no more about this man, he might blush! Who is he, no idea? 😉

I will do my traditional religous thing this Christmas, the BBC presentation of 9 carols and lessons from Kings College, Cambridge, and that will be it. For a non church goer, its one of my absolute Christmas traditions, and I wouldnt miss it for the world. Fortunately I’m not working Christmas Eve when it will be shown, which is handy.

Right, enough chat, lets get to the video, I’m sure thats all some come here for. Well Jo probably comes to see if I mention anything bondage related, but apart from that…lol!

The artist is Enya, the carol is in Latin, though the title of this blog might give away the English title of it. Hope you enjoy…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5ONtCZUhZ0&feature=related

Irony, she’s Catholic, and if you believe the comments, its the Anglican cathedral in Dublin, and it certainly looks like it is to me too.

Seeking out fond memories

And yes, not only is the title of this piece a corny wordplay on the group in the videos, this blog only really came about through what I term a You Tube hunt.

Alright, the least fond memory, 3 months ago, about this time, I was getting crazy ideas that the Bills might well be play offs bound, given the way their season had started. Sadly the wheels did finally come off the rails halfway through the season, and this Sunday was the day they were eliminated of having any chance of doing so. I know, they beat the Patriots (sorry Kate), but suspect the rematch isnt going to be so pretty on current form lol.

So yes, having pounded through some reading, I thought I’d hit You Tube for a while, and amongst things. I found 2 songs from a group of my youth. Yes, the videos are black and white, though one of them is from 2002! Both are covers of songs from the 60’s by the way.

The first is a Bee Gees song, though not the era most remember them from. I dont actually remember the lights going down any night while I was there, but I suspect they did, it was just that I was asleep by then.  I had a lovely time in Massachusetts, got to meet 2 lovely people there (well more than 2, but 2 principally come to mind) and this song let me look back on that. This is a 2002 video apparently, you can tell by the age of the group, because the black and white film wouldnt give it away otherwise lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=CUfUNNN68eQ

Ironically the older song has some colour images mixed into the film! Island of dreams might rank as a fanciful title for ‘The Cape’, but it certainly seemed a lovely place on my first visit. Planning to have a few more ‘dreams’ there next September too, really looking forward to that. There is Seatlle inbetween, which I’m looking forward to going back to, just hoping the long plane journey isnt too much for my aging limbs, thats all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrny8mK6gCg&feature=related

The really frightening thing is, I  do 95% know what area I’m going to in April 2013, somewhere in Northern NY state, just the final destination to be decided even now. You could say its a B.A.R choice! 😉 Think it will be the B, but dont quote me on that!

Its not that far…

As promised, the second Kirsty McColl video at the end of this piece, this time one of her own songs. And yes, the title to this blog is a line from the song, not the title for once.

I think that the lyrics for this song have some meaning again today, or certainly did a couple of years ago when the whole economic situation started to go wrong. As a good number found out, its really not that far from an uptown apartment to a night on the A train lol! Well, maybe not quite that far, but you get my drift. The trouble was, it wasnt just the people that created the mess that found themselves in this situation, I only wish it had been!

I was lucky, even more so at my age! Made redundant 2 1/2 years ago, I managed to pretty quickly walk into another job. Then a year or so later, that department was getting closed as well! Luckily I was one of the ‘desired few’ that they wanted for a new role, even if now, just a year later, it doesnt seem like the same position! Yes, I’m getting stressy about things, and I only wish I thought ‘something new’ would be easy to find, but at my age, and the current economic mess, well I wont be holding my breath.

In the time I’ve been on the MC Forums, some have lost jobs, while others have found them, some of them indeed the same people. Hopefully nobody has yet had to sleep frozen on the church steps, though I’ve roughed it in my time, mainly when the money ran out near the end of my lengthy US trip in 2003, and I will always owe great gratitude to a Mission Hall in Seattle for helping to keep me going till it was time to fly home! Lets just say that was an eye opener though, and leave it at that!

So I send this message hoping that everything could be perfect for everyone, but know its not going to happen, so I’ll just do the best I can.

I dont know if there is a ‘Madison’ in Seattle, but if there is, I probably walked down it! I suspect Kirsty’s was in New York though!

Hope you enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7V9jxnHwKbw&ob=av2n

Is it an age thing, or just the long distance travelling?

Its funny, I never used to get bothered by the time and distance involved in travelling to the west coast of the US, but I’m beginning to notice just how much tougher this long distance travel is getting of late. It might be an age thing, certainly the old body doesnt seem to enjoy being confined to a plane seat for long periods now, and I’ve noticed that on 2 trips to the east coast this year, Toronto and Boston! I suspect the monotony of the flight plays a part as well, but I know my legs have been complaining this time around, even with decent legroom.

So I’ve pretty much decided that its time this middle aged lady eased off a bit, and I’ve decided I’m going to cut out the west coast trips…after the next one that is! Chicago/Minneapolis, and a sort of line there on will then be the limit, at least until the body disintegrates some more, or I get an upgrade lol! So where is the one place left to go to, before I retreat, why Seattle of course!

Its funny, I’d never even seen Seattle until 2003 (I nearly said my age, but thats something a lady shouldnt do, lol!) but instantly fell in love with the place. Maybe it was the climate, maybe it was the people, most likely a combination of both. I was fortunate enough to spend a good period of time out there then, and loved every minute of it, even if the budget was a bit tight at times! I was also lucky enough to go back a few years later for a week, when the budget wasnt as much of a concern! And yes, I still loved the place.

So unsurprisingly, I want to go back one more time before the old body screams enough, and see the city again. It will be funny knowing its probably for the last time (both times previously I knew I would be back), but I’m fast approaching my mid fifties, and the body is beginning to wear out a bit, and travelling that far is becoming a struggle. And alright, I want to see the Mariners play at some point too!

Next autumn will be east coast, thats for sure, I’m hoping I can get at least a few more years of coping with that length of journey at least, but a lot will depend on how the body (especially the knees) hold up, I guess. Well unless MIT, or the Cybermen can upgrade me anyway lol!

Musically, I could have picked Nirvana or something, but they were never my scene, so I’m not! So finding Seattle area artists came down to 2 that are more my era, or before. One was Judy Collins, the other, even older, and the one I chose, The Fleetwoods! I doubt a jet plane comes softly anywhere, but…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7yh6HFKAMs