w.atching the w.orld unw.ind

Today's lyric:
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"You're running with me - don't touch the ground
We're the restless-hearted - not the chained and bound.

The sky is burning, a sea of flame
Though your world is changing - I will be the same."

Bryan Ferry: "Slave to love"

Though the arrival was delayed by two hours, it was worth seeing the Kaskelot (as The Zong) arriving at Tower Pier today.

Courtesy of my 'friend in high places'
(and many thanks again, E. for keeping the rain off the lens) I watched her glide under the bridge

and come to rest at Tower Pier
.

With the tugs' work done

she lay dwarfed by the wharfage

and I was left wondering what a slave's eye view would have been like?

Labels: Red Letter Days

Today's lyric:
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"He saw her in the morning out with his sister Pauline
She felt all shy and soppy, he acted cool and cocky
He said tonight at Charlie's, there's going to be a party
I'll meet you at half seven? She visualised the heaven."

Squeeze: "Slap and tickle"
From the album: "The very best of Squeeze"

As I'm due to be off tomorrow (post-postponed hols from 2006) I may just wander in to the capitol and watch the Zong sail up the Thames (scroll down for news of the actual event).

In case the weather turns, I'm soliciting an (ex-Blogger) in high places to see if there's a vantage point to be gained for some more unusual shots (photos)...

Oh - there was a bloke wandering along London Bridge this morning with an armful of fluorescent tubes. I was tempted to ask if he had a light.?

Labels: Red Letter Days

Today's lyric:
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"Squeeze me baby, till the juice runs down my leg,
Squeeze me baby, till the juice runs down my leg,
The way you squeeze my lemon,
I..I'm gonna fall right out of bed."

Led Zeppelin: "The Lemon Song"
From the album: "Led Zeppelin II"

I don't know actually how an iPod on 'Shuffle' actually selects the track to play? Maybe there's some digital pointer which spins like a demented compass needle and says "Right, matey, you're next!"

Last night, I migrated the last of the Led Zep tracks from the original vinyl, and when I was cleaning up The Lemon Song (see above) I remembered how, as a callow fifteen year old, I was only prompted to listen to the lyrics of the imaginatively-titled Led Zeppelin II by my Mum saying "Ooh, that's a bit saucy, isn't it?"

So I smiled wistfully as it played back a second time, eliminating the crackles and clicks before being digitally committed to memory.

And then, on the commute in this morning, I was thinking that was a blogworthy memory, when bu99er me, the very track popped into the earphones. One track out of 3381 on the iPod?

Spooky...

Labels: Musicology, Ramblings

Today's lyric:
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"Hangman, hangman, turn your head awhile,
I think I see my sister coming, riding a many mile, mile, mile.
Sister, I implore you, take him by the hand,
Take him to some shady bower, save me from the wrath of this man?
Please take him, save me from the wrath of this man, man."

Led Zeppelin: "Gallows pole"
From the album: "Led Zeppelin III"

Coming to the end of the vinyl migration to iPod.

Selecting specific tracks from the odd LP now, such as the one above, from LZ3.

"Mickey" from Toni Basil's "Word of mouth" album (maybe a link later?)

"Is she really going out with him?" from Joe Jackson's "Look sharp".

"Fat old sun" from Floyd's "Atom Heart Mother."

(Dragging the barrel, yes, I know) - but great fun, despite that.

Throw an oldie track at me - I'll let yer know if I've got it?

Today's lyric:
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"What shall we use to fill the empty spaces where we used to talk?
How shall I fill the final places?
How shall I complete the wall?"

Pink Floyd: "Empty spaces"
From the album: "The Wall"

that I have little to blog about today, so enjoy your weekends, y'all.

Labels: Bereftness

Today's lyric:
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"I hate the army an' I hate the R.A.F.
I don't wanna go fighting in the tropical heat
I hate the Civil Service rules
And I won't open letter bombs for you."

The Clash: "Career opportunities"
From the album: "The Clash"

The Army had to fire
'Cos he got higher and higher.
So a short, sharp, shocking spell in the Army would sort out the hooded druggies, eh?

Now either they've already been inducted (result for society, bad news for this once-proud nation) or the Recruiting Office is just setting out its stall to entice them off the streets?

Meteorological Capitol Update:
Slight sleet. Sleeight?

Labels: Climatology, Wryness

Today's lyric:
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"Along winding streets, we walked hand in hand
And how I long for that sharp wind to take my breath away
I'd run my fingers through your hair - hair like a wheatfield,
I'd run through
That I'd run through -

And I miss you so
I miss you so
Now you're gone, I feel so alone
I miss you so."

Paul Weller: "Sunflower"
From the album: "Wild wood"

Beautiful, clear, pale blue Mediterranean sky over the capitol this morning.

Shame it's so feckin' cold...

Labels: Climatology

Today's lyric:
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"I've been thinking now for a long time
How to go our separate ways?
It's a shame to think about yesterday - it's a shame.
Now that we are lonely, life seems to get hard.
Alone what a word - lonely?
Alone it makes me cry.
Thought-train set in motion - wheels in and around.
Express our emotion. Tracks up, then it cracks down (dow, dow, dow, down)
We've been running round in our present state
Hoping help would come from above?
But even angels there make the same mistakes, in love."

Roxy Music: "Sea breezes"
From the album: "Roxy Music"

A colleague spent the weekend back at his University town, actually stopping in the same room he rented as a student.

"I had some good times with the ladies, there." he mused wistfully.

"Fondle memories?" I ventured.

He nearly pi55ed himself.

Labels: Anecdotes

Today's lyric:
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"Strangers passing in the street, by chance two separate glances meet
And I am you and what I see is me.
And do I take you by the hand and lead you through the land?
And help me understand the best I can."

Pink Floyd: "Echoes"
From the album: "Meddle"

Went to see an eight-piece band playing for St Paddy's Day on Saturday - damn fine musicians they were too! Not sure they were actually Irish, but the music was umistakeable.

Andy the Fiddler looked like Pinocchio's dad, with grey flannels and grey tanktop, pince-nez bins and a wicked sense of humour (announcing the final part of the second session as a "mudley" of polka and reels.)



Interesting combination of bongos, bodhrains, electric mandolin, Uileann pipes, spoons and guitars, which had all of us in the mosh pit (nah, just joking - everyone was too 'senior' for crowd-surfing) jigging for Ireland.

A most enjoyable evening, even if the 'draught' Guiness (yes, I know there are two n's in Guinness, but it was spelt like that on the price-board) came in widgety bottles and plastic glasses.

Health and Safety eh?

Labels: gigs, Music

Today's lyric:
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"Rubber band motor hummin' on the beach ready for fun
Quit spinning that web and come out and play in the sun
Eight thimble-sized cylinders be as smooth as you please
Spider's badass fat ol' abdomen stuck in the bucket seat."

Presidents ot the U.S.A.: "Dune buggy"
From the album: "The Presidents of the United States of America"

Bud id's vewwy dificould do dalk wid a plasti node on your faydze?

Zdill, anutha poun for Com 'lief, eh.

Ppplopppp!

You can help by buying this



















I understand that us embattled and embittered commuters are to get enhanced modes de transporte? Around 2014?

By then, I'll likely have joined that happy band of 'always on', 24/7 drones who are in permanent, virtual conference via secreted speakers built into the home, enabling us to receive instructions and still 'get the goss'

("Ooh, I could snog his face off*, he's so gorge").

What a miss that'd be...

Have a great (St. Paddy's) weekend, y'all.


*Fcuk his brains** out.

**like you'd need brains for that particular 'exercise'?

Labels: Anticipation, Commute

Today's lyric:
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"There she blows. Tear-me-down tornado
Whirlpool - drag me to the deeps below

Whirlwind - will a wild cat strike me tame?
Earthquake - shake me to my feet again

As cross words go you leave a fatal clue I fear
This case is closed - elementally, my dear....

Beware whirl-wind
Whirl, whirl-wind."

Roxy Music: "Whirlwind"
From the album: "Siren"

Colleague-less (which is why I've had to curtail my furlough) it's going to be a manic few days here in the capitol.

But at least we've the weekend to look forward to, with a St. Paddy's Day celebration (+ alcohol!) courtesy of Buddy and Mrs Buddy.

Ooh, I can just taste the Guins and the red now...

Labels: Red Letter Days

Today's lyric:
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"Deep in the night, plying very strange cargo
Our soulships pass by - solo trips to the stars - in the sky

Gliding so far that the eye cannot follow
Where do they go?
We'll never know...
Our soulships pass by - solo trips to the stars - in the sky."

Roxy Music: "Beauty Queen"
From the album: "For your pleasure"

Strange, how quickly nice, relaxing days off are forgotten, in the melee and hurly burly of another day back at the coalface...

But the 'new' albums and tracks downloaded to the iPod brought back some fond memories of times and gigs past (and some wry smiles too, from the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band's trilogy of "I'm the Urban Spaceman", "The doughnut in granny's greenhouse" and "Gorilla").

Maybe some lyrics tomorrow...

Labels: Musicology

Today's lyric:
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"Some might say that sunshine follows thunder
Go tell it to the man it cannot shine

Some might say that we should never ponder
On our thoughts today, cause they hold sway o'er time."

Oasis: "Some might say"
From the album: "(What's the story?) Morning Glory"

Was due to still be off on holiday today, but, while they say no-one's indispensable, apparently there are times when you're just, well, needed?

Anyway, managed to get quite a few golden oldie vinyls iPodded, so something of the past to listen to for a while on the commutes.

Today's lyric:
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"I'm moving to a coleheme
With the leather all around me
And the sweat is getting steamy
But their eyes are on the ground
They're just hanging around
They're just hanging around."

The Stranglers: "Hanging around"
From the album: "Rattus Norvegicus"

No, I haven't got the squits, I'm just using up (12) days holiday left over from last year (or else I lose it).

So am using the spare time to re-attack the vinyl collection, but instead of burning it to cd, I'm uploading it directly to the iPod.

As the amount of memory used on the iPod far exceeds the remaining memory on the laptop, I have to delete the iTunes library after downloading imported music, but I'm now worried that with 2/3 of the iPod's memory used, if I were to lose it (or it malfunctioned) it would take for ever to re-load the music, album artwork and lyrics, even for those albums which I own and could retrieve?

Any one have any experience of backing up to a separate hard-drive (bearing in mind how specifically iTunes works?)

Labels: Musicology

Today's lyric:
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"Gonna hit the road, one last time
We can walk right in, and steal 'em blind
All that money (all that money)
No more runnin' (no more runnin')
And I can't wait to see the old man's face, when I win the race."

The Eagles: "Bitter Creek"
From the album: "Desperado"

It was Mrs.D's and NOS' birthday yesterday.

As alcohol was 'in the building' I was permitted two glasses of the red. My God, it was like nectar. (Not that I've ever drunk nectar, but I can just imagine...)

Time out from work will mean that posts are less punctual (and perhaps even punctilious?) for a few days...

Labels: Cakery, Red Letter Days

Today's lyric:
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"Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a man of wealth and taste
I've been around for a long, long years - stole many a man's soul and faith

And I was 'round when Jesus Christ had his moment of doubt and pain
Made damn sure that Pilate washed his hands and sealed his fate."

The Rolling Stones: "Sympathy for the Devil"
From the album: "Beggar's banquet"

In the absence of anything better to report from the weekend (still stone cold sober - nearly two whole weeks now) a link to Buddy's new feline..

Labels: kittens

Today's lyric:
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"I'm green but I'm wise
I'm hard but I'm friendly baby
I'm sad but I'm laughing
I'm brave but I'm chicken shit
I'm sick but I'm pretty baby
What it all boils down to
Is that no one's really got it figured out just yet."

Alanis Morissette: "Hand in my pocket"
From the album: "Jagged little pill"

A Saturday of visiting in-laws and out-laws tomorrow, so another failed lie-in.

Sunday a.m. is going to be sooo sweet. (Assuming no escaped mutts, that is...)

Enjoy your weekends, y'all...

Labels: Flying visits

Today's lyric:
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"Well she understands, and let's the music run from her hands.
And makes her friends all feel so very grand."

Spirit: "She smiles"
From the album: "The family that plays together"

Day I - Scene I:
Master Bedroom, Mr.D. Towers.
Time: 8:30'ish
Rib-cracking nudge from Mrs.D.
"Wazzermarrer?"

"Get up - the hairdresser's coming at 9:15"

"'k, I'll get up then."

So I stumble to the bathroom for a SSS, feeling as if I've been partaying all night (whereas, in fact, I haven't imbibed alcohol for nearly a whole week, now) and by 9:10, am sat on top line, waiting to be shorn.

At 10:15, I'm still waiting.

"She's never this late?", muses Mrs.D.

"Hello, is that Mrs Hairdresser? Just wondered if you were on your way?"

"It's 11:15 this week?"

"Oh" mumbles Mrs.D, realising what she's done to me...

Day II - Scene I (see above)
Time: (see above)

Woof. Woof woof.

"Five across. Desolate. Seven letters."

"Wazzermarrer?"

"I'm doing the crossword, and I'm stuck."

Woof. Woof woof.

Woof. Woof woof.

"No-one round here's got a dog. Where's that fcukin' mutt barking from?"

Remembering yesterday's kick-start, Mrs.D. gets up to investigate.

Woof. Woof woof.

"There's a fat cocker spaniel baying at our Burmese in the garden."

So up I get, and manfully capture said cocker, who is soaking wet from the dew in the allotments behind us and, frankly, reeks of dog.

I ring the number on the wet, smelly collar.

"Hello, it's Mr.D. from Mr.D. Towers, are you missing a cocker spaniel?"

Woof. Woof woof.

"Lo. Wazzermarrer?"

"Your dog is in our kitchen, wolfing down our cats' grub (and reeking).

"'k, I'll get up then."

Woof. Woof woof.

'Kin good idea, matey. Asap would be good...

Labels: Rants