I get asked quite a lot why I feel the need to write a blog about the most mundane boring topics along with the rest of the world. Things like public transport or advertising annoyances are something everyone has to deal with. That's the key though, how are you supposed to write something for an audience that doesn't exist. By writing about these topics that everyone can relate to, it opens up to a world demographic, which is handy, the internet being available all around the world. On a side note, it's also available in space via satellite so I would like to broadcast my apologies to all those astronauts out there for excluding space related content from my posts.
I think another reason why I've always broadcast my thoughts in one form or another is because of two reasons:
I might go mad if I keep all these things to myself
It's not what I write about, it's the way I write it
Now I know what your thinking, most likely one of three things. Either your thinking I should probably go see someone with a clipboard and sofa who asks me how I feel about things, or that how could anyone possibly find this funny, or most likely, you've seen the picture of the cake and you're wondering when I'm getting to that. Well good news I am.
I must now make it clear that my favorite cake by fare is the butterfly cake. It's like a cupcake with wing shape wedges cut out the middle and icing filling where they used to be, then the wedges forming wings on the top. How has it been all summer and no-one that I know of has made them. You can't enjoy them as much if you made them yourself, not sure why but it's the same reason why someone else's chips always taste better than if you'd bought your own.
Anyway, to answer my question of why to read or write a blog. You read a blog either because your been pressured into at gunpoint or because you like the content. You write a blog either because it stops you going mad or because you really have nothing better else to do...like make butterfly cakes!
I hope you are ready for a full on grumpy old man rant cause if you are, you're in luck.
As someone who has yet to learn how to drive and relies on public transport to get to and from work and social activities I can whole heartily say that I've spent at least one fifth of my life waiting for a bus or train. It's not that I think their bad, on the whole the public transport system in London is pretty good. Every day I catch a train at 4PM after work, 10 minutes later I'm at another station waiting for my connection which is usually around 4:20PM. This gets me to the end of my train journey an leaves me ample time to walk down the road to bus stop, at which I catch the 4:55PM bus which takes me home. Well that's how most days it work anyway.
Today I arrived at the station just before 4PM in time to catch my train as per normal to find out that it was delayed due to a malfunction on a previous train further up the line. That's fine, I thought to myself, I can afford for it to be 10 minutes late before my connection train. 4:10PM came and went. It wasn't until 4:25 that the train finally pulled into the station. Now a late train in itself doesn't really bother me, it's the expected time show on the electronic timetable that annoys me. It initially said that the train was expected to arrive at 4:03, then each minute it would just go up a further minute. It gave up at 4:18 even trying to expect a train at all. If you don't know when a train is coming just simply put these initials on the timetable; WDK (We Don't Know), maybe with a sorry at the end. Then it would read WDKS, which may mean something to you radio listeners Indiana.
So anyway, I got on my train but even then I wasn't too worried, there was a later 4:40PM connection that would get me to the end of the line. If only it were that easy! Pulling in at my connection station I find out the on the other line all trains are delayed indefinitely. I notice they took my advice about not putting a time if they genuinely don't know. This time a voice over the tannoy kept apologizing for the delay and, apparently, the reason this time was trespassers on the line on both of the lines heading north, where my trains where coming from. I kept my ears pricked so any news of a train at a train station but it wasn't going to happen so after a further 20 minutes I decided to get the bus from the station to about 2 miles from my home. I'd have to walk the rest of the way but by that point I didn't care to be honest.
Fortunately, a family member offered to picked me up from the end of the bus line and save me the 2 mile walk at the end so I agreed thankfully. I exited the station and remembered to cross the road (I'd made the mistake of going the wrong way previous, ended up going halfway back to work on a backstreet bus) finding that the bus I wanted, the 213, didn't stop there so I walked a little further down and turned a corner and saw somewhere I reconfigured, the Police Station. Now I know what you're probably thinking, but I assure you they don't know me there. Not because I'm clever enough not to get caught, but because I don't work on that side of the law. Anyway, I found a bus stop where the one I wanted passed and it came within 5 minutes.
By this point I was quite hot and that is not usually a good thing on the top deck of a double decker bus but because it's still the school holidays there was practically no-one there which meant that the pathetic air blower they call air conditioning actually tried to do it's join with minor success. I've been getting buses for many years and really do value them, they provide a good service for London, but the moment you know someone's waiting for you somehow enter a mental state whereby getting through every green light become a life and death situation. Luckily, the journey itself was quite quick. Too quick. There comes a time when the bus stops, usually two stops away from your destination, and no-one gets on or off and you think maybe the traffics not letting us out or something. Then, you here the following message and your blood begins to boil; To even up and provide you with an efficient service the bus has temporarily stopped to even up service times. Really? That's providing me with an efficient service, I don't think so because you're making me later than needed. What you're saying is, sorry we're going to make you later and hold up you and your family's lives because the bus driver on this service drives at proper road speeds to get you to your destination and is catching up with the bus in front.
Having said that, I do think buses on the whole are better than trains for a simple reason that they are usually on time, I give a few minutes either side of that, or are consistently late so you can think ahead and you can trust them. Trains are, for the most part, excellent as well but the difference is when something small happens the locomotive leviathan grinds to a painfully ill informed halt. Maybe I am just an old man at heart, or maybe that's what happens after a certain time of commuting. Just give me a pie and slippers and log fire and I'll be happy right now.
A few weeks ago I was waiting for my train connection home when all of a sudden I saw a bright light...it was the lighting for the making of this advert. At the time I wasn't sure if I could stand where I usually do whilst waiting or not, so I did anyway. If you look carefully, in a shot or two, there is a black coat blur in the background. I'd like to take my Oscar for that now thank you very much!
It's seems that in the past couple of months nearly everyone I know has been through emotionally difficult times. Whether it been because of exam results stress,problems at home or with friends or relationships. When I feel like that I like to remember and play this song on guitar because it's beautiful and simple and spot on. Pink Floyd entered this as their last track on their The Wall album:
C F C
All alone, or in twos
C F C
The ones who really love you
G G7 C F C
Walk up and down outside the wall
C F C
Some hand in hand
F C
Some gathered together in bands
G
The bleeding hearts and artists
C F C
Make their stand
F C
And when they've given you their all
Am F C
Some stagger and fall, after all it's not easy
So I've taken a break this past week, my only week away in a whole year and look what happens. Riots, a few relationship issues from my friends and broken guitar lead. I'll let you rank what's important and what's not. Is it really true that I cannot leave the world to it's own devices for a week and nothing major will happen?
Now on the riots that swept across the United Kingdom, I understand that there are many different views, reasons and excuses as to why they occurred. From spending cuts, to moral attitude to a "broken society", everything is being dusted off and brought out to try and explain whats happened. On the spending cuts front this makes no sense. I can't be the only one to see the following change of events:
Badly managed public finances
Spending cuts to try and rectify this
Some controversial cuts taken place causing job loss
Public rallies take place and ignored or neglected
Some people get frustrated and go on the offensive attacking shops that are still employing people.
To pay for the repair shops have to lay people off causing more job loss.
I mean at least go after government buildings, although I don't for one minute condone such activity, surely that would make more sense. Then this action coupled with poor police response caused copycat rioting and general looting from those opportunists out there.
After some time of writing songs I've got round to writing a rap/RNB style song depending how you imagine it goes. I think you'll be able to tell this is inspired from watching Drive Angry and Ghost Rider.
Rolling with the devil got a piece of his mind, we're hand in hand and our services bind, I don't mean offense it's what I'm paid to do, to purify the race and rip the soul out of you.
I have no need to rush, you'll come to me, one thing you can't escape is your morality. Time ticks away and I'll be here on that day, with my friend Lucifer to hear what you say.
We'll judge you right there, don't try to lie, don't pretend to be hard and don't try to be sly, He'll be sitting high above, high on his throne, and if he likes you he'll throw you a bone.
The time will come so chose your path, heaven or hell, take the wrath, of angels or demons you decide, but I'm rolling with the devil and take his pride.
I'm rolling with the devil, rolling with the devil, rolling with the devil, and I take his pride. I'm rolling with the devil, rolling with the devil, rolling with the devil, and you decide.
So the holy's down on earth tell you to fear, to pray your daily prayers and stay off the beer, and if your good and you stay clear of trouble, they'll bless you up to me at the double.
Just before your final breath, say your good-byes, look around at your family, deep in their eyes, and ask yourself then, what do you see, did everything turn out how you wanted it to be.
So I guess what I'm telling you to change your ways, before you regret it all at the end of your days, and when you come to me I'll know I tried, but I'm rolling with the devil and take his pride.
I'm rolling with the devil, rolling with the devil, rolling with the devil, and I take his pride. I'm rolling with the devil, rolling with the devil, rolling with the devil, and you decide.
