Sunday, Sunday , Here Again

Sunday 13 September 2009

Another welcome lie-in, after a night of drunken debauchery. Okay, a slight exaggeration. I was sober but Dave and Al, released into the wild for a few hours by their respective FPOs*, had a few pints. We meet in Bannerman’s and head off to Sneaky Pete’s for the Dropkick gig. Dave and Pete hadn’t heard them before but I persuaded them to come and see them. They weren’t disappointed as the band turned in a cracking set, liberally sprinkled with tracks from their new album. The £5 entrance to the gig included a free copy of the album "Abelay Hotel", which I’ve been enjoying ever since. (“Don’t Dream of California” will do very nicely for my Under The Influence feature on my radio show). On leaving the venue Dave and Al have a slug of a mysterious brew supplied in a skull by support band Tucker and The Shattered Family. I decline their kind offer. The other band on, The Young Spooks, were the worst I’d seen for a long time.Dave and/or Al said they sounded like Joy Division. Ian Curtis isn't just turning in his grave, he's doing cartwheels. (I meant to review the gig but I lost the set list, which the band kindly gave me, and then the stresses of the next few days took over. In short, it was excellent and the band deserve all your support).

Sunday was also a rather stressful day for the whole family as we continue to struggle to find another childminder. I compose an e-mail of complaint to the Scottish Care Commission about the comment to the childminder that “A weekend is more than enough time to organise alternative childcare”. Arseholes.

I’ve done better radio shows but I’m my own worst critic. You can only blame the equipment up to a point. Reported a suspicious looking car to security as I left the radio station. It was loitering in the shadows of the car park and when the driver saw me paying attention to it, he/she drove off, but only round the corner.

Monday 14 September 2009

I nominated a tailgating, lane-swapping idiot as my first dickhead driver (R906MSN) on Twitter (#baddriver). That’s only the start of a terrible day. During my gym routine I come out in a rash on my arms and legs. I figure it must be stress-related rather than heat spots because I’ve been coming to the gym for so long now.

Then, shortly after leaving home, I’m almost taken off the road on Craigleith Road, near the entrance to the Royal Victoria Hospital, by three women in a Silver Vauxhall Corsa, who decide they can’t be bothered looking in their mirrors or for other road users. Only my quick reactions prevent an accident. At two points between there and Blackhall we pass each other and on each occasion the female driver gives me the middle finger. What a cheek. She almost kills me and yet she tries to paint me as the villain! My nerves are shot to pieces and I almost have two further collisions on the way home such is the state I am in. As soon as I get home I report the matter to Lothian and Borders Police but it seems that without a witness they’re powerless to do anything. They won’t even speak to the driver! This upsets me even more.

I call a colleague and ask if she saw it. She was a few hundred yards back from me on the road when it happened but she didn’t see anything. I’m devastated that such stupid and reckless driving is going to go unpunished and I guess that’s what really gets to me. There’s no sense of closure and I can’t rest.

I get an early doctor’s appointment and talk to her about the accumulation of stress, including near-collision and childcare problems, as well as my persistent throat problems, which still dog me. My condition isn’t helped by being tailgated both to and from the doctor’s surgery. I try and keep myself busy around the house for the rest of the day to take my mind off things. Scottish Gas call and ask if they can come today for an annual check instead of a fortnight’s time. Luckily I’m home so I say why not. Why, when you know someone is coming round between 12 and 6, do you HAVE to go out? One of my ink cartridges ran out and I made a quick dash for Tesco. Got away with it this time. Spent the rest of the day putting together Sunday’s Northern soul show.

Wednesday 16 September 2009

Back to work. Another rash at the gym, which fades by the early afternoon.

What’s fascinating about my daughter’s after-school club is that it is also frequented by the children of two of the local boy-racers. I say “boy” racers but they’re actually grown men who just happen to still drive like youthful knob heads. Where we live is a 20mph zone, which is as it should be considering the number of young families and children in the area. These two, despite having kids of their own, don’t seem to appreciate that. This afternoon I drove to the after-school club and one of them was behind me. I then turned off one way and he went another. There were a few parking spaces and I had loads of choice. When I got out of the car I notice that Knob head#1 as I shall now christen him, had decided to park straddling a paved area opposite the club! It almost looked liked he crashed! Why, when there are so many spaces available, would you choose to park on a pavement? I guess he’s so used to acting like a knob head that it’s now second nature to him. I don’t understand that mentality.

Thursday 17 September 2009

For the second time this week I nominated R906MSN as #baddriver of the day on Twitter – Nigel Baillie likes this new use of Twitter. It wasn't just me he was tailgating across the Forth Road Bridge at 6am.

Did some exam marking for another department, which I always enjoy. I never cease to be amazed by some of the wrong answers I come across. What goes through these people’s heads?

Got a new CD for using at the gym. Having overdosed on Ash and The Chemical Brothers over recent weeks I realised while listening to it in the car on the way to work that The Charlatans “Melting Pot” would do a turn. Unfortunately I don’t get much of an opportunity as the guy in the gym ahead of me wanted to listen to Forth One. At least he put my CD on for me before he left, albeit for only two songs.

Picked up the Flickster from the after-school club and took her to see the new childminder. She’d already had a preview that morning. We met the Good Lady Wife off the train and walked to the childminder’s. We were happy with what we heard and saw and a weight is lifted off our shoulders.

Two new CDs have arrived (Jackie Lee's "The Town I Live In - The EMI Years 1965-1967" and a beat girl compilation called "The Girls Are At It Again"). Listened to The Vaselines doing a session on Marc Riley’s show while doing the dishes and tidying the kitchen. Watched some of England’s latest cricketing capitulation against Australia (6-0 in a best of 7 series), three episodes of our new favourite quiz show Pointless and Mock The Week before hitting the sack.

Friday 18 September 2009

One of my bosses is leaving today, which is sad. I have to say in the department I currently work in I've been very lucky with bosses I’ve had. They’ve all been good eggs and make work more bearable.

After watching a couple more editions of Pointless, which is becoming our favourite quiz show of the moment, K watches “Strictly Come Dancing” while I listen to my two new CDs, as well as The Rise and Fall of the BMX Bandits, Dropkick’s “Aberlay Hotel” and some mp3s I was sent. I also start to put a couple more radio shows together, for 27 September and 4 October. Prior preparation and all that.

Current favourite tracks:

1. Dropkick - Don't Dream of California (Sound Asleep 2009)
2. BMX Bandits - Come Clean (Vinyl Japan 1991)
3. Jackie Lee - The Town I Live In (Columbia 1966)
4. Karol Keyes - Can't You Hear The Music (Fontana 1967)
5. Strangetouch - Stuck In The Motion (2009)
5. Elvis Presley - (Marie's the name of) His Latest Flame (RCA 1961)
6. Susan Fassbender - Twilight Cafe (CBS 1981)
7. Big Star - Daisy Glaze (Ardent 1974)
8. Fun and Games - The Grooviest Girl in The World (UNI 1968)
9. Superstar - Superstar (Camp Fabulous 1998)
10. Nancy Sinatra/Lee Hazelwood - Summer Wine (LHI 1967)

Over and out...

*FPO stands for Fun Prevention Officer!