Keeping up my resolutions - new music; Thom Worth and Tim OT - The Leap Year Tour

 If you saw my post about New Year's resolutions, you might remember that under the banner of 'getting a life' I was going to go out more to music gigs and such. Well, 'more' isn't that difficult as, beyond the four organised by my teen last year, I haven't really been to any! Somehow they were never part of my teenage  'scene' and as an adult I've either not had the cash or the inclination, BUT my teen has changed all that. Although I don't want to slavishly follow her, I share a lot of my teen's musical tastes and really enjoyed the gigs she put on in Autumn, so since then I've been following those musicians on Twitter, Facebook, Band camp etc and also checking out others that they recommend. So when first one on Twitter, then another on Facebook, shared a link to this Leap Year Tour by Thom Worth and Tim OT, I clicked on the links, listened to their songs on Bandcamp and decided to risk it. To make this more of a 'worthy' evening out, these two guys are bringing their mix of folk/pop/punk to the length and breadth of the country this month and raising money for the charity Overcoming MS as they do.

Thom Worth

Further checking on the web informed me that their nearest performance would be at an open mic session in a pub. Now I haven't been to one of these before, but assumed it would be held in a separate room away from the general bar area - so I was surprised to find that night's musicians would be expected to play in a corner of the main room, in front of the dartboard (fortunately, no one wanted a game!)

 It took a while for the evening to get started (note to self; don't bother turning up on time in future), and when it did four local acts were on first, so when Thom Worth took to the floor it was getting on for 11, and about midnight by the time Tim OT finished his act!

Tim OT

I was glad we stuck it out though. Both guys were great, louder and more self-assured that the locals, and at last the noise from the bar was drowned by music! Afterwards, we went along and said hi to them, bought cds, and probably would have chatted for hours if it hadn't been so late (I know, not if you're young and used to clubs open till 3 in the morning, but I'm not!)

Would I go to see them again? Yes, definitely; I hope they'll be back to Nottingham soon. Their sound, though not the same, is not a million miles from the Frank Turner/Will Varley/maybe even Mumfords sort of folk/rock music. If you're fan of any of them go give Thom and Tim a listen - they're heading north now, so especially if you're anywhere near John O'Groats keep an eye out for them.

 I also snapped a pic of the poster of upcoming events at the same venue - some of the artists I've heard of, some are definitely new, but I'll aim to go back and hear them; meanwhile I'll be keeping track of recommendations through Twitter and see who else I'll 'discover'.

Meanwhile you can check out more about these artists here - Thom Worth - and here -   Tim OT

Keeping those resolutions - January

The first few weeks of New Year's resolutions are always the most enthusiastic, and, as I didn't make mine till mid-way through January, I'm still in that 'zone'.
I've mainly been working on the de-cluttering - sorting out old clothes that could go to a charity shop (though I haven't actually taken them yet), mending a pair of trousers that had waited for at least a month, and finding material out of the stash to make a peg bag with.






And, in a slightly different sort of clearing out, I decided it was time to attack the largest of our home-grown pumpkins. It's been sitting around, cluttering up the back 'porch' since autumn, mainly because it's so big; it will never get eaten quickly enough in lunches and dinners so I'll have to make chutney or preserve with the leftovers. It's about 10 inches across and the small slice taken out at this point was enough for lunchtime soup. For now it's in the fridge, occasionally having another slice chopped off for chilli or goulash, but it won't keep there for ever and soon I'll have to decide how to use the remainder up.

As for my other resolutions, well, they've met with a varied amount of success - I have spent less time on social media, and as a result not been tempted to enter so many competitions (so no more unwanted prizes); I'm taking my time over reading - two review books per week instead of four - and enjoying it more; I've taken to setting my alarm clock, but mainly managed to sleep through it.


 I've definitely been getting outside more - walking up to the library and spending time pottering about in the garden, pulling a few weeds, setting sweet-peas and taking time out to check on the daffodils burst into very early flower,                 








watching the sun set on clear evenings

and the moon rise.


The 'resolution' I've worked on least has to be 'get a life', although I do have plans for February....
Really though I'm not looking for quick fixes or a complete change of life-style occurring in one week but a more long-term change of habits, so I feel I've at least made a reasonable start.

Better Late Than Never - New Year's Resolutions

I know I'm late in setting my New Year resolutions but things have been hectic here and, anyway, resolutions are for ALL year, not just the first week of January. Now though, my teen is back at uni, things have settled down a bit and it's time to get this New Year on the road.

So many resolutions start with losing weight and/or getting fit but while neither would be bad for me these aren't my main concerns. I have a feeling that my life has become too cluttered, that I flit like a butterfly from one thing to another without settling on anything for very long, being busy all the time without having anything to show for it, or to have time to sit quietly, reflect on the day or observe what happening outside my window.  It's time for some de-cluttering and to slow down and concentrate more. Some things I'll do less, some I hope to do more of.....

Lets start with the 'less' -

Physical de-cluttering - really this speaks for itself. The spare room is absolutely FULL of 'stuff'! Old clothes that I think can be re-worked into a new garment, abandoned projects waiting too long to be picked up again and lots that really just ought to go to a charity shop. I need to be more ruthless, to sort through it all, get rid of the rubbish but also make time and finish all those things I've started.

 Social media - I think I waste too much time chatting here and there, clicking on links, scrolling through news articles, so some of it needs to go. I'm never going to cut it out completely but I might be around less.

 Alongside that - stop clicking the RT button for EVERY competition I see. It's so tempting when you see the magic message, and too often I've re-tweeted or shared a page - and won something I didn't really want (and yes, which adds to that spare room clutter) It's time for someone else to feel lucky.

 Cutting back on book reading and reviews - I love reading and certainly won't stop but, a bit like "RT to win", I'm guilty of wanting to read EVERY book I hear mentioned on twitter or through press releases, and I end up with a massive 'to be read' pile. This year I'm going to be more selective, I hope.


And for 'more' -

 Get up earlier, or at least at a regular time - with no work to go out to, no children to bundle off to school, the morning can start as late and as lazily as I like....and half the day's gone! Time to go back to setting the alarm clock, and gain a couple of hours.

Get a life - for too long, I've existed as an extension of my children - picking up on their latest crazes, listening to their music, watching TV alongside them. Now the youngest has left for university I need to find a life that's my own. I've already joined a local book club but I also want to go out more to the theatre and to music gigs, and if possible find something totally new to try. Sort of in conjunction with this, my teen is setting me a series of challenges, I think of the 'go out and say Hi to three random people' style but I haven't seen them yet, though I'll share them when I do.


Get out more - I used to spend much more time outdoors, not doing anything in particular but pottering round the garden, watching the grass grow, walking round our local nature reserve wood, even taking knitting and sewing outside when the weather was good. I want to get back into this habit maybe spending half an hour each day outside, preferably doing very little other than looking at things, and observing what's going on (and it sounds a bit like 'mindfulness' but I don't care!)

Blog more - a bit contradictory perhaps, but it's a way of thinking about the day or events, much like keeping a diary, and not letting life just drift past.

Keeping track of how I do....

One month
Three months on

Good Memories of 2015 ....

Last year ended, this year began, on a downbeat with one parent in hospital and the other having to go into respite care, with the days blurring into one long round of visiting first one, then the other, so it seems more important than usual to look back at the highlights and good times of the past year....

Lymington

Of all the times we went away last year, to Machynlleth, Hay-on-Wye, St Davids, North Norfolk, and Edinburgh, the one that stands out was the first - an overnight trip to the New Forest. There's a school of thought that says doing something or going somewhere for the first time has more impact than re-visiting the same old stuff again and again, and I think this applies here - all the other places were ones we've frequently visited whereas I last visited the New Forest over 20 years ago.

 In two days we visited Southampton, Portsmouth, star-gazed near Mudeford under a sky so dark we couldn't see the sea, went back to the sea the next morning near Milford on Sea, walked round the quaint seaside town of Lymington and spotted the famous New Forest ponies. And the glorious sunshine and blue skies weren't in summer, but January! The sea breeze was bracing at times but for a winter weekend the weather could hardly have been better.

Summer brought several reasons to celebrate - my youngest daughter turned 18, achieved the A level grades she needed for her first choice of university, and passed her driving test! On the downside, of course, she left home but although the place isn't quite the same without her, she has been back frequently with her new venture promoting music gigs.

There's been quite a musical thread running through this year - first at Hay Book Festival, at an evening event listening to Tiffany Murray and David Mitchell read from their books while fireworks exploded over the town and Frank Turner's singing drifted over from another tent. The most enchanting, magical feel ever to a book event!

Then, in Edinburgh in late August, by pure chance we walked past Princes Street Gardens while The Waterboys were playing on the outdoor stage. We couldn't really see them but listening to them play, watching the impromptu crowd who like us stopped to listen, or even join in, against a backdrop of the illuminated castle, with fireworks from the Tattoo lighting the sky, was something really special, particularly as totally unexpected.


And in Autumn there was more music! Going along to watch the gigs put on by my daughter turned out to be much more fun than I could ever have imagined. The venue is small, the musicians aren't huge stars and sometimes the noise proved too much for my eardrums, but it's something totally out of my normal rut and I've loved it. The last event of the year was extra special as my daughter decided it was time to perform herself and although I'm heard her play at home, to see her sing in front of a crowd was something special.



In between fall small, sharp memories - of the hot foot-burning beach at Whitesands -

the early morning peace and quiet at our self-catering cottage, looking over Hailes castle and Trapain Law, before heading into the bustle of Edinburgh for the day





and the mix of awe and fear watching my daughter take flight in a hot air balloon


I'm glad to have something good to remember the year by, instead of just the chaos that's broken loose at the end of it.

Rock'n'roll is here to stay - on my living room floor!

Over the years as our daughter has grown up, we've had quite a few nights with extra folk staying over - from girlie sleepovers to friends crashing after parties or a night out down town - so when she asked me last summer if I'd put up a musician from London coming to play at her birthday 'bash', I said "Sure. Fine." And then, when she announced the start-up of a promotions company and said "Would I mind putting up some bands?", I said 'Sure. Fine" ......and then began to wonder quite what I'd let myself in for.....
After all, we're talking rock bands. They're, like, drunk all the time, partying all night, and smashing guitars and furniture, aren't they? and they're going to be sleeping on my living room floor.....  Should I move all the ornaments? Cover the pale carpet with something easy to clean down? And then there's the normal problems of sleepovers - for slumber parties everyone brings a sleeping bag, for crashing-out they slump on the sofa and get an old blanket thrown over them, but what does a rock star expect? I was starting to get a bit nervy about all this.....
Anyway, we picked up a free-cycled folding bed, bought some more pillows, and crossed our fingers. The first 'sleepover' was to be just two guys ....till the day before, when I discovered there would actually be three. Fine - the sofa's a bit short but line the seat cushions up on the floor and it'll be great. Second time, we were expecting four overnight guests . Fine - we'd coped with three, four wouldn't be much more trouble... get a double blow up bed, sleep them head to toe....then we found out they had a driver .....but we muddled through again.

But what about that rock'n'roll lifestyle? The drink, the drugs, the partying?
It's a myth!
By the time these guys get here, they've driven all day, played a gig, and just want to crash out. Next morning, they're heading off for another day of travelling, ending with another gig, and another night on a stranger's floor.
And, at the risk of making them blush, they've all been such lovely guys -  they've washed their breakfast pots, complimented me on my jam; we've talked about anything and everything - attitudes to on-line music streaming, the (sometimes intrusive) expectations of fans, the shock of going from street-busking one day to nationwide tour the next after being 'discovered', books, favourite parts of Scotland, having to use a family hatchback as 'tour bus', ...and, of course, our dog who refuses to be left out of anything!

So far, despite a few last minute panics, I've loved having them all to stay ....... and I've hoping one day I'll see one (or more) of them on TV or plastered across a gossip mag front page, and I can say "I know him! He's slept on my floor!"

Chatsworth again

 It's our second visit to Chatsworth this autumn, so, although the Sotheby's sculpture exhibition is still running, this time there's less 'art' and more 'trees', though really they are as stunning in their own way.











This year, the colours seem even more vivid than usual - perhaps due to the warm, sunny autumn we've had so far.

Ring Pond Reflections

Just one sculpture though as I couldn't resist including this Lynn Chadwick couple, as they stride in front of the autumnal backdrop.

The Rubenstein Kiss - Nottingham Playhouse

The second production in Nottingham Playhouse's Conspiracy Season is based on the real-life story of American-Jewish couple Ethel and Julius Rosenberg who were accused of passing nuclear secrets to the Russians - and executed. The Rubenstein Kiss blends fact and fiction moving from the 70s when Matthew and Anna are brought together through their passion to clear Esther and Jakob Rubenstein, in their view wrongly accused of spying, to the 40s and 50s as the events unwind leading up to the betrayal by Esther's brother David and the arrest of the couple.

It's a moving, thought-provoking and brilliantly acted piece of theatre. There's generally some background noise in an auditorium, a cough, sweet-papers rustling, someone fidgeting in their seat, but for once there were times when the whole auditorium was hushed, mesmerised by the scene unfolding on stage.
The acting throughout was brilliant. Joe Coen and Katharine Manners as the Rubensteins convinced as lovers passionately committed to each other and their ideals, and Simon Haines and Gillian Saker as the 70s couple discovering unpleasant truths about each other, but I was most impressed by Mark Field, as David, moving from a happy-go-lucky youngster to a man tormented by guilt, as he admitted the mistake that led to Esther's arrest.
Although the story plays out to a conclusion on stage, it doesn't feel over. It left me wondering about the Rubensteins/Rosenbergs - did they actually commit the crimes they were accused of? what was the leverage that would persuade a brother to accuse his sister, and what role did the brother's wife really play? This is a play to make you think about loyalties - to family, country and ideals - and make you question what your reactions would have been in such circumstances. it's easy to say "I wouldn't have got into the whole mess - I'd never do that" but stretch your imagination, wonder about if you had something or someone that you cared about that much, what would you do then?