Festival Fever

Funnily enough, this week is becoming quite amusing and enjoyable. It started off rather annoyingly for the usual reasons but as time has gone on, it is proving to be highly entertaining.

Firstly, come what may, I have my hobbies to fall back on to while away the hours. The evenings are getting longer, so I have more golfing options. I still enjoy improving my guitar playing and I have a plentiful supply of Homebrew.

In addition to that, there have been the joys of the Cheltenham festival for another year. Four days of racing fun at the greatest horse-racing meeting of them all.

I get to wrack my brains for potential winners and place a few very small-scale wagers. This includes daily phone-calls from my Dad in an effort to combine thoughts and racing opinions and form a strategy for the next day's 'assault' on the bookmakers. These phone-calls are an event in themselves as telephone silence is strictly maintained by my Dad for the most part of the year.

No luck with the gee-gees yet... "Oh Well!"

The “cérise sur le gateau” so to speak, has come via discovery of the existence of the “Couch By Couchwest” 2012 music festival (March 11-18). It is a fantastic concept and there are some really great musicians contributing to the week-long couch-fest.

I was enthused enough to submit a video of mine. It is a performance of a song I wrote, based on the music to SRV's “Cold Shot.” I was unemployed at the time and had only been playing the guitar for 18-months. Quite honestly, the video is pretty poor, but it is fun to contribute.

Other musicians are very good, by the way, so you should check them out.

http://couchbycouchwest.com/

Festival fever is fun!

20 Monday Moments

1. Holy crap! I look rough first thing on a Monday.
2. Traffic tailback. 8:45 am. Awesome way to start the week. The same thing happens every damn week.
3. This is sad: Grown adults getting giddy at the sight of supermarket-bought jam doughnuts.
4. Radio debate on same-sex marriages. (Not my words). Quote: “What I would say to the gays, is how could you possibly consummate your marriage with only half a set of the required equipment."
5. Jesus Christ, lad, you stink! How can you have such bad B.O? It's only Monday.
6. Radio debate: Motoring, elderly driving, driving tests. 24-year-old policeman described by another caller as, “Wet behind the ears.” (That was generous).
7. Blimey, there are some ugly people around.
8. Why the Hell are there notices placed in the Staff Toilets, containing detailed instructions as to how to wash your hands?
9. Hmm... she's quite nice.
10. I want to write a deep, dark, introspective blog today.
11. Better not. Keep that stuff to yourself, Liam.
12. How come when I was obsessed by road-cycling, I was an anomaly? Now, I've lost interest, most of my idols are dead and cycling is popular.
13. Most people are morons.
14. At my local club, golfers manage to play tired, hungover or even plain drunk. Tiger pulls out with a dodgy heel.
15. There he is again... Stupid prick! (I don't mean Tiger. I actually like Tiger).
16. I'll go and play golf later. Might have a beer while I'm out.
17. Shit! I spend a lot on booze... and I don't earn much.
18. I can't do this much longer. It has gone beyond boring.
19. “Do you like Superman?” (Yes) “Do you prefer Superman or Kent Clark?” … Kent Clark??? … Dickhead!!!
20. It looks like being one of those, “Pass me the hemlock” weeks.

Stir-Crazy

Strewth my strides, this is such maniacal boredom! It truly is insane. I have to get out and do something else.

I accept that boredom is a natural part of life and everybody has to put up with it at times. Generally, I avoid boredom by keeping myself busy and active pretty much from the minute I get up, to the minute I go to bed. Admittedly, not everything I do may be considered by everyone to be constructive or positive but at least it keeps me occupied, reasonably entertained and generally happy.

This boredom, however, is incessant, unrelenting and fundamentally unnecessary and quite frankly, it is getting my gander up!

Quite honestly, I could end up in an asylum if this continues much longer. Similarities could be drawn between this situation and Groundhog Day, airport waiting areas or even life in prison. There is definitely a sense of 'stir-crazy' to it all.

Furthermore, I am at my wit's end as to to how to liven things up. It is not really in my nature to shout at someone and it is a little unfair to start taking the mickey out of people. I might have to resort to sneaking in liquor.

There is also always trust in the belief that it is all a means to an end and that there is a greater good, but realistically, it is 11:50 am on a Wednesday and this is my second rambling blog of the hour. I think I might make my fingers bleed, just so that I have something to focus on. It is either that or eat a pen-top. I could go really wild and do both.

Never mind.

I'll be on the golf-course by three.

Damn, it's raining!

Fighting the Gravitational Pull

Good day fellow bloggers! Happy Wednesday!

I am creating this blog-post essentially to fight off slumber. For the sake of professionalism, I will refrain from going into details as to why I am fighting the gravitational pull on my eyelids at 10:55 am. Suffice is to say that I am.

I have had a good time recently work-wise. That little stint appears to have come to an end. Nevertheless it was good while it lasted. It is once again time now to allow the winds of change to carry me along, as I return to my comfortable, albeit unpredictable limbo.

My social-life could be looking up. After the customary uncertainty and deliberation revolving around the new season at the golf club and pontificating as to whether to stump up the cash to allow me the privilege of being a member for another year, I have renewed my membership and I have set about immersing myself in the club culture, competitions and social activities.

I am actually really looking forward to it. My game is in pretty good shape and it will be good to meet up with and have a bit of banter with a variety of different people.

It looks like it is going to cost me a bloody fortune though. The annual subscription has been paid, but add to that weekly competition fees, social contributions, golfing insurance, reciprocal post-round beverages and suddenly I have unleashed a steady flow from my wallet and drain on my bank account.

Oh well, there is nothing like adopting a gung-ho attitude and diving right in. I have spent most of my life refraining from spending money – probably because I have never really had any. If there is one thing for certain, it is that this life is made for living. I am going to meet new people, improve my game and have some fun.

Cool! That did the trick. Almost time for my next lesson.

Yours Golfingly,

Happy Gilmore (aka. “The Bandit”)